Editor's Choice: Tessemae's Salad Dressing

For the longest time, I refused any salad dressing that wasn't ranch. At some point, I mistook a different dressing for ranch, somehow liked it, and thus added Caesar to the lineup. I ran with those two mainstays for just about the entirety of my life, and never thought better of it. Ranch or Caesar: what else could a salad possibly need?

I know now that this was an egregious error on the part of my younger, less salad-ly inclined self. I have the line of dressings from Tessemae's to thank - their hand-crafted, gluten-free, sugar-free and vegan products have opened my eyes and saved my salads from a lifetime of pale-colored boredom.

I do have salads for dinner quite a bit, so I really got a chance to thoroughly test drive these dressings. First up, I tried the Zesty Ranch, mainly because it had the word 'ranch' in it and I was still scared of trying new things. Now I feel silly for doubting - the olive oil, organic lemons and garlic really proved the 'zesty' part of the name, and this non-creamy version of the popular ranch dressing was devoured in no time. It really added an extra zing to the grilled chicken I added, and I plan on trying this out as a marinade in the near future.

I got a little crazier with the Soy Ginger, using it on some grilled salmon - this turned out to be a great idea, because I made the exact same thing the next night and went right back to the Soy Ginger bottle. I feel comfortable saying that it would be great for stir-fry as well.

Finally there was the Oil Free Red Wine Vinaigrette. Even though I had lived most of life through my ranch/Caesar haze, I was vaguely aware that many people preferred vinaigrettes on their salads. I was admittedly sold into trying it by the word 'wine' - yes, it's that easy. I was pleasantly surprised by the taste, and the touch of pepper. Also, zero calories! Bonus!

Tessemae's line of dressing also includes Balsamic, Cracked Pepper, Oil Free Italian, Lemon Chesapeake, and also Hot Sauce. The bottles look great as well, with a very unique seal that lets you know you're about to open something special.

So I must thank Tessemae's for curing my salad dressing phobia. However, now I have a harder decision to make when I'm eating salads at a restaurant - what dressing to choose? Thankfully when I'm at home, I'll be using Tessemae's.

Editor's Choice: Briannas

I love winter meals as much as the next foodie. (Think rich pastas, thick stews, and anything involving mashed potatoes.) But by mid-February, I have to admit, I’m ready for a break from those heavy dishes. Eager to segue into spring, I have recently turned to salads of crisp produce — doctored up with my new favorite dressing, of course.

Champagne Caper Vinaigrette is the newest flavor from Briannas, maker of premium salad dressings. Made with Champagne vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard and crushed capers, this new flavor is the perfect balance of subtle tanginess and sweetness. It has a smooth finish that complements rather than detracts from the freshness of the veggies in your salad.

My favorite way to use Champagne Caper Vinaigrette is in a salad of romaine, arugula, radicchio, avocado slices, diced red onion, shredded carrot and some shavings of parmesan cheese. I’ve also added some protein to this recipe by topping it off with slices of leftover grilled chicken breast. Briannas also suggests using the dressing on roasted or grilled meats and vegetables.

What’s more, Champagne Caper Vinaigrette is a dressing pretty much everyone can enjoy. It is vegetarian, completely natural and contains no gluten, trans fats, high fructose corn syrup or MSG. It is also soy-, nut-, lactose- and cholesterol-free. And because it is made with canola oil, it is a perfect option for those with heart health concerns.

If you’re looking for a crowd-pleaser to offer your customers this spring, give Champagne Caper Vinaigrette a try. Look for it in the Flavor Focus of the March issue of Fancy Food. You can see the entire line of Briannas salad dressings at www.briannassaladdressing.com.

-Ashley