Caprese Salad
This is one of my Italian favorites and a must throughout the summer. If pressed for time a really good balsamic vinegar reduction and a bit of olive oil can be drizzled instead of making the dressing. This salad recipe was adapted from the Osteria de Medici Restaurant, Calgary, many years ago.
Ingredients
- Salad
- Unless making this salad individually for an exact CHO count here are the approximate carbs for various types of tomatoes. Total CHO will depend on the portion. I use the best tomatoes I can find at the time.
Use 400 grams of any of the tomatoes listed below:
- 3 cups (400 grams) large yellow/orange cherry tomatoes, halved 8 CHO
- 3 cups (400 grams) large red cherry tomatoes, halved 12 CHO
- 4 – 6 medium vine ripened (400 grams) yellow/orange tomatoes, sliced 8 CHO
- 4 – 6 medium vine ripened (400 grams) red tomatoes, sliced 12 CHO
Bocconcini comes in all sizes. Generally, it is 1 CHO/30 GRAMS, however, always check the label. The people in our local Italian market have brought out the pail for me to see and confirmed their fresh bocconcini is indeed 1CHO/30 GRAMS.
- 3 medium (203 gr) Bocconcini balls (1 CHO/30 gr). 6.76 CHO
- 12 – 15 fresh basil leaves 0 CHO
Caprese Dressing
- *The better and more expensive the balsamic vinegar the more CHO per TBSP/15 ml.
- ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil 0 CHO
- 2 TBSP (30 ml) balsamic vinegar (6 CHO/TBSP/15 ML) 12 CHO
- ¼ tsp. salt 0 CHO
- ¼ tsp. pepper 0 CHO
- 1 tsp. fresh oregano finely chopped or ¼ tsp. dry 0 CHO
- 1 tsp. fresh parsley finely chopped or ¼ tsp. dry 0 CHO
TOTAL CHO 12 CHO
- TOTAL ML 75 ML
- 12 CHO DIVIDED BY 75 ML = .16 CHO/ML
- 1 TBSP = 15 ML (.16 CHO x 15 ML) 2.4 CHO/TBSP
- TOTAL VOLUME = 5 TBSP
Instructions
- Gently mix all dressing ingredients. The dressing can be made earlier in the day, just give it a bit of a stir before using.
- Layer the tomatoes on a platter, tuck in slices of bocconcini and the basil leaves. The colors of Italy! Drizzle the dressing and serve immediately.
