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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.
Course Salad
Cuisine Italian
Keyword basil, Bocconcini, tomato

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

  1. Gently mix all dressing ingredients. The dressing can be made earlier in the day, just give it a bit of a stir before using.
  2. 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.