Vanilla Bean Vinaigrette with Cassia Kream
Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting Jason Schuler, maker of Drink More Good, at his new location in Beacon, NY. The store front of Drink More Good reminds me of an herbal apothecary I used to frequent in the East Village many moons ago, with lots of jars filled with fresh herbs, spices, and teas, a small bar, and rustic seating area. Jason was very hospitable and offered my husband and I, along with our friend, many delicious samples of his handcrafted syrups mixed with seltzer. I personally don’t drink regular soda, and rarely have sugar, so I quickly found myself flying high from the mildly sweet sodas that we indulged in. Jason’s idea is surely a savior for any soda addicts. They can now replace that artificial-chemical-factory-in-a-can, with the many flavors of Drink More Good, an artisan product, handmade, with all natural herbs and spices. 
With my passion for creating delicious, and healthy culinary delights, I quickly started thinking of other uses for the tasty syrups and my first experiment – Vanilla Vinaigrette with Cassia Kream – was definitely a keeper!
To start, I soaked about 10 fresh vanilla beans (purchased at Drink More Good) in a 1/4 cup of coconut vinegar. Coconut vinegar has all of the benefits found in apple cider vinegar, but has a sweet coco-nutty flavor. The longer the vanilla infuses with the vinegar, the more flavor it will have, but at the very least, let it soak for a few days in a cool, dark spot. The smell of the vinegar infused with vanilla is amazing and I really enjoyed working with real vanilla beans (a first for me!).
After infusing the vinegar, discard the vanilla beans. Blend all of the ingredients together and store your delicious Vanilla Bean Vinaigrette in the fridge in an airtight container. Allow it to sit at room temperature before serving if the olive oil solidifies.
I’m sure this dressing would taste delicious on any salad, but it was especially tasty over mesclun greens, with roasted beets, and goat cheese!
The Recipe:
1/4 C Vanilla Infused Coconut Vinegar
1/2 C Olive Oil
2 tsp Cassia Kream
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt
Blend all ingredients together and enjoy over your favorite salad!
Alison will be hosting a Free Introductory Seminar at Drink More Good Tuesday, June 2nd 4-6 PM to launch her leading-edge ONLINE program entitled Ten Day Cleanse to a Whole New You! If you live out of the area, tune in to the event streaming LIVE!
For more information or to register call Alison: 914-406-3767 or email: Alison@HappyInYourSkin.com