Last Sunday, we went to a friend’s house for our weekly Seahawks game gathering. I always enjoy contributing a dish, both to help out the hosts – and to ensure there is a low sodium item on the menu. We had pizza, so I offered to make Caesar salad. After reviewing a few salt laden recipes, I developed the below concoction:

8 cloves garlic (Feel free to dial this back if you don’t love garlic as much as me.)

Juice and zest of 1-2 lemons (Start with one and add another at the end to taste.)

3 T Balsamic glaze or reduced balsamic vinegar

1/2 C Extra virgin olive oil

3 T Lemonaise

1 C grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

1. Start with garlic cloves, lemon juice and zest in food processor. Pulse to blend, scraping down sides a couple times.

2. Add balsamic glaze, olive oil and the Lemonaise. Run processor again, scraping sides once and continue to run about 1 minute.

3. Add parmigiano-reggiano and run processor until smooth.

I tossed the dressing with chopped romaine lettuce and topped with chopped roasted red peppers and toasted pine nuts. Delicious! I received many compliments from the salt eaters during the game — and my husband. You know, Mr. Sodium, the one who would drink soy sauce if it were on tap? He loved it! It’s an added bonus when a recipe passes his scrupulous inspection.

Yields a 16 oz jar, which can be stored in the fridge a couple weeks.

*Sodium counts: (via MyFitnessPal.com)

Garlic = 1 mg/clove

Trader Joe’s Balsamic Glaze = 5 mg/T

Lemon = 3 mg/whole fruit

Lemonaise = 85 mg/T

Parmigiano-reggiano = 35 mg/T