I’m not very good at eating things just because they’re supposed to be good for me. If I don’t enjoy the way something tastes, it’s probably not going to become a regular part of my diet.

Lately, I’ve been interested in adding more fermented foods to what I eat, but many of the usual suspects aren’t exactly calling my name. I don’t love kombucha or kimchi, and there is absolutely no chance I’m starting my day with a shot of apple cider vinegar.

What I do eat is salad. A lot of it. Usually two enormous salads a day. So rather than trying to force a new habit, I decided to make a small change to something I already love.

This Maple Miso Vinaigrette is that change. White miso and apple cider vinegar form the tangy, savoury base, with maple syrup to soften the edges, Dijon and garlic for flavour, and olive oil to bring it all together into a thick, creamy dressing. Everything goes into the blender and it’s ready in about a minute.

Sometimes the easiest changes to stick with are the ones that don’t really feel like changes at all.

Keys to Success in making Maple Miso Vinaigrette

• Choose unpasteurized apple cider vinegar. Look for ACV labelled unpasteurized and with the mother. It’s the cloudy stuff, with strands or sediment floating around in the bottle. Since my goal was to incorporate more fermented foods into my diet, this is the kind I use.
• Use white miso. White miso is the mildest and slightly sweeter of the common miso varieties, which makes it perfect for this dressing. It adds savoury, umami flavour without overpowering everything else.
• The blender does the work. Miso and Dijon mustard both help the oil and vinegar emulsify, while the blender makes it especially quick and easy. Just add everything and blend until thick, creamy and completely smooth.
• Adjust the consistency. Depending on your miso and how thick you like your dressing, you may not need any water at all. If it’s too thick, blend in water one tablespoon at a time.
• No blender? No problem. Put everything into a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake like hell until creamy and emulsified.

I’m a big believer in making small changes rather than forcing myself to eat things I don’t enjoy. This Maple Miso Vinaigrette fits easily into something I’m already doing every day—and, more importantly, it makes my salads taste even better. That’s a change I can happily stick with.