Making your own dressing can seem like a daunting task, but people fail to realize how easy it is. If you have some olive oil, a type of vinegar or lemon juice, and seasonings, you can whip up a dressing in minutes. A dressing does not have to be an elaborate concoction; rather, a simple dressing often complements the salad ingredients and provides a light, acidic relief. This dressing has a little zest from the lemon and punch from the mustard powder. Don’t worry, though, because it doesn’t overpower the palate!

Tahini is essential to this dressing. Although it is just sesame seed paste, it offers a wonderfully nutty flavor and creamy consistency to the dressing. It actually balances the acidity from the lemon and the strong allium flavor of the garlic. You may have to play with the balance of lemon juice and tahini, especially if you enjoy a prominent lemon flavor. Add the juice from one more lemon if you fall into that category.

Mustard powder can be an intense flavor, so don’t exceed the measurement. It offers a little tang that pairs nicely with the lemon, and you get a little sweet relief form the maple syrup. After you whisk together the ingredients or shake them up in a jar, you may or may not want to add a little water to thin it out. If you prefer thicker dressings, then you won’t have to add water at all. In fact, you can keep the dressing a little thicker and use it as a creamy dip for celery sticks or sweet potato fries.