Balsamic-Garlic Flax Oil

This recipe is a pleasant and convenient way to include flax oil in your daily diet. My family always enjoys the balsamic/olive oil dips at restaurants that you can dredge good breads in. I was preparing such a dip at home one night but decided to try flax oil instead of olive. It was okay, until I added garlic – not a lot, just a hint to give it more flavor and mask any bitterness in the flax oil. We now have this every night with our meals, either drizzled on our main course or as a dip with bread.

1⁄4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 large clove garlic, cut into 3 or 4 slices
1⁄2 cup flax oil (see note)

In a bowl or jar (I like to use cleaned leftover nut butter jars), combine the vinegar and the garlic. Let sit for about 15 minutes to infuse the vinegar with the garlic flavor. Add the flax oil, and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes or more before using. If you have any left over, you may want to remove the garlic before refrigerating for the next day; the longer the garlic steeps in the oil and vinegar, the stronger the flavor. If you leave it in and find it is too strong, you can always add extra oil and vinegar to dilute it a little. Also, the garlic can spoil in the oil after time, so it is best to use within a few days and then make a fresh batch.

Note: If you have a very clean, fresh tasting flax oil, you can skip adding the garlic clove and just combine the flax oil and vinegar in a jar and keep in the fridge until all used up!