To make the dressing low-fat, cut down on the oil and substitute water for the missing liquid. It’s a very flavorful dressing, so you won’t miss it. Also, be sure the onion is really red (on the inside too if possible!) so the dressing will be pink. The first time I used this salad in a course I gave, I was literally frantic that the dressing would come out white and not pink (and then what’s the big deal?!). I “warned” the women that it might happen. Don’t despair – it could happen, but it tastes just as good. (If you use regular mustard, the dressing will be an unsightly orange!)

Dijon mustard is French mustard that is light in color, but fairly strong in flavor. American yellow mustard is a mixture of the mildest mustard seeds with vinegar, sugar, and turmeric (which is what makes it yellow). There is such a flavor difference between the two, that we don’t generally substitute one for the other.