Not long ago I mentioned some research suggesting that vinegar consumed with a meal can help to reduce the glycemic index of that meal. I'm not big on drinking vinegar myself, so I've had my eyes open for tasty ways to make that interaction work for you in real life.
One great food to keep in mind is the Argentinian condiment chimichurri. I call it South American pesto, the big difference being that chimichurri is most often made with parsley instead of basil. That's ok, parsley is absolutely loaded with vitamin A and lots of other nutritional goodness we lose out on because we tend to think it is only useful as a garnish.
Here is a great recipe with some serving ideas. It's barbecue season so it's a great time to get friendly with this sauce! While the Argentinians are famous for their love of beef, this sauce is great on anything you wish to barbecue, such as the salmon in the photo.
As chimichurri becomes more popular in the United States, pre-prepared versions are becoming more common. I've even seen it on the shelves at Trader Joe's, both plain and as part of some of their packaged dishes.
The other day I stopped at a demo table at my neighborhood store and met the president of Magic Road International, a company devoted to importing Argentinian foods. She shared that they have a chimichurri sauce (Estancia Lucia) that they're working to bring to your table, made with great ingredients such as native Argentinian olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It's become one of my favorite condiments because it's so tasty and versatile.
Be on the lookout and fire up that grill!