Salad Dressings - Help

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  • suzan06
    suzan06 Posts: 218 Member
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    I tried Tessamae Lemon Garlic dressing recently and it is spectacular.

    Like I want to drink a bowl of it. Yet a Tablespoon on a whole plate of salad is enough.

    It is 100 cal/tablespoon so on the higher side of calories, but no sugar and extremely satisfying.
  • crooked_left_hook
    crooked_left_hook Posts: 364 Member
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    I just make my own because I like light and very tangy dressings which I can't find pre-made. I mix together: 1 Tbsp olive oil, juice of 1 lemon, 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp honey, black pepper to taste. That usually dresses 2-3 large salads.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
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    Hot sauce. Done. Dressing to me is a big treat...hot sauce on the salad 2x per day.
  • paulathoren1
    paulathoren1 Posts: 52 Member
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    1 tablespoon olive oil (flavored is awesome, like garlic or tuscan herb), 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon dijon, 1 - 2 crushed garlic cloves and any herbs you want (can be dried). great tasting using a GOOD fat - a little goes a long way
  • subcounter
    subcounter Posts: 2,382 Member
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    I simply love making my own salad dressings. No added random preservatives in them. You can play around with mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Whisk in the oil (whatever your calories allow). Garlic if you love.
    Pomegranate sour is amazing too for salads.
  • KellieTru
    KellieTru Posts: 285 Member
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    Been making my own salad dressings for the last while...less expensive, less additives, and more tailored to my tastes (ie: always add garlic!).
    Pinterest is a great resource for recipes...here's my current fav: http://www.simplyscratch.com/2010/11/my-big-fat-greek-dressing.html
    It's really yummy AND super easy to make :)
  • ChristopherLimoges
    ChristopherLimoges Posts: 298 Member
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    Two tbsp oil to one tbsp acidic ingredient such as vinegar/lemon juice is the usual quick and easy knockout.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
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    ChristopherLimoges wrote: »
    Two tbsp oil to one tbsp acidic ingredient such as vinegar/lemon juice is the usual quick and easy knockout.

    You eat 2 tablespoons of oil on one salad or is that for 2-4?
  • lfirm
    lfirm Posts: 1 Member
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    I make my own with low fat natural yoghurt and change the flavours for variety; choppe herbs such as mint, basil or parsely, lime or lemon juice, chopped deseeded chilli for a bit of zing etc. If you run out of yoghurt make a version using low fat milk and lemon juice. Add some celery salt and pepper to taste.
  • vikinglander
    vikinglander Posts: 1,547 Member
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    Seriously, make your own. The majority of even the so-called 'healthy' commercial dressings are made with either soybean or canola oil. Personally, I won't use either if I can help it...when I'm eating out sometimes it's unavoidable, though.

    A salad dressing is basically two parts oil (olive, avocado, walnut) and one part acid (vinegar, citrus juice) with seasonings (garlic, ginger, shallots, herbs, spices). Experiment and find your own groove.

    I use EVOO or avocado oil and either apple cider vinegar or citrus juice (lemon, lime, grapefruit, orange, pomegranate, alone or in combinations), and garlic, ginger and various herbs to suit my mood and my salad ingredients.

    Here is a classic French vinaigrette:

    2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
    2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
    1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
    2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
    6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    Freshly ground black pepper to taste

    Here is a dressing I use frequently:

    1 cup extra virgin olive oil
    .5 cup lemon juice
    1 large clove garlic finely minced
    1 tsp dried thyme
    .5 tsp sea salt
    .5 tsp black pepper

    Plug your ingredients into MFP's Recipe calculator to get the calorie count.

    Here's another I've tried and really love:

    Green Goddess Dressing
    Makes 4 cups

    8 to 10 anchovy fillets
    1 green onion
    1/4 cup minced parsley
    2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon
    3 cups prepared mayonnaise (even better if you know how to make your own!)
    1/2 cup tarragon vinegar
    1/2 cup finely snipped chives

    Romaine
    Escarole
    Chicory

    2 peeled garlic cloves, smashed

    Chicken, crab or shrimp, optional garnish

    Instructions: Mince anchovies with green onion; transfer to a bowl. Add parsley, tarragon, mayonnaise, tarragon vinegar and chives; mix well. The dressing can be made ahead.
    Just before serving, clean and cut romaine, escarole and chicory into bite-size pieces. Rub a wooden bowl with the garlic cloves, then add greens and toss with enough dressing to coat. If desired, garnish with chicken, crab or shrimp.

    Bon Appetit!

    Any extra dressing, which can also be used as a dip for raw vegetables, will keep for up to a week.

    Per tablespoon: 77 calories, 0 g protein, 0 g carbohydrate, 8 g fat (1 g saturated), 6 mg cholesterol, 79 mg sodium, 0 g fiber.

    There are many versions of Green Goddess dressing, including some that call for avocado, additional herbs and different vinegars. This is the original version from San Francisco's Palace Hotel chef Philip Roemer.

    The secrets:
    Tarragon: There's a double dose of this herb, not only from the fresh leaves, which when mixed with parsley gives the dressing a vivid green color, but in the vinegar that's flavored with the herb.
    The greens: Escarole, romaine and chicory are strong-flavored greens that complement and stand up to the bold flavor of the dressing.
    Wooden bowl: The salad should be tossed in a wooden bowl, which is rubbed with garlic before the greens and dressing are added; giving just a fresh hint of garlic.
  • donreed
    donreed Posts: 1 Member
    edited February 2017
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    I have found vinaigrette dressings work for me and the raspberry/walnut is one of my favorites. One trick I have learned about salad dressings that helps when I do have something like ranch or any other thicker consistency dressing, is to have it on the side instead of pouring the dressing over your salad and while eating your dip your forkful of salad into the dressing. Your will find you get the full flavor and will cut the amount of dressing you eat considerably. Or just dip your fork into the dressing then into your salad bowl. It really helps. You will be amazed at how little dressing you eat that way.
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
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    I usually make my own, but I keep a bottle of Bolthouse or Litehouse Greek yogurt ranch on hand at work for emergencies. I prefer the Litehouse over the Bolthouse because it isn't as sweet. It has 60 cal for 2Tbsp. vs. 45 for the Bolthouse. Both are found in the refrigerated section (produce section in my grocery store).
  • mir1104
    mir1104 Posts: 101 Member
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    I just made one today that worked a charm, I wanted an oil/fat free dressing at all costs so I tried mixing this:
    50g tomato sauce (smooth, not chunks)
    2 tsp tamari (I suppose shoyu could work the same)
    It was good!
  • Thehardmakesitworthit
    Thehardmakesitworthit Posts: 838 Member
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    Walden farms organic thousand island.... gluten free zero calories... all of their dressings are made using vinegars and herbs. Really zippy!
  • txchics
    txchics Posts: 19 Member
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    Braggs Vinaigrette is working great for me
  • _Emily85
    _Emily85 Posts: 42 Member
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    leanjogreen18 wrote: »
    Agree with above - Bolthouse Farms greek yogurt and their balsamic is pretty low too.

    I love ranch and the Bolthouse Farms at 45 cal for 2 tablespoons hands down is the best ranch dressing outside of the "real" thing. In fact I don't notice a difference anymore and I was a big ranch gal.

    The ranch is the only one I have tried but I love it
  • ktekc
    ktekc Posts: 879 Member
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    _Emily85 wrote: »
    leanjogreen18 wrote: »
    Agree with above - Bolthouse Farms greek yogurt and their balsamic is pretty low too.

    I love ranch and the Bolthouse Farms at 45 cal for 2 tablespoons hands down is the best ranch dressing outside of the "real" thing. In fact I don't notice a difference anymore and I was a big ranch gal.

    The ranch is the only one I have tried but I love it

    try the salsa ranch. . its awesome.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
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    I like Newman's Own light Italian and light balsamic vinaigrette.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
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    When I make a salad at home, I mix a little olive oil with a lot of pickle juice from Harold's Dern Hot Texicun Pickuls. http://www.consciouschoicefoods.com/
  • charmurr
    charmurr Posts: 49 Member
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    escalada22 wrote: »
    So I have been on the search for the lowest cal biggest taste salad dressing and haven't found it yet. I don't usually do fat free because more sugar. I will go light sometimes, but would just as much rather have an Italian. Just wondering what dressing you have found are tasty, low cal and not super high in sodium!

    Make your own. Broth, lime juice, garlic, mustard, pepper, and a touch of oil. You could go on and add whatever suits you....
    You could also make dressing out of cashews. Taste just like ranch. Bare in mind this will only keep for about a week so I don't make much. Cup of soaked cashews (2hrs), not quite a cup of water, TB +/- lemon juice, not quite TB of cider vinegar, dash of garlic powder, ts onion powder, dash of dill, salt to taste, sprinkle of basil, pepper to taste. Blend till smooth.

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