salad dressings

LovesDogsAndBooks

I like to eat big salad bowls with plenty of different greens, vegetables and some protein in it and I always make my own vinaigrette from oil, vinegar and mustard. Because the salads are so voluminous, a vinaigrette with only 1 tablespoon of olive oil (shocked to find out that has 120 calories) just won't coat the whole thing. What besides water could I use to stretch the dressing? This almost makes me think that salads are not such a great way to reduce your calorie intake if most of the calories are in the dressing!

AndOne8675

Vinegar. Rice vinegar, Baslamic, red wine...If it's too strong you can water it down.

I usually skip the oil and use the calories for cheese or avocado, nuts and seeds instead.

LovesDogsAndBooks

I've heard that before, but have hesitated to try it. Watered down with water it's probably okay, and maybe I'll increase the mustard part to make it more creamy. Thanks for reminding me of this, I might try it tomorrow!

TonyB0588

I have no difficulty skipping the dressing altogether. Sometimes I think we do so much with vegetables now, it takes away the original benefit of eating them.

starfruit132

Have you tried the spray olive oil similar to Pam? It is a great way to coat the leaves for less calories.

LovesDogsAndBooks

starfruit132 wrote: »

Have you tried the spray olive oil similar to Pam? It is a great way to coat the leaves for less calories.

No, I hadn't thought of that! So far I've only used the spray for cooking.

LovesDogsAndBooks

starfruit132 wrote: »

Have you tried the spray olive oil similar to Pam? It is a great way to coat the leaves for less calories.

I would have to try, but the thought of it is kind of weird. Then again, I guess we're just so used to certain things going together that it doesn't even occur to us that they don't have to. Well, when I make a salad tomorrow I'll try to eat it without dressing, and if it just doesn't want to go down my throat, I'll try a watered down dressing.

mystic_elegance

Look for a yogurt based dressing usually found in the grocery store in the refrigerated produce section next to all the greens. Usually around 45 calories for 2 tablespoons. I personally love the taste of every one I have tried.
Good luck

SueMangiaracina

LovesDogsAndBooks wrote: »

I like to eat big salad bowls with plenty of different greens, vegetables and some protein in it and I always make my own vinaigrette from oil, vinegar and mustard. Because the salads are so voluminous, a vinaigrette with only 1 tablespoon of olive oil (shocked to find out that has 120 calories) just won't coat the whole thing. What besides water could I use to stretch the dressing? This almost makes me think that salads are not such a great way to reduce your calorie intake if most of the calories are in the dressing!

Definitely skip the oil. I like to smash 1/4 of avocado and use that to coat the salad greens before I add anything else. I also like to make "Walnut Vinaigrette Dressing" (Google it) which uses Walnuts as the fat source. It has such a strong flavor you will only have to use a very small amount. Walnuts have nutrients that are beneficial and this healthy fat source helps you absorb some of the vitamins from your salad because vitamins A, D, E, K require the presence of fats to be absorbed.

Ironandwine69

I use Walden Farms calorie free salad dressings. Have you tried?

LovesDogsAndBooks

I love my own vinaigrette and haven't really tried any bottled salad dressings, except for what you get when you eat out. The walnut vinaigrette sounds great, walnuts are my favourite nuts anyway!

rdmitch

Mix a small amount of oil with a lot of red wine vinegar. To eliminate the bitterness of the vinegar add sweet and low to taste.
I add some Italian spices or some good seasons dressing mix to spice it up a bit. You will need to shake the
hell out of it since it does not mix well due to the minimal amount of oil.
Overall it's under 15 cals a serving. Feel free to use it in quantity on your big salad.

babynew

Blender up some fruits ! FANTASTIC DRESSING !

LovesDogsAndBooks

Thanks for both of your suggestions! What fruit would you blend up as dressing, something with a lot of juice like citrus?

nowine4me

Salsa makes a nice dressing too

bbell1985

I coat giant salads in mixing bowls with half a tablespoon of oil.

I prefer hot sauce. No calories.

SammiG01

The yogurt dressings are great. I find if I have cottage cheese in my salad I don't miss dressing at all. Adds protein too, win/win.

babynew

I like to blender Mango blueberries sometimes...or mangoes,red bell pepper,and dates.Or just plain lemons with some sunflower seeds..

monicapiazza

Blend up some roasted red peppers, tomato, basil.. so delicious. Or mashed avocado!

LovesDogsAndBooks

I made a dressing today with my usual mustard, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper, so basically my vinaigrette without the oil, and a little water to make it go further, and it wasn't that bad. Will keep experimenting with the suggestions made here. Thanks!

ated217

I've been on a banana pepper kick lately, I'll just pour a little of the juice on my salad from the peppers. It is amazing. I used to be one that always went heavy on the dressing until I tried this, not anymore.

bbell1985

ated217 wrote: »

I've been on a banana pepper kick lately, I'll just pour a little of the juice on my salad from the peppers. It is amazing. I used to be one that always went heavy on the dressing until I tried this, not anymore.

Oh yeah. These and pepperoncini are game changers in salad.

vmtama27

Poppyseed Lite dressing is absolutely delicious and it's ONLY 30calories a TBS!!!! I kids log it too. I can grill chicken and they use it as a dipping sauce!

tar2323

I'm not the biggest fan of salad and can only eat with a dressing. My go to is now balsamic vinegar with fresh lemon juice, sriracha and a squirt of liquid sweetener (I like sweetish dressings).

fitoverfortymom

Salads frustrate me because I thought that was the only way to diet for a long time. I do love a good salad, but often the calories aren't worth it because I really only like creamy dressings coating all the salad goodies. Bolthouse dressings have helped because sometimes I do get a hankering for a good salad. For the most part, though, any day I can eat without having to resort to salad is a dieting win, IMO (unless you LOVE salad then eat salad!!).

Brithicks

Salsa, hot sauce, pickled veggie juice, and squeezed lemon are all super low to no calorie ways that I top my salads. If I have room for it, I'll add plain greek yogurt or cottage cheese or avocado for a more creamy type dressing in combination with any of the low/no calorie options.

Blondie_130

I've used hummus, thinned out with water, as a dressing for spinach salad with tomatoes and a cut-up veggie burger patty. So good.

fitmom4lifemfp

Hot wing sauce. Very few calories, and wonderful flavor.

TonyB0588

Sometimes no dressing. It's one of my pet peeves - how we took good old time vegetables and invented salad, then we took salad and started adding cheese and oil and so much other stuff, we can't find the veg in it.

A bit exaggerated I know, but I just wonder if we haven't long since lost the value of the vegetables.

fitmom4lifemfp

TonyB0588 wrote: »

Sometimes no dressing. It's one of my pet peeves - how we took good old time vegetables and invented salad, then we took salad and started adding cheese and oil and so much other stuff, we can't find the veg in it.

A bit exaggerated I know, but I just wonder if we haven't long since lost the value of the vegetables.

I have no problem finding the "veggie" in my salad. Not everyone adds that much crap to it.

mjbnj0001

LovesDogsAndBooks wrote: »

Thanks for both of your suggestions! What fruit would you blend up as dressing, something with a lot of juice like citrus?

I make about 80% of the dressings we use: vinaigrette, creamy and recently catalina-style. I've also done "green goddess" dressings (recipes online). We have substantial salads 5 of 7 days/week. A good number of the days I substitute fresh lemon juice (or occasionally lime or a mix) for the vinegar. I also change up on the vinegars: red wine, apple (clear and cloudy types - mostly clear for salads), white wine or champagne, herb/pepper-flavored. Generally, the lemon/lime juice is also accompanied by some zest to enhance the flavor. Since "mandarin orange slices" are a thing in some salads, I've also been thinking of using an orange juice/zest for the acid ... but am thinking this might be best with ginger, sesame and other asian-type flavors. Now that summer BBQ season is coming around again, there will be some experimenting going on.

I pre-mix vinaigrettes into the salad for serving; my family is evolving towards less dressing overall, so our oil consumption is lessening as well. Creamy and others I let the diner self-serve.

When using lemon, a broad range of herbs are great (dill, basil, ...).

The catalina-style dressing (many recipes online), is tomato-based.

Yogurt, sour cream/creme fraiche and buttermilk blends as a basis make a big range of unique ranch-type and other creamy dressings. I hardly ever use mayo as a dressing component.

Good luck.