Share with me: salad dressing ideas...

ktsimons

Great ideas...I really like the guac idea and looking toward yogurt based dressings. I really crave creamy dressings, and I need to slowly re-train my brain before jumping in to vinegar/lemon based dressings and that sounds like a good way to taper off...

thanks all!

Confuzzled4ever

Balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, or a homemade balsamic vinaigrette.

This.
sometimes i go with oil and vinegar too

or nix the dressing altogether. (my salads usually have cranberries, sunflower seeds, avocado and cheese on them so really negates the need for dressing. )

Can also crumble up feta or blue cheese and mix with Greek yogurt or avocado.

I make a curry dressing, but it's not low calorie. mayo, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and curry powder.

Confuzzled4ever

Ranch dressing made with Greek yogurt.

2 cups Greek yogurt (I use 2 percent Trader Joe's Greek Yogurt)
1 Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix
1 percent milk

Mix Greek yogurt and Hidden Valley mix together....add milk until it's the right thickness. ( doesn't take much)

It's only 50 cals per 1/4 cup .....plus 6 grams protein!

oooooo thank you!!

jamiedwygugliotta

Homemade salsa... Tomatoes, onions, green peppers and jalapeno's in the blender. 1/4 cup is only 40 calories! Super yummy with a nice little kick :-)

Nicholec2003

Ranch dressing made with Greek yogurt.

2 cups Greek yogurt (I use 2 percent Trader Joe's Greek Yogurt)
1 Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix
1 percent milk

Mix Greek yogurt and Hidden Valley mix together....add milk until it's the right thickness. ( doesn't take much)

It's only 50 cals per 1/4 cup .....plus 6 grams protein!

Oh! This sounds like the answer to my ranch problems. Thank you!!

coffee4me57

Bolthouse Farms Yogurt Ranch 2Tbs=45 calories. Found in the produce aisle, not with the regular salad dressings.

HeidiCooksSupper

If your salad ingredients are at all moist put them in a big bowl with 1 Tbsp dressing and toss thoroughly, you'd be amazed how much salad one Tbsp coats. Another old trick is to have the dressing on the side and dip the tines of your fork in the dressing before grabbing a bite of salad. A little dressing goes a very long way using this method and you get the flavor in each bite.

MyM0wM0w

I use Cardini's Light Greek Vinaigrette. 50 calories for 2tbsp. I usually only use 1tbsp though (using the same method as Roundgirl), it's zesty enough to coat the leaves with yumminess!

bitxbit

Ken's Steak House Lite Raspberry Walnut Vinegarette - Salad Dressing, 2 Tbs. = 80 calories, 7 carbs, 6 fats and 125 sodium

sweetpickle1004

bump

MyM0wM0w

Ranch dressing made with Greek yogurt.

2 cups Greek yogurt (I use 2 percent Trader Joe's Greek Yogurt)
1 Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix
1 percent milk

Mix Greek yogurt and Hidden Valley mix together....add milk until it's the right thickness. ( doesn't take much)

It's only 50 cals per 1/4 cup .....plus 6 grams protein!

Oh! This sounds like the answer to my ranch problems. Thank you!!

I do similar. 2 Cups of Greek yogurt, equal parts dill, onion powder, garlic powder, and chives (I can't use the dressing mix because of the massive amounts of sodium in it), and instead of milk I use buttermilk to thin it to the consistency I want(it thickens a bit in the fridge). My very own healthier buttermilk Ranch! NOM NOM NOM NOM. Or I leave it thicker (less buttermilk) and use it as a dip for veggies.

elisabeisme

I use my favorite salad dressings and then just cut them by mixing half and half with lower cal liquid to reduce the calories. Depending on the dressing flavor, I cut with balsamic vinegar, white wine vinegar, milk/plain yogurt, orange/cranberry/lemon juice, and/or mustard. I measure and mix up a batch for the week and store in the fridge. That enables me to still get my favorite flavors, but have enough liquid to evenly coat all my lettuce.

dot1212

these are great ideas. Thanks.

jayrudq

I make my dressing in the bottom of my salad bowl each time. Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, fresh garlic, salt and pepper. Whisk and add lettuce and ingredients. For some reason I cannot explain, you need less this way. Tossing your salad with the dressing on the bottom just is more efficient? Anyways, the only dressing I buy is bolthouse, otherwise it is freshly made each time.

Comonemo

I actually really love the Walden Farms salad dressings- they have everything from ranch (regular, bacon, chipotle), to flavored vinaigrettes (balsamic, ginger, raspberry), creamy dressings (Caesar, thousand island, dijion) I have yet to find one I really despised. They are calorie free, carb free, sugar free, gluten free and is a nice change to my usual oil/vinegar..

GingerLolita

Classic combo of olive oil & balsamic vinegar. Invest in high-quality for these two: there's a big difference! Of course, olive oil will add calories, but the healthy fats allow you to absorb more of the nutrition in the salad.

For a low-calorie option, I really like Trader Joe's Raspberry Vinaigrette. 2 tablespoons is 40 calories!

green_owl

lemon juice and zest + extra virgin olive oil + honey + mustard

sesame oil

soured cream or natural yougurt

parsley, basil, mint blended with oil and lemon juice or capers

sometimes i replace dressing with avacado or hummus

BroiledNotFried

A little bit of Apple Cider Vinegar, a tinier bit of olive oil, dijon mustard, spices.

mariyka1

I put the salad dressing in a small bowl and dip the tines of my fork into it before each bite of salad. Very little dressing is used, but you really taste it. I usually end up eating about a teaspoon of dressing, with no loss of flavor.

Seesawboomerang

I generally shake up a little honey and mustard with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, but if I want a creamy dressing, add some yoghurt.

With the basic vinaigrette or the creamy adaptation, it's quite easy to vary up the flavour with various herbs and spices.

I sometimes use flavoured oils that jars of olives or sundried tomatoes have come in.