salad dressing help!!!

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mrsbuzz
mrsbuzz Posts: 576 Member
in Recipes
Ok I am wanting to find a good dressing for salads or a better way to make a ranch style dressing. I love ranch on my salad but know its not the best for me so if anyone could help I would appreciate it. thanks
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  • foxylady8098
    foxylady8098 Posts: 57
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    Italian or any other style of vinegarette have a lot less calories than ranch.
  • H_82
    H_82 Posts: 418 Member
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    I like the Wishbone (?) spritzers.... And I know they come in ranch...I think it's only 11 calories per 10 spritz's.
  • neelia
    neelia Posts: 750 Member
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    I am also a ranch-salad person, but I've had to switch to balsamic or light italian (ranch has way too many calories...even light!).
  • mrsbuzz
    mrsbuzz Posts: 576 Member
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    oh i know that but i love the flavor of ranch and its hard to try vinergrettes, because i am afraid of spending the money on a bottle and not like it.
  • foxylady8098
    foxylady8098 Posts: 57
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    I LOVE italian dressing, but am very picky about the ones that I like. I don't even buy bottles from the store anymore, I make the mixes that they sell in the store. This way, I can adjust how much oil and how much vinegar I like in the dressing.
  • MsElphaba
    MsElphaba Posts: 432 Member
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    I love my bleu cheese. SO, I use a tip I got from Biggest Loser a few seasons ago. I always order (or serve) my dressing on the side. I dip my fork in the dressing and then load up the fork with salad. You get the taste and a lot less dressing.

    L
  • ErrataCorrige
    ErrataCorrige Posts: 649 Member
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    I mix powdered ranch dressing into plain greek yogurt, then add a little milk until it is the consistency I want. Tastes just like regular ranch, but with WAY less calories, and an added protein boost!
  • FoamyRiver
    FoamyRiver Posts: 276 Member
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    I love Ranch dressing myself but can't stand the lower fat or fat free versions. Try measuring out 1 Tbls into a small container, dip your fork in the dressing and then into your salad. You'd be surprised how little dressing you use doing this but you still get that yummy taste.

    I like Italian and vinegarettes sometimes too but, although low on the calorie and fat side, they usually pack a TON of sodium.
  • Melaniegibson
    Melaniegibson Posts: 30
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    Some may find this odd.... but I use Herdez green salsa as my salad dressing..... hardly any calories... A little spice. I am lactose intolerant and cannot eat alot of dressings.. but after getting on this site I realized how good it is on a salad. I like it esp on a taco salad or a tuna salad.
  • eveunderground
    eveunderground Posts: 236 Member
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    I mix powdered ranch dressing into plain greek yogurt, then add a little milk until it is the consistency I want. Tastes just like regular ranch, but with WAY less calories, and an added protein boost!
    This sounds like a GREAT idea! where do you buy powdered ranch dressing?
  • MANESSJ
    MANESSJ Posts: 3 Member
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    If you use fat free sour cream with a packet of the dry ranch mix and thin it out with ff milk, it's pretty tasty!
  • mrsbuzz
    mrsbuzz Posts: 576 Member
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    What's the calories and sodium on the dry powder and mixing it with yogurt and milk?
  • ElleBee2001
    ElleBee2001 Posts: 3
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    I love honey mustard and just made a yummy mustard dressing and ate it on my salad for lunch. I added four tsp of yellow mustard (spicy has 5 calories per tsp but yellow mustard has zero). Then I added about 1 TBSP of sugar free, sodium free rice vinegar (also calorie free) and 1 packet of splenda. I mixed it up and put it on my salad. It was WONDERFUL and zero calories. It would be pretty inexspensive to make this dressing and try it to see if you like it.
  • lungti
    lungti Posts: 9
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    I mix powdered ranch dressing into plain greek yogurt, then add a little milk until it is the consistency I want. Tastes just like regular ranch, but with WAY less calories, and an added protein boost!

    This is a really great idea!!! Thanks!
  • ErrataCorrige
    ErrataCorrige Posts: 649 Member
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    1 oz of Greek yogurt is around 15 calories and aoubt 2.5g of protein. 1/3 tsp (about all you need) is 5 calories and 120g of sodium.

    You can buy it where ever you buy salad dressing (I prefer the Hidden Valley brand). It comes in a packet, kind of like you would find taco meat seasoning in.
  • jwd28
    jwd28 Posts: 765
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    You could try...

    cottage cheese, a packet of ranch flavoring, skim milk (or almond milk or soy milk)

    blend until you get the desired consistnecy.

    I have made a ranch dip by blending cottage cheese and ranch flavoring and it is very yummy. I imagine it would also be good thinned down as a dressing.
  • rachelc96
    rachelc96 Posts: 34
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    Since I like ranch also, I found fat-free spray ranch that is only 15 calories per 10 sprays, which is more then you think! It's made by Wishbone and I use it all of the time. But if your not a big fan of spray-on dressings, just go for the regular fat-free ranch by Hidden Valley, which is only like 15 calories a tablespoon and it doesn't taste bland or anything.
  • krwebb
    krwebb Posts: 2 Member
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    I miss some dry Hidden Valley Ranch dip mix in with fat free greek yogurt and use it for dip for raw veggies. Then when I want salad dressing, I add a bit of skim milk to thin it out into dressing. YUM, YUM, YUM - gives you protien and calcium servings!
  • michellewa
    michellewa Posts: 17 Member
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    Try the japanese flavored vinegars. Of course, clear dressings are always better. B:blushing: ut try making your ranch dressing from scratch using low fat buttermilk and ff cottage cheese in the blender as your base. Go online to get the spices you need to make it taste like the real ranch. Good luck.

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