Salad Dressing?

AmyS79

I love salads but I normaly eat ranch dressing. I decided I dont want to wast calories in that anymore and go for some healthy dressing instead. My question is what are your favorit salad dressing? I wanna try different one so that I dont get bored of eating salads.

Charlottejogs

Good idea! When I really want some ranch as veggie dip or something I get the packets and mix it with low fat greek yogurt (maybe thinned with some milk it would work on salad?). But if you like other dressings I like the Annie's Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette; it still has some chemically stuff but is yummy! I don't suppose balsamic and a touch of oil would work?

betrayalunknown

Do you have a Trader Joes near you? If so... you should definitely try out their Light Champagne Vinagrette... it is heavenly, and a little bit is all you need.

Let me tell you... I absolutely LOVE honey mustard... the fattenting restaurant style-dressing kind... (The Ken's Steakhouse brand is to die for!!) I love to dip my french fries in it... as well as crusty breads and the sort. However it is full of fat and calories.

Now.. i will make my salads with SANDWICH HONEY MUSTARD. This is MUSTARD with added honey... which keeps the fat at ZERO and the calories very, very low.

I will prepare my vegetables for my salad in my BIG tupperware, leaving room in it... and then squeeze a few tablespoons of the sandwich honey mustard on top.... cap the tupperware tightly (make sure you get the tupperware that clicks shut to ensure that no water leaks out of it) and SHAKE it, SHAKE it, SHAKE it to distribute the mustard evenly. Although the texture of the honey mustard is very, very different... I think it still tastes so good... AND the fact that it is so low in calories (since it technically isn't a dressing) makes it THAT much better Let me know what you think!

PS If you want to try this idea out, you could also squeeze a few tablespoons of the mustard in a dish and add a few drops of water to it and whisk it up to create a thinner "dressing"

AlyRoseNYC

Sometimes I use a low calorie dressing like a homemade balsamic vinagrette.

Other days, like today, I use a higher calorie dressing. I have a feeling that tonight is going to be too hectic to get in a decent meal, so I'm trying to sneak in as many calories as possible

bowlinmoe

I've learned to enjoy salad without dressing. IMO, dressing is sort of like soda. It's empty calories.

If I really feel like dressing, though, I'll try it keep it light with balsamic vinagrite (sp) or some olive oil.

cestoby

i am a ranch dressing lover too!!!! i USED to drown my salads in it! I found this dressing made out of yogurt, it's name is Lighthouse Yogurt Ranch, and its very good,... I can hardly taste a difference, You should definately try it! and the calories are like
40-50 tablespoon!

AmyS79

all those sounds good to try I have never been a huge fan of balsamic vinagrette. I have seen the rasberries one that I may try..

sfarrell1359

Bolthouse makes Ranch and other dressings from yogurt so they are a lot healthier than the regular dressings, they have honey mustard, blue cheese, thousand island, etc. And maple grove makes really good dressings too, low calorie and no artificial flavoring.

shepherdbl

I have used straight rice vinegar or balsamic vinegar or (in a pinch) plain red wine vinegar mixed with salt and pepper and I love it. Understand that I love tart or sour things.

I have also used fresh salsa or pico de gallo as a dressing - basically it is just part of the salad. - again there is that tart flavor.

If I am really wanting a creamy dressing I use a light ceasar dressing but I don't EVER put it on the salad, instead I dip my fork in it and then load the salad bite onto the fork. I get the flavor of the dressing without getting nearly as much dressing per bite.

volleme

Kraft Caeser Italian Fat Free. Its actually not too bad... Ive had to get used to not eating Ranch too

neverstray

I just make my own vinagrette. Making dressing is so easy I just don't understand why people buy it.

Pour Olive oil into a bowl. Starting whisking it rapidly. While doing that, pour in about half as much Balsamic or red wine vinegar and stir until it's well mixed. Pour onto salad.

Now, you can add things like garlic, salt and pepper, a little Dijon mustard. Or get more creative and do other things. It's so easy and takes maybe 2 minutes tops. Maybe faster. I like this because my dressing taste better than the store bought stuff. Or, you could make a batch of it, and put it in a bottle and use it when you need it. It's so easy though. No need to buy it from the store.

Anyway, that's my $.02

My mom just used to squeeze a lemon on top of her salad and use that.

If you like Honey Dijon, get honey and dijon and mix them up with some olive oil, and a little vinegar if needed. It's so easy folks.

Breezy415

I normally just use straight red wine vinegar....or red wine vinegar and some olive oil

Mischelina

Bolthouse Caesar Parmigiano or Honey Mustard Yogurt Dressing -- only 45 calories for 2 TBSP, and it's good!

amandamotley

I've learned to enjoy salad without dressing. IMO, dressing is sort of like soda. It's empty calories.

If I really feel like dressing, though, I'll try it keep it light with balsamic vinagrite (sp) or some olive oil.

I second this. I usually use a big lemon or lime wedge. If I really want dressing I'll eat it, but it's not worth it to me most of the time.

betrayalunknown

Sorry, I forgot to add this little tid-bit:

While I do appreciate (read LOVE THAT THEY WERE INVENTED) the "Light" and "Fat-Free" versions of our favorite creamy or oil-based salad dressings/dipping sauces, I have to say that they are filled with additives and preservatives. I mean, just read the back of a Kraft-Free bottle of Thousand Island or something. It's crazy! So using just sandwich mustard ensures that there are minimal ingredients. The straight balsamic vinegar is good too... no additives there. In short... the shorter the ingredient list, the better. Obviously you don't want to compromise your healthy salad with a (hidden-not-so) healthy salad dressing... "Light" or not. Some lemon juice does lovely things to a spinach salad, too

Keep it cool and crunchy!

julie9200

Salsa

AngelAura777

I love white wine vinegar u dont need much of it and it has so much flavour! I also like lemon juice with a bit of olive oil and some balsamic vinegar

parkermegan

If you want to use ranch you could try this recipe, it's YUMMY.

1/2 cup fat free plain yogurt (you could do Greek, depending on how you're dieting/eating healthy it might be better)
1/4 cup fat free mayo (I did some to dip carrots in and used regular mayo, I'm on Weight Watcher and with regular it was just 1 point per tbs)
2 tbs apple cider vinegar

then just add some herbs to taste: basil, parsley, garlic

I got minced garlic that was dried and once it has sat in the fridge overnight it tastes like it was fresh. I also added some onion powder to mine for more flavor......when it's full of flavor you use less!

I think if you used the fat free mayo it would be really low calories for you!

Another dressing I love is the fat free Kraft Zesty Italian

BackTatJIM

I stay away from kraft because of the high frutose corn syrup,, its said it helps promote belly fat ( not sure how true that is) I buy newmans and wishbone light dressings, its not always the calories in the dressing but the amount you use