salad dressing substitues/salad ideas?

misseseaj2010
misseseaj2010 Posts: 47
in Food and Nutrition
I have been having salads for dinner every night with everything added they end up being between 300-500 cal. depending on how many calories I need.

Right now I have fat free ranch, but after it's gone I'm not gonna buy that anymore, I know there are healthier options. In the past I used fresh salsa. I was thinking maybe reduced fat sour cream? or mixing a partial pack of ranch seasoning with the sour cream? What dressing substitutes do you put on your salad?

I have been putting ham (but it has too much sodium), cilantro, tomato, iceburg mix with carrots and cabbage, (I know that's not the most nutritious, which is?), and sometimes I put 1 serving of sprinkle cheese, 1-2 servings of bacon bits, chopped mushroom and green onions, 1/2 a serving of popcorn shrimp. What else would be good in a salad?

Any suggestions for seasonings/spices to put on my salad?
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Replies

  • BrofessorDumbelldore
    BrofessorDumbelldore Posts: 11
    You will never get jacked on salad

    Use all them greens to feed a animal, then eat it
  • carrieous
    carrieous Posts: 1,024 Member
    iceberge lettuce is devoid of nutrition. Any other lettuce would be better for you.

    as far as dressing i wouldnt mess with any fat free chemical sh*tstorms. I eat regular dressing, just put it on lightly. If you arent comfortable with that you can do vinegar and oil.
  • graceylou222
    graceylou222 Posts: 198 Member
    I like lettuce, mozzarella cheese, olives, peppers, tomatoes, with a greek dressing. you could also do a vinegerette.... hummos... fresh salsa like you said is delicious!
  • tpittsley77
    tpittsley77 Posts: 607 Member
    I either buy fruity salsas, like pineapple mango for example. If you have a wegmans around you, or any good grocery store, they usually have some great dressings in the produce section. I buy a ranch dressing made out of greek yogurt. It's only 70 cals for 2 T. And there are no chemical ingredients. Or There is a raspberry cherry vinagrette that is 60 cals for 2 T. Also no fillers. They aren't "fat free" or low fat, so there aren't any chemical additives.
  • KJoy7
    KJoy7 Posts: 246
    I use cottage cheese as salad dressing all the time :smile: It's really good. :drinker:
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    I don't do fat free dressings. They are loaded with sugar and sodium to make up for the lack of fat. I use reduced amounts of full fat dressings with natural ingredients or other options:

    I mix equal parts salsa and sour cream for a creamy dressing for my taco salad

    Oil and vinegar: simple, homemade, cheap

    As you mentioned, you can mix ranch seasoning packet with sour cream or Greek yogurt. Let it sit for a while in the fridge to let the flavors meld
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    This is by far the best salad dressing i have ever made:

    1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    1 tablespoon basalmic vineager ( apple or any vineager really is yummy)
    juice from one lemon or lime

    Just dump on a salad and mix

    Take 3 seconds to do is way cheaper than premade and dont get me started on how much lower cals and sodium it is
  • rach503
    rach503 Posts: 86 Member
    I eat a salad every day for lunch: organic baby lettuces, slivered almonds, about a dozen craisens, fat free feta, an apple, and Newman's Light Balsamic Vinagrette. I love it!

    I wish the dressing were lighter in sodium, but you can get a pretty filling salad for about 250 - 300 calories. On weekends I make my own dressing sometimes with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice, but it's a bit too much to do during the work week. If I have any extra fruit (strawberries, raspberries) I'll throw them in too. It's easy to throw together and it looks "fancy", makes it feel like a nice meal out, only without the price. Also, if I'm just eating the salad (usually I have a side of roast veggies too) I'll throw an avocado on top too.
  • Flixie00
    Flixie00 Posts: 1,195 Member
    I dropped salad dressing for lemon juice, but now only bother with that if the salad is dry. I had a salad at Toss'd today, the server looked at me like I was a loony when I said no dressing, but the salad included tuna and avocado so was fine.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    who so many salads? I would get tired of that. Besides, where's the protein?

    Anyway.... really like zesty italian. I will sometimes mix some olive oil, lemon juice, and chop a few pepperacinnis up and a tad bit of dijon. whisk whisk whisk whisk whisk.

    TADA!
  • CEHayes73
    CEHayes73 Posts: 221 Member
    Make your own vinaigrette. It's actually very easy. I like sunflower seeds and tuna on mine. Or left over roast chicken, or grilled chicken breast, I also like fruit, grapes, or raisins, or chopped apples. Oh, the options are endless!
  • ZyheeMoongazer
    ZyheeMoongazer Posts: 343 Member
    My salads are always a mix and match of whatever veggies I have in the house at the time. Big bed of lettuce (normally spring mix or baby kales) and topped with chopped veggies (peppers, onions, carrots, celery, mushrooms, etc)

    I have traded most of my salad dressings in for red wine vinegar. It has no calories and gives the salad a little bite. Sometimes I don't put anything on at all and just eat the veggies plain.

    My boyfriend likes to top his with cottage cheese, sometimes hot sauce.
  • here2bme
    here2bme Posts: 63 Member
    Hot sauce all the way! The hotter the better! I sometimes use a balsamic vinaigrette too, but only when there is not any good hot sauce around :wink:
  • missymakayla
    missymakayla Posts: 309 Member
    If you like vinegar, you can try Balsamic vinegar( only 5 cal per serving) I like to have chicken, fish, and even crab cake on my salads every once in a while....
  • silverinc13
    silverinc13 Posts: 216 Member
    For lettuce you can switch to romaine - it has a similar crunch to iceberg but much more nutritious! I like to mix a 1/2 and 1/2 blend of that and mixed baby greens so there is still some texture in my lettuce. A nice ripe avocado diced up and then shook around in a salad container will make a nice creamy "dressing" type situation on a salad! It's a really delicious and healthy addition especially with some salsa for a little liquid juice.
  • sophiep90x
    sophiep90x Posts: 19
    Trader Joes pear gorgonzola dressing has changed my ideas about salad forever!! 45 cals for 2 T and really delicious
  • DBubbs
    DBubbs Posts: 38 Member
    My new favorite is the Bolthouse Farms Yogurt Dressings. The ranch flavored dressing is only 45 calories and 3 grams of fat for 2 tablespoons, and it is so delicious. - Some mornings I have it for breakfast on sliced tomatoes. I love, love, love it. Wish I had discovered it sooner.

    Boiled eggs and cottage cheese (low-fat) are good ways to add flavor and protein. Adding a sprinkle of nutritional yeast (not bread yeast) is a good option to replace shredded cheese, as it has a cheese-like flavor to it. And, as far as lettuce is concerned, I generally use iceberg, but I love romaine as well. It's tasty and good for getting in your daily allowance of leafy greens. :smile:
  • LindaEmrys
    LindaEmrys Posts: 73 Member
    Don't start on the ''fat free'' dressings, they're even unhealthier than regular dressings.

    Try varying on what kind of lettuce and vegetables you use. You can add in corn, beans, carrots, paprika, cucumber, mushrooms, tomatoes, apples and many more which you can combine with cooked rice, pasta or a few potatoes. How about salmon, tuna or chicken? There are so many options, why not experiment a little? That way you won't get bored with your salads, it works for me. As for dressings, I usually use balsamic-vinegar with a little salt, black pepper and olive oil. Or if I'm in need of something sweet, I'll just use regular dressing, though smaller in quantity, but a lot tastier. Good luck!
  • TheWiseCat
    TheWiseCat Posts: 297
    I find bacon fat is an ample substitute for salad dressing.
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    Hot sauce all the way! The hotter the better! I sometimes use a balsamic vinaigrette too, but only when there is not any good hot sauce around :wink:

    Lol hot sauce on salad i have to try
  • Tbias78
    Tbias78 Posts: 120 Member
    I put chicken & spinach leaves on mine. I use Newman's own Italian dressing made with Olive oil, it has very little sugar and I put it in a small cup and just dip my fork every bite. I find I only use half a serving this way.
  • freebird777
    freebird777 Posts: 63
    who so many salads? I would get tired of that. Besides, where's the protein?

    Anyway.... really like zesty italian. I will sometimes mix some olive oil, lemon juice, and chop a few pepperacinnis up and a tad bit of dijon. whisk whisk whisk whisk whisk.

    TADA!

    Love your dressing recipe. But I also eat salad every day for lunch...and I'm never bored. Salad is probably the most creative meal you can create. You can add anything and everything that you little heart desires. And...believe it or not...you too CAN add protein to your salads! Grilled chicken, tuna, turkey burgers, fish, the list goes on and on.
  • angied1226
    angied1226 Posts: 15 Member
    Bolthouse has some AMAZING salad dressings made out of yogurt at about 45 calories for 2 tbsp... look in the refridgerated section... Or make your own by mixing a ranch powder with greek or regular yogurt
  • skm4jc
    skm4jc Posts: 62 Member
    Spinach is my green of choice because of the great vitamin content. For a dressing I've just been using oil and vinegar. I use extra light olive oil and then I change up the vinegar: apple cider, red wine, and Pompeiian makes flavor infusions of vinegar. They have garlic white wine vinegar (which I have yet to try), blueberry pomegranate red wine, açai pomegranate red wine, and pomegranate red wine. The fruit infusions add a carb or two, but it's a nice, slightly sweeter change-up. Sometimes I'll also add fresh strawberries and/or blueberries to my salad.
  • salcha76
    salcha76 Posts: 287 Member
    use darker lettuce...and fresh herbs...throw in some avocado....pick a theme...italian one night, mexican another....bbq another....switch it up....an asian dressing another night....I am a huge fan of Hellmans REAL mayo...and measure out a serving, smash it w/fresh tomatoes and use that for my dressing...yum:)
  • Missjulesdid
    Missjulesdid Posts: 1,444 Member
    Avocado and yogurt with seasonings mixed up in a blender. YUM.. creamy and still has fat and calories but healthy and helps to fill you.

    Salsa is a great salad dressing

    I make italian dressing with oil/vinegar garlic and spices.. you can sub a portion or all of the oil with a mixture of water and cornstarch. Just heat a cup of water with a tablespoon of cornstarch to boiling and boil until thickened. You want it to be about the same viscosity as oil so add more water if necessary. let it cool and then you can sub this for your oil.. Cornstarch in this quantitiy has hardly any calories.

    balsalmic vinegar.. good all on its own!

    Chili or taco meat
  • fysty75
    fysty75 Posts: 88 Member
    My new favorite is hummus
  • bekah818
    bekah818 Posts: 179 Member
    Olive oil and vinegar makes for great salad dressing. Very healthy
  • Saucy_lil_Minx
    Saucy_lil_Minx Posts: 3,302 Member
    I use Iceberg lettuce in my Asian Lettuce Wrap recipe, and that is about it for Iceberg. Since it has no nutritional value. Arugula is good, and peppery. Spinach is full of nutrients. Kale is an A++ choice, but I prefer it slightly wilted in a Quinoa salad. Watercress is delicious with fish. Spring mix is a great mix for basic salad. I will add mushrooms, tomatoes, beans, sprouts, carrots, grapefruit, pomegranate, sunflowers seeds (raw), pumpkin seeds (raw, a.k.a. pepitas), walnuts (raw), apples, grapes, watermelon, strawberries, colored peppers, sliced olives, artichokes, roasted peppers, qunioa, brown rice, crab meat, talapia, tuna steak, salmon, shrimp, chicken, the list goes on.... just keep trying different combos! I hardly ever do cheese, bacon, or bread. I make a lot of my own dressings, some of them are from Dr. Joel Fuhrman's recipe books, and Dr. Alejandro Junger's book. I also visit the hungry girl website often. Most of the time I invent my own. I will use avacado in the place of olive oil, and rice wine vinegar, minced garlic, fresh ginger. Olde Cap Cod has a some good dressings. I try to look for dressings (if I get packaged) that has less than 80 calories per Tbsp.
  • imhungry2012
    imhungry2012 Posts: 240 Member
    Over easy egg on top of a salad, break the yolk and mix it around. I love eggs.

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