Salad.. great. Dressing.. AWFUL?

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  • dcr5452WECHANGED
    dcr5452WECHANGED Posts: 121 Member
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    I am way more concerned about sodium levels in salad dressings than the fat or calorie count. I dont eat a lot of salads but a good dressing can really make a big difference and this time of year the quality of the produce across the board is fantastic.
  • lilcassers
    lilcassers Posts: 163
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    My favorite is a tbs of olive oil and a tbs of apple cider vinegar. Also I add garlic and random spices. Mmmmm!
  • lilcassers
    lilcassers Posts: 163
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    this sounds delicious. I will be trying the salsa!
  • anazombee
    anazombee Posts: 31
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    I like using balsamic vinegars, lemon juice, or tomato juice to my salads it is really low cal with lots of flavor.

    Also you can look into low fat/sugar dressings at 30 cals/ tablespoon it really isn't that bad.
  • bcf7683
    bcf7683 Posts: 1,653 Member
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    When I'm eating salad at home, it's usually with grilled chicken or some ground turkey taco meat on it. And I make my own "dressing" by stirring together 1/2 cup of lowfat cottage cheese with a couple of tablespoons of salsa. Mix that into the salad, and it's pretty tasty. Adds more protein, too, and it's less than 100 calories.

    I do this also. Lately an avocado and lots of Tabasco either the smoked or the green stuff is enough to balance out any flavor or dryness issues in my salads.

    The chipotle tabasco is DELICIOUS.
  • munchcolo
    munchcolo Posts: 1 Member
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    I've been using Maple Grove Balsamic Vinaigrette....fat free or sugar free. http://www.maplegrove.com/content_products.asp?g=1
    Also the Kraft italian /zesty fat free. I don't like to feel guilty dousing the salad with dressing so I opt for the lighter versions and just pour it on.

    I second Maple Grove Farms. They have lots of flavors in fat free and/or sugar free. Today I'm having sugar free Balsamic Vinaigrette on my sweet kale salad mix that I buy at Costco. Where I live, the Maple Grove Farms salad dressings are carried in Walmart and Kroger, probably some other stores too. By using so few calories on the salad dressing, I can include some feta and a few olives on the salad and still keep it around 350, including chicken and grape tomatoes.
  • mlrodgers381
    mlrodgers381 Posts: 71 Member
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    bump
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    I love to eat salads - low calorie, lots of essential vitamins and nutrients. I spice mine up with a little meat and cheese so as to try to keep it a balanced meal. Then I get to the dressing.. and I wince every time. Is salad dressing a huge blow to my meal? Most of the content is fat, even if the calorie content is not THAT detrimental. Can someone who knows more about nutrition than I help me?
    Extra fat isn't going to harm you if your calories are good, especially if it's an oil.

    I use a T of Newman's Own Olive Oil & Vinegar for a huge salad. It's 90 calories and SO yummy and quite healthy.
  • Texusmc
    Texusmc Posts: 129 Member
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    small teaspoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and some balsamic vinegar is way better than the creamy dressings. Lower calorie and better for you. (little bit goes along way)

    just my .02 worth
  • Armyantzzz
    Armyantzzz Posts: 214 Member
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    Try vinegar, vinergarette or just use 1 to 2 teaspoons of dressing (fat free, low cal,:wink::wink: etc). My fav is to use a very small amount of dressing and use berries etc, to activate the taste buds. Nuts in a salad work wonders too.:tongue:
  • rcchoate5507
    rcchoate5507 Posts: 5
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    I think one of hte biggest things is to actually measure how much you put in regardless of what it is. I always used more than I thought or actually needed before I began measuring. I love the Ken's raspberry walnut vinaigrette. It is only 50 calories for 2 tablespoons.
  • conniemaxwell5
    conniemaxwell5 Posts: 943 Member
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    I grill (or pan sear) half a lemon or lime and squeeze the juice into 1/4 of an avocado and use that as my dressing. Heating the citrus makes it sweet and the avocado gives me the mouth feel of a creamy dressing.
  • Xenophonica
    Xenophonica Posts: 79 Member
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    All great recommendations here :) I tend to opt for olive oil/red wine vinegar combo, but I've also starting making some of my own dressings. My mom's garden tends to become overrun with cilantro and dill every year, and I've found ways to make a couple olive-oil based vinaigrette from these herbs. Uses up my mom's extra herbs, tastes delicious, and I can usually make enough to last through the winter, too :)
  • lostsanity137
    lostsanity137 Posts: 298 Member
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    I have a ranch dressing addiction. But I have discovered the Bolthouse Farms Yogurt Ranch dressing and OMG, it is soooo good. And only 40 cals. It costs a little more than say, Hidden Valley, but it is so worth it, not only in cals but in taste too.
  • ShellK71
    ShellK71 Posts: 33
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    you do need a certain amount of daily fat for your body to function correctly. And some vitamins are fat soluble so for your body to absorb them they need fat. I have found mixing a fat free dressing with a full fat cuts down on how much fat I'm eating without losing the flavor. As for the salsa eaters? Have you tried it on baked potatos? Heavenly.
  • lostsanity137
    lostsanity137 Posts: 298 Member
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    I think one of hte biggest things is to actually measure how much you put in regardless of what it is. I always used more than I thought or actually needed before I began measuring. I love the Ken's raspberry walnut vinaigrette. It is only 50 calories for 2 tablespoons.

    Mmmm, the Ken's Raspberry Walnut is my second favorite dressing. I love putting it on a salad with feta cheese because they taste fabulous together! <3
  • Dol10
    Dol10 Posts: 48 Member
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    My favorite dressing is Kraft Asian Toasted Sesame Lite.

    It's great because it's multi-purpose. I use it to sometimes marinade my chicken and grill it on the bbq. I sometimes also put some on salmon when I bake it in foil.

    Shredded chicken, iceberg lettuce, some tomatos and this dressing. Awesome salad, pretty low cal/low fat. Good stuff.
  • Pebbles91909
    Pebbles91909 Posts: 59
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    I like Maple Grove's sugar-free raspberry vinaigrette. 2 TBSP per servings (nutritional info):

    5 calories
    0 fat
    180mg sodium
    1g total carb
    0 protein

    It is sweetened with Splenda
  • Shook765
    Shook765 Posts: 117 Member
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  • gabiinacio
    gabiinacio Posts: 124 Member
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    I hate the taste of salad dressing, not because its high in fat but because I dont care for it. I do exactly the same thing as quoted below. However I buy those plastic dispenser bottles, and then make my own dressing and fill them up. Olive oil, Red Wine Vinegar, Salt, Garlic Powder, and Pepper. You can even mince garlic, and add chopped green onions to it. OMG its delicious! Then I store it in the fridge and use sparely over my salads. I grew up on this, as my family is Brasilian and we eat Salad with every meal.



    I use a teaspoon or tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil depending on how large my salad is and a tablespoon of red wine vinegar or a balsamic if you prefer. I also add some salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. It is very tasty to me and not drowning in dressing with lots of crappy ingredients. Also the olive oil enables your body to metabolize the salad veggies better.

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