Salad.. great. Dressing.. AWFUL?

124

Replies

  • nikkim19781
    nikkim19781 Posts: 45 Member
    Make your own dressing. :smile: I have a couple of bad azz recipes, if you're interested in something other than plain ol' oil and vinegar. :happy: You'll never buy store bought dressings again :tongue:

    I would love to have some of these recipes!
  • PhattiPhat
    PhattiPhat Posts: 349 Member
    Olive oil and red vinegar w/ salt and pepper all damn day.
  • gobonas99
    gobonas99 Posts: 1,049 Member
    Make your own dressing. :smile: I have a couple of bad azz recipes, if you're interested in something other than plain ol' oil and vinegar. :happy: You'll never buy store bought dressings again :tongue:

    I would love to have some of these recipes!

    I posted them already - they're towards the bottom of page 1 :smile:
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    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?

    I usually make my own and use olive oil.

    Also, it sounds like you have a negative relationship with dietary fat. Fat isn't the devil and fat doesn't make you fat. Fat is an essential macro-nutrient for heart health, organ function, brain function, hormone balance, etc. Everyone should be getting around 20-30% of their calories daily...more if you do low carb, Paleo, etc.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    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?
    Fat is important in your diet. Without fat you wouldn't be able to absorb the vitamins and nutrients in those vegetables. I tend to hate dressings so I'll add high fat nuts, bacon, and goat cheese to my salads.
  • kkclif
    kkclif Posts: 155 Member
    bump
  • Jared0725
    Jared0725 Posts: 5
    I always enjoy a little salsa on my salad, Gives it a nice flavor.
  • AngAndrews
    AngAndrews Posts: 19 Member
    Bolthouse Farms Yogurt dressing is pretty awesome. I buy the Blue Cheese and love it; and I don't even like yogurt! I'll put a little lime juice and olive oil as well.
  • mahanaibu
    mahanaibu Posts: 505 Member
    FLAVOR. I agree with those who say don't worry about a little fat, esp. olive oil, but if you want to keep calories down while enjoying a full-fat dressing, focus on dressings with a lot of flavor because then you can use about half the dressing and still get plenty of dressing. Adding a little bit of good salt--not table salt, the good salts really have a much better flavor--helps by offsetting the natural bitterness in greens. It's that bitterness that most people are trying to mask with dressing.

    Here's one thing I do...I put the greens in the bowl and then dress them. THEN I add the other ingredients. Why? You just need enough dressing to flavor and overcome the bitterness in the greens. The other ingredients don't need it. If you dress after adding the ingredients, you take in far more dressing than you need and you're masking some pretty nice flavors from tomatoes, peppers, meats, etc.
  • amflautist
    amflautist Posts: 909 Member
    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?

    That fat is good for you! Just not too much of it.

    Buy or make luscious high-fat salad dressings. DON'T go for low-cal dressings - they are AWFUL - not to mention all the extra junk thrown in there that is not very good for you.

    Don't put your dressing on your salad. Put it in a little custard cup. When you eat your salad, dip your fork in the dressing and then take a bite of your clean (undressed) salad greens. A tiny bit of dressing will cling to the times of your fork, your bite will taste wonderful, and you won't eat very much dressing.

    I much prefer this method to the old drown-the-greens-in-dressing method. Like the new 'clean' taste of my salads!!
  • nonoark
    nonoark Posts: 153 Member
    After a long debate and eating mostly salads to jumpstart myself into the whole diet thing, I made a mistake one night and fell in love. I worked a double and during the second part of work sat down hungry and ready to tear into my salad only to find that I forgot my dressing. The only thing that looked like it may work was mayo, not a chance! So off to a DRY salad. Like you I love adding some meat and cheese. I love fresh home made turkey, but with mine I love putting in some almond slivers and cranberries. The cranberries have enough zing, sweetness and moisture on their own that I found I didn't need the dressing. That was the start of omitting dressing. Good luck!
  • 55in13
    55in13 Posts: 1,091 Member
    After a long debate and eating mostly salads to jumpstart myself into the whole diet thing, I made a mistake one night and fell in love. I worked a double and during the second part of work sat down hungry and ready to tear into my salad only to find that I forgot my dressing. The only thing that looked like it may work was mayo, not a chance! So off to a DRY salad. Like you I love adding some meat and cheese. I love fresh home made turkey, but with mine I love putting in some almond slivers and cranberries. The cranberries have enough zing, sweetness and moisture on their own that I found I didn't need the dressing. That was the start of omitting dressing. Good luck!
    It is probably a small enough amount that it is fine, but if you find that cranberries add sweetness, you re probably using sweetened cranberries (like Craisins or similar).
    http://www.fatsecret.com/calories-nutrition/usda/dried-cranberries-(sweetened)
    Unsweetened cranberries still have that zing, but they are anything but sweet.
  • autumnsquirrel
    autumnsquirrel Posts: 258 Member
    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?
    Hi:) I used to love salad dressing, but at some point in life, it made me queasy and I wouldn't use it; the bottled stuff, anyway. I now use red wine vinegar; just a splash because it can be strong. I also found a nice mellow dressing recipe if you are so inclined:
    Tsp of extra virgin olive oil
    Tsp or 2 of white wine vinegar
    juice of a lemon
    salt and pepper

    You can vary of course:) I found it to be quite nice; I even marinated some chicken in it. Hope you have a great day:)
  • KimINfortheWin
    KimINfortheWin Posts: 251 Member
    There are some amazing infused balsamic vinegars and olive oils out there. Cranberry lime. Blood orange. Espresso. Black Cherry. Pomegranate. Limited only by your imagination (and budget).

    Olive oil bars are getting popular. It sounds entirely strange to go sip on olive oils but its really good. And a few drops is all the flavor you need for your salad.
  • pearlmorning
    pearlmorning Posts: 84 Member
    Funny, I just posted this to another topic too. I use a T. of no-fat plain yogurt and a healthy sprinkle of Spike Gourmet Natural Seasoning.
  • Confuzzled4ever
    Confuzzled4ever Posts: 2,860 Member
    i use balsamic vinegar or just squeeze fresh lemon over mine.. or eat them sans dressing.

    Also you can make your own with a greek yogurt base if you really want the dressing. Lots of recipes out there.
  • o2bADyer
    o2bADyer Posts: 208
    http://www.waldenfarms.com/products/dressings.html

    Walden Farms dressings taste great...I have tried a few different ones.
  • 257_Lag
    257_Lag Posts: 1,249 Member
    Try Bolthouse Farms yogurt dressing ( the caeser parmegianno is awesome) It is natural and made with yogurt, tastes great and no funky aftertaste!

    Wonderful stuff here! I think I am addicted to it. In fact I am going for some baby carrots and Caesar right NOW! I like every flavor I have tries but the Caesar totally rocks!

    productNFP_dressings_0000_Yogurt---Ceasar-Parmigiano_png_4e99592f-05e4-475d-908c-24e74d97106e.png
  • 257_Lag
    257_Lag Posts: 1,249 Member
    http://www.waldenfarms.com/products/dressings.html

    Walden Farms dressings taste great...I have tried a few different ones.

    Different strokes for different folks. I tried two flavors of Walden Farms and binned them both immediately. Never came close the the fridge. Vile imo.
  • Amberlynnek
    Amberlynnek Posts: 405 Member
    http://www.waldenfarms.com/products/dressings.html

    Walden Farms dressings taste great...I have tried a few different ones.

    Different strokes for different folks. I tried two flavors of Walden Farms and binned them both immediately. Never came close the the fridge. Vile imo.

    Agreed. There is no real food in them. Its straight chemicals. gross.
  • mluxo91
    mluxo91 Posts: 65 Member
    Thanks for all of the feedback! I'll have to give some of these recipes a try. I didn't know that some of that fat I dreaded was needed to process nutrients. Also, the fork tine method sounds like it might be my new go-to so portion control is not so tempting! =P
  • o2bADyer
    o2bADyer Posts: 208
    To respond to the comments about Walden Farms...Raspberry Vinaigrette contains:

    Triple Filtered Purified Water
    Apple Cider Vinegar
    White Vinegar
    Salt
    Natural Flavors
    Garlic Powder
    Onion Powder
    Lemon Juice
    Xanthan Gum (thickener made from vegetables)
    Cellulose Gel
    Splenda
    Sodium Benzoate (to preserve freshness)

    I personally wouldn't say it is loaded with chemicals. What were you reading?
  • AnsiStar
    AnsiStar Posts: 165 Member
    I tend to use a bit of houmous or cottage cheese as a sort of dressing when I make salads to take to work :) I just dump it on and mix everything with it so it sticks :)
  • RivenV
    RivenV Posts: 1,667 Member
    I love Caesar dressing on my salads. I don't even care if it's not a Caesar salad--cobb, chef, greek, everything gets Caesar. Honey badger don't care! Honey badger don't give a... *ahem*
    Anyway, there's nothing wrong with a little fat and some extra calories, as long as you're keeping it in check. ... As long as the caesar isn't sweet. Sick!
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    A measured teaspoon of olive oil or walnut oil is enough to make 2-3 cups of greens taste good to me. That's about 40 calories, which is not awful. Then I add vinegar or lemon juice.
  • leannerae40
    leannerae40 Posts: 200 Member
    Thanks for that link - tons of great recipes in there and I LOVE blue cheese. I appreciate it!
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  • foot1647
    foot1647 Posts: 92
    I like a little raw garlic, red and black pepper, olive oil and sesame oil on my salads.
  • 55in13
    55in13 Posts: 1,091 Member
    To respond to the comments about Walden Farms...Raspberry Vinaigrette contains:

    Triple Filtered Purified Water
    Apple Cider Vinegar
    White Vinegar
    Salt
    Natural Flavors
    Garlic Powder
    Onion Powder
    Lemon Juice
    Xanthan Gum (thickener made from vegetables)
    Cellulose Gel
    Splenda
    Sodium Benzoate (to preserve freshness)

    I personally wouldn't say it is loaded with chemicals. What were you reading?
    I went to their web site and could only find a vague description that indicated they used natural ingredients, but I could find no specific ingredients. I would expect raspberry vinaigrette to be fine; it's standard recipe has almost no calories. The one I was asking about in particular was creamy bacon.
  • nyssa1231
    nyssa1231 Posts: 120 Member
    I can't stand pre-made salad dressings. They're usually too sour or sweet for me.

    There's this olive oil and balsamic vinegar store where I live, where you can try them before you buy a bottle. I love this place so much. The basic aged balsamic vinegar is AMAZING. My sister bought me a teensy bottle of lavender balsamic vinegar a couple of weeks ago, and I've been using it on everything, including the huge salads I make for lunch.

    To dress my lunch salads, i splash some olive oil and balsamic vinegar I get from that store, and sprinkle some salt and pepper. The olive oil and balsamic vinegar are of such high quality (and affordable!) that I don't need much else!

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