Salad dressing

teach0722
teach0722 Posts: 42 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Many of you mentioned how you make your own salad dressing. Anyone have any recipes to share? Or point me in the direction on where to find good ones? Thanks

Replies

  • marm1962
    marm1962 Posts: 950 Member
    Are you talking about Mayonnaise and Salad Dressing or Salad Dressing that you use on Tossed Salads?
  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
    edited June 2016
    Side answer: Grocery stores are now selling very healthy dressings. You just have to spend some time reading the labels. I found it time consuming to make simple dressings, since I just use 1 tbsp in a salad. And eat salad only once or twice a week.
  • vikinglander
    vikinglander Posts: 1,547 Member
    Start with a healthy oil: a good extra virgin olive oil, avocado, walnut, sesame (untoasted or toasted). Stay away from canola (rapeseed), soy, and 'vegetable' oil. You want a healthy balance of omega 3s, 6s, and 9s. See this discussion:

    http://www.marksdailyapple.com/healthy-oils/#axzz4CJM1hKmU

    Next you need some acidity: apple cider vinegar, lemon or lime juice, also pomegranate juice, or one of the artisanal vinegars - champagne, pear, etc.

    Finally choose some aromatics: garlic and/or onion, chilis, mustard - and some herbs that appeal or compliment the meal.
    A pinch of salt, and short grind of fresh pepper.

    A basic vinaigrette I use all the time:

    1 cup extra virgin olive oil
    1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
    1 Tbsp spicy brown mustard
    1 clove garlic, finely minced
    1/2 tsp salt
    1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

    If you mix this up ahead of time and let it sit for a day, the flavors 'marry' and deliver a better taste.

    Fool around in the kitchen until you find your fav.
  • teach0722
    teach0722 Posts: 42 Member
    Sorry if I wasn't clear, I meant salad dressing on tossed salads.

    Thanks for the recipe, I'll try that. I usually et a salad everyday because it's easy to make ahead of time and take to work. Since to the summer, I wanted to play around with some other options. If you know of some store bought options to that are good, let me know that as well. Thanks for everything!
  • 85Cardinals
    85Cardinals Posts: 733 Member
    edited June 2016
    I mix some herbs with olive oil and vinegar and use it sparingly. Looks like vikinglander said it a lot better already!
  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
    edited June 2016
    Get a good recipe for a vinaigrette. I use 3TBSP of a good evoo to 3TBSP vinegar ratio. Add minced herbs, shallots, chives, onions, Dijon mustard, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, or whatever spices or herbs you like to your taste. Healthy and delicious. I use a small canning jar to shake it in and this makes enough for a couple of salads. I also use canning jars for overnight oats.
  • wtliftchick
    wtliftchick Posts: 84 Member
    I can't remember the brand but my grocery sells creamy salad dressings that are Greek yogurt based and low calorie. They are delicious! Sold in the refrigerated section of the produce department.
  • hellonew2015
    hellonew2015 Posts: 327 Member
    Fresh lemon juice, garlic smashed until it is like a paste, olive oil and salt. This is it!! Usually 1/2 a lemon, 1/2 of a garlic glove, 1/2 tbsp extra virgin oil and salt to taste.
  • savithny
    savithny Posts: 1,200 Member
    When I dress salad I do the whole bowl for the whole family, and I just grab a small empty jar and put equal amounts of olive oil and vinegar or lemon juice into it, drop in a pinch of salt, grind in some pepper, and whatever herbs I have to hand. Cap the jar, shake it hard, and that's dressing. Cookbooks usually recommend a lower amount of vinegar than of oil (often as much as one part vinegar to two parts oil), but I like it with closer to 1:1
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    wtliftchick wrote: »
    I can't remember the brand but my grocery sells creamy salad dressings that are Greek yogurt based and low calorie. They are delicious! Sold in the refrigerated section of the produce department.

    Litehouse dressings are good.
  • Nachise
    Nachise Posts: 395 Member
    Trader Joe's sells a Champagne Muscat orange vinegar that my husband and I have gone nuts over. I only make salad for a meal, so I pour about a tablespoon of good quality olive oil in the bottom of a small jar, add about the same amount of vinegar, grind a tad of salt, some pepper, add a little granulated garlic, some tarragon, or pull some fresh lemon thyme from my little herb garden. Shake, pour over the salad, and toss. Adds about 50 calories per salad.
  • teach0722
    teach0722 Posts: 42 Member
    Thanks everyone! This is very helpful!
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    For super low cal, I like red wine vinegar with a brown mustard as a base, often add garlic or herbs. Also often add a bit of olive oil -- you can get the normal ratio in recipes online, but I find using just a little gives it that extra something without needing so many extra calories. I also like a good balsamic with olive oil. Just play around with good quality vinegars plus oil and you can't go wrong.

    For a spicy Asian-themed salad, I like soy, the juice from a lime, some sriracha, and a tiny bit of fish sauce.

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