I HATE BALSAMIC VINEGAR!

Mogo2012
Mogo2012 Posts: 5
edited October 7 in Recipes
Ok, so I'm trying REALLY hard to stick to a healthy diet and I LOVE salads, but HATE balsamic vinegarettes! HATE HATE HATE! I loooove ranch and I know that's probably the worst because of all the extra fat, but I'm picky about dressings.

So, does anyone have any suggestions? Like do you think that making some homemade ranch dressing with skim milk or something would be better? I just really want to be able to eat a yummy salad, otherwise I might have to force myself to eat salads with dressings I hate....HELP!!!! :smile:
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Replies

  • StephanieGabriele
    StephanieGabriele Posts: 16 Member
    You HATE it? You can send me all of it from your kitchen, haha. I have an addiction to it.
  • Mogo2012
    Mogo2012 Posts: 5
    haha well, truth be told, I don't own any of it, I've only attempted to eat it a handful of times, so I can't help you out there lol
  • Lindy901
    Lindy901 Posts: 71 Member
    I agree with you. I do not like balsalmic vinegar either. There are a ton of low fat, low cal dressings. :heart: Bolthouse Farms has several yogurt-based dressings that are tasty. Another called :heart: Litehouse (sp?). Just peruse the dressing aisle. Lots of great choices. Some of these can also be located in the vegetable department because they are kept cold.
  • ejohndrow
    ejohndrow Posts: 1,399 Member
    I hate balsamic vinegarettes as well, and caesar is my absolute favorite. Do you hate Italian dressing as well? As long as you measure it out and it's part of your calories, a little bit of ranch won't kill you. What about a low fat or no fat option for ranch if you're into that at all? And then beyond all that-sometimes just some fresh squeezed lemon juice and peppper is good as well.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    I hate balsamic vinegar myself. There are many other great options. Some that I personally enjoy:

    Raspberry vinaigrette
    Light olive oil dressing
    Fat free French (sweet)
    Some light ranches are okay too

    Hell, regular ranch ain't bad if you use it sparingly. Dip instead of pouring it all over the salad. I rarely use more than 1 Tbsp at a time.

    Sometimes I even just use hot sauce! Most of my hot sauces are 0-5 calories per serving too.
  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
    Ok, so I'm trying REALLY hard to stick to a healthy diet and I LOVE salads, but HATE balsamic vinegarettes! HATE HATE HATE! I loooove ranch and I know that's probably the worst because of all the extra fat, but I'm picky about dressings.

    So, does anyone have any suggestions? Like do you think that making some homemade ranch dressing with skim milk or something would be better? I just really want to be able to eat a yummy salad, otherwise I might have to force myself to eat salads with dressings I hate....HELP!!!! :smile:


    I dont know why you are limiting yourself to Balsamic varieties... there are several hundred varieties of vinegar out there.

    With the right vinegar, olive oil, an emulsifier from the mustard family, some fresh garlic, herbs and seasonings, and fresh lemon and/or lime juice, you can create your own dressing... it doesnt have to be balsamic...

    I make a wonderful Garlic Dill vinaigrette using Champagne vinegar... a grainy dijon mustard goes along with it to mix up a great dressing..


    You just have to get creative and open your mind up to other vinegars on the market
  • WonderKP
    WonderKP Posts: 146 Member
    I used to hate anything with vinegar as well.....that's why I just didn't eat salads much. There are lots of other ways to get veggies in! I like making sandwich wraps stuffed with veggies and a lean meat. or tuna! Also, you should try the tortillas with the "carb-balance" or "carb-cutter" if that's what you are trying to avoid. :) They only have 8g of carbs and are 80 cals if you get the smaller size.
  • Newf77
    Newf77 Posts: 802 Member
    Try fresh citrus juice limes: lemonades and yes I have even squeezed a tangerine. If it is just Balsamic you dislike try other flavors. There are plenty of lite salad dressing on the market.
  • ejohndrow
    ejohndrow Posts: 1,399 Member
    Guacamole is good on salad as well.
  • Debbe2
    Debbe2 Posts: 2,071 Member
    Ok, so I'm trying REALLY hard to stick to a healthy diet and I LOVE salads, but HATE balsamic vinegarettes! HATE HATE HATE! I loooove ranch and I know that's probably the worst because of all the extra fat, but I'm picky about dressings.

    So, does anyone have any suggestions? Like do you think that making some homemade ranch dressing with skim milk or something would be better? I just really want to be able to eat a yummy salad, otherwise I might have to force myself to eat salads with dressings I hate....HELP!!!! :smile:



    Yes, so try some other vinegars. So delicious and versatile! You won't like them all but you'll never know if you don't give any others a try.

    I dont know why you are limiting yourself to Balsamic varieties... there are several hundred varieties of vinegar out there.

    With the right vinegar, olive oil, an emulsifier from the mustard family, some fresh garlic, herbs and seasonings, and fresh lemon and/or lime juice, you can create your own dressing... it doesnt have to be balsamic...

    I make a wonderful Garlic Dill vinaigrette using Champagne vinegar... a grainy dijon mustard goes along with it to mix up a great dressing..


    You just have to get creative and open your mind up to other vinegars on the market

    Yes, try some others!
  • oceanrose78
    oceanrose78 Posts: 133 Member
    Walmart has a light ranch (Marketside?) that is really low in cals. Going Vegan, my 2 biggest dreads were giving up bleu cheese and ranch dressing. I occasionally make myself a vegan ranch dip. For dressings for salads I really love Panera breads dressing I get at Target right now.

    With any though, no matter what the kind is, the most important thing is to watch the amount. Measure it out and on the side :)
  • Candida1983
    Candida1983 Posts: 188
    Plain old lime juice and a little salt and pepper are really good on a salad. You could also try to mix in different herbs for some extra tasty salad. :smile:
  • adjones5
    adjones5 Posts: 938 Member
    Maple pecan viniagrette (spelling??) so so so good!
  • w8sarge
    w8sarge Posts: 4,105 Member
    Hey, I learned to love Newman's Own Light Balsamic Vinegar Dressing. But I do love ranch on salads that accompany chicken or mexican food. But you could try this recipe I got off Allrecipes.com for a no-mayonnaise Ranch Dressing. Sorry, I don't have the nutritional info on it, but if you enter it on MFP you can get that. It's gotta be a lot less than bottled Ranch dressing which runs 70-80 cals per Tablespoon.

    No-Mayonnaise Ranch Dressing

    1 cup low-fat sour cream
    1/2 cup buttermilk
    1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
    1/2 teaspoon dried chives
    1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
    1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
    1/4 teaspoon onion powder
    1/8 teaspoon salt
    1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

    Place sour cream and buttermilk in a mixing bowl. Add seasonings and whisk together until smooth. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving. 12 servings.
  • aquamarine_lady
    aquamarine_lady Posts: 16
    Trying mixing the ranch with the balsamic vinegrettes, or try mixing barbecue sauce with ranch. Both are good combos.
  • JAllen32
    JAllen32 Posts: 991 Member
    Skinnytaste.com has a few ranch dressing recipes that look really yummy! I haven't tried any yet, but I want to. That could be a good option for you!

    http://skinnytaste.ziplist.com/recipes/338140-Low_fat_Buttermilk_Ranch_Dressing?return_to=/recipes/box

    http://skinnytaste.ziplist.com/recipes/308742-Creamy_Cilantro_Tomatillo_Dressing?return_to=/recipes/box

    http://skinnytaste.ziplist.com/recipes/308747-Skinny_Cucumber_Ranch_Dressing?return_to=/recipes/box

    Good luck!
  • Mirabilis
    Mirabilis Posts: 312 Member
    Not all balsamic vinegars are the same.

    If you can afford it, try Williams & Sonoma Olivieri 25 year oak barrel aged balsamic. There is nothing like it anywhere. One tbsp will do a big salad for 10 cal. And it's tart but not sour. I would have never guessed anything could be so good.

    No lie, it's super pricey... $40 for a litre, but ohhh so worth it.
  • CrystalMarie253
    CrystalMarie253 Posts: 128
    My boss buys some sort of ranch dressing from Fred Meyer, like in there natural foods sections or whatever. I think it's like fat free and gluten free or something. She was eating it when she was on the HCG diet. She said it's pretty good. I haven't tried it yet though.
  • CaptainGordo
    CaptainGordo Posts: 4,437 Member
    Fat free sour cream is killer on salad, as is cottage cheese.
  • LuckyAng
    LuckyAng Posts: 1,173 Member
    You HATE it? You can send me all of it from your kitchen, haha. I have an addiction to it.

    Right!? I LOVE it!!
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    One time someone on MFP mentioned mixing ranch dressing mix with low or no fat greek yogurt. I haven't tried it, but it sounds like a really good idea....
  • LuckyAng
    LuckyAng Posts: 1,173 Member
    Plain old lime juice and a little salt and pepper are really good on a salad. You could also try to mix in different herbs for some extra tasty salad. :smile:

    FAVE!!!!
  • BarbWhite09
    BarbWhite09 Posts: 1,128 Member
    You can buy light or fat free ranch...You can make your own using the Ranch Dressing dry ingredients packets mixed with light sour cream & some water [or skim milk if needed]. Or there are a ton of difference dressings you can make...just look online for em. You aren't being forced to have Balsamic Vinegar dressings [I also hate them!] Just find a better alternative to it! Or allow room for the calories, fat, & sodium real ranch has in your daily intake :)
  • MeandmySweetpea
    MeandmySweetpea Posts: 8 Member
    I don't like balsamic either, but I love red wine vinegar mixed with oil, black pepper and garlic salt.

    Ranch actually is one of the better dressings from what I've read. Just don't do the low fat, low cal, etc because they make up for it with sugar. Best to just eat the real thing within reason!

    My personal feeling is that you are making a lifestyle change- you are not here to give up everything you love or else you won't stick to it. If you really love ranch, then use it... in moderation! Try putting the dressing on the side of your plate and dip the fork, then pick up the salad, or top your salad with a reasonable amount and then shake it in a container to coat all of the salad... this way you can use a lot less with getting just as much of the taste.
  • Kleeper2000
    Kleeper2000 Posts: 1
    I found a dressing that I like that is sour cream based... Just use a light sour cream, some salsa, a little lime juice, cumin. It's really good. Might be worth trying. I can't remember where I found the recipe or what the exact measurements are, but you can play around with it a bit. Pretty easy to make.
  • CaptainGordo
    CaptainGordo Posts: 4,437 Member
    I found a dressing that I like that is sour cream based... Just use a light sour cream, some salsa, a little lime juice, cumin. It's really good. Might be worth trying. I can't remember where I found the recipe or what the exact measurements are, but you can play around with it a bit. Pretty easy to make.
    That sounds fantastic!
  • mugsisme
    mugsisme Posts: 127 Member
    I personally only like Italian. That said, I got used to eating my salad plain with a little bit of mandarin oranges or strawberries on top. If I eat spinach, I go for the strawberries. If I eat romaine, I go for the mandarin oranges. Walmart has them in a small cup and I dump out the liquid and cut up the segments into little pieces and stir it all up. You can also toss in some almonds and a little red onion if you like that.

    But I've gotten lazy and eat totally naked. It's fine for me like that.
  • lucy1945
    lucy1945 Posts: 153
    this is seriously making me want to make a balsalmic reduction and drizzle it over onion strings topped on grilled chicken and mash potatoes! oh its pure heaven *if* you like that kind of food!:wink:
  • kyoules
    kyoules Posts: 37 Member
    Not all balsamic vinegars are the same.

    I wholeheartedly agree! I've had some 40 year aged balsamics that I could literally drink with a straw because they were so delicious. However, if you're looking for a ranch-type dressing, I would mix one up using greek yogurt or silken tofu as the base, and add the herbs and spices you like. Mix in a food processor or blender, and thin down with water to your preferred consistency.

    Here's a recipe from allrecipes with my suggestions in parentheses:
    1 cup mayonnaise (I would use silken tofu)
    1/2 cup sour cream (either more silken tofu or you could use light sour cream, or plain yogurt, or greek yogurt)
    1/2 teaspoon dried chives
    1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
    1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
    1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (I might add a little more)
    1/4 teaspoon onion powder (I might add a little more)
    1/8 teaspoon salt
    1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

    I've posted several other recipes on another thread all about salad dressing recipes.
  • Mogo2012
    Mogo2012 Posts: 5
    thanks all! wonderful suggestions! :)
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