salad dressing recipes....

Here's a really good one!

Balsamic Vinaigrette
3/4 C extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Zest of one lemon
Whisk together (I blend mine). Toss w/ your favorite salad greens!
This recipe makes 1 cup, but you can double it.

I make all my own salad dressings. This is one of my favorites.

Italian Salad Dressing

½ cup olive oil ½ tsp. oregano
¼ cup red wine vinegar ½ tsp. dry mustard
¼ cup fresh lemon juice ½ tsp. paprika
1 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. sugar 1 clove minced garlic

All ingredients may be adjusted to taste. Whisk all ingredients together. Refrigerate 1 hour to blend flavors. Bring to room temperature to liquefy olive oil and whisk before serving.

I have been looking for an italian dressing recipe! Thanks a bunch!!! :bigsmile:

I like apple cider vinegar and splenda about 1 tsp vinegar to every 2 tsp splenda. Pour off what is left in the bowl after the lettuce is gone. Add a tbls. of thawed green peas, 1 slice of deli ham (chopped) and 1/8 cup of shredded cheese for a filling meal.

These are from allrecipes:

Avocado ranch dressing (can be modified with lower fat sour cream, etc)
1/4 cup ripe avocado
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon dried parsley
1 pinch dried dill weed
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1 pinch garlic powder



No-mayo 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

And if you like a spicy ranch dressing like I do, just add some ground cayenne pepper or a splash of hot sauce.

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I also make all of my own salad dressings. They taste delicious, and don't have all the chemicals and HFCS found in conventional bottled dressings. My hands down favorite salad dressing is a Creamy Lemon Basil dressing I've tweaked to be very similar to a salad I love at 310 Firefly Cafe in Traverse City, MI. I can't wait for summertime and all of the fresh corn, zucchini, and tomatoes! Here's the salad and dressing recipe:

Salad:
- Salad greens, any type
- Grilled zucchini (cut zucchini into 1/4" - 3/8" thick planks lengthwise, drizzle with olive oil, salt & pepper, toss by hand, grill until tender and then chop)
- Grilled corn (take off husks and silks, drizzle with olive oil, salt & pepper, toss by hand, grill until cooked and then cut off the cob)
- Avocado, sliced
- Tomatoes, chopped
- Goat cheese, crumbled

Creamy Lemon Basil Dressing:
1 t. chopped shallots
1 small garlic clove, chopped
2/3 c. low-fat plain yogurt, sour cream, OR firm silken tofu
3 T. white balsamic vinegar (you can use dark but it makes the dressing a strange color)
1 T. fresh lemon juice
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 c. whole fresh basil leaves, chopped
Salt & pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients except salt and pepper in food processor. Pulse/blend until smooth, and then add salt and pepper to taste.


Here's another favorite of mine:
Pacific Rim Asian Salad Dressing

1 cup soy sauce
1 cup rice vinegar
½ cup sugar
2 T sesame oil
1 scallion, finely minced
1 T toasted sesame seeds (these kind of float at the top, so I usually put them on the salad rather than in the dressing)
1 t chili powder
1 t powdered ginger

Whisk all ingredients in a bowl until well blended and serve. I love this dressing with shredded cabbage, grated carrots, snow peas, bell peppers, and slivered almonds.


One more salad and dressing recipe that I love is the Strawberry Salad with Herbed Goat Cheese Crostini from the Vegetarian Times website.

Strawberry Dressing
1/2 cup sliced strawberries
3 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
3 Tbs. sugar
1/2 medium shallot
1/2 clove garlic, peeled
1 cup olive oil

Herbed Goat Cheese Crostini
1 12-oz. baguette, cut on bias into 18 thin slices
3 Tbs. olive oil
1 6-oz. log goat cheese
1 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme
1 Tbs. chopped fresh basil

Salad
1 5-oz. bag mixed salad greens
12 strawberries, halved (I used more)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. To make Strawberry Dressing: Place strawberries, vinegar, sugar, shallot, and garlic in blender, and purée until smooth. Slowly pour in oil, and blend until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
2. To make Herbed Goat Cheese Crostini: Rub baguette slices with oil, and place on baking sheet. Toast in oven 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden. Cool.
3. Mash goat cheese, parsley, thyme, and basil in bowl with fork. Season with salt and pepper, then spread on toasted baguette slices.
4. To assemble Salad: Toss mixed greens with 3 Tbs. Strawberry Dressing, and divide among 6 plates. Add Herbed Goat Cheese Crostini and 4 strawberry halves to each plate. Drizzle crostini with 1 Tbs. dressing.

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My favorite dressing lately:
One bunch of cilantro
juice of one good sized lemon
1/4 cup of good extra virgin olive oil (I use California Olive Co.)
a clove of garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Blend it up and enjoy.

Honey Mustard:
Just shy of 1 Tablespoon minced fresh garlic
2 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (Bragg Organic)
1 Tablespoon Tree Of Life Stone Ground Mustard
1 T. Honey (local)
3 T. California Olive Oil (cold pressed extra virgin)

Whisk together

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I'm a blue cheese addict.

I mix crumbled blue cheese and fat free sour cream/ whatever amounts I need. Less cheese than sour cream though. Then add skim milk until you get the consistency you want.

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