Salad Dressings for DD's?

[Cryssi]

I am finally settled and ready to start on this. First UD will be Monday :yay:


Anyway, I have been eating a salad for lunch several times a week. I want to continue this but am not sure what to use for dressing on DD's?

My hang up is I am really picky and despise most, if not all, bottled dressing.

What I use now is the HV Ranch packets mixed with mayo and milk. Admittedly, I haven't looked at the calorie count on it, but I am guessing it would be too high for DD's.

Any recommendations?

[TryingJudd]

Wishbone makes some spray dressings that offer some taste and low calories. Most often I just toss with apple cider vinegar and dress with spices like oregano, cracked pepper and garlic salt.

[Mrs S]

I make homemade caesar dressing for UD that I love, love, love. So on down days, I dilute it with half water and it's still pretty darned great.

[KeirasMom]

I use ACV in a spray bottle, or if I feel like spending some calories, I use Bolthouse Farms yogurt dressings. They come in several varieties and are 45 calories per serving or less (at least for the versions I get--not sure about all of them). They taste really great!

[gotsomeold]

I chop my lettuce and veggies smaller than usual. Then I use 1 or 2 teaspoons of good dressing.

Most of the salad dressings I use are about 180 cal/2Tb. So, 1 teaspoon is 1/6 of 180, or 30 cal. The trick is cutting veggies small - it amazing how far a tiny amount of dressing will spread on small pieces.

I insist on full-fat, full-flavor salad dressing. But then, I live for pleasure.

[Crazy Cat]

I don't like to put a lot of dressing on my salad, even on UD I only use about a tablespoon. On DD if I'm having just veggies I'll use a tsp of my regular ranch, or if I'm putting chicken in my salad I mix the spray dressing with some dijon mustard.

[leonak]

I use equal parts of vinegar, water and splenda! you can use more of any of these 3 things, taste and add more of what you like, I like it a bit sweet and tart/

Leona

[LeahGraceG]

I'm a chilihead, so I use a mix of malt vinegar, hot sauce, and Dijon mustard. YUM. Although my eyes water when I eat it...

[Cryssi]

OK, so I looked and it has 120 cals per 2Tbsp prepared. (Assuming reg mayo and whole milk. We use LF milk, but I will use that number as a starting point)

So if I took 1tbsp and mixed it with a little water I could have some dressing I really like for only 60 cals.

[adillenal]

I thin my fullfat dressing with pickle juice from my polish dill pickle spear jar. Try saying that fast.

[ouizoid]

the Walden Farms Asian dressing is just delicious. The best of all of them.

[Cryssi]

I saw that WF dressing and was leery of getting it because it seems as if people either love or hate the stuff and with me being on the picky side I don't have high hopes...

[soon]

Adillinal that is a great tip!!
I bought from amazon 3 bottles of dried salad dressings : napa valley, italian and french provence, I put somein small gladware with a top add to it 1 tbsp MCT oil 3Tbsp any flavor vinegar acv or rice vinegar or wine vinegar whatever you like and a little bit of water yummo! For an asian flavor I add braggs amino and ginger.

[piratejenny]

Sometimes I use V8 as a salad dressing, or to thin down other dressings.
(I stay away from low-fat salad dressings because they have too much sugar,
and the sugar-free ones have too many chemicals. )

More ideas:

Salad Dressing Idea

Down Days recipes ONLY
(this link will take you to Dottie's Creamy Avocado Buttermilk Lime recipe)

[stephdray]

So, today I discovered that if I take a 7oz cup of Fage Greek Yogurt %0 Fat (100 calories per container) and mix in two tsp of Hidden Valley Ranch Dry mix, it makes the most delicious dip ever and you can eat ALL of it for under 120 calories. (Which I did, with a sliced cucumber for lunch.)

So that's got me thinking...what if I diluted the yogurt with water? Nobody needs 7oz of salad dressing. I'm betting I could get a very very tasty and low calorie dressing out of this. What do you think?

[Cryssi]

Originally Posted by stephdray

So, today I discovered that if I take a 7oz cup of Fage Greek Yogurt %0 Fat (100 calories per container) and mix in two tsp of Hidden Valley Ranch Dry mix, it makes the most delicious dip ever and you can eat ALL of it for under 120 calories. (Which I did, with a sliced cucumber for lunch.)

So that's got me thinking...what if I diluted the yogurt with water? Nobody needs 7oz of salad dressing. I'm betting I could get a very very tasty and low calorie dressing out of this. What do you think?

That actually sounds really good!

[Cryssi]

Originally Posted by piratejenny

Sometimes I use V8 as a salad dressing, or to thin down other dressings.
(I stay away from low-fat salad dressings because they have too much sugar,
and the sugar-free ones have too many chemicals. )

More ideas:

Salad Dressing Idea

Down Days recipes ONLY
(this link will take you to Dottie's Creamy Avocado Buttermilk Lime recipe)

Those look great too! Thanks!

[Kissa]

I was hoping someone come up with this 'Dottie's Creamy Avocado Buttermilk Lime'. Should have known PJ would know where to find it.

I wonder if any of the UK ranch mixes are lo cal, cos I love the sound of Steph's idea.

[Avicenna]

A lot of times I use (plain) balsamic vinegar and salt.

There are some extra-light mayonnaises for sale in some places so you could try buying one and making your own dressing from it too or just using it plain - I posted a recipe some time ago in the DD recipe thread for a 'DD ranch dressing' that was basically that plus a bunch of dried herbs.

[Truffles]

Yogurt with the ranch will work well! Maybe add a little cottage cheese and blend REALLY WELL!!! I make spinach dip this way and plan on blending that to top salads and water down a little. The spinach dip ends up at about 30cal per 2Tablespoons!! so watered down it will be less...
Or just try tossing your salad with some water before you "dress" it.

[Truffles]

I also like to take some lemon juice with oregano, garlic (fresh or seasoning), salt, and black pepper with some Dijon mustard. I have a very small container I shake it in. Very low cal!!

[NoWeigh]

I like Rice Vinegar.

[Kissa]

Hey No Weigh... I like the number!

[babybella]

Wishbone makes a Buffalo Ranch that is actually pretty good (I'm really picky too about my salad dressings, hate the bottled stuff!).

I use 1 tbsp (65 cal i think) and water it down. There is also a light version, but I usually go for the full fat.

[leonak]

Buffalo Ranch - will be looking for this, thanks for mentioning it!!

Leona

[BaileysGirl]

My favorite is Ken's Light Northern Italian! I think it has 45 c for 2 tbsp.

Also found this on pinterest today! I cannot wait to try it!

Ranch Dressing:
1 cup Dannon Oikos plain nonfat greek yogurt
1 packet hidden valley ranch (dressing, not dip)
1/2 cup 1% milk
Whisk together in bowl and chill for 1 hour before serving.

Some commenters said it was thin in consistency but I like my dressings thin b/c I feel like I get more dressing coverage! Others also mentioned using skim milk which is less carbs. You can tweak it using more/less yogurt/milk. Enjoy!