How about something non-political: salad dressings!

[Jane in NC]

Do you make your own or buy the premade stuff?

 

For convenience I usually have some of the bottles, but I am becoming increasingly convinced that I should just make my own. Balsamic vinaigrette is a breeze. I also make Green Goddess with some Pensey's spices.

 

Anyone have a blue cheese (or is that bleu cheese?) dressing recipe that they would wish to share? Any absolutely wonderful salad dressing secrets?

 

Jane

[Parrothead]

I've got a good Greek dressing. I'll get the recipe when the Star Trek TNG marathon is over about 11:00 pm. In the mean time I'm boldly going where no one has gone before.

[Jane in NC]

I've got a good Greek dressing. I'll get the recipe when the Star Trek TNG marathon is over about 11:00 pm. In the mean time I'm boldly going where no one has gone before.

 

Thanks. I'll look forward to your return!

Jane

[Karenciavo]

I usually just use balsamic, but I also started using a new yogurt dressing that I like a lot, it's by Bolthouse Farms. It's for when I'm in a creamy dressing mood.

[Faith]

I've been making my own but I have yet to find one I like. Want to share a recipe or two?

[Julie in CA]

I came here to post a salad question too! (My question is harder, though!)

 

I don't like salad dressing.

I don't like sour cream.

Or mayo

Or oil/vinegar

Or anything else that resembles salad dressing.

 

What I do love is a huge romaine salad, with green onions and tomatoes in abundance, and a bit of cheddar cheese, and chopped avocado.

 

I've been eating more salads, since I've been working on losing weight (it *is* working-yay!)

 

I've made some changes to help my salad be less calorie-ridden, starting with using sharp cheddar (so more flavor) and limiting it to about an ounce. I've tried the low-fat sharp cheddar, and I think I'm just not going there. It has less taste overall, which only makes me want more.

 

My question is about my avocado habit. I really like chopping the avo into small bits and putting it in my salad. It adds a lot of flavor, and I like the healthy-fat aspect, but it's definitely high-calorie. I'm wondering if I should try mashing the avo with something else in order to stretch the flavor without using as much. Maybe chick peas? Something healthy that has less calories...any ideas?

 

Also, would sprinkling a little garlic powder on a salad be gross? (I'm a wuss about trying new things, can you tell?)

[JFSinIL]

Since no one here likes salad dressings but me, and I only like a tiny bit, I get my fav. Caesar dressing from Newman's Own. I actually use it more for braising pork chops than salads, though.

[Guest]

I make my own....but I cheat!

Family favorites are:

 

Hidden Valley Ranch *Packet* - Mix milk, mayo & seasoning packet

Good Seasons (?) Italian *Packet* - Oil, Vinegar and seasonings

 

Fast, easy and yummy.

[Guest]

I came here to post a salad question too! (My question is harder, though!)

 

We also like putting salsa on our salads...it's nutritious and acts as a dressing, too.

 

Also, have you tried mixing ranch with BBQ sauce? Not as many cals and it kind of takes away the ranch-ness if that's what you don't like. Just adds creaminess to the BBQ sauce.I like it on salads.

[Heather in the Kootenays]

Bet I could. :D

 

But I won't.

[Happy]

Bet I could. :D

 

But I won't.

 

:lol: Laughing here, AND thanking you for not going there.

[Rosie_0801]

We almost never buy salad dressings. Sometimes I make my own, other times I use oil and vinegar. One of my favourite dressings is mustard seed oil. It's kind of earthy flavoured, but quite nice once you get over the initial shock of it not being vinegar or sugar flavoured. A bit like the earthiness of rocket. Oils on salad are amongst the healthiest ways of getting your required oil intake. No heating to destroy vitamins or create icky free-radicals.

Yum, yum!

:)

Rosie

[Jane in NC]

I've been making my own but I have yet to find one I like. Want to share a recipe or two?

 

For balsamic vinaigrette I just mix some olive oil with balsamic vinegar and then add something like Herbs de Provence.

 

Penzeys Green Goddess spices are quite yummy. For a creamy dressing I mix some of the herbs (first blended with a bit of water) with plain yogurt and a bit of vinegar (rice or balsamic). I like this but my dh (who is not a creamy salad dressing person) says it is so-so.

 

Another great salad addition came from Milwaukee's fabulous Spice House. Their Spicy Sesame Seasoning is a wonderful salad sprinkle. I should probably just order their Salad and Vegetable Lover's Gift Box for myself! (Hmmm...what a great idea!)

 

Jane

[RoughCollie]

I buy salad dressing for DH and DD. DS1 and I don't put dressing on our salads and the other 2 DS won't eat salad.

 

I'd make it, but it would be like casting pearls before the swine.

 

RC

[Chelle in MO]

Olive Garden's salad dressing is my favorite, but I'm never there so I usually just skip the dressing!

 

Chelle

[Parrothead]

Greek Salad and dressing

1 small head lettce

2 sprigs celery, including tops

2 green onions, chopped

1 small cucumber, sliced

1 tomato, sliced

1 small green pepper, cut in strips

Feta cheese cut in 6 cubes or crumbled

Calamata black olives

Anchovy fillets

Break lettuce in small pieces Place in salad bowl with celery, onions, cucumber, green pepper and tomato. Pour only enough dressing over vegetables to lightly coat each piece. Garnish with cubes of Feta cheese, anchovy fillets, and Calamata olives. Makes 5 -6 servings.

 

Dressing:

2/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup wine vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 clove garlic, crushed (optional)

1 teaspoon oregano

Put ingredients in jar; cover and shake well before using. Makes 1 cup.

 

These are out of my Greek cookbook which is compiled by The Ladies of the Philoptochos Society Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church.

 

I've added the blurb above because someone (not from here) a couple years ago told me she had been to Greece and that wasn't the way they make salad and dressing.

[Peela]

I have a dressing my kids and I absolutely love. I have to make it up in big batches because we go through it so fast. Sometimes instead of olive oil, or part of it, I will use UDO's oil or Flaxseed oil.

I include it with the salad because that is how I have it stored in my recipe file on my computer.

Sesame Spinach Salad (Peela’s mum’s recipe)

 

2 tbs olive oil

1 tbs soy sauce

2 tbs wine vinegar

1 clove garlic, crushed

Pinch sugar

¼ tsp nutmeg

Freshly ground black pepper

1tsp grated fresh ginger

 

250 grams young fresh spinach

2tbs toasted sesame seeds

 

1. Mix together in a jar the first 8 ingredients. Cover, shake well, put in fridge till needed.

 

2. Wash and dry the spinach, put in salad bowl, pour on the dressing, sprinkle on the sesame seeds, toss lightly. Serve at once.

 

 

Notes:

I make up big batches on the dressing and keep it in the fridge, big batches of toasted sesame seeds in the cupboard, so that this is virtually an instant salad. I don’t “weigh†the spinach!

I use a stick blender for the dressing when I make it up rather than chop the ginger and garlic all finely.

[Doran]

My bottled options generally include an Annie's something or other, Newmans original (not a great ingred. dressing), and that's about it.

 

My homemade is a/c vinegar, olive oil (about half and half), one finely chopped clove of garlic, a dash of toasted sesame oil, and soy sauce. I also add fresh ground pepper and sometimes fresh lemon or orange juice (from the fruit, not the carton) in place of some of the vinegar. Easy to make, stores well, delicious.

 

And, what was that you said about most politicians being just a tad slippery? :lol:

[Mom to Aly]

My question is about my avocado habit. I really like chopping the avo into small bits and putting it in my salad. It adds a lot of flavor, and I like the healthy-fat aspect, but it's definitely high-calorie. I'm wondering if I should try mashing the avo with something else in order to stretch the flavor without using as much. Maybe chick peas? Something healthy that has less calories...any ideas?

 

 

I have a healthy recipe book, and it says to make guacamole with all green peas, or mostly green peas, and you won't be able to tell the diff--so I'm assuming green peas is a good substitute.

 

And I love! chick peas in salad, especially with romaine--it also fills you up quicker, because of the protein. I love almost any bean with a salad, but I think chick peas are the best, and I usually add garlic or cumin to their liquid, let them sit, then add them.

[Amy in Orlando]

We use bottled and make our own. For Caesar's salad, dh has an awesome recipe. I'll try to post it tomorrow. If time is short, we LOVE http://www.marzetti.com/ourBrands/products.php?pid=7 Cardini's Caesar dressing. We also use a very light pesto (from whatever is in the herb garden) quite a bit in our salads - it's fast, easy, tasty and cheap.

[Jane in NC]

Great ideas which I shall implement soon.

 

Jane (who really wonders why she has been buying dressings when most of the ingredients for alternatives live in her pantry)

[Snickerdoodle]

I have a healthy recipe book, and it says to make guacamole with all green peas, or mostly green peas, and you won't be able to tell the diff

 

 

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

 

 

I don't believe it. They're both the same color but....

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

I like to keep bottled lowfat/fatfree ranch around for dipping vegetables in, maybe someday I'll take the time to make my own.

 

Personally I love oil & vinegar dressings. But my in-laws make the best ever, olive oil (regular not extra virgin) with fresh squeezed lemon juice and salt. I guess the secret is out. Yum!

 

If you want to kick up some home made dressing try the salad seasonings over at Penzeys! Good stuff!

[laylamcb]

Our family's hand-me-down dressing recipe:

 

Dijon mustard

fresh garlic

balsamic vinegar

olive oil (the best you can afford)

 

I often add in a bit of hummus or sour cream--or whatever's in my fridge!

[laylamcb]

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

 

 

I don't believe it. They're both the same color but....

 

Don't nobody mess with my guac. ;) You can make EASY, delicious guac with just a ripe avocado, a handful of fresh cilantro, a spritz of fresh lime juice, and a tomato (my DH leaves out the tomato, though). Add salt to taste and VOILA! Or perhaps OLE!

[Melissa in CA]

I see no one has offered a nice, tasty, fattening, homemade ranch dressing yet...so here is the best ever!

 

Homemade Ranch

 

1 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 cup mayo (I use only enough mayo to get the consistency I like)

1 to 2 cloves fresh minced garlic

2 tsp onion powder

2 tsp dried parsley flakes

1 tsp salt

2 dashes pepper

 

Combine & blend until smooth. Chill and serve.

 

 

As I mentioned, I don't usually use the amount of mayo asked for in the recipe. I usually add all ingredients together minus the mayo. Then I will gradually add in the mayo until I get a nice creamy consistency. I have found that when I use all the mayo suggested I end up with a very thick dressing which I don't like. I want something creamy, but not real runny or super thick. You can also mess with the ingredients adding in less garlic, more garlic, less salt, more salt, more parsley, more onion powder. etc. EVERYONE loves this recipe and I have given it out to countless people. You will not be able to stomach bottled ranch after having the real thing. ;)

 

By the way, I have tried it with low fat mayo and it was nasty. I would personally rather have a small amount of the real thing that tastes delicious, than a nasty tasting gaggy thing. Perhaps that's just me. :D