Try These Healthy Alternatives to Your Favorite Salad Dressings
When trying to eat healthier or stick to a specific diet, it's easy to start leaning on salads as a daily meal. Have a salad for lunch, have a salad with dinner -- it seems like a low calorie, nutrient-packed way to stay full while shedding some pounds, right? But what if we told you that not every salad is quite as healthy as you may think? Cobb salads and wedge salads, for example, can pack in upwards of 800 calories for a large bowl if you're not being careful with portions. And some restaurant salads even have over 1,000 calories per serving! But where is that calorie count coming from? Certainly not the lettuce or chopped veggies, so we can go ahead and rule that out. What's left? A good portion of the calorie, carbohydrate, and fat content can come from toppings like cheese, meats, and croutons, but there's a lesser-known culprit you may be overlooking: the dressing.
No matter what your health goals are this year, it doesn't hurt to make healthier swaps in your everyday meals. So next time you're mixing up a salad for you or your family, skip the store-bought stuff and make one of our easy, healthy alternatives below!
For each recipe, it's as simple as combining all ingredients in a small blender or food processor until thoroughly mixed. If you have extra, pour it into a mason jar or an old salad dressing container and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks (or the Sell By date on the Greek yogurt).
Ranch Dressing:
1 C Non-fat Greek yogurt
1/2 C Low-fat buttermilk
1 Tbsp White vinegar
1 tsp Garlic powder
1 tsp Onion powder
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1 Tbsp Chives, freshly chopped
Salt & pepper to taste
Bleu Cheese Dressing:
3/4 C Non-fat Greek yogurt
1/2 C Crumbled bleu cheese
2 Tbsp Non-fat milk
1 Tbsp Lemon juice
1 Tbsp White vinegar
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
Salt & pepper to taste
Caesar Dressing:
3/4 C Non-fat Greek yogurt
1/4 C Lemon Juice
2 Tbsp Olive oil
1 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp Garlic powder
Salt & pepper to taste
Lastly, if you're not a fan of any of the above, try simply using a flavored oil and vinegar combination! There are dozens of salad dressing alternatives as well, like seasoned Greek yogurt or even mashed avocado with lime. Try your hand at a few and you'll be feeling healthy and satisfied in no time!
