Five Recipes for Low-Calorie Salad Dressing
How would you like to learn how to prepare your own low-calorie salad dressings?
Salads are healthy dishes as long as you know how to dress them properly. You may not know it, but most of the salad dressings that you find at your local grocery store aren’t very nutritious, even the low-fat ones. Not only that, but they’re also packed with salt, transfats, and sweeteners. Yes, they’re tasty – but also high in calorie content.
Fortunately, there’s a wide variety of natural ingredients you can use to make wholesome, tasty salad dressings that are also packed with many of the nutrients your body needs. In fact, many people these days are opting for them. The best part is they’re quite suitable for nearly any diet.
We’ll give you five great recipes in this article.
Low-Calorie Salad Dressings
Many people think a tasty, creamy salad isn’t compatible with a healthy diet. However, they’re mistaken. The excess calories mainly come from chemical additives in the store-bought versions.
Fortunately, there are several ways to make low-calorie salad dressings which will much improve the taste of your salads. What’s even better is you can eat them without feeling guilty.
This series of light recipes are easy to make and the herbs and spices in them don’t add calories. Instead, they provide good amounts of vitamins, antioxidants and many other nutrients that are good for you.
Continue reading to find out how to make them.
1. Vinaigrette
Homemade vinaigrette is one of the best low-calorie salad dressings. It truly enhances the salad’s flavor. Y
ou can make one with any type of vinegar you have at hand. The result will be great regardless and it pairs up well with most salads. This is especially true for salads that contain chives, tomatoes, and peppers, among other vegetables.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp vinegar (you may add more if you wish)
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Salt to taste
Preparation
- First, pour all the ingredients into a deep bowl.
- Then, beat them well.
- Finally, dress your salad with it.
2. Mustard Vinaigrette
Mustard gives a very special touch to every dish it touches. It goes well with this vinaigrette. as it blends with other traditional ingredients such as vinegar, olive oil, and lemon.
What should you eat it with?
Try any vegetable medleys that contain lettuce, tomato, and onion.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp of olive oil
- 1 tbsp of lemon juice
- 1 tbsp of wine vinegar
- Salt and pepper to taste
- A pinch of mustard
Preparation
- First, put all the ingredients into a deep bowl.
- Then, beat everything well.
- Finally, add it to your salad.
3. Yogurt Dressing
If you want a yummy, creamy low-calorie salad dressing, then you must try this one.
Yogurt-based dressings are among the most popular salad dressings. This is because they’re not only delicious, but also packed with many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1/2 lemon juice
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
- First, incorporate all of the ingredients into a deep bowl.
- Then, beat them to a homogeneous mixture.
- Taste it and add more salt if necessary.
- When ready, pour it over your salads and vegetables.
Read also: Four Homemade Mayonnaise Recipes that You Will Love
4. Garlic Dressing
Garlic adds a lot of flavor to salad dishes that have many vegetables. You can even use this garlic dressing in sandwiches and stir-fry. Will you try it? Follow this simple recipe, then.
Ingredients
- 3 raw garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- Salt to taste
Preparation
- First, crush the garlic.
- Next, add them to a food processor together with the olive oil, vinegar, and salt.
- After obtaining a smooth sauce the blend is ready to dress your salad.
5. Avocado-Cucumber is a Great Low-Calorie Salad Dressing
Avocado is a perfect ingredient for any type of salad.
So, why not add it to a low-calorie salad dressing?
Even better, add a little bit of cucumber, oregano, and lemon for a more intense flavor.
Ingredients
- 1/2 peeled cucumber
- 1/2 crushed avocado
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp plain yogurt
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- Lemon zest (to taste)
- Salt and pepper to taste)
Preparation
- First, blend the cucumber and the avocado.
- Subsequently, add the olive oil, plain yogurt, and oregano to the mixture and blend it all.
- Once you have a thick, smooth sauce, add the lemon zest, pepper, and salt.
- Finally, pour it on your salad.
Add a different flavor to your salad dishes and try these salad dressings. As you can see, they’re very easy to make and their ingredients are inexpensive and easy to find.
Besides, they’re light and 100% free of preservatives and chemical additives.