Salads with dressing

[Kathy]

Its shocking but my favorite salad at Wendy's (Chicken Oriental) is yummy but has a very high fat content in the salad dressing.

Its so disappointing to think you are eating healthy and yet the dressing is full of calories and fat grams.

Be careful!

[Sib2of11]

It seems as if all the low fat/fat free salad dressings are lacking in taste, but I found one brand that I really like. It's called Just2Good and my favorite is Thousand Island (made by Wishbone). I've tried a few flavors, but I always make sure I don't run out of this one. Fat content -- 2 tablespoons = 2 grams of fat.

[Carmen]

I absolutely love salads. Just this evening, I prepared myself a "jumbo salad" for supper. To mixed lettuces (bagged, pre-washed) I added shredded carrot, black olives, grape tomatoes, a little parmesan cheese, thinly-sliced purple onion, lots of chopped green and red peppers, some chow mein noodles for "crunch" and my latest "favorite" dressing, "T. Marzetti Sweet Italian." It's 75 calories per tablespoon, so I just use about 2 tablespoons, and I add a little red wine vinegar and olive oil to the salad..with lots of freshly-cracked black pepper.

Any reduced-calorie or low-fat dressing I have ever tried tastes just plain nasty to me. So, instead, I prefer to use the good stuff...but just less of it.

[blondgrl]

I agree , it's suprising the added fats, etc we can get from our salad dressings. It is really hard to find a good low fat dressing without sacrificing the taste. I've also noticed that the serving size is very small & we can end up adding back in many extra fat grams if we aren't careful. Most of the time, I just use some type of italian dressing that is a low carb option and make sure I cut back on the serving sizes.

[Marian Paroo]

The only really healthly salad dressings are squirts of olive oil, lemon/lime juice or vinegar.

So sad :(

[MalteseJane]

I do my own salad dressing and everybody loves it. An accomplishement for a girl that hates salads. And talk about low fat tomato salad. I only squezze lemon juice on it or my special vinegar. I don't think many people would like it. :rofl: And my tomatoes have to be peeled and seeded. Am I being difficult ?

[Kyleigh]

I don't always eat my salads with dressing. When I do, I don't use much at all--never the full amount supplied at a fast food restaurant and not the suggested serving size on the bottled dressing. I guess this is one instance where I don't worry much about the calories since I use less product. :)

[clogaholic]

I often eat my salad "dry" too. At home, sometimes I just sprinkle a little lemon salt on them. That's pretty good. When I get one out, I ask for the dressing separate and usually just use part of it. I agree that we need to keep a careful watch for those hidden fat grams and calories.

[Kate]

I like Newman's Own Light Balsamic. I love to put a little on my spinach and add some cheese. I like spinach though and can eat a ton of it. The dressing goes a long way!

[clogaholic]

Oh yes, spinach is really good. Especially fresh baby spinach - yummy!

[Sophiebelle]

MMM---I love spinach salads with some mandarin oranges thrown in and a few bacon bits....along with a light red-wine vinegarette dressing.

My typical "healthy" dressing these days is olive oil and basalmic vinegarette.

[YellowRoseTex]

Whenever I go to a restaurant I always ask for my dressing on the side. I than take a spoon and drizzle it on. I only use about 1/4 of what they give me. I think too many times we drown the salads in dressing rather than enjoying the veggies. I know my dh is guilty of that.

I found a dressing that I like that is low fat and contains very little fat. It's a brand called Annie's. It's her low fat honey mustard. Very very yummy. One thing I do is that after I use it once I add some water to the bottle.

[crunchies0313]

I found a light Itailan dressing that is only 45 calories for 2 tbs and it tastes just like normal!! I was excited! It tastes really good with sliced cucumbers!!

[Kathy]

Who makes the salad dressing, Crunchies? I'd love to add it to my frig. :bliss:

[LadyG]

It's amazing to think you're eating healthy by having a big salad with dressing and then find out you're not. I like Kraft's Light Done Right Three Cheese dressing. Haven't tried the other flavors.

[PositivelyMental]

I like balsalmic vinagar on dark lettuce with tomatoes. Skip the oil, or use olive oil sparingly. Black pepper is great on salads. Also, I really like Krafts zesty fat free italian. I season meat with it and also like it on cucumbers. If you aren't salt restricted, Nature's Seasoning can put some zing! in your veggies.

To be honest, my favorite is BLUE CHEESE! Yum! So, I ride my bike more or I cut back somewhere else in the diet. Its all just one big balancing act. Calories In vs Calories Out!

[Marian Paroo]

PM -

You're right about blue cheese. There's a place across the street from me that does a green salad with grilled chicken breasts and blue cheese to die for.

They make a light vinagrette (sp!) to top it with.

[Charger]

South Beach has come out with some bottled dressings. The Ranch is pretty good - 70 calories for 2 TBS. They also have an Itallian (60 calories for 2 TBS.) that I haven't tried yet and a Balsalmic Vinegarette. I'm with Kate, tho, I love Newman's Own Light Balsalmic. :yum:

[angelbabe1uk]

I love salad's
I would eat them for every meal if i could :)
My kids don't see the same as me about them and tend to call them rabbit food due to the lettuce and carrot etc
So i tend to not bother eating unless im starving
Some days i go without nothing to eat only drinking strawberry water or milky tea or hot chocolate :eek:
Still cant loose any weight though
Putting it on instead!

[mezzo soprano]

I hate most low-fat salad dressings. Here's what I do to limit consumption of the "full-fat" versions (which of course I love):

Instead of pouring on less, I don't pour on any. Instead, I first dip the tines of my fork into the salad dressing, then spear some salad. You still get the flavor of the dressing, but with much less of it being used! It really works.

:hug: to all.

[bumblebeequeen]

I am absolutely addicted to a simple green salad right now. My friend (whose French mother-in-law taught her how to make a french green salad) made one for me the last time we went over for dinner and it just hit the spot!
I came home and made my own version:
For two people use the outer leaves of one head of butter lettuce and a few minced leaves from the fronds over a fennel bulb.
Put one minced shallot in the bottom of your salad bowl (the bowl should be large enough to gently toss your greens after you make the dressing)
Dip the tip of a whisk into some dijon mustard and knock the excess off. It'll leave about 1/3tsp. Stir the shallots with this mustard to coat. Add a pinch of salt and two grindings of a pepper mill (or a generous pinch of pepper.)
Pour in about 1T of good quality sherry vinegar and about 3T of good quality Extra Virgin Olive oil and whisk.
Put washed,spun and air dried torn butter lettuce leavesand feathery fennel fronds in the bowl and gently turn/toss to coat the leaves. Serve immediately.
Top with a slice of baguette you have covered with cheese (something soft like boursin or chevre)and toasted until bubbly under the broiler.
This is so simple and the calories are all the good for you kind. The ingredients must be top quality since there are no fillers though.

BTW I think tossing is the secret to using a minimal amount of dressing and getting the most flavor out of a salad. You don't want to drown the salad just coat the ingredients- which must be dry to accept the dressing.

[Digitizingqueen]

I love salad's
I would eat them for every meal if i could :)
My kids don't see the same as me about them and tend to call them rabbit food due to the lettuce and carrot etc
So i tend to not bother eating unless im starving
Some days i go without nothing to eat only drinking strawberry water or milky tea or hot chocolate :eek:
Still cant loose any weight though
Putting it on instead!


You should alwasy eat, eating breakfast every mornig jump starts you rmetablisme and for healthy weight maintenace or losss eating the recomended calories is the only way to go you body things it is starving do it is hanging on to every little calorie you eat I am sure....

[angelbabe1uk]

You should alwasy eat, eating breakfast every mornig jump starts you rmetablisme and for healthy weight maintenace or losss eating the recomended calories is the only way to go you body things it is starving do it is hanging on to every little calorie you eat I am sure....

Thanx for the reply hun
I will give it a go and see what happens :sillycat:
I appreciate all your help
Best Wishes
Angelbabe1uk

[YellowRoseTex]

I had a yummy salad last night at Carraba's. I was a bit upset that I didn't order the dressing on the side. I just can't believe the way they drown the salad with dressing. The salad was good, but I would've enjoyed it more without so much dressing. I always order my dressing on the side so not sure why I didn't request it this time. :duh:

I have a tip for bottled dressings. I always pour a little out and than dilute it with some water.

[Sib2of11]

Wishbone makes a spray salad dressing...new salad spritzers. I just tried the Italian Vinaigrette. I like it! :)

There are 3 flavors: Italian Vinaigrette, Red Wine Mist Cabernet Vinaigrette, and Balsamic Vinaigrette. The label says 10 sprays per 1 cup of salad, but I found that I needed just a bit more than that. But each spray is ony 1 calorie and 1 fat gram, and the best part is that the salad dressing stays on the salad and doesn't sink to the bottom of your salad bowl. And it tastes good. :yum:

http://www.wish-bone.com/dressing.asp?kind=ss&dressing=ss_italian

[crunchies0313]

Do you like the new dressing? I like the 1 calorie per spray. What other flavors?

[Kathy]

I'm going to look for them at the grocery store this week. Sounds interesting!

[occ_gurl]

I love the Hidden Valley Light Ranch, but it has 7 grams of fat per 2 T. serving (not good!) And the salad dressing that is my favorite is Bleu Cheese and probably the worst!

Here's a great tip I learned years ago in a Nutrisystem class. Have your dressing served on the side (a must these days!) or use a tiny cup at home and dip the tines of your fork into the dressing before spearing a bite of salad. You use VERY LITTLE this way but still get the flavor of the dressing in every bite. It's a great method!

[brewil]

I found O'Charley's restaurant's secret recipe honey mustard dressing (low fat version) at WalMart in the produce section. It is so good my husband (a low fat food hater) loves it. Only 2 grams of fat per serving. Way yummy! :D

[Sib2of11]

In my previous post I mentioned that the Spritzer Salad Dressing is 1 calorie and 1fat gram per spray....actually, it's one calorie per spray, but only 1 fat gram for each ten sprays.