Let’s be honest; the salad dressing is usually the star of the salad. If not for the punchy flavour of a tasty dressing, we’d probably all be less likely to chomp on our greens. But before you drizzle that dressing on your bowl of veggies, know that it isn’t necessarily the healthiest topping.
A salad is a nutritious option for a side or main meal, but once you load it up with dressing, you may be undoing its healthy benefits. Unfortunately, store-bought salad dressings are often packed with sugar, salt, and lots of calories. What’s more; they’re usually chockful of unhealthy trans fats, preservatives and artificial colours and flavours.
A little goes a long way when it comes to salad dressing, but eventually, those drizzles can add inches to your waistline. Making your own nutritious dressings is a much healthier option.
Antioxidant salad dressing
Packed with healthy Omega-3 fatty acids from extra virgin olive oil and seeds, along with antioxidant-rich oregano, this is a proper power dressing.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar.
- 2tbsps fresh lemon juice.
- 1clove garlic,
- 1tsp ground flaxseed.
- 1tsp dry mustard.
- ½ tsp dried oregano.
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil.
- ½ cup grapeseed oil.
- Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.
Method
- Place the vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, flaxseed, mustard, and oregano in a blender and combine.
- Slowly drizzle in the olive and grapeseed oil and blend until combined.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Strawberry citrus vinaigrette salad dressing
It may seem strange to add strawberries to a salad dressing, but along with the citrus from the orange, they give a fresh, zesty bite to salads. Strawberries may also play a role in regulating blood pressure as well as being packed with healthy fibre, antioxidants, Vitamin C and potassium.
Ingredients
- 5 quartered strawberries.
- ¼ cup orange juice.
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar.
- 3 tbsps extra virgin olive oil.
Method
- Combine all the ingredients in a jar or bowl.
- Whisk the ingredients together
- Place in the fridge to marinate for at least two hours.
Avocado ranch salad dressing
Everyone enjoys a rich ranch dressing, but it’s usually filled with salt, trans fats and calories. This creamy avocado ranch dressing is a healthy alternative and a good source of healthy fats.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Greek yoghurt.
- 2 garlic cloves, shredded with a grater.
- 3 tbsps chopped chives.
- 2 tbsps dried parsley.
- ½ tsp dried dill.
- 1 tsp salt.
- 1 tsp black pepper.
- 1 tbsp white vinegar.
- 1 avocado, smashed with the back of a fork.
Method
- Combine all the ingredients and mix well in a container or jar.
- Place in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.