How many times have you seen someone pile their salad plate with all sorts of healthy veggies only to top them off with a pound of extremely unhealthy dressing? You may even be guilty of doing that yourself.
Well, did you know that certain dressings can actually make a simple salad more caloric than a fast food meal? In fact, most bottled dressings are loaded with added sugars, fats, and chemicals which pretty much defeats the purpose of eating salads in the first place.
Sure, some store bought dressings are better than others. However, the healthiest and freshest options are always homemade, and they can be so quick and easy to prepare. To make a delicious dressing at home, all you need are a few staple ingredients, such as vinegar, honey mustard, citrus fruits, a healthy oil (such as olive or grapeseed oils), and plain Greek yogurt.
From simple vinaigrette dressings to ones with a creamier consistency and even dressings that have a bit of a kick, the possibilities are endless!
One of my personal favorites is Honey Dijon Vinaigrette. It can be prepared in a flash, adds loads of flavor to any salad, and can be refrigerated for up to a week.
Honey Dijon Vinaigrette Dressing
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons of prepared Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons of raw honey (preferably local and organic)
- 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
- 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon of fresh ground pepper
Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl until combined and smooth. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
Looking for more ways to dress up your vegetables? Experiment with some of these dressings as well.
Spicy Avocado-Greek Yogurt Dressing
Clean Eating Honey Mustard Dressing
Japanese Ginger Salad Dressing
Just remember to watch your portion sizes. You don’t want to drown those vegetables! Even the healthiest dressing isn’t meant to be poured all over a salad like crazy (although some of these dressings are so good that it will be awfully tempting to do so).  If you feel that you still need a little something extra, add a bit of fresh squeezed lemon or some fresh herbs, such as basil or dill.
Making the healthy switch to homemade dressings might even help you to shed a few unwanted pounds- and that’s always a good thing!
