Roasted Garlic Dressing

Let’s face it, most of us like creamy dressings to go with our salads, at least every once in a  while. I have lately been hooked on lemongrass-mint white balsamic from Seasons and could eat salad with just that on it. Yep, nothing else, no oil, just that. It’s especially good on baby spinach with pomegranate seeds. But I digress, back to the subject: creamy dressings. The problem with salad dressing and especially the creamy kind is the caloric impact they tend to have. So you decided to have a ‘light’ lunch, a salad, but guess what, that commercial dressing you just poured on made it have more calories and in some cases more fat than a burger. So what to do? Your ticket is flavor, the more flavor your dressing has, the smaller the amount you need, plus making it at home allows you to control exactly what goes in it. For days like today, when it’s snowing and sleeting, when a cold meals just isn’t the answer you need something hearty that can stand up to a warm winter salad. Greek yogurt provides the creamy texture and garlic and Parmesan the flavor. Slow roasting the garlic makes it surprisingly mellow, totally taking any bite out of the taste. This one will keep in the fridge for about a week (it might keep longer, but it never lasts that long in my house), the only thing is the olive oil gets solid in the fridge, so let the dressing come to room temp before using, or heat like in the recipe above.

Makes about 1/2 cup

Ingredients

  • 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tbsp cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp grated Parmesan
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 pinch white pepper
  • 3-4 tbsp Greek yogurt
  • (optional) Pancetta crumbles

Directions

  1. Gently heat oil in a small skillet or shallow pan over low (yes, trust me) add the sliced garlic in one layer. Slow roast until starting to turn golden and beginning to caramelize, about 20 minutes, turning pieces over about half way through. Set aside to cool.
  2. In a mini food processor, combine roasted garlic and olive oil from the skillet, salt, pepper and cheese and pulse to blend, then add the Greek yogurt and vinegar and run the machine until well blended and thick.
  3. If desired, stir crumbled roasted Pancetta pieces into the finished dressing (you can cook them in the same skillet you just used for the garlic, no need to add any oil)

Copyright © 2012 Simple Healthy Homemade. All rights reserved

Citrus Salad Dressing

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Ingredients

  • 1/2 lime, juice only
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1 pinch to 1/4 tsp salt

Directions

  1. Stir honey and salt into lime juice until dissolved
  2. Stir in mustard, then add he olive oil and stir until well blended

Use on salads, particularly anything with avocado, to keep them from turning brown

Copyright © 2012 Simple Healthy Homemade. All rights reserved

Sour Cream Chive Dressing

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Quick Dressing to throw together when you’re in a hurry. I love when one recipe leads to another, as the Guilt Fee Yogurt Chive Sauce inspired this dressing one evening, turning leftovers into something new. I liked it so much that it became its own recipe. It now has a permanent home, you know, instead of leftover land tent city 😉

It makes a wonderful creamy dressing without adding the calories of mayo. Use it on any salad or as a light refreshing dip for veggies.

You need

  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup pickle juice or vinegar
  • 1/2 cup chopped chives
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • a very small clove of garlic, minced (optional)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

Directions

  1. Mix everything in a bowl or shaker cup until well combined

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Copyright © 2012 Simple Healthy Homemade. All rights reserved

Lemon Olive Oil Dressing

Lemon Olive Oil Dressing

  • juice of 1/2 lemon (about 1/4 cup)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 pinch white pepper (in a pinch you could use black pepper)
  • 1 tsp parsley, dry
  • 1 tsp thyme, dry
  • 1 tbsp finely minced shallots
  • 1/2 cup olive oil (about 1 1/2 to 2 time lemon juice amount)

Directions

  1. Mix all ingredients in a lidded container and shake well then pour over your salad.

imageGreat on Spinach Salad or try over roasted Brussels sprouts!

Copyright © 2012 Simple Healthy Homemade. All rights reserved