Salads "Un-dressed"

Ok, I am a salad freakI love salad... and to make a salad that much better all depends on the dressing...And I am an Olive Oil N' Vinegar lover..Hands down, and the winner is.... NO competition! Olive Oil N' Vinegar wins EvErY time.

But lets get real.. you can turn a healthy, fresh, nutritious meal south in a matter of seconds. Just pour on that dressing and 'Hello artery clogger!'

Salads are extremely good for you, and that is probably what's gong through your head when you order a salad for dinner, or better yet a house salad, hold the croutons (wink) but bring on the ranch dressing! 

I am not here to spoil your meal or rock your salad ways.. but I am here to help you make an informed decision on what you're "dressing" your salad in.

Let's take the three top salad dressings; Italian, Ranch, and Bleu Cheese.. and heck i'll throw in Caesar cause i know there are caesar salad lovers out there...

Italian: 

Ranch: 

Bleu Cheese:

Caesar: 

Now, this is a lot to take in.. I understand. So, the most important things to note are total fat, saturated fat, and the ingredients. 

Doing Your Part:

-When ordering salad at a restaurant get the dressing on the side, that way you can control the amount that goes on your salad. 

-When you have creamy dressings that are egg based {Caesar} know that eggs are the main ingredient to make it creamy. Eggs are a good source of protein but too much has the risk of carrying salmonella when you eat out.

-Oil based dressings {Olive Oil N' Vinegar} get an A on this post! Use plant oils such as canola and olive. These dressings are rich in heart healthy unsaturated fats, and help reduce inflammation, blood cholesterol, and stabilize heart rhythms. 

-Vinegar based dressings {Balsamic Vinaigrettes} have a lot goin' on that mostly add up to no nutritional value but add good taste. So when making your own make sure vinegar is not your base but a supplement. 

-Cream based dressings (Ranch) add unnecessary dairy and a lot of artery clogging saturated fats. If you are a Ranch LoVeR I suggest finding an organic recipe and sticking to it!.. or if you are not into making your own, use only 1 Tbsp per serving, as opposed to the recommended 2 Tbsp.

-Make your own dressing!

           Here's a Recipe for your own salad dressing:

                             

                            1/2 C Olive Oil

                            1/4 C Balsamic Vinegar 

                            1 tsp Garlic Powder 

                            2 Tbsps of your favorite spice~ I like to use Capitol Hill or Curry from Savory Spice  Shop           

                            1 dash of Turmeric 

                            ~Feel free to play around with the measurements to your liking... Enjoy! 

Quote for the Heart: "Nothing is impossible, the word itself says I'M POSSIBLE!" -Audrey Hepburn