April 4, 2014
Have you ever read the side of a salad dressing bottle? The ingredient list is not pretty. It often includes tons of refined sugar,
preservatives and chemicals with names I can’t pronounce. And when the dressing is reduced fat or fat-free (they make you think it's healthier), the list of chemicals only gets longer. Yuck-a-roo!
A couple months ago, The Hubbster and I did a
clean eating cleanse.
As a result of the cleanse, I rid my refrigerator of
ALL most bottled salad dressings (I can't bring myself to get
Marie's Blue Cheese Dressing). Since dressings (I often use them as marinades too), bring so much flavor to any dish, we couldn't completely eliminate them from our diets. So, I started making them. I began by experimenting with
fresh herbs, seasonings, different types of vinegar (apple cider is my favorite), honey and olive oil. I was pleasantly surprised that each dressing came together
in about 5 minutes. This list of Top Ate vinaigrettes not only pack a punch of flavor but are
much healthier, chemical-free and are only sweetened naturally! I try to keep a couple in my fridge at all times so I can throw them in the skillet to add flavor to veggies, quinoa, rice or whatever might be on my weeknight menu.
Enjoy!
Basil Vinaigrette: Basil is the one herb that I've successfully grown in my backyard. This is most likely because I am so attentive to it. It's like my favorite student (to my teacher friends, don't lie to yourself, you have favorites). I use it in mass quantities when making
pesto and hate having to buy it in the store because it is SO expensive. Therefore, I am careful to treat it with tender loving care so it doesn't turn brown in July like the rest of my garden. During the summer, this dressing seems to always find its way into my recipes.
Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette: It's no secret that I LOVE Mexican food. I am especially partial to it when it's made with fresh, light ingredients. While it does have its place in the world, Mexican food that is heavy, fried or smothered in cheese makes my stomach do cartwheels. Don't get me wrong,
cheese is one of my favorite foods. But when eating Mexican, I prefer the fresh cilantro and lime flavors to shine through and for the cheese to complement the dish and not overtake it. This vinaigrette does just that! It's also a fantastic addition to this
Clean Eating Cilantro Lime Quinoa.
Greek Yogurt Vinaigrette: The creaminess of the Greek yogurt and the tanginess of the vinegar make for a great combination with any salad. I recently added it to Spinach Artichoke Quinoa. Check back next week for that recipe!
Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette: This dressing is simply sweet yet tangy enough to tickle your taste buds!
Lemon Parmesan Vinaigrette: When selecting your Parmesan cheese, please don't use the stuff from the green container in this recipe! The freshly shredded Parmegiano Reggiano makes this dressing stand out from the crowd.
Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette:
Spreadable roasted garlic is the highlight of this vinaigrette. I recently added it to the skillet when I was sautéing some veggies for a
quinoa salad. It came out great!
Shallot Vinaigrette: Shallots have a garlicky onion flavor. While they don't do wonders for your breath, they add fantastic (and low-calorie) flavor to any dish. I recently added this vinaigrette to
Clean Eating Brown Rice Bowls and was thrilled with the tasty result!
Soy Sauce Vinaigrette: The Hubbster LOVES Chinese take-out. While I won't deny that nothing beats the flavor of fried, sugar-coated, syrupy General Tso's Chicken from our local Chinese joint, I'm not a big fan of the food hangover that occurs the next morning. In an effort to satisfy
his our cravings but also keep
his our saturated fat intake within a normal range, I've been experimenting with some Asian recipes. This dressing/marinade is a fantastic and healthy option to add an Asian flair any dish.
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