FitSugar

Healthy Recipe: Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

FitSugar — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 03:30:00 -0700

Why not take advantage of the season's fresh strawberries and make this fruity salad dressing? It's refreshing and tangy - just the perfect topping to fresh greens from the garden. Since Japanese research shows that vinegar turns on genes that help fight fat, it's even more reason to make this incredibly easy salad dressing.

To learn how, read more.

Healthy Recipe: Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette
adapted from AllRecipes.com

Ingredients

1/2 pint fresh strawberries, halved
1 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/4 teaspoon honey

Directions

Place strawberries, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, tarragon, and honey in a blender or food processor.
Blend until smooth. Drizzle on your salad and store the rest in a sealed container in the fridge.

Print recipe with images | without images

Another Reason to Dress Your Salad With Vinaigrette

FitSugar — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 03:30:00 -0700

Ranch, blue cheese, and thousand island might make your taste buds happy, but they're pretty disappointing when it comes to nutrition. If you've been trying to fool yourself into thinking that a concoction of vegetables and saturated-fat-laden creamy dressing is healthy, it won't take long for your waistline to notice.

Enter your salad and weight-
friendly dressing, the vinaigrette. A medley of olive oil and vinegar, seasoned as you please and moderately portioned, is the best way to complement your greens. It's tasty, and what's more, new research from Japan suggests that ordinary household vinegar turns on genes that help fight fat.

Scientists put mice on a high-fat diet, and only some were given regular doses of acetic acid, the main chemical in vinegar. The mice who received the vinegar compound developed up to 10 percent less body fat than the mice who didn't receive it. Scientists believe that the acetic acid helps the body break down fats, which prevents fat buildup and weight gain.

Healthy Eating Tip: Use Salsa as Salad Dressing

FitSugar — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 08:00:25 -0800

If you're looking to cut calories at lunchtime (or anytime really), ditch the fatty salad dressings and try topping your veggies with salsa instead. This south of the border condiment is incredibly low in calories; two tablespoons contains just eight calories. The tangy tomato concoction offers a spicy kick with plenty of flavor to go around, making salads anything but dull.

If you're not into spicy salsas, try a milder roasted corn or bean salsa to dress a green salad. I find that sweet corn salsa goes great with smoked salmon and cucumber. Or, mix a chunky tomato salsa into a combination of black beans and corn for a lettuce-less salad. You won't even miss the dressing.

Healthy Eating Tip: Dealing With Salad Dressing

FitSugar — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 09:00:00 -0800

Salads are a staple of healthy eating, and if you're trying to lose weight you might be adding them into your daily diet. While the greens may be low in calories, chances are good the dressing is not. Many dressings are high in fat, as well as calories. Overdressing your greens can subvert your healthy salad intentions, but skipping the dressing makes a salad dull and ultimately unsatisfying. The simple technique of placing the dressing on the side and dipping your fork, then taking a bite of greens will satisfy your palate and help you keep your waistline trim. Remember: Dip the fork, don't dress the salad.

Source

Healthy Eating Tip: Handle the Ladle With Care

FitSugar — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 16:00:00 -0700

Salad greens count as a superfood in my book, but salad dressings . . . not so much. The salad bar dressings we ladle on those greens are certainly tasty, but all that taste often comes at a high-caloric price. Cutting back on the dressing is important if you are also cutting back on calories.

Next time you visit a salad bar, pay attention to the size of the ladle, since they can vary widely and could hold anywhere from two to six tablespoons.The most common ladle size holds four tablespoons of dressing, which is equal to two standard servings, as listed on the food labels of salad dressing bottles (here's a salad dressing breakdown).

Lift the ladle out of the dressing and size it up before you fill it with dressing. A ladle the size of a ping-pong ball or a short shot glass will give you two tablespoons. If it’s bigger than that, make sure you only fill the ladle halfway before dressing your salad.

Source

Annie's Salad Dressing Breakdown

FitSugar — Tue, 06 May 2008 13:00:00 -0700

I'm a huge fan of Annie's Naturals Salad Dressings, and I appreciate that there are organic options. All the dressings are made from natural ingredients for a fresh and zesty taste. There are many flavors to choose from and even some low-fat ones.

If you're wondering how Annie's salad dressings compare nutritionally then read more.

Here's a breakdown of a serving size (two tablespoons) of dressing:

Kind of Dressing	Calories	Fat (g)	Sodium (mg)
Artichoke Parmesan	130	13	250
Organic Asian Sesame	140	14	210
Organic Balsamic Vinaigrette	100	10	75
Balsamic Vinaigrette	100	10	75
Organic Buttermilk	70	7	210
Organic Caesar	120	12	170
Cowgirl Ranch	120	11	260
Organic French	90	9	170
Organic Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette	110	12	110
Gingerly Vinaigrette	40	2	270
Organic Goddess	130	13	320
Goddess	130	13	320
Organic Green Garlic	90	9	140
Organic Green Goddess	130	13	380
Honey Mustard Vinaigrette	45	2	200
Lemon & Chive	150	16	150
Organic Papaya Poppy Seed	120	11	200
Organic Red Wine & Olive Oil	160	17	120
Raspberry Vinaigrette	35	1.5	75
Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette	70	6	240
Organic Sesame Ginger with Chamomile	100	9	240
Organic Shiitake & Sesame	120	13	250
Shiitake & Sesame	120	13	250
Organic Thousand Island	90	7	140
Tuscany Italian	80	7	240
Woodstock	110	11	260

Which dressing is your fave? Tell me in the comments section below.

Make Your Salad Dressing Sing!

FitSugar — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 10:15:00 -0700

The same old oil and vinegar dressing can become rather dull and uninspiring. If the salad dressing blahs are keeping you from eating your greens, it is time to experiment and try some new things. I have a few suggestions for you to try. Here they are:

Creamy: For a creamy texture add some nonfat plain yogurt. Thin it with a little water first (especially if you are using thick Greek-style yogurt. Another option for creamy texture is a little smashed avocado, and once again I thin it with a bit of water.
Tangy: For a little tang try lemon juice. It mixes well with olive oil, or can be great on its own. Cranberry juice concentrate is another way to add a new tangy flavor to your dressing and complements toasted pecans quite nicely.
Citrus: I have also taken to just squeezing a half an orange over butter lettuce. The fresh squeezed juice is so sweet and perfect for the delicate greens. I also enjoy the peppery taste of fresh squeezed pink grapefruit on the spicy green arugula.

I have some more suggestions, so read more.

Get seedy: Grinding up seeds, like pumpkin or sunflower adds a nice texture and flavor to dressing. Sesame seeds and poppy seeds aren't just for bagels! They also make nice additions to dressings.
Fresh Herbs: Don't forget the power of fresh herbs. Going Italian? Toss some Italian parsley into the mix. Going Asian? Try a little cilantro. Going Greek? Add some finely chopped fresh mint to your greens. Fresh thyme and tarragon work well when you are adding roasted chicken to your greens.
Go Tomatoes: Here's a recipe for tomato-paprika salad dressing that is unique and great not only on salad greens, but drizzled over lightly steamed veggies.

So try some new dressing and make your salad sing!

Source

Tomato Paprika Salad Dressing

FitSugar — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 03:30:00 -0700

Occasionally, I am prone to salad dressing ennui. I just can't take another balsamic vinaigrette. However, I recently found this antioxidant rich, tasty new tomato dressing that certainly cures my boredom.

It reminds me a bit of gazpacho, one of my favorite summer treats. I would use the dressing with a mild green, like butter lettuce, and it works well with avocado and goat cheese too. You can also use this dressing for dipping bread, but it is too thin for veggies.

So don't succumb to the salad dressing doldrums! To see the recipe, just read more

Tomato Paprika Salad Dressing
adapted from Body + Soul

Tomato-Paprika Salad Dressing

What You Need

¾ pound plum or heirloom tomatoes
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
1 small garlic clove – pressed
½ teaspoon mild or smoked paprika
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

What You Do

Press garlic and set it aside to allow the healthy enzymes release.
Peel, core and seed tomatoes. If peeling tomatoes are new to you read Yum’s helpful tips on this culinary task.
Place tomatoes in blender along with vinegars, sugar, garlic and paprika. Puree until smooth.
Remove center cap of the blender lid and add oil in a steady stream, blending thoroughly.
Salt and pepper to taste.

Print recipe with images | without images

Source

Speak Up: What's Your Favorite Health Food?

FitSugar — Sat, 14 Apr 2007 02:30:00 -0700

Do you have a favorite health food that you can't live without? Every day I'm telling you about the nutritious and delicious gems I love, (like Annie's Low-Fat Gingerly Vinaigrette) so now it's your turn.

Is there some new health food you've discovered that you think others should know about? Maybe you support a certain brand because you agree with what they stand for. Or maybe you just love the taste or nutritional value of a specific healthy product, and buy it every time you go shopping.

There's got to be something you absolutely love more than anything else and I want to hear all about it, so TELL ME below.

Annie's Naturals - She Can Dress My Salad Any Day

FitSugar — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 02:00:00 -0700

Salads are good for you. That we know. But when you drown it in hydrogenated oil, sugar, salt, and artificial ingredients, you're practically undoing all the good.

You can't go wrong with Annie's Naturals. These salad dressings are delicious and made with all natural ingredients.

The recipes were created by an actual person named Annie, who started her company on a Vermont farm, making sauces for barbecuing. She then expanded to make marinades and the best salad dressings in the natural foods market.

She has such unique salad dressing flavors like Papaya Poppy Seed, Artichoke Parmesan, and Green Garlic. My favorite flavors have got to be Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette, Gingerly Vinaigrette, Tuscany Italian, and Raspberry Vinaigrette. My all-time fave has got to be Goddess Dressing. It's a creamy tahini (sesame) and lemon dressing with chives and parsley that complements the taste and texture of vegetables beautifully.

If you have never tried Annie's Salad Dressings, I highly recommend picking up a bottle. They're rich in flavor and full of healthy ingredients. Your salad will thank you.

Fit's Tips: If you're watching your fat intake, check out her low-fat flavors: Raspberry Vinaigrette, Honey Mustard Vinaigrette, and Gingerly Vinaigrette. They have 2g of fat or less per serving.