Okay, so what kind of dressing can I put on my salad?

[WWJD]

Canned veggies give me a headache. I prefer fresh veggies. I like salad, I can put great toppings on them, BUT what about my dressing? Can you ladies and gents give me some ideas? Thanks.

[EverLosing]

Re: Okay, so what kind of dressing can I put on my salad?

I am a slave to repetition and what works for me. I have actually used ranch dressing for over a year!! Please be ever so careful when purchasing dressing. You MUST read the list of ingredients. I bought some on sale in the beginning only to get home and read it contained high fructose corn syrup. HUGE no no! There are Atkins friendly dressings out there. You just have to read the ingredients list before you put them in the cart!

Another option is making your own dressing. I know a lot of long timers here do that. I don't know if I ever would. Love my ranch and feel no need to branch out yet!

[Alaskansonya]

Re: Okay, so what kind of dressing can I put on my salad?

I've read where some make their own ranch using the mix and heavy cream or something similar. Olive oil and vinegar is good too. Most homemade or store-bought mayo or oil based dressings, as long as they are very low carb and have no sugar, should be ok. I typically use blue cheese, ranch, or oil/vinegar at restaurants. Check this link for some salad dressing recipes: Linda's Low Carb Menus & Recipes - Misc. Recipes

[WWJD]

Re: Okay, so what kind of dressing can I put on my salad?

Thanks yall. After I posted this thread I read I saw other threads about this same issue with answers too. I appreciate the link Sonya. I too like to stick to the same thing Everlosing and you're doing great with only 2 lbs. to go, wow! Congratulations to you!!

[EverLosing]

Re: Okay, so what kind of dressing can I put on my salad?

Thanks yall. After I posted this thread I read I saw other threads about this same issue with answers too. I appreciate the link Sonya. I too like to stick to the same thing Everlosing and you're doing great with only 2 lbs. to go, wow! Congratulations to you!!

Thanks WWJD! I stick with the same thing half because I'm lazy and half because I'm content!! I'm pretty picky about my dressing! Ranch just seems to be good all around, on salads and as a veggie dip! Cucumber slices and ranch dip...nothin' better!!

[ADreamComeTrue]

Re: Okay, so what kind of dressing can I put on my salad?

Hi!
For me personally, I use Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing.
But be very careful when you eat out at fast food restaurants and purchase salads..the dressing you get at them are different from the store bought dressings. For example, McDonalds Ranch (I think it is called NewMans) has 9 carbs in the pack and is full of corn syrup and starches. Always read labels AND ingredients!!
Good Luck!

-Christie

[WWJD]

Re: Okay, so what kind of dressing can I put on my salad?

Thanks WWJD! I stick with the same thing half because I'm lazy and half because I'm content!! I'm pretty picky about my dressing! Ranch just seems to be good all around, on salads and as a veggie dip! Cucumber slices and ranch dip...nothin' better!!

Me too, I'm lazy and I figure if something works stick with it, just like my lipstick and hairstyle. What brand of ranch do you use? Is it cool for me in induction? Thanks.

[WWJD]

Re: Okay, so what kind of dressing can I put on my salad?

Hi!
For me personally, I use Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing.
But be very careful when you eat out at fast food restaurants and purchase salads..the dressing you get at them are different from the store bought dressings. For example, McDonalds Ranch (I think it is called NewMans) has 9 carbs in the pack and is full of corn syrup and starches. Always read labels AND ingredients!!
Good Luck!

-Christie

Hi Christie. Hidden Valley is delicious, can I use that in induction? Thanks for the heads up, I will read the labels and ingredients.

[ADreamComeTrue]

Re: Okay, so what kind of dressing can I put on my salad?

Hey! Yes you can use Hidden Valley! Dr. Atkins said as long as it is not more than 2g carbs per serving then it is alright, but I think that he says not to use balsamic vinegar dressing. Good Luck!!

-Christie

[Georgiana]

Re: Okay, so what kind of dressing can I put on my salad?

Hidden Valley is delicious, can I use that in induction?

These are the ingredients in the dressing (from Amazon.com):

Vegetable Oil (Canola Oil and/or Soybean Oil), Water, Egg Yolk, Sugar, Salt, Cultured Nonfat Buttermilk, Natural Flavor, Spices, less than 1% of Garlic (Dried), Onion (Dried), Vinegar, Phosphoric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Modified Food Starch, Monosodium Glutamate, Artificial Flavors, Disodium Phosphate, Sorbic Acid and Calcium Disodium Edta As Preservatives, Disodium Inosinate and Disodium Guanylate.

Sugar is the 4th ingredient and there's also buttermilk (an OWL Rung 2 food) there and modified starch. Dr. Atkins wrote (Chapter 11):

"Prepared salad dressings without added sugar and no more than two carbs per tablespoon serving are also fine."

So the dressing is not "legal" as per DANDR.

That being said, I've seen people who used it and lost weight.

[WWJD]

Re: Okay, so what kind of dressing can I put on my salad?

Hey! Yes you can use Hidden Valley! Dr. Atkins said as long as it is not more than 2g carbs per serving then it is alright, but I think that he says not to use balsamic vinegar dressing. Good Luck!!

-Christie

Thanks I can't wait to get me some, yummy!!! I think I might use the packet and make my own fresh, I always liked that one better. Oh yeah, the balsamic is totally off limits, thanks for the reminder.

[WWJD]

Re: Okay, so what kind of dressing can I put on my salad?

These are the ingredients in the dressing (from Amazon.com):

Sugar is the 4th ingredient and there's also buttermilk (an OWL Rung 2 food) there and modified starch. Dr. Atkins wrote (Chapter 11):

"Prepared salad dressings without added sugar and no more than two carbs per tablespoon serving are also fine."

So the dressing is not "legal" as per DANDR.

That being said, I've seen people who used it and lost weight.

I sure do appreciate the research that was awfully nice of you!!! But, since you've seen people who've used it and lost weight--I've got to try too Thanks.

[soon2bslim]

Re: Okay, so what kind of dressing can I put on my salad?

i make my own dressings, here are some that i like 2 use:
-Olive Oil + salt + pepper + lemon juice is my basic standard
-Mayo + pesto >> nice for creamy style
-Mayo + pepper + parsley + other herbs (basil, oregano etc)+salt + maybe a touch of olive oil
-Sesame oil + soy sauce + garlic + Vinegar (Rice vinegar is great, cider vinegar works too) +ginger + white pepper >>> can use olive oil instead of sesame here
-'Coleslaw' dressing>>>dilute coarse salt (1/2 tsp)+ sm amt sugar substitute (= to 1 -2tsp sugar) in hot water+ Mayo + vinegar (1 tsp)+ lemon huice (1/2 tsp)+ Black pepper

Basically, they are all Olive Oil or Mayo based, the remaining ingredients are minimal and you can get creative and use ingredients that u like, also sprinlke cheese on the oil based - dressed salad > not the one w/ soy sauce> ( i like feta or parmesan) for a variation.

Good Luck on Atkins!

[kellinga]

Re: Okay, so what kind of dressing can I put on my salad?

I bought the large dry mix container of Hidden Valley Ranch at Sams Club (inexpensive compared to prepared dressings and compared to individual packets of dry mix - $6 for 16oz.

Ingredients: Maltodextrin, buttermilk salt, msg, dried garlic, dried onion, lactic acid, calcium lactate, citric acid, spices, artificial flavor, xanthan gum, soybean oil, calcium stearate, carboxymethylcellulose, guar gum. No preservatives.

Instructions say to mix 1 1/2 T w/ 1/2 c sour cream and 1/2 c milk - substitute cream to thin it out. Carbs are 1g, Sugars 0.

I haven't tried it yet...not a ranch dressing fan...but I've been using some store bought dressing and it's just not that good.


OH...I did see Russian Dressing in DANDR. Not sure if its induction allowable but here it is:
1/2 c mayo
1/2 c sour cream
1 T dijon mustard (could use dry maybe)
1 T worchestershire
2 T tomato sauce (I'd use tomato paste-check brands as some contain corn starch, others don't-walmart brand does not - mix the paste with water to make your own "sauce")
1/2 t grated onion
1/8 t garlic powder

I can't wait to try this one. I used to love Russian Dressing because it was so flavorful so I'm hoping this recipe is too.

[ADreamComeTrue]

Re: Okay, so what kind of dressing can I put on my salad?

Thanks I can't wait to get me some, yummy!!! I think I might use the packet and make my own fresh, I always liked that one better. Oh yeah, the balsamic is totally off limits, thanks for the reminder.

Wow! I totally didn't even think of getting the packet one and making it fresh, PLUS it has no sugar!! I will def be making it this way! Lol, why didn't I think of that already!?

And G is right about that part in the book, the only reason why I use Hidden Valley is because it is the only dressing I really like (and it has 2g carbs per serving) and wont get bored of and in my area, is the lowest in carbs in the selection of all the ranch dressings (prepared). I do only have one serving per day though!

But, from now on, I will make it fresh!! Thanks for that info, I never even thought of that!

-Christie