Upgrade Your Salad Game and Make Eating Healthy A Lot Easier

A healthy lifestyle consists of getting regular exercise, doing things that make you happy, and maintaining a healthy diet (for the most part). Salads have always been a huge cheat code in the healthy lifestyle game because they provide so many benefits, check tons of healthy diet boxes, and can be made a million and one ways. Personally, my favorite part about a salad is a great dressing. It’s the most important aspect to make your salad reach its fullest potential. Have you ever eaten a salad that you would have paid any price to bring home a jug of the dressing that was on it? Yeah, me too. Well, your days of searching for the perfect salad dressing are over. Here are some salad dressing recipes that you can make at home to compliment just about any salad you whip up!

 

Fresh Basil Dressing

Ingredients

1 cup basil

6 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp mayonnaise

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 ½ tsp chopped shallot

Instructions

Combine everything in a food processor, when blended, stream in the oil and blend again.

 

Mixed Herbs & Shallot Champagne Vinaigrette 

Ingredients

¼ cup champagne vinegar

2 chopped shallots

3 tbsp chopped parsley

1 tbsp chopped marjoram

1 tbsp chopped chives

1 tbsp chopped thyme

¾ cup olive oil

Instructions

Whisk together all ingredients (except oil) and pinch of grated lemon zest and pepper. Let stand for 15 minutes then whisk in oil. 

Creamy Chive Dressing

Ingredients

3 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 ½ tbsp mayonnaise

¼ cup chopped chives

½ cup canola oil

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Asian Style Dressing

Ingredients

2 tbsp mayonnaise

1 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 tbsp soy sauce

2 tsp honey

1 tsp grated ginger

1 tsp sesame oil

1 minced garlic clove

1⁄2 tsp hot chili sauce

1⁄4 cup vegetable oil 

Instructions

Combine all ingredients and serve.

Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

Ingredients

¼ red wine vinegar

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp dijon

1 tbsp minced garlic

¼ cup olive oil

2 tsp salt

¾ tsp pepper

Instructions

Whisk together vinegar, lemon juice, honey, mustard and garlic. Then whisk in oil, salt and pepper.

Note: For a Dijon Vinaigrette – 1⁄4 cup dijon, 1⁄4 cup red wine vinegar, 1⁄4 tsp pepper, 1⁄2 cup olive oil. Whisk together everything, whisk in the oil last. Good on Salad Nicoise 

 

Green Goddess Dressing

Ingredients

½ chopped parsley

½ cup chopped basil

6 filets chopped anchovies

1 cup chopped scallion

2 cloves chopped garlic

2 tbsp minced tarragon

1 cup sour cream

1 cup mayonnaise

3 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions

In a food processor combine parsley, basil, anchovies, garlic, tarragon and process until fine. Blend in mayonnaise and lemon juice. Then blend in the sour cream. Season with salt and pepper. 

Tangerine Vinaigrette

Ingredients

2 tbsp tangerine juice

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

¼ tsp pepper

2 tbsp walnut oil

1 tbsp tangerine zest

1 tbsp chopped fresh basil

1 tbsp minced fresh tarragon

Instructions

Whisk everything together with the oil last.