Home Made Salad Dressings

[CarolinaKip]

Hello everyone,

I've enjoyed the Thanksgiving ideas, thanks! I've found with restricting what I am eating right now, salad dressings bother me. The corn and soy. I've been searching here for salad dressings I can make myself, could you great cooks share your favorite you like to make. I really miss my salads. I'm trying to think low fat as well. Thanks!

[tarnalberry]

The easiest, lowest fat salad dressing is to buy a GOOD balsamic vinegar (they'll cost you) and just use that.

But I generally do something like olive oil, vinegar (either cider, raspberry, white balsamic, or regular balsamic), and spices (often italian seasonings). A little bit of mustard powder will help emulsify it so it doesn't separate.

[MaryJones2]

My everyday salad dressing is:

1 teaspoon Grey Poupon (not sure if it has corn though - might want to check)

1 teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

a little minced garlic, fresh thyme, salt and pepper.

[GlutenFreeManna]

This one is my favorite: Open Original Shared Link

It makes a good sub for soy sauce too if you can't have soy.

[SUZIN]

This is what I use for salad dressing.....gluten-free Mayo...put in blender 1/2 C oil, 1/2C water, 1 Tab vinegar, 1 Tab lemon juice, 1/4 tsp dry mustard (the powder), 1/2 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp sweet rice flour (glutenious rice flour), and 1/2 tsp Xanthan gum...blend this for a couple minutes till it is thickened some and blended well...it will thicken more in the frig.... if you want it less thickened add more water....this is the basic dressing....you can add herbs and spices to make it what you like.... To make it like a Ranch type Dressing....I mix in.. 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp parsley flakes, 1/2 tsp dry dill, and sometimes a dash of cayenne pepper.. another type dressing I use is kind of like Hidden Valley...to 1 C of the basic dressing..I use 1/2 tsp parsley flakes, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1/8 tsp garlic powder, 1/8 tsp onion powder, a pinch of thyme... I don't remember where I got this recipe...but it is one I use all the time.....

[naiiad]

I've been using this for my dressing lately. I like the sticky-sweet texture:

Napa Salad dressing:

1/2 c. olive oil

1 tsp. gluten free soy sauce

1/2 c. sugar

1/4 c. vinegar

sesame oil to taste

A sprinkle of roasted almonds

[sb2178]

A mortar and pestle makes a huge difference:

1 small clove garlic

pinch salt

fresh ground pepper to taste

Grind into a paste.

Add:

1 T fresh herbs or 1 tsp dried herbs

1/2 t mustard, prepared or 1/4 t dried mustard powder

2-3 T balsamic vinegar mixed with lemon juice to taste

3 T olive oil

drizzle of water (maybe 1 tsp?)

This makes enough to dress about two large (family size) salads. I generally go with the approach of less dressing rather than low fat...

[shopgirl]

I'm gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free now too so most commercial dressings are out. I usually mix some olive oil, vinegar, spices (garlic and onion), and a smidge of sugar, to taste, and use that.

Oh, okay, I put in bacon bits too. I'm weak. Super weak.

[Takala]

I put extra virgin olive oil in one cruet bottle and gluten free vinegars in other cruet bottles, and just sprinkle it on the salad, then add some salt and maybe some sweetener. Sometimes some fresh chopped herbs like parsley, cilantro, or basil. Super fast and easy.

I have also done this mixing it in a small bowel and added things like lemon juice, orange juice, gluten free tamari soy sauce, (you could use a substitute like beef broth) ketchup, mustard, mayo, honey, yogurt, coconut milk, lime juice, spices.... you can make lots of flavors.

[missy'smom]

Here are some more ideas and recipes.

[laylamc]

My favorite standby is as follows:

2 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

pinch of kosher salt

Whisk it together. Its great as a marinade for fish too. I especially love this over a salad with arugula, goat cheese and caramelized shallots.

[CarolinaKip]

Thanks everyone!!!!