The FastDay Forum

I really love salad but have discovered is that what I really love is the mayo or salad dressing with it. Still in a state of shock when I discovered the mayo I buy here was 600 cals for 100g which equated to about 100 cals for a heaped teaspoon, its good but not worth that amount of calories. Does anybody have any good low cal salad dressing recipes?

I was the same with mayo. I now use blue dragon sweet chilli dipping sauce - 184 cals for 100g or Sainsbury's taste the difference mango lime and chilli dressing -310 cals for 100g

The chilli is quite high in sugar but 0.6 fat
The mango is 4.4 fat but less sugar

Failing that a low cal salad cream is about 177 for 100g

Sorry, not a recipe but I am now weened off of mayo (I used to mix mayo and lots of grated cheese in my salads...I never added up the calories)

Ok, it's not a recipe - but we use Tesco's Light Choice Caesar Salad dressing on fasting days.

9 cals a tablespoon and about 60 cals for 100g.

Hope this helps.

That's my problem too. What i love about salad is dressing!!!!! I can't stand vinegar or lemon juice . Sometimes plain yogurt works well. Looking for a low cal dressing .

The best ready-made dressing that I've tried is M&S fresh, low fat French Dressing. It's in the chiller section with the salads.

For a creamier dressing though, I use Hellmans Lighter than Light mayo as a base, then just add different things eg dash of Tabasco & ketchup for seafood sauce or just a little Dijon mustard to pep it up a bit. You can add almost anything to suit your taste and it has very few calories.

Edit: Madmois, I just noticed you're in France, so not sure that this helps, but perhaps if Hellmans isn't available, there may be an equivalent.

Have you tried balsamic glaze - it's gorgeous 15ml = 30 cals

Or

Sweet chilli sauce but not sure what the cals are for that

I use salsa or cottage cheese as a salad dressing.

For a lower calorie Ceasar dressing, use natural yoghurt or quark, and blitz with lemon, anchovies and herbs (basil works well).

[Moogie]

I've fallen in love with the Tesco (or Hellmans as a backup) garlic and herb dressing - less cals than Ceasar or salad cream at around 38 per tbsp. I find two tablespoons on a massive salad is plenty, so a small salad would be fine with one tbsp. I've never been fond of light dressings as they lack the creaminess.

Would love to know how to make the garlic and herb one, no idea how to make a creamy dressing like that.

http://lowcaloriecooking.about.com/od/saucesspreads/r/asiandressing.htm

This could be a good place to start.

I have found also using xanthum or guar gum will thicken a mix.

I have just downloaded a free Kindle book which has a lot of salad and dressing recipes.
There's a dressing recipe called "Mayonnaise Dressing without oil" which works out at 511 Kcal for 455g of dressing, which seems very reasonable when compared with Tesco's Garlic & Herb Dressing ...



I'm sure you could add garlic powder, herbs or even grated Parmesan to it, without going overboard...

I haven't made it yet, but I'm thinking ahead for the warm weather the French météo is promising us!

Wow the kindle recipe sounds like a homemade mayo-type recipe. I'm usually a vinaiegrette girl although I also love blue cheese. I think the idea of using some cottage cheese to stretch whatever dressing you come up with is great. It should give you the creaminess you're looking for.

But, whatever dressing you choose, I think the idea of actually tossing your salad will help control the calories and makes for a better salad. In the US, we invariably overdress salads which makes for a soggy mess and lots of calories. One thing when I eat out and want some bleu cheese dressing, I ask for it on the side and just dip my fork in the dressing and then pick up some lettuce with it. That way I get the flavor without too many calories.

Hope you find a recipe that works for you.