When I was a little girl, I hated salads.
Mind you, I ate them. I did. (We just won’t talk about how I picked out the pieces of raw broccoli or how I dramatically forced my way through the rubbery winter tomatoes.)
Come to think of it, part of the problem may have been that I didn’t add any salad dressings.
Well. Actually. That was the problem. I realized this the day that my sister turned me on to bleu cheese dressing and I suddenly felt as if my taste buds had been reawakened from their slumber. My family and I were camping at the time, and I somehow managed to pack down 3 salads in one sitting with my new found dressing of choice.
Nowadays, it doesn’t take much for me to eat my greens.
I eat them because I love them. From arugula to spinach to a tender mix of baby greens. The flavors themselves make me swoon, and it doesn’t take dressing to encourage me.
I do still appreciate a good dressing though! Because, as is true with many things in life, it’s all about the little things. A little feta cheese here. A couple black olives there. A drizzle or two of your favorite dressing.
I do still like a creamy, rich dressing nowadays. I simply keep the calories low by keeping the portions low. You know that whole trick of dunking your fork into the dressing before your salad (instead of pouring on an entire bottle?) It works!
Mostly, however, I like the oily dressings that involve garlic and a kick of pepper. It’s fun to have both styles–creamy and oily–in the house. You never know which might suit your fancy at any given time.
Bon Appetit!
Creamy Buttermilk Dressing
Use any combination of herbs that you’d like. This would be good with chives, oregano or even a little mint!
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3/4 cup milk (used 1%)
- 3 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp. basil
- 1 Tbsp. cilantro
- 1/4 tsp onion flakes (or a little fresh onion, minced)
- 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
Combine all ingredients with a whisk. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Basic Vinaigrette
This recipe is “basic,” because you can tweak it any way you like. Try using a different oil (walnut, avocado, etc.) or vinegar (white wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, etc.) or add some of your favorite herbs and spices.
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/4 tsp onion flakes (or a little fresh onion, minced)
- 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
- 3/4 cup olive oil
Combine garlic through mustard, mixing well with a whisk. Slowly pour in oil while continuing to whisk. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
Was it just me or did the idea of dressing freak you out too? I could only be persuaded to eat iceberg (maybe romaine if I was feeling daring), cucumbers, and carrots.
Yes, it did! People thought I was strange for eating a “dry” salad, but I thought it was strange to add dressing. Until, of course, I discovered bleu cheese.
Funny how things can change!!
Delicious! I eat a lot of salads, so I’m always looking for something new to dress them up!
I hated salads as a kid too! I think it was a combination of the texture of the lettuce which I didn’t like and the fact that my family always made salad with oil and white vinegar and the smell of white vinegar is totally off-putting to me. I always associated salad with vinegar so regardless of the dressing I wouldn’t eat it.
Up until about a year ago, I only ever ate thousand island. Sounds so gross and ridiculous to me now. 26 years! A year ago I tried something new… and now there are at least 10 dressing bottles in my fridge. Loving different flavors and salad combos. And sunflower seeds! Can’t have a salad without them.
Mmm…sunflower seeds are one of my favorite salad toppings too! Along with a little feta cheese.