CUTTING THE FAT IN READY MADE SALAD DRESSINGS

[kappydell]

I fell in love with the Asian Sesame-Ginger salad dressing that a local restaurant chain (Zaxby's) use on their Asian Chicken main dish salad. So when I saw Wal-Mart had a version I had to try it.  Yes, it was tasty, but it was very strong (overpoweringly so) for my taste buds.  So.....I 'cut it' with a homemade fat-free sweet sour dressing.  What an improvement!  As an added bonus, I cut the fat, calories, and sodium in my dressing, too!  

 

There are two versions; one uses sugar, one I calculated with Splenda, but any artificial sweetener would work as long as you add it after you remove the sweet-sour dressing from the heat.  

 

MODIFIED ASIAN GINGER SESAME SALAD DRESSING AND MARINADE 

one 16 oz bottle of Great Value Asian Ginger Sesame Salad dressing

2/3 cup sugar (or equivalent artificial sweetener)

2/3 cup white distilled vinegar

2/3 cup tap water

Place the sugar, vinegar and water in a microwaveable container.  I use my 4 cup glass measuring cup, as I can pour the dressings into bottles more easily.  

Heat the combination in the microwave on high, long enough to melt the sugar into the dressing.  Stir if needed.  In my microwave it takes 4 minutes.

Remove from heat; if you are using artificial sweetener that is not heat stable, add it at this point.  Honey would work too, it all depends on where you want to take things.

Pour the bottle of commercial salad dressing into the glass measuring cup and stir to blend the sweet-sour and the bottled dressing.  When well mixed, pour some back into the salad dressing jar, and the remainder in another jar/bottle/container.  Chill.  You are done.  There is enough fat remaining to allow a good dressing 'cling' to foods.  Now the 'tale of the tape'

 

Original Asian Ginger Sesame Salad Dressing        Sugar-dressing modified        Splenda-dressing modified
per 2 TB serving
calories                           100                                         68                                                   50            
total fat                            8 g                                           4 g                                                 4 g
saturated fat                   1 g                                           0.5 g                                           0.5 g
trans fat                            0                                                 0                                                 0
cholesterol                       0                                                 0                                                  0
sodium                         350 mg                                      175 mg                                     175 mg
total carbohydrates        7 g                                           8.1 g                                              4.6 g
fiber                                    0                                                0                                                    0
total sugar                         6 g                                           7.6 g                                              6.0 g
protein                                0                                                 0                                                     0

 

 

I see no reason this technique would not work on other salad dressings as well, in the oil-vinegar or sweet-sour style.  
 

 

 

Edited July 30, 2018 by kappydell

[Trudy]

Thanks Kappy! Since this is my favorite dressing, I'll try it tomorrow. On the CHF diet anything to cut sodium is important.

[kappydell]

Youre welcome.  My late DH had CHF and I learned to cook low sodium, low calories, low fat and did so for years.  Saw no reason to quit after he passed, so I still cook that way.  Most folks eat too much of that stuff anyhoo!

[kappydell]

A CREAMY & THICK YOGURT DRESSING (A HYBRID FRENCH + THOUSAND ISLAND) AT 20 CALORIES PER SERVING

 

3/4 cup fat free plain Greek yogurt

1/4 cup milk (skim)

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons white vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon pepper

In a small bowl, combine yogurt, milk, ketchup, white vinegar, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt, paprika and pepper. Mix until the dressing is smooth and well combined.  Use regular fat free yogurt if desired - You wont have to use as much milk to thin it down.  

Per 2 TB serving:  20 calories, 2.9 grams carbohydrates, and 0 fat.  For these totals I can put on as much as I want to!  And I love a nice, thick dressing.

My husband liked me to add pickle relish & chopped olives for a little texture...I like it plain, just fine.   

 

YOGURT RANCH (2 TB = 16 calories, 1 1/2 grams carbohydrates)

1 TB parsley

1/2 to 1 tsp onion powder

1/2 to 1 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 - 1 tsp salt

1 TB choppped chives

1 c plain nonfat greek yogurt]

1/3 c buttermilk

1 tsp mustard

1 tsp lemon juice

Combine, mix well, makes 1 1/2 cups

 

HOORAY FOR SALAD SEASON!

 

[Littlesister]

You are right about the sodium. It has been years since we have used salt. You can learn to live without it.  So many other ways to add flavor to foods just using spices.