Looking for a new homemade salad dressing? Look no further!

Growing up in an Italian family, a side salad was a part of every meal.  Although I don't have a salad for every meal, A weekly staple dinner in my house is grilled chicken salad.  I'm pretty sure my husband and I have had it once a week since we've been married (we've been married for 8 years!).  It's easy and simple to make and has always been a quick go-to dinner for busy nights.  Before I started eating clean, I have to admit that my chicken salads were not exactly "healthy."  While I would load my salads with veggies, I also made it "Pittsburgh Style" with french fries topped with a pile of shredded provolone cheese.  Add the store bought salad dressing and there you have it, a high calorie not-so-good-for-you salad!  I am also guilty of just mindlessly pouring the dressing on, not thinking twice about portion size!  Now that I am in check with eating healthy, my salads have changed.  No more french fries and no more cheese, for me at least. I also try to use homemade salad dressing.  While there are some store bought dressings that seem pretty reasonable (nutritional wise), the serving size is very small
and those calories can really add up.

So when I started reading the P90X3 nutritional guide there were a few pages full of homemade salad dressing!  It just so happens that I am making chicken salad for dinner tonight, so I pulled out my guide to check out some of the recipes.  In doing so, I figured I'd share them with you! I haven't tried all of them, but plan to use the Balsamic Vinaigrette one tonight.

Note:  All of these recipes make approximately 16 servings.  One serving is 1 Tbsp)

Balsamic Vinaigrette 
6 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. raw honey (or pure maple syrup)
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
5 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

**Whisk vinegar, lemon juice, and honey.  Stir in mustard until well mixed.  Slowly add oil while whisking.

Citrus Vinaigrette
6 Tbsp 100% orange juice
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. raw honey (or pure maple syrup)
1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
6 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

**Whisk orange juice, lemon juice, and honey.  Stir in mustard, Slowly add oil while whisking.

Asian Ginger Vinaigrette
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled, finely chopped
1 tsp. raw honey (or pure maple syrup)
1 tsp. sesame oil
5 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

**Whisk garlic, ginger, honey, sesame oil, vinegar, and soy sauce.  Slowly add olive oil while whisking.

Basil Vinaigrette
3 Tbsp raw honey (or pure maple syrup)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
5 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup packed fresh basil leaves

**BLEND honey, vinegar, oil, and basil until smooth. 

Sweet Chipotle Vinaigrette
2 Tbsp raw honey (or pure maple syrup)
6 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
5 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbsp chipotle chili powder
2 tsp. ground paprika
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. ground white pepper

**BLEND all ingredients until smooth.

Creamy Herbed Salad Dressing
1/4 cup buttermilk 
1/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
6 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 Tbsp finely chopped herbs (like chives, parsley, basil, marjoram, or thyme)
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 dash ground white pepper

** BLEND all ingredients until smooth.

Cumin Vinaigrette
6 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp 100% orange juice
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
6 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

**Whisk all ingredients in small bowl until mixed well.  


All dressings should be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator. Keep in mind, they don't HAVE to be used on salads.  They could also be used as dipping sauces!


Enjoy!  Feel free to post below which one you tried and your thoughts! 


Labels: , , ,