Salad Dressing 101

I live on salads! Salads give me the volume of food I need to feel full without alot of calories. The amount of veggies that I use also give me an incredible amount of nutrition. I easily go through, between soups and salads, 2 heads of green cabbage, 1 head of red cabbage 10-12 lg. carrots, 3 lg. broccoli heads, 3 bunches kale, 1 bunch chard, and other misc. veggies ( parsnips, fennel, green, red onoin, fresh herbs, beets, jalapeno, etc.) PER WEEK. That's just for me, that does not include other family members. When I say I eat alot, I'm not joking!

My salads are always main dish by adding a serving of protein in with the veggies (shrimp, chicken, pork, tuna, etc.) I never eat a salad with lettuce of any kind as the main ingredient. I feel that lettuce does not give me enough fiber and nutrition. I use cabbage mostly. I like to make my own dressings, alot of time with a Mayo/yogurt combination as the base. It's easy to make a single serving of dressing because you start by measuring out 1 Tbl. of each (mayo, yogurt) adding more of one than the other, depending on your allotment of calories for the day, then your acid (vinegar, lemon, etc.) and then additional flavoring (sugar, honey, garlic, etc.)

My friend Jill was nice enough, again, to let me come over to her kitchen to show her and another friend how easy it is to throw a salad together. Here are a couple of dressings that we made;

Chutney Dressing (single serve)

1 Tbl. mayo
1 Tbl. yogurt
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 squeeze lemon (a good squeeze!)
1 dash apple cider vinegar ( a little more than a teaspoon)
a little sugar or honey (1/2 t.)
1 heaping teaspoon hot mango chutney

Whisk together at the bottom of a large salad bowl then add;

green cabbage, shredded
red cabbage, shredded
1 lg carrot grated
2 green onions, sliced, green part included
1/2 jalapeno, diced tiny
cilantro
chopped dates, or golden raisins, or pineapple, etc (in moderation of course)
large cooked shrimp. or diced chicken, or diced pork tenderloin, etc.

Dressing for Broccoli Salad

1 Tbl. mayo
1 Tbl. silken tofu (or yogurt if you like "tang")
squeeze of lemon (1 t.)
dash of red wine vinegar (1 t.)
1 t. sugar

Whaisk together at the bottom of a large salad bowl then add;

broccoli, chopped
red cabbage, shredded
carrot, grated
red onion, finely diced
red grapes, or dried cranberries, etc
sunflower seeds, pumkin seeds
I like tuna with this one, but add any other protein that you like

Quick Ceasar Dressing

1 Tbl. mayo
1 Tbl. yogurt
1 clove of garlic, pressed (sometimes I use roasted garlic, 3-4 cloves)
squeeze lemon
squeeze of anchovy paste or 2 anchovy filets, chopped (to taste of course)

All of these recipes are guidelines. Use common sense when adding high calorie ingredients like dried fruits, nuts, seeds, and your protein source. Always season your dressing and salad with S&P.

AM weight 127.4 (Mon.)
9:15 Bikram yoga
7pm 40 min. walk with Jill

Mon. menu

coffee w/cream, coffee w/cocoa 185 cal.
oatmeal w/1/c. 2% milk 260 cal.
braised lamb shank w/red wine, fennel sauce 300 cal.
sauteed red chard (1 bunch)50 cal.
roasted butternut squash 200 cal.
2 prunes 50 cal.
yogurt shake w/fiber and blueberries 350 cal.
small broccoli salad w/red grapes 200 cal.
1 chocolate filled peppermint candy 35 cal.

Total calories 1530

My shoulder feels good, lookig forward to a clean and press WO this morning.

Monday was a good day.