Salads aren't always healthy

Store bought salad dressings can be a wonderful hidden source of unhealthy fats and sugar, even the ones labeled to make you think they are healthy. If you read the ingredients of one that claims to be made with healthy olive oil, you’ll notice quite often that the first ingredient is usually soybean oil. What the heck happened to the olive oil? Read down past a whole bunch of other undesirable ingredients, sometimes halfway...oh there it is! What’s a salad lover to do? Make your own! When you control the ingredients, you control your waistline. Not to mention that the dressing will be cheaper and taste fresher. It takes just minutes to mix up a week’s worth of salad dressing that you’d store in your fridge the same as that bottle of god-knows-what.

When you are eating out, always skip the creamy dressings! Your best choice is to ask for olive oil and vinegar, with some lemon wedges. The second best choice is a vinaigrette; ask for it on the side and only use about half of what they give you since you still don't know what it's made from.

Below are several healthy salad dressing recipes I found from various places throughout the internet, including one of my favorite go-to sites, http://www.elanaspantry.com/. The oil-less honey mustard came from a client of mine. She does not measure her ingredients, but I used the first honey mustard dressing as an approximate guide. Many of these dressings would also taste great as a marinade for meats, chicken and fish.

Honey Mustard Dressing

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 tablespoon agave nectar or honey
½ cup olive oil

1. In a medium mason jar, combine apple cider vinegar, mustard, agave and olive oil
2. Shake well until combined
3. Store in mason jar in refrigerator for up to 3 days


Oil-less Honey Mustard Dressing

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
1 teaspoon honey
Blend all ingredients together. Can mix in some olive oil if desired.

Dill Dressing

1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch of salt to taste

In a blender, combine the oil, vinegar, dill weed, onion powder, garlic powder, dry mustard, pepper and salt. Blend until smooth, cover and refrigerate until chilled.


Asian Salad Dressing

¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon ume plum vinegar (substitute red wine vinegar or balsamic)
1 tablespoons agave nectar
1 tablespoon orange juice, freshly squeezed

1. In a medium mason jar , combine all ingredients
2. Shake well until combined
3. Store in mason jar for up to 4 days


Green Goddess Dressing

1 avocado
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon nixed herbs
½ teaspoon Celtic sea salt
3-5 drops stevia
1 cup water

1. Place all ingredients in a blender
2. Process on high speed until smooth and creamy
3. Store remaining dressing in a glass jar in fridge
4. Keeps for up to 5 days (if it lasts that long)


Creamy Yogurt Dressing

1 (8 ounce) container plain low-fat yogurt or plain Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon-style prepared mustard
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
In a small bowl, beat together yogurt and lemon juice until smooth. Stir in mustard, parsley, and chives. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Low carb and healthy comfort food

Those of you who know me, know that I eat low carb to help with hormonal and insulin balance. Ever since I heard of it as a mashed potato alternative, I've wanted to try mashed cauliflower, yet I somehow never got around to it. When I found this recipe for shepherd's pie, I decided it was time. Not only will I be making this shepherd's pie again, I will definitely be making mashed cauliflower again. It was delicious and I felt that it somehow seemed to taste more like mashed potatoes than cauliflower. I like cauliflower, so I wouldn't have minded had it tasted like it. But for parents who have a hard time getting their kids to eat vegetables, this just might be your solution!

This recipe came from a free recipe ebook I recieved when I subscribed to Mark's Daily Apple. http://www.marksdailyapple.com/ The recipe below is altered fronm the original a bit. The original recipe called for butter in the mashed cauliflower, for which I substituted grapeseed oil. Grapeseed oil has a buttery taste and once again it didn't disappoint as a healthy butter alternative. The amount listed below is a guess, I just drizzled it in as I processed the cauliflower, until it had a creamy, mashed potato consistency. The original recipe had optional cream in the mashed cauliflower, which I omitted. I substituted ground turkey for ground beef or bison and when I forgot to buy carrots, I used baby portabella mushrooms instead. I also felt that my onion/turkey/veggie mixture had plenty of it's own liquid so I decided to leave out the broth, but I left it below as optional.

I made a double batch in a 9x13 pan, so that we would have plenty for lunch this week and to freeze. As I always say, success comes with prep and planning and making sure you always have healthy choices on hand!

If you make this recipe, leave a comment and let me know how you liked it.

Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower
1-2 tablespoons grapeseed oil for mashers
salt & pepper to taste
3 tablespoons grapeseed oil for sauteeing
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup frozen orgainc peas
3/4 cup frozen orgainc green beans
1 cup chopped or sliced baby portabella mushrooms
1 lb ground turkey, grass-fed beef or bison
1 tablespoon coconut flour or almond flour
3/4 cup beef or chicken stock or broth (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon greek oregano or 1 teaspoon dried

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Break the cauliflower into chunky pieces and steam until just tender. Put in a food processor and process until smooth, drizzling in oil as you go. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and saute several minutes until soft. Add meat and cook about 5 minutes, stirring to break up the meat so it browns evenely. Add in the mushrooms and continue to sautee until soft. Stir in the flour. Add broth (if necessary) and herbs and reduce heat to low, simmering occcasionally, for about 3-5 minutes. Stir in frozen peas and green beans. Add salt and pepper to taste. Put meat mixture into a 9 inch pie pan. Spread the mashed cauliflower over the top. Bake 30-35 minutes and enjoy.