Not to state the obvious, but I love a good salad. This summer I’ve been loving the variety of seasonal veggies in stuff like this goat cheese caprese zoodle salad
Goat Cheese Zoodle Caprese Salad
and this smoked salmon and avocado salad:
When it comes to flavor and health, the dressing you use can make or break your salad. When you’re not the one preparing it, many places use bottled dressings with all kinds of “wtf is that” ingredients and a ton of sodium and sometimes sugar. It’s basically common knowledge that any restaurant is going to overpour as well, leading you to consume way more calories than you realize. A lot of people think that preparing your own dressing is hard, but I swear, it’s super-easy!
I recently shared this favorite of mine with MindBodyGreen. Another fave: The herbed chicken in this salad is also delicious with a miso-tahini kombucha dressing.
I reached out to some of my fellow dietitians to get their tried-and-true healthy salad dressings to take your greens up a notch without throwing you off-track.
- Apple Cider Turmeric Vinaigrette by Marie Dittmer, MA, RDN of Healthy Ideas Place
- Arugula, Farro, and Pistachio Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette by Liz’s Healthy Table
- Arugula Salad with Chickpeas, Feta, and Grapes with Creamy Honey-Yogurt Dressing by Gowin Nutrition
- Baby Kale with Charred Tomatoes, Bacon, and Summer Herb Yogurt Dressing by Jenny Shea Rawn MS, MPH, RD of My Cape Cod Kitchen.
- Cherry Balsamic Vinaigrette by Shannon A Garcia, MDS, RD, LD with KISS in the Kitchen
- Chicken Salad with Avocado Ranch Dressing by Love & Zest
- Chopped Kale and Chickpea Salad with Tamarind Vinaigrette by Dixya Bhattarai of Food, Pleasure, and Health
- Creamy Dill Pickle Dressing by Sinful Nutrition
- Easy Fresh Lemon Salad Dressing by Dr. Jenn Bowers
- Five-Ingredient Lemon Garlic Dressing by Kate Lee of Home Cooked Happy
- Ginger Citrus Avocado Dressing by Lindsay Livingston of The Lean Green Bean
- Grape Vinaigrette by Amy Gorin Nutrition
- Greek Yogurt Balsamic Vinaigrette by Lauren Harris-Pincus, RD of Nutrition Starring YOU
- Grilled Vegetable Salad with Zucchini Salsa Verde by Katie Cavuto, RD of Nourish. Breathe. Thrive.
- Kale and Strawberry Salad with Kefir Buttermilk Dressing by Kara Lydon, RD
- Kale Salad with A Creamy Walnut Dressing by Karla Moreno-Bryce MDA RD founder of Nutritious Vida
- Lemon Tahini Dressing by Kate Chury, RD of ThinkyBites
- Michigan Cherry Salad with Cherry Vinaigrette by Amanda Hernandez of Nutritionist Reviews
- Pumpkin Vinaigrette by Lauren Harris-Pincus, RD of Nutrition Starring YOU
- Strawberry Lemon Poppyseed Dressing by Allison Schaaf founder of PrepDish.com
- Strawberry Spinach Salad With Strawberry Vinaigrette by Brittany Poulson of Your Choice Nutrition
- Sweet and Salty Salad with Creamy Goat Cheese Dressing by Kelli Shallal, MPH, RD of Hungry Hobby
- Vegan Green Goddess Dressing by Kara Lydon, RD
What’s your favorite salad dressing?
This has been another installment of the Running with Spoons Thinking Out Loud link party, where randomness is the name of the game. Thanks to Amanda for hosting.
