Lighter salad dressings

[StokeySue]

As summer comes along (not that you’d know it today, London is a washout. So much for May Day) I start thinking of salads

Salads in general and salads for 5:2 diet in particular. The :2 obviously being the problem


Last night I had a Thai style salad, dressed with lime juice, fish sauce, a little garlic, and garnished with sliced chillies, spring onions, and coriander. Very nice but not for every salad for the next 5 months!

I would be interested in ideas for homemade dressings, or for any bought ones worth eating. It would be good to have plan A and plan B.

I’ve looked around and so many recipes for lighter dressings make 300 ml and won’t keep for more than 24 hours or 48 at best. I either need to make less, or be able to keep it

Most bought diet dressings are IMO but I am prepared to try any that are well-recommended
I am currently eating a mixed salad dressed with Carluccio’s Salsa di Mostarda, which is sold as a general condiment; it works well on root veg and tomatoes but not everything, at 21 kcal per 10 ml glug. Diabetics beware – virtually all those calories are sugar, it’s 51% w/v sugars.

I know I can use less of an ordinary dressing, but for 5:2 I find I want more dressing than I can “afford” if I use a nice oil in it.

Inspiration please!

[ianinfrance]

The book we use for :2 days uses straight balsamic in smallish quantities as a dressing on (eg) rocket.. Works pretty well.

[StokeySue]

The book we use for :2 days uses straight balsamic in smallish quantities as a dressing on (eg) rocket.. Works pretty well.

Yes, nice on really ripe tomatoes too of course but at the back of my mind was that I'd like more of a repertoire to keep going all summer
Maybe someone has something up their sleeve.

Incidentally, not salad as such but I've just remembered that asparagus is nice drizzled with really good Tamari soy; even nicer with a little sesame oil too, but still goad "straight"

[Riocaz]

mmm Thanks for the soy suggestion I might have that tonight.

I tend to use straight lemon juice, or balsamic for dressings, or maybe use a little touch of garlic purée to liven them up. But then I've never been much of a fan of dressings on salads.

[Seatallan]

Yes, I tend to use lemon juice a lot, and lime juice. I sometimes add just the tiniest splash of olive oil. I also do much as Sue does, and make a lot of 'oriental' (and oil-free) salad dressings.

[StokeySue]

Revisiting

I am intrigued how many of you seem to use straight lime or lemon juice as a dressing, doesn't suit my palate at all

Balsamic is fine on some things (tomatoes, peppers, onions) but not everything, as far as I'm concerned

I clearly don't have a taste for really sharp salads

However, I was reading about Yuzu juice and it seems that a popular use is Yuzu dressing; it' easy enough - half Yuzu (or other citrus) juice, half soy - but in my case today, specifically half Tamari, half fresh lemon juice

The Tamari just mellows the citrus without being itself too strong

I think adding mustard or wasabi would also work

I may go mad and invest in some real Yuzu juice

[StokeySue]

Thought I'd add to this

Real Yuzu is nice, but no great advance on lime at 1/10 the price

I have found a decent bought dressing! Righteous oil free Caper and Peppercorn, seen it in a lot of places

http://www.loverighteous.com/salad-dressings/oil-free-caper-peppercorn-dressing/

White balsamic condiment goes on most of the things regular aged balsamic doesn't work with, as well as all the things it does