Salads are a healthful choice, right? Not always. Use these tips to ensure your salad is filled with balanced and carb-smart ingredients.
- Starchy veggies and legumes, such as corn and beans, add carbs but are also a good source of fiber. Keep your serving to ¼ cup.
- Load salads with nonstarchy veggies, such as sweet peppers, carrots and cucumbers. One cup equals about 25 calories and 5 grams carb.
- Opt for a source of lean protein, such as 2 oz. chicken or pork or ½ cup low-fat cottage cheese. Nuts, beans, and cheese provide some protein, too.
- Shredded cheese adds protein and calcium but can be high in fat. Keep your portion to 1 Tbsp.
- Your best choice is a light vinaigrettedressing on the side. To save on calories, dip your fork into the dressing before spearing a bite.
Different Vinaigrette Dressing Recipes
Try these variations on the base recipe. To make any of these recipes creamy, just add ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt. These will last up to 7 days in the fridge.
1. Citrus-Lime Vinaigrette
Perfect Pair: Balance the sweer citrus notes with peppery arugula.
- ¼ cup canola oil
- ¼ cup lime juice
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 2 tsp. minced fresh jalapeno pepper
- ¼ cup snipped fresh cilantro
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
PER SERVING(2 Tbsp. each)CAL 66, FAT 7 g (1 g sat. fat), CHOL 0 mg, SODIUM 73 mg, CARB 2 g (0 g fiber, 1 g sugars), PRO 0g
2. Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette
Perfect Pair: Hearty kale won't wilt under this dressing. It's great with pork, too.
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp. honey
- 2 tsp. stone-ground mustard
- 1 tsp. snipped fresh thyme
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 1/8 tsp. black pepper
PER SERVING(2 Tbsp. each)CAL 124, FAT 11g (1 g sat. fat), CHOL 0 mg, SODIUM 143 mg, CARB 8 g (0 g fiber, 7g sugars), PRO 0 g
3. Asian Vinaigrette
Perfect Pair: Serve this vinaigrette over rice noodles, chicken, or shrimp.
- ¼ cup toasted sesame oil
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. sugar or sugar sub equivalent
- 2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
- ¼ cup sliced green onions
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
PER SERVING(2 Tbsp. each)CAL 95, FAT 9 g (1 g sat. fat), CHOL 0 mg, SODIUM 98 mg, CARB 3 g (0 g fiber, 3 g sugars), PRO 0 g
4. Apple-Balsamic Vinaigrette
Perfect Pair: Toss delicate greens, such as spring mix, with this subtly sweet dressing.
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup while balsamic vinegar or balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup apple cider
- ¼ cup finely chopped shallots
- 2 tsp. Dijon-style mustard
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
PER SERVING(2 Tbsp. each)CAL 82, FAT 7 g (1 g sat. fat), CHOL 0 mg, SODIUM 103 mg, CARB 5 g (0 g fiber, 5 g sugars), PRO 0 g