High Nutritional Value Salad Dressings

One of the challenges of a weight loss strategy that includes a low calorie/high nutrition component is salad dressing. The commercial salad dressings tend to have relatively little nutritional value for the amount of calories they add to the salad. I’ve discovered two alternatives that are so good I’ll probably stop buying commercial salad dressings and look for more alternatives that are similar to the two I am enjoying now. Here are the two:

Hummus. I bought a tub of commercially prepared roasted garlic hummus and tried it first as a dip for veggies. Then I used it to make egg salad (very simple…just combined eggs, celery and the seasoned hummus - no other seasoning required). Now I’ve started using a heaping tablespoon into just about any salad in lieu of dressing.

Guacamole. You can make your own or look for Wholly Guacamole in your grocery store. They make ‘mini’ packages that are a perfect size to use for a salad.

What other alternatives am I going to check out? The only requirements are that it 1) stick to the salad ingredients and 2) add a good flavor. Here is my ‘things to try’ list: 

• Tahini or peanut butter mixed with salsa and extra basil and/or orange zest
• Chia seeds and salsa
• Tahini or peanut butter pureed with some orange sections, fresh mint, orange zest
• Differently seasoned hummus (commercially prepared)
• Homemade hummus with seasonings different that available in the commercially prepared 

As you can tell - I am not a fan of vinegar…or I would certainly be including it in some of the items on my list!

Any other ideas?

Low Sodium Diet Journey - Part 2

How hard is it to consume 2 grams or less of sodium per day? I started out thinking it would be difficult when a low sodium diet was recommended for one of my family members but it has been easier than I anticipated. This is the second post in a series that documents our family’s ‘learning experience.’

Swiss cheese is generally lower in sodium that other type so of cheese.

Popcorn can be a low sodium snack using a hot air popper, unsalted butter and a no salt seasoning.

Bread is often high in sodium because salt and soda are part of the recipe for making bread. Watch portion sizes and begin making plans to get the nutrition of grains by including whole grains in soups or as a side dish (quinoa, bulgur wheat, brown rice, etc.)

Homemade soups can be made very simply with low salt broths and canned tomatoes broth can be made from scratch blending vegetables (put them in a blender with water) to make a robust broth - then adding chunks of vegetables and meat. Purchased broths that are low sodium tend to be in cartons rather than cans.

Realize that meat, eggs, and dairy are natural sources of sodium….even without added salt. Watch portion sizes. Highly salted meats like ham, bacon, or lunch meats can only be eaten in small portions - or not at all - on a low sodium diet.

Make your own salad dressing. Almost all the packaged dressings are very high. Try sour cream with milk and seasonings….or lemon juice and olive oil with seasonings….or different flavors of balsamic vinegar.

Canned beans almost always are high in sodium but cooking dried beans and freezing portions not used immediately can provide quick, low sodium additions to meals.

Previous Low Sodium Diet Journey posts are here.