A simple salad dressing that’s low in fat and rich in flavor, made with Greek yogurt.
Here’s another incredibly easy salad dressing to make that, just like the other instant dressing I wrote about recently, goes great on just about any salad you can imagine. This salad dressing also only requires 5 ingredients with one significant difference. Instead of using olive oil or any oil, this dressing substitutes oil with plain yogurt. Now, the thing about oil, even if you’re using olive or canola oil, which are both loaded with healthy fats, is that oil, by definition, is all fat. And fat, even healthy fat, is high in calories, which isn’t necessarily bad unless you’re trying to cut down on calories.
So, right off the bat, one of the benefits of using yogurt, and especially nonfat yogurt is a big cut in fat calories. The second terrific benefit to yogurt is that it is high in protein, which is particularly true of Greek yogurt because it has 2-4 times the protein content of other yogurts. Oil, on the other hand, has no protein. And finally, you bet this dressing passes the flavor test—with taste bud cheering, flying colors!
Preparation Time: 5 minutes or less
Needed
(to make 2 cups or 16 ounces of dressing)
1 1/2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
1/2 – 1 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Mustard (I’m using Dijon mustard but any mustard will work)
8 Ounces Vinegar (see ABOUT VINEGAR below)
8 Ounces Nonfat Plain Yogurt
Teaspoon
Tablespoon
16-Ounce Jar with a Snug Fitting Lid
ABOUT VINEGAR: I’m using balsamic vinegar in this recipe. Here’s a quick comparison of commonly found vinegars. Red wine or white wine vinegar is most sour. Apple cider vinegar and rice vinegar are medium sour. Balsamic is mildly sour, slightly sweet and robustly flavorful.
1. Add the following to a 16-ounce jar:
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 – 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon mustard
8 ounces (half the jar) vinegar
8 ounces nonfat yogurt—just make sure to leave a little air space at the top of the jar so that the dressing can be shaken.
2. Screw the lid on the jar snugly.
Hold the jar firmly and securely with both hands and shake the dressing vigorously for 10-15 seconds, preferably over the sink in case the jar leaks, until the ingredients are completely mixed together …
… like this.
3. Use the dressing on salad as is. Store the remaining dressing in a closed jar for up to 1-2 weeks. Just give it a quick shake when you’re ready to use it again.
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Images courtesy of the author