If you want to sit down to a super-healthy meal, a big salad is the way to go. With all those iron-packed greens and fiber-rich veggies, a fresh and delicious salad is super filling, without a ton of calories. That is, unless you douse your bowl in high-calorie creamy dressings. Don't let your salad cause weight gain by limiting the extras like nuts, dried fruit, croutons, and avocado (yes, it's Read more

The sky is the limit when it comes to making homemade salad dressings, yet most people still toss their greens in something store-bought or a simple mix of olive oil and balsamic. Adding a few simple ingredients can totally transform the flavor of your salads, many of which are kitchen staples. Fresh or dried herbs: Quickly chop herbs like parsley, mint, thyme, dill, tarragon, cilantro, basil, Read more

Ranch dressing happens to be the number one selling salad dressing in the United States since 1992. But what exactly is this creamy concoction that we seem to love to pour all over salads, pizzas, and wings? The dressing, which started out as a simple buttermilk-based dressing enjoyed by cowboys, was made popular when Hidden Valley Ranch began serving and selling the dressing in 1952. Ranch is Read more

Spring cleaning may have passed, but that doesn't mean there aren't ways to constantly pare down and simplify the items in your refrigerator. I'm guilty of keeping more than a few condiments, and one of my favorite ways to make use of containers that are almost gone is to make salad dressing. Start with a nearly empty jar of any component that will work in salad dressing, such as anchovies in Read more

Sometimes, there's no way to hide from the fast food drive-through. Luckily, most restaurants have a healthy menu for you choose from, although with the long ingredient lists on some of these products, "healthier" is relative. Salad offerings at fast food restaurants are no different; although the base of lettuce and other vegetables is good news for your healthier eating pledge, large dressing Read more

When making things like ice cream or salad dressing, a slow stream of liquid sometimes has to be added to a bowl while whisking. However, if one hand is whisking and the other hand is pouring, that leaves no hands to hold the bowl in place. No matter, here's what you do: take a kitchen towel and hold the top left-hand corner and the bottom right-hand corner in your hands. Twist to form a long Read more

If eating healthier meals is on your agenda for 2011, start by incorporating more salads into your diet. Select fresh, in-season vegetables, fruits, and nuts and put together a salad that is full of colors, textures, and flavors. Skip the store-bought salad dressing and make your own green goddess dressing instead. This classic salad topping originated in San Francisco and has a base of herbs and Read more