As healthy as salads are, oftentimes the ingredients we add to them end up becoming anything but nutritious. If you’ve ever read a health-related article about the various types of salads we enjoy, you’ve more than likely come across information related to how fattening some of our favorite salad dressings are. To remedy this problem you don’t have to stick to buying low-fat or non-fat versions. Instead, create your own nutritious and delicious salad dressing. It’s a lot easier than you think.

Any homemade meal is a good meal for a number of reasons, including the fact that using fresh ingredients means consuming the food items in their most natural state, which provides the body with the richest levels of vitamins and minerals needed for proper nutrition. Any perk to putting together your own homemade meals is the fact that you can tailor the flavor to suit your taste buds - not to mention that the directions for preparation literally only take a few minutes, making it convenient, even for those with hectic schedules. When it comes to salad dressing, there are more recipes than one can count. This makes it easy to find the perfect salad dressing recipe for you.

Love ranch but hate how many calories you’re taking in with each forkful of salad? Why not try a buttermilk salad dressing that still gives you the flavor of ranch but without making you feel guilty? Gather the following ingredients together to get started: fresh or premixed bag of salad greens and other veggies of your choice, 2 cups cottage cheese (2%), 3/4 cup of buttermilk and 1 pack of ranch salad dressing mix. To prepare this homemade salad dressing recipe, combine all of the ingredients (except for the salad greens and veggies) in a blender and process until smooth. Pour into a container with a lid or small bowl and refrigerate at least one hour before serving.

Need a salad dressing recipe that is low on sodium? Then you’ll want to bring together the following ingredients: 3 teaspoons sugar, 1 teaspoon garlic salt, 1 tablespoon canola oil, 1 1/2 cups tomato juice (low-sodium version), 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram, 1/4 teaspoon celery seed, 1/4 cup chopped onion, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 teaspoon dried savory, 2 tablespoons chopped green pepper and 3/4 teaspoon dried basil. Combine all of these ingredients together into a blender and process until smooth. Place in the refrigerator and chill for at least four hours before serving.

Enjoy Dijon dressing and want to make your own nutritious version at home? With the following ingredients you can: salad greens (premixed or fresh), 1/8 teaspoon pepper, 2/3 cup mayonnaise (fat-free), 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/4 cup white wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 2 tablespoons fresh minced parsley, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard and 1 minced garlic clove. Set aside the salad greens for now and combine the remaining ingredients together in a bowl. Whisk the ingredients together until thoroughly mixed and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

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