Best Dressed: Keep Your Salad Healthy With A Smart Ranch Alternative

When it comes time for us to look at our eating habits and make healthier choices, the first dish most of us turn to is a salad. After all, what could possibly be unhealthy about a bowl of fresh and nutritious greens and vegetables, right? Not so fast.

The truth is, how you dress your salad can easily make the difference between a healthy decision and an unhealthy one.

While it's hard to argue the nutritious benefits of the salad, it's easy to fall into a trap of loading an otherwise healthy meal with toppings and dressings higher in fat, sugar, and sodium than many of the junk foods we were trying to curb in the first place. Many store-bought salad dressings also contain unhealthy ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup, artificial colors and flavors, and dangerous trans fats.

So ditch that generic bottle of ranch dressing that's sitting in your refrigerator door and try this oil-free “mock” ranch recipe for a healthy change of pace that’s packed with calcium and iron. It also makes an excellent dip for raw vegetables and grilled chicken tenders!