Food Before and After Photos

[ShoppGirl 3,341]

So many salad lovers. I love them too but not without dressing. This makes me wonder if others have found better dressings. What are some favorite lower calorie salad dressings (with brands). I am a ranch lover and I have found a low calorie dip alternative (ranch dressing seasoning mixed with plain Greek yogurt) but I haven’t yet found a good low calorie dressing, ranch or otherwise that I like so far. Suggestions please.

[ms.sss 14,634]

12 minutes ago, ms.sss said:

Today's salad (with bonus brussel sprout and bacon pic in the pan cooking...): 485 calories. Am so excited to eat it while I watch a recorded episode of The Voice 😁😋

UPDATE: Its been a while since i had brussel sprouts, I guess...cuz I was just reminded as I was eating that it is SUPER DUPER filling. I barely made a dent in this salad until I had to tap out (I only ate the sprouts). Mr. plopped those 2 chicken wings in my bowl that was leftover from his lunch cuz I *thought* I wanted to eat them but I was mistaken. Will take a crack at this again later.

AFTER PIC:

[ms.sss 14,634]

7 minutes ago, ShoppGirl said:

So many salad lovers. I love them too but not without dressing. This makes me wonder if others have found better dressings. What are some favorite lower calorie salad dressings (with brands). I am a ranch lover and I have found a low calorie dip alternative (ranch dressing seasoning mixed with plain Greek yogurt) but I haven’t yet found a good low calorie dressing, ranch or otherwise that I like so far. Suggestions please.

I make my own. But I prefer vinaigrette over cream ones.

Here is the recipe of the one I make batches and batches of (I'd drink it, if I could, LOL):

INGREDIENTS (Modified from Original)
- [ ] 1/2 cup vegetable OR chicken broth (1 tsp bouillon + 1/2 cup water)
- [ ] 1.5 cup vinegar (rice OR regular or Datu Puti)
- [ ] 4 tablespoons soy sauce (OR Bragg's liquid Aminos)
- [ ] 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- [ ] 2 teaspoon stevia
- [ ] 2 teaspoon garlic (bottled and minced)
- [ ] 1 teaspoon ginger (ground)
- [ ] 1/2 teaspoon chilI paste
- [ ] 2 limes (juice)

10-15 cals for 2 tbsps (depending on ingredients options chosen above)

Edited October 28, 2021 by ms.sss

[Arabesque 6,444]

9 hours ago, ShoppGirl said:

So many salad lovers. I love them too but not without dressing. This makes me wonder if others have found better dressings. What are some favorite lower calorie salad dressings (with brands). I am a ranch lover and I have found a low calorie dip alternative (ranch dressing seasoning mixed with plain Greek yogurt) but I haven’t yet found a good low calorie dressing, ranch or otherwise that I like so far. Suggestions please.

Oh, I go for the full fat dressing - Paul Newman’s balsamic. Tried other brands but it’s the tastiest. Used to use just balsamic, strawberry or raspberry vinegar. I sometimes dilute the dressing with extra vinegar but not often.

I cut up my meat too @JDLane - bite size pieces. Easier to check portion size & I can cut out bone, fat, etc.

[Dave In Houston 199]

12 hours ago, ShoppGirl said:

So many salad lovers. I love them too but not without dressing. This makes me wonder if others have found better dressings. What are some favorite lower calorie salad dressings (with brands). I am a ranch lover and I have found a low calorie dip alternative (ranch dressing seasoning mixed with plain Greek yogurt) but I haven’t yet found a good low calorie dressing, ranch or otherwise that I like so far. Suggestions please.

My wife and I like the Ken's Steak House Lite dressings. Her favorite is the Northern Italian, while mine is the Sweet Vidalia Onion. Mine has twice the calories (including 10g added sugar), but hers has twice the sodium.

Maybe I should try to conjure up an artificially sweetened version of the Vidalia one.

[BigSue 1,320]

12 hours ago, ms.sss said:

I make my own. But I prefer vinaigrette over cream ones.

Here is the recipe of the one I make batches and batches of (I'd drink it, if I could, LOL):

INGREDIENTS (Modified from Original)
- [ ] 1/2 cup vegetable OR chicken broth (1 tsp bouillon + 1/2 cup water)
- [ ] 1.5 cup vinegar (rice OR regular or Datu Puti)
- [ ] 4 tablespoons soy sauce (OR Bragg's liquid Aminos)
- [ ] 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- [ ] 2 teaspoon stevia
- [ ] 2 teaspoon garlic (bottled and minced)
- [ ] 1 teaspoon ginger (ground)
- [ ] 1/2 teaspoon chilI paste
- [ ] 2 limes (juice)

10-15 cals for 2 tbsps (depending on ingredients options chosen above)

@ms.sss Is that the low-cal Asian dressing you enter in MFP? I've been wondering what brand that is because I haven't seen one like that in stores. I'm so excited to see that it's something you can make! I think I have all the ingredients on hand except the chili paste.

12 hours ago, ShoppGirl said:

So many salad lovers. I love them too but not without dressing. This makes me wonder if others have found better dressings. What are some favorite lower calorie salad dressings (with brands). I am a ranch lover and I have found a low calorie dip alternative (ranch dressing seasoning mixed with plain Greek yogurt) but I haven’t yet found a good low calorie dressing, ranch or otherwise that I like so far. Suggestions please.

I love Skinny Girl salad dressings, and I think they're all 5-15 calories per 2 Tbsp serving. Their ranch is pretty good, but it has a thin consistency. The poppyseed is my favorite.

Walden Farms has a line of "zero-calorie" dressings (they obviously have some calories, but they're allowed to round down to zero if it's less than 5 calories in a serving) that are surprisingly good. Their ranch is thicker than the Skinny Girl ranch and probably closer to a regular ranch dressing (they also have a chipotle ranch that's a little spicy if you're into that). I love their thousand island dressing.

These are all available at Walmart (both online and at some stores) for a reasonable price. Walden Farms has some other flavors that I haven't tried because they're not available from Walmart and third-party sellers charge outrageously expensive prices for them.

[GreenTealael 24,850]

I forgot how much fun it is to make a smoothie! This is not for me but I tried it and it is very good.

My daughter is a vegan (again 😒) so we are testing recipes. Now we only have to find a decent unflavored pea Protein that a teenager would like. Any suggestions?

This is a skinny banana blueberry. This is easily two servings, it filled a 24 oz jar.

  

Edited October 29, 2021 by GreenTealael

[ms.sss 14,634]

10 hours ago, BigSue said:

@ms.sss Is that the low-cal Asian dressing you enter in MFP? I've been wondering what brand that is because I haven't seen one like that in stores. I'm so excited to see that it's something you can make! I think I have all the ingredients on hand except the chili paste.

Yes, this the dressing I use practically every day!. I make a whole big batch and put it in a an Evian bottle with a squirt top. #yum

[Starwarsandcupcakes 1,892]

@ShoppGirl I use Olive Garden light Italian. It’s 35 calories for 2 tbsp but tastes like the original they use for their salads in restaurant.

@GreenTealael I use nature’s best by Isopure. It’s vanilla but blends nice and it’s the weirdly chalky. It is a mix of pea and brown rice Protein with a little xanthum gum in it but the Proteins are organic and it’s zero added sugar.

[Starwarsandcupcakes 1,892]

9 hours ago, Starwarsandcupcakes said:

@ShoppGirl I use Olive Garden light Italian. It’s 35 calories for 2 tbsp but tastes like the original they use for their salads in restaurant.

@GreenTealael I use nature’s best by Isopure. It’s vanilla but blends nice and it’s the weirdly chalky. It is a mix of pea and brown rice Protein with a little xanthum gum in it but the Proteins are organic and it’s zero added sugar.

🤦‍♀️ It’s not weirdly chalky. This is what I get for replying while tired.

[GreenTealael 24,850]

15 hours ago, Starwarsandcupcakes said:

🤦‍♀️ It’s not weirdly chalky. This is what I get for replying while tired.

Thank you!

[kristieshannon 1,540]

This week’s Soup creation. Turkey, navy Beans, carrots, onions, garlic, and rainbow chard in a beef stock broth. I love Soup in the fall, eat it almost every day!

[Starwarsandcupcakes 1,892]

Just a little light cooking today-

Spinach and roasted mushroom pappardelle (caulipower brand pasta), an apple chicken sausage Alfredo with linguine (caulipower brand), caramelized onion, turkey and cheddar hand pies, everything seasoned crackers (made from the leftover pie dough), roasted Tomato jam (for the hand pies), and a double batch of coconut pecan frosting for cupcakes later this week.

Then my plate of what I ate… and didn’t.

[Crick 144]

One of my neighbors (96 years young!) is recovering from surgery. Baked some Peanut Butter blossoms and chocolate Andes Chip Cookies to help cheer her up!

[Kris77 1,506]

On 10/31/2021 at 13:35, kristieshannon said:

This week’s Soup creation. Turkey, navy Beans, carrots, onions, garlic, and rainbow chard in a beef stock broth. I love Soup in the fall, eat it almost every day!

That looks sooooo good!!!!
My kids won’t eat Soup so I don’t make it too often. My husband and I would both love this!!