Low Fat Vinaigrette With Yogurt or Tomato or Avocado Variations

KateL's Note:

Entered for safe-keeping. From Martha Rose Shulman's "Fast Vegetarian Feasts", received in February 2009 Cookbook Swap. A little bit of oil can go a long way. Instead of whisking, use a blender to make a fairly thick, emulsified mixture. You can vary this with any herbs or spices you wish (the 2-3 teaspoons of fresh herbs can be any combination you prefer, suggested herbs are listed). The author recommends the yogurt variation when "you want to eat nothing but salads, but have to work in protein." I recommend the Avocado variation during the maintenance phase of WW, because the avocado has healthy fat and aids digestion if your calories permit. See Tamari Bouillon Broth With Instant Variation #361079 for a tasty broth variation.

• Total Time: 5 mins
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 8

Yield: 1.0 cup

LOW FAT VINAIGRETTE

• ½ lemon, juice of (about 2 tablespoons)
• 3 tablespoons wine vinegar (up to 4 tablespoons to taste) or 3 tablespoons cider vinegar (up to 4 tablespoons to taste)
• 1 garlic clove , minced (or pressed)
• ½ teaspoon dry mustard or 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ¼ teaspoon dried marjoram or ¼ teaspoon dried basil
• ¼ teaspoon dried tarragon
• 2 teaspoons fresh herbs (up to 3 teaspoons of your preferred combination, if available) or 2 teaspoons fresh basil (up to 3 teaspoons of your preferred combination, if available) or 2 teaspoons fresh thyme (up to 3 teaspoons of your preferred combination, if available) or 2 teaspoons fresh dill (up to 3 teaspoons of your preferred combination, if available) or 2 teaspoons fresh fennel (up to 3 teaspoons of your preferred combination, if available) or 2 teaspoons fresh marjoram (up to 3 teaspoons of your preferred combination, if available) or 2 teaspoons fresh parsley (up to 3 teaspoons of your preferred combination, if available) or 2 teaspoons fresh chives (up to 3 teaspoons of your preferred combination, if available)
• fresh ground pepper , to taste
• 1 tablespoon onion , chopped (up to 2 tablespoons) (optional)
• 2 tablespoons safflower oil
• ½ cup water (See Tamari Bouillon Broth With Instant Variation #361079) or ½ cup tamari bouillon broth (See Tamari Bouillon Broth With Instant Variation #361079)

YOGURT VINAIGRETTE VARIATION (to replace safflower oil)

• ½ cup plain low-fat yogurt (up to 3/4 cup)

TOMATO VINAIGRETTE VARIATION (to replace broth or water)

• 1 large ripe tomatoes or ½ cup tomato juice

AVOCADO VINAIGRETTE VARIATION (NOT LOW-FAT)

• ½ ripe avocado , peeled
• ¼ cup plain low-fat yogurt
• ¼ teaspoon paprika (or both) or ¼ teaspoon ground cumin (or both)

Directions:

1. LOW FAT VINAIGRETTE:.
2. Blend all ingredients together in a blender for about 30 seconds.
3. Shake before using.
4. YOGURT VINAIGRETTE VARIATION:.
5. Use recipe for LOW FAT VINAIGRETTE but substitute the yogurt for the safflower oil. Blend ingredients in blender for 30 seconds and shake before using.
6. TOMATO VINAIGRETTE VARIATION:.
7. Use recipe for LOW FAT VINAIGRETTE but substitute the tomato or tomato juice for the Tamari Bouillon Broth or water. Blend together in a blender, and shake before using.
8. AVOCADO VINAIGRETTE VARIATION (NOT LOW FAT, but great for WW maintenance phase):.
9. Use recipe for LOW FAT VINAIGRETTE but substitute the avocado and yogurt for both the Tamari Bouillon Broth (or water) and the safflower oil, and add either or both the paprika or ground cumin. Blend together in a blender. Shake before using.

Reviews

[Kumquat the Cat's friend]

This was nice. I also recommend using a blender for this recipe. I tried the tomato option, and put it on a spinach salad and didn't like the way it looked on the plate. Then I blended up the leftovers and tried it on a romaine lettuce salad, and much prefered the way it tasted and looked. I didn't have dijon or fresh basil so I used dry mustard and fresh parsley - I might have prefered it with the former. Thanks!