Salads are great. Salads can — and should — be a part of your diet. They’re a tasty way to up your daily vegetable and fruit intake and a quick, easy meal to take with you to work.

But salads can also be deceiving, when done wrong: a well-intentioned plate of greens can very easily go from healthy to high-calorie once you factor in toppings, and especially when doused in a fattening dressing (many restaurant salads are guilty of both).

So why not make your own dressing at home? DIY salad dressings are easy, generally healthier, and they’ll save you money. One bottle of Newman’s Own, according to the company’s website, costs $7.98, but most simple dressings can be thrown together with ingredients that are probably already in your kitchen, if you’re someone who cooks fairly often: oils, vinegars, and standard herbs and spices.

Below, you’ll find three quick and easy dressing recipes. And here are some general rule-of-thumb tips for keeping your salads on the healthy side:

• Avoid creamy dressings, like ranch, French and Caesar, as they’re almost always the worst culprits when it comes to calorie and fat-content.

• Opt for oil and vinegar-based dressings instead.

• Don’t drown your salad! Stick to no more than 2 tablespoons of dressing.

• Add fruits and vegetables in lieu of animal-based toppings, like meats and cheeses. Fruit might sounds weird in a salad, but berries, orange segments, apples, etc. can be delicious additions that add a sweet kick.

• Don’t bother with bagged, store-bought salad mixes. It’s almost always cheaper to buy your own greens and other ingredients and assemble them yourself (just make sure you wash everything thoroughly!)

Recipes:

Poppy Seed Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
½ cup red wine or white wine vinegar
½ cup olive oil
½ cup white sugar
Splash of Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon paprika
Great with: baby spinach, red onion, sliced strawberries, slivered almonds.

Tangy Honey Mustard Dressing
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
1 thin sliced shallot
Great with: dandelion or mustard greens, fresh fruit, walnuts, pumpkin seeds (see photo above).

Soy-Balsamic Vinaigrette
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup olive or sesame oil
¼ cup soy sauce
1 clove garlic, chopped and lightly browned
Great with: arugula, grilled chicken, shredded carrots, shredded cabbage, snow peas.

Editor’s Note: Have a great, low-calorie recipe you’d love to share? Send us your favorites: norwoodnews@
norwoodnews.org.