Home Made Ranch Dressing for Salads and Dipping

Sometimes here at the clinic, we get asked what salad dressings are okay, or if buttermilk Ranch dressing is okay for the weight-loss program.  It is fine, if you make it yourself.  The problem with most bottled ranch dressing from the supermarket is that it is laden with preservatives, chemicals, sugar, or high-fructose corn syrup and the like.

Making buttermilk ranch salad dressing is quite simple, fresher, better tasting dynamically, and much easier on your waistline.  One thing of note, try to get an all-natural mayonnaise.  Trader Joe's brand of mayonnaise is probably the most affordable compromise, while being mostly good ingredients (olive oil or grapeseed oil is much more preferred over canola oil when making mayo.  They use canola oil in Trader Joe's mayo).

Because it is natural, it will last about 3 days, refrigerated. 

• 1 cup  buttermilk
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons sour cream
• 3 tablespoons minced Italian parsley
• 2 tablespoons minced chives
• 4 teaspoons white wine vinegar or lemon juice
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, can add to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

You can put all the ingredients in a bowl or jar, and mix.   Plus, you can substitute different greens/herbs if you like, such as changing out the parsley for dill instead.