Infectious disease specialist Dr. Brad Spellberg explains how a dangerous saltwater bacteria, known as vibrio vulnificus, is contracted. Plus, learn which people are more susceptible to a life-threatening reaction.
Does anyone else remember having salad with copious amounts of ranch dressing and feeling all proud that you were eating healthy? Yeah, not so much. I loved ranch dressing growing up for dipping carrots into and pouring over salads. However, I can’t recall the last time I had it. I can’t remember the last time I had any pre made, store bought salad dressing for that matter! I’ve been shaking up my own dressings for years now. With all the garbage chemicals in the bottled versions it’s something to easy not to do. Typically, I stick to vinaigrettes so I thought it would be cool to try and recreate a healthier ranch dressing and relive my childhood a bit. Stirrup pants, not required.
First thing was to get some seasonings together to mimic those in the pre made packages. I used a cornucopia of spices. Some dill, some onion powder, garlic powder, a bit of thyme, sea salt and coarse black pepper.
I also used some fresh chopped parsley because I had some. You could use dried or fresh seasonings. Go with whatever you have.
For the base of this dressing I used Greek yogurt. There was a 1/4 container left in the fridge from the chipotle yogurt I used for my Healthier 7 Layer Dip, so into this dressing it went. I added a bit of milk to thin it out a bit. Add in the seasonings and give it a really good stir.
Store it in an airtight glass jar and give it an hour or two in the fridge to set and allow the flavours to develop.
This is a healthier version of what you might be used to and isn’t quite as rich as the bottled version. That being said I really liked it. Joe gave it thumbs up and that’s like money in the bank. The flavours were so close to the ‘Hidden Valley’ and the Greek yogurt brought the creaminess. I chopped up a cold chicken breast from the fridge (yesterday’s Baked Honey Mustard chicken) and tossed it in with a huge bowl of greens dressed in the ranch-y goodness. Healthy and satisfying!
Oh boy, have I been hearing this cry for help the last few weeks from fellow dieters of the 17 Day Diet.
My usual response?
An evening snack isn’t such a bad idea.
My experience?
When I was on a medical doctor supervised diet four years ago, I was instructed to have a snack between 8:30 to 9:30 pm.
I ate lean proteins (such as egg whites or a few ounces of chicken) or a small protein shake that was less than 100 calories.
Well, the simple answer is this: a small protein-rich snack a few hours before bedtime actually helps keep your blood sugars stabilized while you sleep for 6-8 hours at night.
Don’t you feel a bit sluggish and sometimes a bit weak if you don’t eat any food for 6 hours during the day while you’re awake?
Same situation exists while you sleep.
Make sense, right?
A dieter named, Suzy, left a review on the 17DD Blog just recently about the 17 Day Diet. She goes on to say that she tried the diet (first without knowing those with Type I Diabetes really shouldn’t be on the 17 Day Diet), and was having an insulin reaction sometime in the early morning hours between 3-4am during her first week.
This 17 Day Diet review just illustrates that it is possible for sugar levels to reach lows while we sleep. Having a snack before bed time might help with this issue.
This blog article isn’t about how to stay on the diet if you’re Type I Diabetic (check with your doctor before starting any type of diet).
What this article is about, is telling yourself that it is OK to have a small snack in the evening to help keep your blood sugar levels stabilized.
Don’t go overboard on your snacking, but remember, the 17 Day Diet Book tells us that if we are hungry, you are allowed to eat unlimited veggies and lean proteins while on Cycles 1 and 2. Just know when you’re “hunger meter” is full.
Use your discretion. Keep your evening snacks to a minimum, keep them low in carbs and higher in protein.
Do you have a snack in the evening to help keep your blood sugars stable while sleeping?
Is there anything as versatile, adaptable and convenient as a smoothie? I doubt it. Nor are there many things as universally beloved. Smoothies are scrumptious, indulgent concoctions that tickle the taste buds and, inexplicably, with every sip make you feel just a little bit happier and make the world a little bit friendlier. The smoothie is so much greater than the sum of it’s parts. And just to prove the smoothie can do no wrong, it can actually make you more awesome too.
Smoothie recipes contain a smorgasbord of ingredients, and depending on what you throw in, smoothies can ascend from mere flavorsome delight and sweet-tooth satisfier to the dizzying heights of muscle-building, energizing, health-enhancing superdrink. Why eat just one superfood, when you can combine a load of goodness into one easily digestible drink? Plus, it’s super quick and absurdly easy to prepare, making it weirdly efficient not just nutritionally, but generally. Created in the 1940’s, but perfectly designed for 21st century living.
Smoothie recipes can be tailored to suit your own needs. And while the flavors are virtually limitless, don’t just think about taste, but also why you’re making it. Do you want to lose weight or perhaps build muscle? Do you need a pick-me up or extra energy to power through an intense workout? Had a bad day and want to wind down? Or maybe you can’t get to sleep. With a little smoothie science, you can easily make a healthy smoothie that doesn’t just taste good (or look pretty), but actually does something.
Just be sure to make your own smoothies. Firstly, it’s a lot cheaper. Secondly, and more importantly, you’ll actually make a better quality smoothie at home, compared to any smoothie you could buy. Your ingredients are fresh or frozen fresh; you’re not adding a ton of sugar to make it taste better or weird stuff to make it look prettier. Bottom-line is, you know what’s in it. Unfortunately, the raison d’être of smoothies appears to largely have been forgotten, and bought smoothies are less healthy, and more calorific than ever before. So, do yourself a favor and make your own.
The sweetness of your smoothie heavily depends on the ripeness of the fruit you add. If you find your smoothie recipe needs a little more sweetness, try to avoid sugar (if you must, use brown sugar), and instead add a little honey (preferably Manuka!), cinnamon (sweetens without actually adding calories), xylitol, stevia, figs or dates.
Check out the Smoothie Recipes for Everything chart below, and the HOW TO MAKE A SMOOTHIE chart.
Also, find our new DETOX WATER RECIPES infographic here.
Detailed description of smoothie recipes here.
Below are the building blocks of any healthy smoothie. These core ingredients of smoothie recipes don’t just look pretty or taste awesome, but offer significant health & fitness benefits. The most important step to making a healthy smoothie is using great ingredients. So no packaged mixes! Don’t compromise. Use fresh, whole foods, which will make your smoothie healthy and nutritious, and also pack your smoothie full of flavor.
And remember when making your own smoothie from scratch – how to make a smoothie in 5 steps:
How to Layer Smoothie Ingredients in a Blender. To get a super smooth smoothie and avoid lumps of whole fruit or nuts, add the ingredients the “right” way. This will depend on the type of blender you own. If you have a regular blender, add the ingredients as shown above. Liquid first, then the other smoothie ingredients. If you’re using very hard ingredients like nuts and veggies, add these to the liquid, blend for a minute and then add the fruit and other smoothie ingredients and blend again.
If you own a high-speed blender, place the tough ingredients such as whole nuts into the blender first, followed by greens and nut butters, and then by protein powders, oats, spices. Liquid is the final ingredient.
Add Ice Last. Add all the smoothie ingredients in the blender, blend and then check the consistency of the smoothie. If you want it thicker add about a cup of crushed ice and blend again, or if it’s too thick some liquid to make it a little thinner. Repeat, until you’ve the smoothie has the desired consistency.
Fresh is Best. If you can, drink your smoothie as soon as you’ve made it. Its fresh, delicious and will taste perfect. If it sits for 20 minutes of more, it starts to separate and/or thicken. The flavors will also change. However, you can store a fresh smoothie for ip to a day in the fridge if you need to.
Full instructions on how to make these healthy smoothie recipes continued here.
Is there anything as versatile, adaptable and convenient as a smoothie? I doubt it. Nor are there many things as universally beloved. Smoothies are scrumptious, indulgent concoctions that tickle the taste buds and, inexplicably, with every sip make you feel just a little bit happier and make the world a little bit friendlier. The smoothie is so much greater than the sum of it’s parts. And just to prove the smoothie can do no wrong, it can actually make you more awesome too.
Smoothie recipes contain a smorgasbord of ingredients, and depending on what you throw in, smoothies can ascend from mere flavorsome delight and sweet-tooth satisfier to the dizzying heights of muscle-building, energizing, health-enhancing superdrink. Why eat just one superfood, when you can combine a load of goodness into one easily digestible drink? Plus, it’s super quick and absurdly easy to prepare, making it weirdly efficient not just nutritionally, but generally. Created in the 1940’s, but perfectly designed for 21st century living.
Smoothie recipes can be tailored to suit your own needs. And while the flavors are virtually limitless, don’t just think about taste, but also why you’re making it. Do you want to lose weight or perhaps build muscle? Do you need a pick-me up or extra energy to power through an intense workout? Had a bad day and want to wind down? Or maybe you can’t get to sleep. With a little smoothie science, you can easily make a healthy smoothie that doesn’t just taste good (or look pretty), but actually does something.
Just be sure to make your own smoothies. Firstly, it’s a lot cheaper. Secondly, and more importantly, you’ll actually make a better quality smoothie at home, compared to any smoothie you could buy. Your ingredients are fresh or frozen fresh; you’re not adding a ton of sugar to make it taste better or weird stuff to make it look prettier. Bottom-line is, you know what’s in it. Unfortunately, the raison d’être of smoothies appears to largely have been forgotten, and bought smoothies are less healthy, and more calorific than ever before. So, do yourself a favor and make your own.
The sweetness of your smoothie heavily depends on the ripeness of the fruit you add. If you find your smoothie recipe needs a little more sweetness, try to avoid sugar (if you must, use brown sugar), and instead add a little honey (preferably Manuka!), cinnamon (sweetens without actually adding calories), xylitol, stevia, figs or dates.
Check out the Smoothie Recipes for Everything chart below, and the HOW TO MAKE A SMOOTHIE chart.
Also, find our new DETOX WATER RECIPES infographic here.
Detailed description of smoothie recipes here.
Below are the building blocks of any healthy smoothie. These core ingredients of smoothie recipes don’t just look pretty or taste awesome, but offer significant health & fitness benefits. The most important step to making a healthy smoothie is using great ingredients. So no packaged mixes! Don’t compromise. Use fresh, whole foods, which will make your smoothie healthy and nutritious, and also pack your smoothie full of flavor.
And remember when making your own smoothie from scratch – how to make a smoothie in 5 steps:
How to Layer Smoothie Ingredients in a Blender. To get a super smooth smoothie and avoid lumps of whole fruit or nuts, add the ingredients the “right” way. This will depend on the type of blender you own. If you have a regular blender, add the ingredients as shown above. Liquid first, then the other smoothie ingredients. If you’re using very hard ingredients like nuts and veggies, add these to the liquid, blend for a minute and then add the fruit and other smoothie ingredients and blend again.
If you own a high-speed blender, place the tough ingredients such as whole nuts into the blender first, followed by greens and nut butters, and then by protein powders, oats, spices. Liquid is the final ingredient.
Add Ice Last. Add all the smoothie ingredients in the blender, blend and then check the consistency of the smoothie. If you want it thicker add about a cup of crushed ice and blend again, or if it’s too thick some liquid to make it a little thinner. Repeat, until you’ve the smoothie has the desired consistency.
Fresh is Best. If you can, drink your smoothie as soon as you’ve made it. Its fresh, delicious and will taste perfect. If it sits for 20 minutes of more, it starts to separate and/or thicken. The flavors will also change. However, you can store a fresh smoothie for ip to a day in the fridge if you need to.
Full instructions on how to make these healthy smoothie recipes continued here.
You can't expect to get good results if you keep giving yourself excuses not to exercise or eat healthfully. Stop cheating yourself--make the right choices to get the results you want!
You can't expect to get good results if you keep giving yourself excuses not to exercise or eat healthfully. Stop cheating yourself--make the right choices to get the results you want!
| 8/17/2012 9:17:56 AM | it takes discipline to succeed. Need to reassess my aims and objectives |
Don’t let the thought of a holiday meal put a damper on your enjoyment or derail you on your weight loss journey! Your holiday meal doesn’t have to be full of calories, fat and sugar! You can eat healthy and still enjoy your meal time!
Here is a curated Healthy Holiday Menu complete with recipes. I’ve provided links to each recipe.
Depending on which cycle you’re on, I have two starter soups for you to choose from:
This is a great soup for those on Cycle 1 and wish to keep starches to a minimum on your special holiday meal day!
This is a wonderfully gorgeous soup, and if you want to expand your ingredients if you’re on Cycle 2 or 3, this is the soup for you!
You can’t go wrong with this recipe – there’s something about lemon and rosemary that makes any bird sing!
I’m a lover of mashed potatoes, but mashed potatoes don’t love me when I’m trying to keep the winter weight off! This cauliflower recipe tastes almost like the real thing. If you make this for your family and don’t tell them ahead of time what it is, there’s a good chance they won’t even notice!
Oh, there’s something so awesome about roasted carrots – their natural sweetness comes through like no other! And if you’re lucky enough to get a few crispy edges, the flavor is even more rustic!
Green bean casserole is a staple for any holiday party. However, when you add in the creaminess, you’re also adding in the fat and calories – neither of which help your waistline! This recipe is a great alternative and tastes so fancy!
Awe, ditch the store-bought, high-fructose corn syrup filled sauces and make and enjoy this guilt-free homemade cranberry sauce instead. You won’t believe how super simple this recipe is!
It’s game day and you know what that means, right? Food, football, family and friends! If you’re staying strong during the game and sticking to your 17 Day Diet plan, here are a few ideas for healthy Super Bowl Snacks this football season.
Try these healthy food ideas if you’re on Cycle 1– you’ll find ideas for Cycle 2 and 3 below:
All American Football Veggie Tray
Certain vegetables are a freebie on the 17 Day Diet. Try adding the following veggies to your platter this season:
Carrots
Celery
Cherry Tomatoes
Asparagus Spears cooked lightly in olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper- serve cold
Variety of Bell Peppers- the yellow, orange and red variety have wonderful sweet flavor!
Broccoli and Cauliflower
Sliced Cucumbers- or try mixing with a little olive oil, apple cider vinegar, sweetener, salt & pepper for a tasty salad
Mushrooms- try a South American Marinade: Olive Oil, Vinegar, Chili Powder, Cumin, Oregano, Sweetener, Salt & Pepper- let sit for a few hours, then grill. Serve cold.
Veggie Dip- Use a 1/2 packet of Ranch Dip Packet with a cup of non-fat plain yogurt. Makes a great zingy dip for your veggies.
Deviled Eggs- Use a traditional recipe but swap out mayonnaise with non-fat plain yogurt.
Cycle 2 addition: Make a homemade hummus to go with your veggies
Cycle 3 additions: Cut pita bread into triangles, toast and serve with your favorite homemade hummus or guacamole
Lunch/Early Dinner
Turkey Burger- Protein Style
Season lean ground turkey meat with your favorite seasonings such as salt, pepper, garlic, etc.
In lieu of bun, use iceburg, bibb, or boston lettuce and wrap your burger along with your favorite condiments such as sliced tomato, onion, ketchup and fat-free cheese.
Cycle 2/3: Use lean ground sirloin rather than turkey
Cycle 3: Stuff your burger into a whole wheat pita pocket or make a burger wrap with a 10 inch whole wheat tortilla. If you want to use bread, fold your burger into one slice of your favorite bread from the Cycle 3 list.
Faux Buffalo Chicken
Cut chicken breasts into bite size pieces and marinate in a bath of your favorite buffalo wing hot sauce, reduced-sugar ketchup or BBQ sauce, add salt and pepper and any other spices you enjoy. Bake at 350 for roughly 20 minutes. Baste your chicken half way through baking process with extra sauce (make sure you set aside extra before putting chicken in marinade so not to contaminate cooking chicken). Serve with your ranch dip (see above).
Chicken Stir Fry
Slice chicken breast, carrots, broccoli, bell peppers and onions. Cook chicken with a bit of olive oil in pan, add veggies when chicken is almost cooked through. Add Bragg Liquid Amino to taste and top with your favorite seasonings such as salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, etc. *For added variety, add grilled tofu.
Chicken or Beef Skewers
Cut up chicken (Cycle 1) or Beef Sirloin (Cycle 2/3) into bite sized pieces. Use the following recipe and let meat marinate for at least 2 hours:
Marinade:
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 Cup Tomato Sauce
1/2 tsp Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Oregano
1/2 tsp sweetener
Salt, Pepper to taste
Use your favorite veggies from the Cycle Food lists such as onion, mushroom, bell peppers, etc and place them on skewers with meat and grill (you may marinate veggies in same sauce if you desire).
Cycle 2/3 additions: Use potatoes for your skewers (try canned mini potatoes– they work best), or serve with brown rice or couscous.
Other Easy Recipes
Cauliflower Nachos: Think you’ll miss your nachos? Think again! Try this yummy cauliflower nacho recipe instead.
Greek Souvlaki Chicken Skewers: Who says you can’t have healthy for game day? Yes, please!
Tuna Cakes with Lemon Dijon Sauce: These can be a perfect appetizer. Actually, these are perfect any meal, any day!
Greek Turkey Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce: Everyone loves a meatball and combine them with this tangy sauce!
Buffalo Chicken Meatball with Blue Cheese Dressing: Seriously, you can never go wrong with meatball for the game!
Just because you’re on a diet doesn’t mean you can’t eat great food. Enjoy game day with your friends and family…and remember, it’s not all about food!
There’s nothing better than Summer time grilling. Here’s a tasty chicken and tomato kebab recipe that’s actually perfect any time of the year!
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
salt and pepper to taste
3 tbsp olive oil
1-1/4 lbs skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
24 cherry tomatoes
16 wooden skewers
Directions:
In a food processor pulse basil, garlic, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper until smooth. Slowly add the olive oil while pulsing.
Combine the raw chicken with pesto and marinate a few hours in a bowl.
Soak wooden skewers in water at least 30 minutes (or use metal ones to avoid this step).
Beginning and ending with chicken, thread chicken and tomatoes onto 8 pairs of parallel skewers to make 8 kebabs total.
Heat the outdoor grill or indoor grill pan over medium heat until hot.
Be sure the grates are clean and spray lightly with oil.
Place the chicken on the hot grill and cook about 3-4 minutes; turn and continue cooking until chicken is cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Yields 4 Servings
Approved for all cycles.
View my original post of the recipe on Instagram. Recipe courtesy of @skinnytaste
Photo courtesy of @skinnytaste
Did you know you can make a healthy Veggie Pizza Crust without any flour and it still tastes AMAZING! Make this low-carb green pizza crust with either kale, spinach, broccoli, or zucchini and sneak some extra veggies into your meal. It's a surprisingly delicious dinner recipe!
It's Fridayyyyyyy. Let's celebrate with pizza. Pizza party! Pizza party! Pizza party!
We're not having a regular ol' pizza party tonight. That's right, my friends, we're going all badass pizza rouge. There are strange and wonderful things happening here, and we're not making any apologies.
Now I know you've all heard of cauliflower pizza crust … am I right? Well, that gave me an idea to create these veggie pizza crusts. What I really wanted to do was make one recipe that was flexible enough that you could swap the veggies for whichever ones you have in your fridge/ love the most.
Mission accomplished, my friends!
What we have here are five different veggie pizza crusts, and they're all amazing:
Want to know the real kicker here? My handsome man, who I was kind of scared wouldn't even touch these (or talk to me for days after trying to feed him these to him. ha!), couldn't stop raving about them/ asking me to make them again.
So don't be scared … veggie pizza crusts are totally where it's at!
If you haven't eaten a veggie pizza crust, I imagine you're thinking, “What the heck does a pizza crust made with vegetables even taste like?” I also imagine your face is a little scrunched up in that way mine does when someone tries to sell me on something ‘healthy' that doesn't sound tasty at all.
Here's the thing … you'll never mistake one of these crusts for a regular pizza crust, and that's totally ok. They are softer than their traditional counterpart, but still hold themselves together well and even have a bit of a bite.
Here's where the amazing part comes in: crispy cheese. Yes, you read that right. You know when you bake a big pile of nachos and some of the cheese melts off the chips and glues itself to the pan and you spend half the night prying off each and every morsel cause it's just so. damn. tasty. Ya, that. That's what these veggie pizza crusts are like.
You see, when you bake them all the cheese melts and some of it gets crispy and it's AWESOME! It's flavor-bomb, crispy cheese amazingness in every bite.
♡ We've already covered the crispy cheese deliciousness part (the most important part) so I'll leave that.
♡ The kale and spinach pizza crusts are almost exactly the same. They're so similar that I couldn't tell them apart in a side by side taste test. ← Yes, my ‘job' involves taste testing pizza. I have the best job in the world.
♡ The broccoli pizza crust tastes a little like broccoli – surprise surprise! It's not a bad thing at all, just something to keep in mind when you're planning your toppings.
♡ Vegetables naturally have a lot of water in them. The more moisture you can take out of the veggies before you make them into crusts, the crispier they will be. The broccoli pizza crust is a little soft if made exactly as the recipe is written. If you'd like it crisper, you can cook the broccoli before making it into crusts to remove more of the moisture.
♡ Go easy on the toppings. While you will be able to pick these up and eat them like a regular pizza, you don't want to push your luck by piling the toppings on high. Take the minimalist approach!
If you make this Green Veggie Pizza Crust make sure you snap a pic and tag #theendlessmeal on Instagram so I can like and comment on your photos. I love seeing TEM recipes you create!
Did you know you can make a Veggie Pizza Crust without any flour and it still tastes AMAZING! Make this low-carb green pizza crust with either kale, spinach, broccoli, or zucchini and sneak some extra veggies into your meal. It's a surprisingly delicious dinner recipe!
To prepare the veggies:
Kale and Spinach: place in your food processor and blend until finely chopped. Squeeze out as much liquid as you can using your hands.
Broccoli: add the florets and stems to your food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Optional step: roast in the oven for 10 minutes to dry the broccoli so you get a crisper pizza crust.
Zucchini: grate using the small holes on your grater. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible, first using your hands and then with some paper towels.
There’s nothing better than a yummy homemade Tzatziki sauce to dress up your turkey meatballs. This recipe was featured in our latest 5-Day Dinner Party celebrating the open enrollment for Simply17 (my weekly meal planning service).
I love Greek food, so it’s always fun to incorporate an easy meatball recipe for dinner time. Mediterranean dishes are not only yummy, but super healthy, too! Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground turkey
1/2 onion, minced or grated
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tablespoons lemon zest
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1/2 cup low-fat feta cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Stir all ingredients together in a large bowl. Make sure you don’t mix too much or the meatballs will be tough.
Roll into small 1 oz balls (about 16) and place on a slightly greased baking dish or pan.
Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until turkey is cooked through.
Serve with your favorite veggies and Tzatziki sauce (recipe below).
Ingredients:
1 medium cucumber (about 8 oz), peeled, seeded and chopped into chunks*
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1 8 oz container Greek yogurt
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh dill (or 1 teaspoon dried)
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Place diced cucumber in a mesh strainer or colander and sprinkle with salt, toss to evenly coat then allow to rest 30 minutes at room temperature.
Rinse cucumbers and place over several layers of paper towels. Squeeze some of the liquid from cucumbers (almost as if wringing moisture from a cloth).
Place cucumbers in food processor and pulse to chop fine (if there’s excess liquid drain it off).
Pour cucumbers into a mixing bowl add Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, and dill and season with salt and pepper to taste. Whisk to combine. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container.
*To remove seeds, peel the cucumber, slice in half lengthwise, then used a spoon to scoop the seeds out and dice into chunks.
Yields 4 Servings
Approved all cycles
Photo above courtesy of Judy H. – Judy’s creations always look so yummy!
Photo above courtesy of Sandra J. – I love how Sandra incorporated her Simply17 party favors into this shot of her yummy dinner!
A good Greek salad dressing recipe may not sound life changing. But please trust me on this…it IS life changing. This is our very, very favorite seasoning mix. It makes the most divine and authentic Greek Pizzaria style dressing, but it’s also become our house seasoning blend. I keep both the ranch dressing seasoning mix, and this one in shaker jars on my counter.
We love it atop the Pizza Hut style breadstick recipe on cheese pizzadillas, in my oven fries recipe and on baked potatoes, and, and…plus infinity. It’s the secret ingredient to making an amazing pizza crust in my homemade pizza recipe.
And NOW that I’m Trim & Healthy, this Greek salad dressing recipe is even more awesome, since the spices themselves are fuel pull, and can be used with ANY type of meal. And, I also give a fat free Greek salad dressing recipe below in the printable that you can use with E and FP salads!
Plus, it’s completely healthy with no Mono-glutamic-nazi-parabens.
(Yee-haw!)
The other great thing, is that this salad dressing doesn’t need to be refrigerated, so it’s perfect for picnics, camping, or covered dish meals.
So, what I’m really trying to say is that this is the most awesomely wonderful recipe on the whole planet, and you just have to try it, or your life will be ruined. OK?
Now, this might look like a whole bunch of spices, but it’s way worth your time to put together. For one thing, you probably have almost all of these spices in your cabinet right now. And for another, the recipe below makes almost 2 cups of (un-blended) spice mix.
Theoretically, this should last you a long time.
Having a big jar of Greek Dressing Mix makes it very convenient to mix up a batch of salad dressing when you discover that you’re out as the table is being set. Which is pretty much the only time that I discover that we’re out of something.
So, let’s get cookin’.
Here’s what you’ll need:
powdered onion, powdered (or granulated) garlic, dried basil, black pepper, oregano, sugar and salt.
I like to mix mine up in a standard quart canning jar, so I can powder it in my blender like this.
When you shake it up, it looks like this.
I like to blend it to a fine powder, so that it mixes in quickly and has maximum flavor right away:
Then, I write the recipe for making the mix and for making the dressing on the lid of the jar. Keeps me from having to flip through my recipe notebook…this is because I’m lazy efficient.
I have also started storing some of it in a spice/shaker jar because we like it as a schprinkle too.
Now you’re ready to shake-shake-shake your way to Greek heaven…or make this amazing salad dressing:
Now, quickly…print this, make this, and enjoy!
This spice blend is amazing...we use it to make dressing and also use it like a shake on Greek spice or rub. I love to make my dry dressing mixes in big batches, so I can quickly put a new batch together with one scoop of spices and some oil and vinegar. Another cool thing...this dressing doesn't need to be refrigerated, so it's great to take to picnics etc. This recipe yeilds over a cup of mix.
Need something easy and flavorful to throw on the grill this weekend? This Greek Marinated Chicken is it.
The marinade for this chicken (similar to what I used for this Chicken Shawarma ) takes just a few minutes to stir together and creates an absolute explosion of flavor. It’s incredible. I only marinated my chicken in this magical mix for 30 minutes, but the flavor was still loud and clear. Once marinated, you can grill the chicken outdoors over a gas or charcoal flame, or (if you don’t have a grill) you can bake it in the oven. Either way, you’ll get a super flavorful and moist end product.
I served this Greek Marinated Chicken with my Lemony Cucumber and Couscous Salad, which was the perfect cold summer side, and incorporated both starches and vegetables into the meal. Two birds with one stone!
First prepare the marinade. Combine the yogurt, olive oil, oregano, minced garlic, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper in a bowl. Add the zest from one lemon and the juice from about half of it (1-2 Tbsp). Stir these ingredients until well combined.
After marinating, you can either grill the chicken or bake it. I don’t have an outdoor grill, so I decided to bake it. Place the chicken pieces in a large casserole dish. I ended up pouring the extra marinade over top, but later realized that this just made it take longer to brown, so I don’t suggest doing so. There is plenty of flavor in the marinade that you won’t need to add the extra.
I served this Greek Marinated Chicken with my Lemony Cucumber and Couscous salad and it was PERFECT! :D
