Sometimes the biggest health transformations happen when you make minor changes to things you use every single day - like salad dressings, which can be a big hindrance when it comes to weight loss efforts.

More often than not, store bought dressings are:

• Loaded with sugar. And unfortunately it’s not even real sugar but instead high-fructose corn syrup as it’s a cheaper ingredient, and worse for you than regular sugar due to its higher fructose content (which makes your liver work harder). This is especially true of LOW-FAT dressings. Often, when they take the fat out, they put sugar in to compensate for the loss of flavour and mouth-feel.

• Loaded with inflammatory vegetable oils like soybean oil. These highly processed oils raise inflammation in the body and are not the “good fats” you hear about.

• High in preservatives and colours that do your body no favours.

Doesn’t it make sense, if you’re going to the trouble of increasing your vegetable intake by consuming more colourful salads, that you add a salad dressing that amplifies its health benefits, instead of taking them away?

So here are some stellar dressing recipes that are filled with ingredients to upgrade your salads, making them even more healthy for you, supercharging your health efforts.

Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• ½ cup Olive Oil (great for its antioxidant content!)

• ¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar (aids in digestion)

• 2 tbsp. Dijon Mustard

• 1 tbsp. Honey, or sweetener of choice (e.g. maple syrup, stevia …)

Place all ingredients in a mason jar or sealed container, shake and enjoy! Store any leftovers in the fridge for your next salad or even for cooked veggies.

These next two recipes are courtesy of recipe-creator and food expert Mark Calaminici.

Asian Sesame Dressing

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. Miso paste (wonderful for your gut microbiome!)

• Juice of half an orange

• 4 tbsp. rice wine vinegar

• 2 tbsp. honey

• 1 tbsp. sesame oil

• Pinch Salt

• Freshly cracked pepper

In a medium sized bowl whisk miso and rice wine vinegar until smooth. Whisk in remaining ingredients until smooth. Season with salt and freshly cracked pepper.

Avocado Caesar Dressing

Ingredients

• 1 ripe avocado, pitted and skin removed

• 2 cloves garlic

• 2 anchovies (high in wonderful omega 3!)

• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

• 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard

• ¼ tsp. salt

• ¼ tsp. freshly cracked pepper

• ½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, shredded ** (non dairy option = nutritional yeast!)

• Juice of half lemon

Add all ingredients into a blender and blend on medium to high until you reach a creamy consistency, adding more extra virgin olive oil if needed

Enjoy the feeling of knowing that your ENTIRE salad is now amazing for you. :-)