How can I make this receipe healthy?

[Cathya]

Hi;

I have a wonderful brocolli salad that is easy to make and I want to be sure it's healthy to eat....I suspect it's not....and wonder if there's anything I can do to revise it? I apologize as this is not an important topic but I keep reading about Omego 3's and 6's and other healthy foods but I am having trouble retraining myself. Anyway, I take lots of brocolli, one chopped red onion, sunflower seeds, raisins (I have been cutting them out because of the sugar but ???) and add Ranch dressing. I usually just buy the Ranch dressing but got to thinking so I looked up the receipe for ranch dressing and it is as follows:
1 clove garlic
2/3 pinch of kosher salt
3/4 c buttermilk (this sounds bad!)
2 to 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp minched fresh cilantro
1 tbsp snipped parsley or fresh chives
1/3 to 1/2 c mayo or sour cream (yikes)
All in all the ranch dressing sounds fattening and full of stuff I shouldn't eat. Any suggestions? Thanks,

Cathy

[chrisy]

but also, not the worst!

Buttermilk is actually not too bad (not nearly as bad as it sounds!). Usually it is only 1% or 2% butterfat. It is difficult to find organic buttermilk, tho, as most people think the idea (or taste) is icky. You might be able to find it at a good health food store.

The mayo while also not good can be made, well, less "not good". If you have a VitaMix or other really good blender you can make your own; the VM recipe book has a recipe that uses egg beaters, oil (so you can use a "healthy" oil like light olive or flaxseed), lemon juice, dry mustard and salt. It actually tastes like "real" mayo - probably because it IS!. Still, it's a lot of fat, but at least you can sub out to better ones.

Some would also say, if it makes you eat LOTS of broccoli, that is a good thing despite a little bit of fat!

Good luck with your culinary adventures!

Much love,
Chris

[chrisy]

but looking at the other ingredients, this salad sounds not only yummy, but pretty darn good for you! I agree with you about the raisins, I try to cut back on sugar as well, but maybe sub some fresh apple or grape. Finally, I'd use walnuts or almonds instead of sunflower seeds, I think they are better sources of health oil and add a nice crunch!

Chris

[Becky]

Buttermilk is actually quite low in fat (1%). Use low or no fat sour cream or light mayo (or a mix with nonfat plain yogurt instead). Also, a couple of raisins won't hurt you and they are high in iron and fiber.


Becky

[R.B.]

BE AWARE

IF balancing your omega threes and sixes is on the agenda for you....

Some olive oils (non virgin generally but check) fat content contain up to 50% omega six. The "best" olive oils have about 10% omega six, but olive oil has little omega three.

Canola contains significant omega six 22%, as well as three 10%.

So both keeping quantities of oils containing sixes low and or at least balancing with flax (16% omega six 53% omega three) or high three sources is important.

There are previous posts with links on the site which hopefuly can be found with the search engine above right that look at the issues, and provide links to sites that enable you to consider the fat make up of various oils etc.

Hidden fats are also a problem - prepreapred foods have to be checked with care as the use of vegetable oils is common including unexpected things like olives in oil (very often in sunflower !!!!!)


I hope this helps.

I don't know some of the ingredients but sounds delicious.

RB

[Mgarr]

To make a quick stand-in for buttermilk, stir one tablespoon of fresh lemon juice or white vinegar into one cup of milk,(so you can use skim organic milk) and let it stand for about 10 minutes or until the milk thickens and begins to curdle. I do this for some recipes because I find I waste buttermilk if I buy it for just one recipe.

I also substitute plain yogurt for sourcream.

Enjoy I think I will try it too.

Mary

[Cathya]

Thank you all so much. I am going to try these ideas and come up with something that just can be quick and easy for me....you know those receipes that you just do don't think. I am still confused about the omega 3's and sixes and wish there was just something I could do so I didn't have to worry about it.....like just use extra virgin olive oil and that's it. I take salmon oil in capsule form each day as I was alergic to fish as a kid and never got over my aversion to it.... so don't eat fish. Weird alergy but my mother and son both have it as well. I so appreciate all this input..... I have homemade currie in the oven as we speak....that's another topic....lol!!!

Cathy

[R.B.]

I know its a pain Cathya but a bit of reading on the subject really is worthwhile, particularly on the subject of fats. Once you've got the gist then your away. There are lots of posts on this site.

If you are trying to balance threes and sixes, and that seems to be a good target according to a variety of sources a simplistic outlook for a non fish eater might be

Virgin olive oil cold pressed - flaxseed or flax seed oil - in moderation at the core with a very LITTLE canola/ dairy/ coconut etc for variety if required. Try and get your sixes from whole food nuts etc. Greens, beans, coloured veg and fruit, a little whole grain, small amounts grass fed protein. Stay away from all other oils unless you check first what is in them. Read all food labels and make no assumptions eg olives in oil.

Fish oil in bottles is possibly cheaper - a trial showed above 2 DHA grams a day the body's absorbtion dropped off. Check the label for bottled fish oil or capsules and you are looking for about 2grams DHA a day.

This is based on what I have read, but you really are best doing some reading for yourself to get some background so you can adjust things for yourself etc.

Magor dietary change should be discussed with your advisors etc.

I hope this helps

RB