Olive Garden Salad Dressing Recipe – MSG and High Fructose Corn Syrup FREE

Olive Garden Salad dressing

If you have been to the Olive Garden restaurant then you know how yummy their Italian salad dressing is. If not, you need to try it.  The dressing is available in most stores, but have you checked out the ingredients? It’s not too bad, but if you are trying to AVOID high fructose corn syrup or MSG, and you would like it to have better quality oil, then this recipe is for you! It tastes spot on delicious without all the yucky stuff added.

Olive Garden Salad Dressing

What is so bad about High Fructose Corn Syrup anyway?

Dr. Mark Hyman stated in an article from the Huffington Post why you should NEVER consume High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS).

“In America today, we are eating huge doses of sugar, especially high fructose corn syrup. It is sweeter and cheaper than regular sugar and is in every processed food and sugar-sweetened drink. Purging it from your diet is the single best thing you can do for your health!”

In this post from Dr. Axe, he gives some interesting information.

9 dangers of eating High Fructose Corn Syrup

1.     Weight gain

2.     Cancer

3.     Fatty liver & liver stress

4.     Increased cholesterol levels

5.     Diabetes

6.     High blood pressure

7.     Heart disease

8.     Leaky gut

9.     Increased mercury intake

What are your options for alternatives?

One of my favorite mentors on health and nutrition is Robyn Openshaw. I have been following her for many, many years and she hasn’t ever steered me wrong. She now has a podcast that I am going HIGHLY recommend you start following! In podcast #10 Robyn goes over the good, the bad and the ugly of sugar. Not only does she talk about how bad the stuff is for us, she gives some great ideas of what to use to sweeten our foods. Love it, and love her!

What is the deal with MSG?

MSG, monosodium glutamate is a flavor enhancer added to thousands of the foods you and your family regularly eat, especially if you are like most Americans and eat the majority of your food as processed foods or in restaurants. It is highly addictive and makes food taste better.

Most people DON’T know that MSG has been linked to brain damage, tumors, and lesions, nervous system and endocrine problems. You can see many studies (144 at last count) at pubmed.com on how rats have been injected with MSG to make them obese for studying diabetes.

Dr. Mercola in his opening statement from a post on his website said,

”A widespread and silent killer that’s worse for your health than alcohol, nicotine and many drugs is likely lurking in your kitchen cabinets right now.”

He is referring to MSG.

I don’t like to cause alarm and bring FEAR into eating, however, I do feel driven to share some of these things that I have learned with you. In our home, we have been trying to clean up our eating habits for many years. We have done it a little at a time and and most of it seems like second nature now. We read labels, we avoid high fructose corn syrup, we haven’t drank milk for over 7 years, and we avoid things with MSG like the plaque. It is a process that you go through a little at a time, once you become aware of what is good and what isn’t.

Make adjustments a little at a time

I know it may not seem like a big deal, because EVERYONE is eating this stuff. You may also be thinking that you can’t avoid it, but you CAN and you NEED to. Start reading labels and be brave enough to just put it back on the shelf if it has these substances in it. It is NOT worth it! Doesn’t it always go back to eating as many WHOLE FOODS as possible? Easier said than done, I know. Do the best you can, enjoy food, enjoy eating it.

Enough of that stuff. Let’s get back to information on how to make a yummy salad dressing that you won’t have to stress over.

This is what you need

  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons Italian Dressing Mix I make my own using this awesome recipe, or you can use one Italian Season packets that come in the store. However, make sure there are no nasty ingredients in there.
  • ¼ cup white distilled vinegar
  • ¾ cup olive oil, or avocado oil can be used
  • ¼ cup water
  • ½ teaspoon sugar (optional)
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ Tablespoon mayonnaise
Olive Garden Salad Dressing

This is what you do

  • Simply add all the ingredients to a glass jar and shake. I love these plastic lids. These lids come in handy for so many things. You can get them here.
Olive Garden Salad Dressing
  • The dressing will settle and separate, as no emulsifiers have been added (this is a good thing!)
  • Give it a good shake when you are ready to use it.

Olive Garden Salad Dressing Recipe – MSG and High Fructose Corn Syrup FREE

Olive Garden Salad dressing

This is a spot on Olive Garden Salad dressing without the MSG and High fructose corn syrup. 

  • Prep Time5 min
  • Total Time5 min
  • Course
    • Dressing

Ingredients

    • 1 1/2 Tablespoons Italian Dressing Mix I make my own using this awesome recipe, or you can use one Italian Season packets that come in the store. However, make sure there are no nasty ingredients in there.
    • ¼ cup white distilled vinegar
    • ¾ cup olive oil, or avocado oil can be used
    • ¼ cup water
    • ½ teaspoon sugar (optional)
    • ¼ teaspoon pepper
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ Tablespoon mayonnaise

INSTUCTIONS

1

Simply add all the ingredients to a glass jar and shake.

 

So there you have it! Wasn’t that simple?

See, eating healthy doesn’t have to be HARD  or complicated. I hope this gives you a resource for a yummy, healthy dressing.

Enjoy preparing, and eating a yummy salad!

Cheers!

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Jan Howell

Jan Howell

Whether it’s a new recipe, a fun craft, or some handy tips for your garden and home, I hope to empower and inspire you with skills that you can use to create joy, improved health, and to do it in a simple way.

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Cilantro: The Benefits, Uses and How To Keep It Fresh

Cilantro is a beautiful bright green leafy herb that is commonly used in guacamole, salsa, curries, noodle dishes, and chimichurri sauces. Cilantro has a very distinct citrus flavor. Either you like it or you don’t. I personally love its fresh pungent flavor. Its seeds are called coriander and are often used as a cooking spice. Not only does this flavorful, bright herb taste fabulous, it also has many health benefits and healing properties.

Here are just a few of the reasons you should add it to your diet

  • It is a great source of vitamins and minerals
  • A small amount delivers the full daily value of vitamin A and K and is rich in vitamin C, potassium, and manganese.
  • Cleanses the body of toxic metals.

Cilantro supports the body’s natural detoxification processes. Compounds in the leaf bind to toxic metals and loosen them from affected tissue. This process allows metals to be released from the body naturally. If you don’t care for the taste, there are supplements that contain cilantro extract.

  • Relieves nausea
  • Prevents gas and bloating
  • Relieves indigestion and heartburn
  • Ease stomach cramps
  • Aids in efficient digestion

Cilantro produces digestive enzymes that aid in the breakdown of foods. In many cuisines, fresh cilantro accompanies hot and spicy dishes because of its cooling effects. So when you see that little sprig of cilantro on your dish, it’s not just for aesthetics! EAT IT!

  • Known to calm the nerves, and can improve sleep quality through its natural sedative effects.

How to use it?

salads, entrees, and soups

While coriander seeds can be added throughout the cooking process, fresh cilantro actually loses its strength, and health benefits when introduced to heat. It is best to add freshly chopped cilantro leaves just prior to serving in hot dishes. It can be added at any time for raw foods like salsas, guacamole, and smoothies.

 

Smoothies & Juicing

Throw a handful into your smoothies.

When I juice vegetables, I like to add a small handful of cilantro. It gives it such a fresh clean taste. However, I recommend not sending it through the juicer, it will just shred it. After you have put all the other veggies or fruits through the juicer, pour the juice into a blender and then add the cilantro. Blend until smooth. This way you will actually get some cilantro (the juice and the fiber).

Here is a recipe for a really yummy cilantro lime dressing.

How to keep cilantro FRESH?

It’s not very fun reaching in the vegetable crisper and pulling out a slimy wad of cilantro when you had counted on it for a particular recipe. I have tried several methods for keeping it fresh longer and some didn’t work so well. This particular method works like a charm. This is what you do.

1- First of all, I do recommend buying organic when you can.

2- Thoroughly wash.

 

3- Trim the bottom ends of the stems.

4- Place the cilantro in a small mason jar or glass. ( I like to use a narrow mouth jar). Fill the jar at least halfway full with cool water. Just like a little bouquet of flowers, you can enjoy a beautiful bunch of green goodness right inside your refrigerator.

5- Make an HERB TENT. Take the bag from the produce department and place it over the herb. Puff it up so there is some air in it and gather the bag around the bottom and tuck it underneath the jar.

 

6- Place in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. (If you don’t eat it all sooner). Check it occasionally to make sure it still has enough water in it.

Since you have already washed it, you can now easily just clip off what you need. This works really well with parsley as well.

Enjoy a little green goodness, start eating cilantro now!

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Jan Howell

Jan Howell

Whether it’s a new recipe, a fun craft, or some handy tips for your garden and home, I hope to empower and inspire you with skills that you can use to create joy, improved health, and to do it in a simple way.

Read More