"The bowl"

Where would I be this week without "the bowl"? It is silver, dented and VERY large. Oh, and I found it on the side of the road. Don't worry, it wasn't garbage, but it was in a pile of things marked "free" in some one's driveway. When we found it, Amy exclaimed that I would never use it, but I have and I do and I will again.....so there.

"The bowl" is what I use to help save us from, what is quite possibly the biggest caloric issue with salads today, the salad dressing. In general, there is not a lot of nutritional value in salad dressing, but they taste SO good. Not to mention, who wants salad without dressing? Rabbits?

I've learned 2 things about salad:

1) Salad still tastes good and sometimes better with less salad dressing, but the key is to make sure every ounce is covered. Grab a bowl and put all of your ingredients in it. Add a little dressing, then use your hands (or spoon) and mix until your ingredients are all covered. Taste it. If it's not enough, add some more.

2) Don't be afraid to make your own salad dressing. It's easy! No, really. Do you have a bowl? Do you have a whisk? Oil? Vinegar of some kind? The best way to cut calories in any food is to cut the oil from its preparation, so make your own and decide how much you like. The standard equation for a vinaigrette is 2 parts oil (1 tablespoon equals 100 calories) to 1 part vinegar (1 tablespoon equals 20 calories), but I really prefer more of a 1:1 ratio......saves me 100 calories in my dressing alone. Put the vinegar in a separate bowl from your ingredients. Add anything else you like (spices, 1 tsp mustard, maple syrup) and slowly add your oil while you whisk. Tada!

Now, go out and find your really big bowl!