You’ve likely heard about Olivia Wilde’s “adulterous salad dressing” by now, and while you might have gotten the details on the cheating scandal itself, we’re here to share what we all want to know – what’s actually in the dressing? Plus, we’ll be sharing a simple guide to making a delicious, sugar-free salad dressing.

While we wouldn’t suggest adding salad dressings to your list of signs your partner is cheating just yet, we certainly would add it to your list of cooking essentials! Let’s find out exactly what this salacious recipe entailed – plus we’ll be laying out a clear-cut path to pulling off a show-stopping dressing, minus the sugars you’ll find in your local café’s Caesar salad.

First, let’s get into a few of the types of dressings to have in your arsenal of reliable recipes.

Vinaigrette

Here we have the one and only “adulterous" salad dressing – Olivia Wilde recently dropped the recipe for her notorious dressing and, as it turns out, it’s a red wine vinaigrette with Grey Poupon mustard, red wine vinegar and olive oil. Let’s unpack the nutritional profile of this iconic dressing – come on, it’s us, did you expect anything less? Red wine vinegar is an ideal sugar-free ingredient, so it gets our seal of approval, not to mention, you’ll get a good dose of antioxidants known as polyphenols – one in particular, resveratrol, is the key to the powerful health benefits. Resveratrol is known for the following:

• Fighting cancer cells – particularly skin cancer
• Fighting inflammation in the body
• Improving skin hydration
• Slowing the ageing process

Then we’ve got the mustard – Grey Poupon is similar in taste to Dijon and it can be a perfectly healthy addition to your diet, just be sure to check the ingredients for any added sugars. The olive oil is another powerhouse ingredient in this vinaigrette. It’s known for its anti-inflammatory properties – researchers found that around 3.5 tablespoons of olive oil provided the pain relief effect of 10% of a dose of ibuprofen – but that’s not the only reason to add this heart-healthy oil to your diet. It’s also packed with healthy fats like oleic acid, which studies show to prevent insulin resistance and reduce the risk for heart disease. These fats also keep us feeling full, and the medium chain triglycerides in olive oil have been found to decrease appetite and curb sugar cravings, making olive oil a good choice for those of you who have given sugar the slip.

The verdict? Wilde's “adulterous" salad dressing is a healthy, delicious option to breathe some life into your favourite salad – it goes especially well with bitter greens like rocket, along with crunchy veggies and chickpeas.

 Take a look at some of our favourite ingredients for a tasty vinaigrette:

• Lemon
• Garlic
• Black pepper
• Olive oil
• Vinegar
• Mustard – seeded or Dijon both work well!

 Creamy-style dressings

If you’re looking for a heavier, more indulgent dressing, it’s time to whip out a creamy dressing. You’ll find ingredients like yoghurt, mayo, tahini and avocado in these types of dressings, making it the ideal choice for a more satiating meal. Here are a few of our favourite ones to whip up

Aioli: To make a healthy, satisfying rendition of this pub-favourite, combine 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise with crushed garlic and a pinch of salt.

Tahini-style dressing: All you need for a creamy tahini dressing is a tablespoon of tahini, a tablespoon of natural or Greek yoghurt, a teaspoon of vinegar – apple cider vinegar works well here – and a pinch of salt.

Greek yoghurt dressing: For a creamy yoghurt dressing, Greek yoghurt works best, and you’ll want around 3 tablespoons of this stuff. Add some lemon juice, a pinch of salt and any herbs or spices of choice. We like to add a bit of paprika for a smoky flavour!

Reinventing popular dressings

There are a few classic dressings which, unfortunately, end up overloaded with sugar and preservatives when we buy them premade. Try these simple renditions of a couple of old favourites.

Caesar salad dressing: Simply mix around 3 tablespoons of Greek yoghurt with lemon juice, crushed garlic and 1 anchovy (or anchovy paste) in a blender or food processor.

French salad dressing: Mix a tablespoon of vinegar – white wine works best for a French dressing – with mustard, salt and 3 tablespoons of olive oil.

Ranch dressing: Just because you’ve ditched added sugars, doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy this tasty dressing! Simply mix around 6 tablespoons of natural or Greek yoghurt with a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, a pinch of salt, black pepper and your choice of herbs – we prefer think chives and parsley are essentials to get that classic ranch-dressing flavour!

Here's a free I Quit Sugar  salad dressing recipe to help jazz up your next salad. The best part? It’s sugar free, nutritious and so easy to make! If you’re keen to try out the tasty Chicken Macro Bowl recipe that accompanies this zesty dressing, take a look HERE.

Turmeric Tahini Dressing

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons hulled or unhulled tahini
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• Juice of
• 1/2 lemon
• Pinch of sea salt

Method:

1. To make the dressing, place all the ingredients in a small jar with a tight lid. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons water and shake vigorously until combined. Add more water if you’d like your dressing to be thinner. Drizzle your salad with half the dressing and store the rest in the jar in the refrigerator to serve with tomorrow’s lunch.

Keen for more health and nutrition tips? We’re here to help. Join us for the 8-Week Program where we’ll be quitting sugar and turning our health dreams into a reality. When you sign up with us, you’ll have access to clear-cut meal plans, community support and exclusive access to our sugar-free content. Here’s what’s on offer:

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