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Ranch Dip

January 25, 2011

A lot of parents tell me that they're close to giving up on their kids to eat their vegetables. I'm not saying that it's the easiest feat to accomplish, but when parents hang in there and make the extra effort, seeing their little one chomping down happily on a nutritious veggie is a very rewarding and satisfying experience. When I prepare vegetables for my kids (which is daily), I often try to utilize a bit of fun to encourage them to eat more then just one or two bites. I've got lots of veggie methods: I roast them up with a bit of maple syrup, slice them thin and bake up chips, add a sprinkle of zesty herbs, let the kids squirt something yummy on them like Braggs or even add a delicious dip.

When I was a kid, Ranch was one of my favorite dressings, but it usually came straight out of a store-bought squeeze bottle, loaded with additives. This weelicious Ranch Dip recipe recreates that great taste I used to love, but is incredibly fresh, healthy and just s creamy. If you're a parents who's had an uphill battle getting your kid to eat veggies, try serving up this recipe before dinner when the kids are really hungry and want something to munch on. You can put it out with an assortment of cut up veggies like carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers, cucumbers or sugar snap peas. I find that if I just start eating a bit on my own (without saying a thing to the kids), shortly after they are mimicking what I'm doing, dipping away and enjoying every last bite!

Ranch Dip  (Makes 1/3 Cup)

  • Prep Time:1 minutes,
  • Total Time: 2 minutes,

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup yogurt (i use greek yogurt)
  • 2 tablespoons vegansaise or mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • salt to taste

Preparation

  1. 1. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.
  2. 2. Serve.

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Comments






  1. Tammy

    February 20, 2013 at 12:13 am

    This ranch dressing is A-MAZE-ING! Holy yum fest! I needed a quick dip and I came across this. It was so incredibly tasty! I haven’t eaten ranch in forever because of all the garbage that goes into it, so what a pleasant surprise! I’ve been telling all of my friends and family about it. Thank you for returning ranch into my life. :)

  2. Joanne

    February 14, 2013 at 1:44 pm

    Thank you! My kids love Ranch dressing, but it is so junky I have been trying to find an alternative.

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  4. Lisa

    October 26, 2012 at 9:53 pm

    Very tasty recipe but I had to sub the yogurt for sour cream since I didn’t have the greek yogurt in the house. Will try with yogurt next time. Very good as a dip for chicken fingers and veggies :-)

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  7. Kassy

    February 25, 2012 at 12:06 pm

    I just made it and it tastes soo good. Next i’ll try it with non-dairy yogurt!

  8. Fenella

    October 24, 2011 at 1:00 am

    So excited to try this. We are trying to avoid as much processed food as possible, but my kids (and myself) are huge ranch dressing fans. Will definitely be trying this. I bet it tastes much better than the store stuff!

  9. Michelle

    September 28, 2011 at 10:12 pm

    Just made this for my daughter’s lunch veggie dip… so easy and tastes great to me. I asked my daughter what veggies she would eat in her lunch (I asked because most come home untouched), and she said “how about some broccoli with ranch… you know, the kind that you get from McDonald’s”?! So I consult weelicious :) I’ll let you know her review :) I hope one day she appreciates that I made her a healthy lunch everyday in her cool planet box.

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  11. Luise Nipps

    June 24, 2011 at 9:54 am

    The person(s) cashing the cheques

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  13. Maggie

    April 24, 2011 at 11:42 pm

    Thank you for this wonderful recipe. It’s simplicity and fresh taste are spot-on. We’ve already made a second batch, and it’s certainly going to be added to our weekly repertoire. (My toddler loves it as much as we do).

  14. Roger Moehrle

    April 21, 2011 at 8:11 am

    Real nice layout and excellent content , nothing at all else we require : D.

  15. Lili H.

    April 13, 2011 at 8:00 pm

    Thank-you! My son loves ranch dressing but he has a HORRIBLE topical reaction to the store-bought stuff anywhere it touches. This gives him no reaction! (I used homemade yogurt ( http://girlsguidetobutter.com/2010/02/crock-pot-yogurt/ )and just put it in a strainer with cheesecloth in a bowl in the fridge to get a nice thick consistency).

  16. Amy F.

    February 25, 2011 at 11:12 pm

    I make an effort to not buy bottled dressings at the store and haven’t had any ranch dressing in my mouth for a while. This dip is great! Not sure my picky toddler is ready for it yet, but his parents are.

  17. Carla

    January 31, 2011 at 8:36 pm

    @JZ – You can make Greek yogurt from plain yogurt just by straining it through cheesecloth, am I right?

    Thanks,

    Carla : )

  18. Sue

    January 29, 2011 at 9:27 am

    You mention roasting vegetable in maple syrup. I would love a recipe for that? What temperature? And do you add anything other than maple syrup? Also, what vegetables do you suggest?

  19. JZ

    January 28, 2011 at 4:58 pm

    I cannot speak for her but in my opinion it is bc Greek yogurt is thick and creamy and really good, while also being good for you! you could compare it to the consistency of sour cream with much less fat and all of the pro-biotic benefits of yogurt. it is not as “tangy” as traditional plain yogurt. give it a try! Oh! and it is also great to marinate meat in. The acidity will tenderize just about any cut of meat (and you can rinse of the yogurt before grilling, etc. if you like). :-)

  20. Carla

    January 27, 2011 at 7:07 pm

    May I ask why you prefer Greek yogurt? I’ve noticed it has been your preference in a number of recipes.

    Thanks : )

    Carla

  21. Deann

    January 26, 2011 at 1:32 pm

    ok I’m a pretty picky ranch dressing eater, hate the store bought stuff, love the restaurant stuff. I have a recipe that is ok, but this one is pretty good! I think the lemon juice and little bit of dijon make it perfect.

  22. Catherine

    January 26, 2011 at 11:42 am

    Can Kefir be used?

    • catherine

      January 27, 2011 at 11:53 am

      I don’t see why not! It might be a little watery than using yogurt but I’m sure it will be fine :)

  23. Lacey

    January 25, 2011 at 8:53 pm

    I am going to make this for sure but for me and the husband :-) that’s what I love about all of your recipes, they are both kid and adult friendly!

  24. Tiffany

    January 25, 2011 at 7:51 pm

    I am a big fan of the garlicky-stays on your breath for hours variety of restaurant ranch and I’ve found that I can make it at home for tons fewer calories using low fat sour cream and non-fat buttermilk. I add dill, minced onion, garlic, salt and mustard powder. Sometimes I add a little parmesan cheese to thicken it some. My daughter, who’s a picky ranch eater, too, loves it. I need to try it with the yogurt. Great post! A friend turned me on to your site and I can’t wait to peruse it!

  25. Lori

    January 25, 2011 at 5:15 pm

    This is awesome! How does it compare to the taste of store bought ranch? Thanks!