Salads are great until the dressing undoes all the good work. This is a lower fat version of a classic red wine vinaigrette that I put together to enjoy fresh greens from the garden without loading up on calories from oil.

Salads give you vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and choosing one over heavier sides can help keep calories in check. But it does not take much to tip the balance. Too much dressing or some added cheese and a salad can end up calorie-dense fast.

Here is the thing that changed how I think about dressing:

Olive oil is a good fat and some of the vitamins in salad greens are fat-soluble, so you do not want to cut it entirely. But pulling back the ratio meaningfully reduces calories without ruining the dressing.