Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Simply Dressed


I was recently given the opportunity as a member of the Clever Girls Collective to review the new line of Marzetti "Simply Dressed" Salad Dressings.  My goal is to only review products that I, myself, would consider buying and including in my meals.  This requires that the products are made of a relatively short list of ingredients, all of which are natural, and complement my healthy lifestyle.


I was impressed by Marzetti's commitment to produce fresh-tasting and pure flavors without preservatives, trans fats, high fructose corn syrup, or artificial flavors or colors.  Their dressings include simple ingredients such as EVOO, canola oil, and sea salt.  While this may seem to be a logical approach to salad dressings, try taking a look at the ingredient list on a host of grocery aisle salad dressings and you'll realize this "naturalness" is a rarity.  Marzetti offers many flavors which include:

  • Blue Cheese
  • Ranch
  • Caesar
  • Pomegranate
  • Balsamic
  • Coleslaw
  • Champagne
  • Strawberry Poppyseed
  • Greek Feta
  • Ginger Sesame
The dressings are available in the refrigerated section and range in price from $3.59 - $4.59 depending on your particular grocer.  To find Marzetti's Simply Dressed Salad Dressings at a store near you, visit www.marzetti.com/where-to-buy/.  They also have several recipe ideas available on their website at www.marzetti.com



In the past, I've tried the balsamic and champagne dressings, and had mixed reviews.  The balsamic was quite delicious with a strong yet smooth balsamic tang and was very similar to several of the homemade dressings I enjoy making.  The champagne dressing, however, was not nearly as impressive.  The combination of the more gelatinous texture and slightly chemically-taste just did not appeal to me.

I selected the Ginger Sesame to try for this particular review.  The scent of fresh ginger immediately caught my attention as I opened the jar.  I served it over a "kitchen sink" salad for lunch today.  The flavor was moderate and definitely gave the salad an extra punch.  It tasted exactly as I expected a oriental salad dressing to taste.  I especially liked that it wasn't overwhelmingly sweet like many dressings can be.  It would be really good as a marinade for fish or tofu, as a sauce for a stir-fry, or tossed over an Asian-themed salad.
Kitchen Sink Salad - mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumber, sprouts, carrots, bell pepper, quinoa, potatoes, peas, and carrots
Overall, I would certainly buy this particular line of salad dressings in the future.  My only complaint is the high sugar content in a few of the dressings - strawberry poppyseed and pomegranate.  I'd also like to see Marzetti add some yogurt-based dressings that would be slightly less caloric than their oil-based counterparts.

Pick up a bottle of Marzetti "Simply Dressed" salad dressings the next time you're at the grocery store and let me know what you think!

I was one of the bloggers selected by T. Marzetti Company and Clever Girls Collective to host a Marzetti Simply Dressed review. They provided me with product to test myself and compensation for my time.  However, my opinions are entirely my own.

For complete details about their line of salad dressings, visit http://www.marzetti.com/products/marzetti/salad-dressings/marzetti-simply-dressed.htm

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