Low Fat (and delicious!) Hidden Valley Ranch

It has been far too long! But here it is: My recipe for a Low Fat (but still delicious) Hidden Valley Ranch.

What is it about Hidden Valley Ranch that makes it taste so good? I have  no idea their secret and I have given up on making a completely from scratch version as they've never turned out right. I have however found a lower fat version that tastes very good. Yes I know Hidden Valley makes a low fat version of their ranch that is nutritionally "better" than this recipe but I this recipe actually tastes good. 

First the Ingredients: 1 Packet Hidden Valley Ranch. 5 ounces 0% Fat Greek (or normal) Yogurt, 1/4 cup Light Mayonnaise, 1/4 cup Light Sour Cream, and 3/4 cup Skim Milk.

Dump the Yogurt, Mayonnaise and Sour Cream into a bowl. Then add the packet of Hidden Valley Ranch mix and stir until combined.

Add in the milk and start stirring. Don't be alarmed if it looks lumpy and like soupy cottage cheese as pictured below. Just keep stirring. 

After a few minutes the dressing will come together. It's a little thin at this point but will firm up after an hour in the fridge. 

The Original Hidden Valley Ranch                           My Low Fat Version
Serving: 2 TBL                                                          Serving: 2 TBL
Calories: 140                                                              Calories: 26
Fat: 14                                                                        Fat: 1.5
Carbs: 2                                                                      Carbs: 2
Protein: 1                                                                    Protein: 2

Yes: You can make this recipe with just the 0% Greek yogurt and Skim milk, however going back to taste- for me this is the perfect balance.

Ham (or Chicken, or Beef) Stock

The meal is over, you've carved the excess meat off the bone and packaged it away and now you're about to take the remains to the trash.

STOP!

You're holding a flavorful treasure in your hands. If you don't have time that night wrap the bones up for the next day. It takes a while to cook but there's practically zero prep time and it's very low maintenance. 

What am I talking about? Stock of course! Oh you don't think you'd ever use it? Do you make mashed potatoes? Rice? Casseroles? Soups? Sauces? Packaged seasoned noodles? If you answered "yes" to any of these then you WILL use your stock. 

If you didn't answer "yes" to any of them I guess you eat a lot of fried eggs and sandwiches. In which case it's time to branch out and try new things. 

The "recipe":

Bones

Water

1. Put the bones into a pot

2. Add water until the bones are barely covered

3. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat a simmer for 2 hours. 

4. Remove from heat, Remove bones. Let cool to room temperature and store until needed. 

Wasn't that hard? 

If you'd like to add salt, pepper, herbs, feel free to do so. Unless I have a specific meal in mind I like to keep my stock neutral so that it can work in any dish. 

Storing options: This can be frozen or put in the refrigerator. My method of storing is to put them in an ice cube tray- let it freeze- then package the cubes in a gallon size freezer bag.

My ice cube trays hold 1 ounce per cube so when adding to recipes it takes just a moment of math to drop the right amount of cubes in.

At first you might forget it's there, even I'm guilty of pouring in water instead of the stock, but soon it will be second nature.

You might think it a small saving when you could purchase a can for $0.50 cents, but this gives you complete control and you know exactly what is in your stock and how fresh it is. Plus it's literally as simple as boiling water. Try it out. I promise your everyday dishes will have a little something extra in flavor and you'll be more satisfied as a result.