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Roman’s Favorite Fat Loss-Friendly Salad Dressing

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Supercharge your salad with just 3 ingredients

I’ve been doing a lot more food prep lately, and really enjoying it, so I want to share some with you guys.

When I was in college, somehow or another I managed to get into fulltime bodybuilder mode and just shut off my taste buds.

I literally lived on grilled chicken, cottage cheese, tuna (straight out of the can), nuts, veggies, and protein powder. Whether it was a lack of culinary skill or sheer kitchen laziness, I just didn’t want to be bothered with all this “taste” bullshit.

In more recent years, I’ve broadened my horizons amd come to appreciate kitchen time as something that’s both helpful for my physique and can be a lot of fun.

But I’m no less busy than I used to be, so quick things are fun.

Here’s an example of something I can use nearly every day. (Plus a cameo from Brock!)

So, lots of good stuff in there.

Here is the recipe again, for those of you that couldn’t follow along with Master Chef Roman:

Roman’s Favorite Fat Loss-Friendly Salad Dressing

  • 1 tablespoon Pumpkin Seed Oil (can use flax seed oil, walnut oil, etc)
  • 2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 dash/pinch of Milled Flax Seeds
  • Water as needed (optional)

As I said in the video, this is vastly superior to your regular oil and vinegar recipe. Each of these ingredients has a lot of healthful and helpful properties.

Let’s break it down:

Pumpkin Seed Oil – Besides being packed with omega 3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, this healthy oil is shown to: Prevent and reduce bladder and prostate problems; lower your cholesterol and blood pressure; give you smoother and healthier-looking skin; and increase your energy levels and provide excellent antioxidant protection. Plus, it’s super  freaking tasty.

Apple Cider Vinegar – ACV is pretty amazing and has been written about in the health community a lot, so I’ll keep this brief. Having been shown to lower cholesterol and help with heart health, apple cider vinegar has also been lauded for it’s general digestive health properties.

Of greatest interest to me (and all of us fighting fat) is that ACV has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity. This is both cumulative and, according to some, acute. So while taking it consistently helps increase sensitivity over time, there is also some immediate benefit. Taking a dose/shot of ACV before any meal containing carbs has long been a practice in the bodybuilding community, as a method of more actively utilizing carbohydrates for energy.

Milled Flax Seeds – Milled Flax, like any flax seed, is a great source of omega-3s and before fish oil came around and started being the greatest fat source ever, flax was on the tip of every health nut’s tongue for decades.

Flax has been shown to decrease inflammation, improve immune function, and of course help with the oxidation of fatty acids.

In this recipe, it’s there for texture and fiber. Gives the dressing nice mouth feel and helps it coat your salad a bit more evenly. Not to mention the fiber, which, while probably not of concern if you’re eating a salad, is always a good way to add to your weight loss efforts and overall digestive health.

Quick, easy, full of healthy stuff, and delicious. What more could you want?

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Drop a comment, leave a recipe. If you guys have some you’d recommend, my next video may feature them.

About the Author

John Romaniello is a level 70 orc wizard who spends his days lifting heavy shit and his nights fighting crime. When not doing that, he serves as the Chief Bro King of the Roman Empire and Executive Editor here on RFS. You can read his articles here, and rants on Facebook.

Comments for This Entry

  • John Romaniello

    Hey Michelle, Thanks so much for the kind words! Glad you and your boyfriend are getting a lot out of the blog =)

    May 12, 2011 at 9:00 pm

  • Michelle Storm

    Wow Roman" Let me just thank you for all of your awesome fitness and nutrition advise and knowledge; my bestfriend and i truely enjoy your daily updates! Your ACV recipe is TDF" I love balsamic vinegar, so i added 1/2 tblsp. it adds a nice balsamic bite"

    May 12, 2011 at 8:50 pm

  • LosAnnegeles

    The chicken recipe with Rich was delicious! Here's another fast easy recipe using salmon: SALMON 1-3/4 to 2-lb centercut salmon, 1-1/2" thick, cut into 4 pieces Salt and pepper to taste Place sheet pan in 500-degree oven. Pat salmon dry; then rub both sides with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Reduce oven to 275 degrees. Place salmon on heated sheet pan and bake for 9 to 13 minutes (thermometer inserted into salmon should read 125 degrees when done). TANGERINE VINAIGRETTE / RELISH 4 tangarines 1 tbsp tangarine juice 1-1/2 tsp grated ginger 2 tsp lemon juice 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil 1 scallion, sliced thin Salt and pepper to taste Remove tangerine peels. Cut tangarines into segments, removing pith and seeds. Cut segments into 1/2" pieces; then drain over a bowl for 15 minutes, saving the juice. Whisk together 1 tbsp of tangarine juice, grated ginger, lemon juice, olive oil, scallion, salt, and pepper. Add the tangerines and pour over salmon.

    June 28, 2010 at 10:47 am

  • Kujo

    Originally Posted By bill gieskiengHi, Roman Concerning your salad dressing...Can't you use olive oil? Omega 9. Too much Omega 6 not so good. Forget Flax --contains two toxins and overly subject to rancidity....CHIA! that is the good one to use...Has optimum balance of 3 vs 6.. google, "runner's food" Prices vary up to rip-offs tho...google Marion Gray Chia....she is a really nice lady and offers the BEST value. Chia has a gel that slows down absorption of carbs to avoid glycemic shock....I use at least an ounce a day in my green smoothies. This is GREAT bodybuilding stuff!!! best, bill g You're supposed to store milled flax seed in the refrigerator, so that'll solve the rancidity issue. Not sure about the toxins issue with flax seed, I've only heard negative things about flax seed oil. Anyways, I love chia and milled flax seed.

    May 10, 2010 at 4:55 pm

  • Lesley

    Hi Roman, about to start the Extreme diet but cant get the recommened supplements here in Australia, have replaced them with the following Blackmores Omega Daily triple concentrate Fish Oil, vitalgreens multi vitamin powder, natures way Metabolift with green tea extract and finally Balance BCAA do you think these will be replacements. Thanks Lesley

    May 9, 2010 at 3:33 am

  • Fernando

    In Spain we use something similar. Just olive oil and vinegar. We call it "vinagreta". Very good and healthy.

    May 5, 2010 at 3:58 pm

  • Kirby

    I have used olive oil and apple cider vinegar before...but I'll look for the pumpkin oil and give it a shot!

    April 26, 2010 at 3:55 pm

  • John Romaniello

    Of course =) Let me know how you do on the program!

    April 24, 2010 at 9:02 pm

  • freddie

    thnx for the recipe. about to embark on FPFL (+overdrive) and i assume i could toss this dressing in on salads.

    April 24, 2010 at 3:58 pm

  • John Romaniello

    Originally Posted By MarieI'm with Sarah Davis here.... Why are you still single ? You've got it all ! ; ) I appreciate the compliment. Maybe I just like being single =)

    April 24, 2010 at 3:30 pm

  • Marie

    I'm with Sarah Davis here.... Why are you still single ? You've got it all ! ; )

    April 23, 2010 at 10:37 pm

  • Fred

    Thanks man, I'll check it out! This might just be the thing that pushes me over the edge from 18 year old fans to 20, haha ;-)

    April 23, 2010 at 1:24 pm

  • John Romaniello

    Fred - go to www.gravatar.com and select a picture. Then, whenever you post on any blog that has gravatars, it'll pop up!

    April 22, 2010 at 4:51 pm

  • Fredacus

    So how do we pretty boys get the shirtless avatar, one might ask?

    April 22, 2010 at 4:22 pm

  • Pats

    Sweet, i've been getting really bored with the balsamic vinegar/olive oil combo, might just give your dressing a try. I sometimes added mustard and honey but still, it gets dull after a while. Btw subway salads are considered healthy?

    April 21, 2010 at 2:41 pm

  • John Romaniello

    Originally Posted By ClementHey John, I only have evoo and apple cider vinegar so I guess I make do with it. Anyway, have you any idea how I can make my salads have that juicy, refreshing taste that subway salads (and their veggies in their subs) have? When I prepare mine to go in the morning for my lunch, it always tastes kind of dry. I usually put 1 cup of broccoli, 1/2 a carrot, 1/2 a yellow pepper, 15 cashews, 15 almonds and 1/2 a cup of spinach in it. Could it be the choice of vegetables that are giving the salad its dry texture? You just need juicier veggies there, my man! Try adding 1 tomatoes and half a cucumber, and now we're talking a juicy salad!

    April 21, 2010 at 12:13 pm

  • John Romaniello

    Originally Posted By AvrilI am already using this cos i follow Dr. Isabella Rio's diet.ACV is awesome. Sometimes i do add Garlic,black pepper and a dash of honey to the mix....Is that ok to do? Yup! Absolutely fine! I'm not sure I'd personally enjoy the taste of honey and black pepper mixed, but I'll give it a shot! Thanks =)

    April 21, 2010 at 12:12 pm

  • Clement

    Hey John, I only have evoo and apple cider vinegar so I guess I make do with it. Anyway, have you any idea how I can make my salads have that juicy, refreshing taste that subway salads (and their veggies in their subs) have? When I prepare mine to go in the morning for my lunch, it always tastes kind of dry. I usually put 1 cup of broccoli, 1/2 a carrot, 1/2 a yellow pepper, 15 cashews, 15 almonds and 1/2 a cup of spinach in it. Could it be the choice of vegetables that are giving the salad its dry texture?

    April 21, 2010 at 10:12 am

  • Avril

    I am already using this cos i follow Dr. Isabella Rio's diet.ACV is awesome. Sometimes i do add Garlic,black pepper and a dash of honey to the mix....Is that ok to do?

    April 21, 2010 at 4:49 am

  • John Romaniello

    Originally Posted By Joe CarabaseThanks for the recipe! I need a change from oil and vinegar. Honestly never heard the health benefits of pumpkin seeds until FPFL Thanks for stopping by, man. Why no shirtless gravatar for you, pretty boy?

    April 21, 2010 at 1:00 am

  • John Romaniello

    Originally Posted By DFarverGreat video! I bet this would be great on a cucumber salad. You'd be correct :)

    April 21, 2010 at 12:58 am

  • John Romaniello

    Originally Posted By Jessica (in Aussietraylia)Sounds pretty potent Roman - nothing like ACV (or some serious hot English mustard) to clear the sinuses! Another way to make salads a lot more tasty and interesting (and a nice idea for those who would prefer to avoid the dressing concept altogether) is to include fresh herbs in the leafy mix. My personal faves are chives, lemon basil, mint and coriander (aka cilantro to you North American types). I also include some freshly grated lemon/lime zest and then usually just squeeze lemon or lime wedges over the salad which gives it a great fresh flavour and that bit of wetness which can help if you're chewing your way through a mass of raw vegetable matter. If the thought of lemon or lime makes your mouth pucker then squeeze some fresh orange wedges over your salad instead. Excellent ideas..I'm a big fan of the lime, in particular. I'll try that next time. Sweet!

    April 21, 2010 at 12:57 am

  • Joe Carabase

    Thanks for the recipe! I need a change from oil and vinegar. Honestly never heard the health benefits of pumpkin seeds until FPFL

    April 21, 2010 at 12:20 am

  • John Romaniello

    Originally Posted By Ylwa But seriously, are there ant good studies out there that actually proves AVC to boost your fat loss significantly? Apart for making the usual neccessary lifestyle changes? There are not many studies which specifically say ACV is good for fat loss. Rather, there is a good number of studies that show conclusively that ACV is great for helping with insulin management. So really, it's sort of an indirect thing.

    April 20, 2010 at 10:56 pm

  • Naomi S

    I was not familiar with pumpkin seed oil. Great tip. So tired of olive oil!

    April 20, 2010 at 10:56 pm

  • John Romaniello

    Originally Posted By VBGive this a shot if you willing to taste sumin different. I use this at time: Balsamic Vinegar Honey Crushed Almonds Little Olive Oil Mix all together. Just Judge your mixture right tho. You can crush your own almonds as well. No need to buy specially crushed Almonds. Sounds tastey, and very sweet. Maybe perfect for a summer salad with some berries? I'll give it a shot. Thanks!

    April 20, 2010 at 10:54 pm

  • John Romaniello

    Originally Posted By cristobalhey, great recipe... it looks tasty, i'm trying it tonight Awesome! Let me know what you think!

    April 20, 2010 at 10:53 pm

  • John Romaniello

    Originally Posted By Mike AroneNice! My personal favorite.... 1 part balsamic vinegar 1 part EVOO (sorry Rachel Ray I'm stealing your acronym...FU) 1 minced garlic glove 1-2 tbsp of dijion mustard or spicy mustard *if you're too lazy to mince garlic...garlic powder works. Enjoy! If you'll forgive my Boston parlance in your honor, that sounds, "wicked good"

    April 20, 2010 at 10:53 pm

  • John Romaniello

    Originally Posted By ArtWhat's a noice Italian boy like you doing with anything else but great olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sure, use the ground flax seeds, but add lots of garlic (if your sleeping alone tonight) and oregano, too; with a dash of dry mustard! Haha fair enough. I'm not a dry mustard fan but I'm down with the rest. Good call, my friend.

    April 20, 2010 at 10:52 pm

  • John Romaniello

    Originally Posted By JIwoow interesting!! healthy, and it seems to bee delicious too!! hope they have this ingredients or at least the pumpkin seed oil hear in France. You can probably get it online. My local market has every conceivable oil--hempseed, sunflower seed, etc--so I will probably be experimenting more. Also, there is a site...I'll see if I can find it, where you can get a lot of great vinegars.

    April 20, 2010 at 10:51 pm

  • John Romaniello

    Originally Posted By bill gieskiengHi, Roman Concerning your salad dressing...Can't you use olive oil? Omega 9. Too much Omega 6 not so good. Forget Flax --contains two toxins and overly subject to rancidity....CHIA! that is the good one to use...Has optimum balance of 3 vs 6.. google, "runner's food" Prices vary up to rip-offs tho...google Marion Gray Chia....she is a really nice lady and offers the BEST value. Chia has a gel that slows down absorption of carbs to avoid glycemic shock....I use at least an ounce a day in my green smoothies. This is GREAT bodybuilding stuff!!! best, bill g Thanks for posting that! Great info there

    April 20, 2010 at 10:36 pm

  • Dianne

    I'm with Jessica with adding fresh herbs and zest. Also for a kick you can add a bit of dijon mustard and a mix of ACV and balsamic for a bit more flavor. I also love using avocado oil as an alternative to olive oil.

    April 20, 2010 at 9:30 pm

  • Julie

    This sounds really good, I want to try it. I just dump about 2T of good quality salsa (favorite this month is Medium Hot from Stew Leonard's) on my salad. Capital LAZY. :)

    April 20, 2010 at 8:53 pm

  • DFarver

    Great video! I bet this would be great on a cucumber salad.

    April 20, 2010 at 7:31 pm

  • Jessica (in Aussietraylia)

    Sounds pretty potent Roman - nothing like ACV (or some serious hot English mustard) to clear the sinuses! Another way to make salads a lot more tasty and interesting (and a nice idea for those who would prefer to avoid the dressing concept altogether) is to include fresh herbs in the leafy mix. My personal faves are chives, lemon basil, mint and coriander (aka cilantro to you North American types). I also include some freshly grated lemon/lime zest and then usually just squeeze lemon or lime wedges over the salad which gives it a great fresh flavour and that bit of wetness which can help if you're chewing your way through a mass of raw vegetable matter. If the thought of lemon or lime makes your mouth pucker then squeeze some fresh orange wedges over your salad instead.

    April 20, 2010 at 7:20 pm

  • Ylwa

    I'm not a dressing gal, I usually keep my salads clean. But on the other hand, I've had a lot of shitty salad dressings in my days. Maybe you'll change my mind. I on the other hand would recommend taking a shot of ACV after your dinner for efficient fat loss, if it's liquid and you're into vomiting, which I know you are. I tried the ACV-diet once when I was 19. 1 tbsp mixed out in water before dinner. It's the only thing that has made me vomit on an empty stomach in 15 years. Kinda puts you out of dinner mood as well. So I guess it works. But seriously, are there ant good studies out there that actually proves AVC to boost your fat loss significantly? Apart for making the usual neccessary lifestyle changes?

    April 20, 2010 at 6:43 pm

  • VB

    Give this a shot if you willing to taste sumin different. I use this at time: Balsamic Vinegar Honey Crushed Almonds Little Olive Oil Mix all together. Just Judge your mixture right tho. You can crush your own almonds as well. No need to buy specially crushed Almonds.

    April 20, 2010 at 6:32 pm

  • cristobal

    hey, great recipe... it looks tasty, i'm trying it tonight

    April 20, 2010 at 6:11 pm

  • Bj

    Wow i tried it 20 min ago and JESUS!!! thats some hardcore shit... just kidding lol but i love the idea to add something new to my routine :) let it coming bro Björn

    April 20, 2010 at 5:44 pm

  • Sarah Davis

    Sounds yummy! Why are you single? Your cute, buff and you can cook too!

    April 20, 2010 at 5:15 pm

  • meredith

    Chia or salba seeds have a better Omega 3 to 6 ratio - if you do ues flax, then grind right before use or they can go rancid quickly. Have to try the Apple cider vinegar, I usually use balsamic or red wine vinegars.

    April 20, 2010 at 5:06 pm

  • Rae

    Wow - this looks really good. I don't even know where to find pumpkin seed oil, but I'm sure I can find it somewhere. Can't wait to try it since salads are pretty much a daily thing for me!

    April 20, 2010 at 4:40 pm

  • Andrea P

    Here's my favourite salad dressing: same ratio as yours, but almond or hazelnut oil, and red wine vinegar. Season with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. If you like a thicker consistency, add a teaspoon of dijon mustard and/or a clove of minced garlic. Delicious!!

    April 20, 2010 at 4:31 pm

  • Mike Arone

    Nice! My personal favorite.... 1 part balsamic vinegar 1 part EVOO (sorry Rachel Ray I'm stealing your acronym...FU) 1 minced garlic glove 1-2 tbsp of dijion mustard or spicy mustard *if you're too lazy to mince garlic...garlic powder works. Enjoy!

    April 20, 2010 at 4:18 pm

  • Art

    What's a noice Italian boy like you doing with anything else but great olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sure, use the ground flax seeds, but add lots of garlic (if your sleeping alone tonight) and oregano, too; with a dash of dry mustard!

    April 20, 2010 at 3:57 pm

  • JI

    woow interesting!! healthy, and it seems to bee delicious too!! hope they have this ingredients or at least the pumpkin seed oil hear in France.

    April 20, 2010 at 3:46 pm

  • Paul

    That is pretty cool, even I can make it.Usually I'm the first to get thrown out of the kitchen because of my "awesome" culinary skills. Thanks for sharing.

    April 20, 2010 at 3:43 pm

  • bill gieskieng

    Hi, Roman Concerning your salad dressing...Can't you use olive oil? Omega 9. Too much Omega 6 not so good. Forget Flax --contains two toxins and overly subject to rancidity....CHIA! that is the good one to use...Has optimum balance of 3 vs 6.. google, "runner's food" Prices vary up to rip-offs tho...google Marion Gray Chia....she is a really nice lady and offers the BEST value. Chia has a gel that slows down absorption of carbs to avoid glycemic shock....I use at least an ounce a day in my green smoothies. This is GREAT bodybuilding stuff!!! best, bill g

    April 20, 2010 at 3:40 pm

  • Jody

    sounds great!! I'm going to make it tonight!!

    April 20, 2010 at 3:32 pm

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