So yesterday I made my own Ranch dressing. I’m sort of embarrassed to admit that I have never done this before. It seems like such a basic foodie thing to do — make your own Ranch. But I’m more of a vinaigrette kind of girl, which you can check out here, so this was indeed a first for me.

The biggest difference between my dressing and others is that instead of mayo, sour cream, and buttermilk (roughly 540 calories for half a cup of a typical recipe), I use nothing but Greek yogurt and a little whole milk for thinning (about 100 calories for that same half of a cup). Fewer calories, less fat, and a boost of protein = YES.

Making it was super easy, and I totally winged it (wung it? wang it? Fun with words, LOL.) What does that mean? I didn’t measure anything. I just dumped how much I wanted into a bowl and seasoned it ’til it tasted right. I encourage the same for you. But, if you’re jonesing for some real measurements, I’ll do my best to accommodate…

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Homemade Ranch Dressing

• ½ cup Greek yogurt
• 2-4 tablespoons whole milk, depending on desired consistency
• ½ teaspoon each of: onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper
• 1 tablespoon each of: freshly chopped parsley and chives
• 1-3 tablespoons lemon juice, preferably fresh

Whisk together yogurt, milk, and spices until smooth. Add lemon juice and and whisk again. Tweak as needed to gain desired flavor and consistency.

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I put this on a salad made of arugula, grilled chicken, turkey bacon, and red and green peppers. So amazing. I also used some with dinner for dipping jalapeño poppers. The first thing The Man said was “It’s definitely Ranch flavored, but it’s not as heavy.” Bingo! Mission accomplished.