Orange Oil w/Waldborg Star Date Balsamic Vinegar Dressing & Salad

When I was in New Orleans this past weekend, Michael took me to that glorious Olive Oil & Fruit Vinegar import store Vom Fass (of which I've already written).  It was extraordinarily hard to decide what kinds of fruit vinegars and olive oils to buy--there were so many flavors and I wanted them all!--but with one suggestion, I knew I could make my decision.

"We had a date vinegar and orange oil salad dressing tasting this weekend" Nick, the store representative, said.  "It was like eating candy!" I was sold.

Below is my version of Nick's recipe based off of what he said.  The dressing supposedly had a 3:2 parts ratio (3 parts orange oil with 2 parts date vinegar).  But, after making a large salad, I felt it really should have been a 1:1 ratio (i.e., 3 parts orange oil with 3 parts vinegar) to get the taste I was going for.  Make with the same oil/vinegars I use here buy ordering from the Vom Fass website, or make your own through homemade infusions for a salad dressing that is clearly delicious.

Orange Oil w/Waldborg Star Date Balsamic Vinegar Dressing & Salad
The key to making this recipe taste "like candy" is to add the olive oil and vinegar separately to the salad.  A lot of people mix and shake their oil and vinegar salad dressings beforehand, but I'm a purist.  I believe in adding the orange olive oil first and then the waldborg star date balsamic vinegar second to the salad.


Ingredients: 
* 1 large salad (4 servings), prepared (see "Fall Salad" recipe for an example recipe)
* 3 tablespoons Orange Olive Oil
* 3 tablespoons Waldborg Star Date Balsamic Vinegar
* 1 orange, zested
* 1/2 cup dates

1.) Prepare salad, and add 1/2 cup dates.

2.) Drizzle 3 tablespoons of Orange Olive Oil over the salad.

3.) Drizzle 3 tablespoons of Waldborg Star Date Balsamic Vinegar over the salad.

4.) Zest an orange over the salad.

5.) Toss to combine.

6.) Dish out servings of salad (makes 4) and serve with more freshly zested orange on top.  Enjoy!

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Whole Wheat Pasta with Asparagus Pesto

I don't make that much pasta as I often associate it with empty calories and decadent meals.  Although I consider myself a huge foodie, I'm very self-conscious of what I eat and how much I eat.  Thus, pasta is frequently one of those calorie-rich, nutrient-absent meals that most Americans gorge themselves on because it's clearly "good."  And I'm not the only one who thinks this way: Russ, a podcaster from Fat 2 Fit Radio, once said (and I paraphrase): "I don't often think of making pasta dishes because...well...they're just not that good for you."

Russ's comment was actually said in defense of a healthy pasta dish and I feel that if he had tried and read about this recipe, he too would be a believer in healthy pasta.  Here's why this pasta dish is different: whole wheat pasta instead of regular white pasta, pesto instead of white sauce, and smaller servings instead of the "eat until you're can't breathe" mentality round the dish out at about 400-450 calories max.

This dish is healthy, green (and we should strive to eat all things green!), and clearly delicious.

Whole Wheat Pasta with Asparagus Pesto
This recipe comes from nowhere in particular, but if you're looking for a recipe that combines pesto (any form) with pasta, see Elise Bauer's "Asparagus Pesto with Pasta" for an example.

Ingredients:
* 1 serving Whole Wheat Pasta, Spaghetti
* 2-3 tablespoons asparagus pesto, see recipe here (made with Vom Fass Basil Olive Oil)

1.) Begin by bringing a medium pot of water to a boil.  Season water with 1 tablespoon salt.  Remember, Italian cooks believe that good pasta should have flavor, and the way in which to get that flavor is to make pasta water taste like sea water.

2.) Add whole wheat pasta and cook until tender, but still firm (al dente).  Always tatse pasta before it's done--there's nothing worse than uncooked pasta.

3.) Remove from heat and strain.  I prefer not to give whole wheat pasta a cold water bath (frankly, it doesn't need it).

4.) Place on serving dish.

5.) Add 2-3 dollops of pesto.  Mix to integrate and enjoy! Makes 1 serving.

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Seeduction Bread w/Nutella

I will never forget the first time I encountered Nutella--I was 16, or 17 years old (quite a while ago), and my friend Dan was visiting from England.  He had brought with him a load of stuff that he worried you couldn't find in America: Nutella, Earl Grey, and a spread akin to Vegemite.  It was incredible.

Dan told me about Nutella--a hazelnut and cocoa spread rich in protein and a distant cousin to our popular peanut butter in the states.  At the time, it had a famous basketball player on it (Kobe I think) and every time I went to the grocery store, I searched for it.  Surprisingly, it was EVERYWHERE, and with the same basketball player and all.  Crazy.

Now when I eat Nutella, I think about Dan and his Atlantic Ocean food smuggling.  Little did he know, he was creating a serious fan of the hazelnut cocoa spread.  I use it on toast, mixed fruit as a low fat, but protein rich lagniappe, and have even been known to add a tablespoon or two when making icing for a cake.  It's an incredibly versatile spread if used correctly, and extraordinarily tasty.

Seeduction Bread with Nutella
This recipe is, essentially, a glorified toast and spread dish.  Make it for breakfast, or a smaller serving as a healthy and sweet snack.  I like the use of Seeduction Bread as its hardiness plays nicely with the cocoa and hazelnut.


Ingredients:
* 2 tablespoons Nutella
* 2 slices Seeduction Bread, toasted

1.) Toast bread.  Spread nutella.  Eat.  Smile.

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Edamame with Thyme

Preparing an appetizer doesn't need to be a huge process.  Chances are good that you've spent plenty of time either grocery shopping, prepping the food, cooking it, and even thinking about a big meal.  Further, although fancy appetizers and tappas are great, why prepare an appetizer that overshadows your main course? Worse, why prepare an appetizer that's so heavy (either calorically, or in composition) that you find your main course seemingly unimportant?


The solution? Edamame.  Edamame is a baby soy bean found more and more commonly on menus and restaurants these days.  Asian restaurants famously serve them in their pods as a light appetizer before eating sushi, but many times, you can find them sans pods in the freezer section of Whole Foods, or other grocery produce sections.


Prepare this dish as a light appetizer to any number of Asian or Indian cuisine meals.  Lightly toss with salt, pepper, and fresh thyme, and you'll have an appetizer that is both healthy and clearly delicious!


Edamame with Thyme
This recipe comes from nowhere in particular, but the result of cooking tons of edamame for the Curry Rice Recipe (available here).  The great thing about this dish is that you can adjust the seasonings to whatever you have available (i.e., rosemary instead of thyme, or mint instead of thyme).  Adjust seasonings to your personal preference.


Ingredients:
* 1 cup cooked edamame
* sprigs of fresh thyme, to taste
* salt and pepper, to taste


1.) Bring a small pot of water to a boil; add 1 cup edamame.


2.) Boil at medium-high heat for 5-8 minutes, or until edamame is fully cooked (soft, but still retaining a bit of crunch).


3.) Pour out edamame and water into a large strainer.   Allow to cool for a few minutes.

4.) Transfer to bowl and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and fresh thyme.  Toss to combine and serve.

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Hummus

For Jeramey's birthday party last night, we needed a fabulous appetizer to compliment the 8 layer cake, beef wellington, roasted vegetables, and potatoes au gratin.   Having recently purchased a jar of tahini as a birthday present (many thanks to Lydia!), we whipped up (rather, Jeramey whipped up, with some instruction) this fantastic batch of traditional chickpea hummus.

As many people know, chickpeas are an earthy, filling, protein-rich legume that goes great on salads and in sauces, or by themselves in a chickpea based dish.  When processed with olive oil, tahini, and garlic, you're guaranteed to have an appetizer that is a major crowd pleaser and clearly delicious!
 

Hummus
This recipe is a traditional garbanzo bean hummus recipe including tahini, garlic, parsley, and seasonings.  Use the below measurements for a large batch that is cheaper to make than a small 3 ounce container at any store.  For other hummus recipes, checkout Queen Blogtress, Elise Bauer's version here.

Ingredients:
* 2 cans garbanzo beans (15 ounces), drained
* 4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
* 2/3 cup tahini (roasted)
* 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1/2 cup water
* salt & pepper to taste
* 2-3 tablespoons parsley, chopped, to taste
* pine nuts, garnish

Special Equipment Needed:
* food processor

1.) In a food processor combine two cans of garbanzo beans, pressed, or minced garlic, olive oil, tahini, water, and seasonings.

2.) Process until smooth.

  

3.) Taste to balance the salt-pepper-parsley palette.

4.) Serve with pinenuts and parsley as a garnish and a dollop of olive oil.  Serve with pita, vegetables, or crackers.  Enjoy!

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Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

By and large asparagus is HANDS DOWN one of my favorite foods (what can I say? I like my vegetables!).  Plus, wrapping fresh asparagus with a thin layer of bacon, or prosciutto (as this recipe suggests) adds amazing flavor and texture to the asparagus.  Serve with a little olive oil, fresh pepper and salt, and you've got a dish that's easily clearly delicious. 


Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
This recipe can be adapted to any easily wrapped pork product like bacon.  Prosciutto, however, has a special texture, and smokey flavor that really works nicely with asparagus.  However, I suggest only using thinly sliced prosciutto because too much pork and you won't be able to taste that yummy asparagus!

Ingredients:
* 1 bunch of fresh asparagus, woody ends trimmed
* 4 oz of thinly sliced prosciutto
* olive oil
* Salt & Pepper to taste

1.) Preheat oven at 350F.  Wash asparagus and trim woody ends.  Line them along a clean cookie sheet.

2.) Wrap asparagus with prosciutto.

3.) Drizzle with olive oil and spread thinly over asparagus with a silicone brush, or cook's brush.  Crack fresh pepper over the asparagus and sprinkle with salt.

4.) Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender, but still retain their crunchy shape.  Enjoy!


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Alexander's Perfect Guacamole

One of my favorite foods is guacamole--that perfect mixture of avocados, tomatoes, onions, and spices to create a dip for tortillas and Mexican cuisine.

Monday night, Alexander came over for dinner with Lydia and me.  Looking for something to do in the kitchen, I quickly put him to the task of making guacamole and boy, was it delicious. Alexander used my new mortar and pestle and made this green appetizer the "way they do in Mexico." This recipe is a perfect combination of spicy, sweet, and creamy textures that make a clearly delicious treat.  Also, make the full recipe for a double batch of guac, or half the recipe for a smaller appetizer.




Alexander's Perfect Guacamole
This recipe is a traditional guacamole one consisting of avocado, tomatoes, onion, and spices.  Although it calls for a mandarin orange to sweeten the dish, feel free to use a regular naval orange if you do not have a mandarin orange on hand. 

* 5 ripe avocados, pitted and cubed
* 1/2 yellow onion, chopped fine
* 2-4 tablespoons jalapeno peppers chopped, or juice
* 2-3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
* 1-2 tablespoons lime juice
* 1 mandarin orange, juiced (half of a regular orange works here too)
* 1 teaspoon salt
* freshly grated black pepper, to taste
* 1 ripe tomato, chopped

1.) Begin by pitting the avocados and shaving the green pulp into an over-sized mortar & pestle or bowl.

2.) Chop onion, jalapenos (if using peppers and not juice), tomatoes, cilantro, and add to the bowl.

3.) Add remaining seasoning (black pepper, salt, orange juice, lime juice, and/or jalapeno juice) to bowl.  Mash ingredients until silky/smooth and no avocado lumps are left.

4.) Taste to preference and serve when Clearly Delicious!

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Spiced Nuts

Spiced Nuts.  Doesn't everyone love spiced nuts? No, this is not a "that's what she said" joke, but rather a very tasty, crunchy, candied appetizer.  I made these spiced nuts several weeks ago to compliment the appetizers at Lydia's surprise birthday party, and they were a big hit.  Once you start snacking, you just can't stop!

Plus, the recipe is incredibly easy--melt down your ingredients, stir in your nuts, spread on a cookie sheet, and bake in the oven until crispy and delicious.  And...well, that's what she said.

Spiced Nuts
This recipe is a concoction of my own desire for sugary, salty yummyness.  Although not necessarily peanut brittle (there isn't nearly enough caramel), it does have a candied crunch that sticks to many of the nuts when cooled.  Plus, most of us have these ingredients in our kitchens already, so it's easy, fast, and rather economic to make.

*1 16 oz package of pecans or walnuts
* 1 stick butter, salted
* 2 tablespoons cinnamon
* 1 tablespoon nutmeg
* 1/3 cup sugar

1.) Preheat oven to 350F.  Now, begin by melting the butter in a saucepan.  Stir in sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg, and whisk to integrate fully.
2.) Turn off heat and sprinkle in nuts.  Stir to integrate so that nuts are completely coated with sugary buttery mixture.
3.) Spread nuts over a standard, ungreased cookie sheet.
4.) Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the nuts are sizzling in the oven.  Actually, a good rule of thumb is a saying that one of my family friends always says, "The Nose Knows!"  Basically, if you can smell the nuts cooking in your house at around 10 or 15 minutes, they're done.
5.) Remove from oven when the "nose knows" and allow to cool for about five minutes.  You'll want to remove the nuts from the pan and transfer into a serving dish/tupperware while the candied coating is still warm enough to break up fairly easily.  If you let the nuts cool completely, you're gonna have some very dangerous scraping business ahead of you--although some nuts may come off pretty easily, others will be stubborn and literally GLUED to the pan.  This is not only a pain in the butt to detach, but also a great opportunity to lose your nuts...that's right...lose your nuts.  Too much scraping and sticking and before you know it, you'll have nuts flying all over the kitchen.  Unfortunately, since these nuts come in a candy-ish coating, they cannot be salvaged with the five second rule.  Otherwise, you'll have family and friends wondering why your nuts are covered in dog hair.

And on that note, did I mention that nuts in dog hair are not tasty? Also, did I mention that nuts covered in candied cinnamon are clearly delicious? Enjoy!


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