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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Portobello Veggie Burger w/Sprouts & Grey Poupon

I like some weird foods.  I also like really healthy foods.  Liking really healthy foods AND really weird foods make for the strangest--albeit delicious--of combinations.  This recipe is just one of those hybrids--it combines my love for low-calorie lunches with extremely fresh, but healthy veggie ingredients: portobello mushroom caps, sprouts, and black bean veggie burgers.  Soooo clearly delicious.

Yet, what's unique (and somewhat showy) about this recipe is that the oversized portobello mushroom caps are not only one of the main ingredients, but also act as buns to this veggie burger treat.

Portobello Veggie Burger w/Sprouts & Grey Poupon
This recipe originated with an episode of the Biggest Loser with chef Curtis Stone.  Stone created these veggie delights as a way of cutting carbs and replacing their absence with flavorful nutrients.  If the original recipe from Stone is followed exactly (you can find it here), one will only be eating 280 calories per serving! Can you believe that? 280 calories? Good Golly.  You could eat 2 of these and bottom out with the amount of calories in 1 regular meat-lovin' burger.  Seesh.

My recipe is a little different.  Although it does not call for the sauce Stone makes (a delicious creamy chive sauce worth trying with a direct link above), it calls for a more intuitive preparation--make a veggie burger the way you always would make it and replace the buns with portabella mushrooms.  

Ingredients:
* 2 large portobello mushroom caps
* 1 black bean veggie burger (I use Morning Star Farms, but feel free to use Boca Burgers, or other veggie burger)
* 1-2 tablespoons grey poupon
* 1 small handful sprouts
* 1 slice cheddar cheese
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* salt and pepper to taste

Special Equipment Needed:
Foreman Grill

1.) Begin by preparing the portobello mushroom caps: wash mushrooms, remove stems, and rub with olive oil and fresh pepper and salt to taste.

2.) Grill portobello caps on a Foreman Grill.  Mushrooms will be done when they've flattened in size and released their natural juices--the grilling process forces mushrooms to push their natural moistness to the outside skin.  It's delicious.

3.) Grill second mushroom cap.  Once both mushroom caps are done, add veggie burger to grill and grill.

4.) Now, create the sandwich: add cheese to one mushroom cap (flat side/underside), and spread other mushroom cap with 1-2 tablespoons of Grey Poupon.  Sprinkle with a small handful of sprouts, and press sandwich together.  Makes 1 serving.

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