With Thanksgiving right around the corner, many of you many have begun planning the big menu which usually includes an abundance of side dishes. Roasted carrots and parsnips are often overlooked but by adding good quality lemon olive oil and fresh mint leaves youāll have a revival worth serving at the big feast! Continue reading “Roasted Carrots and Parsnips with Lemon Olive Oil and Mint”
Mexican rice is usually cooked pilaf-style which includes sautĆ©ing the rice grains in oil first, adding garlic, tomatoes, onions and chiles, then simmering in a broth on the stove top until done (being extra careful to not let it burn or clump into mush). The folks at Cooks Illustrated, who provided the inspiration for this recipe, came up with this easier method of finishing the dish in the oven to prevent scorching and to basically make the process fool proof. Continue reading “Baked Mexican Rice with Cilantro and Roasted Onion Olive Oil”
We love when our customers share their favorite creations and let us pass on good ideas for healthy, tasty dishes. Kelly emailed this idea to us, we tried it, and itās a winner. The pears are roasted in a light coating of olive oil but thatās it for the oil. Pineapple balsamic vinegar is all she used as the dressing to finish the salad – surprisingly tasty. Continue reading “Roasted Pears and Gorgonzola Salad with Pineapple Balsamic Vinegar”
Couldnāt we all use a timesaving recipe that doesnāt sacrifice on flavor? Typically baked ziti involves one pot to boil the pasta, one pot to make the sauce and finally a third pan to combine the two and bake it in the oven. What if we said we could do all of it in just one skillet ā and in about 30 minutes?Ā Continue reading “Quick and Easy Skillet Baked Ziti with Vodka-Cream Sauce and Tuscan Herb Olive Oil”
People raised on diets that daily include extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) have lower rates of most chronic diseases, such as less heart disease, cancers, arthritis, and type 2 diabetes. EVOO has been shown to decrease a number of risk factors for chronic diseases. Some of the risk factors improved with olive oil are:
Oxidation. Excessive oxidation increases the risk of heart disease, cancer, and general aging. Oxidation is encouraged with the main type of fat found in vegetable oils (polyunsaturated fat). EVOO is rich in monounsaturated fat, which does not oxidize. EVOO also contains a number of phenols that are antioxidants, which lower oxidation. EVOO with a high phenolic content has been shown to decrease LDL oxidation (1), which lowers the risk of heart disease. Oxidation of DNA can initiate cancers and EVOO with a high phenolic content will decrease DNA oxidation (2).
Blood levels of fasting insulin and glucose. Higher blood levels of both insulin and glucose have been related to an increased risk of heart disease and several cancers. Two tablespoons of EVOO a day was shown to decrease blood levels of glucose and insulin (3). Besides decreasing your risk of heart disease and cancer, EVOO would also improve blood glucose control for diabetics.
Blood pressure. Two to 3 tablespoons of EVOO a day has been shown to lower blood pressure (4). EVOO with a higher phenol content lower systolic blood pressure in men compared to a lower phenol content oil (5).
Inflammation. High levels of inflammation (measured in the blood) that occur with a disease, like heart disease or cancer, have been related to a less favorable outcome. Oleocanthal, found in some EVoo and is responsible for the āburningā sensation when swallowed, is a natural anti-inflammatory agent (6). It works like ibuprofen does to limit the production of inflammatory compounds in the body.
Blood coagulation. blood that is too clotty will increase your risk of heart disease and cerebral vascular accidents (strokes). EVoo high in phenols has been shown to decrease blood from clotting (7).
Body weight. I have found that people express concern that āolive oil is a fatā, when I recommend that they use more EVOO. However, patients who use EVOO as part of a weight loss program lose weight better than on a low-fat diet (8). Studies have hown that people who use EVOO as their main diet fat also tend to have a lower body weight (9) and gain less weight over time (10). A meal that contains fat leads to satiety, meaning you are satisfied from eating the meal so you stop eating; it also means that it will take longer for you to get hungry for your next meal.
The health benefits of EVOO start at about 2 tablespoons a day and many studies show that the benefits increase with higher intakes. I recommend that EVOO is used mainly to prepare vegetables using 1 tablespoon of EVoo per cup of vegetables.
Not all EVOO sold in the US that is labeled āextra virginā is truly extra virgin. For extensive information on olive oil, please consult: www.truthinoliveoil.com. This website, by Tom Mueller who wrote the book, Extra Virginity (2012), which is a must-read for anyone who is interested in olive oil, provides extensive information on how to find out if an olive oil is authentically extra virgin and where to buy it.
A popular dish in parts of central Italy, panzanella is a Tuscan salad typically consisting of tomatoes, bread, onions and sometimes basil drenched in a nice vinaigrette of good quality olive oil and vinegar. Ina Garten put a Greek twist to her panzanella recipe by adding feta cheese, cucumbers and Kalamata olives. We further tweaked it, using our basil infused olive oil and our red wine vinegar, and the result was outstanding. Not a lot of effort or technique required in the kitchen and it easily serves a party of 8 as a side dish or 5-6 for a healthy main course at lunch. Experiment (did someone say jalapenos?) and let us know how it turns out!
Cut rustic bread into Ā¾-inch cubes. Set aside.
Heat the 3 tablespoons of basil olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the 6 cups of bread cubes, Ā½ teaspoon of kosher salt and Ā¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Stir together lightly to coat evenly and cook until nicely browned, tossing frequently, for about 5-10 minutes. Add more olive oil as needed.
While the bread cubes are browning, prepare the vegetables. Seed and remove ribs from the yellow and red peppers. Dice peppers to about 1-inch pieces. Thinly slice the red onion into quarter-round slices. Cut the cucumber in half crosswise then again lengthwise. Take each quarter of the cucumber and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Chop cucumbers into about Ā¼-inch slices. Halve the tomatoes and mince or press the garlic cloves.
To a large salad bowl, add the diced red and yellow peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers and sliced red onions.
For the vinaigrette, pour the Ā¼ cup red wine vinegar into a small bowl. Add the 1 teaspoon dried oregano, Ā½ teaspoon Dijon mustard, 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and Ā½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Whisk together well. Slowly add the Ā½ cup basil olive oil in a steady stream while whisking to make an emulsion.
Add the Ā½ cup Kalamata olives, Ā¾ cup crumbled feta cheese, the vinaigrette, and the browned bread cubes. Lightly toss to combine well and let the salad sit for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to develop. Add any salt and pepper to taste and serve at room temperature! Enjoy!
Have a comment? Weād love to hear from you. Have you tried this dish? Do you have a variation that you think others will enjoy? Leave us a comment below (providing your email address is not necessary).
Sometimes we have more vegetables in our refrigerator than we know what to do with. This recipe is perfect for cleaning out the fridge and making great use of the vegetables that have been overlooked. We modified an Ina Gartenās Roasted Vegetable Frittata recipe to create this delicious meal, which could be used for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. Continue reading “Roasted Vegetable Frittata with Garlic Olive Oil”
Hereās another great suggestion from Jim at the store who happens to be our Disney aficionado. Narcoosseeās, an exquisite waterfront pavilion at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, published a shrimp scampi recipe that involves combining eight different ingredients with olive oil in order to make a harissa paste. By replacing our own harissa infused olive oil as the base of the sauce we were able to save time and drastically reduce the list of ingredients. The tangerine balsamic also gives this dish a fresh citrus note. Of course, we went back to the Carolina Fish Market for the freshest shrimp in the region. Their new store in the South Park area will open soon – very convenient! As an appetizer or an entrĆ©e youāll enjoy the spicy kick from this shrimp dish and you may even venture out trying this harissa and tangerine combination with other seafood. Let us know what you discover!
Rinse shrimp and pat dry. One of the tradeoffs to getting the freshest shrimp (which is well worth it) is peeling and deveining them. There are several opinions on how to prepare fresh shrimp. Some chefs prefer to cook the shrimp with the shells on and remove them afterwards; they feel the flavor stays within the shells while the shrimp cooks. Others remove the shells beforehand to make it easier. There are also personal preferences to leaving the tails on or off the shrimp when cooking and serving. Some even find deveining shrimp optional however keep in mind, for larger shrimp not only is it unappealing to the eye but the āveinā is actually the digestive tract of the shrimp which could contain a lot of grit. Another alternative is to buy frozen shrimp already peeled and deveined. It costs a bit more and isnāt fresh but the advantage to this option is the savings in time.
We chose to peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Deveining shrimp involves making a shallow slit down the back and fishing out the āveinā. If you choose to peel and devein your shrimp, you may find this short video from epicurious.com to be helpful.
Heat the 1 tablespoon of butter and 1/3 cup of harissa EVOO into a skillet or sautƩ pan until just shimmering. Toss in the prepared shrimp and sprinkle with the 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. SautƩ until the shrimp begin to firm up, turn pink and slightly opaque, about 3 minutes.
Remove from heat and drizzle 2-3 tablespoons of tangerine balsamic over the shrimp. Mix well to combine with the sauce and season with more salt to taste. Thatās it!
Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve immediately as an appetizer or with rice, pasta or couscous as an entrƩe. Enjoy!
Have a comment? Weād love to hear from you. Have you tried this dish? Do you have a variation that you think others will enjoy? Leave us a comment below (providing your email address is not necessary).
Yellow squash and mint are abundant in the last weeks of summer and into early fall. Thatās why this couscous salad is a perfect healthy dish for the Labor Day weekend gathering or football tailgating. We adapted this recipe by Marcia Kiesel from Oprah magazine but reduced a few ingredients by using our infused products. Grilling the squash in garlic oil adds a savory element and the jalapeƱo vinegar gives a little zing to the bright flavor of mint. The green herbs and arugula let you say goodbye to summer while the yellow squash reminds you that in only a few weeks, the leaves will be turning color. You can easily whip this up in under 30 minutes!
Place the 1 cup of uncooked couscous into a heatproof bowl or saucepan with a fitted lid. Pour 1Ā½ cups of boiling water over the couscous and stir to combine. Immediately cover with lid and let cook for 5 minutes.
After the five minutes of rest, fluff the couscous with a fork and leave uncovered to cool. We recommend setting a timer for the 5 minutes so you fluff the couscous at the right time. Once we let it sit too long without fluffing and the couscous stuck together and was too gummy and chunky.
While the couscous is cooking, prepare the dressing. To a medium bowl, add the Ā¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons of garlic olive oil, Ā¼ cup of jalapeno balsamic vinegar, Ā¼ cup chopped mint, Ā½ teaspoon of salt and Ā¼ teaspoon of freshly ground pepper (adjust according to taste). Whisk well.
Add the dressing to the couscous and stir well. Set aside.
Slice the squash in half crosswise and then cut each half into Ā½-inch slices (see photo above).
Drizzle the sliced squash with the garlic olive oil and season well with salt.
Place the seasoned slices of squash on your grill outside or on a grill pan atop the stove. Grill for about 3 minutes per side or until well charred.
Chop the grilled slices of squash into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
To a large mixing bowl, add the seasoned couscous, coarsely chopped arugula, chopped grilled squash, crumbled feta cheese and sliced scallions.
Toss well and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Enjoy!
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
Have a comment? Weād love to hear from you. Have you tried this dish? Do you have a variation that you think others will enjoy? Leave us a comment below (providing your email address is not necessary).
Home gardens and farmers markets are abundant with zucchini and carrots this time of year. One great way to put these versatile vegetables to use is to make gingerbread! This tasty treat is great for dessert or an after school snack ā and your house will be filled with the scent of early autumn. We used our roasted walnut oil for a subtle nutty flavor and skipped the butter. Continue reading “Zucchini and Carrot Gingerbread Cake with Roasted Walnut Oil”
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