Mediterranean Chickpea Salad Recipe and Berio® Extra Virgin Olive Oil Review

As a BzzAgent, I was given the chance to try out Filippo Berio^® Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  I'm a big olive oil fan for the nutritional benefits and versatility.

Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a great product because in addition to being a 100% natural product with a neutral taste that can be used in most recipes, it also touts these benefits:

• Is high in monounsaturated fats (also known as "good fat")
• Contains no trans fat or cholesterol
• Contains no sugar, salt, or gluten
• Can help reduce the risk of heart disease, as well as help control blood pressure and blood sugar levels

I use olive oil in most recipes that aren't cooked at high heat.  While I haven't used olive oil in baking very often, this conversion chart on Filippo's site will make it easier in the future.

The first recipe in which I used the Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil was Mediterranean Chickpea Salad that I made for a co-worker's Mediterranean-themed wedding potluck.  I loved it so much that I made it again a week later for a Memorial Weekend picnic!  The recipe came from a combination of chickpea salad recipes that I found online. This recipes serves 10-12, depending on serving size.  Leftovers are good and it can be eaten cold, room temperature, or warm.

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

• 3 cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 pouch sundried tomatoes, julienned or chopped
• 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 red onion, chopped (more if you love red onion)
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 3 tbsp fresh cilantro (chopped), I used 6-7 frozen cilantro cubes from Trader Joes
• 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsps lemon juice
• pinch of thyme
• salt and pepper, to taste

In a bowl, mix the garbanzo beans, sun-dried tomatoes, feta cheese, onion, garlic, and cilantro. In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, and salt, pour over the salad, and stir. Refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving for flavors to blend.

This recipe is pretty adjustable - whip up more dressing if you'd like it more moist or squeeze some fresh lemon over it for extra zest.   


This was a big hit at work and the party - Lo even liked it and it isn't usually a fan of "salad"-type things like this.

Salmon with Cilantro Pesto and Lentil Salad

We picked up some nice salmon filets when they were on sale at Giant Eagle last week and decided to make them the next day.  I didn't really have a plan for them and forgot to have Lo soak cedar planks to grill them on.  He didn't want to grill the salmon without the planks because fish is so much more delicate to work with on the grill.  We had some asparagus for him to grill, plus some thawed chicken breasts for a future meal, so we decided to cook the salmon in a cast iron pan and the rest on the grill.  I'd been craving lentils and decided I wanted to make a quick lentil salad to go along with the rest of the meal.  I remembered that I had some cilantro pesto in the freezer from a few months ago and decided that it would be the perfect topping for the salmon, so I pulled it out and defrosted it in the microwave - good choice!  It sounds like a lot going on, but it came together so quickly - especially with him on the grill and me in the kitchen. 

The salmon was just cooked very simply in the cast iron pan.  I seasoned the salmon with salt and pepper and heated coconut oil in the pan until it was hot.  I placed the salmon in the skillet skin side up and cooked for 5-7 minutes until it was done almost halfway through and released easily from the pan.  If you try to flip fish and it is sticking to the skillet, it probably isn't ready to be flipped.  Once flipped I kept cooking until it was just barely still pink in the middle and removed it from the pan.  I topped it with the cilantro pesto right before serving.  As far as the asparagus goes, just spray it with some oil and cook it on the grill - salt and pepper is all you need!

I looked around for a cilantro pesto a few months ago when I had a bunch of cilantro from a produce delivery that I didn't want to go to waste.  I didn't find a perfect recipe, so I just combined several. 

Cilantro Pesto

2 cups cilantro leaves, long stems removed
1 large clove of garlic (2 if you hate vampires)
1/4 cup chopped red onion (or less)
1/3 cup pine nuts (can use other nuts instead; almonds, walnuts, pecans)
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper
1/4 cup fresh parmesean blend or other hard cheese
favorite seasoning (I likely used some crushed red pepper, but don't remember exactly)

Chop nuts in food processor.  Add cilantro, garlic, and onion and continue to process.  Slowly add oil until you get your preferred texture.  Add seasoning and cheese and process lightly or stir to combine.  Freeze leftover pesto so you can use it last minute for a future meal like I did!

Salmon with Cilantro Pesto

 
Lentil Salad

1 cup dried lentils
chopped or sliced onions
shredded carrots
balsamic vinegar
gorgonzola or other tasty cheese
favorite seasonings
balsamic dressing, if desired

Add lentils to saucepan and cover with 2-3 inches of water.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15-20 minutes until cooked, but not mushy.  If there is extra water in the pan once the lentils are done, strain it out and put lentils back in pan or in a serving dish. 

Meanwhile, spray skillet with nonstick spray or oil and add onions when the pan is hot.  Cook onions until they are caramelized, about 10-15 minutes, adding a little water here and there when the skillet starts to get dry.  You can also add a pinch of sugar if you prefer your onions slightly sweet.  Once onions are almost done, pour a healthy glug of balsamic vinegar in the pan so the onions can soak it up.  I added the shredded carrots at this time so they would be slightly cooked, but still have a nice crunch for contrast.  Once the onions and carrots are cooked to your preference, add them to the cooked lentils.  Add another splash of balsamic vinegar - or add some balsamic dressing if you prefer - and sprinkle with cheese. 

These lentils are good whether they are hot, cold, or room temperature.  You can customize these so much and add whatever spices or veggies that you have - I was just trying to keep it quick and simple.  Double it if you want lots of leftovers!

This was a really simple meal that could mostly be made ahead of time - or pulled together in about 25 minutes. 

Easter 2011

For the last few years, we've stayed home on Easter. Traffic on Sunday night is so terrible (especially coming from my parent's in NE Ohio). The first year we did this, we went to Betty's for Easter lunch/dinner because they had adorable peep martinis.

Last year we went to Dirty Franks Hot Dog Palace for brunch because we'd been dying to try it (it was delicious!).  We made an awesome dinner later that night that wasn't exactly "Easter" standard - except for the carrots!

Hawaiian Teriyaki Burgers

Makes 4 burgers

1 pound ground sirloin

1/2 cup red onions, finely chopped

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/3 cup Bread Crumbs or Crushed Tortilla Chips (use chips for gluten-free)

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

3/4 teaspoon chipotle spice rub (use your favorite)

1 1/2 Tablespoons spicy brown mustard

3 tablespoons Spicy Hawaiian Marinade (from World Market) or Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce (or choice of sauce)

vegetable oil, for brushing the grill rack

4 hamburger buns or sandwich thins (or nothing if gluten-free)

6 fresh pineapple rings, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

Preheat a gas grill to medium-high. Combine the sirloin, onion, egg, bread crumbs, garlic, pepper, spice rub, mustard, and sauce in a large bowl. Mix until combined. Divide mixture into 4 equal portions and form patties, slightly larger than bun size.

When grill is ready, brush grill rack with oil. Place patties on rack, cover, and cook, turning once, until done (165‘F), about 7 minutes on each side. Grill pineapple rings after turning burgers, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. During the last few minutes of cooking, place buns, cut side down, on outer edges of rack to toast lightly.

To assemble burgers, on each roll bottom, place a burger and a grilled pineapple ring. Brush bun tops with sauce, sprinkle with ½ tbsp of cilantro and serve.

Fingerling Potatoes Braised with Pepper and Paprika
Adapted from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen

olive oil spray
½ cup minced red onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 pounds fingerling potatoes or small red potatoes
2 ½ cups vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons corn starch

½ cup cold water
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves (optional)

Wash the potatoes and cut potatoes in half, except smaller or thin potatoes, which can be left whole.

Spray a pan lightly with olive oil. Over medium-high heat, sauté the red onion for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the tomato paste, spices, and potatoes and toss to coat. Stir in the vegetable broth, add salt to taste, and cover. Cook on low for about 25 – 30 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Remove the cover and increase the heat. Cook, stirring regularly, until the broth has cooked down to about half. Remove the potatoes to a serving bowl with a slotted spoon. Stir corn starch into the cold water until smooth and add to the sauce. Stir and continue cooking until thickened to desired level. Add the oregano and pour over the potatoes to coat with sauce.

Grilled Carrots with Carrot Greens Pesto(makes 4 servings)

1 bunch carrots with greens attached
1 large clove garlic
about 1/2 cup and 1-2 tablespoons good extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup pine nuts (optional)

1/4 cup parmesean cheese or parm-romano blend

Favorite spices – I used a chipotle blend, to taste

Snip the carrots from the greens leaving about 1/2-1 inch of the stem on the root. Set carrots aside. Remove any long stems and wilted leaves from the leafy greens. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and boil the greens for about 1 minute. Drain for 5 minutes. Coarsely chop the garlic clove and the greens, and transfer to a food processor as well as salt, pepper, the 1/2 cup of olive oil and pine nuts and cheese. Pulse for a few seconds, stopping to scrape down mixture with a spatula as needed, until well blended. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper and other spices, as desired.

Cut carrots lengthwise so that they’re about equal in size and thickness. Drizzle with olive oil just to coat and season with salt and pepper. Grill carrots on a grill heated to medium-high (or cook on cast-ron pan on stovetop). Let cook for 1-2 minutes, or until charred marks form on the underside, and flip. Cook another 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally, until each side is slightly charred and remove from heat. Serve with the pesto.

And of course, we had Easter Banana Peanut Butter Cupcakes!

Crispy Oven Fries

Crispy Oven Fries

I prefer to make fries from potatoes rather than buy frozen french fries (though to be honest, I have those in the freezer at any given point).  The hardest thing about make oven fries is getting them crispy without burning them.  I finally figured it out!  Actually, Emeril figured it out...  By the way - this works for sweet potatoes too!

Crispy Oven Fries

• cooking spray or oil
• 2 large baking potatoes, scrubbed, about 1 1/2 pounds
• 1 large egg white
• preferred seasonings (I used Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute, Garlic and Red Pepper seasoning, salt and pepper)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and grease or spray a large non-stick baking sheet.  Pat the potatoes dry and slice lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Turn each slice flat and slice again lengthwise into even fries, 1/2-inch thick. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the egg white until very light and foamy. Add the potatoes and your preferred seasonings to the egg whites and toss to coat evenly.

Crispy Sweet Potato Fries

Spread the coated potatoes on the prepared baking sheet, not touching. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy; halfway through the cooking time, with a spatula, scrape the potatoes from the baking sheet and turn. Carefully remove with a spatula to a large serving plate, or individual plates. Serve immediately.

Pulled Pork Lettuce Wraps

I threw this dinner together one night with leftovers and it was so good.  The last time I made a pork loin, I cooked it in the crockpot and then shredded it and froze most of it.  A few weeks ago I pulled some out for a quick meal.  For the sauce, I used 1/2 bbq sauce and 1/2 homemade huli huli sauce (leftover from another night, recipe below).  I topped it with Spicy Slaw, pineapple chunks, and ate mine wrapped in lettuce leaves Lo had his on leftover hot dog buns.


Pulled Pork

pork roast or pork loin, trimmed of extra fat
1/4 cup water
liquid smoke, if you have it
spice rub of your choice or just a few shakes of seasonings

Add pork to crock, pour water in the bottom, drizzle with a few shakes of liquid smoke, and spread spices on meat.  Cook 8 hours on low or 4-5 on high, until meat shreds easily.

Spicy Slaw

1 head of cabbage (or packaged slaw mix), shredded or cut as thin as you can
handful of shredded carrots
1 tablespoon of GF soy sauce or tamari
2 tablespoons of seasoned rice wine vinegar
salt and pepper
squirt of sriracha sauce or a few shakes of red pepper flakes

Homemade Huli Huli Sauce

1/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup gluten free soy sauce or tamari
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons sherry or pineapple juice
1 piece ginger root (about an inch), crushed
1 clove garlic, crushed
squirt of sriracha sauce or shakes of red pepper flakes


Combine ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar, sherry, ginger root, and garlic. Stir well.

Chard with Bacon and Apple

Chard with Bacon and Apple -  before cooking

I had lots of apples left from our trip to Lynd's Fruit Farm in the late fall and they were starting to get a little soft, so I wanted to use them up by cooking with some of them.  I had pinned this recipe from Whole Foods for Chard with Bacon and Apple, and I had chard and bacon, so I thought it would be perfect.  I added a few things to the original recipe to give it some more flavor, and we both really liked it.  I have to admit that I totally expected to be eating this by myself - I didn't think Lo would be into it because of the apples (he liked apples, but he's weird about fruit in things - turns out bacon has more influence than apples.

Chard with Bacon and Apple - cooked

Chard with Apple and Bacon

3 slices bacon, diced
1 small yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
1-2 apples, cored and diced (I used Goldrush)
1 bunch organic chard, well rinsed (I used rainbow chard)

Glug of balsamic vinegar

A few shakes of crushed red pepper
Sea salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

Place a large skillet over medium heat. I find the easiest way to dice bacon is using a pair of kitchen shears.  Stack the bacon, cut lengthwise, and then cut crosswise into little pieces.  Add bacon to skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 5-7 minutes. Remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside on a paper towel. If there is a bunch of oil in pan, pour a little bit out or blot some carefully with a crumpled paper towel.  Add onion to the pan and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in apples.

Meanwhile, cut off the stems of the chard and slice them thinly.  Add the stems to the skillet and stir.  Chop the leaves. Stir leaves into the skillet along with the bacon, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper. Pour in 2 tablespoons water; cover the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until chard is tender, about 6 more minutes. Add glug of balsamic vinegar and stir, uncovered for 1-2 minutes.  Serve! 

To be honest, I have no idea what we ate this with.  Not a clue and it was only a week or two ago. 

Fast Dinner!

I went to yoga at Arena District Athletic Club on Thursday after work (I have a pass with free classes), so I wanted to make a simple dinner.  We had some Apple and Gouda Chicken Sausages in the fridge from Costco and I had a sweet potato that I want to use up.  Lo doesn't love sweet potatoes, but if I make them spicy, he likes them well enough.  So when I found the Crash Hot Sweet Potato recipe on Pinterest, I thought it would be a winner.  We also had baked beans with Apple Cinnamon BBQ Sauce because I love them with that sauce (we get it at North Market). Basically you just drain a can of vegetarian baked beans (don't rinse- just drain most of the sauce off from the can) and then add your preferred amount of apple cinnamon BBQ sauce.  I'm going to try to make some of the sauce - it's worth $5 a bottle because it's so good, but I'd prefer to be able to make it.  What I do love about it, is that all of the ingredients are very natural (which will also make it easier to copy).

My sweet potatoes didn't turn out nearly as pretty, but I think I should have sliced them a little thinner, or boiled them a little longer before smashing because a couple broke apart.  Either way, they tasted so good, so I don't really care what they looked like.  Lo used the extras in breakfast on Sunday underneath some eggs topped with sausage gravy.  It was awesome.

Crash Hot Sweet Potatoes

 

I really should start to take pictures with a real camera instead of my iphone.  I don't have a fancy camera, but they would be a little clearer.  

Balsamic Autumn Salad Redo

I posted about making this Balsamic Autumn Salad last week, but upon eating leftovers, I realized there are a few changes that I’d make. The main problem that I had is that there was almost too much liquid - or that the liquid is too runny. Even though everything was coated and I even used 2 apples, there was a ton of sauce in the bottom of the bowl in which it is stored and when you scoop it out. I love balsamic, so I didn’t want to strain out the dressing when I went to eat it, but sometimes when I’d stabbed a green bean or potato with my fork, the liquid would splash out, or at least drip enroute to my mouth. I realized that there is a really simple solution….reduce the sauce! By reduce, I don’t mean cut down on – I mean reduce it on the stove so it becomes thicker and sticks to the veggies and is less drippy. Here are the changes that I will make next time:

Balsamic Autumn Salad
 
1 lb. green beans
1 large sweet potato, cut into chunks 
1-2 large apples, cut into chunks
1T olive oil 
¼ cup sunflower seeds (I didn’t use these this time, but if I have them next time, I will)
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
½ T honey (when balsamic is reduced, it sweetens, so I’ll cut back)
1t salt
½ T fresh rosemary (if using dry, only 3/4 t.)

1. Snap stem ends off green beans if desired. In a medium/large pot, fully submerge the green beans in water and bring to a rolling boil. Boil for 10-12 minutes or until your beans soften. Strain. Set aside.
2. While beans are boiling, start your dressing in a small saucepan. Mix together honey, balsamic vinegar, salt, and rosemary and turn heat to medium-high. When it just starting boiling, reduce heat and let simmer for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. You can decide how thick you want it, but remove it from the heat before it gets to that point because it will thicken more when removed from the heat. You will obviously have less sauce, but it will stick to the veggies better.
3. In a large skillet, saute sweet potato and apple in 1T olive oil until they turn golden and begin to soften.
4. Mix together drained beans, sautéed sweet potato and apples in a serving bowl (or storage container) and pour the dressing on top. Stir in sunflower seeds. Serve cold or slightly warm.

Next time I make this, I’ll post the results!  Let me know if you try it!

There’s Fungus Among Us

Mushrooms, specifically. We both hated mushrooms. And now we both like them (dare I say, love?). I don’t know if I encountered many mushrooms growing up – though I think my mom threw a can of them into meals here and there and used cream of mushroom soup for some casseroles and such. I was always very diligent about picking them out. They were brown and slimy and that’s just gross.

Table set for our dinner at Snowshoe

A few years ago we were at Snowshoe Mountain skiing with some friends and we stayed in this big beautiful house for 3 nights. Some of the group left after 2 nights, which left 8-9 of us. Scott, who is an amazing chef spent hours in the kitchen making us this incredible meal while some of us went night skiing, some of us stayed in the house drinking, and some of us when night skiing and drinking (at the same time). I don’t remember the entire meal, but the main part was prime rib and with mushrooms in a sort of gravy. I wasn’t sure I’d like the mushrooms, but they looked good and Scott slaved over the meal, so I decided to try them – and I loved them! There was one bad thing about the meal, Scott got a migraine as soon as he finished cooking and had to go to bed – so he didn’t even get to taste how good it was!

I emailed him for a recipe when we got home – he doesn’t use recipes because he’s that good, so he just gave me an explanation of what he did with them. I’ve made them once or twice since then (never as good as his), but the ones I made on Monday were really good. Lo finally said he thinks he may like mushrooms. Even though I’ve made mushrooms many different ways since that trip and he eats them every time without complaint, he was never ready to admit that he actually likes them. This time I made them to serve with Salisbury steaks that I got for free with a coupon at The House of Meats in the Anderson’s (sign up for their newsletter to get an email with the meat sales and a coupon each week). Otherwise I wouldn’t have bought Salisbury Steak – I don’t even know what is in them, so I didn’t have high hopes, but they were pretty good. As for the mushrooms, this is what I did (approximately):

Mushrooms in Gravy
 
1 container of mushrooms, sliced (whatever type you prefer – mine were baby bellas)
1/3 stick of butter
1 carton of beef broth (though stock is preferred)
1 clove garlic, minced (or some shakes of garlic powder)
Couple of dashes of worcestershire* **
Fresh herbs if you have some (I had rosemary, Scott recommended sage)
Salt and pepper and any other spices that you’d like
A few handfuls of fresh spinach if you have it

Melt the butter in a skillet. I always use cast iron. Add the mushrooms and stir around to coat with butter. Let mushrooms sauté for a few minutes until they start to release their juices. Add garlic, if using (if fresh, let it cook for about a minute). Pour in broth/stock until mushrooms are a little floaty (his words). Add any spices or herbs and worcestershire. Bring to a simmer and let the liquid reduce down to where it’s more like a sauce. Add a few handfuls of fresh spinach, if using, and cover skillet until spinach is just wilted. Add salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste and serve.

*I think I also threw in some Spicy A1 that I’m trying to use up

**I cannot pronounce Worcestershire unless I really concentrate. I usually pronounce it like “wor-chester-shire. And then Lo laughs at me.

Sorry, I forgot to take a picture, but mushrooms in gravy with Salisbury steak isn’t very pretty anyway. But it was GOOD. Lo ate his for breakfast one morning (I told you he eats whatever for breakfast).  Here’s a pic Lo after he Sonny Bono’d on his skiis at Snowshoe. He was ok, but it could have been BAD.

Lo Bono