JAMIE'S SALAD With MAPLE RED WINE VINAIGRETTE

Last weekend I got together with a fantastic group of friends.   We made dinner, had dessert, and rounded out the night by setting up drafts and brackets for the NCAA games.   Being this was the first year I partook in any type of March Madness betting, I had absolutely no idea what I was doing.  But, the night was terrific nonetheless.

The betting may have been the highlight for a lot of my friends that night.  I, on the other hand, found dinner to be the highlight!  More specifically, the salad that was served as the appetizer.   

The couple that hosted the dinner made, and nailed, Jamie Dean’s “Salad with Maple Red Wine Vinaigrette”.   This salad was simple, yet drew you in with its presentation.  The vibrant shades of green from the spring salad contrasted the crumbled feta.  Grapes and craisins added a bit of red, and deliver a sweet, tangy flavor.   And here comes the best part (actually, there are two additions that tip this salad off the charts, but I can’t choose which is better)…pistachios and butternut squash sprinkled over top.  If you haven’t already started salivating, picture a slightly sweet, yet surprising light, maple dressing that ties it all together.

 

I understand that some people don’t like salad.  I’m not a “salad person”, they’ll say.  But come on, folks!  You can’t find better than this!  You really do have to try this salad before swearing them off altogether.  The vibrant colors, varying textures (from the pistachios, craisins, and squash), and mixture of salty sweet flavors makes this salad restaurant worthy.  I give the host so much credit, as he made Jamie’s salad to perfection that night.    

The best part about this salad is that nearly every part of it provides the body with some sort of beneficial nutrient. 

Spring Mix- Vitamins A & K (Keeps skin healthy, aids in vision, and assists in bone metabolism)

    
Feta Cheese- Calcium (In ¼ c. you could get 1/5 of your daily calcium needs, which helps your bones and heart)

Craisins- Fiber (Keep your portion to a 1/3 c. and you’ll be getting nearly 4 grams of fiber.  Adequate fiber in the diet can prevent colon cancer and other complications such as diverticulitis)


Grapes- Vitamin C & Antioxidants (strengthens the immune system and protects against free radicals that can cause cancer)

Pistachios-Vitamin B6 (maintains healthy brain and nerve function)

Butternut Squash- Potassium & Vitamin C (protects bones and reduces inflammation)

Maple Syrup (the real stuff)- a natural sweetener that contains polyphenols (reduces inflammation)

 

This salad makes for a perfect appetizer, but is so delicious you could up the portion and eat it as a full meal.  Makes a great vegetarian dish, though you won’t feel you’re being duped because of lack of sustenance.  You’ll be asking for more because of the brilliant combination of flavors this salad offers.  Believe me, your taste buds are in for a treat.   Here's the link.  Give it a whirl!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/jamies-salad-with-maple-red-wine-vinaigrette-recipe/index.html

 

WHEAT BERRIES

I would never call myself a vegetarian (I love pulled pork too much), but eating meat is something I do only on occasion.  It’s not that I have strong feelings one way or another…I just hate cooking meat.  It takes a long time to make, and it costs a lot of money.  These are two things I have little of right now, so I’ve been experimenting with various (cheap) alternatives.   One being the wheat berry. 

I hadn’t heard of wheat berries until about a year ago, so don’t worry if you have a confused look on your face and are thinking, “what the hell is that”?  Wheat berries are not incredibly popular (yet) and, consequently, are hard to locate in many grocery stores.  But they are delicious and make a mean dish. 

The berries remind me of tiny popcorn kernels that come dark tan or red.  One cup dry yields about 3 cups cooked, so they go a long way.  2 cups dry at a whole foods market cost me under $1.50.  One serving (1/4 c. dry) has a decent 7 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber…and they’re my favorite kind of whole grain!  Once prepared, they are delectably chewy and pair well with some feta, pecans, and dried cranberries.   I love this “salad” plain or thrown over some spinach for a decent lunch.  But what am I saying, I’d eat this any time of day. 

Wheat berries take about 40-50 minutes to fully cook (Just simmer 1 c. berries with 3 c. water until all water is absorbed), but you can make a big batch and store them in the fridge for days.  I am currently living in a town that has no whole foods store (but every fast food franchise you can think of), so I completely understand if you might have a hard time finding wheat berries near you.  Check out a co-op or whole/health food store if you are able, otherwise do what I do and substitute with pearl barley.  Both have similar textures and can be paired with much of the same foods, (pearl barley has only 5 grams of protein, but 7.5 grams fiber).   

GJETOST CHEESE

Aside from the 2 feet of snow that falls each winter, I love Wisconsin.  It was where my dad was born and raised, and where I completed my undergrad.  So, there were plenty of opportunities for me to indulge in the states most prized possession. Aka, cheese. 

 

 

Wisconsinites love cheese so much they incorporate it into their curriculums.  I took a class during my undergrad entitled “Foods”, which is pretty vague and all-encompassing.  During this class we experimented with cooking methods, perfected our plating presentation techniques, and utilized different spices while cooking.  They told us they wanted us to be well-rounded individuals in regards to food.  I thought well-rounded would mean creating and eating authentic dishes from countries thousands of miles away.  Which is why I was surprised, (well, not entirely) when they told me we’d be taste testing 28 kinds of cheese during one of our class periods.   

We tasted all the typicals.  Mozzarella, cheddar, muenster, provolone, pepperjack, brie.  They had the unpleasant limburger cheese and a few other kinds I would only make my future children eat if they swore or shoved the neighbor kid.   But during this particular taste test I was introduced to, and fell in love with, gjetost cheese. 

It’s basically caramel flavored cheese (which is why I like it so much)!  It looks like a block of caramel and is dark brown in appearance.  It’s one of the harder cheeses and can be paired with anything you would dunk in caramel, like pears or apples.  I’ve even heard it’s good on raisin toast.  Me, I like it plain.

Gjetost is not particularly easy to find.  Every time I go into a new grocery store I run to the dairy section and hungrily browse the cheese selections.  Eyes wide, my head bobs all over the place as I scan the deep refrigerator case.  And then… nothing.  My chin sinks to my chest as I walk away in despair.  No yummy gjetost here.  Guess I’ll keep looking. 

But I found it this past weekend!  Doesn’t help that it was in New York at a specialty market in Grand Central Station, but I still found it!  This cheese is higher in saturated fat and much higher in carbohydrates than other cheeses (Diabetics, be aware of this. 1 ounce has about 12 grams).  But that doesn’t mean it cannot be savored every once in a while.  It has a decent amount of calcium and protein, so you’ll still be reaping those benefits.    

Please do me a favor.  If you go to the grocery store and find this cheese (you’ll probably find it in a red package), first buy some and give it a try.  Then, let me know where you found it so I don’t have to travel back to NYC to get more!