Your new favorite salad dressing

I’ve always been a fan of creamy salad dressing—chunky blue cheese, buttermilk ranch, greek goddess—the creamier the better. It wasn’t until a dinner party two summers ago that I discovered the first vinaigrette that I actually enjoyed.  The salad was simple—lettuce, avocado, red onion and tomato, topped with the most divine salad dressing I’ve ever had. It was sweet, salty, tangy and perfect. I demanded the recipe on the spot, and never looked back.

Drum roll please…

1 part red wine vinegar (1/4 cup)

3 parts safflower oil (3/4 cup)

4 tablespoons agave nectar

1 squirt sriacha

Shake it all together and pour over the salad of your choice. Tonight my salad was mixed greens, gorgonzola, strawberries, red onion, and pecans. 

One of the great things about this recipe is its versatility. You can make little ingredient switches and give the dressing a whole new flavor profile. The original recipe called for white sugar and tobasco—two ingredients I never have on hand—so I swapped them out for agave nectar and sriacha. You also have some flexibility with the type vinegar that you use. I usually use tarragon vinegar but realized I was out when I went to make the dressing.

Here are some other ideas for introducing new flavors:

Asian: splash of sesame oil, grated ginger, splash of soy sauce

Raspberry: pureed raspberries to replace some of the oil

Blueberry: same technique as raspberry

Honey: replace agave with honey

What twist are you going to put on this recipe?

Pasta of the gods

God gave us feta for a reason, and that reason is this recipe.

When it comes to making every day meals, I’m all for sacrificing little things to make a dish healthier; however, the one thing that I’m not willing to sacrifice is flavor (who is, right?). What I love the most about this dish is its versatility. I’ve tossed just about everything into this pasta, but one ingredient that’s never tossed out, is feta.

I love feta so much, that it’s almost overwhelming to think about. Trust me when I say that my love for feta runs deep, and just like every other great love, it’s a little bit complicated. Every now and then when I’m feeling especially lazy, I cheat and buy it pre-crumbled. Of course, nothing beats the flavor of feta soaked in brine but every now and then eliminating an extra step is critical. Tonight wasn’t one of those nights, I got the good feta. And let me tell you, I enjoyed every second spent crumbling it with my fingertips. And my cat certainly seemed to enjoy licking it off when I was finished with my crumbling.

So let’s cut the chatter and get you cooking. Here’s what you’ll need:

Ingredients

·      16 oz. of whole wheat pasta (I prefer fusilli or penne)

·      1 bag of fresh spinach

·      1 package of cherry tomatoes (if you can find mini heirlooms, get those)

·      10 oz. of feta (this is equivalent to 2 pre-crumbled packages, or 1 block)

·      5 cloves of garlic

·      ½ c. olive oil

·      16 oz. grilled chicken, diced

·      Fresh cracked pepper

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook pasta. Just to be clear, when I say well-salted, I don’t mean a couple of sprinkles—I’m talking a couple of tablespoons. You will thank me later.

While your water is coming to a boil, use this time to focus on your prep. Depending on the size of the tomatoes, either slice them in half or quarter them then set aside. If you aren’t a cheater and actually bought yourself a beautiful brick of feta, time to get crumbling. In a small saucepan place your olive oil over medium heat. Throw in the minced garlic and as soon as you start to hear sizzling, remove it from the heat and leave it to infuse. If you burn the garlic, it will get bitter so you’ll want to watch it closely.

When your pasta is finished cooking, drain it and add it back to the pot. Now add your tomatoes, feta, chicken, bag of spinach, and drizzle with garlic and olive oil. Trying your best not to make a giant mess, toss your pasta to incorporate all of the ingredients. The heat from the pasta will cause the spinach to wilt and turn a beautiful green. Crack in some pepper and dinner is ready. And so is lunch for the next 3 days.

Another thing I love so much about this pasta is that it can be served hot, cold, or at room temperature. No matter how you serve it, it’s always a big hit among guests.

Some ideas or mix-ins:

·      Olives

·      Red onion

·      Lamb

·      Steak

·      Sausage

·      Hot peppers

·      Pine nuts

·      Arugula

·      Shallots

·      Herbs

What will you mix in?