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Fox4 Morning Blend

Recently I had the opportunity to appear on a morning talk show in Naples, Florida to promote my book, It’s Just Personal. Working with the staff at Fox4 Morning Blend was nothing but a pleasure. Stage fright and nerves were calmed quickly as I got to know the talk show personalities Carley and Bill.

I interviewed with Carley and did a quick food demonstration to promote my blog and several recipes from the book. I concentrated on a particular section of the book that speaks about getting nutrients and condensing them to something as simple as a wrap. You can watch me put together the Super Food Wrap by viewing the link below.

Super Food Wrap

http://www.fox4morningblend.com/videos/151112085.html

While in Florida I also got to visit with my old friend Patrick and one of my school friends Krystal. Wrapping up the week with them after getting my feet wet on the logistics of TV was exactly what the doctor ordered.

Pat and I got to spend some time together at the beach in Sannibel and the three of us went out in downtown Naples after my book signing.

Relaxing with Patrick

Enjoying the nightlife

Oh Krystal! So much fun seeing you.

Stay tuned…new recipes to follow soon.

Thought of the day

“It feels good to be somebodys hero”

 

Caitlyn and Ellen

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 So this week I am finishing up with clients as well. Now I can focus on packing and the good-byes. Not really looking forward to either or. The latter simply sucks. I found a note on my niece Brianne’s dresser that said “call Ellen every day.” My other niece Caitlyn wants my new address so that she can mail me 1000 kisses so I can take them out whenever I need them. Sigh…

 Enough about that, the tears are starting in again, so let’s change the subject to food. I am making a grapefruit based dressing that I am going to use for fennel coleslaw. This is an amazing salad especially for the summer months. Since we seemed to skip spring in New Jersey this year, start making it now and enjoy. I find it to be a perfect compliment to the veggie burger recipe in my book (page 100) or simply make it a meal by adding chickpeas as a topper. If I were you, I would make the veggie burger. Without a doubt,  they are good!!

 Fennel is an excellent source of calcium as well as dietary fiber. Cabbage is a big part of this salad as well. In terms of nutritional value cabbage is a member of the cruciferous family, which seems to be rich in anti-oxidant. It is impressive with its high content levels of calcium, iron, iodine, potassium, sulfur, and phosphorus.  In the vitamins department, it is loaded with vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C, E, K and folic acid. Both cabbage and fennel are super low in calories. The combination of additional ingredients is equally complimentary and so wonderfully delicious, you may find yourself making this salad again and again.

Fennel Coleslaw with Grapefruit Dressing

 Dressing:

Juice of 2 ripe grapefruits

1/4 C fresh lemon juice

1/2 C Olive oil

1 whole shallot chopped

5 pickled jalapenos

1 Tablespoon stone ground mustard

1/4 C white wine vinegar

1 packet Italian salad dressing mix

 Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender on high. Set aside.

 Salad:

1 package coleslaw mix

1 whole fennel grated

2 carrots grated

1 red pepper chopped

1 shallot chopped

1 zucchini shredded

1 mango diced

1/4 C slivered or chopped almonds

1 avocado diced

In large bowl, combine salad ingredients. Use half of the prepared dressing and massage in into the coleslaw with your hands or a spoon. Using more dressing is up to your discretion and taste. You can save the unused portion for up to two weeks.

Serves 4-6

1 serving: Calories 219, Fat 15 g (saturated 2.5 g, polyunsaturated 2.2g, monounsaturated 10.7g) Carbohydrates 19.6g, Fiber 6 g, Protein 3.4

 On a side note;

I am thinking about all the special wishes and generosity I have been given by having exceptional people in my life. After going out a bunch of different times in the last couple of weeks I can take a step back and reflect on how lucky I am. Last night I got together with a mix of friends. I thought about the fact that I had an assorted bunch of different woman (gym friends, sisters, old friends, new friends) gathering last night for me. I don’t want to leave out Howard, one of the closed men in my life either. He came by and blessed me with his presence as always. Love you Bub! My sister Nancy and I always joked about the risk of mixing too many groups of friends together not being sure of what the outcome would be.  In my head I compared it to taking a risk in the kitchen with different ingredients. It’s silly but this is the stuff that runs through my head after a couple glasses of pinot noir. The danger I feared was eased very quickly and at one point I looked over the crowd and smiled. I am blessed God. All my gratitude for a perfect evening with special friends.

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 Last Friday my mother Susan and I spent a good part of the day making pierogies for the Easter Sunday holiday. I wanted a great way to talk about how pierogies came to be a tradition in my family. The progress is truly a labor love. My oldest sister Maureen recently wrote a paper on the subject for a sociology class. It would be my honor to share that paper with my readers because she took the history, my family roots, my immediate family and the time and love needed to accomplish the finished product. This year I decided to attempt “the whole wheat pierogi.” We were all pleased with the results. We still kept with the real deal but it pleased me to know that my family was open to a little bit of a change. Pictured above is tradition old and new. Thanks mom for the passion and pride you passed on to me. I hope to make you proud and do the same to continue this practice for future generations.

Maureen Postolowski’s paper on the pierogi: Thanks Maureen! xo

        Growing up in our household, there was only one food in particular that really made my taste buds burst with anticipation of what I was about to be treated to, what would occur in the way of preparation, and the sheer delight of eventually devouring a full plate of pierogies afterwards. 

        With its predominant Slavic roots, the pierogi originated in Eastern and Central European countries such as Poland, Russia, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, and the Ukraine.  My grandparents on my father’s side were from Poland and the Ukraine, and although I never had the pleasure of knowing either one of them, I was lucky enough to have four aunts who embraced their heritage, and loved cooking traditional ethnic foods taught to them by their Polish mother.  It was these four dedicated aunts who eventually taught my very Irish, straight off the boat, and young dear mother the art of creating a dish that they wanted replicated and instilled upon the generations to follow.  My mother came from Ireland in 1958 and married my father in 1960.  Within five years, these four lovely aunts, who were much older than my twenty-five year old mother, had her disciplined in the traditions of everyday Polish cuisine.  My mother, Susan, an excellent cook by nature adapted easily to being taught the complex and time consuming process of making pierogies from scratch.

        Perhaps once or twice a year, my mother would tell us ahead of time that the following weekend she was going to make pierogies, and that she needed our help.  I am the oldest of four daughters so I always felt second in command, and welcomed the responsibility and the honor that came with it.  All of my sisters would sit around the table that was now covered in flour and follow my mother’s directions without waiver. 

        First the filling was prepared and included a combination of potatoes, a staple ingredient for all European ethnicities, onion, and farmer cheese.  There was also sauerkraut filling, made from pickled cabbage and also considered to be another staple ingredient among Eastern European countries.  Cabbage was inexpensive, abundant and typically used in soups and stews.  My father often reminded us that cabbage soup was a customary dish given to him as a child because it was inexpensive and filling, especially when he was growing up in the 1930’s when food was scarce.  Then the dough was prepared and rolled into small thin oblong shaped forms, and eventually encased with one of the fillings.  The pierogies were then dropped delicately into a pot of boiling water and finally sautéed with caramelized onions and butter in a frying pan.

        It was a tedious process, but enjoyed by all who participated.  We knew this had become a family tradition, passed down by my father’s family but continued to this day by my mother, who cheerfully welcomed and embraced her new found and adopted heritage of typical Polish fare.  My mother would eventually teach her family including cousins and nieces, as well as friends, the skill of learning to cook pierogies which she displayed with passion and pride.  Each setting or class was not solely devoted to learning, but rather became a social encounter between generations of families and a shared mix of our different heritage brought together.

        Although pierogies are typical of eastern European countries, they share a definite similarity in appearance to that of Italian ravioli, Japanese gyoza, Turkish manti, Chinese wonton and Cuban empanada to name a few; however, the fillings vary slightly as well as the manner in which they are cooked.  Interestingly, when we examine the foods of different societies throughout the world, we find one in particular, like that of the pierogi, which undoubtedly could be considered a comfort food

 …and there you have it. They were good!!

Have a wonderful weekend.

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One day Linda brought me a plain yogurt with apricot-fig sauce and slivered almonds (pictured below). I fell in love. It was sinful and creamy and beyond delicious. Linda actually told me today when I was working that she got me a container yesterday but left it in her refrigerator at work. Uh huh, I thought. Great. What about my addiction? Does that matter? I hope you know I’m joking Linda. I love, love when you surprise me with yogurt and am grateful and excited as I take it and eat every single bite all by myself.

Since I can’t make it into the city on a regular basis I find my favorite plain Greek yogurt is Chobani brand. I got into the habit of eating plain yogurt as opposed to the flavored brands to cut down on sugar. Once you get into the habit you find yourself actually enjoying that true taste of a good quality yogurt. All the other brands just don’t cut it anymore.

Next let’s move on to Trader Joe’s. Oh no, I just Googled Trader Joe’s to see if there is one around the Boulder, CO area. Looks like I will have to drive to Santa Fe, New Mexico to stock up while I’m out there. Does not seem like a bad road trip. I will have to grab my cousin Tara one weekend while I’m there. Tara lives in Denver and about 45 minutes from Boulder. I’m excited to see you Tara! XO!!

Trader Joe’s is a great place to check out for all kinds innovative items. Trader Joe’s mission statement goes something like “great food + great prices = Value.” They seek out products for their private label that is sourced from non-genetically modified ingredients. I love that when I look at the ingredients label on any of their packages, I am able to pronounce and understand what it is that I am buying. I am a big fan of their dried fruit, nuts, juices and frozen fruit for my smoothies. They have numerous varieties of rice, couscous and quinoa, canned products, almond milk and vitamins at affordable prices. My new favorite product would be the peach salsa. When I don’t have the time to make a fresh one, I grab this and an extra to keep on hand. It’s different than a regular salsa but amazing on chips or topped on a piece of fish or chicken. Try it out and you will be hooked.

Moving on to Whole Foods. By far the best crunchy peanut butter I have yet to experience. Whole Foods private label is 365 Brand. The organic version is amazing and I eat it with a spoon right out of the jar. Yup, I do.

Speaking of peanut butter, recently I had the pleasure of being introduced to peanut butter chiffons from Jon L. Stopay Candies. They are a family run business in Pennslyvania thats ships candies to your front door. Peanut Butter Chiffons are actually their signature candy but they have so much more. Since Easter is right around the corner, I am giving them a big thumbs up. Order right from their site http://www.jonlstopay.com/  Stuffed chocolate eggs (milk or dark) with more chocolate confections!! Who knew? Thanks Easter Bunny!

Last but not least when the mood strikes…I don’t know how these end up in my shopping bag but when they do, they bring a smile to my face and I indulge.

And finally to wrap up a busy but productive week, I wanted to thank my neices Brianne and Caitlyn for helping me create the most delicious homemade pizza in the world last night. They are my best two helpers around and also make the list of “my favorite things.” I am only sorry that the other cousins couldn’t be here to help them. Chase, Jack, Kayla and Luke will definitely make a post in the new future as they are surely part of that list also.

Fresh dough from the local pizzeria (I made the sauce..that was enough) $3.18 Homemade sauce and the toppings..somewhere around $10. Spending quality time with my sisters and the girls…PRICELESS

Creating

 

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This past week I helped out a client who wanted me to prepare food for his 10-day detox diet. This detox eliminates sugar, wheat, meat, dairy, alcohol, fish and caffeine. You may be wondering what is left at this point. This diet is about vegetables, beans and anything rice based. It is based on a book called the 7-Day Detox Miracle Diet by Dr William Bennett.  I am not a person who is big on “diets.” My feeling is that most times they don’t work. I do like this concept though. I feel as though this is a good way to cleanse while not completely depriving yourself of sustenance. I am giving you a shout out Dr. Bennett. Perhaps one day you will write about me on your blog. No Pressure. : )

My client Lou is eating several small meals a day that are well balanced and full of nourishment. I took care of the meals and Lou sticks to the plan. This is the second time Lou has completed this plan. The first time was about a year ago and I decided to join in to see how I felt with eliminating certain foods. Truth be told, I couldn’t let go of my coffee in the morning but I did make the rest work out. It is smart to eliminate certain foods from your diet. Sugar is something we definitely all need to cut back on. That and anything processed like white flour. Long term on this and your belly will shrink. Trust me. That’s my nutritional advice for the week, cut back those two culprits and you will find you do not want them around soon enough.

This detox was easier for me given my profession for sure. There is a lot of preparation and such but seeking out tasty vegetable, gluten-free based meals isn’t too tricky if you use different resources as well as your imagination. My book, It’s Just Personal has many vegetarian salads and entrees to choose from and the internet is always a great search tool.

Pictured above is a great vegetarian meatball made especially for Lou this morning. These veggie meatballs are a combination of quinoa, spinach and lentils. I usually use panko crumbs in the recipe but this week I substituted rice crumbs (they sell them either in the gluten free isle of your supermarket or somewhere near the regular breadcrumbs.) I also eliminated the sugar in the tomato sauce this week only, but I would usually include that. A little sugar helps to cut down the acidity in tomato sauce. The meatballs are pictured with soba noodles. Soba noodles are made from buckwheat flour. They are super healthy, full of nutrients and virtually half the calories and carbohydrates of regular pastas.

Enjoy, thanks again for all your support and encourage your family and friends to join up for my newsletter!

Happy Birthday to Connie and Bonnie! Two of my nearest and dearest friends. Yes, they are twins.

These are a delicious meatball to add to your favorite pasta dish or could be a meal in itself. They are also a great protein to top a green salad (minus the tomato sauce.) Tiny lentils are a nutritional powerhouse. Lentils are the base of these meatballs and provide an excellent amount of six important minerals, two B-vitamins, protein and fiber with virtually no fat. The quinoa is a grain-like seed with an impressive complete protein content. Quinoa is also a good source of dietary fiber and high in magnesium and iron. This gluten-free grain has a crunchy, nutty flavor that is easy to digest.

Vegetarian Meatballs

2 C cooked lentils or well rinsed canned lentils

16 oz. chopped spinach (If you are using frozen chopped spinach, thaw completely and    squeeze out excess water)

1 egg

1 C panko crumbs or gluten free rice crumbs

1 Tablespoon tomato paste

1 C cooked quinoa

1 Teaspoon tomato-basil seasoning or Italian seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste

Additional panko crumbs to coat meatballs

Pan spray

Sauce (optional)

1-28oz. canned petit-diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon sugar

A pinch of dried oregano and basil

Salt and pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Pan spray large cookie sheet. In a large bowl, combine lentils through salt and pepper. Combine all ingredients well. Using hands, form meatballs about 2” a piece. Place meatballs on cookie about 2 inches apart. Spray meatballs with additional coating of pan spray and sprinkle with remaining panko crumbs to lightly coat.

Place in oven for about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and turn. Cook additional 15 minutes. Meatballs should be browned and have a crunchy outside coating. Serve immediately with sauce. Feta cheese with the sauce is also a nice compliment to these meatballs.

Yield: 17- 20 meatballs

1 meatball

Calories 76g, Fat 1.2g (saturated <1g, monounsaturated <1g, polyunsaturated <1g) Carbohydrate 12.7, Fiber 2.7g, Protein 4.1g,

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Heart or Head?

 I’ve asked myself which is better lately. Using your heart or using your head when trying to make a decision?? I mentioned in my last blog post that I was moving. Well, time to break the news to all of my followers. I have decided to go back to school full-time to get my culinary degree. The school I have chosen to do so is in Boulder, Colorado.

http://www.culinaryschoolrockies.com/

I chose Boulder, Co because of an article I read over a year ago. It named Boulder one of the the foodiest places in the country. I have found myself gravitating towards this city while making my decision. In my heart, I feel as though it was the right choice. My head fights me on this one at night when I am trying to sleep.

 Making this decision was a tough one. I am established in my career, have published a book to my credit and am settled in a place where all my family and friends are close. Still something is missing. Since I was never formally trained, it has been a passion of mine to one day attend a culinary school and acquire a degree. I have put that dream on the back burner for a while. Life, finances and time are the reasons I gave. I am a single woman with no children. Recently I felt opportunity knocking and I walked hesitantly through that door to explore more of what options I had.

 These were my reasons for not going:

In this economy, how does one justify another expense like school?

How do I leave my family, nieces and nephews as well as friends?

Was the risk of losing my clients worth it?

How does one start over in an unfamiliar place?

…Trust me I could go on.

 These were my reasons for going:

If you are going to learn, why not in a beautiful place?

Home is always home, correct? I can always come back.

A culinary degree would open so many more doors for me.

Is the risk worth it?

Would I regret my decision if I didn’t go?

…Again, I could go on.

 My father Frank always told me that one couldn’t go wrong when they use their heart. He also told me that when you have your health, you are the richest person in the world. I have struggled with the feeling that there is something more out there for me a lot lately. My life is different than most my age. I have the freedom to pursue this dream. Trust me, sometimes I wish I had the security of a family of my own and the regime of what most would consider the “norm”, but my life is what it is. I have not found Mr. Right because it’s not time yet. Until I am grounded again with love and the need to settle down, I need to explore and fulfill my desires.

 While looking into school in Colorado, I put myself in touch with different resources while weighing my options. I found that people were willing to go out of their way to help. I found that with a little effort, perhaps this could all really happen. My family is my backbone and God is my love and light. My health is good and I am able to work and apply myself. For that I am grateful. I knew in my heart that it had to be in Colorado. Now it was time to make the decision. Heart or head? A friend once told me that if you lose your mind, you are still capable of being alive. If you lose your heart, you are dead. In the end, I figured that using my heart and having faith in my decision would be better than wondering what would have been ten years from now if I had decided to use the latter.

Please continue to follow me and see how this new adventure pans out. I will attempt to blog my experiences with this new journey I am about to take. Share the trip with me. Encourage me, prayer for me and come visit!! I am about to become a poor (older but wiser) student once again. Don’t steer me wrong heart. I believe in you!

For all those who have my book, It’s Just Personal, feel free to post a comment on Amazon to boost my ratings. Believe me it helps and is always appreciated on this end. http://www.amazon.com/Its-Just-Personal-Essential-Shopping/product-reviews/1600375391/ref=dp_db_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

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Packing, moving and organizing and everything that goes with the process sucks… the life right out of me. I keep getting distracted as I attempt to come up with a topic. I found myself looking at pictures from my trip to Iceland with my friend Karin this past November. The trip was all my idea. It was an adventure I had always hoped one day I would live out. My main point of interest was to attempt to see the Northern Lights. Karin jumped on board and it was a trip I will always remember fondly.

Iceland is a very beautiful place, with beautiful people that have incredible sweet tooth’s. I fit right in and happily fell off the no-sugar wagon for a week of chocolate-covered-everything bliss. Candy was everywhere. The food was eh. Nothing too memorable except a bowl of creamy tomato soup in a enormous bread bowl. There was a big pat of butter melting as I lifted the top of the bread to expose the yummy soup. The steam of the soup put an instant smile on my face or maybe it was the margarita. Hmmm. I don’t know if it was the fact that it was especially cold and windy that particular day but that soup was magical and satisfying.This is Karin and me on the black sand beaches of Vik. We hit every element nature threw our way that day.

Sunshine, rain, snow and wind. While driving through the country of Iceland you will come across many waterfalls, wild horses and lots of vast open country. I found the scenery to be breath taking and serene.We are “Cool Americans” in Iceland or least the Doritos people think so. Yes, I eat them once in a while!! And I search for the cheesiest one in the bag!

This is the two of us on one of the windiest days of our trip.Why does Karin look so good and I am holding on for dear life? I was frozen, so cold!! The waterfall behind us is the Gulfoss waterfall. It is Iceland’s most famous waterfall and one of the natural wonders of the world. It is also by far Europe’s most powerful waterfall. Yes, I am wearing three hats.

I could go on and on about my trip. Such an amazing experience I will never forget. It is fun traveling with a friend who becomes an even better friend at the conclusion of your trip. We laughed, we cried…seriously we did. And I did get to experience the Northern Lights as well. We’ll talk more food soon people, I promise.


Good night   is “góða nótt ” in Icelandic   ; )

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Thanks to everyone for your comments on the last couple of weeks blog posts. This is getting easier and turning out to be a lot of fun. I get many positive emails from followers so I encourage those wishing me well to do so on the website…cause that will make me look better, sell more books, get me on Dr. Oz one day. Need I go on? : )

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day to all. Of course I showed up to the gym this morning wearing all black and a long sleeve blue shirt!! As a matter of fact, yes, I stood out amongst my fellow gym members. Sorry Mom, I will put on something green later on. Don’t be fooled by my last name. My mother is 100% Irish and raised us all (even my dad)  to be proud of her/our heritage. Going to the Allendale Bar & Grill for a yummy St. Patrick’s Day dinner tonight! Lisa, one of the bartenders there makes the best margaritas in the world! Yum, can’t wait.

So, today’s post is about this great yummy salad dressing using pistachio nuts. One ounce of pistachio nuts (about 49 kernels) is 170 calories, an excellent source of important vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin B6. This water soluble vitamin is helpful in treating a vast number of problems related to heart, skin, depression, fatigue and the nervous system. Vitamin B6 will also aid in building a strong immune system. One serving of pistachio nuts also provides 3 grams of dietary fiber. Twice the amount of walnuts.

This dressing is wonderful and fresh on salads. The pistachio nut compliments every ingredient. My recipe calls for 1/4 C. of pistachio nuts to cut down on fat in the dressing. I toast them to really bring out the flavor of the nuts. If you prefer to add more, by all means go for it. If the dressing is a little watery, add a little more olive oil and blend again. Your taste buds are in for a surprise.

Creamy Pistachio Dressing

1shallot chopped

2 cloves of garlic pressed or finely chopped

Juice of one lemon

1/2 Teaspoon of grated lemon rind

1/4 C champagne vinegar

1 Tablespoon Thai sweet red chili sauce (look in Asian aisle condiments)

1/4 C shelled and toasted pistachio nuts (toast on medium high heat in a non-stick skillet)

1/2 C hot water

1/2 C good extra virgin olive oil

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor to combine. Set aside

The Salad

2 C chopped romaine lettuce

(other variations or additions include arugula, baby spinach or mesculan lettuce)

2 C shaved fennel (use a very sharp knife or grate with the wider side of a grater for thin, long slices)

1 Fuji or green apple sliced in thin pieces

1 C chick peas (always remember to rinse well out of the can to significantly cut down on sodium)

1/4 C dried cherries (preferred) or dried cherries

Arrange your lettuce first in a big bowl. Layer fennel, apple slices, peas and garnish with cherries. Add 3/4 of your dressing and toss the salad. Personal preference with the amount of dressing used is taken into consideration here. It is up to your tastes to use more or less. Bon Appetit!

Serves 4

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Rice and beans is typically served for breakfast there. Trust me, after eating this you are not hungry for hours. The egg on top pulls it all together for such a satisfying meal. I enhanced what I experienced there nutritionally by using brown rice instead of white and substituting olive oil for shortening.

There is a sauce they use in Costa Rica as a condiment on the rice and beans. Actually I think it is as typical as the way we use ketchup in the United States. It is called Lizano Salsa Sauce. It is a little spicier than ketchup and if you cannot find it, I’ve added a substitution that you can make yourself.

Now here is a funny story about the Lizano sauce and my friend Chris. Since we attended a friends wedding in Costa Rica, many of my close friends also made the trip. Chris was so hooked on this sauce that he paid 3x what it was worth for a hotel employee to pick him up a couple of bottles to take home. We all enjoyed busting his chops on that one. Especially when we all got to the airport and found that you could actually buy it in the Duty-Free shops. The best part of the story though was while we were all going through the check points at the airport, Chris did not think to pack his bottles in his luggage but had them in his backpack. The look on his face as security took his bottles of Lizano salsa away made me want to cry for him. We all tried our best not to laugh too much because it was as if someone took away his most prized possession. And that would his wife Lorin. xo Lorin & Chris!

Even better tip: You can buy the sauce online http://www.lizanosite.com/ Who knew?

The following recipe is straight from my book, It’s Just Personal. This and more yummy and healthy recipes can be found in the book (can’t give them all away).

This week only, or until my next blog post, if you buy one book from my website, another one is yours free! Act now! This offer is for a limited time only, click the Buy Now button below to purchase.

Costa Rican Rice and Beans

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 C white onions, chopped

1/2 C green or red peppers, chopped

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 15 oz can of black beans, rinsed thoroughly

1 C cooked brown rice

1/4¼ C cilantro or parsley, chopped (you could use both if you like, it will only enhance the flavor)

1 C chicken broth

Salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbsp Lizano salsa (found in specialty stores) or substitute 1 Tbsp Worchester sauce and 1 Tbsp red picante sauce mixed together

4 eggs, poached, pan-fried, or hard-boiled; one per serving. The preparation of the egg is up to you. The egg is mixed in at the end and pulls the whole dish together.

Additional toppers (recommended):  diced avocados, diced tomatoes

Sauté the garlic, onions, and peppers in olive oil for three to four minutes on medium heat, stirring constantly. Add the black beans, rice, and parsley and mix thoroughly. Add the chicken stock, turn the heat to low, and cook for another minute.

For each person, put an appropriate serving size on the plate and add an egg and additional toppings (if desired).  Mix together carefully and serve warm. Add the salsa or sauce substitute and mix again. In my experience with this sauce, some prefer more than others.

Makes 4 servings.

Per serving:

Calories  439, Fat 13g (saturated 3g, polyunsaturated 1.4g, monounsaturated 8.6g), Carbohydrates 59g, Fiber 9.75g, Protein 19.4g

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Now, since my last post, when I spoke of using a “good” olive oil for dipping, a couple of friends asked me to explain the differences with which olive oils to use, whether virgin, extra virgin etc..

I thought this to be a very good question because first of all, I should have specified extra virgin olive oil when it came to dipping. Generally, extra virgin olive oil is as an accent to dishes. Whether that be added to a soup or stew upon serving at the table, to a dessing or vinigarette or just a big old bowl to dip your warm crusty bread right out of the oven. Ah, heaven!!

Olive oil is made from green olives only.

Olive Oil

Good extra virgin olive oil is unrefined, looks a little cloudy and may contain a natural residue on the bottom of the bottle. This natural residue contains polyphenols, a strong natural antixidant. Exceptional extra virgin olive oil, my friends is when your brother-in-law Joe hooks you up with a great bottle of it as a Christmas present. I knew it to be special because Joe is as into the good stuff as I am. I hoarded that bottle home and have enjoyed it immensely in the last couple of months. Produced and imported from Italy. What a great gift! By the way Joe, if you are reading this, I am down to 1/4 of the bottle left (see picture above). I am starting to get scared. 33.8 oz almost gone in less than 3 months! I know! Like I said, its heaven in a bottle.

Ok, back to the facts. Extra virgin olive oil is unrefined and unfiltered. That means there were no chemicals added to alter or mask the strong flavor. Extra virgin olive oil comes from virgin oil production only and contains no more than 0.8% acidity. It is of superior taste which is why it is recommended as an accent oil. Cold pressing and first pressed?? These are interchangable terms that manufacturers use to affirm that extra virgin olive oil is an unrefined, natural product that has undergone very little processing.

Virgin olive oil is from the virgin oil production only as well and has an acidity level of less than 2%. It is of good taste. The only difference between the extra virgin and virgin is that the taste of the extra virgin is slightly superior with less acid. It is essentially a lower grade extra virgin olive oil.

Pure olive oil/olive oil is ususally a blend of refined and virgin olive production. The result is basically a commercial grade oil. It is lighter in color and much more bland. It is a general purpose olive oli. Pure simply means that no non-olive oils are mixed in.

Light & extra light olive oils are a mixture of refined olive oils that are derived from the lowest quality available. They contain the same amount of fat and calories as other olive oils.

When sauteeing or frying use a blend like a pure olive oil. For deep frying, use the grade marked “olive oil” because it has a higher smoke point (401)F  than virgin or extra virgin oils. You do not want to heat the oil any higher than that becasue it will start to smoke and burn and after the smoke point has been reached the chemical composition is then altered, reversing the benefits from good to bad.

So, next time you are staring at the 100+ brands of olive oil before you, choose wisely. Prices vary greatly sometimes because some are imported, some state they are imported but are manufactured in a different area. Some use olives from one country, manuacture in another and state that olive oil is Italian.

My advice is to find a good oil that suites your needs and indulge in a superior bottle once in a while to really “taste” how wonderful it is suppose to be. 

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