fruit

Name: Balsamic Vinaigrette
Prep time: 10 min
Yield: About 1 cup
Ingredients: 2 T. Agave Nectar Light; 1 T. Dijon Mustard; 1/2 tsp. sea salt; 1/2 tsp ground black pepper; 1/4 balsamic vinegar; 1/2 c. olive oil; 1 finely diced garlic clove

How to Build a Savory Charcuterie Board

December 14, 2020 by Vanessa Whiteside Leave a Comment

Why is it that charcuterie boards are all the rage these days? They are trending in a big way on Pinterest and if you’ve glanced at any foodie’s Instagram feed, you’re likely to see a colorful board built of various finger foods.

The answer is simple — charcuterie boards are a fabulous way to serve others a beautifully assembled meal without cooking a single thing! Better yet, designing a charcuterie board is a blast because you’re literally playing with food to arrange it in an eye appealing way.

So, how do you know what items to source for your board? The key to building any savory charcuterie board is to think in categories when selecting the items to include: 1.) briny or acidic foods 2.) creamy and hard cheeses 3.) sliced deli meats. You want the items selected to complement each other in taste and texture. For example, pickles or artisan olives are a great follow to a rich cheese and cracker combination.

For my ultimate savory charcuterie board, I added another layer of interest. Some of my items are sourced from Kansas farmers or small food businesses while the others came mostly from Trader Joe’s. I’m passionate about supporting small business and several of the below mentioned companies were nice enough to gift me with their items.

What locally sourced gourmet foods could you add to your board?

I went BIG on this spread! The quantity of ingredients in this board could easily feed 2-4 people. We like to substitute a beautiful charcuterie platter for our usual dinner meal a couple Friday evenings a month because I don’t want to cook at the end of the week!

Here’s a rundown of the assorted items and where to buy them:

CRACKERS:

Brioche Toasts (Trader Joe’s) covered in roasted garlic from Orie’s Farm Fresh
Pita Bite Crackers (Trader Joe’s)
Golden Rounds (Trader Joe’s)
Great Value Rosemary Crackers (Walmart)

CHEESES:

Sliced Medium Cheddar (Walmart)
Cream Cheese Spread mixed with Cajun Marinade from Kansas Flavor
Honey Goat Cheese (Trader Joe’s) covered in Beesponsible Wildflower Honey
The Laughing Cow Garlic & Herb Cheese (Walmart) topped with fresh baby dill
Sliced White Cheddar (Private Selection from Kroger)

PROTEINS:

Smoked Salmon Slices (Walmart)
Salami (Trader Joe’s)
Prosciutto (Trader Joe’s)
Pepperoni (Trader Joe’s)

NUTS & CRUNCH:

Salted Pistachios (Trader Joe’s)
Toasted Corn Nuts (The Farris Wheel)
Cheese Pizza Gourmet Popcorn (Kernel’s Popcorn Express)

FRUITS & VEGGIES:

Pickles Brussel Sprouts (Urban Prairie)
Sliced Tomatoes sprinkled with Smoked Garlic Salt (Orie’s Farm Fresh)
Jalapeño Mustard (Urban Prairie)
Fig Jam (Trader Joe’s)
Blue Cheese Stuffed Olives (Trader Joe’s)
Artichoke Hearts Segments (Trader Joe’s)
Clementine Orange Segments
Pink Lady Apple Slices
Dried Cranberries

I recommend a dry red wine to enjoy with it such as a Cabernet Sauvignon. We sipped on 2018 Happy Camper while nibbling on the delightful spread.

In the market for a serving board? I used a bamboo cutting board and a pizza board with a handle, which worked perfectly!

While the specific items chosen for our charcuterie board appeal to us, you should customize your selection to your taste. It’s really just an excuse to try new gourmet foods paired with your tried and true favorites.

Have a delightful time shopping for ingredients and designing an epic board of your own!

6 Flavorful Salads with Dried Fruit

December 15, 2019 by Vanessa Leave a Comment

Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com.

I love a hearty salad and especially appreciate the Panera Bread salads. But at $11 per salad, dining there can get costly! My go-to order at Panera is the Fuji Apple Salad with Chicken. So, to make it myself, I decided to dehydrate apples and create a copycat version. As a bonus, I’m including a round-up of heart-healthy salads from several food blogging friends.

These scrumptious recipes can be made during their week to tote to work for lunch as a lighter dinner option. Enjoy!

Gala Apple Salad with Rotisserie Chicken, Goat Cheese, and Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

Made with mixed greens and tossed in balsamic vinaigrette, this salad combines tangy and sweet flavors. My salad recipe is made with dried apples, freshly shredded rotisserie chicken (buy one at the store!), tomatoes, goat cheese crumbles, red onion slices, and almond slices. I also love adding dried cranberries or golden raisins when I want more fruit flavor.

Preparing this salad is as simple as coating a large bowl with your desired amount of homemade balsamic vinaigrette (recipe below), adding the salad ingredients, and using tongs to toss the salad mixture until evenly coated with dressing. I think you’re going to love it.

You will need Agave Nectar (or honey) for this dressing recipe.

Gala Apple Salad with Rotisserie Chicken, Goat Cheese, and Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

One Delightful Life

About 1 cup

Balsamic Vinaigrette

This tangy yet slightly sweet vinaigrette can be used as a dressing over almost any salad.

10 minPrep Time

10 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

2 T. Agave Nectar Light
1 T. Dijon Mustard
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 balsamic vinegar
1/2 c. olive oil
1 finely diced garlic clove

Instructions

Whisk all of the ingredients together in a bowl.
(You can also add all of the ingredients to a mason jar, add lid, and shake vigorously until well mixed.)
Serve immediately.

https://onedelightfullife.com/salads-with-dried-fruit/

onedelightfullife.com

Nutrition

Calories

1863 cal

Fat

148 g

Carbs

82 g

Protein

85 g

Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info

Farro Spinach Salad with Dried Fruit and Nuts

Yay! For Food’s salad is described as a sweet and savory vegan salad featuring the healthy whole grain: farro! Marie’s Farro Spinach Salad with Dried Fruit and Nuts recipe brings all the flavor and is nutritious. Farro, a grain that is nutty in flavor but a bit sweet, is high in fiber and a good source of protein and iron. Like rice, it is sold dried and prepared in water until it softens.

Moroccan Couscous Salad

Contributing food blogger Marlee from ijustmakesandwiches.com, says her Moroccan Couscous Salad is made with dried fruit such as apricots and raisins tossed with a lemon vinaigrette. She suggests serving this cold couscous salad with roasted chicken or salmon. The Mediterranean couscous adds texture to this highly flavorful salad!

Apple Fig Walnut Rocket Salad

This recipe is a winner! It combines some of my favorite flavors, including fresh figs. Rhian of hintohealthy.com made it using “crunchy apples, jammy dried figs, earthy walnuts, and peppery rocket (arugula) coated in a garlicky pesto dressing!” Learn how to make this gluten-free, vegan Apple Fig Walnut Rocket Salad for your next brunch or lunch with friends.

Kale Salad with Apples and Cranberries + Tahini Dressing

The best part of making a salad is that it is versatile. This hearty kale salad made with tahini dressing gets its texture from the leafy bits of kale, pumpkin seeds, chunks of apples, and dried cranberries. All you have to do is combine the ingredients in a bowl and toss it with the dressing! Not a fan of Tahini? You could serve Hint of Healthy’s Kale Salad with Apples and Cranberries with a vinaigrette dressing as well.

Roasted Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad

A perfect salad to make during the fall, Cooking Carnival’s Roasted Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad combines the rich flavors of chopped kale, onion, butternut squash, quinoa, pecans, cranberries, and balsamic vinaigrette. I could see making this healthy salad as my entire dinner.

Love what you see here and want yet another salad option? If you’re hunting for a mostly fruit salad layered on a bed of fresh greens, you’ll adore my Spinach Fruit Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette.

I’m always eager to add another fresh salad to my line-up of weeknight stars, so be sure to add your recipe idea to the comments below!

Mixed Berry Popsicles with Coconut Water

August 5, 2018 by Vanessa 2 Comments

The quintessential summer dessert is the classic popsicle. Wouldn’t you agree? Sure melted s’mores are delicious, but I consider s’mores more of a fall dessert made around a campfire. I have fond memories of the ice cream truck cruising down the city street. It conjures up nostalgic thoughts of having to choose from tri-colored bomb pops, ice cream drumsticks or fruity popsicles. A tough decision! Which one did you choose? I used my 75 cents to buy the rainbow popsicle almost every time.

Now an adult, I still mark summer by indulging in a colorful popsicle, but I’d rather not ingest corn fructose syrup or ingredients I can’t pronounce. So, this summer I made Mixed Berry Popsicles with Coconut Water, a thirst-quenching treat made from natural flavors!

I used frozen, mixed berries and coconut water, which is low in calories and high in nutrients. The benefits of coconut water will convince you that it’s worth trying!

I used frozen organic fruit, but you could easily use canned or fresh fruit as well.

I prepared them using Koji popsicle molds, which I purchased at Target last year. Filling the molds is as easy as adding a tablespoon (or two!) of mixed frozen berries, filling the mold with coconut water almost to the top of it, a tiny bit of Stevia, and a pinch of lime zest for added tanginess. You could add lime juice instead of zest as well. Prepping the yummy popsicles only takes minutes and they are ready to enjoy within a few hours of placing them in the freezer.

When you’re ready to eat them, remove the popsicle molds from the freezer and let them sit out on the counter for about ten minutes or so. Allowing them to thaw out will help you easily remove the popsicles from the mold. Isn’t it cool how the whole berries can be seen through the frozen coconut water? These popsicles are not only yummy tasting but they’re pretty, too!

What was your summer like? I spent mine living for the weekend and trying to squeeze the most delightful moments out of each day. I’m not ready for fall temperatures or lattes just yet. I’ve got popsicles to enjoy on the back porch while watching the gorgeous Kansas sunset!

Baked Apples Filled with Oatmeal, Dates and Brown Sugar

October 1, 2017 by Vanessa Leave a Comment

Hello, Fall! Good to see you again.

October is the best month of the year. Why? It’s my birthday month (holla!), breweries are prepping for Oktoberfest, and the food….oh, the food!

Many cooks have prepared baked apples to welcome autumn, but my recipe incorporates chopped dates and walnuts with oatmeal to bring home real fall flavor. Leave room for dessert tonight because you will want to gobble up the entire apple. They serve well with vanilla bean ice cream too!

Prior to baking, stuff these babies as full as you can with the filling ingredients.

Here are the instructions for Baked Apples with Oatmeal, Dates and Brown Sugar:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Wash two Pink Lady Apples. Core out the inside without penetrating the bottom. (Remove about half of the apple’s core.)

3. Add the butter to a small microwavable bowl and heat it about 10 seconds until it’s melted. Add remaining filling ingredients. Stir to combine all thoroughly.

4. Stuff each apple with the filling.

5. Set apples upright into baking dish. Add enough water around the apples until the bottom surface is covered.

6. Bake apples at 350 degrees for one hour. Serve warm. Devour.

The apple’s exterior color fades during baking, but the flavor is accentuated. Trust me. These apples are delicious on their own or served with vanilla bean ice cream.