Main dishes

Thai Shrimp Salad Boats

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1 Serving (See Lean & Green counts below)

Ingredients:

  • 1  C. tri-color coleslaw mix OR shredded cabbage
    ThaiShrimpwraps vomFASS mall of america1/2 cup TOTAL of chopped cilantro, diced red or yellow bell pepper, sliced green onion, sliced fresh jalapeno, proportions to your preference
  • 7 oz cooked shrimp, tails and shells removed
    OR you can start with raw shrimp, seasoned with Viola’s Thai Curry seasoning, sautéed in vomFASS Chili Sunflower Oil
  • Cubed Avocado (optional)
  • 4 – 6 lettuce leaves or 2 egg life wraps (I like to lightly brush the egg life wraps in Chili Sunflower Oil, then lightly toast in a cast iron skillet)

Dressing:

  • 2 Tbs. powdered peanut butter aka PB2 or PB Fit
  • ThaiSlaw_vomFASS_mallofamerica1 Tbs. water
  • 2 t. lite soy sauce or liquid aminos
  • 1/8 t. Viola’s Thai Curry seasoning
  • ¼ t. sugar stevia powder, or a couple drops of Stevia liquid
  • 2 tsp. vomFASS Ginger Sesame Oil

Directions:

Combine cole slaw mix and cooked shrimp in a medium sized bowl. Mix all the ingredients for the dressing together in a small bowl. Pour over shrimp and slaw. Toss to coat. Best if you can let the mixture sit for 30 minutes or more to let flavors blend. Pile mixture onto lettuce leaves. Enjoy!

Optavia Lean & Green guidelines: each recipe is 1 Lean, 3 Greens, 2 Condiments, 2 Healthy Fats and 1 Snack, WITHOUT the avocado and WITH the lettuce boats. If using egg life wraps, reduce shrimp to 5.6 cooked ounces. This is a very filling recipe. It’s a great one to use on days when you are splitting your lean & green into two meals – just reduce the volume of shrimp and veggies as needed to accommodate your daily total.

Grilled Salmon with Calamansi Caper Butter Sauce, served with Lemon Rice

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Ingredients:

  • 1½ lbs. fresh salmon fillet, boned with skin on

Marinade:

  • 2 T. vomFASS Ginger-Grape Balsam with Lemon
  • 2 T.  vomFASS Basil Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Viola’s Congratulations! Seasoned Sea Salt, to taste
  • 1 tsp. garlic, minced

Calamansi Caper Butter Sauce:

  • 1 T.  vomFASS Calamansi Balsam vinegar
  • 1/2 C. white wine (I used Chardonnay)
  • 4 T. chilled butter, cut into small cubes or slices
  • 2 T. capers, drained

Directions:

  1. Cut salmon into 4 equal pieces or leave the filet whole. Place salmon on aluminumSalmon Broccoli Rice Meal vomFASS Mall of America foil, in a plastic zipper bag, or in a covered dish. Whisk the marinade ingredients together and drizzle onto salmon. Refrigerate 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
  2. Remove salmon from the marinade, or if you made a foil packet, leave in the foil and vent it.
  3. Grill or broil for about 10 minutes, depending on the thickness. Remove any cover and finish grilling or broiling, to your preferred level of cooked.
  4. While salmon is grilling, place the wine and Calamansi Balsam vinegar in a saucepan over medium high heat and allow it to come to a boil for 5-10 seconds. Keep your nose away from the vapor!
  5. Reduce heat to lowest possible, whisk in the butter a few pieces at a time until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.  The butter must never come to rest, or the sauce will separate and become oily.
  6. Once the butter has completely incorporated, remove from heat and stir in capers.
  7. Serve over the salmon.

Lemon Almond Rice

  • 1 Pkg. Viola’s Lemon Almond Rice
  • 1 T. vomFASS Basil Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or your favorite)
  • 2 1/2  C. chicken or vegetable stock (more if needed)
  • Viola’s Congratulations! Seasoned Sea Salt, to taste
  • 1 – 2 tsp. Calamansi Balsam vinegar
  • 1 T. butter (optional)

Add olive oil to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add rice and stir until glossy and warm. Add broth and seasoned sea salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook about 20 minutes until al dente or your preferred texture, adding more liquid if needed. Add more seasoned salt, if needed, the splash of Calamansi vinegar and butter, if using. Stir and serve or cover and keep warm until serving, adding more liquid if needed prior to dishing up.

 

Bean Salad (serves 6 – 8)

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Ingredients

2 cans (15 oz) legumes, drained and rinsed (Garbanzo, Cannelini, Great Northern, black beans, etc.) Garbanzo Bean Salad vomFASS Mall of America
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 yellow or orange bell pepper, diced
½ C. sliced Kalamata Olives
½ C. vomFASS Jalapeno Extra Virgin Olive Oil (substitute another infused oil if you don’t like spicy)
¼ C. vomFASS Apple Balsamic Vinegar
2 – 3 tsp. vomFASS Greek Seasoning, more or less to taste
vomFASS Mediterranean Sea Salt, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Serve with bread, on crostini or as a garnish, in a pita pocket, as side dish or salad topping. Flavors will bloom and blend, and this will taste even better in a day or two or three. Substitute veggies for what you have or like. Change up the flavor by using different oil, vinegar and spice combinations.

MVP Shredded Chicken

~ TomboyTam ~ 1 Comment

There should be a drum roll to introduce this recipe! It gets my vote for Most Versatile IMG_0298Player (MVP) recipe for quick, easy, delicious and healthy meals, even on my busiest days!

This shredded chicken recipe SO versatile in several ways.

  • Infinite number of flavor options
  • Wide variety of delicious ways to use it
  • Different methods you can use to prepare it
  • Cook once, eat now, and use in recipes over the next few days and weeks
  • Method is applicable to any protein, including chicken, turkey, pork, beef or game

The combination of oil, vinegar and spice adds flavor, obviously. In addition, the oil helps keep the meat moist and the vinegar helps tenderize – and then, of course, the health benefits of good quality olive oil, vinegar and spices are a huge bonus! See the notes below for alternatives to the basic recipe.

Shredded Chicken – Instant Pot Method

Ingredients

1 C. low sodium chicken broth (or more if you want extra broth at the end for soup)

IMG_5956
Loaded Lettuce Boats with shredded chicken

1 T. Viola’s Blackening/Southwest seasoning
1 T. vomFASS Smoky BBQ Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 T. vomFASS Apple Balsamic Vinegar
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, medium size

 

Directions

Place broth, oil, vinegar and seasonings into Instant Pot and blend. Add chicken and turn to coat with liquid. Place lid on cooker and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. It takes about 10 minutes to come to pressure and start counting down. Once the cook time is over, turn the Instant Pot off and let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, using quick release to finish. Open the lid and drain most of the liquid (save for soup!), but leaving enough liquid to keep the chicken moist. Shred the chicken breasts with the remaining liquid in the pot, or transfer to a bowl for

IMG_5895
Shredded Chicken and Veggie Soup

shredding. See notes below for variety of uses.

 

Versatility notes:

Infinite number of flavor options

With vomFASS oils, vinegars and spices at your service, it is SO easy to change the flavor this recipe to use in different cuisines and with different proteins. Here are just a few pairing ideas to launch your creativity. Drop a note in the comments with your favorite vomFASS flavor combo suggestions! 

  • Ginger Sesame Oil, Plum Balsamic and Asia Tandoori spice blend
  • Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Aceto Balsamico Gold, Viola’s Feta Seasoning
  • Jalapeno Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Honey Balsamic, Garlic Pepper Whole Blend

Wide variety of delicious ways to use it

IMG_4463
Stir Fried Veggies with Shredded Chicken

Having shredded chicken or other protein prepared is a fantastic short cut to really great meals all week long. It is great in soups, salads, pastas, sandwiches, pizza, lettuce wraps, stir fries, egg bakes, tacos, nachos, enchiladas – if you can imagine it, you can use it!

Different methods you can use to prepare it

If you don’t have one, or don’t want to use your Instant Pot or other pressure cooker, there are certainly other cooking methods that will provide similar results. You just need to do a little research on Google in cookbooks to determine the appropriate cooking time. Use a slow cooker, a dutch oven on the stove top, or a covered pan in the oven. We would love to hear how you prepare this, so please share the method you used how it worked in the comments!  

Eat now, and/or use in recipes over the next few days and weeks

In addition to using it for a meal today, package into amounts that you will use for one meal. Keep some liquid with each package. Refrigerate up to three days. Freeze up to one month. I usually package in a plastic zipper back or a glass container with tight sealing lid and use a sharper (on tape for the glass container) to note the type of protein, flavor and date on the package. I recommend removing the protein from plastic before defrosting, if you are using a microwave oven.

Method is applicable to any protein, including chicken, turkey, pork, beef or game

Adjust cook time for type of protein, size of pieces or roast, and amount you are cooking. I recommend over-cooking for this recipe, versus under-cooking, for easier shredding. As mentioned above, use Google or your favorite cookbook for help on estimating cook time.

Now all that’s left is to make it and enjoy! Please share your favorites with us as a comment below! 

IMG_3743
Tamra Kramer, Optavia Health Coach and Owner, vomFASS TwinCities

Cheers to easy, delicious and healthy cooking and eating! 

Tamra

 

 

My passion is teaching people how to cook easy, delicious and healthy meals at home with quality olive oils, vinegar and spices, and coaching people along their health journey. Looking for support with starting your own health journey? Check out my Optavia website for more information.
 

Summer Harvest Veggie Menu

~ TomboyTam ~ Leave a comment
This salad recipe has no proportions indicated because it is completely scalable to the number of people you are feeding. For a single serving, I use a combined total of about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of veggies, an ounce of cheese, 1 – 5 oz. can of tuna, and a total of about 2 tablespoons of vinaigrette. For the vinaigrette, use 1 part vinegar to 2 parts olive oil, season with mustard and spices to your taste. Adjust the contents and proportions to what you like to eat. Really, you can’t mess this up. You can do it!!! 🙂

Not Quite Nicoise Salad

Ingredientstuna salad oil vinegar vomfass mall of america

Spring greens or baby spinach
Tomatoes, cut in bite-sized pieces
Green beans, steamed for 3 minutes and chilled
Red onion, sliced
vomFASS Olives, with pimento
Feta Cheese, cubed or crumbles
Canned tuna (or chicken)

Vinaigrette made with these vomFASS products:

Honey Balsamic Vinegar
Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Dijon Mustard
Viola’s Mediterranean Fish Seasoning
Pyramid Sea Salt

Directions

Toss salad ingredients together. Whisk vinaigrette ingredients together. Combine with salad. Enjoy!

Roasted Veggies

Ingredients

Veggies of choice: eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash, onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, asparagus, radishes, garlic, etc.

Pyramid Sea Salt
vomFASS Pizza Extra Virgin Olive Oil
vomFASS Aceto Balsamico Maletti or di Famiglia

Directions

Slice veggies into ½ inch to ¼ inches, depending on density of vegetable. Combine olivegrilled veggies olive oil vomfass mall of america oil and sea salt in a large bowl or pan. Add veggies and toss gently until lightly coated. Place on grill mat on a 425 degree grill, or spread in a single layer onto a pre-heated sheet pan. Roast or grill at 425 degrees, turning halfway through to get a slight char on each side. Time varies from 10 – 30 minutes, depending on types of veggies and desired char.

Enjoy as a side dish (Drizzle with Aceto Balsamico for serving), cool for an antipasti plate with the remoulade below, enjoy as a healthy snack, blend into a dip (see recipe below), add to a salad, or make them into soup!

Roasted Veggie Remoulade

Ingredients

¼ C. plain Greek yogurtroasted vegetables with remoulade vomfass mall of america
¼ C. mayonnaise
1 T. capers, rinsed and chopped
½ T. vomFASS Calamansi Balsam Vinegar
2 tablespoons vomFASS Dijon mustard
vomFASS Sea Salt and Viola’s Pepper with Herbs, to taste

Directions

Whisk together all ingredients. Serve in a small bowl on a platter with roasted veggies.

 

Roasted Veggie Dip with Flatbread

Ingredients

2 C. roasted veggies (see recipe above)
7 T. vomFASS Pizza Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 t, vomFASS Vingre Viejo de Montilla (Spanish Red Wine Vinegar)
1 small clove garlic, finely chopped (unless garlic is in roasted veggies)
vomFASS Sea Salt and Viola’s Pepper with Herbs
2 t. Viola’s Smoked Paprika (spicy or sweet)
1 t. Viola’s Cumin

3 6-inch pitas, flatbread or cauliflower pizza crust

Directions

When cool enough to handle, coarsely chop vegetables and transfer to a food processor along with 1 Tbsp. olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. Pulse until mixture is finely chopped with some texture remaining. Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if needed. Transfer to serving bowl.

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, stir together paprika, cumin and 1/2 tsp. salt. Cut each pita or flatbread into triangles. Arrange triangles in a single layer on 2 large baking sheets. Lightly drizzle with remaining 3 Tbsp. olive oil and sprinkle with spice mix. Bake until crisp and golden brown, about 12 minutes. Serve dip at room temp with pita chips or flatbread.

Francis Night at vomFASS Cooking Class

~ TomboyTam ~ Leave a comment

Have you ever entered a room to meet eight people for the first time and leave 90 minutes later with eight new friends? That’s an awesome feeling, and it’s how tonight’s cooking class went. In fact, the photos ended up being more about the people than the food, but the happy smiles are because of the food and the experience, so that’s OK, right? ††

Francis is not THE most common name, yet we had two people in the class by that name and almost every else knew or were related to a Francis, including me – so we got off on a congenial foot by declaring it Francis Night at vomFASS! The night was also special because Francis from Memphis was celebrating her birthday and because we were graced by the presence of newlyweds who joined the class during their 12 hour layover on their way to honeymoon in Iceland! (Coolest newlyweds of the year!)

But enough about how much fun we had (DO join us next time!), let’s get to the recipes!

Shrimp Salad / Dip / Tacos

Ingredients

2 C. cooked cocktail-sized shrimp (mini)
vomFASS Chili Sea Salt, to taste
3 T. vomFASS San Domenico or Jalapeno Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 1/2 vomFASS Calamansi or Mango Balsam Vinegar
1/4 C. minced cilantro
1/4 C. sliced green onions
1/4 C. diced red bell pepper
1/4 C. Poblano pepper
Tortilla chip scoops, romaine leaves, taco shells or salad greens
Directions

Whisk together oil, vinegar and spices. Add remaining ingredients. Serve as desired: on greens for a salad, on lettuce leaves or taco shells, or with tortilla chips for an appetizer.  

Sun-Dried Tomato Basil Pasta  
6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pkg vomFASS Basil Pasta OR 8 C. zoodles to replace pasta
  • 1 t. Violas’ Caprese Salt or to taste
  • 1 t. Violas’ Pepper with Herbs, or to taste
  • ¼ C. vomFASS San Domenico Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 – 2 T. vomFASS Herb Garlic Sunflower Oil OR Chili Sunflower Oil
  • 1 jar vomFASS Sun-dried Tomatoes            
  • ½ C. chopped sweet onion         
  • ½ C. chopped orange bell pepper            
  • 2 t. minced garlic (fresh or jarred)
  • 1 C. chopped fresh baby spinach             
  • Parmesan Cheese, to taste
  • vomFASS Aceto Balsamico di Famiglia


Directions

Chop sun-dried tomatoes and set aside. Sauté onion and pepper with sunflower oil over medium high heat, just until tender crisp. Add garlic and sauté about one more minute. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes and seasonings. Set aside in pan. Cook pasta in boiling salted water 1 minute less than minimum recommended on package. Lift out of water and into the pan with sautéed veggie mixture, along with about ½ cup of pasta water. Add olive oil, spinach and adjust spices. Toss, cover and let rest in a warm place until ready to serve. Serve with parmesan and drizzle with Aceto Balsamico.

Delicious + Nutritious Tuscan Bean Soup

~ TomboyTam ~ Leave a comment

It’s January and its Minnesota. A healthy, delicious soup is just the comfort food your fitness goals and the weather call for! This Tuscan White Bean, Sausage and Veggie Soup will feed a family or provide a few meals for one or two! Skip to the end to read my “quick and easy” note, which was the path I chose for our Mediterranean Lifestyle cooking class tonight! This soup pairs beautifully with a Chardonnay (sparkling or still) or Pinot Noir.

Ingredients

2 T vomFASS San Domenico Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 pound Italian sweet or spicy sausage, casing removed

1 medium onion, chopped

2 large carrots, diced small

2 large potatoes, diced small

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Viola’s bay leaf

2 (15 ounce) cans white cannelini beans

2 small bunches of kale, ribs removed and roughly chopped

8 C. low-sodium chicken stock (read the label to find one that doesn’t have sugar and a bunch of other stuff you don’t want in your soup!)

Violas Feta Seasoning, to taste (at least a couple teaspoons!)

vomFASS Herb Vinegar, to taste

Directions

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add sausage and brown, stirring occasionally to break into smaller pieces, approximately 10 minutes.

Add onion, carrots, potato, and bay leaves salt and pepper. Cook until vegetables begin to soften, stirring occasionally, approximately 10 minutes. Add garlic and beans; cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add kale and cook until slightly wilted. Add chicken stock, season and cover with lid.

Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and keep at a simmer for about 45 minutes, although a bit longer is completely fine. The soup will thicken as the potatoes begin to release their starch into the soup. Serve with a splash of Herb Vinegar.

Vegetarian option: eliminate sausage; replace San Domenico EVOO with vomFASS Smoky BBQ EVOO.

Fast and easy: Use pre-cooked Italian sausage (I used Chicken Italian sausage from Fresh Thyme Market), and pre-minced garlic. Add all ingredients, including olive oil, to crock pot or pressure cooker and cook as appropriate to appliance type. I used an Instant Pot on High Pressure setting for 6 minutes. Don’t forget that pop of Herb Vinegar right before eating!

Even Skinnier: Replace potatoes and carrots with a variety of other veggies, such as chopped or spiralized zucchini, cauliflower, shredded cabbage, celery, fresh fennel, or tomatoes.  Reduce cooking time to adjust for higher water content veggies.

Fig Chili Balsamic, How Do I Love Thee?

~ TomboyTam ~ Leave a comment

I recently got some family members hooked on vomFASS Fig Chili Balsamic Vinegar, and now they are clamoring for more ideas and recipes for using it!

My first love is to use Fig Chili as a seasoning for burgers – beef, bison, turkey – namefig-chili burger2 your protein! Mix your burger meat as usual, and add about 2 tablespoons of Fig Chili Balsamic per pound of meat. It adds great flavor and a little bit of kick to your burger.

Then, make some balsamic glazed onions with Fig Chili Balsamic to top the burger, add some bleu or gorgonzola cheese, (and bacon, if you’re feeling really decadent!) and you just made the best burger in town!

Balsamic Glazed Onions

1 large sweet onion thinly sliced
2 T. vomFASS Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 T. vomFASS Aceto Balsamico Platinum
vomFASS Himalayn Salt and Peppercorn Mix to tasteonions caramelized glazed balsamic vomFASS Mall of America Minnesota Food

In medium sauté pan, heat oil over medium heat.  Add onions, salt and pepper and toss to coat. Sauté until onions are soft and semi translucent – about 10 minutes. Add Aceto Balsamico Platinum.  Stir to coat onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and caramelized.

I recommend doubling this recipe, as these are great on salads, sandwiches, pizza, in mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs – chime in with your own ideas for using them!

Other quick and easy ideas: 

  • Drizzle Fig Chili Balsamic on tomato soup – homemade or purchased. One of my go-to convenience foods is the Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup from Costco – its gluten free and organic, and with a pop of extra flavor from Fig Chili Balsamic, it’s delicious! (Don’t forget to dip your grilled cheese sandwich in it!)

  • Use Fig Chili Balsamic as your “secret sauce,” to season roasted meats, steaks and poultry. 
  • My favorite olive oil to pair with Fig Chili Balsamic is vomFASS Orange Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Lemon EVOO is a good alternative to Orange. Use as a marinade for grilled chicken or shrimp, or as a vinaigrette for a Southwest salad, or quinoa salad.
  • Drizzle on pizza, roasted veggies, caprese salad, fish tacos, and yes – even ice cream! Wow, yum!

Here are some more recipes. Let me know what YOU make with this sweet + heat all-star balsamic!

Grilled Fish with Balsamic Marinade

¼ cup vomFASS Madonia or Don Carlos Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ cup vomFASS Avocado Oil
¼ cup vomFASS Fig-Chili Balsamic Vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp dried parsley (or 1 Tbsp fresh, chopped)
1/8 tsp vomFASS Sea Salt
1/8 tsp fresh ground vomFASS Peppercorn Mix
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard

In small mixing bowl, whisk together all ingredients until well mixed and emulsified.  Place fish fillets into large zip-lock bag.  Pour marinade over fish, distributing well.  Refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.  Remove fish from marinade when ready to cook.  Discard any remaining marinade.  Grill according to package directions.

Fig Chili Shrimp or Chicken  Serves 4

1 lb. raw shrimp or cubed chickenvomfass15-2521
3 T. vomFASS Orange Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 T. vomFASS Fig Chili Balsamic
1 clove minced garlic
½ t. vomFASS Danish Smoked Sea Salt, divided
Freshly ground vomFASS Peppercorn Mix, to taste 

Combine oil, vinegar, garlic, half the salt and a few cranks of ground pepper in a glass bowl with cover or plastic zip bag. Add shrimp or chicken and marinate 15 – 20 minutes. Do not marinate shrimp longer; chicken may be marinated up to two hours. Empty contents of bag or bowl into a hot stir-fry pan. Toss just until cooked through. Finish with Smoked Sea Salt and Peppercorn Mix to taste. Serve immediately.

Black-Eyed Peas and Walnut Lettuce Wraps Serves 6-8

2 cans black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed or 3 cups cookedBlack Eyed Pea Lettuce Wraps Mediterranean Diet Cooking Class vomFASS Mall of America
1 onion, chopped
1 can water chestnuts, chopped
1 medium carrot, roughly grated
½ C. chopped walnuts
1 red bell pepper, chopped
¼ C. fresh parsley, chopped
2 T. vomFASS Orange Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ C. vomFASS Fig Chili Balsamic
1 t. vomFASS African Rub spice blend
vomFASS Sea Salt and Peppercorn Mix, to taste
16 leaves iceberg or butter lettuce

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion, pepper, carrots and water chestnuts. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover pan and continue cooking until veggies are tender crisp, 5-7 minutes.  Stir in walnuts, black-eyed peas, balsamic and parsley.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cool slightly. Spoon about ¼ cup of the mixture into each lettuce leaf.  Fold the leaves in half and eat taco-style. vomFASSified from Oldwayspt.org

Fig-Chili BBQ Sauce

Makes approximately 1 cup sauce

4 Tbsp vomFASS San Gimignano Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ medium-sized onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup ketchup
½ cup vomFASS Fig Chili Balsamic Vinegar (for less spicy, see NOTE)
1/3 cup honey
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 cup water
¼ tsp vomFASS  Sea Salt
¼ tsp vomFASS  Black Peppercorn Mix

NOTE: For a less spicy version, use ¼ cup Fig Chili Balsamic + ¼ cup Star Fig Balsamic.

In medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes.  Add the garlic and sauté one minute more.

Whisk in the ketchup, vinegar(s), honey, mustard, water, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a low simmer.  Cook the sauce until it has thickened enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 10 – 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and cool.  Refrigerate until ready to use, or for up to two weeks.

Black Bean Salsa  Serves 4 – 8

1 – 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsedBlack Bean Salsa vomFASS Cooking Class Mall of America Minnesota Food
1 cup chopped cherry or grape tomatoes
½ small red onion, minced
1 cup corn kernels (fresh, canned or frozen and thawed)
2 T. cilantro, chopped
1 tsp vomFASS Chili con Carne spice blend
1 T. vomFASS Fig Chili Balsamic Star Vinegar
1 ½ T. vomFASS Agora Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 t. vomFASS Calamansi Balsam Vinegar
¼ t. vomFASS Sea Salt
¼ t. vomFASS Peppercorn Mix

*For a spicier version, replace Agora Extra Virgin Olive Oil with Red Pepper or Jalapeno Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Place all ingredients into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Stir gently until well combined.  Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.  Stir again just prior to serving. Serve with tortilla chips as a dip, serve as a condiment for tacos, or add to a green salad or grilled entrée of fish or chicken.

Fig Chili Chocolate Truffles

6 oz. heavy cream
2 T sugar
2 T vomFASS Fig Chili Balsamic Vinegar
8 oz. chopped bittersweet chocolate
1 T butter
4 oz. Apricot Grappa
1 T Honey

Bring cream, sugar and vinegar to almost a boil.  Add chopped chocolate, cover and let sit for 5 min. Stir in grappa and butter.  Emulsification starts in the middle, continue stirring until grappa is incorporated and ganache is shiny.  Taste, add honey if necessary.  Let cool.  Form  ½ in balls and roll in cocoa.  Look, Taste, Enjoy!

I hope you’re feeling inspired! 

Let me know if you create something wonderful – take a picture and share your recipe by tagging our Facebook page!

Mediterranean Lifestyle Cooking Class June 26, 2018

~ TomboyTam ~ Leave a comment

I love meeting people who are as jazzed about easy, delicious and healthy cooking and eating as I am! Tonight’s class was delightful, with engaged participants enjoying the company and the food. The recipes were such a hit that I just had to share this peek at the fun. Join us for next month’s classes! See the class schedule on our Facebook page.

Chopped Potato Salad Serves 2 – 3

Ingredients – Salad

Mediterranean Diet Cooking Class vomFASS Mall of America Mark Kathy
Nice job on that colorful, flavorful salad, Mark & Kathy!

2 T. Spicy Honey Mustard Dressing (recipe below)
½ C. Chickpeas, rinsed and drained
¾ C. Small red potatoes, steamed, chilled and and cubed
½ C. Cherry or grape tomatoes
1 hand full green beans, steamed to tender crisp and chilled
1 Egg, hard boiled and diced

Ingredients – Honey Mustard Dressing

½ C. vomFASS Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Potato Salad Minnesota Food vomFASS Mall of America
This colorful salad is as nutritious as it is delicious! Great for the MN summer vegetable bounty! 

3 T. vomFASS White Balsamic Vinegar
1 T. vomFASS Forest Honey
1 T. vomFASS Walla Walla Chipotle Mustard
vomFASS Himalayan Sea Salt and Peppercorn Mix to taste 

Directions

Combine dressing ingredients and whisk until emulsified. Leftovers may be used as a salad dressing or marinade for chicken, pork chops or shrimp. Combine salad ingredients and serve. This salad is even better the second day!

Black-Eyed Peas and Walnut Lettuce Wraps Serves 6-8

Ingredients

Mediterranean Diet Cooking Class vomFASS Mall of America Andy Susie
Andy and Susie joined us during their Twin Cities vacation, from Illinois!

2 cans black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed or 3 cups cooked from dried state
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can diced water chestnuts
1 medium carrot, roughly grated
½ C. chopped walnuts
1 red bell pepper, chopped
¼ C. fresh parsley, chopped
2 T. vomFASS Orange Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Red Pepper Extra Virgin Olive Oil
 if you prefer spicier
¼ C. vomFASS Fig Chili Balsamic
1 t. vomFASS African Rub spice blend
vomFASS Sea Salt and Peppercorn Mix, to taste
Bibb / Butter lettuce leaves, washed and dried

Directions

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion, pepper, carrots and water chestnuts. Reduce heat to low, cover pan

Black Eyed Pea Lettuce Wraps Mediterranean Diet Cooking Class vomFASS Mall of America
Black-eyed pea and walnut lettuce wraps make a great appetizer or meatless main dish. I loved the leftovers with Paul Blisson Rosé from vomFASS.

and continue cooking until veggies are tender crisp, about 3 – 5 minutes.  Stir in walnuts, black-eyed peas, Fig-Chili Balsamic and parsley.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cool slightly. Spoon about ¼ cup of the mixture into each lettuce leaf.  Fold the leaves in half and eat taco-style. vomFASSified from Oldwayspt.org

Balsamic Watermelon Salad Serves 6

Ingredients

vomFASS Aceto Balsamico Maletti
1 Small seedless watermelon
1 T. vomFASS Calamansi Balsam Vinegar
2 T. vomFASS Agora Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 C. fresh mint leaves, chiffonade
2/3 C. crumbled feta cheese
vomFASS Sea Salt and Peppercorn Mix 

Directions

Mediterranean Diet Cooking Class vomFASS Mall of America Father Daughter
Tiffany knew her dad, George, would love the gift of a cooking class – and quality time with her! 

In a large bowl, whisk together the Calamansi Balsam Vinegar and olive oil with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cut the watermelon into cubes or use a melon baller and scoop it into balls. Add it to the bowl, along with mint and feta cheese. Toss to combine. Drizzle the salad with Aceto Balsamico Maletti and serve. You can serve this on a tray, in a bowl, or even as individual wedged servings.

Easy Dessert Serves 6

Ingredients

vomFASS Star Forest Raspberry Balsamic
vomFASS Pistachio Oil

vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt

Directions

Scoop one small serving of ice cream or yogurt into serving bowl. Drizzle with Star Forest Raspberry Balsamic and Pistachio Oil. Enjoy! (You won’t believe how decadently delicious this is!)

 

Easy Risotto and Fish Dinner

~ TomboyTam ~ Leave a comment

Risotto is one of my favorite dishes, and it’s so easy to make it new each time using different veggies, olive oil flavors or seasonings. And it’s a great way to use left-over grilled veggies this summer! And of course Minnesotans love easy new ways to prepare their fresh catch of Walleye, Northern Pike, Bass or Pan Fish. No problem if you don’t have access to fresh Minnesota fish. This preparation works equally well on Halibut, Cod or Salmon!

I recommend pairing this meal with a juicy, slightly off-dry white or rosé wine, such as Brand Weissburgunder, Sentio Pinot Grigio, Fausse Piste Oyster Sauce, or even a Prosecco or Cava from vomFASS at Mall of America. Enjoy!

easy recipes fish risotto olive oil vomFASS Mall of America

Easy pan-fried or grilled fish 

Ingredients

vomFASS Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
vomFASS BBQ Fish Seasoning
Fish fillets of choice (I used halibut this time) 1 per person
vomFASS Calamansi Balsam Vinegar, to taste

Directions

Heat a sauté pan with Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil over medium heat. Add fish fillet(s), fish recipe vomFASS Mall of America Minnesota Food not over-crowding the pan. Grind BBQ Fish Seasoning over the fish. Sauté until golden. Flip once and finish sautéing until golden on the second side. Turn off heat under pan and allow to continue cooking with ambient heat just until fish is flaky and no longer translucent in the middle. Don’t overcook, as it results in a dry, tough fillet. To grill, use aluminum foil as your “pan” over medium heat. Serve with a drizzle of Calamansi Balsam Vinegar.

Risotto with Asparagus Serves 4-6

Ingredients

6 – 8  asparagus spears, washed, tough ends snapped off and cut into 2-inch pieces
½ medium onion, diced
1 t. minced garlic
2 T. vomFASS Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil (plus more for drizzling)
vomFASS Sea Salt, to taste
vomFASS Peppercorn Mix, ground, or to taste
1 T. butter
2 T. vomFASS Porcini Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 C. Arborio rice
½ C. dry white wine (such as vomFASS Sentio Pinot Grigio)
4 C. chicken or vegetable stock
½ C. Parmesan Cheese, grated (we like Cheese Brothers Parmesan, from our friends at their Mall of America store)

Directions

Heat a large sauté pan (I like using cast iron for risotto for consistent heat) with Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil over medium heat. Sauté onion until slightly softened, about two minutes. Add asparagus and sauté a couple more minutes, just until tender-crisp. Finally, add garlic and sauté just a minute more, reducing heat as needed to keep garlic from burning. Use a slotted spoon to remove veggies from pan and set aside.

Heat butter and Porcini Extra Virgin Olive Oil to the same pan over medium heat. Add rice and stir to coat the grains, sautéing for a few minutes until rice becomes slightly golden. Add wine and cook until liquid is absorbed. Add about ½ cup of stock and ½ teaspoon salt to the rice. Stir, and simmer until the stock is absorbed. Continue to add the stock, about ½ cup at a time, stirring frequently. Each time, cook until the mixture is a little dry, then add more stock. Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente, about 30 minutes total. During the last few minutes of cooking, add the sautéed veggies and salt and/or pepper to taste, if needed. Off the heat, add the Parmesan cheese. Mix well and serve with a drizzle of Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil.