Fresh Spinach Salad with Oranges and Beets

In the same way in which I told you about the life-changing potatoes from Melissa's Produce, I am going to tell you about another of their wonderful products in their packaged steamed and peeled baby beets. A product of France, they come to you quartered, peeled, steamed, laced with shallots, herbs, and a delicate balsamic vinaigrette, making them ready-to-eat right out of the package. And I did, until half of the package was empty.

With the half of the package that remained, I made tasty and nutritious dinner salads for the two of us, and, trust me when I tell you that this salad is very high in nutrition. It had a fresh spinach base (Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, manganese, folate, magnesium, iron, copper, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin E, calcium, potassium, and vitamin C. Need I say more?  Okay then, it is also a very good source of dietary fiber, phosphorus, vitamin B1, zinc, protein, and choline.), and was topped with orange segments, sweetened pecans, feta cheese, and these delicious, all-of-the-work-is-done-for-you beets. Beets are loaded with vitamins and minerals such as potassium, magnesium, fiber, phosphorus, iron, as well as vitamins A, B, and C, plus (Yes, there's more!) beta-carotene, beta-cyanine, and folic acid. Whew! They cleanse the body, boost your energy, aid your mental health, and have been scientifically proven to work as an aphrodisiac (and I'll just leave things there). This salad that packs such a nutritional punch is also beautiful, makes quite an attractive presentation at the dinner table, and it is easy. What more could one possibly ask? Imagine getting so much healthful wonder on such a small plate.

Thanks, Melissa's Produce for these delicious beets. They are my convenience product of the month!

Fresh Spinach Salad with Oranges and Beets

1/2 pound fresh spinach

1/2 cup orange segments (I used mandarin oranges)

1/2 cup Melissa's Baby Beets in Vinaigrette

1/4 cup Feta cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup sugared pecans*, coarsely broken 

Poppyseed Dressing

 Divide ingredients among two chilled salad plates. Drizzle with poppyseed dressing. Serve immediately, and bask in your good health.

Sugared Pecans

2 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup pecan halves

1 tablespoon sugar

In a 9" sauté pan, melt butter. Add pecans, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until toasted, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle with sugar; cook and stir for 2-4 minutes or until sugar is melted. Spread on a dinner plate lined with paper towels to cool.

This post is linked to:

Show and Tell Friday 

Friday Unfolded

Flaunt It Friday

Fridays Flash Blog
Simple and Sweet Fridays

What To Do Weekend 
The Weekend re-Treat

Life-changing Potatoes: A Product Review

I am not a particular fan of convenience foods. For the most part, the majority of them are nutrition free. That is not to say that I don't, on the rare occasion, make use of them. They are, after all, convenient, and so I will admit to having a brick of Velveeta in my fridge (Who doesn't like those gooey grilled cheese sandwiches made with pasteurized, processed, cheese food?  Although I think the word “cheese” is no longer a part of the description, or perhaps it's the word “food.”), and a can or two of condensed cream of mushroom soup. I will also admit to feeling a tad guilty any time I use one of these products (but the convenience, she shrieked!).If you are like me, then I have some sit-yourself-down-and-brace-yourself good news. I have found a truly delicious, organic, natural convenience food, thanks to the good people at Melissa's Produce. Like manna from heaven these peeled and steamed baby potatoes  are going to change your life. They are peeled, people!  Peeled!  These tiny little potatoes are peeled!  They are also fully cooked to fork tender perfection and pretty much ready to eat as is. Slice them and add them to a salade niçoise -- tuna, green beans, hard boiled eggs, tomatoes, onion, capers, and potatoes. (They are, after all, a product of France, and don't we all just love French food?!) Cube them, add some crunchy mix ins, and toss with cider vinegar and mayonnaise and you have a quick potato salad. Make shorter work of soups, chowders, and stews by adding these ready-to-eat potatoes. 

What I love about them is that they can be tossed into a 12" skillet in which a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of oil have been heated to sizzling, and in minutes you have the most creamy and delicious little potatoes browned in butter that you can imagine. I made these for St. Patrick's Day and received raves. I'll also serve them with pork chops and have the meal on the table in under 30 minutes.

These are life changing, people!  Flavor, nutrition, and convenience all in one package.  Kinda makes you want to swoon, doesn't it?

Recommended!

This post is linked to:

Metamorphosis Monday 

Amaze Me Monday

Teach Me Tuesday

Inspire Me Tuesday

Wake up Wednesday

Creamy Capellini with Leeks and Bacon

 Two exciting things in one month are almost more than I can bear.  First, I spotted this yummy sounding recipe from the current issue of Bon Appetit, second, I received a package in the mail from Melissa’s Produce that featured a new product that, to my way of thinking, is the greatest thing since sliced bread (and, really, isn’t bread infinitely easier to slice, than leeks?) - cleaned and sliced leeks all washed and packaged up ready for you to use, plus a recipe on the front to tell you just how to use them.  I’ll try the soup recipe this week, but it was dinner time, and I really wanted to try this very easy, very fast recipe for pasta with leeks and bacon.  I didn’t have Pappardelle (or Fettuccini for that matter - I’m more of a small noodle girl, myself), so used Capellini and was delighted with the outcome.  I cut the recipe in half (used only a quarter of a box of capellini), and it made two nice sized dinner portions.

Creamy Capellini with Leeks and Bacon

Adapted from a recipe in Bon Appetit

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces
I package Melissa’s Cleaned and Sliced Leeks
Kosher salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
¼ package capellini pasta
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus gratings for the top

Heat oil and butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring often, until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp, 5-8 minutes. Add leeks and season with salt. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring often, until leeks begin to brown, 5-8 minutes. Add cream, thyme, and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened and coats the back of a spoon, 5-8 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.

Add pasta, Parmesan, and 1 cup pasta cooking liquid to sauce and stir to coat. Increase heat to medium and continue stirring, adding more cooking liquid as needed, until sauce coats pasta.

This post is linked to: 

On the Menu Monday

 Totally Tasty Tuesdays

Try a New Recipe Tuesday