QUICK TIP: Creating the perfect salad!

As you may have all guessed...I am NOT a fan of high-fat salad dressings, for more reasons than one. Although some are delectable and, sometimes, necessary to curb a craving (ehem, Maurice Salad), you should be seeking to get the most out of the flavor of the toppings. I like to use several different cooking techniques for individual toppings (i.e. sauteeing, roasting, grilling) and employ fun kitchen utensils to create a multitude of textures! I highly recommend forking over the $15 to purchase a set of three Swissmar peelers which allow you to make ribbons of carrots and quickly julienne cucumbers, zucchini, and beets. Caramelized onions always provide a savory dimension to the dish, and the olive oil that you use to cook them in can provide a nice simple dressing. If the salad is an entree, incorporate some protein by tossing in some beans...I prefer "meaty" butter beans in a salad with feta cheese and roasted red peppers, or black beans in a salad with sauteed corn and avocado. Toasted nuts and seeds are also another great source of protein and healthy fats, but make sure that you don't go overboard...stick to a a couple of tablespoons or less. As for the dressing, a tip from Momma Russell is a foolproof trick: roast halved cherry or grape tomatoes drizzled with olive oil and spices at 400 degrees in the oven until caramelized and juicy. Toss the tomatoes with their juices into a salad right before serving for a warm and flavorful addition to a basic green salad! I try to incorporate a salad into every day to be sure that I meet the recommended three servings of vegetables a day. Get creative, have fun, and eat up!

The best part of waking up...

...is knowing that with every sip (okay, I admit, gulp), I am NOT destroying the Earth. If you choose to disregard the benefits of eating organic (lack of pesticides, encouragement of biodiversity, supporting small farms, etc.), please consider choosing organic coffee from this point on. I attended a lecture a couple of weekends ago titled The Green Revolution at the annual Food and Nutrition Conference & Expo in Boston and learned a great deal of information on how to purchase, prepare, and eat food in an eco-friendly AND nutritious way. Can you guess the top three countries with the highest emission of greenhouse gases?? One and two are pretty easy: China and the United States, but with Indonesia close behind, something has to be wrong. It is all due to deforestation, the clearing of fields for the production of oil palm, timber, and--you guessed it--coffee. So, the least we can do is trek (walk or ride a bike, of course!) to the grocery store (not Starbucks!) and buy a bag of ORGANIC coffee.

Right now, I am enjoying organic Allegro coffee from Whole Foods!

TAG Dinnerware

You may have noticed my cute baking dish that I recently procured (thanks Mom and Dad!), while in Savannah a month ago. This dish is oven-, dishwasher-, and microwave-safe, so it is great for baking and serving (gratin, for example!). Visit the website below to check out their line of colorful and practical dinnerware!

http://www.taghomedecor.com/