Add Variety to Salads with Blue

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March 2011

Add Variety to Salads with Blue

The key to eating healthy? Variety! Trying new recipes and flavors keeps your inner foodie satisfied, and a varied diet is the key to good nutrition. We all grew up planning meals around a protein and then picking the veggies as a side-dish, but try reversing that habit! Creating meals around a variety of fresh vegetables makes eating well within everyone’s control. Begin filling a plate with leafy greens and fresh vegetables, and then add a small piece of protein such as salmon or chicken. Sprinkle the entire dish with a generous amount of crumbled Castello® Blue cheese. You’ll be adding flavor, calcium, protein, and a gourmet touch.

Rosenborg - America's #1 Danish Blue cheese - has earned the name Castello! Look for our new packaging in stores this May.

Layered Chicken Nicoise Salad

Makes 4 servings

A party on a plate! Celebrate any occasion with this healthy salad filled with layers of vegetables, chicken, and CASTELLO®-ROSENBORG® Danish Blue cheese.

What you need:

Dressing:
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons thinly sliced basil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil

Salad:
12 small cooked small red potatoes, thinly sliced
2 small raw zucchini, thinly sliced
2 cooked boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
1 small red bell pepper, cut into thin rings
4 small roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
½ cup crumbled Castello® Danish Blue cheese
8 nicoise olives, pitted
1 tablespoon capers
Mache
Cooking utensil: 3-inch round cookie cutter

What you do:
1. Whisk together the garlic, mustard, basil, lemon juice, and oil. Set aside.
2. In separate bowls, toss the different salad ingredients with a tablespoon of the dressing.
3. Set the cookie cutter in the center of the serving plates. Alternating colors, make single layers of the vegetables inside the cookie cutter. Compress to set and gently remove cookie cutter. Sprinkle Blue cheese over the salad. Mix the olives and capers with remaining dressing and spoon over the salad. Place a small bouquet of mache on top and serve right away.

(Healthy Eating: - CONT.)

Snacking tips for eating well:

Everyday enjoy a few almonds and fresh fruit. Regular protein – like a bit of Blue cheese – keeps your blood sugar levels steady and keeps you satisfied.
Stir Fry: Easiest dinner ever: Quickly sauté fresh vegetables, chicken, or fish in olive oil or canola oil. Season with garlic and fresh julienne of ginger and a shot of soy sauce. Serve over brown rice or whole wheat couscous.
Pasta: Try one of the new fortified or whole-wheat pastas – really delicious. Toss cooked pasta with lots of steamed broccoli, kale, or other greens and caramelized onions. Sprinkle with Blue cheese!
Caramelized onions are really sweet when cooked very slowly in a bit of canola oil and a bit of water. Stir continually over low heat until the onions brown. Take your time; if you cook them too quickly the onions will burn, but when cooked correctly, it is like adding candy to any dish or vegetable.
Next time you make a sandwich or salad, add shredded fresh cabbage. It adds color, crunch, and cabbage is great for the skin!

Perfect Pairing:

Green Tea Refresher

Makes 1 cocktail

What you do: Stir 1 part cooled green tea with 2 parts vodka. Pour over ice in a tall glass and fill with club soda. Garnish with a cucumber slice.

Perfect Pairing: The Green Tea Refresher with Cucumber

Bring on spring with a refreshing cocktail!

See recipe...

Watercress and
Endive Salad

Makes 4 servings

Pears, Blue cheese, and toasted walnuts make a perfect salad combination as well as a satisfying snack. Healthy watercress adds a distinct bite.

What you need:

1 large, ripe Comice or Anjou pear
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
4 endives, well rinsed
2 bunches watercress
4 ounces Castello-Rosenborg® Extra Creamy Blue cheese
¼ cup toasted walnut halves
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

What you do:

1. Thinly slice the pear, core, and toss with fresh lime juice to prevent browning. Set aside.

2. Cut off the endives’ cores. Cut the spears into long slivers. Arrange them on the serving plates. Place several slices of pears on the plates along with a bouquet of watercress. Sprinkle with Blue cheese and walnuts.

3. Whisk together the oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Drizzle over the greens and serve right away.