Tired of the same old Salad?  Have some fun with this recipe:

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. asparagus
12 thin baguette slices, cut on diagonal
1/2 cup + 2 Tbs. STAR Olive oil with Garlic
1/4 cup STAR Garlic Red Wine Vinegar or STAR Red Wine Vinegar
3-4 STAR Anchovies mashed (optional)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
6 to 8 cups torn romaine lettuce
1/4 cup grated Parmesan shavings

Directions

Trim and cut asparagus into 2-inch lengths. Blanch about 3 minutes, then plunge into ice water. Toast baguette slices and brush with 2 Tbs. of oil. Whisk together remaining oil and vinegar. Whisk in anchovies, if desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Combine romaine and asparagus in large bowl. Pour dressing over and toss thoroughly. Add grated cheese and toss again. Transfer to individual salad plates or large glasses. Garnish each with a baguette slice and some Parmesan shavings. Pass remaining baguette slices at the table.

Servings

6

Ingredients
1 cup slivered almonds
3 Tbsps. plus 1 tsp STAR Extra Light Olive Oil
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 ozs. semi-sweet chocolate pieces
Fresh fruit or sorbet (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Place 1/2 cup of almonds in blender and process until fine. In small saucepan, bring 3 Tbsps olive oil, cream and sugar to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Stir in flour and all almonds. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls about 2” apart on oiled and floured baking sheet. With back of wet spoon, flatten each mound to 1 1/2” circle. Bake until edges are deep golden, about 10 minutes. Cool slightly then carefully transfer to cooling rack. In top of double boiler set over simmering water, place chocolate with remaining tsp oil. When melted, drizzle over cookies with fork or dip half of each cookie into chocolate. Let stand until chocolate is set, about 2 hours. Serve with fruit or sorbet, if desired.

Servings

18

By CHEF JAMIE RORABACK

Picture and recipe from NBC Connecticut

 

1 lb. chicken boneless skinless breast fillets
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup flour
3 Tbsp. STAR Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup white wine
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. STAR Capers, drained

Halve chicken fillets horizontally with a sharp knife and flatten them slightly between sheets of plastic wrap. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Dust with flour, shaking off excess. Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the breast fillets and sauté 2 to 3 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside. Repeat with 1 Tbsp. olive oil and remaining breast fillets.

Add remaining 1 Tbsp. of olive oil, garlic and mushrooms to skillet and sauté until mushrooms are browned. Add chicken broth and wine. Heat to boiling, scraping to loosen browned bits. Simmer 2 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, butter and capers.

Return cooked breast fillets to skillet. Heat through, turning to coat with sauce.


Serves 4 - 6

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From About.com/Depression Blog

By the end of the study, 657 new cases of depression had been detected in the group.

The researchers found a "dose response" effect within the group, where those participants with the highest intake of trans fats were 42% more likely to obtain a new diagnosis of depression.

They also found that olive oil and polyunsaturated fats appeared to be protective against depression.

This study may have even stronger implications for other populations, such as Americans and Canadians, the authors suggested, due to the fact that Spanish people tend to eat much lower amounts of trans fats than these other populations.  In fact, only 0.4% of the total energy in the diet of the study participants was composed of trans fats, which is actually a fairly low intake the authors said.

Trans fats are created by a process called hydrogenation, which involves pumping hydrogen into liquid oil at an elevated temperature in order to turn it into solid fat.  Trans fats are commonly found in mass-produced baked goods, tub margarines and fast foods.  These fats have previously been associated with raising levels of low-density lipoprotein, the so-called "bad" cholesterol, as well as  increasing the risk of cholesterol buildup in the arteries and heart attacks.

While this particular study cannot prove whether trans fats cause depression, the link between the two, along with the other known risks associated with trans fat consumption are sufficient reason to recommend removing them from your diet as much as possible.

The article was published in the journal PLoS One.

 Golden Balsamic Vinegar is not as well know as Balasmic.  We would love to tell you a few things that maybe you did not know about the vinegar:

Golden Balsamic Vinegar comes from Modena, Italy and is bottled in Spain. Made from premium Trebbiano grapes and aged in wooden casks.

Golden Balsamic has a lighter consistency than dark balsamic vinegars. Its flavor is lighter too: intense yet delicate with balanced sweet and sour notes.

Star’s Golden Balsamic Vinegar is sodium free, fat free, cholesterol free, trans fat free, low carb, gluten free with no sugar added.

Shelf life: 2 years unopened. 6-9 months once opened, when stored in a cool, dark place. Does not have to be refrigerated.

Best when used to add zest to green salads, soups, sauces and marinades. Also for tenderizing lean cuts of meat, season potato salad, tomato slices and chicken.

Let us know how you like to use your Golden Balsamic!