Strawberry Poppy Spinach Salad July 7, 2011

Strawberry Poppy Spinach Salad for the Sardine Party

Strawberry Poppy Spinach Salad

Jamie says:  Today we had a Sardine Party at the VA!  Today was my second sardine party with the dietitians and a fellow dietetic intern.  I brought a can of sardines and made a salad.  To prepare, I browsed through my stash of recipes, and then came up with my own- a Strawberry Poppy Spinach Salad.  Then, last night I ventured off to Publix to buy the ingredients.

A sardine party really is quite an experience.  Everyone brought something tasty to share.  I moved the papers off my desk and out came the delicious food- four types of sardines, smoked oysters, bread, my salad, couscous, eggplant caponata, and chocolate covered almonds and pretzels.  Our favorite sardines were the smoked sardines and the ones in red sauce.  As one of the dietitians says, “In Sardines We Trust.”

Strawberry Poppy Spinach Salad

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 9 oz bag of pre-washed spinach
• 1/2 large onion
• 16 0z container strawberries
• 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

• 5 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 Tbsp poppy seeds
• 1/2 Tbsp sugar
• 1/8 tsp black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Pour almonds on a baking sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes, turning once.  Crush walnuts into small pieces.
2. Pour 1/2 bag of spinach salad in a large bowl.
3. Slice strawberries and mince onion.  Pour half of strawberries and minced onion on top of spinach in bowl.  Pour 1/2 of goat cheese and crushed walnuts on top.
4. Pour remaining spinach in bowl.  Top with remaining strawberries, onion, goat cheese, and walnuts.
5. Prepare dressing by pouring apple cider vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, poppy seeds, sugar, and black pepper in a small jar or container with a lid.  Shake well.  Pour on salad right before serving.  Serves: 6.  Enjoy!

Everyone seemed to enjoy the salad.  It was refreshing and sweet.

• Nutrition note:  For better iron absorption from plant foods, pair a vitamin C-rich food with the plant source of iron.  For example, The vitamin C in the strawberries helps you absorb the iron in the spinach better.

Garlicky Sun-Dried Tomato Bean Spread May 3, 2011

Garlicky Sun-Dried Tomato Bean Spread

Jamie says:  Have you ever heard of a sardine party?!  I hadn’t, until I was invited to my first sardine party at the VA hospital by a couple of dietitians.  I quickly learned it’s an informal event that occurs randomly, about once a week.  I had never tried sardines before, so I was very excited about this event.  One dietitian brought a few cans of sardines and everyone contributed something to go along with the lunch.  We cleared off a desk and spread out our feast- sardines in oil, sardines in red sauce, bread, salad with home-made dressing, olives, and my Garlicky Sun-Dried Tomato Bean Spread.  It was so much fun!  And as dietitians and future dietitians, it was also good to know our feast was heart-healthy (sardines are a good source of omega 3s).

Garlicky Sun-Dried Tomato Bean Spread

Ingredients:

• 1/2 bulb garlic
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 15.5-oz can chick peas
• 2 Tbsp smoked sun dried tomatoes, Julienne cut
• 1/4 tsp parsley

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.  Slice the top off of the half bulb of garlic.  Place on aluminum foil.  Drizzle 1 tsp olive oil (reserving 2 tsp) on top of cut bulb.  Replace top of garlic bulb on garlic.  Pull corners of aluminum foil up and pinch together at the top.  Cook in the oven for 45 minutes or until garlic is soft and fragrant.  Remove from oven, open aluminum foil, and allow garlic to cool (until it is cool enough to handle).  Squeeze cloves of garlic from bulb onto aluminum foil. 
2.  Rinse and drain chick peas.  Add to a small food processor along with garlic cloves, sun-dried tomatoes, and reserved two teaspoons of olive oil.  Pulse, stir with a spatula, and pulse again until well-blended.
3. Scoop spread into a container with a lid.  Press flat using the spatula.  Sprinkle parsley on top.  Place lid on container and refrigerate until cool.  Serving suggestion: spread on bread.  Serves: 4.  Enjoy!

Very flavorful!  I like the smokey and roasted garlic flavors.  This works better as a spread than a dip since it did not hold together too well.

• Nutrition note:  Share  healthy foods with friends.  By eating a variety of foods you can get more nutrients into your diet.