The Perfect Salad - With Pomegranate Vinaigrette

It’s interesting to watch people construct salads at a salad bar; everyone creates something different. For me, if salad is just a small after-dinner course (I much prefer it after, not before, my meal), then a little lettuce and dressing – maybe some tomato and/or cucumber – is plenty. But sometimes I like to turn a salad into an entire meal. In that case, my perfect salad consists of mixed greens, red bell pepper, olives, tuna, feta cheese, and croutons (ideally homemade). Often all it needs is a little oil (olive) and vinegar (balsamic). But sometimes I like to make a vinaigrette to add to the complexity of the flavors. One of my favorites is pomegranate vinaigrette. The pomegranate juice and honey add the right tart sweetness that complements the saltiness of the olives and feta.

Pomegranate Vinaigrette (about 1 cup)

• 1 clove garlic, pressed
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp. honey
• ¼ cup pomegranate juice
• 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• ¾ cup olive oil

1. Combine the garlic, salt, pepper, and honey in a bowl. Mix in the pomegranate juice and vinegar. Whisk the oil in a slow stream to form an emulsion.

Chilled Cucumber Soup

Sometimes it’s hard to eat healthy when you travel. I got home after a two week vacation absolutely craving green vegetables. And, since I got an immersion blender for my birthday (thanks, Mom & Dad!), I definitely wanted to try it out. So I made chilled cucumber soup – which is as refreshing and delicious as it is easy to make – and lots of salad.

Chilled Cucumber Soup (serves 6)

• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 lbs. cucumber, peeled and seeds scraped out
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup light cream
• 3 tbsp. fresh dill

1. Put the onion, cucumber, and chicken stock in a soup pot. Bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes.
2. Purée the vegetables and stock. Add the cream and the dill and gently heat on low. Chill.

Potato Snacks that I Miss

Who doesn’t love potato chips? My current favorites are reduced fat Cape Cod potato chips. But there are some tasty potato snacks that just aren’t available in this country and I do miss them.

When you go to the potato chip aisle in an American grocery store, a common flavor you’ll see across most brands is barbecue. In Europe, a common flavor is paprika. Even the Pringles in Europe are available in paprika! I tend not to eat a lot of flavored potato chips but I do love the paprika ones. I sometimes sprinkle a little paprika over potatoes drizzled with olive oil and roast them in the oven. That’s delicious but it doesn’t quite capture the flavor of the paprika potato chips.

Another European favorite of mine is Cipsters (pronounced “chipsters”). I remember having them when I was very young (in England, perhaps?). I never forgot the taste of them and I never saw them anywhere. Until a trip to Italy about five years ago. I bought them wondering if they would live up to my memory. And amazingly enough, they did (probably because they are loaded with fat and sodium).

I do miss these tasty potato snacks, but it’s probably not such a bad thing that I don’t have them available to me all the time.