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Red Wine Risotto

January 14, 2011 in Food, recipe, wine by traveleatlove | 17 comments

The title of this post alone makes me drool. Think creamy, warm risotto, dotted with nutty parmesan and bursting with the flavors of your favorite wine. For a comforting and elegant long-weekend meal at home, I can’t think of anything better.

Today’s Foodie Feature is Karen from Gourmet Recipes for One, a blog that combines beautiful photos, a clean, eye-pleasing design, and gourmet recipes that are truly mouthwatering. In addition to being a fan of her blog, I also had the pleasure of finally meeting Karen at the Red White Tasting Crew event last week. I am excited that she is sharing the gorgeous recipe below with us; you will likely be seeing it again on the blog when I make it!

Happy Friday! Do you have any plans for the long weekend?

When I sat down to think about what to write for my guest blog for Travel, Wine, and Dine, I thought I’d create a new recipe just for the occasion, and one that included wine of course. Since risotto is one of my favorite things, I thought I’d make a version with wine as the main ingredient. Risotto is super easy to make, made all in one pot (love that!) and the hardest thing about it is the patience of stirring it for 20-25 minutes until it’s done. But when it is, you’ll adore this creamy, delicious Italian dish. This version is made with one of my favorite red wines for drinking so I thought I’d try it in the risotto. Phantom from Bogle Vineyards is a rich, luxurious blend of three unique varietals (Petite Syrah, Zinfandel and Mourvèdre) and I love the rich purple-ish red color that is gives the risotto. And it’s a perfect wine for this recipe (Barolo is another good option as well). So, grab your own favorite red wine (or try mine) and give this recipe a try, and let me know what you think. And thanks to Meghan for letting me share your blog. Cheers!

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red wine risotto

This recipe is super simple and really highlights the wine that you use, so be sure to use a wine that you would drink as well. It’s perfect for one, or really easy to increase for entertaining.

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 shallot, finely minced

Salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup Arborio rice

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons good red wine

2 – 2 1/2 cups low-sodium beef stock

1 tablespoon cold, unsalted butter

2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated, plus extra for garnish

1. In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add shallot and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add rice and cook until slightly toasted, 1-2 minutes. Add wine and cook until evaporated. Add broth, a 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly. Continue adding stock, a 1/2 cup at a time, until rice is tender, 20-25 minutes. 2. Remove from heat and stir in butter until completely incorporated, followed by Parmigiano-Reggiano. Serve warm with additional Parmigiano-Reggiano over top.

Serves 1, or 2 appetizer-sized servings.

Technorati Tags: cooking, Food, guest post, red wine, risotto

Tags: cooking, Food, guest post, red wine, risotto

Baked Crunchy Chickpea Snack

January 7, 2011 in Food, recipe by traveleatlove | 18 comments

Happy Friday! With the New Year upon us and so many people looking to add a little more health into our lives, I thought today would be a perfect day for a tasty guest post from a fellow Boston area food blogger who is also a registered dietitian. I first saw Janel Ovrut speak at the Healthy Living Summit in 2009, and between her session there and her blog posts, have come to love how balanced she is. She shares great recipes and is all about healthy food that is delicious. She may be a dietitian, but hers does not come across as a diet blog.

Janel’s baked chickpeas are perfect for a snack-lover like me; I would definitely add chili powder for a little kick.

We are supposed to be getting some more snow here in Boston today, and O am thinking about making up a batch of chickpeas in addition to some homemade habanero hot sauce. What are you looking forward to on this lovely Friday?

Are you a snacker, or can you get through the day with three solid meals and nothing in between? I am a serious snack-lover, for sure. Oftentimes when I meet with clients or chat about food with friends, I find out they’re not enjoying snacks between meals to stave off hunger. I’m always shocked by this as I see snacks as an opportunity to add in more nutritional powerhouses to my diet, and well, enjoy more food! Who doesn’t love eating more?! But when planning snacks, I always make sure to keep satiety in mind – I need something that’ll satisfy me between meals without causing me to crave more, and taste great as well!

One of my favorite flavorful and filling snacks to make is baked crunchy chickpeas. Chickpeas in any form are by far my favorite legume. Also known as garbanzo beans, they can be added to soups and stews or blended to make hummus. Chickpeas are very low in fat, contain no cholesterol, and are a good source of protein and fiber. That filling fiber and hunger-blasting protein are the two key components to picking a satisfying snack.

Baking chickpeas brings out a nutty flavor, and slightly chewy texture with a little crunch. Whenever I’m in a snack rut, I’ll bake a batch or two and will keep them on hand in an airtight container for a few days (if they last that long in our home!) to grab and go between meals. My favorite thing about this snack, besides how satisfying it is, is the multitude of different flavor combinations you can use when baking a batch. For my latest batch, I kicked up the heat by sprinkling the chickpeas with a spicy buffalo wing seasoning from The Meat House. In the past, I’ve kept it simple with just salt and pepper, or an Italian seasoning blend. This snack doesn’t always have to be savory. I think next time I’ll try sprinkling on some cinnamon and sugar for a sweet treat.

Ingredients:

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

¼ teaspoon garlic powder*

⅛ teaspoon Italian seasoning blend, or chili powder, etc.*

Salt to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Drain canned chickpeas and rinse in a colander under running water. Pat chickpeas dry with paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible. Transfer to large mixing bowl. Add oil; sprinkle with spices/seasonings and salt. Stir to coat.

3. Spread chickpeas on nonstick rimmed baking sheet; bake 20 minutes. Stir; then roast 5 to10 minutes longer, checking frequently, until crisp but not burnt. (Cooking times may vary). Allow to cool before eating. Will keep several days refrigerated in a covered container.

*Here is where you can get creative with any spice or seasoning combo you’d like!

Have you ever made baked crunchy chickpeas? What’s your favorite flavor combo?

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Janel Ovrut is a Boston-based registered dietitian and food blogger. She writes about her kitchen creations while following a primarily plant-based diet in her blog Eat Well with Janel. A nutrition consultant to a variety of companies, institutions, and clients, Janel uses her nutrition expertise to help others make healthy changes, one bite at a time.

Technorati Tags: chickpeas, cooking at home, Food, guest post, healthy, healthy snacks, snacking, Vegetarian

Tags: chickpeas, cooking at home, Food, guest post, healthy, healthy snacks, snacking, Vegetarian

FFF: The Clean Plate Club

December 31, 2010 in Food by traveleatlove | 9 comments

Happy New Year’s Eve! Are you ready for an evening of fun and/or relaxation? I am very much looking forward to what is our third-annual New Year’s Eve at home. In past years, snow storms have kept us in, and we have ended up loving those nights much more than any NYE out.

Whatever you are doing tonight, be safe and have fun. And thank you from the bottom of my heart for coming back here to read this blog everyday. It has been quite the year!

Today’s featured foodie is a good friend of mine and a daily read in my blog lineup. Alicia, from The Clean Plate Club, shares fun recipes, restaurant reviews, and other great posts, and over the past few months I have gotten to know that she is a ton of fun in person as well. We have traveled to King Arthur Flour together, attended many blogger events, and even had an amazing holiday potluck celebration together. Alicia recently moved to Hartford, CT, and the Boston blogger scene definitely won’t be the same without her. I am hoping to be able to discover more of the CT food scene through Alicia and to have lots of visits from her!

How long have you been blogging?

I started The Clean Plate Club in January of 2009 – so I have been blogging for nearly 2 years!

What is your favorite thing about blogging?

It’s pretty hard to narrow it down, but I would say that one thing that keeps me going is the community that blogging gets me involved in. I have always had a love of cooking and writing. My blog brings the two together, and also gives me a space where I can receive support, constructive criticism, set goals for myself and be constantly learning from the people around me. It’s opened me up to meeting some of the most interesting, talented and passionate people I’ve ever encountered. And although everyone is so incredibly talented, I’ve only run into a small number of people who are not in it to strengthen the group as a whole.

Least favorite?

I’m my own worst critic. Sometimes it is REALLY hard to maintain a consistent momentum in my posting because I’m always striving to improve, and I can sometimes get caught up in self editing and second-guessing myself. The “is anyone really going to care about this” mentality really slows down my writing. Blogging can sometimes bring out that negative little voice in my head – which is challenging!

What has been your most fun blog post to write?

I’m breaking the rules because I can’t pick just one!

One of my favorite posts to write was about my trials and tribulations about trying out for Master Chef last year. When it happened I was so sad, almost devastated. But after I thawed out I could finally see the humor in the situation.

The most fun I’ve ever had in relation to this blog – was the trip to King Arthur flour. I had so much fun learning to bake, and learning from a real instructor – my face hurt from smiling all day. Then when I made my own bread – alone in my kitchen, I felt like the King Arthur training really did its job to make me more comfortable baking.

The post I am most proud of is the one about my grandmother after she passed away in July. It was probably the hardest thing I had to write, but I think I did her proud. It felt like the right thing to do – since knowing & learning from her shaped a lot of what I do in the kitchen. I thought it was an appropriate tribute. If there had been blogging in her day, she would be giving Molly Wizenberg a run for her money!

Where do you see your blog this time next year?

Now that I’ve relocated to CT – I have so much more spare time. I hope that in a year, I’m posting a more frequently. Also I intend on using my blog and food to get to know my new surroundings.

Is there anything else about your blogging experience you would like to share?

When I started writing – it was just a journal of what I was creating in my own kitchen. I never imagined I would be going to VT to take baking classes, or attending special restaurant dinners or going to book signings to meet Joanne Chang or Amanda Hesser. These experiences have exposed me to new people, new methods, and new ingredients and have resulted in me being more outgoing in my own kitchen. And I also want to thank anyone who reads and comments. EVERYTIME I get a new comment I get SO excited. Keep ‘em coming!

You too could be a Friday Foodie Feature or a guest blogger! Email me for details! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Technorati Tags: bloggers, Boston, Friday Foodie Feature, guest post, Hartford