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SEPTEMBER 2013
EVOO with Fresh Herbs
IN THIS ISSUE
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WIN A COOKBOOK!
Meal Makeover Moms Book
Enter our Facebook contest. We're giving away 12 copies of No Whine with Dinner along with 12 bottles of our oil. Written by Liz Weiss and Janice Newell Bissex - the dietitians behind the popular cooking blog, Meal Makeover Moms' Kitchen - the book features 150 easy-to-make, family-friendly recipes. 

Enter the contest
FACES AT THE RANCH
Miguel Lopez

Miguel Lopez is our longest serving rancher. He's been in our olive orchards since 2000, not long after we planted our first trees in Oroville. 
FAMILY DINNER!
Sausage Fajitas

Our Family Dinner Pinterest Board will lead you to fast dinner recipes for your family table. 

Get more dinner recipes
FAN PHOTO
Lynn Tanner Grilled Salmon
Facebook fan Lynn Tanner shared this photo of freshly caught salmon that was headed for the grill to be cooked with our Limited Reserve extra virgin olive oil. We highlight one fan a month. Please send your photo to [email protected] or post on Facebook.
QUICK AND EASY RECIPES
Greetings!

September is a big month at the ranch. We're finalizing our harvest planning, and we're reintroducing our field crews to the harvesting equipment. Practice makes perfect. We want to hit the ground running once harvest begins in October. 


Like many of you, we're also busy with kids returning to school and what not. And as much as we love to cook, we can't spend hours in the kitchen. So our mantra moving forward is quick and easy recipes that deliver delicious, healthy meals on the table. And it all begins with a few good, fresh ingredients, including extra virgin olive oil.

"Just a few ingredients of compromising quality are all you need to create exquisite recipes," says cookbook author Rozanne Gold in her Cooking 1-2-3 (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2003).

In the kitchen, we're looking for meals that can be whipped up in 30-45 minutes without a lot of fuss. It also means preparing dishes that all ages will enjoy.

This month we've assembled a collection of quick and easy recipes for you. And to help you prepare healthy dishes for all ages, you'll find our Q&A with Janice Newell Bissex and Liz Weiss - a.k.a. the MealMakeoverMoms.com. They're dietitians who are nationally recognized gurus on helping time-strapped families eat better.
Our Favorite Quick and Easy Recipes
Melon Carpaccio with Lime and Tarragon
Melon Carpaccio with Lime and Tarragon "Who knew that four ingredients, assembled in the most simple fashion, could taste so delicious!" exclaims Viviane Bauquet Farre of food & style, who created this dish. They key is to find a deliciously ripe melon. Lime juice, extra virgin olive oil and tarragon add a fresh citrus and herbal note. Use our Arbequina to add a fruity note.   

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Vermicelli with Fresh Herbs

Vermicelli with Fresh Herbs Pasta gets tossed with fresh herbs - parsley, basil, rosemary, and sage - as well as capers, pine nuts and cherry tomatoes. Extra virgin olive oil brings the dish together. The recipe comes from the 11th edition of the Betty Crocker Cookbook (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt). Use our robust Miller's Blend to a peppery finish.
Buttermilk Parmesan Chicken Tenders
Buttermilk Parmesan Chicken Tenders Blogger Janelle Maiocco of Talk of Tomatoes says this dish is the perfect answer to the question: "What's for dinner?" In fact, her once 11-year-old son would make the chicken tenders himself. Use our Everyday Fresh oil to prepare the chicken.

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Herb Roasted Chicken and Vegetables
Herb Roasted Chicken and Vegetables This is the kind of comfort food that takes the chill off a cool fall night. The dish comes from the 11th edition of the Betty Crocker Cookbook (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt). Use our Everyday Fresh oil to make the dish.

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Roasted Eggplant with Warmed Feta and Honey
Roasted eggplant slices are topped with  crumbled mild feta and honey. "The results were so dazzling my tasters raved as they helped themselves to more," award-winning cookbook author Marie Simmons says in her new book, Taste of Honey (Andrews Mcmeel Publishing, 2013). She recommends a creamy and mild, nonsalty feta. Give the eggplant a finishing drizzle of our more robust Arbosana to lend an added layer of flavor.

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Cheesy Chicken Parmesan
Cheesy Chicken Parmesan The Meal Makeover Moms give Chicken Parmesan a healthful twist by adding ground flaxseed and wheat germ to the breading. Use our Everyday Fresh oil to make the dish. 


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The Meal Makeover Moms Talk Healthy Family Meals
Liz Weiss and Janice Newell Bissex
Meal Makeover Moms
Liz Weiss and Janice Newell Bissex
Janice Newell Bissex and Liz Weiss - a.k.a. the  Meal Makeover Moms - are nationally recognized gurus on helping time-strapped families eat more healthy meals. The registered dietitians have even written two cookbooks on the topic. The books highlight their simple food philosophy that kids - even picky ones - will eat nutritious food without griping as long as it looks and tastes great. For the recipes, The Moms give family-favorite recipes a healthy makeover by "weaving in" fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy oils and more. You can find their recipes, blog, tips and additional resources on their websiteWith kids returning to class, we asked them about healthy eating at home and school. 

What advice would you give home cooks trying to prepare quick, healthy family meals?

J: Stock a healthy pantry. Keep healthy foods available in your freezer and your cupboards, like whole grain pasta, fresh and frozen vegetables, extra virgin olive oil, and Parmesan cheese. Then you can come home and make a healthy pasta dish using the vegetables, Parmesan and olive oil.

L: Have a meal plan for the week. Choose a day - maybe Sunday - and pick the recipes you're going to make all week long. Prepare a shopping list, go to the store, and get all the ingredients you need. That way, you don't have to rely on things like pizza and takeout. (See the Meal Makeover Moms' meal planner and shopping list.)

How can home cooks encourage their kids to eat healthy foods?

J: Get the kids involved in the menu planning and meal preparation. The kids can chop vegetables and measure out ingredients to help you. Then they're more likely to try the meal because they've been involved.

L: Parents can help their kids eat a healthier diet by being good role models. If they're eating a variety of vegetables, fruits and whole grains then the kids are more likely to follow the parents' lead.   

How do you use California Olive Ranch extra virgin olive oil in your cooking?

J: Any time I saut� a vegetable - like onions or garlic - or I roast vegetables I always use olive oil. I also use it for salad dressings and to dip bread into.

L: We don't use a lot of butter in my house. I use oils. We dip bread in olive oil daily. I steam vegetables quite often and then drizzle them with olive oil. If I'm making Chicken Parmesan or something that's breaded, I'll always use olive oil in the skillet to add extra flavor to the dish. It's my go-to fat.

Being back-to-school time, what are healthy items can you put in your child's lunchbox? 

L: Peanut butter and jelly is often the go-to "recipe" for kid lunch boxes, but even the most ardent PB&J lover can get bored of it after a while. To shake things up, parents can give this tried-and-true sandwich a makeover by spreading peanut butter on whole wheat bread or whole wheat cinnamon swirl bread and then, instead of adding jelly, they can add a thinly sliced Granny Smith apple, raisins, or sliced banana. Another lunch box sandwich my 14-year old loves right now is a pinwheel made by spreading low-fat cream cheese on lavash bread and then layering with chopped roasted chicken, diced grapes, a drizzle of honey and baby spinach. Roll it up and cut into pinwheels. Salads work wonders in a lunch box (there are endless olive oil-based dressings you can pack along in a small container) as do leftovers and soups!