Wine Down Wednesday

It's officially spring and you know what that means- prime time for white wine! Although I am a fan of both red and white varieties, there really is something to be said about a nice crisp glass of white wine on a warm evening.  So today, I wanted to share a healthy spring salad recipe that will pair nicely with your favorite white wine.  

Add grilled chicken to this salad recipe to make it a protein packed meal and uncork a bottle of Albarino. Albarino is a white Spanish wine known for its bold acidity and citrusy flavor. It is a crisp, clean wine is a great compliment to the tangy flavor of fresh goat cheeses.

Spring Salad with Grapes & Pistachio-Crusted Goat Cheese

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup shelled dry-roasted pistachios, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) goat cheese
• 1 (5-ounce) package gourmet salad greens or spring lettuce mix 
• 1 cup seedless red grapes, halved 
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. 1. Place pistachios in a shallow dish. Divide cheese into 12 equal portions, rolling to form 12 balls. Roll each ball in the pistachios until well coated. Set pistachio-crusted cheese balls aside.
2. 2. Combine Easy Herb Vinaigrette and greens in a large mixing bowl, and toss gently to coat evenly. Divide greens mixture evenly among 4 salad plates. Top each serving with 1/4 cup grapes and 3 cheese balls. Sprinkle salads evenly with pepper, and serve immediately
3. Add a light balsamic dressing such as Newman's Own Light Balsamic 

 

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving: 

• Calories: 235
• Fat: 18.4g
• Protein: 7.8g
• Carbohydrate: 11.8g
• Fiber: 1.7g

Wine Down Wednesday

What's for dinner this Wine Down Wednesday? Two popular items that please any palate: wine and chicken! This recipe packs protein, flavor, and tons of nutrition provided by the high amounts of vitamins in asparagus.  Asparagus is a rich source of Vitamin K, a key vitamin that plays a role blood clotting and bone metabolism.  It is also rich in inulin and dietary fiber which both support digestive health.   Combine this with the compounds found in wine the and you've got a meal full of health benefits! Both red and white wines are heart healthy, so pair accordingly with your entree.

When pairing wine with chicken, the best route is to pay attention to the sauce and sides with which is prepared with.  For the recipe listed below, I would suggest a Sauvignon Blanc. Here are a few other pairing suggestions for this versatile dinner staple:  

• Chardonnay, due to its buttery flavor works best with creamy chicken dishes. 
• Sauvignon Blanc works well with dishes using green spices like rosemary and thyme, or citrus dishes
• Pinot Noir would be great with chicken dishes that are salty
• Riesling and Gewurztraminer, because of their sweetness, work well with spicy chicken dishes 
• Merlot is a jammy wine so drink this with heavy tomato sauce recipes

Chicken and Asparagus in White Wine Sauce

 Ingredients

• 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter 
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (about 2 1/4 ounces)
• 1/2 cup dry white wine 
• 1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth 
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound asparagus spears, trimmed 
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 

Preparation

1. Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Sprinkle chicken breasts evenly with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
2. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place flour in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken in flour. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Add wine, broth, and garlic to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook 2 minutes. Add asparagus; cover and cook 3 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender. Remove from heat; stir in parsley and juice. Serve asparagus and sauce with chicken.

Nutritional Information

Yield: 4 servings

• serving size: 1 chicken breast half, about 5 asparagus spears, & about 2 tablespoons sauce

Amount per serving: 

• Calories: 289
• Fat: 8g
• Protein: 43g
• Carbohydrate: 10.5g
• Fiber: 2.8g

 *Recipe taken from Cooking Light

Wine Down Wednesday

Happy Wednesday! In light of the upcoming romantic holiday, I wanted to share a few healthy chocolate dessert recipes you can make for that special someone. And what pairs better with dessert than wine?  Nothing. Below are a few dessert recipes plus wine pairings to make your Valentine's Days extra sweet this year. Try these recipes tonight or next week and impress friends or your significant other!


Wine and Chocolate:
Since chocolates have different flavors (some bitter, acidic, or fruity) look for wines that match: fruity, intense wines like Zinfandels or rich red blends. Carbernet Sauvignon works has a sharp hint of tannin that can taste harsh and astringent when you pair it with chocolate, (especially if the chocolate is quite sweet).  Merlot, on the other hand, tends to have softer, rounder tannins under its cocoa and mocha layers; offering a better partner to chocolate.

Tips for pairing:
• The chocolate shouldn't be sweeter than the wine
• The darker the chocolate, the more likely it will be to taste good with red wine (partly because chocolate with a higher percentage of cacao has less sugar).
• The darker chocolates, with deep-roasted flavors, pair well with wines with dark, toasty notes themselves.
• Port-style and sweet late-harvest reds tend to be the best matches for chocolate desserts



Fallen Chocolate Cake with Cherry Red Wine Sauce

*Suggested Wine Pairing:  
Ruby Port Wine

• When it comes to rich, decadent chocolate desserts—don’t try to pair them with a table wine.  Instead, pour a sweet dessert wine. Ruby port, which is sweet and full of berry flavors but is also firm and powerful, is a classic match for chocolate.

Ingredients

Sauce:

• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup kosher red wine
• 1 pound frozen pitted unsweetened cherries

Cake:

• 1/2 cup shelled pistachios
• Cooking spray
• 1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• Dash of salt
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
• 4 large egg whites

Preparation

1. To prepare sauce, combine the first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until reduced to 2 cups (about 30 minutes). Chill.
2. Preheat oven to 350°.
3. To prepare cake, place pistachios in a food processor; process until finely ground. Sprinkle ground pistachios over bottom of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray.
4. Combine 1 cup sugar and water in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; stir in chocolate and salt, stirring until chocolate melts. Add cocoa, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, stirring well after each addition. Stir in extracts.
5. Beat egg whites with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Gently stir one-fourth of egg white mixture into chocolate mixture; gently fold in remaining egg white mixture. Spoon mixture into prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out nearly clean. Cool to room temperature; run a knife around outside edge. Serve with sauce.

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving

• Calories: 262  Fat: 6.6g  Saturated fat: 2.3g   Protein: 5.5g    Carbohydrate: 46.2g   

Vanilla Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate Mulled Wine Sauce
*Suggested Wine Pairing:

Ingredients 

• 1 cup cabernet sauvignon or other dry red wine
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 sachet Mulling Spice Blend
• 1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa
• 1/2 cup light-colored corn syrup
• 1 ounce semisweet chocolate, chopped

Preparation

1. 1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a small saucepan; bring to a simmer. Cook 5 minutes. Discard sachet. Add cocoa and corn syrup, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Simmer 2 minutes; remove from heat. Add chocolate, stirring until chocolate melts. Cool to  room temperature.
2. Serve over 1/2 cup lowfat vanilla ice cream   

Nutritional Information

(*Does not include ice cream)

Amount per serving: 2 tablespoons

• Calories: 80       Fat: 1.1g     Saturated fat: 0.6g       Protein: 0.7g    Carbohydrate: 16.8g       

Chocolate-Frangelico Fondue
*Suggested Wine Pairing:
 Champagne or Sparkling Wine

• Italian sparkling wine is lightly sweet with appealing raspberry fruit notes, and goes great with chocolate of all types. Plus, what pairs better with strawberries than champagne?

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup half-and-half
• 1/4 cup fat-free milk
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 1/4 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons Frangelico (hazelnut-flavored liqueur)
• 4 cups (1-inch) cubed angel food cake
• 2 cups quartered small strawberries

Preparation

1. 1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan; cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes or until smooth, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar and syrup. Cook 10 minutes or until mixture is smooth, stirring constantly. Stir in liqueur. Pour into a fondue pot. Keep warm over low flame. Serve with cake and strawberries.

Nutritional Information

Yield: Serves 8

Serving size: 1/2 cup cake, 1/4 cup strawberries, and about 3 1/2 tablespoons fondue

• Calories: 319      Fat: 9.4g        Saturated fat: 5.8g    Protein: 3.9g   Carbohydrate: 57.5g

 

Bourbon-Caramel Truffles

*Suggested Wine Pairing:
Zinfandel or Syrah

• For dark, bittersweet chocolate, pair with a rich, darker wine.  Milk chocolate pairs better with lighter wines like Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc. Tip: the wine should be at least as sweet, if not a touch sweeter, than the chocolate you are serving it with

Ingredients

 

• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons evaporated whole milk
• 1 tablespoon golden cane syrup (such as Lyle's Golden Syrup)
• Dash of salt
• 1 tablespoon bourbon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 3/4 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

Preparation

1. 1. Combine brown sugar, milk, cane syrup, and salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Stir in bourbon and vanilla extract. Add chocolates; let stand 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Pour into a shallow dish; cover and chill 4 hours. Heat a tablespoon measure with hot water; pat dry. Scoop chocolate mixture with spoon; dip in cocoa. Roll into balls. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving: 1 truffle

• Calories: 60   Fat: 2.7g       Saturated fat: 1.6g        Protein: 0.8g         Carbohydrate: 8g

Wine Down Wednesday

We all love our weekly glass of vino, and here's a few more reasons to cheers:

• The French Paradox- It's science! Researchers found it odd that individuals who lived in France had lower incidences of heart disease despite their high fat diets and consumption of wine with each meal.  One thing they contribute to this phenomenon is certain phenolic compounds found in wine actually protect against oxidation which can lead to heart disease (1).
• Wine boosts Memory- Careful with this one, because too much wine can lead to just the opposite.  However, recent studies have shown wine consumption to reduce the risk of both Alzheimer's and dementia (2).
• Wine drinkers tend to eat healthier & exercise more- It seems that wine consumption fits well into a healthy diet.  In fact, researchers have found that indulging in a glass or two doesn't lead to weight gain (3), provided you are staying active
• Wine promotes longevity- Likely attributed to the things mentioned above, both high-wine-consumption and low-wine-consumption among individuals has shown reduced mortality risks compared with those who abstain from alcohol (3).

In addition to these health benefits, wine is a great compliment to a delicious healthy meal! Here are a couple tips on serving the right wine with your next meal:

• Richer foods usually go well with richer, heavier wines while lighter foods demand light wines
• Red wine typically is served with red meat, white wine with white meat and fish, and sweet wine with desserts
• Serving temperatures should be lower for white (45-50 degrees Fahrenheit) than for red wines (50-60 degrees Fahrenheit)
• There is a right and wrong way to hold a wine glass-- Wine glasses should always be held by the stem and not the bowl because the heat of the hand will raise the temperature of the wine
• Not all wines improve with time. In fact, a vast majority of wines produced are ready to drink and do not have much potential for aging. Only a rare few will last longer than a decade

So uncork a bottle tonight & toast to good health!

1) Renaud, S. & Guegen, R. (1998). The french paradox and wine drinking. Norvartis Foundation Symposium, 216, 208-217.

2) Vasanthi, H., Paramesawri, R., Deleiris, J., & Das, D. (2012). Health benefits of wine and alcohol

3) Barefoot, J., Gronbaek, M., Feaganes, J., McPherson, R., Williams, R. & Siegler, I. (2002). Alcoholic beverages preferences, diet, and health habits in the UNC alumni heart study. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 76(2), 466-472.