Hi guys!
![DSCN0369[1]](http://marensmorsels.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/DSCN03691.jpg "DSCN0369[1]")
How is your evening going? Mine is awesome!
For the last 2ish weeks, I’ve had a hard time getting back to my before-vacation eating/fitness/healthy routine. It’s hard catching the train once you’re off. But, today is the first day I feel like I’m back! Back 157% and feelin’ good.
Fitness
I hit the gym after work for an epic Elliptical routine. 60 minutes on the cybex at level 16. BAM! Maren is back in business.
I burn over 700 calories.
Dinner: Wanna make something that sounds deceptively fancy?
![DSCN0372[1]](http://marensmorsels.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/DSCN03721.jpg "DSCN0372[1]")
You all know, I’m all about the easy recipes. I’m easily intimidated and skittish when it comes to making food. I like things that are familiar, have small ingredient lists, take less than 30 minutes because let’s face it I probably have culinary ADD.
Tonight I made something super duper fancy.
Salad Nicoise! (honestly, I have no idea how you say that.)
![DSCN0373[1]](http://marensmorsels.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/DSCN03731.jpg "DSCN0373[1]")
Here’s what ya need:
- 3-4 large romaine leaves
- 2 hard boiled eggs
- 1 small russet potato
- 1 can of tuna in water
- capers
- black olives
- marinated artichoke hearts
- black pepper
- Annie’s goddess dressing (or a caesar, if you want to be very authentic drizzle evoo over your salad)
Optional additions:
- green beans
- tomato
- red onion
Here’s what ya do:
cook the potatoes in evoo, salt and pepper until cooked through.
combine everything on a plate and enjoy this salad with a fork, and a knife! Keep everything chopped in big chunks. That way it’s extra French and exotic. ;-)
![DSCN0375[1]](http://marensmorsels.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/DSCN03751.jpg "DSCN0375[1]")
Ta-da! Doesn’t this just sound fancy… Tonight, I made Salad Nicoise for dinner.
To go with my fancy salad I had a glass of White Zinfandel.
![DSCN0366[1]](http://marensmorsels.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/DSCN03661.jpg "DSCN0366[1]")
![DSCN0367[1]](http://marensmorsels.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/DSCN03671.jpg "DSCN0367[1]")
Apparently, Salad Nicoise is a very challenging thing to pair with wine. Everyone is all over the map. I searched google, like normal, and one person said go with a rose, the next person said a pino noir, someone else said a dry white zin. This did not help me. I’d like to at least write off all whites or reds when searching for a bottle.
This wine was very sweet, which I love, and it went pretty well with the salad. Not a fabulous pairing, but since I’m still a beginner I think it was alright.
![DSCN0368[1]](http://marensmorsels.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/DSCN03681.jpg "DSCN0368[1]")
This salad was definitely under 500 calories. SCORE.
![DSCN0377[1]](http://marensmorsels.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/DSCN03771.jpg "DSCN0377[1]")
It’s Bachelorette night. Don’t call between 8 and 10! I will NOT pick up. ;-)
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
I looovveee white zin’s, or at least I used to. I haven’t had one in probably over a year since no one ever wants to drink wine with me! We’ve done a lot of work for Beringer at the company I work at, but I’ve still never had any of their wines. :(
I do too! It wasn’t the best pair with my salad, damn you google. But it’s crazy tasty and definitely a favorite. We’ll have to drink white zins together sometime.
We need to plan a good time to hang out again! :)
White Zins are pretty yummy, tho Berlinger is a pretty sweet wine to go with salad. I think i would have paired it with a savinogn blanc (but that is just me ^_^) i had a white merlot from a winery in Temecula and that was one of my favorites. We should do a wine tasting tour! There are quite a few in the salinas Monterey area and loads in San Martin gilroy and santa cruz, up in Livermore, and of course Sonoma napa area. Oh, and there is a pretty cool warehouse area in Santa Cruz that has a lot of winery tasting rooms so you don’t have to drive all over the place. It’s next to the new leaf market (health food store).
Lol, didn’t mean to write such a long reply. I like wine. Haha.
I would love to do something like that with you! We should. If we go up north we can probably get Kelli (Made in Sonoma) and Jane (Jane P Frank) to come too!
I was deciding between the white zin and a white merlot. I’m really sad I didn’t get it. I’ll probably try it later this week or weekend.
The wine was super sweet. I loved it though. I didn’t like it that much with the salad, I agree. I wanted to pair my salad with a savinogn blanc. Google gave me bad adive on that one. I should have gone with my gut!
I love this idea! :) Jane & I could drive together to meet you guys.
BTW, I’ve never heard/had a white merlot. I want to try one!
I know, I’d never seen one either.
The bottle was super cheap, like 6 dollars. I think I’ll have to go scoop it up and save it for later this week.
We should all get together for wine tasting or something.
Your dinner looks awesome!
Um dude come cook me dinner, I am in love with all of that. Especially the eggs and tuna, two of my favorite things. I hope you submit a recipe for my recipe round up thursday! You would have some great ones!
This salad looks amazing! I love that you put potatoes in it! :)
LOL IDK how to say nicoise either. In my head I always say “nick-oh-eese”. I know this is horribly incorrect. That salad looks amazing though! I have to say I shun white zin. Beringer in particular, haha. I’m a wine snob!! But it looks like you’re enjoying it and I bet a nice light wine like that def went well with the salad and tuna :)
That salad looks delicious! I need to try that! I’m not a huge salad fan but I love putting cooked veggies in my salads! I missed the Bachelorette this week! Can’t wait to catch up on it! I’m kinda obsessed with it too! and 700 calories burnt on the elliptical! You are amazing :)
i need a tuna alternative. i hate tuna, but that’s gorgeous!!!!
Hmm… I don’t know. You could totally make it without. Just add another small hard boiled egg for the protein and add in those extra normal salad nicoise veggies (green beans, asparagus, red onion, tomato). It would still be awesome.
OK I’m gonna sound all smarty pants here but I only know this b/c I asked someone once how you say it….”knee….swah” I promise that is the correct pronunciation. Now you can go and order one at a restaurant! :)
I tend to prefer red zin much more than white, but I tend to like reds much more than whites in general. The white merlot sounds pretty darn interesting though…..
No, I’m really glad you said how to say it. I seriously had no idea. The guy who owns the market I went to for the wine asked me what I was making to go with the wine I needed and I instantly said “it’s okay. I’m fine. I’m just looking” because I didn’t want to sound like an idiot saying it all wrong.
LOL. Yeah that is why I asked a waiter one time b/c I had NO CLUE how to say it and didn’t want to sound all dumb saying it the wrong way. HA!