Olive Oil – Foodologie

I’m currently having a love affair with full fat ricotta cheese.

It has to be a full fat thing, because I’ve had ricotta before, but none as delicious as this. It’s just the regular whole milk ricotta from Trader Joe’s. Nothing fancy. Usually, I buy part-skim, but this time all I could find was full fat.

That was the best thing that could have happened.

Now I’m obsessed with ricotta. I want to put it on everything. In fact, I have been putting it on everything lately, but this is my favorite combination:

It makes for the perfect appetizer or light meal. It goes great with wine and doesn’t weigh you down. You can probably go dancing after eating this and feel great.

Tomato and Ricotta Salad

2 tomatoes, sliced
2 tbsp (or more) ricotta cheese
2 tsp Chipotle Olive Oil*
1 wedge lemon
salt/pepper to taste

Slice tomatoes, top with ricotta, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with chipotle olive oil and finish with a squirt of lemon juice.

Serve and enjoy!

*I got my olive oil from Antica Olive Oil. If you don’t have Chipotle Olive oil on hand, I would recommend extra virgin olive oil with some crushed red pepper flakes or chipotle powder. If you’re not a fan of heat, your favorite olive oil will work.

I loved everything about this. I had it for dinner this past Friday (before a fun flamenco show), then again on Saturday night and then for lunch on Sunday. What can I say? I know what I like!

I’m definitely making this for my next gathering. It’s easy, fresh, delicious and super easy to scale up or down depending on how many guests you have. It also goes great on bread if you’re looking for finger foods!

What’s your favorite way to eat ricotta? After this Lemon Ricotta Cake, this tomato/ricotta combo might my favorite!

I have to tell you, I’m really itching to bake something. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’ve kept it healthy as of recent…

Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash = Local carb, quick and easy.

Black Bean Enchiladas= Delicious, quick, vegetarian and good for you.

Eggplant Rolls with Goat Cheese = light and divine.

The last thing I made was an epic chocolate raspberry truffle cake and a bluberry-rhubarb crisp (to die for! Must remake!) for my friend Sara’s wedding rehearsal

The wedding and the rehearsal were in this barn… on a flower farm. Isn’t that the cutest?! Ok back to food…

I love making healthy things to eat, but let’s be honest. Making pie is just plain fun. I’m starting to miss it. Fourth of July is next week, you bet your buns I’ll be making a pie (Remember when I made Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with a touch of bourbon last year?).

But before we get all patriotic and start playing with butter, let’s do a little more green and talk about a super tasty salad. This salad is guaranteed to satisfy. It’s light but has enough fat in it to keep you satisfied. We all hate the word fat, but when was the last time you were hungry after eating a few spoonfuls of peanut butter?

Fat keeps you full. Enjoy it. In moderation.

But really, prosciutto is probably not the kind of fat that’s good for you, but luckily it’s so intense that a little bit goes a long way.

Arugula Salad with Mozzarella, Prosciutto and Lemon-Caper Vinaigrette

2 cups Arugula
1-2 oz prosciutto (I used 1)
2 oz fresh mozzarella
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tbsp capers
2 tsp fresh chopped oregano
pinch of black pepper

Lay arugula on a plate. Top with prosciutto and mozzarella. In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, capers, oregano and pepper. Drizzle dressing over salad and serve.

I am completely in love with this salad. It’s pretty much perfect for one person or two. I’ve made it at least 4 times (probably because I bought a 4 oz pack of prosciutto), shared it twice and it’s delicious. You know what else I’m in love with? Showing you pictures of this wedding.