Raw kale salads are the best! Seriously! The key is to let the leaves marinate in the dressing for 10-15 minutes first to help soften them up. Alternatively, you can massage the leaves with dressing (which, frankly, sounds weird to me).

For this salad, I tossed together about a half a head of kale torn into pieces with a basic red wine vinaigrette and let it “marinate” for 15 minutes. Then I tossed in half of a cubed Fuji apple, about 1/4 cup of toasted walnuts, and  a tablespoon of cubed cheddar. Then I devoured it!

I’m sort of on a cauliflower kick and this is my new favorite way to prepare it: toss florets in oil, curry powder, salt and pepper, then roast them at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro (if you have it) and dollop a few spoonfuls of Greek yogurt on top. It makes for a delicious and health side dish!

Baby artichokes are such a treat in Spring. They are so cute, so tender, and so easy to prepare – especially compared to their full-grown version. For this simple side dish, I simply cut them into wedges, cleaned out a bit of fuzz in the middle and sauted them with a bit of olive oil, garlic, and chicken broth. Within 15 minutes, I had a great dish!

It may not be entirely accurate to call this “escarole” pasta when there are lots of other ingredients. But, truth be told, I went out of my way to buy the other supporting ingredients because I didn’t want to waste the head of escarole I got in my CSA box last week. So, in my mind it’s escarole pasta. And really, really delicious pasta at that!

Inspired by Bon Apetit

1 large head of escarole, cut into 1″ ribbons
2 cups of pasta (I used Calamarata)
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 spicy Italian sausage links (Marin Sun Farms has some delicious links!)
1 medium red onion, cut into thin wedges
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
3 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced or julienned
1-2 tablespoons Pecorino Romano, grated

Bring a large pot of  salted water to a boil. Add escarole and cook minutes. Remove and strain. Add pasta and cooked until finished (depends on type of pasta).

Meanwhile, heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a large fry or saute pan. Add crumbled sausage (casings removed) and cooked until done, about 5 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of oil, onions and fennel. Cook until onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and escarole, and stir in 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water. Simmer for 3 minutes and stir in pasta. Top with cheese.

I.Love.Chips. I love them and I’m not ashamed to admit it. Do chips love me though? In a word, no. But I’m happy to say that after coming across a recipe in Whole Living’s Power Foods recipe book that transforms beets into delicious sliced baked goodies, now they do love me! Beets are incredibly nutritious and full of fiber, so up your intake with this easy-to-follow and scrumdiddlyumptious recipe that I modified from the original.

1 bunch beets
1 tsp olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel beets and slice using mandolin. Toss beet slices with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper.

2. Arrange beet slices in single layer on rimmed cookie sheet; stack another rimmed baking sheet on top. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until edges of beets begin to dry out. Uncover and bake an additional 10 to 20 minutes, removing chips as they begin to dry out and lighten in color.

3. Wait for chips to cool, enjoy!

Cheese and carbs. Two things in my mind that pair together beautifully. So naturally when I decided to remake some of the Super Bowl classics it just felt right to combine these two staples into one blissfully delicious post. Yes, mac and cheese bites are a little bit trendy these days but they are so delicious it’s not hard to see why. I adapted a recipe from Redbook Magazine, but in my version I switched out some of the cheeses, mainly because I am a huge fan of gruyere and just need a little more in my life. Also, I kept them in the oven a touch longer to make sure they were nice and toasty. Below is my recipe:

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 1/2 cup elbow pasta
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup reduced-fat whole milk
3/4 cup gruyere, grated
1/2 cup sharp cheddar, grated
1 teaspoon hot sauce (I use Franks)
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
Pepper

Directions
1. Spray Pam on a nonstick muffin pan, enough to fill 10-12 cups. Sprinkle Parmesan into each cup.

2. Cook pasta in boiling salted water 5 to 6 minutes, drain; transfer to a large bowl.

3. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk 1 minute. Slow whisk in milk, then bring to a simmer and cook 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in Gruyere and Cheddar until melted. Stir in hot sauce and ground mustard. Pour over pasta, season with fresh ground pepper and toss to coat. Let mixture cool for 15 minutes.

4. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Fill muffin cups with mac and cheese, bake 23 to 25 minutes. Let pans cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Carefully loosen bites around edges, transfer to a platter, and serve. Enjoy!

Rather than serve up the ubiquitous veggie tray with a side of ranch dressing squeezed straight out of the plastic Hidden Valley bottle (ugh), let’s shake things up a bit and try something that will appeal to anyone over the age of 12, an Antipasto Plate. Since there is no cooking involved – more so just ‘artistically’ arranging treats on a plate – this can be an ideal platter for those of you hosting large crowds.

Antipasto, which means “before the meal,” features small bites such as olives, marinated artichokes, sliced meats, crackers, tapenade, veggies, cheeses, etc. Below is a list of items that I found at my local Whole Foods and Tony’s Market. This list works as a great starting point, but you should treat this as an opportunity to get creative and try new items.

34° Crispbread* (I went with cracked pepper)
Olives (Whole Foods and Tony’s Market both have olive bars with great variety)
Marinated Artichokes
Sliced Pepperoni
Sliced Genoa Salami
Fresh Mozzarella Balls
Ciolo* Mediterranean Tapenade (serve in small bowl)
Dijon Mustard (serve in small bowl)

*Colorado products

Beer: Arguably the most important ingredient to a successful Super Bowl party. Let’s face it people, your team has no chance of winning this thing unless you have a nice buzz going, preferably 2 hours before kickoff.

Now, the Super Bowl might be the stomping ground for beer commercials from the likes of Budweiser and Heineken, but this does not mean you need actually drink them. Instead, let’s pay homage to some local Colorado breweries where making beer isn’t only just a passion, it’s a form of art. My personal recommendation includes Renegade Brewery’s Ryeteous Rye IPA; I just drank this on Friday and it is superb. So superb in fact that I plan on going back tonight with my soccer team so we can commiserate our 0-5 season. We may not be the best at winning, but we do have a knack for finding Colorado’s most delicious beers.

If an IPA is just a little too aggressive (we’re talking 7% ABV), then Upslope Brewing Company makes a delicious Craft Lager, and Mama’s Little Yella Pils – made by Oskar Blues – is an award winning Pilsner that I find to be highly refreshing. Both can be found in liquor stores across the state*.

If you live in Colorado and are going to drink local beer then you damn well better be buying a growler. At the very least, hear me out on why you should consider it:

1. More Bang for your Buck: Growlers can be cheaper than drinking at the bar and/or buying bottles.
2. Special Brews: Oftentimes, breweries will make delicious beers that just never make it to a store. If you buy a growler, you get the opportunity to take these special beers home.
3. Reusable: You get to refill a growler again and again, so this is definitely the more Eco-friendly option.
4. Taste: Beer is just so much fresher when it comes straight from the keg and right into your growler!

Since not everyone can get to Colorado in time to purchase a growler of beer, I encourage you to partake in a little bit of Googling to find breweries within driving distance. But if you’re lazy, then I guarantee you can purchase Colorado’s (arguably) most famous beer in any liquor store that is within walking distance, Coors. With that said, happy hunting and bottoms up!

*There are more than 120 breweries in Colorado so I encourage you to get out there and stray away from my recommendations.

Sources: Colorado Brewers Guild, Wikipedia.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love (and I mean love) the go-to Super Bowl snacks as much as the next football-watching, beer-drinking American. But to be honest, I’m getting a little tired of the same ‘ole over-processed, from-the-freezer-aisle finger foods that have been taking over football watching parties since bagel bites and pigs in a blanket were invented. And, for those of you that order in pizza with a side of over-cooked Buffalo wings? How dare you. Wings are meant to be enjoyed in the comfort of a dive bar while drinking $6 pitchers of beer.

To get over the monotony, this year I decided to take things into my own hands. Other than in reference to the commercials, the words creative and original aren’t words one usually associates with the Super Bowl. But by the end of this week, I am determined to make every reader believe this isn’t the case. In fact, I’m excited to say that it may possible to host a Super Bowl party that, dare I say, has just a touch of panache.

Over the next few days, I will be breaking down the week with a total of 5 posts focusing on the main staples of Super Bowl eats:

1. Beer
2. Meat
3. Cheese
4. Carbs
5. Veggie Tray

Now before you say impossible. Just know that I have put a lot of thought and research into this and talked with all types of Football fanatics (i.e. dudes who really enjoy eating) to come up with a menu that is both sports-proof and finger-food-tastic.

Photo: Purchased from Veer.com

I don’t know about you, but after a day of skiing (er, even a few hours of skiing), I’m ready scarf down a pot of chili, several burgers, or a plateful of tacos – pronto. All I can think about at the end of the day, besides ripping off my boots and jumping into the hot tub, is what I’m going to eat. With a little prep time before you head out for the day, you and your skiing posse can clamour home and bite into these tasty pulled pork sandwiches.

Pulled Pork
4 pounds boneless pork butt (a.k.a. shoulder), cut into 4 pieces
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
salt and pepper
1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce (I used Christina’s recipe)

Coleslaw
1 head savoy cabbage (you can use green cabbage too)
2 carrots, grated
1 small onion, grated
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2-3/4 cup mayo (I like to go light on the mayo, so start out with 1/2 a cup and work your way up)
salt
cayenne pepper

12 hamburger buns

Pork
1.  Heat oil in a large fry pan over medium-high heat. Rinse and pat dry pork. Cut into 4 chunks and generously season with salt and pepper. Brown each piece in frying pan, about 3-4 minutes per side.

2. Add pork to slow cooker. Pour 3/4 of the bottle of BBQ sauce over pork, tossing so each piece is coated. The BBQ sauce should cover the pork about halfway.

3. Cover with lid and cook on low for 7-8 hours.

4. Remove pork from pan and, using two forks, shred the meat.

5. Turn the slow cooker to high and simmer until the BBQ sauce is thickened to your likening. Add shredded pork back to slow cooker and heat through. Note: If you don’t want to lug a slow cooker to your ski spot, you can make the pork ahead of time and reheat it in a large sauce pan or stock pot.

Coleslaw
Remove tough, outer leaves and cut away the hard, inner core of the cabbage. Thinly slice cabbage. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and season with salt and a few pinches of cayenne pepper. Allow coleslaw to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes so flavors blend. Note: Prep all of these ingredients the night before so all you have to do is combine them in a bowl.

Lightly toast each hamburger bun, pile on pulled pork and coleslaw, and serve remaining BBQ sauce on the side. Enjoy!