A Troublesome Twosome

Posted on December 13th, 2010 by California Olives

When in comes to prepared foods, there are two biggies to watch out for these days-High Fructose Syrup and Hydrogenated Oil. If you read the labels, you know what I’m talking about. High fructose syrup is basically fake sugar that’s put into everything from soda to salad dressings. As our country’s consumption increases, so does our obesity index…hmmm, suspicious right? Hydrogenated oil is full of those trans fats that you’ve been reading about for the past couple of years, the really bad ones that clog you up and give you heart disease.

I’m not saying give up on fat and sugar. No way, embrace the good stuff. Try maple syrup, honey and real fruit jams when you need to sweeten the pot. As for fat, you can have a little saturated fat here and there, but there’s nothing better than those monounsaturated fats, which are perfectly packaged in California Ripe Olives, nuts, avocados and olive oil. Here’s a recipe with a little natural sweetness and lots of natural flavor, and it’s absolutely no trouble at all!

Autumn Roasted Vegetable Salad

  • 1 (8 oz.) Yam, peeled and diced to 1-inch
  • 1 (6 oz.) Granny smith apple, peeled, cored and diced to 1-inch
  • 1 (6 oz.) Red onion, diced to 1-inch
  • 2 tablespoons Olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 cup California Black Ripe Olives, sliced
  • 2 cups mixed baby greens
  • 1/4 cup chopped toasted cashews
In a large mixing bowl, toss yam, apple and red onion with 1 tablespoon of oil. Season with salt and pepper and scatter on one or two roasting pans in an even layer. Bake in a 450°F oven for 20 minutes until golden. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes. While cooling, whisk remaining oil, vinegar and mustard into mixing bowl. Toss in California Ripe Olives, baby greens and cooled vegetables. Top with cashews and serve. Serves 4.