CK's Kitchen: Bringing a Mediterranean dish to Northeast Ohio

While most people hibernate in the winter, hunkering down with hot chocolate and warm cookies on a snowy day, I'm happily shoveling and envisioning sandy beaches, slathering on sunscreen and soaking up a regular diet of Vitamin D. Since the first time I experienced the heat of the Caribbean in January, I've been hooked on sunny getaways as the best way to survive the toughest cold stretch here in Northeast Ohio. Just back from a long weekend in Siesta Key, I have an upcoming work trip to Tampa I'll extend a few days to vacay again in South Florida. So I'm very focused on eating as colorfully and low calorie, without depriving myself, as much as I can between now and then! Enter this Mediterranean orzo pasta salad, which achieves all of those worthy goals. Peace plus olives This salad really brings together all of my favorite ingredients: orzo, spinach, olive oil, lemon and olives. True story: I could have as many as six olive varieties sitting in my fridge at any given point. Green and black ones jarred whole, chopped into tapenades and mixed into hummus, olives in any form are pure heaven for me and my daughter. Olives are very high in vitamin E and other powerful antioxidants and are one of the key components of the incredibly healthy Mediterranean diet. We have had a long affair with Kalamata, the lovely oval shaped olive that is deep purplish, soft and falls easily off the pit. The Castelvetrano is a buttery vibrant green Sicilian olive that has a mild, salty-sweet flavor and is a new find for us. I was thrilled to use 10 ounces of these in the salad, as well as almost a whole container of spinach, a pound of orzo and onions, cukes and peppers freshly bought at the market. For days While the orzo came to an al dente in rolling boils on the stove, I chopped up mini cukes, red onion, lots of olives, and peppers. Then I tore the baby spinach leaves into even smaller babies (a first for me) and then whisked together the oil-based dressing with a lovely zing from a juiced lemon. Making more homemade dressings is one of 2022 culinary goals (along with the two leftover from 2021 that were never realized: make homemade crème brulee and lobster bisque). I found an extra large bowl to mix and dress the salad and after an hour of chilling in the fridge, I stole a small bowl "for dessert" since it was nearly 9:30 p.m. Since I'm not a fan of feta, I topped mine with shredded Parmesan cheese and some chicken for protein (because Florida!). This pasta salad recipe is a total keeper and I knew that from the first bite. I loved the mouth feel combination of crisp spinach and orzo along with the other crunch vegetables. My daughter loved it and we both ate it for three days, although it will keep well for up to a week in the fridge. Make this pasta salad, stat! It doesn't disappoint or break the bank. Contact Chrissy Kadleck at ckadleck@sbcglobal.net. Mediterranean orzo pasta salad 16 ounces orzo 3 cups baby spinach leaves, gently torn into large pieces 1 1/2 chopped red bell pepper, about one red bell pepper 1 cup cucumber, diced and seeded, about one medium 3/4 cup red onion, diced 5 ounces Castelvetrano green olives, drained and halved 5 ounces Kalamata pitted olives, drained and halved 7 ounces feta cheese 1/2 cup canola oil 1/4 cup olive oil 1 lemon, juiced 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, season with salt, and cook the orzo for 10 minutes. Drain, rinse and set aside to cool. 2. Transfer the cooled orzo to a large mixing bowl. Add the spinach, chopped vegetables and olives, then crumble half of the feta cheese over the pasta. 3. In a small bowl, whisk the canola oil, olive oil, lemon juice, oregano and salt and pepper until mixed. Pour the vinaigrette over the pasta mixture and gently fold until the pasta and veggies are coated. Taste for seasoning and top with the remaining feta cheese. 4. Refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight before serving. The pasta is best within 2-3 days, but will last in the refrigerator up to 1 week. Makes 12 servings Nutrition facts: Serving: 0.75cup; Calories: 356kcal; Carbohydrates: 33g; Protein: 8g; Fat: 22g; Saturated Fat: 4g; Cholesterol: 15mg; Sodium: 756mg; Potassium: 223mg; Fiber: 3g; Sugar: 3g; Vitamin A: 1344IU; Vitamin C: 27mg; Calcium: 120mg; Iron: 1mg Source: Foodiecrush.com