Summer is just around the corner so it's time to start thinking
about sensational summer salads.
And with so many varieties of greens and toppings available
today.
Salad now competes for the spot for main entree.
Our guest, Food Scientist, Kelly
Roskam, of Rothbury Farms, has some great ideas on making you a
salad connoisseur.
Good morning.
Good morning Olga.
Welcome back.
Thank you for having me.
When it comes to food, anybody is
invited on the show and when it comes to food, I always wanna do
it.
So, we're gonna talk about salads.
My favorite - You like salads?
They're a staple.
They're great for everyone and it's refreshing.
That's what I love about a salad.
When we're by the pool it's one thing that
my girls always ask for - caesar salad.
And I laugh because I used always eat iceberg, right?
This is the iceberg one?
It is the iceberg.
This used to be like the go to before all the
other ones started coming.
That's true.
And you know, right here it's an iceberg wedge, and
they're still popular.
It's a great lettuce.
And I put some bacon on there and blue cheese
and whatever dressing you prefer, goes great.
But we've come a long way.
Now there's spinach.
Now there's, help me out here - arugula?
Kale, kale's really popular.
So it's no longer iceberg or combining all
of them, for that matter?
You know a mixture, I think, is the
way to go, because you get a lot of variety.
Each green has their own unique quality that they're
bringing to the plate.
And it makes it pretty as well.
Yes.
Now for our viewers out there, I don't know if they know that May
is National Salad Month, and that's why we're talking about
this.
Now I know you have a few more salads to talk about but
this one is gorgeous.
What's this?
That's our Panzanella salad.
It's an Italian bread salad.
And the key factor there is our Rothbury Farms Parmemano
Croutons.
And that's the one you're gonna cook up for us this
morning?
Yes it is.
Not really cook up, but let's just say: put
it together.
Alright, let's do so.
Can I help you?
Yeh, of course.
Alright, so what did you add.
First let's start with tomatoes - if you don't mind
moving this out of the way.
Let's move these, which I will say that our chef who brought
these actually grew them in his backyard, and we do appreciate
that.
Yes, they're beautiful.
Red and yellow tomatoes, love that.
Lots of vitamins, protein there.
And this you can kinda get a little crazy, as much as
you like to put in there.
I'll put the whole thing there.
Come on, just tickle my fancy here.
I gotta feed my crew.
They're very good people and I love them
dearly.
OK, so we got the tomatoes in.
Tomatoes and a little onion.
OK, red onions.
And who doesn't love cucumber.
Cucumbers are good.
My daughter would tell you no, but it's OK
we can pick them out.
We're good.
And then a little bell pepper.
Bell pepper.
And you can play with that red or green.
Or orange OK.
Colorful, this is very pretty for a summer day.
And then of course, Rothbury Farms Croutons.
OK, so croutons in this, why?
Well, these right here, they are from our french
bread gourmet line.
So there's a ton of seasoning on it and this
has a nice light crunch to it.
OK, can I try one?
I shouldn't do this, it's so rude.
I suppose.
I'm so sorry.
OK, keep putting more croutons.
Mmmmmmm, very crunchy, very tasty, mmmmmm
- adds a kick.
And then we'll add a little bit of olive oil
and our red wine vinaigrette.
OK, here's the vinegar, and you also brought some herbs.
I did.
We've got thyme there.
Alright.
Go ahead.
OK, I'll put the thyme in, love that.
What about this?
Add a little parsley.
OK easy.
Oh, and chives.
Chives.
Gotta have that.
Go crazy.
And then you just mix it all up, and the
kids can help you at home.
They can.
This is a great salad for your kids to make with you.
And you like that crunch behind it?
Oh yeh.
The crunch is - what's a salad without some crunch.
Absolutely, and a lot of people will say - well you know I'm on
a diet, I don't wanna use croutons.
But you know, they're really not that bad.
Not at all.
That's no excuse.
No excuse at all.
It's actually probably less than 30 calories, right around
30.
And I know you have other croutons over there, so I'll mix
this and you tell me about that spinach salad over there.
Right here in the spinach salad we
have our Texas Toast Crouton, and that packs a big crunch.
Can I try one?
You may.
I like to eat.
Look how she brings me the plate and she doesn't grab it
for me.
That is so sweet.
These are really the crunchy ones.
I've tried these before.
Oh wow!
I love em.
Fabulous.
And that over there?
This right here is our cheese garlic.
It's a powerful kick of garlic and a
really nice crunch on these.
And you know, a lot of people who
love to cook, including myself, will say - you know, a crouton
is crouton, but you know, no it's not.
No, not true at all!
With ours we do a twice bake process.
So we send them through a dryer and then after that they
go through and that get that nice golden brown highlight on
them.
And what I also like and I think it's important to notice,
all these croutons, you don't really have to use them just for
a salad.
You can use them to bake, on soups, right?
Soups, casseroles.
I like to take our Texas Toast and make a little
brochette for your tomato and olive oil on there.
And mozzarella.
Yeh, it makes a great little appetizer.
You are welcome to my home any time.
For our viewers out there who'd like
more information.
And I know you've got great recipes also to
offer.
What's the website?
Rothburyfarms.com.
Thank you very much.
Mmmmmm fabulous!
Thank you so much, come back.
Thank you for having me.
And of course, if you'd like more
information, visit our website - this is so rude to talk with my
mouth full - thebalancingact.com.