Simply Sides 19 - Classic Pasta Salad

Pasta salad runs rampant in the summertime!  I like all sorts of salads that involve pasta, but this one is a classic.  A light, mayo-less dressing with a few hearty ingredients and a few fresh ingredients.  It should be a go to for any BBQ!

Classic Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 12-16oz box rotini
• 1 packet of italian dressing seasoning
• 3 tbs water
• 2 tbs oil
• 1/2 cup bottled italian dressing
• 1 roasted red pepper, diced
• 1 small can sliced black olives
• 1 handful shredded mozzarella
• 1 diced fresh tomato
• 1/2 lb salami, diced

***optional: sliced or diced red onion, diced cucumber, swap mozzarella for provolone, grated parmesan

Directions:
Boil pasta as package directs.  Drain and let cool.  While pasta is cooling, mix seasoning packet, oil, and water in a bowl.  Toss with pasta until well combined.  Add in all other ingredients and mix well.  Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.
Enjoy!

Restaurant Review 17 - Olive Garden

Oh the chain restaurants!  Some people love 'em and some people hate 'em.  For me, it depends on the restaurant.  But I will tell you, I LOVE Olive Garden!  I don't care if it's "fake" Italian food, it tastes pretty good.  Some of my favorite items include fettuccine alfredo, the portabello ravioli, the eggplant parmigiana, and of course, their salad.  *As a side note, they now sell their salad dressing in grocery stores.  I found it recently at Walmart for around $3.  A good dressing, not exactly like the restaurant version, but pretty close.*

On a recent visit to the Olive Garden, I tried one of their new dishes off their Tastes and Toasts of Italy menu, the Crispy Risotto Bites. Delish! For $5 we got 6 rice balls.  Risotto and cheese are rolled in bread crumbs, fried til crisp, and served on a bed of marinara (with more cheese on top if you choose - and we did!).  They had good flavor, were crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside as promised.  Also off that menu I chose a cocktail, the Moscato Aperol Cocktail - light and refreshing, this is a must try.  

Normally I get the fettuccine or the ravioli, but for lunch today I got the eggplant parmigiana.  It was a great size portion for lunch, but I was a little surprised the price was comparable to their dinner prices.  Disappointing.  My companion got their new Italiano Burger.  I forgot to take a picture but let me tell you, I had a bite and it was one of the best burgers I've had in a long time.  Covered in prosciutto, mozzarella, arugula, and marinated tomatoes, and a creamy parmesan garlic aioli...  Mmmm mmmm mmm.  Get there for lunch, you WANT to have this burger.  

They have a multitude of dessert options, my favorite being the Black Tie Mousse Cake.  But on this visit I had one of their Dolcinis, little tastes of dessert.  I went with the chocolate mousse dolcini.  It was good, the perfect size for a small sweet bite.  It satisfied my dessert craving without pushing me over the edge.  I am a little upset about how high some of their dessert prices have become, I remember when the mousse cake was only $4 and now it's over $7... Just seems a little excessive.

Olive Garden is still one of my favorite chains.  I eat their a few times a year, usually when they are running some kind of special, like the Buy One, Take One deal.  For $12.99 you got a full size meal there (mine was the asiago fettuccine alfredo - yum) complete with salad or soup and bread sticks, and then an entree to take home (I chose the Five Cheese Ziti al Forno - a new favorite!).  That promotion is over, but it was such a great deal, and I hope they bring it back soon.

To learn more about Olive Garden, and to check out their menu and current specials visit Olive Garden

Bread Sticks

Berry Sangira

Zuppa Toscana

Restaurant Review 14 - Sweet Tomatoes

My friend's salad creation

Ever since I have lived in FL (21 years now, holy cow!) my family has been eating at a restaurant called Sweet Tomatoes. They are a chain, and they also go by the name Soup Plantation in other regions of the country.  On the surface it seems like a large salad bar, but Sweet Tomatoes also serves a variety of soups (which change on a regular basis), fresh baked goods (including muffins, breads, and foccacias), a few different pastas (some change seasonally, others are standard like the macaroni and cheese), and frozen yogurt with different toppings choices.  Wholesome, health, made-from-scratch food that can cater to a variety of dietary needs like gluten free or vegetarian.  While meat is not predominant on the menus, you can add grilled chicken to your meal for a surcharge, and some of the soups contain meat, like the chicken noodle or the Mexican meatball soup.

My salad bar creation

The price is a fairly good value, and if you become a member of their Club Veg, they will email or mail you coupons on a regular basis.  Lunch prices are around $8 and dinner around $10, but with coupons you can usually get a reduced price.  Often they send me coupons where I get 20% off, lunch and dinner for $1 or $2 off the normal price, and sometimes they have coupons where 2 can dine for around $19, including beverages.  Not too bad for a healthy alternative to fast food or casual dining.

Bakery and Pasta options, including garlic cheese foccacia, Greek pasta, and Lemon Caper Pasta

Avgolemono Soup

When you walk in to Sweet Tomatoes you are sent down the main salad bar.  This bar feature 2-3 premade salads (made fresh several times a day).  One salad is usual a seasonal item, and the caesar salad is always present and my favorite premade item.  This month they have the caesar as usual, then they feature an Outrageous Orange Salad (vegetarian AND gluten free!), and then Wonton Happiness which has Asian flavors.  Then you get to make your own salad with a very large variety of items. You can put anything on it and you can make it as big or as small as you like.  Tip, I usually get 2 plates for my tray.  On one I put the premade salads (my caesar, and then they have pasta and specialty salads down the line, some of which change weekly or monthly), and on the other I put the salad I create myself. There are several kinds of lettuce, spinach, corn, peas, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, squashes, radishes, onion, chickpeas, pasta, cheeses, croutons, and many other toppings.  They also have several dressing choices, including fat free choices.  You then decide on a beverage, pick up your silverware, and then pay for your meal.

Bakery items - sourdough, blueberry muffin, lemon muffin

Depending on how busy they are, you can either seat yourself or they will seat you.
Once inside the dining area there are more food areas.  There is a soup bar, a place to make your own potato (fixings like sour cream, scallions, cheese, bacon, etc), and then the bakery.  The bakery always has a foccacia that is reminiscent of pizza, one that is like garlic bread, and sometimes a seasonal foccacia.  There are also bread choices (sourdough, delish!), muffins (blueberry is my favorite! Their seasonal choices are often very yummy too), and other baked goods.  As I mentioned earlier, there are also pasta choices.

Mexican Meatball Soup

For dessert they have sugar free options such as mousse or gelatin's, and there is fresh fruit.  I always opt for the frozen yogurt, three kinds and then a toppings bar that includes chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, sprinkles, nuts, etc.
I love that there are so many options for so many dietary needs.  Vegetarians, diabetics, and people who eat gluten-free will find a multitude of tasty choices to fill up on.
If you have a Sweet Tomatoes or Soup Plantation in your area, go eat there!  A great all-you-can-eat meal, at a good price with plenty of healthy options. They now have a breakfast buffet on Sunday mornings now, so if you're in the mood for brunch, not a bad option!  One of my favortite things about Sweet Tomatoes is that they have their standards but they also are constantly putting new things in according to the seasons.  For instance, in the spring, either April or May is lemon month and they have the best lemon pastas, soups, salads, and baked goods.  Sometime during the summer they do an "around the world theme" where 1/2 of a month will be Greece, the other 1/2 Mexico, then the next month will be 1/2 Italy and 1/2 something else.  Very cool!  For more information including what they are currently featuring, and their locations, visit their website at:
Sweet Tomatoes/Soup Plantation Website
Don't forget to sign up for Club Veg to get your discounts!

Breakfast Buffet on Sunday's!