• by Leah Mojer •
The Nantucket Wine Festival on the island is something truly special. The third weekend in May the festivities begin, with thousands in attendance. A wine enthusiasts wildest dream come true, it lasts four days with intriguing seminars, tastings, incredible wine dinners, and parties. So much to see, learn and drink, so little time to eat! Here we talk about how to keep yourself fully hydrated, fed, and ready to get back to the sipping and soirees!
Almond Butter with Honey and Rosemary
Almonds are packed with protein and countless vitamins and minerals. The addition of rosemary and honey and sea salt give this usually mundane health-food a savory flair.
- 4 C raw almonds
- 4 sprigs rosemary
- 2 T Honey
- Sea Salt, to taste
- Spread almonds out on to a sheet pan and lay whole rosemary sprigs on top.
- Toast Almonds in a 300 degree oven for 20 minutes. When cool, remove rosemary sprigs and use for something else.
- Process almonds in batches in a food processor. Process until smooth. This takes a few minutes, just keep going until they release their oils.
- Season the almond puree with honey and sea salt.
- Spread on everything, blend into smoothies, eat with a spoon straight out of the fridge!
Roasted Beet Hummus
Alcohol quickly depletes the body of the B vitamins. Replace them with a B complex pill or a natural source such as hummus. The amino acids in the tahini don’t hurt either. The addition of beets boosts the health factor as well as assists the liver in breaking down toxins from alcohol.
- 1 small roasted beet
- 1 15 oz. can (1 3/4 cup) cooked chickpeas, mostly drained
- zest of one large lemon plus juice from half
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 2 heaping T tahini
- 1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
- Place unpeeled beet in a shallow baking pan. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil and 1 C apple cider vinegar. Cover tightly and cook 1 hour in a 325 oven or until soft when pierced with a knife. (If you’re going to go through the process of roasting beets, might as well do a few. They keep well and can be sliced and served in salads, pickled, etc.)
- Once your beet is cooled and peeled, quarter it and place it in your food processor. Blend until only small bits remain.
- Add remaining ingredients except for olive oil and blend until smooth. Drizzle in olive oil as the hummus is mixing.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt, lemon juice or olive oil if needed. If it’s too thick, add a bit of water.
Aparagus, Roasted Red Pepper & Fontina Frittata
Frittatas are my go to portable quick breakfast, lunch or snack on the go—perfect for a busy Wine Fest weekend. Additionally, eggs are a good source of cysteine, an amino acid that helps break down the toxins found in alcohol. The asparagus here adds a powerful wallop of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, high in vitamin K and folate as well as a wide variety of antioxidant nutrients, including vitamin C, beta-carotene, vitamin E, and the minerals zinc, manganese and selenium.
- 6 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons whipping cream
- 1 garlic clove, microplaned
- 1 t salt, plus a pinch
- 1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
- 1 T olive oil
- 1 T butter
- 12 ounces asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1/4 to 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 medium roasted red pepper, seeded, diced
- 3 ounces Fontina cheese, diced
- Preheat the broiler. Whisk the eggs, cream, garlic, 1 t salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend. Set aside.
- Heat the oil and butter in a 9 1/2-inch-diameter nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the asparagus and saute until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Raise the heat to medium-high. Add the red peppers and a pinch of salt and saute 2 minutes longer. Pour the egg mixture over the asparagus mixture and cook for a few minutes until the eggs start to set. Sprinkle with cheese. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the frittata is almost set but the top is still runny, about 2 minutes.
- Place the skillet under the broiler. Broil until the top is set and golden brown on top, about 5 minutes. Let the frittata stand 2 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, loosen the frittata from skillet and slide the frittata onto a plate. Let cool and slice into wedges. Eat, drink, sleep, repeat!
Mean, Green (Aprés Wine Fest) Feel Good Machine
A nutrient packed smoothie to help you feel incredible after excessive beverage & calorie consumption. Cheers!
- 3/4 C frozen strawberries.
- 1/2 C cucumber, peeled and sliced
- 1 large frozen banana, broken into pieces
- 1 1/2 C vanilla almond milk (or alternate milk)
- 1 1/2 C kale, loosely packed, stems removed (you can also use spinach)
- Large handful of spinach
- Add the almond milk to a high-power blender and toss in the banana pieces and kale. Blend on high.
- Add the strawberries and cucumber. Blend again until smooth.
- Add in more almond milk and/or ice for desired consistency.
- Try adding a spoonful of that awesome almond butter you made earlier for some extra protein.