The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger has become one of my favorite cookbooks. Ellie has been on the Food Network, that is where I first saw her. She is a registered dietitian and was an adjunct professor at NYU in the Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health.
Her cookbook is filled with yummy recipes that list all of the nutrient and calorie information. She has updated old recipes by making them healthier and full of flavor without all of the bad things.
The other day I gave Mike a bunch of sticky tabs and said go through this book and find what you would like to try. Let's just say the book is full of sticky tabs. So I pick the recipe, buy the ingredients, and give it a try.
Last night we had Linguine with Shrimp and Vegetables. I couldn't find whole wheat linguine so I used whole wheat spaghetti. This recipe has asparagus, garlic, lemon, large shrimp, dry white wine, parsley, tomatoes and parmesan cheese to top it off. The recipe serves four (leftovers for Mike to take to lunch) and has 579 calories per serving.
I used some Esterlina 2008 Riesling for the 1/2 cup of white wine. I then helped myself to a glass. This wine was the perfect complement to the dish. This was not an overly sweet Riesling. It comes from Esterlina's Cole Ranch.
Mike and I have had the pleasure of meeting the Sterling family that comprises Esterlina. Their tasting rooms are way up (2.5 miles) a dirt road just outside of Philo in Mendocino County. You have to call first and they will tell you to come on up or not. After winding up the road, we reached the tasting rooms. They look like converted two-story homes with big decks that give you the most amazing view of the valley and the vineyards. There we tasted their exceptional wines, not a bad one in the bunch.
Here is a little info: Cole Ranch is 253 acres - the smallest appellation in America. There, they grow Riesling, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot grapes. Their vineyard is the sole vineyard in this unique appellation; Esterlina's Alexander Valley Ranch, with gravelly soils produce some of the finest Cabernet Sauvignon in the region; The Sterling Family vineyard, in the cool Russian River Valley produces a classic Burgundian-style Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
I'm sure we will get back there in the future (I'm hoping the near future). I love Mendocino County and could easily live there. I don't see that happening anytime soon, but I can hope can't I. So for the time being I'll enjoy my few bottles of Esterlina and match it up with some healthy, flavorful, recipes from Ellie. Buon Appetito!
Ciao!
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