The Virtual Potluck gang is kicking off 2012 with a Tasty & Healthy New Year Challenge featuring products from Bob’s Red Mill and California Olive Ranch. Once a week for the first four weeks of the year, we’ll be pairing a flour or grain with an olive oil and creating a dish using both. Up first: Appetizers with Hard White Whole Wheat Flour and Arbequina olive oil. You’ll have a chance to win both products, but more on that later.
If you’ve made a resolution to eat more whole grains, using a white whole wheat flour will help in your transition to the hard stuff. Bob’s Hard White Whole Wheat Flour is stone ground from a new variety of wheat and has a “slightly sweet taste, light texture and creamy color.” It also works great in bread machines. I decided to use this flour to make whole wheat pita bread, something I’ve been thinking of doing for quite a while. What a great decision that was! I mixed the dough in the bread machine, then shaped the pitas and popped them in a very hot oven.
Now THAT's a pita pocket!
I had never heard of Arbequina olive oil until I received a sample from California Olive Ranch. They say it’s “fresh and fruity” and good for salad dressings and pesto. After a taste test, I thought it would work beautifully with goat cheese. And it did!
Giveaway
Bob’s Red Mill and California Olive Ranch will be giving one lucky reader a bag of Hard White Whole Wheat Flour and a bottle of Arbequina olive oil. To enter the contest:
- [mandatory] Visit the California Olive Ranch Facebook page and retrieve this week’s Virtual Potluck code word (click on Virtual Potluck in the left column). Then come back here and use the word in a comment on this post.
- [optional] Follow Bob’s Red Mill (@Bobs_Red_Mill), California Olive Ranch (@CA_EVOO) and Virtual Potluck (@virtualpotluck) on Twitter. Tweet about this contest, including a link to this post and the #virtualpotluck hashtag. Then comment here again, letting us know you’ve tweeted.
- [optional] Visit the Virtual Potluck roundup post and enter the giveaways on the other participating blogs.
The contest ends at midnight Eastern on Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012. The winner will be announced on Mon., Jan. 9. You must have a U.S. mailing address to win. Good luck!
Discount
California Olive Ranch is offering a 10% discount for the duration of the Tasty & Healthy New Year Challenge. Just go to their online store and enter the coupon code BLOGFRIENDS at checkout.
Disclosure: I received free samples of Hard White Whole Wheat Flour from Bob’s Red Mill and Arbequina olive oil from California Olive Ranch. I also received samples to give away on my blog.
Homemade Whole Wheat Pita Bread (Bread Machine)
Adapted from Bread Machine Magic by Linda Rehberg & Lois Conway
I've never seen store-bought pita bread that looks like this!
I have a Zojirushi bread machine that makes a 1 pound loaf. If you have a different brand or size, you may need to adjust the amounts listed below. If you use a 1½ pound machine, divide the dough into eight portions instead of six.
3/4 cup water
2 cups Hard White Whole Wheat Flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Arbequina olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons yeast
Please all ingredients in bread pan according to your manufacturer’s directions, select Dough setting and press Start.
When dough has risen long enough, about 1½ to 2 hours, the machine will beep. Remove the dough to a floured surface and form into a 12-inch rope. Divide dough into 6 portions. Use a rolling pin to roll each portion into a 6- to 7-inch disc. Cover with a towel and let rise about 30 minutes.
Position rack in middle of oven and preheat to 500°F. Place three pitas on an oven-safe wire cooling rack and place the rack directly on the oven rack. Bake 5 to 8 minutes until puffy and starting to brown. Immediately place pitas in a brown paper bag; seal. (Alternatively, you can cover them with a damp towel.) Repeat with remaining three pitas.
Let pitas stay in bag until they soften, 10 to 15 minutes.
Makes 6 servings
Per serving: 155 calories, 2g fat (0g sat), 0mg cholesterol, 391mg sodium, 30g carb, 5g fiber, 1g sugar, 6g protein
Nutritional Analysis: This pita bread is low in Saturated Fat and Cholesterol and is a good source of Fiber, Manganese and Selenium. It is also a bit high in Sodium. If you are watching your salt intake, you can skip the salt, but your bread will not be as puffy. Salt keeps bread from rising too quickly and then deflating. If you omit the salt, decrease the amount of yeast and/or water as well.
Warm Herbed Goat Cheese
Adapted from The Best of Fine Cooking: Appetizers
Ready for the oven
I originally intended to use plain goat cheese and add my own garlic and herbs to it. However, my grocery store only had the garlic & herb variety in stock, so I went with that.
8 oz. goat cheese with garlic and herbs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon Arbequina olive oil, divided
freshly ground black pepper
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
Homemade Whole Wheat Pita Bread (recipe above)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine goat cheese and ½ tablespoon olive oil. Put mixture in ovenproof ceramic crock. Drizzle with remaining olive oil, dust with pepper and lay thyme sprigs on top.
Bake until cheese is warm and bubbling, 12-15 minutes. Cut pita bread into wedges with a pizza cutter and serve with goat cheese.
Makes 6 servings
Per serving: 156 calories, 13g fat (8g sat), 29mg cholesterol, 192mg sodium, 1g carb, 0g fiber, 1g sugar, 8g protein
Nutritional Analysis: This cheese is a good source of Protein, but is somewhat high in Saturated Fat. Think of this as a party dish, not something you would eat every day.
I’m so excited to keep up with this Virtual Pot Luck and since I just got a bottle of the California Olive Ranch ARBEQUINA I’ll need to track down some of that Bob’s Red Mill flour to try that pita recipe.
Great way to use these wonderful products.
Love the recipes and will subscribe to this blog and others. Would enjoy trying the ARBEQUINA and already love Bob’s products!
ARBEQUINA
Oh this looks delicious!
I’m glad to hear you liked the arbequina variety!
I’m not a goat cheese fan. It is too strong for me. Do you think you could use the arbequina olive oil over brie or some other cheese? This contest sounds yummy!
What beautiful pita bread! Yum!
I have no idea what ARBEQUINA is. Will have to look up next.
I follow all 3 on Twitter and tweeted it. https://twitter.com/#!/Javamama75/status/154988420630982658
Wendy – Do you like hummus? I’d try drizzling some of the Arbequina over hummus. Yum!
Okay I tweeted the wrong thing a minute ago. https://twitter.com/#!/Javamama75/status/154995207698530304
What a great way to experiment w/the Arbequina olive oil.
I would love to try arbequina oil on some fresh bread
ufg8trj@yahoo.com
I entered on all the blogs
ufg8trj@yahoo.com
Thank you for the superdelicious recipes! For dessert I’d very much like to try California Olive Ranch’s recipe for Arbequina Chocolate Brownies using Bob’s Red Mill Flour:
http://www.californiaoliveranch.com/recipes/desserts/arbequina-chocolate-brownies
…yumyumyum!
I had never heard of ARBEQUINA olives before, but now I’m anxious to try that olive oil. The warm herbed goat cheese sounds wonderful.
Great Recipe! I like Bob’s Red Mill on Facebook and follow @Bobs_Red_Mill on Twitter. I would love to try the ARBEQUINA olive oil. Thanks!
great recipes. love the pita bread but the cheese has me excited!! gotta try it soon!!
Your herbed goat cheese and homemade pita bread looks amazing! I think some “Arbequina” olive oil would be fantastic in a delicious salad, or topped on this herbed goat cheese:-) Take care, Hugs, Terra
I follow Bob’s Red Mill, California Olive Ranch, Virtual Potluck on Twitter, and tweeted about you giveaway! :-)
I like your use of the Arbequina olive oil and wheat flour. I bet those great looking pitas would make some tasty pita chips. I love goat cheese, it has such a great texture and it’s kind of a blank canvas for whatever one has a taste for as far a flavors go. Great work!
I’ve never made my own pita bread, but will surely make your recipe for it now…this looks wonderful! Sounds fairly foolproof, too. I’m anxious to try Arbequina Olive Oil, as we use olive oil frequently, but have not had the opportunity to try this brand. I’ll bet it would make a terrific dipping oil, as well.
Thanks!
This looks so delicious Shelby!
Shelby! This look super delicious! Thanks for sharing.
I would love to have Arbequina Olive Oil on my shelf.
I tweeted!
https://twitter.com/#!/picatasi/status/155888925074931712
I’d never heard of ARBEQUINA olives, but I’m looking forward to try the olive oil