{"id":9004111223101603,"date":"2016-07-27T22:25:12","date_gmt":"2016-07-27T22:25:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging.healthcoachinstitute.com\/?p=1187"},"modified":"2022-03-03T21:33:47","modified_gmt":"2022-03-03T21:33:47","slug":"the-hella-easy-quick-caprese","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.php85.healthcoachinstitute.com\/articles\/the-hella-easy-quick-caprese\/","title":{"rendered":"The Hella Easy Quick Caprese"},"content":{"rendered":"

If there ever were a salad to epitomize summer this is it. It\u2019s simple. It\u2019s classy. It\u2019s colorful. It\u2019s fresh. It\u2019s sweet. And it\u2019s literally just four ingredients: fresh basil, fresh tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and olive oil.<\/p>\n

The Caprese (pronounced Kah-pree-zeh) is named after the Italian island of Capri. Its classic red, white and green colors symbolize the Italian flag.<\/p>\n

But, be warned, this is one salad that\u2014if you really want it to be\u00a0that<\/i>\u00a0good\u2014you\u2019ve gotta spend the extra dollars to get top quality ingredients. Since it\u2019s only four ingredients, every ingredient counts and you can\u2019t hide the flavors behind other flavors because they all pack an equal punch.<\/p>\n

So here are 4 tips for how to make the best classic Caprese salad ever:<\/p>\n

Freshly picked basil<\/b>
\nA Caprese simply isn\u2019t a Caprese without basil. Yes, you can substitute a different green like arugula or spinach but it won\u2019t have the same signature sweet basil flavor. If you can, buy a freshly picked bunch of basil from the farmer\u2019s market or from an organic grocery store. Or better yet, use a bunch that you\u2019ve grown in your own herb garden. The fresher the basil, the better the taste. Simple. If you can\u2019t, then at least buy organic. Besides, basil is off the charts when it comes to Vitamin K and A and Manganese and is known for its anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. Don\u2019t be stingy with the basil. Use the entire bunch or two and the whole leaf because it looks beautiful and when you chew it, all its amazing properties will dissolve in your mouth.<\/p>\n

Mozzarella di Buffalo (Buffalo Mozzarella)<\/b>
\nYep, you guessed it. Mozzarella di Buffalo is made from milk of a buffalo not a cow or a sheep. In fact, it\u2019s made from the domesticated Italian water buffalo and hence, it\u2019s expensive and hard to find at regular grocery stores although you\u2019ll probably\u00a0find it at upscale delis or organic grocery stores. It\u2019s often sold in a container of liquid (probably vinegar and salt) and you\u2019ll see\u00a0small white\u00a0balls floating in it. Don\u2019t worry if you can\u2019t find buffalo mozzarella. Just use the next best thing, which is regular mozzarella. Again, the more expensive brands that are softer to the touch and stringier than those that come in a big solid log will taste better. Mozzarella is meant to be stringy and elastic-y. High quality mozzarella is a treat if you\u2019ve never tried it, which is why it\u2019s known as \u201cwhite gold\u201d or \u201cthe pearl of the table\u201d in Italy. It\u2019s packed with protein and is high in calcium. But\u00a0whatever you do, don\u2019t get the low-fat kind that Trader Joe\u2019s sells. It defeats the point of this cheese being full cream and delicious.<\/p>\n

Fresh cherry tomatoes<\/b>
\nTomatoes are best when they\u2019re bright red and ripe as can be, and eaten at room temperature, which means do not refrigerate them as many people do out of habit. If you want to ensure a sweet tomato flavor, then opt for small, round cherry tomatoes (red, yellow and orange) from your local farmer\u2019s market or organic produce from the grocery store. Again, the same rule applies: the more freshly picked, the better the flavor. If they\u2019ve been sitting in a plastic container\u00a0in a refrigerator for weeks, they\u2019re simply not going to taste as great. If you can\u2019t find cherry tomatoes, then get the big round red ones that are still on their vine called vine-ripened tomatoes as they\u2019ll have more flavor than others because they are allowed to ripen on their vine before being picked. Make sure they are not too hard but not too mushy. If they\u2019re on the\u00a0firm side, still buy them and leave them out on the kitchen counter to ripen for a day or two and they\u2019ll be just perfect. Plus they\u2019re super high in Vitamin C and tons of other vitamins and minerals. So eat \u2018em. A lot.<\/p>\n

Organic extra-virgin olive oil<\/b>
\nA Caprese is not a Caprese without olive oil. That\u2019s all this salad needs with a sprinkle of salt. Again, the higher the quality of the\u00a0oil, the better the taste. Make sure it\u2019s extra-virgin. And if you can buy organic, do. Some people love to drizzle Balsamic vinegar onto their Caprese, which gives it a delicious sweet-tangy flavor so try it on the side, and if you like it drizzle it all over the olive oil and voila. Don\u2019t be skimpy with the oil. Olive oil\u2014a staple of the Mediterranean diet\u2014is one of the healthiest fats out there. It\u2019s also loaded with Omega-3\u2019s and Omega-6\u2019s and Vitamins E and K. Eat it and enjoy it. Hell, drink it if you want. Smear it on your skin and in your hair. This stuff is so good for you, you just can\u2019t go wrong. Just look for reliable brands that really are extra-virgin.<\/p>\n

Ready? Now this is what you do\u20264 easy steps using 4 ingredients:<\/b>
\nIf you\u2019re making the swirly version like salad in pic 1\u00a0follow these instructions:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Wash the vine-ripened tomatoes and the basil. Cut\u00a0the tomatoes lengthways in thick slices.<\/li>\n
  2. Cut the mozzarella cheese log in thick slices.<\/li>\n
  3. Layer a tomato slice, then a mozzarella slice, then a big basil leaf and keep going so it forms a swirl around the plate till you get to the middle.<\/li>\n
  4. Drizzle with olive oil (and Balsamic vinegar) and sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    If you\u2019re making\u00a0round balls version like the salad in pic 2\u00a0follow these instructions:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Wash the cherry tomatoes and the basil. Don\u2019t cut anything.<\/li>\n
    2. Drain the liquid from the mozzarella balls container.<\/li>\n
    3. Toss the tomatoes, basil and mozzarella balls in a cute bowl.<\/li>\n
    4. Drizzle with olive oil (and Balsamic vinegar) and sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Eat it all up yourself. Or share with those you love. Or give it to your friends. Whatever you do, don\u2019t save it for another day. And don\u2019t put it in the refrigerator. The basil will wilt. The tomatoes will get soggy. The cheese will get too hard.
      \nEnjoy your Caprese with a glass of chilled white wine or fresh lemon water with ice.
      \nOn a hot, sunny day, you can\u2019t go wrong with this beauty. Here are two ways this could go:<\/p>\n

      Pic 1:<\/strong>\u00a0Vine-ripened tomatoes cut in slices and layered with mozzarella slices and basil leaves in a swirl shape:<\/p>\n

      Pic 2:<\/strong>\u00a0Cherry tomatoes tossed together with buffalo mozzarella balls and basil leaves. (This pic doesn\u2019t show it but don\u2019t forget the oil and vinegar):<\/p>\n

      Start Your Health and Wellness Coaching Career with HCI<\/span><\/h2>\n

      Coaching is a great career that you can help others, while also learning how to help your own personal growth. Health Coach Institute is a top health and wellness coaching certification program. <\/span>Join our Become a Health Coach program<\/span><\/a> and begin coaching in 6 months! If you are already a coach and want to advance your skills, check out <\/span>HCI\u2019s Coach Mastery program<\/span><\/a>. Feel free to get in touch with with one of our clarity coaches directly, by calling <\/span>1-800-303-2399<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      If there ever were a salad to epitomize summer this is it. It\u2019s simple. It\u2019s classy. It\u2019s colorful. It\u2019s fresh. It\u2019s sweet. And it\u2019s literally just four ingredients: fresh basil, fresh tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and olive oil. The Caprese (pronounced Kah-pree-zeh) is named after the Italian island of Capri. Its classic red, white and green […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9004111223100425,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[164],"tags":[74],"class_list":["post-9004111223101603","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wellness","tag-nutrition-2__trashed"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Hella Easy Quick Caprese | Health Coach Institute<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If there ever were a salad to epitomize summer this is it. It\u2019s simple. 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It\u2019s simple. It\u2019s classy. It\u2019s colorful. It\u2019s fresh. It\u2019s sweet. And it\u2019s literally just four ingredients: fresh basil, fresh tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and olive oil.\n\nThe Caprese (pronounced Kah-pree-zeh) is named after the Italian island of Capri. Its classic red, white and green colors symbolize the Italian flag.\n\nBut, be warned, this is one salad that\u2014if you really want it to be\u00a0<i>that<\/i>\u00a0good\u2014you\u2019ve gotta spend the extra dollars to get top quality ingredients. Since it\u2019s only four ingredients, every ingredient counts and you can\u2019t hide the flavors behind other flavors because they all pack an equal punch.\n\nSo here are 4 tips for how to make the best classic Caprese salad ever:\n\n<b>Freshly picked basil<\/b>\nA Caprese simply isn\u2019t a Caprese without basil. Yes, you can substitute a different green like arugula or spinach but it won\u2019t have the same signature sweet basil flavor. If you can, buy a freshly picked bunch of basil from the farmer\u2019s market or from an organic grocery store. Or better yet, use a bunch that you\u2019ve grown in your own herb garden. The fresher the basil, the better the taste. Simple. If you can\u2019t, then at least buy organic. Besides, basil is off the charts when it comes to Vitamin K and A and Manganese and is known for its anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. Don\u2019t be stingy with the basil. Use the entire bunch or two and the whole leaf because it looks beautiful and when you chew it, all its amazing properties will dissolve in your mouth.\n\n<b>Mozzarella di Buffalo (Buffalo Mozzarella)<\/b>\nYep, you guessed it. Mozzarella di Buffalo is made from milk of a buffalo not a cow or a sheep. In fact, it\u2019s made from the domesticated Italian water buffalo and hence, it\u2019s expensive and hard to find at regular grocery stores although you\u2019ll probably\u00a0find it at upscale delis or organic grocery stores. It\u2019s often sold in a container of liquid (probably vinegar and salt) and you\u2019ll see\u00a0small white\u00a0balls floating in it. Don\u2019t worry if you can\u2019t find buffalo mozzarella. Just use the next best thing, which is regular mozzarella. Again, the more expensive brands that are softer to the touch and stringier than those that come in a big solid log will taste better. Mozzarella is meant to be stringy and elastic-y. High quality mozzarella is a treat if you\u2019ve never tried it, which is why it\u2019s known as \u201cwhite gold\u201d or \u201cthe pearl of the table\u201d in Italy. It\u2019s packed with protein and is high in calcium. But\u00a0whatever you do, don\u2019t get the low-fat kind that Trader Joe\u2019s sells. It defeats the point of this cheese being full cream and delicious.\n\n<b>Fresh cherry tomatoes<\/b>\nTomatoes are best when they\u2019re bright red and ripe as can be, and eaten at room temperature, which means do not refrigerate them as many people do out of habit. If you want to ensure a sweet tomato flavor, then opt for small, round cherry tomatoes (red, yellow and orange) from your local farmer\u2019s market or organic produce from the grocery store. Again, the same rule applies: the more freshly picked, the better the flavor. If they\u2019ve been sitting in a plastic container\u00a0in a refrigerator for weeks, they\u2019re simply not going to taste as great. If you can\u2019t find cherry tomatoes, then get the big round red ones that are still on their vine called vine-ripened tomatoes as they\u2019ll have more flavor than others because they are allowed to ripen on their vine before being picked. Make sure they are not too hard but not too mushy. If they\u2019re on the\u00a0firm side, still buy them and leave them out on the kitchen counter to ripen for a day or two and they\u2019ll be just perfect. Plus they\u2019re super high in Vitamin C and tons of other vitamins and minerals. So eat \u2018em. A lot.\n\n<b>Organic extra-virgin olive oil<\/b>\nA Caprese is not a Caprese without olive oil. That\u2019s all this salad needs with a sprinkle of salt. Again, the higher the quality of the\u00a0oil, the better the taste. Make sure it\u2019s extra-virgin. And if you can buy organic, do. Some people love to drizzle Balsamic vinegar onto their Caprese, which gives it a delicious sweet-tangy flavor so try it on the side, and if you like it drizzle it all over the olive oil and voila. Don\u2019t be skimpy with the oil. Olive oil\u2014a staple of the Mediterranean diet\u2014is one of the healthiest fats out there. It\u2019s also loaded with Omega-3\u2019s and Omega-6\u2019s and Vitamins E and K. Eat it and enjoy it. Hell, drink it if you want. Smear it on your skin and in your hair. This stuff is so good for you, you just can\u2019t go wrong. Just look for reliable brands that really are extra-virgin.\n\n<b>Ready? Now this is what you do\u20264 easy steps using 4 ingredients:<\/b>\nIf you\u2019re making the swirly version like salad in pic 1\u00a0follow these instructions:\n<ol>\n \t<li>Wash the vine-ripened tomatoes and the basil. Cut\u00a0the tomatoes lengthways in thick slices.<\/li>\n \t<li>Cut the mozzarella cheese log in thick slices.<\/li>\n \t<li>Layer a tomato slice, then a mozzarella slice, then a big basil leaf and keep going so it forms a swirl around the plate till you get to the middle.<\/li>\n \t<li>Drizzle with olive oil (and Balsamic vinegar) and sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nIf you\u2019re making\u00a0round balls version like the salad in pic 2\u00a0follow these instructions:\n<ol>\n \t<li>Wash the cherry tomatoes and the basil. Don\u2019t cut anything.<\/li>\n \t<li>Drain the liquid from the mozzarella balls container.<\/li>\n \t<li>Toss the tomatoes, basil and mozzarella balls in a cute bowl.<\/li>\n \t<li>Drizzle with olive oil (and Balsamic vinegar) and sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nEat it all up yourself. Or share with those you love. Or give it to your friends. Whatever you do, don\u2019t save it for another day. And don\u2019t put it in the refrigerator. The basil will wilt. The tomatoes will get soggy. The cheese will get too hard.\nEnjoy your Caprese with a glass of chilled white wine or fresh lemon water with ice.\nOn a hot, sunny day, you can\u2019t go wrong with this beauty. Here are two ways this could go:\n\n<strong>Pic 1:<\/strong>\u00a0Vine-ripened tomatoes cut in slices and layered with mozzarella slices and basil leaves in a swirl shape:\n\n<strong>Pic 2:<\/strong>\u00a0Cherry tomatoes tossed together with buffalo mozzarella balls and basil leaves. (This pic doesn\u2019t show it but don\u2019t forget the oil and vinegar):\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Start Your Health and Wellness Coaching Career with HCI<\/span><\/h2>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Coaching is a great career that you can help others, while also learning how to help your own personal growth. Health Coach Institute is a top health and wellness coaching certification program. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthcoachinstitute.com\/programs\/health-coach\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Join our Become a Health Coach program<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and begin coaching in 6 months! If you are already a coach and want to advance your skills, check out <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthcoachinstitute.com\/programs\/coach-mastery\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">HCI\u2019s Coach Mastery program<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Feel free to get in touch with with one of our clarity coaches directly, by calling <\/span><a href=\"tel:+18003032399\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1-800-303-2399<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span>","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.php85.healthcoachinstitute.com\/articles\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9004111223101603","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.php85.healthcoachinstitute.com\/articles\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.php85.healthcoachinstitute.com\/articles\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.php85.healthcoachinstitute.com\/articles\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.php85.healthcoachinstitute.com\/articles\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9004111223101603"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.php85.healthcoachinstitute.com\/articles\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9004111223101603\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9004111223108675,"href":"https:\/\/www.php85.healthcoachinstitute.com\/articles\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9004111223101603\/revisions\/9004111223108675"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.php85.healthcoachinstitute.com\/articles\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9004111223100425"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.php85.healthcoachinstitute.com\/articles\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9004111223101603"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.php85.healthcoachinstitute.com\/articles\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9004111223101603"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.php85.healthcoachinstitute.com\/articles\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9004111223101603"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}