Undressing my Tastebuds: Out of the Weeds

by Heather J Sell, ShoutOUT®, July 24, 2015
#SOFWCon #FWCon

Photo of bowl of Sweet Potato & Couscous with Carrot Ginger Dressing

Sweet Potato & Couscous with Carrot Ginger Dressing. Photo: Heather J Sell

Attending the 2015 Food and Wine Conference this past weekend in Orlando was an amazing adventure! My head is still spinning from all the information garnered from the insightful workshops, sessions, and speakers. Not to mention fork-down or bottoms-up on the sumptuous, mouth-watering, mind-blowing foods and wine, the many warm-hearted people I met, and the generous, down-to-earth sponsors.

Completely inspired and ready-to-take action from all of the motivating speakers, I kept circling back to one of the sessions I attended on “Brands & Bloggers: Developing Chart-topping” and developing a relationship between brands and bloggers. Simply stated, working with brands is akin to building a long-term relationship. It’s about maintaining the relationship, even once the campaign has concluded. The key here is “long-term”.

Something about that simple statement resonated with me and I wanted to apply it then and there. In the words of Gru from the movie Despicable Me, “Lightbulb! What about applying this to the incredible brands that sponsored the conference? Even though I wasn’t working with any of the brands yet, could I begin building a long-term relationship with them, initiating the relationship, building a rapport, and showing brand support long after the succulent party has ended?” Challenge accepted! My goal? Incorporate the products or services from the bands/sponsors at the conference into something I make, bake, or do at home then start a blog series to write about my experiences.

UGH! The tough decision still loomed. Which brand to start with? To kick off the series, I was torn between Out of the Weeds and Pacari Chocolate (HELLO, chocolate!). Tough choice, right? So I decided to start with a local brand, Out of the Weeds. Don’t worry, Pacari, you’re still on my radar.

Photo of Out of the Weeds Carrot Ginger Artisan Dressing

Out of the Weeds® Carrot Ginger Artisan Dressing

What do I like about Out of the Weeds? First, have you MET Robin King, creator and owner of Out of the Weeds? C’mon! She’s amazing! I’ve known Robin for several years now and not only do I admire her as a keen businesswoman, savvy entrepreneur and warm-hearted friend, but as a staunch supporter. I’ve found that generous support restorative on several occasions. Second, after sinking my teeth into the pasta swathed in sweet notes of Carrot Ginger Artisan Dressing, bursting with a cacophony of flavors, I knew I had to find a way to marry this savory sauce into one of my recipes. Little did I know I’d conceive my own recipe, but all the better for it. J Finally, I was looking to add a punch of sass to a sometimes lackluster meal. The Carrot Ginger Dressing expertly blends a sweet, tangy medley of carrots, ginger, and soy, punctuated with a spicy kick from the jalapeno.

For more information on Robin and her rocking Out of the Weeds® Artisan Dressings and to order some of the delicious Carrot Ginger dressings (also available: Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette, Roasted Beet Vinaigrette), visit Out of the Weeds website: https://outoftheweeds.com/store/products/

Be sure to follow and say hi to Robin and Out of the Weeds on her social media channels below:

W: http://outoftheweedscom
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OutoftheWeeds?fref=ts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RobinBirdsWeeds
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/robinmking/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/threebirdstavern 

#SOFWCon #FWCon

Without further ado, proudly presenting my very own creation, Sweet Potatoes & Couscous with Out of the Weeds® Carrot Ginger Artisan Dressing. Thanks Robin and Out of the Weeds®!

Sweet Potatoes & Couscous with Out of the Weeds® Carrot Ginger Dressing
Recipe created by Heather Sell, July 2015

Ingredients:
2 Sweet Potatoes, large, cubed
½ tbl Butter
¼ cup Green Onions
1 ½ tsp Brown Sugar, light
Salt, to taste
¼- ½ tsp Ground Black Pepper
¼ cup¼ tsp1/3 cup Almond milkGround CinnamonOut of the Weeds® Carrot Ginger Artisan Dressing
½ cup Couscous

Directions:

Make Couscous according to package instructions.

Cube 2 large sweet potatoes. For my potatoes, I peeled mine, but you can leave the skin on if you’d prefer. In a small saucepan, add sweet potatoes and cover with water, just covering the potatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmering for about 15 minutes until tender. Drain.

In a skillet, add the butter and melt on low-med heat. Once melted, add green onion, stirring occasionally. Sautee onions for 2-3 minutes. Stir in brown sugar, ground black sugar, salt, ground cinnamon, and Out of the Weeds® Carrot Ginger Dressing, and almond milk stirring until heated through. Remove from heat. Add sweet potatoes and couscous to mixture. Serve. Serves 2-3.

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ShoutOUT® | Heather J Sell | Email: contact@shoutoutinc.com
W: http://shoutoutinc.com | FB: @shoutouts | Twitter: @shoutout_ent | Instagram: shoutout_media

About ShoutOUT

In 2009, I started sharing my experiences, food, travels, and events, along with all of the incredible people and businesses I was meeting and discovering. What began as a fun hobby had such an overwhelming response, in 2010 ShoutOUT was born! I continue to stretch the boundaries locally, regionally, and nationally, discovering, sharing and connecting as I go.
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6 Responses to Undressing my Tastebuds: Out of the Weeds

  1. Lightbulb! I love it. It was great to meet you this past weekend and you are so right the key word it long-term. Loved your post.

    • ShoutOUT says:

      It was fantastic meeting you too, Marlene! Looking forward to next year! Thanks so much for stopping by, reading my post, and commenting. Have a great weekend!

  2. This sounds delicious!!

  3. Denise says:

    Totally digging on this recipe, and I have to agree that dressing rocks!

  4. Angie says:

    This looks so delicious! I’m visiting from Tickle my Tastebuds blog hop.
    Thanks for sharing!
    Angie

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