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Fig salad

This is so yummy I could eat it almost every day!

prep time 10 min
ingredients for 2
  • a bag (125g) of leafy greens or arugula
  • 4-5 figs
  • 1 small zucchini
  • 1/2 avocado
  • a few button mushrooms
  • a handful of walnuts
  • sunflower and pumpkin seeds
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper

1. Place the leafy greens on a large salad plate or tray.

2. Wash and slice the zucchini lengthwise into thin strips with a mandolin or a cheese slicer and add to the plate.

3. Clean the figs and quarter them. Peel and slice the avocado. Clean and cut the mushrooms. Add all to the salad.

4. Add walnuts, seeds and a little bit of oil, salt and pepper.

Tip: a very delightful add-on would be crumbled feta cheese or slices of Grana cheese of Parmesan.

BUON APPETITO!

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Fried zucchini rounds

Fried zucchini rounds are almost as good as fried zucchini blossoms 🙂 The batter I make with flour and cold sparkling water gives the fried zucchini a very light and crispy coating almost like tempura.

prep time 15 min     cooking time  10 min total
ingredients
  • 1-2 zucchini
  • 3-5dl peanut oil
  • 1dl flour
  • 2 dl COLD sparkling water/mineral water
  • pinch of salt

Disclaimer: the quantities are very approximative.

1. Wash and cut the zucchini into thin even slices with a mandoline slicer  or a knife and pat them dry.

2. Heat the oil in a heavy bottom pot or pan over medium high until the oil is hot but not smoking.

3. In the meantime make the batter: Take the water out of the fridge just before using it. Blend the batter to the consistency of a heavy cream.  Add a pinch of salt.

4. Dip or soak the zucchini rounds in the batter and fry them in batches for a few minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy.

5. Drain on paper towels or better yet on brown paper sheets for fried food, season with salt and serve hot.

BUON APPETITO!

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Nourish bowl

An extremely healthy lunch option with various raw veggies and legumes.  Add some good condiment, preferably good extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice or white wine vinegar. For a completely vegetarian alternative, leave out the tuna/chicken.

prep time  15 min
ingredients
  • tuna/cooked chicken
  • carrots
  • cucumber
  • avocado
  • baby spinach
  • pickled beetroot
  • hard boiled eggs
  • cannellini beans
  • red peppers
  • cabbage
  • pomegranate seeds

other options:

  • sweet corn
  • peas
  • string beans
  • artichoke hearts
  • arugula
  • button mushrooms
  • nuts and seeds
  • tomatoes
  • zucchini
  • olives

Chop, slice and cut your veggies and eggs, arrange them in a large salad bowl to your liking.  Add tuna or chicken, pour on top your condiment and voilà, your nourish bowl is ready to go.

BUON APPETITO!

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Strawberry tiramisù

Tiramisù is one of my all time favourite desserts and the summer version with strawberries is to die for.

prep time 20 min     refrigerating time up to 3 hrs
ingredients for 6
  • 250g mascarpone
  • 250g whipping cream
  • 3 eggs
  • 200g Pavesini cookies
  • 500g fresh strawberries
  • 5 tablespoons sugar
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • a few mint leaves to garnish

1. You start with making the strawberry juice in which to dip your Pavesini cookies. Take half of the strawberries, clean them and cut into small pieces. Pour over them the lemon juice and 3 Tbls of sugar and mix well. Put into the fridge for at least for 6 hrs, better yet overnight. Blend it the next day.

  

2. Whip 2 yolks and 1 whole egg with 2 Tbls of sugar. Some whip the yolks and the whites apart, I don’t think it has a great impact on this dessert.

2. Add mascarpone and whip a few rounds more.

3. Whip the cream aside (you can use heavy cream or lactose-free whipping cream) and fold it into the whipped mascarpone mixture..

    

4. A word about the Pavesini cookies. Some use Savoiardi biscuits/cookies (lady fingers) but I find them too thick and mushy. You can substitute Pavesini with sponge cake cut into layers.

  

5. Start assembling your tiramisù in a 20cm x 20cm glass dish with a layer of the cream mascarpone mixture. Then dip the Pavesini in the strawberry juice and layer them in the dish. I added some water to thin the juice. I also had used too many of the strawberries for the juice so I didn’t have enough left to garnish the dish.

  

6. Keep alternating the cream mixture and the cookies for 4 layers leaving one last layer of cream mixture. Place half of the strawberries cut into slices on top with some mint leaves for garnish.

7. Place in the fridge for at least 3 hours. When it is really hot I place the dish first in the freezer for half an hour or so and then in the fridge.

BUON APPETITO!