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Two winter salads with spinach and fruit

Today I have two variations of the same winter salad to present. Just changing the legumes and a few other ingredients you obtain another salad. In the first one I’ve used cannellini beans and in the second chickpeas as protein.

prep time 10 min
ingredients for 2
  • 1 bag (125g) baby spinach or 1/2 baby spinach and 1/2 mixed lettuce
  • 1 can (400g) cannellini beans
  • 1 grapefruit
  • 1 avocado
  • 4-5 sun-dried tomatoes
  • handful of almonds
  • 4-5 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
  • 3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • salt

1. Rinse the beans, peel and cut the grapefruit into mouth size bites, cut tomatoes into stripes, deseed the pomegranate unless you have done it previously and slice and peel the avocado.

2. Place all the ingredients apart from the dressing on a bed of baby spinach and toss them together with the dressing.

variation

Substitute the cannellini beans with chickpeas and the almonds with sunflower seeds. Omit the sun dried tomatoes.

BUON APPETITO!

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Creamy pumpkin soup

Creamy pumpkin soup or as they say in Italian vellutata di zucca is sooo good. Creamy, delicate, slightly sweet with the addition of spices this soup is an ultimate comfort food.

prep time 20 min     cook time 35 min
ingredients for 4
  • 1 kg pumpkin
  • 1 large potato
  • 1 l vegetable broth
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons extra vergin olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • dash of cinnamon
  • dash of nutmeg
  • fresh thyme to garnish
  • 50 g pancetta or bacon, strips or cubes
  • a few slices of toasted/grilled rustic bread

1. Clean, deseed and cut the pumpkin into relatively small cubes. Peel and cut into cubes also the potato.

2. Warm the oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat and add chopped onion. Let cook until soft, about 5-6 minutes over medium heat. Don’t let it burn. Add pumpkin and potato and as much broth needed to cover the vegetables. Adjust salt and pepper.

3. Let simmer on low for about 25-30 min checking from time to time and adding broth. When the vegetables are cooked, blend the soup with immersion blender until smooth and creamy. Add a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg and mix. Ladle the soup into bowls.

4. Fry the pancetta strips and add them with some fresh thyme and grilled bread to your bowl.

FOR VEGETARIAN ALTERNATIVE: leave out the pancetta

FOR GLUTEN FREE ALTERNATIVE: leave out the bread or use appropriate bread

BUON APPETITO!

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Oatmeal for breakfast

I try to eat oatmeal for breakfast once or twice a week. This healthy version with strawberries and all kinds of goodies is my favorite. Oatmeal is the perfect way to start your day with a metabolism boosting meal, and as an added bonus it keeps you full for hours and reduces mid-morning snacking.

prep time 5 min     cook time 10 min
ingredients for 1
  • 35g or 1dl old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 2,5dl or 1 cup of water
  • a dash of milk
  • 100 g fresh or frozen strawberries
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds
  • 2-3 tablespoons seeds and crumbled nuts
  • cinnamon to sprinkle

1. Prepare the night before the water in the pot, let frozen strawberries thaw in another pot and put chia seeds in water or milk to absorb liquid and become gelatinous – never eat them dry. You can do all this in the morning, but I prefer to do it the night before.

2. Make the oatmeal according to the instructions, boil the water, add a pinch of salt, add the oats and let simmer at low for 6-7 minutes. After that I add a dash of milk and let simmer for an additional minute or two. This gives you a creamy porridge. You can alo use any vegetable milk.

3. Blend the strawberries with an immersion blender and heat for a minute if you prefer. Add to plate. I add the chia seed gel to the strawberries.

4. Mix the cooked creamy oatmeal to your plate, add seeds, crumbled nuts of your choice and sprinkle cinnamon on top.

BUON APPETITO!

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Red cabbage and orange salad

This salad combines the crunchy texture of the cabbage and the sweet flavor of oranges for a delicious side dish. It’s quick and healthy and oh so pretty.

prep time 10 min
ingredients for 2
  • a very small red cabbage or half of a bigger one
  • 1 orange
  • a handful of cashews
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • salt

1. Discard the outer leaves of the cabbage,  cut in half and take out the hard core. Slice into thin slices either with a knife or a mandolin.

2. Peel the orange taking off all the pith. Then either cut into segments or slice into rounds. Note that the juices tend to run so place your salad dish underneath.

3. Whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt. Toss  through the salad and add the cashews.

BUON APPETITO!

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Green apple fennel and walnut salad

We had this tasty salad for lunch:  fennel, apple and roasted walnuts on a bed of arugula and valerianella salad also known as songino, lamb’s lettuce or corn salad.

Prep time 15 min
INGREDIENTS FOR 2-3
  • 1 bag of arugula (rucola, rocket)
  • 1 bag of valerianella
  • 1 green apple
  • 1 fennel bulb or two if small
  • big handful of walnuts
  • 3 tbls extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
  • 3 tbls of lemon juice
  • salt and peper
  • whole rose pepper

1. Place the arugula and valerianella on a serving platter.  I used a tray.

2. Peel, halve, core and slice the apple. Trim, halve, core and thinly slice the fennel on a mandolin. Keep the fennel fronds for garnish.

3. Roast the walnuts in a small skillet without oil.

4. Whisk together the oil with the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

5. Toss the dressing with apple and fennel and transfer to the serving platter.

6. Drizzle with olive oil, then top with the walnuts and garnish with the fennel fronds.

Tip: I have tried this also with pomegranate seeds leaving out the rose pepper.

BUON APPETITO!

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Stuffed mushrooms

When I use the term mushrooms, I usually mean white button mushrooms, sometimes portobello mushrooms. This was my lunch but these are really good for appetizers too, just prepare one per person.

Prep time  5 min     Cook time 20 min
INGREDIENTS FOR 3 FAIRLY BIG MUSHROOM
  • 3 button mushrooms
  • 100g Philadelphia or other cream cheese
  • parsley
  • 1 garlic clove
  • grated parmesan
  • olive oil
  • salt, pepper

1. Wipe the mushrooms with a wet paper towel, cut the stem and slice off the very end. Chop the stems.

2. Put the garlic in a pan with oil and add the chopped stems. Add some salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes.

3. Blend the stems, the cream cheese and the parsley.

4. Stuff the mushrooms with the cream, sprinkle parmesan on top and put in a preaheated oven at 170 °C (340F) for 15 minutes until the parmesan is golden  brown.

BUON APPETITO!

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Greek fava

I had a craving for Greek fava so I made it today. Fava is made with pureed yellow split peas. Not chick peas, not fava beans, not lentils (even though I have seen Greek fava called yellow lentils) nor white beans.

The best and most famous Greek fava comes from Santorini. This dish is served as an appetizer, a meze or a side dish, but it can also be a vegan main course. A part from being tasty, fava is really healthy, full of antioxidants and non-animal protein.

Every Greek mama has her own fava recipe just like every Italian mamma has her own tomato sauce recipe. Mine is a mixture of Cretan and Greek and having added some suggestions from the Internet.

Prep time  5 min     Cook time  1 h

INGREDIENTS FOR 8 (or even more!)
  • 1/2 kg (1 lb)  fava
  • 2  onions + some to serve
  • 1 peeled potato
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 dl (1/4-1/2 cup) EV olive oil
  • lemon
  • parsley
  • optional: kalamata or Gaeta olives, capers

1. Rinse the fava in cold water.

2. Bring the fava to a boil in 1.2 l  (5-6 cups) of water, skim the froth and add 2 quartered onions and a peeled potato cut into two or four pieces.

3. Let the fava simmer at very low heat for about an hour. Stir occasionally to keep from sticking. You might need to add a cup of water.

4. When the split peas are soft and the water has been reduced to leave a thick “porridge”, remove the pot from the heat and pass the fava through a food mill or use a stick blender or a food processor. I use a stick blender and blend the fava directly in the pot. You can puree it to a smooth cream or leave it more coarse.

5. Add the extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Put back on the heat and stir for 2 minutes but BE CAREFUL. The fava is piping hot!

6. Let the fava cool (it becomes considerably more solid) and serve it in a shallow dish. Add some chopped (spring) onion and parsley, some olive oil and lemon juice and alternatively olives or capers. Some use vinegar instead of lemon but I haven’t tried that yet.

BUON APPETITO!

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Pasta e fagioli

Pasta e fagioli aka pasta and beans. One of our faves at the moment. And you don’t have to add pasta, it’s just as good as bean soup. I’ve tried both  borlotti beans and  cannellini beans and they are both good, but I prefer the latter.

Pep time  10 min + the soaking time    Cook time  1,5 – 2 hrs

INGREDIENTS FOR 8
  • 500g  dried beans soaked overnight *
  • 400g fatty pancetta finely chopped
  • 200-300g fresh pig skins
  • 1 onion
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 celery stalk
  • 1  garlic clove
  • can of peeled/diced tomatos
  • 1 potato
  • peperoncino (chili pepper)
  • salt, pepper
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • grated Parmesan
  • fresh maltagliati pasta or any kind of short pasta

1. Flame the pork skins to remove bristles, rub them clean with a cloth, and cut them into strips. Or if you use the skin from pancetta, just cut that into strips. No need to clean.

3. Mince the onion, celery and carrot and combine them. Heat a bit of oil in a large pot and sauté the chopped pancetta until it begins to brown. Add the minced onion mixture, a crushed garlic clove and the spices and continue to sauté, stirring, for about 10 minutes.

4. Add the tomatoes, the drained beans, the peeled potato, the skins and water to cover abundantly, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and let simmer until the beans are tender. Total cooking time about 1,5 – 2 hrs. Stir occasionally to keep from sticking.

5. After an hour, add 1 cup or more of water and salt.

6. When done, take an abundant cup of the soup with the potato (if it’s still in one piece or in chunks) and use a blender to cream it. Add it back to the soup.

7. Cook the pasta directly in the soup checking the water and salt. You can use the amount of soup for your need and refrigerate or freeze the rest.

8. Add a little bit of olive oil and grated parmesan to the plate

FOR THE VEGETARIAN ALTERNATIVE: leave out the pork skins and pancetta

FOR THE GLUTEN FREE ALTERNATIVE: use as soup or use appropriate pasta

Tip: If you want to serve it as soup, add croutons or pieces of grilled bread.

*the soaking time depends on the quality of your beans. Sometimes 8 hrs is enough, sometimes even less.

BUON APPETITO!

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Greek dakos

Here is another recipe for a fast and fabulous lunch. Greek dakos, also called koukouvaia, is made with few ingredients and requires no cooking. It can be used as an appetizer as I do when I hold a Greek dinner at my house, or as an easy and fast lunch. It is more appropriate in spring or summer but when I’m in a hurry and don’t feel like cooking, dakos is what I make as long as I find sweet tomatoes.

Prep time  10 min

63-365

INGREDIENTS FOR 2
  • 2  large round barley rusk (sometimes I use Italian frisella)
  • 3-4 ripe tomatoes, coarsely grated, discard skin (I chop them and leave the skin)
  • 4-5 heaping tablespoons of feta, crumbled or grated
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • oregano
  • (olives)

Run the rusk under a spray of water to moisten. Drizzle oil on it. Grate (or chop) the tomatoes and spread them on the rusk. Top with crumbled feta. Sprinkle a generous amount of oregano and drizzle with oil. Add olives if you like them.

A fancier alternative as seen on the main image is to use Greek mizithra cheese and add some pickled rock samphire also known as sea fennel (kritamo). I pick it every time I go to Crete and pickle it to use on my dakos, frisella or salad.

BUON APPETITO!

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Pasta with pesto and tomatoes

One of the easiest pasta dishes and at the moment my favourite is pasta with homemade pesto and fresh tomatoes. If you don’t have homemade pesto I guess you could use store bought pesto, gasp! Just kidding, use whatever you have on hand.

Prep time  5 minutes     Cook time 10-12 min
INGREDIENTS FOR 2
  • 160 g pasta of your choice
  • 3 heaping tbls of pesto
  • 8-10 cherry tomatoes cut in half
  • 3 tbls extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove
  • salt

1. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Save a glass of the pasta water.

2. Meanwhile warm the oil in a medium size skillet over medium high heat with the garlic clove. Add the tomatoes, stir to coat and sprinkle with  1/4 teaspoon of salt. Let cook for about 5 minutes.

2. Add the pesto to the tomatoes – I used 3 cubes of my frozen pesto (I freeze my pesto in an ice cube tray) and warmed it in the micro wave before adding it to the skillet.

3. Drain the pasta 1 min before it’s cooked al dente and pour in the skillet, stir to coat and add a little bit of the pasta water that you have previously saved, and finish cooking.

4. You may want to sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on your plate.

BUON APPETITO!