Seriously, when it’s sweltering hot: I hate elaborate cooking.
I mean this whole slaving over a hot stove and sweating through my shirt is not my idea of summer fun. In fact, it’s just not cool… (Pun intended. Oh dear. This heat is going to my head. My apologies.)
When it’s hot outside, ovens and complicated recipes are just not in my vocabulary.
But, chopping is.
Oh, yes. Chopping up ripe seasonal fruits and veggies is my hack for creating delicious, easy and elegant summer dishes. But that’s not all. You get the added benefit of washing your fruits and vegetables. If I close my eyes in that moment, I’m no longer in my hot kitchen but near a mountain spring being splashed by refreshing water that cools me down.Makeshift paradise.
Here’s what’s in this dream summer salad:
Juicy, jammy cold peaches sliced paper thin
Cool cucumbers to add some crunch
Extra virgin olive oil and refreshing lemon juice
Fresh herbs: oregano, lemon thyme and mint. Don’t forget the mint.
Parmigiano Reggiano shavings because life is just better with Parmigiano Reggiano. (Although if you want to make this Vegetarian or Vegan, just leave this off.)
What I love most about this salad is that you can prepare everything in advance so it’s easy peasy when guests arrives or you’re ready to serve your hungry family. Just put the peach and cucumber on individual plates with a squeeze of lemon juice and store in the fridge, create the herb vinaigrette and leave it at room temperature. Then when guests arrive just top with a few drizzles of the vinaigrette, pepita and hemp seeds and a few Parmigiano Reggiano shavings. It’s that simple. And, oh so good.
Skip down for this delicious recipe; otherwise read on about finding courage.
Raise curious, courageous and compassionate children.
Build a successful business with Mr. Italicano that gives us a creative outlet, brings us personal satisfaction, keeps our minds challenged, helps our customers solve a problem, does well for the environment and give us monetary means to one day afford a small house and a boat on the lake surrounded by nature.
Publish my novel and continue to write until I become a best selling author.
Continue to learn and share with others all I have learned about the Mediterranean Diet Lifestyle by teaching cooking classes in Seattle, publishing regular content on Italicana Kitchen, writing for magazines, appearing on TV cooking shows and writing a cookbook.
Some days I feel as though I can conquer the world. I break out of my cocoon of comfort and throw myself into a challenge, dedicating myself completely towards creating something unique and exceptional. I know I have it in me to do great things and achieve the goals I’ve set for myself. I don’t let myself get in the way. I rise at dawn or work until the wee hours of the night, weekends don’t exist as I am consumed in creating something of value. For instance, a few months ago, I was sitting in my kitchen in Italy with one mission: develop the most incredible organic sprouted farro granola for my client. These granolas and granola bars would be branded under the company’s name and sold in supermarket stores all over Italy. What a satisfaction it would be to have my recipes on supermarket shelves!I rolled up my sleeves and dove in: the days were long andhot. I researched and shopped for the best ingredients then spent hour after hour in my kitchen developing recipes, baking, tastings and retesting.
I made over 40 batches tweaking each recipe, process and cooking time until I developed five delicious and unique flavors with just the right amount of sweetness, crunch, cluster consistency and fruit to granola ratio. Mr. Italicano and I then worked with a professional baker to understand how to replicate these recipes on a larger scale production.
The project was stimulating and fascinating.Each failed attempt was vital in the learning process. And, now these healthy granolas are on Italian supermarket shelves! I couldn’t be more proud.These are the days I feel like I am following my path, I am improving my skill sets, I am offering value to others and making a small helpful mark in the world.
I wish I was this courageous all the time. The truth is that there are many days where I can’t find the courage to act. Instead, I remain paralyzed by fear of failure instead of actually dedicating myself to the learning process where failed attempts are a vital part of growth. I get flustered and overwhelmed, already imagining how I will not succeed. For instance, food photography still secretly frightens me. I know. Really, after four years of food blogging I should be pretty comfortable with my DSLR camera. It’s frankly embarrassing. On one hand, I love food styling and finding the perfect dishware, linens and accessories to createa beautiful photographic set.
But when Mr. Italicano or my friends who are photographers start talking with me about technical features of the camera, my eyes glaze over and I tense up. I should know this stuff. I should be a pro. But, to be honest, each time I pick it up the camera instead of finding the courage to practice, fail, learn and improve, my mind tells me that: I’m not skilled enough, smart enough or creative enough to take great food photography because it’s too technical. I don’t do well with technical things. I’m terribly horrid at math, excel spreadsheets and anything really that requires precise measurements (that’s why you don’t see a lot of baking on this blog).So I’ve let this fear of the technical aspects of photography stop me from developing this skill. Instead I fall back on the 1 to 2 photography tricks I know to take ok photos. Sometimes they turn out even to be great photos, but I wouldn’t be able to explain to you how I got that shot. These are the moments I’m not proud of myself. I could be honing a craft to improve and instead I’m scared to try so my skills remain mediocre and I constantly feel insecure.
It’s funny, I look at my 8 month old daughter and she is doing everything right.
Each day Pepper is courageous. She wakes up in the morning, curious and determined to learn something new and doesn’t give up until she excels. Her mind is not deceiving her with doubts that she is too little to walk, or too small to make someone smile, or too uneducated to communicate. Oh, no. She is confident. She is persistent. She is consistent day in and out.
This daring little creature tried for a week to stand, falling time again as she tried to figure out how to coordinate her arms and legs and use her body to pull herself up. At times she would be frustrated, but she would never give up. She also didn’t care that I saw her try and fail. She had no insecurities about what I must have thought at her “failed attempts”. On the contrary, seeing her struggle, I immediately was rooting her on. It was inspiring to watch her tenacity, her resilience, her perseverance to succeed at the task at hand. And, just like that—with her continued dedication towards doing one thing well, she soon stood with ease and was off to learning her next “one big thing”.
She is growing exponentially because she constantly puts herself out there and doesn’t have fears, doubts and insecurities blocking her way.
What if I could go back to this learning mentality?
What if I could get out of my head long enough to take action towards doing one thing well each day on a consistent basis?
What if I could give myself permission to try and fail without thinking less of myself, but rather, knowing that it is just part of the process to mastering a skill?
Oh, Pepper, sweet little girl. You are a wise little one without even knowing it. When I need to find courage each day I will think of you.
Breathe.
Baby steps.
Daily steps.
Do one thing well each day.
Peach & Cucumber Carpaccio + Finding Courage to Improve Each Day
This Peach & Cucumber Carpaccio is the perfect dish to stay cool during the summer heat. It's bursting with flavor and easy to make ahead so you can enjoy a cold glass of rosè with your friends instead of slaving away in the kitchen. Double win.
You can cut the peach in half, remove the pit and thinly slice half moons or, what I tend to do is to slice large circles off the whole peach working my way around the peach until I get to the pit then I discard. Divide the peaches on two plates and add the sliced cucumber. Next make the vinaigrette by whisking together the extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. Evenly drizzle this mixture over the peaches and cucumber then top with fresh lemon thyme, oregano, mint, pepitas, hemp seeds and a few shavings of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Crack on top sea salt and black pepper.
Make ahead: if you’d like to make in advance, just put the peach and cucumber on individual plates with a squeeze of lemon juice and store in the fridge, create the vinaigrette and leave it at room temperature. Then when guests arrive just top with a few drizzles of the vinaigrette, fresh herbs, pepita and hemp seeds and a few Parmigiano Reggiano shavings.
Oh, hello vegan burgers that actually taste delicious! There is just so much goodness in these little patties, that even meat lovers will appreciate them too.
What I love about them:
1. They are high in fiber and protein.
2. They have a great texture (no falling apart or squeezing out of your bun when you take a bite)
3. They are easy to make. Just watch this short video recipe that I made for Poggio del Farro, a Tuscan farro producer.
Let’s chat about what’s inside:
Organic Whole Grain Spouted Einkorn Grains
Einkorn is one of the three types of farro grains:
Einkorn
Farro (also called Emmer)
Spelt
If you can’t find einkorn grains the other two can easily be substituted.
I used sprouted whole grain farro because they have more nutrients than regular whole grain farro. Here is an interesting article by Harvard Medical School for more on the sprouting process and health benefits.
Cannellini:
I love cannellini beans. You’ll find these white kidney beans in a lot of Italian recipes like minestrone or “pasta e fagioli” (pasta & bean dish). They are hearty with a mild taste and even help you to lose weight!On my way to dropping those last few baby pounds, hooray!
Beets:
Bring on the antioxidants, the bright color and the wonderful taste of beets! Mr. Italicano used to hate beets because he had only ever eaten them boiled—how boring! Then I introduced him to: beet soup, beetsalad, beet crepes, beet pasta and beet hummus. He’s now a super fan of this superfood. I can’t wait to make beet baby food for Baby Italicana in a few months. Oh man, it’s going to be fun to experiment. ❤
Speaking of little Pepper, for Easter we took her on a road trip to Tuscany where we rented a lovely airbnb in the hillsides overlooking Florence with our friends Mario, Monica and their 2 year old daughter, Agata. If the weather had been nice, we would have spent the entire trip hanging out by the pool and BBQ outside. It was only sunny the morning we were leaving. Ahh, that view!!! ❤❤❤
As luck would have it, it was windy and rainy so during the day we ventured out for a road trip to nearby Chianti (not bad for Plan B!) We drove along the Strada del Chianti which is a scenic road lined with cypress trees, vineyards and olive groves for as far as the eye can see. We stopped for lunch and went wine tasting at Badia Coltibuono , an organic wine producer located in an abbey built in 1051. Oh Italy, you and your amazing historic sites.
I love the idea that Mr. Italicano and I are sharing with Pepper our passions for traveling, adventure and new experiences. Not only are these moments great for us, but for an infant they are a huge opportunity to learn and grow. Monica told me that whenever they went away on a trip, Agataachieved some kind of new milestone when they got back. This proved to be true also for Baby Italicana. The following day, she laughed for the very first time!
And, so, I’ll leave you with this video that hopefully brings a smile to your face as it did ours.
Thank you for following me into the kitchen and with me in life. ❤ If you try these vegan sprouted einkorn burgers, snap a photo and tag Italicana Kitchen on social media or leave a comment below. I love hearing from you! Happy Cooking!
Vegan Sprouted Einkorn Burgers - Vegan or not, you will love these vegan sprouted einkorn burgers! They are packed with protein and made with delicious sprouted einkorn, beets and cannellini beans. Serve them on an artisan bun and top them with mashed avocado, lettuce and a soy yogurt and herb sauce!
Serves: 6 patties
Ingredients
For the Vegan Burgers:
1 cup (150g) sprouted einkorn grains (or farro or spelt grains)
3 cups water
2 tablespoons (32g) ground flax seeds
5 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 white onion, finely diced
1 cup (100g) raw walnuts
½ tablespoon (4g) chili powder
1 tablespoon (8g) paprika
1½ teaspoon salt and a few cracks of black pepper, plus more for coating burgers
1½ cups (150g) rolled oats
2 cooked beets (250g)
1¼ cups (230g) cooked cannellini beans (weight of the drained beans if using canned)
2 tablespoons chopped chives
Bun and toppings:
6 bakery hamburger buns
2-3 avocados, pit and skin removed and mashed
Mixed salad
For the Vegan Yogurt Sauce:
1 cup soy yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped chives
Pinch of salt and a few good cracks of freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Add the sprouted einkorn to a pot. Cook according to package directions.
In a small bowl, add the ground flax seeds and water. Stir and set aside.
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a pan, add the onions. Cook for 5-6 minutes until translucent but not brown.
Add the walnuts, chili powder, paprika, salt and rolled oats to the food processor. Blend for 1 minute until all the ingredients are well chopped. Pour this mixture into a large bowl.
When the einkorn is ready, drain, then add it to the food processor along with the cooked beets and cannellini beans. Mix for 1 minute until combined.
Add the einkorn/beet mixture to the bowl with the rolled oats. Add the flaxseed mixture and stir all of the ingredients together with a wooden spoon. If the mixture seems too sticky, blend ½ cup more oats and add it to the mixture (you could also use bread crumbs).
Divide the mixture into patties the size of your buns. (It will make 6 large patties). Sprinkle on top salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Add 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to a large skillet, wait until the oil is hot, then add 3-5 patties to the skillet. Let the patties cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. If they are starting to brown too quickly, lower the heat. Carefully flip the vegan burgers and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
In the meantime, make the vegan yogurt sauce: add the soy yogurt, parsley, chives, salt and pepper to a small bowl. Stir well and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
To plate: toast the buns, spread some of the mashed avocado on the bottom of the bun. Top with the vegan burger, a dollop of vegan yogurt, some salad and the top part of the bun. Enjoy!
This is a great make-ahead recipe. Prepare the patties and yogurt sauce ahead and store in the refrigerator, then cook the patties and serve with the rest of the condiments when ready to eat.
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I made this recipe for Poggio del Farro . Although we often collaborate with this company, this specific recipe is not sponsored by them.
I hope this farro bowl with poached eggs, shaved asparagus and feta rocks your world as much as it did mine!
I have to admit, this dish was extra delicious and special for me. After 9 months of abstaining from undercooked eggs while I was pregnant, I finally sliced my fork into the center of a perfectly cooked poached egg, let all that creamy yolk run out right on top of tangy little feta crumbles, silky shaved asparagus, pungent basil leaves and a mound of farro. If I could put heaven in my mouth, this would be it.
Oh, did I mention how easy this recipe is? Here’s a video recipe that I made with Poggio del Farroa Tuscan farro producer that I collaborate with to make delicious recipes and products.
One of the parts not included in the video is the addition of vinegar (I used white) and swirling the water to make a perfectly poached egg. You can check out Chef Ramsey Gordon’s videoto see how simple it is.
Quick and wholesome meals are essential for my busy life with a newborn. Being that I am breastfeeding, I want to give Pepper all the right nutrients she needs to grow strong and my meal planning has to be efficient as I have limited time to cook. This is why I love this farro bowl. It’s packed with goodness and I can make it in a snap.
Speaking of Baby Italicana, she turned two months last week! It’s surreal how fast time flies by. Mr. Italicano and I are loving every moment of parenthood, even the middle of the night wake ups and poopy diapers. We wouldn’t trade it for anything. Our life right now has definitely become more routine, but it feels so remarkably amazing.I never knew my heart could feel this full, it just bursts and overflows with love. ❤️ We are so grateful for this little beautiful creature.
I cannot resist posting a blast of photos: I hope they make you smile and brighten your day as much as they do ours. ❤️
Our beautiful newborn photos above were taken by my talented friend and photographer, Michelle Aschbacher.
Farro with Poached Eggs, Shaved Asparagus and Feta
Try this simple farro bowl with poached egg, shaved asparagus, feta and basil. I LOVE how easy it is to make. So delicious too!
Serves: 2
Ingredients
1 ¼ cups (200g) pearled farro
1 tablespoon coarse salt
5 cups water
6 Asparagus
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, skin removed
Extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
1 handful of basil, chopped
2 tablespoons feta, crumbled
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 eggs
Gomasio
Salt and black pepper
Instructions
Fill a medium sized pot with water, add the farro and salt and bring to a boil. Cook for 18 minutes.
Use a vegetable peeler to shave the asparagus.
Add the extra virgin olive oil, asparagus and garlic clove to the skillet. Cook for 1 minute over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Discard the garlic.
When the farro is done, drain and divide the farro into two bowls. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Stir to combine.
Top farro with the asparagus, chopped basil and feta.
Bring a small pot of water to boil. Add the white vinegar and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Crack one egg into a small bowl. Now stir the water with a spoon to create a vortex and gently lower the egg into the water. This will help the yolk to be covered by the egg white. Cook for 3 minutes or until the egg white has harden up. Remove with a slotted spoon and pat dry with a paper towel. Repeat for the second egg.
Add the poached eggs to the bowls and top with a sprinkle of gomasio, salt and pepper.
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I made this recipe for Poggio del Farro. Although we often collaborate with this company, this specific recipe is not sponsored by them.
Sorry for dropping off the map! Mr. Italicano, Baby Italicana and I spent over a month in the USA visiting my family ❤ and I did cooking classes and demos around Seattle, Portland and in Virginia for Caruccio’s and Smeg USA. Now we’re back in Italy, and I’ve been aching to write a recipe post, so let me get straight to it and tell you about these amazing mini farro tarts!
Besides being just extremely cute, these mini farro tarts were a huge hit with the participants at my kid’s cooking class at Caruccio’s, a beautiful new culinary event space in Mercer Island. In this cooking class each child made her own tart, filled it with a homemade lemon curd and topped it with fresh berries. Not a crumb remained!
Here is what a I love about these mini farro tarts:
Kid Friendly — They are the perfect recipe to make for (or with) your child. Fill them with homemade lemon curd, jam or yogurt and top them with berries for a healthy breakfast, dessert or after school snack.
Low in Sugar — Most desserts are pumped with sugars. This tart crust just has 1/3 cup raw turbinado sugar. Obviously, depending on what you fill it will make it more or less sugar-y, so if you are looking for a simple & healthy treat, opt for a good yogurt and fresh fruits, nuts and/or seeds.
Farro — I am a huge proponent of farro. It’s an ancient grain grown in Italy which is nutty in flavor, high in protein and fiber and is often suitable for people who have gluten sensitivities (but not those who have celiac disease). Just search farro recipes in the search box for more recipes. One of the brands I collaborate with and absolutely love is Poggio del Farro.
Since I love discovering new ways to cook with farro, I thought I would bring my knowledge to the USA! I created farro recipes for all of my adult classes, pop-up dinner and demo’s at Caruccio’s. Throughout the various events, we made homemade farro salad, farro beet soup, farro ravioli, farro matcha pasta, farro beet pasta, farro crostataand farro chocolate chip cookies. Participants were enthusiastic to learn more about farro, the health benefits and and the best recipes to make with this ancient grain. I was really delighted to see how curious everyone was (even kids!) to learn about farro. ❤
The pasta is bright in color, packed with antioxidants and I put in just the right amount of matcha to not leave any bitter taste—making it easy to pair with any sauce.At some of my demos, I also showed how to make matcha tea with Smeg’s Variable Temperature Kettle (<—affiliate link). I really enjoyed using Sugimoto America ’s delicious organic matcha culinary and ceremonial grade teas. I’m not a big tea drinker, unfortunately I often find it too bitter, but matcha tea is one that I actually like because it’s smooth and I find it less pungent.
I’m surprised with how “italicana” I’ve become over the eight years of living in Italy. My usual craving for a Starbucks coffee has passed—for me it’s too sugary and sweet. I usually drink American drip coffee (straight up black) or I choose to make a homemade latte with just a little added maple syrup for flavor or I’ll make a quick espresso, macchiato or cappuccino. I love how Smeg’s 1950’s style Espresso Machine(<—affiliate link) is easy to use, so stylish and takes up such little space on my countertops. In this video I show you how simple it is to make a macchiato using it!
Another simple but satisfying recipe I had the pleasure of demoing is a sparkling citrus juice using Smeg’s 1950’s style citrus juicer (<—affiliate link).
Now that I have Baby Italicana to think about, I’ve been consuming many homemade non-alcoholic drinks. Here’s the easy and delicious recipe:
For a Sparkling Citrus Juice:
1. Squeeze some oranges or grapefruit in a glass
2. add equal parts sparkling water
3. top with a mint leaf
It’s that easy! Great for prego’s like me, for kids or to serve as a nice refreshing drink for your family and friends. 🙂 I made these citrus juice drinks for my nieces and nephew at Lake Chelan when were there with my entire family celebrating my mom’s 70th birthday. They adored this “fizzy drink” and I love knowing that I, their auntie, was giving them something that is 100% natural. ❤
How is Baby Italicana?
This little globe trotter is doing well! She’s 29 weeks old and we’re already in the 3rd trimester! She has become a little ninja in my belly and is kicking all the time (the most incredible feeling ever). She loves her daddy and responds with kicks and high fives when Mr. Italicano taps three times on my tummy (I think he’ll soon start teaching her morse code. Hah!). We love celebrating life moments with her. For my and Mr. Italicano’s 4th wedding anniversary we took her to a Seattle Seahawks game…
…and spent a night at Sleep Lady Mountain Resort in Leavenworth where we got married.
We took her on the outdoor stage where we said our vows, to a beautiful rock overlook where with views of the river and mountains and strolled through the rest of that magical place describing to her all of the special memories of that unforgettable day. ❤
These mini farro tarts are the perfect recipe to make for your family. Fill them with homemade lemon curd, jam or yogurt and top them with berries for a healthy breakfast, dessert or after school snack.
⅔ cup (150 g) cold butter, cut into cubes + more to butter pans
Zest from 1 organic lemon
⅓ cup (75 g) turbinado sugar
1 large organic egg + 1 egg yolk
For the filling:
Greek yogurt, lemon curd, homemade jam (etc)
Fresh berries
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
In the bowl of a stand mixer equipped with the paddle attachment, add the flour, baking powder, salt and butter. Mix on medium speed for 1-2 minutes.
Add the lemon zest, turbinado sugar and eggs. Combine until the dough comes together as a ball. Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Butter fifteen 4-inch tart pans with removable bottoms. Divide the dough into 15 pieces. Push each piece of dough into the tart pan until the dough evenly covers the bottom and sides. Pierce the bottom of the dough with a fork many times. (If you have fewer tart pans, you can take turns baking. In this case, keep the dough in the refrigerator until ready to use. You can also use this recipe to make the crust for an 11-inch (28cm) pan crostata. If so, follow the recipe in that link for tips on how to roll out the dough and fill the crostata.)
Bake the mini farro tarts for 22-24 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
Add your filling of choice (Greek yogurt, lemon curd, homemade jam etc) and top with fresh berries. Enjoy!
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In this post, there are affiliate links and links to the companies I work with. These collaborations allow me to work full time on this blog. I am very selective in my choices of collaborations and products that might be of value to those who follow me. Thank you for your support. ❤
Hey friends! Thank you so much for your comments, emails and messages to my and Mr. Italicano’s baby announcement last week! We are over the moon about becoming parents and starting this new beautiful, challenging and rewarding adventure. First let’s talk about this amazing beet hummus recipe that has been rocking my world lately, and for those of you who aren’t interested in all the intimate pregnancy details you can then skip to the written recipe below {I definitely don’t want to bore you!} For all of you who want the in’s and out’s about my growing belly and Baby Italicano/a’s first sailing adventure last weekend, you’ll find that in the second part of the post. ❤
Video Recipe
This video was made in collaboration with Smeg. I created the recipe, photos and video—which you can also find on their website along with many other delicious homemade recipes. The writing and opinions are my own.
2. I’m able to benefit from all the health benefits of beets like cancer fighting antioxidants, anti-aging properties and boosting my stamina (which is great because I find with the summer heat and being pregnant even climbing stairs make me tired!)
3. I can whip up a vegetarian, gluten-free,vegan-friendly,dairy-free appetizer in a matter of minutes to serve at dinner parties and please a large group of friends who have different eating restrictions. Plus, appetizer boards are one of the prettiest things ever! Just be sure if you have gluten free friends, divide the hummus into two bowls and keep one for the veggies and on another board put the bread/crackers to avoid someone dipping their cracker inside and contaminating the spread. Little chalkboard signs are also a good idea as a little reminder.
Ready to try this delicious beet hummus? Scroll down to the recipe.
Now onto baby news….❤
17 Week Pregnancy Update
How Big is Baby Italicano/a?
Baby Italicano/a is the size of a pomegranate!
It seems so surreal to have a baby this size in my belly. I still can’t feel this little pomegranate, but I had a doctor’s visit and my obstetrician said I would start to feel baby’s first movements in about three weeks. I can’t wait! Although, if he/she is anything like me when I was little, my tummy is going to get some wild kicks. When I was a kid none of my friends wanted to sleep in the same bed as me, I was an active sleeper and usually kicked them before the night was through. Luckily for Mr. Italicano, I’ve become a calmer sleeper and he doesn’t get any rude awakenings (unless constantly stealing the covers and hogging the entire bed count? Oh, how he supports me. ❤ )
How Big is Mamma?
So, I was really quite lazy the first 4 months about taking photos. I only took one about a month after I found out I was pregnant. Here it is:
Now that I’m seeing differences weekly, I want to document my expanding belly! Here’s me at 16 weeks.
And, yesterday, at the start of 17 weeks.
This is the last week of 4 months and next week I’m be officially starting five months! Nine months is a long time, but man is it flying by!!
Baby Italicano/a’s First Sailing Adventure
Every since Mr. Italicano got his sailing license two years ago, we’ve been taking every chance we can get to explore the Mediterranean Sea. We’ve been to Greek Islands and various coastal ports, towns and islands in Italy. This past weekend we went sailing around Elba Islandwhere we recently unplugged for a truly relaxing weekend.
So, you would think that I would be ecstatic about this weekend sailing getaway! I mean, if there is some kind of outdoor activity and new location involved, I am in heaven. I consider myself an adventure-seeking soul and love exploring new places and countries. In 2008, I even took a 10 month around-the-world trip, backpacking to over 13 countries while sharing my journey and experiences on a travel blog. From riding elephants in the jungles in Asia to hiking the Himalayas in India, I pushed myself to live life at full momentum and without fear.
Yet, as I stood on the dock looking at the passerella, or gangplank, that separated myself from the boat and solid land, a million fears popped in my head as I watched a friend cross the wobbly wooden board in front of me. What if I lose my balance and fall in the water? Or worse, what if I slip and fall on the slippery boat floor when we start to sail and…*gulp*… I lose my baby?
Fear.
Lot’s of it.
Rushed through every cell in my body.
I’ve already taken on the responsibilities of becoming a mom in the past 4 months as I’ve made many sacrifices for my sweet pea on what I eat and drink. I’m extremely, and at times excessively, strict. Yet, this is the first time I’ve ever felt the panic-mode that I’m sure most parents experience when they realize how many dangers there are in the world and all they want to do is keep their child safe.
As I watched others climb aboard, I took a deep breath and let logic take over. Nothing in this world is ever “safe”, the worst can always happen. On the contrary, the “best” can happen too, like enjoying a relaxing weekend with friends, cuddling with Mr. Italicano under the stars, feeling the wind on my face, letting Baby Italicano/a be kissed by the sun and cooled by the salty sea.
I don’t want to miss out on life’s beautiful moments because I’m afraid something bad will happen, yet, I can’t be reckless either. There is a little human growing in my body that I need to take care of and protect. So I gave my self some rules.
How to Sail Safely in Your Second Trimester
1. Let people help. Instead of being the independent-do-it-all that I normally am. Before I walked across that wobbly wooden plank, I passed my heavy bags to my friend Sara, and then took her hand as she helped me across. I felt like a little old lady, but that’s fine. 🙂
2. Minimize movements around the boat. I would find myself a comfy spot and stay there, especially when the boat was in movement. If I absolutely had to move around I made sure that I always had a tight grip on something in case the boat jerked unexpectedly.
3. Act like a pregnant lady. Use your get-out-of-work pregnancy card. At first, I felt guilty not being the proactive helper on the boat when there was something to do. It’s not that I didn’t do anything, but I limited activities when the boat was anchored or when we were in port, like cooking or washing dishes. As for helping with setting sail and mooring I simply let others do it so I wouldn’t risk rushing up and down the boat and potentially falling.
In the end, pushing the fear aside and taking extra precautions allowed mamma and Baby Italicano/a to have a good time.❤Oh, and my favorite part? The hammock on the sail boat! What a genius idea.❤
Where is Baby Italicano/a off to next? Today we’ll leave again for Tuscany, but this time for the hillsides where we’ll meet our client Poggio del Farroto have him taste some products I’m developing for his company that will appear soon on supermarket shelves (umm, how exciting!!) and to see the farro harvest firsthand. I’ll be posting videos and photos on Facebook andInstagramor you can check back next Thursday here for the highlights on the blog.
Hope you all are enjoying your summer. Hugs from Mrs. Italicana, Mr. Italicano and Baby Italicano/a! ❤
This beet hummus is the perfect vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan-friendly, dairy-free appetizer that you can whip up in a matter of minutes to serve at dinner parties and please a large group of friends who have different eating restrictions. Put a spin on the classic hummus dish by adding color, flavor and healthy beet nutrients.
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
For the hummus:
½ cup water
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon tahini
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic
1 small cooked beet (100g)
1½ cups (260g) cooked chickpeas
For the toppings:
Extra virgin olive oil
Poppy seeds
Chia seeds
Pumpkin seeds
Thyme
Bread and/or Crackers
Raw vegetables
Instructions
Put all ingredients for the hummus in the blender in the order given. Blend until smooth, adding more water or lemon juice if needed to arrive at your desired consistency.
Scrape the hummus into a bowl, use a spoon to make a swirl on top and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with poppy seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds and thyme. Serve with toasted bread, crackers and/or raw vegetables. Enjoy!
Notes
If you have gluten free friends, divide the hummus into two bowls and keep one for the veggies and on another board put the bread/crackers to avoid someone dipping their cracker inside and contaminating the spread. Little chalkboard signs are a good idea as a little reminder.
Some days I feel as though I can conquer the world. I break out of my cocoon of comfort and throw myself into a challenge, dedicating myself completely towards creating something unique and exceptional. I know I have it in me to do great things and achieve the goals I’ve set for myself. I don’t let myself get in the way. I rise at dawn or work until the wee hours of the night, weekends don’t exist as I am consumed in creating something of value. For instance, a few months ago, I was sitting in my kitchen in Italy with one mission: develop the most incredible organic sprouted farro granola for my client. These granolas and granola bars would be branded under the company’s name and sold in supermarket stores all over Italy. What a satisfaction it would be to have my recipes on supermarket shelves! I rolled up my sleeves and dove in: the days were long and hot. I researched and shopped for the best ingredients then spent hour after hour in my kitchen developing recipes, baking, tastings and retesting.
I made over 40 batches tweaking each recipe, process and cooking time until I developed five delicious and unique flavors with just the right amount of sweetness, crunch, cluster consistency and fruit to granola ratio. Mr. Italicano and I then worked with a professional baker to understand how to replicate these recipes on a larger scale production.
The project was stimulating and fascinating. Each failed attempt was vital in the learning process. And, now these healthy granolas are on Italian supermarket shelves! I couldn’t be more proud. These are the days I feel like I am following my path, I am improving my skill sets, I am offering value to others and making a small helpful mark in the world.
But when Mr. Italicano or my friends who are photographers start talking with me about technical features of the camera, my eyes glaze over and I tense up. I should know this stuff. I should be a pro. But, to be honest, each time I pick it up the camera instead of finding the courage to practice, fail, learn and improve, my mind tells me that: I’m not skilled enough, smart enough or creative enough to take great food photography because it’s too technical. I don’t do well with technical things. I’m terribly horrid at math, excel spreadsheets and anything really that requires precise measurements (that’s why you don’t see a lot of baking on this blog). So I’ve let this fear of the technical aspects of photography stop me from developing this skill. Instead I fall back on the 1 to 2 photography tricks I know to take ok photos. Sometimes they turn out even to be great photos, but I wouldn’t be able to explain to you how I got that shot. These are the moments I’m not proud of myself. I could be honing a craft to improve and instead I’m scared to try so my skills remain mediocre and I constantly feel insecure.
This daring little creature tried for a week to stand, falling time again as she tried to figure out how to coordinate her arms and legs and use her body to pull herself up. At times she would be frustrated, but she would never give up. She also didn’t care that I saw her try and fail. She had no insecurities about what I must have thought at her “failed attempts”. On the contrary, seeing her struggle, I immediately was rooting her on. It was inspiring to watch her tenacity, her resilience, her perseverance to succeed at the task at hand. And, just like that—with her continued dedication towards doing one thing well, she soon stood with ease and was off to learning her next “one big thing”.
She is growing exponentially because she constantly puts herself out there and doesn’t have fears, doubts and insecurities blocking her way.
I have to admit, this dish was extra delicious and special for me. After 9 months of abstaining from undercooked eggs while I was pregnant, I finally sliced my fork into the center of a perfectly cooked poached egg, let all that creamy yolk run out right on top of tangy little feta crumbles, silky shaved asparagus, pungent basil leaves and a mound of farro. If I could put heaven in my mouth, this would be it.
Quick and wholesome meals are essential for my busy life with a newborn. Being that I am breastfeeding, I want to give Pepper all the right nutrients she needs to grow strong and my meal planning has to be efficient as I have limited time to cook. This is why I love this farro bowl. It’s packed with goodness and I can make it in a snap.
Our beautiful newborn photos above were taken by my talented friend and photographer, 
…and spent a night at Sleep Lady Mountain Resort in Leavenworth where we got married.
We took her on the outdoor stage where we said our vows, to a beautiful rock overlook where with views of the river and mountains and strolled through the rest of that magical place describing to her all of the special memories of that unforgettable day. ❤
Hey friends! Thank you so much for your comments, emails and messages to my and Mr. Italicano’s 
Every since Mr. Italicano got his sailing license two years ago, we’ve been taking every chance we can get to explore the Mediterranean Sea. We’ve been to Greek Islands and various 
Yet, as I stood on the dock looking at the passerella, or gangplank, that separated myself from the boat and solid land, a million fears popped in my head as I watched a friend cross the wobbly wooden board in front of me. What if I lose my balance and fall in the water? Or worse, what if I slip and fall on the slippery boat floor when we start to sail and…*gulp*… I lose my baby? 
Where is Baby Italicano/a off to next? Today we’ll leave again for Tuscany, but this time for the hillsides where we’ll meet our client