Life gets busy—super busy, at times. That’s why it’s always good to have a few no-fuss recipes :: ricette up your sleeve for evenings where you need to get a healthy dinner on the table but don’t have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen. This wild caught sesame salmon recipe is perfect for these occasions.
Mr. Italicano and I have had a super intense couple weeks. He’s busy studying for his sailing license examination and I am taking two interesting evening courses—one on natural cooking :: cucina naturale and the other to become a sommelier.
Thrown into our busy schedules are biweekly tennis lessons and other appointments, leaving me little time in the evenings to prepare dinner. In moments like these, it would be quite practical to buy some ready-made dinners, but I don’t. Ever. Prepackaged food :: cibo preconfezionato is horrible for you and is full of preservatives, sweeteners, and artificial coloring.
Farmed salmon :: salmone di allevamento is also full of artificial coloring due to the colored fish food pellets that they are given to eat, not to mention these salmon contain toxins like PCBs that are carcinogenic (cancer causing) and antibiotics. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to put that junk in my body let alone feed Mr. Italicano with it. No, thanks. Certainly, wild caught fish is more expensive, however, I would rather eat less, but better quality food.
Reducing the ingredient list :: elenco di ingredienti is an easy way to make a quick meal. Fewer ingredients mean less preparation time. There is a word of delicious recipes that you can try out that have just 5 ingredients or less like: roasted kabocha squash fries, millet stuffed tomatoes, or John Dory with capers and tomatoes. Recipes like these allow you to cook delicious healthy food in no time at all.
Wild caught sesame salmon is a perfect recipe for a quick and healthy weeknight dinner when you don’t have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen.
Serves: 2
Ingredients
2 wild caught salmon steaks, rinsed and dried
Salt and black pepper, to taste
3 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper then top both sides with the sesame seeds. Put the salmon steaks in a baking dish and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the salmon flakes easily with a fork. Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
This apple pie is dedicated to my family who were together this weekend at my parent’s house in Eastern Washington for the annual “harvest weekend.” My mom created harvest weekend as a way to get my brothers and I home as we moved off to university, got jobs in Seattle and were rarely seen besides the holidays. Although fun in its early years, it has become even more entertaining as the group has expanded to include two amazing sister-in-laws and now two nieces and one nephew. Next year, Mr. Italicano will be making his first appearance and I will be making a return after 6 years of missing this memorable event. Some of our neighbors, who happen to be some of our best friends, also come over to take part in this activity that buzzes with energy, fun and laughter :: risate.
Harvest weekend is a greatly anticipated event for all of us, as it’s a full weekend of work :: lavoro and togetherness. It takes place every October, and if the weather is not acting strange, we can expect a crisp Autumn day with glorious sunshine.
We typically spend the weekend dressed in flannel shirts ::camicie di flanellaand old sneakers picking apples, plums and pears from my parents small orchard. We huddle around a box of apples cutting them in half then throwing them into a pile where my dad and one of my older brothers turns the hand crank to make fresh apple cider.
The men carry on the apple cider :: sidro di mele pressing while the women usually head inside with a box of apples to make dried apples for an afternoon snack, apple grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch and apple pie for the evening dessert. My sister-in-law Jordan also invented what she calls a “plumple pie” that consists of a mix of juicy plums and crisp apples. I still can remember the delicious taste…
After a much needed rest and some nourishing food, everyone heads back outside again to carry on the pressing and to start picking vegetables from the garden that will be stored away in the root cellar for the winter. And, of course to prepare the boxes of vegetables that will be taken home by everyone who came to help. Trading a little manual labor for a big box of home grown vegetables that really taste like vegetables is worth it any day. The weekend reminds me a little of Italy’s tradition to harvest homegrown tomatoes and to make passata :: tomato purée
Apple pie is a classic American dessert that is full of flavor and spices :: spezie and cannot be missing from our holiday gatherings. Although it is full of fruit, the classic recipe calls for loads of butter, sugar and all-purpose flour. Without compromising the delicious taste, I’ve eliminated these three ingredients to create an apple pie without refined flour and sugar and butter.
The crust is made from whole wheat flour from ancient grains, extra virgin olive oil, honey, baking powder and water. The filling utilizes pure maple syrup and sweet molasses, two natural sweeteners, along with a variety of spices, like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger :: zenzero. The result is a rich and penetrating taste that warms your taste buds, giving you the same sense of comfort like you have while wearing a warm flannel shirt on a crisp Autumn day.
A delicious apple pie that is made without refined flour and sugar.
Serves: 8-10
Ingredients
For the crust:
1¾ cups (235g) whole wheat flour from ancient grains, like whole wheat Kamut ® flour
½ teaspoon (3g) salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup cold extra virgin olive oil (put in the freezer for 5 minutes)
2 tablespoons honey
¼-1/2 cup cold water
For the filling:
3 large granny smith apples, peeled, cored and chunked
3 large red delicious apples, peeled, cored and chunked
1 small lemon, juiced
¼ (35g) whole wheat flour from ancient grains, like whole wheat Kamut® flour
½ cup maple syrup
¼ cup sweet molasses
1 teaspoon (2g) ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon (1g) ground nutmeg
5 cloves
¼ teaspoon (1g) grated ginger
Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
Instructions
For the crust, use a food processor to combine the flour, salt, baking soda and extra virgin olive oil until coarse (or use your fingers). Add the honey and ¼ cup water and mix as little as possible. If needed add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough forms into a ball. Divide the ball in two, pat into small discs and wrap in plastic. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill.
In the meantime, make the filling. Peel, core and cut the apples into chunks. Place in a large bowl and toss with lemon juice and flour.
In a small saucepan add the maple syrup, molasses, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Heat over low while stirring occasionally until bubbles form around the edges and the mixture is slightly warm. Pour over the apples, mix well and set aside.
Generously flour a working space and roll one piece of dough into a circle that is large enough to cover a 9’’(22cm) or 11’’(28cm) pie plate with an inch of crust hanging over the edge. (Have a bit more overhang than my photos which was not enough and made it more difficult to seal the crust.) Using a fork, poke the bottom of the dough with holes. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Re-flour your surface and roll out the second pie crust, using cookie cutters to make designs in the crust, if desired. Pour the apple filling into the chilled pie pan and top with the second pie crust. Tuck the top crust behind the bottom crust and crimp together like this video. Lightly brush with extra virgin olive oil. If you didn’t use any cookie cutters, make 2-3 incisions with a knife on the top of the pie.
Bake for 20 minutes then cover lightly with aluminum foil and bake for another 25-35 minutes. Let cool in order for the juices to set. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
{It takes only about an hour to prepare and cook the apple pie, but there is also an hour of inactive time where the dough should be chilled in the refrigerator for at least an hour.}
Mr. Italicano and I are not big on sweets, but we do often crave salty foods :: cibi salati. Earlier this year, we got into a bad habit—stocking up on bags of Kettle Sea Salt and Vinegar chips. Of course, we bought them with good intentions—to be able to offer a quick aperitif to unexpected friends who dropped by. However, these unannounced visits happened only sporadically and we found ourselves eating these chips like they were going out of style. They became our go-to snack. We’ve reduced our consumption as we are trying to eat a healthy diet, but we do still have these salty snack cravings. I’m so glad my friend Adrienne told me about kale chips—they are a perfect healthy substitution!
These sea salt and extra virgin olive oil kale chips are very similar to potato chips :: patatine—once you eat one, if you don’t have a little self-restraint, you will find yourself eating the whole bag. Kale chips should be crunchy, but not burnt. If you undercook them, you will be left with chewy kale leaves—not the same thing.
Making a batch only requires 15 minutes. Just wash the kale :: cavolo nero, rip the leaves from the stem and tear them into pieces. Dry them extremely well (I used a salad spinner) and toss them with two tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and a few pinches of salt in a large bowl. Pour them out onto a large baking sheet that has been previously prepared with parchment paper and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10-15 minutes.
I made half my batch following the recipe above and the other half substituting 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil for 1 tablespoon truffle oil. The result? Pure goodness. Other variants that are on my list to try are: garlic :: aglio, Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, cumin and chia seeds. If you’ve made baked kale chips, what is your favorite flavor combination?
A fun little health fact that I learned from Mind Body Green’s list of the top 10 health benefits of Kale is that kale has more iron than beef. This is fantastic news for pescatarians, vegetarians or vegans :: vegani.
There are many types of kale. I’ve used lacinato kale, which is also known as Tuscan kale. Whether you use curly kale, red Russian kale or redbor kale, the procedure and cooking times are the same.
Kale chips are a healthy substitute for the greatly adored potato chips, and guess what, they even taste great too!
Serves: 6
Ingredients
300g (14 oz) kale
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Unrefined sea salt, as needed
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Wash the kale well, remove the stem and break the leaves into small pieces. Use a salad spinner to completely dry the kale leaves (or pat really good with paper towels) and place in a large bowl. Add the extra virgin olive oil and a few pinches of sea salt then spread out onto a large baking sheet. It doesn’t need to be a single layer.
Bake for 10-15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. The kale chips are done when the edges are brown but not burnt. Buon appetito!
I am on a soup-making craze. If you’re like me, there is nothing more satisfying than a warm soup for lunch or dinner during the fall. Last week I posted recipes for carrot soup, spiced pumpkin soup and you’ll also find roasted tomato and basil soup and mushroom and broccoli rabe soup on my blog. Today I am bringing you a new one that Mr. Italicano absolutely loved: broccoli, potato and turnip soup.
Of course you can use the common green broccoli when you make this soup, but if you can find romanesco broccoli you are on your way to eating like a true Italian. The markets in the Italian cobblestoned historic squares are filled with romanesco broccoli this time of year, and it is the first thing that stands out when I am shopping for produce. The bright green spiral buds that form the head seem more like a psychedelic piece of art or Madonna’s pointy bra from the 80’s than an actual edible vegetable. Though, however strange it may look, the romanesco broccoli is absolutely delicious.
The romanesco broccoli is technically an edible flower and is from the same family as the broccoli and cauliflower. Mr. Italicano and I love to eat it raw, roasted with some cheese sprinkled on top or in soups. The flavor is much earthier and nuttier than a typical broccoli and adds depth and richness to the dish.
When making this soup, whatever you do, don’t throw away the turnip leaves—you can use these greens to make a delicious side dish like they do in the Southern U.S. states. Many recipes call for salt pork or bacon, but you can easily keep this side dish vegetarian by sautéing garlic and shallots in a little extra virgin olive oil then adding the turnip greens, white wine, salt and pepper—and, if you want an extra kick of flavor, some dried red pepper flakes.
Have you ever tried romanesco broccoli? And, if so, what do you think about this vegetable?
This delicious broccoli, potato and turnip soup is packed with rich autumn flavors and lots of nutrients.
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5 small shallots, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
3 turnips, leaves removed, well washed and chopped
1 broccoli, chopped (I used a romanesco broccoli)
1 large potato, peeled and chopped
6 cups (1.4L) vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
½ teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon salt
Generous amounts of cracked pepper
½ cup (100ml) heavy cream
1 cup Parmesan cheese
2-3 Parmesan crusts, cut in small cubes (optional)
Instructions
In a large pot, sauté the shallots and garlic in the extra virgin olive oil over medium heat, until translucent but not brown; 1-2 minutes.
Add the turnips, broccoli and potatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the broth, bay leaves, thyme, nutmeg, cumin, salt and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables can be pierced with a fork; about 10-15 minutes.
Remove the bay leaves. In a blender or with a handheld immersion mixer, purée the vegetable mixture until smooth. Return to the pot, add the cream and Parmesan cheese and stir over high heat until the soup just begins to boil.
Ladle into bowls and topped with a few cubes of Parmesan crusts, grated Parmesan or chopped chives, if desired.
Where I live in Italy, we are having some brisk autumn days. I’ve resorted to wearing warm sweaters and flannel shirts around the house, crawling under a fluffy fleece blanket while working on the computer, heating up one of my new soup recipes for lunch: carrot soup with dilland orange or spiced pumpkin soup, and when these attempts still don’t do the trick, I know what will: spicy food. In autumn and winter, we are likely to think of food that is steaming hot to warm us up, but we often times forgot about the foods that are naturally hot in flavors, you know, those ones that make us sweat just by popping them in our mouths!
Just like my stuffed mushroom recipe, these stuffed red hot peppers are just as versatile and extraordinarily easy to make. Just cut off and reserve the tops, clean out the seeds (unless you live in Antarctica then you’ll want more heat!) and fill them with whatever kind of soft cheese, herbs or marinated vegetables you have in the refrigerator. Position them in a baking dish and pop them in the oven for 18-20 minutes, or until the peppers start to wilt and are soft.
I used fresh ricotta, chopped caper berries and high quality canned tuna. Other ideas are: goat cheese, sun dried tomatoes and artichokes; pepper jack, black beans and corn; or cheddar cheese, black olives and chives.
What are your favorite foods to warm yourself up when the weather is cold?
A quick and easy appetizer that will surely warm you up on a cool autumn day!
Serves: 2
Ingredients
7 hot peppers
10 caper fruits or capers, chopped
1 can high quality tuna, drained
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 spoonfuls fresh partially skimmed ricotta
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 (204°C).
Cut off and reserve the tops for decoration. Discard the seeds and place the hot peppers in a small baking dish. In a small bowl combine the caper fruits, tuna, extra virgin olive oil and ricotta. Fill each hot pepper. Pop the baking dish in the oven for 18-20 minutes, or until the peppers are soft. Depending on the size of your hot peppers, if you have any remaining ricotta mixture, spread it onto pieces of bread or crackers and serve alongside. Buon appetito!
Mr. Italicano and I have had a super intense couple weeks. He’s busy studying for his sailing license examination and I am taking two interesting evening courses—one on natural cooking :: cucina naturale and the other to become a sommelier.
Thrown into our busy schedules are biweekly tennis lessons and other appointments, leaving me little time in the evenings to prepare dinner. In moments like these, it would be quite practical to buy some ready-made dinners, but I don’t. Ever. Prepackaged food :: cibo preconfezionato is horrible for you and is full of preservatives, sweeteners, and artificial coloring.
Farmed salmon :: salmone di allevamento is also full of artificial coloring due to the colored fish food pellets that they are given to eat, not to mention these salmon contain toxins like PCBs that are carcinogenic (cancer causing) and antibiotics. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to put that junk in my body let alone feed Mr. Italicano with it. No, thanks. Certainly, wild caught fish is more expensive, however, I would rather eat less, but better quality food.
Reducing the ingredient list :: elenco di ingredienti is an easy way to make a quick meal. Fewer ingredients mean less preparation time. There is a word of delicious recipes that you can try out that have just 5 ingredients or less like: roasted kabocha squash fries, millet stuffed tomatoes, or John Dory with capers and tomatoes. Recipes like these allow you to cook delicious healthy food in no time at all.
A fun little health fact that I learned from 
When making this soup, whatever you do, don’t throw away the turnip leaves—you can use these greens to make a delicious side dish like they do in the Southern U.S. states. Many recipes call for salt pork or bacon, but you can easily keep this side dish vegetarian by sautéing garlic and shallots in a little extra virgin olive oil then adding the turnip greens, white wine, salt and pepper—and, if you want an extra kick of flavor, some dried red pepper flakes.
Just like my 
