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.
You may have seen the news on Facebook and Instagram or you may be hearing about it for the first time here, but Mr. Italicano, Baby Italicana and I are spending the rest of 2018 in the USA and who knows what the future will hold!
In a perfect world, I would have written this post on the plane and published it the day we arrived like a blogging sorceress. But, I was a little distracted…:-)
So, here I am two months later finally getting it online. Oh dear, am I slow. I have so much respect for the moms who got this whole work life/mom life balance down. I am constantly struggling to be the best mom I can be for Pepper, a good wife to Mr. Italicano, a caring friend, a competent cooking instructor and communication strategist for our clients and a valuable content creator for Italicana Kitchen.
Yet, I feel like I am achieving mediocre results in many of these areas as I juggle to keep all of them afloat. Or flat out failing; like, not posting on this blog for two months. Surely, I have “good” excuses like being a new parent.
Or, working on projects for clients and moving across the world…but I’ve seen people who have a lot more going on who are able to get more things done, like all of my favorite food and mom bloggers on Instagram. Somehow they are able to create fantastic stories, photography, video and valuable content daily. I know that to create a beautiful photo, a video or a live story where everything seems easy and perfect, behind the scenes there was a lot of work, preparation and attention to details. You need a lot of time and imagination. I admire those who have found a rhythm and who are organized and efficient. I often don’t succeed. I often feel like a disaster.
I’m trying to go easy on myself, but sometimes it’s hard.
Mr. Italicano has been a great friend.
Just the other day he told me these very wise words as I was having a meltdown on how much there is to do and how little time there is to do it. He said, “Do one thing well each day. That’s it. Concentrate on doing one thing well and at the end of the day you’ll be satisfied with your work and will probably have learned something new. At the end of the year, you’ll have done 365 things well.”
This is great advice for people like me who have so many dreams and ambitions that I sometimes get so overwhelmed with all the things I want or need to do that I freeze up just looking at the long list.
Do just one thing well each day.
That is going to be my new mantra. Especially since I have so many new challenges in store. Maybe I’ll be able to accomplish them faster than my last goals. Thanks, Mr. Italicano. 🙂
Moving back to the Unites States after spending 10 years traveling and living abroad has closed a chapter and has opened a new one in my life. Before embarking on this journey in 2008, I had made a list of goals
Travel the world
Live abroad for an extended period of time
Learn fluent Italian
Write a novel
This list was my compass that guided me throughout the last decade and it’s been a wild adventure pursuing these dreams and passions. In 2008 I spent 10 months traveling to 13 countries before settling in Italy where I’ve lived for the past nine years. Mr. Italicano says that I am fluent in the language and that I even talk better than some Italians, but I still make so many grammatical and pronunciation mistakes. I think it’s safe to say that learning a language is a lifelong endeavor. And, my novel? Well, if it weren’t for the inner critique, fear of failure and straight laziness I would have finished it and tried publishing it ages ago. It’s been written for over two years now, but I haven’t yet gone through the next steps of editing or trying to get it published. I still believe in this book, and my childhood dream of becoming a successful writer. So as this new chapter begins for Mr. Italicano, Pepper and I, I’ve reflected a lot about what is important to me as I created a new list of goals. As I’ve found in the past, in order to accomplish big things I’ve got to dream big. And, then take Mr. Italicano’s advice: do one thing well each day to achieve these goals.
My new goals:
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.
These goals won’t be accomplished overnight. They will probably take 10 years…20 years…or even longer. But now I have a plan and a new compass that will keep me on path. I know there will be challenges ahead with both successes and failures. The successes will keep me going when I want to give up, and the failures are how I will learn the most. I know that I won’t necessarily be “the best” in whatever I do, but as long as “I’m my best” that is all that I can ask of myself. And, with showing up and giving it my all, it’s the perseverance to keep going until I make my dreams happen is what will make the difference.
Coming soon, I’ll be sharing a new calendar of cooking classes and demos around the Seattle area. I hope to see you in person at some of these events. I cannot thank you enough for supporting me in this journey and in our common love for delicious simple foods.
And, you? What are some of your long term goals and what is your mantra for keeping you on course to achieving your dreams?
Let me introduce you to Baby Italicana: ❤ Pepper Gail Lorenzini ❤ .
Forgive me for the delayed announcement…but since she was born it’s hard to do anything but stare at her…regardless if I’m sleep deprived and it’s 3a.m. in the morning. ❤ I can’t take my eyes off her. I’m mesmerized by her rosy cheeks, long eyelashes, tiny ears, slender fingers and heart shaped mouth.
Mr. Italicano and I are so in love. ❤
Baby Details
Due Date: December 14, 2017
Born: December 18, 2017 {full birth story to come}
Born In: Carpi, Italy
Height: 20.5 inches (52 cm)
Weight: 6 lbs 11 oz (3040 g)
First Encounter
It’s hard to believe that almost 2 weeks have passed since I held our baby girl for the first time. We were in a room called Orchid. Outside it was dark and the room was lit by a large floor light with a sheet covering it to create a candlelight ambience. It was almost 6 p.m. when Pepper arrived. I heard her cries before the OB put her on my chest – skin to skin. I joined her cries as I held her in my arms. After 66 hours since my first contraction, we finally had done it. It was a long, tough, labor but it was worth every second of pain after holding her close to me.
I think my heart melted in that moment.
I had never imagined a rush of love so quick and fierce as what overcame me with her tiny body pressed against mine.
That love. ❤
I think the amount of love that was flowing through me could rival the strongest ocean wave. Insurmountable and forever to be flowing through my veins.
Dissipating Fears
You know that post I wrote about Fears of Being a Mother? Well, surprisingly many of my insecurities faded away the instant Pepper was in my arms. It’s not a lie when people say that your maternal instincts will kick in. It’s true. You go from being insecure to feeling like a pro. You know how to hold your baby to soothe her to sleep and to read her signs to feed her before she starts to cry. You trust your instincts, and they lead you on the right path.
Mr. Italicano and I also have been employing some great tactics of communication to help us work together as a team of three. I read in Janet Lansbury’s book, “Elevating Child Care: A Guide to Respectful Parenting” to treat babies like someone who is physically paralyzed. Just because that person may not be able to respond to you, they can understand you. Respect them and treat them as a person. Lansburyrecommends to talk to your baby and to explain to him/her what you are going to do before you do it. So, from the moment she was born (and even all during the time she was in my womb), we talked to her.
At the hospital, the nurses nicknamed me as, “the mom who talked to her baby.” While they would whip through her exams, often in rushed, brisk movements Pepper would start to fuss, and at times even wail (which she never did in the room with me). The first time I watched and didn’t say anything while my heart broke seeing her in distress. The second time and there onward, I stepped in, quietly explaining to Pepper what the nurse was doing. It calmed her, soothed her and kept her from crying. ❤ Although she is little, she can already do big things like listen attentively.
Coming Home
December 21st, 2017
It was a blue bird warm sunny winter day when we brought Pepper home. When we arrived, we put her in her blue stroller all bundled up in a white snowsuit type of coat and Mr. Italicano and I took her for a stroll in the backyard.
We wanted her to feel the sunshine on her face and the wind on her cheeks, and hear the sounds of the wheels crunching over the grass and leaves.
Nature.
Life.
Endless possibilities.
The Best Present Ever
The best Christmas present, and arguably the best present ever, is Pepper. ❤ Christmas this year was more magical with her here: the Christmas tree lights shown more brightly, the songs on the radio were sung more merrily and the food on the table was more delicious. She made everything more vibrant. It was also a special Christmas to have my parents with us (they came over for a month) and Michele’s family close by.
Our families have gotten bigger.
And, we now have a family of our own. ❤
Hoping you all had a magical Christmas as well, and that your New Years is filled with love, happiness and always some adventure.
Pepper’s due date is in two weeks. TWO WEEKS! Soon Mr. Italicano and I will meet our daughter. As the days to her arrival become closer, I’ve been reflecting a lot on what this transition means for me and trying to understand my emotions. On one hand I am overjoyed to the point of tears, on the other hand I am filled with fear about this new journey of parenthood.
FEARS: LOSS OF FREEDOM & SELF DOUBTS
LOSING MY FREEDOM
I remember a friend telling me in college that she didn’t want children. I thought that was strange. There was never a question about whether I would have children. I always knew I would. Then in my late 20’s these thoughts changed. I started to notice this shift when I hung out with my nephews/nieces and my friend’s children. I loved the company of the kids, but was always secretly relieved when I closed the door to their house and went back to mine alone. Although Mr. Italicano and I made a mindful decision to start a family, I know losing my freedom will be a hard adjustment.
I love the silence.
I get overwhelmed with screaming, loud kids. I often see mother’s carry on a conversation while their child is tugging at their arm sleeve or raising havoc in another room. I can’t concentrate; I feel on edge. I want to leave.
Will I become like other mothers and get use to the chaos? Or will I always feel the urge to run and escape it?
I love me time.I love Mr. Italicano time.
I like being able to focus on my passions of writing, reading, cooking, sports and traveling. I love Mr. Italicano’s undivided attention. I adore that we are free to be spontaneous and do what we want, when we want.
This will all change with Baby Italicana. Will I be resentful for not having personal time for myself, having to share Mr. Italicano’s attention and being tied down?
I love my work.
Since starting my business four years ago my work has taken precedent over every aspect of my life. I know it’s not right; I even wrote about finding a balance in my 2016/2017 New Years Reflections to spend more time with friends, family and Mr. Italicano. Yet, when Mr. Italicano started to work with me, he too threw himself into the entrepreneurial mindset and we often work happily late into the night.
Will I be able to find a healthy balance between growing our business and raising our daughter?
SELF-DOUBTS
I still feel as though I am struggling to figure out life and how to be an adult that can take care of herself, let alone another human being.
I’ve killed some of our house plants because I’ve forgotten to water them.
Will I be able to take care of my daughter and all of her needs?
I’ve frozen in emergency medical situations because I didn’t know what to do.
Will I be able to react immediately to save my daughter from an emergency like an allergic reaction or her choking?
I consult Google constantly to learn how to do simple tasks.
What can I teach my daughter if I am still learning the basics myself?
These questions and more have been running through my mind as Pepper’s due date draws near. I suppose that many of these feelings are normal (I hope) and that many of my questions will be answered naturally as we adjust to life with Baby Italicana. I’m sure there will be ups and downs that come along with every new change. Mr. Italicano and I will navigate the unchartered waters figuring things out as we go, trying our best, failing miserably and learning from our mistakes so we can do better the next time around.
I foresee countless sacrifices and hardships but also so much love and worth to raising a family. The trick will be to not suppress emotions (that is a catalyst for unhappiness) but to confront them in order to find a solution that works for our family.
I am confident that my self doubts will fade as I become more experienced in motherhood and in life, and my quest for freedom will need to be balanced with mindfulness in order for me to continue my personal pursuit of passions and goals, as well as dedicate myself to raising a daughter that is curious, compassionate and courageous.
If you are a parent, I would love to hear your thoughts about your feelings before and after having kids. What were some of your challenges or fears to overcome and what are some of the immense joys that being a parent has brought you?
A special thanks to the talented photographer Michelle Aschbacher for these beautiful photos taken during my pregnancy. Michelle lives in Rome and I highly recommend contacting her if you want to capture the special moments of your life. ❤
During my 13 week ultrasound, the doctor told us that he was 95% sure that it was a girl. So why didn’t I reveal this news weeks ago? Well, after talking to countless Italian friends with kids, I heard so many stories where the doctor said it was a girl, then they found out at their 20 week ultrasound that it was a boy or vice versa! So even with this news, I tried to keep an objective 50/50 mindset of having a boy or a girl to not get too attached to one or the other, only to be disappointed.
But, it was hard.
I kept on using girl pronouns with our baby when talking about her.
And… I secretly wanted a girl…so did Mr. Italicano. Of course, don’t get me wrong. A baby boy would have been an absolute blessing and we would have welcomed him with open arms and loving hearts. ❤ All that matters in the end is that our baby is healthy and happy. But… to be 100% transparent, we did have a preference—we hoped for a little girl.
Which is strange, really.
All my life, I had the image of someday having boys.. 3 or 4 of them. In my mind I could foresee a full house of rambunctious, fun-loving boys–no girls.
Boys:
I LOVED growing up with two older brothers. They protected me and they made me tough. I idolized them. In fact, I wanted to be one of them. When I was little, I hated dresses and loved their hand-me-down clothes. I tried to join Boy Scouts like they did, but the Scout Master told me no. Which in my opinion was so unfair. Girl Scouts at the time did (and maybe still do?) very “girly” activities. I wanted to learn how to use a compass and knife, to build things and to survive in the wild. #totalinjustice)
And… boys usually aren’t drama. I hate drama.
Yes, in reality I should be dreaming of a boy.
Yet, I wanted a girl.
I want to teach her how to be tough, how to be independent and the importance of perseverance. I want to teach her not to gossip, not to start drama and to be compassionate towards others.
Mr. Italicano is excited to play legos with her and teach her how to build things. (He majored in industrial engineering.) He too doesn’t want our girl to follow gender stereotypes. We want our little girl to know no limits.
Baby’s Name
December 24, 2015
It’s a beautiful sunny and cold afternoon in the Italian alps. Mr. Italicano and I are staying a week in the mountains to celebrate Christmas, to spend as much time as we can snowboarding and to get some alone time together before Mr. Italicano leaves for 3 months to India in February for work, while I head to the states. Today we decide to go for a hike. As we walk towards Lake Nambino our conversations drift to various topics, and when we reach the crystal clear mountain lake, the subject arises of starting a family.
We daydream of what it will be like to be parents and have a little one to play with and teach, to kiss and cuddle. We hypothesis baby names. We both start naming off girl names, uncommon names related to nature, to cities and to food, until there is one name that make both of us stop in our tracks and smile:
Pepper
We know in that instant that is our future baby girl’s name. ❤ It’s unique and meaningful. It reminds me of my dad Lee who always covers his entire plate of food with black pepper and usually keeps a little pepper packet in his front pocket as a reserve. It’s also related to food, both as pepper as a seasoning and pepper as the vegetables. The name is strong and a little spicy. 🙂
So, when I say we had a preference for a girl, I wasn’t lying. It was 2 years ago that we had thought about this little sweet pea. And, although we didn’t start trying to conceive her until 2017, she was always in our minds and hearts.
We can’t wait to meet you, Pepper Gail Lorenzini. ❤ We can’t wait to hold you and snuggle you, tickle your tiny toes and kiss your little nose.
Here is a video that we made that very day for our future baby!
Why Gail as a middle name? It’s both my mom’s and my middle name. I wanted to carry on this little family tradition. Pepper will be the 3rd generation to have that middle name. And, who knows how long it will continue. 🙂
Baby Italicana in Tuscany:
What do you think of my overalls? I bought them because they are quite the Italian fashion, and they were perfect for the upcoming event at our wonderful client’s Poggio del Farro in Tuscany. For those who follow me, you probably know that I have been collaborating with them. I love their farro products and their quest for only the best quality for their customers. For those of you who don’t know about farro, an Italian ancient grain, here is an article that gives some more details on this super food. You’ll find tons of delicious recipes with farro here on my site as well as on Poggio del Farro’s recipe page.
While there, we got to participate in their 2nd Annual Threshing/Harvest festival. We watched an agricultural demonstration while admiring vintage machinery and tools. For the large open air lunch (with over 400 people!), I prepared a fresh farro salad with a lemon dijon vinaigrette and Milena (Poggio del Farro) prepared a delicious tomato, feta and olive salad. The majority of the traditional Tuscan food was prepared by 15 women who started the day prior preparing many dishes like the traditional Tuscan ribollita (vegetable soup), pappa al pomodoro (tomato and bread soup), farro e fagioli (farro and beans), bruschette con pomodoro e basilico (bruschette with tomatoes and basil) and delicious ficattole (fried bread).
Baby Italicana Heads to the USA:
Little Baby Italicana made her second trip to the USA!
Note to pregnant mama’s, overalls are also PERFECT for long international flights! It was like flying in my PJ’s.
Well…almost.
When you fly, there is always the risk of deep vein thrombosis, a condition where you develop blood clots in your legs from prolonged sitting. That is why it’s advisable to always get up and move around on flights. Pregnant women are especially vulnerable and so wearing sexy compression hose helps to increase circulation, reduce the risk of swelling and clotting. Not the comfiest things in the world, but definitely necessary.
For extra leg comfort, Mr. Italicano and I also upgraded to Premium Economy. The tickets cost around 25-30% more but we thought it would be well worth it this time. Also because I’ll be in the states for 40 days and a second piece of large luggage is included for free with Premium Economy–that we filled with presents and of course Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. 4kg (9 lbs) to be precise! One piece of luggage (like every trip!) arrived a few days late, but now we’re quite use to it.
Back to our seats. We got a sweet surprise of being put in the exit aisle row! ✈️ Premium economy + emergency exit = I can do yoga in the aisle! ❤
The only problem that the aisle was so big that other passengers thought it was a walkway and would actually stand in front of us as we tried to watch a movie on our monitor!
Now on to some information on the USA Tour and Recipes I’ll be doing around Seattle and Portland!
USA Cooking Tour Calendar
I have some great events coming up starting with interactive adult and kid/teenclasses, demos and a pop up restaurant at the grand opening of Caruccio’s, a new and beautiful culinary event space in Mercer Island by Lisa Caruccio! All of the dishes are based on farro, an Italian ancient grain, and sponsored by Poggio del Farro. You can check out the menus, availability and buy your tickets online by clicking on one of the dates below:
Caruccio’s
2441 76th Avenue SE
Suite 100
Mercer Island, WA 98040
(206) 232-2320
Info@caruccios.com
Pink Beet Pasta with Brussels Sprouts, Gorgonzola and Toasted Walnuts
Farro Chocolate Chip Cookies
After these fun cooking events, I will be doing complimentary cooking demos with Smeg USA , an amazing Italian appliance brand, at Nordstroms and Williams-Sonoma around Seattle and Portland. I’ll be showing how to make homemade pasta with Smeg’s stand mixer and pasta attachments, how to make summer citrus juicers with Smeg’s citrus juicer, how to make a rejuvenating matcha tea full of antioxidants (that will be supplied by matcha tea producers Sugimoto USA) with Smeg’s controlled temperature kettle, and how to make espresso drinks with Smeg’s espresso machine. {affiliate links}
I hope to see you in person at one of these cooking events! ❤ I look forward to teaching you how to make nutritious and easy recipes for you and your whole family. Big hugs to you all and I hope you are enjoying your summer! ❤
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.
Photo Credit: 
Photo Credit: 
The only problem that the aisle was so big that other passengers thought it was a walkway and would actually stand in front of us as we tried to watch a movie on our monitor!
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