Category Archives: Favorite Foods

Anything that has to do with food

Healthy, Quick and Delicious fixes for the Summer

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Sorry, I haven’t been posting many recipes. It’s no excuse I have been really busy and also I have been pretty much living off of Fruit and fresh Salads as the weather here in Italy has been unbearably hot. I cannot remember a June that has had 32°C or 90°F weather. No, complaints on my part really…I love the summer in all it’s glory, but I doesn’t help the blog out any because instead of cooking I much rather be either tanning or under a cold shower. HA!

However, things that my body has been craving more than ever this year is fruit and lots of it; so my Husband and I have been going to the farmers market it actually is his house where he has a little stand and sells the fruit with his wife that they pick every day, they have a vast variety of fruits and vegetables we’ve been getting Cherries, Apricots, and Sugar Babies ( a small watermelon size of a cantaloupe ) as far as the fruit goes.They really do taste so much better than the ones you find at the supermarket it’s truly unbelievable.

                

These fruits are extremely good for you and they really help keep you hydrated, which in turn keeps you from swelling up with all this heat. Sometimes, I feel like a blow fish, it gets so humid and unbearably hot that I have to eat some watermelon or pineapple to help me de-bloat because water is just not cutting it.

Another thing that I like to make when its hot are these salads here:

http://mythineats.com/2011/12/10/garbanzo-and-tuna-green-salad/

http://mythineats.com/2012/03/18/healthy-and-elegant-zucchini-ribbon-salad/

http://mythineats.com/2011/11/21/shrimp-artichoke-green-salad/

Or the classic Caprese Salad, some red ripe Tomatoes, fresh Mozzarella and my home-grown Basil with just a drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and some Salt and you have yourself an amazing Lunch or Dinner. Fresh and hassle free.

                     

Just remember that there are so many delicious fresh recipes that you can make that are so good for you and refresh the body rather than making you feeling heavy and bloated. Listen to your body and what it’s craving it’s the only ways you can get through these days. I will be posting some very delicious typical Italian recipes that are light and for Mythineaters….

Have a fantastic weekend and remember that these are just a few of the many summer cooking recipes to come.

Ciao

Yogurt Muffins with Lemon Zest and Almond topping

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Sometimes a Muffin is just what you need. I made these for my brother, he was at the hospital for a few days and although the food they serve at hospitals here in Italy is delicious (strangely), the breakfast was not, it was the typical breakfast cookie or fette biscottate, which is a very common thing here in Italy to eat for breakfast, they are kind of like a mix of a toast and a cracker. However, not such a good breakfast option.
I decided that I would go home and bake him something delicious and mostly healthy so that he wouldn’t have to skip breakfast.

We are not a breakfast family really, besides the coffee, milk or tea; my Mother never really cared for breakfast, and barely any of my siblings care for breakfast either. We do eat something but not as soon as out of bed 1 or 2 hours may pass before we decide to eat something. So, of course with the stuff that they were serving at the hospital he would’ve skipped breakfast so in order for that not to happen I decided to bake muffins, that and also I thought that instead of bringing flowers, muffins would be a better option for a male. HA! I gave 2 to my Husband and the rest to my Brother and they both seemed to really enjoy them, so here I am posting them so that you can enjoy them as well. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Makes 6 large muffins or 12 small muffins (you pick)

1 1/2 cups of flour

2 tsp. of baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup non-fat Yogurt

1 cup sugar + 1 tbsp sugar

3 eggs

Zest of 1 lemon

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup sliced almonds

Preheat your oven at 350°. Grease and flour whatever size muffin pan you decided to use.

Mix together 1 1/2 cups of flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. In a larger bowl mix together yogurt, 1 cup of sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, eggs and the oil. Slowly add your dry ingredients to your wet ingredients and mix until completely incorporated.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle evenly on top of each one your sliced almonds and sugar. Bake for about 40 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Cooking times may vary from oven to oven so make sure to check on it.

Cool and Enjoy!

 

 

2 Ingredient Italian Deliciousness- Prosciutto e Melone

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This is the most simple and easy meal ever. My Husband just loves this dish, he could literally eat this about 2-3 times a week during the summer. I have to say it’s an all Italian favorite.

You can find this during the summer pretty much anywhere you go during the summer, it’s such a simple and refreshing dish.
Melon is fantastic, it’s an excellent source of Vitamin A, Potassium, Niacin, Pantothenic acid, Vitamin C and minerals like manganese. It is also rich in antioxidant flavonoids such as beta-carotene. And 100 grams of Melon has only about 34 calories. During the summer it’s a great way to re-hydrate as it’s full of water and allows you to feel light and full all at the same time.

The combination of the Prosciutto and Melon provides that perfect subtlety between the sweet and salty, the Prosciutto helps to calm down the sweetness of the melon while all the time creating a perfect balance of a perfect meal for anytime of the day! If you haven’t tried this dish ever, well now would be a great time. Only two ingredients and about 2 minutes to put together.

Ingredients:

1 Melon (2 melons if small like in pictures)

1/4 lb. of Prosciutto di Parma

Slice your Melon in half, remove the seeds and slice each half into 4; peel and lay 4 pieces on each plate. Get your prosciutto and lay on top and serve. Enjoy!

 

Finally Here it is: Ragù Bolognese

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A lot of you have been asking me to post the recipe on how to make the real Ragù Bolognese, I had posted about Italian lunch with my family (in the link below) and you all wanted the recipe so here it is…Finally!

http://mythineats.com/2012/01/30/to-eat-or-not-to-eat-a-classic-italian-sunday-lunch/

I love a good Tagliatelle al Ragù and I have to admit, my Husband goes crazy for it anytime my Mom asks him what he would like to eat or for her to make him 8 times out of 10 it’s “Tagliatelle al Ragù”. To me it’s a perfect winter dish, or for those days that it’s cold and rainy outside and you want to make something really delicious and special. Keep in mind that everyone here in Italy has their version of making it some make it with 3 different types of meats, some make it with red wine, some white wine, some use fresh tomatoes, some swear by the naturally canned ones, some do this and some do that…well, no matter what it is always delicious. This is my recipe. Enjoy.

Also one more thing to keep in mind the way the foods are stored here and the way the meats are here is way different than in the USA, when I was there for some reason it never quite turned out the way that it was supposed to turn out (although still delicious) there was always that something missing. Anyhow, I’m sure that it will turn out fantastic and that you will enjoy it.
I recommend using this sauce on top of tagliatelle, for you lasagna and stuffed cannelloni.

 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

300 gr. Ground Beef

150 gr. Pancetta

50 gr. Carrot

50 gr. Celery

50 gr. Onion

5 tbsp. of Tomato sauce or (20 gr. Tomato paste)

1 cup of homemade Beef Stock

1/2 cup White Wine

200 gr. Milk

Salt and Pepper to taste

Clean the vegetables and cut finely
Cut the bacon into cubes of about 20 cm in diameter and let it melt at the bottom of you sauce pan.

When the bacon has that melted see through look, add the vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Let them cook and soften for about 10 minutes to allow them to absorb the full flavor.

Combine the ground beef to the vegetables and let it brown over medium-high heat, for about 7-8 minutes. When the meat starts to “brown and sizzle” pure in the wine and let it evaporate completely.

Next, add the tomato with the broth; mix well cover the saucepan and allow simmer at very low heat, for about 2 to 3 hours.  During cooking, add the milk little by little.

Almost at the end of cooking, adjust salt and pepper, remove the lid and allow to thicken a bit more.

And there you have it. Buon Appetito!

 

My Favorite Asian Chicken Dish Ever….You have to try this!

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My sister-in-law lived in the Thiland, Japan and Philipines and while there adapted and learned how to cook really delicious food. My favorite that she makes for me pretty much anytime I  visit is Chicken Adobo. I love this dish there is just something about it that I can’t seem to get enough of I love the sauce and the way the chicken literally falls apart when you eat it, you don’t even have to use a knife. It does have soy sauce in it but when you cut that with the vinegar it somehow seems to just give it a nice a subtle flavor and doesn’t leave you swollen the next day because of the sodium.

This is her recipe that she passed on to me, I am sure that there are other variations of how to make this dish, but I have to say that this is the best ever for me. I like to accompany it with some steamed broccoli, or green beans, or a mix of veggies that are steamed or you can opt for the traditional jasmine rice, I prefer to use brown rice, but in this case I only had white. This is a very easy and fast dish to make so don’t feel pressured and let’s cook something different today so that you can show off your culinary talents. Enjoy!

 

Ingredients:

6 Chicken legs*

3 large Garlic cloves

4-5 dried Bay leaves

1 tbsp whole Peppercorns

1 tbsp cornstarch, optional

1/2 cup low-sodium Soy sauce

1/2 cup white Vinegar

1 cup Water

1/2 Bullion cube

11/2 tbsp Olive oil

First mince the garlic and sauté in olive oil until golden in a medium pot, add the chicken and allow to get golden brown then flip over cook for about 5 minutes.
Add all the liquid ingredients plus the peppercorns, 1/2 bullion and the bay leaves; cover and let boil for approx. 20 minutes stir the chicken, then turn heat down and let simmer for about another 20 minutes.
If the sauce needs thickening you may use the cornstarch mixed with water and throw it in, I prefer it just the way it turns out and pour it over the veggies, so you don’t have to use the cornstarch.

You may turn off the chicken and begin to serve accompanied by whatever you wish. Yum!

* I like to use chicken breast because I don’t like the fat, but keep in mind that it will be dryer, so I suggest to still add atleast 1-2 chicken legs to give your sauce that delicious flavor.

 

Healthy and Elegant Zucchini Ribbon Salad

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Try this for your meatless Monday. I truly enjoy salads, and I like exploring in the vegetable world and seeing what I can use in a salad so that we never get bored or feel that it’s too monotonous. Salads don’t just have to be made of leaves, it can be of anything you like. I am determined to believe that the more you explore and diversify your meals the more you look forward to experimenting and eating healthy foods. i.e. if you make the same salad everyday, then you start feeling as if you are deprived but if you spice it up and add different things you start forgetting all the other bad foods and start craving and looking forward to the foods that you are eating.

I am a firm believer that you crave what you eat, if you eat too many sweets you are going to be craving sweets, if you snack on junk food, your body will crave junk food anytime it’s hungry, if you eat too much meat your body will crave more meat, and when meat (or any other food) is not included in a meal you may feel as though you are still not satisfied because your body will send signals to the brain that its missing something. So, if you eat veggies, or fish, or nuts, or any healthy eating habit you’ve formed your body will be more inclined to craving that vs. the other. I am not saying by any means that meat is bad for you, I understand that we all have our opinions and a good grass fed filet of meat is delicious; but eaten in moderation. In my opinion meat should not be eaten all the time, once in awhile is good, there are so many better for you replacements out there like; fish, chicken, eggs, nuts and etc….

However seeing that this is a dedication to meatless Monday lets stick to no meat at all. This recipe is nutritious, vibrant, healthy, low carb and most of all delicious. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 Zucchini

1 handful Rucola

1 Jalapeno, optional

1 handful Parmigiano Reggiano Shaves

2 1/2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 Lemon Juice, freshly squeezed

Salt and pepper to taste

Start off by washing all your vegetables. Get a salad bowl and a mondoline*, now get you zucchini chop off the 2 ends and lay longways on the mandoline and start shaving (slicing) you don’t want them too thin, if you have one of those that adjust make sure that it is almost transparent. Once you are done with those add your handful of rucola and if your adding your chopped jalapeno add it now as well. In a separate little bowl mix the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pour over the salad and gently mix all the ingredients, be careful to not break the zucchini.

Plate and shave some parmigiano over the dish and serve. If you like you can drizzle a little olive oil over the dish or you could also sprinkle some toasted pine nuts. You can do what you like. I hope that you like and enjoy this recipe.

* if you don’t have a mandoline you can also use a peeler, hold the zucchini in your hand and run the peeler across, it should do the trick.

 

In a rush? Try this delicious Homemade Pizza

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You ever think about wanting to eat a pizza, but would like it to be healthier? Lighter? Not as fattening as the ones you order out? Maybe more vegetables or only with certain ingredients? Real mozzarella? Well, you can have it.

My husband and I do love to indulge in pizza here in Italy they make it with really thin crust, fresh ingredients and with just about anything you want on it. One night we decided that we were going to make it at home, we didn’t have the time to make the dough from scratch but you can find fresh pizza dough in just about any grocery store, (especially here in Italy) although while in the USA I found it in quite a few grocery stores, just ask for it.
He loves his pizza with Mozzarella, Pomodoro (Tomato) and Salame Piccante (Hot Salami) and I like it with less cheese and with any vegetable offered, from Mushrooms, Artichokes, Radicchio, Cherry Tomatoes, Eggplant and always topped off with Rucola. (I do love Prosciutto Crudo on it also).

Now I think that when you make it at home you get to each prep it and make it just the way you like and it is not as complicated or as time consuming as it seems. It is not something unhealthy or bad for you when made at home because you pick the ingredients, the size and you know exactly what is going in it. (and that is always a plus)

I hope that you enjoy my simple explanation and ingredients and just remember this is easy, fun and great for any evening; whether it’s an activity with your kids, something fun for an at home date night, girls night as something to munch on, friends night or while having friends over for a dinner party as an appetizer you can do it whenever and look as if you worked for hours. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

Serves 2

2 Balls of Pizza dough

Flour for dusting

1 qt. lb Fresh Mozzarella, grated

1  4oz can of fresh Tomato Paste

2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt to taste

And then you pick the rest of ingredients

Preheat your oven at 350°. In the meantime roll out your pizza over a floured surface to desired thickness, lay on parchment paper over a pizza tin.

Open your can of tomato sauce and ladle over the dough about 1/4 in away from edges (not too much, just enough to cover bottom evenly), sprinkle with a little bit of salt and 1 tbsp. of Olive oil. Get your mozzarella and evenly layer of the tomato sauce and then finish adding your ingredients, don’t over do it (remember healthy does it).

Put in the oven and bake in the center for about 20 minutes. You want to make sure that the cheese is melted and that the bottom in golden brown. Pull out of oven and if you ae adding rucola add it on top and serve.

*I added Tomato sauce, radicchio, proscuitto, salame and rucola.
**My Husband added tomato sauce, moazzarella, chilli flakes, prosciutto and rucola.

 

 

Low Fat has Never Tasted So Delicious: Vongole con Vino Bianco (White Wine Clams)

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Oh, yes I love Clams! They are the perfect low-fat and low-calorie food. They are so delicious and it’s always an enjoyment to eat them.
Here in Italy it is a very common and delicate dish. They are fresh everyday from the fisherman that go out in the middle of the night and then sell them or at the fish markets or the fish stores. They are a very summer thing to eat and as soon as Spring comes it’s one of the first thing Italians are out to eat. The more common and known way to eat them would be “Spaghetti or Tagliolini alle Vongole” which means “Spaghetti or Tagliolini with Clams”, but here in Italy it is also very common to have them served in a light wine sauce with toasted bread on the side to dip in and do the “Scarpetta”.  Clams are one of the simplest things to cook and require basically no time at all.

I’ll explain the way to clean them so that you too at home can make them.

First of you want to buy them fresh. Rinse them real quick under cold water. Grab a tray that has edges, I normally use one of my larger baking trays (like the one I use for Lasagna), lay the clams evenly (don’t worry if they are a bit over layered) and fill with cold water just about 1/2 an inch above your clams. Sprinkle with abundant sea salt, shake the tray around a bit and let sit for about 3-4 hours. (You can let sit over night as well, just remember the longer the better).

What the salt water does is help the clams spit out the sand that they might have inside. They basically clean themselves, this is the only way to get rid of any sand they might have in them. If you look at them during this process you will see them open and spit out the sand or move around; it’s quite interesting.

Once the time has passed you can grab a handful of the clams and throw them in a plate, shake up and down a few times, and then put in a bowl or colander. This method helps them spit out anything left. (don’t worry if they don’t spit out anything) that means that they are perfectly clean. Rinse once more real quick under cold water and they are ready for cooking.
Here’s the recipe. I hope that you enjoy.

Ingredients:

1 lb Vongole Veraci (Clams), cleaned

1 Garlic Clove, Minced or Whole

1/4 cup White Wine

Red Chili Flakes (optional)

3 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Handful chopped Parsley

Grab a nice large sauté pan put over medium heat with the olive oil (I like the garlic whole, but if you are mincing it that’s delicious also), once the oil is heated add you garlic and chili flakes allow to get just golden and throw in your Vongole (Clams) with the wine. Cover and let them cook about 10 minutes. You will know once they are ready because they will all be open. Turn off heat and throw in your parsley mix gently and serve*. Tata, Buon Appetito!

* I serve in bowls or deep plates I put the vongole first and then I add all the remaining sauce.

Okay, now this dish I accompany with toasted bread or bruschetta. The other night I made bruschetta to go along. But do what you wish. Enjoy

What’s more Healthy than: Quinoa Primavera

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So as you know I love Meatless Mondays and an All Vegetarian meal whenever I can….??!!

I especially love Quinoa, for me it’s the best substitution to heavy carbs and it marries so well with vegetables (really anything, in this case I am focusing on vegetables 😉 ), I love the fact that it really will just blend with whatever flavors it is paired up with.

It’s been winters and although I love salads it’s been pretty hard to just have a salad when outside it’s snowing or just plain cold. So, what I resort to is basically roasted, steamed or lightly sauteed vegetables. On this particular day I hadn’t gone to the store in a while it was snowing outside and I just was going to use whatever I had in the fridge. I always have a large variety of veggies so I figured that I would make vegetables accompanied by……??? I opened the cupboard and there was the Quinoa, so I decided I would make something using both. I seldom will serve my Husband just vegetables, unless requested by him. Even if I just eat all vegetarian I always try to make him, chicken, beans or pasta or something (healthy) to go along with the veggies. So in this case it was Quinoa.

I do have a post I completely dedicated to the Nutrition facts and health benefits for Quinoa, you can see here: http://mythineats.com/2011/11/11/quinoa-nutrition-facts/

However this dish is simple, light, healthy, low carb, and low fat. So I hope that you like it. You can serve as a main dish or as a side dish to chicken, salmon, meat, eggs; whatever you like or prefer. Enjoy

Ingredients:

Serves 2 as main dish 4 as side dish

1 cup Quinoa

2 cups of Water

1/2 cup frozen Peas

2 Zucchini

1 Endive

A couple leaves of Radicchio

A handful of Arugola, washed

Salt and Pepper to taste

A few drizzles of Olive oil

Preheat your oven at 180° C (350° F).

Now put the quinoa and the water in a small pot, add a drizzle of olive oil and some salt and pepper to taste, mix, cover and place over medium heat. Bring to a boil and lower flame to minimum and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes (until all water is absorbed).

Get your slice in 1/4 in rounds and place on a baking paper over a big baking tray or cookie sheet tray, lay them out one by one. Do the same with the endive. You should be able to fit your leaves of radicchio also, drizzle some olive oil over the vegetables and add salt and pepper to taste. Put in oven and allow to bake for about 15 – 20 minutes.

Place about 1 cup of salted water to boil in a little sauce pan, once boiled throw in the peas and allow to cook for about 5-8 minutes. Drain immediately in cold water and set to the side

Fluff your Quinoa, join all ingredients in a salad bowl and mix lightly and if you like you can squeeze a little bit of lemon over it and serve.

I have included a photo with an fried egg on top, or you could also chop up some feta or any cheese you like and throw it in. There are so many endless variations. Enjoy!!!

 

 

Something YUM!!…My twist on Shepard’s Pie, you’ll love it!

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I had Shepard’s Pie a couple of times while growing up, as a child it’s a delicious dish….meat, mashed potatoes and a lot of cheese. Growing up I don’t think I ever ate it but I have often thought back on the times that as a child I did like it whenever it was made. However fond I was of it I couldn’t bring myself to make it, I would think about it but then a better recipe would come to mind or something healthier or just something else.

So, as you know it’s winter time and it’s cold, and in times like this one might think of lots of comfort food and in those thoughts there might be Shepard’s Pie. Well, I decided that I would make it with an Italian twist. Off to the store I went and I decided that I would put Mozzarella in it, and that I would not mash the Potatoes but keep them whole and sliced, then all of a sudden I got the brilliant idea that I would go ahead and make it kinda like a Eggplant Parmigiana or Lasagna, but maintaining the English ingredients minus the mozzarella. My Husband wasn’t fond of the thought of Shepard’s Pie; but I am lucky that he trusts me and will try new things. So, with him on board and my mind set to surprise him I made the following meal and it was delicious. It filled us up to perfection, we didn’t feel heavy and it turned out to actually be a healthier version and lighter as well.

So, here is the recipe and I hope that you enjoy it! It’s especially perfect for this whether.

Ingredients:

5  medium Potatoes

1 large Eggplant

1 lb Ground Chuck*

1/2 lb Mozzarella

Salt and Pepper

Olive oil

Slice your potatoes a little thicker than 1/4 inch thick. Place in a medium sized pot covered with salt water and allow to boil for about 10 – 15 minutes, do not allow to cook completely, just under cooked is perfect, drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, slice your eggplant in 1/4 inch rounds and place in a skillet with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and allow to get golden on both sides, once you are done cooking all of the eggplant set aside.

At this point you may turn on your oven to 350° F (180° C).

Put your ground chuck in a skillet with a drizzle of olive oil and allow to brown completely, add some salt and pepper, turn off once meat is cooked. Slice you Mozzarella really thin and set aside.

Grab you baking dish, drizzle just a bit of olive oil on the bottom and start layering all ingredients. Start first with a even layer of the meat, a layer of eggplant, then add a layer of potatoes add a sprinkle of salt and some pepper and then layer mozzarella, a layer of meat, a layer of eggplant, a layer of mozzarella, a layer of potatoes, continue until all is finished you want the potatoes to be the last layer at the top, then sprinkle a dash of salt and finish off with pepper. Bake in the oven for about 20 – 30 minutes.

Allow to sit for 10 – 15 minutes and serve.

* You may replace ground chuck for ground turkey or even chicken.