Last Christmas, my hubby gave me a book of classic Italian recipes as a stocking stuffer. In it there are some quintessential meat-free Italian recipes included. I started flipping through it yesterday after having dreams that he and I were on a vacation in Italy (I think that's a sign that we should really go there soon!), and a recipe for pasta caprese caught my eye. I've made caprese in many forms and fashions -- as the classic salad, a chopped heirloom salad, a panini, risotto dish, and yes, as a pasta meal. I love the simplicity of it: some good olive oil, tomatoes, mozzarella, fresh basil, salt, pepper, and sometimes balsamic vinegar. It never fails as a great combo, especially in warm weather. But this book had a tip noted in there that I've never done before: freezing the ... [Read More]
Caprese
Risotto Caprese
A bunch of years ago when my hubby and I had just started dating, we went on a dinner date to a restaurant called The Risotto House. I remember that neither one of us were sure what risotto was and had to ask the waiter, who as I recall, looked at us like we were complete morons. Fast forward to now, and I get why the server thought the idea of us not being familiar with risotto was slightly ridiculous. I've since eaten it out at restaurants many times in Italy and also here in the states, and have made some awesome meals centering around it, including my recent dinner of sun-dried tomato risotto balls. Risotto is an Italian rice dish, that, when cooked the right way patiently standing over the stovetop continuously stirring it, comes out creamy and bursting with flavor. The other ... [Read More]
Easy & Healthy Vegetarian Dinner Ideas
Here's a fun little fact: October is National Vegetarian Month! (source) As a long-time vegetarian, I've talked to many people about a meatless lifestyle. Some say, ''Oh I could never be a vegetarian. How do you do it?" while others are more open to trying out vegetarianism, but express concern for not knowing where to start. I think that sometimes people are so used to meat being a main part of their meals, they just can't picture eating dinner without that piece of chicken, steak, or pork as the main focus. For any readers who fall into the category of veg curious people, or just don't think meat is necessary in every meal, I hope that my blog provides some appealing vegetarian recipes to you! In recognition of a month that strives to raise awareness of a lifestyle I embrace, I ... [Read More]
My Favorite Ways to Eat Avocado
Avocados are a good source of a slew of nutrients, including vitamin C, K, B6, folate, fiber and potassium. Though they contain some fat, that's no reason to shy away from them - especially since it's the heart-healthy unsaturated kind! The state I live in happens to be the biggest U.S. producer of the fruit, hence why I'm able to buy them locally to enjoy all the time. My grandma just asked me how I usually eat avocado. She's been eating them plain because she isn't sure what else to do with them. My response was, 'Don't worry, I'll blog about it!' ;-) So here goes, here are my favorite ways to incorporate avocado into my diet: #1 - In Salads: I love eating a caprese salad with avocado , as pictured above. If I'm making a Mexican salad, I like to use avocado as part of my dressing ... [Read More]
Delicious & Nutritious Meals to Whip Up in 10 Minutes Flat
Look who I met last night while volunteering at the Humane Society: She reminded me of how Harley looked when she was a puppy... ..only the dog from last night is a Chow/Rott mix and is expected to be a big girl - 70-80 pounds! She was such a cutie. Moving onto yummy food for the day, I have a couple of meal ideas to share that are super quick to make, yet good for you and delish. I threw this quesadilla together for lunch today while I'll was in the midst of a work project, and made the panini for dinner when I got home from the gym hungry. No Queso Quesadilla What you Need: 1 multigrain or whole wheat wrap (I used La Tortilla Factory Smart & Delicious multigrain wrap w/ extra virgin olive oil) 1/2 cup of black beans (Libby's organic) 2 TBSP of pico de gallo salsa ... [Read More]
Caprese with a Twist
If I had to choose one last meal to eat before I die, it would include what's pictured above (along with wine, pasta, and chocolate cake!). Caprese salads are my favorite. When I studied abroad in Italy, I swear, I ate one every single day. The only thing this salad is missing is chopped fresh basil, due to my farmer's market being out. For last night's dinner I added in some avocado for a bit of a twist on this classic Italian fare. In the mix: 1 vine ripe tomato 1/2 roasted red pepper 1 oz avocado 2 servings of fresh mozzarella A few handfuls of arugula, as a bed of greens 1/2 TBSP olive oil (I used basil olive oil - SO GOOD!) 1/2 TBSP balsamic vinegar (Blackberry flavored) I also had a Trader's Joe's organic baby baquette on the side for my dipping ... [Read More]