I'm a sucker for Italian recipes. Maybe it was studying there in college, or spending so much time cooking there on the big trip. Whatever it was, my love of Italian food has stuck with me and always finds it's way into my cooking. One common misconception I often hear is the assumption that Italian food is heavy, filled with processed carbs, … [Read more...]
Balsamic Mushroom Toasts
Watch out world, I'm obsessed with mushrooms! No seriously, I can't get enough of them. We've been learning about their medicinal benefits in my classes at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition and I'm hooked. They are another one of these powerhouse foods that seems to fly under the radar. Not anymore! One bite of these delicious balsamic … [Read more...]
Perfect Every Time Dried Beans
Silky dried beans have long been an elusive beast in my kitchen. Given my commitment to whole foods and traditional cooking methods, I prefer to use dried beans, but often end up slightly crunchy beans that are not-quite-as-good as those from a can. Luckily, I've continued to persevere and am thrilled to announce that I've figured it out. This … [Read more...]
Spicy Romanesco with Parmesan
Romanesco, or Roman Broccoli as they call it in Italy, is one of those vegetables that is just plain old fun to cook with. Its striking color and unusual shape keep things interesting, and its subtle cauliflowerish flavor is lovely. I recently took an excellent class at Cooking Classes in Rome with Chef Andrea Consoli, and we made a terrific … [Read more...]
No-Fuss Roasted Eggplant Parmigiana
So, now that I've gotten you jazzed about Italian food with my Tuscan Kale Salad and Quattro Pomodoro Sauce, it's time to complete the trifecta. The food in Italy is divine. Good food is just in the air over here - you can't walk down a street without seeing beautiful pizzas calling out from shop windows, or markets with overflowing baskets of … [Read more...]
Quattro Pomodoro Sauce
Looking for something simple and tasty to make the weekend after Thanksgiving? This Quattro Pomodoro Sauce fits the bill. It's easy to make, delicious, and will fill the house with a wonderful tomato aroma. Best of all, it has a different flavor profile than Thanksgiving food, and you're bound to be ready for a change after a few days of … [Read more...]
Tuscan Kale Salad
Kale has been an illusive treat on The Big Trip. Amazingly, the kale craze that has taken over the US has not made an appearance in Europe (yet!). It is impossible to find at grocery stores and only very occasionally available at markets. Because of this, I was absolutely delighted to find hefty bunches of Tuscan Kale, also called Lucinato Kale, … [Read more...]
Healthy Eggplant Lasagna
It was unseasonable cold while we were in Switzerland and we even had a few days of snow! It was fun to have snow while in the Swiss Alps - it seemed very fitting. Given the cold weather, I was making warm comfort foods and this eggplant lasagna was one of our favorites! Begin by slicing two small eggplants into rounds, coating with olive oil, … [Read more...]