Honest food.
Hummus is my favorite go-to recipe when the fridge is empty, I’m starved and have no idea what to cook. It took me a while to understand that the quality of ingredients is key and that the quantity of tahini (sesame paste) should almost mirror that of the chickpeas. I’ve perfected my recipe into one that my family and friends adore: – 1 can cooked chickpeas (250g) – 4 large...
It’s been a while since I’ve been here. I’ve missed this blog, but I was forced by life to take a break (does that sound familiar to you?). I have tons and tons of recipes waiting to be published, so many great pictures and wonderful tastes. Funny enough, I decided to come back with a recipe from today’s lunch, maybe because the smell of baked asparagus still lingers in my...
My life dramatically changed after almost three months of being sugar free. Except for a glowing skin, I didn’t notice much of a difference while I was off any kind of processed sugars, but it’s what happened next that got my attention. Not only did I not crave any sweets, but my sensitivity to any type of food with processed sugars increased to such an extent that it almost became...
Sometimes I dream about hot pretzels. I love a good dough: crunchy exterior and a soft, fluff interior. For a while I was satisfied with the simple version of this recipe, one that required no filling, but then… then I think I saw this recipe in a Food Network mag and it just stuck with me for so long that I simply had to bake it. Nutella, cheese, chocolate, herbs,...
I remember the first time I made sourdough at home. It was nerve-wrecking and intimidating: I had at least 10 alarms ringing at very specific time intervals, one for each stretch and fold, shape, pre-shape, resting period… argh. The stress kept following me around for the next couple of months until one day when I got all mixed up in work and forgot all about my bread for about… four...
When I make curry, I like to go all the way. That basically means that I’m making my own organic coconut milk from fresh coconuts, although I’d love to be able to grow the veggies too. Making coconut milk can be a pain in the … back, but if you have a slow juicer or a high-speed blender your life can be made so much easier. Surprisingly, cracking the coconuts...
It’s almost summer, the heat is closing up on me and yet I still feel the need for comfort food. I should be craving gazpachos, but instead I dream of warmish, hearty veggie soups. New potatoes are in full season and I’ve been roasting them like crazy these past few days; this time, I decided to do something different. I figured I loved lettuce soup (also in season) and I...
So. I’m on this no sugar mission. My birthday’s coming and I’m wondering what to serve my guests that’s light, healthier and, most importantly, with a sugar-free version for me. Pavlova’s always a good choice, but there’s no way I’m gonna eat that meringue. You know what, I don’t have to. I’ll be happy with some pots de creme: I’ll just make a sugar-free cream and sauce and put it...
A while ago I decided to go sugar-free. I wasn’t big on sugar to start with, but I did see an interesting documentary about how the world has focused so much on blaming fat for all the health problems of the world that it forgot about another silent killer. That, and a comparative brain scan between the brain of a cocaine addict and that of a normal sugar eater, showing how...
This year, spring decided to let me wait: the weather was uncommonly cold, the sun was scarce and the temperatures were low. So unusual for mid-May! I was so glad when the trees were in bloom a few weeks ago, I almost felt like the summer heat and the endless nights out on the terrace were so close, but – bad luck, I still have to wait for it. In the meantime,...
For me, cooking is all about using seasonal, fresh ingredients from the farmer markets. Every dish I decide to prepare or adapt is based on my desire to make it reflect the weather outside, the available ingredients at that specific time and the signals that my body is sending me. It’s hard to truly listen to your body if you’re neck-deep in junk food, but once you’re on a health-conscious...
Every now and then I give in. It’s not because of a particular craving, but because I love baking, I love making sweets, pastries and I am fascinated to discover new tastes and textures. So there I was, watching Nigella make her famous Grasshopper pie and, almost without noticing, I let her charm her way into my mind and my appetite with this great idea: why not use marshmallows to...
Before becoming a vegetarian I wouldn’t even consider touching any soup that did not have tons of meat in it. In fact, it wouldn’t be understated to say that I wasn’t even an omnivore, but a full-fledged carnivore. That didn’t take me to any happy place, so at some point in the distant past I switched sides. I remember the first time I had a taste of a green soup...
Now that spring is here I feel like I can’t have enough of green salads, green leaves, green everything. It’s like a cleansing of the blood, after so much winter and cold and darkness. The combinations are neverending, they are as numerous as there are edible plants and veggies: spinach, watercress, lettuce, green onions, radishes, green garlic, green peas, orach (both red and geen), asparagus, parsley, it’s a true frenzy!...