Pumpkin Pie Yogurt Parfait

This super quick and easy dessert is perfect for the holiday season. With the vitamins from the pumpkin and protein from the yogurt, this dessert is practically a health food!

Ingredients:

•  ½ cup vanilla Greek yogurt

• ½ cup canned pumpkin

• Dash of cinnamon

• Dash of nutmeg

• 1 graham cracker, crushed

 Directions:

Mix the yogurt, pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg together. Spoon half of the mixture into a glass and top with half of the crushed graham cracker. Repeat. Enjoy!

 

 

Marina’s Farmers’ Market Pasta

I love shopping at the local farmers’ markets and farms! It’s becoming easier to find fresh, local produce nearly anywhere on Long Island. I created the following recipe the other week when I simply didn’t know what to do with the eggplant I had laying around. I kept throwing in other ingredients, and soon enough I had a great dinner in front of me!

I used:

• extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup finely diced pancetta (or bacon)
• 2 medium Italian eggplants, finely chopped (skin intact)
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes (I used cherry tomatoes)
• a few leaves of basil chiffonade
• Cooked linguini or fresh, tagliatelle

1. Drizzle about 1 Tbsp olive oil into a large pan (not non-stick) on medium-low heat. Add the onions into the pan, and the garlic on top of the onions (to prevent the garlic from burning). Cook slowly for 5 minutes.
2. Add the pancetta, or bacon. Cook 8-10 minutes, or until all the fat is rendered and the pan is coated with brown bits (yumm).
3. Add the eggplant. Mix well and cook for another 10 minutes.
4. Pour in the wine to deglaze the pan. Stir well to incorporate all the flavor from those brown pieces. Add 1/2 cup of water or stock to the pan. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
5. Add the tomatoes and cook for another 2 minutes.
6. Drizzle 1 Tbsp of your best olive oil on the sauce, and sprinkle the basil.
7. At this point, you want to add the pasta which should have JUST finished cooking to al dente (save some pasta water to the side)
8. Toss the pasta with your beautiful sauce and let the flavors combine for another minute or two on low heat. If the pasta looks dry, add in some of the pasta water you saved. Add any salt & pepper if needed. (I serve mine with a sprinkle of cheese)

*A meal like this should include about 1 cup of pasta and 1 cup of the vegetable sauce. Don’t overload on the carbohydrates!

This dish has all of the flavors of summer. It takes a little more time to make, so you can make some fresh pasta in the meantime, or make it with a friend over some red wine and olives

Eat like an Italian

When people ask me what my favorite type of food is, I am very quick to answer ITALIAN! Which is usually followed by a “..but you don’t look like you eat Italian food often”. A big misconception is that Italians (and other Europeans) eat a lot of pasta, cream sauce, sausage, and bread–so how can that be healthy? Believe it or not, eating a lot of these foods is more of an American behavior than anything else. So how do Italians eat?

1. Antipasto (Appetizer) This can be anything from vegetables to fish to cheese or simply crostini (toast with toppings)
2. Primo Piatto (First Course) This is where the pasta typically comes into play. A one-cup serving is more than enough here! You might also have rice, polenta, or soup here.
3. Secondo Piatto (Second Course) Meat, fish, or poultry. Again, the portions are smaller than you may think. A three to four ounce portion of meat is appropriate (which is nutritionally recommended as well!)
4. Contorno (Vegetables) Vegetables are a big part of the meal, and rightfully so! They would most likely be eaten along side the second course. Many Italian restaurants have a separate section on the menu for vegetables–don’t miss it! (Try to make half of your plate vegetables)
5. Insalata (Salad) When eating at home, a meal is almost always finished with a lettuce salad. The salad is thought to jump-start the digestive process. The only problem here, is people tend to be too full by this time to eat–so pace yourself!
6. Dolce (Dessert) Fruit, nuts, cake, cookies, you name it! Don’t forget the espresso(s) and aperitifs

With a meal like this, eating too much pasta or starches in the beginning of the meal will surely knock you into a food coma by the second course. Even though this meal may last up to eight hours (seriously), it is important to shrink the portion sizes. And believe it or not, Italians do not have loaves of bread on the table either. Instead, you will likely find grissini (thin bread sticks) at the beginning of the meal, but nothing too serious!

 

 

 

                   My mother’s parents were both from Italy. My grandfather was born in Trieste (northern Italy) and my grandmother’s family was from Sicily (southern Italy). I have a special place in my heart for the culture, lifestyle, music, and of course food of Italy. I could travel there every year and never tire of it!

Summer Staples

Below are two recipes I love to eat during the summer. They’re great for barbeques or picnics, or just for snacking on throughout the day. Enjoy!

 

Pico de Gallo
(fresh salsa)

Serves 8; Prep time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

4 medium sized tomatoes, chopped (4 cups)

¼ cup red onion, finely chopped

2 Tablespoons cilantro, chopped

2 Tablespoon Jalapeño, seeded, ribs  removed, and finely chopped

½ teaspoon salt

1 avocado, chopped

1 ½ Tablespoons lime juice

1. In a medium bowl, gently mix together tomatoes, onion, cilantro, jalapeno, and salt.
2. Add the avocado to the bowl and pour the lime juice over the avocado (this will prevent the avocado from turning brown).

 

Black Bean & Corn Salad

Serves 8; Prep time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 ½ cup cooked freshor frozen corn, thawed

1 red pepper, chopped

3 Tablespoons red onion, diced

3 Tablespoons cilantro, chopped

2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

 

1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well.

•  For the best flavor, let the salad chill for 1 hour in the refrigerator.

 

Pasta Salad with Spinach Basil Pesto

I LOVE basil, and this dish makes a great lunch. Have a side of fruit or vegetables and you’re just about good to go!

Pasta Salad with Spinach Basil Pesto

Serves 4; Prep time: 30 minutes

 

You’ll need:

½ lb short whole wheat pasta

1 teaspoon plus ¼ cup olive oil

12 oz chicken breast (about 1 breast)

½ teaspoon salt 

Ground black pepper to taste 

¼ cup walnuts

1 small garlic clove 

½ cup (packed) fresh basil, or more to taste 

2 cups (packed) raw spinach¹ or 1 cup frozen, thawed

½ pint grape tomatoes, quartered

1/8 cup parmesan cheese

Then you:

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Add 1 teaspoon of oil to the cooked pasta and mix well to prevent sticking.
2. Meanwhile, slice the chicken breast in half lengthwise, so you have two thin breast pieces. Grill the chicken breast on medium high for 5 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165^oF. Let the chicken rest 5 minutes after cooking before chopping it into dice-sized pieces.
3. Make the pesto: In a blender, combine oil, salt, pepper, nuts, garlic, basil, and spinach. Pulse a number of times until the mixture is fluid, but not quite pureed.
4. Combine the pasta, pesto, tomatoes, and cheese in a large bowl. Serve at any temperature.

 

March 25th Cooking Demonstration Recipes

This past Sunday, 3/25 I hosted a cooking demonstration at IGA Fort Salonga Market. Due to popular demand, here are the recipes I made:

Apricot Pork Medallions

Serves 4; Prep time: 20 minutes

*Superscript numbers indicate the ingredient’s aisle in IGA*

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons olive oil¹

1 pork tenderloin, cut crosswise into 8 medallions

½ cup dried apricots, chopped¹

2 green onions, chopped¹

1 Tablespoon mustard (preferably Dijon) ¹

2 teaspoons sugar³

1 cup low sodium broth³

1. Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat with oil. Meanwhile, flatten each medallion with the palm of your hand.
2. Place the medallions in the pan, and let cook for 2 minutes on each side.
3. Add remaining ingredients into pan, and stir well. Cover, and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 145^oF.

Per serving (2 medallions): 245 Cal; 10 g Fat; 160 mg Sodium; 15 g Total Carb; 1 g Fiber, 25 g Pro

 

 Quinoa & Black Bean Salad with Apricots

Serves 4; Prep time: 30 minutes           

*Superscript numbers indicate the ingredient’s aisle in IGA*

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon olive oil ¹

1 small onion, finely chopped ¹

2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth or

1 cup if using couscous³

1 cup quinoa or whole wheat couscous⁵

¼ cup dried apricots, chopped ¹

1 dash of cinnamon ³

1 cup canned black beans (drained and rinsed well) ⁵

2 Tablespoons chopped parsley or cilantro ¹

Salt & Pepper to taste ³

1. Heat the oil in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add broth and bring to a boil.
3. Stir in quinoa, apricots, and cinnamon.
4. Reduce heat, cover, and let simmer until the quinoa is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
5. Remove from heat. Stir in the beans and parsley. Season lightly with salt & pepper if needed.

Per ¾ cup serving: 248 Cal; 4 g Fat; 240 mg Sodium; 43 g Total Carb; 7 g Fiber, 10 g Pro

 

Balsamic Strawberries with Ricotta Cream

Serves 4; Prep time: 17 minutes; Inactive: 2 hours

*Superscript numbers indicate the ingredient’s aisle in IGA*

Ingredients:

1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese or cottage cheese ⁸

2 Tablespoons honey ⁸

½ teaspoon vanilla extract ³

3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar ¹

2 Tablespoons sugar ³

1 (16 oz) container strawberries, hulled and quartered ¹

2 Tablespoons fresh basil leaves cut into ribbons ¹

1. In a blender or food processor, combine ricotta, honey, and vanilla. Blend until smooth—about 1 minute.
2. In a small saucepan, combine balsamic vinegar and sugar. Cook on medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Allow to cool completely.
3. In a medium bowl, combine strawberries, balsamic syrup, and basil.

Serve in a small glass or bowl: 1//3 cup of ricotta cream topped with ½ cup berries.

Per serving (1/3 cup cream, ½ cup berries): 180 Cal; 5 g Fat; 80 mg Sodium; 27 g Total Carb; 2 g Fiber, 8 g Pro. Recipe by Food Network’s Ellie Krieger, RD.

 

 

Save the Cork!

Recycle your plastic bags, your cans, bottles, and…what? Your corks??

Cork recycling helps to reduce demand placed on cork plantations while maintaining the delicate ecosystem of the Mediterranean forests and helps thousands of producers maintain a sustainable income to support their families.

http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2010/04/cork-reharvest/

Recycling corks is so easy, and pretty. That’s right, collect your corks in a glass or vase for decoration. It will remind you to save them, and it looks cool!  When the glass is full, it’s time to recycle them.

Check out this page to see the closest drop box near you: http://www.corkforest.org/finder.php