Category Archives: Dairy-free

Traditional Recipe: La Peperonata

Peperonata is a delicious traditional Italian dish made with yellow and red bell peppers and a few other ingredients. It’s a dish full of character and flavour! It can be a great side dish and it can be a fantastic appetizer, when served with grilled rustic bread, like a bruschetta. The recipe I am publishing this week is my mother’ s peperonata. My mother made a few adaptations to the traditional recipe to achieve a creamier and very tasty dish. Nothing can beat my mother’ s peperonata! So sweet, flavourful and delicate at the same time; it really melts in the mouth!

While cooking, the onions will melt creating a lovely creamy sauce which works perfectly with the rest of the ingredients. Give it a try, you’ll love it!

Tips. For extra flavour you can use Ketchup instead of tomato paste. The cooking time might vary for the thickness of the peppers.

La Peperonata.

Ingredients

For 4-6 servings

Easy

Preparation and cooking time: 50 minutes

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 large onions, chopped

4 bell peppers (2 yellow and 2 red)

1 tablespoon of capers (possibly in vinegar)

6 good quality pitted green olives

6 good quality pitted black olives

1/2 a tablespoon tomato paste (or tomato ketchup)

white wine (only if necessary)

a handful of pine nuts (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

Method.

1. Cut each pepper into 4 pieces and then slice them horizontally into slices (2 cm thick). Cut also the onions into thick slices.

2. In a large frying pan, sauté the onion and the peppers with a clove of garlic in 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.

3. Add the capers, the olives and the pine nuts.

4. Add some tomato paste (or tomato ketchup), then cover and cook for 40 minutes over a low heat (add a little of white wine if it’s too dry). Let simmer until the peppers get really tender.

5. Remove the lid and let most of the juices evaporate. Season with salt and pepper, then serve (you can serve the peperonata hot or cold).

La Peperonata.

Ingredienti

Per 4-6 persone

Facile

Tempo di preparazione e cottura: 50 minuti

3 cucchiai d’olio extra vergine d’oliva

2 cipolle tagliate grosse

4 peperoni, due gialli e due rossi

1 cucchiaio di capperi sott’aceto

6 olive verdi

6 olive nere

1/2 cucchiaio di passata di pomodoro (oppure ketchup, per una peperonata più saporita)

vino bianco q. b. (facoltativo)

una manciata di pinoli (facoltativo)

sale e pepe q. b.

Preparazione.

1. Tagliate i peperoni in 4 pezzi e poi a strisce orizzontali. Affettate le cipolle grossolanamente.

2. In una padella grande, fate soffriggere la cipolla, i peperoni e uno spicchio d’aglio tagliato a metà.

3. Aggiungete ai peperoni un cucchiaio abbondante di capperi, 6 olive verdi, 6 olive nere e alcuni pinoli.

4. Aggiungete il concentrato di pomodoro, poi coprite e fate cuocere a fuoco lento per 40 minuti (se occorre aggiungete un po’ di vino bianco).

5. Quasi a fine cottura, levate il coperchio e fate ritirare un po’ il liquido. Aggiungete il pepe, il sale e servite. La peperonata è ottima anche servita fredda.

How To Make Seitan (Home-made Meat Substitute)

June 23, 2014Dairy-free, How to, Low-fat Recipes, Vegan, VegetarianGluten, Low fat, Meat substitute, Seitan, Soy sauce, Tofu, Vegan, Vegetable protein, Vegetarian, Wheat meat, Wheat proteinSerena @ foodfulife

What is seitan?

Seitan is a high-protein product made of wheat flour, used as a meat substitute. Tofu and Seitan are both very versatile when it comes to making meat-like dishes. While tofu has an egg-like texture, seitan’s consistency is chewy and more similar to meat. It is widely used because it absorbs the condiments well, however it has high gluten content, which can cause allergies, therefore, is not suitable for everyone.

I often think that meat-like products are not really what a vegetarian would want to eat, because (and I speak from a personal point of view) I believe, if you don’t want to eat meat you don’t really want to be reminded what meat is like. However, I think you can be really creative with either tofu or seitan in the kitchen, therefore, it’s worth giving it a try!

Making seitan.

Many things can be used to flavour seitan; you can add herbs to the dough or flavour it with different ingredients such as: soy sauce, kombu, herbs, vegetables, spices and seeds. All these ingredients are added to the vegetable broth in which the dough is cooked or simply added as flavourings before kneading. Seitain can be also made using spelt flour or gluten flour.

Making seitan requires a lot of time. Basically, you mix the ingredients, make a dough and then rinse it under running water for about 15-20 minutes, to remove the starch. As a result, you will end up with a considerably smaller amount of product, in the end, but it’s worth it! The main reason to prepare home-made seitan is that you can be really creative with it and you can add all the flavours that you like to it!

What you need

1 large bowl

1 large pan with a lid

1 wooden spoon

1 measuring cup

Ingredients

For the dough

2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast (optional)

4-5 tablespoons of ground spices and seeds (black pepper, paprika, sesame seeds, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, a few cloves, a few chillies)

1 kg (35.2 oz) flour (I use Manitoba, you can use plain or spelt flour)

900 ml (30.4 us fl oz) of water (the amount of water vary depending on the flour)

200 ml (6.76 us fl oz) of soy sauce

For the broth

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 clove of garlic

1 large onion

2 stalk of celery

2 carrot

2 bay leaves

a bunch of rosemary

vegetable stock

200 ml (6.76 us fl oz) soy sauce (optional)

Method.

1. In a large bowl, mix the flour, the nutritional yeast, the seeds and the spices.

2. Then add 200 ml of soy sauce with the 900 ml of water. Mix with the spoon, then knead with your hands, until you get a smooth dough.

3. Let it rest for a few minutes.

4. Meanwhile, prepare the stock. Fry the vegetables in 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, for a few minutes. Then, fill the pan with vegetable stock (enough to cook the dough in), add the herbs, 200 ml of soy sauce and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes, then turn off the heat, sift the broth and let cool.

5. Now knead the dough, in a large bowl, under running water for 20-30 minutes (basically, until the running water in the bowl and in which you are washing the dough, becomes clear). With this operation you are removing the starch and therefore keeping only the protein of the wheat.

6. After about 20-30 minutes, drain nicely and let the dough sit for a few minutes.

7. Put the seitan in the cold stock ( the broth has to be cold otherwise the seitan will lose its shape) and turn on the heat. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Once is ready, turn off the heat and let it cool. Let it drain completely and then store it in an airtight container (in the fridge) for 5 days or freeze it for up to 1-2 months.

Tip.

1. Basically, this is the traditional method, with a personal touch for the flavouring. However, you can shorten the process using gluten wheat flour and avoid the rinsing operation. In this way, you can knead the dough, cook directly in the broth and save a lot of time and water! I strongly recommend this method as it’s quicker and much more ecological.

2. You can replace meat with seitan in many recipes. It’s perfect in stir-fry and slow cooker dishes.

Seitan fatto in casa (metodo tradizionale).

Utensili

1 ciotola grande

1 pentola grande, con il coperchio

1 cucchiaio di legno

1 caraffa graduata

Ingredienti

Per l’impasto

2 cucchiai di nutritional yeast (facoltativo, per il sapore)

4-5 cucchiai di spezie e semi misti macinati (pepe nero, paprika, semi di sesamo, semi di finocchio, semi di coriandolo, qualche seme di garofano, peperoncino)

1 kg di farina (ho usato Manitoba, ma è possibile utilizzare la farina normale, integrale o di farro)

900 ml di acqua (la quantità di acqua può variare a seconda della farina utilizzata)

200 ml di salsa di soia

Per il brodo

3 cucchiai di olio extra vergine di oliva

1 spicchio di aglio

1 cipolla grande

2 gambo di sedano

2 carota

2 foglie di alloro

2 rametti di rosmarino

brodo vegetale

200 ml di salsa di soia (facoltativo)

Preparazione.

1. In una ciotola grande, mescolate la farina, il nutritional yeast, i semi e le spezie.

2. Poi aggiungete 200 ml di salsa di soia con 900 ml di acqua. Mescolate con il cucchiaio, poi impastate con le mani, fino ad ottenere un impasto liscio.

3. Lasciate riposare per qualche minuto.

4. Preparate il brodo. Fate soffriggere le verdure in 3 cucchiai di olio extra vergine d’oliva (per qualche minuto). Riempite la pentola con abbondante brodo vegetale (sufficiente per cuocere tutto il seitan), aggiungete le erbe, 200 ml di salsa di soia e portate ad ebollizione. Fate bollire per 10 minuti. Spegnete il fuoco, togliete la verdura e lasciate raffreddare il brodo.

5. In una ciotola molto grande, impastate il composto di farina e spezie sotto l’acqua corrente per 20-30 minuti (fino a quando l’acqua sarà limpida). Questa operazione serve a rimuovere l’amido dalle proteine del grano.

6. Scolate e lasciate riposare l’impasto per qualche minuto.

7. Tagliate e mettete il seitan nel brodo freddo (il brodo deve essere freddo o il seitan perderà la sua forma) e accendete il fuoco. Portate ad ebollizione, poi abbassate il fuoco al minimo e fate cuocere per 50 minuti. Una volta pronto, spegnete il fuoco, scolate bene e lasciate raffreddare. Il seitan si può conservare in un contenitore ermetico (in frigorifero) per 5 giorni o congelare per 1 o 2 mesi.

Note.

1. Questo è il metodo tradizionale, con un tocco personale per aromatizzare il seitan. E’ possibile abbreviare il metodo di preparazione utilizzando la farina di glutine ed evitare il risciacquo. In questo modo, è possibile impastare il seitan, cuocerlo direttamente nel brodo e risparmiare un sacco di tempo ed acqua. Consiglio vivamente questo metodo perché è molto più veloce ed ecologico.

2. Si può sostituire la carne con il seitan in moltissime ricette. Il seitan è ottimo saltato in padella con le verdure, oppure utilizzato al posto della carne negli stufati.

Prawns With Pineapple In Sweet And Sour Sauce

June 13, 2014Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Low-fat Recipes, Pescetarian, SeafoodFood, Light, Pescetarian, Pineapple, Prawns, Recipe, Seafood, Soy sauce, Stir-fry, Sweet and sourSerena @ foodfulife

A touch of exotic flavour in this light stir-fry recipe. By now you all know, I like to prepare different things and vary my diet. Well, this week I thought that a stir-fry would be really lovely to celebrate the warm weather. I could just imagine enjoying this dish with a nice glass of chilled white wine during a lovely sunset, sitting by the sea…Just perfect!!

Prawns with pineapple in sweet and sour sauce.

Ingredients

For 3 servings

Easy

Preparation: 20 minutes

250 g (8.8 oz) of cleaned and peeled prawns

2 spring onions, sliced

1 big red bell pepper

350 g (12.3 oz) pineapple (cleaned)

4 radishes (without leaves)

3 tablespoons soy sauce (use a naturally fermented soy sauce, which meets gluten free standards)

2 tablespoons lime juice

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

ground black pepper to taste

fresh chillies to taste (optional)

Method.

1. Cut and clean the pineapple, removing all the hard parts (including the centre).

2. Wash and cut the bell pepper, then wash and slice the radishes.

3. In a frying pan (or a wok), sauté the garlic and the spring onions for a few minutes with 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.

4. Add the pineapple and bell pepper, cut into small cubes. Fry for 5 minutes, then add the prawns and stir.

5. Separately, mix the lime juice with the soy sauce, previously diluted with a little bit of water. Pour into the pan and stir well.

6. Stir fry over a medium heat for a few minutes, then turn off the heat. Add the crunchy radishes, season with black pepper and serve with a cup of steamed basmati rice. You can add some fresh chillies if you wish.

Gamberi in salsa agrodolce.

Ingredienti

Per 3 persone

Facile

Preparazione: 20 minuti

250 g di gamberi puliti

2 spicchi d’aglio, tagliati a pezzi

2 cipollotti, tagliati a fettine

1 peperone rosso (abbastanza grosso)

350 g di ananas (già pulito)

4 ravanelli (senza foglie)

3 cucchiai di salsa di soia (usate una salsa di soia fermentata naturalmente)

2 cucchiai di succo di lime

3 cucchiai di olio extra vergine d’oliva

pepe q. b.

peperoncino q. b. (facoltativo)

Preparazione.

1. Tagliate e pulite l’ananas, togliendo tutte le parti dure (compresa la parte dura al centro).

2. Lavate, tagliate a pezzi il peperone e affettate i ravanelli. Mettete i ravanelli da parte.

3. In una padella (o un wok), fate soffriggere i cipollotti e l’aglio per qualche minuto, in abbondante olio extra vergine d’oliva.

4. Aggiungete l’ananas e il peperone (tagliati a cubetti abbastanza piccoli). Fate soffriggere per 5 minuti, poi aggiungete i gamberi.

5. A parte, unite il succo di lime alla salsa di soia, precedentemente allungata con un po’ d’acqua. Amalgamate il tutto e versate il condimento in padella. Mescolate bene.

6. Fate friggere a fuoco medio per qualche minuto, poi spegnete il fuoco e aggiungete le fette di ravanelli. Servite con del riso basmati e aggiungete del pepe e/o peperoncino, se lo desiderate.

Mixed Seed Wholemeal Bread Recipe (High-Fibre Food)

May 30, 2014Bread & Buns, Dairy-free, High-fibre Food, Sourdough, Vegan, VegetarianBread, Dairy-free, Fennel seeds, Flax seeds, High in fibre, Home-made, Pescetarian, Recipe, Sesame seeds, Sourdough, Soy-free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Whole grains, whole wheat, WholemealSerena @ foodfulife

A delicious loaf of bread with a lot of tasty seeds inside! This is a great breakfast or sandwich bread,very tasty, crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle. I actually served it with a nice salad and I really enjoyed it!

You can prepare the dough in the evening and keep it in the fridge with a few tablespoons of water, it will rise slowly through the night. The day after you have to take it out of the fridge a couple of hours before you bake it.

Mixed Seed Wholemeal Bread.

150 g (5.2 oz) plain flour / unbleached all-purpose flour

100 g (3.5 oz) of durum wheat semolina flour

100 g (3.5 oz) whole spelt flour

100 g (3.5 oz) of wholemeal flour

135 g (4.76 oz) of sourdough (semi-liquid, made with plain or Manitoba flour) or 15 g of yeast

1/2 tsp of barley malt

1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and some more to grease the tin

8 g (0.28 oz) of ground sea salt

1 tablespoon of flax seeds

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1/2 tablespoon of fennel seeds

Method.

1. Toast the seeds in a very hot oven for about 5 minutes (at 200°C/392 °F).

2. Sift and mix the flours. Add the seeds, the sourdough (or yeast), 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, the barley malt and the salt. Mix everything well until you have a smooth dough.

3. Let the dough rise until it doubles in volume (1-2 hours for the yeast, 3-6 hours for the sourdough).

4. Bake in a loaf tin ( 3.9 inches x 10.2 inches), lightly greased with extra virgin olive oil, at 200 ° C (392°F) for 25-30 minutes. Let cool and then serve with a nice salad.

Pane integrale ai semi.

150 g di farina 00

100 g di semola di grano duro

100 g di farina integrale di farro

100 g di farina integrale

135 g di lievito madre (semi liquido, con base di farina 00 o manitoba)
oppure 15 g di lievito di birra

1/2 cucchiaio di malto d’orzo

1 cucchiaio d’olio extra vergine d’oliva per l’impasto e un po’ di più per ungere la teglia

1 cucchiaio di semi di lino

1 cucchiaio di semi di sesamo

1 cucchiaio di semi di papavero

1/2 cucchiaio di semi di finocchio

Preparazione.

1. Fate tostare i semi per qualche minuto nel forno a 200°C, oppure in una padella.

2. Setacciate e unite le farine. Aggiungete i semi, il lievito, 1 cucchiaio d’olio extra vergine d’oliva, il malto d’orzo e il sale.

3. Fate lievitare fino a far raddoppiare l’impasto di volume (1-2 ore per il lievito di birra, 3-6 ore per il lievito madre).

4. Infornate a 200 °C per 25-30 minuti (ho usato una teglia profonda 10 cm x 26 cm). Fate raffreddare e servite con una buona insalata.

Tasty Pizza With Cannellini Bean Hummus And Mussels

May 25, 2014Dairy-free, Main Dishes, Pescetarian, Pizza, SeafoodBeans, Cannellini, Dairy-free, high protein food, Legumes, Legumi, Mussels, Parsley, Pescetarian, Pizza, Pizza con i muscoli, Sesame seeds, Tarragon, whole wheat, WholemealSerena @ foodfulife

We love our pizzas! We love them with all sort of ingredients on top, as long as the ingredients are of the best quality! We have so many different types of pizza in Italy that is easy to get confused! I don’t even know all of them, I just know there are several recipes. Some of the most amazing pizzas are made with seafood and fresh herbs.

This is one of my recipes, a lovely pizza made with a creamy cannellini bean hummus and topped with mussels, full of flavours and really crunchy! You can call it pizza or you can call it focaccia, either way, it is delicious!!!
Cannellini beans are perfect with mussels, so I have adapted my hummus recipe with slightly different ingredients to suit this recipe best. It is a great summer dish, fresh crunchy and very tasty!

Pizza with cannellini bean hummus and mussels.

Ingredients

For 2 large pizzas (4 people)

500 g pizza dough (you can follow this recipe)

For the cannellini bean hummus

1 can of cannellini beans

1/2 clove of garlic

1 small shallot

the juice of 1/2 a lemon

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

a few crystals of sea salt

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive

2 tablespoons of water (if needed)

For the mussels

2 cloves of garlic, finally chopped

250g (8.8 oz) of mussels ( I used already cleaned and frozen mussels without shell, but you can use fresh ones if you like)

1 tablespoon of chopped parsley

1 tablespoon of chopped tarragon

salt and pepper to taste

3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

To garnish

20 cherry tomatoes, washed, chopped and drained

Method.

For the Hummus.

1. Using a small mortar and a pestle, crush 1 teaspoon of sesame seeds with a few sea salt crystals.

2. Rinse the beans well, then boil them for a few minutes in salted water and drain.

3. In a food processor, finely chop the beans with the crushed sesame seeds, the salt crystals, 1/2 a clove of garlic and a small shallot. After a few minutes, add the juice of half a lemon, 2 tablespoons of water (only if needed) and 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Process everything until you have a smooth and creamy mixture.

For the pizza.

1. Make 500g of pizza dough (follow this recipe).

2. Roll out the dough on two baking trays, greased with plenty of extra virgin olive oil and shape 2 large pizzas.

3. Pierce the dough using a knife and bake in a preheated oven at 200 ° C (392° F) for 15-20 minutes.

For the mussels.

1. In a frying pan, fry two cloves of garlic with the parsley and the tarragon (all finely chopped), over very low heat with 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.

2. After a few minutes add the mussels and cook over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, then turn off the heat.

To garnish.

Garnish the pizzas with the cannellini hummus, then top with the tomatoes and the mussels.

Pizza saporita con hummus di cannellini e muscoli.

Ingredienti

Per 2 pizze grosse (4 persone)

500 g di pasta per la pizza

Per l’hummus di cannellini

1 scatola di cannellini

1/2 spicchio d’aglio

1 scalogno piccolo

il succo di 1/2 limone

1 cucchiaio di semi di sesamo

qualche cristallo di sale marino

acqua q. b.

2 cucchiai di olio extra vergine d’oliva

Per i muscoli

2 spicchi d’aglio

250g di muscoli ( ho usato muscoli già puliti, senza guscio e surgelati, ma potete anche usare quelli freschi)

1 cucchiaio di prezzemolo, lavato e tritato

1 cucchiaio di dragoncello, lavato e tritato

sale e pepe q.b.

3 cucchiai d’olio extra vergine d’oliva

Per la guarnizione.

20 pomodorini ciliegina, lavati, tagliati a pezzetti e scolati

Per la preparazione dell”hummus.

1. Con un pestello e un piccolo mortaio, schiacciate i semi di sesamo con qualche cristallo di sale.

2. Sciacquate bene i fagioli e scottateli per qualche minuto (in acqua leggermente salata). Quando saranno pronti, scolate i fagioli.

3. In un tritatutto, tritate finemente i fagioli con i semi di sesamo, il sale, mezzo spicchio d’aglio e lo scalogno. Dopo qualche minuto, aggiungete il succo di mezzo limone, un po’ d’acqua (solo se necessario) e 2 cucchiai d’olio extra vergine d’oliva. Tritate tutto fino ad ottenere una crema uniforme.

Preparazione della base.

1. Preparate 500g di pasta per la pizza seguendo questa ricetta.

2. Stendete la pasta su due teglie unte abbondantemente con olio extra vergine d’oliva e formate due pizze grandi.

3. Fate dei piccoli tagli sulla superficie della pasta e infornate a 200°C per 15-20 minuti.

Per la preparazione dei muscoli.

1. In una padella, fate soffriggere due spicchi d’aglio con il prezzemolo e il dragoncello (a fuoco molto basso).

2. Dopo qualche minuto aggiungete i muscoli e fate cuocere per circa una decina di minuti, poi spegnete il fuoco.

Preparate la pizza.

Con un cucchiaio spalmate l’hummus di cannellini uniformemente sulla base della pizza, poi aggiungete i pomodorini e i muscoli.

Vegan Menu (High In Fibre And Vegetable Protein)

This week I am inviting you to try this truly delicious vegan menu, for everyone who enjoys tasty and healthy food! Click on the pictures or links to view all the recipes.

A lots of wonderful colours and flavours in this menu!

A menu for 2-3 servings

Home-made Hummus

Insalapizza (Pizza-Salad)

Crunchy and Colourful Salad.

Rich Chocolate Tart With Fresh Raspberries.

Traditional Recipe: Pasta e Fagioli

April 24, 2014Budget-friendly Recipes, Dairy-free, High-fibre Food, Main Dishes, Pasta and Rice, Traditional Recipes, Vegan, VegetarianBorlotti beans, Budget-friendly, Dairy-free, Food, Italian cooking, Italian cuisine, Pasta, Recipe, Slow cooker, Traditional cooking, Vegan, Vegetable proteins, VegetarianSerena @ foodfulife

Budget friendly, easy and delicious, pasta e fagioli (pasta and borlotti beans) is one of the most appreciated and popular recipes in Italy. Like many traditional recipes many variations exist of this wonderful Italian dish. We use different herbs, sometimes we add bacon or lard and we can replace borlotti beans with cannellini. The recipe that I am going to share today is one of my favourite dishes since I was a child. Pasta e fagioli is a complete meal with high protein content, perfect for vegetarian and vegan diets. As a vegan or low fat version, you can serve it without Parmesan, it’s delicious anyway! 🙂

Pasta e Fagioli.

Ingredients

for 2 Servings

Easy

Preparation: 10 minutes

Cooking: 25 minutes

110 g (3.88 oz) ditaloni rigati (or broken spaghetti or tagliatelle)

2 cans borlotti beans (keep 1 cup of borlotti beans to add at the end of the cooking process)

4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

6 cherry tomatoes (or piccadilly), washed and diced (optional)

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary

2 bay leaves, washed

2 sprigs of fresh sage

500 ml (16.9 us fl oz) organic vegetable broth (made with water and organic vegetable stock)

1/2 tablespoon tomato paste

Parmesan to taste (optional, but nice!)

salt and black pepper to taste

Method.

1. Wash and chop the sage and rosemary (removing the hard stems).

2. In a large sauce pan, gently fry the onion with 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, then (after a few minutes) add the garlic.

3. Drain and rinse the borlotti beans. Put the beans with the tomatoes in the pan. Sauté for a few minutes, then pour in the vegetable broth with 1/2 a tablespoon of tomato paste and 2 bay leaves. Stir well.

4. Cook over a medium heat for about 15 minutes, until the broth is partially absorbed, then add the chopped herbs.

5. Turn off the heat. Using an immersion blender, mix everything well. Turn on the heat, add 1 cup of borlotti beans and the pasta. Stir well and simmer for another 10 minutes.

6. Season with salt and pepper, turn off the heat. Serve with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and plenty of parmesan (optional).

Pasta e Fagioli

Ingredienti

Per 2 persone

Facile

Preparazione: 10 minuti

Cottura: 25 minuti

110 g di ditaloni rigati (oppure spaghetti spezzettati o tagliatelle)

2 scatole di fagioli borlotti (tenete una tazza di borlotti da aggiungere a fine cottura)

4 cucchiai d’olio extra vergine d’oliva

1 cipolla media, tritata finemente

6 pomodorini (piccadilly o ciliegino), lavati e tagliati a dadini (facoltativo)

2 spicchi d’aglio, tritato finemente

2 rametti di rosmarino

2 foglie di alloro, lavate

un mazzetto di salvia fresca

500 ml di brodo vegetale (biologico)

1/2 cucchiaio di concentrato di pomodoro

Parmigiano q. b. (facoltativo)

sale e pepe q. b.

Preparazione.

1. Lavate e tritate la salvia con il rosmarino (togliendo i gambi).

2. Fate soffriggete la cipolla con 3 cucchiai d’olio extra vergine d’oliva. Dopo qualche minuto aggiungete l’aglio.

3. Scolate, sciacquate i fagioli e aggiungeteli con i pomodorini al soffritto. Fate rosolare per qualche minuto, poi aggiungete il brodo vegetale con 1/2 cucchiaio di concentrato di pomodoro e le foglie d’alloro. Mescolate bene.

4. Fate ritirare il brodo per 15 minuti, poi levate le foglie d’alloro e aggiungete le erbe tritate.

5. Spegnate il fuoco e con un frullatore ad immersione frullate bene tutto. Aggiungete la pasta e i borlotti che avete tenuto da parte. Fate cuocere a fuoco moderato (mescolando continuativamente) per altri 10 minuti.

6. Spegnete il fuoco e condite con un po’ d’olio extra vergine d’oliva, sale e pepe. Servite con abbondante parmigiano.

How To Make Sourdough (re-edited).

April 18, 2014Bread & Buns, Dairy-free, How to, Main Dishes, Sourdough, VegetarianBaking, Bread, Food, Food photography, Healthy, Home-made, How to, Lievito madre, Natural yeast, Photography, Recipe, Sourdough, Sourdough bread, Step by step, Vegetarian, YeastSerena @ foodfulife

What is sourdough?

Sourdough is a natural yeast, obtained by fermenting flour and water. It can have a solid or a liquid consistency, depending on the amount of water used to feed it. Liquid sourdough usually rises better.

I personally recommend the preparation and use of this great ingredient because it’s completely natural, therefore much healthier and more digestible than other yeasts. Sourdough can be used to make a variety of breads, pizzas, pies and cakes with surprising results. Moreover, it makes everything taste better!

Preparing the sourdough starter.

1. First you have to make a starter. Mix 1 cup of organic wholemeal flour (the wholemeal flour is necessary for the first feed) with 1/2 cup of cool water (use non-chlorinated water, you can mix tap water with still drinking water from a bottle).
Put the ingredients in a glass, stainless steel or a plastic container for food.

2. Stir all the ingredients together, until creamy and smooth, then cover the container with a damp cloth and let it sit for 24 hours.

3. After 24 hours remove the top half of the mixture, then feed the starter again with 1 cup of plain flour (you can use manitoba, whole spelt or wholemeal flour, if you prefer) and half a cup of water. Stir well, cover with a damp cloth and let it sit for another 24 hours.

4. Now you can start feeding the starter every two days. Repeat this process for about 10 days.

5. After 10 days, you can start feeding your sourdough every 4-5 days and you can use it for your recipes.

Store the sourdough.

1. Store the sourdough in a glass jar and keep it in the fridge (with the lid on).

2. Each time you feed the sourdough let it sit for 1-2 hours at room temperature in a glass jar covered with a damp cloth (with no lid on). Then remove the cloth, close the container and put it back in the refrigerator.

Doses.

1. Feed the sourdough the day before you use it (12 hours before). To feed the sourdough, weight the natural yeast, then add the same amount of flour and half the amount of water.

2. In the quickest recipes, the ratio of flour and sourdough used must be 3 to 1. (e.g. for 900 g of flour use 300 g of sourdough).

3. The rising time of the dough will depend on the age and strength of the yeast, at first it may take 3 to 6 hours (however, when it doubles in size it is ready for use).

La pasta madre.
La pasta madre è un lievito naturale che si ottiene facendo fermentare farina e acqua. Questo lievito può avere una consistenza più solida o liquida, a seconda della quantità d’acqua utilizzata, normalmente la versione più liquida ha una lievitazione migliore.

Consiglio vivamente la preparazione e l’utilizzo di questo ingrediente, essendo un lievito completamente naturale e quindi molto più digeribile e salutare rispetto ad altri lieviti comunemente utilizzati. Inoltre può essere usato facilmente nella preparazione di svariati tipi di pane, pizze torte salate e dolci con risultati sorprendenti.

Preparazione della pasta madre.

1. Per prima cosa, preparate un piccolo impasto unendo 1 tazza di farina integrale biologica (la farina integrale è necessaria per il primo impasto) a 1/2 tazza d’acqua fredda (utilizzate acqua con poco cloro, potete miscelare l’acqua del rubinetto con acqua minerale naturale).

2. Mettere gli ingredienti in un contenitore (è consigliabile utilizzare un contenitore di vetro oppure acciaio inossidabile, ma anche la plastica per alimenti va bene) e mescolare fino ad ottenere un composto cremoso. Coprire il contenitore con un panno umido e lasciate riposare per 24 ore.

3. Passate 24 ore, levate la parte dura in superficie e rinfrescare quello che resta del lievito, cioè aggiungete al composto 1 tazza di farina (potete utilizzare la 00, manitoba oppure farina integrale, come preferite) e mezzo bicchiere d’ acqua. Mescolare bene, coprire con un panno umido e lasciate riposare per altre 24 ore.

4. Ora potete rinfrescare il lievito ogni 2 giorni, utilizzando sempre una tazza di farina e 1/2 tazza d’acqua. Continuate con questa procedura per circa 10 giorni.

5. Dopo 10 giorni, potete incominciare a rinfrescare la pasta madre ogni 4-5 giorni. Arrivati a questo punto, la vostra pasta madre è pronta per essere utilizzata nelle vostre ricette.

La conservazione.

1. Conservate la pasta madre in un vasetto di vetro, chiuso con il coperchio e tenuto in frigorifero.

2. Dopo ogni rinfresco, lasciate riposare il lievito madre per una o due ore in un vasetto coperto da un panno umido a temperatura ambiente, poi chiudete il contenitore e rimettetelo nel frigorifero.

Le dosi consigliate.

1. Nutrite la pasta madre il giorno prima di utilizzarla (almeno 12 ore prima). Per nutrire la pasta madre, prima pesate il lievito naturale, poi aggiungere la stesso peso di farina e metà del peso di acqua.

2. Nelle ricette più rapide, il rapporto tra farina e pasta madre deve essere di 3 a 1, cioè su 900 g di farina utilizzeremo 300 g di lievito naturale.

3. Il tempo di lievitazione dipenderà dall’età e dalla forza della pasta madre. I tempi possono variare dalle 3 alle 6 ore, consiglio però di non guardare l’orologio ma di osservare il volume dell’impasto, quando raddoppia è pronto per l’uso.

Salmon with lime and balsamic vinaigrette

April 1, 2014Appetisers, Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Low-fat Recipes, Main Dishes, Pescetarian, SeafoodBalsamic vinegar, Dairy-free, Food, Gluten-free, Healthy, Low carb, Low fat, Low-cal, Radishes, Recipe, Salmon, Seafood, SteamedSerena @ foodfulife

I must admit, I came across the salmon-balsamic vinegar combination totally by accident. I was trying out a new dish that went horribly wrong, when I dropped some balsamic vinegar on a piece of salmon by mistake…Yes, in my kitchen these kind of things can happen! 🙂

Anyway, I loved it! So I changed the recipe completely and I made a light balsamic vinaigrette as a salmon dressing. I know it is not a new combination, but it was the first time for me.
I love the way in which the balsamic vinegar aroma enhances the natural sweetness of salmon without covering its delicate flavour. The aniseed-tinged wild fennel leaves add a note of distinctive freshness to the recipe. If you can’t find wild fennel, you can use normal fennel leaves, they are probably a little bit easier to get and very similar in taste.

Salmon with lime and balsamic vinaigrette.

Preparation: 15 minutes

Ingredients

For 2 servings

2 salmon steaks

1 lime

a few sprigs of fresh wild fennel, washed

6 radishes, washed

a stalk of celery, washed

for the balsamic vinaigrette

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

a few drops of lime juice

Black pepper and salt to taste

Method

1. Wash and cut a lime into thin slices, then put a few slices on top of the salmon, with a sprig of wild fennel.

2. Steam the salmon steaks for 8-10 minutes.

3. Place the salmon steaks on the plates, garnish with a few radishes and the celery, both finely sliced. Then, add some wild fennel leaves (roughly chopped).

For the vinaigrette.

1. Mix 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil with 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, a few drops of lime juice, salt and pepper to taste.

2. Serve with the vinaigrette on the side.

Salmone con lime e aceto balsamico vinaigrette.

Preparation: 15 minutes

Ingredienti

Per due persone

2 tranci di salmone

1 lime intero

6 ravanelli, lavati

un gambo di sedano, lavato

qualche rametto di finocchio selvatico, lavato

Per la vinaigrette di aceto balsamico

2 cucchiai di olio extra vergine d’oliva

2 cucchiai di aceto balsamico

qualche goccia di succo di lime

Pepe e sale q.b.

Preparazione.

1. Lavate e tagliate un lime a fette molto sottili. Mettete le fette di lime sul salmone, con qualche rametto di finocchio selvatico.

2. Fate cuocere a vapore i tranci di salmone per 8-10 minuti.

3. Disponete il salmone sui piatti, guarnite ogni piatto con tre ravanelli tagliati a fette molto sottili e con un gambo di sedano tagliato alla julienne.

Per la vinaigrette.

1. Mescolate 2 cucchiai di olio extravergine d’oliva con 2 cucchiai di aceto balsamico, qualche goccia di succo di lime, sale e pepe.

2. Servite il salmone con il condimento a parte.

Crunchy and Colourful Salad (Low-fat And Packed With Vitamin C!!)

March 29, 2014Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Low-fat Recipes, Raw / Mainly Raw, Side Dishes, Vegan, VegetarianCrunchy, Egg-free, Fava beans, Fibres, Food, Gluten-free, Healthy, Insalata, Lamb's lettuce, Low carb, Low fat, Low-cal, Potassium, Raw / Mainly Raw, Recipe, Ricetta, Salad, Valerianella, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian, Vitamin CSerena @ foodfulife

Spring is here and with it comes the time of serious dieting! From this week on I want to dedicate a little time to preparing light recipes and meals.
To start with, I prepared a beautiful and super-healthy salad with only a little amount of calories, but full of crunchy flavours!

This salad can definitely be a very satisfying low-cal lunch, low in fat and carb, but rich in fibres, potassium, protein and vitamin C.
As a side dish, it goes well with several courses and you can serve it with feta cheese, if you prefer a richer kind of salad.
If I were to imagine this salad as a dress, it would be a feel-good garment made of a strong natural fibre, with a very cheerful but elegant floral pattern. Suitable for mid-season, with a comfortable slimming line. Definitely a perfect fit!… I know, It’s just a salad! 🙂

Corn salad with red cabbage, fava beans and apples.

Ingredients

Preparation: 15 minutes

For 2 servings

60 g (2 oz) corn salad (or lamb’s lettuce)

a handful of almonds, shelled

50 g (1.76 oz) fresh fava beans (with the pods removed)

2 small apples, washed

130 g (4.58 oz) red cabbage

the juice of 1/2 a lemon

salt and pepper to taste

4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to taste

Method.

1. Wash, and clean and dry the corn salad.

2. Wash, and slice the cabbage finely and arrange it on the plates.

3. Place the fava beans over the cabbage, then add the salad leaves.

4. Cut and marinate the apples in the juice of half a lemon for a few minutes. Then, mix the apples and the almonds with the salad (breaking some almonds into pieces).

5. Season with plenty of extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.

Insalata croccante con cavolo rosso, fave e valerianella.

Ingredienti

Per 2 persone

Preparazione:15 minuti

60 g di valerianella

una manciata di mandorle sgusciate

50 g di fave fresche, senza scorza

2 mele, lavate

130 g di cavolo rosso

il succo di mezzo limone

sale e pepe q.b.

4 cucchiai di olio extravergine d’oliva q.b.

Preparazione.

1. Lavate e asciugate la valerianella.

2. Lavate il cavolo e tagliatelo finemente. Sistematelo sul fondo dei piatti.

3. Aggiungete le fave, posizionatele sopra il cavolo con la valerianella.

4. Aggiungete le mandorle (sbriciolandone solo alcune) con le mele tagliate a pezzetti e precedentemente marinate nel succo di mezzo limone per qualche minuto.

5. Condite con abbondante olio extra vergine d’oliva, sale e pepe.