Category Archives: Low-fat Recipes

Quick And Easy: Strawberry And Banana Smoothie

This week’s healthy recipe is packed with fibre, vitamin C, B6, manganese, potassium and with the vegetable proteins of the oats and the soya milk….Today I am sharing a dairy-free smoothie recipe for a super healthy and delicious energy boosting drink filled with bananas and strawberries; perfect for breakfast or as a light lunch. No need to say that banana and strawberry are a match made in heaven… Enjoy! 😉

Strawberry and banana smoothie

Ingredients

Serves 2

250 g strawberries, washed and cleaned

100 ml soya milk

2 bananas, cut into chunks

4 tablespoons of rolled oats

the grated zest of an organic lemon

1 tablespoon of honey (optional)

a few leaves of fresh mint (optional)

3 ice cubes

Method.

1. Blend all the ingredients together until smooth.

2. Serve in two large glasses or glass jars with two straws.

Smoothie con fragole e banane.

Ingredienti

per 2 persone (due smoothie grandi)

250 g di fragole, lavate e pulite

100 ml di latte di soia

2 banane, tagliate a pezzi grandi

4 cucchiai di fiocchi d’avena

la scorza grattugiata di un limone, non trattato

1 cucchiaio di miele (facoltativo)

qualche foglia di menta fresca (facoltativo)

3 cubetti di ghiaccio

Preparazione.

1. Frullate tutti gli ingredienti fino ad ottenere una consistenza cremosa.

2. Servite in due bicchieri grandi (oppure in due vasetti di vetro) con delle cannucce.

Chickpea And Potato Soup With Lots Of Rosemary!

I have to admit that this recipe comes from my mother’s favourite dishes. She was enthusiastic about this dish and as soon as I tasted it I could see why… Not only is it a delicious and tasty soup, but it’s also a recipe that anyone can make and with ingredients that are cheap and everyone has in the kitchen pantry.

For this dish I used ditaloni, which is a short pasta often used in soups in Italy. If you don’t find this particular kind of pasta you can replace it with some broken spaghetti (make them two-three centimetres long). You can also add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese to add some flavour and protein, however this soup is so tasty that you don’t really need to add any additional ingredients to flavour it…It is delicious!!!

Chickpea and potato soup with rosemary.

Preparation and cooking time: about 30 minutes

Ingredients

Serves 4

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

3 sprigs of rosemary

2 cans of chickpeas

Vegetable stock made with organic vegetable stock cubes

2 large potatoes, washed, peeled and diced

220 g of ditaloni

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Method.

1. Sauté the chopped onion with 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, after a few minutes add the chopped garlic.

2. When the onion is soft and transparent, add the chickpeas with the diced potatoes and the rosemary sprigs. Cover with vegetable stock and simmer for about 20-25 minutes. Stir quite often during the cooking time.

3. Cook the pasta separately and then drain when is al dente.

4. When the soup is ready remove the rosemary, then add the pasta and serve.

Zuppa di ceci e patate al rosmarino.

Tempo di preparazione e cottura: 30 minuti circa

Ingredienti

Per 4 persone

1 cipolla

2 spicchi d’aglio

3 mazzetti di rosmarino

2 scatole di ceci

Brodo fatto con due dadi vegetali biologici

2 patate grosse, lavate, pelate tagliate a pezzetti

220 g di ditaloni

3 cucchiai olio extra vergine d’oliva

Preparazione.

1. Fate soffriggere la cipolla tritata con tre cucchiai d’olio extra vergine d’oliva, dopo qualche minuto aggiungete l’aglio tritato.

2. Quando la cipolla sarà diventata morbida e trasparente, aggiungete i ceci, le patate e 3 rametti rosmarino. Ricoprite con del brodo vegetale e fate cuocere per 20-25 minuti, mescolando abbastanza spesso.

3. A parte cuocete la pasta, poi scolatela quando è al dente.

4. Quando la minestra è pronta togliete i rametti di rosmarino, poi aggiungete la pasta e servite.

Whole Spelt Piadina (Italian flatbread)

The Piadina Romagnola is a flatbread traditionally made in Emilia-Romagna, an Italian region well known for its delicious food and wonderful recipes. Usually, this bread is made with simple ingredients like: white 00 flour (Italian plain flour), lard, water, milk and fine sea salt… However there are some variations in ingredients, thickness and consistency. This week we are going to prepare a whole grain piadina made with yogurt and extra virgin olive oil, instead of using lard and plain flour, for a lighter high-in-fibre version of the Piadina.

You can be very creative and fill this bread with lots of fresh seasonal ingredients.

Tips.

1. For the cooking method I suggest you use a heavy-based large and flat pan; a cast iron or a stone-derived pan is possibly the best thing you can use for this preparation.

2. Dust the pastry with some flour before placing it on the hot pan to cook. Then, when the piadina is cooked, wipe the surface of the pan with some paper. Repeat this operation before cooking each bread, otherwise the flour left on the pan will burn and change the flavour of the piadina.

3. I added a little bit of yogurt to replace the milk and lard, however you can replace the yogurt with more oil and water, if you want a dairy-free recipe.

Whole spelt Piadina (Italian flatbread)

for 5 large flatbreads

Ingredients

400 g wholemeal spelled flour

50 ml extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3 tablespoons of yogurt (I used full-fat, but you can use low-fat yogurt if you prefer)
200 ml of water

Method.

1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, then cover with cling film and let sit for 30 minutes.

2. Heat a large non-stick frying pan (use a pan with 24 cm in diameter).

3. Cut the dough into five pieces. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough until you get a round thin sheet of pastry, with a diameter a little ‘smaller than the diameter of the pan.

4. Dust the Piadina and place it on the hot pan, over a medium-high heat. Cook the flatbread on each side for a few minutes until crispy and golden.

5. Cook all the Piadinas, then fill them with all the fresh ingredients that you like.

The preparation of this recipe is so quick and easy that you won’t be buying flat bread anymore!!

Piadine di farro (senza strutto)

Per 5 piadine

Ingredienti

400 g di farina integrale di farro

50 ml di olio extra vergine d’oliva

1/2 cucchiaino di sale

1/2 cucchiaino di bicarbonato

3 cucchiai di yogurt intero

200 ml d’acqua

Preparazione.

1. Impastate tutti gli ingredienti in una terrina, poi ricoprite con la pellicola e lasciate riposare per 30 minuti.

2. Scaldate una padella antiaderente abbastanza grande (uso una padella con 24 cm di diametro).

3. Tagliate la pasta in cinque pezzi. Stendete la pasta con un matterello fino ad ottenere una sfoglia rotonda e sottile (del diametro un po’ più piccolo della padella).

4. Infarinate la sfoglia e mettetela sulla padella. Fate cuocere per qualche minuto e poi girate la piadina per cuocerla uniformemente. Quando la piadina è dorata su entrambi i lati è pronta.

5. Preparate tutte le piadine, poi farcitele con con il ripieno che desiderate.

Guardate anche la ricetta per la piadina alla caprese

Crepes With Swiss Chard And Borage Filling

This week I am sharing a recipe with some traditional Genoese flavours, adapted for you with the usual healthy twist. Perfect for the holiday season, these crepes with swiss chard and borage filling are light, packed with fibres, deliciously crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. As a final touch, we are going to serve this dish with plenty of light béchamel sauce, an extra creamy and gluten-free parmesan-flavoured sauce perfect for this recipe.

In this preparation I used borage because it is a popular ingredient in Genoese traditional recipes, however, if you have problems finding fresh borage you can replace it with spinach or chards.

Crepes with swiss chard and borage filling

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

for the filling

500 g of Swiss chard

200 g of borage

150 g fresh ricotta

80 g of Parmesan Cheese

2 eggs

salt and pepper to taste

for the crepes

6 buckwheat crepes (see the buckwheat crepes recipe)

extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Method.

1. Put all the ingredients for the filling in a blender and then blend everything together until creamy.

2. Fill 6 buckwheat crepes with the mixture, then place the crepes on a baking tray, previously lined with baking paper and greased with extra virgin olive oil.

3. Season the crepes with more extra virgin olive oil and bake at 180 ° C (356° F) for 25-30 minutes.

4. Serve the crepes with plenty of warm béchamel sauce (see the gluten-free béchamel sauce recipe).

Crepes con ripieno di bietole e borragine.

Ingredienti

Per 4-6 persone

Per il ripieno

500 g di bietole

200 g di borragine

150 g di ricotta

80 g di Parmigiano Reggiano

2 uova

Per le crepes

6 crepes di grano saraceno (guardate anche la ricetta delle crepes di grano saraceno)

olio extravergine d’oliva

sale e pepe q. b.

Preparazione.

1. Mettete tutti gli ingredienti (senza l’olio) in un mixer e amalgamate bene tutto fino ad ottenere un composto cremoso.

2. Riempite le crepes di grano saraceno con il ripieno, poi mettetele su una teglia ricoperta con carta da forno, unta con un po’ d’olio extra vergine d’oliva.

3. Condite anche le crepes con un po’ d’olio e infornate a 180° C per 25-30 minuti.

4. Servite le crepes con sopra la besciamella calda (guardate anche la ricetta della besciamella senza glutine).

Buckwheat Crepes (Gluten-free, High in fibre)

Rich in flavour and fibre, buckwheat crepes are incredibly delicious, healthy and can make a simple meal look quite impressive! You can be a little intimidated when you first make crepes….Well, I was when I made crepes for the first time! It is not so difficult to make nice crepes, as long as you remember to occasionally grease the frying pan during the preparation method, you move quickly when you shape the crepes and you cook the crepes over a low heat.

Tips.
It might take a little bit of practice at first, however the best way to shape the crepes is to quickly move the pan around, in order to spread and flatten the batter evenly. During this process the frying pan shouldn’t be too hot, otherwise the batter will cook too quickly, leaving you with thick and uneven crepes.
During the cooking time, the crepes will start curling around the edges and lifting up from the pan; at this point the crepes are ready to be flipped around, to cook both sides.

You can be very creative with this dish and serve your crepes with lots of savoury or sweet fillings, experimenting with a great variety of ingredients, textures and flavour combinations.
Enjoy the recipe and have fun with it!

Buckwheat crepes

Ingredients

For 10 crepes

2 eggs

300 g of buckwheat flour

400 ml of milk

100 ml of water

extra virgin olive oil

salt or sugar (depending if you are making a sweet or savoury recipe)

extra virgin olive oil

Method.

1. In a bowl, gradually mix the flour with milk, water and salt (or sugar). Separately, beat the eggs and then make the batter incorporating the eggs and 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil into the flour mixture. Place the batter to cool for two hours in the refrigerator.

2. Heat a large frying pan over a low heat, then grease the base with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.

3. Using a ladle, pour the batter in centre of the pan, then spread evenly and let cook for a few minutes.

4. When the crepe starts curling around the edges, turn it around and cook the other side.

Repeat the process until you have made all the crepes, occasionally greasing the pan with a little extra virgin olive oil.

Also see the Gluten-free Béchamel sauce recipe and the Crepes with swiss chard and borage filling recipe.

Crepes di grano saraceno

Ingredienti

Per 10 crepes

2 uova

300 g di farina di grano saraceno

400 ml di latte

100 ml di acqua

olio extra vergine d’oliva

zucchero o sale (dipende se la ricetta è dolce o salata)

Preparazione.

1. Amalgamate la farina e il sale (o zucchero) con il latte mischiato all’acqua. A parte, sbattete le uova e incorporatele al composto con un cucchiaio d’olio extra vergine d’oliva. Lasciate riposare la pastella nel frigorifero per almeno due ore.

2. Fate scaldare, a fuoco moderato, una padella con un cucchiaio d’olio extra vergine d’oliva.

3. Usando un mestolo, versate il composto al centro della padella, poi muovete energicamente la pentola per stendere uniformemente la pastella.

4. Lasciate cuocere per qualche minuto. Quando la crepe incomincia ad arricciarsi sui bordi potete girarla per cuocerla su entrambi i lati.

Preparate tutte le crepes, ricordandovi di ungere ogni tanto la padella con un filo d’olio.

Guardate anche la ricetta della Besciamella con amido di mais e la ricetta delle Crepes con ripieno di bietole e borragine.

Light Béchamel Sauce (Gluten-free White Sauce)

Béchamel sauce is a delicious white sauce, traditionally used to enrich various recipes like lasagna, cannelloni, crepes and other oven-baked pasta dishes. Usually made with butter and flour, today we are going to make a lighter gluten-free and Parmesan-flavoured version of this wonderful sauce.
It is a fairly easy and quick recipe to make, just mix the cornstarch with the milk and cook the sauce really gradually and slowly….Take your time with it, heat it gently and stir it constantly during the entire preparation method and you’ll be all right!

Tip. The béchamel sauce might thicken a little too much when it cools down. You can solve this problem by heating the sauce up with some hot milk over a low heat and then blending everything using a mixer. With this method you should get a smooth sauce with the desired consistency.

Gluten-free Béchamel sauce (white sauce with cornstarch)

Ingredients

600 ml of milk

80 g of cornstarch

4 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese

a pinch of grated nutmeg (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

Method.

1. In a pan, mix the milk with 80 g of cornstarch (add the milk very gradually).

2. Warm the milk up over a low heat, then bring slowly to a boil, stirring constantly and vigorously. When the sauce has thickened, add the grated Parmesan cheese and stir for a few more minutes. Remove from the heat.

3. Season with one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of grated nutmeg (optional), salt, pepper and serve.

Also see the Crepes with swiss chard and borage filling recipe and the Buckwheat Crepes recipe

Besciamella con amido di mais (senza glutine)

Ingredienti

600 ml di latte

80 g di amido di mais

4 cucchiai di Parmigiano Reggiano

sale e pepe q. b.

un pizzico di noce moscata

un cucchiaio d’olio extra vergine d’oliva

Preparazione.

1. Mescolate il latte freddo con 80 g di amido di mais (aggiungete il latte molto gradualmente).

2. Mettete il latte sul fuoco e portate ad ebollizione, mescolando energicamente. Quando la crema si sarà addensata, aggiungete il parmigiano grattugiato e mescolate per qualche minuto.

3. Spegnete il fuoco, condite con un cucchiaio di olio extra vergine d’oliva, un pizzico di noce moscata, sale, pepe e servite.

Guardate anche la ricetta delle Crepes di grano saraceno e la ricetta delle Crepes con ripieno di bietole e borragine.

Even Better Than Apple Pie! (Vegan)

Nothing better than a thick and creamy apple smoothie, aromatised with lemon, maple syrup and cinnamon to make you feel utterly spoiled! This smoothie will make you feel special inside out! It’s not just a wonderful way to take care of yourself, it’ s a delicious and quick-to-make treat that you’ll truly enjoy! But don’t take my word for it, give it a try!

I almost forgot to add that this smoothie is packed with calcium, proteins and nutrients…

Enjoy!

Apple pie smoothie

Ingredients

Serves 2

2 golden apples

60 g of almonds, with skins

2 tablespoons of maple syrup

200 ml of almond milk (or the vegetable milk you prefer)

the grated zest of half a lemon (use organic lemons)

2 tablespoons of rolled oats

a pinch of grated cinnamon

4 ice cubes

Method.

1. Roast the almonds for 7-10 minutes at 160 ° C (320 °F). Remove from the oven, then finely grind the almonds until you get a paste and let cool.

2. Peel and clean apples.

3. In a blender, blend the almond paste, the chopped apples, the rolled oats, then add 4 ice cubes, the almond milk, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, and the grated lemon zest with a pinch of cinnamon. Blend everything until smooth.

4. Garnish with a few mint leaves, a couple of straws and serve.

Apple Pie smoothie

Ingredienti

per 2 smoothies

2 mele golden

60 g di mandorle con la buccia

2 cucchiai di sciroppo d’acero

200 ml di latte di mandorla

buccia grattugiata di mezzo limone, non trattato

due cucchiai di fiocchi d’avena integrale

un pizzico di cannella grattugiata

4 cubetti di ghiaccio

Preparazione.

1. Tostate le mandorle per 7-10 minuti a 160° C. Togliete le mandorle dal forno e tritatele molto finemente.

2. Tagliate e pulite le mele.

3. Frullate insieme le mandorle tritate, la polpa di mele e i fiocchi d’avena; aggiungete 4 cubetti di ghiaccio, il latte di mandorla, la buccia grattugiata di mezzo limone, due cucchiai di sciroppo d’acero e un pizzico di cannella. Continuate a frullare fino ad ottenere una crema.

4. Guarnite con qualche foglia di menta, due cannucce e servite.

American Heart Month

February is American Heart Month, a month-long campaign to raise awareness about the risk of heart diseases and unhealthy lifestyles; it is also a way to remind us that we have to take care of our hearts and ourselves on a regular basis. One way to do that is to improve our diets by adding more fresh vegetables, whole grains and limiting unhealthy fats, in order to lower the cholesterol levels in our blood.

We all know that these healthy foods contain a lot of nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, which are extremely important for our system, more than this, they also contain fibre, another important element that helps maintain low cholesterol levels in our blood. As a consequence, we have to cut down on unhealthy fats like the ones contained in full-fat dairy products, heavily processed food and fatty meat… It doesn’t mean we have to completely avoid these foods, we just have to be a little bit more aware about what we eat.

Healthy eating doesn’t necessarily mean tasteless food…
I am a firm believer that healthy dishes can be tastier than unhealthy processed food. In fact, the less you cook, manipulate and process the ingredients during the preparation method of a recipe, the tastier the food will be, as you preserve the nutrients contained in it…As a consequence, your body will benefit with a boost of energy and good health!

Of course, today’s recipes are dedicated to this topic..

Fresh vegetable and shrimp salad.

Difficulty: easy

Ingredients

Serves 4

300 g of shrimps

1 large avocado

16 cherry tomatoes

150 g mixed salad (with fresh carrots and mixed salad leaves)

2 spring onions (optional)

the juice of a lime

a little extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Method.

1. Fill a small pan with water, then cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and poach the shrimps for 5-7 minutes (until they turn pink), then drain and set a side.

2. Wash, clean and dry all the vegetables. Cut the tomatoes into halves, the avocado into small chunks and mix with the salad. Slice the spring onion and add it to the vegetables.

3. Divide the salad into 4 equal portions, then add the shrimps and season with a little extra virgin olive oil, the juice of a lime, salt and pepper.

4. Serve the salad in bowls with a few whole spelt and oat crackers on the side.

See also the whole spelt and oat crackers recipe

Insalata con gamberetti e avocado.

Difficoltà: facile

Ingredienti

Per 4 persone

300 g di gamberetti

1 avocado grande

16 pomodorini ciliegia

150 g di insalata mista (con carote fresche)

2 cipollotti (facoltativo)

il succo di un lime

un po’ di olio extra vergine di oliva

sale e pepe q.b.

Preparazione.

1. Fate bollire dell’acqua in una pentola. Spegnere il fuoco e immergetevi i gamberetti per 5-7 minuti (fino a quando diventano rosa), quindi scolate e mettete da parte.

2. Mondate tutte le verdure. Tagliate i pomodorini a metà e l’avocado in piccoli pezzi, poi uniteli all’insalata. Tagliate il cipollotto a fettine molto sottili e mischiatelo alle verdure.

3. Dividete l’insalata in 4 parti uguali, quindi aggiungete i gamberetti e condite con un filo d’olio extra vergine d’oliva, il succo di un lime, sale e pepe.

4. Servite l’insalata con dei crackers di farro e avena.

Vedete anche la ricetta dei crackers di farro e avena

Quick And Easy: Pineapple And Oat Smoothie

January 30, 2015Dairy-free, Drinks, Juices & Smoothies, High-fibre Food, Low-fat Recipes, Raw / Mainly RawApple, Dairy-free, Drink, Drinks, Juice, No sugar added., Pineapple, SmoothieSerena @ foodfulife

Today I am sharing a recipe for pineapple lovers! This pineapple and oat smoothie has lots of health benefits and a wonderful refreshing flavour! Really something to try…

This amazing drink is packed with vitamin C and manganese, contained in large quantities in the pineapple; it also contains rolled oat, a good source of vitamin B1, iron, antioxidants, fibre and vegetable proteins…..A truly delicious smoothie, perfect for breakfast or as an energising drink!

You’ll love it!!

Pineapple and oat smoothie.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Serves 2

Ingredients

300 g pineapple, cleaned and without the core (roughly half a big one)

1 apple (of your choice)

30 g whole oat flakes (rolled oats)

200 ml almond milk

1 cardamom pod (use only the seeds)

Method.

1. Peel and cut the fruits into chunks.

2. Place the fruit in a blender, then add 200 ml of almond milk, 30 g of oat flakes and a few crushed cardamom seeds. Add also three ice cubes and blend everything until smooth.

3. Garnish with some fresh mint leaves and serve.

Frullato di mela e ananas con fiocchi d’avena.

Tempo di preparazione: 5 minuti

Ingredienti

Per due persone

300 g di ananas, pulito e senza la parte centrale (circa metà di un ananas grande)

1 mela (la varietà che preferite)

30 g di fiocchi d’avena integrali

200 ml di latte di mandorla

1 piccolo baccello di cardamomo (usate solo i semini all’interno e scartate la buccia)

Preparazione.

1. Sbucciate e tagliate la frutta a pezzi.

2. Mettete la frutta nel frullatore, quindi aggiungete 200 ml di latte di mandorle, 30 g di fiocchi d’avena e qualche semino tritato di cardamomo. Aggiungere anche tre cubetti di ghiaccio e frullate tutto, fino ad ottenere una crema.

3. Guarnite con qualche foglia di menta fresca e servite.

Quick And Easy: Mango And Apple Smoothie

Packed with vitamins and minerals (vitamins A, C and calcium, to name a few) and enriched with all the nutrients contained in the chia seeds (rich in vegetable proteins and omega 3), this smoothie is not just sunshine in a glass but a proper energy booster!

…And it tastes better than any dessert that you can ever imagine!

Mango And Apple Smoothie.

Easy

Preparation time:10 minutes

Serves 4

2 ripe mangoes

2 sweet apples (I used golden delicious apples)

400 ml of almond milk

the juice of a lemon

ground cinnamon to taste

2 tablespoons chia seeds

a handful of ice cubes (optional)

To garnish

4 slices of an organic lemon

grated lemon zest to taste

colourful straws

Method.

1. Peel the apples and skin the mangoes, then remove the stem, seeds and the stone from the fruits. Chop roughly.

2. Add the juice of a lemon and blend the fruit using a food processor, then add the almond milk, the chia seeds, a few ice cubes (optional) and the cinnamon. Blend everything well.

3. Pour in 4 tall glasses, then garnish each glass with a slice of lemon, 2 colourful straws and add some lemon zest on top.

I hope you enjoyed my first smoothie recipe! 🙂

Frullato di Mango e Mela.

Facile

Tempo di preparazione: 10 minuti

Serve 4

2 manghi maturi

2 mele golden (oppure le dolci mele che preferite)

400 ml di latte di mandorla

il succo di un limone

cannella in polvere q b

2 cucchiai di semi di chia

una manciata di cubetti di ghiaccio (facoltativo)

per guarnire

4 fette di limone (non trattato)

la scorza grattugiata di un limone (non trattato)

cannucce colorate

Preparazione.

1. Sbucciate, pulite e tagliate le mele e i manghi (rimuovendo i semi e parti indesiderate), poi mettete nel frullatore.

2. Unite ai pezzi di frutta il succo di un limone e frullate bene. Aggiungete al composto anche il latte di mandorla, i semi di chia, alcuni cubetti di ghiaccio (facoltativo) e la cannella. Frullate bene tutto, per qualche minuto.

3. Versate il composto in 4 bicchieri alti; quindi guarnite ogni bicchiere con una fetta di limone, poi aggiungete le cannucce colorate e un po’ di scorza di limone.