Category Archives: Raw / Mainly Raw

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.

Pear And Passion Fruit Smoothie

A delicious and delicate smoothie, high in fibre, vitamins A, C and also contains a good quantity of iron, calcium, manganese and potassium. I added some chia seeds for extra fibre, omega 3 fatty acid and vegetable proteins.
If I was to describe it in a few words, I’d say that this smoothie tastes like spring! So take a sip of this wonderful drink, relax and enjoy the flavours!

Pear and passion fruit smoothie.

for 2 smoothies

Ingredients

2 Williams pears (Bartlett pears)

2 passion fruit (maracujà)

200 ml almond milk (or the vegetable milk of your choice)

2 tablespoons of chia seeds (optional)

4 ice cubes

Method

1. Wash peel and clean the pears then, using a teaspoon, scoop out all the pulp form the passion fruit.

2. Using a blender, blend the fruit with 200 ml of almond milk, two tablespoons of chia seeds and 4 ice cubes.

3. Garnish with fresh mint leaves and serve.

Frullato di pere e frutto della passione.

per 2 frullati

Ingredienti

2 pere Williams

2 frutti della passione (maracujà)

200 ml di latte di mandorle (o il latte vegetale di vostra scelta)

2 cucchiai di semi di chia (facoltativo)

4 cubetti di ghiaccio

Preparazione.

1. Sbucciate e pulite le pere poi, utilizzando un cucchiaino, estraete tutta la polpa dai frutti della passione.

2. Frullate la frutta con 200 ml di latte di mandorla, due cucchiai di semi di chia e 4 cubetti di ghiaccio.

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

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.

Traditional Recipe: Pesto Alla Genovese

October 16, 2014Condiment, Dairy-free, High-fibre Food, Pasta and Rice, Raw / Mainly Raw, Traditional Recipes, VegetarianAged Parmesan cheese, Basil, Dairy-free, High in fibre, Pasta, Pecorino Cheese, Pesto alla genovese, Pine nuts, Traditional recipe, VegetablesSerena @ foodfulife

Pesto is a well known basil sauce originating in Genoa. This delicious sauce is traditionally served with various kinds of pasta such as trofie, lasagne and gnocchi or used to enrich dishes like vegetables soups and even pizzas! Countless variations already exist, but the best pesto is made with only basil and extra virgin olive oil from Liguria, because they are very aromatic and really make a difference when it comes to flavour. During the preparation method, we use a mortar because it is a slow and gentle process that doesn’t alter the quality and flavour of the ingredients.

Having said that, you can make a wonderful pesto using a blender and any of your local ingredients….so give it a go!!I promise, you won’t be disappointed!

Today we will see how to prepare a delicious pesto using either a mortar or a blender…You choose! 🙂

Tips.

1. In the traditional recipe we only use well-aged Parmesan and Pecorino. Both these cheeses are quite salty, therefore it is better to use only a few crystals of salt in the recipe and taste the sauce when it’s ready; you can always add the salt later, if needed.

2. It is possible to dilute the pesto with water, in order to obtain a creamier sauce. I usually mix a couple of tablespoons of hot water with the sauce, just before mixing it with the pasta. Then stir vigorously with a spoon and add the pasta.

3. To preserve the pesto, put the sauce in a jar and cover with plenty of extra virgin olive oil, then seal well with a lid and put it in the fridge. The sauce will last up to 5 days, if properly preserved.

Pesto alla Genovese.

for 2 serving

40 leaves of fresh basil, washed and dried

1 clove of garlic

3 tablespoons of well-aged Parmesan cheese, grated

1 tablespoon of aged Pecorino cheese, grated (you can add more Parmesan if you don’t find the Pecorino)

1 tbsp of pine nuts

6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive or more, if needed

sea salt crystals to taste

Method 1 (traditional method with a mortar)

1. Using a mortar, crush the garlic with only a couple of salt crystals.

2. Remove the stems and gradually add all the basil leaves with a couple of salt crystals at a time. Move the pestle in circular motion and firmly crush all the leaves, adding more as you go along.

3. Add the pine nuts and the grated cheeses, then continue mixing the ingredients with a gentile circular motion.

4. Add the extra virgin olive oil and mix until you get a creamy pesto.

Method 2 ((with an immersion blender or food processor)

This is definitely a quicker method, however, you have to be a little bit careful in order to avoid burning the basil leaves using the blender. You can easily avoid this, by adding some cold water (it has to be really cold) to prevent the blade from heating up and spoiling the basil.

1. Put all the ingredients in a tall container and add only 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Start blending and add 2 tablespoons of really cold water.

2. Blend everything for a few minutes, then add the rest of the extra virgin olive oil and continue blending until you get a nice creamy pesto.

Quick And Easy: Chestnut Salad With Apples And Escarole

October 10, 2014Dairy-free, Gluten-free, High-fibre Food, Low-fat Recipes, Quick and Easy, Raw / Mainly Raw, Side Dishes, Vegan, VegetarianCaldarroste, Chestnuts, Endive, Escarole, Food, Gluten-free, Pine nuts, Quick and easy recipe, Raw, Salad, Side dish, VeganSerena @ foodfulife

This week, as promised, I start a series of recipes dedicated to chestnuts. Chestnuts are a wonderful and versatile ingredient, full of fibre, nutrients and vitamins. Basically, they are carbohydrates, but they also contains some good proteins and are gluten-free. These fruits are usually roasted or boiled, sometimes used to enrich salads, stews or soups. Chestnuts flour is also quite popular, often used to make tasty breads and various desserts. Candied chestnuts are also an amazing ingredient when it comes to making desserts, but they are usually quite expensive.

Today I am publishing a salad with crunchy roasted chestnuts, escarole, pine nuts and apples, packed with vitamins (B1, B2, C etc…) and minerals, to boost the immune system with plenty of flavour and texture!

Salad with roasted chestnuts, escarole and apples.

Ingredients

For 4 people

400 g of roasted chestnuts (or boiled, if you prefer) see How to make amazing roasted chestnuts

160 g of escarole or curly-leaved endive, washed and dried

1/2 red onion (optional)

30 g of raisins

40 g pine nuts

2 gala apples, washed and dried

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

the juice of half a lemon

salt and pepper to taste

Method.

1. Cut the apples and the escarole leaves. Peel and slice the onion then put it in a cup and fill the cup with water. Leave the onion in the water for 30 minutes and then drain (this operation will make the onion sweeter).

2. Arrange the escarole leaves on the plates, then add the chopped apples with the raisins, the onion and the pine nuts (divide into 4 servings).

3. Peal the roasted chestnuts then add them to the salad.

4. Season with 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, a few drops of lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Insalata di caldarroste, scarola e mele.

Ingredienti

Per 4 persone

400 g di caldarroste (oppure castagne bollite),

per fare le caldarroste seguite questo link: Come preparare ottime caldarroste a casa

160 g di indivia scarola (oppure indivia riccia) , lavata e asciugata

1/2 cipolla rossa (facoltativo)

30 g di uvetta

40 g di pinoli

2 mele gala, lavate e asciugate

3 cucchiai di olio extravergine d’oliva

il succo di mezzo limone

sale e pepe q. b.

Preparazione.

1. Tagliate le mele e le foglie di scarola. Sbucciate e affettate le cipolle. Mettete le cipolle a mollo in acqua per 30 minuti (per renderle più dolci), poi scolate.

2. Dividendo in quattro porzioni, sistemate prima le foglie di scarola e poi aggiungete i pezzetti di mele, l’uvetta, la cipolla e i pinoli.

3. Sbucciate le caldarroste e aggiungetele all’insalata.

4. Condite con olio extra vergine d’oliva, qualche goccia di succo di limone, sale e pepe.

Super Tasty and Healthy Rocket Pesto

April 11, 2014Condiment, How to, Pasta and Rice, Raw / Mainly RawAlmonds, Arugula, calcium, Condiment, Food, Food photography, Hazelnuts, Healthy, Iron, Pasta, Pesto, Photography, Potassium, Raw / Mainly Raw, Recipe, Rocket, Sauce, Vitamin C, WalnutsSerena @ foodfulife

The most famous Italian pesto is made with fresh basil and is a traditional Genoese dish. In Italy, however many variations exist of this lovely condiment.
My mother, for example, prepares a delicious rocket pesto made with pine nuts and Parmesan, using the plants she has in the garden. Today I am going to share this lovely recipe, but instead of pine nuts I am using a few hazelnuts, walnuts and almonds.
Pesto is a very healthy condiment that you should definitely have in your fridge.
The rocket leaves are rich in vitamin C and also contain potassium, iron, calcium and phosphorus. They have a slightly bitter peppery flavour, which I love.

Tips.

1. Making pesto is very easy. Use an immersion blander and mix all the dry ingredients first and then add the extra virgin olive oil at the end. Add just a couple of tablespoons of iced water with the dry ingredients when you first use the blender, because this will cool the blades down and avoid ruining the leaves.

2. In the traditional Genoese pesto recipe we use Parmesan cheese and Pecorino Sardo. You can buy both cheeses nicely-aged, which is important because they have a distinctive strong taste. However, if you can’t find aged Pecorino Sardo you can replace it with Parmesan. Both these cheeses are quite salty, so it is very important to put just a pinch of salt in the recipe, then you can always add it at the end, if needed.

3. In order to get a creamier pesto, when you cook the pasta you can dilute your condiment with a couple of tablespoons of cooking water (the water in which the pasta is cooking), just before serving.

Rocket (Arugula) Pesto.

Preparation: 10 minutes

Easy

Ingredienti

For a cup of pesto

1/2 clove of garlic

60 g (2.11 oz) rocket (arugula), washed

30 g (1.05 oz) aged Parmesan cheese, cut into small pieces

30 g (1.05 oz) aged Pecorino Sardo cheese

6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

2 walnuts, shelled

2 almonds, shelled

2 hazelnuts, shelled

a pinch of salt

pepper to taste

Method.

1. In a tall container, put all the ingredients, without the extra virgin olive oil.

2. Using an immersion blender, chop the ingredients for a few minutes, adding just a little bit of iced water to cool the blade in the process.

3. Pour in the extra virgin olive oil (a little at a time) and blend everything together, until you get a creamy mixture.

4. Serve with your favourite pasta.

Pesto di rucola.

Ingredienti

Preparazione: 10 minuti

Facile

Per un vasetto

1/2 spicchio d’aglio

60 g di rucola, lavata e asciugata

30 g di parmigiano reggiano (tagliato a pezzi piccoli)

30g di pecorino sardo stagionato (tagliato a pezzi piccoli)

6 cucchiai d’olio extra vergine d’oliva

2 noci, senza guscio

2 nocciole, senza guscio

2 mandorle, senza guscio

un pizzico di sale

pepe q.b.

Preparazione.

1. In un contenitore alto e stretto mettete tutti gli ingredienti, senza l’olio.

2. Usando un frullatore ad immersione, tritate per qualche minuto gli ingredienti, aggiungendo un po’ d’acqua molto fredda, per evitare che la lama si scaldi.

3. Versate anche l’olio extra vergine d’oliva nel composto (poco alla volta e continuando a tritare), fino ad ottenere una consistenza cremosa.

4. Condite la pasta e servite.

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.

Pinzimonio (vegetable crudites) with yogurt and mustard sauce.

August 2, 2013Appetisers, Gluten-free, Low-fat Recipes, Raw / Mainly Raw, Side Dishes, VegetarianAppetisers, Crudités, Dips, Family, Gluten-free, Health, Light, Low fat, Low-fat recipes, Mustard, Pinzimonio, Radicchio, Radish, Recipe, Side dishes, Vegetable, Vegetarian, YogurtSerena @ foodfulife

This week we are going to prepare a lovely platter of Italian-style vegetable crudites (Pinzimonio) with a nice creamy sauce. Light and healthy, this colorful platter consists of a mixture of crunchy vegetables, usually cut into sticks and served with a dressing on the side. For this recipe I prepared a slightly chilled dipping sauce, made with yogurt and mustard.

Ingredients

4-6 servings

1 large tomato

3 medium carrots

1 yellow pepper

1 red pepper

1/2 fennel

1 bunch of red radicchio leaves

1 bunch of radishes

3 stalks of celery

for the sauce

1 low-fat greek yogurt ( 170 g, 5.99 oz, unsweetened)

1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons strong mustard

a pinch of honey

salt and paprika to taste

Method.

1. Wash and prepare all the vegetable, then cut them into sticks ( except the radicchio leaves and radishes). Put all the vegetable to soak in cold water for a few minutes and drain.

2. Separately, prepare a sauce combining the yogurt with mustard and the honey.

3. Add vinegar, olive oil, salt and paprika to the mixture.

4. Put the sauce to cool in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

5. Serve the vegetables on a large dish (or two) with the sauce in the centre.

Pinzimonio di verdure con salsa di yogurt e senape.

1 pomodoro grande

3 carote medie

1 peperone giallo

1 peperone rosso

1/2 finocchio

1 mazzetto di radicchio rosso

1 mazzetto di ravanelli

3 coste di sedano

per la salsa

1 yogurt greco magro (170 g, non zuccherato)

1 cucchiai di aceto di mele

1 cucchiaio di olio extravergine di oliva

2 cucchiai di senape

pochissimo miele

sale e paprica q b

Preparazione.

1. Lavate, mondate e tagliate le verdure a bastoncino, tranne il radicchio e i ravanelli. Immergete le verdure in acqua molto fredda per qualche minuto.

2. A parte, preparate una salsa unendo lo yogurt alla senape e al miele.

3. Aggiungete l’olio, l’aceto di mele, il sale e la paprica.

4. Mettete la salsa a raffreddare in frigorifero per 30 minuti.

5. Servite le verdure in un piatto grande da portata (o due) , con la salsa al centro.