Tag Archives: Italian

Something like “Clams Casino”

By Monica | Published: April 3, 2013

  I was driving my car home from Whole Foods one day when an idea for a recipe came to my mind. “Why not use shitakes as a base for a “clams casino” recipe?” I thought. I eat shitakes just about every other day anyway, so experimenting with another recipe using those tasty little mushrooms [...]

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La Cena di Un Venerdi Sera- A Friday Night Dinner

By Monica | Published: January 29, 2013

Wow! I just planned, organized and cooked as a co-head chef for my very first Friday Night Dinner event! I worked alongside one of my professors from when I was a culinary student. The dinner was for the Natural Gourmet Institute’s weekly Friday Night Dinner event. Every week a guest chef and students serve a [...]

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Delicious Dippers with Spinach Cashew Cream

By Monica | Published: October 4, 2012
dippers

Wow- this dish right here is an example of what you can do with random ingredients found in your fridge. I saw spinach, I saw leftover cashew cream, tofu pieces and oat flour and created what I call Delicious Dippers. I prepared the tofu in long strips so they are easy to dip in the [...]

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You Make Me Wanna SPROUT!

By Monica | Published: September 19, 2012
sprouts2

What in the heck does “sprouted” mean you may ask, well I had to do research about the topic and consulted a few personal resources to come up with a beginner-style definition. Sprouting is the practice of germinating seeds to be eaten either raw or cooked. Sprouted foods are a convenient way to have fresh [...]

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Sicilian Summertime Potatoes

By Monica | Published: September 12, 2012
Sicilian Potatoes

Ahh, the final days of summer. As I cling onto the hot weather that is slowly slipping out from under my fingertips, I remember the hot summer days I spent laying on the beaches in Sicily. I remember eating fantastic food overlooking beautiful views of the water and colorful beaches. Life was great and it [...]

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“Senza Carne” Without Meat. “Senza Latte” Without Milk. “Senza Glutine” Without Gluten.

By Monica | Published: September 9, 2012

It’s been about four weeks since my grand return from overseas and since then I have been getting back into my regular eating habits. I’m sure many of you can agree that traveling can really throw you off in terms of your daily eating routine- in a good or bad way or maybe a very [...]

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Massaged Kale

By Monica | Published: July 26, 2012

Better known as: Fresh Chickpeas in Massaged Kale Salad served with a Garlic Vinaigrette, but because the name is to dang long, let’s call it Massaged Kale.  After harvesting fresh vegetables from my dad’s garden, I decided to use the produce in my next recipe. I hand picked the chickpeas and kale and decided I [...]

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I’m feeling artichokey

By Monica | Published: July 12, 2012

Carciofi… Ahh the beauty of an artichoke. Fresh artichokes have intimidated me for years, but since I’ve been building my confidence and skills in the kitchen, I decided I was ready to experiment. The pointy leaves and the unusual shape and structure of the artichoke left me confused, so I read numerous ways online on [...]

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Stackers

By Monica | Published: June 22, 2012

I was inspired to make this recipe when I wanted a sandwich that was gluten-free. Something that I could eat without having to use the typical bread! It sounds crazy to compare this recipe idea to a sandwich, but that’s not exactly what I’m trying to do. I am providing an alternative by using tasty [...]

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“Beet” the Heat Mix

By Monica | Published: June 11, 2012

Beets are the type of vegetable that when you bite into them there is this initial “cringe” reaction, but as soon as the initial shock of the earthy flavors dissipate, you are able to enjoy them. Their smooth texture, beautiful deep red coloring, and of course in this recipe, their delicious flavor will get you [...]

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