ITALIAN STYLE RICE AND BEANS

Entree - vegetarian - gluten free

2 cans borlotti beans, drained and rinsed
8 oz Carnaroli rice
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
4 sage leaves, finely chopped
4 tsp parsley, chopped
4 tsp Parmigiano, grated
1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
vegetable broth, about 1/2 cup

Put a big pot of water to a boil; when it boils add salt and rice and cook until "al dente", about 16-18 minutes.
In the mean time, in a deep skillet with 2 tbsp of broth and the Extra virgin olive oil, "sautee" onion, carrot and sage.
Blend half of the borlotti beans, using a few tablespoons of broth the ease the blending, and add them, along with the whole ones, in the skillet.
Stir well to combine and simmer for 5 minutes.
Drain the rice and toss it into the skillet, stir well and add some broth, if needed: it should look like a risotto and not like a soup.
Simmer for 5 more minutes to combine all flavors.
Serve immediately, in individual bowls, sprinkled with parsley and parmigiano.

This recipe serves 4.

MIXED BRUSCHETTE

Appetizer

Topping 1:
1 eggplant, peeled and julienned
1 tbsp Extra Virgin olive oil
1 can of tuna packed in olive oil, drained
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp parsley, chopped

Topping 2:
1 thick slice of prosciutto, roughly chopped
1 jar sundried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and roughly chopped
5 basil leaves, chopped
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
1 tbsp Extra Virgin olive oil

Topping 3:
1/2 jar anchovy fillets in oil
1 head of baby lettuce, roughly chopped
1 tsp capers packed in sald, rinsed and chopped
2 tbsp Extra Virgin olive oil


12 slices of your favorite bread, ciabatta is the best one
Extra Virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled, whole



Topping 1: In a non-stick skillet over medium heat, warm olive oil and sautee eggplant until soft; transfer it to a bowl together with half of the tuna, garlic, parsley and season with salt and pepper.
Stir well to combine and set in the refrigerator to marinate for 30 minutes.

Topping 2: In a bowl combine prosciutto, sundried tomatoes, basil, parsley and oil, stir well to combine.
Set in the refrigerator to marinate for 30 minutes.

Topping 3: In a small non-stick skillet over medium-low heat, cook the anchovies fillets (reserve 4 to garnish) until dissolved (you could use 1 tbsp of anchovy paste in substitution), add capers and lettuce and sautee for about 3 minutes.
Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 275. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the bread slices on it; transfer to the oven and toast for about 3 minutes or until lightly cruncy.
Remove from oven, rub slices with the whole garlic and drizzle with Extravirgin olive oil.


Prepare the bruschette.

Topping 1: Divide the eggplant mixture on top of 4 slices of toasted bread and finish with the remaining tuna

Topping 2: Spread this marinade over 4 slices of toasted bread.

Topping 3: Spread the anchovy-lettuce mixture over the remaining bread and top with a whole anchovy fillet.

Immediately serve the bruschette on a platter lined with some lettuce.


If you don't like one of the above toppings!

Topping 4:
2 tomatoes, sliced into 1/4" thick
1 clove garlic thinly sliced
Salt, oregano and Extra virgin olive oil


Preheat oven to 425. Arrange the tomato slices on a baking dish lined with parchment paper, sprinkle with garlic, salt and oregano, drizzle with Extra vrgin olive oil and bake for 20-25 minutes.


If you use this topping, this has to be the first step; while they bake, you prepare the other toppings, then you lower the oven to 275 and toast the bread.

You can use the bake tomato slices also for pasta and as side dish.

STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Second course

1 1/2 lb chicken breasts
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil, drained and chopped
2 sprigs parsley, chopped
1/2 cup mozzarella, roughly chopped
1/4 cup of white wine
1/2 lb lettuce
3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and Pepper
Flour for dredging

Prepare the filling: In a bowl, combine the sun-dried tomatoes with parsley and mozzarella. Season with salt and pepper, mix well and set aside to marinate.
Cut chicken breasts in thin slices, about 1/4" thick.
Spread each slice with some of the filling, roll up and tie with butcher's string; you can also fold them like a pocket and secure with a toothpick.
Preheat oven to 350.
In a big non-stick skillet, warm the olive oil, dredge the rolls (or pocket) into the flour, shaking away the excess, and sautee until golden on all sides. Add the wine (or brandy) and let the alcohol evaporate. Remove skillet from heat
Arrange the rolls or pockets on a sheet of parchment paper or greased foil and close edges firmly but not too close to the meat. Pleace on a baking sheet and bake, on the center rack, for about 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and serve immediately with fresh lettuce.
You can wait for the rolls to cool down slightly and slice each roll, not the pockets, into thick slices.

In summertime, you can use fresh basil instead of parsley. You can do the same recipe with fish fillets, too.

Serves 4.

YOGURT SPONGE CAKE

Dessert - Vegetarian

The yogurt container will be your measure!

1 6oz yogurt
3 large eggs, divided
1 1/3 cont. of sugar
2 1/2 cont. of flour
1 tbsp (scant) baking powder
1/3 cont. of olive oil

Preheat oven to 350.
Put yogurt in a small bowl, wash and dry the container.
In a big bowl, whisk yolks with sugar until it becomes light yellow, then add yogurt, oil and flour sifted with baking powder. Wisk carefully until you obtain a smooth batter; if it is too thick, add 1/3 or 1/2 container of milk.
Whisk egg whites with a pinch of salt until they become "snow" white and stiff. Carefully fold them in the batter.
Grease and dust with flour a 10"round springform pan, pour batter in it, level the top with a spoon and dust with sugar.
Place it in the center rack of the oven and bake for 45 minutes. A toothpick, when inserted, must come out dry and clean.
Let it cool 5 minutes in the oven, then remove it and remove the side ring of the pan, to cool it completely. It would be better to remove the whole cake from the pan and let it cool on a wire rack.

We use this base also to make an apple or pear cake, you just have to cube 2 apples or pears and add them to the batter befaore the egg whites.
If you make this cake as is, it is better to use a flavored yogurt; if you use it with fruit, use a matching yogurt or vanilla flavored or plain.

Lactose intolerants can use soy/rice/almond milk and yogurt.

CREAMY POTATO SOUP WITH VEGETABLES

Soup - Vegetarian

1 Onion, sliced
14 os potatoes, peeled and sliced
2 baby zucchini
1 fennel bulb, diced
2 carrots, diced
6 tsp Extra virgin olive oil
Chives, chopped - salt - pepper

Cook the diced vegetables in 5 cups of boiling, salted water, until they're done but still firm. Drain and reserve the vegetable broth you just obtained, keeping both warm.
In a deep skillet, "sautee" onions in a few tablespoons of the reserved vegetable broth until they're soft, then add the potatoes and stir; add enough vegetable broth to cover potatoes and cook, until they're done (about 30 minutes) on medium heat adding broth if needed.
Blend the potatoes in order to obtain a cream (use some more broth if you think it's too thick) and season with salt and pepper.
To serve, divide the cream in 4 individual bowls, top with the diced vegetables, sprinkle with chives and drizzle with 1 1/2 tsp of Extra virgin olive oil each bowl.

- You can also add diced caulifower and/or broccoli (1 cup each) without increasing calories significantly

- To have a complete meal, substitute 1/3 potatoes with same weight of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed or 1/2 potatoes with same weight of cannellini beans and peas (which give you proteins) equally divided.

- This soup counts around 200 calories per portion.

TASTY POTATO CROCCHETTE

Appetizer

1 lb potatoes
8 oz ham, roughly chopped
3 oz onion, finely chopped
2 egg yolks
3 oz parmigiano, grated
salt, pepper, nutmeg
2 whole eggs
flour
breadcrumbs
oil to fry

Boil and mash potatoes; in a skillet over medium heat, sautee onions in 1 tsbp of extravirgin olive oil and, when translucent, add the ham; mix well to combine and remove from heat.
In a bowl big enough, combine potatoes, ham and onion mixture, 2 egg yolks and parmigiano; season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Mix well in order to obtain a well combined mixture.
Beat 2 eggs in a deep dish and add salt; in 2 different dishes, place folur and breadcrumbs.
Scoop the potato mixture and form "crocchette": they can be round and spherical, round and flat or cylindrical.
Roll each one in flour, then toss them in the beaten eggs and roll them in bread crumbs until they're evenly coated.
Place a deep skillet on high heat and warm 3 inches of olive oil. Deep fry crocchette, a few every time, until they're golden on all sides.
Drain and place them on paper towel; keep warm until you fry all of them and serve immediately.

CALAMARI FILLED WITH CAPERS

Fish entree - vegtarian

8 Medium squids
1 tbsp capers, packed in salt, rinsed and chopped
10 black olives, chopped
4 slices bread, crust removed
1/2 onion, chopped
15 cherry tomatoes, halved
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp parsley, chopped
1 cup dry white wine
Salt, pepper, oregano, milk

Clean the squids: gut the squid, remove beak eyes and cartilage, detach the sacks from the tentacles that will be chopped.
If you can find already cleaned squids, that would save you lots of time.

Prepare the filling: soak bread in milk; combine tentacles, capers, olives and parsley in a bowl.
When bread is soaked, squeeze it to remove milk and add it in the bowl along with 2 tbsp oil, oregano, salt and pepper, mix well to combine all ingredients.

Prepare the squids: stuff the sacks with the filling and close with a toothpick; put a deep skillet over medium heat and warm the remaining olive oil, sautee onions until transparent.
Arrange squids in the skillet with 1 cup of white wine, 1 cup of water, tomatoes, salt, pepper and some more oregano.
Stew over medium-low heat, covered, for about 40 minutes.
Serve hot with its sauce and some fresh salad or mashed potatoes.
Serves 4

If you can't find flavorful tomatoes (we're in winter) use peeled San Marzano because they're the sweetest. You will need 4 or 5 of them, without the tomato sauce they're in, you can use it for other recipes.