A MATTER OF NOURISHMENT

Latte d’Oro

Cos’è il latte d’oro? Se vi è capitato di provarlo, sapete bene perchè al suo nome viene aggiunto l’appellativo “d’oro”. Questa bevanda calda dal colore brillante è infatti una preparazione a base di curcuma, che le dona il suo classico tono giallo. Il latte alla curcuma è una classica preparazione Ayurvedica ed è veramente facile da fare – una ricetta più tradizionale di quella che leggerete qui sotto, prevede sia l’utilizzo dell’olio di mandorle dolci (quello per uso alimentare), sia la preparazione di una pasta di curcuma che si può poi conservare in frigorifero e sciogliere nella porzione di liquido calda ogni volta che se ne vuole preparare una tazza. Questa è il metodo che ho seguito la prima volta che ho preparato il latte d’oro anni fa: l’olio di mandorle non mi è piaciuto per niente e devo ammettere che è stato difficile finire la bottiglia, che fortunatamente era piccola! Nonostante questo inizio non previsto, successivamente ho trovato un modo che mi piaceva per preparare il latte d’oro e mi sono innamorata di questo sapore del tutto unico. Inoltre, non dimenticate che gli ingredienti presenti nella vostra tazza lavoreranno insieme in maniera sinergica per aumentare il valore nutrizionale di questa bevanda.

Potete anche adattare un po’ la ricetta secondo i vostri gusti – le cose sui cui potete lavorare principalmente sono:

la quantità di curcuma (specialmente se non l’avete mai provato prima, vi suggerisco di iniziare con una quantità più piccola di quella che c’è scritta nella ricetta)
parte liquida: potete usare una bevanda vegetale o qualsiasi tipo di latte oppure un mix di uno di questi ed acqua 1:1 (a me piace molto preparlo con bevande vegetali e mandorla/anacardi/nocciole sono quelli che, secondo me, si abbinano meglio)
questa è una ricetta di base, ma potete decidere di aggiungere altre spezie (ad esempio il cardamomo (tritato in una polvere fine) o dei chiodi di garofano (messi in infusione nella parte liquida) o della vaniglia)
potete scegliere se usare la cannella come polvere o stecca
se usate una parte liquida molto diluita o se avete deciso di utilizzare solo acqua come base: potete aggiungere al vostro latte d’oro 1/3 di cucchiaino di ghee o di olio di cocco o 1/2 cucchiaino di olio extra vergine d’oliva – la presenza di una piccola quantità di grassi, migliorerà l’assorbimento dei principi attivi della curcuma
la ricetta che trovate qui sotto è per un latte d’oro non dolcificato – se volete, potete aggiungere 1/3 di cucchiaino di miele nella tazza quando sarà pronto (specialmente se non l’avete mai provato). Tenete comunque a mente di provarlo senza aggiunta di zuccheri ed usare questa occasione come una possibilità per imparare qualcosa di nuovo sulle vostre papille gustative!

La curcuma è nota per le sue proprietà antinfiammatorie ed il latte d’oro faceva tradizionalmente parte dello stile di vita delle persone che praticavano yoga, come supporto per il benessere delle articolazioni. Se volete saperne di più sulle proprietà della curcuma, pubblicherò presto un post con tutti i dettagli che vi possono essere utili per capire meglio questa spezie e trarne il massimo beneficio – date quindi un’occhiata alle mie pagine social prossimamente per non perderlo!

LATTE D’ORO

Ingredienti per 1 tazza:

250 ml bevanda alla mandorla o nocciola o anacardi (non zuccherata)
1/2 cucchiaino di curcuma in polvere (abbondante)
un pizzico di cannella in polvere
un pizzico di pepe nero

Potete decidere di mischiare tutti gli ingredienti nel momento in cui volete preparare il latte d’oro, oppure potete prepare una pasta alla curcuma da aggiungere alla parte liquida calda (mischiate 1 parte di acqua, 2 di curcuma ed un po’ di pepe nero in una piccola pentola finchè la pasta non sarà calda e senza grumi – lasciatela raffreddare e conservate questa pasta in frigorifero in un contenitore chiuso fino a 4 giorni).

Golden Milk

(read in Italian)

What is golden milk? If you have ever tried it, you know well why it’s called “golden”. This brightly colored warm drink is indeed based on turmeric, that gives it the typical yellow finish. It’s a classic Ayurvedic preparation and really easy to make – a more traditional recipe uses both almond oil (food grade) and a turmeric paste that you can make ahead then store in the fridge and dissolve in a cup of warm liquid anytime you want. When I have made it for the first time years ago, I have followed this recipe and didn’t like the almond oil at all… it has been really difficult to empty that (luckily) little bottle! Well, after this disappointing start, I have found my own way to make golden milk and I’ve felt in love with its flavor. The ingredients in your cup will work together to increase the nutritional value of this warm drink.

You can also slightly adapt the recipe to your taste buds – the main things that you can change are:

amount of turmeric (especially if you have never tried it, I would say that’s better to use a little bit less than what’s written in the recipe)
liquid: you can use a plant-based drink or any kind of milk or a mix of one of these and water 1:1 (I like to make it with plant-based drinks and almond/cashew/ hazelnut are my favorite options to choose from)
this is a basic recipe, but you can decide to add other spices (for example cardamom (crushed into a powder) or cloves (making an infused milk) or vanilla powder)
you can choose between powdered cinnamon or use it as a stick
if you are using a liquid that is very diluted or you have decided to go for water as base: you can add 1/3 tsp of ghee or coconut oil or 1/2 tsp of extra virgin olive oil to the golden milk – you will do this to ensure that you have a certain amount of fat to improve the absorption of turmeric
the recipe below is for an unsweetened golden milk – if you’d like to add 1/3 tsp of honey when the drink is ready (especially if you have never tried it), go ahead. But keep in mind to try it without any sweetener and use this as a chance to learn something more about your taste buds!

Turmeric is widely known for its anti-inflammatory properties and the golden milk was traditionally used by people practising yoga to support their joints’ health.

GOLDEN MILK

Ingredients to make 1 cup:

250 ml hazelnut or almond or cashew drink (unsweetened)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (heaping tsp)
a pinch of cinnamon powder
a pinch of black pepper

You can mix all the ingredients when you want to prepare your cup of golden milk or decide to prepare ahead a turmeric paste (mixing 1 part of water, 2 of turmeric, and some black pepper in a small pan until it’s warm and without lumps – allow to cool down and store in the fridge for up to 4 days) to add to the warm milk.

Kitchari

(recipe in Italian HERE 🇮🇹️ – fa parte della mia collaborazione sull’alimentazione consapevole con Gaia di The Green Pantry)

Who knows Kitchari? Or it’s even better to ask… who else loves it? Because this is what happens when you try it for the first time, you suddenly fall in love with this nourishing and simple preparation. Kitchari is a classic Ayurvedic recipe to support your body’s natural balance. It’s a great option when you need to reconnect with your body and you’re looking for an easy (and healthy) way to rebalance – for example, in between seasons, after a stressful time, or in a period with several occasions for overindulging with food.

You can check out my version for this deliciously simple soup below. This is actually only one of the ways in which I prepare Kitchari – not only I try to change the spices and vegetables, especially according to my own needs or to the seasons, but I also sometimes decide to blend part of the mung beans (usually half of them, to get an extra creamy texture). Every time I have some Kitchari left from the day before (a rare occasion!), I try to change it a little by adding extra fresh veggies.

Hope you’ll like it! Chiara x

DSC_0190-2

KITCHARI

Ingredients:
(x 2)
2 parts of yellow mung dal beans (approx. 100 g)
1 part of brown basmati rice (approx. 50 g)
4 medium-sized carrots
1 shallot
2 bay leaves
1 cardamom pod (open it)
½ tsp cumin seeds
1/3 tsp fenugreek seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp turmeric
1/3 tsp cinnamon powder
5-6 coriander seeds
a pinch of black pepper
ghee or extra virgin olive oil
fresh coriander or parsley to use as a topping
optional: chopped spinach, kale, or other dark leafy greens

Preparation:
Heat 1 tsp of ghee or ½ tbsp of olive oil in a pot over a medium heat. Add the chopped shallot and stir until it turns golden. Add the yellow mung beans (previously rinsed with water) and mix well. Add enough water to keep everything covered. Add also the bay leaves and crushed fennel seeds (half of the total amount that you are using for this recipe). While they are cooking, keep adding water in small amounts to be sure that there won’t be water left when they will be ready. After approx. 20 minutes, add the finely chopped carrots, rice, and turmeric. Mix well. Cook for approx. 20 minutes or until everything is cooked and start to become quite creamy. If you are also using
some finely chopped dark leafy vegetables, add them almost at the end (cook for approx. 5 minutes).

To prepare the mix of spices: heat in a pan ½ tbsp of olive oil or 1 tsp of ghee and add the spices (at this stage, you have already used turmeric, bay leaves, and half of the fennel seeds – so just use what is left on the list). Stir well until fragrant. You can crush them in a mortar before or after toasting them. Add your mix of spices into the Kitchari and mix well – remove the bay leaves.

When the Kitchari is ready, turn off the heat – leave to rest in the covered pot for 5 minutes before serving. You can serve it by itself with just a little bit of olive oil on top or you can decide to use some fresh parsley and/or a dollop of yogurt as a topping.

Talking about FODMAPS

WHAT ARE FODMAPS?
Fodmaps are short-chain carbohydrates that some people poorly absorb and digest
=> so in some people, they can cause digestive issues and aggravate the symptoms of conditions like IBS (for these individuals the fodmaps pass through most of the intestine remaining unchanged).

WHAT DOES FODMAPS MEAN?
FODMAPS = Fermentable Oligo-, Di-, Mono-saccharides and Polyols

FERMENTABLE: compounds that are broken down by bacteria in the large intestine
OLIGOSACCHARIDES: simple sugars connected together (in a polymeric structure)
DISACCHARIDES: double sugar molecule
MONOSACCHARIDES: single sugar molecule
POLYOLS: sugar alcohols

EXAMPLES OF HIGH FODMAP FOODS?*
Garlic, onions, beans, fermented cabbage, ripe bananas, dates, pears, apples, figs, cherries, peaches, wheat flour, spelt flour, semolina, rye, cashews, sweeteners, honey, agave milk, yogurt.

EXAMPLES OF LOW FODMAP FOODS?*
Squash, kale, ginger, courgettes, eggplant, carrots, olives, unripe bananas, kiwi, grapes, papaya, orange, beef, lamb, turkey, chicken, fresh cod-salmon-trout, crab, mussels, prawns, oats, rice, quinoa, buckwheat, millet, walnuts, butter, eggs, tofu, oils, cacao.
[*source: ibsdiets website]

The LOW FODMAP diet has been studied especially in relation to people suffering from IBS and seems to be helpful in improving their quality of life (IBS = irritable bowel syndrome, a digestive disorder). A low fodmap diet can also be beneficial for people with other digestive-related diseases.

It’s IMPORTANT to remember that FODMAPS ARE NOT bad from a general point of view. But knowing more about them is a big step for people suffering from conditions affecting their digestive system.

IBS or other digestive issues can be not only difficult to manage, but also frustrating and cause of embarrassment. So, it’s even more important than usual for the people who are affected from this kind of health issues, to build a good relationship with their body, being able to love the food that they choose to put on the table, and feel a little bit more in control of how food affects their days. Things that can help: knowing your triggers (both regarding food and lifestyle), keeping a food diary, trying new ingredients or recipes (but also different portions) and keep track if they worked well for you or not.

Questions? Would you like to know how I can help you?

Pasta with Tuna and Blood Oranges

I’ve prepared this pasta for the first time on a busy day in which I needed a quick solution for lunch and there were barely no veggies left in the kitchen… so I needed to come up with something new! What about mixing pasta, tuna and blood oranges? I had only 1 orange left, so I have used that one (plus some finely chopped orange peel) and some tuna: the pasta turned out ok, but it needed some major changes! What you will read below is an improved version of that original recipe: now you have a bowl of pasta tossed with a creamy sauce, rich in flavor and with a little bit of crunchiness coming from the pumpkin seeds – still quick and easy to make!

Hope you’ll like it! Chiara x

PASTA WITH TUNA AND BLOOD ORANGES

Ingredients
(x 2)

140 g pasta of your choice (here I have used some whole grain spaghetti and their flavor pairs pretty well with the sauce)
3 blood oranges (peeled)
zest of 1/3 orange (if oranges are organic, otherwise you can use some organic lemon zest)
approx. 70 g of tuna (canned)
2 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
1 tsp ginger powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
a pinch of cayenne pepper
a pinch of salt
extra virgin olive oil

Prepare the toasted pumpkin seeds and chop them finely. Peel the oranges (keeping some zest for later) and place them in a blender (remove the seeds before blending your oranges). In a pan, warm up your orange sauce with 2 tsp of tahini and the spices – mix well the tahini into the warm sauce to get a smooth texture and cook for approx. 5 minutes or even less, until you don’t get a creamy sauce. When the sauce is ready, stir in the tuna, half of the seeds and mix well (add also a little bit of olive oil if your tuna doesn’t have it). While you’re preparing the sauce, cook your pasta “al dente”, rinse it once with some cold water and drain it well. Add the pasta to your pan and mix it well with the sauce. Add some olive oil before serving and sprinkle some extra seeds on top.

Would you like to start being MORE CREATIVE in the kitchen, trying new ingredients or recipes that will help you to reach your nutrition GOALS? Click now on the button below to book your first FREE consultation with me:

SCHEDULE A FREE CONSULTATION

Chickpea Flour and Kefir Pancakes

It’s that time of the year once again, the Carnival season is almost at the end and most of us are getting ready for Pancake Tuesday or Fat Tuesday (depending on where you live). From my point of view, pancakes should be something that you can easily cook and fit into your healthy lifestyle: in such a simple way, you can turn a regular weekday breakfast into something special, even when you don’t have too much time (and yes, you can make them in advance). Prepare a batter using nutrient-rich whole foods, experiment with different flours or combinations, try to add some colour to your pancakes (beetroots, spinach, kale, cacao, turmeric… just to name a few)… then pair them with simple toppings that will add extra nutrients to your breakfast (yogurt, kefir, nut butter, fresh and seasonal fruit, salmon, cheese, avocado, etc… GET CREATIVE!).

For this recipe, I have prepared some simple crepes-style pancakes using only a few ingredients and they are filled with a delicious raw orange cream. In addition, I have used some dark chocolate and fresh fruit as toppings.

An alternative: you can use the same recipe to make some delicious fluffy pancakes – adjust the batter using less water since you’ll need a thicker one (then I use 3 tbsp of batter for each pancake).

Hope you’ll like them as much as I do! Chiara x

Chickpea Flour and Kefir Pancakes

Ingredients

(makes 6-7 large crepes-style pancakes)

For the batter:

150 g chickpea flour

100 ml plain kefir

300 ml water

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp extra virgin olive oil (for cooking)

For the cream:

2 blood oranges

5 dried apricots

1 ½ tsp ginger powder

Toppings:

some dark chocolate (85% or higher)

1 apple

1 small banana

To make the batter: in a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, kefir, water, and the baking powder. Stir until there are no lumps (add the water slowly in small portions – check if and when your batter needs more water). Let it rest for 5-10 min. Add more water if needed (the batter will be pretty liquid, to allow you to make these large and thin pancakes). Heat a frying pan, preferably a non-stick one, on a medium heat with ½ tsp of extra virgin olive oil. Use 5 tbsp for each pancake, moving the pan until the batter is evenly distributed and using a spoon to help you. Cook each pancake until it can be easily flipped with a spatula. Keep the batter well mixed. Using these quantities, you will be able to make approx. 6-7 pancakes (I usually consider 2 of them as serving size, and prepare more to use for a quick lunch or another breakfast – they keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days).

To make the orange cream: the recipe is similar to one that I have already published on these pages. Peel the oranges, chop them into small pieces and blend them with the chopped apricots and ginger (you can add in the blender some zest as well if you’re using organic oranges). Place the cream inside the pancakes or use half as filling and half as a topping.

NEED HELP in starting your journey toward a healthier diet and lifestyle? Let’s have a chat! Click on the button below to book your FREE diet evaluation call

BOOK NOW

How to start bringing more awareness into your relationship with food

First of all: what does it mean EATING WITH INTENTION? In a few words, it’s related to the idea of being truly aware of the entire process of eating and don’t only mindless getting some fuel for your body.

You have probably noticed that the ideas of mindful eating and eating with intention are named pretty much everywhere lately. I absolutely love this kind of approach, but as soon as they became trends, it also started to be difficult to have a clear idea of how to apply them in the best way in your everyday life.

During the last years, I had the chance to apply the mindfulness-based approach to myself and I have found it pretty useful, both for general life issues and for the food-related ones. But I have tried to get a bigger view of it. When I talk with my clients about this kind of approach, I often refer to it in terms like “eating with intention”, “being present”, “being conscious of your relationship with food” – I use what I have learned during my holistic studies (I hold a diploma as massage therapist, and I have started practicing yoga in 2009), paired with science, to improve their relationship with food and with themselves.

Today, I’d like to drive your attention to the idea of bringing more awareness to the entire process of eating. First, let’s change that eating with nourishing – makes much more sense in relation to what we are talking about! Then, you may want to ask me: what’s included in that process?

your relationship with food
your relationship with yourself (your health, well-being, mind, and body)
what you choose to eat
your approach to grocery shopping
your approach to cooking
how you prepare your food
what you choose to put on your table
how you eat
your approach to the different meals
your relationship with dieting or ideal perfection guidelines or detox, etc…
your idea of healthy eating
how stress or a busy life affect your relationship with food
eating well seen as a form of self-respect
any food-related issue

Let’s get practical with an example.

WHY WHEN YOU’RE STRESSED YOU COOK AND EAT AN ENTIRE CAKE ALL BY YOURSELF?

Eating well is a form of SELF-RESPECT. But ALSO understand the real reason why when you’re stressed you cook and eat an entire cake all by yourself is a form of self-respect. I could stay here every day telling you that eating an entire cake all at once is not healthy, how much sugar there is inside it, what happens in your body, etc… BUT if you don’t start to be more AWARE, things will remain the same.

I have always been the kind of person who puts all her energy and focus on what she does and I truly don’t think that this will ever change. But I have learned how to manage it better and how to take care of myself since I have seen on myself how much is difficult to stop before burning out. Now, I am definitely more aware of my body and its needs. BUT I also accept that sometimes I won’t be 100% connected with my body and that’s fine. I know that I’M TRYING TO DO MY BEST.

Something changes inside you when you decide to RESPECT yourself and your body.

ONE SIMPLE CHANGE that can help you on this pathway: start to bring more AWARENESS into your everyday activities. When we start to be more PRESENT, many things suddenly become much more clear. For example:

you stop making everything so hard for you
you want to know the real reason why when you’re stressed you cook and eat an entire cake all by yourself
you want to understand better why you are choosing to eat a specific food over another one

When you cook, eat, pack your lunch for the office, decide what to prepare for dinner, go for grocery shopping… really BE THERE. Connect with your food – really taste, smell, savour and appreciate it.

… remember: to get the best results, keep your mind open and allow changes to happen!

Mince Pies

(read in Italian)

It’s that time of the year, the festive season is in full swing and I’ve made some mince pies! I have finally decided to make my own version of these cute little tarts and share it with you. I love to create and publish real recipes from my kitchen, so they need to be something we can truly enjoy at home, not just a meal good for sharing a pretty picture. For this one has been the same, it’s a combination of taste, festive feeling and ingredients both me and my better half like. I hope you’ll enjoy these sweets as much as we do: to get the most out of the spiced filling, serve them warm – the ginger, cinnamon and mandarin peel give a perfect festive taste to these mince pies.

If you need to swap a few ingredients, here there are some suggestions I can share because I’ve tried them: you can use orange peel instead of mandarin, or even swap peel+lemon for the juice of 1 orange – you can also use tahini or cashew butter to replace almond butter.

DSC_0204 (2)

DSC_0197 (2)

Mince Pies

Ingredients (makes 12-14 mince pies)

for the filling:

2 medium-sized apples (sweet, preferably cooking apples)
4 tbsp raisins
1 ½ tbsp almond butter
juice of 1 lemon
1 ½ tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp ginger powder
1 mandarin (peel, organic)

for the dough:

180 g whole grain spelt flour (you can also use whole wheat flour – go for brown rice flour if you need a gluten-free version)
25 g butter (or olive oil, 5 tbsp)
1 level tbsp dark muscovado sugar
1 tsp cinnamon powder
nut or oat drink

on top: coconut flour

To prepare the filling:

mix the grated apples (use apples grated in small pieces, not in a paste, or finely chop them) with the other ingredients and mix well. Among other ingredients listed, there’s the peel of a mandarin: use an organic one, washed and peeled – for the filling you will need the peel finely chopped. Place the mixture in a jar and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours – you can even prepare the filling 1 day in advance.

To prepare the dough:

in a bowl, mix the sugar with the melted cold butter and cinnamon. Start adding the flour and allow it to absorb all the liquid mixture (you will get a sort of crumble). Start adding some nut or oat drink in small portions – mix well with your hands and check the dough, before adding more liquid. You want a final result that doesn’t stick to the bowl or your hands. Cover the dough and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before using it.

You can use a muffin tray to make the mince pies if you don’t have one for small tarts. To cut the dough, I have used a 7.5 cm round cookie cutter for the base and a little star-shaped cutter for the top. Prepare the dough more or less thick depending on what are your preferences. Cut the rounded base for each pie and place it in the baking tray, add approx 1 tbsp of mincemeat (filling) and then add the little star on top. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes or until they start to turn golden.

Better served warm – sprinkle on top with some coconut flour. Do you have some leftover filling? Use it on top of your bowl of porridge or yogurt!

Lentil and Carrots Dahl

Another lovely idea for #meatlessmonday: a lentil soup inspired by the traditional Indian cuisine, nourishing and rich in flavour!

Chiara x

Lentil and Carrots Dahl

(serves 4)

200 g red split lentils
3 medium-sized carrots
1 large shallot (or 2 small)
4-5 sundried tomatoes
1 tsp freshly grated ginger (or 1/3 tsp ginger powder)
1 tsp turmeric powder
a pinch of cayenne pepper
½ tsp tahini per person
extra virgin olive oil or ghee

option 1: ½ tsp garam masala
option 2: ½ tsp cumin and coriander seeds, ½ tsp fennel seeds, ¼ tsp cinnamon powder, 1-2 small cloves.

Heat a little bit of olive oil in a pot over a medium heat. Add the chopped shallot and stir until turns golden. Add the lentils (previously rinsed with water using a colander) and mix well. Add the chopped sundried tomatoes and enough water to keep the lentils covered. Add also the bay leaves and crushed fennel seeds (half of the total amount that you are using for this recipe). While the lentils are cooking, keep adding water in small amounts to be sure that there won’t be water left when they will be ready, but just a nice creamy soup.

After approx. 10 minutes, add the finely chopped carrots, with turmeric, cayenne pepper, and ginger. Mix well. If you are using the garam masala mix add that too. Cook the lentils for approx. 25 minutes or until they start to become quite creamy.

If you are using the mix of spices: heat in a pan ½ tbsp of olive oil and add the cumin, coriander, fennel seeds, cinnamon, and cloves. Stir well until fragrant. You can crush them in a mortar before or after toasting them. Add your mix of spices into the dahl and mix well – remove the bay leaves.

When the dahl is ready, turn off the heat – add ½ tsp of tahini per person and mix well. Leave to rest in the covered pot for 5-10 minutes before serving. You can serve it as itself with just a little bit of olive oil on top or you can decide to use some fresh parsley and/or a dollop of yogurt as topping. You can also decide to add a few slices of fresh green chilli on top for some extra spiciness.

If you’d like to get my help in setting up solid foundations for your healthier lifestyle, here there is a thing that you can do: book your FREE DIET EVALUATION CALL

Cecina or Farinata

This is a typical Italian simple recipe (originally from Tuscany and Liguria, but you can find it in other parts of Italy as well). Just a few basic ingredients (chickpea flour, water, and extra virgin olive oil), paired together to give you this tasty result – great eaten straight from the oven, or reheated, or even cold. It’s a versatile food – good as a snack, or paired with a salad/soup for lunch, or as part of a savory breakfast… why not?

There was this little vegetarian and vegan cafè in between my house and the college in Bologna, and sometimes I was stopping by to grab something for lunch: almost every day they had freshly made super thin cecina and it was so good! Light and nourishing, perfect for a busy afternoon spent studying or working in the lab.

So, here there is my recipe for cecina. This is one of the recipes that I often share with my clients, it’s perfect when you are busy, but at the same time, you want to stay healthy and get your nutrients.

Cecina (or Farinata)

Ingredients:

200 g chickpea flour
500 ml water
1 tsp ground black pepper (even better if it’s freshly cracked)
3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
a pinch of salt
fennel seeds, ground cumin or other spices (optional)

In a mixing bowl, add the water and spices, then slowly add the flour using a whisk to mix everything really well (to prevent lumps of flour). Leave to rest for at least 30 min, but even a couple of hours or overnight if possible (if you leave it to rest overnight you may (depending on the temperature of the room) have to add a little bit of water before baking since chickpea flour absorb water easily). Mix well again before baking and add 1 tbsp of olive oil. Place on a baking tray – the result should be thin, between 1-1.5 cm and 2-3 cm. You can use some baking paper or those reusable non-stick trays since tends to stick a lot to the pan – or you can add some oil on the bottom of a non-stick baking tray. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C until there is a nice golden crust (a few minutes before taking it out from the oven, add on top some olive oil and spread it all over the surface, then put it back in the oven – that’s optional, but adds a nice extra flavor). Allow to cool well before removing from the pan (if you are using baking paper, remove the paper+food and place on a cooling rack). It will keep well in the fridge for 2-3 days.

You can prepare the plain version first, then try adding different spices to the mixture or spinach or carrots or courgettes, for example. If you add vegetables inside the batter, add them just before baking.

Alternatively, you can decide to top your cecina with some sauteed spinach or chard or kale or cavolo nero (any other similar dark green leafy vegetables will work well). Prepare your sautéed greens in a pan with a little bit of olive oil, chilli flakes or cayenne pepper, and black pepper – it will take a few minutes for them to be ready (chop them finely before or after cooking). You can also add some crumbled goat cheese or feta or chopped cashews for a dairy-free option. Try also this combination: yogurt, baked pumpkin, capers, and fresh thyme: delicious!