Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Strawberry-Orange Muffin

What better way to celebrate Spring (and to use some need-to-be-eaten-soon Strawberries)?


Ingredients

  • 1 1/4  cups halved strawberries

  • 3  tablespoons margarine, melted

  • 2  teaspoons grated orange rind

  • 2  large eggs

  • 1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour

  • 1 1/4 cups brown sugar

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • Cooking spray

  • 2  teaspoons sugar

Directions


1. Preheat oven to 400°.


2. Combine first 4 ingredients in a blender, and process just until blended. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, 1 1/4 cups sugar, baking powder, and salt. 


3. Add strawberry mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons sugar. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Remove from pan immediately.
Enjoy!


(recipe founded googling Strawberry Muffin)
***
Lately, my friends are loving me more and more since most of my bakery creations go directly into their tummies. Living alone, it's not safe for me stay at home with the company of twelve freshly baked muffins, ah ah!

Monday, March 21, 2011

Brownies

Quick brownies recipe adapted from Cooking Light


I also tried to make a vegan version of it but it was a huge FAIL, since they didn't cook well and were way too ooey gooey. I really appreciate if you could suggest me a good vegan brownies recipe!


Fudgy Brownies



Ingredients

1 cup Whole-Wheat Flour 

1/2 cup unsweetened Cocoa

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1/3 cup Butter

2 ounces dark Chocolate, chopped

(I used Chocolate-chips)

1 cup Brown Sugar

1/4 cup low-fat Milk

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

2 large Egg Yolks

1 large Egg

Cooking spray





Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, cocoa, and
salt in a medium bowl; stir with a whisk.

3. Place butter and chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl, and microwave at high for 45
seconds, stirring every 15 seconds. Stir until smooth, and set aside. Cool slightly. Add 1 cup sugar,
milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, egg yolks, and egg; stir with a whisk to combine. Add butter mixture
to flour mixture, stirring just until combined. 

4. Pour batter into an 8-inch square metal baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean. 

Enjoy! I surely did =)

They were even better the day after...

***

If you have a yummy vegan recipe for brownies, I'd love to try to make this!

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Brown Irish Soda Bread


I wanted to do something irish for St. Patrick's day this year (besides drinking waay too much cider, since I can't stomach bier). The recipe is easy, but since I replaced some ingredients (I couldn't find buttermilk anywhere here!), it came out a little too doughy, nothing too bad that a good splash of almond butter can't resolve, though! 

It's also quite fast and I literally made it while getting ready for going to a photography exposition. I photograph it in the morning though, to avoid that horrible yellow light; I know, I could have use my lightbox but I was running late =)

Brown Irish Soda Bread


Ingredients


  • 2 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour 

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1/2  cup  steel-cut oats (I used rolled oats)

  • 2  tablespoons  brown sugar

  • 1  tablespoon  wheat germ

  • 1  teaspoon  baking soda

  • 1  teaspoon  baking powder

  • 1/2  teaspoon  salt

  • 2  cups  low-fat buttermilk (I used soy milk, since I only had that)

  • 1  large egg, lightly beaten

Directions


1. Preheat oven to 325°.
2. Coat a 9 x 5–inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Line the pan with parchment paper, and coat with cooking spray.
3. Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flours and next 6 ingredients (through salt). Combine buttermilk and egg; add to flour mixture. Stir just until combined.
4. Spoon the mixture into prepared pan. Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Invert bread onto a wire rack; cool completely. 
Enjoy!
***

Theoretically in Italy no one celebrate St Patrcik's day, especially this year that coincided with the 150 anniversary of the unification of Italy. But...

  • One of my best friend is half-irish
  • I couldn't care less about the anniversary
(recipe from cooking light)

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Let the picture do the talk

Just a picture to induce you to this addicting Roasted Maple and Cinnamon Almond Butter. You won't regret it, I'll assure you!


I love cooking at night, while watching movies, after a long afternoon of studying statistics. It's really a stress-reliever for me..

What's yours? 

I really need some more ideas in this period =)

Monday, March 14, 2011

Non-stop day

I just stopped for making this yummy lunch with the pecorino cheese I purchased a week ago at the farmer market but that I forgot at home, it was still fresh, though! 


Sometimes, ok many times, I wish I would already be graduated. Classes are hard but the thing that I'm sick of most it's the huge amount of time spent studying, writing essays and recopy notes... It's absorbing all my time, and this semester I don't have a single subject that I really like!

I'm curious...

What do you study? Or do you have a work?

I'd like to find some balance between school, life and blogging, so I'll appreciate if you'll share your experience!

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Soba, Tofu and Broccoli Stir-Fry


Ingredients (for one)

80 gr Soba Noodles

1 small Carrot, chopped 

2 handful frozen Broccoli

Soy sprouts

90 gr firm Tofu, diced

extra-virgin Olive Oil

Soy Sauce

Directions

1. In a small pan heat the oil, add the chopped carrot and let cook for 3-5 minutes, adding some water if necessary. Meanwhile, defrost the broccoli in the microwave.

2. In the same pan add the diced tofu and the soy sprouts, season with soy sauce to taste. Cook until tofu and carrots are lightly brown. In the meantime, grill the broccoli for 3-4 minutes.

3. Cook the noodles in a large pot of salted water until al dente, following the package directions. Drain and season with the tofu mix and the grilled broccoli.

Enjoy!


























I actually ate this with a fork since I'm totally incapable of using chopsticks! 

(As you notice it was a sunny day, now it's raining, sooo depressing)

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Diary of college life II


Every week a different problem, in the hope to find a sooo needed balance between all the things going on!
Today I'll write about balancing an exercise schedule with extremely demanding classes.

Exercising your wrist writing paper shouldn't be your only workout!

That's though, I know. Finding the time for working out while you have to go to classes until 6 p.m. and then you have a huge quantity of papers to write or assignments to make (and then you have a life, read: hanging out with friends) is not easy, at all. It's more easy to just let the working out slip at the end of the list of things you'd like to do in your spare time (if you're so lucky to have some!). But they told "Mens sana in corpore sano" and, at the end, no one want to become a bookworm.

So, I'd like to share some tips with you to find a balance; some of them are direct experience and well tested, others are still in the work in progress phase, but I know they are good for me (and you too!)

1. All Counts : If you live in a small city or in a campus where your classes are scattered all over, consider walking from one class to another as part of your workout. You're moving your legs, by the way. If you begin to consider this a section of the exercising of the day, you won't be too frustrated at the end of the day if you couldn't do nothing else!

2. The elliptical machine will be your new best friend : it's deadly boring, so why don't maximizing your time and studying or revising while ellipticating? The time really fly away and you could do 60 minutes  workout and be ready for the tomorrow test all at once!

3. Less is more : squeeze in mini workout through the day, do some yoga in the morning and before going to bed, lift some weight between commercials while watching TV, do chores... all counts, remember?

4. Walk! I don't usually do this, but my boyfriend walk while repeating aloud lessons all the time. Although he doesn't do this for exercising related reasons, this could be a great way for moving a little.

5. Take a pause. One week before finals I don't exercise at all (read I don't go to the gym or to run, I continue to walk however!). I know this could sound like a blasphemy to most, but in my opinion, lose a week of exercises is a lot better than fail an exam because you needed to go to the gym every day for one hour! Giving your body a rest from the gym or hard workouts while your mind is so busy for studying it doesn't sound a bad idea to me! 

And after the exam? 

Just go for a nice run, what a better thing to relieve all the accumulated stress? (except celebrate with friends, but that's another deal =)

***

I'd really like to read your strategies and tips, pointing out that waking up at 5.45 a.m. (or even 7 a.m., for that matters) for a workout is not an option in my case =)

Wednesday, March 09, 2011

Whole wheat Apple Cake

Studying or baking? That is the problem!


Monday evening I clearly chose the second option and baked a cinnamon-smelling Apple Cake (I absolutely love when my home smells like cakes and cookies, that's not so difficult since my home is very tiny =)


I also believe that baking is the perfect complement of a movie that you're not so interested in (I was watching The Queen that night)


Whole Wheat Apple Cake

Ingredients

2 big Apples, sliced

2 tbsp Raisin

175 gr whole wheat flour

125 ml Soy Milk

100 gr Brown Sugar

1 Egg

1 tbsp Pine Nuts

1/2 tbsp Lemon Juice

16 gr Baking Powder

Cinnamon to taste 

Directions

1. Soak the raisin in warm water to soften it.

2. In a large bowl, beat the egg and the sugar and then add the milk. Gradually add the flour and when well mixed add the pine nuts, the lemon juice, cinnamon and the drained raisin.

3. Mix the baking powder to the batter and, as last thing, add the apples.

4. Pour the batter in a baking tin (24-26 cm), lightly oiled and floured. Bake in the preheated oven at 180 grades for 35 minutes.

Serve and enjoy! It's amazing the day after as breakfast with warm milk.

This recipe could be easily made vegan, just replace the egg with an egg replacer (no pun intended!), as 1 tbsp of grounded flax seeds with warm water.

Monday, March 07, 2011

Sunday Lunch

Sometimes I'm glad to be home at the weekend when I return home and my mom made this for lunch.


Kale, Savoy Cabbage, White Beets and Ricotta Cheese Quiche 

with whole wheat crispy crust

I'll share the recipe soon!

Sunday, March 06, 2011

(Vegan!) Chocolate-chip Cookies

For direct request of my brother, I made Chocolate-chip Cookies (sshhh, don't tell him they are vegan!)


The recipe is adapted from Oh she glows, I omitted the nuts since I'm allergic (damn!) and made some other adjustments since I were out of some ingredients and I was too lazy to walk all the way to the grocery store =)

(Vegan!) Chocolate-chip Cookies


Ingredients

1/2 cup Margarine, at room temperature

3/4 cup brown sugar (lightly packed)


1/2 tbsp grounded Flax + 3 tbsp warm water

1 tsp vanilla extract (I did not have it)

1 and 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2-3/4 cup dark chocolate chips 

Directions







1. In a small bowl whisk together grounded flax with water and set aside for several minutes.
2. In a large bowl, beat the Margarine for about 60 seconds until smooth. Now add in the brown sugar (making sure there are no clumps). Beat for 4 minutes.
3. Place vanilla extract into the egg replacer mixture and stir well (I obviously did not do this!). Now add this mixture to the Margarine and Sugar mixture and beat for another 3-4 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula every minute or so. 
4. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt). Now gradually add this mixture to the wet mixture and mix until just combined. Add in your chocolate chips beat for a few more seconds until combined.
5. Now place the dough into a ball and cover in plastic wrap, making sure to cover all sides. Refrigerate dough overnight or for 8-12 hours. Remove from fridge and allow to come to room temperature for about 60 minutes. 
6. Roll into balls about 1.5 tbsp large and slightly flatten each ball with your hand. The more you flatten it, the bigger the cookie will spread. Place the cookies about 1.5-2 inches apart on the sheet.  Allow cookies to come to warm room temperature for an additional 5-10 minutes. 
7. Bake for 10 minutes at 350F until slightly golden around the edges with a pale centre. Let sit on the sheet for 5-10 minutes before removing from pan. The cookies will firm up quite a bit so not to worry if they are initially soft. (I would totally  freak out if I wouldn't have read this part, since my cookies were soooo soft!)

What is your favorite flavor of Cookies? 

Friday, March 04, 2011

Certosa Cheese Tower for lunch

Coming home after classes and not eating the first thing that cross my eyes is a really hard challenge. I was glad I waited, since my lunch was so perfectly cheesy (and it's actually also really fast to assemble!)

Certosa Cheese and Zucchini Tower


Ingredients

1 Zucchina, sliced

60 gr Certosa Cheese

extra-virgin Olive Oil

60 gr Quinoa




























Directions

1. Eat a grill. Brush the zucchina slices with olive oil and put them on the grill to cook (about 6-7 minutes) turning them from time to time.

2. Meanwhile, cook the quinoa in boiling salted water (15 minutes).

3. When the slices are done cooking, spread the cheese between the slices. Put in the pre-heated oven just to let the cheese melt (2-3 minutes).

4. Serve with quinoa and lamb's lettuce. Enjoy!


Attention cheese lovers, it's addicting!

Speaking of cheese...

What is your favorite?

Thursday, March 03, 2011

Diary of college life I

This week I started the second semester of my last year of college, after my exchange with Belgium. I didn't expected that it would have been so hard to re-start all the things again (classes, assignments and so on). I literally felt so overwhelmed by the things that needed to be done, studied (already in the first week!), all the documents that I had to fill after the exchange, the hardest classes that I've ever followed, a thesis to write... To not mention the fact that, living alone, I needed to deal with all the housekeeping related things, and I had so little time to do the things that I love (photography, cooking, running, sleeping...).  All this is driving me crazy!!

So I thought it could have been a nice stress-reliever to share my worries and experience (and some tips too!) on the blog. Every week a different problem, in the hope to find a sooo needed balance between all the things going on!

Dilemma #1

I graduated, and now?

Well, I didn't graduated yet, but I couldn't help but wonder what to do after that day. Apply for a Master abroad? Find a job? Take an year off to pursue my newly born passion for photography and cooking? The options are quite (and frightening) unlimited.

After a lot of thinking and talking with anyone able to give me an advice (note to self: too much different advices are definitely not good for clear your thinking!), I came up with this, a mix of personal ideas and tips in the hope to clear my mind and, maybe, to help some of you too!

1. Do what you like. Seriously. 
The problem? 

You don't know how do you like to do (or better you don't think that it could be a job). 

( Solution at the point 2)

2. Do what you liked to do when you was a child. Sure, your abilities and ideas change over time, but why the hell I want to do a Master in Mathematics if I've never been that good with numbers, and I didn't even consider a Master in Organization and Event Management since organizing is the thing that I do better (and enjoy most, even when I was a child!)

3. Break the rules. Since I study Economics, I thought it was natural to pursue a career in this field or in Statistic. I was afraid (and still am) that changing field and therefore completely changing the way I see my future job (and myself too) meant failing. Right now I think I'll be happy even if I won't never have a Phd.

4. Don't limit yourself to do well what you are doing, but ask yourself if this is what you really want to do. I need to remind this every day. I'm really good in what I'm studying now, I got good grades and all those things, but this is not making me happy, so why is so hard to change the plan that I had in my head about my future (Master in Economics and Phd)?

So that's it, pretty messy eh?

I would really appreciate if you could tell me your point of view, experience or whatever! Either if you have the same doubts, either if you have already successfully answer the question and are now happy with your choice!

Wednesday, March 02, 2011

Lentil Dal and Confessions (part II)

Lentil Dal


Since in my college city the lack of indian restaurants (or of any ethnic restaurants, for that matter) is embarrassing and I was craving so bad some spicy indian food, I made a uber-easy lentil dal which made my night (that and an absolutely not scary horror film, and usually even CSI scares me, to be clear!).


Ingredients (for one)

230 gr Lentils

1 small Shallot, sliced

1 small Garlic clove, minced

extra-virgin Olive Oil

1/4 tsp of Ginger

1/4 tsp Turmeric

1/4 tsp Garam Masala

Salt to taste

Directions

1. In a small pot, sauté the shallot in some olive oil for 3 minutes until lightly brown. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute.

2. Add the lentils and some water (it should just cover the lentils). Add the spices and the salt. Mix well.

3. Let it cook until the water is completely absorbed, being careful not to let the lentils excessively attack to the pot.

4. Meanwhile, boil some brown rice (60-70 gr) in a pot of salted boiling water for 18 minutes or until al dente.

5. Serve and enjoy!


***

It's that day of the week! 


More food (and not only) confessions are coming!

So here they are (missed the first week?), ready to confess your secret behavior or strange food habits (just in the hope to discover you are not the only one =)

My turn:

1. I could eat pizza every day. Seriously. Every day. Actually, before my boyfriend came to live with me (he can cook sooo well), I ate pizza almost 4 times a week. 

2. About that pizza, with ice-cream, they are also my fav foods. I'm aware I have the tastes of a 5-year-old.

3. I hate swimming since I hate put my head under the water. And I'm also terribly afraid of sharks (I know, random).

4. I love when I can walk all day long and consider it my workout for the day.

5. I ate PB straight from the jar. And granola too. And I search for humongous cluster as first thing.

6. I study statistic and econometrics and mathematics but most of the times I count with my finger.

That's it. Your turn! 

(Please join me with the number 5!)