Adjustments

I'll be back soon, just few more days to figure out the whole beginning-of-the-semester craziness (and lack of internet at home).

In the meantime, sleep and eat and have fun for me!

Baked Egg and Spinach

Since I'm totally incapable of doing a poached egg, I've tried another way. No skills required!

Ingredients (for one)

1 Egg

frozen Spinach

(enough to fill the ramekin)

black Pepper, Salt

and Nutmeg to taste

1 small Garlic clove, minced

extra-virgin Olive Oil

skim Milk

2 slices of whole-wheat Bread

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Oil the ramekin. Sauté the garlic in olive oil until lightly brown. Add the spinach and cook them for 2-3 minutes or until completely defrosted.

2. When wilted, spoon into a colander and press out any liquid. Then mix in a bowl with the milk, a good grating of nutmeg, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Put the spinach into the ramekin.

3. Crack the egg into the ramekin, and pour around a little of the extra milk. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper, then bake on a tray for about 20 minutes, until the whites are set and yolks are done. Meanwhile, toast the bread.

Enjoy!

My recipe for the contest Eggs in Smoking by Gustosamente


For further information:


Gustosa...mente
Scacco Alle Regine

(Not Only) Food Confessions

1. I make that face 100.000.000 times a day

2. I really can't stand guacamole

3. I drink milk and eat yogurt beyond the expiration date (a lot of times!)

4. I'm just not really into savory breakfasts

5. I've never eaten pumpkin pie and I discovered oatmeal last fall

6. I never floss. Ops

7. I find boring the majority of subjects that I have to study (database science blah)

8. When I'm craving something I search recipes until I find one that uses only things that I already have in the house since I'm too lazy to go to the grocery store

9. I FAIL every time I try to do a poached egg

10. I have teeny tiny feet for my height, so sometimes I literally fall with no apparently reason

Lovely photos from him

What about you?

Do you have secret and strange food confessions to make?

Chana Masala for Dinner

Ingredients (for 4 person)

1 1/2  cups chickpeas

2  teaspoons olive oil

1  cup chopped onion

1  tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger

1  garlic clove, minced

1/8  teaspoon salt

1/8  teaspoon ground cumin

1/8  teaspoon ground red pepper

3/4  cup organic vegetable broth

1/2  cup tomato salsa

2  tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1/8  teaspoon garam masala

Directions

1. Sort and wash the chickpeas, and place in a large saucepan. Cover with water to 2 inches above chickpeas; bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes or until tender. Drain.

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, ginger, and garlic to pan; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in salt, cumin, and pepper; cook 1 minute. Add chickpeas, broth, and tomato; cook 5 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Remove from heat; stir in chopped cilantro and garam masala.

Recipe from cooking light

***

I also made Garam Masala from scratch, since I couldn't find it at the grocery store. It's actually kinda fun!

Easy Garam Masala

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom

1 1/2 teaspoons ground pepper

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions

1. Mix cumin, coriander, cardamom, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in a bowl. Place mix in an airtight container, and store in a cool, dry place.

***

Lunch was yummy too

Inside-Out Tortellini

with Spinach,

Parmigiano,

Ricotta

and Cottage Cheese

***

Now I'm off to some yoga while watching a movie. Resolutions respected!

(Vegan!) Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies

Succeeding in vegan baking is so satisfactory. Because is challenging, because I've never use a egg replacer before, because my whole house smelled delicious for the entire afternoon (ok, that also with non-vegan baking!).

The original recipe comes from here, I made some substitutions and halved the recipe for lack of confidence in the result, I basically didn't want to have to eat a whole batch of meeeh cookies (in any case I always have my brother who could eat anything)

Vegan Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies

Ingredients

1 Cup vegan margarine, softened

1 3/4 Cup Brown Sugar, packed

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Egg replacer for 2 eggs

1 1/4 Cups whole-wheat Flour

2 tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

3 Cups Oats (rolled)

1 1/2 Cups Raisins

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large mixing bowl, beat margarine, brown sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add egg replacer eggs and beat until well blended.

2. In another bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.

3. Gradually add to margarine mixture until well blended. Stir in oats, raisins.

4. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or a nonstick cookie sheet) drop the dough by 1/4 cupfuls and pat down slightly. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Let stand for 3 minutes before removing from baking sheet.

(Makes 2 dozen giant cookies)

It's a really simple and fast recipe IF you live in the civilized world and you can find flax seeds already grounded for make the egg replacer. Since I don't, I had to do this before:



Not funny. At all!

***

Now I'm off to watch Gossip Girl eating a giant cookie, great way to reward my hard wok =)

A Pasta recipe and weekly resolutions

Eggplant and Chickpeas Spaghetti

Ingredients (for one)

80 gr whole wheat Spaghetti

1/2 Eggplant, sliced

Chickpeas (as many as you like it)

extra-virgin Olive Oil

1 Shallot, sliced

Tomato Sauce

Parsley to taste

Chili Pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven at 350°. Bake the eggplant slices, brushed with oil, until tender. In the same tin bake the chickpeas, until crispy.

2. Meanwhile, boil the spaghetti and prepare a simple tomato salsa with the shallot, sauté in the oil, and the remaining ingredients.

3. Mix well the eggplant, chickpeas and the salsa with the drained spaghetti. Serve and enjoy!

Weekly Resolutions

1. Daily cup of green tea (again!)

2. Daily yoga (at least 10 minutes)

3. FLOSSING!

***

I'm off to some serious blogs reading. I'll share a yummy cookies recipe tomorrow (nothing ever seen, tough =)

Banana Bread

When bananas are more brown than yellow, make banana bread!

Ingredients

2  cups  whole wheat flour
3/4  teaspoon  baking soda
1/2  teaspoon  salt
1  cup brown sugar
1/4  cup  butter, softened
2  large eggs
1 1/2  cups  mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1/3  cup  plain low-fat yogurt
1  teaspoon  vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.



2. Place sugar and butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist.



3. Spoon batter into an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light