Panzanella

Panzanella is one of my favorite Italian dishes! Super easy to make, plus it's fresh, light, and healthy! Heirloom tomatoes add color to the dish, the croutons add crunch, and the cheese ties everything together! You've got to try this, it's the perfect summer dish!

Ingredients:
Crusty bread
Olive oil
Garlic Powder
Salt & pepper
Heirloom tomatoes (they come in all varieties of shapes and colors!)
Fresh mozzerella
Fresh basil

For the croutons, start by preheating your oven to 350. On a sheet pan, break the bread into pieces (about a half inch for each piece). Lay them on the pan in an even layer. Drizzle bread with olive oil, dust with garlic powder, and sprinkle on desired amount of salt. Bake in the over for about 10 minutes until lightly bown and crispy. In a large bowl, dice up all different colored heirloom tomatoes (same size as bread, about a half inch thick). Then dice the cheese the same way and add it in with the tomatoes. Finely chop the basil and add that in, along with some olive oil, salt, & pepper. Toss to combine all the flavors. Finally, add in the croutons and toss together well. Serve & enjoy!



Spaghettini Con Fungi

I'm not usually a "fancy" cook, but the mushrooms from the farmer's market looked WAY too good to pass up! I just love the combo of wild mushrooms with the delicate shallots all brought together by the wine. You will deffinately impress your family and friends with this delicious pasta!

Ingredients:

Spaghetti
mixed wild mushrooms
Garlic
Shallots
Olive oil
White wine (I used an Italian Pinot Grigio, but any mild white wine would work)
Salt
Chili flakes
Parmisean cheese

In a large pot, cook spaghetti according to package directions. In a sautee pan, heat olive oil on medium to medium high. Add the chopped garlic, sliced shallots, and mushrooms. Sautee until mushrooms are tender and oil is absorbed by the mushrooms. Add white wine. The wine will deglase the pan and create a fabulous sauce. Drain the spaghetti and add it to the pan with the rest of the ingredients. Add salt and chili flakes. Combine well and continue to cook until most of the wine sauce is absorbed. Serve imediately topped with parmisean cheese. Enjoy!



Spring Herb Salad

I'm all about eating what's in season! I'm so glad we're finally in Spring, so I can go from eating heavy, hearty foods to light and fresh foods! This salad is a gorgeous, simple salad! It doesn't get much fresher than this! It's great as a side dish and it's absolutely perfect for this wonderful weather!

Ingredients:

Dressing:
White wine vinigar
Honey
Olive oil

Salad:
Spring mixed greens
Fresh mint
Fresh thyme
Fresh rosemary
Fresh pasley
Fresh majoram
Grapes (I used Muscat, because they are in season and very sweet!)

For the dressing, just combine equil amounts of the 3 ingredients in a dish and whisk until combined. Set aside. In a salad bowl, combine the mixed greens and all the herbs (chopped). Top with sliced grapes. Spoon on the dressing, toss, and enjoy!



Chilaquiles Fritatta



Chilaquiles is probably one of my FAVORITE Mexican dishes of all time! If you've never had it, you're missing out! Basically, it's a mix of "scrap foods" fried up in a pan with some leftover tortillas. One day, I was thinking about something yummy to make for breakfast, but I was also craving Mexican food. Then, I had the genious idea to make a Mexican Fritatta, Chilaquiles style! This version is MUCH healthier too by the way!!!

Ingredients:

Cooking spray

Black beans

Tomatoes

Frozen corn

Corn tortillas

Shredded cheddar cheese

Egg whites

Your favorite brand of hot sauce

Guacamole (topping)

Very soft avocado

Jalapeno peppers

Salt

For the guacamole, just blend the avocado, peppers, and desired amount of salt in a blender until smooth. Set aside. Preheat your oven to 375. Add the rinsed beans, diced tomatoes, frozen corn, cheese and egg whites into a mixing bowl and mix together until all the ingredients are combined. Spray a casserol dish with cooking spray, then pour the mixture in. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes at the set tempurature. Then, change the oven setting to broil and continue to cook for 5 more minutes, or until the top gets crispy and slightly brown. Let cool for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Top with guacamole, then enjoy!

Ponzu Lettuce Wraps

 

When you think of mock ground beef, you probably don't think about pleasant things. But you might be suprised at how similar the morning star brand is to the taste and texture of real beef! Make it for your friends and family, but don't tell them it's made out of soy, see if they even notice! I bet they wont!

Ingredients:
Head of lettuce
Mock ground beef
Olive oil
soy sauce
lemon juice
Ginger powder
Chili paste (optional)
Carrots
Mushrooms
Onions
Cashews
Water chestnuts

When prepping, dice all your veggies very small. Heat a pan on Medium. Add olive oil and all the veggies. Sautee the veggies for about 3 minutes, then add the mock beef. Combine by stirring. Then add the soy sauce, lemon juice, chili paste, and ginger powder. Stir for about a minute longer. Then turn off heat and remove from the burner. Set aside until it cools slightly. Break off pieces of lettuce to use as serving cups. Serve some of the filling into each lettuce cup, and enjoy!



Cheesy Stuffed Mushrooms

I never understand people who don't like mushrooms. They are BY FAR one of my favorite veggies! This is a simple Italian recipe that will make even mushroom haters into mushroom lovers! Great as an appetizer, snack, or lunch! It's a must-try recipe!

Ingredients:

Small portabello mushrooms
Fontina cheese
Parmisean cheese
Scallions
Bread crumbs
Dry Italian herbs
Olive oil
Cooking spray
Marinara

Preheat your oven to 375. Carefuly remove the stems from the mushrooms, leaving a perfect little hole in the middle of the mushrooms for stuffing. Place each mushroom on a baking sheet with cooking spray. In a bowl, combine shredded fontina, diced scallions, and a dash of olive oil. Stuff the mushrooms as full as you can with the stuffing. Top with bread crumbs, parmisean, and Italian herbs. Bake in the oven for about 12 minutes, or until the mushrooms are softened and the top is crispy. Serve with a side of marinara for dipping and enjoy!



Vegetarian Sub Sandwich

I've been attemping to take my own dinner to work lately, instead of just ordering all the food I normally get with enough calories in it to kill a cow! This is one of my favorite! Bring a sandwich to work reminds me of being in school again! All the other kids always ask me about it with curiousity! This sandwich is amazing! And so simple!

Ingredients:
Whole wheat sub style bread/ hot dog bun
Light mayo
Dijon mustard
Avocado
Tomato
Swiss cheese
Cucumbers
Alphalfa sprouts