These banana caramel cream mini pies are so easy to whip up using ready made pastry shells. The caramel flavor comes from the coconut sugar and goes so well with bananas. I found these ready made “lingue di gatto” (cat’s tongues) pastry shells at our local pastry shop-cafe’ “Mr. C” in Monza. Graham cracker pie shells would work well here too. Continue reading
We had this simple but delicious seafood salad right on the beach at the Serenval Beach Club restaurant in Finale Ligure. The Mediterranean breeze, a piece of Ligurian focaccia and this salad were enough for a memorable light meal. Continue reading
These little avocado sandwiches are topped with a special cashew cream hummus and cherry tomatoes. Another perfect hot weather treat! Continue reading
This cold salmon trout pasta is perfect in hot weather especially now when the thermometer is reaching almost 40 degrees C. (100 F) around here! It’s also easy to prepare ahead of time and even serve it the next day. You could easily substitute the trout with tuna, shrimp or practically any cooked fish. Continue reading
These Deep Chocolate Chickpea Cupcakes are completely vegan – no dairy or eggs . They have nothing to lose though in flavor or texture. In addition they’re packed with protein provided by the chickpea flour, almond meal and almond milk. And they’re so easy to make, just combine and beat together the dry and wet ingredients. I whipped them up before breakfast and in 20 minutes they were out of the oven. And they’re healthy enough for breakfast too. Continue reading
Actually this blueberry peach tart is easier than pie – literally! I even used a pizza pan to bake it in since the fruit is spread out more and consequently the bottom of the crust stays crisper. The buckwheat crust lends a pleasantly nutty flavour and the juicy peaches and blueberries pair together perfectly. Other than less gluten in the crust the filling too uses practically no sugar – only a touch of maple syrup to bring out the natural sweetness of the fruit. Perfect with a dollop of whipped cream on top. Continue reading
These little mini cheesecakes make a perfect and easy to serve dessert for the Fourth of July. The fresh berries add a refreshing splash of color too. Continue reading
These Lemon Tarts could be considered the Italian cousin of Lemon Meringue Pie (minus the meringue). The big difference here is the crust which is a sweet pastry crust as opposed to regular pie crust. Of course you could bake it in a regular pie pan and cover it with meringue if you wish although it seems more refreshing on its own. Continue reading
I got this Whiting Way Banana Bread recipe from my son Richard which turned out to be less sweet and healthier than the classic version. It uses half the amount of sugar which doesn’t take away any of the taste but rather enhances the banana flavor. The method also is slightly different and easier to make. With this hot weather and bananas ripening so quickly there couldn’t be a better way of using them. Bananas are also rich in magnesium and potassium – important minerals to include in summer. Easy, healthy, delicious – what more could you ask for in a banana bread! Continue reading
You really need a spiralizer for this spiralized vegetable pasta in order to make those thin spaghetti-like strands of vegetable. This little gadget is really handy for other quick and easy summer recipes too. By the way this dish is eaten cold so you can make it well in advance and any leftovers of course don’t require any reheating. This dish was inspired by one of Pietro Leemann’s vegan recipes. Continue reading