"I got 99 problems but a meal ain't 1"
Self-Taught Vegan Chef :: Food Network Champion :: TV Host
I think what turns people off the most about cooking is the cleanup. Honestly, it gets to me too. As someone who lives on their own and cooks for herself, its the cleanup that tires me. Because of this I try to develop recipes that are simple and don’t require multiple pots and pans. I …
I went to Italy last month – hold up – you didn’t know?! You haven’t seen my 89485948 pics?! Haha!
I visited Italy with my family when I was 6 years old, and although it was a beautiful country then as it is now, we didn’t exactly have a ‘beautiful’ experience. We experienced quite a bit of discrimination because of the color of our skin – weird, eh? So I was left with a very bad taste in my mouth at a very young age. That being said, I was hesitant to travel to Italy this time, but figured I’d give it a shot. One of my good friends had been living in Bologna, and obviously my foodie 6th senses perked up.
Bologna is among some of the foodiest cities in Italy, next to Modena and Parma. I ate my way through Bologna and made my way down to the Amalfi Coast cities. Let me mention at this point – I did not face any discrimination. Italian thought I was either Spanish (Espanola) or Sicilian or just didn’t know, haha!
In Sorrento, we discovered a delicious store that specialized in products of Umbria. Some of Umbria’s specialties include truffles, and black truffles were in season for the summer. So obviously I had to buy some! What I really wanted to do was shave them in my mouth, but I decided to act like a civilized human being, buy a jar and leave.
Truffles are generally very strong, but these fresh truffles are very fragrant – have a subtle truffle flavor, softer texture, and are just all around delicious. I decided to make a simple orzo with these.
Lemon-Garlic Orzo with Black Truffle
1. Place water in a medium pot, spray with a bit of PAM and set over high heat to bring to a boil. Pour in orzo and allow to cook.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, add in all of the ingredients except for the olive oil. Whisk together. While slowly whisking, pour in the olive oil until dressing is emulsified and combined.
3. Once the orzo is al dente, strain out the water (but save it!) and place the cooked orzo directly in the bowl of dressing, add in a couple of slices of truffle, and lemon zest and toss to coat. Taste for salt.
4. Serve on its own, with toasted ciabatta, or over arugula!
Avocado Sauce: 1 ripe avocado – diced 1-2 cloves of garlic handful of fresh basil 1 jalapeno juice from 1/2 a lemon salt pepper Pasta Ingredients: 1 cup whole-wheat penne 1 cup French beans – diced 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes – sliced in quarters 1 tsp lemon zest salt fresh black pepper Olive Oil PAM …
I think orzo is underrated. It cooks really fast and acts and taste just like regular pasta, which means its absorbs any of the goodness you add to it. I also think it’s really versatile, which means it doesn’t have to be just Italian. That being said, I made a super simple Mediterranean Orzo with …
I think if someone asked me what my favorite simple pasta dish was I’d probably say Oil n’ Garlic (or vodka or pesto or pink sauce, etc etc..EVERYTHING). No, but really – I love Oil n’Garlic pasta. It’s garlicky, and smooth and when topped with parmigiana cheese -adds just the right amount of salt. One …
(Image Source) How many times have you heard this from a friend who’s trying to lose weight before the summer or just in general? Honestly, I find it silly. I feel like people aren’t aware of the way foods can be made healthy, so they just avoid it. I’m not a certified dietician or …
If you haven’t noticed by now I love bold flavors and especially onions and garlic. This pasta salad recipe is a whole new take on the traditional Italian cold pasta dish. No more boring packet vinaigrettes or raw veggies in your salad. Plus this is a great way to have a fast lunch at home …