Author, branding and media expert, and my dear friend, Beth Nydick joins me in the Cucina this week! Beth is all about eating CLEAN - hence her book, Clean Cocktails! She shares a fun and easy spring rolls recipe with peanut sauce! And she threw in a healthy paloma recipe! Beth also shows us how to get clear on our messaging around ourselves and our brands so we can get that message out into the world!
Read MoreThis Winter Fruit Crostata is the perfect holiday dessert for people who don't think they're good at baking! It's super easy, and the whole idea is that it has a rustic, imperfect appearance to it. Also, store brought pie crust is perfectly OK!
Read MoreVegetarian main dish? Holiday side dish? Weeknight dinner? This Butternut Squash Risotto recipe covers it all! Risotto is a super simple and versatile dish that can be easily tailored to any diet or tastes! Give this seasonal butternut squash version a try!
Read MoreThanksgiving 2020 is going to look a LITTLE different. But that doesn't mean we can't celebrate and enjoy! In this video I share three new recipes for a smaller crowd! Starting with my citrus and sage roast turkey breast. A simple Italian side dish of roasted fennel. And a unique and light dessert idea of cranberry granita! These recipes can help create a delicious dinner experience regardless of who is (or isn't) around the table this year! I hope you'll give them a shot and add them to your traditional fair. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Read MoreI couldn't let Summer go by without doing a recipe using Jersey tomatoes and our sweet corn! I actually came up with this dish at the end of last Summer but we were already shooting for Fall, so I wrote it all down and tucked it away for this year! On top of the delicious flavors of fresh produce in this risotto, I like using a Summer beer instead of wine as the first splash of liquid. It's just another fun way to incorporate these late Summer flavors into a delicious dinner!
Read MoreIn my family, we like both! Sangria (like meatballs and sauce/gravy) is a very personal thing. Everyone has their way of doing it. But if you've never tried it before, here's how my family makes it! And to be honest...these recipes are just the basics. We will literally use whatever booze is in the house, whatever we're in the mood for, and usually whoever is making the sangria is drunk by the time it's ready cause they've been tasting as they go! But we always enjoy the results!
Read MoreThis quick and easy parsley based sauce is the perfect Summer condiment! Enjoy it with chicken, steak, fish or veggies! I make mine with shallot, red wine vinegar, LOTS of parsley, some fresh chives (cause they grow in the garden!) and some capers - but feel free to switch things up and swap them out to suit your tastes! Try adding in mint for a lamb dish, or some tarragon with fish - whatever is fresh and easy will work here!
Read MoreThis classic Sicilian dessert (now found all across Italy!) makes the perfect sweet treat to celebrate the good ol'U.S. of A! Granita is special because it's not flavored frozen water, but rather frozen puree of whatever you're looking for! Then it's mixed every 30-45 minutes during the freezing process, giving it its unique texture! In this video I'll show you how to make an easy mint simple syrup to flavor your granita with! Then we'll mix it with watermelon puree to make a beautiful, refreshing dessert - PERFECT for 4th of July weekend - or any time you want a light (healthy!) dessert for a hot Summer's day!
Read MoreWatch how quick and easy it is to make a healthy spinach pesto from scratch! Pestos are a great way to dress pasta, chicken, shrimp, anything really! And the best part is they're ready in minutes; the food processor handles it all for you! I make my spinach pesto with fresh baby spinach, toasted walnuts, garlic and some parmesan cheese! Rounded out with a quality olive oil and you've got a quick and easy sauce that's both healthy and delicious!
Read MorePossibly my new favorite quarantine activity is reading books ABOUT food, and then recreating dishes I've read about! While reading Andrew Cotto's "Cucina Tipica" I was left salivating by his scene around braised ceci beans. I had never heard of them! But it sounded delicious, and incredibly simple (as cucina tipica usually is!). So I did my best to recreate the dish for dinner that night - and it was SO good! I knew immediately I had to share it with all of you! Rich extra virgin olive oil bathes ceci beans and fresh herbs for a comforting dish that checks ALL the boxes! It's warming, and soothing, delicious and filling while also being INCREDIBLY healthy and immunity boosting (BONUS given the times!). I've been serving it with my focaccia bread and a big fresh salad.
Read MoreDark, leafy greens are the #1 thing Americans are missing in their diet! And I get it, not everyone likes their naturally bitter flavor. But this preparation helps soften and sweeten them, making a perfect side dish for rich, roasted meats (Hello Easter!). Sautéed garlic in oil helps reduce the bitter flavor and makes the tough leaves easier to chew and digest! Don't get me wrong, you can absolutely eat them raw, but it's not for everyone! Want more ways to layer in flavor? Try adding dried fruits like raisins or craisins, splash a little balsamic vinegar in with them, use a microplane to add in some lemon zest, and of course, a little grated parmesan doesn't hurt either!
Read MoreWith everyone clamoring over Corona virus - not to mention the time of year in general - I thought I'd bring back Health Coach Hacks and start you off with my 5 Favorite Smoothie Recipes! These easy meals help boost immunity and weight loss! NONE of them have added sugar - all sweetened with fruit by Mother Nature! They all contain healthy, whole foods that will serve your body and allow it to do what it does best - keep you WELL! And as always - feel free to start here and play with the recipes! Try different types of milk (I use almond milk in the video and at home) or even yogurt! Swap in different greens like spinach, kale, or beet greens. Try an apple or pear in place of a banana. And add in different nuts, seeds and nut butters like walnuts, almonds, pecans, sunflowers seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds! The options are endless! Enjoy all of these in good health my friends!
Read MoreThis simple Italian dish is one the best dinner you'll make all week! Four simple ingredients create an amazingly flavorful dish! Pasta aglio e olio - pasta with garlic and oil - will take all of 15 minutes to get on the table - and 10 of those are waiting for the water to boil! Chopped garlic is lightly sauteéd in extra virgin olive oil, along with some peperoncino (red pepper flakes) and then tossed with spaghetti. Done and done!
Read MoreIt was an ancient Italian tradition to give jars of figs in honey to friends and family at the start of the year to encourage sweetness in their lives - so I decided to start the year with this fig and honey jam! Easy to make, perfect as a hostess gift (or, you know, for that person who got you something that you didn't get for - oops!), and delicious all around! Watch how easy it is to make this sugar-free jam at home! I use dried figs which are easier to come by this time of year. Swap the sugar for honey to keep with tradition. And infuse the jam with vanilla! Enjoy!
Read MoreBeth Nydick has the perfect solution for your Holiday mishaps! This Morning Regrets Elixir will have you feeling better in no time! Whether you were too cheerful on Christmas, or rang the New Year in a little too hard - or even, if you wanted to start the New Year being good to yourself - here's how to do it! This coconut water drink is infused with detoxifying lime and antioxidant loaded mint! Topped with a touch of seltzer it'll settle your stomach and calm your body down so you're ready to tackle whatever the new year throws at you!
Read MoreI created this recipe out of necessity (the mother of all invention) - I needed to use up a boat load of veggies I had lying around the house! Grain bowl - done! For me, there's something about pork that just seems to go with Fall flavors so I used some Italian sausage in this dish - but it's an easy veg/vegan convert by simply omitting it from the recipe! After that, roasted squash and sweet potato come together with earthy mushrooms, savory onion, and bright zucchini - held together with farro for a chewy, nutty base! I even roasted off the squash seeds for a crunchy topping!
Read MoreWe're cooking up a Fall classic in the Cucina this week with special guest, Chef Todd Villani of Vesta Wood Fired in East Rutherford NJ! Chef gives us his take on this delicious fall dish, plus his tips for creating the most flavor, and why risotto doesn't need much added to it but love!
Read MoreSee how to cook perfect brown rice, step by step. Along with some of my other favorite whole grains! There's a lot of confusion out there around what is a whole grain, do all carbs have gluten, and how the hell do I cook them? This week's Health Coach Hack is here to answer these questions! Whole grains are just that, a whole grain. They include things like rice, corn, quinoa, millet, farro, kasha, oats and more! Some of them DO have gluten, but not all of them! And they're each loaded with vitamins, minerals and fiber, key to human health! Watch the video to see how easy it is to make the perfect pot of brown rice on the stove top. No special equipment needed! Then head to my website to learn more, check out my grains chart AND grab one of my favorite quick and easy rice based recipes!
Read MoreSimple and healthy, it's SO easy to make roasted red peppers at home! And more delicious! Here I show you how to roast them on the stove and explain what to do if you have an electric stove. There's nothing quite like the flavor of roasted red peppers in olive oil!
Read MoreWatch how easy it is to make chia seed pudding! This simple combination of 3 basic ingredients makes the best chia seed pudding! I make mine with almond milk but you can use whatever milk you use at home! Plus, find out what it is about these little seeds that has them referred to as a super food!
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