Eggplant Parmesan is one of those quintessential Italian comfort foods and it often reminds me of nonna’s home-cooking, bringing me back to her basement kitchen where she spent the majority of her time whipping up homemade meals. Eggplant Parmesan is a labour of love, but it’s so worth the effort and time it takes to prepare it. Having said that, as much as one might want to, we don’t always have the time to prepare such labour and time-intensive meals. With this dish you’re essentially making that same comfort food, just a lighter and less time-consuming version of it. You can also feel good about making this recipe because you are reducing the amount of fat and calories by using less mozzarella and by baking the eggplant as opposed to deep-frying it. Although (in my opinion) the fresh tomato sauce is a key ingredient in this recipe, you can cut more corners by preparing this with jarred tomato sauce. This dish might seem less flavourful than the traditional recipe but I can assure that the flavour of the eggplant really shines through and is the perfect canvas for the tangy tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and refreshing basil leaves.

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I’m an honest person. Honest enough to admit my failures in the kitchen – this being one of them. I have made numerous attempts at preparing homemade falafels, but they never came to fruition as well as I had anticipated. Years later, and many a chickpea wasted, I finally discovered my one and only error, which can literally make or break this recipe –  the chickpeas! When it comes to preparing falafel from scratch, it is important to use dry, uncooked chickpeas (rather than the canned variety) to ensure your falafels are light and fluffy, as opposed to dense and flattened. The entire process is really quite easy; soak the chickpeas overnight, grind them until fine and crumbly, add the remaining ingredients, form into patties, fry, and voilà!

Garnish this protein-packed vegetarian appetizer with tahini paste or a quick-fix yogurt dip made with cucumbers and fresh dill. Or, serve as a main on top of a fresh salad, like this Quinoa Tabbouleh, or paired with your favourite protein. Although the ingredients listed are ‘exact’ measurements, there’s always room for a bit of interpretation. For example, if you love falafels with a punch of flavour add more garlic, herbs, and spices. Also, depending on how much you’ve soaked the chickpeas and dried them, you might have to add a tablespoon or so of water at a time as you prepare the mixture until you get the perfect consistency. The falafels should be firm enough to hold together but not too wet. Once you get that perfect consistency you are good to go. Just quickly form patties with your hands then set then cook the falafels until golden perfection!

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There are few foods that you can eat any time of the day, frittata being one of them. They’re so easy to throw together – essentially all you need are eggs and some cheese, but healthy add-ins like vegetables take them to another level. There’s no doubt I am a fan of frittatas. I love experimenting with different ingredients and creating a variety of flavour combinations. Another reason to make frittatas? They can be served cold, warmed, or at  room temperature they taste even better the next day, meaning they make for ideal leftovers.

When it comes to consuming ready-to-expire veggies in the crisper, I have frittatas to thank for not being wasteful. Besides using up produce before it spoils, they require little to no prep, and minimal creativity. If you have eggs and some cheese, you can make a frittata. The additional ingredients are sometimes an afterthought, depending on what is lingering the fridge. And if you only have some eggs and cheese on hand, then you are good to go since even these three simple ingredients still result in a delicious dish. Once you learn the basics of the preparation – in this case stove-top preparation, adding on ingredients and experimenting with different flavours is a cinch. Have a go at creating interesting flavour combos, like zucchini and chorizo, kale and feta, or in this case potato and saffron.

If you try this recipe (and love it!) be sure to snap a pic and tag me onInstagram with #bitesforfoodies so I can see your creation!

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Our adventure in Sardinia has begun. While we’re used to life during the summers in this tourist destination, living here year-round is another story. School started this week (about two weeks later than at home in Canada) and needless to say, my kids were more than ready to get back to routine, even if their ‘routine’ was a new one. I was certain that they would feel at home and fit in instantly, since they had spent a few days a week for the last two months at summer school. In fact, just as I had imagined, their first day went off without a hitch. End of summer usually also means back to work for me as an elementary school teacher, but not this year. I’ve taken a hiatus from my ‘9 to 5’ teaching job to move here and focus on the passions that feed my soul, like teaching yoga and cooking!

This summer was such a lazy one, in terms of cooking and recipe developing. Scorching hot temperatures resulted in the oven being practically off limits all summer, and not to mention extremely low blood pressure prevented me from having the energy to do just about anything, let alone cook! No excuses now. The kids are back in school and I cannot wait to get back into the kitchen to invent recipes, especially healthy snacks. One thing I noticed about snack time here in Italy is that they are always packaged treats loaded with sugar – mini cakes, croissants, cookies, the sugary choices are endless. Now that I have the time and energy to get back in the kitchen, I’m making it a point to prepare wholesome, portable snacks that the kids can bring to school, like these delicious oatmeal raisin cookies. My kids might be going to an Italian school and adapting to the Italian ways, but they’ll always be little Canadians at heart – ones who love mom’s homemade cookies!

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For the past few years I am been delving more and more into vegetarian cuisine, and I have to say that it is so much more versatile than people give it credit for. Combining grains, legumes, and vegetables means endless possibilities in terms of flavour combinations. Grains like brown rice, millet, quinoa, and couscous are a blank canvas to any add-in, whether it be veggies, legumes, versatile sauces and condiments, seeds, nuts, sprouts, the list goes on. I’ve also discovered that the absolute easiest way to combine all that goodness in one plate, hence the rice bowl. The rice bowl has been my saving grace at so many dinner times, especially on busy weeknights. With a little bit of organization any rice bowl can come together in minutes.

Weekend prep time is a must for me – albeit I also find time during the week to prepare some staple ingredients while cooking up another meal. Most Sundays I cook up a batch of grains – usually quinoa or brown rice, chickpeas and lentils, and sauté or roast a few different types of veggies. Everything gets stored in it’s own individual container in the fridge for easy access. With everything already prepared all I have to do is combine them with a few add-ins; fresh greens like kale or spinach, pumpkin seeds, cashews, pesto sauce, tapenade, avocado, hummus, guac, fresh tomatoes, the options are limitless. It’s amazing how with only a few ingredients you can create a different culinary masterpiece every time you prepare a rice bowl.

If you try this recipe (and love it!) be sure to snap a pic and tag me on Instagram with #bitesforfoodies so I can see your creation!

Not a fan of cauliflower? Try one of these other delicious combinations;

Brown Rice Primavera Bowl
Roasted Cauliflower Quinoa Bowl
Chickpea Quinoa Salad with Lemon Tahini Vinaigrette
Caramelized Onion Quinoa Bowl
Salmon Quinoa Salad with Lemon Caper Vinaigrette
Warm Shrimp Quinoa Bowl
Ginger Sesame Broccoli Rabe Quinoa

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This popular pasta dish was created in a small village called Amatrice, located in the Abruzzo region of Italy. At its most authentic it is made with smoky guanciale, pecorino cheese, olive oil, dry white wine, San Marzano tomatoes, hot pepper flakes and salt. While most pasta sauces that include tomatoes also call for onions, garlic, and herbs, the most classic recipe includes none of the above as they were once upon a time too expensive for the shepherds who used to prepare this dish. Since then there have been countless interpretations of this recipe, one of which I am sharing with you today.

My recipe differs from the original recipe is a few ways. My reasoning? When you’re cooking for kids you have to be a little lenient with conventionality. I’ve substituted cubed pancetta for guanciale (simply because that’s what I had on hand), and also opted for small bowtie pasta as opposed to spaghetti or bucatini. Omitting the hot pepper flakes was a given, but you can easily add some as a garnish if you like the heat. Instead, I added some cracked black pepper for garnish.

On a side note, we’ve been living in Italy for almost a month now and the locals seem somewhat baffled that my 4 and 6 year old cannot yet elegantly twirl their spaghetti around their forks. Almost sacrilege for Italians, I’d say – or so it seems. It’s an art, and one I’m sure kids here learn at a very early age. My kids will succeed in due time. For now, I’d rather save myself the mess and headache and prepare a smaller, kid-friendly pasta – and I’m quite concern my kids appreciate a quicker and less stressful method of eating their pasta. Regardless of the substitutions and choice of pasta, this dish is rich and flavourful and is always a winner at the dinner table.

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Summer days in Sardinia also call for the beach! And the stunning beaches are plentiful here. Now that the kids are older visits to the beach are much easier – they carry their own toys, change themselves, and put on their own sunscreen. Even better, they can feed themselves! Long gone are the days when I had to prop them up against a beach bag, feed them with a spoon and ensure they didn’t fall over into the sand, or even eat the sand! Now they plop themselves down on their towels, grab their snacks out of the cooler, and we’re good to go.

This healthy summer pasta salad is one of their favourites. They’re not big fans of cooked vegetables, but fresh veggies are a winner, especially when they are homegrown ones that they’ve helped grow in our garden. The combination of tomatoes, cucumbers, and basil is already delicious, but the addition of black olives adds some tanginess, and the fresh mozzarella gives a creamy flavour. All you need as a condiment is some extra virgin olive oil and a touch of salt. This fresh healthy salad can be served at room temperature or cooled, and makes for a great pack n’go meal. It tastes even more delicious the day after prepared as the flavours have time to sit and combine.

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Today’s post is a combination of yoga and smoothies. I’ve always loved yoga, but have always found it difficult, due to many physical ailments, including a herniated disc in my back, and weak ankles and knees. I’ve recently taken up Mysore Ashtanga yoga, and needless to say it is extremely challenging, but at the same time so inspiring. I’ve developed a new appreciation for my body and my personal limits. As tight and inflexible as my body is, I have already noticed significant changes in my stamina and flexibility. Having said that, the one pose that I’ve yet to fully appreciate is wheel pose. In fact, I have a love/hate relationship with it. I love it because I know it is a beneficial pose for the back, but I hate it because it’s a pose I struggle with greatly. Blocks are definitely a yogi’s best friend. Since I started incorporating blocks into my practice I’ve improved my overall form and alignment, which allows me to move further and deeper into poses. Take for example wheel pose; my chest is lifted higher, my back is properly arched, and I can feel the burn in my thighs and not my lower back! It’s a work in progress, but I know with time I will improve.

And now back to the recipe! As with any post-yoga practice I always choose a nutritious and filling treat to give me energy and fill my tummy. This superfood green protein smoothie is so rich and creamy, and so full of wholesome ingredients that it not only tastes delicious, it also gives me the nutrients and protein that I need in order to get on with my day. It’s a powerhouse snack in a glass bottle, or wherever you choose to pour it! Word to the wise, steer clear of the kids when preparing this – that it, unless you want to share this delicious smoothie with them. My kids dislike plant-based milk, as well as avocado and spinach, but they devour mom’s green smoothies!

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One of my favorite memories is of my nonna standing at the stove making her traditional Italian meals; one of which was fried eggs with sautéed onions and peppers. It was a quick and tasty meal that everyone in the family loved – and the fact that she made it with passion made it taste even better. I have prepared this dish too many times to even remember, and albeit it’s delicious, it will never be as delicious as how Nonna used to make it! In terms of preparation, there’s not much to this dish – just sauté the onions and peppers on low heat, coaxing out all the natural sugars, then add some fresh organic eggs to the frying pan. Top with some fresh parsley and serve on it’s own with crusty bread, or transform these eggs and peppers into a hearty breakfast burrito.

Another reason this recipe is a quick fix for busy meal times? It only requires 3 simple ingredients. On any given day you can find all three of these ingredients in my fridge, which makes these Italian eggs and peppers one of my favourite go-to’s. This trio of veggies and eggs has such a delicious flavour profile – which might be surprising considering they are such simple ingredients. To make this simple dish, you don’t actually need a recipe. Once you know the cooking technique you can go from there, experimenting with different pepper varieties or herbs and spices, if you wish.

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I’m a coffee snob. I’ll admit it. But I have a defence – I lived in Italy for four years. Anyone who knows me knows that no day is complete without a morning and post-lunch espresso. Years ago, I gave up caffeine for 3 weeks during a detox cleanse, and somehow I managed to avoid it for 3 years. That is, until I had kids. I was forewarned that I would pick up the habit again, and of course, I did. But I have no regrets. There’s just something about freshly brewed espresso that I cannot live without. Leave it to me to incorporate espresso in a rich and delicious snack. Having said that, these aren’t kid-friendly, that is, unless you don’t ming forgoing nap time, or dealing with a caffeine-induced rambunctious child! You can easily prepare two batches and omit the espresso in the kid’s batter.

The perfect flourless cookies are hard to come by. There are so many interpretations of traditional cookie recipes, but they often fall flat, in terms of texture. The flavour’s there, but without the gluten, they loose their chewiness and tend to fall apart easily. The combination of walnut flour and gluten-free oats in this recipe for chocolate chip espresso walnut cookies makes for a delicious and nutritious substitute for refined flour, and also yield a similar texture to gluten-based cookies. Walnut flour is essentially pulverized walnuts. It’s rich and nutty, but that goes without saying. It’s just as delicious as almond flour but much cheaper, and yields the same results in terms of texture, flavour, and nutritional profile. The addition of rich chocolate chips, earthy vanilla and cinnamon, and natural sweetener take these wholesome cookies over the top!

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