Browsing Tag

vegan

Green Vegetable Minestrone

April 30, 2020

I mentioned in my last post that I have (finally) discovered the joy of meal-planning. I have also discovered that it’s not as stressful as I thought, and it has become a fun and creative outlet for me. Before the pandemic, I was constantly scrambling to figure out what to make for dinner every evening and I was losing my enthusiasm for cooking. Once we had no choice but to stay home and our calendar cleared of commitments and appointments, I decided it was time to start meal-planning. I began by taking inventory of the contents of my refrigerator, freezer, and pantry […]

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Winter Citrus and Fennel Salad

January 31, 2020

Happy New Year, friends! I’m hoping I can still say that given that we are still in January, albeit the last day. Also: can someone please tell me where January went? I’ve seen so many people complaining on social media about how long this month has felt, but for me it’s been quite the opposite. I used to dread January because it always felt like it dragged on forever, but these past couple of years, I have welcomed the quiet and rest after a busy holiday season. Changing my mindset by looking forward to a re-set in January has made […]

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Marcella Hazan’s Minestrone Soup

February 8, 2019
minestrone alla romagnola soup

Happy February! I’m a few days late because my blog was getting a much-needed facelift and I had to hold off on publishing new posts while my web developers worked behind the scenes. I am thrilled with the changes and I hope you like them as much as I do! I can’t believe how quickly January went by, although I may be in the minority of people who feel that way. Last month, I saw many people complaining about how January seemed to drag–as though the month was like one long Monday. I know that feeling because I have felt that […]

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Winter Fennel, Radicchio + Citrus Salad

January 8, 2019
winter fennel radicchio + citrus salad

I have never been (nor do I ever plan on being) one of these people who goes on a diet after the holidays. It’s disheartening to hear people speak as though they have to punish themselves at the start of the new year by going on a restrictive diet just because they ate some cookies and drank a little more alcohol than usual over the holiday season. I don’t do “clean eating” or fasting. Instead, I cook with as many whole and unprocessed ingredients as possible with a heavy emphasis on seasonal produce. I believe in balance and moderation for […]

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Spring Orzo Salad

April 30, 2018
spring orzo salad

Welcome to the April edition of Cucina Conversations! To welcome the arrival of spring, the longer days, and the warmer temperatures (finally!), we are featuring insalate (salads) as our topic. For the past couple of weeks, many of my friends and favorite food bloggers in Italy have been posting photos and stories on Instagram of their trips to the mercati (markets), where every stall is overflowing with an abundance of spring vegetables: fave, asparagus, radishes, agretti, peas, and the first zucchine. Shopping at my grocery store is decidedly less charming than shopping in one of Italy’s open air markets, but here, state-side too, spring […]

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