Italian Polenta Pie

Polenta is not exactly a summer food. I get that. But last night while I was doing intervals along the river I started craving polenta. I have no idea why, but I just did. So by time I got back home I needed polenta; badly.
I had eggplants and tomato sauce, so I created this simple yet wonderful polenta dish. Full of flavors and so Italian. To me any dish involving eggplant, tomato and basil deserves to be labeled as “Italian”. So here it is, a magnificent Italian Polenta Pie.

Many are intimidated to try polenta at home. You hear lots of things about how it can become rubbery, or you have to stir forever. It’s none of these things. You just have to nail the correct ratio polenta : water and you’re good to go. And trust me, the proportions I give you in this recipe work pretty well.
Polenta is a thicker cornmeal. It absorbs water and thickers as it cooks, just like oatmeal. No biggies. It cooks pretty fast and you don’t have to do anything besides stirring every now and then.



You might also need to dodge hot polenta splatters when it first starts to boil. But that’s about it.


Thing with polenta it’s that it’s gluten-free, pretty low calorie, almost fat-free and very tasty. When paired with ton a of veggies, it makes for a complete meal full of goodness. All in all this dish is winner. Yes, one more click to convince you: BAM!



Italian Polenta Pie                                                                                                    Print this recipe! 
Inspired by PinchOfYum

Few notes. This recipe makes for quite a lot of food, so cut quantities in half if you have to feed a smaller crowd. It may look like I used a ton of cheese but it was actually less than a cup, and you might as well skip it if you don’t feel like it.

Ingredients
Serves 8

Polenta

1 ½ cups polenta
6 cups water
1 + 2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt

Eggplant mixture

2 large eggplants (about 2 ½ lb / 1.2 kg), cubed (not sure how to cube an eggplant? Look here)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
handful fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 29 oz / 822 gr can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt
½ cup water

Toppings

Mozzarella cheese (or vegan cheese)
Fresh basil
Red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions

Fill a large bowl with cold water, add 1 teaspoon of salt and stir until salt dissolves completely.
Place eggplant. Let eggplant sit at least for 20 minutes to draw out the bitterness. Drain eggplant cubes and pat them dry.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large non-stick pan (I used a non-stick wok) over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute’ for 1 minute, add eggplant cubes and saute’ for 10 minutes stirring every so often, making sure that the eggplant doesn’t stick to the pan.
Add tomato sauce, water, basil, red pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon of salt, turn the heat to low, cover with a lid and cook for 25 to 30 minutes.
In the meantime make the polenta. Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a large non-stick pan, add 2 teaspoons of salt and, using a whisk, add the polenta making sure no lumps form. Continue cooking stirring once in a while to prevent it from sticking all over the bottom (also be careful that the polenta tend to splatter so use a lid). Polenta will thicken as it cooks.
Cook for about 20 to 25 minutes for a soft polenta, adding a little more water if necessary.
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
Arrange the eggplant mixture in the bottom of a baking dish and spread polenta evenly over the top. Cover with mozzarella cheese (or vegan cheese) and bake in the oven for 10 minutes, turn on the broiler and bake for another minute until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Serve sprinkled with chopped fresh basil and a couple of pinches of red pepper flakes if you want to add a kick.

Nutrition facts

One serving scores 298 calories, 5.5 grams of fat, 51 grams of carbs and 8.1 grams of protein.

Mint Choc Chip Frozen Yogurt

Every now and then I need a sweet treat before bedtime; and it has to involve chocolate.
Last night I was CRAAAAving mint choc chip ice-cream. It’s my superhero treat, my kryptonite. I know it’s not exactly healthy food but I have the (damn) right to stuff my face with it once in a while.
Except that last night I was in the mood to make my own mint choc chip ice-cream. That’s when I remembered about an awesome recipe in Sara Forte’s cookbook “The Sprouted Kitchen: A Tastier Take On Whole Foods”, involving mint, choc chip and Greek yogurt. So I ended up making frozen yogurt, not ice-cream. Minh Choc Chip Frozen Yogurt to be precise.
Three words: DE-LI-CIOUS. And calorie considerate too.
So my superhero treat has just gotten much healthier. It’s not going to be my kryptonite anymore.
Yeah!

Pesto Quinoa Patties

Let’s be completely real with ourselves, healthy food is not exactly “gangsta” or “cool”.
You’re never going to see quinoa served at a gathering of the Russian mob. Probably because you’re never going to be invited to a gathering of the Russian mob. And if you do get invited and things ever get hectic chances are you would not be making out in one piece to recount what food was served. But trust me on this one, quinoa is not going to make it on the menu.
The same goes if you ever go to a rock festival (and I’m talking about badass rock festivals here).
After jumping and dancing your heart out you’re probably going to eat something like a pulled pork sandwich with cheese fries. And wash all that grease down with a pint (more like 3 pints) of beer. Green juice? I really don’t think so.

Strawberry Basil Frozen Yogurt

Life is all about seizing the moment. Everything doesn't have to be planned down to the minute. If something I’d like to do comes up on the spur of the moment, I don't hesitate and just go for it.
It’s a rule of thumb that I tend to apply in every sector of my life, kitchen included.
For instance a couple of days ago I was crAAAAAving ice-cream. Badly.
All I had were strawberries, Greek yogurt and some basil. What to do with it? Strawberry basil frozen yogurt of course. What a silly question...

Kale Pasta Salad

I kind of hate pasta salads drenched in mayo. To be honest, I can’t stomach them. I think they’re gross, loaded with calories, and just the very opposite of what a salad should really be.
A salad is supposed to be crunchy and light, not mushy and heavy. Final.
In other words, I’m a strong believer that pasta salad should never be made with mayo. You can disagree, of course. But that’s my opinion and until you’ll be able to prove me wrong, I am going to stick to my guns.

Light and Tangy Potato Salad

This recipe is a total revelation. Seriously. I was very skeptic when I first saw it; but decided to give it a try nonetheless.
The mayo is subbed with an emulsion made of cooked leeks, Djion mustard and a couple of other ingredients.
To my own surprise, Dijon mustard gives body to cooked leeks in a very unexpected way. Making for a velvety dressing with a rich mouthful. No one will miss the fat.

Some of the Benefits of Running

I run almost everyday and every so often someone tells me: “Running is no good for you, it’s too hard on your joints, knees and your body. You should not run that much!" 
While everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I’ll stick to my guns and say: “Everything has pros and cons, but if done right, running it’s actually good for you, very good for you!”

P

Three-Tomato Sauce

This is my go-to sauce recipe when I’m craving spaghetti with tomato. It’s a special recipe. So special I was actually on the fence whether sharing it with you guys. I then reminded myself how my mom taught me the importance of generosity. So here it is (I know, I’m such a giving person!)
Why so special?
First off because it comes together while the pasta is cooking (i.e., 10 minutes or so). This makes it a preferred choice when you’re in crunch time.
Secondly because it’s very light. There’s no frying or sauteing the onion in fat. The olive oil is added “raw” as the very last step. There’s nothing wrong with sauteing (don’t get me wrong) but skipping it makes the sauce much skinnier.
Lastly, it’s soooo tasty. I mean REALLY good. If it wasn’t so, it wouldn’t be my go-to tomato sauce recipe.

Chicken Parm Meatballs (Low Carb and Gluten-Free)

Is there anything better than a juicy and tender parm meatball? I don’t think so. It’s one of the bestest thing ever. The food you expect to eat at your grandma’s, on a typical lazy Sunday; when life’s good.
For some reason, there’s always room in your stomach for that 4th helping of parm meatballs.
Even though you’re incredibly full. How’s that possible?
The answer involves an explanation of hormones called Ghrelin and Leptin, your brain, your stomach and some psychological nuances.
In short, the desire to eat an extra serving of your grandma’s parm meatballs is a toughy one to beat. Nearly impossible to overcome. It’s like fighting against Rocky. You’re getting beaten up. Sure.

Whole Wheat Focaccia with Caramelized Onions

I got into a focaccia kick and started making it just about every other day, topping it with vegetables and sometimes filling it with them. I mean, Stuffed Whole Wheat Focaccia with Arugula, Feta and Sun-Dried Tomatoes or Whole Wheat Focaccia With Cherry Tomatoes and Oregano, anyone?

Cauliflower Power

Not everyone is a fan of cauliflower. I get that. It’s a non pretentious vegetable, that deserves much more attention it’s actually getting.
Cauliflower is cheap, versatile, and features a high concentration of nutrients for the calories contained. The bad rep has something to do with the fact that it stinks badly when it cooks. The taste can also be a bit off-putting. Cauliflower is definitely not a kids favorite and sometimes that also applies to the grown-ups.
Cauliflower is enjoying a revamp lately though. No longer just for dips and soups, this unlikely veggie is taking the center stage in main dishes at some of the best eating spots around.
We have also found new ways to use it: what about cauliflower crust pizza? Or cauliflower rice?
Back in the days, even Mark Twain was very fond of this cruciferous vegetable. In Pudd’nhead Wilson he states “Training is everything. The peach was once a bitter almond; cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education.” Conferring cauliflower a college degree.
Cauliflower was indeed an expensive and fashionable vegetable on the Victorian table. It was the queen of vegetables, and was often steamed whole and served elaborately garnished. Cabbage, on the other hand, was on everybody's plate, with no college education.

C

Quinoa and Turkey Meatballs with Tahini Sauce

In order to stop meatballs from falling apart you need a binding agent. That’s one of the sacred rules of cooking. Without a binding agent, meatballs hardly hold their round shape and most of the time they will break while you cook them.
The most used binding agents are eggs or bread crumbs. Cheese (such as Parmesan cheese), flax meal or almond meal are among other favorites. I never thought (until yesterday) that quinoa could be used as well...now I know, quinoa makes for a perfect binding agent. Who knew?

Spicy Mexican Quinoa Casserole

If you’re familiar with this blog, you know how much we love quinoa. We already made bread, patties, soup, frittata, more patties, salad and tabbouleh with quinoa. Apparently, quinoa fits in almost any dish we’re cooking. Which got me thinking...maybe I should change the name of the blog from “TheIronYou” to “TheIronQuinoa” or “TheQuinoaYou”. Doesn’t sound bad, at all. I’ll give it a thought.

Banana Oatmeal Protein Pancakes

I’m pretty much obsessed with pancakes (who isn’t?). Good thing there’s like a million ways to make them.
This recipe has been my staple breakfast for a while. You might argue that this will never replace “real” pancakes made with butter and white flour; au contraire, they’re just as good.
They fill you up, they taste awesome, they’re nutritionally complete and good for you. Just what a power breakfast should be really about.

What I'm Reading: Making Supper Safe

The topic of food safety is more current than ever before. Over the past few decades, foodborne illness has shifted from being a fairly regionalized threat with the potential to sicken a handful of people in a single outbreak, to a national hazard capable of felling hundreds (if not thousands) of consumers from a single point of contamination.
Food recalls have become so ubiquitous we hardly even notice them. In 2008-2009 the massive salmonella contamination has killed nine people and sickened about 22,500 people. Only few weeks later, a contaminated frozen cookie dough has sent 35 people to the ER. The outbreaks are getting bigger and more deadly. These events are an alarming symptom that there’s something wrong with our food system.

The Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Hollywood’s new diet craze is nothing like the usual offerings. It’s not even a diet; there’s no counting calories, carbs forbearance or faddy detoxing. It’s a scientific based eating regimen that focuses on your body cells not your waistline. It seeks to operates on a biochemical level and it's designed to neutralize the inflammation that occurs inside your body. 
The anti-inflammatory diet got Hollywood hooked promising big benefits such as a clearer mind, fewer cravings, glowing skin and slimmer waist1.

Credit: Image courtesy of drweil.com

Crustless Veggie Tart

This recipe is a great dinner idea. Also a lunch idea. And now that I’m thinking about it, it could make for a great breakfast too. So this is more of great idea.
It’s loaded with summer veggies and there’s no crust. Well, there’s a sort of crust made with eggplant. But no typical tart crust made with flour and butter. No grains + no gluten = paleo friendly (i.e., primal). And vegetarian. Honestly it doesn’t get much better than that.

Negative Calorie Food: Fact or Fiction?

The term "negative calorie food" has been around for quite some time now, creating a good amount of confusion. 
Allegedly “negative calorie food” identifies certain foods that use up more calories in digestion, absorption and metabolism that they contain in the first place. In other words, calories from these foods are so hard for the body to breakdown and process, that their thermic effects are greater than their calorie values. This in turn could cause a calorie deficit, giving these foods a tremendous fat-burning advantage.  
If this assumption was true, eating these foods will cause weight-loss. The problem is that it’s not true. The calories your body burns in the digestive cycle are minuscule compared with the calories in the food itself1.

Black Carrot Cake with Greek Yogurt Frosting

Springtime is party time. Long sunny days and mild temperatures provide the perfect conditions for fun gatherings. It seems like any excuse is a good excuse to throw a party and invite friends and family over. In NYC, especially among “youngsters”, it’s all about rooftop parties (and neighbours complaining about noise).
I like being invited to those parties where you are asked to bring some food and beverage to share: potluck parties! They take some of the pressure off the host, and guests can bring their own flavor to the party.

Stay Hydrated!

There are plenty of hot days ahead of us and while it's always a good idea to stay hydrated, it's especially important when summer temps start rising. Whether you’re training for the NYC Marathon in Central Park, hiking some peaks or just going on a shopping spree in the street of Soho with your friends. 
Here are some tips for how to stay hydrated during the warm weather months.

Apple Crumble Muffins

I just found out that there’s a right way to eat an apple. I’m not talking about manners, but how to chomp on it so that you won’t waste half in the process. Essentially, I’ve just learned that I’ve been doing wrong what I considered to be a fairly common eating routine.
So, how have I (and you too) been eating an apple to this day? Down to the core. Holding the top and the bottom with the fingers. Chomping from left-to-right (or right-to-left) until reaching the “inedible” core.
But no, that’s not the way to do it.
The one and only way to eat an apple (according to my friend Ryan) is to pluck the stem and bite right through the top of the apple. Or from the bottom, you decide.
If you do so, you won’t even feel the core as you bite and you’ll eat it all...yes, all. It really works. You’ll probably discard (read this as spit out) the seeds and the little indentation at the bottom; but that’s how much waste you’ll generate.
The notorious apple core will be something you’ll show a picture to your grandkids saying “That’s how we used to eat apples back in the days.” No more apple core, what a strange world to live in.

Skinny Eggplant Parmesan

Oh hell yes this was good. Much much better than anticipated.
As with many popular dishes there are many bad ways to make eggplant parmesan (aka, eggplant Parmigiana). In a run-of-the-mill Italian restaurant or in almost every pizza parlor across the country if you order eggplant parmigiana you’ll get mushy slices of soggy, oily eggplant, slathered with greasy cheese and covered with a dubious tomato sauce.
Ok, this is the worst version possible. Besides that, there are many things where eggplant parmesan can go wrong.
This begs a question: if this get ruined so often why it is so popular? Because when it’s good, it’s awesomely good. Mouth watering good. That’s why it’s worth making.

Baked Eggplant Sandwiches

Last week I spent a lot of time waddling around the different Farmers’ market in the city; sniffing produce and stuffing eggplants, cucumbers, asparagus, tomatoes and a ton of other produce (I didn’t really need) in my shopping bag.
I guess I experienced some sort of compulsive shopping syndrome girls always talk about.
Whatever I was laying eyes on I had to buy; which in a Farmers’ market it’s kind of an ok thing to do. No actual risk of financially ruin yourself. Worst case scenario is that when you get home you realize there’s no space left in the fridge. Which is exactly what happened to me.

Coconut Oil Roasted Sweet Potatoes

I was on the fence about posting this recipe. Certainly you don’t need me to tell you how to make roasted sweet potatoes. You might need me tell you how to make stuffed whole wheat focaccia or why planks are better than crunches. Roasted sweet potatoes though, I think you can handle it on your own.

However (bear with me, I’m about to make my point) what you might need is for me to tell you that there’s a better way to make roasted sweet potatoes and it involves virgin coconut oil.
Yes, roasting sweet potatoes in coconut oil changes everything. It takes this dish to a whole new level. The crazy-awesome-delicious level.
Let’s be completely real with ourselves: everybody loves roasted sweet potatoes, but coconut oil roasted sweet potatoes are THE REAL DEAL. No brainer.

Breakfast Like A King, Lunch Like A Prince, Dinner Like A Pauper

“Breakfast like a King, Lunch like a Prince, Dinner like a Pauper” this adage by Adelle Davis (which is also rule #54 in Michael Pollan’s “Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual”) delivers some valuable advice to maintain a healthy lifestyle. 
It stresses out the importance of front-loading the calories at the beginning of the day and decrease the intake as the hours goes by.
The rationale behind is that the human metabolism slows down as the day progresses and - furthermore - the chances of burning calories are fewer as nighttime approaches. 
Accordingly, breakfast should be the biggest meal of the day and dinner the smallest.

Kale Pesto

I’m dealing with a kale jungle kinda situation right now. It’s my undying love for kale that brought me to this “emergency”. You see, back in September I bought a packet of kale seeds at the farmer’s market. I was very excited at the idea of growing kale on my balcony. Too excited. In that state I didn’t care for reading the instructions printed on the back of the packet (1st mistake) and planted ALL the seeds in a large pot.
After a couple of weeks ALL of the seeds sprouted nicely. ALL of them. I definitely put a generous pinch of seeds in each hole rather than the required 1-3 per hole (2nd mistake). So there were LOTS of sprouts. LOTS.
Instead of thin them to one main sprout I just left them be (3rd mistake).
Then winter came; the sprouts stopped growing and I almost forgot about them. Better yet, I thought that they were never gonna make it through winter (4th mistake).
Oh man, I was wrong. As soon as spring began (like a month ago) the little sprouts started growing and grew, grew, grew, greeeeew. Like the magic bean in “Jack and the Beanstalk”.
Fortunately some of the sprouts died (they suffocated each other or something) but there is still a huge amount of kale growing a few inches everyday: the kale jungle.
To give you an idea, I’m harvesting a good ½ pound of it daily. Which is awesome. Don’t get me wrong. I’m saving loads of money and loving it.
The flip side is that I need to eat kale every day and need to be creative in kitchen in order to put this kale bonanza to good use (a kale salad won’t do it!)

Whole Wheat Focaccia With Cherry Tomatoes and Oregano

Turn of spring can only mean one thing…triathlon race season! There used to be a time, not too long ago, when triathlon race season didn't kick-off until the end of May. With the continued growth of triathlon, you can find a race pretty much any weekend of the year. But spring and summer is when the real action is.
Race season means, among other aspects, food boredom. Something very common for triathletes.
With a strict training and working schedule, food becomes little more than a source of fuel, and sticking to the same menu each and every day makes planning easier. Chicken, tuna, salmon, broccoli, greens, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, oatmeal...the same thing over and over again.
I can’t do it anymore. I need options and that’s why I learned to cook and create new recipes.
Whole wheat focaccia has definitely become my favorite source of complex carbs. Breakfast or lunch, if I need to carb-it-up, focaccia is what I crave.

Hot And Sour Shredded Salad

Whether you share an apartment with roomies, or live in your own house with friends coming over for brunch Sunday morning looking for something to eat, this Hot and Sour Shredded Salad is a quick and easy recipe to win over any guest you have. Seriously, any guest. Whether vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, paleo, primal or (more likely) omnivore. This salad accommodates everybody. No-brainer.

Are You Exercising Too Much?

Exercising too much, is that possible? Yes, exercise overload is just as much a problem as not exercising at all. 
It is in fact well documented that doing a load of exercise can easily do more harm than good. If regular exercise is a vital part of a healthy lifestyle, taking it to the extreme may cause severe health issues. 
For the majority of people, who struggle to exercise, the thought of doing too much may seem ludicrous. However, overtraining is much more common than one could assume. At the beginning, it may be simple enthusiasm, but then the idea that you can’t take a break from exercising creeps into your mind and before you know it you’ll find yourself falling into exercise overload. The problem arises when you feel the need to exercise beyond normal level, or better yet, beyond your normal level. 
Here are some of the most common signs that you might exercising too much.

15-Minute Chicken Cacciatore

I was in dire need for some good chicken, but not grilled chicken, I’m talking about tasty chicken. You see, I’m good at planning meals but not really when it comes to chicken.
In my mind chicken is a last-minute food, which means that when I’m clueless on what to eat (and have limited amount of time) I resort to chicken. A pan, a drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper, a pinch of herbs and voila’ grilled chicken is served. Boring, I know.

Socca Wraps with Spinach and Stracchino Cheese

Let’s talk about socca. If you’re not familiar with this food, let me give you some facts about it. Socca is an unleavened pancake (or crepe) originally made using chickpea flour, water and olive oil; cooked in an open oven and seasoned with salt and pepper. Of course, it originated in Italy. All good things come from Italy. It’s usually sold in bakeries and pizzerias and cut into irregularly shaped triangular slices. However, contrary to most popular Italian fare, it’s naturally gluten-free (woot woot!)
I love it. I really do. That’s why I thought it was a genius idea to create a wrap made of socca. For a moment I felt like a rocket scientist, or Nobel Prize winner or something. Alas, that lasted only for a couple of minutes as a quick trip on the internet brought me back to reality as I discovered that socca wraps are a common street-food in the South of France. Pff....Frenchies, always cramping my style.

Green Pie With Ricotta

I’m sitting here in front of my laptop attempting to write about this green pie. I’m also IM-ing with my teammates about Sunday’s race, which is a bit distracting (a lot, actually).

In other words, I don’t have much faith in what I’m about to write and I have the feeling it would take me about an hour to draft two lame paragraphs to convey the following basic concepts.

This is a salty pie. Made with an olive oil crust to die for. It’s packed (literally packed) with greens (2 full pounds). A couple of free-range eggs and some fresh ricotta cheese. That simple.

But let’s take a step back. How about I tell you why I like this green pie?

First off it’s uber easy to make. It seems like a lot of work but it’s not. From the crust to the filling even my 10 year old niece can master this recipe.

I like that with just one slice you’re eating two serving of greens. Greens are good for you and this pie is loaded with them.

I also like that it’s a complete dish, in that it has all the nutrients you need. Which takes me to the next point, a slice of this pie and a couple of raw veggies on the side and lunch/dinner is served.

I now rest my case, but I’m sure there are a number of other valid points I can make, I just can’t seem to remember them right now. When I do, I’ll let you know.

Quitting Is Out Of The Question

There are only two things that may stop you from running: injury and attitude. The former is something that is (most of the time) beyond one’s control, but what about the latter? What about that voice between your ears that is telling you to stop, to give up?

You see, mental attitude is a huge factor in running; it’s the determination that makes you keep going when you feel you want to stop, to throw in the towel. In fact, a positive mental attitude is one of the most important things a runner needs.

We all have days when we wonder if it’s really worth it, and when we’re feeling so miserable that all we want to do is quit.
It’s precisely in those moments that you have to remind yourself of the importance of pushing forward.

Credit: Image courtesy of fitnesspo.tumblr.com

Running is a lot about self-belief. It might be after your first step or at mile 3, but at some point you’ll need to tell yourself “Damn, I can do it!” and not give in to doubt.

One of the biggest challenges in running is the gradual buildup of mental tiredness. When it hits you, that’s exactly when you need to keep focused and don’t let the negative thoughts cloud your brain, ignore them and keep going. It’s when things seem worst that you should not quit.

Mental toughness in running comes with experience and you need to work at it. Once you master it, it stands you in good stead to handle anything that comes your way, especially when you feel like quitting.

If you just started, it’s important that you set realistic goals.You need targets that challenge you, but don’t break you.

Feed your motivation by attaining constant incremental successes. It boosts your confidence and makes you feel that you’re moving in the right direction.

Also, it doesn’t help to be overly critical about how fast or how far you’ve run. Stay positive and look at every run as a new opportunity that was given you to become better at it.

Rest if you must, but don’t quit, Remember that success is failure turned inside.

Michael Jordan once said:

“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeeded.”

So keep at it, even when you feel that you have taken three steps back. Failing is part of the process but when you’re out there running, quitting is out of the question!

Red and Black Quinoa Tabbouleh

Tabouleh is a simple salad which hails from the part of the Middle East that covers Palestine, Lebanon and Syria.
It’s usually made with bulgur, tomatoes, cucumbers, finely chopped parsley, mint, and onion seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice and salt. There are endless variations to bulgur, the most notorious one is subbing bulgur with couscous. Yotam Ottolenghi describes in his cookbook how during his career he has come across a million bastardised versions of this simple dish. Some of which were way out of line. The most common issue has to do with proportions. In this dish parsley has to be the star of the show alongside with mint (not the grains nor the veggies). Also, herbs need to be chopped very thinly (and with a knife not a food processor) so that they can properly release their flavors and volatile oils.

Running Is Only About You

Last weekend I went for a run in Central Park, something I never do. I prefer to stay downtown, cross the East River on the Williamsburg bridge and go from there.

For this one time, however, I went uptown on the Hudson River Park and entered CP from Columbus Circle @59th st.

“Whoa!” was my reaction as I entered the park and saw that tsunami of runners hitting the pavement. It was tad overwhelming, to be honest.

It was actually so jam-packed that I had to dart between people. A bumper-to-bumper situation, without the bumpers, of course.

As I was making my way through this massive wave of runners I noticed that there was a good amount of beginners. Which is cool, people hitting the road to get healthier. I like that.

However, I saw that most of them spent their time (and energy) twisting their heads looking at other runners instead of concentrating on their own run. As if they were under constant scrutiny by more experienced/faster runners. Which is such a stupid thing to do in the first place.

Being an experienced runner I feel like I need to share this secret: we (i.e., faster/experienced runners) do not give a “fat rat ass” about other runners; all we care about is our pace, heart rate, time and the distance we’re covering. Simple as that.

You run slower? We don’t care. Actually is not that we don’t care, we are just concentrating on our own run and we can’t be bothered to look around. That’s about it. We might get angry if you get in our way (well, really angry), but unless that happens, we’re cool.

Credit: Image courtesy of http://iloveart17.tumblr.com/

Stuffed Focaccia with Arugula, Feta and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Focaccia is an astronomically popular flat oven-baked bread, which can be topped with herbs or other ingredients. It’s very popular in Italy. If you happen to walk during lunchtime in the streets of Milan, Florence, Venice or Rome everybody is munching on focaccia. Well, almost everybody. You guys know that I tend to exaggerate.
It is usually seasoned with olive oil and salt, sometimes herbs, and may be topped with onion, cheese or vegetables.
Or, or, or, or it can be stuffed. Yes, it can be stuffed. The most popular stuffed focaccia has to be the “Focaccia di Recco” a focaccia with cheese that melts into your mouth and just makes your life better.

Indian Style Meatballs with Roasted Garlic Cream

Let's talk about ground beef... 

When buying ground beef, the rule of thumb is to buy the best quality you can afford. Organic and - if you can find it - grass-fed.
If you shop at a butcher (or a grocery store with a real butcher) you should have them grind the beef for you. Pick out a piece of sirloin or chuck (or half chuck - half sirloin) and ask the butcher to put it through their grinder. This is the only way to make sure that the ground meat you’re buying is the meat that went into the grinder.
It can be more expensive than pre-packaged ground meat, but the latter can be a hazard (food poisoning and E. coli cases resulting from bad ground meat are so frequent). On top of that you’ll know that the meat has not been sitting on the shelf for days, which guarantees freshness. Ground meat is subject to the greatest amount of handling, which increases the risk of exposure to contamination. If instead you the process happens right in front of your eyes you’ll know that how many hands have touched it. Right?

Spicy Sweet Potato Burgers with Lemony Greek Yogurt and Avocado

Nothing get on my nerves more than hearing somebody saying “OMG, I’m such a sweet potato person, they’re so yummy and healthy!”.
What does it mean to be sweet potato person?
That if you look at yourself in the mirror you see a sweet potato? That among your peers you’re considered a sweet potato? That you eat only sweet potatoes?
In my humble experience, it usually means that you discovered recently (very recently, maybe yesterday) that sweet potatoes are a healthy food and you just need to speak it to the world. An attempt to assert that you’re a healthy person and that you know a whole lot deal about it. Bah...
For this one time you’re justified though...sweet potatoes are an awesome food so you might as well call yourself a sweet potato person. As long as you promise to really make them one of the staple food of your diet.

Suggested Reading: Salt Sugar Fat (How The Food Giants Hooked Us)

The food industry is a manufacturing business with just one goal in mind, design products to please consumers’ palate.
Don’t picture it in your mind as something similar to a cook, in his kitchen, trying to perfect a recipe. Think of it, instead, as more of a chemist in a laboratory performing experiments and meticulously mixing flavors in an attempt to reach that perfect balance, the “bliss point”. That perfect combination of ingredients that will send taste buds buzzing and that eventually will makes us come back for more.
As you flip through the pages of “Salt Sugar Fat” you’ll learn about how Food Giants maneuver around the boons and drawbacks of sugar, salt, and fat in order to make us consume their products, and consume them a lot. The competition for our grocery dollars affects what's in the food we eat and, as a consequence, affect our waist size and health.
Food industry’s approach is so meticulous and scientific that it has been capable of substantially altering the our desires, perceptions and expectation towards food. Without even noticing it, our taste buds have been reprogrammed to make us crave for more sugar, fat and salt.

Homemade Sourdough Bread

Sourdough is the original "100% guaranteed" truly natural bread. There’s no commercial yeast in it, it's made only with flour, water and natural yeasts from the air.
I’ve tried several times to make sourdough bread in the past but failed on every single occasion.
I gave it a last shot two weeks ago, following Jamie Oliver’s recipe. And this one this time I’ve finally cracked it.
Baking sourdough bread has to be one of the coolest things ever. Witnessing day after day the starter coming to life through the natural fermentation of the flour. When it's baking time, the incredible aroma of bread (real bread) permeating the apt. Yes, I fell love in love with sourdough bread.
The loaf came out beautifully, crunchy on the outside, chewy and moist on the inside, as per Jamie’s words “Sourdough is the ultimate loaf.”
Sourdough bread is packed with precious nutrients. It has nothing to do with mass-produced breads that are grossly degraded in nutrients and choked with sugar, preservatives and additives.
Sourdough bread comes from the natural fermentation of gluten contained in the flour. When gluten is properly fermented it becomes healthy for human consumption. When it is not it’s potentially one of the most highly allergenic foods we eat.
Correctly fermented wheat contain 18 amino acids, complex carbs, B vitamins, iron, zinc, selenium and magnesium, and maltase.
Sourdough bread is the healthiest form of bread you can possibly dig your teeth into. Are you ready for journey?