Buffalo Quinoa Bites

Are you guys pumped as I am for the NFC and AFC championships this weekend?
I'm rooting for the Broncos this season since Giants didn't make it to the playoffs.
I adore Peyton too...so...GO BRONCOS!
Plus my beloved cousin Cristina is a die-hard Patriots fan (because she’s from Boston...I know, nobody’s perfect) and I think a little rivalry in the family makes it a little more fun.
[And for all of you that have no idea what I’m talking about, this is American football talk.]
So far the playoff games have been close and exciting, I’m sure this weekend Conference Finals will deliver.
Okay, enough about football for now, let’s talk about football food.

Tuna Melt Omelets

Guys this recipe is huge.

Yup, huge.

Wait, huge not as in size, but as in good. Insanely good. “Make it every day” good.

And I am not exaggerating.

Yogurt, The Power Snack

I've been on a yogurt kick since...well, since as far as I can remember.
Honestly, my love for yogurt is deeper than the ocean and goes back to when I was a toddler (according to my mum at least).
I can say, without equivocation that yogurt is my favorite snack.
I realize I said the same about other stuff already and that you probably think I'm exaggerating a tad and being melodramatic and that I need to dial-it-down and stop saying "This is the best thing in the world, I could live on this!".
But yogurt? With yogurt I think you and I are in the same boat (in a good way though).
Because yogurt is delicious, filling, packed with health benefits and has very few calories.
It can be used in a number of different ways: Smoothies, cakes, marinades, sauces, and when you freeze it...do we even need to discuss about frozen yogurt????
Since we (yes, you and I) love it so much, I've done some research and discovered some pretty interesting facts about it.
Now I love it even more than before, and I'm totally expecting you to do the same. Deal?

Creamy Mashed Cauliflower

This is a recipe I go back to again and again, and never get tired of.
I spotted it a couple of years ago when I first found Melissa’s blog “IBreatheImHungry” (through Sonia’s), and since then it one has been on high rotation at my place.
A tried and true recipe, I make so often.
Simple, nutritious, tasty and guarantees a happy and healthy feed. Definitely my kind of recipe.

The Little Beet's Charred Broccoli

A new eatery recently opened in the beating heart of Midtown NYC, it’s called The Little Beet and it focuses on gluten-free, non-GMO, fast-casual food. It has quickly become a favorite lunch spot for busy professionals, who want to eat healthy and nutritious food.
The fact that it’s located in Midtown, just a few blocks away from tourist-clogged Times Square - or as I like to call it 'Squareway to Hell' - should not hold you back from having lunch there (if you happen to be in NYC, of course!)
It’s a lovely little spot with an eco-friendly decor that includes detailed Compost-Recycling-trash bins and veggie-inspired artwork on the walls.

Easy Chili Con Carne Meatballs

If you would ask me how to describe these meatballs, I would definitely say that this is 100% dude food.

Dude food as in food that basically tastes as good as you want it, no matter what fat, cholesterol or caloric content.

food more macho [are we still allowed to use the word macho in 2014 btw?] than what your grandmother would have made — unless your grandma was a biker babe, then I’ll take it all back.

So yes, dude food, except that ’round here we never say “no matter what” when referred to the food we eat and - moreover - we do give a damn about carbs, calories, fats, etc.

Which means that this is dude food with a healthy twist.

In other words, food which is both “masculine” as well as health-ish. Comprende?

15-Minute Beef with Thai Peanut Sauce

Let’s say it’s 7pm and you suddenly realize you’re craving Chinese/Thai takeout.
Unfortunately, you’re in the middle of nowhere surrounded by heaps of snow, and the closest Chinese/Thai restaurant is a 15-mile drive away which includes crossing State line.
On top of that you’ve been skiing all day and you’re tired and sore, and the last thing you want to do is hop in the car and go get the food.
That was me a week ago; hankering for Chinese/Thai food but too lazy to actually get it.
Since suppressing my cravings was not an option (it never really is), I fired up the stove and did the best I could with what I had.
That’s how this awesome stir-fry beef with Thai peanut sauce came to life. *High-five*

Key West Spicy Chicken Quesadillas

And it’s a new year.
I hope that your 2014 has started off with a BANG.
Mine has been very chilled and full of ski, delicious food, good reads and no alarm clock. AWESOME. [Today I’m back to reality, but I’ll just pretend it’s still last week for a minute.]
You may not know this, but I really LOVE to ski.
It brings out my crazy, just as much as triathlon does.
I love it notwithstanding getting to and from the slopes can be a real pain.
When one considers digging out all of the clothes to stay warm, putting them on, hauling all of that awkward equipment around, paying $$ for a ski pass.
I still get the biggest rush when I fly down a slope, which negates all of that hassle.
The floating sensation of skiing through powder snow is one of the coolest feeling ever, if you haven’t try it yet I urge you to do it.
On top of that skiing is practiced in some of the most breathtaking places in the world. Few sports in the world have such beautiful environmental contexts (I mean, look at the shots I took for you guys the other day on the chair-lift, risking hypothermia...)

Peri Peri Chicken Kebabs

You say piri-piri, I say peri-peri, he says pili pili? Alright. Why does this hot sauce have such a spelling-identity-crisis?
Old-faithful Wikipedia has an answer: “Pili pili is the Swahili word for 'pepper pepper'. Other English language spellings may include pili pili in the Democratic Republic of the Congo or peri peri in Malawi, deriving from the various pronunciations of the word in parts of Bantu languages-speaking Africa. Piri piri is the spelling of the name as used in the Portuguese language.”
In other words, all spellings are correct. Makes sense.
But whichever way you spell it, this spicy, fiery, and lively hot sauce can be better described as *awesome*, *badass* or *da bomb*.
Around the world peri peri is best known as a chili based sauce used as a seasoning or marinade for meat, especially chicken.

Sweet Potato Gratin Dauphinois

My mum made a classic potato gratin dauphinois for Christmas Eve dinner. IT.WON.RAVES.I swear I saw guests on the brink of fighting each other over the last bit (I won’t point fingers nor name anyone in particular, I just want YOU to know that I saw what happened!)
That’s something I would have never expected.
I don’t mean to diminish my mom’s cooking, but a gratin dauphinois is a pretty simple dish — potatoes cooked/baked in a milk mixture and topped with some cheese. Easy.
Apparently, just a very few ingredients deliver an irresistible creamy potato side dish that almost caused a brawl between two gentlemen. Who knew?

Have Yourself An Awesome Merry Christmas + (Paleo) Meringues

And it is Christmas Eve.
Which has to be my favourite day of the year. All that has to be done, has been done and if it hasn't happened there is little you can do about it now.
There is family, there are friends, there is warmth, and if you’re lucky enough there might be also snow on the ground. There’s nothing quite like a White Christmas, isn't it?

A Simple Fennel, Orange and Pepper Salad

This salad was a big hit at Christmas’ brunch last Saturday.
Which is kind of ironic.
It was one of the simplest things I served, yet it was gone in a heartbeat; and everybody asked for the recipe.
Which got me thinking: is there really such a thing as a recipe for a salad?
Well if you consider super-fancy salads, then yes. But this...this is more of an idea.
Anyway, as all my guests enjoyed it so much, I decided to share this recipe/idea with you.

Momofuku's Roasted Brussel Sprouts

I used to hate brussel sprouts, I mean really hate them. I hated them so much one time when I was a kid I gagged at the dinner table because my parents forced me to eat them. They were the most awful thing I have ever put in my mouth, and I will never forget that.
That wasn’t until I went to David Chang’s Momofuku ssäm bar for dinner for my friend Nicole's birthday party a couple of years ago.
Somebody ordered a couple of servings of roasted Brussel sprouts; and for some reason the waiter put them in front of me.
I looked at them for quite some time, trying to decide whether I should give Brussel sprouts another chance.
I hesitated for a couple of minutes, but then I realized I was ripe (and brave) enough to try them again.
And luckily I did, because they blew me away.
See? People change.

Warm Apple Pie Smoothie

In the summer I easily get excited about cooling drinks such as smoothies or juices. But in the winter - especially when it’s snowing outside - I crave hot drinks that will warm me up from the inside out.
However, I find it hard to come up with anything more than a cup of coffee, tea or cocoa. I mean, you can call them Mochas, Lattes or Macchiatos...it’s still coffee with some add-ons.
Don’t get me wrong, coffee (or tea) is awesome, but sometimes it’s nice to mix things up a little.
And I’m not talking about getting your booze on.
In that case there’s a variety of hot drinks to choose from: Hot spiced wine, eggnog with a dash of brandy or hot buttered rum. But as much as the idea of getting wasted in the morning is tempting, that’s not really how I roll.
So...back to square one?
No, not that fast.
How about a warm smoothie?
Don’t turn up your nose just yet; not before you’ve heard it all.

10 Last-Minute Gifts For Health Nuts

I know this is very last minute.
Christmas is just a week from now, but if you - just like me - have yet to finish your Christmas shopping, here’s a couple of last-minute holiday fitness gift ideas. 
Now, before we get started, there’s something I ought to tell you. Fitness-related gifts are fraught with danger.  
No matter how many times your significant other, best friend or sister said they want to be more active or get fit; that gym membership under the tree is going to earn some looks; and a “Do you think I’m out of shape or something?” might even be heard.  
Trust me you don't a fitness gift to put you in the middle of the "So, you think I'm fat?" conversation. Dangerous stuff.
On the other hand, there are those who are so into fitness and heathy that they have already all the equipment they need. 
But fear not people, it is possible to give fitness gifts without giving offense and avoiding duplicate (or redundant) gifts. 
I’m talking about these gifts that might also work as little extra incentives start a healthier lifestyle.

Crock-Pot Italian Beef Stew

It's chilly and snowing outside, and I've got John Mayer singing “Who says I can't be free. From all of the things that I used to be? Rewrite my history. Who says I can't be free?”
I’m glad I'm inside in the warmth and coziness of my apt, and for some reasons it feels like the perfect time to cook something hearty and good.
IMO nothing beats a warm bowl of beef stew on a day like this.
And why make a regular beef stew when you can make the Italian version of it that tastes a hundred times better.
Loads of fresh veggies, lots of herbs, Italian red wine, amazing flavors.
This may be my new favorite stew. I even prefer it to Julia Child’s Boeuf Bourguignon my mom’s makes, and it’s so much easier to make.
When there’s a slow cooked involved it's usually pretty simple...

Cheesy Cauliflower Soufflé (Low Carb & Gluten-Free)

What are your plans for this coming Christmas?
Spending more time with your family and friends and less time on worrying about getting duped by the Grinch, I suppose.
As for me, I’m hosting a big brunch on Saturday (the 21st) for my clique; on Sunday night dinner with my mom’s side of the family.
Then the traditional Christmas Eve dinner with my parents and siblings; and finally the huge Christmas lunch with my dad’s side of the family.
A bit intense, but it’s Christmas after all.
Loads of food, loads of drinks, quality time with your loved ones...I mean, isn’t it the best time of the year?

"Ugly But Good" Nut Cookies

*Updated on 12/15/2013. I made a new batch of cookies last night.
I used less sugar and cook the batter on the stove for just 6 minutes. They came out even more awesome than the previous. I took a couple of new shots.
I hope you don't mind...

Do not judge a book by its cover, they say.
I wish I could say that I am one of those people who do not judge a book by its cover but, I am.
I am so one of those who will pick up a book (including cookbooks) solely on the cover.
That doesn’t mean that I won’t read something that sounds good just because it has a bad cover; but if a cover does not capture my eye, it is very unlikely for me to pick up the book.
That’s probably why I still struggle to read on my Kindle. I like to look at the cover, I like to feel the paper in my hands and to flip through real pages rather than clicking. Call me old fashion.
Truth to be told, evaluating things by their appearance is second nature in so many circumstances in life.

Holiday Frittata

I’m still battling with the cold and flu. So far, I seem to be winning, but damn that headache and fever!I skipped running this morning - which sucks - but I still managed to do some Vinyasa yoga at home.
When I can’t make it to the gym, I unroll my yoga mat, log onto DoYogaWithMe.com and take one of their awesome on-line classes.
If you don’t know this yoga website yet, you really should.
It has hundreds of videos, organized by level of difficulty, style, length and teacher. All videos are free. No account creation. No sign-in. No spam. In other words, awesome.

Exercising While Sick + Honey, Lemon & Ginger Tea

Today I woke up with a terrible sore throat and stuffy nose.
The savvy thing to do would have been to make some tea and curl back up into my bed. But no,
I headed out the door in hopes that running in the freezing cold would reinvigorate me and cure all.
About two miles in, I felt like I was moving slower than a sloth and could not breathe for the life of me.
I contemplated heading back to the house, but hey, am I or am I not a triathlete? Nothing can stop me, right?
So I convinced myself to keep running. Worst.Decisions.Ever.
After one mile I had to stop and walk back home. Fail.
My lungs were burning, my throat felt like sandpaper and I was feeling like the biggest IDIOT in town.
I arrived home light headed but at least the agony was over. I brewed me some honey, lemon and ginger tea (recipe below) and went back to bed. Which is where I should have stayed all along.
Considering that cold (and flu) season is in full swing - and the poor judgement on my part this morning - I thought it would be a good idea to discuss whether it’s to OK to exercise while sick.