Braciole

For me there is something so comforting about Italian food. The smells that warm the house all day while pots simmer on the stove, large family dinners, food that makes you want to take a nap when it’s all over. I absolutely adore Italian cuisine, and this is part of my journey to make traditional dishes healthy without losing all of the wonderful flavors. Here we use new combinations, but all traditional ingredients.  Buon Appetito!

Ingredients for Sauce (or Gravy!)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion – diced
• 1 medium bulb garlic – peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 - 28 ounce cans of crush tomatoes
• 1- 28 ounce can tomato puree
• 1 - 6 ounce can tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon salt

Ingredients for the Braciole

• 8 tablespoons pine nuts – toasted and finely chopped
• 4 hard boiled eggs – peeled and finely chopped
• 8 cloves fresh garlic – minced
• 1 large handful fresh basil - chopped
• 1 large handful fresh parsley - chopped
• 2 lbs. boneless top round sliced thin into 8 pieces – pounded flat
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• Salt and pepper
• 8 large or 16 small slices of prosciutto (enough to cover a single layer of beef)

Directions

In a large stock pot over medium-low heat, sweat down the onions and garlic for about 15 minutes or until they soften. Add the tomatoes, half a large can of water, and turn heat up to medium. While sauce is coming up to a simmer, add remaining spices. Once up to a good simmer, reduce heat to a low simmer (you may have to adjust periodically). Don’t forget to give it a stir every once in a while to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pot.

While your sauce is gently simmering, it is time to start the Braciole. Start by toasting your pine nuts. In a dry sauté pan over medium heat, add the nuts and heat for around 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Remove from heat to cool before handling, then chop roughly in a food processor.

In a mixing bowl, combine the pine nuts, hard boiled egg, fresh minced garlic, basil, and parsley.

Lay your meat out on a clean working surface. If need be – pound flat on a cutting board until no more than 1/8 of an inch thick. Sprinkle each piece lightly with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Lay the prosciutto across the meat in a single layer, and spread approximately ¼ cup of the mixture across the meat as well.

Roll up the beef rolls tightly and fasten with toothpicks - one at each end pinching it closed, and one in the center if needed. And gently nestle your meat into your sauce.

Turn heat down to low, cover pot, keeping sauce at a low simmer. Turn meat occasionally. Let simmer for around 3 hours.

Caramelized Onion Frittata

The slow cooking of the onions brings out a wonderful flavor that reminds me of brunch at my favorite local restaurant. I hope you enjoy this at-home breakfast treat as much as I did.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoons grapeseed oil
• 1 yellow onion – diced
• 2 cloves garlic – minced
• 2 handfuls baby spinach
• 4 brown eggs
• Salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

In a 10-inch oven-safe sauté pan, heat the grapeseed oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion letting it slowly cook for approximately 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and baby spinach, continuing to stir until the spinach wilts – for about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat.

In a separate bowl, crack and wisk the eggs – season with salt and pepper. Pour eggs over the vegetable mixture, making sure the edges are uniform and all of the vegetable mixture is covered and evenly distributed in the pan.

Place pan in the oven for 15 minutes, or until the edges of the egg are golden brown and the center is cooked. Carefully remove from the pan and enjoy!

Meatloaf, Apple and Onion

Meatloaf is one of those universal comfort foods that take me back to cold weather, warm kitchens, and a homemade meal by Mom. But perhaps the way many of us grew up eating it wasn’t the healthiest with onion mix from a package, cheese, and loads of sugar-laden ketchup. In this version, the apple provides the much needed moisture. Paired with a little homemade ketchup for dipping kept this a true comfort food.

Ingredients

• 1 yellow onion – chopped
• 1 red delicious apple – diced
• 1 golden delicious apple – diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce*
• 3 pounds meatloaf mix (or 1 pound each ground beef, pork, veal)
• 2 eggs

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a sauté pan over medium heat, cook the onion and apples in olive oil for about 10 minutes or until tender. Add the spices and Worcestershire sauce, combine well, and remove from the heat to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the meatloaf mix, eggs, and cooled sauté mixture. Be prepared to use your hands to get all of the ingredients to combine well. Transfer your contents to an oversized baking dish and form into a loaf shape. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour, or until the internal temperature of the meatloaf reaches 155 degrees.

*Lea & Perrins® Worcestershire Sause is gluten free
http://www.leaperrins.com/products/the-original-worcestershire-sauce/nutrition.aspx

Banana Pancakes, Grain Free

My recent ventures onto the paleo diet have opened up a whole new world of cooking without dairy. This pancake makes for a hearty breakfast with no need for maple syrup – my favorite is to defrost a bag of organic berries for the topping. Thank you to Mark’s Daily Apple for the inspiration!

 Ingredients

• 2 ripe bananas
• 1 egg
• 1 heaping tablespoon almond butter (feel free to substitute with your favorite nut butter)
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 170 degrees and place an oven safe plate inside. As you cook each pancake, transfer it to the plate to keep it warm.

In a mixing bowl, mash the bananas and combine the remaining ingredients – mix well. On a skillet heated to medium, lightly “butter” the griddle. Gently ladle the pancake batter onto the griddle. When bubbles begin to set around the edges of the pancake and the griddle-side of the cake is golden, gently flip the pancakes. Continue to cook 2 to 3 minutes or until the pancake is set and then transfer to your warming plate in the oven.

Green Bean Salad

Green bean salads are a regular dish in our home - perfect for when they are in abundance in mid to late summer.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds green beans – with ends trimmed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
• Pinch of salt
• 2 hard-boiled eggs – finely chopped

Directions

Bring about one inch of water to a boil in a pot into that your steamer basket fits into. Put trimmed and cleaned green beans in the steamer basket, set over the boiling water, cover, and steam until tender, about 5 to 6 minutes (depending on how crisp or tender you like your green beans).

Remove the pot from stove to the sink and immediately run under cold water, shocking the vegetables so they stop cooking. While your green beans cool, in a salad bowl mix the remaining ingredients. Drain any excess water from your cooled beans and toss them in the serving bowl with your egg dressing.