Venere Rice with Smoked Salmon and Pomegranate // Riso venere con salmone affumicato e melagrana

2016 has finally come to an end, and as a last recipe to round off this year - although it has been more of a negative than positive year to me - I want to share with you this festive salad.

Spicy Basmati Rice with Red Cabbage // Riso Basmati speziato con cavolo rosso

Because of its colour, red cabbage is simply the perfect vegetable for holiday season. At least it is for me. And my favourite way to enjoy it is eaten raw in a salad. But it's officially winter now, and since I'm cold all the time, eating cold food doesn't sound very appealing to me.

Bok Choy Stir Fry // Stir fry di pak choi

If you have celebrated Christmas, chances are you have eaten too much on the past few days. There's nothing wrong with that, I'm the first that has been eating more than usual lately, especially sweets. What can I say, cavallucci, the typical Christmas treats from my town, are so good I just can't resist.

Salmon over Potato and Beet Purée // Salmone su purea di patate e barbabietole

Christmas is just around the corner, and even though I'm atheist, I always end up "celebrating" this day with my family. And it's tradition - because of religion - to have fish on Christmas Eve.

Prawn and Bok Choy Risotto // Risotto con gamberi e pak choi

Does it ever happen to you that you absolutely want to eat something in particular? Well, I've been stuck with the idea of having a creamy risotto for days, the only problem was that I didn't have the right ingredients.

Red Lentil Soup with Turnips // Zuppa di lenticchie rosse con rape

Soups are just the best way to keep you warm or warm you up, and they also are the easiest way to eat healthy. If you don't add any heavy cream or a lot of fats, of course.

Millet and Tofu Maki Sushi // Maki sushi di miglio e tofu

Japanese is easily my favourite cuisine. What can I say, they use fantastic ingredients, they have an obsessive attention for foods' aesthetic and raw fish is so delicious, I will never understand how so many people find it gross.

Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pomegranate // Cavolini di Bruxelles arrostiti all'aceto balsamico con melagrana

Brussels sprouts, those cute little cabbages that many people seem to hate. As you probably guessed, I love them, still I totally understand why they are so detested. If too big, old or overcooked, they tend to have an unpleasant flavour and some people don't like it.

Pasta with Broccoli, Pistachios and Cottage Cheese // Pasta con broccoli, pistacchi e fiocchi di latte

I know it's quite uncommon for someone my age, but I love every single member of the Brassica family, from the delicate white cauliflower, to the incredibly stinky yet delicious Romanesco broccoli, to the colourful and crunchy red cabbage. Among them all, broccoli will always have a special place in my heart because it's with them I've first fallen in love with.

Cabbage and White Bean Soup // Zuppa di cavolo e fagioli bianchi

It's getting pretty cold here and since I'm one of those people always freezing, there's nothing I love more than a warm bowl of soup. Lunch, dinner, breakfast, I don't care. I'd have soup even as a snack!

Baked Sea Bream // Orata al cartoccio

On an August evening last summer I had dinner at a seafront restaurant. A rather disappointing dinner, in part because after reading the menu I wanted to order the tuna with pistachios but at first the waitress told me they had no tuna, then, after asking, she told me they were out of pistachios, and thus I was forced to order something else, in part because some of the courses and especially the service left much to be desired.

Roasted Broccoli and Quinoa Bowl // Bowl con broccoli arrostiti e quinoa

 If you haven't noticed already, I love broccoli. And quinoa. So when I saw Kate's Broccoli, Cheddar & Quinoa Gratin, I immediately saved the recipe. Of course I wanted to try it. I mean, how do you even beat a warm, comforting and cheesy meal on cold days?

Lacinato Kale Mezzi Rigatoni with Butternut Squash // Mezzi rigatoni al cavolo nero con zucca butternut

 Yes, I'm back with another pasta recipe. What I can say, I wanted to make a sauce with lacinato kale and nothing goes well with a creamy sauce like pasta.

Grilled Picanha with Brussels Sprouts Slaw // Picanha grigliata con insalata di cavolini di Bruxelles

As a kid, I wasn't a meat lover, and the main reason was the fat. I have these vivid memories of me always reaching for that breast every time my mother made roasted chicken. And steaks weren't my thing because of that tough-to-chew fat.

Red Rice with Broccoli, Enoki Mushrooms and Fried Egg // Riso rosso con broccoli, funghi enoki e uovo fritto

I have recently made another exciting discovery on the Asian front: the enoki mushrooms. Why haven't I tried them before? Because I've never seen them at the grocery store, until now. And these little guys are amazing.

Egg Drop Soup with Oyster Mushrooms // Zuppa con uovo e funghi ostrica

Remember that time I told you about buying oyster mushrooms and having no idea what to make with them? Well, I saved several recipes back then, one of those being this egg drop soup - or 蛋(dàn)花(huā)汤(tāng), which literally means egg flower soup - with those delicious mushrooms.

Rosemary Garlic Cod with Cabbage and Walnuts // Merluzzo al rosmarino e aglio con cavolo cappuccio e noci

Growing up, I didn't like fish. Other than fried sole, fried calamari and, odd but true, not fried shrimps, I didn't eat it at all. And having lunch or dinner at a seafood restaurant with my family was a real nightmare.

Autumn Red Rice Salad // Insalata autunnale di riso rosso

Over the past few weeks, I shared with you a lot of recipes that highlight the amazing foods Autumn has to offer. From pasta to risottos, to smoothies, I paid homage to winter squash, mushrooms, broccoli and kale.

Sorghum with Roasted Butternut Squash and Beluga Lentils // Sorgo con zucca butternut arrostita e lenticchie Beluga

Even though it's a grain I discovered only recently, I'm already in love with sorghum. Maybe it's its impressive nutritional profile, its earthy flavour or its amazing texture, or maybe the fact that it absorbs flavours very well, but I love it.

Pumpkin Oatmeal // Porridge d'avena alla zucca

I'm cold intolerant. Yes, there's such a thing, and that's probably the only intolerance I have. So when that time of the day I'm supposed to get out of bed comes I panic. And who would blame me? Why leave a comfortable, warm bed for the Arctic Circle?

Linguine with Zucchini and Shiitake Mushrooms // Linguine con zucchine e funghi shiitake

I know, two weeks ago I told you I am not a great fan of pasta, yet once again I'm here posting a pasta recipe. It's just that sometimes I'm not in the mood for rice or grains, and whole wheat pasta is still a healthy alternative. And it's flavourful.

Vegan Mac and Cheese

When it comes to United States' comfort food, mac and cheese is the first thing that comes to my mind.

Sweet Potato Pie Smoothie

Thanksgiving is coming, and even though I am not American, I know this festivity pretty well because of all the movies and TV shows I've seen taking place on that day of the year. And if there's something I've learned is that Americans are pretty much divided into two groups, the pumpkin pie lovers, and the sweet potato pie lovers.

Pumpkin and Hazelnut Spelt Risotto // Risotto di farro alla zucca e nocciole

Just in case you didn't notice it, I love risottos. They are warm, creamy and comfortable. Basically all I need on cold days. And since lately there's been a lot of them, and since it also happens to be pumpkin season, I figured why not pumpkin risotto?

Chickpea Omelette // Omelette di ceci

Omelettes. Who doesn't like them? They are tasty, quick and easy to make and that's why they are one of my favourite things to make, especially if I don't have a lot of time to cook.

Orange Brown Rice with Turkey Breast in Mushroom Sauce // Riso integrale all'arancia con fesa di tacchino in salsa di funghi

Is it just me, or is turkey breast underrated? I mean, we use chicken breast all the time, and never think about turkey. But after all they are quite similar, they are both lean therefore they both can be very dry if overcooked.

Garlic, Parmesan and Kale Pasta // Pasta all'aglio, parmigiano e cavolo riccio

A week ago I confessed my love for kale. This week I'm renewing my vows with this garlic, parmesan and kale pasta inspired by a garlic kale side dish I often make.

Potato Pie // Pasticcio di patate

Who has ever tried a recipe and didn't get exactly the desired result? After all, to err is human. Sometimes it can be fixed, others unfortunately it can't. This time I was lucky because I was able to turn a failure into a tasty dish that it's also decent from an aesthetic point of view.

Asian Soup // Zuppa asiatica

Asian food is my favourite. It is simple, it is fast and it is usually very healthy, which saves me the effort to make it healthy. And I love the flavours and the textures as well.

Buckwheat and Kale with Avocado and Egg // Grano saraceno e cavolo riccio con avocado e uovo

O kale, kale! Wherefore art thou kale?

Okay, quoting Shakespeare here doesn't make a lot of sense. Or does it? I mean, after all I have an undeniable love for kale. My father doesn't forbid me to eat it though.

Romanesco Broccoli Risotto // Risotto con broccolo romanesco

Brassicas aka broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussel sprouts are finally in season, and when I see all that beauty my heart fills with happiness. But it's not only the beauty, those vegetables are indeed rich in vitamin C, minerals such as calcium, iron, phosphorus and potassium, not to mention the high fiber content.

Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry // Stir fry di pollo e broccoli

Chicken is a good source of lean protein, vitamins and minerals. Also, it makes for a very quick and easy dinner for when you don't have a lot of time to cook, and this chicken and broccoli stir fry is my favourite way to have it, especially now that broccoli are in season.

Baked Sweet Potato with Tahini and Goji Berries // Patata dolce al forno con tahina e bacche di goji

When it comes to potatoes, sweet potatoes are my favourite because they are full of fiber, iron and beta-carotene, plus they taste amazing. And they are also becoming my favourite lunch because whether I don't feel like spending a lot of time cooking or I don't have a lot of time to cook, baked sweet potatoes makes for a great meal.

Brown Rice with Mushrooms and Soya Chunks // Riso integrale con funghi e bocconcini di soia

Something that I've noticed while wandering through the internet is the lack of recipes calling for soya chunks. And I get it, they aren't the easiest of the ingredients to work with, and I know that from experience.

Creamy Pumpkin Soup // Crema di zucca

(Italiano sotto) Temperatures have dramatically dropped here, and while a week ago I could go for a walk wearing a t-shirt, now it's so cold I barely have the strength to leave the house. All I want to do is stay in bed, or at least at warm.

Jerusalem Artichoke Purée with Edamame and Oyster Mushrooms // Purè di topinambur con edamame e funghi ostrica

Like I've already said a million times, I often end up buying things that weren't on my shopping list. This was the oyster mushrooms time, I never had them before, they looked beautiful so I had to buy them.

Pasta with Radicchio // Pasta con radicchio

I don't know you but I love radicchio. Maybe it's because of its red-violet colour, or its bitter flavour and crispy texture, or the fact that it is very good both raw and cooked, but I love it.

How to Make Pumpkin Purée // Come fare la purea di zucca

October is here and I feel like it's that time of the year where whatever you eat has to be somehow related to pumpkin. And if you love pumpkin like I do, you will certainly agree with me on that.

Lime Oatmeal with Avocado // Porridge d'avena al lime con avocado

Yesterday morning I had the first glimpse of autumn. I indeed woke up to a gloomy, foggy and rainy day, which to be honest is my favourite kind of day. I know it can be depressing for most people, but I just love it.

Creole Shrimp and Okra Gumbo // Gumbo creole di gamberi e okra

I've been wanting to try gumbo for a while now but  never had the chance because I live miles away from Louisiana - on the other part of the world, actually.

Liver and Onions with Potatoes and Zucchini // Fegato e cipolle con patate e zucchine

 I used to be one of those people disgusted by liver, and the only thought of it would make me sick. And eating it was definitely not something I would have enjoyed to do.

Poached Egg with Portobello Mushroom, Tomatoes and Arugula // Uovo in camicia con fungo Portobello, pomodori e rucola

After having searched far and wide for months - almost an year actually -, I've finally found Portobello mushrooms. I'm not sure I can put down on words how excited I was when I saw those beautiful, big mushrooms, but it was wonderful.

Vegan Miso Soup with Ravioli // Zuppa di miso con ravioli vegan

I love miso soup. It's so warm and comforting and it's just perfect with its little bites of tofu and seaweed in every scoop.

How to Make Kombu Dashi // Come fare il kombu dashi

Last time when I made a How to post, it was sauerkraut. Today I'm going to Asia and I'm sharing with you how to make Kombu Dashi.

Beef Burger Salad // Burger di manzo con insalata

Whenever I think of healthy foods, burgers are definitely not something that comes to my mind. Actually, it is quite the opposite. In fact, burgers are the junk foods par excellence, and that's why I don't like them.

Avocado Chocolate Mousse // Mousse di avocado e cioccolato

I remember exactly when I made my first avocado chocolate mousse. It was last year, on December the 16th, and I remember it so well because it was the day the new Star Wars came out. As the avid fan I am, I bought the ticket for the first available screening which was at 2:30 pm, and long story short I had to eat something fast because I am a tremendously slow eater.

Quinoa with Okra and Tomatoes // Quinoa con okra e pomodori

A few weeks ago I picked up some fresh okra from my vegetable garden. I had never had okra before so I was quite excited to try them, and oh my god, they were delicious. Seriously, before them, I had no idea anyone could love a vegetable so much!

Amaranth Porridge with Shrimps // Porridge di amaranto con gamberetti

I love porridge. It is comforting, hearty, easy to make and there's really no better way to warm your day than starting off with a hot breakfast.

Sweet Potato Mini Pizzas // Pizzette di patata dolce

In a world where people are always looking for the option with less calories - example, eggplant pizzas, zucchini pizzas -, I'm bringing you a more delicious recipe. I'm not saying eggplants or zucchini aren't good, but let's be honest, they cannot compete with sweet potatoes.

Barley Salad with Eggplant, Tuna and Sun-Dried Tomatoes // Insalata di orzo con melanzana, tonno e pomodori secchi

You know what I've just realised? That summer is coming to an end and so is eggplant season and I haven't made any recipe with this wonderful vegetable.