Summer Vegetable Panzanella

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When summer gifts us sweet cherry tomatoes, crisp bell peppers, and fragrant peaches, all you need is a piece of bread to create a colourful, fresh, and complete meal: Summer Vegetable Panzanella.

For this recipe, I used my Crispy Wholemeal Bread, which can be fresh – lightly toasted in a pan – or stale, soaked with water and vinegar. In this version, I started with fresh gluten-free bread and toasted it slightly to let it better absorb the flavours of the vegetables and fruit. With stale bread, Panzanella becomes a perfect anti-waste idea, enhanced by the contrast between the sweetness of grilled peaches and the lively note of mustard and mint.

Perfect as a light lunch, quick dinner, or sharing starter, this Panzanella is rich in fibre, vitamins, and minerals. Plus, it’s an excellent ally for weekly meal planning as it can be prepared in advance: the flavours will meld together, making it even more irresistible.

Looking for another idea with stale bread? Try my Pappa al Pomodoro with Crispy Rinds.

ilaria-bertinelli-panzanella-di-verdure-estive

Summer Vegetable Panzanella

14g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for 4 servings

  • 10-12 ripe cherry tomatoes (220g)
  • 200g gluten-free bread**
  • 1 nectarine or peach (about 160g)
  • 150g yellow bell pepper
  • 150g red bell pepper
  • 70g red Tropea onion (or sweet spring onion)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon mustard
  • a few fresh mint leaves
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • apple cider vinegar
  • pumpkin seeds
  • salt and pepper

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (or, in Italy, present on  Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

  1. Cut the bread into cubes and lightly toast them in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil, then place in a large bowl.
  2. Thinly slice the Tropea onion and marinate it in a small bowl with 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper for at least 30 minutes.
  3. Dice the bell peppers finely and cut the cherry tomatoes into halves or quarters.
  4. Prepare the dressing by whisking together 4 tablespoons olive oil, 4 tablespoons vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper.
  5. Slice the peach into wedges and grill them on a hot griddle for 1 minute per side until slightly caramelised.
  6. Assemble the Panzanella by combining the bread, vegetables, onions with their marinade, and the dressing in a large bowl. Mix well and season with torn mint leaves and pumpkin seeds to taste. If the bread seems too dry, add a few tablespoons of water, vinegar, and olive oil.
  7. Let it rest in the fridge for a few hours before serving or prepare it the day before – it will be even more flavourful.
  8. Serve by forming a round disc using a pastry ring, place 1 or 2 peach slices on top with a few mint leaves.
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White corn tortillas with activated charcoal and vegetable chili

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Bold colours and intense flavours come together in a recipe that celebrates plant-based cuisine with a creative and inclusive twist: these White corn tortillas with activated charcoal and vegetable chili are the perfect option for anyone looking for a satisfying yet balanced dish, also suitable for those who have to keep an eye on their blood sugar levels or following a gluten-free diet.

The tortillas are made with white corn flour, a naturally gluten-free ingredient rich in resistant starch and generally with a lower glycemic index than yellow corn. The addition of activated charcoal not only gives a striking look but may also help reduce bloating thanks to its adsorbing properties.

The vegetable chili is a powerhouse of fibre, vitamins, and antioxidants: bell peppers provide vitamin C and beta-carotene, carrots contribute soluble fibre and vitamin A, and Mexican black beans are an excellent source of plant-based protein, iron, magnesium, and more fibre to help regulate carbohydrate absorption, making the dish even more balanced. Chili pepper and paprika add a pleasant spiciness and help stimulate metabolism—without needing to rely on a lot of salt for flavour.

Let’s take a flavourful trip into Mexican-inspired cooking with this wholesome and satisfying dish and if you like Latin American cuisine, try also this Dominican Salad.ilaria-bertinelli-tortillas-di-mais-bianco

White corn tortillas with activated charcoal and vegetable chili

18g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for the tortillas

  • 250g water
  • 170g white corn flour*
  • ½ teaspoon of activated charcoal
  • a pinch of salt

For the vegetable chili

  • 400g tomato purée
  • 300g yellow bell pepper
  • 300g red bell pepper
  • 250g carrots
  • 250g cooked Mexican black beans
  • 40g onion
  • 1 small piece of chili pepper
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • paprika
  • parsley
  • salt

To complete

  • avocado

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (or, in Italy, present on  Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

  1. Place the white corn flour in a mixing bowl, add a pinch of salt and the activated charcoal, then pour in the water and mix until you get a smooth, uniform dough. Cover and let it rest for at least 15 minutes. If mixing by hand, your fingers may get stained black—but don’t worry, it rinses off easily.
  2. Finely chop the onion and sauté it in a deep skillet with a drizzle of olive oil, along with a clove of garlic and a small amount of chili pepper according to your heat preference. Meanwhile, slice the carrots and dice the peppers, then add them to the pan along with the tomato purée. Season with salt and paprika. Cook for about 15 minutes, then add the black beans. Let everything simmer for another 10 minutes, stir in chopped parsley, and adjust seasoning if needed.
  3. Prepare the tortillas: divide the dough into 10 pieces of about 40 g each. Flatten each one between two sheets of parchment paper to about 1–1.5 mm thickness.
  4. Cook the tortillas in a very hot non-stick pan on both sides, flipping them twice—the second flip will often make them puff up slightly. Once cooked, stack them between two plates to keep warm.
  5. Fill each tortilla with the vegetable chili and a slice of avocado.
  6. ilaria-bertinelli-tortillas-di-mais-bianco

 

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February salads: taste with low GI

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With February’s arrival, nature offers us ingredients packed with nutrients and authentic flavours, perfect for those living with type 1 diabetes and coeliac disease. My February salads combine taste and health, ideal for enhancing your winter table.

February Salads: Winter Flavours and Wellness on Your Table

In the Cauliflower and Pumpkin Salad, these two vegetables create a delightful balance of flavours and textures. Cauliflower, with its low glycaemic index and high fibre content, helps maintain blood sugar levels stable. Pumpkin, besides adding a pop of colour, is rich in beta-carotene and vitamins. The addition of boiled eggs completes the dish with high-quality proteins, making it both nutritious and satisfying.

The Winter Greek Salad is my tribute to a recent adventure in Greece: crisp iceberg lettuce with flavourful black olives and a creamy Greek yoghurt dressing enriched with cucumber, reminiscent of the famous tzatziki sauce. Iceberg lettuce provides fibre and water, black olives offer healthy fats and antioxidants, and the creamy Greek yoghurt sauce with cucumber supports digestive health thanks to probiotics and cucumber fibre.

Why choose seasonal vegetables for February salads?
Opting for seasonal ingredients ensures maximum flavour and nutrients. Get ready to enjoy the best of winter with these salads that combine taste, colour, and wellness!

Winter Greek Salad

13.5g carbohydrates per 100g

insalata-greca-invernale

Ingredients for 4 servings

  • 200 g cooked chickpeas
  • 100 g feta cheese
  • 100 g leftover gluten-free bread**
  • 100 g cucumber
  • 100 g iceberg lettuce
  • 50 g Kalamata black olives
  • 30 g fat-free Greek yoghurt
  • 1 lemon
  • oregano
  • mint
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (or, in Italy, present on Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

  1. Cut the bread into cubes and toast in a non-stick pan. When it starts to crisp, drizzle with a little oil, a pinch of salt, and oregano.
  2. Trim the cucumber, grate it, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and place it in a colander to drain. Squeeze well, then blend it with the yoghurt, juice of half a lemon, a few mint leaves, salt, and pepper to create a sauce.
  3. Crumble the feta cheese and mix it in a bowl with the chickpeas, shredded lettuce, and olives, seasoning everything with a drizzle of oil.
  4. Serve on plates and top with the cucumber yoghurt sauce and crispy croutons.

Cauliflower and Pumpkin Salad

3g carbohydrates per 100g

insalata-di-cavolo-e-zucca

Ingredients for 4 servings

  • 500g mixed-colour cauliflower
  • 400g pumpkin
  • 4 boiled eggs
  • 100g baby spinach
  • thyme
  • oregano
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper

Preparation

  1. Separate the cauliflower into florets and cook in the microwave on high for 4 minutes.
  2. Cut the pumpkin into cubes and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper, and drizzle with a little oil. Roast in a preheated fan oven at 180°C until golden.
  3. Place the spinach in a bowl and season with extra virgin olive oil and salt.
  4. Boil the eggs for 8 minutes, peel them, and separate the yolks from the whites.
  5. Assemble the plates by layering the spinach, followed by cauliflower florets, pumpkin cubes, and crumbled egg whites. Finish by passing the yolks through a sieve to create a pollen-like texture.
  6. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt, pepper, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

 

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December salads between parties and detox

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Which salads can we prepare during the holiday season? December salads couldn’t but be suitable for a period of parties and celebrations.

In fact, these salads complement each other because one is perfect for enriching festive meals and the other for a detox meal before or after the Christmas treats.

Turnip and lamb’s lettuce salad is a way to use two ingredients that we rarely bring to the table at our place. White turnip is very low in calories, contains no cholesterol, has only 6 carbohydrates per 100g, but is very rich in vitamins and minerals, so consuming it means providing a good dose of antioxidants to cope with the cold season.

Coleslaw Salad is a great classic of Anglo-Saxon cuisine, but especially of Newark buffets, to use the cabbage in a mouth-watering way. The name is in fact the transformation into English of the Dutch terms ‘kool’, cabbage, and ‘sla’, a nickname for salad. My version is a light interpretation of the original in that I eliminated sugar in the preparation and diluted the mayonnaise with equal amounts of zero-fat Greek yoghurt.

Happy holidays by bringing December salads to the table, but don’t forget to explore other salad ideas, e.g. October salads.

Turnip and lamb’s lettuce salad

9,56g carbohydrates per 100g

insalata-di-rapa-bianca-e-songino

Ingredients for 4 servings

  • 2 white turnips
  • 100g lamb’s lettuce or other leafy greens
  • 90g pear
  • 20g maple syrup or honey
  • lemon juice
  • a few parsley leaves
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • wood sorrel (optional)

Preparation

  1. Peel the turnips with a peeler, slice them very thinly using a mandoline and macerate them for 10-15 minutes with an emulsion of lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, salt and parsley.
  2. Slice the pear with the peel.
  3. Prepare a vinaigrette by mixing a few tablespoons of oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and chopped parsley.
  4. Arrange the lamb’s lettuce on the bottom of each plate, lay the turnip and pear on top, drizzle with the vinaigrette and finish with a grinding of pepper and the sorrel leaves.

Coleslaw

7g carbohydrates per 100g

Insalata-coleslaw

Ingredients for 4 servings

  • 250g white cabbage (approx. 1/2 cabbage)
  • 170g carrots (approx. 2)
  • 1 Granny Smith apple
  • 2 celery stalks
  • 3 spring onions (the white part)
  • 40g raisins
  • 40g shelled walnuts
  • chopped fresh herbs
  • salt and pepper

Ingredients for the sauce

  • 150g mayonnaise*
  • 150g fat-free Greek yoghurt
  • 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard*
  • 20g lemon juice
  • salt and pepper

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (or, in Italy, present on  Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

  1. Cut the cabbage into very thin strips; grate the carrots into julienne strips and slice the apples with the peel, but without the core.
  2. Chop the celery and spring onion finely, then put all the vegetables in a bowl.
  3. In a bowl, prepare the sauce: mix mayonnaise and yoghurt, season with mustard and lemon, then season with salt and pepper.
  4. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and mix well: the salad should be very well bound, i.e. have just the right amount of dressing to hold the vegetables together.
  5. Top the salad with sultanas and coarsely chopped walnuts, then complete with chopped fresh herbs to taste.
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Salads of october with legumes, fruit and vegetables

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In October you can choose between a super-light salad or a rich one that you can use as a main course, so find out what the Salads of October are.

October is often a time that holds surprises for us in terms of temperatures because we can enjoy days that are still like summer or we can be plunged into the first cold days of winter: so choose the most suitable salad for autumn days.

The Fruit and vegetable salad is prepared with some of the most iconic fruits of winter, namely orange, apple and pear. The same applies to vegetables, where the purple cabbage is king. The addition of milk flakes is consistent with the lightness of this salad, but you might be tempted to replace them with grilled Tomino cheese without thinking too much about the calorie intake.

The legume and salmon salad, on the other hand, will be a great way to fill up on both animal and vegetable proteins with the strong touch of mustard sauce to bind all the flavours together.

Don’t miss out on more ideas for your salads and also discover the raw and cooked salads of April.

Fruit and vegetable salad

13.16g carbohydrates for the whole serving

Ingredients for 1 serving

  • 50g milk flakes*
  • 40g purple cabbage
  • 40g fennel
  • 30g Pink Lady apple
  • 30g pink grapefruit
  • 30g pear
  • 30g orange
  • 1 lemon
  • a few parsley leaves
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten free” (or, in Italy, present on  Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

  1. Peel the orange and grapefruit. Slice the apple and pear leaving the peel, sprinkle with lemon juice, salt and pepper.
  2. Slice the fennel with a mandoline so that it is very thin and do the same with the purple cabbage.
  3. Prepare a vinaigrette by mixing a few tablespoons of oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and chopped parsley.
  4. Arrange the fruit and vegetables on a plate, dress with the vinaigrette and top with a few teaspoons of cheese flakes.

Insalatona-di-frutta-e-verdura

Lentil and salmon salad

7.5g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for 4 servings

  • 300g cooked lentils
  • 200g smoked wild salmon
  • 100g Pink Lady or Granny Smith apple
  • iceberg lettuce
  • lemon juice

Ingredients for the sauce

  • 60g soy milk*
  • 50g extra virgin olive oil
  • 30g Dijon mustard*
  • 6 anchovy fillets
  • 20g lemon juice
  • dill
  • salt and pepper

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten free” (or, in Italy, present on  Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

  1. Pour all the ingredients for the sauce into a tall glass and blend them with an immersion blender to obtain a smooth and creamy sauce.
  2. Slice the apple thinly with the peel and spray it lightly with lemon juice so that it does not darken.
  3. Take four plates, cover the bottom of each plate with iceberg lettuce cut into pieces, lay a quarter of the cooked lentils, the apple slices, the wild salmon and season with mustard sauce on top of the salad. Complete with some dill leaves.

Insalata-di-lenticchie-e-salmone

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September salads

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September is the month when summer and autumn meet, just like the ingredients that characterise it: this is what you are going to discover in September Salads.

So what are the September salads? First of all, a tasty Chicken salad with radicchio and melon balls that is also perfect for your lunch box to take to the office as a balanced and light meal, or it can be a nice dinner to ensure a quiet night.

The second recipe is tasty and colourful, versatile and suitable for meals at home or away from home, the Salad of citrus flavoured cherry tomatoes with Venere rice introduces us to the quintessential winter fruit, i.e. oranges, which I have used here together with lemon to flavour the cherry tomatoes and make them really special.

So more colours to cheer us up into the less sunny days of September.

If you fancy some richer salads, check out the May and its fortified salads.

Chicken salad with radicchio and melon balls

carbohydrates 3.3g per 100g – 8.93g per serving

Insalata-di-pollo-al-radicchio-e-sfere-di-melone

Ingredients for 4 servings

  • 500g chicken breast
  • 280g melon
  • 180g red radicchio
  • 120g dried tomatoes in olive oil*
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • Aged Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
  • sage
  • bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon green peppercorns
  • 3 cardamom berries
  • 1 star anise berry
  • salt and pepper

Preparation

  1. Put a pan of water on the stove with a few sage leaves, a bay leaf, cardamom, star anise, green pepper and salt, and boil the chicken breast in it for 20 minutes. Once cooked, leave the chicken to cool in its stock.
  2. Assemble your salad by cutting the radicchio into strips and placing it on the bottom of the plate. Flavour it with the dried cherry tomatoes cut into strips, thread the cooled chicken over it and complete with melon balls.
  3. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Salad of citrus flavoured cherry tomatoes and Venere rice

carbohydrates 13.7g per 100g – 39.79g per serving

Insalata-di-pomodorini-agli-agrumi-e-riso-Venere

Ingredients for 4 servings

  • 600g mixed coloured cherry tomatoes
  • 140g Venere rice
  • 120g Greek feta cheese
  • 80g pitted green olives*
  • 80g pitted black olives*
  • 1/2 orange with edible peel
  • grated lemon peel
  • basil
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (or, in Italy, present on  Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

  1. Boil the Venere rice in lightly salted water and drain when al dente.
  2. Cut the cherry tomatoes in halves or quarters, add the sliced olives and season for 15 minutes with orange slices and grated lemon peel.
  3. Put the Venere rice in the salad bowl, cover it with the cherry tomato and olive mixture after removing the orange slices. Season with a drizzle of oil and some freshly-ground pepper (no need for salt as the salad contains salty ingredients) and complete with crumbled feta cheese and a few basil leaves.

 

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August salad: Pinzimonio with pistachio and courgette hummus

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For the month of August, I thought of a salad ideal for sharing with friends: Pinzimonio with pistachio and courgette hummus.

Once you have prepared this delicious hummus, you can use it not only to accompany many seasonal vegetables, but also to top bruschettas or season a pasta dish: a recipe with a thousand possibilities!

Pinzimonio can be used throughout a meal, i.e. it can be an appetiser, a main course or a side dish, it all depends on your appetite and the other courses you have planned for the meal.

You could serve Pinzimonio with Meat mini-pizzas.

pinzimonio-hummus-di-ceci-e-zucchine

Pinzimonio with pistachio and courgette hummus

 5.7g carbohydrates per 100g hummus

Ingredients for 6-8 servings

  • vegetables to taste (courgettes, carrots, celery, cherry tomatoes, etc.)
  • 200g courgettes
  • 150g cooked chickpeas
  • 40g pistachio nuts
  • lemon juice
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • water
  • salt and pepper

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (or, in Italy, present on  Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

  1. Place courgettes, chickpeas, pistachios and lemon juice in a blender and start blending. While continuing to blend, gradually add water and oil to obtain a creamy texture, then season with salt and pepper.
  2. Cut the vegetables into sticks, while leaving the cherry tomatoes whole and arrange everything in a serving dish with the hummus in a bowl in the centre or put the hummus in small single-serving bowls for each of the diners.

pinzimonio-hummus-di-ceci-e-zucchine

Version with gluten of Pinzimonio with pistachio and courgette hummus

The recipe contains only naturally gluten-free ingredients.

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Summer vegetarian rolls

I think it has happened to everyone to have bought a product to be used in a recipe and then have the leftover part lying in a corner of the kitchen not knowing what to do with it: this is how Summer vegetarian rolls came about.

I had bought a packet of rice paper with the claim ‘gluten-free’ prominently displayed on the front because I wanted to cook some spring rolls in a moment of nostalgia for trips to Asia, but after using them for this recipe, the leftover sheets stared at me for a long time from the cupboard without me finding a creative and easy way to use them.

Then, obsessed by the heat and the desire for tasty snacks, I came up with the idea of trying to use the rice paper simply wet, so without the need to turn on the cooker or oven: they were so good that I decided to buy another packet of rice paper! Not only that: they will be ready in a matter of minutes!

If you are a fan of oriental flavours, also try the Basmati rice with curry, tuna and peppers.

Involtini-di-verdure-con salsa-di-soia-agrodolce

Summer vegetarian rolls 

 4.5g carbohydrates per roll without sauce

Ingredients for 1 roll

  • 1 sheet of rice paper*
  • 1 sprig garden rocket
  • 1 handful grated carrots
  • 1 tablespoon soft cheese
  • 1 scant teaspoon olive pâté*

Ingredients for the sauce for about 6 rolls

  • 4 spoonfuls rice oil
  • 2 spoonfuls apple vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup*
  • 2 teaspoons of soy sauce*

Preparazione

  1. Soak the rice paper briefly in a bowl full of cold water.
  2. Spread the rice paper sheet out on a board and stuff it quickly so that it does not stick to the board itself: form a layer of rocket, lay the soft cheese in a sort of strip in the middle, also spread the olive pate and finally add a handful of grated carrots. Wrap everything up to form a fairly tight roll.
  3. Prepare the sauce for dipping the rolls: put all the ingredients in a small bowl and emulsify well using a fork.
  4. Serve the rolls with a small bowl containing the sauce in which to dip them.

Involtini-di-verdure-con salsa-di-soia-agrodolce

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Tasty summer? Pan-cooked creamy flatbread

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What can you prepare when you are caving for a savoury snack, but you have little time available and don’t want to use the oven? This Pan-cooked creamy flatbread is a perfect solution for snacks, aperitifs, garden parties and unannounced guests.

Prepare the dough in few minutes, leave to rest for 30 minutes and that’s it: roll out two disks of dough and stuff them with your favourite ingredients or what you have available in the fridge or larder.

I found the perfect occastion to enjoy the vegetable creams with no preservatives and no gluten of the Citres company, my booth neighbours at the Cibus 2024 food exhibition. I made my Pan-cooked creamy flatbread both with Radicchio cream which you will find in the recipe below, and with Pumpkin cream which I used with slices of Taleggio cheese: cook both of them because it will be very hard to decide your favourite one.

Schiacciata-in-padella

Pan-cooked creamy flatbread

33.22g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for the dough

  • 150g flour mix for bread, brand Nutrifree**
  • 100g milk
  • 10g extravirgin olive oil
  • salt

Ingredients for stuffing

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (or, in Italy, present on Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

  1. Prepare the dough mixing all the ingredients in a bowl until you obtain an even and firm mixture. Cover the dough with cling film and leave to rest for 30 minutes.
  2. Divide the dough in half and roll out each half with a rolling pin to obtain two disks of about 24cm diameter, but with one the two slightly larger.
  3. Spread the Radicchio cream and cream cheese on the larger disk leaving about 1-1.5cm along the permiter uncovered, then top with the second disk and fold the edge to seal the disks.
  4. Slightly grease a non-stick pan, better using spray extra virgin olive oil, and cook the flatbread for about 5 minutes on each side using a lid to turn it half-way through the cooking.
  5. Serve the flatbread hot and be creative with stuffing ideas!

Schiacciata-in-padella

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Snow peas, asparagus and fruit: June salads

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As summer officially begins on 21st June, June salads will delight us with the addition of seasonal fruit.

Asparagus continues to be present, which we can enjoy with a mouth-watering cheese cream and plums for a salad that also becomes a green all-in-one dish, great to take to the office or to the pool in a convenient lunch box.

My salad with cooked vegetables features snow peas accompanied by carrots, but above all by the contrast of the sweetness of the figs and the saltiness of the crispy Prosciutto di Parma: as an appetiser, main course or as a one-course meal, the Salad of snow peas and figs will win you over with its explosion of flavours.

The tip I want to share with June salads is the use of spray oil, a very interesting way to dress our dishes. Why?

For two main reasons: the first is that we will use up to 90 per cent less oil for dressing, thus significantly reducing the calorie intake of the salads themselves; the second is that in the canned bag of Fratelli Mantova the oil is stored in the dark and protected from the air, thus guaranteeing ideal preservation.

My choice for these salads is avocado oil containing 100% oil extracted from the pulp of the avocado fruit, rich in vitamin E, with a light and delicate taste and texture.

For more ideas, see also the reinforced salads of May.

Asparagus and plum salad

carbohydrates 7.76g for 1 serving

insalata-di-asparagi-e-prugne

Ingredients for 1 salad

  • 3-4 asparagus
  • 50g plums
  • 30g soy milk*
  • 30g Ricotta cheese
  • 20g Robiola cheese
  • shelled pistachios
  • 1 lemon with edible zest
  • Fratelli Mantova’s avocado oil
  • salt and pepper

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten free” (or, in Italy, present on  Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

  1. With a mandoline, slice the asparagus into ribbons and marinate them for at least 15 minutes with a teaspoon of lemon juice, salt, pepper and a splash of avocado oil.
  2. Prepare a cream by mixing ricotta, robiola, grated lemon peel and a grinding of pepper.
  3. Assemble the salad by placing the asparagus ribbons in a salad bowl, the cheese cream, the plums cut into wedges and a sprinkling of shelled pistachios.

insalata-di-asparagi-e-prugne

Snow pea and fig salad

carbohydrates 9.58g for 1 serving

insalata-di-taccole-e-fichi

Ingredients for 1 serving

Preparation

  1. Slice the carrots into ribbons using a mandoline, season them with lemon juice, salt, pepper and a splash of avocado oil, then allow to rest for the time needed to prepare the other ingredients.
  2. Boil the snow peas in boiling salted water until cooked but still firm. Plunge them into cold water, then drain immediately.
  3. Place the Prosciutto slice on a plate and let it crisp up in the microwave or in a non-stick frying pan: in the microwave, set the oven on low power for short periods of time until the desired crispiness is reached; in the frying pan, do not grease the bottom and cook on low heat until crispy.
  4. Assemble the salad by placing the snow beans on the bottom of the salad bowl, the carrot ribbons and a well-washed fig cut into wedges, season with a pinch of salt, pepper and a splash of avocado oil, then finish by adding the crispy prosciutto slice.

insalata-di-taccole-e-fichi

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