Tag Archive for: cucina sana

Vegetable quinoa and buckwheat bake

Vegetable quinoa and buckwheat bake is one of those recipes that truly simplifies everyday cooking: everything is prepared in a single pan, first on the hob and then finished in the oven, with no unnecessary steps and no extra washing up. A small detail that makes a big difference, especially when time is limited but you still want a complete meal.

In this bake, the key ingredients are quinoa and buckwheat, two naturally gluten-free pseudocereals with very interesting nutritional properties.

Quinoa, originally from the Andean region and cultivated for thousands of years by pre-Columbian populations, was already considered a staple food by the Incas, who referred to it as the “mother grain”.

Even today, it is widely appreciated and often considered a superfood for several reasons: 1) it contains all essential amino acids, which is quite rare in plant-based foods; 2) it provides a good amount of fibre; 3) it has a moderate glycaemic index; 4) it is rich in minerals such as magnesium, iron and potassium; 5) it contains antioxidant compounds.

Buckwheat, despite its name, is not a cereal but a plant belonging to a different botanical family. It is also naturally gluten-free, with a good fibre content and an interesting supply of minerals such as magnesium and iron.

When used in a preparation like this bake — together with eggs and vegetables — they help create a complete, satisfying dish that is also easy to manage from a glycaemic perspective.

A practical, versatile recipe, suitable for everyday cooking, designed to optimise time and steps without compromising on ingredient quality.

ilaria-bertinelli-tortino-di-quinoa-e-grano-saraceno

Vegetable quinoa and buckwheat bake

16g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients

  • 300 g red onions
  • 150 g carrots
  • 100 g quinoa*
  • 100 g buckwheat*
  • 100 g cherry tomatoes
  • 100 g peas
  • 80 g leek
  • 40 g milk
  • 3 eggs
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Oregano
  • Salt and pepper
  • Cream cheese, to serve

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation

  1. Cook the quinoa and buckwheat separately in lightly salted water for about 20 minutes. Cover and leave to cool slightly.
  2. Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a non-stick pan that is also ovenproof. Add the sliced leek, onions, diced carrots and peas. Season with a pinch of salt, add a few tablespoons of water and cook for 5 minutes.
  3. Add the halved cherry tomatoes and cook for a further 3 minutes. Season with pepper and a pinch of oregano.
  4. In a bowl, beat the eggs with the milk. Add the cooked quinoa and buckwheat, mix well, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, then pour the mixture into the pan with the vegetables.
  5. Cook over a low heat for 5 minutes while preheating the oven to 180°C. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
  6. Serve warm, either on its own or with fresh, creamy cheese.
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Spring Salad

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This Spring Salad is a dish that tells the story of the season through its most vibrant colours and textures. At this time of year, nature offers us extraordinary vegetables, not only for their flavour but also for their nutritional properties, perfect for creating complete, light, and satisfying dishes.

Rainbow chard, with its stems ranging from yellow to deep red, is not just visually striking: it is rich in vitamins (particularly A, C and K) and minerals such as magnesium and potassium. The leaves have a delicate texture and a slightly earthy flavour, while the crunchier stems allow you to play with different textures within the same ingredient, also helping to reduce food waste in the kitchen.

Snow peas, also knowns as Mangetout, are a typical spring vegetable and stand out for their sweetness and tender yet crunchy texture. High in fibre and vitamin C, they contribute to satiety and support intestinal health. They are also particularly versatile and pair easily with a wide range of ingredients.

Alongside them, asparagus completes the dish with its slightly bitter, more pronounced flavour, typical of spring vegetables, and is also known for its detoxifying properties.

This salad was created to make the most of these seasonal ingredients, presenting them in a form that goes beyond a classic salad: a dish where vegetables are the absolute stars, combined with proteins and healthy fats for a complete nutritional balance. Naturally gluten free, it is also perfect for people affected by type 1 diabetes, thanks to its fibre content, which helps moderate blood sugar response.

ilaria-bertinelli-insalatona

Spring Salad

2g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for 4-6 servings

  • 400 g rainbow chard
  • 400 g asparagus
  • 300 g snow peas or mangetout
  • 2 eggs
  • 30 g peeled almonds
  • 30 g grated Parmigiano Reggiano
  • 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
  • 1 tbsp sunflower seeds
  • 1 heaped tsp soy lecithin*
  • 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. Wash the snow peas and cut them into pieces.
  2. Separate the stems of the rainbow chard from the leaves.
  3. Bring a pot of water to the boil, add salt, and cook the snow peas and chard stems for 8 minutes. Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon and plunge them into cold water, then drain.
    Trim the woody ends of the asparagus and cut the rest into pieces of the desired size. Pour a little oil into a pan, add a clove of garlic, then the asparagus, a pinch of salt, and a splash of water. Cover with a lid and cook until tender.
  4. Add the sugar snap peas and chard stems to the asparagus in the pan and sauté for a few minutes to infuse the flavours.
  5. Cut the chard leaves into strips and sauté them in a pan with a little oil. Transfer to a blender and add the almonds, Parmigiano, soy lecithin, extra virgin olive oil, a splash of water, salt and pepper. Blend until a smooth cream forms.
  6. Boil the eggs until hard boiled, then peel them.
  7. To assemble the salad: place the asparagus with snow peas and chard stems in a serving bowl, pour over the chard cream, and top with crumbled hard boiled eggs, seeds, a grind of pepper, salt if needed, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
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Gratinated Cod and Potato Bake

Gratinated Cod and Potato Bake is a dish that tells the story of a home-style cuisine made of simple gestures and authentic flavours, capable of bringing together tradition and pleasure in every bite. A complete and satisfying recipe, perfect to serve when you’re craving something hearty yet well balanced—ideal both for a relaxed Sunday lunch and for a convivial dinner with friends.

Cod is the star of this dish: a valuable source of high-quality protein, naturally low in fat and rich in minerals such as phosphorus and potassium. Paired with potatoes, which provide structure and softness, and enriched with green olives, tomatoes and aromatic herbs, it creates a harmonious balance of Mediterranean flavours that makes this dish comforting and delicious.

The final gratin, scented with oregano, parsley and extra virgin olive oil, adds a pleasant crunchy note that completes the dish, transforming simple ingredients into a preparation full of character. A recipe that celebrates home cooking, made of layers, aromas and togetherness.

ilaria-bertinelli-torta-di-baccalà-gratinata

Gratinated Cod and Potato Bake

7.6g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for 6 servings

  • 1 kg potatoes, peeled
  • 1 kg soaked salt cod
  • 270 g canned peeled tomatoes
  • 100 g breadcrumbs**
  • 80 g pitted green olives*
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • oregano
  • parsley
  • chilli pepper
  • salt and peppe
  • **Ingredienti specifici per celiaci

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation

  1. Slice the peeled potatoes thinly using a mandoline and blanch them in boiling salted water for a few minutes. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.
  2. Blanch the cod in a pot of hot water for 5 minutes, then drain it, remove the skin and check carefully for any bones.
  3. Finely chop the parsley and mix it with the breadcrumbs, oregano, chilli pepper and extra virgin olive oil, until you obtain a moist and fragrant mixture.
  4. Grease a baking dish with a drizzle of oil and sprinkle the base with the aromatic breadcrumbs. Create a layer of potatoes and cover it with pieces of cod; sprinkle with chopped olives, small pieces of peeled tomatoes, a little more breadcrumb mixture and a drizzle of oil. Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used.
  5. Finish with a final layer of potatoes topped with breadcrumbs and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Bake in a preheated fan oven at 180°C for about 30 minutes, or until golden.
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Three 5-minute salads

I love salads and am constantly thinking of new combinations that can be prepared with tasty ingredients in a very short time, so here’s how to prepare Three 5-minute salads.

Each of these salads will delight both the eyes and the palate, and as they are ready in a matter of minutes, you can indulge yourself and prepare all 3 in case you want to use them for a complete dinner instead of just a side dish.

Follow me not to run short of ideas for everyday cooking and have a look at my Lentil and chickpea burgers to discover a solution for your lunches away from home.

Tre-insalate-da-5-minuti

Treviso radicchio salad

5g carbohydrates for 1 serving

Ingredients for 1 serving

  • 1/2 tuft of Treviso radicchio
  • 40g pear
  • 2 shelled walnuts
  • slivers of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
  • Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper

Preparation

  1. Cut the Treviso radicchio into small pieces and put them in a salad or soup dish.
  2. Add the Parmesan slivers, the sliced pear and the walnut kernels slightly broken up using your hands.
  3. Complete with salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.

insalata-di-trevigiano

Aromatic cabbage and carrot salad

14g carbohydrates for 1 serving

Ingredients for 1 serving

  • 1 handful of thinly sliced white cabbage
  • 1 handful of thinly sliced purple cabbage
  • 1 carrot (mine was 80g)
  • 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard*
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup*
  • 1 tablespoon apple vinegar
  • sunflower seeds
  • pumpking seeds
  • 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 cabbage using a slicer or by hand so that it is very thin and grate the carrot into julienne.
  2. Prepare the aromatic dressing by mixing mustard, maple syrup, apple vinegar and extra virgin olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Mix well with a fork.
  3. Place the sliced cabbage and carrot in a deep dish, then drizzle with the dressing and top with sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds.

insalata-di-cappucci-aromatica

Chickpea salad with pink chicory

13.9g carbohydrates for 1 serving

Ingredients for 1 serving

  • 1/2 tuft of pink chicory
  • 100g cooked chickpeas
  • 30g avocado
  • lemon juice
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper

Preparatio

  1. Cut the pink chicory leaves and place them in a salad or soup dish.
  2. Top them with the cooked chickpeas and sliced avocado.
  3. Drizzle with a little lemon juice and complete the seasoning with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.

 

Insalata-di-ceci-e-radicchio-rosa-mantovano

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Lunch is ready!

E’ pronto! Tutti a tavola means Lunch is ready! How many times have we heard this sentence? For me this is a marvellous memory of when I was a child, which I now live again with my children, but also on 12 TV Parma, every day before and after the TV news: many easy recipes for the whole family to prepare in few minutes.

The recipes for mums intended for children

How many times have we asked ourselves: what can I cook for lunch today? So, here are some ideas for quick recipes to prepare for the most demanding guests at home, i.e. our children.

The star ingredients in many of these recipes are the products of the Ortolina range, in particular Ortolina Kids, the tomato products containing only organic ingredients, plenty of vegetables and designed by the Rodolfi company for the wellbeing of our young family members.

è pronto tutti a tavola

Lunch is ready: Every day before and after the TV news

Are you ready to say: Lunch is ready! Then don’t miss my recipes. Every day, before and after the TV news on 12 TV Parma (channel 16 on digital TV, channel 5016 on Sky decoder), live streaming and on demand. Your children will be happy to taste something new every day and always with tasty and healthy recipes.

Would you like some spoilers? Spinach and ricotta gnocchi, Sicilian style rolls, Potato and courgette patties with tomato sauce  and much, much more.

Buon appetito!

 

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Yoghurt flat bread

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Yoghurt flat bread means homemade bread, which is one of the most satisfying preparations: what could be nicer than the fragrance of bread baking that fills the room? But we don’t always have time to let bread rise and bake it for 45 minutes or more. Try this simple:

Yoghurt flat bread made with baking powder and wholemeal flour.

So a convenient, homemade bread, ready in minutes: we only need 30 minutes to let the dough rest, which is the time needed to set the table, dress the salad and serve the other courses or ingredients with which to top our flat bread. And besides being able to prepare it with and without gluten, this wholemeal version is also very diabetes-friendly thanks to fibre content and yoghurt, which slow down the absorption rate of carbohydrates.

A bread from the Orient

In the cuisine of many Central and South Asian countries, as well as in the Middle East, flat and rounded types of bread are prepared that are suitable for meat, fish and vegetable dishes in small pieces, making them easy to eat as street food.

One of the most popular types of these breads is Naana bread made famous by Indian restaurants all over the world. It is served hot to accompany other dishes and seasoned with butter or ghee (clarified butter used in this cuisine) as well as being flavoured with spices and herbs.

For convenience, it is nowadays prepared using baking powder and yoghurt in the dough instead of water to make it softer. And while in India they use the characteristic clay oven called Tandoor, the oven used to cook tandoori chicken, perhaps the best-known Indian dish outside its country of origin and always present on the menus of these ethnic restaurants, we will use a simple non-stick frying pan with a thick bottom.

In this video recipe you can see how to prepare the wholemeal yoghurt bread and I suggest you serve it in the Emilian way, therefore with some of the products of this land such as Squacquerone cheese and Prosciutto di Parma, but when you have a moment of time I invite you to try it with some meat and vegetable dishes accompanied by curry and spice sauces that will certainly make you travel with flavours at this time when physically doing so is still rather difficult.

Focaccina allo yogurt farcita

Yoghurt flat bread ready to be enjoyed

Wholemeal yoghurt flat bread 

38.32g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for 12 pieces

  • 400g fat free Greek yoghurt
  • 300g gluten-free wholemeal bread flour mix, brand Massimo Zero**
  • 100g brown rice flour* (you can also change the proportions and make 350g Massimo Zero Bread Mix** and 50g buckwheat flour: the dough will be darker and easier to roll out)
  • 8g baking powder*
  • aromatic herbs to taste
  • dried cherry tomatoes to taste (optional)
  • salt
  • dusting flour**

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

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

Preparation

  1. Mix the flour with yoghurt, baking powder and a pinch of salt until smooth.
  2. Cover it with cling film and let it rest for 30 minutes.
  3. Divide the dough into 3 parts and flavour one part with chopped herbs, a second part with dried tomatoes to taste and leave the third part plain. Finally, divide the dough into 4 pieces of each type, form them into balls, then roll them out with a rolling pin to a thickness of 3-4mm.
  4. Heat a non-stick frying pan or a smooth griddle. When it is hot, place the bread on it and cook it on both sides until brown, with darker bubbles scattered on the surface.
Cottura della focaccina

Cooking the bread

  1. Serve the bread with toppings to taste. And if you like flat bread and have a little more time available, try also potato patties.
Focaccine allo yogurt con Squacquerone,Prosciutto di Parma e rucola

Yoghurt flat bread with Squacquerone cheese, Parma ham and rocket

Version with gluten

Replace the gluten-free flour and rice flour with 400g of wholemeal wheat flour and mix it with 350g of fat free Greek yoghurt.

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