Tag Archive for: healthy italian recipes

Garlic-free Bagna cauda

My first encounter with Bagna Cauda dates back to a trip to Piedmont many years ago when I fell in love with the unmistakable flavour of this iconic dish, blissfully unaware of its after-effects. The potent and lingering “aroma” of garlic was so overwhelming that my husband made it clear there would be no second chance for this culinary experience.

From that amusing episode was born my version of Garlic-Free Bagna Cauda, which I jokingly call “anti-abandonment”: no garlic, but instead Jerusalem artichokes, which lend creaminess and a delicate flavour without any unpleasant aromatic consequences.

Jerusalem artichokes are not just a great substitute for garlic but also a true health ally. They are rich in fibre, particularly inulin, a prebiotic substance that supports gut health and helps maintain stable blood sugar levels. They are low in calories but high in minerals such as iron, potassium, and magnesium.

The result? A dish that saves lunches, marriages, and sensitive noses.

Discover how to prepare it, and if you love dipping sauces, be sure to try my Pinzimonio with Pistachio and Courgette Hummus.

Garlic-free Bagna cauda

12.3g carbohydrates per 100g of sauce

Ilaria-bertinelli-bagna-cauda-senza-aglio

Ingredients for 4 servings

  • boiled potatoes and vegetables of your choice
  • 400g Jerusalem artichokes
  • 200g milk
  • 40g salted or oil-packed anchovies (weight after cleaning)
  • extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

  1. Desalt and debone the salted anchovies or opt for oil-packed anchovies for convenience. Place them in a small pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and let them melt.
  2. Wash and peel the Jerusalem artichokes, then cut them into cubes. Add the cubes to the melted anchovies. Cover with milk, place a lid on the pan, and cook until the Jerusalem artichokes are soft enough to be mashed with a fork.
  3. Mash the Jerusalem artichokes and anchovies well with a fork until creamy.
  4. Serve the sauce with boiled potatoes and other vegetables of your choice, perfect for dipping into this incredibly tasty mixture.
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Lunch box ideas: Pasta with chickpea cream and broccoli

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Are you looking for more ideas for your out-of-home lunch? Eating out is indispensable not only for those who work, but also for those who study, so the time has come to share some recipes for your lunch box or for what Japanese people call “bento“… Well, many ideas for lunch boxes that are complete, balanced and tasty to take with you on every occasion.

So, for our young ones going to university and having to eat gluten free and to count carbohydrates easily, the lunch box is a faithful travel mate that contributes to turning the lunch break into a joyful moment.

We found the perfect lunch box for our needs at our friend’s store “I love my house” whom I always ask for help when I am looking for equipment and kitchen solutions: here is where you can find our LUNCH BOX.

This is the beginning of a project that is very dear to me because lunch is a key meal, especially for out kids and we cannot allow ourselves to run short of ideas!

Stay tuned for many more fantastic recipes! Meanwhile, have a look at my Coronation pasta salad.

Pasta with chickpea cream and broccoli

85.91g carbohydrates for the whole lunch box

Ingredients for 1 lunch box

  • 110g broccoli florets
  • 100g boiled chickpeas
  • 70g Massimo Zero Organic Pipe**
  • 15g dried apricots
  • 1 tbsp of lemon juice
  • paprika
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • parsley
  • salt

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (in Italy they may be listed on  Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

  1. Boil pasta al dente in salted boiling water, drain and dress it with a dribble of extra virgin olive oil leaving the pasta to cool down.
  2. Blend 70g chickpeas with about 50g water, lemon juice, salt and pepper and a dribble of oil to obtain a cream.
  3. Dress the remaining chickpeas with paprika, pepper and oil to taste, together with blanched broccoli florets.
  4. Season the pasta with the chickpea and broccoli mixture, then add the dried apricots cut in pieces and pour everything in the lunch box.
  5. Put the chickpea cream in the second container or on the pasta completing with a dusting of chopped parsley and a dribble of oil.  Mix well before eating.

Version with gluten of Pasta with chickpea cream and broccoli 

The recipe contains only naturally gluten free ingredients, so no adaptation is necessary for its version with gluten; however, if you want, you can replace Massimo Zero corn and rice pasta with a durum wheat alternative.

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