Fresh and Healthy Couscous Salad

So healthy, fresh, light, and easy to make:
couscous salad with organic tomatoes, cucumbers, fresh mozzarella cheese and your favorite olives

Perfect for these hot summer days!

I prepared this couscous salad on Sunday, for our day at the beach. It was a great hit! So wholesome and delicious. A great combination of fresh flavors. I'm  one hundred percent sure that this will become one of your favorite summer recipe too. 

This couscous salad is quite versatile. It's perfect for a picnic on the sand, a barbecue at the park, your next party ... or you can simply enjoy it after a long day at work, or pack it for lunch the next day.

Did I mention it's fresh, healthy and delicious?!? Because it's fresh, healthy, delicious AND super easy and fast to prepare. Only few ingredients are required to make this salad. Make sure to use good quality, tasteful products, tough. I bought all my ingredients at Trader Joe's, As you might guess ... one of my favorite store :) Check out my video, and you will see how easy this recipe is!

Wait, there is more! You can prepare this salad ahead of time too. Just refrigerate it, especially if the weather is warm, and if you are not planning to eat it in the next hour or so.  I just love recipes that work around my schedule :)

Ingredients: serving 4 people:

• 8 oz (225 gr) of Israeli pearl couscous (I used Trader Joe's) 
  
• 2 organic tomatoes
• 2 small (Persian) cucumbers, or one medium cucumber
• 8 oz (225 gr) of fresh mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup of pitted green olives (or your favorite) 
• salt to taste
• oregano 
• about 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Directions:
1. Bring about three cups (700 ml) of water to a boil. Add one tablespoon of olive oil, and salt to taste. Simmer the couscous for about 12 minutes. If you are using a different couscous than what I have, make sure to check the directions on the box on the best way to cook it.

2. Cut the tomatoes, cucumbers and mozzarella cheese in small cubes. Combine these ingredients in a large bowl. Season with salt and drizzle with about 3 tablespoons of olive oil.

 3. Add the olives, sliced.

4. When the couscous is ready, drain and run under cold water to stop from overcooking.

5. Add to the bowl, mix well and sprinkle with oregano.

Serve immediately, at room temperature or refrigerate for up to a day.

Buon Appetito!

Freshly Baked Focaccia Bread with Green Olives

Incredibly soft homemade focaccia bread with green olives.

Who knew that simple fresh bread could taste so good?!

Here is another great recipe for focaccia bread. As you might remember I've posted how to bake focaccia with rosemary before. This recipe is very similar, but no rosemary, and the added flavor of delicious green olives.
As I said many times, what you bake is only as good as the ingredients you use. So make sure to buy flavorful olives. Not those plain ones that come in a can. If the olives don't have much taste, neither will your bread. I bought mine at my local Whole Foods. For sure more expensive than other places. But I really love their salad bar, because of the large selection of olives: Sicilian, Cerignola, Spanish, Greek, and so many others to choose from. This time I picked my favorite green Sicilian pitted (yes, please!!!) olives, that tasted amazing in my bread.
I made this focaccia to serve with appetizers the other night for some guests. I served a plate of prosciutto di San Daniele, and burrata cheese. Next to some bruschette with organic colorful cherry tomatoes that I bought at the market. I cooked the focaccia right before dinner was supposed to start, so my guests were welcomed at the dinner table by the amazing aroma of  freshly baked bread ... and yes, garlic too! From the bruschette.
From the compliments I received, I can say that dinner was a hit. From start to finish. And my kids said that the focaccia was their favorite part. The focaccia AND the meringue cups that I served at the end. Dessert is always their favorite. Mine too :-)

Ingredients: to make a 9x12 in bread

• 1 medium russet potato, about 5.5 oz, 180 gr
• 2.5 cups (400 gr) of bread flour
• 1 package of active dry yeast (3/4 oz, 21 gr)
• 1 pinch of sugar
• 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (divided)
• 1 cup (4 oz, 115 gr) of green olives
• 2 teaspoons (12 gr) of salt
• 10 fl oz (300 ml) of water
• coarse sea salt

Preparation time: 4 hours (20 minutes preparation time, 40 minutes cooking time and 3 hours inactive)
Directions:
1. Boil the potato by placing it in a pot with cold salted water. It should take about 20 minutes from when the water boils to be fully cooked. Test with  a fork for readiness.
2. In a large bowl add the flour, yeast, sugar, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and the riced potatoes (rice when still hot).

3. Dissolve the salt in 10 fl oz of warm water. Add to the bowl. Mix with a spoon first, until most of the flour is absorbed.

4. The dough will be quite soft and sticky. You can work directly on the bowl, and knead with your fingers. Or move it to the counter and knead with your palms.

5. Place the dough back in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Keep it in a warm place. As I do for my pizza dough, I place it in the oven (turned off obviously!). Let the dough rise for about an hour and a half.

6. Line a 9 x 12 in baking pan with parchment paper. Place the dough on the paper, and flatten it down with your fingers. Add the olives, and pushed them down with your finger.

                                             

                                             

7. Drizzle with one tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with some sea salt. 

                                             

8. Put the pan back in the off-oven, and let the dough rise for another hour and a half, or more.

 

9. Remove the pan from the oven, and preheat to 400 degrees. Bake the focaccia bread for about 25 minutes, until slightly golden on top. Cut in squares and serve warm or at room temperature.
Buon appetito!!

Orecchiette Pasta with Broccoli and Olives

Easy-to-follow recipe for a deliciously healthy orecchiette pasta with broccoli and olives

For dinner tonight, I prepared this super easy and fast pasta. As you will see in the step-by-step recipe, it doesn't take much to pull this dish together. And it won't take you more than 25 minutes from start to finish to have hot, spicy, healthy and delicious pasta right in front of you. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 8 oz of organic broccoli florets
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 hot dried peperoncini (chili peppers)
• 1 teaspoon of anchovy paste (or 3 anchovies)
• 1 teaspoon of capers
• about 16 olives (I used kalamata)
• 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 12 oz of orecchiette pasta, I used DeCecco
• salt
• 3 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese

Preparation time: 25 minutes
Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When the water boils, add the broccoli florets. Let simmer for about 4-5 minutes.

2. In a large pan, saute' the garlic cloves crushed, capers, peperoncini and anchovy paste with the olive oil.

3. As soon as the broccoli are tender remove them from the water - do not throw away the water because you will use it to cook the pasta. Add the broccoli to the large pan with the rest of the ingredients. And cook the pasta in the boiling water.

4. Mash the broccoli with  a fork. Add the olive cut in pieces.

5. Drain the pasta al dente, toss with the broccoli and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Buon Appetito!

Tartines with Veggies and Goat Cheese

Make a tasteful appetizer or a quick and light dinner with these perfectly crispy and savory tartines

It's late and you are exhausted after a long day at work. For sure you don't feel like spending too much time around the stove. Here is an amazing idea for a super fast, light and healthy dinner. These tartines topped with organic spinach, roasted red peppers, kalamata olives and goat cheese are your answer!

Also, this open-faced sandwiches could be also cut in smaller pieces and served as a deliciously enticing appetizer. Perfectly crispy and oh-so delicious!


Ingredients: making 8 slices (2-3 servings)

• 8 slices of French or rustic freshly baked bread 
• extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 handful of fresh baby organic spinach
• about 8 oz grilled red peppers (jar)
• about 16 kalamata olives
• 4 oz goat cheese

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Directions:
Step 1: Quickly grill the slices of bread, sprinkled with olive oil, on both sides. Over medium-high heat should only take a couple of minutes.

Step 2: Brush each side with garlic - cut the clove in half to make it easier.

Step 3: On each slice, place some spinach cut in pieces. Top with few strips of red peppers, a couple of olives (cut in half) per slice. And top with a thick slice of goat cheese.

Step 4: Place the tartines on a baking sheet and bake on the top shelf at 400 degrees for about 5 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature. Delicious :-)