Italian Easter

"The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for  Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; has has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you." So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples." (Matt. 28:6-8, emphasis added)

Easter is such a wonderful holiday! When we look beyond the candy, bunnies, and even family gathered together, we see... Jesus. A human, but the Son of God, who willingly sacrificed his life as atonement for every sin I have committed and those still in my future. While that seems more than good enough, Jesus went beyond that. He rose from the dead and commissioned his people to go and spread the good news. I am blown away by this story every single year. The entire Lenten season provides such a beautiful opportunity to reflect on our dependence on the Lord and the gracious sacrifice made for us.

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However, we all know that Easter tends to come with some other things as well ... specifically delicious things... specifically yummy meals, candy, and baked treats! I wanted to share with you two of my favorite edible parts of Easter....

While my reddish hair and fair skin does not attest to it, I assure you that I am Italian! Okay, I'm only a quarter Italian, but certainly enjoy many Italian traditions!And here are two of my favorites that are enjoyed on Easter Sunday...

Easter Pie

 Easter pie is a delicious treat of layers of cheese and meat - specifically ham, sausage, ricotta, and mozzarella in our regional variety.

A recipe to try for this one: http://www.cooks.com/rec/story/164/

Easter Bread

Another delicious treat that I have no idea how to make. I also have no idea how to explain how it tastes, but it is delicious. Go to an Italian-Catholic church next Easter and GET SOME. 

Here's a recipe for another kind, equally delicious: http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Italian-Easter-Bread

Bon Appetit!

 

Zucchini Pancakes [A Recipe]!

I'm sensing a trend around here ... food! And more specifically, pancake-style food! Summer's abundance of fresh and fabulous produce makes it dang near impossible for me to escape the kitchen. Except ... I don't have AC and cooking equals hot apartment, so I might pass on turning on the stove for a while.

Anyway... Now that you've tried protein pancakes and scoped out my farmer's market purchases this week ... It's time to try a new form of pancake - with that farm fresh zuchinni you see in the picture! And as every other recipe I post here goes ... it's ridiculously easy.

Zucchini Pancakes 
makes 2 five inch pancakes


1/2 zucchini - grated
1/8 C flour (your choice)
1 large egg white
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper


Mix all of the above ingredients in a bowl. Warm up a pan, spray with cooking spray, then put about half of your 'batter' into the pan on medium heat. Spread the batter out a little bit and shape to be like a pancake and give it a press on top with your spatula. It will congeal and be easy to flip after a minute or so - you'll see a golden brown once its flipped. Do the same for the other side and then repeat with the other half of your batter. Then serve it up! I enjoyed mine with some butter and garlic sprinkles! Yum!

Protein Pancakes [A Recipe]!

I discovered this recipe at Girl Get Strong, a website with great fitness and healthy cooking tips! I'm always been a complainer that after just an hour or two my stomach is growling regardless of what I've eaten or how much of it I had. So, as I began to learn more about food and learn that protein and fiber both have great staying power, I found a win in this breakfast treat - it's loaded with both! You can just ask Heather about how excited I was and how I often I made these. I've adapted the recipe to not need a blender, be made with less ingredients, and to make only one pancake - double, triple, quadruple as desired!

 Protein Pancake
makes one five-inch pancake

1/8 C Quick Oats
1/8 C Fat Free Cottage Cheese
1 Egg White
1 tsp Applesauce
dash Vanilla Extract
dash Cinnamon


Toss everything in a bowl and whisk it together! Make it on the stovetop as you would a normal pancake! 

Serve with syrup or your favorite pancake topping! Give it added staying power with a topping of fruit and yogurt! 

A few thoughts: - 1/8 C = 1 Tablespoon, - Be sure to spray your pan first with nonstick spray, - Keep your heat at a low setting to help these cook evenly, - When it looks like its ready to flip - wait a smidge longer and then flip it, - If you don't like the texture (which I love), toss all of the ingredients in the blender and make it into a smooth batter.

Check it out - almost 9 grams of Protein per pancake - and I can't imagine you'll only eat one. For reals. Nutrition Facts provided through the recipe analyzer at Calorie Count!

Recipe: No Noodle Spaghetti & Easy Garlic Bread!

Quick, easy, healthy, super low calorie, and filling:


No Noodle Spaghetti (1 Serving):
- 1 cup spaghetti squash (How To Cook)
- 1/4 cup diced zucchini
- 1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1/8 cup black beans
- 1/8 cup diced onion
- 1/4 cup spaghetti sauce
Toss in bowl. Mix it up. Heat it through.


Really Easy Garlic Bread:
- Half of a Whole Wheat English Muffin toasted and sprinkled with Garlic Powder.


The part you're likely to really like is the fact that this whole delicious meal is under 200 calories. Take a peak below. (Thanks Calorie Count for the great database to find calorie content!)

Sprouts.

Yesterday at the store, I saw a little clear plastic container of alfalfa sprouts... and I figured, what the heck! So I picked them up an had my first adventure with them today!

Before I let you in on my lunch, I have to give you the scoop on this little guys... Alfalfa sprouts are a germinated alfalfa seed and only take like 7 days to grow! (Which also means you shouldn't let them sit in your fridge for too long.) The sprouts are grown through a soaking process and are easily susceptible to bacteria because of it .. so wash 'dem sprouts!




Juicing for Health thinks alfalfa sprouts are the bomb-diggity. If you click through to their website you'll find quite a list of why sprouts are good for you!

And if you're simply looking for some folks who love sprouts, check out Sprout People!


Now on to my lunch for today...

A Sprout Sandwich! 
Okay, this is simplicity at its finest, but I'm hoping to try a few other nifty things with sprouts this week and am sure to keep you posted.


Seen here partially eaten:
-2 slices of toasted and butter wheat bread
-a fat free american cheese slice
-2 deli style lunch turkey slices
-SPROUTS!




I love sandwiches. So I really love them in any possible fashion, but this definitely gets my seal of approval for its crunch! Two thumbs up to a sandwich that quick, easy, delicious and nutritious!

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