SUMMER OF PROSCIUTTO - 2 APPETIZERS THAT REQUIRE ZERO COOKING

*Disclosure: I have participated in a paid partnership with Mastro/San Daniele.
Opinions in this post are my own.

Summer has always been my favourite season in Canada and this year I am determined to make the most of it! For me, that means less time in the house and more time outdoors, enjoying the cottage, hanging out at the beach and of course, watching the sunset. Whenever I’m looking for a quick and easy meal to whip up to take along with me, I always prefer the non-cook option (actually, my boyfriend Adam and I like to joke about how I’m an even better ‘assembler’ than I am a cook)! This means that I’m always on the lookout for delicious food items that are not only versatile but also bursting with flavours that enhance any dish I throw together. One such item is San Daniele Prosciutto! Made according to old world tradition and cured for 12 months, this pre-packaged prosciutto helps turn a simple salad, crostini or charcuterie board into an amazing appetizer or even meal, not to mention it travels well and can easily be assembled on the go! So next time you’re at the grocery store, make sure to grab a pack of San Daniele prosciutto from the bulk deli counter at your grocery store and enjoy its bursts of classic flavour, unique fragrance, and naturally rosy colour with your next meal.

This week I used my pack of San Daniele prosciutto to whip up these brie and prosciutto crostini to enjoy on the beach while watching the sunset, along with this Joso’s inspired summer salad (my favourite restaurant in Toronto) that is light yet very filling!

INGREDIENTS:

- Serves 4 People -

- Crostini -

1 Pack of Paris Toast
1 Round of Brie Cheese
1 Jar of Jam (I recommend an apricot or raspberry)
1 Pack of San Daniele Prosciutto

- Large Salad -

1 Large White Potato - Boiled and Chopped
2 Cups of Fresh Arugula
2 Cups of Romain - Chopped
1 Vine Tomato - Chopped
1/2 Can of Chickpeas - Rinsed and Drained
2 Green Onions - sliced lengthwise
1/2 Cup of Feta Cheese
1 Persian Cucumber - Chopped
1 Pack of San Daniele Prosciutto
Salt and Pepper

- Salad Dressing -

1 Part Red Wine Vinegar
4 Part Canola Oil or Vegetable Oil
Salt and Pepper (lots of salt!)

DIRECTIONS:

- Crostini’s -

Top a few Paris toast with brie cheese.

Next, add a dollop of jam on top.

Garnish with San Daniele Prosciutto and serve.

Enjoy!

- Large Salad -

Bring a pot of water to a boil and place you pealed potato inside. Cook for 20 minutes or until it is soft. You can check if it has become soft by sticking a fork in it. If you can easily slide a fork inside it then it is ready. When ready, drain the hot water out of the pot and blanch the potato with cold water for 2 minutes to prevent it from cooking further.

Place Arugula, Romain, chopped tomato, chickpeas, chopped green onion, chopped cucumber, crumbled feta, and cooled, chopped boiled potato in a large bowl. Top with San Daniele Prosciutto, some fresh cracked pepper, and a pinch of salt.

Dress with salad dressing, toss and serve.

Enjoy!

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HEALTHY GRAB AND GO BREAKFAST EGG MUFFINS 2 WAYS - LOW CARB & VEGETARIAN OPTION

As someone who thrives on being a busy body, I often forget to eat or worse, go after items high in carbs and sugar as a way to sustain my energy and curb my cravings. Knowing this, I decided to make some delicious, healthy, grab and go egg bites that I can batch make and store in the fridge for easy access throughout the week. This has totally helped me choose better snacking foods and its super easy to just warm up quickly in the microwave before I head out the door. I love them in the morning or after a workout and they are packed full of protein and veggies so you can have two or three completely guilt free!

Hope you like them!

INGREDIENTS:

- Makes 12 Servings -

Butter to Greece Baking Sheet
!2 Large Eggs
1 Small Sweet Onion - chopped roughly
Salt and Pepper To Taste

- For 6 Muffins Italian Style -
1/4 Cup of Freshly Grated Mozerella
5-6 Cherry Tomatoes, Sliced
3-4 Strips of Prosciutto

- For 6 Muffins Greek Vegetarian Style -
1/4 Cup of Grated Halloumi
1/4 Cup of Crumbled Feta Cheese
A handful of Freshly Washed Spinach

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350.

Greece baking tray wel.

Mix eggs, onion, salt and pepper in a large bowl and whip together.

Pour mixture into baking tray till each muffin cup is 1/2 way full.

Add in ingredients for both the Italian and Greek style.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until the tops brown slightly.

Remove and let sit for 10 minutes before trying to remove them from the tray.

Enjoy!

P.s You can store these eggs muffins in the fridge for 3-4 days in a ziplock bag or sealed container and warm up in the microwave for an easy grab and go snack!!

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ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH CRISPY FRIED SHALLOTS

Made this simple brussel sprout recipe with crispy fried shallots and it was amazing. Loved the saltiness of the shallots against the dense Brussel sprouts drizzled in lemon. Delicious, salty, and perfect as a low carb veggie side for any meat dish you are cooking, I would also recommend making a little bit of extra fried shallots so you can have them with your meat as well. Further, Cassava flour is a keto-friendly flour making this a perfect side for any low carb diets but if you don’t have access to that flour, normal white flour makes a great substitute.

Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

- Serves 2-3 people

1.5 LBS of Brussels Sprouts - washed, remove steam and top layers, and cut into halves
6 TBSP of Olive Oil - Split into 2 portions, one 2.5 TBSP and 3.5 TBSP
Sea Salt and Pepper
3-4 Shallots - sliced Into onion rounds
1/4 Cup of Cassava Flour
Sea Salt
Freshly Squeezed Lemon

DIRECTIONS:

Set oven to 400 degrees.

Toss brussels sprouts in 2.5 TBSP of olive oil until evenly coated and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Place brussels sprouts on a baking tray lined with aluminum foil and allow to bake in the oven for 30 or so minutes until tender.

While brussels sprouts are in the oven chop up shallots and place in a bowl. Add 1/4 Cup of Cassava flour and 1/4 TSP of salt, mix until the shallots are evenly coated.

Heat up 3.5 TBSP of olive oil in a skillet on medium-high. Once ready, reduce heat to low - medium and sprinkle in your floured shallots. Toss them every 3-5 minutes to make sure they don’t burn. Once nicely golden and crispy, set aside.

When the brussels sprouts are getting close to finished you can broil them for the last two minutes if you want them extra crispy.

When ready, plate brussels sprouts, add crispy shallots on top and drizzle with fresh lemon juice.

Serve while hot and enjoy!

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TRADITIONAL ITALIAN HOMEMADE FOCACCIA (SO EASY)

Is there anything better than the smell of fresh bread?

Especially when it’s covered in all your favorite focaccia toppings?

My Achilles heel, sun dried tomato focaccia is one of those traditional Italian appetizers that I can never turn down. As soon as I spot it (usually across the room), you know I’m right there, having a slice - okay 2, maybe 3….

While in self-isolation I had time to perfect this amazing homemade focaccia dough recipe I learned while in Italy and I must say, it stands the test of time! The dough always turns out perfect - fluffy and doughy with a crisp bottom and golden crust. Oh, and did I mention it’s also a vegan focaccia!

I can’t wait for you to enjoy it too!

FOCACCIA BREAD INGREDIENTS:

Serving: 8-10 Servings

-Focaccia Dough-
1 3/4 Warm water
1 Package of Yeast
1 TBSP of Sugar
5 CUPS of All-Purpose Flour
1 TBSP of Kosher Salt
1 CUP of Olive Oil - Spilt in two halves

-Optional Focaccia Toppings-
Coarse Sea Salt
Cherry Tomatoes
Kalamata Olives
Basil
Capers
Rosemary
Garlic

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HERE ARE SOME OTHER BREAD RECIPES YOU MAY LIKE!

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FOCACCIA RECIPE DIRECTIONS:

The first thing you need to do is activate the yeast so you will need to combine the warm water, yeast and sugar in a bowl. Stir and let it sit for 10-15 minutes until it starts bubbling and becomes very aromatic.

When ready, in a mixer using the hook attachment, combine the flour, salt, half a cup of the olive oil, and the yeast mixture on the lowest speed. After it is well mixed, increase the speed to three (low/medium) until it becomes smooth.

Once smooth, remove the dough from the mixer and place on a floured surface. Kneed the dough by hand until the dough stops being sticky. If you need to sprinkle more flour to help it along, do so.

When ready, form a ball with the dough. Using the mixing bowl you used before, coat the sides of the bowl with some oil and place the dough once again inside. Coat the dough with a little bit of oil as well before covering it with a cloth or plastic wrap, and place somewhere warm for about an hour until it doubled in size.

Take your cooking sheet or jelly roll pan (pan with lip) and cover with parchment paper (including the sides). Put a heavy coat of olive oil on the parchment paper before putting the dough on top. Focaccia is a heavily oiled bread so be generous with the olive oil.

Place the dough on the pan and stretch out with your fingers, flipping the dough over to allow the olive oil on the tray to coat both sides. Use your fingers to stretch the dough the full length of the pan and create finger holes so as to give it an uneven texture. Place the stretched dough in a warm place until it once again doubles in size (approximately one hour).

When dough is close to ready, preheat oven to 450.

If you want to add toppings to your focaccia you can do so at this point. If you want it plain you should still liberally sprinkle it with coarse sea salt.

When ready, bake until the top is golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before serving to your guest.

Buon Appetito!

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CLASSIC FRENCH MUSSELS MARINIERE (WHITE WINE SAUCE)

One of the best parts about being self isolate with my family is that we all like to eat!

Every Friday we get together a little bit earlier and celebrate the end of the week with some nice seafood. Each week my mom has been busting out a new recipes, each better than the last. One recipe that topped the list was her classic french mussels in a white wine sauce, an easy crowd pleaser! If you have ever wondered how to cook mussels at home or are just looking for some new recipes for mussels to try, this one is easy and so delicious!

Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

Serves 2 People

-Seafood-
2.5 lbs of fresh mussels – rinse, scrub and de-beard. (I usually buy extra because I know that some are going to be bad)

How to buy, store, and prep fresh mussels:

When buying fresh mussels, make sure to smell them - they SHOULD NOT have a strong odor! You also want the shells to be shut. Since mussels are alive if you bang the shells or apply pressure and close them yourself, if they are indeed alive, they should shut or remain shut. If they open once again right away it means that they are weak/not fresh, so don’t buy those. Make sure to store your mussels in the fridge, they need air to breathe so don’t use a sealed container, instead place a damp cloth over them like a napkin or paper towel to provide further moisture. Before you are ready to use them make sure to rinse the shells, remove the beards or hairy bits, and scrub away any debris off the shells.

-White Wine Sauce-
2 TBSP of Unsalted Butter
1 Shallots - chopped finely
1 TBSP of Fresh Flat Parsley, chopped finely
1 cloves of garlic - minced
1 Stock of Celery, chopped finely
1 Bay Leaf
A few twigs of Fresh Thyme
1 Cup of Dry White Wine
Salt and Pepper to Taste
1 TBSP Double Creme

-Toppings-
Fresh Flat Parsley

-Extras-
French Baguette

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LOVE SEAFOOD? CHECK OUT THESE OTHER SEAFOOD RECIPES!

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HOW TO COOK MUSSELS:

Place a large pot on the stove and add in your butter. Allow butter to melt on medium heat. Once ready, add shallots and cook until translucent.

Add chopped parsley, celery, garlic, bay laves and thyme to the pot and mix. Allow the heat to bring out the aroma of the herbs (maybe 2-3 minutes).

Add the fresh mussels to the mixture and stir to coat the mussels with the herbs. Add the wine and raise temperature to high. When the wine starts to bubble, stir the mussels once again so that they become coated with wine.

After you have covered the mussels in white wine, lower the heat to medium/high and cover for 5-6 minutes but no more.

After 5-6 minutes, uncover and remove mussels from the pot but keep the juice in the pot. Taste sauce and adjust with salt and pepper if needed. Add the double cream to the sauce (it should make the sauce whiter) before stirring it in until well incorporated. Add the steamed mussels back into pot, stir and serving right away while hot.

Bon Appétit!!!

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If you like this recipe for mussels, learning how to cook mussels or have any comments/questions about this mussels in white wine cream sauce recipe, feel free to leave them in the comment section below!

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