LA POLENTERIA

Polenta (cornmeal) is one of my favourite comfort foods to have in autumn and winter time. It's always been a staple in my family as it's such a versatile type of food that you can have with meat, vegetables, fish..

One of my best memories connected to this delicious food, is a family reunion years ago when my grandfather was still alive. We got the whole family together for a Saturday trip to the mountains, we went looking for chestnuts in the forest and after that,we went for lunch in the cutest cottage and had the most amazingly warming and creamy polenta with fresh, local, porcini mushrooms.. 

It was a perfect day. 

That's probably why, when I walked into La Polenteria in Soho, I didn't even have to think about it and even though there were so many delicious options, I knew that the gluten free, vegan polenta with mixed fresh mushrooms was exactly what I was craving! 

You heard right, this fabulous foodie spot uses gluten free, non gmo polenta, has tons of vegan options ( including vegan cupcakes for desserts and gluten free gelato from Italy) but also meat choices.. 

It's got something for everybody! Additionally, should you want to pop there for lunch from you can enjoy a LUNCH DEAL of a polenta dish plus a side salad for £8 on Monday through Friday and £10 on Saturday and Sunday! 

And if that wasn't enough....they also offer a HAPPY HOUR with 1 fruity Prosecco cocktail with either 3 mixed polentini ( small polenta finger food) for £5 or with a board of Italian meats and cheeses for £10.

I also shared a dessert with my mom who's currently visiting and spoiling me.. We tucked into a creamy Affogato al caffe', delicious espresso coffee poured over gluten free coffee ice cream...

Absolute Heaven.

I know Polenta is not well known yet here in London, so I believe it's time to spread the word and get yourself down to La Polenteria as soon as possible!! 

Gabriele, the lovely Italian owner, opened this restaurant just before Christmas as he loves polenta himself and wanted to make this yummy dish known here in London too. All the ingredients used are fresh and really mouthwatering, service is professional and friendly and the actual restaurant has a happy and positive vibe!  

I highly recommend it and I'll be back there very soon.x

Italian Holidays..

This summer I have been extremely lucky. After a long, challenging year filled with breakdowns, break ups and exams, I have escaped back to Italy for some well deserved sun, family and food time.

Me, mom and dad embarked on a family road trip from Milan to Gallipoli like we used to do when I was a child, stopping in Tuscany on the way to see my aunt and then,moving on to one more stop through Abruzzo before reaching sunny and very very very hot Gallipoli, all the way at the pointy heel of the Italian boot.

During this journey I have had the chance to to experience not only hours of excruciating Italian summer traffic, but also some pretty delicious food, so I thought I'd let you know where to go and enjoy the same delights should any of you lovely people decide to take the same kind of road trip in the future.

I can't tell you where to go eat in Siena as I was lucky to have family there and therefore enjoy some incredible home cooked food...sorry. But I what I can tell you,is where to find some refreshing green juices in this beautiful town in Tuscany. A green juice which completely regenerated me on a very hot summer day..
Look for the Negozio Alimentare del Consorzio Agrario di Siena (long name I know!), in Via Pianigiani 5, right in the middle of town.
As soon as you walk in, to the right hand side you'll be able to order fruit and vegetable juices, then take a walk around the rest of the shop to find fresh, locally sourced vegetables, fruits and many local delicacies.

As you'll drive through Tuscany, its sunflower filled countryside will blow you away. I have been there a few times already, and every single time I cannot help but dream about being a writer who lives in a cottage overlooking those gorgeous Tuscan hills looking for inspiration..

Next stop on our trip was Umbria, where we stumbled into an incredibly small village called Colfiorito, which is the spot where you'll find the Relais Forti. This place had all locally sourced,  organic, insanely delicious food,  which made Valentina very very happy indeed. I enjoyed a meat dish with fresh mushrooms which brought me back to life, whereas my mom had some incredible ravioli with pistachios, cream and rocket. We literally died and went to heaven..

Next up my land of origin, sunny Puglia!!!

My absolute favourite tree has always been the olive tree, as I used to spend my childhood summers here in the south where you can find these beautiful old trees absolutely everywhere. Seeing them again every time I turned my head filled me instantly with so much joy and warmth that it's hard to describe.. 

Gallipoli itself was beautiful even though a little too noisy for my liking, but the old town is absolutely a must see, preferably early in the morning when there's very few people and the fishermen have started to set up their stalls with the all the fish caught the night before.

And here in the old town one morning, me and my mom stumbled upon what I can only define as heaven. The most incredible pastry shop filled with freshly baked pastries for every taste.

The real name for this foodie spot is the very suitable Dolcezze e Bonta' ( sweetness and deliciousness).

We bought some Pasticciotti, typical pastry from this area, which can be filled with many different creams like pistachio, lemon, white chocolate, Nutella.. We decided to take them to our friends house for lunch,which meant that I had to have something else as my very naughty breakfast.
Enter the freshest croissant that ever lived which was filled at that very moment with cream that had just been made in the kitchen. I felt complete. We did buy a few more things. Luckily, most of it made it to lunch for our friends to enjoy..So do yourself a favour, a big one, if you visit Gallipoli DO NOT LEAVE without passing from this bakery.

In the afternoon we visited Nardo', my parents' birthtown. As we strolled around in the summer heat, we arrived in the lovely Piazza Salandra,  where I was so Lucky to find Barocco Creamery and Lounge Bar.

A brand new spot in the center of Nardo',offering not only homemade ice creams, delicious coffees and tasty shakes (with a dairy free milk option as well)...BUT ALSO, fantastic green and fruit juices all made with locally sourced fruit and vegetables. Boy, was I happy to find this amazing place!

I got the most refreshing juice with cucumber, celery, melon and apple which made my overheated body very happy indeed!

That night,  my parents decided to take me to Galatone, another small town not far from Gallipoli, to have dinner in a restaurant which I soon found out, was owned by Simone, the boy who lived next door to our summer house when I was a child and who had now become a massive foodie and an incredible chef. 

We used to play together all time and it was great to see him again but trust me, trying his food was even better!!! In this lovely Trattoria and Pizzeria called SCIALABA', you'll find wonderfully fresh, local,  home cooked food. Incredible quality, fantastic friendly service, abundant portions. A foodie heaven. 

My favourite dish by far were mussels served in a mix of Parmesan eggs and parsley, absolutely insane.

The octopus polpette were another incredible starter served with tasty marinated anchovies...

This little gem needs to be discovered by all of you out there so spread the word and go treat yourself to some truly mouthwatering food!

A week went by very fast and soon it was time to head head back home but I got to enjoy beautiful sunny days, crystalline sea, fresh figs picked from the trees, incredible food and wonderful company. 

I couldn't have asked for more.x

IT'S PROPERCORN, BABY!

 Last Thursday, I had a couple of hours between the end of my shift at work and going to see The Crucible at The Old Vic, so I took the chance to walk around a bit and get moving after sitting at the desk for so long.

Little did I know I would bump into the most delicious and summery pop-up in Golden Square.
The Propercorn Summer Pop-Up!

Free Popercorn and drinks to enjoy while listening to some lovely live music, it really felt like summer and I loved every minute of it.

I had seen this brand of popcorn around London for a while, from Planet Organic, to Whole Foods to all major supermarkets but I have always had very bad experiences with pre packaged popcorn: they always ended up being kind of stale and gummy.. The complete opposite of the mouthwatering popcorn you can smell at the movies. So I have always refrained from trying new ones out. Boy was that a mistake!
This popcorn is different..It smelled delicious, tasted great and was properly crunchy!
Propercorn are the perfect option for a single portion treat, instead of gorging on a family size bag at the movies which is going to make you feel  bloated and horrible soon afterwards. I know this because I've done it in the past..

With a price that's less than £1 it's a snack that won't break the bank AND you have a clear calorie count on the front of the pack to remind you why you should not to feel guilty, only 129 calories for my current favourite Sweet and Salty and under 100 calories for the Sea Salt ones.
There are many different flavours to choose from, I tried the Sweet and Salty and took away with me Sea salt and the Fiery Worcester Sauce and Sun Dried Tomato ones for my friend who loves a bit of heat..
Well, surprise surprise, he loved Propercorn too!

Let me remind you all that this is also a gluten and wheat free snack.
So take a look at their website, chose your favourite flavour, grab a bag and enjoy it on the go or while snuggling on the sofa watching your favourite film! Happy Summer everybody!!!xxx

Buckwheat noodles with the best fresh tomato sauce

I LOVE TOMATOES. Maybe it's because I'm Italian but beautifully ripe tomatoes are delicious and smell just like summer, they take me back to my childhood summers spent in Puglia with my family.
It's kind of hard to find some really good ones here in England but when I do, I feel really lucky and want them in my kitchen straight away!
These days, I'm trying to reduce the amount of gluten in my diet just because I always feel so much better and my tummy is nice and flat when I do that, sure, I cannot resist sourdough pizza from Franco Manca sometimes, but in general, I try to keep gluten to minimum amounts.
Lately I discovered buckwheat noodles (see a recipe for a summer buckwheat noodle salad here), and since I have been craving spaghetti this week, I  used these beauties instead of regular pasta. Together with quick fresh tomato sauce, it tasted incredible without the bloat and heavy after dinner feeling. Score!
It's a very quick dinner to prepare and you get lovely fiber and magnesium from buckwheat, plus the fresh tomato sauce provides you with lycopene which has antioxidant properties. Enjoy!x

INGREDIENTS
1 pack buckwheat noodles
1 tbsp coarse pink Hymalaian salt

For the sauce:
1 pack (4 or 5) ripe vine tomatoes thinly sliced
4 cloves of garlic chopped small
2 tbsp extravirgin olive oil
a pinch of organic coconut palm sugar (you can use regular sugar if you don't have it but start thinking about                                                               substituting it, coconut palm sugar it's sweeter but doesn't upset your                                                              blood sugar levels as much due to it's low glycemic index)
a pinch of salt
some ground pepper
4 or 5 chopped fresh basil leaves

METHOD

Pop all the ingredients for the tomato sauce in a small pan, except for the basil, and let it cook over medium to low heat for about 10 minutes stirring  every now and then.
After 10 minutes add your noodles to boiling water (noodles generally take 5 minutes) and add the basil to the sauce stirring it in.
Drain noodles and add to the pan with the sauce so everything mixes in real nicely.. Time to serve!
Buon Appetito.x

Sunshine Smoothie

This smoothie is a modification of a recipe by Natasha Corrett of Honestly Healthy, which is basically my bible. You can find her original recipe in her first book. 

I have been practically living on this smoothie for the past month and a half, I crave it especially when sunny and warm outside, basically a day like today! Of all the smoothies I made, this is hands down my favourite.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup frozen mango
half a banana
1tsp vanilla essence
1tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 capsule probiotic powder (just the powder, not the whole thing!)
1-1/2 cups brown rice milk

METHOD
Pop all the ingredients in your blender and drink up baby!!!!x

Sophie's Ice Lollies

I'm going to write this post quickly before going out because it's going to be another warm weekend and these easy and delicious treats are so quick to make and will keep you cool!
I tested these with my gorgeous friend Sophie and she loved them so much I decided to name them after her.
You can really use any fruit you want but I love berries and the coconut yougurt cream bit is for people that need a creamy part without the dairy.

INGREDIENTS: ((makes four lollies)
2 cups fresh mixed berries ( I used blueberries and strawberries)
1 date (soaked in water for a few minutes to make it nice and plump)

for the optional coconut yogurt creamy half:

1 tub plain coyo coconut yogurt,
1 tsp honey (add more to taste)
1 tsp vanilla essence

METHOD:

Just blend berries and date with a little water and put to the side. Clean blender and blend the rest of the ingredients. Add both flavours in layers to ice lollies moulds. Leave in freezer for 3-4 hours and they'll be ready for you when you get back from sunbathing in the park!

Rainbow Buckwheat Noodle Salad

I made this a few days ago for the first time and it's so delicious,  fresh, filling and good for you that I had to pass it on! I looked at a few different recipes than made my own.
Buckwheat noodles will be a staple in my house this summer, gluten free and with a beautifully earthy flavour.They can be eaten hot or cold.
This salad is very quick to assemble and the dressing takes 10 minutes if you make your almond butter yourself like I did (just pop a cup of raw almonds in the food processor and let it go for 10 minutes and you got butter!!!), otherwise you can just buy the almond butter (preferably raw as to keep its nutrients intact) and add the rest of the ingredients.
The vegetables I used are my favourites but you can use anything  you like.
Next time I'm thinking of adding some crunch and probably sprinkle around some cashews, pecans or pumpkin seeds...Yum!
So here is what I used:

INGREDIENTS:
1 red bell pepper (chopped small)
Half a large cucumber (chopped small)
4 carrots (you can chop them small or if you're lazy like me just shred them in the food processor)
3 small spring onions finely chopped
a big handful of chopped coriander
1 pack of buckwheat noodles or 4 small bunches (this made enough for three meals!!!)

FOR THE DRESSING:
3/4 cup raw almond butter
1 tbsp tamari
juice of 1 lime (plus a few wedges to use if need extra)
2 tsp honey or rice syrup or maple syrup (I only had honey in the house so that's what I used)

METHOD

Boil the noodles following instructions, mine were 5 minutes.  A good trick is to prepare the dressing in the bowl first so then all you have to do is add the veggie and noodle and mix, that way you only have that bowl to wash up afterwards! BONUS!!!
So add all together, mix it up and sprinkle some more coriander and lime juice on top. Ready to go.
PS: leftovers can be kept in the fridge and used for lunch on the following day.