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Cinnamon and orange stars

Cinnamon orange stars Usually, I’m on the receiving end of Christmas cookies, but this year I decided to change this “tradition” and gave these cinnamon orange stars a try. As I’m not a fan of baking sweet goods, I looked for an easy recipe that didn’t require long to either make or especially knead. Another requirement was that it should be a cookie we traditionally eat here in Switzerland, so…

Quinoa filled zucchini rolls

This quinoa filled zucchini rolls recipe hits all the spots when it comes to how I view eating vegetarian. It’s a colourful recipe that combines different textures. It’s baked, and anything that comes out of an oven, I just love. Finally, it’s filled with healthy vegetables that are local and in season. I added a bit of cheese in the end, but one could easily omit it and make this dish…

Fun and healthy muesli board

Fun and healthy muesli board I think my favourite way to eat is to have the choice to combine the tastes the way I like it best. A muesli board or any king of food boards, as matter of fact, is a way to explore flavours and my mind basically goes into play mode. Having seen different kinds of food boards lately, I wanted to come up with an idea that combines what the Swiss cuisine is about but…

Butternut bites

I wanted to make something different with a pumpkin, and the butternut bites are the result. When I asked around everybody around me kept talking about soup, but I was looking to make something on the crispy side. So my first two attempts were oriented on making rosti, one baked version the other in the pan. The result? They both became far too dark and on the soft side than…

Zucchini egg rolls

It’s been a really warm week here in the southern part of Switzerland, and all I wanted to eat was cool food that didn’t involve spending too much time next to ovens and kitchen stoves. By the way, my appreciation goes to all those working in professional kitchens… This is why I chose this zucchini egg roll recipe as it works well because it only requires a short moment in…

It’s spring and even if it’s a peculiar time we are living in, I want to enjoy it as much as it’s permitted. One of the ways I do it is through food, like with this savoury spring bread pudding. I keep wondering how all the people I know are adjusting to the situation, hopefully, not all moments are haunted by health and economy-related worries. 

I am stuck here in Ascona because I can at…

I don’t often cook cauliflower because my partner has an aversion to it, however when I’m alone (which lately doesn’t often happen) I take my revenge. I knew what i wanted to cook, and once I found this great looking recipe on Minimalistbaker I used it as a base for my version of the crusted cauliflower steaks.

I really enjoyed the end result and this is something I’ll certainly make again.…

Since the month of June daily temperatures are basically always above 30°C. Such heat has almost the same effect on me and hot plates, as garlic has on vampires. During the two days a week I get to spend in my forest covered Swiss valley, the air humidity tends to make everything seem even more extreme. So this recipe has been driven by the season conditions: my refusal to spend over twenty…

Quinoa Carrot and Onion Fritters

So lately I have been using a lot of eggs in my cooking as they are just so versatile and fun to work with. In the savoury department among my favourites are frittatas, scrambled eggs and, like in this recipe: fritters. I usually prepare these dishes with a good load of seasonal veggies, and for this post I decided to use ingredients I can easily find locally produced the whole year round. (mor…

Butternut & Beetroot Tart

The start of winter is two weeks away, and this is the perfect time for cosy food straight out of my favourite kitchen item: the oven. I have made myself a little less active in the kitchen lately, but it’s also because I have less time and because I don’t spend as much at home as I used to. (more…)

What a year it’s been! In a couple of weeks I’ll sending my final portfolio for my MA in Creative Writing, and I’ve just started a new job working at a local museum. At the moment things are quite hectic, and this recipe reflects how my life is. It’s a quick recipe, aiming to be healthy, and with few ingredients since I don’t have time to do my groceries somewhere where the choice is vaster. (mo…

I haven’t posted much over this past year. I’m following my journey and have lots of new challenges coming my way, so I’m focusing on them. So until autumn I might not be too constant. I’ll soon finish my master in Creative Writing, I also have some new copywriting gigs and one thing I am really proud of, is I’ve learned to leave my past behind.

To celebrate the most colourful season, I thought that a combination of the staple foods of spring in a creamy, airy frittata would be great. I combined peas and asparagus in a baked frittata that is a foolproof recipe to make. In order to make it creamier I added some mascarpone, and I’m happy to say it really added to the whole texture of the dish. This is something I will surely make again, maybe next time though, I will add half a teaspoon grated lemon zest. It isn’t necessary, but as the days grow warmer the tang will add a little freshness to the ingredients. Well, I hope you enjoy it!

      Spring Frittata

  Recipe for 2-3 as a main or 4-6 as an appetiser

Prep time: 15 min

Cook time: 20-22 min

  Ingredients:

180 g asparagus (woody part removed)

130 g peas (I could only find the frozen kind and used them still in their cool form)

4 eggs

40 g freshly grated Parmesan

3 generous tbsp. Mascarpone

Salt and pepper

  Recipe:

Heat oven at 200°c

Cut the asparagus into roughly ½ cm pieces, and add them to a bowl along with the peas. Then add the four eggs with 1 tbsp. of the mascarpone, the grated Parmesan, salt and pepper. Mix everything together.

Take some oven paper large enough to line the ovenproof dish you will be using, and scrunch it up. Reopen it and place it on the bottom of the baking plate. Pour the egg, asparagus, pea, Parmesan and mascarpone mix. Using a teaspoon, evenly distribute dollops of the mascarpone on top.

Bake for 20-22 min. If the frittata colours too quickly cover with a little tin foil, making sure it doesn’t touch the egg. Once done, remove from over and let it set for a few minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature, maybe with a grain salad.

Kale and Butternut Wreath

Recipe for 4 Prep time: 30 min Cook time: 40 min

Ingredients: 300 g butternut 1 red onion 1 tbsp. olive oil 1 garlic clove A few scrapes of freshly grated nutmeg Salt and pepper 40g kale 1 x 32 cm puff pastry round (preferably always use the pure butter kind) 80 g fresh cheese (I used a local kind called ‘Büscion’, but ricotta or fresh goat cheese are just as good alternatives.) 3-4 tbsp. grated Gruyere cheese + 2 extra for dusting the crown 1 egg beaten

Recipe: Heat oven at 220°C. Cut the butternut into 1,5-2 cm cubes. Cut the onion in half then into chunks, and divide its layers. Crush the garlic clove with the blade of a knife. Place everything into a baking tin. Add 1 tbsp. olive oil, salt, pepper and a bit of nutmeg, and mix. Bake for 20 min, tossing mid way through the cooking process. Once ready remove form over and let the veggies cool a little (this stage can easily be made a few hours in advance). Reduce oven heat to 200°C. Finely chop the kale. Place the puff pastry on a baking tray lined with oven paper. Cut it into quarters and then each quarter in half. In a round, turn the points outwards to create a star like shape. Make sure the pieces of dough slightly overlap each other. Scatter the kale at the base of the triangles (optionally season with a little salt), and on top add the cooked butternut and onion. Sprinkle four tablespoons of the grated Gruyere and on each piece place a little of the fresh cheese (about 10g per triangle). Season with pepper. Take the points of the triangles and delicately fold them towards the inside of the wreath. Add a few drops of water to the beaten egg, and brush the top of the pastry with it. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for about 20 min, until golden brown.

Beet and Roquefort Salad with a Honey Dressing

  Summers in Ticino are becoming increasingly warmer, and my diet lately has been made of salads, spare ribs (the only meat I still truly enjoy), and more salads. (more…)

Hi everyone, I’m still alive. I haven’t been very present in the last few months, but I’m going through some changes in my life, and I needed to focus on myself. My motivation has come back, and soon I will make some changes to my blog, too. At the moment I’m still planning and getting my ideas down, and in September you’ll see some changes. Like any good tease, I’ll keep the mystery going, and…

To celebrate the spring season I thought nests would be a great way to serve this baked spaghetti recipe. (more…)

Root Vegetables Quinoa Bowl

  Sticking to seasonal produce in winter isn’t always a walk in the vegetable garden, the variety is limited, but if there’s one thing you can count on, it’s root vegetables, and Switzerland has plenty of it. (more…)