Wandering Wednesday

{Sunset at the train station in Parma, Italy}

It has been almost two months since I have been back and I still find myself day dreaming of my wonderful 12 day trip to Milan. From the day trips in which I ventured to the nearby cities of Verona and Parma; to the casual people watching (while enjoying a gelato as it would snow down on me) at the Christmas Market by the magnificent Duomo Cathedral. And most importantly to all of the nights with great wine and even better company, I will always remember that trip I took to Italy with a ginormous smile on my face.

{People watching at the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II}

{Birds eye view of Verona, from the top of Torre dei Lamberti}

Roasted Yellow Pepper & Goat Cheese Pasta

On Sunday afternoon I was craving a savory dish after a long workout by the beach. I made this pasta in 20 minutes and it turned out exactly how I was imagining it, creamy with the sweet taste of the roasted peppers. We already had roasted peppers made the day before, which definitely sped up the process of this pasta dish (peppers take about an hour to roast).  Find the roasted pepper recipe here.

For the sauce: pour the roasted pepper mixture in the blender and combine until smooth

Roasted Yellow Pepper & Goat Cheese Pasta

Ingredients
1/2 pound of spaghetti
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/4 cup of heavy cream
4 ounces goat cheese
1/4 cup of grated parmigiano reggiano (parmesan) cheese
2 roasted yellow peppers
Handful of arugula
Salt and pepper to taste

Weekly Motivation

On Sunday I will be competing in my first half marathon ever! I am very excited to compete with about 15,000 other runners at the ING Miami. I have been working on several healthy recipes that I will post during the week. Mostly snacks and an easy pasta dish that will keep me energized and motivated throughout those 13.1 miles.

Have a fabulous week!♥

Tiramisu

This past week I have been reminiscing of my trip to Italy last month. More importantly dreaming of all the amazing tiramisu’s that I indulged on. Which must have been around a dozen.. and completely worth each and every calorie! I did my best in recreating an old family recipe with the the help of my mom.

This is the best sweetest way to travel to Italy and back in the middle of the week.. & have I mentioned that Tiramisu is an easy no bake dessert?! 

Tiramisu

Ingredients:
2 egg yolks
1 cup of mascarpone cheese
1 cup of regular ultra pasteurized whipping cream
¼ cup of sugar
2 cups of hot coffee
3 tablespoons of triple sec or amaretto liquor
1 package (24) lady fingers
shaved chocolate and ground coffee for layering and garnishing

Blueberry-Lemon Scones

What better way to begin a busy work week than with some scrumptious blueberry-lemon scones for breakfast?

Not only are they the perfect treat to enjoy with a cup of your favorite coffee, but they will satisfy all of your taste buds, even on the go! These scones are the perfect way to incorporate some antioxidants into your diet while enjoying the delightful treat of a baked good. I recommend using fresh blueberries to get the full benefit of the fruit, but frozen would be ok too (I’m not a fan of frozen fruit). The zest of the lemon incorporates a subtle hint from this tangy fruit, which perfectly compliments the blueberries and whole wheat flour.  This recipe is quick and easy and could be put to great use on a tranquil Sunday evening while you are preparing for the bustling week ahead.

Blueberry-Lemon Scones

Ingredients:
1 cup of whole wheat flour
1 cup of all purpose flour
1 tablespoon of baking powder
¾ cup light brown sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
Zest of one lemon
1 cup of fresh blueberries
½ cup plain low fat greek yogurt
½ cup low fat milk

Five Things Monday

•Weekly Motivation•

“If you work hard and have a kind heart, amazing things will happen.”

Recently I began my semester internship and took a week from blogging. But this weekend I was able to catch up on all things cooking, baking and blogging. I even had enough time to make it to the Wynwood Art Walk, which never disappoints with the wide range of local artists and Miami culture.

The one section I enjoy the most from this monthly art walk is the food truck section of course, which ranges from Korean to Vegan cuisine. Plus a very unhealthy fried everything truck, which intrigued me into eating some fried oreo’s, and these are perfect for sharing in order to prevent you from feeling too guilty!

•Luna playing in the dog park after a full recovery from surgery last week•

Celebrating her 11 months!

•Delicious eats from the food trucks at the Wynwood Art Walk•

Soft Oatmeal-Date Cookies

Vacation mode is over and gone. I am back with a delicious recipe that is somewhat healthy and extremely enjoyable. I am sure everyone over ate during the holidays, as I did. So what better way to get back into the swing of things then with energizing cookies that are easy to create, and on the healthy side too! The perfect combination of oatmeal, whole wheat flour, dates and cinnamon give this cookie a breakfast stamp of approval, especially on mornings when you only have time to prepare a quick cup or two of coffee as you rush out the door.

Oatmeal-Date Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup of butter (2 sticks), room temperature
2/3 cup of sugar
2/3 cup of brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1½ regular uncooked oatmeal
1 cup of chopped dates