Fresh Mint!

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My mother planted mint a few years ago and now grown into a healthy mint bush. It just roams and grows – low maintenance. In fact, if you have a pot of mint, it’s very low maintenance all year round. My kind of herb = = low maintenance with dark chocolate on the side please! The smell of fresh mint – so fresh and aromatic! Here are some low maintenance tips:

I like to chop fresh mint with strawberries and add a little fresh lemon juice! A refreshing way to serve a simple dessert with a little gelati or a drizzle of dark chocolate sauce!

Make some fresh mint tea. It’s easy to make. Boil hot water and add to a sprig of mint. Let it steep for 10 minutes. Add a little honey and it’s perfect. My first cup was in Morocco – the perfect mid-day relaxant.

My cousin Renee adds fresh lemon slices and mint leaves in cold water. The lemon and mint flavour is a great way to get you to drink your eight glasses/day!

Next week, I will write about my favorite zuccini salad that my grandmother would make during the summer with fresh mint – her southern Calabrese twist.

A delicous cocktail “mojito” with fresh mint, lime and sugar (and vodka) makes the perfect cocktail.

Food and Fate memories!

maria!

Fresh Blueberries and Ice Cream

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Just before I left Toronto, I prepared my dad’s favorite: fresh blueberries and ice cream. Take advantage of the fresh fruits that are now in season – blueberries (go for local).

I love ice cream and fresh berries…..any excuse for ice cream. I added a little fresh mint from the garden and some lemon rind to garnish. Simple and delicious!

Happy Father’s Day!

maria!

Chicken L’Orange with Dried Cranberries and Capers

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When I make eye contact with some of favorite flavors in the refrigerator or pantry, look out! With this dish, I brought two favorite flavours: oranges and dried cranberries. I had leftover cranberries from a previous batch of biscotti (cranberry/almond) and an orange sitting on my kitchen counter. I decided to add some sweetness to the chicken and also a sweet way to use fresh ingredients!

Pre-heat oven 400 Degrees

Here’s another easy dish to prepare….

I layered in an oven baking dish: chicken breasts (seasoned with salt, pepper, red chili flakes). Added the following on top the chicken: fresh orange slices, dried cranberries, 2 tbsp. capers, lemon rind of one lemon (I then sliced the lemon and layered in the dish). ps – I could hear my mother’s voice (peccato) …… that is if I threw out the naked lemon! I added 1 cup of water to the edge of the dish and covered the dish with foil wrap.

In the over it goes…..after 30 minutes, I removed the foil and lowered the heat to 350 degrees for additional 15 minutes.

I made some brown rice and steamed some broccoli and served with the chicken. Ready to serve! I poured the juices of the fruit, cranberries, capers and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil with the rice!

I also have made this with slices of mango in the mix…..

My intern and I enjoyed a nice lunch !

Romain Citrus Seafood Wraps

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Here’s an example of adding something new to a classic seafood salad. Believe it or not, I added some grapefruit wedges to the salad. It was so good – the sweetness of the fruit and the chili flakes were a perfect match made in heaven!

For plating, I scooped the salad on fresh romaine lettuce leaves. The lettuce wraps were also fun to eat! Everything was edible on this plate expect the plate!

Be creative and recreate your favorite dishes with your fragrant flavors!

maria!