little red in summer

Little Red, my cast iron Dutch oven, is pretty much shelved for the summer months except for pulled pork.  Rub a pork shoulder with your favorite blend of spices (I use cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and freshly ground pepper) pop in a cast iron with a lid, and cook extra slow, about 18 hours at 175 degrees.  The pork will seriously melt in your mouth.  Top with your favorite BBQ sauce; quintessential American yum.

dippity two

Like I mentioned earlier, I am all about dips in the summer months.  Here is another delicious one. It's a new twist on the standard sour cream chip dip.  The bite of the cheese, combined with lemon and pepper, give it a fresh zing.  The only trouble is, you're gonna want to eat too much of this stuff.

Lemon, Pepper, and Pecorino Dip

Mix together 1 cup sour cream, 1 cup grated pecorino, the finely grated zest of one lemon.  Salt to taste and lots of fresly grated pepper. Serve with ridged potato chips, or if you're trying to be extra good, like me, it's wonderful with veggies.

grilled hoisin chicken with scallions

Seems I've been posting either poetry or food, which is basically what I've been up to lately.  I'm always looking for a different twist on boneless skinless chicken breasts. This one is perfect for quick and easy summer grilling.  Toss some sweet potato wedges and scallions on the grill, along with the chicken, and you've got a meal ready in less than 30 minutes.  The musky sweet of the hoisin pairs perfectly with the sweet of the potatoes. You're gonna love it.

Heat grill to medium and brush boneless skinless chicken breasts with canola oil.  Cut sweet potatoes into 1/2 inch wedges and toss with canola oil, sea salt and freshly ground pepper.  Grill the chicken and potatoes for about 7-10 minutes each side.  Brush chicken with bottled hoisin sauce, turning occasionally, the last few minutes of grilling.  Toss scallions in canola, salt and pepper, add to grill the last five minutes.  Remove all from grill.  Sprinkle chicken and potatoes with sesame seeds, drizzle potatoes with sesame oil.  Easy peasy.

roasted eggplant dip

Another thing I like about summer, even though it is my least favorite season, is dips.  I rarely make them in the fall and winter months, so they are a welcome treat by the time summer rolls around. Here's a new one I made last weekend.  It's so incredibly healthy, it might not even truly qualify as a dip. It's my new favorite.  Try it.  It will be yours, too.

Roast two halved eggplants, cut-side down, at 400 degrees until very soft, about 30-40 minutes. Let cool. Scoop out the flesh and roughly chop. Mix in 1/2 finely chopped red onion, 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar, salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.  Serve with vegetable chips. Can be made up to one day in advance.  Bring to room temperature before serving.

pasta with goat cheese and basil oil

Summer is my least favorite season.  But one of the things that makes summer a bit more tolerable is pasta. This one is elegant, simple, and delicious.  It only takes 20 minutes flat, start to finish.

Cook 12 ounces gemelli (I used strozzapreti) pasta according to directions. Drain.  Meanwhile, in a blender or mini food processor, puree 2 cups fresh basil leaves with 1/2 cup olive oil until smooth.  Toss the pasta with the basil oil, 4 ounces of crumbled goat cheese, 1 cup fresh basil leaves, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper.  I like a few extra grinds of triple berry pepper on top. Yum. Oh. Yum.

By the way, "strozzapreti" means "priest choker".  Apparently, gluttonous Italian priests were so enthralled by the savory pasta, that they ate too quickly and choked themselves, sometimes even to death.  Okay, I like this pasta, but not that much.

nectarines + piecrust + turbinado sugar = nectarine galette

This little cutey is a quick and easy summer dessert.  No one will know you didn't spend all afternoon making it. I served it plain, but it would be fabulous with clotted cream, fresh whipped cream or ice cream on the side.  Take my word for it, it's delicious and super easy.

Heat oven to 375.  Place refrigerated rolled pie crust (I used Pillsbury) on a parchment lined baking sheet. (I was out of parchment, and it was fine. Use a jellyroll pan with a lip, since the juices will run.) Leaving a two inch border, top with 5-6 thinly sliced nectarines or peaches.  Sprinkle with 4 tablespoons turbinado sugar and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter. Fold the edges of the dough toward the center, overlapping. Brush with water and sprinkle with a tablespoon of turbinado sugar.  Bake until bubbly and crust is golden about 35 minutes.  Tent, if crust browns too quickly.  Serves 4.

click to embiggen

Getting fit for summer in 5 easy steps

I'm really loving this cropped tee trend - it's so sexy yet sporty and casual. But in order to rock it this summer (as well as skinny dresses, bikini and other revealing outfits) I need a nicely shaped flat tummy which, after several winter months of working from home and enjoying various delicious foods, I no longer possess. Luckily, I know how to get it back by following a number of simple guidelines. I'm not saying it's a perfect formula and it works for everybody - but it surely works for me.

1) WORK IT

The simplest way to shade a kilo or two is to spend more energy than you consume, which translates as: "eat less and move more." Work out means different things for different people and there are not strict rules there: yoga, martial arts, pole dancing - all of it can be fun and effective! Hey, even a day of intensive shopping is a workout! Myself, I tend to alternate several types of workout: POWER WALKING, PILATES and some of the very effective exercises for ABS that I found HERE.

2) EAT THE RIGHT FOOD

Namely, focus on foods that speed up metabolism and help burn calories, while being perfectly healthy for you at the same time: apples, grapefruit, greens, leek, onions, spinach, rice, eggs, chicken, turkey, fish, seafood, non-fat yoghurt, oatmeal, olive oil etc. Also cook more with fat-burning spices: cinnamon (I add it to coffee every day), chili powder, ginger, garlic, parsley, cardamon, cloves, cumin and curry. Eat nuts as snacks, fruity milkshakes and fruit salads as desserts, and whole-grain bread and dried crust instead of regular bread (my own favorites are Finn Crisps).

3) DRINK MORE WATER

Drinking about 2 litres of water a day is a must in general - for my part I often forget about taking that extra sip until I get really thirsty - which already means serious dehydration. But water is especially important when you're trying to lose some weight - it works miracles for metabolism.

4) APPLY THAT CREAM

Such things as firming creams won't do much for you on their own - despite what all the fancy ads promise - yet, in combination with a certain diet and a workout, they can be of great help to tone up the desired body areas. Especially if carefully massaged into skin. Firming shower gels and scrubs will increase the effect!

5) DON'T GET LAZY

I'm not the most organized person in the world and I need a strong stimulant to continue with my plan! So I make a "solemn vow" to my readers and fellow bloggers that I will go through with this. Now I have no other choice :)

Finally I'd like to point out that I don't get fanatical about any of this. I don't ban myself from eating the things I really love - it would only make me crave them more, and I don't torture myself by "not eating after six" and going to bed hungry. I just try watch what I eat in general, don't stuff myself and if I really want a chocolate croissant or cake - try to have it in the first half of the day, and eat lightly in the evening. As for exercising - it can be a drag at first but gets addictive quite soon!