dina's cucina

my political views: anti-gluten anti-upper-case letters (why can't we all be equal?) pro-fruits + veggies pro-90s rap pro-prosecco

[dinanicola]

how to stay healthy this flu season

i swore i wouldn’t be one of those women who got into essential oils, until i decided to help a friend and purchase a few. i remained a disbeliever, but figured diffusing to make the house smell better was easy enough. and then suddenly i decided to dabble a little further and started seeing great results with things like clearing up pimples, fighting illness, and even cleaning. so here i am, confessing to all of you, that i am a reformed hater. sigh.

this flu season i have been drinking this thieves tea every morning before work to ward off any disease and boost immunity.

thieves tea:

1 -2 drops lemon essential oil

1 drop thieves oil

1/2 tsp manuka honey

8 - 12 ounces boiling water

stir together + drink while warm. bye bye nasty flu bug

if you’d like to know where to buy these ingredients: click on the items in recipe or below:

buy essential oils

buy manuka honey

[dinanicola]

for those who prefer to be naughty during the holidays.

jalapeño infused tequila

prep time: 5 minutes

ingredients:

2 jalapenos, sliced

1 750 ml bottle of quality silver tequila

2 mason jars

divide jalapeños into 2 jars, with seeds for extra spicy, or remove the seeds if you prefer it less spicy

pour tequila into each jar

seal + place in a dark place (cupboard works well) for 2 - 24 hours

remove from cupboard + taste test (if you want it mild, only leave the jalapeños soaking for a couple hours, if you want it to burn your lips off, leave it overnight

once you reach desired spiciness, strain to remove jalapenos + seeds. place back into desired jar or vessel

serve in your favorite margarita recipe

[dinanicola]

introducing the churro-nut

50% churro + 50% donut = 100% delicious.

makes: 12 donuts

donut mix: 2 tbsp coconut oil 2 ½  tbsp unsalted butter 1 cup gluten free flour mix (w/ xanthum gum) ¾ tsp baking powder ¼ tsp baking soda ¼ tsp sea salt ½ tsp cinnamon 1 egg ¾ cup coconut milk 1 tsp vanilla extract

churring topping: ½ cup turbinado (raw sugar) ½ cup organic sugar 1 tbsp cinnamon 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted 1 small milk chocolate bar ½ small dark chocolate bar ½ tsp coconut oil

1. preheat oven to 350°F. grease a doughnut pan well with coconut oil and set aside 2. melt butter + 1 tbsp coconut oil in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally until just melted, then remove it from heat and set aside 3. in a mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon 4. in a small mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, coconut milk, vanilla extract, and melted butter + coconut oil mixture 5. add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring together until well-combined. do not overmix or the dough will get tough 6. gently spoon the batter into the doughnut pan to approximately ¾ full 7. place the filled doughnut pans in the oven and bake for 10 - 12 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 5 - 10 minutes before removing the donuts from the pan and moving to a wire rack to fully cool 8. to make the churro topping, combine the turbinado brown sugar, sugar, and cinnamon in a shallow bowl 9. one at a time, lightly brush the donuts with the melted butter, and then roll around in the sugar mixture until well coated. continue until all donuts are covered 10. before serving, slowly melt the chocolats together in a small pan over low heat, then drizzle donuts with the chocolate + serve

[dinanicola]

super bowl eats

ultimate italian sub sandwich cooking time: 10 minutes

1 loaf gluten free focaccia bread, i use canyon bakehouse olive oil sliced provolone cheese (vegans can use daiya brand) fresh mozzarella balsamic vinegar 1 large jar roasted red peppers romaine lettuce leaves basil leaves thinly sliced red onions pepperoncinis  

for tomato spread 2 ripe tomatoes 1 clove garlic ½ tsp olive oil sea salt to taste

1. to make the tomato spread, put tomatoes, garlic, olive oil + sea salt in a blender + puree till smooth 2. start assembling the sandwiches by first toasting the bread. slice focaccia loaf in half, then drizzle with olive oil and place oiled side face down on a heated skillet or griddle. toast for ~5 minutes until golden brown. remove from skillet and place on cutting board to start building sandwich 3. spread bottom layer of bread with tomato spread. then in order layer on these ingredients, provolone cheese, then fresh mozzarella. drizzle mozzarella with balsamic vinegar. 4. layer on roasted red peppers, romaine lettuce, basil, red onions, pepperoncinis + lastly top piece of bread 5. gently push down on the sandwich + hold together with toothpicks. slice loaf desired sandwich sizes + serve

**** optional, if you eat meat, these sandwiches are great with italian cured meat such as prosciutto, salami or mortadella

[dinanicola]

in case you haven’t had enough pumpkin

pumpkin muffins cooking time: 22 mins prep time: 10 minutes servings: 12 muffins

1 cup almond meal/flour ¼ cup shredded coconut flakes ¼ cup tapioca starch 1 tsp baking soda ½ tsp baking powder 2 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice 1 pinch sea salt 1 cup pumpkin puree ¼ cup agave or maple syrup 4 tbsp cinnamon applesauce 2 eggs (if you are looking to make this vegan, use egg substitute) 1 tbsp melted coconut oil ½ cup dark chocolate chips (optional, but if you omit, add in additional 1 tbsp agave) 2 tbsp walnuts or pecans, chopped (garnish, optional)

1. mix dry ingredients together (almond meal, coconut, tapioca starch, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon + pumpkin spice). use a whisk or sifter to make sure mix is clump-free 2. mix wet ingredients together (pumpkin, agave, applesauce, eggs + coconut oil) until smooth. preheat oven to 350 degrees line cupcake pan with liners + pour in mixture about 85% full. the cupcakes will rise while cooking, but then fall a bit while cooling so use your judgement 3. cook for 22 minutes, check with a toothpick before removing from oven 4. remove from oven + allow to cool

**** tip - to make these more cake-like, add in ¼ cup gluten free bread mix in place of ¼ cup almond meal

**** to add in extra nutrition - i sometimes add in a couple tablespoons of gelled chia seeds

**** you could also substitute sweetners with ½ cup date paste (made from ½ cups dates pureed with ¼ cup coconut milk

**** you can make into mini bread loaves by cooking for 40 minutes + greasing pan well with coconut oil

[dinanicola]

nature's flu fighter

garlic + super greens detox soup

with the weather changing and becoming more cool, i felt the beginning signs of a cold coming on. it’s never great timing for a cold, but especially not with a work trip approaching. so, i took matters into my own hands and whipped up this alkalizing and detoxifying soup and gave that cold a TKO. one week later, i am happy to report, that cold didn't stand a chance!

cooking time: 10 mins prep time: 10 minutes servings: 2 - 4

2 - 4 cloves of garlic (personal preference how many you use) 2 ½ - 3 cups vegetable broth 5 celery stalks, cut in thirds 2 cups broccoli florets ½ jalapeño pepper 1 bunch chard, roughly chopped 1 handful spinach 1 handful arugula 2 handfuls baby kale 1 lemon, juiced sea salt to taste

in a medium saucepan, add in garlic, celery, broccoli and jalapeño. cover and bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. remove from heat

in batches, start adding in some of the warm soup mixture to a blender. toss in a few handfuls of the lettuces  +  lemon juice. blend till smooth (adding in vegetable broth as needed to get desired consistency). continue until all ingredients are blended and salt to taste.

serve, enjoy + flu fight

[dinanicola]

chai isn't just for tea anymore

chai + persimmon coconut panna cotta cooking time: 10 mins prep time: 10 minutes chilling time: 6 hours

2 ½ tsp powdered gelatin 3 tbsp water

1 - 15 oz can coconut milk + 2 tbsp coconut milk ¼ cup coconut sugar 2 pinches cardamom 2 pinches ground cloves ½ tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp ginger 3 inch piece of vanilla bean, scraped

2 large ripe fuyu persimmons 3 tsp coconut flakes honey

1.divide water into 2 bowls: 2 tbsp in 1 bowl, 1 tbsp in the other 2. sprinkle 1 ¾ tsp gelatin in the bowl with 2 tbsp water + stir. sprinkle remaining ¾ tsp gelatin into bowl with 1 tbsp water + set both aside. gelatin will clump up + this is ok 3. in a small pan, heat the coconut milk, sugar, spices + vanilla 4. remove milk mixture from stove + strain into a mixing bowl 5. whisk in the 2 tbsp of gelatin mixture into the milk so that the gelatin melts 6. fill desired jars or bowls ¾ of the way full with milk mixture. place in fridge to solidify for at least 3 hours 7. after coconut mixture is set, start making persimmon topping by pureeing the persimmons with 2 tbsp of coconut milk until smooth 8. move persimmon mixture to a small pan + bring to a boil. remove from heat + whisk in remaining gelatin mixture until it melts 9. spoon persimmon mixture into set coconut milk containers + place back in fridge to set for at least 3 hours 10. when you are ready to serve, toast coconut flakes in a skillet on the stove for 2 - 3 minutes, stirring frequently to ensure the flakes do not burn 11. sprinkle the toasted coconut flakes on the panna cottas 12. drizzle with honey + serve

**** if you do not like coconut, you can substitue almond milk

[dinanicola]

a butternut baby that builds you up + won't let you down.

thai butternut squash soup prep time: 15 minutes cooking time : 1 hour serves: 4 - 6

1 medium - large butternut squash, skin + seeds removed + diced 2 tbsp coconut oil sea salt 1 small yellow onion, chopped sea salt 2 granny smith apples, seeds removed + diced 1 can (12 oz) full fat coconut milk 1 - 1½ cups vegetable broth 1 jalapeno, sliced pistachios (thai flavored are the best), roughly chopped (optional)

1. preheat oven to 400° F. toss diced squash with 1 tbsp coconut oil + sprinkle with sea salt. spread squash onto a parchment lined cookie sheet and roast in the oven for 25 - 30 minutes until golden browned. remove from oven and set aside 2. meanwhile, in a large saucepan over medium heat, warm 1 tbsp coconut oil + add in onion + a couple pinches of salt. cook for 3 minutes until translucent 3. add in apples + cook for 3 - 5 minutes 4. add in vegetable broth, coconut milk, butternut squash + ½ jalapeno slices. bring to a simmer for 15 minutes or until squash is tender 5. season with sea salt to taste< 6. use an immersion blender or place batches of mixture into a regular blender + carefully puree till smooth 7. garnish with jalapeno + pistachios

[dinanicola]

summer’s greatest delicacy

lemon + mint ricotta stuffed squash blossoms cooking time: 10 mins prep time: 10 minutes

12 squash blossoms 3 tbsp coconut oil sea salt

prosecco batter: ½ cup tapioca starch ½ tsp baking soda 1 tbsp gluten free flour ½ - ¾ cup prosecco/sparkling wine (or soda water)

heirloom tomato sauce 2 heirloom tomatoes (yellow, orange, or red varietal) ½ tbsp olive oil 1 clove garlic 4 basil leaves ¼ - ½ tsp sea salt

lemon + mint cashew ricotta

1. make cashew ricotta filling (click this link) 2. to make tomato sauce, place tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, basil + sea salt in food processor + pulse to a pureed texture. it’s ok to leave some chunks of tomato 3. to make batter, mix all ingredients (tapioca starch, baking soda, gluten free flour + prosecco) together to desired thickness, it should be pretty thin + smooth 4. stuff squash blossoms with cashew ricotta filling 5. heat medium skillet + add 1 tbsp of coconut oil + heat till smoking 6. dip stuffed squash blossoms in batter + place in skillet (cook 4 - 6 squash blossoms at a time). turning every minute to properly cook batter on all sides to a golden brown. remove blossoms from skillet + sprinkle with sea salt 7. repeat cooking with remaining squash blossoms 8. when all blossoms are cooked, serve warm with tomato sauce

**** if you eat cheese, you can substitute the cashews for whole ricotta

**** if you have a nut allergy, you can substitute the cashews for tofu

[dinanicola]

the vegan's solution to ricotta

cashew ricotta cheese (lemon + mint infused)

2 cups raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours, then drained 2 garlic cloves 3 tbsp lemon juice (preferably meyer) ¼ cup plain non-dairy milk (i used hemp) 1½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil 10 - 12 mint leaves ½ tsp salt

1. place all ingredients in a food processor + puree on high until you get a smooth + creamy texture, probably 3 - 4 minutes 2. use for dipping or stuffing

[dinanicola]

frankly my dear, i don’t give a fig.

fig chia pudding prep time: 5 minutes refrigerator time: 2 hours

1½ tbsp chia seeds 1 tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes ½ cup vanilla non-dairy milk (i used coconut milk) drizzle agave syrup or honey (to taste) pinch sea salt 3 - 4 figs, quartered cinnamon 1 pinch sea salt

1. add chia seeds, coconut, milk, agave + sea salt to a jar + stir to mix well 2. add in figs + sprinkle with cinnamon 3. allow to sit in fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight then enjoy

**** check out this other variation with persimmons

[dinanicola]

the classic 10 minute pasta dish.

spaghetti aglio e olio (garlic + oil) cooking time: 10 mins prep time: 10 minutes

3 garlic cloves, peeled + sliced 1 lb fresh gluten free pasta 2 tbsp good olive oil ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (more if you like it spicy) 2 tbsp vegan or regular parmesan cheese 1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced (optional) ½ cup marinated artichokes, rinsed + chopped (optional) basil or parsley for garnish

1. bring a large pot of water to a boil + add 1 tbsp sea salt. cook pasta according to directions on package to al dente 2. drain pasta + put in large serving bowl 3. immediately heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat + add in garlic. cook for 2 minutes, stirring to ensure it does not burn. then add in the red pepper flakes + cook for 30 seconds more 4. pour olive oil mixture over pasta + toss well, sprinkling in parmesan cheese + tomatoes + artichokes 5. garnish with herbs + serve

[dinanicola]

pizza, pizza!

peperonata pizza cooking time: 60 mins

bob’s red mill gluten free pizza crust 2 tbsp olive oil 1/2 yellow onion, diced 2 red bell peppers, julienned 2 yellow bell peppers, julienned 3 roma tomatoes, chopped and seeds removed 2-3 tbsp basil, julienned sea salt + to taste

1. prepare pizza crust dough as instructed on the bag + set aside to rise while you prepare peperonata 2. add olive oil to a large skillet + warm over medium heat for a couple minutes, then add onions + saute till  translucent (~5 mins) 3. add peppers into skillet + sprinkle generously with sea salt 4. cook peppers for about 20 minutes, stirring occassionally 5. add in tomatoes + 1 tbsp of basil + another generous sprinkling of sea salt 6. cook another 10 minutes or until majority of liquid has evaporated. taste + add more salt if necessary 7. set aside peperonata mixture 8. preheat oven to 350 degrees 9. oil a large piece of parchment paper + place dough in the middle. with wet hands, begin rolling out dough to desired shape + thickness (¼” is desirable). brush dough well with olive oil + place on a baking sheet 10. top pizza dough generously with peperonata mixture 11. bake for 20 mins or until golden brown around the edge 12. remove from oven + garnish with remaining basil 13. allow to cool for 5 mins + serve. great warm or room temp

[dinanicola]

prime for the pickin’

heirloom tomato salad serves: 2 - 4 cooking time: 10 mins

4 heirloom tomatoes, sliced 1 cucumber, peeled + sliced 2 green onions, cleaned + sliced avocado (optional) olive oil sea salt

1. place all vegetables in a large salad bowl 2. drizzle with olive oil + sea salt to taste 3. toss + serve

[dinanicola]

the ultimate veggie burger

black bean veggie burger prep time: 10 minutes cooking time: 10 - 14 minutes makes: 3 burgers

½ small red onion, peeled 1 clove garlic, peeled 1 small beet, peeled 1 15 ounce can vegetarian black beans, drained + rinsed ⅔ cup oat flour ¼ tsp onion powder ½ mexican seasoning (tajin is my favorite brand) sea salt to taste

1. place red onion, garlic + beet in a food processor + pulse till finely minced 2. add black beans to onion mixture + pulse 5 - 10 times 3. remove mixture + place in a bowl then add in oat flour + seasonings, mix well 4. begin forming mixture into desired sized burgers, tutorial on forming burgers found here 5. cook on the stove or grill for 5 - 7 minutes on each side or until you have a nice char 6. serve with desired fixings

suggested toppings: lettuce avocado watermelon red onion tomato ketchup mustard dill pickles or relish

to mold the perfect veggie burger, follow this simple how-to

[dinanicola]

how to form the perfect burger

what you’ll need: 1 wide mouth mason jar lid saran wrap waxed paper

1. line a plate with waxed paper 2. place the mason jar lid, lip up on a flat surface 3. cover the lid with a 8x8 size piece of saran wrap 4. place enough burger mixture into the center of the saran wrap covered lid in order to fill it, but so as to not overflow. press the mixture into the lid so that compacted, but not dense 5. pick up filled lid + turn upside down over the waxed paper so that burger pops out of the lid 6. repeat until the burger mixture is gone

[dinanicola]

ole! cleanse-worthy cinco de mayo avocado snack

jicama fries + smashed avocado cooking time: 10 minutes

1 large head jicama 2 limes mexican seasoning (tajin is my favorite brand) 2 avocados Sea salt

1. cut jicama into french fry shape 2. drizzle jicama fries with juice of 1 lime, then season generously with mexican seasoning 3. in a bowl, mash avocado with juice of remaining lime. add sea salt to taste 4. pair with a (virgin) margarita + dip away

*** other vegetables like cucumbers + red peppers are also an amazing addition or substitute to the jicama. Prepare the same way with lime juice + seasoning