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    10 Sweet Treats to Bake for Spring

    March 19th marks the official first day of spring in the U.S., and we’re welcoming in the new season with 10 spring-inspired bakes that will brighten any day. From the zing of lemon to the burst of fresh berries, each recipe is crafted to infuse your kitchen with the vibrant essence of spring. So, grab your apron and embark on a flavorful journey that promises to bring the joys of the new season, no matter what the weather outside may hold.

    Sticky-sweet strawberry filling is smeared, rolled, and twisted into a buttery brioche dough, and a final sprinkling of pearl sugar offers an element of elegant crunch to this loaf.

    With spring officially sprung, there’s no better recipe to celebrate with than this light yet luscious Hummingbird Pie with Pecan Crust. This pie’s crust may look like any other, but it packs a surprising punch of Schermer Pecans, lending a light, toasted crunch to the deliciously flaky and buttery base of this pie. The nutty, slightly rich notes of pecan act as the perfect counterpoint to the sweet, fruity flavors of the filling. Slices of fresh banana are layered on top of the crisp pecan crust and then blanketed in a smooth pineapple coconut cream. Topped with a cloud of light and fluffy Whipped Cream, this pie is a cool treat sure to satisfy all through spring and even into the dog days of summer.

    Who needs cream cheese frosting when you’ve got a layer of cheesecake filling? These bars combine two of our favorite cakes in one: crumbly chunks of carrot cake baked into a velvety layer of cheesecake. Fair warning: you may not be able to have one without the other again.

    By swapping the traditional cream cheese filling with vanilla bean-scented Mascarpone Cream and replacing the congealed topping with fresh strawberries, we’ve given this classic pastry a modern salty-sweet makeover.

    These party-perfect bars are creamy, crumbly, and crispy all at once. For the best results, we suggest refrigerating overnight. But if you’re in a hurry, you can cut that time down to at least 1 hour before serving.

    A tender almond cake speckled with earthy poppy seeds and a strawberry-dappled top dusted with confectioners’ sugar, this simple yet chic one-layer stunner embodies the flavors of spring. We call it “a counter cake” because you’ll want to keep it on your counter all season long as a sweet treat for impromptu guests (and yourself).

    Inspired by the busy bees of spring, we paired chopped honeycomb and orange blossom water to create a delicate floral and honey scone. Crowned with golden honeycomb chunks and a generous drizzle of white chocolate, these baked goods offer a surprising flavor combination you didn’t know you needed until now.

    Cheesecake is a dessert for all seasons, but this one is geared directly toward spring. We traded the traditional graham cracker crust for a spicy gingersnap crumb base that complements a sunny citrus cheesecake filling. But the coup de grâce is the bright and beautiful blueberry topping, a glistening crown that offers jammy berries in every bite.

    Combining a double-dose of zippy lemon flavor in both the cookie and the glaze tastes like spring baking at it’s finest. Add the crunchy finish of sweet sparkling sugar and you’ve got one knockout cookie. LEGGI TUTTO

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    Strawberry Mango Tuna Poke Bowl

    If you are a fan of sushi, then you will be all over this Strawberry Mango Tuna Poke Bowl! It’s a bit like sushi in a bowl, like sushi made super easy… I’m telling you, nutritious food has never tasted this good!

    Sorry I haven’t posted in so long you guys! Well, in fact it’s only been 2 whole weeks, but for me, it feels like it’s been months! 
    You see, earlier this year, I came to the realization that keeping your body healthy is one thing, but also, and perhaps even more importantly, one needs to keep their mind healthy. The best way to do that, I find, is through meditation. I started meditating daily only just a few months ago and already, it’s literally changed my life. And now, I’m just returning from a 10 day silent meditation retreat, during which I was, obviously, completely cut out from the outside world.
    With my life being what it is these days, i.e. so unbelievably busy, I hadn’t had time to make and schedule any posts before leaving (in fact, I was so totally unprepared for this – I pretty much left my entire life on hold, almost expecting the world to wait for my return to start turning again), so I had no choice but to extend my vow of silence all the way to this very page! Ha! How’s that for dedication? 
    Seriously, though, it was one of the best experiences of my life! Hard, very hard even, but so incredibly enlightening.  It’s a bit like working out, you know: while you are doing it, it can even be extremely unpleasant at times, but feels so very good after the fact! 
    At the meditation center, we were fed a strict vegetarian diet but the food was so amazing, I got inspired to create new recipes nearly every day! So erm, yeah, expect a few vegetarian recipes coming this way over the next few weeks…
    For some reason, though, I dreamt of eating one of them delicious Poke Bowls filled with chunks of juicy mango and slices of fresh strawberries the whole time I was there. And trust me, I had LOTS AND LOTS of time on my hands to dream about it… So much so, I could almost taste it! So of course the minute I got back home, I went and got all the ingredients to make my vision come to life. Wow did it ever satisfy! 
    Honestly, if you’ve not yet experienced the amazing goodness of a poke bowl, I think now would be a good time for you to fix this! Let’s get started, shall we? 

    When making poke bowls, the first thing you wanna do is cook your rice. Indeed, it’s what takes the longest, especially since you’re going to have to let it come down to room temperature… so deal with that first, if you haven’t already. 
    Then, you’ll want to cut your fish into little cubes of about half an inch and put those cubes right into a bowl.
    Here’s a little tip for you: if you want to make your fish easier to cut, send it for a quick trip to the freezer beforehand. Not for long, really – about 20 minutes should do the trick. This will only make it a tad firmer and will help you slice up cleaner looking cubes.

    While the fish is in the freezer — if you’ve chosen to do that — you can work on making the marinade. 
    Grab a small measuring cup and in it, combine the coconut aminos  (soy sauce or tamari would also work well), sriracha, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey and minced ginger and whisk until well incorporated; pour that right over the tuna and toss gently to coat the fish.
    Send that to the fridge for at least 15 to 20 minutes.

    While the fish is happily marinating, you’ll have plenty of time to prep the veggies and make the spicy drizzling sauce!  To make that sauce, simply combine some tahini, rice vinegar, sriracha, honey, minced ginger, toasted sesame oil and a few drops of fish sauce and whisk until smooth. Set that aside, you’re done!
    Next in line is to prep the veggies… 
    I chose to go with a combination of mango, strawberries, bean sprouts, carrots, snow peas, avocado and green onions, but feel free to make any substitutions you like. Building poke bowls is really not an exact science! 

    And now you’re ready to start building your bowls! Mound about 1 cup of the cooked rice at the bottom of 4 bowls, then top it with your choice of vegetables and finally, spoon the marinated fish over the veggies, dividing it equally between all four bowls.
    Drizzle some of that lovely spicy sauce all over the top and then, for the finishing touch, sprinkle with a pinch of sesame seeds, if you so desire.
    Enjoy your Poke Bowl without delay… (I’m not even worried about that… I just know you won’t be able to wait much longer to dig in!)

    Strawberry Mango Tuna Poke Bowl

    If you are a fan of sushi, then you will be all over this Strawberry Mango Tuna Poke Bowl! It’s a bit like sushi in a bowl, like sushi made super easy… I’m telling you, nutritious food has never tasted this good!
    Servings: 4

    US Customary – Metric

    Spicy Tuna

    Spicy sauce

    To build the bowls
    4 cups cooked calrose rice*, at room temperature
    2 cups bean sprouts
    1 large carrot, spiralized
    1 medium hass avocado, sliced
    1 mango, cubed
    8 strawberries, sliced
    20-24 snow peas
    2 green onions, sliced

    If you haven’t done so already, cook the rice according to the instructions on the package (you’ll need 2 cups of dry rice to get the required amount of cooked rice) and then let it cool to room temperature.

    While the rice is cooling, cut the tuna into approximately 1/2″ cubes and place it in a medium bowl.

    Combine the coconut aminos, sriracha, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey and minced ginger in a small measuring cup and whisk until well incorporated; pour over the tuna and toss gently to coat the fish. Refrigerate for at least 15 to 20 minutes.

    Meanwhile, make the spicy sauce: simply combine all the ingredients and whisk until well incorporated.

    To serve, place about 1 cup of rice at the bottom of 4 bowls, top with your choice of vegetables and then spoon the fish over the veggies, dividing it equally between all four bowls. Drizzle with spicy sauce and sprinkle with a pinch of sesame seeds, if desired.

    Enjoy without delay.

    Cook the rice according to the directions on the package. You’ll need 2 cups dry rice to get the required amount of cooked rice.

    Calories: 928kcal, Carbohydrates: 124g, Protein: 47g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 56mg, Sodium: 784mg, Potassium: 1021mg, Fiber: 9g, Sugar: 19g, Vitamin A: 6400IU, Vitamin C: 53.8mg, Calcium: 71mg, Iron: 5mg

    If you’ve tried this recipe, please take a minute to rate the recipe and let me know how things went for you in the comments below. It’s always such a pleasure to hear from you!
    You can also FOLLOW ME on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and TWITTER for more delicious, healthy recipes! LEGGI TUTTO