This Easter, I finally tried my nonna’s budino di mandorle. Budino di mandorla, or almond pudding, is a naturally gluten-free and vegan dessert in Italy. And it happens to be one of my grandma’s specialties.
Admittedly, the gooey texture of it never tempted me when I was young. But this time, I tried it, and fell in love with it. Not too sweet, luxuriously almond-y, and refreshing, it’s a magnificent dessert to welcome in the spring.
Continue readingInspired by the dynamic duo of Dr. Roizen and Chef Jim at the Cleveland Clinic, where I interned last summer, I’m embarking on a mission to introduce culinary medicine in an accessible way – through social media. Every Friday, I’ll be sharing a “Functional Foodie” recipe as part of my job as Patient Care Navigator at Princeton Integrative Health.
With the winter season in full gear, I’ve noticed a growing fear concerning the sugar consumption implicit in the holidays festivities. A couple patients voiced worries of slipping back into an avalanche of cookies, cakes, and more. I get it, sugar can certainly be a slippery slope. But surely there can be a happy medium of satisfying and celebrating a sweet tooth in a healthy way?
Enter my NTD Oatmeal Cookies, with NTD standing for Not-Too-Desserty.
Continue readingInspired by the dynamic duo of Dr. Roizen and Chef Jim at the Cleveland Clinic, where I interned last summer, I’m embarking on a mission to introduce culinary medicine in an accessible way – through social media. Every Friday, I’ll be sharing a “Functional Foodie” recipe as part of my job as Patient Care Navigator at Princeton Integrative Health.
Last week, one of my coworkers asked me to come up with an easy and flexible snack that can be enjoyed with pantry ingredients. Whether you’re fueling up before hitting the gym or satisfying a sweet craving, this loaded banana is a delightful and nutritious choice that keeps you both energized and satisfied. Personally, this has even been my breakfast go-to on light mornings … repeatedly.
One of my most vivid memories I have from childhood is when my soccer team would go to Rita’s after a game to get ‘Italian ice.” At 8 years old, I made it my mission to inform my teammates that there is no such thing as Italian ice! It was all an American ruse! They didn’t really care.
And as it turns out, I may have been partially wrong. Years later, I fell in love with granita, a sweetened and flavored slushed ice from Sicily. Instead of ice and dyed syrups, granita is made with whole ingredients, and a good fork (or blender) to slush. I first discovered lemon granita with my brother in Pozzallo, Sicily, where we ordered a cup from a cart on the street. To this day, it’s one of my favorite summer desserts – just ask Mount Granita from Cleveland!
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My parents celebrated their 21st anniversary on June 3rd. Woohoo! While I’ve been looking at their wedding pictures for years, I had only recently learned that neither of my parents actually tasted their wedding cake in full. How could that be?! After hearing such blasphemy, I concluded on two things: 1) I will eat (and likely bake) my own wedding cake, and 2) I must recreate a dessert inspired by their wedding cake.
It may be rather clear by now: I love exploring international foods. One of my most recent finds is sfinge, a moroccan doughnut, which I discovered at the Michaeli Bakery in NYC. Theirs is a slight twist, having cinnamon, bourbon, and lemon. My mission: to recreate them.
Almost four years ago, I started a tradition for my dad’s birthday. We would go to Casa Apicii, a lively West-Village modern Italian restaurant. It doesn’t only have some of the most delectable dishes in NYC, but also the most beautiful atmosphere. A 19th century townhouse decked out in revival tudor moldings, tall vaulted ceilings, and jazzy colors are just as impressive as the food. The menu is rooted in fresh pasta and seasonal vegetable dishes which never fail to leave me in awe. One of my favorite dishes was their roasted acorn squash with a creamy sauce, honey, and pomegranate avrils.
Unfortunately, like so many other NYC restaurants, Casa Apicii is temporarily closed, leaving me with the inspiration to bring Casa Apiccii to Casa Kayla. While Casa Apicii does indulge in a sea of cheeses and meats, I wanted to craft a menu that was entirely vegan, without my dad making a face 🙂
THE MENU
Antipasto: Chickpea bruschetta (V)
First up, chickpea bruschetta – a more hearty cousin of tomato bruschetta. This idea actually came from one of my other favorite NYC restaurants, Babbo, which is also temporarily closed. This bruschetta can make any non-legume-lover leave crumbs. The ingredients are rather simple, and it’s extremely easy to prepare, set aside to marinate (for even hours), and reintroduce on a nice slice of crispy bread.
Continue readingLately, chocolate has taken center stage in my dessert game. In this post, I’ll first share my newest love: a flourless, oil-free lava brownie recipe. And secondly, I’ll share the importance of getting your chocolate from sustainable sources.
First up, the lava brownies.
Why call them lava brownies? For starters, these brownies may as well be descendants of the great, oozing lava cakes. Also, in considering the general symbolism of 2020, lava represents both anger and frustration (I’m thinking of the famous Obi-Wan Kenobi vs. Anakin Skywalker scene here), but also in its fluidity, it reminds us of these points:
‘Tis the season to be jolly. ‘Tis also the season to bake trays upon trays of cookies.
Out of all desserts, biscotti are a must-have for Italian christmases. This year, I wanted to hold onto this tradition, but shake it up a bit. Instead of orange peel, why not add grapefruit zest for a floral touch? And building off of that, how about some coconut flakes too? Above all, why not bake it just once? Gasp!
These cookies are what my mom calls “mangia mangia”, loosely translating to something you can’t stop eating. They’re crunchy, but have a nice chew to the interior. The finely chopped chocolate adds some smoothness in contrast to the cornmeal and flaked coconut.
Continue readingIn late October, I accomplished something unexpected: making an apple pie. This was such a surprise, because considering I’ve spent the last 19 years sneering at pies, here I was, loving pie, going for my second slice. I ended up having leftover pie crust dough. What to do, what to do…
I wanted to challenge myself just a little by making something non-pie, something I’ve never made/tasted before, and something sans-recipe. The result? Three non-pie, new to me, recipe-less desserts.
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