Recipes of Delicious Healthiness!

Recipes of Delicious Healthiness!

Hi There! This is a post of a different flavor. Since I just started this blog, there will be many facets to it. Fitness, Diet, Spirituality, Life Coaching, Recovery from many addictions and disorders.

Today's blog entry is about two of my very favorite dishes!

(I have a third favorite, Banga Calda, a condiment, which will be added to this blog with my favorite Marinara.)

I had promised some social media pals that I would post the following recipes. I then decided this blog would be a great place to post them. That way anyone could grab them, when ever they wanted them.


I quit eating pasta about 4 years ago, and as the granddaughter of Italian immigrants (my maternal great grandparents didn't speak English.) It is absurd to think I could do such a thing. My Nonnie would make homemade ravioli and pizzas from scratch, as well as the traditional turkey and hams for the holidays. All of her pastas were homemade. I love Italian cuisine but pasta just doesn't love me.

The following are my bi weekly replacements. I need to feed the need!


I can not eat Bell Peppers but my husband spoons this wonderful concoction into bell peppers for he and the children. It is one of their favorites.

Cauliflower Parmesan

Sauce Preparation

Brown 1 – 1 ½ lbs. of Italian sausage  (Meat lovers you may add 1/4 pound of ground turkey also.)
Add one jar of Marinara sauce and season with salt, pepper and garlic to preference 

(I prefer homemade marinara and will add my recipe at the bottom of this page.)

Cauliflower Preparation

Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Cut cauliflower into florets and place in blender in small batches to bring cauliflower to a riced mixture
Cook cauliflower on medium heat in an covered ungreased frying pan for 10 minutes – do not stir
Season cauliflower after it has cooked with butter, salt and pepper to taste
Spoon cauliflower in ramakins up to ¾ height of ramakin
Spread one tablespoon of sauce on each piece
Place one slice of fresh mozzarella cheese on each
Sprinkle fresh shredded Parmesan Reggiano and chopped fresh sweet basil on each

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until mozzarella is a slight golden-brown color

Eggplant Parmesan

Preparation (early)

Score eggplant lengthwise in one-inch lengths
Cut eggplant in 1/4 inch disks
Lightly salt eggplant and place between paper towels on baking sheet
Place another baking sheet on top to help extract excess water and bitterness from the eggplant
Let sit at least one hour – up to 4 hours

Sauce Preparation

Brown 1 – 1 ½ lbs. of Italian sausage (Meat lovers you may add 1/4 pound of ground turkey also.)
Add one jar of Marinara sauce and season with salt, pepper and garlic to preference

(I prefer homemade marinara and will add my recipe at the bottom of this page.)

Eggplant Preparation

Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Dip each eggplant piece in flour, egg and Italian Herb panko crumbs
Fry each piece to light golden brown 2 to 3 minutes each side
Place one layer of eggplant on a baking sheet and spread one tablespoon of sauce on each piece
Place one slice of fresh mozzarella cheese on each piece
Sprinkle fresh shredded Parmesan Reggiano and chopped fresh sweet basil on each

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until mozzarella is a slight golden-brown color

Bagna Calda

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of freshly peeled garlic cloves

1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil (just enough to reach top of cloves in pan.)

1 1/2 cubes of butter

1 can (2 oz) anchovies

Preparation:

Place all ingredients in oven casserole, cover and place in 275 oven for 1 1/2 hour. Remove cover and cook 1/2 hour uncovered.

Serve with bread as a spread/pate/fondue or on potatoes/veggies...pretty much anything.

(Be careful, powerful aphrodisiac!)

~shell's Marinara

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil

4 med. diced yellow onions

8 cloves minced garlic (1/4 cup bagna calda)

1 bunch chopped fresh parsley

1 tsp. crushed red chili pepper (cut peppers into small slices. skin and seeds.)

2 large cans of pear tomatoes in liquid

1 can tomato paste (add 1 tsp sugar)

2 bay leaves

2 tsp anise seeds

sprinkle Italian seasoning throughout cooking

Preparation:

Heat oil in large pot. Saute the onion. Add garlic, parsley, and red chili pepper, Saute 2 minutes.

Add tomato, anise seeds, bay leaves, Italian seasoning and salt (to taste.) Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 hours.

Mangiare abbondante!
(Eat hearty!)

~shell's Marinara and Bagna Calda as inspired by the "Stinking Rose."

(Also known as Bagna Cauda)

I also highly recommend that you peruse the recipes at Beyond Diet
You do not to be a member to access some wonderful recipes.

Eating is huge part of my healthy living,

Spiritual, physical, emotional well being are all so important.

My next post will be about all the wonderful herbs that I take on a daily basis!

Please, become a blog follower. Leave a comment and let me know you came by. Check out previous blog posts! Thanks for coming by. ~shell