Some of the most important nutrition and life lessons I have acquired so far are not found in books or even in science. The most important life lessons I have acquired have been passed down through generations, from my grandmother and my mother to me.
Growing up in an Italian family, I quickly understood that food was not just sustenance. That’s right, food was a love language, it was the way we showed and still show how much we care for our loved ones and ourselves.
When I reflect on my journey as a woman so far, I often find myself returning to the comforting recipes from my grandmother and mother – simple, nourishing dishes that remind me of the beautiful connection between food, family and self-care.
Today, I decided to share three of these recipes with you, so that you can also pass them down to your loved ones or simply enjoy them for yourself.
Pasta e ceci
One of the simplest, quickest and most comforting recipes you could learn. Perfect after a long day when you cannot be bothered to cook, by the time you get into your pj’s it will be ready. Pasta e ceci takes 15 min to make and includes veggies, carbs and plant protein. We eat this a lot in autumn and winter.
Ingredients
• 1 can of chickpeas
• Soffritto mix (2 chopped celery sticks, 2 chopped carrots, half onion chopped)- you can make I yourself or they sell soffritto mix at the supermarket and you can freeze that for future soups too.
• 1 stock cube
• Short small pasta, I used short Mafalda
• Olive oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste
Method
• Add the olive oil to the pan with the soffritto till it softens.
• When soft, add the drained and rinsed chickpeas and stir them around so they soak up the soffritto flavour, do this for maybe 3-4 minutes.
• Cover the chickpeas with boiling water and add the stock cube. Let it simmer for 10-12 minutes, using a hand blender blend half of the chickpeas (this will add a creamier texture to your soup!), then add more boiling water and the pasta. Add more or less water based on
whether you want a thicker or liquid soup.
• Let it cook based on the instructions of the pasta you chose.
• Once ready, spoon it in your bowl, and add a little drizzle of olive oil and some pepper.
Next up is Scaloppine di Pollo al Limone (Lemon Chicken Slices), which, again, takes no longer than 15 minutes to make. It’s a good source of protein from the chicken, plus a boost of vitamin C from the lemon juice. I would serve it with a colourful side salad! My mom makes this for me every time she comes to London or when I go back home; it’s simple and delicious.
Scaloppine di Pollo al Limone (Lemon Chicken Slices)
Ingredients:
• 400g of Chicken Breast – cut into thin slices
• Flour (just enough to cover each slice, if gluten free you can also use rice flour)- add to a plate, you will roll the chicken slices in it when ready
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Extra virgin Olive oil
• Salt
• Chopped parsley – a big handful
Method:
• When you have cut the chicken slices, if still thick, you can bash them with a meat pounder or anything else heavy and flat to make them thin (they will cook faster this way).
• Season each slice with salt and the pop into the plate with the flour, roll it on each side so it’s nicely covered.
• Place a pan on medium heat, add olive oil and let it heat up for a minute, then carefully add the slices and let them become golden (about 4-5min on each side depending on thickness of the slice).
• Then add the juice of the lemon all over the slices, roll them around in it.
• The last touch is sprinkling the fresh chopped parsley all over
Sauteed dark green leafy vegetables like chard or spinach would go really well with this dish, simply drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and a little salt and pepper, nothing complicated. In Italy we always have vegetables as part of our meal, one way or another.
And last but not least, a sweet treat from my grandma- it’s probably the most vivid memory I have of meals at her house: me eating my veggies and food so I could then have Fragole con Zucchero e Limone. I’m telling you right now, these strawberries have been rolled in sugar, so this is not the anti-inflammatory recipe I would choose if that’s what you’re looking for. However, it is a dessert I make once in a while when I miss my grandma, and it is delicious.
Fragole con Zucchero e Limone
Ingredients
• 1 pack of strawberries roughly chopped/sliced (grandma used to be so quick to do this, just grabbed a strawberry and in 2 seconds it was roughly chopped in the bowl, blew my mind each time!)
• The juice of 1 lemon (you could add more if needed)
• 1 small handful of white (yes white!) sugar
Method
Mix everything and serve! That’s as simple as it is.
So, there they are: three recipes from the women in my family to yours. The women I looked up to, and still do (grandma is gone, but my memories of her aren’t)- strong, funny, smart, loving, and caring women- who helped me become the person I am now, with a love for food, big hugs, and sharing my nutrition knowledge with others so they can look forward to a healthier, happier life with their loved ones too.
Happy Women’s History Month everyone.
Love, Valentina
