Weekly meal inspirations - January 26

Ideas and quick recipes to make your gluten-free life easier

This week feels like saying goodbye to winter ingredients and welcoming lighter dishes. I know it may feel a bit early, but the longer days are already bringing me so much joy. At the market, I’ve spotted fresh peas, broad beans, green beans, and wild chicory. It’s such a turning point to see those vibrant greens return to the stalls.

This inspired me to share my recipe for mashed broad beans with wild chicory, a classic dish from Puglia, Italy. If you can’t find fresh beans, don’t worry - this can also be made with dried ones.

I’ve also included two big, hearty salad bowls: my favorite way to end the day with a nutritious and healthy meal without spending too much time cooking.

And for when you have a bit more time (perhaps a weekend project?), pumpkin gnocchi is probably the best way to say goodbye to pumpkin season.

Mashed broad beans and chicory: follow my complete recipe on the blog to learn how to cook your beans properly (depending on whether they are dried, fresh, or canned).
You can use any type of beans you have on hand: white kidney beans, pinto beans, or even chickpeas. Then there’s a layer of greens lightly stir-fried with garlic and chili pepper on top. For these the best choice is a bitter type of leafy vegetable (think radicchio, chicory or endive), but you can use what you easily find: spinach, kale and escarole also work well.
The key is the combination of the creamy base and the greens on top. Final touch: toasted croutons. The ideal bread to make these is the sandwich bread featured in the last video lesson.

Turkey and apples salad bowl: this is one of my favorite ways to put everything I need from a meal in one bowl. Protein: shredded turkey, or even leftover rotisserie chicken. Veggies: Leafy greens like lettuce or radicchio as the base. A touch of sweet: Sliced apples, your favorite kind. Crunchy: walnuts, pecan, or almonds. The important step is to roast them in a pan on low heat until you smell a toasted scent in the air.

Pumpkin gnocchi: check out my blog for the full gnocchi recipe. You can also use sweet potato if it’s easier to find and cook. As a sauce, we use the classic combo of butter and sage leaves (If you haven’t tried it yet, you’re in for a treat). Add spinach leaves for color and a boost of vitamins.

Niçoise salad: aka how to make a fancy salad bowl following the rules of French people living in the South, near the sea. Combine the 4 key ingredients: steamed green beans, steamed potatoes, canned tuna, boiled eggs. Then add a dressing made with anchovies blended in olive oil, some salt and a bit of mustard.

And finally my favorite day of the week: Pizza Friday. This week my suggestion is Pizza alla Diavola: it may look like a pepperoni pizza at first sight, but it has some additional flavor elements. Of course it has some slices of salami on top (better if it’s spicy), but the tomato sauce must be cooked with some chili, too. Final touch: some sliced red onions on top.

Have a lovely week ahead, and thank you for reading this.

Marta