Paleo Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Kristi Cirignano

Twelve years ago my husband and I got married in an 800 year old church overlooking the Adriatic, in a tiny hilltop town in Italy. The same church his great-grandparents were married in before they emigrated to the US. After a beautiful wedding day, we spent a week near Lucca, in Tuscany. Nearly every evening we ate dinner at a little wood fired pizza shop just down the mountain from our cottage. We still reminisce about our favorite “rucola e prosciutto” pizza, the simple fresh salads and the kind owner/pizza chef who came out from the kitchen every night to check on us and bring us gifts of biscotti, espresso and Lemoncello.

This was the beginning of my love affair with food. Italians are experts at taking the highest quality, fresh, healthy ingredients and preparing them with love and a simplicity that lets their natural flavors shine. The results are incredible in both their simplicity and deliciousness. (In my world, food must be healthy AND delicious!)

The closest we have come to repeating this authentic Italian experience here in the US is at our favorite Italian trattoria and pizzeria in Pittsburgh, PA called Il Piccolo Forno. This Tuscan White Bean and Tuna Salad was my attempt to recreate the flavors of an amazing salad we enjoyed there. A perfect combination of simple, fresh, healthy ingredients that made up a perfect summer salad.

This salad is delicious served on its own as a healthy lunch or a light dinner. Two of my four littles prefer it plain as pictured above or with some whole grain crackers. Nick has been known to turn it into a sandwich. But we really love it on a bed of mixed greens. Drizzle with a bit more extra virgin olive oil and an authentic, high quality balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with a few shaves of parmigiano reggiano and you’ll feel like you’re sitting at a trattoria in Tuscany.

Print Recipe

Tuscan White Bean and Tuna Salad

Ingredients

3 c. cooked Cannellini or Great Northern beans or 2 15.5 oz cans, drained and rinsed
2 cans tuna fish (I like
Genova yellowfin tuna in olive oil
)
1 shallot minced
1/2 c. Flat leaf Italian parsley chopped
1/3 c. Extra virgin olive oil (I use
California Olive Ranch
)
1/4 c. Red wine vinegar
Mixed greens balsamic vinegar and parmigiano reggiano, optional for serving

Instructions

In a bowl, combine beans, tuna, shallot and parsley. Add olive oil and red wine vinegar and stir to combine. Ideally, if you can wait, let the salad sit in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight to allow the flavors to meld.
Serve alone or over a bed of mixed greens and drizzle with a high quality balsamic vinegar and shaved parmigiano reggiano.

Five years ago when my son Matteo was diagnosed with intolerances to gluten, dairy and soy, I had a really steep learning curve. For the longest time we lived on clean meat, fruit, vegetables and rice while I tried to learn how to cook and bake with our limitations. In the end, we’ve adjusted quite well and our whole family is healthier for it. Aside from eating a lot more fruits and vegetables (did you know we should all eat at least 9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day?) we’ve learned to enjoy quinoa, buckwheat and a variety of nutrient dense grains, seeds and other whole foods.

Buckwheat isn’t actually wheat at all, or even a grain. It’s an incredibly nutrient dense fruit seed with over 80 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients including manganese, copper, magnesium, phosphorus and folate. It is low glycemic and high in protein, fiber and antioxidants. Among its many health benefits, buckwheat has been found to help reduce inflammation and lower unhealthy LDL cholesterol, blood pressure and blood glucose levels. It’s a great alternative for those with celiac or gluten sensitivities and a good source of protein for vegetarians and vegans. But you should add buckwheat to your diet even if you aren’t vegetarian and don’t avoid gluten. Especially these pancakes.

These buckwheat pancakes were one of my first successful efforts in the world of gluten free baking so it seems fitting the recipe should be part of my first blog post. There was a time when Matteo would eat them two (or even three) times/day. They’re that good. Kid and in-law approved. The recipe is very forgiving and endlessly adaptable. If you’re used to white buttermilk style pancakes, try substituting unbleached all-purpose flour (or your favorite all-purpose gluten free blend) for one-third to one-half of the buckwheat flour and gradually increase the buckwheat as you acquire a taste for it.

Serve them with 100% real maple syrup (none of that fake artificially flavored corn syrup stuff please!!) And whatever you do, don’t skip the cinnamon and orange extract. Trust me on this one. Cinnamon has many healing properties, and cinnamon and orange are fantastic together and in combination with real maple syrup.

I’ve made several dozen batches of these pancakes in the last week to photograph. As I sorted through all of the too dark, too light or mis-shaped pancakes looking for the perfect ones I decided these aren’t picture perfect, food stylist pancakes. They’re better. Thick, hearty, nutrient-dense, delicious, four-hungy-kids-waiting-impatiently-for-their-breakfast pancakes. No need for perfection. Your hungry family will love them just as much as mine does.

Print Recipe

Matteo’s Buckwheat Pancakes

Ingredients

6 oz. approx. 1-1/4 c. buckwheat flour
2 oz. 1/2 c. ground flaxseed (flax meal)
1 tsp. Baking powder
1/2 tsp. Baking soda
1 tsp. Sea salt
1 tsp. Cinnamon
2 eggs at room temperature* (or flax gel for vegan option, see note below)
4 oz. 1/2 c. Melted coconut oil (applesauce also works well as a substitute in this recipe, it will just make your pancakes a bit cakier)
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
1 tsp. Orange extract
8 fl.oz. 1 cup almond or coconut milk, at room temperature*
1 Tbsp. Apple cider vinegar

Instructions

Mix milk and Apple cider vinegar and let it sit for a few minutes.
Whisk together dry ingredients. In a separate bowl or a large measuring cup, mix wet ingredients together. Then add to dry ingredients and stir until combined. These are fairly thick and hearty pancakes. If you like your pancakes thinner, feel free to add a bit more almond milk or water to the batter.
Lightly oil your pancake pan and warm it over medium-high heat. Cook pancakes 3-5 minutes per side, flipping to the second side when you start to see a few bubbles form.
Serve with 100% real maple syrup.