One of my favorite ways to enjoy Activia Yogurt is for breakfast on a freshly toasted waffle topped with berries and drizzled with some honey.
But who says you can’t also enjoy fresh and delicious smoothies all year long ?
With the help of frozen fruit such as strawberries or blueberries which are usually picked and frozen at their peek, plus the silky and super delicious Activia yogurt, you can blend up a heavenly smoothie in no time at all.

Whenever I find fresh strawberries at the market I go for those but if you can’t find them at your store in the middle of February just substitute with frozen ones for this Strawberry Banana Smoothie.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Strawberry Banana Smoothie
(makes 1)

• 1 Strawberry Banana Activia Yogurt
• 8 large strawberries -halved
• 1 Banana -cut into chances
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 tsps. lemon juice -freshly squeezed
• 2 tbsps. honey
• a splash of low fat milk -if needed
• 4 ice cubes

Add all of the above ingredients to a blender and puree together until smooth. Add a splash of milk until desired consistency is achieved. Adjust to taste with more honey and lemon and enjoy!

Brand Statement: New Activia Harvest Picks is a deliciously fruity and silky smooth yogurt. You will enjoy a Harvest of real fruit in every silky spoonful.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Activia via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Activia

My bag is finally unpacked, laundry done and the memories in my mind fresh like a summer breeze.
I was just hoping to make it through this trip to the windy city and I ended up not wanting to leave.  Yes, I fell head over heels in love with Chicago, the people and of course the food.  What a magical combination!

I was there to do a live cooking show at a yellow carpet event for the Busy Bee Ball, showcasing some natural and organic products incorporated into fun and easy recipes you can find here as well:

Spinach & Artichoke Grilled Cheese Funwich
Tomato Basil & Fontina Grilled Cheese Funwich
Spinach & Strawberry Salad with Candied Walnuts

The rest of the time I tried to take in the city as much as I could, especially the food.  Oh the food is always what gets me about a place, and before i had a chance to think twice I found myself at home at Vivo Ristorante, savoring a plate of Spaghetti  Frutti Di Mare to the last bite.  And somehow I was still able to sample my frien’d Paul Edgewater plate of White Truffle Gnocchi, fluffier than the clouds.

Vivo Restaurant Chicago

Also I couldn’t say no to the strawberries and champagne on the 99th floor of the Handcock building at the one table with the most amazing view of the Chicago Skyline.

Chicago

One of those things you must put on your bucket list without a doubt.
Since I’ve been back now I had to come up with a recipe of my own for an out of this world bowl of Spaghetti with Frutti Di Mare. Enjoy !

Spaghetti Frutti Di Mare
(Serves 2)

• 1/2 lb spaghetti
• 4 garlic cloves -minced
• 8 large shrimp -peeled, cleaned & deveined
• 10 clams -cleaned
• 10 mussels
• 1/2 c dry white wine
• 1 1/2 c marinara sauce
• 1 1/2 tbs fresh chives – snipped
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

1. Heat up the olive oil in a large skillet over medium flame. Season the shrimp with the red pepper flakes, a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Add the garlic and shrimp to the hot oil and saute quickly until the shrimp curls up and turns pink. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm. Add the clams and mussels to the skillet together with the wine.

2. Cover with a lid and let them cook for about 5-10 minutes until all the clams and mussels have opened. Discard the ones that haven’t. Stir in the marinara sauce and add the cooked shrimp back to the skillet and toss to coat in the sauce. Remove from flame and keep warm.

3. Meanwhile cooked your spaghetti according to the instructions on the package, drain and reserve 1 c of the pasta water. Toss to coat in the sauce with the shrimp, mussels and clams and add a little of the reserved pasta water if needed to thin out the sauce. Serve warm with a sprinkling of the chives on top.

photo credit: MihaMatei.com

I am really in love with lemons and garlic. So much so that if somehow I don’t have some on hand I feel like there’s nothing to cook with in the house, no kidding!

I like simple things and simple peasant food; it nurtures not just my body but also my soul. Whenever I am short on time or feel like having something quick and comforting I always go back to my Aglio Olio pasta.  It has all my favorite flavors plus it’s super quick and easy to make. Garlicky and citrusy, pungent and refreshing at the same time, my love affair with this dish will last for all eternity.  For more citrus recipes download a complimentary copy of the January Citrus Issue of Ciao Florentina Magazine. 

Download Magazine

Florentina’s Lemony Aglio Olio Pasta Recipe
(Serves 2)

• 1/3 c extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes + more to taste
• 6 garlic cloves –peeled and gently smashed with the side of a knife
• 3 garlic cloves -minced
• The juice from 1 large lemon –freshly squeezed
• The zest from 1 lemon
• ½ lb. pasta like spaghetti, capellini or linguine
• 1/3 c Italian Parsley –chopped
• 1 c reserved pasta water
• ¼ c salt

1.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the salt.  Cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the package and reserve 1 c of the pasta water.

2. In a large sauté pan heat up the olive oil over medium flame and add the red pepper flakes. Toast for a couple of minutes then add the garlic cloves and sear until golden on both sides. Transfer to a plate and add the minced garlic to the oil, stirring well and making sure not to let it burn, about a minute.

3. Squeeze in the lemon juice; add back the roasted garlic cloves and the cooked pasta to the skillet then toss to coat.  Add some of the reserved pasta water until the sauce has your desired consistency.  Stir in most of the parsley then transfer to a serving bowl.

4. Serve hot with the lemon zest on top, garnished with a pinch of the chopped parsley and extra red pepper flakes to taste.

photo credit: MihaMatei.com

Happy Sunday Kids! Please enjoy another recipe from mine and Fabio Viviani‘s soup project for the month of January ” We The Soup “

This is another simple and quick recipe you can make any day of the week, and since we’re expecting some rain tomorrow why not give this one a try.

I love tortilla soup but I never seem to be happy with it when i order it in a restaurant and if you’re anything like me you know what I’m talking about.

If you haven’t already done so make sure to download your complimentary copy of  ”We The Soup ” cookbook here and stay tuned for our February project that’s all about Meat.

Download CookBook

Chicken  Tortilla  Soup  Recipe
(Serves  4)

Ingredients:

• 4  c  Bertolli  Classico  olive  oil
• 10  flour  tortillas
• 1  lb.  roast  chicken -shredded
• 1  tbsp.  dry  oregano
• 28  oz.  can  diced  tomatoes
• 1  green  bell  pepper -diced
• 1  1⁄2  qt.  chicken  broth
• The  juice  from  1⁄2  lime
• 4  scallions  -sliced
• 10  leaves  of  fresh  basil -chopped
• 1  tsp.  ground  cumin
• 1  tsp.  salt  +  more  to  taste
• 3⁄4  c  Queso  Blanco  cheese -grated
• 1  large  avocado -seeded  & diced
• Cilantro  leaves  for  garnish
• Sour  cream  for  serving

Directions:
 

1. Heat  3  tbsp.  of  the  olive  oil  in  a  heavy  bottom  pot  and  sauté  the  onions   with  a  pinch  of  salt  until  translucent.    Add  the  tomatoes,  cumin,   oregano  and  broth  and  bring  to  a  gentle  simmer  and  cook  for  30   minutes.  Add  the  shredded  chicken  to  the  pot  and  cook  just  until   warmed  through,  a  few  minutes.  Remove  from  flame,  adjust   seasonings  and  stir  in  the  chopped  basil  and  lime  juice.

2. Meanwhile  heat  up  the  rest  of  the  oil  in  a  pot  over  high  heat.  Add  the tortilla  strips  and  fry  until  golden  brown.  Transfer  to  paper  towels  to   drain.

3. Ladle  the  soup  into  bowls,  top  with  a  few  tortilla  strips,  some  diced   avocado  and  a  dollop  of  sour  cream,  some  of  the  cheese  and  green   onions.    Garnish  with  a  cilantro  leaf.

photo credit: MihaMatei.com

It’s time for another recipe from the soup book this week. Something a little different and special, more of a treat for a special  night in, something like Lobster Bisque. It might sound a little fancy and complicated but we only do easy recipes so don’t be intimidated by the name and give it a try.

If you don’t have a taste for lobster just stay tuned for a flavorful Chicken Tortilla soup next week and get ready for a meaty month in February with steaks, roasts and stews for every night of the week.

There’s still plenty of butternut squash around and definitely the season for blood oranges, my favorite citrus fruit on Planet Earth, so If you are looking for something hearty this week you must try this Blood Orange Beef Stew with Butternut Squash.

Talk about comfort food!

Download CookBook

Easy  Lobster  Bisque Recipe
(Serves  4)

Ingredients:

• 5  tbsp.  butter
• 5  tbsp.    All purpose  flour
• 1  1⁄2  large  onions -diced
• 1  celery  stalk -diced
• 1  carrot -diced
• 1  fennel  bulb -sliced
• 1  bay  leaf
• 1⁄2  tsp.  red  pepper  flakes
• 28  oz.  can  dice  tomatoes
• 7  thyme  sprigs
• The  leaves  from  3  thyme  sprigs -chopped
• 1  1⁄2  qt.  shellfish  stock -warm
• 1  c  heavy  cream
• 1  1⁄2  lb.  lobster  meat -cooked
• 3  roma  tomatoes -diced
• Sea Salt  to  taste

Directions:

1. Heat  up  the  butter  in  a  large  heavy  bottom  stockpot.  Add  the  onions   and  red  pepper  flakes  and  sauté with  a  pinch  of  sea  salt  until   translucent.

2. Add  the  celery,  carrot  and  fennel  and  cook  5  more  minutes.  Sprinkle with  the  flower,  stir  and  cook  a  few  minutes  stirring  often.

3. Add  the  shellfish  stock  and  bring  to  a  simmer.  Add  the  canned   tomatoes,  bay  leaf  and  thyme  sprigs.  Cover  partially  with  a  lid  and  cook   for  20  minutes.  Stir  in  the  cream,  wait  for  the  soup  to  come  back  to  a   gentle  simmer  and  stir  in  the  lobster  meat.  Cook  for  a  couple  of  minutes   until  the  lobster  is  heated  through.

4. Remove  from  flame,  Discard  the  thyme  sprigs  and  bay  leaf  and  stir  in   the  fresh-­‐diced  tomatoes  minced  thyme.    Ladle  into  bowls  and  serve  hot   with  some  crackers.

photo credit: MihaMatei.com

We are entering the second week of January and I still can’t believe it’s 2012.  Somebody pinch me please! We’ve been lucky to have gorgeous weather so far but today though the sun is out and shining – it is also super windy.  I was just wearing shorts the other day and now I’m pulling out my winter sweaters again…
Real schizophrenic weather if you ask me, much like some relationships I’ve had in the past.  Haha!

All kidding aside it is perfect weather for a bowl of soup and some fresh crusty bread.  Nothing sounds better to me right now than some piping hot Italian minestrone with butternut squash and Swiss chard from our January book “We The Soup”.
Give this easy minestrone a try and don’t forget to download your complimentary copy of the book by signing up at the bottom of this post.

Italian Minestrone with Butternut Squash Recipe
(Serves 4+)

Ingredients:

• 2-­‐1⁄2  qt.  chicken  broth  or  vegetable  broth
• 3  tbsp. Olive  Oil
• 1  onion  -diced
• 3  garlic  cloves  -finely  chopped
• 1  carrot  -diced
• 3-­‐celery  stalks  -­diced
• 1  large  butternut  squash  -cut  into  1-­‐inch  cubes
• 1  bunch  Swiss  chard  -rinsed  and  chopped
• 4  of  the  Swiss  chard  stems  diced
• 3  thyme  sprigs
• 2  bay  leaves
• 1  x  15  oz.  can  diced  tomatoes
• 2  cups  fusilli  pasta
• 20  basil  leaves  -thinly  sliced  or  torn
• Salt  to  taste

Directions:

1. Heat  up  the  olive  oil  in  a  large  heavy  bottom  stockpot.  Add  the  onion   with  a  pinch  of  salt  and  sauté  until  translucent.

2. Add  the  garlic,  carrot,  celery,  Swiss  chard  stems  and  butternut  squash   and  give  them  a  good  stir.    Add  the  thyme  and  bay  leaf  and  cook  for   another  10  minutes  until  the  vegetables  are  tender.

3. Pour  in  the  stock  and  diced  tomatoes  and  bring  to  a  simmer.  Cook  for   20  minutes  then  add  the  pasta.  Cook  another  10  minutes  or  until  the   pasta  is  al  dente.  Stir  in  the  chard  and  let  it  wilt  for  a  couple  minutes.

4. Remove  from  heat,  discard  the  thyme  and  bay  leaf,  adjust  seasoning then  ladle  into  bowls  and  serve  sprinkled  with  some  basil  and  freshly   grated  Parmigiano  Reggiano.

photo credit: MihaMatei.com

Looking at my calendar seemed a little surreal this morning. 2012 really is here!

So it is back to cooking with an array of photo shoots and more books to share with you.

“We The Soup” is our gift to you as promised, and today I decided to share a really delicious and easy Mussel Soup from the book to kick start the New Year.

Also if you have not signed up for the list and have yet to receive the book, you may join at the bottom of this post to receive a copy of “We The Soup” and “101 Kitchen Secrets”.

Wishing You A Happy Prosperous and Blessed New Year filled with Peace, Love & Food !

Florentina & Fabio

Mussel Soup Recipe
(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 3 tbs. butter
• 20 mussels –cleaned and scrubbed
• 1 onion –diced
• 4 leeks – rinsed well and sliced
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt to taste
• 1⁄4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1⁄4 c dry white wine
• 3 c chicken broth or vegetable broth -hot
• 1 pinch of saffron
• 1 x 15 oz. can tomatoes –diced
• 1c heavy whipping cream
• 1⁄4 c fresh parsley -minced

Directions:

1. Mix the saffron threat with the hot stock and set aside.

2. Heat up the butter in a large stockpot and sauté the onions and leeks with a pinch of salt until translucent. Add the red pepper flakes, bay leaf and thyme sprigs.

3. Add the mussels to the pot – give it a stir then add the wine. Cook until the alcohol has evaporated then pour in the saffron infused stock.

4. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover with a lid and cook for about 20 minutes until all the clams have opened. Add the cream and let the soup simmer a couple more minutes.

5. Remove from heat, adjust seasoning and ladle soup into bowl. Serve with the minced parsley on top.

Wow, I really can’t believe Christmas is next week, it just seems surreal this year…

I’ve been a busy bee and teamed up with top chef Fabio Viviani to bring our  readers not only a new issue of the Ciao Florentina Magazine but also an exclusive and complimentary cook book every single month, with a new recipe for every single day of the year!

We shot our first cover 2 weeks ago and the January book will be all about soup: ” We The Soup ” with Recipes and Flavors by Fabio Viviani, Tested, tasted and translated in understandable English by yours truly: Me !

Enjoy the preview and make sure to sign up to our e-mail list so you don’t miss out on any of the books and our complimentary subscription to the Ciao Florentina Magazine !

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays !

Just in time for Christmas, we pulled it off and the Ciao Florentina Magazine December 2011 issue is ready to inspire you and bring out the magic this holiday season!

It wouldn’t be Christmas without some perfect seafood dishes and festive cocktails, so dive into the magic of the season with inspiration for an Italian Christmas with Chow Ciao host Fabio Viviani and master mixologist Jacopo Falleni.

Try my saffron shellfish risotto and take a peek into my favorite little bar in Hollywood, California where drinks are works of art created by rockstar mixologist Matthew Biancaniello!

Dive Into The Magic of  the Season  with the Ciao Florentina Magazine !

2012 is almost here and I teamed up with top chef Fabio Viviani to bring my readers not only a new issue of the Ciao Florentina Magazine but also an exclusive and complimentary cook book every single month, with a new recipe for every single day of the year! Now That’s Amore !

Make sure you are subscribed so you don’t miss out !

To A Magical Christmas and Prosperous New Year!

Florentina

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration and enjoyed the time with your loved ones.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart for stopping by CiaoFlorentina.com to find some inspiration for your holiday menus.

I’ve been a real busy bee putting together the ” Ciao Florentina Magazine ” project and I am super excited to share it with you all.

Ciao Florentina Magazine issue 1, Vol 1

Just in case you missed the first issue I wanted to post it here because it features some very special things that you will want to save for years to come:

• Amazing fall cocktails from my friend and master mixologist Jacopo Falleni
• Fall recipes from Casa Florentina
• The Perfect Italian Meatballs recipe from the one and only Chef Fabio Viviani and his new fantabulous cooking show Chow-Ciao !

Enjoy and stay tuned for the the December issue that’s just around the corner !