For the olives I used “Taggiasche olives”, their origin is the Liguria region in Italy, but feel free to use any olive you like, just make sure they don’t have any additives. Even if the label says: “added natural aroma”. Because since they are chemicals, in contact with heat in the oven, they change the flavors and ruins the taste of the dish. (It happened to me :-/ )

Ingredients | 4-5 servings

• 4 Bell Peppers colors of your choice
• 4 tbsp Olives
• 1 tbsp Oregano
• 1 Onion
• 2 Tomatoes
• 2 cloves Garlic
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Black pepper

Preparation

Preheat the oven at 180C°/350F°

– Deseed and cut into strips the bell peppers, chop the onion, tomatoes and garlic.

– Put the ingredients into a large baking dish, toss with olive oil & oregano.

♨️ Roast them in the oven for ⏳ 1 hour at 180C°/350F° and they are ready.

This dish is tastier if served lukewarm.

Notes

• The roasted peppers become more delicious the next day.
• If you like add some cheese on top, but add them in the last 10 minutes before finishing avoid altering the flavor in too high heat.
• They are a perfect side for all kinds of proteins.

Enjoy! ☺️

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Get yourself a good organic chicken breast*. In Italy, fortunately many small farmers avoid antibiotics or feed chickens with GMOs. I Bought these two (in photo), one from conventional supermarket and the other from a trusted butcher. See how obvious is the difference between an industrial and free-range chicken:

Ingredients | 2 servings

• 1 Chicken breast
• pinch Saffron
• 1 Lime or Lemon
• pinch of salt
• Olive oil extra virgin

Preparation

– Cut the chicken in big strips of 1 inch/1.5cm thickness

– In a small glass, add a pinch of saffron and pour 2tbsp of hot boiling water wait ⏳5 mins till it color turns red.

➡️ We’ll add salt later, to keep the chicken’s juice.

– In a bowl, mix the the chicken with 1 lime juice (or lemon).

– Add the saffron water and a drizzle of olive oil & mix.

– It should rest at room temperature for ⏳ 30 minutes.

Preheat the grill pan, add salt and pepper to the chicken and start to grill right after. Cook each side of chicken for 2-3 minutes (it depends on how thick is the chicken breast).

Taste to check it’s consistency and salt before removing from pan.

Serve it right away!

Notes

• The lemon helps the meat to tenderize.
• Lemon and saffron mixture are a classic marinate for chicken kababs in Iran.

Buon appetito. ☺️

* Check out this article in Dr. Axe website: Free-Range Chicken Benefits vs. Conventional Chicken Dangers

The post Easy Grilled Chicken Breast with Saffron appeared first on Foodcraftz.

In this recipe the sauce is very important because it makes the chicken moist and gives a sour kick, that transform the “not-so-tasty” chicken breast into a flavorful dish. The origin of this recipe is northern Iran.

Ingredients | 2-3 servings

• 1 Chicken breast
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric
• 2 Eggs
• 1 onion
• a pinch of saffron
• 4-5 Clarified butter
• 1 Lemon
• 2 tbsp Tomato paste
• Aromatic herbs: roasemary, sage etc.
• 1 clove of garlic
• salt and black pepper (to taste)

Video Recipe

Preparation

– Cook the chicken breast, in a pot with 1 cup of water, salt, pepper & aromatic herbs for ⏳ 1 hour.

– In a pan, sauté chopped onion, when golden, add salt, pepper, and turmeric, stir for some more seconds and the onion base is ready.

– Saffron water: pour hot boiling water in a small glass with a pinch of ground saffron. after ⏳ 5 mins it’s ready to use.

– Red sauce: In a pan stir the tomato paste/concentrate, add half a cup of water when the sauce becomes thick add the juice of a whole lime, stir and it’s done.

In a bowl:

– Split the chicken breast in chunks by hand (to maintain its texture), add saffron water, stir fry onions, salt, pepper, and 2 eggs.

– Mix all together (feel free to use a masher to make it like a rough paste).

– In a pan pour generously clarified butter/oil (on medium heat), add the chicken mix. 

– Cover with the lid, cook for 10 mins, until eggs solidify, then remove the lid for 5 mins until sizzling.

– Divide kuku into 4 pieces and turn them over.

– Add more clarified butter/oil and cook the other side for ⏳ 10 minutes or till it becomes golden.

– Pour tomato sauce.

– Wait a few minutes so kuku absorbs the sauce, flip the kuku once again so the other side also absorbs the sauce.

When no more sauce is left in pan, the chicken kuku is ready!

Notes

• This recipe is great for antipasto, wraps and sandwiches.
• Chicken kuku if combines with grilled veggies or fresh salads, can be a treat for low carb diet.
• Traditionally it’s served with pickled garlics and yogurt with bread.

Noosh-e-jan & enjoy! ☺️

The post Chicken kuku or kuku morgh appeared first on Foodcraftz.

If you replace the fruits with lemon juice this recipe will have no fructose.

Ingredients

• 200g/7oz Almonds
• 200g/7oz Flax seeds
• 1 tbsp Soy or Sunflower Lecithin
• 1/2 tbs pure Stevia
• 5-7 Strawberries
• 1 Kiwifruit
• 1/2 tbs Vanilla
• pinch of Salt

Preparation

– Ground the flax seeds and almonds .

– Add the lecithin with a pinch of salt.

– Blend the fruits and mix with stevia and vanilla.

➡️ In case you are using none pure stevia, add 2-3 tablespoon instead

– Mix all ingredients together

– Put it in the fridge and it will be ready in 3-4 hours but it will be perfect the next day.

Notes

• Also monk fruit is a valid substitute for stevia.

in the photo, I’m serving the paste with low-carb bread.

enjoy! ☺️

The post Fiber Paste for breakfast appeared first on Foodcraftz.

Don’t expect to have crunchy bread out of the oven right away but if you cut it and toast it, like any other bread, it will become crunchy.

Ingredients

• 1.5 cup Almond flour
• 3 tbsp Coconut flour
• 5 tbsp Flax seed flour
• 1 cup Egg White
• 1.5 tbsp Vinegar
• 1.5 cups of hot Water 90C°/194F°
• 5 tbsp Psyllium husk Flour
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• Poppy seeds for the top of the bread
• 1 tsp Baking Powder

Preparation

– Preheat the oven at 180°C/360°F.

– Mix all the dry ingredients.

– Pour hot water and mix.

– Add Egg whites followed by vinegar.

– Knead till you have a compact dough.

– Create dough balls and put them on the baking tray covered with parchment paper.

– Sprinkle some poppy seeds on top.

⏳ Cook in the preheated oven (180°C/360°F), place the tray at the lower side, for 75 mins

The result should look like this:

➡️ I keep them in fridge, they are perfect for the breakfast, i cut them in slices and put it in the toaster to have a crunchy surface.

Enjoy!

The post Keto Bread – Low carb bread appeared first on Foodcraftz.

Rabbit has a lean meat so to balance that, better to marinade the rabbit a night before in extra virgin olive oil, herbs, black pepper, garlic. (or any spices of your choice)

Ingredients | 2 servings

• half of a Rabbit
• 1 Onion
• Garlic and Herbs
• 1/2 cup Sour Cream
• 200g/ 7oz chopped Champignon Mushroom (frozen or fresh)
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/2 cup White Wine
• Chopped Parsley for garnish
• Salt and Black Pepper (to taste)

Preparation

– Mix rabbit with extra virgin olive oil, black pepper, herbs (rosemary, sage, bay leaf), and garlic. Put in the fridge and let it rest for minimum ⏳ 6 hours or overnight.

– No salt has been added to maintain the juice inside the meat.

– Remove the mix from the fridge, wait half an hour, or until it gets to room temperature.

– Add salt.

♨️ Preheat the oven at 200C°/390F°

– In a pan, on medium heat, brown the rabbit with its marinate, then pour white wine.

– Stir so the alcohol evaporates and the flavors combines.

– In a dutch oven: Stir fry the diced onion with salt and pepper.

– Add rabbit & herbs.

⏳♨️ Place the pot in oven and cook for ⏳ 30 minutes

– Meanwhile, sauté mushrooms with olive oil, salt & pepper.

– Add them to the rest of the ingredients.

⏳ ♨️ Continue to cook for another ⏳ 30 minutes in the oven.

Last touch:

– Remove the pot from the oven to the stove, add cream & chopped parsley, give it a stir and after 2-3 minutes it’s ready!

Notes

• In a dutch oven rabbit cooks perfectly in just 1 hour. In a normal pot you’ll need more time.
• In case you don’t want to use the oven, this recipe works perfectly on the stove. First cook rabbit for 1 hour then add mushrooms and cook another 30 minutes.

Bon appétit! ☺️

The post Rabbit with cream and mushrooms appeared first on Foodcraftz.

Instead of broccoli you can use any other veggie, fried onions and zucchini are another tasty variation of this recipe. Since the taste of some of the ingredients is bland, using a strong flavor cheese can make it much interesting ☺️

Ingredients

• 500g/17.5oz frozen broccoli (or fresh if you have)
• 200g/7oz Pancetta
• 20g/0.8oz cream
• 100g/4oz Mozzarella
• 4 Eggs
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric
• Half of a Chilly
• 160g/5.6 Provolone or Cheddar cheese
• 1 clove of Garlic

Preparation

– Chop the pancetta in small piece.

– Sauté garlic with chilly, turmeric then add pancetta.

– Stir fry till the fat of pancetta melts.

– Add the broccoli and continue to cook for other 10-15 minutes.

– In a jar mix eggs, cream, salt and pepper.

– Cut the provolone cheese into cubes

In muffin mold:

– First goes mix of broccoli, followed by some cubes of provolone.

– Pour the mix of eggs on each muffin cup.

– Put pieces of mozzarella on top.

– Place the muffins in the oven for 15mins on 180°C (356°F) the last 4 mins better to be on grill to have a crust on top.

They are great with salads and pickles.

Buon appetite

The post Broccoli Muffins appeared first on Foodcraftz.

Use skillet pan, or stone pans for grilling. Thermal shock on the surface brings more flavors to the chickens.

Ingredients | servings: 2

• 3-4 Chicken legs
• 1 Chilly
• 2 clove of Garlic
• 3-4 tbsp Ghee
• 5g of Ginger
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric
• 2tbsp White greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
• 2 teaspoon of Tandoori Masala
• 1 teaspoon of Coriander Powder
• 2 Chopped spring onions

Preparation

– Cut the surface of the chicken (3-4 cuts per each) so the marinade can coat more surface of the meat.

Making the marinate

– In a bowl add: The grated garlic and ginger, chopped chilly, all the spices, salt, yogurt, half of the chopped spring onions and oil. Mix to have a paste.

– Add the chickens and massage the paste all over.

– Leave them on room temperature for 30 mins.

– On a hot pan place the chickens.

– Each side should cook for 10-12 minutes (on medium heat). While cooking, chicken will release its juice.

➡️ (optional) After cooking the chickens, you can grilled some chopped veggies, so they will absorb the tasty flavor of chicken from the grill pan.

Serve the grilled chicken tandoori with veggies or salad (for low carb), or with naan (bread) with chopped spring onions on top.

Enjoy! ☺️

The post Grilled Chicken – Chicken Tandoori appeared first on Foodcraftz.

Ingredients | 2 servings

• 1 half Eggplants (cut in strips)
• 1 half Zucchini (cut in strips)
• 120g Monkfish per person
• 40-50g Pancetta
• 40g/1.4 Basil
• 1 clove of Garlic
• 30g/1oz Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 20g/0.7oz Finely ground Pecorino Cheese (or Parmesan)
• 2-3 roughly chopped Green Onions
• Half of a Chilly
• Chopped Parsley
• Walnuts some for topping
• 1/2 glass of white Wine

Preparation

Basil pesto

– In a mixer combine garlic, pecorino (or parmesan), walnut, extra virgin olive oil & basil and make a paste.

Prepare the veggies:

– Saute the eggplants till they become soft & brownish.

– Add zucchini & chili continue to stir for a few more minutes and turn off the heat.

– Add green onions & chopped parsley and mix. Put them aside.

Monkfish:

– Cut the monkfish into bites, wrap them with the strips of thin pancetta.

– Put them in a hot pan with a bit of olive oil and saute till the pancetta get smooth

– Pour the white wine and while it’s evaporating, stir the monkfish gently.

– Cook for 10 mins till the pan becomes dry.

Plating:

1. Make a bed of basil pesto.
2. Add the bites of monkfish in sides and form a circle.
3. Place the veggies in the middle.
4. Sprinkle crushed walnuts on top.

Notes

• This recipe taste great also with salmon and aioli. Since salmon isn’t as fat as monkfish, it helps to have more balanced flavors.

It’s ready to serve!

Buon appetito! ☺️

The post Monkfish with pancetta, veggies and basil pesto appeared first on Foodcraftz.

Salsiccia (italian sausage) is a great match with rapini because of its fat

Ingredients | 2 serving

• 1 Sausage/Salsiccia for each person
• 400-300g fresh or frozen Rapini
• 1 clove of Garlic
• Salt and Black Pepper
• Extra virgin Olive Oil

Preparation

– Sauté the chopped garlic in extra-virgin olive oil.

– Add rapini and salt and mix them.

– Add a bit of water and cover the pan with lid.

– Cook for ⏳ 20 mins till the rapini becomes soft.

Salsiccia/Sausage

– Meanwhile in another pan: pour a bit of olive oil and place (halfway opened) sausage from the skin side.

– Pan fry till it forms a dark crust on its surface.

– To hold the sausage flat (because while it’s cooking, it tends to bend) I’ve put a weight on it.

– Turn it over and cook the other side.

– The sausage is ready in 10 minutes on medium heat.

Serve it on a bed of rapini.

Notes:

• In Italy, this duo is also the condiment for pasta. In smaller pieces.
• In vegetarian version replace the Salsiccia with grilled cheese. (usually Caciocavallo)

Buon appetito!

The post Italian sausage with rapini appeared first on Foodcraftz.