Carmen Michelli

Guest Wine Chix Carmen Micheli is a freelance wine, food and music writer living in Temecula Valley Wine Country. An amazing home chef, mother of two and wine aficionado she writes about those in-the-know and on-the-go. With a pulse on the latest in dining, entertainment, events and more, Carmen delivers the latest news and happenings around the city, showcasing the best that the SoCal area has to offer.

Truly Healthy ways to Eat and Drink your Heart Out

For the first time in a long time I am excited about a cookbook.  What is even more exciting is the fact that the nutritious recipes are super simple, and use familiar ingredients I can either grow myself, or find at my local farmers market.

Tina Ruggiero; Nutritional Speaker, TV Personality, Health Columnist and Bestselling Author, delivers “Mega-Nutritious Meals that are Inspired, Delicious, and Fad-free” in her masterpiece, “The Truly Healthy Family Cookbook”.  She is beyond knowledgeable and put a lot of time, thought, and research into the many layers of this cookbook.

What I enjoy most about Tina’s cookbook is that it is practical and health oriented for adults, while also being kid-friendly and fun.  My family enjoyed breakfast classics with a twist like the “Green Eggs and Ham Torpedo”, the “Lovin Spoonful” Grapefruits, and even newly discovered breakfast goodies like “Mix it up Muesli”.  I found fun movie night recipes like “A Star is Born Popcorn”, Party Dips like “Presto Pesto Bean Dip”, healthy dinners like “Confetti Farfelle”, and even a few light and fresh cocktails.

I believe every recipe has a story.  I love the short inscriptions at the beginning of each recipe in which Tina took the time to share family stories, interesting nutrition facts, and “Tina’s Tips” for variations or other helpful hints.  This makes it very personable and special, taking a somewhat intimate peek into her experiences and life memories.   It is the most useful and unique cookbook I have come across in a long time and I am excited to share one of Tina’s amazing recipes I’m sure you will love: Confetti Farfalle.

Confetti Farfalle with Whole Wheat Pasta, Edamame, Corn, Red Pepper, and Basil feeds your body and brain’s need for energy through healthy carbohydrates.  It has all nine essential amino acids, and Vitamins A and C.  My kids love pasta dishes so it was an ideal choice for a quick and healthy weekday dinner.  My picky 3-year-old will not eat pasta unless it is red, so for her I added just a little bit of jarred organic marinara sauce as a variation.  I adored the dish “as-is” alongside a chilled glass of 2011 Blanc de Franc from Hart Family Winery in Temecula Valley.

Confetti Farfalle

Hart Winery Blanc De Franc

Suggested Pairing: 2011 Hart Family Winery Blanc de Franc ($16)-  This gorgeous Cabernet Franc Rośe wine from Temecula Valley is brilliant and crystal pink in the glass with aromatics of watermelon, strawberry, and a hint of summer flower blossoms.  It is a pleasantly dry Rośe that maintains the perfect balance of acid and mild sweetness and works very well with the light and fresh ingredients of this dish.

Ingredients

Ingredients:

1/3 cup/53 g finely chopped shallots

2 tsp/8 g grainy Dijon mustard

1 tbsp/15 ml red wine vinegar

3 tbsp/45 ml extra-virgin olive oil

2 ears corn or 1 cup/130 g fresh corn kernels

4 oz/112 g whole wheat farfalle, cooked according to package directions

1 cup/130 g shelled edamame

¾ cup/115 g finely diced red pepper

¼ cup/10 g basil leaves, roughly chopped and tightly packed

Confetti Farfalle

Directions:

–          In a small bowl, whisk the shallots, mustard, vinegar and olive oil together.  Set aside.

–          Place the ears of corn in a pot of salted boiling water.  Cook for 3 minutes.  Drain and cool.  Using a chef’s knife, strip the kernels from the ears of corn.  That should make about 1 cup/130 grams, depending on the size of the ears.  Place in a bowl with the farfalle, edamame, red pepper, and basil.  Toss the ingredients together with ¼ cup/60 milliliters of the reserved vinaigrette.

Time: 30 Minutes, Yield: 4 Servings

Per Serving: 210 Calories, 7g Protein, 13g total Fat, 21g Carbohydrates, 65g Sodium, 3g Fiber

The Truly Healthy Family Cookbook is available at www.BarnesandNoble.com and www.Amazon.com.  To learn more about author Tina Ruggiero “The Gourmet Nutritionist”, visit www.tinaruggiero.com.