Loving Chicken Soup

It happened. After many days of strangers coughing on me on public transports, days of cold winds and pouring rain, I am now sick and writing this post from my bed as I can't watch tv because everything sounds like an explosion in my head at the moment.
So I'm being constructive and using this time to let you guys know about my Loving Chicken Soup. My mom's recipe actually, she explained it to me on the phone a few days ago when I started feeling like I was coming down with something..And it's so simple and comforting, just like a hug. Exactly what you need when you're down.

Recipe:
2 Carrots chopped
2 Celery Sticks chopped
1 onion chopped
1 garlic clove chopped
1 medium potato or 3 small ones chopped in small cubes
2 organic chicken breast chopped in small cubes
1 big handful of spinach chopped
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp vegetable stock
Enough boiled water to cover the vegetables plus 1 cup more.

Put the oil, carrots, celery, onion and garlic in the pan on a medium heat and season with salt and pepper. Leave for about 5 min or until they soften making sure you stir every now and then.
One they're soft you can add the water, stock and potatoes and leave for about 15 min. Finally, add the chicken and leave for 3 to 4 min, make sure it's cooked through. I normally take a bit out after 3 min and if it's soft and cooked I immediately add the spinach and leave for 1 more minute before turning off the heat.
Serve in your favourite bowl and remember to drizzle a tiny bit of oil before you eat..

Love Frittata

I'm guilty.That's right, I'm one of those people that buys way too many fresh vegetables in advance and then doesn't get around to using all of them and by the end of the week an evil smell coming from the refrigerator reminds me how much food is rotting in my veggie drawer...
But all of this is going to change, first of all because I've seen this sign on a van the other night that said LOVEFOODHATEWASTE and it reminded me of how much I actually do waste.And yet I still complain I have no money, it's all spent on food...Well instead of buying too much, dear Valentina, try and actually use up what you have left first and only then buy more food!
So that's what I did yesterday and something wonderful happened..My first very own recipe!No food blogs, no cookbooks, just a phone call to my mom to make sure i was going in the right direction..Bear in mind I'm Italian and the call to my mother would have happened even if hadn't been cooking so i thought i might as well put it to good use..
And so my super duper colourful Love Frittata was born. I've just decided to call it like that first of all because as I was cooking it I sure did put lots of love into it, as I do with everything I cook, I truly believe food tastes so much better if your heart is in it.Not literally.
Secondly because I did bake it in my heart shaped pan, which I really adore and find makes everything look super cute but not as cute as my boyfriend who tasted it as well and gave me his seal of approval.Success!
I used all the vegetables I had left and they worked so well together I decided this was one for the blog.
I had it for dinner and the day after for lunch but it can also be easily eaten as part of a delicious brunch with friends.

So here it is:

RECIPE:
2 Sweet Potatoes, chopped
1 Courgette,chopped
1 Leek,thinly sliced
A handful of spinach, chopped (all I had left in the bag..)
A handful of fresh parsley, chopped
2 garlic cloves
2 tbsp extravirgin olive oil
1tsp dried Mediterranean herbs mix (my grandma gave me mine, I think it's rosemary, origano and thyme.. )
4 eggs
A pinch or two of pink Hymalaian salt (that's what I  had at home but sea salt is perfect as well)
Black pepper to taste

Turn the oven on at 220c, 425F or gas mark 7 (that's what i use as i have a super old gas oven).

First,put the chopped sweet potatoes in a bowl with 1 tbsp of oil, plus a pinch of salt and pepper and some dried herbs but don't worry if you don't have them, it'll work just the same. Toss it all together and then pop it on a baking tray and in the oven for 25-30 min or till the potatoes are nice and soft,half way through move them around so they can cook evenly.
Once they're done, take them out and lower the heat to gas mark 4, 180c, 350F.

Put the garlic cloves in a pan with the oil and when the garlic starts to brown a little, add in the chopped courgettes on a medium heat and kept stirring every now and then for about 10 min till they become soft, add the leeks and let those soften too and last add spinach and parsley and stir for about 2 minutes before turning off the heat.

Put all 4 eggs in a bowl with salt and pepper and whisk.

Now get a baking pan and put all your vegetables in and add the eggs,mix all together and put in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the top is firm.

Take out of the oven and Buon Appetito!

Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.xxx