Unjunk Your Junk Food





What do you get when you mix Savvy girls, Andrea Donsky and  Randy Boyer from Naturally Savvy, and the Nutritional expertise of Lisa Tsakos with the last two years of  research, writing, editing and a lot of taste testing?  You get the much needed, and eagerly anticipated guide to your junk food cravings.  




Who would of thought that your favourite junk food was linked to issues like asthma, ADD, ADHD, irritable bowel symptoms, headaches, memory loss, diarrhea and cancer, to name a few, a quick flip through this book and you'll be looking at junk food in a whole different way.  On the brighter side, Unjunk Your Junk Food will give you a healthy (and tasty) alternative to all of your favourite junk food!


You might think I'm biased when it comes to this book for two reasons. 1/ I was one of the photographers working on this project and had shot a few hundred products for the book. And 2/  Lisa Tsakos who put her blood, sweat and many tears into the research and writing of this book, and happens to be my brilliant and accomplished sister (sorry Lisa, I know you wanted me tone that part down).  The truth, I really wouldn't be telling you about Unjunk Your Junk Food if I didn't believe in it and think it was so important for people to read.  

The book explains what all of those unpronounceable words in the ingredient list actually mean.  They breakdown the Nutrition Facts on the back of a package and let you know how to read between the lines.  They explain it all in an easy and fun way that anyone can understand.  Even me!  You'll learn something new on every page!  And after reading the ingredients, my husband and I have already tossed the last few bags of junk food we had left over from a party. 


I used to love Dorito's as a teen.  I didn't realize their super long ingredient list included MSG and Trans Fats to name a few no-no's!










What else??
-Easy answers to Artificial Colours, Flavours and Sweeteners. 
-What manufacturers really mean on their food labels when they say "Low Fat, Light, No Sugar added, Made with Organic Ingredients" etc..
-GMO's (genetically modified foods)
-List of 43 various names of sugar, used on food labels
-Handy "Worst Ingredient" pull out chart


Out of these two ice creams, which do you think is the smarter choice? 


If you thought an ice cream called "Skinny Cow" would be the healthier choice over something labelled "richer and creamier", you were wrong!  I couldn't believe my eyes when I read it!


To get the "scoop" on why, check out pages 54 and 55 in Unjunk Your Junk Food

Unjunk Your Junk Food is a book that everyone needs to read. It comes out on December 27, 2011 but you can Pre-Order your copy today to find out what all the hype is about!

Retailers will sell it for between $18 to $20, but online prices are ridiculously low!
 

U.S. readers can order their copy for only $11.97USD at Barnes and Noble or Amazon.com

If you're in Canada, order your book online for only $14.43CAN at Chapters or Amazon.ca

By the way, if you spend $25 or more at these Canadian sites, you're eligible to receive free shipping!! One copy for you and one for someone you love :)




I admit, I've always had a weakness for a few items of junk food myself, but when I took a peek at the book that the girls were working on, I couldn't stop reading!  I was amazed, it's really jaw-dropping, I just can't say enough good things about this book!  

These days I'm so much more aware of how my body reacts to different foods, so I try to read the package of everything I buy, but end up really frustrated when there are too many words that I just cannot pronounce.  Worse, words or ingredients that I don't recognize.  People, we are eating this stuff! I can't believe I had been ingesting all of that crap for years, and although my intake has gone down tremendously, after seeing this book, I'm thinking twice about those few guilty pleasures that are left.  One (of many) great thing about Unjunk Your Junk Food is that it teaches you how to make smarter choices when choosing your junk food so you can still satisfy your snack food cravings, but in a healthy way!  



Buy this book today! Grocery shopping will never be the same!  




Cookin' with Kale

I've had more than a few health complaints lately, one of which was exhaustion....pretty much all the time.  So, I went to see a Naturopath and I've been following my Doctor's orders of supplements and a healthier diet including more vegetables and some alternatives to my usual staples to name a few. Like most of us, I'm always on the go and I can easily forget to eat, so one quick meal replacement that my Dr. had suggested was a protein with a greens formula smoothie. To my surprise, I actually enjoyed this concoction and so I began to experiment with added ingredients using every possible option in my freezer.  I had a chat with a dear friend who's also a fan of her smooties and she recommended a frozen vegetable product she loved to include. I was a bit nervous at the thought of store bought frozen fruit or veggies, but when she told me that this company froze their vegetables within 6 hours of being farm picked while securing all of their flavour and nutrients, I had to try it. We took a walk to the grocery store and she showed me where to find Cookin' Greens Chopped Frozen Kale.  I bought a package and went home to give it a shot.  It was so easy as the Kale just flaked out of the package, unlike some frozen food that is stuck in a clump.  My shake was enjoyable from start to finish and it's my new favourite item to include in my smoothie (among other things)! 

A few days later, Cookin' Greens had tweeted me to let me know about a recipe photo contest they were holding and I was happily up for the challenge!  I even had a recipe in mind,  one that Chatelaine Magazine had tweeted about a few weeks back and I had saved it for a rainy day when I would hope to try it out.  This was my rainy day, only a few modifications to the recipe and voila...


Kale, Quinoa and Bean Soup


I submitted my photo to the Cookin' Greens Facebook page and tied for first place!!!!  Now, seeing that there were only 2 entries, didn't make me less excited about this.  It was a fun project, I got to experiment in the kitchen which I LOVE to do, took some pictures while I was at it, and found a new great product that will make things really easy in the kitchen :)


Like I said earlier, I've always had an issue with store bought frozen fruit and veggies, not really sure why, but I always liked the idea of freezing my own.  Yes, I liked the idea, but I rarely had the time for it. Instead, I would buy tubs of fresh spinach and get through half of it before realizing that the other half had already started to go bad. 

From the looks of the Cookin' Greens website, they currently have Chopped Kale, Spinach and Rapini and some great mixes that you could even use as a meal and more options coming soon!!  You should really check out the site, there's some really interesting history on these 'super' greens, some great suggestions for meal options and some crazy good lookin' recipe ideas!  In fact, I just saw one as I was scrolling through and it would be perfect for dinner tonight.  I do have some Cookin' Greens kale in the freezer and not much more in the fridge or cupboards, guess it's time for a grocery run!  I think I will try the Spaghetti with Braised Kale, using Brown Rice Spaghetti, of course!  


Kale, Quinoa and Bean Soup - My version 

Although the Chatelaine Magazine version sounded great and I was eager to try it, I like to improvise when I cook, using the ingredients I already have in my kitchen.  For this recipe, I  substituted the spinach for the Cookin' Greens Kale I had in my freezer, and sweet potato for a carrot.  A little substitution and tweaking for my taste buds, and the photo above was born! 

1 tbsp olive oil
2 onions chopped
1 small sweet potato diced
1/2 cup quinoa
1/4 tsp cumin
2 cups of vegetable broth
2 cups of water
1- 540ml can of white kidney beans (rinsed and drained)

The instructions are pretty similar to the Chatelaine recipe below, as there were only a few substitutions. 

1.  Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat.  Add chopped onion and cook until soft.  Add sweet potato continue to cook for a few minutes.  
2.  Add quinoa and when lightly toasted, pour in broth and water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat.  Simmer until quinoa is cooked, approx 15 more minutes. 
3.  Stir in beans and Kale.  Cook a few more moments until beans and kale are hot. 


Hearty Quinoa and Bean Soup - Chatelaine Magazine Version 

1 tbsp vegetable Oil
1 onion
1 carrot
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/3 cup dry quinoa
2 cups vegetable broth
540 ml can white kidney beans
2 cups  baby spinach

1. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add oil, then onion.  Cook until onion is soft, about 3 minutes.  Add carrot, garlic, cumin, coriander and quinoa.  Cook for 2 more minutes.  Pour in broth and 2 cups water.  Bring to a  boil, then reduce heat to medium-low.  Simmer, partially covered, until quinoa is cooked, about 15 more minutes.  
2.  Stir in beans and spinach. Cook until beans are hot and spinach is wilted, 2 to 3 more minutes.  Serve immediately. 

What would your version of this soup be?  What would you substitute or change for your taste? 

Check it Out!



Sharing with you, a couple of my photographs in November/December 2011's issue of Clean Eating Magazine.









First off, I'm delighted to have made it onto Clean Eating's Contributor page once again.  Next to me is Food Stylist Marianne Wren who styled the food for the photo's I shot in this issue, and she did a great job!








Clean Eating Magazine, Nov/Dec 2011 Issue
Photography by Joanne Tsakos
Food Styling by Marianne Wren

A little twist on Ice Cream? I'll say!  I never did get to try this tasty treat, but from the sounds of the recipe and the smell of the ice cream on set at the studio, I think I missed out!  This recipe does seem simple enough and I do happen to have a sweet potato sitting in my veggie basket, so  I might give this a try myself!

If you're wondering, no, this isn't shellacked or fake ice cream or styrofoam or whatever other things people ask me about.  This is the real deal, Marianne made it from the real ingredients.  It was frozen, and we had to work fast to get the shot as we watched the ice cream slowly melting on set.  We did however use one little trick of the trade to keep the ice cream from melting extra quickly.  I won't tell you what it was but I will say, it involved something cold :)  


Clean Eating Magazine, Nov/Dec 2011 Issue
Photography by Joanne Tsakos
Food Styling by Marianne Wren

I love to photograph seafood, the little tiny details on the sea creatures are amazing! This Calamari dish was a tricky one!  With this shoot, as with most photoshoot's, Clean Eating had given me a layout to follow. I can usually accommodate the layouts, but sometimes the food tells me otherwise and I have to improvise.  It's sometimes difficult to know exactly what camera angle to use, what colours or even what dish to use until you see what the food is going to look like.  This was an interesting piece of Calamari and in order to make it look appetizing, we had to play around a little.  Marianne and I put our heads together, and moved the little guy around until we (and Clean Eating) were happy. I was pretty pleased with the end result and if I actually ate calamari, I'd definitely give this one a try!  Hey, I said I loved to photograph seafood, not eat it!  Maybe one day I'll be adventurous!


You can find the recipe's for the above shots along with a few more of my photograph's in November/December 2011 issue of Clean Eating Magazine!


Chicken Soup - The Greek Version

All Images ©Joanne Tsakos Photography


I'm sure catching a cold is the last thing anyone wants, and for me, I can usually see the warning signs a mile away.  When I choose to pay attention to what my body is telling me and I fight it off before it really hits, it's a good feeling, but when I ignore it, and the cold sets in, it's days, or weeks of  "shoulda woulda coulda's!"  Aside from devouring the enormous amounts of Vitamin C's, Multi-Vitamin's and the Oregano Oil that is sure to kill almost anything, my best (and tastiest) defence is a recipe that comes from my childhood. If it doesn't work well at warding off the evil cold monsters, it will surely give you that warm, comfy feeling even just for one night.

The name for this soup in Greek is called "Avgolemono" which translates into "Egg Lemon".  Those are actually half of the four ingredients in this soup.  I call it Chicken Soup, since most people probably wouldn't want to eat an "egg lemon soup" when they're not feeling well?  

 
It's such a easy and quick recipe to make, all you need are 4 simple ingredients, plus a little salt and pepper for seasoning. This recipe will make 2 healthy (big bowl) servings, or 4 side soup servings.  The great thing about this recipe is that you can adjust the ingredients to your taste.  If you don't like too much lemon, don't add the whole amount, if you like your soup a little thicker and full of rice, add more rice! But try the recipe below to start and see what you think, then adjust to your heart's content!  






Ingredients*: 
(recipe adapted from Christine Cushing Live) 

4 cups of Chicken Broth
1 lemon
1 egg
3/4 cup of Arborio or Orzo Rice
Salt and Pepper for seasoning

*(makes 2 healthy servings-large bowls)



I've used a "box" of store bought Chicken broth, easier than making my own.  Store bought broth is usually LOADED with sodium so I look for  the Low-Sodium kind.  This time,  I found a "No Salt Added" brand, and ON SALE!! Needless to say, I bought a few boxes for my kitchen cupboards.  If your not lazy like me and make your own broth,  you are my inspiration!! And if you are, and you've decided to pick up a box of low sodium chicken broth at the store, there are approximately 4 cups in each box, so you can use up the whole box!!

Recipe: 

-Pour 4 cups of broth into a medium pot and bring to a boil.  



In the meantime....


-Measure out your rice and put it aside until broth has boiled.  


-Roll lemon with the palm of your hand. This will release the juices and make juicing the lemon much easier!  




-Pour the lemon juice into a medium bowl and add the egg.  Whisk until frothy.



-At this point,  your broth has probably boiled and ready for the rice.  Add rice and simmer (uncovered) until rice is cooked, about 10 minutes ( or taste for done-ness)



-When your rice is seconds away from being done, take a ladle or measuring cup and scoop out some of the hot broth from the pot.  This step will be quick so be ready.  Slowly pour the hot broth into the bowl of whisked lemon and egg mixture while continuing to quickly whisk. 
Whisking, while pouring in the hot broth will prevent the egg from actually cooking and leaving chunks of cooked egg in the mix.  


-Pour your whisked mixture of egg, lemon and hot broth back into your hot pot on the stove top.  Remove pot from heat immediately.  Again, you don't want your egg to cook while boiling over a hot stove top. 



-So, you're pretty much done at this point, just add some seasoning to your taste.  A little salt and pepper go a long way!





* If you like chunks of chicken in your chicken soup, by all means...add it!  I've done it before with this soup by using leftover cooked chicken from the previous night's dinner, or I've chopped up an uncooked chicken breast, pan fried over the stove top (using just a drop of oil) and added it to by broth while it's boiling.  


When I was sure I had captured this final shot above, I gobbled up the soup in under a minute.  It's always yummiest fresh off the stove top, but if you are saving some for the next day, you might need to add some water to dilute the soup as it will thicken once it is refrigerated.



I hope this soup makes you feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside like it does with me.  It's like a warm stomach hug!  :)

Autumn in Paris

When my good friend Norma Thiessen was working on an autumn update for her amazing website My Beautiful Paris, she had asked me to send her some pictures from our autumn trip to Paris a few years back.  It quickly took me down memory lane and I'd love to take you there with me!  Below are some photo's I had taken while in Paris, and on this trip, all I needed was my camera, a warm jacket and a beret!   

If you have never been to Paris and are dying to go, or even if you have been there before,  you must check out My Beautiful Paris!!  You'll see most of my photo's from below, plus tonnes more that I had shot when Norma and I had travelled to Paris this past Spring.  It's an amazing site with so much information from a girl who's been there a million times, in love with the city of lights and is eager to share her experience and knowledge with you.  She is always happy to hear from you and help you plan your trip to Paris!  I have been so fortunate to have travelled to Paris with Norma three times and have seen it through her eyes.  The photo's below were taken while we travelled on our second trip to Paris.  It was cold out but the weather was the perfect environment for me to capture the photo's below! 

I took all of these photo's below using my Nikon FG20 35mm SLR film camera with a standard 50mm lens, a  few rolls of Colour and  few rolls of Black and White film.  I knew that the less film I had with me, the more I could be creative and use my knowledge and education in photography before I snapped the picture! I was always so anxious and excited to get home from a trip, get into my darkroom and finally see what I had actually captured!

Stone Lady with Eiffel Tower
Waking up that morning to see an overcast sky with a light sprinkle of rain in the air, really put a spring in my step!  This is my favourite type of day to photograph the outdoors--and especially while away from home!! This grey and overcast sky eliminates any harsh highlights or shadows from the sun, softens everything and even with using the colour film (last photo below of Monmartre), it really makes the colours subtle and soft giving the image such a different feel!  Almost eerie but SO focused!   In this photo of the lady and tower, the sky was so overcast that you couldn't even see the hundreds of people and dozens of cars below the tower!  Gone!  And who say's a grey day is all that bad??


One of my favourite photo's I have taken in Paris and it was almost by accident!
Believe it or not, there were many people on this bridge on this day and I was waiting for a quick moment to capture it without any pedestrian interference.  Unlike the lady in the first photo with the Eiffel Tower, who was not in any rush to go anywhere, this woman above, was certainly in a hurry  and came in to my frame just as I snapped the photo!  Because I was shooting film and I had a limited amount,  I wasn't sure if I had captured her, but I thought I would just crop her out if she happened to be in my frame.  When I was back home and in my darkroom, I was surprised with what I saw on my processed film. I realized that the woman and her quick walking, had in fact made it into my frame, and had actually made the photo!  Thank you, lady on a mission! 


Just another amazing view over the Seine River...

Jardin du Palais Royal is probably my favourite place to be in Paris!  Something about being in this garden (jardin) that makes me very happy!


And this is me, being "happy" in Palais Royal! 


View from Monmartre

Norma and I stopped for a little break behind Notre Dame Cathedral


More from Monmartre, this time with a little bit of colour!  Kinda retro, don'cha think? 

I hope you enjoyed my trip down memory lane, not only the trip to Paris itself, but of my memories of shooting with film!!  Those were good times, the anticipation, the wondering what you will end up with.  I'm sure most of us remember those days, not only to the professional photographers but even the amateurs who rushed to the camera store after a holiday to see your holiday once again.  As a professional, it was a chance to really use my skill, the years of education and experience were put to the test and it was so nice to think before I hit the shutter.  Of course, there's still a lot to think about when using my Digital SLR, but the anticipation and excitement is gone.  It was definitely a different time in the world of photography, and that was only a few years ago!  Change comes quick in this day and age, you've got to be ready for it and don't fear it!  If you do, get out, take a holiday, get re inspired! Change is always a good thing :)  

Don't forget to check out My Beautiful Paris!  

all photography above copyright Joanne Tsakos Photography©

Check it Out!!

It's been a busy summer but the big stuff has past and it's time for me to get working again!  I'm looking forward to some changes,  some new exciting projects and to finally having the time to fill you in on all of it! 

Below are some photo's I had taken that were featured in two recent Clean Eating Magazine Issues, and a few personal shots too!


Clean Eating April/May 2011 Issue
Photography by Joanne Tsakos
Food Styling by Sugar Tart


Photography by Joanne Tsakos



























             



P.S.  I love photographing seafood, especially octopus! I just returned from a trip to Greece where I shot these photo's of dozens of octopus hanging by the water, caught by the fisherman that morning for the restaurants in town.





Clean Eating April/May 2011 Issue
Photography by Joanne Tsakos
Food Styling by Sugar Tart

Clean Eating April/May 2011 Issue
Photography by Joanne  Tsakos
Food Styling by Marianne Wren

Clean Eating April/May 2011 Issue
Photography by Joanne Tsakos
Food Styling by Sugar Tart






Clean Eating June 2011 Issue
Photography by Joanne Tsakos
Food Styling by Sugar Tart

Paris (sneak peak)

I've had a bit of a mental block or maybe more of a flood since I've been back from Paris.  Being away  (among other things) even for just a few days, had been enough to push me into a  motion forward.  I've been inspired to move ahead, to keep going and not look back. 

I've been home now for a few weeks finalizing the edits of the hundreds of photo's I took in Paris.  This was my fourth time in the beautiful city, but this time, I was there to work on a very special project for my good friend Norma. 

Norma and I had travelled to Paris together two other times before, and this time, the seed was planted as two old friends sat in a Toronto cafe one morning a few months back, catching up over brunch.  We talked about the website that Norma was hoping to launch soon after her return from her next trip to Paris a few months later.  Her website, dedicated to  her love of Paris, was all about her travels, tips and suggestions regarding anything to do with Paris.  Even though her website had not officially launched yet, people from all over the world had already discovered it on-line and she was busily making travel plans for their visit to her favourite place in the world!  So as we sat in this cafe, and talked about her next trip over, we couldn't help but reminisce about the times that we had shared in Paris.  She mentioned that she would love some new photo's to put on her website, and I had reminded her of what I do for a living.  The seed was planted, and by our 4th coffee, we were booking flights and planning our 3rd trip together to Paris!  

Our itinerary was set, appointments were made with various hotels around the city and reservations were booked for some of the more interesting spots in town.  I got my gear together, bought some comfortable shoes, did my homework and was ready to have the experience of a lifetime!

Here's a sneak peek at some of the spots we visited and things we saw while in Paris this past spring. 
 

I can't wait to show you all of my favourite things about this trip including some of the beautiful architecture, great cafe's, and the flowers....OOOH, the flowers!!   
I am just ripping at the seams to introduce to you the beautiful website that Norma has been working on so excitedly for months!  You'll soon see why I'm excited too. 

Cooking in Tuscany


I always wanted to go to Italy but not really sure why.  Okay, aside from it being ITALY, and beautiful, it was on the top of my list of dream travel destinations.  So when the decision was made and I was finally going to experience Italy once and for all,  I had to think a little harder and figure out not only what I wanted to do and see, but  what I was hoping to experience while there.  The only thing that came to mind was "Tuscany" and "Cooking" (aside from the 10 pounds I thought I'd put on from all the food and wine I was dreaming of). I pictured driving down some windy roads through fields and fields of sunflowers and poppy's till we got to our little villa and then sat down to watch the sunset while sipping a glass of Tuscan wine.  Unfortunately, my trip down the windy road was in late summer and I missed the poppy's since they bloom in the spring while I just missed the sunflower bloom in late summer as well!  I did however manage to shoot this shot above, from the passenger seat, driving down the windy road, head out the window, and snapping away while hoping to catch the last bit of life these sunflowers had in them!








The cooking part?  That was the "what would I do if I won the lottery?" part.  I would travel around the world and take cooking classes (and my camera of course) while away, that was a big part of my lotto dream.  Well, I haven't won the lottery, but I'm back on my feet these days and I wanted to spoil myself a little on this trip.  When my good friend, Norma had lent me a breathtakingly inspiring book on Tuscany (thanks Norma!!)  it lit a fire under me.  There was a section in the book on several cooking classes that were held at various spots in Tuscany. Apparently, I'm not the only one that's thought of doing this!  Things got pretty busy for me before leaving the big city for this trip,  so if I wanted to take a cooking class, I'd have to  organize it while away.  I had contacted the hotel, umm, sorry.... castle, that we were staying at  while in Tuscany, and asked for help.  Katerina was very helpful and sent me several contacts that I tried to narrow down while I had a few minutes on-line here and there in the various cities we travelled to throughout Italy.  Time was going by fast and I just couldn't get it together.  So when we finally got to our beautiful villa/castle, Castello Delle Serre in Serre di Rapolano (just outside of Sienna, another great city!)  it all started to come together.



While first arriving at the castle, we were met near the beautiful outdoor dining area by Salvatore, a kind smile and a glass of wine.
Salvatore, the delightfully charming owner of this beautiful little castle, found us wandering and lost and he immediately made us feel welcome. It was just as I had pictured it so far.  As we quickly got acquainted, I told Salvatore and Katerina (his daughter) that I was still hoping to take a cooking class while I was in Tuscany.   As they thought of what was available for the limited time while we were there, Salvatore had an idea.  He had a large group of people coming for lunch the next day and he suggested that he might need some help in preparing the feast.  I was all smiles and jumped at the opportunity to be his little "sous chef".  

The next morning, after breakfast, on a beautiful summer's day, I would put on an apron  and I would learn to cook a few new Italian recipes overlooking the rolling hills of Tuscany! 

I'm ready, now let's cook!

We had a lot to do, so I was put right to work with quick explanations, a little history lesson here and there and a feeling I just couldn't explain.  I love to cook, so Salvatore didn't have to hold my hand during this process, he just had to give me some tips along the way.

Shaving the Pecorino cheese while having a good workout too!











The chicken cacciatore was made by lightly rolling  several chicken legs in flour, then carefully dropping them into a pan of boiling oil. Yes, this part scared me, anything to do with boiling oil!!  The long tongs definitely helped ease that concern!  The chicken was fried until the skin turned golden brown and then placed into a baking pan and put aside. The hot oil that remained in the stove top pan was then deglazed by adding some rosemary, sage, garlic, hot pepper flakes and lots of white wine!  This flavoured oil was then poured over the fried chicken in the baking pan and then placed into the oven to continue cooking.

Afraid to get too close while frying up the chicken for the Cacciatore!



The green beans were easy to make, and so tasty!  They were trimmed at the ends, boiled in salted water until tender (or you can try steaming them),  tossed with halved cherry tomato's, and dressed with a lemon juice, olive oil and fresh pepper dressing.


We move on to the salad consisting of lettuce's like radicchio, endive, and boston lettuce,  then topped with sliced pears, walnuts and shaved pecorino cheese.  The dressing was a mix of olive oil, honey, white wine vinegar and dried oregano.  A perfect combination of ingredients!!

Pear, Walnut and Pecerino Salad




















I'm really getting into my job here!!
This dish was my favourite, so yummy and maybe took the longest to prepare but totally worth it!  I couldn't remember what it was called but it started with a "T" --Sal would be so disappointed in his student!  Thanks to Google, I think I've figured it out.  
Tortino de Patate e Zucchine.  
We made 2 large pans of this dish so we had a lot of slicing to do.  It was a sort of lasagna but made with sliced potato, tomato and zucchini instead of layered noodles.  First I had to crush the bread for the bread crumbs.  I finally learned how to do this the easy way!  Back home, I used to grate stale bread with a cheese grater, and inevitably shredded my fingers in the process! eek!  Salvatore handed me the large cookie sheet with chunks of dry, stale bread on it, and a palm sized, stainless steel meat tenderizer.  My job, hammer the crap out of the bread until I had a  tray of breadcrumbs.  Much easier than grating my fingers, plus I can get some aggression out!  So much fun!  When I finished making breadcrumbs, I was on slicing duty.  A mandolin might of been much easier for this part as keeping the slices equal were important in this step.  But no mandolin was to be found, and I had to do this the old fashioned way with a knife, my steady hand and an eye for measuring. I sliced the zucchini and put them aside. Sliced some tomato's, and put them aside.  The sliced potato's went into a bowl of cold water, to keep them from browning from oxidation and plus, the water removes some of the starches. 
Then the layering begun.  I covered the bottom layer of the rectangular baking sheet with a layer of potato slices, followed by a layer of sliced tomatoes, than a layer of zucchini topped with olive oil, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, dried basil and oregano, followed by another layer of potato, tomato and zucchini etc..  When the layering was over, the veggies were topped with a final coat of breadcrumbs and other seasonings, drizzled with olive oil, then covered with tin foil and placed into the oven and baked for about 25 minutes at 350º. 

Lunch was served and went off without a hitch!   Not bad for a morning's work!!


Finished meal with Chicken Caccetore, Green Beans and Layered Vegetables!  Yum!!!





















Aside from my impromptu cooking lesson, the rest of our stay at Castello Delle Serre was incredible.  The room we stayed in was everything we could imagine, the view was breathtaking, the personal, friendly treatment and advice on sites to see, places to go and restaurants to hit while we were visiting Serre di Rapolano made us feel very important and cared for and all together an experience I will never forget!  Thanks Sal, Kat and Antonio for making our time in Tuscany a very special one!





There was plenty of Lavender and Basil planted around the property, and while I walked by daily, I would take a deep breath  in and  enjoy the pleasant aroma.

Back in the kitchen,  Salvatore talks to me about Oregano. Being from Greek parents, I pretty much know how important oregano is to Greek cooking, and it sounds like it's just as important in the Italian kitchen as well! He also threw in a little Oregano history lesson which was nice to hear. 



After my cooking lesson and tasting, I took a quick dip in the pool, while my other half cools off with a book under the cyprus tree












The "Lounge" area at the castle.  I love the original hand painted walls!

















This was the view from our room. We took a million pictures of it every day, but couldn't quite capture how breathtaking it was in person!
                                                                                                                  
I could go on and on about Italy and how beautiful my time there was, but I think I'll keep the rest  to myself ;)  Although we had only visited a small portion of the country, it was all I needed to fulfill that dream....for now. 








Now, it's time to move on, there's so much more to see and do in this world, so much more on my list of dreams to accomplish.  Can you accomplish a dream? or should I call them goals?  I think my goals are my dreams. 

Tonight, I leave for Paris, France to work on a project for a beautiful little company that specializes in travels in Paris.   I'll be photographing the hotels, restaurants, cafes, food, markets and Parisian life.  Another check off my list?  Maybe, but I think I'll milk this one for a while ;)