Doc V's Healthy Kitchen

Weekend cooking is always a bit special. Pamper your table companions (and yourself of course ;-)) extra, but do not completely throw the basic rules overboard.

-Tonight we will start with marinated mozzarella. Cut a mozzarella of good quality (buffalo), 1 pp, in slices of 1 cm. Put them on a plate ( 1 pp or 1 big plate for sharing). Smear 1,5 table spoon of light cream on the cheese. Add pepper, salt, lemonzeste of ½ lemon pp and lemon juice of ½ lemon pp. For colour and taste spread fresh oregano or basil, 1 table spoon pp and a thinly sliced spicy little pepper. Finish with a drizzle of good olive oil.

-Although today it was real spring a pumpkin salad with lentils will surely be tasty.

Soak 125 grams of lentils  (here in Toscany they have a wide choice of regional lentils) in water a few hours in advance. Cook them for 10 mins in salted water with some fresh rosemary. Leave the lentils in the water for 20-30 mins and drain them in a colander. If you want an easy version : buy lentils canned.

Clean and cut 600 grams (for 2p) of butternut pumpkin in small cubes. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, pepper, salt, 1 teaspoon of grinded cumin and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon. Put the pumpkin in the oven at 180°. After 10 mins add 1 chopped shallot and 3 chopped garlic cloves. When the pumpkin is almost ready add 3 table spoons of yellow raisins and the lentils. Mix everything and let it simmer for 10 mins. Add a handfull of parsley or coriander. Serve with Greek yoghurt and the gorgious seeds of ½ pomegranate. Buon fine settimana!