Let food be thy medicine by Carmela D'Amore founder and CEO of Carmela's Cucina Class

The delicious of what the seasons bring into our lives, we reap in return the benefit of wellness, deliciousness and delicacy of the produce.  Braised artichokes, broadbeans and peas, if you have never tried this recipe, please do yourself a favour to taste the delicacy it gives you.

The produce of this season which is the springtime, everything must be fresh only the peas frozen is okay, in this recipe that I share with you today.

This recipe is a product of sweet and sourness of what the earth produces in the seasons.

The experience that food brings joy and happiness is truth, try this.

You will need:

4 artichokes cleaned and quartered placed in a bowl with lemon and ice water

Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 a spanish onion diced

1 glove of garlic crushed

300 grams of broad beans pealed

200 grams of fresh peas or frozen

1/2 cup of mint leaves

pecorino cheese

lemon zest

white wine vinegar of homemade white wine vinegar

serve with lemon wedges, grated pecorino cheese and fresh mint leaves, eat with fresh bread, a glass of wine and enjoy!

The memories that I share with you are priceless every time I remember it brings back much joy, happiness, and great wealth my way, in return I want to share with you, hoping that you feel that connection that food brings to us.

Simple Cucina Povera Food that comes from humble beginnings that migrants bought with them with their own memories, to share with us, the magic of food, that Food is Life.

It brings joy to us when we remember the past and share it with our own family and friends.

I feel very blessed to have had a childhood filled with richness and one that has created a passionate business in cooking classes with my pupils and clients.

Remember if you don't have the garden go to the markets or the local market and ask them to get them in for you.  Make a day of it, with a friend or your own grandchild and share the recipe go home and cook it, it will take about 20 minutes to cook, half an hour to peel, and a lifetime of memories to create.

Food is life

Happy Cooking

Carmela

There is nothing as delicious 🤤 as eating and making a meal 🥘 one that has traveled with me for over 5 generations. You will need: red onions or St. Tropez onions, organic eggs 🥚 parsley 🌿 pecorino cheese virgin olive 🫒 oil.

There are so many ways to make this quick easy meal that will keep for the day, if you are going on a picnic this is the best to take with you, it keeps and tastes delicious outdoors.

You can dice the potatoes or scallop them which ever way you desire, this is your omelette.  You can learn from this and make it your own.  My gift to you.

Sharing this recipe is an honour and a privilege, keeping the memory alive of my nonno is my gift.

Remember to dice the onions, and potatoes, whisk the eggs adding salt and pepper, then grating pecorino cheese in with the eggs and chopped parsley, browning the potatoes and onions then placing the eggs in the pan on a hot heat, remember to place a lid for a few minutes, then turning the omelette over.

(if you don't have parsley rosemary is better as this herb is all year round) it even tastes more delicious with rosemary, potatoes and rosemary are a great marriage!) 

Once the omelette is cooking place it on a plate with some paper towels to absorb the oil for a few minutes, while you are doing this you can make a salad and prepare your table.

BUON APPETITO

CARMELA 

Taking the time to learn to be still is a challenge for most of us, including myself.

Join me as I sit with you and we read scripture, we start with Job: chapter 38 verse 5-14

Ecclesiastes Chapter 3 verse 1-15

Matthew Chapter 5 verse 13

John chapter 8 verse 12

When we take the time to meditate on God's word it frees our mind from suffering, we forget about the what is worrying us, and we focus on replenishing our soul.

Time to meditate gives us freedom from self, (mind)

Living in the present moment we become more relaxed and more alive, joy, love and peace become our confidants.

When we take the time to meditate on God's word we remember who we are, and that He is our Father in Heaven and knows that we need him, we are His children.

Peace, Love and Joy follow you and keep you in the light of God our Father.

Carmela

Listen to the words and find answers to the methodology of 101 Ways to Transform the Way You cook 👩‍🍳

This simple formula once you have taken the treasures from it, you will see that it is the road to success, I wish you to succeed and be successful, this is my prayer for you today.

Dear one, I believe you can do this!

Listen to this and see what happens to your life, words are life, they shape and give life.

I wish you much success.

Carmela 

Affirmation:

Success is my pathway, God is my guide.

How many things can one be grateful 😊 for?

If we just take the time to believe in so many wonderful things we will find that there is an endless list of things that we are grateful for, 101 ways is this gratitude rhymes with attitude, we can change our attitude, this is something we are able to do.

Remember we are in control of this we are the light the beacon in the lighthouse.

Being grateful will carry us into success, our health will get better, even our skin, and face when be glowing.

Because gratefulness is a state a place where you reside.

Carmela

Mantra:

Gratitude is my natural state, I will bathe in it.

Never loose sight of your dreams.

Your dreams are real, they are not something that is not reachable, remember they are yours, no one can take them from you only what you give.

Goals are the bridges to our dreams, to succeed.

Very simple formula, one that is proven to reach to the heights, we can do this!

I believe in you.

Carmela 

Affirmations:

I see the dream and it is reality.

In this episode of 101 Ways to Transform the Way You cook 👩‍🍳 

Sometimes we get stuck, and we need help to see the bigger picture, this is where we need time, believe me when we start to declutter we will see that there is room and space to breathe! 

One draw at a time, one cupboard at a time, give them away what you don't need, give it to the op shop, they will distribute it to where it's needed. 

Give and you shall receive.

The universal law.

Declutter.

Happy Decluttering

Carmela 

You can have this!

We can do this, there is nothing that stops us, except us.  When we put our mind to this all things are possible, even eating an elephant in bit size chunks, this too is possible.  We can build, so many of us sabotage, build the kitchen you desire, one step at a time and you will accomplish a dream, a cook's dream.

Happy Cooking

Carmela

In this episode of part 2 I share with you things that are important, these are just my way that I have learned, that I desire to pass on to you.

We can do this.

Carmela 

Affirmation:

Transformation begins within.

In this episode of 101 Ways to Transform the Way You 👩‍🍳 we discuss the method combination cooking 🥘 the transformation in this is that the toughest of meats becomes the tenderest!

We learn by seeing, hearing and doing, this is the best way to transform into a great cook, always being open to new methods and techniques that will elevate the way we cook.

I am delighted to bring this to you and share with you.

Happy Cooking

Carmela 

I love to learn 🥘 and know what is a great method when I cook.

I want to share this with you, as its important to our transformation in cooking, as we journey along with 101 Ways to Transform the way you cook, I hope that I have been able to share some light into your kitchen.

I have learned so much about food, techniques and methods through the years, and I know that sometimes we want what's easy.

This really is not necessary as we need to change this mindset, it is about what is best for us.

We are to invest into our lives, our body and mind.

Our family and continue this so that others will follow, especially our children.

As we change so does everything around us.

HAPPY COOKING

CARMELA 

This method and technique is simple.

We either use, the grill, oven or bbq.

This technique requires no water, if you want to use oil, fat, or butter it is up to you.

You can allow the juices to absorb in the food through the cooking.

This will elevate your position when you learn how to cook, why?  Because its very healthy, flavoursome, and the food does most of the work!

The oven you can control it, the bbq you can manage it, and the grill is easy.

So in this episode we talk and chat about ways to manage our dry cooking.

HAPPY DRY COOKING

CARMELA 

This technique is amazing 🤩 my favourite I love poaching.

You can poach, fish, eggs, meat, fruit, anything!

While you learn this technique allow it to teach you, you will learn that all the flavours will envelope into the middle of the delicious food you prepare.

Poaching will give you the time to learn, teach yourself, and know, within your heart that poaching is about time.

Time to cook and allow the flavours to create a gentle symphony in your kitchen.

HAPPY POACHING

CARMELA

Oh! I love this technique, this method of cooking 🥘 👩‍🍳🍽

We all can take a page, out of this episode, and also simmer in our own life, just allow the process to take its course.

Simmering, is delicate, deliciously, delectable when the food is ready.

ENJOY SIMMERING

CARMELA

My favourite 😍 you will deglaze every time from now on. As this is your superpower 🦸‍♀️ in your kitchen! My secret 🤫 sssh! Don’t tell 👩‍🍳😉 so much fun. This is where your dimension in cooking 🧑‍🍳 will create FLAVOURS 💃🕺🦐🦑🐓🦃🦤🍽 I don’t know about you but for me this is the secret to making gravy!

Come on now, I am telling you the secrets to all the years I've learnt and this is absolutely the must for you to go up another level, up to 101 WAYS TO TRANSFORM THE WAY YOU COOK!!!!

So exciting for you!

HAPPY DEGLAZING

CARMELA

This is my secret 🤫 ssssh don’t tell anyone!

This is my favourite of all to share with you!  I so enjoy blanching, it is a method that I learned as a chef and a cook and that will stay with me forever, especially when I want my greens to be really green.

Don't tell anyone!!!

Ha! Ha!

Of course I want to share this with you, its important to transform you into the cook you so desire to be!

If we don't share what we have learned what's the point?  Don't you think?

I blanche, my gnocchi as well this keeps them in the fridge for days and not a problem!  Another secret, I've shared with you!

Are you having fun?

Happy Blanching

Carmela

It’s similar to braising but refers to food that has been cut into smaller pieces in stewing the meat it is usually browned over a higher heat, then returned to the pot with other ingredients, such as vegetables, and the liquid to cover the ingredients.

When stewing any kind of older meat that is tougher than younger meat, it is important that we remember that this will require time a lot of slow time that is why it's called slow cooked.

We will need to blanche it in the pan with some diced carrots, celery onions and oil, then add some red wine, and after our stock, we can use water if we don't have anything else, because the stock is already in the pan and this will create like a gravy its own natural gravy, then we can add our vegetables potatoes, carrots, turnips, etc.

Cooking for this is around 2 1/2 hours or more on a low heat.

or a slow cooker this is around 8 to 9 hours.

Happy Stewing

Carmela

Now we are getting excited 😜 I don’t know about you?

Is a French termed used in conjunction with meat, depending on the different cuts of meat, slow cooking to become tender, the food is often browned first then finished either in the oven on low heat.  This is perfect for stews, roasts, casseroles.

It means to cook meat with it fat and the oven with all its juices.

We are getting into the parts that will slowly evolve our transformation to a place where we will become very confident and know that we can do it!

Happy Cooking 

Carmela

How to sear your meat is to put it into a skillet cast iron pan that is at high temperature.

There is a few things to know before you do this,

• first heat your pan
• then when it is almost hot not burning add your oil
• then add your meat

this is the technique called searing it is not sautéing.

As they are two different things we can almost distinguish the two that are like a tree with different branches in cooking.

Its important that we try to do this and learn the difference when we do it a few times we will learn this technique and master it!

Happy cooking

Carmela

In this episode I share with you a french cooking technique called Sauté'.  It means to jump in French.  The french are the benchmark of most culinary techniques.

You can trace it all over Europe, the chefs are proud and know about cooking.

Sautéing is about adding the meat into a hot pan and almost searing the meat and the juices together so that when you are going to roast or stew, all the juices remain.

In this episode, I share with you a passage of Escoffier's book _ Le Guide Culinarie you can buy on Amazon.

We will go through almost another 10 episodes where we together will learn the process of techniques.

Happy Cooking

Carmela 

Our life is a book, with chapters, and we are the steerer in many ways, God is the author, and the finisher of our faith.  We have the moments that will weave the way we eat, how we eat, and what we eat..

Honouring our sacred space and creating a platform for our life, will ultimately create a healthy lifestyle.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Transforming us to a new level every time we eat better, healthier and nourish our life.

Carmela 

What are easy meals to cook 👩‍

Honouring our sacred space is the most important thing we will ever accomplish, it is the space that we make to acknowledge that food is important to us.

What we eat and how we eat represents us.

We can create a library of knowledge when we change our mindset.

101 Ways to Transform the Way you Cook is about this, when we change the way we look at food, food changes us.

Seasonal produce, is the key.

Burgers, salads, stews, casseroles, roasts, risottos, frittatas, omelettes, tacos, stir fries, toasties, bbq's, and so on.

Create a sacred space for yourself where you start to change the way you look at food.

Believe that you are worth it, spend that extra money and eat well.

Invest in you and your family.

Carmela

There are so many recipes that we can cook 👩‍🍳 with blood oranges 🍊 today we have a new way of adding this delicious fruit into cakes, sauces, sorbets, salads, and more.

Here is the recipe for the vinaigrette dressing: 

1/4 cup of freshly squeezed blood orange

1/4 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons of canola oil

Method:

Combine the juices and ingredients together, whisking the oils until all the ingredients have incorporated, place the vinaigrette into a tight seal jar in the fridge and it will keep up to 2 days.

Have fun!

Carmela 

Take a few friends and enjoy a great day out! This does change the way we look at life it gives us a break from everyday and changes the dynamics of life, if we don't do this we become stagnant at life and don't enjoy it.

The Mornington Peninsula has about 50 wineries that you can enjoy, and visit spend the day and relax, learn about the wine and how certain foods compliment it.

Learning to pair wine and food is a great way at changing your palate and introducing new products to your viewpoint.

Being open and learning is a constant challenge in life, one that we really can enjoy, in this case, it does change and transform us as we continue on our journey about food and life together.

Carmela

How long has it been since you stopped? Let things go?  Life is about the experience, we need to stop and smell the rosemary.  Enjoy a picnic with friends or family, meet people you haven't seen for a while, and instead of going somewhere to eat, bring the food together and share it, spend the whole day and enjoy each other's company, a few glasses of champagne the outside air, this is the best medicine in life.

Mantra:

Nature is my way of enjoying the moments that life gives me.

Laughter is the best medicine, friends are the remedy, and nature is the cure.

Carmela