Detoxing Italian Style: Fabulous Fennel

Buon anno, tutti!!

With the holidays behind us, many of us have gone a bit overboard with the continual stream of cakes, cookies, libations and heavy meals. Ok, I confess –  I went WAY overboard this year! 🙁

My carb-laden body is screaming for healthier food choices; vitamin-packed options that make me feel healthier just by looking at them. But this year no starvation diets nor juice-only detoxes for me. I have become less about complete abstinence and more about looking at challenges through fresher, gentler eyes.   No big resolutions on my end – just an honest effort to be the ‘best me’ that I possibly can be – on all fronts.   Rather than take too much away (except for gluten and alcohol for 30! gotta kick start things!), I am trying to recommit to things that make my soul sing like yoga or learning to cook using more globally-inspired spices or quality time with my sweetie or …well, there are a lot of places that I can be a better me. Consider me a work in progress!! 

So I am kicking off the new year by cleaning up my diet act as the Italians do – with simple, fresh nourishing ingredients that are already the foundation of the Italian kitchen. And since the local market had organic fennel on sale, my new year started with refreshing, crisp fennel shaved atop a crunchy salad; my body nudging me in the right direction given its amazing health benefits.

Now if you believe the internet, fennel does everything from freshening your breath to softening wrinkles. But for me, it is fennel’s clean, bright flavor that draws me in. Whether subtly mixed with other glorious vegetables such as in roasted fennel and carrot soup or taking center stage with caramelized citrus as with the salad below, fennel’s versatility makes cleaning up your act a simple feat. When shaved raw on salads, the subtle licorice flavor shines on through. However, worry not if you do not like the licorice flavor, fennel takes on a slightly sweet mellow taste when cooked making it an incredibly delicious backdrop in so many recipes.

As you contemplate the year ahead, be like my Italian grandmother and reach for a handful of crunchy fennel seeds to freshen your breath, calm your senses and aid your digestion. Leave it to magical fabulous fennel to help kick the year off right.

Vi auguro un buon e prospero nuovo anno, tutti! 

(Wishing everyone a happy and prosperous new year!)

xoxo

Michele

Roasted Fennel and Carrot Soup

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

• Author: Michele Becci

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

A simple, soul satisfying roasted fennel and carrot soup to start the year off healthy!

---

Ingredients

• • 2 medium fennel bulbs with fronds
• • 1 pound carrots, quartered lengthwise
• • 1 large onion, peeled and quartered with core intact
• • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and flattened
• • Kosher salt
• • Freshly ground black pepper
• • Extra virgin olive oil
• • 5 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• • Freshly grated Parmigiano

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. • Preheat over to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. • Slice stalks from fennel bulbs. Reserve fennel fronds for garnish. Toss stalks. Slice the bulbs in half lengthwise. Slice each half into ¼ inch slices lengthwise.
3. • In a large bowl, toss the fennel slices with the carrots, onion, garlic, about ½ teaspoon salt and a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle with a few tablespoons of olive oil and toss to coat. Spread the vegetables on a sheet pan and place in the oven to roast. Stir occasionally. Roast until the veggies are browned and tender.
4. • Place the veggies in a blender with the broth and blend until smooth. (You may need to do this in batches.) Transfer to a saucepan. If soup is too thick, add water to thin. Simmer until soup is warmed through. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
5. • Serve soup drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, fennel fronds and freshly grated Parmigiano.

• Category: Italian

Caramelized Orange Fennel Salad

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

• Author: Michele Becci

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

A bright, refreshing caramelized orange and fennel salad to kick off the new year in style!

---

Ingredients

• • Zest ½ orange
• • 1 navel orange
• • 1 tablespoon butter
• • 1 tablespoon sugar
• • Extra virgin olive oil
• • 1 medium fennel bulb
• • Kosher salt
• • Freshly ground black pepper

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. • Remove the peel and pith from the oranges. Slice crosswise into ½ inch rounds. Remove any seeds from the rounds if you can.
2. • In a skillet large enough to hold the orange slices in a single layer, melt the butter over medium-low heat until melted and foaming. Sprinkle with the sugar. Turn the heat to medium high. Once the sugar is melted and starts to caramelize (about 3 minutes), lower the heat and add in the orange slices in a single layer. Cook until the orange slice begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side. Gently place the slices on a plate along with any juices.
3. • Cut the fennel bulb in half lengthwise. Slice each half into ¼ slices lengthwise. Reserve any fronds for garnish.
4. • Drizzle olive oil in the same skillet to coat bottom (about 1 tablespoon) over medium-high heat. Add in the fennel slices and cook until browed on each side, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. • Remove the fennel slices and layer on your serving plate. Add the orange slices on top and drizzle with any juices. Top with freshly ground black pepper, fennel fronds, orange zest and a healthy drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serve!

• Category: Italian