Tag: Pasta

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Food Lite Blogs Recipes

Healthy Pasta Lunch Box Ideas for Kids

As a parent, you always want your child to have a tasty and nutritious meal at school. Pasta can be a great option for a lunch box. It’s versatile, easy to prepare, and kids love it. Hence here are five healthy pasta recipes that are perfect for your child’s lunch box

Vegetable pasta salad

Vegetable pasta salad is both healthy and delicious. Use whole wheat pasta for added fiber. Mix in colourful vegetables like bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and carrots. Add some boiled corn and peas for extra taste. For the dressing, use a bit of olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. This pasta salad is not only tasty but also packed with vitamins.

Spinach and cheese pasta

Spinach-and-cheese pasta is a favourite among kids. Use any type of pasta your child likes. Cook the pasta and mix it with fresh spinach leaves. Add a little cream and grated cheese. Let it cook until the cheese melts and blends well with the spinach. This dish is rich in iron and calcium, which are important for growing kids.

Chicken and broccoli pasta

For a protein-packed lunch, try chicken and broccoli pasta. Cook some pasta and set it aside. In a separate pan, cook small pieces of chicken breast until done. Add broccoli florets and stir-fry for a few minutes. Mix in the pasta, a spoonful of tomato sauce, and some grated cheese. This meal is nutritious and filling, keeping your child energized throughout the day.

Pasta with tomato and basil

Tomato and basil pasta is simple yet flavourful. Use whole wheat pasta for more nutrients. Prepare a sauce with fresh tomatoes, garlic, and basil leaves. Cook the sauce until it thickens, then mix it with the pasta. Sprinkle a bit of Parmesan cheese on top. This recipe is full of antioxidants and good for your child’s health.

Mango pasta salad

Mango pasta salad is a unique and refreshing dish. Cook pasta and let it cool. Add ripe mango cubes, boiled corn, and chopped mint leaves. For the dressing, mix a little yogurt with honey and lemon juice. This salad is sweet, tangy, and perfect for summer.

ALSO READ-Post-Workout Meals to Maximize Muscle Recovery

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Food Lite Blogs London News

Emilia’s Crafted Pasta: Authentic Feel-Good Italian Restaurants In London

Emilia’s serve love-soul warming comfort food. They epitomise the essence of Italian cuisine – freshness and simplicity. The brand of restaurants believes that Italian pasta should be served in a casual way with the generosity and warm welcome of previous generations. Their pasta is freshly made every morning and cooked with a respect for the tradition and techniques passed down the generations from the cooks who taught the brand owner and team their craft. They add to that tradition by following the science behind the pairing of pasta shapes with the right sauces, so discerning diners get all the delicious flavour in every mouthful. A feature by columnist Riccha Grrover for Asian Lite International.

Emilia’s is the culmination of their founder Andrew Macleod’s travels around the Emilia-Romagna region and other parts of Italy. Each restaurant interior combines the simple, earthy, cosy and homely atmosphere that the founder experienced on his travels with individual features that capture and reflect the history of the building and its surrounding areas.

All their four London restaurants have identical main menus. In addition, each restaurant has its own seasonal specials menu where you can find more creative and experimental pasta dishes. Their Wood Wharf flagship restaurant also has an additional bar menu.

In line with the Emilia’s brand ethos, their newest restaurant on Baker Street welcomes guests with an intimate yet vibrant ambiance. A curated blend of natural and earthy toned materials, such as terracotta, terrazzo, and wood, evokes the rustic charm of Italian trattorias.

Complementing this aesthetic are unique vintage Murano glass accents infusing the space with a sophisticated allure and rendering it uniquely inviting, blending homeliness with contemporary flair.

The open kitchen counter with seating invites diners to witness the culinary artistry as dishes are freshly prepared. Adjacent to this, a live pasta making station, captivates passers by, enhancing the buzz and entertainment factor, thereby elevating the theatrical dining experience.

At Emilia’s they make fresh pasta affordable for all to indulge in on a regular basis, just like Italians do. At Emilia’s, they create happiness in a bowl using only natural, fresh and simple ingredients. The brand also has Homemade gluten free pasta but available at their Canary Wharf restaurant. They take bookings at all restaurants but also leave space for walk-ins.

Exquisite food, delectable taste, heartwarming presentation, generous portion sizes, reasonably priced, relaxed vibe, charming interiors, lively atmosphere, comfortable and relaxed dining experience also friendly service makes it a meal experience to remember…Highly Recommended!

ALSO READ-Bite sized deliciousness: Laddooh by Chef Sugandha Saxena

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Food Lite Blogs Recipes

Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad Recipe for Winter

Italian food is one of the few global cuisines that Indians are truly obsessed with. Italian food regularly features on the dining tables of most urban Indian households, and more often than not, we fall back on pastas, pizzas and many more to satisfy our cravings for a good meal.

Here are some winter recipes from Del Monte to make your menu more interesting.

Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad with lemon sesame dressing

Ingredients:

250 grams penne pasta, 2 small size zucchini, thinly sliced, 5 baby corns, thinly sliced, 50 grams frozen peas, few basil leaves, 2 lemons, 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, chili flakes (optional), salt pepper

Method:

Squeeze lemon juice in a mason jar or a small bowl and add salt and pepper to taste.Then, add parmesan cheese along with sesame seeds and extra virgin olive oil. Give it a whisk and set it aside to be used later.

Bring a big pot of water to boil and add 1 tablespoon salt to it. 

While the water boils, heat a grill pan and drizzle some oil. Layer the sliced zucchini and baby corn. Allow it to cook for a couple of minutes in high heat and then ip it. If the pan is small, grill the veggies in batches.

Once the water is boiled, drop the penne pasta and cook for 8 minutes or until it’s cooked to al dente. At the last minute, drop the frozen peas and allow them to soften.

Keep a serving bowl ready. Once the pasta is done, drain it along with the peas and put it in the bowl along with the grilled veggies. Pour the dressing and give it a toss. Scatter some basil leaves and shave some parmesan cheese on top. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Marinated Green Olives with Garlic & Rosemary

Ingredients:

150 grams Del Monte Pitted Green Olives (drained), 1.5 teaspoon Dried Rosemary, 1/2 tsp Lemon Zest, 4 Cloves Garlic (crushed), 1 pinch Kosher salt, 1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Method:

Heat oil in a pan and saute crushed garlic and rosemary.

Add lemon zest and drained olives and saute till aromatic.

Cool and transfer the olives in a large bowl.

Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving.

Serve marinated olives as an appetizer in small bowls with toothpicks.

ALSO READ-SPAGNOLETTI: An All-Day Italian and Pasta Lab

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Food London News Restaurant Reviews

SPAGNOLETTI: An All-Day Italian and Pasta Lab

Spagnoletti serves Italian soul food enriched with contemporary flair, in a whimsically retro-futuristic environment and centred around an ethos of one simple ingredient: flour. A feature by columnist Riccha Grrover for Asian Lite International

They make their fresh ingredients onsite every day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the theatrical open kitchen where discerning diners and go and enjoy all manner of pastries, breads, snacks, small plates, sharing plates, pasta dishes, signature standouts and sweet desserts.

Debuting a brand-new flour-lab concept in the heart of King’s Cross, the menu is a loving collaboration between their Chefs, and the wacky restaurant design itself is inspired by one of London’s most innovative engineers.

The interior is cleverly divided into different environments perfect for individuals, groups, parties, or business events. A journey to the upper floor will take you to Spagnoletti Spritz Lounge, housing a long communal bar that serves draught Venetian wine, beer on tap and a creative cocktail station.

From lunchtime onwards, you can witness the making of agnoletti, rigatoni and stunning ciccetti dishes, lovingly created and served from the open cucina that takes centre-stage on the ground floor. 

Henry Chebaane is the creative mastermind behind the interiors of the Megaro hotel overall and At Spagnoletti, he has imagined a vibrant, stylish, and exuberant environment sitting behind the 19th century façade. The name and design are inspired by Charles Spagnoletti, the 19th century London engineer and inventor, who was responsible for the development of the telegraphic signalling systems first used on the Metropolitan line, and then on most of the British railways which were passing through King’s Cross Station. There are plenty of hidden surprises that were inspired by this innovator – around every corner at Spagnoletti, there’s something new to discover.

Their menu is designed for the meals to be shared, rather than individual portions – the proper Italian way! Visit them for Italian soul food, served in a retro-futuristic ‘flour lab’ amidst the buzz of London King’s Cross. They are all about Simple, honest Italian food which is enriched with contemporary flair to deliver an uncompromised quality of flavours at affordable prices. The vibe of the restaurant is welcoming and relaxed, the music creates a chilled downtime vibe, the food is delicious and unique in amazing flavours, ingredients are fresh, presentation is charming, service is attentive, all in all its a wonderful experience and is Highly Recommended!