This post was published earlier this week on Foodie Turned Fit – my health and fitness blog.
Everybody loves Italian food. I have been lucky enough to have been spending the week in a stunning Tuscan villa overlooking the most beautiful countryside I have ever seen. But I haven’t just been absorbing the beautiful scenery. No. I’ve been tasting some of the best food I’ve ever had in my life. I’ve been to Italy just once before. Five years ago I spent some time in Venice, Florence, and a small village called Paderno del Grappa. I remember the food being outrageous. But I must not remember it as vividly as I should have because there are just no words to describe how incredible authentic Italian food really is. After visiting some local markets and dining in quaint cafes run by local families for generations, I wanted to share some of my findings with you. 
When I first left for this trip I was mostly excited about treating myself to some amazing food, but part of me was … I guess nervous (?) about how I could balance my desire to immerse myself into the culture without going overboard and completely resetting all of my fitness progress. In fact, I wasn’t sure I was even going to post on the blog because I didn’t think I’d have anything to share that was in tune with my overall Foodie Turned Fit message. But I’ll be honest with you, it hasn’t been difficult at all. The food here, while decadent, is so simple and fresh that I’ve actually been quite healthy the entire time (some wine and gelato aside but … come on). The beauty of Tuscany lies not only in the rolling hills and vineyards but in the ingredients and cooking techniques it is known for: extra virgin olive oil and actual farm to table (like, mushrooms pulled from the ground and then used in your dish fresh) for example. Another staple happens to be the local bread. It’s made without salt and so it doesn’t last very long which is amazing for two reasons. One, when you get it fresh, you KNOW it’s fresh and two, since it goes stale quite quickly, the Tuscan geniuses have centuries of experience turning stale bread into amazing dishes. Let’s talk Panzanella.
Panzanella is nothing fancy. It’s literally a bread salad made from day old bread, plump ripe tomatoes, red onions, and super fresh basil tossed with the amazing olive oil described above and some vinegar (some places add cucumber as well). I told you, the simplicity is everything. It’s a popular starter dish in the summers here but it also makes for a really great lunch. It isn’t heavy like you would expect it to be. It’s somehow very light and airy and every single ingredient pops with every bite. The bread here is life.
Is Italian bread the healthiest thing I’ve eaten here? No, of course not. But life, including your diet, is about balance. Carbs aren’t evil people. Just enjoy them in moderation, just like everything else! Now do yourself a favor, find some really good Italian bread, and test out this recipe.
Ingredients:
• 8 ounces day old (slightly stale) Italian bread torn into pieces
• 2 pounds of fresh, ripe tomatoes – diced
• ½ cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1 pound of diced cucumbers
• Fresh basil (amount based on preference) – sliced
• Salt & fresh ground black pepper (to taste)
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
Whisk together the salt, pepper, olive oil, and vinegar – this will be your very simple yet very delicious dressing.
Combine the bread, tomatoes, onion, and cucumbers and toss with the dressing before covering and refrigerating for at least two hours but up to eight hours before adding in your fresh basil and serving.
I would love nothing more than to bring home every single thing that I’ve tasted here but somehow I don’t think Customs would be too cool with that. I guess that’s part of the beauty of a vacation though, right? It’s a treat for all of the senses. Looks like I’ll just have to come back again …
Rebecca McKinney
I wanted to create this blog for a few reasons. First and foremost, to share tips, tricks, and knowledge about the food and beverage industry in general but also to help people see a different side of the restaurant world. Every restaurant has a totally unique culture and world within it. I want to help open people’s eyes to more than how fast the service is or how easy or hard it is to secure a reservation.
So, thanks for stopping by! I welcome your ideas, input, and feedback and hope you enjoy!
Eat well & travel often,
Becky McKinney
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