I already cycled in Iceland and with my immense wonder I could see the difficulty of finding the food using the bicycle... I decided to come back a year later, with a much wider organization baggage.
The preparation of the baggage is much more meticulous this time.
Next to the camera I feel the need to bring two stoves with me (a multi-fuel cooker and a traditional one with alcohol) considering that they are of fundamental importance for the realization of most of the recipes described.
Two are in fact the fires needed for the preparation of unique dishes that will serve to replenish the energy spent during the long hours of cycling.
Usually when I prepare for a bike ride I try to reduce and reduce the equipment, but this time I decided to bring with me a small pantry.
Most of the ingredients I would have found anyway in the most supplied supermarkets, apart from the extra virgin olive oil of my production which is indispensable for me. Convinced that I would start pedaling once landed late in the evening at Keflavik airport and aware that I still do not find the markets open to supply me with food, so the dispensation brought from home became a great help.
One of the greatest joys in addition to pedaling and feeling the direct presence with the overwhelming scenarios was to find the empty spaces, uncontaminated landscapes to be observed for the time in the pause of food preparation.
The time I spent cooking after the long days spent pedaling left room for reflection: while peeling, chopping, lighting the fire, I thought of the roads traveled, the landscapes crossed, the obstacles dodged. This time was paying homage to rediscover physical and mental strength.
When I find Brussels sprouts, I always stock up: Rich in nutrients, quick to cook, they take up little space and in a sealed plastic bag they are stored well for days.
Quinoa is rich in mineral salts and fibers and contains a good quantity of all the essential amino acids. Together the two becomes a nutritious dish full of antioxidant properties.
Cassouela is a typical dish of the culinary tradition of Lombardy in northern Italy.
It is originally a simple dish based on cabbage and different parts of pork. This is a vegetable variant, easy and quick to make, satisfying without weighing you down. Ideal when it’s cold outside.
A short while ago, I discovered that buckwheat does not belong to the cereal family and that is closer to rhubarb than wheat.
It contains essential amino acids and is rich in mineral salts therefore it is considered a plant source of good quality proteins.
Eaten in adequate quantities it will improve your mood and mental health as well as delight your palate; its consistency and its delicate flavor blend well with other ingredients.
It is always present in my pantry.
My favorite dish: addictive taste and quick to realize.
The nutritious fresh and thirst-quenching lemon combined with walnuts are two ingredients, besides being rich in B- and C-vitamins, which are a valid aid to maintain a hydrated body. I used the spelt fettuccine I had in my pantry, but this recipe can be made at your choice with any other type of pasta.
I prefer spelt flour pasta because it is rich in vitamin B and because of the delicate taste similar to that of walnuts.
Fast and simple to make but full of flavor and tradition: it is the Italian pasta dish par excellence to do at the last moment.
I have so many good memories of “spaghettate” with friends in the middle of the night when hunger suddenly took you. It satisfies your hunger and the desire to taste a good dish. There are no rules on the use of pepper or garlic. It’s up to you to choose the amount you find suitable.
I invented this recipe on Iceland out of need. Sometimes it isn’t possible to reach a place where you can stock up on food within your pedal distance, and you then have to do with what (little) remains, just like at home where you sometimes improvise a lunch or a dinner at the very last moment with what is available in the pantry. This was the first time that I cooked and tasted this combination of flavors.
And it wasn’t bad at all; tamari marinated carrots combined with the soft and delicate texture of quinoa made this dish very tasty and nutritious.
Original and unusual risotto with a bitterish aftertaste. The effect that comes out of the combination of very few ingredients is nothing short of amazing.
You can always find a beer, no matter where you go. I tried to make a new dish, with a slightly acrid taste that pleasantly surprised me.
Unlike other legumes, lentils do not need to be soaked previously in water making them easy and quick to prepare. There are different types; my favorites are the small ones rich in proteins and high on nutritional values.
When you feel tired, this nutritious and tasty dish will help you regain your energy.
A basic dish of Indian cuisine based on spicy lentils with turmeric.
The combination of delicate colors and flavors gives this dish a strong and intense character.
In my version I prefer to remove the lentils from the heat before they become a puree like the original recipe.
Gado gado is an Indonesian dish made from a mix of vegetables with lemon and peanut sauce. The nutritional properties of this tasty dish are really numerous: the very caloric and magnesium rich peanuts (an important mineral for the muscles with energizing effect especially after a long ride), the cabbage with the health virtues rich in vitamins, mineral salts and antioxidant properties.
A dish in perfect balance between taste and health.
The warmth and goodness of this soup will warm you up on cold days, beans and leeks the perfect combination, rich in nutrients with a delicate flavor.
Pasta and beans are one of the best solutions for when you are feeling tired and hungry.
It’s a simple and poor dish from the traditional Italian cuisine that provides a significant amount of complex carbohydrates and proteins but also fibers and mineral salts.
You will be amazed by the taste of its flavor.
Beans "all'uccelletto" is a typical dish from the Florentine cuisine; for the preparation of this classic recipe it would be necessary to cook the beans over a low heat in a clay pot and possibly accompany them with Tuscan bread. Even if you don’t have any of those, I guarantee you that only the combination of beans and tomato will win you over for the taste and sense of satiety.
Tasty and fragrant traditional Indian dish based on chickpeas flavored with curry combined with brown basmati rice, and then it has an excellent nutritional profile rich in proteins, fiber, vitamins and minerals, ideal to keep you energized and satiated for a long time.
The unmistakable scent of this dish is given by the curry and from the presence of a generous dose of garam masala.
I rarely use dehydrated soy when I'm home. I consider the soy granules excellent to take with you due to the small size, to create various recipes and for its nutritional values. The soy granular is an extruded food based on soy flour, rich in vegetable proteins, vitamins and minerals, it is ideal for the preparation of vegetable sauces, excellent on bread for quick snacks and equally tasty on pasta.
This dish with its delicate and intense flavor is excellent for recovering energy spent during the day.
Spelt takes some time to cook, the pearled one cooks in a little shorter time and does not need to be soaked the night before.
In addition to being a cereal with multiple nutritional properties spelt, even if consumed in small quantities, offers a remarkable sense of satiety.
This is a very simplified version of the classic and refined French soupe á l’oignon, a humble and simple recipe perfect for cold days.
My creation does not involve the use of flour or yeast in the vegetable broth. However, it will turn out to be a very appetizing and healthy dish.
If you find bay leaves, add them to the onion during cooking, it will increase the taste and intensity of the aroma.
Venere rice is a natural variety of black ebony rice. It is a rice that has been cultivated for decades in Italy, and it is obtained by crossing a variety originally from China, but black rice has a higher price than ordinary rice and for a reason, because venus is a highly sought-after variety of rice for its remarkable nutritional properties but, above all, for the high content of powerful antioxidants.
With its intense aroma, which becomes even stronger when cooked, recalls the scent of freshly baked bread, and its strength lies in the fact that when consumed cold it doesn’t alter the intensity and character of its flavor.
The island of the wind. The main feature of Iceland is sudden climate change. In the time that I have traveled far and wide I have almost always cycled against the wind or sideways to the wind: enemy of cyclists, especially if you have a load that transforms the heaviness of the bike into that of a motorcycle.
This complete and nutritious dish, sweetened by the tasty creaminess of coconut, with the addition of potatoes and cashews, will give you the right energy to face the days when the enemy wind will test your strength.
This fresh recipe for its richness of taste and nutrition can be a unique dish to be prepared at any time of day when there is not much time available.