Month: March 2017

Ellie Bleu Book Club, Recipes

Indulgent Coconut Bread Pudding with Puff Pastry

elliebleu

Coconut Bread Pudding

The second that I finished interviewing author Zoë Ferraris, I had to try Umm Ali. After multiple attempts to perfect the recipe, and about a million calories later, I think I have a winner. The best part is, the dessert looks deceptively fancy. By using frozen puff pastry, it cut down the prep time by half. Umm Ali would be a fun sweet to make for a Finding Nouf book club party. You can find out more about Zoë Ferraris’ page-turning mystery here. Continue reading “Indulgent Coconut Bread Pudding with Puff Pastry” →

Recipes

Refreshing Citrus Salad Recipe for Spring

elliebleu

Citrus Salad

I found blood oranges at the market today. It’s the first time I tried them, and I realized they’d taste wonderful in a colorful citrus salad. The combination of citrus and fresh greens with a grapefruit vinaigrette made such a simple and pretty springtime salad. It’s so easy to make and perfect for a brunch. Continue reading “Refreshing Citrus Salad Recipe for Spring” →

Ellie Bleu Book Club

Mystery and Culture: Zoë Ferraris on Finding Nouf

elliebleu

Finding Nouf Q and AAs I continue to pursue my passion for writing, I’ve been wondering: who are some of my favorite authors’ role models? What influenced their work? Do they have a go-to recipe that connects them back to the country they wrote about?

Hopefully, by featuring Inspirational Authors, you’ll have more books to add to your reading list. Perhaps they will also inspire you.

The first author that came to my mind was award-winning novelist Zoë Ferraris. I’m incredibly grateful that she would take the time to share a little bit of her story with us. Her bestselling mystery, Finding Nouf, dives into the complexity of searching for a missing sixteen-year-old girl in the veiled society of Saudi Arabia. Continue reading “Mystery and Culture: Zoë Ferraris on Finding Nouf” →

Recipes

Delicious Lumaconi with Almond Ricotta Recipe

elliebleu

Lumaconi with Almond Ricotta and Spinach

Lumaconi pasta comes from a beautiful town overlooking the Amalfi Coast. Legend has it that a young pasta maker fell in love with a fisherman’s daughter. To impress her family, and win her hand in marriage, he invented a new pasta inspired by seashells called “Lumaca di mere.” Traditionally, the pasta is stuffed with ricotta and baked like lasagna. It’s one of my favorite recipes, and I hope it becomes yours too. Continue reading “Delicious Lumaconi with Almond Ricotta Recipe” →

Recipes

Healthy Greek Breakfast Parfait Recipe

elliebleu

Greek Breakfast

I love parfaits in the springtime when it’s still a little too cold for smoothies. The breakfast parfaits I had in Greece were made with goat’s milk yogurt and honey. To make this parfait healthier and reduce the cholesterol, I blended plain non-dairy yogurt with a frozen banana and added a little vanilla powder to sweeten it up a bit. Top the yogurt mixture with antioxidant-rich berries, pomegranate seeds, unsweetened coconut flakes, and pistachios. It’s a fun recipe to make with children and a great alternative for dessert. Continue reading “Healthy Greek Breakfast Parfait Recipe” →