Even growing up with a Roman father and Neapolitan grandfather didn’t school me as to why you have to first soak bread in milk before you can even think of forming a meatball. And when you think of what the soaked bread is technically there to do—give the meatball a melt-in-your-mouth tenderness—there are easier, healthier ways.

Plus, you have options. For this recipe, I use gluten-free finely crushed brown rice cereal, but I’ve also used crushed tortilla chips, unsweetened corn flakes and plain instant oatmeal. They all perform the same function: They absorb liquid.

The other trick is to add ingredients that release liquid. Here I’ve used kale. You can swap in any green leafy veggie or if you prefer, finely chopped mushrooms or grated zucchini. The combination will give you a meatball your grandma would be proud of.

And, we’re leaving the grease behind with this recipe by baking the meatballs instead of frying them. When they finish baking, just transfer them directly into the warmed tomato sauce and you’re ready to assemble your sub.

There are foods I start craving when it starts heating up, like juice, which has become one of my everyday, feel-good foods in the last few years. Once you get juicing, you start to improvise based on several things: 1) what fruit and veggies are in your fridge 2) seasonal finds at your local farmers’ market and 3) what the kids will drink (and love!).

That said, my consciously healthy husband is a huge pineapple snacker. Maybe it’s for the antioxidants or the burst of sweet-sour flavor. Either way, I decided to throw some in the juicer the other day along with two of my favorite juicing ingredients, cucumber and mint. It was love at first sip—for the whole family—and a refreshing drink on a hot day.

Feels like summer in the city over here in Brooklyn! What better to welcome the season than with grilling. I love the fast cooking times and the easy cleanup that comes with making a meal on the grill. I also like to let my ingredients speak for themselves, which is to say that if you’re getting in-season veggies and good-quality meats, they’re already packed with lots of flavor so a simple sprinkle of salt and pepper along with a drizzle of fruity olive oil is all you really need.

My son Isaiah has always been a big wings fan. I cooked up this recipe for him. I made a savory peach jam dipping sauce, too. My kids love finger foods and dipping stuff into something somehow always makes dinner (or any meal) more fun.I’ve already found peaches and nectarines at my local market. If they aren’t available yet in your neighborhood, just swap in mango, pineapple or even strawberries and rhubarb. For the jam, just use a corresponding fruit or use apricot jam, which goes great with most flavors.

Please come say “hi” over in my online community, Silvana’s Kitchen. I’d love to hear how you’re doing. Thank you, as always, for reading and sharing!

My close friend Brittany Angell—aka Real Sustenance—and I had the pleasure of teaching gluten-free cooking classes at a family farm outside of Pittsburgh called Soergel Orchards last weekend. What a fun, food-filled weekend it was! If you’re ever in the neighborhood, please check it out. Amy, who grew up on her family’s farm, has curated one of the best gluten-free food shops in America!

If you’ve been to any of my cooking classes, you know that I like to feed people plenty of personal stories and experiences—and doughnuts. This time I made classic powdered doughnuts and just spiced things up a bit with a mix of warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. You could always add your favorite spices or just go ahead and leave them out completely!

Please come say “hi” over in my online community, Silvana’s Kitchen. I’d love to hear how you’re doing. Thank you, as always, for reading and sharing!

There’s just something about the warmth of apples spiced with cinnamon and topped with a crunchy topping that’s satisfying at the end of a long day. Lately, I’ve been playing around with the streusel. Instead of making the classic kind with my flour blend, Silvana’s Kitchen Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour—like I do for Isaiah’s favorite Pumpkin Muffins, a recipe from my first book, Cooking for Isaiah—I decided to switch things up and use cookie crumbs instead.

Here’s the fun part: You can use whatever gluten-free cookies you have on hand for a last-minute end-of-dinner dessert or pick up some of your favorite cookies at the supermarket. In our crisps, I’ve become partial to gluten-free graham crackers, vanilla wafers and snickerdoodles.

Also, feel free to switch out the apples and use your family’s favorite fruit or whatever you pick up in season at your local farmer’s market.

Please come say “hi” over in my online community, Silvana’s Kitchen. I’d love to hear how you’re doing. Thank you, as always, for reading and sharing!

For ingredient substitutions, please see the detailed chart at Gluten-Free 101.

Let’s get baking,

As a kid, I remember wondering why she always cooked up the same slurry of meals. Yes, every now and then, she would divert from her recipe rolodex and venture out into the unknown recipe world. But for the most part, she stuck to her tried-and-true plan.

Cooking every night for my own family for nearly two decades has changed my perspective on what’s for dinner. Gone are the grand expectations and here to stay are comforting meals the whole family can enjoy and equally important—that I can assemble quickly or make ahead of the dinner rush. This meatloaf recipe is a variation of my Mom’s recipe—I’ve left out the hard-boiled eggs that my kids just don’t seem to appreciate.

Please come say “hi” over in my online community, Silvana’s Kitchen. I’d love to hear how you’re doing. Thank you, as always, for reading and sharing!

For ingredient substitutions, please see the detailed chart at Gluten-Free 101.

Let’s get cooking,

In fact, I know exactly why she holds on tight to this pan: Nana Jennie was the sweetest—and strongest—woman I ever met. It just so happens Nana Jennie also made the meanest fudge cake with fudge frosting. Her cake was no joke—and I doubt the pan had much to do with it.

This recipe is inspired by Nana Jennie. After all, I didn’t have access to the pan, which comfortably lives in Florida (I’m in Brooklyn), but the intention is all hers.

Please come say “hi” over in my online community, Silvana’s Kitchen. I’d love to hear how you’re doing. Thank you, as always, for reading and sharing!

For ingredient substitutions, please see the detailed chart at Gluten-Free 101.

Let’s get baking,

I wasn’t always a fan of blended drinks. That all changed when I tasted a smoothie called Peanut Butter Split at a juice bar in Manhattan called Juice Generation. I was blown away by the flavor and creamy texture. That’s what this smoothie is loosely based on. I changed the peanut butter to almond butter, tossed in some hemp seeds and had myself a cooling, rich dairy-free drink. I hope you’ll enjoy it, too!

Please come say “hi” over in my online community, Silvana’s Kitchen. I’d love to hear how you’re doing. Thank you, as always, for reading and sharing!

For ingredient substitutions, please see the detailed chart at Gluten-Free 101.

Let’s get blending,