Avocado and carrot rolls

Healthy shack never been easier. Simple to put together, great appetizers and good for you.
Place them on your table and watch them disappear! 

Ingredients:

1 avocado

1 - 2 carrots 

Use a potato peeler, peel long pieces of carrot.

Chop the avocado into cubes and fill the carrot strips with avocado.

You can also try different combo, cucumber with avocado, carrot and hummus, cucumber with carrot cubes or carrot with green celery pieces.

Healthy snacks

Just a quick post before Christmas, here are two of my favorite snacks that keeps my sugar craving under control. I was so amazed when I tried the combo green apple and nut butter AND THEN I  tried medjool date stuffed with nut butter and it's soooooo good folks it blows your mind.Medjool dates do contain sugar but they don't produce such a blood -sugar high when you eat them as the fibre in them slows all down. Rich in selenium, copper, B vitamins and antioxidant medjool dates don't come cheep but they worth every penny!

You will need:

medjool dates

green apple

nut butter such as peanut or almond butter

Take the pit out of the dates and stuff them with 1 tsp of nut butter

or 

slice a green apple and make a sandwiches using your favorite nut butter!

Delicious and nutritious ! 

Avocado dressing

I have been making this dressing for a while and I must say I am addicted to it, not so much as  I am addicted to peanut butter and coffee but near enough.
Right, lets get to the point: if you never had it before - have it now, it will transform your lunch bowl into a goodness lunch bowl.
It's healthy and it's quick , it's simply delicious!

Ingredients:

1 ripe avocado

1 mince garlic clove

juice of half lemon or lime

2 Tbsp thick yogurt or soya yogurt 

salt and pepper 

Put all ingredients into a measuring glass jag, using a hand blender pulse it until it's smooth and kind of runny. Pour over your favorite salad, potatoes, fish or anything you like....

For mouth-watering goodness bowls, I always combine:

 grain such as brown rice, quinoa, millet, frekeeh, bulgur

add cooked pulse such as butter beans, green lentils or chick peas

add roast / steamed veggies such as sweet potato, celeriac, cauliflower or broccoli 

add grated raw carrots or beetroot 

add fresh tomatoes, rocket leaves, fresh chili, parsley 

and pan fried seeds

Mince pies with a twist

This pies are so easy and quick to make and the taste is nothing like the taste we get from the shop-bought mince pies.
I am using a homemade mincemeat prepared in advance and I am using all butter puff pastry - no trans fats in these pies !
Have a happy and healthy Christmas everyone!

Boozy pecan mincemeat recipe:

3 apples, chopped

500 gr dried fruits

60 gr pecans, chopped

100 gr light muscovado sugar

1 orange, zested and juiced

1 lemon, zested and juiced

2 tsp ground mixed spice

2 tsp ground cinnamon

good grating nutmeg

5 or 10 Tbsp brandy or rum

150 gr butter

Put all ingredients except butter in a bowl, cover and leave overnight to marinate.

The next day, sterilise five 350 ml jars and their lids using your oven.

While you jars are drying put the fruit mixture in the oven as well and adding the butter on the top of the fruit for 20 minutes.

The oven should be heated on 110 C.

Divide the mixture between the hot jars and put the lids on.

Leave to cool.

These will keep for up to 6 months in a cool and dark place.

Mince pies:

350 gr all butter puff pastry ( the best one you can afford )

1 jar of mincemeat

icing sugar ( optional )

Roll the pastry flat 3-4 mm thick

Spread the mincemeat all over the pastry and roll it.

Cut the long pastry into 12 peaces.

Place the pastry peaces on a baking tray or muffin tin, buttered 

Bake the pies for 25 minutes on 200 C .

Dust with icing sugar  before serving.

Посна потица / Vegan nut bread

Potica is festive bread prepared for Christmas! It's nutty, it's rich, it's sweet, it's beautiful. This is vegan version and because of it, I can make it any time in the year and enjoy it fresh or toasted... 

Потребни состојки:

350 гр брашно

пола лажиче сол

1 лажиче сув квасец

3 лажици мед 

2 лажици масло

вода по потреба

**********************

150 гр мелени ореви

2-3 лажици кафеав шеќер

1 лажица какао

1 лажиче цимет

1 ванилин шеќер

+ масло или посен маргарин за премачкување

Замесете тесто од наведените состојки и оставете го да се крева околу 45 минути.

Во меѓувреме измешајте ги оревите со останатите суви состојки. Премачкајте со масло калап за печење на лебот.

Тестото ставете го на побрашнета површина и со сукало развлечете го тенко почнувајки од средина. Тестото редовно треба да се поткрева за да не се залепи за површината на која работите. Треба да добиете тесто со ширина од околу 1 метар Х 60 см.

Со пекарска четка премачкајте го тестото со масло или стопен и оладен маргарин и посипете го на целата површина со смесата од ореви.

Замотајте го тестото како ролат, ке добиете долго и тенко тесто во облик на змија.

Во припремениот калап за печење ставете го тестото, преклопувајки се додека не го 

"собере" целото тесто.

Оставете го тестото да се крева 1 час покриено со крпа.

Печете на 180 степени околу 45 минути.

Оладете го лебот пред да го сечете.

По желба посипете го со шеќер во прав.

Ingredients:

350 gr flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp instant yeast

3 tbsp honey

2 tbsp oil 

water

***********

150 gr ground walnuts

2-3 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tsp cinnamon 

1 tbsp vanilla sugar

+ oil or melted vegan butter 

Place the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl, add 200 ml water together with the honey and oil and make a dough. Add more water if needed.

Place the dough into a clean mixing bowl, cover it with tea-towel and leave it to rest for 45 minutes.

In a meantime mix up the dry ingredients for the filling.

Now the tricky bit: place the dough on a flowered surface, using a rolling pin, roll the dough starting from the middle. As you work continually pick up the dough from the table, not only to help in stretching it out, but also to make sure that it isn't sticking.

You should get 1 meter x 60 cm dough.

Now, using a pastry brush, brush the dough with oil or melted vegan butter and sprinkle the walnut mixture all over the dough. Roll the dough gently, you will get a long rope shape.

Gently lift it up and place it into a greased loaf tin in the shape of U and then repeat until all "rope" is in.

Cover the tin with tea towel and leave it to rest for 1 hour.

Bake the bread on 180 C for 45 minutes.

Cool it down completely before you slice it.

Sprinkle it with icing sugar if you wish.

Vegan Winter Bliss Food

Are you vegan?? Do you want to be vegan?? You don't know how to start? I've got the answer!
Flirt with plant and clean food every now and then, you don't need to embrace it all in one go, make friend with food you never eat before, get connected with the nature in your own way, meditate, kiss the people you love more, dance and just be happy ........
I have read so many books about veganism but there is only one worth mentioning The Kind Diet and here is her blog packed with very useful info, real stories and tips 

Recipe for the falafels:

2 cups of semi cooked brown lentils

1 clove of garlic

juice of half lemon

lots of parsley

2-3 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp flour

Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse it.

Using you hands make 12 falafels, place them in a baking tin and bake them on 180 C

for 20 minutes.

The recipe is from here

Recipe for the flax crackers:

120 gr white bread flour

40 gr wholewheat flour

40 gr rye flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp of sesame seeds

1 tsp caraway seeds

1 tsp poppy seeds

4 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp flax seeds 

150 ml water

First, place the flax seeds into a small cooking pot with 150 ml of cold water.

Cook them on medium heat for 5 minutes after they boiled.

Cool down the mixture before you add to the dry ingredients, add the oil and make a dough.

Wrap the dough with cling film and leave it to rest for 20 minutes on room temperature.

Roll the dough into a rectangle shape as tin as possible and cut it into a strips.

Prick them with fork and place them into a baking tray. 

Bake the crackers for 12-14 minutes on 200 C.

The recipe is from this blog

Hummus:

300 gr cooked chick peas

1 tbsp tahini 

2 -3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

juice of half lemon

salt and pepper 

water

Place all ingredients into a food processor and pulse it until smooth!

Spread it , dip into it, love it, it's full of well needed calcium.

Колач со цвекло и семки / Beetroot and seed cake

I've tried this cake in my local church at a cake sale that is happening once in the month.  I am happy to be there to support my local church whenever I can.  The look of this cake made me order a slice despite the very good selection (my daughter went for the classic Victoria sponge) which I am sure was just as nice by the look of her face.  I finished my slice of cake and turned around to look for the ladies that bake all the cakes.  One of them was there but very busy, so I just quickly went closer to her and asked did she baked that particular cake because I want the recipe.  She answered quickly - Nigel Slater, beetroot and seed cake -  and carried on with her job.  I love Nigel as a cook, I have baked the cake the very next day and many times after that, I am still enjoying it like the very first time! 

Потребни состојки:

225 гр брашно
пола лажиче сода
2 лажички пециво
пола лажиче цимет
180 мл сончогледово масло или по желба
150 гр кафеав шеќер
3 јајца
150 гр рендано сирово цвекло
сок од пола лимон
70 гр суво грозје
70 гр печени секми ( сончогледови, тиквени, ленени )
прелив: 8 лажици шеќер во прав
сок од лимон 
мак
калап за печење со димензии 20 х 9 см 


Во сад за матење ставете го шеќерот, маслото и 3 жолчки. Матете ги со миксер.
Посебно изматете ги белките.
Ставете ги сите суви состојки во смесата со жолчки, додајте го сувото овошје и ренданото цвекло како и семките и сокот од лимон.
На крај додајте ги матените белки.
Смесата ставете ја во намрсен калап за печење и печете  на 180 степени околу 50 минути.
Оладете го колачот и прелијте го со преливот од лимон и шеќер и веднаш посипете со мак.


Ingredients:

225 gr flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
180 ml oil
150 gr brown sugar
3 eggs
150 gr raw beetroot, grated
juice of half lemon
70 gr raisins
70 gr roasted seeds ( sunflower, pumpkin, flax )
Icing: 8 tbsp icing sugar
lemon juice
poppy seeds
cake tin 20 x 9 cm

Beat the sugar, oil and 3 yolks in a mixing bowl using an electric mixer.
Whisk the whites separate until stiff.
Add all the ingredients in the yolk mixture and mix everything until nice and smooth, in the end fold in the whites.
Spoon the cake mixture into the cake tin, buttered, and bake it on 180 C for around 50 minutes.
Cool it before you pour the icing on the top.
Sprinkle some poppy seeds.

Семкаст колач со тиква и сирење / Seedy and cheesy pumpkin cake

Hi folks, I am back! I haven't been anywhere, it's just I am so busy lately.  I cannot organize myself to do everything I want to do, 24 hours is not enough for me, that is my excuse anyway.

I am loving autumn food, pumpkin is one of my favorite veggies ever and I just love using it in cakes as well as in savories.  This cake is so lovely, moist, not too sweet and by adding a bit of cheese, it really brings up the taste of pumpkin.  The crunchy seeds on the top is what makes this cake so special !!

Потребни состојки:

200 гр путер

100 гр кафеав шеќер

1 јајце

200 гр пире од тиква*

1 ванила

250 гр брашно

1 лажичка сода 

1 лажичка пециво

малку сол

1 лажиче цимет во прав

1 лажиче морско оревче

*****************************

200 гр младо сирење или несолена урда

40 гр шеќер во прав

1 јајце

ванилин екстрат

30 гр семки од сончоглед

Путерот се мати заедно со шеќерот, се додава јајцето и тиквата како и ванилата.
Додајте ги сувите состојки и 2-3 лажици топла вода.
Урдата изматете ја заедно со шеќерот и ванилата како и јајцето.
Премачкајте со путер правоаголен калап за печење со димензија 12х26 см , 
ставете половина од смесата од тиква, целата смеса од урда и одозгора додајте ја преостанатата смеса од тиква. 
Користејки вилушка, измешајте ги двете смеси на неколку места .
Посипете со семки од сончоглед и печете го колачот на 180 степени околу 40 минути.
Исечете го колачот откако ке се олади!

*исечена на парчиња и нелупена тиква се става во тава за печење, лушпата да е одозгора, се пече додека не омекне,50 минути на 190 степени. Со лажица изгребете ја меката тиква и испасирајте ја.



Ingredients:

200 gr butter
100 gr brown sugar
1 egg
200 gr pumpkin puree* 
1 tbsp vanilla sugar or 1 tsp vanilla extract 
250 gr flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon 
1 tsp ground nutmeg 
***************************
250 gr quark cheese
40 gr icing sugar
1 egg 
1 tsp vanilla extract 
30 gr sunflower seeds


In a mixing bowl whisk the butter, sugar and vanilla, add the egg and pumpkin puree as well as all the dry ingredients. Add 2-3 tbsp of warm water and mix up well. 
In a separate bowl whisk the cheese with the egg,sugar and vanilla.
Butter a rectangle baking tray 12 x 26 cm and pour in half of the pumpkin mixture, spread the cheese mixture on the top and add the rest of the pumpkin mixture.
Make a few swirls using a fork.
Sprinkle the seeds and bake the cake on 180 C for 40 minutes.
Cool it down before you cut it!

* Place unpeeled pumpkin skin up in a baking tray and bake it on 190 C for 50 minutes until is soft. Spoon out the pumpkin and mash it.

Меки пецива со цимет / Soft cinnamon buns

Soft, sweet, full of flavour, this buns are perfect snacks to take them with you on your family autumn walk or watch them disappear straight out of the oven. 

Потребни состојки:

25 гр свеж квасец или 1 лажица сув

200 мл млако млеко

1 лажиче шеќер

130 гр брашно

*****************************************

65 гр шеќер

пола лажиче сол

75 гр мек путер

260 гр брашно

***********************

25 гр мек путер

40 гр шеќер

2 лажици цимет

Измешајте го квасецот со млекото, додаајте го шеќерот и брашното и оставете ја смесата 15 минути.

Додајте шеќер, сол, путер и брашно и замесете тесто.

Оставете го тестото во длабок сад околу 45 минути на топло а потоа размесете го и поделете го на два дела.

Секој дел развлечете го во правоаголна форма, премачкајте со путер и посипете со мешавина од шеќер и цимет.

Замотајте ролат и сечете парчиња од 4 см.

Ставете ги веднаш на тепсија обложена со хартија и оставете ги уште 30 минути.

Печете ги на 200 степени околу 10 - 12 минути.

Премачкајте ги со стопен путер по желба.

Ingredients:

25 gr fresh yeast or 1 tbsp dry yeast

200 ml lukewarm milk

1 tsp sugar

130 gr flour

**********************

65 gr sugar

1/2 tsp salt

75 gr soft butter

260 gr flour

************************

25 gr soft butter

40 gr sugar

2 tbsp cinnamon

Crumble the yeast into the milk in a large mixing bowl.

Whisk in the sugar and flour.

Set aside for 15 minutes.

After that, add the sugar, salt and melted butter, stir well and add the flour.

Knead the dough on floured surface, then transfer to a clean mixing bowl and let it prove for 45 minutes.

Punch down the dough and divide into two.

Roll each portion into a rectangle shape, spread the butter and sprinkle the sugar mixed with the cinnamon.

Roll the pastry, cut into 4 cm rolls and place on the prepared baking tray.

Leave to prove in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Bake the buns for 10 - 12 minutes on 200 C.

Brush the tops with some melted butter if you want shiny ones.

Other blog's recipes - Sourdough bread

Sourdough bread made by this recipe - priceless !

Лепиња со пашканат и сусам / Parsnip and sesame flatbreads

These flat-breads are incredibly soft and tasty, once you make them you will look forward to make and eat them again. When I got them out of the oven, half were eaten by the children. Those that survived I serve them with some homemade humus and aubergine dip, they would of been a perfect match with a steaming bowl of soup, well, maybe next time...........Inspired by Nordic bakery, Soho, London

Потребни состојки:

200 гр пашканат, рендан
250 гр јогурт
50 мл масло
пола лажичка сол
1 лажичка сода бикарбона
150 гр бело брашно
150 гр интегрално брашно
1 јајце
сусам

Ставете го пашканатот да се вари со 100 мл вода околу 5 минути.
Оставете го да се олади заедно со течноста.
Ставете го брашното во подлабок сад, додајте ги преостанатите состојки + 100 мл вода како и оладениот пашканат со течноста.
Загрејте ја рерната на 220 степени.
Обложете со пек-хартија две поголеми правоаголни тепсии.
Со супена лажица ставајте од смесата по две лажици за едно лепче. Треба да се добијат околу 16 лепчиња.
Обликот на лепчињата не е толку важен ( види долу слика).
Посипете ги обилно со сусам и веднаш печете ги во загреана рерна околу 10 минути.

Ingredients:


200 gr parsnip, grated
250 ml yogurt
50 ml oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
150 gr white flour
150 gr wholemeal flour
1 egg
sesame seeds for topping 


Put the grated parsnip in a saucepan with 100 ml water.Bring to a boil and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
Let it cool down with its liquid.
Put the rest of the ingredients + 100 ml water to a mixing bowl, add the parsnip to the mixture.
Drop 2 tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking tray, ( you will need two big one's )
You should get 16 round not so nice looking dough.
Sprinkle sesame seeds on the top and bake in pre-heated oven on 220 C for around 10 minutes.

note: I used spelt flour and integral sesame seeds.

Р'жeн колач со јаболки и боровинки / Apple and blueberry rye cake

Fresh fruit cake, not so sweet and not so spicy. The rye flour gives it a nice, slightly nutty flavour.
Gosia, this one is for you !

Потребни состојки:

200 гр интегрално пченично брашно

100 гр р'жено брашно

2 мали лажички пециво

1 мала лажичка цимет

многу малку сол

120 мл масло

4 - 6 лажици кафеав шеќер

3 јајца

3 јаболки, рендани

1 чаша јогурт

100 гр боровинки, смрзнати или свежи

За овој колач ке ви треба округол калап со пречник од 20 см, намрсен.

Во подлабок сад ставете ги сите суви состојки.

Во друг сад ставете ги жолчките, маслото и јогуртот и матете со рачна маталка.

Белките изматете ги со миксер.

Додајте ги сувите состојки во мокрите, измешајте убаво и на крај додајте ги изматените белки, јаболките и боровниците.

Смесата ставете ја во калапот за печење.

Печете го колачот на 170 степени околу 1 час.

* шеќерот може да се замени со мед, боровниците со сецкани ореви а јогуртот со млеко. По желба може да се додаде и кора од лимон.

Ingredients:

200 gr wholemeal plain flour

100 gr rye flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon 

pinch of salt

120 ml oil

4 - 6 tbsp brown sugar

3 eggs, separated whites and yolks

3 apples, grated 

1 cup of yogurt

100 gr frozen or fresh blueberries 

You will need a round cake tin 20 cm wide.

In a mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl, place the egg yolks, yogurt and oil and whisk them together.

Whisk the egg whites with a electrical mixer until stiff.

Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mix it all up and add the apples, blueberries as well as the egg whites.

Spoon the cake mixture into the buttered cake tin and bake the cake for 1 hour on 170 C.

*instead of sugar you can use honey, substitute the blueberries for chopped walnuts and use milk if you haven't got a yogurt.

If you wish, you can add some lemon zest.

Enjoy!  

Кисела рендана зелка / Homemade fermented cabbage or Sauerkraut

Fermenting cabbage made easy! I just love it. I make this every autumn as part of my healthy diet / healthy guts but I have to admit that it took me a while to adjust the quantity of salt. I have tried it with organic maldon crystal salt, table salt or even Himalayan salt, the thing is it works with any salt as long as you put the right amount. The quality of cabbage is also very important, it has to be fresh. The jar needs to have a good lid and doesn't have to be sterilised.
Well, lets start it!

Потребни состојки:

2 зелки

1 рамна лажица сол

Зелките се рендаат во стаклен или земјен сад.

Посолете и изтријте ја зелката за да пушти вода.

Покријте со кујнска крпа и оставете 2 - 3 часа во ладна просторија.

Во поголема тегла 1 1/2 литар ставете ја изгмечената зелка заедно со сокот.

Покријте со еден мал лист зелка и убаво притиснете надолу .

Зелката треба да е под сокот.

Ставете го капакот одозгора и чувајте ја теглата на собна температура.

Неколку пати во денот притискајте ја зелката надолу и мириснете како мириса.

Зелката е готова кога ке замириса на туршија, во мојот случај зелката се "направи" за 3 дена.

Затворете ја теглата со капак.

Ingredients:

2 cabbages 
1 level tbsp salt

Shred the cabbage, pour over the salt and squeeze it with your hands to release the water.
Use glass, earth or ceramic bowl, never plastic.
Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave it in a cool room foe 2-3 hours.
Get a clean 1 1/2 litre glass jar and stuff it with the cabbage and its water.
Press it down, cover it with a small cabbage leaf and press it down again so every peace of cabbage to be under the water.
Keep the jar in a room temperature and repeat the pressing bit every now and then or 3 times in a day.Have a sniff.
After 3 day ( in my case ) the cabbage will smell sour and foam or babbles will appear on the top. 
Put the lid on and place it in the fridge.

Serving suggestion: eat it as a salad with a splash of olive oil, use it to fill up a sandwiches, my favorite combo is humus, cabbage and lettuce with some dry chili flakes!

notes: don't add any water when you fill up the jar, use only the water from the cabbage, it will be enough!