What I've been cooking in February

Paprika baked cauliflower 

Cauliflower is a one of my regular vegetable I cook and eat in many forms, so when my mother in law asked me if I can prepare something veggie for the party she was going to have for her husband's 75th birthday I came up with a whole roast couli as a main and grated courgette and chickpeas as a side dish. 

For the cauliflower I mixed up minced garlic, red paprika, salt, pepper and olive oil. Rubbed it onto the cauliflower and roasted for 30 min on 180 C.

Add the tomatoes with some more olive oil and roast for another 20 minutes. Meanwhile grate two small courgettes and fry with very little olive oil for ten minutes, than all drained tin of chickpeas.

Before serving sprinkle some toasted and chopped cashew nut and parsley ….

Beans on toast with eggs, avocado and tomato salsa

This is my typical weekend breakfast, cooked a bit later then usual because I've been for a run 🏃.

The kids would of been fed by then so this is kind of "It's a date meal" for me and my husband .

I made a very quick chili by frying a raw chopped hot chili followed by some garlic and 300g mixed cooked beans. I halved a handful of small tomatoes and added some olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh parsley. I fried eggs, toasted some sourdough bread and dished up with avocado and lime juice..

Roast butternut squash baked with macaroni cheese, yum 

This was served with broccoli and green salad , perfect mid-week meal for five of us ..

 Cherry compote porridge topping

I used bag of 350g frozen cherries, I cooked it with juice of half a orange and a stick of cinnamon for 30 minutes. The taste is not so sweet but very fragrant and morish , it makes me want to eat porridge twice a day :) 

Store in a clean jar and keep it in your fridge for up to two weeks ….

Feta & cheese multigrain muffins

These multigrain muffins are from my late childhood when my sister got interested in baking. 

The original recipe is called  "Lepcinja so spanak" which means "spinach breads".

The ingredients are very much what we would have in our kitchen / larder all the time.

Now days I live in England but I still have corn meal and feta cheese at any time :) 

Ingredients:

150g white spelt flour

150g wholemeal wheat flour

150g corn meal

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

200g feta cheese, crumbled

250 ml yogurt

mixed with 125 ml water

4 Tbsp oil

2 large eggs or 3 medium size 

2 to 3 handful fresh spinach

sesame seeds 

soft butter for greasing the muffin tin

Mix the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.

Pour in the wet ingredients followed by the cheese. 

Mix everything and fold in the spinach leafs.

Grease the muffin tin and sprinkle generously the sesame seeds.

Spoon in the mixture and bake for 25 minutes on 190 C.

I love them sliced, toasted and served with soup. 

Best eaten warm. 

Freeze any left, defrost and take them with you for a picnic ....

The soup on the photo it's been a hit this winter, it is called 

`cheesy` vegan broccoli soup, you will find the recipe here

Leek and kale with dippy eggs

This is a perfect meal to recharge your body after exercise.
Adding some yogurt and wholegrain mustard  makes it extra yummy, the taste is a bit sour-ish but also sweet from the leek....

Ingredients:

1 large leek, trimmed and sliced 

150 gr kale

olive oil

3 Tbsp natural yogurt 

1 to 2 tsp wholegrain mustard from jar 

parsley

4 eggs

Heat a big frying pan suitable for grill as well.
Add splash of oil, followed by the leek.
Saute the leek until soften, then add the kale, splash of water and put the lid on for 6-7 minutes or until the kale is almost cooked.
Stir in the yogurt and the mustard and simmer for a minute or two.
Make 4 hollows in the kale mixture and crack the eggs into.
Cook for 1 minute without any stirring and then put the pan under the pre-heated grill .
Grill everything for 3-4 minutes, make sure the egg yolks are still runny.
Sprinkle some salt, pepper and chopped parsley.
Serve immediately and enjoy! 

Thanks for reading! I would appreciate any comments or suggestions from you.

Полнети печурки / Stuffed mushroom

This has became a regular dish in my kitchen for many reasons, it's packed with proteins, taste as good as it looks, it is very easy to create and you can serve it with different carbs each time. I like it best served with a creamy polenta or mashed cauliflower, the options are endless....

Потребно е:

4 големи печурки

4 јајца

маслиново масло

сол и бибер

за прелив:

една рака магдонос

50 гр индијски ореви

сок од полoвина лимон

маслиново масло

сол 

бибер

Исчистете ги печурките, одстранете го стеблото од средината на печурката и наредете ги во тава за печење.

Во секоја печурка ставете по едно јајце и посолете.

Додајте 2 - 3 лажици маслиново масло и ставете ги печурките во загреана рерна на 180 степени да се печат.

Печете околу 15 до 20 минути.

Во меѓувреме направете прелив:

- ставете ги сите состојки во блендер, додајте малку вода ако сакате течен прелив.

Сервирајте ги печурките по желба: ориз, палента или пире од комрири или зеленчук.

Ingredients:

4 portobello mushrooms

4 eggs

2-3 Tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

for the pesto:

1 handful parsley

50 gr cashew nuts 

juice of half lemon

salt

pepper

olive oil

Clean the mushrooms and remove the stalks.

Place the mushrooms on a tray and crack an egg into the centre of each mushroom.

Sprinkle some salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil.

Cook the mushroom on preheated oven on 180 C for 15 - 20 minutes.

In a meantime make the pesto, place all ingredients into a small blender and blend it until it's smooth. Add some water if you prefer your pesto runny.
Serve it as you wish.

Thanks for reading! I would appreciate any comments or suggestions from you.

Јајчарник / Eggy pie by Becky

I met Becky in Sarajevo, we quickly became friends, had lots of play dates for our young children and we shared lots of food together.This is her pie ........

Потребни состојки:

1 бајат леб

5 јајца

50 гр кашкавал

1 црвен кромид

1 мала павлака

100 мл млеко

Лебот исечете го на кришки и одстранете ја корката.

Премачкајте огноотпорен сад со путер и наредете ги кришките леб.

Кромидот ситно исецкајте го, кашкавалот изрендајте го и наредете ги врз лебот.
Во поголем сад изматете ги јајцата, додајте ја павлаката и млекото и мешајте со жица- маталка.
Оваа смеса се прелива врз кришките леб.
Идеално, ова се приготвува навечер, се остава во фрижидер покриено со најлон фолија.
Наутро загрејте ја рерната на 180 степени и печете околу 45 минути.
Ако ви се брза,пригответе го и веднаш печете, вкусот е ист....




Ingredients:


1 loaf of stale bread
5 eggs
1 red onion , finely cut  
50 gr cheddar cheese, grated 
1 small sour cream or creme fraiche 
100 ml milk

Slice the bread extra thick and take the crust off.
Use a large ovenproof dish, butter it and place the bread in it.
Top it up with the onions and the cheese.
In a big bowl, whisk the eggs, add the cream and milk.
Pour over the bread.
Ideally, this should be prepared in the evening, cover it up with cling film and keep it in the fridge over night.
Bake it in the morning on 180 C for 45 minutes.
However, if you haven't got a time, make it and bake it straight away, the taste is the same... 

Пита со зеленчук за час / Quick vegetable pie

I do not know what to call it, but it is simply Yorkshire pudding batter with added cheese in it and leftover vegetables or "toad in a hole" without sausages. it doesn't really matter how we will call it, what really matters is how it tastes. The melt in a mouth sensation and little voice asking you: is there any more? 

Потребни состојки:

3 јајца

6 лажици брашно

4 лажици рендан пармезан

100 мл млеко

90 мл вода

млад кромид или неколку лукчиња

околу 300 гр зеленчук ( брокула, карфиол, млади нелупени тиквици , млади варени компири )

сол и бибер

масло 

Во поголема здела се матат јајцата и брашното со жица-маталка.

Се додава млекото како и водата.Се додава и сецкано младо кромидче, пармезанот, сол и бибер како и варениот зеленчук.

Ако користите брокули и карфиол, варете ги 2 до 3 минути.

Ако користите млади тиквици не треба да ги варите,само исецкајте ги на тенки кругови.

Во тепсија со дијаметар од 28 см ставете 2 - 3 лажици масло и ставете ја тепсијата во загреана рерна на 220 степени.

Кога маслото е многу топло извадете ја тепсијата и сипајте ја смесата, веднаш вратете ја тепсијата во рерна и печете 20 минути.

Ingredients:

3 eggs

6 tbsp plain flour

4 tbsp grated parmesan cheese 

100 ml milk

90 ml water

little bit spring onion or garlic

300 gr vegetables 

( broccoli and cauliflower, baby courgettes or cooked baby potatoes )

salt, pepper 

oil 


Whisk the eggs with the flour,adding milk and water. Then add the onions, cheese and vegetables.
Season with salt and pepper.
Cook the  broccoli and the cauliflower for 2 -3 minutes only.
The baby courgettes should be tiny sliced.
Put the oil in a pan ( size 28 cm in diameter )
Heat the pan in an oven pre-heated on 220 C until the oil is really hot.
Then pour the batter into the pan and put it back in the oven.
Bake for 20 minutes at 220 C. 

Кромидаво со јајца / Eggs and onions fry

Less is more!

Ке ви треба:

4 - 5 главици кромид

малку куркума

сол и бибер

2 - 3 јајца

масло

Маслото се загрева, се додава кромидот исецен на долго.

Се пржи додека не омекне.

Додајте малку куркума и зачинете со сол и бибер.

Додајте ги и изматените јајца, мешајте додека јајцата не се соедината убаво со кромидот.

Сервирајте го јадењето топло .

You will need:

4 - 5 onions

little bit turmeric 

salt and pepper

2 - 3 eggs

oil

Method:

Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the onions cut into long strips.

Fry them until they get really soft then add the turmeric, salt and pepper 

and eggs.

Mix them up until they get really scrambled.

Serve it warm with some chapatis or flat bread.