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

Soft polenta and spinach

This is my favorite "fast food" meal for one. When the days are crazy, when I have cooked spaghetti bolognese for my family or when I simply fancy something nourishing comfort food - this is what I make in no time ...  

you will need:

50g polenta

200ml water

salt

3 cubes frozen spinach 

1/4 avocado

olive oil

First, put the frozen spinach into a small pot, heat the pot and put the lid on. The spinach will defrost in 5 minutes. 

Now the spinach is ready, I place the spinach in a plate and use the same cooking pot to cook the polenta. Do not wash the pot, let the small bits of spinach blend with your polenta.

Pour the water into the pot, heat the pot, before it boils, add the polenta, stir until boils.

Place the lid on and cook the polenta on a low heat stirring every now and then for about 5 minutes.

Season with salt and drizzle olive oil generously.... 

This recipe will appear on VegHog blog as a contribution for eat your greens

Leek potato & spinach soup

Hello first day of spring ! Soup is something I will be eating less this season especially when the sun comes out, but for now here is a hearty and nutritious bowl of soup ..... 

Ingredients:

300 gr sliced leek
600 gr white potatoes
2 cloves garlic
olive oil
3 cubes frozen spinach
salt and pepper or 1 stock cube

garnish: yogurt, avocado,
ground flax seeds, bread,
olive oil


In a large pot pour in 3 - 4 Tbsp olive oil.
Add the leek followed by the potatoes ( peeled and cubed ).
Stir in the minced garlic and pour in 1 .3 litre of hot water.
Bring it to boil, reduce the heat and put the lid on.
Cook the soup for 15 minutes, add salt and pepper as well as the spinach.
Cook for further 5 minutes.
Cool it down for a bit before you liquidise the soup. 
I use an electric stick blender.
Serve for dinner as a first course or a light lunch.

note: add any other veggies such as cauliflower, celeriac or broccoli stalks.... 

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

Spanakopita

There is no better food for me then the food from my homeland, the flavours I grow up with.
Buttery pastry mixed up with spinach and cheese, accomplished by yogurt and cucumber and salty olives.... and there is a ouzo drink as well....
 

you will need:

270 gr filo pastry, I've got 7 sheets 

300 gr spinach 

100 gr feta cheese

100 gr cottage cheese

2 eggs

1 spring onion 

40 gr butter, melted

pepper

sesame seeds

Wash and chop the spinach.

In a cooking pot drop 2 Tbsp hot water, add the spinach and stir until the spinach is wilted.

Cool it down and squeeze off any liquid before you mix it with cheeses + eggs + spring onion and pepper. You wont need salt because  the feta cheese is salted enough. 

Now the filling is ready,melt the butter.

 Place the  filo pastry on a clean worktop and cut the sheets on half to get 14 long sheets.

Brush each pastry with some butter and put 1 Tbsp of the filling in the corner of the pastry.

Fold and fold again :) 

until you get triangle shape pastries.

Place them in a large baking tray then

brush them with some more butter and sprinkle sesame seeds.

Bake on 180 C for 25 minutes.

Запечена тестенина со спанаќови гнезда / Pasta bake with spinach nests

I have been inspired today to cook this dish because it's weekend and everyone is home chilling out and I can ask my husband to peel the squash ( he is not happy about it ) which is something I hate doing it myself. The spinach nest addition came in a last minute as I realized that there isn't any broccoli in the fridge. Very nice, tasty and refreshing wholesome meal accomplished by green leaf salad and some garlic bread.... perfect family dinner...

Потребни состојки:

1 кромид

700 гр тиква

пола коцка за супа

маслиново масло

500 гр домати свежи или од конзерва

2 чешниња лук

сол

бибер

400 гр интегрална тестенина

200 гр спанаќ

50 гр кашкавал 

Во длабок сад загрејте 2-3 лажици маслиново масло. Додајте го сецканиот кромидот и по неколку минути излупена и исечена на поголеми коцки, тиква.

Додајте 500 мл вода и пола коцка за супа.

Варете 15 минути или додека тиквата не омекне.

Во посебен сад ставете ги сецканите домати да се варат, додајте го лукот,лажица-две маслиново масло како и сол и бибер.

И на овој сос му треба 15 - 20 минути да се свари.

Оладете ги малку сосовите и изблендирајте ги во електричен блендер.

Сварете ја тестенината al dente  .

Спанаќот попарете го со вруќа вода и изцедете го веднаш.

Во огноотпорен сад ставете ја варената тестенина, додајте го сосот, ставете го спанаќот во облик на гнезда, посолете го и побиберите го секое гнездо и наредете тенко-сечен кашкавал.Напрскајте ги гнездата со маслиново масло.

Печете 20 минути на 180 степени.

Ingredients:

1  onion

700 gr pumpkin or butternut squash 

half a stock cube

olive oil

500 gr tomatoes, chopped  (fresh or caned )

2 cloves of garlic

salt and pepper

400 gr wholemeal pasta 

200 gr spinach

50 gr cheese

In a deep pot pour in 2-3 tbsp olive oil and add the chopped onion.

After few minutes add the squash (peeled and cubed) and 500 ml water with the stock cube.

Cook it for 15 minutes or until the squash is soft.

For the other sauce, place the tomatoes in a pot, add the chopped garlic,splash of olive oil as well as salt and pepper.

It will take 15-20 minutes to get ready.

Cool down both sauces before you blend them in a electric blender.

Cook the pasta al dente.

Put the spinach in a separate pot,pour over some boiling water and drain it straight away.

In a ovenproof dish pour in the sauce, add the cooked pasta, mix it all up and place the spinach on the top in a shape of nests.

Season each nest with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle some chopped cheese at the top and spray the spinach nests with olive oil.

Bake for 20 min on 180 C

Крем - чорба од леќа и спанаќ / Creamy lentils with spinach

Lentils and more lentils, I can't have enough of it. This time it's been added a little bit of creme fraiche and the taste is almost luxurious ......

Потребни состојки:

1 кромид

1 морков

1 голем компир или батат

пола шоља леќа

300 гр свеж спанаќ или неколку коцки смрзнат

2 лажици милерам или павлака

лук

сол и бибер

пола коцка за супа од зеленчук

маслиново масло

На 3 - 4 лажици маслиново масло се додава ситно сецкан кромид,се додава лукот и морковот како и леќата.

Се полива со 3 шољи топла вода и компирот исечен на коцки.

Се вари околу 40 минути или додека леќата не омекне.

Одкако леќата е варена се додава коцката за супа ,бибер и малку сол.

Спуштете го и спанаќот.

По 5 минути додајте ја и павлаката .

Дотерајте го вкусот по ваша желба додавајки магдонос или некоја друга тревка.

Сервирајте со леб и салата или варен кафеав ориз.

Ingredients:

1 onion

1 carrot

1 big potato or sweet potato

half a cup of green lentils

300 gr fresh spinach or couple of cubes of frozen one

2 tbsp creme fraiche 

garlic

salt and pepper

1/2 cube vegetable stock

olive oil

Fry the chopped onion on 3 - 4 tbsp olive oil.

Add the mince garlic and chopped carrot, cook it for few minutes before you add the lentils and 3 cups of warm water.

Add the cubed potato as well.

Cook the lentils for about 40 minutes or until they are soft then add the cube stock .Add the spinach and after five minutes the creme fraiche.

Taste before adding salt but be generous with black pepper.

Sprinkle some chopped parsley or any other herbs you like.

Serve it with bread and salad as a main dish, my favorite combo is with brown rise, so yummy.

Дип од грав и спанаќ / Beans and spinach dip

Dips are part of my healthy diet, I made them from  pretty much anything I have in my fridge but the base is always beans, lentils or chickpeas. I eat them for snack or I spread on sandwiches for lunchboxes, yum.......

Потребни состојки:

400 гр бел грав, сварен

100 - 200 гр свеж спанаќ или рукола

маслиново масло

лук по желба

сол и бибер

Топлиот грав се става во блендер, му се додава свежиот спанаќ,маслиновото масло (околу 3 лажици ) сол и бибер и лук ако користите.

Смесата се блендира додавајки вода од гравот.

И тоа е тоа, сервирање веднаш или оладете го дипот, посипете со маслиново масло (за да не фати кора ) и чувајте го во фрижидер до три дена.

Уживајте го со свеж зеленчук или домашни интегрални соленки.

Може да се користи и конзервиран грав за побрза подготовка.

Ingredients: 

400 gr white beans, cooked or caned 

100 - 200 gr fresh spinach or rocket leaves 

olive oil

garlic ( optional )

salt and pepper

The beans should be warm.

Put the beans in a food processor, add the spinach, garlic,salt,pepper and good splash of olive oil.

Blitz all together adding the warm water from the beans.

You can serve it straightaway or cool it down, pour some olive oil over it and keep it in the fridge up to three days.

Enjoy it with fresh vegetables or crackers.

Пикантна чорба со леќа и зеленчук / Vegetable curry with lentils

For vegan days!

Потребни состојки:

1 кромид

парче тазе џумбир ( по желба)

малку лук

1 лажичка кари во прав

1 лажичка куркума во прав

1 шоља од 250 мл црвена леќа

3 моркови

150 гр свеж спанаќ

1 шоља замрзнат грашок

На 3 - 4 лажици маслиново масло се пржи ситно исецкан кромид и на коцки исецкан морков,се пржи десетина минути на тивко па се додава изрендан лук и џумбир. Мешајте 2 минути па додајте кари и куркума.Мешајте повторно да се запржат зачините или да пуштат мирис па додајте ја леќата и 3 чаши вода.Се вари на тивко покриено со капак околу 25 минути, потоа додајте сол и бибер, спанаќ и грашок и варете 4 - 5 минути.

Сервирајте со басмати ориз .

Пријатно!

You will need:

1 onion

peace of fresh ginger

few garlic cloves

1 tsp of curry powder 

1 tsp of turmeric 

1 cup red lentils 

3 carrots, dissed  

150 gr fresh spinach 

1 cup of frozen peas 

Heat some olive oil ( 3 - 4 tbsp) 

add the chopped onion and carrots and cook it for about 10 minutes before adding the grated ginger and garlic.Stir it up for 2 minutes and add the spices, stir again until they release aroma then add the lentils and the water.

Cook it covered with lid for about 25 minutes.

Add some salt and pepper as well as  the spinach and the peas.

Cook it for 5 minutes.

Serve with basmati rise .