Half way through the Orthodox lent and why I am doing it

It is that time of the year when Orthodox Christian people reflect about their life through eating simple plant based food for six weeks before Easter. But wait, that's difficult ?! - were my daughter's words ..

What I didn't tell her is that the "eating bit" as a matter of fact is easy. The difficult bit is the spiritual site of it. We reflect by staying calm, being thankful and grateful, forgive, pray and more ....

Don't forget who you are and where you from - that's why I am doing it ....💧💛💦💛

I make my simple food looking good as well as being tasty by adding colours and textures, it works ....

This dish is perfect for quick and easy lunch or snack. It can be eaten hot or cold.

Ingredients:

120g fine polenta

550 - 600 ml water

salt and pepper 

8 to 10 black olives, chopped

4 to 5 sundried tomatoes, chopped (optional )

2 spring onions, chopped

1 fresh sliced tomato

dry oregano 

fresh parsley

olive oil

Cook the polenta in the water that you added a splash of olive oil and salt.

While still warm add the veggies and pour into an ovenproof dish ( oiled ).

Top it up with sliced tomatoes and season with oregano, salt, pepper and some more olive oil.

Grill for 5 minutes on high temperature or oven bake on 200 C for 10 - 15 minutes.

This salad is made by leftovers with added some fresh ingredients to keep me happy and healthy..

I used cooked brown rice

cooked brown lentils

handful of chickpeas

I place those three ingredients into a small steamer for 5 minutes.

When food plated, I then add fresh spinach, chili, purple cabbage, avocado and my favorite condiment  Gomashio ...

Best vegan carrot cake

You can find the recipe on my blog, here is the link.

How ever, I added a coconut cream on the top as well as some seeds.

To make the coconut cream simply whisk the cream of one coconut milk ( discard the water, use it later in a smoothie ) 2 Tbsp maple syrup or powder sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract.

This is the seeds that I used to top up the cake.....

Veggie caviar

I can't have enough of this, since I made it last week, I haven't eaten anything else for snack or lunch.
This spread reminds me of the Balkan's legendary ajvar, it's just the method of prep is different but still deliver a explosion of taste....

Ingredients:

5 Tbsp olive oil

1 aubergine, diced 

1 courgette, diced

1 red or yellow pepper, diced

1 - 2 hot chilies ( optional ) 

1 large onion, diced

2 carrots, grated

3 big tomatoes, diced

2 garlic cloves

Heat the oil in a large frying pan.

Add the aubergines, courgettes, pepper, chilies and onions as well as salt and pepper and saute until lightly caramelised, about 20 - 25 minutes.

 Whizz all the caramelised veggies in a food processor then put them back in the frying pan, add the carrots and the tomatoes.

Cook over a medium heat for an hour, stirring from time to time until you have a thick paste.

Add the garlic right in the end. Add some more oil if is dry. Season it with salt and pepper .

Store this spread into a sterilized jar in the fridge for two weeks.

Aubergine wedges in a wrap

Summer is here ?! Apparently so! It's been raining for a week, the sun is nowhere to be seen and it's still cold. These wraps has cheered us all up with the taste of a smelly tomatoes, sharp aubergines and a hint of a garlic, chili and basil...

Ingredients:

serve 4

2 aubergines sliced into wedges 

6 small tomatoes

1 clove garlic

1/2 tsp chili flakes 

dry basil

olive oil

salt and pepper

fresh basil 

for the wraps: 200 gr flour, half to be wholemeal

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

40 ml oil

120 ml warm water

First make the wraps: place all ingredients into a medium size bowl and mix them all up until you form a dough. Cover with tea towel for an hour or two.

Place the dough onto a floured board and divide into 8 balls.

Using a rolling pin, roll each ball into a round using more flour if needed.

Heat a non stick frying pan and dry-fry the breads for 30 seconds of each side.

While you wait for the dough to rest, cut the aubergines into wedges, sprinkle some salt and set a side.

Cut the tomatoes into a small chunks, add the chili flakes, garlic, dry basil and some pepper.

Pre-heat the oven on 180 C.

Place the aubergines onto a baking tray and sprinkle oil generously .

Roast them for a 30 minutes, then add the tomato mixture and roast for 15 more minutes.

Sprinkle with fresh basil before serving.

Risottos

I adore risotto, It's quick to make it, it's wholesome and great family meal. I don't make it in a classic way and I don't always add cheese but that doesn't change the taste. If I haven't got a home made stock, I just use water. Wine is no no in cooking but it's definitely big yes for drinking specially with these risottos.... 

White rice with courgettes:

Heat 3 tbsp of olive oil in a large pan, add 1 chopped onion, 2 cloves of garlic and stir well for few minutes before adding 1 cup of risotto type of rice.

Add 1 cup of warm water and keep stirring, add another cup of water, stir again and add the final cup of water and 1 chopped courgette.

I then put the lid on and after a while the rice and courgette are nice and soft.

Season with salt,pepper and fresh parsley and add 50 gr greeted Parmesan cheese, if you wish. Stir well and serve immediately. 

Brown rice with butternut squash:

Heat 3 tbsp of olive oil in a large pan, add 1 chopped onion and 2 cloves of garlic and after a while add 400 gr chopped butternut squash. Stir well and add 1 cup brown rice, long grain will do and then add 3 cup of warm water.Put the lid on and cook it for 35 - 40 minutes on a very low temperature.

Add more water if the rice is not cooked.

Season the rice with salt,pepper and fresh and chopped parsley.

Add some greeted cheese if you wish. 

White rice with roasted tomatoes:

Place 300 gr of cherry tomatoes in a roasting tin, sprinkle some crushed garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil and handful of fresh basil.
Roast the tomatoes on 190 C for 20 minutes.
In a meantime make the rice: fry 1 chopped onion with few tbsp olive oil, add some crushed garlic and after few minutes add 1 cup or rice.
Cook the rice adding 1 liter of stock or water, 1 cup at the time until the rice is just cooked.
Season with salt and pepper, add some cheese and stir in the roasted tomatoes.

Pearled spelt risotto with fresh peas:

Heat 2-3 tbsp of olive oil in a cooking pot, add chopped shallot or spring onion and after few minutes add the spelt grains, about 65 gr per person.

Pour in 3 cups of water and cook it on a medium heat stirring every now and then.

After 15 minutes add the peas and cook it for further 5 minutes. 

Season it lightly with salt if you are going to add cheese.

Tomatos and Courgettes Mezze

Hi everyone, welcome to my new blog! This is something I would eat every day, here we go:

                     

For the tomatoes's one: - 400 gr tomatoes- half a red onion- 100 gr of flour + 1 teaspoon of baking powder-fresh springs of basil, mint and parsley- little bit of dry oregano- little salt

For the courgette's one:
 - 200 gr courgette - 1 tsp salt - 100 gr ricotta cheese - 1 egg - 2 tbsp flour - parsley and basil ( chopped)

Method:

Chopped the tomatoes and onion very fine, mixed it up with the rest of the ingredients, you should get a thick paste.

Heat some oil in a frying pan. Scoop up with a teaspoon and drop them in the hot oil. Fry them for couple of minutes, turning them occasionally until they are nice and golden.

Grate the courgettes, sprinkle some salt and let them sweat for a while. Squeeze the water of them and mix it up with the rest of the ingredients.

Fry them in some hot oil until they get nice and crisp.

Serve them with your favorite dip!