Green gazpacho and other favorites ........

Ah... heatwave …. it feels like home and instantly I remembered how we used to eat cucumber-based salads with ice cubes added to it. So this cold soup is not far from it, it's also heathy, refreshing, nourishing and even show-stopping served as a starter or a light lunch. 

 

 you will need:

80 - 100g washed spinach

1 slice of old white bread, crusts removed

3 Tbsp olive oil

handful of ice cubes

1 large cucumber, chopped

6 green  onions

1 green chilli pepper, mild

2 cloves garlic

handful of basil leaves

salt 

Tip all of the ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth.

Add some cold water if is too thick.

Transfer to the fridge to chill for 1 - 2 hours before serving.

Serve the chilled soup in cups drizzled with a extra virgin olive oil, sliced green onion and ice cubes.

I was watching Nigel Slater traveling around Lebanon, Iran and Turkey visiting the most remote villages, exploring their food and the way they preserve it for winter days.

The  very next day I stuffed aubergines, peppers and tomatoes with bulgur/veggies mixture. I cooked it authentically in earth casserole dish - heaven !!!

Courgette, chickpeas & tomato pasties

Feed hungry children as part of a picnic - yummy !!

Avocado on toast topped with pan fried  chickpeas and courgettes

Crumble topped summer cake

Home-made vegan mince

This vegan mince is must try. You don't have to be vegan, just give a go and you will be surprised by the taste as well as the texture. Only few ingredients needed …..

Ingredients:

1 small cauliflower

100g walnuts 

3 - 4 Tbsp olive oil 

 1 tsp garlic powder 

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

2 Tbsp tamari or any soy sauce

Blend the cauli + nuts in a blender until rice-look-like.

In a large bowl mix the rest of the ingredients, add the cauli&nuts mixture and mix it all up.

Spread the mixture onto a baking paper on a baking tray.

Bake on 180 C for 45 minutes tossing every minutes to ensure the whole lot browns.

I serve mine with risotto and salad.

Use it in tacos, pizzas or sprinkled over anything......

The recipe is from I quit sugar by Sarah Wilson 

note: once the mince is cooked don't add it to a sauce, it will dissolve 

Roast vegies & giant cous-cous med style

Every Sunday evening I create a menu for the following week, I then make a shopping list making sure I have all ingredients in the kitchen so I don't need to go shopping mid week. Sounds very straight forward and easy ?! The shopping happens on Monday morning but some days it takes me long time to complete it as I tend to turn my nose up on some of the produce. I than storm out of my first choice supermarket only to end up on my nearest high street where I have more choice of small shops, supermarkets and even green grocer. I admire those people with ability to do online grocery shopping and be happy with it. Anyway ...

Comes mid week I change the menu and we all end up eating something like this beautiful dish full of flavours. Some of my family will ask for bread, tin of sardines or glass of drinking yogurt, the youngest one always ask for baked beans and why not :)) 

Ingredients:

1 aubergine

1 or 2 courgettes

1 or 2 peppers

Handful of small tomatoes

Any odd potato

Wholewheat giant cous cous

 Feta cheese

Olives

Pumpkin seeds

Parsley

Olive oil

Slice the aubergine, courgette, peppers and potatoes.  Season with little salt and pepper, rub some olive oil into and place it onto a baking tray covered with baking paper. Roast the veggies on 190 C for 20 min. Add the tomatoes and roast for further 10 minutes.

In the meantime cook the cous cous according to the package.

Serve the veggies with the cous cous adding some parsley, olives and seeds.

For non vegan option add some feta cheese.

Note: whatever vegetables and fruit I bring home I soak it into cold water mixed with cider vinegar. It kills the pesticides !!!

I share this post with eat your greens hosted by VegHog

Roasted veggies with chickpeas + current hobby

Rainbow on a plate 🌈 

In the end of the week I throw all the veggies I can find in the fridge to create a nice looking, healthy meal for everyone in the family. 

I cooked the risotto using onions, pepper and carrot, usually I throw a cup of frozen peas in the end of the cooking however I did not have any this time...

Once knitter forever knitter !!! 

Yes it's true, I used to knit as a child and than I find myself knitting again in my late teens . Around three years ago I introduced knitting to my then 8year old daughter and she loves it. 

Now we both knit different things and we both finding it very relaxing, almost like yoga for your mind...

Please let me know if you knit, I would love to see any of your creations ...

What I've been up to this January so far 🎄❄️🛍 🥘

I love January !💕 To me it is a time to get grounded from the festive season, get back to eating a bit more healthy, more basic and more on budget. Also it is my Orthodox Christmas in January and I love making the day special for me and my children just like my mum used to make it for me ……. 

This month I've decided to blend three of my favorite things into one post..

This soup is super tasty, I decided to add some pasta just to make it more attractive for my children. They'll eat anything with pasta :) 

my old favorite polenta, spinach and avocado topped with home-made gomashio 

Lentils stew with spinach, rice and roasted parsnips 

This lentil stew is adopted from Jamie Oliver 15 minutes meals, originally is with bacon and served with chicken

The next day leftovers lentil stew with added mushrooms - very tasty!!

Home-made sauerkraut 

this is the latest batch, I've been fermenting all sorts of veggies this winter 

Shopping 

The cutest ever food gift bags 

Gorgeous diary and few other cute things for next Christmas  

I love January sales !!!

I'm enjoying reading this book, Michelle Obama is very honest and down to earth woman

The last photos are from Hampton palace and river Thames, my daughter  and I went ice skating on the ice ring in Hampton palace, we found it very pretty !!!

Beetroot leaves and other greens Pesto

This pesto is must try especially if you have any leftover green leaves, carrot tops, celery leaves, broccoli leaves or herbs 🌿🌿 

you will need:

3 cups  mixture of kale (stalks removed), leaves, herbs

half a cup of nuts, almonds in my pesto ( use parmesan if you wish )

3 small cloves garlic

100 ml olive oil

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt or less

Blanch the kale together with the leaves for 3 minutes.

Ground the nuts using a hand-grinder.

Combine all ingredients and blend.

If you have a tall blender that's perfect.

If you have one of those powerful blender then you don't have to ground the nuts separate.

Alternatively chop the greens by hand and add the rest of the ingredients.

Keep the pesto in a clean jar in the fridge.

Also the pesto can be stored in an ice cube tray and defrosted when needed for sandwich spread, pasta bakes topping or used on home-made pizza 🍕

I am sharing this post with veghog  blog EAT YOUR GREENS