Песто од брокула / Broccoli pesto

This pesto is time saving when comes to making sandwiches, dipping veggies for snack, spreading on pizza or even as a sauce for pasta.
I make it once in a week and it can stay in a glass jar in the fridge for 3 to 4 days easily....

Потребни состојки:

1 главица брокула, околу 300 грама, сварени на пареа

1 рака спанаќ

1 рака магдонос

2 млади кромидчиња

1 рака сецкани бадеми

1 чешне лукче

сок од пола лимон

2 лажици ладно цедено маслиново масло

1 лажица вода

сол и бибер

Ставете ги сите состојки во блендер и блендирајте една минута или додека смесата не се соедини.

Ingredients:

1 head broccoli, steamed

1 handful fresh spinach

1 handful parsley

1-2 spring onions

1 handful chopped almonds

1 clove garlic

juice of half lemon

2 Tbsp cold pressed olive oil

1 Tbsp water

salt and pepper

Process all the ingredients in a food processor until it's nice and smooth.

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

Чили со црн грав и њоки од палента / Black bean chili with polenta gnocchi

Chili con carne or more like Chili No carne is a meal I make once in a week. I don't like to be predictable when comes to cooking, so every week my chili is served differently. This week I serve the chili with polenta gnocchi which are made in no time. Adding spinach is optional, but nice. Feel free to add more chili powder, I make mine mild because of my children.

Sesame seeds are one of my favorite condiments, sprinkled on the top of the gnocchi gives it a lovely crunchy texture.

This dish is perfect for a dinner party especially if you have vegetarian or vegan guests.
This is another dinner made on a budget, I hope you enjoy it as much as my family.....

Chili in a wrap - most favorite to my children 

with added fresh veggies for extra YUM 

wraps

Потребни состојки:

чили вариво: 1 кромид, ситно исецкан

1 стапче зелен целер

1 морков

120 гр црвена леќа, може и кафеава

по едно лажиче: кумин, кориандер и чили во прав

400 гр домати, може од конзерва

200 - 300 гр варен црн грав*

100 гр пченка, замрзната или од конзерва

1 зелена бабура

сол

бибер

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

за њоките :

150 гр инстант палента

700 гр вода

1-2 коцки замрзнат спанаќ или една до две раце свеж

маслиново масло

сусам

сол и бибер

Во поголем лонец ставете 3 лажици маслиново масло да се загрее, додајте го сецканиот зеленчук, по 10 минути додајте ги зачините,измешајте,додајте ја измиената леќа и 300 мл вода.
Покријте го лонецот и варете на тивко околу 20 минути.
Додајте ги доматите и варениот грав, исецкана на коцки бабура, сол и бибер.
Варете 20 минути, при крај додајте ја пченката.

За њоките ставете ја водата да се загрева, пред да зоврие додајте го спанаќот а по 3 минути и палентата како и сол и бибер.
Варете на тивко околу 3 минути.

Варивото од грав ставете го во огноотпорен сад. Додека палентата е топла "вадете" њоќи со лажица и веднаш ставете ги врз варивото.
Со четка премачкајте ги њоќите со маслиново масло, посолете, и додајте го сусамот.
Ставете во рерна да се пече околу 20 минути на 200 степени.


* црн грав купувам во паковање од 500 гр, го киснам во вода 12 часа или преку ноќ, другиот ден го варам (околу 50 минути) .
Гравот го ладам, го цедам и го делам во пластични кеси за замрзнување.
Вообичаено го делам на 4 дела.

Практикувам исти начин и со други видови на грав или леблебија.
Економично и здраво без конзерванси а достапно во секое време!
Совет од Anna Jones !


Ingredients:

for the chili: 1 onion, chopped
1 celery stick,sliced
1 carrot, chopped 
120 gr red lentils or green/brown lentils
1 tsp of each of this: ground cumin,coriander and chili 
400 gr chopped tomatoes 
200 - 300 gr cooked black beans*
100 gr frozen corn
1 green pepper 
salt and pepper 
olive oil

for the gnocchi:

150 gr instant  polenta
700 ml water
1-2 cubes frozen spinach 
or
2 handful fresh one, chopped
olive oil
salt and pepper
sesame seeds

In a big cooking pot pour 2-3 Tbsp of olive oil, add the trio veggies and fry for 10 minutes or until they are soft.
Add the spices and stir for minute or two.
Add the washed lentils and 300 ml water.
Put the lid on and cook it for 20 min on a low temperature.
After that add the tomatoes, the beans and 1 chopped green pepper.
Season with some salt and pepper and cook it for 20 min.
In the end add the corn.
Place the cooked chili into an ovenproof dish.

Put 700 ml of water with 2 tsp salt in a cooking pot and heated up.
Before it start boiling, add the spinach and after 3 minutes add the polenta. 
Cook the polenta for 3 minutes on a very low temperature or until it's thick and smooth.
While the polenta is still hot spoon out gnocchi and place them on the top of the chili.
Using a baking brush, brash the gnocchi with some olive oil and sprinkle some sesame seeds.
Bake the chili for 20 min on 200 C.

*I usually buy dry black beans in a 500 gr pack, I soak the beans over night, the next day I cook the beans for 50 minutes.
I let the beans to cool down before I divide it into a 4 plastic bags ready for a freezer.
It is very practical, economic as well as healthy ( no additives ) .
I use the same method for any beans and peas.
Advice from Anna Jones!

Посен алфредо сос / Vegan alfredo sauce

A new pasta or rice sauce is always welcomed on my menu. I particularly love this one for many reasons: it's not tomato based, it's versatile, it can be vegan or it can be enriched with cheese.
I always use a wholemeal pasta or rice, otherwise it's all white and boring.
Alfredo sauce with whatever you choose is perfect mid week meal for the whole family!

Потребни состојки:

за 4-5 особи

1 карфиол

1 литар вода

коцка за супа 

1 чешне лук

путер или маслиново масло

пармезан, чедар или некој сличен тврд кашкавал

или

4 големи лажици хранлив квасец ( побарајте го во продавница за здрава храна)

сол и бибер

магдонос

Карфиолот раздвоете го на цветови и ставете го да се вари во еден литар вода и коцка за супа.

Варете го 15 минути.

Во меѓувреме ставете 2 - 3 лажици маслиново масло или 40 гр путер да се загрее на тивко.

Додајте го ситно исецканиот лук.

Пржете многу кратко.

Изцедете го варениот карфиол ( водата ке ви треба ) и ставете го во блендер.

Додајте го лукот заедно со маслото, малку сол и бибер како и 250 мл вода од варениот карфиол.

Блендирајте кратко , додајте една рака кашкавал или хранлив квасец.

Блендирајте уште еднаш додавајки од топлата вода ако сосот ви е густ.

* во случај да немате блендер тогаш користете поголема стаклена тегла и стапчест блендер.

Ingredients:

to feed 4-5 people 

1 cauliflower 

1 litre water

1 stock cube

1 clove of garlic

40 gr butter or 3 Tbsp olive oil

handful of cheddar cheese 

or

4 Tbsp nutritional yeast ( look on Amazon )

salt and pepper 

parsley 

Cut the cauliflower into a florets, place them in a big cooking pot with the water and add the stock cube.

Cook the cauliflower for 15 minutes.

In the meantime fry the minced garlic in a medium to low heated oil or butter for a very short time.

Place the cooked cauliflower with a 250 ml of the cooking water as well as the garlic/fat and nutritional yeast/cheese.

Blend everything, add some salt, pepper and more stock if your sauce is too thick.

I have served this sauce with wholemeal spelt pasta, brown basmati rice or any cooked grain will do!

Посен десерт со јаболки / Vegan apple pudding

Eating this pudding has made me very nostalgic, the taste has transformed me straight back to my childhood.The time when our mums had to make something spectacular using a very basic ingredients. As a child I was looking forward to be asked to eat at my friend house, especially at my friend Arijeta. Her mum's cooking had a Turkish influence and I used to love her simple vegetable stews, as well as her puddings. This one is one of them, I never asked for the recipe - I just know they were made with water and sometimes there was some nuts inside. I decided to sprinkle the nuts on the top so my children can easily remove them if they wanted to! 

Потребно е:

3 јаболки 

1 рака суво грозје

500 мл вода

2 лажици кафеав шеќер

2 лажици нишесте

ванила

1 лажиче цимет 

неколку ореви

Јаболките излупете ги, исечете ги на долгo и ставете ги да се варат во 300 мл вода.

Додајте го сувото грозје, шеќерот и ванилата.

Варете 5 минути или додека јаболките не омекнат.

Измешајте го нишестето и циметот во преостанатата вода и додајте ја смесата во јаболките.

Варете на тивко неколку минути или додека не се згусти пудингот.

Од оваа количина се добиваат 5 чаши пудинг.

Посипете со сецкани ореви.

you will need:

3 apples

1 handful of raisins 

2 Tbsp brown sugar

500 ml water

2 Tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp vanilla extract 

1 tsp cinnamon 

handful of walnuts 

Peel and slice the apples and place them in a small cooking pot with 300 ml water.

Add raisins, vanilla and sugar.

Cook for 5 minutes or until the apples are soft.

Mix the cornstarch and cinnamon with the rest of the water ( needs to be cold water ) and pour it into the apples. 

Cook it on medium temperature until the mixture is thick .

Pour the pudding into a five small cups and sprinkle some chopped nuts on the top.

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

Butternut squash spaghetti with kale

Spiralizing vegetables into a noodles is a very trendy thing to do especially if you want to cut down on bad carbs or so they they say. This is a very tasty dish full of flavour - we loved it, especially in a company of toasted bread with avocado! 

Who says kale is boring! 

Ingredients:

300 gr butternut squash made into noodles, grated works as well

1 chili pepper, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced 

chopped mushrooms, optional 

100 - 200 gr kale

olive oil

salt and pepper 

Prepare the squash, peel it and spiralize it if you have a spiralizer or simply grate the squash.

In a small cooking pot cook the kale for 5 minutes, make sure they don't change their colour.

In a separate pot heat the oil, add chili and garlic, stir well and add the mushrooms.

Sprinkle some salt and put a lid down.

After five minutes add the squash and 100 ml of water, put the lid back and cook it on medium heat until the squash is tender.

Add the kale, sprinkle some more salt and pepper.

Mix it all up - make sure there is no liquid left.

note: if you live in UK - m&s sells already spiralized squash for microwave use only and non freezable. Well, since I don't own a microwave, I cook them on a hob as described above and I did freeze them when I bought them . 

Al fresco feasts / leftovers / vegan

A few days ago we were blessed with a very sunny afternoon so I came with an idea to have our first outdoor lunch this season. And what a success I had to clear up the fridge and use all the leftovers ....

*Lentils ragu in a rich tomato sauce 
Boiled potatoes are fried in a lightly oiled frying pan followed by whole mushroom
Beetroot, carrot, rocket leaves and few tomatoes 
Sourdough toasted bread 
**Cabbage and soya chunks stew 
Wholewheat spaghetti 

*Lentils ragu in a rich tomato sauce 

In a cooking pot splash some olive oil, chopped onion and carrot and fry for 10 minutes.

Add a mixture of pre-soaked green lentils and soya mince, mix it all up, add some water and cook it for 30 minutes. After the lentils are soft and all the liquid is gone, add the tomato sauce 

(home made) little bit of water and cook the sauce for 20 minutes. Adjust the seasoning .

Serve this ragu with your favorite pasta!

**Cabbage stew 

In a big cooking pot splash some olive oil, chopped onion and carrot and a small shredded cabbage.

Put the lid on and let the veggies sweat for 15 - 20 minutes stirring occasionally.

Add a handful of pre-soaked soya chunks, a handful of risotto rice, a teaspoon of caraway seeds, a Tbsp of tomato paste, celery salt, paper, minced garlic and a water to cover it all up. 

Cook the stew on a hob until the rice is soft. 

Add some chopped parsley before serving! 

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

Овесно млеко со цимет и ванила / Cinnamon and vanilla oat milk

Home made milk? sounds insane but unbelievably, it takes five minutes to make without the soaking process.
It's dairy free, it's cheep, it's additives free, it's vary tasty and we all love it.
Perfect for smoothies, baking, added to a coffee or over your usual breakfast cereal! 

Потребно е:

100 гр овесни снегyлки

700 мл вода 

1/4 од лажичка сол

1 лажиче цимет, по желба

1 лажиче екстрат од ванила, по желба

1 - 2 лажици јаворов сируп, по желба 

Ставете ги овесните снегулки во сад, додајте вода и оставете ги да омекнат најмалку 20 минути или неколку часа па и преку ноќ.

Одстранете ја водата користејки цедалка.

Мокрите овесни снегулки ставете ги во блендер, додајте ја водата и блендирајте кратко.

Процедете, овој пат одстранете го овесот.

Блендерот се мие, овесната вода се враќа во блендерот како и преостантите состојки.

Блендирајте кратко и процедете уште еднаш пред да го ставите млекото во чисто стаклено шише или тегла.

Млекото чувајте го во фрижидер најмногу  4 - 5 дена.

Обавезно: Протресете го шишето пред употреба, ова е домашен пијалок без стабилизатори и адитиви така да овесот ке се таложи во шишето.

Како што напоменав, ванила, цимет и сладило не е обавезно, овој пијалок може да се приготви и само со додаток на сол.

Користам филтрирана вода за подобар вкус но може и обична!

Ако немате блендер, тогаш користете стапчест или долг блендер и тегла со поголем отвор.

Цедалката треба да е ситна.

Ако немате ситна цедалка тогаш цедете преку газа.

Потребно време - 5 минути! 

Ingredients:

1 cup or 100 gr porridge oats 

700 ml water

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon, optional

1 tsp vanilla extract , optional

1 - 2 Tbsp maple syrup, optional

Cover the oats with fresh water and leave it for 20 min up to 8 hours.

Drain the oats discarding the water.

Place the oats into a blender and add 700 ml filtered water if you have, tap water will do as well.

Blitz for a 30 seconds then pour it through a fine sieve. Discard the oats this time.

Rinse out the blender, add the oat-water and the rest of the ingredients.

Blitz again and pour it through the sieve once more.

Pour the ready milk into a clean glass bottle or jar.

Stays fresh for 4-5 days.

note: Shake the bottle before use.

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

Експрес лепиња без квасец /Yeast free Instant flat breads

Happy Easter if you are celebrating! My country is celebrating Orthodox Easter called Велигден which is not until first of May. Since I am in UK I get to celebrate Easter twice and I am very happy about that. My children  are particularly happy because they get double fun that both Easter celebration can bring!
These flat breads are an ideal quick fix in my life, everyone loves them, especially with some homemade humus and slices of avocado. I can't praise them enough .............

Потребно е,

200 гр интегрално пченично брашно

180 гр овесно ( мелени овесни снегулки )

2 мали лажички прашок за пециво - без алуминиум*

70 гр овесни снегулки

50 гр семки од сончоглед

3 лажици ленено семе

3 лажици маслиново масло

1 лажиче сол

околу 300 мл млака вода 

Измерете и измешајте ги сите суви состојки, додајте го маслото како и водата.

Направете тесто, поделете го на 10 - 12 топки и развлечете ги тестата тенко.

На загреана тава пржете ги лепчињата на суво околу 3-5 минути од секоја страна.

Послужете ги топли наместо леб.

Може и да се замрзнат!

*Прашок за пециво без алуминиум може да се најде во продавници за здрава храна.

Ingredients: 

200 gr wholemeal wheat flour

180 gr oat flour made of ground porridge oats

2 tsp aluminium free baking powder

70 gr porridge oats

50 gr sunflower seeds

3 Tbsp flax seeds

1 tsp salt

3 Tbsp olive oil

around 300 ml lukewarm water

Weight all dry ingredients, mix them all up and add the oil as well as the water.

Form a dough, divide it into a 10 to 12 balls and roll each ball flat.

You can simply use your palms.

Heat a non stick frying pan and dry fry the breads for 3-5 minutes of each side.

Serve them warm instead of bread.

Perfect for freezing! 

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.

Sirt-rich salad

What is Sirt food? Sirt food is food high in Sirtuin activators, a type of protein which protects the cells in our bodies from becoming inflamed from illness. Also they can help regulate your metabolism, increase muscle and burn fat ...

You will need:

leftover cooked grains ( quinoa, brown rice, millet )

ribbons of carrots and courgettes 

spring onions

fresh chilies 

olives

parsley

pumpkin seeds for a crunch 

lemon

extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper 

Using a potato peeler, peel the courgettes and carrots all the way to the core.

Add the rest of the ingredients and mix it all up.

Fit perfectly into a glass jar to take it away to work for a healthy lunch on a budget.

Other sirt food : garlic, kale, cocoa powder, red onion, all fresh herbs, green tea, all sort of berries, turmeric, apples . 

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

Inspirational books

Hello my dear readers. 
I would like to share with you my top four food books that I often read and some others that are worth mentioning ....

The kind diet by Alicia Silverstone was the eye-opener book for me, it is packed with lot of facts, information about holistic living, veganism and more, much more...

The alkaline cure is based on Dr Mayr's study, the first Mayr health clinic was open in Austria by one of his pupils.This book is "must read" book, it will answer a lots of questions related to health.

The Healthy life is my latest book i have purchase one rainy evening when I needed a bread and milk from my local supermarket but I came out with a full basket AND this book.No regrets so far, it is a very good read.

Foods that harm foods that heal was given to me a very long time ago, its packed with very useful info about common illnesses, for example: I have learnt when I have a headache to dip my feet into a warm water adding a black mustard seeds - it works! 

A modern way to eat by Anna Jones - wow, I will highlight her recipe for dry freezable veggie stock 

The Bean book by Rose Elliot - if you need idea what to do with beans this is the one, sadly - no photos in the book

The Modern Vegetarian by Maria Elia  - best pumpkin risotto recipe 

Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi - very exiting book to own 

Arranged by my three year old 

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