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.

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.

Yummy food over a busy weekend

It's been a busy bank holiday over here full of celebrating, cooking, eating, laughing, playing and more.
First, it was my 13th wedding anniversary which always involves a special meal and a nice bottle of something bubbly.
The very next day we celebrated my sister in law's birthday in a very nice Italian restaurant.
But that's not all, the day after, our youngest child turned four and that was a busy and exciting day for all of us.
Here is some of the food we enjoyed over the weekend!

Classic hummus in a company of a fresh french radishes 

300 gr cooked chickpeas

1 Tbsp tahini

juice of half lemon

3-4 Tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

Place all ingredients into a food processor and blended until smooth.

Store in a glass jar in fridge up to 3 days.  

Baked squash with roasted veggies 

serve 4

1 butternut squash 

vegetables of your choice: peppers, courgettes, onions, broccoli 

cooked kale or fresh rocket leaves 

pumpkin seeds

salt and pepper

olive oil

Cut the squash into half, don't need to peel it.

Using a knife make a cross cutting at the top, season with salt and pepper and brush it with some oil.

Bake the squash up side down on 180 C for 30 minutes, then add the vegetables and turn the squash over.

Roast everything for further 20 minutes or until the veggies are done.

In a meanwhile, cook the kale and dry-roast the seeds.

Cut the squashes on half lengthwise and serve with the veggies sprinkled with seeds.

 

Strawberry cake 

200 gr fine flour

90 ml oil, I use coconut oil, melted

300 gr fresh strawberries 

2 eggs

90 gr brown sugar or 4-5 Tbsp honey

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla exstract

milk if needed

Place 200 gr fresh strawberries into a blender and blend until smooth.

Chop up the rest of the strawberries.

Place the wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl, whisk all up, add the dry ingredients and a splash of milk if cake mixture is dry.

Add the chopped strawberries and pour the mixture into a bottom loose cake tin, size 20 cm across.

Bake the cake for 20-25 minutes on 180 C.

Serve with custard and some fresh strawberries.

Peanut butter cookies 

220 gr spelt flour

1 tsp baking powder

4 Tbsp peanut butter

2 Tbsp coconut oil

4 Tbsp honey or maple syrup 

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract 

pinch of salt

50 gr chopped nuts, I used pecan 

50 gr currants 

Melt the coconut oil, add the peanut butter and set a side.

In a mixing bowl, place the dry ingredients, add cooled oil and butter mixture as well as the egg.

Mix everything using a wooden spoon.

Add the nuts and currants.

Scoop out a medium size cookie dough, form a cookie with your hands and place it onto a baking tray.

Repeat until you use all the dough.

You can make a pattern on the top, using a fork.

Bake the cookies for 10 - 15 minutes on 170 C.

 

Breakfast blueberry cakes

350 gr self-raising wholemeal flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon 

150 gr fresh or frozen blueberries

2 eggs

200 gr plain yogurt

100 ml oil

zest and juice of half lemon

1 tsp vanilla extract

100 gr mashed banana

4 Tbsp honey

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a bowl.

In a separate bowl whisk the eggs, add the yogurt, oil, zest and juice of lemon, vanilla, honey and mashed banana.

Fold in the dry ingredients followed by the blueberries.

Spoon the mixture into a muffin tin ( buttered ) for 12 muffins and bake for 25 - 30 minutes on 200 C.

Get them out as soon as they are baked and cool them down a little bit before eating. 

National Vegetarian Week

For Vegetarian week I have selected these three recipes for a reason. They are really quick meals to cook,  they have Alkaline fresh ingredients that nourishes my body, energize me and make me happy at the same time....

Spring on a plate:

serve 4

3 courgettes made into noodles 

250 gr small tomatoes, halved 

2 cloves garlic, minced

200 gr cottage cheese 

olive oil

salt and pepper

fresh basil leaves

Place the cheese into a sieve or colander to drain off the liquid.

In a big non stick pan heat up a big splash of oil.

Add the garlic followed by the courgettes and the tomatoes.

Sprinkle some salt and pepper and stir for a bit until the tomatoes get wilted.

Add the cheese and fresh basil leaves.

Serve immediately!

note: If you don't have a spiralizer you can grate the courgettes.

Pick me up soup:

serve 4

2 handful fresh kale or broccoli florets

2 spring onions

1 clove garlic

1 potato

200 gr frozen peas

4-5 cubes frozen spinach 

oil

salt and pepper

In a big soup pan heat up some oil, add the minced garlic and almost immedietely add the fresh greens, followed by the potato cut into a cubes. 

Add one litre of water, stock cube if you are using or just add salt.

Cook for 8 minute.

Add the frozen veggies and cook for 2 more minutes.

Taste, add some more salt and pepper if needed.

Blend the soup until smooth.

Before serving add some extra virgin olive oil.

Energy balls:

In a food processor place:

100 gr ground almonds

4 Tbsp desiccated coconut

2 Tbsp sunflower seeds

2 Tbsp goji berries

2 Tbsp peanut butter

1 tsp cinammon 

1 Tbsp ground flax seeds

2 Tbsp honey or maple syrup

Blitz all the ingredients until smooth and add 2 Tbsp cold water.

Blitz one more time.

Form 10 to 12 balls using wet hands.

Store the balls in a fridge.

Stalls from my last visit to Borough Market 

Finger lickin open wraps

I've got a big thumbs up for this mid-week veggie dinner from my family. Super looking and super tasty wraps made with simple ingredients in no time at all ....

You will need:

1 big-ish sweet potato, grated
1/2 cup of dry soya mince
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 sliced onion
1 sliced red pepper
 one handful cooked chick peas ( optional )
oil
salt and pepper
2 tsp chipotle paste or any other chili paste
 8-10 corn wraps
 parsley for topping

cheese ( optional )

Place the grated sweet potato into a big plate, add the dry soya mince, garlic, chipotle paste  and salt and pepper.
Set a side.
Heat up a medium size cooking pan, add a big splash of olive oil and stir in onion and pepper.
Add the soya/sweet potato mixture, stir it all up, add 400 ml of water, put the lid on and cook the mixture for 15 minutes. Add the chick peas if you are using it.
Stir often, add more water if the mixture is dry and potato is not cooked.
In a separate frying pan, heat up the wraps - each wrap goes in a dry pan for a minute, each side.
Form a taco shapes while they are still warm and fill them up with the filling. 
Sprinkle some parsley or cheese if you wish, I like to keep mine vegan.

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

Gomashio

Gomashio is a condiment widely used by those who follow macrobiotic and vegan diet. It is incredibly good for you. Calcium- rich sesame seeds and magnesium- rich sea salt, great for bones, nervous system and digestion. Taste amazing on top of any cooked grains or vegetables.
It's been a regular condiment in my diet for the past seven years and I still love it!

Ingredients:

18 tsp sesame seeds

1 tsp sea salt

You will need a mortal and pestle for this recipe.

Heat a non stick frying pan.

Add the salt and stir it often until the salt is really dry, about 2-3 minutes.

Pour the salt into a mortal / bashing dish and grind to a fine powder using the pestle.

Set a side.

Rinse the sesame seeds in a fine strainer.

Place the seeds in the same dry pan and toast over medium heat until the seeds puff up a little.

Add the sesame seeds to the mortal and grind until the seeds are 80 percent crushed.

Transfer the gomashio to a glass jar with lid and keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

note: Limit you consumption to about 2 teaspoon a day, otherwise you will get too much salt in your diet.

Gluten-free breads / loaf with sweet potato

Best gluten free bread recipe ever. This is my twist - by adding olives, sun dried tomatoes and spring onion makes this bread tasty and delicious. By also adding sesame seeds gives a nice crunch and extra nutritional value.
I have repeatedly baked this bread successfully which means all the family were happy until they realised that it also contained olives! By baking it in muffin tin you can add olives to half the breads and leave the rest without. Job done, everyone is happy! 

Ingredients:

2 medium size sweet potato

60 ml oil

170 gr gluten-free flour ( I used rice flour)

2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

2 chopped spring onions

chopped 3-4 sun dried tomatoes

few olives

Peel and cut into cubes the sweet potato.
Steam it for 15 minutes or until is very soft.
Set a side to cool down.
Mash it together with the oil, the eggs, previously whisked and add the flour together with the baking powder.
Add the veggies if you wish as well as the sesame seeds.
Bake it in a loaf tin or in a muffin tin for 20 - 25 minutes on 190 C

Плочки со моркови / Flat carrot cake

Carrot cake made quick and easy, every time I bake it.  I use different dry fruits, seeds and flavours.  Sometimes I add the zest of a orange or lemon or I will use olive oil and a courgette - it all depends what I have in my fridge. What ever I use these carrot bars are super tasty and we all have them for a healthy snack any time in the day!

потребно е:

4 лажици мелено ленено семе

50 мл масло, користам кокосово стопено 

200 гр мелени овесни снегулки или брашно по желба

150 гр суво овошје

1 поголем морков

1 јаболко

50 гр кокос

50 гр семки од сончоглед

4 лажици јаворов сируп или мед

1 мало лажиче екстрат од ванила

пола лажиче цимет

Меленото ленено семе се попарува со 8 лажици вруќа вода.

Морковот и јаболкото се лупат.

Сите состојки се мешаат заедно.

Смесата се става во правоаголен сад со величина 20x30 см.

Се пече околу 35 - 40 минути на 190 степени.

Откако колачот е печен, оладете го и исечете го на плочки.

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp flax seeds

50 ml oil, I used coconut oil, melted

200 gr ground porridge oats

150 gr dried fruit, chopped

1 big carrot

1 apple

50 gr desiccated coconut 

50 gr sunflower seeds

4 Tbsp maple syrup or honey

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp cinnamon 

Soak the flax seeds in 8 Tbsp hot water.

Grate the carrot and the apple

Mix all the ingredients. 

Place in a baking tray size 20 x 30 cm

Bake on 190 C for 35 - 40 minutes.

After the cake is baked, cool it down before you cut it . 

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!