In my kitchen in May

The highlight of the month is my brand new sourdough starter.

My love for sourdough started a long time ago, I had it about five years ago for a year and then I had to give it up because of high demands of the starter + having a baby wasn't easy.

I am giving another go, I have got myself a new book called the sourdough school and here is some photos so far: 

Established starter 

 our favorite way of eating sour bread is toasted and topped with what ever we have in the fridge

 my favorite supplement 

 Harissa, one of my favorite condiment 

Butternut squash oven baked risotto - perfect mid week dinner for all the family

Chickpea, courgettes and peppers pasties served with thick yogurt mixed with harissa

Healthy snack = rice cakes topped with peanut butter and fruit

pineapple muffins with spelt flour crumble 

I am sharing this post with  sherrys pickings who is hosting in my kitchen challenge

Courgette & cheese eggy pie

It was nice to have the heatwave last week, Immediately remembered of this quick and easy pie to make for light dinner. It was delicious, refreshing and full of flavour as well as fulfilling ....not much of the nice weather this weekend though ☁☂☁☂

The recipe was published three years ago, here is the recipe ...

I am sharing with Eat your greens hosted by Shaheen

In my kitchen - April '18

I love reading posts "In my kitchen" so my much, I decided to join in. So, here is my first In my kitchen post and I hope some people will find it inspiring

 👍💚💛💜💙

This is my regular buy - coffee from m&s especially when is buy one get one for half price. 

I like my coffee so much but I only enjoy one a day these days .... 

Tinned beans is something I use more than freshly cooked sadly, that's why I try to buy organic one. 

Sesame seeds goes everywhere : sweet and savoury bakes, gomashio, sprinkles for salads 

Couscous and farro grains used for salads 

I got this tea from my favorite health shop in Brighton, it's very mellow with smooth camomile taste

We like to drink hot chocolate, this one is very bitter so I won't be buying it again :)

Fresh fruit and veg from my local green grocer .... 

My favorite rice 

   

 still uneaten 

Borrowed from library - I love reading cookbooks, gets me inspired 

Got this today for 90p  - I love bargain 

This magazine was given to me today from my local health shop - very informative 

We celebrated Orthodox Easter on 8th of April, I was very excited to eat an egg after 7 weeks of doing the lent 

Polenta, mushroom and spinach stack - one of my lent friendly dishes 

Roast garlic, almond and basil pesto - all vegan

Tempeh & veggies spicy curry - also lent friendly 

I am sharing this post with Sherry from Sherry's pickings  who is hosting the in my kitchen challenge

Roushta - lentils and pasta

From my latest addition of books a Lebanese feast, it was given to me for my birthday by my dearest friend that happens to know me very well 💙

Ingredients:

250g brown lentils

1.5 l water

2 medium onions, chopped 

4 cloves crushed garlic

olive oil

parsley

200g pasta

salt

pepper

extra virgin olive oil

chili flakes ( optional )

Soak the lentils in cold water for at least two hours.

In a big pot, pour in 4 Tbsp olive oil, add the onions and cook until soft.

Add the lentils and 1.5 boiling water.

Cook the lentils until soft, about 20 - 30 minutes.

Add your favorite pasta shape, I used pappardelle.

Season with salt and pepper.

Add the crushed garlic as well as the parsley. 

Before serving add some more parsley and extra virgin olive oil....

Cinnamon bread

This recipe was originally posted in October 2015. I won't exaggerate if I say that I bake this bread almost once a week for the past two years, we simply love it. Weekend breakfast is not completed without this bread. We love this bread sliced, toasted with butter spread. For the last few months I've been making this bread with wholemeal spelt flour or mixture of white wheat and wholemeal spelt or wheat. Adding some sultanas ( soaked in hot tea for 30 min ) will give this bread extra luxurious taste........

You can click here for the original recipe 🍞🍞

Kalettes with special rice

This rice is special but only to me 😘 because I get it in Macedonia, it is grown in Macedonia and it is sold in the green markets as a integral rice. Big sack of it, sold in bulk, old lady sitting on a stall happy to chat if you wish to - you get the picture.

Kalettes are very pretty green vegetables with incredible sweet taste.

I simply boiled them for 4 minutes and served them with my special rice as well as some chopped avocado and tomatoes.

Gomashio as well ... 

  

I share this post with eat your greens hosted by Veg Hog blog, beautiful and inspiring recipes, healthy and always on budget ... 

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.....

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