QUINOA PORRIDGE

I heard about the Five Elements Theory in Chinese Cooking but never tried to use it in my kitchen. I believe in its fantastic influence as there is connection between energy of your body and the meals which will be prepared. I strongly believe that the way you feel depends on what you put into your body, as well as if your body is healthy.

The foundation of cooking according to that theory is that there are five elements connected to tastes, and the tastes belong to ingredients. And these have to be used in special order to receive desirable energetic level of the meal.


You can read some more about that here. 

QUINOA PORRIDGE
/ Recipe adapted from Beata Pawlikowska diary for 2014 /



INGREDIENTS:

• 1 TBS millet, rinsed
• 3 TBS quinoa flakes
• 1 TBS ground flaxseed
• 1 TBS goji berries,thinly sliced
• 3 dates, cut into strips
• 3 prunes, cut into strips
• 1 TBS sunflower seeds
• 1 TBS sesame seeds
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cardamon
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 2 crystals of pink Himalayan salt

METHOD:

Boil about half cup of water in small saucepan. Add millet, ground flax seeds and cinnamon. Stir and boil for a while on small gas.

Add quinoa flakes and cardamon, stir and boil for a while.

Add pink salt or just a little of cold water. Stir and boil for a while.

Add goji berries, stir and boil for a while.

Then pour not the whole cup of hot water. Add turmeric. Stir and boil for a while.

At the end, add dates, prunes, sesame and sunflower seeds. Stir well and boil for further 5-8 minutes until water is absorbed.



in Polish:



SKŁADNIKI:

• 1 łyżka kaszy jaglanej, opłukanej
• 3 łyżki płatków komosy ryżowej
• 1 łyżka siemienia lnianego
• 1 łyżka jagód goji, pokrojonych w cienkie plasterki
• 3 daktyle, pokrojone w paseczki
• 3 suszone śliwki, pokrojone w paseczki
• 1 łyżka nasion słonecznika
• 1 łyżka sezamu
• 1 łyżeczka cynamonu
• 1/2 łyżeczki kardamonu
• 1/4 łyżeczki kurkumy
• 2 kryształki 
  różowej 
  soli himalajskiej

WYKONANIE:

Zagotować pół szklanki wody w rondelku. Dodać kaszę jaglaną, siemię lniane i cynamon. Wymieszać i gotować przez chwilę na małym gazie.

Dodać płatki komosy i kardamon, wymieszać i gotować przez chwilę.

Dodać kryształki soli albo trochę zimnej wody. Wymieszać i gotować przez chwilę.

Dodać jagody goji, wymieszać i gotować przez chwilę.

Następnie dodać szklankę gorącej wody. Dodać kurkumę. Wymieszać i gotować przez chwilę.

Na koniec, dodać daktyle, suszone śliwki, sezam i nasiona słonecznika. Dobrze wymieszać i gotować przez kolejne 5-8 minut, aż woda zostanie wchłonięta.

YEAST PANCAKES "RACUCHY"

I found that recipe not long time ago and straight away there was memory of such pancakes made by my grandma when I was at school. And I decided to make them for my last breakfast in 2013. Delicious!

YEAST PANCAKES "RACUCHY"
/ Recipe comes from here /

INGREDIENTS:

• 250 g white spelt flour
• 20 g fresh yeast (or replace right amount of dried yeast)
• 50 g melted butter, chilled
• 250 ml soy milk
• 2 eggs
• 20 g coconut palm sugar
• vanilla sugar (or extract)
• coconut oil for frying
• 2 grated apples

METHOD:

Warm up 100 ml milk (not hot), add yeast, 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 tablespoon of flour. Mix and set aside for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt butter at leave on the side to cool. And sift the rest of flour into the bowl.

Beat eggs with the rest of sugar and vanilla using electric mixer. Then slowly pour the  rest of milk and mixture of yeast while mixing all the time. Also, add butter and sifted flour. The mixture should be smooth.
Cover the bowl with the kitchen towel and leave in warm place for about one hour or until it doubles its volume. 

When ready, grate apples and mix slowly with the batter.

Wam up coconut oil on the frying pan. Using tablespoon place batter on the pan, flatten a little and fry for about 3 mins on each side.
When ready, place on the plate with paper towel.

Serve with your favourite jam!

in Polish:


Tutaj możecie znaleźć przepis na RACUCHY wg Liski

QUINOA with PLUMS & SPICES topped with CHIA JAM

It has been cold for a week now and I started craving more warm food. Moreover, I woke up today feeling not very well. So the time for nutritious and warming up breakfast arrived!

QUINOA with PLUMS & SPICES topped with CHIA JAM / Makes 1 portion

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 plums
• 1 TBS extra virgin coconut oil
• about 6 cloves (I smashed their tops before adding them)
• 1 TBS ground cinnamon
• 1/2 TBS ground cardamon
• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 2 TBS maple syrup or coconut sugar
• prepared earlier chia jam (recipe here without berries)

METHOD:

Wash and cut in medium size pieces plums. heat the pan with coconut oil, add plums and all spices and saute for about 10 minutes. then add quinoa and after next 5 minutes transfer to bowl, top with chia jam and enjoy!

in Polish:

SKŁADNIKI:

• 4 duże śliwki
• ok. 6 goździków (przed dodaniem rozgniatam palcami ich główki?)
• 1 łyżka cynamonu
• 1/2 łyżki kardamonu
• 2 szklanki ugotowanej komosy ryżowej
• 2 łyżki cukru kokosowego lub syropu klonowego
• przygotowany wcześniej dżem z chia ziarenek (opcjonalnie)

WYKONANIE:

Śliwki umyć i pokroić na średniej wielkości kawałki. Rozgrzać olej kokosowy na patelni, dodać śliwki, przyprawy i dusić pod przykryciem około 10 minut. Następnie dodać komosę i po 5 minutach śniadanie jest gotowe!

WHOLEGRAIN SPELT RICOTTA SCONES with PERSIMMONS

That post is one week old but I still think it is worth to post it anyway ;)


On my way to do shopping I went past the city centre of Manchester and the stands of Xmas market were nearly ready. There were some Christmas ornaments on the lamps, trees etc. It was the first time when I could 'smell' coming Christmas this year and I thought, 'too early - it is still the beginning of November'.

When I got home I decided to stop that craziness for a second by making colourful and sunny dish.

The idea of using persimmons by Sarah is simply great! I think these fruits go so well with sweetness of wholegrain spelt flour in my recipe.

WHOLEGRAIN SPELT RICOTTA SCONES with PERSIMMONS /Makes 6 or 9

/Recipe adapted from here/

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup white spelt flour
• 1/2 cup wholegrain flour
• 1 TBS baking powder
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cardamon
• 6 TBS unsalted butter
• 1 cup finely chopped persimmons
• 1 cup ricotta

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 220C. Line baking tray with parchment paper.

Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Then add butter and mix until crumble texture (use pastry  blender or knife or your fingers - but be quick not to warm the butter) . Toss in the persimmons and mix gently, followed by adding ricotta stirring into very well.

Transfer the dough onto floured surface and pat it into a 17cm square, 2.5cm high. Divide the dough into 6 (or 9) scones by sharp knife. Transfer onto the baking sheet and bake for about 18 minutes or until golden at the edges.

Cool them for a while and then enjoy!

in Polish:

ANGIELSKIE BUŁECZKI zwane 'SCONES' z PERSYMONEM i RICOTTĄ

SKŁADNIKI:

• 1/2 szklanki białej mąki orjiszowej
• 1/2 szklanki ciemnej mąki orkiszowej
• 1 łyżka proszku do pieczenia
• 1/4 szklanki cukru z palmy kokosowej
• 1/2 łyżeczki soli morskiej
• 1/4 łyżeczki cynamonu
• 1/4 łyżeczki kardamonu
• 6 łyżek masła
• 1 szklanka pokrojonych na małe kawałki persymonów
• 1 szklanka sera ricotta

WYKONANIE:

Nagrzać piekarnik do 220C. Blachę wyłożyć papierem do pieczenia.

Wymieszać wszystkie suche składniki w dużej misce. Następnie dodać masło i szybko zagnieść. Dodać kawałki persymonów i delikatnie wymieszać. Na samym końcu dodać ricottę i znowu wymieszać.

Ciasto przenieść na posypany mąką blat i ukształtować kwadrat o bokach około 17cm. Podzielić na 6 lub 9 części za pomocą dużego noża. Ułożyć na blasze i piec około 18 minut albo aż brzegi się zarumienią.

Wyjąć, ostudzić i rozkoszować się!

SPELT DUTCH BABY with pears

I discovered these kind of pancakes some time ago and I have been making them to find the best recipe. They are very 'sensitive' and it is the best to use white spelt flour - when using wholegrain flour, the pancake does not rise as it is heavy. 

SPELT DUTCH BABY with pears / Makes 1



INGREDIENTS for batter:

• 2 large organic eggs
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 2/3 cup white spelt flour
• 1/4 tsp pink salt
• 1 TBS melted coconut oil (not hot!)

INGREDIENTS for topping:

• 2 pears
• dark chocolate chips

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 200 C. Grease and flour a skillet or round baking tray (20-24 cm).

Combine all batter ingredients (I use blender or hand mixer) and set aside. Wash pears and slice them. Pour batter onto the skillet or tray and arrange pear pieces on the top.

Place skillet or tray into the oven and bake for about 20-25 mins or until golden brown and puffed.

Sprinkle with chocolate chips and serve warm!

MILLET PUDDING with BERRIES & TURMERIC

Not long time ago, I found one of the best food blogs ever. It is called Gotuj zdrowo! The fact I like the most is that the owner of that blog, Marek, comes from the same city as me ;)

The blog looks amazing. Beautiful photos and lots of information about ingredients used in prepared dishes.
Marek, the same as me, stands for conscious nutrition and eating healthily as a way of prevention. He is aware that food heals and nourishes us.

'Real' food brings health and happiness to your life so you can enjoy it for longer!

"You Are What You Eat"
/Aristotle/

MILLET PUDDING with BERRIES & TURMERIC
/ You can find original recipe here /


INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup boiled millet
• 3-4 dates
• 1/2 cup almond milk (or any nut milk or mineral water)
• 2 TBS ground almonds
• 1 tsp cinnamon 
• handful of fresh blueberries & raspberries
• 1/2 tsp turmeric

METHOD:

Blend millet, dates, almond milk, almonds and cinnamon. Transfer to a glass or dessert dish, sprinkle with turmeric and top with fresh berries. Mix and enjoy it!

in Polish


SKŁADNIKI:

• 1 szklanka ugotowanej kaszy jaglanej
• 3-4 daktyle bez pestek
• 1/2 szklanki mleka roślinnego (jakiegokolwiek)
• 2 łyżki mielonych migdałów
• 1 łyżeczka cynamonu
• garść owoców jagodowych
• 1/2 łyżeczki kurkumy

WYKONANIE:

Kaszę zmiksować z daktylami, mlekiem, migdałami i cynamonem. Przełożyć do szklanki albo naczynia deserowego, posypać kurkumą i owocami. Wymieszać i rozkoszować się!

BASIC PANCAKE RECIPE

I am a big fan of pancakes. They can be thin and moist, thick and soft, fried only on one or both sides etc.

The best is the fact that you can serve them at any time of the day with a variety of toppings, as savoury or sweet dish. That is simply perfect!

BASIC PANCAKE  RECIPE / Makes about 6
/ Recipe adapted from here /


INGREDIENTS:

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup of any nut milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tsp melted coconut oil
• 1 & 1/3 cup white or wholegrain spelt flour
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp maple syrup

METHOD:

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl using whisk. Warm up medium size frying pan over medium heat. Spread the batter as thin as possible over the whole pan. When golden brown, flip the pancake and fry one more minute on the other side.

Serve with favourite nut butter, fresh berries, maple syrup or any other thing you like :) 

SPELT PANCAKES with ELDERFLOWER

Last year I made elderflower syrup. Last month I tried pancakes with elderflower at Cafe Museum in Cieszyn. And I decided to make my own version of these delicious things :)

SPELT PANCAKES with ELDERFLOWER / Makes 8


INGREDIENTS:

• 8 twigs of elderflower
• 1/2 l almond milk
• 1 organic egg
• 1 pack of brown sugar with real vanilla
• pinch of sea salt
• 8 TBS spelt flour (or any other)
• coconut oil or olive oil for frying
• 1 TBS powdered xylitol

METHOD:

Beat lightly egg with milk in a medium bowl. Then add flour, vanilla sugar and sea salt and mix all ingredients very well. Heat the oil on the frying pan. When hot, dip one bunch of elderflower in batter at a time and place on the pan. You can pour a little more batter to cover all surface of the frying pan. 

Cut off green stalks using scissors and fry pancakes on both sides until golden brown. Place on plate, leave for a minute, sprinkle with powdered xylitol and serve warm. 

You can also serve them with fresh strawberries or fresh strawberry sauce!

QUINOA with BANANA & COCONUT MILK

Yesterday I had to have some kind of new breakfast. I had cooked quinoa and coconut milk, so quickly I had that great idea ;)

QUINOA with BANANA & COCONUT MILK / 1 portion


INGREDIENTS:

• 1 banana
• 1 TBS clarified butter
• 1/2 tsp cardamon
• 1-2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 TBS maple syrup

METHOD:

Melt clarified butter on frying pan and fry sliced banana on medium heat for 2 minutes on each side. 

Pour coconut milk with cardamon and quinoa into medium pan and cook till warm on a medium heat. When ready, transfer to a bowl, add cooked banana, sprinkle with cinnamon and add maple syrup. 

* Quinoa can be substitute with any other grain

EGGS in SHELLS

I am sure some of you know this dish. I felt in love with these long time ago and I have been making them nearly every Easter. I am not sure how to call these cuties so I will use expression used by me and my family. If the name sounds funny, please let me know your ideas... :)

EGGS in SHELLS  / Makes about 9


INGREDIENTS:

• 4 organic eggs
• chive
• sea salt
• clarified butter

METHOD:

Boil water with salt (it will prevent egg shells from cracking). Hard boil 3 eggs. Pour out hot water, pour into cold water and leave for few minutes on the side. Then, when cool use knife to cut the whole egg as on the picture above (first break a shell around using the sharp top of knife, then cut the whole egg along this line). That is my way so if you know any others, let me know :)

Take out whites and yolks gently using a teaspoon. Mash them with a fork and cut some chive. Transfer everything into a bowl. Crack one raw egg into the bowl too, add salt and mix well.

Transfer egg mixture into all shells using teaspoon. If you do not have enough, you can use each twice or even more if you do not break it.

Melt clarified butter on a frying pan. Put prepared eggs on the hot butter on flat side first. Fry for few minutes on that side, then reverse and fry on another side for few more minutes covering pan with lid.

Serve with some toasted homemade bread or with toasted buckwheat or even quinoa. 

LEMON & COCONUT LOAF with BERRIES

I have not had any cake in a while so I decided to make a very nice one. Last time I made simple lemon loaf like in the original recipe. It was a little too sweet and sour for me. And this time I did not make lemon glaze, I used less lemon juice and I added some berries which nicely balanced the sour taste.

LEMON & COCONUT LOAF with BERRIES

// Recipe adapted from Sprouted Kitchen //

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 organic eggs
• 1/2 cup olive or rapeseed oil
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 1 TBS freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 TBS lemon zest
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
• 1 cup wholegrain spelt flour
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1 TBS ground flaxseeds
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp xanthan gum
• 1/3 cup blueberries
• 1/2 cup raspberries

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 175C and line baking loaf pan with parchment paper.

Whisk eggs with sugar with electric mixer for few minutes. Add coconut milk, lemon zest and juice, vanilla extract and mix well. Mix all dry ingredients in a medium bowl and then add to egg mixture mixing well. At the end add berries and gently stir them in.

Pour the mixture into prepared loaf pan and bake until cake tester inserted into the cake comes out clean, about 40-50 minutes.