MINESTRONE SOUP with KALE

I have to say that this soup is simply amazing. I have never tried so delicious minestrone one ;)

MINESTRONE SOUP with KALE
/ Recipe adapted from here /

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 large white onion, chopped in small pieces
• 3 medium carrots, thinly sliced
• 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
• 1 cube of vegetable stock (I use that one)
• 3/4 − 1 cup red lentil, rinsed
• 1/2 large courgette, thinly sliced
• 1 leek, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
• tin of chopped tomatoes
• large handful of kale (stems removed), washed & teared into small pieces
• pink salt
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• red wine vinegar, optional

METHOD:

Place about 1 & half litre of water in large pan on medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrots, stock and cook for about 10 minutes.

Then add garlic, leek, courgette and red lentil. Cook for further 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes (and a little water if too thick). Bring to the boil and cook for about 10 minutes or until all ingredients are tender.

At the end, add kale and cover for few more minutes cooking on small heat. Add turmeric, sweet paprika and season with salt to taste.

You can add also just a little of red wine vinegar.




in Polish


ROZGRZEWAJĄCA ZUPA MINESTRONE

SKŁADNIKI:

• 1 duża biała cebula (drobno posiekana)
• 3 średnie marchewki (pokrojone w cienkie plasterki)
• 2 łodygi selera (pokrojone w cienkie plasterki)
• 1 kostka bulionu warzywnego (BIO)
• 1 szklanka czerwonej soczewicy (przepłukanej)
• 1/2 dużej cukini (pokrojona w cienkie plasterki)
• 1 por (pokrojony w cienkie plasterki)
• 3 ząbki czosnku (pokrojone w cienkie plasterki)
• puszka pokrojonych pomidorów
• duża garść jarmużu (łodygi usunięte, umyty i porwany na małe kawałki)
• różowa sól
• 1 łyżeczka kurkumy
• 1 łyżeczka słodkiej papryki
• czerwony ocet winny (opcjonalnie)

WYKONANIE:

W dużym rondlu postawić około 1 i pół litra wody na średnim ogniu. Dodać cebulę, seler, marchew, kostkę bulionu i gotować przez około 10 minut.

Następnie dodać czosnek, pora, cukinię i czerwoną soczewicę. Gotować przez kolejne 5 minut.

Dodać pomidory (i trochę wody jeśli zupa jest zbyt gęsta). Doprowadzić do wrzenia i gotować przez około 10 minut na wolnym ogniu aż wszystkie składniki będą miękkie.

Na koniec dodać jarmuż i gotować pod przykryciem na małym ogniu przez kilka następnych minut. Następnie dodać kurkumę, słodką paprykę i doprawić solą do smaku.

Można dodać też trochę czerwonego octu winnego.

ROASTED PUMPKIN & LENTIL SALAD

ROASTED PUMPKIN & LENTIL SALAD

INGREDIENTS:

• about 400 g pumpkin
• 1/2 iceberg lettuce
• 200 g cooked green lentil
• 1 small red and 1 small wht onions
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt
• 1 TBS ghee

METHOD:

Soaked green lentil overnight.

Next day

Preheat the oven to 200 C and line baking tray with aluminium foil. Cut pumpkin in small chunks, cover in olive oil, cumin and sea salt. Transfer to the oven and bake for about 10 minutes or until soft.

When the pumpkin is in the oven, cook lentils - it will be quicker than is says on the pack as it has been soaked. Strain and leave on the side. 

Cut onions in small pieces. Melt ghee on large frying pan and saute. Add lentils and salt to taste. Set aside. 

Wash iceberg and tear in small pieces. 

When all ingredients are ready, mix them in the large bowl adding a little extra virgin olive oil.

Enjoy!

in Polish

SKŁADNIKI:

• około 400 g dyni
• 1/2 sałaty lodowej
• 200 g ugotowanej zielonej soczewicy
• 1 mała czerwona i 1 mała biała cebula
• 1/2 łyżeczki mielonego kminku
• oliwa z oliwek extra virgin
• sól morska
• 1 łyżka klarowanego masła

WYKONANIE:

Zieloną soczewicę zalać wodą i zostawić na noc.

Następnego dnia

Rozgrzać piekarnik do 200 C. Wyłożyć blachę do pieczenia folią aluminiową. Pokroić dynię na małe kawałki, pokryć w oliwie z oliwek, mielonym kminku i doprawić solą morską. Piec piec przez około 10 minut lub do miękkości.

Gdy dynia jest w piekarniku, ugotować soczewicę - będzie szybciej niż jest napisane na opakowaniu gdyż soczewica jest namoczona. Odcedzić i odstawić na bok.

Pokroić cebule w małe kawałki. Rozstopić masło na dużej patelni i udusić cebule. Gdy gotowa, dodać soczewicę i sól do smaku.

Umyć sałatę i porwać na małe kawałki.

Gdy wszystkie składniki są gotowe, wymieszać je w dużej misce, dodając trochę oliwy z oliwek.

SPELT PIZZA with ROASTED VEGETABLES & SPROUTS

Who does not like pizza?!?

SPELT PIZZA with ROASTED VEGETABLES & SPROUTS / Make 3 medium pizzas on very thin base

INGREDIENTS for the topping:

• 1/2 butternut squash
• 1/2 yellow courgette
• 1/2 green courgette 
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper
• 1 large portobello
• any seed sprouts

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 190C and line baking tray with aluminium foil or parchment paper. 

Wash courgettes, peppers and butternut squash. Slice them, place in a medium bowl and  cover in extra virgin olive oil. 

Place into the oven and roast until soft. Take out and leave on a side.

Slice also portobello mushroom and leave on a side.

INGREDIENTS for the sauce:

• 1 tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 clove of garlic
• oregano
• pink salt

METHOD:

Open the tin and use coriander to remove liquid from tomatoes (do not throw it away - keep it to use in another dish). Transfer tomatoes to a saucepan, bring to boil and simmer until the mixture is thick. You can also blend them into the puree. Press the garlic clove, add salt and oregano to taste. And it is ready!

INGREDIENTS for the dough:

• 250 g white spelt flour (or wholegrain)
• 1 tsp pink salt
• 1  TBS extra virgin olive oil
• 3 & 1/2 g dry yeast
• 160 ml lukewarm water

METHOD:

Add dry yeast to water, mix and leave for 5-10 minutes on a side. In large bowl, mix flour, salt, olive oil. Then add water with yeast and knead the dough for 5 minutes. Cover with kitchen  towel and leave on a side for 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to about 230C or the maximum temperature of your oven. Prepare baking tray or baking pizza stone. Divide the dough in half and roll out on the parchment paper. Transfer onto the tray and bake in the oven for about 8-10 minutes. 

Remove form the oven, spread tomato sauce and roasted vegetables with mushrooms on the top. Put back into the oven and bake for about 7 minutes. Then top with mozzarella and bake for another few minutes until cheese melts. 

Top with seed sprouts and enjoy you healthy meal!

PUMPKIN SOUP

Autumn is coming... I have already started craving warming up dishes and seeing so lovely orange round pumpkins I had to make one of my favourite soups. 

PUMPKIN SOUP


INGREDIENTS:

• 1 medium pumpkin
• 2 medium onions
• 2 TBS ghee
• 1 cube of vegetable stock (I use that one)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp turmeric
• pink salt
• toasted pumpkin seeds

METHOD:

Cut onion in small pieces. Melt ghee on a frying pan, add onion and saute until soft. 

Cut pumpkin in medium size pieces, transfer to a large pan, add onion, vegetable stock cube and cover with water just until it reaches the level of vegetables. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until pumpkin is soft.

When it is ready, blend it until smooth using hand blender or food processor. Season with cinnamon, turmeric and salt to taste.

Sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds and enjoy!

CELERIAC FRITTERS

Sometimes there are ingredients in your fridge which you need to use as soon as possible. It may be challenging to find a dish you can make from them. But I have seen there is application where you choose ingredients you have and it converts them into a recipe. Let me know if you have tried it :)

CELERIAC FRITTERS


INGREDIENTS:

• 1 celeriac
• 1 red onion
• 1 yellow or green courgette
• 1 cup wholegrain spelt flour
• 3 beaten eggs
• spring onion
• pink salt

METHOD:

Grate celeriac and courgette. I used food processor. Finely cut red and spring onion. Beat eggs. All these ingredients with salt and spelt flour add to grated vegetables. Mix well.

Melt clarified butter on a large frying pan. When hot, transfer mixture onto the pan using big spoon. Fry on each side for few minutes, until golden brown. 

Enjoy warm!

SWEET POTATO FRIES with AVOCADO DIP

Nearly perfect!

Few days ago I saw Sarah's recipe and I really wanted to try it. Unfortunately, I did not have cornmeal so I used ground flax seeds instead. I really loved how great effect I got at the end :)

SWEET POTATO FRIES

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 sweet potatoes
• 4 TBS ground flax seeds
• 3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 200C. Line large baking tray with parchment paper. 

Cut potatoes in the same size long pieces (not too thick). Rinse and dry them well. Pour extra virgin olive oil to a bowl and coat all pieces of sweet potato. Transfer them to another bowl with ground flax seeds and coat them well. Then place them individually on baking tray about 1&1/2 cm away from each other. Sprinkle with sea salt.

Put into the oven and bake until lightly brown and crispy, about 30 minutes.  

* You can also add your favourite herbs.

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AVOCADO DIP

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 avocado
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• spring onion
• pink salt

METHOD:

Scoop out the avocado flesh and mash it with a fork. Cut spring onion and add with the rest of ingredients to avocado and mix well.  

BUCKWHEAT SOBA NOODLES with SESAME & VEG

BUCKWHEAT SOBA NOODLES with SESAME & VEG

INGREDIENTS:

• handful of buckwheat soba noodles
• 1 carrot
• small leek, only white part
•  1 clove of garlic
• napa cabbage
• scallions
• enoki mushrooms
• toasted sesame oil
• olive oil
• tamari soy sauce 
• sea salt
• pinch of brown sugar or agave syrup
• white & black sesame seeds

METHOD:

Boil noodles in accordance with the instruction on the pack.

In the meantime, wash all vegetables. Then chop scallion, peel and grate carrot, cut leek in small pieces, cut cabbage and slice garlic. Heat olive oil on the large skillet or wok. Stir fry all vegetables and mushrooms for few minutes. Add salt, soy sauce, sugar, some sesame seeds and mix well. Taste and add more if required. At the end add noodles and toasted sesame oil. Serve sprinkled with more white and black sesame seeds.

OVEN BAKED SALMON with LEEKS & SPINACH

Listening to your body is very important as it tells you what it needs at the moment. I am sure all of you have times when you eat certain foods only, maybe in different variation but it is mainly one thing. That symptom can be a sign that your body is lacking some nutrients which such food you crave contains. That is why you want to eat it.

I am not talking about sweets as some of you can think about. If you crave such, that means your diet is not balanced.

Today I feel like eating salmon. I have some leeks and spinach so I have made something really delicious.

OVEN BAKED SALMON with LEEKS & SPINACH


INGREDIENTS:

• 1 medium salmon fillet
• 1 large leek, cut in pieces (not too small as they will burn)
• 3 cups of fresh spinach
• 2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
• extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt
• lemon juice
• small mozzarella ball

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 190-200 C. 

Wash salmon fillet, sprinkle with salt and lemon juice. Place it on the ovenproof dish and sprinkle with olive oil. Cover pieces of leek in olive oil and place around fillet. Put to the oven for about 15 mins (do not overcook it). 

In the meantime, warm up some olive oil on a pan and saute washed spinach. Then add some garlic, salt and shred some mozzarella. Warm up everything and when the salmon is ready, place on the top of the fillet.

SCRAMBLED TOFU

I think I cannot say that every meal I post on my blog is my favourite. I will simply generalise that I eat what I like the most. All photos show my ideal choice of foods. 

Scrambled tofu is great breakfast as well as dinner option!

SCRAMBLED TOFU

INGREDIENTS:

• 125 g organic natural tofu (GMO free)
• 1 sliced portobello mushroom
• enoki mushrooms
• spring onion, white parts cut in medium size pieces
• handful of spinach
• 2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 tsp nutritional yeast
• tamari sauce

METHOD:

Melt coconut oil or mild olive oil on a pan. Add mushrooms, garlic and spring onion. Cook on medium heat until soft. Crumble the tofu into the pan using fingers and stir fry until it is warm. Then add nutritional yeast, tamari sauce and mix well. At the end add spinach and cover the pan for a minute so spinach will be ready. Serve by itself or with nice slice of homemade toasted bread.  

* You can also use carrots, bell peppers (I like red ones), red onion and other spices like turmeric. 

BEETROOT & LENTIL SALAD

I am really impressed how good salad I made few days ago. I would have served it with goats cheese but I had been cutting out dairy lately so I made nice refreshing dressing instead. 

BEETROOT & LENTIL SALAD / Serves 2


INGREDIENTS:

• 3 beetroots
• rapeseed oil
• 1/2 green lentil
• chive
• celery leaves
• pink salt

dressing:

• 2 TBS lemon juice
• 2 TBS olive oil
• 2 TBS honey or agave nectar
• 1 TBS nutritional yeast *without this dish would be gluten-free

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 190-200 C.

Peel off and slice beetroots (about 4 mm thick), cover in rapeseed oil (I use hands to do that), place on the baking tray and roast till they are tender (about 30-40 mins). In the meantime cook green lentil in salted water for about 20 mins. Then strain grains and leave to cool down a little on the side. 

Shred celery leaves and cut chive, add to lentils and mix. In a small bowl mix well all dressing ingredients in and add to the lentil mixture when beetroot are ready. Place beets on a plate, then add lentil with herbs and dressing, sit and enjoy!

LEEK & MUSHROOM RISOTTO

I had never been a big fan of risotto until my friend served oven-baked wild mushroom risotto by Nigel Slater for a dinner. It was creamy, oozy and not too thick. Delicious!

Yesterday I decided to make leek & mushroom risotto as my leeks had to be used. 

LEEK & MUSHROOM RISOTTO

// Recipe adapted from here //

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 leeks, only white parts
• 250 g chestnut mushrooms
• 1 TBS butter
• 1 TBS mild olive oil
• 350 g risotto rice (for example Arborio)
• 1 l homemade vegetable stock
• 2 TBS cream
• salt & pepper (if you like this one - I don't!)
• parmesan

METHOD:

Prepare vegetable stock earlier or straight before you make risotto (it takes about 30-45 minutes).

Melt butter in a large thick bottomed saucepan, add olive oil, sliced mushrooms and leeks and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. In the meantime bring your stock to the boil (if it was prepared much earlier; it has to be hot when added to risotto). Stir the rice into the leek & mushroom mixture. Add a ladleful of hot stock, stir and cook until absorbed. Continue adding a ladleful of stock at the time, stirring until liquid has been absorbed. It will take about 20 mins. When the rice is tender, add cream, salt & pepper to taste. Serve with grated parmesan and fresh salad.

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in Polish

Nigdy nie przepadałam za risotto. Jednak odmieniło się to w chwili kiedy skosztowałam zapiekanego risotta z leśnymi grzybami wg Nigel'a Slater'a podanego na obiedzie u mojej dobrej znajomej. Było kremowe, wilgotne i nie za gęste. Pycha!

Ponieważ moje pory czekały dość długo na wykorzystanie, postanowiłam zrobić risotto .

RISOTTO Z GRZYBAMI I POREM

SKŁADNIKI:

• 4 pory, tylko białe części
• 250 g pieczarek
• 1 łyżka masła
• 1 łyżka oliwy z oliwek
• 350 g ryżu na risotto (np. Arborio)
• 1 l domowego bulionu warzywnego
• 2 łyżki śmietany (nie kwaśnej)
• sól, pieprz
• parmesan

WYKONANIE:

Najpierw przygotować bulion warzywny (zajmie to około 30-45 minut); chyba, że jest już gotowy.

Masło roztopić na dużej głębokiej patelni albo w dużym rondlu. Dodać oliwę, pokrojone w cienkie plasterki grzyby i pory, dusić przez 10 minut często mieszając. W międzyczasie zagotować bulion (jeśli przygotowany dużo wcześniej; musi być gorący). Dodać ryż do masy grzybowo-porowej i wymieszać. Następnie wlać chochlę gorącego bulionu, wymieszać i dusić aż do wchłonięcia. Kontynuować dodawanie bulionu po chochli, za każdym razem często mieszając i czekając zostanie wchłonięty. Zajmie to około 20 minut. Kiedy ryż będzie miękki, dodać śmietanę, doprawić solą i pieprzem. Podawać ze świeżo startym parmesanem i sałatą.