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.

CHRISTMAS GIFT: MAPLE, FLAX & HEMP ROASTED PECANS

I think one of the best ideas of Christmas presents are things made by yourself. And if it is food than it is even better... And if it something healthy - that is the best!

MAPLE, FLAX & HEMP ROASTED PECANS
/ Recipe adapted from here /


INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups pecans
• 1/2 egg white
• 2 TBS ground flax seeds
• 1 TBS ground hemp seeds
• pinch of pink salt
• 1 TBS cinnamon
• 6 crushed cloves
• 1/4 cup maple syrup

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 120 C and line baking tray with parchment paper.

Mix all spices, salt and ground seeds in small bowl.

Whisk the egg white until slightly frothy in large bowl. Add nuts and stir together. Then transfer onto the baking tray and pour maple syrup all over, sprinkle with mixture of spices. Using hands mix well and spread in one layer.

Bake for 15 minutes. Take out from the oven and stir around. Increase the temperature to 180 C and bake for another 10 minutes.

Take out from the oven and leave on the side to cool. Store in glass jar. 

in Polish

SKŁADNIKI:

• 2 szklanki orzechów pekan
• 1/2 białka jajka
• 2 łyżki zmielonych nasion lnu
• szczypta różowej soli
• 1 łyżka mielonego cynamonu
• 6 rozgniecionych główek goździków
• 1/4 szklanki syropu klonowego

WYKONANIE:

Rozgrzać piekarnik do 120 C i wyłożyć blachę pergaminem.

W małej misce wymieszać wszystkie przyprawy, sól i zmielone nasiona.

Ubić lekko białko w dużej misce. Dodać orzechy i dobrze wymieszać. Następnie przenieść na blachę i polać syropem klonowym oraz posypać mieszanką przypraw. Dobrze wmieszać za pomocą dłoni i rozprowadzić na całej powierzchni blachy.

Piec przez 15 minut. Wyjąć z pieca i przemieszać. Zwiększyć temperaturę do 180 C i piec przez kolejne 10 minut.

Wyjąć z piekarnika i pozostawić do wystygnięcia. Przechowywać w szklanym słoiku.

THE LIFE-CHANGING-BREAD by My New Roots

I found that recipe some time ago and finally I have a little spare time to try it. I love Sarah Britton's ideas and I am sure it will change my life.

That bread is so easy to make - one of the simplest things! It is great source of protein and suitable for vegans, vegetarians as well as for people with gluten allergies. 

LIFE-CHANGING-BREAD
/ You can find original recipe here / 


INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup flax seeds
• 1/2 cup hazelnuts
• 1 & 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 2 TBS chia seeds
• 3 TBS psyllium husk
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 TBS maple syrup
• 3 TBS melted coconut oil
• 1 & 1/2 cups water

METHOD:

Line baking loaf with parchment paper. 

Mix all dry ingredients in medium bowl. Melt coconut oil and add with maple syrup and water to the mixture. Mix well. Transfer to the baking loaf, smooth out the top with spoon and set on the side for at least 2 hours or overnight. The dough is ready when it keeps firmly together.

Preheat the oven to 175 C. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove bread for loaf tin, place it upside down on the rack and bake for another 30-40 minutes. Bread is ready when it sounds hollow when tapping it. Let bread cool completely before slicing.

Store it in tightly sealed bag for up to 5 days.

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.  

CHICORY with THYME

Finally I found nice recipe and I have tried chicory :) 

CHICORY with THYME
// Recipe adapted from here //

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 chicory
• 2 tsp clarified butter
• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• pink salt
• pinch of brown sugar
• 2 TBS breadcrumbs
• 1 TBS nutritional yeast (or 50 g Gruyere or Parmesan cheese)
• 1/2 TBS ground flaxseeds
• thyme

METHOD:

Heat the oven to 190C.

Wash and cut chicory in half. Melt butter with olive oil on a frying pan. Add sugar and salt. Then place all halves on the pan cut side down. Fry them until golden brown (about 5 minutes). Transfer to ovenproof dish or deep baking tray, sprinkle with thyme and put into the oven for about 10-12 minutes.

In the meantime, mix breadcrumbs with nutritional yeast (or cheese) in a small bowl. Take out chicory and sprinkle with that mixture. Put again into the oven and bake for another 7 minutes. Chicory should be soft - knife should go easily inside. 

Serve immediately!

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.