Fungi Bulgur With Fresh Herbs

Ingredients:

1 cup bulgur wheat
2-3 cups water

1 cup fresh mushrooms - meadow mushrooms, oyster mushrooms etc.

1/2 cup dried mushrooms (porcini)

1/2 cup Parmigiano or Pecorino cheese, rasped
1/2 onion, chopped
1/4 chicken bouillon cube

2 tbsp white wine

1 tbsp butter

Bunch of fresh thyme and rosemary

salt&pepper
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Bulgur wheat is a great healthy alternative to rice as it has lesser calories and is rich in dietary fiber.
Let the dried mushrooms soften in a cup with lukewarm water. Preheat the butter and fry the chopped onion until it has a golden color. Add the dried mushrooms (water drained) plus the fresh mushrooms and cook for a little while, place the bulgur in the pot and pour water over. Throw the chicken bouillon in along with white wine, salt and pepper and let boil until bulgur is soft and water evaporates. Season with the fresh chopped thyme and rosemary herbs and sprinkle some Parmigiano cheese over. Alternatively, green peas or asparagus can be added during the cooking.
Bon Appetit!

Mix Of Healthy Snacks In Mediterranean Style

Ingredients:

1/2 zucchini, cut in rounds

50 g goat's cheese

4 sun dried tomatoes in oil
Handfull salad leaves or argula for decoration

1 chicken breast, diced
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme and dried sage

1/2 cucumber

2 tbsp Greek yogurt
Bunch of fresh dill and parsley
1 can red beans
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon tabasco
Bowl of vegetable crisps
salt&pepper

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Looks pretty and decorative, it is simple to make, healthy and tasty... The perfect summer snack or light dinner.
Put the diced chicken on a wooden skewer, season with salt, pepper, dried thyme and sage, drizzle with a bit of olive oil and roast either on a sauce pan or in an oven for about 15 minutes.
Cut the zucchini in thicker rounds, place soft goat's cheese on top of it along with half of sun dried tomato. Bake in oven for about 15 minutes.
Cut cucumber in half, remove the soft middle part with a teaspoon and then cut in half moons. You can leave the skin on, depends on preference. Mix with two tablespoons Greek yogurt, finely chopped dill and parsley, salt and pepper and drizzle of lemon juice.
Open can of red beans and pour most of the liquid out. Place in mixing pot along with lemon juice, parsley, Tabasco, salt and pepper and mix with immerse mixer into a rather thick paste. Serve with vegetable or potato crisps.

Bon Appetit!

Lentil Soup With Fresh Ginger And Coriander

Ingredients:

1 cup brown lentils

1 can diced tomatoes

3 cups water

1 medium carrot, diced

1/2 onion, chopped

1 tbsp ginger, peeled and rasped finely

Bunch of fresh coriander leaves, chopped

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon butter

1/4 chicken bouillon cube

salt&pepper
*

This soup is perfect for rainy colder days. It is very fulfilling and thanks to the ginger has a nice spicy kick.

First of all, put the lentils in a bowl with lukewarm water and let them swell up. Brown lentils will need more time so count with a couple of hours. Afterwards, heat up the spoon of butter in a pot, fry the onion until soft along with the rasped ginger. Add the lentils and the carrot and stir for a little while. Then add water, salt, pepper, chicken bouillon and curry powder so that the flavors soak in. Boil for about 20 minutes until soft. Add the can of diced tomatoes and boil for another 5 minutes.

Afterwards, let cool off a little bit, add chopped leaves of coriander, season additionally if needed, and then mix with immersion mixer until the liquid becomes compact. Prior to the mixing, you can take some of the lentils and carrots aside and add them afterwards into the soup for some texture. Serve with bread.

Bon Appetit!

Beetroot And Goat's Cheese Salad

Ingredients:

2 cups mixed salad leaves

1 cup beetroot

50 g soft goat's cheese

1 tbsp pine nuts

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon mustard

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

salt&pepper
*

Super easy, healthy salad for a quick fix when you run out of time and ideas. The honey mustard dressing goes nicely with goat's cheese and beetroot provides a nice sweet taste.

Bon Appetit!

The Upside Down Apple French Tart

Ingredients:

Pastry

1 1/3 cups flour

1 1/2 tbsp sugar

1/2 cup butter

3 tbsp cold water

dash salt

Filling (for a smaller pie plate)

3-4 big apples, peeled and sliced into moon shape, quite thinly

2 cups sugar

4 tbsp butter

inside from 1 small vanilla bean

3 tbsp almond flakes

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This delicious cake is a bit more time consuming and difficult to make but brings a certain feeling of satisfaction and pride when finished successfully, of course along with satisfaction of your taste buds:

Sift the flour, sugar and salt together. Add the butter, cut in small cubes, along with the water and knead the mixture until it forms thick dough. Transfer the dough into a plastic bag and put it in a fridge to rest for about half an hour. You can peel and cut the apples while waiting for the dough to rest.

After half an hour preheat the oven to about 220-250C. Take a pie plate, lightly grease the plate with butter and cover the bottom with sugar fully, so no surface is seen, add the vanilla extract. Place the pie plate in the oven and let the sugar caramelize for about 15 mins. The sugar should melt and have a slightly brown color. Towards the end of the caramelizing, take out the dough from the fridge and roll it into a circle shape. Take the pie plate carefully out of the oven and place the apple slices around to form a circle, fill the rest with more apple slices. Sprinkle a bit of sugar over the apples and add a few thin slices of butter. Cover the apples with the dough, tuck the ends of the dough down inside the pie plate (NOT outside), pressing it firmly so that the filling is completely sealed in. Prick the dough a few times with fork so that steam can get out while baking. Bake the cake for about 15-20 minutes until the crust is golden brown. Afterward take it out from the oven and let it cool off. Place a dinner plate over the top of the cake and turn it upside down. This can get a bit messy, so be extra cautious. Once flipped over, you can sprinkle some almond flakes over the top. Tip: You can make this cake also with pears. Serve with creme fraiche, whipped cream or ice cream as you prefer.

Bon Appetit!

Shrimp CousCous With Avocado And Fresh Coriander

Ingredients:

1 pack of king prawns, peeled and pre-boiled

1 cup of couscous
1 1/2 cup water

1 tomatoes, diced

1/2 ripe avocado, diced

1/4 cup raisins

2 tbsp pine nuts
2tbsp olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kurkuma
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, grounded
Pinch of chili pepper powder
Bunch of fresh coriander leaves
Few fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
salt&pepper
*

The Boyfriend's absolute favorite, this meal is simple and super fast to prepare:
Cook the prawns with a bit of olive oil or butter on a saucepan for a short while. Add the couscous and pour a glass and a half of water over it. Throw in the raisins and pine nuts, season with kurkuma, cinnamon, grounded cumin, chili pepper powder, salt and pepper. Cook until couscous softens and water evaporates. At the end add the tomato, avocado and fresh mint with coriander, stir gently. You can server this meal with a pita bread on side.
Bon Appetit!

White Fish Wrapped In Parma Ham

Ingredients:

4 small pieces white fish (haddock, cod, pangasius)

4 slices parma / prosciutto ham

200 g baby potatoes

1 tbsp tarragon or dried thyme

3 tbsp olive oil

1 cup black kalamata olives

1 cup green beans

Alternatively 10 mushrooms

4 toothpicks 

salt&pepper

*

Easy and tasty Mediterranean meal, perfect to show off  a bit in front of your friends or family when cooking dinner for them:

Wrap the fish in parma ham and secure with toothpick. Season with salt and pepper. Boil potatoes and green beans until soft, cut the potatoes in halves. Put in roasting pan along with kalamata olives and the beans. Add salt and pepper, tarragon or dried thyme and sprinkle with olive oil. Put both the potatoes and the fish in the oven. For healthier version place the fish on baking paper, no additional oil will be needed. Alternatively, mushrooms can be also put aside. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes, please note that the fish might be cooked faster than the potatoes. Don't forget to take out the toothpicks before serving. Serve with a glass of nice white wine.

Bon Appetit!

Asian Noodle Soup With Prawns

Ingredients:

1 package tiger prawns, peeled and pre-boiled

1/2 package Asian noodles

1 l chicken broth

1 medium carrot, sliced

1/2 medium leek, sliced

1 tbsp butter

2 sticks lemon grass, whole

20 g fresh ginger, whole

1 chili pepper

Bunch of fresh coriander leaves

salt&pepper

*

For soup lovers that enjoy rich and various flavors, perfect option to the classical chicken broth:

Melt the butter in a sauce pan and add vegetables. Cook for a short while and pour the chicken broth over. When boiling, put the lemon grass, chili pepper and ginger inside along with salt and pepper. Don't forget to pound the lemon grass first so that the aroma gets out more intensely. Once broth cooked sufficiently, take the lemon grass, chili pepper and ginger out. Lower the heat and add noodles and prawns, cook for a bit until noodles are soft. At the end, add finely chopped fresh coriander.

Bon Appetit!

Recipe inspired by Výpečky.

Various Brown Bread Sandwiches

Ingredients:

4 slices of brown wholegrain bread

1/2 package smoked salmon

1/2 package soft goat's cheese

1/2 small cucumber 

Bunch of fresh dill

1 tbsp pickled capers

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon honey

1 tbsp pine nuts or walnuts

50 g cream cheese spread

salt&pepper

*

Great more sophisticated alternative for a snack that can be served during family or friend's visit.

Smoked salmon tastes nice with fresh dill, capers and a drizzle of lemon juice, goat's cheese goes well with cucumber, pine nuts or walnuts and a drizzle of honey.

Bon Appetit!

Spaghetti With Courgette, Ricotta And Broad Beans

 Ingredients:

150 g spaghetti pasta

1 can of broad beans

1/2 cup green peas

1/2 courgette, sliced

1 pot of ricotta

Bunch of fresh mint leaves

25 g Parmesan cheese, grated

2 tbsp white wine

1 teaspoon butter

salt&pepper

*

An unusual vegetarian spaghetti meal version for those who want to try something new:

Boil spaghetti until "al dente". Melt butter in a saucepan and add sliced courgette. Cook until it softens, then add broad beans and green peas followed by the pot of ricotta. To make the sauce a bit thinner, the white wine can be added. Season with salt, pepper and finely chopped fresh mint leaves. Pour the sauce over spaghetti and sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top. Best served with dry white wine.

Bon Appetit!

Chocolate Soufflés

Ingredients for 6 servings:

200g dark chocolate, chopped

150g butter, cut into cubes plus a bit extra for buttering the ramekins

6 eggs

175g sugar

125g plain flour

Alternatively 1 orange - zest, grated and 3 tbsp orange juice

6 ramekins (as on picture)

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These delicious chocolate soufflés (with orange flavor) attained a great success as a dessert during a Christmas dinner with friends. They can also serve as a little sweet treat for your beloved ones:

Heat the oven to 180C. Butter 6 medium ramekins. Melt the chocolate with the butter in a bowl over simmering water or in a microwave. Beat the eggs with the sugar until they are very light and fluffy and then fold in the flour carefully. Finally fold in the chocolate mixture and stir gently together. Alternatively, the orange juice and zest can be added at this point for a flavored version of the soufflés. Divide the mixture between the ramekins. Bake for 8-12 minutes, the soufflés should rise and form a firm crust but they should still remain slightly runny in the middle. These soufflés are served in the ramekins and can be accompanied by  ice cream, whipped cream or different sorts of fruit.

Bon Appetit!

Recipe altered from BBC GoodFood

Red Lentil Curry Salad With Soft Boiled Egg

Ingredients:

1 cup red lentils

1 medium size carrot, diced

Mix of salad leaves

1/2 cup feta cheese cubes

1 egg

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Bunch of fresh coriander leaves

1 teaspoon curry powder

Pinch of turmeric

Salt&Pepper

*

Red lentils is a healthy, relatively cheap and colorful ingredient that surely deserves a bit more acknowledgement in our kitchens:

Put the lentils in a bowl with lukewarm water and let it swell up for at least half an hour. Afterwards boil them shortly with the carrot until soft, add salt, pepper, curry powder and turmeric so that the flavors soak in. Boil the egg as you like it.

Prepare the mix of salad leaves with chopped coriander, top it up with the lentil mixture, add feta cheese and sprinkle with olive oil as well as balsamic vinegar. Lay boiled egg on the top and season with salt and grounded pepper.

Bon Appetit!

Courgette Soup With Blue Cheese

Ingredients:

3 cups of water

1/2 courgette, diced

1 medium size potato, peeled and diced

Bunch of fresh dill

1 teaspoon butter

100 g blue cheese

1 tbsp pink pepper corns

salt&pepper

*

The simplest and nicest soup that is suitable for those with lactose intolerance, thanks to the potato used instead of the common cream version. Takes only 10 minutes to make:

Melt the butter in a sauce pan, add the diced courgette and potato and pour in the water. Let boil until soft, add salt, pepper and finely chopped dill and mix with immersion mixer until the liquid becomes compact. Let cool off a bit and add pieces of blue cheese along with a few pink pepper corns. Serve with bread if you prefer.
Bon Appetit!

Bulgur Tabbouleh Salad With Feta Cheese

Ingredients:

1 cup bulgur wheat

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp olive oil

Handfull cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1/2 red bell pepper, sliced

1/2 shallot onion, sliced

1/2 cup feta cheese

1/2 cucumber, sliced

1/2 cup kalamata black olives, chopped

Bunch of fresh parsley

Few fresh mint leaves

Fresh dill

Salt&Pepper

*

Simple, healthy but a bit more filling alternative to a Greek salad, perfect as a lunch during warmer days, especially with a glass of chilled rose wine:

Boil the bulgur wheat until soft. Add salt, pepper, lemon juice and olive oil and let cool off a bit. Add the sliced vegetables, black olives, feta cheese and chopped herbs. Alternatively, pickled capers or white yogurt can be add. Stir gently and serve chilled.

Bon Appetit!

Beef Skewer With Apricots And Green CousCous

Ingredients:

300 g beef meat, cut into squares

1/2 cup dried apricots or alternatively prunes

Fresh Spinach leaves

1 cup couscous

1/2 cup of fresh or frozen green peas, boiled

Alternatively green beens

Bunch of fresh mint leaves

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

3 tbls olive oil

Salt&Pepper

Skewers
*

This meal was met with a warm reception by the boyfriend :) It has a little exotic feel to it and can serves as filling but healthy lunch or dinner alternative:

Stick the beef squares on a wooden skewer combining one piece of beef with one apricot at time, sprinkle with salt, pepper and dried rosemary and fry slowly on a frying pan with a bit of olive oil until done.

Place couscous in a bowl and pour over boiling water. Allow some extra water so that the couscous has enough liquid to rise. Cover with a lid and wait a few minutes until couscous swells up. Mix with salt, pepper, finely chopped mint leaves and about a tablespoon of olive oil. Add boiled green peas and stir.

Serve all on a bed of fresh spinach leaves and alternatively accompany also with green beans.

Bon Appetit!

Chicken Drumsticks With Ginger And Coriander Filling

Ingredients:

6 Chicken drumsticks with skin

Bunch of fresh coriander, finely chopped

2 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp olive oil

Salt&Pepper

*

Super easy meal but with a little twist, better than your usual roasted chicken ;)

Mix the coriander with ginger (easy on the ginger part as it is quite a spicy ingredient), lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper together and stuff the paste under the chicken drumstick's skin. Drizzle the drumsticks with a bit of olive oil and salt if you prefer.  Bake in the oven on cca 200 degrees for about half an hour. Serve with rice, potatoes, couscous or whatever you fancy.

Bon Appetit!