Bulgur Salad with Grilled Halloumi Cheese

Ingredients:

1/2 pack of halloumi cheese

150 g cooked bulgur

1 bigger sweet potato

3 grilled pickled red peppers, cut into stripes

bunch of fresh rocket leaves 

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp lime juice

Pinch of nutmeg

Pinch of turmeric

salt & pepper

*

Delicious vegetarian meal perfect as a healthy lunch option that she saw on YouTube and had to try straight away. Boil the sweet potato and cook the bulgur with a pinch of salt until soft separately. Once the sweet potato is cooked, cut it into cubes, place on a hot plate, sprinkle with olive oil, season with nutmeg and turmeric, do the same with the halloumi cheese which you cut into thick slices. Grill both for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile prepare the rest of the ingredients in a bowl. Once the potato and halloumi ready, add it to the rest of the ingredients, season with salt, pepper, lime and olive oil, mix and serve.

Bon Appetit!

Puff Pastry Tarts

Ingredients:

1 pack of puff pastry

1 egg, whisked

A few circles of chorizo salami

A few circles of thin sliced courgette

A few sun dried tomatoes in oil

A few pine nuts

Fresh rosemary, chopped finely

A slice of prosciutto ham

15 g soft goat's cheese

1 dried fig, cut in circles

walnut

1 teaspoon tomato sauce or ketchup

1/2 thinly sliced tomato

3 anchovies in oil

3 green olives, sliced

15 g feta cheese

Fresh rosemary, chopped finely

1 caramelized onion with a pinch of nutmeg

1 slice of Parma ham

15 g crumbled feta cheese

Fresh thyme

salt&pepper

*

This meal was so much fun and so easy to make, one can play with different combinations as per personal preference and the food is ready in literally 10 minutes. Just place your chosen ingredients on the pastry, don't forget to score about 1 centimeter from the side which you brush with the whisked egg at the end. Above were examples of her combinations, other ingredients you could use were canned tuna, mozzarella and basil, brie cheese and dried cranberries, smoked salmon with capers and dill; the options were endless. Just work with what you have at home. Bake in over until the pastry rises and gets golden brown color.
Bon Appetit! 

Salad With Grilled Vegetables and Lentils

Ingredients:

1/2 smaller courgette, sliced into cca 1 cm rounds

1/2 smaller aubergine, sliced into cca 1 cm rounds

1 small red pepper, sliced into stripes

1 cup lentils, soaked in water for at least a couple of hours or over night or alternatively 1 small can of lentils

1/4 iceberg salad or similar type of leave salad, cut into smaller pieces

100 g ricotta

80 g white cheese - here feta

1 tbsp olive oil or walnut oil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Dash of lemon juice

Pinch of cumin seeds

Bunch of fresh dill, finely chopped

Bunch of fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped

Bunch of fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

salt&pepper

*

As said before, salads basically made at least 50% of all her meals. She loved them and there were so many options out there. This one was a great light vegetarian option for lunch or dinner. It required a bit more time for the preparation, especially in case dried lentils were used. Then one had to let them soak in water for a few hours or better over night. Cut all the vegetable, smear them with walnut or olive oil and place them onto grill or into the pre-heated oven (cca 220C), cook until soft for about 15-20 minutes. Prepare the salad leaves by cutting them and cook the lentils with a bit of olive oil along with pinch of salt, pepper and cumin seeds until soft. Mix ricotta with balsamic vinegar, dash of lemon juice, rest of the oil and finely chopped herbs, season with salt and pepper. 

Once ready, place the grilled vegetables on top of the salad leaves, add cooked lentils and pour the ricotta herbs dressing over. Top it up with some white cheese. Serve with bread if you like.

Bon Appetit!

Spaghetti With Mussels In Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

1 pack (200g) of naturally cooked mussels

300 g spaghetti

1 tin of peeled, cooked tomatoes in sauce

50 g Chorizo salami, cut into small cubes

1/2 onion, chopped finely

bunch of fresh parsley leaves, chopped finely
1/2 cup white wine

1 tbsp olive oil
3 bay leaves

1 teaspoon of dried thyme
50g Parmigiano cheese, grated

salt&pepper

*

She loved seafood in all forms and thankfully had a good access to fresh sea products in the Netherlands. This recipe was quite common for cooking mussels in a shell but she altered it to make a pasta dish. Start by placing the cut pieces of Chorizo on a pre-heated frying pan. In her opinion Chorizo had enough fat that the heat melts and the oil from the Chorizo can serve for the chopped onion to be cooked on. Once onion soft, add mussels that are already pre-boiled and without a shell, cook them for a while with the Chorizo and onion, afterwards pour in the wine along with bay leaves, coverwith a lid and let the wine reduce. After about 5 minutes of cooking on mild heat, add the can of cooked tomatoes in sauce, season with salt, pepper and dried thyme, cook for another 5 minutes or so. Meanwhile cook the spaghetti al dente with a dash of salt and a spoon of olive oil. At the final step, season the sauce with some fresh chopped parsley leaves, serve with spaghetti and alternatively sprinkle with grated Parmigiano cheese.
Bon Appetit!

Sepia Tagliatelle With Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

300 g of pasta nero di sepia

1 tin of pink salmon, in chunks

1 pot of creme fraiche, double cream or alternatively ricotta

3 tbsp parmigiana cheese, grated

1 teaspoon butter

Bunch of fresh parsley leaves, chopped finely

Bunch of fresh dill, chopped finely

salt&pepper

*

Super easy pasta recipe with a twist in form of the sepia flavored pasta. Just cook the pasta al dente as per instructions on the package (usually around 8-10 minutes in boiling water with pinch of salt and then put aside with a lid on the saucepan for a few minutes finish, drain afterwards). Meanwhile, place a  frying pan over medium heat. Add the butter and have it melt, then add the salmon followed by the cream. Mix slowly until combined. Season with fresh herbs, salt and pepper. Serve on top of pasta and sprinkle with parmigiana cheese.

Bon Appetit!

CousCous With Smoked Chicken Ham And Melon Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup of plain couscous

1 pack of smoked chicken ham, cut in stripes

Handful dried apricots, chopped roughly

2 tbsp pine nuts

1/2 fennel bulb, sliced thinly

Bunch of fresh mint leaves, chopped finely

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

salt&pepper

1/2 small galia melon, cut in cubes

1/2 pack feta cheese, crumbled

Bunch of fresh mint leaves, chopped finely

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

salt&pepper

*

Couscous is such a versatile staple that can be prepared in hundreds of different ways. This time she used what she had in the fridge and this very taste mix came out of it. Put the couscous in a bowl and pour boiling hot water over it, cover with a lid or a plate and let raise up. Roast or fry the smoked chicken breast ham on a saucepan. Once couscous ready, throw all the ingredients in the bowl, stir and season with olive oil, lemon juice, fresh mint leaves, salt and pepper. She had a bunch of mint leaves left so she wanted to try this melon salad recipe she saw on Jamie Oliver show. His recipe was with watermelon but that one was not sold in the Netherlands anymore, so she tried with Galia. Very tasty, easy, new flavor combintation.

Bon Appetit!

Spanish Gazpacho

Ingredients:

1/2 cucumber, peeled and seeded

1/2 red bell pepper, cored and seeded

2 tomatoes, sliced and seeded

1/4 red onion

1 celery stalk

1 cup tomato juice

1/2 cup ice cubes

2 tbsp virgin olive oil

1 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar

1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

Bunch of fresh parsley

1/4 chili pepper

salt&pepper

*

The best food in hot hot summer days. Period. She fell in love with this soup while living in South of Spain and truly, there was nothing else she could possibly eat during temperatures as high as 43C. Refreshing, healthy, light, super easy. Just chop roughly all the vegetable ingredients and put them into mixer along with the herbs, seasonings and tomato juice. Mix it well. The ice cubes will chill the soup immediately. The longer gazpacho sits, the more the flavors develop. Serve with bread.

Bon Appetit!

Lamb Chops Marinated In Chili And Mint Sauce

Ingredients:

4 smaller lamb chops

1 cup of rice

1/2 fresh chili pepper

Bunch of fresh mint leaves

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp honey

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

salt&pepper

*

Sometimes a little shift from the usual chicken and fish is needed. Lamb was not everyone's favorite but this marinated version had rather a success. Put the lamb chops into marinade made of honey, olive oil, a bit of lemon juice, finely chopped mint leaves and chili pepper, salt and pepper for at least a few hours and store in a fridge. Fry on a sauce pan with a lid or grill on a barbecue if possible for about 20 mins. Serve with rice or potatoes.
Bon Appetit!

Spaghetti Alla Milanese

Ingredients:

200 g spaghetti

1 can tuna chunks in oil or water

1 can diced tomatoes or 3 fresh tomatoes, diced

1/2 medium onion, chopped

2 tbsp capers

2 tbsp black olives, sliced

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Bunch of fresh basil leaves

2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated 

salt&pepper

*

This recipe got its name because of the place where first consumed. When in Milan, Italy, in a beautiful local restaurant, this sauce was served with pasta and was so simple yet delicious that it had to be remembered and re-cooked. Fry the onion in a sauce pan on the olive oil for a few minutes until soft, add tomatoes, either canned or fresh (then cook until soft), olives, capers and season with salt, pepper and dried oregano. Cook for a few minutes, add the tuna and basil at last and stir softly, so that tuna chunks don't totally fall apart. Serve with pasta sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

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

*

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!

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!

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!

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!