Poppy Seed Pork Tenderloin With Green Olives Salsa

Ingredients:

250 g - 300 g pork tenderloin

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup poppy seeds

1/2 pack dandelion salad leaves

salt&pepper

salsa:

1 tomato, chopped finely

1/3 cup green olives, chopped

1/2 avocado

1/3 small red onion, chopped finely

dash of freshly squeezed lemon juice
dash of Tabasco sauce

1 teaspoon olive oil

salt&pepper

*

She almost stopped eating pork meat since she moved to the Netherlands, but when she saw a recipe on the Czech Apetit smart phone app, she realized she could give it a shot for a change. This recipe was super easy yet had a sense of novelty because of the poppy seeds which was not a very common ingredient and has proven to be difficult to find in the Netherlands (thank you Arab food market). Cut the tenderloin into medallions about 2 cm in width. Brush gently all the sides with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roll from both sides in poppy seeds. Let rest in the fridge for about an hour. Prepare the salsa by simply chopping tomato, onion, green olives and avocado, mix altogether with a dash of lemon juice, olive oil, Tabasco sauce and season with salt and pepper. Fry the pork medallions on a tiny bit of butter and on high heat from both sides for a few minutes, cover the pan with a lid and let finish of on lower heat. Serve with bunch of dandelion salad leaves and the salsa along with some bread as per your preference.
Bon Appetit!

The Berry Coconut Smoothie

Ingredients:

1/2 cup strawberries

1/3 cup blackberries

1 cup water

2 tbsp coconut milk

70 ml Alpro Soya Mild and Creamy strawberry and rhubarb drink

1 tbsp rasped coconut

*

Smoothies seemed to be everywhere now, on blogs, tumblr, in magazines. She was drinking smoothies in the morning for a long time now. It was her morning routine before she went to work. It gave her the energy she needed for a good start of the day and for her journey to work which took her about an hour. She only had breakfast after she arrived at work. The preparation was super easy, just put everything together and mix with blender. This version was a bit richer and mor fulfilling. She used soya milk products as she was lactose intolerant, but feel free to use yoghurt or alternatively also goat's milk products. Be careful on the coconut milk part as the milk is very rich and oily, it should only add a bit of taste and texture to the smoothie. More of her favourite smoothies were about to follow. 

Bon Appetit!

Easter Salad

Ingredients:

1 jar of quail eggs in brine

1 pack of baby asparagus spears

1 bulb of beetroot, cooked and pickled, sliced thinly into rounds

50 g semi soft type goat's cheese, crumbled

 Bunch of fresh salad leaves, baby spinach or similar

Bunch of fresh water cress

Bunch of fresh dandelion salad leaves

Bunch of edible flowers

Dressing:

4 tbsp mayonnaise

Juice from 1/2 a small grapefruit

1 teaspoon agave syrup

1/2 teaspoon vinegar

salt&pepper

*

They were planning to cook a dinner for their friends and they agreed to make it in "Spring/Easter" theme. It was her role to come up with a starter and she immediately envisioned fresh flowery salad as you can see on the picture above. One visit to an Arab market and she had all the ingredients she needed for a try-out which ended up with a great success. This salad has a bit more pricey ingredients but is certainly worth the try if you want to make a good impression.

She cooked and pickled her own beetroot by cooking the cleaned bulb with cut-off ends for about 45 mins on mild heat with about an half a teaspoon salt and about a tablespoon vinegar. Once boiled soft, the beetroot needs to be cut into super thin round slices. At the same time, the baby asparagus with cut-off ends is roasted on a pan with a drop of olive oil, salt and pepper al dente. The dressing can be also prepared at this time by simply stirring the mayonnaise, salt, pepper, vinegar, agave syrup and grapefruit juice until compact mixture is created. The sauce shouldn't be too liquid. 

She opted for placing the ingredients on the plate in form of little nests. The bottom is created by the thinly slices pickled beetroot on which various salad leaves and the water cress are placed. On top of each nest come two roasted asparagus spears and side wise quail egg cut in half. The salad is then topped by a bit of crumbled goat's cheese and decorated by edible flower. All the nests are finally sprayed by the dressing. Serve the salad with some fresh brown bread or baguette and crisp white wine.

Bon Appetit!

Mexican Style Kidney Beans Soup With Chicken Sausage

Ingredients:

1 tin of red kidney beans or 1 bowl of kidney beans soaked in water over night and pre-cooked

1 l chicken bouillon

1/2 carrot, diced

1/3 of small red chili pepper, chopped finely

Bunch of fresh coriander leaves, chopped finely

Pinch of nutmeg powder
1 tbsp tomato pure

1 teaspoon butter

1 chicken meat sausage

salt&pepper

*

Simple but hearty soup which can easily serve as a main dish, this soup actually came together because of necessity to use the rest of a tin of red beans. Melt the butter in a pot, throw in finely chopped chili pepper and roast for a bit. Add diced carrot, and the beans including the liquid and stir for a while. Pour over the chicken bouillon, tablespoon of tomato pure, mix together and boil until carrots are soft. Meanwhile roast the chicken sausage in oven or fry it on the saucepan and slice it into rounds. At the end, season the soup with finely chopped fresh coriander leaves, nutmeg powder, salt and pepper; and mash the beans a little bit to make the mixture a bit more compact. Serve with the sausage and bread if you like.
Bon Appetit!

Quinoa Salad With Smoked Salmon

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of mixed quinoa grain

100 g smoked salmon fillets

1/2 cucumber, cored and peeled if preferred

50 g feta cheese, here in cubes

2 tbsp capers 

2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon roasted sesame seeds

Bunch of fresh dill

Handful arugula, baby spinach leaves or dandelion leaves

Dash of freshly squeezed lemon juice

salt&pepper

*

Recently, this salad became her favorite lunch option. Simple to make but interesting in tastes, she would prepare it at least once a week. Many of the ingredients in this recipe were considered a superfood: Omega-3s in the salmon lower heart disease risk, arthritis and may possibly help with memory loss and Alzheimer's. There is some evidence to show that it reduces depression as well. Sesame has compounds called ligans which have cholesterol and blood pressure lowering effects. Also contained in sesame is vitamin E, an antioxidant that can help decrease inflammation in your body.Often referred to as the supergrain, quinoa is high in fiber and high-quality protein. In fact, it contains more protein than any other grain while also packing in iron and potassium.The quinoa mix of white, red and black grains had a special nutty flavor that made the salad really special. Boil the quinoa until it softens and somehow "pops" in 1:2 ratio means 1/2 cup quinoa with 1 cup water along with a pinch of salt. It should take about 15 minutes. Meanwhile prepare the rest of the ingredients, slice the smoked salmon fillets, cut and core the cucumber, chop the dill finely. Mix along with the rest of the ingredients and the cooked quinoa afterwards, season with salt and pepper and the sesame oil which gives the meal an Asian flair. Serve on a bed of fresh arugula, dandelion or baby spinach leaves. This salad can be also served with a soft boiled or pouched egg and bread to make it a more fulfilling meal of the day.

Bon Appetit!

The Albert Heijn Salad

Ingredients:

1 pack of  mixed salad leaves (preferably with Radichchio)

70 g blue cheese, crumbled

1/2 pear, sliced

2 celery sticks, chopped

1/2 cup white radish, grated

Handful red grapes without pits

Handful roasted salted almonds

3 tbsp Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing either bought or homemade:

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp raspberry wine vinegar

1 teaspoon agave syrup or honey

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

pinch of dried oregano

salt&pepper

*

This salad was not her recipe but it was her favorite lunch option. One of the many types of ready made salads that one could buy in the Netherlands in the Albert Heijn supermarket chains, this salad was far from boring and was bursting with flavors. She wanted to share it with you and also note the ingredients down in case they ever stopped making it. The only thing you need to do is place all the ingredients in a bowl or on a dish and make the raspberry vinaigrette which you pour over the mix.

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!