RECIPES

For today, here is one of my latest moussaka – roasted pepper and amaranth moussaka.

If you still haven’t noticed moussaka is one of my favourite dishes. It is easy to make and there are plenty of combinations. It could be a vegetarian dish, too. You can add rice (or any grains) and the meat you like. In the end, you can just beat a few eggs with any cheese leftovers, sourcream or oat cream, pour it over, put into the oven and there you go.

My favourite thing about it is that it always looks golden brown and it smells so good. If you already have peeled roasted pepper,  then half job is done.

Now the only thing you need is to saute some onions, add salt and the spices you like. When the onion is nicely glazed add garlic and mincemeat. In a separate pan fry the amaranth for about 10min, drain well and add to the mixture. You might need to season the mixture again.

In a bowl beat 4 eggs, salt and the cream you have chosen. You can use just milk as well.

Now it’s time for layering. Slightly oil the baking tray. Lay pepper, then mince mixture. I had some white sheep cheese so I’ve just sprinkled some over it. Then pour 1/3 of the egg mixture. Repeat the layers. Finish with pepper.

To finish it off – a simple crumble for the top. My kids say this is the best part. Melt some butter and stir in breadcrumbs ( I use a gluten-free option). Sprinkle generously over the mousaka.

Bake covered in the preheated oven at 200°C for a half an hour, then remove the cover and let the crumble become a lovely golden brown colour.

You can make it a few hours before, just switch the oven off and leave the mousaka inside. It will stay nicely warm. Serve with salad or greek yogurt.

I invite you to make your combination of this lovely dish.

You can message me with how it turned out.

Can’t wait to share tips with you.🥰

It might looks like mud, but in fact this nettle soup is very tasty and healthy above all.

If you can get some freshly picked young nettle leaves  don’t miss the chance to make this soup.

Start by frying some onion olive oil. Add salt and spices you like. Nettle has strong taste and it goes well with spices such as turmeric and paprika. Stir well, let it fry for a minute and add blanched nettle leaves. Stir, pour over beef stock and cook for about 20-30 minutes ( depends how young the leaves you’ve got are). Remove the pot from the heat. Use a stick blender to puree the soup. Return to the heat, season to taste and add rice/oat milk or fresh cream.

Note to be careful, fresh nettle leaves sting , although it is believed to be good for rheumatism.

I prefer to wear gloves, but you can try without them if you want😉.

Recipe for salmon trout burgers was inspired by one of Jamie Oliver’s. I have changed a few things to adjust it to the likings of my family.

I used salmon trout which can be a good and more cost-effective replacement for salmon. Also if you aren’t able to buy wild salmon, it’s much better to buy some local fresh fish.

Chop the fish into small chunks (pea-sized) and season well with salt and pepper. Add grated ginger, a finely cut red onion, spring onions and plenty of lemon zest. Make sure you have kept the lemon in cold water for some time before using it. Mix well and make 2cm thick patties. Fry them on medium-high heat for 2 minutes each side, or until nicely golden.

They match fantastically with chilly jam. You can serve it separately, or add to the pan just when you’re almost done with frying. As a side dish, I made boiled potatoes, gilded a little bit on butter, and boiled chard (boil it for only 3 minutes in salted water and drain well).

Kids love those salmon trout burgers. Ginger and lemon zest give that refreshing note if you use the kind of fatty fish. You can make them in 5 minutes. You can boil the potatoes a few hours before and then just give them a butter glaze for a few minutes.

If you like chard try to make my chard and quinoa moussaka as well 🙂

Chilled beetroot soup – made with love ♥

Here is another lovely creamy soup for you that can be eaten cold or warm. As beetroot’s available all the year-round, the making process is the same. When the cooking is done, just choose to put it straight on the table, or in the fridge to chill.

As for the majority of cream soups, start by frying roughly chopped onion (red ones if available) on some olive oil. My granny taught me always to salt the onions and believe me, you can taste the difference. When the onion is nice and glassy, add roughly chopped beetroot (washed and peeled). Stir for a few minutes, pour in soup stock to cover the veggies. Bring to the boil slowly, and let it simmer for 30 minutes, or until the beetroot is soft. Add seasoning, pepper, garlic powder and extra salt if needed. Leave it to cool until lukewarm.

Blend the soup with a stick blender or in the food processor. Put in the fridge to cool completely overnight. My family loves the combination of beetroot and Greek yogurt, but that’s just our preferred way of eating it.

Love is … when your family says that no one makes it better than you. Make this beautiful chilled beetroot soup with care for your loved ones.

This nutty dried fruit tart is easy to make, with nearly no added sugar. This is something you can prepare any time, as dried fruits you can have in the fridge all over the year.

If you do not have your favourite tart pastry recipe here is mine:

300gr of flour

200gr of butter

100gr of sugar (or replace it with 4 dry dates)

1 egg

1tbs of yogurt or white wine

Vanilla extract

Collect all together with one hand and knead lightly for few seconds to give a smooth, firm dough. Put the dough into plastic bag or wrap in the cling film. Refrigerate for 15min, or up to 2 days. You can put in the freezer and keep it up to 6 months. Roll the dough with the rolling pin using two sheets of baking paper (to avoid flour all over the kitchen). Transfer it to the tart dish.

This recipe require to bake tart case “blind”- without a filling. Put one of those sheets you just used to roll the pastry on top of it. Fill it with uncooked dried beans (I use the same ones for years).  Bake it for 15 minutes on 200°C, then remove the beans and paper and bake for extra 10 minutes.

For the filling you need:

500gr of dried fruits (this time I put 300gr of prunes and 200gr of apricots), roughly cut

Put the fruits in a saucepan with 800ml water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.  Add cinnamon and grated lemon/orange rind if you like. Blend 1 sachet of custard powder (or 45ml of corn flour) with 200ml of cold water. Stir into the simmering fruit mixture. Cook, stirring for two minutes and spoon the filling into the pastry. If you prefer you can add few drops of essential oil of your choice (lemon, orange, clove …)

To make it nutty sprinkle your nutty dried fruit tart with toasted grounded hazelnuts (or any other kind for nuts you like).

Serve with fresh cream, or vanilla ice cream. Enjoy 🙂

How many time has finding yourself with some roasted chicken leftovers that no one wants to eat happened to you?

Once I made those meatballs and since then my kids keep asking me to make them again and again.

Just put boneless chicken, dried apricots, walnuts and parmesan cheese in the food processor. With wet hands, form the meatballs and then either bake them in the oven or fry on the pan.

The meatballs are so tasty, eaten warm or cold. Serve them with salad, or add some rice as a side dish if you prefer. Then if there are going to be a few left ( which never happens in my family ) just make a nice sandwich. I like them the best with just lettuce salad, but you can find your own way of serving it.

So, no eggs, no flour, just 4 ingredients and you will have a completely new dish on the table. And most importantly no food waste. Have a wonderful lunch.

It might looks like mud, but in fact this nettle soup is very tasty and healthy above all.

If you can get some freshly picked young nettle leaves  don’t miss the chance to make this soup.

Start by frying some onion olive oil. Add salt and spices you like. Nettle has strong taste and it goes well with spices such as turmeric and paprika. Stir well, let it fry for a minute and add blanched nettle leaves. Stir, pour over beef stock and cook for about 20-30 minutes ( depends how young the leaves you’ve got are). Remove the pot from the heat. Use a stick blender to puree the soup. Return to the heat, season to taste and add rice/oat milk or fresh cream.

Note to be careful, fresh nettle leaves sting , although it is believed to be good for rheumatism.

I prefer to wear gloves, but you can try without them if you want😉.

Easy to make and delicious aunty Nena’s chicken breasts. I love recipes named after dear people who made them. Every time I make it I recall memories of this brave and great women.

This time I left the recipe to my daughter to make, and she did it perfectly.

All you need are chicken or turkey breast escalopes, thinly sliced prosciutto or smoked ham, four eggs, sour cream or cooking cream and grated cheese of your choice.

Take a casserole dish, slightly oil and lay down escalopes . Cover them with prosciutto. Beat cooking cream and eggs and pour it over. Sprinkle with grated cheese on top. Bake in a preheated oven on 200°C or until golden brown.

It can be eaten hot, warm or cold. Serve it with any kind of veggies as a side dish (remember what mum said – three colours on a plate). When cold, you can easily cut in small cubes and arrange over a salad. It’s great to put in a sandwich as well.

I am sure you will find the way you like them most.
Just one important thing – do NOT SEASON them, no needed salt or anything.

Bon appétit à tous.🍽

Let me share with you this recipe for zucchini and mini meatballs pasta that you can easily make in 20 minutes time.

First season the minced meat the way you like. Then start making mini meatballs with wet hands throwing them directly onto the hot slightly oiled frying pan. Fry them for about 5 minutes, shaking the pan. When the meatballs are nice and brown, put them aside, but do not let them cool. I like to wrap them in the alum-foil, that way all the juices won’t evaporate.

In the same pan put zucchinis cut in little cube shapes, but not too small to avoid falling apart during frying. Add some oil or butter, season and fry about 10 minutes or until they start getting golden brown. At the same time cook the pasta of your choice.

When the zucchinis are ready, transfer the meatballs back in to the pan. Add boiled pasta and season to taste. There are a few different ways you can finish this zucchini and mini meatballs pasta dish. You can either leave it as it is, just sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top, or you can add some cooking cream – which what we did here. You can even add some tomato sauce and season with Mediterranean herbs.  

The one on the photo was made by my teenage daughter, while I was at work.

I feel proud ♥♥ Wouldn’t you as well?

Recipe for salmon trout burgers was inspired by one of Jamie Oliver’s. I have changed a few things to adjust it to the likings of my family.

I used salmon trout which can be a good and more cost-effective replacement for salmon. Also if you aren’t able to buy wild salmon, it’s much better to buy some local fresh fish.

Chop the fish into small chunks (pea-sized) and season well with salt and pepper. Add grated ginger, a finely cut red onion, spring onions and plenty of lemon zest. Make sure you have kept the lemon in cold water for some time before using it. Mix well and make 2cm thick patties. Fry them on medium-high heat for 2 minutes each side, or until nicely golden.

They match fantastically with chilly jam. You can serve it separately, or add to the pan just when you’re almost done with frying. As a side dish, I made boiled potatoes, gilded a little bit on butter, and boiled chard (boil it for only 3 minutes in salted water and drain well).

Kids love those salmon trout burgers. Ginger and lemon zest give that refreshing note if you use the kind of fatty fish. You can make them in 5 minutes. You can boil the potatoes a few hours before and then just give them a butter glaze for a few minutes.

If you like chard try to make my chard and quinoa moussaka as well 🙂