Back at home and in the kitchen

Back from vacation down in Croatia. 

I spend one great week on a vegan Cruisetrip in Croatia. In fact it was my first and defenetly not my last one, as I was never on holidays like this. And all I can say - when ever you'll see or find something comparing - Take part!!!

The Ship was about 30 meters long and 8 meters wide. 

We were about 29 guests and a crew of 8 persons. The people on the boat were all so friendly and we had good time together. 

The food they served was very good - some food I never had or tried before, but I knew I would try it out later at home. 

The vegan cook (a women) sold two vegan cookbooks and in there I found some recipes she served us - I immediately bought them. 
Unfortunatly - as every holidays - the week was too fast over.

When I came home on Saturday morning, first I felt like a stranger in my apartment. But this past after a while. 

After I unpacked my backpack and before unpacking my luggage I went for groceries and back at home I put myself into kitchen - trying food from the cookbook I've eaten on the boat.

For first I looked trough the book what else I could prepare. To begin with I started with a cheese I ate on the boat (breakfast). SO GOOD!

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Vegan Pimentocheese 

Ingredients:
100 g red pepper, deseeded
375 ml water
2 tsp. Agar-Agar

90 Cashews
2 Tbsp. sesamseeds
1 1/2 tsp. seasalt or normal salt
2 tsp. onionpowder
1/3 tsp. carlicpowder
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
2 tsp. lemonjuice

Preparation:
Clean red pepper and cut into cubes. Pour water in a small pan and add pepper and Agar-Agar and let it cook for 5 minutes. (beware from overcooking). 

Meanwhile blend the rest of ingredients in your blender, add the cooked pepper, including the water and blend again till smooth. 

Oil a form and pour the liquid into the form and place in the refrigerator. 

After cooled down, the cheese can be overthrown and sliced.

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Bread Salad with Beens, Peach and Onions 

4 Persons

Ingredients:

400 g green Beens

salt

200 g old bread

0.5 dl vegetable broth

3 Tbsp. vinegar

1 bay leaf

2 peaches

1 red onion

4 Tbsp. Oil

pepper

100 g green salad of your favorite

black olives

Preparation:

First cook beans in salted water till soft. When done drain well and pour cold water over them. Cut into 2 cm wide pieces. 

Cut bread into large cubes. 

In a frying pan without fat lightly fry the bread.

In a saucepan bring vegetable broth, vinegar and bay leaf to a boil and turn off the heat. 

Cut the peaches in half, remove the stone and cut into slices. Peel and quarter the onion and with some little oil sauté for 2 minutes, add sliced peach and sauté briefly.

Mix with the bread and the beans, pour over cooked vinegar and the left oil, mix everything well and season with salt and pepper. 

Let the salad stand for 15 min before serving (to soak up the spices). Then serve on green salad, serve with black olives. 

Enjoy!

Amaranthpops-Joghurt-Fruitcup

I ate so much during my first days of Holidays, (filling up my batteries), that I'm really glad now, that I eat so healthy at least in the morning. 

Usually I eat lots of fruits and one or two pieces of bread with jam. But today when I opened the bread-box I saw that the bread had mold on it and - only when I got no grains at home - I cut the mold away and ate a piece of bread either, but not today. 

Luckely I lately bought a new pack of Amaranthpops and fruits I always got at home, I made myself a short fruitcup. 

After haven eaten, I made myself backing a new an fresh wholewheat bread. (Thank to the breadmachine).

Ready to start the day filled up with lots of work at home. 

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Amaranthpops-Joghurt-Fruitcup

4 Person
30 min

Ingredients:
1 dl vegan cream
250 g plain soyjoghurt
3 Tbsp. Agavenectar
3-4 ripe plums or 1-2 nectarine (about 200 g) cut into slices
100 g raspberries
40 g Amaranthpops or cracker, 

Preparation:
Beat the vegan cream till floamy then stir under Joghurt and Agavenectar. 

In a dessert cup or bowl, layer joghurt-mixture, fruits and Amaranthpops. Finish with fruits. 

Note: Depending on the season use other fruits. Of course your mix in other grains if you desire. 
If prepared as a dessert I would recommend biscuits for sweet dessert. 

Vegan Pepper-Mortadella (Ham-like)

Last weekend I planned a lot what I wanted to try to cook - mostly meat-like stuff. For one reason that I found some recipes in the web I wanted to try and for second - as I mentionend I wanted to give the backery-son a hint about another idea for a sandwich or even thicker sliced as a piece of "meat" as a warm take-away-meal with sides.

And of course I wanted to make my first self-made ham curious how it will taste like, cause till now I've only eaten bought ones.

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(Video at the end)

Vegan Pepper-Mortadella

Gives about a pound or more of Mortadella 

Ingredients:
200 g seitan-flour
4 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
2 Tbsp. vegetable broth, powder or instant
1 Tbsp. garlic granules
1 middle-sized red pepper
1 small onion
1 Tbsp. flour
250 ml water
30 ml neutral oil

Direction:
Wash the pepper, cut in half and remove the inner cores and seeds, peel the onions and chopp both into very small cubes - or use your food processor- add to a big bowl. (The smaller you chop it the better it will remain in the dought, when you knead it!).

Dizzle with the flour and wisk well through (the flour binds the liquid).

Now add the seitan-flour and stir everything well through. Add the spices and stir again.

Make a hole in the middle center and pour in water and oil and stir, after a while you have to use your hands to knead the dought properly.

When well kneaded arrange it in that shape you wanna have the mortadella and wrap it first in baking paper and then with aluminum foil. Seal well.

Preheat a pan with water, bring to boil, and with your steamerinsert steam the dought-roll for 1 hour.

When done, take the roll out and set aside to cool down and unpeel the mortadella. 

Enjoy the mortadella on your favorite bread or for your next sandwich.

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Here's the video for the recipe

Vegan "Eggsalad"

Yesterday I was taking part at two-evening further education. The theme was "Management/Leadership in everyday life" (hopefully correctly translated). 
It was quite interesting and I will defently get some out of the course. 

As the course was taking part after work in the evening I brought my own food with (well they served appetizer), but I couldn't know how much I could eat there. 
It got be something easy to take with and could be prepared ahead. 

As I heard a lot about the eggsalad, but never had it. Vegan or not.  - (I would never!! have eaten a eggsalad if there would be used eggs! Brrr, disgusting.... SORRY!) - I was thinking about making it, well you may think for dinner.........., but hey why not! Together with a salad and some bread - a good meal.

As I lately watched a Youtube video about making a vegan *eggsalad*  I was curious to try, weather I would like it or not. The one Video I saw was made with mayonnaise - but I defently don't like mayo - vegan or not!!! So I changed it with yoghurt (a much lighter version) and I have to say, pretty good! New taste, but good!!

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Vegan "Eggsalad"

2-3 Persons

Ingredients:
100 g eggfree pasta (best are spirelli)
100 g chickpeas
1 onion, chopped
150 g soyjoghurt
200 g vinegar cucumber, chopped
some cucumber water
each on bunch of chives, parsely
1-2 tsp. mustard
1-2  tsp. salt 
1 Tbsp. apple vinegar
grounded pepper

Optional: curcuma for the "egg-color"

Direction:
Add the chickpeas into a blender and pulse very well through, add the soyjoghurt (or cream if you desire)  and stir till smooth. 
Cut the onion and cucumber and add to the chickpea-sauce. Pour in some of the cucumber water and then chop the chives, parsley and add as well. 

Add the mustard, salt, apple vinegar and pepper and mix everything together. 

Then chop the noodles into small pieces and add again to the chickpea and other ingredients. Mix everything well together and for the best taste let the salad sit in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour

Banana-Kiwi-Smoothie

Tuesday morning, being early awake - must have -cause we are having another surgeryday and I will be alone with the doctor - which means doing work for two people (the other assistent isn't here) and what is best to wake up the inner sleepy ghosts and getting some strenght for the day? A healthy smoothie. First I thought about making a orange-clementine smoothie, but I eat clementine every day, therefore my body screamed for different fruits with more calories.

Smoothies are great, various and sooo fast done (well it may depend was you use for your smoothie). Just try out what you like. As I don't have a juicer I can almost only make fruit smoothies - I like more anyway ;)

Ready to start the day. 

Take care and stay healthy!

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Banana-Kiwi-Smoothie

2 Persons

Ingredients:
4 Kiwis
1 Banana
1/2 Lime squeezed
250 ml Kokosnusjuice
1 Tbsp.  maplye syrup
1 Tbsp. coconutflakes

Direction:
Peel Kiwi and banana, puree in a blender. Add squezzed Limejuice together with the coconut juice. Taste with maple syrup to sweet up. Fill in glasses and serve sprinkled with coconut.

Egg-free scramble Tofu Florentine

On Sunday morning I had my sister with family over for Brunchtime. Usually I just eat some fruits and pieces of bread with jam, that simple for breakfast. But for a Brunch? Not possible. There's more need that just that.

Beside other food, such as fruits, vegan joghurt and flakes, Bread, vegan ham, cheese and jams, I made a scrambled Tofu - cause I know my sister uses to eat scrambled eggs on sundays or eat eggs a lot (which I can't understand - but....).

I just wanted to surprise her and "say" with it, that eggs are not nessessary for this kind of dish! She does like it, doe it was the first time. But I guess she still will use the eggs, unfortunatly.

The good thing about this kind of scrambled Tofu is that together with the spinach it also could be served as a light dinner, but I would recommend to eat something else with it, such as a salad with sprouts, tomatoes and cucumber and so on and a piece of bread.

Enjoy - the little different scrambled Tofu - on every occasion your in the mood for it :)

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Egg-Free Scrambled Tofu Florentine

 

4 Servings

30 minutes or fewer

 

This dish makes a hearty meal any time of day. For a special treat, serve with home-fried potatoes

and soy sausage.

 

Ingredients:

1 Tbs. minced fresh parsley

1 Tbs. safflower oil

¼ cup chopped onion

1 lb. firm tofu, pressed, drained and crumbled

⅛ tsp. turmeric

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 cup cooked fresh spinach leaves, squeezed dry

¼ cup shredded soy mozzarella

 

Direction:

In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add tofu, sprinkle with turmeric, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tofu is heated through and liquid is absorbed, 3 to 5 minutes. Add spinach and stir to mix.

To serve, divide mixture among 4 serving plates and pat into an omelet-shaped crescent with spatula. Sprinkle top of each serving with soy mozzarella and parsley. Serve hot.

Chives and "Cheese* skillet Omelet (gluten free)

A great sunny and hot day! Yesterday I worked - together with my parents - almost the whole afternoon in the garden, cleaning it up, cutting down small trees and so on. But before I went to buy planting earth and vegetables I wanted to plant in my two old half winebarrel (I got from a winery - for free!!). We finished and I so much enjoyed the shower afterward....

And today my plans were: cleaning up the windows and after lunch going into the garden to fill the barrels with plants. But, as many times plans changes. While cleaning the balcony doorglas I looked outside and decided to wash down the balcony instead of cleaning the left windows.
OH my Good. The balcony was so dirty!! Well, no wonder as I live close to a main street - and I got a small balcony. It took me two hours to clean it. After that I defently needed something in my stomach, I was starving. I needed a dish fast done as I wanted to go into my garden for planting. So I decided to make a Omelett - some eat it for breakfast - I eat it for lunch.

For those who are curious what I planted:
2 Zucchiniplants, 4 fennel, 1 swiss chard, leeks (25!), 1 peperonie, 6 pak choi, 6 kohlrabi (german turnip), 2 different 6 salads, 4 lemon basilicum,  1 gingermint, two date-tomatoes. AND I'm a single person......... let's see

 

I have to say "I'm pretty proud of my garden"

 



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Chive and Cheese Skillet Omelet (gluten free)

Servings: 6 - 8

Ingredients
1 block firm tofu, pressed and drained
1⁄4 cup unsweetened almond or soymilk
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon egg replacer, dry
2 tablespoons gluten-free all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
1 tablespoon brown rice syrup
1 teaspoon sea salt
1⁄4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
1⁄2 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon neutral tasting oil
1 tablespoon light miso paste (non-barley)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon neutral tasting high-heat oil, for greasing pan
1⁄2 cup vegan Shredded Cheese
5-8 leaves fresh basil, finely chopped
1 bunch fresh chives, finely chopped

Direction:
Preheat broiler to high.

In food processor combine tofu, almond or soymilk, baking powder, egg replacer, flour, arrowroot powder, nutritional yeast, brown rice syrup, sea salt, black pepper, turmeric, oil, miso and lemon juice. Blend until mixture is uniform and smooth.

Grease an oven-proof non-stick sauté pan generously with high-heat oil. Place tofu mixture into pan, and spread out evenly. Cook over low heat, covered, for about 5 minutes without stirring.

Remove lid and continue
to cook over medium heat for an additional 3-5 minutes.

Sprinkle omelet with vegan cheese. Place sauté pan in oven and broil
 for 3 minutes, or until browned.
 Top with basil and chives. 

Let cool for 10 minutes, and transfer to a platter. Serve warm.

Zopf (Sunday Braided Bread)

When I grew up the traditional sunday braid was normal and the older I got the better I learned how to make it and later on I always wanted to make it and my mother was so astonished how good I could braiding the dough (it always looked so good).
As I grew older and older and moved out from my parents I still made the braid but since I'm vegan I let it and for many years I didn't make it or even eat it. Well the bought ones are coated with egg and sometimes I was too lazy to make the bread only for myself. AND one other reason I didn't make it again, cause there was a long time I only eat gluten free, cause to 50 % I shouldn't eat wheat and as everybody know the wheatfree dought isn't the same to the normal one and whenever I tried to make a braid I failed with the wheatfree dought. So I gave up.

I went back to the normal bread, cause the wheatfree flour is pretty expensive and it does not even taste as good as the normal bread. Well I still do eat wheat free, except of the bread.

Well yesterday while laying in bed I knew I wanted to make a braidbread, luckely I still had some flour at home and still some dried yeast and so, immediatly when I got up I started to make the bread. Unfortunatly tomorrow when I wanted to try it for breakfast I'm invited to a Birthday Brunchparty.



Zopf (Sunday Braided Bread)

Ingredients:

500 g (1 pound) wheat flour
1 pack dry yeast or 20 g fresh yeast
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
3 dl milk or soymilk
60 g vegan butter

Direction:

Mix flour and salt in a bowl and make a hollow in the middle. Add the yeast in the hollow and mix yeast with sugar. Melt butter, pour in the milk. Pour liquid into the flour. Knead everything into a smooth, supple dough. Cover the dough with a damp cloth to rise to double size and leave covered at room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 220 ° C. Braiding a braid from the dough (I made two smaller ones instead of one big one). Place on a plate covered with parchment paper. Coat braid with some milk and let it rest and rise for 10 min. In the middle of the oven bake for about 20 - 30 minutes (depend on the size). After baking take out of the oven and let the braid cool completely.

 

Enjoy your homemade sunday bread :)

 

How to braid the bread:

Oatmeal-Rhubarb Porridge and a dip

Yesterday I saw that the local supermarket got their first Rhubarb for this year. As I'm am I immediatly bought some. I wasn't sure what I shall do, mostly I do some cooking for jams together with strawberries or for a dessert. But this time - as we still are lightly deep in winter - I wanted to do a healthy small dish, then came an idea for this surprisingly breakfast. The rhubard just give that great lightly sour taste which I really like.

I could easly dig in this breakfast porridge, hmm.
Be sure to get well ripeness rhubard otherwise you have to add too much agave nectar to get a lighly sweet taste.

Oatmeal-Rhubarb Porridge

2 servings, 1 generous cup each

Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups soymilk or almond milk

1/2 cup orange juice

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup 1/2-inch pieces rhubarb, fresh or frozen

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of salt

2-3 tablespoons agave syrup

2 tablespoons chopped pecans or other nuts

Preparation

Combine milk, juice, oats, rhubarb, cinnamon and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, cover and cook at a very gentle bubble, stirring frequently, until the oats and rhubarb are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir in sweetener to taste. Top with nuts.

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Creamy Tomato Garlic Hummus Dip

This Creamy Tomato Garlic Hummus is dreamy and rich textured with a hint of heat. Make it as spicy as you'd like. This healthy vegan dip can be served with freshly chopped veggie sticks, slathered on sandwiches, alongside salads or spread on bagels and toast. You can make an easy lunchtime wrap by simple scooping a nice portion of hummus into a large tortilla and adding a rainbow of veggies or greens - maybe a few grains like quinoa or cooked and chilled farro too.

Creamy Tomato Garlic Hummus

makes about 8 servings

1 cup white beans, cannellini
1 1/2 cups chickpeas
1/2 cup walnuts, raw
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 cup lemon juice
6 cloves roasted garlic (roast in the oven with oil until soft)
1-2 cloves raw garlic (adds spiciness, optional)
3 Tbsp walnut oil
1 Tbsp flaxseed oil
1/3 cup fresh tomatoes, diced
1 Tbsp tahini
3/4 tsp salt (or to taste!)
a few dashes fresh pepper
a few dashes cayenne

To Make:1. Drain the excess liquid from the cans of beans. Roast your garlic in the oven with some oil and sea salt - about 20 minutes at 400 degrees should do it.
2. Add all ingredients to your blender of food processor.
3. Pulse and blend until creamy – thickness to your preferences.
4. Do a taste test and adjust ingredients as desired.

serve!


Super seed apple Cereal

I thought the weather is going to be better, but this foggy day isn't mine. We had not much sunshine the last few weeks. I always feel tired and even in the news they told that many people got depression cause of the lack of sunshine. They even told that it's going to be the darkest month since 17 years. I really really looking forward to springtime. No longer wearing warm cloth!

Today my cat woke me up, by jumping from the window onto my bed. I was almost shocked and was suddenly awake. She was behind me, trying to go under my blanket - I smiled.

For breakfast I needed something fruity and as I had no leftover bread I made this great tasting cereal bowl. Just what I needed in the morning and I love cinnamon!

Super Seed Apple Cereal

Super Seed Apple Cereal

makes one serving
1 apple, cut into bite sized pieces(I recommend a harder apple, such as Braeburn.)
1 tbsp flaxseed meal
1 tbsp chia seeds
2 tbsp raw almonds
1/2 tbsp cacao nibs
generous sprinkling of cinnamon
1 cup unsweetened almond milk

Mix all dry ingredients into a bowl.  Pour in almond milk.  Enjoy!

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Stuffed Yellow Tomatoes with Walnut Feta 

The walnut feta, sprinkled on top, makes them extra special ;)

Stuffed Yellow Tomatoes

makes about 6
-6 large yellow tomatoes (green or red would work, too!)
-1 teaspoon olive oil
-3 shallots, finely chopped
-3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
-1/2 tsp sea salt
-6 crimini or button mushrooms, sliced
-6 artichoke hearts, from a can(in water, not marinated), chopped
-1 large yellow zucchini, diced
-1 tsp cumin
-3 tbsp nutritional yeast

Walnut Feta
-1/2 cup walnuts
-2 tbsp nutritional yeast
-1/2 tsp sea salt
-1/2 tsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 400°F.

To make Walnut Feta, add walnuts, nutritional yeast, and sea salt to a food processor.  Process until the walnuts become grainy, making sure to stop and scrape down the sides when necessary.  Add olive oil, and continue to process until small clumps form.  Do not over process, it will eventually become a paste-like texture.

 Using a sharp knife, slice the top of the tomatoes off, making sure to include the stem.  Take a large spoon and scoop out the insides of the tomato, leaving about 1/2"-3/4" thickness around the outside.

Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium heat.  Add olive oil, shallots, and garlic.  When it begins to sizzle, add the salt.  Saute until shallots begin to lightly brown.  Add mushrooms, artichokes, and zucchini, continually stirring mixture so that no sticking occurs.  Lightly salt, and saute until mushrooms release their moisture and the vegetables are tender.  Remove from heat and add the nutritional yeast and cumin.  Mix thoroughly until vegetables are evenly coated.

Fill tomatoes to the brim with the vegetable mixture, and then sprinkle on the walnut feta.  Place in a large casserole dish and bake in preheated oven for about 15 minutes, or until walnut feta is lightly browned.  If left in the oven for too long, tomatoes will begin to split down the sides.

Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Breakfast Wraps

Holy morning....sometimes I'm really glad that no one see me in the morning after getting up. My face, especially around the eyes, wrinkled. It almost seems like I have been pressing my face into my pillow.....

Late or early in the morning (3 a.m) I woke up and heard my neighbour coming home. I'm living in a house with 3 appartements, one on each flor and I'm on the second flor. Below and up on me there's a men living . I really like it here, they are very nice and friendly and at my age.

 

 

 

I know that strawberries are not really in season now, but I was in the mood for them, but feel free to take whatever fruit you like.

Breakfast Wraps       

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Wraps

3 cups sliced strawberries (about 1 1/2 pints)

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups milk

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

1 teaspoon finely shredded lime peel

2 tablespoons lime juice

Eggreplacer (for 2 eggs)

 

Filling

2/3 cup whipping vegan cream

1 package vegan cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar                                           

1 tablespoon finely shredded lime peel     

 

Direction:                                   

1. In medium bowl, toss strawberries and 1/2 cup sugar; let stand at room temperature at least 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in separate medium bowl, mix flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, the baking powder and salt. Stir in milk, butter, 1 teaspoon lime peel, the lime juice and eggreplacer. Beat with hand beater until smooth.

 

2. Lightly grease 6- to 8-inch skillet with butter. Heat over medium heat until bubbly. Pour batter by slightly less than 1/4 cupfuls into skillet. Immediately rotate skillet until thin layer of batter covers bottom. Cook until light golden brown. Run wide spatula around edge to loosen; turn and cook other side until light brown. Repeat with remaining batter, greasing skillet as needed. Stack wraps, placing waxed paper between each; cool completely.

 

3. Meanwhile, in chilled small bowl, beat whipping cream with electric mixer on high speed until stiff; set aside. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese on high speed until fluffy; stir in 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon lime peel. Gently stir in whipped cream.

 

4. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the filling down center of each wrap; fold sides over filling. To serve, place 2 wraps on each of 6 plates. Spoon strawberries over wraps.

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Creamy Avocado Potato Salad

Ingredients:
2 lbs yukon gold potatoes, cut into 3/4 inch chunks
1-2 Tbsp cilantro
1 clove of garlic, peeled
1 ripe avocado
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
juice of 1/2 lime
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper (optional)
1 small Roma tomato, seeded and chopped
1/4 small red onion, finely diced
1/4 cucumber, finely diced

Directions:
1. Put the potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water. Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil. Lower the heat and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork, but still firm. Drain and rinse with cool water; drain and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, place the garlic clove and cilantro in the food processor and process for about 10 seconds. Add the avocados flesh, olive oil, lime juice, salt, and cayenne into the food processor and puree until smooth.

3. Put the potatoes, tomato, onion, cucumbers in a large mixing bowl. Add the avocado mixture and mix well, being sure not to mash the potatoes. Taste and add more salt and lime juice, if desired.

Bread Pudding

I gave up looking at the weatherforcast. One day it says bad and snowy weather and the other day bright sunshine in the morning. Sometimes I wish winter is already over, I'm more for the summertime.

My kitchen doesn't have a heating and as the door is mostly closed (cause of the cats), it's very freezing in there. You may wonder why I close the door to beware being the cats in there. The reason is I got cathair everywhere and they were going on the table and cooking space. Earlier they broke many things and always having a eye on them was too much. Now I can cook without cathairs everywhere. So much better. 

Well this breakfast recipe has to be pre made the evening befor and in the morning doing the rest will take some time. No fast breakfast recipe. But it's worth it, I liked it much.


Bread Pudding for Breakfast

Ingredients:

Bread Pudding
3/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup orange juice
1 pound whole grain bread, thickly sliced
4 tablespoons arrowroot
2 cups vanilla soymilk
1 cup apple juice
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 large apple, cored and chopped
3/4 cup pecans, toasted, cooled, and chopped

Sauce:
2 cups apple or pear juice
1/2 cup soymilk
1 to 2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons arrowroot
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon orange extract

Direction:
1. Soak the raisins in 1/4 cup of the orange juice for about 10 minutes, until they are plump. Cut the crusts off the bread and cut the bread into 1 inch cubes. Put the bread in a large bowl. Drain the raisins, reserving the orange juice, and add to the bread.

2. Combine the arrowroot and remaining 1/4 cup orange juice in a medium bowl, and stir with a fork to dissolve. Add the reserved juice, soymilk, apple juice, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and vanilla and almond extracts, and mix until thoroughly combined. Pour over the bread and stir in the chopped apple. Cover the mixture with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 4 to 8 hours.

3. Before baking, position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees. Oil a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Stir half the pecans into the bread mixture and spoon into the baking dish. Cover the pudding with parchment paper, and overwrap with aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, and carefully uncover. Bake 20 minutes longer.

4. To make the hard sauce, bring the juice to a boil over medium heat in a small saucepan. Continue to boil until it has reduced to 1 cup. Lower the heat and stir in the soymilk and mirin.
Simmer 2 to 3 minutes.

5. In a small bowl, combine the arrowroot and orange juice, and stir with a fork to dissolve. Add the dissolved arrowroot to the juice mixture, whisking constantly. Cook over medium heat only until the liquid boils. Immediately remove the saucepan from the heat, and stir in the vanilla, almond, and orange extracts.

Serve the pudding warm with the hard sauce, and sprinkle each serving with some of the remaining nuts.

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Roasted red pepper and cherry tomato salad

A super-simple salad

About 4 servings

2 large red bell peppers
450 g yellow cherry tomatoes
3 sprigs fresh basil
15-30 ml olive oil
1/2 lemon
sea salt
cracked black pepper

Roast the peppers, peel and cut into thin slices. Slice the tomatoes in half. Julienne (roll up and cut into fine ribbons) the basil leaves. Toss everything in a serving bowl with the juice from the lemon half, the olive oil, and the salt and pepper.

Golden Nectar Smoothie

Luck doesn't seem to be a good friend of mine. Like the weather (rain) my mood is bad right now. I just received a call about a job and got an negativ answer. Well, I could have scream out loud. I've been searching for a job that long and always get a negativ answers. This is just that frustration.

 

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This smoothie is defenetly the one I love the much. It's so easy and so fast done.

                  

Golden Nectar Smoothie

 

 

This energizing drink can be served at breakfast, or over ice as a pick-me-up at any other time of day.

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Ingredients

2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice (about 6 oranges)

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon raw honey

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger

2 ripe bananas

 

Directions

1. In a blender, puree all ingredients until smooth. Serve immediately.

 

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Tofu in sweet orange sauce

 

 

Ingredients:

1 package firm tofu, pressed and drained, cut in triangles
3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp tamari
chopped fresh parsley
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp salt
flour and salt for coating the tofu
2 Tbsp olive oil

1. In a small plate place a little bit of flour and pinch of salt and toss in the tofu, mixing it around until all sides are coated with the flour/salt mixture. Set aside.

 

2. Add the olive oil in a cast iron pan and heat over medium high heat. Place tofu in the pan and let it cook until golden. Flip it over and cook the other side until golden as well. Add the sugar, tamari and spices in the orange juice and mix well until the sugar is dissolved. Lower the heat and pour the orange juice mixture over the tofu. Let it cook until the sauce becomes syrupy.

 

3. Add the parsley, mix and serve with rice. Enjoy!

Creamy Pumpkin Oats with almonds

Breakfast is usually something when I just eat fruits and two leaves of Bread topped with Jam. I'm not much into cooking early in the morning. Last morning I changed my mind and made some cooked oats with pumpkin puree (made the evening before).
It was faster done than I thought and very good, maybe this was just what it needed to change my mind about my breakfast.

Well I'm a swiss girl and you may think that I must love "Birchermüesli", but in fact - I don't really do so. I guess when I was at the hospital for a longer stay I ate too much of Birchermüesli. I never ate it since then and that was back in 2008. I didn't even tried corn flakes with milk. Bad remeberies!
Until now......guess I needed some time to get over it.

Creamy Pumpkin Oats with Toasted Almonds

 

Cook time: 10 mins

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• ½ cup rolled oats
• ½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• scant ½ cup water
• pinch each salt & cinnamon and flaxseed meal
• 2 Tbsp pumpkin puree
• 1.5 Tbsp brown sugar
• ¼ cup almonds, crushed

 

Instructions

1. Bring the almond milk and water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add oats and salt and reduce heat to medium.
2. Stirring occasionally, cook for 2 minutes and then add pumpkin. Cook for 3-4 minutes more or until creamy, being careful to stir often.
3. In the meantime, toast almonds (or another nut) in a pan over medium-high heat until dark brown on all sides.
4. When ready, remove oats from heat and add flaxseed, cinnamon, brown sugar and stir.
5. Put the oats in a bowl, top with almonds and serve with your favorite fruits.

 

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Salad is just such a great dish. With almost everything you can prepare a salad.

What I like most is when the ingredients got different colors, it just looks greater. AND this salad looks great with its color and with orange in the salad the taste was different but so great- try it out. It may even change your mind about Beets if you're not a beet lover....

 

 

Beet and Orange Salad

 

 

 

Serves 2-4
1 bunch fresh spinach leaves
3 navel oranges
5 beets

Dressing:
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp sherry vinegar
3 Tbsp fresh orange juice

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Wash the beets and trim off the greens and pointy ends. Place the beets on a sheet of foil on a baking sheet. Cover with a light coat of olive oil and wrap the foil over them so they are covered. Cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until beets are soft, but not slimy.

Mix the ingredients for your dressing together and set aside. Slice your oranges into thin slices.

Once your beets have cooked and cooled, slice them into medium slices (about 1/2 inch thick) and plate your spinach. Arrange your beets and orange slices in alternating layers atop the spinach and cover with the dressing. Garnish with some parsley. 


Lime Risoni with Fried Tofu and Basil

I hadn't tried many time to cook risoni. The first time the risoni sticked to the bottom and sticked together.- the taste wasn't overwellming. I wasted it the next day. The second time I had no guests and was stirring well to beware the risoni to stick at the bottom. The taste was quite different second time, defently better than the fist time.

Lime Risoni with Fried Tofu and Basil

 

 

 

The Pasta:

• 1 and 1/2 dl risoni (orzo) pasta
• juice of 1 lime (about 1/4 dl)
• 1 huge garlic clove (or 3 normal), pressed
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• salt and black pepper to taste

I cooked the risoni in plenty of water for 8 minutes, then drained it, and tossed with the other ingredients in the cooking pot. While the pasta was cooking, I prepared the tofu.

The Tofu:

• 200 g firm tofu
• 1 onion, cubed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
• 1/2 teaspoon agave syrup or sugar

I cut the tofu in tiny cubes without pressing it first, and heated the oil in a frying pan. I first fried the onion for a few minutes, until it started to get a little brown, and then added the tofu to the pan. I kept on frying it until most sides of the cubes had browned. Then I mixed the soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, liquid smoke, and agave syrup together, and poured this mixture to the pan. I kept on frying until the liquid had evaporated, and then I was ready to plate the lunch.

Also needed:

• chopped basil leaves to garnish

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Chickpea Omelette

 

1/3 c dried chickpeas, ground into powder
1 tbsp flax seed, ground into powder
1 tbsp chia seed ground into powder
1/2 c non-dairy milk
1/4 c water
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
cayenne, to taste
turmeric, to taste
1/2 tsp baking powder
onion, chopped
mushrooms, chopped
bell pepper, chopped
1/2 c baby spinach
vegan cheese subsitute

1. Combine the ground flax and 1/4 c water. Let them sit and get all congeal-y while you chop your veggies.
2. After about 5 minutes, dump the chia seed, chickpeas, milk, spices, and baking powder into the congealed flax. Give it a good mixin'. If you think the batter is too thick add some more water.
3. Fold in all your veggies, save half the spinach for the inside, and pour your omelette into a hot oiled pan.
4. Cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes or so.
5. Flip and cook for 5-6 minutes, leaving the lid off.
6. Add 1/4 cup of spinach on the inside along with your favorite non-dairy cheese.