Author: Crunch Crunch Away

Pomegranate Walnut Muffins / Mafini sa narom i orasima

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Aside from making every day cooking seasonal, I’m also trying to go down the lane of seasonal desserts. I had a bunch pomegranate seeds leftover from a salad, so I figured I’ll just bake some muffins with them. Small note: my pomegranate seeds were really tart so I added a bit more sugar to the batter – 2/3 cup altogether. If your seeds are sweeter, reduce sugar to ½ cup. I find that muffin recipes are generally very forgiving and you can do some tweaking where necessary, without fear that you’ll end up with an inedible disaster.

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I’ve made these into tiny muffins as this way there’s more of that delicious golden crust, but feel free to bake them into regular muffins. This amount of batter would yield 12 regular muffins, just be sure to adjust baking time as you’ll probably need to add about 3-5 minutes.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 20 mini muffins / 0.16 EUR per muffin / 3.25 EUR for all)

1 cup whole wheat flour (0.10 EUR)

1 cup ground walnuts (1.33 EUR)

2/3 cup sugar (0.10 EUR)

½ tsp baking powder (0.01 EUR)

½ tsp baking soda (0.01 EUR)

Pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

2 large eggs (0.40 EUR)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract (0.03 EUR)

1 cup yogurt (0.40 EUR)

3 tbsp butter, melted + more for greasing muffin tin (0.33 EUR)

1 cup pomegranate seeds – from 1 small pomegranate (0.53 EUR)

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METHOD:

Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease muffin tin and set aside, but skip this step if using silicone muffin molds. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, walnuts, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a smaller bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla and yogurt until creamy. Add butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Pour wet ingredients over dry ones and mix with a spatula until just incorporated. Fold in pomegranate seeds, divide batter among muffin tins and bake for 20 minutes (for mini muffin tins), until golden brown on top. For regular muffins, bake for altogether 23-25 minutes. Allow muffins to cool for 10 minutes before removing from tin. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Osim što se trudim svakodnevno kuhati sa sezonskim namirnicama, također pokušavam prilagoditi i deserte da budu sezonski. Od salate koju sam radila mi je ostalo sjemenki nara, pa sam odlučila ispeći mafine sa njima. Mala napomena: moj nar je bio jako kiseo pa sam dodala više šećera u smjesu – sve skupa 2/3 šalice. Ako imate slađi nar, smanjite šećer na ½ šalice. Mislim da su recepti za mafine općenito jako fleksibilni i možete raditi manje prilagodbe bez straha da ćete završiti sa nejestivom katastrofom.

Ja sam radila mini mafine jer tako ima više onih divnih hrskavih dijelova, ali slobodno možete peći normalne mafine ako imate takve kalupe. Ova količina smjese je dostatna za 12 mafina normalne veličine, samo onda prilagodite vrijeme pečenja i dodajte još 3-5 minuta.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 20 mini mafina / 1,21 kn po mafinu / 24,27 kn za sve)

1 šalica integralnog pšeničnog brašna (0,75 kn)

1 šalica mljevenih oraha (10,00 kn)

2/3 šalice šećera (0,75 kn)

½ žličice praška za pecivo (0,05 kn)

½ žličice sode bikarbone (0,01 kn)

Prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

2 jaja (3,00 kn)

1 žličica ekstrakta vanilije (0,20 kn)

1 šalica jogurta (3,00 kn)

3 žlice maslaca, rastopljene + još malo za namastiti kalup za mafine (2,50 kn)

1 šalica sjemenki nara – od 1 manjeg nara (4,00 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Zagrijte pečnicu na 200°C. Namastite kalup za mafine i stavite na stranu, ali preskočite ovaj korak ako koristite silikonske kalupe. U velikoj zdjeli izmiješajte brašno, orahe, šećer, prašak za pecivo, sodu bikarbonu i sol. U manjoj zdjeli umutite jaja, vaniliju i jogurt da budu kremasti. Dodajte maslac i mutite dok se ne sjedini. Prelijte mokre sastojke preko suhih i miješajte špatulom dok smjesa ne postane jednolična. Nježno umiješajte sjemenke nara, razdijelite smjesu po kalupima pa pecite 20 minuta (za mini mafine), dok ne dobiju lijepu zlatno-smeđu boju. Mafine normalne veličine pecite 23-25 minuta. Pustite mafine da se ohlade 10-tak minuta u kalupu prije nego ih izvadite. Poslužite tople ili na sobnoj temperaturi.

Pomegranate Walnut Muffins / Mafini sa narom i orasima

Homemade Vegetable Bouillon / Domaća Vegeta

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Like all of us, I love having around batches of things that make life nicer. I love it even more when it’s something that I’ve made myself. Like a jar of homemade jam or salsa. Or, you know, ten jars. You don’t want to run out of jam.

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I’ve been toying with the idea of making my own vegetable bouillon mix for a while now, but something would always get in the way. This weekend I finally remembered about it, bought a bunch of vegetables and set to work. You can, of course, adjust the vegetables to your own liking. I also picked out a head of lovely young kohlrabi, but when I got home, it was nowhere to be found. Alas, I didn’t want it to stop me, so I went ahead and just used the things I had. I am very happy with the result and already tried my bouillon in scrambled eggs and a few dishes I’ve made since. It gives a subtle veggie note that I love.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields about 5 cups / 0.47 EUR per cup / 2.37 EUR for all)

4 small leeks (0.40 EUR)

1 large onion (0.10 EUR)

4 garlic cloves (0.07 EUR)

3 large yellow carrots (0.40 EUR)

4 small regular carrots (0.27 EUR)

2 large parsley roots, with all its leaves (0.53 EUR)

½ celeriac root (0.40 EUR)

2 chili peppers (0.13 EUR)

1/3 cup salt (0.07 EUR)

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METHOD:

Wash, peel and roughly chop all the vegetables and toss together with salt. Run everything through your food processor, in batches if necessary. Store in a freezer, in airtight containers. Due to the salt amount, the bouillon won’t actually freeze solid and you’ll have no problems taking a spoonful or two when needed. Use later for soups, sauces, stews or basically anything else you can think of. Just remember that it’s really salty, so be extra careful about adding extra salt to your food.

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Kao i svi, volim imati doma zalihe stvari koje čine život ljepšim. Još više volim kada je to nešto što sam sama napravila. Kao recimo staklenka domaćeg pekmeza ili šalše. Ili deset staklenki. Ne želite da vam u životu ponestane pekmeza.

Napraviti domaću vegetu već mi je neko vrijeme bilo na radaru, ali uvijek bi nešto iskrsnulo. Ovaj sam se vikend napokon sjetila, kupila povrće i primila se posla. Naravno, povrće prilagodite svojem ukusu. Ja sam na placu kupila i lijepu mladu korabicu, ali kad sam došla doma, netragom mi je nestala iz torbe. Nisam htjela da me to zaustavi, pa sam jednostavno upotrijebila ono što sam imala. Jako sam sretna sa rezultatom koji je već isproban u omletima i par jela koje sam skuhala u međuvremenu. Svemu daje suptilnu povrtnu notu koja je divna.

SASTOJCI:

(za oko 5 šalica / 3,55 kn po šalici / 17,75 kn za sve)

4 manja poriluka (3,00 kn)

1 veliki luk (0,75 kn)

4 češnja češnjaka (0,50 kn)

3 velike žute mrkve (3,00 kn)

4 manje obične mrkve (2,00 kn)

2 velika peršina, korijen i list (4,00 kn)

½ glavice celera (3,00 kn)

2 čili papričice (1,00 kn)

1/3 šalice soli (0,50 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Operite, ogulite i grubo nasijecite svo povrće, pa pomiješajte sa solju. Sve sameljite u multipraktiku, po potrebi u više tura. Čuvajte u hermetički zatvorenim posudama u zamrzivaču. Radi velikog udjela soli, vegeta vam se neće smrznuti u blok i moći ćete bez problema žlicom odgrabiti koliko vam je potrebno. Koristite za juhe, umake, variva i sve ostalo što vam padne na pamet. Samo se sjetite da je jako slana, pa budite oprezni ako dodajete još soli.

Homemade Vegetable Bouillon / Domaća Vegeta

Baked Squash and Sweet Potato Autumn Soup / Jesenska juha od pečene bundeve i batata

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Today we will be baking a soup. Yes, you’ve read this correctly, a soup which comes out of the oven. Incidentally, I had the oven going for some other stuff and thought to myself, why couldn’t I just make a soup in the oven as well? Why, indeed? It’s totally doable. The internet is full of baked potato soup recipes and this is just taking things a step further down the path of lazy. I have zero shame about it, too. In fact, I’m thinking about making a baked mushroom soup next. The possibilities opening before me truly seem endless.

Anyhow, what you will end up here with is a batch of thick yummy paste which you can later take any way you’d like. I’m talking pasta toppings, or stew starters, or just soup. On its own, or with some spinach in, or topped with croutons, or pumpkin seeds, or drizzled with yogurt or cream. It’s like ten meals hiding inside one container of pureed veggies. It’s magic.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 10 generous servings / 0.22 EUR per serving / 2.24 EUR for all)

½ small Kabocha squash (0.66 EUR)

2 sweet potatoes (1.07 EUR)

1 large onion (0.10 EUR)

3 large carrots (0.13 EUR)

1 chili pepper (0.07 EUR)

1 small piece of ginger (0.01 EUR)

2 tbsp olive oil (0.08 EUR)

Pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

Crack of freshly ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

4 garlic cloves (0.09 EUR)

Oil or non-spray for coating the pan (0.01 EUR)

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METHOD:

Preheat oven to 200°C. Lightly grease baking tray or coat with non-stick spray, line with parchment paper and set aside. Wash, peel and roughly chop all the vegetables and leave skins only on whole garlic cloves, as we’re baking those whole with skins intact. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper in prepared baking tray, arrange whole unpeeled garlic cloves among vegetable chunks and bake for 30-45 minutes, until vegetables soften and slightly caramelize. My tray was placed in lower third of the oven as I was baking something above, so the veggies got nice and charred on the bottom.

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Allow vegetables to cool enough to handle, squeeze garlic cloves out of their skins and working in batches, run everything in your food processor until smooth and creamy. You might want to add a cup of water for smoother texture and also run things in batches if you have a tiny food processor like me.

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For finishing soup, mix two heaping tablespoons of paste with one cup of water and bring to a rolling boil and then serve. Or just store the paste in your fridge or freezer in an airtight container.

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I intentionally made seasoning pretty mild so the final soup can later be customized to wish. However, my chilies were insanely hot, so I suggest you only add one chili at a time, or you too might have a real kick with your soup.

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Danas ćemo peći juhu. Da, da, dobro ste pročitali, radimo juhu u pećnici. Naime, desilo se to tako da mi je pećnica već gorila radi nekih drugih stvari, pa sam pomislila, zašto ne bi mogla napraviti i juhu u pećnici? Zaista, zašto ne? Totalno je izvedivo. Internet je krcat receptima za juhu od pečenih krumpira. Ovo je samo korak dalje prema putu lijenosti. Uopće se zbog toga ni ne sramim. Zapravo, već planiram raditi juhu od pečenih gljiva. Mogućnosti koje su mi se otvorile čine se beskrajnima.

Uglavnom, ono što ćete dobiti je gusta fina krema sa kojom kasnije možete raditi svašta. Kao recimo upotrijebiti kao sos za tjesteninu, ili početak nekog finog gulaša, ili jesti samo kao juhu. Čistu juhicu, ili sa špinatom, ili sa krutonima, ili bučinim sjemenkama, ili pokapanu sa jogurtom ili vrhnjem. To je kao čarobni paket od deset jela u jednom.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 10 izdašnih porcija / 1,68 kn po porciji / 16,78 kn za sve)

½ male kabocha tikve (5,00 kn)

2 batata (8,00 kn)

1 veći luk (0,75 kn)

3 velike mrkve (1,00 kn)

1 čili papričica (0,50 kn)

1 mali komadić đumbira (0,10 kn)

2 žlice maslinovog ulja (0,66 kn)

Prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

Prstohvat svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,05 kn)

4 češnja češnjaka (0,70 kn)

Ulje za premazati posudu za pečenje (0,01 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Zagrijte pećnicu na 200°C. Namastite posudu za pečenje i obložite masnim papirom i stavite na stranu. Operite, ogulite i grubo nasijecite svo povrće, osim češnjaka, jer ćemo njega peći cijelog u ljusci. U pripremljenoj posudi za pečenje pomiješajte povrće sa maslinovim uljem, soli i paprom, pa među povrćem razmjestite i češnjak. Pecite 30-45 minuta, dok povrće ne omekša i ne postane blago karamelizirano. Moj protvan je bio u donjoj trećini pećnice jer sam gore pekla nešto drugo, pa se zato lijepa korica uhvatila sa donje strane.

Pustite da se sve malo ohladi, istisnite češnjak iz ljuski i sve ispasirajte u multipraktiku do kremaste teksture. Možete slobodno dodati šalicu vode da se lakše propasira, a po protrebi i ovisno o veličini vašeg multipraktika, možda ćete morati sve podijeliti u par tura.

Da zgotovite juhu, pomiješajte oko 2 žlice paste sa jednom šalicom vode i stavite da zakuha, pa poslužite. Ili jednostavno spremite pastu za kasnije u hermetički zatvorenoj posudi u hladnjaku ili zamrzivaču.

Baked Squash and Sweet Potato Autumn Soup / Jesenska juha od pečene bundeve i batata

Cocoa Banana Bread / Kruh od banane i kakaa

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It just so happened that we had two bananas sitting on the counter and starting to look unappealing enough to eat raw. So I figured, why not bake them into banana bread? After a quick scan of what was on hand (not much), this is what I came up with. And the result is fantastic; moist and fragrant and so dang tasty. So I really hope you have two unappealing bananas sitting on your counter as well, as those yield the best banana bread.

Bonus: you only need one bowl for it! Win!

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 1 loaf / 2.20 EUR per loaf)

2 overripe bananas (0.53 EUR)

2 large eggs (0.40 EUR)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract (0.03 EUR)

1 cup yogurt (0.40 EUR)

4 tbsp butter, melted + more for greasing the loaf pan(0.40 EUR)

1 cup rolled oats (0.13 EUR)

1 cup all-purpose flour (0.07 EUR)

2 tbsp flax seed (0.07 EUR)

2 tbsp raw cocoa powder (0.13 EUR)

4 tbsp sugar (0.01 EUR)

1 tsp baking powder (0.01 EUR)

½ tsp baking soda (0.01 EUR)

Pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

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METHOD:

Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease loaf pan with butter and line with parchment paper. Set aside. In a large bowl, smash bananas using a potato masher or a fork. Whisk in eggs, vanilla, yogurt and butter, until creamy and fully incorporated. Add in oats, flour, flax seed, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt and stir everything with a spatula until just incorporated. Pour the batter into prepared pan, gently shake to even the surface and bake for 30-35 minutes, until top cracks and a toothpick inserted comes out clean (a crumb or two is also okay). Let banana bread cool in its pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

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Desilo se to da su te dvije banane stajale u kuhinji i počele izgledati prilično neprivlačno. Zaključila sam da bi najbolje bilo od njih napraviti kruh. Nakon brzog pregleda čega sve imamo doma (ne baš puno toga), dobila sam kruh koji je fantastičan; sočan i aromatičan i jako fin. Tako da se nadam da i vi imate doma par neprivlačnih banana, jer od njih je najbolji kruh.

Bonus: treba vam samo jedna zdjela! Pobjeda!

SASTOJCI:

(Za 1 štrucu / 16,42 kn za štrucu)

2 prezrele banane (4,00 kn)

2 jaja (3,00 kn)

1 žličica ekstrakta vanilije (0,20 kn)

1 šalica jogurta (3,00 kn)

4 žlice rastopljenog maslaca + još malo za namastiti kalup za pečenje (3,00 kn)

1 šalica zobenih pahuljica (1,00 kn)

1 šalica oštrog pšeničnog brašna (0,50 kn)

2 žlice sjemenki lana (0,50 kn)

2 žlice sirovog kakao praha (1,00 kn)

4 žlice šećera (0,10 kn)

1 žličica praška za pecivo (0,10 kn)

½ žličice sode bikarbone (0,01 kn)

Prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Ugrijte pečnicu na 200°C. Maslacem namastite kalup za kruh i obložite papirom za pečenje. Stavite na stranu. U velikoj zdjeli gnječilicom za krumpir ili viljuškom zdrobite banane. Umutite jaja, vaniliju, jogurt i rastopljeni maslac da bude jednolično i kremasto. Dodajte zobene, brašno, lan, kakao prah, šećer, prašak za pecivo, sodu bikarbonu i sol pa špatulom mješajte dok se sastojci ne sjedine. Istresite smjesu u pripremljeni kalup, nježno protresite da poravnate pa pecite 30-35 minuta, dok se vrh ne raspuca a umetnuta čačkalica ne izađe čista (mrvica-dvije su sasvim okej). Pustite da se kruh hladi 15-tak minuta u kalupu prije nego ga preselite na rešetku za pečenje da se ohladi do kraja.

Cocoa Banana Bread / Kruh od banane i kakaa

Homemade Clumpy Granola / Domaća grudasta granola

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This granola recipe is just the thing when you need to have breakfast situations solved. You can make a huge batch to store in the fridge, as it keeps for weeks. It’s delicious served over milk and yoghurt, and even on its own, as a snack.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 8 generous servings / 0.42 EUR per serving / 3.37 EUR for whole)

500 g rolled oats (0.67 EUR)

3-4 apples, grated with rinds (0.40 EUR)

1 cup golden raisins (0.67 EUR)

1/3 cup almonds, whole or cut or smashed into rough chunks (0.67 EUR)

1/3 cup butter (0.40 EUR)

4 tbsp honey (0.53 EUR)

1 tsp cinnamon (0.01 EUR)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract (0.02 EUR)

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METHOD:

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside. In a large bowl, mix together oats, apples, raisins and almonds or almond chunks. The easiest way for me to get almond chunks is to put almonds in a freezer bag and bash the crap out of them with a rolling pin. In a small saucepan melt butter and honey. Remove from heat, add cinnamon and vanilla, pour over oats mixture and stir everything until fully incorporated. Spread the mixture on a prepared baking tray, leaving it clumpy and not pressing it into the pan as you want it to be quite loose. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring well halfway through.

Leave granola to cool completely on a baking tray before storing in an airtight container.

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Ovaj recept za granolu je prava stvar kada trebate imati super rješenje za doručak. Možete napraviti veliku porciju i čuvati ju u frižideru i do nekoliko tjedana. Jako je fina sa mlijekom ili jogurtom, ili ju možete grickati samu bez ičega.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 8 izdašnih porcija / 3,16 kn po porciji / 28,27 kn za sve)

500 g zobenih pahuljica (5,00 kn)

3-4 jabuke, naribane skupa s korom (3,00 kn)

1 šalica zlatnih grožđica (5,00 kn)

1/3 šalice badema, cijelih, nagrubo narezanih ili izmrvljenih (5,00 kn)

1/3 šalice maslaca (3,00 kn)

4 žlice meda (4,00 kn)

1 žličica cimeta (0,07 kn)

1 žličica ekstrakta vanilije (0,20 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Zagrijte pečnicu na 180°C. Obložite protvan papirom za pečenje i stavite na stranu. U velikoj zdjeli izmiješajte zobene pahuljice, naribane jabuke, grožđice i cijele bademe ili komadiće badema. Meni je najlakše usitniti bademe tako da ih stavim u vrećicu za smrzavanje i onda raspalim po njima valjkom za tijesto. U lončiću rastopite maslac i med. Maknite sa vatre i umiješajte cimet i vaniliju, pa prelijte preko smjese sa zobenim pahuljicama i izmiješajte dok ne bude jednolično. Raširite smjesu po protvanu, i to tako da ostane grudasta i nemojte ju utiskivati u protvan. Pecite 30 minuta, a na pola pečenja jednom dobro promiješajte.

Ostavite granolu da se skroz ohladi na protvanu prije nego ju spremite u hermetički zatvorenu posudu.

Homemade Clumpy Granola / Domaća grudasta granola

Sauerkraut Bean Stew / Varivo od graha sa kiselim zeljem

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I’m crazy about sauerkraut. I love colder seasons just because of all the sauerkraut we get to devour. We eat it as a salad, in main dishes and side dishes. I’m yet to discover a sauerkraut desert to make the obsession come full circle.

This dish is so filling and easy, it’s just beautiful. Sure, it takes a while for it to cook, but you don’t have to hover over the pot so active cooking time is minimal. Also, this makes a humongous batch. I froze a ton, as it reheats wonderfully.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields about 10 generous servings / 0.78 EUR per serving / 7.81 EUR for whole)

500 g dried beans, presoaked overnight (2.00 EUR)

4 tbsp vegetable oil, divided (0.05 EUR)

1 large onion (0.10 EUR)

4 carrots (0.13 EUR)

3 chili peppers (0.20 EUR)

3 garlic cloves (0.07 EUR)

2 tbsp tomato paste(0.13 EUR)

2 dried bay leaves (0.03 EUR)

2 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika (0.01 EUR)

Sausages, smoked bacon or cured meats of choice (I used 1 kg of cured pork ribs and leftover bacon skins I had lying around); for vegan version omit (4.00 EUR)

6-8 cups warm water (–)

500 g sauerkraut (1.00 EUR)

2 tbsp plain white flour (0.01 EUR)

Handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped (0.07 EUR)

Salt and pepper to taste (0.01 EUR)

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METHOD:

Rinse beans after soaking, place in pot, cover with fresh water and simmer on medium heat for about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, clean and dice all the vegetables. Drain beans, discard the cooking water and rinse well. Set aside.

In a large pot saute diced onions on 2 tbsp of oil until translucent. Add diced carrots, chili peppers and minced garlic and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomato paste, bay leaves, paprika, rinsed beans and meats of choice if using, cover with about 6-8 cups of water, so everything is fully submerged, and simmer for 45 minutes on low. Wait with seasoning until the stew is done; my pork ribs and sauerkraut were pretty salty on its own. 45 minutes into cooking add sauerkraut and simmer for another 45 minutes, up to 1 hour, until the beans are completely softened.

In a small saucepan mix together the remaining 2 tbsp of oil with flour and cook on medium heat, stirring constantly until flour starts smelling nutty and turns golden brown, about 3-5 minutes. Once done, carefully pour into the pot of stew (it’s gonna be bubbly, so watch your hands). Stir until fully incorporated, add parsley and cook through for 5 more minutes. Adjust seasoning, fish out bay leaves and bacon skins, if using, and serve with a thick slice of yummy bread of your choice.

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Luda sam za kiselim zeljem. Hladnije vrijeme mi je drago samo zato jer ga možemo tamaniti. Jedemo kiselo zalje u salatama, u glavnom jelu i u prilozima. Moram samo još otkriti neki desert sa kiselim zeljem da obsesija napravi puni krug.

Ovo je jelo tako zasitno i lagano da je to milina. Istina, treba dosta vremena da se sve skuha, ali ne morate stajati nad loncem, tako da je aktivno vrijeme koje treba utrošiti zapravo minimalno. Također, dobiti ćete ogromnu količinu. Ja sam smrznula brdo variva, jer se super podgrijava.

SASTOJCI:

(Za oko 10 izdašnih porcija / 5,85 kn po porciji / 58,47 kn za sve)

500 g suhog graha, namočenog večer prije (15,00 kn)

4 žlice ulja, podijeljene (0,40 kn)

1 veliki luk (0,75 kn)

4 mrkve (1,00 kn)

3 čili papričice (1,50 kn)

3 češnja češnjaka (0,50 kn)

2 žlice koncentrata od rajčice (1,00 kn)

2 suha lovorova lista (0,20 kn)

2 žlice crvene slatke paprike (0,10 kn)

Kobasice, dimljena slanina ili suho meso po izboru (ja sam stavila oko 1 kg dimljenih suhih špic rebrica i kože od špeka koje sam skupljala u frižideru); za vegansku verziju izbaciti (30,00 kn)

6-8 šalica tople vode (–)

500 g kiselog zelja (7,50 kn)

2 žlice oštrog pšeničnog brašna (0,01 kn)

Svežanj svježeg peršina, sitno nasjeckanog (0,50 kn)

Soli i papra po ukusu (0,01 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Isperite grah nakon namakanja, stavite u lonac, pokrijte svježim vodom i kuhajte na srednjoj vatri oko 45 minuta. U međuvremenu, očistite i sitno nasjeckajte svo povrće. Nakon 45 minuta ocjedite i dobro isperite grah i bacite vodu od kuhanja, pa ga stavite na stranu.

U velikom loncu pirjajte nasjeckani luk na 2 žlice ulja dok ne postane proziran. Dodajte nasjeckane mrkvu, čili i češnjak pa pirjajte 5 minuta, povremeno miješajući. Dodajte koncentrat rajčice, lovorov list, slatku papriku, ocijeđeni grah i meso ako ga koristite, prelijte sa 6-8 šalica tople vode da sve bude potopljeno, pa krčkajte na laganoj vatri 45 minuta. Pričekajte sa solju i paprom dok vam varivo ne bude skroz gotovo; moja rebrica i zelje su bili jako slani pa nije uopće trebalo dodatno soliti. Nakon 45 minuta dodajte kiselo zelje i kuhajte još 45 minuta do 1 sat, dok grah skroz ne omekša.

U maloj tavici ili lončiću pomiješajte preostalih 2 žlice ulja sa brašnom i kuhajte na srednjoj vatri, stalno miješajući, dok brašno ne zamiriši i ne postane zlatno-smeđe, oko 3-5 minuta. Kada je gotovo, oprezno zapršku dodajte u grah, pazeći da vas ne pošprica po rukama. Miješajte dok se zaprška sasvim ne sjedini sa varivom i prokuhajte još 5 minuta. Probajte i začinite solju i paprom po potrebi, ispecajte van lovorove listove i kože od špeka ako ste ih stavili, i poslužite sa debelim komadom omiljenog kruha.

Sauerkraut Bean Stew / Varivo od graha sa kiselim zeljem

Thick Raspberry Banana Smoothie / Gusti smoothie od maline i banane

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We’ve only just got a small vegetable chopper last weekend, after living without one for a couple of years. The last one fell victim of my attempt to try quickly chopping some bacon, as I was too lazy to do it by hand. Well, it ended up with me actually chopping the said bacon by hand and throwing the chopper in a dumpster.

So, as we have a new chopper now, I’m on a kick of grinding up everything. Other than bacon. See? I got wiser.

This recipe is so simple that it isn’t even a recipe. But, it’s tasty and healthy. A real treat for you. I also prefer my smoothie on a thicker side, but feel free to add more milk if desired.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 2 cups / 0.68 EUR per cup / 1.36 EUR for whole)

1 small banana, roughly cut up (0.27 EUR)

1 cup frozen raspberries (0.67 EUR)

2 tbsp coconut shreds (0.13 EUR)

1 tbsp honey (0.13 EUR)

2/3 cup milk – use nut or soy milk for vegan version (0.16 EUR)

METHOD:

Add all ingredients to a bowl of your food processor and pulse until smooth. If necessary, add more milk to desired consistency. Serve immediately.

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Prošli smo vikend kupili malu sjeckalicu za povrće, nakon što smo pred par godina ostali bez stare. Zadnja je postala žrtvom moje nakane da nabrzinu probam sitno nasjeckati špek za sarmu, jer sam bila prelijena da to idem raditi ručno. Završilo je tako da sam taj isti špek na kraju nasjeckala ručno. Sjeskalica je završila u kontejneru.

Sada kada imamo novu, sjeckam sve živo. Osim špeka. Vidite? Postala sam mudrija.

Ovaj recept je toliko jednostavan da ni nije recept. Ali, ukusan je i zdrav. Prava poslastica.

Osobno više volim gušće smoothije, ali po želji slobodno dodajte više mlijeka.

SASTOJCI

(Za 2 šalice / 5,10 kn po šalici / 10,20 kn za sve)

1 mala banana, narezana na komade (2,00 kn)

1 šalica smrznutih malina (5,00 kn)

2 žlice kokosovog brašna (1,00 kn)

1 žlica meda (1,00 kn)

2/3 šalice mlijeka – za vegansku verziju uzmite sojino ili od orašastih plodova (1,20 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Dodajte sve sastojke u blender ili sjeckalicu i pulsirajte dok ne postane kremasto. Po potrebi, dodajte još mlijeka do željene gustoće. Poslužite odmah.

Thick Raspberry Banana Smoothie / Gusti smoothie od maline i banane

Spaghetti Squash with Mixed Veggie Salsa / Špageti tikva sa šalšom od miješanog povrća

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I’ve never had spaghetti squash up to now. I know, I know, I’ve been living under a rock. But, once I’ve finally had it, I’m so making it again because it’s wonderful and flavourful and also a fantastic way to ditch carbs in a meal. Not to mention, cheap and low maintenance, so you can just dump everything in the oven to bake and go about your business.

Oh, and in my initial batch I’ve made enough sauce for at least four meals, so I’m going to half the amount for you, since small squash would make two generous servings and this way you won’t end up with leftover sauce.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields two generous servings / 0.91 EUR per serving / 1.83 EUR for all)

For the squash:

1 small spaghetti squash (0.93 EUR)

3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced (0.06 EUR)

1 tbsp olive oil (0.04 EUR)

Good pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

Freshly cracked black pepper to taste (0.01 EUR)

For the sauce:

1 small onion (0.07 EUR)

1 small red bell pepper (0.01 EUR)

1 small chilli pepper (0.13 EUR)

1 large carrot (0.03 EUR)

¼ tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

2 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika (0.01 EUR)

2 tsp corn starch (0.01 EUR)

¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper (0.01 EUR)

1 can diced tomatoes (0.47 EUR)

Handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped (0.03 EUR)

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METHOD:

Preheat oven to 200°C. Line baking tray with aluminum foil for easy clean up. Halve the squash lengthwise using a sharp knife. With a spoon, remove seeds and squishy middle from the squash, place skin down on prepared baking tray and season the inside with sliced garlic, olive oil, salt and black pepper. Roast for 40-45 minutes, until slightly charred and wrinkled. Remove from the oven and let rest for about 20 minutes, so the skin can loosen up from the flesh. Using a fork separate the flesh from the skin into spaghetti.

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Meanwhile, roughly chop onion, pepper, chilli and carrot. Mix the vegetables well with salt, paprika, corn starch and black pepper in a baking dish and place in the oven together with the squash. Bake for around 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through. After 30 minute mark add diced tomatoes, stir once more and return to the oven for additional 10 minutes. Once done, garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Serve spaghetti squash with a dollop of sauce on top.

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Do sada nisam nikad prije jela špageti tikvu. Znam, znam, živim pod kamenom. Ali, sada kada sam ju prvi puta probala, sigurna sam da ću ju raditi opet jer je divna i fina. A i super način da malo smanjim ugljikohidrate. Osim toga, jeftina je i skroz lagana za napraviti jer se sve može samo baciti u pečnicu dok se bavite nekim drugim stvarima.

Kada sam kuhala napravila sam dovoljno umaka za barem četiri porcije, pa ću ovdje za vas sve prepoloviti jer je mala tikva dovoljna za otprilike dva izdašna obroka.

SASTOJCI:

(Za dvije izdašne porcije / 7,22 kn po porciji / 14,45 kn za sve)

Za tikvu:

1 manja špageti tikva (7,00 kn)

3 češnja češnjaka, tanko narezana (0,50 kn)

1 žlica maslinovog ulja (0,33 kn)

Prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

Svježeg mljevenog crnog papra po ukusu (0,05 kn)

Za umak:

1 mali luk (0,50 kn)

1 mala crvena paprika roga (0,75 kn)

1 čili papričica (1,00 kn)

1 velika mrkva (0,25 kn)

¼ žličice soli (0,01 kn)

2 žličice slatke crvene paprike (0,10 kn)

2 žličice kukuruznog škroba – Gussnel (0,10 kn)

¼ žličice cvježeg mljevenog crnog papra (0,10 kn)

1 konzerva sjeckanih rajčica (3,50 kn)

Pregršt svježeg peršina, sitno nasjeckanog (0,25 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Zagrijte pečnicu na 200°C. Obložite pleh za pečenje alumijskom folijom za lakše čišćenje. Oštrim nožem uzduž raspolovite tikvu i žlicom odstranite koštice i gnjeckavu sredinu. Položite kožom nadolje na pleh za pečenje, pa unutrašnjost tikve začinite sa narezanim češnjakom, maslinovim uljem, soli i mljevenim crnim paprom. Pecite 40-45 minuta, dok se ne počne loviti korica i tikva se malo ne smežura. Izvadite iz pečnice i ostavite da odstoji 20-tak minuta kako bi se koža otpustila od mesa. Vilicom odstranite meso od kože u špagete.

U međuvremenu, narežite luk, papriku, čili i mrkvu, dobro pomiješajte sa solju, paprikom, kukuruznim škrobom i crnim paprom u manjem protvanu i pecite skupa sa tikvom oko 30 minuta. Nakon 15-tak minuta sve jednom dobro promiješajte. Nakon što istekne 30 minuta, dodajte sjeckane rajčice i sve još jednom dobro promiješajte pa vratite u pećnicu na još 10 minuta. Kada je gotovo, posipajte svježim peršinom.

Špageti tikvu poslužite prelivenu sa umakom.

Spaghetti Squash with Mixed Veggie Salsa / Špageti tikva sa šalšom od miješanog povrća

Poor Man’s Broccoli Soup / Siromahova juha od brokule

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They say necessity is the mother of invention. I was in a mood for a soup, but our pantry and fridge stashes were running on fumes. We were even out of onions and carrots, a few of which can always be found sitting around. After inspecting what was at hand, this is the soup I came up with and it didn’t turn out half as bad either. I imagine it would taste even better with broth, but alas, we were out of broth as well, so water it was.

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 4 generous servings / 0.52 EUR per serving / 2.08 EUR for whole)

1 tbsp olive oil (0.04 EUR)

2 chili peppers, deseeded and cut thinly (0.26 EUR)

3 cloves of garlic, minced (0.06 EUR)

25 g butter (0.23 EUR)

2 tbsp all-purpose white flour (0.01 EUR)

4 cups warm water (-)

1 pack (450 g) frozen broccoli florets (1.06 EUR)

Good pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

2 large eggs, whisked (0.40 EUR)

Few drops of toasted sesame oil (0.01 EUR)

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METHOD:

Add olive oil and cut chilies to a pot and sauté on high for a minute or two, until fragrant and a bit softened. Add minced garlic, stir for a minute and then add butter. As soon as the butter melts add flour, stirring constantly until golden brown and it starts smelling nutty. Slowly add warm water (or broth, if you have it around), bit by bit, all the while stirring the mixture in the pot and making sure the flour doesn’t end up clumpy.

Once it comes to a rolling boil, add frozen broccoli florets with a pinch of salt and cook on medium for about 10-15 minutes, until broccoli stalks have softened through. Once cooked, reduce heat to low and slowly drizzle in whisked eggs, stirring gently as you drizzle. Turn off the heat, test for seasoning and serve with a few drops of sesame oil on top.

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Kažu da je nužda majka izuma. Jela mi se juha, ali su nam i špajza i frižider zjapili prazni. Ostali smo čak i bez mrkvi i luka, iako inače uvijek pokoji bude negdje pri ruci. Nakon što sam pregledala raspoložive namirnice, smislila sam juhu koja uopće nije ispala loše. Sigurno bi bila još finija sa temeljcem, ali smo bili i bez temeljca, pa sam upotrijebila običnu vodu.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 4 izdašne porcije / 3,91 kn po porciji / 15,65 kn za sve)

1 žlica maslinovog ulja (0,33 kn)

2 čili papričice, bez sjemenki i tanko narezane (2,00 kn)

3 češnja češnjaka, mljevena (0,50 kn)

25 g maslaca (1,75 kn)

2 žlice oštrog pšeničnog brašna (0,01 kn)

4 šalice tople vode (-)

1 paket (450 g) smrznutih cvjetića brokule (8,00 kn)

Prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

2 velika jaja, razmućena (3,00 kn)

Par kapi tostiranog sezamovog ulja (0,05 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Stavite ulje i narezane čilije u lonac i pirjajte na jakoj vatri minutu-dvije, dok malo ne omekšaju i zamiriše. Dodajte mljeveni češnjak, miješajte minutu i onda dodajte maslac. Čim se sav maslac otopi dodajte brašno i stalno miješajte dok ne postane smećkasto i ne počne mirišati. Polako dodajte toplu vodu (ili temeljac, ako ga koristite), malo po malo, uz stalno miješanje, kako brašno ne bi bilo grudasto.

Kada zakipi ubacite smrznute cvjetiće brokule i posolite, pa kuhajte 10-15 minuta dok stabljike brokule ne omekšaju. Kad je brokula kuhana smanjite vatru pa polako sipajte razmućena jaja, miješajući nježno. Skinite s vatre, dodajte začina po potrebi i poslužite pokapano sa sezamovim uljem.

Poor Man’s Broccoli Soup / Siromahova juha od brokule

Teeny Tiny Plum Cobbler / Minijaturna pita od šljiva

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What to do when you have those few random pieces of fruit lying around? Take out your smallest ramekin and make a cobbler, that’s what! This recipe is customizable to no end, really. Easily substitute plums with whatever fruit you have at hand. The same goes for the topping, which in my case was a convenient way to use up the leftover ground walnuts I had lying around.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 4 small servings / 0.46 EUR per serving / 1.83 EUR for the whole)

5 plums, pitted and sliced (0.40 EUR)

5 tbsp vanilla sugar, divided (0.33 EUR)

1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon, divided (0.01 EUR)

¼ tsp ground nutmeg (0.01 EUR)

4 heaping tbsp all purpose flour (0.03 EUR)

4 heaping tbsp rolled oats (0.07 EUR)

Pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

50 g cold butter, cut into small cubes (0.47 EUR)

2 tbsp ground walnuts (0.50 EUR)IMGP3742

METHOD:

In a small bowl, toss together sliced plums with 1 tbsp of vanilla sugar and 1 tsp of ground cinnamon. Set aside. In a separate bowl whisk together the remaining sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, flour, oats and salt. Quickly work in cubed butter with your hands, until butter breaks down and pieces are generally sized from oats to peas.

Spread half of your plums on the bottom of your ramekin, top with half of cobbler mixture, then repeat with another layer of fruit and layer of cobbler. Gently press everything down and sprinkle with ground walnuts. Refrigerate prepared cobbler for half an hour before baking, so the butter can solidify again.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 175°C. Bake for around 25-30 minutes, until crispy golden brown on top. Allow to cool slightly before serving with ice cream, milk, Greek yogurt, or on its own. Nothing beats vanilla ice cream, however. 😉

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Što napraviti sa zadnjih par komada voća koji vam se povlače po doma? Uzmite najmanju posudu za pečenje i napravite minijaturnu pitu, eto što! Ovaj recept je beskrajno prilagodljiv i funkcionirao bi sa bilo kojim voćem. Isto vrijedi i za ono sa čime ćete ga posipati po vrhu, a što je meni bio zgodan način da iskoristim mrvicu mljevenih oraha koja mi je ostala od drugog recepta.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 4 male porcije / 3,43 kn po porciji / 13,71 kn za sve)

5 šljiva, očišćenih od koštica i narezanih na kriške (3,00 kn)

5 žlica vanili šećera, podijeljeno (2,50 kn)

1 ½ žličica mljevenog cimeta, podijeljeno (0,10 kn)

¼ žličice mljevenog muškatnog oraščića (0,10 kn)

4 žlice oštrog pšeničnog brašna (0,25 kn)

4 žlice zobenih pahuljica (0,50 kn)

Prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

50 g hladnog maslaca, narezanog na male kockice (3,50 kn)

2 žlice mljevenih oraha (3,75 kn)

PRIPREMA:

U maloj zdjelici pomiješajte narezane šljive, 1 žlicu šećera i 1 žličicu cimeta pa stavite na stranu. U drugoj zdjelici pomiješajte preostali šećer, cimet, muškatni oraščić, brašno, zobene pahuljice i sol. Prstima brzo umiješajte narezani maslac dok se na razbije na grudice veličine od zobene pahuljice do zrna graška.

Na dno posude za pečenje rasporedite pola šljiva, posipajte sa pola ‘tijesta’, pa ponovite sa ostatkom šljiva i ‘tijesta’. Sve nježno utisnite u posudu i po vrhu posipajte mljevene orahe. Stavite pitu na barem pola sata u hladnjak prije pečenja, kako bi se maslac ponovno stisnuo.

Kad želite peći, zagrijte pećnicu na 175°C. Pecite 25-30 minuta, dok se na vrhu ne uhvati hrskava, zlatno-smeđa korica. Mrvicu ohladite prije posluživanja, a jedite uz sladoled, mlijeko, grčki jogurt, ili samo bez ičega. Ali ništa nije bolje od sladoleda od vanilije. 😉

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Teeny Tiny Plum Cobbler / Minijaturna pita od šljiva