budget cooking

Blackberry Sheet Cake / Tanki kolač sa kupinama

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With all of the abundant summer berries, it seems like I am constantly whipping up these simple cakes in various colour, shapes and forms. This time I decided to go with the thin sheet pan version, topped with some juicy blackberries, and I liked it a lot. If you need a quick and easy cake recipe, definitely give this one a go.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 1 cake / 2.76 EUR)

For the batter:

2 eggs (0.40 EUR)

½ cup sugar (0.10 EUR)

1 tsp vanilla extract (0.03 EUR)

Pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

½ cup Greek yogurt (0.27 EUR)

3 tbsp butter, melted (0.40 EUR)

1 and ½ cups all-purpose flour (0.10 EUR)

½ tsp baking powder (0.01 EUR)

½ tsp baking soda (0.01 EUR)

For topping:

2 cups blackberries (1.33 EUR)

4 tbsp sugar (0.03 EUR)

Additional:

Butter for greasing the pan (0.07 EUR)

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METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Lightly grease a sheet pan with butter and line it with parchment paper. Set aside. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt. Whisk in the Greek yogurt and then stir in melted butter. Add in flour, baking powder and baking soda. Stir until well combined and no big lumps remain. Transfer the batter to a prepared sheet pan and even it out with a spatula.

Scatter the blackberries on top of the cake (you can use either fresh or frozen) and sprinkle them generously with sugar. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden and a test skewer inserted into the cake comes out mostly clean (a crumb or two are totally fine). Allow the cake to cool for about 15 minutes before removing it from the pan, slicing and serving.

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Sa izobiljem ljetnih bobica, čini mi se da stalno vrtim neke ovakve jednostavne biskvit kolače u raznim bojama, veličinama i oblicima. Ovoga sam se puta odlučila za tanku verziju iz velikog plitkog protvana, posipanu sočnim kupinama, a sa konačnim sam rezultatom bila jako zadovoljna. Stoga ako vam treba recept za neki brzinski jednostavni kolač, isprobajte ovaj u nastavku.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 1 kolač / 20,47 kn)

Za smjesu:

2 jaja (3,00 kn)

½ šalice šećera (0,75 kn)

1 žličica ekstrakta od vanilije (0,20 kn)

Prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

½ šalice grčkog jogurta (2,00 kn)

3 žlice maslaca, rastopljene (3,00 kn)

1 i ½ šalica glatkog brašna (0,75 kn)

½ žličice praška za pecivo (0,05 kn)

½ žličice sode bikarbone (0,01 kn)

Za posipanje:

2 šalice kupina (10,00 kn)

4 žlice šećera (0,20 kn)

Dodatno:

Maslac za namastiti protvan (0,50 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Zagrijte pećnicu na 200°C. Maslacem lagano premažite veći plitki protvan i obložite ga papirom za pečenje. Stavite na stranu. U zdjeli razmutite jaja sa šećerom, soli i vanilijom. Umiješajte u to prvo grčki jogurt, pa onda i rastopljeni maslac. Dodajte brašno, prašak za pecivo i sodu bikarbonu, pa miješajte dok se sve ne sjedini i više ne bude velikih grudica. Smjesu prebacite u pripremljeni protvan i poravnajte ju špatulom.

Kupine raštrkajte po kolaču (možete koristiti i svježe i smrznute), pa ih obilno posipajte šećerom. Pecite kolač 20 minuta dok ne dobije lijepu zlatnu boju, a testni štapić koji upiknute ne izađe van skoro pa čist (mrvica ili dvije su isto skroz ok). Ostavite kolač da se 15-tak minuta hladi u protvanu prije nego ga narežete i poslužite.

Blackberry Sheet Cake / Tanki kolač sa kupinama

Mushroom, Zucchini and Quinoa Skillet (vegetarian, including a vegan option) / Tava sa gljivama, tikvicama i kvinojom (vegetarijanska, uključujući i vegansku opciju)

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This dish is super healthy, tasty and easy to make. I went down with quinoa, but feel free to use any other grain of your choice. Since zucchini are now in season, they were a great addition. Also, to veganize the meal, just sub the regular butter with its vegan version.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 6 servings / 0.94 EUR per serving / 5.61 EUR for all)

2 tbsp sunflower seed oil (0.03 EUR)

1 large onion (0.75 EUR)

2 tbsp butter (0.27 EUR)

500 grams mushrooms (2.00 EUR)

1 large zucchini (0.60 EUR)

3 garlic cloves (0.10 EUR)

Good pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

Good pinch of freshly ground black pepper (0.02 EUR)

2 tbsp soy sauce (0.13 EUR)

1 and ½ cups quinoa (1.50 EUR)

3 cups veggie broth (0.20 EUR)

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METHOD:

Peel, wash and chop up all the veggies and mushrooms. Rinse quinoa under running water in a fine mesh colander. Add oil and onion to a skillet on high heat and saute for a few minutes until slightly translucent. Add in butter and mushrooms then cook for about 5-10 minutes until the mushrooms are slightly caramelized. Now dump in the zucchini and garlic. Season with salt, pepper and soy sauce and cook for a few minutes until the zucchini is softened before adding in quinoa and veggie broth.

Give a good stir and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce heat and simmer with lid on for 15 to 20 minutes, until quinoa is cooked through. If needed, add a splash more of water and be sure to stir occasionally. Serve immediately or portion out for later on, as this dish reheats great.

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Ovo jelo je jako zdravo, ukusno i lako za pripremiti. Ja sam se odlučila za kvinoju, ali vi slobodno upotrijebite koju drugu žitaricu prema vašem izboru. Pošto su tikvice sada u sezoni, ovdje su bile odličan dodatak. Ako jelo želite veganizirati, to možete lako učiniti ako klasični maslac zamijenite nekom veganskom opcijom.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 6 porcija / 6,44 kn po porciji / 38,61 kn za sve)

2 žlice suncokretovog ulja (0,20 kn)

1 veliki luk (0,75 kn)

2 žlice maslaca (2,00 kn)

500 g šampinjona (15,00 kn)

1 velika tikvica (6,00 kn)

3 češnja češnjaka (0,75 kn)

Dobar prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

Dobar prstohvat svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,15 kn)

2 žlice soja sosa (1,00 kn)

1 i ½ šalica kvinoje (11,25 kn)

3 šalice povrtnog temeljca (1,50 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Operite, ogulite i nasjeckajte svo povrće i gljive. Kvinoju isperite u finoj cjediljci pod mlazom tekuće vode. Ulje stavite u dublju tavu na jakoj vatri, pa prodinstajte koju minutu luk da postane staklast. Dodajte maslac i gljive te ih kuhajte 5-10 minuta da se blago karameliziraju. Sada dodajte tikvice i češnjak, začinite solju, paprom i soja sosom, pa kuhajte par minuta da tikvica omekša. Za kraj ubacite kvinoju i temeljac.

Dobro sve promiješajte i pustite da zavrije. Smanjite vatru, te kuhajte poklopljeno 15-20 minuta da kvinoja bude gotova. Po potrebi dodajte još malo vode i svakako sa vremena na vrijeme promiješajte. Poslužite odmah ili rasporedite u porcije za kasnije, pošto se ovo jelo super podgrijava.

Mushroom, Zucchini and Quinoa Skillet (vegetarian, including a vegan option) / Tava sa gljivama, tikvicama i kvinojom (vegetarijanska, uključujući i vegansku opciju)

Sheet Pan Rustic Pizza / Rustikalna pizza iz protvana

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This pizza has the best thick crust ever. I usually opt to bake thin crusted pizzas, so this was a welcome and tasty change. Since the dough ferments for the whole day, it has plenty of time to bubble up and develop beautiful flavour, so I definitely recommend you give this recipe a try. Also, don’t be afraid to liberally grease everything with oil, since the oil will coat the dough and help to build that delicious crust.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 1 pizza / 3.35 EUR)

For the dough:

1 tsp active dry yeast (0.13 EUR)

2 tsp sugar (0.01 EUR)

1 cup warm water (–)

2 tbsp olive oil (0.09 EUR)

3 cups all-purpose flour (0.20 EUR)

1 tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

For the tomato sauce:

1 can peeled whole tomatoes (0.53 EUR)

2 tbsp tomato paste (0.27 EUR)

2 garlic cloves (0.07 EUR)

1 tbsp oregano (0.13 EUR)

Good pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

Good pinch of freshly ground black pepper (0.02 EUR)

1 tbsp olive oil (0.03 EUR)

For the topping:

2 cups shredded cheese (1.07 EUR)

Small chunk of bacon, finely sliced (0.67 EUR)

Additional:

Flour for dusting (0.01 EUR)

Olive oil for greasing the pan and topping the dough (0.10 EUR)

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METHOD:

Prepare the dough the day before. In a bowl mix together yeast, sugar and warm water. Allow to sit for about 10 minutes so the yeast activates and becomes slightly bubbly. Stir in olive oil then add in about 2 and ½ cups of flour and salt. Give a good mix until all of the flour is incorporated and a shabby dough forms. Turn the dough out on a well-floured surface and gradually knead in the remaining half a cup of flour. Knead for about ten minutes, until the dough is smooth and not overly too sticky. The final dough should be quite soft. Grease the dough with olive oil on all sides, put into a clean bowl and cover the bowl with cling foil. Allow to rest in a warm place for 20-24 hours. I find that the best fermentation places are small and draft-free spots like turned off ovens or microwave ovens (do not, under any circumstance, turn any of those on while you have the dough sitting in there).

On the following day gently deflate the dough and give it a brief knead. Generously grease a baking tray with olive oil then stretch the dough out to cover it. Add a bit more oil to the stretched out dough and gently massage it into the dough surface. This will also help with stretching the dough out. Cover the whole tray with cling foil and allow the dough to rest for another hour.

In the meantime, while the dough is resting, preheat the oven to 220°C and prepare the sauce. Drain the tomatoes in a fine-mesh colander and reserve the leftover juices for another recipe. Add the drained tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper and olive oil to a food processor and pulse until mostly smooth.

After one hour dollop the sauce on stretched out dough. Top with shredded cheese and bacon slices. Bake the pizza for 25-30 minutes in the middle rack, until crispy and nicely golden-brown. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving. This pizza will go great with a nice big salad.

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Ova pizza jednostavno ima najbolje sočno debelo tijesto ikad. Obično pečem pizzu sa tankim tijesto, tako da mi je ovo bila baš ukusna i zanimljiva promjena. Pošto samo tijesto fermentira cijeli dan, ima dovoljno vremena da nabubri i razvije jako zanimljivu aromu, tako da vam svakako preporučam da isprobate i ovaj recept. Također, nemojte se bojati dobro namastiti kalup i samo tijesto, pošto će ulje pomoći u tome da se izgradi savršena hrskava korica.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 1 pizzu / 25,05 kn)

Za tijesto:

1 žličica suhog kvasca (1,00 kn)

2 žličice šećera (0,04 kn)

1 šalica tople vode (–)

2 žlice maslinovog ulja (0,66 kn)

3 šalice glatkog brašna (1,50 kn)

1 žličica soli (0,01 kn)

Za umak od rajčice:

1 konzerva cijelih pelata (4,00 kn)

2 žlice koncentrata od rajčice (2,00 kn)

2 češnja češnjaka (0,50 kn)

1 žlica origana (1,00 kn)

Dobar prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

Dobar prstohvat svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,15 kn)

1 žlica maslinovog ulja (0,33 kn)

Za na pizzu:

2 šalice ribanog sira (8,00 kn)

Mali komadić slanine, tanko narezane (5,00 kn)

Dodatno:

Brašno za posipanje (0,10 kn)

Maslinovo ulje za namastiti kalup i tijesto (0,75 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Tijesto zamijesite dan ranije. U zdjeli prvo pomiješajte kvasac, šećer i toplu vodu. Pustite da miruje desetak minuta da se kvasac aktivira i počne se stvarati pjenica. Umiješajte maslinovo ulje, pa dodajte 2 i ½ šalice brašna i sol. Promiješajte da se formira labavo tijesto, pa sve iskrenite na dobro pobrašnjenu radnu plohu te mijesite desetak minuta i postepeno u tijesto dodajte preostalih pola šalice brašna. Tijesto bi na kraju trebalo biti glatko, ne pretjerano ljepljivo i dosta mekano. Oblikujte ga u kuglu i namastite ju sa svih strana, pa stavite u zdjelu i koju ćete pokriti prijanjajućom folijom. Pustite da miruje na toplom mjestu 20-24 sata. Meni je nekako najbolje ostaviti tijesto u ugašenoj pećnici, mikrovalnoj ili kojem sličnom malom mjestu bez propuha. Naravno, nikako ni pod razno nemojte slučajno paliti pećnicu ili mikrovalnu dok vam je unutra tijesto.

Sljedećeg dana nježno spljoštite tijesto te ga kratko promijesite. Dobro namastite protvan za pečenje pa na njemu razvucite tijesto, koje također namastite i sa gornje strane. Ulje slobodno i lagano umasirajte u tijesto, a od toga će se ono samo lakše dati razvući u željeni oblik. Sada prekrijte protvan s tijestom sa prijanjajućom folijom te ostavite da se ono diže još sat vremena.

U međuvremenu, dok se tijesto diže u protvanu, zagrijte pećnicu na 220°C i priredite umak od rajčice. Pelate ocijedite u cjediljci od svih sokova, pa to sačuvajte za neki drugi recept. Ocijeđene pelate dodajte u multipraktik skupa sa koncentratom rajčice, češnjakom, origanom, solju, paprom i maslinovim uljem. Propulsirajte dok ne dobijete jednoličnu smjesu.

Nakon jednog sata premažite tijesto pripremljenim umakom od rajčice. Posipajte ribanim sirom i ploškicama slanine, te sve pecite u sredini pećnice 25-30 minuta, dok pizza ne bude hrskava i lijepo zlatno-smeđa. Pustite pizzu da odstoji 5-10 minuta prije nego ju narežete i servirate. Poslužite sa nekom lijepom velikom salatom.

Sheet Pan Rustic Pizza / Rustikalna pizza iz protvana

Chicken and Veggie Noodles / Kineski rezanci s piletinom i povrćem

Crunch Crunch Away, , , , , , , , 4 Comments

I’m always, and I really mean always, down for some Chinese food. If there were no health and financial consequences, I would gladly agree to live on Chinese takeout until the end of time or the end of my days, whichever comes first. But reason dictates that some compromises have to be made, so I often replicate my favorite stir-fry and noodle recipes at home and try to keep them on a relatively healthier side. If you are a Chinese food fiend like me, definitely try out this recipe and you won’t be disappointed.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 4 servings / 1.31 EUR per serving / 5.23 EUR for all)

For the chicken:

1 large boneless skinless chicken breast (2.00 EUR)

1 tbsp sunflower seed oil (0.01 EUR)

1 tbsp soy sauce (0.07 EUR)

Good pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

Good pinch of freshly ground black pepper (0.02 EUR)

For the stir-fry:

3 squares of Chinese noodles (1.60 EUR)

2 tbsp sunflower seed oil, divided (0.03 EUR)

2 onions (0.20 EUR)

2 red peppers (0.80 EUR)

3 garlic cloves (0.10 EUR)

1 tsp Gochujang – Korean chili paste (0.13 EUR)

2 tbsp soy sauce (0.13 EUR)

1 tsp toasted sesame oil (0.13 EUR)

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METHOD:

Cut the chicken into thin strips. Toss it with oil, soy sauce, salt and pepper and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, but best overnight. In the meantime, cook the noodles according to package instructions to al dente. Rinse under cold water to get rid of residual heat and stop the cooking process, then drain. Wash, peel and chop up all the veggies.

Place a wok or a deep skillet on medium high heat and allow to thoroughly warm up. Add in a bit of oil, then fry the chicken until crispy. It’s best to do this in two batches, so you don’t overcrowd the pan. Remove all the chicken from the wok and set aside. Add in the remaining oil and dump in the onions and peppers. Cook for a few minutes to slightly caramelize before adding in minced garlic and Gochujang. Give a good stir and cook briefly. Dump in the noodles, chicken, soy sauce and sesame oil. Cook for about five minutes, until everything is thoroughly warmed up and the noodles at the bottom of the pan start crisping up slightly. Serve immediately.

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Ja sam uvijek, ali baš ono, uvijek, raspoložena za kinesku hranu. Da to nema nikakvih zdravstvenih i financijskih posljedica, krkala bi klopu sa kineske dostave dok svemir ne implodira ili dok ja ne otegnem, štogod već došlo prije. Ali razum ipak nalaže neke kompromise pa sam se naučila da svoje najdraže recepte izrepliciram doma u nekoj malo zdravijoj varijanti. Ako ste ludi za kineskom hranom koliko i ja, definitivno isprobajte ovaj recept jer se nećete razočarati.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 4 porcije / 9,80 kn po porciji / 39,21 kn za sve)

Za meso:

1 velika pileća prsa bez kostiju i kože (15,00 kn)

1 žlica suncokretovog ulja (0,10 kn)

1 žlica soja sosa (0,50 kn)

Dobar prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

Dobar prstohvat svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,15 kn)

Za wok:

3 kocke kineskih rezanaca (12,00 kn)

2 žlice suncokretovog ulja, podijeljene (0,20 kn)

2 luka (1,50 kn)

2 crvene paprike (6,00 kn)

3 češnja češnjaka (0,75 kn)

1 žlica Gochujanga – korejske čili paste (1,00 kn)

2 žlice soja sosa (1,00 kn)

1 žličica tostiranog sezamovog ulja (1,00 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Piletinu narežite na tanke trakice. Pomiješajte sa uljem, soja sosom, soli i paprom, te ostavite u hladnjaku da se marinira minimalno pola sata, a najbolje preko noći. U međuvremenu skuhajte rezance prema uputama na pakiranju da budu al dente. Isperite ih dobro pod mlazom hladne vode da se prestanu kuhati od zaostale topline te ocijedite. Operite, ogulite i nasjeckajte svo povrće.

Wok ili duboku tavu stavite na srednje jaku vatru i pustite da se dobro ugrije. Dodajte malo ulja, pa na njemu ispržite piletinu dok ne bude hrskava. Za najbolje rezultate je najbolje to napraviti u dvije manje ture kako vam wok ne bi bio prenatrpan. Gotovu piletinu maknite iz woka i stavite na stranu. Dodajte u wok preostalo ulje, luk i paprike. Kuhajte oko pet minuta, da se povrće lagano karamelizira, pa onda ubacite sjeckani češnjak i Gochujang. Dobro promiješajte i još kratko kuhajte te dodajte tjesteninu, piletinu, soja sos i sezamovo ulje. Kuhajte jedno pet minuta da se sve dobro ugrije, a tjestenina na dnu woka blago zahrska. Poslužite odmah.

Chicken and Veggie Noodles / Kineski rezanci s piletinom i povrćem

Oven-Fried Zucchini Fritters (vegetarian) / Pohanci od tikvica iz pećnice (vegetarijanski)

Crunch Crunch Away, , , , , , 3 Comments

These oven-fried zucchini fritters are so, sooo amazing that I’ll definitely be making them regularly while the zucchini are still in season. Since there is no deep frying involved, this dish is pretty light and not too terrible for you. The texture of the zucchini is also fantastic and you get an amazing combo of crispy crust and soft interior. I added a good amount of hard grated Grana Padano cheese into the breadcrumbs and that only elevated the whole thing to a whole different level.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 4 servings / 0.57 EUR per serving / 2.28EUR for all)

1 very large zucchini (0.67 EUR)

1 tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

2 cups all-purpose flour (0.13 EUR)

2 eggs (0.40 EUR)

¼ cup milk (0.07 EUR)

1 cup finely grated Grana Padano cheese (0.67 EUR)

1 cup breadcrumbs (0.20 EUR)

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper (0.03 EUR)

¼ cup sunflower seed oil (0.10 EUR)

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METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the zucchini into thick coins and season generously with salt. Prepare your three dipping pans – one with flour, second with whisked eggs and milk and third with mixed cheese, breadcrumbs and black pepper. Coat each zucchini coin into flour, egg mix and breadcrumb mix. Place the coated zucchini on a prepared baking sheet and repeat until all of the zucchini coins are used up.

Lightly brush each coated zucchini fritter with oil on each side and bake for 30-40 minutes, until golden and crispy to your liking. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and serve immediately with a nice big salad and maybe some dipping sauce.

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Ovi pohanci od tikvica su tako jako fini da ih planiram tamaniti dok god su tikvice u sezoni. Pošto se ništa ne prži u ulju, ovo jelo je prilično lagano i nije baš tako katastrofalno nezdravo. Tekstura je meni apsolutno savršena jer korica ispadne fina hrskava, a tikvice iznutra su sočne i kremaste. Ja sam u krušne mrvice odlučila dodati i ribani Grana Padano sir, pa je cijelo jelo sa time ispalo još malo ekstra finije.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 4 porcije / 4,25 kn po porciji / 17,01 kn za sve)

1 jako velika tikvica (5,00 kn)

1 žličica soli (0,01 kn)

2 šalice glatkog brašna (1,00 kn)

2 jaja (3,00 kn)

¼ šalice mlijeka (0,50 kn)

1 šalica fino ribanog Grana Padano sira (5,00 kn)

1 šalica krušnih mrvica (1,50 kn)

½ žličice svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,25 kn)

¼ šalice suncokretovog ulja (0,75 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Zagrijte pećnicu na 180°C. Protvan obložite papirom za pečenje. Tikvicu narežite na deblje novčiće i dobro posolite. Pripremite si tri posude za umakanje – prvu sa brašnom, drugu sa pomiješanim jajima i mlijekom, te treću sa miksom sira, krušnih mrvica i papra. Svaku plošku tikvice obložite prvo brašnom, onda jajem i na kraju mrvicama. Slažite panirane tikvice na pripremljeni protvan i ponavljajte postupak dok sve ne potrošite.

Svaku plošku paniranih tikvica lagano premažite sa obje strane sa malo ulja. Pecite 30-40 minuta, dok tikvice ne budu zlatno-smeđe i hrskave po vašem ukusu. Kada su tikvice gotove još malo ih posolite i odmah poslužite sa nekom velikom salatom i eventualno nečim za umakanje (npr. kiselim vrhnjem, majonezom i slično).

Oven-Fried Zucchini Fritters (vegetarian) / Pohanci od tikvica iz pećnice (vegetarijanski)

Peanut Butter Caramel Granola (vegan) / Kikiriki maslac karamel granola (veganska)

Crunch Crunch Away, , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

It’s been ages since my last granola recipe and this time I decided to do something quick and simple. Even though turning your oven on might seem counter intuitive during the summer heat, I find this granola to be a perfect cold breakfast or snack when paired with some yogurt and fresh fruit.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 8 servings / 0.29 EUR per serving / 2.35 EUR for all)

½ cup peanut butter (0.67 EUR)

½ cup date syrup (0.20 EUR)

2 tbsp coconut oil, melted (0.27 EUR)

¼ cup warm water (–)

Pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

4 cups rolled oats (0.53 EUR)

½ cup crushed almonds (0.40 EUR)

1 cup ground flax seeds (0.27 EUR)

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METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 175°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk peanut butter, date syrup, coconut oil, water and salt until everything is dissolved and thoroughly combined. Add in rolled oats, almonds and flax seeds then stir so that it’s all well coated. Spread the granola evenly on a prepared baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes, while stirring once halfway though. Allow the granola to cool completely on a baking sheet before transferring to an airtight container. The granola will keep for weeks while stored in a cool dark place.

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Prošlo je cijelo stoljeće od kada sam zadnji puta objavila recept za granolu, pa sam odlučila iskombinirati nešto brzo i jednostavno. Iako se možda grozite te ideje da po ljetnim vrućinama palite pećnicu, meni je ova granola zapravo super hladni doručak ili snack u kombinaciji sa jogurtom i nekim svježim voćem.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 8 porcija / 2,19 kn po porciji / 17,51 kn za sve)

½ šalice kikiriki maslaca (5,00 kn)

½ šalice sirupa od datulja (1,50 kn)

2 žlice rastopljenog kokosovog ulja (2,00 kn)

¼ šalice tople vode (–)

Prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

4 šalice krupnih zobenih pahuljica (4,00 kn)

½ šalice grubo sjeckanih badema (3,00 kn)

1 šalica mljevenih sjemenki lana (2,00 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Zagrijte pećnicu na 175°C. Obložite protvan papirom za pečenje. Kikiriki maslac, sirup od datulja, kokosovo ulje, vodu i sol dobro promiješajte skupa, dok se sve ne rastopi i ne sjedini. Dodajte zobene pahuljice, bademe i lan, pa miješajte da sve bude obloženo. Granolu raširite po pripremljenom protvanu i pecite 30-40 minuta, s time da na pola pečenja sve promiješate. Ostavite granolu da se skroz ohladi na protvanu prije nego ju preselite u hermetički zatvorenu posudu. Čuvana na hladnom i tamnom mjestu, granola će držati i do nekoliko tjedana.

Peanut Butter Caramel Granola (vegan) / Kikiriki maslac karamel granola (veganska)

Carrot Ginger Soup (vegan) / Juha od mrkve i đumbira (veganska)

Crunch Crunch Away, , , , , , , 1 Comment

Admittedly, this soup would probably suit better some cold and rainy weather. But I actually like eating such type of soups in the summer too, since they are light and yet filling. I’m also a fan of spicy foods any time of the year and this dish has a fairly good kick to it.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 6 servings / 0.41 EUR per serving / 2.46 EUR for all)

2 tbsp olive oil (0.09 EUR)

1 large onion (0.10 EUR)

4 garlic cloves (0.13 EUR)

Thumb-sized piece of ginger (0.20 EUR)

8 carrots (0.80 EUR)

1 tsp garlic powder (0.07 EUR)

½ tsp dried red pepper flakes (0.03 EUR)

1 tsp smoked paprika (0.07 EUR)

1 tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper (0.03 EUR)

3 large potatoes (0.40 EUR)

6 cups veggie broth (0.40 EUR)

Handful of fresh parsley (0.13 EUR)

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METHOD:

Wash, peel and finely dice all of the veggies and mince garlic and ginger. Place deep pot on high heat and add in olive oil, onion, garlic, ginger and carrots. Saute for about 10 minutes, until everything is slightly caramelized. Add in garlic powder, red pepper flakes, paprika, salt and black pepper. Stir and cook for a minute, so the spices become fragrant, before adding in potatoes and veggie broth. Bring to a rolling boil, reduce heat and cook with a lid cracked open for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes turn off heat and pulse everything with an immersion blender until smooth and creamy. Serve warm, sprinkled with chopped fresh parsley. This soup freezes and reheats very well, so you can also make it ahead as meal prep.

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Istina je da bi ova juhica možda bila prikladnija za neko hladnije i kišno vrijeme. Međutim, ja baš volim jesti takve juhe i po ljeti jer su lagane, a ipak zasitne. Također sam i ljubitelj pikantne hrane u bilo koje doba godine, a ovo jelo baš ima fini ljutkasti štih.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 6 porcija / 3,07 kn po porciji / 18,42 kn za sve)

2 žlice maslinovog ulja (0,66 kn)

1 veliki luk (0,75 kn)

4 češnja češnjaka (1,00 kn)

Komad đumbira veličine palca (1,50 kn)

8 mrkvi (6,00 kn)

1 žličica češnjaka u prahu (0,50 kn)

½ žličice sušenog čilija u listićima (0,25 kn)

1 žličica dimljene paprike (0,50 kn)

1 žličica soli (0,01 kn)

½ žličice svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,25 kn)

3 velika krumpira (3,00 kn)

6 šalica povrtnog temeljca (3,00 kn)

Pregršt svježeg peršina (1,00 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Operite, ogulite i fino nasjeckajte svo povrće te sameljite češnjak i đumbir. Stavite veliki lonac na jaku vatru i dodajte ulje, luk, češnjak, đumbir i mrkve. Dinstajte desetak minuta da se sve blago karamelizira. Sada ubacite češnjak u prahu, čili, papriku, sol i papar. Promiješajte i kuhajte samo minutu da se začini aktiviraju, pa onda dodajte krumpire i temeljac. Pustite da zavrije, smanjite vatru i kuhajte sa odškrinutim poklopcem 30-tak minuta.

Nakon 30 minuta maknite juhu s vatre te ju usitnite štapnim mikserom da bude glatka i kremasta. Poslužite toplo, posipano sjeckanim svježim peršinom. Ova se juhica super smrzava i podgrijava, pa ju možete pripremiti i unaprijed.

Carrot Ginger Soup (vegan) / Juha od mrkve i đumbira (veganska)

Banana and Red Currant Muffins / Mafini od banane i crvenog ribizla

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I just realized that I haven’t baked any muffins in ages and naturally, this has to be immediately corrected. My sweet mother in law gave us a ton of frozen fruits from her own garden. Among those were also some red currants, so off I went to bake. You can totally use fresh red currants if you have them on hand as well.

I decided to bake small muffins in tiny molds, but this amount of batter would also yield 12 regular muffins, so you do you. For regular muffins, though, just increase baking time for about five minutes.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields about 20 mini muffins / 0.13 EUR per muffin / 2.67 EUR for all)

2 large spotty bananas (0.53 EUR)

1 egg (0.20 EUR)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract (0.03 EUR)

6 tbsp sugar (0.04 EUR)

Good pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

1 cup yogurt (0.40 EUR)

2 tbsp butter, melted (0.27 EUR)

1 cup all-purpose flour (0.07 EUR)

1 cup whole wheat flour (0.10 EUR)

1 tsp baking powder (0.01 EUR)

½ tsp baking soda (0.01 EUR)

1 cup red currants (1.00 EUR)

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METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Lightly grease your muffin tins with a bit of oil or butter, but skip this step if using silicone muffin molds. In a large bowl, mash the bananas into a pulp. Whisk in the egg, vanilla, sugar and salt. Stir in yogurt and finally whisk in melted butter. Dump in both flours, baking powder and baking soda, then stir until combined and no large clumps remain. Finally, fold in the red currants (either fresh or frozen).

Divide the batter between prepared muffin tins and bake for 20 minutes, until the tops are nice and golden brown. Leave the muffins to cool for about 10-15 minutes in their molds before serving.

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Shvatila sam kako već jako dugo nisam pekla mafine, pa je taj propust trebalo pod hitno ispraviti. Moja draga svekrva nam je dala tonu smrznutog voća iz svojeg vlastitog vrta, a među njima se našlo i nešto crvenog ribizla. I tako sam se bacila na pečenje. Naravno, slobodno ovdje možete upotrijebiti i svježi ribizl.

Ja sam se odlučila mafine ispeći u mini kalupima, no ova količina smjese će vam dati i 12 mafina normalne veličine, pa vi napravite kako vam bolje odgovara. Za normalne mafine jedino produžite vrijeme pečenja za kojih pet minuta.

SASTOJCI:

(Za oko 20 mini mafina / 1,04 kn po mafinu / 20,87 kn za sve)

2 velike pjegave banane (4,00 kn)

1 jaje (1,50 kn)

1 žličica ekstrakta od vanilije (0,20 kn)

6 žlica šećera (0,30 kn)

Dobar prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

1 šalica jogurta (3,00 kn)

2 žlice maslaca, rastopljene (2,00 kn)

1 šalica glatkog brašna (0,50 kn)

1 šalica integralnog brašna (0,75 kn)

1 žličica praška za pecivo (0,10 kn)

½ žličice sode bikarbone (0,01 kn)

1 šalica crvenog ribizla (7,50 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Zagrijte pećnicu na 200°C. Ako koristite plehnati kalup za mafine, lagano ga namastite sa malo ulja ili maslaca. Za silikonske kalupe ovaj korak preskočite. U velikoj zdjeli zgnječite banane u kašu. Umiješajte jaja, vaniliju, šećer i sol. Dodajte jogurt, pa na kraju umiješajte i rastopljeni maslac. Ubacite u smjesu oba brašna, prašak za pecivo i sodu bikarbonu. Miješajte dok se sve ne sjedini i ne bude više velikih grudica. Za kraj, nježno u smjesu umiješajte i ribizle (svježe ili smrznute).

Smjesu raspodjelite po pripremljenim kalupima i pecite 20 minuta, dok mafini ne dobiju lijepu zlatno-smeđu boju. Ostavite mafine da se jedno 10-15 minuta hlade u kalupu prije nego ih izvadite iz kalupa i poslužite.

Banana and Red Currant Muffins / Mafini od banane i crvenog ribizla

Cauliflower and Roasted Red Pepper Curry (vegan) / Curry od cvjetače i pečenih paprika (veganski)

Crunch Crunch Away, , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

We experienced a midrange tragedy last week. Our oven broke down. I know, I know, it’s the middle of summer and normal people don’t even go near their ovens, much less do they turn them on. Well, we aren’t really normal and we have stuff roasting a couple of times a week. On really fun days, it’s even a couple of times per day. Luckily, our stovetop is still fully functional, so I decided to whip up this quick and easy curry to last us a few days, until the oven is fixed and the crisis is resolved.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 6 servings / 0.81 EUR per serving / 4.87 EUR for all)

2 tbsp sunflower seed oil (0.03 EUR)

2 onions (0.20 EUR)

4 garlic cloves (0.13 EUR)

1 bell pepper (0.20 EUR)

2 tsp curry powder (0.13 EUR)

1 tsp turmeric powder (0.07 EUR)

1 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika (0.07 EUR)

1 tsp garlic powder (0.07 EUR)

1 tsp dried oregano (0.07 EUR)

½ tsp dried red pepper flakes (0.03 EUR)

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper (0.03 EUR)

1 tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

2 tbsp tomato paste (0.27 EUR)

3 roasted red pepper fillets (0.80 EUR)

4 cups veggie broth (0.27 EUR)

1 head of cauliflower (1.33 EUR)

1 cup red lentils (1.00 EUR)

2 tbsp dried parsley (0.13 EUR)

1 bay leaf (0.03 EUR)

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METHOD:

Peel, wash and chop up all the vegetables. Don’t throw away the cauliflower stalk either, just chop it up finely. Rinse lentils under running water in a colander. Add the oil, onions, garlic, bell pepper and cauliflower stalk to a large pot on high heat and saute for about 5-10 minutes, until everything is slightly caramelized. Add in curry powder, turmeric, paprika, garlic powder, oregano, red pepper flakes, black pepper and salt. Give a good stir and cook for just a minute so the spices become fragrant.

Remove the pot from head, then dump in tomato paste, chopped roasted peppers (I used store bought ones) and veggie broth, then pulse with an immersion blender into a smooth paste. Add in cauliflower florets, lentils, parsley and bay leaf and return the pot on heat. Bring to a rolling boil, reduce heat and simmer with a lid cracked open for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally and add a splash of water as needed. Serve over cooked rice and with a dollop of sour cream (or its vegan alternative). Some fresh chopped herbs on top would also be nice, but we unfortunately didn’t have anything at home.

This curry reheats very well and will keep refrigerated for up to five days.

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Prošloga tjedna nam se desila osrednja tragedija. Riknula nam je pećnica. Znam, znam, usred ljeta normalni ljudi ni ne gledaju svoje pećnice, a kamoli da ih slučajno pale. Ali mi baš i nismo skroz normalni, pa nam se nešto cvrlji i peče barem nekoliko puta tjedno. Za specijalno veselih dana, to zna biti i po par puta dnevno. Srećom, ploča za kuhanje nam je i dalje funkcionalna pa sam odlučila smutiti ovaj brzi i jednostavni curry da nas hrani narednih par dana, dok pećnica ne bude popravljena a krizno stanje otklonjeno.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 6 porcija / 6,07 kn po porciji / 36,41 kn za sve)

2 žlice suncokretovog ulja (0.20 EUR)

2 luka (1,50 kn)

4 češnja češnjaka (1,00 kn)

1 paprika babura (1,50 kn)

2 žličice curry praha (1,00 kn)

1 žličica kurkume u prahu (0,50 kn)

1 žlica slatke crvene paprike (0,50 kn)

1 žličica češnjaka u prahu (0,50 kn)

1 žličica sušenog origana (0,50 kn)

½ žličice sušenog čilija u pahuljicama (0,25 kn)

½ žličice svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,25 kn)

1 žličica soli (0,01 kn)

2 žlice koncentrata od rajčice (2,00 kn)

3 fileta pečenih crvenih paprika (6,00 kn)

4 šalice povrtnog temeljca (2,00 kn)

1 glavica cvjetače (10,00 kn)

1 šalica crvene leće (7,50 kn)

2 žlice sušenog peršina (1,00 kn)

1 lovorov list (0,20 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Ogulite, operite i nasjeckajte svo povrće. Nemojte baciti stabljiku cvjetače, već i nju sitno nasjeckajte. Isperite leću u cjediljci pod tekućom vodom. Stavite veliki lonac na jaku vatru pa u njega dodajte ulje, luk, češnjak, papriku baburu i stabljiku cvjetače. Kuhajte 5-10 minuta, dok se povrće ne karamelizira, pa onda ubacite i curry, kurkumu, slatku papriku, češnjak u prahu, origano, čili, papar i sol. Dobro promiješajte i kuhajte samo minutu, da začini zamiriše.

Maknite lonac s vatre i dodajte u njega koncentrat rajčice, nasjeckane filete paprike (ja sam upotrijebila kupovne) i temeljac. Dobro sve propulsirajte štapnim mikserom dok ne dobijete glatku smjesu. U to ubacite cvjetiće karfijola, leću, peršin i lovor, pa vratite lonac na vatru. Pustite da zavrije, smanjite vatru i kuhajte sa odškrinutim poklopcem 30-tak minuta. Povremeno promiješajte, a prema potrebi dodajte i mrvicu vode. Gotov curry poslužite preko kuhane riže i sa malo kiselog vrhnja (ili neke veganske zamjene). Malo svježeg nasjeckanog začinskog bilja posipanog po svemu bi isto bilo super, ali mi smo doma baš ostali bez svega.

Ovaj curry se super podgrijava, a u hladnjaku će držati do pet dana.

Cauliflower and Roasted Red Pepper Curry (vegan) / Curry od cvjetače i pečenih paprika (veganski)

Creamy Mushroom and Mixed Veggie Soup with Quinoa (vegan) / Krem juha od gljiva i miješanog povrća sa kvinojom (veganska)

Crunch Crunch Away, , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

I don’t know if you are familiar, but mushroom powder is all the rage on the internet right now. It’s probably the equivalent of what avocado on toast used to be several years ago. Honestly, I’ve been a bit skeptical about the magic of mushroom powder, but decided to give it a go since it’s such a straightforward thing (you dump dried mushrooms in a food processor and grind them to a fine powder). Lo and behold, there really is some real power to the humble mushroom powder, so I suggest you try it out for yourself

I also order my dried shiitake in bulk from Ebay, so they come out really affordable. I used a bag of frozen mixed veggies here with carrot, cauliflower and broccoli mix, so this soup came together super quickly.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 4 generous servings / 0.84 EUR per serving / 3.37 EUR for all)

For the soup:

2 tbsp sunflower seed oil (0.03 EUR)

1 large onion (0.10 EUR)

2 garlic cloves (0.07 EUR)

1 bag of frozen mixed veggies (1.00 EUR)

Good pinch of dried red pepper flakes (0.02 EUR)

1 tbsp miso paste (0.27 EUR)

4 tbsp mushroom powder – I used shiitake (0.53 EUR)

4 cups veggie broth (0.27 EUR)

1 tsp toasted sesame oil (0.07 EUR)

For quinoa:

1 cup quinoa (1.00 EUR)

2 cups water (–)

Good pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

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METHOD:

Wash, peel and finely dice onion and garlic, then add them to a deep pot on high heat together with oil. Saute for a few minutes, until softened and slightly translucent. Add in frozen mixed veggies, red pepper flakes, miso paste, mushroom powder and veggie broth. Bring to a rolling boil, reduce heat and cook with a lid cracked open for 20 minutes, until veggies are soften. Once the veggies are cooked through, turn off heat, add in toasted sesame oil and pulse everything with an immersion blender until smooth and creamy.

While the soup is cooking, prepare quinoa. Wash quinoa in a fine mesh colander under running water. Add to a pot with salt and water, bring to a boil and then simmer on low with a lid on for 15 minutes, until completely cooked through.

Serve the pureed soup with a scoop of cooked quinoa, or portion out and reheat later on.

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Ne znam da li vam je poznato, ali Internet je trenutno poludio za praškom od gljiva i on je sada zauzeo važno mjesto koje je pred par godina imao tost sa avokadom. Iskreno, ja sam bila pomalo skeptična oko cijele fame, ali sam ipak odlučila isprobati taj čudesni prah, pošto je sve jako jednostavno i zdravorazumski (Uzmete sušene gljive, ubacite u multipraktik i boom! Eto vam prašak od gljiva.). I na kraju sam se i ja kao nevjerni Toma uvjerila da ipak ima neke čarolije u skromnom prašku od gljiva, pa vam svakako predlažem da ga i vi isprobate.

Također, kao super jeftini izvor sušenih gljiva svakako vam preporučam dobri stari Ebay. Ja od tamo naručujem sušene shiitake u većim pakiranjima, pa cijena ispadne stvarno pristupačna (za razliku od npr. sušenih vrganja po našim dućanima, brrr). U ovom sam receptu upotrijebila miks smrznute mrkve, brokule i cvjetače, pa je juha bila gotova za čas.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 4 izdašne porcije / 6,28 kn po porciji / 25,11 kn za sve

Za juhu:

2 žlice suncokretovog ulja (0,20 kn)

1 veliki luk (0,75 kn)

2 češnja češnjaka (0,50 kn)

1 vrećica smrznutog miješanog povrća (7,50 kn)

Dobar prstohvat sušenog čilija u pahuljicama (0,15 kn)

1 žlica miso paste (2,00 kn)

4 žlice praška od gljiva – ja sam upotrijebila shiitake (4,00 kn)

4 šalice povrtnog temeljca (2,00 kn)

1 žličica tostiranog sezamovog ulja (0,50 kn)

Za kvinoju:

1 šalica kvinoje (7,50 kn)

2 šalice vode (–)

Dobar prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Operite, ogulite i nasjeckajte luk i češnjak, pa ih ubacite u lonac sa uljem na jakoj vatri. Dinstajte nekoliko minuta, dok ne omekšaju i postanu staklasti. Ubacite smrznuto povrće, čili, miso, prašak od gljiva i temeljac. Pustite da zavrije, smanjite vatru, pa krčkajte 20-tak minuta sa odškrinutim poklopcem da povrće omekša. Kada je povrće kuhano, maknite s vatre, dodajte sezamovo ulje i propulsirajte štapnim mikserom da sve bude kremasto.

Dok vam se juha krčka skuhajte i kvinoju. Operite kvinoju u finoj cjediljci pod mlazom tekuće vode, pa ubacite u lončić sa vodom i solju. Pustite da zavrije, pa onda krčkajte poklopljeno na niskoj vatri 15 minuta da se kvinoja skuha do kraja.

Krem juhu poslužite sa par žlica kuhane kvinoje, ili pak sve rasporedite u porcije i podgrijte prema potrebi.

Creamy Mushroom and Mixed Veggie Soup with Quinoa (vegan) / Krem juha od gljiva i miješanog povrća sa kvinojom (veganska)