budget cooking

Pork and Pea Goulash / Gulaš sa svinjetinom i graškom

Crunch Crunch Away, , , , , , 4 Comments

Oh my, the summer ended in like three and a half seconds. We were sweating and walking in flip-flops for one minute and now we’re in jeans, sweaters and sporting umbrellas. I definitely did not expect it all to be over so abruptly. I’m also burrowing down at home, wrapping myself in blankets and drinking tea. Naturally, all I want to eat are hot soups and stews. This is where the goulash kicks in. It’s super comforting and tasty. It makes autumn exceptionally good.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 6 servings / 0.90 EUR per serving / 5.42 EUR for all)

For the meat:

500 grams pork leg or shoulder (2.00 EUR)

1 tbsp mustard (0.07 EUR)

2 tbsp olive oil (0.09 EUR)

1 tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper (0.07 EUR)

For the goulash:

5-6 tbsp sunflower seed oil, divided (0.08 EUR)

1 large onion (0.10 EUR)

1 tsp ground coriander (0.07 EUR)

1 tsp dried hot pepper flakes (0.07 EUR)

1 bay leaf (0.01 EUR)

5 carrots (0.33 EUR)

2 parsley roots with leaves (0.40 EUR)

1 small bell pepper (0.20 EUR)

5 garlic cloves (0.17 EUR)

1 can of diced Roma tomatoes (0.67 EUR)

1 tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

1 tsp smoked paprika (0.07 EUR)

3 cups water (–)

3 cups frozen peas (1.00 EUR)

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METHOD:

Start off by preparing the meat by cutting it into small cubes. Whisk together mustard, olive oil, salt and pepper and massage the mixture into the pork cubes. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate overnight.

Remove the meat from the refrigerator 30 minutes before starting to cook, so it has plenty of time to come to room temperature. Meanwhile wash, peel and finely dice all the vegetables. Keep chopped parsley leaves separated from the roots.

Place large pot on high heat and allow it to thoroughly warm up. Add two tablespoons of oil, then add in half of the pork and cook for a few minutes, until browned on all sides. Remove the browned meat and repeat with the rest, adding in more oil if necessary. Set all cooked meat aside and deglaze the pot with a bit of water. Reserve those delicious juices for later.

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Return the pot to heat and saute onion on remaining oil, until slightly caramelized. Add in coriander, dried hot pepper flakes and bay leaf and stir for about 30 seconds, just so all the flavors from spices can infuse the oil. Throw in diced carrots, parsley roots, bell pepper and garlic, give a good stir and cook for about 10 minutes, until veggies slightly caramelize, while stirring once or twice. Return the meat to the pot with all its juices, throw in diced tomatoes, salt and paprika, then pour water over everything. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook with a lid cracked open for about 2 hours. The sauces will thicken and meat will get super tender. At that point add in frozen peas and chopped parsley leaves, stir and simmer for another 10 minutes, until peas are thoroughly cooked though.

Serve hot goulash over cooked rice, mashed potatoes, pasta or gnocchi.

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Da li samo ja imam osjećaj kao da je ljeto završilo u tri i pol sekunde? Jedan tren smo se znojili i hodali okolo u japankama, a sada smo odjednom u trapericama, džemperima i mašemo kišobranima. Definitivno nisam očekivala da će sve završiti tako naglo. Doma se isto zamatam u deke i pijem čaj. Naravno, sve što mi se jede su vruće juhe i variva. I tu na scenu stupa ovaj gulaš koji je baš fini i topli. Radi toga je jesen iznimno dobra.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 6 porcija / 6,73kn po porciji / 40,38 kn za sve)

Za meso:

500 g svinjskog buta ili lopatice (15,00 kn)

1 žlica senfa (0,50 kn)

2 žlice maslinovog ulja (0,66 kn)

1 žličica soli (0,01 kn)

1 žličica svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,50 kn)

Za gulaš:

5-6 žlica suncokretovog ulja, podijeljenih (0,60 kn)

1 veliki luk (0,75 kn)

1 žličica mljevenog korijandera (0,50 kn)

1 žličica sušenog čilija u pahuljicama (0,50 kn)

1 lovorov list (0,10 kn)

5 mrkvi (2,50 kn)

2 peršinova korijena sa lišćem (3,00 kn)

1 mala paprika babura (1,50 kn)

5 češnjeva češnjaka (1,25 kn)

1 konzerva sjeckanih pelata (5,00 kn)

1 žličica soli (0,01 kn)

1 žličica dimljene slatke paprike (0,50 kn)

3 šalice vode (–)

3 šalice smrznutog graška (7,50 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Prvo pripremite meso tako da ga narežete na kockice. Umutite skupa senf, maslinovo ulje, sol i papar, te umasirajte smjesu u narezanu svinjetinu. Spremite u hermetički zatvorenu posudu i ostavite preko noći u hladnjaku.

Izvadite meso iz hladnjaka pola sata prije nego krenete kuhati, kako bi imalo vremena ugrijati se na sobnu temperaturu. U međuvremenu operite, očistite i fino nasjeckajte svo povrće. Držite nasjeckano peršinovo lišće odvojeno od korjena.

Stavite veći lonac na jaku vatru i pustite da se dobro ugrije. Dodajte dvije žlice ulja pa na njemu kratko popecite polovicu mesa, tako da kockice budu hrskave sa svih strana. Izvadite meso iz lonca, i ponovite sa ostatkom, po potrebi dodajući još malo ulja. Kada je meso gotovo, stavite ga na stranu i sa malo vode otopite sve što je ostalo u loncu i obavezno sve te fine sokove sačuvajte za kasnije.

Vratite lonac na jaku vatru i na ostatku ulja izdinstajte luk dok se lagano ne karamelizira. Ubacite korijander, pahuljice čilija i lovorov list, pa promiješajte tridesetak sekundi, samo da se arome iz začina otpuste u ulje. Dodajte u lonac narezane mrkve, peršinov korjen, papriku i češnjak. Dobro promiješajte i kuhajte desetak minuta da se povrće malo karamelizira. Jednom ili dva puta sve promiješajte. Vratite u lonac meso i sve sokove, ubacite pelate, sol i dimljenu papriku, te zalijte sve vodom. Pustite da zavrije, smanjite vatru i kuhajte sa odškrinutim poklopcem oko dva sata. Umak će se za to vrijeme fino zgusnuti, a meso postati sasvim mekano. Za kraj dodajte smrznuti grašak i nasjeckan peršinov list, promiješajte i krčkajte još desetak minuta, dok se grašak do kraja ne skuha.

Poslužite topli gulaš preko kuhane riže, pire krumpira, tjestenine ili njoka.

Pork and Pea Goulash / Gulaš sa svinjetinom i graškom

Green Tomato and Roasted Horn Pepper Shakshuka (vegetarian) / Jaja u umaku od zelenih rajčica i pečenih paprika (vegetarijanska)

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

I started work again last week after my three week summer vacation. Needless to say, that’s always fun. The most challenging thing was to plug into the new routine. I miss my slow mornings the most, as I always take my time in the morning on my days off. To compensate for this and free up some more space in the afternoons, I bring you a super quick, yet delicious dinner recipe.

Green tomatoes give a really delicious and interesting kick, so I suggest using them while they are still available. I also had some roasted red horn peppers lying around and decided to throw in those. Of course, you can use fresh, but they’ll require a bit of cooking time, so I’d throw them in together with green tomatoes.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 2 generous servings / 1.55 EUR per serving / 3.09 EUR for all)

4 tbsp olive oil (0.18 EUR)

1 large onion (0.10 EUR)

Good pinch of dried chili flakes (0.03 EUR)

4 medium green tomatoes (0.27 EUR)

4 garlic cloves (0.13 EUR)

2 roasted red horn peppers – or 1 fresh (0.27 EUR)

1 can of diced Roma tomatoes (0.67 EUR)

1 tsp dried basil (0.07 EUR)

2 tbsp dried parsley (0.13 EUR)

Good pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

Good pinch of freshly ground black pepper (0.03 EUR)

4 eggs (0.80 EUR)

A chunk of feta cheese (0.40 EUR)

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METHOD:

Wash, peel and finely dice all the veggies. Place a deeper skillet on high heat, add in olive oil and diced onion, then sauté for a few minutes until the onion starts browning slightly. Throw in dried chili flakes and stir for a few seconds, so the flavors release into the oil. Dump in diced green tomatoes, minced garlic and fresh horn pepper, if using. If, on the other hand, going with the roasted peppers, add them in together with Roma tomatoes, when green tomatoes are cooked through and most of the liquid has evaporated. After 5-10 minutes, throw in canned Roma tomatoes, basil, parsley, salt and pepper. Give a good stir, reduce heat to medium and cook for about 10 minutes, until sauce is thickened.

Make four small wells in the sauce with a spoon and break the eggs into the wells. Reduce heat to low, cover the skillet with a lid and cook covered for 7-10 minutes, until the egg whites are thoroughly cooked through, but the yolks are still runny. Resist the urge to open the lid too often so the steam doesn’t escape, as that’s what’s gonna cook the eggs. When eggs are done, gently break the whites into the sauce with a spatula, but leave the yolks intact. Crumble feta on top and serve Shakshuka with a nice hunk of crispy bread for dipping. We also like it over cooked rice.

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Prošli sam tjedan ponovo krenula raditi nakon trotjednog ljetnog godišnjeg odmora. Naravno, takav povratak na posao je uvijek jedno divno iskustvo. Najteže od svega mi je palo ponovo se prištekati na novu rutinu, a najviše su mi falila spora jutra. Da nekako kompenziram i oslobodim mjesta poslije podne, donosim vam ovaj brzi, ali jako fini recept.

Zelene rajčice daju jedan jako ukusan i zanimljiv štih, pa predlažem da ih upotrijebite dok se još mogu naći za kupiti. Također, imala sam pri ruci i nešto pečenih paprika roga, pa sam odlučila i njih ubaciti. Naravno, možete ih zamijeniti sa svježima, samo će im trebati malo duže kuhanja, pa njih onda dodajte skupa sa zelenim rajčicama.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 2 izdašne porcije / 11,54 kn po porciji / 23,08 kn za sve)

4 žlice maslinovog ulja (1,32 kn)

1 veliki luk (0,75 kn)

Dobar prstovat sušenog chilija u pahuljicama (0,25 kn)

4 srednje zelene rajčice (2,00 kn)

4 češnja češnjaka (1,00 kn)

2 pečene crvene paprike roge – ili 1 svježa (2,00 kn)

1 konzerva sjeckanih pelata (5,00 kn)

1 žličica sušenog bosiljka (0,50 kn)

2 žlice sušenog peršina (1,00 kn)

Dobar prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

Dobar prstohvat svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,25 kn)

4 jaja (6,00 kn)

Komadić feta sira (3,00 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Operite, ogulite i fino nasjeckajte povrće. Stavite dublju tavu na jaku vatru, dodajte maslinovo ulje i sjeckani luk, pa dinstajte par minuta dok se luk ne počne lagano karamelizirati. Ubacite sušeni chili i par sekundi miješajte, da se arome otpuste u ulje. Ubacite sjeckane zelene rajčice, češnjak i svježu papriku, ako nju koristite. Ako se, s druge strane, odlučite na pečenu papriku, dodajte ju skupa sa pelatima, kada se zelene rajčice blago iskuhaju i većina tekućine je isparila. Nakon 5-10 minuta ubacite pelate, bosiljak, peršin, sol i papar. Dobro promiješajte, smanjite vatru na srednje jaku i kuhajte desetak minuta, dok se umak ne zgusne.

Žlicom napravite četiri udubljenja u umaku i unutra razbijte jaja. Smanjite vatru na nisku, poklopite tavu i kuhajte 7-10 minuta da se bjelanjci skroz skuhaju, ali žutanjci i dalje ostanu tekući. Nemojte stalno skidati poklopac da vam ne pobjegne sva para, obzirom kako će ona skuhati jaja. Kada su jaja gotova, bjelanjke špatulom lagano razbijte u umak, ali žutanjke ostavite cijele. Namrvite fetu po svemu i poslužite Shakshuku sa komadom finog hruskavog kruha za umakanje. Nama je također super i sa kuhanom rižom.

Green Tomato and Roasted Horn Pepper Shakshuka (vegetarian) / Jaja u umaku od zelenih rajčica i pečenih paprika (vegetarijanska)

Mixed Pickled Veggies (Tursu / Torshi) / Miješano ukiseljeno povrće (turšija)

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

Whatever you wish to call this salad, it is a local staple and one of my favorite things to eat during winter months when fresh veggies are scarce and without much variety. Now is an ideal time to stock up on it, so I dedicated an afternoon to some canning.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields about 16 jars / 0.51 EUR per jar / 8.12 EUR for all)

For the brine:

1 liter distilled 9% vinegar (0.40 EUR)

5 liters water (–)

5 tbsp salt (0.03 EUR)

5 tbsp sugar (0.03 EUR)

Veggies:

1 kilo carrots (0.93 EUR)

1 kilo small gherkins (1.60 EUR)

1 kilo green bell peppers (0.93 EUR)

1 kilo green tomatoes (0.80 EUR)

1 kilo cabbage (1.00 EUR)

1 kilo cauliflower (2.00 EUR)

Additional:

Handful of black peppercorns (0.40 EUR)

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METHOD:

Start off by preparing your jars. Wash them in hot soapy water and allow to fully dry off. Throw a few peppercorns into each jar. You can also add in garlic, bay leaf, dill and the like, but I prefer to have a more neutral taste and skip these aromatics. Wash and thoroughly clean all the veggies while ensuring you throw out any suspicious parts. Cut the veggies into smaller pieces and divide between the jars. Prepare the brine by heating up all of the ingredients until almost boiling, so the salt and sugar are completely melted. Divide the brine between jars and ensure all the veggies are fully submerged. You can also press the veggies down with toothpicks or special plastic rings.

Seal the jars and give them a 10 minute hot water bath. Allow the jars to cool completely before storing in a dark and cool place. After three weeks the veggies will be pickled and ready to enjoy.

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Ova jednostavna salata jedna mi je od najdražih stvari tijekom zimskih mjeseci kada svježeg povrća nema u raznolikom izobilju. Sada je idealno vrijeme za napraviti zalihe, pa sam jedno poslijepodne posvetila kiseljenju.

SASTOJCI:

(Za oko 16 teglica / 3,81 kn po tegli / 61,00 kn za sve)

Za zaljev:

1 litra 9% alkoholnog octa (3,00 kn)

5 litara vode (–)

5 žlica soli (0,25 kn)

5 žlica šećera (0,25 kn)

Povrće:

1 kg mrkve (7,00 kn)

1 kg sitnih krastavaca (12,00 kn)

1 kg zelenih paprika babura (7,00 kn)

1 kg zelenih rajčica (6,00 kn)

1 kg zelja (7,50 kn)

1 kg cvjetače (15,00 kn)

Dodatno:

Pregršt crnog papra u zrnu (3,00 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Za početak dobro operite staklenke sa deterdžentom i vrućom vodom i ostavite da se skroz posuše. U svaku staklenku ubacite par zrna papra. Možete također dodati i češnjak, lovorov list, kopar i slično, ali ja više volim neutralni okus pa ne stavljam ništa od toga. Dobro operite i očistite svo povrće te obavezno bacite sve što vam se čini imalo sumnjivo. Povrće narežite na manje komade i rsporedite među staklenkama. Zaljev pripremite tako da zagrijete sve sastojke dok skoro ne zakipe, a da se sol i šećer skroz rastope. Rastočite zaljev po staklenkama, pazeći da je svo povrće potopljeno. Povrće možete također pritisnuti prema dolje čačkalicama ili posebnim plastičnim prstenovima.

Zatvorite staklenke i obradite ih na 10 minuta u kipućoj kupelji. Pustite da se staklenke skroz ohlade prije nego ćete ih odložiti na tamno i hladno mjesto. Povrće će biti ukiseljeno i spremno za jelo nakon tri tjedna.

Mixed Pickled Veggies (Tursu / Torshi) / Miješano ukiseljeno povrće (turšija)

Quick and Easy Buttermilk Peach Cake / Brz i jednostavan kolač s breskvama i kiselim mlijekom

Crunch Crunch Away, , , , , 2 Comments

Peaches are gonna be here for another hot minute, so you should definitely hurry up and bake this as soon as possible. I was in a mood for something sweet and decided to quickly whip up this little peach cake. I scaled it down to fit a small square ramekin, but feel free to double the ingredients. Just be sure to adjust the baking time accordingly, as a bigger cake might take a bit longer to bake.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 1 small cake / 1.91 EUR)

For the batter:

1 egg (0.20 EUR)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract (0.03 EUR)

1 cup buttermilk (0.40 EUR)

3 tbsp butter, melted (0.40 EUR)

1 cup all-purpose flour (0.07 EUR)

3 tbsp brown sugar (0.10 EUR)

Pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

½ tsp baking powder (0.01 EUR)

¼ tsp baking soda (0.01 EUR)

For the topping:

1 large peach (0.20 EUR)

2 tbsp old fashioned oats (0.07 EUR)

2 tbsp butter (0.27 EUR)

2 tbsp brown sugar (0.07 EUR)

Additional:

Butter for greasing the baking dish (0.07 EUR)

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METHOD:

Preheat oven to 200°. Grease a small ramekin and set aside. In a bowl whisk together egg, vanilla and buttermilk. Pour in melted butter and stir to combine. Add in flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda, then stir everything until just combined. Pour the batter in prepared ramekin and gently shake to even out.

Halve and pit the peach, then cut into slices and arrange peach slices on top of the batter. To make the topping mixture, using your fingers massage the butter into oats and sugar, then sprinkle everything over peaches. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool a bit before slicing and serving. IMGP6649

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Obzirom da ćemo imati breskve još cca pet minuta, definitivno požurite napraviti ovo. Meni se jelo nešto slatko pa sam odlučila na brzinu smutiti ovaj mali kolač. Namjerno sam smanjila količine svega da mi stane u malu četvrtastu posudu, ali vi slobodno poduplajte sastojke. Samo pazite da također i prilagodite vrijeme pečenja, jer će većem kolaču sigurno trebati i nešto duže da bude gotov.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 1 mali kolač / 14,02 kn)

Za smjesu:

1 jaje (1,50 kn)

1 žličica ekstrakta od vanilije (0,20 kn)

1 šalica kiselog mlijeka (3,00 kn)

3 žlice maslaca, rastopljene (3,00 kn)

1 šalica glatkog brašna (0,50 kn)

3 žlice smeđeg šećera (0,75 kn)

Prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

½ žličice praška za pecivo (0,05 kn)

¼ žličice sode bikarbone (0,01 kn)

Za prekrivanje:

1 velika breskva (1,50 kn)

2 žlice krupnih zobenih pahuljica (0,50 kn)

2 žlice maslaca (2,00 kn)

2 žlice smeđeg šećera (0,50 kn)

Dodatno:

Maslac za namastiti posudu za pečenje (0,50 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Zagrijte pećnicu na 200°C. Namastite malu posudu za pečenje i stavite na stranu. U zdjelici razmutite jaje sa vanilijom i kiselim mlijekom. Ulijte unutra rastopljeni maslac i promiješajte da se sjedini. Dodajte brašno, šećer, sol, prašak za pecivo i sodu bikarbonu, te miješajte dok se ne sjedini. Izlijte smjesu u pripremljenu posudu i lagano protresite da se poravna.

Raspolovite breskvu, bacite košticu i narežite na šnite koje posložite po vrhu kolača. Da dobijete smjesu za posipanje prstima utrljajte maslac u zobene pahuljice i šećer, pa to rasporedite po breskvama. Pecite 30-35 minuta, dok štapić umetnut u sredinu kolača ne izađe čist. Pustite da se kolač malo ohladi prije rezanja i posluživanja.

Quick and Easy Buttermilk Peach Cake / Brz i jednostavan kolač s breskvama i kiselim mlijekom

Roasted Tomato and Horn Pepper Salsa (vegan) / Šalša od pečenih rajčica i paprika roga (veganska)

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

You know that summer is slowly winding down when ripe juicy tomatoes are on every corner. I am absolutely filling up my freezer with this salsa so I can eat it for the whole year, because it’s delicious and super easy to make. The oven does all the work for you and I find the whole meal prep less daunting when I work in smaller batches. Later on you just need to boil some pasta, heat up the salsa on a splash of olive oil and dinner is served.

The recipe below is an approximation when it comes to ingredient amounts, but this combo of tomatoes and sweet horn peppers works best with my taste buds at the moment.

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INGREDIENTS

(Yields about 15 servings / 0.29 EUR per serving / 4.40 EUR for all)

20 big Roma tomatoes (2.00 EUR)

5 big red horn peppers (0.67 EUR)

5 large onions (0.50 EUR)

2 garlic bulbs (0.27 EUR)

2 tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

2 tsp freshly ground black pepper (0.07 EUR)

10 tbsp olive oil (0.88 EUR)

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METHOD:

Preheat oven to 200°C. Wash and halve tomatoes. Halve peppers and discard stems and seeds. Quarter the onions with skins intact. Break garlic bulbs into cloves, but leave the skins on them. Arrange tomatoes, peppers, onion chunks and garlic cloves on a baking tray in a single layer. Generously sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for about 1 hour, until everything is slightly charred.

Allow to cool a bit before peeling and discarding onion and garlic skins. Blitz everything in a food processor to desired consistency and portion out if you wanna freeze for later. This sauce is fantastic on its own, served over pasta. But it’s also very customizable and you can definitely add in any other meat or veggies. It’s also a superb base for a homemade tomato soup and will make a homemade pizza taste like heaven.

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Znate da se ljeto polako primiče kraju kada su zrele i sočne rajčice na svakom koraku. Planiram dubkom napuniti naš frizer ovom šalšom kako bi ju mogli jesti cijele godine, jer je prefina i jako jednostavna za napraviti. Pećnica će za vas odraditi većinu posla, a meni je cijeli pothvat sasvim lagan kada ovu šalšu radim u manjim turama. Kasnije trebate samo skuhati tjesteninu, podgrijati šalšu na malo maslinovog ulja i imate spreman ručak.

Recept u nastavku je poprilično odokativan što se tiče količine sastojaka, ali  ovakav omjer rajčica i slatke paprike roge nekako najabolje odgovara mojem ukusu u ovom trenutku.

SASTOJCI:

(Za oko 15 porcija / 2,32 kn po porciji / 34,87 kn za sve)

20 velikih rajčica šljivara (15,00 kn)

5 velikih crvenih paprika roga (5,00 kn)

5 velikih glavica luka (3,75 kn)

2 glavice češnjaka (4,00 kn)

2 žličice soli (0,02 kn)

2 žličice svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,50 kn)

10 žlica maslinovog ulja (6,60 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Zagrijte pećnicu na 200°C. Operite i raspolovite rajčice. Raspolovite paprike i bacite sjemenke i peteljke. Raščetvorite luk skupa sa ljuskom. Razlomite češnjak na češnjeve, ali također ostavite ljuske. Rasporedite rajčice, papriku, luk i češnjak po protvanu za pečenje, posipajte solju i paprom, te pokapajte maslinovim uljem. Pecite oko 1 sat, dok se sve lagano ne zapeče.

Ostavite da se sve malo ohladi prije nego što ćete oguliti i baciti ljuske sa luka i češnjaka. Sve propulsirajte u multipraktiku do željene konzistencije te rasporedite u porcije prije nego što ćete zamrznuti za kasnije. Ova šalša je fantastična sama za sebe sa tjesteninom, no također je i veoma prilagodljiva te joj možete dodati razna mesa i druga povrća. Ujedno je i izvrsna baza za domaću juhu od rajčica, a sa njom će vam domaća pizza ispasti savršeno.

Roasted Tomato and Horn Pepper Salsa (vegan) / Šalša od pečenih rajčica i paprika roga (veganska)

Peach Pie Granola / Granola sa breskvama

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This granola has been a huge success. We shoveled it down in a matter of days, both as breakfast with yogurt and as a snack. It has a mild peachy hint and smells like heaven while it’s baking. I didn’t bother peeling the peaches because I would eat the skins on them anyway if I were to eat them raw. If you are inclined to do so, go ahead, but that step seems completely unnecessary, in my opinion.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 10 servings / 0.55 EUR per serving / 5.49 EUR for all)

5 cups old fashioned oats (1.00 EUR)

1 cup ground walnuts (1.00 EUR)

½ cup ground flax seed (0.47 EUR)

½ cup sunflower seeds (0.47 EUR)

1 tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

1 tsp ground cinnamon (0.07 EUR)

½ tsp ground nutmeg (0.03 EUR)

4 large peaches (1.07 EUR)

½ cup honey (0.67 EUR)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract (0.03 EUR)

5 tbsp butter, melted (0.67 EUR)

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METHOD:

Preheat oven to 175°. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper and set aside. In a large bowl whisk together oats, walnuts, flax seed, sunflower seeds, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pit peaches and cut into chunks, then add to a food processor and pulse into puree. Add honey, vanilla and melted butter to peach puree and blitz a bit more in a food processor to combine. Pour the wet mixture over dry ingredients and stir to combine. I find that the easiest way to do this (albeit, a bit messy) is to just use my hands.

Turn the mixture out on a prepared baking tray and spread out evenly. Don’t press the granola down too much, rather leave it in clumps to get a nice chewy and crispy texture mix. Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until crispy and golden, while stirring once or twice during baking. Allow granola to cool down completely on a tray before storing in the fridge in an airtight container.

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Ova je granola ispala pravi hit. Potamanili smo ju u samo par dana, kao doručak sa jogurtom i kao snack. Ima blagi okus po breskvama, a miriši stvarno divno kada se peče. Nisam se gnjavila sa time da gulim bresvke, jer bi kožu ionako pojela da breskve jedem sirove. Ako ste vi raspoloženi za guljenje bresaka, slobodno prionite, ali po meni bi to bio sasvim nepotreban korak.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 10 porcija / 4,10 kn po porciji / 40,96 kn za sve)

5 šalica krupnih zobenih pahuljica (7,50 kn)

1 šalica mljevenih oraha (7,50 kn)

½ šalice mljevenih sjemenki lana (3,50 kn)

½ šalice suncokretovih sjemenki (3,50 kn)

1 žličica soli (0,01 kn)

1 žličica mljevenog cimeta (0,50 kn)

1/2 žličice mljevenog muškatnog oraščića (0,25 kn)

4 velike breskve (8,00 kn)

½ šalice meda (5,00 kn)

1 žličica ekstrakta od vanilije (0,20 kn)

5 žlica maslaca, rastopljenih (5,00 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Zagrijte pećnicu na 175°C. Obložite veliki protvan papirom za pečenje i stavite na stranu. U velikoj zdjeli pomiješajte zobene pahuljice, orahe, lan, suncokretove sjemenke, sol, cimet i muškatni oraščić. Očistite breskve od koštica i narežite na komade, pa ih ubacite u multipraktik i propasirajte u pire. Ubacite unutra i med, vaniliju i rastopljeni maslac, pa kratko propulsirajte da se sve pomiješa. Prelijte mokre sastojke preko suhih i dobro promiješajte. Meni je nekako najlakše (iako možda ne i najčišće) sve izmiješati rukama.

Iskrenite smjesu na pripremljeni protvan i ravnomjerno raširite. Nemojte previše utiskivati granolu u protvan, rađe ju ostavite u grudama da dobijete kombinaciju hrskave i mekanije teksture. Pecite oko sat i 15 minuta, dok se granola ne zahrska i dobije zlatno-smeđu boju, a jednom ili dva puta tijekom pečenja dobro promiješajte. Pustite da se granola skroz ohladi na protvanu prije nego ju u hermetički zatvorenoj posudi spremite u hladnjak.

Peach Pie Granola / Granola sa breskvama

Lentil and Mushroom Risotto (Vegetarian) / Rižoto od leće i gljiva (vegetarijanski)

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This summer lentils seem to be my most favorite ingredient. They are super quick to cook, cheap, filling and tasty. I am sneaking them into every dish and everything appears to be suddenly improved by lentils. This dish is very quick to make and super tasty. You can also easily make it vegan by just swapping butter for coconut oil.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 4 servings / 1.01 EUR per serving / 4.03 EUR for all)

2 tbsp olive oil (0.09 EUR)

1 large onion (0.10 EUR)

4 garlic cloves (0.13 EUR)

4 tbsp butter (0.53 EUR)

500 grams Portobello mushrooms (2.00 EUR)

1 cup green lentils (0.67 EUR)

1 cup rice (0.27 EUR)

1 tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper (0.07 EUR)

2 tbsp dried parsley (0.13 EUR)

1 bay leaf (0.03 EUR)

3 cups water (–)

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METHOD:

Peel the onion and garlic and finely dice them. Wash and thinly slice mushrooms. Pick through lentils, then rinse well in a colander, together with rice.

Add the onion to olive oil and saute until slightly translucent. Throw in garlic and butter and give a good stir. When butter melts, add in sliced mushrooms. You might want to do this in two or three smaller batches as the mushrooms cook down. After a few minutes dump in lentils, rice, salt, pepper, parsley and bay leaf. Cover with water, stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer with lid cracked open for 15-20 minutes, until lentils and rice are thoroughly cooked through. Stir occasionally and add in a splash of water if necessary.

This dish reheats great and will keep refrigerated for a few days, so you can prepare ahead and have your lunch ready to take to work.

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Čini mi se kako mi je ovo ljeto leća postala najdraža namirnica, što je sasvim i razumljivo jer se brzo skuha, jeftina je, zasitna i fina. Počela sam leću ubacivati u skoro sva jela, a sa njom je i sve odmah nekako ukusnije. Ovaj je recept jako jednostavan i fin. Lako ga možete modificirati i u veganski, ako maslac zamijenite sa kokosovim uljem.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 4 porcije / 7,54 kn po porciji / 30,17 kn za sve)

2 žlice maslinovog ulja (0,66 kn)

1 veliki luk (0,75 kn)

4 češnja čenjaka (1,00 kn)

4 žlice maslaca (4,00 kn)

500 g šampinjona (15,00 kn)

1 šalica zelene leće (5,00 kn)

1 šalica riže (2,00 kn)

1 žličica soli (0,01 kn)

1 žličica svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,50 kn)

2 žlice sušenog peršina (1,00 kn)

1 lovorov list (0,25 kn)

3 šalice vode (–)

PRIPREMA:

Ogulite i sitno nasjeckajte luk i češnjak. Operite i narežite gljive na tanke listiće. Proberite leću, pa skupa sa rižom dobro isprerite pod tekućom vodom u cjediljci.

Bacite luk na maslinovo ulje i kratko prodinstajte dok ne postane staklast. Dodajte češnjak i maslac, pa dobro promiješajte. Kada se maslac rastopi, postepeno u dve ili tri manje ture dodajte gljive da se i one skuhaju. Nakon par minuta dodajte leću, rižu, sol, papar, peršin i lovorov list. Prelijte preko svega vodu, promiještajte i pustite da zavrije. Smanjite vatru i krčkajte uz povremeno miješanje sa odškrinutim poklopcem 15-20 minuta, dok se riža i leća do kraja ne skuhaju. Po potrebi dodajte još malo vode.

Ovo se jelo super podgrijava, a u hladnjaku će držati par dana, tako da slobodno možete skuhati malo više i imati ručak za ponijeti sa sobom na posao.

Lentil and Mushroom Risotto (Vegetarian) / Rižoto od leće i gljiva (vegetarijanski)

Baked Stuffed Peppers in Tomato Sauce / Pečene punjene paprika u umaku od rajčice

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A summer without stuffed peppers is in my humble opinion no summer at all. Yeah, sure, there might be sun and excess sweating involved, you might even dip your toes into the sea, but the smell of stuffed pepper cooking is what really gives the summer that familiar feeling. I usually cook the peppers in a pot, but this time decided to try making them in the oven to get that nice charred kick. This dish holds in the fridge for a few days and reheats great, so don’t be shy and cook up more in advance.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 8 peppers / 0.81 EUR per pepper / 6.50 EUR for all)

8 large green peppers (1.33 EUR)

500 grams ground turkey (3.33 EUR)

1 large onion, diced (0.10 EUR)

3 garlic cloves, minced (0.10 EUR)

2 cups precooked rice (0.20 EUR)

1 egg (0.20 EUR)

1 tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper (0.03 EUR)

1 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika (0.07 EUR)

2 tbsp dried parsley (0.13 EUR)

3 cups tomato sauce (1.00 EUR)

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METHOD:

Preheat oven to 200°C. Wash peppers and carefully carve the stems and seeds out. In a bowl mix together turkey, onion, garlic, rice, egg, salt, pepper, paprika and parsley. Stuff the filling into carved peppers and arrange peppers in an oven-safe dish so the carved sides are turned upwards. Pour tomato sauce around peppers, cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for an hour. After one hour carefully (Watch out for the steam!) remove the foil and bake peppers for additional 20-30 minutes, until the tops get crispy and slightly charred. Serve hot with mashed, boiled or roasted potatoes.

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Ljeto bez punjenih paprika po mojem skromnom mišljenju uopće nije ljeto. Da, da, možda bude sunca i prekomjernog znojenja. Možda čak umočite prste u more. Ali miris paprika koje se kuhaju ili peku je ono što ljetu daje onaj poznati osjećaj. Punjene paprike obično radim u loncu na štednjaku, ali sam se ovaj puta odlučila da ih probam napraviti u pečnici da dobijem onaj fini zapečeni šmek. Ovo jelo možete par dana čuvati u hladnjaku, a pošto se super podgrijava, nemojte se sramiti i skuhajte više.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 8 paprika / 6,10 kn po paprici / 48,76 kn za sve)

8 velikih paprika babura (10,00 kn)

500 g mljevene puretine (25,00 kn)

1 veliki luk, sitno nasjeckan (0,75 kn)

3 češnja češnjaka, sitno nasjeckana (0,75 kn)

2 šalice kuhane riže (1,50 kn)

1 jaje (1,50 kn)

1 žličica soli (0,01 kn)

1 žličica svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,25 kn)

1 žlica slatke crvene paprike (0,50 kn)

2 žlice sušenog peršina (1,00 kn)

3 šalice pasirane rajčice (7,50 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Zagrijte pećnicu na 200°C. Operite paprike i pažljivo im izdubite peteljke i koštice. U zdjeli pomiješajte puretinu, luk, češnjak, rižu, jaje, sol, papar, crvenu papriku i peršin. Izdubljene paprike napunite smjesom te ih poslažite u dubljem protvanu, tako da izdubljeni dio gleda prema gore. Oko paprika izlijte pasiranu rajčicu, pokrijte posudu aluminijskom folijom, te pecite sat vremena. Nakon sat vremena pažljivo (Pazite se pare!) maknite foliju pa pecite još dodatnih 20-30 minuta, dok se paprike po vrhu lijepo ne zapeku. Poslužite vruće sa pire krumpirom, ili pak kuhanim ili pečenim krumpirima.

Baked Stuffed Peppers in Tomato Sauce / Pečene punjene paprika u umaku od rajčice

Apricot Jam / Pekmez od marelice

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We bought a batch of apricots the other day which were super tasty, but already a bit beaten up and would go bad in a day or two if stored in a fridge. Which only means that they were perfect for jam! Such a small batch was quickly done and I didn’t go through hassle of water bath, because I stored the jam in a fridge and plan on using it up fairly quickly. Such jam can also be kept in freezer. Hopefully I’ll whip up another batch while apricots are still around.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 2-3 jars / 1.47 EUR)

500 grams apricots (1.00 EUR)

250 grams sugar (0.20 EUR)

2 tbsp lemon juice (0.27 EUR)

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METHOD:

Prepare the jars and lids by washing them in hot soapy water. Wash, pit and roughly chop up the apricots, then toss them with half the sugar and two tablespoons of lemon juice. Add to a pot and place on high heat. Reduce the heat to medium when it starts bubbling up, then cook for about 20-30 minutes while stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and puree to desired consistency with an immersion blender. Stir in remaining sugar. It’s also a good idea to taste the jam at this point to adjust the sugar amount. I prefer my jam on a less sweeter side, so maybe you’ll need to add in a bit more sugar.

Return the pot to medium heat and cook while stirring to desired thickness. You can test the jam thickness by adding a teaspoon of it to a frozen plate. If it thickens, you’re good to go. Distribute the jam between prepared jars. Allow to cool to room temperature before storing in a fridge or freezer.

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Neki smo dan kupili marelice koje su bile jako ukusne, ali već pomalo natučene pa bi se kroz koji dan u frižideru sigurno skroz pokvarile. Što znači da su savršene za pekmez! Takva mala količina je bila brzo gotova, a nisam se gnjavila sa time da pune teglice ubacim u vodenu kupelj, jer ću pekmez ionako držati u frižideru i planiram ga brzo potrošiti. Ovakav pekmez također možete čuvati i u zamrzivaču. Samo se nadam da ću uspjeti napraviti još pekmeza dok još ima marelica.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 2-3 teglice / 11,00 kn)

500 g marelica (7,50 kn)

250 g šećera (1,50 kn)

2 žlice limunovog soka (2,00 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Prvo si pripremite teglice i poklopce tako da ih dobro operete u toploj vodi sa deterdžentom. Operite, očistite i grubo narežite marelice, pa ih pomiješajte sa pola šećera i dvije žlice limunovog soka. Ubacite sve u lonac i stavite na jaku vatru. Kada zavrije, smanjite vatru na srednje i kuhajte 20-30 minuta uz učestalo miješanje. Maknite s vatre i propasirajte sa štapnim mikserom do željene konzistencije. Umiješajte preostali šećer. Bilo bi dobro i da probate pekmez i tako prilagodite količinu šećera. Ja volim manje slatke stvari, tako da ćete vi možda trebati još malo zasladiti.

Vratite lonac na srednju vatru i uz miješanje kuhajte do željene gustoće. Gustoću pekmeza možete provjeriti tako da stavite žličicu na zamrznuti tanjurić. Ako se zgusne, to je to. Raspodijelite pekmez po pripremljenim teglicama. Pustite da se ohladi na sobnu temperaturu prije nego pekmez spremite u frižider ili zamrzivač.

Apricot Jam / Pekmez od marelice

Cherry Oat Cake / Kolač od trešanja i zobenog brašna

Crunch Crunch Away, , , , 2 Comments

The other day I tried to decide between a cherry pie, or a cherry something else. Let me tell you, I was definitely leaning towards a cherry pie, but all that butter and sugar got me thinking is this really what I want to stuff my face with on a hot summer day? So I whipped up a healthier version of a cherry cake and never looked back.

Also, I decided to use oat flour in this recipe, but don’t fret if you don’t have any on hand. You can just pulse old fashioned or instant oats in a food processor and voila.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 1 cake / 2.79 EUR)

For the batter:

2 eggs (0.40 EUR)

Pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

1 tsp vanilla extract (0.03 EUR)

1 cup yogurt (0.40 EUR)

4 tbsp butter, melted (0.53 EUR)

½ cup brown sugar (0.13 EUR)

1 cup oat flour (0.17 EUR)

1 cup whole wheat flour (0.10 EUR)

1 tsp baking powder (0.01 EUR)

½ tsp baking soda (0.01 EUR)

4 tbsp ground flax seeds (0.13 EUR)

2 cups cherries, pitted and halved (0.67 EUR)

Additional:

Butter for greasing the pan (0.13 EUR)

2 tbsp brown sugar for sprinkling (0.07 EUR)

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METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Grease a baking dish with butter and set aside. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, salt, vanilla and yogurt. Pour in melted butter and whisk until fully incorporated. In another bowl whisk together sugar, flours, baking powder, baking soda and flax seeds. Pour wet ingredients over dry ones and stir until just combined. Fold in cherries and pour the batter into a prepared baking dish. Gently shake the dish to even out the batter and sprinkle sugar on top. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until crispy and golden brown and a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to come to room temperature before slicing.

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Neki sam se dan dvoumila da li da napravim pitu od trešanja ili nešto drugo od trešanja. Da odmah priznam, definitivno sam naginjala prema piti od trešanja. Ali sam se ipak na vrijeme zaustavila i dva puta promislila o tome da li po ovoj vrućini u sebe zaista želim natovariti toliku količinu maslaca i šećera. Na kraju sam smutila zdraviju verziju kolača od trešanja i nisam uopće požalila.

Također, odlučila sam u kolač ubaciti i zobeno brašno. Ne brinite ako ga nemate pri ruci, samo smeljite krupne ili sitne zobene pahuljice u multipraktiku.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 1 kolač / 21,82 kn)

Za smjesu:

2 jaja (3,00 kn)

Prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

1 žličica ekstrakta od vanilije (0,20 kn)

1 šalica jogurta (3,00 kn)

4 žlice maslaca, rastopljene (4,00 kn)

½ šalice smeđeg šećera (2,00 kn)

1 šalica zobenog brašna (1,25 kn)

1 šalica integralnog pšeničnog brašna (0,75 kn)

1 žličica praška za pecivo (0,10 kn)

½ žličice sode bikarbone (0,01 kn)

4 žlice mljevenih sjemenki lana (1,00 kn)

2 šalice trešanja, odkoštenih i prepolovljenih (5,00 kn)

Dodatno:

Maslac za namastiti protvan (1,00 kn)

2 žlice smeđeg šećera za posipanje (0,50 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Zagrijte pećnicu na 200°C. Maslacem namastite posudu za pečenje i stavite na stranu. U zdjeli razmutite jaja, sol, vaniliju i jogurt. Ulijte u smjesu rastopljeni maslac i promiješajte dok se sve ne sjedini. Prelijte mokre sastojke preko suhih i kratko promiješajte da smjesa bude jednolična. Nježno umiješajte trešnje, pa smjesu ulijte u pripremljenu posudu. Lagano protresite posudu da se sve poravna, te po vrhu pospijte šećer. Kolač pecite 25-30 minuta, dok se po površini ne zahrska i ne dobije lijepu zlatno-smeđu boju. Znati ćete da je gotov kada upiknete štapićem, a na štapiću ne ostane smjese. Pustite da se kolač ohladi na sobnu temperaturu prije nego ga krenete rezati.

Cherry Oat Cake / Kolač od trešanja i zobenog brašna