quick meal

Kale and Ham Stew / Varivo od kelja i šunke

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A few days ago I’ve managed to give myself a black eye. Actually, it wasn’t exactly I that gave me the black eye, it was a giant box of cookies that I’ve managed to get all fumbling and flipping through the air and thus smacking myself right across the face with it. Oh, and that happened at work. So of course, there were witnesses to this graceful act.

And this isn’t the first time I’ve been attacked by inanimate objects while trying to eat either. That one time a refrigerator door fell out of its hinges and got cushioned by my conveniently placed forehead. Which was also at the same work.

Come to think of it, maybe our office feng shui needs a bit of realignment.

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So anyway, about food. Are you still trying to go through leftover ham from Easter? I definitely am. So in order not to waste a single thing, I came up with this dish. Of course, this batch can feed like a dozen people, so feel free to scale down. Or make space in your freezer if you have trouble with assessing quantities like I do.

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields about 10 servings / 0.51 EUR per serving / 5.09 EUR for all)

1 large onion (0.10 EUR)

4 tbsp sunflower seed oil, divided (0.03 EUR)

2 enormous potatoes (1.07 EUR)

3 large carrots (0.27 EUR)

½ head kohlrabi (0.13 EUR)

3 garlic cloves, minced (0.10 EUR)

1 head of kale (1.07 EUR)

2 cups diced ham (2.00 EUR)

½ cup tomato puree (0.13 EUR)

1 bay leaf (0.03 EUR)

1 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika (0.07 EUR)

Good pinch of hot pepper flakes (0.07 EUR)

Good pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

8-10 cups water (–)

2 tbsp all purpose flour (0.01 EUR)

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METHOD:

Wash, peel and dice all the vegetables. In a large pot, sauté onion on high heat on 2 tablespoons of sunflower seed oil until slightly translucent. Add in diced potatoes, carrots, kohlrabi and minced garlic and give everything a good stir. Cook for a few minutes and then add kale, ham, tomato puree, bay leaf, paprika, pepper flakes and salt. Just a small heads up, though, if your ham is salty, you definitely want to go easy on the salt. Cover everything with water, give a good stir and bring to a rolling boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and cook with a lid cracked open for 30 minutes. Then taste and adjust seasoning.

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To thicken the stew, make roux in a small saucepan on medium heat, by adding flour to remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Mix constantly for a few minutes, until the flour becomes golden and starts smelling nutty. Remove from heat and slowly and carefully ladle in some liquid from the stew, while stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Then when you have a thick and evenly creamy mixture, pour everything into the stew, give it all a good stir and cook through for a minute or two.

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Pred par dana uspjela sam si napraviti šljivu na oku. Tehnički, nisam si ju sama napravila, napravila mi ju je ogromna kutija kolača koju sam nekako uspjela prevrnuti i okrenuti u zraku i raspaliti se sa njom po faci. To mi se naravno desilo na poslu. Tako da je taj gracijozni čin imao i svjedoke.

Ovo čak nije niti prvi puta da su me napali neživi objekti dok pokušavam jesti. Jednom je moje čelo uspjelo ublažiti pad vratima od frižidera koja su ispala iz šarki. A što se također desilo na tom istom poslu.

Sada kada malo razmislim o tome, možda naš uredski feng shui treba malo kalibracije.

Uglavnom, idemo na hranu. Da li i vi pokušavate pojesti ostatke uskršnje šunke? Ja definitivno da. Pa kako se ništa ne bi bacilo, smislila sam ovo jelo. Naravno, ova količina dostatna je za nahraniti deset ljudi, pa slobodno dodajete manje svega. Ili si oslobodite mjesta u frizeru, ako kao i ja imate problema sa procjenom kvantitete.

SASTOJCI:

(Za oko 10 porcija / 3,80 kn po porciji / 37,96 kn za sve)

1 veliki luk (0,75 kn)

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

2 enormna krumpira (8,00 kn)

3 velike mrkve (2,00 kn)

½ glavice korabe (1,00)

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

1 glavica kelja (8,00 kn)

2 šalice kockica šunke (15,00 kn)

½ šalice pirea od rajčice (1,00 kn)

1 lovorov list (0,20 kn)

1 žlica slatke paprike (0,50 kn)

Dobar prstohvat sušenog čilija u pahuljicama (0,50 kn)

Dobar prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

8-10 šalica vode (–)

2 žlice brašna (0,05 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Operite, ogulite i narežite na kockice svo povrće. U velikom loncu, na jakoj vatri i 2 žlice ulja, prodinstajte luk dok ne postane staklast. Dodajte narezane krumpire, mrkvu, korabu i sjeckani češnjak i sve dobro izmiješajte. Kuhajte tako par minuta, pa dodajte kelj, šunku, pire od rajčice, lovor, papriku, čili i sol. Samo mala napomena, budite oprezni sa solju ako vam je šunka već slana. Sve prekrijte sa dovoljno vode, dobro promiješajte i pričekajte da zavrije, a onda smanjite vatru na srednje jaku i kuhajte 30 minuta sa odškrinutim poklopcem. Kušaje i prilagodite začine.

Da zgusnete varivo, napravite zapršku u malom lončiću tako da na srednjoj vatri pomiješate brašno sa preostale 2 žlice ulja. Stalno miješajte par minuta, dok brašno ne dobije zlatno-smeđu boju i ne zamiriši. Maknite sa vatre, pa polako i oprezno malo po malo u zapršku dodajte tekućinu iz variva, konstantno miješajući kako se ne bi napravile grudice. Onda kada imate gustu i jednolično kremastu smjesu, zapršku istresite u lonac sa varivom, dobro promiješajte i kratko sve prokuhajte još koju minutu.

Kale and Ham Stew / Varivo od kelja i šunke

Crispy Salmon Bites / Hrskavi zalogaji sa lososom

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Oh god, these are good. I mean, this isn’t even a recipe. I’m basically telling you how to make sandwiches. But they are so good that I’m just gonna go ahead and talk about it.

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INGREDIENTS:

One baguette, cut under angle and lightly toasted (I used pumpkin seed)

Cream cheese spread

Piece of smoked salmon (I used warm smoked from Ikea)

A few radishes, thinly sliced

Greens of one scallion, thinly sliced

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

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METHOD:

Spread cream cheese on toasted and cooled baguette slices. Add radishes, salmon pieces, sprinkle with scallion greens and season with black pepper. Serve immediately. Drizzle of olive oil would also be nice, but alas, we were all out of olive oil at the time.

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Jao, kako je ovo fino! Mislim, ovo čak nije niti recept. U principu vam govorim kako da si napravite sendvič. Ali ovo je toliko fino da vam moram o tome ispričati.

SASTOJCI:

Jedan baget, narezan pod kutem i lagano tostiran (ja sam uzela sa bućinim sjemenkama)

Sirni namaz

Komad dimljenog lososa (ja sam uzela toplo dimljeni iz Ikee)

Par rotkvica, tanko narezanih

Zeleni dio jednog mladog luka, tanko narezan

Svježe mljeveni crni papar po ukusu

PRIPREMA:

Namažite sirni namaz na tostirani i ohlađeni baget. Poslažite gore rotkvice, losos, posipajte zelenje od mladog luka i začinite crnim paprom po ukusu. Poslužite odmah. Par kapi maslinovog ulja bi isto bilo super, ali eto, taman nam ga je doma ponestalo.

Crispy Salmon Bites / Hrskavi zalogaji sa lososom

Lentil and Spinach Magic Pot (vegan and gluten-free) / Čarobni lonac sa lećom i špinatom (veganski i bez glutena)

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I don’t know if you’ve noticed already, but I’m a big fan of one pot dishes. They’re usually hearty, filling and require only a minimal clean up. Like many fantastic ideas, this recipe was also born out of nothing but sheer laziness. But don’t get discouraged by short ingredient list because the spinach and lentils definitely work some kind of magic when combined, as the end result is incredibly creamy and yummy.

Well, without further ado, let’s get down to business. I hope that all of you lazy folks out there will enjoy this dish as much as I did. 🙂

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 4 servings / 0.71 EUR per serving / 2.82 EUR for all)

2 tbsp olive oil (0.09 EUR)

1 large purple onion, thinly sliced (0.10 EUR)

3 garlic cloves, minces (0.09 EUR)

1 cup red lentils (0.80 EUR)

1 can diced tomatoes (0.53 EUR)

450 g bag frozen leaf spinach (1.07 EUR)

1 tbp dried parsley (0.07 EUR)

1 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika (0.03 EUR)

1/2 tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper (0.03 EUR)

1 cup water (–)

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METHOD:

Put all ingredients in a pot, give a good stir and place on high heat. Reduce heat to low as soon as it reaches a rolling boil. Simmer with a lid cracked open for 20-30 minutes, until lentils are cooked through and the dish creams up, while stirring occasionally. If necessary, add a splash more of water. On the other hand, if it’s too watery, you can finish the cooking without the lid so extra liquid can evaporate. This generally depends on how much water is there in your frozen spinach.

Serve hot over potatoes or rice, or on its own with a slice of delicious bread for scooping.

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Ne znam da li ste već primijetili da sam veliki fan jela koja se kuhaju u jednom loncu. Ona su obično izdašna, zasitna i zahtijevaju minimalno čišćenje. Kao mnoge fantastične ideje, ovaj recept je nastao iz ničeg drugog do čiste lijenosti. Ali nedajte se obeshrabriti kratkim popisom sastojaka, jer špinat i leća definitivno naprave neku čaroliju kada se spoje. Konačni je rezultat jako kremasti i fini.

Bez daljnjeg odgađanja, idemo na posao. Nadam se da će sve ljenguze uživati u ovom jelu koliko sam i ja. 🙂

SASTOJCI:

(Za 4 porcije / 5,27 kn po porciji / 21,07 kn za sve)

2 žlice maslinovog ulja (0,66 kn)

1 veliki ljubičasti luk, tanko narezan (0,75 kn)

3 češnja češnjaka, sitno nasjeckana (0,70 kn)

1 šalica crvene leće (6,00 kn)

1 konzerva nasjeckanih rajčica (4,00 kn)

1 vrećica od 450 g smrznutog špinata u listovima (8,00 kn)

1 žlica sušenog peršina (0,50 kn)

1 žličica slatke crvene paprike (0,25 kn)

½ žličice soli (0,01 kn)

1 žličica svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,20 kn)

1 šalica vode (–)

 

PRIPREMA:

Stavite sve sastojke u lonac, dobro promiješajte i stavite na jaku vatru. Čim zavrije smanjite vatru. Lagano krčkajte uz povremeno miješanje sa odškrinutim poklopcem jedno 20-30 minuta, dok se leća skroz ne skuha i jelo ne postane kremasto. Po potrebi dodajte mrvicu vode. S druge strane, ako vam se čini prevodnjikavo, dovršite jelo odklopljeno kako bi višak tekućine mogao ispariti. Ovo uglavnom ovisi o tome koliko vode ima u smrznutom špinatu kojeg koristite.

 

Poslužite vruće preko krumpira ili riže, ili samo sa komadom finog kruha za umakanje.

Lentil and Spinach Magic Pot (vegan and gluten-free) / Čarobni lonac sa lećom i špinatom (veganski i bez glutena)

Basil and Walnut Pesto / Pesto od bosiljka i oraha

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Spring is finally kicking in which means that it’s just about time to plant basil and maybe a few other spices. I highly recommend you do the same, as it’s such an easy and cheap way to enhance your pantry. You don’t need a fancy garden or anything of the sorts. Basil will grow happily in any sunny spot indoors and you only need to add a splash of water to it every day. In a couple of months you’ll be able to harvest your plant and use the delicious leaves in salads, soups, pasta dishes, pizza or pesto.

Our last year’s harvest from two pots was so plentiful that I ended up with about 4 cups of pesto. Luckily, pesto freezes great.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 1 cup of pesto)

2 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves

¼ cup walnuts

3 garlic cloves

¼ cup olive oil

3 tbsp freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, or any other strong hard cheese

Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

METHOD:

In a food processor, pulse together basil, walnuts, garlic cloves and half of olive oil until smooth. Add in grated cheese and pulse, while gradually adding in remaining olive oil. Taste and add salt and pepper as preferred.

To store pesto, tightly pack it in a jar, even the top with the back of the spoon and cover with a thin layer of olive oil to prevent oxidation and then secure with a lid. Store like this in refrigerator for up to three days, or stash in freezer for up to six months.

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For vegan version, substitute cheese with nutritional yeast. Also, feel free to replace walnuts with almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios or pine nuts as in true pesto recipes. However, I can’t seem to justify the high price of pine nuts and always pick a cheaper nut alternative. You can also use arugula, kale, broccoli or other greens you prefer instead of basil.

Proljeće je napokon uzelo maha što znači da je vrijeme za posaditi bosiljak i možda još koji začin. Svakako bi svima preporučila isto, pošto je to tako jednostavan i jeftin način da malo nabrijete svoju špajzu. Ne morate imati nikakav ušminkani vrt, niti ništa slično. Bosiljak će sretno rasti na bilo kojem sunčanom mjestu u zatvorenom i samo ga svaki dan morate malo zaliti. Za par mjeseci ćete moći ubrati ukusno lišće i upotrijebiti ga u salatama, juhama, jelima sa tjesteninom, na pizzi ili u pestu.

Naš prošlogodišnji urod bosiljka je bio tako obilan da sam iz dvije teglice dobila oko 4 šalice pesta. Srećom, pesto se super smrzava.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 1 šalicu pesta)

2 šalice natisnutog svježeg lišća bosiljka

¼ šalice oraha

3 češnja češnjaka

¼ šalice maslinovog ulja

3 žlice svježe naribanog parmezana, ili nekog drugog jakog tvrdog sira

Soli i svježe mljevenog crnog papra po ukusu

PRIPREMA:

U multipraktiku sameljite bosiljak, orahe, češnjak i pola ulja u glatku pastu. Dodajte naribani sir i pulsirajte dok postepeno dodajete ostatak maslinovog ulja. Kušajte i po želji dodajte soli i papra.

Pesto je najbolje spremiti tako da ga žlicom natisnete u posudu, poravnate površinu i onda pokrijete tankim slojem ulje kako bi se spriječila oksidacija, a posudu poklopite. Na taj način ga možete čuvati u frižideru do tri dana, ili u zamrzivaču do 6 mjeseci.

Za vegansku verziju, sir zamijenite prehrambenim kvascem. Također, slobodno možete umjesto oraha upotrijebiti bademe, lješnjake, pistacije ili pinjole kako nalažu izvorni recepti za pesto. Međutim, osobno mislim da su pinjoli preskupi pa umjesto njih uvijek uzmem jeftinije orašaste plodove. Također, umjesto bosiljka možete korisiti rukolu, kelj, brokulu ili neku drugu zelenjavu koju volite.

Basil and Walnut Pesto / Pesto od bosiljka i oraha

Cream of Mushroom Soup (vegan, gluten-free) / Krem juha od gljiva (veganska i bez glutena)

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While I had the oven running for some other things, I’ve decided to dump all of the soup items in there too, instead of cooking things down stovetop. Man, what a great decision that was! Roasting gave such a nice deep flavour to everything. Plus, it makes room for you to do other things around the house.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 4 generous servings / 0.93 EUR per serving / 3.71 EUR for all)

½ kilo Portobello mushrooms (1.33 EUR)

7-8 Shiitake mushrooms(1.33 EUR)

4 young potatoes (0.67 EUR)

1 large onion (0.10 EUR)

4 garlic cloves(0.10 EUR)

2 tbsp olive oil (0.09 EUR)

½ tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper (0.01 EUR)

4 cups water (–)

Handful of chopped fresh parsley for serving (0.07 EUR)

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METHOD:

Preheat oven to 200°C. Halve and quarter mushrooms. Give potatoes a good scrub and dice with skins intact. Peel and quarter onion. Leave skins on garlic cloves and cut them in half. Toss it all with olive oil, salt and pepper and bake for 30-40 minutes, until slightly charred. Allow things to cool down a bit, squeeze garlic cloves out of their skins and run everything through a food processor with 4 cups of water.

Place the soup on high heat and bring to a boil and cook for a few minutes. Serve hot, sprinkled with fresh parsley.

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Kad mi je već pećnica gorila radi drugih stvari, odlučila sam sve za juhu ubaciti unutra, umjesto da krčkam stvari na štednjaku. E pa to je bila super odluka! Pečenje je dalo svemu fini okus. Osim toga, ovakva metoda vam oslobađa vrijeme da se bavite nečim drugim.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 4 izdašne porcije / 6,94 kn po porciji / 27,77 kn za sve)

½ kg šampinjona (10,00 kn)

7-8 Shiitaka (10,00 kn)

4 mlada krumpira (5,00 kn)

1 veliki luk (0,75 kn)

4 češnja češnjaka (0,75 kn)

2 žlice maslinovog ulja (0,66 kn)

½ žličice soli (0,01 kn)

½ žličice svježeg mljevenog crnog papra (0,10 kn)

4 šalice vode (–)

Pregršt svježeg nasjeckanog peršina za posluživanje (0,50 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Zagrijte pećnicu na 200°C. Narežite gljive na polovine i četvrtine. Dobro izribajte krumpire pa ih narežite na kocke skupa sa kožom. Ogulite i raščetvorite luk. Ostavite ljusku na češnjaku, pa češnjeve prerežite na pola. Sve pomiješajte sa maslinovim uljem, soli i paprom i pecite 30-40 minuta, dok se ne ulovi korica. Pustite da se sve mrvicu ohladi prije nego što ćete češnjak istisnuti iz ljuski i izblendatisa svim ostalim sastojcima i 4 šalice vode.

Stavite juhu na jahu vatru, pa kada zavrije kratko prokuhajte. Poslužite juhu vruću, posipanu sa malo svježeg peršina.

Cream of Mushroom Soup (vegan, gluten-free) / Krem juha od gljiva (veganska i bez glutena)

Lazy Spicy Chicken Noodles / Lijeni ljutkasti rezanci sa piletinom

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I’m currently on a kick where I try to utilize my oven to do the most for me. Mostly because I’m a lazy bum, there are no other reasons. This dish fits my vision perfectly.

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 4 generous servings / 2.03 EUR per serving / 8.10 EUR for all)

For the chicken:

½ tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

1 tbsp corn starch (0.03 EUR)

1 tbsp sweet smoked paprika (0.13 EUR)

½ tsp cayenne pepper (0.01 EUR)

½ tsp ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into thin strips (2.00 EUR)

1 large purple onion, cut into half-moons (0.10 EUR)

1 of each red, yellow and green bell pepper, cut into strips (2.13 EUR)

1 chili pepper, finely diced (0.07 EUR)

For noodles:

4 squares of ramen (1.60 EUR)

Two handfuls of dried mushrooms, I used shii-take and mu-er mix (1.33 EUR)

1 tbsp sunflower seed oil (0.01 EUR)

2 large carrots, peeled and cut into thin strips (0.07 EUR)

3 tbsp soy sauce (0.20 EUR)

2 tbsp toasted sesame oil (0.27 EUR)

Sriracha sauce for topping (0.13 EUR)

IMGP2751METHOD:

Preheat oven to 220°C. In a small mixing bowl combine together salt, corn starch, smoked paprika, cayenne and black pepper. In a large baking dish combine chicken, onion, peppers and chili. Sprinkle with the spice mixture and combine everything well, best with your hands so you can rub the spices into everything. Bake for around 30-40 minutes, until things get crispy around the edges, mixing everything once halfway through baking.

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Meanwhile, boil a large pot of water. Turn off the heat and put ramen and dried mushrooms in to soak. Drain after 10 minutes and cut mushrooms into thin strips. Put wok on high heat until it warms thoroughly, for 3-4 minutes. Add sunflower oil and carrots and toss around for a minute or two. Toss in the mushrooms. After a couple of minutes add dried noodles, soy sauce and sesame oil. Stir fry for a couple of minutes. IMGP2756

In small bowls top noodles with chicken mixture. Drizzle with sriracha and extra soy sauce if needed. I wish I had some fresh spring onions for sprinkling, as those would fit in perfectly. Serve with a bowl of preserves like pickles or mixed veggies.

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Trenutno sam u fazi kada pokušavam sve što mogu strpati u pećnicu. Uglavnom zato što sam ljenguza, a ne iz nekog boljeg razloga. Ovo jelo uklapa se savršeno u moju viziju.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 4 izdašne porcije / 15,20 kn po porciji / 60,81 kn za sve)

Za piletinu:

½ žličice soli (0,01 kn)

1 žlica kukuruznog škroba (0,25 kn)

1 žlica slatke dimljene paprike (1,00 kn)

½ žličice kajenskog papra (0,10 kn)

½ žličice mljevenog crnog papra (0,10 kn)

1 velika otkoštena pileća prsa bez kože, narezana na tanke trakice (15,00 kn)

1 veliki ljubičasti luk, narezan na polumjesece (0,75 kn)

Po 1 crvena, žuta i crvena paprika, narezana na tanke trakice (16,00 kn)

1 čili papričica, sitno narezana (0,50 kn)

Za rezance:

4 kocke ramena (12,00 kn)

Dva pregršta suhih gljiva, ja sam uzela shii-take i mu-er miks (10,00 kn)

1 žlica suncokretovog ulja (0,10 kn)

2 velike mrkve, oguljene i narezane na tanke trakice (0,50 kn)

3 žlice soja sosa (1,50 kn)

2 žlice tostiranog sezamovog ulja (2,00 kn)

Sriracha sos sa pokapati po vrhu (1,00 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Zagrijte pećnicu na 220°C. U maloj zdjelici pomiješajte sol, kukuruzni škrob, dimljenu papriku, kajenski i crni papar. U većem protvanu za pečenje pomiješajte piletinu, luk, paprike i čili. Posipajte smjesom začina i onda prstima utrljajte začine u sve. Pecite oko 30-40 minuta, dok rubovi ne postanu lijepo hrskavi, a jednom promiješajte na pola pečenja.

U međuvremenu zakuhajte veliki lonac vode. Maknite s vatre i stavite unutra ramen i suhe gljive da se namaču. Ocijedite nakon 10 minuta i gljive narežite na tanke trakice. Stavite wok na jaku vatru da se dobro ugrije, na 3-4 minute. Onda dodajte ulje i mrkve, pa miješajte minutu-dvije, pa ubacite i gljive. Nakon par minuta dodajte ocijeđeni ramen, soja sos i sezamovo ulje. Kuhajte miješajući koju minutu.

U maloj zdjelici raspodjelite piletinu po rezancima. Pokapajte sa srirachom i ekstra soja sosom po potrebi. Šteta što nisam imala malo mladog luka da i njega posipam na kraju jer bi se savršeno uklopio. Poslužite sa ukiseljenim povrćem ili kiselim krastavcima.

Lazy Spicy Chicken Noodles / Lijeni ljutkasti rezanci sa piletinom

Mustard and Paprika Marinated Pork Chops with Potatoes and Mixed Salad / Svinjski krmenadli marinirani u senfu i paprici sa krumpirima i miješanom salatom

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I’m really proud of whipping up such a well-rounded meal on top of juggling a couple of other things on a busy afternoon. Not that I’m such a fantastic multitasker, noup. This is simply one of those recipes where you’re utilizing your oven to do most of your work for you. That way you can do your nails or catch up on your favorite TV show.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 3 servings / 1.90 EUR per serving / 5.70 EUR for all)

For the pork chops:

½ tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

1 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika (0.03 EUR)

2 tsp mustard (0.07 EUR)

2 tbsp olive oil (0.09 EUR)

6 boneless pork chops (2.67 EUR)

For potatoes:

1 kilo baby potatoes (1.33 EUR)

½ tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

2 tbsp olive oil (0.09 EUR)

For mixed salad:

1 head of iceberg lettuce (0.67 EUR)

½ small head of kohlrabi (0.13 EUR)

6 radishes (0.27 EUR)

Pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

Juice of 1 lemon (0.20 EUR)

2 tbsp olive oil (0.09 EUR)

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METHOD:

To make marinade for the pork chops, in a small bowl, whisk together salt, black pepper, paprika, mustard and olive oil until creamy and uniform. Rub marinade into each pork chop and let them rest for at least half an hour, but best overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 200°C. Give potatoes a good scrub, quarter with skins intact and toss together with salt, pepper and olive oil. Bake for 20 minutes, then carefully arrange pork chops on top of potatoes and bake for additional 20-30 minutes, depending on how well done you prefer your meat and how thick are the slices. I generally prefer mine crisped down to shoe leather, but I understand that most people do not share these sentiments.

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Meanwhile, prepare salad by giving the vegetables a good wash. Cut lettuce into strips. Peel and cut kohlrabi into thin slices. Trim and discard radish ends and then cut into thin coins or half-moons. Toss all the salad vegetables with salt, pepper, lemon juice and olive oil.

Serve with hot meat and potatoes.

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Stvarno sam ponosna na samu sebe što sam sklepala ovako fino zaokružen objed dok sam usput žonglirala sa par drugih stvari jedno zagužvano popodne. Nije da sam takav fantastični multitasker, a-a. Ovo je jednostavno jedan od onih recepata gdje vaša pečnica za vas odrađuje sav težak posao. Tako da vi možete lakirati nokte, ili pogledati vašu najdražu seriju.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 3 porcije / 14,17 kn po porciji / 42,51 kn za sve)

Za svinjske krmenadle:

½ žličice soli (0,01 kn)

½ žličice svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,10 kn)

1 žličica slatke crvene paprike (0,25 kn)

2 žličice senfa (0,50 kn)

2 žlice maslinovog ulja (0,66 kn)

6 svinjskih krmenadli bez kostiju (20,00 kn)

Za krumpire:

1 kg mladih krumpira (10,00 kn)

½ žličice soli (0,01 kn)

½ žličice svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,10 kn)

2 žlice maslinovog ulja (0,66 kn)

Za miješanu salatu:

1 glavica salate kristalke (5,00 kn)

½ male glavice korabice (1,00 kn)

6 rotkvica (2,00 kn)

Prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

Prstohvat svježe mljevenog crnog papra(0,05 kn)

Sok od 1 limuna (1,50 kn)

2 žlice maslinovog ulja (0,66 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Da napravite marinatu za kotlete, u maloj zdjelici istucite sol, papar, papriku, senf i maslinovo ulje dok ne dobijete kremastu i jednoličnu smjesu. Utrljajte marinadu u krmenadle i ostavite ih da odleže barem pola sata, a najbolje preko noći.

Kada ste spremni za pečenje, zagrijte pećnicu na 200°C. Dobro operite i istrljajte krumpire, ostavite kožu na njima i prerežite na četvrtine pa pomiješajte sa soli, paprom i maslinovim uljem. Pecite ih 20 minuta, a onda pažljivo po krumpirima poslažite krmenadle i pecite dodatnih 20-30 minuta, ovisno o tome koliko pečeno volite meso i koliko su vam debeli krmenadli. Ja općenito preferiram meso zapečeno do konzistencije kože za cipele, ali jasno mi je da većina ljudi ne dijeli moje osjećaje.

U međuvremenu, pripremite salatu tako da dobro operete svo povrće. Narežite kristalku na trakice. Ogulite i narežite korabicu na ploškice. Rotkvicama odrežite i bacite krajeve, pa ih narežite na tanke novčiće ili polumjesece. Pomiješajte salatu sa soli, paprom, sokom od limuna i maslinovim ulje.

Poslužite sa vrućim mesom i krumpirima.

Mustard and Paprika Marinated Pork Chops with Potatoes and Mixed Salad / Svinjski krmenadli marinirani u senfu i paprici sa krumpirima i miješanom salatom

Squash and Lentil Soup (vegan and gluten free) / Juha od leće i bundeve (veganska i bez glutena)

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I’ve already made this soup twice in the past week or so because it’s freakin delicious. Putting it together is also a breeze, especially if you roast your pumpkin chunks in advance.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 2 very generous servings / 0.79 EUR per serving / 1.58 EUR for all)

1 small squash, I used Autumn Crown squash (0.67 EUR)

1 medium onion, finely diced (0.07 EUR)

1tbsp sunflower seed oil (0.01 EUR)

3 cups water (–)

½ cup tomato puree (0.20 EUR)

2/3 cup red lentils (0.53 EUR)

1 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika (0.03 EUR)

Pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper(0.03 EUR)

Pinch of chili flakes(0.03 EUR)

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METHOD:

Preheat oven to 200°C. Line baking tray with parchment paper and set aside. Peel and dice the squash, discarding the seeds and mushy center. Spread on prepared baking tray and roast for about 40 minutes, until slightly charred. Allow to cool a bit before blitzing in a food processor to a smooth paste.

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Saute onion on a tablespoon of oil until translucent. Add in squash puree, water, tomato puree, lentils, paprika, salt, pepper and chili flakes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook with a lid cracked open for about 20 minutes, until the lentils have cooked through, while stirring occasionally.

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Ovu sam juhicu napravila već dva puta u zadnjih tjedan dana jer je prefina. Osim toga, skuhati ju je čas posla, posebno ako ste već ranije pripremili pečenu bundevu.

SASTOJCI:

(Za dvije vrlo izdašne porcije / 5,88 kn po porciji / 11,76 kn za sve)

1 mala bundeva, ja sam upotrijebila jesensku krunu (5,00 kn)

1 srednji luk, narezan na kockice (0,50 kn)

1 žlica suncokretovog ulja (0,10 kn)

3 šalice vode (–)

½ šalice pasirane rajčice (1,50 kn)

2/3 šalice crvene leće (4,00 kn)

1 žličica slatke crvene paprike (0,25 kn)

Prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

Prstohvat svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,20 kn)

Prstohvat sušenog čilija u pahuljicama (0,20 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Zagrijte pećnicu na 200°C. Obložite protvan papirom za pečenje i stavite na stranu. Ogulite i narežite bundevu na kockice, s time da sjemenke i mekanu unutrašnjost bacite. Raširite kockice bundeve po pripremljenom protvanu i pecite oko 40 minuta, dok rubovi ne ulove tamnu reš boju. Pustite da se mrvicu ohladi prije nego što ćete bundevu ispasirati glatku pastu u multipraktiku.

Izdinstajte luk na žlici ulja dok ne postane staklast. Dodajte pire od bundeve, vodu, pasiranu rajčicu, leću, crvenu papriku, sol, papar i čili i pustite da zavrije. Smanjite vatru pa na laganom kuhajte uz povremeno miješanje sa odškrinutim poklopcem oko 20 minuta, dok se leća ne skuha do kraja.

Squash and Lentil Soup (vegan and gluten free) / Juha od leće i bundeve (veganska i bez glutena)

Baked Beans / Zapečeni grah

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This is a super quick, inexpensive and easy recipe for you to whip up for a weeknight dinner, or as an extra side-dish. It works well on its own with a nice big salad, but you can definitely enhance it with a fried egg, steak or a roast chicken.

I used bacon, because that’s what I’ve had on hand, but you can definitely substitute with a sausage or skip meat altogether and go vegan.

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 2 servings / 0.95 EUR per serving / 1.90 EUR for all)

1 large onion, finely diced (0.10 EUR)

½ cup finely diced bacon (0.67 EUR)

1 tsp sunflower seed oil (0.01 EUR)

3 garlic cloves, minced (0.09 EUR)

1 can beans, drained (0.67 EUR)

2/3 cup tomato paste (0.27 EUR)

1 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika (0.03 EUR)

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper (0.03 EUR)

Pinch of chili flakes (0.03 EUR) IMGP4627

METHOD:

Saute onion and bacon on a teaspoon of oil on high heat for about five minutes, until bacon is crispy and golden. Add in garlic and beans, stir and cook briefly. Then add in tomato paste, paprika, black pepper and chili flakes and cook for about 10 minutes, so the sauce can thicken a bit.

Preheat oven to 200°C. Carefully transfer the beans to an oven-safe dish and bake for about 30 minutes, until the crust forms on top.

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Ovo je super brzo, jeftino i lagano jelo koje možete napraviti kao večeru preko tjedna, ili kao malo nabrijaniji vikend prilog. Funkcionira dobro samo za sebe sa velikom salatom, ali definitivno ga možete pojačati sa pečenim jajetom, šniclom ili pečenom piletinom.

Ja sam stavila špek jer sam to imala pri ruci, ali možete ga svakako zamijeniti sa kobasicom, ili skroz izbaciti meso za vegansku verziju.

SASTOJCI:

(Za dvije porcije / 7,07 kn po porciji / 14,15 kn za sve)

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

½ šalice špeka narezanog na kockice (5,00 kn)

1 žličica suncokretovog ulja (0,05 kn)

3 češnja češnjaka, sitno nasjeckanog (0,70 kn)

1 konzerva graha, ocijeđenog (5,00 kn)

2/3 šalice pasirane rajčice (2,00 kn)

1 žličica slatke paprike (0,25 kn)

Prstohvat svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,20 kn)

Prstohvat sušenog čilija u pahuljicama (0,20 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Prodinstajte pet minuta luk i špek na žličici ulja na jakoj vatri, dok špek ne postane hruskav i zlatno-žuti. Dodajte češnjak i grah, promiješajte i kratko prokuhajte. Ubacite pasiranu rajčicu, papriku, papar i čili i kuhajte oko 10 minuta, da se umak zgusne.

Zagrijte pećnicu na 200°C. Pažljivo prebacite grah u vatrostalnu posudu i pecite oko 30 minuta, dok se ne uhvati korica.

Baked Beans / Zapečeni grah

Barley with Smoked Pork Bones / Ječam sa suhim svinjskim kostima

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I love cooking with smoked pork bones because they are incredibly cheap and give fantastic smoky flavor. My butcher also sells bones that have quite a bit of meat on them, so with a little hassle you get a really affordable, satisfying meal. I usually toss smoked bones into stews and similar soupy dishes, but this time decided to throw them in a pot with barley and vegetables, to make a thick, risotto-like one pot dish.

Also, I got really lucky and scored bones which were on sale, so it was double win for me.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 8 servings / 0.43 EUR per serving / 3.40 EUR for all)

2 tbsp olive oil (0.09 EUR)

1 large onion (0.10 EUR)

4 large carrots (0.13 EUR)

2 parsley roots (0.27 EUR)

½ small celeriac root (0.27 EUR)

3 garlic cloves (0.09 EUR)

2 cups barley (0.67 EUR)

2 tbps tomato paste (0.13 EUR)

1 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika (0.03 EUR)

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper (0.03 EUR)

Bunch of fresh parsley leaves (0.13 EUR)

Bunch of fresh celeriac leaves (0.13 EUR)

1 kilo of smoked pork bones (1.33 EUR)

6-8 cups water (–)

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METHOD:

Finely dice all the vegetables. In a colander, wash barley under running water. Chop pork bones into 6-8 smaller chunks (you can also ask your butcher to do this for you).

In a deep pot, saute diced onion with olive oil on high heat for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Add in diced carrot, parsley root, celeriac root and garlic, giving everything a good stir. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in barley, paprika, black pepper, chopped parsley and celeriac leaves, then stir to combine. Nest pork bones in with the barley. Pour water so everything is mostly submerged, bring to boil and cook on low with lid cracked open for 45 minutes. Occasionally check on the dish and gently scrape barley from the bottom of the pot and add more water if necessary.

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After 45 minutes turn the heat off, remove bones and let them cool enough to handle. Pick the meat from the bones, return meat to barley pot and stir everything well, discarding the clean bones. Now taste the dish for seasoning and adjust as necessary. Mine didn’t need any salt at all, the bones were salty enough. You might also want to add a bit more water, if the dish appears too thick, as barley keeps absorbing water all the time.

Serve with a nice green salad and enjoy!

Volim kuhati sa suhim svinjskim kostima jer su jako jeftine a jelu daju fantastičnu aromu dima. Moj mesar prodaje kosti na kojima uvijek bude dosta mesa, tako da sa malo truda uvijek dobijem jeftino a ukusno jelo. Obično suhe kosti ubacim u variva i slična jušna jela, ali sam se ovoga puta odlučila dodati ih u lonac sa ječmom i povrćem, da dobijem gusto jelo slično rižotu, koje se kuha u jednom loncu.

Također, uspjela sam naletiti na suhe kosti na sniženju, pa je ovo za mene bila dvostruka pobjeda.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 8 porcija / 3,20 kn po porciji / 25,56 kn za sve)

2 žlice maslinovog ulja (0,66 kn)

1 veliki luk (0,75 kn)

4 velike mrkve (1,00 kn)

2 korjena peršina (2,00 kn)

½ male glavice celera (2,00 kn)

3 češnja češnjaka (0,70 kn)

2 šalice ječma (5,00 kn)

2 žlice pasirane rajčice (1,00 kn)

1 žličica slatke crvene paprike (0,25 kn)

1 žličica svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,20 kn)

Pregršt svježeg lišća peršina (1,00 kn)

Pregršt svježeg lišća celera (1,00 kn)

1 kg suhih svinjskih kostiju (10,00 kn)

6-8 šalica vode (–)

PRIPREMA:

Sitno narežite svo povrće. U cjedilu pod tekućom vodom operite ječam. Nasijecite suhe kosti na 6-8 manjih komada (možete zamoliti i vašeg mesara da vam to napravi).

U dubokom loncu, na jakoj vatri, dinstajte luk na maslinovom ulju oko 5 minuta, dok ne postane staklast. Dodajte narezane mrkvu, korjen peršina, korjen celera i češnjak pa sve dobro promiješajte. Dinstajte oko 5 minuta, povremeno miješajući. Ubacite ječam, crvenu papriku, papar, nasjeckano lišće peršina i celera pa sve izmiješajte. Ugnijezdite unutra komade kostiju. Prelijte vodom, tako da sve uglavnom bude potopljeno, pričekajte da zakipi, pa onda smanjite vatru na nisko i kuhajte sa odškrinutim poklopcem 45 minuta. Povremeno provjerite jelo i nježno postružite ječam sa dna lonca, a po potrebi dodajte malo vode.

Nakon 45 minuta ugasite vatru, izvadite kosti i pustite da se malo ohlade. Skinite meso sa kostiju, pa meso umiješaje u lonac s ječmom, a kosti bacite. Sada probajte jelo i prilagodite začine. Ja nisam morala uopće soliti, jer su kosti bile već dovoljno slane. Možda ćete morati dodati i još malo vode ako vam se jelo čini pregustim, jer ječam upija puno tekućine.

Poslužite sa velikom zelenom salatom i uživajte!

Barley with Smoked Pork Bones / Ječam sa suhim svinjskim kostima