Chicken salad with a twist

 

I know it's been a while since my last post. And I have no excuse. But my passion for cooking is still there and I hope I will spread it to all of you.

Today on the menu was Chicken salad with the twist. I will not be myself if I would not change classic recipe into my own one hehe. I hope you will try it and love it!

 

 

Ingredients:

(for 1 person)

• 1 medium chicken breast
• mix of salad
• 1/4 of red pepper
• few (3-4) slices of red onion
• few (4-5) slices of cucumber
• tbs of sunflower seeds
• one slice of bread (cut into small chunks)
• 2 tbs of hummus
• few spoons of sweet chilli sauce (its up to you how much you like on your chicken, I used around 1,5 tbs)
• olive oil

For chicken marinade:

• 3 tbs of natural yoghurt
• 1 tsp of ketchup
• 1 clove of garlic (crushed)
• salt, pepper

 

Preparation:

1. At first start from marinating chicken. Leave it for at least 1 hour.
   

   
2. Then cut bread slice into chunks. Place them into oven tray, together with slice of red pepper and sunflower seeds, drizzle everything with olive oil. Place in the oven for 180 C until golden brown.
    
3. Place chicken on another oven tray and put it together in the oven with bread chunks. Bake for around 20-25min. (It depends how big is your chicken breast). Good tip on your chicken: If you stick fork into your meat and there is no juice coming out then you know its ready. If you still not sure you can just cut it in the middle and then you know. When everything is ready slice the chicken and red pepper.
               
4. Mix salad with onions and cucumber and add a little bit of olive oil and salt and pepper. Mix together everything.
   
5. Then place red pepper on top of the salad mix. and sliced chicken on the side. Pour sweet chilli sauce on top of the chicken breast.
6. Add 2 tbs of hummus on the side.
7. And sprinkle sunflower seeds and toasted bread chunks on top of everything and enjoy!
   

 

 

 

 



Warm halloumi cheese and strawberry salad

For this recipe few of my friends asked me already a couple of times as i made it before and i posted photo on my social media before i even had this blog. So today simple, easy and quick recipe for that. It's absolutely yummy and not difficult to make so I hope you guys are going to try it at home;)

Preparation:15min
Portion for 1

Ingredients:

• 3 slices of halloumi cheese (not too thick),
• 1 slice of lettuce around 1cm thick,
• 4 medium size strawberries ( I can recommend the on from Lidl right now, delicious and cheap!only 89p),
• 2 tbs of seeds, pumpkin and sunflower,
• one slice of rye bread (any brown bread will do) cut into small chunks,
• olive oil, 
• balsamic glaze,
• pizza mix seasoning of mix of oregano and basil (dry ones)

Preparation:

1. First I toasted my seeds on dry frying pan until golden brown, but be careful and move the pan constantly otherwise seeds will burn quickly.
2. When seeds are done sprinkle a bit of olive oil on the same pan and toast your bread chunks.  At this point add pizza seasoning. Also move your pan around to avoid burning.
3. Next cut lettuce into small pieces, i like to sprinkle a little bit of olive oil and just a tiny little bit of salt and toss it together. I think the worst thing you can do to yourself is to eat dry salad leaves lol. 
4. Cut strawberries into slices and put nicely on top of your prepared salad.
5. Fry with a sprinkle of olive oil your halloumi cheese on medium heat, you don't want to burn it but melt it nicely.When golden brown turn to other side.
6. When your cheese is nicely fried put it on top of  strawberries and at then put evenly your toasted seeds and bread chunks.
7. At the very end do few lines with balsamic glaze on top of everything. Be careful not to put too much as it will overpower the taste of salad.

ENJOY!

Packed with vitamins delicicious and fit salad

Another more lunch likely salad. Easy and delicicious!
Preparation: 10min unless you need to cook your barley groats then + 20 min.
Serving:1

Ingredients:

• 3 tbs of barley groats - cooked (i usually use leftover form the day before diner lol)
• 3 tbs of toasted seeds - I used sunflower and pumpkin seeds
• quarter of bell peppers in 2 different colours
• quarter of white onion
• half of avocado
• grated small carrot

For the dressing:

• 1 tsp of soy sauce
• 1 tbs of olive oil
• 1tsp of honey
• small piece of ginger - grated

Preparation:

1. Cut  peppers, onions and avocado to small chunks, and mix with barley, toasted seeds, grated carrot.
2. Mix dressing ingredients and pour into mixed veggies and done!

ENJOY!

Baked sweet potato's with fried peppers and feta

Baked sweet potato's with fried peppers and feta

Lunch time idea this time;)

Delicicious and fit;)

Portion for 2.

Preparation: 10min

Cooking 1h (baking potato is taking time)

Ingredients:

• 1 medium sweet poatato
• half of  2 different bell peppers ( I use red and green)
• half of medium onion 
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1cm feta cheese
• handful of seeds - toasted on dry pan (I used pumpkin and sunflower) 
• fresh thyme, salt, pepper, smoked paprika powder

What you do step by step:

1. Wash and cut sweet potato in half, then sprinkle with olive oil and salt and fresh thyme. Put into the oven for around 45-50 min, it depends how big potato you have. To check if it's ready just simply impale fork in the potato if its soft you know it's ready.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Wash  your peppers and cut them into thin slices, the same onion and fry on medium heat with a table spoon of oil. Fry peppers first and when you see they are almost completely soft then add onion.When onions soften too add crushed garlic, smoked paprika, salt and pepper to taste.  .
3. On another frying pan toast your seeds.    
4. And then potatoes are ready you can plate up!
5. Place you potatoes first, add soft peppers on top then seeds and feta cheese at the end broken in your fingers gently and it's ready!

ENJOY!

The way we eat....

The way we eat....

No recipes today..
and it's been a while since my last post.
I know.
Lots of excuses on my plate but main..no time and routine to write something. I found it much easier to post stuff on the internet if you have a new generation, fast working shiny smartphone. Since mine was broken and I need to wait till the end of contract for new one it's much harder to post anything.Thank God not long to go till my new shiny smartphone ;P lol
But that's not what I want to write about...
I was eating this Nigerian food today since my boyfriend cooked:P and originally they eat it with hands. I exactly remember how my reaction was when I saw them eating it for a very first time when i came to England x years ago. I was shocked! But now..that is the way it taste the best for me.
And that is what I like in any different style of food. That feeling you have when you eat something new and the way you eat it that very first time.mmmmm....that's it!
You either in love it or hate it.
I believe the best way of trying new food is in new country you are visiting or people who introduce you to their food.
I believe that culture of eating, that different routine than ours, the way that food is served matters a lot.
Do you agree with me?
I'm wondering what was your experience with different type of food you were introduced to.Let me know..

That's Egusi soup with pounded yam.

Butter nut squash and carrot creamy soup

Delicicious and fit

Half term at English schools means automatically less time for parents and that is exactly what happen last week to us. We had all week full of exiting things to do. So not too much time for cooking. One of the delicicious and very quick meals we had was butternut squash and carrots and onions soup with a gentle cumin seasoning and balsamic glaze on top and nice crispy ciabatta.

Recipe is simple as that:

Ingredients:

• half of Butternut squash
• 2 carrots
• half of onion
• pinch of salt, tsp of cumin,
• oil, water

Preparation:

1. Cut into chunks all vegetables and gently fry on medium heat with a tsp of oil.
2. Pour water over vegetables till they all cover with water and add spices,
3. Boil until soft around 15 - 20min and blend properly so that you don't have any lumps
4. Toast your ciabatta, you can of course use any bread or roll of your choice.

      ENJOY!

VEGETABLE PANCAKES MADE FROM GRAM/BESAN FLOUR

Right..after busy weekend comes busy week!
My children have half term holidays..both at home 24/7 till Sunday yaay;)
I'll have to get creative and think about some activities.Any suggestions?? (they 4 and 2 by the way)
Anyway...let focus on food. I had this inspiration on Saturday as a quick lunch option. I hope you are going to like it!

VEGETABLE PANCAKES MADE FROM GRAM/BESAN FLOUR  (Besan is a chickpeas flour).

Preparation time: 15min

Cooking time:  it depends what size you are going to fry the smaller the longer. I would say 30min on average.

Serves: 3 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of gram/besan flour,
• 1 cup of plain flour,
• vegetables nicely chopped (I used simply what I had in my fridge) half of red onion, 3-4 cm long slice of courgette and the same size of aubergine - peeled, handful of fresh coriander, and a half of fresh tomato(optional)
• salt, 1 tsp of garam masala seasoning
• water for batter
• oil for frying

Method:

1. Mix both flours in a clean bowl,
2. Add chopped vegetables,
3. Add garam masala and salt
4. Add water, try half of the cup first and mix it properly with a spoon. The consistency can't be too watery.
5. Warm up a teaspoon of oil on a frying pan and off you go with the frying.
6. They are ready when they nice and golden brown;)

I serve them with Greek yoghurt but you can also use crème fresh or normal yoghurt.

ENJOY!

HAPPY PANCAKE DAY!
Yaay;)
Pancake Tuesday is a day in February or March preceding Ash Wednesday (the first day of Lent), which is celebrated in some countries by consuming pancakes. In others, especially those where it is called Mardi Gras or some translation thereof, this is a carnival day, and also the last day of "fat eating" or "gorging" before the fasting period of Lent.This moveable festival is determined by Easter.(source: Wikipedia).
But let's go to recipe, right?
Prepare any ordinary tea cup and then mixer and some container that you can mix everything.(I'm using measuring dish/cup)
Now the ingredients:

• 1cup of plain flour
• 1 1/3 cup of milk
• 1 egg
• teaspoon of sugar
• pinch of salt

And that's it.
Mix everything and mix with a mixer for about 1-2 minutes.
Then when batter is ready fry on non stick frying pan. I don't use oil on mine but you can use a little drop. Up to You.
ENJOY!
P.S. That's the photo of ours but you can post in comments yours;)

Late night delicicious crime .... 

WARM PEAR AND WALNUT SALAD WITH GORGONZOLA 

So.. i had this craving for the past couple of days  (no I'm nor pregnant lol) for warm pear and walnut salad with Gorgonzola salad.

Because it was busy weekend for us I only manage to make it today...late evening.

Even though as we all know eating late is not good for you.

Anyway I made it and it was heaven in my mouth.

Usually when I have that inspiration to prepare some dish i like to check few similar recipe's either on internet or in my books. I've done that today but they all are making this cheese sauce or Mayo sauce with it and i didn't fancy anything like it.

So I made it like that....

Ingredients that you need:

• 2 slices of lettuce or portion of other crunchy salad (size depends of your hunger really, I used two around 1cm slices of lettuce)
• one pear - i love Conference pears, they don't look the best but if you buy it it's worth to keep it for couple of days until they ready, fabulously sweet and juicy!
• handful of  walnuts (you will have to toast it on dry frying pan for few minutes keep styring until you will see they get darker colour)
• croutons - I made mine from toasting slice of brown bread in a toaster and then cut it into small cubes)
• piece of Gorgonzola cheese (around 100 g)
• tea spoon of butter and oil ( i used sunflower oil)
• olive oil, balsamic glaze, salt, pepper, oregano  

that's how it looks like #nofilter

Preparation:

• wash your salad and cut into smaller pieces
• toast your walnuts and set aside
• prepare your croutons unless you have ready one
• slice your pears in half then de-seed it and cut into thin slices, you don't have to peel it, after that warm up your frying pan and melt butter and oil on medium heat, and fry gently your pears until soft
• now: pour a teaspoon of olive oil and teaspoon of balsamic glaze to your salad and add oregano and a pinch of salt and toss it together
• put slices of your warm pears on top of your salad nicely and evenly 
• crumble quickly with your fingers Gorgonzola cheese on top of warm pears so it can melt a bit
• and at the end sprinkle everything with your croutons and toasted walnuts
• e voila! ready to eat!

ENJOY!

Welcome! Welcome on my blog.
Yes, finally I made it.
As most of my friends on Facebook and Instagram realize i have a passion for food and cooking/experimenting.
I like to do everything from scratch.
I believe fresh ingredients will give you the best results in cooking.
I've been posting pictures of my food on my Instagram for a while now and everyone was telling me I should do blog so they can see exactly how to make it.
So let's hope I will have a time to do it as I'm mum of 2 very energetic and still relatively small kids so they occupy  almost all my time.
And I hope You will enjoy it all:)