Plum and Blackberry Muesli Crumble with Blackberry Sorbet

Yum Yum Yum!! I saw a great crumble recipe yesterday and decided to try it myself..but then I read the ingredients: 100 ml butter, flour, sugar... and I almost gave up. I wanted to make something similar but fat and sugar free. I had some frozen blackberries, fresh plums and muesli and that's when the idea hit me! This is a really easy recipe and very delicious also! It's great for kids as they'll love the colors, taste and texture. You can use other fruits as well; mango, peaches, nectarines, raspberries..anything! Unfortunately the muesli I had was not plain and it contained dry fruits; I recommend you to use plain muesli.

As you know crumbles go very well with ice cream. First, I wanted to make a lovely, sour grapefruit sorbet but then because of my laziness I changed my mind. I made a blackberry sorbet with the remaining frozen blackberries. It's better to try it with an ice cream with different flavor and color.

So, if you want a quick and healthy crumble dessert, this is just right for you!

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Creamy Mushroom Soup with Thyme & Garlic Flavored Baguette

You already know that I am a huge fan of creamy soups and that I also love mushrooms, so this combination is amazing for me! I was inspired by this recipe I found here and immediately decided to make it myself. As most creamy soups this is a very easy recipe, ready in less than half an hour so you won't spend a lot of time in the kitchen. The crispy flavorful baguettes go perfectly with this soup. You can also try croutons.

This recipe can also be vegan, just skip the yoghurt part. The taste will be pretty much the same. Yoghurt is great for garnish as it creates a lovely contrast and it also makes the soup whiter. I used homemade kefir which is really healthy if you don't use UHT and use only natural, hormone-free milk. If you want to know more about milk kefir I found this useful article here.  

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Organic foods. Better? Healthier?

It makes me very sad to see that everything in today's society is upside-down and chaotic. People should have the right of eating healthy and nutritious food and also should be completely informed about  the quality of the foods they're eating. Unfortunately most of the foods we find in supermarkets are unhealthy, some more than others, because they have been filled with growing hormones, pesticides and other dangerous substances just for the sake of increasing their quantity. The worst thing is that if you want to eat healthy and buy organic foods you'll have to pay extra. In this article I'll give you some tips on how to eat healthy on a budget in order to help you make the right choices. Hope it will help you!

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30-Minute Tuna & Veggies Pita Pizza

Pita Pizzas are my favorite! I don't like baking and I don't like making pizza dough so pita bread is just perfect for this. If you're in a hurry and you want to make a great snack, pita bread is what you need!

I made this tuna pizza last week for my non-veg friends. I didn't want to scare them with my all-veg-party so I decided to cook something for them also. This was a total success! It is so easy to make, I just threw the ingredients over the pita bread and the oven did all the work.

So, my dear non-veg readers, you should definitely try it! This is healthier than regular pizza and I'm sure you'll love how crispy and flavorful it is! Ah..and one more thing.. don't forget to add some corn also! I totally forgot about it. Enjoy!

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Healthy Whole Grain Cookies with Nuvia Cafe. Perfect Breakfast!

Cookies..oh I love this word..cookies with coffee for breakfast... even better! These cookies are healthy, delicious without being very sweet and go perfectly with coffee in the morning. I like them a lot because you can make a large batch and store them in the fridge. They're the perfect snack. Yummy and very filing too.

Now let me tell you about this new brand of coffee I tried recently. I'm not a huge coffee maniac but still.. I do enjoy a good cup of coffee for once in a while. What I like most about Nuvia Café is its flavor! Being healthier and all it's a plus of course (it contains Ganoderma, African Mango and Pomegranate extracts) but that's not what I like most about it. This Sumatran Arabica Coffee has an amazing strong flavor. It smells delicious also and it has a yummy, thick foam which I love. So, if you usually enjoy strong, flavorful coffee this is just right for you! Check out their website for more info!

Try the recipe below and tell me how it was. What other healthy snacks do you think go well with coffee? I'd love to try other recipes also :)

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Sweet & Healthy Zucchini Fritters with Vanilla Ice-cream and Apricots

Oh my! This is an awesome dessert that my mom made today! Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, sweet and flavored, hot and served with cold, melty ice-cream and sweet apricots...what more can I say?! Amazing combination!

You definitely have to try this! It's the healthier version because she used only 2 tablespoons of oil. Deep frying is forbidden! I also added two other ways to cook this in order to use less oil and make it even better!

You can use any type of ice-cream and fruits you like. I think vanilla goes best with this but it's your choice. Maybe if you add rum extract instead of vanilla, some chocolate ice-cream on top would be just heavenly!

Try it and let me know if you like this as much as I do!

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Veggie Soup with Semolina Dumplings

This is one of my favorite childhood lunch meals. A delicious veggie soup with dumplings was just perfect after an exhausting play time outside. My grandma and my mother used to make this. This is especially good when having a sore throat or a cold as it will instantly make you feel better. Semolina dumplings are very tasty and combined with flavorful carrot and sweet potatoes, this soup will become one of your favorites for sure!

Low fat, diet friendly and very filling, this recipe is a must-try!

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Stuffed Red Bell Peppers with Brown Rice and Mushrooms

I love stuffed veggies and I am also a huge fan of red bell peppers. Mom and grandma used to make this recipe but using ground meat as stuffing. If you want the stuffing to have a more meaty texture you should add more mushrooms and less rice.

Simple and easy, this recipe is just perfect for a family lunch. It’s very filling and healthy. Also, if you don’t mind some extra calories, you should pour some sour cream on top...mm..delicious!

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Potato and Carrot Caraway Flavored Creamy Soup

I am huge fan of creamy soups! My all time favorite is the Creamy Red Lentil Soup but this potato and caraway soup definitely occupies the second place.  I also love caraway seeds; did you know that caraway is great for digestion? Yes! If you experience some unwanted digestion problems all you need is to make yourself 2-3 cups/day of caraway tea and you'll start feeling a lot better.  Just add 1 tsp of caraway seeds in a cup of boiling water and infuse for 10 minutes. It is even better if you have ground caraway seeds.

About this delicious soup...well it's easy and fast to make! Yep..I love to cook but don't really enjoy spending lots of hours in the kitchen..especially in hot summer days.  All you need to do is quickly peel and rinse the veggies, cut in chunks and let them boil. Ready in less than 30 minutes, this soup is just perfect for summer - add some croutons and it will be even better!

Enjoy!

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Creamy Red Lentil Soup

I am a huge fan of lentil soup! It is one of my favorites but unfortunately I usually eat double or even triple servings! I really can’t get enough of it. This soup is just perfect for this season. You can eat it warm or cold. It is low calorie, diet friendly and really filling. I’m sure you’ll love it as much as I do.

If you don’t mind a few extra calories I recommend you to add some crunchy croutons. It’s just perfect!

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Guest Post by Debbie Lawrence from Chef2Chef: Peanut Butter Smoothie

 I love peanut butter! Salty and sweet in the same time...the perfect combination! I guarantee that you'll love this smoothie. I made it myself and took some photos so all of you could see how good it looks. It is so refreshing but filling at the same time. I recommend it for breakfast; it is ideal for those of you who are always in a hurry because it's ready in less than 3 minutes! 

Debbie Lawrence is a content editor for a student chef and culinary school blog at Chef2Chef.net.With an eye for design and a passion for baking, Debbie is currently researching top culinary schools in Georgia to further her career – and hopefully advance her cooking skills. You can find her on Twitter here or here.

If you’re a huge peanut butter fan like me – and I mean beyond the peanut butter sandwiches and peanut butter-honey English muffins – than you are in for a serious treat! I recently went to a beach town in Mexico where the touristy hotel tries to make “American-inspired” dishes to please their home-sick customers. One of these treats was a peanut butter smoothie that I fell in love with. Simple, delicious, and healthy, here is the recipe your taste buds will remember forever.

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Basic Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

I really don't understand why some people say they can't cook! Ok, I understand that not all of us are big fans of cooking but still... everybody should know how to cook at least basic stuff! What will you do when there's no mommy or daddy to cook for you? Or if your boyfriend/husband doesn't cook ('cause they're men and they have an excuse..)? You'll eat restaurant food all your life or starve to death? Or maybe eat junk food and sandwiches.. I don't want to sound mean but nobody asks you to be a master chef, at least try before you say 'I can't!'. 

I, for example, had to learn how to cook because my parents were working all day and sometimes there were only basic ingredients in the fridge. That's when I started experimenting and asking my mom how to do this, how to do that. I just watched and learned. 

That's why my recipes are easy, quick and healthy! I want to show you all that it is possible to eat healthy even with very little time. So I don't want to hear the "I don't have time to cook so I eat junk food instead." excuse, cause I know for a fact that you can make time for it! 

Now, about this recipe. EASY! I love stuffed mushrooms. Always yummy and ready in no time! This is the basic stuffed mushrooms recipe. It is very versatile so you can try any filling you want. Don't be afraid! Mix ingredients and invent new stuffings. By the way, I can't wait to try this stuffed with spinach and served with a wine flavored white sauce. Yum!

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Vegetarian Hungarian Paprikás (Vegetable Stew with Dumplings)

Hey foodies! I missed you so much! Sorry for the long, long break but I had so much work to do; 4 big websites in less than 2 weeks, yep.. no time for cooking. I've been eating eggs for breakfast and eggs again for lunch and dinner. I don't think I'll eat eggs for a long time now.

The recipe below was taught to me but my mom. It is a spicy Hungarian recipe that I love! My grandma used to make this when I was little but she added chicken also. The original recipe contains meat but this is the vegetarian, healthier version.

P.S.  ..if you need a website let me know! Here's my portfolio. My website is currently in construction because I want to change the whole design. 

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Hearty Veggie Soup – perfect for cold winter days!

 I was desperately craving for a delicious hearty soup to warm me inside out and so I decided to make this easy veggie soup which is just perfect for a snowy day! I guarantee you that you’ll love it! Even my boyfriend, who is very picky when it comes to soups, said that this was one of my best soup recipes.

This recipe is really easy to make. The only annoying part is when you have to peel the garlic cloves...arrrgh...I really hate it! But it’s worth it ‘cause you’ll love the subtle garlic flavor. Unfortunately I didn’t have any fresh herbs (that’s why I don’t like winter!! Less fresh veggies...) and I’m sure it would have been perfect with some fresh parsley on top. I also used some frozen celery leaves which are basically as good as fresh ones.

About the veggie mix... use any kind of veggie mix you like but try to use one that is as healthy as possible – low in salt and free of monoglutamate monosodium/ E621; It is ideal to have a homemade condiment mix so when the summer comes make sure you don’t forget to sundry some vegetables and prepare yourself an awesome-good-for-everything veggie mix :)

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Spicy Mussels with White Wine and Garlic Sauce

Ha ha! I’m not on a seafood diet but still.. it’s funny! I found this on pinterest and it immediately put a smile on my face. This awesome recipe is for my non-veg readers. It’s a healthy recipe which I’m sure you’ll love. 

First of all let me just say that this is not my recipe. Cooking seafood isn’t exactly my thing; I’m also not a very frequent seafood eater...a few times a year at most! This recipe was made by my dad. He likes cooking special recipes and he’s really good at it. It was just YUM and it is very easy to make, ready in half an hour!

Hope this recipe will remind you of warm, sunny days! Can't wait for winter to pass... but the snow outside doesn't look like it wants to go away very soon. 

Let me know if you like this recipe! Hugs!

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Stuffed Button Mushrooms with Garlicky Rice Noodles

Yum! Yum! I'm a huge mushrooms fan! I love their texture and how they can easily replace meat in your diet. High in proteins and low in calories, they're just perfect for anyone who wants to maintain a healthy lifestyle! Portobellos are my favorite because they're easy to cook and have a really a soft texture. 

Easy and diet-friendly, this recipe can be made by anyone. The stuffed mushrooms can be served as a main or side dish or even a party appetizer! The rice noodles are also really healthy and super-fast to cook! Just put some boiling water over them and they'll be ready in no time! The sauce although must have a strong flavor or else they'll be pretty tasteless.

Hope you'll like this recipe!  

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Vegetarian Serbian Rice Pilaf

Sorry for the long break dear foodies! I had lots of exams recently and no time for cooking. I made this recipe especially for those of you who are always on the run and want something healthy to eat. This recipe is ready really fast and feeds 8 people!  

What other ingredients do you use for rice pilafs? I love rice and I'd like to try different recipes as well.

Tips for cooking rice pilafs: How do you know how much water you need to add? Easy! 3 times the amount of rice.  It’s a 1:3 ratio. Also, boil the rice only for a couple of minutes then remove from heat and cover with a lid. This way it will absorb all the water and you’ll never have to worry again about burning the rice.

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Mushroom Crepes with Vegan/Vegetarian Sauce

YUM! I LOVE crepes! Ever since I was little and my grandma made me strawberry jam filled crepes I absolutely fell in love with this lovely dish. I love the salty version as much as I love the sweet one. This recipe has a special ingredient – corn! It has a crunchy and sweet delicate flavor which I’m sure you’ll like.

It’s an easy recipe, ideal for parties! This plate disappeared in no time and was very much appreciated. You’ll love the meaty and rich texture and the abundance of flavors. Garlic sauces are perfect for this recipe. Don’t worry because you’ll only feel a subtle garlic aroma; sour cream and tomatoes somehow neutralize the smell.

Enjoy!

 

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Tuna Stuffed Hard-Boiled Eggs

This is a very easy appetizer ready in less than 15 minutes. All you need to do is boil some eggs and mix some ingredients, then store in the fridge until the guests arrive. I made this for the New Year's Eve party and it was a success!

I don't eat fish and seafood very often; once or twice a year is enough for me. It is the only type of meat that I eat so that's why I can't say I'm 100% vegetarian. Anyways, I also made this appetizer because I had non-vegetarian guests and I had to feed them with something familiar to them. This was the only meaty recipe on the table.

So, all you non-veg. readers this recipe is for you!

Enjoy!

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Vegan, Low Fat "A La Russe" / Olivier Salad

This is a special recipe for me because I only eat this salad once a year! It's a tradition for us Romanians to make this salad on Christmas and New Year's Eve. The original recipe is Russian and contains meat but it's just as delicious without it.

I'm not a fan of mayo and I tried to make it as healthy as possible. The sour flavor of pickles blends perfectly with the sweetness of the corn, carrots and potatoes. The combination is just perfect.

I hope you like this simple and easy world-known recipe - now healthy!

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