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!

Continue Reading »

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!

Continue Reading »

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!

Continue Reading »

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. 

Continue Reading »

Potato and Carrot Stew

I'm a parsley maniac! Yes I am! I eat parsley in HUGE quantities and not just as garnish. I sometimes eat it just as it is...chop it, put it in a bowl..Tadaa! Parsley Salad! Parsley is very healthy. Did you know that parsley contains 4 times more vitamin C than citrus fruits? The ideal vitamin C provider.

Mom is just the perfect comfort food cook. She always makes delicious meals that are quick, easy  and even more..they're healthy! I'm glad I learned from her these wonderful recipes. This is a great meal for a family dinner/lunch. Vegs or non-vegs..your family will love it!

P.S. Can't wait for all those awesome green veggies to appear! I have a huge list of recipes that I'll love to share with you. So...Spring! Hurry up! Don't want to see any more snow outside! 

Continue Reading »

Grandma's Spaghetti and Cheese Pudding

 

Hey foodies! I present you today my grandma's pasta pudding recipe which I'm sure you'll love. This is a vegetarian recipe which is not that diet-friendly but still it's a comfort food which you can indulge yourself once in a while.  

I don't normally eat cheese. I mean it rarely happens...only when I don't have anything else to eat (mostly on family dinners). My grandma recently gave up trying to feed me meat but there's a really long way to go until she'll understand that I don't eat dairy products also (well, at least avoid them as much as I can).  

This is a really delicious recipe; you'll have a hard time trying to resist eating all the pudding!

Enjoy!

P.S. The weather is finally better here. Sun is shining and at least you won't freeze to death when you stay more then 20 minutes outside! Ha ha! Here's a pic with one of the cute seagulls that I feed at my window. See..he's happy too :))

Continue Reading »

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!

Continue Reading »

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!  

Continue Reading »

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.

Continue Reading »

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!

 

Continue Reading »

Vegetarian Mushroom and Brown Rice Dolmas

First of all let me tell you what dolmas are . Dolmas are grape leaves traditionally stuffed with a mixture of rice and meat and then cooked. They are a Middle Eastern and Mediterranean specialty and are served as appetizers. The vegetarian ones are usually served cold and the ones with meat warm.

 I prefer them warm and served as a main dish with a tasty sauce on top. If you are vegan you can try a tomato based sauce and if you are vegetarian some sour cream (+ garlic - optional) on top will make these dolmas just perfect.  

Unfortunately I didn't count them before I put them in the oven and now once they're ready it's pretty impossible to do it. I think I made about 30 dolmas but this is only an approximation.  

Enjoy this healthy and delicious low calorie meal!

Continue Reading »

Oyster Mushroom Spaghetti with Tomato and Basil Sauce

I am a huge pasta fan! I try to make pasta dishes as healthy as possible because we all know that eating too much pasta is not good for our weight.  

This is a very easy spaghetti recipe. You'll love how all the flavors blend in together. The wine's pleasant aroma and the mushrooms' meaty texture are two things that I love most about this recipe.

Enjoy!

Continue Reading »

Delicious Vegan Whole Wheat Lasagna with Mushrooms

This dish is one of my favorites so far. I didn't think it will be so good but trust me it's even better than the original meat lasagna.

The wonderful thing about using mushrooms for lasagna is that mushrooms provide a richness and meaty texture that makes most people not miss the meat at all.

I substituted the shredded cheese on top that is usually sprinkled over lasagna with a lovely flavorful tomato and basil sauce. The combination is awesome and you won't miss the cheesy texture. Of course, if you have some vegan cheese you can use it but unfortunately it can't be found here.

You definitely must try this! You'll love it !

Continue Reading »

Stuffed Aubergines with Garlic Sauce

Aubergines...it sounds so sophisticated doesn't it? Any word with a French origin sounds so sumptuous. Anyways, this is not a difficult French recipe. It's easy, healthy and made by Mom!

This recipe is simply WOW! Mom is getting better and better at cooking vegan dishes and I must say this is one of her top best recipes! I just couldn't get enough of it.

The garlic sauce is great also. The lovely flavor blends perfectly with the roasted eggplants.

Way to go Mom!

This recipe is simple, easy and looks great. I love how all the colors blend together. Try it and let me know if you liked it as much as I did. I'm sure you will!

Continue Reading »

The Perfect Butter Beans Stew

This dish goes straight to the first place in my favorite foods list! It is absolutely perfect! I like beans a lot and I have tried different recipes but this one has the ideal combination of flavors. I know, I know I'm bragging but still...you have to try it and you'll see that I'm right.

Use dry butter beans! Don't cheat and use canned ones because I don't guarantee that the taste and texture will be same.

Continue Reading »

Leek and Black Olives Stew

This is one of my favorite dishes. I love onion and I love leeks even more, so for me it's the perfect combination. Be careful though when you prepare the leeks because they have to be rinsed very well. Dirt usually hides under their leaves and if you don't like the taste of sand in your food, be patient and clean them thoroughly.

I remember the first time I cooked this dish, it was delicious but unfortunately I didn't know that leeks have to be carefully rinsed and an unwanted extra-ingredient was added to my meal. Now, because I really lack of patience, I always ask my mom to help me and rinse the leeks.

This dish is perfect for those of you who are on a diet. It's low in calories and high in vitamins, very tasty and easy to make.

Enjoy!

Continue Reading »

Pickled Cabbage Rolls with Mushroom and Brown Rice Stuffing

I absolutely love cabbage rolls and every time I eat this wonderful dish I think of Christmas. This is the vegan version of the Romanian traditional dish "sarmale" which usually contains ground pork/beef meat. 

Another thing that I love about this recipe is that it gets better with time! Yes! It gets better and tastier every time you re-heat it.

Try it and let me know if you like this vegan version rather than the original recipe. I do!

Continue Reading »

Basil Tagliatelle with Roasted Red Bell Pepper Salad

Today I bought some delicious healthy pasta - whole wheat tagliatelle with basil. I was very curious to see how they taste but in the same time I really wanted to make a roasted red bell pepper salad, because I was craving for it for a very long time. I decided to combine them and make a main dish salad. It was a great decision! All flavors blend together perfectly!

You'll definitely like this light, colorful and savory salad. Enjoy!

Continue Reading »

Brown Rice Mushroom Pilaf

This is one of my favorite dishes. I love everything about it, texture, flavors, you name it. It is so simple and yet so tasty. I usually eat this with a big bunch of chopped parsley on top because I’m such a parsley lover and this combination seems perfect to me.

Another great thing is that it doesn’t take much time to make; you just throw there some ingredients and let the fire to its job. Unfortunately I don’t have as much time as I’d like to spend in the kitchen and I know that most of you are in the same situation as I am, that’s why I want to show you simple, quick and healthy recipes.

Do you know other brown rice pilaf recipes? I only tried it with mushrooms or chicken (when I wasn’t vegetarian). Do you think that this will work with other veggies as well but still maintain its smooth texture?

Continue Reading »

Vegetarian Mushroom Shepherd's Pie - with vegan version

This dish is an absolutely must-try for all of you vegans/vegetarians who sometimes miss the taste of meat. This recipe was made by my mom, who is eating less and less meat and she's trying to "vegetarianize" all recipes that she cooks. I'm am so happy that I succeeded in changing  my parents' eating habits even just a little.

Yes, this recipe takes a little longer to prepare but it is definitely worth it! Try it and let me know if you liked it as much as I did.

BIG DILEMMA! What is the most suitable name for this recipe? Some people told me that this is pastistio, others told me it is more like a vegetarian shepherd's pie and now I'm a bit confused because the Romanian moussaka recipe contains meat and no eggplants like the Greek one does and that is the reason why I called it a "moussaka". Any ideas? :)

Continue Reading »