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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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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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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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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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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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!

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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!

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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 !

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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!

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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!

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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?

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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? :)

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Autumn in a plate - Oven Roasted Vegetables

I love roasted vegetables; so easy to make, so simple and yet so delicious. Of course raw vegetables are a lot healthier than cooked ones but sometimes you just need a hot meal right?! Anyway this dish is very healthy, low in calories, low in fat and also low in sodium, diet friendly and it is very filling too.

Did you know that unlike other fruits and vegetables, where nutritional content such as vitamin C is diminished upon cooking, processing of tomatoes increases the concentration of bioavailable lycopene. Lycopene in tomato paste is four times more bioavailable than in fresh tomatoes. For this reason, tomato sauce is a preferable source as opposed to raw tomatoes. If you don't know, lycopene is a powerful antioxidant and it has been considered a potential agent for prevention of some types of cancers.

Another great thing about this recipe is the combination of tastes and textures: sweet and salty, crunchy and soft...amazing! I also love the colors; the potatoes look like they were painted! It’s like having autumn in a plate!

Try it!

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Marinated Champignons with Lentils and Cashew Sauce

I love marinated mushrooms. And I love apple vinegar with honey! This recipe is the perfect combination of flavors. The acidic flavor of vinegar combined with the sweetness of cashew sauce blend magically. This dish is perfect for hot summer days; it is very light and refreshing.

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