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!

Continue Reading »

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.  

Continue Reading »

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!

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 »

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!

Continue Reading »

Semolina Pudding with Blueberry Jam

This is one of my favorite desserts of all time! It brings up so many childhood memories. My grandma used to make this very often. I used to eat it with homemade strawberry jam and it was absolutely heavenly! This dessert is very easy to make and all you need are four basic ingredients: semolina, milk, vanilla extract and jam.  I didn't add extra sugar because it doesn't need to be any sweeter.  You can eat this with any jam you like, strawberry, blueberry, plums...it goes well with any of them.

Enjoy!

Continue Reading »

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!

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 »

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 :)

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 »

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!

Continue Reading »

Happy New Year!

Hello 2012!

2011 was an important year for me. I went through some pretty drastic changes and I am very grateful for that.  The most important was that I chose to be vegetarian and this decision changed my whole perspective on life. Also, I started blogging and writing a book; I would have never thought I would ever do this, but here I am ...a whole new me!

Hope you all had a beautiful year full of accomplishments and most of all I hope that 2012 will be an even better year!

Wish you all a great year full of love, health and happiness!  May all your wishes come true!

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 »

Eggnog and Gingerbread Cookies for Christmas, by Ligia's Kitchen

Ligia Pop is the promoter of the raw food diet in Romania, author, raw chef and host of the show  “Ligia’s Kitchen®” which has 21 episodes so far. She is also the founder and organizer of the national “Raw Generation®”  fair and “Romania Goes Raw” movement. Ligia has published three books to date about raw food and an innovative piano method. She is also a piano teacher licensed by the University of Arts "George Enescu", Iasi.

·            “Retete Vegane Fara Foc“  - Raw vegan recipes

·           “Germeni si Vlastari, Surse de Sanatate si Energie” - Sprouts - Health and Energy sources 

·           “Deserturi pentru Parinti si Copii Sanatosi” - Desserts for Healthy Parents and Children

·           “Pasi in Lumea Muzicii” - Steps into the music world

      Ligia Pop's website is what determined me to start my own blog. I learned many interesting things about how to have a healthy lifestyle and what I should or should not eat. I don't have a 100% raw diet but eating raw from time to time is good for everyone. 
      If you love eating healthy desserts and not feeling guilty after you should check her awesome dessert recipes which I personally love, at Ligia's Kitchen !

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 »

Finger Lickin' Good Stewed Quince Dessert

Hello everybody! Sorry for the long break but I had a stressful week. I've been really busy with school these days; lots of deadlines and hard projects to finish and no time for cooking. Fortunately mom saved me again! She cooked this wonderful hot dessert this morning and made my day a lot better.

I can't say I'm a huge fan of quinces. I don't like them raw but cooked are absolutely amazing! This is a very easy dessert and the abundance of flavors will amaze you! It is perfect for this season.

Do you know other ways to cook quinces? I'd love to try different hot desserts using this lovely fruit. Looking forward to your comments!

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 »

Pumpkin Cake - The ideal dessert for a sunny autumn day

This is the first time I use pumpkin in a dessert and I am absolutely in love with it! I found the recipe on this website and because I had a big slice of pumpkin in the fridge, I decided to try it! I changed a few ingredients and also modified the quantities because I wanted to make a bigger cake.

This is a must-try dessert and it's very easy! Your steam oven will do all the work. If you don't have a steam oven you can bake it or use a steamer.

You'll love the creamy texture with a subtle pumpkin and coconut aroma.

Hope you'll like it. It's delicious and healthy!

P.S. What do you think about that wonderful leaf in the last photo? I found it while strolling in the park. It illustrates autumn perfectly!

Continue Reading »