vegetarian

Autumn, falling leaves and vibrant colours

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The last thing published was some half year ago. I was gone for a while, trying to finish my studies. I was too close to quit, but just couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. That’s when a friend whom I haven’t seen for ages told me “you’ll make it, but you’ll really have to work your ass off this summer.”

I gave up all my hobbies (and of course accidentially got into some new ones) and finished my both masters. I did it. I was happy, but there was a bitter taste of that feeling of time lost. Winter turned into spring, spring into summer, summer into fall. I suddenly had no memory of things that happened in between. I did not feel, I did not see the beauty of the change. I was lost.

Few days ago I was walking down the street and realized that trees have dropped all of the leaves. Looking at the gray misty sky, I felt a soft, colourful, leafy carpet under my feet. I made a deep breath. I could smell winter. And I realized I started to feel myself again.

pumpkin-potato-soup

Sweet potato and pumpkin soup

Ingredients (serves 3 – 4):

  • 1 sweet potato (400g aprox.)
  • 1 big hokkaido squash
  • 2 big shallots
  • 500 ml milk
  • 150 ml cooking cream
  • water or vegetable stock as needed
  • salt, pepper
  • oil for baking
  • nutmeg
  • 400g oyster mushrooms
  • half garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 200g tofu (I used ginger carrot tofu from I Like Tofu)
  • 100g buckwheat noodles
  • fresh parsley
  • pink peppercorns

Preparation:

  1. Preheat oven at 220ºC. Wash, peel and cut sweet potato, squash and shallots. Transfer on a baking tray, sprinkle with salt and oil. Bake until soft (aprox. 40 mins).
  2. When baked, combine all the vegetables, milk and cream and blend until smooth and creamy. If needed, add some water or vegetable stock (depending on the thickness you prefer). Transfer on stove and heat up by stiring. Add some nutmeg, ground pepper and salt, if needed.
  3. Meanwhile, cut tofu and mushrooms. Heat some oil in two seperate pans. Stir fry both separately. Add some salt, pepper and chopped garlic to the mushrooms.
  4. Heat the water and cook the noodles.
  5. Serve the soup in a bowl, topping it with some noodles, mushrooms and tofu. Sprinkle with pink peppercorns and fres parsley leaves.

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Blueberry coconut pancakes

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blueberry

I never understood why would anyone put perfectly fresh and sweet blueberries in the pancake batter. That sounded completely irrational. Cooking fresh berries. Right.

I was probably really hungry the last time I went to the store. I came home with almost a kilo of blueberries. So, I decided to make some blueberry pancakes… OMG! When those blueberrues start popping in your mouth it’s like…

From now on I’m having my pancakes with blueberries!

Ingredients (makes aprox 11 – 12 flapjacks):

  • 1 big egg
  • 20 g rolled oats
  • 10 g coconut flour
  • 10 g coconut flakes
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla protein (optional)*
  • 1/2 Tbsp linseed
  • 2 Tbsp Perfect Fit (sweetener)*
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • milk
  • 1 big handful fresh blueberries
  • coconut oil for baking
  • greek yogurt & fresh blueberries to garnish

* I make my own vanilla protein mix: ground vanilla & 50% rice – 50% pea protein
* I’m using Perfect Fit sweetener as I can’t eat sugar. It replaces 100% sugar and 50% fat (avaliable in Spar and VitaCare)

Preparation:

  1. Put rolled oats, coconut flour, coconut flakes and linseed in a cofee grinder and mix to get a flour like consistency.
  2. Transfer to a bowl, add Perfect Fit sweetener and baking powder and mix.
  3. Add an egg an mix altogether until smooth. Start gradually adding milk – the batter shouldn’t be too liquid. Add fresh blueberries.
  4. Set aside for 5 – 10 mins.
  5. Spread some coconut oil over the pan. Use 1 Tbsp of batter for each pancake.
  6. Serve with greek yogurt and fresh blueberries.

Cashew & sundried tomato spread

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cashew tomato spread-2

This is  ❤ ❤ ❤

Ingredients

    • 60 g raw cashew nuts
    • 140 g sundried tomatoes (drained, in oil)
    • 3 – 4 small capers
    • 1/4 of tsp garlic
    • salt and lemon juice to taste
    • add water if you prefer it more spreadable
    • bunch of cherry tomatoes
    • olive oil
    • basil leaves to garnish
    • rye crackers

Preparation

    1. Soak cashews for couple of hours, preferably overnight.
    2. Oven roast tomatoes: sprinkle with olive oil and salt. Bake at 200ºC vent for 30 – 40 mins.
    3. Mix soaked cashews, sundried tomatoes, salt, capers, garlic and lemon juice using a food processor.
    4. Serve with rye crackers. Garnish with roasted cherry tomatoes and basil leaves.
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cashew tomato spread

Easter, bread and sunshine

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pleteničke

First really warm spring sunny days made me think of summer. It’s approaching so quickly. Two, three months. I’m counting my days by the pages I’ve written. By the books waiting to be read. A morning. An afternoon. A night. Whole day. Day by day. And one month has past. One month after another. Where have they gone?

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After today’s four hour Easter breakfast at my grans I’ve been wondering why can’t we just have a normal coffee & cereals breakfast… Too much of everything. Except for bread…
The base. The life. Nothing more. Just people to share it. Braids, easter buns and potica. It’s a part of our tradition. And this year I let the real masters in our family do the thing.
I went for something else. Simple. Savory. The best to be shared with the people you love. Bread.

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dough*:

  • 40 g fresh yeast
  • 350 g plain flour T500
  • 150 g wholegrain spelt flour
  • 10 g salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 120 g butter at room temperature
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 150 -170 ml milk
  • 1 egg for egg wash

preparation:

  1. Prepare yeast: crumble the yeast, mix with 50 ml of warm milk and 1 tsp of honey. Let double in size.
  2. Mix both flours and salt. Add the yeat mixture, beaten eggs, butter and the rest of the milk (depending on the flour you will need more or less of it, so add some 100 ml at first and then you’ll see if it needs more). Mix and work the dough. It takes some 8 – 10 mins. It should be very soft, but not sticky. Form a ball and transfer to a bowl sprinkled with flour. Let rise.
  3. Divide the dough in three parts if making three different fillings* (check below). Roll out to about 0,5 cm thick into a rectangle. Spread one of the fillings, leaving aprox 2 cm blank on one side of the dough. Roll. Use sharp knife to cut lenghtwise. Open each side facing up and make a braid. Transfer to a baking tray and let rise.
  4. Meanwhile preheat oven at 220ºC. Before putting the braids into the oven, brush with egg wash. Bake for 10 mins, then turn the tin and bake for another 10 mins. Reduce the heat to 190ºC and bake for aprox another 10 mins.

* this was enough for 3 braids

 

filling*:

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1. Brie & pecans

  • 200 g of brie cut into pieces
  • 3 handfuls of roughly crushed pecans

Sprinkle equally over the dough.

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2. Black olive pesto

  • 250 g pitted black olives
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil

Mix everything into a smooth paste using a food processor.

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3. Sundried tomatoes & mediterranean herbs

  • 200 g sundried tomatoes (from oil, drained)
  • 5 small capers
  • 2 tbsp dried mediterranean herbs
  • 1 big garlic clove

Mix everything into a smooth paste using a food processor.

 

Sometimes all you need is a piece of pie. And not the best photo.

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chestnut pie

There are days when you’re just an emotional wreck and the only thing you wish is to stay in bed for the whole weekend. Well, this is what my weekend looked like. It was slept over. And in those rare moments of awakeness, all I was longing for was a good piece of pie. Chocolate pie. So I made the pie. And I didn’t care a bit about taking any proper photos. Sorry. Sometimes it’s just more important to get your hands on that pie.

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As I’m about to publish this, all my worries away, I’m guessing this chocolate therapy has really helped. I’m celebrating. Sipping a glass of chilled bubbles. Enjoying the last piece of pie. Smiling. I’m not done with my studies yet, but I just made a huge step forward. Cheers to that!

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CHOCOLATE CHESTNUT PIE WITH PEANUT BUTTER AND SPECULOOS CRUST

Ingredients*

for the crust:

for the filling

  • 4 Tbsp peanut butter
  • 300 g chestnut puree
  • almond milk
  • 1 Tbsp raw cocoa powder
  • 5 Tbsp cognac
  • 1 Tbsp sweetener (I used sucralose)
  • 100 g dark chocolate (60 % min)

for ganache

  • 65 g dark chocolate (60% min)
  • 50 g liquid cream or coconut milk
  • 1 big Tbsp raw cocoa powder

* By using any vegan cookies and replacing butter for coconut oil, and liquid cream for coconut milk you will get yourself a VEGAN version! 🙂
** You can also use speculoos cookies instead. I used Balance cookies because they are sugar free. And if you replace them with any gluten free cookies, you will have a GLUTEN FREE pie.

Preparation:

  1. Crumble the cookies in the food processor. Add butter or coconut oil for vegan version. Pulse until well combined then gradually add some almond milk (just to get the dough sticky enough to combine all the ingredients). Place in a pie mold and spread evenly. The best would be using a mold with removable bottom.
  2. Chestnut chocolate cream: mix chestnut puree or peeled cooked chestnuts, 1tablespoon of cocoa powder, 5 tablespoons of Cognac (at least!), sweetener of your choice and some almond milk into a smooth puree using a food processor. Add as much almond milk as needed to obtain a smooth and solid (not liquid!) cream.
  3. Melt chocolate over a double boiler and add to chestnut cream. Mix well using a food processor.
  4. Spread peanut butter over the pie crust. Add chestnut chocolate cream and spread evenly.
  5. Melt some chocolate and liquid cream or coconut milk plus one big tablespoon of cocoa powder over a double boiler. Add on top of the pie.
  6. Let cool and place the pie in a fridge overnight.

Buckwheat pie with beets and red onion – GF

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beet pie-2

Buckwheat pie with beets and red onion

Ingredients:
dough:
• 375 g buckwheat flour
• 125 g butter
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp baking powder
•5 to 6 Tbsp water

filling:
• 4 to 5 red onions
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• salt
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp balsamic glaze (or aged balsamic vinegar)
• 2,5 dl red wine (like cabernet, merlot)
• 400 g raw grated red beet
• 1 big garlic pod
• 3 eggs
• 40 ml cooking cream
• 70 g feta
• fresh thyme
• salt, pepper
• handful of walnuts
• feta, fresh mint and thyme to garnish

Preparation:

  1. Dough: mix flour, salt and baking powder. Add cold butter cut in cubes. Mix evenly with fingers. Add water. Kneed and form a ball. Place in the fridge for at least an hour.
  2. Chop onions. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil, add chopped onions and stir fry for 1 – 2 mins. Add salt and continue stirring. Than add butter and balsamic glaze. Cover for couple of minutes and continue cooking. Start adding the wine, but not all at once. Keep sauteing until wine has evaporated and onions softened.
  3. Grate raw beets. In a big bowl mix grated beets, sauted onions, chopped garlic, eggs and cooking cream. Add feta and thyme. Salt and pepper according to taste.
  4. Take the dough out of the fridge. Roll out in between two sheets of baking paper. Remove the upper sheet of paper and transfer the dough to a pie mold. Bake in preheated vent oven for 5 mins at 190 °C.
  5. Take the dough out of the oven, add the filling and garnish with feta and walnuts in the middle. Put back in the oven and bake for 30 – 35 mins at  190 °C.
  6. When baked, garnish with fresh mint and thyme.

beet pie

This recipe was made for Spar Slovenija and their magazine Dobro zame.

Rainy days and misty mornings…

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fig chia pudding-5

Autumn. It has really started now. You know it for sure, when there’s no sun in the morning. Just gray mist flowing above the city. And rain. Gray, misty, humid. And calm. No kids runing around and playing on the street. Nothing exciting, noting worth getting up actually. I could easily stay in my bed for the rest of the day. With a good book and a cup of tea, listening to the rain touching the ground…

But I have to get up… First thing: coffee. Second thing: breakfast. I always take time for my breakfast. And coffee. It’s a ritual and the most important meal of the day. It starts the engine so it really has to be something good for the body and the soul (I mean for my eyes).

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In the morning your body needs energy. Lots of it. So eating fruit in the morning is the right way to start the day. Fresh figs. They’ve been collecting the sun rays all the summer to rejoice with their sweetness in the fall.

There are bananas and there are frozen bananas. I’ve been going mad for banana ice-ceream this summer. It’s basically just mixing frozen bananas in food processor until they turn into a smooth and creamy ice-cream.  With a spoon of peanut butter and coconut you’ve got yourself a pure sugar free magic! But that’s for some other time…

And last but not the least, with this rainy and much colder days ahead, you need to boost your body and prepare it for the winter. A spoon of bee pollen a day makes miracles. And brings the sunshine to your day!

Be good people and start your day the right way!
xoxo

fig chia pudding
Chia pudding with coconut and frozen banana

Ingredients

chia pudding:

  • 500 ml plain yogurt
  • 2 frozen bananas
  • 4 Tbsp ground coconut
  • ½ vanilla pod
  • 8 Tbsp chia seeds

to garnish:

  • handful of frozen raspberries
  • 2 figs
  • 2 tsp bee pollen

Preparation:

  1. Finely grind coconut using a coffee grinder.
  2. Mix yogurt, vanilla, chia seeds and coconut. Let sit overnight in the fridge.
  3. Peel bananas and let freeze overnigh in the freezer.
  4. Next day, mix bananas and chia yogurt by using a food processor, blender or hand mixer.
  5. Divide in glasses, sprinkle with frozen raspberries, fresh figs and bee pollen.

Raspberry & greek yogurt cheesecake

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raspb cheesecake-12

Thinking of all the things that have happened in last two years since I got diabetes kinda makes my head spin. And it actually did turn my life upside down. I guess it was ment to be. As that happened I decided to only do things I enjoy doing. Life is too short to waste it on things that are not important. Since, I have never been happier.

If you want changes in your life, you have to get out of your comfort zone. Act differently as you normally would. And follow things you love. And basically this is how the idea for a new culinary magazine Radegunda started, according to Polona Klančnik.

I couldn’t be happier meeting people who have decided to take control over their life, leave all the burdens behind and start something new and exciting. Creative, happy and satisfied looking towards the new adventures.

Creating a new culinary magazine will most definitely be very interesting and exciting adventure. As thing are set, I am sure that the stories it will write and the people it will present, will get the readers hungry for more.

Polona, Mateja, Kristina, Tamara, Polona, of course, Radegunda, I wish you all the best!

Now get your magazine, where besides this recipe you will find all sorts of interesting and delicious stories!

xoxo

raspb cheesecake
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Ingredients:

crust

  • 40 g pitted dates
  • juice of 2 oranges
  • 80 g ground rolled oats
  • 200 g almonds
  • 2 Tbsp ground chia
  • 2 Tspb coconut flour

filling

  • 1 kg greek yogurt
  • 150 g coconut butter
  • 300 g raspberries
  • grated dark chocolate
  • mint leaves
  • 6 tsp sucralose or stevia
  • peel of 3 organic lemons

Preparation:

  1. Drain greek yoghurt: put a cheesecloth into a strainer and place over a large bowl into which you will collect excess water from yoghurt. Pour in your greek yoghurt, put into the fridge overnight. The longer it drains the firmer it gets.
  2. Coconut butter: blend shreded coconut (at least 400g) until they turn into a liquid and smooth coconut butter. You can use coconut oil instead. For details check here.
  3. Using a cofee grinder, grind rolled oats and chia seeds into a flour consistency.
  4. In a food processor mix dates and almonds. Add rolled oata, chia coconut flour and juice of two oranges. Mix once more to combine all the ingredients.
  5. Line a 24cm cake ring with baking paper. Add the crust mixture and press well to form an even bottom.
  6. Mix drained greek yogurt, peel of three organic lemons and a sweetener of your choice. Than add liquid coconut butter or coconut oil while mixing.
  7. Spread two tablespoons of yogurt mixture over the cake crust. Evenly add a layer of raspberries and greated chocolate. Pour over the rest of the yogurt mixture
  8. Let set in the fridge for at least 6 – 7 h, the best overnight.
  9. Decorate with raspberries, chocolate chunks and mint leaves.

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Fig galette

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fig galette

I’ve been just too busy lately, so I’m leaving you with this. Makes a perfect combo with a glass of cold prosecco. And (I actually can’t believe I’m saying this since it’s like 35ºc outside) is totally worth of heating up the kitchen.

Be good!
Lots of ice cold Prosecco!
And enjoy the summer!

xo

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Ingredients

crust:

  • 100 g wholegrain spelt flour
  • 50 g butter
  • 40 g ground walnuts
  • 1 egg
  • pinch of salt

filling:

  • 4 – 5 big figs
  • 80 g sheep’s milk cheese
  • 3 Tbsp balsamic glaze
  • salt
  • fresh thyme
  • two handfuls walnuts

Preparation:

  1. Mix flour, ground walnuts and salt. Add cubes of cold butter and mix evenly. Add and egg. Wrap in plastic foil and let sit in the fridge for 30 mins to 1 hour.
  2. Roll out the dough between two sheets of baking paper.
  3. Cut figs and cheese. Put in the middle of the dough, sprinkle with salt, fresh thyme, balsamic glaze and roughly crushed walnuts. Fold in the dough.
  4. Bake at vent option at 190ºC until cheese is lightly browned (about 20 – 25 mins).

Strawberry galette

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jagodna pita-9

It’s been three years since I’ve started my balcony garden. It had its ups and downs. Tomatoes, cucumbers, paprikas, herbs and spinach all worked well, but there were some serious fails with pumpkins and artichokes. And strawberries weren’t any success either so far. I wasn’t even planing to plant them this year but something was telling me I should…

jagodna pita

And it turned out to be a good decision, because this year I indeed have strawberries growing at my balcony! They are absolutely delicious, and to be honest, they went straight to my yoghurt in the morning. I would not dare to cook them. But they did inspire me to make this strawberry galette.

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Ingredients

crust:

  • 60 g rolled oats
  • 50 g wholegrain spelt flour
  • 80 g shredded coconut
  • 45 g cold butter
  • 1 Tbsp agave syrup or honey
  • 1 egg yolk
  • pinch of salt
  • 30 ml cold water (or more if needed)

filling:

  • 300 – 350 g strawberries
  • 3 Tbsp chia
  • 1 big Tbsp strawberry jam (I used 100% fruit content jam)
  • 1/2 of vanilla pod
  • 1 – 2 Tbsp stevia or sucralose

Preparation:

  1. Grind rolled oats and coconut in coffee grinder to obtain flour consistency.
  2. Mix all the flours and salt, than add cold butter and mix evenly. Add agave syrup or honey and egg yolk. Mix and add water as needed. Form a ball, wrap it in plastic foil and let sit in the fridge for 30 mins.
  3. Cut strawberries in half. Mix all the ingredients for filling.
  4. Take the dough out of the fridge. Roll it out in between two sheets of baking paper. Put all the filling in the middle and fold the ends inwards.
  5. Bake for 25 – 35 mins at 180ºc.
  6. Sprinkle with mint leaves. And yes… vanilla ice cream is always a good idea!

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