Yogurt, Chia and Olive oil cake – Very quick and easy!

This cake is one of my new favourites because its easy, quick and very versatile.

you can adjust the recipe to whatever ingredients / version you have. It comes out so light and fluffy. the perfect “tea”  cake 🙂

So here you go:

1 1/2 cups full-fat yogurt (or any yogurt you have at home, really)
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 eggs
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 plenty tsp Chia  (optional)
Pinch  ground nutmeg
Pinch ground cinamon

Pre-Heat the oven to 180 C. Grease a Cake pan lightly with baking spray or oil, and line the bottom with baking paper. This cake recipe is for a big cake, so maybe a 9 inches or bigger.

Whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract.  you can do it manually. Add chia, stir.  Add baking powder, soda, salt, and nutmeg and cinamon right into the liquids and stir. Add the flour in batches and stir just until no lumps remain.

Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, covering with foil at the end if the top is browning. When a tester comes out clean, transfer the cake to a cooling rack and let it cool for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan.

Cake will keep well for several days if well wrapped.

First time I made, I was trying to make a 2 coloured cake, so I made 2 batches. one of them I added some cocoa powder, the other one I put one Apple cinamon chobani yogurt (as part of the yogurt ingredient), it was delicious as well.

I’m sure it will work out with different flavour oils and yogurts and mixtures.

enjoy!

 

Basil Pesto

Hey,


do you know how to make pesto?
it is so versatile, isn’t it? Ben (my hubby) loves pesto. He likes to spread it in his sandwich, or put it in salad, or in the pasta…Even in the chicken and pizza.


So here is a home made recipe for pesto that you can make at home:
To make 1 1/2 cup you will need:
2 cups basil leaves, coarsely chopped (preferably from your garden/balcony)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 cup (45g) toasted pine nuts
1/3 cup (35g) finely grated parmesan
1/2 cup (125ml) olive oil, plus extra

Method:

1. Place the basil, garlic, pine nuts and parmesan in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely chopped. (Alternatively, place ingredients in a mortar and pound with a pestle until well combined).
2. With the motor running, gradually add the oil in a thin, steady stream until well combined and a smooth paste forms. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Transfer to an airtight container and pour over a little extra oil to cover the pesto surface (this will prevent the basil from oxidising and turning black).

Image from Salt and Pepper blog

Empanadas Dough, now the original one

a while ago I published here Empanadas recipe. this recipe is more about how to cook the meat and assemble the empanadas.
Today I made some other empanadas. Bechamel, Ricotta and Corn, and Bechamel, Ricotta and Spinach and I made a dough that really reminds me to the ones from South America.
So here is the recipe:

To make around 30 to 33 3′ inches size empanadas “tapas” (Tapa is the dough, already cut in a circle shape)

Ingredients:
3 cups of all purpose flour, plus a little bit extra to roll the dough
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup cold water
1 egg
1 egg white (keep the egg yolk to brush the empanadas)
1 tsp wine vinegar
3 tbsp vegetable oil

Method:

In a large bowl, add 3 cups of flour and salt.Add the oil and with a whisker or a knife mix it until it gets very mixed.
in a small bowl, add water, egg, egg white, vinegar and whisk it.
Make a wheel in the middle of the flour bowl, and add the liquid ingredients in the middle. Whisk all the wet ingredients with a fork until it gets so hard you cant keep whisking it / mixing it.

Add the mixture to a floured surface and knead it until all the flour is incorporate it and the dough feels soft.  Wrap it with cling wrap plastic and put in the fridge from 1 to 12 hours. If you will use it after 12 hours (longer than 12 hours) freeze it.

Roll out the dough and cut your circles.
Put your favorite filling and egg brush it.
bake it at 180º d (160 fan forced) for around 20 minutes.

A light Calorie Hummus recipe without Tahini

I don’t know if I mentioned that before, but I’ve been researching a lot about Low Fat, Low calories, Low GI Recipes…translation: I need to let some kilos go (OUCH!!!)


I found this cute BLOG with a lot of recipes including the nutritional value and they are all very low numbers, if you know what I mean.


Other fact is that my husband loves Hummus. So here we go:


Hummus recipe that doesn’t require Tahini – 77 calories per portion.
You will need (for 12 portions)
420g can chick peas beans
1 garlic clove, cut in half
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice


Method:
 – Drain the chick peas beans and reserve the liquid.
 – Place the reserved bean liquid, garlic and sesame seeds in the food processor. Cover and blend on high speed until mixed.
 – Add the chick peas, salt and lemon juice. Cover and process on high speed until smooth.
 – add some paprika and olive oil if you wish (If you add olive oil, you will have more calories)
 – Serve as a spread with crackers, wedges of pita bread or raw vegetables.

and here is the PLUS: Nutritional value per 1 serve
Calories: 77
Total fat: 3.4 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 203 mg
Total carbs: 9.7 g
Fiber: 2.3 g
Protein: 2.8 g

Easy Bircher Muesli Recipe

Good Moooorning!
What is better than waking up for a healthy and delicious breakfast?
The other day, I explained here the difference between Muesli and Granola, and how easy it was to make it yourself.

So here it goes, an easy Bircher Muesli Recipe that is even better if made in advance (also because it takes a few hours to prepare it anyway)

• ingredients for 4 portions:
• 
  
• 2 cups rolled oats (regular, not quick cooking)
• 1  cups unsweetened apple juice
• 1 granny smith apple medium or small, coarsely grated
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted
• 1 small limes, juiced
• 3/4 cup thick, plain yoghurt (Find one without gelatine, to keep it vegetarian / kosher)
• 3/4 cup mixed fresh berries (we used blackberries, strawberries, raspberries)
• 1.5 tablespoons honey

Method

Place the  oats in a large bowl. Pour over apple juice to cover. Stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Just before serving, stir in apple, almonds, 1/4 cup lime juice, 80%  of the yogurt and 80% of the mixed berries.

Spoon muesli into bowls. Top with remaining yoghurt and mixed berries. Drizzle with honey. Serve immediately.

Empanadas si señor

Empanadas are a must try when any person goes to Argentina.

I learnt how to make them, with an Argentinean friend, when I used to live in Spain. But once I got here in Sydney, surprise surprise, couldn’t find empanadas Tapas (the already made and cut rounded dough, that only needs to be filled in and baked).
So I adapted.

Anyway, Empanadas are very similar to  pasties. The traditional ones are filled up with minced beef and here is my recipe.

For the Filling:
Ingredients
500kg good quality minced beef
Oil (no measure, to pan fry the onions, around 2 tbsp)
3 eggs
1 red capsicum – Cut very very little, like if it was a red chilli
2 brown onions chopped
2 cloves of garlic
Sugar (around a tbsp)
1 cup of green olives chopped ( I sometimes use olives filled with capsicum)
Salt and Pepper to taste
a pinch of cumin.
a pinch of paprika
1 Tbsp of Tomato Sauce (Ketchup)
a pinch of chilli (Optional)
50 g of sultanas (Optional)

Method  (By heart)

Your mince should look similar to that.

In a pan add water and the eggs and leave it to boil. We need the Hard boiled eggs. When it’s done, put it aside to cool down.
in the mean time, heat up the oil in a large pan in HIGH and put the garlic and onion.  Keep stirring and after 3 or 4 minutes add the sugar. The sugar will take out the acidity of the onion and give it a nice gold colour.
Add mince and keep stirring until its decently cooked. at some stage here add the Tomato Sauce, cumin and chilli.
If you think is too dry, you can always add a little bit of water while you are still cooking the meat.
Add rest of the ingredients and cook for another 3 or 4 minutes.
Take it away from the heat.

Cut the eggs in small pieces, add to the meat mixture and mix it well. Doesn’t require to go on the heat.

For the Dough


you can try one of these frozen sheets from the grocery store. Either Puff or Short crust. Cut in circles. or you can make it yourself:


Here is a suggestion: ( I will bring up other recipes soon)
1/2 flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 cup of water
50g of margarine
1 egg

Method:
In a bowl, put the flour sifter with Salt.  Add sugar and mix.
Make a hole in the middle and add the egg.
Heat the water and add the margarine and stir it until is melted.
Pour over the mixture. Mix quickly to form a soft dough.
Leave it for half and hour and then stretch it using a roll until the dough is thin.
Cut in Circles.

To assemble the Empanadas

Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees.

You will need a bowl with tap water to wet your hands.
and one egg or egg yolk, lightly beaten to brush the empanadas on the top (That’s optional flavourwise, but a good trick  for knowing when its ready)

If you have space, put the circle in a plain surface, otherwise, get your hand palm very slightly wet and place the dough circle in the middle.

Add the meat filling, around 2 TBSP

You will need to put the two “Ends” together now, to make it in a half circle shape.

You can make the “braidy” style or you can use a fork. It is important to use water to “glue” both ends.

Brush the beaten egg on the top to give that golden Aspect

Put it in the oven for around 20 minutes or until gold.

They can be frozen after cooked and to eat that can be even microwaved.

Basic Cookie Dough

From the amazing The Decorated Cookies here are some recipes of Basic Cookie Dough.

Here it goes:

Ingredients
1 cup (227g) of unsalted butter
1 cup confectioner sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cup of  flour
1 tsp of salt

Method
Cream the butter with the  sugar. Add egg and blend well. Add extracts and blend. 
Mix flour and salt in a separate bowl and gradually add to the mixture. 


Cover dough with plastic wrap (or Ziploc bag) and chill dough for about 2 hours. 
Working with about 1/3 of the batch at a time, briefly knead the chilled dough and roll about 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch thick. 
Cut out shapes. 
Bake cut out cookies on parchment lined baking trays at 190C for 12-14 minutes. 


Note: You can also freeze dough. After mixing, put dough in a Freezer ziploc bag (or wrap well) and freeze. Thaw overnight or for at least a few hours in the refrigerator in the ziploc bag. If too chilled to handle, let sit at room temperature for about 1/2 hour to 1 hour until it’s workable. Chilled is good, though, don’t let it get too mushy.

the 5 Minutes chocolate cake in a mug

What about that for a Saturday treat?

This  is sooo good.
And very easy to make.

Ingredients:
4 tbsp of flour
2 tbsp of sugar
4 tbsp chocolate powder / Cocoa
1 egg
3 tbsp of milk
3 tbsp of oil – Some people say use less oil to get less oil flavour. Its about making trials
3 tbsp of chocolate chips (Optional)
a small splash of vanilla extract
a Mug, obviously

Method:

1.	Add all dry ingredients to the mug, and mix well with a fork
2.	Crack the egg and add it to your mug. Be sure to mix it well to avoid any pockets of flour in the corners. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the vanilla essence. Mix it again.
3.	Pop your mug into the microwave & zap for 3 minutes on maximum power (1000watt). The cake will rise up over the top of the mug, but don’t be alarmed. Wait until the cake stops rising, and sets in the mug.
4.	If necessary, run a knife around the sides of the mug, and tip the still warm cake out of the mug and onto a saucer.

Very Easy Salad

Very easy Salad.
Is quite fancy but it’s so easy to make it. Ive been making it a couple of times a week.

Ingredients:
Rocket
pear
Granna Padana Cheese
Olive oil
Balsamic Vinegar

Method:
Are you serious?

🙂

Black Bean Burger Recipe with Cilantro-Lime Mayo

That recipe comes from CuisineNie

Burgers:

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse 4 slices stale or toasted whole wheat sandwich bread to form breadcrumbs. Pour into a bowl and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive or canola oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add 1 medium onion, chopped, and sauté until soft. Add 2 cloves garlic, minced, 2 tablespoons minced jalapeno pepper (membranes and seeds removed – unless you like more heat), and 1 teaspoon ground cumin. Saute for additional 2 minutes.

Scrape the mixture into the food processor. Add 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed, 1 ¼ cups cooked brown rice, 2 teaspoon fresh lime juice, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Pulse until the beans are chopped, but not pureed.

Scrape the black bean mixture into a large bowl. Add ½ of the breadcrumbs and ¼ cup chopped cilantro. Using a wooden spoon, stir the mixture until combined.

Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and form into patties. If the mixture is too moist to form patties, add more breadcrumbs. Place the patties on a baking sheet lined with plastic wrap and cover with additional plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour.

Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large skillet (preferably not nonstick, so a good crust can form) set over medium heat. Add the burgers and cook for 4 minutes per side.

Cilantro-Lime Mayo

In a small bowl, combine ½ cup mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro, and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Stir well.

Lightly toast 4 whole wheat buns. Spread 2 tablespoons cilantro-lime mayo on each bun, and top each with a black bean patty, 2 tablespoons crumbled cotija cheese (found in most supermarkets), 1 slice large tomato, and 3 slices avocado. Serve.