I'm back, I think.

things are tough but I should suck it up.

stop feeling so overwhelmed all the time.

stop feeling so stuck in a cage.

I cooked and cooked and I have recipes to come.

Winter Salad

I'm putting aside, not too unwillingly if I might say, my text books to write this post. I have been studying everyday of my winter break in the hope of catching up with my classmates. coming back home from a few months abroad is never easy. but I'm not complaining, I actually enjoy studying.

sometimes.

what I enjoy most, is definitely stopping at 12.30 am to cook lunch. I have been feeling so inspired and creative! I'd like to share with you this recipe I've created (even though, I'm sure that out there so many people eat this already). I like it because it's delicious, healthy and very fast to make, if you plan ahead.

you'll need:
cooked pumpkin, cubed
frozen fava beans
celery, diced
an onion, diced

now, I almost never buy frozen vegetables and never frozen fruit. sorry, it just feels a bit wrong! but the fava beans are otherwise really a pain in the butt to cook (you have to boil them and then peel them one at the time!). if they're frozen, they're much less time consuming.
as for the pumpkin, you'll only need to clean it and dice it, then either steam it or roast it.

roast the pumpkin, the celery and the onion for about 20 minutes, when you see the edges brown a little bit. before putting them in the oven, drizzle the celery and onion with a little bit of olive oil. remember to toss them around every now and then. meanwhile, bring some water to a boil, salt it and throw in as many fava beans as you like. let them cook 6-8 minutes, from when the water starts boiling. take a bowl you love, throw everything together. if you like, add some olive oil, salt and pepper (am I the only one who eats vegetables completely plain?).

and there you have it, a heartwarming, winter salad.

I'm no nutritionist, but these ingredients are so healthy! fava beans are a very nutrient-dense food: they are filled with protein, fiber, vitamins, iron, copper, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium. pumpkin is also loaded with vitamins and antioxidants. celery, in my opinion, is delicious!

now, let's get back to studying...

Almost Vegan Clementine Cupcakes

first of all: happy New Year!
how have your first days of 2012 been? for me it involved a lot of digesting: it's incredible the amount of food I was able to fit in my belly on New Year's Eve. and the first. and yesterday. I'm hoping to give my stomach a rest soon, but celebrations keep getting in the way!

just NOT to help with the current too-much-food-situation, I decided to bake some'! seems like the right decision, right? well, I saw this recipe and simply could not resist!

now, I adapted it because: 1) I don't know about you guys, but 12 cupcakes are a lot! I know they get eaten very fast, who would pass on them?, but still! so my recipe calls for 6; and 2) I made it only partly vegan.

I am very very very much tempted to switch to being vegan. I am a vegetarian, who will eat fish from time to time (for health reasons), but my secret wish is to switch to veganism. my parents wouldn't be very happy. they weren't very pleased when my brother was. but we'll see, I'm still young!

anyhow, this is my version of Clementine Cupcakes

ingredients

125g (1 cup) flour

100g (1/2 cup) cane sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp clementine zest (about 2 clementines)

pinch of salt

100 mL (1/2 cup) soy milk

1 egg

1 tbsp applesauce

1 tbsp canola oil

2 clementines, peeled

1 tsp vanilla

directions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350ºF) and line or grease a cupcake tin.

2. In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, zest, baking powder and salt.

3. Puree the two clementines in a blender until liquified, then pour only two tbsp of the puree into a small bowl and mix it with the egg, milk, applesauce, vanilla and oil.

4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined. Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners- about 3/4 of the way full. Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

I honestly would skip the glaze, but that's up to you: I think it makes the cupcakes a little bit too sweet. I would go ahead and glaze the clementine slices: sprinkle them with some cane sugar and bake them at 200°C (400°F) for about twenty minutes. When they are done (they look dry, the edges fold a little bit upwards and the house smells d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s), top the each cupcake with a slice.

and voilà!

Little Dippers

so here it is, finally, the post that I was supposed to publish on Christmas day! guess it's not a great start for my blog, but in my defense a) I got sick b) this way I have a new New Years' resolution! let's put it that way....

first entries are always so hard... should I tell you about myself? should I just show you a simply delicious recipe?
they are possibly the best cookies I have ever baked! they came out "just right" - as my grandma used to say (it is the best compliment you can ever get, apparently!).

curious at all?

here they are:


now, this recipe may not be the healthiest, but it's Christmas! so, just so you know, expect healthier recipes next time!

ingredients
280g (2 1/4 cups) all-purpose flour
30g (1/4 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
pinch of salt
170g (3/4 cup) margarine
225g (1 cup) sugar
1 egg
225g (8 ounces) sweet baking chocolate, chopped
25g (2 teaspoon)s shortening

directions
1. Combine flour, cocoa, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Beat margarine in a large bowl. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Beat in egg. Dough will be crumbly, use your hands to form the dough into a ball. Divide dough in half and let stand for an hour in the fridge.
2. Preheat oven to 350F. Roll each half of the dough to 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut out shapes using a 2-1/2-inch star-shape cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are firm. Transfer to wire racks and let cool.
3. Melt chopped chocolate and shortening and stir frequently.
4. Dip one-third of each cookie into melted chocolate mixture; let excess drip back into bowl. Place cookies on waxed paper; let stand about 1 hour or until set. If desired, brush luster dust on chocolate. Makes 48 cookies.

nutrirional facts: 92 calories per cookie
(recipe adapted from bhg.com)




I'm heading to our house in the mountains for the next few days, I'm quite excited as I have been spending every summer vacations over there... it will be my first winter break there and I simply cannot wait. My mom and I are driving there -already burned a CD for the trip- and then literally doing anything to make ourselves feel cozy and relaxed! oh, the joys of winter!

I wish you all, my imaginary readers, a wonderful and (hopefully) frosty couple of days..
I will be back with new recipes soon!

lots of cinnamon,
Norka