Pumpkin three ways ( part 1 )

October is already here and I have been busy baking and cooking with my favorite veg Pumpkin !!

I've got some lovely velvety soup that is protein rich, I've also got a pumpkin wholemeal bread full of goodness and I've got pumpkin granola. Yes, I am so excited about the granola, the taste is phenomenal and everyone adds a handful or two as a topping on their cereal …..  

Pumpkin and red lentil soup with zaatar croutons 

1 diced onion

1 diced carrot

2 cloves garlic

1 celery stick

400 gr pumpkin, butternut squash or any squash you can get, peeled and chopped into big chunks

2/3 cup red lentils 

6 cups of water

1 veggie stock cube 

for the zaatar croutons I used rye bread, cubed and seasoned with zaatar, splash of olive oil before oven bake for 10 min on high temp. 

In a large cooking pot splash some olive oil begore adding the veggies. Stir in the pumpkin, lentils as well as the water. 

Cook until the pumpkin is soft then add the stock cube.

Cool is down a bit before you blend it.

Add some black pepper and salt if needed.

Serve 6 or more.

Pumpkin wholemeal seeded bread

500 gr pumpkin 

100 gr pumpkin seeds

200 gr wholemeal flour

200 gr white flour

150 gr porridge oats

4 Tbsp oil

1 Tbsp ginger powder

1 Tbsp sugar

7 gr salt

7 gr active dry yeast

Cut the pumpkin into big wedges no need to peel and roast it in the oven for 40 - 60 min or until soft.

Spoon out the pumpkin flash and make a pure.

Set a side.

In a large mixing bowl place all dry ingredients ( reserve about 30 gr seeds for topping ) add 400 ml of lukewarm water . Mix it all up adding more water if needed. Knead the dough on floured surface adding the oil here and there.

Cover the dough and let it rest for 1 hour or so.

After that place the dough back on floured surface, fold it a few times and place it into a baking tin ( covered with baking paper ) of your choice, mine is 900 ml loaf tin.

Brush the dough with warm water and sprinkle the seeds.

Let it rest for 1 hour.

Bake for 50 - 55 min on 200 C .

Pumpkin granola

6 cups rolled oats

1 cup almonds

1/2 cup mixed seeds such as sunflower and pumpkin 

1 cup pumpkin pure

1/2 cup maple syrup 

2/3 cup coconut oil

2 tsp cinnamon 

1 tsp salt

In a large mixing bowl pour in the maple syrup, add the pumpkin pure and the soften coconut oil.

Stir all together and add the oats, nuts, seeds as well as the cinnamon and salt.

Mix it all making sure all the dry ingredients are covered with the pumpkin mixture.

Spread the mixture onto two baking trays and bake for 30 minutes on 180 C stir it half way through the baking.

The granola should be slightly colored and crisp.

Cool it down before you store in some glass jars.

Add some dry fruit if you like, I add some raisins !!

Delicious !! 

Sausage pizza wreath

Pizza like no other, just watch it disappear every time you serve to children or adults 🍕🍴🍅 

You will need:

serve 4-5

1 pack of pizza dough from shop ( never tried though ) 

or

make your own dough using:

300g flour, I used white wheat mixed with wholemeal spelt

5g quick yeast

1 tsp salt

200 - 300 ml luke warm water

1 Tbsp olive oil

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2 or 3 vegetarian sausages torn into pieces, I used Linda Mccartney's red onion and rosemary

1 small mozzarella ball, 125 g 

50 - 100g any yellow cheese, grated

*************************************

tomato sauce for dipping 

Make a dough from the ingredients above, cover it with tea towel and let it prove for 45 minutes.

Roll the dough into a round shape.

Using a sharp make a few cuts in the middle.

Assemble the cheese and sausages and fold.

Bake for 12 minutes on 220 C .

Cut the pizza ring before serving. 

I served it with green salad and baked beans, it was enough for five of us.

Flax seeds breads - kifla

For some reason I always want to have some sort of homemade bread rolls. These are so nutritious, easy to make and very tasty. I love to make a double batch so I can freeze some as well ....

Ingredients:

20g flax seeds

300 ml water

********************

300g white flour

200g whole wheat flour

1 pack of quick action yeast or 7g

100 ml milk or water

1 tsp salt

2 Tbsp olive oil

Place the seeds and the water into a small cooking pan, bring it to a boil and cook it for 5 min.

Cool the emulsion right down and add it to the flour and the rest of the ingredients.

Form a dough.

Knead the dough for 5 - 10 minutes.

Place the dough into a glass or plastic bowl, cover with clean tea towel and leave it to rest for 1 1/2 hour.

Punch down the dough and divide into 12.

Roll each portion using a rolling pin to get a flat bread.

Roll it in one direction and cut the edges using a knife.

Now you can decide whether you want them straight or curved or both :) like mine.

Arrange the breads on a baking tray, brush them with water and immediately sprinkle some seeds of your choice. I used caraway as well as freshly ground maldon salt.

Cover with the tea towel again and leave to prove in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200 C .

Bake the breads for 15 - 20 minutes.

Granola dust

I am very exited to share this recipe. It's not a porridge or granola or muesli, it is a dust !

Place in a big baking tray 

Bake until golden colour 

Blitz in a food processor

Store in a glass jar

with berries

with banana 

Ingredients:

1/2 kg porridge oats

100 gr mixed nuts

50 gr mixed seeds such as sunflower, pumpkin, flax, sesame, chia, poppy seeds
handful of dry fruit such as chopped figs or dates
zest of 1 orange


Place the oats in the largest baking tray you have, sprinkle the rest of the ingredients except the fruit.
Bake on 180 C for 20 minutes, stirring half way.
Cool it down a bit then blitz the mixture in a food processor in batches. 
Add the fruit. 
Store in a glass jar.
When you want to use it, simply scoop out 1/3 cup or around 50 gr dust, add your favorite milk, cold or warm, add yogurt and fresh fruit. 
And in winter, try a hot drink: heat up 25 gr dust with 200 ml of your favorite milk.
Or make a pancakes:
simply beat 2 heaped Tbsp dust with 1 heaped Tbsp self-raising wholemeal flour, 1 mashed banana and 1 egg, then cook as normal.

note: in the original recipe, the fruit is blended in the food processor together with the oats, nuts and seeds so it is completely dust.
The recipe is from one of the Jamie Oliver's books. 

Aubergine wedges in a wrap

Summer is here ?! Apparently so! It's been raining for a week, the sun is nowhere to be seen and it's still cold. These wraps has cheered us all up with the taste of a smelly tomatoes, sharp aubergines and a hint of a garlic, chili and basil...

Ingredients:

serve 4

2 aubergines sliced into wedges 

6 small tomatoes

1 clove garlic

1/2 tsp chili flakes 

dry basil

olive oil

salt and pepper

fresh basil 

for the wraps: 200 gr flour, half to be wholemeal

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

40 ml oil

120 ml warm water

First make the wraps: place all ingredients into a medium size bowl and mix them all up until you form a dough. Cover with tea towel for an hour or two.

Place the dough onto a floured board and divide into 8 balls.

Using a rolling pin, roll each ball into a round using more flour if needed.

Heat a non stick frying pan and dry-fry the breads for 30 seconds of each side.

While you wait for the dough to rest, cut the aubergines into wedges, sprinkle some salt and set a side.

Cut the tomatoes into a small chunks, add the chili flakes, garlic, dry basil and some pepper.

Pre-heat the oven on 180 C.

Place the aubergines onto a baking tray and sprinkle oil generously .

Roast them for a 30 minutes, then add the tomato mixture and roast for 15 more minutes.

Sprinkle with fresh basil before serving.

Експрес лепиња без квасец /Yeast free Instant flat breads

Happy Easter if you are celebrating! My country is celebrating Orthodox Easter called Велигден which is not until first of May. Since I am in UK I get to celebrate Easter twice and I am very happy about that. My children  are particularly happy because they get double fun that both Easter celebration can bring!
These flat breads are an ideal quick fix in my life, everyone loves them, especially with some homemade humus and slices of avocado. I can't praise them enough .............

Потребно е,

200 гр интегрално пченично брашно

180 гр овесно ( мелени овесни снегулки )

2 мали лажички прашок за пециво - без алуминиум*

70 гр овесни снегулки

50 гр семки од сончоглед

3 лажици ленено семе

3 лажици маслиново масло

1 лажиче сол

околу 300 мл млака вода 

Измерете и измешајте ги сите суви состојки, додајте го маслото како и водата.

Направете тесто, поделете го на 10 - 12 топки и развлечете ги тестата тенко.

На загреана тава пржете ги лепчињата на суво околу 3-5 минути од секоја страна.

Послужете ги топли наместо леб.

Може и да се замрзнат!

*Прашок за пециво без алуминиум може да се најде во продавници за здрава храна.

Ingredients: 

200 gr wholemeal wheat flour

180 gr oat flour made of ground porridge oats

2 tsp aluminium free baking powder

70 gr porridge oats

50 gr sunflower seeds

3 Tbsp flax seeds

1 tsp salt

3 Tbsp olive oil

around 300 ml lukewarm water

Weight all dry ingredients, mix them all up and add the oil as well as the water.

Form a dough, divide it into a 10 to 12 balls and roll each ball flat.

You can simply use your palms.

Heat a non stick frying pan and dry fry the breads for 3-5 minutes of each side.

Serve them warm instead of bread.

Perfect for freezing! 

Thanks for reading! I would appreciate any comments or suggestions from you.

Интегрални тортици со тиква / Wholemeal pumpkin cakes

No sugar? really? That was my kids reaction! They know what is good for them and I am so happy about it.
This cake batter can be used for small american style pancakes but I prefer this version as is less work and less smoky in the kitchen. I can't praise them enough, you've got to try them, of course you've got to love pumpkin taste, otherwise use apple sauce instead!

Потребно е :

3 јајца

70 мл масло

300 мл јогурт

150 гр пире од тиква

екстрат од ванила

пола лажиче цимет

220 гр интегрално брашно

2 лажички пециво

малку сол

60 мл вода

Измешајте ги сите мокри состојки, додајте ги сувите и измешајте убаво.

Ставете ја смесата во калап за мафини (намрсен со масло) и печете ги тортиците на 190 степени околу 20 минути.

Сервирајте ги исечени на пола со сецкана банана или друго овошје по желба.

За додаток користев јаворов сируп и мелено семе од чија.

Ако преферирате палачинки, пржете ги во тава по 2 минути од секоја страна.

Од оваа смеса се добиваат околу 18 палачинки (мали) или 12 тортици.

Ingredients:

3 eggs

70 ml oil

300 ml yogurt

150 gr pumpkin pure

2 tsp vanilla extract 

1/2 tsp cinnamon 

220 gr wholemeal plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

little salt

60 ml water

Mix up the wet ingredients, add the dry ingredients and combine everything to get nice and smooth batter.

Divide the batter onto a muffin tin (oiled) and bake the cakes on 190 C for 20 minutes.

Serve them halved with some chopped banana and some maple syrup, sprinkle some ground chia seeds if you wish.

If you prefer pancakes, fry them for 2 minutes on each side.You should get about 18 small pancakes or 12 cakes.

Брза пита со јаболки / Quick and easy apple pie

Very easy to make, healthy, wholemeal - this is my version of Galette, in French cooking world it means round and flat. So far, this is our favorite Sunday pudding with a splash of cream. Autumn season - rock! 

Потребни состојки:

200 гр брашно, пола интегрално 

100 гр ладен путер на коцки

4 лажици павлака

2 лажици шеќер во прав

50 мл ладна вода

фил:

3 јаболки

1 лажица путер

2 лажици кафеав шеќер

цимет

2-3 лажици мелени бадеми или ореви

Брашното се става во поголема здела, се додава путерот и со прсти се трие низ брашното.

Се додаваат преостанатите состојки и се оформува тесто.

Се замотува во најлон фолија и се остава во фрижидер околу половина час или повеќе.

********************************************************************************

Јаболките се сечат и се лупат и се ставаат во тава со 1 лажица путер и 2 лажици шеќер.

Јаболките треба да омекнат и да добијат боја. Се ладат.

Тестото се развлекува со сукалка во округла форма, дотерајте ги краевите со нож ако сакате да има убав облик.

На средина се ставаат јаболките, се посипуваат со цимет и мелени бадеми и се преклопуваат краевите.

Питата се пече на 200 степени околу 20 минути, се допекува уште 10 минути на 170 С.

Ingredients:

200 gr flour, half to be wholemeal

100 gr cold butter

2 tbsp icing sugar

4 tbsp sour cream

50 ml cold water

filling:

3 apples

1 tbsp butter

2 tbsp brown sugar

cinnamon

2-3 tbsp ground almonds 

Place the flour, cubed butter and sugar in a mixing bowl.

Rub the butter using your fingers.Add the rest of  the ingredients and form a dough.

Wrap the dough into a cling film and keep it in the fridge for 30 minutes or more.

****************************************************************************************************

Peel and cut the apples before you put them in a frying pan with sugar and butter.

Cook the apples until they get soft .

Set a side to cool. 

Roll the pastry round and flat, place the apples in the middle, add the cinnamon and almonds and fold the edges. 

Bake the pie on 200 C for 20 minutes then reduce the temperature to 170 and bake it for 10 more minutes.

Интегрален ѓеврек леб /Wholemeal bagel bread

Ѓеврек, pronounce as Gevrek is very similar in taste to bagels. I  grew up eating these breads and every time I am in Macedonia I am  searching for the right taste, the one I am craving when I am not there!

Inspired by this blog

Потребни состојки:

500 гр брашно, пола интегрално

1 сув квасец

1 лажиче сол 

1 лажица масло

350 мл топла вода

 ************************

2 литри вода

2 лажички сода

1 лажица шеќер

интегрален сусам

Во подлабок сад ставете ги сувите состојки, додајте го маслото и водата и замесете меко тесто. Додајте вода/брашно по потреба.

Ставете го тестото во намрсен сад, покријте го со најлонска фолија и оставете го да се крева еден час.

Потоа поделете го на 5 дела, месете го секој дел и оформите 5 округли теста.

Покријте ги со најлон фолија и оставете ги да се кренат уште половина час.

Во меѓувреме ставете 2 литра вода да зоврие, додајте го шеќерот и содата.

Калап за леб намрсете со масло или путер и посипете го со сусам.

Тестата малку развлечете ги со раце и потоа спуштајте ги во зовриената вода.

По една минута вадете ги со цедалка-лажица и наредете ги во калапот за печење.

Оставете го калапот на топло уште половина час. 

Печете го лебот на 200 степени 15 минути а потоа намалете ја температурата на 180 и допечете го лебот уште 30-40 минути.

Ingredients:


500 gr flour, half wholemeal 
1 pack instant yeast 
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp oil
350 ml lukewarm water
***********************************
2 liter water
2 tsp soda bicarbonate 
1 tbsp sugar
integral sesame seeds 


In a big mixing bowl add the dry ingredients, add the oil and water and make a dough.
Add water/flour if you need.
Kneed it on floured surface until smooth and place it back in the mixing bowl.
Oil it and cover with cling film.
Leave the dough to rest for one hour.
After that, put the dough back to the floured surface and divide it into 5 balls.
Kneed each ball, cover again with cling film and leave to rest for 30 min.
Prepare the loaf tin, oil it and floured it with lots of sesame seeds.
Now bring 2 liters of water to boil, add soda and sugar and get the dough ready to be dropped in.
Take each ball, form a round shape with your hands and slowly drop each dough into the water.
After one minute get them out using a slotted spoon and place them into the loaf tin.
Cover the dough with tea towel and leave it to rise once more for 30 min.
Bake the bread on pre-heated oven on 200 C for 15 minutes.
Turn the oven down to 180 and bake the bread for 30 - 40 minutes.
  

Интегрално-овесен трошен колач со јаболки и капини / Oaty crumble with apples and blackberries

Autumn season is officially open, wild grown apples and berries are being cooked today in my kitchen and it smelled delicious. This is my favorite crumble ever...

Потребни состојки:

4 големи или 6 средни јаболки

100 гр капини

1 ванилин шеќер

150 гр брашно ( пола да биде интегрално)

75 гр кафеав шеќер

100 гр путер

75 гр овесни снегулки

Излупете ги јаболките и исечете ги на покрупни парчиња.

Ставете ги во сад за печење и додајте ги капините.

Посипете со ванилин шеќер и додајте 2 лажици ладна вода.

Направете го трошниот дел:

Ставете ги сувите состојки во подлабок сад, додајте го путерот исечен на коцки и измешајте го во брашното користејки ги прстите, треба да се добијат трошки.

Посипете ги трошките над јаболките.

Печете на 180 степени 30 минути.

Ingredients:

4 big apples or 6 medium

100 gr blackberries

1 tbsp vanilla sugar

150 gr flour, half to be wholemeal

75 gr brown sugar

100 gr butter

75 gr porridge oats

Peel and cut the apples and place them into a baking dish.

Add the blackberries and 2 tbsp cold water.

Make the crumble:

Put the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl, add the butter pieces and rub in until it's all crumbly.

Top the apple mixture with the crumble and bake it on 180 C for 30 minutes.

Интегрални тортици со црешни / Wholesome cherry cakes

Cherries are my first love ever, I grow up climbing on our cherry tree, eating cherries there and then. I don't recalled how long the cherry season was lasting but the taste of the cherries is still very vivid to me. Now days I am happily buying cherries in shops still looking for that taste of my childhood......
This cupcakes are healthy version, wholemeal and sweetened  with banana and honey ...bliss ...

Потребни состојки:

140 гр интегрално брашно 

1 лажиче пециво

80 мл масло

1 пасирана банана + 3 лажици мед

50 гр јогурт

2 јајца

100 гр црешни ( семките извадени )

Во подлабок сад ставете ги сите состојки и измешајте ги со дрвена или силиконска лажица.

Наполнете 12 хартии за тортици, средна големина и наредете ги во калап за 12 мафини.

Печете ги тортиците на 180 степени околу 20 минути.

Оладете ги и посипете со шеќер во прав.

Ingredients:

140 gr wholemeal flour

1 tsp baking powder

80 ml oil

1 mashed banana + 3 tbsp honey 

50 gr yogurt

2 eggs

100 gr cherries, pitted 

In a big mixing bowl put all ingredients and mix up with wooden or silicone spoon.

Fill up 12 cup cakes papers, small to medium size and place them into 12 muffin tin.

Bake the cakes on 180 C for 20 minutes.

Cool them down a little before you dust some icing sugar.

Тортици со боровинки / Blueberry cakes

Another  batch of cakes prepared in my kitchen for my children ............. even the neighbors got chance to try them and everyone was happy and everyone made the right noise mmmmmmm 

Потребни состојки:

80 гр мек путер 

80 гр кафеав шеќер

1 пасирана банана

1 лажиче екстрат од ванила

3 јајца 

200 мл млеко

1 лажиче сок од лимон

2 шољи од 250 мл интегрално брашно

2 лажички прашок за пециво

80 гр овесни снегулки

100 гр боровинки, свежи или замрзнати

Се матат со миксер путерот и шеќерот додавајки ги јајцата едно по едно.

Додајте ги и преостанатите мокри состојки како и бананата.

Додајте го брашното, овесните снегулки и пецивото. 

Мешајте со спатула и на крај додајте ги боровинките.

Ставете ја смесата во калап за 12 мафини ( намрсен )  

и печете ги тортиците на 190 степени околу 15 - 20 минути.

Ingredients:

80 gr soft butter 

80 gr brown  sugar

1 mashed banana

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 eggs

200 ml buttermilk or use 200 ml milk + 1 tsp lemon juice 

2 cups of plain wholemeal flour

2 tsp baking powder

80 gr porridge oats 

100 ml blueberries, fresh or frozen 

Whisk the butter with the sugar in a big bowl, add the eggs one egg at the time.

Add the rest of the wet ingredients as well as the banana.

Combine the dry ingredients before adding them to the bowl.

Mix up the cake mixture with a spatula and add the blueberries.

Put the cake mixture into a muffin tin for 12 ( buttered )

Bake the cakes on 190 C for 15 - 20 minutes.