Green Lentil Bocconcini Salad

      

This is what you get when you have some leftover bocconcini, boiled green lentils and various other salad ingredients in the fridge. I used tomatoes, mint, green chillies - sweet ones that is. I would have liked to use parsley and green onion (shallots) but didn't have any on hand.

As for the dressing I thought I would try something a little different to my usual lemon, oil and salt dressing . Although that works well too. I used a mustard vinaigrette - 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, salt, black pepper and I also added about 1-2 teaspoons of wholegrain mustard.

You really can use whatever ingredients you have lying around. Enjoy!

To Die for Blueberry Muffins, with Choc Chip Streusel Topping

These muffins are called "To Die for Blueberry Muffins", and you know what? it's really truly the best blueberry muffin recipe that I have come across to date! I think what sets this recipe apart from the others is the wonderful crumbly topping.

I found the recipe off All Recipes, however, as usual I modified the recipe. I did this by adding chocolate chips and reducing the sugar content.

To Die for Blueberry Muffins, with Choc Chip Streusel Topping
adapted from All Recipes,
makes 12 large muffins.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups plain flour
• 3/4 cup white sugar (I put less than 3/4 cup, something like 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/2 cup white sugar (I used brown sugar instead and only put in 1/3 cup)
• 1/3 cup plain flour
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup choc chips (a very full 1/2 cup that is) - (half will go in batter and the other half to go into the topping)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. Line muffin tray with muffin liners.
2. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar (I used less), salt and baking powder. 
3. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. 
4. Fold in blueberries. Fold in half the chocolate chips which would be 1/4 cup worth. The rest of the chocolate chips will go in the topping. 
5. Fill muffin cups 3/4 of the way, I don't want mine to spill over the muffin liner, and there really is only enough batter to make 12 muffins so divide as evenly as possible.
6. sprinkle with crumb topping mixture or otherwise called streusel
7. To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar (I used 1/3 cup), 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, 1/4 cup chocolate chips and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon.Mix with fork (I used fingers), and sprinkle over muffins before baking. Note: If you want more crumb topping, then stick to the original measurements. I found when I reduced the
8. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

Quinoa Tabouli Salad with Beans (Fasulyeli Kinoa Kisir)

Let me introduce to you a new favourite grain (technically classified as a Pseudocereal) of mine — Quinoa (pronounced Keen-wah). It's a bit like Bulgur (Cracked Wheat) but is loaded with protein, iron, & fibre. It contains other vitamins and minerals like Vitamin E, it's low GI, and gluten free. What else can you ask for?

Cooking Quinoa is easy, you need to rinse it in a sieve and let it soak for minimum 5 minutes  — however some sites recommend at least 15 minutes to an hour. Reason for soaking is so it loosens up any traces of saponin (which is usually removed in processing anyway), which can give a bitter taste.

After soaking you need to drain it, add water and simmer. When it comes to what ratio of water to cook it in, again this varies. Some recommend 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water. You cook it on a low simmer for about 10-15 minutes. I usually use less liquid, about 1.5 cups water to 1 cup grain.

I had about a cup of quinoa left in the pantry and all the right ingredients to make a tabouli. So I figured I would make quinoa tabouli, I also threw in some beans for some extra goodness.

Again, let me stress that when I cook I don't really measure exact amounts. I toss things in and taste as I go. Here is a rough indication of what went in.

Ingredients

• Quinoa, cooked (about 1 cup)
• 1 tomato, chopped
• parsley, chopped
• spring onion,chopped
• green pepper, chopped (mild or hot)
• 2-4 tablespoons of tomato paste (I like my tabouli red, use more or less according to your taste)
• lemon juice
• handful of canned beans (4 bean mix), any beans would work
• paprika
• black pepper
• salt
• 1-2 tablespoons oil

Method

Mix all ingredients together. Feel free to mix with your hands. Easy!

Avocado Salad with Sumac (Sumakli Avokado Salatasi)

We were having our usual salad the other day, when I decided to sprinkle some sumac onto the salad. A little sumac goes a long way — it added a nice tangy zesty flavour to the salad. You can use whatever vegetables you like for your salad.

Ingredients

• tomatoes
• lettuce
• red bell pepper/capsicum
• red onions
• avocado

Dressing:

• Lemon Juice
• Oil
• Salt
• Sumac (I just sprinkled it on my salad, you can always add it to dressing as well)

Banana Date Chocolate Chip Streusel Coffee Cake

Firstly, I should apologise for not blogging lately. I have realised it has been one year since my last post!!!

Thanks to some special guests that came to visit from London today, and some very ripe bananas crying out to be eaten in my fruit bowl...the result was this super yummy banana, date, choc chip struesel cake. Oh and of course, what brought it all together was the recipe - I should thank Elizabeth from FreeFoodBoston who originally found and adapted Megan's who found it at Epicurious. I should add, I did deviate from Elizabeth's and Megan's adaptation.

The original recipe uses walnuts in the struesel, however as I did not have any walnuts in my usually well stocked pantry, I did by great chance have some fresh dates in my fridge — Totally lucky! Perhaps one day I'll try the walnut version, but for the time being this cake is a keeper!

I also used less chocolate chips and self-raising flour instead of the whole wheat flour.

However, I should note that this recipe is quite sweet — the natural sweetness of the dates combined with sugar makes it quite rich. If you are wanting to use dates, but don't have such a sweet tooth, I would suggest you reduce the quantity of sugar used to 1/2 cup where it says 2/3 cup.

Banana Coffee Cake with Chocolate Chip Streusel
adapted from Elizabeth at FreeFoodBoston
Makes 12 servings

• 1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips - (I used 1 cup)
  
• 2/3 cup (packed) brown sugar (use 1/2 cup if making with dates)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts - (I used about 4 large fresh dates instead)
  
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour - (I used self-raising flour)
  
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda - (I didn't use this)
  
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup (packed) brown sugar (use 1/2 cup if making with dates)
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/3 cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 3 large)
• 3 tablespoons milk

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius. Butter and flour 8x8x2-inch metal baking pan.
   
2. Stir chocolate chips, 2/3 c. brown sugar, walnuts or dates, and cinnamon in small bowl until well blended; set streusel aside.
3. Combine flour, baking soda (if using Self Raising flour I guess you can leave this out), baking powder, and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat 2/3 c. brown sugar, room temperature butter, and egg in large bowl until fluffy.
   
4. Beat in mashed bananas and milk. Add dry ingredients and blend well.
5. Spread half of batter (about 2 cups) in prepared baking pan. Sprinkle with half of streusel. Repeat with remaining batter and streusel.
   
6. Bake coffee cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool coffee cake in pan on rack.
   

Mushroom Saute (Mantar Sote)

Finally, I have updated the photo for this recipe! Looks much more appetizing. I would eat this as a main, but in our household it ends up becoming a side dish.


Ingredients

• 400g mushrooms, diced
• 1/2 red capsicum, diced
• 2 tomatoes, skinned and grated/crushed
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons oil
• salt and pepper
  
• 1/2 cup chicken stock (optional) or 1/2 cup water
  

Method

1. Wash and dice mushrooms. Set aside
2. Fry up the onions and garlic in the oil, then add in the capsicums.
   
3. Mix in the mushrooms and fry until brown.
   
4. Make a well in the centre of the pan, and add in the tomato paste. Once you have mixed the paste through, in goes the crushed tomatoes.
5. Season with salt and pepper
6. If you have some chicken stock or stock powder on hand you can add it now, otherwise add a little water.
   
7. Saute until tender. About 20 mins or so.