Search Results for: kale

Visiting A Hungarian Organic Farm

September 17, 2014 by Zizi

Salanova lettuce

I met the Heroes of Responsible Dining at spring time. They are a group of four friends and a couple of volunteers who believe that saving the environment can be fun! With the Heroes of Responsible Dining initiative they aim to promote responsible choices when eating out or at home. The campaign is organized by the Hungarian non-profit organization Ökológiai Evolúció Alapítvány.

They started a new campaing a few weeks ago about getting to know more and shaking hands with your farmer. Knowing your farmer isn’t about distance, it’s about relationships. Talk to them at the local farmers market, ask them about the vegetables and fruits – where they are from and how they are grown/produced. This is a great way to find out their growing practices and policies.

Thanks to this campaing I had the opportunity to visit one of my favourite organic farmers, Mátyás Nemes and his family in Fülöpjakab. Hungary. It was educational and so much fun for me and I really feel like I get so much out of meeting my favourite farmer and visiting his farm. On the farm horticultural activities are carried out all the year round, by applying the methods of vegetative growing in green-houses of foil with minimum heating, and cold forcing of the plants in green-houses of foil. Hardy plants are grown on the fields from early spring to late autumn. Some 70-80 plant varieties are produced in a year, mostly for sale on the market of organic products.

Know your farmer, know your food!

Mangalica breeding at a nearby farm (mangalica is an indigenous species of pig in Hungary)

Ganoderma lucidum mushroom at a nearby farm

Purple Salanova lettuce (my favourite)

More lettuces…

Kale heaven!

Baking bread was the high point of the visit!

Vegetarian Hungarian bean goulash

The boss 🙂

Pistachio & Vanilla Bean Shortbread Cookies From Aran Of Cannelle Et Vanille Blog

August 9, 2013 by Zizi

I found Aran‘s beautiful award-winning blog, Cannelle et Vanille on the internet a few years ago. I fell in love with it for the first time. I remember I saved so many recipes to make them (I did a few of them! :)). Even though I love her gluten-free recipes and travel stories, I always go back to her blog because of the breathtaking photos. I learn so much about food styling and photograpy just looking at Aran’s pictures.

When I asked her to guest post on my blog I didn’t know how she will react. As I expected she was so nice and happy to help me out. She told me she was very busy with a big move (from Florida to Seattle) and travelling to teach at different workshops (one of my dreams is to participate in one!) but she would try her best!

Here she is sharing one of her cookie recipes from her first incredibly photographed cookbook, Small Plates & Sweet Treats. Aran says: “This shortbread gathers two of my favorite ingredients – pistachios and vanilla beans – in one treat. They are coated in powdered sugar while warm, which creates a slightly creamy coating. I make batch after batch of these during the holiday season. They are great to give as gifts.”

Pistachio & Vanilla Bean Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients (makes about 50 cookies)

– 1 cup (140 g) superfine brown rice flour
– 1/2 cup (80 g) potato starch
– 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (70 g) gluten-free oat flour
– 1/4 cup (30 g) tapioca starch
– 1 teaspoon salt
– 1/2 cup (80 g) unsalted natural pistachios
– 16 tablespoons (225 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
– 3/4 cup (90 g) powdered sugar, plus more for dusting, sifted
– 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped

Method

In a medium bowl, whisk toether the superfine brown rice flour, potato starch, oat flour, tapioca starch and salt. Measure 1 tablespoon of this flour mixture and add it to a food processor along with the pistachios. Pulse until the pistachios are ground to a fine powder.

Combine the soft butter, powdered sugar and vanilla seeds in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Turn the mixer on low speed for a few seconds so the powdered sugar doesn’t fly everywhere. Increase the speed to medium-high and cream together until light, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle.

Add the dry ingredients along with the ground pistachios to the mixer bowl. Mix until the dough comes together; it will be a sticky dough. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and shape it into a log that is approximately 13 inches long and 2 inches in diameter. Wrap the log in parchment and roll it, trying to make it as round as possible. Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the ovent to 180C (350F). Remove the dough form the refrigerator and unwrap it. Cut disks that are 1/4 inch thick. Place them 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 10 minutes, until lightly golden on the bottom, but do not overbake, as they will become very hard. Let them cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes. Dust them with powdered sugar. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days.

*****

Interview to get to know Aran a bit more…

Where are you from? Where do you live?
A: I was born and raised in Bilbao in the Spanish Basque Country and I currently live in Seattle, Washington.

What is the name of your blog?
A: Cannelle et Vanille.

How long have you been blogging?
A: I started blogging in January 2008, so that if over 5 years.

When did you start cooking/baking?
A: I started cooking and baking very young as I grew up with grandparents who owned and operated a pastry shop. I remember being as young as 6 or 7 and helping my mom in the kitchen. In my late 20s I attended culinary school and worked as a professional pastry chef for 4 years until I had my first son.

Who (where) did you learn cooking/baking from?
A: I learned to cook from my mother and grandmother and to bake from my uncles and grandfather who were all pastry chefs. We lived across the street from the pastry shop so I spent most of my time there with the smell of cinnamon, vanilla, simmering milk and fermenting yeast.

What is your signature dish?
A: Oh that’s hard to answer. My friends really appreciate my baking skills, but they usually ask me to make them tortilla de patatas, which is a traditional Spanish omelet with potatoes, onions and eggs.

What is your favourite vegetarian/vegan meal?
A: I love lentils and I make them all the time for my family, so I would probably say that lentil soup with lots of root vegetables and kale or Swiss Chard is one of my favorite meals. I love soups in general – anything I can eat with a spoon I love.

Where do you get inspiration from?
A: From many different places… the farmers market, restaurants where I eat, cookbooks, other makers and artists, ceramics… It’s endless.

What was the most memorable food you have eaten during your travels?
A: I absolutely loved the last meal I had at Martin Berasategui’s restaurant outside of San Sebastian a few months ago. It took my breath away.

Name three things you always have in your fridge!
A: Eggs, some kind of green like kale or Swiss Chard, and plain yogurt.

Is there a food that always reminds you of home?
A: Yes, tortilla de patatas, leeks and potato soup, arroz con leche…

What would people be surprised to find in your kitchen? Is there anything you want to share?
A: When I have chicken feet in my freezer I know it’s going to be a good day. The best stock to be made.

—

All photos are courtesy of Aran Goyoga.

Broccoli Pesto Pasta

April 10, 2013 by Zizi

I love beetroot, carrot, potato, parsnip, butternut squash, kale but I’m getting a little tired of these winter vegetables that has been feeding us for the last 6 months. I want spring vegetables now… sorrel and spinach are available at the markets – I already eat them – but I’m longing for the spring (and summer!) vegetables and fruits to start appearing. Like asparagus, peas, strawberries, raspberries… Oh how I miss them!

I don’t even know how the agriculture can accomodate to this extremist weather. This winter has just been too long. But there are signs that our hope is not superfluous. The amount of daylight is getting longer, the temperature is rising and we can see the sun shining through the big, fluffy, white clouds.

“The most beautiful springs are those that come after the most horrible winters!”

– Mehmet Murat Ildan

This broccoli pesto pasta dish can be a very easy to make weeknight meal. Although broccoli is not very seasonal I wanted to use another vegetable to make a delicious meal that reminds me of summer.

Broccoli Pesto Pasta

Ingredients (serves 3-4)

– 350 g broccoli, peel stalk, then stalk and florets chopped
– 50 g walnut
– 40 g grated parmesan
– 50 ml extra virgin olive oil
– 3 cloves garlic, peeled
– juice of 1/2 lemon
– salt, pepper
– 350-400 g pasta

Method

In a dry non-stick pan toast walnuts for 4-5 minutes and set aside.

In a medium sized pan bring water to a boil. Add salt into the boiling water and blanch the broccoli stalks and florets for 2 minutes. With the help of a drain spoon, take out the broccoli and set aside. Use the same water to cook the pasta al dente. Drain (in the meantime save about 100-150 ml cooking water) and set aside.

Add 200 g blanched broccoli (save a few florets), toasted walnuts, grated parmesan, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and lemon juice to your food processor and pulse until it gets smooth. Pour this creamy pesto mixture over the cooked pasta, add a bit of cooking water and toss until combined. Add the leftover broccoli florets and serve immediately with a handful of grated parmesan and a drizzle of lemon juice over the top.

Best Of 2012

December 31, 2012 by Zizi

I’m sharing my favourite top 12 recipes from 2012. Some of them were very popular – according to statistics – but I loved these 12 the most. I really enjoyed looking back at all of these vegetarian or vegan meals I cooked or baked over the past year.All in all I shared more sweet recipes than savory. Of course it doesn’t mean we only eat sweets, I just somehow like taking photos of these delicious yuminess!

I’m excited for the new year and all it will bring! I hope you’ll still be here reading my short stories, commenting and enjoying my recipes. You inspire me to make this blog better and better day by day. See you in 2013!

Let’s see the favourites of 2012…

January

This month I really loved cocoa, chocolate and walnut cookies! I bet you did too! Also shakshuka was a new way for me to poach eggs in herby tomato sauce. Yum!

February

In February we challenged ourselves. We were planning to do a 29 day sugar-free (no cakes, no chocolates, no sweet fruits only apple, lemon, orange and mandarin sometimes) vegan challenge but we ended it on the 25th day. 25 days were enough. We enjoyed it, we had ups and downs but we couldn’t bear not to eat anything sweet anymore.

As a result of the challenge this month only brought savory recipes. One of my favourites is this spring roll with citrus soy sauce but I also loved the udon noodles with creamy tahini sauce, roasted kale and tofu.

March

This month it’s unequivocal that the best recipe was the raw chocolate ganache cake. This has been one of the most popular recipes on the blog.

April

In April I shared the first recipe from the cookbook, Veg Every Day. I could cook and bake all the recipes from the book because all of them are vegetarian or vegan. With over 200 recipes and vibrant photography, River Cottage Veg Every Day is a timely eulogy to the glorious green stuff. This kale and mushroom lasagne was a big hit.

May

The biggest challenge in May was making strawberry leather or you can call it the healthy version of gummy candy. This leather thing is exciting not only for children, for adults too. It’s very easy to make (and a few hours) but don’t miss it.

June

Another sweet favourite in June: vegan chocolate popsicles with roasted almonds. They are creamy, thick chocolate-y vegan popsicles to enjoy! Yum! I also loved making and eating this raw zucchini spagetthi with creamy tahini sauce.

July

I love nut roasts and vegetarian/vegan patties. I made these yum quinoa patties for a picnic.

August

From the end of the summer my favourite recipe is this milk pie I baked with my recently deceased grandmother. This is actually a thick pancake baked in the oven. It is not too sweet but moist and soft.

September

Imagine little sweet indigo-coloured berries and little sweetish yellow corn kernels in soft, moist muffins with a bit of crispness from the cornmeal. You got it? These vegan corn blueberry muffins are just like I described.

October

I love cooking pancakes. I used carrot to make this soft, vegan and sugar-free pancakes. You can use honey, agave, rice or maple syrup to pour over the pancakes. A real autumn Sunday indulgence…

November

I added pumpkin purée to this oatmeal that’s why its colour looks bright yellow. With a bit of maple syrup and spices it is one of the best comfort food breakfast during winter time. It is a small bowl of harmony in terms of its colour and taste.

December

This month was one of the busiest with 11 recipes I shared. It’s difficult to choose one of them so I let you make this decision. 🙂

Weekend Crumbs

October 9, 2012 by Zizi

I posted my latest weekend crumbs back in June. It is high time for a new one. I took a lot of (surprisingly) photos this past weekend.

Saturday morning I took a friend of mine to the organic farmers market. I walked around with her because it was her first time at the market. Early morning the weather was sunny but the fall air was crisp and cool. We loved to breathe it in as much as we could! After the market she invited me for a snack at a close bakery.

In the afternoon I baked Emiko’s florentine grape bread. Although I over rose the dough, it tasted delizioso!

This weekend seemed like the perfect weather for organic farms visiting. On Sunday we visited two farms in Fülöpjakab, in the Southern Great Plain region of Hungary.

One of them was the Nemes Eco Farm (with the two lovely owners, Mátyás and his wife, Marika). On the farm horticultural activities are carried out all the year round, by applying the methods of vegetative growing in green-houses of foil with minimum heating, and cold forcing of the plants in green-houses of foil. Hardy plants are grown on the fields from early spring to late autumn. Some 70-80 plant varieties are produced in a year. The garden is open for visitors any time. For groups of visitors, lectures or presentations on organic horticulture can be arranged.

The other farm we visited was the Organic Mushroom Farm. The owner is Sándor Gyöngyösi and he has been engaged in growing the mushroom variety oyster mushroom (+ shitakee) for 15 years. He also produces the famous ganoderma – a genus of polypore mushrooms. By taking ganoderma mushroom as a herbal supplement (only organic), you will get long-lasting reserves of energy, feel better and stronger and notice that your body is functioning more effectively and efficiently.

Autumn radish…