Zizi's Adventures - Real Food, Real Stories

Broccoli Pesto Pasta

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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

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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.

Superfood Breakfast: Vegan Sugar-Free Almond Cashew Walnut Coconut Porridge

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Sunday was all about snow. The whole city was white and pretty so we decided to walk around in the City Park and take winter photos.

City Park (Városliget) is a public park in Budapest, close to the city centre. It is located in the 14th district of Budapest. Its main entrance is Heroes’ Square (Hősök tere), one of Hungary’s World Heritage sites. The first trees and planified walkways were established in 1751 and after the public park was created in the first decades of the 19th century the present-day name, Városliget was accepted and it became the first public park in the world.

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City Park was the main venue of the 1896 millennium celebrations of Hungary, by which time Andrássy Avenue, Millennium Underground and the Grand Boulevard were built. City Park has the largest artificial ice surface in Europe; and it is also the home of the Vajdahunyad Castle, the Gundel Restaurant, the zoo and grand circus and the famous Széchenyi Thermal Bath.

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The park was calm and quiet. We could only hear the snow crackling under our feet. I don’t know why but I love this sound.

Our mission was (in addition to take photos) to visit the city park lake and feed the ducks. The lake has warm thermal water so during winter it is the home for these cute birds. I knew that feeding the ducks with bread, chips, crackers or popcorn can lead to excessive weight and malnutrition for the birds as well as many other problems. To avoid this you can buy proper duck food from a machine next to the lake.

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It was so much fun to feed the birds who were brave enough to come out of the lake and get closer to me.

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Back to the superfood breakfast… This is a ‘must try’ porridge. I have to tell you… you can’t live without trying to make and eat it. It’s so healthy, nutritious, delicious and a good source of antioxidants. And something else… it is not only sugar-free and vegan, it’s gluten free and paleo too.

Don’t miss it! I promise, you will love me for this recipe! 🙂

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Vegan Sugar-Free Almond Cashew Walnut Coconut Porridge
(Recipe inspiration: Against All Grain)

Ingredients (serves 2)

– 1/3 cup walnut
– 1/3 cup almond
– 1/3 cup cashew
– 1 ripe banana, peeled, cut into slices
– 1 cup coconut milk (or any other non-dairy milk)
– 2 tablespoons desiccated coconut
– 1 teaspoon cinnamon
– 1 teaspoon salt + pinch of salt

Method

Place the nuts in a bowl, add 1 teaspoon salt. Fill the bowl with water until the nuts are completely covered and soak overnight on the kitchen counter.

The next morning drain the nuts and rinse them a couple of times until the water is clear.

Place the drained nuts into a food processor, add sliced banana, coconut milk, desiccated coconut, cinnamon and pinch of salt. Blend all together until it is smooth (about 8-10 minutes). If you find it very thick, you can dilute with a bit more coconut milk. You can serve as it is or put the porridge in a pot and heat over medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped almond, cashew and coconut chips.

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Vegan Walnut Sandwich Cookies With Dark Chocolate Fudge

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Cute bite sized walnut + whole spelt flour cookies or cookie sandwiches with a touch of cinnamon and vanilla, sticked together with creamy rich dark chocolate fudge. And they are vegan. How does it sound? I think we can call this a healthy indulgence.

Reward yourself with these cookies while nurturing your body with omega-3 fatty acids from walnut, antioxidants from the dark chocolate. A small piece of good quality dark chocolate everyday keeps your heart and cardiovascular system running well, not to mention that it stimulates endorphin production, which gives a feeling of pleasure and it contains serotonin, which acts as an anti-depressant.

I think these are all enough reasons to go into your kitchen and start making these cookie sandwiches. You will thank for me!

Because we all need chocolate, cookies and love…

Vegan Walnut Sandwich Cookies With Dark Chocolate Fudge
(Recipe inspiration: Healthy Happy Life)

Ingredients (makes about 36 cookies)

For the cookies
– 1 cup whole spelt flour
– 3/4 cup ground walnut
– 2 teaspoons cinnamon
– 1 teaspoon salt
– 1 teaspoon baking powder
– 1 vanilla bean, split and seeded
– 1/3 cup cane sugar
– 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
– 1/4 cup almond/rice/oat/soy milk
– 1/3 cup liquid coconut oil
– 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

For the chocolate fudge
– 3/4 cup dark chocolate (70% cocoa content)
– 2 tablespoons almond/rice/oat/soy milk
– 1/4 cup coconut oil
– pinch of salt

Method

In a bowl add all dry ingredients: whole spelt flour, ground walnut, cinnamon, salt, baking powder. In another bowl mix together coconuti oil with cane sugar, apple cider vinegar, almond milk and almond extract. Add dry ingredients into the wet and mix until combined. Wrap the dough into clingfilm and place in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180C (356F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Take two teaspoons of the dough, form a ball and place on the prepared baking sheet. Flatten the ball slightly, then repeat with the remaining dough. Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown.

Meanwhile make the chocolate fudge filling – in a small pan melt the ingredients over low heat. Stir until smooth. Place the melted filling into a bowl in the fridge. Cool until it has a state like chilled peanut or almond butter.

Assembly: spread the fudge filling on a cooled cookie. Place another cookie on top. Continue until all the cookies are prepared.

Spicy Walnut Mustard

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Although this mustard was an edible gift for Christmas, it can be made without any occasion at all because it’s spicy and tangy and it goes very well with roasted meat, tofu or a nutritious grain salad. In Hungary eating mustard is popular at New Year’s Eve too.

New Year’s Eve (as we call it – Szilveszter) in Hungary is celebrated with home parties and street parties too. Fireworks and firecrackers are getting very popular. Champagne and wine are part of the celebration and traditional Hungarian New Year’s Eve dishes are frankfurter sausages (from soy too! luck for vegetarians! :)) with lots of mustard or horseradish, roasted pork and cabbage rolls. On New Year’s Day lentil soup is served because lentil is considered to bring luck and lots of money in the New Year.

Recipe inspiration from my friend, Giulia.

Spicy Walnut Mustard

Ingredients (makes about 1 cup)

– 50 g mustard powder
– 50 g walnut, chopped
– water
– 1 tablespoons of runny honey
– 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
– 5 pinches of salt
– small jar

Method

Place the mustard powder in a bowl and stir in the water (about 6-10 tablespoons) little by little until it gets its the desired consistency. Add chopped walnut, season with salt, honey and vinegar.

Pour into a sterilized glass jar and keep it in the fridge. Wait 12 hours before tasting it.

Glazed Walnut Green Lentil Loaf

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Before Christmas I’m trying to share more vegetarian Christmas meals recipes. Whether you are having a vegetarian (vegan) Christmas or you need a veggie recipe to serve a guest, these recipe ideas might be helpful for you. These meals are so delicious so believe it or not meat-eaters will be jealous!

I think a vegetarian Christmas dinner’s centerpiece should be a nut roast, like last year’s cranberry and pistachio nut one or Mrs. Myrtleberry’s walnut roast with lots of yum side dishes. Plan the menu in time, make preparations, buy good quality ingredients and the success will be guaranteed at the Christmas dinner table.

This nut roast is rich in lentils (high in protein, vitamin B1 and minerals), walnuts, hazelnuts, cashew so it’s not only delicious it is a nutritious, healthy meal.

Glazed Walnut Green Lentil Loaf
(Recipe inspiration: Oh She Glows)

Ingredients (serves 6-8)

For the loaf
– 190 g (1 cup) green lentils
– 100 g (1 cup) walnuts
– 60 g (1/2 cup) hazelnuts and cashew nuts
– 3 ground flax seeds + 6 tablespoons water
– 2 big onions, chopped
– 3 cloves garlic, chopped
– 120 g (1 cup) carrot, chopped
– 1 medium apple, peeled and grated
– 40 g (1/2 cup) oat flour
– 60 g (3/4 cup) whole wheat breadcrumbs
– 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
– 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
– 1 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
– 1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
– salt, pepper

For the balsamic glaze
– 60 ml (1/4 cup) ketchup
– 1 tablespoon maple syrup
– 2 tablespoons unsweetened apple sauce
– 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Method

Place lentils into a pan with 750 ml (3 cups) of water, season with salt, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for at least 40-50 minutes (add more water if needed) until lentils are cooked. Set aside.

In a small bowl mix ground flax with water and set aside.

In a dry non-stick pan toast walnuts, hazelnuts and cashew for 6-8 minutes and set aside.

Use a kitchen blender to grind toasted walnuts, hazelnuts and cashew. Place the grinded nuts into a large mixing bowl. Using the kitchen blender chop onion, garlic, pasley and carrots, then add to the grinded nuts. Add grated apple, rosemary, thyme, chili flakes, oat flour and breadcrumbs. Mix all ingredients together. Using the blender again, purée the cooked green lentils until smooth (or mash lentils with a spoon). Add lentils also to the mixture and adjust seasonings to taste.

Preheat the oven to 180C (356F). Meanwhile in a small bowl mix together the glaze’s ingredients.

Grease a 23 cm (9 inch or a bit longer) long loaf pan with olive oil and spoon the 2/3 of the glaze into the loaf pan and spread evenly (reserve the rest for serving). Pile the walnut green lentils mixture in the tin and pack it down with the back of a spoon.

Bake at 180C (356F) for 50-60 minutes until golden brown. Cool in the tin for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Serve with the remaining glaze on top.