galettes chouettes

Several stays in France founded my addiction to the famous breton pancake (of course they're served all over the country)

Galettes are the savoury version of crêpes, and traditionally made with buckwheat flour, salt and water. Nothing else, and so much pleasure ;) But of course we may enrich the original recipe to pamper our little tastebuds.

This is my way to prepare them:

1/3 cup buckwheat flour
1/3 cup all purpose flour (I prefer wholewheat flour)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
optional: 1/4 cup sunflower seeds

Mix well, set aside.

In another bowl, mix:
1/2 soymilk
1/3 cup coconut milk
1 tbsp Soy yoghurt
1 tsp agave syrup

Add both mixtures and stir like mad. If the dough appears to be too thick, add small amounts of water until it's of pancake dough consistence. Heat non-stick frying pan, spread with a little bit vegetable oil, and bake your galettes!
You will need a really big and flat spatula for turning. When first making them, I tried it with a wooden one which was about 4mm thick and that didn't work at all, I destroyed two pancakes until I realized the problem ;)

Traditionally served with beurre salé (salty butter), of course you can use salted margarine. But my favourite beneath fresh fruit - which makes them crêpes again, then, haha - is a freshly prepared tomato and arugula salad and this spread.

1001 nuts Cookies

I was craving for something sweet and grainy, fruity and crispy and soft all in one. I thought of something like a homemade fruit bar. It was 10 p.m. and that's the time when most German Shops are closed, so I had to improvise with the stuff I had at home.

Many variations with any kind of your favourite nuts and seeds are possible of course. This one is quite cool for quick and healthy breakfast, for taking it to work as a yummy snack if you need quick energy, and it's perfect for children at school or for sport. The cookies are not sticky at all in contrast to most muesli bars, not too sweet but super fruity.
Of course you could also add finely chopped dried fruit like raisins or figs or apricots or berries for more sweetness... let me know what you did!



makes 15-18

2 small (or one average) sour organic apples
80-100 ml coconut milk
3 tbsp agave syrup
2 tsbp each of sunflower seeds, poppy seeds, linseeds, chopped cashews, tahini
4-5 tbsp rolled oats
dash of vanilla seeds
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cardamom capsule, finely grinded
if necessary, a bit orange juice
for the sweet tooth: 1 tbsp mascovado sugar (not neccessary)
approx. 15-20 small circular rice papers

Grate apples very fine including skin. Add all except rice paper, mix very well and let steep for at least 10 minutes. Then work the dough well once again and form small balls about the size of big cherries. The consistence is quite fluffy, not too sticky, so if you have difficulties with rolling and it falls apart, add a bit more liquid and a bit of flour (only a small amount or you'll taste it afterwards!). Press balls on rice papers and slightly pat to flatten.
Bake 20-30 min. at 160°C (320°F). The outside should be slightly crisp and the inside soft and moist.

Many variations with any kind of your favourite nuts and seeds are possible of course This one is quite cool for breakfast, it's not very sweet but fruity. Of course you could also add finely chopped dried fruit like raisins or figs or apricots or berries for more sweetness... let me know what you did!

Healthy Hangover Breakfast Waffles

Detox!

(for about 6-7 waffles)
2 cups soy/rice/almond milk
1 tbsp white vinegar (or lemon juice)
1/4 cup warm water
1/2 banana, mashed
-> mix and blend until smooth.

2 cups buckwheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
dash of salt
a bit brown sugar and/or agave syrup if you like it sweet
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla seeds

-> combine well and add milk mixture, beat until smooth and bubbly. If it's too sticky, add a little bit of water or orange juice. But not too much! Dough must be slightly thicker than the one for pancakes.

Spread waffle iron with sunflower oil and bake bake bake until you have a huge pile of steaming hot crispy waffles! Serve with any kind of fruit, syrup or nut spread you like. I had a bit of homemade plum sauce, soy yoghurt, tahini and redcurrants. Purrrrrr......

Vegan Chocolate Bananarama cake

Baking day! Today, I invented a vegan cake recipe all by myself. I was a bit afraid that it wouldn't work, but it turned out really delicious! Tell me if you liked it!!!! It's really easy to make :)

Vegan chocolate bananarama cake
(for one medium spring pan or baking pan)

Dough
200g wholemeal wheat flour
100g dried dates, finely chopped
100g brown sugar
50g oat rolls
50g cocoa powder (the dark one without sugar)
100g cold margarine
250ml soy cream or oat based cream (I used "oatly", I don't know if that is known outside of Germany)

Mix everything well with a blender and put in spring form in a way that the margins are also covered (look at my pictures to you get an idea of it - just like when you make a pastry).

Filling
1 big organic banana (ripe)
2 or 3 fresh not too ripe apricots
a handful of blueberries
4 Tbsp Vanilla sugar
1 Tsp Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp ginger powder
a dash of nutmeg
a dash of ground black pepper
a few drops of fresh lemon juice

Chop banana and apricots in very small pieces and mix with the rest using a fork and mashing the banana a bit.
Now, fill the mixture in the pan and flatten evenly. If you like, you can sprinkle a bit of extra sugar or honey.

Bake at 190°C for 20-25 minutes (be careful not to burn!).

Mr P's chilli con pollo

I seem to post a lot of recipes lately... I don't do as much cooking as it seems :D But I must share this one, too. It's the very best versions of chilli con carne I know, not only as it has been made up by Mr. P... Try it! It's soooo super easy! It was the first ever thing he cooked for me, and I suppose that is one reason why I fell in love with him :D

Mr P's secret super chilli
(serves 4)

400g fresh organic Chicken breast (anything else than organic is shit, not tasty and cruel)
a can each of sweetcorn, kidney beans and green peas (approx. 330g each)
2 packets of pureed tomato (alltog. about 600g)
3 tbsp of tomate paste (the concentrated version you can buy in tubes)
1/2 white onion
1 garlic clove
olive oil
pepper, salt, chili powder, sweet curry powder, italian herb mix (e.g. oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary...)

Cut chicken in small pieces, put in a bowl and cover with loads of chilli and curry powder and a bit of oil. Mix well and let marinate for half an hour.Then, chop onions and fry with the chicken in olive oil. When cooked through, add finely chopped garlic, sweetcorn, beans and peas and cover with the tomato puree. Let simmer for a few minutes and stir well. Lastly, add spices (a lot of curry poweder again - Mr. P uses 1/3 package for one pot!) and tomato paste. Let simmer for another 5 minutes. Done!

We love to eat it with wholemeal egg-free pasta, but of course you can serve it classically with white bread or rice if you prefer.
The chicken can be replaced by mince or veggie mince, too. But I quite like the chicken version!

From Japan with love.

Things that arrived from Osaka and Korea today. YAY!!!! Yet, I don't quite get why I ordered so much Bento supply stuff... I sure love Bento, but never tried it, and I'm not sure if I ever will - not even enough time for the must-do projects... Well, no matter. If I want to do some Bento-ing now, I definitely have all I need :D :D
Little paper flags for Bento, Huge pink piglet shopping bag (too big for the pic, so only the tag), food cutters for Bento, tiny sticks for Bento, little plastic deco animals (hello kitty in pajamas -too cute- and goggle-eyed rabbits).
2 Din A4 folders, soya sauce containers for Bento, more food cutters, 2 rice ball makers, egg spice.

Have you ever tried Bento? Do you like it? Any advice?

Love Waffles/Melon Summer Salad

Mr P and me went to my friend Laura's annual BIG SUMMER GARDEN PARTY last friday. I am so in love with the house she lives in (with 4 flatmates and three cats), it looks just like Pippi Longstockings Villa Villekulla. I would love to live there one day with a lot of funny people and children!!! Their garden is a little paradise, with lots of hidden corners (for kissing and making poetry), torches and big beech trees. And a big sand pit!!! :) (perfect for eternal teenagers like me)

Everybody was asked to bring something to eat, it is a very nice tradition at their parties to have a huge, mouth-watering homemade-stuff buffett. This is what p and me made, I thought I'd share it. I never tried both things before, and I really liked it.

Melon salad (from Tel Aviv, based on the recipe in Nigelly Lawson's Verführung zum Kochen)
(for one medium sized bowl)

1 Honey Melon (Nigella uses watermelon, but I like honey melons better)
250g Feta Cheese
1 red onion
a handful of black olives
1/2 pomegranate
a handful of macadamia nuts (or pistacios)
juice of 2 big limes
olive oil
pepper,salt,parsley,peppermint leaves

Slice everything ecxept the pomegranate, starting with the onions (be sure to make small pieces). Put onion slices in a bowl, drown with lime juice, olive oil, pepper and salt and let marinate while you slice the rest. Add all the other stuff, keeping two or three peppermint leaves uncut for decorating. Last, carefully knock on the half pomegranate fruit to get out the kernels and sprinkle them on the finished dish. Done :) sorry, no pic, was eaten up too quickly. REALLY!

Love Waffles (invented by me, muah)
(for about 6 dessert portions)

a package of commercial (when possible egg-free) rectangular sweet waffles from the supermarket (I had 6 big pieces in my pack)
1 Kiwi (the golden sweet ones) or 1 ripe peach
1 vanilla and 1 mango yoghurt (together 250g), ideally organic, or any other not too sweet fruit yoghurt of your choice
3 tbsp peanut butter
colourful sugar sprinkles

Place half of the waffles on a large rectangular plate. Mix yoghurts in a bowl (not if you only use one sort), then spread it equally on the waffles (like butter on a bread). Slice fruit in tiny pieces and sprinkle it onto the yoghurt layer.
Now take other half of the waffles (for the top layer), spread a bit of peanut butter on the upper side, and dip into the sugar sprinkles. Place on the prepared lower part. Just like a sandwich!

Now, if you like, you can decorate the dish with all kinds of sugar stuff, I used some little tubes with commercial chocolate writing mass.

Finally, take a verrrrrrry sharp big knife, and cut all the waffles in about 3x3 cm big quarters or equal rectangulars to be able to serve it as finger food.

Happy eating!

Vegan Thursday.

I established a no-fastfood-but-tasty day per week for Mr P a few weeks ago, he wants to eat healthier now he has become a football coach for 10-12 year old kids (they seem to run faster than him, he he).

This was the first result:
Organic spelt bread, red pepper, sweet chilli sauce (loads), vegan pumpkin/carrot stars.

He liked it, jippieh.

This week, I was a bit more brave: I cooked some butterflies. Haha. Course not. Look.

Basmati rice with veggie bolognese for the wings, very hot chilli sauce for the antennae and cucumber stir fry for the body.

Cucumber Stirrrrrrr-Frrrry
(serves one hungry girl)

1 big fresh organic cucumber
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
a handful of walnuts (from the tree of your trust)
soy sauce
black pepper
salt
ground nutmeg
a small piece of fresh ginger
1 Tbsp balsamico

Roast walnuts in oil until they're golden. Add cucumber, let stew for a few minutes while you reduce heat. Add all spices. If you like it sharp (I dooooo!), add some fresh or dried chillies aswell. But be careful.

Oh I love playing with food! Do you?

Lasagne magnifique

One of my flatmates moved out yesterday. Tin-eyed Tine and me created a veggie Lasagne as a farewell diner. (He moved to a street only a few blocks from our flat, but we will definitely miss you, män!)



I thought I'd share it, it was so yummy and easy and fun - as T. and me always have a who-makes-the-larger-mess-contest
when we cook a meal. By the way- the boys hate Tofu, and they did'nt realize that it was no real mince... hahahahaha!

Lasagne magnifique
(serves two very hungry men and two hungry girls)

400g Veggie mince
400g canned sliced tomatoes (as for pizza)
4 carrots (finely chopped)
1 big onion (finely chopped)
black pepper, cayenne pepper chilli powder, paprika, salt, oregao, rosemary
1 tbsp live oil

--> mix well in a large bowl.

Prepare one sachet instant bechamel or make one yourself (bit of butter in a pan, melt, DON'T BURN!, add a bit of plain flour, STIRRRRRR, and then add a bit of milk, STIRRRRRRRRRRRR until you die. Take from stove, let cool a bit)

And last but not least, have ready loads of grated cheese, about 200-300g (emmental, gouda, parmesan, pecorino).

You will need two medium sized lasagne pans.
First layer: mince mixture
second layer: bechamel ( only a bit spread on top of the mince part)
third layer: cheese
fourth layer: lasagne sheets
Start again with mince, repeat other two (haha, sounds like a crochet pattern now)
End with cheese.

Veganizing:
For the bechamel: Use sunflower oil instead of butter and plant based milk of your choice.
Instead of cheese: Soak 2 cups cashews for about two hours, rinse. Mix them with 1 package silken tofu (about 200g), salt, pepper, dash of nutmeg, 2 tbsps nutri yeast, 1 clove garlic. Puree with food blender. If you like, you can make a bit more of this and use instead of bechamel, too.

Let cook in the oven for about 40 minutes at 200°C until crust is crisp and looks like fair caramel.
Now don't burn your tongue, baby!

Goes very well with a simple rucola salad with balsamico vinaigrette.

Hope you like it, ladyboys.
Now I need a bit of sleep, got tattooed again today and it F***s a bit... Pics tomorrow, here, for sure.



Love you all!

vegan L-Love

Got a new favourite series: The L-Word. In fact, I fell in love with Shane at the first glance, and it inspires me in a strange way... Uhm, too much detail ;) At any rate, it inspires me culinarily.... example: Kit's Polenta pear tarte she sells in The Planet. I discussed it with mummy, and from somewhere deep in her many many recipe notes, she conjured a polenta tarte recipe. Not pears, but apples, no matter. I translated it into Vegan Love Language. There you are:



Polenta Whatsoever-Fruit Tarte
(for a 28cm-spring form)

750ml Soy milk (if you are a sweetie, take the vanilla flavoured one)
375 ml water
dash of salt
dash of saffron
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
2 Tbsp brown sugar


--> bring to a boil.
Then add

200g polenta

and simmer for about 15 - 20 min. (be careful not to scorch or boil over)
Take from the stove and let cool a bit, then add

75 g raisins or sliced dates
1 big mashed banana




Take the spring form and grease it with a little bit of canola or sunflower oil,
then spread some ground almonds into it.

Fill the cooled polenta mixture in the springform.
Now decide which fruit you would like to use: good are sour apples, pears, mango, peach, apricot. You will need about 400 g in total, slice it roughly and put it one the cake.

Finally: Mix
6 Tbsp coconut cream and
2 Tbsp brown sugar

and spread it evenly on the top of the cake.

Let bake for about 30-35 min at 200°C.
Eat warm (tastes likea wonderful semolina pudding) or cool (tastes like some kind of crazy mouth-watering cheese cake).

Hope you like it. Let me know!

christkindlesmarkt

As I live very close to bavaria's famous christkindlesmarkt in Nuremberg, it's obvious that I have to go there at least once a christmas season. Besides huge amounts of Glühwein and sausages, there are some stalls with examples for true craft. As this small booth with "springerle", non edible biscuits for decoration, which have a long tradition in southern germany. There are special wooden forms in which they're baked and for these "Models" exists an own fandom because they look very cute. But now take a look at my pics of the beautiful and brightly coloured Springerle:



And these two were allowed to come home with me :) It was REALLY hard to decide. And I am already looking forward to seeing them embellish my christmas tree! YEAH! Traditional craft is so wonderful!

Yummy Almond Milk

You know, I am always curious about trying new food ingredients and recipes. When I spotted different sorts of prefabricated almond milk in our organic supermarket, I simply had to test it. I already had rice drink and several sorts of soy milk, I love soy milk, but almond milk never crossed my mind so far.
Enjoying the lovely morning sun, I am just experiencing my first almond milk latte. Half cup strong coffee, half cup luke warm almond milk, that seems to be a fine mixture, and thanks to the sweet taste of the pure almond milk you don't need any sweetener or sugar. (By the way, the nutritional value of it is only about 38 kcal per 100 g which is even less than that of skimmed milk) It has a slight flavour of grain when heated, but that's what I expected and what you get in most sorts of soy milk, too. Only be careful not to let it boil as it curdles easily then.



Well, now I will do some research for recipes with almond milk. I just found a french dessert called "blancmanger", this seems to be something like an almond milk version of panna cotta (which I ADORE) ... probably worth a try for the next dinner with the girls ;) And another recipe, almond milk bread from german Küchenlatein blog. Sounds scrumptious and looks great!
If any of you has some ideas whatelse to do with this yummy drink, please share! I'm keen on collecting more ideas. And what do you think of almond milk as baby food? Better not take it as an alternative for breastfeeding or formula, but what are your experiences with almond milk as a base for mash or something like that when you start with solid food?