pita od špinata

I can't believe I never published this moment of inspiration on the blog... I just stumbled upon a photo of this delicious Mediterranean dish from last spring that was actually a result of lack of creativity caused by lack of my kitchen machines (yes, I spoiled myself a bit during last 5 years or so). Here is a copy-paste from my Facebook page (I made it with seasonal veggies from the garden and foraged ones, but you can adjust the recipe to make it seasonal):

jučerašnji ručak :: [keep scrolling for english translation, i felt inspired today] :: pišem sve ove recepte kako bih pokazala ljudima da veganska hrana može biti zanimljiva, ukusna i raznolika, da ne mora biti egzotična i skupa da bi bila fina. kada nisam u zagrebu i nemam pravu kuhinju, dobar blender i lako dostupne namirnice kao što su tofu, soja sos, indijski oraščići, orašidi, datulje, kvinoja itd. koje sam navikla koristiti, nemam uvijek toliko inspiracije za izmišljanje kreativnih recepata. trenutačno sam u grebaštici, jednom lijepom malom mjestu u dalmaciji, gdje mi je ionako draže provoditi vrijeme u prirodi i plivati u moru nego provoditi pola dana pripremajući hranu. jučer mi se nekako posebno nije dalo smišljati ručak, ali na kraju mi je palo na pamet ovo jednostavno jelo: našla sam nešto pirovog brašna u kući, nabrala blitvu i peršin u vrtu, upotrijebila šparoge koje smo jučer ubrali i malo smrznutog mladog graška, luka i domaćeg maslinovog ulja. otprilikativni recept ide ovako: za tijesto sam koristila 1 šalicu pirovog brašna, sasvim mali prstohvat sode bikarbone, pola čajne žličice himalajske soli, 1/3 šalice vode (možda i malo više, tijesto treba biti mekano), oko 1/4 šalice maslinovog ulja (mora bito ulja kako bi tijesto bilo pomalo prhko). umijesila sam tijesto i razvaljala ga u tanki kružni oblik, stavila kratko kuhanu blitvu i ostatak svježeg povrća u sredinu, začinila s malo soli i maslinovog ulja i stavila peći 25 minuta na 200 °C. priprema nije trajala niti 10 minuta, a dok se pita pekla, stigla sam skuhati juhu od povrća. jednostavno, brzo i zaista ukusno.

/// yesterday's lunch :: i'm writing all these recipes and posting all the pictures of tasty meals so that i could show people that vegan food can be interesting, diverse, simple and doesn't have to be fancy or expensive to be delicious. when i'm out of zagreb and without proper kitchen, cool food-processing machines and easily available ingredients such as tofu, soy sauce, cashews, nuts and many other things that i got used to, i don't always feel as creative with preparing meals. also, here i rather spend time in nature, catching some sun and swimming in the sea. yesterday i was super uninspired, but still came up with this (don't know if this kind of dish has a name but it tasted like soparnik, traditional dalmatian swiss chard pie) - found some spelt flour in the kitchen cabinet, picked some green chard and parsley from the garden and used some wild asparagus that we had foraged yesterday, frozen green peas and delicious homegrown/homemade olive oil from my boyfriend's parents' garden. so here is an approximate recipe: for the dough i used 1 cup spelt flour, just a small pinch of bicarbonate soda, some himalayan salt, 1/3 cup water (maybe just a bit more, it needs to be soft when you knead it) and 1/4 cup olive oil (it needs oil to be crispy). kneaded it with my hands and rolled a flat round shape. i put some lightly cooked chard, fresh chopped onions, peas, adparagus, parsley and olive oil on top of it and closed the edges over the vegetables. baked it on 200 °C for 25 min and that's it! took less than 10 minutes to prepare, and while it was in the oven, i had time to make a soup. simple and delicious.:)

kuglice s kikirikijem

što/
180 g sirovog kikirikija
180 g badema
300 g datulja
100 g maslaca od kikirikija bez dodataka
70 g kakaove mase
1/2 čajne žličice maca praha
2 jušne žlice mljevenog tigrovog oraščića
80 ml zobenog mlijeka

kako/
Sve sastojke ubacite u sjeckalicu i obradite u kompaktnu smjesu. Ako imate slabiju sjeckalicu, možete datulje prethodno narezati na manje komade, a zobeno mlijeko dodati tek pred kraj, kada se sve ostalo dobro izmiješalo. Od dobivene smjese oblikuje kuglice, koje zatim uvaljajte u kosovo brašno (baš brašno) kako ne bi ostale masne izvana.

zašto/
Kikiriki je odličan izvor zdravih masnoća, proteina i minerala, a ove kuglice će biti izvrstan zalogaj koji će vas brzinski napuniti energijom bilo da ste na poslu, planinarite ili letite na Mjesec. Maca prah i tigrovi oraščići kao moćna superhrana neće odmoći u toj misiji, kao niti to što su ove kuglice napravljene samo od cjelovitih sastojaka, bez nepotrebnih zaslađivača i ulja.

što ako/
Ako vam ne odgovara okus sirovog kikirikija (ipak je to mahunarka i ponekad sirov može imati okus koji podsjeća na sirovi mladi grašak), preporučam da ipak kupite sirove pa ih sami popečete na suhoj travi, na najslabijoj vatri. Dobit ćete kvalitetniji okus, a i bolju nutritivnu vrijednost nego kod većine pečenih kikirikija koje možete kupiti u trgovini (oni u ljusci u rinfuzi u supermarketima su već pečeni).

[ENG]

enegry balls with peanuts

what/
180 g raw peanuts
180 g almonds
300 g dates
100 g peanut butter (without additives)
70 g cacao mass
1/2 tsp maca powder
2 tbsp ground tigernuts
80 ml oat milk

how/
Put all the ingredients into a food processor and process into a compact and somewhat sticky batter. If your food processor is too weak, help it a bit by chopping dates and grinding everything well before adding oat milk and processing it some more. Shape the mixture into balls and roll them into some coconut flour (not ground coconut..) to avoid oiliness and stickiness.

why/
Peanuts are an excellent source of healthy fats as well as some minerals and protein. These balls will be a perfect snack that will quickly fill you up with energy when you need it the most, be it at work, in nature, during a hike or while you are flying to the moon. Maca powder and tigernuts will give you some of that superfood boost, and the best thing is that you'll be consuming only whole foods, without any unnecessary sweeteners or oils.

what if/
If you don't prefer raw peanuts' taste (they are a Fabaceae family member after all, and can sometimes have a funky aftertaste, as if you were eating raw young peas), I would still recommend getting raw ones and toasting them yourself on a pan over a low heat, to preserve the nice flavour and most of the nutrients. 

slatka chia

I was craving something sweet and whipped up this chia dessert as a quick and easy fix..:) I didn't measure anything so i'll leave the amounts to your imagination, and the ingredients are:
/1/ chopped almonds and dates, ground tiger nuts.
/2/ white chia seeds, pear, rice milk, agave nectar.
/3/ pear, mixed berries (i used frozen), date syrup.
/4/ some coconut flakes on top.
Hope you'll give it a try because this combo tasted amazing!

veganska morska juha

Ponekad se zapitam kakva sam ja to kuharica kada mi najviše radosti donose jela od po nekoliko jednostavnih sastojaka koja gotovo da nisu ni kuhana.. Kada radim hranu za sebe, bilo sirovu ili kuhanu, ne volim previše komplicirati. Volim osjetiti okuse pojedinih sastojaka i njihovo ugodno stapanje u lijepo izbalansiranu cjelinu. Ne volim prekuhano povrće niti premasnu hranu, kao niti onaj osjećaj kada od brda začina ne osjetim okus povrća. Jučer sam izvagala sastojke koje koristim za jednu od svojih omiljenih juha, kako bih vam mogla napisati recept za vjerojatno jednu od najjednostavnijih juha koje ste ikada napravili. Inače obožavam okus mora u jelima, a na biljnoj prehrani ga dobivam pomoću algi. Za juhe i umake najviše volim wakame alge (Undaria pinnatifida) jer imaju nježnu teksturu i moćan morski okus. Zaronite sa mnom, žlicom u juhu...

što/
2 g suhih wakame algi
50 g korijena celera
100 g mladog špinata
60 g mekanog tofua
1 i 1/2 jušne žlice soja sosa
1 prstohvat kajenskog papra
mala šaka klica češnjaka
350 ml vode

kako/
Narežite celer na tanke komadiće, a tofu na kockice. Suhe wakame alge usitnite prstima i stavite ih u vodu s narezanim celerom i kajenskim paprom. Stavite na vatru, i kada proključa maknite s vatre i dodajte špinat, tofu i soja sos. Poslužite u zdjelice i dodajte klice češnjaka.

što ako/
Kada sam jače gladna ili hoću da me juha zasiti na dulje vrijeme, u gotovu juhu ubacim malo kuhane riže ili rižinih rezanaca koje obično već imam spremne u hladnjaku. Ako ste rižu kuhali u slanoj vodi, možda će vam za juhu trebati manje soja sosa.

[ENG]

vegan seafood soup

Does it make me a bad chef if i like my food almost uncooked, oil-free and with only few ingredients? In my opinion, a good dish is one in which you can taste every single ingredient as well as a harmonious combination which makes the whole meal,  but almost always simple, without too much unnecessary spices, oil or cooking. I love the taste of sea in my plate, and in plant-based cooking I achieve it with algae. My favourite species for soups and sauces is wakame, Undaria pinnatifida. Their soft texture and mighty sea flavour makes a vegan meal taste like seafood heaven. So take your spoons and dive with me, into the depths of this heavenly soup...

what/
2 g dried wakame algae
50 g celery root
100 g young spinach
60 g silken tofu
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 small handful garlic sprouts
350 ml water

how/
Slice the celery root into thin pieces; cut the tofu into small cubes. Crush the dried algae with your fingers and put them into a pot with water, celery and cayenne pepper. Bring it to a boil and remove from the heat; then add the spinach, tofu and soy sauce. Serve the soup and add the sprouts.

what if/
When I'm feeling more hungry, I and some cooked rice or rice noodles that I usually already have in the fridge when the soup is done. If you cooked the rice in salt water, just make sure you don't add too much soy sauce to the soup.
Bon apetit!

coconut and cranberry breakfast bars

what/
1 cup rolled oats
2/3 cup (coarsely) grated coconut
1/2 cup coconut flour
3 tbsp golden flax seeds
3 tbsp psyllium husks
2/3 cup dried cranberries
2/3 cup dates
1 ripe pear
~ 1 1/2 cup water

how/
Mix the oats, coconut flakes and flour, cranberries, psyllium and flax seeds inside a bowl. Blend the dates and pear with water into a smooth mixture.  Pour it over the dry ingredients and mix everything. Press the mixture into a cake mould and let it sit for 30-60 minutes to absorb water. Bake it on 175 °C for 30-40 minutes, or until golden-brown around the edges.
Enjoy!

rezanci od mungo graha s povrćem

Znam da cijelo vrijeme tupim kako se treba hraniti sezonski i lokalno, kako je namirnice najbolje kupovati na tržnici od ljudi koji su ih uzgojili u vlastitom vrtu (ili sam uzgojiti, naravno), kako se treba posvetiti pripremi hrane jer nam ona izgrađuje organizam i daje energiju...
Prije tjedan dana sam došla u Zagreb nakon pola godine života u manjim mjestima u Dalmaciji, i od silnih obaveza i kaosa hvatanja ritma zagrebačke svakodnevice zaista nisam uhvatila vremena za odlazak na tržnicu. Ne sjećam se kada mi se tako nešto zadnji put dogodilo, jer su tržnice i obilje sezonske hrane na njima nešto čemu se jako veselim svaki put kada dolazim u Zagreb. Možda je to i zato što kada nemam za koga kuhati, nemam niti pretjeranu želju stvarati neke raskošne obroke jer mogu (možda i predugo) ugodno živjeti na jabukama, salati i kuhanom krumpiru. Za mene kuhanje predstavlja stvaranje nečega što će razveseliti i nahraniti druge ljude, pa mi je čitav doživljaj smanjen kada sam sama. Ipak, u svrhu razbijanja monotonije solo hranjenja u Zagrebu na najbrži mogući način, odlučila sam složiti neko jednostavno ali zanimljivo jelo od onih nekoliko "dosadnih" namirnica koje sam bila spremila u zamrzivač prije pola godine (mahune su još bile super, ne lažem) ili kupila u trgovini na putu prema kući. Svašta se može uz malo kreativnosti i stare začine iz špajze. Uz ovo jelo sam koristila staklene rezance od mungo graha jer sam i njih našla u špajzi, ali umjesto njih slobodno upotrijebite rižu ili heljdu.

što/
1 mrkva
1/2 tikvice
oko 70 g korijena celera
šaka žutih mahuna
1/2 glavice crvenog luka
2 klipića mladog kukuruza (opcija)
2 prstohvata kurkume
1 prstohvat mljevenih sjemenki korijandra
1 prstohvat kajenskog papra
1 prstohvat crnog papra
2 prstohvata sušenog poriluka u prahu
1 jušna žlica soja sosa
oko 80 g suhih rezanaca od mungo graha

kako/
Prelijte rezance kipućom vodom i ostavite 5-10 minuta da omekšaju (ili slijedite upute  na pakiranju). Svo povrće narežite na tanke komade i stavite u tavu u koju ste prethodno ulili dovoljno vode da prekrije dno. Dodajte sve začine i kuhajte 1-2 minute na srednjoj vatri. Poslužite povrće uz rezance i po želji posipajte malo gomashia (gomashio je pečeni sezam s himalajskom soli).

Uživajte!

[ENG]

I know I'm always saying that you should eat seasonal and local food, shop at farmers' markets, nourish your body and soul with carefully prepared quality ingredients and so on. But sometimes it's impossible to find time for anything more than just quickly running through a supermarket and grabbing a couple of carrots, some celery and a zucchini on your way home... and that's ok. Let me show you what I whipped up with some plain and almost tasteless veggies from the store, some young beans that I had frozen half a year ago and some spices that I left in the pantry. It tasted great!

what/
1 carrot
1/2 zucchini
around 70 g celery root
a handful of young beans
1/2 red union
2 baby corn cobs (optional)
2 pinches ground turmeric
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 pinch black pepper
1 pinch ground coriander seeds
2 pinches dried leek power
1 tbsp soy sauce
around 80 g dried mungo beans vermicelli noodles.

how/
Pour boiling water over the noodles and let them soak for 5-10 minutes to soften. Cut the vegetables into thin slices and put them into a pan that you had previously filled with just enough water to cover the bottom. Add all the spices and cook the vegetables uncovered for 1-2 minutes on medium heat, stirring them regularly. Serve the vegetables with cooked noodles and season with homemade gomashio for some extra flavour.

Enjoy!