kako piti smoothie

...i od čega ga raditi?

Dobivam puno upita za recepte za smoothie... Obično kažem ljudima da je to nešto intuitivno, da je najbolje da sami smisle svoje recepte za smoothie i da uostalom ne postoji neki poseban recept. Samo ubaciš i izblendaš. Ipak, na nekoliko stvari treba obratiti pažnju ako želite napraviti dobar smoothie. Stvarno vjerujem da će vam one i zvučati logično i intuitivno, ali neka se nađu i te informacije u bespućima ovog bloga.

Za početak, nemojte da vas zavede činjenica da je sve to ionako izblendano u kašicu i misliti da zato nije važno što je unutra. Pokušajte razmišljati jednostavno. Tri do četiri, možda pet sastojka je sasvim dovoljno. Hrpa sastojaka koje inače nikada ne biste spojili može opteretiti probavni sustav i izazvati vam nelagodu u želucu, i džabe onda što su ti sastojci sami za sebe "zdravi". Također, bilo bi dobro da koristite sastojke koje inače volite jesti, ili koji su vam barem OK za pojesti, a izbjegavate one koje niti kada su čitavi ne možete smisliti. Postoji razlog zašto tijelo u određenim periodima odbija određene namirnice i ne treba se siliti da jedete hranu od koje vam je loše ili koja vam nije ukusna (to je malo više istinito ako se hranite manje-više cjelovito pa tijelo stvarno zna što mu treba; ako se hranite pizzom, čokoladama i hamburgerima, vašem tijelu će trebati neko vrijeme da dođe u stanje kada vam može pokazati koja mu hrana zaista treba). To se uglavnom odnosi na voće, povrće i orašide, a ne toliko na razne "superfood" dodatke, kao što su spirulina, maca, acai, koje ionako ne jedete same jer su prejaki.

Po mojem mišljenju (što ne znači da ćete i vi nužno imati isto; slobodno istražite što vašem tijelu i ukusu najviše odgovara), dobar smoothie sadrži neko voće (najbolje jedna vrsta) koje će zadovoljiti prirodnu potrebu za šećerima, zeleno povrće koje će zahvaljujući svojim vlaknima, iako izblendano, malo usporiti apsorpciju šećera iz voća i dodatno vas opskrbiti mineralima i antioksidansima, neku namirnicu koja će vas dulje držati sitima, kao što su chia sjemenke ili orašasti plodovi (osobno preferiram chiu, od previše orašastog u smoothiju mi bude zlo jer je masno, ali to ne znači da će i vama biti) i neku superhranu kao što je spirulina ili maca prah.

Od povrća najčešće koristim špinat ili blitvu, a dobrar izbor su i recimo kelj, raštika, list cikle, matovilac... Što su listovi mlađi i mekši, to bolje. Ne koristim korijenasto povrće u smoothijima jer je puno škroba i tako nešto mi nije drago konzumirati u tekućem stanju. Od voća će vam banana dati najkremastiju teksturu, ali dobre su i jabuka, kruška, ananas, mango... Bobičasto voće samo po sebi nije jako slatko, pa je dobro u kombinaciji s nekim drugim voćem, recimo jabukom ili kruškom. Chia sjemenke je potrebno namočiti u dovoljno vode prije nego što ih izblendate u smoothie, kako bi nabubrile i pustile sluz. Superhranu dodajte u sasvim maloj količini, primjerice 1/2 čajne žličice maca praha ili 1 čajna žličica spiruline. Te su namirnice nabijene mikronutrijentima i drugim korisnim tvarima i već je mala količina dovoljna da dobijemo ono što nam je potrebno.

Zašto uopće superhrana? Te namirnice svakako nisu neophodne, ali nam dobro dođu da malo podebljamo unos nekih mikronutrijenata kojima je današnja hrana, zbog načina uzgoja (osim ako jedete stvarno samo kvalitetne namirnice koje ste sami uzgojili, ili ih kupujete od nekoga za koga znate da ima kvalitetne i nutritivno bogate namirnice), siromašnija nego, primjerice, hrana prije 50-100 godina.

A kako piti smoothie? Zar tu uopće postoji neka mudrost?
Zapravo da, postoji. Ovo je i glavni razlog zašto pišem ovaj post. Smoothie se ne pije jer nije voda, već hrana u tekućem obliku. Probava započinje u ustima, a ne u želucu. Ako samo progutate smoothie kao da ste popili čašu vode, vaše tijelo neće na vrijeme dobiti informaciju da je u njega ušla hrana. Zato se mnogi ljudi ne uspiju zasititi od smoothija, neki imaju problema s probavom nakon što ga popiju, a neki ljudi se debljaju na smoothijima jer mogu popiti puno više nego što bi mogli pojesti da iste te namirnice žvaču, pa na kraju unesu u sebe puno više šećera nego što su namjeravali. Iz ovoga se može zaključiti i da smoothie i nije idealna hrana, barem ne za svakoga, no zapravo je najvažnije na koji ga način konzumirate. Ako volite smoothie i mislite da je to dobar i nutritivno bogat obrok (što svakako može biti), "pijte" ga polako, kao da ga zapravo jedete. Svaki "gutljaj" doživite kao zalogaj hrane i ostavite ga neko vrijeme u ustima prije nego što ga progutate; možete čak pomalo žvakati i premještati jezikom iako ne trebate ništa stvarno sažvakati. Možda zvuči smiješno ali vjerujte mi da će vam tijelo biti zahvalno.

I još jedna stvar, ništa manje važna... kao i uvijek, koristite zrelo voće! Zrele banane imaju crne točkice, zrele kruške su mekane i slatke itd.. Od nezrelog voća ćete se samo i dalje osjećati gladni, a neće biti toliko ukusno.

Sada ću vam napisati nekoliko ideja za smoothie po mom ukusu, a vi se slobodno zabavite i izmislite neke svoje kombinacije koje će vam bolje odgovarati.

1.
* 2 banane + 2 šake mladog špinata + 3 datulje + 1 čajna žličica spiruline + 2 dl rižinog mlijeka

2.
* 2 kruške + 1 šaka bobičastog voća (borovnica, kupina, aronija, jagoda....) + 1/2 čajne žličice maca praha + 1 jušna žlica chia sjemenki namočena u 2 dl zobenog mlijeka

3.
* 2 banane + 2 jušne žlice chia sjemenki namočene u 1,5 dl vode + 1 šaka lješnjaka + 1 jušna žlica sirovog kakaa u prahu + malo kokosovog šećera ili datulja + 1,5 dl zobenog mlijeka

4.
* 2 banane + 1 šaka bobičastog voća + 2 šake mlade blitve + 1 mala šaka badema + 2 dl vode.

Eto, a dalje sami.
Živili!

[ENGLISH]

how to drink a smoothie

...and what ingredients to use?

I've always believed that making a smoothie was pretty intuitive thing and that everyone should make it according to their own feeling, but people keep asking me for a smoothie recipe, so I will write some general smoothie wisdom and give you some examples and ideas.

First of all, don't get carried away by the fact that it is all blended into a smooth mash and think that it doesn't matter what's inside for that reason. Try to think simple. Three, four, maybe five ingredients are just enough. A bunch of different ingredients that you would usually never combine can unnecessarily burden your digestive system and cause discomfort in the stomach, so you don't really get all the benefits from what was supposed to be healthy food. Also, I would recommend you to use only the ingredients that you normally like to eat, and avoid those that you can't stand when they are whole. There is a reason why our bodies refuse to consume certain foods in certain periods and we shouldn't force ourselves to eat what we don't find tasty or what even makes us sick, no matter how healthy people claim it to be (this is more true if you eat primarily whole foods and your body knows what it needs; if you "feed" your body with junk food, then it will need some time to be sure what food it needs, and what the addicted brain wants). This refers mostly to fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and not so much to various superfoods such as maca, spirulina, acai and so on, that are used only in small amounts because they are too strong.

In my opininon (which doesn't mean that you have to feel the same; discover what fits your body's needs and your personal taste), a good smoothie contains some fruit (preferably one kind) that will satisfy natural need for sugars; leafy greens that contain fiber and will, despite being blended, slow down the absorption of sugars from fruits a bit and provide you with some more minerals and antioxidants; some foodstuff that will keep you satiated for longer period, such as chia seeds or nuts (I personally prefer chia seeds, too much nuts in a smoothie make me sick because it's too oily for my taste, but if you like it, go for it!) and some superfood such as spirulina or maca powder.

My favourite vegetables for smoothie are spinach and swiss chard, but all kinds of kale, beet leaves and lamb's lettuce are also a good choice. The younger the leaves, the better the taste. I never use roots and other starchy vegetables because i just don't find it natural to consume so much starch in a liquid form (maybe in a pumpkin or sweet potato soup, but not in a smoothie). From fruits, almost anything goes. Bananas will give you the creamiest texture, but apples, pears, mango and pineapple also make a good smoothie base. Berries are not that sweet by themselves, so they go well when combined with some other, sweeter fruits, such as pears. Chia seeds need to be soaked to absorb water before you use them in a smoothie. Superfood powders are full of micronutrients and need to be used only in smaller doses, for example 1 teaspoon of spirulina powder, or 1/2 teaspoon of maca powder.

Why superfoods anyway? They are not indispensable for sure, but they can come in handy when you feel like you can't get all the nutrients that your body needs from regular food. It is common that today's food is less nutrient-rich than the food that was produced 50-100 years ago, and not everyone can produce their own food, or have someone to buy quality nutrient-rich foodstuffs from.

And how to drink a smoothie? Is there really so much wisdom to it? Well, there is some wisdom, and that is the main reason for me to write this post. Smoothie should not be drank because it is not water; it is in fact food in a liquid form. Digestion starts in your mouth, not your stomach. If you just swallow smoothie as if it was a glass of water, your body will not get the information that you put food in it on time. That's why many people can't get to feel satiated after a smoothie, some have digestion issues after drinking it, and some people even gain weight on smoothies, because they can drink much more  than they would normally be able to eat if they chewed all the ingredients. So it looks like smoothies are not ideal food, at least not for everyone, but the thing is, how you consume it matters the most. If you like smoothies and think it is a good and nutritious meal (which it certainly can be!), "drink" it slowly, as if you were eating it. You can perceive every sip as a bite and leave it in your mouth for longer, even "chew" on it, move it over the tongue even though you have nothing to really chew. It might sound funny, but believe me, your body will thank you.

One more thing, not less important... as always, use ripe fruits! Ripe bananas are somewhat soft and have black spots on their skin, ripe pears are soft and sweet and so on.. After eating unripe fruits you will probably still feel hungry, and it won't be that tasty either.

Now, here are some ideas for smoothie that are just up to my taste. 

1.
* 2 bananas + 2 handfuls young spinach + 3 dates + 1 tsp spirulina powder + 200 ml rice milk

2.
* 2 pears + 1 handful berries (blueberries, blackberries, aronia, strawberries......) + 1/2 tsp maca powder + 1 tbsp chia seeds soaked in 200 ml oat milk

3.
* 2 bananas + 2 tbsp chia seeds soaked in 150 ml water + handful hazelnuts + 1 tbsp raw cacao powder + some coconut blossom sugar or dates + 150 ml oat milk

4.
* 2 bananas + 1 handful berries + 1 handful young chard leaves + 1 small handful almonds + 200 ml water.

Now you! Get creative and think of some new combinations that you will like the most and have fun nourishing your body with real foods. 

postcards from thailand

kruh od pirovog brašna s pivom

Da se nadovežem na prošli post... Kruh od kiselog tijesta je divna stvar, ali nemojte misliti da ga svaki dan veselo mijesim i bedirati se zato što vi ne stignete tako nešto. Zapravo je istina da u zadnje vrijeme posebno rijeko radim kiselo tijesto jer puno putujem, a kiselo tijesto zahtijeva dozu predanosti, strpljenja, ljubavi, vremena, i poželjno je da ste dulje na jednom mjestu kako biste mogli redovito odvajati i hraniti starter (on može stajati u frižideru ali kada ga vratite na sobnu temperaturu, opet mu treba neko vrijeme da se aktivira). Kada nemate vremena za raditi kiselo tijesto, kruh sa sodom bikarbonom može biti dobra brzinska zamjena. Žitarice koje nisu prethodno fermentirane ili proklijale nisu idealna hrana za čovjeka, ali ne moramo se uvijek niti hraniti idealno; neuzrujavanje oko toga da nam prehrana bude uvijek savršena (dakle izostanak jednog faktora koji potencijalno uzrokuje stres) isto vodi do zdravlja. Uostalom, ovakav kruh je i dalje hranjiv i napravljen od cjelovitih namirnica, i sigurna sam da bi ga neki nazvali potpuno zdravim. Zato, ako vam se već jede sendvič ili avokado tost, najbolje je da uživate u njemu bez grižnje savijesti.. recimo uz ovaj kruh od pira i pive.

što/
2 i 1/3 šalice pirovog brašna iz cijelog zrna
1 šalica pive
2 jušne žlice maslinovog ulja (opcija)
2 jušne žlice jabučnog octa
1/2 čajne žlice sode bikarbone
1 čajna žlica himalajske soli
1 jušna žlica datuljinog sirupa

kako/
Pomiješajte sve suhe sastojke u jednoj posudi, a mokre/tekuće u drugoj. Ulijte tekuće sastojke u posudu sa suhima i nježno izmiješajte gumenom spatulom. Pazite da ne miješate pregrubo i prebrzo je biste mogli ostati bez meke i prozračne teksture kada kruh bude pečen. Prebacite tijesto u kalup za pečenje i pecite 45-50 minuta na 190 °C. Pečeni kruh ostavite da se hladi zamotan u krpu kako bi ostao mekan.

[ENG]

spelt & beer soda bread

After sharing a simple recipe/idea for breakfast toast, I think that I should give you an alterntive to sourdough bread, because not everybody wants to dedicate so much time to fermenting dough (although it is such a beautiful, magical thing). I love sourdough and find it the ideal way to make bread, but I don't really make it that often anymore. For sourdough you need a nice dose of dedication, patience, love, time, and it is desirable that you stay at the same place for some time to be able to separate and feed the starter regularly to make that beautiful dough so amazing and fluffy and nicely fermented. I've been traveling and moving a lot for last years and I never know how long am I going to stay at a certain place, so I had to neglect my dear sourdough for now. Instead, I've been making spelt flour soda breads. They are unbelievably quick and easy to make - you just whip it up from a few ingredients, put it in the oven and bake for 30-60 minutes. It is not the same thing as sourdough health-wise because here you don't include fermentation in the process and fermentation is the thing that connects cereals and human diet.. but we don't always need to eat perfect food. Not stressing about every single thing that you consume is also a way to health, assuming that you consume things in moderation. Besides, this bread will still be nutritious and made from whole-food ingredients and I'm sure that some would say that it's super-healthy. So, if you get an occasional desire to eat a sandwich or avocado toast, you should enjoy it without feeling guilty.. say, with this spelt flour and beer soda bread.

what/
2 + 1/3 cup whole-grain spelt flour

1 cup beer

2 tbsp olive oil (optional)

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar or over-fermented water kefir

1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda

1 tsp himalayan salt

1 tbsp date syrup

how/

Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Combine all the wet ingredients in another dish. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with dry ones and stir slowly and gently with a rubber spatula. Be careful not to stir too roughly because you might lose the soft and fluffy texture. Transfer the dough into a baking mould and bake it on 190 °C for 45-50 minutes. Let the bread dry in a kitchen cloth to stay soft.

avokado tost

Here is some making up for generally neglecting breakfast recipes for years... with some really breakfasty meal ideas, like this one: spelt sourdough avocado toast with pan-fried tofu. You can use this detailed recipe for making delicious sourdough bread, and if you are new to this blog, you can read more about why is sourdough better than "regular" bread here. For avocado spread, I just mashed a whole avocado with juice of 1/2 large lemon, a pinch of himalayan salt and some black pepper. Tofu was marinated in tamari for a couple of minutes and then fried on dry non-sticking pan (you can use a few drops of coconut oil if your pan is not that good, just don't overdo with oil in the morning). I added some beetroot sprouts, but you can use any other fresh vegetables. And that's it, easy and satisfying :)

i kava je lijepa

Znam da mnogi ljudi pokušavaju izbjegavati kavu zato što je "nezdrava", ili je piju ali se osjećaju kao da imaju lošu naviku koje se trebaju riješiti. Mislim da ništa nije samo po sebi zdravo niti nezdravo i da je puno faktora uključeno u zdravlje pojedinca, a ne tiču se svi samo konkretne namirnice koja je proglašena zdravom ili nezdravom. Kod napitaka kao što su kava ili čaj, koje ne konzumiramo zbog nutritivne vrijednosti već zbog nekakvog užitka, može se djelomično primijeniti ona dobra stara Paracelzijeva da samo doza čini otrov. Sa svime u životu je dobro biti umjeren. Svjesno konzumiranje hrane i pića uz poštivanje sebe i okoline i slušanje vlastitog tijela sigurno ne vodi u pretjerivanje, pa onda uglavnom i ne možemo niti pričati o nezdravom. Problem je u tome što danas previše namirnica koje ljudi konzumiraju vodi u neku vrstu ovisnosti ili navike pa je često teško znati "što nam tijelo govori" i kada je dosta. Ukratko, ako pijete deset šalica kave dnevno, vjerojatno imate nezdravu naviku koje biste se možda trebali htjeti riješiti ako marite za svije zdravlje u budućnosti, ali ako popijete jednu šalicu kave dnevno i osjećate da vam ne šteti na bilo kakav način, vjerojatno je sve u redu i ne trebate brinuti. Kava je jedna od namirnica koje zakiseljavaju organizam, a ljudsko tijelo najbolje funkcionira kada je blago lužnato. To je jedan od glavnih razloga za svrstati kavu u "nezdrave" namirnice. Ali ako se hranite kvalitetno i jedete dovoljno svježeg, sirovog voća i povrća (koje tijelu povećava lužnatost), jedna šalica kave vam sigurno neće toliko narušiti ravnotežu u organizmu. Ako ste pak malo osjetljiviji na bioaktivne tvari (ja recimo jesam) pa vam je i ta jedna šalica kave ponekad previše, u ovom postu ću napisati ponešto o različitim vrstama kave i načinima pripreme, od kojih su neki dovoljno blagi i za one "preosjetljive".

Oduvijek sam voljela okus kave. To mi je još od djetinjstva jedan od omiljenih okusa, a pijenje kave sam uvijek doživljavala kao neku vrstu rituala, ili jednostavno svojih pola sata čistog užitka. Znam da puno ljudi pije kavu zbog kofeina, da ih razbudi ili "digne", no meni je upravo kofein predstavljao problem kod kave. Nakon jedne do dvije kave iz kafića dnevno, koliko sam najčešće bila pila do prije nekih šest godina, osjećala bih se previše nervozno, ubrzano, budno, bila bih toliko žedna da bih bez problema popila litru vode u manje od sat vremena, osjećala bih čudnu nelagodu u želucu i prsima, a navečer ne bih mogla zaspati. S turskom kavom koju sam si kod kuće kuhala je bilo malo bolje i ponekad ne bih osjetila cijelo ovo ludilo, ali često niti od nje ne bih mogla zaspati. Ipak mi je trebalo dugo da prestanem piti kavu jer sam toliko voljela njezin okus. Nakon što sam napokon odlučila da se ne želim dan za danom loše osjećati i prestala piti svoj omiljeni napitak (usput, nisam osjetila nikakve simptome odvikavanja, kao niti nakon godina pušenja cigareta, niti nakon prestanka konzumiranja hrane životinjskog porijekla i kuhane hrane; mislim da kada čovjek ima jasan cilj i razlog zašto prestaje s nekom navikom koju doživljava kao štetnu, može biti dovoljno svjestan i uporan da ostane pri svojoj odluci), problemi sa spavanjem su mi se malo ublažili (nestali su tek godinama kasnije, ali to je materijal za neku drugu priču), bolovi u želucu koje sam do tada znala imati su s vremenom nestali, i sve u svemu sam se osjećala zdravije i ugodnije. Bilo mi je malo žao što ne mogu piti kavu, ali osjećaj bez popratnih simptoma je bio toliko dobar da sam imala dovoljan razlog da mi pijenje kave više ne uđe u naviku. Znala sam popiti kavu jednom mjesečno, ili čak jednom u nekoliko mjeseci, ali svaki put bih imala istu reakciju kao i prije, i jedva bih čekala sutradan da prođe taj neugodan osjećaj (ili prekosutra, ako tu noć ne bih uspjela zaspati).

Kada sam prešla na sirovu hranu, još sam bolje osjećala utjecaj svake namirnice koju bih stavila u svoje tijelo, bilo hrane ili bioaktivnih tvari, vjerojatno zato što mi se tijelo na tako "čistoj" prehrani i samo dosta očistilo. Tada sam još jasnije osjećala djelovanje kave i napokon odlučila da jednostavno više neću piti kavu kada mi i jedna šalica toliko omete dan. Trebalo mi je oko godinu dana (možda i više) bez kave uopće da bih se opet usudila krenuti u eksperimentiranje s tim ukusnim napitkom. Ovaj put su na redu bila razne arabike.

Kava koju danas možemo kupiti dobiva se uglavnom iz dvije različite biljne vrste iz roda Coffea. To su Coffea arabica i C. canephora, poznatija kao robusta. Robusta je jeftinija zbog lakšeg uzgoja, većih prinosa i veće otpornosti na bolesti i štetnike, okus joj je "grublji" i pomalo nedefiniran i gorak u odnosu na arabicu. Robusta je kava koja je u Hrvatskoj još uvijek najzastupljenija u kafićima upravo zbog cijene, a naša sirova balkanska nepca su navikla na takvu kavu, tako da je dosta ljudi voli više nego arabicu. U mnogim europskim zemljama je popularnost arabice zadnjih godina dosta narasla, pa tako već u Budimpešti možete u svakom kvartu naići na male kafiće i pržionice speciality kave u kojima ćete popiti vrhunsku arabiku i gotovo zaplakati od ugode. I u Hrvatskoj ovo postaje sve popularnije; zadnjih godina su se otvorile neke zaista kvalitetne male pržionice i kafići, i mislim da će kroz nekoliko godina u i Zagrebu na svakom koraku moći popiti kvalitetna arabica. Zašto je arabica takav hit? Za razliku od robuste, ima relativno nizak sadržaj kofeina (čak do 50% manje nego robusta), kompleksnu i bogatu aromu (različite arabice mogu imati primjerice kiselkaste, voćne ili orašaste, zemljane, čokoladne note, dok se kod robuste najčešće osjeti samo gorčina i jednostavno "okus kave") i sve u svemu lakše sjeda na organizam, pogotovo ako inače imate problema s kavom.

Kada sam ušla u svijet raznih arabica i otkrila prekrasnu novu raznolikost okusa i aroma bez štetnih posljedica, moj odnos s kavom bio je spašen. Napokon sam mogla popiti šalicu kave u 3 popodne i otići spavati u ponoć, i... zaspati! Osim ako bih pretjerala s količinom, od arabice ne bih imala onu nelagodu u želucu i nervozu koju sam do tada bila povezivala s kavom. Prošle godine sam iz nekih poslovnih razloga trebala isprobati više različitih arabica i bila sam oduševljena kada čak niti nakon tjedan dana svakodnevnog pijenja kave (ok, pazila sam na količinu ali svejedno!) nisam osjećala nikave neugodne posljedice. Uskoro sam otkrila i cold brew metodu (hladno pripremljena kava) i opet se do kraja zaljubila u kavu.

Što je cold brew?

To je metoda pripreme kave kod koje se ne koristi povišena temperatura za dobivanje napitka, već se mljevena zrna kave namaču u hladnoj vodi kroz dulji vremenski period. Zrna kave za cold brew trebaju biti nešto krupnije mljevena nego zrna za tursku kavu jer se tako dobije bistriji napitak, ali i bolji okus s manje gorčine. Hladno pripremljena kava ima ugodan i kompleksan okus, a djelovanje joj je također ugodnije jer ne izaziva klasičnu kavom izazvanu nervozu. Ovakva kava lakše sjeda na želudac i manje zakiseljava tijelo nego kuhana kava. Spojite arabicu i cold brew i dobili ste kavu iz snova. Barem mojih snova, ali pokušajte i sami, stvarno je odlična.

što/

60 g arabica kave (prilagodite količinu vlastitom ukusu i toleranciji)

500 ml vode

kako/

Najbolje je koristiti pržena zrna kave koja ćete sami samljeti, ali ako ne možete naći zrna ili nemate mlinac, kupite što krupnije mljevenu kavu. Kava za hladnu metodu trebala bi biti mljevena na veličinu kristala šećera ili krušnih mrvica, dakle nešto krupnije nego što je kod nas uobičajeno za tursku kavu. Mljevenu kavu stavite u staklenku, prelijte hladnom vodom, promiješajte i zatvorite staklenku. Ostavite staklenku na hladnom (ja je zimi ostavljam u kuhinji jer nemam radijatore, a po ljeti je dobro staviti u hladnjak) 12-24 h i zatim procijedite kroz platnenu krpu ili gazu. Ovako pripremljenu kavu možete čuvati u hladnjaku i više od tjedan dana, što je dosta praktično ako želite ujutro popiti kavu a ne da vam se kuhati (iako je kuhanje kave tako lijepo i mirisno...kome se to ne da..?). Eksperimentirajte s omjerima kave i vode, duljinom namakanja, stupnjem mljevenja zrna i različitim kavama kako biste pronašli aromu koja vam najbolje odgovara. Sada sam dosta mljela slova po tipkovnici, ostavljam vas da sami istražujete i dalje otkrivate prekrasni svijet kave. 

Ćao bok!

[ENG]

about coffee

In today's somewhat health-obsessed world, many people try to avoid coffee consumption because it is generally said to be unhealthy. Some drink it, but feel like they have a bad habit they should get rid of as soon as possible. The truth is, most of the things cannot be considered as healthy or unhealthy per se; there are many factors that can determine one's health, and not all of them are related to a specific foodstuff that was declared healthy or unhealthy. When it comes to beverages such as coffee or tea, that we don't consume for their nutritional value, but rather for some kind of pleasure, I guess we could apply that famous old quote by Paracelsus - that only the dose makes the poison. Generally in life, it is good to do things in moderation. Conscious consumption of food and drinks with respect to yourself and your surroundings and listening to your body cannot be thought of as unhealthy.. The problem with today's food and beverages is that many foodstuffs that people consume lead to some kind of addiction or at least habit, so it is not always easy to know "what our body is telling us", or when it is enough. In short, if you drink ten cups of coffee a day, you most probably have an unhealthy habit you might want to get rid of if you care about your future health. But if you have one coffee a day and don't feel like it does you any harm, then you probably don't have any reasons to worry about it. One of the main reasons to consider coffee "unhealthy" would be the fact that it is one of the foodstuffs that can make human body acidic, while human body thrives when it's slightly alkaline. If you have a balanced diet and consume enough quality, fresh fruits, vegetables and other foods that keep your body's acidity in balance, then this one cup of coffee a day probably isn't enough to get you out of that balance. If, however, you feel that you are really sensitive to bioactive substances (I am for example..) and that even one cup of coffee is too much for you, keep reading, I'll share some thoughts and facts about different coffee varieties and how to prepare the beverage that will be mild enough even for over-sensitive people.

I have loved the taste of coffee since I can remember. It was for sure one of my favourite flavours since childhood, and I still consider drinking coffee a nice ritual or my half an hour of pure pleasure. The only problem for me was, funnily, the main reason why most people drink coffee - its crazy amount of caffeine. After one or two cups of coffee from a café I would feel nervous, too awake, weirdly accelerated and so thirsty that I could drink a liter of water in less than an hour. I would feel strange discomfort in my stomach and chest, and in the evening it was impossible to fall asleep. It was a bit better with turkish coffee that I used to make for myself at home, but that too often didn't let me sleep. Still, enjoying that beautiful taste somehow made me keep consuming it every day, until some six or seven years ago, when I decided that I'd had enough. I just stopped drinking it (no problem, just like with cigarettes and animal and junk foods; when you have a clear reason to stop doing something that causes you harm and really, but really want to stop, it is fully possible to stay conscious and persistent enough to stay with your decision) and my sleeping improved with time, my stomach pain went away and I generally felt better and healthier. After some time I started drinking a cup of coffee on occasion (once in a few months or so) just for the pleasure of tasting it, but the physical effect was the same every time. It wasn't until I discovered arabica that I could fully gain my love for coffee back.

Coffee that we consume today usually comes from two most common species from plant genus Coffea, that are Coffea arabica and C. canephora (more commonly known as robusta). Robusta coffee is cheaper because it is easier to grow, more resistant to pests and disease and has higher yields. Its taste is more "rough" and bitter compared to arabica, with less delicate aroma to it. In Croatia, where I come from (but also I think in most of the world, correct me if I'm wrong), the most common coffee is still robusta. Besides being cheaper, our wild balkan taste buds don't deserve anything more delicate and subtle for the most part, so why even try introducing other varieties? Ok, that has not been completely true for past...I think five, six years or so. There are some new trends that have been popular in western Europe for years and came to Croatia too, luckily for me and other coffee freaks. There are more and more speciality coffee shops and roasteries emerging, and those places are offering only arabica - different kinds, different brewing styles, quality blends and single origin coffee... all in all, little taste explosions. But why arabica anyway? I'm not saying that robusta is not a good coffee. Most of croatian people actually prefer robusta... Still, good arabica can have really complex and rich aroma, and different varieties can have a whole range of different flavour notes - from acidic and fruity to nutty, earthly or chocolate-like flavours, which you can't really discern in robusta because of its bitterness. Arabica also has a low caffeine content (up to 50% less than robusta), which makes it easier to enjoy for people who can't stand a lot of caffeine from coffee. 

When I entered the world of various arabicas and discovered wonderful new diversity of flavours without unpleasant consequences to my body, I think my relationship with coffee was finally saved. After years of painful love for coffee (so much coffee drama..), I could finally drink a cup of this beautiful beverage at 3 PM, go to sleep at midnight and... fall asleep! Unless I exaggerated with the amount, I would never feel that nervousness and discomfort in my stomach after drinking arabica coffee. Soon I also discovered cold brew method and fell in love with coffee all over again.

What is cold brew?

It is a method of coffee preparation in which no heating is included in the brewing process; instead, ground coffee beans are soaked in cold water for a longer period of time. Coffee beans for cold brew method should be coarsely ground, that way you will get clearer beverage with nicer taste (less bitterness). Cold brewed coffee tastes really pleasant and has complex aroma. Its effect on human body is also pleasant and mild, it doesn't cause the typical coffee nervousness. It is easier on the stomach as well, and acidifies the body less than coffee that was brewed in heated water. Combine your favourite arabica and cold brew and you get coffee of your dreams! Well, works for me at least, but I really recommend that you try it if you never have, it is well worth the effort.

what/

60 g arabica coffee (adjust the amount to your own taste and tolerance)

500 ml water

how/

It would be ideal to use whole coffee beans and grind them on your own, but if you can't get them like that, get as coarsely ground beans as you can. Coffee for cold brewing should be ground to a size of sugar crystals or bread crumbs. Put the ground coffee in a jar, add the water, mix a bit and close the jar. Leave it in a cool place (if it's really hot where you live, it is good to put it in the fridge) for 12-24 h and strain through a kitchen cloth or cheesecloth. You can keep this coffee in the fridge for a week, probably even longer, so it's pretty practical if you don't want to make coffee every day. You can experiment with coffee to water ratios, brewing time, size of ground beans particles and different coffees to find what works the best for you. 

Enjoy playing! 

Bye

:)

granola od zobi s orasima i datuljama

Od više ljudi sam čula kako im je najveći problem kod biljne prehrane taj što ne znaju što bi jeli za doručak. Mislim da na ovom blogu nisam puno pažnje poklonila receptima za doručak, vjerojatno zato što sama nemam klasičan doručak. Prvo što svako jutro pojedem je voće, bila to jedna do dvije jabuke ili mandarine, ili pravi, veći obrok od voća. Kada trebam nešto što će me duže držati sitom, napravim si smoothie koji se najčešće sastoji od špinata, banane i ponekog "superfood" dodatka kao što su namočene chia sjemenke, spirulina, aronija... Otkada pišem ovaj blog, prehrambene navike su mi se više puta promijenile (od sirove hrane, preko niskomasne sirove i kuhane, do jednostavno većinom cjelovite biljne prehrane bez šećera, pšenice, rafinirane i pržene hrane i sa što manje ulja), ali jedna navika mi je ostala do danas - ujutro (nakon mućkanja ulja u ustima o kojem sam vam davno obećala pisati, i hoću!) prvo popijem čašu vode, pokrenem tijelo kroz razne jutarnje aktivnosti, zatim pojedem malo nekog laganog voća, primjerice mandarine ili ljeti lubenice, i nakon toga mogu imati "normalan" doručak, bilo to još voća, smoothie ili namočene chia sjemenke s voćem.

Puno voća, hm? Voće je dosta lagana i lako probavljiva hrana koja ne opterećuje probavni sustav, a malo neopterećivanja je zgodna stvar koju čovjek može pokloniti svojem tijelu ujutro. Iako sam kroz djetinjstvo i odrastanje bila usvojila naviku jesti zasitan doručak čak i u 7 ujutro prije škole, pa tu naviku ponijela sa sobom i u studentske dane i u život, danas ne mislim da je to posebno zdrava navika. Mislim da treba slušati svoje tijelo i pratiti njegov prirodni ritam kada se radi o hrani. Uz hrpu obaveza na koje smo danas često navikli, to i nije uvijek sasvim moguće (sve je moguće ali nemamo svi iste prioritete), no malo organizacije i planiranja unaprijed je svakako dobar početak ako želite poboljšati neke od svakodnevnih navika. Doručak od biljne hrane zaista nije znanstvena fantastika, bilo da vam ujutro odgovara samo voće ili nešto malo zasitnije. Zato ću nekoliko postova na ovom blogu posvetiti receptima za doručak, kako biste vidjeli da i doručak bez pržene, prerađene i masne hrane, kao i hrane životinjskog porijekla, može biti zanimljiv, ukusan i zasitan.

Za početak, evo jedne ideje za brzi doručak od cjelovitih namirnica koji će vas dugo držati sitima - hrskava granola od zobenih pahuljica u kombinaciji s biljnim jogurtom ili mlijekom. Za biljni jogurt sam napisala već nekoliko recepata, kao i za sirovu granolu od heljde, a ovaj jednostavni recept će vam vjerojatno skratiti muke ako vam je previše posla klijati heljdu i dehidrirati sve skupa (razumijem vas, i meni tempo kojim živim često ne dopušta takve svemirske gurmanske pothvate). Najbolja stvar je što je recept potpuno prilagodljiv, pa slobodno zamijenite, recimo, tigrove oraščiće bademima, a ekspandirani proso kvinojom, amarantom, ili čak nečime potpuno drugačijim kao što je ribani kokos. Ne možete pogriješiti.

što/
1 i 1/2 šalica krupnih zobenih pahuljica
2 banane
1/2 šalice oraha
1/2 šalice datulja
2 jušne žlice mljevenih tigrovih oraščića
2/3 šalice ekspandiranog prosa

kako/
Narežite datulje i orahe na manje komade. Izblendajte banane u kašu ili ih dobro zgnječite vilicom. Dodajte sve ostale sastojke u posudu s kašom od banana i dobro izmiješajte. Rasporedite smjesu na pleh za pečenje i pecite oko 25 minuta na 175 °C. Ostavite granolu da se ohladi, pa ju spremite u posudu koju možete dobro zatvoriti, kako bi ostala hrskava. Poslužite ju uz biljno mlijeko ili jogurt, dodajte u "smoothie bowl" ili chia puding, ili jednostavno grickajte u prolazu (tko vas može kriviti, stvarno je dobra dok je hrskava).

[ENG]

oat granola with walnuts and dates

Many people asked me what to eat for breakfast on plant-based diet, and I realized that i gave breakfast almost no attention on this blog. It might be because I don't eat typical breakfast and it just slipped my mind that some people need to eat something more fulfilling in the morning. Although my diet changed in different ways over last five years or so (from raw food, through lightly cooked and raw but strictly low-fat, to simply mostly whole-food plant-based diet without wheat flour, refined sugars and oils and very rare consumption of fried, oily and refined foods in general), one habit stayed until today, and that is a very light breakfast. In the morning, after oil pulling (which I promised to write about and I will!) on empty stomach, I drink a glass of water, wake my body up through various morning activities (stretching, washing dishes from last night, cleaning up, preparing for work or other obligations for that day), and I normally eat some light fruit such as tangerines, or watermelon in the summer. After that, I can eat a "heavier" breakfast, which is for me either more fruits, a smoothie that consists of fruits, greens and some superfoods (chia, spirulina, maca) depending on how hungry I am, or chia pudding with more fruits.

That's a lot of fruits, right? Well, fruits are light and easily digestible food that doesn't burden your body and digestive system in the morning, which is desirable so early in the day. Although I was taught as a kid to eat a heavier breakfast first thing in the morning and brought that habit to high school, college and life in general, today I don't find it so healthy or necessary at all. I think you should listen to your body and follow its natural rhythm when it comes to food. Maybe it is a bit harder to do that when there are tons of other important things to do every day, but a bit of organisation and planning in advance are a good first step to improving some of your everyday habits. Plant-based breakfast is not a science fiction, but in fact a real, potentially interesting, healthy and creative thing. I'll prove it to you by writing a couple of posts with breakfast recipes in the future. Whether you prefer to start your morning with some fruits, or you need something more fulfilling, I recommend to avoid fried, oily, refined and sugary food. It might give you a quick boost, but will make you feel sleepy and useless in no time.

That's why I prepared an easy recipe for tasty and crunchy oat granola made only from whole-food ingredients. It doesn't take long to make, can be made in advance and you can have it for breakfast with some plant yogurt or milk. 

what/
1 + 1/2 cup rolled oats
2 bananas
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup date
2 tbsp ground tiger nuts
2/3 cup expanded millet

how/
Chop the dates and walnuts. Blend the bananas or mash them with a fork. Add all the rest of the ingredients into the bowl with mashed bananas and mix with a spoon to combine. Distribute the mixture evenly onto a baking tray and bake for 25 minutes on 175 °C. Let the granola cool down. Keep it in a well-closed jar to remain crunchy. You can serve it with pant-based milk or yogurt, add it to a smoothie bowl or chia pudding, or simply munch on it (can't blame you, it's so crunchy and delicious). 

rezanci od tikvice s vrganjima i kestenima

Znate onaj osjećaj kada uživate u mirisima Dalmacije i kupate se u moru do kraja listopada i sve je prekrasno, ali sve o čemu vi razmišljate su vrganji i kesteni? Mislila sam da sam jedina koja je dovoljno luda za ovakve slatke muke, ali nekidan mi je prijatelj koji je isto odrastao u kontinentalnoj Hrvatskoj, a sada provodi dio života u Dalmaciji, rekao istu stvar. Otkada smo došli u Zagreb, pokušavamo iskoristiti svakih nekoliko sati slobodnog vremena za odlazak u šumu, sretni što smo se vratili barem po kapljicu svoje kontinentalne jeseni. Od sreće sam vam pripremila jedan pravi jesenski recept u kojem su se našli i vrganji i kesteni, da ne bi nedostajalo jeseni pod jezikom.

što/
1 veći vrganj ili 2-3 manja
2/3 šalice kestena
1 veća tikvica
50 g dimljenog tofua
1 glavica luka
2 jušne žlice suncokretovih sjemenki
1 prstohvat kajenskog papra
1 prstohvat crnog papra
2 jušne žlice soja sosa

kako/
Zarežite kestene i pecite ih 20 minuta u pećnici na 200 °C. Dok se kesteni peku, pripremite ostale sastojke - spiralizirajte tikvicu ili napravite rezance pomoću gulilice za krumpir; narežite vrganje, luk i tofu. Pečene kestene oljuštite i stavite stavite u tavu zajedno s vrganjima, lukom i tofuom, nalijte dovoljno vode da (pošteno) pokrije dno tave i stavite tavu na vatru. Dodajte crni i kajenski papar. Nakon što voda zakuha, smanjite vatru i kuhajte oko 10 minuta uz miješanje i dodavanje vode po potrebi. Ugasite štednjak, dodajte soja sos i promiješajte. Prebacite mali dio sadržaja tave u blender; svakako zagrabite od svega pomalo, i uzmite što više tekućine možete. Dodajte suncokretove sjemenke i sve skupa izblendajte u potpuno glatku smjesu. Ubacite smjesu natrag u tavu i dobro promiješajte. Dodajte spiralizianu tikvicu i pomiješajte s vrućim umakom kako bi se malo opustila i omekšala. Servirajte i... uživajte :)

[ENG]

zucchini noodles with chestnuts and penny bun mushrooms

It is such a pleasure to live in Dalmatia, swim in the sea in October and November, not worry about cold weather so much, spend most of the time outside and always have your daily dose of fresh air on hand. But if you grew up in continental part of Croatia like myself, there is a chance that you'll miss your colourful autumn with falling leaves, wild mushrooms and chestnuts a bit. Luckily, this year i got to come to Zagreb just in time to enjoy its beautiful autumn and some foraged forest goods. If you are as lucky as me, here is an idea what to do with all those chestnuts and mushrooms that you collected on your walk in the forest (or bought at a local farmers' market).

what/

1 large penny bun mushroom, or 2-3 smaller ones
2/3 cup chestnuts
1 large zucchini
50 g smoked tofu
1 onion
2 tbsp sunflower seeds
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 pinch black pepper
2 tbsp soy sauce

how/
Prepare the chestnuts by cutting a line or a cross on their skin and bake them on 200 °C for 20 minutes. While the chestnuts are in the oven, prepare the rest of the ingredients - spiralize the zucchini or use julienne peeler to make zucchini noodles; chop the mushrooms, tofu and onion. Peel baked chestnuts and put them in a pan with mushrooms, tofu and onion. Season with cayenne and black pepper, pour enough water to generously cover the bottom of the pan and put it on the stove. When the water starts boiling, reduce the heat and cook for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally and add more water if needed. After you remove the pan from the heat, add the soy sauce, stir well and transfer a small portion from the pan into a blender (make sure you grab a bit of every ingredient and as much liquid as you can). Add the sunflower seeds to the blender and blend everything until completely smooth. Pour the mixture back into the pan and stir well. Add the zucchini noodles while the sauce is still hot so that they soften a bit. Serve and enjoy :)

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!

čaj od masline i divljeg komorača

olive leaf and wild sweet fennel infusion 

Olive leaves are known for their andioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as their immune boosting and blood pressure lowering effect. That and much more in a cup of simple herbal tea. To make it, I just poured hot water over fresh olive leaves and fennel herb and let it sit covered for 5-10 minutes. Sweet fennel makes the tea delicious and gives balance to olive leaves' slight bitterness. All in all, a healthy and tasty combination!

plant yogurt - part 3

I've been promising to write this plant yogurt post for quite a while now, so here it is finally. To all my Croatian followers - I'm sorry for writing only in English lately; I've been busy working as a chef without a free day for last four months, so I'm usually posting from my phone somewhere on the go and it's hard to translate on a small screen. I'll get back to writing in Croatian+English in October, so stay tuned!

And now the yogurt.

During last five years or so I have experimented a lot with fermentation of various plant foods, got a lot of really cool results and gained some precious new knowledge. Some of it I've described on this blog. One of my favourites was almond yogurt made from homemade almond milk fermented with water kefir grains. I had not tried making yogurt "the fast way" using probiotic capsules until this summer because i thought it was unnecessary, having all these wonderful and more natural methods to do it. But then i found myself living on an island with a jar of barely functioning water kefir, too much work to do to even bother trying to get some kefir by mail, real hunger for some plant yogurt and a little health food store that had exactly what I needed - a box of vegan probiotic capsules and a few various types of plant milk.

I decided to give it a try without too much research. A few almost successful intuitive tries and reading too many articles about making yogurt in a yogurt-maker lead to developing this simple and cheap DIY method that might not be as perfect and easy as with a yogurt-maker but is certainly applicable in many more occasions.

I tried it with full-fat coconut milk and plain soy milk (just soy and water; it's ok if it has just a little bit of natural sweetener, oil or salt but the simpler the better). You should choose the milk that tastes good to you by itself; if your soy milk has a strong soy flavour that you generally dislike but it's ok in a cup of coffee, then get it from another brand because you will taste it in the yogurt as well. Coconut milk gives a beautiful, smooth, creamy yogurt and you can't go wrong here, but for my taste it's even too creamy and oily and I can only eat it like a desert or occasional treat - in small amounts and with some fruits in it. Anyway, you should experiment and see what fits your taste buds the best. The probiotic strains that i used were Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium infans and Bifidobacterium longum. I'm not saying that is the optimal mix - it was just the only one I could get in the store and it worked fine. Some of the species probably died if soy milk wasn't suitable food for them (hence this is not the perfect way, I just want to show you that you don't need perfect conditions for making plant yogurt) but fermentation still happened and I got a really nice yogurt.

Here is how: i heated 700 ml of soy milk to around 40 °C in a double boiler, poured it into a clean jar, emptied a vegan probiotic capsule inside and stirred it with a spoon. I covered the top of the jar with a cloth and left it in my clothes locker at work (you see? Not at all perfect and it doesn't have to be). Next to this jar, i placed a jar filled with hot water to maintain the temperature for the fermentation and left it there for 24 hours. In 24 hours (and it's summer in the Mediterranean, so keep in mind that it can take longer in cooler climate) I had a perfectly thick and sour soy yogurt with a thin layer of "whey" on the bottom. You can strain the whey through a coffee filter if you want, i just mix it all and get a bit thinner yogurt.

And now here is another cool thing - you can keep this yogurt in the fridge for more than a week and use the last 4-5 tablespoons of it for making the next batch - the same way but with this yogurt instead of probiotic capsule. I think it's even better to continue cultivating it this way because the bacteria that are not suitable for fermenting soy milk die out, and the ones that you need continue reproducing happily (ok, maybe not happily but you are happy). Even the taste gets better with every batch if you do it right.

Now, get your good tasting plant milk and probiotic (or even just store bought yogurt and you can skip the capsule step!), make sure you have some very clean equipment to make it and start to experiment with this wonderful thing called fermentation. You won't be disappointed, and your body will be grateful :)

hummus od cikle

beetroot hummus

what/
2/3 cup cooked chickpeas
2/3 cup sunflower seeds
1 small beetroot
5 cherry tomatoes
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup olive oil
juice of 1 small lemon
1 garlic clove
2 pinches himalayan salt
1 pinch black pepper

how/
Put all the ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Add some more water if needed and blend everything well. Enjoy it with a slice of your favourite bread!