lunch bowl

Niti ove godine nećete dobiti posebne božićne recepte, ali zato evo ideje za jednostavno pokućno hranjenje. Ovo mi je jedan od omiljenih tipova obroka - zasitno je, jednostavno i većina komponenata se može pripremiti unaprijed pa samo složiti u zdjelu.

Što?
* riža ili kvinoja
* pečena bundeva ili batat
* domaće fermentirano povrće
* tamno zelenje kratko kuhano na pari (špinat, brokula, kelj, ćimulice...)
* svježe povrće (ova zdjela je od jeseni kada je još uvijek bilo krastavaca i paprika na tržnici)
* tofu ili avokado
* soja sos ili neki domaći dressing

Složite sve u zdjelu u željenim količinama i uživajte u bogatom i ukusnom obroku. Sretni blagdani, puse!

miso juha

I've been promising this recipe since summer, but better late than never (in this case at least)! Miso soup is one of my favourite types of soups - I just love its simplicity and rich flavour. You can't really go wrong when making one; you just need some good quality miso paste, home made broth (should I post a broth recipe or is it too basic?), vegetables of choice and... that is more or less it. I will share one of my favourite combinations here, but feel free to adjust the quantities up to your personal taste.

what/
3 cups homemade vegetable broth
3 tbsp naturally fermented miso paste
1-2 tbsp naturally brewed soy sauce
1 handful dried dulse algae (can be substituted with any other algae, eg. wakame or arame)
1 cup chopped dark green vegetables (I normally use broccoli or spinach)
1/2 cup chopped shiitake mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup semi-soft tofu, cut in cubes
*this time I also used some young beans and other seasonal vegetables that we had in the garden .

how/
Put the broth into a saucepan and add the algae. Put it on the stove, bring to a boil and cook for 5-10 minutes on middle to lower heat. Alternatively, you can soak the algae in cold water for 4 hours or overnight and add them later, with the rest of the ingredients (I use the soaking water too). This ih actually my preferred way to do it, but often don't plan my meals enough in advance. Prepare the miso paste by dissolving it in 1/3 cup of warm water. Add all the vegetables, mushrooms and tofu, stir while still on the heat and add the dissolved miso and soy sauce. Cover the pot with a lid and remove it from the heat. Let it sit for a couple of minutes and serve.
Bon appétit!

keksi od slanutka

Napravila sam baš super kekse. Bez brašna, ulja, cukra, bez bez bez, a bezobrazno su fini! Ako postoje takvi koji osjećaju grižnju savjesti dok jedu (nemojte pliz, svoje navike imaš izbora prihvatiti ili promijeniti), uz ove kekse to definitivno neće biti potrebno jer su napravljeni samo od cjelovitih sastojaka. Budući da u smjesi nema šećera niti ulja, ovi keksi neće biti hrskavi, već će više biti nalik medenjaku, uz super karamelastu notu od datulja. I ne, nećete osjetiti okus slanutka! Tko se usudi probati ovaj veličanstveni keks?

što/
1 šalica kuhanog slanutka (ocijeđenog)
1/2 šalice maslaca od kikirikija bez dodataka
1 šalica datulja bez koštica (narezanih na manje komadiće)
1/3 šalice zobenog mlijeka
1 prstohvat sode bikarbone
1 prstohvat himalajske soli

kako/
Stavite sve sastojke u blender ili sjeckalicu i obradite do potpuno glatke teksture. Grabite žlicom smjesu i na plehu za pečenje oblikujte kekse. Pecite na 15-20 minuta na 180 °C. Po želji ih možete ukrasiti čokoladnom glazurom - ja sam ovu na slici napravila od kakaove mase i maslaca od lješnjaka.

[ENG]

I made some badass cookies... They are gluten-free, cereal-free, oil-free, sugar-free, free free free and taste heavenly! If there is anyone out there who feels guilty when eating (please don't... you have a choice to accept or change your habits), with these cookies there is certainly no need because they are made only from wholesome, nutritious ingredients. Since there is no sugar or oil in the batter, the cookies will never get crunchy, but will have a nice soft feel (something like croatian honey biscuits, I think the closest resemblance is...gingerbread?) with a really lovely caramel note from the dates. No, you won't be able to taste the chickpeas! So, who dares to try a piece of this glorious cookie?

what/
1 cup cooked chickpeas (drained)
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1 cup pitted dates (chopped)
1/3 cup oat milk
1 pinch baking soda
1 pinch himalayan salt

how/
Put all the ingredients into a blender or a food processor and blend until you get a completely smooth texture. Scoop the batter with a spoon and shape the cookies on a baking tray. Bake for 15-20 minutes on 180 °C. You can garnish the cookies with chocolate glaze - the one on the pictures is cacao mass mixed with hazelnut butter.

palačinke

Vegan spelt flour pancakes >>> RECIPE is on my new blog.

sirovi curry krekeri

raw flax seed curry crackers

what/
1 cup flax seeds
2/3 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup sunflower protein (oil pressing leftover)
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chili flakes
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried onion powder
2-3 tbsp tamari
4 tbsp nutritional yeast

how/
Soak sesame and sunflower seeds in water for around 6 hours and drain. Cover flax seeds with water (1.5 - 2 cups, you will see how much they will absorb and add more if needed) and let them soak for 30-60 minutes; stir occasionally. Add the soaked and drained sesame and sunflower seeds and all the spices and mix well. Leave the mixture for another 30 minutes. Spread it on m dehydrator sheets and dehydrate for 20 hours on 40 °C. Alternatively, you can dry them in the oven on 50 °C, or in the sun. When they are fully dehydrated, store the crackers in air-tight conteiner to keep them crispy.

sirova torta od borovnica

što/
3/4 šalice badema
1 šalica datulja
2 šalice indijskih oraščića
1 limun
1 šalica borovnica*
100 ml sirupa agave
2 prstohvata himalajske soli
1/2 šalice vode
1/2 šalice kokosovog ulja

*ovaj put nisam koristila evropske divlje borovnice, već uzgojne koje imaju nježniji okus i boju

kako/
Usitnite bademe i datulje u multipraktiku kako biste dobili povezanu smjesu. Utisnite smjesu u kalup. Stavite indijske oraščiće, naribanu koricu limuna, sok limuna i sve ostale sastojke u blender i blendajte dok ne dobijete potpuno glatku kremu. Izlijte kremu u kalup i stavite tortu u hladnjak preko noći, ili u zamirzivač na nekoliko sati kako bi se krema stisla.

[ENG]

raw blueberry no-cheesecake

what/
3/4 cup almonds
1 cup dates
2 cup cashews
1 lemon (for zest and juice)
1 cup blueberries
100 ml agave nectar
2 pinches himalayan salt
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup coconut oil

*this time I used farmed blueberries that are milder in taste and colour than wild bilberries that I normally use

how/
Put almonds and dates into a food processor and process them into a compact mass. Press this mixture into a cake mould. Put the cashews, lemon zest, lemon juice and all the other ingredients into a blender and blend until you get a very smooth cream. Pour the cream into the mould and leave the cake in the fridge overnight, or in the freezer for a couple of hours to thicken.

o šećeru

Nedavno me prijatelj pitao jesam li pisala na blogu štogod o šećeru i zamolio da mu malo objasnim "istinu" o šećeru u prehrani. On je isto kuhar u restoranu i trudi se gostima ponuditi nutritivno što kvalitetnija jela i deserte. To me podsjetilo na onaj pravi, izvorni razlog zbog kojeg sam i počela pisati ovaj blog - da ljudima na neki lako shvatljivi način objasnim kako i zašto se vratiti cjelovitoj prehrani i kako iskoristiti prehranu baziranu na biljkama za postizanje optimalnog zdravlja. Svi ovi recepti nisu za ukras, već imaju svrhu - da inspiriraju svakoga tko je za to zainteresiran da uzme zdravlje u svoje ruke, počevši od prehrane.

Shvatila sam da stvarno nisam nikada pisala konkretno o šećeru. Jesam u kontekstu prerađene hrane, ali šećer nikada nije dobio vlastiti post. Možda je to zato što nisam htjela zalaziti u previše priča temeljenih na znanosti (nisam od religije generalno, mislim da to nije zdravo) koje ne vode daleko jer je na kraju važno ono što ti osjećaš u svome tijelu, a ne toliko ono što je netko dokazao. Lako postane zbunjujuće kada se oslanjaš samo na nečije interpretacije znanstvenih istraživanja dok pokušavaš shvatiti sebe i svoje tijelo. Priča o šećeru ima više strana i mislim da svatko treba izabrati onu za koju osjeća da njemu odgovara.

Meni je glavni razlog zbog kojega ne koristim bijeli i ostali rafinirani šećer u prehrani taj što je to u visokom stupnju prerađena namirnica - do te mjere da se ne radi više o pravoj hrani jer samo daje mozgu energiju trenutačno, ali ne pruža tijelu ostale dobrobiti koje bi svaka hrana trebala pružati. Ne sadrži nikakve mikronutrijente koji tijelu služe za izgradnju, obnavljanje i ispravno obavljanje vitalnih funkcija (to je generalno problem s prerađenom hranom odnosno namirnicama - bijelim brašnom, uljem itd.); ne dolazi uz prirodna vlakna koja bi usporila njegovu apsorpciju u organizmu i zato brzo nakon konzumacije prerađenog šećera dobivamo kratkotrajni "kick", no ubrzo se počnemo osjećati još umornije. Neisplativo? Neisplativo. Iako šećer nije droga, ovo je psihološki dosta slična pojava drogiranju kod ovisnika jer radimo nešto za što znamo da dugoročno nikako nije dobro za nas, samo za taj kratkoročni osjećaj olakšanja, ugode, podizanja energije. Još jedan razlog za izbjegavati šećer, ali i druge prerađene namirnice, jeste taj što tijelo u procesu njihove razgradnje troši svoju zalihu minerala, a ne dobivamo ništa "zauzvrat" kako bismo nadoknadili potrošeno. Zvuči kao dosta skup proces, a puno ljudi to radi svojim tijelima svakodnevno, neki čak i za svaki obrok.

Ako konstantno jedemo namirnice koje nam oduzimaju nutrijente, logično je da ćemo se dugoročno osjećati iscrpljeno, umorno i vjerojatno generalno manje spremno na sve izazove koje nam život nudi nego što bismo to htjeli. Osim toga, rafinirani šećer nepovoljno djeluje na imunološki sustav, smanjuje mogućnost tijela da se brani od patogena, zakiseljava tijelo i generalno doprinosi stanju u kojem će se lakše razviti bilo kakva bolest. Generalno ne volim ta neka zastrašivanja u stilu "ako jedeš ovo, desit će ti se nešto loše" jer vjerujem da su i stav i pogled na život jako važni faktori o kojima ovisi zdravlje pojedinca, ali isto je dobro znati - ako osjećamo da nešto nije u redu zašto je tako i kako pomoću prehrane doći do zdravlja i ravnoteže ako osjećamo da ju gubimo.

Niti jedna rafinirana namirnica nije dobra za ljudsko tijelo prosto i jednostavno zato što takve namirnice naše tijelo ne doživljava kao hranu u pravom smislu i ne može ih iskoristiti za izgradnju. A treba nam hrana koja je bogata mikronutrijentima jer se pomoću nje tijelo može cijelo vrijeme obnavljati i tako održavati zdravlje, što mu je i prirodno. Danas puno ljudi pati od teških bolesti koje su posljedica modernog doba i stila života, a ne genetike (odnosno onoga što nam je zapisano u DNK, pa prema tome valjda "predodređeno") kao što se rado vjeruje. Ako mi ne vjerujete, istražite o epigenetici, cijeloj grani znanosti koja se bavi upravo utjecajem vanjskih čimbenika (između ostalog i prehrane!) na ekspresiju gena. Većina ljudi ne razumije da svim sranjima koja trpaju u sebe zapravo oduzimaju svojem tijelu mogućnost samoregeneracije koja mu je inače prirodna.

Ako smatrate da vam pretjerana konzumacija šećera predstavlja problem - a iskreno, na temelju vlastitog iskustva, mislim da svakome tko konzumira bijeli šećer u bilo kojem obliku u većim količinama na dnevnoj bazi predstavlja, samo što i to treba moći priznati sebi i otvoriti vrata čitavom novom svijetu ugodnijeg postojanja u funkcionalnijem tijelu za koji mnogi i ne znaju da postoji - rješenja su raznolika i mislim da si svatko može odabrati pristup koji mu odgovara. Nije svima lako prestati konzumirati rafinirani šećer. Ja sam pokušavala godinama bez nekog dugotrajnog rezultata, sve dok mi Svemir nije poklonio dovoljno dobar razlog da doslovno preko noći prestanem jesti šećer i bilo kakvu rafiniranu hranu - situaciju u kojoj sam trebala spasiti svoje zdravlje i izabrala prirodni put (vjerujte mi, to je najugodniji put i nema nuspojave, samo osjećaj snage i kontrole nad vlastitim tijelom). Tada sam bila izabrala pristup temeljen više-manje na načelima paleo prehrane, i iako je to bio važan korak na putu do zdravlja, nije trajao dugo jer iz više razloga to nije bilo nešto što sam zaista smatrala ispravnim za sebe. Kažem "za sebe", jer nekome će možda tako nešto sasvim odgovarati. Paleo i ketogena prehrana se oslanjaju na što manji unos ugljikohidrata, a veći unos proteina i masti kao izvora energije. To se najčešće znači jedenje dosta životinjskih proizvoda. Nekome je to okej, ali recimo meni u toj priči, osim što nisam htjela jesti toliko životinjskih proizvoda, nikako nije sjelo to ograničavanje unosa ugljikohidrata i prirodnih šećera, primjerice iz voća. Kažem baš ograničavanje jer to i jeste bilo. Još uvijek vjerujem da žitarice nisu najbolji izvor ugljikohidrata za ljude, ali postoji toliko drugih cjelovitih biljnih namirnica iz kojih čovjek može dobiti ugljikohidrate kao gorivo za tijelo, ali i važne vitamine i minerale.

Čovjek voli slatke stvari ne (samo) zato što ima ovisnički mozak, već najvjerojatnije zato što prirodna želja za slatkim navodi jedinku da prepozna zrele plodove kao hranu. Zato vjerujem da je voće odličan izvor prirodnih šećera i ne mislim da je prirodno ograničavati količinu voća u prehrani. Osobno mi je bilo jako prirodno i logično doći do zdravlja uz prehranu baziranu na cjelovitim namirnicama biljnog porijekla, a želju za slatkim zadovoljiti voćem (o tome sam više pisala u neurednim i slabije artikuliranim ali iskrenim postovima davne 2015. ili tako nešto) i sirovim tortama zaslađenim samo datuljama ili drugim suhim voćem. To bih preporučila svakome tko želi smanjiti unos šećera ili potpuno izbaciti bijeli šećer. Čak i kolač napravljen od cjelovitih biljnih sastojaka (možete uzeti kao primjer bilo koji recept na ovom blogu) i zaslađen kokosovim šećerom ili javorovim sirupom je nemjerljivo bolji izbor za zdravlje nego tradicionalni kolač od brašna, mlijeka, ulja i šećera. Naravno da bi bilo idealno kada ne bismo imali želju niti za "zdravijim" kolačem ali ne mora i ne može sve biti idealno, a ovakvi kolači su dobar put prema rješavanju ovisnosti o bijelom šećeru i industrijskim slatkišima jer daju mozgu informaciju da smo pojeli nešto slatko, ali su nutritivno bogati i daju osjećaj zdrave sitosti bez potrebe za još jednim komadom, pa još jednim, pa još samo jednim obećajem, i bez osjećaja krivnje ako niti taj zadnji ne bude zadnji.

Cjelovita biljna prehrana je svakako moćan alat na putu prema zdravlju, a u kojoj mjeri primijeniti koji savjet i koliko "radikalno" očistiti prehranu od prerađene hrane je zaista individualno i ovisi o željama, mogućnostima i stanju pojedinca. Nekome tko se generalno osjeća zdravo ali bi se htio osjećati još bolje će kriška (ipo) torte od pirovog brašna ili sirove torte koja sadrži kokosovo ulje i agavin sirup dnevno biti sasvim dobar način za zadovoljiti potrebu za slatkim na zdraviji način. Netko drugi će odabrati biljnu prehranu zbog nekog većeg zdravstvenog problema, pa će se htjeti hraniti puno čistije i neće koristiti nikakva ulja, brašna niti zaslađivače, već će konzumirati isključivo cjelovite namirnice (većinom voće) kao izvor šećera. Što god izabrali, svakako će vam pomoći u postizanju optimalnijeg zdravlja.

A priča o šećeru je puno kompleksnija i dulja i šira, ali mislim da puno detalja nije uvijek nužno bolji izbor. Ovo sam ukratko napisala da potencijalno nekome pomogne donijeti odluku o kojoj je možda već neko vrijeme razmišljao ali mu je trebao dodatni poticaj ili pojašnjenje. Nadam se da će barem nekome pomoći na sličan način na koji su meni pomogle konkretne informacije kada sam tek istraživala o moći cjelovite biljne prehrane. Ako ste nekim slučajem pročitali sve do kraja i nemate potrebu izbaciti šećer iz prehrane, to je potpuno vaša stvar i wow, hvala na čitanju. Ako ne želite jesti šećer ali biljna prehrana nije nešto za vas, skroz kul, isto vaša stvar. Važno je da naučimo živjeti sretno i neopterećeno, i poštivati tuđi izbor. Nismo svi isti i nemamo istu ulogu na ovom svijetu, ali povezuje nas nešto dublje i izvornije od stavova i uvjerenja koja svakako nisu, ili barem ne moraju biti trajna. Sa šećerom ili bez, kako god želite. Živili!

pečene edamame

oven-baked edamame

Edamame are immature soy beans that are traditionally eaten in East Asian cultures. The term actually refers to a way of preparation where they are steamed in their pods, but is often used in today's western culinary world to describe the green soy beans alone. They can be prepared as vegetables and added to soups, salads, stir-frys, or simply as a snack. Green soy beans are rich in protein and contain high amounts of certain micronutrients - especially folate, vitamin K1 and manganese. They are perfectly tasty (and the healthiest to eat) just steamed for a couple of minutes. To be honest, that is my favourite way to eat them. Still, seasoning them and baking in the oven gives them a special kind of crunchy punch and makes them a perfect party snack that everyone will love, not just those few your friends that are health freaks like you (or is it just me?). Anyhow, if you want to impress the croud with something easy to make, supertasty and decadent that is also pretty healthy, here's an idea.

what/
400 g frozen edamame
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 pinch himalayan salt
1 tbsp melted coconut oil

how/
Mix, bake for 15 min on 200 °C, cool a bit, snack. :)

crumble od jabuke, kruške i rabarbare

Napokon sam se preselila na Mjesec. Nisam nikad mislila da će biti ovoliko lijepo. Jedni divni ljudi, dragi prijatelji koji su me nesebično prihvatili na cimerovanje, osim dobrog srca i slatke kuće imaju i prekrasan vrt pun svakakvog voća i povrća. Nekidan sam radila miso juhu od domaćeg povrća (možda se dogodi neki recept uskoro), a danas crumble - predlažem novu hrvatsku riječ "mrvuljak" - od domaćih jabuka, krušaka i rabarbare. Bio je toliko dobar da je nestao u trenu. Sva sreća pa imamo toliko jabuka i krušaka da ga mogu raditi svaki dan do zime, a i dulje (šalim se, napravit ću ocat).

Ako čitate ovaj blog zbog zdravlja, budite upozoreni: ovakvi kolači su poslastica za posebne prilike. Nije važno je li to sestrin rođendan ili trenutak proždrljivosti koji vas uhvati jednom mjesečno; ulje i brašno su slasna kombinacija, ali, bez obzira na to što se ovdje radi o pirovom brašnu i kokosovom ulju, nisu nešto što želite jesti svakodnevno i u velikim količinama ako ste biljnu prehranu izabrali kako biste si poboljšali zdravlje. Ipak - fino je, umjerenost je još uvijek majka, a uživanje nije uživanje ako vas prati grižnja savjesti. Zato slobodno bezbrižno po svoj komad, ili krišku ipo... ovoga.

što/

[za tijesto]
1 šalica pirovog brašna iz cijelog zrna
1 šalica bijelog pirovog brašna
1/2 šalice kokosovog šećera
1/2 šalice kokosovog ulja
1/2 šalice maslaca od badema*
3-5 jušnih žlica bademovog mlijeka
1 prstohvat mljevenog cimeta
1 prstohvat mljevenog muškatnog oraščića
2 jušne žlice mljevenog rogača**

[za punjenje]
2 velike jabuke
1 velika kruška
1 velika lisna stapka rabarbare
2/3 šalice oraha
2 jušne žlice mljevenog rogača**
1 čajna žličica mljevenog cimeta
1/3 šalice kokosovog šećera

*bilo bi dobro maslac od badema zagrijati na temperaturu nešto višu od sobne kako bi bio što mekši, jer ćete ga tako najbolje umiješati u tijesto
**koristite grubo mljeveni rogač, a ne rogač u prahu

kako/
Prosijte svo brašno kroz grubo sito ili cjedilo. Dodajte kokosov šećer, cimet, muškatni oraščić i mljeveni rogač. Umiješajte rastaljeno kokosovo ulje i bademov maslac pjenjačom. Dodajte nekoliko žlica bademovog mlijeka, samo onoliko koliko je potrebno da se tijesto lako zamijesi. Zamijesite tijesto kako bi se svi sastojci dobro pomiješali, te ga podijelite na dva jednaka dijela. Jednu polovicu utisnite u kalup za pečenje u tankom sloju. Narežite jabuke, krušku i rabarbaru na tanke komade površine oko 1 cm^2 i stavite u zdjelu. Sameljite orahe i dodajte ih u zdjelu s voćem. Dodajte cimet, kokosov šećer i rogač i dobro promiješajte. Ravnomjerno rasporedite voćni sloj u kalup preko utisnutog tijesta. Ostatak tijesta razmrvite rukama u rahli sloj koji ravnomjerno prekriva voće i sve skupa pospite cimetom. Pecite 40-45 minuta na 175 °C.

[ENG]

apple, pear and rhubarb crumble

I finally moved to the Moon. I never imagined it to be so beautiful. Along with kind hearts and a cozy house, these wonderful people and dear friends who have selflessly welcomed me to their home, have a beautiful garden full of homegrown fruits and vegetables. The other day I made a miso soup from homegrown vegetables (a recipe for that might happen in the near future), and today was a perfect day for a spelt flour crumble made with homegrown apples, pears and rhubarb that the garden is still full of. It was really delicious and disappeared in a second. Luckily, with the amount of apples and pears that we have, I could probably bake a new one every day up until the winter comes, or even longer (although I will probably just make some vinegar instead).

If you are reading this blog because of health, be warned: this type cake is a treat for special occasions. It doesn't matter if it is your sister's birthday or a moment of gluttony that you face once a month; oil and flour can make a tasty combination, but even though we're talking about spelt flour and coconut oil here, they are not something you would fancy eating on a daily basis and in big quantities if you chose plant-based diet to improve your health. Sill - it is tasty, moderation is the key when it comes to treats, and enjoyment is not enjoyment if it makes you feel guilty. So don't worry and allow yourself an opportunity to just carelessly enjoy... this delicious thing.

what/

[for the dough]
1 cup whole grain spelt flour
1 cup white spelt flour
1/2 cup coconut blossom sugar
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup almond butter*
3-5 tbsp almond milk
1 pinch ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground nutmeg
2 tbsp ground carob**

[for the filling]
2 large apples
1 large pear
1 large rhubarb stalk
2/3 cup walnuts
2 tbsp ground carob**
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup coconut blossom sugar

*almond butter should be heated just a bit above the room temperature to soften so it will be easier to mix into the dough
**use somewhat coarsely ground carob rather than fine carob powder

how/
Sift all the flour through a coarse sieve or a strainer. Add in the coconut sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and ground carob. Whisk in melted coconut oil and almond butter, and add just a couple of tablespoons of almond milk to make it possible to knead. Knead the dough to mix everything properly and divide it into two equal parts. Press one part of the dough into a baking mould in a thin layer. Cut the apples, pear and rhubarb into small and thin pieces and put into a bowl. Grind the walnuts and add them to the bowl. Sprinkle with cinnamon, add the coconut sugar and ground carob and mix everything to combine. Spread this mixture evenly on top of the dough that you have pressed into the mould. Crumble the other half of the dough on top of the fruit layer and sprinkle with some cinnamon and carob. Bake the crumble on 175 °C for 40-45 minutes.

khao tom mud

Khao tom mud RECIPE is on my new blog - Sunberry Jam

Di ćeš nego tajlandsko nakon tajlandskog...

Mnoge kulture koje u pripremi hrane koriste listove banane imaju neku verziju deserta od riže ili neke druge žitarice zamotanog u list banane. Ovaj tip deserta nije specifičan samo za Tajland, već za većinu jugoistočne Azije, ali i dio Srednje i Južne Amerike i dijelove Afrike. Meni je u posebno dobrom sjećanju ostao onaj iz Chiang Maia - tamo smo bili smješteni kod divne gazdarice Chaibutir koja bi nas svako jutro dočekala sa spremnim domaćim doručkom na stolu. Najčešće je to bio upravo khao tom s bananom ili tarom u sredini. U njezinom smo dvorištu imali na raspolaganju i jako slatku kuhinju na otvorenom, opremljenu svime što nam je srce moglo poželjeti. Tamo smo si svaki dan radili ručak, a ona nas je učila kako na tajlandski način pravilno skuhati ljepljivu rižu - za slatka i za slana jela. Sigurno ću još dugo pamtiti mirna sunčana jutra u tom dvorištu i slatki khao tom uz jutarnju kavu. Pamtit ću, doduše, i onaj prvi u Vijetnamu, po noći, za nešto malo tisuća vijetnamskih dongova, nakon 35 (trideset pet) vijugavih sati vožnje u skučenom autobusu i deset sati na granici zbog švercanja duhana iz Laosa, ali ovaj kod Chaibutir će mi svakako ostati u puno slađem sjećanju.

Domaći recepti za khao tom su raznoliki, a većina ih uključuje kuhanje na pari nakon što je riža umotana u list banane. Budući da nisam imala ništa za kuhati na pari u našem norveškom stanu, čak niti kakvu cjediljku za improvizaciju, odlučila sam ih "opariti" u pećnici. Ispali su slično kao kada se kuhaju na pari i dovoljno uvjerljivo da nas barem na trenutak odvede u toplije krajeve. Tako sirovo iz glave kako se dogodilo ću vam i opisati.

P. S. Sada sam zabrijala na namirnice koje kupujemo u malom dućanu kod Vijetnamaca, ali uskoro ću objaviti i malo više europski izvedive varijacije za sve one SVE koji možda nemaju gdje kupiti list banane. Ljepljiva riža je nezamjenjiva u ovom desertu, ali nju je lakše nabaviti, barem preko nekog webshopa.

što/
1 šalica ljepljive riže
1 šalica kokosovog mlijeka
1 prstohvat himalajske soli
1 stabljika limunske trave
3 jušne žlice sirupa agave ili šećera kokosovog cvijeta
1-2 banane
1-2 lista banane

kako/
Namočite ljepljivu rižu u vodi preko noći. Ocijedite i stavite u lonac s kokosovim mlijekom u koje ste prethodno umiješali sol i agavin sirup ili kokosov šećer. Dodajte limunsku travu uzdužno prerezanu napola, poklopite lonac i stavite na laganu vatru. Ne otvarajte lonac i ne miješajte, već strpljivo ostavite da se polako kuha dok riža ne upije svu tekućinu. Maknite s vatre i ostavite da se malo ohladi (izvadite limunsku travu). Pripremite narezane listove banane - ako imate dovoljno, možete ih staviti duplo, vanjski sjajnom stranom prema van, a unutarnji prema unutra. Stavite oko 2 jušne žlice riže na sredinu lista, u sredinu riže stavite komad banane i zamotajte. Zagrijte pećnicu na 175 °C i na dno stavite posudu punu vode (ja sam koristila kalup za kruh). Stavite smotuljke od riže na rešetku i pecite 10-15 minuta. Najbolje ih je ostaviti da se ohlade jer će biti kompaktniji. Meni su čak ukusniji ako odstoje jedan dan, jer dobiju još okusa od lista banane.

pad thai

I osam mjeseci kasnije, Tajland je još uvijek postojan u našem tjednom meniju... Barem dva ili tri puta tjedno kuhamo nešto tajlandsko, ali barem! Moja omiljena jela su većinom juhe, pa kada ja kuham uglavnom jedemo razne verzije tom yama i tom kha, ili neki jušnati curry s kokosovim mlijekom i tofuom. Oko pad thaia smo se davno razišli i više ga niti ne kuhamo zajedno jer svatko ima svoj stil (i to spada u taj romantični suživot dvaju kuhara pod istim krovom). On voli da to bude malo jače i zasitnije, ja volim minimalno, svježe i lagano. Obje verzije su super i pojedemo ih s podjednakom slašću, ali naravno da je svakome svoja maaalo draža. Već se neko vrijeme lijenim i odgađam raspisati taj pad thai na blogu, ali upiti i obećanja se gomilaju i malo mi postaje neugodno pisati "evo budem uskoro". Danas me mama pitala za recept, pa u to ime iskačem iz lijenosti i napokon vam predstavljam jedno od mojih sto omiljenih jela.

Pad thai je nastao tek u dvadesetom stoljeću pa nije ono pravo "tradicionalna hrana" (iako tradicija nastaje svakom sekundom ljudskog postojanja na ovom planetu, fluidna je i nema neke stroge granice, i zapravo je sve što stvaramo na neki način tradicija), ali je brzo postao poznat širom svijeta kao tajlandsko nacionalno jelo. U Tajlandu smo naišli na različite verzije pad thaia, a gotovo svima su bile zajedničke neke osnovne karakteristike: ugodno izbalansirana kombinacija slanog, slatkog, kiselog i ljutog - najčešće dobivena upotrebom soja sosa, ribljeg sosa (kada jedeš uličnu hranu, ne možeš uvijek računati da je nešto vegansko samo zato što su ti rekli da je), palminog šećera, tamarinda, limete i chili papričica. Na tanjuru su uvijek bili i pečeni kikiriki, mladi češnjak, klice mungo graha i barem jedna kriška limete. Meni već samo rižini rezanci uz dobar omjer navedenih namirnica čine pad thai, a ostali sastojci mogu biti stvar ukusa, raspoloženja, sezone... Ovdje u Norveškoj je hrana iz raznih dijelova svijeta dosta lako dostupna, "naši" Vijetnamci iz male trgovine su nam vjerojatno među dražim licima Kristiansanda, a imaju i hrpu svježih namirnica iz Tajlanda i Vijetnama koje mi redovito i rado koristimo. U Hrvatskoj je isto moguće nabaviti većinu sastojaka koji će vam trebati za ovo jelo, ali ako i ne nađete, možete malo improvizirati.

što/

{za 2 osobe}

200 g rižinih rezanaca

100 g svježeg polutvrdog tofua

3-4 jušne žlice veganskog morskog sosa*

1 jušna žlica kokosovog šećera

1 limeta

1-2 cm dugačak komadić pulpe tamarinda

1 mala chili paprika ili prema ukusu

5-6 izdanaka mladog azijskog češnjaka (Alium tuberosum) ili 2 europska mlada češnjaka (Allium sativum)

200 g klica mungo graha

1 svježa stabljika limunske trave

150 g pečenog kikirikija

1 manja mrkva ili neko drugo povrće koje nema prejaki okus i neće preuzeti jelo (opcija)

*stavite malu šaku sušenih algi u 150 ml prirodno fermentiranog soja sosa i ostavite da odstoji barem 12 sati (slobodno ostavite i dulje). Procijedite i koristite umjesto ribljeg umaka u jelima. Ja najčešće koristim kombu ili wakame, ali možete koristiti i druge alge - najvažnije je da postignete okus morske hrane.

kako/

Skuhajte rezance i ohladite ih pod tekućom vodom. Ako ih nećete upotrijebiti odmah, možete ih ostaviti u hladnoj vodi da se ne zalijepe. Narežite tofu na kockice. Zamiješajte umak od veganskog morskog sosa, kokosovog šećera, soka pola limete i sitno nasjeckane pulpe tamarinda. Narežite chili na što sitnije. Limunsku travu narežite na sasvim tanke kolutiće, a zeleni dio lišća mladog češnjaka na komadiće od oko 2 cm duljine (nešto manje za europski češnjak). Donje, svijetlije dijelove češnjaka ostavite u komadu. Ako koristite mrkvu, narežite ju na tanke trake. Narežite kikiriki na sitnije komade. Ispecite tofu na malo kokosovog ulja, uz malo soja sosa za okus. Ostavite pečeni tofu sa strane i stavite na tavu pola narezane limunske trave, mrkvu i sav chili. Prodinstajte sasvim kratko, pa ulijte u tavu umak koji ste zamiješali. Dodajte rezance i miješajte oko minutu-dvije, dok rezanci ne budu ravnomjerno prekriveni umakom. Maknite s vatre i dodajte tofu, ostatak limunske trave, narezani češnjak i klice mungo graha. Poslužite uz kriške limete, nasjeckani kikiriki i donje dijelove stabljika mladog češnjaka.

Dobar tek!

[ENG]

pad thai

Eight months later and Thailand is still steadily present on our weekly plates. We cook some kind of Thai food at least two or three times in a week, i mean at least! My favourite dishes are usually soups, so if I'm cooking, we will usually eat some kind of tom yam, tom kha or a soup-like coconut milk curry with tofu and vegetables. We separated in the pad thai story a long time ago and we no longer cook it together because each of us has their own style (that is also a part of this romantic coexistence of two chefs under the same roof). He likes it stronger, a bit heavier and more fulfilling, while I prefer it as a fresher and lighter meal. Both versions are delicious and we eat them with similar amount of joy, but of course each of us slightly prefers their own version. I've been a bit lazy or occupied with other things and just kept promising this recipe but postponing the writing. Today my mom asked me for it, so I finally collected some motivation to type it - I now present you one of my probably hundred favourite dishes.

Pad thai was created only in twentieth century so it is maybe not a "real traditional dish" (although tradition is created with every second of human existence on this planet, it is fluid and doesn't have some strict boundaries, so everything we create can be considered tradition in a sense), but it quickly became famous all around the world as Thai national dish. We tried many different versions of pad thai in Thailand and most of them were really delicious. Some of the main characteristics they all had in common were a good balance of savoury, sweet, sour and spicy notes - usually achieved by the use of soy sauce, fish sauce (when you eat street food, you can't always count on something being vegan just because you were told it was), palm sugar, tamarind fruit, lime and chili peppers. Baked or roasted peanuts, garlic chives, mung bean sprouts and at least one slice of lime were also an important part of a pad thai plate. For me, only rice noodles and a good ratio of the mentioned ingredients make a pad thai, and the other foodstuffs are optional and can depend on a personal taste, mood or season. Here in Norway where we live at the moment, we are lucky to have so many various fresh and packaged Thai foodstuffs (as well as foods from other parts of the world) easily available. Even if you can't get all of them where you live, you can probably still improvise with the ingredients that you can get.

what/

{for 2 persons}
200 g rice noodles
100 g fresh semi-soft tofu
3-4 tbsp vegan mermaid sauce
1 tbsp coconut blossom sugar
1 lime
1-2 cm long piece of tamarind fruit pulp
1 small chili, or up to taste
5-6 Asian garlic chives (Allium tuberosum) or 2 European young garlic shoots (Allium sativum)
200 g mung bean sprouts
1 fresh lemongrass stalk
150 g baked peanuts
1 small carrot or some other vegetables that don't have very strong taste (optional)

*put a small handful of algae into 150 ml of naturally brewed soy sauce and let it soak for at least 12 hours (you can leave for even longer). Strain the liquid and you can use it instead of fish sauce in the recipes. I usually use kombu or walame algae, but you can use other species - the most important thing is to achieve the seafood flavour.

how/
Cook the rice noodles and cool them under running water. If you are not going to use them right away, you can leave them in cold water to stay separated. Cut the tofu into cubes. Prepare the sauce by mixing vegan mermaid sauce, coconut sugar, juice of half a lime and minced tamarind pulp. Mince the chili as finely as possible. Slice the lemongrass into very thin rings; cut the darker green parts of chives into 2 cm long pieces (or a bit shorter if you are using European garlic) and leave the bottom part whole for serving. If you are using the carrot, slice it into thin stripes. Dip tofu cubes shortly in soy sauce and pan fry them on just a little bit of coconut oil. Put them aside to stay crispy on the outside. Shorty sauté the chili, carrot and half of all the lemongrass, add the sauce and the noodles and cook for a minute or two, until all the noodles equally soak up the sauce. Turn the heat off and add the tofu, sliced garlic chives, sprouts and the rest of the lemongrass. Serve with lime slices, chopped peanuts and bottom parts of garlic chives.
Bon appétit!

kuglice od badema i marelica

Moram priznati da se u Norveškoj osjećam kao doma i da mi ne nedostaje Hrvatska niti malo. I inače imam takav osjećaj kada se na neko vrijeme preselim negdje, jednostavno je prekrasno i zanimljivo istraživati novo tlo, običaje, različite detalje koji čine neko mjesto posebnim, i promatrati kako sve to svakim danom sve više postaje dio tvojeg svijeta. Ljudi u jutarnjem autobusu, ulični svirači, rozo večernje nebo, miris zraka uz more, šuštanje jasike uz potok, svaki dan drugačija ista šuma i svaki dan nova ja. Iako vjerojatno zauvijek zaljubljena u jasiku uz potok, sinoć sam sanjala bademe iz Dalmacije i sjetila se hrvatskih tržnica i sve sile domaćih proizvoda, nečega što posebno volim na Balkanu i drugim krajevima svijeta južnije od ovog gdje smo sada. Svako je mjesto na svoj način čarobno, pa tako recimo ovdje umjesto odlaska na plac bereš bobice i gljive u šumi i kupaš se u jezerima; ovdje klima ne dopušta toliko obilje domaćeg voća i povrća, a tržnice slične onima u Hrvatskoj nisu baš u kulturi. Razmišljajući tako o bademima i tržnicama, sjetila sam se da sam još u proljeće bila složila jedan slatki i jednostavni recept koji nikad nisam objavila.

što/
1 i 1/4 šalice badema
1 šalica sušenih marelica*
1/2 šalice datulja (ja sam koristila sortu deglet nour)
1/4 čajne žličice mljevene vanilije

*preporučam prirodno sušene marelice koje nisu sumporene; one nisu izrazito narančaste niti kiselkaste, već smeđe, mekane i slatke, s laganom notom karamele

kako/
Narežite marelice i datulje na manje komade i stavite u sjeckalicu zajedno s ostalim sastojcima. Preradite u kompaktnu masu koju je lako moguće oblikovati rukama. Oblikujte kuglice i zavaljajte ih u mljevene bademe.
Dobar tek!

almond and apricot energy balls

I have to admit that Norway really feels like home and I haven't missed Croatia at all so far. That is actually a usual feeling that I get when I temporarily move somewhere. It is just so beautiful and interesting to explore a new ground, customs, various details that make a certain place special and observe as it all slowly becomes a part of your world. People in the morning bus, street musicians, pink evening skies, smell of the salty air, trembling of the aspen leaves near a water stream, the same forest that is different each day, each day a new me. Although I will probably be forever in love with aspen trees by the stream, last night I dreamt about almonds from Dalmatia and all their familiar sweetness and tastiness. I remembered all the Croatian farmers' markets and their abundance of fresh produce - something that is not really customary here. It is simply because this cold climate doesn't provide such abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables and other crops. It does provide wonderful hiking, swimming in lakes and lots of wild foraging adventures with berries, mushrooms and herbs, so you cannot even feel sad that farmers' markets are not a part of the culture in the same way as they are in the Balkan countries. Anyway, all this thinking of markets and almonds made me realize that I had written a simple sweet recipe this spring and never published it. So, here it is!

what/
1 + 1/4 cup almonds
1 cup organic raw sun-dried apricots*
1/2 cup dates (i used deglet nour veriety)
1/4 tsp ground vanilla

* I never emphasize that something should be organic, completely raw or sun-dried, but here I wanted to specify that you should use the darker orange / brownish apricots that were not treated with sulfur dioxide to preserve colour. You can actually feel the difference in their taste; the untreated ones have a deeper and less fruity flavour

how/
Chop the dried fruits into smaller pieces and put all the ingredients in a food processor. Process until you get a compact mass that is easily shaped with hands. Roll the balls and (optionally) cover them with ground almonds.
Bon appétit!

krema od badema sa želeom od jarebike

In the last post I wrote a bit about rowan (Sorbus aucuparia L.) and how to use its fruits in cooking. As anything made with a lot of rowanberries will be pretty intense, it is not very likely that you will be eating rowanberry jelly on a slice of bread for breakfast. But adding just a little amount to some sweet or savoury dishes will enrich their flavour and add a special note to them. Here is an idea for a creamy and tasty dessert with rowanberry jelly (you can use the jam instead if you prefer it). The bitter and sweet notes of rowan jelly will go perfectly with sweet almond flavours.

what/
3/4 cup cashews
1/2 cup sweet almonds
3/4 cup rice milk
5 tbsp maple syrup
juice of 1 lime
1 pinch ground vanilla
4 tbsp rowanberry jelly

how/
Blend everything except the jelly into a smooth cream. Pour it into dessert glasses and leave in the fridge for a couple of hours to thicken. Add just a little bit of rowanberry jelly on top of the cream in each glass.
Bon appétit!

cooking with rowan berries

Sorbus aucuparia, rowan or mountain ash (jarebika in Croatian) is a tree with a long history in European folklore and mythology. It was believed to have magical powers and protect against evil spirits; it was also called "traveller's tree" because it was said to prevent travellers from getting lost on their journey. In Norse mythology, it was said to have helped god Thor save himself from drowning in a running river. It was considered a sacred tree in Celtic traditions, where it was, amongst other things, a symbol of death and rebirth.

Rowan can be found in cooler climate and mountain forests of the Northern Hemisphere, where it is one of the winter foods for some bird species. It has been used by humans too, as a medicinal plant as well as a culinary delicacy. If you ever roamed cooler temperate forests of Europe or some parts of Asia, you might have noticed these beautiful trees that have bunches of small red fruits hanging from their branches from late summer till after the first frosts. They naturally occur in the forests, but are often planted near houses as well. In Europe, rowan berries have traditionally been used mostly to make jams and compotes that are usually served with savoury dishes, fermented into a wine called diodgriafel or pickled in vinegar.

Rowan berries are not edible raw and can even be poisonous for humans if consumed raw in higher quantities because of their parasorbic acid content. To make them perfectly safe for eating, we need to cook or (freeze and) ferment them. This kind of processing converts parasorbic acid into sorbic acid which is benign to human body and is actually used as a preservative in food industry.

If you are not very keen on bitter foods, you might want to skip this whole rowan berry culinary experience. Most of rowan varieties give really bitter fruits, and although the bitterness level reduces a bit after the frost, they still taste pretty bitter and intense. If, however, you like to enjoy some bitter notes in your sweet or savoury meals, this could indeed be a true culinary delicacy. Intense as they are, you will only need a small amount of rowan berries to enrich your food experience. I like to make only a jar or two of rowan berry jam or jelly in the autumn and they will last for a pretty long time since you really need just a little bit at a time.

/rowanberry jelly/

Put rowan berries into a pot and pour cold pressed apple juice over them, a bit more than you need to cover all the berries. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes over a low heat. Let it cool down and strain through a kitchen cloth. If the cloth is fine enough, the liquid will come out translucent and bright red in colour (even though the cooked berries often look completely orange). Add some lime juice and coconut sugar to taste. If you want to keep the translucent red jelly look, you can use light agave syrup instead of coconut sugar. Add enough agar to thicken the liquid (anything between one and two teaspoons of agar flakes per 250 ml liquid is ok, depending on how thick you want it to be) and put it back to heat. Let it simmer while stirring until all the agar is dissolved. Let it cool down just a bit before pouring it into the jar(s) that you previously warmed up in hot water.

/apple and rowanberry jam/

Put 1/2 cup rowan berries and 2 cups chopped apples in a pot. Pour just enough water to cover the bottom and let it simmer on low heat until the fruits soften. Process the softened fruits a bit in a food processor and put them back to the pot. Add 2/3 cup coconut blossom sugar, 1/4 tsp ground vanilla and 1/2 tsp ceylon cinnamon and cook on low heat for 15 minutes (stir regularly). Put the jam in clean heated jars; for a longer shelf-life, you can also put the filled and loosely closed jars in an oven on 80 °C for around five minutes and then seal them properly.

You can find a recipe for a creamy almond dessert with rowanberry jelly [here].

yarrow

Achillea millefolium ° yarrow (stolisnik) is a flowering plant from the Asteraceae family, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It has been used as a medicinal plant for centuries all along Europe, Asia and North America. In some traditions it was believed to protect people from the evil forces and bring good luck. Today it is widely used for numerous indications - its anti-inflammatory properties make it a great remedy for swelling and inflamation; if applied to a fresh wound, it helps stop the bleeding and speeds up the blood coagulation process; yarrow infusion induces sweating and therefore helps lower the body temperature caused by a flu; it is also used for treating urinary infections and regulating digestion. Besides the mentioned indications, yarrow is used in treating high blood pressure, menstrual problems, heartburn and nausea. It grows abundantly on many habitats such as meadows, roadsides and fields all across the Northern Hemisphere. It blooms throughout summer and autumn, and late summer is the perfect time for harvesting and drying. 

wild blackberry (n)ice cream

wild blackberry nice cream with freshly picked berries straight from the forest, sweet edible red clover flowers and beautiful musk mallow.
/
3 frozen bananas (cut into slices)
3/4 cup wild blackberries
1/4 cup rice milk
1 small pinch ground vanilla
2 tsp lime juice
/blend everything until smooth. bon appétit!

šaltibarščiai

Find this RECIPE on my new blog - Sunberry Jam

medicinal plants of europe: valeriana

Valerian is growing so abundantly here around Kristiansand, Norway, and was in the bloom up until recently, so I harvested and dried some of the herb.

Valerian /Valeriana officinalis L./ is a perennial plant native to Europe and parts of Asia. Latin name of this genus comes from the word "valere", which means to be strong or well. It has been used in folk medicine as a natural sedative for centuries. Today it is known and officially used in treating insomnia and anxiety, along with some other indications.

Valerian root is the most potent part of the plant and is harvested in autumn when the bioactive compounds concentrations are the highest. The plant on the picture is V. officinalis ssp. sambucifolia, a polyploid subspecies that is not officially recognized, but is the most common subspecies of this area and has been widely used in folk medicine.

medicinal plants of europe: st. john's wort

Hypericum perforatum L. /st. John's wort, gospina trava in Croatian/ is a herbaceous perennial plant native to temperate regions of Europe and Asia; today it is widespread throughout temperate regions worldwide. It can be easily distinguished from other species in this genus because of its leaves that seem perforated (hence the species name) with glandular tissue which appears as small translucent dots.
Its use in traditional medicine has been known since ancient Greece. It has been used for a variety of indications, the most famous being anxiety, depression, skin burns and wounds. It was also believed to protect humans from evil spirits.
Antidepressant properties of st. John's wort have been scientifically studied and confirmed, while other medicinal properties are being researched. But even without scientific proof, the amazing effects of st. John's wort to human health are indisputable, and go much further than the above mentioned.

/How to use st. John's wort?

<herbal infusion>
Put a teaspoon of dried herb into a cup of boiling water, remove from the heat and let it sit covered for 15-30 minutes. Drink 2-3 cups a day over the course of six weeks. This infusion is used to treat depression, anxiety, neuralgia, and as a nerve tonic. It is also used to relieve symptoms of gastritis, menstrual and menopausal problems and to fight some bacterial infections. When consumed before bedtime, it helps with relaxation and better sleep.

<oil infusion>
Fill a jar with fresh flowers/plant tips, loosely and without pressing. Leave them like that for a few hours. Pour cold pressed sunflower or coconut oil to cover all the herbal material. Leave the jar in the sun for around 6 weeks (preferably shake it every day) and strain. The oil will turn deep red in colour. Finished infusion is an amazing remedy for treating burns and healing cuts and wounds more quickly and with less scar tissue.

/You should be aware that
* st. John's wort has phototoxic properties, so its consumption (either orally or through skin) should be avoided before exposure to direct sunlight.
* to get the proper concentrations of bioactive compounds, herb should be collected in summer, when in bloom.

thoughts about raspberries and humans

There is one beautiful forest where I take a walk almost every day, listen to magical sounds of creeks and small waterfalls, do some spiritual practice and forage some wild fruits and sometimes medicinal plants. The other day while I was walking and contemplating the likelihood of blueberry season coming to an end some time soon, I spotted some ripe wild raspberries. I was so happy that they started to ripen. Sometimes I feel like I'm talking to the forest. I ask her if it is ok that I collect some blueberries and take them home, or is it greedy of me. She answers that there is always enough blueberries and that I can take as much as I want. Sometimes it's like a child's game, I collect small stones on the way and leave them a few steps further, in search of a "perfect" stone. You can always come back from the forest with some of Nature's gifts. Some food, some pure, light energy, new inspiration, happiness. 

But what is greed then? I think it is taking way more than you need and not letting go, not letting anyone else benefit from it in any way. It is stupid to think that it will somehow fulfil us, and yet we so often do. Nature has enough to supply us all. In theory, if everyone took just as much as they needed, everyone would have enough (that doesn't mean that everyone should always have equal amounts of everything; we all have different needs and a unique role in this Universe). But because of the human nature and many past events that cannot be undone and politics and so many other things, there seems to be a great imbalance where some people have too much while others are starving. It is not the natural state by itself, but rather something that humankind has brought upon itself because of greed (which is in a broader sense also natural to humans).

So interesting, this human kind. Obviously everything is just the way it is supposed to be after all. Anyhow, I am more than grateful that I was born into this exact life where I can (among other things) carelessly roam beautiful forests and eat wild raspberries on the way.

4 simple dips

I have neglected the blog a bit lately because I've been busy with many other things, but haven't forgotten all the recipes that I promised you. Here is a short one for start! You often ask me for vegan dip and spread recipes, so here are a few ideas for simple and tasty vegan spreads that you can use on bread, in burgers, with vegetables, as dips, in salads or in any other way that you prefer.

/cheesy cashew and sunflower spread/
1/2 cup cashews
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
juice of one lemon
1 pinch ground white pepper
2 pinches himalayan salt
1/2 clove garlic
1 tsp dry nutritional yeast
2/3 cup water

/hummus/
1 cup cooked chickpeas
1 pinch black pepper
1 pinch ground red pepper
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp olive oil
1 pinch ground cumin
3 tbsp tahini
2 pinches Himalayan salt
1/3 cup water

/sesame and auburgine dip/
3/4 cup sesame
1 large auburgine, oven-baked, without skin
juice of 1 lime
1 pinch white pepper
3 tbsp tamari
1/3 cup water

/baked pepper spread/
4 oven-baked red sweet peppers, without skin
1/2 cup roasted almonds
2 tbsp homemade apple cider vinegar
2 pinches Himalayan salt
1 tbsp olive oil

For each dip, just process all the ingredients in a food processor or a blender until smooth. If you want a thinner consistency (for example to use it as a salad dressing), just add some more water. Adjust the salt and spices amount up to your taste.

krema od borovnica i zobenih pahuljica

Nedavno sam skužila da je ovo valjda jedan od rijetkih biljojednih blogova na kojima nećete naći recept za zobenu kašu. Najbliže tome su namočene zobene pahuljice koje sam jednom prilikom iskoristila u receptu. Iskreno, nije mi niti palo na pamet jer mi žitarice generalno ne pašu u prehrani, puno puta mi bude zlo kada ih pojedem, pogotovo kuhanu zobenu (prosenu, ječmenu) kašu. Modernu pšenicu niti ne računam jer ju iz sto i jednog razloga ne mogu gledati kao hranu. Danas je neka dominantna ideja veganske prehrane u svijetu prehrana bazirana na žitaricama kao glavnom izvoru energije, što nije uopće čudno budući da žitarice i jesu jedan od najdostupnijih i najjeftnijih izvora kalorija. Ako njih ne koristiš, moraš se snaći i biti malo kreativniji oko prehrane i namirnica da bi se mogao baš najesti i ostati sit, ali uvjerena sam da se dugoročno isplati, jer ima toliko hrane koja je prirodnija i zdravija za ljudski organizam u odnosu na žitarice. Ipak (budući da na ovom blogu ima već puno recepata bez žitarica), evo jednog načina na koji čak i ja ponekad mogu pojesti malo zobenih pahuljica da mi ne bude loše poslije, a možda pomogne još nekom sličnom čudaku da pojede nešto novo za doručak ili užinu.

što/
[za 3-4 porcije]
1 šalica zobenih pahuljica
1 jušna žlica chia sjemenki
1 i 1/2 čajne žlice psyllium ljuskica
2/3 šalice rižinog mlijeka
1/2 šalice punomasnog kokosovog mlijeka
3 jušne žlice kokosovog šećera
1/2 šalice divljih borovnica
2 čajne žlice soka limete
+ za drugi sloj
1/2 šalice zobenog jogurta
1/2 šalice kokosove kreme ili punomasnog kokosovog mlijeka
1 jušna žlica agavinog sirupa (opcija)

kako/
Izblendajte zobene pahuljice, chia sjemenke, psyllium, borovnice, kokosov šećer, sok limete rižino mlijeko i pola šalice kokosovog mlijeka u blenderu dok ne dobijete potpuno glatku smjesu. Ostavite da odstoji 30 minuta na sobnoj temperaturi, promiješajte i prebacite u čaše, pa ostavite još 8 sati u hladnjaku. Zamiješajte kremu od ohlađenog kokosovog mlijeka (ako je moguće, odvojite samo stvrdnuti kremasti dio s površine kako bi bilo što manje vodenasto) i zobenog jogurta, pa ju dodajte u svaku čašu.
Dobar tek!

[ENG]

wild blueberry and oat cream

I recently realized that, since the beginning of this blog, i haven't even once written an oat porridge recipe. It wasn't intentional, but to be honest, it never even crossed my mind. Most of the time I can't stand cereals, and cooked oat (millet, berley) porridge, although widely considered a healthy and nutritious meal, often makes me want to throw up (yes...). Today's idea of a vegan diet includes cereals as a main source of energy in most cases, which sounds pretty logical since cereals are the cheapest and most available source of calories today. If you don't consume them, you have to be creative and dedicated enough to find combinations that will keep you satiated, but i am convinced that it pays off in the long run because there are many foods in this world that are more natural and healthier for human body than cereals. Still (having considered that I already wrote plenty of recipes that don't include cereals), here is a simple oat recipe that even I can enjoy from time to time and in smaller amounts. Maybe it helps some other similar weirdo to eat something new and interesting for breakfast.

what/
[for 3-4 portions]
1 cup oatmeal
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 + 1/2 tsp psyllium husks
2/3 cup rice milk
1/2 cup full-fat cocount milk
3 tbsp coconut blossom sugar
1/2 cup wild blueberries
2 tsp lime juice
+ for second layer
1/2 cup oat yogurt
1/2 cup coconut cream
1 tbsp agave nectar (optional)

how/
Blend the oatmeal, chia, psyllium, blueberries, coconut sugar, lime juice and rice milk and 1/2 cup coconut milk into a completely smooth mixture. Let it sit for 30 minutes at the room temperature, mix well with a spoon and pour into glasses. Let it sit in the fridge for 8 hours. Mix coconut cream (you can scoop it from the top of cooled coconut milk) and oat yohurt and add this mixture on top of blueberry cream.
Enjoy!

sendvič

oat soda bread with dates (similar to apple soda bread, just substitute apples with a few dates and some plant yogurt), mushrooms sauteed in shoyu, coconut cream, fresh vegetables and peanut butter.

sladoled od šumskog voća

A simple and tasty berries and coconut (n)ice cream.

what/
250 g mixed berries
250 ml full-fat coconut milk
80 g fresh pitted dates (i used bam variety because they are one of the softest)

how/
Blend everything into a smooth mass. Cool it in an ice cream maker if you have one, or just put in a freezer and mix well for 3-4 times in intervals of 30 minutes so that you'll get a creamy consistency. Bon appétit!

banana bread

Nedavno smo se preselili u Norvešku, pa nam je istraživanje priuštivih namirnica postalo samo jedan od slatkih zabavnih izazova prije prve norveške plaće (jebiga, možda i možeš uštedjeti za Norvešku ako ne odeš prije toga na nekoliko mjeseci u Aziju...). Kao što sam već više puta pisala, ne pada mi na pamet štedjeti na našem zdravlju, i cjelovitu hranu ne smatram luksuzom, već nužnošću. Zato sam se potrudila istražiti koje namirnice su priuštive za naš trenutačni budžet i kako ih upotrijebiti. Iako sama nisam neki kruhojed niti ljubitelj žitarica, često pečem kruh od heljde i pira za dragog, pa su brašna i žitarice bile među prvim namirnicama na listi. Pirovo brašno je bilo dosta skupo, heljdino još nisam našla, ali zato sam potpuno neočekivano naišla na ječmeno brašno, krupne zobene pahuljice i rižino brašno po nižim cijenama nego u Hrvatskoj. Nisam nikad prije probala tu kombinaciju, ali zvučalo je obećavajuće, a ispalo odlično. Toliko dobro da sam morala peći još jedan nakon dva dana. Ne znam da li ovo čudno zvuči, ali meni je banana bread super i u slanim kombinacijama i kad natrpam gore guacamole i tofu, to mi je za prste polizat. Ako niste baš za tako ekstremna igranja, vjerujte mi da je savršen u kombinaciji s prirodnim maslacem od kikirikija, ili sirovim chia pekmezom.

što/
1 šalica ječmenog brašna
2 šalice mljevenih zobenih pahuljica
1 šalica sitnog (bijelog) rižinog brašna
1 čajna žličica sode bikarbone
1/2 čajne žličice himalajske soli
2 banane
1 i 1/2 šalice zobenog ili sojinog mlijeka
3 jušne žlice jabučnog octa
4 jušne žlice datuljinog sirupa (možete ga zamijeniti svježim datuljama)
1 jušna žlica psyllium ljuskica

kako/
Pomiješajte ječmeno brašno, mljevene zobene pahuljice, rižino brašno, himalajsku sol i sodu bikarbonu u zdjeli. Sve ostale sastojke izblendajte u glatku smjesu i ulijte u zdjelu sa suhim sastojcima. Lagano izmiješajte pjenjačom. Prebacite tijesto u kalup za pečenje i pecite 45 minuta na 180 °C. Ostavite kruh da se ohladi zamotan u kuhinjsku krpu.
Dobar tek!

[ENG]

banana bread

When you move from a moderately not very well-off country to one of the highest-standard European countries (the first one being Croatia and the latter one - Norway) quite suddenly and with no savings, I guess in the beginning there is not too much choice but to live off the cheapest versions of the most necessary stuff and leave the luxury for later. Well, for us, quality food is considered a necessity, not a luxury (I think that's fairly sane because food builds your body after all), and I will never try to save up on our health, but will rather find which whole foodstuffs are affordable where we are now and figure out how to use them. It's always a fun challenge. My darling sometimes likes to eat bread with avocado or peanut butter for breakfast, so I decided to see which flours are available. Spelt flour turned out to be crazy expensive here, at least before our first Norwegian salary, but what do you know - rolled oats, barley flour and rice flour were cheaper than in Croatia. I had never used this combination before, but it seemed like it should work. And it did, so well that I had to make a new one after two days. I'm so excited to share this recipe with you, because it makes such a rich and tasty banana bread. You can call me crazy, but I like it in (some) savoury combinations too. If that is not really your cup of tea, just some plain natural peanut butter or blueberry chia jam goes great with it.

what/
1 cup barley flour
2 cups ground rolled oats or oatmeal
1 cup fine (white) rice flour
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
1/2 tsp Himalayan salt
2 bananas
1 + 1/2 cup oat or soy mylk
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
4 tbsp date syrup (can be substituted with fresh dates)
1 tbsp psyllium husks

how/
Mix the flours, ground oats, himalayan salt and soda. Blend the rest of the ingredients into a smooth mixture and pour the mixture into the bowl with dry ingredients. Gently whisk to combine. Pour the batter into a bread mould and bake on 180 °C for 45 minutes. Let the bread cool down wrapped in kitchen cloth. 
Bon appétit!