║today my way║: food

Time for the favourite this season - lots of juicy, colourful appearance on our plate. I guess this rainbow of vitamins could easily be scattered into pretty porcelain bowls separately so that everyone would head for their own preferred snack but would that be fun? Not so much. So one Saturday when time slowed down for a bit I decided to surprise the bunch I call my family by attempting to create something different from simple ingredients eaten in abundance in a week. Everyone loves pizza, this time the beautiful weather called for lighter version of this delicious dish so I gathered familiar fruit varying in taste, hue and shape and after cutting it neatly all was placed on the round face of a slice of a watermelon. Every inch of pizza without heating up the oven!

Kids were in heaven waiting for something magical to appear on their plates and then eating it whole or piece by piece savouring each bit. It made my whole weekend. Hands were sticky and sweet, busy from piling handfuls of blueberries into their mouths. No slice or juicy chunk was ignored. And I guess, as much fun as I attempted to spread around I felt I had the most wonderful time myself. Seeing everybody excited and jumping at a chance to share my idea was something I'm itching to try more often this summer (with a squishy baby attached to my hip!). It's so easy to create an extraordinary thing out of plain and barely exciting. I'm pretty sure this pizza rocked without shame. x

►► See what I mean? Now most of their time spent in the backyard is made of snacking. Will I be thanked for that? ;)

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I am on a smoothie or a fruit kick right now if you're wondering when have I inherited an orchard. Smoothie is one of the few easy recipes I'm always ready for. The more sour the yummier, as of now. With morning school run and every task taking more time than usual, throwing a handful of frozen pieces into a blender, adding a glass of orange juice and two nicely shaped kiwis to the mix makes me a hero first thing in the morning. With still unbrushed teeth, most probably. So this is it - magic in a glass without really doing much. And with germs attacking us in this transitional period of experiencing spring while still partially bundled up in winter gear, this is a great immunity booster, just as it is a delicious treat. You may want to experiment with different juices - like cranberry for extra tongue tingle and add fresh berries instead, you totally have my blessing. And with summer on our tails, fresh produce might be just the best decision you'll make on an empty stomach. Happy Easter, friends!

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What a fantastic time to be pregnant! Or just alive. And hungry. But mostly pregnant with no need for explanations to any of ingredients used in any recipe. So this thing happened. Sometime between 9 and 11 am yesterday morning I felt I could do with a non-obligatory, semi-reasonable snack that my little boy will love me for till his late night dancing hour. Yet I had nothing of that sort stacked in my pantry and even searching through Nadia's bookshelf for any fruit leftovers was a pointless idea. No fruit has been left over since the day I noticed my varicose veins expanding! No vitamin is subtly wasted here ever since. So I changed into my maternity jeans to venture green aisles of my local superstore and came home with so many ideas of snacks I'd enjoy I almost gave up the idea altogether due to overwhelming excitement. I didn't so now I'm going to share with you an easy, healthy and quick smoothie for when you have a meantime to spare as making it doesn't distract from most things third trimester is gentle on me with. You'll need:

Cup of dense yogurt

a handful of washed kale

half a cup of blueberries (or as many as you're able to toss in a blender)

1 tablespoon of honey

half a teaspoon of cinnamon

quarter of a cup of water, depending how thick you like your smoothies

1 tablespoon of peanut butter (optional)

Toss it all in your blender, mix thoroughly and enjoy! (or hand it to me).

Have a happy, yummy weekend, friends!

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sweet-potato-muffins-start-the-day-happy-todaymyway

I'm not a morning person but I am a breakfast person, one that has to be reasonably full before heading out the door. But it is that time of year again that jumping out of bed ecstatically means no fun unless someone is cooking for you and the whole space smells of heaven (sunflowers optional). I figured out simplicity mixed with deliciousness is everything I want from my breakfast this season. Something prepared earlier needing only a little to satisfy is the recipe for success. In this combo muffins were the hardest therefore baked in advance ingredient topped with a five minute blueberry compote sacrifice. It literally takes minutes to cook while the air absorbs the smell and no one will stay in bed for long. For the compote you only need a small amount of berries, two tablespoons of orange juice (or any juice available), half teaspoon of vanilla extract and a dash of cinnamon cooked for 10 minutes on high, stirring frequently. As for the muffins...

start-the-day-happy-sweet-potato-muffins-todaymyway

Recipe was found in It's All Good cookbook by Gwyneth Partlow and loved ever since. Not too messy and laborious those muffins became an easy snack around here especially that they can be paired with anything my taste buds fancy that morning: a dab of nutella, jam or marmalade, apple or apricot compote, it's an evolving process. So onto the recipe! You'll need:

1 large sweet potato

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

3/4 cup good-quality maple syrup plus 2 extra tablespoons for brushing the muffins

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups gluten free flour (if it doesn't include xantham gum, add 1 teaspoon)

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 and 1/2 tablespoons Chinese five-spice powder

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Preheat the oven to 400F. Prick the sweet potato a few times with a paring knife or fork. Bake until soft (when a paring knife can cut through with zero resistance), about 1 hour. Set the sweet potato aside until it's completely cool.

Peel the sweet potato, discard the skin and mash the flesh in a mixing bowl with a fork. Whisk the olive oil, almond milk, maple syrup and vanilla into the sweet potato. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, five-spice powder and salt. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

Line a 12-cup muffin tray with paper liners and evenly distribute the muffin batter among the cups. Bake at 400 F for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean, brushing the tops with extra maple syrup during the last 5 minutes of baking. let the muffins cool before serving.

Peel the sweet potato, discard the skin and mash the flesh in a mixing bowl with a fork. Whisk the olive oil, almond milk, maple syrup or xylitol, and vanilla into the sweet potato. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, five-spice powder and salt. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and evenly distribute the muffin batter among the cups.

Bake at 400F for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean, brushing the tops with extra maple syrup during the last 5 minutes of baking. Let the muffins cool before serving.

- See more at: http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/recipe/12748_Gwyneth_Paltrow_s_Sweet_Potato_amp_5_Spice_Muffins/#sthash.fvVZdX2Q.dpuf

Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and evenly distribute the muffin batter among the cups.

Bake at 400F for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean, brushing the tops with extra maple syrup during the last 5 minutes of baking. Let the muffins cool before serving.

- See more at: http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/recipe/12748_Gwyneth_Paltrow_s_Sweet_Potato_amp_5_Spice_Muffins/#sthash.fvVZdX2Q.dpuf

morning-muffins-start-the-day-happy-todaymyway

blueberry-compote-start-the-day-happy-muffins-todaymyway

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You'll have a lot to choose from in the upcoming year from this place in terms of food and entertainment. I don't know many spots to dine well but my kitchen is slowly becoming the best eaterie known to taste buds. The menu is always changing yet remains as healthy and vegan as comfort food can be. With so many great vegan recipes out there, there is no excuse to shy away from it. I have tried cooking plants before and every single recipe could stay at the top of my list until my last day on dry land. And this simple dish makes me happy to be alive and hungry - easy to make and tastes great.

Ingredients:

1 package of quinoa or your favorite grain (cook as directed, set aside)

1 package of spinach or your favorite greens (or both)

1 package of cherry tomatoes, halved

thin sliced onion

a few cloves of garlic, sliced

a bundle of basil and whatever other fresh herbs you have around, chopped

olive oil

salt & pepper

How to:

In saute pan, heat generous amounts of olive oil.

Add onions and lightly cook until translucent.

Add garlic, and sauté for a minute or so, add cherry tomatoes and a pinch of salt.

Allow cherry tomatoes to cook, sweating out much of their liquids, stir occasionally.

Once the tomatoes are soft, add spinach, greens and chopped herbs.

Allow greens and herbs to cook down for a few minutes.

Stir, season with salt and pepper.

Toss with grain of your choice.

Bon apetite!

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I mean food... did you expect to find it here? I have no business in posting recipes other than I eat and like my plate look appetizing. If this convinces you enough to stay and read on, please do but be quick -- the butter's melting. I have cooked practically nothing all month long and then whisked together some eggs, milk, maple syrup, cinnamon and soaked my bread in it hours before we flew on holiday. Time I was most excited spending folding cotton neatly, I was dying to taste the result of nearly rearranging our tiny kitchen. It was amazing and the whole floor smelt of cinnamon instead of curry powder (sorry, neighbours). I prepared three slices of an English wholemeal toast bread and Polish white slice to experience a little variety. So when the cinnamon fume has settled and you want to make some of your own, here's what you need to replicate this summer project:

4 slices wholemeal bread or any bread you like
3 biggish eggs, whisked
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup maple syrup and more for topping
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
blueberries
4 pats of butter
oil to spread on a sheet pan

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and whisk all ingredients together. Dip each slice of bread in batter and place it on a sheet pan spread with oil. Leave it to soak for about a duration of a remix of your favourite song then top the bread with blueberries. Bake for 25 minutes until bread is golden brown. Remove from oven and garnish with butter and maple syrup. Serve while freaking hot. Or go straight to the original recipe and do just the same.

I'm definitely not done after trying this simple summer recipe, if you're happy with more easy, mostly one-person-eat-it-all quick meals aka mama-home-alone, you're in right hands. So it turns out I actually like cooking. What a hugely reassuring thought. Happy day, friends x

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