Chocolate Raspberry Granola Bars

If you feel like making some granola bars, but want to give them a little twist, give this recipe a try :)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

- 1 cup oats
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/4tsp baking powder
- 4tbs unsalted butter
- 2tbs granulated sugar
- 4tbs honey
- 1/4tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1 cup fresh raspberries (any berries would work)
- a pinch of salt

Process:

- Preheat your oven to 150 C degrees.
- In a small bowl add the butter, sugar, chocolate, raspberries and honey. Microwave the mixture for 30 seconds and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl add the oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Mix together.
- Add the wet mixture into the mixing bowl and mix everything together.
- Place the mix in baking pan lined with baking paper and bake for 30min.
- Let it cool for a few hours, cut into pieces and enjoy!

Hurricane Cocktail

There are hundreds of Hurricane recipes. This is how I like mine. It's quick, easy and really refreshing :)

Serves 2

Ingredients: 

- 6oz dark rum
- 12oz orange juice
- 1 lime
- 1tbs sugar

Process:

- Add the rum, orange juice, and sugar in a shaker or a jug. Squeeze the lime and give it a good stir.
- Serve over ice, garnish it with a lime slice and enjoy!

Creamy Chicken Pasta

This recipe came from having a bunch of leftovers in the fridge. I love putting them together and creating a tasty meal. The pasta was coated with the creamy tomato sauce and was a winner that night :)

Serves 2

Ingredients:

- 250g pasta of your choice
- 4 slices of chicken breast, diced
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 150g tomato sauce
- 180g double cream (heavy and whipping cream works, too)
- 1tbs olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste

Process:

- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- In a skillet, heat the olive oil to a medium heat and saute the chicken and onion until golden brown.
- Add the tomato sauce, give it a stir and let it reduce for about 5-6min. Add the cream and let cook for about a minute. Check for seasoning and adjust to taste.
- Turn the heat off, add the cooked pasta and enjoy!

Granola Bars

I figured it's easier and more cost-effective to make your own granola bars, so I gave it a try. They go great with coffee or tea in the morning. Also they make a great snack in the afternoon.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

- 1 cup oats
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/4tsp baking powder
- 4tbs unsalted butter
- 2tbs granulated sugar
- 4tbs honey
- 1/4tsp cinnamon
- a pinch of salt

Process:

- Preheat your oven to 150 C degrees.
- In a small bowl add the butter, sugar, and honey. Microwave the mixture for 30 seconds and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl add the oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Mix together.
- Add the wet mixture into the mixing bowl and mix everything together.
- Place the mix in baking pan lined with baking paper and bake for 20min.
- Let it cool for a few hours, cut into pieces and enjoy!

Caesar Salad with Eggplant Bacon

Since I had an eggplant in the fridge and didn't know what to do with it, I crisped it up and added it to my Caesar salad. It turned out delicious!!

I know many people are afraid to use eggplants because they can be a little bitter, but if you peel, slice and salt them first, they'll be delicious. The salt gets the bitterly water out of them and they are nothing but a delight :) 

Serves 2

Ingredients:

- 2 cups any lettuce, chopped
- 1tbs anchovy paste
- 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 slices bread of your choice
- 1 eggplant
- 2tbs olive oil
- 3tbs vegetable oil
- salt and pepper to taste

Process:

- Cut the bread into cubes, drizzle olive oil, add the minced garlic and bake on 150 C degrees for 30min. When the croutons are crispy, let them cool down.
- Peel and thinly slice the eggplant. Put some salt on each slice and let it stand for about 30min so the bitterly water comes out. Then fry in hot oil until crispy and let it cool. When cool cut into bite-size pieces.
- To make the ceasar dressing, squeeze the lemon in a salad bowl, then add the anchovy paste and cheese.
- Add the lettuce, and give it a stir. Add the croutons and eggplant pieces and enjoy!

Gnocchi

If you have potatoes that went a little soft, gnocchi is the perfect recipe for them :)

Serves 2

Ingredients:

- 3-4 medium sized potatoes
- 1 cup flour
- salt

Process:

- Peel and cut the potatoes. Boil them in salted water until soft. Drain them and let them cool a little.
- Put some flour and salt on your surface, and start kneading until you get your dough soft and not sticky.
- Let them dry for about an hour.
- When ready to cook, place them in boiling water and cook them until they float to the surface.
- Serve with the sauce of your choice and enjoy! I served mine with my arugula pesto.

Spinach & Parmesan pancakes

As a big fan of savory pancakes, I had to share this recipe.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

- 1 cup self-raising flour
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup milk
- 200g steamed baby spinach
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese (any grated cheese would work)
- salt and pepper to taste
- cooking spray

Process:

- Mix the flour, water, milk, spinach and cheese together.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- In a skillet spray some cooking spray and on medium heat spoon a little bit of the mixture.
- When bubbles start to occur, you can flip the pancake.
- Keep in the skillet until golden brow, set aside and enjoy!

Tip: If you want to use regular flour, add 1/2tsp baking powder so the dough get light and fluffy.

Chorizo Jambalaya

Great comfort food dinner :)

Living in California for years, I got to try different Jambalaya recipes. Each one of them was delicious. My recipe, however is with brown rice. I rarely use brown rice, but I believe in this case it makes the meal much tastier than white rice would do.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

- 150g chorizo sausage, diced (any smoked sausage works)
- 1 cup brown rice (any type of rice works)
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 3 hot chilli peppers
- 2tbs butter
- 2tbs paprika
- 1tbs cumin
- 1tsp cajun seasoning
- 1 bay leaf
- 100g tomato sauce (fresh diced tomatoes work, too)
- 2 cups chicken broth
- salt and pepper to taste

Process:

- Place the butter in a pot and sauté the chorizo sausage on medium heat.
- Add paprika, cumin, and cajun seasoning and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes along with the bay leaf, onion, garlic, chillis, salt and pepper. Sauté for a few minutes.
- Add the rice and give it a stir.
- Pour in the chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, turn down the heat to low, cover the pot and cook for 55min.

Tip: I am using brown rice, hence cooking it for 55min. If you use regular white rice, it will take 15-20min.

Basil & Tomato Pasta Salad

This is a great alternative for those who are fans of pasta salads, but would like to replace the old, boring mayo dressing. The lemon-basil-garlic-olive oil combination is just unbeatable :)

Serves 2

Ingredients:

- 250g cooked pasta, drained and cooled
- 3 fresh tomatoes, diced
- 100g fresh basil
- 100g any cheese, shredded
- 1 lemon, juiced
- a pinch of dry oregano
- a pinch of granulated garlic
- 2tbs olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste

Process:

- Place the basil leaves, lemon juice, oregano, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper in a food processor and blend till everything is finely chopped. Transfer the dressing to a salad bowl.
- Add the diced tomatoes, cheese and cooked pasta.
- Stir everything together, check if the seasoning is right and enjoy!

Camembert and Parmesan Mac & Cheese

Another leftover recipe :) I had different cheeses in the fridge, so I decided to give it a shot. I never thought of putting Camembert in mac & cheese, but now I love it. It gives the dish a nice twist.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

- 20g all purpose flour
- 40g unsalted butter
- 300g milk
- 175g Camembert cheese, cut into thin slices
- 100g Parmesan cheese, grated
- 250g macaroni (any pasta works)
- breadcrumbs
- 1tbs olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste

Process:

- Preheat oven to 200 C degrees.
- In a large saucepan bring water to boil, add a good amount of salt and put pasta in. Cook till al dente.
- To make the bechamel sauce, place the flour and butter in a saucepan and mix together on a medium heat.
- When a paste is formed, start incorporating the milk little by little. Stir until the sauce becomes thick and creamy.
- Turn the heat off, add the Camembert and Parmesan cheese. Stir everything together.
- Place the pasta and sauce in a casserole dish and stir till pasta is coated.
- Sprinkle some breadcrumbs and olive oil on top, bake for 20min and enjoy!

Chocolate covered Strawberries

What a quick, easy and delicious dessert :) Everyone seems to love it!

Serves 2

Ingredients:

- 1 punnet of strawberries

- 100g of your favourite milk chocolate

- 100g of your favourite white chocolate

Process:

- Wash and dry the strawberries. Make sure they are dry, otherwise the chocolate won't stick.

- Melt the milk and white chocolate in two separate bowls for 30-40 seconds in the microwave. Make sure the chocolate is creamy, not liquid.

- Holding the strawberries by the stems, dip each one in milk or white chocolate and place on a baking sheet or foil.

- To create the lines, use a teaspoon filled with chocolate and quickly drizzle it over the strawberries moving your hand from right to left and back.

- Place them in the fridge to cool and enjoy!

Summer Salad

I am a big, big fan of salads!! The ingredients for this recipe can be changed according to your liking, but the dressing is what makes it so delicious. Simple, yet gorgeous mix of salt, olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette... So much better than the heavy ranch or mayo dressings! Give it a try and it will be your new go-to salad recipe :-) 

Serves 2

Ingredients:

- 1 bag of leaf lettuce (any type of lettuce works)
- 2 tomatoes, diced into cubes
- 1/2 pealed cucumber, sliced into circles
- 1 canned corn
- 150g feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 slices of a day old bread, cut into cubes
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- salt and pepper to taste
- olive oil and balsamic vinegar (red/white wine vinegar works too) to taste

Process:

- In a bowl, add the bread cubes, olive oil, salt, pepper and minced garlic. Bake in a preheated oven (190 C degrees) for 30min to get croutons and let them cool completely.
- In a different bowl add the rest of the ingredients, season with salt, olive oil and vinegar to taste. Give it a good mix, then add the croutons and enjoy!

Chorizo and Rice Enchiladas

Who doesn't like Mexican food? :)

I love enchiladas, but when I started making them I realized I didn't have any enchilada sauce. Luckily, I had 3 bell peppers in the fridge, so I decided to turn them into a sauce. I blended them together with some salt and poured them over the enchiladas. Once this sauce penetrated through the tortillas it made them super soft, delicious and comforting :)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

- 3 chorizo sausages, sliced (chicken, turkey, beef or fish works too)
- 100g rice
- 1 chicken/vegetable stock cube
- 200g water
- 3 bell peppers, seeds removed, roughly chopped
- 2 chilli peppers, seeds removed, roughly chopped
- cheddar cheese, grated
- 6 flour tortillas
- salt and pepper to taste

Process:

- Cook the rice according to the package instructions, making sure you add the stock cube in the boiling water before adding the rice.
-  In a food processor (or a blender) add the bell peppers and chillies and blend until liquid. Season with salt and pepper. This will be your enchilada sauce.
- In a skillet, add the sausages and sauté over a medium high heat until they brown.*
- Add the rice to the chorizo and give it a good stir.
- Spoon a couple of table spoons of the pepper sauce in a casserole dish.
- Spoon the meat mixture on the tortillas, roll them and place in the casserole dish.
- Spoon the leftover pepper mix on top of the tortillas, then sprinkle the cheese.
- Bake in a preheated oven (190 degrees) for 20min and enjoy!

* If you are using leftover cooked meat, you can skip the browning process.

Honey soy baked chicken

As a big soy sauce lover, I had to share this recipe. It comes out great every time and goes with pretty much any side dish. Sooo, take it away :)

Serves 2

Ingredients:

- 4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
- 3tbs soy sauce
- 1tbs honey
- 1/4tsp ginger
- 1/4tsp garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste

Process:

- Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, place the chicken in and let it sit in the fridge for a few hours.
- Preheat your oven to 220 degrees Celsius.
- Place the chicken skin side up and bake for 25min.
- Turn the chicken skin side down and bake for 15min.
- Turn the chicken skin side up again and bake for additional 5min or until the chicken is crispy and dark (from the soy sauce).
- Serve with salad, rice or potatoes and enjoy!

Chicken and rice casserole

I've loved this dish ever since I was a kid. It is a great one pot dinner, we love easy clean up :)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

- 4 chicken drumsticks or thighs
- 200g uncooked rice
- 400g water
- 2 chicken stock cubes
- salt and pepper to taste

Process:

- Preheat your oven to 220 degrees Celsius.
- Wash and dry the chicken. Season it with salt and pepper to taste.
- Dissolve the chicken stock in water. If you have leftover gravy you could use that instead.
- In a casserole dish place the rice, chicken and chicken stock mixture.
- Cover with a lid or aluminium foil and bake for 45min to an hour.
- Uncover for the last 10min so the chicken crisps up.
- Serve with salad and enjoy!

Chicken Francese / Francaise

This is a great recipe when using chicken breast because we all know that breast meat can be quite dry and boring :)

The egg batter makes the meat sooo juicy and enjoyable. I definitely think it's a go-to recipe every time you have some chicken breast in the fridge and don't know what to do with it :)

Serves 2

Ingredients:

- 4 chicken breast fillets, thinly sliced
- 2 tbs flour
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 tbs butter
- 1 egg
- 1 chicken stock cube
- 100ml water
- 50ml white wine (optional, you could add water instead)
- 3 tbs lemon juice
- 1 tbs fresh marjoram (any fresh herb would work)
- salt and pepper to taste

Process:

- In a skillet, put olive oil and set the heat to medium high.
- Put the fillets, flour and whisked egg on three different plates and season well with salt and pepper.
- Dredge the fillets in flour, dip them in egg and place them in the hot skillet.
- Fry each side for 3-4 minutes, depending on the fillet thickness.
- When finished, take the fillets out and put them on a plate.
- Turn the heat to high and put the water, wine, lemon juice, stock cube, any leftover flour from the dredging, fresh herbs and butter.
- Wait for a minute so the sauce thickens and place the fillets back in the skillet for a few minutes to absorb the sauce.
- Serve with potatoes, rice or salad and enjoy!