Crispy on the outside but tender on the inside, packed with flavor and yet very easy to prepare, these falafel became my favorite vegan dish. Falafel is a deep-fried ball or patty made from ground chickpeas, onions, garlic and spices. It’s very tasty and nourishing and, if you taste falafel for the first time, you won’t be able to say that there’s no meat :). I actually find these vegan chickpeas patties more satisfying than meat patties. Falafel is a traditional Middle Eastern food but today it is famous all over the world as street food. It’s very easy to prepare falafel but you need a food processor and dried…
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Olive soft pretzels
Pretzels. Pretzels again :). A different recipe, packed with Mediterranean flavors, with olive oil and olives. After the first bite I realized that I should have sprinkled the pretzels with some dried oregano because it goes excellent with olives. No problem, I’ll keep that in mind for the next time. To prepare these delicious olive soft pretzels I used black olives but you can also use green olives. I actually prefer green olives. You should use stoned olives, rings or diced. As regarding the dough, it’s a regular dough, very easy to prepare. I use the same recipe to prepare pizza dough, focaccia or dinner rolls. It’s a multipurpose dough…
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Green bean salad with mayonnaise
Absolutely delicious, quick and easy to make, this green bean salad with mayonnaise is a great appetizer. It’s very tasty and flavorful and you can prepare a large amount in less than half an hour. To prepare this delicious salad you can use green or yellow beans, fresh or frozen. I prefer to use frozen beans because is already chopped :). Frozen beans has also the advantage that I can find it in the supermarket all year long. As regarding the mayo, you all know that homemade mayo is the best, right? But the store-bought mayo goes well also especially when you’re in a hurry. If you’re on diet, you…
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Ham and cheese muffins recipe
Loaded with melted cheese and ham, these delicious muffins make the perfect breakfast. These savory muffins are also a good choice for an after school snack, for brunch and even for parties, as an appetizer. You can add your favorite ingredients and the good part is that you can also recycle leftovers. I always have in the fridge a piece of cheese or a piece of ham which nobody wants to eat. So, if you decide to prepare savory muffins, check your fridge first. I’m sure you’ll find interesting things there :). Anyway, cheese is very important, is the key ingredient for these muffins. You can use your favorite cheese,…
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Beef empanadas recipe
Empanadas are stuffed pastries, baked or fried, very popular in Spain and in the Americas. Empanadas are made by folding the dough over the stuffing, which may be sweet or salty. Stuffing may consist in meat, cheese, fish, vegetables or other delicious ingredients. I choose to prepare beef empanadas especially for my husband who loves meat stuffed pastries. The dough is made from flour, butter, egg, salt and a few tablespoons of very cold water. It is actually a shortcrust pastry, very easy to prepare. In this case you should to prepare a dough a little bit softer than a regular shortcrust pastry to be easier to roll out. It’s…
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Sunflower seed soft pretzels
Soft, fluffy and loaded with sunflower seeds, these pretzels make the perfect snack. Traditional German pretzels require a baking soda bath which ensure that special texture: chewy and a little bit crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I wanted fluffy pretzels with soft crust, so I skipped the baking soda bath. Instead, I brushed my pretzels with egg wash. You may serve these delicious sunflower seed pretzels warm or cold, as a snack. They go well with Greek yogurt. You should also try raisin pretzels and cheesy soft pretzels. Ingredients for sunflower seed soft pretzels: – 450 gr (2 and 2/3 cups) flour – 250 ml (1…
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Deviled egg chicks
Very pretty and fun, these deviled egg chicks are a great alternative to the traditional dressed eggs. Dressed eggs are a very popular appetizer in Romania and I was very happy to find this recipe. I’ve made these deviled egg chicks for Easter and my kids were very exited. They make the perfect appetizer not only for Easter but for any other holiday and for parties. Deviled egg chicks are also easy to make with a handful of ingredients. First you have to cook the eggs for about 7-8 minutes because you need hard boiled eggs. Then peel the eggs and slice them into 3 pieces: cut a thin slice…
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Cheesy cauliflower fritters
I have a special relationship with cauliflower: it’s not my favorite veggie but there are a few cauliflower recipes which I really love. These cheesy cauliflower fritters are a good example of how we can prepare a delicious meal using an ingredient which isn’t our favorite :). They are juicy, flavorful and cheesy and quite easy to prepare. To prepare these delicious cauliflower fritters you should start by cooking the cauliflower florets for about 3 minutes. Then you have to combine finely chopped cauliflower with the rest of the ingredients. You’ll get a quite wet mixture which you have to shape into fritters, coat with breadcrumbs and bake. I prefer…
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Baked cauliflower fritters (vegan)
Flavorful, juicy and very nourishing, these baked cauliflower fritters make the perfect choice for a healthy snack or for a vegan meal. These cauliflower fritters are very easy to make but not so quick because you have to cook the potatoes and the cauliflower. When you cook the potatoes you should leave the skins on, otherwise they will absorb too much water. To prepare the cauliflower fritters you have to mash the potatoes (like for mashed potatoes). Then add finely chopped cauliflower, finely chopped onion, crushed garlic and chopped dill. Combine all the ingredients and add breadcrumbs to thicken the mixture. You should obtain a quite hard mixture. Then roll…
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Cheesy potato bites
Very tasty and easy to make, these cheesy potato bites are perfect for parties. They are made from mashed potatoes mixed with cheese, coated with breadcrumbs and deep fried. Mashed potatoes must be from the day before. If you don’t have leftovers, you can boil a few potatoes, unpeeled. Unpeeled potatoes absorb less water. You can serve these cheesy potato bites as an appetizer or as a snack. Ingredients for cheesy potato bites Note: metric and USA measurements 350 gr (12.34 oz) mashed potatoes 1 egg 150 gr (5.29) grated cheese 50 gr (5 tablespoons) flour salt and pepper to taste breadcrumbs for coating vegetable oil for frying How to…
