Tag Archive for: brunch

Easy Mongolian Beef with Broccoli

This 15-minute Mongolian beef recipe is all about flavor! It’s a definite winner since it’s really quick and so so easy to make.

This 15-minute Mongolian beef recipe is all about flavor! It's a definite winner since it's really quick and so so easy to make.

I’ve got a thing for Asian foods lately. Honestly, I’ve had it for years. But lately, I’m making Asian food way more often than before. I just ordered a bunch of Asian spices, some of which I’ve never tried cooking with. I’m so excited to try them 🙂

What’s your favorite Asian dish? Tell me in the comments!

Traditional Mongolian beef is made with spring onions and you’re free to add them to the recipe as well. However, I added broccoli to this Mongolian beef recipe, since I’m a huuuuuge fan of the beef and broccoli combo! I find it so delicious and also, some green veggies never hurt anyone, right?

Even though the weather’s been messing with us lately and it’s not even close to as cold as it usually is this time of the year I’m wanting comfort food anyway. It’s been raining a lot these days and all I wanna do is eat foods that feel cozy but also not making it unhealthy. And that’s why I love this recipe. It’s basically a mixture of both! YAY!

This 15-minute Mongolian beef recipe is all about flavor! It's a definite winner since it's really quick and so so easy to make.
This 15-minute Mongolian beef recipe is all about flavor! It's a definite winner since it's really quick and so so easy to make.
This 15-minute Mongolian beef recipe is all about flavor! It's a definite winner since it's really quick and so so easy to make.

You can actually do this Mongolian beef in two ways!

One is the 30-minute recipe while the other requires marinating meat overnight. It takes the same amount of time to cook, you’ll just have to wait overnight for the meat to be ready. Trust me it’s worth it 🙂

Most of the Mongolian beef recipes don’t require marinating since the meat is cooked really quickly and it’s gonna be soft anyway. However, I love how much flavor is added to the meat that way. Both are amazing, but if I’ve got time, I marinate!

This 15-minute Mongolian beef recipe is all about flavor! It's a definite winner since it's really quick and so so easy to make.
This 15-minute Mongolian beef recipe is all about flavor! It's a definite winner since it's really quick and so so easy to make.
This 15-minute Mongolian beef recipe is all about flavor! It's a definite winner since it's really quick and so so easy to make.

Tag #useyournoodles so I can see your beautiful UYN creations. Also, stay in touch on Facebook and Instagram or subscribe to get the recipes directly to your mailbox ♥

This 15-minute Mongolian beef recipe is all about flavor! It's a definite winner since it's really quick and so so easy to make.
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Mongolian Beef with Broccoli

Course Main Course
Cuisine Mongolian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 2 people

Ingredients

  • 250 g tenderloin, sirloin or flank steak (8 ounces)
  • 1/2 small broccoli cut into florets and steamed
  • 1 onion thinly sliced

Meat Coating

  • 1 1/2 TBSP corn starch
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • pinch of pepper

Gravy

  • 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 1 thumb-size ginger peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 TBSP oyster sauce
  • 4 TBSP low sodium soy sauce
  • 1/2 TBSP rice vinegar
  • 2 TBSP brown sugar
  • 1 TBSP corn starch
  • 2 TBSP extra water

Instructions

Preparing the meat

  1. Cut meat into 1/2 cm (1/4 inch) slices against the grain. Proceed to prep the meat with either version 1 (short) or version 2 (overnight)

Coating the meat (Version 1 – short)

  1. Add salt, pepper, sesame oil, and corn starch to a zip-lock bag. Add sliced beef, close and move the meat around so it gets evenly coated.

Marinating the meat (Version 2 – overnight)

  1. Add salt, pepper and sesame oil to a zip-lock bag. Add sliced beef and sliced onions, close and move the meat around so it gets evenly coated. Leave int he fridge overnight to marinate.

Cooking the meat

  1. After the meat is coated or marinated it's ready to cook. If you've used the marinating method, remove onions from the meat before cooking the meat, set onions aside, and cover the meat with corn starch.

  2. Heat just enough oil to cover the bottom of a wok or a pan over high heat just until it starts smoking. Add meat to the pan evenly, but don't overcrowd. If necessary fry in batches. Fry for a minute on one side, then turn around and fry for another 30 seconds. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Making the gravy

  1. In a bowl mix together 1 cup water, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and rice vinegar.

  2. Add garlic and ginger and fry for a minute or until golden.

  3. Add sliced onions. If you've used the marinating version, you can use the onions that you've used to marinate the meat or fresh onion. Fry just until golden.

  4. Add the soy sauce mixture and brown sugar and stir well.

  5. In a separate bowl mix together 2 TBSP water and 1 TBSP corn starch. Add to the sauce and stir frequently for about a minute or two. This will thicken the sauce.

  6. Add meat and broccoli and stir well.

  7. Serve with steamed rice.

This 30-minute Mongolian beef recipe is all about flavor! It's a definite winner since it's really quick and so so easy to makThis 15-minute Mongolian beef recipe is all about flavor! It's a definite winner since it's really quick and so so easy to make.e.

Goat Cheese & Pear Chutney Burgers

The recipe for these goat cheese and pear chutney burgers are the true fall delights that are going to make every fall grill party a success!

The recipe for these goat cheese and pear chutney burgers are the true fall delights that are going to make every fall grill party a success!

I’m so happy to post this recipe. We’ve been making a ton of burgers this summer. We bought a badass extra mini grill that we can use on our tiny balcony and it doesn’t smoke. So we do lotsa grilling these days 🙂

I’m slowly accepting that the fall is actually here and it’s not going anywhere for a while. Hello, sweater weather! So with that in mind, our burgers have gone from summery fresh to delicious mouthwatering warming delights. Too poetic? Sorry ’bout that. I just love these so much!

One more thing! I’ve created this recipe in collaboration with Trauth Design Gastrowear. They provided me with the most beautiful apron, that you can see in the photos. I just love the sense of detail that they put into their aprons.

The recipe for these goat cheese and pear chutney burgers are the true fall delights that are going to make every fall grill party a success!
The recipe for these goat cheese and pear chutney burgers are the true fall delights that are going to make every fall grill party a success!
The recipe for these goat cheese and pear chutney burgers are the true fall delights that are going to make every fall grill party a success!
The recipe for these goat cheese and pear chutney burgers are the true fall delights that are going to make every fall grill party a success!
The recipe for these goat cheese and pear chutney burgers are the true fall delights that are going to make every fall grill party a success!
The recipe for these goat cheese and pear chutney burgers are the true fall delights that are going to make every fall grill party a success!

Anyhoo, wanna know what these burgers are all about?

If there are burgers that screams fall they’re these pear chutney burgers, for sure!

I mean homemade pear chutney and goat cheese? Paired with super simple avocado cream, pancetta, and arugula? Is there anything better?

And the good thing is that it’s a mixture of indulgence and healthy stuff. I don’t like burgers that are too heavy and overly greasy and just plain too much everything. So I’d like to think it’s well balanced and still super delicious. You should have seen our little guy nibbling on one of them 🙂

Do I need to make my own pear chutney?

Of course not! If you can get one somewhere, go for it. Nothing like that here, so I have to make my own. The recipe makes more than you need for four burgers, but you can easily store it for a week in a refrigerator or freeze it for later.

I won’t keep you away from the recipe for much longer. Let’s start cooking!

The recipe for these goat cheese and pear chutney burgers are the true fall delights that are going to make every fall grill party a success!
The recipe for these goat cheese and pear chutney burgers are the true fall delights that are going to make every fall grill party a success!
The recipe for these goat cheese and pear chutney burgers are the true fall delights that are going to make every fall grill party a success!
The recipe for these goat cheese and pear chutney burgers are the true fall delights that are going to make every fall grill party a success!
The recipe for these goat cheese and pear chutney burgers are the true fall delights that are going to make every fall grill party a success!
The recipe for these goat cheese and pear chutney burgers are the true fall delights that are going to make every fall grill party a success!

Tag #useyournoodles so I can see your beautiful UYN creations. Also, stay in touch on Facebook and Instagram or subscribe to get the recipes directly to your mailbox ♥

The recipe for these goat cheese and pear chutney burgers are the true fall delights that are going to make every fall grill party a success!
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Burger

Course Main Course
Keyword beef burger, burger, pear chutney
Servings 4 burgers
Author Anja Burgar

Ingredients

Brugers

  • 4 burger buns
  • 4 beef burger patties
  • 1/2 cup goat cheese
  • 4 pancetta slices
  • a handful arugula

Pear Chutney (makes more than needed for 4 burgers)

  • 3 cups finely chopped pears (400g)
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar (80g)
  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar (200ml)
  • 2 small onions finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 tsp crushed chipotle
  • 1 tsp salt

Avocado Cream

  • 2 avocados
  • 3 TBSP lime juice
  • 1-2 TBSP water
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Pear Chutney

  1. Place all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 40-50 minutes stirring every now and then.

  2. Let the chutney cool for a few hours before use.

Avocado Cream

  1. Make avocado cream right before cooking the patties.

  2. Place all ingredients in a food processor and mix until smooth and creamy.

Burgers

  1. Cut buns in half and place them in a grill pan and cook until char marks appear.

  2. Place the bacon slices into the same grill pan and cook on medium heat for a few minutes, until they get golden. Turn around halfway through.

  3. Use the same pan to cook burgers. Increase the heat and cook the burgers to your desired doneness. Cooking them 3-4 minutes a side will give medium-rare burgers.

  4. Cover the bottom halves of the buns with avocado cream. Add some arugula. Place the burger patty on and top with crumbled goat cheese, pear chutney, pancetta, and some more arugula. Cover the top halves of the buns with avocado cream and place on top of the burgers. Serve immediately.

The recipe for these goat cheese and pear chutney burgers are the true fall delights that are going to make every fall grill party a success!

Creamy Chard And Fennel Soup

Super easy and quick recipe for delicious healthy chard and fennel soup. Creamy and sweet!

Super easy and quick recipe for delicious healthy chard and fennel soup. Creamy and sweet!

I hope you’re all feeling great and excited about slightly (but really just slightly) cooler late Summer days! These are my favorite. The weather is great and the produce this time of year is just perfect. We’ve been eating a lot of corn lately (mostly cooked, but I have plans of grilling it one of these days) and whenever we can, we make the cream cheese tart with tomatoes and other veggies that I posted last week.

Tomorrow I’m meeting my dear friends from Story On A Plate blog and we’ll prepare something sweet with plums. I love Kristina and Mateja, the girls behind the blog. Both so creative and the nicest people. But I’ll let you know more about what we’ll be making next week. Make sure you subscribe, so you don’t miss this!

Super easy and quick recipe for delicious healthy chard and fennel soup. Creamy and sweet!
Super easy and quick recipe for delicious healthy chard and fennel soup. Creamy and sweet!

Let’s focus on this beautiful soup…

We’re growing fennel for the first time this year and honestly, I can’t believe we haven’t tried it before. They are so easy to grow and do I need to mention how pretty they look in the garden?

I’m not a huge fan of raw fennel, but I love it when it’s either cooked or roasted. It loses its strong anise-like taste and becomes very sweet, perfect for a late Sumer soup.

We also grow lots of green leafy veggies including chard. I love how these match the sweet fennel with their earthy flavors. If you don’t have chard on hand, you can replace it with spinach or arugula.

Super easy and quick recipe for delicious healthy chard and fennel soup. Creamy and sweet!
Super easy and quick recipe for delicious healthy chard and fennel soup. Creamy and sweet!
Super easy and quick recipe for delicious healthy chard and fennel soup. Creamy and sweet!

A quick story…

After I made this soup, I gave it to my two-year-old son to try for dinner. He ate the whole bowl. I cooked fish and some potatoes to eat after the soup (which he absolutely loves). Instead of eating potatoes and fish, he asked me to pour him more soup. He ate three full bowls of this soup!

It’s either the soup or I’m lucky to have a kid who loves veggies. I’d like to think it’s both 🙂

Super easy and quick recipe for delicious healthy chard and fennel soup. Creamy and sweet!
Super easy and quick recipe for delicious healthy chard and fennel soup. Creamy and sweet!
Super easy and quick recipe for delicious healthy chard and fennel soup. Creamy and sweet!
Super easy and quick recipe for delicious healthy chard and fennel soup. Creamy and sweet!

Have a great Wednesday everyone!

Tag #useyournoodles so I can see your beautiful UYN creations. Also, stay in touch on Facebook and Instagram or subscribe to get the recipes directly to your mailbox ♥

Super easy and quick recipe for delicious healthy chard and fennel soup. Creamy and sweet!
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Creamy Chard And Fennel Soup

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Soup
Keyword chard soup, fennel soup, soup
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Author Anja Burgar

Ingredients

  • 1 medium-size fennel bulb
  • 1 small onion
  • 200 g chard (about 5 cups whole leaves)
  • 1 medium-size potato
  • 2 cups boiling water
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • seeds for garnish (pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds…)
  • olive oil for cooking and garnish

Instructions

  1. Clean the fennel bulb to remove dirt and cut in quarters lengthwise. Thinly slice each quarter.

  2. Peel and cut the onion in half and slice thinly.

  3. Peel and wash the potatoes. Cut into 1 cm (1/2 inch) cubes and leave to rest in cold water.

  4. Wash the chard. If there are any bigger leaves, cut away the stems. You'll be cooking those separately.

  5. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a hot pan and add sliced onions and fennel. Sauté for 10 minutes or until they turn golden. Make sure to stir now and then to prevent burning.

  6. Drain the potatoes and add them to the fennel and onions. Add the separate stalks from the chard at his point too. Add boiling water and cover the pan. Reduce the heat to low and let cook for 10 minutes or until the potato is fork-tender.

  7. Add the rest of the chard, cover and cook for two to three minutes. Remove from the heat and pour everything in a blender. Add heavy cream, salt, and pepper and blend until the soup is smooth and silky. Add more boiling water if necessary.

  8. Garnish with some olive oil, heavy cream, and seeds. Serve warm.

Creamy Chard And Fennel Soup
Super easy and quick recipe for delicious healthy chard and fennel soup. Creamy and sweet!

Summer Harvest Cream Cheese Tart

Celebrate the late Summer produce with this delicious summer harvest cream cheese tart.

Celebrate the late Summer produce with this delicious summer harvest cream cheese tart.

Can you believe it that it’s almost the end of August? Before the Summer begins I always have lots of plans and prep for all the activities like it’s going to last for a year. And then it goes by so so quickly. I don’t usually mind because I love Autumn, but this year the Summer was super short here. I would love for it to last for at least a couple more months.

Anyway, tomatoes are here. And peppers! I found these perfect colorful tomatoes at a local farm before we had our own. Well, we had a few and I mixed those in. Aren’t they pretty? I mean the color is amazing but they taste even better.

They are getting more abundant now so I’m planning on making this summer harvest cream cheese tart again sometime soon along with the roasted tomato galette that I’ve been making for years.

Celebrate the late Summer produce with this delicious summer harvest cream cheese tart.
Celebrate the late Summer produce with this delicious summer harvest cream cheese tart.
Celebrate the late Summer produce with this delicious summer harvest cream cheese tart.

After finding these beautiful tomatoes and peppers I really felt like making something similar to pizza but with less work. I love how easy it is to make it. A puff pastry crust, a garlicky cream cheese spread and fresh summer harvest veggies like tomatoes, peppers, and onions. It’s a perfect late Summer dish! You can add other veggies that you find in the garden right now.

Celebrate the late Summer produce with this delicious summer harvest cream cheese tart.
Celebrate the late Summer produce with this delicious summer harvest cream cheese tart.
Celebrate the late Summer produce with this delicious summer harvest cream cheese tart.

How to make a perfect puff pastry crust?

This crust doesn’t need any pre-baking, but I do have a few tips that make this crust beautiful and delicious.

  1. Score a cm (1/2 inch) edge around the crust. This is going to separate the edge from the middle where the filling will be.
  2. Make some holes with a fork in the center part of the crust where the filling will go. This will prevent the crust from puffing up and give a nice crunchy crust.
Celebrate the late Summer produce with this delicious summer harvest cream cheese tart.
Celebrate the late Summer produce with this delicious summer harvest cream cheese tart.
Celebrate the late Summer produce with this delicious summer harvest cream cheese tart.
Celebrate the late Summer produce with this delicious summer harvest cream cheese tart.
Celebrate the late Summer produce with this delicious summer harvest cream cheese tart.

Tag #useyournoodles so I can see your beautiful UYN creations. Also, stay in touch on Facebook and Instagram or subscribe to get the recipes directly to your mailbox ♥

Celebrate the late Summer produce with this delicious summer harvest cream cheese tart.
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Sumer Harvest Cream Cheese Tart

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine Mediterranean
Keyword puff pastry tart, summer tart, tomato tart
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4 people
Author Anja Burgar

Ingredients

  • 1 sheet of puff pastry
  • 4-5 big tomatoes
  • 1 bell pepper or any other pepper

Cream cheese Spread

  • 1/2 cup cream cheese (100g)
  • 1 TBSP honey
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 garlic clove
  • a few basil leaves

Garnish

  • basil
  • pine nuts
  • sesame seeds
  • 1 egg for egg wash

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/390°F.

Cream cheese spread

  1. Finely chop basil and garlic.

  2. Add garlic, basil, salt, and honey to cream cheese and mix with a spoon to get a silky consistency.

Tart

  1. Place the puff pastry onto a sheet pan lined with baking paper. You can make a rectangular tart or make them any other shape.

  2. Score a 1cm (1/2 inch) edge around the puff pastry like shown in the images above.

  3. Using a fork make holes in the center part of the pastry.

  4. Spread the cream cheese filling onto the center of the tart.

  5. Cut onions, tomatoes, and peppers into thin slices and place them on top of the tart.

  6. Using a fork, whisk one egg and spread a thin layer over the edge of the tart. Sprinkle with some sesame seeds.

  7. Bake in a preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden and crunchy.

  8. Serve warm or cold. Garnish with fresh basil and pine nuts.

Celebrate the late Summer produce with this delicious summer harvest cream cheese tart.

Mediterranean Garlic Ricotta Shrimp Pasta

This quick and rich garlic ricotta shrimp pasta is incredibly creamy and luxurious and has a lovely sour and salty flavor from lemon and glasswort (sea asparagus).

This quick and rich garlic ricotta shrimp pasta is incredibly creamy and luxurious and has a lovely sour and salty flavor from lemon and glasswort (sea asparagus).

Even on the busiest and most stressful days, I want to eat a real meal. Something delicious and creamy with a character. It’s pasta I usually crave on these days. What do you crave in the busiest of days? Let me know in the comments below. Sometimes I make pasta salad and nibble on it during the day. Pssst… don’t tell anyone!

But for reals, the amount of pasta we eat. And it’s not only because we’re busy. It’s mostly because we love pasta. If you’re a pasta lover like me, then this is the recipe for you.

The flavors here are mild but so indulging and balanced. The lemony ricotta sauce with peas and shrimp is to die for on its own, but then you add some garlic and glasswort and you’ve got a treat that you can make in seconds.

This quick and rich garlic ricotta shrimp pasta is incredibly creamy and luxurious and has a lovely sour and salty flavor from lemon and glasswort (sea asparagus).
This quick and rich garlic ricotta shrimp pasta is incredibly creamy and luxurious and has a lovely sour and salty flavor from lemon and glasswort (sea asparagus).
This quick and rich garlic ricotta shrimp pasta is incredibly creamy and luxurious and has a lovely sour and salty flavor from lemon and glasswort (sea asparagus).

Have you ever tried glasswort?

It is apparently also called sea asparagus and grows in salt marshes. It is edible both raw and cooked and delicious either way!

I tried it for the first time last weekend when I randomly saw it in the store and I just had to try it.

What does it taste like? It’s like eating the sea and I mean that in a good way. It is very salty so you should be careful with how much you put in a dish. I especially love the crunch. It kinda reminds me of the exploding candy that I ate as a child. Remember, the ones that feel like there are bubbles popping in your mouth.

Not to worry. If you can’t get your hands on sea asparagus, you can still make a super delicious garlic ricotta shrimp pasta. You can add some pickled capers for the salty Mediterranean flavor. Works just as nicely.

This quick and rich garlic ricotta shrimp pasta is incredibly creamy and luxurious and has a lovely sour and salty flavor from lemon and glasswort (sea asparagus).
This quick and rich garlic ricotta shrimp pasta is incredibly creamy and luxurious and has a lovely sour and salty flavor from lemon and glasswort (sea asparagus).
This quick and rich garlic ricotta shrimp pasta is incredibly creamy and luxurious and has a lovely sour and salty flavor from lemon and glasswort (sea asparagus).
This quick and rich garlic ricotta shrimp pasta is incredibly creamy and luxurious and has a lovely sour and salty flavor from lemon and glasswort (sea asparagus).

Tag #useyournoodles so I can see your beautiful UYN creations. Also, stay in touch on Facebook and Instagram or subscribe to get the recipes directly to your mailbox ♥

This quick and rich garlic ricotta shrimp pasta is incredibly creamy and luxurious and has a lovely sour and salty flavor from lemon and glasswort (sea asparagus).
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Mediteranean Garlic Ricotta Shrimp Pasta

Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Keyword shrimp pasta
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 4 people
Author Anja Burgar

Ingredients

  • 250 g dried pasta
  • 1/2 cup ricotta (100g)
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen peas (100g)
  • 300 g shrimps peeled and deveined
  • 15 g glasswort (sea asparagus) or alternatively, 2 TBSP pickled salted capers
  • 2 TBSP butter
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • a few springs of thyme
  • zest of 1 small organic lemon
  • juice of 1 small lemon
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • grated parmesan cheese for topping

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta as long as stated on the packaging stirring every two minutes. Once cooked, drain the pasta, but leave some pasta water to use for the sauce.

  2. While your pasta is cooking prepare the sauce. Place a large skillet on medium heat. Add butter and garlic and fry for a few minutes stirring occasionally. When the garlic turns lightly golden, add the shrimps, peas, glasswort, and thyme. If you are using capers instead of glasswort add them midway through cooking (when you turn the shrimps). Season with salt and black pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes and turn the shrimps midway through. Shrimps are done when they turn pink. Remove the shrimp, peas, and glasswort (or capers) from the skillet.

  3. Add ricotta, lemon juice, lemon zest and a little pasta water to the skillet and whisk to make it creamy. Add just enough pasta water for the sauce to be creamy but not runny. Remove from the stove. Season with salt and black pepper.

  4. Save a few shrimp, peas and glasswort (or capers) for decoration. Return the rest of the to the skillet and mix.

  5. Add the cooked and drained pasta to the sauce and mix to coat the pasta with the sauce.

  6. Serve warm and top with the remaining shrimp, peas and glasswort and some grated parmesan cheese.

This quick and rich garlic ricotta shrimp pasta is incredibly creamy and luxurious and has a lovely sour and salty flavor from lemon and glasswort (sea asparagus).
This quick and rich garlic ricotta shrimp pasta is incredibly creamy and luxurious and has a lovely sour and salty flavor from lemon and glasswort (sea asparagus).

Vegan Pea And Asparagus Quiche

This simple vegan pea and asparagus quiche recipe is so easy to make and a great way to treat your guests! 

This simple vegan pea and asparagus quiche recipe is so easy to make and a great way to treat your guests!

I can’t believe it’s already the middle of the year! I feel like the Winter has been way too long this year (although, I love it so much). Not even a month ago I was still wearing a winter coat and this past weekend I’ve been swimming in the sea. Crazy!

I’m so glad it’s summer already. Okay, late Spring, but it feels like Summer 🙂

If there’s one ingredient I love about this time of year it’s asparagus. I love it raw because it tastes kinda like peas and I love eating peas raw just as well. But both of those are also incredibly delicious cooked. So, today I’m sharing a recipe for a vegan pea and asparagus quiche that I created together with the lovely Tereza Poljanič from Teresamisu.

We were secretly admiring each other’s work for a long time, so we met a while ago and came up with the idea of creating a couple of recipes together. If you don’t know her yet, go check her out! Tereza is a multi-talented lady. She runs her blog, a TV cooking show, writes cookbooks and so much more. Such an inspiring lady!

This simple vegan pea and asparagus quiche recipe is so easy to make and a great way to treat your guests!
This simple vegan pea and asparagus quiche recipe is so easy to make and a great way to treat your guests!
This simple vegan pea and asparagus quiche recipe is so easy to make and a great way to treat your guests!
This simple vegan pea and asparagus quiche recipe is so easy to make and a great way to treat your guests!

Back to the recipe!

This was my first time trying out tofu filling. I don’t cook with tofu very often so I was pleasantly surprised by how flavorful the filling came out. It’s a very simple filling. All you need is some onions, garlic and some herbs like basil and mint. We used pumpkin seed tofu, but you can use any firm tofu. The almond milk makes it all very creamy and ties everything together.

Place some fresh asparagus and peas on top, bake and that’s it.

This simple vegan pea and asparagus quiche recipe is so easy to make and a great way to treat your guests!
This simple vegan pea and asparagus quiche recipe is so easy to make and a great way to treat your guests!

Oh yeah, and we included a delicious crust recipe. Here are some tips on how to make the crust flaky and how to prevent it from shrinking during baking.

How to make a flaky pie crust:

  • Use cold ingredients and use your hands as little as possible so you’re not warming up that dough.
  • Little chunks of butter (or coconut butter) should still be visible in the dough. The size of the chunks shouldn’t be larger than a pea.

How to prevent pie crust from shrinking?

  • Resting the pie crust is crucial. It should rest after making the dough and after you’ve rolled out the dough and placed it in the pie tin
  • Don’t overwork the dough. This way it gets too firm and shrinks.
  • Don’t stretch the dough when placing it in the tin.
  • Poke holes in the bottom.
  • Use pie weights or dry beans to weight down the crust while pre-baking.
This simple vegan pea and asparagus quiche recipe is so easy to make and a great way to treat your guests!
This simple vegan pea and asparagus quiche recipe is so easy to make and a great way to treat your guests!
This simple vegan pea and asparagus quiche recipe is so easy to make and a great way to treat your guests!
This simple vegan pea and asparagus quiche recipe is so easy to make and a great way to treat your guests!

Tag #useyournoodles so I can see your beautiful UYN creations. Also, stay in touch on Facebook and Instagram or subscribe to get the recipes directly to your mailbox ♥

This simple vegan pea and asparagus quiche recipe is so easy to make and a great way to treat your guests!
5 from 1 vote
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Vegan Pea And Asparagus Quiche

Course Main Course, Side Dish
Keyword vegan quiche
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Resting Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes
Author Anja Burgar & Tereza Poljanič

Ingredients

Dough

  • 280 g all-purpose flour (1 1/3 cup)
  • 140 g coconut butter (or regular butter for a non-vegan quiche) chilled and cubed, (1 1/4 stick)
  • 4-5 TBSP ice cold water
  • 2 tsp salt

Filling

  • 400 g Tereza’s Choice pumpkin tofu or any other firm tofu
  • 100 ml almond milk (1/3 cup + 1 TBSP)
  • 1 onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • bunch of basil and mint chopped
  • handful of peas
  • handful asparagus

Instructions

Dough

  1. Combine flour and salt, in a food processor. Pulse to mix. Add the butter and pulse a few times. You should still be able to see some small chunks of butter no bigger than peas.

  2. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of ice water over flour mixture at a time. Pulse a couple of times. If you pinch some of the crumbly dough and it holds together, it's ready. If not, keep adding water one
    tablespoon at a time.

  3. After the dough has chilled in the refrigerator for an hour, you can roll it out. If it is too stiff, let it sit for 5-10 minutes at room temperature before rolling.

  4. Sprinkle a little flour on a flat, clean work surface and on top of the dough. 

  5. Using a rolling pin, roll it out from the center of the dough. Every once in a while you may need to gently lift under the dough and add a sprinkle of flour.

  6. Using a rolling pin, roll it out from the center of the dough. Every once in a while you may need to gently lift under the dough and add a sprinkle of flour.

  7. When the dough has reached the right size, gently roll it around the rolling pin and place it over the pie tin. Do not stretch the dough.

  8. Use your hands to gently press the dough into the tin.

  9. Use a rolling pin to roll over the edges to trim them.

  10. Place the prepared crust into the refrigerator for another 30 minutes, then take it out and use a fork to create small holes on the bottom. Don't worry, once the dough is baked the wholes will disappear.

  11. Place a piece of aluminum foil onto the crust and add dried beans or pie weights onto the crust and bake it for 15 minutes at 200 °C.

  12. Take the baked pie out of the oven and leave to cool slightly.

Fillling

  1. Meanwhile prepare the tofu filling. Caramelize the onion and add garlic at the end. Then blend the tofu in a food processor with 100 ml of almond milk and the caramelized onion and garlic, blend until smooth consistency. 

Finishing the Quiche

  1. Add the filling on top of the pie crust, lastly add peas and asparagus on top. Brush with a little olive oil and bake another 20-30 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius.

This simple vegan pea and asparagus quiche recipe is so easy to make and a great way to treat your guests!

Wild Garlic Risotto

A beautiful and delicious spring wild garlic risotto recipe that complemented with parmesan cheese and garlic roasted prawns. The best Early Spring feast!

A beautiful and delicious spring wild garlic risotto recipe that complemented with parmesan cheese and garlic roasted prawns. The best Early Spring feast!

One of my favorite things to forage this time of year is definitely wild garlic. I love the green patches of this aromatic herb and I love how delicate it is.

Lately, there’s been a lot talk about picking other poisonous plants instead of wild garlic. The reality is, if you pick carefully and smell and feel every leaf, there’s no reason to worry, as long as you know how it should look and smell. So if it’s your first time picking, I suggest you go with someone that knows wild garlic. I always pick one leaf at a time, so I’m sure I don’t pick anything else.

A beautiful and delicious spring wild garlic risotto recipe that complemented with parmesan cheese and garlic roasted prawns. The best Early Spring feast!
A beautiful and delicious spring wild garlic risotto recipe that complemented with parmesan cheese and garlic roasted prawns. The best Early Spring feast!
A beautiful and delicious spring wild garlic risotto recipe that complemented with parmesan cheese and garlic roasted prawns. The best Early Spring feast!

Did you know the wild garlic blossoms are also edible? And very pretty, too 🙂 You can see some buds in these photos, but they weren’t open yet when I shot this. I haven’t’ been in the forest this past week, but I’m planning on going today and see if I can find some wild garlic blossoms 🙂

If you follow me on social media, you probably know I’ve been featured in Odprta kuhinja magazine two weeks ago. I created this wild garlic risotto recipe for the magazine together with two other delicious recipes, that I’ll also be sharing on the blog sometime soon. You can find Slovenian versions of the wild garlic risotto recipe here. The other two recipes (I’ll be just a little mean and not tell you what they are), also in Slovenian, are here 🙂 and here 🙂

A beautiful and delicious spring wild garlic risotto recipe that complemented with parmesan cheese and garlic roasted prawns. The best Early Spring feast!
A beautiful and delicious spring wild garlic risotto recipe that complemented with parmesan cheese and garlic roasted prawns. The best Early Spring feast!
A beautiful and delicious spring wild garlic risotto recipe that complemented with parmesan cheese and garlic roasted prawns. The best Early Spring feast!

Tag #useyournoodles so I can see your beautiful UYN creations. Also, stay in touch on Facebook and Instagram or subscribe to get the recipes directly to your mailbox ♥

A beautiful and delicious spring wild garlic risotto recipe that complemented with parmesan cheese and garlic roasted prawns. The best Early Spring feast!
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Wild Garlic Risotto

Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Italian
Keyword risotto
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4 people
Author Anja Burgar

Ingredients

  • 350 g short-grain rice
  • 5 cups vegetable stock
  • 2 shallots peeled and finely chopped
  • 3 TBSP butter
  • 60 g Parmesan cheese finely grated
  • 80 g wild garlic finely chopped
  • 200 g cooked prawns
  • 2 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
  • 1 TBSP cooking oil
  • black pepper
  • salt by taste

Instructions

  1. Heat the stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan, then remove from the heat and cover so that the stock stays hot.

  2. In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chopped shallots. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes or until slightly translucent.

  3. Add the rice to the saucepan and stir it with a wooden spoon so that the grains are coated with the oil. Sauté for another minute or so.

  4. Add a ladle of hot vegetable stock to the rice and stir until the liquid is fully absorbed. When the rice absorbs almost all the stock, add another ladle of stock and repeat the process. 

  5. Continue adding the stock, one ladle at a time, for 20 to 30 minutes or until the grains are tender but still firm to the bite.

  6. Stir in finely chopped wild garlic, 2 TBSP butter, and some black pepper. Remove from the stove, cover and leave to rest for a minute.

  7. Meanwhile, heat the oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add crushed garlic and sauté quickly until golden. Add cooked prawns and cook for 30 seconds, stirring occasionally, to cover them with garlic and butter.

  8. After the risotto has rested for a minute, stir in the Parmesan cheese and mix to combine.

  9. Serve immediately with garlic roasted prawns and some extra Parmesan cheese.

Notes

Be careful seasoning the risotto with salt. If your stock is already salty, you probably won’t need to add salt at all. Remember, you are adding Parmesan cheese at the end, so this will also season the risotto!

Wanna try something else with wild garlic? Try these sardine pâté and wild garlic sandwiches.

A beautiful and delicious spring wild garlic risotto recipe that complemented with parmesan cheese and garlic roasted prawns. The best Early Spring feast!

Pan-fried Brussels Sprout & Chicken Gyoza

These delicious Brussels Sprout & Chicken Gyoza with a dipping sauce are so delicious, you won’t be able to stop eating!

Happy Thursday guys! Hope you are all having a great week. It’s been wild here this week. I was a busy week for me. Besides being sick I have a ton of projects and my son is turning 2 tomorrow so I have to think of a delicious egg-free cake and make it tomorrow.

I’ll make just a teeny tiny cake for him and maybe a bigger cake for Sunday when all the family comes 🙂 Or maybe my mother-in-law will make one. She makes great cakes! So plans for the weekend. Birthday party, obviously, and a photoshoot with some amazing burlesque dancers on Saturday. It’s gonna be fun, I’m sure!

No matter how busy, I always like to make some dumplings. I love all kinds… veggie, meat, fish, you name it, I’ll eat it 🙂

So today I’m making a combo thta I love very much – pan-fried Brussels sprout and chicken gyoza dumplings with a yummy dipping sauce.

These delicious Brussels Sprout & Chicken Gyoza with a dipping sauce are so delicious, you won't be able to stop eating!
These delicious Brussels Sprout & Chicken Gyoza with a dipping sauce are so delicious, you won't be able to stop eating!
These delicious Brussels Sprout & Chicken Gyoza with a dipping sauce are so delicious, you won't be able to stop eating!
These delicious Brussels Sprout & Chicken Gyoza with a dipping sauce are so delicious, you won't be able to stop eating!
These delicious Brussels Sprout & Chicken Gyoza with a dipping sauce are so delicious, you won't be able to stop eating!

Okay, I’m always intrigued by the origins of the dish. Since I ate similar dumplings in a Chinese restaurnt before, I was wondering what’s the story behind gyoza. Here it goes…

Gyoza originated in China as dumplings called Jiaozi. Those became very popular in Japan after the WWII when soldiers brought back the story about Jiaozi and wanted to recreate it. Gyoza was born and it can be filled with all kinds of fillings.

In general there are three types of gyoza – pan-fried, cooked and deep-fried. My favorite – pan-fried called yaki-gyōza.

If you are wondering what’s in these wonderful satchets, let me explain. Besides chicken and Brussels sprouts, there’s also spring onion, garlic, ginger, cilantro and soy sauce. The filling is very easy to make and if you have no time you can always go and buy the wrappers.

But trust me when I say, the wrappers are not difficult to make at all. It does take some time, but you can take it as a meditation. For me working with dough is always a great way to relax and be alone with my thoughts.

These delicious Brussels Sprout & Chicken Gyoza with a dipping sauce are so delicious, you won't be able to stop eating!
These delicious Brussels Sprout & Chicken Gyoza with a dipping sauce are so delicious, you won't be able to stop eating!
These delicious Brussels Sprout & Chicken Gyoza with a dipping sauce are so delicious, you won't be able to stop eating!
These delicious Brussels Sprout & Chicken Gyoza with a dipping sauce are so delicious, you won't be able to stop eating!
These delicious Brussels Sprout & Chicken Gyoza with a dipping sauce are so delicious, you won't be able to stop eating!

Did I tell you about the dipping sauce. I love soy sauce based dipping sauces. The first time I ever tried it, was when I made some spring rolls a long time ago and wondered where I should dip them. They needed some sauce. And I love dipping sushi in soy sauce (probably too much) so the idea was born because of that. I added some lemon juice and freshly chopped chives and to this day I love the sauce so much! Of course, later, I found out that soy sauce based dipping sauces are very common. And for a good reason.

I’m pretty sure you’re all waiting to get to the recipe by now. So here it is!

Tag #useyournoodles so I can see your beautiful UYN creations. Also, stay in touch on Facebook and Instagram or subscribe to get the recipes directly to your mailbox ♥

These delicious Brussels Sprout & Chicken Gyoza with a dipping sauce are so delicious, you won't be able to stop eating!
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Pan-fried Brussels Sprout & Chicken Gyoza

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine Japanese
Keyword dumplings, gyoza, potstickers
Author Anja Burgar

Ingredients

Gyoza Wrappers

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tsp salt
  • potato or corn starch to prevent sticking

Gyoza filling

  • 200 g ground chicken
  • 100 g shredded Brussels sprouts
  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 1 spring onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 thumb size ginger peeled and chopped
  • 1 TBSP cilantro chopped
  • 2 TBSP soy sauce
  • 2 TBSP cooking oil

Dipping sauce

  • 2 TBSP soy sauce
  • 1 TBSP lemon juice
  • 1 TBSP sesame oil

Extras for decoration

  • chopped cilantro
  • chopped spring onion greens
  • sesame seeds

Instructions

Gyoza Wrappers

  1. Add salt to the water and mix until it has dissolved.

  2. Sift the flour into a large bowl. 

  3. Add water to the flour and mix with a rubber spatula. If necessary, add a tablespoon of water. 

  4. Transfer the dough to the work surface and knead the dough for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes the dough will be much softer. When it is done, cut it in two.

  5. Shape each half into a long log, about 3 cm in diameter. Wrap each log with plastic wrap. Let it sit for 30 minutes.

  6. After the dough has rested, cut each log into 20 pieces and cover with a damp cloth. Roll out each piece so you can cut out a circle with an 8 cm cookie cutter. If the dough rolls back, wait a few seconds, then cut out the circle. Sprinkle with some starch to prevent the wrappers from sticking. Save the scraps under the damp cloth and use them to make more wrappers.

Gyoza filling

  1. Heat up a skillet and add 1 TBSP cooking oil. Saute the onion until golden, then add garlic, ginger and the white part of the spring onion. Saute for a minute or two. Remove from the pan and let cool for a few minutes.

  2. Add this mixture to ground meat, chopped green parts of the spring onion, cilantro and soy sauce. Mix to combine.

Making Gyoza

  1. Run a wet finger around the edge of the gyoza wrappers. Place a teaspoon of filling in the center and Fold the wrapper in half and seal the edges by pressing with fingers. This will create a simple dumpling. If you want the edges to look more artistic, there are a lot of good youtube videos to show you how to do it.

Cooking Gyoza

  1. Place dumplings in a heated skillet with 1 TBSP cooking oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes or until you get the nice deep brown sear on the bottom. 

  2. Add 1/3 cup water per 6 dumplings and cover. Cook for 7-8 minutes. If the water runs out, you can add more one TBSP at a time.

Dipping Sauce

  1. Combine all ingredients to make the dipping sauce. 

  2. Sprinkle the dumplings with chopped cilantro, spring onion greens, and sesame seeds. Serve with the dipping sauce.

These delicious Brussels Sprout & Chicken Gyoza with a dipping sauce are so delicious, you won't be able to stop eating!

Pull-Apart Chicken Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie)

This chicken spanakopita (Greek spinach pie) is the best comfort food I can imagine for spring. Hearty and rich, flavored with cheeses, leeks and chicken, but also loaded with fresh spinach. And to top it all, it make s a perfect early picnic dish, since it is pull-apart. I don’t think anything could make me more excited right now.

This chicken spanakopita (Greek spinach pie) is the best comfort food I can imagine for spring. Hearty and rich, flavored with cheeses, leeks and chicken, but also loaded with fresh spinach. And to top it all, it make s a perfect early picnic dish, since it is pull-apart. I don't think anything could make me more excited right now.

You all know by now, how excited I get when I see spring starting to blossom. If I’d have to choose I’d say winter is my favorite season, but there’s something magical about early spring. The thing I love the most is to go out in the forest and pick fresh new wild foods. By now I’ve already picked the earlies small fragrant leaves of wild garlic and I’m waiting for more spring goodies to start growing.

I didn’t use wild garlic in the recipe, although it would fit in just perfectly.

Since we’re talking about wild food, I’d love to know your spring wild food favorites? 😀

This chicken spanakopita (Greek spinach pie) is the best comfort food I can imagine for spring. Hearty and rich, flavored with cheeses, leeks and chicken, but also loaded with fresh spinach. And to top it all, it make s a perfect early picnic dish, since it is pull-apart. I don't think anything could make me more excited right now.This chicken spanakopita (Greek spinach pie) is the best comfort food I can imagine for spring. Hearty and rich, flavored with cheeses, leeks and chicken, but also loaded with fresh spinach. And to top it all, it make s a perfect early picnic dish, since it is pull-apart. I don't think anything could make me more excited right now.

Chicken Spanakopita

I love anything wrapped in phyllo dough or even making my own phyllo dough. Okay, I cheated with this one, I bought it 😉 But whenever I have time I make my own. It makes a huge difference. If you have the chance to find freshly made phyllo dough in your local food market, buy it. Your dishes will go from great to awesome.

I mean it!

Spanakopita is originally made without meat and in layers of phyllo dough. I added chicken for some extra flavor and to make my hubby happy 😀 I figured why not make it easier to serve and make it more like individual böreks. Imagine if börek and pie would have a baby, it would look like that! Wrapped in mini rolls and served without cutting.

The ingredients are pretty basic but delicious each on it’s own. For sure, spinach is the hero of the dish. And you can get amazing fresh baby spinach in spring in any food market. I like combining it with leeks, since it makes the food so incredibly sweet and fragrant. The combo with feta, chicken and nutmeg is so good.

This chicken spanakopita (Greek spinach pie) is the best comfort food I can imagine for spring. Hearty and rich, flavored with cheeses, leeks and chicken, but also loaded with fresh spinach. And to top it all, it make s a perfect early picnic dish, since it is pull-apart. I don't think anything could make me more excited right now. This chicken spanakopita (Greek spinach pie) is the best comfort food I can imagine for spring. Hearty and rich, flavored with cheeses, leeks and chicken, but also loaded with fresh spinach. And to top it all, it make s a perfect early picnic dish, since it is pull-apart. I don't think anything could make me more excited right now.This chicken spanakopita (Greek spinach pie) is the best comfort food I can imagine for spring. Hearty and rich, flavored with cheeses, leeks and chicken, but also loaded with fresh spinach. And to top it all, it make s a perfect early picnic dish, since it is pull-apart. I don't think anything could make me more excited right now.

To hold it all together, I made a ricotta, egg and cream mixture and poured it over the rolls. This also makes the pie dense and creamy in the bottom, but the top stays crunchy. So make sure you dont pour the mixture all the way to the top. 

It might no be a traditional spanakopita, but it is just as delicious and the main ingredients remain feta and spinach.

With some extra foodies 😉

This chicken spanakopita (Greek spinach pie) is the best comfort food I can imagine for spring. Hearty and rich, flavored with cheeses, leeks and chicken, but also loaded with fresh spinach. And to top it all, it make s a perfect early picnic dish, since it is pull-apart. I don't think anything could make me more excited right now.This chicken spanakopita (Greek spinach pie) is the best comfort food I can imagine for spring. Hearty and rich, flavored with cheeses, leeks and chicken, but also loaded with fresh spinach. And to top it all, it make s a perfect early picnic dish, since it is pull-apart. I don't think anything could make me more excited right now.

These would be awesome at a picnic party or any party for that matter. They take a little time to assemble, but the cooking process is sooo simple. Since it is quite rich, you can actually feed up to about 8 people with it, if they are not huge hungry men 😉 or me!

This is by far my favorite spring pie and I’d serve it with spring strawberry layer cake in a glass following as dessert.

Picnic menu, done!

A glass of roasted peach and strawberry fizz to go along and you’re good to go 🙂

This chicken spanakopita (Greek spinach pie) is the best comfort food I can imagine for spring. Hearty and rich, flavored with cheeses, leeks and chicken, but also loaded with fresh spinach. And to top it all, it make s a perfect early picnic dish, since it is pull-apart. I don't think anything could make me more excited right now.

Tag #useyournoodles so I can see your beautiful UYN creations. Also, stay in touch on Facebook and Instagram or subscribe to get the recipes directly to your mailbox ♥

This chicken spanakopita (Greek spinach pie) is the best comfort food I can imagine for spring. Hearty and rich, flavored with cheeses, leeks and chicken, but also loaded with fresh spinach. And to top it all, it make s a perfect early picnic dish, since it is pull-apart. I don't think anything could make me more excited right now.
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Pull-Apart Chicken Spanakopita

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings 6 people

Ingredients

Chicken Spanakopita

  • 16 sheets phyllo dough
  • 300 g chicken breast 1cm cubes (or use leftover chicken)
  • 1 small leak cut into quarter lenghtwise and thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 500 g fresh spinach (or frozen and drained of excess water)
  • 200 g feta cheese crumbled
  • 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup olive oil

Egg Mixture

  • 2 eggs
  • 60 g ricotta cheese
  • 60 ml whipping cream
  • a generous pinch of salt

Instructions

Egg mixture

  1. Mix all ingredients for egg mixture together with a fork or a whisk, to get a smooth creamy texture.

Filling

  1. In a preheated skillet roast chicken breast cubes with a tablespoon of olive oil for a minute or two until they get golden.

  2. Add leaks, garlic and spinach and cook uncovered for about a minute or until the spinach cooks down. I you're using baby spinach this will take a minute, older spinach takes two to three minutes. If there is any excess water in the skillet drain it before filling the pie otherwise it will get soggy.

  3. Remove from heat and add feta, nutmeg and black pepper. Mix well and set aside.

Assembly

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

  2. Line a 23 cm (9 inch) cake mold with baking paper.

  3. Lightly coat one pyhloo sheet with olive oil, cover with another phyllo sheet and coat with olive oil again. Over the long edge of the dough spread one eight of the filling about 4 cm wide. Roll the dough to get a long roll. Now roll this into a snail shape and place it in the cake mold. Repeat until you've used all the sheets. I like to start placing the rolls on the sides first and add the last one in the middles, since the last one usually has less or more filling than the others. This makes the pie look more even.

  4. Coat the tops with more olive oil and bake for 20 minutes.

  5. Remove from the oven and pour the egg mixture over the baked rolls.

  6. Return to the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes.

  7. Remove form the oven and wait for 5 minutes before removing the rim. Be careful, it's still hot!

  8. Serve warm or cold.

This chicken spanakopita (Greek spinach pie) is the best comfort food I can imagine for spring. Hearty and rich, flavored with cheeses, leeks and chicken, but also loaded with fresh spinach. And to top it all, it make s a perfect early picnic dish, since it is pull-apart. I don't think anything could make me more excited right now.