Tag Archive for: spring

Cherry Braised Beef Brisket With Creamy Mashed Potatoes

This cherry braised beef brisket is incredibly tender and comforting. When served with some creamy mashed potatoes it makes a perfect dish for the rainy spring days.

This cherry braised beef brisket is incredibly tender and comforting. When served with some creamy mashed potatoes it makes a perfect dish for the rainy spring days.

We are actually having very hot days for days now. It almost feels like summer, so I’m only wishing for rainy days. Don’t get me wrong, I love summer and sunny days, but the heat came way too quickly, I’m not prepared! Well, at least I get to wear some nice summer dresses and I get to diss the socks, which I hate 🙂

Okay, our cherry tree is again full of cherries, we can’t eat them all, they ripe so fast. We’re making juice for the winter and save some in the freezer. Besides we eat tons of them every day and I’m not complainig. Who doesn’t love fresh cherries?

This cherry braised beef brisket is incredibly tender and comforting. When served with some creamy mashed potatoes it makes a perfect dish for the rainy spring days.This cherry braised beef brisket is incredibly tender and comforting. When served with some creamy mashed potatoes it makes a perfect dish for the rainy spring days.

Even though I L.O.V.E. cherries in desserts and drinks, I’m also loving how wonderfully they complement savory dishes. Remember the Cherry, brie and bacon grilled quesadillas? So yummy!!

Me and my husband absolutely love braised beef and when we got hold of a nice piece of brisket with ribs we couldn’t resist but adding some cherries and some lovely herbs from the garden to some classical braising veggies, like carrots, onions and celery. Result… AMAZING!

Seriously. It’s not like you can tell there are cherries in the dish besides the pieces of cherries, obviously. But they add such a nice sweet flavour. I can’t get over it, I’m doing this dish again for the whole family this weekend.

This cherry braised beef brisket is incredibly tender and comforting. When served with some creamy mashed potatoes it makes a perfect dish for the rainy spring days.This cherry braised beef brisket is incredibly tender and comforting. When served with some creamy mashed potatoes it makes a perfect dish for the rainy spring days.This cherry braised beef brisket is incredibly tender and comforting. When served with some creamy mashed potatoes it makes a perfect dish for the rainy spring days.

Since this recipe takes 6 to 7 hours to make, we started cooking at five in the morning. Luckily we wake up at that time anyway to feed the baby 🙂 I’m guessing we’ll be braising more now that we’re waking up at night 😉

This cherry braised beef brisket is incredibly tender and comforting. When served with some creamy mashed potatoes it makes a perfect dish for the rainy spring days.

One more thing that’s completely unrelated. I’ve been on the best treasure hunt since I’ve started shooting food. My friend is cleaning her grandma’s old apartment so she invited me to go and take a look if there’s anything I’d need for my photography. Well, I found a huuuuge bag of goodies 🙂 I’ve even used some of them in this photoshoot. I know I’m bragging, but I can’t help it 😉

Have a great day you guys!

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 ♥

Cherry Braised Beef Brisket With Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 7 hours
Total Time 8 hours
Servings 4 people

Ingredients

Cherry Braised Beef Brisket

  • 1 kg beef brisket
  • 400 g cherries depitted
  • 2 big carrots
  • 2 onions
  • 2 celery sticks
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 3 rosemary springs
  • a handful of basil
  • 5 thyme springs
  • 1 l chicken stock
  • salt
  • black pepper
  • cayenne pepper

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

  • 8 medium sized potatoes
  • 200 g butter room temperature

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 140°C.

Cherry Braised Beef Brisket

  1. Season the brisket generously with salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper.

  2. Sear all sides of the brisket on a hot skillet with a splash of oil for about a minute or two.

  3. Move the brisket to a plate.

  4. Cut carrots, onions and cellery into 1 cm chunks.

  5. In the same skillet sweat the carrots, onions and cellery for about 10 minutes.

  6. Move the brisket and the vegetables to a baking tray and add cherries, garlic, rosemary, basil and thyme and add the stock.

  7. Bake in the preheated oven for 6 to 7 hour or until the meat gets very tender and almost falls apart. when sliced.

  8. Remove from the oven and move the meat to a plate. Cover it with tin foil. Meanwhile use a hand mixer to thicken the liquid. You can mix all of the liquid with vegetables, or you can keep some vegetables to be seen in the sauce.

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

  1. Cook potatoes in salted water until tender. Start with cold water! Cooking time depends on the size of potatoes.

  2. Remove the skins and add butter. Mash with a masher until creamy.

This cherry braised beef brisket is incredibly tender and comforting. When served with some creamy mashed potatoes it makes a perfect dish for the rainy spring days.

Flourless Green Pea Fritters

These soft and fluffy flourless green pea fritters with seasonal herbs make the most delicious healthy breakfast.

These soft and fluffy flourless green pea fritters with seasonal herbs make the most delicious healthy breakfast.

I’m ending this wonderful week with these fluffy green pea fritters. It’s really been a great week. The baby gave us his first real smile. He’s smiled to everyone in the family at one point during the week. I couldn’t imagine how exciting that milestone was before it happened. The most wonderful thing 🙂 Now I’m looking forward for more and more of these cute teethless smiles and the sparks in his eyes.

He’s been letting us sleep during the night enough not to feel tired during the day, although I do take at least one short nap with him during th day. It’s just so cozy lying next to him and feeling him next to me while I’m sleeping 🙂

These soft and fluffy flourless green pea fritters with seasonal herbs make the most delicious healthy breakfast.

Okay, let’s head to the recipe. I’m very excited to share it with you. I’m a huge fan of pancakes, I make them at least once a week for breakfast, but they are usually sweet. I wanted to make a savoury recipe for easy and quick pancakes, that I’ll be able to prepare while taking care of a newborn. And it really is that simple.

The batter is made in a food processor or a blender and the pancakes take only a few minutes to cook. So perfect! There’s a little cottage cheese for extra creamines and flavor and rolled oats to bring it all together. Since so many herbs have started to grow, I’ve also added some from the garden and the forest. I used wild garlic and chives, but you can add whatever you can find in the garden, like mint, basil, thyme, oregano… So many yummy variations 🙂

And I realised that they are also super delicious cold, so they’re perfect for picnics 🙂 Hoping for lots of those these summer. ‘Cuz who doesn’t love picnics, right? We’re going on one today. Yay!!

These soft and fluffy flourless green pea fritters with seasonal herbs make the most delicious healthy breakfast.These soft and fluffy flourless green pea fritters with seasonal herbs make the most delicious healthy breakfast.These soft and fluffy flourless green pea fritters with seasonal herbs make the most delicious healthy breakfast.

I’ve been working on this recipe before the baby, when we’ve had a new roof window installed. I had to test the new light source for photography. I like it so far. A bit different than the straight side light, but just as interesting. What do you think?

These soft and fluffy flourless green pea fritters with seasonal herbs make the most delicious healthy breakfast.These soft and fluffy flourless green pea fritters with seasonal herbs make the most delicious healthy breakfast.

Have a great weekend you guys!

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 soft and fluffy flourless green pea fritters with seasonal herbs make the most delicious healthy breakfast.
5 from 1 vote
Print

Flourless Green Pea Fritters

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 15 fritters

Ingredients

Green Pea Fritters

  • 1 cup peas (if using frozen, thaw and drain before making the fritters)
  • 1/2 cup roled oats
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese grated
  • 1/2 cup cottage cheese
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • a handful seasonal herbs (wild garlic, chives, basil, thyme...), coarsely chopped
  • salt
  • black pepper

Sauce

  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2 TBSP lemon juice
  • zest of 1/2 lemon

Instructions

Green Pea Fritters

  1. Place all ingredients in a food processor or a blender and mix until the batter is uniform.

  2. Fry spoonfulls of the mixture on preheated frying pan with a little oil for 2 minutes on each side or until golden.

Sauce

  1. Place all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk. 

  2. Serve with warm or cold fritters.

These soft and fluffy flourless green pea fritters with seasonal herbs make the most delicious healthy breakfast.

Welcome Baby Chocolate Buckwheat Cookies

The most delicious chocolate buckwheat cookies with wholegrain spelt and buckwheat flour and a tropical twist.

The most delicious chocolate buckwheat cookies with wholegrain spelt and buckwheat flour and a tropical twist.

Hi guys!

I’ve been away for a month occupied by he hardest but the most rewarding job. On April 5th a little baby boy Jernej came to this world and turned our lives upside down. I never knew I could ever love someone as much as I love my baby. Kissing his forehead, massaging his super tiny feet, loving every unconscious smile when he’s sleeping and caressing his soft cheeks…

Although I’m loving every moment spent with him, I never imagined how exhausing and rewarding caring for a newborn is. After a month, I can easily say it was the toughest month of my life, although full of tears of happines and love, it was also filled with frustrations and self-distrust. Total respect to all the moms that have survived this introduction period keeping a clear mind! Saying that, my baby is sleeping well and is not fussy at all, I can’t imagine that being different…

The most delicious chocolate buckwheat cookies with wholegrain spelt and buckwheat flour and a tropical twist.

The most delicious chocolate buckwheat cookies with wholegrain spelt and buckwheat flour and a tropical twist.

When I came home from the hospital I was missing moving and doing whatever around the house. Lying in bed all day is totally not my MO, so I baked some cookies while Jernej was sleeping and took some photos. I named them Welcome baby chocolate buckwheat cookies 🙂 To welcome the cutest baby boy to this world <3

I love having a batch of cookies ready for the sweettooth moments of mine and my husband’s. We LOVE cookies! I’m surprised I don’t have more cookie recipes on the blog. I’ll have to change that, right?

The most delicious chocolate buckwheat cookies with wholegrain spelt and buckwheat flour and a tropical twist. The most delicious chocolate buckwheat cookies with wholegrain spelt and buckwheat flour and a tropical twist.

What I love about butter cookies is, that they are super simple and you can make them in a food processor. They take no time whatsoever, but they taste sooo good! And if you make them with wholegrain flours you add so much nutritional value. In this recipe I used wholegrain spelt and wholegrain buckwheat flour, but you can easily use plain flours.

Lately I became a huge fan of unrefined cane sugar. It’s not a sugar we usually use in baking, so when I first tried it I became obsessed immediately. If you want caramelly taste without making caramel, cane sugar is the solution. I’m telling you, it makes a big difference.

Although plain buckwheat cookies are incredible, they are even tastier with some chocolate and coconut. Plus they look so pretty, don’t they?

I’m out of these cookies and now I’m waiting for elderflowers to bloom to make some Elderflower Cookie Bites with Raspberries.

The most delicious chocolate buckwheat cookies with wholegrain spelt and buckwheat flour and a tropical twist. The most delicious chocolate buckwheat cookies with wholegrain spelt and buckwheat flour and a tropical twist.

Having a lot of work and being exhausted by the continuous feeding and diaper chaninging, I can’t promise I’ll be posting as often as I did before the baby, so bare with me. I’ll get the hang of it and will start posting weekly as soon as I can.

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 ♥

Welcome Baby Chocolate Buckwheat Cookies

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 32 cookies

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup wholegrain spelt flour
  • 2/3 cup wholegrain buckwheat flour
  • 50 g unrefined cane sugar
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla seeds
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 80 g butter
  • 4 TBSP water
  • dark chocolate
  • coconut flakes

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.


  2. Add all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until they form a ball.

  3. Divide the dough in half, half it again and so on, until you get 32 identical pieces. Form bals with your palms.

  4. Place on a baking paper lined baking tray and bake for 15 minutes or until golden. Move them to a wire rack and leave to cool down for at least 10 minutes.

  5. Melt chocolate over a saucepan of simmering water. Dip the bottom half of the cookies in the chocolate and coconut and place on a pre-cooled tray lined with baking paper. Leave in the fridge to set.

The most delicious chocolate buckwheat cookies with wholegrain spelt and buckwheat flour and a tropical twist.

Refreshing Vanilla Strawberry Iced Tea

A refreshing spring vanilla strawberry iced tea – perfect combination of rooiboss tea, vanilla and strawberries. Keeps you cool and hydrated during sunny spring days!

 A refreshing spring vanilla strawberry iced tea - perfect combination of rooiboss tea, vanilla and strawberries. Keeps you cool and hydrated during sunny spring days! 

I’ve made this delicious drink last week while baking the strawberry cake for my birthday. My birthday is on March 22nd and it just happens that that’s also World Water Day. I love that! I love water! Water is also my absolute favorite drink in the entire world, besides tea. I don’t actually know anyone who would drink as much tea as I do.

I’m gonna be honest with you – tea can get boring at times. Adding fruits and some ice will do the trick though. Makes it refreshing and adds a bunch of vitamins to your drink. Since I was already making the strawberry cake last week I figured why not make a strawberry iced tea. I had a ton of strawberries anyway.

Lately, I’ve been obsessing over rooibos tea, which I find so nice and sweet with a slight vanilla flavor. Besides my daily three cups of raspberry leaf tea this is the one tea I drink the most. Since it’s getting quite warm over here, I’m drinking it cold. And GUESS WHAT it’s a perfect match for strawberries. It really is! And since I’m loving the mild vanilla flavor in the rooibos, I added more vanilla, ‘cuz WHY NOT?

Yay, my favorite refreshing iced tea was born 😀

Let me know if you try it and think the same!

A refreshing spring vanilla strawberry iced tea - perfect combination of rooiboss tea, vanilla and strawberries. Keeps you cool and hydrated during sunny spring days!A refreshing spring vanilla strawberry iced tea - perfect combination of rooiboss tea, vanilla and strawberries. Keeps you cool and hydrated during sunny spring days!A refreshing spring vanilla strawberry iced tea - perfect combination of rooiboss tea, vanilla and strawberries. Keeps you cool and hydrated during sunny spring days!

Regarding the prego belly. It’s still here and the baby is still very and I mean VERY lively. Doesn’t seem to want to come out any time soon, but we never know. I’m hoping for April 1st!

Seems like the last month my sweet cravings have gone over the roof. I’m eating more junk than ever and feeling so so regretful about that. I should probably stop feeling like that, because it doesn’t really do much good. I still eat junk if I feel like it. Okay, I’ve kindda managed to keep myself away from nutella. Kindda… I make pancakes for breakfast just to have an excuse to eat Nutella. Otherwise I have like five slices of bread with butter and honey for breakfast. Okay, honey is now bad, but the amount of honey is. Trust me five slices full of dripping honey is too much. But I guess the cravings will go aways eventually 🙂

Did I mention there’s honey in the strawberry iced tea? Of course there is, duh 😛

I’ve also managed to do some gardening. I’ve tranfered my little tomato seedlings to bigger pots, so they’ll have enough room to grow. The truth is, we have to buy tomatoes by the middle of July, sometimes even more. It’s seems so unfair. I’m looking at the growing plants for months before the tomatoes go red. It always seems like the wait is way too long, although totally worth it. Okay, I’m babbling. I’ll stop now.

A refreshing spring vanilla strawberry iced tea - perfect combination of rooiboss tea, vanilla and strawberries. Keeps you cool and hydrated during sunny spring days!A refreshing spring vanilla strawberry iced tea - perfect combination of rooiboss tea, vanilla and strawberries. Keeps you cool and hydrated during sunny spring days!A refreshing spring vanilla strawberry iced tea - perfect combination of rooiboss tea, vanilla and strawberries. Keeps you cool and hydrated during sunny spring days!

That’s all for now! By the time I post another recipe I might be writing with one hand full of baby cuteness. If you don’t hear from me for a while, you know what happened 😉

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 refreshing spring vanilla strawberry iced tea - perfect combination of rooiboss tea, vanilla and strawberries. Keeps you cool and hydrated during sunny spring days!
5 from 1 vote
Print

Refreshing Vanilla Strawberry Iced Tea

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  • 250 g strawberries
  • 600 ml water
  • 4 tsp red rooibos tea
  • 2 TBSP honey
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla seeds (from one vanilla pod)

Instructions

  1. In a big saucepan boil water and add red rooibos tea and steep covered for 10 minutes. After the tea has finnished steeping strain it into a big jug.

  2. Uncover and leave to cool.

  3. Meanwhile, remove strawberry stems and discard. Place the strawberries in a blender and make a smooth purée. If you prefer your purée to be without the tiny pits, strain it through a fine strainer.

  4. When the tea has cooled down to almost room temperature add honey and mix well. Add strawberry purée and vanilla, mix well and pour into glasses filled with ice.

A refreshing spring vanilla strawberry iced tea - perfect combination of rooiboss tea, vanilla and strawberries. Keeps you cool and hydrated during sunny spring days!

Macerated Strawberry Chocolate Cake

This strawberry chocolate cake with honey macerated strawberries and chocolate rhubarb truffles is perfect for any celebration and is super easy to make and so yummy.

This strawberry chocolate cake with honey macerated strawberries and chocolate rhubarb truffles is perfect for any celebration and is super easy to make and so yummy.

So, guys, it’s my birthday!

I only have one more year before I enter a new decade.

My wishes for me:

  • Cook more delicious foods and try lots of new combination.
  • Be the best mum to my precious baby, that’s still hiding in my belly.
  • Love every moment with my husband and our little one.
  • Take time for my friends and also for myself.
  • Continue being happy and positive.

This strawberry chocolate cake with honey macerated strawberries and chocolate rhubarb truffles is perfect for any celebration and is super easy to make and so yummy. This strawberry chocolate cake with honey macerated strawberries and chocolate rhubarb truffles is perfect for any celebration and is super easy to make and so yummy.

Enough about me, let’s talk CAKE!!!

I couldn’t resist but making something chocolaty with strawberries and cream. Anyone else anxiously waiting for fresh straberries from the garden? We have a few strawberry plants and I can’t wait for them to grow fresh little fruits.

I’m not a big fan of heavy cakes, with heavy buttery fillings. That’s why I love using whipping cream in cakes. Remember the chocolate hazelnut pavlova? I think it makes cakes light and fresh, especially if you add some fresh fruits. I used plain whipping cream without sugar or anything, but you can add a little icing sugar or some vanilla.

This sponge is rich and decadent on its own and doesn’t need a heavy filling anyway!

This strawberry chocolate cake with honey macerated strawberries and chocolate rhubarb truffles is perfect for any celebration and is super easy to make and so yummy.

The sponge I used in this strawberry chocolate cake is one of the best if not the best chocolate sponge I’ve ever tried. The amazing recipe is by Add A Pinch. I changed it just a little, so I’m posting my version of her delicious recipe. The recipe contains a little less sugar and the layers are thinner so they can hold the light whipped cream filling. Seriously you need to try either my or her version, both are yummy!!

Now, about strawberries. Have you tried macerated strawberries, yet? They are simply the most delicious thing. Adding a little honey makes them obviously a little sweeter, but brings the juices and creates a lovely sauce. Imagine that over icecream.

Um, de-li-cious!!!

I was feeling a little playful with this cake, so I made some chocolate rhubarb truffles. Super simple, but so good! They are made of sponge and rhubarb jam only 😀 Last year we had loads of rhubarb so I tried making my own rhubarb jam and I’m telling you I’m making it again this year.

This strawberry chocolate cake with honey macerated strawberries and chocolate rhubarb truffles is perfect for any celebration and is super easy to make and so yummy. This strawberry chocolate cake with honey macerated strawberries and chocolate rhubarb truffles is perfect for any celebration and is super easy to make and so yummy.This strawberry chocolate cake with honey macerated strawberries and chocolate rhubarb truffles is perfect for any celebration and is super easy to make and so yummy.

I made this cake a day ahead, but it’s already half gone and it’s not even noon on my birthday 😛 Luckily I have my mum making me more sweets today!

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 strawberry chocolate cake with honey macerated strawberries and chocolate rhubarb truffles is perfect for any celebration and is super easy to make and so yummy.
5 from 1 vote
Print

Macerated Strawberry Chocolate Cake

Total time includes cooling time.

Sponge recipe adapted from The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe Ever recipe by Add A Pinch. Link in the text!

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 2 hours

Ingredients

Chocolate Sponge

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cups cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla seeds or vanilla extract
  • 1 cup boiling water

Honey Macerated Strawberries

  • 200 g fresh strawberries
  • 2 1/2 TBSP honey

Chocolate Rhubarb Truffles

  • chocolate sponge from one of the 7 inch tins
  • rhubarb jam (or strawberry jam) (40g jam per 100g sponge)

Other

  • 300 ml cold whipping cream

Instructions

Chocolate Sponge

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Butter four 7 inch baking tins.

  2. Add flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt to a stand mixer bowl and whisk through to combine.

  3. Add milk, eggs, vegetable oil and vanilla seeds and mix on medium speed until well combined.

  4. Change mixer speed to low and slowly add boiling water to the mixture. It will get quite liquid, but that's what makes it moist and rich in the end.

  5. Pour the mixture into four baking tins and bake for about 25 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean.

  6. Leave to cool in the baking tin for 10 minutes then remove form the tin and leave in a cool place to cool completely. Once it is room temperature, you can place it in the fridge to continue cooling.

Honey Macerated Strawberries

  1. Thinly cut strawberries and place them in a bowl. Add honey and mix well, so the honey coats all strawberries.

  2. Leave to macerate in the fridge until you are ready to assemble the cake, but at least an hour.

Chocolate Rhubarb Truffles

  1. Take one cooled chocolate sponge and use your fingers to turn it into crumbs. Add 40g rhubarb jam per 100g of sponge and incorporate it in the crumbs. Shape 1 cm balls using the palms of your hands. The mixture shouldn't be too sticky, but moist enough to hold the shape of a ball. 

  2. Place in the fridge until you are ready to assemble the cake.

Assembling The Strawberry Chocolate Cake

  1. Whip whipping cream until it forms stiff peaks. Place it in a piping bag with a round or a star nozzle.

  2. Place one sponge on a serving tray and pipe one layer of whipped cream in the middle, leaving one centimeter of uncovered sponge at the edge. Pipe small balls of cream one centimeters away from each other on the edge. Place chocolate rhubarb truffles between the cream balls.

  3. Top with one third of honey macerated strawberries.

  4. Continue in the same way for the remaining two layers.

  5. Refridgerate for at least an hour before serving.

This strawberry chocolate cake with honey macerated strawberries and chocolate rhubarb truffles is perfect for any celebration and is super easy to make and so yummy.This strawberry chocolate cake with honey macerated strawberries and chocolate rhubarb truffles is perfect for any celebration and is super easy to make and so yummy.

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 ♥

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.

Antioxidant Packed Blueberry Matcha Smoothie

This blueberry matcha smoothie is full of antioxidants and a perfect energy boost for the morning. It’s a delicious healthy vegan, dairy free and gluten free green smoothie with blueberry mash. So good!

Antioxidant Packed Blueberry Matcha Smoothie. This blueberry matcha smoothie is full of antioxidants and a perfect energy boost for the morning. It's a delicious healthy vegan, dairy free and gluten free green smoothie with blueberry mash. So good! | www.useyournoodles.eu

I’m getting so excited about spring and can’t wait for everything to go green. We’re already able to waste our time outside in nothing else but a sweater. Remember my love of balcony life. Well, here it is! I can almost smell spring 😀 Winter this year sucked, almost no snow… I mean it was cold, which is okay by me, but no snow. Come on, that’s just unfair!

Yeah, yeah, I’ll stop complaining 😉

This spring will bring a new little cuddling creature to our life, so there’s really nothing to complain about. Only one more month to go, but I’m hoping sooner 🙂 Can’t wait to meet you little baby! These past 8 months went by really fast, I got very attached to my big belly and the very intesnse baby kicks. I’m begining to think this baby will be a kickboxer or something. I remember reading about having to count kicks if the baby is not moving enough and then I think is there also something like kicking too much?! Probably not 🙂

Antioxidant Packed Blueberry Matcha Smoothie. This blueberry matcha smoothie is full of antioxidants and a perfect energy boost for the morning. It's a delicious healthy vegan, dairy free and gluten free green smoothie with blueberry mash. So good! | www.useyournoodles.eu Antioxidant Packed Blueberry Matcha Smoothie. This blueberry matcha smoothie is full of antioxidants and a perfect energy boost for the morning. It's a delicious healthy vegan, dairy free and gluten free green smoothie with blueberry mash. So good! | www.useyournoodles.euAntioxidant Packed Blueberry Matcha Smoothie. This blueberry matcha smoothie is full of antioxidants and a perfect energy boost for the morning. It's a delicious healthy vegan, dairy free and gluten free green smoothie with blueberry mash. So good! | www.useyournoodles.eu

Back to the recipe!

With the spring knocking on the door, the season of some new green leaf veggies is starting and I’m able to add them to my green smoothies. I got hold of some really nice fresh spinach last week and I couldn’t resist to make a delicious smoothie for breakfast. There are still some frozen wild blueberries in the freezer, which I love for breakfast. In the winter I heat them up and pour over the pancakes with some yogurt. Yum!

Antioxidant Packed Blueberry Matcha Smoothie. This blueberry matcha smoothie is full of antioxidants and a perfect energy boost for the morning. It's a delicious healthy vegan, dairy free and gluten free green smoothie with blueberry mash. So good! | www.useyournoodles.euAntioxidant Packed Blueberry Matcha Smoothie. This blueberry matcha smoothie is full of antioxidants and a perfect energy boost for the morning. It's a delicious healthy vegan, dairy free and gluten free green smoothie with blueberry mash. So good! | www.useyournoodles.eu

Ok, ok, back to the smoothie. So I named this drink matcha smoothie, because I added a little for some nice morning tea feeling. Mmm, cozy 🙂 I don’t know why exactly, but for me drinking matcha – in any form – is like a warm hug. Even if I drink it cold.

I couldn’t resist but adding some lime juice to this almost-spring-celebrating smoothie. Delicious! 🙂 It’s sweetened with honey, which you probably already know is my favorite sweetener 🙂

Now I’m anxiously waiting for strawberries, especially wild strawberries to make strawberry layer cakes and elderflower to make some cookies. With a little bit of luck, the baby and I will be well enough by the time those two are in season and we’ll be strolling through forests searching for these beauties 🙂

Antioxidant Packed Blueberry Matcha Smoothie. This blueberry matcha smoothie is full of antioxidants and a perfect energy boost for the morning. It's a delicious healthy vegan, dairy free and gluten free green smoothie with blueberry mash. So good! | www.useyournoodles.eu

And now here’s the recipe, finally. This matcha smoothie is packed with antioxidants and contains a bunch of cashews and an avocado so it will leave you fed for a while. Cheers!

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 ♥

Antioxidant Packed Blueberry Matcha Smoothie. This blueberry matcha smoothie is full of antioxidants and a perfect energy boost for the morning. It's a delicious healthy vegan, dairy free and gluten free green smoothie with blueberry mash. So good! | www.useyournoodles.eu
5 from 1 vote
Print

Antioxidant Packed Blueberry Matcha Smoothie

Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 2 people

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cashews soaked overnight
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/2 avocado
  • 50 g spinach (or a big handful)
  • 4 tsp matcha powder
  • juice of 1 1/2 limes
  • 2 TBSP sunflower seeds
  • 3 TBSP honey (or other sweetener for vegan version)
  • 1 cup blueberries

Instructions

  1. Mix everything except blueberries in a blender until smooth. If the smoothie is to thick add more water.

  2. Place blueberries in two glasses and mash them gently with a spoon or a mortar.

  3. Pour the green smoothie over mashed blueberries and enjoy!

Antioxidant Packed Blueberry Matcha Smoothie. This blueberry matcha smoothie is full of antioxidants and a perfect energy boost for the morning. It's a delicious healthy vegan, dairy free and gluten free green smoothie with blueberry mash. So good! | www.useyournoodles.eu

Roasted Broccoli & Cauliflower Mole Tacos

These quick and easy roasted broccoli and cauliflower mole tacos are such a nice healthy fresh lunch or dinner. With the addition of a 5-minute pickled radish and avocado yogurt sauce they make a perfect meal.

These quick and easy roasted broccoli and cauliflower mole tacos are such a nice healthy fresh lunch or dinner. With the addition of a 5-minute pickled radish and avocado yogurt sauce they make a perfect meal.

What have you been up to lately?

I’m all about mexican food these days and I’m enjoying spicy food while I still can. Apparently when you have a baby, you’re stuck with bland and boring unseasoned food for a month or so. I’m dreading that!

If there’s anything I love about cooking is that there’s always a way to make super fast lunch or dinner and still make it incredibly delicious. Most of the time I’m enjoying spending hours and hours in the kitchen. It’s my absolute favorite spot in the house. But sometimes it happens I have to whip up something in five minutes or so, but still want it to be super delicious and healthy if possible. I love how tacos make this possible every time. You can use whatever’s in your fridge and add some nice spices, some yogurt or nut sauce and you’ve got a five minute meal right there.

One of the simplest versions I make is, I just quickly sauté some red peppers, add some fresh avocado and a glug of yogurt in a tortilla and I’m good to go. Other times I have a couple more minutes to spare and I play around with food.

That’s kindda how these mole tacos with broccoli and califlower came to be. I love broccoli, it’s probably one of my favorite green veggies and I could eat it every single day. Cauliflower is great too, so I added it to make it a more fun recipe. In this recipe you can actually use either one of these or both.

These quick and easy roasted broccoli and cauliflower mole tacos are such a nice healthy fresh lunch or dinner. With the addition of a 5-minute pickled radish and avocado yogurt sauce they make a perfect meal.

Mole Tacos

Moles are actually a variety of sauces and dishes that include these sauces. We’re not making a mole sauce today, though. This recipe is an interpretation of a mole sauce, my style. Some hot chillies, cocoa powder and lots of other spices. It’s basically a rub or a spice mix for the broccoli and cauliflower that we’re gonna roast. And it’s a spice mix that you can make in advance and keep in your pantry.

These quick and easy roasted broccoli and cauliflower mole tacos are such a nice healthy fresh lunch or dinner. With the addition of a 5-minute pickled radish and avocado yogurt sauce they make a perfect meal.

Quick pickling

Loving the pickles!

They usually take time to make, but there’s a quicker cheaty way to make them. And it takes literally 5 minutes or less. The main ingredients in pickling are vinegar and salt, sometimes water. Besides the veggies of course 🙂

What we’re going to do is cut the veggies real thinnly, which will make them pickle faster. Then add some salt, which will bring out the water from the radishes. And of course add some vinegar to make it sour. And that’s it. So simple!

These quick and easy roasted broccoli and cauliflower mole tacos are such a nice healthy fresh lunch or dinner. With the addition of a 5-minute pickled radish and avocado yogurt sauce they make a perfect meal.

Making your own tortillas

You can also try making your own tortillas and find the recipe here. But double it if you’re making this whole recipe.

I’m making my own tortillas all the time and I make the dough in the morning. I divide it into balls and cover in plastic foil and leave it on the counter or in the fridge until I’m ready to make them. Sometimes I even make a big batch and keep it in the fridge for a couple of days and have a taco marathon week 🙂

A new awesome flavor combo each day. Yay! Try that, if you haven’t already 🙂

These quick and easy roasted broccoli and cauliflower mole tacos are such a nice healthy fresh lunch or dinner. With the addition of a 5-minute pickled radish and avocado yogurt sauce they make a perfect meal.

So, have a good day and hopefully get some sun!

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 quick and easy roasted broccoli and cauliflower mole tacos are such a nice healthy fresh lunch or dinner. With the addition of a 5-minute pickled radish and avocado yogurt sauce they make a perfect meal.
5 from 1 vote
Print

Roasted Broccoli & Cauliflower Mole Tacos

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 16 tacos

Ingredients

Mole Spice Mix:

  • 2 tsp chilli powder
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp sweet paprika
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 2 tsp salt

Mole Tacos:

  • 1 broccoli
  • 1 cauliflower
  • mole spice mix
  • 1/4 cup olive oil

Pickled Radishes:

  • 200 g radishes
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 TBSP vinegar

Avocado Sauce:

  • 1 avocado
  • 1/2 cup natural yogurt (180 g)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • juice of 2 limes
  • a handful cilantro
  • pinch of pepper
  • pinch of salt

Other:

  • 16 small tortillas (find recipe in my Turmeric Falafel Wrap post and make it double)
  • pickled radishes
  • avocado sauce
  • peanuts
  • cilantro
  • chopped chillies

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Mole Spice Mix:

  1. In a bowl mix all ingredients to get a uniform seasoning mix.

Mole Broccoli And Cauliflower:

  1. Chop broccoli and cauliflower into small florets and cut the harder stems into 1 cm sized chunks.

  2. Add them to a big bowl and sprinkle with mole spice mix and olive oil. Toss around to coat them evenly with seasoning.

  3. Move them to a lined baking tray and bake for about 10 minutes or until tender.

Pickled Radishes:

  1. Slice radishes thinly. Add them to a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Massage them vigorously for a minute or two, so they start releasing water. Leave them to rest for another minute, then pour away the excess water. Add vinegar to the radishes and set aside.

Avocado Sauce:

  1. Mix all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Add more water if necessary.

Serving;

  1. Fill the tortillas with broccoli and cauliflower, add pickled radishes, avocado sauce, peanuts, cilantro and chopped chillies.

These quick and easy roasted broccoli and cauliflower mole tacos are such a nice healthy fresh lunch or dinner. With the addition of a 5-minute pickled radish and avocado yogurt sauce they make a perfect meal.

Crunchy Mocha Frozen Yogurt with Date Caramel

This creamy mocha frozen yogurt with mocha puffs and date caramel combines a perfect cup of coffee with some cocoa and dates in a form of frozen dessert. Breakfast or dessert, it’s up to you! A little extra thing is the recipe for mocha cocoa puffs, which you can add to your morning cereal bowl.

This creamy mocha frozen yogurt with mocha puffs and date caramel combines a perfect cup of coffee with some cocoa and dates in a form of frozen dessert. Breakfast or dessert, it's up to you!

Welcome to breakfast heaven!

If you thought a cup of coffee was necessary in the morning, wait until you try this. It’s freakin’ mocha frozen yogurt with some extra mocha puffs and date caramel on top. 

It’s so decadent and indulgent, but not unhealthy, which is what I love in a good breakfast. Don’t we all?

This creamy mocha frozen yogurt with mocha puffs and date caramel combines a perfect cup of coffee with some cocoa and dates in a form of frozen dessert. Breakfast or dessert, it's up to you!

So, the whole thing started because I needed a refreshing cereal breakfast, that wasn’t the boring milk and cereals. I though icecream. That’s indulgent, but using yogurt is probably a smart decision. I thought mocha flavor would be an awesome addition to frozen yogurt, so I made these lovely coffee bean shaped mocha puffs. Yay, you can eat them with good old milk too, isn’t that a nice touch? Keep them in a dry place in your pantry and have them at hand for whenever you feel a coffee rush.

It totally became my personal morning coffee. You probably already know I don’t drink coffee and when I do it’s decaffeinated. So are these mocha puffs, but you can make them with caffeine, no problem!

I love serving the mocha frozen yogurt in these crazy cool mugs by Polonapolona. They are the cutest and they love their morning coffee served with a a bang 😀

Oh, did you notice the caramel drippings? This is the date caramel, the easiest thing to make in the entire world and so so delicious.

Like like lick-the-sides-of-the-cup awesome 😀 

And absolutely necessary on a heaped cup of this goodness.

This creamy mocha frozen yogurt with mocha puffs and date caramel combines a perfect cup of coffee with some cocoa and dates in a form of frozen dessert. Breakfast or dessert, it's up to you! A little extra thing is the recipe for mocha cocoa puffs, which you can add to your morning cereal bowl.
This creamy mocha frozen yogurt with mocha puffs and date caramel combines a perfect cup of coffee with some cocoa and dates in a form of frozen dessert. Breakfast or dessert, it's up to you! A little extra thing is the recipe for mocha cocoa puffs, which you can add to your morning cereal bowl.

So, baby update.

I’ve been doing some last shopping for the baby, which is very tiring, since I’m not much of a shopper. What I do is, write a paper with all the stores and what to buy where and then head out. I compare prices online to save time spent in the actual shop. Don’t get me wrong, I love market shopping, but fluorescent lit stores are horrible. If it’s a special foods, fabric or furniture store, then it’s fine, I get distracted. Everthying else is just a big pain in the you know what!

Okay, enough complaining. The good thing is, I think I’m actually well prepared for the arrival of the little one. Some minor thing are missing (like the crib – not minor :P), otherwise we’re good if the baby accidentally surprises us.

Okay, back to food…

This creamy mocha frozen yogurt with mocha puffs and date caramel combines a perfect cup of coffee with some cocoa and dates in a form of frozen dessert. Breakfast or dessert, it's up to you! A little extra thing is the recipe for mocha cocoa puffs, which you can add to your morning cereal bowl.
This creamy mocha frozen yogurt with mocha puffs and date caramel combines a perfect cup of coffee with some cocoa and dates in a form of frozen dessert. Breakfast or dessert, it's up to you! A little extra thing is the recipe for mocha cocoa puffs, which you can add to your morning cereal bowl.

What would I do to eat this every single day for the rest of my life. Um… I should totally do that!

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 ♥

Crunchy Mocha Frozen Yogurt with Date Caramel

Total Time 6 hours
Servings 6 people

Ingredients

Frozen Yogurt:

  • 1 kg Greek style yogurt (about 4 cups)
  • 5 TBSP honey

Mocha Puffs:

  • 3/4 cups almond flour
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (or whole grain flour)
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 4 tsp instant coffee
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 1/2 TBSP butter , melted

Date Caramel:

  • 1 cup dates , roughly chopped
  • 1 TBSP nut butter (I like almond or cashew butter)
  • 3/4 cup water
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

Mocha Puffs:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.

  2. In a food processor mix all dry ingredients: almond flour, al-purpose flour, cocoa powder, instant coffee, baking soda and salt. Add honey and butter and pulse until a ball forms.

  3. Make little balls with palms of your hands using three quarters of the dough. The remaining quarter of the dough and flatten it on the baking paper to about 5mm thick. Add the balls to the baking paper and use a spoon handle to make little dents in the middle of the balls and make them look like a coffee bean. You can leave them round as well.

  4. Bake for 6-7 minutes, keeping a close eye to what’s happening in the oven. The puffs burn very easily. Take them out when they are still a little soft but firm. They will harden as they cool down.

  5. Break apart the flattened baked dough when it has cooled down. You can leave some chunks. You’ll use that to mix in the frozen yogurt.

  6. Keep the coffee shaped puffs in an airtight container.

Frozen Yogurt:

  1. Mix yogurt and honey in a blender and transfer the mixture to an airtight container. Freeze for about 3-4 hours, mixing the yogurt with a fork every 30-45 minutes.

  2. Add it back to the blender and mix well to get a smooth texture. At this point the mixture will get a bit runny again, but that is fine. At this point add the broken coffee puffs and fold in the frozen yogurt.

  3. Transfer it back to the container and freeze until you like the consistancy, probably about 2 hours.

Date Caramel:

  1. Soak dates in water for 10 minutes, then add a pinch of salt and mix them in a food processor. If you like your caramel more runny, add a little more water. 

  2. The caramel keeps in the fridge for at least 2 weeks.

Assembly:

  1. Take frozen yogurt out of the freezer when it’s the right consistency or 30 minutes before serving if it’s fully frozen. Scoop up in serving bowls and top with mocha puffs and date caramel.

This creamy mocha frozen yogurt with mocha puffs and date caramel combines a perfect cup of coffee with some cocoa and dates in a form of frozen dessert. Breakfast or dessert, it's up to you! A little extra thing is the recipe for mocha cocoa puffs, which you can add to your morning cereal bowl.
[This post was kindly supported by Polonapolona. I was provided some mugs for this post. No other compensation was received.]

This creamy mocha frozen yogurt with mocha puffs and date caramel combines a perfect cup of coffee with some cocoa and dates in a form of frozen dessert. Breakfast or dessert, it's up to you! Click to find the whole recipe or pin and save for later!

Sparkling Pomelo Ginger Shandy (Virgin And Not So Virgin)

This sparkling pomelo ginger shandy is a nice refreshing drink with a little kick of spice, perfect for lazy sunny late winter days.

This sparkling pomelo ginger shandy is a nice refreshing drink with a little kick of spice, perfect for lazy sunny late winter days.

What do you do when you can’t have booze? Make something out of beer.

Yeah, yeah, I know many of you will say beer without alcohol is not beer at all and you might be right. Some of them taste…hmmm. How should I put it? Miserable.

But when you’re pregnant and can’t have alcohol, trust me, it’s much easier to like non-alcoholic beer. Some brands make very good ones, but I’ve also had one that tasted like a chewing gum. Uhm, not so good!

This sparkling pomelo ginger shandy is a nice refreshing drink with a little kick of spice, perfect for lazy sunny late winter days. This sparkling pomelo ginger shandy is a nice refreshing drink with a little kick of spice, perfect for lazy sunny late winter days.

Well, it was about time to make another drink recipe, since it’s been a while now. I’m all about citruses during this winter. I don’t think I’ve eaten so many oranges and mandarins at any point in my life and a big squeeze of lemon in a glass of water is a total must. I haven’t had any pomelo, so I thought I’d put it in a sparkling beer drink with some spicy ginger and have a pomelo ginger shandy.

Pomelo is such an awesome fruit, it’s sweet like a grapefruit, but doesn’ have the bitterness, which is great for a beer drink, since beer is already bitter. 

On top of all the pomelo juice, the ginger gives the drink a little heat and warms you up 🙂 That’s why I love ginger!

And pretty much everything about this drink 😀

This sparkling pomelo ginger shandy is a nice refreshing drink with a little kick of spice, perfect for lazy sunny late winter days. This sparkling pomelo ginger shandy is a nice refreshing drink with a little kick of spice, perfect for lazy sunny late winter days.

This pomelo ginger shandy is such a nice refreshing drink for the lazy days leading to spring, sitting in the sun on a balcony wrapped in a warm blanket. Listening to bird singing starting again, such a lovely time. I’m getting sentimental.

Our balcony life (yeah, this should totally be a title of a movie) is gone during the winter, but when the sun starts to become warmer and the days get longer, we start hanging out on the balcony again. During the spring and summer it’s where we eat, play board games, read and do pretty much everything. Like, who needs the indoors, anyway?!

So, I’m very happy with the longer not so freezing cold days 🙂

This sparkling pomelo ginger shandy is a nice refreshing drink with a little kick of spice, perfect for lazy sunny late winter days.This sparkling pomelo ginger shandy is a nice refreshing drink with a little kick of spice, perfect for lazy sunny late winter days.

And I’m happy to have this non-alcoholic drink, which can also be alcoholic, whatever you prefer. It’s a great way to pimp up your favorite beer and add some fruitiness 🙂

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 ♥

Sparkling Pomelo Ginger Shandy

Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 2 people
Author Anja Burgar

Ingredients

Simple ginger syrup

  • 4 TBSP cane sugar
  • 3 TBSP grated fresh ginger
  • 1 TBSP pomelo zest
  • 2 TBSP lemon juice

Pomelo Ginger Shandy

  • 500 ml pomelo juice (juicing described in the instructions)
  • 500 ml lager beer (alcoholic or non-alcoholic)

Instructions

Simple ginger syrup:

  1. Add all ingredients to a mortar and make a smooth paste.

Juicing pomelo:

  1. Pomelo is a big fruit and it's hard to juice it on a regular juicer. I peel the pomelo and remove the thin white skins, then blend it in a blender for a minute or two and use a nut milk bag or a tea towel to squeeze out the juice.

Pomelo ginger shandy:

  1. Mix together pomelo juice and simple ginger syrup, pour into glasses and add beer.

 This sparkling pomelo ginger shandy is a nice refreshing drink with a little kick of spice, perfect for lazy sunny late winter days.

This sparkling pomelo ginger shandy is a nice refreshing drink with a little kick of spice, perfect for lazy sunny late winter days. Click to find the whole recipe or pin and save for later!

Cherry, Brie & Bacon Grilled Quesadilla

Are you ready for a seriously delicioius sweet and salty grilled quesadilla?

Use Your Noodles - Cherry, Brie & Bacon Grilled Quesadilla

Spending time outside was a big part of my childhood. It was the time, when we didn’t have computers. And even  when we got a second hand computer, it only had two games – Prehistorik and Prince of Persia. 

Instead of playing those two (totally awesome) games, I prefered hanging out the kids from my street. I lived (and still do) in a street with almost no traffic, which meant the parents let us run around like crazy all over the place.

Our favourite game was hide-and-seek. We’d wait until it got dark and then played it. Much harder, much more exciting!!! 🙂

A simple recipe for the perfect grilled quesadilla with cherries, gooey brie and bacon for a summer barbaque party.

During the day, we played cards. We even invented our own games or even make our own board games 🙂 I still have some stacked somewhere in my closet!

A big part of spring/summer days on the street was hanging ut in our cherry tree. No treehouse necessary, just an old wood board placed between two branches and we got our fun.

The cherry tree is still majestically standing in front of the house. No kids hanging on it, but it still produces the best cherries around.

Sorry neighbours… 🙂

Use Your Noodles - Cherry, Brie & Bacon Grilled Quesadilla

Grilled quesadilla with cherries anyone?

Today’s recipe is dedicated to the delicious sweet red cherries from that very tree. And they are in season now 🙂

I stuffed them in a quesadilla!

I never order quesadilla in a restaurant. Why? Because it is always too small (I eat a lot!) and overpriced. But I love it so much. So I made these cherry quesadilla with brie, bacon and arugula. I added some crushed chilli for spiciness and balsamic vinegar for acidity. And that’s it! 

It is gooey, smokey and sweet. Can it even get better? Oh, yeah. It is spicy too 🙂 

You can pop it on the grill, while you’re having a barbaque party. I assure you, everyone will thank you 🙂

Use Your Noodles - Cherry, Brie & Bacon Grilled Quesadilla

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 ♥

Let’s get this bbq party started!

CHERRY, BRIE & BACON GRILLED QUESADILLA

Course Appetizer, Main Course
Keyword tortilla
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 2 people

Ingredients

  • 8 small tortillas
  • 200 g cherries
  • 200 g brie
  • 60 g /12 slices bacon
  • a handful arugula
  • chili flakes to taste
  • balsamic vinegar to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 175 °C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
  2. Deseed the cherries.
  3. Place deseeded cherries on one half of the tray and bacon on the other. Make sure there’s a little space in the middle.
  4. Roast for 10 minutes or until the bacon gets golden and crunchy.
  5. Place brie, bacon, cherries, arugula, and chilly flakes on a tortilla and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Top with another tortilla and press down.
  6. On a grill or in a grill pan, grill for 2 minutes each side, until they get golden and grill marks are visible.

Also try these recipes at your next bbq:

Simple Fish Sliders With Roasted Garlic Sauce

Homemade Tomato Ketchup

Use Your Noodles - Cherry, Brie & Bacon Grilled Quesadilla

Elderflower Cookie Bites With Raspberries

These cute elderflower cookie bites are what elderflower season is all about. Flowers and girliness!

Use Your Noodles - Elderflower Cookie Bites With Raspberries

It’s finally here!

Elderflower season.

I probably can’t express how anxiously I’m waiting for it every year. Elderflower is my definite favorite spring thing, apart from the sun 🙂 Why? Firstly, it smells heavenly. Second, the possiblities to use it are endless. Thirdly, it’s so girly. 

These cute elderflower cookie bites are what elderflower season is all about. Flowers and girliness!
These cute elderflower cookie bites are what elderflower season is all about. Flowers and girliness!

First of all, I need to tell you a crazy story…

The last time I posted here, was the day of my brother’s birthday picnic party. Before it even began, me and my husband went to the picnic place and started throwing frisbee. After the second throw I tripped and fractured a bone in my foot. How lame! And to make matters worse, our dance show premiered the next day. So instead of partying, I spend three hours at the emergency and instead of doing the whole show the next day, I danced with cruches in only a few parts. 

Lesson learned. I’m never playing any sport the day before the show ever again! I promise!

Use Your Noodles - Elderflower Cookie Bites With Raspberries

Anyway, a fractured bone can’t stop me to go picking elderflower.

Check out the proof on my Instagram

Use Your Noodles - Elderflower Cookie Bites With Raspberries

These cute elderflower cookie bites are made of three layers:

  • buttery cookie with elderflowers
  • white chocolate cream with rose water
  • freeze-dried raspberries.

The recipe is insanely easy. The cookies are done in 25 minutes from start to finish. All it takes is to decorate them and they are ready to be served 🙂 And even if you don’t feel like putting anyhing on, they are delicious also without the cream and raspberries. 

If you do decorate them, make sure to make a deep enough hole before baking, because they will expand in the oven and the hole will be shallower after they are baked.

These cute elderflower cookie bites are what elderflower season is all about. Flowers and girliness!

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 ♥

Now, let’s go bake some elderflower cookie bites!

ELDERFLOWER COOKIE BITES WITH RASPBERRIES

Course Dessert
Keyword cookies, thumb cookies
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Resting time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 32 cookies

Ingredients

COOKIE BASE

  • 8 eldeflower heads thick stalks removed (use 8 TBSP dried elderflower if not in season)
  • 160 g all purpose flour
  • 50 g unrefined cane sugar
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla seeds
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 80 g cold butter cubed
  • 4-5 TBSP milk

CHOCOLATE CREAM

  • 50 g white chocolate
  • 2 TBSP whipping cream
  • 1 tsp rose water

TOPPING

  • 32 freeze-dried raspberries

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.

Cookie base

  1. Chop elderflower heads and add them to a food processor. Add flour, sugar, vanilla seeds, and baking soda. Pulse a couple of times to get an even mixture.

  2. Add butter and pulse until you get a dry cookie mixture.
  3. Add milk and mix well, until a ball of dough starts to form. Scrape the sides if necessary.
  4. Divide the dough in half, half it again, and so on, until you get 32 identical pieces. Form balls with your palms and make a deep hole in the center with your finger.
  5. Place on a baking paper-lined baking tray and bake for 15 minutes or until light golden color. Move them to a wire rack and leave to cool down for at least 10 minutes.

Chocolate cream

  1. While the cookies are baking put whipping cream and white chocolate in a small bowl and place it over a small saucepan of simmering water. Stir occasionally, until the cream and the chocolate form a smooth cream.

  2. Remove from heat and add rose water. Mix well and place in the fridge to cool for 10 minutes, then bring to room temperature.

Decorating

  1. Using a teaspoon or a piping bag, place about 1/2 tsp of cream into the hole in each cookie and top with freeze-dried raspberries.

Notes

Make sure you make deep holes in the cookies before baking, because the cookies will expand and the holes will get shallower.

Also try these delicious spring desserts:

Spring Strawberry Layer Cake in a Glass

Peach And Celery Ice Lollies

Use Your Noodles - Elderflower Cookie Bites With Raspberries

Roasted Peach and Strawberry Fizz

Delightful spring mocktail – roasted peach and strawberry fizz!

Delightful spring mocktail - roasted peach and strawberry fizz with no added sugar. Click to find the whole recipe or pin and save for later!

Yey, so excited about this recipe!!!

This drink to me is like pie. You know the feeling, when you take out a pie and all the syrupy juices are sizzling around the fruit? And the smell… so good 🙂 This is like a pie in a glass 🙂 

And I love it!

Delightful spring mocktail - roasted peach and strawberry fizz!
Delightful spring mocktail - roasted peach and strawberry fizz!
Delightful spring mocktail - roasted peach and strawberry fizz!

This roasted peach and strawberry fizz is soooo simple. Sometimes, I can’t belive, how many great thing you can do, with so little. This is definitely one of them! 🙂

All you’ll need to do is cut peaches and strawberries in half, roast them and blend them. Then add a little apple juice, preferably homemade or organic, and some sprakling water. And there it is.

A perfect spring drink!

While we’re on the spring subject. Spring has been awfull this year in Slovenia. Ugh, my tomato, pepper and chilli plants are barely holding on in thir tiny cups, just waiting to be planted outside.

But its so COLD. I mean, I make drinks like this, just to feel like it’s spring. It’s a crime!

Delightful spring mocktail - roasted peach and strawberry fizz with no added sugar. Click to find the whole recipe or pin and save for later!

But good news… Today it is sunny and we’re having a big picnic party for my brother’s and friend’s 30th birthday.

Lots of people, lots of good food, beer, friends. That’s what I call spring. Hopefuly, the weather will hold and let us have the party we deserve 🙂

Delightful spring mocktail - roasted peach and strawberry fizz with no added sugar. Click to find the whole recipe or pin and save for later!

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 ♥

Now, go on… try the the recipe 🙂

ROASTED PEACH AND STRAWBERRY FIZZ

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Cooling time 10 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 6 people

Ingredients

  • 3 peaches
  • 600 g strawberries
  • 1 1/2 cup apple juice
  • 1 1/2 sparkling water
  • abundance of crushed ice

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 175 °C.
  2. Cut peaches in half and remove the pit. Cut strawberries in half. Place the fruit on a baking tray lined with baking paper and roast for 25 minutes.
  3. Take the tray out and leave to cool for 10 minutes or more.
  4. Remove the skins from peaches and blend the flesh together with apple juice in a blender to get a smooth pureé.
  5. Blend the strawberries separately.
  6. Divide the strawberry pureé into 6 glasses and add ice. Pour the peach and apple juice mixture over ice and add sparkling water.
  7. Serve immediately.

Also try this refreshing drink:

Grapefruit-Lime Cocktail with Ginger and Rosemary

Delightful spring mocktail - roasted peach and strawberry fizz with no added sugar. Click to find the whole recipe or pin and save for later!

Peach and Celery Ice Lollies

Refreshing fruity peach and celery ice lollies on sticks are always welcome at our house!

Use Your Noodles - Peach and Celery Ice Lollies

I bring you summer… on a stick. It’s not a joke!

I hope, wherever you’re from, you’re having a hot summer weather. It was crazy here over the last ten days. We’ve had all weather imaginable. Snow, sleet, fog, rain, sun, wind… We planned to escape to Sarajevo during the holidays, but it was covered with snow, so we’re saving the trip for warmer times. 

It took me about two days to get comfortable with doing nothing and switching to my off mode. But then it was actually kinda nice to lay back, watch some TV and not feel guilty, go walking in the snow and then biking to a nearby mountain the next day, watching the 1st of May bonfire, and squeeze in a little dance practice. It was all good 🙂

Refreshing fruity peach and celery ice lollies on sticks are always welcome at our house!
Use Your Noodles - Peach and Celery Ice Lollies

Now, to the recipe already!

I remember having ice lollies in a long plastic wraps, when we were little. For the first few moments it tasted delicious and sweet, but then after we sucked all the juice out, we were left with a block of flavourless ice. How dissapointing! That’s not the case with this lolly – all flavour, no tasteless icy leftovers.

Use Your Noodles - Peach and Celery Ice Lollies

These peach and celery ice lollies are so easy to make and it’s a nice way to get yourself or the kids to eats more fruit. Cuz, who doesn’t like an icy treat, am I right?

The idea for this recipe actually came from my husband. He said, why not pair a fruit with some unexpected greens, like celery. So we did, and boy was he right. It tastes amazing! I’m not exaggerating. This combo works so well.

Give it a try!

All that’s required is to blend all the ingredients and pass the mixture thorugh a sieve, to give it the silky texture. Wait a few hours until the lollies set and you got yourself a fruity refreshment 🙂

Use Your Noodles - Peach and Celery Ice Lollies

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 ♥

PEACH AND CELERY ICE LOLLIES

Course Dessert
Keyword ice cream, ice pops, peach ice cream
Prep Time 5 minutes
Freezing time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 5 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 3 ripe peaches
  • 25 g celery stalk chopped
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup water

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth.
  2. Pass the mixture through a sieve. Discard solids.
  3. Fill the molds up to 5mm from the edge.
  4. Freeze for at least 6 hours.

Notes

The number of lollies depends on the size of the molds, this recipe yields 1 + 1/2 cups of silky lolly mixture.

Also try these refreshing fruity recipes:

Spring Strawberry Layer Cake

Grapefruit-Lime Rosemary and Ginger Cocktail

Use Your Noodles - Peach and Celery Ice Lollies