Valentine's Day Cookies

Although the purpose of this blog is to post mainly vegan/gluten free recipes, I’ve decided to share this butter cookie recipe that is neither vegan nor gluten free. Valentine’s Day is coming and some of us may want to bake something sweet and simple to share with our loved ones. These cookies, made with regular butter and gluten containing flour, can be made in a flash and as quickly will disappear from the serving plate. 

Making your own cookies also has another advantage: we know what ingredients were used. I try not to use anything artificial like: sprinkles, food coloring, artificial flavors or frosting and in my recipes I usually adjust the amount of sugar to suit my taste, using less than the original recipes call for.



Ingredients:

Yields: about 36 cookies

•  3 cups organic white flour,
• 1 cup potato starch
• 1¼ cup powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla sugar
• 3¼ cups butter, cut in small cubes
• 1 egg
• 2 egg yolks, cooked
• ½ tsp salt
• 4-5 spoons ice cold water
• 1 tsp baking powder (optional)
• cookie cutters, cookie stamps

Preparation:

1. In a large bowl combine flour with potato starch, salt, powdered sugar, vanilla sugar (and baking powder, if you choose to use it). 

2. Place a strainer over the bowl with the dry ingredients and add 2 cooked egg yolks grating them through the strainer. Mix well with the dry ingredients.

3.  Add 1 egg and butter. Knead the dough with your hands until the ingredients are well combined. It may take several minutes. After about 5 minutes add the ice cold water and continue kneading until the dough sticks together. You may need to add 1-2 tbsp more cold water. If the dough becomes too sticky, add a little more flour. When the dough's texture becomes smooth and uniform, form the dough into a ball and wrap it with a plastic or aluminum foil. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Note: you can divide the dough in two parts, add about 1/8 cocoa to one part and carefully work it into the dough until it has a uniform light brown color.

4. When the dough is sufficiently cooled, preheat the oven to 350 F. Roll the refrigerated dough a little less than 1/4 inch thick on the floured board and cut shapes with cookie cutters.

5. Lightly butter the baking sheets or line them with parchment paper. Place the cookies on the baking sheets leaving 1/2 inch spaces between them (they will rise in the oven). Bake for about 16-18 minutes until golden switching position of sheets after 8 minutes. When ready, transfer with a wide knife or a metal spatula to a cooling rack.

When cooled, you can lightly dust the cookies with powdered sugar, glaze them with a homemade frosting or spread good quality fruit preserves on the flat side of the cookies and put them together "linzer cookie style".

Citrus infused water

Vegan, gluten and sugar free

Although it's still winter, I've decided to publish this recipe for three reasons:

• any time of the year is good to replace carbonated, sugary beverages with a healthier alternatives, 
• the citrus water is rich in Vitamin C important for our health all year round, but especially now, to keep the colds and flu away,
• during the cold weather with the heat turned on in our houses, apartments and offices we need to stay hydrated to avoid skin dryness.

Moreover, drinking more water flushes out toxins from the body, maintains regularity and promotes weight loss.

Drinking water improves skin complexion and Vitamin C abundant in the citrus water stimulates collagen production boosting skin elasticity.

Oranges, especially blood oranges used in this recipe, contain antioxidants, which inhibit oxidation and protect our cells from harmful molecules, called free radicals.


Ingredients:

• 2 quarts of filtered water (or more)
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 1 blood orange, sliced
• 1 lime sliced 
• ice cubes, optional

Preparation:

Place citrus fruit for 1 minute in a bowl filled with scolding water before slicing. Fill pitcher with water. Place citrus slices in the pitcher.

You can put the pitcher in the fridge for about an hour, drink it straight away or let it sit in the room temperature for 1-2 hours for a more intense flavor.

The pitcher can be refilled with water for up to three times.

Turkish pancakes with herbs and greens

  

Gluten free

I came across this recipe looking for something quick, savory and healthy for breakfast. These pancakes turned out to be so tasty that became my go to weekend breakfast dish. They are inspired by Turkish pancakes from the Black Sea Region, where the locals usually serve them as a main dish with a vegetable soup or vegetable dish. In some recipes amount of flour is significantly reduced and more chopped greens are added into batter. 

In Turkey, people top them with remaining greens and thinly sliced onion mixed with olive oil and lemon juice. I topped mine with chopped radishes and tiny pieces of crumbled feta cheese. 

Ingredients:
Makes 4 medium pancakes

• 1 cup oat flour
• 2/3 cup coconut milk
• 2 organic eggs 
• 1 1/4 cup mixed greens (baby spinach, kale, collard greens)
• handful of chopped parsley leaves
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 8-10 mint leaves, chopped (optional)
• 4 tbls olive oil or ghee
• 1 flat tsp ground turmeric 
• 4-5 radishes, chopped
• 1/8 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• sea salt
• pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

Preparation:

Pour the flour in a mixing bowl, add coconut milk and whisk to a smooth batter. Add the eggs, pinch of salt, turmeric powder and cayenne (optional) and whisk together.

 Stir the greens, parsley, scallions and mint into the batter. Heat the olive oil or ghee in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Pour one fourth of the batter and spread out with a spoon in an even layer. Make a few holes in the pancakes with a fork and tilt the pan from side to side to fill the holes with the batter to get an even layer. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until lightly golden. Sprinkle with chopped radishes and crumbled feta cheese.

Red and Black Rice with Kale, Walnuts and Pomegranate Seeds

Vegan, gluten free

This hearty dish is a modernized version of a classic Turkish salad and makes the most of delectable Turkish ingredients: nutty whole grains, walnuts, healthy greens and juicy pomegranate seeds. The pinch of ground sumac in the dressing gives the dish a more distinct sour note.

The combination of red and black rice with white basmati not only gives the dish a nice dark red color and crunchy texture but also makes it “a superfood”, thanks to a high content of antioxidants and phytonutrients in the red rice and inflammation suppressing anthocyanins in the black rice. This rice combination is rich in Vitamin B6 and E, protein and magnesium.

Ingredients:
Yields 4 bowls

• 1/2 cup each red, black and basmati rice
• 3 cups kale, separated from the stems and torn into small pieces
• a small handful of dill, chopped
• a small handful of mint leaves, finely chopped
• 1 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1/2 cup walnuts, lightly crushed 
• 1/8 cup raisins (optional)

For the dressing:

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses 
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon ground sumac
• 1 tbsp agave nectar
• sea salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste

Preparation:

Cook the rice in a large pot of boiling water following the instruction on the package. You can cook each rice separately or in the same pot, starting with the variety that takes the longest.
Drain and rinse under cold running water when fully cooked. Set aside.

Meanwhile, cook kale for about 2 minutes in a large pot of boiling water. Drain and refresh under cold running water. When cold, squeeze the excess water with your hand and separate the pieces.
In a small bowl whisk the ingredients for the dressing.
Place the drained rice into a medium mixing bowl and add kale, chopped walnuts, 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds, dill and mint leaves. Pour in the dressing and mix thoroughly.
Transfer the salad to small serving bowls and top with the remaining pomegranate seeds and raisins.

Autumn bowl with basmati rice, black lentils, avocado, red potatoes and watermelon radish

Gluten free, vegan 

Fall is upon us and as leaves burst into beautiful hues of yellow, orange and red, many of us take out-of-town trips to catch a glimpse of the spectacular foliage. This vibrant season is a time of change; as the temperature starts dropping, our eating habits accordingly adjust. To protect itself from the heat loss, the body craves more comfort, nourishing foods. We gravitate towards more dense foods, such as root vegetables, grains and legumes.

Autumn is also a time for inspiration; having fiery colors around gives us boosts of creative energy and stimulates imagination. It’s a great time to incorporate more colorful foods into our diet to make it exciting and keep us inspired even when the amazing fall colors are long gone.

For this bowl I used basmati rice because of its lower than regular rice’s glycemic index (it has a medium GI). When digested it releases the energy slowly, keeping blood sugar levels more stable. This is crucial for diabetes management and prevention.

The rice combined with grated carrot, clarified butter, lemon juice and spiced up with turmeric and cayenne pepper is topped with sliced avocado, watermelon radish and skinny and crunchy red potato French fries cooked in coconut oil and garnished with sunflower seeds and sprouts. 

Ingredients:

Yields: 2 bowls

• 1 1/2 cup basmati rice, cooked
• 1/2 cup black lentils, cooked
• 1 carrot, peeled and grated
• 1 watermelon radish, peeled and sliced
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, lightly toasted
• 1/4 cup sunflower sprouts
• 1 red potato, peeled and cut in matchsticks
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 2 tbsp clarified butter (ghee)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• salt, pepper, cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• dulse flakes (optional)

Preparation:
 

Combine cooked rice with cooked lentils and grated carrot. Add 2 tbsp melted ghee, lemon juice, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Stir until all ingredients are well combined. Divide the mixture between two bowls. Set aside. In a medium skillet heat the coconut oil. Toss the potatoes with salt and fry in the coconut oil for about two minutes or until crunchy on the outside and soft inside. On top of the rice in each bowl arrange sliced avocado, watermelon radish, half of the french fries and garnish with toasted sunflower seeds and sunflower sprouts. Sprinkle the veggies with dulse flakes (optional).

How to cook basmati rice so it's fluffy not sticky:

Rinse rice several times until water runs clear. Drain well in a fine-mesh sieve. Melt clarified butter in a small pot over moderate heat, add rice and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Stir in water and salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until rice is tender and water is absorbed, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered for 5 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork.

Rice can be made 1 day ahead and cooled, uncovered and chilled in an airtight container.