tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-332876302024-03-19T06:51:37.283+01:00Cheap and healthy cookingThis blog is intended for simple and cheap, but healthy cooking. In this fast-food, fast-life age, cooking has become quite neglected virtue for a busy individual. Here I will post recipes and advice which don't hurt your wallet but are good for your health and well beeing. Your comments are welcome.Borishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904107737718366660noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33287630.post-9588071069705045182010-11-21T14:37:00.002+01:002010-11-21T15:21:34.922+01:00Veggie Tacos<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Since I've cut down the meat to minimum, I am always finding out new ways to substitute it. I love the Mexican food, so I tried how would textured soy protein (TSP) work in a taco filling. It turned out it works great!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">For 2 persons you will need:</span><br /><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><div style="overflow: hidden; background-color: transparent; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; border: medium none;"><p><i>For the Filling</i>:</p> <ul><li>1 onion, chopped</li><li>1 tomato, chopped or 2-3 Tbsp. tomato puree<br /></li><li>1 clove garlic, minced</li><li>100g of dry textured soy protein (TSP)<br /></li><li>1 Tbsp chili powder</li><li>1/2 tsp cumin</li><li>1/2 tsp oregano</li><li>a splash of light soy sauce<br /></li><li>1/2 of a red bell pepper, diced plus, if desired, one Jalapeño pepper, also diced</li></ul><span></span><span style="font-style: italic;">Other ingredients:</span><br />You will also need some <span style="font-weight: bold;">taco shells</span>, some <span style="font-weight: bold;">sliced vegetables</span> to garnish, and maybe some <span style="font-weight: bold;">grated cheese</span> to put on top of the tacos.<br /><br />You can also make a dressing for the vegetables. Just mix the following ingredients together (adding some water for the right consistency if needed):<br /><ul><li>1 Tbsp sour cream</li><li>1 tps olive oil</li><li>1 Tbsp vinegar</li><li>ground coriander</li><li>1/4 clove garlic, grated</li><li>salt and pepper<br /></li></ul><br /><br />First rehydrate the TSP by pouring a little boiling water over it, just enough so it soaks the water completely! Then sauté the diced peppers in a little oil. Meanwhile, turn the oven to 150 degrees Celsius. Remove the peppers to a plate, add a little bit more oil and fry the onions for a minute. Add the garlic and rehydrated TSP, stir and fry a bit, then add the cumin, oregano, chili powder and ground black pepper. Put the taco shells in the oven. Fry a bit more, then add a little bit of soy sauce. Again fry until the mixture gets a bit dry, then add the chopped tomatoes or the tomato pure. Cook for a little while, then check for seasoning. Add salt and pepper to taste. Also, if becoming too dry, add a splash of water, but not too much. The mixture should still be relatively dry.<br /><br />The taco shells should be heated by now, so take them out of the oven, put on a plate and stuff with the filling. Sprinkle some grated cheese inside and on top, arrange on a plate with sliced vegetables (cucumber, tomato, lettuce, ...), pour the dressing over the vegetables, and serve with some long grain rice.<br /><br />Enjoy!<br /></div></div>Borishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904107737718366660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33287630.post-31781581151340369812007-11-15T08:55:00.000+01:002007-11-15T09:09:19.785+01:00Simplest pasta everNow this is both a quick and simple yet very tasty recipe. You need just a few basic ingredients.<br /><br />Ingredients (for 2 persons):<br /><br />- 200g of pasta, whatever shape you like, but good quality<br />- 3-4 ripe tomatoes, depending on size<br />- 1-2 cloves of garlic<br />- 2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil<br />- handful of fresh basil leaves<br />- salt, pepper<br /><br />Brig a pot with enough water to boil, add salt and put the pasta in. While the pasta is cooking, chop the tomatoes into small chunks and mince the garlic. Heat the oil in the pan and fry the garlic on the high heat, very briefly, 15-20, just to release the aroma, do not let it brown. Then quickly add the tomatoes, add salt, pepper, fry for 30 seconds, add the basil, stir, and turn of the heat. The pasta should be cooked by now, so strain it and put it directly into the pan with tomatoes. Mix it all up, and serve with some freshly grated parmesan or grana padano cheese. It takes as long as you need to bring water to boil plus the cooking time for pasta.Borishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904107737718366660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33287630.post-31059086142499794152007-05-07T16:21:00.000+02:002007-06-28T09:36:15.059+02:00Spaghetti Bolognese - A Classic<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifXEa5OQkdyXdEDLbxdDiR_o4KrmXR21hDGaH1NJIe-qpYCZqTt8E9U5GMdxjQcxphIZD0luBgC1bsP__l1ScT8ThO9xj-5gx40hL0THXdJ-8gI_cPnlcSp7xHPcQ86jTAZeUA7w/s1600-h/bologn.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifXEa5OQkdyXdEDLbxdDiR_o4KrmXR21hDGaH1NJIe-qpYCZqTt8E9U5GMdxjQcxphIZD0luBgC1bsP__l1ScT8ThO9xj-5gx40hL0THXdJ-8gI_cPnlcSp7xHPcQ86jTAZeUA7w/s320/bologn.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5081015676832134738" /></a><br />This is a classic pasta dish, but many restaurants serve an awful version of this specialty. I am going to describe the way I do it, and I served it to many people who have been delighted by it.<br /><br />Ingredients (2 persons):<br /><br />- 180-200g of spaghetti (I use number 5 from Barilla)<br />- 200-250g of lean minced beef<br />- 20g-30g pancetta (optional, for richer flavor)<br />- 1 medium onion<br />- 1 can of tomatoes<br />- 1-2 cloves of garlic<br />- 1 dcl red or dry white vine<br />- some milk, a pinch of sugar<br />- rosemary, thyme, 1 bay leaf<br />- extra virgin olive oil<br />- couple of chopped sun-dried tomatoes (optional, for a richer flavor)<br /><br />Chop the onions and fry on some olive oil. If using pancetta, slice it up in small squares and add to the onions. Turn on the heat to max and add the minced beef. Fry while constantly breaking up the beef lumps, so the beef get nice and loose. Use a big pan and a very high heat so the meat fries and not steams. When beef has turned nice and brownish, add the chopped garlic, rosemary and a bay leaf, and fry for another 30 s, then add the wine. Cook until it evaporates then add the tomatoes and, if using, chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Be sure to save the oil, if using sun-dried tomatoes in oil. I is very rich in flavor, which you can use in many ways. I also add 3-4 tbsp of milk at this time and a pinch of sugar. <br /><br />Simmer for 30 minutes then check the consistency. The liquid should evaporate so that we have a nice thick ragout (meat sauce). Meanwhile cook the pasta al dente and strain. Mix well the 2/3 of the sauce with the spaghetti and some good olive oil. Place the pasta on the plates, and place the remaining 1/3 of the sauce on top. Serve garnished with some parsley and freshly grated parmesan cheese separately.Borishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904107737718366660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33287630.post-22429732348338837372007-01-22T16:10:00.000+01:002007-01-23T16:53:20.939+01:00Wholewheat Pasta With Spinach Pesto And Cherry Tomatoes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixkY9ajxUlmagGN6HdIe9MtW0CSXReVH_6CwT2HhpQIVomLN2sd0K_VQs_rdM1zLnpDV5Gz3CpA44XISh2TEmi8KVyRQh21JZYJzVZcGUGjVjIqAzIF8Pnom2kxi1j8UqIQ7NHmw/s1600-h/21012007_small.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixkY9ajxUlmagGN6HdIe9MtW0CSXReVH_6CwT2HhpQIVomLN2sd0K_VQs_rdM1zLnpDV5Gz3CpA44XISh2TEmi8KVyRQh21JZYJzVZcGUGjVjIqAzIF8Pnom2kxi1j8UqIQ7NHmw/s320/21012007_small.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5023254397685179154" /></a><br />This is a really simple but healthy dish. For pasta you can choose any shape of wholewheat, I used linguine, which are similar to spaghetti but more flat. <br /><br />Ingredients (2 persons):<br />- 200g of wholewheat pasta<br />- 100g of fresh young spinach<br />- 40g of freshly grated Parmesan cheese<br />- 1/2 clove garlic<br />- 8 cherry tomatoes<br />- olive oil<br />- a little lemon juice<br />- salt and pepper<br /><br />Boil enough water, put some salt in it and add the pasta. Meanwhile wash and dry the spinach leaves. Put the spinach, garlic, Parmesan, 1-2 Tbsp water from the pasta, and just a bit of lemon juice in a food processor and whizz to get a fine pure. Salt and pepper to taste. Also cut the washed cherry tomatoes in quarters. <br /><br />When the pasta is done (al-dente), drain it and put it back into the pot. Put in the cherry tomatoes quarters and the pesto. Toss everything so that all of the pasta gets covered with pesto. Serve garnished with a lemon slice.Borishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904107737718366660noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33287630.post-26973678011593628922007-01-15T09:28:00.000+01:002007-01-15T11:29:05.458+01:00Chili con Carne my wayThis is a simple but very tasty dish, and also quite healthy if lean beef is used. Meat substitutes like Textured Soy Protein (TSP) or seitan can also be used, but then it won't be Chili con <span style="font-weight:bold;">Carne</span>, but good anyway, especially if you add vegetarian smoked ham to add some flavour.<br /><br />Ingredients (4 persons):<br /><br />- 500g of minced lean beef (or the equivalent amount of prepared TSP/seitan plus some chopped vegetarian ham)<br />- 3 medium to large onions<br />- 2 cloves garlic<br />- 1 large carrot, chopped<br />- 1 tsp. cumin powder<br />- 2 tsp. oregano<br />- 2 cans of tomatoes<br />- 1 or 2 cans of kidney beans <br />- 10 sun dried tomatoes, soaked then finely chopped (optional, but nice)<br />- 300ml of beer<br />- 3 fresh chilies or a teaspoon of ground dry chilies (adjust the 'hotness' to taste)<br />- 2 tsp. of paprika powder<br />- a pinch of ground cinnamon<br /><br />First you chop the onions and fry on some olive oil. When the onion turns translucent add the chopped carrot, garlic, and sliced fresh chilies. Then turn on the heat and add the minced beef (or chopped veg. ham plus TSP/seitan). Add the cumin powder, chili powder (if not using fresh chilies), paprika powder, a pinch of ground cinnamon and chopped sun dried tomatoes (if using). <br /><br />Fry so that the meat turns slightly brown while constantly breaking up the lumps of meat, so that the minced meat gets separated. Pour in the beer and cook until the beer evaporates. Then put in both cans of tomatoes and both cans of beans and ad the oregano. Add a glass of water and cook for 45 minutes or until it reaches nice consistency. Stir occasionally.<br /><br />Serve in a deep plate with a Tbsp. of sour cream on top and some bread.Borishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904107737718366660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33287630.post-83060470392520339342007-01-02T13:06:00.000+01:002007-01-02T13:29:36.402+01:00Fried Rice With TunaI came up with this recipe, because I did not feel like going to the grocery store and had to improvise with things I had. So I used the following:<br /><br />Ingredients (2 persons):<br /><br />-180g long grain rice<br />-1 finely diced carrot<br />-2 small fresh green chilies (use chili powder as a substitute)<br />-1 clove of garlic<br />-1/2 tsp. of peppercorns (preferably mixed color)<br />-1 tsp. of coriander seeds<br />-1 tsp. of paprika powder<br />-1 small can tuna<br /><br />Cook the rice and the diced carrots in salted water, <span style="font-weight:bold;">slightly less than the time stated on the package (1 minute less, or <span style="font-style:italic;">al dente</span>).</span> While the rice is cooking, grind the peppercorns and coriander seeds. Remove the seeds from the chilies and chop them. Also chop the garlic. Now you have everything prepared. Wait until the rice is cooked and strain well. Fry both garlic and chilies for just 20-30s, then add the ground spices. Fry for further 20-30s and add the rice. Add the paprika powder and turn the heat on. Fry the rice as you constantly turn it over so that it gets fried well. This takes about 2 minutes.<br />Serve sprinkled with fresh coriander or chopped parsley.Borishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904107737718366660noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33287630.post-4605476574020945912006-12-18T17:48:00.000+01:002006-12-18T18:57:00.701+01:00Indian style potatoesIndian cooking also uses a lot of potatoes, which they spice up to a lovely dish.<br /><br />Ingredients (2 persons):<br />600-700g potatoes, cut into small cubes<br />2 large carrots, sliced<br />1 large onion, sliced into thin strips<br />2cm ginger root, finely chopped<br />2 cloves garlic, chopped<br />1 teaspoon Garam Masala (Indian spice powder - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garam_masala">Garam Masala</a>)<br />1/2 teaspoon Curry powder<br />Chili powerd (if desired)<br />200g tofu (pated dry with kitchen paper)<br /><br />Fry the onions on some vegetable oil until slightly brown and add the carrots, potatoes and ginger. Fry some more so that the potatoes start to get color. Add the garlic and spices. Briefly fry and stir around, but not to long, as you will burn the garlic. Pour in some water to cover everything, add a large pinch of salt, partially over and leave to cook on low heat until the water evaporates.<br /><br />Meanwhile cut the tofu in small cubes, sprinkle with salt and fry on some oil until crispy.<br /><br />If after the water has evaporated, the potatoes are not yet cooked, add some more water so that they cook through. Don't allow to become to dry at the end. Serve on a plate and place the fried tofu on top. Garnish with parsley.<br /><br />Plain yogurt goes well with this dish, especially if you use chili powder.<br /><br /><div class="adsense" style="padding: 0px 3px 0.5em; text-align: center;"><br /><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client="ca-pub-0594638123711867"; google_ad_width=468; google_ad_height=60; google_ad_format="468x60_as"; google_ad_type="text"; google_color_border="FFFFFF"; google_color_bg="FFFFFF"; google_color_link="FF6633"; google_color_url="FF6633"; google_color_text="FF9933"; //--></script><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"><br /></script><br /><br /></div>Borishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904107737718366660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33287630.post-38859145531872560002006-11-17T14:09:00.000+01:002006-11-17T20:15:11.827+01:00Jota (a type of stew)Jota (pronounced as in To-yota) is a Slovene (also Italian and Croatian) dish with 3 key ingredients: sauerkraut, beans and potatoes.<br />This is my version of this dish.<br /><br />Ingredients:<br /><br />200g dry borlotti or similar beans (or about 500g canned beans)<br />500g sauerkraut<br />500g potatoes, cubed<br />100g smoked bacon, chopped (skip if vegetarian)<br />1 large onion<br />2 cloves garlic, minced<br />2 bay leaves<br />1 large carrot, sliced<br />1 tea spoon some paprika powder<br /><br />If using dry beans, soak them over night, then pour the water away, add fresh water to the pot and cook until done. Put the sauerkraut on a colander and pour cold water over it then strain. Taste. If too sauer, repeat the procedure until the sauerkraut is not to sour.<br /><br />Chop the union and fry on some olive oil, then add the cubed ham and sliced carrot and fry a bit more. Add the garlic, fry for 10-20 seconds and add water. Next add the potatoes and sauerkraut. Add bay leaves, paprika and salt. Add also some more water if required. After 10 minutes add the beans. At the end thicken the 'jota'. You can do this by mashing couple of potato cubes or some beans or both. You can also thicken 'jota' with a mixture of flour and water pour in slowly.<br /><br />At the end add salt and pepper to taste and serve with bread.Borishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904107737718366660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33287630.post-1162760979905641562006-11-05T21:41:00.000+01:002006-11-05T23:08:16.950+01:00Simple warm saladThis salad is so simple and tasty you won't believe it. It also shows a good use of fresh herbs, in this case basil.<br /><br />Ingredients (2 persons):<br /><br />Tofu (200g)<br />Light soy sauce<br />2 mid-sized tomatoes<br />Feta cheese (60-70g)<br />String beans (frozen, 150g)<br />Red bell pepper<br />1 clove garlic<br />Small bunch of fresh basil<br />Couple slices of toast, preferably wholewheat<br />Mayonnaise (optional)<br />Olive oil<br />Ground black pepper, Salt<br /><br />Cut tofu in small cubes (about 1,5 cm) and marinate in soy sauce.<br />Cut the red bell pepper into chunks similar in size to the string beans. Fry the chopped garlic on some olive oil, then add the chopped bell pepper. Fry a bit so that it develops nice color and smell. Add the frozen beans. Fry some more, then add a bit of water. Frozen beans should be done in about 10 minutes.<br /><br />While this is cooking, first drain then fry the tofu in a separate pan until golden brown. Put the tofu on some kitchen paper to absorb the excess oil.<br /><br />After 10 minutes when water evaporates, add the sliced tomatoes. Fry some more and add the roughly shredded basil. Arrange on a large plate, on the top arrange the tofu, crumble the feta cheese, some more fresh basil leaves, season with ground black pepper and some more olive oil (you may also add a dash of balsamic vinegar).<br /><br />Serve with couple of slices of toast toped with some olive oil mayo.<br /><br />Enjoy!<br /><br /><div class="adsense" style="padding: 0px 3px 0.5em; text-align: center;"><br /><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client="ca-pub-0594638123711867"; google_ad_width=468; google_ad_height=60; google_ad_format="468x60_as"; google_ad_type="text"; google_color_border="FFFFFF"; google_color_bg="FFFFFF"; google_color_link="FF6633"; google_color_url="FF6633"; google_color_text="FF9933"; //--></script><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"><br /></script><br /><br /></div>Borishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904107737718366660noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33287630.post-1156441203511526332006-08-24T19:19:00.000+02:002006-08-25T19:29:26.750+02:00Pasta, rice, legumes - cheap but healthy<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">We eat too much meat (especially here in Slovenia) and the usuall 'meat with something on the side' prevails. Pasta is cheap, and wholegrain pasta is also not too expensive.</span><br /><br />For starters I will post a basic tomato sauce recipe, which is probably familiar to many.<br /><br />Ingredients (2 persons):<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">1 can tomatoes (400 g - cca. 100 SIT)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">1 small onion</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">1 clove garlic</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Herbs (basil, oregano, </span><span class="recipe">marjoram </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">, bay leaf, parsley - just one or a combination, according to wishes and taste)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Oil (preferably olive oil)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Salt, pepper</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">This is very simple. Chop the onion and fry it on some oil. Add chopped garlic and briefly fry. Add the tomatoes (you can chop them in the can with scissors or a knife). </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">If you are using dried herbs add them now. Season with salt and cook for 20-30 minutes. At the and add fresh herbs (if using) and a splash of olive oil.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Pour the sauce over pasta or rice, serve as a dipp (add chilly sauce to taste).</span><br /><br />You can vary the sauce in many ways. If you have any good ideas, please share them.<br /><br />Next time I will write about herbs.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </span>Borishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904107737718366660noreply@blogger.com1