Lemon Cream Cheese Loaf

Weekend baking has the best results. I have time for it, I am in the mood for it and I will not only pay attention to details but indulge in them.
This cake is a result of such weekend. I didn’t even plan to bake anything. The weather has spoiled my plans for Sunday so I had to stay the whole day at home. But thanks to this, here it is... lazy weekend yeast cake.
I doesn't take so much work to prepare this cake, but it takes few hours to make it. It's really worth all this time you need to wait for this cake.

Ingredients for the cake layer:

• 1,5 bread flour
• 30g yeast
• 4 tbsp warm milk
• 3 tsp sugar
• 100g butter, melted
• 1 egg
• pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon zest

Ingredients for the creams cheese layer:

• 250g cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 tbsp sugar with vanila
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp strawberry jam

Instructions:

In mixing bowl, combine yeast, 2 tbsp flour, sugar and warm milk. Leave it for 30 mins. 
After that time, in a bowl combine flour, egg, salt, lemon zest. Add yeast mixture and combine.  
Knead the dough for 5 to 7 minutes, gradually adding melted butter,  until smooth and elastic.
Place dough in lightly oiled bowl and turn to grease top. Cover; let rise until dough tests ripe, approximately 90 minutes.

To prepare filling, combine all ingredients together.

After 90 minutes, punch down dough.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to a rectangle.
Spread the cheese filling lengthwise over center of dough. Put jam on cheese.
Cut the edges of the dough.

Wrap the dough as on the picture.

Cover the cake and let it rise for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 170 °C.

Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Cool on wire rack

Enjoy!

Creamy Avocado Dip

This healthy Creamy Avocado Dip is simple to make and is great for parties or snack time. This dip is great with tortilla tips, cut up veggies, or even great as a sandwich spread.

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe avocado, peeled and seeded
• 125g white cheese
• 2 tbsp yogurt
• 2 tbsp chopped dill
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp flaxseed

Instructions:

Place the avocado, white cheese, yogurt, dill and lemon juice in a blender or food processor. Mix until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Scrape dip into a serving bowl. Sprinkle with flaxseed. Serve with pita or tortilla chips, cut up veggies, rice cakes s or bread.

Enjoy!

Chickpea Tomato Muffins

Looking for a tasty and healthy lunch? Then I've got something for you. Try this easy chickpea muffins with dried tomatoes.

Ingredients:

• 250 g cooked chickpeas
• 1 tbsp of tomato paste
• 6 dried tomatoes
• 1 tsp mixed herbs
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp sweet pepper
• a pinch of salt and ground black pepper

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 180°C.
Blend chickpeas and eggs together.
Add spices, tomato paste and baking powder. Mix it well.
Cut dried tomatoes into small pieces. Combine them with the chickpea mixture.
Scoop batter into muffin tin. 
Bake 20 minutes.

Pack muffins with fresh tomatoes in the lunchbox.

Enjoy!

Millet Pâté With Egg

This is great vegetarian pâté for Easter.
It's perfect for Monday Easter breakfast.

Ingredients:

• 200 g millet groats
• 4 carrots, grated
• 1 parsley root, grated
• 1/2 celery root, grated
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon sweet red pepper
• 1 teaspoon smoked sweet red pepper
• 1 teaspoon marjoram,
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• pepper, salt
• olive oil
• 3 hard-boiled eggs, cut into 4

Instructions:

Prepare millet according to the instructions on the package.
In a large pan heat olive oil. Add onions and garlic. Fry until gold and soft.
Add grated vegetables to onions.
Add seasoning, salt, pepper and tomato paste. Fry until all vegetables are soft.
Blend cooked millet until smooth.
Add cooked vegetables and blend all together until smooth. 
At the bottom of the baking mold (20 cm) put few tablespoons of the millet mixture. Put eggs and cover with the remaining millet.
Bake 45 minutes in a preheated oven at 180 degrees.

After removing leave it to cool. 
It tastes best the next day.

Enjoy!

Oven Roasted Topinambur

Topinambur (or Jerusalem artichoke) is my newest discovery. It actually has a quite sweet taste but has a GI of only 10. The sugars of the Jerusalem artichoke are stored as inulin which is not being absorbed by the body at all. Therefore the sugars do not result into an increasing blood sugar level. What's more they contain magnesium, kalium and iron, which makes them more healthy. The good point also is that you don’t need to peel the Jerusalem Artichoke and the boiling time is only 5-10 minutes, roasting time is 15-17 minutes which makes it easy and quick to prepare. You can use the Jerusalem Artichoke as a replacement for boiled or baked potato in every dish. 
I baked topinambur with herbs. If you have your favourite dish with this vegetable, please share with me.

Ingreditens:

• 500g Topinambur 
• 2 tbsp chili olive oil
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp smoked-dried pepper powder
• 3 tsp mixed herbs 
• salt

Ingredients:

Preheat the oven to 180 ˚C.
Brush the Jerusalem Artichokes but don’t peel them. Cut them into thin slices.
In a casserole dish mix sliced topinambur, olive oils, salt and herbs. Mix all together with your hands.
Bake for 17-20 minutes in the oven.


Enjoy!

Deep Fried Camembert with Cranberries

This easy deep fried camembert recipe is quick to cook and easy to make, and tastes very delicious with cranberry jam and fresh salad! Eat it as a starter or a quick snack.

Ingredients:

• 1 large camembert
• 1 beaten egg
• 70g white breadcrumbs
• 50g dried breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup of oil for deep frying

Instructions:

Place the egg and breadcrumbs into 2 separate bowls. Dredge the Camembert in the egg and then coat with the breadcrumbs. Repeat the process until the camembert is fully coated.

Heat the oil in a large pan until hot. 

When the oil is hot, deep-fry the breaded Camembert for 1-2 minutes or until crisp and golden.

Allow to drain on kitchen paper.

Serve with cranberry jam and a fresh salad.

Enjoy!

Sunday Breakfast - Fruits with Yoghurt

It doesn't take so much time to prepare healthy breakfast on Sunday morning.
That's my today's breakfast.

Ingredients:

• 1 banana, sliced
• 1 kiwi, sliced
• 3 tbsp yoghurt
• 1 tsp sunflower seeds
• 1 tsp homemade blackcurrant jam

Instructions:

Place banana and kiwi in a small bowl.
Add yoghurt, sunflower seeds and jam.


What did you have for breakfast today?