Showing posts with label #recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #recipes. Show all posts

Monday, November 19, 2018

4 Healthy Recipes For Your Holiday Table 😋


Vegan Green Lentil Balls


Ingredients:
2 cups green lentils (cooked in water and cooled)
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp dry thyme
A handful of parsley (chopped)
1/2 tsp red flake pepper
1 clove garlic (minced)
1 onion (grated)
1/2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 cup oatmeal breadcrumbs
2-3 tbsp olive oil

Oatmeal flour to coat

Put all of the ingredients together (except flour) and kneed with your hands. Better to let it stand for 20-25 minutes in the fridge.
Use a scoop (dusted with flour) to shape each ball. Spread some flour on a tray. Roll them, shaking the tray. I use a large tray which is easier to shake and cover them with flour.
Heat the skillet on medium heat. Add one spoon of oil and brown balls until golden brown, shaking the skillet and using a wooden spatula to roll the balls around. Serve with pasta sauce! Healthy, tasty and fun to make! Kids will love it 💕A good way to make them eat lentil.

Easy Seedy Savory Cake With Herbs 🌿



Ingredients:
A handful of dill (chopped)
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup oil
1 1/2 cup rye flour
1/2 cup grated feta cheese/ or shredded tofu
3 tbsp yogurt/or soy yogurt
1 egg (For vegan version, 1 tbsp chia seed+ 1 tbsp warm water instead)
1 tsp baking powder
Sesame, flax seeds, black seeds

Mix your main dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder) in a bowl and set them aside. Mix egg, yogurt, oil and add the dry ingredients. Add dill, thyme and cheese using a spatula to gently push them to the sides to make it well. Transfer the dough into a small Pyrex dish (greased with oil).
I prefer to use a glass dish for this cake and greasing with oil instead cooking spray) Sprinkle with seeds and bake for ~25-30 minutes at 350 F (175-180 C). Let it cool. Enjoy your tea or coffee with a slice anytime. Also makes a delicious breakfast! 👍

Ginger-Cinnamon-Apple Almond Cookies



Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup blanched almond flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
3 tbsp coconut sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1 apple(peeled and grated)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Pinch of kosher salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
(For vegan version, 1 tbsp chia seed+ 1 tbsp warm water instead)

Put all the ingredients adding only 1 tablespoon of grated apple in a bowl and make a cookie dough. Make small balls and press them just a bit in your palm and place on a prepared cookie sheet. Top with grated apple each cookie. Bake them at 325 F/ 170 C for 13~15 minutes. Let it cool. These easy and delicious cookies make your house smell like cinnamon!! Happy Holidays!

Stuffed Pepper With Bulgur -Lentil and Basil



Ingredients:
6 green pepper (cut off the tops and set aside after washed)
Filling;
1 cup green lentil (washed and rinsed)
1 cup bulgur wheat (washed and rinsed)
A handful of dill and basil (chopped)
1 onion (chopped)
1 tomato (grated)
1 clove garlic(minced)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp turmeric
3 tbsp olive oil
Boiling water

Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil. Add lentils and bulgur; keep sautéing for 5 more minutes. Add the rest of the filling ingredients and saute a couple of minutes more. Add a cup of boiling water and cook until lentils and bulgur softened. Put aside.
Spoon into peppers and cover each with the top of peppers. Place them in a pot and add boiling water ( don't cover the peppers). You might need to add more salt. Cook until the peppers have softened. Allow to cool. Put the peppers onto the service plate. This is a tasty and healthy dish to add your Thanksgiving tables🙏 Enjoy!
Happy Holidays!

Sunday, March 15, 2015

My mom's fava beans recipe

My lovely mom passed a month ago, actually today is the 36th day. It was and still is painful. Accepting that she is not sitting next to me when i am cooking anymore..she can't peel the veggies to make them ready to cook..and can't taste it and say 'oh,oh..oh ellerine sağlık yoncacım..harika olmuş! 'means it tastes delicious' and it is a bit of a loose translation, honestly it is hard to translate some sayings. 'Eline sağlık' literally it means' health to your hands' Turkish people use it a lot for food.

My mom used to make this recipe every spring ones in a year. Last year we made it together. It's kinda a mom tradition. She asked just a few days ago before she died if i got broad beans, but i didn't. I feel sorry i could't make it. Last week i saw broad beans and remind me my mom like so many things did in the kitchen.

I cooked it this spring again but without my lovely mom.

If it is not your first visit, you probably know, how i like the kitchen, cooking, playing with food! We all had a different childhood experiences. Mine is full of kitchen stories and so many memories with my mom, my dad my sisters, my brother, nieces, nephews, whole family and friends!

'...
Goodbye's the saddest word I'll ever hear
Goodbye's the last time I will hold you near
Someday you'll say that word and I will cry
It'll break my heart to hear you say goodbye
Till we meet again until then goodbye.
--
(R.J. Lange)



My mom's Fava Beans with Dill Recipe (Zeytinyaglı Bakla)

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Ingredients
1.5 pound fresh fava /broad beans(in their pods)
1 big onion (chopped finely)
1/3 cup olive oil
Juice of half a lemon
A handful of dill
1 cup plain yogurt
2 gloves garlic(chopped finely)
(1 glove is for yogurt sauce)
Mix yogurt with garlic and put aside.
Top, tail and string broad beans

Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil. Add the broad beans, salt, the lemon juice and stew gently, stirring occasionally. Add some chopped fresh dill and a cup of boilling water from the kettle) Smir and cook until the pods are tender (15-20 mins) Garnish a spoon of  garlic-yogurt sauce(or more) and with the reserved dill.

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Rest in peace my lovely mom..
thank you for everything you teached me!
Miss you!!

Friday, November 21, 2014

Cheese Meatballs for Cheese Monsters :-)


Everything is even more tasty with cheese. It makes us happy! Even if we hear the word ' Say Cheese', we put on our smiles, right?? :-) Only thinking of cheese alone makes me smile..
Yes, I' m the one! The Cheese Monster and I'm so thankful to God for the enjoyable tastes of our lives ! Do you like meatballs? What about cheese meatballs?


1 pound ground beef (90 % lean)
1 small onion(finely chopped)
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs (I had a few dry bread slices leftover, grated and used them)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (More cheese? Why not? Also. spreed some cheese on top of the sauce while serving)
1/2 tsp salt,
1/4 tsp pepper
1 glove garlic(minced) or 1/4 tsp garlic powder


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Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.  Shape into balls.
Bake for 25 min (400 F- 210 C) Until no longer pink inside.

Aria loves to eat them without sauce.


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With or without sauce, we all love cheese meatballs.
This year we'll have cheese meatballs instead roasted turkey.

Have a delightful Thanksgiving everyone!!


More ideas for Thanksgiving food:

Homemade pumpkin dessert
Pumpkin Bread
Pumpkin dessert with coconut cookies
Traditional Turkish Pumpkin Dessert 'Kabak Tatlısı'
Chocolate cream pie
Easy potato salad
Cheesy cauliflower

Use the search box on the side bar for more recipes. Thanks for stopping by!


'yonca is cooking'  easy recipes&easy life
                   7 years old !!! 


Friday, September 26, 2014

Broiled Chicken with Peach_Mushroom Sauce

8 chicken breast
3 peaches(one cubed peaches to add to the grated peaches)
1 lemon (grated peel and juice of a lemon)
1/2 cup mushroom (sliced)
1 tsp honey
2 tsp cider vinegar
1 tsp mustard,
3 tbsp olive oil,
salt, pepper,

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Saute mushroom slices in a saucepan and add rest of the ingredients to the pan except chicken.
Bring a boil. Simmer until peaches are soft.

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                      I love the peaches give a wonderful flavor to the chicken.

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                               Turkish rice pilav with chickpeas! My dad's favorite!

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Basicly grill/ or broil chicken breast cuts brushing both sides with the sauce. Cook until no longer pink in the center. Serve with adding more sauce.
After grilled chilcken day, most of the time, our next day lunch is a green salad using leftover chicken on top! Oh, love that!

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Just before serving the dinner..Life is enjoyable!
Wonderful woderful life..

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D & R visit after dinner


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Since I have more peaches before saying good bye to summer, I made also a basic peach sauce for desserts using cinnamon, corn starch and vanilla extract. 

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Next day brunch..French toast with peach sauce, vanilla ice-cream. 
It is almost October. I think in Long Island, 60-65 F degrees. 
Izmir is a hot city. Today was 80 F degrees here.
A great modern city for having a summer house.
BTW, if you are interested in buying a house in Turkey guys, here is a good example which is on sale from the owner in famous Cesme, Izmir

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For more info call 90 0533 220 2173 Also feel free to contact me!

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Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Oh, no! Summer, don't go! Recipe/ Cinnamon Lemonade

I've been using skype for years to connect with  people from my family and friends far away. Last year I started to chat with my son during work hours. Sometimes he forgets the time if he is gaming. So, I need to remind him, some stuff.
This morning he accidently wrote to me at his group chat window. He noticed in a moment and opened another chat window.
-Aria, take a shower..(me)
-In a sec
After half hour. I just clicked his name to see the chat window though...and typed again

- Aria...showerrrrrr!
He answered me in caps !
MOM DONT TALK IN THAT CHAT
MOM OMG!
-Sorryyyyyyyyy, my mistake ..soo sorry ..

I didn't notice how it happened but I was in their chat window with his friends..
It must be embarrassing for an 12 years old boy though..I know..still sorry about that..
Anyway, Skype is part of our lives each day.
Do you use Skype often?

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I love lemon!! Lemon scent as a air freshner, love it as a flavor for cooking and baking, especially for fish and chicken. Lemon scent certainly uplifts our mood and stimulates the nervous system. For me lemon is a must! Also I love how they look on the counter. Fresh lemon comes first but also preparing some lemon flavor for later use would be very helpful.

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Whenever I grate lemon peel, use some and freeze rest of it in a ziploc. Freezing lemon slices to add your water also gives a wonderful flavor to your water, tea, soda..

Yes, September is at the corner but I don't feel like summer is over yet...lol!!! I need to smell cinnamon. Maybe the delicious scent and taste of cinnamon helps me welcome autumn this year :)

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Simply put a couple of (or only one) cinnamon sticks in a boiling water. Keep it simmering 20-25 minutes. Smells good It also helps removing cooking odors from your home.

Okeeeyyy..I think I am ready for fall :) Hmmmm... actually,  a glass of low calorie lemonade would be good for now! What about cinnamon lemonade?

Low Calorie Cinnamon Lemonade

    2 cups water 
    Juice of 2 lemons.
    Honey or Splenda to taste
      Mix the ingredients and garnish with lemon slices and cinnamon sticks. Serve with ice cubes. Today no ice cubes for me. I have a bit of sore throat. If you have boiling water with cinnamon sticks, just add some to your lemonade. Heavenly!!!


Yummy homemade lemonade is ready!
Mmm..I am somewhere beetween summer breeze and autmn leaves!
Niiiiice!!!

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                                                                        Welcome Fall!

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Purslane-egg topped bread slices

One slice bread-topped full of Omega 3- protein, would be good enough to keep you full and provide a well balanced meal!!
Most of you guys know, the kitchen is my fun point, I also love the creativity of food. Allows me to combine west and east food culture..searching, sometimes replacing the ingredients with healthier ones,..creating and sharing my own recipes on this blog. It is the most enjoyable part of my life!. I try to keep my recipes easy, don't like time killer recipes at all!!..

A yummy egg- purslane recipe you can prepare anytime!

Purslane is a tasty and a rich source of omega-3's. Even your kids would love these healthy and delicious breads!!
Ingredients
A bunch of purslane leaves
4 eggs
1 small tomato(crushed)
1 small onion (finely chopped)
2 gloves garlic (crushed)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 teaspoon butter
4 slices of wholegrain bread
Salt, pepper

Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil.
Add the purslane leaves and the crushed tomatoes to the skillet.
Cook untill it just changes color.
Sprinkle a pich of salt and pepper over it.

Break 4 large eggs on the top of the mixture. Cover the skillet and simmer gently untill the eggs are set to your liking, (about 4 muites for runny yolks) 

Transfer each eggs with the mixure onto bread slice.

On the skillet, melt, a teaspoon of butter and litely toast the whole grain bread slices (one side only). Place the eggs and puslane mixture onto each bread slices..I served with banana slices a touch of strawberry jam on them.

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Delicious, easy and healthy! If you decide to give this recipe a try and if you come with a question,feel free to contact me!

Happily chat to you on FB or shoot me an email :)

I have so many recipes than I could share for 8 years guys! Working hard lately to post often! Happy Wednesday and thank y'all!

Friday, April 4, 2014

Cheeesy Zucchini Casserole with Pepperoni

3 zucchini (shredded)
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1 medium carrot(shredded)
1/2 cup milk
1/2cup tomato sauce
2 cups of mozzarella (shreeded) or shredded Mozzarella-Cheddar-Feta(optional) mix
pepperoni slices,
fresh dill (chopped)
3 gloves garlic (crushed)
dry mint, pepper,salt, oregano to taste,

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Beat the eggs, cheese, chopped dill, dry mint, salt, pepper, oregano, garlic, scallions, carrot and zucchini. Mix the ingredients. Layer the combination of a 9x13' pan, greased with olive oil.
(I used a  pyrex dish)

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If you'd like to add cheddar cheese, makes it more tasty and
This is a excellent way to use fresh zucchini.

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Mix milk and tomato sauce in the  measurement cup and pour all over the mixture.

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 Bake for 35-40 minutes at 350F.(180C)

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 Add peppperoni slices and sprinkle extra mozzarella cheese over on the top at the last 15-20 minutes.

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I served it with spaghetti as usual.
I was thinking it would be good enough for 6 but not even a bite left after the four of us :)

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Have a tasty weekend everyone!

Thursday, March 6, 2014

A Quick and Easy Sunday Salad

I’m a huge salad and soup lover! If you are new to my blog maybe you haven't noticed yet but even my button is a bowl of soup ;) Do you like mushroom??? Here is the recipe; Cream of Mushroom Soup on yonca is cooking. Whenever I make this soup, my family and friends love it. Hope you like it too!


Sundays usually after a huge breakfast or early lunch, we have an early dinner. I prefer to cook soup and salad especially if we had alcohol drink one night before. Drinking can make it difficult to digest food and absorb vital nutrients.

Mmmm...our bodies need soup and s a l a d !!!

A bowl of warming  soup is the best for comforting a stomack. Also a colorful salad helps filling your bodies with full of vitamins. Powerfull! Vitamin C speeds up the metabolism of the alcohol by the liver. So, your stomach will thank you!!!

Here is a salad idea with red cabbage, rich source of Vitamin C and Vitamin E, is also cholesterol-lowering.

RED CABBAGE / POTATO SALAD

6 potatoes (peeled, cubed after boiled)
3 scallions (sliced)
  a quarter of a small red cabbage(shredded)
  red wine vinegar, olive oil, pepper and salt
 I garnised it with a few olive on top after took the shot.

When making this salad, cutting and tossing the veggies, dressing together, I feel like making an art!
The beauty of purpple makes me feel calm, serene and happy :)
I am curious what your favorite salad is??

Powerful! Delicious! Easy!
Enjoy the colors!!

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Cream of Cauliflower Soup


This is one of my old posts published in 2008. I made this delicious and healthy soup again and took another pic of it. Just updated. (Cream of Cauliflower Soup/ Kremalı Karnıbahar Çorbası)

"I tasted cauliflower soup for the first time two days ago in Rockefeller Center Cafe. It was delicious. My son, Aria doesn't like this veggie but he likes this soup. Cauliflower has a very strong scent though. 
Yesterday, I ran to Stop & Shop to get cauliflower and create my own recipe. If you squeeze a little lemon, it is possible to cook cauliflower smelling. Vinager also has the ability to neutralize the cauliflower's odor.



Ingredients;
1 small cauliflower head(cored and roughly chopped)
3 cups chicken broth
1 onion (grated)
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1 cup plain yogurt
Fresh lemon juice
1 glove garlic(minced)
2 tbsp butter
A dash of cayenne pepper,
Mint flakes, salt

Bring cauliflower and  chicken broth to a boil in a large pot. Add onion, garlic and lemon juice. Allow cauliflower to simmer until soft.

Blend in a food processor until smooth.

Meanwhile, mix yogurt, milk, flour and salt. Add to the mixture.
Stir and cook for 10 minutes.

Heat the butter in a small saucepan. Add the spicy mix. Drizzle the spicy butter on top.

Serve immediately and an appetite for something really wonderful!
This is a perfect comfort food for the whole family. Enjoy!"

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