Pad Thai italian way / Massa Pad Thai

Versao portuguesa mais abaixo

Pad Thai my Italian way :

I have never tried the real deal, but really wanted something a bit different today, so I reaserched the big interweb for some inspiration, I looked up for a simple version of this dish and I had all the ingredients, so this was my go at it 🙂

Cook your noodles, I had homemade Italian strozzapreti (which means strangled priest, what a weird name!) so I used that ones.
On a frying pan cook 1 clove of garlic,1 piece, small of fresh chili, 2 anchovies (or mix fish sauce with the soy sauce, further down) and a piece of ginger 1cm in olive oil (all has been processed on my food processor but you can chop it really finely, when it starts gaining color add 1 shredded carrot,1/2 a cup of chopped spring onions (i used just the green part) and 1 cup of peas, cook for 5 minutes in medium high heat. Add seafood mix ( you can use just prawns, chicken…) and let it cook for another 5 to 10m.
On a bowl add 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 heaped teaspoon of tamarind paste and 1 teaspoon of brown sugar, mix well and let it sit there while everything else is cooking.
Add the drained noodles (pasta) to the seafood, mix well. Add the soy and tamarind sauce and let it cook for a couple of minutes. Top with crushed peanuts It’s such a lovely dish! Have you ever tried Pad Thai?

Pad Thai feito a minha maneira com um toque italiano.

Cozinhar a massa que escolher, normalmente no Pad Thai usa-se massa de arroz, eu usei uma massa feita em casa italiana desta regiao que se chama Strozzapreti (que significa padre estrangulado, um nome bem curioso!). Nao cozinhar a massa demais porque depois vai continuar a cozinhar mais uns 5 minutos com omolho.
Numa frigideira colocar azeite, 1 dente de alho, 1cm de gengibre, um bocadinho de malagueta fresca (tudo picado muito pequenino) e 2 anchovas (se tiverem, senao pode-se usar molho de peixe e misturar com a soja, explico mais abaixo). Quando comecar a ganhar cor, juntar uma cenoura ralada, 1 taca de ervilhas e 1/2 taca de cebolinho picado, cozinhar durante 5m. Adicionar um misto de marisco (ou so’ camarao, ou marisco e cubinhos de frango…) e deixar cozinhar durante quase 10m ou ate cozinhado, dependendo do que se colocou dentro, carne demora mais tempo.
Numa taca misturar 3 colheres de sopa de molho de soja, se nao usou as enchovas colocar 2 colheres de sopa de molho de peixe, 1 colher de cha’ bem cheia de pasta de tamarindo e 1 colher de cha’ de acucar castanho, mexer bem e deixar de lado enquanto o resto cozinha.
Adiconar a masa escorrida ao marisco e mexer muito bem, adicionar o molho de soja e tamarindo e deixar coznhar durante 2 ou 3 minutos. Servir com amendoins picados. Delicioso e completamente adaptavel Bom almoco

Vegan hearty soup

Today’s lunch post Pilates class and 5km run was a soup Cook all the ingredients except the kale, for 30m and blend. Add the kale and 1/2 cup of quinoa and cook for a further 20m. Serve with seeds to up the protein intake The white frozen thing are butter beans, that have been sprouted and cooked. ❤

Depois da minha aula de pilates e uma corrida de 5km fiz uma sopa. Cozinhar todos os ingredientes excepto a couve, durante 30m e usar a varinha magica. Adicionar a couve e a quinoa e cozinhar durante 20m. Servir com sementes de canhamo por cima se quiserem mais proteina. Bom dia! –> aquela coisa branca congelada sao feijoes brancos que ja germinei e cozinhei.

Healthy and delicious French Toast !

Breakfast today, because only chocolate would do! French Toast with melted chocolate and pomegranate seeds Dip 2 slices of good bread in egg, milk (organic) cinnamon and honey and cook them in coconut oil. Set aside. In the same pan add 100% chocolate, milk, a bit of cocoa powder and a bit of honey, let it all melt and thicken, add a tiny bit of coconut oil to the mix. Assemble ;D chocolate is your filling. So Yum!

Rabanadas com molho de chocolate e roma para o pequeno almoço! Molhar 2 fatias de pao ( de sementes) em ovo e leite (biologicos de preferencia), canela e um bocadinho de mel. Cozinhar com oleo virgem de coco. Para o chocolate derreter chocolate preto 100% com um bocadinho de leite, cacau em pò, um bocadinho de mel e oleo de coco, deixar engrossar Colocar o chocolate derretido no meio das fatias e colocar as sementes de roma por cima.

Spinach omelette (but much better) with avocado salad <3

Tonight’s dinner was a simple spinach omelette with avocado salad  Fry onions with garlic and olive oil, add a few pieces of a spicy sausage, just to give flavor and some spice (easily removed – add chili flakes instead). Had spinach, I used the frozen one, really nice actually ( used 6 frozen balls, fresh use a whole bag)! Add some passata ( or tomato pure ), add a bit of salt, once defrosted (around 5 minutes, fresh 1 minute) add 8 beaten eggs and cook, finish the top part on the oven grill, so you don’t have to flip ( perfect omelette every time)  Serve with your favorite salad! 😀

O jantar de hoje : Omelete de espinafres com salada de abacate! Fritar a cebola com o alho em azeite , colocar um pouco de linguiça se desejar, se quiser uma ersao vegetariana, coloque simplesmente uns flocos de chili. Adicionar espinafres, eu usei congelado, mas fresco é igual  os congelados so necessitam de cozinhar uns 5 minutos extra. Colocar um bocado de polpa de tomate e cerveja ou vinho branco e deixar evaporar. Quando os espinafres estiverem bem descongelados,bater 8 ovos e juntar ao refogado. Adicionar um pouco de sal. Cozinhar bem, e quando so faltar a parte de cima colocar a frigideira debaixo do grill no forno, desta maneira terà sempre omeletes perfeitas! ^_^

Lovely homemade granola!! :D

Homemade granola recipe : ( the quantities are not very important)

200g of jumbo oats
1 courgette grated
1/2 cup of coconut oil
1 cup of peanut butter (or another not butter)
1/2 cup of sweet freedom, agave ( to each person taste)
1 cup of raisins
1 cup of seeds ( flax, sesame seeds, pumpkin, sunflower seeds, poppy seeds)
1 cup of natural whole organic yogurt

Melt coconut oil, sweet freedom and peanut butter. Mix all the ingredients together. Bake at 150 degrees for 40m or until golden brown. It sticks together a bit, just break with your fingers. Once cold store in a jar for a week. This ingredients can be changed for whatever you have at home, you can omit the yogurt and add avocado and some fruit juice instead!

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Receita de Granola : ( as quantidades nao sao muito importantes)

200 g de aveia
1 courgette ralada
1/2 chavena de oleo virgem de coco
1 chavena de manteiga de amendoim (ou outra manteiga de nozes)
1/2 chavena de mel, agave sweet freedom ( quantidade ao vosso gostol)
1 chavena de sementes( abobora, girassol,sesamo, linhaça e poppy)
1 chavena de iogurte natural biologico

Derreter a manteiga de amendoim com o oleo de coco e adoçante. Misturar os ingredientes todos. Aquecer o forno a 150 graus e cozinhar durante 40 minutos ou ate ficar dourado. Fica um bocado colado, mas desfaz-se em pedacinhos com as maos. Esta receita pode-se adaptar facilmente, usando os ingredientes que se tem em casa. O iogurte pode ser substituido por abacate e sumo de fruta.

Barley risotto with courgette and beef ^_^

Barley with courgette, cherry tomatoes and mince beef (lean). Soak the barley for at least 8 hours. Cook the ingredients as you would risotto. First garlic, onion, bay leave and live oil, after brown the meat, add the barley, let it fry a bit, add white wine, and finally water ,salt and pepper. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Enjoy a lovely healthy meal x

Graos de cevada cozinhada com courgette, tomates cereja e carne de vaca magra picada. Cozinhar o alho com a cebola, azeite e louro, adicionar a carne e deixar cozinhar um bocado, colocar a cevada e deixar por mais 5 minutos. Juntar vinho branco e deixar evaporar e em seguida adicionar a agua, sal e chili. Cozinhar em lume medio durante 15 a 20 minutos. Bom apetite! 🙂

Update on GF chocolate cake and berries, with avocado frosting!

Yesterday’s cake with frosting and pomegranate. Frosting : 1.5 avocados, 4 tablespoons of honey/sweet freedom/agave , 40grms of organic dark chocolate (powder) and 2 tablespoons of coconut butter melted. You can use a hand blender, very easy! Cake recipe – https://fionabluerecipes.wordpress.com/2013/10/16/gluten-and-dairy-free-chocolate-and-raspberry-cake/

O bolo de ontem com cobertura de chocolate e roma. Para a cobertura : 1.5 abacates, 4 colheres de sopa de mel/agave/sweet freedom, 40 gramas de chocolate preto em pò, 2 colheres de sopa de oleo de coco (azeite tambem deve dar, mas talvez tenha que se aumentar o mel). Fiz com a varinha magica, é mesmo delicioso, nunca ninguem adivinharia que é feito com abacate e nao manteiga. Receita do bolo – https://fionabluerecipes.wordpress.com/2013/10/16/gluten-and-dairy-free-chocolate-and-raspberry-cake/

Pumpkin bars and tea ^_^

For this delicious pumpkin bars you will need :

1. 1 can or jar of pumpkin puree
2. 500g of oats
3. 1 cup of raisins
4. 1 cup of chopped nuts
5. 1 egg
6. Orange juice in case you find it too dry
7. 1 heaped tablespoon of cinnamon
8. 1 tablespoon of mixed spices like ginger/cloves/cardamon
9. 1 cup of barley flakes (optional)
10. 1 cup of olive oil or any other like coconut or rapeseed
11. Sugar ( if so melted a bit with the oil, but not very hot) honey/sweet freedom

Mix  everything together until all the dry ingredients are perfectly coated. Put some greased  baking paper (olive oil) on a tray and put the mixture in.

Pre heat the oven at 150 degrees Celsius and cook for around 50m or until golden and dry.

Love xx

Quinoa, squid and squash salad!

Tonight’s dinner was a light, colorful salad. I just baked the squash, which I have to say that it takes an awful amount of time, 1h30m at least, should have cut it into smaller pieces! Cooked the quinoa, as I cook rice, first with a bit of garlic and olive oil and after adding water 1 part quinoa for 2 of water. Grilled the squid and cut the veggies. Once the cooked ingredients were cold/lukewarm  I plated, and that’s it! Really nice dinner 😉

Inside the squash, just like pumpkin, there are some seeds, which I baked with some salt and pepper and sprinkled on top of the salad, really tasty at no extra cost 😀

Quinoa : Is a seed ofa plant which belongs to the spinach family. it contains amino acids, enzymes, vitamins, minerals, fibre, antioxidants and phytonutrients. Is close to being one of the most complete foods in nature. Prevents and treats artherosclerosis, breast cancer, diabetes and insulin resistence.

And after dinner the family had ice cream,because we can’t be just very healthy 😉

What are your favorite’s quinoa dishes?

Take care a nd have a good week x

( Not so) Naughty Carrot Cake!

This week I bought 3 cookbooks to get inspired, all 3 quite healthy cookbooks. And as I was looking at a carrot cake recipe I remember how much I used to love carrot cake when I was back home, in Portugal. But mind you that is not the cake that you get over here, the one that you can see all the carrot bits and has the white frosting, which I hate, It’s the smooth bright orange one! As always I didn’t follow any specific recipe, I look at 4 or 5 recipes of the same thing and combine according to my taste, and this was the result :

The ingredients :

2 cups of flour (used organic self rising white)

3/4 cup plain organic yoghurt

1/3 rapeseed oil

4 eggs

5 medium carrots

1 tablespoon of baking powder

1/2 cup of sugar (used yellow unrefined)

Honey to taste, maybe 1/2 cup

Pinch of salt

For the icing:

half a packet of Black&Green 70% chocolate

4 Table spoons of cocoa powder

1/3 cup of skimmed organic milk

1 teaspoon of butter

Peel carrots and boil until soft. Put in a blender with oil,yoghurt and blend until smooth. Add eggs and blend a bit more.

In a bowl mix flour, salt, baking powder,  add the wet mixture and combine.

Coat the baking tray with some kind of oil/butter and flour and pour the raw cake in.

Bake at 180 degrees for about 40m.

In bain-marie combine the icing ingredients and let them melt gently for about 10m until shiny and thick.

Take the cake out of the baking tray and spread the chocolate icing…

Enjoy! I can tell you it taste absolutely amazing, and I think it’s not so bad for you! In fact it was my dinner with a nice cup of white tea. I did a body conditioning class just before, so I deserve it 😀

Take care xx