Delicious maple roasted sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts / Batata doce e couve de bruxelas assadas no forno com xarope de acer

English Version :

Another beautiful day in Italy, absolutely stunning blue skies and calm sea, as I went with my partner to a long walk this morning. We are trying to get enough vitamin D for the winter (yes, the cold weather here is going to get much worse) 🙂

I have been practicing yoga consistently around 2 hours a day, spread between morning and night. I’m feeling good with myself, my life and others, when one is able to focus and be grateful, life gets better, or simply we give up complaining so much and just realize that we are blessed after all 🙂

Onto food now! This amazing roasted veggies were our lunch alongside some spiced rice, I can’t describe how good they were.

For the roast veggies cut 1 big sweet potato in 1cm slices and then halve them, there is no need to peel them as the skin is very nutritious, just make sure to wash it well, all the veggies. Cut the little end of the brussels sprouts and halve them, chop some carrots in thin stripes and slice 2 onions, add a couple of garlic cloves, olive oil, sea salt, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, dry chili, paprika, black pepper and oregano and mix all together, coating all the veggies. Bake a tray with baking paper and bake the vegetables on a pre heated oven for 50m at 190/200C . It should be cooked through, soft and caramelized.

The rice was very simple. Wash your rice 3 or 4 times. On a pan add olive oil, 1 clove of garlic, 2 bay leaves, half a teaspoon of turmeric, half a teaspoon of cumin seeds and half a teaspoon of oregano, let it fry until garlic is golden. Add a cup of rice (like a normal size mug) let it fry for a few minutes, add some white wine and let it cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, add 2 mugs of water (maybe a bit less like 1/3 less of the 2nd mug) and add some sea salt. Let it boil, when boiling put the heat to the minimum cover with lid and let it cook for 10 to 15m (depends on pan, etc, keep an eye, when you can’t see water turn off and leave the lid on for another 5m).

Serve together, such a nice winter meal, couldn’t wish for better!

Yesterday I spent the day buying and making beautiful (or at least I hope) Christmas baskets to give as presents, I love giving presents, especially this ones as are food related 😉 but going to the shops is so stressful,full of people in a rush, not good..

Have you finished your presents yet?

Love,

Sandrina

Versao Portuguesa :

Hoje estava mais um dia lindo para fazer uma caminhada, entao la fomos dizer ola’ ao mar 😉 E’ importante estarmos ao sol o maximo de tempo que pudermos no inverno por causa da vitamina D. A nossa caminhada ainda foi longa de 1 hora e meia, entao ja fiquei feliz. Tambem tenho andado a practicar yoga consistentemente, por volta de 2 horas por dia, oque me tem deixado num bem estar total, tanto fisico, porque sinto o meu corpo muito mais flexivel e forte, mas tambem ajuda a ver a vida de uma forma mais positiva e bela, temos de dar “mais graças” e resmungar menos, eu tenho muita sorte e sabe-lo deixa-me feliz 🙂

Mas agora e’ tempo da receita, vamos la :
Estes vegetais sao um bocadinho doces, mas nada exagerado e combinam muito bem com o arroz que e’ aromatico e maravilhoso, eu adoro arroz, por isso nao ha’ como errar.

Lavar bem todos os vegetais, cortar as 2 cebolas (usei uma branca e uma roxa), 1 batata doce grande (500grs, se nao tiverem batata normal tambem fica bom), tudo as rodelas, cortar 2 cenouras as tirinhas fininhas e cortar o caule da couve de bruxelas e corta-las ao meio (eu nao descasquei nada, so lavar mesmo bem, basta). Colocar tudo num recipiente e adicionar 2 dentes de alhos cortados em 2 ou 3 pedaços, azeite, sal grosso, pimentao doce, sementes de cuminhos (ou po’), 2 colheres de xarope de acer (quem nao tiver pode usar mel ou melaço), chili seco, pimenta preta e oregaos (secos), misturar tudo muito bem e levar ao forno pre aquecido a 190/200C durante 50m, mexer a meio. Eu costumo colocar papel vegetal antes de colocar os vegetais na travessa de ir ao forno, e’ melhor para limpar e nao se ataca. Depois deste tempo os vegetais devem estar bem cozidos e a caramelizar, principalmente as couves de bruxelas, devem ter uma cor um bocadinho acastanhada.

O arroz e’ muito simples. 1o lavar o arroz 3 ou 4 vezes. Colocar azeite, alho, 2 folhas de louro, 1/2 colher de cha’ de açafrao das indias, 1/2 colher de cha’ de sementes ou po’ de cuminhos, 1/2 colher de cha’ de oregaos secos e deixar fritar ate o alho ganhar cor. Adicionar uma caneca de arroz e deixar fritar mais um bocadinho, quando começar a agarrar colocar um bocado de vinho branco, mexer bem e deixar evaporar. Adicionar a agua (depende do arroz, mas para arroz normal, nao de risotto) 2 canecas de agua (menos um bocadinho 1/3), adicionar sal grosso a gosto e deixar ferver. Quando começar a ferver, tapar e colocar em lume brando. Cozinhar durante 10 a 15m (ateì a agua toda ser absorvida). Nao destapacar logo. Deixar assim pelo menos 5 minutos, para acabar de absorver a agua e cozinhar mais um bocadinho.

Depois e’ so servir, e’ delicioso e satizfaz bastante, tem sabores interessantes e nao deixa a desejar por carne nenhuma vos garanto 😉

Como vao esses presentes? Eu ontem ja fi os meus cabazes de Natal, estao giros, mas ainda nao acabei vou fazer umas bolachinhas caseiras para adicionar, mas isso so faço dia 23 🙂

Sandrina x

Best Dal / Dahl ever! Delicious lentils dish :) Estufado de lentilhas

Versao portuguesa mais abaixo 🙂

Best Dahl ever! But before just let me know that I finally bought my camera on amazon, so from next week no more bad quality pictures, yay! Now on to the recipe, this dish is amazing, really tasty and filling, can be eaten with bread, rice or by itself, it can be made heavier or lighter according to the amount of fat used. I kept mine quite low. This dish requires a few spices, but you can always adapt to suit your taste or pantry. This recipe serves 3 if served with rice, or 2 (that eat a lot, like me) if by itself.

-250grs of brown lentils soaked overnight (or yellow, red or black, but adjust cooking time)
-200grs of black beans,or kidney, white… (have been previously soaked and cooked but you can use either canned ones or just soaked like the lentils)

In a pressure cooker, fry 2cm of fresh ginger with 3 cloves of garlic, both finely chopped in a little olive oil, when the garlic starts to have a bit of color add the lentils and the beans and cover them with water ( not a lot, I wanted a thick dahl) maybe 3 to 4 cms above the lentils.Add 1 teaspoon of black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of paprike, 1/2 teaspoon of chili flakes and sea salt to taste, bu don’t be too shy, otherwise it will be bland. Cover the pan and cook for 30 minutes, if after this you think they are under cooked, just let it cook other 10m.

On a frying pan fry 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds with 1 teaspoon of nigella or black seeds, when it starts to kind of pop add 2 cloves of garlic,1 large onion, 1cm of ginger and half a fresh chili, everything finely chopped, add a pinch of salt, let cook down for 10m. Add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and let it cook for another 5 to 8 minutes, stirring often.

Once the lentils are cooked (you can mash it a bit with a spoon or not, up to you), add the tomato/onion paste to it and cook for 5 m and serve. I can’t describe the party in my mouth ;D
It may look long, but if you do both at the same time, you will have this epicness in 35 minutes. Enjoy x

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Dahl e’ um prato tipico da India, Paquistao, Banglades, etc e consiste de um estufado feito com lentilhas e /ou feijao, e bastantes especiarias. Acompanhado normalmente por arroz ou pao. Se nao tiverem estas especiarias podem sempre usar as que tiverem por casa, mas diria que e’ mesmo necesario pelo menos o gengibre, o chili e os cuminhos. Este prato ‘e super saboroso, acolhedor, perfeito para uma noite mais fria ❤ Esta receita serve 3 pessoas com arroz ou pao, ou so’ 2 comiloes como nos 😉

-250grs de lentilhas castanhas (ja demolhadas durante a noite, tambem se pode usar outra qualidade de lentilhas, mas tem que se ter cuidado com o tempo de cozedura)
-200grs de feijao preto ( omeu ja estava demolhado e cozinhado, mas pode estar so demolhado, ou tambem se pode usar de lata. E tambem se pode variar a qualidade do feijao)

Colocar numa panela de pressao um fio de azeite, 3 dentes de alho e um pedacinho de 2cms de gengibre, ambos muito bem picados. Quando o alho ganhar cor adicionar as lentilhas e o feijao e agua suficiente para cobrir, talvez uns 3 ou 4 dedos acima das leguminosas. Adicionar 1 colher de cha’ de curcuma(acafrao das indias), 1/2 colher de cha’ de pimenta preta, 1/2 de parika ou pimentao, 1/2 de chili seco e sal marinho grosso a gosto, nao colocar pouco,pouco senao ficara’ desenssabido. Tapar a panela e deixar cozinhar durante 30m em lume medio. Usar o senso comum, se nao estiver cozinhado tapa-se e cozinha-se durante mais uns minutos.

Numa frigideira, colocar azeite , 1 colher de cha’ de sementes de cuminhos (ou po’, mas a semente tem mais sabor), 1 colher de cha’ de sementes de nigella (ou pode-se substituir por sementes de coentros, ou po’ ou fresco, ou por 2 colheres de sementes de cuminhos, tambem se pode juntar louro). Quando as sementes comecarem a fritar adicionar uma cebola grande picada,2 dentes de alhos,um bocadinho de gengibre fresco por volta de 1cm e meia malagueta, tudo bem picado e uma pitada de sal (pouco, so para ajudar a cebola a caramelizar), deixar cozinhar durante 10m, quando a cebola estiver translucida adicionar 2 colheres de sopa de pasta de tomate (nao e’ polpa, aquela mais concentrada) e deixar cozinhar por mais 5 a 8 minutos.

Quando as lentilhas estiverem bem cozidas, adicionar esta pasta ja feita de cebola e especiarias. Deixar cozinhar durante 5 minutos e servir. Espero que experimentem pois e’ delicioso! Parece bastante longo, mas nao e’, se for feito ao mesmo tempo em 35m estara pronto o prato 🙂 Bom apetite x

Moroccan style stew with chickpeas, sausages, collard greens, mushrooms and eggs!

London is now very cold, and I mean cold with just 3 degrees! So this week I felt like cooking something heartwarming, delicious, that would evoke other warmer lands! So I came up with this Moroccan inspired dish, it’s absolutely amazing if I may say, very very tasty and simple 🙂

 Recipe : As always, make this recipe your own, change for this you prefer, take out things you can’t eat, quantities are not important, it depends for how many people you are cooking (this recipe is for 6 people), the most important part is tasting your food and adjusting accordingly! Enjoy cooking, enjoy the process and believe me, when you make food with love it always tastes better 😉

Fry onion and garlic with olive oil and some parsley ; Stir in the mushrooms (400g), cook for 2 minutes add the greens (300g), cook for another 5 minutes ;add some red wine and a can of tomatoes or fresh tomatoes (2) let it cook for 5 minutes ; add spices : salt, chilies, black pepper, turmeric and cumin. Add sausage and chick peas( 1 can), let it stew for 5 minutes. Crack the eggs (6), cover the pan and let it cook for another 10m or until the eggs are cooked. Serve with cous cous. Enjoy xx

 

I hope you have a lovely weekend and stay warm!! And tell me what are your comfort foods? Your winter favorites? xx

Quick potato dish and some more thoughts on USA

Arrived to grey London yesterday, leaving sunny US behind. Lots of memories were made, beautiful and colorful ones, like their trees in autumn 🙂 We decided that we will definitely go back to Colorado and Utah to see in more details the amazing natural parks there, loved hiking and the fresh air!
On a different note I have to say that I noticed how much healthy food cost over there, really I paid $5.20 for 4 organic apples, just as an example… Even in he restaurants healthy options are much more expensive, which perpetuates the poor being fat with poor health, with much worse health insurances than the rich… Another thing I noticed was the amount of homeless people, specially of course, in the cities. I was quite surprised with SF…. such a beautiful city with so many people that need help…

I love fall, and i love the way americans embrace it, the decorations, the pumpkin lates and pies! Wish that you could find the same things over here, it’s lovely!

I love tea, an of course went to see the japanese tea house in SF park :

Quick potatoes dish made straight after arriving from the airport, so something very simple, but tasty! Just boiled potatoes, hard boiled eggs, salad leaves, radicchio and raw carrots and tomatoes, all brought together with an olive oil,cumin and paprika dressing, enjoy! Missed my posts and blog Will start a soup season soon and some american inspired dishes, so keep tuned!

Power lunch and some homemade bread!

After a crazy month at work finally have some days off.  I will be staying in London this time, just relaxing, cooking meeting friends and going to the gym. So yesterday as I was off I had the time to make something nice for lunch, really tasty and healing. I bought a book called Medicinal cookery, and I am trying to pack as much good ingredients as I can, sometimes just swapping white onion for purple makes a difference!

Ingredients :

Tomatoes

Kale

Spinach

Potatoes

Cabbage

Purple onion

Sausage (optional, without for vegan)

Spices : Turmeric, Cumin, rosemary, chili, black pepper, salt

Method :

Wash, cut and boil the potatoes.

Pan fry the sausages.

In a wok put a bit of  oil, I used carotino to try, mix all the vegetables and cook them for 10 m maximum,so it doesn’t lose all the nutrients.

Slice sausages and mix them with the potatoes and vegetables.

It’s a really nice filling meal, that gets it’s kick and flavor from the spices! Try it, I’m sure you will love it 😉

Wholemeal bread with sesame seeds crust

Ingredients :

I always use the same formula , 1kg of flour for 700ml of water, plus salt, oil and raising agent. This time I used the cake one, but you get much better results with proper yeast to bake bread imo.

I mix the ingredients,  600 g of whole meal and 400 g of white flour, salt, oil, baking powder, pumpkin seeds and poppy seeds, and combine. Add the water little by little until all is homogeneous and knead for 10 m. Let it rise for 1 hour, knead a bit more, let it rise for another hour if you have the time.

Bake for 60 m at 180 degrees in the oven bottom shelf.

This bread was made a couple of weeks ago, today I’m baking Rye bread. There is nothing like doing it yourself, it’s creative and you know exactly what goes into it! 😀

Tomorrow I’m making dinner for some friends so some more posts are coming soon!

Take care!x