Easy, Healthy, Yum!
Posted on | January 11, 2011 | 1 Comment
Following the mushroom soup I was telling you about, I thought of a just as healthy dinner. And what better healthy dinner than grilled chicken breast with veggies? Ugh, you might say, as it is the diet food by all standards. But I found that with a bit of spicy magic and, of course, a knob of butter, it can all be better. And look at the pretty colours!
You’ll need just some nice chicken breast (of course, free range is always better), some frozen veggies (I used the kids’ version from Coop, with carrots shaped as cute animals), some butter, crème fraîche (optional) and, the secret ingredient – Jamie’s thyme, lemon and bay salt grinder.
You need to wash the meat, pat it dry, rub it with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle it with a generous amount of the salt mentioned above. Preheat your grill pan for a few minutes, until really hot. Put the meat on the grill and well…let it cook thoroughly, a few minutes on each side (depends on the thickness of your chicken breast), until well done (do NOT ever eat raw chicken!). Meanwhile, in a pan, melt the knob of butter and add the frozen veggies. Add a splash of water, cover and let simmer for 8-10 minutes. When done, season to taste and, should you feel like it, add a tablespoon of crème fraîche for extra creaminess.
So, there you have it. For even more healthy ingredients, serve this with a salad and well…enjoy your healthy New Year!
Creamy Mushroom and Potato Soup
Posted on | January 7, 2011 | 3 Comments
Looking around blogs in January, it seems like everyone is more keen on light and healthy recipes than before. Everyone is dieting, everyone pays attention to the amount of fat, sugar and other nasty things they are putting in their body. In my experience it won’t be long before cupcakes pop up on the menu again though, but until then, let’s focus on the light and healthy while we’re at it 
These days it’s been about soups for me. I’ve been wanting to make a nice mushroom cream soup for ages but somehow it eluded me. However, I stumbled upon the new YummySoup! App in the new Mac App Store and been importing recipes all day long today. So here’s the recipe for a hearty, filling, yummy soup, which I also find rather healthy. It is after all just mushrooms, potato, onion and a bit of cream. The sautéed mushrooms on top are optional if you want to skip theme, but I think they add texture and butteriness and yum!
What you’ll need (serves 2-3):
300 grams button mushrooms
2 small potatoes
one small onion
500 ml chicken stock (homemade if you have it, I used Knorr Marmite de Bouillon, which I find really good and not too salty either)
2 tbsp olive oil
100 ml single cream
Method:
Finely dice the onion, chop the mushrooms in quarters – leave a few aside, peel and dice the potatoes. Put a pot on a medium heat, add the olive oil (and, if you feel less light and healthy, a knob of butter) and then the onion. When it becomes translucent, add the mushrooms and potatoes. give a little stir. Add the stock and let simmer for about 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Meanwhile, chop a bit more finely the remaining mushrooms (I set aside about 8 for 2 people) and sauté them in a bit of olive oil and butter (I only used butter, hehe 
).
When the veggies are cooked through, purée them with an immersion blender. Add the cream, season with salt and pepper. Serve with sauteed mushrooms on top and, if you wish, a bit of sour cream. Freshly ground pepper on top gives it a nice little kick.
All in all, easy, yummy and quite healthy. Voilà 
P.S. My pictures were dreadful, the light wasn’t good at all. Sorry
Bloggers’ Night out – Indian Style
Posted on | January 6, 2011 | 9 Comments
Si uite ca pe ultima suta de metri a anului 2010 am reusit si noi, food bloggeri de Romania, sa ne reunim intr-un minunat ambient indian pe Soseaua Pipera Tunari 47, la Agra Palace. Motivul, cica, am venit eu in Romania. Cum vazusem mai multe poze si postari de-ale lui Mazi despre Agra Palace, iar Elena imi facuse pofta de chiftelute de ceapa, alias Pyaz Bhaji, am zis sa mergem acolo, ca eu nu mai mancasem indian din liceu si nici nu mai stiam cat e de bun.
Si e bun rau, va spun. Dar s-o luam cu inceputul. Mazi a organizat toata tarasenia, urmarita si sfatuita indeaproape de Florin, apparently mare fan de Indian stuff. Parte la intrunire am luat eu, “scuza” cum ar veni, insotita pe final de F, care n-a mai prins decat un espresso, ca noi rasesem tot in prealabil, Easy Peasy & the lovely husband, Elena & the lovely husband ajuns tot la final, Florin, Madalin si, evident, Mazi.
Ce-am mancat? N-am nicio idee. Stiu insa ca pana si Indian-averse Easy Peasy s-a sacrificat si a numit orezul cu miel si stafide si alte minuni (gosht biryani pe numele sau) o minunatie culinara. Era bun, adevaru’ e. Cel mai mult mi-a placut faptul ca, fiind noi multi si curiosi nici n-am mai apucat sa aruncam ochii pe meniu, iar Kumar, master chef, ne-a recomandat si gatit o gramada de bunataturi numai bune de share-uit. Recunosc, cel mai mult mi-au placut aperitivele (but that goes for me si la mancarea normala, daca as putea sa primesc numai aperitive si desert la o masa, I’d be totally satisfied). Au fost pe masa urmatoarele: rulada de pui – murgh kathi kebab , chiftelute indiene cu ceapa si sos de menta – pyaz bhaji, pateuri cu mazare si cartofi – delhi wala samosa, pui pane picant – murgh pakora. Nici n-as sti sa spun care mi-a placut mai mult, picante nici prea prea, nici foarte foarte, aromate si delicioase.
Felurile principale nu s-au lasat mai prejos, incepand de la kashmiri roganjosh – cotlete de miel cu sos de ceapa si rosii din care, sadly, n-am mai apucat deloc, dar toti ceilalti l-au laudat intens, murgh makhani – pui cu sos de rosii si smantana, murgh madras - pui cu nuca de cocos, rosii, sos de caju si condimente indiene, aloo gobhi masala - conopida cu cartofi, sos de ceapa si rosii, jhafrani pullao - orez cu sofran, nuci si fructe uscate, murgh madras – pui cu nuca de cocos, rosii, sos de caju si condimente indiene…daca a mai fost ceva, sa-mi fie cu iertare, mie mi-au scapat.
Aaah, era sa uit, Elena a luat lamb vindaloo, nerecomandat celor cu inima slaba, din care am gustat cu totii, dar eu personal mi-am simtit tot tractul digestiv de picant ce era. Kumar zice ca asa mananca la ei copiii…personal cred ca am scos fum pe urechi…
Daca am ceva de reprosat e ca n-a mai prea ramas loc de deserturi si tare as fi vrut sa stiu ce mananca indienii la partea de dulcegarii, ca sa zic asa. Dar n-am suferit prea mult in lipsa, recunosc. Compania a luat nota 10. Am vorbit si am vorbit si am vorbit si iar am mai vorbit…cel putin pana spre 12 noaptea cand eu personal nu am mai rezistat si am cedat and called it a night. Am trecut prin toate subiectele posibile si imposibile de la vacante in locuri exotice la mancaruri pe care cu siguranta nu le-am incerca niciodata. All in all, a night to remember si, pentru cine poate, to repeat. Aproape ca-mi pare rau ca m-am mutat )
Bottom line: for great Indian food, Agra Palace e cu siguranta un loc nimerit, iar daca aveti si compania pe masura, you’re in for a hell of a night
P.S. Thanks, fellow bloggers, pt ca m-am putut inspira la voi pentru numele preparatelor de la Agra. Altfel ar fi fost vorba de o postare cu bla bla 1, bla bla 2, etc., toate bune
Another Year, Another Christmas…
Posted on | December 24, 2010 | No Comments
We’re spending the holidays in Romania, hence the sudden disappearance. However, I could just not leave you without the most appropriate video for the “Chat de Chocolat Meets the Holidays” event I have ever seen:
Merry Christmas everyone, I wish you all the best in the world, plenty of happiness and joy. Oh, and I hope Santa brings you everything you’ve asked for!
Pan Fried Duck Breast With Spicy Cherry Jam and Roasted Baby Potatoes
Posted on | December 14, 2010 | 6 Comments
Since Christmas is coming and maybe some of you will be spending it as a couple, or maybe with just very few friends, I am sure you will not need a whole turkey or such for your Christmas dinner. However, of course you’ll want something special. The duck presented here was also for a special dinner and personally I found it perfect. Not too heavy, amazingly yummy, and with that “je ne sais quoi” only duck breast can have.
So here is the recipe for my main course during the romantic dinner I mentioned some time ago. I took my inspiration for pan frying the duck breast from the Crazy Mother Cooker and improvised a lot as I went.
Step 1: preparing your potatoes. I found in Coop some super cute Charlotte baby potatoes that only needed to be washed well, seasoned with salt, pepper and olive oil and popped in the oven for about half an hour. If you want to, you can add some duck fat to the whole mix, which gives amazing flavour, but I forgot I had some on hand.
Step 2: the duck breast. Since this recipe serves 2, you will only need one decent sized duck breast (300-400 grams I think). It is best to take out the meat from the refrigerator 15-20 minutes before cooking it (around the time you pop your potatoes in the oven) so that it gets to room temperature.
Step 3: pan frying. Score the skin on the duck breast in a criss-cross manner, this will help render the fat. Try not to score the meat underneath (I did in one or two places, it’s not such a big deal, but try to avoid that as it may dry your meat). Massage the meat with salt and pepper. Heat up a non stick frying pan and do not add any kind of oil to it. You’ll see, the duck has plenty of its own. Put the breast skin side down in the heated pan, cover with a lid and let it fry for about 7 minutes. Please, open the window, there will be some smoke involved. After 7 minutes or so, uncover the pan and wonder where all that fat came from .I know, it still amazes me too. Flip the breast and cook for a further 4-6 minutes (depending on how pink you want it to be). Take the breast out and put it in a tupperware dish, or any dish covered with tin foil. Let rest for about 10 minutes. Try not to skip this step, even if you’re really hungry, because it will make the meat really melt-in-the-mouth.
Step 4: plate up. Slice your breast diagonally, obtaining nice little even slices. Set it on two plates. Add the potatoes to the plate. Serve with Spicy Cherry Jam you find in the Fine Food Section of your Coop or blueberry jam, rose jam, cranberry jam, fig jam…well duck marries well with most types of jam anyway so you’re good. The spicy one I had from Coop has an extra kick from some kirsch and spices, but I am sure It will be amazing without it too.
And voilà, not difficult to make, festive and tasty. Bon appetit!
My Etsy Love (II)
Posted on | December 13, 2010 | No Comments
Just 12 days ’till Christmas! How’s your shopping going? As promised, I am putting here some Etsy shops I really loved over the past few months so that maybe you can be inspired in your quest for the perfect gift. Of course, I realize now, most the gifts i am suggesting are for ladies, but…it is what it is .
So here’s another favourite of mine, Betsy Jewelry Design in Venice, Italy. I stumbled upon her when I was looking for Murano glass jewelry, since I am in love with it. And boy, did I stumble right!
So far I have 4 pairs of earrings from her shop and they are all magical. So unique and beautiful, I just want to stare at them all day. Have a sneak peak for yourself:
Papier maché earrings…
Stunning asymmetric bracelets…
Necklaces…
And of course, more earrings (I think you can tell I have a thing for earrings, can’t you?)
And last but not least, one of my favourite pairs of earrings that I ordered from her, with Murano beads, of course -they are one of a kind and they are miiine!
What can I say, the photographs are as stunning as the jewelry itself, delicate and wonderful. Elena, the shop owner is so great and I hope you’ll like her store just as much as I do.
Happy shopping!
Guilty Pleasures…Homemade Donuts
Posted on | December 9, 2010 | No Comments
Yes, yes, this is not a healthy treat. It’s sugary and deep fried and and…so good. And what’s more, half the work was done in the bread maker so they were quite easy to make to be honest. So easy that I’m scared I might make them a bit too often. I made them for when we watched Despicable Me (finally!) and they went away quite fast. And the few leftovers were great for breakfast next day.
The dough is not too sweet, maybe because they can also be iced or filled and then they would’ve been too sweet. We just rolled them in sugar and dug in. And I chose to have one or two with some Nutella, which were fabulous.
What you’ll need:
100 milliliters milk
1 large egg
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
40 grams sugar (if you serve them plain, I’d add a tablespoon or so of sugar, or better yet, vanilla sugar)
200 grams all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons yeast
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
vegetable oil (for frying – ideally, peanut oil is best for frying)
Method:
Place ingredients in the bread maker in said order (of course, without the vegetable oil ). Set the bread maker to the dough setting.
When the cycle is done, take the dough out and punch it down. Let it rest for 10 minutes. Roll the dough to 2-3 centimeters thick.
Cut rounds with a dough cutter, or just with a glass if you don’t have a donut cutter (I didn’t). Let them rise for another hour or so until very light. Preheat the oil to about 190 degrees Celsius and fry the doughnuts a few at a time, about a minute on each side. Drain on kitchen paper and roll in powdered sugar, or maybe fill with custard, ice with chocolate or whatever else you fancy.
Dig in and enjoy. Do not think about the calories though, they’re too delicious
P.S. Notice the nice composition my lovely boyfriend made? With the cup holder and everything…he’s just great!
The Christmas Frenzy Continues…
Posted on | December 8, 2010 | No Comments
*Post in Romanian, the shop only delivers there for the moment*
Dragele mele,
Sa va spun cate ceva despre Lotiuni de Corp Solide. In primul rand, sunt minunate. In al doilea rand, au doar 3 ingrediente fiecare, toate comestibile (desi sincer, nu prea cred ca sunt si gustoase).
Sunt facute cu drag de Alexandra, iar pentru Craciun a adaugat cele mai adorabile cadouri. Incepand cu o cutie cu bombonele
pe care sigur le voi comanda cu prima ocazie, chiar daca lovely boyfriend nu prea sufera scortisoara. Arata prea frumos ca sa nu le incerc.
Ce mai e prin magazin? O lotiune cu miros fantastic de ciocolata, cu unt de cacao nerafinat (Ciocolata de casa)…
Pentru barbatii din viata voastra, care poate s-au plictisit si ei sa se dea cu toate chimicalele pe fata si pe maini . Include crema de maini si after shave natural (Mascul feroce).
Siiii…o lotiune pentru viitoarele mamici (Burtica fericita), desi eu una stiu sigur ca o voi comanda numai pentru faptul ca are in compozitie ulei de migdale dulci. O nebunie!
Ce sa spun, mai sunt si niste balsamuri de buze extraordinare, care vor reveni in stoc saptamana viitoare, numai bine pentru Craciun . Alexandra a fost etraordinara, si a fost de acord sa livreze si in Elvetia, dar asa, ca o favoare personala . Sunt sigura inca ca daca o contactati va face tot posibilul sa va ajute daca si voi, ca si mine, ati parasit meleagurile natale pe timp determinat sau nu. Blogul ei este si el foarte haios si are toate produsele noi.
La final, va las cu un filmulet mult prea dragut ca sa nu fie vizionat, chiar daca nu are mare legatura cu lotiunile de corp
My Etsy Love (I)
Posted on | December 7, 2010 | 3 Comments
So I was thinking everyone is on a shopping frenzy right now (I’m not, haven’t bought a thing yet) and had the idea of sharing with you some Etsy shops I found really, really cute. I only found out about Etsy a few months ago and thought it is awesome. There are SO many things to grab out there…scarves, jewelry, clothing, even pillows in the shape of Yoshi (Super Mario, anyone?) eggs. And usually for a fraction of the price you would pay in retail stores for machine made stuff that is not nearly as unique and interesting.
So, let us start with my number 1 favourite, The Banished Bubu Crafts. I admit I may be biased, since this was the first Etsy shop I stumbled upon, but I swear, her creations are awesome! And they’re all just in time for Christmas!
To start off, I give you my favourites:
The cheery and holiday-y Christmas earrings…perfect for the season!
A starry, adorable brooch (I just love her brooches!)
Aaaaand another one!
And a lovely necklace, to prove your love for cupcakes (if you’re reading this blog, you must love cupcakes)!
Anyway, I find these amazing! And you’ll find in her shop some adorable statement earrings and necklaces that are just so cheeky
All in all, a great place to do your Xmas shopping, especially with the free UK delivery, or the bargain that is the rest of the world delivery – 1.50$.
Hope you’ll enjoy them just as much as I did. Oh, and the owner? She is just as adorable as her cute creations
How to Start the Perfect Weekend
Posted on | December 4, 2010 | 8 Comments
Well, I must confess, I haven’t made any of what can be seen on the platter. I just put them nicely together and took pictures. That should count too, right? My real effort though was the following: I went to bed last night at 23:00. What does it have to do with my breakfast today you might ask? Well, I went to bed at 23:00 last night so that I could wake up at 7:15 this morning. And I managed to do it!
So I went to the bakery and got croissants. Then I went “Aux Gourmets” and bought fresh ciabatta, apricot jam (with some armagnac in it), fresh jambon. At the market I got tangerines and pears for a lovely tart and pumpkin for Kürbiscremesuppe (thanks, Ionuca!). And olives with harissa paste. And parsley, for free! You just have to love the market in the morning.
Everything is cold but the light was amazing, I even got to see the sunrise…everyone’s not quite awake yet but the pastries are still warm from the oven, the fruit and veggies are right from the producers, it’s a gourmet’s paradise…It’s why I wouldn’t want to move from Neuchâtel, it’s so great to be in a small city sometimes, to meet people you know, to get recognized by the baker and get the perfect crisp buttery croissants…
Then come back home and make this little treat for the lovely boyfriend who is still unaware you had even left the place. Strong black tea on the side and there you have it: the perfect Saturday morning. I hope you have a great weekend, enjoy the nice weather while it lasts…
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