Chicken with Haloumi and Honey

Hi guys!

Summer is holding up in Switzerland and I have been keeping my eyes open for summery dishes for dinner that are easy and fast as I have been working pretty late lately. I still believe that nothing delivers "fast" and "easy" quite as Donna Hay's "fast, fresh, simple", so I decided to try another one of her recipes. This time it's chicken with haloumi and honey. Chicken is full of protein, but very lean, especially if you use chicken breast without skin, and perfect for dinner. I personally like haloumi, so I was eager to try and bake it with sort of a marinade instead of grilling it in the pan or over the barbecue. Donna has been cooking the recipe in the accompanying tv-show for "fast, fresh, simple", so you can follow the link and even watch the how-to-video.

Here's the link to the recipe: http://www.lifestylefood.com.au/recipes/15116/chicken-with-haloumi-and-honey 

Here's how mine turned out:

 The recipe is as easy as it gets:

1) Put the chicken and haloumi in a baking dish.
2) Mix the olive oil and honey and pour the mixture over the chicken.
3) Top with lemon zest and layer with a few thyme leaves. 
4) Bake until the chicken is cooked.

Active preparation time: 5 minutes
Total preparation time: 25 minutes

I love how fast you are able to assemble everything. No chopping needed whatsoever. I made the chicken with rice to make it a full dinner. The lemon adds a pinch of acidity while the honey provides the dish with a light sweet flavor. This dish is full of different flavors which makes it very interesting. I love contrasting flavors and this might seem like a funny combination at first, but it is working great. This recipe will make a perfect lunch or dinner in summer.

Have fun trying! 

Pasta with Broccoli, Lemon and Almonds

Hi guys!

Another Monday has come around and I am sharing another vegetarian recipe with you. As summer is still spoiling us with sunshine and warm weather, I wanted to stick with a recipe that is light, easy and fast and perfect for a summer evening dinner when your lunch has been rather small because of the heat. The recipe is from Donna Hay's "No time to cook". What I love about this book is that it keeps the promise it makes. The recipes are super easy and done in no time or with as little work as imaginable but no flavor sacrifice.

Here's today's recipe:

200g (a little less than 7 oz) orecchiete or any other short pasta
30g (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
200g (about 7 oz) broccoli 
1 tablespoon lemon juice
60ml (1/4 cup) chicken or vegetable stock
sea salt and black pepper for seasoning
35g (little over 1 oz) flaked almonds
grated parmesan to serve

1) Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook according to packet directions until al dente.

2) In the meantime, cut the broccoli into small florets and grate the lemon zest. Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the lemon zest and steam it for about a minute.

3) Add the broccoli and cook for 3-4 minutes until the florets are just tender. Add the lemon juice, stock, salt and pepper and stir to combine. 

4) Drain the cooked pasta and add it to the pan. Toss the vegetables and pasta well to combine. Put the pasta on plates and serve with grated parmesan and chopped or flaked almonds.

© Copyright: Donna Hay, "No time to cook", p. 109.

Serves: 2 according to Donna, 3 if you're part of my family
Active preparation time: 5 minutes
Total preparation time: 15 minutes

Here's how mine turned out:

I really love the combination broccoli and lemon make. The broccoli gives a nice, earthy flavor while the lemon adds acidity and brightens things up. I used almond meal, because I didn't have whole almonds at hand. They add a nice, subtle sweetness. I think it is better to chop whole almonds or use almond flakes as they add crunchiness to the texture and make it more interesting. The recipe is definitely perfect for summer dinners as it is light and healthy. You can easily make it vegan:  simply substitute vegetable oil for the butter and omit the parmesan. 

Have fun trying!

Apple Waffles

Hi guys!

Weekend is here and so is my appetite for anything comforting and sweet. As you all know, I have quite the sweet tooth, but I like to add fruit to my baked goods not because I want to trick myself into thinking the result is healthier - though I could understand you doing this. I simply like the taste of fruit when it's been baked and I can digest it better than when it's left raw. This recipe for apple waffles is a classic at our house. My mum has been baking waffles for as long as I can remember and she has quite the recipe collection for different waffles. My sister will ask for the following almost every weekend. Not that I would mind... These waffles are super comforting and sweet with a little added twist from the apples. 

Here's the recipe:
250g (1 + 2/3 cup) all-purpose flour
125g (1 stick) unsalted butter
75g (1/3 cup) granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
125ml (1/2 cup) lukewarm milk
300g (10 oz) apples
50g (1/2 cup) ground almonds
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 
grated zest of 1/2 lemon

1) Chop the apples up in little cubes, about 0.5cm (1/5 inch) wide. Beat the butter in an electric mixer or kitchen machine until pale and foamy. Add the lemon zest and eggs. 

2) Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and sugar and mix it with the butter. Add the milk and stir to combine.

3) Fold through the apple cubes and almond. Pour about 1/2 cup of the dough in a waffle iron and bake. Repeat until used up.

Serve with jam, maple syrup, honey, icing sugar, cinnamon and regular sugar. 

Yield: about 12
Active preparation time: 15 minutes
Total preparation time: 25 minutes

Here's how mine looked:

These are perfect for an afternoon tea in autumn and winter or summer when the apples are nice and ripe. You could also make them for breakfast. The apple adds a fresh tough to the dough and makes the waffles nice and moist. Serve the waffles on their own with a little bit of whipped cream in the side or add whatever topping you like. 

Have fun trying and enjoy!

Lemon-Feta Chicken

Hi guys!

As summer is really pampering us at the moment, I have been searching for light dinners. I've been skimming through some books and have come across a recipe by Donna Hay: lemon-feta-chicken. As I am craving chicken at the moment and love feta as well as lemon, I jumped at the chance. 

Here's the recipe:
2 chicken breast filets (about 200g (7 oz) each
200g (7 oz) feta, cut into slices
5 sprigs of thyme
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
olive oil for drizzling
black pepper

1) Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F). Wash the chicken and place it in a casserole dish. Add the feta, thyme, lemon zest and lemon juice. Drizzle with olive oil and season with a little freshly ground pepper.

2) Bake in the oven for 18 minutes until the chicken is cooked.

Serves: 2
Active preparation time: 5 minutes
Total preparation time: 23 minutes

I served mine with rice and added the feta on the side. 

   
The lemon adds great flavor to the chicken. It makes it taste very fresh. The flesh stays super-tender because you cook it in the oven and don't use very high heat unlike a frying pan. It would also be great to serve it with a salad if you want to have it lighter, as a lunch for example. 

Have fun trying and enjoy summer!

Pasta with Cherry-Tomatoes

Hi guys!

It's Monday again and I have a vegetarian recipe for you that's as easy as can be yet incredibly flavorful. Today's recipe is Pasta with Cherry-Tomatoes. It's from Donna Hay's book "No time to cook" that is filled with lots of fast and easy recipes using fresh ingredients. I prepared the pasta for lunch today and it literally takes 5 minutes to cook.

Here's the recipe:
200g (7 oz) Spaghetti or any pasta you like
30g (1 oz) butter
2 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
500g (16 oz; 1 lb) cherry tomatoes
2 bunches basil
grated parmesan cheese for serving

1) Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling water for 10-12 minutes until al dente. 

2) In the meantime, melt the batter in a pan, add the garlic, tomatoes and vinegar and cook for 4 minutes on high heat, until the tomatoes are soft and warmed through.

3) Drain the spaghetti and add them to the tomatoes, fold through the basil. Serve with grated parmesan.

Serves: 3 
Active preparation time: 5 minutes
Total preparation time: 15-20 minutes
© Copyright: Donna Hay, "No time to cook", p. 94

Here's how mine turned out:

I used leftover fresh pasta I prepared on Sunday, but any dried pasta will work and you can use whatever shape you like. The rest of the recipe is super easy and uses ingredients you might have in your fridge anyways. The balsamic in combination with the tomatoes reminds me of caprese salad. I used lemon basil that we have growing in the garden. It adds a nice, fresh touch to the dish. It's a perfect recipe for summer. 

Have fun trying!

Brownies, Pt. 2

Hi guys!

Another weekend has started and I had some serious chocolate cravings, so I decided to bake my favorite brownies. They are from Jamie Oliver's book "cook with Jamie". It is the first brownie recipe I ever made, but I haven't found anything quite as good as those ever since. You can find the recipe on his website: http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/chocolate-recipes/bloomin-brilliant-brownies

Here's how mine turned out:

I use 150g chopped pecan nuts, but the rest of the book version of the recipe is the same. I love the intense chocolate taste and the texture. I have not succeeded to bake other brownies that are as fudgy as these. The recipe is pretty fool-proof. I bake mine for 25 minutes and take them out. When tested with a skewer, they are not cooked, but they turn harder while cooling. 

Active preparation time: 15 minutes
Total preparation time: 45 minutes

Have fun trying!

Simple apple-blueberry-cake

Hi guys!

When summer is here, I always like to make the most of it and bake as many cakes, muffins, pies and tartes with fresh fruit as possible. I had some leftover apples and blueberries the other day and decided to make a cake with it. The recipe is from Donna Hay's "fast, fresh, simple". The recipe is super-easy but still elegant, so you can make it for friends or bring it to a dinner party. 

Here's the recipe:
225g (1 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
165g (3/4 cup) superfine sugar 
125g (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
125 ml (1/2 cup) milk
1 apple
100g (3 3/4oz) fresh or frozen blueberries
2 tablespoons brown sugar

1) Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F). Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, butter, vanilla, eggs and milk with a hand blender or kitchen machine until they form a smooth dough.

2) Fill the dough in a greased and flour-dusted springform tin (22cm; 8.5 inches). Cut the apple into thin slices. Layer the fruit on top and sprinkle with the sugar. Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Yield: 12 pieces
Active preparation time: 15 minutes
Total preparation time: 1 hour

Here's how mine turned out:

 The cake is wonderfully moist and the fruit adds a nice touch. If you want to, you can caramelize the sugar on top using a broiler. I especially like the combination the fruit and the sweet cake base make. The fruit is nice and caramelized, but maintains a little acidity, while the cake is rather sweet. Plus the fruit just makes a simple cake just look so much better. 

Have fun trying and make the most of summer's various culinary offers!