Hi, everyone! I am finally back to blogging after a long silence. I’m not only back with a new recipe but also with a new fun experiment. The thing is that I’ve decided to try 21-day detox program that I’ve found on the internet. As a part of this cleansing diet I even turned into a vegan for a week, furthermore I survived it=). Maybe, for some of you this is not a big deal, but for such devoted meat lover as I am, not to eat any animal protein is a very serious decision. You would probably ask me, why I decided to change my diet so dramatically. The answer is – I did it just because of my natural curiosity; this quality is probably the most powerful force that drives me forward and always makes me try something new. Moreover, I read a lot of different articles and watched many movies about all the benefits of vegan and detox diets, so, I’ve decided to try if it works for me. Oh, I also decided to go nuts and not drink any alcohol and coffee, as well as not to eat anything that contains refined sugar, except for an extra dark chocolate, because I would not survive otherwise =) But, food is only one of the pieces of my detox puzzle. I also drink cleansing juices and teas, exercise five times a week and treated my body with the favorite Citrus Scrub. As a result, after one week of detox and one more week of the vegan diet, I’ve lost 3 pounds, and I’m feeling very well, strong and healthy. But we’ll see what my physician tells me tomorrow. I still have one more week of diet ahead of me, so if you’re curious about my little experiment, you can follow me on Instagram and Facebook, just to make sure I’m not cheating =)

But enough about my detox, it’s time for a new recipe! Regarding my new healthy lifestyle, I want to post this Mediterranean Sabich today, which is a pita bread open faced sandwich with a mix of fresh and grilled veggies, hard boiled eggs, and tahini sauce. I’ve found that Sabich is a very healthy and tasty alternative to American sandwiches and can be a real treat for those who are on a diet. P.S. This Sabich contains eggs only because I photographed it long before my vegan days =)

Sabich

By voloshyna, May 12, 2015

• Total Time: 01h 15min
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• large eggplant - 1
• large bell pepper - 1
• large red onion - 1
• sea salt - 1 tablespoon
• extra virgin olive oil - 1/4 cup
• pita bread or naan - 4
• tahini sauce - 1 cup
• hard boiled eggs - 4, peeled and quartered
• cherry tomatoes - 1 cup, halved
• cilantro - 1/2 cup, chopped
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste
• za'atar spice - to taste, optional

Instructions:

Cut the eggplant and onion into 1-inch thick rounds, and then slice the bell pepper into medium wedges. In a large bowl mix the vegetables with oil, season with salt. Working in batches, grill the vegetables until tender and lightly charred all over, about 8 to 10 minutes for the bell peppers; 15 minutes for the eggplant and onion. Arrange the vegetables on a platter and season with black pepper. Place 1 pita or naan on each plate, spoon some tahini sauce over each piece. Then arrange the grilled veggies, eggs and cherry tomatoes on top. Drizzle with more tahini sauce and sprinkle with za'atar spice and chopped cilantro.

Do you know this feeling when you try some amazingly delicious dish and even before you’ve finished it you realize that you want to visit the country this dish is origin from? This is exactly how I feel about this Mediterranean Kofta. Every ingredient reminds me of beautiful and far Israeli. And it is not a coincidence. I always try to find some inspiration for my cooking, this time my amusement was fantastic and very talented cookbook called Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi. I am sure lots of you have heard about it already. The book is saturated with Jewish spices and cooking traditions. Maybe it is the reason I am so eager to visit Israeli. I can only imagine what a breathtaking culinary adventure I would have there. I guess I would gain a few extra pounds, trying to taste everything that the country could offer me. Luckily for my body shape, this is not going to happen in the nearest future. Lol! But if seriously, I feel like I have already made the first step to start learning more about wonderful Jerusalem cuisine, even if this step is inside my kitchen.I am sure you can find many different Kofta recipes on the internet, but I really want you to try this one. Garnish it with some simple salad and this meal will highlight your day!

Kofta with Tahini Sauce

By voloshyna, January 21, 2015

• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• For the Kofta: -
• ground beef - 1 lb
• ground lamb - 1 lb
• bread crumbs - 1/2 cup
• yellow onion - 1 medium, finely chopped
• garlic - 2 large cloves, minced
• toasted walnuts - 6 tablespoons, coarsely shopped
• red chili pepper - 1 small, finely chopped
• grated nutmeg - 1/2 teaspoon
• ground allspice - 1 1/2 teaspoon
• grund cinnamon - 1 3/4 teaspoon
• freshly ground black pepper - 1 1/2 teaspoon
• salt - 1 3/4 teaspoon
• freshly grated lemon zest - 1 1/2 teaspoon
• For the Tahini Sauce: -
• light tahini paste - 2/3 cup
• lemon juice - 3 tablespoon
• water - 1/2 cup
• garlic - 1 clove, crushed
• toasted pine nuts - 2 tablespoons
• For garnish: -
• parsley - 2 tablespoons, finely shopped
• sweet paprika - 1/2 teaspoon

Instructions:

Put all the ingredients for Kofta in a big bowl and mix well with your hands or wooden spoon. With damp hands, shape the meat into 3 inches oval shape meatballs. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Sear kofta in batches, so they can cook evenly. Sear until golden brown about 6 minute for medium-rare. If you want your kofta well done, just put them in the oven (425F) for 3-4 minutes. In a small bowl mix, all the ingredients for tahini sauce, adjust to taste. Whisk well and spoon over kofta before serving. Sprinkle with sweet paprika and chopped parsley.

Everybody knows that moving to a new place is always stressful. But for me it was not just a stressful event, it was almost a tragedy (fortunately only for the first two days). Our landlords, nice and sweet people, by the way, decided to sell the condo we were renting, and we had two months to find a new home for us. I freaked out and decided to find a new place before the Thanksgiving and all the holiday season madness. The thing is I loved my old apartment so much that I thought we would never find a place as good as that one. Everything was perfect there: the pool, the price, the location, not to mention that our neighbors became our best friends. So I wanted to take my time and choose the best market could offer. I was so busy with all the searching and packing, and moving that I had no time for cooking and blogging. Actually, I think the nearby restaurants made a decent money on our everyday takeouts. Long story short, one month and 25 boxes later we are finally settled in a wonderful 2 bedroom condo in the heart of lovely Menlo Park. And I am peaceful, happy and ready to start blogging again.

After almost three weeks of takeouts and junk food my husband and I decided to watch our diet and eat healthy. That is not easy I need to say, you know old habits die hard. But anyway, we are doing pretty good. MyFitnessPal app helps a lot. Now my motto is – New healthy habits in a new sunny apartment!

From December 1st Sasha and I try to eat healthy, cut alcohol and count our daily calories. So, today I came up with this Sweet Potato Fries snack idea, which he loved very much. The best part is this avocado sauce, which in my opinion is absolutely delicious. Just try it folks and tell me what you think!

Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Avocado Dip

By voloshyna, December 2, 2014

• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients:

• sweet potatoes - 3 medium, washed
• olive oil - 1/2 tablespoon
• sugar - 1/2 teaspoon
• paprika - 1 teaspoon
• chili powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• lemon zest - 1 teaspoon
• sea salt - 1 teaspoon
• dry garlic - 1/2 teaspoon
• For the Avocado Dip: -
• ripe avocado - 1, peeled and cut into wedges
• lemon juice - 1 teaspoon or to taste
• grape seed oil - 1/6 cup
• parsley - 3 table spoon, chopped
• grated parmesan - 1/4 cup
• chili powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste
• garlic - 2 cloves, chopped
• salt - to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C). Cut the potatoes into slim french fry shaped pieces. Try to cut them into even In a small bowl mix all the dry ingredients. Lay the fries in a single layer on a baking sheet, drizzle olive oil all over. Season with the spice mix. Bake for 10 minutes then gently flip with a spatula to cook evenly and bake for another 10 minutes. Turn the oven to broil and cook for 2 more minutes until crisp and golden brown. Be careful your fries might burn very fast. Arrange the fries on a platter. Meanwhile make the Avocado Dip. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Transfer the dip to a serving bowl.

If you are looking for a dish to surprise your guests, you have found the right one. I can bet that most of them have never tried chicken that was roasted in milk. But believe me they will love it! This chicken is incredibly juicy and tender, and the meat is falling off the bones. Serve it with potatoes roasted with herb butter to develop a complex main course.
The recipe was adapted from Jamie Oliver

Chicken Cooked in Milk

By voloshyna, September 29, 2014

• Total Time: 01h 45min
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 01h 30min

Ingredients:

• whole chicken - 3-4 lb.
• kosher salt - 1 tablespoon
• freshly ground black pepper - 1 teaspoon
• butter - 1 tablespoon
• olive oil - 1 tablespoons
• cinnamon stick - 1/2
• fresh sage leaves - 10
• garlic cloves - 8, skin left
• lemon zest - 2 tablespoons
• milk - 2 1/4 cups

Instructions:

Season the chicken all over with the salt and pepper. Melt the butter and oil in a heavy bottomed pan and brown the chicken on all sides, about 4 minutes per side. Place the browned chicken into an oven proof pot, breast side up. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot, cover and roast for 1 1/2 hours, removing the lid for the last half an hour if you like to brown the top a bit more. To serve, pull the meat off the bones and drizzle with sauce.

This wonderful pasta has rich, well balanced and delicate taste that mushroom lovers will definitely appreciate. For the sauce you can buy any exotic mushroom blend, a combination of shiitake, cremini, and oyster mushrooms or other mushrooms, is sold in eight-ounce packages. If it is unavailable, you can use regular cremini mushrooms and the dish will be still fantastic.

Farfalle with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

By voloshyna, September 23, 2014

• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• farfalle (bow tie) pasta - 1 lb., fresh or dry
• butter - 1 tablespoon
• olive oil - 1 tablespoon
• shallot - 1/2 cup, chopped
• mushroom blend - 12 oz, thinly sliced
• dry white wine - 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon
• whipping cream - 2/3 cup
• kosher salt or porcini salt - to taste
• freshly ground black pepper - 1/4 teaspoon or to taste
• thyme - 1 teaspoon
• freshly grated Parmesan - to taste
• chopped fresh parsley - 2 tablespoons

Instructions:

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and shallot. Cook 5-6 minutes or until soft and transparent, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms and sauté for 8 more minutes. Meanwhile cook the pasta in a boiling salted water until al dente. Add the wine to the mushrooms and deglaze the pan, then pour the cream and thyme, bring to a boil. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to, cook for another 2 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add the cooked pasta, cheese, and 2 tablespoons parsley, tossing gently to coat. Serve immediately.

This very traditional Italian dish will become a wonderful, easy and fulfilling weeknight family dinner.

Pasta Bolognese

By voloshyna, September 10, 2014

Ingredients:

• extra virgin olive oil - 1/4 cup
• medium yellow onion - 1, finely diced
• medium bell pepper - 1, finely diced
• celery stalks - 3-4, finely diced
• thickly sliced pancetta - 2 slices, finely diced
• ground beef - 1 lb.
• ground pork - 1/4 lb.
• garlic - 2 cloves, minced
• dry red wine - 1 cup
• diced tomatoes - 14 oz. can,
• tomato paste - 2 tablespoons
• chicken stock - 3/4 cup
• fresh thyme lives - 1/2 teaspoon
• crushed red pepper - 1/2 teaspoon or to taste
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste
• salt - to taste
• fresh basil leaves - 1/2 cup, chopped
• fettuccine or other pasta - 2 lb, fresh or dried
• freshly grated Parmesan - to taste

Instructions:

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper and pancetta and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened but not browned, about 7- 8 minutes. Transfer the vegetable mixture into a large bowl. Heat  the remaining olive oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground meat and cook, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the meat has lost its pink color and has started to brown. Stir in the garlic, thyme, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 more minute. Pour 1 cup of the wine and 3/4 cup of the stock  into the skillet and stir to scrape up any browned bits. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and vegetable mixture, stirring until combined. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cook for 40 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook for another 10 minutes. Add chopped basil leaves and remove from the heat. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain well, return to the pot and toss with the sauce. Serve the pasta in deep bowls and pass the Parmesan at the table.

If you like mozzarella cheese then you will definitely love burrata, which is creamier and even tastier counterpart of mozzarella. Try to pick the best tomatoes you can find and I guarantee your salad will be amazingly flavorful. I highly recommend to visit your local farmers market to buy all the ingredients, I am sure you will find some hidden gems there. The secret of good food it’s just simple but really fresh ingredients!

Arugula-Burrata Salad

By voloshyna, August 11, 2014

• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• arugula - 4 cups
• big organic heirloom tomatoes - 2, sliced
• burrata cheese - 16 oz
• extra virgin olive oil - 2 oz + more for garnish
• balsamic vinegar - 1 tablespoon
• salt - to taste
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste
• toasted baguette - 6-8 slices

Instructions:

Whisk together olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper. In a medium bowl, toss the arugula and tomatoes with balsamic dressing. Arrange dressed salad on a plate and top with burrata. Cut into burrata, allowing cheese to coat the arugula and drizzle with an olive oil; season with freshly ground pepper. Serve right away.

Look at this perfectly roasted bird, isn’t it look delicious? The recipe is straight and easy, but the result is fantastic. Juicy chicken with beautiful crispy skin, and the smell is divine!

Roasted Lemon Chicken

By voloshyna, July 17, 2014

Ingredients:

• whole chicken - 4 lb
• red onion - 1
• medium carrots - 2
• garlic - 1 bulb
• medium lemon - 1, unwaxed
• kosher salt - 1 tablespoon
• freshly ground black pepper - 1 teaspoon
• fresh thyme - 1 small bunch

Instructions:

Rub the chicken inside and out with a generous amount of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Leave for about 2 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 400 F. There's no need to peel the vegetables – just give them a good wash and roughly chop them. Break the garlic bulb into cloves, leaving them unpeeled. Put all the vegetables and garlic into the roasting tray and drizzle with olive oil. Drizzle the chicken with olive oil too. Carefully prick the lemon all over, using the tip of a sharp knife or a fork. Put the lemon inside the chicken's cavity, with the bunch of thyme. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables in the roasting tray and put it into the preheated oven. Roast the chicken for about 70-80 minutes. Remove the chic hen from the oven, cover it with a foil and let to rest for 7-10 minutes before serving.