Healthy Blueberry Oat Muffin Surprise!!

This is the easiest and healthiest recipe for plant-based muffins. I'm not using any eggs or dairy and they turn out absolutely delicious.

Batter

• 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 1/3 cup plus 2 tbsp organic cane sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 banana, pureed
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup soy or almond milk
• 3/4 or 1 cup fresh blueberries

Sprinkles

• 1/3 cup walnuts chopped
• 1 tbsp brown sugar 

Preheat oven to 375F. Prepare a regular-sized muffin pan and line it with 12 muffin papers.

Combine dry ingredients in large bowl. Mix well. Combine pureed banana with wet ingredients in small bowl. Mix dry and wet ingredients together until moist and smooth. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin tins 3/4 full.

Combine walnuts and sugar in a bowl. Sprinkle mixture over muffins. Bake for about 20 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clean.
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Mexican Potato Frittata

Frittata is perfect not only for breakfast, but for lunch and dinner also. This recipe is so easy to make. It's very flavorful and potatoes make it so filling. Simply delicious. It makes 4 servings.

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 12 oz red-skinned potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 6 large eggs
• 1 jar (11 to 12 oz) medium hot salsa
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 medium tomato, chopped

Preheat oven to 425F. In an oven-safe skillet heat oil over medium high. Add potatoes and cook for about 10 minutes or until tender and golden brown.

Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, 1/4 jar of salsa, salt, and pepper. Beat well. Stir in cheese. Set aside. Combine remaining salsa with tomatoes and set aside.

Stir in egg mixture into potatoes in skillet, cover and cook over medium heat until egg mixture begins to set around edge, about 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat, remove lid, and place skillet in oven. Bake until frittata is set, about 6 minutes.

Serve topped with salsa and tomatoes.
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The original recipe can be found in "Vegetarian Meals", Good Housekeeping, 2006, p. 107

Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes

I've made pancakes with cottage cheese and farmer's cheese before, but never with ricotta cheese. This recipe from the Vegetarian Times is absolutely delicious and light! I'm now a big fan. The lemon twist makes them a unique alternative to traditional pancakes. Serve the pancakes with whipped cream, honey, fresh fruit, and berries.

• 1 cup ricotta cheese (8 oz)
• 4 eggs, separated
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp grated lemon zest
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup potato starch (corn starch works well too)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 pinch cream of tartar
• 4 tbsp butter, divided

In a medium bowl whisk together ricotta, egg yolks, sugar, and lemon zest. Set aside.

In a separate bowl whisk together flour, potato starch, baking soda, and salt. Sprinkle over the ricotta mixture and mix well.

With an electric mixture beat egg whites with cream of tartar until the mixture becomes nice and foamy, about 4 minutes. Fold into the batter mixture.

Heat about 1 tbsp butter in a skillet on medium. Pour 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. Cook 3-4 minutes with the lid taking care not to burn the pancakes. Flip and cook for 1-2 more minutes. Repeat.

Serve with fresh berries, fruit, honey, whipped cream, etc. Enjoy!

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Vegetarian Times, June 2013, p. 34

Oatmeal with Apples and Cinnamon in a Crockpot

Put the ingredients into the crockpot in the evening and enjoy a nice warm breakfast in the morning!

• 2 sliced apples
• 3 tbsp brown sugar (you can use agave nectar or honey instead!) 
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• pinch salt
• 2 cups oatmeal
• 2 cups milk (use almond or soy milk to make a vegan version) 
• 2 cups water

Put apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt into the crockpot. Pour in the oatmeal, milk, and water. Do not stir. Cook on low for 6 hours or until it's the level of desired softness. Serve with fresh fruit and walnuts. 

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Quinoa with Blueberries and Strawberries

Quinoa is a perfect source of plant protein and full of nutrients and minerals such as iron, phosphorous, and calcium. This dish is perfect for breakfast or a nutritious mid-day snack. It's a great alternative to your favorite oatmeal breakfast. Use agave nectar or honey to sweeten it. It's also good with bananas and kiwis if you'd like to experiment.

Ingredients

• 1 cup red or tricolor quinoa
• 1 cup non-dairy milk (almond, soy, rice)
• 1 cup of water
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1 1/2 tbsp agave nectar (or honey)
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 cup strawberries, sliced
• 1/3 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts

Before using quinoa, rinse it in cold water. Without rinsing it well quinoa may turn out a bit bitter. Combine the rinsed quinoa, milk, water, cinnamon, and dried cranberries in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to boil, reduce the heat to low, and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes until the water is absorbed. Add the agave nectar, berries, and walnuts. Serve warm. 

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The original recipe can be found in "Vegan Cooking for Carnivores" by Roberto Martin. I highly recommend this book! The recipes are delicious and easy to make. My favorite part about the book is cooking tips from the chef himself. Click here to see the book on Amazon. 

Russian Style Blueberry Pancakes with Kefir

The most beloved drink of Russians (after vodka, of course :) is Kefir, a dairy product (99% lactose-free) full of probiotics. As it turns out, not all bacteria is bad. Without good bacteria in your intestines and stomach, your body simply wouldn't be able to function. Here's what Liz Applegate, PhD, says about Kefir, "Healthy gut microbes make up a hefty portion of your body's defenses against unwanted pathogens. Kefir provides a dozen strains of good-for-you bacteria that literally build a barrier in your intestinal tract against unwelcome bugs, and improve immune-cell function" (Runner's World Magazine, January 2013).

You can add Kefir to your pancakes, smoothies, mashed potatoes, cereal or you can just drink it plain.

Kefir has recently become popular in the USA as well. You can now buy it in virtually any grocery store. Just look in the health aisle. It comes in differnt flavors: blueberry, raspberry, pumpkin, etc, but I recommend plain Kefir as it contains more probiotic bacteria than flavored Kefir.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 1/2 tsp baking powder 
• 1 1/4 cup Lifeway Kefir
• 1 egg
• cooking spray

In a bowl combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder and whisk well. Make a well in your flour mixture. Add Kefir and egg. Whisk everything until the mixture is nice and smooth. The batter is ready!

Heat a large skillet and lightly oil it. Scoop a little bit of batter for each pancake and brown on both sides. Use a piece of paper towel to remove burned oil before each new batch. Apply oil for every batch of pancakes.

Serve with fruit, berries, Nutella, whipped cream, butter, or Russian style with sour cream and Raspberry jam. Приятного аппетита!

Italian Omelette with Mushrooms and Black Olives

Ingredients for two:

• 4 eggs
• 3 tbsp milk
• 1 tomato, seeded, drained, and chopped
• 3 tbsp sliced black olives
• 3 fresh button mushroom, sliced (you can also use canned mushrooms)
• 1/2 green pepper, chopped
• 1/3 cup spinach, finely chopped
• Black pepper, basil, oregano, salt to taste

Beat eggs with milk and add spices and salt. Grease frying pan with olive oil or cooking spray. Saute vegetables for about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Pour egg mixture evenly over vegetables. do not mix. Cover with lid. Cook until eggs are set. Serve with grated cheese! You can also add a little bit of finely chopped parsley to the egg mixture to make it more flavorful.
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Омлет по-Италиянски с Грибами и Маслинами

На двоих вам понадобится:

• 4 яйца
• 3 ст. ложки молока
• 1 помидор, мелко порезанный, без семян и жидкости
• 3 ст. ложки мелко нарезанных маслин
• 3 гриба-шампиньона, нарезанных (либо можно использовать консервированные, без уксуса и приправ)
• 1/2 зеленого болгарского перца
• 1/3 стакана мелко нарезанного свежего либо замороженного шпината
• черный перец, базилик, орегано, и соль на вкус

Взбить яйца с молоком и довавить специи и соль. Я также иногда добавляю свежей петрушки. Нагреть сковороду и смазать оливковым маслом. Овощи поджарить 5 минут. Затем овощи ровоно залить яичной смесью. Не перемешивать. Убавить огонь до среднего. Накрыть крышкой. Готовить до того момента пока яйца не застынут. Подавать с тертым сыром!

Whole wheat crepes: Russian blini with sweet and meaty fillings.

Russia is famous for its excellent crepes. Let  your imagination go wild when you decide what to fill your crepes with: raspberries and blueberries, roasted chicken, mushrooms, ground beef fried with onion, Russian cottage cheese with raisins, apples and honey, apricots, peaches, cabbage, salmon, and even with sausage! 

Batter:

• 2 cup whole wheat flour
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp sugar 
• Vegetable oil for frying 
• butter for spreading over cooked crepes

Mix flour and eggs first, add milk, add the rest of the ingredients. Whisk very well! Your blini batter is ready! 

You can use cooking spray for frying, but olive or vegetable oil works better. 

Heat a little bit of vegetable oil in a good non-stick frying pan. Use a piece of paper towel to spread the oil over the whole pan. Pour approximately 1/4-1/2 cup (depending on the size of your pan) of batter into the pan, and then tilt the pan quickly spreading the batter over the pan evenly. The layer should be very thin. Cook for a couple of minutes on the first side. Then flip the crepe and cook it on the other side for a few more minutes. Once done, move the crepe unto a large dish. Grease it with a little bit of butter immediately. Unto the next one! Grease the pan with oil every time you make the next crepe. 

It is okay if your first crepe turns out ugly. The tricks are to have the pan very hot  before even starting to make them. Also, if you feel like the batter turned out a bit too thick, you can add a little bit more milk to it. If it is too runny and doesn't stick, add just a bit more flour. Making crepes is art! Don't be afraid to experiment. 

Fillings:

1/2 cup Raspberries

2/3 cup Blueberries

1 Banana, sliced

3 tbsp Sweetened condensed milk or whipped cream.... or both if you have a sweet tooth

1 chicken breast, cut in small pieces

1/4 cup green onions, chopped

1/4 can black beans

1/3 can of fire roasted tomatoes

Mushrooms, optional (1 small can or 5 fresh cremini mushrooms) 

Your favorite cheese, grated (Go crazy with the cheese! You can put too much cheese on your food) 

Butter

Sweet Crepes

Place crepe on a plate and top with the berries and banana. Sprinkle with a little bit of sweetened condensed milk or top with whipped cream. Enjoy! 

Meaty Crepes

Fry the chicken with the fire roasted tomatoes and mushrooms. When done, top crepe with the chicken, add black beans (heated in microwave), green onions, and lots of cheese. 

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Масленицу не обязательно ждать чтобы есть блины!

Тесто: 

• Мука 100 гр.
• Соль небольшая щепотка
• Сахар 1 ст.л.
• Яйцо 2 шт.
• Молоко 300 мл.
• Растительное масло 1 ст.л.

Смешайте муку и яйца, затем добавьте молоко и остальные ингредиенты. Помните что первый блин сегда выходит комом. Второй и третий будут красавчики. 

Чтобы начинить восемь сытных блинчиков вам понадобиться:

• Ягоды, стакан (голубика, клубника, малина. Зимой можно замороженные! Просто разморозьте перед употреблением и дайте жидкости сбежать)
• Банан
• Сгущенка (сколько душе угодно! Сгущенкой блины не испортишь :) 
• Масло сливочное
• Взбитые сливки
• Грудка курочки 250-300 грамм
• Зеленый лучок, 4 пера
• Грибочки, по вкусу (я использовала маленькую баночку консервированных, без соли, уксуса и приправ) 
• Черная фасоль (можно заменить на красную), 1/4 банки
• Консервированные кусочки помидор, 1/3 банки
• Сыр, 100 гр

Сладкая начинка:

Голубику, клубнику, банан, и малину выложить на блин, полить двумя ложками сгущенки. Съесть. Повторить. 

Мясная начинка: 

Грудку курочки порезать на мелкие кусочки, пожарить на сковородке вместе с шампиньюнами и помидорками на оливковом масле до золотистой корочки. Курочку выложить на смазанный маслом блин, добавить разогретую в микроволновке черную фасоль, и зеленый лук. Все посыпать сыром.