Pasta with tomatoe sauce

Pasta with Tomatoe Sauce:

Ingredients:

1 big onion, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cans 400gr diced tomatoes
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1tbsp oregano
1tbsp olive oil
Salt
Black peppers

Directions:

• Heat the olive oil in a large pan, over medium heat.
• Add the onion, cook and stir until is soften slightly. 
• Add the garlic and stir until aromatic.
• Stir in the tomatoes, stirring often for 8 minutes.
• Stir in with parsley, put the Salt and black pepper.
• Cook the pasta ( i prefer penne ), following packet direction. Drain and place them back to the pan.
• Add the tomatoe sauce to the pasta and its ready.!

Enjoy!!!

Cypriot Koupepia (traditional food)

Cypriot Koupepia:

Ingredients:

50 vine leaves
150gr minced pork
1 cup olive oil
1 onion, minced
Parsley, minced
Salt
Black pepper
1 cup rice
1/3 cup tomatoe sauce
2tbsp. Lemon juice
1 cup warm water

Directions:

• Wash the vine leaves amd put them in warm water to get soft, the color will go darker.
• Put the olive oil in a pan to warm, and , lighlty cook the onion.
• Add the minced pork, lightly cook
• Add the rice, salt, black pepper, parsley, tomatoe sauce, mixed with a little water and let them for 2-3 minutes.
• When the mixture cools, put 1tsp. Of filling on each vine leave and wrap them up. You may have bigger or smaller leaves, so you put more or less of the meat mixture.
• Put all the koupepia in a pot, put a small plate on tip of them to keep them in place and add the water and the lemon juice.
• Let them cook on low heat, in about 30 minutes.

Cyprus Traditional Meat Balls or Keftedes

Cyprus Traditional Meat Balls or Keftedes:

Ingredients:

600gr groundpork meat (mincemeat)
1 large onion, chopped
100gr fresh parsley, chopped
1 medium patatoe, grated
1 egg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Salt
Black pepper
Corn oil for frying


Directions:

• Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix.
• When its ready for cook, add about an inch of the oil to a frying pan i a medium heat.
• Take small amount of the mincemeat mix, and form a small balls and add to the frying pan. Fry them for a few minutes on one side, and roll the balls over and fry the other side.
• Remove when they are browned all over and add to kitchen paper covered bowl, to soak up the excess oil.

Greek Prawns and Mussels Saganaki

Greek Prawns and Mussels Saganaki:

Ingredients:

12 Big Prawns
12 Mussels
5 Juicy, Chopped Tomatoes
2 Big Sliced Onions
2-3 Cloves Garlic, Chopped
80 ml Greek Ouzo
2 tbsp Parsley, chopped
250 gr Greek Feta Cheese
Olive Oil
Salt
Black Pepper
a Pinch of Sweet Paprika


Directions:

• Peeling and Cleaning the Prawns and Mussels.
• Preparing the Sauce,  Dice the fresh tomatoes into cubes.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat, add the chopped onions for 1 minute.
• Stir in the chopped garlic, salt, black pepper for 1 minute.  Add the chopped tomatoes,cover with the lid, bring to the boil,  and let simmer for about 5-6 minutes.
• In a different pan put olive oil in a medium heat and saute the prawns and mussels for 1 minute. Season them with salt, black pepper on both sides, and deg laze them with the Greek Ouzo.
• Pour the sauce into pan with prawns and mussels.  Top them with Greek Feta Cheese, place the lid on cook for 4-5 minutes until the Feta slightly melts.
• Serve the Saganaki with Parsley.

Enjoy!

Homemade Vanilla Cupcakes

Vanilla Cupcakes: 

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Salted butter, softened
1/4 cup Vegetable oil
3/4 cup Sugar
3/4 cup Buttermilk, room temperature
2 Eggs
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 3/4 All-purpose Flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 Salt

Directions:

• Line a muffin pan with cupcakes liners. 
• Preheat an oven to 180⁰C.
• In a Large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or a big mixer, to cream the butter, vegetable oil and sugar together, until light and a little bit fluffy.  
• Add in buttermilk, egg, vanilla extract and beat until combined.
• Fill each cupcake liner half full.
• Bake at 180⁰C for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of cupcakes and comes out clean.
• Remove the Cupcakes out of the oven!

Cream Cheese Frosting:

Ingredients:

220 gr Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 cup Salted Butter, softened

1/2 - 1 tsp. Vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar

Food Colour

Directions:

• Use a mixer to beat the cream cheese and butter together, until fluffy.
• Add in Vanilla extract and mix until combined.
• Put powdered sugar, slowly-slowly, until smooth.
• If you want you can put a little drops of food color.
• Store frosting in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!

6 Healthy Smoothies

6 Healthy Smoothies:


Bluebbery, Banana, Avocado Smoothie:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Almond milk
1 cup fresh spinach
1/2 ripe Avocado
1 big Banana, peeled
2 cups Frozen Blueberries
1 tbsp. Almond butter
1/4 tsp. Cinnamon




Strawbery, Kiwi Smoothie:

Ingredients:

2 Kiwi, peeled and quartered
1/2 cup Frozen Strawberries
1/2 medium Orange
1/2 Sliced and Frozen Banana
1/2 cup milk, of your choice
1 1/2 oats
1 tsp. honey



Rasberry, Banana Smoothie:


Ingredients:

3 Frozen Bananas
1/2 cup Frozen Rasberries
1 cup Milk (of your choice)
2 tsp. Honey




Peanut-butter Smoothie:

Ingredients:

1 Frozen Banana
2 tsp. Cocoa Powder
140 - 160 low fat yogurt
3/4 Milk (of your choice)
1 tbsp. Honey
1 tbsp. Peanut-butter



Strawberry, Banana, Oatmeal Smoothie:

Ingredients:

1 cup Coconut Milk
8-10 Frozen Strawberries
1 Frozen Banana
3/4 cup Oats soaked for 1-2 hours and then drain
1 tsp Vanilla
1 tsp. Honey






Blackberries, Cinnamon Smoothie:

Ingredients:

1 Frozen Banana
1 cup Frozen Blackberries
1 Small Apple, sliced
1 cup Milk, (of your choice)
1/2 cup low fat yogurt
1-2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

3 ideas for Healthy Breakfast

3 Healthy Brakfast:

Avocado Toast with  Fried Eggs or Cheese:

Ingredients:

2 eggs
2 slices of bread
1 small Avocado
Sea Salt

Black Pepper




Directions:

• Prepare toasts and fried eggs.
• Peel and smash avocado with the lime juice,salt and Black pepper.
• Spread avocado on each slice of toast then top the fried eggs on slices.

If we don't want eggs we can just pout some cheese!

Quinoa with Salmon and eggs:

Ingredients:

1 cup Quinoa

4 Large eggs

2 tbsp.olive oil

Salt

Black Pepper

1 Avocado, chopped (optional)

Smoked Salmon

Fresh Lemon juice

Boiled Spinach and broccoli  for serving (optional)

Directions:

• Cook the quinoa according to the package directions.
• Heat the oil in a nonstick pan over a medium heat, add the eggs and cook, covered 2-4 minutes for slightly runny yolks. Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve the quinoa topped with fried eggs, avocado, salmon, spinach and broccoli.

Yogurt with Granola and Berries:

Ingredients:

1 cup low fat yogurt

1 tbsp. blueberries

1 tbsp. blackberries

1 tsp. reberries

3-4 strawberries

2-3 tbsp. Granola

Directions:

• We put the yogurt in a bowl and topped it with all the berries.

Pancakes for Breakfast

Pancakes for Brekfast:


Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 large egg
3/4 cup milk, of your choice
Vegetable oil, for cooking

Directions:

• Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a bowl and mix well.
• Beat the egg and milk in a bowl, add a little of vegetable oil or meted butter and mix.
• Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just enough to moisten the flour mixture
• Heat a nonstick pan over a medium heat and coat it with a vegetable oil. We measure it the mixture with a big spoon and cook until the top surface bubbles, Flip and cook until the other side is golden brown.

Wipe the pan totally clean with a paper towel between the batches. 

We  can serve with maple syrup, fresh fruits, bacon, honey or powdered sugar !

Enjoy!

Greek Pastitsio Recipe

Greek Pastitsio:

Ingredients:

2 - 1/2 cups uncooked penne pasta
1 tbsp melted butter
1 cup grated cheese of your choice
(i prefer parmesan cheese)
1 kg minced beef
1 big onion, chopped
1 garlic glove and a little powdered garlic
1 cup of tomato sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divide

Bechamel Sauce:

1/2 cup melted butter
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp nutmeg
4 cups milk of your choice
2 large eggs

Directions:

• Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and toss with butter.
• Preheat the oven at 180⁰C.
• In a large skilled, cook beef and onion over medium heat 8-10 minutes or until beef is no longer pink, we have to break beef into crumbles, add the garlic.  Stir in tomato sauce, salt, pepper, cinnamon and sugar.
• In a Large Saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour. salt, pepper, nutmeg until smooth, gradually add milk. Bring to a boil, cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until thickened.
• In a medium baking pan we put a little of Bechamel sauce then we put pasta, sprinkle with the shredded parmesan, over the parmesan we put the beef mixture and then we put the Bechamel Sauce. Over the Bechamel if we want we sprinkle with a little of Parmesan cheese.
• Bake uncovered, 30-40 minutes.