Hummus & Bell Pepper Tortilla Wrap (Vegan)

These homemade tortilla rolls are filled with a smooth and creamy chick pea spread and some sweet roasted red bell peppers. I cannot possibly imagine a finger food platter made without these creamy tortilla rolls, as they are incredibly easy to make and they are the first ones that vanish off the platter. And the reasons are quite simple: they are delicious, hearty and nutritious.

Ingredients (for 2 rolls):

  • 2 large tortillas
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 Tbsp chopped chives

for the hummus:

  • 1 can of chickpeas (400g)
  • 1 Tbsp tahini (I used homemade tahini – here is the recipe)
  • 2 Tbsp lime juice
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 – 2 Tbsp water
  • ¼ tsp cumin
  • 1/8 tsp chili flakes
  • salt to taste

Method:

  1. Roast the red bell pepper. Take a metal disk, place it on the stove and roast the pepper on each side. Place the roasted pepper in a small saucepan and cover with a lid. After 10 minutes carefully peel the pepper. Remove the stem and the seeds, give it a quick wash and pat it dry with a paper towel. Slice it.
  2. Prepare the hummus. Drain the chickpeas using a colander and rinse it under cold water. Take about 8 – 10 chickpeas and gently squeeze them in your fingers to remove their skins. Proceed the same with the rest of the chickpeas – this step is optional.
  3. In the bowl of the food processor add the tahini and the lime juice and pulse until combined.
  4. Drizzle the olive oil 1 Tbsp at a time. Pulse until the mixture resembles to a mayonnaise.
  5. Add the chickpeas and pulse until you form a paste, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
  6. Add the spices (cumin, chili flakes and salt). Add 1 Tbsp of water and process. Add more water until you reach the desired consistency. Spoon it into a bowl and drizzle some olive oil on top.
  7. Assemble the wrap. Take both flatbread and place each one on a different square of parchment paper. Divide the hummus between the two flatbreads and spread it into a fine layer. Place half of the pepper slices on one side and sprinkle them with ½ Tbsp of chopped chives. Using the parchment paper, starting from the side with the peppers, start rolling the flatbread as tight as possible. Process the same with the second flatbread and wrap tightly each roll with the parchment paper. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing.
  8. Serving and leftovers. Slice the wrap into 3cm thick slices and serve. Wrap the leftovers (if any) in cling film and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Potato cups with cheddar cheese and chives

One of the main problems I face on a daily basis is the waste of food. I usually buy more than I need, I cook more than I consume and I often throw away perfectly good food just because I’m simply not in the mood for having the same dish two days in a row. And in this case I’m not throwing away only some leftovers, I’m also throwing away money, time and energy. This is when recycling kicks in, the art of transforming something undesirable into something attractive.

Maybe the best example of undesirable leftover are mashed potatoes. When still fresh, mashed potatoes are a delicious and creamy side dish. But when they are cold, they become dry and tasteless and not once did I have to throw them away. To prevent food waste, I discovered a wonderful way to recycle them: potato cups with cheddar cheese and chives. These cups are so easy to make, they are budget-friendly and they taste divine. They have a crunchy crust and a creamy and flavorful filling. These adorable cups are as fluffy as a cloud and they are ready in about 30 minutes. You won’t believe how some flavorless leftovers can turn into something so delicious!

Ingredients (for 12 cups):

  • 500g leftover mashed potatoes*
  • 100g grated cheddar cheese
  • 3 large eggs
  • 5g chives **
  • a pinch of nutmeg
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 2 – 3 Tbsp breadcrumbs

Notes:

* This recipe can be made for dinner with mashed potatoes from lunch. You can also use day old mashed potatoes.

** Instead of chives you can use finely chopped scallions, parsley or dill.

 

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven at 220°C / 425°F (gas mark 7).
  2. Take a muffin tray and coat each cup with a thin layer of butter and then sprinkle some bread crumbs. Shake off the excess (picture).
  3. Place the mashed potatoes in a large bowl. Add the eggs, chopped chives, a pinch of nutmeg and about 75g of grated cheese.
  4. Stir with a spatula until well combined.
  5. Sprinkle each cup with the remaining 25g of grated cheese (picture).
  6. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 – 25 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown.
  7. After they are baked, let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Use a vegetable knife to gently release them from the pan.
  8. They are delicious hot, while the melted cheese is stringy. They are also tasty cold, for breakfast.The source: www.thekitchn.com

Broccoli Spread



Undoubtedly, broccoli is one of my favorite vegetables. I love everything about broccoli, the taste, the texture, the fact that it’s so versatile. One of the most simple and yet delicious recipes with broccoli is broccoli spread. It’s extremely creamy and it’s wonderful spread on a slice of homemade bread (or tortilla, in my case). It’s so hearty and flavorful and the color is simply hypnothyc. This recipe is a great way to use the whole vegetable, stem included, so nothing goes to waste. And before I forget, all the ingredients are plant-based, so it’s suitable for a vegan diet.

Ingredients (for 6 servings):

  • 500g broccoli
  • 1/2 large avocado
  • 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 tsp chopped chives
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/8 tsp chili powder
  • salt to taste

Method:

  1. Fill a medium saucepan with water, cover with a lid and bring to a boil.
  2. Peel the broccoli stalk using a vegetable peeler. Cut the broccoli into florets and cube the peeled stalk.
  3. When the water starts to boil, add the broccoli and simmer them for 8 minutes ( the cooking time depends on the size of the florets). Meanwhile prepare the ice bath by adding 1 cup of ice to a bowl filled with cold water. Carefully drain the broccoli and immediately place itin the ice bath. Drain the broccoli using a collander and refrigerate it for about 20 minutes.
  4. After 20 minutes place it in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until smooth and creamy.
  5. Add the rest of the ingredients and pulse until smooth. Give it a taste and adjust the salt. Spoon it into a bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.

Lentils and Watermelon Salad with Grilled Corn (Vegan)



I can’t say I often come across such an interesting salad. This salad is quite special, it has a lovely flavor profile, great colors and wonderful textures. At first sight it is a simple, summery salad, with seasonal, budget-friendly ingredients. But when you taste it, it’s impossible not to fall in love. The earthy sweetness of the grilled corn goes wonderfully with the fragrant juiciness of the watermelon and the smooth, almost creamy texture of the lentils. These three tasty ingredients are deliciously bonded together by chopped chives and lemon juice.

Lentils pack this salad with protein which makes it surprisingly satisfying. It is perfect for lunch, dinner and picnic and it is a genius way to use that big slice of watermelon that has been patiently waiting in your fridge for days. Continue reading Lentils and Watermelon Salad with Grilled Corn (Vegan)

Goat Cream Cheese, Pea and Quail Egg Triangles



These goat cheese, pea and quail egg triangles are simply extraordinary. They are delicious, flavorful and the fresh green peas add a lovely spring quality to the dish. What I like the most about the appetizers is they are a crowd-pleaser. These adorable guys are also a wonderful alternative to conventional appetizers, letting aside the fact that they’re ready in less than 30 minutes. To ease up my work, I use store-bought puff pastry and I bake it between two trays. This method keeps the dough from rising excessively in the oven, which leads to a relatively thin, golden and flaky crust. Those crispy rectangles are then iced with a tangy and flavorful goat cheese cream, topped with peas and quail eggs arranged chaotically. Continue reading Goat Cream Cheese, Pea and Quail Egg Triangles

Butter Bean, Tuna and Cherry Tomato Salad

This butter bean and tuna salad is simply divine! It’s very tasty, nutritious and hearty. It is a rustic, unpretentious salad, but at the same time the flavor and texture combination give it a particular charm. It’s so easy to make and to gain some time, I start the recipe by roasting the cherry tomatoes just until they caramelize nicely and burst with flavor. While my tomatoes brown patiently in the oven, I make the creamy mustard dressing and I chop the rest of the ingredients and the dinner is ready. Or the lunch. Or the brunch, if you’re as greedy as I am. I serve this lovely salad on a garlicky whole-wheat toast and I enjoy every last bite of it. Continue reading Butter Bean, Tuna and Cherry Tomato Salad

Breakfast Burrito (Creamy Eggs, Smoked Salmon, Zucchini and Cherry Tomatoes)

Burritos

Creamy eggs

Tortilla & toppings

I only have one unbreakable rule: never to skip breakfast; everyone around me knows that even the scariest monster looks like a pretty fairy when compared to “hungry myself”. I’ve never been picky, so I eat almost everything for breakfast, from milk and cereal, to fruit, veggies, cheese, meat products and pastry (preferably two pieces at a time and preferably anything with chocolate on top). Whenever I have a free half an hour, I make burritos with tortilla made from scratch. Even though each time I use different toppings, my favorite version is the one that has creamy eggs, salmon, sauted zucchini and cherry tomatoes. These creamy eggs are absolutely divine, they are so silky and buttery and they don’t have that rubbery texture that scrambled eggs sometimes have. I tell you, this combo is amazing! Continue reading Breakfast Burrito (Creamy Eggs, Smoked Salmon, Zucchini and Cherry Tomatoes)

Stuffed Olives, Cherry Tomatoes and Zucchini Rolls Skewers

SkewerOliveCrispy oliveslimonadeMint limonade

If you’ve never tasted crispy stuffed olives, I strongly suggest you to give them a try. They are so easy to prepare and they make such an elegant appetizer or even a picnic treat, or you can eat them in the middle of the night, standing in front of the fridge and scaring the family dog (true story, unfortunately). I stuffed my olives with cream cheese, black sesame seed and chives and I paired them with fresh cherry tomatoes and Pecorino Romano flavored zucchini rolls. Continue reading Stuffed Olives, Cherry Tomatoes and Zucchini Rolls Skewers