Quick tip #6: Why and when to sift flour? (Brzi savet #6: Zasto i kada se prosejava brasno?)

The flour is sifted to break up lumps that may form during storage and to obtain a uniform, loose structure. By passing through the sieve, the flour separates and becomes lighter, so it mixes more evenly with the other ingredients. This helps to reduce the formation of lumps in the dough and achieve a more uniform texture.

Sifting is especially useful when preparing biscuit doughs - butter cakes, sponge cakes, cakes and other plain cakes where an airy structure is important. It is also useful when using cocoa powder, powdered sugar or other ingredients that tend to form lumps.

Difference between butter cake and sponge cake (Razlika izmedju biskvita i patispanja)

The difference between biscuit dough (butter cake) and sponge cake is primarily in the method of preparation, composition and texture, although the names in recipes are often used as synonyms.

Sponge cake is a light, airy crust that is most often prepared from eggs, sugar and flour. The eggs are beaten with sugar until the mass becomes thick and foamy, and then the flour is carefully mixed in to preserve the airy structure. There is usually no fat or baking powder in classic sponge cake.

Greens salad with tomato and cucumber (Salata od mesavine zelenih salata, paradajza i krastavca)

A refreshing salad from lettuce, arugula and fresh coriander, with tomato, crunchy cucumber and a slight spiciness of red onion. A dressing of olive oil and lemon juice ties the ingredients together and gives the salad a light, citrus flavor. It is ideal as a light addition to fish, meat or vegetable dishes.

Tags: salads, vegan recipes, vegetarian recipes, paleo, keto, pescatarian.

Preparation time: 20 minutes.

Ingredients (for 2 servings):

• 30 g of coriander leaves
• 80 g of lettuce 
• 40 g of arugula (rocket)
• 50 g of lamb’s lettuce (corn salad)
• 2 medium tomatoes
• ½ small red onion
• 1 small cucumber
• 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• A pinch of salt
• A pinch of pepper

Preparation:

1. Wash and chop coriander and lettuce leaves. Clean the tomatoes and cut them into cubes or slices. Peel the cucumber and cut it into thin rings. Peel the red onion and cut it into crescent.

2. Mix olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl.

How to fry beef minced meat? (Kako isprziti junece mleveno meso?)

Contents: 

1. How to fry beef minced meat at medium temperature?
2. How to fry minced beef at medium low temperature?

3. How to fry beef minced meat on medium high heat?

4. FAQ
5. Fat ration in beef minced meat 

How to fry beef minced meat at medium temperature?

Ingredients:

• 500 g minced beef
• 1 tbsp oil
• Pinch of salt 
• Pinch of pepper 

Preparation:

1. In a frying pan add the oil and turn on the heat to medium (4 of 6). Let it heat to hot.

2. Add minced beef, breaking it apart with a spatula, wooden spoon or back of a fork. Break it up as much as possible. Fry it for about 7-10 minutes, or until it is fully browned.

Chocolate chia pudding (Cokoladni cia puding)

Creamy chocolate chia pudding with soy drink, cocoa and vanilla extract, topped with peanut butter for a creamy texture. A simple dessert that is prepared in advance and left in the refrigerator overnight, so it is ready to be served the next day.

Tags: puddings.

Ingredients:

• 200 ml soy drink or homemade soy milk (unsweetened)

• 15 g of chia seeds

• 5 g organic cocoa powder (unsweetened)

• 1 teaspoon (5 g) or 1 tablespoon (15 g) peanut butter or chocolate peanut butter with cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract

Preparation:

1. Mix soy drink or homemade soy milk, cocoa powder and vanilla extract.

2. Add chia seeds and mix well.

3. Leave in the refrigerator overnight (or 8 hours).

4. Mix chia pudding.

5. Add peanut butter before serving.

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Kremasti cokoladni cia puding sa sojinim napitkom, kakaom i vanila ekstraktom, dopunjen puterom od kikirikija za kremastu teksturu. Jednostavan dezert koji se priprema unapred i ostavlja u frizideru preko noci, pa je spreman za serviranje sledeceg dana.

Oznake: pudinzi.

Sastojci: 

• 200 ml sojinog napitka ili domaceg sojinog mleka (nezasladjenog)

• 15 g cia semenki 

• 5 g organskog kakao praha (nezasladjenog)

• 1 kasicica (5 g) ili 1 kasika (15 g) putera od kikirikija ili cokoladnog putera od kikirikija sa cimetom

• ¼ kasicice vanila ekstrakta

Priprema:

1. Pomesajte sojin napitak ili domace sojino mleko, kakao u prahu i vanila ekstrakt.

2. Dodajte cia semenke i dobro promesajte. 

3. Ostavite u frizideru preko noci (ili 8 h).

4. Promesajte cia puding.

5. Pre serviranja dodajte puter od kikirikija.

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Interesting facts about kibbeh stuffed meatballs (Zanimljivosti o kibehu punjenim cuftama)

🇹🇷 İçli köfte (also known as kibbeh) is a stuffed meatball and is one of the oldest dishes of the Middle East, and its roots go back more than 4000 years, even to the time of ancient Mesopotamia. It is thought to have originated as a practical way to combine meat, grains and nuts into a nutritious meal that is easy to form, transport and store.

🇱🇧 This dish spread along trade routes through today's Lebanon, Syria, Turkey and Armenia, so every region today has its own version, somewhere it's fried, somewhere it's cooked, and somewhere it's baked in the oven.

Recipes for whole wheat breads, tortillas and rolls (Recepti za integralne hlebove, tortilje i kifle)

Integralni hleb (Pumpernickel Bread)

Integralni hleb sa pivskim kvascem (Integral bread with brewer's yeast)

Integralni hleb sa semenkama (Integral bread with seeds)

100% integralni psenicni hleb (100% whole wheat bread)

Skyr Icelandic fresh cheese (Skir islandski svezi sir)

Homemade skyr is an Icelandic thick, creamy, protein-rich fermented dairy product made from milk and live cultures. By straining, a part of the whey is removed, which gives the desired thickness. It can be used for breakfast, with savory dishes or as a base for various toppings.

Tags: buttermilk and yogurt, for policemen, for firefighters, gluten free, vegetarian recipes, keto recipes, pescatarian recipes, fit recipes, for heart health, for brain health, for kids, for diabetics and IR.

Ingredients:

• 1 liter of milk with 1.5–2.8 % milk fat
• 2 tablespoons live cultured skyr (regular, unsweetened, from the store)

Needed: saucepan - pot, kitchen thermometer, tablespoon, clean container with lid and clean cheesecloth for draining, water bath.

Preparation:

1. Pour the milk into a saucepan and heat it at medium temperature (4 of 6)

with occasional stirring. Heat up to 85°C and maintain that temperature for about 10 minutes.

Note:

Do not allow the milk to burn at the bottom of the saucepan.

2. Remove the saucepan from the stove and let the milk cool down to 40-43°C. Check the temperature with a kitchen thermometer.

Vegan walnut ice cream (Veganski sladoled od oraha)

Creamy vegan walnut ice cream with coconut milk and soy milk, with a slight aroma of vanilla and the taste of toasted walnuts. Brown sugar gives a pleasant sweetness, while walnuts contribute to a more pronounced taste and crunchy texture.

Tags: vegan recipes, vegetarian recipes, gluten free, pescatarian recipes.

Preparation time: 1 hour.

Cooling time: 2 h 30 minutes - 3 h 30 minutes.

Freezing time: 6 h - 7 h.

Total preparation time: 9 h 30 minutes - 11 h 30 minutes.

Ingredients (for 6 servings):

• 100 g of walnuts
• 400 ml of coconut milk (canned)
• 150 ml of soy milk or homemade soy milk
• 70 g of brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• A pinch of salt

Preparation:

1. Finely chop the walnuts.

2. Place the walnuts in a dry frying pan and fry for 3-4 minutes at a low temperature (2 out of 6), while stirring. Remove from the frying pan to a plate or in bowl.

Foods rich in protein and essential amino acids (Namirnice bogate proteinima i esencijalnim aminokiselinama)

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. Proteins are used in the body to build and restore muscles, skin, organs and other tissues, as well as to create enzymes and other important substances.

For example, when you eat egg whites:

Egg whites contain proteins. During digestion, proteins are broken down into amino acids. The body uses these amino acids to make its own proteins.

An example of amino acid is leucine. It is especially important for the synthesis of muscle proteins.

Vegan cashew cheddar cheese (Veganski cedar sir od indijskih oraha)

Creamy, delicious plant-based cheddar cheese with the aroma of smoked paprika and the taste of cashews. Plant-based replacement for the favorite dairy cheddar cheese, cheese for melting, sandwiches and gratin.

Tags: gluten free, vegan recipes, vegetarian recipes, lean recipes, vegan cheeses.

For cutting, shredding, grating.

Ingredients:

• 150 g cashews (raw, unsalted)
• 120 ml of water
• 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon of mustard
• ½ teaspoon of garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika powder
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• 2 tablespoons of tapioca starch
• 1 tablespoon of agar-agar
• 1 tablespoon of coconut oil
• ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder

Preparation:

0. Soak the cashews in water and leave in the refrigerator overnight (or 8 hours).

1. Drain the cashews and put them in a blender. Add water, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, mustard, garlic, smoked paprika and coconut oil. Blend until you get a completely smooth mixture, 3-5 minutes, depending on the strength of the blender. If necessary, stop the blender and scrape the mixture off the sides of the bowl, then continue blending.

2. Place the mixture in a bowl and add tapioca starch and agar-agar, mix well.

How to de-seed pomegranate? (Kako izvaditi semenke iz nara?)

Three ways to clean pomegranate:

1. In the water
2. Dry extraction of seeds
3. Hitting the pomegranate

Method 1 - in a water bath

1. Fill a large bowl with cold water.

2. Slice the small crown off the top of the pomegranate. 

How to make creme fraiche? (Kako napraviti krem fres?)

For sauces or soups.

Homemade crème fraîche is a mild, creamy fermented milk product that is easy to prepare at home. It is ideal for sauces and soups to which it gives a more distinct and delicate texture and a slightly sour taste.

Tags: buttermilk & sour milk recipes.

Ingredients:

• 180 g heavy whipping cream
• 2 ¼ tsp buttermilk or plain yogurt (full fat)

Needed: canning jar with tight fitting lid

Preparation:

1. Add heavy whipping cream to the jar.

2. Add buttermilk or plain yogurt and stir well.

How to cook macaroni and spaghetti? (Kako skuvati makarone i spagete?)

Ingredients (1 portion):

• 100 g of macaroni or spaghetti
• 1 liter of water
• 1 teaspoon of salt

Preparation:

1. Pour water and salt into a saucepan and heat until boiling at a high temperature (6 out of 6).

2. Reduce to medium heat (4 of 6). Place the macaroni in a saucepan and cook for 8 to 12 minutes.

How to clean and prepare radishes? (Kako ocistiti i pripremiti rotkvice?)

Contents:

1. How to clean radishes?
2. How to prepare radishes?
3. How to choose radishes in the store?
4. How to store radishes and shelf life?
5. Ways of preparing radishes

How to clean radishes?

1. Cut off the green part near the top, but do not throw away if they are fresh and nice. Radish leaves can be used in salads or pesto.

2. Cut the thin end from the bottom, ie. radish tail.

3. Wash the radishes under cold water. Scrub them well with your fingers or a vegetable brush to remove the dirt.

4. If there are damaged or soft parts, remove them with a knife.

5. If the radishes are not young, you can peel them. Peeling is not necessary for young radishes. The peel is edible.

Universal gluten free mix for bread and pastries (Univerzalni miks za hleb i peciva bez glutena)

Tags: gluten free.

Ingredients:

• 250 g of rice flour
• 100 g of potato starch
• 100 g of corn starch
• 10 g of psyllium powder

This mix is ​​good for:

• gluten free white bread
• crescent rolls
• buns
• savory pastries
• scones
• pizza dough

Why is it good?

Rice flour provides the basis of the dough, while potato starch contributes to softness, and corn starch makes the structure light. Psyllium absorbs water and helps bind the ingredients together, so the dough has a better structure and crumbles less.

Interesting facts about feta cheese (Zanimljivosti o feta siru)

When was feta cheese created?

Feta cheese is one of the oldest cheeses in the world, traces of a very similar cheese appear as early as the 8th century BC. in the Odyssey (Homer describes a sheep's milk cheese stored in containers of brine, which is practically today's feta).

Why can feta be called only Greek feta?

Since 2002, "feta" has been a protected name in the EU. This means that only cheese produced in certain parts of Greece can be called true feta, and only from:

• 70–100% sheep's milk.
• The rest can be goat's milk (but never cow's milk).

How to cook black beans? (Kako skuvati crni pasulj?)

How to soak and cook black beans.

Tags: how to…?

Ingredients:

• 250 g of dry black beans
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 dry bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon ground sweet paprika powder (optional)
• A pinch of salt
• A pinch of pepper
• Water as needed

Preparation:

1. Wash the beans and soak them in cold water for 8-12 hours. Put it in the fridge. If you soak for 12 hours, change the water after 6 hours.

2. Pour off the soaking water and discard. Rinse the beans.

What awaits you in the October number of The Minuette Foodzine? (Sta vas ceka u oktobarskom broju The Minuette Foodzine?)

The October number of The Minuette Foodzine brings a handful of autumn inspiration, new ideas and interesting content for all food lovers.

In this number, awaits you:

1. Autumn flavors and seasonal foods

What's current in October? Useful tips and ideas for delicious combinations.

2. Stories from the kitchen and the world of food

A short story of the month, a gastronomic journey and forgotten recipes from the blogger archive.

How to clean and prepare mushrooms? (Kako ocistiti i pripremiti pecurke?)

Proper cleaning and preparation of mushrooms is important for their taste and texture. Before cooking, it is necessary to remove soil and other impurities, remove damaged parts and cut the mushrooms to the appropriate size.

Although it is often advised not to wash mushrooms with water, this rule does not necessarily apply to every type. The cleaning method depends on how dirty they are and what kind of structure they have.

Do mushrooms absorb water?

• Mushrooms contain a large percentage of water, but that does not mean that every mushroom will get soaked as soon as it comes into contact with water. 
• Short rinsing is generally not a problem, while prolonged immersion should be avoided.

Popeye breakfast for cops (Popaj dorucak za policajce)

Popeye breakfast brings a strong start to the day for police officers who need energy, stamina and strength for demanding tasks. Inspired by Popeye's strength, this breakfast symbolizes readiness for the challenges that await during the shift.

Tags: for policeman, vegetarian recipes, high protein meals.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 40 g of oat flakes (rolled oats)
• 150 ml of water
• 100 g of Greek yogurt
• 50 g of queso fresco cheese
• 100 g of spinach
• A pinch of salt
• 5 ml of olive oil

Preparation:

0. Soak the oat flakes overnight (or 8 hours). In the morning, spill the water. Pour new fresh water for cooking.

Mash the queso fresco cheese with a fork.

1. Cook oat flakes on medium-low heat (3 out of 6), stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes, until softened and creamy.

100 g of protein per day #1: From eggs and Greek yogurt, chicken and tuna (100 g proteina na dan #1: Od jaja i grckog jogurta, piletine i tune)

Menu for one day.

Total for the whole day: ~133 g of protein.

Breakfast

Eggs with Greek yogurt

2 eggs (kaygana, omelette, boiled eggs, sunny-side-up eggs)

100 g of Greek yogurt

2 slices of integral bread (whole wheat bread, wholemeal bread)

Total: ~28g protein

Snack 1:

Hummus with raw carrots 

50 g of hummus

1 medium carrot (100 g)

Total = ~5g protein

Twelve days of Christmas (Dvanaest dana Bozica)

The twelve fays of Christmas represent the traditional Christmas period in the Christian tradition that begins on December 25th and lasts until January 5th (both dates included). This period follows the celebration of Christ's birth and ends on the eve of Epiphany, which is celebrated on January 6th.

Why is Christmas celebrated for twelve days?

In the Western Christian tradition, Christmas is not just a day of celebration. The twelve days represent the period that follows Christmas, and ends with the Epiphany. This holiday is associated with the arrival of wise men from the East, who, according to the Bible, followed the star to the place where Jesus was born and brought him gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh.

How much protein is needed per day? (Koliko proteina je potrebno dnevno?)

For a healthy adult who does not train intensively, the basic recommendation is about 0.8 g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.

• 60 kg = 48 g of protein per day (132 pounds = 1.70 oz)
• 70 kg = 56 g of protein per day (154 pounds =1.97 oz)
• 80 kg = 64 g of protein per day (176 pounds = 2.26 oz)
• 90 kg = 72 g of protein per day (198 pounds = 2.54 oz)
• 100 kg = 80 g of protein per day (220 pounds = 2.82 oz)