Pumpkin pie spice mix (Pita od bundeve zacinski miks)

Pumpkin pie spice mix is ​​a traditional American mixture of warm, aromatic spices that is most often used to prepare pumpkin pie, as well as other autumn and winter delicacies. The combination of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and allspice gives a rich, warm and slightly sweet smell and taste. This homemade spice mix is ​​easy to prepare, and you can also use it for plain cakes, muffins, biscuits, pumpkin bread, puddings and various desserts.

Tags: herbs and spices.

You get: 2 tablespoons of pumpkin pie spice mix.

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

• 1 tablespoon of ground ginger

• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

• ¼ - ¾ of a teaspoon of ground cloves

• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice or substitute for allspice

• Mini pinch of ground black pepper (optional)

Preparation: 

1. Before you start making pumpkin pie spice mix, check the expiration date of all the spices. Also, spices lose their strength and flavor over time, so keep in mind the date when you bought the spices, if you are making a large amount of spice mix.

2. Put a sieve in the bowl.

How to clean and prepare asparagus? (Kako ocistiti i pripremiti spargle?)

 How to quickly prepare asparagus?

Choosing asparagus

1. Choose fresh asparagus. They should be firm and bright green. The ends should be tightly gathered.

2. Asparagus can be thick or thin. Thicker asparagus takes a little longer to cook, but both types are equally tasty and nutritious.

3. Regardless of which one you choose, the asparagus should be about the same size.

Cleaning asparagus

4. Clean the asparagus by rinsing well under cold running water, gently rubbing the tips to remove any dirt, sand or impurities.

Quick tip #10: High fiber swaps (Brzi saveti #10: Zamene bogate vlaknima)

Small changes in your daily nutrition can contribute to higher fiber intake, better satiety and a more varied menu. These are easy replacements for popular foods and snacks. Instead of foods with less fiber, choose their alternatives that provide more fiber and additional nutrients. You don't have to give up your favorite food, it's enough to make a smarter choice from time to time.

1. Mayonnaise = avocado.

2. Pretzels = edamame.

3. Chips = popcorn.

4. Candies = dates.

5. Apples = pears.

Popcorn from the pot (Kokice iz serpe)

Homemade popcorn from the pot is a simple and quick salty snack for movie night, socializing or relaxing at home. Prepared with sunflower oil, they have a light and crunchy texture, and you can adjust the amount of salt to your taste. You only need a few ingredients and a few minutes to prepare.

Tags: for kids, vegan recipes, vegetarian recipes, gluten free, pescatarian recipes, flexitarian recipes.

Preparation time: 10-15 minutes.

Servings: 2-3.

Ingredients:

• 100 g of popcorn corn

• 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil

• Salt 

Preparation:

1. Pour the oil into a larger pot with a thicker bottom. Heat on medium heat (5 of 6).

2. Add two to three grains of corn and cover the pot. When the kernels pop, add the rest of the corn and gently shake the pot to distribute it on the bottom. Cover the pot, but leave a small opening for the steam to escape.

Christmas stuffed trees + free printables (Bozicne punjene jelkice + besplatno sabloni)

New Year's (Christmas) trees made of puff pastry, filled with cream cheese, gouda and fresh dill are a simple savory snack for the festive table. Crispy and golden brown on the outside, and soft, creamy on the inside. Easy to prepare, decorative and delicious, these small stuffed Christmas trees will bring holiday spirit to any table.

Tags: dough, quick and easy, for kids, lunch box, appetizers, breakfast, snack, dinner, bring to work, vegetarian recipes, pescatarian recipes, flexitarian recipes.

Preparation time: 1 h 15 - 1 h 35 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 500 g of puff pastry

• 150 g of cream cheese

• 150 g of Gouda cheese (shredded, or easy-to-melt yellow cheese)

• 10 g of fresh dill (finely chopped)

For coating:

• 1 egg

Preparation:

1. Mix cream cheese and dill.

2. Beat the egg separately.

Star of the month November: Sweet potato - 5 combinations for preparation (Zvezda meseca novembra: Batat - 5 kombinacija za pripremu)

November is the month in which you can more often find foods in the store that are ideal for preparing warm, filling meals. Among them is sweet potato, a vegetable that can be prepared in many ways, from baked and cooked dishes to creamy side dishes and sweet treats.

For November’s star of the month, I chose sweet potatoes, also known as batata.

Although it looks like a regular potato, the sweet potato has a different taste and texture, it is sweeter than ordinary potatoes. It can be the basis for a very simple dish, but also an interesting addition to combinations with meat, vegetables, grains, fruit and different herbs.

Let’s look at a few combinations in which sweet potatoes can show their versatility.

 SAVOURY COMBINATIONS 

1. Sweet potato + pumpkin + thyme = cream chowder, puree, warm side dish, savory pie.

2. Sweet potato + chicken + spinach = lunch or baked dish, filling for tortillas, savory pie.

Protein pita bread (Proteinski pita hleb)

Soft, homemade pita bread with high-protein Greek yogurt and spelt flour. It is easy to prepare, does not require yeast or a long wait for the dough to rise. It is ideal for sandwiches, filling with vegetables, cheese or meat, as well as for serving with your favorite spreads and sauces.

Tags: bread and rolls, protein recipes, vegetarian recipes, pescatarian recipes.

Preparation time: 50 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 150 g of Greek yogurt (high protein)

• 120 g of spelt flour

• 10 g of baking powder

• A pinch of salt

Preparation:

1. Mix spelt flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.

2. Add Greek yogurt and mix everything well with a spoon.

100 g of protein per day #2: Turkey, Greek yogurt, edamame, chocolate chia pudding (100 g proteina na dan #2: Curetina, grcki jogurt, edamame, cokoladni cia puding)

Menu for one day.

Total protein for the whole day: ~143 g.

BREAKFAST

Queso fresco cheese with integral bread and cucumber

• 150 g of queso fresco cheese

• 2 slices of integral bread with brewer’s yeast (70 g)

• 100 g of cucumber

Total: ~25g protein.

SNACK 1

Greek yogurt with walnuts

• 200 g of Greek yogurt

• 15 g of ground walnuts

Total: ~21g protein.

Baked zucchini in the oven in 3 ways (Pecene tikvice u rerni na 3 nacina)

Baked zucchini in the oven in three ways is a simple and tasty side dish that easily fits into the daily menu. Zucchini can be prepared in the form of rings, long flats or halves, with olive oil and aromatic spices. When baked, they become soft inside, with slightly browned edges. Serve them with meat, grains, legumes, favorite sauces or as part of a warm salad meal.

Tags: side dish, gluten free, vegan recipes, vegetarian recipes, keto recipes, paleo recipes, pescatarian recipes, for the heart, for the brain, anti-cellulite menu, PCOS-PMOS, anti-inflammatory, Mediterranean nutrition, for diabetics and IR, Hashimoto recipes.

Preparation time: 50 minutes - 1 hour 5 minutes.

Portion: 2-3 (as a side dish).

Ingredients:

• 2 medium zucchini

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil

• ½ teaspoon of salt

• ½ teaspoon of dry thyme

• ½ teaspoon sweet ground paprika 

• A pinch of ground black pepper

Preparation:

1. Heat the oven to 200°C (392 °F).

2. Wash and dry the zucchini. If using baby zucchini, you don't need to peel them. If not baby zucchini, peel them.

Quick Tip #9: Quick pan bread (Brzi savet #9: Brzi hleb iz tiganja)

Ingredients:

• 3 heap tablespoons of self-raising flour

• 3 tablespoons of Greek yogurt

• 1 tablespoon of oil

• A pinch of salt

Preparation:

1. Mix all ingredients and knead the dough for 1 to 2 minutes until the ingredients come together in a soft and smooth dough that does not stick too much to your hands.

2. Divide into 2 parts.

Cranberry sauce (Sos od brusnica)

Cranberry sauce is a sweet and sour, thick and aromatic addition that is traditionally served with roasted turkey. Fresh cranberries burst during cooking and release natural pectin, which gives the sauce a jelly texture after cooling. Orange juice and zest give it a refreshing citrus note, while cinnamon adds a warm aroma.

Tags: Thanksgiving, Christmas recipes, sauces, vegan recipes, vegetarian recipes, gluten free, pescatarian recipes.

Preparation time: 35 minutes.

Cooling time 1: 45-60 minutes.

Cooling time 2: 2-3 h.

Total preparation time: 3 h 20 minutes - 4 h 35 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 340 g of fresh cranberries

• 100 g of granulated sugar

• 100 g of brown sugar

• 240 ml 100% orange juice (without sugar) or freshly squeezed orange juice (3-4 medium oranges)

• 1 teaspoon of orange peel (grated)

• A pinch of salt

• Cinnamon stick

Preparation:

1. Rinse the cranberries well under cold water. Discard those that are soft or damaged.

2. Pour the orange juice, sugar, orange peel, salt and cinnamon stick into the saucepan. Place on medium heat (4 of 6) and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved, 3-5 minutes.

Turkey fillets, drumsticks, thighs and cubes from the oven (Cureci file, batak, karabatak i kockice iz rerne)

Three ways to prepare turkey meat in the oven: chicken fillets in a piece, chicken drumsticks and thighs bone-in and chicken fillet cut into 3 cm (1.2 inches) cubes. Each part of the meat is baked in the appropriate way so that it remains juicy and has a nicely browned surface.

Tags: main dish.

Preparation time: 55 minutes - 1 hour 50 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 500 g of turkey fillets 

• 500 g of turkey drumsticks and thighs 

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil

• 1 teaspoon of ground sweet paprika 

• 1 teaspoon of dry thyme

• 1 teaspoon of dry rosemary

• ½ teaspoon of salt

• ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper

• 100 ml of water

Preparation:

0. If you want you can cut the turkey fillets into ~3 cm (~1.2 inches) cubes.

1. Heat the oven to 190°C (374 °F).

2. If necessary, dry the turkey fillets and drumsticks and thighs with a paper towel. Do not wash the turkey meat.

Quick tip #8: 2 store bought soups, which one is better? (Brzi savet #8: 2 kupovne supe, koja je bolja?)

I have a can of cream soup and a bag of cream soup powder. For overall health, which is better?

It depends on the declaration.

If they are similar, I would prefer the one that has:

• less salt

• less saturated fat

• less added sugar

• more protein

• fewer calories per the same amount of prepared soup

Vegetable broth low FODMAP (Povrtni bujon nizak FODMAP)

Homemade vegetable broth with low FODMAP content, prepared from carrots, green part of spring onion, celery root and aromatic herbs. Mild and fragrant, it is ideal as a base for soups, stews, sauces and preparation of dishes.

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

Ingredients (~ 1 liter):

• 1.2 liters of water

• 100 g of carrots (2 smaller carrots)

• 80 g spring onions (green part, ~7 spring onions)

• 50 g of celery root (~3.5 - 5 cm - ~1.5 - 2 inches, depending on how it is cut)

• 2 dry bay leaves

• 1 teaspoon of dry thyme

• 1 teaspoon of fresh parsley leaves (finely chopped)

• 6 grains of black pepper

• 1 teaspoon of salt

• 1 teaspoon of olive oil

Preparation:

1. Wash, peel and cut the vegetables into larger pieces.

2. Place the vegetables in a saucepan.Add water, bay leaf, thyme, parsley, pepper and salt.

What is FODMAP? (Sta je FODMAP?)

FODMAP is an abbreviation of Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols. These are short-chain carbohydrates and sugars that are less easily absorbed in the small intestine. They ferment in the large intestine and can cause bloating, gas, stomach pain and diarrhea in sensitive people.

Low FODMAP means a diet with a low content of these carbohydrates. It is primarily used to relieve the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Important:

Low FODMAP does not mean that the food is completely free of FODMAP substances. 

Coffin with hot dogs for Halloween (Kovceg sa virslama za Noc Vestica)

Click on image to zoom (Kliknite na sliku da uvecate)

Puff pastry coffins with hot dogs are an interesting and fun savory dish for Halloween. Crispy puff pastry, cream cheese and hot dogs are shaped to resemble small coffins with mummies. They are easy to prepare, and the decoration of black olives and mozzarella gives them a distinctive look. You can prepare them with mild cream cheese for children or spicy cream cheese for adults.

Tags: Halloween, for kids, snack, appetizer.

Ingredients:

• 2 packages of puff pastry

• Cream cheese

• Black olives

• Hot dogs

• Mozzarella cheese (low moisture)

For coating:

• Egg or milk

• Sesame seeds 

Preparation:

1. Roll out one package of puff pastry to about 0.5 mm thickness.

2. Cut the shape of the coffin with a knife (picture, step 1).