Author: Twin Cities Herbs

Fizzy fermented pine needle drink

Make this delicious fermented winter drink! Edible pine needles have a wonderful minty, citrusy flavor and pair well with some lemon juice. When the pine needles are mixed with water and sweetener like sugar or honey, the natural yeasts on the needles initiates fermentation. During this process, the yeast on the pine needles consumes the sugar and bubbles are produced making a fizzy drink.

Pine needles are edible! You can use any pine needles, just make sure they are edible and are free of pesticides. Most pine trees are suitable; however, it is important to exercise caution when eating pine needles, as some species may contain toxins or irritants. Needles of pine trees like Norfolk Island Pine, Yew and Ponderosa Pine are not edible. I used needles of White pine trees.

Needles of edible pine trees are a living medicine chest. They are particularly useful for anyone who is in the forest, whether living there or just going out on a day-hikes. It is good as a first aid remedy, treats respiratory problems and can be used as food. In addition, it can help musculoskeletal problems, promotes digestion and can help with mental, physical fatigue. Oh and let’s not forget about its vitamin and mineral content! This is truly an amazing remedy!

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

  • 16 oz mason jar
  • a good handful of edible chopped pine needles of your choice – I used white pine needles.
  • 1-2 Tbsp sweetener of your choice like sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, honey. (Sugar substitutes like stevia, erythritol will not work).
  • spring water
  • Lemon juice (optional)

DIRECTIONS

  • Collect the pine needles. You can wash them if you think they are dirty but is not necessary otherwise.
  • Fill your jar with the chopped needles and add water leaving 1 inch of space open on the top for the bubbles to form.
  • Add sweetener of your choice.
  • Stir the content to distribute the sweetener to allow the fermentation process to occur.
  • Now leave the bottle in a warmish place that is not too hot or cold. The counter in the kitchen would be fine.
  • Let it ferment for 2-5 days, less in the summer more in the winter. When you can see bubbles formed on the the top, the drink is ready. Strain and you can start drinking it.
  • If not consumed right away, store the strained liquid in the refrigerator.
  • Serve with lemon juice.

Enjoy!

Photo and text by twincitiesherbs.com.

Source: Matthew Wood: The Earthwise Herbal

Home-made Christmas bon bons with nuts and raisins (Házi Szaloncukor)

Our grandmothers, great-grandmothers used to make delicious sweets for Christmas. I don’t have the exact recipe my great-grandmother used; however, I have this modernized version, it works as a great replacement. The three main ingredients are raisins, walnuts, and coconuts. Along with some other flavorings, they are made into small balls. Then, they are dipped in chocolate of your choice and voila! … this healthy sweet AKA szaloncukor is ready to be hung on your Christmas tree or if you can’t resist you can just eat is as it is!

In the old days, they used honey, nuts and dried fruits like quince, raisins and apples. They also added foraged herbs that varied from country to country and region to region and often included fennel, lavender, rose petals, juniper berries, sumac etc. Ever since the exotic spices arrived from the East, people have been using cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg etc. I personally really like adding shredded coconuts and oranges as they are readily available and taste delicious.

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 cup walnut, chopped
  • 3/4 cup raisins, chopped
  • 1/3 cup shredded coconut
  • peel of 1/2 orange, grated or 1 tsp dried orange peel
  • juice if 1 orange or 1 Tbsp orange juice
  • pinch of salt, more for decorating
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 300 gr or 11 oz chocolate chips
  • 6 Tbsp coconut oil or unsalted butter

METHOD

  • Mix the raisins, nuts and shredded coconut. Place them in a bowl.
  • Add the vanilla extract, orange peel and the juice, cinnamon, cardamom and salt. Mix.
  • Put them in the fridge for 10 – 20 min so dough is not too warm or soft.
  • Take a handful out of the mixture at a time.
  • Create the bon bons. Make either smaller balls 1 inch in diameter, or make rectangular shapes.
  • In a double boiler, start slowly melting the chocolate chips. Add the butter. Mix until you get a ‘flowy’ consistency, meaning when you lift up a ladle full of chocolate, the chocolate flows down evenly.
  • Dip each bon bon in the melted chocolate. I used a fork and let the unused chocolate fall back in the pot.
  • Place them on a wire rack and let them cool.
  • Cut out squares of paper or cloth, big enough to cover the prepared bon bons (about 15 x 1 5 cm or 5 x 5 inch). Parchment paper works great too. Place the bon bons in the middle of this squared shaped paper or cloth and wrap the ends around. Twist the ends tightly to create the classic szaloncukor shape. Please see my picture for clarification.

Merry Christmas! Boldog Karácsonyt!

Photo and text by twincitiesherbs.com.

Festive Cheese Cake

Not sure what to serve for the holidays? This recipe is a smaller version of the well-known cheese cake. Impress your guests with this delicious and easy to make cake! It is a crustless cake with a creamy body infused with almond extract. I also added raisins to add some texture. You can decorate it with anything you desire. I used lingonberry jam and roasted slivered almonds. Enjoy!

Recipe

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1/4-1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour or almond flour
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 tsp almond or vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • handful of raisins
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • pinch of salt
  • oil for baking the almond slivers
  • 1 cup slivered almonds for the top
  • 20 oz lingonberry jam for the top

DIRECTIONS

  • Preheat oven to 350 F / 180 C.
  • Butter a 7 inch round cake pan.
  • Mix the wet ingredients: egg, ricotta cheese, almond extract and milk.
  • Sift the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, sugar and salt.
  • Gently combine the wet and dry ingredients.
  • Fold in the raisins.
  • Pour batter into the prepared cake pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. You can gently tap the form on hard surface so the top gets leveled. Let the mixture sit for 1 hour. Set aside.
  • Meanwhile bake the slivered almonds: Apply oil to a cookie sheet and place the almond slivers on it. Bake in a preheated oven at 300 F for 10 – 15 minutes until golden brown. Set aside.
  • Bake the cake mixture in a pre-heated oven for 30-35 min or until the edges are slightly golden and an inserted knife edge comes out clean. Let cool.
  • Spread jam of your choice and sprinkle roasted almond slivers on the top.
  • Serve warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy! Happy holiday!

Photo and text by twincitiesherbs.com.

Fusion style curry pumpkin soup

After the rich foods of the holidays, we often just want to eat something simple yet nourishing. It can get a bit tricky in January to do this as it is still cold here. To stay in tune with nature, I really enjoy eating some warming soups. This tasty soup is more of a fusion style pumpkin soup. Its main ingredient, the butternut squash is cooked in a coconut milk base with some warming spices from the East. This soup should feel refreshing after all the rich, heavy foods of the holidays. Oh and those warm aromas in your kitchen while the soup is cooking … enjoy!

RECIPE

Ingredients

  • 1 medium sized butternut squash, peeled and cubed
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 1 Tbsp graded fresh ginger
  • 1-3 garlic cloves
  • 2 cans of coconut milk
  • 1 cup vegetable stock or water
  • 3 Tbs-whole bottle (to taste) of Thai Kitchen Roasted red chili paste, 4 oz
  • Nuts (pumpkin, almonds), slivered
  • Salt

Preparation

  • In a medium sized pot, heat coconut oil on medium high heat. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes or until it is translucent.
  • Add ginger and cook for a few minutes until you smell its aroma. Add the powdered curry and garlic cloves and stir for 1 minute.
  • Pour in the coconut milk, vegetarian stock/water and the Thai Kitchen red chili paste. Stir and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat to a low medium heat and cover.
  • Cook for 30 minutes. Turn off heat and let the soup cool.
  • Add salt.
  • Use an immersion blender and puree until smooth.
  • Reheat before serving.
  • Serve with nuts, yogurt, bread.

Photo and text by twincitiesherbs.com.

Festive Plum Gnocchi With Poppy Seeds (Szilvás gombóc)

Hungarian plum gnocchi (szilvás gombóc) is basically a dish made with plums wrapped in dough made with mashed potatoes. It is often served as a second dish after a heavier soup but can be a dessert as well.

This dish is a little variation to the recipe that most people use in Hungary. I added poppy seeds instead of bread crumbs to coat the balls. In Transylvania, plum gnocchi is often still coated with poppy seeds.

Poppy seeds are popular at Christmas time as they are full of flavor and are supposed to be calming and nourishing as well. Oh one more, Hungarians believe that poppy seeds are supposed to bring good luck for the new year.

Also, I used prunes instead of fresh plums because fresh plums are not available right now. Honestly, I can’t tell the difference.

These 2 changes to the recipe would make this otherwise already fabulous dish a perfect dish for the holidays.

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS
  • about 1 lb russet potatoes (4-5 potatoes)
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 egg
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 18 sweet prunes – depending on the size

Coating

  • 2 cups poppy seed, ground
  • 1 cup walnuts (finally chopped)
  • 10 Tbsp butter or coconut oil
  • 1 tsp cinnamon or apple pie seasoning
  • 6 Tbsp sugar
  • pinch of salt
DIRECTIONS

Place the potatoes with the skin on in a large pot. I like to put them on a metal steamer with ‘feet’ so the vitamins and minerals don’t leach into the water and so they don’t soak up too much water. If the potatoes are too wet, the dough will need more flour and will be harder. Add cold water to the pot with a little salt. Bring it to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium low. Cook them with the lid on for about 45 – 60 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Peel them while they are still hot but you can handle.

Puree the potatoes while they are still warm, I was able to do it as soon as the peels were taken off. I used a potato ricer. I put the potatoes through the larger holes of the ricer, then the smaller ones. It is worth investing in a potato ricer if you want a nice and soft dough. You can use a potato masher too, I have used it before and did a good job too. Let potatoes cool to room temperature.

Add flour, salt, 1 egg, 1 Tbsp of butter to the mashed potatoes. Mix and form into a ball shape. Do not over do it. The dough should not be wet but should stay in one piece. Make sure your potatoes are at room temperature. If they are warm they will take up too much flour. You can use the fridge for 5-10 minutes minutes if needed. (Before adding more flour, cool the dough in the refrigerator).

Let the dough rest for 1 hour on the counter.

Meanwhile, soak the prunes in water to soften them. Set aside.

Melt the butter on low heat and add the poppy seeds stirring frequently for about 10 minutes. Make sure the butter doesn’t burn. Add the cinnamon, sugar and chopped walnuts. Mix. This will be used to coat the balls.

Also, mix the 3 Tbsp sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon and a pinch of salt for the stuffing. This will be used when the balls are served.

Fill a 5 quart pot with about 3 quart water. Bring to a boil with a little a little salt.

After 1 hour, take the dough out of the refrigerator. Cut the dough in half. Place one of them on a flat, floured surface. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface with a rolling pin. Cut out about 9 squares about 3 inches wide and 1 cm thick.

Squeeze the liquid out of the prunes from earlier step.

Assemble the balls. Place one of the dough squares into your palm. Put a plum in the dough. Fold corner by corner gently tucking the stuffing inside and then roll it to make a ball. Do this with each square. Coat them in flour. Please look at the pictures for clarification.

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Take the other half of the left over dough and repeat rolling the dough and making little squares. Just like earlier, fill the squares with the prunes. Do this procedure until all the dough is used up.

When the water starts boiling, you can drop the balls in the water one by one with a slotted spoon. Try to gently stir them to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

When the dumplings come to the surface, cook them for about another 5 more minutes and remove them with a slotted spoon. 

Coat the dumplings with the poppy seed mixture that you prepared earlier and roll them around until they are well coated. 

Serve warm with a little vanilla sugar, cinnamon sugar or honey. Or all three.

Enjoy! Jó étvágyat!

Recipe, photo and text by twincitiesherbs.

Vegetarian stuffed peppers with eggplant and mushrooms with a Middle Eastern flair

Stuffed peppers are popular all over the world as they are mild in flavor and hold their shape. They can accommodate a generous amount of filling. This recipe is a little play on the meat filled stuffed pepper recipes as I used lentils, cheese and mushrooms instead of the meat. Also, it is made with other delicious foods like eggplants and couscous. The dish is simmered in a tomato sauce to perfection. Serve with a nice yogurt sauce and enjoy!

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 large eggplant
  • 4 large peppers
  • 1/2 cup cooked lentils
  • 4 oz feta cheese
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup Gruyere cheese
  • 8 oz of crimini mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 cup of cooked couscous
  • olive oil
  • garlic, chopped
  • 1 bunch scallion
  • 2 cup of tomato sauce + 1 cup of stock or water
  • 2 tsp ground cumin, divided
  • 2 tsp ground coriander powder, divided
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika, divided
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 large egg
  • grated Parmesan cheese for the top
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • cilantro

METHODS

  • Preheat oven 400 F.
  • Pierce the skin of the eggplant in several places and bake in the oven for 30 minutes or adjust cooking time depending on the size of the eggplant. Remove, set aside and let it cool.
  • Make couscous. Boil 1 cup of water and add 1 cup of couscous. Let it sit for 5- 10 minutes to soak up the water. Add olive, 1 tsp ground cumin powder, scallions, handful chopped cilantro and salt. Set aside.
  • Sauce for baking the the stuffed pepper: warm up some oil on medium high heat when ready add seasoning (cumin, coriander, paprika, nutmeg), stir for 1 minute. Add crushed garlic, stir and add 2 cup tomato sauce and 1 cup of stock, stir. Cook for about 5 minutes. Pour into the baking dish that is big enough to hold the stuffed peppers. Set aside.
  • Stuffing: Mash the eggplant with a potato masher. Add 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, paprika and garlic cloves, 1 egg, the cheeses, salt, black pepper and the sauteed mushrooms. Add the cooked lentils and the couscous. Mix well.
  • Prepare stuffed peppers. Cut the bottom of the peppers off, discard or use for something else. Place the stuffing inside the peppers and put the stuffed peppers on the prepared baking sheet with the tomato sauce from earlier. Put the graded Parmesan cheese on the top.
  • Bake in a preheated oven at 400 F for about 50 – 60 minutes or until the peppers are soft and the top is golden brown.
  • Remove from oven and serve hot with yogurt.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste.

enjoy!

Recipe, photos and text by twincitiesherbs

Authentic Minestrone Soup

When we go on vacation, I always get inspired by dishes that we eat at restaurants. This year, it was the Minestrone soup that we ate at an Italian restaurant in the middle of the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. The owner of the restaurant was from Verona, Italy and created a thriving restaurant slightly off the touristy area. You might say oh there is nothing special about Minestrone soup. Well, when the only places where you can eat are chain restaurants and you happen on this simple, delicious and filling soup, things might change…

Minestrone soup is basically a vegetable soup but there is a little more to it. Yes we always order it when we go to Olive Garden, but it really should have seasonal vegetables from your garden or the farmers market. You start with the trio of carrots, celery stalk and onions and add other seasonal vegetables and some delicate beans like Borlotti or Cannelloni beans. Of course, kitchen spices are also a crucial part of the recipe. I used oregano, fennel, thyme and added a little paprika. Usually some pasta is added at the end but potatoes are also used instead of pasta in some parts of Italy. Finally, add the beans with its liquid to make it a filling, satisfying soup. It actually taste better the next day.

Buon Appetito!

RECIPE

Ingredients

1 medium onion, diced

1 cup diced carrots

2 celery stalks, diced

vegetable oil

6 cup vegetable or chicken broth

seasonal diced vegetables (I used 1 cup of each: green beans, zucchini,spinach)

1 cup potatoes, diced

2 large tomatoes, chopped or 1 can 14 oz

3 clove garlic, minced

1 cup dried delicate flavored beans of you choice like cannelloni, borlotti or 15 oz canned beans

1 tsp of each: dried oregano, ground dried fennel seeds, dried thyme, paprika

2 bay leaves

salt and pepper to taste

1 oz pancetta or bacon, diced (optional)

cheese rind (optional)

parsley to garnish

Method

Soak the beans overnight and cook for 1 1/2 hr or until they are soft but don’t fall apart. Omit if using cans

Sauté the onions in some oil until translucent for about 10 minutes. Add the diced celery, pancetta if using and keep sautéing for 5 minutes.

Add the crushed garlic and Italian seasoning, cook for 1 minute. Add the chopped tomatoes. Cook for a 10 minutes or until the tomatoes fall apart.

Add the vegetables, bay leaves and the stock. Bring to a boil and slowly cook for a 1.5 hour on low heat.

Add cooked beans with the liquid. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 more minutes.

Use salt and pepper to taste.

Serve warm with parsley and cheese if you wish!

Enjoy!

Recipe, text and photos by twincitiesherbs.

Spring ramp soup

Ramp (wild garlic) is a very special plant, one of the first foods available in the spring. Soups are always a great way to enjoy them. This recipe is very simple; in a nut shell, it is a basic potato soup made with shallots and the ramps added at the end. Just let the ramps shine and enjoy its special flavor in this simple soup!

Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1 shallot, chopped
  • 1 tsp of sweet Hungarian paprika (make sure it is authentic)
  • 1 lb russet potatoes, cleaned and cut into cubes
  • 4 cup chicken or vegetable stock
  • 20 ramps, feel free to use more if you have more
  • 2 Tbsp flour
  • 1/2 cup cream
  • salt and pepper to taste

Method

  1. Sauté the shallots in butter until translucent.
  2. Add paprika quickly, stir for 1 minute and add a little cold water.
  3. Add the chopped potatoes, the stock and let it cook for about 20 minutes.
  4. At the end add the whole ramps and cook for a few minutes on a slow boil.
  5. Add the cream, salt and pepper and puree the soup with an immersion blender to get a creamy consistency.
  6. Serve with yogurt and croutons if you wish!

Enjoy!

Photo and text by twincitiesherbs.com.

photo by twincitiesherbs.com

Cannellini Bean Vegetarian Meatballs

Wow that is quite a mouthful for the name of a simple recipe!

We were invited to a banquette where the organizers decided that the vegetarian alternative to spaghetti with meatballs dinner would be to leave out the meat; however, most vegetarians like protein so leaving out the meat is not a solution. So I decided to come up with a vegetarian alternative. This challenge got me this amazing recipe though so no complaints.

These bean balls are mouthwatering, even my corgi thinks it is meat. How do I know he likes it? He starts putting out his paw to shake my hand without being asked and he licks his bowl for another 10 minutes after he finishes eating hoping he can find some more.

Let’s talk about the cannellini beans briefly. They are the main ingredient and with their high protein content they replace the meat easily.

These beans originated in South America, most likely in Peru or Argentina. Today, they are popular all over the world but surely are a vital part of the Northern Italian cuisine. They are part of the kidney bean family so with its kidney supporting qualities they are beneficial during the winter time. Also, there is evidence that these beans help with diabetes and weight loss.

When trying to find a replacement for meatballs, cannellini beans seemed like the perfect choice. These nutty, earthy and savory flavored beans are a fabulous addition to this Italian staple. They taste more like chestnuts so they really add a lot of flavor to the dish. I would suggest to make the beans at home from scratch rather than buying the canned version. I could taste the difference for sure.

Enjoy this tasty dish!

RECIPE

Makes 10 bean balls (2 inch in diameter).

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dried cannelloni beans (15 oz canned), strained
  • 1 small yellow onion, grated or 2 Tbsp dehydrated onion
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • oil for baking
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs
  • a handful of hazelnut or walnuts, chopped
  • a handful of fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/4 cup tomato sauce
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning,
  • 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp salt

Tomato sauce:

  • 1 bayleaf
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • garlic
  • 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
  • 1 Qt jar of tomato sauce

Italian seasoning

  • 1 tsp fennel, ground
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 1 tsp basil
  • 1/4 tsp chili pepper

METHOD

  • Preheat oven to 350 F.
  • Soak beans overnight or at least for 8 hours. Cook them for 2 hours or until done. (Omit if using a can).
  • Boil a big pot of water and cook spaghetti according to its instructions.
  • Coat a baking sheet with a thin film of oil.
  • Put the beans in a large bowl and mash them with a potato masher.
  • Add the rest of the ingredients chopped pistachio nuts, 1 egg, breadcrumbs, oil, tomato sauce, parsley, salt, Italian seasoning, garlic cloves, balsamic vinegar and onion.
  • Mix well.
  • Using about 1/4 cup of the mixture, form balls by rolling between the palms of your hands.
  • Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet evenly spaced.
  • Bake for about 30 minutes or until the balls have a nice golden brown color on the outside.
  • While the bean balls are baking, prepare the tomato sauce. Choose your favorite Pasta sauce, add 1/4 balsamic vinegar, 1 bayleaf, 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning, garlic and salt to taste. Cook for 10 minutes. Serve with the bean balls.
  • Serve warm with tomato sauce and spaghetti.

enjoy!

Receipe, photos, text by twincitiesherbs.com.

Holiday dinner ideas

I associate the Christmas season with good food, heartwarming music and the company of friends and family. I can help you out with the food part but I leave the rest for you. Please check out holiday dishes from my earlier blogs, hope you can find one for your holiday dinner: festive salad, mouth-watering meat, fabulous vegetarian and tasty vegan dishes. Enjoy!

RECIPES

Traditional Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage Recipe

Vegan Russian Sour Kraut Soup (Shi) Recipe

Pork with prunes Recipe

Kale Salad with cranberries. Recipe

Festive Strudel with Lentils, cabbage & mushroom Recipe

Happy Holidays!