Author: Twin Cities Herbs

Shakshuka with pitta bread

This is a tasty vegetarian dish that can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is made with simple ingredients that you most likely have in your kitchen. The eggs are poached in a rich tomato sauce made with onions, garlic and the spices of North Africa. I served this dish with home-made pita bread.

Shakshuka originated in Northern Africa and is now made all over the Middle East. This recipe uses the lovely spices of Northern Africa, the special trio of cumin, coriander and paprika. I like to add additional vegetables like green peppers, zucchini and cauliflower. Enjoy!

RECIPE

5 Servings

Ingredients

  • 2 medium onions, diced
  • 1/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 green peppers or zucchinis, sliced
  • 1 cup cauliflower florets
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp ground cumin powder
  • 1 tsp ground coriander powder
  • 1 tsp ground paprika
  • 2 large tomatoes
  • hot pepper flakes to taste
  • 5 eggs
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup parsley
  • 1/4 cup mint leaves

Methods

  • In a large skillet, sauté the onions in olive oil for 5 minutes or until translucent.
  • Add the green peppers and continue sauteing while stirring frequently for another 5 minutes.
  • Add the spices (cumin, coriander, paprika) and the garlic. Stir for 1 minute.
  • Quickly add the diced tomatoes and 1 cup of water. Stir. Cook for 5 minutes.
  • Add the sliced zucchini and cauliflower if used. Let the mixture cook for 5 more minutes on medium high heat.
  • Continue simmering for 10 minutes covered.
  • Uncover and let the dish cook for another 5 minutes or so until the sauce thickens.
  • With a wooden spoon make a ‘well’ and drop in 1 eggs. Do this four more times with the other eggs, evenly spacing the eggs on top of the tomato sauce. Let the eggs poach covered in this lovely, well seasoned sauce until the whites are set and are not runny. I like to leave the yellow part runny.
  • Uncover. Add salt, pepper, parsley, mint leaves and hot pepper flakes.
  • Serve warm with pita bread.

Source

  • Text and photos: twincitiesherbs.com

Dutch baby with berries

Berries are ready! An easy way to use these delicious berries for breakfast is to make a dutch baby. Dutch baby is made with three basic ingredients: milk, eggs and flour. Watch it puff up in the oven and wow your friends and family with this delicious breakfast. Make sure your guests are seated at the table when you bring it out because it settles pretty fast.

RECIPE

4-6 servings

You will need a 10″ (2″ deep) oven proof skillet or something similar in size.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup white flour
  • 1 cup of milk
  • 5 eggs
  • 2 cups berries, sliced
  • 4 Tbsp butter, divided
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1-3 Tbsp sugar

Methods

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.

2. Mix milk, flour, eggs, salt, melted 2 Tbsp butter, vanilla extract until no lumps remain. You can use an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute if you wish.

3. Let it rest for 1 hour. You can make it the night before too.

4. Gently warm up the remaining butter in the oven proof skillet. Pour in the batter. Make sure the batter is at room temperature if after taking it out of the fridge.

5. ATTENTION! Do not open the oven door until the dutch baby is done. Bake for 20 – 30 minutes or until the top is nice and golden brown.

6. Let it cool for 5 – 10 minutes. Serve warm.

7. I served it with the berries, maple syrup and chopped nuts.

enjoy!


Photo and text by twinctiesherbs

Rhubarb muffins

If you are like me and just can’t get enough of rhubarb right now, try these delicious, filling muffins. The tangy rhubarb works nicely with the whole wheat dough. They were gone fast in our house …

RECIPE

Ingredients

  • 2 cups whole wheat flour (or white flour)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/2-3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 cups rhubarb stalks, chopped into 1 inch pieces
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp fresh or 1 tsp dried ginger, grated
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 F.
  • In a large bowl, cream the butter and the sugar with a spoon until light and fluffy or use an electric mixer.
  • Lightly beat in 1 egg and mix in the buttermilk.
  • Sift the dry ingredients together: flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, salt.
  • Fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until just barely combined, then add 2 cups of the fresh rhubarb and fold until evenly distributed.
  • Let the dough rest for 8 hours. (1 hour if using white flour).
  • Bake in a preheated oven for 25 – 30 minutes until a toothpick poked into the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
  • Cool for 10 minutes, then run a knife around each muffin to release from the tin and turn out onto the rack. Put the muffins on a wire rack and let them sit for another 10 minutes.

Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Recipe, photo and text by twincitiesherbs.

Mushroom tempeh stroganoff

This new spring energy is as vibrant as it can be. Simple vegetarian dishes would be very nice to eat right now. I would like to share my recipe that I have been cherishing for years and making in the spring. This is a vegetarian take on the classic beef stroganoff dish. I used the nutty tempeh to replace the meat and added mushrooms to create this delicious dish. Enjoy!

RECIPE

Serves 4-6 people

Ingredients

  • 1 pkg tempeh (500 gr)
  • olive oil
  • 1/4 cup of shallots, finally chopped
  • 1 Tbsp flour
  • 16 oz mushrooms (oyster, crimini, portobello, white button)
  • 8 oz green vegetable (spinach, broccoli)
  • 1 tsp Hungarian paprika
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1/2 cup wine
  • 1 cup stock (vegetarian or meat)
  • salt
  • red hot pepper flakes, optional
  • few springs of thyme
  • 10 cherry tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup cream
  • black pepper
  • parsley
  • pasta
  • graded cheese (Parmesan)

Method

  • Sauté the tempeh in a little oil for 10 minutes or until the sides are nice and brown. Set aside.
  • Make the pasta according to its directions. Set aside.
  • In a large pan, heat some oil. Sauté the shallots for 5 minutes on medium high heat.
  • Add the mushrooms and continue sauteing for another 5 minutes. Sprinkle in 1 Tbsp flour, stir for a few minutes. Add the paprika and garlic. Stir for 1 minute.
  • Add the wine and the cold stock. Stir making sure there are no knots left from the flour. Add the thyme,vegetables, red hot pepper flakes (if desired), tomatoes and cook for 15 minutes covered.
  • Take out larger thyme pieces.
  • Take off heat. Add salt, pepper, parsley and cream.
  • Add the tempeh cubes so it can soak up some of the liquid.
  • Serve over pasta with graded cheese.

enjoy!

Recipe, photo and text by Twincitiesherb.

Lemon meringue cake

The lemon yellow color can bring sunshine into our homes! This delicious dessert could become the center piece of your Easter celebration instantly. The tart and tangy lemon filled cake is topped with the fluffy sweet meringue. I like using lemons in baking because they offset the sweetness of desserts and give an interesting flavor. Also, it is packed with the important theme of Easter, eggs of course. It is super easy to make and delicious at the same time. In our house, my daughter will be making it for Easter this year.

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

Crust

  • 12 Tbsp (165 gr) butter, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla concentrate
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, cut and sifted

Lemon filling

  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice + the zest (2-3 fresh lemons)
  • 1/4 cup flour

Meringue

  • 3 egg white, room temperature
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1/3 cup sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 325 F (170 C). Set the rack in the middle of the oven. Grease and line a 9″ baking dish with parchment paper.

Separate the 3 eggs for the meringue now as it is easier to do when eggs are cold. Make sure they are at room temperature when you beat them.

Make the crust. Cream the sugar, vanilla extract and the butter. Gradually add the flour with salt mixing by hand just until a crumbly ball forms.

Place the prepared dough in the pan. Using your hands press against the bottom and about 1 inch (2 cm) up the sides. Poke the dough with a fork about 6-8 times. Bake for 20 minutes or until the dough has a nice golden brown color.

Make the lemon filling. In a medium sized bowl whisk the eggs, sugar, lemon juice and zest and the flour together. Make sure you grade the lemons before you can them up. (It is almost impossible to zest a cut lemon).

When the crust is done baking, remove it from the oven. Pour the lemon filling over the crust and return it to the oven for 30-40 minutes, until the filling no longer jiggles and the center is mostly set.

Make the meringue in the last 5 minutes before the shell is done baking. In a clean, medium bowl, use an electric hand mixer to beat the egg white until stiff peaks form. Add about half of the sugar and the cream of tartar, whip for 30 seconds. Add the rest of the sugar and whip until combined.

Transfer the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a large tip or zip-lock bag with a corner snipped off. I piped the meringue on the top covering the entire surface making large peaks each time.

Return to the oven for 10 – 12 minutes, until the meringues are lightly browned.

Let cool completely, then refrigerate for 1 hours.

Serve at room temperature.

enjoy!

Text, recipe and photo by Twincitiesherbs.

Welcome spring (recipes)

“She turned to the sunlight

And shook her yellow head,

And whispered to her neighbor:

“Winter is dead.”

A.A. Milne – When We Were Very Young.

Spring is my favorite time of the year, not only we start getting more fruits and vegetables but also it is so uplifting to experience nature coming alive and bursting with energy, to hear the birds chirping and seeing animals active again. Please check out my posts from last year on Spring eating (post) and other early spring recipes. Recipes: Hot and sour burdock soup (recipe), Spinach lasagna (recipe) and Sorrel/nettle stew (recipe). enjoy!

Source of the poem/Picture

Welcome Spring!

Jan van der Kooi: Seeking beauty

Tofu with thai red curry sauce (vegan)

This is an amazing Thai inspired dish that uses coconut milk and Thai red curry paste as a base. I usually don’t add ready-made seasonings but this is a tasty and easy short cut, you won’t even notice. I chose bok choy and mushrooms for the vegetables, this combination is often used in traditional thai cooking and I really like how they work together. I also threw in some bamboo shoots to balance out the dish. If you want you can add some broccoli in place of the bok choy but this is really a personal preference. Oh and it is done in 30 minutes! Enjoy!

RECIPE

Serves 6 people

Ingredients

  • 1 block of tofu (1 lb) (500 gr)
  • sesame oil
  • 1 Tbsp ginger, finally chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic, crushed
  • (26 fl oz) 2 cans coconut milk (1 liter)
  • 4 Tbsp Thai red curry paste
  • handful (4-8oz) shiitake mushrooms, cut up
  • 1 lb baby bock choy (I like half bok choy and half broccoli)
  • 1 bunch scallions, sliced
  • little fish sauce to taste (1 tsp)
  • 1 can of bamboo shoots (140 g), drained
  • soy sauce
  • 1 tsp salt or to taste
  • 1 lime
  • cilantro
  • 1/2 tsp red flakes or to taste
  • 1 pkg noodles (Thai, ramen)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Boil water and prepare the noodles according to its directions.

2. Drain water off the tofu and pat dry. Cut the the tofu in 1 inch cubes and fry in a little oil. When done, sprinkle a little soy sauce on the cubes.

    3. Heat a pan with oil.

    4. Add the broccoli if used and stir fry for about 10 minutes on medium heat until tender.

    5. Add the ginger and garlic, stir for 1 minute. Stir.

    6. Add the 2 cans of coconut milk and the Thai red curry paste, stir. Continue adding bamboo shoots, red chili flakes (optional) and fish sauce, boc choy and mushrooms. Cook for 10 minutes. I would like also mention that if you add the bok choy and the mushrooms more at the last 5 minutes of the cooking, they will keep their shape better and will not get soggy.

    7. Serve with the noodles and the tofu prepared earlier. Add cilantro, scallions and lime juice.

    enjoy!

    Popovers

    When you are on vacation, everything tastes better … and when the food is fabulous you are going to remember it forever. This is what happened to us when we visited the Arcadia National Park in Maine. We ate lunch at the park’s restaurant where they served popovers with every meal … the smell and the taste of these lovely rolls and of course the breathtaking view will stay with us forever.

    Popovers are the American version of Yorkshire pudding, a British specialty. These souffle-like rolls are airy and ‘custardy’. They are made with an egg batter and baked in a muffin pan. The inside is hollow and the outside has a nice crust with a savory flavor. I like to serve it with jam and butter. Enjoy!

    RECIPE

    Makes 12 popovers.

    Ingredients

    • 2 large eggs
    • 1 cup whole milk
    • 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
    • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
    • Pinch baking soda
    • 1 tablespoon butter, melted

    Method

    • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
    • In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and melted butter. Add to the flour mixture and mix well until no lumps remain.
    • Butter a muffin pan.
    • Evenly distribute the batter among the cups in the pan. Fill each cup until they are about two-third full. Put some water in cups that don’t have any batter.
    • Bake for 15 minutes at 450 F.
    • Reduce the oven temperature to 350 F and bake for another 20 minutes or until the outside is crusty and brown. Do not open the oven door until the last 5 minutes to prevent the popovers from deflating.
    • Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Take popovers out of the pan.
    • Serve warm.

    enjoy!

    Photo and text by twincitiesherbs.

    Homemade buttermilk

    This must be one of the best life hacks …

    I am a big fan of buttermilk. I use it often in many of my recipes from pancakes to muffins … it makes food soft and gives an interesting tart flavor. The acid in the buttermilk will help rise the quick breads as the buttermilk reacts with the baking soda and the baking powder. It also breaks down the gluten in the flour making it is easier to digest so it is an important ingredient in the kitchen. I used to get buttermilk often from the store but since I learnt this simple little hack, I haven’t bought any.

    So why make your own? Well for one it is cheaper. Also, it is likely you have milk at home and really all you have to do is add some acid to curdle the milk. I like to use apple cider vinegar but other acids will work like regular white vinegar or lemon. To make 1 cup of buttermilk, just take 2 Tbsp milk out of 1 cup of milk and replace it with the apple cider… and that is it. Seriously, will you ever buy buttermilk at a store again?

    RECIPE

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup of milk minus 2 Tbsp milk (almond milk works nice too)
    • 2 Tbsp Apple cider vinegar or white vinegar or lemon juice

    Method

    • To make 1 cup of buttermilk, measure out 1 cup milk and remove 2 Tbsp.
    • Pour into a small dish.
    • Add 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
    • Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes and then it is done.

    Photo and text by twincitiesherbs.com

    History of spiced heart honey cookies (no recipe)

    Winter is not over yet, in fact we are still in the middle of it. To be a little more exact, we are half way between winter and spring on the northern hemisphere. I can usually feel the Earth’s energy starting to wake up but spring is not here yet. We can finally experience the promise of the light, fertility and growth.

    Come celebrate this Winter Magic! In accordance to Pagan traditions, this occasion has been celebrated for thousands of years by Europeans. One special food they make is the honey cookies. So yes this celebration is similar to Valentine’s day. The cookies were gifted as a fertility token to girls by boys or given as good luck charm to little children. Heart was always a popular shape but sun or animal themes were often used as well.

    There is so much folklore, legend and history behind these lovely spiced cookies! They are made to honor the old, wise women in their culture. In Ireland they call her Brighid, in Russia they are called Baba Yaga. These women are the Earth’s Goddesses. The cookies are not just beautiful but are packed with nourishing ingredients that grandma would use.

    This is still the time to stay focused inward and get ready mentally for the year to come. Clean and clear the space you live in and invite love or universal love into your life. Set your intentions. Do things that your heart desires.

    Another spectrum of love is hatred, anger and jealousy. When you invite love into your life, you might experience these feelings too. Don’t be afraid of them just acknowledge them. These emotions can be found in the Grimm story of Hansel and Gratel.

    Traditionally, honey, rye flour and forest herbs were used to make these delicious cookies. Honey, the main ingredient has been used as medicine since ancient times. It is well known for its nutritious value and supposedly sweetens life as well. Oh and it is aphrodisiac! In addition to honey, our ancestors prepared the dough with rye flour but today people tend to use white flour. They also put foraged herbs and dried fruits in the cookies. Of course, these ingredients varied from country to country and region to region but often included fennel, lavender, rose petals, juniper berries, sumac etc. Since the exotic spices arrived from the East, people have been baking the cookies with these spices. These included a mixture of ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, all spice, nutmeg etc.

    Photo and Text by wordpress.com.