Holiday Detox Smoothie

Holidays are knocking on the door and so are the overfilled dinner tables. We’ll definitely be in need for this detox smoothie after. Plus it has two layer, two colours, two flavours!

Lime and raspberry smoothie

My thirty year old oven is broken. I figured it out last night, when I was baking potica nut roll. I guess I should have figured it out a month ago when I was baking bread for 3 hours and it way barely done. First two poticas turned out baked, but not exactly like they should be. Luckily my mom lives right below, so I managed to bake the last one perfectly! I had a perfect evening with my husband, baking, singing Christmas songs and finishing our Christmas presents.

Most of us are probably burried in Christmas baking and preparing for the holiday meals with our families. And forget a little, that we’d need a proper vitamin boost. What we need is a detox smoothie. I’m not a huge fan of green smoothies. If I need a dose of vitamins I usually make a salad. But here’s a green smoothie in combination with a pink one, that I really love.

Lime and raspberry smoothie
Lime and raspberry smoothie
Lime and raspberry smoothie

The green layer is lime and banana smoothie with spinach and the pink one is raspberry and beetroot smoothie. First one is sweet and the second one a bit sour and fresh. Lovely combination for the overeating days that are coming. This one is filled with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. It will make your stomach happy after eating all the heavy food. And it will keep your immune system in check!

This recipe calls for nut milk. I make nut milk like this lovely lady here. Sometimes I want a even creamier milk, so I use less water. You can use any nut milk you like, regular milk or water.

Lime and raspberry smoothie

Tag #useyournoodles so I can see your beautiful UYN creations. Also, stay in touch on Facebook and Instagram or subscribe to get the recipes directly to your mailbox ♥

Lime and raspberry smoothie
Print

HOLIDAY DETOX SMOOTHIE

Yields 4 cups (2 cups red and 2 cups green smoothie)

Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

RED LAYER

  • 1/2 cup beet juice
  • 1/2 cup nut milk I’m using almond
  • 300 g fresh or frozen raspberries
  • 4 tsp coarsely chopped ginger
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric

GREEN LAYER

  • 1 1/2 cup nut milk
  • juice of 4 limes
  • 200 g frozen or 4 cups fresh spinach
  • 4 TBSP avocado
  • 1 banana
  • 4 dates

TOPPINGS

  • raspberries
  • chia seeds
  • sunflower seeds
  • lime peel or grated lime zest

Instructions

  1. Put all the ingredients for the red smoothie in a blender and mix it until it is smooth.
  2. Pour the smoothie into glasses.
  3. Repeat the same with the green smoothie. If you are using fresh spinach, you might need to add extra milk or water.
  4. Pour the green smoothie over the red and add the toppings.

Notes

There is no need to clean the blender between the two smoothies, just scrape it out thoroughly.
If you don’t own a juicer, peel one big beetroot and slice it into chunks. Put it in a blender, add enough water for the blender to mix it. Add the water gradually so you don’t get over thinned juice. Filter it the same way as the nut milk.

Lime and raspberry smoothie

Hot Chocolate

This is a perfect gift for Christmas! Homemade hot chocolate powder in a beautiful jar and a personal tag. Don’t you just love homemade gifts?

Use Your Noodles - Hot Chocolate

Let’s get warm with some homemade hot chocolate! It’s so cold outside, even I have the heaters turned on. And I’m that person who sits in a cold room in only a T-shirt, while others are trembling in their sweaters. My husband is turning the heaters on all the time and I go after him turning them off. Well, not today. My hands are freezing and I’m having trouble typing. I need a hot chocolate!

Plus, it’s time to make gifts, and I love homemade gifts. Have you ever felt nervous, because you just didn’t know what to give people for Christmas? Well I have and a few years ago me and my husband made it a tradition to give our loved ones homemade gifts. No more fuss about buying  gifts at the last moment.

Hot Chocolate
Hot Chocolate

Last year I made homemade hot chocolate mix to give away as presents. I was experimenting with quite a few recipes. And dealing with all types of powders resulted in a dust cloud in my kitchen. I could hardly breathe and my lungs were burning for hours, but turns out it was worth it. I love it so much.

I’m not a huge fan of store bought hot chocolate mixes, because they are too sweet and too expensive. This recipe calls for way less sugar, then there is in the bought ones. But if you like it sweet, go for it. Add a little more sugar.

Use Your Noodles - Hot Chocolate

Tag #useyournoodles so I can see your beautiful UYN creations. Also, stay in touch on Facebook and Instagram or subscribe to get the recipes directly to your mailbox ♥

Hot Chocolate
Print

HOT CHOCOLATE

Course Drinks
Keyword hot chocolate powder
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 8

Ingredients

POWDER MIX

  • 1 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 cup + 2 TBSP powdered milk
  • 1 1/2 cup potato or corn starch
  • 1 cup icing sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla seeds
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper optional

COOKED HOT CHOCOLATE (FOR 1 PERSON)

  • 1 cup
  • 1/2 cup hot chocolate mix if you like it very dense add 1-2 TBSP of the mix

Instructions

HOT CHOCOLATE MIX

  1. Sift cocoa powder, powdered milk, corn starch, and icing sugar through a sieve into a big bowl and add vanilla, salt, and cayenne pepper.
  2. Combine it thoroughly with a whisk or move it to a blender and mix until it is well combined. That’s it!

COOKING

  1. Pour the milk into a small pot, add the hot chocolate mix and put it on medium heat.
  2. Stir well with a whisk. You need to stir at all times, or it will burn, especially at the end.
  3. Hot chocolate should be ready to serve in about 10 minutes.

Notes

If you are making a large batch, I suggest you use something to cover your nose and mouth. The dust can really get in your lungs. And you don’t want that
Stirring the hot chocolate while cooking is absolutely necessary. It might start sticking to the edges a little. Just don’t scrape that part off or your hot chocolate will get a burned flavor.
Try adding your favorite spices into the mix. Cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg are perfect for this season.

Use Your Noodles - Hot Chocolate

Turkish Chicken Feast

Turkish Chicken Feast is a light and fresh dinner. Sumac covered soft chicken wings with a vibrant green salad with pomegranate and feta cheese and a yogurt dip topped with pomegranate syrup. And done in less than 30 minutes!

Turkish Chicken with Salad and Yoghurt Dip

In my student years I lived in Turkey for four months. I made lots of close friends there and most of all I ate good. And a lot! Together with my friend Sanja I was writing a blog about our adventures there. You can find my blog here. It is in Slovenian, so sorry to all of you who can’t understand (Quick tip: Google can help you).

Tukish food is all about veggies and meat. My roomate was vegetarian and she had difficulties eating out. There is meat almost everywhere, not in huge amounts, but it is there. I am missing Turkish food so much, that I dedicated my Sunday lunch to Turkey. I’ve actually failed, because I haven’t made any excessively sweet dessert. I’m gonna leave that for another occasion.

This recipe is not a traditional Turkish meal, it was only inspired by some of the best Turkish ingredients.

Use Your Noodles - Turkish Chicken Feast
Turkish Chicken with Salad and Yoghurt Dip

This is my Turkish chicken feast. Sumac covered chicken with a feta, pomegranate and baby leaf salad. Two most common types of meat you can find there are lamb and chicken. I’m using the delicious chicken wings. Turkish people like to eat yoghurt on the side of meat, so I’m going to do the same. But I’ll serve it a bit differently.

Sumac is a spice that comes from the berries of a bush that grows mostly in Mediteranean countries and is a typical spice in the Middle Easter cuisine. It is a bit sour, but very aromatic and fruity and can be used in many ways. In this recipe I’m gonna use it to marinate my chicken.

Other unusual ingredient is pomegranate syrup. It has two versions. A more purified syrup called Nar Ekşisi and a cheaper syrup called Nar Ekşili. I’m using Nar Ekşisi and love it! I highly recomend buying one or making one at home. Use it in a salad dressing, in meatballs, in yoghurt. So many choices. Let’s start cookin’!

Tag #useyournoodles so I can see your beautiful UYN creations. Also, stay in touch on Facebook and Instagram or subscribe to get the recipes directly to your mailbox ♥

Turkish Chicken with Salad and Yoghurt Dip
Print

TURKISH CHICKEN FEAST

Course Main Course
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

CHICKEN

  • 20 top parts of chicken wings ~1 kg
  • 2 tsp sumac
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 TBSP salt
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 cup olive oil

DIP

  • 200 g Greek-style yogurt
  • 1 TBSP pomegranate syrup

SALAD

  • 4 handfuls mixed baby leaf salad like lettuce, chard, rocket or any other
  • 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
  • 120 g feta cheese
  • 2 TBSP sunflower seeds
  • zest of 1 lemon

DRESSING

  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 TBSP dried or chopped fresh mint

Instructions

  1. Combine sumac, cayenne pepper, black pepper, salt, garlic, and olive oil in a big bowl and add chicken wings. Rub the spices in and make sure you get it all around. If you have time, let it marinate in the fridge for half an hour, if not that’s fine. Heat a large pan and add the chicken wings. You don’t need to add any oil, there’s oil on the chicken already.
  2. Turn the chicken every minute for about 15 to 20 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile combine lemon juice, olive oil, black pepper, salt, and mint in a salad bowl.
  4. Don’t forget to turn the chicken every minute.
  5. When chicken is done, move it to a serving plate and finish your salad. Add the salad leaves to the dressing and mix well. Serve it on a plate and top with pomegranate seeds, feta cheese, sunflower seeds, and grated lemon zest over.
  6. In another small bowl serve yogurt and top it with pomegranate syrup. Mix just a little bit, to get the marbling effect. Use it as a dip for the chicken.
Turkish Chicken with Salad and Yoghurt Dip

Hot Baked Apples with Vanilla Sauce

Sizzling baked apples filled with sweet goodies is a comfort dessert for cold days. They are like a warm hug!

Use Your Noodles - Hot Baked Apples with Vanilla Sauce

Everywhere I go there’s the scent of Christmas. And I must admit I LOVE IT! I’m that geek that’s seting up the tree as soon as December starts. But this year I’m protesting. Why? I went to a drug store in September and it was already decorated and selling every bling bling available. I was annoyed. To me it ruins the magic by the time the real holiday time comes.

So I decided – no Christmas tree or decorations until the middle of December. Of course I’m tempted, so I make up with the delightfully scented food. And today I’m making hot baked apples with vanilla sauce. A great recipe for a Christmas dinner dessert. You can prepare everything in advance. Cook the sauce a day in advance and refrigerate it. Same with the apples. Stuff them and they’ll wait in the fridge. Pop them in the oven when you start your dinner and they’ll be ready by the time you finish.

Hot Baked Apples with Vanilla Sauce
Hot Baked Apples with Vanilla Sauce

Vanilla sauce

I was preparing this kind of sauce for the first time. I really belived vanilla would give baked apples a new dimension. And it does. It was worth all the fuss. Of course I had to do it a few times. First I overheated it and it became an unpleasing broth of hard boiled yolk and milk. Then it was to runny. But then I got the ratio just right. And trust me, it is not that difficult, as long as you are patient, really cook it over low heat and whisk all the time. Good thing is you can use it in so many ways. I love it on top of roasted bananas for breakfast!

Use Your Noodles - Hot Baked Apples with Vanilla Sauce

Tag #useyournoodles so I can see your beautiful UYN creations. Also, stay in touch on Facebook and Instagram or subscribe to get the recipes directly to your mailbox ♥

Hot Baked Apples with Vanilla Sauce
Print

HOT BAKED APPLES WITH VANILLA SAUCE

Course Dessert
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 8 baked apples

Ingredients

BAKED APPLES

  • 8 medium-size apples
  • 1 1/2 cup sultanas ~200g
  • 4 TBSP ginger jam
  • 4 TBSP chopped almonds
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 tsp ground star anise
  • 4 tsp cocoa butter
  • 2 cups water

VANILLA SAUCE

  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla seeds
  • 3 yolks
  • 3 TBSP honey
  • 1 TBSP corn or potato starch

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
  2. For the filling combine sultanas, ginger jam, almonds, cinnamon, and star anise.
  3. Carve a 3- 4 cm hole in the apples and fill the holes with the filling. Place the apples in a baking tray and add 1/2 tsp cocoa butter onto each apple. Add water to the tray.
  4. Place the tray in the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Poke the apples with a knife to check if it is done. If it slides in with no resistance it is baked.
  5. Meanwhile pour milk in a small pot. Add vanilla and cook over medium heat until it is hot, but not boiling.
  6. In a bowl beat eggs, honey, and starch until the mixture is thick and fluffy.
  7. Gradually add milk into the egg mixture. Then pour it back to the pan and cook over low heat (very important!). Whisk constantly until the sauce has thickened. This will take about 7 -8 minutes. Remove from the heat, pour it in a cold bowl and cover, so it doesn’t form a crust.
  8. When the apples are done, take them from the tray and onto the plates. Serve hot with vanilla sauce on the side.
Use Your Noodles - Hot Baked Apples with Vanilla Sauce

Rainbow Cabbage Soup

The amazing colours come from squeezing lemon juice into the delicious red cabbage soup.

Use Your Noodles - Rainbow cababge soupI’m waiting for snow to fall again. Until that happens I have to settle with cold and sunshine, which I like almost as much as snow. In good weather like this we all deserve a healthy and colourful meal like I’m about to show you – a rainbow cabbage soup.

Rainbow cababge soup
Rainbow cababge soup

I’m so happy to be sharing this recipe with you. Red cabbage is in season right now, so there’s lots everywhere. It’s loaded with vitamins and minerals. And according to Science Daily it promotes heart and brain health and protects us from cancer. So yay for us cabbage lovers and the ones who will become cabbage lovers after tasting this soup. I feel like red cabbage is so underrated. Here in Slovenia we eat it mostly braised a side dish or in salads. But it is magnificent in a soup as well. The rainbow cabbage soup is quick and simple and sooo delicious. Squeezing in few drops of lemon juice gives it wonderful vibrant rainbow colour. When I first tried squeezing lemon on this soup I was pleasantly surprised by this amazing reaction. I realised that it is not just super tasty but also fun. And that’s the point of cooking. To have lot’s of fun!

Tag #useyournoodles so I can see your beautiful UYN creations. Also, stay in touch on Facebook and Instagram or subscribe to get the recipes directly to your mailbox ♥

Rainbow cababge soup
Print

RAINBOW CABBAGE SOUP

Course Soup
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 1 medium-size cabbage 400g
  • 1 big onion
  • 4 cups hot water
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 TBSP lard
  • 1 tsp fresh citrus thyme leaves
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 4 lemon wedges

Instructions

  1. Chop the onion into small pieces. Melt lard in a medium-size pot and add the chopped onion. Fry the onion until it gets golden and translucent.
  2. Meanwhile cut the cabbage in half and then into thin slices. Add them in the pot. Add the hot water and thyme.
  3. Cook for about 10 minutes until the cabbage is soft.
  4. Remove from the stove. Put everything in a blender, add milk, salt, and pepper and mix well. Taste for seasoning before serving.
  5. Squeeze a few drops of lemon juice onto the soup for the wonderful color.

Also try this easy 5 minute soup:

Spicy Pea Soup

Use Your Noodles - Rainbow cababge soup

Pear Smoothie with Tapioca

This morning bowl is a combination of pear smoothie with ginger, tapioca pearls in coconut milk, fresh pears and pumpkin seed oil.

Use Your Noodles - Pear Smoothie With Tapioca

I remember the first time I tried tapioca. It was in a Chinese restaurant. They served chilled coconut milk with tiny jelly pearls in the bottom. Everyone else was disgusted by this, but I was in heaven. For a long time I didn’t know what that was. Then, one day, I found a bag of tapioca in our shopping mall, still not knowing what that was. It looked interesting, so I bought it and at home I googled tapioca. Well, that was a revelation. It was the same jelly thing I tried in the Chinese restaurant. Imagine me glowing like a Christmas tree over a bag of tiny bubbles.

And the good thing about tapioca is, you can do it in a lot of different ways. In this recipe, I cook tapioca in a small amount of coconut milk, so I get a quite sticky but very sweet pudding. I’m serving it on the side of a pear smoothie with coconut milk and ginger. Its freshness and spiciness goes woderfully with the sweetness of the tapioca pudding.

Pear Smoothie With Tapioca
Pear Smoothie With Tapioca
Pear Smoothie With Tapioca

Tag #useyournoodles so I can see your beautiful UYN creations. Also, stay in touch on Facebook and Instagram or subscribe to get the recipes directly to your mailbox ♥

Pear Smoothie With Tapioca
Print

PEAR SMOOTHIE WITH TAPIOCA

Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

PEAR SMOOTHIE

  • 12 small pears
  • 2 cups coconut milk
  • 2 tsp maca powder
  • 2 tsp vanilla seeds
  • 4 tsp grated ginger

TAPIOCA PUDDING

  • 6 TBSP tapioca pearls
  • 2 cups coconut milk
  • TOPPINGS
  • 4 small pears
  • 2 tsp sunflower seeds
  • 2 tsp crushed flax seeds
  • 2 tsp coconut flour
  • 2 tsp pumpkin seed oil

Instructions

  1. Boil the coconut milk on medium heat, add tapioca pearls, and continue cooking and stirring on medium heat for 15 minutes or until the pearls become translucent.
  2. Meanwhile, mix all ingredients for the pear smoothie in a blender. Add ginger gradually, so the smoothie won’t be too spicy and blend it. When it is done put it in the serving bowl.
  3. Cut the 4 pears for topping in 1/2 cm slices.
  4. When tapioca pudding is cooked, place it over the smoothie, add slices of pear and sprinkle with sunflower seeds, flax seeds, coconut flour, and pumpkin seed oil.
Use Your Noodles - Pear Smoothie With Tapioca