Mavi's "Mammaproof" Croquetas

Ingredients (for 4 people)

• Flour (4 spoonfuls)
• Milk (approx half a litre)
• 1 small onion
• The ingredient of your choice, very finely chopped (spinach, ham, baccalao, left over meat or fish....)
• 2 eggs
• Breadcrumbs
• Salt, pepper and nutmeg

A little bit of background info for you - croquetas have always been the way many mums have made the most of the left-overs of cooked meats, fish, stews etc to create a delicious dish that is also easy for little ones to eat - they love them!
The base is a thick bechamel to which you add the ingredient of your choice. You can use any ingredient you want, the croquetas always turn out to be delicious!
You can make them on your own but it's much more fun to invite your "mamamigas" over for the afternoon and make them together. In less than half an hour you will all have a tupperware full of yummy croquetas that you can either cook and eat straight away or freeze.
My grandma taught my mum this recipe and when I was growing up my mum always made the sauce and then the kids rolled out the croquetas.

Procedure

• Finely chop the onion
• Heat a glug of olive oil (approx 2 spoonfuls) in a deep-sided frying pan and add the chopped onion
• Fry on a low heat to soften the onion
• When the onion is soft add the ingredient of your choice and continue to cook on a low heat
• Add the flour and then the milk, a little at a time, stirring continously with a wooden spoon
• When the flour is fully dissolved add the remainder of the milk and mix well, ensuring that there are no lumps, then turn up the heat
• Add salt, pepper and a little nutmeg
• When the sauce starts to come away from the sides of the pan take it off the heat and let it cool
• When it has cooled enough for you to handle it the rolling process begins! The best way to do it is with a 3-person "human chain". Your little ones will love helping with this! The first person wets their hands and forms small pieces of the sauce into the shape of croquetas, the second dips it in the beaten egg and the third rolls it in the breadcrumbs to coat it.
• Once coated the croquetas are ready to be fried in plenty of hot oil until they are golden and crunchy. Remove the excess fat with kitchen paper and put them on a dish to serve.
• Enjoy!

Banana bread

3 overripe bananas
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup oil
1 TB vanilla
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups flour
1/2 cup nuts of your choice

In a bowl mix together sugars, baking soda, baking powder, salt, & cinnamon. Add bananas and mash them into the sugar mixture completely with a fork.
Add vanilla, milk, and oil and eggs and mix completely. Once the mixture is blended mostly smooth, add flour and mix thoroughly.
Pour into nonstick or greased baking dish.

For bread pan bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees F and check for firmness and doneness with a toothpick. Continue to bake and check at 5 minute intervals until toothpick comes out clean.
For cake pan bake for 45 minutes until firm and toothpick comes out clean.
As a variation, top with your favorite crumb cake topping before
baking.

Galletitas de heladera

Batir bien                         1 taza de mantequilla  (aproximadamente 200 gr)

Agregar gradualmente        1 1/2 taza de azúcar

                                        2 huevos

Añadir y batir bien             

                                        1 cucharadita vainilla

                                       

                                       4 tazas harina cernida

Cernir juntos y agregar      2 cucharaditas polvo de hornear

                                       1/2   cucharadita sal

Amasar y hacer un rollo de 5 cm de espesor. Envolver en papel parafinado (yo uso cualquiera) y poner en la nevera, por varias horas o de un día para otro. Sacar y cortar de 1/2 cm de espesor con un cuchillo bien afilado. Poner en chapa enmantecada y hornear hasta que estén doradas. Sacar de la chapa inmediatamente.

Galletitas de aceite

Horno: 400º F (205ºC) 10 min
Cantidad: 3 docenas

Batir apenas con un tenedor
2 huevos

Agregar y continuar batiendo
2/3 tazas aceite (no de oliva)
2 Cdas. de vainilla
1 cta. de cáscara de limón rallada

Añadir gradualmente
3/4 taza azúcar (I play with that, and use mostly brown sugar and a little white)

Cernir juntos y agregar
2 1/4 tazas harina (I also play and use part whole wheat flour, part regular white flour)
2 ctas. polvo de hornear
1/2 cta. de sal

Verter sobre chapa enmantecada por cucharaditas. Hornear. Sacar de la chapa inmediatamente.

Baked custard

Leo loves this and it contains eggs, milk and no refined sugar so I reckon it's pretty good for him too. You could use honey instead of the maple syrup and I plan to experiment with adding bananas soon.

Ingredients
1 and 1/4 cups milk
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup maple syrup
Nutmeg and cinnamon

Preheat oven and have 6 ovenproof cups and a baking tray that you can fit them all in ready.
Put all ingredients in a blender (I do it with the hand-held one) and mix thoroughly.
Divide between all the cups and put them in the baking tray. Half fill the baking tray with water and put in the oven. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the custards are solid when shaken. Remove from baking tray, cool to room temperature then cover with foil or cling-film and refrigerate until you need them.

"Tara's" Carrot cake!

This one needs no introduction - bake and enjoy!

Ingredients:
300g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp salt
175g sugar (the recipe says "light muscovado" sugar but I don't think I have ever actually used that, normally make do with brown cane sugar)
50g walnuts
3 eggs
handful of sultanas
2 soft bananas mashed
175g carrots grated
175ml corn oil

Soft cheese icing
100g butter softened
200g icing sugar sifted
100g cream cheese

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees, grease and line a tin.
Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a bowl and mix. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
Put into the tins and bake for 30 - 35 mins or until risen and firm to the touch.
Leave to cool completely before icing
To make the icing mix all ingredients together and then spread onto the cake.
Sprinkle a bit of cinnamon on top and voila!

Mira's Magnificent Mash

Ingredients:

2 carrots
1 cup of pre-boiled lentils of your choice
2 potatoes
1/2 onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
pinch of cumin
half a teaspoon of salt (optional)
Some milk
Knob of butter

Peel and chop the onion, carrots, potatoes into smallish cubes. Fry at medium heat for about 4 minutes in the olive oil and add the cumin and the salt to coat the vegetables. Add enough water to cover the vegetables, bring to a boil, then cook for about 8 minutes. Add the pre-boiled lentils. Cook for another 3-4 minutes. Drain the vegetables but leave some of the water in the pan. Add some milk and the butter, then mash it all and serve it with fish or a piece of meat. Enjoy!!

Empar's Scottish Oatcakes

Ingredients:
150 gr oatmeal
150 gr oat flakes
a pinch of salt
a handful of sesame seeds
75 ml olive oil
150 ml boiling water

Mix well oats, salt and sesame seeds. Add the oil and mix very well.
Add the water and mix with a spoon until it becomes a hard dough.
Leave it to rest for 10 minutes.
Make the dough into a roll. Cut it in 4 slices. Press every slice to
make a flat circle.
Cut every circle in 4 pieces.
Put it in the oven, 15 minutes on each side.

Pumpkin soup

Ingredients:
1 lb piece of peeled pumpkin (1/2 kg)
1/4 cup butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 1/2 cups fresh or canned chicken stock or water
2 cups milk
pinch of grated nutmeg
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 oz spaghetti, broken into small pieces (or a nice handful of some smallish pasta)
6 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese

serves 4

1- Chop the piece of pumpkin into 1 inch cubes

2- Heat the butter in a saucepan. Add the onion, and cook over moderate heat until it softens, 6-8 minutes. Stir in the pumpkin, and cook for 2-3 minutes more.

3- Add the stock or water, and cook until the pumpkin is soft, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.

4- Purée the soup in a blender or food processor (I use hand blender in the pot). Return to the pan. Stir in the milk and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper. Bring the soup back to a boil.

5- Stir in the broken spaghetti. Cook until the pasta is done. Stir in the Parmesan and serve at once.

Pumpkin gratin

4 servings

• 1 can (15.5 ounces) 100% pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling). Here just make 2 cups pumpkin puree, which is better than canned American :)
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup grated Swiss cheese
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spoon the pumpkin puree into a food processor and add the eggs, cream, cheese, salt, and pepper. Process for 10 to 15 seconds to combine.

Coat a 6-cup gratin dish with the butter. Fill the dish with the pumpkin mixture. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until set and lightly browned on top. Serve.

Veal stew with peppers

1/3 cup olive oil

1 small onion, thinly sliced

4 Anaheim chiles, seeded and finely julienned (get the Italian green peppers here in Barna)

1 medium red bell pepper, cored and finely julienned

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1 1/2 pounds boneless veal leg or shoulder, cut in 1 inch-thick strips (ask butcher to give you beef for estofado)

1 tsp kosher salt

1/8 tsp finely ground white pepper

1 bouquet garni (2 sprigs each parsley and thyme, and 2 bay leaves, tied together with kitchen string, so you can remove after cooking)

1 cup dry white wine

 

In a large casserole over medium-high heat, combine the oil, onion, peppers, and garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes.

Add the veal, salt, pepper, bouquet garni, and white wine and bring to a boil. Simmer until the meat is done, about 45 minutes. I serve over rice, but the idea is to have it with Basque garlic potatoes.

Spinach-Sweet potato soup (vegan and good for all ayurvedic constitutions)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup onions, sliced

1/2 tsp fresh ginger, minced

1/2 tsp ground cumin

2 cups water and some bouillon powder or 2 cups vegetable stock (or chicken, or whatever you have if not vegan)

1 cup sweet potatoes, cubed

1/2 cup carrots, sliced

5-6 cups spinach, chopped (1 bunch)

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

In large pot on medium-high, heat oil. Add onions and ginger and sauté until onions start to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Stir in cumin and sauté for another minute. Add water, bouillon, and all vegetables. Cook until sweet potatoes are softened, about 15 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper, then serve with some bread. (I don't measure that much, just put in a bag of spinach and 2 sweet potatoes)

Buckwheat cereal

Here's a cold breakfast cereal you can feel good about. It is easy to make in advance and will keep in your refrigerator for days. Buckwheat is a good source of calcium and lysine as well as vitamin E and B vitamins. The nut butter adds protein.

2 cups raw buckwheat groats

2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey (optional)

1/4 cup nut or seed butter

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spread buckwheat on large baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Stir buckwheat around a bit. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes more until golden. Immediately mix hot buckwheat with sweetener and nut or seed butter until completely combined. Cool. Store in covered jar in refrigerator. To serve, place 1/2 cup of cereal in bowl. Cover with milk. Add fresh or dried fruit if desired.

Serves 4.

Fruity quinoa breakfast cereal

Warm breakfast cereals are a great start on a cold winter morning. Quinoa cooks quickly which makes it a perfect choice for breakfast. It's also packed with nutrition that will energize your child for a busy day.1/2 cup quinoa

1 cup water

1/4 cup diced apples

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Milk

Maple Syrup

In a saucepan add quinoa and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add apples and cinnamon; cover and simmer until water is absorbed (about 10 more minutes). Serve with milk and sweeten to taste with maple syrup.
Makes 4 toddler or 2 adult servings.

Favourite dark leafy greens (from the Ayurvedic Cookbook)

Prep time: 10 to 20 minutes

1 bunch dark leafy greens: kale, collards, mustard, turnip or dandelion greens

½- ¾  cup water

1 teaspoon sunflower oil (or ghee for digestible but non vegan version)

½ teaspoon whole cumin seeds

1 teaspoon coriander powder

Wash greens and chop them, taking out stem in the process. Bring water to a boil in heavy bottomed skillet. Put in chopped greens, cover, lower heat to simmer. Cook from 7 to 15 minutes or until greens are tender. Drain, serving water, if not too bitter, for use as soup broth.

Heat oil in small pan over low heat. Add cumin seeds. When they begin to brown, stir in coriander. Brown, do not burn. Pour this mixture over the drained greens, mixing well,  serve immediately.

The spices take the edge off the usually bitter greens.

Pascualina (Italian spinach quiche)

Dorar 1 diente de ajo en algo de aceite de oliva y retirar de la sartén.

Freír una cebolla picada, 1 atado de espinacas, 1 atado de acelgas, agregar una cta. de azúcar y 1 puñado generoso de queso semi-curado o curado rallado. Por último echar una pizca de nuez moscada. 

In Uruguay we usually buy our  “masa de pascualina” at the supermarket, just like we buy our “masa para empanadas”, but any filo dough or pâte  brisée will do.  Just spread the mix on the base dough, crack a couple of eggs on top, as it’s a treat to get a slice with the egg in it, cover with the top dough and bake as if you were baking any quiche. You can paint the top with a bit of beaten egg, but I’ve always been too lazy for that.

Savoy Cabbage Gratin (aka “Any greens gratin”, taken from Yoga Journal)

1 large yellow onion

4 tablespoons butter plus 2 teaspoons

1 head Savoy Cabbage, about 2 pounds (I use one bunch kale one bunch Swiss chard, haven't actually tried it with the Savoy cabbage)

1 tsp salt

1tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon flour

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons each freshly grated Gruyere and Parmesan

3 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs

Slice onion thinly. Melt 4 tblsp. ghee (or butter) in skillet with lid over high heat. When it foams add the onions, reduce heat to low and cover the pan. Stir occasionally until they are almost dissolving. Chop greens and add to onions, fit the lid on again and cook until the greens have wilted, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove cover and continue to cook stirring until translucent, another 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Grease a baking dish with some butter and set aside.

Sprinkle salt, pepper and flour over greens and stir. Increase heat to high, still stirring, and add milk, a little at a time, stirring to create a sauce. When it’s thickened, in 5 minutes, spread the veggies in the oven dish, mix cheeses and breadcrumbs and spread over veggies. Dot with remaining butter (optional), and take to oven until top is crusty and bubbling (20 min). Serve hot.

Spicy chicken noodle soup

Ingredients

• Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
• 1 large onion, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 4 ribs celery, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 3 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• Kosher salt
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 bunch thyme
• 3 pounds bone-in chicken legs and thighs, skin and excess fat removed
• Water, as needed
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 lemon, halved
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 grates fresh nutmeg
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups small pasta, preferably small shells such as orecchiette, or orzo
• 1 (15-ounce) can white beans or chick peas
• 1 bunch cilantro, leaves coarsely chopped

Directions

Coat a large stock pot with olive oil and add the onions, celery and carrots. Season with salt, to taste, and bring the pot to medium-high heat. Cook the vegetables until they start to soften and are very aromatic, about 10 minutes. Add in the garlic, crushed red pepper and thyme and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chicken and fill the pot with enough water to cover the chicken. Add the bay leaves, bring the ingredients to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes and skim off any particles that accumulate on the surface. Squeeze the juice of the 2 lemon halves into the soup and drop in the lemon halves. Add the cinnamon and nutmeg and taste for seasoning. Adjust the flavors with salt and pepper, if needed. Simmer the soup for an additional hour.

While the soup is simmering, bring another pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until "al dente," firm but not crunchy. Drain the pasta and transfer to a medium bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil and toss. Reserve.

After the soup has finished, switch the heat off and remove the chicken to a cutting board. Discard the lemon halves, thyme and bay leaves. Let the chicken cool, then remove the bones and discard. Pull the meat into bite-sized pieces and return them to the pot. Taste the soup for seasoning, which should be spicy with a bright lemon flavor and a warm cinnamon chicken feel. It should be very full-flavored and warm your soul. Rinse the beans and add them to the pot. Adjust the seasoning, if needed.

Spoon some of the reserved pasta into the bottom of each serving bowl and ladle the hot soup over the pasta. Garnish with the chopped cilantro and serve. This soup is perfect for a cold day! YAY!