Even though it’s quite a few years that separate me and the real Shrove Tuesday celebration, in  my memory the festivity is still alive with people in great costumes, burning More, dances around the fires and generous amounts of pancakes consumed throughout the day. The latter is not missed here, and as nobody invites us to kick the winter out of the yard, at least we make it a feast for the frying pan and our tummies

Sweet breakfast.

Nors jau daug metu skiria mane ir tikra uzgavieniu sventima, bet prisiminimuose svente vistik vis dar tebegyva persirengeliais, deganciom Morem, sokiais aplink lauzus ir blynu persivalgymu. Va pastarojo dalyko cia netruksta, o kadangi niekas nekviecia spirti ziemos is kiemo, tai bent jau pasidarom svente sau ir keptuvei

Saldus pusryciai.

Ingredients:

120g plain flour

2 eggs

350ml rice milk (or any other milk)

pinch of salt

2 tablespoons agave syrup

For the filling:

sliced bananas

desiccated coconut

ground cinammon

lemon juice

To make this simple pancake batter, sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Add the egg and beat well. Then add the milk gradually, syrup and beat to make a smooth runny batter.

Heat a little oil in a large frying pan until hot and then pour enough batter to thinly coat the base of the pan. Cook for a couple of minutes each side.

Serve filled with sliced banana, desiccated coconut, cinnamon and a splash of lemon juice.

Simple recipe, yet delicious result. Indeed.

Teslai:

120g kvietiniu miltu

2 kiausiniai

350ml pieno (mes sekmingai naudojam ryziu)

ziupsnelis druskos

2 saukstai syrupo ar cukraus (tinka kas patinka, mes mylim datuliu, klevo, agavo syrupus)

Idarui

griezineliais pjaustyti bananai

kokoso drozles

cinamonas

cirtinos sultys

Paprastai blynu teslai pasigaminti, susiberiame miltus ir druska i dubeni. Pridedame kiausinius, gerai iplakame. Palaipsniui pilame piena, syrupa ir maisom iki vientisos skystos teslos.

Ikaitinam truputeli aliejaus keptuveje, pilam samti teslos, paskirstom tolygiai kad pasidengtu visas keptuves pavirsius.  Kepam kiekviena puse po pora minuciu.

Patiekiam pripildytus pjaustytu bananu, kokoso drozlem, cinamonu ir slaku cirtinos sulciu.

Paprastas receptas, bet resultatas l. skanus. Net labai.

I’ve been proven, that sugar from a long-term friend can become ‘not a friend any more’ , but you don’t really have to be some sort of strong person and totally ignore food that has been sweetened somehow. I love sweetness. The subtle one. When those delicious things that go down your mouth do not sweeten your body up, but bring lovely color into your everyday. There are desserts, that prepared alone in your mind make your saliva rund down the lip for a long time… But I’m in such period in my life, I can’t have any sugar… So what’s left? Alternatives. That’s what. And there are a few. And not so bad ones.

For example: tested many times, praised by others and so loved by my family – a dough recipe, that with a bit of correction and the house fills up with vanilla smell again. For your table and your tummies – sugarless muffins or cake with berries.

100g butter or vegetable spread

284ml soured cream or natural yoghurt (I use plain soya one)

2 large org. eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

zest of 1 lemon

280g plain flour (I use whole spelt or wholemeal, can be 50×50)

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. bicarbonate of soda

1/2 tsp salt

200g caster sugar (I only used 2 brushed off spoons of agave syrup, sometimes honey or black molasses)

4 tsp. poppy seeds

140g fresh or frozen berries (summer berries, winter ones or cranberries)

Leave on the rack to cool before you ‘demolish’ the final thing. You also could spoon over some maple or agave syrup and eat while they are still warm. Whatever way you choose – enjoy!

Kad cukrus is ilgamecio draugo gali patapti nedraugu – isitikinau, bet zmogus neprivalai but kokia ten be galo stipria asmenybe ir visiskai ignoruoti maista, kuris kazkuo pasaldintas. As salduma megstu. Subtilu. Kuomet burnon keliaujantys skanestai neapsaldina kuno, bet paspalvina kasdienybe. Eh. Yra desertiniu patiekalu kuriuos vien mintyse pasigaminus seiles per lupa ilgai varva… Bet dabar toks laikmetis, man cukraus negalima… Tad kas lieka? Alternatyvos. Va kas. O ju yra. Ir visai neblogu.

Stai pvz mano seniai patikrintas, kitu isgirtas ir seimos pamiltas teslos receptukas, kuri kiek pakoregavus namuose pakvipo vanile. Jusu stalui ir skrandziui – becukriai keksiukai arba pyragas su vaisiais

Teslon desim:

100g nesudyto sviesto augalinio pakaitalo

284ml grietines arba naturalaus jogurto (tinka ir sojos)

2 didesni kiausiniai

1arb.s. vaniles ekstrakto

1-os citrinos tarkuota zievele

280g miltu (labai gerai naudojasi ir speltos ir rupesni kvietiniai, galima per puse)

2arb.s. kepimo milteliu

1arb.s. sodos

1/2 arb.s. druskos

200g cukraus (as naudoju agave sirupa, medu, juodaji molases… dedu vos 2 nubrauktus saukstus pasirinktinai)

4 arb.s. aguonu

140g svieziu ar saldytu uogu (spanguoles, braskes, avietes, serbentai… )

Orkaite isildoma iki 190C. Istirpdytas sviestas paliekamas atvesti, tuomet imaisom greitine ar jogurta, kiausinius, citrinos zievele ir vaniles ekstrakta. Kitame dubenyje sumaisom visus sausuosius produktus. Supilame skystaja mase, lengvai ismaisome. Suberiam uogas ir vel pamaisom. Jei kepami keksiukai, i spec forma susideliojama keksiuku popierinius krepselius, dosniai juos pripildome tesla ir kepame apie 20-25min. kol graziai paruduoja. Visada patikrinu mediniu dantu krapstuku ar gaminys iskepes. Isimtus is orkaites paliekam atvesti, o toliau tai jau kas kaip.Galima apslakstyti klevu ar agavo syrupu ir valgyt dar siltus…

Kepant pyrago varijanta, zema forma istepu sviestu, pripildau tesla ir lygiai taip pat, kepu 20-25 min.

These were with frozen summer berries: raspberries, blackberries, blackcurrants

Cia puikuojasi keksiukai su saldytom vasarinem uogom: avietem, gervuogem, serbentais

and this beauty – with fresh cranberries

o cia – grazuolis su spanguolem

The berries work wonders, you don’t miss sweetness (unless, of course, you love deserts to be obviously sweet) in these and the moist and soft texture doesn’t leave your taste buds doubting whether it’s some sort of bread, or realla a reminder of a cake you’re munching.  It’s good and in moderation – much better than the sweeter version. I think.

Uogos pagrindines darbininkes, nepasigesit saldumo (nebent jus megstat akivaizdziai saldzius desertus) situose ir dregna, svelni tekstura jusu skonio receptoriu neuzklausines ar duona kazkokia valgot ar tikra pyrago uzuomina. Tikrai geras, o saikingai vartojant – daug geresnis nei saldzioji versija. Taip galvoju.

Why do all good things come to an end? To make space for the new ones

Wishing you all an uplifting year: live, love, create and enjoy it all!

A little something from me – to you – as a thank you for your support, visits and endless inspirations!

script, camera and directing – by me

editing and making it to the public – by my dearest (Karsten Schmidt)

music – by Fletcher Henderson ‘Shake your feet’  from archive.org

And a big thanks to my swiss honey cookies!

Next up is a give away – Zoog will be looking for a dinosaur friendly home to move to… 

I’m trying to find out if it’s really not so hard to live without some of the very common ingredients that are often dominating in our daily food. Stroke out wheat, dairy, yeast, sugar and pretend that not much has changed. I’m doing well with the pretend part. So far it’s my old friend sugar that I find the hardest thing to get away from… but while the process is slow, my confidence is growing. And so is the will. Yey!

I guess the success lies in a good preparation. I imagine one would first have an alternative route planned and everything ready for a (well quite a big) change, but taking things slowly works not too bad too.

First off is wheat. While the ordinary one is ‘bad’ on my list, stoneground spelt is still under the green light and that is not so much of a change as I do like to substitute wholewheat for spelt any way. Only the goal is to try to go completely gluten free and see if that transforms my body into any better place…

So, tried and approved, 3 versions of no wheat, no yeast, no dairy quick and so easy delicious soda bread

SPELT

Ingredients

500g stoneground spelt flour

100g porridge oats

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp salt

25g butter , cut in pieces (I used 1 spoon of carotino red palm oil

500ml buttermilk (I used 250ml of natural soya yogurt and 270ml of unsweetened soya milk + 1spoon of apple cider)

150g of mixed seeds (pumpkin, sunflower,linseed, pine kernels)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6/fan 180C and dust a baking sheet with flour. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then rub in the butter. If you’re using oil – pour it in the buttermilk (or milk/yogurt       mixture) and mix it in quickly with a table knife, then bring the dough together very lightly with your fingertips (handle it very, very gently). Now shape it into a flat, round loaf measuring 20cm/8in in diameter.

2. Put the loaf on the baking sheet and score a deep cross in the top. (Traditionally, this lets the fairies out, but it also helps the bread to cook through.) Bake for 30-35 minutes until the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. If it isn’t ready after this time, turn it upside down on the baking sheet and bake for a few minutes more.

3. Transfer to a wire rack, cover with a clean tea towel (this keeps the crust nice and soft) and leave to cool. To serve, break into quarters, then break or cut each quarter in half to make 8 wedges or slices – or simply slice across. Eat very fresh.

GLUTEN FREE recipe above only instead of spelt I used Doves farm white gluten free flour

was maybe my least favourite, but having said that still,  quite a nice one

MIXED 50×50 SPELT & GLUTEN FREE has been voted as the best so far. Original recipe from here

Ingredients

280g of stone ground spelt flour

280g of gluten free white flour

1 rounded tsp of bicarbonate of soda

1 rounded tsp of salt

half a rounded tsp of cream of tartar

1 large egg

400ml of buttermilk and milk mix (mine was 250ml natural soya yougurt and 200 unsweetened soya milk and 1 teaspoon of apple cider)

2 tsp of xanthan gum

150g of mixed seeds (pumpkin, sunflower,linseed, pine kernels)

Method:

Preheat your oven to 230c (200c fan)

1. Put the flour into a large bowl and mix well. Sift in the soda, cream of tartar, xantha gum, seeds  and salt. Mix very well.

2. Pour your buttermilk and milk into a measuring jug. Crack the egg into the mixture and beat well.

3. Make a well in the centre of the flour. Pour in the milk and egg mixture and quickly draw in the flour to make a soft dough. Don’t linger over the dough, speed is of the essence.

4. Remove to a well floured baking sheet and form the dough into a flat ball about 2” high. Cut a cross on the top. Put in the centre of your preheated oven for twenty minutes. Then turn the temperature down to 200c (180c fan) for a further 25-30 minutes. If it sounds hollow when you knock the base it is ready.

There are some more wheat free variations here and here, here.

Now stop drooling and get baking!

It was my dearest person’s birthday yesterday. Very important day and so a very big but nice task pressed down on my shoulders.

I’ve been thinking, this whole present giving ritual that so many of us expect on our birthdays is not really something we do in our family. Kids do get something special from their wish list, but us big ones, we try to just be part of a great celebration and make sure the ‘birthday person’ will have something that will lift him or her up and hopefully will leave something lovely to remember. So with that all in mind, I’ve offered our oldest son to make something for Karsten, that would pass as ‘especially for you’ and more importantly -’ with love’. Mr. K loves to eat. And he loves a good treat. So this time it was very easy. We chose biscotti.

My boy added, peeled, mixed and giggled as his very first biscotti was being made. I had to do the cutting, and brushing with the oil part, but the rest was done well without my help (not that there is that much to do anyway)

And the result was good. They look great, taste great and it made K very happy. Even though the surprise was ’spoiled’ by a 3.5 year old announcing first thing in the morning before the big day that ‘we made biscuits for you daddy, it’s your birthday surprise’… bless those little darlings!

Next day it was my turn to bake. I spent quite a bit of time looking for the right cake. Wanted something new, something quarantined to taste more than good and something that doesn’t take too long to get to the final result. It was a French style yoghurt cake with lemon that made the honours. And if you haven’t tried one yet – this should be the next thing you will bake. Ours is gone. Two adults and two little mouths – in one day. That’s the reference. And if any of you did hear me talking something about ‘reaching my normal weight very soon’ you will have to wait longer till you see the results. Even too tight jeans will not stop me from making (and eating!) one of those French yoghurt cake variations again soon! Gosh… that’s not the right attitude is it?

Recipe is from here. Again: 50×50 whole wheat and plain flour, 180gr of raw sugar, red palm – canola oil, some ground almonds, 1,5 grated lemon zest and some frozen summer berries (blackcurrants, redcurrants, blackberries, raspberries).

Plus to all those good calories from sweet things we also went to a Spanish tappas place and stuffed ourselves with delight. Ah, good food and a good birthday goes so well together!

I’m detoxing myself today

Who doesn’t like a good treat? Well, I’m sure there are some people who would say they choose savoury or something else  instead of anything sweet, but me – I’m a sweet tooth girl. Not too sweet, but still – a bit of sugar in my life does me good. And the baking process… the mixing, the smell that travels around the house and tickles your taste buds and makes you feel happier – hmmmm… It’s a perfect therapy! So I bake…

Here we have a simple ‘honey cake’ recipe, but since we did not use any of it, it has to be renamed into a ‘molases cake’ (although it’s very yummy with honey too)

Ingredients:

3 eggs (separated)

1 glass of milk

250 g butter

200 g honey (in our version it’s 4 heap spoons of black molases)

500g flour (in our case 250 plain and 250 wholegrain)

1 tsp baking powder

4 tsp cacao or carob powder

3 tsp mixed spice (ground: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, coriander seed, caraway)

100 g  chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 220C/ gas 7/fan 200C and lightly grease a cake pan. Dust with flour.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cacao and mixed spice.
In a large bowl,  cream together molases  and egg yolks. Add milk and melted butter. Add flour. Whisk the egg whites and gently fold it in the rest of the dough. Add walnuts.
Working in two or three additions, alternately add flour mixture and milk to the sugar mixture. Stir only until just combined, then gently stir in the diced pears.
Pour into prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean and the cake is brownish in color.
Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
Dust with powdered sugar before serving if you wish.

Now, how about some very quick and very easy morning buns? Can be vegan if you choose! Originally it’s a scone recipe, but we change it a bit and those buns taste even better.

It takes 25 minutes. Makes 5-6, easily doubled and can be frozen after baking.

225g self raising flour ( I use wholegrain spelt)

1/4 tsp salt

50g butter (I used vitaquell spread), chilled, cut in small pieces

25g caster sugar (1 heap tbsp black molases is even better)

I also add 1 spoon carob syrup

125ml buttermilk (we substitude it with plain soya yogurt)

4 tbsp full fat milk (or soya)

a handful of linseed, sunflower seeds, rasins or anything else you want

I also put 1 tsp mixed spice and grated zest of an orange

a little extra flour for dusting

Preheat the oven to 220C/ gas 7/fan 200Cand lightly butter a baking sheet (unless you’re using a non stick sheet). Tip the flour into a mixing bowl with the salt. Shoot in the butter, then rub together with your fingers to make a reasonably fine crumbed mixture, lifting to aerate the mixture as you go. Try not to overrub, as the mixture will be lighter if it’s  a little bit flaky. Now stir in the sugar. If you’re using molases, mix is with the buttermilk or yoghurt.

Mix milk with buttermilk/yoghurt. Make a bit of well in the middle of the flour mixture with a round – bladed knife, then pour in buttermilk mixture. Using knife, gently work the mixture – just cut it till you get a soft, sticky dough. Don’t overwork at this point or you’ll toughten the dough.

Put the dough out of the bowl on to a lightly floured surface. Pat the dough gently with your hands to a thickness of no less than 2cm and no more than 2.5cm. Dip cutter into a bowl of flour , then cut out the buns. Place on the baking sheet and dust it with flour.Bake for 10-12 minutes until risen and golden/brown.

Eat them as fresh as you can and smile!

and especially if you’re looking for ways to still have something sweet to treat yourself with, want something baked,  but also want a healthier sort of version….

Last night I went through some vegan blogs and found this very very simple recipe. Modified it a bit to suit our own needs and yes… these muffins were so so good, moist and delicious that it needs to be shared

3 ripe bananas
1/4 cup oil or melted margarine (I used sunflower oil)
1 cup sugar (I opted for 2 generous spoons of pure black molasses instead)
2 cups flour (I used wholegrain spelt)
1 tsp. salt (only used half)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional—see other options listed below) our muffins were with sunflower seeds & raisins

• Mash bananas (overripe ones make the best bread). Add oil/margarine and sugar. Mix well.
• Sift the flour, salt, and baking soda together and add to the banana mixture. Mix until the flour is blended (do not beat).
Pour into muffin pans or a bread pan and bake at 360°F  gas 5 until a toothpick comes out clean.

Optional: Add a handful of walnuts, oatmeal, raisins, chocolate chips, currants, coconut, or all of the above!

I’m still drooling if I look at that picture… so good they were. Too good.

Among many many good things that Britain brought into my life I’m gonna mention scones today.  Plain ones, with raisins, cheese or cherries… but most importantly with a cup of  tea – I love scones so much, that to prove my love I bake them very often. My current best version is a wholemeal ones with shopped apricots, sultanas and raisins. I get them ready for breakfast and I’m not gonna say the number – all of them are gone (somewhere) by the end of the day.

I’ve also found a great apple cake recipe

and a new Polish recipe that makes  really yummy Christmas cookies

50g butter

1 tbsp golden syrup or honey (I used honey)

50g light brown sugar

225g plain flour

3tsp mixed spices (ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon..)

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

3tbsp milk

1 egg yolk

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Melt the butter, syrup or honey and sugar in a pan. Leave to cool for 5 minutes.

Sift the flour, spices and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. Make a well in the centre. Pour in the melted butter mixture, milk and egg yolk. Mix to a soft dough.

Kneed until smooth, then roll out between 2 sheets of baking paper until 5mm thick. Stamp out forms using cookie cutters. Place on the baking sheets. Make a hole in each if you wish to hang them up later. Bake for 10 minutes, until a slightly darker shade.

Speaking of cookies, I had to make some for my kids school’s Christmas fair. I used simple gingerbread dough and decorated it with the icing. No idea how successful they were, but it was fun making these.

Ok. Next up buckwheat pancakes

Made from  wholewheat and buckwheat flour (50/50). My kids actually love them. I also substitute normal sugar for black molasses, it not only is healthier, tastes better, but also makes the pancakes look brownish, so my kiddos call our pancakes ‘the chocolate ones’

So that’s baking. Now making. Lina and her goodies. Already in my shop

I also have a bigger bear that needs to be finished… and a couple of other things…  so I might do my last shop update next Tuesday night, but no promises here

That’s it. The sun outside is calling – have a great Sunday!

I read somewhere, that around one month priory to your birthday you’re supposed to take it all easy, as apparently it’s quite a serious time, where no big decisions, plans, acts are recommended… It’s all about preserving, thinking, charging up and leaving the lot for latter. And all of the above was crossed over in my life last week. Will report later if that turned to be a good thing. Phew. Any volunteers to keep fingers crossed for me?

Here are a couple of things I’m allowed to talk about:

I’ve managed to bake 53 cookie medals (had to modify the recipe to use far less sugar and add some lovely spices) for kids from my son’s school for a fun sporty afternoon in a park that me and my darling have pooled together (I’m too proud to not to mention it – sorry!!! ).

And yes, at last, I’ve made toys and they are not bears!

What do you think? Opinions needed I think I’m going to explore more outside the teddy theme That doesn’t mean I’m saying ‘no more’ to my grizzly bears

OK. That will have to be it for now. Will be back next week. Enjoy yours! x

Baking. Spicy honey cookies are the essential dessert for our Christmas, but this year I’ve made these already twice in the last 6 days and personally am feeling like I would rather skip sweet stuff at the moment and it’s not even Christmas yet! Maybe that’s for the better…

The recipe is very simple and the result very yummy:

500 g self raising flour
100 g butter
200 g honey
100 g sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
2 teaspoons of ready mixed spices (cinnamon, coriander seed, caraway, nutmeg, ginger, cloves)
grated rind of 1 orange

100 g almonds finely chopped

Preheat oven to 200C°. Grease 2 baking sheets.

Melt the honey, sugar and butter together. Take off the heat and let it cool down. Stir the flour, baking powder, spices and nuts in a separate bowl. Once the honey mixture has cooled down, mix in the eggs. Add the flour, orange rind and mix until blended. Gather mixture into a ball, wrap in greaseproof paper and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Roll out the mixture about 8-10mm thick. Stamp out some shapes and place them on the sheets. Brush the cookies with the egg yolk. Bake until golden brown, 8-10 minutes.

Nothing too special, but these ended up as a symbolic ‘Thank you’ for our oldest son’s teachers.

And some ended up in my tummy… or quite a few… a lot of them actually. Eh. They are good!

We have now officially switched in to a relax mode.

All is ready, no more rushing. Time to appreciate, time to enjoy. I’ve been very happy.

Have a lovely Christmas.