Fresh Basil Pesto

No idea what to cook? Trying to do something new but in the end failure? Here is what guaranteed pimps your everyday nutrition plan - fresh home-made basil pesto. Just think about the richness, spiciness and freshness you get when you make it at home. And all in all - 5 minutes. So you just HAVE to try :)

 Ingredients:
 2 cups basil leaves
80g Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano)
2 tbsp pine nuts
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves
salt, pepper
*water if needed for consistency

Step 1
Prepare all the ingredients. Wash basil, you will need only the leaves. On a hot pan golden the pine nuts for more flavour.

Step 2
In your food processor mix all the ingredients and blend them until smooth but not creamy consistency. I find it really cool when pesto has these small chunks which intensify the flavour. If you see that the mixture is not coming together, add a bit of water. Or if you don't mind additional fat then add more of extra virgin olive oil.

Step 3
There is actually no step 3 :) Now you can enjoy the fresh pesto of your own preparation. It is well combined with tomatoes, or just pasta or the classic Caprese salad. Just go ahead and be creative.

 Look at this amazing pic with all the ingredients you need. Pin it to your Pinterest board and enjoy anytime :)

From home-made to gourmet there is only one step. So stay with me not to miss it :)

Home made peanut butter and other healthy sugar free recipes

Usually with the first colder autumn days, we start searching for some sweet and easy to grab snack. Especially if at work you have an automatic sweet snacks' machine right in the next room. That makes it even harder to simply go by. However, ready-to-go sweet snacks are always full of saturated fat, sugar and calories.  To be persuaded of this fact, you may just read the information about Ingredients. This makes it even harder not to harm our health by eating those. Therefore I prepared a list the best snack recipes to satisfy your cravings:

1. Sellerie sticks with peanut butter
Good alternative of salted crackers, butter cookies and other beloved snacks. Easy to make, may be prepared in advance and taken in a little box TO-GO :)
Healthier variation may be prepared using the below given recipe of home made peanut butter.

2. Sweet date candy balls
Very sweeeeeet and really worth to try the best home-made candies. For "I quit sugar" followers I would advise to add rice syrup instead of molasses. The best alternative for candy-lovers and those who cannot imagine drinking just tea (yes, I know we are all used to grab something sweet while drinking tea).

3. Toast with beloved home-made healthy Nutella
Yes, I know Nutella is very tasty and very sweet. But I strongly recommend you to try healthier and home-made variation with a whole-grain slice of bread. This will not only fulfil your energy depots, but also improve your mood, boost your body with vitamins and antioxidants. Use only raw cocoa powder which contains a lot of protein, antioxidants and minerals.

Using those recipes you will definitely keep yourself on a good track and avoid processed harmful food. Today's recipe I would like to share takes maximum 10 minutes of your time and will be making you happy for at least another two weeks :) That is a big benefit. Once made, you may enjoy another two weeks, hah?! Peanut butter!!! Yuppy!!!! They say, in America everything is eaten with peanut butter. But what can be better than home-made peanut butter?! Only 2 jars of it! So get ready and grab your food processor.

Ingredients:

2 cups unsalted roasted peanuts
2 tbsp peanut oil (or any other oil of your choice)
1-2 tbsp rice syrup (*optional)
sprinkle of sea salt

For smooth peanut butter:

In your food processor mix the peanuts with the peanut oil, salt and rice syrup if you like.
Turn the processor on. It might take about 1.5-2 minutes to achieve the needed smooth texture. Ready peanut butter place in a jar and it may be stored in fridge for about 2 weeks.

For chunky peanut butter:

Set aside about 1/2 cup of peanuts.
Mix the rest of the peanuts with the oil,salt and if wishes rice syrup. Pour the mixture into the food processor.
Turn the processor on and reach the smooth texture.
Add rest of the peanuts and process or another couple of seconds to make chunky pieces in your butter. READY!!!

 Use home-made peanut butter on a toast, with your pancakes, just as a quick snack, in couple with sellerie sticks etc. Explore and enjoy! Because there are so many things you've never tried!

Home-made grab'n'go granola power snack bars

We both love to have a sweet crispy addition to our tea-time with my husband. We are sometimes in a hurry and there is no choice to prepare a full warm breakfast like polenta or even pancakes. We also are passionate travellers as you might see here and also for these times today's recipe is a perfect match. Granola bars: easy, healthy and soooo delicious.

The number of basic ingredients is too low to be true. 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

2 middle-sized bananas

2 whole eggs

1 tbsp cinnamon 

optional additions: dried fruits, nuts, vanilla, etc.

No special steps for preparation: just heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Mix all dry ingredients, add chopped bananas and eggs. Mix well and make a layer of about 1-1.5 cm on the baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden-brown edges of the oats. Put aside to cool down and then cut into bar pieces - squares was my choice. 

READY :)

Tip!

 For these bars I used raisins as optional ingredients, flaxseeds, pitted dates. When the bars cooled down, I sprinkled them over with a tablespoon of raw honey. This helps to keep all the vitamins and minerals. 

The recipe I offer includes baking step. There are, of course, other options of non-baking recipes with different variations. Those will be presented in my future posts. With peanut butter, chocolate, sesam... What ingredient would you add to your oatmeal bars?

Healthy snack to go - selleri sticks with peanut butter

There are days when we're always in a rush. On our way from one urgent task to another, from one appointment to another. And we hardly find time to eat main dish. For those days I have a quick decision for you - a snack, that makes you full and energetic for a long time. It is moreover high in protein and fiber. So do not hesitate to try.

The combination of the products was a big surprise for me. But my friend insisted that I should definitely try. The moment I made my first bite I understood why: fresh, juicy taste, yet a bit salty and in one word - unbelievable.

The combination is very simple - celleri and peanut butter. Yes, I can imagine your reaction:) But believe me, and my dear Australian friend - it is worth to try!!! It takes a minute to prepare and is soooo delicious.

Ingredients (for one portion):

1 celleri stick
1tbsp peanut butter



Wash celleri sticks and cut them into pieces. As the stick itself is a little boat, it helps you to understand what to do next. Just fill those little boats with peanut butter. Amount of butter should be divided among the sticks you have.

Tip!
Peanut butter is product #1 to get addicted to. I even heard, there are two types of girls - those who spread peanut butter on a piece of bread, and those who eat the butter with a spoon:) But be careful. Although it is high in protein, I would recommend only 1 tbsp of peanut butter per day. For the rest of the day keep it away from your eyes! In one of my next posts I will show you how to prepare peanut butter at home.

The snack is "ready-to-go". Do not pull yourself into everyday stress. Make a pause and enjoy your meal.



P.S. By the way, it is a good choice when you have a party. Quick and easy.
As you like it :)