Orange and Clove roast Chicken with Pears and Butternut Squash / Frango assado no forno, com Laranja, Cravinho, Pêras e Abóbora (butternut).

This recipe is an aromatic combination of flavours and textures.

A one pan meal that it's super easy to prepare but when you bring it to the table, your family or guests will think you spent hours in the kitchen.

The recipe is from Marte Marie Forsberg and her truly, truly amazing debut cook book "The Cottage Kitchen".

Of course I don't feel the need to introduce Marte Marie as, every blogger and/or foodie raves about her work. Both, as a passionate cook, a blogger and a very talented photographer.

The book is divided by "seasons" and every chapter features recipes with the best seasonal ingredients of course. All the recipes, descriptions and, of course, photos are incredibly mouthwatering and you just want to be in the kitchen and cook everything from the book. Well, at least, that's how I feel about it...!!

I have lots of recipes marked down in the book to be tried and I've already made two of Marte Marie's no knead breads and this chicken recipe that I'm posting today.

I chose to share this recipe first, because it features orange and oranges are Marta's ingredient of the month.

I've made this recipe before Marta announced the ingredient of the month so, good thing that I didn't post it here before, because now, it can go straight to Marta's January table.

Hope you try it and enjoy it because it's so aromatic, full of flavour and delicious that you'll only be able to describe it if you taste it!

Jerusalem artichoke Blinis topped with blue cheese / Blinis de Girassol batateiro com queijo azul.

You know I'm a huge Jerusalem artichoke lover. If you look up at the "Jerusalem artichoke" label here on the blog, you'll find loads of recipes with this amazing ingredient.

Every year, as soon as they are in season and I find them, I can't resist buying a whole lot of them.

This recipe, featured in the absolutely gorgeous book "The Modern Vegetarian", from the very well known Chef Maria Elia, is a true stunner!!

Just try to make it and serve it as a starter at a dinner party and your guests will love you forever!!

Honestly, although it looks very posh and labour intense, it's so, so easy to make that the smiles on your guests faces will be the best reward you'll get for such little work.

You can make the blinis in advance and gently reheat them in the oven before serving. As for the cheese, if you don't like blue cheese, you can use other kind of cheese, like pecorino, goat's cheese, manchego or other cheese you like.

If you don't like Jerusalem artichokes, you can use parsnips or none, if you don't like either of them, and use just potatoes.

Saffron Bundt Cake with Pears / Bundt de Açafrão com Pêras.

Fika & Hygge is the name of Brontë Aurell new cook book.

As you all might know, Brontë Aurell runs, with her husband Jonas, the acclaimed Scandikitchen Café in central London.

This book is all about comforting bakes and cakes from Scandinavia.

I might confess that I have a secret obsession about Scandinavian food in general, and baking in particular.

Amongst other scandinavian books, I have two books from this author.

The first one features a bit of everything, from salads, to main meals, to desserts and baking.

This one is more specific and focus on baking and on the Scandinavian Fika & Hygge.

According to the descriptions in the book itself:

"Fika is a Swedish word that means to meet up for a chat over a cup of coffee or tea and something delicious. It is also the word for the tasty treats themselves. Swedes traditionally stop twice a day for fika, even at work where there are special dedicated fika rooms to take a break from the daily grind. People fika with family, colleagues, friends, children and even go on fika dates".

"Hygge is a word that originated in Norway but is now mainly used in Denmark. It means the sublime state of inner warmth or satisfaction you fell when you are spending time with loved ones and nothing else matters. Hygge can be enhanced by the addition of a log fire, a good movie, a cup of something warm and a sweet treat; hence the marriage of the two concepts, which together represent a lifestyle and an outlook to aspire to".

This cake is the second recipe I tested from the book. The first one, were these delicious savoury waffles (I'll share the recipe, soon I promise...) and both, waffles and this cake, were absolutely delicious and a fantastic treat.

September for Marta means pears and pears was the ingredient she chose for this month.

As soon as I saw this recipe in the book, I straightaway decided that I would bake it and take it to Marta's table and her September, the month of pears. Not just because Marta chose pears as her ingredient of the month, but also because I love pears and I love saffron and I couldn't stop thinking of the combination of both, together, in a cake...

Curious? Try it and you tell me...

Chive and Parmesan popcorn and Toxin Clensing Blast Smoothie / Pipocas com parmesão e cebolinho e Smoothie saudável.

Today I'm leaving you with another healthy snack from Lorraine Pascale new book and a recipe for a delicious smoothie that I made with my new Nutribullet. A fabulous machine with 12 pieces, one of them being a spice or nut grinder.

Using the hashtag #eatingwellmadeeasy, I won this Nutribullet from Lorraine Pascale on instagram, with the picture of these popcorn.

I confess that, at the time, I was in Portugal for a few days of holiday and when I read that I was the winner I was totally thrilled and surprised!

I was dreaming about these Lorraine Pascale popcorn even before the book came out.

Lorraine posted their picture on instagram and I couldn't stop thinking how delicious they should be.

Well, I was right as they really are a treat!!

ingredients for the popcorn:

2 tbsp olive oil

100g popcorn kernels

25g Parmesan cheese, finely grated

2 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

method:

Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium high heat.

Add the popcorn kernels, turn down the heat to low medium and cover with the lid.

When the kernels start popping loudly, shake the pan gently from side to side while it is on the hob in order to make sure that all the kernels get the heat.

As the popping begins to slow down, shake the pan a few more times until you are only hearing the odd pop every few seconds.

The whole cooking process shouldn't take more than 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and carefully remove the lid and tip the popcorn into a large serving bowl.

Add the parmesan, chives, salt and pepper and give everything a good toss before serving.

ingredients for the smoothie:
2 handfuls of rinsed spinach
1 cored pear
1 cored apple
1 banana
1 cup of pineapple
water
method:
Put all the ingredients inside your Nutribullet cup or in a blender and add water to taste (if using a blender) or to the MAX line of your Nutribullet cup.
Blend until smooth and drink straightaway.

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Hoje deixo-vos duas receitas saudáveis!
Um snack delicioso que são estas pipocas maravilhosas do novo livro da Lorraine e a receita do primeiro smoothie que fiz usando o Nutribullet que ganhei da Lorraine Pascale no instagram!
Uma máquina fantástica, com 12 acessórios, em que um deles também dá para triturar especiarias, frutos secos ou sementes.
Sob a hashtag #eatingwellmadeeasy, publiquei a foto destas pipocas no instagram e qual não é o meu espanto (estava eu de férias em Portugal), quando li que tinha ganho esta máquina fabulosa, oferecida pela Lorraine Pascale e pelo editor do livro.
Claro que fiquei para lá de feliz, pois sou pessoa de ficar feliz com as pequenas coisas que a vida me vai oferecendo...
Ainda antes de o livro ser publicado, já eu sonhava com estas pipocas, pois a Lorraine publicou uma foto delas no instagram e só pela foto, tive a certeza que seriam uma delícia.

Bom, claro que são e como eu adoro pipocas salgadas, estas não podiam ser mais à minha medida!!

ingredientes para as pipocas:

2 colheres sopa de azeite

100g milho para pipocas

25g queijo parmesão ralado

2 colheres sopa de cebolinho, picado

sal e pimenta preta moída na altura

preparação:

Aquecer o azeite num tacho largo sobre lume médio a alto.

Deitar o milho para o tacho, reduzir o lume para baixo a médio e tapar o tacho.

Quando o milho começar a estalar ruidosamente, abanar o tacho (sobre o lume) de um lado para o outro, por forma a que todos os grãos de milho apanhem calor.

Quando já só se ouvirem alguns estalos intervalados, abanar o tacho mais umas quantas vezes, até já só se ouvir um estalar aqui e ali.

Este processo todo não deverá demorar mais que 2 a 3 minutos.

Retirar o tacho do lume, destapar e deitar as pipocas para uma taça larga.

Polvilhar com o parmesão ralado, o cebolinho picado, sal e pimenta e misturar tudo muito bem antes de servir.

ingredientes para o smoothie:
2 punhados de espinafres lavados
1 pera, lavada e sem caroço
1 maça, lavada e sem caroço
1 banana
1 chávena de pedaços de ananás
água
preparação:
Colocar todos os ingredientes no copo alto do Nutribullet e adicionar água até à marca "MAX".
Caso não tenham um Nutribullet, podem usar o liquidificador e adicionar água a gosto, té obterem a consistência desejada.
Processar tudo até obter uma mistura cremosa e beber de imediato.

Recipe / Receita:

Open grilled portobello sandwich with sun dried tomato, kale and hemp pesto accompanied by a green juice and crispy baked fries / Sanduiche aberta de cogumelo portobello grelhado, com pesto de tomate seco, couve e sementes de cânhamo, acompanhada por sumo verde e batatas estaladiças assadas no forno.

Sometimes I think of turning vegetarian, but as soon as I think about a good fillet of grilled fish, clams, prawns and even a good grilled or fried steak - especially my mum's and the sauce she makes for them which I never get right - that idea fades straight away.

There's nothing new about the fact that I love food and I love to eat it right?

So, when I agreed with Maria to participate in her "healthy recipes" challenge, I was not concerned at all about what was I going to prepare.

Here at home, we love to try every type of food and experiment with new and different ingredients and flavours.
Fish, meat, vegetarian, vegan, we eat everything we fancy or whatever I prepare and even the kids are not fussy eaters and they are always keen to try different types of food.
For us, the important thing is to eat whatever we want, without fanaticisms, trends or fads and like everything else in life, everything is ok, as long as it is balanced.
So, out of one of my favourite books of the moment, this is the recipe/meal that I prepared for Maria's "healthy recipes" challenge.
Hope she likes it as much as we liked it here at home.

ingredients for the mushrooms (serves 2):
2 portobello mushrooms
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil (preferably extra virgin)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp fine sea salt (I used pink sea salt flakes from the Murray River - Australia)
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
method:
Remove the stems from the mushrooms, scrape out the black gills with the help of a spoon and clean the mushrooms with a damp cloth.
In a large bowl, combine all the remaining ingredients. Add the mushrooms and toss them in the marinade.
Marinate the mushrooms for 30 to 60 minutes, turning them every 15 minutes.
You can leave the mushrooms to marinate overnight.
ingredients for the sun dried tomato pesto:
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup lightly packed kale leaves, de-stemmed
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes in oil, drained
1/4 cup hemp seeds
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp fine sea salt (I used pink sea salt flakes from the Murray River - Australia)
method:
Put all the ingredients in a food processor with 2 tbsp of water and process until smooth.
This pesto will be to much for this recipe, so you can keep the remaining pesto in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week and it can be used in sandwiches, wraps or with pasta.
toppings (optional):
caramelised onions - If using, simply cook 1 finely sliced onion over medium heat with 1 tbsp of olive oil until golden. It can take around 30 minutes.
avocado slices
kale or lettuce leaves (I used rocket)
sliced tomatoes (I didn't use)
to finish and assemble:
Grill the mushrooms for 4 to 5 minutes per side, on a preheated grill pan, over medium high heat.
Serve the mushrooms on a toasted bun (in the book it is served like a burger in a burger bun) or sliced up in a lettuce wrap.
I served mines as an open sandwich over multi seed and cereal pitta bread.
Top with a generous amount of the pesto and the toppings of your choice.
Serve the sandwiches with the crispy potato wedges and the green juice.

ingredients for the potato wedges:
2 large baking potatoes (about 450g)
1 tbsp arrowroot
1 tbsp grapeseed oil (I used olive oil)
1/2 tsp fine sea salt (I used pink sea salt flakes from the Murray River - Australia)
freshly ground black pepper
seasonings such as garlic powder, chilli powder, etc.
method:
Pre heat the oven to 220ºC and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Wash and dry the potatoes and quarter them lengthwise.
Slice each quarter in half or in thirds, depending on the potato size.
Place the arrowroot inside a plastic bag and add the potatoes. Shake the bag vigorously until the potatoes are coated. Add the olive oil and shake again.
Put the potatoes on the prepared baking tray spacing them apart. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and your choice of seasonings.
Bake for 15 minutes, then flip the potatoes and bake for a further 10 to 20 minutes, or until golden and cooked through.
Serve immediately as the potatoes tend to loose their crispiness with time.
ingredients for the green juice (makes 2 cups - 500ml):
1 cucumber, peeled and roughly chopped
4 small kale leaves, roughly chopped
1 apple, cored and roughly chopped
1 pear, cored and roughly chopped
1 or 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
method:
In a blender, combine all the ingredients with 125ml water and blend until smooth.
Strain the juice through a sieve, discard the pulp and serve.

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Ás vezes penso em tornar-me vegetariana,  mas assim que penso num peixinho grelhado, em mariscos, bivalves e até num bom bife grelhado ou frito à moda e com o molhinho da minha mãe (que eu nunca consigo reproduzir), essa ideia logo se desvanece.

Que eu adoro cozinhar e adoro comida, não é novidade para ninguém certo?

Quando combinei com a Maria participar no seu desafio receitas saudáveis, não fiquei a pensar "ai, ai, o que é que vou preparar...", pois aqui em casa tanto se come carne, como peixe, como, se nos apetecer, somos vegetarianos por uma semana ou mais.

Para nós, o importante é comermos o que nos apetece, sem fanatismos, modismos ou tendências e, essencialmente, o que se come cá em casa, não está dependente do que é que vai ou não ficar bonito no blogue.

Gostamos de experimentar sabores e ingredientes novos e diferentes e se o resultado final for uma refeição saudável tanto melhor, caso contrário, desde que não haja exageros e excessos, tudo na vida é aceitável, inclusive as comidas pecaminosas, desde que haja equilíbrio.

Assim sendo, retirada de um dos meus livros preferidos do momento, esta é a receita, ou melhor, a refeição, que levo ao desafio receitas saudáveis da Maria e espero que ela a aprecie tanto, como nós aqui em casa a apreciámos

ingredientes para os cogumelos (para 2 pessoas):
2 cogumelos portobello grandes
2 colheres sopa de vinagre balsâmico
2 colheres sopa de sumo de limão
2 colheres sopa de azeite extra virgem
1 dente de alho, bem picado
1 colher chá de oregãos secos
1 colher chá de manjericão seco
1/4 colher chá de sal de mesa fino (eu usei flocos de sal rosa do Murray River - Austrália)
1/4 colher chá de pimenta preta moída na altura.
preparação:
Remover os pés dos cogumelos e com a ajuda de uma colher, raspar as brânquias castanhas do interior dos cogumelos.
Limpar os cogumelos muito bem com um pano húmido, para retirar impurezas e sujidades.
Numa taça grande, combinar os restantes ingredientes.
Colocar os cogumelos dentro da taça e envolvê-los na marinada.
Deixar marinar por 30 a 60 minutos, virando-os a cada 15 minutos, ou deixar de um dia para o outro.
ingredientes para o pesto de tomate seco:
1 dente de alho, bem picadinho
1 chávena de couve tipo portuguesa, sem talo
1/4 de chávena de tomates secos conservados em óleo, escorridos
1/4 chávena de sementes de chânhamo
1 colher sopa de sumo de limão
1 colher sopa de azeite extra virgem
1/4 colher chá de sal de mesa fino (eu usei flocos de sal rosa do Murray River - Austrália)
preparação:
Colocar todos os ingredientes no copo de um robot de cozinha, juntamente com 2 colheres de sopa de água e processar até obter uma pasta.
Esta quantidade de pesto é demais para esta receita, mas pode ser guardado num recipiente de fecho hermético e conserva-se no frigorífico por cerca de 1 semana. Pode ser usado em sandes, wraps e pratos de massa.
toppings (opcionais):
cebola caramelisada - se quiser utilizar, basta cozinhar num tacho sobre lume médio a brando, uma cebola cortada em fatias muito fininhas, juntamente com 1 colher se sopa de azeite.
Normalmente, a cebola demora cerca de 30 minutos até ficar caramelisada mas sem muita cor.
fatias ou rodelas de pera abacate
couve tipo portuguesa ou alface (eu usei rucula)
rodelas de tomate (eu não usei)
para finalizar e montar as sanduíches:
Aquecer bem um grelhador e, sobre lume médio a alto, grelhar os cogumelos por cerca de 4 a 5 minutos de cada lado ou até estarem tenros.
Servir os cogumelos sobre pão de hamburguer torrado (é como hamburguer que é servido no livro), ou fatiados e servidos sobre folhas de alface (tipo wrap).
Eu servi os meus como sanduíches abertas, sobre pão de pitta de sementes e cereais.
Cobrir os cogumelos com uma boa dose do pesto e com os toppings escolhidos.
Servir acompanhados das batatas e do sumo verde.

ingredientes para as batatas no forno:

2 batatas grandes para assar (cerca de 450g)

1 colher sopa de araruta ou de farinha Maizena

1 colher sopa de óleo de semente de uva (eu usei azeite)

1/2 colher chá de sal (eu usei flocos de sal rosa do Murray River - Austrália)

pimenta preta moída na altura

temperos à escolha, tais como, piripiri em pó, alho em pó, etc.

preparação:

Aquecer o forno a 220ºC e forrar um tabuleiro largo com papel vegetal.

Lavar as batatas e secá-las.

Cortar as batatas em quartos no sentido do comprimento e cortar cada quarto em 2 ou 3, dependendo do tamanho das batatas.

Colocar a araruta ou a Maizena num saco plástico. Adicionar as batatas e chocalhar bem o saco, por forma a que as batatas fiquem bem envoltas na araruta.

Adicionar o azeite ao saco e voltar a chocalhar.

Colocar as batatas no tabuleiro preparado, espaçando-as, para que possam ficar bem estaladiças.

Temperar as batatas com o sal, a pimenta e os temperos escolhidos.

Levar ao forno por 15 minutos e ao fim desse tempo virar as batatas.

Assar por mais 10 a 20 minutos, ou até as batatas estarem douradas, cozidas e crocantes.

Servir de imediato, pois estas batatas têm tendência a perder o crocante muito rapidamente.

ingredientes para o sumo verde (para 2 copos - 500ml):

1 pepino, descascado e picado grosseiramente

4 folhas de couve, tipo portuguesa, picadas grosseiramente

1 maçã, descaroçada e picada grosseiramente

1 pêra, descaroçada e picada grosseiramente

1 ou 2 colheres de sopa de sumo de limão

preparação:

Num copo liquidificador, colocar todos os ingredientes, juntamente com 125ml de água.

Processar muito bem e coar o sumo sobre um coador.

Descartar a polpa e servir o sumo.

Recipe / Receita:

Warm roasted Brussels sprouts, black quinoa, pear and chorizo salad / Salada quente de couves de Bruxelas assadas, quinoa preta, pêra e chouriço.

I´d never try roasted Brussels sprouts before and I have to say that I was amazed with how much they improve in flavour just by the fact of being roasted.

Believe me that when I took the tray out of the oven, everybody including myself started picking and enjoying them straight away and I almost didn't have any to make the salad, which would be a great shame as this warm salad is a stunner in terms of flavours and textures.

ingredients (serves 6):

100g black quinoa, rinsed and cooked in salted water

450g Brussels sprouts, halved and outer leaves removed

3 tbsp olive oil

90g chorizo,  fairly thinly sliced

2 pears, cored and thinly sliced

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 cup rocket

method:

Preheat the oven to 200ºC.

Toss the Brussels sprouts, 2 tbsp of olive oil and 1/4 tsp salt together on a baking tray.

Spread them evenly and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

In a frying pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat. Add the chorizo slices and cook until crispy.

In a large bowl, toss together the quinoa, Brussels sprouts, chorizo, pears, lemon juice and rocket and serve warm.

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Confesso que nunca tinha provado couves de Bruxelas assadas e quando vi a receita fiquei um bocadinho surpreendida mas como adorei a combinação de ingredientes, resolvi experimentar.

Bom, só vos digo que, quando tirei o tabuleiro das couves do forno, por pouco não iam sobrando nenhumas para a salada, pois toda a gente cá em casa, incluindo eu, começou a atacar as couves assadas directamente do tabuleiro.

É incrível o quanto este legume ganha em termos de sabor, só pelo facto de ser assado no forno. Experimentem e garanto que vão adorar!

ingredientes (para 6 pessoas):

100g quinoa preta, lavada e cozida em água com sal

450g couves de Bruxelas, cortadas ao meio e folhas exteriores removidas

3 colheres sopa de azeite

90g chouriço, cortado em fatias de cerca de 0,5cm

2 pêras, cortadas em fatias finas e descaroçadas

sumo de meio limão

1/2 chávena de rúcula

preparação:

Aquecer o forno a 200ºC.

Num tabuleiro, misturar as couves de Bruxelas com 2 colheres sopa de azeite e 1/4 colher chá de sal.

Espalhar as couves no tabuleiro e levar ao forno por cerca de 20 minutos, ou até estarem douradinhas.

Aquecer 1 colher sopa de azeite numa frigideira e fritar as rodelas de chouriço até estarem estaladiças.

Numa taça, colocar as couves assadas, a quinoa, o chouriço frito, as fatias de pêra, o sumo do limão e a rúcula e envolver tudo muito bem.

Servir a salada ainda quente.

Recipe / Receita: