THE|SIX|BASICS: vegan

Light summer salad

Yes, it's another salad! I don't know how you've guessed it - is it the picture or the name of this post? Or maybe it's just a gift - the gift of guessing.

Anyway it's so ridiculously unbelievably and unpleasantly hot, I just want to throw myself in a cold water somewhere, doesn't matter how dirty and stay there!!! Today I didn't even want to eat anything normal, I just had this salad and it was enough. Usually I would have this salad as a side to something - meat, grains, fish, but now...shame on me! OK tonight I'll probably eat something pretty serious, because nobody can beat Mr. Hunger, but for now I'm good.

I don't even think you need an ingredients list - tomatoes, cucumbers, dill, parsley, olives, some olive oil and salt to taste and you're ready!

Now I don't even have anything else to say, I'll look for some place to cool myself off!

Spinach, chickpea and bulgur salad

Whyyyyyyy???? Why is it soooo hot? I can not concentrate on anything, besides trying not to sweat, and I'm telling you, that's not working out very good for me either.

I hope you're as excited as me about me going to the beach in 2 days. Yaaay!!! Are you? You don't have to answer that, just keep on nodding. I think I will not come out of the water for hours. Pretty much like in my childhood, when I would spend all of my beach time in the water and would come out only after my lips are purple-blue. Aaaaahhh best memories ever!

But before I go, I'm still trying to lose some belly, so I can look like a slimmer whale on the beach, and not like the fattest one. And now I'm eating mostly alkaline - mostly salads, wraps and watermelons (love love love love love watermelons). I have to admit everything is really delicious and I feel a whole lot better than during the times when I was eating mostly pizza, burgers and sweets. OK, those times were less than 2 weeks ago, but hey 2 weeks is something right?

I make this salad and it's variations really often, and mostly it's my lunch at the office. I don't feel sleepy afterwards, so I can still work, so that's probably good for some reason.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups spinach
1 cup chickpea (canned)
1/2 cup cooked bulgur (1 cup uncooked bulgur makes about 3 cups cooked - you can store it cooked in the fridge for at least 5 days)
1 small tomato
1 small cucumber
1/3 cup chopped parsley
handful of arugula
dill
olive oil
salt

DIRECTIONS

As for all the salads preparation is really easy - one of the many good things about salads. You just wash and afterwards chop all the vegetables and herbs (spinach roughly). Place vegetables, herbs, chickpea and bulgur in a bowl, add some olive oil and salt to taste and you're ready to serve, even better to eat. Does not take more than 20 minutes and afterwards you don't have to take a nap.

Bulgur with broad beans

Hello bulgur lovers (and soon to be bulgur lovers like my mother)!

To be completely honest here I just tried to copy a recipe from my aunt. She made this very delicious dish for Christmas with rice and broad beans. It was the first time I've eaten broad beans in my life. More than six months have passed since then, and I still can not forget this dish. I've tried to get over it with other dishes...lots of them. Nothing worked. Two results - a fat belly and a broken heart.

And the saddest thing is I couldn't even buy broad beans, because they were not in season. I've tried with dried and canned, but they tasted disgusting (to put it delicately).

This month my torture was over, because I finally found broad beans and was able to make a dish similar to the one my aunt made. Of course I substituted the rice with bulgur, are you kidding me? Not that I'm an enemy of rice, but bulgur is more nutritious and very easy to prepare.

INGREDIENTS

1 kg/ about 2 pounds fresh broad beans (large)
2 cups bulgur
1 bunch parsley
1 cup of spearmint
2 onions
2 tbsp dry basil (if you have fresh - even better, put as much as you like)
1 tsp paprika (ground red pepper)
salt
olive oil

DIRECTIONS

1. The first thing you need to do with the broad beans is free them out of their pods, boil them for 1 min and free each bean out of its coating.

Removing the beans from the pods

Free broad beans with coating

And after just 1,5h of pure fun BAAAM - all the broad beans are freed out of their pods and coats and are ready to get steamy.

Broad beans without coats

At some point I felt like I've been uncoating broad beans a lifetime. But if you listen to some nice music you might even not have the urge to hang yourself. I recommend that.

If you don't want to use all the broad beans right away, you can put them in a freezer bag and freeze them. They should be good for about 1 year, so you'll have some time to think about what you want to do with them.

2. Next - in a large non-stick pan, at medium high temperature, place the chopped onions, the broad beans, add some olive oil, paprika (ground red pepper) and the basil stir for 2 min, add some water (not too much - 1/3 cups) and cover for 3-4 min.

3. Add the 2 cups of bulgur and coat with water (about 1 cup, maybe you'll have to add some more) and cover the pan for about 7-8 min. Check every now and then, if there is enough water in the pan, and if bulgur and beans are ready.

4. In the end - turn off the heat, add chopped parsley and fresh spearmint, stir in and cover the pan for 2-3 min.

And then you're ready!!!

Now I don't remember anymore how many portions this made. But it was a lot, because I remember I ate it for 3 days, I even took it as a lunch at the office. And I have to say - it was very good, but after eating it for 3 days and peeling broad beans for 1,5 h I don't think I'll be making this dish another time this year.

Serve it with some salad - mine was tomatoes, arugula, hot green peppers and some olives.

Not another hummus recipe

Greetings everyone!

Hmm, I haven't posted anything here in a long time and my excuse is: I've been ridiculously lazy. Bad Stella!

Good news is, I will post all the recipes I've done lately during this and next week and on Friday next week I'm going back to my home country Bulgaria to spend some time on the beach, eat real food and just be lazy a little more. But!! At least this time I'll try to keep you updated on my laziness and on what's not going on in my life and in my kitchen.

On another note my back and neck are killing me and I want to kill the orthopedist, who told me that this is normal and I should do some exercises. I will do some exercises with a needle on a voodoo doll with your face on it! It's called acupuncture, don't worry ;)

Before I start making the doll let's see what you need for this ridiculously (my favorite word lately) tasty hummus. Well it's not actually hummus. I like to make different things out of garbanzo beans - jewelery, clothes, paper, sometimes dishes and next up: voodoo doll!

Yeah, I made almost all of the above up - I use garbanzo beans just in dishes. But now that I think about it, what a waste, right?

Anyway, normally I just take one big can of garbanzo beans, open it, put the beans in my food processor and process the hell out of it with whatever I have in the fridge. Then tadaaa!!! Best dip ever! Every time I tell you! So yes this is the first hummus recipe on this site, but definitely not the last.

INGREDIENTS

1 can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas) (about 250g)
1 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp olive oil
1 dried chilli
1 eggplant/aubergine
some dill

DIRECTIONS

1. Start with the aubergine/eggplant. Wash it, make small holes all over it with a fork and then bake it at medium high heat until it's soft inside - just try with the fork. Take it out, put it in a bowl/pan and cover for 20 min. Afterwards remove all the fluids (they're bitter) and peel the aubergine.

2. Put garbanzo beans, olive oil, tahini, chilli and prepared aubergine in a food processor and process until smooth.

3. Put in a bowl or a plate and garnish with parsley, cilantro or in my case with some dill.

You can use this as a dip (with carrots, cucumbers, fingers work also), spread for bread/wraps or as a side dish.

Bulgur with kidney beans and some veggetables

So people, the eggplant and bulgur saga continues. Now that it's out there, the fact that I substisute rice with bulgur, I'm gonna give you some recipes with my favourite grain. That being said, you can still pretend to be surprised when you see my next post. Spoiler Alert: it also contains....

........B....U....L....G....U....R.....!!!

And I am ....B....U....L....G....A....R (I)!

Man I love surprises. That's why I was totally ecstatic when I found 2 other eggplants that were about to die in my fridge today.

I don't know why but today I'm not really good with my jokes.

- When have you ever been? - you ask.

- Shut up! - I answer.

I so feel like John Grisham right now, writing these dynamic dialogues. It's like I'm there. In the scene! My heart is beating so fast and fats.

Speaking of Grisham, I've been trying to finish The King of Torts for 3 months now, and since one month I'm stuck on page 161. So 327 more to go...makes about another half a year. Hehe good times ahead. I've been sooooo busy.

But to the recipe, which btw John Grisham did not feature in any of his books. Which to me is 100% inapprehensible. Shame on you Mr. Grisham, writing about all those criminals and not about nutritious foods!

This meal on the other side is 100% vegan and 150% tasty. This is another recipe from my *use everything in my fridge* series.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup bulgur
1 can kidney beans, drained (have been there, not opened 1/4 year, i.e. 3 months)
2 of my beloved eggplants/aubergines
2 medium sized tomatoes
2 small green peppers
1 fresh onion
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup parsley
1/2 cup coriander
1/3 cup dill

DIRECTIONS

1. Put the cup of dry bulgur in a pot, cover with hot, boiling water and cover for 10 min with the lid. After 10 min - TADAAA bulgur is ready.

2. In the mean time chop, crop, dice, cut all the vegetables.

3. Put some olive oil in the big pan, that you always need to use when making my recipes (because I only have the one). Add the chopped aubergines and steam (cover the pan) for 5-8 min at second highest temperature.

4. Add tomatoes and bulgur, salt to taste and stir. Cover for 3-5 min.

5. Add the peppers and the kidney beans.

6. Turn off the heat and add all of the other vegetables and stir.

You can serve this with some green leafy vegetables like raw spinach or any vegetable salad suits well actually. As seen in the picture above moi served it with some cucumbers.

The whole thing makes 3-4 servings, depending on how hungry you are. In my case - 4 servings, which means 350 kcal per serving. Packed with fiber, iron, magnesium, zinc, folate and vitamin C.

Enjoy everyone and good night!

Raw chocolate hazelnut balls

Good news humans of the planet Earth!

Three good news actually. Let me start with the first one. I know it's a weird order, but just for fun.

1. You saw the picture of the chocolate hazelnut balls in this neighborhood? I made them. And they're healthy. And good to support your diet and training goals. And to support your life goal of being super awesome. And I'm giving you the recipe for them. *In a minute!!!* So this is me being serious and motivating. For once in my life.

2. I just finished my workout and I feel great. I felt like I'm gonna die while I was at it. But now like Rocky. To be honest I haven't even seen Rocky. But I'm guessing he's strong??? Now I don't have to become fat bastard in a few years, I'll be a fit bastard. And I won't move the Earth out of its orbit, when I jump on my own in 10 years. A small step for Stella, a big step for humanity.

3. I now have the results from my stool and blood samples (hopefully not mixed together) and it's all good. Even though I ate crap the whole month and didn't do much moving around. Of course those samples don't actually say anything about your health at all. I know that. But it's comforting to know some things in your body function properly.

Now to the recipe. I made these balls once when I was trying to eat healthy and lose some fat. I just wanted to eat chocolate soooo bad! Sounds like any day of my life actually.

Look at them!!! My little balls. So proud of you! Going out in the big scary world and making it on your own!

To be honest I was trying to make something like a raw brownie, but I'm not very patient when it comes to food. I couldn't wait for the mixture to get cold and then cut in small brownie pieces. So I decided to get messy and started making balls from the mixture right away. A few of the balls didn't make it in the picture. They were in my mouth/stomach.

Since then, almost any healthy dessert I make is shaped as a ball. You can also juggle with these balls. I haven't tried that, but probably.

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup soaked hazelnuts (raw)
3/4 cup soaked almonds (raw)
1/3 cup quick oats
5 tbsp cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup ground hazelnuts/almonds

DIRECTIONS

1. Grind the oats to powder with your food processor.

2. Mix oats and raisins, add cocoa, vanilla and process further.

3. Add the nuts - almonds and hazelnuts - and process.

You should get a dense, chocolaty mixture with small nut chunks in it.

4. Aaah! The best part. Now you have the mixture - make the balls! Form walnut-sized balls with your *clean washed* hands and roll them in ground hazelnuts or almonds. I used hazelnuts here. But almonds elsewhere. So surpriseee!!! Both works. Couldn't even tell the difference.

5. Store in the fridge. They're good for 3-4 days. Although it almost never occurred to have them that long.

!WARNING! Some of the balls might disappear while you make them. This occurs very often. Must be something supernatural. Some voodoo stuff. Someone just stuffs them in my mouth.

The outcome for this amount of products is about 15 balls. Each one has around 90 kcals, is high in potassium, magnesium, zinc, iron, B-vitamins.

Even though these raw chocolate hazelnut balls are healthy and definitely better for you than some brownie loaded with processed sugar and fat, consume in moderation (up to 5/day as a snack or dessert). You don't want to move the Earth out of its orbit one day either.

YaSUSHI, Yakashi

Last time with all the excitement about Greece, goat crap, and getting fat I forgot to tell you about my sushi week. I do not recommend that sushi week to my worst enemy. Especially if he/she has a thyroid condition.

Can you believe that I ate sushi for one whole week and I didn't even make one picture of it. Talking about greediness. Now you must stare at this salad. But it was also good.

Anytime someone says sushi, my dad likes to make this comment: ya sushi, ya kashi. In Bulgarian it means: either sushi or porridge. Yes, I come from a family of creative minds.

One time when I was stupid and brave enough, I asked my dad about the deep meaning of his wise words. Turns out there is a famous guy in Japan named Yasushi Akashi, who my father (but not me) has heard of and always makes this association, when he hears the word sushi. Now I say it too, so that people think I know who's who in Japan.

Aah what a nice story that was, wasn't it? Now I'll tell it again! I'm just kidding. Don't leave. Or hurt yourself.

Anyways. About the sushi week. Man I feel like I said sushi for the trillionth time in this post.

Sushisushisushisushisushisushsushisushisushsushisushisushisushisushisushisushisushisushisushisushisushi!

SUHSIIIIII!!!!

Now it's out of my system!!! The last one is spelled wrong?

Next fill in the blanks:

So yes, I was craving ....... for a really long time. At some point I even felt like I can wrap myself in seaweed and just lay there drooling happily. Maybe it was iodine deficiency, maybe not. Who knows? Not my doctor. I already asked her (she is not a psychiatrist).

So after I ate ........ at a friend's place, me and my sister, who has a problem with her thyroid decided to make ....... And no we didn't make 20 or 30. We made around 300 in one week and ate them all. It was so delicious, but it is a little addictive. I didn't actually lose weight, as I expected, cutting all the pizza and other delicious stuff out of my life. Now I had .........!!! My precious.

In the end of the week my sister and I both had bad headaches, really salty taste in our mouths and felt really nervous for no reason. My heart was beating so fast. Probably the way I would feel if I ever met Bradley Cooper. Or Justin Bieber. Or the guy from Gangnam Style.

The doctor didn't even think of iodine overdose. She was - stool sample here, stool sample there. And all I was thinking: "NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! I don't want some stranger digging in my stool". Although I can imagine it was not a holiday for that person too. We mentioned here and there my sister's thyroid condition (covering it with a cough or a sneezer, so we don't seem like desperate hypochondriacs) trying to bring the doctor to the right diagnosis. Nothing helped. The stool sample was stuck in her head. So we had to do it.

Man what a fun that was. Something in me changed that day.

Anyway, after this very unproductive visit at the doctor's office we ate a salad made only of vegetables with a little bit of olive oil and without any salt. I didn't expect it, but it actually turned out delicious. And we both felt a whole lot better after eating it. Here's the recipe for it, if you ever have a sushi or some other intoxication problem and you need to take it easy.

INGREDIENTS

5 small potatoes with skin (cooked)
6 medium sized radishes
1 medium size green pepper
1/2 cup arugula
1 medium cucumber
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 tbsp olive oil

DIRECTIONS

All you need to do is chop everything (except olive oil, I dare you to try chopping olive oil!!), put it in a huge salad bowl and mix it.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

The whole thing has 317 kcal and it makes 2 big portions, so for all the non-mathematics-geniuses out there - it's 158.5 kcal per portion. And it's rich in potassium, iron and magnesium.

Enjoy and write to you tomorrow!

Looks Like Falafel

Hello hello everybody!

This here is a recipe for all the falafel lovers out there, but also for all non-falafel lovers. Like Britney said in a song - "There's only two types of people in the world, the ones who love falafel and the ones who doon't"...I'm pretty sure she sang that somewhere...Anyway if you're good at exclusions, you would notice, that it's a recipe for everybody.

3-4 years ago, I would have never thought, that I would ever enjoy eating something meatless as a main dish. Now I really enjoy vegan meals (as much as non-vegan meals). But still if someone offers me a beans stake, I would just roll my eyes, probably stab him with a fork in the hand that's holding the bean steak and run. Some things just were not meant to be vegan. A steak is one of them.

I had so many failures trying to make a really good falafel, but last time I tried it turned out great.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups of dried garbanzo beans (chickpea)
2 cups of chopped parsley
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
1-2 dried chilies
salt to taste
olive/sunflower oil (for frying)

DIRECTIONS

1. Soak the garbanzo beans (chickpea) overnight in water
2. Drain and rinse the soaked garbanzo beans (NO BOILING/COOKING)
3. Process garbanzo beans, parsley, chopped onion, garlic and dried chillies in your food processor/blender. The mixture should look something like this:

4. Form hazelnut-sized balls from this mixture. I don't remember how many were there at the end. BUT MANY. I think more than 20.

5. Put oil in the pan, heat it and add balls. Fry the balls until they turn golden brown (turn one time).

6. Take falafels out of the pan and drain on a paper towel.
7. EAT! Should still be green inside.
8. If you're patient and not crazy hungry (like I was) you could serve with carrot sticks, some green salad you like and hummus. If not you know what to do.

My score was 10 out of more than 20 in about 5 min, and I was not sitting, just walking around taking pics. Try to beat it and tell me about it.

Have a great falafel day!

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