Author: Vaida

Winter fruit drink

Winter fruit drink

As a child, the only fruit that was available to me in winter time was dried fruit. There was also a never-ending supply of apples from our orchard that were stored in the cellar all year long. Understandably, I would get bored of eating just…

Chickpea stock

Chickpea stock

In my search for vegetable based stocks that taste good and are full of flavour, I have discovered a stock that is esentially just chickpea cooking water with herbs and spices added. It’s the closest thing to chicken stock in taste while being 100% plant-based.…

Caldo verde

Caldo verde

This is my take on a traditional Portuguese soup Caldo verde, which translates as a ‘green soup’. As it’s a traditional recipe, it doesn’t require any special ingredients, and is quite simple to make. I used ‘Cavlo nero’ kale which is a type of green…

Soured cucumbers

Soured cucumbers

My memories from summer time in Lithuania is that there’d always be a 3 litre jar on the kitchen floor filled with cucumbers/gherkins, and herbs in a process of fermentation. If there was a summer time celebration you could expect to have a plate with…

Oat porridge with molasses

Oat porridge with molasses

Molasses is a dark viscous syrup which is derived from the process of refining sugar from various plants, such as sugarcane, sugarbeets, or pommegranate amongst others. They are crushed to release the juice and then boiled down till sugar is crystalized. After sugar is removed,…

Autumn essentials

Autumn essentials

Temperatures are getting cooler, days are shorter, and autumn is gently creeping in. Plants loose their leaves, and focus is shifted towards the roots. As nature draws in, it’s time to look inwards. We, with all nature, enter a time of quiet reflection and meditation.…

Celeriac and apple mash

We all know what celeriac looks like, but we don’t really know what to do with it. Some say its flavour has hints of celery. It certainly adds substance to dishes. I’d say, unless you really really like celeriac flavour, never make a mash entirely…

Buckwheat and oat granola with pumpkin puree

Buckwheat and oat granola with pumpkin puree

This is my special buckwheat and oat granola recipe with some pumpkin puree mixed in as well as some extra spices. It’s a great granola for winter as it contains ginger, cloves, nutmeg, cinamonn- spices that have warming qualities and make this granola especially suited…

Fragrant roasted apples with coriander

Fragrant roasted apples with coriander

This is a simple dish to celebrate what’s in season at this time of the year. Coriander is a less obvious choice to use in this dish, but its warming and citrusy qualities pair up well with sharp and fruity apples. You can have it…

Courgette (zucchini)

Courgette (zucchini)

Courgette or zuchinni, is a tender, long and green summer squash which is a member of a cucurbita family. Other well-known cucurbitas are cucumbers, melons, squashes and pumpkins. Courgette originates from Mesoamerica, where its ancestors were cultivated for thousands of years. However, in its present…

Pan-roasted courgette with herby sauce

Pan-roasted courgette with herby sauce

It’s that time of a year, when courgettes are coming to you via different channels at a fast rate and then are quickly forgotten while gathering mould in your fridge drawer or a dark corner of your kitchen counter. I think you’ll agree that we…

Courgette gravadlax style

Courgette gravadlax style

Courgettes, also known as summer squashes, are abundant in the months of July and August in the UK. If you start picking them earlier rather than later, when they haven’t mattured yet and turned into a marrow, you’ll be rewarded with firm little courgettes that…

The forgotten chervil

The forgotten chervil

A somewhat forgotten herb, that is easy to grow and has a subtle aniseed flavour. If the conditions are good, chervil will grow beautiful deep green fern-like leaves, similar to those of parsley but finer. It is an annual herb that loves semi-shade conditions during…

Lemon balm cookies

Lemon balm cookies

Lemon balm has sprung back into a vibrant green growth like no other herb this year. It is full of citrusy flavour and fragrance, and its leaves and stems are smooth and tender. It felt like it’s a good time to do something with it…

Cauli-flower

Cauli-flower

Cauliflower, together with other well-known edible plants of brassica family (kale, cabbage, brussel sprouts, etc.) is a descendant of a wild cabbage or Brassica olaracea. You can find wild cabbage growing in coastal areas on cliffs around Southern and Western Europe. Cauli – flower, is…