Our Recipes: Yogurt-Tahini Dressing

Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp tahini
- 1/8 cup boiling water
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 cup natural yogurt
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/8 cup olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
- Whisk the tahini and water together until smooth.
- Add remain ingredients and mix well.
- Pour over a salad of your choice.

:)

World Cuisines: Moroccan Salad (Morocco)

Ingredients: 
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup canned chickpeas, drained
1 cup cooked quinoa, cooled
1/3 cup raisins

Dressing:
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/8 cup olive oil
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation: 
- Sprinkle a skillet with olive oil (around 1/2 tbsp) and toast almonds over medium heat until golden brown (around 4 min), stirring often.
- In a food processor/blender blend all the dressing ingredients plus half the amount of almonds.
- Add carrots, chickpeas, quinoa, raisins and remain almonds to a large bowl. Pour over dressing and mix well. 

Makes 2 servings as a dish or 4 servings as a side dish. 

Enjoy!

Our Recipes: Lemon Loaf

After exploring Starbucks lemon cake I felt the need to make my own. I searched the internet for a good recipe and I finally found out that my friend Dorota bakes it. I tried it once and it was fast and easy to make. It tasted delicious so I stayed with the recipe. Thank you Dorota!

Ingredients:
- 225g butter 
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/4 cup flour 
- 1/3 cup ground almonds
- 4 eggs
- 3 lemons
- 1tsp baking powder

Preparation:
- Wash the lemons well under warm water. 
- Zest the lemons.
- Cut the lemons in a half and juice them into a bowl.

- Melt the butter in a saucepan but don't let it boil. Put to the side.
- Separate the eggs and put whites into a large mixing bowl. Keep yolks for later in a cup.
- Beat the whites well with a mixer.

- Gradually add sugar through a sieve and keep beating.
- Add the yolks and mix.
- Gradually add flour and baking powder through a sieve and keep mixing gently with a large spoon.
- Gradually add butter and keep mixing gently.

- Gradually add ground almonds and keep mixing.
- Add lemon juice and lemon zest and stir in. 
- Pour the batter into a 9x5 inch loaf pan lined with aluminum foil. 
- Bake on 350°F (160°C) until golden brown (around 40min). A toothpick should come out cleanly.

                                                            Bon appétit and smacznego!

World Cuisines: Guacamole (Mexico)

We love Mexican food so we want to share how we make guacamole. 
(Also for special request. Here it is! For you Emily:))

Ingredients:
- 2 ripe avocados, pitted and peeled
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- juice of 1/2 lime
- 1 medium tomato, chopped
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 of you favorite hot pepper, minced
- salt and black pepper to taste
- red crushed pepper - sometimes I add it  
to make it more spicy

Preparation:
- Using a tablespoon, take the flesh out of the avocados and put it into a bowl. Mash it with a fork. You can leave some chunks if you want. 
- Add remaining ingredients, stir and eat. :) 

Makes 2-3 servings.

Guacamole is great with tortilla chips. My favorite are Hint of Lime Tostitos. But today I bought a delicious baguette from a French bakery, and I spread some guacamole on it. Yummmmm!

Our Recipes: Panko – Crusted Salmon

I found this recipe in Barefoot Contessa by Ina Garten several years ago. I think that it is an interesting and fast recipe. Fish is crunchy and delicious. It's also great the next days as leftovers. 

Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup panko (Japanese dried bread flakes)

- 2 tbs minced fresh parsley                                                  

- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

- 2 tbsp olive oil

- 4 salmon fillets

- 2 tbs dijon mustard

- 2 tbs vegetable oil

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1/2 tsp pepper

- lemon wedges for serving

Preparation:

- Mix together bread flakes, parsley and lemon zest, salt and pepper. Add oil olive and stir.

- Place the salmon skin side down. Generously brush the top with mustard and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

- Press bread flakes mixture thickly on top of the mustard

- Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet. When the oil is hot, add the salmon skin side down. Sear for 3-4 minutes to brown the skin without turning.

- Transfer the pan to the hot oven for 6-10 (200°C) minutes until salmon is t cooked and the panko browned.

- Serve with lemon wedges.