Greece-Inspired recipe: Cucumber & Tomato Salad.

I used a recipe from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cucumber-tomato-salad/detail.aspx

It calls for cucumber, tomato, salt, pepper, sugar, vinegar and water. A lot of people also use onion, but I didn’t have one. Pretty easy!

Gather ingredients.

Chop cucumber.

Chop tomatoes. 

Put in bowl. Add salt, pepper, sugar, water, vinegar & marinate over night. 

Put in a cute bowl & take a picture. 

Pour a glass of iced coffee, get a book & sit outside with a nice cucumber salad.

Καλή όρεξη!

(Bon appetit!) 

I spent a summer in Greece  a couple years ago…

I was thinking about my time there and decided that I want to make some Sarah-Style Greek treats!

Stay tuned for Baklava Puffs, Cucumber Salad & potatoes….

I love Saturday mornings. After a particularly busy week, I woke up this morning and felt like baking. I have to admit that baking is not my strong point… it requires such precision and exact measurements. I think that’s why I like to cook, since I have a tendency to edit my recipes each time I make something. Anywho, after looking at one of my favorite blogs (ohsheglows.com) I decided to try out the recipe posted for Carrot Spice Muffins! 

Here’s the link for the original recipe: 

http://ohsheglows.com/2011/04/11/vegan-carrot-spice-muffins-for-grandpa/

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Dry ingredients in one bowl.

Chia seeds in another bowl. (Wet ingredients will be added later)

Ready to shred!! Carrots, that is. I wish I had a food processor, haha!

My wet ingredient bowl: carrots, almond milk, chia seeds, maple syrup, oil and…

Mashed bananas!!

Close up!! Trust me, it looks better later on.

Dry & wet ingredients. (Background featuring my homemade granola & coffee)

Batter!! I added the last of my vegan chocolate chips.

Before: (mini muffin pan)

After!

Another close up. 

Magnifique!!

Closing thought: Make these. They turned out really well!

I love granola, but it’s kind of expensive to buy at the store ($4-5 for a little tiny box!?). Plus, pretty much everything tastes better when it hasn’t been processed and perserved and sprayed with chemicals. 

Pros: Cheaper, healthier, more eco-friendly & tastier!

Cons: Doesn’t last for years, sometimes “healthy” tasting.

I found a recipe for granola on the ‘net. Whenever I think of something I want to make, I search around on google until I find one that’s simple. Keep in mind I’ve been teaching myself how to cook, so I don’t like to make anything too technical.

 The recipe I used is based off a blog called Orangette (orangette.blogspot.com)

I made a half recipe, like I usually do since I don’t like to eat the same thing for days and days. 

Recipe:

• 1.5 C rolled oats
• 1/4 C raw almonds
• 1/4 C unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 T chia seeds 
• 1 T pumpkin seeds
• 1 T sugar
• 3 T honey (or agave)
• 1 T vegetable oil
• 1/4 C chocolate chips or dark chocolate chunks (added last)

What to do:

• Preheat oven to 300 F.
• Mix together dry ingredients
• heat honey and oil over low heat
• once honey is dissolved, pour oil/honey mixture into the oat/nut/seed mixture and stir well
• Spread onto a baking sheet
• Cook for 10 minutes, stir then cook for 10 more
• Stir again before cooling
• Let cool completely
• Add chocolate
• Store!

I gathered up my ingredients. I had everything on hand- and I decided to add chia seeds and pumpkin seeds since I had them. 

Close up!

Mix Mix Mix

Add honey/oil mixture, spread on baking sheet, bake, cool, add chocolate chips… and put in a pretty bowl! :)

Lesson learned: Making granola is VERY easy! This version isn’t vegan since I used honey, but it can be easily modified.