Potato salad

Ingredients:

4 mid-sized potatoes

1 green apple

6-7 pieces of spring onion

2 cloves garlic

2 handfuls of parsley

1 tablespoon of chopped dill

Olive oil

Juice of half a lemon

Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes

Directions:

• Boil or microwave the potatoes until thoroghly cooked. If you are going to microwave them, be sure to make a few holes in each potato using a fork. It will take about 15 minutes to cook 4 potatoes, and you should pause to check and turn the potatoes.
• Rinse under cold water, then peel.
• Chop the parsley, spring onions and dill. Crush the garlic and cut the apple into thin slices.
• Combine all these ingredients with the diced potatoes; add the olive oil, lemon juice and spices and mix. 

Red and green sweet chili pepper salad

Ingredients:

3 sweet red chili peppers

3 sweet green chili peppers

2 cloves of garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions:

• Place the peppers in a wide pot and add enough water to cover half of them.
• Cook with the lid closed until the peppers are softened.
• Run cold water over the peppers after removing from the pot, peel off the skins (don't worry if little bits remain) and cut them into slices.
• Mix together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sliced garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes in a bowl and pour over the sliced peppers.
• Serve after letting it rest in the fridge for a few hours. It tastes even better after one or two days, once the peppers have absorbed the sauce.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin soup

Ingredients:

1,5 cups pumpkin puree

3/4 cups water

1 onion

2 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1 cup skim milk

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Chopped spring onion for serving

Directions:

• In a large pot, boil 1/4 cup of water and add the diced onion. Cook for 3 minutes until the onion is softened.
• Add the rest of the water, the broth, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, pepper and nutmeg. Cook over medium heat until it comes to a boil, then cook for 5 more minutes over low heat.
• Add the milk and heat, but do not boil.
• Serve with chopped spring onions and pepper.

Inspiration from: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-recipes/NU00424

Zucchini slices on toasted bread

Ingredients:

1 zucchini

5 slices of whole-wheat bread

Olive oil

Salt, pepper, dried mint, thyme

A handful of parsley

4 tablespoons of Turkish yogurt

Garlic or garlic powder

Directions:

• Wash and slice the zucchini into ~0.5 cm thick slices. Coat with 2-3 table spoons of olive oil and add the spices.
• Heat a griddle pan and drizzle with olive oil. Toast both sides of the bread slices on the pan.
• Remove the bread from the pan and place the zucchini slices. Cook until both sides are slightly charred.
• In the meantime, chop the parsley and mix with the yogurt and crushed garlic or garlic powder.
• When the zucchini are done, lay them on top of the bread slices and top with a tablespoon of the yogurt.

Enjoy!

Banana oatmeal breakfast muffins

Ingredients:

1,5 cups flour

1 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup sugar

10 g baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

3/4 cups milk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 bananas

A handful of hazelnut

Directions:

• Set the oven to 200°C.
• Combine the flour, oatmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl.
• Mash the bananas with a fork and add the egg, milk, oil and vanilla.
• Pour the banana mixture into the flour mixture and mix well. Crush and add the hazelnuts. You may also save some to sprinkle on top.
• Using a spoon, divide into 12 muffin moulds and bake for 15-20 minutes.

Enjoy :)

Pumpkin and cream layered dessert

Ingredients:

100 g mild cream cheese

35 g butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1,5 cup pumpkin puree

1,5 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Walnuts

Directions:

• Beat together the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
• Mix together the pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice.
• Distribute into glasses in layers. Place crushed walnuts on top.

Enjoy :)

Carrot ribbons with pomegranate

Ingredients:

2 carrots

Quarter of a pomegranate

Olive oil

Pomegranate syrup

Dried mint

Directions:

• Clean the carrots, then make slices using a vegetable peeler.
• Seed the pomegranate and sprinkle the seeds on top of the carrots. For seeding the pomegranate, you can use the trick where you do it inside a bowl full of water so that you don't get red pomegranate juice all over you!
• Drizzle a little olive oil and pomegranate syrup and sprinkle some dried mint on top.

Lemon cookies covered in coconut powder

Ingredients:

2 eggs

125 g butter at room temperature

2,5 cups flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 g baking powder

Juice of half a lemon

Zest of one lemon

Coconut powder

Directions:

• Heat the oven to 190C, line a baking tray with baking paper.
• With a mixer, beat together the egg yolks, powdered sugar and butter until smooth and creamy.
• Add the vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest. You may also use lemon aroma if you have any.
• Sift in the flour and baking powder and knead.
• Chill the dough for 30 minutes, then shape into lollipop-sized balls.
• Put the egg whites in one plate and the coconut powder in another. Dip the cookies into the egg white first, then cover them with the coconut. Place them onto the baking tray and bake until golden brown.

Borek with dried tomatoes and spinach

Ingredients:

6 pieces of filo pastry (yufka)
450 g cleaned and frozen spinach (or 1 kg fresh)
1 large onion
100 g feta cheese
2 eggs
1,5 cups Turkish yogurt
1/2 cup olive oil
Milk
7-8 sun dried tomatoes
Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, chili powder
Black cumin seeds

Directions:

• Set the oven to 180C.

• Prepare the filling: Dice the onion and saute in a pot in a little olive oil.
• Add in the spinach and cook until it is cooked through. Drain the excess water.
• Chop and mix in the feta cheese. Have a taste and add salt if necessary. Sprinkle with pepper.
• Cut the dried tomatoes into thin slices and add to the spinach.

• Combine the yogurt, olive oil, one of the eggs + the white of the other egg and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Add milk until the mixture has a creamy consistency.
• Grease a baking pan and lay down one of the filo pastries into the pan so that its edges remain outside.
• Spread some of the yogurt mixture onto the filo pastry.
• Lay down and wrinkle the second and third layers of filo pastry so that they are completely inside the pan. Cover them with the yogurt mixture.
• Spread the filling on top of the third layer, and add the other layers in a similar fashion. You should end up using almost all of the yogurt mixture.
• When the last layer is added, fold in the edges of the bottom layer on top. Mix the remaining egg yolk to the remaining yogurt mixture, add a pinch of chili powder. Pour this mixture on top of the borek and sprinkle with black cumin seeds.
• Bake until the top is golden brown and crispy. You may turn up the temperature to 200 after about 10 minutes.

"Drunken chicken" in white wine tomato sauce with mushrooms

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts

4 tomatoes

200 g mushrooms

1/2 cup dry white wine

Salt, pepper, chili powder

Fresh or dried basil

1/2 tablespoon of flour

Olive oil

Directions:

• Cut the chicken breasts lengthwise into half, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook in a skillet over medium heat until both sides are slightly charred.
• In the meantime, dice the tomatoes and cut the mushrooms into slices.
• Take the chicken breasts out of the skillet and set aside.
• If there is no oil left in the skillet, add some more. On low heat; cook the tomatoes, chopped basil and chili powder until the water from the tomatoes forms a sauce.
• Add the mushrooms to the skillet and stir.
• Pour in the wine and cook for 5 minutes.
• Collect the sauce in one corner of the skillet by tilting it slightly, and stir the flour into the sauce.
• Transfer the chicken back into the skillet and cook for another 15 minutes over low heat with the lid covered.

Okra with ground beef

Ingredients:

450 g okra
200 g ground beef
1 onion
3 cloves of garlic
Olive oil
2 tomatoes
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
Juice of half a lemon
A handful of chopped parsley
1 cup water
1,5 teapoon salt
Chili powder to taste

Directions:

• Dice the onion and saute in a pot with enough olive oil to cover its surface.
• Add the ground beef and stir for a few minutes.
• Add the tomato paste and crushed garlic, and wait until the beef is thoroughly cooked.
• Place the okra and diced tomatoes into the pot. Pour in the lemon juice and water. Add the salt and chili powder and mix. Cook over low heat with the lid closed.
• After about 15 minutes, add the parsley and close the lid.
• Cook another 5 minutes, or until the okra is softened.

Feta cheese muffins

Ingredients (for 12 small muffins):

2 eggs

1 cup flour

3/4 cup Turkish yogurt

4 tablespoons olive oil

75 g cheddar cheese

100 g feta cheese

5 g baking powder

3 tablespoons of chopped parsley

1/2 teaspoon of salt

Pepper, chili powder, dried mint to taste

Black cumin or sesame seeds

Directions:

• Heat the oven to 180°C. Line a muffin pan with muffin cup liners.
• Beat together the egg, yogurt and olive oil. Add in the flour and baking powder and mix.
• Grate the cheddar, chop the parsley and feta and add into the mixture.
• Add in the spices and salt.
• Using a spoon, distribute the mixture into the muffin cup liners. Make sure to leave some room on top since they will expand while they bake. Sprinkle with black cumin or sesame seeds and bake until golden brown.

Green beans with olive oil

Ingredients:

50 ml olive oil
1 onion
2 carrots
500 g green beans
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
1 large tomato
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
Boiling water
Salt

Directions:

• Break the tips off the green beans and remove the strings if they have any. Cut or tear the bean pods in half. Wash in cold water.
• Dice the onion and cut the carrots into circles.
• Heat the olive oil in a pot, saute the onions, add the carrots and stir for a minute.
• Add the green beans and sugar into the pot, stir until they are boiled down.
• In a cup, dissolve the tomato paste with some warm water and pour into the pot. Cover the beans with boiling water.
• Mix in the diced tomato and cook until the beans are softened.

Oven roasted steak with pomegranate syrup and tomato sauce

Ingredients:

800 g steak, cut into 200 g slices
1 large potatoes
1 onion
100 g tomato puree
2 tablespoons pomegranate syrup
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and thyme to taste

Directions:

• Heat the oven to 200°C.
• Slice the onions, potatoes and garlic.
• Mix together the tomato puree, olive oil and spices in a bowl.
• Combine all ingredients, including the meat, in an oven pan and mix well so that the sauce covers everything. Lay out the steaks on top of the potatoes before placing in the oven.
• Cook at 200°C for a while. If you notice it start to burn before cooking, turn the oven down to 170°C and cover with an aluminum foil. It should take about 40 minutes to cook.

Bici bici

"Bici bici" is a refreshing summer dessert from the city of Adana. It is basically made by preparing a jelly from corn starch and cutting it up into pieces. It is then served by adding a red rosewater syrup, crushed ice and powdered sugar on top. You may choose to use additional toppings such as bananas or other fruits.

Ingredients:

2 litres water
1 cup corn starch
4 tablespoons rosewater
Red food coloring
Powdered sugar (as much as needed)

Directions:

• Mix together the water and corn starch in a pot.
• Heat on medium heat and stir constantly until the mixture has a pudding-like consistency.
• Wet a broad plate with water and pour in the mixture. It should be about two fingers thick.
• After it has cooled down a bit, cover the plate with a wet cloth so that it doesn't dry, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
• In the meantime, prepare the toppings: mix 1 litre of water with the rosewater and add a few drops of food colouring.
• To make the crushed ice, you can use a blender or place the ice in a plastic bag and smash.
• When the jelly is ready, cut it into small cubes and distribute into bowls. Pour some rosewater mixture on top, add the crushed ice and serve with powdered sugar on the side.