All posts tagged: oriental

Heirloom Beet Carpaccio with Feta and Walnuts

Heirloom Beet Carpaccio with Feta and Walnuts

I’ve mentioned before how much I love shopping at our Farmers’ Market in Darmstadt*! It’s my go-to place for fresh, seasonal, and local products, which I love to share with you in all sorts of recipes on my blog. So, imagine my excitement when I spotted red and yellow heirloom beets! I knew it was finally time to show you my favorite recipe—Heirloom Beet Carpaccio with Feta and Walnuts. Candy striped beet and Feta? They’re a dream team! Not only do they make my carpaccio look colorful and gorgeous, but they also taste absolutely delicious. The beet is nice and crunchy, the feta is soft and salty, and the walnuts add a perfect nutty flavor. My favorite dressing ties it all together—it’s made with red onion, juice from 2 bitter oranges, good olive oil, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper. It’s the perfect finishing touch for this carpaccio! Now, I can’t always find bitter oranges at the market, so I get them from my trusted greengrocer. Depending on the season, I switch up the dressing with …

Gozleme with Spinach and Feta Cheese

Gozleme with Spinach and Feta Cheese

Picture yourself in a lively Turkish market, surrounded by the irresistible aromas of freshly baked goodies. The chefs are bustling around their sizzling pots, and the air is filled with the delicious scent of warm bread and fragrant herbs. That’s exactly how it smells in my kitchen, and soon in yours too, maybe! Today, I’m excited to share with you the recipe for gözleme with spinach and feta, a delightful Turkish street food. It’s a simple yet mouthwatering specialty from Anatolian cuisine. The thin, crispy dough is packed with tender spinach and creamy feta cheese. The first bite is an absolute treat: the creamy feta blends beautifully with the flavorful spinach, and the light crispiness of the crust creates the perfect balance. Enjoy! watch my preparation video on Instagram

Easy Persian Pistachio Eclairs

Easy Persian Pistachio Eclairs

Welcome to a culinary journey where the exotic flavors of Persia meet the delicate art of French pastry-making. Today, I am excited to share Easy Persian Pistachio Eclaris recipe that combines the richness of Persian pistachios with the elegance of classic eclairs. Get ready to elevate your dessert game with my Easy Persian Pistachio Eclairs. In my world of baking, two cultures come together and merge into something new and exciting. Eclairs are more than just pastries – they symbolize indulgence, elegance, and the joy of life. Whether as a sweet temptation with coffee, a sophisticated dessert for special occasions, or simply as a moment of enjoyment in between – eclairs always bring a smile to our faces. So why not treat yourself to a delicious Easy Persian Pistachio Eclair and enjoy this incomparable taste. Watch my preparation video on Instagram 

Gluten-Free Baklava Triangles

Gluten-Free Baklava Triangles

My friendly soul welcomes you today with a smile and a special treat I’ve prepared for the upcoming Christmas celebration – Gluten-Free Baklava Triangles. The geometric splendor of Oriental architecture inspired me, so what do you think about my Middle Eastern response to the typically German Nut Corners? Did you know that I have an obsession with nuts? In particular, for almonds and pistachios? It’s no wonder that Baklava is one of my favorite desserts. During festivities in the Middle East, be it our Nowruz celebration, religious ceremonies, weddings, or Ramadan, Baklava is prepared as a symbol of abundance and communal joy.

Middle Eastern Style Bundt Cake

Middle Eastern Style Bundt Cake

Welcome to the magical world of baking, where the classic Bundt cake becomes an oriental dream! My Middle Eastern Style Bundt cake takes you into the Arabian Nights with exotic flavors and enchanting aromas. For my Middle Eastern Bundt cake, you need soft butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, eggs, flour, and baking powder. To create that oriental flair, add cardamom and rose water to the batter. Your kitchen will be filled with a mix of spices and floral fragrances, giving it the aroma of an oriental fairy tale. A delightful buttercream infused with rose water covers the bundt cake, adorned with crushed pistachios and rose petals. This ensures the cake stays moist and tastes absolutely delicious. My oriental bundt cake is not just visually stunning; it’s also a genuine taste adventure. It’s sure to be a showstopper on your dessert table! Watch Preparation Video on Instagram

Oriental Chickpea-Couscous Salad

Oriental Chickpea-Couscous Salad and Book Review “Ein Bauch voll Glück”

*ad / cookbook review* Do you lack the time for a healthy diet and snack your way through the day? Do You invest time in more important things than in your own body and your health? But a healthy diet with balanced, fiber-rich, and fresh food is an investment in your health. Perhaps when you think of a healthy meal, you think of boring dishes lacking flavor. Yet there are so many delicious and healthy recipes that reduce stress, and make you happy. Like in the Good Mood Kitchen by Annelina Waller, where things go happily. So today, I have a vegan and gluten-free recipe for an oriental chickpea-couscous salad and a book review, “Ein Bauch voll Glück.”

Kisir - Turkish Bulgur Salad

Kisir – Turkish Bulgur Salad

Kisir – Turkish Bulgur Salad is one of my favorite salads from Turkish cuisine. Bulgur salad is delicious, healthy, and easy to prepare. It’s a savory vegan salad with a nutty flavor due to the bulgur. Cucumbers, tomatoes, and green onions add a fresh touch. The dressing of pomegranate molasses, parsley, mint, lemon, and olive oil adds a lovely juicy touch. Paprika paste, pul biber, salt and pepper add spice. My favorite way to eat Kisir is in lettuce. Take a tablespoon of Kisir and place it in the middle of a lettuce leave and roll it up to form a wrap. It is an explosion of flavor on your palate. Try it out for sure!

Hasselback Butternut Squash with Feta, Pistachio Pesto and Pomegranate Seeds

Hasselback Butternut Squash with Feta, Pistachio Pesto and Pomegranate Seeds

Autumn has been mild so far in Germany, but now it’s here and it s time to heat the oven again. Pumpkin is one of the healthy autumn favorites! But it doesn’t always have to be the Hokkaido pumpkin, so why not try the butternut squash? When the aroma of Hasselback butternut squash with feta, pistachio pesto, and pomegranate seeds spreads throughout the kitchen, an autumn feel-good feeling is sure in very quickly. Doesn’t it look colorful on the plate? I love the colors. It is also proven that the more colorful it looks on your plate, the healthier your food is. My recipe is really easy peasy, quick to prepare, low carb, vegetarian and perfect as an after-work dinner.

Baklava Cheesecake

Baklava Cheesecake

Baklava and cheesecake fans check out, today I have a combination of these two classic desserts in one for you. A lighter version of the sweet and sticky oriental baklava, as well as the refreshing American cheesecake. In short, the best of both! Baklava Cheesecake is a delicious fusion between the East and the West. My family is thrilled with this both creamy and crispy cheesecake. The bottom and outside of the cheesecake are made of a crispy Filo pastry filled with crunchy caramelized nuts, cinnamon, and sugar. On top is a creamy light cheesecake filling made with cream cheese, eggs, Greek yogurt, and vanilla pudding powder. With vanilla and lemon zest, it has a hint of vanilla lemony flavor. The crowning touch is that it is garnished with roughly chopped pistachios and finely chopped rose petals. The recipe is also very simple and in any case, attracts all eyes to it. Watch my preparation video on Instagram

Summer pudding with labneh and orange blossom water

Summer pudding with labneh and orange blossom water

Finally we have strawberries in Germany and this summer pudding with labneh and orange blossom water, is packed to the top with them. Ok, the orange blossom labneh is not typically British yet, but I think it goes perfectly with it. Summer pudding is really easy peasy to prepare, you just need fresh strawberries, some raspberries and blackberries, chopped pistachios, some powdered sugar and brioche. The dessert should be refrigerated for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight. The next day, when the summer pudding is cut, it reveals its inner beauty. In the best case, the fuchsia colored filling from red summer fruits will run on your plate. We, at least, loved the combination of fruity cold dessert with the creamy orange blossom labneh. It’s so easy to prepare and tastes really delicious. A wonderful way to enjoy a nicely sized portion of ripe fresh fruit.