This is fantastically simple but delicious  appetizer.

Prep Time: 10 min Cook Time: 15-20 min.
​Ingredients for 12 bites:

​1 puff pastry sheet
flour, for dusting
2 oz. fresh goat cheese, softened
6 ripe, fresh figs, stemmed and sliced lengthwise
1/2 tsp.  fresh thyme
​1 tbsp., honey

​Direction:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 475°F.
Unroll the puff pastry and cut into 2 inch squares. Place the squares on a baking sheet, lined with lightly dusted  flour sheet of parchment or baking paper. Spread goat cheese evenly over the puff pastry squares. Arrange the figs on the cheese. Sprinkle with the thyme and drizzle a small amount of honey over the figs.  Bake until the rim of the pastry is golden-brown, about 15-20 minute.

​Enjoy with wine,
Nellie

​Adjika is a semi-spice sauce which goes nicely with grilled meats and fish.  I also like to stir a couple spoonfuls of this sauce into a cooked quinoa.

Ingredients

1 lb, tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 lb. red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and roughly chopped
1 celery stick, roughly chopped
1 red chili pepper, seeded and chopped
5 garlic gloves, minced
5 large basil leaves, minced
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. apple vinegar
Salt, to taste
1/4 tsp. red pepper

Coarsely chop bell pepper, tomatoes, hot red pepper and celery. Transfer to a food processor, and pulse adding olive oil until finely chopped but not smooth, the sauce should still have some texture. Transfer vegetables in a medium sauce pan, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes over medium heat until the sauce reduces by one third.  Add basil, garlic and season with pepper and a good pinch of salt.  Cook for the last 10 minutes. Add apple vinegar and stir.
Chill and store in a refrigerator.

* The information provided here should not be used as a substitute for a physician's consultation, advice or treatment.

Being healthy on busy days can sometimes seem like a struggle.  While your favorite fruit is in season and very possibly on sale in your favorite market  or ready to harvest in your garden then it is time to make Smoothie Freezer Packs. My favorite breakfast smoothie as I fly out the door in the mornings is: Banana, Mango. Strawberries and Spinach with protein powder and Almond Milk.

For 5 days of packs I chopped 4-5 bananas, 3 mangos, 5 cups of spinach and 2 pints of strawberries. I made an even chop with all and divided between 5 ziplock packets. What makes a smoothie really delicious is the frozen fruit that then becomes the creamy smoothie. Freezing the fruit combo that you love will keep you on track and out the door on your busy mornings.

Be good to you, I promise you are worth it. Set yourself up for success and you will be on the way to your healthy best self.

To YOUR good health,


    Jan

        

Before you  begin to dye eggs, it is worth  remembering a few simple and  useful tips to prevent boiling eggs form cracking. Eggshell will not crack during boiling, if you leave the  eggs at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Also, add a  tablespoon of salt to a water. Salt will help to seal any potential cracks. 

I  inherited this recipe from my grandma. I like to use safe, natural ingredients to make natural dyes to color Easter eggs.

Eggs
6 onions 
1 tablespoon salt
1 tbsp. olive oil
4-5 cups water

Peel dry skins from onions. Reserve onions for another use. In a medium saucepan, add 4 cups water, onion skins and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, covered, for about 20-30 minutes. Remove from heat
and let cool to room temperature. Add eggs and one tablespoon of salt, bring water to a boil, take the pot off the heat for a moment and then put it back on a low simmer for 10 -12 minutes. 

Remove eggs with a slotted spoon and cool. When cool enough to handle, massage in a little olive oil to each egg, then polish with a paper towel. 
 
Tip: I have been collecting onion skins for a while. I saved onion skins every time I cooked something with onion. Also, one time I went to a supermarket and asked shop assistant if I could root through the onion bin for skins so I didn't end up with a dozen naked onions. They thought I was crazy but very nice.
 

Hard-boil eggs in a saucepan of water with 1 tablespoon salt.

Add 3 tablespoons turmeric and 1 tablespoon white vinegar to 2 cups hot water and stir until dissolved.  Vinegar helps remove any residue from the eggs surface.  

Soak eggs in the dye until the desire hue is reached for about 10-20 minutes. Stir the eggs from time to time for more even color. Use a  slotted spoon to remove the eggs from the dye and set them on a wire rack to  dry.

Sincerely.....Nellie

For Valentines day there are so many different things you can do with heart shapes and food. This is just a quick idea if you are making a salad for your beloved. Many  things in your salad could be shaped like a heart but let's start with a homemade "crouton" and strawberries.
Using bread of your choice spread garlic butter on bread and then put under broiler. When toasted and cooled cut cut small hearts and place aside. We will put theses in the salad once the salad is dressed.
Using a small paring knife cut out the center of the strawberry or de-stem it. Once the stem has been hollowed out place strawberry on cutting board and slice. With the center removed your strawberries will take on the shape of a heart once sliced. So easy and so cute!
Salad's are so easy to make special. I am known in my family as the queen of salad making. I keep on hand many ingredients to make throwing a special salad together. Keep on hand pecans, walnuts, pine-nuts, dried fruits, cranberries and croutons. Add in goat cheese, feta cheese or any cheese shredded or cubed.
I love apples, any berry, mango, pears, grapes or papaya sliced in.  The great thing about salads is that you can be creative and make your salad beautiful by adding any of these yummy ingredients. Have fun in the kitchen and have a lovely Valentines day!

I have wanted to share Nellie and my office lunches for some time now. Why would I want to do that? Because I want to INSPIRE YOU to have beautiful healthy lunches at work and because I want you to know how easy it is to do just that. I roasted Brussels Sprouts last night for this beautiful salad today. We added mixed greens, chopped apple, avocado and goat cheese with a light cilantro dressing. We served it with my new roasted garlic soup and as you can see we had help with our left over salad bowl! Thanks Tony for always being here for us when we have left overs!
Jan

This photo of a water well and my son Philip was taken in Latvia, where I was
born and grew up. Every summer I go to Latvia to visit my family and friends.  And every summer I visit  the place where my father grew up and is now buried. This water well is next to the house where my father lived and now other people, who live in this house still use it.  I am so glad that my son could see this water well which is quiet difficult to find these days. 
 
Water wells still exist in some regions of Latvia. I mean, some  people still use it as a main source for drinking water. A bucket is used to bring in water raised by hand. 

The water taste is amazing!!! You cannot stop drinking it.

Nellie