By Angelika Hanna Prep Time: 25 min Cook Time: 15 min (for grilling the chicken) Total Time: 40 min Yield: 4 servings Cuisine: North American/Canadian Author: Angelika Hanna / Zest4Food Ingredients: 2 chicken breasts, grilled, skinless, cooled off 2 cup Italian parsley leaves, packed down 1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped 1 – 2 garlic cloves, smashed 1/4 cup extra… Continue reading Chicken Salad with Parsley Walnut Pesto
Fried Cauliflower “Rice” & Spinach
By Angelika Hanna A Ree Drummond inspired recipe from The Pioneer Woman TV show. My version is an easy and quick-to-prepare vegan/vegetarian weekday meal full of flavor. Ree upgraded this dish with an egg topping and garnish (see below). Recipe: Prep Time: 20 min Cook Time: 10 – 12 min Total Time: 30 min Yield: 4 servings… Continue reading Fried Cauliflower “Rice” & Spinach
Ina Garten’s Tomato Tart
By Angelika Hanna This is a Barefoot Contessa inspired recipe. I think it is a great alternative to pizza. Personally, I am not into yeast doughs, mainly for health reasons. So any recipes that don’t use yeast are very welcome to me. Recipe: Prep Time: 40 min Cook Time: 45 min Total Time: 1 hr 40 min… Continue reading Ina Garten’s Tomato Tart
Watermelon & Strawberry Popsicle
By Angelika Hanna It is one of the easiest DIY in the kitchen. Fruit popsicles. All you need is your favorite fresh or frozen fruit, or – to make it even more easy – your favorite fruit juice, and some water. For some watery fruits you do not even need to add any water. As… Continue reading Watermelon & Strawberry Popsicle
Baked Turkey Meatballs
By Angelika Hanna Recipe: Prep Time: 20 min Cook Time: 25 min Total Time: 45 min Yield: Approx. 30 turkey balls Author: Angelika Hanna / Zest4Food Ingredients 2 pounds ground turkey 1/3 cup plain bread crumbs Cold pressed extra virgin olive oil 1 onion, diced 2 eggs Fresh parsley, chopped 3 cloves garlic (optional) Kosher salt, to taste Freshly ground black pepper, to taste Red pepper flakes, to… Continue reading Baked Turkey Meatballs
Stuffed Mini Peppers from the Grill
By Angelika Hanna I got the idea for this lunch from a potluck recipe post. It is an easy and quick-to-make summer lunch or party/potluck snack. Recipe: Prep Time: 20 min Cook Time: 10 min (+ 10 min to pre-cook meat) Total Time: 30 min Yield: 3 servings Cuisine: North American/Canadian Author: Angelika Hanna / Zest4Food Ingredients: 1 pound… Continue reading Stuffed Mini Peppers from the Grill
Portobello Burgers
By Angelika Hanna A Ree Drummond recipe from The Pioneer Woman TV show. Recipe: Prep Time: 15 min Cook Time: 20 min Total Time: 35 min Yield: 4 servings Cuisine: North American Author: Angelika Hanna / Zest4Food Ingredients 1 1/2 pound lean ground beef A few dashes Worcestershire sauce, to taste 2 eggs 2 cooking onions, chopped Kosher… Continue reading Portobello Burgers
Zucchini & Spinach & Mushroom Lasagne
By Angelika Hanna A Ree Drummond inspired recipe from The Pioneer Woman TV show. Recipe: Prep Time: 25 min Cook Time: 60 min Total Time: 1 h 25 min Yield: 8 servings Cuisine: Italian-North American Author: Angelika Hanna / Zest4Food Ingredients Extra virgin cold pressed olive oil 1 package (20 oz) cremini mushrooms, sliced (I used the brown… Continue reading Zucchini & Spinach & Mushroom Lasagne
Green Power Smoothie Summer 2020
By Angelika Hanna It’s refreshing, vegan, healthy, and tasty all together. Recipe: Prep Time: 20 min Blend Time: Approx. 3-5 min Yield: 2 servings Author: Angelika Hanna / Zest4Food Ingredients: 2 cups spinach 1 mini cucumber (also known as Persian cucumber) 1 celery stalk 1 mango, fully ripened 1/2 avocado, fully ripened 1 tbsp hemp hearts 1… Continue reading Green Power Smoothie Summer 2020
Colorful Summer Potato Salad
By Angelika Hanna This German-inspired vegan potato salad recipe is a delicious side dish. Recipe: Prep Time: 30 min (plus cooking and cooling time for the potatoes) Yield: 3-4 servings Cuisine: German-inspired Author: Angelika Hanna / Zest4Food Ingredients: 3 baking potatoes*, cooked, peeled, cut into bite-sized chunks 1 red Bell pepper, cubed 1/4 red onion, cubed… Continue reading Colorful Summer Potato Salad
Salmon & Salad Plate
By Angelika Hanna Recipe: Prep Time: 10 min Cook Time: 10 min Total Time: 20 min Cuisine: World Cuisine Author: Angelika Hanna / Zest4Food Ingredients: Raw salmon filet Flavorless vegetable oil Missed lettuce leaves Celery stalk Sweet onion Black Kalamata olives Red Bell pepper Baby carrots Lemon juice High quality extra virgin cold pressed olive oil Kosher salt… Continue reading Salmon & Salad Plate
Veggie Stew & Fried Polenta Squares
By Angelika Hanna This recipe is inspired by TV cook Mary Berg from her CTV show ‘Mary’s Kitchen Crush‘. It is a hearty and earthy vegetarian meal. To make it vegan, leave out the feta crumble topping. Recipe: Cuisine: Canadian Author: Angelika Hanna / Zest4Food Ingredients For the Veggie Stew: 1 can (28 oz) Marzano tomatoes… Continue reading Veggie Stew & Fried Polenta Squares
Low-carb Spinach Lasagne
By Angelika Hanna Low carb, vegetarian, and super tasty! To make it more healthy, I used brown rice noodles instead of regular pasta. Recipe: Prep Time: 20 min Cook Time: 40 min Yield: 4 servings Cuisine: Italian-American Author: Angelika Hanna / Zest4Food Ingredients: Extra-virgin cold pressed olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced 2 tsp fresh thyme, minced;… Continue reading Low-carb Spinach Lasagne
Giada’s Aqua Pazza
By Angelika Hanna A recipe inspired by TV cook Giada de Laurentiis from her show ‘Giada’s Capri.’ I modified Giada’s recipe in that I used haddock fillets instead of sea bass fillets. Any firm white fish works best, such as halibut or sole. Recipe: Cook Time: 35 min Yield: 4 servings Cuisine: Italian Author: Angelika… Continue reading Giada’s Aqua Pazza
Matcha Cookies
By Angelika Hanna Recipe: Prep Time: 20 min Bake Time: 15 min Dough Cooling Time: min. 2 hrs, overnight, can stay frozen in the freezer up to 2 months Total Time: min. 2 h 35 min Yield: 20 cookies Cuisine: Japanese Author: Angelika Hanna / Zest4Food Ingredients 2 cups pastry flour 2 1/2 tbsp good quality Matcha powder… Continue reading Matcha Cookies
Chicken Cacciatore
By Angelika Hanna Recipe: Prep Time: 15 min Cook Time: 35 min (plus cook time for the pasta) Total Time: 50 min Yield: 4 servings Cuisine: Italian Author: Angelika Hanna / Zest4Food Ingredients Any pasta of your choice (I used red & white quinoa macaroni) 4 chicken thighs Kosher salt, to taste Freshly ground black pepper, to taste… Continue reading Chicken Cacciatore
Kale & Brown Rice & Quinoa Casserole
By Angelika Hanna Recipe: Prep Time: 10 min Cook Time: 45 min (plus cook time for the rice and the mushrooms) Total Time: 55 min Yield: 4-5 servings Cuisine: World Cuisine Author: Angelika Hanna / Zest4Food Ingredients Extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil 1/2 pound mixed mushrooms (Cremini and wild mushrooms), dried or fresh (If you use dried mushrooms, boil… Continue reading Kale & Brown Rice & Quinoa Casserole
Lentil & Sweet Potato Spice Soup
By Angelika Hanna Recipe: Prep Time: 10 min Cook Time: 30 min (If you use canned lentils) Total Time: 40 min Yield: 4-6 servings Author: Angelika Hanna / Zest4Food Ingredients 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced 2 carrots, diced 2 medium-sized cooking onions, diced 2 stalks celery, sliced 1 red Bell pepper, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 2… Continue reading Lentil & Sweet Potato Spice Soup
Ina’s Chicken Thighs & Creamy Mustard Sauce
By Angelika Hanna Recipe: Prep Time: 10 min Cook Time: 35 min Total Time: 45 min Yield: 4 servings Cuisine: North American/Canadian Author: Angelika Hanna / Zest4Food Ingredients: 4 medium chicken thighs, bone in, skin on (the skin prevents the chicken from drying out; remove it after the chicken is cooked if you don’t like to… Continue reading Ina’s Chicken Thighs & Creamy Mustard Sauce
My Best Ever Oxtail Dish
By Angelika Hanna This recipe is inspired by native South African foodblogger, recipe developer, and freelance writer Jeanne Horak’s potje. Potje is the South African word for a stew that is slowly cooked in a cast iron pot or Dutch oven. I wanted my dish a bit lighter, less thick and rich; therefore, I did… Continue reading My Best Ever Oxtail Dish
Stuffed Roasted Butternut Squash
By Angelika Hanna Recipe: Prep Time: 30 min Cook Time: 1 h 30 min Total Time: 2 h Yield: 6 servings Cuisine: North American/Canadian Author: Angelika Hanna / Zest4Food Ingredients 1 butternut squash Extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil 1 Nantes carrot , finely cubed 1 celery stalk, finely cubed 1 small cooking onion, finely cubed 1 clove garlic,… Continue reading Stuffed Roasted Butternut Squash
Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Casserole
By Angelika Hanna Recipe: Prep Time: 10 min Cook Time: 50 min Total Time: 60 min Yield: 3-4 servings Cuisine: North American/Canadian Author: Angelika Hanna / Zest4Food Ingredients: 2 chicken breasts and 2 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, cut in bite-sized chunks (or any equivalent amount of chicken) 3 cups broccoli florets 1 cup of chicken stock… Continue reading Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Casserole
Beef Short Ribs & Root Veggies
By Angelika Hanna Recipe: Prep Time: 10 min Cook Time: 3 h Total Time: 3 h 10 min Yield: 6 servings Cuisine: North American/Canadian Author: Angelika Hanna / Zest4Food Ingredients 4 pounds beef short ribs, cut into 2- to 4-inch pieces 1 tbsp canola oil 3 carrots, halved and cut in thirds 1 parsnip, halved and cut in… Continue reading Beef Short Ribs & Root Veggies
Baked Grains Fusilli & Tomatoes & Eggplant
By Angelika Hanna This recipe is inspired by Ina Garten’s Baked Pasta with Tomatoes and Eggplant. I modified Ina’s recipe in that I left out the fennel bulb and seeds. Instead of the fennel bulb I added the zucchini. It turned out as a delicious choice of vegetables. Further, I replaced the regular pasta with… Continue reading Baked Grains Fusilli & Tomatoes & Eggplant
Hearty Chicken Soup
By Angelika Hanna This simple and easy-to-make chicken soup is one of my favorite soups on a cold winter day. An old saying tells that chicken soup is Penicillin. The legend says that our ancestors apparently healed their colds and flues through eating chicken soups. I believe that there is some truth in this adage.… Continue reading Hearty Chicken Soup
Chicken & Kimchi Ramen Soup
By Angelika Hanna It was years ago when I visited New York City that I had Ramen soup in a Japanese restaurant. Normally, I don’t cook Asian meals for various reasons. One of them is that I am not confident in cooking oriental meals. Another reason is that I have to purchase exotic ingredients which… Continue reading Chicken & Kimchi Ramen Soup
Beefy Eggplant Parmesan
By Angelika Hanna Recipe: Prep Time: 20 min Cook Time: 85 min Total Time: 1 h 45 min Yield: 4-5 servings Cuisine: Italian-North American Author: Angelika Hanna / Zest4Food Ingredients 1/2 pound lean ground beef 1 medium eggplant, halved lengthwise, cut into 1/4 inch thick half moons Extra virgin cold pressed olive oil Dried oregano Kosher salt Freshly… Continue reading Beefy Eggplant Parmesan
Winter Greens and Sausage
By Angelika Hanna This is a recipe, I grew up with in Germany. Simple and earthy; full of flavor from the greens, and spiced up with a spicy or smoked sausage. Any bitter green winter vegetable works for this meal. You can use collard, Swiss chard, or kale. It is truly a healthy and tasty… Continue reading Winter Greens and Sausage
Jamie Oliver’s Perfect Roast Chicken
By Angelika Hanna ‘There is something romantic about roasted chicken,’ stated celebrity cook Ina Garten in one of her interviews. And Prince Harry and Meghan confirmed Ina’s statement publicly before their wedding. The legend goes even further. It tells that girls who know how to make a tasty roasted chicken for their boyfriend or fiancee,… Continue reading Jamie Oliver’s Perfect Roast Chicken
FYI: How to Store Fresh Herbs
By Angelika Hanna Getting fresh herbs in the winter time is often a challenge. Either what you look for is not available at any time in the grocery stores or it is wilted or bad. Also, the price is higher when not in season. I used to suffice with dried herbs over the winter until… Continue reading FYI: How to Store Fresh Herbs
Shrimp & Broccoli Pan
By Angelika Hanna Recipe: Prep Time: 10 min (plus de-frosting time for the shrimps) Cook Time: 20 min Total Time: 30 min Yield: 3 servings Cuisine: Italian/North American Author: Angelika Hanna / Zest4Food Ingredients 1 pound medium-sized shrimps, pre-cooked, peeled, and deveined Extra virgin cold pressed olive oil 1 tsp sesame oil 2 shallots, finely chopped 1/2 jalapeno… Continue reading Shrimp & Broccoli Pan
Roasted Eggplant Parmesan
By Angelika Hanna This recipe is inspired by Ina Garten‘s Roasted Eggplant Parmesan on the Food Network channel. However, I made a few changes to Ina’s recipe. I did not add any extra topping. My casserole ends with the layer of Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. I learned from experience that bread crumbs in combination with… Continue reading Roasted Eggplant Parmesan
Turkey Soup
By Angelika Hanna One thing I like as much as the holiday turkey itself is the turkey soup after the feast meal. When you cook a whole turkey, not only do you get different types of meat – the white meat from the breast, and the dark meat from the legs and wings – but… Continue reading Turkey Soup
Ground Beef & Kale & Mixed Rice
By Angelika Hanna I love to incorporate kale in my meals – whether it is a soup or a stew – in the winter time. There are a few reasons, besides ‘delicious’ why I like to use kale: It is healthy and it is one of the few vegetables that is available fresh in the… Continue reading Ground Beef & Kale & Mixed Rice
Caramelized Fall Vegetables & Kale & Ginger & Brown Rice
By Angelika Hanna I have had this vegetarian recipe saved in my drawer for a good two months now, and today I finally have the time to transcribe and post it. It was inspired by a recipe from Editor-in-Chief of Kitchn Faith Durand. I made a change to my meal, though, in that I replaced… Continue reading Caramelized Fall Vegetables & Kale & Ginger & Brown Rice
Fudgey Brownies
By Angelika Hanna Recipe: Prep Time: 20 min Bake Time: 45 – 50 min Cuisine: North American, Canadian Author: Angelika Hanna / Zest4Food Ingredients: For the Brownies: 1/2 cup all purpose flour 2 sticks unsalted butter 1 cup white sugar 3 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 3 large eggs, at room temperature 2… Continue reading Fudgey Brownies
Ina Garten’s Roasted Brussel Sprouts
By Angelika Hanna I had this recipe from TV cook Ina Garten on my mind for quite a while and today I am finally cooking it – as one of the holiday side dishes. Prep Time: 10 min Cook Time: 40 min Total Time: 50 min Cuisine: American Author: Angelika Hanna / Zest4Food Ingredients: Brussel sprouts, cut in half… Continue reading Ina Garten’s Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Scalloped Potatoes without Cream/Milk
By Angelika Hanna When we hear scalloped potatoes, we usually think of a heavy creamy side dish; tasty but also high in carbs and calories. I browsed around to find a recipe without cream or milk; and yes, it still qualifies to be called scalloped potatoes. In fact, the term ‘scalloped’ refers to the shape… Continue reading Scalloped Potatoes without Cream/Milk
German Spice Cookies (Lebkuchenplaetzchen)
By Angelika Hanna This is a traditional German Lebkuchen recipe. The cookies are soft and chewy, full of nutty and fruity flavors with the classic German Lebkuchen spice mixture. This cookie is naturally gluten free. Recipe: Prep Time: 20 min (plus refrigerating time overnight) Bake Time: 22 min Yield: Approx. 20 cookies Cuisine: German Author: Angelika… Continue reading German Spice Cookies (Lebkuchenplaetzchen)
Holiday Choco Roll Ups (Schoko-Roellchen)
By Angelika Hanna This recipe is inspired by one of my favorite Food Network cooks Molly Yeh. I took Molly’s Chocolate Sea Salt Rugelach recipe as a guideline for my Chocolate Roll Ups with a few changes I made to my ccokies. Molly’s rugelach are on the salty side; I made my rolls less salty… Continue reading Holiday Choco Roll Ups (Schoko-Roellchen)
Debbie’s Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
By Angelika Hanna The most liked cookies on our annual cookie exchange among friends were these simple chocolate balls our friend Debbie brought. Sometimes the easiest to make and the most simplistic recipes are the most delicious and the favorite of all. Needless to say, I asked for the recipe and now share it here… Continue reading Debbie’s Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Holiday Shortbread Cookies
By Angelika Hanna Recipe: Prep Time: 25 min (+ cooling time) Bake Time: 20 min. Yield: Approx. 20 cookies Cuisine: World Food Author: Angelika Hanna /Zest4Food Ingredients: 3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 cup white sugar 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 tsp salt Holiday sprinkles Dark melted… Continue reading Holiday Shortbread Cookies
Walnut/Marzipan Fingers
By Angelika Hanna Another delicious German recipe from Manja’s holiday bakery. Recipe: Prep Time: 15 min Bake Time: 12 min Yield: Approx. 20 cookies Cuisine: German Author: Angelika Hanna / Zest4Food Ingredients: 2/3 cup ground walnut 200 g marzipan 1 egg white 3 drops almond extract Dark melted chocolate Instructions: Preheat the oven to 355 degrees Fahrenheit.… Continue reading Walnut/Marzipan Fingers
German Chocolate Truffle Cookies
The credit for these delicious cookies go to my cousin’s wife Manja in Germany. Manja and her two daughters are avid bakers during the holiday season. They baked 21 different sorts of cookies this year. I saw her photos on FB and these truffle cookies caught my attention. I translated the recipe from German into… Continue reading German Chocolate Truffle Cookies
Mushroom Risotto & Onions
By Angelika Hanna Recipe: Prep Time: Approx. 15 min Cook Time: Approx. 55 min Total Time: Approx. 1 h 10 min Yield: 4 -6 servings Cuisine: Italian/North American Author: Angelika Hanna / Zest4Food Ingredients 1/2 ounce dried wild mushrooms, boiled Extra virgin cold pressed olive oil 3 medium cooking onions, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced (optional) 8 ounces… Continue reading Mushroom Risotto & Onions
Dark Chocolate & Nut Barks
By Angelika Hanna Recipe: Prep Time: 15 min + 30 min refrigerating time Cuisine: North American Author: Angelika Hanna / Zest4Food Ingredients: Dark chocolate to melt (I used dark chocolate wafers) Any sort of nut of your choice (I used hazelnuts and peanuts) Holiday-themed sprinkles Instructions: Place the chocolate wafers in a large heat-safe bowl and… Continue reading Dark Chocolate & Nut Barks