Strawberry-banana yoghurt drink

I really can't get over the fact that strawberries here taste nothing like the strawberries we grow back home. We used to joke that they need to be caressed by the sun in order to get that special flavor and sweetness, but now it seems as no joke to me. You fully understand the importance of sun light when you can taste the difference. Well, now I know, but what good can it do for me?!

I guess one of the greatest qualities or skills (whatever you choose to call it) we humans have is flexibility. So, even though eating the strawberries is mostly unsatisfying, blending them with a banana and milk/yoghurt can make all the difference in the world. I prefer yoghurt as it gives the drink more texture (and I am a huge fan of yoghurt), but it works just as well with milk.

4 strawberries
1 banana
1 cup yoghurt
1/2 cup water

Blend everything well et voilà. 

My first crepes

I imagine most of you would be surprised to learn that I've never made crepes until a few days ago. They haven't been the usual weekend breakfast at any point in my life either. I guess that explains why I only remember about them when I see the pictures of food bloggers' creations. In retrospect, I've always thought they'd be somewhat tricky to make as the first image that would come to mind is the flying and flipping crepes, inevitably landing on the stove/floor. It's not exactly encouraging. Finally I thought I'd try though. 

Baby steps! That's what I've come to understand as the never failing recipe for achieving anything challenging. Let's face it. Crepes are challenging! So, I took the smallest pan I've got, pulled up my sleeves and began working on what turned out a dozen of delicious crepes. Thank you, TEFLON for making my life easier! :)

Ingredients

2 cups flour

2 cups milk

5 small eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 tb. sp. sugar

1/2 t. sp. salt

Method

1. Mix all the ingredients until they've integrated well.

2. Heat a greased pan and pour enough of the mixture to cover the bottom of the pan, trying to keep the crepes as thin as possible. (Mine could have been thinner.)

3. Cook at a medium high temperature for about 1 minute and then turn the crepe to cook the top side.

4. Repeat the same with the rest of the mixture.

I had mine with honey (yummy), while also wishing for some fresh berries. 

The picture on the right is a nod to the very talented food photographer and stylist Eva Toneva who originated the idea about rose crepes presented in cups.

Baked apples

I've been so tired all morning, despite getting up early and drinking a cup of tea. So I just stayed in bed, browsing a database of amazing print projects. I feel like a kid in a candy shop at moments like these. The fact that it's considerably colder than previous days (-16 C in the early morning) doesn't exactly encourage me getting a foot out the door just yet. So, it also seems like the perfect time for having baked apples for late breakfast. I usually prefer them with walnuts and honey, but the 1.5 kg walnuts I brought back from home vanished in less than a month. Ouch! The only walnuts I can find here come in packages of 150 g. and they look disappointingly unappetizing. Almonds are top quality though, so I think there's no discussion which ones should come home with me.

Ingredients

apples (the juicier and sweeter the apples are, the better)

marzipan 

raisin

almonds

cinnamon

I sometimes also add orange juice, covering 1-2 fingers of the apples, but they're equally delicious without the juice, I think.

Method

1. Clean the seeds of the apples, keeping them whole or cutting them in two. 

2. Fill the apples with small pieces of marzipan and raisin and bake them until the apples are soft.

3. Garnish with almonds and cinnamon.

I keep forgetting adding this outfit arrangement. I guess today is the day. I simply love the cardigan with its girly-romantic embellishment. It seems to me so cute to wear in the spring with shorts, heels and a clutch. 

Have a lovely weekend! :)