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Healthy fast food??? YES!!!

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  Have you ever considered that a fast food can be healthy? Many would say NO, no way! But our answer is YES - if such fast food is cooked in a proper way and from organic fresh products. You will be surprised how delicious homemade chips, chicken nuggets, or chicken wings can be. And, at the same time, they will not add a lot of calories to your weight! So, what are the main tips? Let's take as an example chicken wings. First, roast them in the oven, do not fry them in a pan. Try not to over cooked and not to over dry the chicken. Half an hour is usually enough (180C). Second, it is better to use only fresh organic products. Frozen meat sold in supermarkets has completely different taste. And this influences the quality of a final meal. Next, give preference to olive oil instead of butter, milk, or eggs. Make breadcrumbs at home. And, as a sauce, use the one from tomato pasta or natural yogurt instead of ketchup or mayonnaise.  And last but not the least! Even being homemade,...
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Soup, soup, soup! In the countries with a long winter how to warm up?

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  Today we will travel to the north of Europe. England, Finland, Russia, - what do these countries have in common? Yes, correct, - a long and cold (in comparison with Southern Europe) winter. So, obviously, the traditional homemade food is different there. For every day cooking at home, especially when it is cold outside, a soup is very popular. Meat soups, fish soups, accompanied by vegetables like potatoes, carrots, cabbage, beetroot are considered not as a starter like in Mediterranean countries, but as the main course. These soups are thick, nutritious, and usually served very hot with bread and cheese. In this case a small salad can be offered as a starter. For the full family lunch or dinner also meat dishes can be served after a soup, and then a dessert - tea or coffee with bans or cookies. This is really nice to warm yourself like this and enjoy looking through the windows when snow is falling down and snowflakes are dancing in the air! Welcome to the North!
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Location: Helsinki, Finland
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American-style pancakes vs. Russian 'blini'

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Hi! Today we will check two recipes of pancakes from two countries that are far away from the Mediterranean Sea - USA and Russia. I mean the recipes of very popular dessert, pancakes! Everybody knows how American-style pancakes look like - small, thick, cooked with minimum veg oil and served with jam or nutella one above the others.  Russian 'blini' look more like Breton crepes, they are big, thin, cooked in a pan with a lot of oil. They have neutral taste and can be served with sour or sweet filling. The most favourite ones in Russia are jam from various berries or plain yogurt.  You can also close them as an envelope, put inside cooked minced meat or cottage cheese with an egg, and put in a freezer. It is very delicuous and easy-to-make snack!  
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Location: United States
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Pastizzi - the icon of Maltese street food

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Hi! Let's come back to Malta! Do you know which fast food Maltese people like to eat most of all? Of course, pastizzi! In every town and village in Malta there is a pastizzeria, a shop where locals and tourists can buy and enjoy the authentic taste and flavor of this icon of Maltese go-to street food. So, what is pastizzi? Simply, it is a savoury phyllo-pastry envelope filled by ricotta or green peas. Pastizzi are the best when they are just from the oven, fresh and hot. Locals eat them with a cup of tea when meeting and talking with neighbours in a village bar or small cafe during a day.  Pastizzi are popular at any time of the day and for any occasion. People buy them for breakfast, as a snack instead of lunch, for get-together with friends, or for family dinner. Yes, it is not the healthiest food because pastizzi have a lot of fat. BUT pastizzi are nutritious and delicious and they have become a really important part of Maltese cuisine and culture!
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Location: Malta
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Roasted lamb for Easter lunch

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  Easter lunch cannot be without a lamb! Lamb is a centuries' old tradition that is deeply rooted in Mediterranean climate and Christian faith. I prefer to cook a lamb roasted in the oven to keep it soft and juicy and add potatoes as side dish.  The most important is to buy a fresh meat, not frozen. A leg suits better than a shoulder or back. And it should be room temperature before cooking to warm it faster in the oven. I would recommend to cut meat first and to put into a marinade for 20-30 minutes. Rosemarie, lemon juice, salt, pepper, oregano, olive oil, and garlic make a great combination. Besides, I like to mix onions and potatoes with salt, pepper, oregano, and olive oil before adding them to the meat. Lamb requires high temperature to roast it in the oven - for the first hour at about 220C, and then at about 200C for the second hour. And it is important to put a half of glass of hot water inside a cooking tray to prevent meat from becoming dry. When ready, serve a lamb...
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Location: Greece
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