Spinach-Egg Salad/ Salata cu Spanac si Oua

Ingredients
1 lb baby spinach
2 hard boiled eggs
5 ea walnuts
1 pomegranate
3 tbl balsamic vinaigrette
1 tbl honey
salt and pepper for taste
Preparation
Wash the spinach leaves, place them in a bowl, add the slices boiled eggs,walnuts and pomegranate seeds.
In a cup mixed the balsamic vinaigrette with honey, then add over the spinach bowl.Add salt and pepper as desired.

Potatoe Spinach Caserrole

Ingredients
6 big white potatoes
2 pounds frozen spinach
2 egg yolks
2 big spoons
sour cream
1 Tbl butter
Preparation
Wash the potatoes and boil in skin. Saute the spinach in butter. In an oven bowl covered in butter place the potatoes cut round pieces, one layer potatoes then spinach, repeat the layers, and on top place the egg yolks mixed with sour cream salt and pepper. Place the bowl in the heat oven, and let it cook until its gets crispy on top. Serve warm with sour cream.

Octopus

Ingredients
1 medium octopus
1 onion
2 tomatoes
2 tbs oil
salt and pepper for taste
Preparation
Boil the octopus for 40 minutes, then cut in small pieces. In hot oil pan place the octopus add the round cut onions and small diced tomatoes, salt and pepper and let it cook for 20 minutes.
Serve with white corn meal. (See recipe for Sima-Kenyan Dishes)

Cardamon Hot Chocolate

Ingredients
3 cups milk
2 cardamon pods, bruised
7 oz plain semisweet chocolate
Preparation
Bring the milk with cardamon to a boil, add the chocolate and whisk until melted.
Remove the cardamon pods. Pour hot chocolate in mugs and serve as it is or serve with whipped cream.

Pear and Gournay Cheese Salad

Ingredients
4 ripe pears
4 oz gournay cheese
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
salt for taste
Preparation
After you cut the pears into quarters and remove the cores, thinly slice each pear and arrange on the serving latter. Place cheese over the pears, mix the oil and vinegar and drizzle over the pears. Season with salt and serve.

Moroccan Carrot Salad

Ingredients
1 lb carrots
2 oranges, juiced
1 lime, juiced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp ground cumin
salt
pepper
Preparation
Peel and grate into find shreds the carrots.
Dressing: Combine the orange and lime juice with olive oil,cumin,salt and pepper.
Pour the dressing over the carrots, and refrigerate for 2 hours then serve.

Bolognese Meat Sauce with White Wine

Ingredients
1 tbsp vegetable oil
3 tbsp butter
½ cup chopped onion
2/3 chopped celery
2/3 chopped carrot
¾ lb ground beef
salt
black pepper
¼ heavy cream
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup diced tomatoes
Preaparation
Put the oil, butter and chopped onion in a pot, cook and stir the onion until it becomes translucent, then add the celery and carrot.
Add the ground beef, salt, pepper, stir well until its change the color.
Add the heavy cream and let it simmer slowly, then add the wine and let it simmer until it has evaporated, then add the tomatoes and stir thoroughly to coat all ingredients.This sauce is great to be serve with 1 ½ pasta, and serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Steamed Fish Fillets with Black Bean Sauce

Ingredients
1 lb fish fillet
1 tbl vegetable oil
1 onion
salt
black pepper
2 tbl lime juice
1 lb boiled beans
2 tbl soy sauce
1 tsp minced garlic
Preparation
Fill a large saucepan with water, then set a bamboo steamer basket over the saucepan. Place the fillets in one layer in the steamer with the round sliced onion, add salt, pepper and lime juice. Let it cook until the fillets are all the way cooked. Heat oil, add garlic, soy sauce and black beans cook and stir, then pour over the fillets. It can be serve over rice sprinkle with scallions.

Egg Drop Soup

Ingredients
4 cups chicken stock
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp dry sherry
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 eggs
2 green onions
2 tsp dark sesame oil
Preparation
Combine broth, soy sauce, sherry in a saucepan and let it boil. Mix water with cornstarch in a separate bowl, then add it to the soup, simmer for 3 minutes then, add the well beaten eggs and later green beans. Before servind add in the sesame oil.

Tandoori Shrimp

Ingredients
4 lb shrimp
1 1/2 tbsp cumin
6 tbsp peeled and minced ginger root
6 tbsp minced garlic
6 tbsp all -purpose flour
2 tbsp paprika
1 tsp salt 1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 cup fresh lemon juice
2 cups plain yogurt
2 tbsp vegetal oil
Preparation
In a bowl mix the ginger, cumin, garlic, flour, paprika, turmeric, lemon juice then yogurt. Add the shrimp mix, and refrigerate the shrimp in marinade for 2 hours.
Saute the shrimp until change color in pink then turn on the other side. When ready sprinkle over the rest of the cumin seeds.
It can be serve with rice and lemon wedge for extra juice.

Duck and Kale Soup

Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, diced
1 bunch kale
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1/2 duck breast, cooked and sliced
1/3 cup heavy cream
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 oz brie cheese
Preparation
Heat the oil and saute the onion and garlic for 2 minutes. Stir in the kale and heat for 2 more minutes. Pour in the broth and add the duck and cream. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a blender and puree, return to the heat and add salt and pepper, stir in the cheese over the heat and melt then its ready to serve.

Fan Tailed Chinese Shrimp with Cabbage

Ingredients
makes 2 servings
1 Tbl seasoned rice vinegar
1 Tbl soy sauce
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 # shrimp with tails on
1 tsp lime juice
1 medium cabbage
oil for saute
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Combine vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes in a bowl.
Peel and devein the shrimp.
Add shrimp to the marinade and refrigerate for 1 hour. Shred the cabbage.
Cook shrimp over medium heat, turning once, add the lime juice. Then add the cabbage, and season with salt and pepper.
Stir a few times, when shrimp change color and the cabbage is soften, it can be served.

Walnut Cake- Chec cu Nuci

Ingredients
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 lemon zest
3 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups walnuts, chopped
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the pan.
Cream the melted butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each. Add the milk, lemon zest, and vanilla, and mix thoroughly.
Mix the flour, baking powder, and walnuts. Mix this with the wet ingredients.
Bake about 1 hour, until a stick comes out clean.
Optional- after the loaves are cool, dust with powder sugar.

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Ingredients
25 perfectly ripened strawberries, green caps intact
5 oz sweet dark/white chocolate chips.
Preparation
Place chocolate chips in a bowl, then microwave it on defrost. This will melt the chocolate. When you dipped the strawberries, shake it when you take it out from chocolate, this will leave an even line of chocolate at the base. Cool covered strawberries on a sheet pan with wax paper. Try to dip them the same day you serve them.

Tomato Juice

Ingredients
10 large tomatoes - seeded & sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 1/4 cups chopped celery with leaves
2 Tbsp sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preparation
Place tomatoes in crockpot. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until mixture is completely soupy, about 25 minutes.Press tomato mixture through a sieve. Add seasonings and chill.

How To Make A Really Good Milkshake

Ingredients
1 cup whole milk
3 scoops vanilla ice cream
3 spoons blackberry jam
Directions
Place the milk and jam in a blender or mixer, mix then add the ice cream and mix a little bit more. Serves 2.

Banana Bread/ Paine de Banane

Ingredients
1 cup mashed bananas
2 eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup almonds
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 pinch salt
1 tsp lemon juice

Preparation
Preheat oven at 350F.
In a bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and almonds. Separately mixed mashed bananas, eggs, lemon juice and sugar then pour over the dry ingredients mix.
Coat the baking pan with butter and flour, place the mixture and bake for 50 minutes.
Let it cool down, slice and serve.

Romania

Romania is a country located in Southeastern and Central Europe, North of the Balkan Peninsula, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea. Almost all of the Danube Delta is located within its territory. It shares a border with Hungary and Serbia to the west, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova to the northeast, and Bulgaria to the south.

The territory's recorded history includes periods of rule by Dacians, the Roman Empire, the Kingdom of Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire. As a nation-state, the country was formed by the merging of Moldavia and Wallachia in 1859 and it gained recognition of its independence in 1878. Later, in 1918, they were joined by Transylvania, Bukovina, and Bassarabia. At the end of World War II, parts of its territories (roughly the present day Moldova ) were occupied by the USSR and Romania became a member of the Warsaw Pact. With the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989, (December 1989 - a very violent fall of communism: national revolution and shooting the communist leader and his wife on Christmas day... we might not be vampires, but we surely are cruel) Romania started a series of political and economic reforms. After a decade of post-revolution economic problems, Romania made economic reforms such as low flat tax rates in 2005 and joined the European Union in January 1, 2007. While Romania's income level remains one of the lowest in the European Union, reforms have increased the growth speed. Romania is now an upper-middle income country economy.

Romania has the 9th largest territory and the 7th largest population (with 21.5 million people) among the European Union member states. Its capital and largest city is Bucharest (before the XXII, Bucharest was famous for being "the little Paris"), the 6th largest city in the EU with 1.9 million people. In 2007, Sibiu, a city in Transylvania, was chosen as a European Capital of Culture. Romania also joined NATO on March 29, 2004, and is also a member of Latin Union, of the Francophon of the OSCE and an associate member of the CPLP. Romania is a semi-presidential unitary state.

Famous Romanians: -just a few famous names
Literature: Emil Cioran, Mircea Eliade, Tristan Tzara (the founder of dadaism, which comes from the Romanian "da-da", meaning "yes-yes"), Eugene Ionesco
Art: Constantin Brancusi (sculptor), George Enescu (musician, check for "Ciocarlia"), Gheorghe Zamfir (musician, check the Kill Bill Soundtrack), Johnny Weismuller (actor, the famous Tarzan), Bela Lugosi (Romanian actor of Hungarian ethnicity, the famous Dracula), Alexandra Maria Lara (actress), Marcel Iures (actor), Michael Cretu (singer, band Enigma), Harvey Keitel (Dracula- half Romanian
Sports: Nadia Comaneci, Gheorghe Hagi, Ghita Muresan (the huge guy from "My Giant"), Helmuth Duckadam
Science: Nicolae Paulescu (the inventor of insulin), Henri Coanda (the inventor of the jet plane), Stefan Odobleja (the father of cybernetics).

Herman Oberth born in Transylvania- Romania was a great physicist, along with Russian Konstantin Tsiolkovsky and American Robert H. Goddard, was one of the founding fathers of rocketry and astronautics.

Linguists - Even surrounded by all those Slavonic countries, Romanians share the same religion with them, but not the same language origins. Romania is the only Latin Orthodox country, but is not 100% Latin, are still some Slavonic mixed in Romanian language.

Touristic Atractions

Dracula and Transylvania, The Merry Cemetery in Sapanta, the unique Maramures architecture, the unique style of the Bucovina medieval monasteries, the medieval looks of Transylvania, the Danube Delta, the Iron Gates on the Danube, gold and silver in Apuseni, muddy volcanoes and soooo on...

Nature
Romania is 33% mountains (lovely Carpathians), 33% hills, 33% plain lands. Also the Danube Delta and the Black Sea.

Architects
The Brancovenesc style and the Maramures style. Check the normal Romanian churches (Brancovenesc style) and the Northern Transylvanian churches & gates (Maramures). Also the Bucovina monasteries.

Vegetable Beef Stew/ Tocana de Legume si Vita

Ingredients
1lb beef
2 carrots
1 onion
1 bell pepper
2 potatoes
1 1/2 cup water
oil
salt
pepper
Preparation
Saute the onion with oil, add the pieces of beef, stir for 2 minutes to melt any fat, then add chopped bell pepper, carrots and potatoes, salt, pepper to taste, cover with water. Keep it at medium heat, until the potatoes are cooked. If needed add more water.

Carrots Saute/ Saute de Morcovi

Ingredients
1 lb carrots, cut round pieces
1 head garlic cloves
1/2 tsp sugar
1 cup water
salt
oil
Preparation
On a pan, heat the oil, add the minced garlic, salt, after 2 minutes add the carrots, then the water.
Let it cook until the carrots are softened. Serve hot next to mash potatoes and steak.

Meat Balls Appetizer/ Aperitiv Chiftelute

Ingredients
1 lb ground meat
1 egg
1 potatoe grated
1 slice bread
2 garlic cloves crashed
salt and pepper to taste
1 sprig thyme
oil to fry
Preparation
Place the ground meat in a bowl, add the egg, grated potato, the slice of bread that was presoaked in milk or water, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Mixed everything together. Make small balls by hand, then place in hot oil for 2 minutes. Are great to be serve as appetizer on a plater, next to cheese stick, and celery stick.

Steamed Fish with Bell Peppers/ Peste Inabusit, cu Ardei Gras

Ingredients
4 Tilapia Fillet
2 green bell pepper
1 red onion
1/2 tsp minced garlic
olive oil
1 lime juice
salt and pepper for taste
Preparation
Heat the olive oil in a pan, add the onion, bell peppers everything cut in long, minced garlic, salt pepper and a part of the lime juice. Saute until the onion is translucent, then place the fish on top, season with salt , pepper, lime. Cover the pan and let it cooked at low temperature for 15 minutes.
Makes an easy to cook dish.

Avocado with Sourcream/ Avocado cu Smantana

Ingredients
1 avocado
2 tsp sour cream
minced garlic cloves
1 slice lemon salt for taste
Preparation
Cut the avocado in half, take out the seed, cut in cubes the avocado and place in a bowl, add the lemon, salt, sour cream and garlic, mixed everything until it becomes a paste. Serve on toast bread as appetizer.

Pluot Juice/ Suc de Prune Pluot

A pluot is a tradename for varieties of interspecific plum. It is a complex cross hybrid of plum and apricot, exhibiting more plum-like traits. The fruit's exterior with smooth skin closely resembles a plum's. Pluots are noted for their sweetness, their intense flavor, and very juicy pulp. Pluots are also rich in vitamin A. So very healthy for you. Puree 1 lb of pluot in a blender, and serve the juice as it is. You do not need to add any sugar since is very high in sugar content, and the vitamin A will help your eyes health.

Orange Shrimp/ Creveti cu Potocale

Ingredients
1 lb shrimp
1 orange
2 Tbl olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, when hot add the shrimp until change color, add the orange juice, salt and pepper to taste, and let it there for 7-8 minutes. Then serve hot.

Kidney Bean and Avocado Salad/ Salata cu Fasole Rosie si Avocado

Ingredients
1 can kidney beans
1 red onion
1 avocado
1 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper for taste
Preparation
Cut the onion round, the avocado in cubes, add the beans, sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper. White onion can be also used, and if you love tomatoes, you can add 1 tomato cut in cubes.
Its a delicious and fast snack

Ham, Raisins and Oranges Appetizer/ Aperitiv cu Sunca, Stafide si Portocale

Ingredients
4 slices ham
1/2 cup raisins
1 orange
2 Tbs butter
Preparation
Boil the raisins in a little water for about 3 minutes. Drain off water. Put the raw ham, orange peeled and quartered, and butter a frying pan and add the raisins. Let cook for about 6 minutes, add salt and pepper to taste. Then serve.

Polenta with Corn Kernels and Scallions/ Mamaliga cu Porumb si Ceapa Verde

Ingredients
1 cup corn kernels
1 Tbs olive oil
½ finely chopped scallions
½ yellow corn meal
1 cup chicken stock
Preparation
Heat the oil, add the corn and onion, after 1 minute add the chicken stock, when it starts boiling pour slowly the cornmeal, same as when you cook polenta, stir for a few minutes. Serve hot next to fish.

Orange Rice/ Orez cu Portocala

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup diced celery with leaves
1 tablespoons chopped onion
1 cups water
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tablespoons finely grated orange peel
1 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon dried leaf thyme
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
Preparation
Melt butter in heavy saucepan; add celery and onion. Cook until onion is tender but not brown. Add water, orange juice, orange peel, salt, and thyme. Bring to a boil; slowly stir in rice. Cover and reduce heat to low; simmer for 25 minutes.

Celery And Cheese Appetizer/ Aperitiv cu Telina Tulpina si Branza

Ingredients
2 stalks celery
1 cup Swiss cheese
Preparation
Wash, peel, cut off the celery leaves, and boil in salted water for 20 minutes. Drain the water then cut celery stalks in halves and place in a small baking pan. Grate the cheese and place over the celery. Bake in hot oven for about 6 minutes, or until cheese has browned on top, then serve.

Plum Clafouti /Tarta cu Prune Plum

Ingredients
6 tablespoons white sugar, divided
14 plums, halved and pitted
3 eggs
1 cups milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 10 inch pie plate, and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar over the bottom. Arrange the plum halves, cut side down, so that they cover the entire bottom of the pie plate. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sugar over the top of the plums. In a blender, combine the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar, eggs, milk, flour, lemon zest, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Process until smooth, about 2 minutes. Pour over the fruit in the pan.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm and lightly browned. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing.

Sima- African White Cornmeal Mush/ Mamaliga cu Faina de Malai Alba

Sima also sometimes called Ugali is a component of many African meals, especially in southern and East Africa. It is generally made from ground maize flour and water, and varies in consistency from porridge to a dough.
The traditional method of eating sima is to roll a lump into a ball with the right hand and then dip it into a sauce or stew of vegetables and/or meat.
Sima is an important part of the diet of millions of Africans, its similar to polenta from Europe.

Makes 2-4 servings
Ingredients
2 cups water
1 cup white cornmeal
Preparation
Bring the water and salt to a boil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir in the cornmeal slowly. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue stirring, until the mush pulls away from the sides of the pot and becomes thick. Place it on a bowl in the middle of the table so guest can serve themselves. Is it good next to fish, roasted meat or stews.

Pan-Fried Tilapia served with Cantaloupe Salsa/Peste Tilapia Prajit servit cu Salata de Pepene Galben

Makes 4 servings

Pan-Fried Tilapia/Peste Tilapia Prajit
Ingredients
4-6 Tilapia fillets
3 Tbls flour
4 Tbls peanut oil
4 Tbls butter
1 lemon juiced
1 Tbls finely chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Season Tilapia with salt and pepper. Dust portions lightly with flour. Cook the fish in peanut oil until they are nicely browned and cooked all the way through (about 2-3 minutes per side). Whisk to blend lemon juice, butter and parsley, pour over oil drain Tilapia and serve.

Cantaloupe Salsa/Salata de Pepene Galben
Ingredients
½ cantaloupe
¾ cup finely diced bell pepper
¼ cup finely chopped parsley
3 Tbl finely chopped scallions
1 lemon juice
1 pch salt
1 pch hot pepper flakes
Preparation
Remove seeds and rind from cantaloupe. Chop cantaloupe into very small dice. Put in bowl. Add diced bell pepper, parsley, scallions and lemon juice. Stir. Add pinch of salt and pepper flakes. Chill. Serve with grilled chicken or fish.

Agua Fresca de Melón-Mexican Fresh Fruit Beverage/ Suc de Pepene Rosu

Makes about 2 quarts
Ingredients
3 cups fresh watermelon chopped coarsely
7 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup lime juice
Preparation
Add the melon and 2-3 cups of the water to a blender and puree until smooth. Strain through a sieve into a large pitcher. Add the rest of water, 1/2 cup of sugar and lime. Stir well and add more water and sugar as needed. Serve well chilled over ice cubes.

Atole-Mexican warm cornmeal beverage/ Bautura Mexicana cu Faina de Malai

2 servings
Ingredients
1 ½ cup milk
1 cup water
¼ cup yellow cornmeal
3 T Brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
Preparation
Whisk the milk, water, yellow cornmeal, sugar and cinnamon in a large saucepan until smooth. Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to stir until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla and serve hot in mugs. You can make it thicker by adding more corn flour, in that way it can be ate using a teaspoon.

Cantaloupe and Avocado Salad/ Salata cu pepene galben si avocado

Ingredients
1 cantaloupe seeded, peeled and cut into chunks
2 med avocados peeled, and cut into chunks
2 tbsp lemon juice
½ cup slivered toasted almonds or peanuts
2 tbl melted butter
1 head lettuce
Dressing
6tbl lemon juice
1/2tsp white pepper
6tbl lime juice
1/2tsp ground ginger
Preparation
Combine cantaloupe, and avocado in a bowl. Sprinkle with lemon juice, and refrigerate for one hour. Place ingredients for dressing in a bowl, and whisk together. To toast peanuts, drizzle with two tablespoons melted butter and bake at 325F degrees for 15 minutes. Tear lettuce into large, bite-size pieces, and line serving bowl. Spoon fruit into center. Pour dressing over fruit, and sprinkle with almonds. Very refreshing salad during the summer.

Strawberries Mousse/ Spuma de Capsuni

Ingredients
1 pound strawberries
3 egg whites
3 Tbsp sugar
Preparation
Beat the white eggs, until it becomes foamy, add the sugar, and beat for 5 more minutes, until its a solid foam that stay on a spoon. Add the mashed strawberries, by turning the spoon. Place in glasses, refrigerate for 30 minutes then serve decorating the glass with a fresh strawberry sliced, or a hole strawberry if are small.

Corn and Tomato Salsa/ Salata de Porumb si Rosii

Serves 4
Ingredients
¾ cup corn
½ red onion
1 green onion
2 ripe tomatoes
½ cucumber
4 radishes
1 Tbsp basil
1 lime juice
black pepper to taste
Preparation
Mix all ingredients together, corn the finely chopped red onion, green onion, tomatoes, cucumber chopped, radishes sliced, coarsely shredded basil, lime juice and pepper. Let stand at room temperature for at least one hour before serving.

Beef tongue with tomato sauce/ Nyelv Paradicsom Martassal/ Limba de Vaca cu Sos de Rosii

Ingredients
4 lbs beef tongue
enough water to cover tongue
salt to taste
1 onion
1 stalk celery with leaves
4 bay leaves
1 tsp peppercorns
Tomato Sauce
4 cans crashed tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
1/2 cup water, or as needed
1/4 tsp thyme
Preparation
Add tongue to pot and cover with water. Simmer few hours or until tongue is tender when pierced with fork. Remove and cool on platter. Cut tongue in 1/4 inch slices and lay in a skillet on the side. Mix and simmer 20 minutes with the rest of ingredients, when cooked add the tomato sauce, serve with dumplings.

Cantaloupe Jam with Lime and Ginger/ Dulceata de Pepene Galben cu Lime si Ghimbir

To make 2-3 -cup jars you'll need:
Ingredients
2 melons, peeled, seeded
2 oz ginger sliced very thin
1 lime
10 oz sugar
Preparation
Dice the melons. Next, add the thin sliced ginger, lime peel and juice. Add the sugar, mixed a little bit and leave it stay for 2 hours. During this time the cantaloupe will leave lot of juice. Then place it on low heat for 5 minutes, until the sugar its dissolved, then on high heat for 15 minutes, until the foam disappear. Low the heat and leave it boil for another 1 hour, mix from time to time. Place a glass jar in the heat oven, leave it there for 30 minutes then add the jam in it, close with a cap, place the jar upside down for 5 minutes, then turn and let it cool down. Keep over winter in a cool place.

Lettuce Salad with Tomatoes/ Salata Verde cu Rosii

Ingredients
lettuce, chopped
green onions chopped
tomatoes, sliced
balsamic vinegar
olive oil
Preparation
Combine all ingredients and top with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. It can be served as it is a refreshing salad or with roast meat.

Marinated Grilled Tilapia/ Peste Tilapia Marinat, gatit pe Grill

4 Tilapia fillets

MARINADE
¾ c. olive oil
½ lemon, juiced
1 Tbls. oregano
½ tsp. black pepper
¼ c. balsamic vinegar
½ c. finely chopped parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 dashes Tabasco

Combine all ingredients, except fillets, in a large jar and shake well. Marinate fish in the marinade for 30 minutes. Remove fillets from marinade. Place fillets on hot grill elevated above coals. Cook 2-3 minutes per side. Serve with tomato salsa and sima, garnish with a thin lemon slice. Makes 4 servings.

Carrot, Apple and Cucumber Juice/ Suc de Morcovi, Mere si Castravete

Serves 2
Ingredients
2 apples
2 carrots
1 cucumber
Preparation
Wash everything well. Chop the unpeeled, cored apple, and the peeled carrot and cucumber. Place everything in a blender and process. This juice is packed with antioxidants and soluble fiber. The cucumber and carrot help relieve fluid retention.

Fresh Fruit Muesli Breakfast/ Mic Dejun cu Fructe Proaspete si Cereale

Serves 2
Ingredients
8 oz fresh fruit (honey dew and apple)
2 Tbsp oatmeal flakes, presoaked
2 Tbsp water
raisins
Preparation
Wash the fresh fruit and chop or slice. Mix the oatmeal flakes with water for 1 minute, then add over the fruits as well as the raisins.

Detox Essentials Tips
Daily
*Drink a glass of hot water with squeezed lemon juice, in the morning before eating.
*Eat dried fruits as snacks
*Eat a clove of garlic in your food
*Eat minimum 3 meals a day
*Drink a cup of hot water with a teaspoon of honey

Very important don't skip breakfast!!! If you miss it you might feel tired and you cannot concentrate. Breakfast starts your metabolism working, so feed it with a combinations of antioxidant vitamins, and protein.

Potatoes with Onions/ Cartofi Rantaliti

Ingredients
2 pounds potatoes
1 medium onion
2 Tbls oil
1 Tbls paprika
salt for taste
parsley optional
Preparation
Boil the potatoes, peel and grind big. Saute the onion in oil, when its all clear add paprika , the potatoes and salt for taste. Are great to be served with pickles next to steak or pork dish.

Strawberry Honey Salad / Salata de Capsuni

Ingredients
Salad
1/2 Head of lettuce
1/2 cucumber
1/4 cup green onions
1/3 cup strawberries
Dressing
- 2 Tbls liquid honey
- 1 Tbls vegetable oil
- 1 Tbls balsamic vinegar
Preparation
Cut the lettuce, slice thin the cucumber, onion and strawberries. Mix well the honey with vegetables oil and balsamic vinegar. Add dressing over salad only when its served.

Crepes / Clatite

Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
2 eggs
1 Tbls sugar
1 cup milk
vanilla extract
orange pill skin
oil
Preparation
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla extract, sugar, orange pill. Gradually add in the flour and milk stirring to combine. Heat the pan, add 1 teaspoon oil at every second crepes, use a spatula to turn the crepes on the other side. Serve hot fill with fruit jam, especial apricot or peach.

Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce / Spaghete cu Sos de Rosii

Ingredients
pasta - spaghetti
2 pounds meat (all sorts of left over meats: sausages, salami, chicken breast)
1 white onion
1 green pepper
5 shiitake mushroom
2 garlic cloves minced
6 tomatoes
chicken broth
1 tsp Tabasco hot sauce
oil, salt, pepper, oregano
Preparation
Saute the onion in oil, add green pepper, mushrooms, garlic when cooked add the meat cut in cubes leave to cook for 3 minutes then add the tomatoes, oregano, Tabasco sauce. Let it cooked until the tomatoes get smoother then add the broth , salt pepper and let cook for 15 minutes.
Serve over boiled pasta.

Cantaloupe Smoothie

Makes 1 cup of low fat vitamin-rich drink
Ingredients
½ cantaloupe
1 banana
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
¼ plain nonfat yogurt
1 Tbl oatmeal flakes
Preparation
Peel and cut into chunks the cantaloupe and banana.
In a blender, combine the cantaloupe, banana, orange juice, yogurt and the presoaked oatmeal flakes. Blend until smooth, about 20 seconds.

Fish Steamed in Soy Sauce/ Peste Innabusit cu Sos de Soia

Ingredients
4-6 Tilapia fillets
1 tsp chopped ginger root
shiitake mushrooms
1 tsp chili pepper
1 Tbls chopped green onion
1 tsp garlic
vegetable oil
soy sauce
broth
Preparation
Chop the mushrooms into thin slices. Finely chop the ginger, slice the green onion garlic and chili pepper.
Sprinkle chopped ginger and mushroom on fish and cook in steamer for 20 minutes.
After its been cooked top the fish with the steamed chopped mushroom, chili pepper, green onion and garlic.
Bring to a boil vegetable oil, soy sauce, and broth. Pour onto fish and serve with rice.

Detox your body

A few things to choose from that will help detoxify:
Breakfast
* One boiled or poached egg with one slice of whole-wheat bread
*Homemade muesli with live yogurt or apple juice
*Live yogurt sprinkle with ground seeds, and fruits as berries, apple, pear, papaya or pineapple
Snacks
*Fresh fruit
*Half an avocado
*Rice with banana
Lunch
*Oily fish with green salad
*Organic poultry with green salad
*Grains with stir-fried vegetables as tomatoes, bell peppers, broccoli, carrots.
Dinner
*Baked potato - no more then 3 times a week
*Grains with steamed vegetables which are all rich in antioxidants and plant nutrients (tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, bell peppers)
Dessert
*Berries with live yogurt
*Papaya or pineapple with yogurt
*Baked apple or pear
Things to do
Cut down on caffeine, alcohol, carbohydrates.
Eat more fruits and vegetables.
Drink more water.
Start exercising.
Keep a food diary.

Cabbage à la Cluj/ Varza à la Cluj

Varza à la Cluj is a Transylvania style cabbage dish, almost as popular as stuffed cabbage, similar in taste but faster to be cooked.
Ingredients
1 sauerkraut or fresh cabbage
1 onion
2 pounds minced pork meat
4 Tbs grease or oil
1 cup sour cream
½ cup rice
salt
black pepper
dill
Preparation
Saute the onion in the grease, add the meat, salt, black pepper, from time to time add a spoon of water, this it will smother it down. Separately saute the chopped cabbage, add some salt and black pepper. Boil the rice in salty water. Coat the pot walls with grease (or oil), then create layers of cabbage, rice, meat and sour cream. Repeat this until all the ingredients are over and make sure you put a last layer of sour cream and dill on top of everything. Bake in oven 350 F for 35 minutes.

Balance your blood sugars and release energy

A great breakfast that balance your blood sugars and gives you energy.
Ingredients
1 lowfat yogurt
1 tsp honey
1 banana
1 tsp sunflower seeds
1 Tbs muesli
Preparation
Slices the banana and mix together all the ingredients, the banana will maintain fluid levels and correct balance of acid to alkaline.

Watermelon Rind Pickles

The watermelon rind is not a waste, make pickles from it very easy recipes not more then 15 minutes in preparation. Ingredients
4 quarts prepared watermelon rind
2 Tbs salt
4 cups white vinegar
8 cups sugar
3 cinnamon sticks, broken
1 Tbs whole cloves
Preparation
Cut rind into 2 inch pieces, trim green skin and pink flesh from rind, after all that done place the rind in a large pot, add the salt and enough water to cover. Simmer until its tender then drain and chill rind overnight in refrigerator. Boil for 5 minutes the vinegar, sugar, cinnamon and cloves, then add the drain rind to the syrup just made. Simmer for 10 minutes, and remove the spices. Will be easy if you use a cheesecloth, but you and discard the spices with a spoon also. Have ready some hot sterilized quart jars, in what you pack the rind with the syrup, leave some space, close the lids then put the jar in boiling water bath for about 20 minutes.If you want stronger flavor you can add 1-inch piece ginger root to the spices and process in same way. I like to decorate the jar with some of the spices that were used. Excellent served with a pork dish, tuna or grilled salmon.

Fried Chicken Gizzards

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs chicken gizzards
1/3 cup butter
salt and fresh pepper - to taste
Preparation
Place gizzards in a saucepan, cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium heat,cover, and cook for 1 1/2 hours. When cooked add the gizzards in a pan where you melted the butter, and fry for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Great served with polenta, or rice.
Makes an easy and fast dish.

Watermelon Party Basket

Watermelon basket for an elegant but easy edible party decoration or centerpiece. It can be used to serve fresh fruits or vegetables salads.

Its very easy and fast to create: just select a watermelon with a flattish bottom so it will not easily roll, a big sharp knife to cut the watermelon and a small one to design the models. Cut the watermelon in half, scoop out the red part, you can use the ice cream scoop, to give nice round shapes, use the small sharp knife to design the edges. Mix the round watermelon balls with different other fruits and fill it with your favorite fruit salad recipe.

If you have more time, you can use your imagination to create a watermelon basket with handle in different shapes. Use any watermelon, red, yellow, green, the more color full the nicer it will look.