Buckwheat Porridge with Ground Beef Recipe

A very classic peasant food that is filling!

Buckwheat Porridge

Ingredients:

• 1 lb (500 g) ground beef
• 1 onion (chopped)
• 2 carrots (shredded)
• olive oil
• 200 g buckwheat (rinsed)
• salt & pepper
• 500 ml water (hot)

Directions:

1. In a pot over medium heat, cook ground beef with olive oil. After meat has cooked through, add in your carrots and onions and cook for 5-10 more minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper.
2. Place a second large pot on the stove on medium heat, add some olive oil and cook buckwheat for about 5 minutes. Then add in your ground beef mixture to the buckwheat and then add in your hot water. Put lid on pot and let your porridge simmer for about 20-30 minutes.
3. Season with more salt and pepper and serve with pickles!

Beef Tacos on Homemade Tortillas with Seasoned Black Beans and Spanish Rice Recipe

This is one of my favorite combos to make for dinner and have for lunch the next day. I usually have all of these ingredients on hand (whether in the fridge, freezer, growing in the backyard or hiding in a cabinet) so you can always have a nice full meal even when you think you have run out of ideas or options. There are four separate recipes below, so look for the headings for which ones you would like to try!

I like to add chopped onion, cilantro and fresh squeezed lime juice over my tacos, and serve them with a bit of sour cream. You can add whatever you like- cheese, avocado, or completely change out the meat and fillings. I hope this inspires you to make something nice for yourself or your family. 🙂

Ground Beef Taco Meat

Ingredients:

• 1 lb (500 g) ground beef
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 3/4 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1/2 cup (112 g) tomato sauce

Directions

1. Put your ground beef into a pot over medium heat and cook through, then drain the liquid.
2. Add your spices and sauce, let simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Taste test and add more of your favorite seasonings if you wish- I always add extra chili powder!

Flour Tortillas

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (240 g) flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3/4 cup (177 g) warm water

Directions:

1. In a large bowl (or stand mixer)  add your flour, baking powder and salt, whisk or stir to mix.
2. Add oil and water to the bowl, stir to combine or process with dough hook on stand mixer on medium speed (1-2 minutes) and then low speed (2-3 minutes). Dough should be sticky but should not stick to fingers. Add more flour if needed!
3. Let dough rest in a bowl covered with a towel for 30 minutes.
4. Divide the dough into 8 pieces (50 g each-ish). Flour your work surface and get your rolling pin and roll out the dough into circles (they will not be perfect, do not fret!).
5. Heat a pan over medium heat, add olive oil and cook your tortillas for 30-40 seconds per side. I put them into a cotton tea towel after I remove them from the pan to keep them warm.
6. Storage: cooked tortillas can be put in a ziploc bag in the refrigerator for storage.

Seasoned Black Beans

Ingredients:

• 1 jalapeno pepper
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2  tsp cumin
• 2 15 oz cans of black beans

Directions:

1. Chop jalapeno (wear gloves) and garlic, then put them into a small pot with the oil and cumin. Cook on medium heat for about one minute.
2. Add in the black beans (with liquid) and let simmer for 5-10 minutes.
3. I like to add some black pepper and a little bit of salt for extra seasoning.

Spanish Rice

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp onion (chopped)
• 1 1/2 cups (337 g) white rice
• 2 cups (472 g) broth (you can use vegetable or chicken)
• 1 cup (236 g) chunky salsa

Directions:

1. Heat oil in pot over medium heat and add in your chopped onion, cook for a few minutes.
2. Add in your rice, stirring so it doesn’t stick for about one minute. Add in the broth and salsa and let simmer on medium-low for 15-20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
3. Set aside.

Parmesan Summer Squash Recipe

This is a great snack or side dish recipe, or a fun way to use up extra summer squash.

Ingredients:

• summer (yellow) squash
• salt
• black pepper
• garlic powder
• shredded or grated cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425F/ 220C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Cut thin slices of the squash and lay them out on the baking sheet, brushing them with olive oil.
3. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to your liking, then grate parmesan cheese on top.
4. Bake in oven for about 15 min+, until parmesan cheese starts to brown.
5. Enjoy!

Pulled Pork Sandwiches on Cheese Buns Recipe

My go to pulled pork recipe and the best burger buns to use! I like to serve mashed sweet potatoes, pickles and parmesan summer squash with my pulled pork sandwiches. You could also do corn, potato salad, green beans, coleslaw- whatever suits your fancy! This recipe is for the pulled pork and buns.

Ingredients

Pulled Pork:

• 2-2.5 lbs (1,000 – 1,130 g) pork tenderloin
• 1 onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup (118 g) water
• 8 oz (226 g) bbq sauce (I love Aldi’s Texas Style BBQ sauce)
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Turn on crock pot to low and throw in all ingredients. Cook for 8-10 hours.
2. Remove from pot and add in more bbq sauce!

Cheese Buns:

• 2 3/4 cups (326g) flour
• 1/3 cup (35g) grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 1/2 tsp yeast
• 4 tbsp (57g)  butter (room temp)
• 1 egg
• 2/3 to 3/4 cup (152g to 170g) lukewarm water

Directions:

1. In a mixer, add in all ingredients and beat at high speed for a couple minutes.
2. Put the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in size (1 hour).
3. Deflate the dough and divide it into 6 even pieces, shape them into balls and place on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cover with a towel and let rise for another hour, until puffy.
4. Preheat the oven to 350F/ 175C and brush buns with butter, then bake for 18-20 minutes, until a light golden brown. Remove from oven, set on rack and brush with remaining butter.

Assembly:

1. Cut buns, spread some bbq sauce over the inside of the buns, then add the pulled pork!
2. You can always add more fillings but I like to keep it simple 🙂
3. Serve with yummy sides!

Estonian Meatball Soup Recipe

A classic Estonian soup!

Ingredients

For soup:

• Oil
• 3 carrots (chopped)
• 2 sticks celery (chopped)
• 4-6 potatoes (peeled and chopped)
• 4 cups (2 L) broth or water (I used beef bullion but you can use whatever you like)

For meatballs:

• 1 lb (500 g) ground beef
• 1 egg
• 1 onion (chopped and pre-cooked in oil)
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Chop carrots and celery and cook in a large pot with oil over medium/high heat for a few minutes.
2. Add in the broth or water and simmer for about 10 minutes+.
3. While the soup is simmering, cook your onion in a separate pan with some oil until translucent.
4. In a mixing bowl, add in the cooked onions, ground beef, 1 egg and season with salt and pepper. Form the meat balls to the size of your liking.
5. Add the meatballs to the soup and simmer over med/high heat until the meatballs pop to the surface. Taste test your soup and add salt and pepper if needed.
6. Enjoy!

Acorn Squash Recipe

Ingredients:

• 4 acorn squash
• olive oil
• salt
• pepper
• 1 lb (500 g) ground sausage (I like to use mild pork sausage)
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped
• 2 apples, diced
• 1/2 tsp fresh sage
• 1 cup (125 g) bread crumbs
• 1 cup (90 g) parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F/ 200C.
2. Cut the acorn squash in half and remove all the seeds with a spoon.
3. Brush the inside of the squash with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper.
4. Put the squash on a tray and bake in the oven for about 40 minutes (until tender).
5. While the squash is cooking in the oven, cook the ground sausage in a pan, then remove and pat dry, making sure to remove as much grease as possible.
6. Using the grease still left in the pan, cook the onions and celery until they brown.
7. Then add the apples and cook for a few more minutes.
8. Stir in the sage and bread crumbs, then add 3/4’s of the parmesan and stir until the cheese begins to melt. Set it aside.
9. When the squash is done cooking, fill the squash with the meat mixture and  bake it all in the oven for about 15 minutes.
10. Remove and top with remaining cheese- enjoy!

My Favorite Chili Recipe

There are a LOT of chili recipes out there but this one is my favorite and it’s super simple. It has the right amount of heat to hit the spot on a rainy day!

Ingredients:

• olive oil
• 2 16 oz (907 g) cans chili beans (pinto beans in chili sauce- I like the brand Bush’s), undrained
• 4 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 lb (500 g) ground beef
• 2 cups (473 g) water
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cayenne chili powder
• 1/2 cup (117 g) ketchup
• Your favorite toppings- cheese, scallions, sour cream, etc.

Directions:

1. Heat oil in pot- add and cook beef until browned.
2. Add in the onion, garlic and celery, and saute for several minutes.
3. Drain the fat from the pot, then add in the rest of the ingredients. Bring to boil, then lower heat to simmer and cook for about 35-45 minutes.
4. Taste test chili- if you think it needs more kick- add a little more black pepper, chili powder and cayenne chili powder.
5. Serve with your favorite toppings!

Chicken with Zucchini Recipe

See below for a delicious and healthy weeknight meal recipe- and my favorite taco seasoning recipe (that I use on everything and should just make in bulk at this point).

Chicken with Zucchini

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 bell peppers (any color), chopped
• 1 lb (500 g) chicken, cut into 1″ (2,5 cm) pieces
• 1 cup (175 g) corn (fresh or canned)
• 1 14.5 oz (411 g) can diced tomatoes
• 2 zucchini, diced
• 1 15 oz (425 g) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup (100 g) Mexican style blend shredded cheese (usually a 4 cheese blend)
• 1/2 (25 g) cup cilantro
• 1/2 cup (100 g) green onions
• taco seasoning- to taste (see below for my go-to taco seasoning recipe)

Directions:

1. Preheat large pot on medium heat with oil. Add in the onion, garlic and bell peppers and saute for a few minutes.
2. Push the veggies to the side of the pot and add in the chicken (seasoned with cumin, salt and pepper)- cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add corn, beans. tomatoes, zucchini and the taco seasoning to the pot. Cover and cook for 10 minutes on medium-low temperature.
4. Sprinkle with cheese and cook covered for a few more minutes, until cheese has melted.
5. Serve topped with chopped green onion and cilantro, with your choice of side (I like rice, because cheap).

Taco Seasoning

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp ground oregano
• 1/2 tsp ground paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1/4 tsp ground cayenne (omit if you do not like spicy- but this adds that little kick!)

Directions:

1. Mix together!

Black Bean Burgers with Cilantro Lime Sauce Recipe

This is our favorite type of burger at our house- the black bean burger! While you can serve it on buns- we love to wrap it up in some lettuce for extra crunch. This recipe makes 6 individual patties and it is great with homemade potato wedges and cilantro lime sauce. Prep the beans for this recipe at least an hour before- trust me!

Black Bean Burgers

Ingredients for burgers:

• 2 15 oz (851 g) cans of black beans
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1/4 cup (32 g) chopped green onions
• 3 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 cups (30 g) tortilla chips
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
• Extras: Buns or lettuce and toppings- onion, avocado, tomato, radish, etc

Directions:

1. Drain, rinse and dry black beans on paper towels- reserve 6 tbsp of the canned black bean liquid.
2. In a bowl, combine the flour with the black bean liquid, then add the green onions, cilantro, garlic and all of the spices.
3. With a food processor, grind the chips until finely ground. Then add and grind the black beans until coarse.
4. Combine the black bean mixture with the  flour and spice mixture, stir thoroughly.
5. Heat some olive oil on a pan on medium temperature.
6. Make 6 black bean patties- I like to use a 4″ (10 cm) circular cookie cutter to make uniform shapes.
7. Cook patties in oil for about 3-5 minutes per side (until crisp).
8. Serve with yummy toppings and on buns or lettuce!

Cilantro Lime Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup (57 g) mayonnaise
• juice and zest of 1 lime
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup (15 g) cilantro, chopped
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together and chill until ready to serve!

Estonian Ground Beef Sauce Recipe

I posted a photograph of my very Estonian dinner to my stories on Instagram and received a lot of inquiries about it, so I am posting my recipe here to share. This dish is best and most authentically served with pickles and mashed or boiled potatoes in my household.

Ingredients:

• 1 TBSP butter
• 1 medium onion
• 500g or 1 lb ground beef
• 1 TBSP flour
• 500ml beef stock (about 2 cups- I like to use the beef bouillon cubes with water)
• 4 TBSP sour cream
• salt & pepper to taste
• parsley for garnish

Directions:

1. Heat oil or butter in pan on medium heat, then add chopped onions and cook through.
2. Add ground beef and cook through, season with salt and pepper.
3. Then add flour, stir in until combined, and pour in your beef stock and let simmer for about 20 minutes on medium-low heat.
4. Finally add in the sour cream!

To make this a meal, serve with an easy side salad, pickles and potatoes. I like to throw some handfuls of quartered potatoes into some salted boiling water and forget about them as I am cooking the ground beef. Potatoes are easy, filling and very cheap!