Restricted Diet: Vegetarian

Arugula Salad with Lemon and Parmesan

Arugula also known as rugula or rucola is very aromatic vegetable and very rich in vitamin A and C. With dark green leaves and very low in calories like many vegetables it is widely used in dishes.

Yogurt Sauce with Cucumber and Dill (Tarator)

Yogurt Sauce with Cucumber and Dill (Tarator) is a refreshing side dish or appetizer which is very popular in Albania during the summer time. Each Balkan country has different way of making it with almost the same ingredients. In Albania is called Tarator, in Greece the name is Tzatziki and Cacik in Turkey. This recipe is smooth, refreshing and if you love yogurt as I do you are up for something very Mediterranean.

Homemade Yogurt (Kos Shtëpie)

As a child, I saw my mom covering container or saucepan of milk with clean towels and blanket and telling me not to touch it. The importance of not opening the blanket covering during the fermentation is that you will stop the process of making yogurt. This is an old recipe and the method is the same as when my mom used to make it. It does not require too much active time to make it.

Yogurt is a product with very high nutritional properties such as protein, calcium, vitamin B6, B12 and riboflavin. Yogurt is made by bacterial fermentation of milk. The bacteria used to make yogurt is known as yogurt cultures. Cow’s milk is the most commonly used to make yogurt. The word yogurt is derived from the Turkish language and it means to be curdled or coagulated; to thicken.

Cookies with Fruit Preserves (Biskota)

Making desserts was not my forte, until my sister in law came to visit me. She told me about a simple and quick cookie recipe that she had seen on the food network channel. Can we call cookies desserts? Well, it depends where you are from or where you live. In United States a cookie is a small, flat, baked treat. In Scotland a cookie is a plain bun, however in most English speaking countries outside North America the most common name for a small, flat, baked treat is biscuit.

Pasta with Arugula and Garlic

I ran into this recipe while looking for a simple and easy pasta recipe made with olive oil. I enjoy it every time I make it. This dish is very good and easy for entertaining.