Belgian Beef and Beer Stew (Carbonnade Flamande)

 

Ingredients

• 2 ½ lb beef chuck or beef cheeks, cut into 2-inch cubes
• 4 yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 4 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 1 tbsp dark brown sugar or vergeoise if you can find it
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 4 cups dark beer, Leffe Brune, a Belgian dubbel, or a brown ale (about three 12-oz bottles)
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, optional (if the sauce is too sweet)
• 1 bouquet garni, 4 sprigs of thyme and 2 bay leaves
• 5 whole cloves, optional
• 5 slices French spice bread (pain d'épices)
• 3 tbsp Dijon mustard or whole-grain Dijon
• 2 tbsp neutral oil such as canola
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C), or 265°F (130°C) with convection.
• Pat the meat dry with paper towels and season with salt. In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over high heat and brown the meat in 3 batches, 4 to 5 minutes per batch. Set aside.
• Reduce the heat to medium, and add the onions and carrots. Sauté for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden brown. Add the brown sugar and let it caramelise for 2 minutes.
• Return the meat and its juices to the pan, sprinkle with flour, and stir for 1 minute.
• Pour in the beer and vinegar, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the thyme, bay leaves, and cloves, season with pepper, and bring to a simmer.
• Generously spread the spice bread with mustard and place the slices on top, mustard side up, without pressing them down. Cover and bake for 4 to 5 hours. If the sauce bubbles too hard, lower the oven to 265°F (130°C) or 230°F (110°C) with convection. It should just barely simmer.
• Check that the beef pulls apart easily with a fork. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Notes

For the sauce: If the sauce is too runny, remove the meat from the pot, mix one tablespoon of cornflour with a little cold water, pour it into the sauce, and bring the sauce to a boil while stirring—this will thicken it.

Cooking on the Stove: You can also cook the carbonnade on the stove, covered and over very low heat; the sauce should just simmer. In this case, allow about 3 hours.

Storing, Reheating, and Freezing: Carbonnade keeps for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container, and it tastes even better the next day. Reheat it gently over low heat, covered, with a little water or beer, without letting it boil so the meat stays tender. It freezes very well for up to 3 months, but without the fries or potatoes, which you should prepare just before serving

Oatmeal Cottage Cheese Pancakes By Naz Deravian

Key ingredients include 

2 ¾ cups of old-fashioned rolled oats, 

a 16-ounce container of cottage cheese, 

1 ¾ cups of buttermilk, 

3 large eggs, 

baking powder, 

baking soda, salt, and 

maple syrup. 

The batter is processed until smooth, rested for 5–10 minutes to thicken, and then cooked on a griddle until golden brown.

OR:

100g cottage cheese
150g porridge oats
2 eggs
50ml milk
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
2 tsp maple syrup (optional)
2 tsp flavourless oil or unsalted butter, to cook
To serve poached egg and roasted tomatoes, or
- fresh berries
- and maple syrup

step 1 

Put all the pancake ingredients, except the oil, in a blender, but only use the vanilla and maple syrup if you want to make sweet pancakes. Blitz to make a smooth batter. Alternatively, pour the ingredients into a jug and use a stick blender. 

• • step 2

    Heat a little of the oil or butter in a nonstick frying pan over a medium heat, and add a few tablespoons of the batter to the pan to make small pancakes. Cook in batches if needed.

    • step 3

      Cook the pancakes for 2-3 mins until bubbles come to the surface, and the top looks set. Flip and cook for another 1-2 min mins until golden brown on both sides. Keep the pancakes warm while you cook the remaining batches.

      • step 4

        Serve the pancakes topped with a poached egg each and some roasted tomatoes, or top with fresh berries and a drizzle of maple syrup.

      
      

      • https://pin.it/4xKHAOzDx

    • PS ...added 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1 whole egg and 2 egg whites instead of 4 egg whites, and a tsp. of maple syrup. 
    • You’ll use up a full container of cottage cheese, plus a generous helping of high-fibre rolled oats, to make these gluten-free, protein-rich pancakes. The batter comes together in a high-speed blender or a food processor, which pulverises the oats and breaks up the cottage cheese curds. For extra flair, you can add a variety of flavourings, like cinnamon and nutmeg or grated lemon zest. Make a whole batch and keep any extras in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or wrap each pancake in foil and store in a resealable bag in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat in a low oven. 
    • https://www.al.com/nytcooking/2026/06/781043711-gluten-free-cottage-cheese-pancakes.html

    • Tahini-Honey Cottage Cheese Bowl
      By Ali Slagle

• 
  

Strawberry-Basil Cottage Cheese Bowls

 Yield:4 servings

• 1 pound strawberries, hulled and quartered

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 2 teaspoons honey

• Salt and black pepper

• 1 large basil sprig

• 16 ounces (2 cups) cottage cheese

• 3 tablespoons roasted, salted pistachios, coarsely chopped

1. Step 1

   In a resealable container, stir together the strawberries, vinegar, honey and generous pinches of salt and pepper. Pluck the leaves from the basil sprig and rip them into small pieces; stir them into the strawberries. Let sit for 15 minutes at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours, gently swirling the container occasionally to distribute the juice.

2. Step 2

   When ready to eat, divide the cottage cheese among bowls. Top with the strawberries and a spoonful of their juices beneath. Sprinkle with the pistachios.

Source: NYT Recipe by Ali Slagle

https://pin.it/5SbSccbSz

Marry Me Butter Beans

 Marry Me Butter Beans are a quick, creamy, Tuscan-inspired vegetarian dish featuring butter beans simmered in a rich sauce of sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and cream or cheese. 

Ready in approximately 20–30 minutes, the recipe is highly adaptable for vegan, gluten-free, or high-protein diets.

Core Ingredients & Method

• Base: Sauté garlic, shallots, and tomato paste in sun-dried tomato oil. Add sun-dried tomatoes, dried oregano, thyme, and red pepper flakes.

• Simmer: Stir in butter beans (including their liquid for creaminess) and vegetable broth. Simmer for 5–10 minutes until the sauce thickens.

• Finish: Remove from heat and stir in heavy cream (or coconut cream/plant-based cream for vegan versions), Parmesan cheese (or nutritional yeast), and fresh spinach or basil until wilted.

Dietary Variations

• Vegan: Use plant-based cream, vegan butter, and nutritional yeast instead of dairy. Some recipes use coconut milk or silken tofu for extra creaminess.

• Vegetarian: The standard recipe uses heavy cream and Parmesan.

• High-Protein: Blend half the beans with silken tofu and nutritional yeast to create a creamy, protein-packed sauce without heavy cream.

Serving Suggestions
Serve immediately with crusty bread, pasta, or rice. The dish keeps well in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.

Spicy Cucumbers With Mint, Scallions and Crushed Peanuts

• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice 
• 1 tablespoon palm sugar or dark brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce
• 2 small Thai chiles (not bird’s-eye), very thinly sliced, or substitute 1 serrano chile
• 1 Fresno chile, thinly sliced crosswise
• 450 g cucumber, preferably Persian, sliced ¼ inch thick
• 3 or 4 scallions, both white and green parts, thinly sliced on a long bias

• Salt
• ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, some whole, some torn
• ¼ cup small basil leaves (preferably Thai or cinnamon basil)
• 2 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro
• ⅓ cup salted peanuts, crushed using a rolling pin or mortar

PREPARATION

Step 1
Make the dressing: Put lime juice and sugar in a small bowl. Stir to combine, allowing sugar to dissolve. Stir in sesame oil and fish sauce. Add the Thai and Fresno chiles. Set aside.

Step 2

Put cucumbers and scallions in a serving bowl. Sprinkle very lightly with salt and toss. Add the dressing and toss well to coat. Refrigerate to chill, about 30 minutes.

Step 3
Top with mint, basil and cilantro. 

Sprinkle with crushed peanuts.

Zucchini Loaf

Recipe:

1 and 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
A few cracks of sea salt
1 and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp of ground nutmeg or 1/4 tsp of allspice
1/2 cup melted coconut oil or 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
1/2 cup of brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup of Greek yogurt
2 tsp of pure vanilla extract
1 and 1/2 cups of shredded zucchini
(sometimes I add more)

In a bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and mix.

In a separate bowl, add sugars, eggs, melted coconut oil, Greek yogurt, vanilla extract, and shredded zucchini.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients bowl and mix.

Pour into a loaf pan.

Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes (or whenever a toothpick comes out of the middle cleanly without any raw batter on it)

https://www.instagram.com/p/DOBO13UjpBL/

Frozen yogurt bark

A blueberry yogurt slab (often referred to as frozen yogurt bark) is a refreshing, high-protein, and healthy frozen treat. It is incredibly easy to make by spreading a layer of your favorite yogurt on a baking sheet, topping it with fresh blueberries, and freezing it until solid. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Why You'll Love It

• Customizable: Easily swap toppings, add a drizzle of honey, or toss in some granola.
• Quick Prep: Takes only about 10 minutes of active preparation time.
• Kid-Friendly: Fun to make and a great way to sneak in healthy probiotics and antioxidants. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Ingredients

• Yogurt: 2 cups (approx. 500g) of plain or vanilla Greek yogurt (Whole milk or 2% gives the creamiest texture; non-dairy yogurt works great too)
• Blueberries: 1 to 1.5 cups of fresh blueberries
• Sweetener: 1–2 tablespoons of honey or maple syrup (Skip if you prefer unsweetened or are using heavily sweetened vanilla yogurt)
• Flavor Boosts: 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and a little fresh lemon zest for a cheesecake-like flavor [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prep your pan: Line a shallow square baking tray or a small rimmed baking sheet with nonstick parchment paper.
2. Mix the base: In a medium bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, honey (or maple syrup), vanilla extract, and lemon zest until smooth.
3. Add the berries: Gently stir in the fresh blueberries into the yogurt mix (save a handful to sprinkle on top).
4. Spread it out: Pour the yogurt mixture onto the parchment-lined tray and use a spatula to spread it into an even, flat layer (about 1.5cm to 2cm thick).
5. Top it off: Scatter the remaining blueberries and any extra toppings (like granola or coconut flakes) over the surface.
6. Freeze: Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 2 to 4 hours, or until completely solid.
7. Serve: Use a sharp knife to cut it into squares, or simply break it apart with your hands into uneven, rustic slabs. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

Storing Tips

Place any leftover pieces in a large, ziplock freezer-safe bag or an airtight container. Keep it in the freezer and grab a piece whenever you need a quick, healthy snack. [1, 2, 3]