Sweet Potato Gnocchi - healthy, easy and homemade!

Recipe of the month!
Sweet Potato Gnocchi - healthy and easy to make!

Hey guys,

ever wondered what you can do also with sweet potatoes ? 

I just love the taste and the health effects which sweet potatoes bring with them. I thought so why not trying out a recipe to make gnocchis out of them. Its not a rocket science and it does not take you forever in the kitchen. 

All you need is some good ingredients and a bit of time in the kitchen! 

So here we go !

2 Persons 

Ingredients for the Gnocchi:

ca. 400 g sweet potato (cooked & smashed)

ca. 130 g flour (all purpose flour)

1 teaspoon of nut meg powder

2-3 table spoons of freshly grated parmesan 

Ingredients for the sauce:

150 g cocktail tomatoes (quartered)

Pepper & salt 

For serving: 

ca. 50 g splits of parmesan on top at the end 

Ruccola (cutted and mixed in the sauce at the end)

1-2 tabel spoons of roasted pine nuts, mix them at the end underneath the sauce (roast them over minmal heat in the pan, be careful burns quick,)

This is how we do it ! 

Cook (sliced and peeled) & smash afterwards the sweet potatoes in a bowl, mix in the nut meg and parmesan. Add slowly the flour and knead the ingridents all together till the dough is not sticky anymore. Be aware that you only knead till everything is one dough, dont add too much flour as it can make the gnocchi to hard. 

When ready place it for around 15 minutes covered in the fridge.

In this 15 minutes roast the pinutes in medium heat, place it aside. Quarter the cocktail tomatoes and stir them slowly (medium heat) in a bit of olive oil with a drizzle of salt and pepper till a nice sauce comes out. Afterwards put the sauce ot the side.

Get your dough out of the fridge. Add some flour over it and cut the dough into 3-4 slices. Roll the slices on a floured work surface till they get the look of a long sausage. Than cut the long sausage into 2 cm thick gnocchis. If you want you can also do the typical fork thing to the gnocchis, but I woud skip that part. 

Now get water in a pot to boil (reduce heat - not boiling anymore) and add the gnocchis till they come on the surface of the pot. The best you can use to get not too much water with this is a ladle. Collect them all on a plate.

Use your pan and put some little olive oil and heat it, add the gnocchis at medium heat and roast them a bit on each side (be careful not to smash them). Turn off the heat and add the sauce, cutted ruccola and pinuts and mix it all together. 

Serve it on a plate and add some parmesan splits above your Gnocchis ! Enjoy!

Follow me for more on instagram @melainesinsights,

Cheers,

melainesinsights 

On top of the mountain, Ras al Khaimah - Jebel Jais

Looking for some fun and natur experience ?
My Jebel Jais guide for you!

Location and Facts:

2 hours from Dubai drive-time. The drive itself is worth it as you get so many impressions. The road towards Jebel Jais is threw deep rocky canyon, really breath-taking and unique. 

The Jebel Jais is 1934m high, its located in the "Hadschar-Mountains". Its a bit cooler when you drive to the top so keep that in mind, around 10 Celcius cooler than on average sea level. 

If you are a motor bike or super car lover, this is the road you need to take on!

What can you do at Jebel Jais?

At Jebel Jais you can ride the "Jais Flight" the worlds longest zipline, you soar across jagged mountain peaks at hair-raising speeds of up to 160kmh. If this is too much adrenalin for you, you might check out the wonderful viewing decks and food trucks or restaurants at Jebel Jais.

They also have Jais Sledder there, which is still adrenalin but more family friendly. You can also check out VisitJebelJais for more experiences to check on.

If you like to do something special you can also reservere a table at the 1484 by Puro. The restaurant ist nestled on the top and you can only go there if you have a reservation. Please make sure to make this reservation about 2 weeks before you go there.

Cheers,

Melaines-Insights

www.instagram.com/melainesinsights for daily updates ! 

Adventure in the Mountains, come with me for a day trip to Hatta!

Hey guys, looking for a day trip from Dubai and you are a mountain and nature lover?
Hatta should be on your bucket list!

Here are my top recommendations when doing a day trip to Hatta from Dubai.

The drive time from Dubai takes about 90 minutes, ca. 130 km. If you dont have a car, also no problem, you can go by the recently launched RTA public bus to Hatta, called "Hatta Express Bus". Check for time schedule RTA Dubai homepages. 

Hatta is Dubais mountainous exclave and is located on the border with Oman and in the Hajar Mountains. 

We started driving to Hatta and first visited Hatta Dam. The drive itself is worth the trip, we saw a lot of camels with new borns (February) and its stunning when you drive threw the desert and the mountains show up in front of you. 

You can park your car and go for a little hike up the hill to the Hatta Dam, where you have a beautiful view on the turquoise water. This spot is especially popular in the cooler winter months and also has activities for families. You also can do a lot of water activities there, be aware that swimming is not allowed. 

They have a beautiful food spot with different food trucks, we decided after our short hike uphill to have some burgers and fries. The spot is really unique as its surrounded by the mountains. 

After enjoying our lunch we drove to  the famous Hatta Heritage Village. It has been preserved and reconstruced by the government. We explored the "Hatta Fort", built in 1896. It served as a residence and defence facility with a large internal courtyard and 11m-high tower. Its a perfect viewing point.

Enjoy and take care, for more daily updates please check my Instagram profil and make sure to follow: @melainesinsights 

Cheers,

Melainesinsights 

Pasta with truffles - an easy and quick recipe for you!

Recipe of the month

Pasta with truffles ! 

Hey guys,

as a child I spend many years with my family in the region of Piemonte, Italy. This region is well-known for truffles. Since then I'm addicted to Pasta with truffles.

Today I give you an easy and quick recipe how to make truffle pasta at home.

Its ready in 15 min. 

Truffles normally can be bought in delicatessen shops. Be careful and check before the truffle seasons, if someone is serving you truffle shavings in other months, these have most likely come from a freezer and wont give you that intense experience you've paid for.

Off-truffle season you can also make the pasta without the fresh truffles and use only the truffle salt for the taste. Truffle salt has tiny fragrant pieces of black or white truffle blended in. 

Make sure (if you have fresh truffle) you also buy a truffle slicer/shaver. 

Ingredients :

- 250g Tagliatelle, Fettucine or Linguine 

- 70g Parmesan cheese

- 50g Fresh black truffle  

- 2 - 3 Teaspoon of Italian white summer truffle salt 

- 1 Cup heavy cream 

Recipe Pasta with truffles:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, until "al dente". Drain and set aside. 

2. Use a pan. Stir in heavy cream white summer truffle salt and black pepper. Add parmesan (depending on your taste) and stir everything togehter. Make sure to work with reduced heat and simmer until thickened, about 5-8 minutes normally. 

3. Before the pasta is ready make sure if you bought fresh truffles to shave the truffle. For this please only use a truffle shaver/slicer. 

3. Stir in cooked pasta. Garnish with fresh shaved truffles and grated parmesan cheese, if you like also add some more truffle salt. 

ENJOY, your creamy truffle pasta!

Cheers,

Melainesinsights

www.melaines-insights.com

Instagram Channel for more daily updates

 

Matcha Cake with white chocolate recipe - a easy and quick one !

Matcha Cake recipe - we love the Japanese, Baby!

Hey guys,

as our travel plans for 2020 were screwed due to Corona virus. I just decided to do Matcha cake, which at least gives me the feeling of being back in Japan again.

Im a real Matcha lover and Japan is the well-known home of Matcha.

By the way. To give you proven ways Matcha Tea improves your health:

- high in antioxidants

- may help protect the liver

- boots brain function

- may help prevent cancer

- helps you lose weight

- Matcha tea is very easy to prepare

- may promote heart health

Here we go, as promised a quick and easy cake for all the Matcha lovers out there!

Lets hope we travel Japan in 2021, so I might get many more ideas and recipes for you on my blog soon.

Ingredients (18cm box shape):

- 100g butter

- 2 eggs

- 50 ml milk

- 100g white chocolate

- 90g sugar

- a pinch of salt

- 150g spelled flour

- 10g food starch

- 4g baking powder

- 10g bio matcha pouder 

Recipe Matcha Cake with white chocolate: 

1. Take the butter, eggs and milk for matcha cake min. 30 min out of the fridge before you begin with the making of the recipe. 

2. Preheat oven to 175 Celcius.

3. Prepare the box shape with butter and flour.

4. Chop the chocolate in small pieces. For the dough beat the soft butter with sugar and salt for 5 minutes until frothy. Whisk the eggs and stir in, for at least 1/2 minute. 

5. Stir and sieve the flour, food starch, baking powder and matcha pouder in a bowl.

6. Use a whisk and stir in alternately the flourmix and the milk to the egg mix. 

7. Subdivide the white chocolate. 

8. Put the dough in the prepared box shape and bake for 30 min, temp. 175 Celcius. 

ENJOY, your matcha cake ! 

Cheers,

Melainesinsights

www.melaines-insights.com

Instagram Channel for more daily updates

Banana bread recipe - the healthiest, best and easiest one!

Banana bread - the best recipe for you!

Healthy and easy baking! 

Hey guys,

We are in a completly lock down, therefore I thought why not give the trending social media recipe for banana bread a try. I found a very healthy choice for the banana bread. As we have plenty of time during the quarantine there is no excusce to not bake this delicious banana bread and share it with your loved ones. Enjoy!

You will go bananas for this banana bread recipe! 

Ingredients for the recipe: 

2 ripe bananas 

120 ml maple syrup

4 table spoons coconut oil

8 table spoons of oat milk

70g of spelt oatmeal (tender ones)

170g wholemeal flour 

4 table spoons of nuts your choice (I prefer sunflower seet)

1 table spoon of backing powder

1/2 table spoon of cinnamon

1/2 table spoon of vanilla extract 

A sprinkle of salt and if you like add some blue berries (I prefer without)

Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees and prepare a baking pan. Make sure to grease the baking pan ahead. 

Mash the bananas and all the liquid ingredients from above. Add all the other ingredients from above and stir till the dough is smooth.

Bake at 180 degrees for 30 minutes. Reduce afterwards to 150 degrees and bake another 10  minutes. Make sure to check your banana bread the last 10 minutes so that it doesnt gets too brown. 

Mango feta pine nut salad with only 3 ingredients ? Ready in 10 min? Fresh and vegetarian? My recipe for you!

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Healthy and easy to make salad recipe, my insights for you! 

Ready to be served in 10 min ! 

Hey guys,

we have really hot summer days here in Europe. Therefore I have the ultimative matching recipe for hot summer days. Lunch or dinner ? It is your choice to make ! 

Thanks to my brother in law which gave me this easy and really healthy recipe some time ago I can share it now with you.

I introduce to you the super yummy mango-pine nutes - feta salad. 

The ingredients for 2 persons:

1 Mango

100g Feta

Pine nutes 

Olive oil, black pepper and salt 

YAAASSS thats it ! 

I would recommend you to buy only bio products as this recipe only consists of 3 ingredients. The more quality you buy the better the taste will be at the end. That simple. 

Healthy facts about this dish (as it is so quick to prepare you should read more about the nutritions):

Mango is a low calorie fruit that is high in fibre, and is a great source of vitamins A and C. It also contains folate, B6, iron and a little calcium, zinc and vitamin E. Mangos are a very good source of antioxidants by the way (think of your skin glow!). 

Feta is a brined, white cheese with a soft and creamy texture. Compared to other cheeses, it's low in calories and fat. Ideal for your Bikini body :-)

It also contains a high amount of B vitamins, phosphorus and calcium, which can benefit bone Health. 

Now we come to my favorite nut, the pine nut. Studies show that eating tree nuts about five times a week can help lower the risk of death due to heart disease. Like other nuts, pine nuts are high in beneficial monounsaturated fats, magnesium and vitamin E, which work together to protect the heart.

Summarized for now you do something for your skin glow, bikini body and at the end protect also your heart. 

No excuses ! Get your things together and go grocery shopping ! You will not regret to eat this ! I promise :-) 

Method:
1. use a sharp knife or a special peeler for cutting and peeling the mango. Cut the mango in small pieces. 
2. Roast the pine nuts in a pan. They should get a nice little tan. Be careful not too much heat as they burn real quick. Put them aside on a plate so they can cool down.
3. Cut the feta into small pieces.
4. Mix the mango, feta all together. Add a little (only a little!!) olive oil, some black pepper and some salt and mix it all together. 
5. Sprinkle the pine nuts at the end and mix it again. 

Cook now - thank me later! 

If its pure to healthy for you buy a herbal baguette as a side dish. 

Enjoy ! Boun Appetit ! 

Cheers,

Melaines-Insights

www.melaines-insights.com

FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM FOR DAILY UPDATES!

Parmigiana di Melanzane - veggie, healthy and yummy Italian! My insight recipe for you!

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Wonderful summer recipe from Italy, my insights for you! 

Parmigiana di Melanzane ! Veggie Lasagne ! 

Ciao tutti,

it is time again to share a recipe with you. Im in love with Italian food and this is one of my many favorites.

Most of the time you find that dish under the name "Parmigiana di Melanzane". I would call it the ultimate veggie lasagne.  The main part of this dish is called "Melanzane" in Italian, or eggplant, it is a Southern Italian recipe as far as I could check on the culinary history.

The culinary history says that the eggplant reached Southern Italy by the 9th century CE. Arabs brought the fruits along and thanks to the fearless foodies in the Calabrian and Sicilian regions of Italy the Italians loved to cook and also planted this funny egg-shaped product.

Random Information. Eggplants were also used as Medicine fighting asthma and dental issues.

Enough about the history lets get started !

Ok, here is the deal. It might take you some more time of preperation  but a happy outcome is worth waiting for, right?

Ingridients for 2 persons:

2 eggplants

500 g Tomatoes 

1-2 table spoons olive oil

1/2 handful of basil

150 g parmesan cheese

2 mozzarella cheese 

1 small onion

1 1/2 garlic (as you like)

Preheat your oven about 180 Degrees. And prepare a baking dish (I place a little bit of olive oil in the baking form to make sure nothing sticks on it).

Lets start to get the eggplants prepared. There are more ways to prepare them, for me this works the best. Slice the eggplants in thin pieces. Salt the eggplant slices from every side and put them all together in a bowl and place something heavy above the slices. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes you can check and see that the eggplants have lost their water.
If so you can take the slices out of its own water and make sure (really important) to get rid of the salt. Best way to get rid of the saltiness is to put every slice shortly  under running water and tab right after every slice after doing so.

This was the part that take the longest, but as said - you wont regret the prep work when tasting this ultimate yummy Italian dish.

Meanwhile while the eggplant is resting you can prepare the sauce.

Put some olive oil in a cooking pot and roast the garlic and the onions quick - make sure not to heat it up too quick as garlic gets burned really fast.

After that add the tomatoes into the cooking pot and stire everything. You can add some pepper and salt depending on your choice, also a bit of red wine is possible. Make sure if you add wine to heat it up a bit so the alcohol gets cooked away and it doesnt taste intense red wine. Add the basil at the end and let it cook at lower heat for about 15 minutes. 

While the tomatoe sauce is cooking you place in a pan only a sprinkle of olive oil and place the eggplant slices in it. Make sure not to put too much olive oil as the eggplants are tending to suck up the oil too much. Sear the eggplant slices from each side for about 4-5 minutes (medium heat) till they get a nice tan on each side. Put the slices on a plate when finsihed.

When your sauce and eggplants are ready start to layer the ingridients in the baking form.

Start with some tomatoe sauce at the Bottom and put layer above the eggplant slices and Mozzarella cheese slices above.

Finsihing with parmesan the casserole. 

Place the casserole for about 20-25 minutes in the preheated oven (180 degrees). Right after putting it out of the oven let the casserole rest for about 15 minutes. You can serve it warm or even cold. Perfect match for the "Parmigana Melanzane" is red wine and some nice baguette.

ENJOY !

Cheers,

Melaines-Insights

www.melaines-insights.com

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