Banana & oat pancakes

"If I call you "Darling", will you make me pancakes?"

Pancakes are the first thing I learned to cook in this life. Maybe she doesn't even remember, but my Mom taught me. I was so confused when she'd tell me to look at consistency and not count tablespoons. At that early time in my culinary discoveries, I wanted precise measures of everything. But please give some credit - I think I was 4 or 5 at the time. 

Potato pancakes with runny eggs and truffle oil

"Sundays are meant for two things. One is pancakes. The other one is R rated". ~Me

Oh how much I love Sundays! When getting out of bed in the morning is optional. Coffee in bed. Relaxing, feeling lazy and treating yourself to food. Quite often my Sundays end up being all breakfast food all day long - no restrictions, no diets, no promises to stop with this last bite, when you really don't want to. Sundays are so many good things. They just tend to end very quickly, but oh well - so do so many other good things.

This morning I think I already knew what I'm having for breakfast before opening my eyes! But then again - I have some studying to do, so this Sunday has some procrastination on the list as well... In such cases, of course, coffee, food and everything else "more important" comes first.

Quiche with tomatoes, goat cheese and rosemary

"Why would anybody ever eat anything besides breakfast food?"

Precisely my point! My favorite meal is breakfast - midweek or weekend, doesn't matter. Weekends usually turn out to brunches, nevertheless, the first meal of the day is the best. Honestly - after having a good breakfast or brunch, I can skip the rest if necessary, but I can never ever skip breakfast! That said, I should have so many ideas and recipes up my sleeves, but sometimes I circle around all kinds of omelettes or simply - omelette with mushrooms and spinach. And then, when wanting to make something different, I'm stuck in my head.

Recently invited friends over for a Sunday brunch. I cannot even describe how much struggle I had at first trying to think of something. Maybe one reason is that I've had quite a few brunches with those friends and trying to think of something new was a challenge. My usual way out - get to the grocery store or farmers' market, go look at what is fresh and suddenly ideas are popping out like crazy! This time the trigger was farm grown tomatoes and goat cheese. So - quiche!

Curry crepes with mushrooms and veggies

“Love is like breakfast with Mildred. Who’s Mildred? How the heck should I know? I don’t eat breakfast.” Jarod Kintz

Spending a weekend over at friends' cabin with a huge and well equiped kitchen, it was beyond a pleasure to do all the cooking. Well, not all - my friend prepared the octopus (braised in Cava, with sun dried tomatoes, garlic and herbs - seriously, to die for and on my to do list for Raspberry-Flavor!) and eggplant lasagne with mushroom ragu (as good!). 

Waffle pancakes + peach&honey jam

I don't care what time of day it is! When I wake up, I eat breakfast!

Today I am slow... Took me for ever to get out of bed. I could feel my legs were dancing last night quite a bit. In heels, of course! Can't say my head didn't feel unusual either after a wedding party last night. My friends got married - laughed a lot, talked a lot, danced a lot. So when I woke up this "morning" my head was still playing some of last night's music.

Since the happy newlyweds are leaving for a honeymoon, I received a huge and absolutely amazing bonus - the wedding planner stopped by my home today and brought tons of flowers! Don't think my place ever hosted that many tulips at once. Oh, and I got the bride's bouquet! Wonder if she's implying on anything! Rhetorical question - I think I could guess the answer :).

Asparagus with smoked salmon and sunny side up egg

"Probably one of the most private things in the world is an egg until it is broken."

M.F.K. Fisher

'Tis the season - fresh and crunchy asparagus! It is one of the vegetables that I wish grew and we had fresh all the time. And I mean fresh - grown somewhere close, not brought in from a different part of the world. I guess vegetables get jet lagged too - they don't taste as good if they travel far!

Avocado stuffed with shrimp and sweet corn, topped with arugula

Vegetables are interesting, but lack a sense of purpose when accompanied by a good cut of meat. ~Fran Lebowitz

Come to think of it - this quote is off. Avocado is a fruit, but nevertheless, it definitely doesn't lack its purpose when accompanied with shrimp and sweet corn. One of the easiest snacks to make and in no time. Sounds dreamy - healthy, tasty, colorful and fast!

Omlette with smoked mackerel, broccoli and mushrooms

“When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?" "What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"

"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet. Pooh nodded thoughtfully. "It's the same thing," he said.”

― A.A. Milne

My favorite meal of the day! And I think I can claim that this is my favorite omlette - or rather one of the favorites - plus or minus broccoli, spinach or some other greens. The first time I ever tried an omlette with smoked mackerel was at a restaurant. With such amazing ingredients couldn't figure out how it could be that plain and bland. 

And what a treat on a day when you can sleep in, wake up when you're done with sleep and not when the alarm tells you to and then enjoy a long leisurely breakfast with a cup of coffee! 

Spinach, kiwi and banana breakfast smoothie with fresh mint

"Don't start a diet that has an expiration date. Focus on a lifestyle that will last forever!"

Good morning, Sunshine! And welcome Sunday! This morning was a long lazy morning before hitting a craftsmen (couldn't think of how else to call it) fair. A first super warm and sunny day of the year! 

No better way to start the morning with a super tasty and healthy smoothie!

Omlette with chanterelles and potatoes

“This recipe is certainly silly. It says to separate the eggs, but it doesn't say how far to separate them.” Gracie Allen

Good morning, Sunshine! For the time being - at least on the plate :). And but the way, this recipe doesn't require to separate eggs, unless you're after the super healthy white omlette. My weekend breakfast choices usually include eggs in some shape and form. My favorite combination ever - eggs and mushrooms. I tend to save mushrooms in my freezer and use them sparingly, so I still have some when there is little time left for their season to start and I can enjoy fresh ones. Needless to say, I still have some saved up.

Panini - in a waffle pan

"Waffles are just awesome bread". - John Green

So come to think of this quote - a panini pressed in a waffle maker should be an awesome one as well? 

My kitchen is way too small to fit my pursuit of culinary experiments - I try to work with what is there and surprisingly enough have employed creativity in finding space to accommodate more utensils, equipment and plates. Maybe paninis in a waffle maker don't top someone else's creativity with that, but I am working on it.

Potato and sweet potato pancakes

..In a waffle pankcake pan!

The pan was a hand-me-down from my friend when she was moving out stuff from a vacation home by the seaside. She wasn't sure what to do with it and I thought there could be more ways to use it than just for usual pancakes. So far it has been potato pancakes, eggs and paninis - works perfectly!

When the weather starts to get colder and the days shorter, more comforty food kicks in, especially at the weekends. Last weekend I went with the potatoes and eggs for breakfast. Filling, tasty and something new.

And there's not much to tell about it! Very simple, pretty quick.

Omlette with courgettes and courgette blossoms

Courgette = zucchini. Courgette somehow sound much more sleek to me :).I have been coming across recipes with stuffed courgette blossoms and wanted to make something with them. The most difficult part though was finding them. When visiting the farmers market in Vilnius and asking for courgette blossoms, I received several comments: "If you're looking for flowers, they are in that direction!"... So buying some at a regular farmer's market was no option. Finally I got some at one lady's farm. However the blossoms were so tiny, stuffing was not an option either. Et voila - omlette with blossoms pan fried in a bit of butter.

Almond milk with fresh strawberries

"I make milk. What's your superpower?"


One of the most amazing childhood treats. Fresh berries with milk! Mmmm. A bit fancier version of what I remember from when I was little - berries with almond milk.
The season of fresh berries is about to start. Right now we can already find strawberries imported from other countries. Needless to say - they don't taste as real and as good as locally picked ones. But after a winter, the body craves for vitamins!
Almond milk is very easy to make. A bit of preparation - soaking almonds in water a day or two in advance prior to making milk. The longer you soak the almonds, the creamier milk will be.

Buckwheat, spinach and quail egg salad

Sunday brunch - is my happy place!

Meant to be breakfast, but by the time I was done with taking photos of the plate, it was around lunch time and needless to say - I was starving by that time.

I have been quite aware of what I put on my plate and in my mouth for quite a long time now, but lately I have started watching my food even more closely - substituting some of the ingredients with even healthier products, eating more vegetables, fruits and grains. These constitute about 70% of my diet. 

Quail eggs

Quail eggs are considered a delicacy in many countries - not just because of their soft taste (couldn't find a better word to define it) but also because of their nutritional value. They are packed with vitamins and minerals. In some countries they are sometimes used raw, pickled or prepared in many other ways.

A quail egg is considered a much healthier substitute for the chicken egg. 

Eggs Benedict

"Brunch without booze is just a sad late breakfast"

We've established a tradition with some of my girlfriends - a Sunday brunch. Needless to say - a girl thing only. Quality time to talk, laugh, enjoy good food and a glass of bubbles. We've been having such a great time for the last few Sundays, we have decided it must turn out to be our thing for as many Sundays as possible. Last week has been hectic and I did have a Lithuanian Culinary Heritage presentation on Sunday night, but that's what traditions are for - the girls must have their priorities straight.

This Sunday it was turn for Eggs Benedict. In fact, quite a modified version in comparison to the original recipe. Come to think of it... The only original ingredients on the plate were the hollandaise sauce and poached eggs. 

Egg muffins

"A hen is only an egg's way to make another egg". 

Samuel Butler (19th century British author)

I guess this is a perfect answer to the question "what comes first" a hen or an egg. For me eggs are one of the best and most rewarding ingredients ever! You can cook and eat them pretty much any way you want. I really cannot think of any other product that would be as versatile.

So... Continuing the "healthy stuff" story (in other words also - for those who are getting ready for the summer) - this is super easy to make, can be done the night before, stored in the fridge for a couple of days, eaten hot or cold. It makes a perfect snack in between the meals or can serve as the meal itself, depending on the ingredients. I stole the idea from one post on Facebook and improvised the way I saw fit.

Omlette with spinach, caramelized onions and curd cheese

"Leadership is being the first egg in the omelette"

Excuse my french... that is... Lithuanian. The curd cheese - meaning "varškės sūris".

If I had to choose anything out of the whole range of different food products as the one I love most, it would definitely be the egg. There are always eggs in my fridge. I love them in every shape and form. The world class chefs claim it is one of the most delicate things to cook with - it does take practice to make it just the perfect way it should be - runny enough, cooked enough, etc. One other reason why I absolutely love THE egg is that it can be eaten at any time of the day and for any course - eggs serve as a dish on their own, as a sauce, one of the ingredients or are used in so many different versions of desserts!

Spanish omlette...

"Recipe: a series of step-by-step instructions for preparing ingredients you forgot to buy, in utensils you don't own, to make a dish the dog wouldn't eat." ~ Author unknown

So not the case this time. Sometimes it is nice to go fancy in the kitchen. In such cases quite often the wallet doesn't appreciate it as much... Therefore I love this new trend of cooking with the locally found ingredients and re-inventing the traditional recipes. The Spanish omelette may not be much of the re-invention of something traditional and local, but those who don't like to waste any food or food leftovers most probably will appreciate it.