Hey, what is it that you bring back home (or just bring with you until you find what home is) from your travels? I bring patches with country flags, sand in my backpack, and recipes. It is clear that one of the most delightful aspects of traveling is the opportunity to savor new flavors that tantalize the taste buds and linger in our memories long after the journey ends. While there are complex dishes that would require a day off to cook, I want to share with you these simple and delicious recipes from my most recent travels.

1. Avocado Lassi

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe* avocado
• 2 tablespoons plain yogurt*
• 100-200 ml almond milk or preferred water
• 4-5 dates as sweetener
• One teaspoon lemon or lime juice
• I Tbsp Crushed almonds as topping*.

Preparation time – 10 minutes.

Portion size – 2 people (medium sized glass for each, so if you want a bigger portion, add 50% more of each ingredient).

* if your avocado is not ripe enough, put it in a paper bag together with a banana overnight. Or, on the contrary, if you don’t want your avocados to ripen too fast so you have enough supplies for the whole week or longer, put nice ripe ones in a pitcher or a deep tupperware, submerge them in water and refrigerate – they will remain as green as Spotify app icon. Thank me later.

* (I use 0% fat greek yogurt, which is very neutral in taste – it shouldn’t be too savory)

* Walnuts or pistachios work well, too. Additional dates on top – for sweet tooth people out there. Actually, don’t limit yourself – throw in a few blueberries for an even more refreshing taste.

Instructions:

1. Scoop out the flesh of the avocado, cut it if needed and place in a blender.

Now, below is an important piece of information, so I hope you do read it. 

Blender. Is. Important. I cannot emphasize it enough. 

I didn’t realize a well-known kitchen appliances manufacturer can make poorly functioning blenders that are capable of clouding your morning by delaying the avocado lassi intake for 20 minutes. So I went for a cheaper option of a reliable brand and oh boy was I wrong. There is only one way this blender can do its job and it is if I put everything in there already blended. In the end it works fine, but to get it running and grabbing the food is a real pain. 

So I learned my lesson and finally got a blender that does not require two people poking around at the food inside it with forks to reposition all pieces in a correct way approved by the blender manufacturer board of directors.

*If you want your lassi NOW and have no time to deal with a new blender purchase, while having the same troubles as i had – don’t worry, I got your back. The trick is to pulse the blender in order to prevent an air pocket when it settles: be sure to let the blender stop completely with a pause for a moment as to let the lassi sink down and the air to escape. If the air gets trapped near the blade with the blender spinning, the whole mixture will need to be jolted or shaken to allow the air to release. To prevent this from happening use more almond milk/water and cut your avocado into smaller pieces.

2. Add yogurt and dates.

3. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding a splash of milk or water if needed to reach your desired consistency – you can either eat it with a spoon or drink.

4. Add lemon juice to your liking and blend more.

5. Pour in glasses, sprinkle with the crushed almonds and enjoy this refreshing and nutritious twist on the classic Indian lassi!

2. Perfectly Creamy Scrambled Eggs and Bacon on a Toast

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 4 tranches of bacon
• salt and pepper to taste
• 25 grams butter
• 2 pieces of toast bread or any other preferred bread

Preparation time – 15 minutes.

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, salt, and pepper until well combined.
2. Fry your bacon on a dry skillet over high heat for 30-40 seconds each side, then switch to medium-high heat and continue until it gets darker and crispy, flipping it over with cooking tongs.
3. Toast your bread in a toaster or you can also use the bacon skillet to fry it – just make sure you get rid of excess fat.
4. In a separate non-stick skillet, heat butter over medium (!) heat.

This is the most important part to this recipe, as only if you start from the medium temperature will your eggs stay moist and juicy. 

For example, if I use an induction stove with the maximum heat level 14, I start with 6 to melt the butter and then switch to 7 when eggs are added.  

5. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and let it sit for a few seconds until the edges start to set.
6. Gently stir the eggs with a spatula all the time, taking the skillet off the stove every now and then, and cook until the eggs are creamy and just set. Don’t rush this part, it can take 6-8 minutes to get your eggs to perfection.
7. Remove from heat and serve immediately – on freshly toasted bread, with your crispy bacon. 
8. Optionally: season it with freshly cut green onion, ground black pepper.

3. Empanadas con Pollo (Chicken Empanadas):

Ingredients:

• 1 pack of pre-made empanada dough or puff pastry – I usually buy the dough in a rectangular shape, so I can use all of it without wasting any. 
• 2 chicken breasts
• small bunch of fresh dill, rinsed
• 200 gr cream cheese (Philadelphia or similar)
• salt, pepper, and your favorite spices
• 50 grams sesame seeds
• 1 egg wash

Preparation time – 1 hour

Portion size – 9-12 empanadas

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 365°F (185°C) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
2. Roll out the empanada dough or puff pastry and cut it into squares.

*Keep your pastry in a fridge until the chicken mix is ready, as otherwise it will be too soft and sticky, therefore difficult to close.

3. Cut chicken breasts in medium pieces and boil them with a pinch of salt until almost ready, up to 15 minutes  (make sure the water doesn’t seethe intensively). Cool down a bit.
4. In a bowl, mix together finely chopped chicken (you can use your good blender for chopping, just don’t make it too fine), chopped dill, salt, pepper, and cream cheese. I never regretted adding a handful of mozzarella into the mix. I never regret adding more cheese in general.
5. Place a teaspoonful of the chicken mixture onto each dough square.
6. Fold the dough over the filling to form a triangle and crimp the edges with a fork to seal. It looks sophisticated.
7. Put your empanadas on a baking tray and brush them with egg wash.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds (you can also use parmigiano cheese, I just tried it the other day and it was a blessing – see above for no regrets about adding cheese) and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Serve warm, not hot. 

4. Garlic Fried Rice – Filipino Style

Ingredients:

• 200 grams cooked rice, day-old (important!)
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 25-50 ml soy sauce
• salt and pepper
• handful green onions, chopped (optional)
• 1-2 eggs (optional)

Preparation time – 15 minutes

Portion size – 2 persons

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat.
2. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant and slightly golden brown.
3. Add the cooked rice to the skillet and stir-fry until heated through.
4. Season with soy sauce, salt, and pepper to taste. Add chopped green onions for extra flavor if desired.
5. Serve hot as a side dish or main course, topped with a fried egg for a classic Filipino breakfast staple!

*Alternative – you can make a dent in your rice while on a skillet and add 1-2 eggs while the rice is still cooking, mixing the eggs in.

Bon apple tea y’all!