Easy pumpkin bread

October 25, 2021October 28, 2021 ~ miakouppa ~ 9 Comments

Our easy pumpkin bread is the ONLY recipe you will ever need!

This easy pumpkin bread is one of those recipes that falls under the category of Our Kouppes, recipes that we (Helen & Billie) have either developed, tweaked or perfected over the years. In other words, our parents have never made pumpkin bread and we’re pretty sure they would be shocked to learn that you can buy pumpkin puree in a can. Any pumpkin they use in recipes is grown by them, grated by them, and turned into lovely Greek recipes like pumpkin pita, and an assortment of squash or pumpkin fritters, like these with cheese, and these without.

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Chocolate chip banana bread

August 31, 2021October 28, 2021 ~ miakouppa ~ 4 Comments

The best chocolate chip banana bread, super moist and easy

Everyone needs an amazing banana bread recipe in their repertoire of recipes! We have already posted one of our favourites, a vegan banana bread that is simple, super moist and perfect for anyone following a plant-based diet. And now, we’re so happy to share with you what we consider to be the best chocolate chip banana bread. It is so moist, and so easy that you will probably start making it as often as we do…which lately has been at least once a week.

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Phanouropita

August 23, 2021August 23, 2021 ~ miakouppa ~ 6 Comments

Phanouropita (or fanouropita) is a symbolic and traditional Greek vegan cake full of meaning.

On August 27 the Orthodox Church celebrates the Feast Day of Saint Phanourios (pronounced “fan-OO-ree-os”) (or Saint Fanourios), the Martyr and Miracle Worker. The saint’s name sounds similar to the Greek verb “phanerono,” which means “to reveal” or “to disclose”. In fact, people pray to Saint Phanourios to help them find lost objects, to reveal lost or hidden spiritual matters of the heart, to redirect them or reveal actions which should be taken, and to restore health. When a lost object is discovered, or when prayers reveal what is needed, a symbolic cake called a phanouropita is baked and brought to the church where it is blessed by the priest and then distributed among the parishioners.

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Dandelion greens and grilled bread

July 5, 2021July 5, 2021 ~ miakouppa ~ 2 Comments

An open-face sandwich of dandelion greens and grilled bread flavoured with lemon, olive oil, garlic, oregano and feta

Χόρτα με ψωμί στη σχάρα. This post for dandelions greens and grilled bread is really just a composite of two other recipes we have already posted, with some small modifications. Still, we could not not share this recipe, because this open-faced sandwich is one that we grew up on, and it is all sorts of delicious!

The concept here is simple; after dandelions greens are cooked, Greeks like to toss them with a healthy amount of olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and a bit of salt and pepper. Often, that’s it! Sure you can add some dry oregano if you like, but that would usually be the extent of it.

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Tsoureki Paximadia or Tsoureki Biscotti

May 4, 2021May 4, 2021 ~ miakouppa ~ 6 Comments

Greek biscotti, or paximadia, made with tsoureki bread and dipped in chocolate and sprinkles

Παξιμάδια τσουρεκιού. The common adage “if life gives you lemons, make lemonade” (or avgolemono soup) is pretty good advice. The sentiment can be extended to so many things, including tsoureki. If you have read the post that accompanies our tsoureki recipe you’ll know that although our recipe is now fail-proof and delicious, it wasn’t always so. We have survived many disappointing tsourekia, with some being too dense, undercooked, or simply blah. Having been raised in a household where “waste nothing” was a very important mantra, we could never just dump our tsourekia in the trash (except for the one we called “The Tsourocki”….read more about that disaster in the tsoureki post).

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Vegan apple cake

April 20, 2021April 20, 2021 ~ miakouppa ~ 6 Comments

A wholesome apple cake which is vegan, fat-free, and sweetened with maple syrup.

Νηστίσιμη μηλόπιτα. A classic Greek dessert is milopita, a cake loaded with apples that is perfect with a nice Greek coffee, or a tall glass of cold milk. We could have milopita every day of the week, it’s that good! Although our original recipe is great, we do like to have options and so we have come up with an apple cake that can be enjoyed anytime, by almost anyone!

During periods of Orthodox lent, or when we are baking for vegans we love, this vegan apple cake is a sure winner. And its got even more going for it! This vegan cake is full of apples, uses both regular all-purpose and whole wheat flour, it’s sweetened with pure maple syrup and it contains no fat. We often joke that some desserts are healthy because they contain a vegetable (carrot cake anyone?) or a fruit (strawberry shortcake friends?) , but in this case, it’s actually true!

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Vegan shortbread cookies

April 16, 2021April 16, 2021 ~ miakouppa ~ 4 Comments

Very simple shortbread cookies that are perfect for Orthodox lent.

With these vegan shortbread cookies, what you see is what you get! We have lived the disappointment of using cookie cutters to shape cookies just the way we want them only to find that they have flattened, spread, or risen while baking. Cut out flowers, kittens and firetrucks end up looking like blobs. Still delicious, but blobs. Not these cookies! These cookies come out of the oven looking pretty much the way that they went in. No surprises!

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Greek yogourt cake with orange

March 23, 2021March 31, 2021 ~ miakouppa ~ 12 Comments

A simple and moist cake made with Greek yogourt and orange

We love cake! Although we appreciate impressive, multi-layered pastry creations that we challenge ourselves to make, sometimes cake that is simple and honest is better than any frosted, flambéed or fancy work of art. Cakes like this Greek yogourt cake with orange are often what we crave. A straightforward loaf, with the simplest glaze and flavour that satisfies any cake craving.

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Cinnamon raisin bread (Ψωμί με κανέλα και σταφίδες)

February 26, 2021October 28, 2021 ~ miakouppa ~ 4 Comments

Cinnamon raisin bread is a slightly sweet and fragrant bread full of raisins

There is a huge debate in our family that revolves around what to call the packaged sliced stuff that you put in a toaster. We won’t get into it here, because we’ve already gotten into it over here – but we were reminded of that post because this cinnamon raisin bread, popped into a toaster, is a thing of beauty.

In testing and re-testing this recipe before publishing it, we’ve learned a few things – we’ve listed those in the Helpful Hints section just below and we hope that they will help you make a perfect loaf of bread. And although bread making tips are important, let’s assume that your bread is baked and ready to eat – here are a few other important things to know.

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Alevropita (Αλευρόπιτα)

February 4, 2021October 28, 2021 ~ miakouppa ~ 19 Comments

Alevropita is a quick, thin-battered feta pie

Sometimes we are so lazy! Like, stay in bed all day reading and eating bon-bons lazy. Or, too tired to cook so have cereal for dinner lazy. Or no one’s around to judge so I’m going to take the elevator one flight up lazy. It happens, and we don’t have the energy to pretend that it doesn’t.

Laziness however can also result in really lovely things, like alevropita. This is the cheese pie you want to make when you’re too lazy to make your own phyllo, when you’re too lazy to fold kalitsounia, and when you’re too lazy to spend much time in the kitchen.

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