Creamed Spinach

Ingredients

• 1 kg. fresh spinach, cooked , chopped  and squeezed or 1 package frozen spinach, chopped, squeezed
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 Tbs oil
• 3 Tbs butter (25 gr.)
• 3 Tbs flour
• 1 1/2 C milk
• 1 tsp salt, a pinch of pepper, a pinch of nut-meg

Directions

1. Cook spinach in boiling water, drain and squeeze well.
2. In a small frying pan heat oil. Cook onion until light brown.
3. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add flour, stir well.
4. Add milk, continue stirring until sauce is thick.
5. Add salt, pepper, nut-meg.
6. Add squeezed spinach. Mix well. Continue cooking in low heat for 3-4 minutes. Serve.

Celery with Carrots

Ingredients

• 3 celery roots, cut into 1 cm. slices
• 1 celery stalk with young leaves, cut into large pieces
• 3 - 4 carrots, peeled and chopped into rounds
• 1 lemon, juice
• 2 oranges, juice
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 Tbs oil

Directions

1. In a large pan arrange the slices of celery roots in a layer.
2. On top of them, arrange chopped carrots , celery stalk and leaves.
3. Add lemon and orange juice.
4. Add salt, sugar and oil.
5. Cook on medium heat until celery is crisp and tender.

Spinach and Beans

Ingredients

• 2 kg fresh spinach, cooked , drained and squeezed OR  2 C frozen spinach, drained and squeezed
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 Tbs tomato paste or tomato sauce
• 1/2 lemon , juice
• 1/2 C water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 can cooked beans  OR 1 C cooked white beans or chick-peas, drained

Directions

1. Cut the spinach into about 2 cm squares.
2. Cook onion in oil until light brown
3. Add tomato sauce or tomato paste, water, beans, spinach and salt.
4. Put the lid, cook covered for about 5 minutes.
5. Add the lemon juice.

Green Beans with Tomato Sauce

ngredients

• 1 kg green beans
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3 fresh tomatoes diced
• 1 Tbs crushed tomatoes 
• 1 tsp salt 
• 4 Tbs oil
• 1 1/2 C water

Directions

1. Wash and drain  beans. Remove both ends and cut along the sides with a knife to remove the strings of  beans.
2. Put  oil in a large pan and cook  chopped onions until light brown.
3. Add  beans, fresh tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, sugar and salt.
4. Pour in 1 1/2 C of warm water.
5. Put  lid and cook on low heat for about 30 minutes, until beans are tender. (In the pressure cooker cook for 7 minutes with less water)
6. If needed add more water while it cooks. 
7. Place in a service plate.

White Beans with Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 C white beans
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 carrot ,cut into small cubes (optional)
• 4 Tbs oil
• 2 - 3 tomatoes or 2 Tbs tomato paste
• 1 C tomato juice
• 1 C water and 1 Tbs chicken or beef soup mix, or 1 C meat stock  ( If it is needed you can add more liquid)
• 1 tsp salt

Directions

1. Soak beans overnight in water.
2. Rinse once more and drain them. (Don't use the water in which  beans were soaked.)
3. Put beans in a large pan. Cover with water, cook on medium heat until tender.
4. Drain  beans.
5. Cook onions, and (carrot optional) in oil until lightly brown.
6. Add  peeled and chopped tomatoes or tomato paste and tomato juice.
7. Add water with 1 Tbs soup mix or meat stock.
8. Add drained beans.
9. Cover and cook on low heat for 15 minutes.
10. Add salt.
11. Serve with rice.

Rice with Vermicelli

Ingredients

• 1 C basmati rice
• 3 Tbs oil 
• 2 C water
• 1/4 C vermicelli
• 1 tsp salt   

Directions

1. Wash the rice several times until water comes out clean. Then drain it.
2. Put the oil in a pot and fry the vermicelli until light brown. Try not to burn.
3. Add hot water and salt. Bring to a boil.
4. Add the drained rice. Stir well. When the liquid starts to bobble stir once more.Make the heat very low.
5. Put the lid on and cook until rice absorbes all the liquid.
6. Don't stir the rice while cooking.
7. Take the pot away from the heat.
8. Open the lid and place a clean kitchen towel or a paper towel across the top of the pot on the rim and return the lid on it.
9. Let the rice stand for a while. Then serve.

Note: You can prepare simple white rice omitting the fried vermicelli. You boil the water and cook the rice as indicated.

FOR RICE WITH TOMATOES

1. You take 3 - 4 tomatoes. You take off the skins and chop them.
2. Put the oil in a pan. Add the chopped tomatoes. Stir well, cook for 2 - 3 minutes.
3. Add the water and cook as indicated for the rice above.