Today I would like to share with you the recipe for my favourite soup – Ukrainian borscht. My children like red borscht, but they don't like the Ukrainian version of this soup. It is soup in the "it is good but don't make it again" category . So I prepare Ukrainian borscht when my family is away. Ukrainian borscht is soup prepared with beetroot, potatoes, onion, cabbage, mushrooms and beans. In Ukraine borscht with beans is called czernihowski borscht. You may serve it with sour cream or yoghurt. I like it without them but I add a lot of chopped parsley.

Ingredients (for 4 people):
2 big beetroots
1 carrot
1 parsley root
a piece of celery
1 stem of celery
4-5 potatoes
1 onion
3 cloves of garlic
200g cooked white beans
2 big leaves of savoy cabbage
3 tomatoes
1 tablespoon of tomato concentrate
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
4 dried mushrooms
2 bay leaves
4 allspices
1.5l of meat bouillon
1 tablespoon of butter
salt and pepper
sour cream
chopped dill or parsley

One day after making stuffed cabbage, I had some leftover cabbage. Because I don't like to throw food away I prepared a small portion of stewed cabbage with tomatoes. It was so delicious that the next day I went to the store and I bought another cabbage, so I could make another portion of this dish, this time in the right amount. Stewed savoy cabbage with tomatoes is a dinner dish for me. I serve it with crunchy bread. If I prepare it for lunch, it is best with fresh new potatoes with dill. Choose your favourite sides or eat the cabbage straight from the pot. This is the way my husband likes it the most.

Ingredients:
1 savoy cabbage
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
150g of smoked bacon
250g of sausages
1l of vegetable bouillon
2-3 tablespoons of tomato concentrate
1 bay leaf
2 allspices
salt and pepper

Probably like most Poles I do shopping in Ikea. I like the Scandinavian practicality of their solutions, especially for small flats, as well as the different systems of storing things. I don't go to Ikea "for a walk", but for a specific reason. However, I always go to the restaurant for meatballs. We all love them, so when I found a cookery book with a recipe for these treats I decided to make the dish in my kitchen. I served them with bulgur and home-made cranberry confiture. It was excellent. I recommend it!

Ingredients:
500g of minced meat
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
3-4 tablespoons of breadcrumbs
1 egg
2 pinches of nutmeg
500 ml of bouillon
2-3 tablespoons of flour
2 tablespoons of oil
2 tablespoons of French mustard
2 tablespoons of soya sauce
200ml of 30% sweet cream
salt and pepper

I think all children love spaghetti. My children also like it, but they both favour different kinds. Just like me, my daughter loves spaghetti, so she eats with pleasure all kinds of sauce. My son is much pickier, and he likes only spaghetti Bolognese. I like it too, but how often can we eat the same meal, even it is our favourite and very yummy? Today, like a true woman, I couldn't decide and just changed the dish a little bit. I made traditional Bolognese sauce, but I added lentils instead of minced meat. My children like this new dish and the plates were licked clean. That's how I like it!

Ingredients (for 2 people)
100g of green lentils
500ml of passata
1 shallot
2 cloves of garlic
1 chili pepper
1 stem of celery
1 red pepper
250ml of bouillon
1 teaspoon of oregano
1/2 teaspoon of sweet paprika
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 tablespoons of parmesan of vegetarian parmesan
salt and pepper

Did you know that there are over 400 types of beans? They are a source of calcium, phosphorus and potassium. They also have soluble fibre, which helps remove surplus cholesterol from your organism. After soya and peas, beans are the third largest source of protein, so they are a good substitute for meat. Beans are unfortunately stodgy, so they are not recommended for little kids, elderly people and those with intestinal problems. Today I have a proposition of stew with beans and mushrooms. It is delicious, but not great if you're on a diet; but once in a while we can have a treat, can't we?

Ingredients:
300g of beans
200g of oyster mushrooms
250g of mushrooms
1 small onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon of butter
1 teaspoon of marjoram
½ teaspoon of thyme
½ teaspoon of caraway seeds
salt and pepper