Today started slow… and stayed that way. I finally sat down to reply to all your lovely comments — something I hadn’t managed to do for the past five days. It took quite a while to go through them all and answer each one, but it felt so nice to catch up. By 2 p.m., … More Vacation Day 6: Slow & Sweet
What a magical celebration we had! 🌿☀️ Let’s start with Linna’s Rhubarb pie, it was delicious. You can find the recipe here: Perfect Rhubarb custard pie. Yesterday we welcomed Līgo night with what might have been the biggest bonfire we’ve ever made – seriously, it was huge! Flames reaching high into the sky, sparks dancing in … More Our Līgo and Jāņi – Bonfire, Tradition, and Trout!
The scent of blooming meadows, bonfires waiting to be lit, flower crowns drying on the table, and songs quietly echoing from a speaker in the kitchen… It’s almost Jāņi, and we’re getting ready in the most traditional way we know. One of the first things on my list each year is Jāņu siers – that … More Latvian Midsummer Cheese
The weather is absolutely terrible today – cold, wet, windy, and grey. You know, the kind of day that feels like time has jumped backwards into late November. I kept looking out the window, hoping for at least a patch of sunlight, but nope… just drizzle and clouds all day long. Solstice? Sure – but … More Homemade Cinnamon-Roasted Almonds in 15 Minutes
This weekend was supposed to be about unwrapping memories. And it was—but not quite the way I expected. Among the many boxes we brought back from storage, there was one I was especially excited to open: my vintage German porcelain from Seltmann Weiden. I bought that set during my mom’s 60th birthday party—the one we … More Let’s Talk About Weekend or Seltmann Weiden Service
In my previous post, I shared how cottage cheese pie is one of my ultimate comfort foods, tied to childhood memories and family celebrations. If you missed that, read it here: https://latvianmom.com/2025/01/14/kissel-and-cottage-cheese-pie-a-taste-of-childhood/ Now, I’d love to share a simple recipe to bring this delicious treat to your kitchen. This version is close to the one … More Cottage Cheese Pie Recipe: A Slice of Nostalgia
The Latvian Yellow Split Pea Purée holds a special place in the author’s heart, evoking memories of childhood comfort and warmth. Served with bacon and onion sauce or simply sautéed onions, this traditional dish is a cherished favorite. The recipe, accompanied by creative leftover ideas, offers a nostalgic and satisfying culinary experience. … More Latvian Yellow Split Pea Purée
Did you know that cauliflower is much delicious in season and grown locally and organically? Yes, it is! I love cauliflowers only when they are in season. If they are imported from Poland or Spain they have a sharp and bitter taste. Not all in this family love cauliflower. I need to think about kids proof … More Cheesy Cauliflower Egg Bake
This year’s one of the biggest discoveries: Delicious Milk-Cap can be eaten right away after picking, don’t need to be preboiled and soak in water for few days! Nice! I was a bit afraid to taste it at first cause my family never ate Delicious Milk-cap fried. In our family, only mushrooms from the forest for … More Fried Delicious Milk-Cap
After googling I should call this cake Russian Honey Cake. Well… Let it be! Russian Honey Cake is one of my favorite cakes to make! It’s delicious, paper-thin layers with easy cream filling and the best part – you can bake it few days before assemble and assemble the day before the occasion. Also, the cream (a.k. frosting … More Delicious Honey Cake
One of my summer time favorite light and delicious lunch in 15 minutes (including those few minutes, I spend running to the garden to get zucchinis). One thing you should know about zucchini is that they keep cooking after you take them off the pan. Make sure you take the zucchini off the pan before you … More Pan Fried Zucchini Slices
Cauliflower rice. It’s easy and tasty. Easy! Tasty! And even kids love this recipe! Well, what else you need? Healthy? Yes, it’s a cauliflower! Recipe of easy & tasty & kids friendly & healthy and quick cauliflower rice is below. I hope you will find the place for this recipe in your kitchen too. Since … More Cauliflower Rice with Pork Mince
Blueberries! I love them! We are eating them every day since the first ones showed up. Most popular recipes in our house right now are: Blueberry dessert with quark cream; Wide Blueberry & Spinach Smoothie We are eating blueberries fresh to get most of them but this time it’s time for tea and muffins! Girls … More Blueberry & Lemon muffins
It’s blueberry season here in Latvia and we’ve been eating loads of wild blueberries! We add blueberries to smoothies or eat them with quark/ricotta and whipped cream. Since it’s Sunday and we have visitors it’s time for cobbler. Perfect, easy to make and delicious wild blueberry cobbler. Recipe below. Ilze
I love smoothies and this one is in season right now :). I would love to say “local” but I love to add a banana for creaminess, so it’s automatically not local anymore. Ilze
While all my mind is on the renovation and painting simple recipes is all I’m making for my family. Pasta is most wanted food but beans with minced pork is another good option that everyone loves. We eat it with sour cream. Recipe below. Ilze
Rosebay willowherb (FireWeed) or Ivan Chai. Ivan Chai is a delicious & caffeine free tea that is made from fermented rosebay willowherb. This year for the first time I made this tea by myself. The first package of Ivan Chai I got from the family friends 2 years ago. Since that, I don’t have green tea … More Ivan Chai (Fermented Rosebay WillowHerb) recipe
My Mom used to make Pončiki when I was a little girl. Since the rain isn’t stopping here in Latvia decide to make Pončiki for my little girls. After a short call to my Mom and a half of hour, I had a full bowl of freshly fried Pončiki. Golden brown and delicious. Crunchy from the outside and fluffy … More Ponchiki (Quark Donuts)
These savory potato pancakes are from my brother’s girlfriend Ilona. Love them so much she backed them twice in two day time. If I ask more she will back again, I guess! I never ate such a tasty savory potato pancakes. I have to share the recipe. Wich is approximate! I have no need to bake … More Savory potato pancakes
One day I realize that I can’t eat bread that has yeast in it. So now I have to bake my own bread and guess what, this bread is the most delicious seed bread that I have ever tasted. And it’s easy to make. You don’t have to knead it and don’t have to wait … More Yeast free quick pumpkin bread
We like savory breakfast better than sweet. Only Sundays are sweet thanks to pancakes. And even on Sundays, we start with bread and cheese or something savory and then ends up with delicious pancakes. Today we had veggie breakfast: cauliflower egg bake with cucumber salad. Ilze
This morning Janis called the parents if they can drive girls to kindergarten (they are living 800m from us and working in town, too, it’s not like they have to go completely different direction for us). Janis had to work till 3:30 am (this is what you get if you are in IT!). So… I opened … More One pot pasta with smoked sausages & cheese
As you know I got my Tagine (I wanted for 3 years!) as a gift. A traditional Moroccan vegetable dish is cooked in Tagine but I wasn’t aiming for Moroccan style I wanted Tagine for slow cooking. With means: less liquid is needed overall and food cooks slowly until completely tender. And you also know that I … More Vegetable Tagine
I love instant noodle meals. BUT. The lack of nutrients and high amounts of salt and saturated fat and several unhealthy ingredients keeps these meals away from my plate. Another issue for me is they are packaged in Styrofoam, which contains a chemical called bisphenol A (BPA), which is known to interfere with how hormones … More Homemade Ramen with Mushrooms & Boiled Eggs
I’ve got half of pumpkin in my fridge this morning. I should make something out of it or it will be wasted. I wanted something satisfying and delicious but without sugar, so the pumpkin puree cookies wasn’t an option. So I made Pumpkin end Lentil cream soup without cream. There is no need to add … More Pumpkin & Lentil soup
This is something that I end up with a few days ago. This dish supposed to be a vegetable risotto… How I ended up with curried Bulgur Pilaf? I listened to myself. Took the carrots out of the fridge.. and onion from an onion basket… then rice…no.. this time I want bulgur.. ok.. how about chickpeas? … More Curried Bulgur Pilaf with chickpea & vegetables
Lentils. I know, I know.. there is more then one kind of lentils out there! Which ones am I using for the soup!? Red. Red!? Yes, red! I don’t know all those kinds of lentils. Lentils don’t grow here in Latvia and I’m not the expert of lentils. Just stick with colours! This recipe is … More Lentil and Tomato Soup
Maca. The first time I heard about Maca was few month ago.. Now I start my day with Mocachino and feel energised. I don’t need coffee anymore. OK, I’m not saying that I quit coffee. Just don’t feel I need it every morning and afternoon. Now I have another recipe. I found this one at … More Maca energy balls
This soup is something I made in late autumn 2016… When friend of us brought us 3 extra large pumpkins and said – I have more! Thank you, Aivars! Now I have few pumpkin recipes for my pumpkin haters to cook. Why am I saying haters? Let me explain… When Janis and I first started to live … More Pumpkin, Napa Cabbage and pasta soup
Macachino. So, what is Macachino (in my family!)? It’s a super drink I choose when I’m not in the mood for coffee… and it happens very often lately! I used to drink coffee two times per day. White american coffee (I didn’t know there is coffee and american coffee until I asked for coffee in Italia) … More Maca & Cacao drink or Macachino
a day in the life of a latvian mom 