Welcome!

My name is Kate and I am more than happy to be your host during this healthy gourmet experience. 

    In 2020, I decided to found Bet You’re Hungry as an attempt to share my journey to good health with all of you, and meanwhile, to try and bring you plenty of the greatest international dishes right into your kitchen without you even crossing the border! Isn’t that exciting?

    And also, did you know that healthy food can be as tasty and drooling as any fast food that we go to for an instant pleasure? Trust me, it can be even tastier!

    But before we start our foodies-community-hang-out, let me give you a deeper insight regarding the purpose and goals of this blog. That way you will get to know what is in here for you, and what can you expect from Bet You’re Hungry in the nearest future.

    1. Why are my recipes HEALTHY?

    My purpose is to experiment and create versatile recipes that are based on the following principles:

    • No white flour (White flour is made from the starch of the grain and contains very few nutrients inherited from it. Additional chemical processes that turn grain into white flour lead to the formation of Alloxan, a substance used to induce diabetes. Therefore, I use wholemeal flour from these types: barley, sputum, buckwheat, and rye flour. The value of wholemeal flour is in the rich nutritional composition of whole grains. While the white flour is obtained by grinding only the endosperm – the central starchy part of the grain, the wholemeal flour is obtained by grinding the whole grain husk, endosperm, and stump. The white flour is rich in processed carbohydrates that significantly slow down the metabolism and cause an increase in blood sugar, while the wholemeal flour regulates and balances blood sugar levels).
    • No cooking yeast (There are some scientific claims that consuming yeast can stimulate the growth of candida in the body, and in addition, the refined white flour used in combination with yeast is rich in carbohydrates that feed the candida. For the purpose of baking with wholemeal flours, we do not need yeast, therefore, I am not using it in my recipes).
    • No regular pasta (I use only wholemeal pasta and not regular pasta for the same reason because of which I do not use white flour. The wholemeal pasta, as well as the wholemeal flour, contains many nutrients such as B vitamins, antioxidants, fiber that reduces appetite, protein, and healthy fats).
    • No white sugar (White sugar should not be considered a food but a purely chemical substance extracted from plant sources, such as sugar cane or sugar beet. In the extraction process, all protein fibers and about 90% of the nutrients are removed. Refined white sugar produces alkaline reactions that remove almost all vitamins. This sugar brings only short-term energy and absolutely nothing good. As a substitute, I use fructose ingested through honey or fruit which are actually unprocessed foods, and unlike other sugars, it does not cause an immediate rise or fall in blood glucose and is therefore considered an ingredient that has a low glycemic index – recommended for diabetics. Sometimes we use brown sugar in places where fructose can not be used but in very small amounts. Anyway, the brown sugar is much less processed than the white one, therefore it is always a better option).
    • Minimal amounts of salt (The salt we use is sodium chloride. This product increases the risk of a number of cardiovascular diseases. Refined salt causes a number of harmful side effects in people who consume it regularly. Consuming too much salt can also cause high blood pressure. Therefore, I tend to use it in very small amounts, as there is no substitute for it, and the only thing that we can do is season our food with many other spices that will make us less salt-needy).
    • No pork meat or pork grease (Pork is a fatty product with high energy value. Consumption of pork can lead to accelerated weight gain, the formation of cholesterol plaques on the walls of blood vessels, and the development of atherosclerosis. This meat is oversaturated with growth hormones. Excessive intake of this compound in the human body along with food leads to the development of inflammatory and hypertrophic processes. Also, while preserving our health, because of this all of my recipes are obtaining the halal standard. As substitutes for this meat, I use chicken, beef, fish, or turkey).
    • Significantly reduced use of processed meat – sausages and salami (Processed meat contains salt, nitrates, and other additives that help reduce the heart’s ability to pump blood and contribute to various heart diseases. Тhat’s why I mostly use unprocessed meat, which I process only by simmering, boiling, or roasting).
    • No chips, or other unhealthy snacks (These are artificial fats that are added to a particular food to extend its shelf life. Most often and in large quantities, they are present in chips, margarine, store-bought cookies, various snacks, donuts. The consequences of these acids are an increase in the level of harmful cholesterol and a decrease in good cholesterol. The risk of heart disease and stroke increases and blood flow becomes more difficult. This is why I use only healthy, home-made snacks, and I use butter instead of margarine).
    • Significantly reduced use of sunflower oil (Sunflower oil is rich in omega-6 fatty acids as well as it is the white flour, and these acids are needed to some extent in our body, but we must not overdo with those acids, especially if the intake of omega-3 fatty acids is low. As omega-3 acids are contained in fish (fish contains both types of fatty acids), chia seeds, and nuts, it is the imbalance between those two groups of fatty acids that is considered to be the main cause of many modern diseases. I know it’s hard to change beliefs about all this, but it’s still worth considering. Sunflower oil may be cheaper than other oils, but should it be the only criterion when choosing cooking oil? Instead, I use butter, olive oil (extra virgin), or grapeseed oil (it contains omega-9 fatty acids too, beside omega-3 and omega-6). The olive oil contains a real treasure trove of natural antioxidants in the form of polyphenolic compounds and tocopherols, as well as a high percentage of oleic acid. However, I am careful not to cook with it at a temperature higher than 200 degrees and use it mainly for salads. At least today it is easy to bake and simmer without or with a little oil thanks to good dishes intended for that purpose).
    • Minimal use of carbonated beverages – significantly reduced intake of аrtificial sweeteners E420, E421, E950, or E970 (We eat them every time we eat “sugar-free” products. Carbonated drinks, vitamins in the form of candy, fruit yogurts, multivitamin juices, store-bought pudding, and some store-bought sauces. Instead of all of this, I tend to make my own home-made sauces, spreads, drinks, and energy-boosting snacks).

    You read all of that!? Well, good for you! We are already on the same team. Just remember, one can never be too young to be unconsidered regarding his own health. And I believe that the food we consume today is the investment that we make for the purpose to get to live a long and active life. But hey, don’t be fooled into thinking that I never eat unhealthy foods. I do it sometimes but I tend to do it very rarely. That is actually the message that I want to share with this blog: the sweet-life deal get those who practice balanced food intake, but yet with a greater focus on the usage of healthy ingredients (vegetables, fruits, eggs, seeds, tea, yogurt, black chocolate instead of regular, nuts, less fried food, etc.)

    2. Are these recipes budget-friendly?


    In my opinion, healthy food intake is more costly than the other only in countries where fresh fruits and vegetables are more expensive than the other food. But in all cases, yes, healthy ingredients are definitely cheaper than the money we would, unfortunately, give to drugs in the future if we do not pay attention to our diet.

    The ingredients can be budget friendly in these two cases:

    • if one cooks regularly with healthy food supplies, meaning if he or she makes the best of the ingredients’ usage (also, these type of ingredients last for a longer time than others because they keep us full for a longer time)
    • additionally, with a proper weekly shopping and cooking plan (free customized weekly meal plans will be soon available on this blog), you will make sure that this food-consuming art is absolutely worthwhile.
    • I hope that this site will grow into a large resource for natural cooking and creative recipes made of nutritive ingredients, so you will be able to come here whenever you want, find that recipe that makes you mouth-watering, and have fun while adopting that healthy lifestyle that you always wished for. If you don’t want to miss any of my new recipes, you can subscribe to my weekly newsletter, and I will make sure that you get the latest recipes right in your inbox.

    last but not least, I love to hear from readers! Please leave a comment, send me an email, or find me on social media. And if you make a recipe-let me know how it turns out or snap a picture, share it on Instagram or on Facebook, and tag my Instagram page @bet.you.are.hungy or use the tag #betyouarehungry so I can share your joy 🙂

    Once again, I am so glad that you are here!