All posts filed under: Kitchen

sunny side salad

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As the weather is warming up, my warm soup lunches are turning into colorful salad picnics outside. This simple salad works on it’s own or as a side dish. It’s crunchy, it’s sweet and it’s summery! Here is what you’ll need: 3 medium sized carrots 2 ribs of celery a handful of radishes 2 tbsp of sesame seeds a generous handful of seeds (sun flower & pumpkin) a handful of raisins juice of half a lemon and juice of half an orange extra virgin olive oil to taste (1-2 tbsp) Wash, peel and grate the carrots into a bowl. Wash and chop the celery into slices, wash & slice the radishes. Throw in the rest of the ingredients and give it a good mix. This recipe is enough for 2 people, or 4 if used as as side salad.

sweet liquorice toffee

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As a Finn I love liquorice, especially salt liquorice. There were times we could’ve spoken about an addiction, but luckily living abroad with no regular access to my favorite drug, I have gradually gotten rid of this habit and liquorice has become an occational treat. On my recent trip up north I got some liquorice root powder with an experiment in mind; Would it be possible to produce my own, healthier liquorice treats? After some thought and experiments, I can now share my first liquorice sweets recipe with you other liquorice lovers! Sweet Liquorice Toffee 1 dl organic honey 0,5 dl blackstrap molasses 3 heaping table spoons of liquorice root powder 1 teaspoon ground star anis 1 dl natural peanut butter (or use almond/cashew butter for a more neutral taste) 0,5 dl almond milk (or oat milk) 1 tbsp psyllium husk half a tsp ground vanilla pinch of salt (fleur de sel) Mix all ingredients in a saucepan and cook over low heat for 5-10 minutes stirring constantly. You will notice the paste becoming more elastic …

nutty breakfast bars

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I always avoided commercial breakfast bars as they usually have a lot of hidden sugars and other unnecessary ingredients in them, even the ones with the word “healthy” or a picture of a slim female figure on them. Again, homemade is better. These easy-to-make breakfast bars make an energy-boosting breakfast, but they work equally well as an afternoon snack. Did I mention that they taste gorgeous? Well they do! Nutty Breakfast Bars 4 dl rolled oats 2 dl nuts & seeds (I used walnuts, cashew nuts, pecan nuts & sunflower seeds) 200 g pitted dates 0,5 dl honey 0,5 dl natural peanut butter vanilla & cinnamon to taste Soak the dates for 30 minutes and while waiting, heat the oven to 175c and toast the oats in the oven on a parchment covered baking tray for about 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle some vanilla powder & cinnamon on the oats once they are out of the oven. Turn off the oven, mix the honey & peanut butter in an oven proof bowl and let them melt in the remaining …

Green Soup – Broccoli & Co.

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No better day to Go Green than today. Happy Saint Patrick’s Day, here’s a simple green soup for a healthier liquid fuel to get you through the celebrations. Main ingredients are broccoli, fennel and celery and it’s ready in 15 minutes. Broccoli, Fennel and Celery Soup 2 medium broccoli heads, washed & cut into florets 2 small fennel bulbs, washed & cut into pieces 1 stalk of celery, washed & cut into pieces 1 yellow onion, peeled & chopped 1-2 cloves of garlic, peeled & chopped 1 vegetable stock cube black pepper salt to taste 1 tbsp organic butter water In a large saucepan melt the butter and throw in the onion. Simmer over medium heat for a minute or two, then add the garlic and stir for another minute. Add the broccoli, fennel and celery into the saucepan, cover with water and mix in the vegetable stock. Turn the heat up and bring to boil. Let the soup boil for about 10-15 minutes, occasionally stirring, until the vegetables start to soften. Mix in a blender …

raw berry cheesecake

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It’s only since I got into raw dessert-making that I fell in love with “baking”. Before I rarely bothered to bake fluffy muffins or death-by-chocolate brownies, but now I’m more and more into sweet things. The great thing is that these recipes are easy to make, actually good for you and don’t give that sugar-high followed by regret like those brownies and cakes so often do. So, here is my first cake recipe, which is sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free and if you substitute the honey with agave syrup or another sweetener, it’s 100% vegan too. I hope you enjoy it. Base 1 dl almond powder (or peeled almonds) 2 dl pecan nuts 1 dl coconut flakes (unsweetened) 16 dates (soaked for at least 4 hours) pinch of salt Using a food processor, mix all the ingredients into a thick paste (I used my Jazzmax juicer which has a function for turning nuts & dates into a paste). Press the mix firmly and evenly into a springform cake pan and put it into the freezer. Next, make …

Why Choose Organic?

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I highly value organic, pure and real food that is prepared from scratch with love. This is why I eat less and less in restaurants, why I’m willing to compromise on other expenditures and why I’m inspired to browse at markets or spend hours in the kitchen experimenting. But what is organic food and what makes it so amazing? There are many definitions for organic agriculture but according to FAO it is “a system that relies on ecosystem management rather than external agricultural inputs. It considers potential environmental and social impacts by eliminating the use of synthetic inputs, such as synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, veterinary drugs, genetically modified seeds and breeds, preservatives, additives and irradiation. These are replaced with site-specific management practices that maintain and increase long-term soil fertility and prevent pest and diseases.” 1. Your Body is Your Temple While research results on the health benefits of organic fruit and vegetables have been contradictory, the benefits for the environment (below) are numerous. And by using our common sense, it’s not difficult to conclude that we’re …

raspberry white chocolate bars – raw recipe

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Happy Women’s Day everyone. Here is a raw white chocolate bar recipe for every sweet tooth. And it takes just a moment to make (and a little more time to freeze, but they’re so worth the wait)! 1,5 dl melted raw organic cocoa butter 3 dl organic coconut flakes 2 generous tbsp cashew nut paste 4 tbsp organic honey 1/4 tsp ground vanilla a few freeze dried raspberries, crushed Melt the cocoa butter over steam, pour into a blender together with the coconut flakes. Blend until a paste forms. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the raspberries and blend again. Pour the mixture into chocolate molds or into a square baking dish lined with parchment. Sprinkle the raspberries on top. Freeze for a couple of hours and take out 5 minutes before cutting into pieces and serving. Yum!

parsley pesto

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For a long time I wasn’t a big fan of parsley. I have to admit that this green garnish was often left on the side of my plate after dinner, but little by little I’ve made friends with parsley and this pesto recipe makes it finally easy to love! It’s ready in minutes and delicious on pizza or pasta, as a salad dressing, sprinkled over some roasted vegetables or on your favorite veggie burger. You can try adding some to your bread dough or use it as a spread on sandwiches. 1 big bundle of fresh parsley (rinsed and ends of the stalks cut of) 1-2 tbsp pine nuts 1-2 cloves of garlic (depending on how much you love garlic) 1 dl extra virgin olive oil a squeeze of lemon juice salt, freshly ground pepper and thyme to taste Chop the parsley into smaller pieces. Chop the garlic into pieces as well. In a blender blend the parsley, pine nuts, garlic and the olive oil. Add the lemon juice and spices and mix well. Store in the fridge …

raw brownies

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I’ve been having a serious sweet tooth lately, so these brownies disappeared pretty quickly. They’re so rich and sweet that it’s hard to believe they’re sugar-free, raw and very easy to make. Enjoy with a good conscience! 200g pitted dates (soaked in warm water for 30 min – 1 h) 2,5 dl crushed pecan nuts 0,5 dl almond powder 5 tbsp raw cacao powder 5 tbsp coconut flakes 1/4 tsp vanilla powder 2 tbsp organic honey a pinch of fleur de sel sea salt – Whipped coconut cream & raspberries for decoration – Process the dates in a food processor into a paste. Add the finely crushed pecan nuts and almond powder, mix into a thick sticky paste. Add all other ingredients and mix well. Add a little bit of water if your paste is too thick. Line a square baking dish with parchment and press the paste into it, tapping it with your fingers to form a thick, solid layer. Refrigerate for at least one hour before cutting into portions and serving with whipped coconut …