Saffron scones with coconut yoghurt and fresh fig compote

Saffron scones with coconut yoghurt and fresh fig compote 

Makes 10 scones

Scones

4 dl oat flour 

3 dl buckwheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 

1 tbsp potato starch 

1 tsp himalayan salt

1/2 gram pure saffron, ground 

1/2 dl organic raisins (or dried organic apricots, cut in to small pieces)

75 g cold pressed olive oil

3 dl oat yoghurt 

Fig compote

8 fresh green figs 

1/2 organic orange, freshly squeezed juice + zest 

1 tbsp honey 

1 tsp chia seeds (optional, for a thicker consistency)

1 pinch pure vanilla powder 

To serve

coconut yoghurt 

fresh figs 

How to

Scones: Pre heat to oven to 225 degrees Celsius. Mix the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix oil and oat yoghurt, add to the dry mixture and combine quickly with a wooden spoon, the mixture should be quite sticky. 

Form in to 10 small scones, dredge with a bit of oat flour and put on a baking sheet. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 10-12 minutes, until scones are slightly golden and crisp on the top.

Fig compote: Wash and quarter the figs. Zest and squeeze the orange, put all the ingredients in a small saucepan and cook on medium heat until a compote, stirring all the time to avoid burning. 

Serve scones freshly baked with coconut yoghurt and fig compote. 

Happy holidays and lots of love! 

Recipe from a spread for Swedish food magazine Allt om Mat winter 2016. Photo by Jonny Lindh.

Favourite cracker spreads

Seed cracker is one of my big obsessions. It's a staple in my kitchen and I make a batch every other week to make sure I always have some at home. I like them with a creamy avocado and sprouts for breakfast, as a side to a hearty salad or delicious soup, as a nibble during a party or just as they are. Nutty, crispy and yummy. No matter when they are served a creamy spread goes very well with them. And creamy spreads is just what this blog post is about. 

These two are easy to make, contains lots of nutrition and flavour AND can be stored in the fridge for quite a few days. Make a big batch and keep some for upcoming breakfasts, lunches, afternoon snack moments and dinners. Except from having the spreads on a crispy cracker they could also be served to a hearty salad or in your favourite wrap. 

* The cracker above is "Oat and walnut cracker" from my cookbook The new green salad.

Pea and cilantro hummus

250 grams green peas 

2 tbsp tahini (I prefer the light one here, made of raw sesame seeds instead of toasted) 

1/2 dl water 

1 big handful of fresh cilantro 

1/2 dl cold pressed olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

fresh or dried cilantro for garnishing 

Carrot and tarragon hummus

4 dl/320 grams cooked chickpeas

250 grams cooked/steamed/baked carrots

2 tbsp tahini (I prefer the light one here, made of raw sesame seeds instead of toasted) 

1/2 dl water

1 small garlic clove, minced  

1 tsp dried tarragon

2 tbsp cold pressed olive oil

salt and pepper to taste 

sesame seeds + cold pressed olive oil for garnishing  

How to

Green pea and cilantro hummus: Mix water and tahini until creamy using an immersion blender or food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until creamy. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with cilantro before serving. 

Carrot and tarragon hummus: Mix water and tahini until creamy using an immersion blender or food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the olive oil, and mix until creamy. Add the oil and mix to combine. Salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving. 

DONE! 

Butternut squash chia pudding with apple compote

There are a few kitchen tools that I cannot be without. My knifes, my immersion blender and my mandoline. And then there are the ones that I would rather (really) not be without - like my food processor and high speed blender. Cooking gets even more fun when you have good conditions! Anyhow, I now have a new friend in the kitchen - one of those tools that make the cooking even more fun, creative and let you discover a bunch of new things you can do - especially when it comes to plant based food. I'm talking about my new dear slow juicer that I got from kitchen store Bagaren och Kocken in Gothenburg.

The brilliant thing about a slow juicer (which crushes the ingredients and then presses them through a fine mesh strainer which further more preserves most of the enzymes and nutrition - good thing) is that you can extract both vitamins and fibers from not only bigger fruits and vegetables but also from leafy greens, herbs and nuts. Imagine adding that to your breakfast, lunch, afternoon smoothie or dessert! Or how easy it could be making a batch of super nutritious turmeric and ginger shots.  

As I love vegetables I've been experimenting and been slow juicing other things than the obvious fruits. As it's winter squash and pumpkin season I wanted to use them in a new way. The thing is, when I have my "Thess food talks" I often talk about discovering other areas of use for your favourite vegetables then the most obvious ones. That's how I came up with this recipe - a savoury and seasonal chia pudding made from slow juiced butternut squash! 

Butternut squash chia pudding with apple compote

Makes two bowls 

Ingredients

4 tbsp chia seeds

2 dl freshly slow juiced butternut squash 

1 dl water 

1 dl coconut milk

1 tsp ground cinnamon 

1/2 tsp ground cardamom

1/2 tbsp ground turmeric 

1/2 tbsp ground ginger

2 pinches ground cloves 

1 tbsp honey (use maple syrup for a vegan option) - optional, for a sweeter touch  

Topping

1 sweet winter apple 

1 tbsp cold pressed coconut oil

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 

oat yoghurt 

pecans 

dried pomegranate seeds

semi ground pepitas 

fresh mint 

How to

Peel the butternut squash, scrape out the seeds and cut the squash in to smaller pieces. Put in your slow juicer. Whisk together 2 dl of the smooth juice (save the squash flesh and use as a base for delicious veggie patties, stay tuned for that recipe next week!) with the rest of the ingredients for the chia pudding. Let sit for about 30 minutes until creamy. Stir half way through to avoid clumps.  

Wash and cut the apple in half, remove seeds and cut in to smaller pieces. Fry on medium heat in coconut oil and cinnamon until soft. You might want to add a splash of water if gets to dry. 

Divide the chia pudding in two serving bowls. Top with a dollop of oat yoghurt, the apple compote and your choice of dried fruit, berries and nuts/seeds. I used pecans, dried pomegranate seeds and semi ground pepitas. Garnish with fresh mint.

Enjoy! 

Berry smoothie and coconut chia bowl with granola

This is not only breakfast art, but also a great flavour and texture combination. The smooth berry smoothie together with the creamy chia pudding plus the crunchy granola! During weekends when a have a bit more time I love to make this for breakfast or brunch, sometimes I even serve it as a dessert! Also, one last thing before I'll let you run off to the kitchen to start mixing, try using other berries than raspberries for variation - any berry works just as fine! 

Smoothie and coconut chia bowl with granola

Makes 2 bowls

Smoothie

1 ripe avocado 

1 green banana, cut in pieces and frozen 

2 dl frozen raspberries 

2 tbsp nut milk

1 fresh date, pitted 

Coconut chia pudding

1 dl coconut milk

1 dl water 

2 tbsp chia seeds 

A good pinch of pure vanilla powder 

Granola

4 dl seeds/nuts/grains (rolled oats/pumpkin seeds/sunflower seeds/hazelnuts)

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tbsp cardamom 

1 tsp pure vanilla powder

1 good pinch Himalayan salt

1 dl water

2 tbsp cold pressed coconut oil

3 fresh dates, pitted

1 dl toasted coconut flakes

2 tbsp cacao nibs 

1 dl dried berries/fruits (raisins/blueberries/goji berries)

How to

Whisk together all the ingredients for the coconut chia pudding. Let sit for about 30 minutes until creamy. Stir half way through to avoid clumps. 

Mix all the ingredients for the smoothie in a mixer until smooth. 

Divide smoothie and chia pudding in to two bowls. Top with granola and freeze dried berries 

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius. Mix your choice of seeds/nuts/grains (I used a mix of chopped hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, rolled oats), cinnamon, cardamom, pure vanilla powder and a good pinch of Himalayan salt in a mixing bowl.

Bring water, oil and dates to a boil. Let simmer for 1 minute. Mix until completely smooth using a hand blender. Add to the mixing bowl and mix everything together using a wooden spoon until every bit gets covered. Spread out on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until crispy and golden, stirring every now and then, for about 30 minutes.

Let cool. Add 1 dl toasted coconut flakes + cacao nibs + your choice of dried berries/fruits (I used goji berries + raisins).

White bean dip with mushrooms and herb pesto

Sometimes simplicity is what makes a dish (big or small) really good. Like with this recipe. A simple white bean dip, topped with some pan fried mushrooms, a delicious yet simple pesto and a handful of mâche lettuce for some extra freshness. Together with some seed crackers or crisp bread from my cookbook The new green salad this is really YUMMY! 

I would serve this as a starter, as a side to any dinner or as a great part of a weekend brunch with family and friends! Or, as I will do later today, as a light evening snack. You can also make a big batch and store some of it in the fridge, then you have the perfect spread to your breakfast crisp bread or filling for a hearty wrap sorted out for the next couple of days. 

Photo by dear Fanny Hansson. 

White bean dip with mushrooms and herb pesto

Serves 2 two as a starter/snack, or 4 as a side

Ingredients

230 g cooked giant white beans (about 4 dl cooked)

2 tbsp tahini 

1/2 dl water 

1/2 cold pressed olive oil

a small handful of fresh tarragon 

250 grams mushrooms of your choice (preferably chanterelles when they're in season!)

70 grams mâche lettuce

flakey salt and freshly ground black pepper 

Herb pesto

1 1/2 dl cold pressed olive oil

1 small garlic clove, minced

2 dl mixed fresh herbs

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

flakey salt and freshly ground black pepper 

To serve

seed crackers or oat crisp bread (recipe in my book The new green salad) 

cabbage (really nice to cut in pieces, similar to the size of a cracker) or endive

How to

Soak and cook the white beans according to instructions on the packaning (PLAN & PREP. Make a big batch if you're in the making and keep some of it in the fridge for salads, dips or soups fillings during the next few days. Or even put them in the freezer, in small bags, for other occasions through out the next weeks). If using pre cooked beans rinse them well. Mix tahini and water in a food processor until smooth and fluffy. And the white beans and mix until smooth. Add the oil, lemon juice and tarragon. Mix until completely smooth. Salt and pepper to taste.   

Brush and cut the mushrooms in quarters. Drizzle some oil in a frying pan and fry the mushrooms on medium heat until soft and lightly golden. 

Mix all the ingredients for the herb pesto in a food processor or immersion blender. Add more oil for a runnier texture. Salt and pepper to taste. 

Put the white bean dip in a bowl, top with mushrooms, drizzle some herb pesto and top with a handful of mâche. Serve with some seed crackers, cabbage or endive! 

Green super smoothie with fennel and buckwheat

I really like smoothies. Smoothies that are filled with vitamins, minerals and fibres - and feels like a proper meal. I always blend my smoothies in a high speed blender, instead of only juicing, as that makes my smoothies even more nutritious - plus it gives them a nice and quite thick but still smooth texture which I like! This green super smoothies is made of not only fruits (which tastes very yum, but isn't very good when you want a proper meal) but lots of veggies too!! Thats the recipe for a filling smoothie. 

Whenever I start my mornings at location when styling I always bring a smoothie just like this one. 

sweet hint of kiwi. 

Photo by photographer Fanny Hansson. 

Green super smoothie with fennel and buckwheat

2 big glasses

Make sure to use organic ingredients, 

Ingredients

1 avokado 

1 green banana 

1 fennel 

1 dl soaked and rinsed buckwheat groats 

2 hand fulls of baby spinach 

1 kiwi 

2 tbs freshly squeezed lime juice (if you've got a high speed blender you might want to add the whole lime, peel and all) 

4 dl water plant based milk of your choice (or water) 

How to

Peel, pit and scoop out the avocado. Peel the banana. Trim of the fennel stalks, plus a little bit at the bottom of the bulb to remove any rough root bits. Rinse the buckwheat. Put all the ingredients in a blender (preferably a high speed one as that will make your smoothie unbelievable smooth!) and blend until creamy. Add extra plant milk for a runnier texture (OR, less if you want to eat it as a smoothie bowl! Then make sure to use frozen banana, and maybe even frozen avocado, for best result), 

Carrot patties with ginger, herbs and drizzled lemon tahini dressing

These little delicious bites are easy to make, filled with nutrition and are really easy to make. They make the perfect finger food for the party, can be served as a satisfying topping on a salad or filling in a wrap. Try flavouring the patties with any herbs you prefer, I used cilantro and parsley is it was the ones I hade on my windowsill. Plus I really like them.

The tahini dressing that I drizzle over right before serving is a twist on one of the favourites from my book The new green salad, and it goes very well with the ginger and cilantro. I've made these patties vegan by using a "chia egg" (which is really 1 part chia seeds + 3 parts hot water, mixed and soaked it takes a texture similar to regular egg), if you prefer to use regular egg a medium one would be just enough. 

These carrot patties will for sure be one of the staples in my fridge this summer. Make a double (or why not triple!) batch, keep some in the fridge and some in the freezer. That will make you settled for a couple of weeks! Hope you like them! 

Photo by Fanny Hansson. 

Carrot patties with ginger, herbs and drizzled lemon tahini dressing

Makes about 20 small patties

Ingredients

7 dl finely grated carrots (about 5 medium carrots) 

2 stalks spring onion 

2 tsp grated fresh ginger 

a big handfull of fresh cilantro 

a big handfull of fresh parsley 

2 dl rolled oats (gluten free if gluten intolerant) 

2 tbsp cold pressed olive oil 

1 tbsp chia seeds + 3 tbsp hot water 

2 pinches mineral salt 

Lemon tahini dressing

1/2 dl light or regular tahini *

zest + freshly squeezed juice from 1 lemon (more to taste)

1/2 a garlic clove 

1/2 - 1 dl water (depending on how thick you want it) 

mineral salt 

How to

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Peel and finely grate the carrots. Thinly slice the spring onions. Scrape away the peel from the ginger using a spoon, then finely grate it. Roughly chop the fresh herbs. 

Put the chia seeds in a small mixing bowl. Bring 1/2 dl water to a boil (don't let it boil for to long as that will make the water evaporate, you only need to make sure the water is hot), pour over the chia seeds, stir and let sit for about 5 minutes until the mixture takes on a jelly like consistency. 

Place carrots, spring onion, ginger and herbs in a mixing bowl. Add oats, olive oil, chia egg and salt. Stir well to combine. Let sit on the kitchen counter for at least 20 minutes to allow the mixture to set, this is important for the patties to hold together - and for getting the lovely texture!  

Form the mixture in to about 20 small patties and put on a baking sheet. Bake in the middle oven the oven for about 15-20 minutes, until patties are firm and edges are a bit crispy. 

Lemon tahini dressing: Mix together all the ingredients until a creamy dressing. Salt to taste. 

Serve patties with the lemon tahini dressing and fresh herbs! 

* There are also the dark tahini, made of roasted sesame seeds. I prefer the lighter one, made of plain sesame seeds, as it has a rounder and more gentle taste to it. 

Oat and carrot bread with hummus, avocado and kale chips

Alright, so this post is really all about my absolute favourite bread in the world; let me present to you my very moist oat and carrot bread packed with nutrients and lots of flavour. Plus it is very easy to make. It’s gluten free, nut free and vegan, so pretty much anyone could enjoy it. I always cut the loaf in slices and put the ones I don't eat straight away in the freezer. That gives me the chance to just take out a slice or two for any occasion I’m craving a healthy slice of bread (which is very often). 

Have a slice for breakfast or the weekend brunch, eat it as a side with you lunch soup or bring as a snack-on-the-go. A couple of slices topped with hummus, avocado and roasted kale + a sprinkle of sea salt and freshly grounded black pepper is one of my favourite ways to have them. And that is just what my dear friend Fanny Hansson, aka talented photographer of my cookbook The new green salad, and I had a couple of months ago during a creative workshop day. I cooked and styled, Fanny took lovely pictures and Sofia Törnqvist did her retouch magic. Not a bad day at work. 

Well, enough writing. I’ll just post the recipe below and let you try the bread for yourself. I’m sure you’ll understad where I’m coming from once you’ve tried it! 

Oat and carrot bread

Makes 1 loaf

4 dl oat flour

3 dl buckwheat flour

1 dl crushed buckwheat groats

1 dl sunflower seeds

1/2 dl pumpkinseeds

1/2 dl flax seeds

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp himalayan salt

1 tbsp chia seeds + 3 tbsp hot water

1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 dl finely grated carrot (about 70g) 

4 dl almond milk (or any other plant based milk of your choice)

Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and sea salt to sprinkle on top

Serving suggestions

hummus (on p. 102-105 in my book The new green salad you'll find my three favourite hummus recipes!) 

avocado 

kale chips *see instructions below

dried cherry tomatoes, or try my recipe for Semi dried cherry tomatoes

cress

sesame seeds (toast them for an even more intense flavour!)

How to

Preheat the oven to 175°C. Bring 3 tbsp water to a boil. Mix water with chia seeds and allow it to sit for about 5 minutes, until it takes on a texture similar to jelly.

Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Finely grate the carrot. Add carrots, chia mixture, apple cider vinegar and almond milk to the dry ingredients and mix well.

Grease a bread tin with olive oil and cover the bottom of the tin with baking paper. Put the “dough” in the bread tin, sprinkle with additional seeds and sea salt, and place in the lower part of the oven for about 60-70 minutes, until the inner temperature reaches about 100°C. Let the bread cool completely before slicing it. Preferably wrap it in a kitchen towel and leave on the kitchen counter over night. This will allow the bread to sit and the flavour to develop even more! 

Hope you’ll like it as much as I do!

* Kale chips. Pre heat the oven to 175°C. Tear the leafs in to smaller pieces, massage with some olive oil and flakey salt. Spread out on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for about 10 minutes, until crispy, tossing around the kale every now and then. 

Coconut and matcha chia trifle w blueberry mousse and date granola

Coconut and matcha chia trifle w blueberry mousse, topped with golden granola! I call it weekend breakfast, brunch, mid day-snack and dessert, just to make sure I can have it as often as possible. Prepare the day before, or even a few days before as it keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days, and you'll have things delicious thing ready in no time! I top the whole thing with my favorite granola, which I call golden as it looks kind of golden thanks to turmeric which is one of the super spices that gives the granola that special and wonderful flavor. Try it for yourself! 

Coconut matcha chia trifle w blueberry mousse and date granola

Serves 2 as a steady breakky

Chia pudding

1 dl creamy coconut milk

2 dl water

2 tsp organic matcha powder

1/2 tsp pure vanilla powder

2 tbsp chia seeds 

Blueberry mousse

1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted  

3 dl frozen blueberries

1 fresh date, pitted

Topping

Your favorite granola, try my sweet date granola here

How to
Whisk together coconut milk, water, matcha powder, pure vanilla powder, a pinch of Himalayan salt and chia seeds in a glass jar. Wait 10 minutes and then whisk again to prevent clumping. Cover and put in the fridge over night. You could manage with only 3-4 hours but I find that it gets even more creamy if you let it sit for at least 8 hours.

Remove from fridge and stir well before serving. Mix avocado, blueberries and fresh date until a smooth mousse.

Portion the chia mixture to bowls or glass jars. Scoop the blueberry mouse on top. Serve with fruits or berries + your favorite granola + fresh lemon balm or mint.

ENJOY!

Creamy coconut, millet and quinoa porridge

When it comes to the topping it's all up to you! You might want to go for a more fruity topping for breakfast, and more of a savory topping (for example avocado and kale)  I add the quinoa for a nice flavor, but you could also

Best, 

T

Creamy coconut, millet and quinoa porridge

Makes 2 bowls 

Ingredients

2/3 dl millet flakes 

2 tbsp quinoa flakes 

1 tsp chia seeds

3 dl water

1 dl coconut milk 

a pinch each of ground cinnamon and ground cardamom

1/2 tsp Himalayan salt 

Topping

toasted buckwheat groats (*se notes below how to toast buckwheat groats)

apple, thinly sliced 

pomegranate seeds 

lingonberry or blueberry powder (or any berry or fruit powder that you prefer

How to

Mix everything in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 3-4 minutes on medium heat, stirring all the time (this will make the porridge very creamy!), until a creamy texture. Pour in to two bowls and top it with whatever you feel like! 

* Put about 3 dl of dried buckwheat groats in a fine mesh strainer. Bring 1 liter (I normally use about 3 times as much water as groats) of water to a boil. Pour the hot water over the buckwheat and drain well. Toast the groats in a hot, dry frying pan until golden and crisp. Let cool. Store the toasted buckwheat in a glas jar and use as topping on porridge, smoothie bowls, soups, salads etc etc! 

Tips! You could also follow the same "strain procedure" as described above and then toast the buckwheat in the oven (at a baking sheet) at 175 degrees celsius for about 10 minutes.

Sweet date granola

Crunchy granola sweetened with fresh dates. Filled with nutrition, taste and warming spices. This is a super simple and smart recipe - just use the grains/nuts/dried fruits you have at home. Add nuts if you love nuts, don't if you allergic. Use raisins if that's your favorite, use mango if you want a tropical touch. Well, you know what I mean - mix and match to get you absolute favorite granola! 

Sweet date granola

1 big batch, about 1 liter

4 dl rolled oats

4 dl seeds/nuts/grains

2 tbsp cinnamon

2 tbsp cardamom 

1 tsp pure vanilla powder

1 good pinch Himalayan salt

1 dl water

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3 fresh dates, pitted

1 dl toasted coconut flakes

1 dl dried fruits (raisins/blueberries/gojiberries)

How to

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius. Mix rolled oats, seeds/nuts/grains (I used a mix of chopped almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, buckwheat groats, tiger nuts), cinnamon, cardamom, pure vanilla powder and a good pinch of Himalayan salt in a mixing bowl.

Bring water and dates to a boil. Let simmer for 1 minute. Mix until completely smooth using a hand blender. Add to the mixing bowl and mix everything together using a wooden spoon until every bit gets covered. Spread out on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until crispy and golden, stirring every now and then, for about 30 minutes.

Let cool. Add 1 dl toasted coconut flakes + your choice of dried berries/fruits (I used goji berries + figs). ENJOY on your breakfast porridge, smoothie bowl, chia pudding or just as a snack!

Store in an airtight glass jar, preferably on your kitchen counter as it looks so pretty.