Tahini and caramel mousse truffles with raspberries

Carob is a seed that comes from a brown pod of a tree of the same name, originally from the Mediterranean. The flavour is a bit similar to cacao - but with a more caramel touch to it. Except from the great flavour it's said to have quite a few health benefits such as; containing good fibers and minerals, contains a good amount of antioxidants and the seed is also naturally low in fat. Carob can normally be found in well stocked food stores, health food stores and online. However, if you cannot get hold of any carob, raw cacao would work just as fine. 

I like the truffles best properly chilled - close to frozen. Therefore I tend to always store them (if there are any left that is...) in the freezer. Which is good to make sure they stay fresh for as long as possible anyway!

The combination of a sweet yet light base, decadent caramel mousse and a dark chocolate top layer with hints of goji berries is just a prefect combination - time to get baking!

 

Tahini and caramel mousse truffles with raspberries

About 16 truffles

Buckwheat and coconut base

2 dl / 0.8 US cups whole buckwheat, soaked for 8 hours or over night

2 dl / 0.8 US cups grated coconut

8 fresh dates, pitted

1 pinch sea salt

Caramel mousse layer

1/2 dl / 0.2 US cups light tahini

1 dl / 0.4 US cups coconut cream

1 ripe avocado

1 1/2 dl / 0.6 US cups carob powder (to be found in well stocked food stores, health food stores and online)

1/2 tsp sea salt

8 fresh dates, pitted

Chocolate layer

1/2 dl / 0.4 US cups cold pressed coconut oil

1 dl / 0.8 US cups cacao (preferably raw)

1 pinch sea salt

1/2 dl / 0.4 US cups goji berries

How to

Drain and rinse the buckwheat carefully. 

Mix all the ingredients for the base in a food processor until everything comes together and gets a smooth texture. Cover a small baking tin with plastic film. Press the dough into the tin. Put in the freezer. 

Peel and deseed the avocado. Mix all the ingredients for the mousse in a high speed blender until completely smooth (could also be done in a good food processor, but might take some more time). Spread out the mousse over the base, put back in the freezer. 

Heat the coconut oil on low heat, you want it to be liquid but not hot. Add the cacao and salt and whisk together. Let cool. Drizzle over the mousse layer, making sure every bit gets covered. Add the goji berries on top. Put back in the freezer for at least 1 hour. 

Take out the cake from the freezer 15 minutes prior serving. Cut in to smaller pieces. Serve topped with fresh raspberries and fresh mint.

Enjoy! 

Photo by Fanny Hansson. Recipe originally published in The Gothenburg-Post/Två dagar in August 2018.

Rolled veggie lasagna with a mushroom and lentil mince + Spinach pesto

An all-in-one-dish packed with flavour, lots of different textures, nutrition - and pure plant based food love! I top this kind-of-lasagna-thing with an easily and quickly mixed spinach pesto - which is truly irresistible! For my veggie slices I use a mix of courgette and aubergines - but you can mix and match (e.g. only use courgettes or only use aubergines) however you want, just make sure to have enough to roll up all the yummy veggie mince!

Also, make it your own thing and use other herbs instead or basil if you have any other at home, use seeds instead of walnuts if you're allergic etcetera! 

Rolled veggie lasagna with a mushroom and lentil mince

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 dl beluga lentils, uncooked (about 6 dl pre cooked)

400 g mushrooms

2 handfuls of fresh basil

2 medium courgettes 

2 medium aubergines

500 g crushed tomatoes

1 tbsp unfiltered apple cider vinegar 

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tbsp dired oregano

230 g pre cooked gigant white beans

2 tbsp cold pressed olive oil

1 handful of walnut kernels, chopped

1 tbsp nutritional yeast * (optional, gives a delicious cheesy and nutty flavour to the whole thing)

Spinach pesto

2 big handfuls of organic baby spinach

1 big handful of fresh basil

1 big handful of walnut kernels, preferably toasted to add an even nuttier taste to the pesto

1 small garlic clove

1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional, gives a delicious cheesy and nutty flavour to the whole thing)

a squeeze of organic lemon + zest from 1 lemon

1/2 dl /0.2 US cups cold pressed olive oil

unrefined salt and freshly ground black pepper

Garnish

Fresh basil

How to

Cook the lentils according to instructions on the packaging. Wash the mushrooms.  Mix lentils, mushrooms, basil and 1 tbsp olive oil until veggie a mince. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.

Wash and slice the courgettes and aubergines very thinly lengthwise. Put slices on a big tray, salt them lightly and let sit for about 15 minutes to allow any bitter juice to drain from the aubergine - and to make the slices easier to roll. Dry the slices with kitchen paper.

Pour the crushed tomatoes in to a oven proof dish - preferably a cast iron one as that helps increase the absorption of iron from the food (to be more specific - from the cast iron dish itself). Add vinegar, garlic, oregano and white beans. Stir to combine.

Pre heat the oven to 150 degrees Celsius/300 degrees Fahrenheit. Take a courgette or aubergine slice. Put a spoon of the mushroom and lentil mince in one end and make a roll. Put the roll in the crushed tomato blend. Continue to fill the whole oven dish. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with walnuts and nutritional yeast. Put the dish in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the whole thing looks slightly golden.

Meanwhile - mix all the ingredients for the pesto until your preferred pesto texture. I like mine to be kind of crunchy! Salt and pepper to taste.

Top the lasagna with BIG dollops of spinach pesto and fresh basil. 

ENJOY <3 

Ps. Watch my stories - under "highlighted stories"/Recipes - for a Cook-along guide on this recipe! 

Photo retouch by excellent Sofia Törnqvist

Apple cake bliss balls with cacao nibs

Delicious small bites of - my take on - a soft and sweet Swedish apple cake! Inspired by my dear friends at Food Pharmacy I made these ones the other day when I wanted something sweet for fika (Swedish word for a time of day when you sit down/chill out/have a snack + cup of tea or coffee or some other drink maybe). And I am very happy with the result - natural sweet, nutty and nutritious ingredients flavoured with two of my favourite spices; cinnamon and cardamom cannot go wrong. So it wasn't much of a gamble to be honest.

Unlike most bliss balls these ones are soft - and almost kind of chewy. As the cashews are soaked before mixing the bliss ball batter, they are easier to digest (+ nutrients even more accessible)+ adds an extra creaminess to the balls. Now let's bake!

Apple cake bliss balls with cacao nibs

Makes about 20 bliss balls

Ingredients

2 dl cashew nuts, soaked for 1-2 hours in 5 dl water I 1 tsp unfiltered apple cider vinegar

2 dl steel cut oats

1 red apple, roughly grated

6 fresh dates, pitted

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground cardamom

2 tbsp cacao nibs (optional)

grated coconut for rolling

How to 

Drain and rinse the cashews. Mix with the rest of the ingredients, except for the cacao nibs, until a soft and smooth batter. Add the cacao nibs and pulse a few times. Form in to 20 balls, and roll in grated coconut.

Store in the fridge or freezer. 

Carrot- and tomato soup with red lentils and quinoa

With a high speed blender at home you can not only make creamy nut butters, smooth smoothies, sauces, dressings, ice creams, hummus in minimum amount of time - you can also make a delicious soup in almost no time at all. Mix your raw veggies until completely smooth, then just transfer to a saucepan and let the whole thing simmer for a couple of minutes. READY! Add some kind of topping (can be shaved veggies, beans, nuts or seeds or quinoa as I have here) for a even more hearty soup. I also added some red lentils, if you want to do the same and are using soaked + sprouted ones you can just add them without any extra simmering, but it you're using raw ones you would want to simmer for about 10 minutes, on low heat. 

In this recipe I use carrots and tomatoes as the base for the soup - but you could also add fennel, parsnip, pumpkin or whatever you find in you fridge. You could also make a green soup with broccoli, peas, spinach etc. Feel free to vary the soup depending on what you're craving at the moment! Also, this is a clever recipe if you want to make a smaller amount of soup, to serve one or two. Just use half of everything! 

 

Carrot- and tomato soup with red lentils and quinoa

Serves 4

Ingredients

600 g carrots

400 g tomatoes (or same amount crushed tomatoes, without citric acid)

1 small red onion

1 garlic clove

4 dried organic apricots

1 liter water

1 tbsp unfiltered apple cider vinegar 

2 dl / 0.8 US cups red lentils (optional, preferably soaked + sprouted)

1 handful fresh herbs of your choice 

unrefined sea salt or mountain salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Topping

2 dl / 0.8 US cups cooked red quinoa (optional)

250 g cocktail or plum tomatoes in different colors

1/2 dl / 0.2 US cups hemp seeds 

1 handful of fresh parsley, chopped

How to

Wash and slice the carrots in to smaller pieces. Cube the tomatoes. Peel the onion and cut in to smaller pieces. Put in a high speed blender with apricots and water, blend until completely smooth. I use one of the three timed blend cycle buttons (35 seconds, 60 seconds and 90 seconds - I use the 90 seconds one for soups like this) on my Omniblend high speed blender to make sure the soup gets really creamy. Add some water if the soup is too thick (especially if you want to add red lentils in the next step, as the lentils will absorb some of the water). 

Transfer to saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add 2 dl red lentils (soaked over night + sprouted for 24 hours) and let simmer for about 2 minutes*.

Wash and cut the tomatoes in half. Toss together with the parsley and quinoa.

Pour the soup in to 4 bowls, top with the quoinoamix and hemp seeds.

* If you're using raw red lentils let simmer for about 10 minutes, until soft but still "al dente".

Soft raspberry ice cream with whipped coconut cream and hazelnuts

A quick dessert, or why not a weekend breakfast och brunch. That's one of many clever things about nourishing food, you can have them at anytime from breakfast to dessert! Avocado is the secret ingredient which makes this quick ice cream irresistibly soft and creamy. Try substitute raspberries for blueberries, blackberries or a mix of you favourite berries!

And oh, if you can't find hazelnuts without skin in your grocery you can scroll down to find my tips on how to remove skin from hazelnuts (as it has the tendency to give a bitter taste we want to remove it). Plus tips on how to best deseed a pomegranate - knowledge you cannot live without!

Now, who wants soft ice cream in 15 minutes?!

Soft raspberry ice cream with whipped coconut cream and hazelnuts

Serves 4

15 minutes

Ingredients

3 ripe avokados

500 g frozen raspberries

1 tsp pure vanilla powder

4 fresh dates, pitted (use more for a sweeter taste)

Topping

1 1/2 dl / 0.6 US cups coconut cream

1 dl / 0.4 US cups pomegranate seeds

1/2 dl / 0.4 US cups toasted hazelnuts, skin removed 

2 tbsp cacao nibs

Fresh lemon balm

How to

Whip the coconut cream until fluffy. If you find it hard to get it fluffy you can let it sit in the fridge for about 30 minute, as that will make it more firm and easier to whip.

Thaw the raspberries for 5 minutes. Mix with the rest of the ingredients for the ice cream using a immersion blender, food processor och preferably high speed blender until SUPER smooth. Add more dates for a sweeter touch.

Divide in to 4 small (or 2 big if you're on that mood) bowls and top with coconut cream, hazelnuts, pomegranate seeds, cacao nibs and last but not least fresh lemon balm. Eat straight away!!

Toast and peel hazelnuts

Pre heat the oven to 175 degrees celsius. Put the hazelnuts on a baking tray and toast for about 10 minutes, until the skin starts to crackle. Let cool. Put in a clean kitchen towel and rub to remove the skin.

Deseed a pomegranate

Cut of the top crown and the bottom of the fruit. Now carefully cut the fruit from the top to the bottom, along the inner gentle ridges/fruit membrane which you are suposed to see once the top and bottom are removed. Normally you'll get about 6 cuts. Open the pomegranate, so that you get separate sections. Now you can easily deseed the pomegranate, using your fingers, preferably over a bowl. Remove any membranes that might come with the seeds.

This is a recipe that I created for Swedish vegan food magasin VEGO some time ago! Photo and recipe by me.

Beetroot and quinoa patties with spring oat salad and tahini dressing

Grated beetroot together with cooked red quinoa makes be most delicious savory patties, which goes very well with a light spring salad such as this one above. Make a big batch of the patties, bake them in the oven on a oven tray, all of them at the same time, and you're good to go for many coming lunches and dinners!
 

Beetroot and quinoa patties with spring oat salad and tahini dressing

Serves 4

Spring oat sallad
2 dl / 0.8 US cups whole oats, preferably soaked for up to 6 hours
1 courgette
1 avocado
400 g tomatoes in different shapes, sizes and colors  
70 g mâche salad
40 g sunflower sprouts
20 g pepitas + extra for serving

Beetroot and quinoa patties
300 g beetroots
1 red onion
1 dl / 0.4 US cups fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 dl / 0.8 US cups red quinoa, uncooked
1 dl / 0.4 US cups quinoa flour
2 tbsp cold pressed olive oil
1 chia egg (or 1 regular egg) 
1/2 tsp unrefined mountain salt or sea salt
1 pinch Freshly ground black pepper

Tahini dressing 
1/2 dl / 0.2 US cups tahini
1/2 dl / 0.2 US cups water
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp finely grated ginger
Unrefined mountain salt or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

How to

Pre heat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius /390 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook the quinoa according to instructions on the packaging. Peel and finely grate the beetroot. Peel and finely chop the onion. Blend all the ingredients for the patties. Let sit for 15 minutes. Form the batter in to small patties and put on a baking tray. Bake in the middle of the oven for 15 minutes, until the patties gets a bit crispy around the edges. Flip over and bake for another 5 minutes. 

Cook the whole oats according to instructions on the packaging. Slice the zucchini lengthwise using a mandolin, or a sharp knife. Cut, deseed and slice the avocado. Cut the tomatoes in smaller pieces. Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry frying pan on medium heat until slightly golden. Toss together all the ingredients for the salad. 

Mix all the ingredients for the dressing until creamy. Add a bit more water for a runnier texture. Salt and pepper to taste. 

Serve the patties with the spring oat salad, tahini dressing and some extra pepitas.

This is a recipe, among a few, that I created for Swedish design and lifestyle boutique GRANIT and their spring 2018 campaign. The collaboration with GRANIT continues - stay tuned for more! Photo by David Jerner for GRANIT.

Almond and oat scones with coconut yoghurt and strawberry chia jam

If someone would ask me what my perfect weekend morning would look like I would probably mention these. It's something special with freshly baked bread, I think is has something to do both with the love someone out in to it, the taste, the texture AND the lovely smell it gives to the whole kitchen - and even apartment if you have a quite small place like myself. 

Anyway, before you scroll down and start tossing ingredients together I just want to write that except from serving the scones with coconut yoghurt and strawberry chia jam as I did here, they are also very delicious served with savoury toppings, such as avocado and sprouts! Well, that's all, let's bake! 

Almond and oat scones with coconut yoghurt and strawberry chia jam

8 scones 

Ingredients

200 grams oats

100 grams almond flour

2 tsp psyllium seed husk

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/2 tsp salt 

0.5 dl / 0.2 cups cold pressed coconut oil

0.5 dl / 0.2 cups almond butter

3 dl / 1.3 cups unsweetened almond milk 

Strawberry chia jam

2 dl / 0.8 cups frozen strawberries 

0.5 dl / 0.2 cups water

2 tbsp chia seeds

For serving

Coconut yoghurt

fresh basil 

How to

Pre heat the oven to 235 degrees Celsius / 440 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook the strawberries in a small sauce pan with the water for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat. Mix until smooth using an immersion blender. Add the chia seeds to the strawberry sauce, stir and let sit for 30 minutes, stirring every now and then to avoid clumping. 

Mix 2/3 of the oats to a flour. Mix all the dry ingredients in a baking bowl. Mix the rest of the ingredients in to a smooth mixture, pour in to the mixing bowl. Fold everything together in to a sticky batter. Form in to 8 scones and put on a baking tray. Bake the scones in the middle of the oven for 15-20 minutes, until they get lightly golden and crispy. Let cool for a bit

Serve the freshly baked scones with coconut yoghurt, strawberry chia jam and fresh basil. 

* This is a recipe from “Två Dagar” distributed by Göteborgs-Posten, published 10th of February 2018. Recipes, styling and photo by me. 

Tofu taco with kale, avocado and pickled onion

My favourite way to have a taco is in a crispy lettuce leaf! Here filled with fried tofu and a bunch of other delicious and beautiful looking components. Serve with some baked sweet potatoes and black beans for an even more filling taco fiesta! 

Tofu taco with kale, avocado and pickled onion

Serves 4

Ingredients

275 grams organic, firm natural tofu

0.5 tsp chilipowder

1 tsp paprika powder

0.5 tsp ground turmeric 

0.5 tsp salt

1 tbsp cold pressed olive oil

For serving

100 grams kale

1 tsp cold pressed olive oil

1 red onion

0.5 dl / 0.2 cups apple cider vinegar 

1 tbsp honey

2 avocados

100 grams mango

4 little gem salad 

1 lime

fresh cilantro

How to

Press the excess water out of the tofu (if I have time I prepare the tofu in the same was as I do for THIS dish). Fry in oil on medium heat until golden around the edges. Add the spices and let fry for another minute.   

Cut away the thick bottom steam part of the kale, tear the leafs in to smaller pieces. Massage with olive oil and a pinch of salt.

Peel and thinly slice the onion, put in a bowl. Bring water, vinegar and honey to a boil. Pour over the onion and cover. Let sit for 15 minutes. 

Cut, deseed, scrape out and slice the avocado. Thaw the mango. Remove the leaves from the lettuce, one by one. 

Assemble the taco in the lettuce leaves, using the tofu, avocado, red onion, kale and mango. Top with fresh cilantro.  

* This is a recipe for Swedish food magazine Allt om Mat, issued in February 2018. Recipe and styling by me, photo by Magnus Carlsson. 

Turmeric porridge with apple sauce, lingonberries and buckwheat

A warming and really smooth porridge filled with flavour! Cook your own apple sauce in no time att all, and top the whole thing with lingonberries and crispy toasted buckwheat. A perfect way to start the day!

Make a big batch of the spice blend for the porridge at the same time and store in an airtight container - ready to use for any porridge occasion during the coming weeks! 

Turmeric porridge with apple sauce, lingonberries and buckwheat

Serves 2

Ingredients

1.5 dl / 0.63 cups millet flakes

7 dl / 3 cups water

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp salt

Apple sauce

1 red apple

1 pinch ground cinnamon

1 pinch salt

Topping

1 dl / 0.4 cups lingonberries

0.5 dl / 0.2 cups dried buckwheat groats 

How to 

Thaw the berries. 

Bring millet flakes, water, spices and salt to a boil. Let simmer and keep stirring for about 2 minutes, until you get a creamy porridge. 

Core the apple and cut in to small pieces. Cook with a splash of water and cinnamon in a small saucepan until the apple is soft. Mix in to a sauce using an immersion blender. Salt to taste. 

Put the buckwheat in a fine mesh strainer. Bring some water to a boil and then pour over the buckwheat. Rinse with cold water and let drain for a few minutes. Toast in a dry pan, on medium heat, until golden and crisp. Let cool. 

Divide the porridge in two bowls. Serve with apple sauce, lingonberries and buckwheat on top. 

* This is a recipe from “Två Dagar” distributed by Göteborgs-Posten, published 10th of February 2018. Recipes, styling and photo by me. 

Asian mushroom bowl with silken tofu, red rice and sesame tamari dressing

Enjoy a bowl filled with flavourful mushrooms, nutty red rice and smooth silken tofu! 

Asian mushroom bowl with silken tofu, red rice and sesame tamari dressing

Ingredients

350 grams organic silken tofu

2 dl / 0.8 cups red rice

400 grams mixed mushrooms (for example champignon, oyster mushroom, shiitake mushroom)

1 garlic clove

2 cm fresh ginger

1 red chili

1/2 pointy cabbage

2 spring onions 

1 tbsp cold pressed coconut oil

Sesame tamari dressing

2 tbsp tamari

2 tbsp sesame oil

Garnish

Thai basil

How to

Cook the rice according to the instructions on the packaging. 

Brush the mushrooms. Slice the bigger ones. Peel and finely chop the garlic and ginger. Chop the cabbage. Cut the chili in half, remove seeds and pith, finely chop the rest. Slice the spring onion.

Fry garlic, ginger, mushrooms and chili in oil until fragrant. Add the mushroom and fry until soft and crispy around the edges. Add the cabbage and fry for another minute. Remove from heat, add the rice and spring onion. 

Cut the tofu in cubes. Mix tamari and sesame oil. 

Divide the mushroom and rice fry in 4 bowls. Put the tofu on top, drizzle with the dressing. Garnish with Thai basil.

* This is a recipe for Swedish food magazine Allt om Mat, issued in February 2018. Recipe and styling by me, photo by Magnus Carlsson. 

Creamy lentil stew with butternut squash and kale

The perfect seasonal stew, warming and hearty - and delicious! I often make a big batch that will last for days - plus the flavours seems to develop even more when you let it sit for a day or so which makes it the perfect lunch box food.

The trick to get a really delicious dhal is to use A LOT of spices, as they are filled with both flavour and nutrition! If you don't want to get a lot of different spices to make the spice blend below you can also buy a ready made curry mix that you like and use that instead. Use the same amount as below, or according to your taste. You could also make your own blend of what ever spices you have at home. I think it's a good idea to make a big batch of the spice blend, imagine having your own curry spice mix for occasions like this! Remember - there are endless ways to variate a lentil dhal!

Creamy lentil stew with butternut squash and kale

Serves 6

Ingredients

3 dl red lentils

1 onion

1 garlic clove

300 gram butternut squash, peeled

1/2 dl organic raisins

7 dl water

4 dl coconut milk

200 gram kale

2 handfuls of fresh parsley

tbsp cold pressed coconut oil

salt and freshy ground black pepper

Spice blend

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp ground cardamom

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper 

1/2 tsp ground clove 

For serving

wild rice

plant based yoghurt

fresh parsley 

chiliflakes 

How to

Cook the wild rice according to instructions on the packaging. Mix the spice blend. Rinse the lentils. 

Cut the pumpkin in smaller chunks. Cut away the thick bottom steam part of the black kale, tear the leafs in to smaller pieces. Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. 

Heat the oil in a pot and fry the onion and garlic until soft ang fragrant. Add the spices and fry for another minute. Add lentils, butternut squash, raisins, water and coconut milk. Bring to a boil and let simmer for about 20 minutes, until a really creamy stew with soft lentils and tender butternut squash. You might want to add a bit more water to get the desired creaminess. Stir every now and then. Add the kale and parsley and remove from the heat. Salt and pepper to taste. Let sit for a bit before serving. 

Serve with wild rice, plant based yoghurt, extra parsley and chiliflakes.

* This is a recipe from “Två Dagar” distributed by Göteborgs-Posten in October 2016. “Två dagar” was produced by contant agency OTW. Recipe, styling and photo by me. 

Veggie hash with steel cut oats and poached egg

A quick, and kind of twisted, version of the classic Egg fried rice! Well, not very much like egg fried rice all really, but based on the same idea of frying veggies + some grain and serve with egg. 

I tend to use the veggies I have at home (or the seasonal veggies I just found at the grocery store), mix with cooked oats and serve with a poached egg. A filling and nourishing yet simple meal ready in 20 minutes! 

Veggie hash with oats and poached egg

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 carrots

2 yellow beets

1/2 leek

100 gram kale, or chard - or the double amount baby spinach

4 dl steel cut oats

1 tbsp cold pressed olive oil

salt and freshly ground black peppar

Poached egg

4 egg

1 liter water

2 tbsp vinegar

1 tsp salt

Topping

Walnuts

fresh lemon balm

How to

Cook the steel cut oats according to instructions on the packaging. 

Scrub the carrots, slice in to smaller pieces. Peel the beets, cut in to small chunks. Cut away the thick bottom steam part of the kale, tear the leafs in to smaller pieces. Cut the leek in half, wash carefully and finely shred.   

Bring water, vinegar and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Crack one egg in a small cup. Lower the heat, you want the water to be simmering. Whisk a whirlpool in the water and gently slip the egg in to the center of the whirlpool. Put on a lid and let simmer for 3-4 minutes. Lift up the egg using a slotted spoon. Follow the same procedure for the rest of the eggs, one at a time. 

Fry carrot and beet in a bit of oil in a frying pan or in a wok until golden och tender. Add the leek and kale and let fry for another couple of minutes. Remove from heat. Add the steel cut oats. Salt and pepper to taste. 

Serve the fry with walnuts, lemon balm and poached egg. 

* This is a recipe for Swedish food magazine Allt om Mat, issued January 2018. Recipe and styling by me, photo by Magnus Carlsson. 

Roasted Jerusalem artichoke and black kale with Pumpkin and apple salsa

A truly delicious green side to serve with your dinner or at a buffet. Scrub and wash the artichokes carefully instead of peeling them, as lots of the flavour and nutrition is in fact to be found in the peel. Plus - baked peel gives the whole dish some extra texture!  

I like to serve this green side straight from the tray. Out of the oven, top with tasty salsa and ready to eat - a relaxed and family like way of serving food - just how I like it! 

 

Roasted Jerusalem artichoke and black kale with Pumpkin and apple salsa

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

800 gram Jerusalem artichoke 

100 gram black kale

1 tbsp cold pressed olive oil

Pumpkin and apple salsa

 150 gram pumpkin, peeled 

2 sweet winter apples 

1 shallot

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 

1 dl water

one handful of fresh cilantro

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Garnish

1/2 dl toasted hazelnuts, peeled

fresh horseradish

How to

Pre heat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Scrub the Jerusalem artichokes carefully and slice the bigger ones in half. Cut away the thick bottom steam part of the black kale, tear the leafs in to smaller pieces. Massage with olive oil. 

Put the Jerusalem artichokes on an oven tray, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir to coat. Roast in the middle of the oven for 15 minutes. Take out from the oven, stir around, add the kale to the tray and roast for another 5-10 minutes, until Jerusalem artichokes are tender and lightly golden and the black kale crispy. 

Cut the pumpkin in to small pieces. Core the apple and cut in to small pieces. Finely chop the shallot. Put all the ingredients, except for the cilantro, in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Let simmer for about 20 minutes, until a chunky salsa. Add the cilantro. Salt and pepper to taste.

Top the roasted veggies on the oven tray with dollops of salsa. Grate the fresh horseradish. Serve! 

* This is a recipe from “Två Dagar” distributed by Göteborgs-Posten, published 27th of January 2018. Recipes, styling and photo by me. 

Quinoa sweet potato burger with baked onion, chili mayo and rye sourdough bread

The perfect burger is a great burger - and a great (maybe even favourite) and very smart dish! I make my burgers, or patties, with only plant based stuff - full of nutrition and FLAVOUR!

This is a perfect burger to make when (if) you have a bit of leftovers in the fridge. Mix some baked sweet potato, cooked quinoa and add something green such as broccoli for an extra veggie touch! And remember - if you don't have any leftover sweet potato or quinoa it takes maximum 25 minutes to cook them. Then you'll mix together your burger batter in no time at all. Burger night ahead? Yes, please! 

Quinoa sweet potato burger with baked onion, chili mayo and rye sourdough bread 

6 burgers 

Ingredients

300 grams sweet potato

4 fresh yellow onions 

1 1/2 white quinoa, uncooked 

1 small broccoli 

1 dl fresh basil 

1 1/2 dl chickpea flour or quinoa flour

1 chia egg *

1/2 dl chives

1/2 tsp chili flakes

2 tbsp cold pressed olive oil 

salt and freshly ground black pepper to toaste

Chili mayonnaise

1 1/2 dl vegan mayonnaise (or store bought one, preferably sugar free) 

1/1 - 1 tsp red pepper paste 

For serving

Rye sourdough bread (or any bread/bun that you prefer)

lettuce

tomato

cress

fresh basil

How to 

Pre heat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Cut the potato in half, brush the cut surface with oil and put on a baking sheet. Wash, remove the stem and cut the onion in the middle, brush with oil and put next to the potato. Bake in the middle of the oven until potato are soft and onion starts to brown, takes about 25 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the quinoa according to instructions on the packaging. 

Scrape out the potato from it's peel. Mix potato, broccoli and basil until a batter like consistency in a food processor. Mix together with the quinoa, flour, chia egg, chives and chiliflakes using a wooden spoon. Salt and pepper to taste. Let sit for 15 minutes and then form in to 6 burgers. Put on a baking sheet and bake in the oven until firm and lightly golden around edges. If you want to can also fry them for one last minute in a frying pan or grill pan to get a extra grilled flavour! 

Mix the mayonnaise and chili paste. Salt to taste. 

Build the burgers with your favourite components! Sour dough rye bread - lettuce - quinoa sweet potato burger - tomato - baked onion - chili mayo - fresh herbs and cress - Sour dough rye bread. 

ENJOY! 

* Chia egg is a plant based substitute to hen egg. Put 1 tbsp 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. 

* This is a recipe from “Två Dagar” distributed by Göteborgs-Posten 16th of December 2017. “Två dagar” is produced by contant agency OTW. 

Zoodles with fennel and herby avocado sauce + turmeric fried tofu

Veggie spaghetti - spiralized veggies which have the same shape as spaghetti - is a favourite of mine - both because I like the taste much better then the taste of regular pasta + it's a great way to get even more nutrition in to your meal! I usually spiralize carrots, pumpkin, sweet potato, radish and courgette. The later one I'm using for this dish - but you could just as well us any of the other veggies mentioned above, or why not a mix of them!  

To make nice spaghetti like strings you would need a spiralizer or a shred peeler. You could also use a regular potato peeler - but to be honest - it won't give you quite the same result as if you were using the "proper thing". If you like to make veggie spaghetti, plus shred fruits and veggies for garnish/salads, I would recommend you to get the right. Will save you time and make the cooking even more fun and efficient!  

If I'm making a big batch I'm using my Westmark Spiromat which gives me long and corkscrew like strings, and when I'm on the go or just want to spiralize one carrot or so I'm using my Grovstrimlare.  

When you have the right kitchen tools you can make this delicious dish in no time at all. It's my kind of fast food - perfect for days when you want something light and nourishing for lunch or dinner. You could add more veggies to make it a bigger meal - for example steamed sugar snaps and pak choi for a asian touch or maybe roasted pumpkin and crispy kale for a wintery touch. Let your mind flow! 

Hope you like it!! 

Photo by Fanny Hansson

Zoodles with herby avocado sauce + turmeric fried tofu

4 portions 

Ingredients

2 big zucchinis

1 fennel 

1 red apple 

270 grams firm natural tofu, organic

1 tsp grated fresh turmeric, or 1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger, or 1 tsp ground ginger

1 tbsp tamari 

Fresh Thai basil 

1 tbsp cold pressed coconut oil, (flavour free)

Herby avocado sauce

2 avocados, peeled and pitted  

1 garlic clove, grated 

1/2-1 dl water

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

1 tbsp cold pressed coconut oil (flavour free)

2 handfulls of fresh herbs of your choice (I used Thai basil + cilantro) 

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 

For serving

crispy green leafs (mix of mache lettuce, baby spinach, rocket) 

seed cracker (you find two of my best recipes in my cookbook The new green salad!!)

toasted pepitas

How to

Spiralize the zucchinis. Mandoline the fennel lengthwise, or slice very thinly using a sharp knife. Deseed and mandoline the apples. But everything in a big bowl with cold water (will make everything even more crisp) while preparing the rest. 

Press the excess water out of the tofu (if I have time I prepare the tofu in the same was as I do for THIS dish). Fry in oil on medium heat until golden around the edges. Add turmeric and ginger, let fry for another minute. Add the tamari and let sink in, remove from heat.  

Mix the ingredients for the avocado sauce until a smooth using an immersion blender. Add more water if it's to thick. Salt and pepper to taste. 

Drain the zucchini and fennel well. Toss together with the avocado sauce. Topp with fresh herbs. Serve with the fried tofu, crispy green leafs and pepitas. And some seed crackers if you have any nearby! 

Green smoothie bowl with matcha chia pudding - and all the toppings you could ask for!

I'm a huge matcha fan. I love it in smoothies, as traditional tea, as coating on my chocolate bliss balls and - as pictured above - in my chia pudding! The combination of matcha and coconut is a really great match - especially with a naturally sweet green smoothie!  

Green smoothie bowl with matcha chia pudding

- and all the toppings you could ask for! 

2 portions

Green smoothie

1 big, or two small, green banana/s (peeled, sliced and frozen)

1 fennel bulb

1 avokado, peeled and pitted

1 kiwi (buy organic and keep the peel!)

2 handfuls of baby spinach

water

freshly squeezed lemon juice

Matcha chia pudding

1/2 creamy coconut milk

1 1/2 dl water

1 tsp organic matcha powder

1/2 tsp pure vanilla powder

2 1/2 tbsp chia seeds 

Topping suggestions

Fresh fruits or berries (I used kiwi and mango)

fresh herbs (for example mint, lemon balm or Thai basil)

puffed quinoa

cacao nibs

hemp seeds

shredded coconut

coconut yoghurt

How to

Start with the chia pudding: Bring water and coconut milk to a boil. Pour in to a jar and whisk together with matcha powder, pure vanilla powder, a pinch of Himalayan salt and chia seeds. Wait 10 minutes and then whisk again to prevent clumping. Cover and put in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.*

Mix together the ingredients for the smoothie in a high speed blender until completely smooth. Use water, a little at a time, to get your desired consistency. Add lemon juice to taste. 

Divide the chia pudding and smoothie evenly in two bowls. Top with your favourites! 

* If putting your chia pudding in fridge over night you don't need to heat up the liquid first - that's just a way to make the chia seeds soak quicker.

Sweet potato hummus with roasted garlic and tarragon

Hummus, my favourite dip/spread/sauce/filling - or what ever you might call it! Except for the lovely texture and delicious flavour I really like hummus because of it's nutrition - it's a great way to add some extra protein (and fibers and vitamins and minerals!) to your plant based meal! Spread it on seed cracker, add to your wrap or have it with a hearty salad. Traditionally a hummus is made of chickpeas, but sometimes I use white beans instead - I really like the variation (food hack #1 in this post - look for easy made variations and cooking will be much more fun and simple!)!

Another way to vary your hummus is to add different veggies (like beetroot, roasted carrot, green peas, grilled bell pepper etc) and herbs - also a perfect way to match the hummus with what ever you're serving it with - or what you're craving at the moment!

In my book The new green salad I share three of my favourite hummus recipes - and one of them you find here below! It happen to be my favourite hummus in the world - irresistibly creamy, sweet and nutty at the same time - with a herby touch! 

Photo by Fanny Hansson for The new green salad (Published by Bonnier Fakta)

 

Sweet potato hummus with roasted garlic and tarragon

Yield about 5 dl

Ingredients

240 grams (about 4 dl) cooked chickpeas *

1 small sweet potato, about 250 grams

1 garlic bulb **

2 tbsp tahini (preferably the light one, made of natural sesame seeds)

1/2 dl water

12 fresh tarragon leafs, or 1 tsp dried tarragon

2 tbsp cold pressed olive oil + extra to drizzle as garnish

Himalayan salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. 

Garnish

Sesame seeds

Chili flakes 

How to

Pre heat the oven to 200 degres Celsius. Peel the potato and cut in to chunks, put on a baking sheet and mix with 1/2 tbsp olive oil. Remove the outer skin from the garlic bulb, enough for you to see the garlic cloves (skin on) separately with but yet you want the whole bulb to stick together. Brush with 1/2 tbsp olive oil. Put next to the sweet potatoes and roast in the oven for 30 minutes until potatoes and garlic are soft. Let cool.  

Mix water and tahini until creamy using an immersion blender or food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients (squeeze out the garlic), except for the olive oil and tarragon, mix until creamy. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and tarragon and mix to combine. Salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds and chili flakes before serving. 

Tip! Make a big batch and store in a air tight container in your fridge! Then you'll be ready for snackning, brunching, dining or having guest at any time. Food hack #2 in this post. A staple in my home! Lasts up to about a week. 

* Either use canned ones, or by dried and soak/cook yourself! If so, make sure to cook a big batch and put the ones you're not using for the recipe in different sized portions in your freezer! Takes about 2 seconds to take out when ever you want to use chickpeas the next time! Food hack #3 in this post) 

* * YES, a whole (!) garlic bulb! After half an hour roasting in the oven it will be all soft and sweet with an almost caramelised kind of flavour. It's lovely! 

Baked cauliflower with celeriac puree, black rice, kale pesto and pickled pumpkin

Baked cauliflower with celeriac puree, black rice, kale pesto and pickled pumpkin

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 big cauliflower (or 2 smaller ones) 

2 dl black rice, uncooked

1 tbsp cold pressed olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Celeriac puree

1 big celeriac

2 potatoes 

1 dl plant milk of your choice

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Kale pesto

50 grams kale leafs

1 small garlic clove

1/2 dl good quality cold pressed olive oil

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp honey

1 dl walnuts

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pickled pumpkin

300 grams pumpkin, peeled and cut in to small pieces

2 dl water

1/2 dl apple cider vinegar

1/ tbsp salt 

Garnish

2 small yellow beets, thinly slices (preferably using a mandoline, or a sharp knife)

1/2 dl walnuts

How to

Pre heat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius. 

Baked cauliflower: Remove the outer thicker leafs from the cauliflower, keep the lighter ones. Cut the cauliflower in to quarters (or halves if using smaller ones), and drizzle with olive oil all the way around. Season with salt and pepper. Put on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 25 minutes, turn around half way through. Turn up the temperature to 225 degrees and bake for another 5-10 minutes, until the cauliflower is soft and golden and crisp around the edges. 

Cook the rice according to instructions on the packaging. 

Celeriac puré: Peel and cut celeriac and potatoes in to small pieces. Boil in lightly salted water until soft, takes about 15 minutes. Remove the water, add the plant milk and mix in to a smooth puré using an immersion blender. Salt and pepper to taste. 

Kale pesto: Mix all the ingredients, except for the walnuts, until a smooth pesto. Add the walnuts and pulse until desired consistency. Salt and pepper to taste. 

Pickled pumpkin: Bring water, apple cider vinegar and salt to a boil. Remove from heat, add the pumpkin and put on a lid. Let sit for 30 minutes. Remove the liquid. 

Spread out the puree on 4 plates. Top with black rice and cauliflower. Add some kale pesto and sprinkle the pumpkin pieces. Garnish with yellow beet and walnuts. 

* This is a recipe from “Två Dagar” distributed by Göteborgs-Posten 16th of December 2017. “Två dagar” is produced by contant agency OTW. Photo by Stefan Edetoft

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.

Jerusalem artichoke soup with toasted buckwheat, pickled shallot, cress and truffle oil

Jerusalem artichoke soup with toasted buckwheat, pickled onion, cress and truffle oil

Serves 4 as a first course

Ingredients

500 g Jerusalem artichoke 

1 shallot 

1 garlic clove

3 dl water

2 dl creamy oat milk

230 g cooked white beans

1 tbsp cold pressed olive oil

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pickled shallot

2 shallots 

1 dl water

1/2 dl apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp honey

Garnish

2 tbsp truffle oil

cress

1 dl dried whole buckwheat

How to

Peel and chop onion and garlic. Fry in oil until soft in a sauce pan. Peel the Jerusalem artichokes and cut in to smaller pieces. Add to the onion together with the the water and oat cream. Bring to a boil and let simmer until the Jerusalem artichokes are soft, takes about 15 minutes. Add the white beans when 5 minutes remains. Mix to a smooth soup with an immersion blender. You might want to add a bit more water to get your desired consistency. Add apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.

Pickled shallot: Bring water, vinegar and honey to a boil. Remove from the heat, add the shallots and put on a lid. Let sit for 10 minutes. 

Toasted buckwheat: Put the buckwheat in a fine mesh strainer. Bring some water to a boil and then pour over the buckwheat. Rinse with cold water and let drain for a few minutes. Toast in a dry pan, on medium heat, until golden and crisp. Let cool. 

Serve the soup drizzled with truffle oil, topped with pickled shallots, toasted buckwheat and cress. Serve with crispy seed crackers! 

* This is a recipe from “Två Dagar” distributed by Göteborgs-Posten 16th of December 2017. “Två dagar” is produced by contant agency OTW. Photo by Stefan Edetoft