What a day it’s been. I was sick yesterday and couldn’t go to work and today was so so. Alex spent all morning today updating and redoing my blog from scratch. Pretty much everything looks the same, but the code has been changed quite a bit (it should load faster now) and we’ve done some small tweaks. If anything isn’t working like it should please let me know so we can fix it. It should look OK in IE now too, which is great.

Other things going on.. well, we had this wonderful spelt salad today with a fruity and tangy mango vinaigrette. That was nice. It was also not too hard on my stomach which is still quite upset from yesterdays sickness. And most of all, this was delicous and addictive. I could see myself eating this all summer. Making fruit vinaigrettes is such a fantastic thing to do.. another favourite of mine is a raspberry vinaigrette, or one with strawberries, lime and basil. Yum.

The spelt salad itself was simple and made with easy to find, delicous ingredients. The mix was great, creamy avocado, crunchy pumpkin seeds, nutty and chewy spelt which made for an interesting eating experience. If you don’t have white balsamico the normal kind works just as well, it just has a different colour.

Spelt salad: Serves 2-3

• 200 ml (3/4 cup + 1 tbsp) whole spelt berries
• 1 small red onion
• 1 tsp white balsamico
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp oil
• 1 carrot
• 1 avocado
• 4 sun dried tomatoes in oil (drained)
• 500 ml (2 cups) loosely packed spinach
• 4 tbsp chopped parsley
• 4 tbsp pumpkin seeds

Cook spelt berries according to instructions (mine takes 1 part spelt, 2 parts water and a little salt and needs to simmer for 20-25 mins). Drain and let the spelt cool. Meanwhile, cut the red onion into thin half moons and mix in a small bowl with the balsamico, oil and sugar and let marinade while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. This makes the onion more mellow and much tastier. Thinly slice your carrot into half moons. Dice the avocado and finely chop the sundried tomatoes. Tear the spinach into smaller pieces. Mix all the vegetables together in a big bowl and add the spelt. Mix in the chopped parsley and lastly put the pumkin seeds on top. Serve with nice bread and the mango vinaigrette.

Mango vinaigrette: Serves 2-3

• 60 ml (1/4 cup) cubed mango (I use frozen, thawed)
• 3 tbsp white balsamico
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/8 tsp ground chili flakes
• salt and black pepper

In a small mixer or blender, mix the mango, balsamico and oilve oil until it’s smooth. Add in the chili flakes and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Enjoy!

It’s spring! I love it, every minute of extra sunshine, all the flowers, the green trees.. it’s amazing. Last week we had some crazy weather with summer temperatures and not a cloud in sight. It’s been cooler for a while now but definitely lovely. The day we had this soup I had to put my jacket on when I went to work, it was sunny but the winds were cold. I knew I wanted something warming but preferably not the thick and hearty soups of winter. So green pea soup it was. Green peas are not my favourite vegetables. I dislike them immensely and would not voluntarily have them with my dinner. Except for one exception.. they’re delicious with wasabi.

With a swirl of horseradish-wasabi yoghurt and a toasted bagel with cream cheese on the side this was satisfying but light.

Green pea soup: Serves 4

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion
• 5 dl (2 cups) vegetable stock
• 700g (1.5 lbs) frozen green peas
• 150 ml (0.5 cup + 2 tbsp) soy milk
• black pepper to taste

• 150 ml (0.5 cup + 2 tbsp) yoghurt
• 1 tbsp minced horseradish
• 0,5 tsp wasabi

Chop the onion finely. In a medium size soup pot sauté the onion over medium heat until translucent and soft. Add in the vegetable stock and the peas and let boil for about 7 mins. With a stick blender or in a food processor blend the soup and add in the milk. Season to taste with black pepper and reheat.

Mix the yoghurt with the horseradish and wasabi. Serve the soup with a yoghurt swirl and some nice bread.

And a link to my recipe for wasabi pea pureé. The only other tolerable way to eat peas.

Eat, Drink and Be Vegan is quickly becoming my favourite cookbook. Every time I try a new recipe from it it’s a hit and it’s the book I turn to when I don’t know what to make, but it has to be amazing. Nowadays when I ask Alex to hand me a cookbook ‘any cookbook will do Alex’ he asks if I want EDBV and the answer is always yes. Dreena’s style of cooking and I have this love affair and we’re happy together.

Walnut, spinach and red pepper phyllo roll

and

Potato salad with sunflower seed vinaigrette (Dreena uses pine nuts but I had none and my potato salad has different vegetables)

Tonight I’m cooking Gimme Chimis from that same book, it’s one of my favourite recipes and I’ve made it quite a few times.

Gimme chimis!

I’m still here! Life has just been kind of shit lately and I’ve had a lot on my mind. Ever since my mum’s neck and arms got bad I’ve been feeling moody and things haven’t been great.

I’ve had fun times too. Lots of them! And these last two weeks have been sunny and warm. I’m a positive person, really!

Today we had a really lovely lunch. Every now and then I get cravings for Swedish food, like I used to have when I was younger and ate meat. Today was one of those days so I decided we’d have some tofuballs with lingonberries, potatoes and gravy. Boy, am I ever glad I made that decision.

It was a simple meal and didn’t take very long. I suppose most people can’t get lingonberries but these babies would be good with cranberries, or blackcurrant jelly… or a red onion jelly maybe. The gravy was just gravy granules mixed with stock, some milk and a little bit of soy sauce and black pepper. Potatoes are boiled and then lightly buttered and salted.

Delicious ‘Swedish’ Tofuballs: 4 servings

• 1 pack of tofu 500 gr (17.5 oz)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp dried herbs
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 0.5 tsp liquid smoke
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp marmite (optional)
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/8 tsp allspice
• Black pepper to taste
• 0.75 dl (1/3 cup) breadcrumbs/panko
• 3 tbsp gluten flour (vital wheat gluten)
• Olive oil spray

Crumble the tofu and squeeze some of the water out. Chop onions and garlic finely.

Put all the ingredients in a big bowl and mix WELL. You want to work the gluten for a while. Form into smallish balls (the small ones are tastier!) and put on a baking tray with parchment paper. Spray them lightly with oil and bake them at 225C (440F) in the oven for about 25 - 30 mins. Take them out when they are browned and firm.