Beet top Feta Salad

Make it a beet night!
This could be the light supper for a warm evening or serve as a colorful side to a simple chicken or fish.
I served this along with a slice of Danish Rugbrød (see separate recipe) with a sole filet...

3  red beets with tops
a handful of baby romaine leafs
3 oz Feta cheese
1 avocado
Juice of half orange

Dressing:
3    tbs Olive oil
1/2 tsp sugar
2 finely chopped pearl onions
Juice from half a lemon
salt and pepper

- Separate the top and beets. Wash the beets and cover with water in saucepan. Bring to a boil and let simmer for app. 20 min until tender. Drain and peel and cut each beet into four or five slices. Squeeze the orange juice over the beet slices.
- Wash the tops and cut out the hard stem in the middle of each leaf. Cut into very thin shreds.
- Dice the avocado and the feta cheese.
- Mix all ingredients in a salad bowl and serve the dressing and beets on the side.

Fish Cashew Curry with Coconut Wheat and grilled Zucchinis

This dish came about as a result of my recent Ayurvedic experience in India and is created for a Pitta diet but can of course be enjoyed by anyone. The flavor is very mild but do spice it up if you are into the hotter stuff. I like the wheat berries as an alternative to rice but hey, anything goes...

A family of four:

Zucchini:

2          zucchinis
1-2 tbs olive oil
salt and pepper

- Wash the zucchinis. Chop off the ends and slice into 4 or 5 long strips.
- Cover with oil, salt, and pepper and leave for about half an hour.
- Cook them in a grill pan at maximum heat, app. 5 min on each side.

Wheat:

1      cup soft white wheat berries
31/2 cup water
1/2   cube vegetable bouillon
1/2   cup shredded unsweetened coconut

- Bring wheat, water and bouillon to a boil and leave to simmer about 1 hour 15 minutes.
- Drain well and mix with shredded coconut.

Curry:

1    tbs olive or coconut oil
1/2 tsp turmeric
1    tsp curry
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/3 tsp red thai curry paste
1         thinly sliced leek
5         chopped white pearl onions
2         cloves garlic, chopped
juice from 2 lemons
1   tbs apple cider vinegar
1   lb tilapia filet
1/2 cup cashew nuts
1   can coconut milk

- Heat the oil in a pan and add the turmeric, curry, coriander, ginger, and curry paste while constantly stirring, app. 1 minute.
- Lower the heat and add leek, onion, and garlic. Stir occasionally until the onions are clear. Add the lemon juice and vinegar and let it cook under lid 10 - 15 minutes.
- Add the coconut milk.
- Cut the fish into bite size pieces (If you are doing the zucchinis as well now is the time to get them on the pan!).
- Cook the fish and nuts in the curry about 10 minutes until the fish is tender.

I served the curry with a large chard salad on the side...

Raspberry Nutty Granola

An absolute favorite that colors up a greek yoghurt or adds interest to the quick cornflakes...

1    stick of butter (115 g)
4    tbs honey
1    oz sugar
6.5 oz rolled oats
1    oz dried raspberries
1    oz chopped, pitted dates
1    oz chopped hazelnuts
1    oz chopped almonds

- Heat the oven to 385 F. Line a baking tin (app. 8"x8") with a baking sheet.
- Mix sugar, honey and butter in a large pan over low heat. Add the remaining ingredients and mix    well.
- Pour the mixture into the tin and spread it out evenly. Bake in the oven until golden, app. 25 min.
- Leave to cool in the tin. Transfer to a cutting board and coarsely chop the granola into desired chunks.

Brought this along on sunrise hike with my friend Jill this morning - it went down well on the hilltop!

Indian inspirations

Just got back from India after a two week full Ayurveda experience just south of Trivandrum, Kerala. Eating according to my dosha combined with meditation, yoga, purgation, and massages on a daily basis has left me lighter, revitalized and - happier! With a list of do's and don't's in my bag I can't wait to incorporate these fascinating Indian principles to my cooking - so stay tuned!

Beet and Mung bean salad

I absolutely love beets and in combination with garlic and lots of lemon in my eyes you can't go wrong. This served as last night's dinner for two - a light meal and early to bed to prepare for daylight savings!

2       beets with top
1/2    cup sprouted Mung beans
1 1/2 cup water

2      tbs olive oil
1      tbs lemon juice
1      garlic clove
salt & pepper

- Cut the tops off the beets but leave the skin on while covering with water in medium saucepan. Cook until barely tender, app. 35 min. Peel with a knife and slice into thin sticks.
- Meanwhile bring water to the boil in small saucepan. Add the beans and cook according to instructions. Drain and leave to cool.
- Rinse the green beet leafs and remove the coarse stem. Dry and slice thinly. Arrange on plate with beets and beans on top.
- Mix the ingredients for the dressing and pour over the dish.

Enjoy...!

Baked beet and olive paste with cashews

Kayak snack

This is a tasty and colorful paste that goes well with fish and chicken or as a dip on its own. I prefer a coarser texture but blend it to your liking...

1    large red beet
10  oz black olives, pitted
1    garlic clove
4    tbs olive oil
1    lemon, juice and rind
1/4 cup cashew nuts, toasted

- Peel and dice the beet into 3/4 inch size. Put in baking tray with the olives and bake at 400 F about 30 min.
- Leave to cool for 5 min and blend with the remaining ingredients until desired texture.

I prefer this paste cold if served as a dip and a little below room temperature when served with a meal...

Lunchbox rolls

Picnic in the yard

As an alternative to the Rugbrød (see Danish Rugbrød recipe) I bake these rolls for breakfast or the kids' lunchboxes. They are super easy as you prepare the dough the night before and bake them while in the shower in the morning - and most of the ingredients can be substituted with whatever you happen to have in your fridge or in the cupboard. For this batch I used buttermilk but milk will work just as well...

1/2    cup milk
1/2    ts dried yeast
1/2    water
1       small/medium carrot, shredded
1       ts salt
1/2    cup sprouted pumpkin/sunflower seeds
1/2    cup rolled oats
1       cup buttermilk
3/4    cup graham flour
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour

-Heat the milk until hand-warm and gently stir in the yeast. I use wooden spoon for this. Leave to    combine app. 10 min.
-Pour mixture into mixing bowl and add water, carrot, salt, seeds, oats and buttermilk. Mix together.
-Add the graham about half the all purpose flour. Stir well with the (wooden) spoon and slowly stir in the remaining flour until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. Add more flour if needed.
-Cover with film and leave in the fridge until next day.
-Set the oven to 385 F and using two tablespoons scoop up the dough and form the rolls on a baking sheet covered tray. If desired, brush the rolls with buttermilk or egg and sprinkle with oats.
-Place in the not yet completely heated oven until golden, app. 15-20 minutes.

Before hitting the oven

I put red bell pepper hummus, thinly sliced raw pointed cabbage, green bell pepper, tomato, cheese and black forest ham in these...

Enjoyed on the beach