Warm Noodle Salad with Soy Beans

The sauce for this is absolutely deeeeeelicious! Almost creamy, but with a fresh bite from the ginger and the chilli, yum!

Warm Noodle Salad with Soy Beans
(Serves 2)

For the sauce:
1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp peanut butter + 1 tsp sesame oil OR 2 tbsp peanut oil
1 tbsp SWEET tamarind paste (I think the unsweetened one is a little too risky, but you can use 1 tsp of the latter along with 1 tbsp brown sugar or agave)
2 tbsp soy sauce

100g noodles (they used rice noodles in the recipe)

1 tbsp sunflower- or vegetable oil
1 fat garlic clove, finely chopped
150g soy beans or green beans
2 Spring onions,chopped
1/2 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (red if you like it hot!)
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander (or 1/2 tsp dried)
2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped (or 1/2 tso dried)
2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted for garnish (optional, I skipped it)
Salt to taste (optional, there's soy sauce in the sauce)


- Make the sauce in a bowl and set aside. Then, boil up water for the noodles and cook as instructed.

- Heat oil in pan and fry the garlic for a minute until fragrant. Drain the noodles and add to the garlic along with the sauce. Turn the heat down to low. Add the chilli, herbs, Spring onions, and beans and heat through.

- Garnish with the sesame seeds, and it is ready to serve!

I love how with a few extra ingredients, you can turn noodles into a lively bowl of goodness!

PS.I wish I was better at eating noodles with chopsticks, I had to use a fork for this! Next time, I might attempt it though. Practise makes perfect....

Yesterday, I enjoyed my day off, I took a trip to Krispy Kreme (a little tooo sweet for my taste, but that is not to say I wont go there again *cough*) and then - I got my Scandi on! Went to Ikea and bought a few bits and bobs for the flat, and got some snacks from the little food shop.

Today I had about half a bag of Gifflar at work..... *hangs head in shame*

.... back home in Norway, mum would always hunt down a bag of these, and they would last approximately five minutes.... It happens!

Today is the leap day year... The first ever for this blog actually, which is pretty cool! I had work, but I walked home, enjoying the crisp air, and then cooking up a hearty dinner *smiles* I hope you have had a lovely leap year day!


Original source:
Plenty, p. 198

- Jules

Baked Aubergines with Mozzarella

Aubergines make for perfect serving bowls! I saw Kristine's recipe for these baked aubergines with a lovely filling, topped with SO much mozzarella and I knew I had to make it!

Baked Aubergines with Mozzarella
(Serves 1)

1 tbsp oil
1 large aubergine, halved lengthways - scrape out the flesh
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, minced
3-4 mushrooms, finely chopped
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp (smoked) paprika
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Salt and pepper
Aaaaalmost one mozzarella ball (I snacked on the rest, oops!), grated

- Pre-heat the oven to 200C. Set Aubergine bowls aside.

- In a large frying pan, heat up oil and have all the vegetables and seasoning in and fry well until all the liquid has evaporated, and the vegetables are soft and fragrant.

- Fill the aubergine bowls with the vegetables, and top with the mozzarella. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes until the mozzarella is melted and lightly golden.

I was working on a friend's birthday card as I was cooking, and the little cactus in the jar is one I bought at the "Granny Would Be Proud" market here in Glasgow, right off Byres Road *smiles*

...This is easiest to eat with a spoon. I didn't eat the aubergine bowl itself - because I am a little finicky (Scottish slang for fickle, I believe!) when it comes to aubergine. Enjoy the cheeezy mozzarella! If you want, you can serve a side of fries with this, or maybe sweet potato mash? I just had it on its own, and it hit the spot *smiles*


Original source:
Sunnere og Sterkere med Protein Rik Mat, p. 28

- Jules

Mazarin Cupcakes

A.... sweet treat? R-r-r-eally? Yup folks! You better believe it! I know it has been a while, but here it is!

When I was little, I often stayed over at my mormor in the weekends - and it was magical every time. My granny was so creative and it was impossible to ever be bored. I would bring a teddy, a different one each time, and make them necklaces with all of my granny's yarn. I would let them sleep in the boxes you can buy fancy tangerines in, and the food was always delicious.

Before bed, she would hang a blanket up in front of the fireplace on a chair, so that when she tucked me in, it wuld be blanket first, then the duvet. It was the bomb!

She also sometimes made "mazariner" which is almond and vanilla based cupcakes, they were SO good, despite only needing a few pantry ingredients.

Today, I finally got around to making them (I don't know what on earth took me to long!) and they turned out really well! Despite maybe not being AS good as mormor's, cause that'd take a bit of effort, and a little piece of extra love which she always seemed to stuff them with!

Mazarin Cupcakes
(Makes about 12-14)

100g unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup plain flour
50g ground almonds
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1/4 cup milk

Icing made up of icing sugar and a little bit of milk or water, I used milk.

- Start by pre-heating the oven to 200C.

- Have the sugar and butter in a bowl and cream until it goes almost white in colour. Add the egg, milk and vanilla extract and stir well to combine.

- Mix all the dry ingredients in one bowl, and then add it bit by bit into the wet mixture.

- Fill cupcake cases 2/3 up and bake for about 15 minutes until risen and golden and fluffy! Leave to cool and then drizzle with icing, wait until it sets before serving.

Deeeeliciously fluffy straight from the oven!

This was one of my favourites as a child, and still is! And it made the flat smell awesome!

Original source:
Mormor <3

- Jules

Avocado & Cucumber Gaspacho

OK, so it might be a little early with chilled soups, however this version here by Gordon Ramsay is lovely! When I had it, I felt a little tinge of Summer sunshine - surely not a bad thing?

Whipped up in about 7 and a half minutes (not that I counted), you will have yourself a bowl of Summer in no time!

Avocado & Cucumber Gaspacho
(Serves 2 as a starter)

For the soup:
1 cucumber, chilled then peeled
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 ripe avocado
4 tbsp Greek yogurt (I used soy, making the dish vegan)
Splash of tabasco or hot chilli sauce (I used quite a bit to bring the heat through the mellow flavours)
Salt and black pepper

For the garnish:
1/4 red onion, finely chopped
5-6 baby plum tomatoes, finely chopped
A drizzle of olive oil
2 basil leaves, finely chopped

- Start by whizzing the soup ingredients until smooth.

- Now, chop up the ingredients for garnish and top the soups as you go along, ending with a slight drizzle of oil and the basil leaves.

I enjoyed this with some toasted slices of bread once, and another time just on its own!

What is your favourite chilled soup?

I hope everyone has a good weekend ahead whether you're a fan of Valentine's Day or not. I myself am going to an Estonian friend of mine for a clothes swap with a group of lovely people. In Estonia, they celebrate this day with friends more-so than with lovers, and I don't tend to be overly cheesy. It will be good fun having our own little swap-event, and hey! Maybe I will find some old-new-pretty things!
What are your plans?


Original source:
Ramsay's Best Menus 019

- Jules

Minty Melon, Feta & Fennel Salad

This salad had my tastebuds intrigued, tangy, cheesy, sweet, minty? All of the above... And I tell you what, it was a refreshing experience!

Minty Melon, Feta & Fennel Salad
(Serves 2)

4 handfuls of washed leaves (I used mixed baby leaves)
1 fennel, trimmed and thinly sliced
300g cantaloupe, deseeded and cut into long slices
100g feta

Dressing:
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
Juice of 1/4 lime
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 sprigs of fresh mint, finely chopped

- Divide the leaves between two plates, and if you want to crisp up the fennel, you can leave it in a bowl of icy water for five minutes - but I skipped this step, still crunchy! Sprinkle the slices of fennel across the plates, followed by the cantaloupe. Crumble over the feta... Aaaaalmost done now, just one more thing...

- Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and drizzle atop of the salad - ta dah!

The colours on the plate made me really happy... Trying to suppress the early Winter evenings, eating happy food packed full of goodness!


Original source:
Ramsay's Best Menus 004

- Jules

Muhammara

I am a sucker for dips, the more exotic the better! And within a week, two of my favourite blogs posted recipes for muhammara - a red bell pepper and walnut-based dip which tastes fantastic! If you like hummous, you'll like this!

Serve as a snack with wholemeal pita bread and crudites, or serve as part of a main meal!

Muhammara
(Serves 4)

1 red bell pepper
3/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup wholemeal breadcrumbs
3 Spring onions, chopped
Juice of 1/4 lemon
1 tsp cumin
A good pinch of salt
1 tbsp agave syrup (or pomegranate molasses)
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp water

Pomegranate seeds and oil for topping

Pita bread, and vegetable sticks for dipping

- Start by roasting the red bell pepper on high heat in the oven until blistered, wrap in tin foil until the skin is easy to peel of the pepper.

- Have the pepper along with all the other ingredients in a blender and swish until you have a slightly coarse but smooth dip.

- Simply top with pomegranate seeds upon serving, a good drizzle of oil and serve with sides of choice or as part of a main!

We made this as part of three dips (We also made Egyptian Foul Mudammes and Zingy Avocado Hummous!) and it was quite the spread!

What is your absolute favourite veggie dip?

Today, one of my colleague had brought in heart shaped vegetarian jelly sweeties and asked if I would be her Valentine <3 It is cheesyness like this I can deal with, not to mention the slight sugar-high that hit! Giggles in work *smiles*


Original source:
http://warmvanillasugar.com/2016/01/14/muhammara/

- Jules