Tangy Noodles with Shiitake Mushrooms

Today I thought: Thursday should be a "Treat-yourself-day", and what better than to zing it up with some quick and tasty noodles? Beats the take-away places any day!

You can change the shiitake mushrooms for normal mushrooms or chestnuts mushrooms, it is up to you!

Tangy Noodles with Shiitake Mushrooms
(Serves 2)

2 noodle nests (rice noodles for vegan)
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp oil
3 Spring onions, or 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/2 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
200g shiitake, sliced
Juice of 1/2 lime
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
2 handfuls of greens (I used peashoots, this is optional)
100g bamboo shoots (I had some leftover, so decided to chuck them in)

- Start by boiling noodles as instructed, I boiled mine for about 4 minutes. Drain off all the water and pour in sesame oil, stir well and set aside.

- In a large frying pan, or wok, heat up the oil and soften the onion and . Then, tip in the chilli, (bamboo shoots - if using,) shiitake mushrooms, and a splash of water along with the sweet chilli sauce and soy.

- At the end, squeeze in the lime juice, mix in greens if you are adding some, and swirls through the noodles to heat them through.

Serve them like they are, or topped with roughly chopped peanuts, on a bed of sliced Chinese cabbage and finely chopped coriander.

Did you treat yourself today? If not, the weekend is just around the corner! Have a good one ^ ^


Original source:
Den Lille Kokebokserien - Thai, p. 132

- Jules

Maria's Mother's Addictive Seeded Bread (GF)

The name? Well, it was one of my favourite bloggers - Maria, who shared this recipe with the world, but then she told me that originally it was her mother who had made this for her the first time around.

I was actually thinking about how nice it is when recipes are being shared with one person to another... My favourites are the little treasures that my grandmother jotted down in her recipe book years and years ago, but lots of times it can be through your circle of friends that you get introduced to little gems like that too!

I wanted the optimal recipe for a spelt bread, and I might just have found it (I will try my auntie's recipe next, so stay tuned!)... Because I am seriously addicted to this bread! It disappeared within days although I sliced half of it and stored it in the freezer for those rainy days, but I couldn't keep my paws of them, and would time and time again have it for breakfast, or an evening snack!

Maria's Mother's Addictive Seeded Bread (GF)
(Makes 1 loaf, but do feel free to double or treble the recipe)

450g Spelt flour (I used wholemeal, but you can do 50/50)
25g oats
175g seeds - pumpkin seeds is a must! But the others areoptional, I used poppy seeds and sunflower seeds
2 tsp psyllium husk or xanthan gum (optional, but recommended)
1/2 tsp salt + more for topping
1/2 packet dry yeast (adds the nice flavour to the bread)
400 ml water (about 1 1/2 cups)
100 ml orange juice or coconut milk

- Mix all the dry ingredients in a baking bowl - reserving some of the salt and seeds for topping. Make a little well in the middle.

- Heat up the water and juice/milk until it's lukewarm, and gently mix this without overworking it. Leave it in a warm place to rise for about 30 minutes.

- Transfer the dough to a greased loaf tin, and let it rise again for an additional 30-40 minutes. Afterwards, top with a drizzle of salt and extra seeds.

- Now pre-heat the oven at 225°C, then place the bread in the middle of the oven to bake for about 40 minutes then, turn the loaf upside down in the tin and bake for another 15-20 minutes to develop the crust all around the bread.

Leave to cool slightly before enjoying with your favourite toppings! Oooor serve alongside some tasty warming soup!


Original Source:
http://mariasmat.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/saftig-speltbrd-med-hele-korn.html

- Jules

Coconut Pancakes

Hello and good morning!

It is Sunday, and the first day of a new month, and what better to serve on such a day than....

Little thick but fluffy pancakes with notes of deliciously exotic coconut? Fresh from the pan, mmmmm - it was one of my days off and this is how I wanted to start my morning, will you?

Coconut Pancakes
(Makes 4)

1/2 cup semolina or rice flour
1 egg
1/3 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp xylitol/sukrin gold/brown sugar
2 tbsp dessicated coconut
Pinch of salt

Oil for frying: I used coconut, but sunflower or any other more neutral oil will work just fine!

Toppings such as:
Yogurt, vanilla extract, dessicated coconut, maple syrup, melted butter, chocolate sauce, sliced mango or banana etc.

- Simply mix together the batter, whisking until slightly fluffy.

- Heat oil in pan and take half a ladle-ful of the batter and frying it covered for a minute or two before flipping and frying it uncovered on the other side for 30 seconds to a minute until golden.

- Serve warm with your favourite toppings and enjoy!

I mixed together three tablespoons of alpro yogurt, a bit of vanilla extract and drizzled it over, followed by more dessicated coconut!

Also, as I was having these, I was thinking of traditional Norwegian pancakes that are almost like crêpes and how they are "better" when I eat them with my hands. Then, with American pancakes, I prefer stacking them up and eating them with knife and fork. I started out with cutlery, but ended up just eating them with my hands. What is your preference?


Original source:
Den Lille Kokebokserie - Thai, p. 260

- Jules

Vegan Crunchy Peanut & Dark Chocolate Cups

It is time for something sweet! Don't you agree?

Now, I got to try out some cocoa butter from work, they are little pellet that are easily melted in a pan over a low temperature. Mainly it is used in chocolate, but it has become more and more popular to try and add to other recipes, or home made sugar-free chocolate.
Since I am surrounded in chocolate at work, I didn't want to go down the obvious route. This lead me to - peanut chocolate!

Vegan Crunchy Peanut & Dark Chocolate Cups
(Makes 7 mini moulds)

(two had already been "tested", y'know, gotta make sure they'll pass....)

For the peanut crunch:
2 tbsp cocoa butter
2 tbsp xylitol/sukrin gold/brown sugar
2 tbsp crunchy peanut butter

For the chocolate:
1 tbsp cocoa butter
1/2 tsp cocoa powder (unsweetened)
1 tbsp xylitol/sukrin gold/brown sugar
2-4 drops stevia vanilla (optional)

- Start with the "peanut crunch" by melting the cocoa butter, this will take less than a minute. Stir through the peanut butter and sweetner until combined. Divide between mini cupcake moulds, or bigger one if you have taken the excellent decision of doubling the recipe.

- Now, repeat with the chocolate; melt cocoa butter on low heat, mix in cocoa powder and sweetner(s), drizzle into the moulds over the peanut crunch, and leave them to set in the frige for about half an hour/an hour until set, before serving.

I took some of these with me to work the other day and they disappeared within minutes! And I have made them several times now....

Crunch! My friends couldn't believe they were healthy, and loved the sweetness and the crunch. Perfect snack alongside your cuppa.

This morning, I also uploaded the pictures from my vegetarian "Rabbit Burns" Night Supper. The vegetarian compared to the meaty one tasted just as nice! But it's a little bit lighter, which means you can have an extra bit, yum!


Recipe by yours truly,

- Jules

20-Minute-Dreamy Satay

This is one of the tastiest shortcuts I have EVER taken! I literally wolfed this down, and you know when you have the last bit of something and it almost makes you sad you have to part with it? Happened with this stuff!

Got some leftover rice from earlier on or yesterday that you can steam? Or perhaps that ingenious fast-cook wholegrain rice? Spiffing! You'll have yourself a lovely little satay in about 20 minutes *smiles*

I had one and a half cup of cooked amaranth that I heated up to serve with it, but yuo know what? Just get a big bad naan for dipping, because it's all in the peanutbuttery sauce, that I lightened up a little bit. I hope you like it!

20-Minute-Dreamy Satay
(Serves 2)

200-300g Quorn "chicken-style pieces" (from frozen works just fine ^ ^ )
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 cm fresh ginger, grated or finely chopped
1 tbsp brown sugar/sukrin gold/xylitol
2 tbsp soy sauce
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp dried coriander leaves (optional)
1/2 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
A good pinch of turmeric
2 heaped tbsp peanut butter
1/2 onion, grated (I used the cheese grater)
1 cup Alpro coconut milk (carton coconut milk or light from a can)
Cooked rice to serve
Matchstick cucumber to garnish (optional)

- Start by having the quorn pieces in a large casserole together with everything except from the coconut milk, rice and cucumber. Fry for a few minutes so that the onion gets softened and the garlic and herbs become fragrant. Add the coconut milk and leave to simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

- In the meantime, prepare your rice/naan/accompaniment of preference, and cut the cucumber into matchsticks.

- Simply serve the Satay with your sides of choice and a little bit of garnish, aaaaand let it sweep you off of your feet! ..or...something like that.

I know what I'll be making in the very near future again..... *sneaky grin* Do you like Satay sauce? And do you have a favourite "shortcut" recipe?

Also, we need your help! My friend and I, as I mentioned a couple of days ago, are having a little competition against each other, and need your vote! So pop by here and let's hear who you reckon deserves to win! So far it is a tie - the tension!


Original source:
Den Lille Kokebokserie - Thai, p. 68

- Jules

Cross-Asian Salad, Burns' Night & A Sassy Sarnie

So last night was Robert Burns night! I had a few people over for a traditional Burns' Supper, but as I was cooking, I caught something in the corner of my eye. The label for the organic garlic had caught fire (I normally don't use the hob that it was close to....). Thankfully I managed to put it out within seconds, and the end result was a slightly shocked Julie and a rather amused friend (she was my helper, both with cooking and laughing at me when it happened.. It's what friends are for, right?!)
Anywhoo, I had six lovely people over for vegetarian haggis, with "neeps and tatties", and there were drams for everyone, and desserts aplenty, including a few games. It was a lovely night, despite a slightly turbulent start.

A little while ago, I made a salad I thought was worth mentioning. This is open for alterations and swaps for whatever you like really.

Soy sauce and Chaat Masala, a little peculiar you'd think, and fennel? Well, I improvised, which I am quite glad about, cause this tasted lovely!

Omit the cayenne if you want a little less of a kick to it

Cross-Asian Salad
(Serves 1)

1/2 tbsp oil
4-5 Spring onions, chopped
30g Fennel, cut into matchsticks
100g Quorn mince
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp chaat masala
Pinch of cayenne
1/3 tsp garlic powder
Splash of water
1 small tomato, chopped
Chunk of cucumber, finely chopped
Mixed leaves to serve

- Start by heating the oil in a large frying pan and soften the spring onions for about five minutes. Add the fennel and fry for a couple of minutes to soften.

- Once fragrant, add the mince, soy, spices, and a splash of water along with the mince and fry until cooked through. Add the chopped tomato and cucumber and let it sizzle for 2-3 minutes.

- Serve warm over some fresh, washed leaves and tuck in! Lately I have found myself somewhat addicted to a ruby chard and lambs lettuce duo leaf-pack - it goes with everything!

Aaaand for the bread lovers out there... I have a little heads up for you!

A couple of years ago, I mentioned how topping a slice of bread with peanut butter, thinly sliced tomatoes and a sprinkle or salt and pepper actually worked incredibly well (I stumbled upon this tip on a blog somethere). Well.... I had some leaves and salsa at hand a little while ago and decided to make a twist to this, squished between two toasted slices of bread and a good dollop of peanut butter and you have yourself a perfect breakfast, lunch, or evening snack!

It doesn't take much for a sandwich to look appealing...I mean really!

I hope you have had a wonderful week so far and not set fire to garlic... Have you been up to much? And have you ever tried haggis before?


Recipe by yours truly,

- Jules

Sunflower Pancakes

Hello and top o' the morning to you! Had a good start to your week? I hope so! Either which way, pancakes always make you feel pretty spiffing, don't they? Have you tried adding different seeds to the batter and see what happens? They add a bit of crunch as well as flavour, which - let's be honest - isn't a bad thing!

Originally, sesame seeds were used in this recipe I found, but I only had sunflower seeds so I used them instead, and it worked a treat!

Sunflower Pancakes
(Makes 2)

For the pancake batter:
1 egg
5 heaped tbsp wholemeal or gluten-free flour
1/2 cup milk (125ml)
1 tsp oil such as sunflower or rapeseed
1 tbsp syrup (maple, agave etc) plus more to serve

Juice of 1/2 lime (or lemon)
2 bananas
2 tbsp sunflower or sesame seeds
1 tbsp oil (neutral, like sunflower oil)

- Start by mixing together the ingredients for the pancakes, and leave to set for about 5 minutes.

- In the meantime, squeeze out the citrus juice into a small bowl, slice the bananans - and dip them into the juice. Make sure it is all coated slightly, and set aside.

- Now, heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and add 1 tbsp of the seeds in, lightly toast for about a minute, before pouring half of the pancake batter over it, using a ladle. Swish the frying pan around a few times so that the whole bottom is coated and the edges are even. Cook until you can see it is cooked through (when the batter is set in the middle), this should take 3-4 minutes. Flip over and fry until slightly golden. Repeat with the remaining half.

- When the pancakes are done, simply serve with the citrus banana, fold over and douse with 1 tbsp syrup each, and enjoy!

On another note, the other day when I was at some friends' for a clothes-swap (so much fun! Ever done it?), I got a jar of homemade chutney! (you know who you are!)

I have already demolished half of the jar-ful of the chutney, and it was delicious! Especially with a bit of cheese. But check out the beautiful colour!

Presents like these really make me warm and fuzzy inside!

Have a lovely Monday - and practice making pancakes for the National Pancake Day, less than a month to go! x


Original source:
Friske Vegetarisk Oppskrifter, p. 212

- Jules