Sweet Potato, Leek & Prune Soup

This is a concoction I made some time ago, and then I remembered that I had not posted it yet! It was after being made aware that sometimes fruits can be a really lovely addition to curries and even soups that I thought I would try and come up with something good, and you know what? To my surprise this worked!

Sweet Potato, Leek & Prune Soup
(Serves 3-4)

1 tbsp oil
1 leek, chopped
1 sweet potato, diced
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
5 soft prunes, roughly chopped
1-2 tbsp vegetable stock powder (1-2 cubes)
1/2 tsp Marjoram
1 tbsp onion powder
enough water to cover

- Start by heating oil in a medium sized casserole, and a soften the leek for about five minutes. Then add the remaining ingredients!

- Make sure the stock covers the vegetables, cover and simmer until the potatoes are soft, for about 15 minutes.

- Simply whizz until smooth and add more water if you think it needs it. I like quite a thick soup, so I kept it that way, lovely and filling! Season to taste and serve with some fresh bread for mopping!

I was struck by pharyngitis the other day, and so my friend and I first tried to cure it with some home made Irish toddy (my friend Emma made the toddy, and I made my first nut roast ever! Both recipes will pop up in the near future, so stay tuned!)... It might not have helped much, but it was delicious!

The next day, I had to go to the doctor's and get some real medicine, and probably got 500% of my daily intake of vitamin C, not to talk about the honey and lemon-laden tea I was drinking throughout the day!

My voice, after having been gone for two days, is now back, and next week I will be returning to work as well... For the past couple of days I have just been taking it easy, which is just as well with the stormy weather we have had!

I hope you are having a lovely weekend, and that you're not struck by colds or sore throats! In the next few days, I will be having my old flat mate visiting, going to a local gig, and having some friends over for dinner - avoiding going out too much at any cost! Today I fit in a long walk though, because spending too much time indoors gives me cabin fever! T'was good with some fresh air, but now I am snuggled up with a book. Enjoy your evening! Any plans?


Recipe by yours truly,

- Jules

Carrot & Banana Bread

Carrot cake and banana bread are two of my favourite sweet bakes. I think it is because normally they are never TOO sweet, if you know what I mean?

Katrina of Warm Vanilla Sugar (yes, I am a massive fan!) posted up a recipe - carrot AND banana bread. I could not resist, and I am so glad I made it!

Carrot & Banana Bread
(Makes 1 loaf)

1 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp cinnamon
Pinch of salt
2-3 ripe bananas, mashed
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup milk of choice, I used almond
1/3 cup sunflower oil
3 carrots, grated

- Pre-heat the oven to 180C.

- Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, and then grease a loaf tin. Pour in the mixture, and in the oven it goes! Make sure not to open the door to the oven as banana breads have been known to collapse due to the change in temperature before it is baked through. Leave in the oven for 50- minutes.

- Take out and leave to chill (if you are patient enugh!) and serve whilst it is still warm. Remaining "carrana" bread makes for epic treat at work the next day, or perhaps even for breakfast? Don't mind if I do.... It's light and fluffy and works any time of the year!

This week a friend from work and I watched Mockingjay Part 2 and it did not disappoint!
Also, I have not been a fan of putting up a christmas tree before 23rd December (tradition in my family in Norway), but last weekend I bought a christmas tree and his name is Gerrard? Why? Well... Gerrard because the name came up upon purchasing him, and the buying of the tree itself because I want to make the most of the festive month over here this year before I go over to visit my family. I haven't seen them in a whole year, so it will be amazing to see them again!
I am in a room surrounded by poinsettia, a christmas mouse, straw billy goats courtesy of Ikea, string and wine cork deer, Gerrard the christmas tree and some paper chains I made.... It's happening!

I hope you are having a great start to a new month! Have you got any plans for the coming weekend? I have today off, so I will meet a friends for coffee and later - improvise!

Have a wonderful day! x


Original source:
http://warmvanillasugar.com/2015/07/17/carrot-banana-bread/

- Jules

Wicked Patatas Bravas

Patatas Bravas, one of my favourite vegetarian tapas dishes. It is made with humble ingredients, but together they pack a punch! I swapped some of the potatoes for Brazil nuts and it added a fantastic bit of crunch to it - yum!

Wicked Patatas Bravas
(Serves 3-4 for tapas or 2 as a light lunch)

1 large baking potato, diced
2 tbsp olive oil

For the sauce:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 tsp thyme
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (I used green - red is too hot for me!)
400g chopped tomatoes
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp honey (or brown sugar/syrup etc)
Salt and pepper

1/2 cup whole Brazil nuts
Parsley or chives

- Start by making the sauce: Heat two tbsp olive oil in a medium sized pot and add the onions, sautê for about ten minutes until glistening, add a little more oil if needed.

- Boil up some water and add a good drizzle of salt, add potatoes and boil for about 10 minutes until just tender.

- Add garlic and chilli to the onions, and let it simmer for a minute. Now, add the paprika, honey, salt and pepper along with the chopped tomatoes, turn down the heat and let it bubble for about 10 minutes until you have a thick sauce.

- Drain the potatoes and heat up 2 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan, add your potatoes and fry on medium heat for about 10-20 minutes (depending), turn occasionally and make sure they are nice, golden and slightly crisp.

- Heat up the sauce and swirl through Brazil nuts. In a bowl, scoop half of the potatoes in, pour over the sauce and top with the remaining potatoes. And it is ready to serve!

Despite working yesterday (on a SATURDAY!) I managed to make the most of it and actually have a fantastic weekend! A bottle of wine, amazing company, easting way too much hummous and crackers, watching (500) Days of Summer, adventures to a loch, laughing at the strange noises that sea gulls sometimes make, look at the majestic heron, enjoyed a full vegetarian breakfast out, more hummous and crackers, Sherlock, and Trollhunters... What a bizarre movie that is! But I enjoyed it actually, and it was nice to watch a movie in my mother tongue - it has been a while. I guess I have to practise again for when I go over for christmas, I am a little rusty!

I hope you have had a good weekend? *smiles* It was really sunny today, but almost frosty too - but I suppose for November that is nothing! We could have had snow here! Brrrrr.... I should put the kettle on!


Original source:
River Cottage, Veg Everyday, p. 322


- Jules

Warm Quinoa & Roast Butternut Squash Salad with Walnuts

There was a time around four years ago when I ate too much butternut squash. I had never tried it before and then when I did? Well.... I figured I could pop it in lunches, dinners and sometimes even for breakfast...

Since then, I have had to use sweet potato in most savoury recipes that called for pumpkin, but now however - I have overcome this and it is all thanks to this hearty warm salad!

I swapped a few things from the original recipe, and I decided to make it vegan!

Enjoy *smiles*


Warm Quinoa & Roast Butternut Squash Salad with Walnuts
(Serves 2)

1 cup quinoa
1 stock cube
Juice of 1/2 lime
Handful fresh parsley, chopped

1 small butternut squash, deseeded and diced
2 tbsp oil
Salt and pepper
1 cup of artichokes in oil, drained and chopped
1 fat garlic clove, finely chopped
70g walnuts, roughly chopped

-Pre-heat the oven to 180C. Toss the butternut squash in oil salt and pepper and place on a baking tray, roast for about 15 minutes.

- Ten minutes in, cook the quinoa in water as instructed and add the stock cube.

- 15 minutes of roasting of the squash, it is time to add the garlic and artichoke! Leave in the oven for an additional 15 minutes until lightly browned and tender.

- Once the quinoa is done and has absorbed the rest of the water off-heat, swirl in the lime juice and parsley.

- Once the vegetables are aaaalmost done, add the walnuts to the roasting tin and pop back into the oven for a further 5-10 minutes so the nuts are lightly toasted!

Serve up! Plate first with the quinoa and top with the squash and walnut mix. Do you approve?

THis weekend has been short of amazing, and it is not even over yet! I have sampled some fine vegetarian burgers in courtesy of Meathammer ltd. I have spent time with people I care about and despite the rather wet weather we have had here, I feel all Autumny and catch myself smiling... Making the most of every day despite things not going according to plan is key - just go for it! I had a really nice and crafty evening last week, and when it was raining cats and dogs one day I was supposed to go to the gym, I went home after work and did exercise there instead.

Later on I will brave the weather again once more and meet up with friends for lunch, so that'll be nice *smiles*

How has your weekend been so far?


Inspiration from Veg Everyday, p. 72

- Jules

Snickers Dip

Second sweet recipe in a row? Well.... there is a reason for that - today I have been a vegetarian for 8 months! And what better way than to whip up something sweet (and moderately healthy).

This was meant to be posted closer to Halloween, however I failed due to being ridiculously busy.

Enter: my twist on Ragnhild's caramel dip!

I had to tweak the recipe due to missing a couple of ingredients, but it turned out pretty sweet indeed. Spread it on toast and top it with banana, have it on sliced apple or anything else you reckon this would go well with!

In the picture below, there is home made healthy pumpkin pie, vanilla ice cream, topped with the dip and M & Ms! Went down a treat when I had a couple of friends over for dinner and I served this for dessert.

Snickers Dip
(Makes 1/2 cup)

5 tbsp date syup (or soak 1/2 cup dates in boiling water, drain and whizz until smooth)
2 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 tbsp agave syrup (optional)

Toast, bananas, apples or other such things to serve

- Simply mix all the ingredients in a bowl and store in a small air-tight jar. Due to the healthy fats and natural sugar, this will at least last for 5 days in the fridge. I doubt that it will last that long though!

This weekend has been nothing short from lovely, I had Friday and Sunday off and spent it with a bunch of fantastic people. I had a lot of amazing food, picnic on the floor, I made lots of crafty things this evening (picture above is part of a candle I made earlier... It is still going strong on the table here in front of me *smiles*), I was given a tour of a part of Glasgow I had never seen before, and I received my first t-shirt from RedBubble (check it out for amaaazing tee designs!) - I got the one where there is an overly awesome raccoon doing the dishes... You better believe it!

Now, I am knackered, I have made some home made soup to bring for work the next couple of days, and I am ready for a good, long night's sleep... I hope your weekend has been eventful as well!


Recipe by yours truly, inspired by Ragnhild

- Jules

Honey Glazed Orange with Nuts

Here is a quick little recipe when you fancy a sweet treat any time of the day but haven't yet hit your five-a-day.

Oranges are packed full of vitamin C and as it is getting colder here in the North, we're going to need all the nutrients we can get our paws on. Honey is anti-flammatory, and the nuts contain healthy fats and helps a vegetarian get some extra protein! Not to mention the great crunch!

Honey Glazed Orange with Nuts
(Serves 2)

3 oranges, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp honey (syrup for vegan)
2 handfuls walnuts or mixed nuts

- Simply serve the orange topped with honey and the mixed nuts and enjoy!

Possibly one of the quickest home made sweet treats ever?

Hope you enjoy!

The other day, I bout a monster of a spice cake with me to work, I finished early, but when I came in the next morning - it was demolished! OH and I only figured out the other day when I was making it again that the original recipe doesn't have any eggs in it!

I hope you have had a good week so far? I am off today and on Sunday this week, so trying to make the most of it. I was cooking a little this morning so I have food for the next couple of days already made up - life has been hectic this last month!
The BBC Good Food show is in town this weekend, but I KNOW I would only end up spending way too much money, so I'm spending some quality time with friends instead. What have you got planned for the next couple of days?



Original source:
Friske Vegetariske Oppskrifter, p. 260

Zazou Carrot Salad

I love this little side dish!

The fact that the name of the salad is the same as the funny little grumpy parrot in Lion King certainly peaked my interest when I found this recipe!

I served this as a lunch, along with vegetarian sausaged, and it worked a treat!

Zazou Carrot Salad
(Serves 2)

3-5 carrots, grated
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
3/4 cup tahini (I used the light tahini)
1 1/4 cup water
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp sesame seed oil
2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
2 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)

- Start by mixing the tahini and water, followed by garlic, lemon, sesame oil, soy sauce and the nutritional yeast (if using), then stir in the carrot and parsley.

- Serve as a side to a main meal, or as a lighter bite along with some vegetarian sausages!


Original source:
http://www.thecleandish.com/zazou-carrot-salad-with-lemon-tahini-dressing/

- Jules