Fastfood: Quinoa veggie mess

 

When I got home from work today, I could not bear the thought of going food shopping. So, I decided to use up all of the veggies in our fridge before they go bad and try to make a meal out of it. I always have a tendency of over shopping. This happens especially in the fruit & veg department. I try my best to plan out our meals, but it isn’t always that things go according to plan.

Yesterday, Even was in Sweden and he got me organic quinoa and some other goodies. Quinoa is packed with protein & can be used in various dishes. Perfect gluten-free option. So, I cooked it using vegetable stock & seasoned with herbs that I like. If you don’t use seasonings – it doesn’t taste of anything. Almost like couscous.
He also bought me this gorgeous cream coloured cooking pan. It’s so beautiful! Our old one had to be chucked, so I was over the moon to do it & start using this new one. Growing up, my mom had a collection of Alessi, Le Crueset & other brands in her cupboards. She even had these beautiful copper pots. Really good childhood memories of her cooking delicious meals for us. One day I hope to stock up my cupboards with beautifully pots, today feels like I’m on the right track

Preparation & Cooking time: approx. 15 min
So to make this dish, I just sautéed chopped up peppers, squash & cabbage. I used coconut oil, but you can use olive oil as well.  Added spinach & baby peas. Layered it with quinoa, fresh mint & corriander & some pretty purple cabbage. Use whatever you have in your fridge. If you’re a meat eater, grilled fish/chicken would work well. Even enjoyed this for dinner, without meat. He did however request that it be more saucy next time – so I might add a little vegetable stock towards the end of cooking.
We ate ours with a some dijon mustard & feta.

Enjoy! xoxo

Summer/Winter babe

      

In a space of 2 weeks, Ella Sophie has enjoyed the Jozi warmth & then transitioned into the more cooler temperatures here in Norway. And, adjusted really well. We all miss the good late summer moments in SA, but it is really gorgeous here when the sun is out & you can go out for walks in bearably cold weather. Today, however was not the case …

Ella Sophie’s grandmother, came to visit us over the weekend. It’s always nice having her, and Ella Sophie loves spending time with her. She got a full report of our trip, along with a long list of the animals we saw & all of the names of her beautiful aunties back in SA  … along with the fact that she ate lots of ice-cream & candy there too!

She got some beautiful summer outfits, which I can’t wait to see her in. But, for now – I’m anticipating spring. One of my favourite months

Hope you all have a lovely evening! xoxo

Kale chips

 

 

  

Something green for St.Patricks day! Perfectly crisp green kale chips sounded fitting for today. Have to admit, I am not a big fan of kale (grønkål). The strong aftertaste is not my favourite. I have tried previously steaming them, which is ok. I also put them in a smoothie, which I ended up hating. But, I am consistently trying to find new ways to use them. Why? ..

Kale:
- High in fibre & low in fat
- High in iron
- High in vitamin A, C, K
- High in calcium
- Filled with POWERfull antioxidants (it’s dark green colour & taste is a give away)
- Lowers cholesterol

The benefits are silly. Google & be amazed.

How to make kale chips:

- Cut the big stems off, wash and pat dry
- Dress with coconut oil/ olive oil, juice of fresh lemon, seasons (used a lime pepper one) and pepper. You can also sprinkle sea salt. Basically, season the way you want it taste – go wild!
-  Place on an oven tray, and grill in the oven at 230 degrees. Leave the oven door open, so that they crisp up instead of cooking up. Check on them so they don’t burn – I almost forgot about them running after Ella Sophie!
- Munch away!

Hope you enjoy this healthy snack! xoxo

 

Sushi & Ballet

  

Our trips to Bygdøy to visit Cecilia & Chloe, are becoming synonymous with sushi. It’s great that we all enjoy it so much & like trying to perfect it. Also, a huge bonus that the kids love it too. Today’s attempt was a success! The rice and everything was just perfect, and it was by far our best sushi to date!

I am on a mission to find a good miso soup. Allot of the one’s I have tried, just don’t do it for me. So, I found a couple of instant one’s and they were decent – but I didn’t finish my bowl. I guess, the miso soup will be probably be a slow transition for me … But, Even & Cecilia enjoyed theirs.

Cecilia is so creative and always has the sweetest decorations. She’d got inspired by the Easter decorations, that she saw at Harrods when they were away in London recently. Her little Easter egg tree was really cute! Last weekend, the girls painted easter eggs together. Always very inspiring to be around people like her!

The girls entertained us with some beautiful ballet dancing afterwards, showing us all the things they had learned from their classes. They are so adorable to watch!

Hope you all have a lovely saturday night, wherever you are in the world! xoxo

Blueberry madness

   
  

This family household is gaga about blueberries. They’re a real treat & we try eat them as often as we can. Ella Sophie has been sick & last night/early this morning was the last of her fever spells. So, this morning I decided the best thing to do was to get her fueled with a massive shot of natures antioxidants .. and hopefully she will be back to her self today! (No fever since this morning, so crossing fingers that we can spend a good weekend outdoors!).

To make this baby antioxidant smoothie:
1 cup frozen bananas
2 bananas
1/2 cup fresh dates
approx. 250g frozen blueberries
water or soy milk to blend (less liquid = more creamy)
Sprinkle fresh blueberries

Allow the mix to blend for about 3-4 min depending on your type of blender. The frozen bananas & dates become super creamy & give silky texture to your smoothie. Dates are deliciously caramel sweet, they have an abundance of minerals & vitamins & are low in fat and high in protein! Yes, you can actually get protein (good clean source of protein that our bodies know how to use!) from fruits & veggies!

Enjoy this purple yumminess in all its decadence! xoxo

 

Foodporn: ricepaper rolls

   

  

Ricepaper rolls are something I’m craving all the time right now. We made some, along with sushi we made at home with my mom & sisters in South Africa. In those sushi rolls, we used lightly beer-batter tempura mushrooms & another type with tempura prawns. We made these rolls because my sister, Tamara wasn’t a fan of the nori in the sushi. So, I wanted to get her involved & made her ricepaper rolls. It turned out so yummy! So, today I decided to make some rolls.

Most people these days get so paranoid about eating rice and rice products. Not sure why this is. The Asian population practically live off rice, they have very lower cancer, heart related diseases, obesity etc. (read The China study) Rice is the only starch based food which works for me, I don’t eat wheat products because I have a sensitivity to it. I suppose our society today just looks at carbohydrates and relate it to something bad for our diet. Of course, I don’t subscribe to this – fruit & vegetables contain an abundance of goodness and they also are high in carbs. And, low in fat – that is key.
But, if you eat wheat products & it works for you.. thats great. I guess, we all have to figure out what allows our bodies to function at its best.

If you haven’t tried using ricepaper because you are intimidated – I strongly suggest you get a pack from your local grocery store & try it out! Here is a video on how to use ricepaper (skip to 3:49 to get to how to use the ricepaper) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nyg5AUMERkk

The great thing with ricepaper rolls is that you can fill these with absolutely anything you want! Mine are always filled with fresh veggies. The sushi ones we did, were also filled with lots of fresh veggies & avos. I made some for Ella Sophies first birthday party, that were filled with a Thai green chicken coconut curry & rice noodles – they were a big hit!

Today’s rolls were made with lightly sauteed mushrooms encrusted with sesame seeds, in a tiny amount of coconut oil. Also, steamed some cauliflower.  I chopped up extra veggies because we will be having it tomorrow for dinner, will make Even’s rolls with teriyaki chicken.

Dipping sauce:
3 tblsp soy sauce
1 tblsp teriyaki sauce
1 tblsp sweet chilli sauce
1 tblsp rice vinegar/ vinegar
1 tblsp sugar
1 freshly squeezed lemon
freshly grated ginger & garlic
fresh chopped chilli, spring onion & corriander
Coconut juice to water down the mixture & to give the sauce sweetness & depth

Enjoy! xoxo

Memoirs from Africa

     

It’s late & I have to get up early, but I couldn’t sleep. So, I started flicking through our photographs from our holiday in South Africa. Filled me up with a warm fuzzy feeling to see the photographs of Ella Sophie, with my mom & sisters. Ella Sophie talks about them allot – having Facetime/Skype makes things allot easier

She has been home today, as she has a very high fever. So she gets to eat all the ice-cream she wants & chips & basically anything! Just want her to be better soon, don’t like seeing my sweet Ella Sophie sick!

Ok, I think I am dozing off to sleep as I write this so … sweet dreams! xoxo