Leeky Lentils - Leek & Lentil Soup

So far, this has been my favourite variant of the leeky lentil soup inspired by one of our (two) followers. In fact, it's one of my favourite soups.

Leeky Lentils

5 leeks
1.5-2 cups of green lentils
2 stalks of celery
a huge bunch of parsley
gluten-free bouillon powder
loads of garlic
sea salt
black pepper
extra vergine olive oil

0. Soak the lentils overnight.
1. Let the lentils cook while you're preparing the other ingredients.
2. Wash and cut the leek and the celery into smaller pieces, peel and cut the garlic in small pieces, and wash the parsley.
3. Add the leek, the celery, the garlic, the parsley, the pepper and the bouillon powder.
4. When the lentils are almost ready, add the salt.
5. When the lentils are ready, blend the soup until smooth.
6. Serve with a bit of extra vergine olive oil.

Annika

Aubergines My Way

I love aubergines. This weekend, I learnt a new way to prepare them. So, at the moment, I prepare them in three different ways (the third one is the new one):

1. Dice the aubergines. Fry them in coconut oil. Add sea salt and pepper. (My absolute favourite but also the least healthy...)

2. Slice the aubergines and add extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and pepper on top of them. I sometimes also add fresh parsley. Bake the aubergines in the oven.

3. Go mental. Stab the aubergines all over with a fork. Rub some extra virgin olive oil and sea salt on top of the stabbed aubergines. Bake them in the oven. When ready, the skin will come off really easily and you can use the flesh whichever way you want. One of the main benefits of this cooking method (in addition to the obvious psychotherapeutic benefits) is its lightness; aubergines tend to soak up a lot of fat, and this cooking method keeps most of the fat on the outside.

Au bergine,
Annika

Eggy Brekkie - Vegetable Omelette

I started the day with one of my favourite breakfasts... Eggy Brekkie. Quick, easy and tasty.






Eggy Brekkie

organic free-range eggs
courgette
leek
(spinach)
sea salt
pepper
paprika
extra virgin olive oil

1. Mix the eggs and the spices with a fork. To get an idea about the proportions, veggies are the main ingredient! I typically use two eggs and loads of veggies.
2. Cut the courgette and the leek.
3. If you intend to use a lot of spinach, you might want to steam it first so that it'll all fit in the frying pan!
4. Heat the oil in the frying pan, add the veggies and pour in the egg mixture. Let it all cook under a lid, mixing the ingredients every now and then. Don't let it cook too long, though; it's nicer if the courgette remains a bit crisp.

Annika

Paradis du chocolat - Pure Chocolate

Ground-breaking news. I was just alerted to the existence of chocolate with a 99% cocoa content. I still don't know how to get my hands on it but I'm almost hoping for a rainy day for when I'm going climbing in Fontainbleau at Easter; I might get the chance to pop into the Michel Cluizel shop in Paris! Noir Infini. Paradis Infini.

http://www.cluizel.com/

Annika

Costa Poco - Steamed Swiss Chard

Italy is a leaf eater's paradise! One of my latest acquintances is 'bietola da costa', or Swiss chard.

This is bietola for beginners - a quick and easy side dish. I will keep you posted on anything more advanced that I might come across.

COSTA POCO

Swiss chard
extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper

1. Wash and slice the chard.
2. Steam the chard until tender.
3. Add oil, salt and pepper.
4. Enjoy!

Annika

Red Roots - Beetroot Casserole

What's on the menu tonight? A casserole made with 'red roots' and other goods (when translated directly from the Finnish word 'punajuuri', 'beetroots' become 'red roots').

This one is simple but does take a while to prepare. What I usually do is that I prepare a huge portion and then eat it either hot or cold for a few days.

Buon appetito!


RED ROOTS

beetroots
red onions
Brazil nuts
potatoes

Dressing:
extra virgin olive oil
paprika
pepper
sea salt

1. Wash, cook, peel and slice the beetroots.

2. Cut the onions in half and slice the halves.

3. Peel the potatoes and slice them as thinly as you can. To get an idea about the proportions of the ingredients, I usually use four or five times as many beetroots as potatoes.

4. Mix the ingredients of the dressing. Be generous with the paprika!

5. Arrange layers of the ingredients in the casserole and bake in 180 degrees for about an hour.

6. Let me know if you have ideas on how to improve the dressing!