Pasta with sausage and vegetables - recipe

Sometimes we go through the day so quickly and in such rush I don't have time to pick up toddler from nursery and have food ready when come home. That means I have to cook after while he play a little more. I tried one day to make this fast recipe and it turned out actually really nice.

Ingredients:

Half cup double cream

2-3 tbsp tomato pure

Toscana mix blend

2 pieces sun-dried tomato

1 cup frozen vegetables

2 chicken sausages 

Pasta of choose, 1 cup

Oil 

Method:

1. Cut the sasauge and as to a pain together with the vegetables with few tbsp oil.

2. Brown a little and add spices and salt. Add the pure and cream and let it come to a boil. Then let it simmer for 20 minutes.

3. Serve with green salad. Toddler approved by eating two bowls. Happy mummy ;)

Enjoy!

Milk stewed macaroni and chicken meatballs - recipe

Eating pasta every week inevitably leads to requests from both my toddler and hubby for dishes that stray from the usual red sauce fare. I must admit, after a few weeks, even I start to crave something different.

So today, I decided to revisit a childhood favorite from my school days: milk-stewed macaroni (stuvade makaroner och köttbullar) and meatballs. It was a dish I adored back then, and seeing how well it was received by both my toddler and baby, I'm resolved to include it more often in our meal rotation. 

Back in school, we often enjoyed husmanskost, a term that encompasses traditional Swedish home-cooked fare. Fond memories of those meals inspire me to explore more recipes from Swedish cuisine, building a collection that I hope will be cherished by my children in the future.

Husmanskost refers to traditional Swedish home-cooked food, characterized by simple, hearty dishes made from locally sourced ingredients. These meals often include staples like potatoes, meat, fish, and root vegetables. Husmanskost dishes are typically comforting and satisfying, reflecting the rustic and wholesome nature of Swedish cuisine. Common examples include meatballs, herring, pea soup, and various potato-based dishes like hash or mashed potatoes.

Ingredients:

4-5 dl macaroni 

6-7 dl milk

1 cup water

1 dl double cream

Salt, pepper nutmeg to taste

Method:

1. In a non-stick pan, bring the milk, water, and double cream to a gentle boil. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the macaroni to the mixture, then reduce the heat and simmer slowly until the sauce has thickened and the macaroni is tender. Stir frequently to prevent sticking.

2. Serve the milk-stewed macaroni with your choice of meat. Personally, I find meatballs and ketchup to be the perfect accompaniment to this comforting dish. It's a combination that never fails to satisfy.

Enjoy this nostalgic and comforting meal, and here's to creating more culinary memories inspired by the flavors of Swedish cuisine! 

Enjoy!

Bulgur with chicken and potato stew - recipe

As we've been incorporating less rice into our meals, I've found myself turning to bulgur more often. It's been a hit with the family—tasty and satisfying, and it pairs well with nearly any stew. This time, I opted for a simple chicken and potato stew, using up ingredients from my pantry and freezer before our next big grocery trip.

I always worry about whether the kids will enjoy new dishes, but thankfully, they've been pleasantly surprised each time. Their hearty appetites and willingness to try new foods make me feel like a lucky mom.

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts

3 potatoes

2 onions

1 bell pepper

half a zucchini

fresh parsley

paprika, curry, 7-spice mix powder

1 vegetable stock

salt and pepper

2-3 tbsp tomato pure

Method:

1. Dice the chicken in 1 cm pieces and add to a deep pan with few tbsp of oil. Add rest of the vegetables and add the spices. Mix and let everything fry on high heat for 5 mins. Add 1 cup water and lower the heat. Add the tomato pure and let simmer for a good 30 min. Taste it and season if necessary.

2. Cook the bulgur according to package instructions. Typically, I heat a pot with a few spoons of oil and salt, then add 1 cup of bulgur. After mixing well, I pour in 1 1/4 cups of boiling water along with the vegetable stock cube. Lower the heat to low and let it simmer for 20 minutes. Fluff the bulgur with a fork once done.

Serve the stew and bulgur together, accompanied by a tangy green salad for a complete and satisfying meal.

3. Once the stew and bulgur is done, serve them together with a nice tangy green salad.

Enjoy!

Fried tortilla bread with chicken stuffing (quesadilla) - recipe

Taco and Mexican cuisine are a delight to savor, and I find them quite easy to make. However, we often end up with leftover tortilla bread that tends to go stale since we rarely use them again. Being committed to a no-waste policy, I always try to repurpose them into a new dish on another day. This time, I opted to transform them into crispy fried tortillas filled with flavourful chicken and potato stuffing. The result? A dish we enjoyed immensely, prompting me to plan on making them as tasty snacks for picnics once the weather warms up. 

Ingredients:

Several tortilla breads

2 chicken breasts, cut in bite-sized pieces

2 potatoes

1 onion

1 dl sweet corn

1 yellow bell pepper

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp smoked paprika powder

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp ginger powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp oregano

1 dl grated cheese

oil for frying

Method:

1. Begin by cutting the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. In a deep pan over high heat, fry the chicken pieces with a sprinkle of the spices. Add the sliced potatoes, diced onion, and bell pepper, along with the remaining spices. Stir in the sweet corn and mix everything well. Cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat, allowing the stuffing to simmer until the potatoes are tender and the flavors meld together.

2. Once the stuffing is cooked through, place one tortilla bread in the pan and spoon half of the prepared stuffing onto one side of the bread. Fold the other half over the filling, creating a half-moon shape. Fry the filled tortilla until golden brown on one side, then flip and fry the other side until crispy and golden. Add a little more oil to the pan if needed.

Serve the fried tortilla bread with chicken stuffing hot, alongside a refreshing green salad for a lovely meal bursting with flavors.

Enjoy these crispy and flavorful quesadillas as a satisfying snack or meal, perfect for any occasion!

Enjoy!

Teriyaki salmon with vegetables and noodles - recipe

Lately, hubby has been suggesting we diversify our meals and try new options beyond rice. So, I decided to explore some exciting new recipes! Today, I whipped up a dish featuring salmon with homemade teriyaki sauce, paired with wok vegetables and egg noodles. 

I was a bit apprehensive about how the sauce would turn out, fearing it might taste too different from what we're used to since Asian cuisine isn't something I often cook. But I felt compelled to give it a shot, and to my surprise, it turned out wonderfully. What's even better is that my toddler enjoyed it just as much, which was a pleasant surprise!

With this success, I'm feeling inspired to explore more dishes from Asian cuisine. While we typically enjoy Asian food when dining out, I'm excited to bring those flavours into our home-cooked meals as well. 

Ingredients:

3-4 pieces of salmon
Egg noodles cooked according to package instructions 
500 grams pack of frozen wok vegetables 
sesame seeds
1/2 dl soy sauce
1 tsp sweet chilli sauce
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp curry powder
 A few tbsp oil
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp sesame oil


Method:
1. Begin by sautéing the frozen wok vegetables in a deep pan with a few tablespoons of oil over high heat. Add 1 tsp sweet chili sauce and curry powder. Once golden brown, set aside.

2. Prepare the teriyaki sauce by combining soy sauce, 1 tsp sweet chili sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic powder in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir well and add cornstarch to thicken. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Finally, add sesame oil and sesame seeds.

3. Brush half of the teriyaki sauce onto the salmon pieces. Bake them in the oven at 200 degrees Celsius until golden brown, about 20-30 minutes.

4. Once the salmon is cooked, assemble the dish. Start with a bed of noodles, followed by the wok vegetables, and top with a piece of salmon. Brush more teriyaki sauce over the salmon before serving. 

Enjoy!

Vegetable wok with chicken tenders and rice - recipe

Today I tried to use up some of the things I had in the freezer. I had a bag of frozen wok vegetables and a few chicken tenders. Together with soy sauce and rice that are always available at home, it was a piece of cake to put them together to this delicious wok meal. Quick dish that don't require alot of work as the vegetables were already cut, which is nice. Here it goes.

Ingredients:

A bag of frozen wok vegetables

Few chicken tenders

Rice

Oil

Soy sauce

Seasoning: ground ginger, paprika, curry powder, cumin, salt pepper

Method:

1. Cut the chicken tenders in bite sizes and fry in a pan with few tbsp of oil. Add some curry powder and salt to taste. Once golden brown set aside.

2. Fry the wok vegetables in oil in same pan on medium/high heat. Add the seasoning and few drops of soy sauce. Once done, set aside.

3. Cook the rice according to the package. Add some seasoning. I used ginger powder, curry, turmeric and few pods of cardamom.

4. Once everything is cooked, serve it all together, rice, wok vegetables and finish with the chicken. Add more soy sauce. It was really good and full of flavours. Nothing authentic, still wonderful and filling. 

Enjoy!

Berry pie with vanilla icecream

Often when hubby is asked to buy stuff, he buys many of the same category to safeguard from getting told of in Case he buys the grown item. Instead of puff pastry he bought pie dough. Oh well, no in harm in that. It is always nice to find new items to experiment with in the kitchen. 

So before the pie do experied, hubby reminded me to use it up. I had frozen berries and vanilla ice cream in the freezer. So I thought let's make a nice dessert.

Ingredients:

Bought pie dough

Frozen or fresh berries, blue berries and strawberries

Ripe pear

Vanilla sugar

Vanilla ice cream 

Method:

1. I rolled out the dough and placed it in an oven form. All excess dough I cut in long strips. Then I cut the berries in thin slices. I put the pear slices first and then the blueberries and strawberries. Sprinkled over the vanilla sugar to taste, roughly 2 tsp. 

2. I folded down the pie dough from the form and added the strips of the leftover. It almost covered it all. Then baked the pie in the oven for about 40 minutes at 180 degrees. I took out once it was golden brown.

3. To be served with 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream. It was so tasty. The pie was not to sweet so it was perfect with the ice cream

Enjoy!

Spagetti with this lovely cheese sauce and toscan dip spice blend works heavenly together. Today hubby craved a white pasta as he was tired of the red pasta he declared. So we made up a version together. He cooked the spaghetti, I explained that we needed to make a cheese sauce so he grated cheese. After max 30 min, it was all put together. The taste is so rich and flavourful, thanks to this lovely dip blend. I bought it from the oil and vinegar shop.

Ingredients:

Spaghetti, boiled according to package

2-3 tbsp oil

2 tbsp flour

1-2 cup grated cheese

1 cup milk

Toscana dipper spice mix to taste

1 tsp grated nutmeg

Salt and pepper

Olive oil to taste

Method:

1. Boil the spaghetti according to package, drain it and sprinkle over some of the spice mix.

2. Add flour, oil and milk in a deep pan and mix well to prevent flour to become lumpy on medium/high heat.

3. Add the cheese and mix well until it has melted and the sauce thicken a bit. Add salt, peppar, spice mix to taste. 

4. Once sauce is done, mix it with the spaghetti and sprinkle some dried herbs over and some grated parmesan cheese over. You will love this rich, yet simple vegetarian meal, I promise!

Enjoy!

Basbousa (semolina and coconut) cake - recipe

During a visit to a friend who had just welcomed a new baby, I was treated to a delightful homemade cake. Despite my protests about the effort involved, my friend shared her secret with me, revealing one of the simplest cake recipes I've ever come across—and I've baked quite a few! Surprisingly, all you need for this recipe is a glass!

Named Basbousa, this cake comes from the Middle East and is renowned for its rich flavors and sweet syrup soaking. However, I prefer to serve it without the syrup, finding it perfectly delicious on its own. This semolina cake has won the approval of both young and old every time I've made it. Best of all, you can use the same glass to measure all the ingredients.

The story behind Basbousa is as rich and diverse as its flavors. It is believed that the dessert's name is derived from the Arabic word "basbasa," which means to soak or drench. This is a fitting name, as Basbousa is typically soaked in a sweet syrup after baking, adding moisture and sweetness to the cake. The cake holds a special place in Middle Eastern culture, often served during festive occasions. It symbolizes hospitality and generosity, as it is commonly shared with family, friends, and neighbors.

 Ingredients:
1 glass oil

1 glass semolina

1 glass natural yogurt

 1 glass coconut

1 glass sugar
1-2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
Almonds for topping

For the syrup:

1 cup (200g) granulated sugar

1 cup (240ml) water

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp rose water or orange blossom water (optional)

Method:
1. In a bowl, crack the eggs and add the sugar, mixing well until combined. Then, slowly incorporate the remaining ingredients, ensuring everything is thoroughly mixed. If desired, you can add a few drops of orange flower water for extra flavor.

2. Grease the cake pan generously with oil and coat it with coconut flakes to prevent sticking. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and arrange almonds on top. Aim for evenly spaced squares, with each square featuring one almond to guide your cutting later on.

3. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for approximately 30-40 minutes, or until the cake turns golden brown. 

4. Once cooled, place a kitchen paper under the cake to absorb any excess oil before slicing. This light and fluffy cake simply melts in your mouth, making it a delightful treat for any occasion.

5. If using the syrup: in a small saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, water, and lemon juice. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved. Reduce the heat to low and let the syrup simmer for 5-7 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Remove the syrup from the heat and stir in the rose water or orange blossom water, if using.

6. Once the cake is baked, remove it from the oven and immediately pour the hot syrup evenly over the hot cake, allowing it to absorb the syrup. Be sure to pour the syrup while both the cake and syrup are still hot for best results. Allow the cake to cool completely in the baking dish before cutting it into squares along the scored lines.

Serve the Basbousa squares at room temperature, garnished with additional slivered almonds if desired. Enjoy this delicious Middle Eastern treat with a cup of tea or coffee!

Enjoy!

Guacamole with creme fraiche - recipe

I bought a net of avocados at Lidl thinking baby will like it. But he spat it out no matter what I mixed it with. So I forget them in the fridge. After few days I saw them and decided to use them up. They were perfectly ripen and perfect for a guacamole. To make it a healthier option, I used crisp flat bread instead of tortilla crisps. Equally yummi!

Ingredients:

4-5 small ripe avocados

2-3 tbsp creme fraiche

Handful chopped fresh parsley

1 ripe tomato, chopped

Juice from 1 lemon

Seasoning to taste: salt, garlic powder, cumin, paprika

Method:

1. Cut out the avocado flesh and mash it with a fork in a wide bowl. Press the lemon juice over it, to prevent the avocados to become brown. Add the creme fraiche and mix well.

2. Chopp the parsley and tomato finely and add it to the bowl. Season it with the spices to taste. Mix well and cover with plastic foil and keep it in the fridge.

3. Serve with crisp flat bread or tortilla chips. I made the flat bread crispier by putting it in the toaster for few seconds. Be careful not to burn it though.

Enjoy!

Homemade hot chocolate

When you thought that it is time to remove all winter clothes and shoes, the weather suprices us with 20 cm of snow during the night. Oh well, the smile on toddler's face in the morning when he looks out through the window, so worth it. But I had to treat myself to a nice hot cup of homemade chocolate. Super easy!!

Ingredients:

Roughly 1-2 dl double cream

4-5 dl milk

2 tbsp kakao powder

2 tsp sugar

Season of choose: I chose a sprinkle of vanilla powder and ground cardamom

Method:

Mix everything in a sauce pan on medium heat until well mixed and piping hot. Don't let it boil though. Gives enough chocolate for two cups in case you like to share it. 

I enjoyed it with a nice cheese sandwich ;)

Enjoy!

Swedish chocolate balls or rolls, chokladbollar - recipe

When the craving for something sweet struck today, my kids and I found ourselves without any treats at home. But fear not, for I always keep baking ingredients stocked in the pantry! So, we embarked on the delightful adventure of making Swedish chocolate balls together. These delicious treats require no baking—just your hands and a bit of messy fun with the little ones!

Ingredients:
2 dl oats
50- 75 g butter
3 tbsp cacao powder
2 tsp vanilla powder
2 tbsp water or instant coffee
1 dl sugar
Sugar pearls, shredded coconut or nuts of your choice for coating

Method:

1. Begin by combining all the dry ingredients in a bowl, mixing well.

2. Add the room temperature butter to the bowl, breaking it into chunks with your hands. Mix everything together until well combined. The mixture will become greasy and messy, but that's all part of the fun!

3. Take a portion of the dough and roll it into a round ball. Dip the ball into sugar pearls or your preferred coating, such as shredded coconut or chopped nuts. In Sweden, coconut is a popular choice for coating, but feel free to get creative with almond shavings or finely chopped nuts.

These Swedish chocolate balls are a delightful treat that's easy to make and even more enjoyable to eat. Perfect for satisfying those sweet cravings, whether you're young or young at heart!

Enjoy!

Hearty chicken curry and yellow rice - recipe

Something I often cook during busy weekdays is a nice hearty chicken curry. The lovely thing with a curry is that there  are so many different recipes on the internet you can choose from to add variation each time you make it. I generally add what I have in my fridge that specific day.

Ingredients

2 chicken breast, cut in cubes

2 tomatoes, cut in cubes

1 onion, diced

2-3 tbsp tomato puree

Oil

1 dl double cream or yoghurt 

4 cm zucchini 

1 red bell pepper

Spices: cumin, coriander, yellow curry powder, paprika, ground ginger and garlic

Method

1. Cut the chicken breast into cubes. Dice the onion and add it to a frying pan with few tbsp of oil. Add the spices to taste, I generally use roughly a tsp of each more or less. Let the onions and spices fry on medium heat. This brings out the lovely flavours. 

2. While that happenes, chop the tomatoes, pepper and zucchini into cubes as well. Add vegetables and chicken in the frying pan and let everything become nice and golden. Add the cream and little water if to dry. Let it simmer for a good 30 mins. 

3. Serve with rice with flavours of turmeric and a cardemom pod. 

Enjoy !

Cheese straws ( toddler snack) - recipe

Cheese has become a favourite thing to eat by toddler. Especially on the morning sandwich. So I want to make something with cheese but little different, that toddler will enjoy. Came up with cheese straws. That is the quickest and easiest to bake while toddler takes noon nap. I used to bake it when he was younger. But time to reintroduce it again. It is great as a snack for him. This way, I at least know what goes in it. 

Ingredients

2 dl flour

2 dl grated cheese

1 dl butter

Egg if you like to make them little shiny

Method

1. Add butter and flour in a bowl and rub it together with your hand untilit gets crumbly. Add the cheese and work the dough until it's nice and soft. If it is sticky add more flour.

2. Roll out the dough into 0,5 cm thickness. Then cut out the straws. 

3. Place it on a baking tray with a baking sheet under. Bake in the oven at 200 , degrees, for ten mins.  When you take them out put a muslin cloth on and let them cool. Eat as is or use them to eat with a nice dip of your choice. 

4. If you want you can add half an egg in the dough, and the rest you can glaze the straws with before placing the tray in the oven. But this time I left it out. It was a great hit! Both toddler and hubby finished them.

Enjoy!

Fried quesadillas - recipe

On weekends, we often visit various food markets, where a multitude of cuisines and an array of meals from diverse cultures are available. As a family, I opt for options that are less messy to eat. Quesadillas are perfect for this; they're easy to carry and consume on the go. Even the toddler enjoys them. My mum attempted her own version, which was a hit. I've found myself making them quite frequently, especially for our summer picnics.

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts

1 small can of corn

2-3 tbsp tomato puree

2 potatoes, boiled

1/2 yellow bell pepper

1 onion

Oil

Flat bread

Seasoning: Turmeric, paprica powder, salt, pepper, curry, ground coriander, garlic powder, ground cumin. These spices were added to taste

Method:

1. Dice the chicken breast and sauté it in a frying pan with a few tablespoons of oil. Then, chop the peppers and onions and add them to the pan.

2. Lightly boil the potatoes and dice them. Combine the corn, tomato purée, and potatoes in a frying pan. Season with the spices mentioned previously, using anywhere from 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of each. Cook over medium heat until browned, aiming for a relatively dry consistency.

3. Spread some of the mixture onto one half of the flatbread. Fold the other half over the top. Cook in a pan until it turns golden brown and crisp.

It's delicious and satisfying, making for an excellent lunch option when paired with a green salad.

Enjoy!

Kofta (köfta) minced meat wrap - recipe

I haven't been able to post anything for some time, but I've been feeling inspired lately and wanted to share this easy meal. Easy recipes have become essential in our household. With two kids, food needs to  be quick and require minimal effort, but still has to taste great!

While browsing the spice aisle at the supermarket, I came across a spice mix for kafta or köfte, which are meat patties. I thought, "Let's give it a try and see how it flavors the dish." So, today I grabbed the spice bag and did it. However, instead of making patties, I simply seasoned the minced meat with the spice mix as I had limited time to prepare them.

Ingredients

200 g minced beef

1 onion

1 tsp dried parsley

2 tsp kofta spice mix

1 tsp paprika powder

Oil

Serve with: onions seasoned with sumac, lettuce, tomatoes, flatbread and a minty yogurt sauce.

Method

1. Heat a frying pan with a few tablespoons of oil of your choice and fry the minced meat until browned. Add the onions and the rest of the ingredients. Continue frying until fully cooked and browned.

2. Wash and slice the tomatoes and lettuce. Serve the köfte meat mix on flatbread with the vegetables and a delicious fresh minty yogurt sauce.

The kofta spice from supermarket, Kafta (kryddor från Rosengård).

Enjoy!

(Kladdkakemuffins) brownie muffin - recipe

A nice and easy recipe of brownie muffins that are soft inside. Excellent activity to do with children when it's cold and rainy outside.

Ingredients
1 dl liquid margerine or butter (100g melted butter)
2,5 dl sugar
2 dl flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla sugar
3 tbsp cacao powder
2 eggs

Muffin paperforms

Metod
1. Mix the eggs and sugar well until it is well mixed and fluffy. Add the rest of ingrediens and lastly fold in the flour. Add a tbsp in each muffin form. I got 20 muffins.

2. Preheat the oven 180 degrees and bake them for 8-10 min. They will start to rise and sink in the middle. That is when you should take them out. Also the less time you keep them in the oven means they will be more gooy and soft inside. They should cool covered by a tea towel or muslin cloth to stay soft.

They have a rich chocolate taste and soft, fudgy texture. They are best served with some whipped cream on top. This is perfect to bake with children.

Enjoy!

Kebabs with semolina and feta cheese salad - recipe

The other day, I picked up some fresh minced beef and decided to get creative in the kitchen by making some delicious kebabs. Instead of the usual bread crumbs, I opted for semolina, and let me tell you, it was a game-changer! These kebabs turned out wonderfully light and flavorful, making for a satisfying meal, especially when paired with rice  and feta cheese salad. Let me share the recipe with you!

Ingredients:

300 g minced beef

2-3 tbsp semolina

1 finally diced onion 

 1tsp garlic powder

1 tsp parsley

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1tsp kebab seasoning

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp mix of cumin and coriander

For the Salad:

Handful of green leaves

cherry tomatoes chopped

cucumber chopped

yellow bell pepper chopped

olive oil

lemon juice

1 onion, diced and seasoned with sumac

Olives

Feta cheese

Yoghurt sauce: 3 tbsp Greek yoghurt, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp dried dill, 1 tsp dried parsley, 1/2 finely chopped onion, 2 cm cucumber finally chopped

1 cup rice, cooked according to instructions

Method:

1.Start by mixing the minced beef with semolina, parsley, garlic powder, olive oil, onion, Worcestershire sauce, kebab seasoning, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and the mix of cumin and coriander. Shape the mixture into kebabs and place them on a greased oven dish. Bake at 200 degrees Celsius for approximately 20 minutes or until cooked through.

2. While the kebabs are cooking, prepare the salad by washing and chopping the vegetables. Season with a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice, then add sliced olives and crumbled feta cheese to the mix. Cook the rice according to the instructions on the package.

3. In a small bowl, combine the Greek yoghurt, garlic powder, dried dill, dried parsley, chopped onion, and chopped cucumber to make the yoghurt sauce. Stir well and refrigerate until ready to serve.

4. Once everything is cooked and prepared, serve the kebabs, rice, sumac onions, salad, and yoghurt sauce on a wide plate. Enjoy the burst of flavors and textures in every bite!

These kebabs with semolina and feta cheese salad are sure to become a new favorite in our household. With their juicy, flavorful meat and refreshing salad, they make for a satisfying and wholesome meal that's perfect for any day of the week. 

Enjoy!

Lentil soup - recipe

Often I ran out of ideas of making healthy meals for us, toddler included. But I have a few go to recipes that I use quite often in our daily meals. Lentil soup is one of them. I make it according to a recipe given to me by my mum, I have just added few extra spices. My son loves this thick soup and it works perfect for children. I just give him a buttered toast with it.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup red lentils

1 onion

1 tsp mild curry

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp coriander

1 tsp dried parsley

1/4 tsp turmeric

salt and pepper to taste

2-3 tsp oil

1/3 cup rice

Method:

1. Add the lentils to a deep pot and add 2 cups water and let it boil. Be careful as the lentils can boil over the sides of the pot. Quickly lower the heat until it has relaxed little. It will be somewhat foamy, when that happens you can easily remove the foam with a wide spoon. When the water is reduced add another 2 cups of water and let it simmer.

2. While the lentils are simmering, chop the onion and fry it in a pan with the oil and half of the curry, until golden brown.

3. Add the fried onions to the lentils together with all remaining spices and the rice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. I add the rice so that it thickens the soup. Let everything simmer together until it has reduced and the soup has thickened. If it becomes to thick quickly add some boiled water.

4. Serve in bowls with baguette and butter, a lovely combo!

Enjoy!

Chicken over rice - recipe

I love finding new recipes online by reading articles and blogs by other people who've tried them and recommend them. This specific recipe was recommended by Elin Josefina, she has a great mummy blog in Swedish. So this dish is called Chicken over rice. Much similar to a chicken cube served with rice that you can find in middle eastern restaurants. It is a favourite to order every time we go to those restaurant. So I decided to cook it and share my twist of this dish. I have added some optional spices. I looked online to see how others make this recipe, and almost all add a twist to it, so this is mine.

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, diced

3-5 tbsp greek yoghurt

1 lemon

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp parlsey

salt and pepper

1 tsp kebab mix spice (optional)

3-4 tbsp oil for frying

1 cup rice cooked according to instructions on package

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp coriander

1/2 tsp coriander

salt to taste

4 pods of cardemon

shredded lettuce, 1 onion, sherry tomatoes

yoghurt sauce: 3 tbsp greek yoghurt, 1 lemon juice, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp dried dill, 1/2 tsp dried parsley, 3 tbsp water to make the sauce more watery

Method:

1. Cook the rice according to the package instructions. Add all spices for the rice in the boiling water. Set aside.

2. Mix the greek yoghurt and all spices for the chicken marinade. Add the diced chicken pieces in the marinade and put it in the fridge for few hours. I only had it in for 1 hour. But the longer it is chilled the tastier flavours will marry. Fry the chicken pieces in a shallow frying pan with few tbsp of oil on medium to high heat. It should look golden and char grilled.

3. Shred some washed lettuce, slice 1 onion and cherry tomatoes. Mix all ingredients for the yoghurt sauce. Put the sauce i the fridge to chill while all food is cooked.

4. Serve it in a plate, rice with the chicken pieces over. Add the salad and yoghurt sauce on top of it. Tastes heavenly, specially for pregnancy cravings.

Enjoy!

Satisfying Salad Lunch: Pomegranate and feta cheese salad

Today's lunch was a quick salad made from leftovers in the fridge. I thought to myself, "This should make a nice salad." Sometimes the best meals are those that come together spontaneously, using whatever you have on hand. 

We had feta cheese and pomegranate that were already peeled and seeded—my husband is wonderful for preparing them for me. The combination was delightful: the fruit's sweetness and the cheese's saltiness paired well with the crunchy salad mix. 

Initially, I didn't expect it to be filling, but to my surprise, the creamy cheese was quite satisfying. It was also a great way to get a boost of vitamins on these rainy days. And just as I mentioned it, the sun began to shine. It felt like the universe was rewarding my quick culinary effort with a little extra sunshine - a lucky day indeed!

Ingredients:

Bag of mixed salad: carrots, red cabbage, lettuce

1 chopped orange bell pepper

4-5 halved cherry tomatoes

1/3 feta cheese square

1/2 cup seeded pomegranate

salt to taste

Method:

Mix all ingredients and season with salt to taste. Easy and very tasty.

Enjoy!