Oatmeal Sunflower Seed Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe was born out of a need to give my kids a healthy after school snack that was budget friendly and healthy but also something that they would actually eat.  Let's face it - for those of us who try to feed our kids ultra healthy real food, we often get the food returned uneaten and/or accompanied by some remark about how gross it was.  If they don't eat it, it doesn't count.  This cookie recipe has passed the test of the picky eater and the concerned parent alike.  While it does have sugar (you can play around with this with honey or maple syrup perhaps), it also has sunflower seeds, oats and dark chocolate.  All of which are extremely good for your little ones, yes even the chocolate.

3/4 cup     unsalted, unroasted sunflower seeds - crushed (I use a hand mixer)
3/4 cup     sugar
1 cup        butter
1 tsp         vanilla extract
1               large egg

2 cups      flour
3 tsp         baking powder
1/2 tsp      salt

1 cup        rolled oats
1 cup        dark chocolate crushed or finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a large bowl use a hand mixer to blend the butter, sunflower seeds, sugar, egg and vanilla.  I make the mixture as smooth as possible so that the sunflower seeds are barely detectable (you don't want them to be too aware of the nutrition).

In a separate bowl mix the flour, baking powder and salt.  Add the dry ingredients to the first mixture.  You can continue to use the hand mixer for this step.

Once it is as well mixed as possible add the oats and chocolate pieces.  Use a wooden spoon for this step.

You can either grease the cookie sheet with butter or use parchment paper.  I highly recommend the latter.  It makes things much easier.

Use a tablespoon to shape them out onto the cookie sheet.  These cookies are heartier than their not-so-healthy chocolate chip cookie cousins and are therefore less gooey and do not spread out during the baking process.  Their consistency is between a traditional cookie and that of a scone.

Bake for around 10 minutes.  I look for a little bit of a darkening of colour all around and slightly darker around the edges.



 

Vietnamese Pho Soup

Vietnamese Pho is one of my favorite foods.  In Toronto there were several really great Vietnamese restaurants with fantastic soup.  Stockholm is much less saturated with authentic Asian restaurants.  When I finally did find an authentic Vietnamese restaurant, the soup cost 150 kr.  The exchange on that is approximetely $23!  For soup!  If I ever wanted to be truly reunited with my pho, I would have to learn how to make it myself.  I've tried before and failed.  I've heard it said that a true pho broth should take 6 hours and I always imagine there being a gaggle of old Vietnamese grandmas in old Vietnamese grandma heaven looking down on me and having a good laugh.

Turns out that a decent pho can be very easy to make and quite fast too.  Here's the recipe I used via the Food Network with a few alterations according to the soup I used to get in Toronto.

1 packet flat rice noodle, prepare as directed, drain and put aside

12 ounces lean sirloin beef, fat trimmed
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large onion, halved
1 4-inch piece of ginger, halved (calls for unpeeled but I peeled mine, either is fine I'm sure)
3 cups low sodium beef broth
3 cups water (pho is a light broth so I actually added a little more water than this)
5 star anise pods
1 cinnamon stick
3-4 tablespoons fish sauce

4 scallions
fresh cilantro
fresh bean sprouts
fresh Thai basil
fresh lime

Prepare the rice noodles as the label directs.

Place a large pot over high heat. Poke the meat all over with a fork to tenderize it and season with salt and pepper. Sear the meat until slightly cooked but still rare, 2 to 3 minutes per side, then transfer to a plate. Add the onion and ginger to the pot; cook about 4 minutes (I added a bit of canola oil to the pot at this point because the ingredients were sticking and the bottom of the pot was going to burn) . Add the broth, 3 cups water, the star anise and cinnamon, reduce the heat and simmer about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, thinly slice the scallions and tear the cilantro. Thinly slice the meat against the grain.

Add the fish sauce to the broth and boil 5 minutes. Discard the ginger, star anise and cinnamon stick. Remove and slice the onion. 

Divide the noodles among 4 bowls; top with the broth, beef, scallions, cilantro, bean sprouts, Thai basil and onion with a side of lime wedge.*

You will also need some Hoisin Sauce and Sriracha sauce.  Each person uses these to their own taste.

*These fresh ingredients added at the end are essential for a good Pho.  Never leave them out and if you ever go to a Vietnamese restaurant in Toronto and you don't get a plate of these on the side, they assume you don't know any better.  Ask for it.

Fresh Design at Formex 2014 - Looking to Spring

I have always been a big lover of winter.  I'm Canadian, Toronto to be exact, and when it gets cold, it gets really cold!  I love snow, the more the better but around the end of January I'm pretty much over it and ready for spring.  Formex showed the Spring / Summer 2014 best of Nordic design this week so let's look forward to Spring.


Scratch what I said last year about my dream BBQ (click here for that), this is the new grill of my dreams!  Stunning design.  This is the type of BBQ a proper Texan could feel fantastic about (isn't that the gold standard? Texas = BBQ), design buffs and fancy Chefs too.

http://www.biggreenegg.eu/se

To get your groceries for the BBQ parties you'll be having you are going to need a couple of these chic plastic grocery bags.  These are an original Swedish design first produced in the 50s.  They went out of production when stores went from paper to plastic bags.  Now that we see the err of our ways and are taking care of the environment, these plastic bags are back and recyclable too.

hinza.se

To set the table, you can try these colourful napkins.  Designed for Duni by Swedish Designer Hanna Werning these will look lovely in your beautiful garden, or create a garden in your city digs.

www.duni.com

A lovely napkin is a waste if someone doesn't spill something.  Spilled Snaps is always an option of course but why not coffee too?  Here we have a perfect carafe for any occassion - Stelton from Denmark.

www.stelton.com

Et le pièce de résistance!  Whether you have a green thumb or not, you won't be hiding this garden hose in the snickarbod.  This is called Garden Glory and no kidding!  I got the stink-eye last year when I said we needed a new yellow hose.  Good thing we waited!

www.gardenglory.se

Stockholm Directory - Iris Hantverk

image via irishantverk.se

I'm not sure why cleaning has become synonymous with the new year but it has been a hot topic this past week.  Cleaning is not how I like to mark the special times throughout the year - I do it ALL. THE. TIME. anyway.  If you, however, are itching to clean in the deep dark corners of your home then I suggest you check out Iris Hantverk.  They are a small company specializing in cleaning brushes, handmade by visually impaired crafts people (you can read their story here).  Their product line is small but each piece is lovely and well crafted.  In addition to a carefully curated line of bathroom, kitchen and gardening products, Iris Hantverk carries some of the nicest cleaning soaps.  I've always been partial to natural smelling cleaners, derived mostly from natural sources.  Iris Hantverk's cleaners are delightful for the senses.  So, treat yourself to a cleaning event that smells more like being at the spa.  You deserve it.

www.irishantverk.se
(If you are not in Sweden, Iris Hantverk has distributors for their brushes all over the world.)

Iris Hantverk
Kungsgatan 55
111 22 Stockholm
 

Västerlånggatan 24
111 29 Stockholm

Top 5 Posts of 2013

While we're all recovering from the holiday season, let's take a look back at five of the most popular posts from 2013.

 Savory Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup

With most of us thinking about a healthier lifestyle, this soup is delicious and full of vitamins.

Japanese Paper Maché Lamp

A fun DIY that looks great and even the kiddies can do it.

Custom Red Paint

How we got a gorgeous dynamic red paint from basic exterior applications.

 Beautiful Draperies from Inexpensive Tab Curtains

Here's an IKEA hack converting their inexpensive tab curtains into beautiful, lined drapes.

Furniture and Lighting Fair - Stockholm Design Week 2013

Stockholm Design Week 2013 is where Design Stockholm began, so how appropriate to say a final goodbye to 2013 and kick-off 2014.

Glögg Martini

I was preparing to make a traditional glögg but I realized that it would be ... boring.  So, as promised, here's a drink full of real booze.  Introducing the Glögg Martini!

Rim

Sugar

Cinnamon

Mix equal parts sugar and cinnamon on a small plate.   Moisten the rim the glass with a lemon wedge and then dip the rim in the cinnamon mixture.

Martini 

2 oz       Red Wine

1/2 oz    Vodka

1/2 oz    Cointreau

pinch of ground cloves

cinnamon stick

raisins

Fill a martini shaker about half way with ice.  Add the wine, vodka, cointreau and crushed cloves and shake vigorously - you want to break up the ice a bit so that the martini ends up being very cold.  Strain into the prepared glass.  You can add some of the ice too if you want to keep your drink cold.  Garnish with a cinnamon stick and raisins.

Ultimate Swedish Glögg Tasting 2013

Glögg is Swedish mulled wine that the Swedes enjoy during the Jul season.  It comes in either a stronger version available at the systembolaget and a lighter version (2.2%) available at the grocery store.  We decided to try out a few of the lighter version and report on how they faired.  I have to say that after this taste test I was inspired to make my own (strong) glögg ... a little closer to the weekend.  So you lushes will have to sit tight until later this week to bust out the real booze.  Until then, let's keep it lagom*.

No. 1

Dulvenkrooks Chili Choklad

Dulvenkrooks Chili Choklad

 

The top place goes to a flavoured glögg and with that Design Stockholm's findings fail to meet the requirements of a controlled study but this isn't exactly dissertation material either.  So Dulvenkrooks Chili Choklad is my favorite.  It has lots of punch and character.  You don't drink a lot of this stuff so you might as well make it count.

No. 2

Blossa

Blossa

Last Christmas some Swedish friends of mine broke out into song with "B-L-O-S-S-A, glöggen heter Blossa".  So there it is. Blossa is the go-to glögg over here.  They have that catchy tune and they make different labels for each Jul season.  I guess we need to give them some credit for their marketing clout but how does it taste?  Good.  I like it.  In fact it has a piney flavor that reminds me a bit of Greek retsina (I think I may have revealed something very telling about myself with that).

No. 3

Dulvenkrooks Original

Dulvenkrooks Original

Dulvenkrooks Original is a tasty glögg with a bit of a kick so you know it will warm you up on a cold December night.  Nice.

No. 4

Per Morberg

Per Morberg

Upon further research on this glögg I discovered that it is made by a very famous (and temperamental ) actor and chef here in Sweden and I think the picture on the label is supposed to be an elf version of Per.  So here I am giving it the No. 4 spot.  If he were here right now I'd be in deep sh*t but I'm sticking to my decision.  It is just simply too mild.  Ok fine, we'll call it "smooth" but its elegance is lost on me.  I guess I'm just not refined enough to appreciate it.

No. 5

COOP 

COOP Glogg

 

 

Didn't think it had much kick at all.  Maybe a little closer to retirement.

 

* Lagom is a Swedish term meaning "just the right amount", a constant reminder to "keep yourself in check".

 

Pepparkaka - Gingerbread

Pepparkaka is how the Swedes say Gingerbread - even though ginger is ingefara here.  I don't know.  A little background, when I first came to Sweden, I had no idea how to say anything.  I was at the grocery store one day and needed peppercorns.  I found a thing called "kryddpeppar". That seemed the logical equivalent to me - krydd, like corn and peppar, like pepper.  Into the mill it went but it had a flavor of cloves.  I put up with it for a few weeks but I don't care how open minded you are, clove flavored salad is simply unpleasant.  I was later informed by an extended family member (when I warned them of my strange tasting pepper) that kryddpeppar is allspice and peppar is apparently a universal term for a spice type thing that they have run out of words for. So there, pepparkaka is spicycake.

Here's a really easy recipe for gingerbread.  However easy it may be, it will still take several hours in total.  I've taken a bit from the Swedish and the Canadian traditional recipes.


100 g       butter  
2 dl          brown sugar
2dl           dark sirap (no that isn't a typo - for North America, you can use simple syrup or light molasses)
1 tbsp       ground cinnamon
1 tbsp       ground ginger
1 tsp         ground cloves

3dl            milk
1 tsp         baking soda in a small amount of water

17 dl         all purpose flour
               


Melt the butter, sirap, sugar and spices in a saucepan on medium until the butter is melted.  Add the milk and let cool.  Once cool (about 10 mins) add the baking soda mixture.  In a large bowl, combine the flour and the contents of the saucepan.  Work mixture into a dough then put in the fridge for 3 hours or so.

Once out of the fridge, let the dough sit out until it is easy enough to roll with a rolling pin (it will always be tough though).  Try to get the dough to about 3 - 5mm thickness.

Cut into shapes.  Bake at 175 F on middle rack for 8 mins.  Let cool entirely.  Decorate.

Icing

4 dl        icing sugar
2            egg whites
2 tsp      lemon juice

Mix with hand blender.  Add more icing sugar if you find your icing is too runny.  It should be rather thick.  Add food colouring if desired.  For better control of the icing use a piping bag.


A note on gingerbread houses - My intention was to make this post about the most wonderful gingerbread house ever made, with complex shingles for the roof and shutters for the windows.  But ... the walls fell in ... and the roof didn't fit despite meticulous measurements.  And this was before the aforementioned shingle system was even attempted.  If you are a novice or have little patience, save yourself the agony.  Go with cookies and have a merrier Christmas baking experience.

Savory Tomato and Red Pepper Soup

It's the first week of November and things are getting chilly here in Sweden.  Soup is one of my favorite foods to make and it's perfect for long cold winter days.  Not to mention nutritious. Here's a savory twist on the classic tomato soup with  red peppers, curry and other rich spices.  Although not particularly Swedish per se, the Swedes do seem to love their curry *smak.

olive oil
4 cloves crushed garlic
2 large red onions
6 large chopped tomatoes
5 sliced, lightly roasted red peppers
6-8 leaves chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup brown sugar
water
2-3 bouillon cubes
cumin
cinnamon
curry
salt to taste
black pepper


In a large soup pot simmer on medium heat oil, garlic and onions until soft but not brown.  At the same time you can bake the peppers, lightly drizzled in olive oil, in the oven until they soften.  Add the tomatoes, peppers, basil and sugar to the pot and continue to simmer until tomatoes start to liquefy, stirring often.  Add cumin, cinnamon and curry - spices are personal, which is why I have not specified an amount.   Start off light and increase to taste.  I recommend no more than 1 teaspoon of each.  Add water making sure that the water level comes to just under the level of the veggies in the pot.  This will ensure that you get a nice thick soup consistency.  Add bouillon cubes according to the approximate amount of water (1 cube / 3 cups water).  Simmer with lid on for 45 minutes to an hour on low, stirring occasionally  Let cool slightly then blend away large chunks with a hand blender.  Finish with fresh ground pepper.

*smak - Swedish for taste or flavor.  Pronounced smock 

Swedes, Pumpkins & Godis

Pumpkins

So it's Halloween in Sweden.  The Swedes have only recently adopted Halloween.  But really, is it surprising that these godis* lovers would jump at the opportunity to have candy on a day other than Saturday?

There's just one thing.  To earn the candy, you have to be willing to get your hands dirty.

You have to make a jack'o'lantern for your front steps or window, which indicates to all the little ghosts and goblins that you have candy to offer.

1. About 5 cm from the stem, cut a circle to make an opening in the top of the pumpkin (Pumpa på Svenska).

2. Dig out the slimy mess inside (separate the seeds if you like, which can be roasted with salt).  You can use a soup spoon but I think you'll find that using you hands will be necessary also.  Make sure the inside is scraped clean so as not to catch your jack'o'lantern on fire when you put the tea light in.

3.  Cut out the face. Basic shapes work perfectly.  You don't need to get fancy and for what it costs to buy a pumpkin here in Sweden, better to do something not too challenging.

4.  Put in a tea light. Leave the top off while the candle is lit.

Now you can enjoy your Halloween godis guilt-free.  Even if det är inte Lördag.

Jack'o'Lanterns

 

*Godis - (Pronounced Goodies) A Swedish tradition where kids can have candy but only on Saturday, which actually makes the Swedes the top candy eaters, globally.

Kräftor - Sweden's Farewell to Summer

By the middle of August, the Swedes know all too well that the end of summer is near.  The nights become longer, darker and cooler.  There are even a few scatterings of early fallen leaves. As a final farewell to their beloved summer the Swedes have their Kräftor celebration - Kräftskiva.  There is no particular day reserved for kräftor, rather an open time slot to celebrate when (and how often) you like.  But it should fall within the last 2 or 3 weeks of August.

Kräftor are essentially crayfish, which are simply boiled in salt water and fresh dill. Kräftor are small and yield an alarmingly small, yet hard to attain, amount of meat.  Especially when you consider the heavy emphasis (again) placed on drinking ... a lot.

If you are new to Sweden or want to celebrate like a Swede in your part of the world here are the basics.

1.   Kräftor

You can use local crayfish (if you are not here in Sweden) or you can buy them at Ikea ready to eat after you thaw them.  You can of coarse, if money's no object, use lobster instead.  Might be more fulfilling and you may not get as drunk...or you just drink more.  In Sweden you can get kräftor everywhere at any grocery store, either fresh or frozen.

2.  New Potatoes

The Swedes have a surprising relationship to potatoes.  They eat them at pretty much every celebration.  The best ones for kräftskiva are still covered in dirt.

3.  Sill (pickeled herring)

Like potatoes, sill is a Swedish staple.  It comes in dill, cream or mustard sauce.  There is a basic version of this in most grocery stores in Canada.  Otherwise, yep, Ikea.

4.  Snapps

Another term for it is Aquavit.  You may be able to get this wherever you are but I think outside of Sweden and Northern Europe it is pretty rare.  They call it snapps but it is herb flavoured hard liquor. You can make your own by letting caraway seeds sit in a bottle of vodka for a couple of days or weeks.  Like Midsommar you are expected to enjoy drinking ridiculous amounts of hard liquor and beer (öl), which are accompanied by (or the cause of) the next Kräftskiva essential.

5.  Drinking Songs

Swedes are quite reserved and composed.  So it's surprising the silliness that unfolds during a booze fueled celebration.  I can only imagine that the Vikings are to blame for this more, ahem, rowdy side of the Swedish disposition.  Here are a couple of the most popular and well known drinking songs, with translation.

Helan går (a good starter song)

Helan går

Sjung hopp faderallan lallan lej

Helan går

Sjung hopp faderallan lej

Och den som inte helan tar

Han heller inte halvan får

Helan går

Sjung hopp faderallan lej

Drink it all down

Sing hopp faderallan lallan lej

Drink it all down

Sing hopp faderallan lej

And he who does not drink it all

Does not even deserve a half

Drink it all down

Sing hopp faderallan lej

Små Grodorna (the song that quacks about frogs)

Små Grodorna, små Grodorna

Är lustiga att se

Små Grodorna, små Grodorna

Är lustiga att se

Ej öron, ej öron, ej svansar hava de

Ej öron, ej öron, ej svansar hava de

Koack, ack, ack. Koack, ack, ack.

Koack ack ack ack kaa.

Little frog, little frog

So funny to see

Little frog, little frog

So funny to see

No ears, no ears, no tail do they have.

No ears, no ears, no tail do they have.

Koack, ack, ack. Koack, ack, ack.

Koack ack ack ack kaa.

You can certainly make up your own songs too.  Just be sure to write them down as the best will likely be inspired by the most alcohol. 

Skål!