I made Cottage Pie for the first time ever yesterday.
Yes, it was one of those days, comforting, filling nursery food was defiantly needed!
But instead of potato mash I made a mixture of potatoes and turnip, half and half.
Root Turnip has only a third of the calories of equal amounts of potatoes.
Turnip also provides a good source of Vitamin C, Fiber and folic Acid.
I also added 100 gram of puy lentils,
Every time I’m in Stockholm I make sure to head to Hötorgshallen for reindeer meat.
This time I bought heart.
Reindeer’s are semi-domesticated, they are looked after by our indigenous nomadic Sami-people in the very north of Sweden, as they have for thousands of years.
Did you know that the reindeer are thought to be the only mammal that can see ultraviolet light?
As I tuck into my delicious meat I give thanks to this amazing beautiful animal.
As you may know I’m on a mission to eat less meat and more pulses.
I had some haricot beans left from making baked beans and I replaced half of the meat in my Boeuf Bourguignon with the beans. And I have to tell you it was much more delicious with the beans added!
Hmm, looks like I’m really into the 1970′s at the mo, Seals and Croft on my play list and I made the above 70′s staple on Sunday…
Maybe it has something to do with all the lovely stacked heeled shoes, and left-bank knitted jumpers I’m ogling at the mo.
Anyhow, I got the recipe for Boeuf Bourguignon HERE ,thank’s Delia.
I made two changes, I fried everything in raw organic coconut oil (for health) and I added a dollop of tomato pure (for taste).
All in all it takes 3 hours to cook but don’t be alarmed, once you have added everything you can put your feet up, read a good book and sip the rest of the wine.
Happy New Chinese Year! The year of the Black Water dragon is upon us from the 4th of February. Fierce and powerful, am sure were in for a ride! To celebrate we are having Fillet Steak in Oyster Sauce tonight and on Sunday we are taking the kids to China Town for thefestival. I swapped my usual coffee and egg brekky for jasmine tea and a fortune cookie this morning, apparently “I will get good friends at the next party” Excellent news:)
I have to say I’ have already got a lot of new fab friends recently.(Thank you Twitter!)
To check out your true luck-potential this year, useTHISsite to find your “lucky element”.
Coming back from Sweden this Christmas my suitcase was filled with delicious, healthy treats. (There was more room than normal since I didn’t buy anything at Acne this time).
Among other things, I brought with me Cold-Smoked Reindeer Steak. Yum!
There’s was a big hoo haa just before Christmas when Harvey Nichols sold Reindeer Pate’. Animal activists were up in arms and demanded Harvey Nichols pulled the product.
I became a vegetarian when I was a teenager, it lasted about 8 years.
The main reason was the way animals were treated.
I belive the energy/essence of the animal transfers to our plate and we need to do our very best to make sure that they have had an ok life. For me that is just common sense.
Reindeers have had the sort of life other animals ending up in the butchers can only dream of!
The Reindeer’s are semi-domesticated, they are looked after by our indigenous nomadic Sami-people in the very north of Sweden, as they have for thousands of years.
They run free for most of the year and are only round-up when it’s time for marking and slaughter. I’m more than happy to eat this low-fat nutritious food as a special treat, in the knowledge that their life was short but happy. Running free, breathing the fresh arctic air until the end.
This is how we eat it in Sweden:
Cut the smoked reindeer meat thinly and spread a thin layer of horseradish cream over it. (Mix 250g whipping cream with 2 tablespoons of finely grated horseradish and a pinch of salt)
My kids absolutely love bacon, they would have it everyday for every meal if they were allowed. Since processed meat might be one of the most unhealthy types of food out there, they are not allowed very often.
Thankfully, I’ve found bacon that’s not as bad as the bog standard stuff you get from the supermarket. Whole Foods has got Nitrate free Organic Un-smoked Bacon that’s so much better you. It only contains pork, sea-salt and beetroot and tastes really, really good!
It’s a little bit more expensive, but as it’s not injected with water you actually get more for your money.
Oink Oink!
(It’s the nitrates in processed meat you want to avoid to keep your family fit and healthy, they are often converted into nitrosamines which can increase the risk of cancer)
It’s obviously illegal to slave away in the kitchen when temperatures rise to 26°. So absolutely no baking this easter, instead we feast on these incredible amazing gluten & dairy free cakes from Sugargrain.
All of their cakes are completely gluten-free and a few of them are also dairy and sugar-free. Grains, seeds & nuts replace wheat and rapeseed, sunflower and coconut oils replace butter. I went for the dairy free cakes since 7-year old is intolerant. Chocolate Stem Ginger Cake (filled with dark dairy free chocolate) & Spiced Ginger Cake(grated carrot, fresh banana and coconut and shortlisted for The Free From Food Awards 2011). Both incredibly moist and delish. Handmade with love, you can tell.
…And when you’ve had your cake perhaps time to go easy on the carbs for a few days. Loving Liz Hurleys organic beef jerky snack. High on protein, low on fat, no nitrates or Msg and only 74 calories a bag.
..have been on the look out for a new fabulous organic shampoo since my hair stopped loving Kerastase. I have a lot of super thin hair and find it really hard to find shampoo’s that work. Have used Rahua shampoo for a while now and it’s bloody brilliant! It gives body and lift, it smells lovely and luxurious . According to the blurb the active ingredient is rahua nut oil, but such a nut don’t seem to exist, hmmm, not good. The thing is there’s no need to sex up the blurb with this shampoo, so I’m a little disappointed… I really don’t care if it’s full of peanut oil, It works and it’s making my hair nice so I will continue using it… for now.
Fillet Steak in Oyster Sauce – The number one taste bud pleaser in my house.
This is the simplest of simple recipes and the most delicious.
You need:fillet steak (90g per person), sugar snaps, spring onion, salt, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cornflour, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 2 thin slices of ginger, 3 teaspoons of water, dash of soy sauce, 1-2 tbsp of a good oyster sauce, 2 teaspoons of stock powder or a stock cube, 1/2 teaspoon of dry sherry, oil to fry in.
Directions: 1. Cut the meat into thin slices. Put in a mixing bowl with 2 thin slices of ginger, a pinch of sugar and salt, 1/2 teaspoon cornflour, 3 teaspoons of water and work into the meat. 2. Make the stock: 1/4 pint of water 2 teaspoons of Bullion or a stock cube. Put to one side. 3. Chop the spring onion. Blanch the sugar snaps in lightly salted water. Dry and fry in a wok with a pinch of sugar a pinch of salt and a few drops of soy sauce. Place on a pre heated dish when done. 4. Heat the oil. Fry the garlic until golden and discard of it. Fry the meat in the oil for 1-2 min then remove it. 5. To the pan add the stock, a pinch of salt a pinch of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of dry sherry and 1-2 tbsp oyster sauce and bring to a boil for 1 1/2 min. 6. Return the meat and heat through for 1/2 min. And then just pour it over the vegetables and serve with rice.
