Fish Soup

I am so happy with how this soup turned out. It doesn't take longer than 20 minutes so give it a try!

Fish Soup

(serves 2)

• 1 stalk leek
• 1 garlic clove
• 100ml white wine
• 400ml fish stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 150g salmon and pangasius filet each, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 100g shelled crayfish
• 1/2 cup crème frâiche
• olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Chop leek into thin slices using only the white part and mince garlic, then fry them up with some olive oil in a large pot.
2. When leek is soft and garlic is fragrant, deglaze the pan with the white wine and reduce heat to medium.
3. Let everything simmer for about 1 minute, then add the fish stock and bay leaves.
4. Allow the mixture the reduce a little for about 5 minutes, then add the chopped tomatoes.
5. Let everything simmer for another 5 minutes, take out the bay leaves, add salt and pepper to taste, then turn off the heat.
6. Add fish and crayfish and allow to cook in the hot soup for about 3 minutes.
7. Laddle into deep plates and top with a dollop of crème frâiche. Ta-da!

Zucchini Parmesan Soup

Zucchini Parmesan Soup

(serves 2)

• 500g zucchini
• 1 small clove of garlic
• 350 ml vegetable stock*
• 1 generous tablespoon cream cheese
• 30g grated parmesan
• salt and pepper to taste
• cream and parsley for garnish
• olive oil

*make sure your stock is well balanced - too strong and it will overpower the zucchini, too weak and the soup will lack in depth of flavour.

1. Wash your zucchini and cut into thickish slices.
2. In a large pot, fry up zucchini and garlic in oilve oil until lightly browned.
3. Add vegetable stock, cover with lid and cook on low to medium heat for 10 minutes.
4. Turn off the heat, add salt, pepper, cream cheese and parmesan and blend until smooth using a stick blender.
5. Laddle into deep plates, add cream and parsley for garnish and enjoy!

Cream Cheese Salmon Crêpes with Honey, Mustard & Dill Sauce

Cream Cheese Salmon Crêpes with Honey, Mustard & Dill Sauce

(makes about 6-8 crêpes depending on the size of your pan)

for the crêpes:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 tablespoon salt
• a dash of pepper

for the sauce:

• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons mustard
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped dill

for the filling:

• cream cheese
• smoked salmon
  

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour and eggs, then gradually add the milk, salt and pepper.
2. Grease a non-stick pan with a minimum amount of oil. Over medium heat, scoop about 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan, spreading it evenly either by using the bottom of the laddle or by tilting the pan in circular motions.
3. Cook until the bottom is lightly browned, then flip and cook the other side.You can either start filling your crêpe right away if you would like it to be hot, but you can also set each cooked crêpe aside and start filling them once you are done. That way, i find that the crêpes get a little firmer in texture, making them easier to eat with your hands.
4. In a small pot, simply combine mustard, honey and dill until you have a smooth sauce.
5. Spread cream cheese over crêpe, drizzle with honey, mustard and dill sauce and top with salmon, then roll up and enjoy!

Homemade Applesauce

I'm flying to Copenhagen tomorrow but still had loads of apples left...this is what I came up with.

Homemade Applesauce

(makes about 500 ml)

• 4 apples, peeled, cored and roughly diced
• 100 ml water or applejuice
• 1 teaspoon honey

Combine all ingredients in a shallow pot and let simmer on low-medium heat for 15 minutes or until apples are soft. Mash together with a spoon and enjoy hot or cold.

Puff Pastry Spinach Pie

I don't know what took me so long to make this again. It's super easy yet so good!

Puff Pastry Spinach Pie

(serves 2)

• 3-4 sheets puff pastry ( I used the frozen kind)
• equal amounts spinach and feta cheese - as you can see in the picture below, I used about as much as fits into a rice bowl
• 1 egg
• salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste

1. Lay frozen puff pastry out on the counter to let it thaw and preheat your oven to 180° celsius.
2. Prepare your spinach - if you are using frozen spinach, heat it up in a microwave or pan, if you are using fresh spinach, steam it. Just make sure that in the end you have about the same amounts of both spinach and cheese.
3. In a large bowl, combine crumbled feta cheese and spinach, then season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Once you are happy with the taste, stir in the egg.
4. Using a rolling pin, slightly spread out the sheets of puff pastry. Cover the bottom of a deep baking dish with a single sheet, then cut up another one or two to cover the walls.
5. Transfer the filling into the dish, then cover with another sheet of puff pastry. Fold and roll down the edges, then brush the top with olive oil.
6. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
   
   

Oven Roasted Bashed Potatoes

I think I need to make a Sunday roast soon to accompany these...

Oven Roasted Bashed Potatoes

(serves 2)

• 6-8 medium sized potatoes
• olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• herb(s) of your choice

1. Preheat oven to 200° celsius.
2. Peel and quarter your potatoes, then boil until almost done.
3. Strain the water and bash potatoes around inside the pot with the lid closed tightly.
4. Transfer into a deep baking dish, douse with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
5. Sprinkle your herb(s) of choice on top (I used fresh thyme; rosemary is great, too), then roast in the oven for 20 minutes or until potatoes are golden brown ad slightly crispy. Ta-da! Fragrant, golden delisciousness.

Banana Pancakes

Banana pancakes always remind me of travels in Thailand. Good times!

Banana Pancakes

(serves 1)

• 1 egg
• 100ml milk
• 1 teaspoon soft butter
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 3-4 tablespoons flour
• a pinch of baking powder
• 1 small or 1/2 large ripe banana

1. In a large cup or small bowl, whisk together all ingredients except for the banana until your batter is of a smooth, slightly thick consistency.
2. Pour mixture into a hot, greased pan, then lower heat to medium.
3. Quickyl peel and cut your your banana, then gently press the slices into the batter.
4. Once the bottom is set and golden brown, flip your pancake and let it cook through from the other side.
5. Transfer onto a plate, sprinkle with chopped walnuts and serve with honey or maple syrup.

Camembert Stuffed Figs with Thyme and Honey

A little bit of magic happened in our kitchen today...this photograph is proof!

Camembert Stuffed Figs with Thyme and Honey

(serves 2)

• 4 ripe figs
• 1/2 camembert cheese
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 sprig thyme

1. Preheat your oven to 200° celsius.
2. Quarter your figs without cutting all the way to the bottom so that they fan out nicely without falling apart, then place them on a deep baking dish.
3. Stuff desired amount of cheese into figs, top with thyme and drizzle with honey.
4. Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.

Oh wow. This is so easy yet absolutely delishious! Eat the figs as a starter or with a nice salad and some ciabatta bread. Once the figs soften all the juices come out and caramelize with the honey to make this incredible red syrup you can scoop up....mmmmhhh gooey awesomeness!

Hot Lemon Ginger Water with Honey

This is great for cold days when you want to bury yourself under a thick blanket or feel a sore throat coming on. I liked drinking plain hot water even before I moved to Hong Kong (Chinese people love their kai shui!) because I have low blood pressure and am always cold, but this is nice because it has just a little bit of flavour.

Hot Lemon Ginger Water with Honey

(serves 1)

• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon minced or grated ginger (I peel a nickel-sized piece, then mince it using a garlic press)
• 300 ml hot to very warm water
• 1/2 teaspoon honey

Juice your lemon, mince your garlic, put everything into a tall glass, add water and honey, stir and enjoy!

Banana Nektarine Smoothie

I made this yesterday after a bike tour, so good!

Banana Nektarine Smoothie

(serves 2)

• 300g firm plain yoghurt
• 50-100 ml milk, depending on how thick you like your smoothie
• 1 banana
• 1 nektarine
• 1 teaspoon honey (optional - you will find that using ripe fruit, you most likely won't need any additional sweetness)

Using a blender, puree all ingredients until smooth. You want your fruit to be really ripe for maximum flavour and natural sweetness - your banana should have at least a few brown spots and the nektarine should be soft.
Done right, smoothies are so good for you! The pack calcium, vitamins and protein, are great when you're pressed for time in the morning and really help with that afternoon low. My nutritionist recommended I have one every day - read more on the heath benefits of smoothies here!

Spaghetti with Fresh Tomatoes, Rocket and Basil

Super fresh, super quick, super easy and ten times better than your store-bought pasta sauce.

Spaghetti with Fresh Tomatoes, Rocket and Basil

(serves 2)

• 200-300g spaghetti
• 15 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 tablespoons concentrated tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• 120 ml cream ( I used Oatly's Healthy Oat Dairy-Free Alternative to Cream)
• 1 handfull rocket salad
• 1 sprig basil
• salt and pepper to taste
• parmesan cheese

1. In a pot, bring water with a pinch of salt to a boil, add your spaghetti and cook until done.
2. In a non-stick frying pan, sauté cherry tomatoes in a little olive oil until soft, then add cream, tomato paste, vinegar and honey.
3. Let simmer for about 5 minutes, then chuck in the basil and 3/4 of your rocket - i cut everything into thin-ish strips with a pair of scissors. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Strain your spaghetti and add them to the pan, coating them evenly with the sauce.
5. Transfer onto plates, top with your leftover rocket and grated parmesan. That was quick wasn't it?

Smooth Operator: Creamy Potato Soup

Maybe it's because I'm German, but I love potatoes. Fried, baked, mashed, all sounds good to me.

Creamy Potato Soup

(serves 2)

• 600g potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 500ml water*
• 1-2 teaspoons instant vegetable broth (depending on the kind you use, check the label!)
• 2 tablespoons cream (I used Oatly's Healthy Oat Dairy-Free Alternative to Cream)
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste
• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped or frozen parsley

*As a rule of thumb, soups usually work out great if you're using equal amounts of veg and fluid, which would make it 600 g potatoes on 600 ml water for this recipe. I like my soups thick and creamy so I used a little less.

1. In a pot, bring water, instant vegetable broth and potatoes to a boil and cook until soft (about 20 minutes).
2. Add 3/4 of your cream,soy sauce, salt, pepper and nutmeg, then puree with a stick blender until smooth. Keep in mind that the instant broth and soy sauce already contain salt so go easy on this! I just use a tiny pinch, then add about twice as much pepper and three times as much nutmeg.
3. Ladle into bowls or deep dishes, place a blob of the remaining cream in the middle and sprinkle with parsley. Easy!

The Bowl of Awesome

Oh man this dish is so good! The incredible Leopotamus made this for me one night and if I hadn't already been in love with him, I would have fallen head over heels right there and then. Every ingredient in this has its own, unique flavour, and combined in one dish they are just...BOOM! The picture above doesn't do it justice as the lighting in our kitchen sucks, but I can't urge you enough to try it.

your main flavours

The Bowl of Awesome aka Pasta with Chorizo Sausage, Sweet Poatato, Champignons, Olives, Rosemary & Lemon

(serves 2)

• 200 g Pasta (I used Penne)
• 1 Chorizo or any other smoked sausage that is rich in flavour
• 1 small sweet potato
• 100 g black olives
• 5 champigons
• 1 red onion*
• 1 -2 cloves of garlic*
• rind and juice of 1 lemon
• 3 sprigs of rosemary
• 50 g feta cheese
• salt and pepper to taste
• olive oil
  

*I can't eat garlic or onion so I use the oil you get from frying the sausage to help deepen the flavour. Instead of frying the onion and garlic in olive oil as described in steps 3& 4, I place the sausage in a clean non-stick frying pan. The heat will soon melt the fat inside the sausage, leaving you with plenty of oil to fry up the champignos and olives. Once the sausage is cooked through I take it out of the pan and put it aside for later use, then add my rosemary & lemon and continue with step 5 listed below.

1. Heat up your oven to 180° celsius. Peel your sweet potato and cut it into thin strips about the lenght of your pinkie. Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper, drizzle with olive oil and leave in the oven until soft and golden brown.
2. In the meantime, bring water with a pinch of salt to a boil and cook your pasta.
3. Chop your red onion into largish chunks, then fry up with a bit of olive oil until they're getting soft and glassy.
4. Add your garlic, then lower the heat to medium as garlic gets really bitter when it burns. Grate your lemon (you're going to use the rind first) and pick the rosemary needles off the sprigs , then add those two ingredients as well. Mmmh that smell!
5. Add your diced champigons and olives and cook until champignons are slighty browned and cooked through.
6. In a seperate pan, cook your sausage. It doesn't matter whether you chop it up before or after frying, but if you're using the whole sausage make sure to give it a couple of pricks with a fork or it'll explode.
7. By now your sweet potato and pasta should be done. Take them out of the oven / strain respectively.
8. Add your pasta and sausage to the mix in the large pan and. Add salt and pepper, then douse with juice of 1/2 lemon and add a little more olive oil giving everything a good stir. Now you're almost done!
9. For the final step, place your dish in a large bowl or on a deep pasta plate, top with your sweet potato and some crumbled feta cheese & enjoy!

Stuffed Hokkaido Pumpkin with Sage and Parmesan Cheese

Now that fall has arrived, pumpkins are virtually everywhere and Hokkaido pumpkins are my absolute favourite. This recipe is a staple in our household - it is known to impress friends and parents alike and has made many a rainy day a tad bit brighter.

Stuffed Hokkaido Pumpkin with Sage and Parmesan Cheese

(serves 4)

• 1 small or 1/2 large Hokkaido pumpkin (about 700g after removing the seeds)
• 1 mild onion*
• 300ml milk
• 4 tablespoons breadcrumbs
• 60g grated Parmesan cheese
• 2-3 sage leaves
• salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste

* I can't eat onions, so I substitute them with pumpkin flesh. After I cut my pumpkin in half, I simply cut off another slice about 1 cm thick, then dice and use it as described in the steps below.

main ingredients all lined up

1. Preheat your oven to 180° celsius. Cut your pumpkin in half and remove the seeds (the skin of Hokkaido pumpkins is edible so you don't need to peel it). If you have a small one, use both halves, if you got your hands on a big one, use just one. Also, if you are working with a big pumpkin just let it sit in the oven while it's heating up, this will soften your pumpkin a little and ensure that it gets cooked all the way through later.
2. Peel and dice your onion (or pumpkin of you're substituting), then fry it up in a large pan with a little olive oil. Be careful not to burn it as it will become bitter!
3. Once the onion is soft and glassy (or your pumpkin is starting to brown), add your milk and stir in the breadcrumsbs.
4. Lower the heat to medium-low so that nothing burns, then add your sage (I just cut it into slim strips using scissors), salt, pepper and nutmeg. Make sure you keep stirring!
5. Your stuffing should now have a slighty thick consistency. Turn off the heat and add about 80% of your grated Parmesan cheese.
6. Place your pumpkin in a deep baking dish, scoop the stuffing into the hollow and top with the remaining chesse. Place in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the pumpkin ist soft and the cheese has turned golden-brown.

Serve with rice and a side of greens - I used chard (see post below!) but spinach or a small salad work just as well.

Gardening 101

Our mini garden back in May - spinach, chard and rocket

You don't need to have any health issues to appreciate fresh veggies. If you don't live in a tropical climate or down under, late September may not seem like the ideal time to get started; and granted, unless you have a greenhouse, your options will be limited. Still, you can always get started on a herb garden as herbs can be grown indoors all year round. Pick up some seeds from your local supermarket or garden center and plant away! We started a little balcony garden earlier this summer and succeeded in growing spinach, swiss chard, rocket salad, rosemary, thyme, basil and serrano chili peppers! While the rocket has long been harvested the chard is still going strong, and the herbs will continue to add dimension to our dishes all throughout fall and winter.

it doesn't get any fresher than this...

Infinity Soup

Ramen, Pho, Niu Rou Mian, Laksa - I love all kinds of Asian noodle soups and would happily eat them every single day if I could. This particular one is my attempt to re-create a soup I always eat when I'm in Bangkok. Hearty broth, succulent beef and fresh greens - this soup is the bomb! Helps with stuffy noses, low spirits and other ailments.

Infinity Beef Noodle Soup

(serves 4)

• 1kg beef bones
• 350kg beef shank
• 2l water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 small piece of ginger (about 5cm long, cut into thin slices)
• 15 kardamom seeds
• 15 pepper corns
• 6 star anise
• 4 cloves
• dash of cinnamon
• 300 - 400g noodles (I used Beijing-style wheat noodles)
• 2 handfulls dark leafy green (I used young Chinese kale)
• 2 handfulls mushrooms (again, choose whatever you like)
• fresh lime juice and coriander for garnish

I'll spare you the sight of bones and raw meat...this is what goes into your soup once the stock is ready.

1. In a large pot, bring water, ginger and salt to a boil. Add bones and meat, cover with lid, then reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for at least 3 hours, skimming off any foam every hour or so.
2. Add all your spices and soy sauce, let simmer for another 40 minutes.
3. Remove and toss bones, set aside beef shank, then pour the stock through a strainer* and into a smaller pot.
4. Cook noodles and veggies in seperate pots until done. In the meantime, cut up your beef shank - it should be buttery soft and falling apart!
5. Arrange noodles & veggies in a bowl, add slices of beef shank, then ladle hot broth on top of everything.
6. Garnish with fresh coriander, douse with limes juice and enjoy!
   

*Using a strainer rather than a sieve removes excess fat that can make your soup too oily. I don't have a strainer so if I have the time, I let the soup cool down enough for the fat to form a solid layer, then remove about half of it. It depends entirely on your preference how much oil you like, do note though that you don't want your soup to be fat-free - it's an important factor in bringing out all the flavours!

Grain Power: Rolled Oats

source

Let's face it: rolled oats are boring. With the myriad of options waiting for us in the cereal aisle, plain ol' rolled oats don't make much of an impression. After my diagnosis, however, my regular breakfast - a combination of crunchy spelt flakes and an organic muesli with fresh fruit, nuts and cold milk - was no longer an option. I needed something that was less grainy and easier to digest, and fine rolled oats were the only thing my nutritionist would recommended. I'll admit that this was probably the hardest blow for me - breakfast is my favourite meal of the day and "my" muesli had suited my taste just perfectly. Not being able to resort to my trusty morning fuel any more, I seriously wanted to cry. After a short trial period I have now come up with different ways to start my day. They are by no means new or groundbreaking, but I really enjoy them and figured I'd share.

While it has probably already dawned on you that of bowl of Fruit Loops or Cocoa Puffs may not be the best breakfast choice there is, even cereals that claim to be healthy often contain high amounts of refined sugar and /or saturated fat - read more about this topic here. If this article makes you want to rethink your breakfast routine, give rolled oats a chance!

I usually don't sweeten my breakfast as colitis patients have to watch their sugar intake, but if your tummy is healthy feel free to load up on the golden goodness that is honey :)

The Comforter: Hot Berry Oatmeal

(serves 1)

• 250 ml milk ( feel free to use vegan alternatives)
• 4 tablespoons fine rolled oats
• a dash of cinnamon
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen mixed berries
• 1 teaspoon honey (optional)

1. Bring your milk to a boil, add your oats and stir.
2. On low heat, keep stirring for about 5 minutes or until your oatmeal has the desired consitency. If it turns too thick too quickly, just add a little more milk.
3. I like my cinnamon to be well incorporated into my oatmeal, so I stir it in while it's still cooking.
4. Transfer oatmeal into a bowl, top with berries (if you're using frozen ones defrost them either by popping them into the microwave for 30 seconds or quickly dousing them with boiling water) and drizzle with honey if you fancy some additional sweetness.

The No-Brainer: Yoghurt with Rolled Oats, Fresh Fruit and Nuts

(serves 1)

• 1 cup / 150 g plain yoghurt
• 3 tablespoons fine rolled oats
• fruit of your choice (I use half a banaa and half an apple)
• 1 handfull of nuts and almonds
• again, honey is optional

This does not need directions, does it? Scoop yoghurt into a bowl, top with oats, fruit and nuts, drizzle with honey if you like and chow down.

Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Black Olives

I love this dish, especially after a good workout when you're hungry and don't want to spend hours in the kitchen. Look at all those delicious carbs, mmmhh! I was introduced to this by my roommate (hi there Tine!) -I added olives to the original recipe simply because I love them, and lowered the amount of vinegar used in the sauce to make it easier on the stomach. Perfect!

Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Black Olives

(serves 4)

• 500 g raw pasta ( I used whole wheat penne)
• 1 jar (175 g) sun-dried tomatoes in oil
• 150 g black olives
• 10 cherry tomatoes
• parmesan cheese to taste

For the sauce:

• 10 tablespoons of your leftover oil preserving the sun-dried tomatoes
• 10 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon mustard
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• salt and pepper to taste

1. In a big pot, bring water with a pinch of salt to a lively boil, then add your pasta.
2. While your pasta is boiling, chop up your tomatoes and olives. I use a pair of scissors to cut the sun-dried tomoatoes into thin strips, quarter my cherry tomatoes and halve my olives.
3. In a mug or small bowl, combine all the ingredients for your sauce. You will need to stirr the mix for a bit to dissolve the honey and mustard - I'm lazy so I put all my ingredients into a clean, empty jar, screw the lid on tightly and then shake it until the mix looks smooth.
4. Once the pasta is done, strain and transfer into a large bowl.
5. Add the tomatoes, olives and sauce, stirr to combine. Serve with a generous topping of parmesan cheese & enjoy!

This dish tastes great hot or cold. I find that if you let it sit for a couple of hours the pasta absorbs the flavours even better, so I often make this before I go climbing and bring it as a packed lunch - delicious power food that will keep me fueled all day long!

When one door closes, another opens

Long story short: I love food. The hidden catch: I also happen to have ulcerative colitis, which unfortunately comes with certain restrictions regarding my diet. While the prospect of not being allowed to consume refined sugar, coffee, chili, garlic, onions, most legumes and whole grains was a major downer at first, I have since decided that my diagnosis won't stand between me and my love for food. If anything, it has made me more conscious and creative about how I fuel this body of mine. Let's get cooking!