RAW ZUCCHINI SALAD

What do you think of this picture?

Would you like to eat this food?

Why or why not?

Ingredients:

2 zucchini / cut into slices

2 tsp Kosher/sea salt

1 garlic clove / minced

1 tbs lemon juice

2 tbs olive oil

Black Pepper

1/4 cup / 40g walnuts

1/4 cup/ 30g fresh herbs / chopped

Put the Zucchini in a colander and sprinkle evenly with 1 tsp salt. Toss and sprinkle evenly with another 1 tsp salt. Let stand for 10 minutes .

In a small bowl combine the garlic and lemon juice.

Shake the moisture off the vegetables. Taste them. If too much salt remains, rinse briefly under cold water and pat dry. 

In a medium bowl, toss the zucchini with the olive oil. Spoon the lemon mix over and toss some more.

Season with pepper and more salt and lemon if needed.

Garnish with walnuts and herbs.

Original recipe: Michael Ruhlman

LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL SUMMER CHICKEN SALAD WITH CRANBERRIES

This is a perfect salad.

Let me tell you why.

It looks good and colorful. How the food looks is one of the first sensory criterias. The sight of this chicken salad makes your brain decide to eat it or not.

I guess it tells you to eat it :).

It is full of good protein, vegetables and herbs.

It makes your body happy and gives you right energy.

It makes you jump in a hot summer evening and scream :

"Life is beautiful"

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 smaller chicken breast 

2 tbsp harissa or other chili sauce

2 cloves garlic/ pressed

pinch of salt

olive oil

2 avocados / chopped

1 spring onion / chopped

2 baby tomatoes

1/2 pomegranate

8 dryed cranberries

handful of chopped chives and basil leaves

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar

1/2 tbsp cherry vinegar

pinch of salt

Marinate chicken with harissa, garlic and salt.

In a large pan over medium heat cook the chicken in olive oil until golden brown on both sides.

Cool the chicken and cut in cubes.

In a bowl toss together chicken, avocado, spring onion, tomatoes, pomegranate, cranberries, chives and basil. Season with salt and add olive oil, balsamic and cherry vinegar. 

DAD'S PICKLED SUMMER GHERKINS

Ooooooh

Pickled Gherkins

Gherkin - what a funny name isn't it?

:)

Ingredients: 

As many small gherkins as you want

For 1 l water:

1.5 tbsp corser/sea salt

0.5 tbsp sugar

handful dill

handful black currant leaves

2-3 garlic cloves / halved

Add cold water in a big bowl and leave the gherkins there for 1 hour.

Cook the water with salt and sugar. Let it cool down.

In a large jar place some black currant leaves, some dill and garlic. Put 1 layer of gherkins on the top. Then add again black currant leaves, dill and garlic and put another layer of gherkins on the top. Do it as long as the jar is full. Add some black currant leaves on the top.
Add salt/sugar water.

Leave it overnight in fridge.

You can already enjoy them the next day.

This recipe is linked to Foodie Friends Friday 

CREAMY SALMON POTATO SALAD

For me this salad represents summer.

New potatoes with sour cream and fresh dill from the garden.

You can add whatever fish or meat you like.

My favorite is with hot smoked salmon.

Typical Nordic food

Serves 4

Ingredients:

400g / 3 cups cooked new small potatoes 

2 hard boiled eggs / halved

150-200g / 1 cup sour cream/creme fraiche

100-150g / 2/3 cup salmon (or roast beef, ham)

If you use salmon then juice from 1/2 lemon

1 tbsp mustard (I prefer dijon or english)

handful of chopped dill

pinch of salt/pepper

Mix sour cream with mustard, chopped dill and salt/pepper.

Pour lemon juice over salmon. 

In a large bowl toss together potatoes with salmon chunks and sour cream mix.

Top with halved eggs.

COLD BEETROOT SOUP FOR HOT SUMMER DAYS

The Bloody Beetroots is an italian electro & dance music producer. 

Had no idea about this group.

Even if I love beets I have always found them a bit boring.

Can't imagine somebody is creating a band and there is some brainstorming about the future name and one of the guys saying:

"Beetroots. Bloody Beetroots".

And everybody else:

Siiiiiiiiii. Finalmente Va bene.

Maybe they don't speak any english?

Ingredients:

400g cooked beetroots chopped

250g buttermilk or kefir

1/2 cucumber peeled and chopped or 3 pickled gherkins chopped

100g creme fraiche

handful of chives, chopped

salt

cooked eggs and cooked potatoes 

Mix (or puree) beetroots with buttermilk, cucumber/gherkins,salt and creme fraiche.

Refridgerate for at least 1 hour.

Before serving add cilantro and eggs.

Serve with cooked potatoes.

SUMMER APRICOT SALAD

Summer is perfect for a quick and healthy seasonal salad. There is so many other funny things to do outdoors than sit in the hot kitchen and cook for hours.
Enjoy the summer :)

Soulfood:
Joe Cocker - Summer in the City

Servings: 2-3

7 chopped apricots
1/2 chopped melon
1/2 chopped cucumber
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Mix the chopped apricots, melon and cucumber. Whisk together olive oil with vinegar. Drizzle the dressing over salad.

EASY PEASY SNAP PEAS

There are a number of ways to eat snap peas.
What is yours?

When I was a little girl, the whole world was simple and I was eating the peas whole as a snack. I would just lay in the sun, dream away and eating the green wonders one after another :). So delicious.

Now when I am a "little bit" older I still love to eat them "pure". And when I feel I want to make it more difficult for me I just add some garlic, seasalt and pepper. This is a wonderful, easy and healthy side dish. It takes 10 minutes and it's ready.

SOULFOOD:
BLACK EYED PEAS
"WHERE IS THE LOVE"


150g fresh sugar snaps, ends snipped off
pinch of seasalt
pepper
olive oil
2-3 cloves pressed garlic

Heat the oil in a wok and sautè the peas for 2-3 minutes. Add salt, pepper, garlic and stir well. The peas should remain crisp. Remove from heat.