vegetarian

Black olive paté on bruschetta

Black olive paté, or black olive paste, spread on bread is one of those lovely alternatives to the classic garlic and tomato bruchetta topping.
| Eva

Black olive paté, or black olive paste, is just one of the many toppings that you can use to make bruschetta. When I have stale bread, bruschetta is my go-to way of using it up. A quick roast in the oven to make it crispy again and then I get creative with all kinds of toppings. Classic bruschetta is made with a generous rub of garlic, olive oil and freshly chopped tomatoes, but there are many other possibilities to expand your bruschetta game. Various variants of pesto work wonders on crispy bread, as long as they feature a generous amount of olive oil. Olive oil is key. Black olive paté on bruschetta is one of those lovely alternatives to garlic and tomatoes. Continue reading →

Holy chunky guacamole!

chunky guacamole
| Eva

Guacamole is one of my all-time favourites. I could eat it with anything. My love is not just for the avocado alone, but for that wonderful combination of avocado, lime and cilantro. These three ingredients together – well, add a pinch of salt to that, too – are all I need for a quick dip for my nacho chips. But things can get much better from there. Add a bunch of other delicious flavours in tiny bits and you will get this wonderful chunky guacamole that will take your tacos to the next level. Continue reading →

Quiche with zucchini, feta and mint

| Eva

Dear readers of this blog, let me present to you a lovely quiche made with zucchini, feta and mint leaves. It is basically a concentrate of various goodnesses that came up rummaging through my fridge. Zucchini, because I always have zucchini. Feta, I always have feta because it has a long shelf life and you never know when you may need it. Mozzarella, because I’m Italian and I must have mozzarella in my fridge. Mint leaves, because I had bought some for mojito and had leftovers. Eggs – well those were not in the fridge but you kinda need eggs in a quiche, so eggs it is. Store-bought pre-made puff pastry. Wait, whaaaat? Continue reading →

Cream cheese and hazelnut stuffed mushrooms

Cream cheese and hazelnut stuffed mushrooms
| Eva

Cream cheese stuffed mushrooms may sound like a very easy and cheap combination, and in fact this is a very “student friendly” meal to make. Hazelnut stuffed mushrooms are a slightly fancier twist to this easy classic. With just one more ingredient – the ground hazelnuts – your stuffed mushrooms will turn into a top-class appetizer. The winning element here is the cream cheese hazelnut combination, of course. And according to me, the size of the mushrooms. Continue reading →

Zoodles with peanuts and chili flakes

| Eva

I’m new to the zoodle game. Zucchini spiralizers have been out for a while now and I’ve constantly been procrastinating getting one. But now I can finally call myself a spiralizer owner, so let the zoodle game begin. I know you can pretty much spiralize any veggie that will fit the tool, but zucchini were the first I learned about. And the name zoodles is cool. What do they call spiralized carrots or cucumbers? I said I’m new to the game so I still have to figure that out. By the way, if you are newer than me, zoodles stands for zucchini noodles. Cool, eh? Continue reading →

Quinoa salad with roasted cherry tomatoes, feta and pesto

Quinoa salad with roasted tomatoes, feta and pesto
| Eva

Quinoa salad is a very nice meal option, and the one I’m featuring in this post can work as starter, main course or even snack. It’s packed with things that are both tasty and good for you, like olive oil and cherry tomatoes, plus it’s completely vegetarian! Switch the feta for a non-dairy cheese substitute and this salad will easily turn vegan. It is my go-to option when I have vegetarian guests, they usually really love it.

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Leek mascarpone pizza bianca

Leek mascarpone pizza bianca
| Eva

Leek mascarpone pizza is the answer to the question “What is your favourite pizza?” lately. Of course my heart will always beat for Quattro Formaggi, especially when I’m in Piemonte. But when I get to make my own pizza at home (and it happens oh so often) leek mascarpone is one of my top choices. I actually like it so much I’ve been making it regularly for months. My life is boring, but it tastes amazing.

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Baked sweet potato fries

Baked sweet potato fries, crispy and healthy
| Eva

As much as french fries are the most heavenly of junk foods, and a mean side dish to any meat roast, they’re somewhat not ideal for regular consumption. There is, though, a healthier alternative that allows you to indulge on the pleasure of potato fries more often without feeling too guilty and that is baked sweet potato fries. I was not very used to sweet potatoes, but I became more and more familiar with this root vegetable after I moved to Sweden. Continue reading →

Beetroot hummus, a deep pink dip

Beetroot hummus dip
| Eva

Beetroot hummus stands out for its bright pink colour. As a hummus, it is of course made with chickpeas, but beets play a significant role and, obviously, leave their colourful mark. The presence of the beets is not only noticed visually, as the flavour of this hummus is very beety. Famous for its sweet taste, beetroot turns this pink dip into the sweetest hummus you can make. Ideally, you want to pair it up with something intense, and I’ve got something in mind…

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Roasted pumpkin salad with feta and walnuts

Roasted Pumpkin salad
| Eva

Adjusting to Sweden’s food availability I noticed one thing: pumpkins are not very popular. Butternut squash is available year round, and I feel lucky because it’s my favourite type. But finding other kinds of squash and pumpkins is not so easy. There is one time when stores suddenly have them and that is around Halloween. Rather than for eating, they’re sold for lanterns. When Halloween is done, unsold pumpkins drop in price and that’s when I took a muscat squash home and made roasted pumpkin salad. Continue reading →