Tons of food and a bigger bump

November somehow disappeared from the Earth, mainly because of sleepiness. Half sleeping for consecutive days makes life just fly by. However, my brain still seems busy as I have the craziest and at times scariest dreams ever - a common side effect of the hormones that are currently occupying my body.

Between sleeping I've not only tried my best to cook and eat, but also document some of my culinary adventures. Let's have a look.

Breakfast; by miles the best meal of the day. One with wholegrain walnut buns and one that was actually more like a dessert. I'd already had yoghurt as a first meal, peanut butter toast a few hours later and then this. It's just how it goes when you wake up starving three times throughout the night.

I was given a bag of homegrown Jerusalem artichokes and learned some new useful stuff. I grated a couple of them to use in potato cakes and roasted the rest with potatoes and lots of garlic. Interestingly they were really gluey, but tasty. Highly recommended.

And yeah, I made that soup again and served it with homemade bread. I just can't get enough.

One nippy Sunday afternoon I went to a charity shop in the Northern Quarter and finished the journey at my favourite restaurant. Apparently they've got a new menu that I just have to check out. Something to add to my imaginary postnatal to-do-list.

Stir fry is exactly the kind of food that's suitable for a sick and nauseous stomach, therefore I ended up having it more than once during this month. Though on one of my better days I finally managed to make a good whole wheat pizza dough, which has been a rather long and sweaty process. I've experimented and failed on a couple of occasions so the satisfaction level was like: enormous.

I paid my neighbour Teatime Collective a visit and had a gorgeous dark chocolate flapjack. Another day I went to another local cafe and had another sort of dark chocolate. The sort of luxury you can allow yourself when you're on maternity leave and not asleep.

One Friday Jon made a dinner of roasted beetroots, sweet potatoes and halloumi with butter fried asparagus and a beetroot dip. Oh, love. And finally, last Saturday we had tacos. Every single time I have it I wonder why I don't eat it more often. Many years ago back in Sweden, when I used to visit my family over the weekends, it was always served on the Friday of my arrival. A very nice tradition if you'd ask me.

Although it's impractical at times (and bigger than the photos tell) I'm slowly starting to become one with this bump. I've also entered a much more relaxed mental phase of the pregnancy where most of the troubles and worries are blown out the window. Finally I can enjoy it to its full extent and grasp what that wonderful blooming is all about.

This day one year ago

I woke up before the sun somewhere in the windy hills of southern Tenerife...

To find this sweet little chocolate cake in the hotel room.

Though it wasn't for me but for Jon. Happy birthday. And happy birthday to my niece who turns two years today, and my nephew who turned four a week ago. Sometimes I miss them so much I think I'm going bonkers. I'm having yoghurt with pineapple and dark chocolate to celebrate them all.

Grains and Lentils with Caramelised Vegetables and Quorn

While this dish may not exactly look the part, I promise, it's really tasty. I mean; caramelised vegetables, does it get any tastier than that? Just the smell of it makes my mouth water.

It's also highly nutritious as it contains green lentils and quinoa, both are great sources of protein. Quinoa is actually one of few vegetarian complete proteins, which means that it contains all the essential amino acids. If you haven't tried it before, this gives you a good reason.

Also, don't leave the pearl barley out as this gives the texture a nice round edge. Together with quinoa and lentils it works perfectly.

Quinoa, pearl barley and green lentils with caramelised vegetables and quorn

Cooking time: 20 min
Serves 2

1 dl quinoa
1 dl green lentils
1/2 dl pearl barley
6 dl stock from 1 vegetable stock cube
1 large red pepper
1 large red onion
1 quorn fillet
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt

Bring a pan of 6 dl water to the boil, let the stock cube dissolve and add the quinoa, lentils and pearl barley. When it's boiling again, stir, lower the heat, and leave it to simmer under a lid for about 15-20 min.
Chop the pepper and onion and put them in a low to medium hot pan with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add the quorn fillets to the pan and sprinkle a tiny bit of salt on them. Leave it for 15 min.
When it's ready, mix everything in one of the pans and stir. Make sure that the grains soak up flavour from the oil and vinegar.

A little light in the darkness

Pregnancy isn't an illness but to me it's been like constantly walking around with a cold that refuses to reach its full potential. Since the pool exercising I did on Friday it's been worse and Jon's also unwell, so I thought we needed some cakes to brighten up a dark November afternoon.

So although I eat fruit, nuts and garlic and drink plenty of water I couldn't resist popping down to the vegan cafe Teatime Collective to get some of the delicious sweet stuff.

If nothing else, the confirming signs that I'm not well are 1. feeling a strong urge to clean the flat, 2. craving sugar, 3. giving in to mentioned temptations.

The weekend was quiet. A hospital tour and football in the pub. The highlight was Doctor Who and the tacos we had to celebrate its 50th anniversary.

Cheesy feast at Cornerhouse

This was most probably the last time for many months that I could go out for an evening meal. The reason I chose Cornerhouse is that it's close to home, I've been there before so I vaguely know that the food is good, and it's not too pricey.

It was a horribly rainy and windy Saturday evening so we thought we might end up alone, but we would be proven wrong. The place was crammed full when we arrived around 8 pm and we had to wait for about five minutes to get a table. I was happy to sit down in the warmth and wait, and I prefer a busy atmosphere so it wasn't a problem to us.

Cornerhouse's vegetarian selection is pretty average, like most student focused places in Manchester. For a starter a ordered a Wild Mushroom Macaroni Cheese (£6.75). It was like any macaroni cheese but with a nice mushroom addition. Creamy, cheesy and with some crispy flakes of perhaps of roasted cheese on top. A good starter, although a bit heavy for me personally.

Wild Mushroom Macaroni Cheese

My dinner company had the Albondigas (£6.75), which in English means Spanish meatballs in a tomato and chorizo sauce with bread on the side. It looked nice and he enjoyed it, but thought it could be more spicy.

I didn't really understand why it came with two! large chunks of bread, but I guess if you're hungry, that might be what you want. We were happy with one, between us.

Albondigas

I was already half full when the mains were served, but I blame my current abnormal metabolism rather than the starter. It was Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagne (£9.25) and consisted of taleggio, mozzarella, a rocket and parmesan salad and a big chunk of garlic toast.

Oh, let me tell you, this was beautiful. As a lover of butternut squash it would be hard to let me down, and this certainly didn't. The smoothness of the butternut squash, the hint of spinach and the rich cheese was just an amazing combination. I actually wished that I hadn't had the starter after all, although I loved the lasange, I struggled to finish it.

For pregnancy reasons I didn't eat the parmesan salad and of general bloatedness I didn't eat much of the bread, but I had a small bite and it was really nice.

A picky side note however - and this is more of a general problem I find with vegetarian dishes and doesn't just concern Cornerhouse - is that it's just too much carbohydrates. With all due respect to cheese, and the regular reader knows I love it with all my heart, it isn't a great source of protein alone. As a veggie you normally end up with a starter poor in protein, you have a main dish full of carbs with bread on the side and if you go for a pudding, that's nothing but even more carbs. A little bit more imagination would definitely stand out and be very much welcomed. With that said, let's move on.

Butternut Squash & Spinach Lasagne

Jon ordered the Barbeque Pulled Pork Sandwich (£10.25) that was served with a BBQ sauce on a white bun with horseradish coleslaw and a bowl of chips. I had a nibble of the coleslaw and with its strong taste of horseradish, it was great. He thought the pork was excellent; tasty and soft. However, the dish didn't really work in terms of the pork and coleslaw being served on a distinctly average white bun, which was lifeless and tasteless.

Barbeque Pulled Pork Sandwich

The next best thing I had after the lasange was an Indian Summer (£3.75). It contained Fentiman’s ginger beer and fresh strawberries, with the emphasis on fresh, and strawberries - pure love to express it simply.

I was happy to find non-alcoholic cocktails on the menu and always give an extra plus when there are more options than just the standard selection of soft drinks.

Jon had the local Oyster stout which he enjoyed much more than Guinness. The Cornerhouse has a very good selection of local beers and lagers.

Indian Summer

The atmosphere was busy, loud and warm. Cornerhouse is a popular place in the heart of the student area but the crowd is dynamic, which I believe is a good sign. The service is friendly, although not always the fastest, but this night I think that was a good thing.

All-in-all we had a nice evening, and this was one of the few times in the past months that I didn't have to get up and eat halfway through the night. That's always something.

Vegetarian selection: 6/10
Vegetarian food: 8/10
Non-vegetarian selection: 6/10
Non-vegetarian food: 6/10
Service: 6/10
Value for money: 7/10
39/60

Potato Cakes with Caramelised Onion

Last week was the first time I made these potato cakes, inspired by a recipe from Nigel Slater that I found in The Times. I used them as a starter with a soup as a main, but they'd probably work just as fine as a light meal on their own. 

They're similar to Swedish raggmunkar and - as usual - simple but really delicious. Next time I might add feta cheese to the yoghurt or try a soft cheese instead. Enjoy.

Potato cakes with yoghurt and caramelised onion

Cooking time: 15 min
Serves 2 (4 cakes)

Potato cakes
1 large potato
1 large carrot
2 tbsp finely chopped leek
2 tbsp white flour
1 egg
Salt and black pepper
Olive oil for frying

Caramelised onion
1 large onion (or 2 small)
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp yoghurt for serving

Chop the onion and put it in olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a low to medium hot pan, and leave for about 15 minutes. Stir once in a while.
Peel and grate the potato and carrot into a bowl. Add the leek, flour and egg and season with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Stir thoroughly.
Form 4 cakes with your hands and fry them in olive oil (or butter) on medium heat. In the beginning they easily fall apart, so wait about 4 minutes before turning them over (if they burn, the pan is too hot), then give them a gentle press to compress and flatten them out a bit, and leave for another 3-4 minutes.

Serve with natural yoghurt and the onion on top.

Eight months down to eight weeks

When I found out for sure that I was pregnant it was a little more than eight months to go. At the time it felt like an eternity. Suddenly it's only eight weeks left. 58 freaking days - including a trip to Watford, a wedding, a Christmas and a new years eve - until an entirely new life begins.

To celebrate this in fashion I've bought fake UGG boots because I can't tie my shoelaces anymore, and the expecting father has bought a onesie. Where did we go so wrong?

On a less radical note, I saw the midwife today and the baby is following the expected growth curve exactly. It also kicks me that hard in the ribs I can't sleep at nights and it feels like the worst muscle ache I've ever had at days. I never thought that could be described as wonderful, but it is.

Remind me I said that in a month's time.

8 foods you'll always find in my house

1. Yoghurt
Not the most exciting perhaps but such a practical food. Yoghurt is not only essential for a complete breakfast but also useful for snacks, baking, dips and cooking. Use it instead of cream, creme fraiche or milk - when making an omelette for instance. Or have you ever made a carbonara with full fat yoghurt instead of cream? If not, I recommend you try it.

Pasta carbonara

2. Nuts
I eat all kind of nuts, but my current favourites are peanuts, almonds and walnuts. Maybe it's a pregnancy thing or just my slightly obsessive personality but at the moment I eat walnuts with absolutely everything; pesto, stir fries, bread, muesli... They're also rich in omega 3, which apparently is proven to increase the chance of having the next Kate Millet or Albert Einstein popping out of your womb. One can at least dream.

3. Garlic
I'm part of the tiny minority who actually likes garlic breath - raw too for that matter. Fried garlic and I'm in heaven. I don't know if it's because me and Jon eat so much of it, maybe I associate it with home, him, us, cooking, comfort, but I can't think of many smells that I like more. It's by miles the best and most dynamic ingredient for flavouring the food and it's got lots of health benefits. Being an anti-inflammatory is perhaps the best one.

4. Eggs
Especially when I'm in intense training eggs are an essential source of protein for me. I have at least one boiled egg for breakfast, a few more at the weekend when I scramble them, and they're often a component in my other meals as well. It's good as a glue to keep burgers together, various noodle dishes or just simple vegetable omelettes.

5. Wholegrain pasta
I love pasta in all its various forms, so although it may not be the healthiest of carbohydrates, I'm gonna eat it anyway. There's just no end to what you can make of it. Usually I would have pesto and cheese in the fridge too, for the weak moments when I have absolutely no motivation to cook. Top it with some walnuts and suddenly you have a pretty decent dish.

6. Crispbread
It's quite funny, but this is the thing I always ask Swedish visitors to bring over, and my hand luggage is pretty much crammed with crispbread when I'm flying back to the UK. It works the same as yoghurt - perfect to have as a side with any meal throughout the day or just as a snack on its own - perhaps not quite as nutritious though. Preferably it should be Swedish crispbread or the Finnish one they have in Holland & Barrett. It's nothing like the British selection, it takes crispy to a different dimension. I can't really explain, it has to be experienced. Why not try it!

7. Frozen vegetables
Don't get me wrong; I have plenty of fresh vegetables at home too, but sometimes I run out of them and for those times it's good to have backup veg in the freezer. Although I'd ultimately want everything fresh from the garden, there are a few vegetables that I prefer to buy frozen, like peas and leafy spinach. The latter I discovered quite recently and I plainly find it more practical than fresh spinach. Now I no longer have to bin half a bag of unused soggy leaves.

Tomatoes from the garden in Sweden

8. Coffee
Last but certainly not least, coffee. This would be more appropriate on the list 'things I can't survive without'. It's been quite tough not being able to drink this as much as usual for the last seven months, partly because of nausea, partly because of the caffeine. I do have decaf or a small cup of proper coffee from time to time but I can't wait until I can enjoy unlimited amounts of this black gold again.

Wholegrain Walnut Buns

Guess what I did yesterday? I made that magical pea soup again, but this time I used fresh mint. Oh, I can die it's that good, although this time Jon was actually the one shouting out in satisfaction.

As a starter I made potato cakes, kind of like Swedish raggmunkar, served with yoghurt and caramelised onions. The recipe will be up on the blog later this week because they too were highly appreciated and will certainly be made again soon.

I also made bread - walnut buns to be precise. They take about 2,5 hours in total to make, of which 2 hours are spent letting the dough rise. Simple and delicious.

6 walnut buns

Prep time: 10 min
Baking time: 2,5 hours
About 6 buns

2 dl lukewarm water
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 tbsp honey
5 dl wholegrain breadflour
1/2 salt
1/2-1 dl coarsley crushed walnuts

Mix the water, yeast and honey in one bowl and leave for 5 min.
Mix the flour, salt and walnuts in a different bowl.
Stir down the water mix gradually to the flour mix.
Knead thoroughly and form a ball-shaped dough. It's easiest to use your hands.
Cover the bowl airproof with cling film and let the dough rise for 1,5-2 hours.
Heat the oven to 250 C.
Bring the dough out on a floured surface and cut it into 6 pieces.
Form round balls and put them on a greased oven tray. Leave them to rise for 15 min, then put them in the oven for 11-12 min.

Remember they're hot, so no matter how nice they may be, let them cool before you eat them.

Noodle Stir Fry with Soy Mince and Egg

My weekend didn't just consist of a visit to Teatime Collective (which has just added American Pancakes to the menu by the way!!!) but also a little trip up town to what could be my favourite food place in Manchester; Home Sweet Home. A review will come up later in the month so keep your eyes open, this is a place you most definitely don't wanna miss.

Unfortunately, after sunshine comes rain. After activity and a lot of food comes a day on the couch with a bucket. I'll leave the rest to your imagination.

Days like today, I'm certainly not up for anything heavy, greasy or advanced, but I still want something tasty. A non-oily noodle stir fry with vegetables, soy mince and egg is an excellent and simple dish. You can add and/or remove anything you like, but here's mine...

Noodles, leek, brussel sprouts, asparagus, pepper, soy mince and egg

Cooking time: 15-20 min
Serves 2

100g egg noodles (wholewheat if it's available)
1 leek
6 brussel sprouts
3 large asparagus
1 pepper
1 dl soy mince
1 egg
1/2-1 chilli
2 tsp curry powder
2 tsp chilli powder
Soy sauce
2 tbsp olive oil 

Bring a pan of water to the boil and add the noodles.
Chop all the vegetables into small chunks and put them in olive oil in a medium hot pan. Add all the spices, soy sauce, soy mince and egg, and stir.
When the noodles are ready, drain and add them to the mix and stir more.
Lower the heat and leave the mix under a lid until it's got the softness and flavours you desire.

Saturday Lunch at Teatime Collective

Apart from the cow's milk for the customers who'd like it for their coffee, Teatime Collective is a 100 percent vegan cafe right beside Hulme Park - and what a lovely one it is.

With no more than five seats inside and only a couple of tables outdoors, this small place has got a genuinely local feeling. This particular morning was a bit grey so we were the only customers, but I've walked passed it many times on sunny days and it's always seemed busy. We were still able to sit outside though, for a Swede that's pretty amazing in the middle of November.

It's only been open for about two months but the waiter told me that they're doing well and are about to expand into a nearby container, making room for about 20 more seats as well as longer opening hours.

Among other things on the menu you can find various versions of English breakfast, toast with scrambled tofu or beans and (vegan) cheese. They also have different burger options, which all sound delicious, and they only cost a fiver. That in combination with later opening hours and I think this place could be a winner.

Although I might be a hungry pregnant woman, I didn't really fancy a burger for breakfast/lunch so I ordered one of the specials; a ciabatta with marinated tofu, pesto and rocket with green leaves and tomatoes on the side (£3). The bread was fresh and soft, not dry as ciabattas can tend to be, and the tofu was gorgeous. If I'm picky I'd say it could have had some more pesto or oil. After eating about half of it, it just felt a bit dry, but the flavours were spot on.

Ciabatta with marinated tofu, pesto and rocket

Jon was a different story. As he was off to hockey later, he needed something more filling and ordered one of the other specials; smoked tofu with red pepper and broccoli noodle stir fry with ginger, chilli and garlic (£5). This dish was full of my favourite flavours and was excellent with strong ginger, the distinguished smoked taste of the tofu, and lots of spicyness. Actually, it was hot; something it would appropriate to point out for more sensitive eaters.

Smoked tofu with red pepper and broccoli stir fry with ginger, chilli and garlic

As a side, or more like a starter, I ordered a chocolate flapjack (£1). It was big and had a really rich and crisp chocolate cover with bits of marshmallows that melted in the mouth. Lovely. If nothing else, I'll definitely come back for more of those.

Chocolate flapjack

It might be a description that only a few will understand but the atmosphere around this place feels really "Hulme". For me that's unique, relaxed, nice service, extremely good prices and a genuinely personal touch. I also believe that it being totally vegan provides a good alternative to the other cafes and restaurants in the local area. I really hope that the Teatime Collective will last and with their expansion, I believe it will happen.

So if you wanna eat fresh, good and flavoursome vegan food in Manchester, you should definitely make a trip to Hulme Park/St Wilfrid's Enterprise Centre and check this place out. I can't wait to see their progression, and to try their burgers...

Vegetarian selection: 9/10
Vegetarian food: 8/10
Service: 8/10
Value for money: 10/10
35/40
 

Roasted Peppers Filled with Quinoa, Chanterelles, Spinach and Parmesan

Due to pregnancy insomnia, I'm totally lacking in motivation. Nobody told me that lack of sleep would begin a couple of months before the baby pops out. Ah well, I guess it's a good warm up.

Things I've done instead of updating this blog lately: sleep, try to sleep, eat, try to write, and play Wordfeud and Ruzzle.

However, yesterday I made some nice roasted peppers filled with quinoa, chanterelles, spinach and parmesan. It is super simple and beautiful to serve with roasted potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes and lots of garlic. Here's how I did...

Roasted peppers filled with quinoa, chanterelles, spinach and parmesan

Cooking time: 35 min
Serves 2

2 peppers
1 dl quinoa
1 dl chanterelles (any mushrooms will do)
1 onion
1/2 dl spinach
1 dl grated parmesan
1 tbsp olive oil
Chilli pepper
Black pepper

Preheat the oven to 175 C.
Bring a pan of water to the boil and add the quinoa.
Chop the onion and put it in olive oil in a medium hot pan. Add the chanterelles, spinach and spices. Stir regularly.
Take the mix off the hot hob and stir in the parmesan.
When the quinoa is ready, stir it in with the mix.
Remove the stem and seeds from the peppers, then chop them in half and fill them with the mix.
Place them in the oven for about 20 min.

Fake artichokes and a ball

One of the things I got on Sunday was a bag full of Jerusalem artichokes. It's an excellent gift when you're about to go on leave, but the only problem is that I know next to nothing about them, so I read up.

Apparently these little chubbies have nothing to do with Jerusalem, and they're not artichokes either. When they're blooming, they look like sunflowers. They're not high in starch compared to other roots, contain no fat, but 10 percent of protein and a high content of vitamin B, phosphorus and iron. Yes please. I think they'll be perfect for roasting with new potatoes, lots of garlic and feta cheese.

Apart from cooking and sleeping I'm gradually adapting the flat to fit my lifestyle and this is my new office: living room floor, couch table/dinner table and pilates ball. The ball is heavenly right now, it saves me from a lot of backache.

I'm imagining that I'll sit here with my home-baked rolls and coffee pots and write the next bestselling crime novel during my time as a milk machine - or perhaps not. If I'm lucky I can keep doing a bit of freelance stuff, win wordfeud and probably perform some bursts of ball exercises when I'm on the edge of going mad, which I already am by the way...

Things that would keep me sane:

1. heavy squats
2. heavy deadlifts
3. soft boiled eggs would be nice for a change

4. getting drunk

Roasted Pepper and Green Lentil Tomato Soup with Feta Cheese Dip

Here's another one of those dishes that pretty much cooks itself. I guess you've figured out how much I like being lazy sometimes, or just busy with other stuff than cooking.

This soup requires about 5 minutes of preparation, 30 minutes of cooking and another minute to plate up. So simple, yet even more delicious.

Potato, red pepper and red onion

Roasted pepper and green lentil tomato soup

Prep time: 5 min
Cooking time: 30 min
Serves 1 (hungry)

1 small/medium potato
1 red pepper
1 red onion
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tin (400g) peeled plum tomatoes
1/2 dl green lentils
2 dl stock from 1/2 vegetable stock cube

Preheat the oven to 180 C.
Chop the potato and pepper into cubes and cut the onion into wedges, and place them in an oven tray. Cover the vegetables in olive oil, stir and place in the oven for about 30 min, until they've gone a little brown and soft.
Pour the tomatoes into a hot sauce pan and mash everything into the sized chunks you want, and add the lentils and vegetable stock. When the mix is boiling, lower the heat and leave it to simmer under a lid.
When the vegetables are ready, mix them with the tomatoes and lentils.
Plate up with the feta cheese dip on top (recipe below).

Feta cheese dip with chilli flakes

Feta cheese dip

3 tbsp yoghurt
50g feta cheese
1/2 tsp chilli flakes 
1/2 tsp black pepper

In a small bowl, mix the yoghurt, chunks of feta cheese, chilli flakes and black pepper, and stir. Keep it refrigerated until the soup is ready.

Roasted Pepper and Green Lentil Tomato Soup with Feta Cheese Dip

One photo every meal and a goodbye

Yesterday, Sunday, was my last day in the gym for a couple of months, which means I'm now officially on maternity leave. It's just getting unbearable for my soon-seven-month pregnant body to keep going any longer.

Although I'm not sure I would call this a breakfast if there isn't an egg included - we didn't have any and I didn't have time to run to the shop - this is what I had to start off the day. Plus more nuts and oats.

Hello winter air. When the other side of Manchester is this crisp and beautiful I don't mind the walk to the gym taking me an hour. Normally it would take around 35 minutes.

Another banana at the gym while waiting for my client.

Everyone was so nice, wished me well and had bought us presents. So overwhelming it made me a little teary. Goodbye for a while.

Back home again, starting the coming months of relaxation with a bagel, apple, cheese, (decaf) tea and a request to eat. Ok, I think I will.

I finished the very nice day with a regular Sunday risotto with an edamame bean salad, then I went to bed. If you don't hear from me for two months, you know where I am.