A bit healthier basic muffins recipe

My eight year old daughter is the head chef when we bake these easy and tasty muffins.  We often bake these before we go on a trip, camping or to our summerhouse.  They are tasty and sweet but not to sweet.  This is a basic recipe that you can play with a bit.

50 g butter
3/4 dl coconut palm sugar
1 egg
3 dl whole spelt flour
3 tsp baking powder (gluten free if possible)
1 1/2 tbs vanilla powder
1 dl milk (of your choice, regular, almond or soya)

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Line a muffin pan with 12 paper muffin cups.
Melt butter and place in a bowl.  Add coconut palm sugar and stir well.  Add egg and mix well together. Then add dry ingredients and milk and mix well.  Finally add your choice of extra ingredients like dark chocolate, nuts, raisins, blueberries or cocoa and combine.

Devide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Bake for 12-16 minuets.

Homemade healthy crisp bread

There is no reason to buy expensive crispbread when you can make a much better and healthier crispbread your self.  I got this recipe from my mother.  It really helped me at first when I was trying to cutting down in eating bread and crackers with gluten. Great with a healthy fruit jam.

1 dl flax seeds
1 dl sesame
1 dl sunflower seeds
1 dl pumpkin seeds
1 dl green virgin olive oil
2 dl water
2 tsp baking powder (no gluten)
1 tsp maldon salt

Preheat oven to 390° F (200°C).
All ingredients are kneaded together with your hands.  Add water slowly into the dough so it does not become too wet.
Spread out the dough between two baking sheets, using the palm of your hand and a rolling pin.  Spread it out evenly and as thin as possible.  Cut into squares using a pizza wheel or a knife.
Bake for 12-15 minuets or until crispy and golden.  Allow to cool.

Simple and delicious fruit bowl

Don´t you just love when your breakfast is just as delicious as a dessert.  Here we have a breakfast-dessert.  You can make this easy and tasty fruit bowl for breakfast, dessert or any time you are craving for something sweet.

1 small banana
1/2 pear
few blueberries
1 tsp flaxseeds (use grinder if you have it)
6-8 almonds (chopped small)
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Chop banana and pear.  Put in a small bowl and add blueberries.  Sprinkle with flaxseeds, almonds and cinnamon.  If you want to you can add a little bit of yoghurt.   Enjoy :)

Rhubarb pai with a healthy twist

I just love rhubarb. Well but I don´t like the sour taste and the fact that a lot of sugar seams to be the only way to make it eatable.  So challenge excepted.....I have to find healthier ways to deal with the sour taste.  Here I use coconut palm sugar as a substitute for regular sugar.  Coconut palm sugar is a bit gentler for our blood sugar level.

2-300 grams rhubarb stalks (about 4 good stalks)
3 apples organic of course
2 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp flaxseeds
1/2 cup slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
Chop rhubarb and apples and put in a baking dish.  Sprinkle cinnamon, flaxseeds and almonds over.

Topping:
2/3 cup rolled oats
2/3 cup whole spelt flour
1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
125 grams butter (room temperature)

Handfull of coconut flakes (optional)

Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl.  Cut butter in small pieces and mix it in with your hands.  Sprinkle topping over the rhubarb blend in the dish.  Bake for 20-25 minuets.  Serve warm with f.ex. cream, coconut cream or healthy ice-cream.  I used a blend of whipped cream, yogurt and a tsp of vanilla extract.

Healthy and warming carrot soup

There is nothing like a warm healthy soup on a cold day. The main ingredients carrots and ginger are extremely good for our body. Also carrots are believed to be one of those foods who help the body fighting against cancer. The same can be said about ginger plus it is rich in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory effects.


2 medium onions, chopped
about 6 medium carrots, cut small
2 cm ginger grated
2 cloves garlic minched
5 cups  vegetable broth (organic)
juice from 2 oranges.
salt
pepper
coconut milk if desired
coconut oil or other oil

Brown the onion in the oil in a saucepan, add the carrots and ginger and soften a bit. Add vegetable broth, together with the orange juice.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Allow this to boil at low heat for approx. 15-20 minutes.  Use filter and put most of the liquid aside. The rest of the soft veggie bland goes into the food processor or the blender.  Puree well. Add puree back to the saucepan and add liquid ( Don´t use all the liquid if you want to have your soup a bit thicker).  I usually add a little bit of coconut milk into the soup to get a creamier texture, but it´s not necessary.  I decorate the soup with a little bit of grated orange peel and a basil leaf.

Baked white fish with veggies and sweet potatoes

I have really missed the Icelandic fish. I think in Iceland we just take it for granted to have a really good and fresh fish all year around. I did not realize I actually would miss it.  Here in Norway the fish just does not taste the same.  I don´t know why, it´s just not the same.  The other day we found out where to buy Icelandic fish here in Norway, so now we have a plenty of Icelandic fish in the freezer.  
In this dish you can of course use any white fish you like (Icelandic or not).

1 kg white fish fillets like haddock or cod.
Cut the fish into small bites and place in the bottom of a baking dish.

1 sweet potato
3 carrots
1 onion
1 red pepper
1 Tbsp coconut oil

Chop veggies small and fry them in a large skillet with the coconut oil.

Herbamare salt
pepper
basil fresh
oregano
ca. 100 g tomatpaste organic (1 small can)
about 4 cups vegetable broth organic

Add spices to the skillet and then add tomatpaste and water (broth).  Simmer for about 15 minuets.

Pour the veggie blend over the fish in the baking dish. Top with cheese.  Bake for 20 minuets.  Heat 180° C.

Tastes great whit a good salad and a sour creme.

Breakfast egg muffins

Made these the other day. My son was competing on a badminton tournament, and I of course trying to be the healthy mom decided to make something good and healthy to take with us and to help him keeping up his energy, well and to keep me away from the bakery.  Literally just eggs in a cupcake pan, add ingredients, bake and voila!  Full of good energy and proteins.  So easy and simple.  

6 eggs (organic if you can)
1 dl milk ( I used rice milk)
nutmeg just a little bit
salt and pepper to taste
2-3 carrots 
1/2 red pepper
a handful of spinach

Of course you can use other vegetables as well like mushrooms and onion. 

Chop veggies and lay in the bottom of aluminum cupcake pan. Grease or spray the pan first.  I have tried to use paper cups but the muffin seams to get a little stuck to the cup.
Whip eggs with the milk and add spices.  Pour the mixture over the veggies in the cupcake pan.  Then just put it in the oven and bake at 190 ° C for about 15-20 minutes.