Category Archives: Lunch

Rice Paper Rolls with peanut dipping sauce

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Rice paper rolls are really easy to make, they may look a bit intimidating, but the trick is not to soak them too long. Let the rice paper soften without going soggy, they tear apart easily. The vegetable filling is also moist and will give the roll enough pliability once you’re rolling them up. They keep a day in the fridge but really are best when eaten the same day. They are really great for lunch or a summer dinner when it is too hot outside to cook. You can make them in the morning and keep them in the fridge for when you are ready to eat them. I added the beet root which may be a bit unconventional, for the sweetness it gives the rolls and of course the beautiful color.

Serves: 3-4
Ingredients for the rice rolls:
    • 10 rice papers or more
    • 1 cup cooked quinoa
    • 1 cucumber, peeled, deseeded and cut in to strips
    • ½ cup sprouts
    • 2 carrots cut to thin strips
    • some Coriander leafs
    • 1 avocado, peeled and cut in to strips
  • 1 beet root, peeled and grated fine
Ingredients for the peanut sauce:
    • 1/4 C. peanut butter
    • 1 tbsp. soy sauce
    • 1/2 tsp. coriander powder
    • 1/4 tsp. cumin
    • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
    • 1 tsp. Sambal Oelek or Sriracha sauce, or more if you can take it
  • 3/4 – 1 C. coconut milk
Method:
For the peanut sauce, just mix all the ingredients. You can serve it as is, or heat it up a little bit. It will thicken however.
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For the rice rolls, arrange all the ingredients for the stuffing and prepare to make the rolls. Take a shallow bowl with warm water.
Soak the rice paper sheets for about 15 seconds and let it get pliable. Carefully take it out and lay it on a moist kitchen towel (I put them on a plastic cutting board, but then you have to work quit fast), and stuff all the vegetables. Top with Quinoa and roll  tightly. Make sure not to over stuff it. Roll like you would a traditional spring roll or a wrap.After you roll it, put them on a plate that has been rubbed with a little bit of vegetable oil. Cover them loosely  with a wet paper towel or kitchen towel. Cut them in half when you are ready to eat. Serve them with the peanut sauce. If you are going to keep them in the fridge all day until evening , cover them with cling film which has been sprayed with cooking oil.
Enjoy!
Myra Xo

Watermelon Salad

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Serves 4

At home we try to eat what’s in Season,  it feels like the right thing to do. So it’s really exciting when I see a Watermelon for the first time in season. Not only are they delicious but very healthy too. They are full of Lycopene which is a carotenoid  good for heart health and bone health. They also contain Citrulline.

Citrulline is an amino acid that is converted by our kidneys into arginine.

Watermelon contains about 250 milligrams of citrulline per cup.  Arginine improves blood flow and there’s also some preliminary evidence arginine may help prevent excess accumulation of fat in fat cells. Hello?

Ingredients;

  • 2 bags of Arugula
  • 1 small watermelon, peeled and diced
  • 4 oz. Feta cheese
  • 1  onion, peeled and sliced as thin as you can

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  • a bunch of fresh Mint. Pick of the leafs, thow the stems away.
  • 1/2 C. Pomegranate Seeds
  • 1/4 C. toasted Pine nuts
  • 1 tbsp. Chia seeds
  • 1/4 C. extra virgin olive oil
  • juice of one lemon

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Instructions;

Star of by putting the onion in a bowl with the juice of half a lemon and leave for about 15 minutes. This will take away the sharpness of the onion.

Arrange the Arugula on a platter. Scatter over the Watermelon. Then the drained onions.

Crumble over the Feta. Then tear the Mint leafs up a bit and sprinkle over the salad tucking the leafs in between the pieces of Watermelon.

Then scatter over the Pomegranate seeds, the Chia seeds and the Pine nuts. Serve drizzled with the olive oil and the remaining juice of the lemon.

Enjoy!

Myra XO

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Spelt Bagels

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I love using Spelt in baking, but it can be a bit tricky to get the water amount right, since it doesn’t absorb like wheat flour. So if the dough seems a bit sticky, don’t worry, that’s how it is supposed to be. Don’t be tempted to add more flour because you might end up with a very solid loaf or in this case bagel.

So let’s get crackin’

Makes 10 Bagels

Ingredients

  • 2 cups whole grain spelt flour
  • 3 cups white spelt flour
  • 2 tsp dried yeast
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 1 1/2 C. + 2 tbsp. lukewarm water
  • 2 1/2 tbsp. Coconut sugar
  • 2 tbsp. Olive oil
  • 1 tbsp potato starch/flour
  • 1 tbsp rice or date syrup, or coconut sugar
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • Garnish to sprinkle on top. See comment below.

Method;

To make the dough combine the first 6 ingredients, and mix a little bit, then sprinkle in the salt and knead for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Divide the dough into 10 equal portions and form into small balls.

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Form the bagels by pressing your thumb in the middle and create a hole.

Place the bagels on a baking tray covered with baking paper and cover with cling film. Allow them to rise for one hour at a warm room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 425° F / 220° C.

Mix the potato starch into a cup of cold water, then add to  a large pot of water and add the remaining 1 tbsp.  of syrup (or sugar) and salt . Bring to a rolling boil and then lower the heat so the water is just simmering. Drop the bagels, two or three at a time into the water.

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After about one minute, turn them over and cook for another minute. Take them out using a slotted spoon and place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Sprinkle with the topping of your choice*. Place the tray of bagels in the oven, lower the temperature to 400° F / 210° C degrees Celsius and bake for 25 minutes, until they start to brown. Take the out of the oven and let them cool on a rack. They freeze very well.

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  • Toppings can be anything like Sesame seeds, Sunflower seeds, Pumpkin seeds, Poppy seeds and the typical “Everything” Bagel, for which I have written the ingredients below.

Everything seasoning;

Makes about half a cup. 

  • 2 tbsp. Poppy seeds
  • 2 tbsp.Sesame seeds
  • 1 tbsp. dried onion powder
  • 2 tsp. dried garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano (optional)
  • 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
Enjoy!
Myra XO