True North Kitchen

Breakfast and Brunch

Baked Nordic Oat and Rye Porridge

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Baked Nordic Oat and Rye Porridge in the pan

Porridge has been a cornerstone of the Scandinavian diet since prehistoric times. Nutritious and easy to store, it only makes sense that hearty grains such as oats, barley and rye would be important to people living in a cold, harsh climate. According to food historian Henry Notaker, porridge was once served as often as three times a day! While things have thankfully changed from the days of eating porridge for every meal, it has most definitely made a culinary comeback in recent years. Trendy porridge bars such as GRØD in Denmark have revived an interest in this ancient food by finding innovative and delicious new ways to enjoy porridge.

Baked Nordic Oat and Rye Porridge ingredients

This Baked Nordic Oat and Rye Porridge is definitely a twist on your basic bowl of oatmeal. Baked in the oven, this mixture of rolled oats, rye flakes toasted almonds and blueberries is like a porridge casserole of sorts. It makes a nice addition to the breakfast or brunch table, or you can make a batch on Sunday to reheat for quick, nutritious breakfasts throughout the week.

What Are Rye Flakes?

Rye flakes

Rye flakes are rye groats that have been steamed and rolled, much like old-fashioned rolled oats. They are highly nutritious and an excellent source of fiber. Studies have shown that eating rye porridge for breakfast leaves people feeling satiated for a longer period of time that other breakfast options. I really like the combination of rolled oats and rye: the softness of the oats and the heartiness of the rye really work well together. Rye flakes are available at some natural grocery stores or on Amazon.com.

Baked Nordic Oat and Rye Porridge

The concept of baked oatmeal was made famous by Heidi Swanson in her wonderful cookbook, Super Natural Everyday. This Baked Nordic Oat and Rye Porridge is a take on that original concept. Rather than including all oats, my version contains a combination of rolled oats and rye flakes. No rye flakes? No problem! Simply use all oats instead. I’ve also omitted the sliced bananas included in the original version and added more blueberries, but you could certainly add a sliced banana or two to the bottom layer of fruit if you happen to have one languishing on your counter and are looking to put it to good use.

Baked Nordic Oat and Rye Porridge in a bowl with a spoon and napkin

I hope you give this Baked Nordic Oat and Rye Porridge a try! If you are the kind of person who has a bag of frozen blueberries in the freezer, it’s likely that you already have everything on hand to make this happen. Let me know how it goes in the comments below! I am always happy to hear from you.

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Baked Nordic Oat and Rye Porridge

Baked Nordic Oat and Rye Porridge in the pan

A hearty and delicious baked oat and rye porridge with wild blue berries and toasted almonds.

  • Author: Kristi
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 6 servings
  • Category: breakfast, porridge
  • Cuisine: Nordic, Scandinavian

Ingredients

1 cup rolled old-fashioned oats

1 cup rye flakes (or additional 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats)

½ cup sliced almonds, toasted

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

⅓ cup pure maple syrup

2 cups whole milk (unsweetened nut milk or oat milk works just fine)

1 large egg

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ½ cups blueberries, fresh or frozen (no need to defrost)

 

Optional Toppings:

Maple syrup

Melted butter

Skyr (Icelandic yogurt)

Milk or cream

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Butter the inside of an 8 x 8 glass baking dish.

  2. In a large bowl, combine oats, rye flakes, half of the almonds, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

  3. In a second bowl, whisk together maple syrup, milk, egg, butter and vanilla.

  4. Sprinkle 1 cup of the berries in the bottom of the prepared dish.  Top with dry oat mixure. 

  5. Pour wet mixture over the top of the oat mixture.  Tap the pan on the counter a couple of times to make sure that the wet mixture sinks all the way to the bottom and that the dry ingredients are completely submerged .

  6. Sprinkle remaining berries and ¼ cup of sliced almonds over the top.  Bake until golden brown and oats are set, about 40-50 minutes. Serve warm with optional toppings. 

Notes

Adapted from Supernatural Everyday by Heidi Swanson

Keywords: oatmeal, rye, blueberry, almonds, baked

Roasted Beet and Raspberry Skyr Parfaits

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Roasted Beet Raspberry Skyr Parfaits

I’m going to have to ask you to trust me on this one. Raspberry jam and roasted beets? Together?? Yes. As odd as it sounds, raspberries and beets have an affinity for one another.

The idea for these easy Roasted Beet and Raspberry Skyr Parfaits came from an article on yogurt toppings from Eating Well magazine. I’m always looking for new ways to jazz up my morning granola and skyr routine and was particularly intrigued by this one. What could make for a more Nordic breakfast than beets and skyr?

Roasted Beet Raspberry Skyr Parfaits

After giving this very simple idea a try, I was hooked. Earthy beets and sweet-tart raspberry preserves are a magical combination, and a perfect compliment to creamy skyr and crunchy granola. A winning (and easy) Scandi breakfast any day of the week!

Roasted Beet Raspberry Skyr Parfaits

Plan on roasting and chopping the beets ahead of time (you’ll find instructions on how to do so in the recipe below) so that in the morning you can just pull out what you need, add your raspberry preserves and breakfast is served. I’ve written the recipe for two parfaits, but if you are only making one for yourself, plan on a heaping quarter cup of beets to 1 tablespoon of jam.

I really hope you give these unusual but OH SO delicious Roasted Beet and Raspberry Skyr Parfaits a try. I think you’ll agree…this unlikely duo was made for each other.

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Roasted Beet and Raspberry Skyr Parfaits

Roasted Beet Raspberry Skyr Parfaits

An unusual but delicious Nordic breakfast parfait featuring roasted beets, raspberry preserves and Icelandic yogurt.

  • Author: Kristi
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 2 parfaits
  • Category: breakfast
  • Cuisine: Nordic, Scandinavian

Ingredients

¾ cup chopped roasted beets (see note below)

2 heaping tablespoons raspberry jam or preserves

Plain skyr (Icelandic yogurt) or greek yogurt

Nordic Morning Granola (or other granola of your choice)

Instructions

  1. Toss beets with raspberry jam.

  2. To assemble parfaits, put a generous scoop of yogurt in the bottom of a bowl, glass or jar.  Top with half the beet mixture and a sprinkle of granola. Repeat with second parfait. Serve.

Notes

To roast beets: Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place scrubbed and trimmed beets on a piece of aluminum foil and rub oil over them with your hands.  Sprinkle with salt and wrap tightly inside foil. Transfer foil packet to a baking sheet. Bake until beets are tender (you should be able to insert a knife into the beet with little resistance), about 45 minutes to an hour.  Larger beets will take longer to cook than smaller ones. Remove beets from the oven. Once they are cool enough to handle, rub the skins off using a paper towel. Cut each beet into ½ inch cubes.

Keywords: beets, raspberry, parfait, skyr, yogurt, granola

Swedish Pancakes with Lingonberries

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Swedish Pancakes with Lingonberries
Swedish Pancakes with Lingonberries

Swedish pancakes are one of the most well-known Scandinavian delicacies, and rightfully so. Tender, buttery and most likely served with a generous spoonful of lingonberries and a dollop of whipped cream, there is much to account for their popularity. Other Scandinavian delicacies may take a little getting used to (I’m looking at YOU, pickled herring), but the Swedish pancake poses only deliciousness. No hardship whatsoever.

How are Swedish Pancakes different from American Pancakes?

Unlike American pancakes which are prized for being tall and fluffy, Swedish pancakes are thin, delicate and crepe-like. They are traditionally made in a special pan called a plett, which has thin 3-inch round indentations designed for cooking the pancakes. The Swedish pancake batter itself has many similar ingredients to American pancakes (milk, butter, eggs, flour, etc.), but the consistency of the batter is much thinner, and it does not contain any leavening agents. Most Swedish pancake recipes also recommend a brief rest of the batter prior to cooking which helps ensure a uniformly thin and tender pancake.

When served, American pancakes are often buttered, stacked and drenched generously in maple syrup. Swedish pancakes, on the other hand, are traditionally rolled or folded and served with lingonberries, butter and/or whipped cream.

American pancakes are almost always eaten for breakfast. Swedish pancakes, however, are traditionally served on Thursday evenings as a dessert following a meal of hearty pea soup. According to Food’s Ready, a cookbook put together by IKEA food services, this tradition harkens back to when Sweden was a Catholic country and it was customary to fast on Fridays. People would fill up on pea soup and pancakes the night before to help them get through that long day ahead without food.

When I was growing up, Swedish pancakes were strictly for Christmas morning. My mother made giant platters of the them, heaped high with lingonberries and butter. Not a present would be opened until my brother and I had singlehandedly cleaned up the kitchen after breakfast while the adults lingered over coffee and cookies. While I have fond memories of these special Christmas morning breakfasts, I see no reason why Swedish pancakes should be relegated to a once a year meal. So simple and delicious, why not enjoy them all year round?

Swedish Pancakes with Lingonberries

Making Easy and Delicious Swedish Pancakes at Home

  • Use a blender to mix your batter ingredients. This creates an incredibly smooth, lump-free batter every time and couldn’t be easier. Just put everything in, let it whirl about and you’re done.
  • Rest the batter for at least two hours or up to two days. As I mentioned above, this will help ensure that your pancakes are uniform in texture and as tender as they can be. I recommend mixing the batter the night before so that it’s ready when you are.
  • Use a 10 inch nonstick skillet to make your Swedish pancakes. While those little 3 inch pancakes made in a plett are charming, they are small and somewhat insubstantial. It is just as common these days to see Swedish pancakes in a larger form, more like a small crepe. Choosing this modern, bigger pancake shape also means you have one less piece of special equipment to buy….a small nonstick skillet will do the job just fine.
  • Brush the skillet with melted butter prior to cooking each pancake. This imparts delicious flavor and just the right amount of browning to the pancakes.
  • Lift and swirl that skillet! Lift the heated skillet off of the burner before you pour the batter into the skillet. Once you pour the batter in, swirl it around so that it coats the bottom of the pan evenly. Continue swirling until the batter is just set. Then return the skillet to the heat. This technique may take a little practice but it makes for a pancake that is nicely browned and uniform in thickness.
  • Place a dollop of lingonberry butter inside each pancake. This is a little trick I learned from my mother. She would mix lingonberries and butter together and place a bit inside each warm pancake as it came off of the heat. Just a little bit of lingonberries and butter on the inside of the folded pancake makes a big difference in flavor.
Swedish Pancakes with Lingonberries
Swedish Pancake Making Station

This recipe for Swedish pancakes is quite easy and forgiving. Several of the recipes I tried during the testing process were fussy and often ended with fragile, torn pancakes. Not pretty. These, on the other hand, are delicate and tender but still easy to maneuver without any ripping or tearing.

So don’t wait until Christmas morning….go forth and make Swedish pancakes with confidence and ease. On any day of the week! They do not disappoint.

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Swedish Pancakes with Lingonberries

Swedish Pancakes with Lingonberries

An easy and delicious recipe for a true Scandinavian classic.  Tender and delicate pancakes served with lingonberries, butter and whipped cream.  

  • Author: Kristi
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes + 2 hours resting time
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours 35 minutes
  • Yield: approximately 10 pancakes
  • Category: breakfast, dessert
  • Cuisine: Nordic, Scandinavian, Swedish

Ingredients

For the Pancake Batter:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup whole milk

6 tablespoons water

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for the pan

½ teaspoon vanilla

 

For the Lingonberry Butter:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 tablespoon lingonberry preserves, such as the Felix brand

Pinch of salt

 

To Serve:

Lingonberry preserves

Butter (optional)

Lightly sweetened whipped cream (optional)

Instructions

  1. Make the Pancake Batter:  Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until completely smooth.  Transfer to the refrigerator to rest for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

  2. Meanwhile, make the Lingonberry Butter:  Combine lingonberry preserves, butter and salt together in a small bowl with a fork.  Set aside.

  3. Preheat oven to 200 degrees and place an empty heatproof tray or baking sheet inside.  Heat a 10 inch nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Stir the batter briefly to recombine. Brush skillet with melted butter.  Pick the skillet up off of the burner and quickly add ¼ cup of batter. Immediately begin swirling the batter around the skillet so that it coats the bottom of the pan.  Continue swirling until the batter is just set.  Return skillet to the burner. Cook until the pancake is golden brown in spots on the bottom, about 30 seconds. Use a thin spatula to loosen the pancake, flip it over continue to cook on the other side for about 20 seconds.  Transfer to a plate and add a small (about ½ teaspoon) dollop of lingonberry butter to on the top of the pancake. Fold into quarters. Transfer to oven to keep warm and repeat with remaining batter, wiping out skillet in between pancakes with paper towel as needed.

  4. To serve, top pancakes with lingonberry preserves, additional butter and/or whipped cream.

Keywords: Swedish, pancakes, lingonberries, Scandinavian

Roasted Peach Ginger Compote

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Roasted Peach Ginger Compote
Roasted Peach Ginger Compote

I have extolled the virtues of the fruit compote here on the blog before. In fact, this is my third compote recipe in only six months of blogging! Here’s why I think everyone should have a jar of seasonal fruit compote in the fridge at all times:

  • They are easy to prepare. Simply toss cut fruit with your sweetener or choice and any additional flavorings and let it roast in the oven for 40 minutes or so. Done.
  • It is a no-fuss method for making the most of seasonal produce. Have a bunch of peaches/apples/pears/strawberries from the farm stand that are ripe and ready to go but not feeling up to making a pie at the moment? Perfect! The compote is your simple solution to preserving the life of your fruit without turning it into a complicated project.
  • Compotes are better (and easier) than jelly or jam. Compotes can be used in place of jam or jelly on your morning toast, and they typically contain less sugar and have better, truer fruit flavor. An all-around win!
  • They freeze beautifully. Most compotes will keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks (not that you won’t finish it before that), but they also store well in the freezer for a few months. For when you need that taste of summer peaches come January.
  • And the number one reason to make compotes part of your cooking repertoire…..they are INCREDIBLY versatile.
Roasted Peach Ginger Compote

Let me expand on the versatility piece. Once you have a jar of this peach compote in your fridge, for example, the options beyond your morning toast are endless. A few suggestions:

And I’m sure you’ve already thought of some ideas beyond what I’ve suggested here. It’s no wonder that fruit compotes are popular in the Nordic region where growing seasons are short and preservation of seasonal goodness is paramount. This week, stop by the farm stand and pick up a batch of peaches and give this one a try. I can’t wait to hear how you choose to put it to use in your own kitchen!

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Roasted Peach Ginger Compote

Roasted Peach Ginger Compote

A delicious and simple roasted fruit compote with just a hint of ginger.  So simple and versatile!

  • Author: Kristi
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: Just under 2 cups 1x
  • Category: compote
  • Method: roasting
  • Cuisine: Nordic, Scandinavian
Scale

Ingredients

6-8 ripe peaches, about 2 ½ pounds

4-5 thin slices of fresh ginger (no need to peel)

Pinch of fine sea salt

¼ cup light brown sugar, packed (more to taste)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Peel peaches using a serrated peeler (alternatively you can score the bottom of each piece with an “X” and dunk into boiling water for 30 seconds or so.  The peel should come off easily at this point). Remove the pit and slice each peach into ½ inch chunks. Transfer to a 9 x 13 baking dish.

  2. Add remaining ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula.  If your peaches aren’t particularly sweet, feel free to add a couple of extra tablespoons of brown sugar.   Transfer baking dish to the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Stir the compote and return to the oven and continue baking for an additional 20 minutes.

  3. Set aside to cool slightly.  Serve or store tightly covered in the fridge for up to two weeks or freeze for longer storage.

Keywords: peach, ginger, compote

Nordic Buttermilk Waffles

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Nordic Buttermilk Waffles
Nordic Buttermilk Waffles

Beatrice Ojakangas says that there are many different Nordic waffle recipes, “one for every Scandinavian cook.” In her book, Scandinavian Feasts she describes the waffle cottages of the Swedish province of Dalarna:

The waffles that are served in waffle cottages are baked in irons that separate each one into five small hearts, which when attached are called a lagg. When broken into individual sections, they are eaten like cookies, with jam and sweetened whipped cream or sour cream in the middle. Waffle cottages are open all winter to serve skiers. In the summertime, when visitors come to enjoy the midnight sun, the waffle cottages also add an old-fashioned stew called söpådor to the menu.

Nordic Buttermilk Waffles

If you have ever visited a waffle cottage, please let me know. I would love to hear about it. I have not yet had the pleasure, but that’s not going to stop me from making my own version of Nordic waffles at home. It’s not as though we are unfamiliar with waffles here in America. Slathered in butter and drizzled with maple syrup, waffles are a Sunday morning mainstay. But they do waffles their own way in Scandinavia. A few distinct differences:

  • They are charmingly heart-shaped.
  • The batter is often made with cream or sour cream.
  • The batter usually contains cardamom.
  • They are delicious hot but are often served room temperature.
  • Whipped cream and fresh berries or jam are the toppings of choice.

When I set out to make my own recipe for Nordic waffles, I began by trying what was out there. I loved the addition of cardamom, but using cream in the batter yielded a VERY rich waffle, a bit too rich for my taste. Maybe that’s the idea, but as these are MY Nordic waffles, I decided to use buttermilk instead of cream. I went back to my favorite basic buttermilk waffle recipe, courtesy of Martha Stewart. I tweaked it slightly, adding cardamom, vanilla extract and an extra tablespoon of sugar (Nordic waffles tend to be sweeter as they are not served with maple syrup). The result was just what I was looking for. Tender and buttery without being over the top. And the combination of vanilla and cardamom gave them that quintessential Scandinavian touch.

Nordic Buttermilk Waffles

Whipped cream is always lovely, but I began thinking about how I could jazz up the topping a little. I remembered a version of whipped cream I used to make to go with a favorite apple tart that was half cream, half sour cream. What if I tried something like that with skyr, the deliciously creamy Icelandic yogurt? I changed the ratio slightly for my version, opting for a bit more yogurt than cream and added a touch of vanilla and sugar. The result? A tangy and creamy topping that is the perfect compliment to waffles and fresh berries.

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Nordic Buttermilk Waffles

Nordic Buttermilk Waffles

Buttery heart-shaped Nordic waffles with just a hint of cardamom and vanilla.  Perfect with whipped skyr cream and fresh berries!

  • Author: Kristi
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6 waffles
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Cuisine: Scandinavian, Nordic

Ingredients

For the Waffles:

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon fine salt

¼ teaspoon cardamom seeds, ground in a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder (or ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

 

For the Whipped Skyr Cream:

1 cup plain full-fat skyr or Greek yogurt

½ cup heavy whipping cream

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons sugar

 

To Serve:  

Fresh berries, sliced peaches, jam or fruit compote

 

Special Equipment Needed:

Heart-shaped waffle iron

 

Instructions

  1. Make the Waffles:  Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cardamom together in a medium bowl.  Set aside.

  2. Whisk buttermilk, butter, egg and vanilla together in a large bowl until fully combined.  Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until the mixture just comes together (It will not be entirely smooth). 

  3. Heat up waffle iron according to manufacturer’s instructions.  Cook waffles one at a time until golden brown and crisp. Transfer to a wire rack to cool or to 200 degree oven to keep warm.  

  4. Make the Whipped Skyr Cream:  Combine skyr and whipping cream in the work bowl of a stand mixer.  Using the whisk attachment, whisk on medium speed for one minute. Add vanilla and sugar.  Continue whipping on medium high until mixture is light and fluffy, like a loose whipped cream.  Serve waffles with fresh berries, sliced peaches, jam, fruit compote, Whipped Skyr Cream and/or other toppings of your choice.

Notes

Adapted from marthastewart.com

Keywords: waffles, Nordic, Scandinavian, skyr, berries

Nordic Morning Granola

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Nordic Morning Granola
Nordic Morning Granola

High summer fruit season in nearly here, and I want us to be ready. Ready for easy, delicious breakfasts topped with peaches, plums, nectarines, berries…whatever sweet abundance is available where you live at this time of year. Enter my Nordic Morning Granola, summer fruit’s new best friend.

I have made this recipe so many times, I can practically do it with my eyes closed. This granola is a pantry staple around our house, perfect with milk, yogurt and/or fruit for a quick breakfast, or by the handful for an afternoon snack. It is easy, delicious and nutritious. And, fair warning, slightly addictive. If you are currently in the habit of buying granola at the store, this recipe will most certainly ruin that experience for you. It’s nearly impossible to consider going back to the store-bought stuff once you start making your own granola at home.

Lucky for us, homemade granola is super easy to make. It comes together in less time than it takes to heat up the oven and bakes for a short 30 minutes. The ingredients themselves are simple, straightforward and wholesome. It’s perfectly crunchy and contains just the right ratio of nuts, seeds and oats. It’s also vegan and gluten-free (assuming you use gluten-free oats) if those things matter to you. And of course I’ve added a little Nordic touch in the form of freshly ground cardamom, sliced almonds and almond extract. The result is a simple and straightforward granola that is easy enough to whip together once or twice a week.

Granola Making Tips and Tricks

A few things to keep in mind for ensuring that your granola is the very best that it can be:

  • Stir the dry ingredients well before adding the oil, syrup and extracts. This will help distribute the salt and spices evenly throughout the mixture.
  • Heat the maple syrup slightly. Because the coconut oil solidifies when it comes into contact with cold ingredients, I’ve had greater success with my granola when I take the time to warm the syrup. This helps the oil remain liquid and coat the dry ingredients more evenly.
  • Stir the granola half-way through the baking process to redistribute everything on the baking tray.
  • Firmly press the half-baked granola back into the pan in an even layer with the back of a metal spatula. This is a really important step if you want your granola to clump together.
  • Let it cool completely before removing from the pan. If the granola is still warm when you package it, you run the risk of soggy granola.
  • Freeze for long-term storage. Granola keeps well in an air-tight glass container at room temperature for about a week. For longer storage, freeze in zip-loc freezer bags. When we are really on top of it around here, we will make four batches of granola on a Sunday morning and stash it away in the freezer for a month’s worth of breakfast and snacks. And granola straight from the freezer is oddly delicious, especially in the warmer months of the year!

So go ahead and bake up a batch of homemade granola, and buy that box of ripe peaches, those pints of fresh berries! You’re set for easy and healthy breakfasts all summer long.

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Nordic Morning Granola

Nordic Morning Granola

An easy, delicious and healthy recipe for homemade granola with a Nordic twist!

  • Author: Kristi
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 6 cups 1x
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Nordic, Scandinavian
Scale

Ingredients

4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup sliced almonds

½ cup raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon cardamom seeds, ground to a powder in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder

1 teaspoon fine salt

½ cup extra-virgin coconut oil, warmed until liquid

½ cup real maple syrup, warmed slightly

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon almond extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

  2. Combine oats, almonds, pepitas, cinnamon, cardamom and salt in a large bowl.  Stir well, ensuring that the salt and spices are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.

  3. Add coconut oil, syrup and extracts.  Using a rubber spatula, stir well to combine.

  4. Transfer granola to prepared pan.  Pat down with a rubber spatula to distribute the mixture in an even layer.  Bake for 15 minutes.

  5. Remove granola from the oven and stir with a spatula to redistribute on the baking sheet.  Firmly press down on the mixture using the back of your spatula, creating an even and tight layer of granola.  Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until granola is toasty and golden brown.

  6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on the baking sheet.

  7. Use a spatula to transfer the granola to glass containers for storage (or freezer bags if freezing).  Granola keeps for about a week at room temperature, several months in the freezer.

Notes

Adapted from Cookie and Kate’s The Very Best Granola.

Keywords: granola, healthy, easy, vegan, vegetarian, nordic, oats, breakfast

Danish Egg Cake with Potatoes, Bacon and Chives (Æggekage)

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Danish Egg Cake with Potatoes, Bacon and Chives

I love recipes that are so practical that they appear in a similar form in a variety of different food cultures. This Danish Egg Cake, for example, bears a striking resemblance to an Italian frittata, Spanish tortilla or a French omelette. I’m quite sure this dish transcends international boundaries not only because it is delicious, but also because of its simplicity and versatility…eggs baked together with leftover vegetables and maybe a little meat and/or cheese. It makes for a quick and easy brunch, lunch or dinner, and comes together with everyday staples that you are likely to have on hand in the fridge. Everyone needs tasty and resourceful recipes like this one in their back pocket!

Most of the recipes I found in my research contained bacon, one calling for a whopping 24 slices! I’ve whittled that down to a more reasonable four. Some included potatoes while some didn’t, and a few added a tablespoon or two of flour, which didn’t prove to be all that useful or necessary, so I left the flour out entirely. This recipe is most certainly a template. You could easily switch up the filling ingredients, eliminating or increasing the amount of bacon or adding cooked sausage instead, or maybe switching out the potatoes and/or chives for other seasonal vegetables and herbs that you might have on hand. Perhaps adding a little cheese. Once you have the technique down, the sky is the limit!

Speaking of technique, I’ve got a few tips for ensuring your Danish Egg Cake success:

  • Use a medium (10 inch) nonstick skillet. You don’t want your cake sticking to the pan when you try to slide it out.
  • Position your oven rack approximately 8 inches from the broiler heating element. In my oven this means that the oven rack is in the lower-middle position. If the egg cake is too close to the heating element, the top will brown before the inside finishes cooking.
  • Be sure to stir the eggs constantly with a heat-proof rubber spatula, scraping the bottom of the pan while the cake is cooking on the stove top until large, wet curds form. This will help ensure that the eggs cook evenly all the way through and that the cake doesn’t get too brown on the bottom.
  • Pat down the top of the large curds of eggs with the rubber spatula and let it cook on the stovetop for 30 seconds without stirring the mixture before sliding it into the oven. This helps it develop on the bottom and form into a cohesive cake.
  • Let the cake rest in the skillet for 5 minutes after it comes out of the oven. This will help the eggs finish cooking all the way through.

In her book, Scandinavian Feasts, Beatrice Ojakangas writes that the Danish egg cake is usually served as a lunch dish, “after a tray of cold herring, salmon, bread, and salads has been enjoyed.” This sounds delightful, of course. But feel free to just opt for a simple side salad to round out your meal if you aren’t feeling that ambitious. Or if you are feeling brunchy about it, maybe a big bowl of seasonal fruit and a batch of Strawberry Rhubarb Barley Scones. This is a recipe that you can turn to again and again, in any season and at any time of day.

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Danish Egg Cake with Potatoes, Bacon and Chives (Æggekage)

A quick and easy Scandinavian style omelet with potatoes, bacon and chives.  A perfect meal for any time of day!

  • Author: Kristi
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
  • Category: Brunch, Lunch, Dinner
  • Cuisine: Scandinavian, Nordic, Danish
Scale

Ingredients

10 eggs

3 tablespoons half and half

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, additional chives for serving if desired

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

4 slices of thick cut bacon (or 6 regular slices of bacon), chopped into ½ inch pieces

1 ½ cups cooked new potatoes, cut into half-inch pieces

Instructions

  1. Set oven rack so it is about 8 inches from the heating element.  Turn on broiler.

  2. Whisk eggs, half and half, chives, ½ teaspoon salt and a few grinds of freshly ground pepper in a large bowl.  Set aside.

  3. Fry bacon over medium heat in a 10 inch nonstick skillet until crisp.  Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon from the skillet and drain on paper towels.

  4. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat from the pan.  Add potatoes and cook until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes.  Add reserved bacon and stir to combine.

  5. Pour egg mixture into the skillet.  Using a rubber spatula and being sure to continuously scrape the bottom of the pan, stir eggs constantly until large curds begin to form, about 2-3 minutes.  Shake the skillet and use the spatula to arrange eggs in an even layer in the pan, patting down the top (eggs will still appear quite wet at this point). Allow the eggs to cook without stirring for 30 seconds to set the bottom of the cake.

  6. Transfer the skillet to the oven and broil until surface is just beginning to brown, about 2 minutes.  Carefully remove the skillet from the oven and let the egg cake rest for 5 minutes. Using a clean rubber spatula, loosen the cake from the sides of the pan and gently slide onto a serving plate.  Sprinkle with additional fresh chives if desired. Serve.

Keywords: Danish Egg Cake, potatoes, bacon, eggs, omelet, baked omelet, Æggekage, brunch

Strawberry Rhubarb Barley Scones

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Strawberry Rhubarb Barley Scones

Better Together

My original plan for this recipe was rhubarb rye scones.  No strawberry, just rhubarb.  It seems that whenever I make something with rhubarb, strawberries are there, too.  Couldn’t rhubarb just have its moment in the sun all on its own?  I played around with the recipe for a few days and made a few batches of scones that were okay but that I didn’t really love.  The trouble is that rhubarb by itself, without the assistance of a lot of sugar (and/or strawberries), can be aggressively sour.  So theses rhubarb-alone scones required copious amounts of sugar in order to make them tasty, defeating my desire for a not too sweet scone.   By Wednesday I was ready to admit that as hard as I might try to fight it, strawberry and rhubarb were meant to be together in this recipe.

And then I pulled out my copy of Kim Boyce’s brilliant book, Good to the Grain and found her recipe for Strawberry Barley Scones.  Yes!  This would be my starting point.  I loved the whole concept of what she had created….a half barley flour, half wheat flour scone with a layer of homemade jam baked in the middle.  I could hardly get to the kitchen fast enough to give them a try.

Just out of the oven!

Making a few minimal adjustments to the dough and replacing the strawberry jam with my Roasted Strawberry Rhubarb Compote, I hopefully slid my batch of scones into the oven.  25 minutes later, out came the perfect scone…tender, moist, not too sweet and full of strawberry rhubarb flavor.  Sorry, Rhubarb!  It looks like that moment in the spotlight will have to wait.   You and strawberries are, once again, perfect together.

Tips for Scone Success

Scones are a relatively easy thing to bake, but there are a few tips and tricks that will help your scones turn out perfectly every time:

  • Keep everything cold. This is the number one thing to remember when baking scones. They are very much like biscuits in that you want to cut cold butter into the flour in order to create a flaky, tender texture. I store my barley flour in the freezer which not only helps keep it fresh but also helps the scone dough stay nice and cool.
  • Be organized and work quickly. This is all in pursuit of keep things cold. Have your ingredients and equipment prepped and ready to go, and store all cold ingredients in the refrigerator until you need them.
  • Do not over process the butter. There should be some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining once you are done processing the butter and flour together. This helps to contribute to the tender, flaky texture of your scone.
  • Do not over work the dough. After adding the wet ingredients to the dry, just mix everything together until it is just combined. The dough will look shaggy which is exactly what you want. You can give it a couple of kneads with your hands to help bring it all together and the go ahead and pat it out into circles from there.
  • Flour your work surface and use a dough scraper. The dough will be sticky. Make sure your work surface is generously dusted with flour, and dust the tops of the dough circles with flour as needed when you are patting them out. Use a dough scraper or thin metal spatula to help release the dough from the countertop and transfer the scones to the baking sheet. Barley flour has very little gluten so they will be delicate and a bit fragile when you try to move them.
  • Eat them the same day you bake. It’s not that these scones aren’t tasty the next day, but they are best when they are freshly baked. As most things are.
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Strawberry Rhubarb Barley Scones

A tender, delicate scone with a layer of strawberry rhubarb compote in the center.

  • Author: Kristi
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 8 scones
  • Category: baking
  • Method: baking
  • Cuisine: Nordic, Scandinavian

Ingredients

1 cup + 2 tablespoons barley flour

1 cup all purpose flour

¼ cup packed dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¾ teaspoon fine salt

8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch pieces and chilled

½ cup cold buttermilk

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup chilled Roasted Strawberry Rhubarb Compote

1 tablespoon cooled melted butter

Coarse sugar for sprinkling

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine flour, barley flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in the work bowl of a food processor.  Process a few times to combine ingredients. Sprinkle half of the cold butter cubes over the top of the flour mixture and process until fully combined, about 6-8 long pulses.  Sprinkle the remaining cold butter cubes over the mixture and pulse just until these butter pieces are about the size of a pea, about 6 short pulses.

  2. Transfer mixture to a bowl.  Whisk buttermilk,egg and vanilla together in a liquid measuring cup.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the buttermilk mixture in the center.  Using a rubber spatula, fold everything together until a shaggy dough forms, kneading with your hands a couple of times if necessary to just bring everything together.  Do not overmix.

  3. Transfer dough to a floured work surface.  Divide dough in half. Pat dough out into a two 7-inch circles that are about ¾ inch thick, dusting it with additional flour if necessary to keep it from sticking to your hands as you work.  Cover the top of one circle with Roasted Strawberry Rhubarb Compote leaving a ¾ inch border around the edge of the circle.  Place the other circle on top of compote. Press down slightly to help everything adhere together.  

  4. Cut the dough into 8 wedges, cleaning off your knife or dough scraper in between each cut with a paper towel.  Using a dough scraper or spatula, carefully transfer scones to parchment lined baking sheet (they will be delicate).   Brush with melted butter and sprinkle generously with coarse sugar. Bake 22-26 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Notes

Adapted from Good to the Grain by Kim Boyce.

Keywords: strawberry, rhubarb, scone, baking, breakfast, barley

Beet Apple Ginger Smoothie

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Beet apple ginger smoothie
Beet apple ginger smoothie

I actually own a juicer. It lives in a cupboard in the basement because it takes up a ton of room and there isn’t space for it in the kitchen. And to be honest, I don’t really use it much anymore. I purchased it a couple of years ago when I was working as the catering manager for a vegan cafe and juice bar. For a few months there I was juicing everything in sight….celery, kale, beets, carrots…I loved playing around with different combinations of fruits and vegetables in my own kitchen.

Eventually my love for the juicer faded, but I often still crave the fresh vibrancy of that juice, especially the earthy/sweet concoction of beets, ginger and apples that we made at the cafe. I began wondering if I could translate some of my juice recipes to smoothies instead. It seemed that going the smoothie route would have several advantages: No setting up (and cleaning the juicer), more nutritious fiber in the final product (a juicer strains out most of the fibrous pulp from the fruits and vegetables during the juicing process) and less waste (no extracted pulp to discard). But could I really make a tasty smoothie using raw beets? There was only one way to find out.

Using my go-to recipe for beet juice as a guide, I began crafting a smoothie version. My biggest concern was getting the texture right, but my Vitamix blender did an amazing job of turning a raw beet, apple and knob of ginger into something smooth and luxurious. All I needed was a little water, ice, lemon juice and honey to round everything out. The result? A delicious, jewel-toned smoothie packed with nutrients, including fiber. No juicer required.

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Beet Apple Ginger Smoothie

Beet apple ginger smoothie

A delicious concoction of raw beet, apple and fresh ginger.

  • Author: Kristi
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 2 smoothies 1x
  • Category: smoothie
  • Method: blender
  • Cuisine: Nordic, Scandinavian
Scale

Ingredients

1 medium beet, scrubbed, trimmed, peeled and cut into wedges

1 apple (any variety), core removed and cut into wedges

1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

1 cup ice

1 cup water

Juice of 1 lemon

Squeeze of honey, more to taste

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in the jar of a high-powered blender such as a Vitamix.  Blend until smooth (because of the density of the beet this may take awhile).  Test smoothie mixture for sweetness and add more honey if desired, blending again briefly to combine.  Serve immediately or store in a mason jar in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Shake vigorously to recombine before serving.

Notes

*You really need a high-powered blender in order to blend the raw beet properly.  I swear by my Vitamix.  It seriously blends absolutely anything.  

*I find that the amount of honey varies from batch to batch depending on the sweetness of your apple and beet.  Be sure to taste the mixture before removing it from the blender jar and add more honey as needed.

*There will be froth on the top of the smoothie from the blending process.  You can just leave it (that’s what I do) or you could spoon it off before serving.

Keywords: smoothie, beets, apple, ginger

Roasted Strawberry Rhubarb Compote

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Spring in a jar

It’s gloomy today and the rain falls steadily as I write. The last of the snow has finally melted and the daffodils are peeking up through the earth. My favorite magnolia tree in the backyard is filled with velvety buds, patiently waiting for her all too brief moment of blossoming. Change is afoot, both outside and in my kitchen as we transition to the early days of spring.

We are a ways out from fresh strawberries and rhubarb here in Nebraska, but the displays in the market tell me that somewhere not too far from here they are already bountiful. I can’t think of a better way to kick off this season of rebirth and renewal than with this Roasted Strawberry and Rhubarb Compote. Think of it as that perfect accessory that you can put with just about anything and elevate it from ordinary to extraordinary. Like a favorite scarf or necklace but edible. A batch of this compote will keep for at least two weeks in the fridge and will cheerfully adorn just about anything you choose to pair with it.

Like Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp for breakfast!

You may choose to:

  • Use it in place of jam on your morning toast
  • Slather it on top of rye crispbread with cream cheese for afternoon fika (don’t forget the coffee!)
  • Warm it slightly and spoon it over ice cream
  • Spoon a dollop next to your favorite granola and yogurt (it’s like having strawberry rhubarb crisp for breakfast!)

You get the idea. Enjoy these early spring days, my friends! They are fleeting. Soon it will be hot and humid and we will long for this in between season of fresh earth, cloudy skies and new beginnings.

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Roasted Strawberry Rhubarb Compote

A cheerful spring topping for just about anything!

  • Author: Kristi
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 1 1/2 cups 1x
  • Category: sauce
  • Method: roasted
  • Cuisine: Nordic, Scandinavian
Scale

Ingredients

1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and halved if small, quartered if large

2 cups chopped rhubarb stalks, fresh or frozen

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup water

Pinch of salt

½ vanilla bean

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

  2. Combine all ingredients except vanilla bean in a 9 x 13 baking dish.

  3. Using a small knife, slice down one side of the vanilla bean lengthwise so that it opens like a book.  Using the back of the knife, scrape the black seeds from the inside of the split vanilla bean pod and place in the baking dish.  Add the pod as well.

  4. Stir everything together.  Roast for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and stir mixture.  Return to the oven and roast for another 20 minutes or until fruit is bubbly, extremely soft and falling apart.

  5. Remove the vanilla bean pod.  Using a potato masher or the back of a fork, lightly mash the fruit mixture until it is a jam-like consistency.  Allow to cool. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Keywords: Strawberry, Rhubarb, Compote, Sauce, Jam, Roasted, Nordic, Scandinavian,