The Great Semla Hunt

(It's no secret what's in that bag. This photo is from our first year in Stockholm and I am pretty sure that bag contains what was my very first semla on Swedish soil)

The first official day of eating semlor was this past Tuesday. Fat Tuesday to be specific, or Fettisdagen in Swedish. However, this is the first year that I've actually gone by tradition and waited until Fettisdagen to eat one.  And of course (of course?) last year I think I may have only eaten one or two the entire semla season and even that was pushing it. Why, you may ask? The answer is simple. Semla burnout. 

(Complete with a cup of strong brewed Swedish coffee)

My burn out happened in the year 2012 and it was so severe that I was amazed that come the following year I still wasn't sure if I could "choke" one down. I know, it sounds serious. But it wasn't because they aren't any good, it was because their richness reaches beyond the limits of time. I think in the year 2012 I probably had reached my semla limit, and knew that, but still decided to eat "just one more."  Well, I wasn't sick as in running to the bathroom sick but even today I can recall the feeling of having had one too many sweet cardamom buns filled with almond paste and whipped cream. 

(Fast forward to present day... the first semla of the year)

They look innocent enough, you might think. Light, fluffy. A delicious cardamom bun filled with mandelmassa (almond paste) and vispgrädde (whipped cream). It seems as if you could stuff at least two down your gullet in one sitting without batting an eye. But I promise you it would be a mistake. Eat only one per day. Their intense, disguised richness needs to be consumed in batches, lest you tempt the fates of semla burnout as I did in 2012. 

(Semla number 2)

I can happily say however that the year 2014 marks the beginning of the end of my semla burnout, and the beginning of The Great Semla Hunt, or my search to find what I consider the best Semla. So far I have only eaten semla from two different bakeries. So far, the best one has yet to be found. But rest assured, I will be back with an update once I have found the absolute best semla to be eaten this side of Sweden. Or when I reach an all new semla burnout ;-).

(Fettisdagen fika at work)

Semla - singular for one cardamom bun with almond paste and whipped cream.

Semlor - plural, meaning any number that is more than one. 

How many do you think you could eat in one sitting? Would you be willing to participate in a semla eating contest?

Ps. The Great Kanelbulle Hunt

A Handmade [With Love] Valentine

(A homemade valentine from a few years back)

I love valentines. I especially love handmade ones, whether it is one that I receive or one that I make and give away. It doesn't take a ton of effort. Only a little creativity and a lot of heart. You can recycle an old newspaper, gently used wrapping paper from Christmas, a rock (see the heart-shaped rock in the valentine featured above?), or even a Shakespeare book. Don't be appalled, it was already falling apart and begging to be turned into a creative project, or two, or three... I know, it seems sacrilegious but honestly, this book love to be used in valentine projects, handmade cards, heart-shapes for a drawing, or even cut into oversized heart-shaped confetti for bridal showers, just to mention a few. And besides, the romantic words of Shakespeare get to live on in a different way. I think old William would approve.

So anyway, there are still a few days left to make your valentines (or galentines - valentines for your gal friends - a clever idea that I unfortunately cannot take credit for). So pull out your scissors, some Elmer's glue or a glue stick (even tape works in a pinch), some colored markers, an old newspaper, magazine, string, etc. Use your creativity. The recycle bin is your oyster. Jot down your favorite love quote, some words from your heart, or something silly and fun... you name it!

Of course, you could also sing a song for your loved one and perform interpretive dance at the same time in lieu of a valentine card. Speaking of dancing, maybe this year my husband and I will have to come up with a special Valentine's Day dance! Hmmmm.... The Heart Shaker? Or maybe I'm Wild About You? Maybe I should just stick to a handmade card instead? ;-)

Whatever you do, be sure to share a special moment with someone you love. Call your mom or a friend you haven't spoken to in a while or surprise someone at work with a cupcake or similar treat!

Stockholm's Best Kept Secret (Shhhh!!! Don't Tell...)

In case you were wondering how tough it is to survive a Swedish winter, I'm here to tell you, TOUGH! Here we are, a month into "real" winter, that is, temperatures staying below freezing (32 F, or 0 C), and I am nearing my tipping point. I can say however that I am still enjoying wearing my wool socks, sweaters, hats, and gloves. And it is still seems like fun to drink hot cocoa outdoors and feel like a brave Viking, while enduring my eyes tearing up from the icy air blowing not-so-gently into my face. 

Then the thought hits me. There will be at least two more months of this!!! The bravery starts to diminish and the whimpering begins. And even though we really are embracing winter by going XC skiing (cross-country) and anything else we can think of to truly enjoy the Swedish winter, so as not to just sit back and suffer through the dark and cold (but still cozy days), it is starting to get tough.

I start to crave wearing sandals and t-shirts and the feeling of warm sunshine beating down on my brow. Of eating an ice cream cone and not getting goose-bumps while enjoying it. And just about the time I think I can no longer endure it, a couple of friends invite me to join them in a visit to Storkyrkobadet - a sauna and bath house in Gamla Stan. 

Seriously, this is the best kept secret in town! For just 50 Swedish kronor (about 8 US dollars) you can enjoy a cozy hot wood sauna, with a lovely indoor, candlelit pool to cool off in. Yes, real candles light your way as you swim from one end to the next. Completely lovely. In addition, we discovered on our visit that you can also sign up for a 20 minute massage, or skin peel, for only 150 kronor extra. Now granted, the massage and skin peel are more therapeutic than spa-like in reality but when your knots are melting away and your skin is being polished (to a shine), who really cares? You leave feeling refreshed and able to bear the cold once again. 

I was telling a colleague of mine about my visit to Storkyrkobadet and she revealed an interesting bit of history about it. Apparently the bath house has been around for quite a long time. In fact, she told me, since the days that inhabitants of Gamla Stan flocked to the bath house for their daily, weekly (or perhaps monthly?) baths because their apartments had no showers or bathtubs! Can you believe it?! I was completely shocked. 

She also shared with me that her very first apartment as a young adult did not have a bath or shower, but that there was a communal bath house that all of the tenants shared. You had to sign up ahead of time to use it, similar to signing up for the laundry room. She did mention that her apartment had a toilet and a sink. Thank goodness! Okay, this was 30 years ago but still. 

Would you like the idea of a communal bath house? I personally like having my own shower and bath but I think it is an interesting concept.

For those of you who live in the Stockholm area, I can highly recommend a visit to Storkyrkobadet. My entire experience from my walk through the quaint cobblestone streets of the old town area to the relaxing warmth of the bathhouse was refreshing and invigorating. Ladies can visit on Monday and Thursday evenings. 

Spicy Roasted Broccoli with Black Thai Rice

(Uncooked black Thai rice - it turns purple when cooked)

I have to be honest, broccoli is not one of my favorite vegetables. But on occasion, I crave it and roasting it with ginger, and my recently discovered favorite, fresh turmeric, satisfies my tastebuds every time. Spicy Roasted Broccoli with Black Thai Rice is one of my go to meals when I am craving something healthy, but flavorful, and I don’t want to spend a ton of time in the kitchen. I love the earthiness of all of the flavors combined and the nutty crunch of the whole grains. The sauce adds just the right amount of sweetness and kick leaving my whole being, mind, body, and soul, satisfied after eating it. 

A couple of years ago I came across a recipe for something called a Buddha bowl. It was a combination of grains, legumes, vegetables, and a simple sauce. I loved the concept. I love eating out of a bowl and I love the comfort of warm, steaming vegetables and whole grains. It feels clean, almost holy to eat it. Maybe you understand what I mean? Anyway, I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. Would love to hear your feedback if you decide to try it!  

Spicy Roasted Broccoli with Black Thai Rice

Ingredients:

Pine nuts. toasted (pumpkin seeds would be nice too)

150 ml uncooked black Thai rice (The opposite side of your pyrex measuring cup shows milliliters)

Pinch of salt

1-2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp chopped fresh turmeric

1 tsp chopped fresh ginger

1 head broccoli, washed and cut into florets

1 red chili, sliced in rings

1-2 C chopped raw kale, massaged

2 eggs, pre-scrambled and set aside

Sauce:

2 tbsp soy sauce

1-2 tbsp maple syrup

1-2 tsp sesame oil

1-2 tsp rooster sauce (more if desired)

If you have access to it, a dash or two of Dr. Bronners Liquid Amino Acids adds a nice flavor kick, and a few extra amino acids doesn’t hurt ;-).

Step 1: 

Toast your pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until they start to become a light, toasty brown color. Set aside to cool.

Step 2:

The rice will take about 40 minutes to cook, similar to cooking times for brown rice, so get your rice started cooking before you begin to prepare your veggies. For black, or brown rice, I measure 1 part rice to 2 parts water with a pinch of salt. Bring the water to a boil, add the salt and rice, stir and then place the lid on the pot. Turn the heat down to a simmer and let it cook for forty minutes. No peeking! After twenty minutes check your rice to make sure it is not simmering too high or too low. should be perfectly cooked. It should be at a gentle, rolling simmer. Tip #2, don't stir the rice. Adjust the temperature if needed, replace the lid, and allow to continue cooking. 

Step 3: 

Whisk all of the sauce ingredients together and set aside.

Step 4:

While the rice continues cooking, let’s give the veggies some love. One thing I've learned in cooking is to read through the recipe first and prepare as many ingredients ahead of time as possible. This includes measuring out the spices. I like to dump them all together if they will be added at the same time. Small bowls are very handy for this. “Mise en place” is the French term for preparing ahead. I call it getting my ducks in a row. :-) Whatever you choose to call it, it truly is a great strategy for cooking. I can’t tell you how many times I have ruined a recipe because I was not prepared and things burned or overcooked while I had to take 15-20 minutes to cut up my vegetables, measure out ingredients etc. So I definitely recommend taking the time to prepare ahead. 

Now you are ready to put it all together… 

Heat your skillet with a tablespoon or two of olive oil. Begin sautéing the chopped turmeric and ginger for a minute or so, then add the broccoli and sauté, stirring occasionally for about 5-7 minutes. Just when your broccoli is starting to brighten up in color, add the sliced red chilies and sauté for another minute. 

At this point I add a drizzle of the sauce to the vegetables, just to give them a little more flavor. Now toss in your pre-massaged kale and sauté until it has softened, approximately 2-3 minutes. Finally stir in the pre-scrambled eggs. Allow to heat through while stirring for a couple of minutes. The rice should be done by now as well. You are ready to serve!

Start by dividing your rice into two bowls. Drizzle a bit of the sauce over the rice, then layer with your vegetable mixture. Drizzle more sauce over the vegetables and top with your toasted pine nuts. My recipe made three servings. One for me, one for my husband, and one for my lunch at work the next day! :-)

Feel free to try your own variations of vegetables, nuts, and grains. The possibilities are endless. One that I can think of right off the bat (and that appears to be calling my name) includes brown rice, black beans, roasted sweet potatoes, and avocado. Maybe with a large dollop of salsa, some toasted pumpkin seeds, and a handful of chopped fresh cilantro on top… Yum!

Vanilla Almond Peanut Butter Smoothie

Sometimes on Saturday or Sunday mornings I get caught up with drinking my coffee and surfing the internet and before I know it I am starving and feel like I could eat a horse. At that point I want breakfast but I don’t have the patience to a) come up with something to make, or b) take the time to make something. That is where the beloved smoothie comes in. Normally I have a few different versions I like to make but this morning upon inspecting the contents of the fridge and freeze, I discovered it was slim pickings. Lucky for me as I was forced to concoct a new, delicious flavor that will now be one of my new favorites. 

I won’t waste your time talking about what was missing, how I howled, and then how I decided to make this smoothie. I will just jump right in with the recipe and let you take it from there. The important thing with smoothies, and especially with this one since I don’t have an exact recipe, is to be creative and daring. Don’t be afraid to try a new combination. There are a couple of things that I recommend using as your basic ingredients and then the rest is up to you. 

My first recommendation is to use frozen bananas. We all buy bananas and either forget to eat them or let them go behind the tasty point of ripeness. Often in this apartment, those bananas reincarnate as banana bread. But sometimes, those bananas get sent to the freezer graveyard where they await ascension into a smoothie. Frozen bananas make your smoothie icy and creamy without having to use ice and getting a watered down flavor. Mmmmmm. Try it next time you make a smoothie. I promise you will not go back.

The other ingredient I recommend keeping on hand is nut butter. Peanut butter, almond butter, the type is up to you. Peanut butter especially adds a wonderful flavor to smoothies and makes it feel like you are getting a treat instead of a protein-packed brain freeze. One of our favorite flavor combinations is peanut butter with chocolate soy milk, yogurt, and frozen bananas. YUM! We have tried using vanilla yogurt, plain yogurt, and don’t tell anyone, but we’ve even used Yoplait’s Boston cream pie flavor in the past. Nowadays I would not use Yoplait light because of the added artificial ingredients but I will also not deny that it created a very tasty smoothie. Anyway, bottom line here is to keep some type of nut butter on hand for a quick protein smoothie. It makes it very easy to just throw a couple of tablespoons of nut butter, your choice of milk, and a frozen banana in a blender and, voila, a smoothie appears!

Vanilla Almond Peanut Butter Smoothie

Ingredients:

2 frozen bananas

2 heaping tablespoons of peanut butter

1/2 cup Greek or Turkish plain yogurt

Approximately 2 cups almond milk (or rice milk, soy milk, or regular milk)

1/2 - 1 teaspoon bourbon vanilla extract (homemade is especially delicious*)

1 tablespoon or more of maple syrup.

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth(ie appears). Make adjustments to the amount of liquid, sweetener, or frozen banana as needed. Also, if you use vanilla yogurt, skip the maple syrup. 

Pour into two glasses and enjoy with a friend. 

*Recipe for homemade bourbon vanilla coming soon!

Homemade Christmas Cards

Last year I snatched up some of these pine tree discs that were scattered on the ground around the Christmas tree lots - leftovers from trimming the bottoms of Christmas trees that were on their way to new homes. I even went back on a separate day with an empty plastic bag to collect a few more, knowing that these little tree scraps would come in handy for a project, or two. I just had to wait for the inspiration to come. And come it did! The first wave of inspiration came last year when I made these cute little seasonal decor stands. 

The second wave of inspiration hit more recently however, when the idea suddenly hit me to make these cute little mini forests. Later I decided they would make the perfect build-your-own Christmas card. I hate to say it, but I had to pat myself on the back for this one. Sometimes when ideas like this come, the resulting product isn't at all what I envisioned. But these little tree forests turned out even cuter than I thought they would. 

You never really know with creative projects. Sometimes they turn out to be huge time and money wasters but sometimes they are the best thing since sliced bread. Either way, when an idea comes that will just not leave you alone, you have to go with it. I am really glad I went with this one. And I am equally glad that my packaging idea worked out as well. I found the perfect sized boxes to mail them in at a local office supply store, and they were on sale! Which is a small miracle in itself :-). 

I only wish I had thought of the idea sooner so that I could make and send even more of these little tree forests out into the world. 

Items needed for this project:

Scrap wood Christmas tree bottoms, or any other suitable wood item to act as a stand

Scrap paper from magazines, catalogues, etc.

A free-form tree template (I hand drew mine)

Glue stick

Toothpicks, cut in half with the pointy ends trimmed off

An awl, or pointy tool, to make holes in the bases for the toothpicks to stand in

Your imagination and a sense of adventure

Have fun!

A Happy Advent Calendar

(Rörstrand porcelain: Starboy)

Happy first Advent of the season! I truly love this time of year in Stockholm and the Swedes really know how to celebrate it with all of the cozy candlelit cafes filled with delicious warm drinks and saffron buns, just to mention a few of the wonderful treats. Starting today you also begin to see paper star lanterns and advent candlesticks in home and shop windows, emitting a soft warm glow and brightening up the dark winter days. 

And of course, there is the advent calendar. This year I decided to make my own to tick off the days until Christmas. Instead of purchasing a pre-made advent calendar with candies hidden behind a paper lock/door, I thought it would be fun to make an advent calendar with things to do each day as opposed to simply eating a small chocolate. Don't get me wrong, these small actions could easily include a yummy treat, as you'll notice number one below commands you to enjoy a hot chocolate. And that means today in case you were wondering.

So instead of going to yoga class this morning, I sat at my desk cutting out and gluing Christmas-themed symbols to represent each day of my calendar. I also shamelessly admit that I listened to Christmas music as I worked. It was very much a meditative act so I didn't feel so bad about missing yoga, and I did go for a run in the afternoon so it seemed justified. My cat was also very helpful (not). She especially loved when I got to the part of attaching strings to each day's symbol. I finally gave her a piece of the string to go play with, which has since vanished. I hope she didn't eat it! (I am pretty sure she did not eat it). 

Below is my list of action messages for each day. Feel free to follow along, or borrow them for your own daily advent action calendar. You could even write them on a piece of paper and tuck them into your children, your girlfriend, boyfriend, husband, or wife's lunches, tuck them under a pillow, or tape the message to the bathroom mirror for someone, even yourself, to find each morning. It warms the spirit to have something happy or positive to think about each day. What is more positive or happy than celebrating fond memories, or creating new ones? 

1. Enjoy a hot chocolate to kick off Advent.

2. Give a surprise treat to someone. 

3. Send a handwritten letter to someone you haven't seen or spoken to in a long time. 

4. Watch a Christmas movie to get into the holiday spirit.

5. Call someone you haven't spoken to in a while to brighten their day. 

6. Drink glögg with a friend or loved one. 

7. Bake homemade cookies. 

8. Write your favorite quote or poem on a piece of paper & leave it somewhere for a stranger to find. 

9. Give someone a compliment.

10. Listen to Christmas music.

11. Make Christmas candy.

12. Go for a walk and look at Christmas lights.

13. Celebrate St. Lucia day.

14. Go get a Christmas tree! 

15. Go to the “Pussstation” (literally: kissing station) at Central Station and kiss under the mistletoe.

16. Take a friend out for coffee or fika & talk about your favorite holiday memories. 

17. Watch the movie "Elf" & have something cozy and warm to drink. 

18. Wrap Christmas presents and listen to Christmas music. 

19. Send someone a secret Santa surprise. (Shhh! Don’t tell… it’s a secret!)

20. Eat gingerbread cookies & blue cheese (yes, together… super yummy!)

21. Decorate clementines with whole cloves & red ribbons. 

22. Drink hot spiced buttered rum & apple cider.

23. Eat hazelnuts and play filipin!

24. Do everything and anything that is Christmas-y!