Shrimp Salad with Avocado and Asparagus

In Denmark we loooove shrimps. Or is that an international thing? Well at least it's something we eat quite often here in Denmark, and one of the classics is the shrimp salad. Here is my own variation with avocado and asparagus.

Klassikeren rejesalat, eller rejecocktail som vi vist allesammen kender. Det er altså også bare alt for lækkert! Her er min egen variation med avokado og asparges.

Ingredients:
1 head romaine lettuce
1/2 avocado
1 medium tomato
handful cooked shrimp
2 white asparagus

1 romaine salad hoved
1/2 avokado
1 mellem størrelse tomat
En håndfuld kogte pillede rejer fra frost
2 hvide asparges 

Dressing:
1 dl creme fraiche or sour cream
1 tbsp ketchup or tomato puree
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper

Directions:
Cut lettuce, avocado, and tomato and put in a bowl. Cook asparagus for 3 minutes in the microwave. Cut as well and top with the shrimps and chopped asparagus. 
Mix all the ingredients for the dressing and put on top of the salad. 

Skær salat, avokado og tomat i skiver og kom i en skål. Kog asparges i mikroovnen i 3 minutter i en lille smule vand og med film over i en glasskål. Skær dem i små skiver og kom ovenpå salaten sammen med rejerne. 
Rør alle ingredientserne til dressingen sammen og hæld over salaten.

Enjoy!

Spaghetti with Garlic Sauce, Chicken Roll Ups, and Tomato Caprese

Once again I'm making Italian food... Yeah, I love it, you know.. This time I'm showing you one of my favorite Italian recipes for the classic tomato caprese, which is a salad you always get in Italy. Today I had it with the best spaghetti I've had in a long time and some most delicate chicken rolls with bacon and other good stuff.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb spaghetti

1 clove garlic

1 bag frozen spinach, thawed

1 tbsp garlic creme cheese

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper

Chicken Rolls:
2 chicken breasts
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 clove garlic
5 slices of bacon
Fresh basil leaves 
salt and pepper

Tomato Caprese:
3 large tomatoes
1 small onion
1 oz. feta cheese
8-10 olives
olive oil vinegar 

Directions:

1. Boil water and cook spaghetti al dente, and drain. Set aside.
2. Make the chicken rolls meanwhile. Cut each breast into 5 slices, and beat so that they get flat with a kitchen roller. 
3. Mix tomato paste and minted garlic. Add to the chicken pieces and top with half a slice of bacon, a couple of basil leaves and salt and pepper. 
4. Bake in oven or grill for 15 minutes.
5. Make the sauce for the spaghetti by sautéing minced garlic in a little bit of olive oil in a big sauce pan. Add the bag of thawed spinach. Stir for a couple of minutes and add the creme cheese and drained spaghetti. Finish with adding milk and cheese and heat it up.
6. Make the tomato caprese by slicing the tomato and onion into rings. Put on a plate, one piece of tomato one onion ring etc. Top with feta cheese, olives and the vinegar dressing.

Enjoy!

Ruccula with Prosciutto and Avocado

Jeg elsker parma skinke, og jeg tror ikke jeg er den eneste derude! Det er bare en af de mange super lækre råvarer fra Italien, som jo nok er det land i verden, som har de bedste madvarer, hvis du spørger mig. Nå, men derfor tænkte jeg, at jeg ville lave en lille salat med parmaskinke var inkluderet, og her er, hvad jeg kom op med.

As I've told you plenty of times before I love salad. After I came back to Denmark I found that the Italian ham Prosciutto is a lot more common than in America here in Denmark. And with the love for Italy and Italian food that I have, I wanted to come up with a recipe for a salad where this delicatessen is included. 

Ingredients:
handful ruccula
1-2 slices prosciutto
1/2 avocado
1 medium tomato
balsamico and olive oil

Directions:
Wash ruccula and tomato. Cut avocado and tomato into slices. Cut prosciutto as well. Toss with the ruccula and drizzle balsamic and olive oil. 

Kartoffelsalat med Karry - Curry Potato Salad

Nu er jeg så officielt tilbage i mit hjemland Danmark. Har godt nok savnet dansk mad en hel masse, mens jeg har været i USA i 10 måneder, men så er det jo godt, man kan komme hjem og få en masse af de ting, som man har savnet. Her er en ting, som jeg ikke har fået en eneste gang i USA: kartoffelsalat, så her får du et rigtig lækkert bud på, hvordan sådan en kan smage.

My 10 months in USA are now officially over, and I'm back in Denmark and ready to eat lots of delicious Danish food that I can show you guys! Here is a thing I've missed a lot in America; Potato Salad, so here is one of my favorite recipes for one of those.

Ingredients/ingredientser:

1 kg (2 lb) nye kartofler (potatoes)

Dressing:

2 dl (1 cup) ymer (plain yogurt)
1 dl (1/2 cup) græsk yogurt (greek yogurt)
1 tsk (1 tsp) karry (curry)
1 spsk (1 tbsp) sød sennep (sweet mustard)
1 god håndful frisk mynte og purløg (1 handful fresh mint leaves and chives)
salt and pepper

8-10 blommetomater (8-10 small tomatoes)

Directions:

1. Cut potatoes in dices and boil until tender. Don't overcook otherwise they'll get smash when you fold them in the dressing. Let them cool down in the refrigerator for about an hour.
2. Make the dressing meanwhile by combining the rest of the ingredients except for the tomatoes.
3. When the Potatoes are cooled down, fold them gently into the dressing and top with slices tomatoes.

1. Skær kartofler i små terninger og kog dem indtil de er mære, men ikke for længe, for så går de i stykker, når de skal vendes i dressingen. Lad den køle af i en times tid i køleskabet.
2. Bland ingredientserne til dressingen og smag til med salt og peber. 
3. Når kartoflerne er kølet af vendes de forsigtigt sammen med dressingen. Top med tomater, skåret i små både.

Salmon Tacos with Corn Salsa and Cilantro Lime Ranch

Salmon is my favorite. I love it. Another thing I really love is mexican, so why nit try and combine that? Here is two different versions of that salmon. One is a tortilla one is a salad, so whichever one you're most for, there is some for everyone!

Ingredients:

• 2 (6 0z) salmon fillets
• 3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Corn Salsa
• 2/3 cup frozen corn, warmed
• 1 medium Roma tomato, diced
• 1 small Avocado, diced
• 2 Tbsp finely chopped yellow onion
• 2 tsp lime juice
• 1 dash garlic powder
• Salt and Pepper to taste

For Serving:

• Flour or corn tortillas, warmed
• Chopped Romaine lettuce
• Parmesan Cheese, grated
Cilantro Lime Ranch
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 Tbsp buttermilk ranch seasoning mix
• 1/4 cup cilantro (about a small handful)
• 1 small clove garlic
• Juice of 1/2 - 1 lime
Blackened Salmon Tacos
• In a shallow mixing bowl, using fork, combine flour, chili powder, paprika, brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Baste salmon fillets with 1/2 tsp olive oil on each side and dip salmon into spice mixture and generously coat each side. Place coated salmon in preheated skillet and cook 3-4 minutes per side until outside is lightly blackened and center of fillet is cooked through and opaque. Flake salmon using a fork. Assemble tacos by dividing salmon among tortillas, top with lettuce, corn salsa, cheese, and drizzle with Cilantro Lime Ranch. Serve immediately.
Corn Salsa
• Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl.

A Taste of Summer with Quinoa Salad and Chicken Skewers

I love summer. And I love grilled meat. It's not real summer till you've had grilled skewers and a fresh salad with lots of berries. Summer is just my favorite, because you eat more fresh food, and the weather is warm, and you have tons of watermelon. Here are some of my favorite summer recipes.

Quinoa Salad
2,5 dl quinoa
300 g strawberries
500 g asparagus
1 red onion
½ dl almonds
1 bundt mint leaves
100 g feta cheese
150 g edamame beans
DRESSING
1 lime
1 stbsp oliven oil
1 sp honey
Salt and pebber


Directions:

1. Rinse quinoa in water and cook according to direction on the package. 
2. Rinse strawberries and cut into slices. 
3. Wash asparagus, cut off about 1 inch of the bottom end and fry on a dry pan for a couple of minutes. Cut into pieces as well. 
4. Cut the inion into small dice, almost a mince. 
5. Chop almonds and mint.
6. When the quinoa is done pour it into a strainer and pour cold water over it to cool it down faster. Pour into a big bowl when it has dripped a little bit. 
7. Toss the fillings into the quinoa with edamame beans and feta cheese. 
8. Stir all ingredients for the dressing together and pour over the dressing before serving. 

Grill skewers:

Chicken breast cut into medium dice. 
Onion cut twice so it is like little boats.
A lot of cherry tomatoes.

Summer Berry Salad

I love salads, I love Berries, and I love Summer. That's why I made this super yummy berry salad which is perfect on a hot summer day.

Ingredients:

4 cups of greens (spinach, Lettuce, Ice Berg etc)
1/2 cucumber
6-8 mushrooms
6-8 fresh strawberries
1 cup frozen or fresh blueberries

Dressing:
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp balsamico
salt and pepper

Directions:
Cut the greens up a little bit. Cut cucumber, mushrooms, and strawberries into slices. Toss all of the ingredients in a big bowl. Mix the ingredients for the dressing and pour over the salad before serving. 

Enjoy!

Cauliflower Salad

This salad is super quick and easy to make, plus it taste devine! I personally love the crispy cauliflower, and then with some odor from the beans and carrots makes it even more delicious. The dressing is just a simple vinegar with a little twist from the syrup which makes it super sweet and yummy. 

Ingredients:

2 cups cauliflower florets
2 inches cucumber
2 carrots
1/2 cup edamame beans

Dressing:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp balsamico vinegar
1 tsp fruit syrup

Directions:

Cut the cauliflower into little bits and put in a bowl. Cut cucumber and carrots and add to the bowl with the beans as well. 
Make the dressing by combining all the ingredients and stirring until combined. Pout over salad and enjoy!

BBQ Chicken Salad

In my foods class we had to make these 5 different salads, and because I missed that day of class I had to make it up at home. I personally love this kind of salad with the beans and corn and chicken on a base of lettuce. I would just prefer it with a more Mexican inspired dressing instead of the very American BBQ and ranch. Check this recipe out if you want to try my cilantro lime dressing with the same kind of salad.

Ingredients:

1 T olive oil
2 chicken breasts
2 heads of lettuce
2 roma tomatoes (about 1 cup chopped)
1 cup corn kernels
1 cup black beans
1/4 red onion
Ranch dressing
BBQ sauce

Optional ingredients:
Shredded cheddar cheese
Tortilla strips

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat.
2. Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Cook in heated oil, flipping once, until cooked through.
3. Dice chicken into bite sizes.
4. Cut the onion in small dice, tomatoes into medium or small dice. Drain and rinse corn and beans.
5. Assemble the salad by placing shredded lettuce in a large bowl. Top with chicken, onion, tomatoes, corn, and beans.
6. Pour ranch and BBQ sauce on top of the salad and toss gently to combine.
7. Add optional cheese and crushed tortilla strips.

Tuna and Egg Salad with Apple

Am I the only one who loves a good tuna salad, or a good egg salad? I don't hope so, cause it's really delicious. The problem is just that most of them are filled with tons of mayo other bad fatty things, so I decided to make my own light version, and it was still just amazing. 

3 eggs

1 apple

1 can tuna

1/2 cup edame beans

1/2 cup greek yogurt

1/2 cup cottage cheese

1 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp curry

1/4 lemon

Salt og pepper

Avocado or a slice of toasted bread or a bun/bagel. 

Spinach leaves.

Directions:

Boil eggs 10 minutes in boiling water. Cut them and put in a bowl. Cut apple into small dice and mix with the eggs. Drain tuna, and put into the bowl with all of the other ingredients. Stir around, not too long, because the egg will get smushy. Spoon out a little of half an avocado and fill with the salad or put in top of a toasted bun with some fresh spinach leaves or whatever you would like.

 Enjoy!

Creamy Green Spaghetti with Salmon

So it was St. Patricks day today, and therefore I decided to make a really fancy green dinner. Even though some kids might not like the fact that they have to eat a green dinner (cause often green equals healthy, you know. And in many kids mind that equals gross), but all of my picky host siblings loved it so much. And I did too, it was simply just amazing, and it was definitely not the last time we're having it!

Ingredients:
1 lb whole wheat spaghetti
1/2 salmon filet
10 mushrooms
Sauce
1/2 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
4 handfuls spinach
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
3/4 cup greek yogurt
1/4 cup basil pesto
salt and pepper
Sides
asparagus
tomatoes
Olive oil
salt and pepper

Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Cook pasta for 8 minutes and drain.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sprinkle asparagus and tomatoes in olive oil and salt and pepper and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes.
3. Make the sauce by cutting onion and garlic very finely and sautéing in olive oil on medium high. Add spinach and put a lid on the pan. Let it cook for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally. You might have to add the spinach a little at a time, because it doesn't fit in the pan, but it shrinks a lot.
4. Put the cooked spinach, onion and garlic in a blender, and blend with all of the other ingredients.
5. Mix the cooked spaghetti and sauce.
6. Slice the mushrooms and sauté them with a little olive oil over medium heat.
7. Cut the salmon into 1/2 inch squares and sauté with the mushrooms.
8. Mix salmon and mushrooms with the spaghetti. Top with shredded parmesan cheese and serve!

Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing

Last night I really felt like a good taco salad, if you know what I'm talking about. The really good ones, you get at places like Chipotle or Cafe Rio or something like that. Problem is just that I didn't really feel like going out and spending money on something that simple, so I just created my own version, and it turned out simply amazing.

Ingredients:

Salad
3-4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
2 medium tomatoes
1 avocado
1/2 can corn kernels
1/2 can black beans
Fresh Cilantro

Dressing
1 lime
1 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup greek yogurt
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp salt

Directions:
Chop lettuce, tomatoes, and avocado and assemble in a bowl. Top with drained corn and black beans and fresh cilantro.
To make the dressing, chop the cilantro very finely. Squeeze the lime, and chop the garlic. Mix with all the other ingredients. Pour the dressing over the salad individually.

Enjoy!

Buckwheat Salad and Meatballs

In Denmark we have this kind of meatballs that is fried on the pan in a little oil or butter, and they're delicious! I've made them a couple of times for my host family, and they love them!
This time I choose to made them with a side of a buckwheat salad with a lot of colorful veggies. Yummy!

Ingredients:

Meatballs:
1 lb ground meat (preferable pork, but turkey and beef both work too)
1 egg
1/2 cup oats
1 cup stock
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup flour
Half onion
salt and pepper

Buckwheat salad:
2 cups cooked buckwheat
1 bell pepper
1 cup cooked broccoli
1/4 cup red onion
1 avocado
3 tomatoes
1 lemon
Fresh dild

Directions:

Meatballs:
Mix all of the ingredients together, and shape balls with a spoon and fry in a little olive oil or butter in a pan. Turn once.

Salad:
Cut bell pepper, onion, tomatoes, and avocado. Cook broccoli and mix all ingredients with the buckwheat. Squeeze lemon over the salad and finish with some fresh dild.

 Enjoy!

Salad with Salmon, Strawberries, and Asparagus

Once again I made myself an amazing lunch for school tomorrow. This time I used some leftover salmon and baked asparagus and mixed it with a green salad. Mmm... I promise you your friends are gonna get jealous when you pull such a thing out for lunch!

Ingredients:
Green salad base: Lettuce, spinach or whatever you would like!
1 tomato
1 inch cucumber
1 tbsp feta cheese
Some shredded carrot
2 strawberries
3 asparagus
1/2 salmon filet

Directions:
Cook salmon and asparagus. Cut vegetables and mix!

Enjoy!

My Lunchbox

Everyday at school I bring my own lunch. I do that because I don't wanna eat the gross school food they give us. So everyday I have some kind of a salad, wrap, or some kind of leftovers or whatever. I love having my little salad container, which both have a room for a cooler, knife and fork, and a little space for the dressing and everything. 

Well, I thought I would give you a little sneak peak on what my salad container contained today!

Start out with a base of lettuce, spinach or other kind of greens.

Add all of your favorite veggies, and add some kind of protein, either meat, cheese, or whatever you like, and some fresh herbs is always delicious!

I like to have some kind of crunch in my salad as well. Today I used these homemade, roasted sunflower seeds. I just worsted them on a dry pan with a little bit of soy sauce. So good!

Now you only need to add your favorite dressing, or just eat it plain as it is! 

Hope this will inspire you to start making your own homemade lunch. It really is so much better, I promise! All you need is just a little creativity and a good container!