Happy birthday mom! (And I just realized I've been taught to love breakfast in bed. Thank you!)

My heart is happy.

Today was spectacular: I found a new favorite plate on a fleamarket (the blue one on the left), got a letter from one of my dearest friends and My New Roots cookbook in the mail, tried a new raw brownie recipe that completely blew our minds (I absolutely will share it here later - now there are no brownies left to shoot..) and ended the day with an impromptu spinach pancake supper in good company.

(I'm in love with the My New Roots cookbook; I knew I would be!)

SPINACH PANCAKES FROM FRESH SPINACH

(makes 10-12 thin, large pancakes, serves 2-3)

200g fresh spinach
300ml oat milk (or milk of your choice)
2 eggs
2tbsp oil
1-1,5tsp salt
200ml light spelt flour
butter for frying


Rinse the spinach well. Mix spinach and milk in a bowl with a hand blender. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix by hand. Fry thin pancakes on a hot pan with plenty of butter. (And really, these are the best if you eat them crispy straight from the pan - that's what I do when I eat them alone!) and serve e.g. with gooseberry jam or a savory filling like this one (I'm a jam girl, I never tried a savory filling for these yet..) Fry only as many as you assume you're gonna eat and keep the leftover dough in the fridge for the next day or two to get fresh pancakes then as well! (And here's a recipe if you want to use frozen spinach instead of fresh.)

The things that make life beautiful (and you happy) can be so very small. (Recipe for one of my favorite breakfasts here!)

The family, thirteen of us, was at my place for Easter breakfast this morning. (I think I'll soon have a rye bread recipe to post!) I am so thankful for this bunch I've been given!

CHILI SIN CARNE

(serves 4-6)

2-3 onions
3-4 cloves of garlic
olive oil
1 large sweet potato
3 tins (400g) of tomatoes
100ml uncooked green lentils
1tbsp balsamico
1-1,5tsp salt
a few pinches of black pepper
2-3tsp ground cumin (juustokumina)
a good pinch of ground chili powder
400g precooked kidneybeans
half a lemon

greek/turkish yoghurt
flat leaf parsley/coriander
salted tortilla chips


Chop the onions and garlic cloves and fry them in a large pan/casserole on low or medium heat slowly, for about 10-15mins (I never really timed this) stirring them frequently so they won't burn, till they're really soft and somewhat caramelized. In this way the onions become really, really tasty (one of my latest discoveries! Slowly fried sweet onions make a wonderful base for omelets too, and...)! Chop the sweet potato into small cubes and add to the pan when the onions are done and fry for a few minutes. Add the tinned tomatoes (if you're using whole, squeeze them with your hands over the pan), lentils, balsamico and some of the cumin, chili, salt and pepper. Season this dish to your taste; keep tasting throughout the cooking and add more spices if desired. All I'm saying is that a lot of cumin needs to go in, a lot. (And enough salt!) Rinse the kidneybeans and add them when the sweet potatoes are done (I haven't timed this either but it takes quite some time, maybe somewhere around 30 minutes.. And if they don't seem to soften enough, and the stew is thick already, add some boiling water). Last, just before serving, squeeze the juice of half a lemon in and taste once more if it needs any more spices.

Serve with a dollop of yoghurt and crunched tortilla chips and lots of flat leaf parsley sprinkled on top. This chili goes really nice with new potatoes too, or rice, if you wish.

Don't eat alone, enjoy in good company!

The chili keeps in the fridge for about 5 days and freezes well too. (I also made corn flat bread to go with this on the basis of my potato flat bread, using only corn flour.)