Nettle powder

Rich in C vitamin , especially if you pick them in spring, and in minerals, even protein. But the tops are fine all summer. Nettle soup is tasty. But this "weed" is also useful when dried on mandala meals. Pick with gloves.

Rinse well in water.

Let dry on a sheet for three - four days, until absolutely paper dry

Rub the dried nettles, easy using your hands, onto a steel strainer.

Throw stems away. Store for winter use. Smells nettle. Smells spring and summer.

Önneköps Livs

Önneköps Livs is another shop we have here far out in the rural area of Skåne. On the picture you see Dan and Susanne who work there.

Susanne is all ears for your wishes. And you find a lot of fresh organic vegetables and fruits in baskets and on the shelves.

Opposite the shop is a Thai Restaurant and a bakery with café in the same house. The owners of both shop, restaurant and café are Nuy and Anders  Westphal.

If you ever get tired of healthy food, you can eat this traditional peace of cake. The recipe is from the time when there weren't any refrigerators. 

The little village Önneköp has proud inhabitants, two museums , a good football team and a pub open for life time members. See www.onnekop.com.

Fermented cabbage

I bought this pot some weeks ago because I want to make my own sauerkraut. It is healthy and I like the taste. I have made this process twice before, just using a glass jar. One time successfully, and one time it moulded ( It´s a shame I did not catch that one in a photo for you) . There are different descriptions and I try again.

This is the smallest pot I found ( on @lantis). In the Melitta, some natural sour milk has filtered. On the sides remain cheese, and in the jar buttermilk to be used because the juice of the cabbage will not be enough to cover the  grated cabbage. ( Covered, how many centimeters?)

These stones shall press the grated cabbage to keep them under the fluid, and they are really one of the reasons why I bought the pot. I cooked them so they are clean.

Grate and put some salt over,  not much but so it tastes good.

Press and squeeze which is easy because the salt helps breaking the firmness of the cabbage. 

Add spices which prevent rancidness ( not necessary but spices taste good also). Here garlic and juniper berries. Put cabbage in pot, covered ( first with a big cabbage leaf, which I forgot) with the stones and the broth.  Put lid on, and pour some water on the lid to prevent oxygen from circulating. The waterlocklid was another reason to buy this special gearing pot.  Keep on warm place during the first days of fermentation ( I have it beside the stove) ( one week? three days?). After that on a cooler place for three ? weeks.This is how my pot looks inside.

I googled a recipe which is more clarifying, and where you don´t have to use a ceramic pot. Look here! Let me know your success stories.

Economy

Updated economic report: I have made fourteen meals since I started this blog. Payed 78 Euro, buying ingredients so far. 5, 6  Euro per meal. I think it will be 1 Euro when I count the average sum after a year. ( The face with curly hair and earrings is made by one of my lovely granddaughters.)

Sprout!

Wheat- and mungsprouts are rich in taste, they give contrast in structure and are healthy. They store  vitamins, minerals, proteins and omega 3 for instance for a new plant. I don´t have any meal without them now. They give satisfaction and are easy to make.

You put seed and beans in jars and let them swell over night in water.

The next morning you empty the water through a strainer, pour the seed and beans back into their jars and keep them covered in room temperature. Rinse in new water every morning and evening until the small sprouts appear and have a length and taste that you enjoy. Keep the ready ones in the fridge. The difficult part here is to remember them every morning and evening.

Take away Mandala Meal

Me and my friend Cecilia have been away for two days. I packed for one meal. Same ingredients that I would have for a Mandala Meal, mixed together in two bowls, cauliflower, carrots, nuts, oil and apples separately. Practical, but maybe something gets lost which also affects the taste.

Kullaleden

I bought spinach,pepper, sauerkraut, beetroots,broccoli, carrots on the way home. 14 Euro.

 Now total:60 Euro.

Sharing

 I have a visitor. My dream is that I make mandalas together with family and friends. Yesterday I made my mandala meal for myself.

The visitor is Cecilia, a friend from childhood.  She took the photo of me, when we visited Skarhults Castle.