Kale and Spinach Stuffed Portabello Mushroom topped with Feta Cheese - or Brunch!

There are very few things that are better than a home made Sunday Brunch. No stress, no musts and no hectic weekday schedule to follow. The thing with brunch is that you want a lot of food that doesn't take all morning to make and that you can sit and enjoy for a couple of hours. This stuffed portabello was easy and fast to make and will definitely be making more frequent appearances on our brunch table in the future!

The What

1 portabello mushroom per person (we were two)

2 handfuls of spinach

fresh green kale

2 cloves of garlic

chili flakes

salt and pepper

olive oil

feta cheese

The How

Set the oven to 200 degrees.

Sear the spinach and kale in a pan along with coarsely chopped garlic, chili flakes and salt and pepper. 

Stuff the mushrooms with the spinach and kale, top with feta cheese. 

Put in the oven and bake until the feta cheese is melted and has a little color. 

Easy and fast, and you know what? It tastes amazing. Really gets your taste buds dancing in the morning!

Eat it as it is or together with other brunch dishes like chevré and sun-dried tomato omelette or with a side of smoked salmon. Anything goes during brunch!

Chicken burger on sour dough bread with mango dressing, spicy fries and baby spinach salad.

You know when you really feel like having a burger? But then you're like "No, I really shouldn't, I have to think about beach 2014...". Living in Sweden I will only get about 2 months (if I'm lucky) of sun and it won't even be strong enough to make me tanned. To be honest with you, I would love to have that will power to say NO to pasta, NO to cheese, NO to wine, NO to the occasional pizza or burger and really go for that tight sexy beach bod this year.. But I just can't, food is just too damn good!! ... and also, I am a bit too lazy.

Chicken burger on sour dough bread with mango dressing,
spicy fries and baby spinach salad.

Take some advice from one of the greats: 

“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” 

― Virginia Woolf, A Room of One's Own

Or as I like to say:

"The belly rules the mind".

- Spanish Proverb

The burger below is actually quite easy to make your own; you can eat it without the bread and you can use whatever dressing you like, add or take away anything really to make it more, or less, healthy. This is what I used (and it tasted amazing!):

Prepping; sliced tomatoes, mozzarella, baby spinach
 and the mango dressing.

The What:

500 g minced chicken breast

1 red onion, finely chopped

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

1 egg

Buffalo Mozzarella Cheese

200 g baby spinach

Tomato(es)

2 dl creme fraiche

Mango Chutney to taste

10-12 potatoes

chili flakes

salt and fresh ground pepper

Sour dough bread

Making the chicken patties; It's a lot easier using a spoon
and make the patties right in the pan!

The How:

Put the oven to 200 degrees.

Slice the potatoes into halves and slice the halves into sticks. Put the potato sticks in an oven safe dish, add olive oil, salt and fresh ground pepper and chili flakes to taste. Put in oven for about 20 minutes. 

Put the finely diced red onion, the grated garlic and the egg in a bowl. Using a spoon, mix together with the minced chicken breast and finish with some salt and pepper.

Mix the mango chutney with the creme fraiche to taste, add more if you want it extra mangoey!! Add salt and pepper here too if you want, although it's not necessary.

Slice the tomatoes, the mozzarella and wash the baby spinach.

Heat a pan with olive oil and use a spoon and make the chicken patties straight  in the pan. Fry until they are a golden brown and cooked all the way through. They burn quite easily though so be careful!

Cut the bread into slices and put them in the oven on top of the fries when they've been in the oven for about 15 minutes. 

Home made fries in the oven; letting the bread soak
up the oil and spices.

Put the bread on a plate, add the chicken patty, mozzarella, tomato, baby spinach and finish with the mango dressing. Serve with the chili fires and a nice spinach salad.

Oven Baked Salmon with Spinach and Parmesan Mash

I was in the mood for something that felt a bit fancy but that was still kind of cheap and didn't take too long to make - it was Thursday after all and I'd had a long day at work. We had some salmon in the freezer, and since we are (sort of anyway) Swedes, we of course also had potatoes, butter, cream,  lemon and stock. So all I needed was some spinach, Parmesan cheese and sugar snaps and I was all set for my fancy, easy and cheap Oven Baked Salmon with Spinach and Parmesan Mash.

The What

4 salmon fillets, frozen or fresh

200 g fresh baby spinach

12 medium sized potatoes

Parmesan cheese (to taste)

2 dl cream

1 dl water

1 cube of fish stock

½ freshly squeezed lemon juice

butter

salt, white pepper

The How

Put the oven on 200 degrees.

Boil the potatoes.

Grate the Parmesan cheese. 

Pour the cream, water, lemon and the fish stock cube into a pan. Bring to the boil and add salt and white pepper to taste. Save some cream if you want to make your mash extra tasty!

Butter an oven safe dish and cover the bottom with baby spinach. Add the salmon fillets and pour over the sauce. Top with some grated Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Put in the oven for about 15 - 20 minutes or until the salmon is cooked. 

Mash the potatoes (I like mine with the skin still on), add butter and cream to taste along with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the grated Parmesan, no shame in putting it all in there!

Boil the sugar snaps in lightly salted water for about 30 seconds, you still want them to be nice and crispy.

Serve all together with a nice chilled white wine, or just have water like I did. Water from the tap in Sweden is the best it really gets!