Vegetable dishes
I am a vegetarian and have been so from a very young age. I absolutely hate the smell and taste of lamb which is, for an Icelandic person similar to being an Italian person and not eating pizza. I remember during our Christmas dinners I used to look forward to the asparagus soup that my mother served before the main course, roast pork (a traditional Christmas dinner in Iceland). I could hardly eat it and always asked for a second helping of the asparagus soup which I dipped the super soft bread in (only served with the Christmas dinner). The other reason for my being vegetarian is because of animal welfare. The standard of animal welfare is not exemplary in Iceland although probably not as bad as in many other countries. The cows and sheep graze all day during the summer and the lamb is inherently organic and free range as it only grazes in the mountain during the summer, eating herbs and grass before it is slaughtered. Chicken and pork on the other hand is a totally different matter and the dreadful battery conditions exist her as they do elsewhere. My husband is therefore a vegetarian whenever we visit or live in Iceland because thankfully he agrees with my policies.
I use beans, peas and pulses, potatoes, vegetables, tofu, nuts, pasta and more when creating my vegetarian dishes. Some of them include free range and organic eggs or milk products as I am not vegan. I never fry/deep fry food, ever, although sometimes I stir fry vegetables. I bake everything I can (such as baking nut patties/cutlets/burgers) instead of frying them, saving a billion calories and fat. For Christmas I usually create a nut roast with loads of side dishes.
Sweet Potatoes and Spinach
If your haemoglobin levels are low, this recipe is perfect because you have iron in the spinach and vitamin C in the sweet potatoes.
Tanzanian Sambaro Carrots
These carrots I often call "carrots with a twist" and I love them served as a side dish of African or Indian food.
The Cheapest Soup
I don't know if in your part of the world you have a soup called "Nail Soup" as we do in Iceland...you probably do though....most households must have the kind of soup which is so cheap it almost costs nothing and to which you might add every vegetable left over in your fridge or freezer and it still tastes ok.
The Spinach and Onion Dish From the Mystical House in Nairobi's Forest
Oh boy...there is a long story behind this recipe and how I obtained it. It all started in Nairobi, September 2007.
Tofu and Chickpea Patties
These are probably the patties I make most often. Maybe they would be called nut burgers elsewhere but I call them patties. They are very filling yet nutritious with a lovely, mild taste.
Tomato Mini Nut Loafs
These are lovely little loafs/patties which are perfect on your Christmas table if you are a vegetarian. They also look quite festive if you team them with a nice, green salad.
Trail Casserole with Couscous
The picture accompanying this recipe is taken in the Scottish Highlands were we once went on a hike. It was marvellous.
Uganda Wraps with Avocado and Carrots
The wraps pictured were the ones I was served at the equator in Uganda when we were travelling there en route to Rwanda (gorilla trekking).
Vegetable Lasagna with Minced Soy Meat
Please do not make this recipe if you have Italian in-laws...Although I absolutely love this lasagna and so does my husband, I am not sure it would be appreciated by those who are used to authentic
Vegetable Pie with Nut and Seeds Crust
This one is perfect if you are gluten intolerant but still want some pie. I love that you can make pies without using pastry (wheat, butter and all that).
Wild Mushrooms and Noodles Trail Soup
Me and my husband are keen hikers. We love nothing more than packing our bags on a Friday evening, heading into the Icelandic wilderness.
Wraps with Spinach and Hummus
In my view wraps are the perfect lunch and the perfect light meal, they always go well down with dinner guests and each and every time I serve them I get asked for the recipe.
Zanzibar Beans with Sweet Potatoes in Coconut Sauce
We visited Zanzibar in September 2007 and it was an absolutely lovely visit.
Zanzibar Carrot and Coconut Soup
This soup reminds me a lot of a soup I had at the Archipelago restaurant, Zanzibar in September 2007.
Zanzibar Pumpkin and Coconut Soup
This recipe is from a book called Zanzibar Kitchen and is a favourite of mine.
Zanzibar Tomato Soup
I have lost the count of how many tomato soups I have eaten during my travels in Africa (Eastern-Africa).
