Sweet Potato & Lentil Salad

Sweet Potato & Lentil Salad.

This sweet potato and beluga lentil salad is definitely going to be one of those recipes I make on repeat this winter. It’s hearty, colorful, and full of those cozy flavors I crave when the weather turns cold. The roasted sweet potatoes add sweetness, the lentils bring a lovely earthiness, and the cranberries give just the right pop of chewiness. Everything gets tied together with a creamy tahini dressing that makes the whole bowl feel extra comforting. I might even sprinkle in some nuts next time for a little extra crunch.

It’s also a great make-ahead dish, which is always a lifesaver during busy weeks. You can roast the sweet potatoes and cook the lentils in advance, then toss everything together right before serving. And while I love it for lunch or an easy dinner, it also makes a wonderful side for Thanksgiving or Christmas — festive, vibrant, and guaranteed to disappear fast.

Inspired by Downshiftology.

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds (1 kg) sweet potatoes (2 to 3 potatoes)

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• ½ teaspoon ground cumin

• ½ teaspoon garlic powder, or 1 garlic clove crushed

• ½ teaspoon paprika

• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• ½ cup (1 dl) black beluga lentils

• 1 vegetable stock cube

• ½ cup (1 dl) dried unsweetened cranberries

• ¼ cup (½ dl) fresh cilantro, finely chopped (optional)

• ¼ cup (½ dl) italian parsley, finely chopped

• ¼ small red onion, finely chopped

Dressing:

• ¼ cup (½ dl) tahini

• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 2 to 3 tablespoons water

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Ingredients:

Preheat your oven to 425°F (200°C).

Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into ½-inch (1-cm) cubes. Place them in a freezer bag.
Add olive oil, cumin, garlic, paprika, salt, and pepper. Shake the bag to coat the cubes evenly.
Spread the sweet potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Roast for 20–25 minutes, stirring halfway, until tender and lightly caramelized.
Set aside to cool.

Cook the beluga lentils in water with a vegetable stock cube for 20–25 minutes, or according to package instructions.
Drain, drizzle with a little olive oil, and let cool.

Mix the dressing: Whisk together tahini, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.
Add water, a little at a time, until the dressing reaches your desired consistency.

In a large bowl, combine the roasted sweet potatoes, cooled lentils, cranberries, red onion, cilantro, and parsley.
Pour about ⅓ of the dressing over the salad and toss gently.
Serve the remaining dressing on the side.

Enjoy!

Fiery Feta Dip

Fiery Feta Dip.

This 4 Ingredient Fiery Feta Dip (Tirokafteri Inspired) is both savory and spicy and is sure to have you coming back for more.

One of my favorite weeknight restaurants when I lived in California was a cozy Greek-style spot called Opa!. They served a feta and pepper dip with a perfect spicy kick — creamy, tangy, and just a little fiery.

After moving back to Denmark, I decided to make my own version. This is what I came up with — simple, bold, and ready in minutes.

Enjoy it as a steak sauce, or serve it with warm pita bread, crisp vegetables, or even grilled chicken.

Ingredients:

• 16.5oz jar roasted red peppers

• 1 clove of garlic

• 5oz/150g crumbled feta cheese

• 1 serrano or jalapeño pepper — use your preferred pepper to adjust the spiciness.
  

Directions:

Drain your roasted red peppers and place them in a food processor or blender.

Add the garlic and chili pepper, then blend until smooth.

Add the feta cheese and pulse a few times until well mixed. For a chunkier texture, stir the feta in by hand after blending the other ingredients.

Chill for 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors meld.

Enjoy!

Garlic-Lime Pork with Pearled Spelt & Spinach

Garlic-Lime Pork with Pearled Spelt & Spinach

I love one-pot meals. No stress meals.Everything comes together at the same time—no need to juggle multiple pans or different cooking times. It’s an easy-peasy weeknight dinner, perfect for a busy life.

Serves 2.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons lime juice

• 50 ml water

• 3 tablespoon peanut butter or almond butter

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 teaspoons honey

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon black pepper

• 2 bone-in pork chops

• 4 teaspoons olive oil

• 170 g (6 ounce) cooked pearled spelt or other berries

• 200 g (7 ounce) fresh baby spinach

Directions:

In a small bowl whisk together lime juice, water, peanut butter, garlic, honey, ¼ teaspoon of the salt and ¼ teaspoon of the pepper. Set aside. Sprinkle chops with the remaining salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Sear the chops on both sides, and cook them for about 7-10 minutes, until the center reaches 145℉ (63℃). Place the chop on a plate, keeping them warm.

Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil to the sauté pan. Pour in the lime and peanut butter mixture, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the grains and spinach, cooking until heated through and the spinach has wilted. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Arrange the chops on top of the grain mixture and serve family-style.

Enjoy!

Danish version:

Svinekoteletter med spelt i en peanut lime sauce.

Ingredienser:

• 3 tablespoons lime juice

• 3 spsk peanutbutter eller mandelsmør

• ½ dl vand

• 4 fed hvidløg, presset

• 2 tsk honning

• ½ tsk salt

• ½ tsk friskkværnet peber

• 2 gode svinekoteletter med skaft

• 4 tsk oliven olie

• 170 g kogt perlespelt spelt eller havreris

• 200 g frisk spinat

Fremgangsmåde:

I en skål røres peanutbutter, limesaft, hvidløg, ¼ tsk salt, ¼ tsk peber og honning sammen. Krydder koteletterne med resten af salten og peberet. Varm halvdelen af olien i en sauterpande og brun koteletterne heri. Steg koteletterne i ca 5-7 minutter, indtil de har en kernetemperatur på ca 63℃. Læg koteletterne på en tallerken, og hold dem varme. Tilsæt resten af olien til sauterpanden, og kom peanutbutter lime blandingen på panden, og løsn bruningsresterne fra bunden. Rør spelten og spinaten i blandingen, og varm det godt igennem, indtil spinaten klapper sammen. Tilsmag nu retten med salt, peber og limesaft. Læg koteletterne oven på blandingen og server retten straks.

Man kan sagtens tilsætte lidt limeskal ved tilsmagningen for at få et ekstra spark fra limen.

Enjoy!

Salade de Chevre Chaud

Salade de Chevre Chaud

Goat cheese may be an acquired taste, but I’ve grown to really enjoy it. Heating it mellows the sharpness and brings out a creamier, more balanced flavor. Warm goat cheese paired with fresh salad, crispy bread, and sweet-and-tangy nuts creates a perfectly balanced combination of textures and flavors.

Salade de Chèvre Chaud or Green salad with warm goat cheese is a great appetizer or main course depending on serving size.

Serves 2.

Ingredients:

• 2 slices goat cheese

• 2 slices sourdough bread or similar

• balsamic glazed walnuts and cranberries

• romaine salad or mixed greens

• black berries (optional)

Dressing:

• 75 ml grapes seed oil

• 5 teaspoons dijon mustard

• 2 tablespoons applecider vinegar

• 1 tablespoon honey

• salt

• freshly ground pepper

Direction:

Preheat the oven to 400℉ (200℃).

Dressing:

Whisk together mustard, vinegar, honey, and a pinch of salt in a tall narrow container. Slowly add the oil, while whisking. I used my immersion blender, and my dressing became light and fluffy.

Slice, and toast the bread slightly in a toaster. The goat cheese I bought was pretty large, so I sliced it in two. If you use a smaller goat cheese roll, it will work great too. Place the cheese on top of the bread and toast it in the oven until the cheese is slightly melted and golden around the edges.

To serve, arrange the salad on a plate and drizzle some of the dressing over it. Place the toasted bread with the warm cheese on top, then finish with a spoonful of the glazed walnuts and cranberries. End to add a few fresh blackberries.

Enjoy!

Balsamic Glazed Walnuts and Cranberries

Balsamic Glazed Walnuts and Cranberries.

These balsamic-glazed walnuts and cranberries are a great topping for almost any cheese, especially goat cheese and blue cheese. The sweetness and acidity cut through the creaminess of the cheeses, creating a balanced bite.

But they’re not just for cheese boards—I also love using them in salads, especially with red cabbage or kale, where they add a rich depth of flavor and texture.

They’re easy to make, and you can experiment with different types of balsamic vinegar to play with the flavor profile. For my chèvre chaud, I used a black currant balsamic vinegar, and it worked beautifully.

Ingredients:

• 1 handful walnuts

• 1 handful dried cranberries

• 75 ml balsamic vinegar

• 100 g (1/2 cup) sugar

Directions:

Start by putting the walnuts into a saucepan with a good amount of cold water. Bring it to a boil. Drain off the water.

Add cranberries, sugar and balsamic vinegar, and heat it until the sugar has melted completely. Set the mixture aside to cool, and it’s ready to serve.

It will keep for weeks in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!