Sykurlaus kryddkaka

Sugar-free spice cake

Last weekend we had a dear friend visit who is currently trying to eat as little refined sugar/table sugar as possible. So I tried to bake something suitable to go with it...

The original recipe called for 150 g of raw sugar, but I found sweetener/sprinkling sweetener in the supermarket, a can with 75 g, which according to the label on the package was 5 times sweeter than sugar. I then simply tried it out and mixed a few tablespoons of it with the margarine and the eggs and then tested whether the taste was there. I compensated for the lack of volume in the dough (and a bit of sweetness) with the grated carrots and the chopped dates.

The result is definitely a very tasty, fluffy spice cake!

Ingredients

150 g margarine

2 eggs

3 - 5 Tbsp sprinkled sweetener

150 g flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 pinch of baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1 pinch of cardamom

1 pinch of ground vanilla

1 apple

100 g carrots

8 - 10 dates

1 Tbsp sprinkled sweetener

1 tsp cinnamon

Preparation

In a large bowl, mix the margarine with the sweetener and eggs until fluffy.

Then add flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices and mix everything thoroughly.

Peel the apple and carrots.

Core the apple and cut it into small pieces and also cut the dates into small pieces.

Grate the carrots finely.

Add the apple, carrot and date pieces to the dough and mix.

Then put the dough into a baking pan lined with baking paper and smooth it out.

Mix the sweetener with the cinnamon in a glass and sprinkle over the cake.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 °F (180 °C) upper and lower heat for approx. 30 to 40 minutes (test with a toothpick!).

Let the cake cool slightly and then serve.

[Translated from here.]

Hversgads eplakaka

Everyday apple pie

This week I spontaneously baked an apple cake, a very simple recipe - with lots of sugar cinnamon on the cake.

After all, cinnamon is supposed to be healthy - cinnamon is said to have many health-promoting properties, for example cinnamon is said to stimulate the appetite, promote intestinal activity and metabolism, and cinnamon is often said to have an antibacterial and even labor-promoting effect. Cinnamon is also said to improve insulin sensitivity, help stabilize blood sugar levels and reduce cholesterol (LDL). However, much of it is not scientifically proven, or only partially.

Or what did I hear on the radio the other day? Whether cinnamon has long-term health benefits or not, "Apple cake with cinnamon definitely tastes better than cinnamon without apple cake." Good point!

Ingredients

250 g powdered sugar

250 g soft margarine

3 eggs

300 g flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 pinch of ground vanilla
approx. 50 - 100 ml milk

100 g dark chopped chocolate

1 apple

50 g sugar cinnamon

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C) upper/lower heat.

In a bowl, mix the icing sugar with the margarine until fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, always mixing thoroughly.

Add flour, baking powder and ground vanilla and mix.

Add a little more milk until the dough has a 'nice' consistency.

Stir in the chopped chocolate with a spoon.

Line a springform pan (approx. 24 cm) with baking paper, pour the dough into the pan and smooth it out.

Peel, core and slice the apple and...

...distribute the apple slices on the cake dough and sprinkle with the sugar cinnamon.

Then bake the cake at 350 °F (180 °C) upper and lower heat for about 30 to 40 minutes until the cake has turned nice and golden brown (test with a toothpick!).

Let the cake cool slightly and serve with a little cream or vanilla ice cream if you like.

[Translated from here.]

Miðbær fótboltans - EM í beinni á risaskjá

The center of football - public screening at the European Football Championship in Selfoss

Last night we were in the new town center of Selfoss to watch the final of the men's European Football Championship live.

Two years ago we went to the public screening of the women's European Championship final between Germany and England on Brúartorg, the "bridge square" in Selfoss, and not only saw the football game live, but also a violent earthquake near Grindavík on July 31, 2022 . Luckily there was no big earthquake this time...

Yesterday we met a friend in Selfoss, got something to eat and then made ourselves comfortable on a bench in the square. Markus had his non-alcoholic Bóndi beer with him.

Like two years ago - it wasn't terribly crowded at the public viewing yesterday, but it was reasonably well attended. The good seats quickly disappeared, but you could still get a seat on the steps.

View from behind
behind the screen on the pitch

The fact that the weather here wasn't that summery definitely played a role, but with 12°, no rain and hardly any wind, we were able to enjoy the broadcast outdoors with a jacket.

The first half was - for my taste - relatively boring, in the second half it became more exciting, first it was 1-0 for Spain, then the equalizer for England, then the second goal for Spain four minutes before the end of regular time and At the end it got really exciting again when the English headed three times at the Spaniards' goal in the 90th minute, but the first two attempts were saved and the third attempt then went over the goal... phew!

Congratulations to Spain on their fourth European Men's Championship title!

[Translated from here]

Pylsupasta

Noodles with sausages

Many Icelanders love the hot dog sausages ( pylsur ), which can be bought everywhere here. These sausages consist of approximately 65% ​​meat, a mixture of lamb, pork and beef. There are also other ingredients such as water, skimmed milk powder and potato flour. At around 15%, these sausages have less fat than most hot dog sausages in other countries, but they have a relatively high protein content at around 13%.

And many Icelanders love their hot dog sausages not only in hot dogs ( pylsur ), but also in other everyday dishes, such as on pizza, in sausage rolls or as " sausages in the carpet " - or, as here, as pylsupasta - noodles with sausages...

Ingredients for 4 servings

560 g sausages

1 onion

2 Tbsp butter

2 peppers

180 ml sour cream

300 ml cooking cream

1/2 tsp basil

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp thyme

1 pinch of salt

1 pinch of pepper

1 tsp paprika spice

500 - 600 g pasta

Preparation

Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water.

Meanwhile, prepare the sausage sauce:

Peel the onion and cut it into small pieces.

Cut the sausages into pieces.

Heat the butter in a pan and fry the sausage and onion pieces in it.

Then add the sour cream and cooking cream to the pan along with the spices and stir.

Wash and clean the peppers and cut them into strips.

Add the pepper strips to the sauce, stir and simmer until the peppers are soft.

Then serve the cooked pasta with the sausage sauce.

[Translated from here.]

Sumarsalad með jarðarberjadressingu

Summer salad with strawberry dressing

Here I have another recipe for you for a summer salad with strawberries, with green lettuce, red onions, cucumber, fresh parsley - and strawberries and strawberry dressing.

The recipe here is enough for two large portions as a main course - or for four small starter salads.

Ingredients for the salad

150 g green salad

1 red onion

150 g strawberries

1 cucumber

fresh parsley

Pine nuts / lettuce seeds

Ingredients for the dressing

100 g strawberries

1 Tbsp lime or lemon juice

2 Tbsp oil

1 Tbsp honey

1 pinch of coarse sea salt

Preparation

Put all the ingredients for the dressing in a blender and puree roughly.

Wash and pick or chop the lettuce.

Peel the onion and chop it finely.

Wash and dice the cucumber.

Clean and chop the strawberries.

Place the ingredients in a large bowl...

... and mix well with half of the seeds and half of the dressing.

Then arrange the salad on the plates, garnish with the remaining dressing, fresh parsley and seeds and serve immediately.

Bon appetit!

[Translated from here.]

Spínatsalat með jarðarberjum

Spinach salad with strawberries

The cultivation of strawberries in Iceland does not have a long history - reports of the first attempts to grow strawberries on the island date back to the end of the 19th century. And the attempts were initially not particularly successful; the Icelandic climate is not necessarily ideal for growing strawberries outdoors.

In 1896, the first greenhouse was built in Iceland, where flowers and vegetables were first grown. From around 1920, some strawberries were also grown in greenhouses, from the 1930s onwards cultivation became increasingly successful and today strawberries in Iceland grow all year round in large, geothermally heated and illuminated greenhouses. You can generally buy fresh Icelandic strawberries in local shops from early summer to late autumn.

Strawberries ( jarðarber ) have now become an integral part of Icelandic cuisine, from jams to desserts and sweet cakes to savory dishes, sauces and salads - like this recipe for spinach salad with fresh strawberries, cheese and nuts.

Ingredients for 2 servings

150 g fresh spinach

120 g fresh strawberries

1 glass of feta cheese in oil

30 g walnuts

fresh pepper to taste

Preparation

Wash and pick the fresh spinach.

Divide the spinach between the plates.

Wash and chop the strawberries.

Mix the sliced ​​strawberries together with the feta cheese and some of the oil...

.... and pour over the spinach.

Crush the walnut kernels a little and fry them in a pan without fat until the kernels are nicely browned.

Remove the pan from the heat, let it cool slightly and then distribute the nuts over the salad. Season with fresh pepper to taste and then serve immediately.

Bon appetit!

[Translated from here.]