banana pancakes, i think i love you

A year ago the first issue of the Swedish vegan food magazine Vego was released. Finally a food mag you could actually enjoy every page of and not having to flip pass pages of dead animal pieces or ads for yet another unhealthy and unsustainable meat product. At last.

The photos are gorgeous and mouthwatering, the recipes are simple to follow. First I admittedly found the recipes a bit off putting since there's a lot of dairy free but contain palm oil ingredients (not the sustainable kind). But if you can look past that and find the recipe that actually works without those ingredients or hold none of them, the magazine is full of great tasting and kind recipes.

The guy who started the mag is apparently a Swedish food blogger. I hadn't heard of him before, but then again I admit to not being an avid blog reader and certainly no reader of Swedish blogs in general. He has since also published a great vegan cookbook, from which I've also enjoyed several fab recipes.



One of my absolute favourites so far (from the latest issue 1/2015) is the recipe for banana pancakes. Who knew they were so simple to make, without eggs, super tasty and healthy. Plus gluten free if you chose oats that is. The small pancakes are absolutely delicious, filling and satisfying without leaving you feeling bloated. I've tweaked the recipe slightly.

Banana pancakes

2,5 dl rolled oats
2 bananas (perfect to use up frozen or very ripe ones)
1 dl buckwheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
3,5 dl oats milk (or soy etc)

rapeseed oil for frying

Put everything in a food processor and whizz until a smooth mixture. Daub small pancakes in a fring pan with the oil. Fry until golden on both sides.

Serve with fruit salad or your favourite jam and whipped soy cream. 

how good is your english?

the swedish morning paper dagens nyheter (the daily news) recently published an english test consisting of 12 varied questions, spelling, grammar and comprehension. partly taken from the actual annual scholastic aptitude test, partly new questions. i couldn't resist taking it when i saw that only 3% had gotten 100%. with more than 50000 swedes having done so, it had to be difficult, right?

it wasn't rocket science. in fact it was nowhere near so. i'm gobsmacked only (now counting me) 4% got 12/12 right. obviously we aren't as good in english like we pride ourselves to be. if the test is anything to go by.

oh the shame, the humiliation if i hadn't been one of the 4% ones...

sometimes i'm actually proud of being swedish

From an outside point of view I know Sweden may seem like a somewhat ideal place to live, good schools and education, health care system and care for the elderly. A decent labour market, equality, a society open, tolerant and void of racism, facism and sexism. Modern and environmentally conscious. Peaceful and neutral.

Sadly that's not really the case these days. It would of course be a very long story to write down and discuss the hows  and the whys regarding this development. Complacency being one factor of many.

So whenever there is something worth celebrating, like a politican taking a stand for something true and important, like human rights and women's rights (and obviously animal rights, whenever that happens, to seldom if you ask me. And the animals.) then I'm proud to be a Swede.

Currently I'm über proud of our foreign minister, Margot Wallström. A socialdemocratic politician who has been working in the European parliament for many years until she was asked to be a part of the new Swedish government after last year's election. She skipped the bs and stood up for human and women's rights. Diplomacy and sovereignty is all well and fine, but sometimes one really has to say enough is enough. This is not acceptable.

One can only speculate what would have happened if that had been the case at an much earlier stage in WWII and during other genocide situations after that.

She did. And Sweden finally scrapped a horrific arm's deal with one of the world's worst fundamentalistic states. (Something which Svenska Freds, Swedish Peace and Arbitration society has worked for for a long time.) Where neither human nor women's rights are acknowledged. Finally a Western country stood up for what's right, decent and true. Because neither money nor oil surpass or should surpass those basic rights. But noone said. Until now.

And that's why I'm currently proud of being a citizen of Sweden. A country that actually stood upp for those rights.

Suddenly it happens. The right thing.

Peace.

oh i do love a good dress

and these have been my six autumn/winter favourites this past/current season. apparently i particularly enjoy them in brown and blue that time of the year.

the oldest one is about ten years, the newest some months. i love how they're still going strong. fashion fades, style remains.

thank you noa noa, bric a brac and marimekko for producing lovely timeless dresses. 

the walking dead and the living fluff

Once upon a time the Prosit sisters watched TV together. These days they're mostly annoyed with eachothers presence. Each on their own they're just as adorable and sweet as ever. Together not so much. I'm glad that's ot the case with Prosit Ord & Bild itself, just its feline symbols.

So when I watch TV these days they never block the screen at the same time - if not in this position - or share my lap. But one at the time, gladly.

I was trying to watch one of my favourite TV-series the other day, The Walking Dead - that one of the most heartbreaking, violent and bloody of series also can be one of the most moving and insightful never seize to amaze me - obviously it was a tad complicated to do so.

When The Walking Dead meets The Living Fluff, the latter always triumphs.

green and pink glasses

Remember I recently wrote about great things that can happen when you use the right hashtag on social media? And in this particular case it was simply about getting a free pair of glasses because I used the right hashtag on Instagram.

The voucher had a due date on May 1st, so even if I'm quite happy with the two new pair I got now it would be foolish to not get that free pair. Sure, one could argue I could have given the voucher away to someone in more need of a new pair of glasses. But some times I'm selfish. Others I'm not.



Then in the optician Smarteyes' latest newsletter I read about their new organic, biodegradable range of glasses called Elements. And one of the glasses were round. And apple green. They called my name.

It was a long time since I could find a pair of decent round frames that fit the shape of my face - ie a) not to small and b) too narrow over the bridge. It's easy enough when it comes to sun glasses, far from when you're looking for great round, larger frames for prescription glasses.



I tried on several of the organic frames but none called my name as much as the applegreen ones. Although they turned out to sadly not be as large as I had hoped. Since I could get that second pair for half the price even with a voucher I decided to do that. Two pairs, not one free pair only. Call me frivolous.

I continued trying different frames on, organic and not. In the end I had them boiled down to 8 pairs in various colours and styles. And then there were four. On of which was the pair the blue frames won over last time. Round, black and red thin frames. But since I had found a pair of slightly bigger, round frames in old fashioned pink (what are the odds?!) those won. Sorry, poor red and blacks, second time rejected.



And then they were three. The square, winered pair was just a pair I found lying on a desk at the optician, tried them on and they were really wonderful, both in fit and colour. In the end though, I really wanted a pair of organic glasses. It just felt wrong not too. Plus, seriously, dark pink frames. Amazing.

So I went with the apple green and the pink ones. Both round frames, but very different in looks. I would have prefered if they'd been larger but on the other hand, it's good to venture outside one's comfort zone now and then. Even with such a thing as style of glasses.

I still find it absolutely mindblowing (in a luxuary way) that I managed to get both a pair of applegreen AND a pair of pink glasses. My two top favourite colours. And definitely not two colours common in frames. Will pick them up next week. Oh the excitement!

And what about my old prescription glasses that doesn't fit my sight anymore? Well, those 4-5 pairs I will now give to the project Vision for All. A great organisation that provides glasses for people in need in developing countries.

the cat who loved organic tea

oh what is this? 

tea you say. 

organic tea.

something nice to drink you say.
would i agree you think?

oh organic tea i think i loooves you!

- and yes it is quite a lovely tea, for humans too. from one of our major grocery store chains ica. their own organic brand, i heart 3 eco. Black teas with arctic berries, lingonberries and bramble resp sea buckthorn and forest berries. Very fine Swedish flavours indeed.

women's day 2015

I'm all for a good quote. Obviously. But I'm also quite allergic to screendumps, copy paste, regrams and such. To create original content isn't so darn difficult with all the clever smartphone tools out there these days.

So today, on the International Women's Day -

which is heartbreaking that we still need one, that the human being, societies, cultures and countries haven't come further in 2015. Equal rights for everyone, whether woman, man or other promotes peace, justice and prosperity for ALL. Truly mindboggling and heartbreaking that so many people still hasn't grasped that simple truth. And that there's so much hatred towards women out there. -

I decided to make a very personal photo quote creation (with the After Photo app). With a picture I took on the Isle of Skye some years ago (one of my favourite places on earth) and my very favourite quote.

And I ask you to please, on this day, give some serious thought to one of the most used and abused female beings on this planet, the kind and beautiful cow.

And please be the best, kindest, most compassionate and inspirational change you can possibly be for all earthlings of the female kind and otherwise.

They need and deserve that. Even if they don't walk on two legs.

pretty little tins

not that i exactly needed another tin. 

although you can obviously never have too many tins to keep clever things in which you still can't find when you need them.

but these four were irresistable. and especially one of them. with the puffin a close second. can you guess which one? i'm pleased to report i snatched the last one. will be perfect for small paperclips. 

if i can remember where i put them.

do you have any cat or dog?

Got an intriguing job offer today. While discussing initial details and terms I got two questions:

1. Do you have a VAT number?
2. Do you have any cat or dog?

A) Clearly a job for which you get question number two has my name written all over it!

B) If more job interviews/discussions held that very important and purrfectly reasonable question the world would be a much happier place I'm sure.