It’s time to wave goodbye to July, and the end of our Scandinavian – Nordic adventure.

Icelandic vegetable soup

Icelandic Vegetable Soup
It probably comes as no surprise that hearty soups are part of traditional Icelandic cuisine. Although they’re not generally plant-based, it’s not difficult to turn a traditional Kjötsúpa into a satisfying vegan meal. Loaded up with vegetables, lentils and grains a big pot of this gave us ready-made lunches for the week. Unusually, oats are often used in the soups as a grain, but you can use brown rice or another grain if you prefer.

Icelandic bread

Icelandic Baking-powder bread
To go with the soup, I decided to try a traditional Icelandic bread – Hveitibrauð með lyftidufti. I looked at a few recipes, and when I saw this one, made from plain flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and milk or water, I thought it sounded very much like it was going to turn out like a traditional Aussie damper. I was right. Dense with a thick, crisp, crust this is at its best eaten warm. Plus it only takes a few minutes to put together, which only increases its’ appeal.

Finnish cabbage casserole

Finnish Cabbage Casserole
It’s an odd thing that Steve claims he doesn’t like cabbage. Not only is he a big fan of coleslaw and sauerkraut but he’s enjoyed every dish involving cabbage I’ve put in front of him. At least that’s what he tells me. Anyway, I had a fairly large wedge of green cabbage that needed to be used, so what better way to, impress Steve than make a big cabbage casserole! Cooked on the stovetop initially, and then into the oven for a fair while at a low temperature, this dish with minimal ingredients is really very tasty.

Norwegian patties

Norwegian Lentil, Mushroom & Kale Patties
These were inspired by Kjøttkaker, the Norwegian rival to Swedish meatballs, though the Norwegian ones tend to be larger and flatter. I had some lentils leftover from the cabbage casserole, and I thought that would go well with some mushrooms and kale, plus some of the traditionally used spices. They turned out better than I expected, with plenty of flavour, and a firm but soft texture. Often served with gravy, since we were having them with the cabbage casserole I opted for a creamy sauce.

Mushie peas

Norwegian Mushie Peas
I’ve never actually had mushie peas before, but I’ve always found the idea quite appealing. They’re a traditional Norwegian side dish, so I decided to give them a shot. I don’t know how they’re made elsewhere, but the only flavourings were salt, pepper and sugar, and while they were tasty, they were a bit on the sweet side for me. I like my savoury food to be savoury. Not that it stopped me from eating them, but I think next time I try mushie peas I’ll go for a sugar free version.

Swedish omelette

Swedish mushroom omelette
I really wanted to try using the amazing aquafaba in an omelette. Of course I checked out the Facebook group Vegan Meringue – Hits and Misses! to see if anyone had tried it, which unsurprisingly they had, so armed with a successful method I went on my way. Mushroom, onion, spinach and dill combined with the batter to make something truly delicious. I couldn’t honestly say if it tasted anything like an egg omelette since I never really ate eggs much, but it was so, so good.

Cinnamon snails

Cinnamon snails
Cinnamon buns, snails or swirls are a traditional sweet in Sweden and Denmark, and while very similar they do seem to differ slightly. I combined aspects of both versions and threw in a few twists on my own. Some through necessity and some I just wanted to try. As luck would have it, they still turned out well, and were happily devoured.

Gnocchi with vegetables

Gnocchi with mushroom, pumpkin & green beans
For our final meal in July I wanted to make something that incorporated one of the flavour combinations I’ve come to love during this month – mustard and dill. Once again it was a time when our vegie supplies were running low, but I managed to cobble together enough mushrooms, green beans and pumpkin to make a respectable meal. They worked beautifully in a creamy mustard sauce with plenty of fresh dill. Served over mini gnocchi, it was a tasty and filling way to end our Scandinavian – Nordic adventure.

August has arrived with a welcome burst of warmth, as we head across the ocean to spend the month exploring Sri Lankan food!