Basic Techniques
⇢ Rice: 1 cup rice + 1.5 cups water; bring to boil, simmer 18 min covered, rest 10 min
⇢ Couscous: equal parts couscous and boiling liquid; steep 5 min covered
⇢ Quinoa: 1 cup quinoa + 2 cups water; bring to boil, simmer 15 min covered until water absorbed
⇢ Lentils: 1 cup lentils + 3 cups water; simmer 20-25 min until tender but not mushy
⇢ Chickpeas (dried): soak overnight, then 1-2 hours simmering until soft; or use canned, rinse and heat
⇢ Pasta: 1L water + 10g salt per 100g pasta; boil water; add salt, pasta; cook to package time minus 1 min for al dente
⇢ Chicken breast: 6-8 min per side until firm to touch, juices run clear
⇢ Fish fillets: 3-4 min per side until flakes easily with fork
⇢ Vegetables: 3-5 min boiling until tender-crisp, still bright in color
⇢ Stock: 1 cube dissolved in 500ml hot water
⇢ Pan: Heat pan until oil shimmers; add protein, don't move until golden; flip once; rest 5 min before serving
⇢ Sauce pan: Sauté aromatics in oil until fragrant; add liquid to deglaze; simmer until sauce coats spoon; add cream off heat if using
⇢ Boiling: Salt water generously; bring to rolling boil; add vegetables, start timing when water returns to boil; drain when tender-crisp
⇢ Steaming: 2-3 cm water in pot; place steamer basket above water; cover, steam until fork-tender
⇢ Marinating: Acid marinades: 30 min to 2 hours max; oil-based marinades: up to overnight; always marinate in fridge
Breakfast
› Eggs – boiled, scrambled, or omelette
› Fresh fruit – banana, peach, berries, pear
sweet
› Sourdough bread
(with butter, spreads, oil + tomato)
› Fish spread + bread
(sardines, tuna, mackerel, or smoked salmon paste)
› Olive oil + tomato + bread
(tostada con tomate style)
› Olive oil + tomato + avocado + black sesame + bread
(tostada con tomate enhanced style)
› Goat cheese + avocado + bread
› Goat cheese + egg + tomato + bread
› Mozzarella + tomato + basil
(caprese-style)
› Tomato + oregano + feta + bread
› Avocado
(solo or with egg)
› Cucumber
(solo or with cream cheese or egg)
› Boiled egg + rye bread + cucumber
› Knäckebröd + cream cheese + avocado
› Egg + yogurt or avocado
mash
+ cucumber sticks + rye bread
Egg omelettes / muffins
› Banana + cinnamon
pancakes
sweet
› Banana + oats + cinnamon
muffins
sweet
› Blueberry + ricotta
muffins
sweet
› Pear + cardamom
muffins
sweet
› Apple + oats + nutmeg
muffins
sweet
› Apple + cinnamon
muffins
sweet
› Pumpkin + cinnamon
muffins
sweet
› Potato
(Spanish tortilla style)
pancakes
› Carrot + potato + cheese
muffins
pancakes
› Cottage cheese + dill
muffins
omelette
› Mint + zucchini
muffins
omelette
› Zucchini + carrot
muffins
omelette
› Basil + ground flaxseeds
omelette
(light & herby)
› Broccoli + cheese
muffins
omelette
› Spinach + feta + dill
muffins
omelette
› Zucchini + dill or parsley
omelette
Yoghurts
› Olive oil + peach
(fresh or lightly mashed)
› Apricot + butter
(sautée)
› Banana + coconut flakes
(optional: toast the flakes)
› Mango + cinnamon
(dice or mash)
› Fruit + nut butter
(any combo – apple + almond, banana + peanut...)
› Grated apple + oats
(fresh or overnight)
Snacks
› Hummus + cucumber sticks + carrot sticks
(fresh or air-fried)
⇢ Canned chickpeas; blend with lemon juice + olive oil + cumin + salt
› Yogurt + banana or nectarines or blueberries or raspberries
(any fresh fruit, optional nut butter)
sweet
› Egg omelette
(any variation sweet or savory)
sweet
› Mozzarella + tomato + basil
(caprese style)
› Goat cheese + cucumber sticks + avocado
(any fresh or air-fried vegetable)
› Cottage cheese + avocado
› Boiled eggs + tomato
Chicken
› Grilled – salt + pepper
pan
› Baked
oven
› Red bell pepper + tomato
(=fajita style)
sauce pan
› Lime + ginger
(=thai style)
marinate
sauce pan
› Lemon zest + oregano + olive oil
marinate
sauce pan
› Rosemary + olive oil
marinate
pan
› Mustard + chopped parsley + olive oil
marinate
› Fresh dill + lemon + butter
marinate
sauce pan
› Mild chili flakes + lime zest + olive oil
marinate
sauce pan
› Coconut red curry – ginger + lime juice
marinate
+ tomato paste + coconut milk
sauce pan
› Lemon juice + cream
(=lemon chicken)
sauce pan
Turkey
› Grilled
pan
› Baked
oven
› Sauce
sauce pan
› Salt + basil + olive oil
pan
› Medallions – salt + basil
(grill whole, slice after)
pan
› Lemon juice + thyme + olive oil
marinate
› Mustard + dill + pepper
marinated
› Lime juice + parsley + olive oil
marinate
› Coconut red curry – ginger + lime juice
marinate
+ tomato paste + coconut milk
sauce pan
› Lemon turkey – lemon juice + cream
sauce pan
Fish
› Grilled – parsley + salt
pan
(any white fish or tuna)
› Baked – parsley + salt + slices of potato, tomato, sweet potato
oven
(white fish)
› Lemon juice + dill
oven
(white fish or salmon)
› Crushed tomato + parsley
oven
(white fish or cod)
› Butter + dill + lemon juice
sauce pan
(salmon)
› Mustard seeds + olive oil
pan
(salmon or tuna)
Minced Meat
› Passata or crushed tomato + carrots
(optional: red bell peppers, oregano, splash of cream) (Bolognese style)
sauce pan
✚ Serve: solo, with pasta, polenta, or over mash
› Tomato + rosemary + lemon zest
(Mediterranean ragù)
sauce pan
✚ Serve: with couscous or over roasted zucchini
› Beans + tomato + chili + cumin
(Chili con carne style)
sauce pan
› Salt only
pan
✚ Serve: with cooked broccoli (very simple)
› Red bell pepper + cumin + olive oil
(optional: corn or spinach)
pan
✚ Serve: with rice, wraps, or lettuce cups
› Basil + lemon zest + olive oil
sauce pan
✚ Serve: with rice or over warm mash
› Burgers – olive oil + parsley + oregano + salt
(shaped into patties)
pan
› Herb patties – parsley + thyme + mustard + egg
pan
✚ Serve: with boiled potatoes + green beans or cucumber salad
› Soft mini meatballs – parsley + white pepper
(Scandi style)
pan
✚ Serve: with root mash or rye bread
› Cumin + red bell pepper + lime juice
(stir-fry style)
sauce pan
✚ Serve: with rice or in tortillas
Sides
› Lemon couscous – lemon juice + parsley + salt
(first make sauce, then add couscous)
fresh
› Lentils + lemon + parsley
(light, filling salad base)
prep ahead
› Chickpeas or lentils in soft curry or coconut milk stew
sauce pan
› Mushrooms sautéed with butter + herbs
(parsley / rosemary / thyme / dill + lemon zest)
sauce pan
› Pan-fried mushrooms – olive oil + thyme + salt
(earthy, good with poultry/fish)
pan
› Lemon-dill mushrooms – butter or olive oil + dill + lemon zest
(bright, Nordic feel)
sauce pan
› Mushroom + couscous bowl – cooked couscous + olive oil + rosemary
bowl
› Lentil + parsley salad – pre-cooked lentils + parsley + lemon + olive oil
fresh
› Green beans + baby potatoes
boiled
› Pan-fried peppers + quinoa
pan
› Roasted sweet potatoes
oven
› Corn + avocado salad
fresh
› Black beans + rice
mash
› Grilled asparagus
pan
› Pasta
(plain / lightly dressed / butter)
› Cucumber salad
(with yogurt dressing)
fresh
› Tomato + lettuce salad
fresh
› Yogurt + dill or mint dip
dip
› Boiled baby potatoes
boiled
› Cooked broccoli
(boiled or steamed)
› Beetroot salad + potatoes
fresh or pre-cooked
› Tomato–cucumber salad
fresh
› Tomato–cucumber salad + flatbread
fresh
› Boiled potatoes + cucumber slices
simple
› Steamed green peas + potatoes
boiled/steamed
› Rice + sautéed zucchini
sauce pan
Soups
› Congee soup – 1 rice + 7 stock + ginger + salt
(slow-cooked rice soup, optional: chicken thighs)
⇢ Simmer 1 hr until thick and creamy, stir occasionally
✚ Serve: with soy sauce
› Miso soup – miso paste + veg broth + iceberg lettuce
⇢ Boil water; add miso + broth cube; pour over chopped lettuce on plate
› Kulajda (light) – zucchini + dill + dried or fresh mushrooms + coconut milk
blend
⇢ Sauté onion in butter, add dill, zucchini, ⅓ mushrooms; add coconut milk + water to cover, simmer 20 min, blend; finish with extra mushrooms, adjust thickness
✚ Serve: with boiled eggs
› Sopa Azteca – dried chile pasilla + tomato + cheese + avocado + lime
⇢ Soak dried chile pasilla 15 min in hot water; canned tomatoes, cook in oil 8–10 min until thick; add chicken broth, bring to a boil; add chicken breast, salt + pepper, simmer 10 min
✚ Serve: with diced avocado, grated cheese, spoon of sour cream + lime on side
Salads
› Tomato + lettuce + lemon juice + olive oil + salt
fresh
› Cucumber salad
(sliced or grated, with olive oil or yogurt dressing)
fresh
› Greek salad – tomato + lettuce + olives + feta
fresh
› Cobb salad
(lettuce, egg, cheese, avocado, tomato, cucumber – protein-rich)
fresh
Bowls
› Salmon Poke – salmon + rice + avocado + cucumber + carrot + edamame + sesame + soy
(raw or cooked)
› Tuna Bowl – tuna
(raw or canned)
+ rice + avocado + cucumber + radish + soy + ginger
› Thai Curry Bowl – chicken or shrimp + jasmine rice + cabbage + cucumber + lime + coconut milk + tomato
› Nordic Bowl – smoked fish + boiled potatoes + radish + cucumber + boiled egg + dill + yogurt + mustard
› Mediterranean Bowl – couscous or lentils + feta or chicken + tomato + cucumber + olives + roasted pepper + oregano
› Taco Bowl – rice or beans + chicken or beef + avocado + tomato + lime + yogurt or sour cream
Stews
⇢ Brown meat in oil; add aromatics, liquid to barely cover; simmer 1-2 hours until tender, low and slow, adding vegetables in last 30 min
› Beef ragù – sliced meat + paprika + onion + tomato + broth
(Guláš style)
› Mushroom Beef Ragù – beef + mushrooms + tomato + onion + thyme
› Spicy Beef Ragù – beef + tomato + chili flakes + smoked paprika
› Herb Beef Ragù – beef + tomato + rosemary + oregano + lemon zest
Curries
⇢ Toast spices in oil 30 sec; add aromatics, protein, cook 5 min, build heat gradually; add liquid, simmer until tender; finish with fresh herbs or lime
› Lentil + garbanzo curry – lentils + chickpeas + coconut milk + fresh ginger + cumin
› Thai coconut chicken curry – chicken + sweet potato + zucchini + paprika + ginger + tomato paste + coconut milk + olive oil
pan
› Thai fish coconut curry – cod + red pepper + zucchini
(optional)
+ paprika + ginger + tomato paste + coconut milk + olive oil
sauce pan