Nutritional yeast: LOVE It! Who loves nutritional yeast? Me me me! And millions of others Nutritional yeast flakes are especially loved by vegans and vegetarians for their nutty, cheesy, and umami flavors, which can add a cheesy taste to a variety of dishes without animal products. True to its name, nutritional yeast is packed with nutrients: it contains iron, zinc, and B vitamins (including B12 in some products), as well as fiber and protein. It’s a real bonus that you can sprinkle these flakes on just about anything for the taste alone! Nutritional yeast works wonders in all kinds of food ..read more

Umeboshi salad dressing with a fennel and blood orange salad = h e a v e n l y ! Blood orange season is here! And so is the new year: Happy New Year! My first recipe of 2024 is all about blood oranges – ’tis the season, and I’m loving it. My go-to for the season is a classic fennel and blood orange salad – it’s just perfect with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and some flaky salt! As the season goes on, I do however think of ways to jazz up this beloved combo. You know, add a little twist to spice things up! This year, I decided to dress my salad with some salty and tangy umeboshi – an in ..read more

Matcha soba, matcha dressing and seasonal veggies = PLING! You’re awake.Matcha, noodles. Noodles are life! But matcha? Not so much. I’ve never really been into any tea. But, there’s more to tea than just flavor! Green tea and matcha are supposedly good for you in all kinds of different ways. And hey, there’s caffeine in there too! I LOVE caffeine. Maybe I just need to be persistent – kind of like with celery – and eventually I’ll fall in love with matcha? Jump to Recipe Matcha Matcha is finely ground green tea powder, originating from China. Matcha has been a quintessential part of Japanese cu ..read more

Umeshu! I fell in love with japanese plum liqueur umeshu on our first (and hopefully not the last) trip to Japan seven years ago. I wanted an umeshu on the rocks at every stop on the way! Now I’m not a big fan of any sweet liqueur out there, but there’s just something irresistible about the sour and sweet aromas umeshu has. Once back in Finland, things have continued the same. If a place serves umeshu, I’ll be ordering it for sure. Once I realized that umeshu is often home made in Japan, it didn’t take long for me to figure out a way to make it at home here in Finland too! It actually isn’t al ..read more

This fruity tomato salad is a lovely combination of fresh, sweet, sour and spicy: tomatoes, Cantaloupe melon, golden berries, kumquats, endives, chili and golden fried garlic chips. And a tangy yuzu-tsuyu vinaigrette that makes it even better! Summer on my mind It was snowing last week. And it’s April. Enough with this already, winter be gone! Craving for sunshine and the sound of melting snow, I started fantasizing about summer. If it’s not yet around me, at least I could have summer on a plate! I gave myself the permission to buy what ever my heart desires, and wandered off to Hakaniemi mar ..read more

This short written and visual essay was first published in the Creative by Nature journal, which is a biannual journal exploring human nature through the prism of creativity. Confessions of a reckless veggie-lover (◕‿◕✿) As a twenty-something I worked several summers for the city of Helsinki doing so-called “garden work”. The job included planting flowers, watering lawns, cutting grass, pulling weeds… plus emptying trash cans, sweeping parkways and aimlessly driving around. (Waiting for the lunch break. Yawning.) The early mornings were not my cup of caffeine and I’ve already made this job so ..read more

Browned butter There are very few things better than browned butter! The nutty toasty aroma is perfect in so many savory dishes, but also in chocolate chip cookies, ice cream, or simply smeared on a piece of plain toast. And just try dipping fresh radished to it – you’ll soon realize you’re hooked on radishes. Browned butter is magic. Animal based butter “browns” due to the milk proteins and natural sugars of the butter caramelizing. But what about plant based butters? There are no milk proteins in them, obviously. Well, the solution is likely very nearby. Just open the door to your cupboard ..read more

Tartex!!! I’ve been a big fan of Tartex, a German vegetarian pâtée made since 1942, for decades. I’ve been squeezing tubes of Tartex on my sourdough rye crackers since my teenage years, and even now an opened tube won’t last long in this household! All these years I’ve been curious about how exactly is this addictive product made. Every once in awhile I search the web for a “Tartex recipe” … But always come out empty handed. Homemade Tartex seems like a distant dream… … Until now! One day not too long ago, I accidentally created something very similar to Tartex! And that’s the end of my searc ..read more

Soft, softer, sunfu! My January has been a full on “tofu moon”. First, with these smoked tofu “meatballs”, then with the pumpkin seed tofu aka “pumfu” … And now, with sunflower seed tofu aka “sunfu”! Sunflower seed tofu is melt in your mouth soft, creamy and luxurious. I honestly have never had tofu this rich before (though not counting in the amazing tofu I’ve had in Japan). Due to the creamy mouthfeel and the soft consistency, I love to use sunflower seed tofu lightly seasoned as is – or served à la hiyayakko (pictured here). It is however also delicious in soups or pan seared untill crispy ..read more

Home made Pumpkin seed tofu I’be been really into tofu lately. And not just any tofu, but home made tofu! Aaaaand not just any home made tofu… but pumpkin seed tofu aka pumfu! This pale green, creamy and luxurious one ingredient tofu is packed with protein, and comes together without any added coagulant. All you need to do is heat some homemade pumpkin seed milk, and suddenly you’ve got a pot full of pumpkin seed tofu curds + some delicious whey. It really is just like magic! If you’re as much into tofu and cooking experiments as I am, this is your recipe. Jump to Recipe Pumfu I discovered ..read more