Lunch ideas with Crispbreads...

Crispbreads are the Scandinavian equivalent of crackers. They are so versatile, you can pair them with pretty much anything. Typical topping are smoked Salmon, cream cheese, pickles, Jarlsberg cheese, cod roe paste, Vegetarian pate, or even sweet jams, lingonberry or blueberry, are my favourites...
These are a few ideas of mine. You do not need to cook anything and it's ready within five minutes or so!
I have to stress that i do not advocate eating meat on this diet, it is highly acidic and leads to inflammation, and digestive disorders. It is also terribly bad for the heart .
Cholesterol can be a problem if like 70% of M.E sufferers you have been diagnosed with Gilbert's Syndrome. It means you may have elevated Bilirubin in your blood, that is responsible for some of the nausea, tiredness, and mild jaundice you may experience daily.
Protein is an important part of health but you can get it from other sources like vegetarian substitutes, Quorn and a small amount of eggs, especially egg whites.
Salmon is the only fish that's beneficial on this diet, it must be smoked and exclusively from Norway. Scottish Salmon contains dangerous levels of Mercury, so be careful when choosing your Fish.
Tesco do the best Salmon in my opinion. It is £4 per 3 slices that will last you a week., so good value for money!
Salad is fantastic but stick to iceberg lettuce, cucumbers, beetroot and red cabbage...Tomatoes are fine in small quantities, but only the cherry and baby plum varieties.
Try to stay away from Spinach, dark greens, kale, and rocket..
Yes, you heard me right, dark greens are off the menu, they can irritate the gut as they are known to have small levels of a substance called Oxalate, this is all about balancing the system and leaving irritant out!!
Herbs that you can use are Dill, parsley, and chives... Boiled eggs are OK as well, as long as they are free range or Organic...
Let's see what's on the menu for today...

Krisprolls with Lurpak butter, with prepared salad with lettuce, cucumber, boiled egg, potatoes, pickles, smoked Norwegian Salmon, and Scandinavian Kitchen betroot salad £1.99 +Ocado 

Krisprolls wih Jarlsberg, cucumber relish, mustard, and dill. Cucumber and cream cheese on Rye Finn Crisp and Lingonberry jam from Ikea with Lurpak butter on golden Krisprolls. All available +Ocado 

Finn crisp with Lactofree Cream cheese and betroot relish with Saladay. Krisprolls with Jarlberg and fried onion topping 

from Ikea. All available +Ocado 

Oatly, totally Swedish...

If you are going to replace dairy milk with something that's good for you, then think of Oatly. It is made in Sweden with non GMO Swedish oats, which contains very little nasties and pesticides.
Oats are naturally rich in Beta glucans that have been proven to lower cholesterol. They soothe the gut and help with the nervous system. Although Oatly contains a small amount of gluten, it doesn't affect me at all like Soya or Rice milk can. You can buy it in most supermarket like Tesco. Ocado, Sainsbury's, and it it around £1.39 per carton. They have different flavours, the chocolate is especially nice. Since switching to Oatly i haven't been looking for another alternative.
It is good in coffee, and tea, for cooking and drinking with swedish cookies...
Try it for yoursef!
To know more you can visit www.oatly.com

 

First kitchen staple: Rye and wholegrain crispbreads...

You can find several types of Crispbreads from Sweden, Norway, Finland and Germany.
They are often made of rye or wholemeal flour. The most famous brand are FINNcrisp and Krisprolls by the Swedish brand Pagen. Don't confuse them with Ryvita, even though they are the same idea, Ryvita is made with British Rye flour so not suitable here. Avoid them! We are looking for authentic crackers, made with grain that is grown with low pesticide, clean water and with the most respect for the land.
This is one of the reason why eating from Scandinavia will reduce allergies, inflammation and help with digestive complaints. You are consuming foods that are Organic or near Organic with low pesticides residues and that is nutrient dense. Nordic foods contain more minerals and vitamins, because of the way they are farmed. The respect for the environment is a priority for all Scandinavian countries.
Wholegrains are very beneficial to our health as they contain fibre, vit B, Iron , copper and magnesium.
They can help your heart, help with good bacteria, promote good transit, prevent bowel cancer and colon cancer and help regulate your weight.
Most of us don't consume enough fibre in our diet. Rye crackers are very good for nausea as well, if like me you have leaky gut syndrome.

Finncrisp crackers, available @ Ocado. Asda and certain Tesco. £1.39 per pack.

Krisprolls from Sweden £1.19 per pack @ Ocado. Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury's

The Scandinavian diet explained...

As many of you may know i suffer from M.E and Fibromalgia and i have been ill for many years without seeing many progresses in my health.
Even though nutritionists recommend a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, and small amount of carbohydrates, and Protein. After trying every fad diet out there, like the Raw food diet, the Med diet, Low salt diet, 80/10/10, Baby food diet to name a few, i am still ill, and suffering terrible digestive issues, nausea and stomach cramps.
Many of you out there can relate that eating large amount of kale, green juice and gallons of wheatgrass seems to upset the digestive track, cause bloating and stomach pain, which is very upsetting after all the claims made that it will cure you, and if it doesn't...
Well you haven't done it properly!! Obviously,everyone is different and we cannot generalise...
These simply did not work for me! Unfortunately i must add, because i really wanted to believe that Raw food can heal...
Also for me, these diets were staring to become expensive, and difficult to follow...

After years of searching for a solution to my poor digestion and health, i finally decided to make my own diet, and follow my own heart, instead of listening to those who tell me that they know what i need.
The food that i include in my diet are all from the Scandinavian kitchen and beneficial  to people suffering from ME and Fibromalgia. But also those suffering from inflammation, a compromised immune system, and low energy...
I will describe all the food that i eat daily and why. Will upload simple recipes and explain as much as possible how you can improve your health with great tasting ideas. Most recipes require no cooking and little preparation.
Welcome to my Scandinavian kitchen...
 

Nordic diet for health...

New research have found that the Nordic diet is just as healthy as the Mediteranean diet, but easier to follow and keeps you fuller for longer.
The nordic diet is made up of food from Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland.
A Scandinavian diet is high in fiber, berries and good quality dairy products that can be beneficial for people with a compromised immune system. Also it has been shown to help with digestive issues.
Today i am sharing with you an easy recipe for a swedish cucumber salad.
Cucumber is very mild and is 90% water, good for the skin and gut. It has vitamin C, K, D and is anti- inflammatory. It is a staple in Scandinavia, fresh or pickled, it makes for a very refreshing salad.

What you will need:
- 1 cucumber sliced
- Cream or salad cream
- dill or dill mix from Estrella
- A pinch of salt
- Fried onions
It is super simple really, assemble everything, and voila, enjoy!