Homemade bread every day

Maia Leave a comment

Smula sönder jästen ner i en lagom stor bunke (2 1/2 l använder jag). Häll i vattnet. Rör ner saltet och olivoljan (och solrosfröna). Därefter tillsätter du mjölet lite i taget. Arbeta en stund med nÃ¥got kraftigt redskap (träsked eller gaffel, slickepott eller liknande). Häll ut degen/smeten i stekpannan (stekpannorna). LÃ¥t det jäsa – minst tjugo minuter till en halvtimme. Sätt in i ugnen. LÃ¥t brödet vara inne i ca 20 minuter – beroende pÃ¥ din ugn). Öppna luckan. LÃ¥t brödet stÃ¥ kvar i ytterligare 2 minuter. Häll ut brödet pÃ¥ ett metallgaller – med rätt sida upp, du fÃ¥r alltsÃ¥ vända det. Lägg en handduk över och lÃ¥t kallna. Det behöver inte vara iskallt för att äta, bara om du ska spara det i plastpÃ¥se eller brödskrin, eller om du vill frysa det, men det är inte den bästa sorten att spara länge.

Finally I get fresh home made bread every day. You know why? Because I bake it myself. Every day. Fortunately, it’s a super easy recipe.

You just mix all the ingredients into a bowl and pour into a iron frying pan. Let the dough swell underneath pot lids of the right size. When that’s done, you put the bread into the oven for about 20 minutes (it depends on your oven), open the oven and keep baking for another 2 minutes. Take them out and put them on a metal grille (it might be a good idea to put the grille on something like a baking pan so that your table or worktop won’t get all wet from the heat).

You van vary the recipe a little. You need to use a total of 5 dl flour (see conversion table), mainly wheat. I’ve tried 4 dl of wheat flour 0 1 dl of chickpea flour and 4 dl of wheat flour + 1 dl of rye flour, but you can try other combinations too, as long as there’s more wheat flour than the rest.
I like sunflower seeds so I put some into the dough along with the more or less wet ingredients.

I always make a double batch, but you can just as well make only one, if there’s only one of you.

Recipe:

half a package of yeast
2 1/2 dl water
1 1/2 tea spoons salt
2 table spoons olive oil
sunflower seeds
5 dl flour (whatever mix you prefer)
some fat (baking margarine or oil – the kind that can be heated – like olive oil)

Crumble the yeast into a bowl. Pour the water in. Add salt and olive oil (and the sunflower seeds). Work for a while with a sturdy utensil (wooden spoon or fork or something like that). Pour the dough/batter into the frying pan or pans. Let it swell – for at least twenty minutes for half an hour. Put it into the oven. Leave the bread there for about 20 minutes (depending on your oven). Open the oven, and bake for another two minutes. Put the bread on a metal grille – right side up, so you’ll have to turn it over. Cover with a towel or cloth and let it cool. The bread doesn’t have to be completely cold just to eat it, only if you want to put it into plastic bags or a bread box, or if you’d like to freeze it. Although this isn’t particularly suited to saving for a long time.

Conversion table

1 pound (lb) = 16 ounces = 453,6 g
1 ounce (oz) = 28,35 g
1 kg = 2,205 pounds
1 g = 0,035 ounces
3 1/2 ounces = ca 100 g
1 US gallon = 4 liquid quarts = 3,8 litres
1 liquid quarts = 2 liquid pints = 9,5 dl
1 liquid pint = 2 cups = 4,7 dl
1 cup = 16 tablespoons = 2,4 d
1 cup = 8 fluid ounces = 2,4 dl
1 fluid ounce = 29,6 ml
1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons = 15 ml
1 teaspoon = 5 ml
1 liter = 0,264 gallon = 1,06 quarts
1 ml = 0,034 fluid ounces

Espresso House again

Maia Leave a comment

The chocolate balls (vegan) are as good at Espresso House in Malmö as they are in Göteborg.

After what was supposed to be a reasonably short trip, due to unforeseen circumstances turned into one considerably longer and more tiresome, I had to get something to eat. Since Espresso House is conveniently located inside the Central Station in Malmö, I dropped in, while waiting for the next train.

Actually, Malmö seems quite nice so I think I’ll return some day when the weather is a litte nicer, just to go sightseeing.

Chocolate balls and latte

Maia Leave a comment

I was in Gothenburg the other day. (See a separate post in my personal blog). To begin with, I was thinking about going to a veggie restaurant in the center of the city, but I wasn’t there for long enough to really feel like having lunch.

I did go to a place called Espresso House inside the Central Station. (There are at least two of those inside the Central Station and a couple of more in the mall across the street). They have a soy latte!!! I’m not too keen on coffee, but this was pretty nice. They also have a chocolate ball that is (hopefully) vegan! I have to check up on the chocolate they use to make it, but other than that, the ingredients were completely vegan. It was delicious. Normally, I like something a lot less sweet for ‘breakfast’ but all in all, this was really tasty.

jI read about Espresso House in a guide to vegan or veg friendly places in Gothenburg. I’ll link to the site on this blog.

I also read about a place called Condeco, also in central Gothenburg, that has a raspberry muffin (vegan too, naturally). That’s the place I’ll go to next time. Because I’ll definitely go to Gothenburg more often now.

Prostitution (again)

Maia Leave a comment

I recently read an article at Guardian Unlimited’s web site (Guardian is a daily newspaper in the UK). There’s not a lot to say about the article in itself, though I must say that I’ve read one that was much more interesting, written by, not a journalist but by a former prostitute (a woman). She if anyone ought to know what it’s like to have the ‘world’s oldest profession’.

What made me, quite frankly, furious, was that pretty much everyone who commented on the article were men, men who were decidedly in favor of (female) prostitution. No surprise there.

I won’t argue the pros and cons of this issue. Besides, here in my country, prostitution is already illegal, as far as I know. I don’t know how well this ban works, so I won’t comment on that either.

What I will dare to do is this: if it’s so exceptionally fine to have women prostituting themselves, I’d like to suggest that sex buyers are open about it. How about a card they attach to their jackets, saying “Happy sex buyer” “Content sex buyer” or “I pay for it!”

That would be great, so that the rest of us can make a conscious choice about whether we would like to associate with these people or not.

Male prostitutes

Maia Leave a comment

I recently read an interesting article on BBC news. It’s about male prostitutes in India (or gigolos as the author refers to them)..

The men being interviewed talk openly about their profession and what they’re required to do for their customers. They also mention that their male friends often envy them, assuming theirs is a pleasant and easy job.

But in reality, it isn’t nearly as pleasant as it might seem. The women – the preferred target group – often demand sexual acts that shock these men, who are of a predominantly middle class background. Many of these women want to stub out burning cigarettes on the prostitutes’ bodies. Usually, there’s an extra charge for that.

These days increasing numbers of the clients come from the middle classes. Until quite recently, only women from the upper classes paid for sex.

The men often come from ‘respectable’ professions, but became unemployed. They drift into prositution by accident. Their ages range from late teens to late thirties.They youngest are often school dropouts, who end up in massage parlors.

What these men complain most about, is the fact that their incomes from selling sex to women, usually aren’t enough. They often have to resort to male customers, to make ends meet.

My first reaction was: cool! Don’t get me wrong. I am not in favor of prostitution. It’s just that I get so tired of reading about women as objects and merchandise. Besides, I think that in order for the average man to begin to understand this situation, he has to realize that not only women sell sex. Many men of a suitable age, are – hypothetically – potential sex sellers.

Of course, this isn’t a fair comparison. The majority of women do not become prostitutes of their own free will. They were sold by their parents, abducted or driven into prostitution by drug addiction or extreme poverty.

Most men who sell their bodies do so voluntarily. They don’t risk violence, robbery or rape, to the same extent as women. After all, their physical strength is often equal to that of their customers.

Even so, this could be a good start. Some day we might be able to eradicate this sordid trade entirely. At least that’s my sincere wish.

What is a Vegan?

Maia Leave a comment

I found this on Care2:

View the page here.

What is a Vegan?

Vegetarians do not eat meat, fish, or poultry. Vegans, in addition to being vegetarian, do not use other animal products and by-products such as eggs, dairy products, honey, leather, fur, silk, wool, cosmetics, and soaps derived from animal products.

Why Veganism?

People choose to be vegan for health, environmental, and/or ethical reasons. For example, some vegans feel that one promotes the meat industry by consuming eggs and dairy products. That is, once dairy cows or egg-laying chickens are too old to be productive, they are often sold as meat; and since male calves do not produce milk, they usually are raised for veal or other products. Some people avoid these items because of conditions associated with their production.

Many vegans choose this lifestyle to promote a more humane and caring world. They know they are not perfect, but believe they have a responsibility to try to do their best, while not being judgmental of others.
Vegan Nutrition

The key to a nutritionally sound vegan diet is variety. A healthy and varied vegan diet includes fruits, vegetables, plenty of leafy greens, whole grain products, nuts, seeds, and legumes.
Protein

It is very easy for a vegan diet to meet the recommendations for protein as long as calorie intake is adequate. Strict protein planning or combining is not necessary. The key is to eat a varied diet.

Almost all foods except for alcohol, sugar, and fats are good sources of protein. Vegan sources include: potatoes, whole wheat bread, rice, broccoli, spinach, almonds, peas, chickpeas, peanut butter, tofu, soy milk, lentils, kale…

For example, if part of a day’s menu included the following foods, you would meet the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein for an adult male: 1 cup oatmeal, 1 cup soy milk, 2 slices whole wheat bread, 1 bagel, 2 Tablespoons peanut butter, 1 cup vegetarian baked beans, 5 ounces tofu, 2 Tablespoons of almonds, 1 cup broccoli, and 1 cup brown rice.
Fat

Vegan diets are free of cholesterol and are generally low in fat. Thus eating a vegan diet makes it easy to conform to recommendations given to reduce the risk of major chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer. High-fat foods, which should be used sparingly, include oils, margarine, nuts, nut butters, seed butters, avocado, and coconut.
Vitamin D

Vitamin D is not found in the vegan diet but can be made by humans following exposure to sunlight. At least ten to fifteen minutes of summer sun on hands and face two to three times a week is recommended for adults so that vitamin D production can occur.
Calcium

Calcium, needed for strong bones, is found in dark green vegetables, tofu processed with calcium sulfate, and many other foods commonly eaten by vegans. Calcium requirements for those on lower protein, plant-based protein diets may be somewhat lower than requirements for those eating a higher protein, flesh-based diet. However, it is important for vegans to eat foods high in calcium and/or use a vegan calcium supplement every day.
CALCIUM CONTENT OF SELECTED FOODS

Following are some good sources of calcium:

___________________________________________________________

Soy or rice milk,
commercial, calcium-
fortified, plain 8 oz 150-500

Collard greens, cooked 1 cup 357 mg

Blackstrap molasses 2 TB 342 mg

Tofu, processed with
calcium sulfate 4 oz 200-330 mg

Calcium-fortified
orange juice 8 oz 300 mg

Tofu, processed with
nigari 4 oz 80-230 mg

Kale, cooked 1 cup 176 mg

Tahini 2 TB 128 mg

Almonds 1/4 cup 97 mg
___________________________________________________________

Other sources of calcium include: okra, sesame seeds, turnip greens, soybeans, figs, tempeh, almond butter, broccoli, bok choy, commercial soy yogurt…

The recommended intake for calcium for adults 19 through 50 years is 1000 milligrams/day.

Note: It appears that oxalic acid, which is found in spinach, rhubarb, chard, and beet greens, binds with calcium and reduces calcium absorption. Calcium is well absorbed from other dark green vegetables.
Zinc

Vegan diets can provide zinc at levels close to or even higher than the RDA. Zinc is found in grains, legumes, and nuts.
Iron

Dried beans and dark green vegetables are especially good sources of iron, better on a per calorie basis than meat. Iron absorption is increased markedly by eating foods containing vitamin C along with foods containing iron.
Sources of Iron

Soybeans, lentils, blackstrap molasses, kidney beans, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, seitan, Swiss chard, tempeh, black beans, prune juice, beet greens, tahini, peas, figs, bulghur, bok choy, raisins, watermelon, millet, kale….
Comparison of Iron Sources

Here are the iron contents of selected foods:

______________________________________________

FOOD IRON (MG)
______________________________________________

1 cup cooked soybeans 8.8
2 Tbsp blackstrap molasses 7.0
1 cup cooked lentils 6.6
1 cup cooked kidney beans 5.2
1 cup cooked chickpeas 4.7
1 cup cooked lima beans 4.5
1 cup cooked Swiss chard 4.0
1/8 medium watermelon 1.0
______________________________________________

Vitamin B12

The requirement for vitamin B12 is very low. Non-animal sources include Red Star nutritional yeast T6635 also known as Vegetarian Support Formula (around 2 teaspoons supplies the adult RDA). It is especially important for pregnant and lactating women, infants, and children to have reliable sources of vitamin B12 in their diets. Numerous foods are fortified with B12, but sometimes companies change what they do. So always read labels carefully or write the companies.

Tempeh, miso, and seaweed are often labeled as having large amounts of vitamin B12. However, these products are not reliable sources of the vitamin because the amount of vitamin B12 present depends on the type of processing the food undergoes. Other sources of vitamin B12 are fortified soy milk (check the label as this is rarely available in the U.S.), vitamin B12-fortified meat analogues, and vitamin B12 supplements. There are supplements which do not contain animal products. Vegetarians who are not vegan can also obtain vitamin B12 from dairy products and eggs.
Common Vegan Foods

Oatmeal, stir-fried vegetables, cereal, toast, orange juice, peanut butter on whole wheat bread, frozen fruit desserts, lentil soup, salad bar items like chickpeas and three bean salad, dates, apples, macaroni, fruit smoothies, popcorn, spaghetti, vegetarian baked beans, guacamole, chili…
Vegans Also Eat…

Tofu lasagna, homemade pancakes without eggs, hummus, eggless cookies, soy ice cream, tempeh, corn chowder, soy yogurt, rice pudding, fava beans, banana muffins, spinach pies, oat nut burgers, falafel, corn fritters, French toast made with soy milk, soy hot dogs, vegetable burgers, pumpkin casserole, scrambled tofu, seitan.
When Eating Out Try These Foods

Pizza without cheese, Chinese moo shu vegetables, Indian curries and dahl, eggplant dishes without the cheese, bean tacos without the lard and cheese (available from Taco Bell and other Mexican restaurants), Middle Eastern hummus and tabouli, Ethiopian injera (flat bread) and lentil stew, Thai vegetable curries…
Egg and Dairy Replacers

As a binder, substitute for each egg:

* 1/4 cup (2 ounces) soft tofu blended with the liquid ingredients of the recipe, or
* 1 small banana, mashed, or
* 1/4 cup applesauce, or
* 2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot starch, or Ener-G Egg Replacer or another commercial mix found in health food stores.

The following substitutions can be made for dairy products:

* Soy milk, rice milk, potato milk, nut milk, or water (in some recipes) may be used.
* Buttermilk can be replaced with soured soy or rice milk. For each Cup of buttermilk, use 1 cup soymilk plus 1 tablespoon of vinegar.
* Soy cheese available in health food stores. (Be aware that many soy cheeses contain casein, which is a dairy product.)
* Crumbled tofu can be substituted for cottage cheese or ricotta cheese in lasagna and similar dishes.
* Several brands of nondairy cream cheese are available in some supermarkets and kosher stores.

Lazy Parasite

Maia Leave a comment

I can’t praise our fantastic Swedish government enough for finding the way to make lazy parasites like myself start working. Just kick them while they’re lying down.

I’m suffering from chronic pain. Some years ago, I was seriously ill and ended up in hospital, with at best a few days to live, possibly just a few hours, according to the doctor who examined me. When I was, rather miraculously, saved, naturally I thought everything would be ok.

My doctor told me that my illness had taken several years to build up. That explained why I’d been so terribly tired in the past couple of years and also why I hadn’t been able to keep any food down the last couple of months before I was hospitalized in the nick of time.

I’m guessing you’re saying, fine, you’re healthy now, or close enough, so it shouldn’t be a problem getting a job now, you lazy parasite. Or something a bit more tactful? In any case, if so, you’re forgetting a tiny little detail, you valuable citizen.

Employers tend to be quite picky about two things – education/degree and work experience. Me, I was lying in bed, fighting for my life, while the rest of you were getting your degrees and out making money, feeling good about yourselves.

But hey, like I said, go on kicking me for a bit longer, and maybe someone will give me a job, despite everything. Who knows? Naturally, it’s worth a shot. Thank you so much, my dear government, for your kindness.