Do you ever wonder about how you on an individual level can contribute to making our planet a better place? Someone that has reflected upon this question is our Embassy chef Erlinda. At the beginning of December, Erlinda took a course with the famous green Swedish chef Paul Svensson in Vienna together with other chefs from Swedish Embassies in Europe. We asked Erlinda what she has taken with her from the course with Paul Svensson and her thoughts on the green Swedish kitchen.
- I’ve become very interested in sustainable cooking. I’ve learned to reuse as much food as I can. Every day we throw away so much edible food for no reason because the best before date has passed or we didn’t eat it all up.
- I think about having a green kitchen and choose products that are in season and to use the roots and the leaves of the vegetable. I also cook less meat and fish, since it’s not sustainable.
- Another important lesson I’m taking with me is the importance to experiment. You must experiment to come up with creative sustainable solutions! Find a way to cook that you haven’t before and don’t give up if it’s not perfect the first time, learn from your mistakes and try again!
Erlinda also shared with us her best advice for reducing food waste and making amazing dishes at the same time.
- One of my favorite recipes is burnt pickled veggies. First you grill veggies that are in season, it could be sweet paprika, carrots, radish, cauliflower or anything really. Afterwards you pickle them. What’s amazing with this recipe is that asides from being delicious the pickled grilled veggies stay enjoyable for four months, or even longer.
- A very good way to limit food waste is to make cheese out of old milk! You just add some vinegar to the milk and then you wait. It becomes this amazing soft white cheese, that you can put on crisp bread as a snack.
- A creative, experimental recipe involves the use of coffee grounds left in the filter after you brewed coffee. You save it and add some old bread that’s gone dry. Add some olive oil and water and mix. Afterwards you roll them thinly and cut them in pieces the size you prefer. Then you bake it in the oven and you get a new, crisp bread.
All in all, it seems like lesson here is that we need to look at cooking with new eyes, be more experimental and try new things! If you’re looking for more inspiration about the Green Swedish Kitchen, we will publish pictures of Erlindas delicious dishes this upcoming week on our Instagram account swedeningreece, follow us and be inspired!
One way to start is to sign up for our Eat Smart Challenge!
The Eat Smart Challenge consists of a seven-day challenge which includes eating sustainable and smart. The purpose of this challenge is to encourage awareness about food and its effect on the environment. Every day for one week, April 8-14, one challenge will be announced daily. Then you just share a photo or a text of your interpretation on the Facebook page or on Instagram under the hashtag #eatsmartchallenge!
