Green Juice

This green juice has become an absolute favourite, and a daily obsession of mine in the past few weeks. I simply love its freshness and all the flavours just seem to be in a perfect balance.

Green Juice

(serves 1)

2-3 celery stalks

1/2 continental (long) cucumber

1 green apple 

a small piece of ginger, peeled

small bunch of mint

1/2 lemon, peeled

1. Juice all ingredients and enjoy!

Leek and Potato Soup

Sydney is still sweltering in summery weather, with temperatures reaching 30C almost daily. There was, however, a cooler break some days ago and I just had to take the opportunity to make another soup. Potato and leek soup has been a favourite of mine for a long time, and even though I've shared a recipe for it before, I thought it won't do any harm doing it again.

I used nutritional yeast to flavour this soup, but you could easily use a dash of cream or soft cheese (flavoured cream cheese, for instance) instead. All it needs is a little drizzle of good extra-virgin olive oil and another one of those rye-crisp breads with cheese to serve with.

I'd like more of these cool days please!

Leek and Potato Soup

(serves 4-6)

5 big potatoes

2 big leeks

1 litre vegetable stock

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast 

freshly ground pepper, to taste

extra-virgin olive oil, to serve

1. Peel and chop the vegetables and place in a large pot with vegetable stock. Bring to boil and simmer for about half an hour or until vegetables are tender. 

2. Turn off the heat and season the soup with nutritional yeast (or cream) and pepper. Purée the soup in a blender and serve drizzled with olive oil.

Finnish Spinach Soup

There is nothing better than a comforting soup on a rainy day. I made the most of it yesterday and whipped up spinach soup, a childhood favourite served with hard-boiled egg and rye-crispbread with cheese. If you're in the Northern Hemisphere, and soon have fresh nettle available, try a similar soup using those instead. I have a recipe here.

It is supposed to be another warm one here today, so no more soups before autumn really sets in.

I am so ready for a cool change, I'm really looking forward to it!

Finnish Spinach Soup

(serves 4)

1 litre organic full-cream milk

3 tablespoons plain flour

200g baby spinach/English spinach/frozen spinach (thawed), blanched and finely chopped

a good pinch of salt

freshly ground black pepper or a tiny pinch of white pepper

hard-boiled egg (free-range, organic), to serve

1. Add milk and flour to a saucepan and whisk well to combine. Whisking continuously, bring milk to a boil and add blanched, finely chopped spinach. Let simmer for a further 10 minutes, then turn off the heat and season.

2. Serve with hard-boiled egg and crispbread.

Everyday Meals

 

I thought I'd share a few simple and quick everyday meal-ideas with you. These are the kinds of meals I cook all the time: they are virtually zero-effort, even during those hot summer days when the last thing you feel like doing is standing next to a hot stove. 

Firstly; salads. Just take a peek into my Recipe Index and you'll realise how keen I am to feed myself (and my husband) with colourful, fresh salads that are really more like meals than just sides. This Greek-inspired salad consists of simple ingredients like cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, mixed salad leaves, Sicilian olives (instead of traditional Kalamata) and feta cheese. Drizzle with good extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar and grind a bit of black pepper on top. Voilà, lunch or even a light dinner is sorted.

 

Vegetables are obviously always heavily featured even in our main meals. This mushroom and eggplant stack has grilled eggplant smeared with a miso-honey-tamari mixture, layered with pan-fried button mushrooms and toasted sesame seeds. It is a perfect little meal served with a fresh salad and a slice of chunky bread, if you like.

 

Another easy summer-meal is barbecued portobello mushrooms topped with basil-walnut pesto. Simply grill or pan-fry olive oil-drizzled mushrooms (with stalks removed) and top with a pesto made with a bunch of fresh basil, half an avocado, lemon juice, olive oil, a handful of walnuts, pinch of salt and pepper.

Finally, desserts. I can't think of anything better than seasonal ingredients (like figs, in this case), served with cheese, ricotta or yoghurt and drizzled with pure Australian honey. Really, what more could you possibly need?

Cherry and Camembert Salad

Happy New Year!

I'm starting the New Year with this summery salad that combines some of my favourite flavours: sweet cherries and dried cranberries with creamy Camembert, toasted nuts, peppery greens and tangy balsamic vinegar. I love salads like this on a summer's day - light, but perfectly filling to get you going until the next meal.

There are no exact measurements as I like to throw in ingredients as I please. Just follow your taste buds to adjust the flavours accordingly.

Cherry and Camembert Salad

a couple of big handfuls of mixed salad leaves

a handful of fresh cherries, halved and stoned

a few sliced of Camembert or Brie (in room temperature)

a small handful of mixed nuts, toasted until fragrant

a couple of tablespoons of dried cranberries

2 tablespoons of good balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons of good extra virgin olive oil

Mix all and enjoy!

Oat and Rosemary Cheese Biscuits

After a busy week I've been hit by an unexpected cold and was forced to take it easy this weekend. I've taken naps, done a couple of light strolls on the beach and enjoyed some much needed R&R.

These oat and rosemary cheese biscuits are perfect for a quiet weekend. In fact, they would not be out of place at a brunch, picnic or even when those unexpected guests drop by and you have nothing to offer.

Feel free to alter the ingredients to your liking; rolled spelt or rye instead of oats, different herbs (fresh or dry) and experiment with stronger/milder cheeses. These are a tasty little treat no matter what and packed with flavour.

Oat and Rosemary Cheese Biscuits

(makes 7-10)

(recipe inspired by Valio)

50g rolled oat/spelt/rye

1/2 tablespoon wholemeal flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, finely chopped

1 egg

25ml olive oil

50g grated cheese

pine nuts, poppy seeds or sesame seeds, to sprinkle (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 175C and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

2. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. Whisk in the egg and the oil and add the cheese. Stir to combine.

3. Use a spoon to form the batter into disks, leaving space between each biscuit. Sprinkle with seeds, if you like. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until firm and golden. Enjoy warm.

Quick Green Bean Salad

It's a sunny Sunday here in Sydney and there is no way I'm spending it in the kitchen! This green bean salad is perfectly quick to prepare before heading out to the balcony to enjoy some lunch and sunshine. Happy Sunday all!

 Quick Green Bean Salad

(serves 2)

a few handfuls of baby spinach

a few handfuls of green beans

3 tablespoons raw buckwheat 

3 tablespoons slivered almond

a good pinch of salt

pepper, to taste

1 small orange, juiced

a few tablespoons of good olive oil

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

feta or parmesan, to serve (optional)

1. Bring water to a boil in a medium sized pot. Add the beans and leave for a couple of minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Chop the beans in half (or to bite-size pieces).

2. Toast buckwheat and almonds on a dry frying pan for a few minutes, stirring continuously. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and set aside.

3. Whisk orange juice, olive oil and ACV in a bowl. Toss all ingredients in a large bowl and serve immediately. Add feta or parmesan, if you wish.

Strawberry and Goat Cheese Salad

 

After yesterday's scorcher, today's cooler change feels very refreshing. I am still working on my crafts but returned to the kitchen to put together a quick salad for lunch. This strawberry and goat cheese salad is genius in its simplicity and makes most of the best quality ingredients available. I used a slightly sharp and matured goat cheese that balances the sweetness of strawberries and the peppery Asian greens. Drizzled with balsamic and good extra virgin olive oil, this salad is a real winner.

Strawberry and Goat Cheese Salad

(inspired by Ruokatieto)

mixed greens

fresh strawberries

goat cheese

balsamic vinegar

olive oil

freshly ground black pepper

walnuts, optional

1. Mix greens and sliced strawberries. Add goat cheese and drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Season with black pepper. Serve with crusty sourdough.

Aamupalaksi pannukakkuja - Pancakes for Breakfast

A leisured morning ahead of a long weekend. Thick pancakes served with fresh strawberries and a drizzling of rice syrup. Plus a pot of coffee, of course. 

Kiireetön aamu pitkän viikonlopun edellä. Muhkeat pannukakut tarjoillaan tuoreiden mansikoiden ja riisisiirapin kera. Lisäksi pannullinen kahvia, tietenkin.

Thick pancakes 

(makes 10)

(recipe adapted from valio.fi)

90g plain flour

90g wholemeal flour

1 tablespoon raw vanilla sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 large egg

100g sour cream

250ml milk

butter, for frying

strawberries and rice syrup, for serving

1. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. 

2. Whisk egg with sour cream and milk. Add to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Set aside for 15-20 minutes.

3. Fry small pancakes in small amount of butter for a few minutes on each side. Serve warm with fresh strawberries and rice a drizzling of rice syrup.

Rahkapiirakka - Finnish Quark Pie

There are a few things any Finn living overseas will miss from his/her home country: sauna, salted licorice and rye bread are usually on top of that list, but quark (maitorahka) will most likely also make the top 5.

I've been looking for 'proper' quark since arriving to Australia almost seven years ago. I've tried using thick yoghurt and smooth ricotta in place of quark, but they never quite had the same flavour or texture of the quark I used to get back in Finland. Recently I found 'German style' quark in my local green grocer and I was keen to try how it would work out in a traditional Finnish recipe: quark pie.

This pie is certainly rich and lemony, but such a perfect treat for a sunny weekend afternoon.

Hope you are all having a lovely relaxing weekend!

Koti-ikävän iskiessä tulee tarve leipoa perinteisiä suomalaisia herkkuja. Löysin paikallisesta ruokakaupasta saksalaistyyppistä maitorahkaa ja päätin kokeilla miten se toimisi rahkapiirakassa. Tuloksena makean sitruunainen ja täyteläinen piirakka. Täydellinen herkku viikonlopun kahvihetkiin!  

Rahkapiirakka - Finnish Quark Pie*

(Recipe adapted from maku.fi)

Base

250ml milk

11g dry yeast

120g raw caster sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon ground cardemom

1/2 teaspoon salt

480-500g plain flour

100g butter

Filling

450g quark

300ml thickened cream

3 eggs

160g raw caster sugar

75ml lemon juice

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon raw vanilla sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground pure vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

90g sultanas/raisins

1 egg, for brushing

* All ingredients are organic, eggs are organic and free-range, butter is unsalted. Quark is organic and biodynamic (German style) from B.-d. Farm Paris Creek.

1. Start with the base. Warm up the milk to about 42C. Mix yeast with a small amount of flour and whisk the mixture into the warm milk. Add sugar, salt, cardamom and egg. Whisk well to combine. Add flour bit by bit, kneading to form a smooth and elastic dough. Add soft butter towards the end of the kneading. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and leave in a warm place to double in size.

2. Turn the dough on a sheet of baking paper and roll to a size of a large baking sheet. Using the baking paper, lift the dough on the baking sheet, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for about 30 minutes.

3. In the mean while, preheat oven to 200C and prepare the filling. 

4. For the filling, combine all ingredients except for the raisins in a large bowl. Whisk well to make a smooth texture, then add the raisins.

5. Brush the edges of the base with the egg. Pour the filling on to the base and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until the edges are brown and the filling feels firm to touch. Leave to cool completely before cutting. This pie can be frozen.

Apple-Almond Tart with Vanilla Custard

Another week has passed by and I've been so busy I've hardly spent time in the kitchen. A sunny Friday needed something a bit more special so I made a quick apple tart for afternoon tea. I picked up some beautiful flowers in the markets this morning and they really made everything look so pretty.

I am looking forward to catching up with friends and just relaxing this weekend. Next week will be hectic ahead of a big photo shoot so I need to recharge my batteries when I can!

Hope you all have a lovely weekend!

 Apple-Almond Tart

(Recipe adapted from pirkka.fi)

4 eggs

150g raw caster sugar

300g plain flour

2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon pure ground vanilla

100g butter, melted

100ml milk

400g peeled, cored and sliced apples

juice of 1 lime or 1/2 lemon (use to prevent the apples from browning)

100g almond meal

50g butter, melted

2 tablespoons raw vanilla sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Vanilla Custard

1 egg

400ml milk

1/4 teaspoon pure ground vanilla

1 tablespoon raw vanilla sugar

2 teaspoons potato flour (potato starch)

1. Preheat the oven to 180C and grease a round pie dish (27cm). 

2. Beat eggs and sugar in a bowl until pale and fluffy. 

3. Combine flour, baking powder and vanilla in a separate bowl. Add half of the dry ingredients through a sieve, half the butter and half the milk and gently fold to mix. Add rest of the flour, butter and milk and fold again to mix. Spread the mixture evenly into the dish.

4. Top the dough with apple slices. Combine almond meal, butter, sugar and vanilla in a bowl and sprinkle on top of the cake. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a tester inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. 

5. To make the custard, lightly whisk the egg and put in a saucepan with all the other ingredients. Turn on the heat, then whisk continuously until custard gets thicker. Don't let it boil. Turn off the heat and leave to cool. Serve slightly warm with the apple tart.

Thirty-One

  

Happy Sunday lovelies!

 

I am celebrating my thirty-first (*gulp*) birthday today, the sun is out and the weather is warm - I'm all smiles! I had a lovely lunch with friends yesterday and today my husband and I went for a little drive to the beautiful Palm Beach and just spent time outside enjoying the gorgeous spring weather. I love weekends like this, be it my birthday or not!

 

I made a simple vegetable quiche with a couple of different salads for the girls' lunch yesterday. I love cooking for other people and it makes me so happy to see my friends enjoying the food. I also much prefer inviting people over and cooking myself than going out to restaurants. Nothing beats home-made food!

 

Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend!

 

xo

 

 

 

Vegetable Quiche

 

//Base//

 

150g soft butter

90g wholemeal flour

90g plain flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2-3 tablespoons cold water

 

//Filling//

 

olive oil

400g mixed mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 zucchinis, thinly sliced

fresh or dried thyme and oregano

pinch of salt

black pepper

130g grated mozzarella

100g feta cheese, sliced

3 eggs

200ml cream

 

1. To make the pastry, combine flour and salt in a bowl. Rub in the soft butter until the texture resembles breadcrumbs. Add cold water and gather into a firm dough. Use your fingers to spread the dough on the base and sides of a pie dish (about 27cm across). Use a fork to prick the base all over and then refrigerate for about 20 minutes.

 

2. Heat olive oil in a pan and add sliced vegetables. Cook for a few minutes and add herbs and seasoning. Leave to cool completely.

 

3. Preheat oven to 200C. Bake the base for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and add the filling. Spread the vegetables on the bottom of the base, add grated cheese and feta. Whisk eggs and cream in a small bowl and pour evenly on top of the filling. Bake the quiche for 30-40 minutes or until the top is nicely browned and feels firm to touch. Leave to cool for at least 40-60 minutes before cutting.

 

  

  

Apple and Oat Muffins

September, and spring alongside, is certainly in full swing and shaping up to be a busy one. My calendar is filled with quite a few engagements, including long overdue catch ups with friends and summer product launches for work. I am by no means complaining, but rather loving the buzz that spring seems to create every year. No doubt, warm weather and increasing sun light are making a busy schedule much more bearable as well.

I love having a few stand-by recipes in my kitchen repertoire for when I'm a little pressed with time. A favourite salad that can be thrown together at the last minute or quicker than quick home-made bread can save from a lot of unnecessary stress. Forward planning is of course the key, but I tend to rely on recipes that can either be made ahead or use basic ingredients that I am likely to have in my kitchen at all times.

These apple and oat muffins tick all those boxes and are perfect to bring along to a brunch with friends or serve with afternoon tea. Yoghurt gives them a sour edge that is balanced with sweet vanilla. Feel free to add a couple of teaspoons of ground cinnamon too, if you like.

Apple and Oat Muffins

(Recipe inspired by taste.com.au)
 

300g plain flour (you can use wholemeal, if you like)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

50g rolled oats + 2 tablespoons

170g raw caster sugar

2 tablespoons raw vanilla sugar + 2 tablespoons

400g plain yoghurt (pot set, low fat)

2 eggs

100ml olive oil

1 apple, peeled and chopped into small cubes

1. Preheat the oven to 180C and prepare a 12-cup muffin tin.

2. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, oats and sugar together.

3. Whisk yoghurt, eggs and oil in a separate bowl.

4. Add egg mixture to the dry ingredients and fold with a large spoon to combine. Add apple.

5. Spoon the batter in to the cups and sprinkle with left-over oats and vanilla sugar. Bake for about 25 minutes or until a tester inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean. Leave to cool on a wire rack before serving.

Marzipan Horns

It was a weekend of social gatherings and celebrations. On Saturday I met up with a bunch of fellow Finns for a brunch. It was my first time participating in one of these Finnish meet ups and I have to say I am feeling pretty silly for not doing so any earlier. It was a fun afternoon and it felt really nice connecting with other Finns in Sydney.

Yesterday we celebrated Father's Day and had invited my husband's parents over for lunch and afternoon tea. Suitably, I baked these marzipan filled horns for my German father-in-law who seemed quite pleased with the texture and flavour of them. Father-in-law approved!

Marzipan Horns 

(Recipe from pirkka.fi)

450g-500g plain flour

11g dry yeast

250ml milk

1 egg yolk

80g raw caster sugar

2 teaspoons ground cardamom

1 teaspoon salt

100ml melted butter

100g almond meal

180g icing sugar

1 egg white

+ 1 egg for brushing

almond flakes, for topping

1. Warm up the milk to about 42 C. Combine yeast with a little bit of flour and stir in to the milk. Add egg yolk, sugar, cardamom and salt and stir well to combine. Add cool, melted butter and the flour bit by bit, stirring and kneading until you have a dough that is soft and won't stick to your hand. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and leave in a warm place for about 30 minutes.

2. Prepare the filling by combining almond meal, icing sugar and one egg white. Mix into a smooth dough and divide into 16 equal-sized portions. Set aside and cover with a towel or some cling wrap to prevent drying.

3. Cut the dough in two and roll each portion into a large (30cm) round disk. Cut each disk in to 8 equal-sized triangles. Take a portion of marzipan, roll it into a small bar and place on the broad end of the triangle. Roll the triangle up and place on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Continue with the rest of dough, then cover the baking sheet with tea towels and leave to rise for about 30-45 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 200C. Brush the pastry with egg and sprinkle with almond flakes. Bake for about 12 minutes or until the top and the bottom are browned. Leave to cool on a wire rack, covered with a tea towel. Enjoy warm. These will keep in the freezer for a good couple of months, just remember to use thick freezer bags to prevent drying.

Friday Bites: Mushroom Lasagne

Here's a rare treat for you - a pasta recipe! You might remember that I'm really not the biggest fan of pasta and tend to only cook it for my husband who is not as fussy as I am. Although tasty, I must admit that even this dish was mainly demolished by him and not me. Regardless, I wanted to try making a dairy-free (and vegan) lasagne and this turned out surprisingly well.

 

The trick is to use a lot of mushrooms for a hearty result. You could even use more than I did, up to, say 700 grams. Add flavour with capers, olives, sundried tomatoes and (dried or fresh) herbs and use wholemeal lasagne sheets for a nuttier flavour.

 

 

Mushroom Lasagne

(serves 4-6)

olive oil for the pan

1 onion, finely diced

1 clove garlic, grated 

3 small carrots, finely diced

500g mixed mushrooms (button, shiitake, portobello), sliced

2 tins diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons French capers
olives, sundried tomatoes, optional

salt, pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon paprika

grated nutmeg
fresh or dried herbs (rosemary, thyme, oregano), optional

300-500ml vegetable stock

300g silken firm tofu

pepper to taste

2-3 tablespoons plain flour

100-150ml cold water

wholemeal lasagne sheets

1. Heat oil in a large pan and add onion, garlic and carrots. Cook for a few minutes, then add mushrooms. Cook for a further 3-4 minutes and add rest of the ingredients. Leave to simmer on low heat for about half an hour.


2. Bring vegetable stock to a boil in a medium sized pot. Use a hand blender to blend in the tofu. Season with pepper. Whisk flour with cold water and stir into the stock. Stir until the sauce thickens, then remove from the heat.

3. Preheat oven to 200C and grease a baking dish with olive oil.

4. To assemble the lasagne, spoon some of the tomato sauce on the bottom of the dish. Add a layer of lasagne sheets, then some of the white sauce, tomato sauce and more lasagne sheets. Continue for a few layers. Finish off with a layer of white sauce and tomato sauce. Bake for 40-45 minutes and leave to cool for at least half an hour before serving.

Oven-Baked 3-Grain Porridge with Blueberry Soup

It was a beautiful weekend here in Sydney, so sunny and warm! I got most of the things done on my to do-list, including this oven-baked porridge which I've been craving for a while. The recipe is based on my old favourite, pearl barley porridge, but this one has a lot 'grainier' texture and nuttier flavour. Sweet blueberry soup was a perfect companion and I was happy as ever to devour a bowl of this whilst enjoying the sun on our balcony.

Bring on the new week!

Oven-Baked 3-Grain Porridge

(serves 4)

70g oat groats

70g rye groats

70g brown rice

700-800ml unsweetened oat milk

a pinch of salt 

olive oil for the baking dish

1. Start by soaking the grains for at least a couple of hours. When ready to bake, drain the grains.

2. Preheat oven to 150C and brush an oven dish (21cm x 15cm) with some oil.

3. Combine all grains and add to the dish. Pour milk on top (enough to reach a couple of centimetres from the top) and season with salt. 

4. Bake for a couple of hours or until the milk has soaked in and the grains have softened. Leave to cool slightly before serving.

Blueberry Soup

250g fresh or frozen blueberries

800ml water

2 tablespoons raw vanilla sugar

2 teaspoons granulated stevia

2 tablespoons potato starch

100ml water, extra 

1. Combine blueberries, sugar, stevia and most of the water in a pan. Bring to boil, then add rest of the water and take the pan off the heat.

2. Whisk potato starch in cold water and add to the blueberry soup while whisking continuously. Leave to cool before serving.

Scandi Foodie Turns Three, Queen Muffins

Three years ago today I published my first blog post. It was a poem my mum used to read me in the mornings to wake me up. I started the blog to keep in touch with my parents, to show them the Finnish treats I was baking and the vintage Scandinavian design pieces I had found. Very soon I realised blogging had opened up a whole new world to me; a world of recipes I had never tried before, ingredients I had never even heard of, flavours I had never tasted and people I had never met. I loved sharing pieces of my everyday life to my imaginary audience. I had no idea if anyone apart from my parents ever read my blog, but I kept posting new recipes day after day. 

I've come a long way in three years. I've experienced both sides of the blogosphere, the good and the bad, I've found new friends along the way and I've learned a lot about food, styling and photography. Blogging has also opened up a new career to me as a stylist and a freelance writer and I couldn't be happier and more thankful for it. 

However many changes there have been along the way, this blog has remained first and foremost a personal account. There have been very few commercials and I've never been interested in making money with this blog. I continue to write content that feels comfortable to me and I don't feel a need to publish something only to attract more readers. I am open to feedback, but for the above mentioned reason I don't take criticism very well; it always feels as a personal attack and sometimes I feel that some people tend to forget that there is a real person behind every post.

I thank you for following and I plan to continue blogging for as long as it feels right and doesn't become a chore. I have many more recipes to try and I definitely still have a lot to learn, so I feel no need to stop now. I hope you will continue reading and sharing your thoughts - thank you again.

 Queen Muffins*

(makes 12)

2 apples (Granny Smith)

1 banana

1/4 lemon, juiced

180g wholemeal flour

1 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon pure, ground vanilla

30g raw vanilla sugar

50g raw caster sugar

60ml olive oil
150g fresh or frozen raspberries and blueberries

natural, unrefined icing sugar to serve

* In Finland we call the combination of berries 'kuningatar' (queen), hence the name! :-)

1. Preheat the oven to 175C and line a 12 cup muffin tray with paper cups (or use oil to grease). 

2. Finely grate peeled and cored apples and put in a bowl with chopped banana and lemon juice. Puree with a hand mixer until smooth. Set aside.

3. Combine all dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Add oil into the dry ingredients and stir, then add the fruit puree. Stir briefly to combine and carefully fold the frozen berries in to the batter. 

4. Divide the batter evenly between the cups and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Leave to cool on a wire rack before dusting with icing sugar.