u/Aqqaluk_Viking

Hej everyone!

As an avid bookworm, my natural habitat is in the libraries of the world, where I satisfy my hunger for books. During one of my last visits, I found a vegan cooking book. However, this cooking book is special, as it was published in 1983. Naturally, I had to borrow and read it.

Originally, the book was published in 1982 by Leah Leneman in English. It was translated by Helle Drescher with a foreword by Kirsten Jungsberg (founder of Veganerbevægelsen, an early Danish vegan movement). I find it very interesting that many arguments and reasons for veganism discussed in the book are the same as today (animal welfare, world hunger and environmentalism).

During reading one quickly realises that it was a different time. This can also be seen in the introduction, where plant based alternatives for dairy products are discussed. These can be found in health food shops and are produced by companies like Nutana, Planmil or Caroba, many of which have been forgotten for many years by now. The brand Granovita still exists tho, standing as a lasting reminder of a bygone era. The available product range was modest to say the least, as one could only choose between soya milk and soya pudding. That’s it. The 1980s vegan despaired by this lack of available products is helped by this book, as it contains recipes for vegan yoghurt, cream, cheese and tofu, that still is referred to as “sojabønneost” (soya bean cheese).

Many of the recipes in the book are relatively simple, but I have not tried any of them yet. Maybe I will give you an update in a few days.

All in all, the book is an interesting relic from a time where the term “veganism” was foreign to most people, especially in Denmark. A time in which the product range and availability of vegan products was limited to non-existant. No matter if it is our history as a country, people, organisation or movement, we should remember our roots and origins. Only that way, we can learn from past mistakes and shape a better tomorrow.

Hej everyone!

As a part of my journey through the world of forgotten Danish legumes, I have decided to make a Nordic hummus today.

The recipe comes from Claus Meyer’s book “Grøn Mad” and was also published for free here. I used yellow ingrid peas instead tho.

I am looking forward to experiment further, especially with different legumes and spices.

Stay cool, stay local 🌱💚🇩🇰🇫🇴🇫🇮🇬🇱🇮🇸🇳🇴🇸🇪🇦🇽

Hej everyone!

I have gotten my hands on grey peas and look forward to experiment with their uses. Primarily due to the pea’s long and interesting history in Denmark.

Grey peas have been grown in Denmark since bronze age, and played a crucial role throughout centuries. Through most of Denmark’s history, (grey) peas have been a staple food for most of the population. In winters the dried peas often were a lifesaver, as they could just be soaked in water and used for porridge and soup. This was crucial when fresh vegetables were scarce. They also were ground into flour and used in bread and other baked good. Another lifesaving property, especially when grains like rye or wheat were low in quantity.

First around the middle of the 1800s, peas came under pressure from potatoes and an increased focus on animal agriculture. As habits and agriculture changed, gray (and most other) peas slowly disappeared from the Danish fields and dinner tables. On an interesting side note, the traditional dish brændende kærlighed (consisting of mashed potatoes, bacon, fried onion and pickled beetroot) was originally made from pea mash.

Grey peas can be used for many things, including soups, porridge and a kind of spread similar to hummus. Thus far, I have used them in vegetable soup, and their flavour gives a nice, somewhat nutty taste to my soup.

Looking forward to share more recipes and ideas!

Hej!

As it is pickling season, I wanted to share a recipe for pickled red onions. They are a tasty input in salads, sandwiches and many other foods.

This recipe is from the Danish blogger Englerod (Johanne Mosgaard), specifically from her book “Vegansk Grundkøkken”.

For a middle-sized jar:

• 3 red onions
• 2 dl apple cider vinegar (unfiltered or organic is vegan)
• 1 dl of water
• 50 grams of sugar
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tea spoon of whole peppercorns

Peel the onions and cut them into rings that are 1/2 cm thick. Make the vinegar and water boil in a small pot and add the sugar, bay leaves and pepper. Let it simmer for a few minutes. Add onions and boil for 5 minutes. Put the onions and liquid into a jar with a fitting lid. Close the lid and let the jar cool down to room temperature. Keep it refrigerated.

Hej hej people,

As a regular baker, I wanted to share one of my favourite recipes for rye bread. I bake bread very often, as I find that it gives me peace and calm. It also is good way to create a piece of Denmark when living or being abroad.

The recipe is simple, easy and good if you are new to sourdough. My rye sourdough is over one year old now, and still going strong 💪🏻🍞🥖

I have used this recipe by Claus Meyer, but used Naturli’ block instead of butter. In addition, I have added 20 grams of dark barley malt flour for a nicer taste and colour. It also makes the bread a fantastic base for kvass (an Eastern-European bread beer, recipe will hopefully follow in the foreseeable future). Also, if the bread has gone too long and therefore has grown too much, you can easily save it by poking a lot of deep holes into it (three holes in width, with around two centimetres between holes).

I also hope to share some other breads in the near future. Maybe Danish rye bread with seeds. Or some German specialities. Borodinsky bread is another favourite of mine.

Hej!

I just wanted to hear about your favourite spreads and toppings for sandwiches - and share some of my favourites.

My go to spread is Plantepostej (Klassisk) by Hanegal. It tastes very similar to Danish leverpostej (liver paté), which is a very popular spread here. I like mine with a pickled beetroot on top.

I also like the spreads produced by Rømer Plantbased. Some of my favourites from are their tuna free and mackerel free in tomato. I find all their products good to very tasty, but these are my favourites. They also have a “healthier“ (no added sugars) chocolate spread for children and childlish souls.

In addition, I want to try making Nordic hummus. I heard that you can make it with yellow peas, but I need to find a good recipe. Perhaps anyone in here has a good recipe? Thank you in advance!

Hej everyone!

As I have mentioned earlier, juices and vinegar can be filtered or processed with animal ingredients. While this is relatively common knowledge in other countries (and respective products often are labelled vegan), I haven’t heard the issue being discussed much in Scandinavia.

Therefore, I have asked several Danish companies about whether or not they use animal products when making their juices and vinegars. Not many have answered yet, but I’ll keep you updated.

I have also contacted Rema1000. In short, by far most juices and vinegars from their house brand are vegan. Their sports soda (Sport med citrussmag sukkerfri, 1 liter (13302)) being a non-vegan exception.

Unfortunately, Coop Danmark refuses to answer. Their reason being that it takes to much time finding out if their products are vegan and the fact that their suppliers can change the production methods without any warning.

I will carry on and keep you updated!

Hello!

I wanted to share a beloved food of mine called Flammkuchen or Zwiebelkuchen (flame cake or onion cake).

It originates in the Alsace region and is popular in Germany, especially in the winter.

What I used:

• Around 250 g white flour

• Pinch of yeast

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil (plus some for frying)

• Smoked tofu

• Some salt

• Some water

• Two-three old potatoes

• One red onion

• Some vegan sour cream

• Some vegan oat cream

• Salt and pepper

What I did:

I mage the dough and made it rest for 30 minutes. In the meantime, I heated the oven to 138.75 degrees Rømer (250 degrees Celcius). Simultaniously, I mixed one part of sour cream with one part of regular oat cream and fried some smoked tofu (cut into cubes) in a pan. I also sliced the vegetables into thin slices. Then I rolled out the dough and spread the cream on top. Afterwards, I put the toppings on it. When the oven is ready, bake it for around 15 minutes. When it is done, spice it with pepper, salt and some parsley or chives.

Have a nice weekend! I will read some books and watch some old Danish tv :)

Hello everyone,

as I have started on a new job, I needed some new clothes. While I get most of my clothes second hand, getting a proper belt and shoes is more difficult. Luckily, I was able to order a pair of shoes and a belt from Green Laces in Sweden.

I absolutely love both! They fit me well and suit my style. 10/10, highly recommended!

As the title says, I am very curious to hear what helped you on the beginning of going vegan. And who knows, maybe somebody finds some inspiration :)

For me, it was a mixture of books and blogs. As I still lived in Germany when I went vegan, one of my favourite books is only available in German. It is called “Vegan Kochen” and published by the publisher NeunZehn Verlag in Berlin. The book contains many good recipes for basics, including home made plant milk, bouillon, seitan and plant cheese, among other things. It was a huge help, especially when vegan basics weren’t available everywhere.

Otherwise, I really liked the blogs Månebarnet and later on, Englerod. The latter has published several cooking books. Other blogs include Kærlighed og Kikærter, Mia Sommer and Vegansk for Alle. I was probably just happy to find resources in my mother tongue. From other online forums and blogs (like German Vegpool), I learned a lot about hidden animal ingredients, and how to avoid them.

Have a lovely weekend 😄

Today, the Danish government held a press conference about their intended political goals. One of their min goals is the reduction of conventional pig production.

Specifically, there will be a temporary moratorium/ban on expanding conventional pig farms. Furthermore, there shall be a four-party agreement between farmers as well as environmental and animal welfare organisations on the future of pig production. This includes a national ban on spraying pesticides in vulnerable groundwater areas.

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen states that in the future, Danish pig production shall focus on the pigs that are consumed here or processed domestically before export.

Søren Søndergaard, chairman of the agricultural interest organisation Landbrug & Fødevarer (Agriculture & Food) criticised the governments plans.

- The government is determined to make it more difficult and more expensive to produce food in Denmark.

He adds that, in general, he “wishes the government would address the consequences of its own policies”.

He describes a pesticide ban as ‘symbolic’ and emphasises that Danish farmers currently have no idea how new nitrogen regulations will affect them next year.

- Danish farmers are operating under a great deal of uncertainty at the moment. Everything is up in the air, so it would be a sign of responsibility, not weakness, if the government were to pause and reconsider, he says.

- That is the best way to achieve a better aquatic environment, improved animal welfare and sound agricultural production, he says.

Sources:

https://regeringen.dk/aktuelt/publikationer-og-aftaletekster/regeringens-arbejdsprogram/

https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/politik/live-seneste-nyt-fra-dansk-politik-2?focusId=12248817#liveblog-embed

https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/politik/live-seneste-nyt-fra-dansk-politik-2?focusId=12249535#liveblog-embed

https://nyheder.tv2.dk/live/politik/2025-08-11-dansk-politik?entry=a81db575-f9bb-4cf9-8325-c9c855adea55

Hello everyone,

I have a deep passion for traditional food and old varieties thereof. To my big disappointment, we don’t eat much buckwheat in the Nordic country, which is a shame in my opinion.

Buckwheat has a long history, and has also been consumed a lot in the Nordic area throughout the ages. In Denmark, it had a special role on the island of Funen/Fyn, where the porridge version has sticked to the islands history for centuries. When cultivating the plains of Jutland, buckwheat played a major role in the conversion of the heathlands.

Healthwise, buckwheat has many good properties. Despite its name, it is not a traditional grain, so it is free of gluten. In addition, it is rich in protein, minerals and fibres, making it a valuable source of nutrients.

I first encoutered Her Majesty the Queen of Cereals on my travels to Eastern Europe, where it is a staple food in many countries. Eaten as porridge or like rice, she has many faces and shapes. Her slightly nutty flavour being a pleasure for most people.

I like to eat buckwheat as many people would eat rice. My go-to comford food is buckwheat “rice“ with fried or baked vegetables, cooked in oat cream and served with frikadeller/patties. But there are many ways to enjoy her, so find the best way for you.

https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/indland/svinegylle-har-forurenet-vandloeb-i-hele-landet-med-tungmetaller

Almost four out five (79 percent) watercourses are polluted with zinc, and almost half (48 percent) are polluted with copper.

Approximately 70 and 75 percent of the zinc and copper respectively, that is in our aquatic environments, is assumed to come from agricultural fertilisers (including manure). Especially manure from pigs has caused this, senior researcher John Jensen explains. Zink and copper have been increasingly fed to pigs to prevent diarrhoea and increase growth.