Scandinavian Inspired Recipes

Nordic Hygge Granola

This recipe comes courtesy of Kristi Bissell of True North Kitchen from Omaha, Nebraska. The addition of cardamom seeds and our Blue Maple blueberry syrup give it that Scandinavian flair!  Easy to make, delicious and healthy! True Hygge. 

 Ingredients:

4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup sliced almonds (substitute any nut you have on hand)

1/2 cup raw pepitas pumpkin seeds

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp cardamom seeds ground to a powder

1 tsp fine salt

1/2 cup extra-virgin coconut oil, warmed until liquid

1/2 cup Blue Maple blueberry syrup, warmed slightly

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

Instructions for approx. 12 servings (6 cups)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Combine oats, almonds, pepitas, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt in a large bowl.  Stir well, ensuring salt and spices are evenly distributed. 

Add coconut oil, syrup and extracts. Stir well to combine.

Transfer granola to prepared pan. Pat down with rubber spatula to distribute mixture in an even layer. Bake for 15 minutes.

Remove granola from oven and stir with spatula to redistribute on baking sheet. Firmly press down on mixture.  Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until granola is toasty and golden brown.

Remove from oven and cool completely. Transfer to jars or freezer bags. Granola keeps for about a week at room temperature; several months in a freezer. 

Blue Maple Fizz Cocktail

Here's an easy recipe that pairs our new Blue Maple blueberry syrup with Pinot Grigio. Enjoy! 

Makes 6 full size drinks

1 cup Blue Maple

1 bottle lemon flavored soda water

1 lemon, squeezed 

1 bottle Pinot Grigio

Fresh blueberries, mint, and/or rosemary for garnish

Instructions for 6 full size drinks: 

Pour one ounce of Blue Maple into the bottom of 6 cocktail glasses.

Top glasses with equal parts Pinot Grigio and lemon soda water. Squeeze juice of one lemon equally into glasses.  Garnish  cocktails with fresh blueberries and a sprig of mint or rosemary. Serve on ice. Enjoy! 

Cool treat...spicy Blue Heat cocktail

The winter of 2019 would drive anyone to drink!  Here's an easy cocktail that works well for winter. It's also a refresher for summer.  It's so easy to make, just a few ingredients: 

2 TB of Blue Heat Jam

4 oz. of spicy whiskey. We used Tennessee Mango Habanero Whiskey (any spicy liquor would work) 

1/2 lime squeezed

Shake over ice then strain and serve over a crushed ice with a lime wedge.

That's it, easy peasy!

 

Create a Cheeseboard in 5 Easy Steps...

When you host a party, one of the easiest appetizers that you can put together is a cheese board.  It’s the perfect treat to welcome your guests and it keeps them happily munching while you finish prepping the rest of the meal.

Step 1:  Add Cheese!  Choose from different types of milk sources, textures (soft, semi-soft, crumbly and hard).  Good options are Fontina, Midnight moon (goat), gorgonzola for pungent.   Other common cheese staples include hard cheeses like  Parmigiano-Reggiano and aged cheddar or soft cheeses like Chèvre. We recommend including several varieties.

Step 2: Add Salty Foods like charcuterie meats, olives and nuts for crunch.  

Step 3: Get creative and add the sweet!  Dried or fresh fruit works well. 

Step 4: Add the spreads/condiments. That’s us!  Try True Blue for some sage notes, Blue Collar for heartiness, and Blue Heat for some spice!  Fig spreads and quince paste work too.

Step 5: Add the carbs! Crackers, breadsticks and baguettes work well.

With cheeseboards, you can go big or you can go petite. Here's a smaller version of a cheeseboard that pairs well with our True North cheeseboards. 

 

Mustikkapiirakka or Finnish Blueberry Yogurt Pie

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Here's an easy Scandi-inspired recipe with just a few ingredients and fresh blueberries. Not too sweet and very satisfying.

CRUST

• 1/2 Cup butter
• 1/4 Cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 Cup unbleached white flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder

Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter and flour a 9 or 10-inch pie pan. Cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg and blend well. Combine the flour and baking powder and mix into the wet ingredients to form a soft dough.

With flour-dusted fingers pat the sticky dough into the bottom of the buttered and floured pie pan. Push the dough up to cover the sides of the pan. Refrigerate at least as long as it takes to make the filling.

FILLING

• 2 eggs
• 3TB sugar
• 1 C plain yogurt
• 3 TB fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 2 Cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

Mix the eggs, sugar, yogurt, lemon juice and vanilla extract until smooth.Place the blueberries into the pie shell and gently pour in the filling so the berries are coated and evenly distributed.

Bake the pie for 50 to 60 minutes, until the crust is browned and the custard has set. Chill well.