The Samla journal

Recipes we cook, and how we plan them

Food written down properly, plus what we've learned about feeding a household without deciding at six o'clock.

17 posts

Two glass jars of overnight oats topped with blueberries and raspberries, a spoon, a linen napkin, loose oats and half an apple on a wooden board

GuideMeal planning4 min read

Overnight Oats: the Base Recipe and Five Ways to Vary It

A base recipe for overnight oats, how long they keep in the fridge and five flavours to rotate. Five minutes in the evening, breakfast ready by morning.

Read the guide

A chef's knife on a chopping board beside half a yellow onion, a pile of diced onion, a garlic clove and chopped parsley, with a linen cloth under the board

GuideTechnique4 min read

Knife Skills for Beginners: Grip, Claw and Four Cuts

How to hold a knife, protect your fingers with the claw and chop onion, garlic and herbs evenly. The basics of knife skills, no chef training needed.

White cabbage, parmesan, dill, lemons and baby spinach on a wooden board with a striped tea towel, a mug and a paper list with a pencil

GuideMeal planning4 min read

A Weekly Meal Plan for the Whole Household

One autumn week, five dinners, one cabbage and a single shopping list. How to plan the week together in twenty minutes, so one person isn't carrying it all.

A bowl of creamy spaghetti with charred cabbage, a lemon half and a pepper mill

RecipeWeeknight30 min

Cabbage Alfredo With Crispy Edges

Browned cabbage, lemon and plenty of black pepper cut through this quick, silky Alfredo sauce.

Tomato cabbage soup with beef, rice, dill and a swirl of sour cream

RecipeWeeknight50 min

Gołąbki Soup With Cabbage, Beef and Rice

Gołąbki soup brings the comfort of Polish cabbage rolls to one pot: tender cabbage, beef, rice, tomato broth, fresh dill and sour cream.

Three cottage cheese taco shells filled with scrambled egg, avocado and chives

RecipeWeeknight35 min

Cottage Cheese Breakfast Tacos

These oven-baked cottage cheese taco shells turn crisp at the edges and stay flexible enough to hold avocado, eggs, chives and hot sauce.

A glass dish of thick yogurt cheesecake on a biscuit crumb base, spiced biscuits beside it

RecipeBaking12 h 5

Two-Ingredient Yogurt Cheesecake Hack

The viral yogurt cheesecake hack is simply thick Greek yogurt and spiced biscuits, chilled overnight until creamy, soft and spoonable.

Two glasses of yogurt cheesecake with cookie butter and spiced biscuit crumbs

RecipeBaking4 h 15

Biscoff Yogurt Cheesecake Cups

Thick yogurt, coffee, cookie butter and a handful of biscuit crumbs make an easy overnight dessert.

A croissant split open around a chocolate-chip cookie centre, dusted with icing sugar

RecipeBaking30 min

Crookie: The Cookie-Dough Croissant

The crookie is a Paris bakery mash-up with a crisp croissant outside and a soft chocolate-chip cookie centre. Here is the reliable home method.

Sardines on toast spread with whipped white beans, with capers, red onion and a lemon half

RecipeWeeknight15 min

Sardine Toast With Lemony White Beans

Sardine toast gets a bright, practical update with whipped white beans, capers, parsley and red onion on crisp sourdough. Lunch in 15 minutes.

Tinned sardines and mackerel with crispbread, potatoes, cucumber, radishes and mustard yogurt

RecipeShopping25 min

A Tinned-Fish Dinner With Potatoes and Crispbread

Put sardines, smoked mackerel, warm potatoes, crispbread and crunchy vegetables on the table for a relaxed dinner everyone builds themselves.

Golden spaghetti frittata with spinach, cherry tomatoes and Parmesan in a skillet

RecipeWeeknight25 min

Leftover Spaghetti Frittata

Turn cold leftover spaghetti into a crisp-edged frittata with spinach, tomatoes and Parmesan. It is faster and better than reheating yesterday's pasta.

Golden smashed potatoes with crisp edges beside a small bowl of dipping sauce

RecipeTechnique45 min

Extra-Crisp Air-Fryer Smashed Potatoes

Air-fryer smashed potatoes deliver craggy, golden edges without a tray of oil. The secret is steam-drying, a firm smash and enough space.