Summer in Southern Norway

I recently went on vacation to Norway, exploring several different cities and visiting family. The scenery in Norway is incredible, and you can often find a body of water every five minutes. For someone who lives in the midwest, I always look forward to sitting by the ocean and hiking in the mountains. Check out an overview of my trip here:

I had an awesome time working at Quality Hotel and Resort in Kristiansand two years ago (you can read more about how I was a princess and a pirate here), so I decided I needed to visit to see how everything was two years later. They were recently acquired by Scandic, and the interior looks so cozy! I definitely felt some nostalgia as I walked through the front doors, and it felt incredible when I was greeted by friendly faces. They offer a complementary breakfast to guests, and when I went downstairs to check out their gluten-free options I was blown away.

They have expanded their selection of gluten-free options to include different kinds of breads, muffins, cookies, and if requested they have a designated toaster! The chefs are well versed in offering safe options for gluten-free guests, which makes traveling there a lot easier. Eating a delicious breakfast ensures that you'll be able to explore the beautiful town of Kristiansand without going hungry!

Over the summer, Scandic Sørlandet becomes a children's hotel, offering guests a variety of children's activities. That was actually my job when I worked at that hotel, and nothing brought me more joy than seeing how excited the kids got when the princesses and pirates showed up. They also have a play room in the basement that the kids can look forward to (my brother was definitely excited to check it out). This hotel gives off such friendly vibes, so I will definitely visit again when I'm in Kristiansand!

-Sema

Gluten-free Norwegian Crisp Bread

Hello everyone! It's almost spring break, which is crazy since it feels like winter break was just a week ago. But you know what that means--I have tests in all my classes next week. That's why this bread is perfect for the busy week ahead of me. Whenever I go to Norway, I always find myself eating a lot of gluten-free knekkebrød (crisp bread), because I don't need to find a toaster to toast it. It's a good bread to bring on hiking trips or for school lunches, and on top of that, it's very easy to make! You can top it off with your favorite sandwich items, or just eat it like a protein bar.


Ingredients
1 1/2 cup walnuts
1 cup flax seeds
1 cup chia seeds
2 cups sliced almonds
3 cups gluten-free rolled oats
2 cups sunflower seeds
5 Medjool dates
2 tablespoons honey
3 cups boiling water

Procedure
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Slice the Medjool dates into very small pieces. 
3. Add all your ingredients except the water into a bowl and mix them thoroughly together.
4. Add the boiling water and thoroughly mix it again.
5. Let it stand for about 10 minutes.
6. Line a couple of baking pans with parchment paper, and spread the mixture evenly over it.Spread       out the mixture as flat as possible.
7. Bake it for 10 minutes.
8. Cut the bread into squares.
9. Bake for another 30-40 minutes or until done.

Voila! You have a delicious crisp bread that you won't need to toast on all those busy mornings!

Enjoy!
-Sema

Quality Hotel and Resort Kristiansand

This summer has been going by so quickly, and I can't believe it's almost time for me to come home! I worked as a children's activity leader at the Quality Hotel and Resort in Kristiansand-one of the best experiences in my life. My co-workers ended up becoming my family, so it was so hard to say goodbye to them yesterday. If you are ever in Kristiansand, I urge you to stay there, since they are very good with gluten-free food in the restaurant (all of their sauces are gluten-free!), and it's in a wonderful location-close to Norway's largest shopping center and the Kristiansand Zoo. Over the summer it becomes a children's hotel-so our job was to make every child feel special with awesome activities like treasure hunts, face painting, talent shows, and kids' discos every night! I have become quite good at painting tigers, cats, pirates-you name it, I can paint it. All in all, I have had the best summer ever, and will cherish the friendships I have made forever :).
Check out a commercial I'm in here.

Heights and Hamburgers

Yesterday I hiked up to Preikestolen with a good family friend-in the pouring rain and fog. It felt like a great achievement, especially since we were soaked to the bone and extremely tired in the end. Thank goodness we had snacks like nuts and chocolate with us to keep our energy levels up, and at the end of the trip we ate a delicious lamb stew at a nearby hotel :). I ended up sleeping on the car ride home (something I'm usually not capable of doing) as well as through the night!

 

 

Other than adding alliteration to my blog post title, the next part of my blog post has absolutely nothing to do with hiking :). I'm sure most people over the world can recognize the symbol of the fast food chain I am about to review-McDonalds! What I love about McDonalds in Norway is that it has gluten-free buns! Although everyone around me thought I was insane for being extremely happy when I got my meal (although my mood was a bit dampened by the fact that it cost me like $10), I didn't care because I got to eat a hamburger at McDonalds just like everyone else. I ordered the McFeast with a drink and a side salad, and proceeded to eat my hamburger in one of the colorful booths, giddy with excitement (yes, I get excited about food). Although I was a bit disappointed at the fact that my hamburger didn't look exactly like the picture did, it was still fun to order a normal hamburger at such a generic fast food chain. I think that McDonalds in the U.S. needs to start serving gluten-free hamburgers!

:)
-Sema

Chai Latte Anyone?

Today I wandered around Kristiansand, checking out the stores and enjoying the ocean view. I had absolutely no agenda (except that I had to buy common necessities like toothpaste and floss), so I took the time to "see the sights." I have always enjoyed a good chai latte, so when I came across the Taj Chai and Coffee house, I decided to explore their gluten-free options. It was a typical quaint European cafe, furnished with eclectic furniture and decor-something straight out of a TV show or book. The best part was that they had gluten-free apple muffins, among several pastries (suksesskake included), so I immediately ordered a muffin and a chai latte. I sat outside with my drink and pastry, reading from my e-reader, and kind of felt like a hipster.

 

What I love about Norway is that most cafes and bakeries carry gluten-free options, so I can enjoy the experience of picking out freshly baked pastries instead of getting them from the freezer section :).

After I finished my chai latte, I headed down by the water and spent a good two hours reading and basking in the sun. Notice my practical tennis shoes-I've been doing so much walking here, so comfort trumps fashion ;).

:)
-Sema

An Update on Living Gluten-free in Norway

Good afternoon from Norway! There has been gorgeous weather in Kristiansand in contrast to the ongoing rain in St. Louis. I was taking the bus home (I'm getting pretty good at public transportation) and I looked out the window and saw this gorgeous view:

 

#nofilter :)
I have been talking to chefs and exploring stores and restaurants, and I haven't had a hard time trying to find food to eat! The gluten-free sections in the grocery stores consist of the European brands like Schar, and they are all clearly marked gluten-free.

 Whenever I speak to chefs, they always know what the gluten-free options are-even when there is no gluten-free menu. I haven't come across many gluten-free menus, but the servers usually point out what can be made gluten-free on the regular menu. Recently, I went to Clarion Hotel Ernst in Kristiansant for dessert, and found out that the chocolate nemesis cake was gluten-free (I had to tell them I was gluten-free, because normally they sprinkle cake crumbs on top). Almost everyone at my table ordered it, and they all loved it. I'm not going to lie-when I saw the cake, my jaw dropped, because the piece was so small. I was expecting this huge slice of chocolate cake, since it was priced at 125 kr (about 16 dollars). In the end, I was glad it was smaller, because I wouldn't have been able to finish it-it was so rich in taste! The best part was that I ate the same thing as everyone else! :)

Stay tuned for more updates!
-Sema