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katharina.kuehr

Super easy roasted sesame miso eggplant with coconut rice

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The soft „meat“ of the eggplant, soaked with flavour of the sesame miso marinade combined with creamy coconut rice and a baby spinach salad. Way easier than it sounds. And so delicious. 30 minutes, full of flavour, healthy and comforting.

I have never been to Japan, unfortunately, but it definitely is one of the top destinations of my travel list. I just really like all of the flavours, spices and fermented goods in their cuisine. Since the current situation makes travelling a bit difficult, it is time for us to bring Japan home! Taking the delicious and decadent flavours and making masterpieces out of them in the kitchen! And also, here is no better way to start into the slightly colder season than with some good comfort food. Heating up the oven and baking and the bubbling food on the stove. A super soft on the inside eggplant and creamy rice is the perfect dish for such occasions.

What is special about this dish?

Kind of everything, to be honest. The eggplant that is prepared and soaked up with the slightly sweet but so delicious asian marinade and baked to perfection and the rice that is not you average side dish rice but made with much more flavour.

What is miso and where can you get it?

Miso is a paste made from fermented soy beans and salt. It originated in Japan and is typically used in Asian, especially Japanese cuisine. Probably it’s most common use is in miso soup, which you can find at most Japanese restaurants. There are several different kinds of miso paste, from black to yellow and sweet so sour. For this recipe, I would recommend using a yellow/ light one without added sugar since we are adding the sweetness ourselves.

You can find Miso paste at pretty much any asian grocery store. It also often can be found at health stores or organic markets because of its high content of probiotics (through fermentation) or speciality stores.

Is this dish healthy?

I would definitely say so! You get great nutrients such as vitamins and fibre form the eggplant and also healthy probiotics from the miso (although there won’t be as much due to heating it up). The rice adds some great carbohydrates and protein and the coconut milk adds a healthy dose of fats. The only thing you should note is that this dish is a bit high in sodium because of its Miso and soy sauce content. If you have issues with sodium or make it sodium reduced, you can long for sodium reduced soy sauce, which you can find at any supermarket!

Meal prep & friendly?!

Yes and yes! You can very well store this in containers and heat it up whenever you want to enjoy it. The flavours will stay and consistency wise the reheating won’t be a problem. It also is pretty family friendly and a great way to sneak some more veggies onto the plates. If in your family, someone cannot go without meat, an easy way to include this is to just add some chicken, prawns or any other meat/ seafood of your preference into the marinade and then just fry it up in a pan while the eggplant is baking!

I hope that you will enjoy this recipe and that it gets you a little bit excited for the colder season ahead of us!

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Super easy roasted sesame miso eggplant with coconut rice

Soft eggplant that is full of flavor and easy to make paired with some dreamy, creamy coconut rice and a fresh salad!

Course dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine asian, Japanese
Prep Time 5 Minuten
Cook Time 35 Minuten
Total Time 40 Minuten
Servings 4 people
Calories 530 kcal

What you will need

For the eggplant:

  • 2 eggplants
  • 1 tbsp Tahini
  • 3 tbsp miso paste
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • a few drops Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp hot sauce
  • 6 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup

For the rice:

  • 250 g rice
  • 200 ml coconut milk
  • 300 ml water

For the rest:

  • 4 handful baby spinach
  • 2 scallions (spring onions)
  • 2 tbsp sesame seeds

How to

  1. Cut the eggplants lengthwise. Carefully cut a grid-pattern into each half of the eggplant. This only is supposed to add some depth to the eggplant to soak up the flavor better. Do not cut the eggplant through!

  2. In a bowl/ tupperware combine all of the inrgedients for the sauce. Place the eggplant halfes, pattern side down in the marinade and let marinade for about 2-4 hours if you have got the time (if you do not, continue on from the next step).

  3. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the eggplant halves on a baking tray and brush some of that remaining dressing into the grids. Bake the eggplant for 25-30 minutes. Take them out of the oven, heat it up to 225°C. Brush the eggplants again and bake for another 5 minutes.

  4. In the meantime add the rice along with the coconut milk, some salt and water to a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and let simmer until all liquid is absorbed. Cover and let steam on very low heat for another 3-5 minutes until the rice is soft.

  5. Wash the baby spinach and toss it with some slat, pepper,a nd the remaining eggplant marinade.

  6. Divide the rice and salad onto the plates and add the eggplant on top. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, chopped up scallions and cliantro. Enjoy!

Happy cooking,
Enjoy,
Katie // Une Petite Cuisinière

An actually delicious kale salad with caramel figs & maple-dijon

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Kale, kale, kale, everywhere the is kale. It is the superfood par excellence. But taste wise? Not the best most of the times. But, since it is coming into season, it is grown locally and super healthy we need to find a way to make it tasty. And there is one – this salad will forever change your opinion about kale. Give it a shot and you’ll be surprised

Let’s have a little chat about kale.

Kale is a green, a cabbage to be exact, which comes with green or purple leaves that look a bit like super curly hair and have a rather stiff consistency. About 2 years ago, I believe, it has entered the health food industry and nowadays it is impossible to think it away. To be fair, there is good reason for kale to be cheered. It is incredibly high in Vitamin K and C but also other vitamins, has a decent amount of fibre, is low in calories, and contains 9 minerals! So it really is a nutrition bomb.

So it basically became super popular in the US, where you can find it pretty much anywhere nowadays. It is funny, because I have tried it in the US and loved it. Then I went back to Austria, tried it and omg, it was disgusting at first. Why? First of all, the way I prepared it – not good, and secondly, because Kale in Europe just somehow is different from the one in the US. I think it has a more bitter flavour, is harsher to chew, it has larger leaves and just doesn’t taste as good in its raw state.

So I experimented with it until I finally found ways I liked it. And really, there are ways it tastes delicious. You just have to know how to prepare it the right way. But please, DO NOT eat it RAW (at least not the one from Austria). Mainly because of two reasons: the eating experience: it tastes disgusting, it is difficult to chew, you kind of have the feeling that it is like paper in your mouth. Not good. And secondly, because raw kale is really difficult to digest and it is very very likely to bloat you. So the after feeling won’t be amazing either. It is best to just quickly steam it or boil it before enjoying!

Enough heard of kale – what is special about this dish?

Besides the fact that kale tastes good in here, this is an awesome fall salad. The flavours combined just give a great fall feeling. You have got a maple-mustard dressing, which is super delicious and easy to make, fresh apples (pure fall vibes), and warm caramelised figs (the best thing about this salad!). Last, but not least, some fluffy quinoa to also fill you up!

Is this dish healthy?

It really is. You have got the super nutritious kale, the quinoa for carbohydrates, fibre and protein (& deliciousness of course!), figs for more vitamins, and the dressing with some healthy fats and sweetness. Not only delicious but also super healthy!

Difficult to make?

Not really. It all is super simple except for the figs, they are a little more challenging, but nothing impossible. So, it is quite easy. And quick, so it is great for lunches and quick weeknight dinners.

Meal-prep & family friendly?

You can definitely meal prep this salad, by packing the dressing extra. Just be aware that the figs won’t be as „freshly caramelised“ and warm anymore. But they’ll still be good!
In terms of family friendly, I also think so. It’s really delicious and very versatile, so you can add some extras on top like chicken, tofu, cottage cheese or whatever you like!

I hope that you enjoy this recipe and fall gets a little healthier (& tastier of course!) with it!

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Kale & Quinoa salad with caramel figs & maple-dijon dressing

A kale salad that tastes. Good tasting kale tossed in the best maple dijon dressing along with from fresh apple, quinoa and caramelized figs. Fall perfection!

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
Prep Time 10 Minuten
Cook Time 15 Minuten
Total Time 25 Minuten
Servings 2 servings
Calories 494 kcal

What you will need

  • 80 g Quinoa
  • 5 large handful kale about 1 bunch
  • 3-4 figs
  • 1 green apple
  • 1 tbsp oil or vegan butter
  • 2 tbsp coconut sugar

For the dressing:

  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp vegan mayonaise
  • 4 tbsp plant based yoghurt
  • 2 tsp fig preserves (fig jam)

How to

  1. Add the Quinoa with some salt to a pot along with twice the amount of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and let simmer until all water is absorbed, abou 10 minutes. Turn down the heat to minimum, cover witha lid and let steam for about 3-4 minutes until fluffy.

  2. In the meantime bring a pot with water to a boil and steam or boil the kale for about 4-5 minutes. Drain and let cool. Then roughly chop it up into bite-sized pieces and add to a large bowl.

  3. Thinly slice or chop up the Apple and add it to the kale with the quinoa. Mix all of the ingredients for the dressing in a bowl or food processor until creamy and toss the salad in it!

  4. Slice the figs into about 0,5cm thick slices (you can eat the peel of figs if you have washed them!). In a pan melt the vegan butter or heat up the oil. Add the sugar evenly to the pan. Place the fig slices on top of the sugar and let caramelize for about 3-4 minutes on medium high heat.

  5. Divide the salad onto bowls nd top with the figs. Serve and enjoy!

Happy cooking,
Enjoy,
Katie // Une Petite Cuisinière

My October Top 5

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We are fully into fall now and all feeling it. Days are getting short, skies are getting grayer and we are getting our coats out again.. but it also is the season of loads of tea, hot chocolate, cozy evenings and beautiful walks in nature. To make your October a bit better I have got my 5 favorite things for you here, that will take this month next level! 

Food of the month – Brussel sprouts

This is one of the most controversial foods ever. I do not know a single person that is feeling kind of „fine“ about brussel sprouts – either you love them or you hate them. And I really do not understand everyone who does not like them. The flavor, the texture, everything about them is so good. And they are really healthy too. 

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You could probably already tell by their color that they are healthy (is there even a green food that is not healthy?) heir incredibly high amount of antioxidants can help lower your risk of chronically diseases. And, as pretty much every veggie, they are high in fibre and low in calories. Fibre is an essential component of a healthy diet for ultimate gut health and a well-working digestion. Besides, they have an incredibly high content of Vitamin K. Actually 100g provide you with more than your daily need of Vitamin K. So yes, they are a great health veggie. Plus, they are super easy to prepare. Throw them into curries, stews, a wok or just roast them as they are with a little olive oil and sea salt. You can make the Vegan Rice Noodle Salad with Crispy Tofu or my Super Green 20-minute Curry ! There are more recipes to come this month, so stay tuned!

Recipe of the month – Unbelievably Good (Healthy) Vegan Half Baked Cheesecake with Figs & Secret Ingredient

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Figs again? Yes! I definitely love figs – that’s why we have another fig recipe in my favorites! And this recipe especially is insane! The vegan “cheesecake” is some next level goodness. Don’t be afraid when you hear vegan and cheesecake in a sentence but trust me and this recipe and you’ll be surprised how good it is.

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It’s healthier than regular cheesecake, SO easy to make, incredibly tasty and if you do not like figs, top it with truly and fruit – you could go for blueberries, raspberries or just with nothing on top! This truly is one of my absolute favorite recipes so it just had to be included here. 

Product of the month – Wien – Food. People. Stories – by NENI

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Earlier in September I was invited to the introduction of the new cookbook from the Molcho Family (founders of NENI), called Wien by Neni. No this is not sponsored in any way but I decided to choose this as the product of the month because I am genuinely in love with this book. 

It is for sure not your average cookbook. You can really feel the hours of love, work and committed it took to write it. Besides their amazing recipe creations (like Stuffed Onions with Cashew Tahina or Chicken Gyoza with Caramelized Kimchi and Date Marinade) but they also included recipes from their favorite restaurants in Vienna (such as Mochi, Mayer & Freunde, zum Herkner…)! And you get to know the family, their story and all of their favorite addresses in Vienna. No matter whether it is for Brunch, a fancy dinner, an American diner or a nice bar, they have got you covered! 

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I would not recommend this book without having tried to make anything out of it. I tried the Roastbeef with Tomatoes and Green Pepper Salsa and it was amazing! So worth the purchase – especially when we are confronted with the possibility of having to stay at home any day at the moment! In this case, you would not run out of ideas to cook (besides the one from my blog :))! 

Workout of the month – ShapedByIB 20 minute Scorch 

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Aka death by crizou. You may think it only is a 20 minute workout, how hard can this be? Well, I guess you have never pushed yourself through a ShapedByIB workout! 

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What even is that? Shaped By IB is one of the most popular fitness and workout locations in Vienna. It is located in the heart of Vienna, in the cellar of a ship. Pretty cool right? As if that wasn’t enough, for every workout you get a gadget that measures your heart rate all throughout the workout and gives you information on your heart rate and burned calories while you are working out. Really innovative and so much fun! The workouts are made of a strength (on the floor) and cardio part (on the treadmill) as for the original workout or a strength (on the floor), a cardio (on the treadmill) and a boxing part (with boxing bags) when you do the Scorch! Whichever workout you choose, you are going to feel sore the next day for sure. 

But, as with most of us, Covid-19 has also affected Shaped By IB. But they did not complain and tried to make the best out of the situation with innovation. And truly, what they did is great. The Team from Shaped by IB created an online Platform with workouts based on the Shaped by IB principle – but such you can make at home and without equipment. All you need is a monthly or yearly membership and you have access to over 50 workouts with new ones coming every month! 

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My favorite at the moment is the 20 minute Scorch from trainer Chris. A mix of cardio, strength and boxing and it hits hard. If you want to challenge yourself and step out of your comfort zone, you need to try this. After you have pushed yourself through this workout to give everything, you will feel amazing!! The feeling after really is unbeatable!

Inspiration of the month – Linda Sun

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You have probably never heard of her – much like me up until a few weeks ago. Actually I discovered her through a friend who shared a video of mine with me, and now she is one of my favorite food youtubers (is that even a thing! out there! 

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What does she share? 

Lots of pancakes and sweaty workouts! No but really, besides that she shares a lot of delicious recipes, realistic eats, super inspiring talks about body positivity, a healthy relationship with food and lots of positive vibes. Her videos just inspire one to live the best life we could and enjoy it to the fullest! I can only recommend her from the bottom of my heart! She’s such a cute girl! 

Happy October

I hope you like and enjoy this inspiration! These really are things that make my life a little bit better on a daily basis, an I hope they do the same to you! I am wishing you a wonderful fall and an amazing start into October!

All the best,
Katie // Une Petite Cuisinière

P.s.: if you are wondering where that delicious green smoothie in my hand is from – it is from Colour Cups, which is a start up which makes incredibly good smoothies and porridges, freezes the ingredients, and delivers them to your home! You reheat or blend them and your breakfast is ready to go in 2 minutes! We have visited them last week and were absolutely amazed!

Super quick Peanut Soba Noodle Stir-fry with best sticky tofu

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Soft noodles tossed in a (super delicious) creamy peanut sauce together with some crispy veggies and topped with a slightly sweet sticky maple soy tofu. And all of that’s vegan. I can truly see no reason you would not love this. It’s quick, it’s healthy, it’s versatile and it’s incredibly tasty.

What is special about this dish?

It is not your regular asian inspired stir-fry dish, neither is it your regular satay Salad. It is a great combination of the two of them. Also, we are using soba-noodles, not regular egg or stir-fry noodles. Plus, it has some delicious sticky maple-soy tofu that is the perfect addition. And, it is ready in pretty much no time.

What are soba noodles?

Soba noodles are noodles that originated in Japan but now are eaten all over the world. They are made from buckwheat flour, and most of the time it is in a wholewheat form. That makes them taste a little bit different from regular noodles, meaning they have a slight nutty flavour. The also take very little time to cook and are great in stir fry´s or soups. I already have a few other soba noodle recipes on my blog like my curry soup with lemongrass meatballs.

Is this recipe healthy?

Yes, it definitely is. Why? The soba noodles add a bunch of carbohydrates and fibre (since they are wholegrain) to the dish. The tofu gives a nice and delicious kick of protein and the peanut butter (please use a natural one, and not one with thousands of add-ins) has all the healthy fats you need. Not to forget about all of the veggies you add into the dish, that provide a whole bunch of fibre and vitamins! So yes, definitely healthy!

Easy to make, family friendly and meal prep friendly

This dish truly ticks all of the boxes you need. It is ready in 20 minutes, which makes it a great quick lunch or an easy dinner. Also, it is very versatile and family friendly, since you can substitute ingredients in and out, depending on your preference. Instead of tofu you could go for chicken or prawns or if you do not like a specific veggies leave it out or use something else. Also if you do not have a certain vegetable at home, leave it out and it will still be delicious! I also really like to take this with me and enjoy in my lunch break as it is really easy to heat up and it will still be delicious!

This truly is one of my favourite things to have, warm or cold. I absolutely love how quick it comes together and how incredibly good it still tastes! Unreal. A favourite!

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Quick Peanut Soba Noodle Stir Fry with sticky Tofu

An easy, delicious and nutritious meal. Crispy veggies with delicious noodles, all tossed up in a creamy peanut sauce and topped with some tofu.

Course dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine asian
Prep Time 10 Minuten
Cook Time 10 Minuten
Total Time 20 Minuten
Servings 4 servings
Calories 599 kcal

What you will need

  • 320 g soba noodles
  • 200 g oyster mushrooms *
  • 1 red bell pepper *
  • 1/4 head red cabbage
  • 2 large carrots
  • 100 g edamame beans
  • 2 tbsp oil

For the peanut sauce:

  • 2 tbsp peanut butter
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 2 cm ginger
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 1.5 tbsp coconut sugar
  • 4 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp rice wine vinegar

For the tofu:

  • 400 g firm tofu
  • 4 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp cornstarch

How to

  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the soba noodles and cook according to package instructions (about 5 minutes). When done cooking, preserve 2 tablespoons of the water they were cooking in and drain them and rinse under cold water to stop them from continuing to cook.

  2. Peel the carrot and grate it roughly. Slice the bell pepper, mushrooms and the cabbage into bite sized pieces/ slices. In a pan heat up 1 tbsp of the oil and fry the veggies on high heat for about 3 minutes, then turn down to medium.

  3. In the meanwhile cut the tofu into 1cm sized chunks. Mix the soy sauce, maple syrup and cornstarch until no chunks left. Heat up the remaining oil in another pan and fry the tofu on each side for about 1-2 minutes until crisp. Turn the heat down and add the soy sauce mixture. Stir to make sure the tofu is all covered with the sauce.

  4. In a blender blend together all of the ingredients for the peanut sauce and add the 2 tbsp of preserved water. Add it to the veggies along with the cooked noodles and mix till well combined. Divide onto plates and top with the tofu! Enjoy!