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Top 5

My May Top 6

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Welcome to May. Probs the best month of the year so far – the weather is getting warmer (hopefully) and – halleluja – restaurants are supposed to open again, at last outdoors (let’s keep our fingers crossed). So, finally no dishes at least once a week, after 6 months. Really, there is nothing bad to say about May, it is just bringing us a bit closer to summer and I can tell you – the Month of May will be delicious! Very, very delicious! Not only do we have a NENI x UPC Picnic Series starting, we also have got many more tasty recipes and surprises! All in all, get ready for an amazing month.

Restaurant of the month – Elena’s Buddha Bowls

Food (and especially restaurant-) wise, I believe May will definitely be the best month of the year so far. In Austria, it is planned that (at least outdoor) restaurants will open again in the mid of May. The day we have been waiting for 6,5 months. And really, there barely is anything I am looking forward to as much as sitting at a table and ordering food after more than half a year. But until the 19th (which you hopefully have marked in your calender), there still are 19 days. So nope, we are not having a seated restaurant in the top 6, but one where you can get a takeaway like nowhere else.

When I first heard about Elena’s Buddha Bowls, I thought it would just be another buddha bowl bar – nothing special right? Well, it definitely is not. Unlike many other bowl bars in town, Elena does not make poké bowls and they definitely are not mainstream. What makes this place so special is the quality and love that goes into every single bowl. The core of the restaurant is just good. Good in every aspect.

Eat good – not less, is the motto. The ingredients also are super good. They are more or less are produced organically and high quality, the packaging is good for the environment and they taste more than good. Plus, the entire team is just always in a good mood, which is really contagious. Plus, Elena’s puts in a lot of effort to make all their bowls healthy. It is just a restaurant, which you can only love. Plus, the price is more than fair – not more expensive than non-organic, regular bowl bars. There is nothing not good to say about it!

It is located in the 2nd district, right next to the Danube Canal – so it is incredibly easy to reach with trams nd underground. And, there are a lot of cute spots you can go to for enjoying the bowls! If you haven’t been there yet, I can only recommend it from the bottom of my heart. Definitely worth a try.

Food of the month – Avocados

Avocados are, inarguably, one of the best fruits (close after tomatoes) there are. They definitely are one of the foods that really, truly deserve their hype. But what actually makes them so special?

Well, first of all they are really nutritious. Avocados are a great source of healthy fats and vitamins. An average avocado comes with around 22-30 grams of healthy, unsaturated fat, which is an essential nutrient for your brain and also really important for other functions in your body. Moreover it contains 10-15 grams of fibre, which is an incredibly high amount for a single fruit. This fibre is essential for your digestion and helps you with digestive problems.

It is rather low in carbohydrates and protein, so it mainly is a source of fat, fibre and vitamins, such as Vitamin K, Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Vitamin B. Moreover, avocados actually contain more potassium than bananas, which is needed by cells.

Besides all of the nutritional value, avocados just are so super delicious and versatile. They can be eaten as they are, they can be mashed onto toast, used as a dip for nachos, blended into sauces, added onto salads, even mixed into sweets. They are just such an amazingly delicious AND nutritious fruit!

Recipe of the month – Easy Peasy Rainbow Quinoa Salad w/ the Best Peanut Sauce

Honestly, this month this was the hardest category. There are just SO many delicious recipes that have been added in April, so it was incredibly hard to choose. If I could add some more, I would definitely add the citrus porridge and the Lentil Salad Pita, because the both of them too are a MUST TRY. However, this is the recipe I make the most often (basically like once a week) because it is just soso easy to make and soso delicous and nutritious. Plus, it is one of my dad’s favourite recipe from the blog – so it is someting we make ALL the time.

When making it, and especially when eating it, you feel like having an explosion of flavour of summer in your mouth. All the fresh veggies and fruits, plus the fluffy quinoa, plus the (addictively good) peanut sauce to top it all off are just working in such harmony, you just cannot get enough of it. Plus, it simply is so incredibly easy to make. It really only comes down to chopping the veggies, steaming some of them, boiling the quinoa and making the sauce.

What is more, it works great for meal prep! Since it is a salad, it can be perfectly enjoyed cold, and actually the peanut flavour will intensify when leaving it in the fridge overnight. So that is really great! If you want to see how to make it, you can check out the quick reel at @coconutbowls or watch the IGTV at @uneptcuisiniere ! It just is an essential dish for summer – something you’ll really want to have every, single day.

Workout of the month – Otmane Skillbeast

„Let’s do a chill Saturday Workout – not much sweating, just some strengthening“. Yep, that’s what I though. And no, this definitely was not what this session was like. Oti killed me in this session, my legs were shaking and my booty was sore for 3 days. Well, not quite a relaxing Saturday workout – yet it was SO good and SO worth it. Otmane, called Oti is a qualified personal trainer and has been practicing this job for over 10 years.

He is located in Vienna, but due to Covid-19, he also had to move his business online. And that was a great idea! He now not only offers Instagram live trainings, pretty much weekly, he also offers Oti2go, which is a online membership, where you get access to many, many workouts, recipes, nutrition knowledge, and also mind exercises to not only work on your body but also your mindset. I personally have not tried the Oti2go yet, but really do want to try it out. Plus, he also offers a 15-days transformation and a 21-day bootcamp. There definitely is something for everyone.

And the workouts really are much fun. The ones on Instagram are not too sweaty, but you really feel your muscles burning and your body working. On Instagram they also are for free, so a great option to try them out, and if you do like them, you can then try a membership of a bootcamp. Definitely worth a try though!

Product of the month – Crowd Farming

This really is one of the best products/ brands or rather a website, I have ever used. Actually, a friend of mine recommended it to me because she was so fascinated by it and really loved the idea. It took me some time but then I really starting looking into it and trying it out and it really is a cool initiative.

So what is Crowd Farming? It is a website featuring many different (mostly organic) farmers from all over the world. These farmers offer different fruits and vegetables that so you can directly buy from them online. Either, you adopt a tree before it is in season, to help the farmers fund the production, or you buy the food when it is in season.

What is the benefit? First of all, you really know where your food is coming from, because you know who the farmer is, you know where the product is grown and you know the quality. For example, you can buy organic avocados from Spain. You know the farmer, you even get a letter from them, you know they are planted rather close to you, and not thousands of miles away, and you know the product is organic or demeter.

Besides, you also support the farmer. Since you directly buy from the farmer, more of your spent money is left for the farmer. This enables them to invest more into their planting, to ensure fairly paid workers and makes organic farming possible and sustainable.

And, obviously super important, the fruits (at least the avocados) are really, really delicious. Yes, you can actually taste a difference, really. You get a 5kg box of them and they are supposed to last in your fridge for up to a month. The price er avocado is at about 2.4€, which is not cheap, but pretty fair, taken into consideration what the impact of this is.

Inspiration of the month – Seaspiracy

Actually, I chose something different to be the inspiration of the month, also a documentary. But then I watched seaspiracy last night, and I knew there was no way I could not include that into the top 6.

This was recommended by SO many people. They all said they had watched it and were shocked and wanted to drastically reduce their fish consumption from now on. I mean, how shocking can one documentary be? it cannot be that bad! that’s what I thought. The way seaspiracy was made and edited is incredibly good. Yet, obviously not enough to influence someone into such a big lifestyle change. What is it then?

Sadly to say, the facts speak for themselves. What is revealed there is shocking and sad. And contrary to many other documentaries, it is urgent, it is incredibly urgent. The documentary really hits hard and lets you rethink your behaviour and habit. And really, it is a MUST watch.

I really do not want to tell much more about it, in order not to spoiler you – all I can say is that it really is incredibly interesting and eye-opening. Highly, highly recommended.

I hope these tips will also take your May next level and make it the best month of this year so far! I am all wishing you a beautiful and sunny May!

Love,
Katie // Une Petite Cuisinière

My April Top 6

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It’s April (already!!)! The month of easter, crazy weather (although this year there has been no month without it) and finally some fresh veggies & fruits! Rhubarb is coming into season and asparagus also has its start – which means lots and lots lf new good food! And obviously, there are 6 favourite things for April because we can not start a month without them! 

Restaurant of the month – Mae Aurel

Attention to all brunch lovers – this is a must know for you!! Mae Aurel (pronounced M-a-y not M-a-e) aka Brunch heaven is definitely one of the best restaurants in Vienna to enjoy your Sunday breakfast or brunch at (or to get your take away brunch from – they now offfer really good looking brunch boxes for delivery!)! It definitely is not your basic go-to restaurant, it is way more special, has many creative & super good dishes and everyone there is soo friendly!

It actually is a quite new restaurant in town and located in the first district, between the Danube Canal and the Hoher Markt. This means, it is very easily accessible with public transport! (Without lockdown) it actually also is really cute to sit there, both, inside and outside. Outside you sit in a cute street in the middle of Vienna and inside you are surrounded by modern and comfortable interior.

But now let’s get to the exciting part; the food! It is heaven, really! What I actually love most about it is that it is not like in most brunch places but it also has special items on the menu such as pancakes with banana & bacon. You can also enjoy a great variety of (really tasty) breads with all kind of toppings or just some good old yoghurt or pancakes.

It is not only great for brunch though, but also for lunch! Mae Aurel offers a lunch menu during the week with a changing dish every day. Obviously there also are other dishes to choose from, such as (delicious!!) salads, curries, pastas & burgers! My personal favs? I would definitely go for something you don’t get anywhere else – so either the halloumi bread (a safe choice!), the banana & bacon pancakes (I myself haven’t tried them yet, but a friend did and she really liked them!) or the Red Mae Salad!

Mae really is a restaurant you need to try if you live in Vienna! You won’t be disappointed! Delicious, many, many options, very fair prices and super friendly people! Enjoy!

Food of the month – asparagus 

Asparagus actually is a very ancient food – it has already been eaten and used as a medicine by the Egyptians over 5000 years ago. It hasn’t become popular until the 16th century though. Today anyhow, it is a very popular and widely used vegetable all over the world.

It is made up of 93% water and a great source of Vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium, zinc and fibre. It has also shown to have a possible impact on blood pressure and improved digestion. Furthermore, it is rich in antioxidants, which help to protect the cells and act anti-inflammatory.

The way it is eaten depends on where you are in the world. In the asian cuisine it is often added to stir-fries or curries, in the US it is often eaten with some sort of chicken of beef. In Europe it is often found in risotto or pasta or as a side. In Austria, it is very typically eaten with boiled potatoes, ham and either butter and parmesan cheese or sauce hollandaise. Asparagus definitely is a staple in Austrian Cuisine every spring.

If you want some asparagus recipe inspiration you can check out the potato and asparagus salad recipe, the strawberry and asparagus salad or add it to a summer poke bowl! 

Recipe of the month – healthyish double chocolate salted caramel brownies

These are even better than they sound, trust me. You bite into that crunchy, cool chocolate, which is so flavorful due to the sprinkled sea salt, and then the soft & sticky caramel layer and the fudgy brownies and you are just thanking yourself for having made those. 

A thick and fudgy layer of chocolaty brownies builds the base in the recipe. And yep, these totally would taste perfect by themselves, nevertheless we are taking them next level, literally. Because the next level is a creamy (and heavenly) salted date caramel layer, which tastes outrageous!! And as if this was not enough yet, we are topping everything off with a crispy layer of dark chocolate sprinkled with some sea salt. This honestly is the dot on the I and just upgrades it a whole lot.

If you are not convinced yet, let me tell you that they also are healthy. No refined sugar, no butter, no bs. Just good. We are using coconut sugar, whole-wheat flour, oil, dark chocolate and natural sweetness of the dates. 

PLUS, making them is so wonderfully meditative. Really, this is the best activity for whenever you feel like procrastinating or, obviously, the best Sunday baking activity. We both know that your mouth is watering now, so head to the kitchen and get started!

Workout of the month – 30 min Heart Opening Yoga Flow

Before you stop reading because you are thinking „Yoga – really?“, just let me tell you that you definitely won’t come out of this flow without some sweating. Before I had tried this video, I actually wanted to chose a different video before, but unfortunately it had been taken off youtube and I could not find it anymore. Then I got a friends recommendation to try out this one – and it definitely did not disappoint! It is at least as good as the other one, if not better!

If you are still sceptical about doing Yoga, I can really understand you! I also was. I thought, if I already work-out then I want to really work out, I want to feel it and I want to sweat, and with Yoga this obviously is possible. (I was proven very wrong regarding sweating) Nevertheless, I tried it. Little by little. I started with 10 minute videos and then worked my way up. And eventually I started to like it. It has become a really important part of my routine, and no week passes without me doing some yoga. When you really open yourself up to it, it feels really good, it stretches your body and it really gives you a feeling for it. And you definitely sweat! So if you have been sceptical – just give it a try. A try without prejudices, where you are open to it and after you can still decide whether you like it or not.

This Yoga flow is part of a seven days gratitude series from Alo Yoga on their Youtube Chanel. As the name already suggests, in this flow you really open up your front side. This is done with a lot of bending and strengthening of the shoulders and back and also with stretching it with lots of backbends. What also is great is that Briohny Smyth (the instructor) keeps reminding you to really practice gratitude all throughout the flow. When you have ended it, you genuinely feel more grounded, relaxed and grateful. I personally love doing this flow on the weekends in the morning or on an evening after a tiring and exhausting day.

Product of the month – (the best ever) almond butter from Rapunzel

We need to put a little disclaimer here because this almond butter is dangerously addicting. Very dangerously. And it definitely is not comparable with any other almond butter there is or any you have tried before. In here we have the combination of organic roasted almonds and coconut along with the sweetness of dates, all blended up into a HEAVENLY creme.

Say goodbye to peanut butter and hello to this. The first time I tried it I was at a friends house and I think we pretty much emptied the jar right away, because there is no way you cannot. Rapunzel is a german company with the mission to produce high quality organic products. And it is not just a slogan for advertisement but what the company actually stands for.

They really care a lot about the working conditions of every single person involved into the production. From farmer to consumer. Because, as they say, only when everyone gets paid a fair price and does not have to worry about surviving each day, they can produce healthy food with great care and affection. In order to achieve this, they pay fair loans, visit their farmers and produce organically.

There really is no reason not to try this almond butter! It is incredibly delicious and produced by a company with a mission! So what does this best go along with? It is perfect on porridge, yoghurt, ice cream, overnight oats or anything else that’s sweet and that you can have as a a dessert or breakfast, such as the Overnight Vanilla Quinoa! It also is great in combination with some fresh fruit such as apple or mandarines or even on dried fruit such as dates. But really, it also is heavenly by itself, when you eat it straight out of the jar!

Inspiration of the month – the 7 habits of highly effective people

One of the best books ever. This book is full of life lessons, learnings and SO much information and inspiration on how to improve your life, your habits, your work, your personality. It is FULL of mind blowing insights and tools that make you want to change your life for the better and the healthier.

To be honest, this is one of the books that at first make you a bit uncomfortable (at least it did this to me). When reading it you realize that there still is SO much every single one of us can improve, there is so much to grow. And also that all of this is neither easy nor comfortable because we have to face new challenges, new surroundings and we have to look at things differently. We have to push ourselves out of our comfort zones. So when we start reading we have the choice: either we stay in our comfort zones and do not face the challenges and difficulties of changing and growing, or we leave our comfort zones and a new world full of possibilities and opportunities will unfold but the way there is no walk in the park.

So when we decide to leave our comfort zone and improve, this book is one of the best resources and tools you have to do so. Stephen Covey is guiding you through 7 habits that will make a tremendous impact on your life if you adapt these. And we are not talking about habits as, drink more water or go to bed early. These „habits“ are more life-style and mindset changes. Habits like „Begin with the End in Mind“ or „Seek first to understand, then to be understood“.

This might not sound life changing yet but the author really explains them in great detail, with evidence, examples and reasoning. He really goes in depth with every single habit so you genuinely understand what it is about. And yes, this book already is 32 years old, nevertheless it still is SO true nowadays because it addresses human behaviour and how we think in general. So don’t be fooled by its age – it still is one of the best books I have ever read!

These are my 6 favorite things for April – and actually I think this is my favourite or the favourites series. Every single thing in here is something I love and hopefully something you’ll love too! I am wishing you a wonderful April and a beautiful spring!

Love,
Katie

My March Top 6

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We are in March, which means the best season of the year begins – spring. And alsooo we have got a new Top 6! Yes, you read correctly, it is 6 because we have a new category, which is restaurant of the month and let me tell you – I am very excited about that. I mean spring already is amazing by itself and with these 6 things it’ll be next level!

Restaurant of the Month – Budapest Bagels

Ever wondered what real happiness is? Go grab a bagel, your bestie and sit down somewhere in the sun and just appreciate the beauty of this moment. Honestly this category is a real upgrade for the monthly top 5 – apparently you also saw it this way as 132 of you wanted it and only 5 said they wouldn’t need it. But really – can you not need a good food recommendation? I don’t think so 🙂

So this month, for the first recommendation we have got some seriously good takeaway. And when I say seriously good I mean you are willing to take a 10 min walk to go back and grab more. This is how good. Budapest Bagels is a bagel shop which opened last summer in the heart of Vienna, close to the Danube Canal. It is a restaurant from Budapest (who would have guessed) which has next level Bagels.

Their Bagels are made fresh every day and filled and toasted freshly when you order them. When you leave, you have delicious, warm and fluffy bagels. PLUS, you have a great variety to chose from. Veggie with cheese and arugula or caprese. Vegan with vegan lox or vegan monthly specials. Or classic ones as New York salmon or brie and bacon. Whichever you chose, you cannot go wrong.

I went there in summer for the first time and realised that I hadn’t gone there for way to long when I went back recently. I tried the avocado walnut, the inside out cheese and the classic New York Salmon. My favorite way the New York Salmon but all of them were incredibly amazing! Plus, I believe they are really affordable and filling!

Price: 3,5-6,9€ (most are around 4,5€)
Rating: 5/5 (there won’t be restaurants with lower ratings on here anyway)
Location: Lilienbrunngasse 3, 1020 Wien

Have fun queuing up and grabbing yours – it is worth it!

Food of the month – Spinach

„Add a handful of greens“ – if you have been around for a while you probs have heard or read this pretty often already. But seriously, adding a handful of greens into any meal is the easiest thing you could do to make it a bit healthier – so why not? And especially as many of you (which I am very proud of) are participating in the lent greens challenge – I could not choose anything other but a green to be the star of the month.

So we have spinach; very controversial – some love it, some hate it. Spinach is such a cool green because you can have it in so many different ways! Fresh in a salad, puréed in smoothies, creamy as a side, stir fried in woks, wilted down in soups, … it just is so easy to add to anything. Really, the next time you go to the shop, get some fresh spinach and add it to the next meal you make. Such an easy addition and you get so many nutrients.

But which ones actually? Spinach has 2.2g fibre per 100g and consist of 91% water (this also is the reason for why it wilts down so much when cooking). Plus, it is high in Vitamin C, which is especially important right now, as it keeps your immune system healthy. Also it comes with a bunch of carotenoids, which your body can turn into Vitamin A. Besides, as many dark leafy greens, it is high in iron and calcium. Its numerous nutrients have shown to prevent several diseases, which is truly amazing.

So spinach is a real star, helping you to feel good and stay healthy. It deserves a bit more usage so just throw it into your next meal!

Recipe of the month – Cauliflower Wings

This. is. it. In case you were thinking cauliflower is boring – you were now proven wrong. Terribly wrong. This recipe has been developed as more or less a use-up-your-fridge-kind-of-thing, but for real, these often are the best ones. You may have already seen it in my Vegan What I Eat In A Day and now it also is up on the blog.

This recipe is really easy to make and so delicious. A mix between cauliflower wings and a barbecue but with a touch fo stir-fry. Sounds like a lot but really isn’t. All you need to do is toss the cauliflower in a milk-flour-spice mix and then in breadcrumbs and just bake it. After baking, you quickly fry it with some veggies in a pan and add the barbecue sauce and that’s it.

They have this soggy-after-crispy texture and it is SO good. Like the saucy barbecue-ness and the soft veggies to go with it. I don’t know – I just really like it. And have made it on a weekly basis recently. No more words needed, just a cauliflower.

Workout of the month – Heather Robertson

YouTube Workouts have definitely made it onto our quarantine essentials list. For a good reason. They are easy to access, for free, there is a huge variety to choose from, and they actually are fun. But I also get that doing the same workouts over and over can be pretty boring. So we got to switch things up and try different workouts from different people.

Recently I have found Heather Robertson on YouTube, whose workouts I have never tried before. And I was impressed. I love her style of the workouts, really. What she does essentially is doing a few exercises, then repeating them and then doing new ones. Her exercises usually are 40 seconds long with a 10 second break in-between.

What is unique about her videos is that she is doing a great mixture of exercises and also showing some unconventional, ones I have never seen before. Her HIIT Workouts for example are not only jumping jacks and high knees but also. boxing burpees and also some slower and controlled movement – and yes, you still sweat. Enough.

I tried a 15 minute HIT and a HIT – Pilates Mixture, which I really enjoyed. Especially the pilates one to be honest. Also, if you are not a HIT fan, there is a great variety of other videos to chose from. There are short ones, there are long ones, there is something for everyone. Just check it out and have some fun!

Product of the month – the slow label

The slow label is not just any label but an incredibly thought through, transparent and sustainable, yet incredibly gorgeous and pretty fashion label from Germany. It has been founded by Anna Laura Kummer, who is a founder, blogger, YouTuber, and above all an inspiration to live a better life.

Just as Anna, slow label also inspires to live a better life with its truly amazing products. It has timeless collections in the concept of capsule wardrobe and pieces that fit anyone and go well with everything.

Besides there incredibly beautiful pieces, what I love most is their transparency. In their Instagram highlights and on the website you can find out basically about everything regarding the products. For each product you buy, you get an exact cost split for how the price is made up, where the material is sourced, where the product is produced, where it is manufactured and how much is donated. This incredible transparency is amazing because you really know where your money goes and what you wear. Due to the ethical production and sustainable sourcing the items are very pricey though.

The goal of the slow label is to slow down the fast-paced fashion industry and approaching things with an honest and improvement orientated mindset. They encourage sustainability, timeless and versatile clothing and conscious consumption.

here I am wearing the turtleneck jumper in ecru

I got the Turtleneck Jumper in Ecru and honestly, I cannot go without it anymore. I wear it pretty much every other day and love it. It goes perfectly with anything, no matter if it is just casual with jeans, more elegant with a skirt or just cozy at home with joggers. It is perfect for any occasion. This clothing is not something you just buy, wear a few times and never again but something you’ll wear over and over for years.

Inspiration of the month – Stoic

Stoic comes from the word stoicism, which is a greek philosophy focusing on making the ones practicing more resilient, happier, more wise and virtuous. In other words; just making us better na more reflected people. just like this ancient philosophy the App Stoic does the same.

Stoic is a free app that helps you be a bit more elected, focus on important things in life, journal, see trends in your mental health and improve it overall. You can start your day with stoic by simply clicking on how you feel, what you will do today, writing down thoughts, feelings, important things, focuses in the day through guided questions. Also, in the end of the day you can summarise it, reflect on what you have learnt, what you could have done better, practice some gratitude, and sum up your day.

I downloaded this app a bit more than a month ago and am using It pretty much on a daily basis. What I love is that it sends you notifications to remind you what you are focusing on today and inspiring you with quotes from famous philosophers. This feature especially helps me to return to my intentions during the day and remember what’s important to me.

It is really helpful to keep track of your mental health, your progress but also to train your mind into a more grateful and positive one through different exercises as negative visualisation, relax breathing, journaling, quotes, writing out goals, fear setting, meditation and thoughts. Instead of jumping on social media, you can just practice some of the exercises and take care of yourself and your mental health.

This is something I have included in my morning and evening routine and really has helped me to become more calm, less stressed and just a bit more at peace with myself. Takes 5 minutes of your day, which you can for sure find, and really makes a huge positive impact.

Definitely worth a download, no matter if you are struggling with your mental health at the moment or not. It in anyway will contribute to making your day better.

I hope that you will enjoy all of these things and have an amazing march and a great start into spring!
Would love to hear how you like it!

All the best,
Love,
Katie

My February Top 5

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Month 2 of 12. Already ?! Time flies. We are still at home though and need some things that make our month of February a bit easier and a bit better. So, that is why there are the Feb Top 5, already the 6th blog post of the series, which makes me so soso happy, because you really seem to love them! We have got some really really cool things in here so make sure to check and try them all out!

Food of the Month – Chickpeas

Chickpeas – Kichererbsen – Pois chiches. These little, incredibly versatile beans are the food of the month February! Why? They are super nutritious, delicious and soso incredibly easy to cook with. Plus you can make so many, so good things out of it – so it already was high time to include them!

Chickpeas are one of the oldest consumed legumes ever – they have already been eaten over 7500 years ago in what today is Turkey – so pretty old! Even more amazing that they still are consumed so greatly. In the 18th and 20th century they even have been used as a cheaper substitute for coffee in some parts of Europe.

Today they are found in various cuisines around the world! In Middle Eastern cuisine for hummus and falafel (little fun fact: hummus actually is the Arabic word for chickpeas), in Indian cuisine in curries, in Italy it often is eaten with pasta, especially in the south and in the US it has experienced recent trends in form of pasta, which solely is made out of these peas.

Chickpeas actually are super nutritious! Cooked chickpeas (the ones you can find in a can) are really high in protein, with more than 8g/ 100g serving. They have almost equal amounts in fibre, which makes them great for digestion. Plus they are really high in Vitamin B9 and Iron.

Chickpeas are a staple in plant based and vegetarian nutrition because they are very high in protein, easy to prepare and super delicious! I personally love them in all different asian sauces or stews! If you need some inspiration on what to make with chickpeas you can try out the saucy hoisin chickpea bowl, the falafel pita sandwich or the chickpea and pineapple summer curry !

Recipe of the month – breakfast overnight quinoa

This recipe is not only something I love but also one you love! So many remakes in such a short time! This just made me so happy so it just had to become the recipe of the month!

Actually I had this for the first time when I was on holidays! I loved it so much that I decided to recreate it, which only took me four years to realise and it is so worth it! You have the fluffy and soft quinoa soaked up in a creamy vanilla yoghurt-milk sauce kind of thing. On top some freshly warmed frozen berries and all served up together. perfectly sweet, perfectly creamy!

And that is not even the best part! It is just so incredibly easy to make and prepare that you’ll have it ready to go within a few minutes in the morning! just make the quinoa the night before, chill in the fridge overnight and serve with the berries in the morning!

Plus, it also works great for meal prep, plus it is really healthy! Quinoa actually has been the food of the month in January, so you can read more about its health benefits here! So what are you even waiting for? You won’t regret making it!

Workout of the month – Elly magpie

PICTURE VIA WWW.ELLYMAGPIE.INFO

Fitness for everybody. Elisabeth aka Elly Magpie stands for having fun while moving. For a healthy body feeling and love. Fitness is something for everyone. There is no too thick, too thin, too short, too tall.

if you love your body, you take care of it. And sport if the perfect tool for that, that’s what Elly says. And I think she is more than right with her statement. Working out is something you do because you want to do something good for yourself and not because you want to punish yourself.

Her workouts are meant to be done by anyone. Easier and more difficult variations, depending on what you prefer – but believe me, you will be sore after! If you want to try them out you can for example try their live training with @dariadarie on Instagram and if you like it you can book their classes via ever sport. They take place almost daily.

Believe me – you’ll feel sore the next day and inspired by the trainer’s positivity immediately after!

Product of the month – share bar

Share bar – a bar with a mission. What is „share“? it is a company with an incredible mission behind it, which is „share for a better world“. How does it work? You buy one of their products and donate for each purchased one!

For example; you buy one bar and donate one meal to a person in need. With the purchase of one sparkling water you provide drinking water for one person in need. With the purchase of one of their journals you enable one school lesson for a kid.

Not only that the mission is simply incredible and such a great idea but also their bar tastes amazing! I have so far only found the chocolate and sea salt one (at Bipa) but they also have several other flavours like honey almond or cacao – hazelnut. Besides nut bars, there also are pasta, chocolate or other bars that you can purchase and which you can make an impact with.

The bar is vegan, organic, only has ingredients you can read (!) and no refined sugar. And obviously it tastes amazing! You can find them at Bipa, dm & rewe (their online shop is inactive right now)! Definitely worth a try!

Inspiration of the month – Alivia D’Andrea

Who is Olivia D’Andrea and why is she the inspiration of the month? Alivia is an American YouTube, who has started making YouTube videos 6 years ago. I have only recently discovered her through a friend’s recommendation and started watching her videos (and finished within 3 days – which I usually never do, I usually only watch while editing pictures, that says a lot about her).

Her videos are really inspirational and informative, as she gives tips and advice for self care, productivity, recipes, self love, healthy recipes and much more! And she is super honest and real in her videos, which I really like! Also, she does include facts, so her information is not just something made up but really backed up.

On her channel Alivia has also started a series of „Glow up diaries“, in which she shows her year-long journey of (wanting to) glowing up. Before you watch this, a little trigger warning, and please be aware that this content may not be the best for you if you are sensitive to disordered eating or an unhealthy relationship with food!! Please be careful with this! What inspired me so much about her is not the glow-up on the outside (which is impressive) but the glow up on the inside. The mental strength, the positive mindset and willpower to change for better is what is so incredible inspirational. Honestly, it encourages you to change your life, let go of bad habits and become something better and greater.

She is a bit similar to Linda Sun (who has been the inspiration of the month of October) but still very different. What they have in common is their struggle for body image and that they have a long journey with disordered eating behind them.

I hope that you’ll also enjoy this month’s Top 5 and that they will make your lockdown and just your whole month in general a bit better and a bit easier! I would love to hear what you think about them and stay tuned for some exciting things coming your way in February !!

Love,
Katie // Une Petite CuisiniÈre