feel food club

My January Top 5

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New year, new me! Not quite to be honest – more like new year, same me. In general I am not a huge fan of New Years resolutions because why do we need to wait for a certain day or date to change something (that in most cases we change to better our lives)? If you genuinely want to change something – do it now. Why wait and only waste time? Anyway, while the month of January gets so much attention for changes that we want to make, some things stay the same – just as my January top 5, which were highly requested and now are here.

To be honest, I did not actually plan on making January Top 5 – that also is the reason they are coming so late – but you really really wanted them so that’s why I had to make them 🙂 ! A food of the month, a recipe you NEED to try, a workout that will make you feel good, a product that you do not want to miss out on and an inspiration that may be something for you!

Food of the month: quinoa

Quinoa is a superstar. I can remember the first time it came up and everyone was celebrating it as a health trend but surprisingly, unlike many other health trends, it really tastes good. Quinoa actually is an ancient grain, which its origin in South America, which has already been eaten about 3000-4000 years ago.

The part you can eat from the plant actually are just the seeds, which are cooked in water, just like rice, which makes it very easy to cook swell. But why is it celebrating as being that healthy? Quinoa has a great nutritional value, different from many other grains. Per 100g it has about 65g of carbohydrates. pretty much the same as wholegrain pasta and a bit less than white rice, 7g of fibre, which is great for your digestion, compared to 5g in whole-wheat spaghetti and 1.3 in white rice. And probably the best: it has 14g (!) of protein compared to about 7 in rice or (whole-wheat) pasta. This is pretty much twice the amount!

Since Veganuary is a big thing again this year, I know it can be challenging to get enough plant based protein if the usual source of protein is meat, dairy or eggs. But getting enough plant based protein actually is not that challenging. Already 100g of quinoa provide 14g of protein, which is a decent amount. Furthermore, quinoa is naturally gluten free and loaded with minerals & vitamins such as Iron, Magnesium and Zinc.

Besides all the nutritional and health benefits, quinoa is SO versatile and can be SO delicious! You can use it as a side dish, as a base in buddha bowls, throw it into salads or wraps for more carbs and fibre, make burgers out of it, breakfasts, and so on. The options are pretty much endless because Quinoa has a pretty neutral taste.

On the blog you can find several recipes including quinoa! My favourites are the Black Quinoa and Teriyaki Burger and the quinoa breakfast bowl with herbed Tahini and there are more to come this month!

Recipe of the month – Cinnamon Roll French Toast Sticks

This recipe is unreal. I can only tell you so much. Think about the cinnamony taste of a fresh cinnamon roll and then the crispy on the outside and soft on the inside kind of bite when you are having a French toast. This recipe is both of them combined.

It really is easy to make, easy to eat, and easy to crave 🙂 You basically just make a regular French toast and the roll it in cinnamon – coconut sugar to finish it up, which really is a game changer. When you serve it with yoghurt and frozen, stewed berries, you can dip it into the berries and it just is heaven.

Perfect for a Sunday breakfast or brunch in bed, when friends are over, a quick lunch or breakfast-for-dinner situation, a delicious dessert or just a great meal to make when you have leftover bread, that you do not want to go bad.

Workout of the month – trainandtone

Train and Tone, which originally was Pop Pilates is a fitness studio, which has been founded by Mariana and David, two siblings, who share the same passion for fitness and good music. In their (mostly body weight) workouts they combine these two aspects to create a unique workout experience.

The first time I tried them out I went to their studio in the fourth district about a year ago. It was super small and so nice. From the entrance into the studio, throughout the whole class until the end, when you leave you just feel happy and are surrounded by good vibes, good music and happy instructors. That is what makes Train and Tone so special, the love and passion behind every single detail in their workout and in their studios.

Then came lockdown but Mariana and David only got more inventive and actually were one of the first ones who started doing virtuell, real time, live workout classes. And have kept going ever since then. And they have improved. You now can choose from 7 trainers and 7 classes. The classes all focus on something different and are suitable for any fitness level since the trainer gives different variations for each exercise.

The classes are 9€ each or 8€ if bought in a block of ten and happen during zoom! Really great workout fun, mostly strength focused rather than HIT and I promise you – you’ll feel the burn afterwards!

Product of the month – Very Nice Studio Collection

Very Nice Studio is a graphic design studio by two very nice ladies. Julia & Vanessa’s goal is to turn brands into friends with unique and eye catching branding. They do not only create stunning designs for brands but also their Instagram page ( @verynice.studio ) where they share inspirational and amazingly designs quotes, thoughts and tools on a daily basis.

In December they launched their first collection in the very nice shop, which is made up of shirts, hoodies, sweatpants, and some accessories. And they are amazing. I basically live in them, not kidding. Made from organic and recycled materials. Soso super soft!

On the outside they have got quotes, graphics or just words printed, which make them look really cool and unique. You can get them with three themes: 24/7 happy hour, good days ahead or enjoy/ panic. I have got the hoodie in 24/7 happy hour and the shirt in happy hour. And these themes are not just themes but they have a thought behind them. If you go check out the shop, you’ll find a little description for every single one plus some tips on how to implement them.

These cloths really are not just something to throw on, like a regular piece of clothing but they were designed and created with a thought, a mission, love and passion. Plus, they are incredibly comfortable to wear!

Inspiration of the month – the things you can only see when you slow down

The things you can only see when you slow down: how to be calm in a busy world.
Actually my dad gifted me this book for Christmas because he knew I needed it. I am a perfectionist, I always want to get everything done and I always want to be on top of things. But always doing something can be stressful, especially mentally. So this book came in perfect timing.

And no, this is not a self-care guide, not in the least. This book was written by a Korean Monk who became popular through Facebook. There he gave his followers advice on life challenges and problems they faced. After years of giving advice he decided to sum it all up and write a book. And this book really is valuable. It does not tell you that you are doing everything right or that everything is beautiful but through quotes like „is the world that busy or is it your mind“ and mini essays it makes you think and reflect.

In his book he covers 8 different topics and has already inspired more than 3 million people worldwide with the wisdom about the importance of slowing down. Also included in the Times Top 10 bestsellers. Definitely worth a read if you feel overwhelmed, stressed, not at peace with yourself or the world or if you just want to reflect a bit.

I hope that these inspirations, ideas and things are a help for you to guide you through the month of January. I hope you are having an amazing start into the new year and may it be filled with happiness, gorgeous moments and lots of time with your favourite people.

Love,
Katie // Une Petite Cuisinière

The Best Food-Related Christmas Gifts in 2020

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This year. So much happened and so much that needs to be processed. But it is coming to an end. And with that end, Christmas is coming. Finally it is around the corner. While Christmas means having a nice time with your family and your loved ones, singing, laughing, cooking and eating cookies, it also means getting all the Christmas presents and being stressed out. But this year, we are not going to stress out on Christmas presents and we definitely do not want to run from store to store.

So here I have created a little guide for you with the best Christmas presents you can get in the food scene. All around and somehow related to good and healthy food and having a great time. As all blog posts, nothing here is sponsored, these just are products/ things I would LOVE to get for Christmas myself 🙂 !

Care’ntine box

This one is golden. A homemade present always hits differently. So does this. I actually brought my besties such a box in the beginning of December and I can only tell you this much: they loved it.

We all know that homemade presents are a whole lot better but we also know that they are a lot of work! But really, they do not have to be! Into these care’ntine boxes I have added a bunch of food and non food related items so the person gifted has everything it takes to relax and treat themselves over the holidays!

My care’ntine boxes were filled with:

You can fill them with whatever you like to make or have on hand! I feel like this is the perfect Christmas package and to be honest, I would LOVE to receive such myself!

Cooking Box Dinner Date

Image from www.marleyspoon.at

This idea is for all of you who would love to cook but do not quite know how or are too busy or lazy to get the groceries. By simply getting a voucher for a cooking box, that has all ingredients premeasured and prepackaged, you can start cooking a delicious and easy meal together. No worries about who is getting the groceries, just having fun cooking together!

There are two I currently know form in Austria which are:

There are companies like these in pretty much every country and city, so you probably find one wherever you live!

With gifting this, you have a present you both benefit from and can share while having a good time!

Cooking Class Voucher

Image from www.karmafood.at

This is very similar to the one before but different. When ordering a cooking box you have to follow the instructions by yourself at home. If this is nothing you like, or if you want to gain some extra knowledge about cooking, this present is for you!

Why not looking uo whether your favourite restaurant offers a cooking class? When times are more normal again, you can join this cooking class together, learn new skills and have a great time, plus lots of delicious food!

Image from www.neni-kochschule.at

The ones I would love to try in Vienna are:

This is a great present for all of you who want to learn more about cooking, have a fun time together with people you love and meet new people!

Barista Workshop Voucher

Image from www.cafelatteart.at

This sort of is a 3.1 present because it technically is a cooking class but not really. For all the ones who rather live off coffee and not food. Or for all of those who miss Italy and wanna have these Italian Barista skills at home. I personally have never been to a workshop like this because I usually drink my coffee without milk but I would LOVE to learn it!

Imagine getting up on a weekend and making yourself a cappuccino with some sort of milk art in it. Sounds pretty amazing right? So this present is great fo coffee lovers and creative souls!

Places you can do this in Vienna are:

Unfortunately, all of these courses are very expensive because of the time and knowledge consuming course!

NENI Gift Boxes

Image from www.neni-kochschule.at/gifts

This I have jus discovered recently, and I can tell you, this is something I will probably get for Christmas myself because it is such a cool idea. One of the best (if not the best) oriental restaurant chains, NENI has become creative during the lockdown and started making gift boxes which you can order and get for Christmas.

This way you are fully prepared with delicious staples and foods from all over the world for the Christmas holidays. Labneh, Tahin, pickled lemon, Za’atar,…

Image from www.neni-kochschule.at/gifts

This present is perfect for all of those who want to get a little creative and enjoy experimenting with new flavours and products in the kitchen. You can start making your own hummus, salads, and many other roriental inspired dishes!

There are two varieties of the boxes: a smaller one and a larger one that has a few more products AND the NENI Vienna cookbook, which I already have shared in my October Top 5!

You can get them here!

Coconut Bowls

How would I not include this? I have so many of those and I definitely use them every. single. week. Porridge, bowls and nice cream just tastes differently out of a coconut bowl. No doubt.

This present is perfect for all environment-conscious ones out there that also love to cook and eat healthy. Beautiful bowls for beautiful souls. If the person you are planning on gifting something, is a porridge, smoothie or bowl lover, there is no way you get him or her something different!

Plus, you can get 10% off with the code UNEPETITE10 to even save something while doing good for your friend and the environment!

A Recipe Book with Love

Image from www.thalia.at

This is the perfect presents for those who love to come up with new ideas but cannot remember how to make them. Like me, basically. This actually is something my grandma has gifted me once for Christmas and it made me so happy.

Basically what the idea of this present is that you gift them an almost empty recipe book. In this you write in your favourite recipes, so they can cook them but you also leave enough space so they can write in their favourite recipes and you both can write in recipes you came up with together. This way the person gifted has a really personal present that can be used over and over for an eternity.

A greta idea for all of those who love personal gifts and enjoy cooking and coming up with new recipe ideas.

You can find such empty books at:

A classic: A Good Cookbook

You can never go wrong with this one though. A good cookbook is something everyone can make good use of. No matter whether someone is a complete beginner or super advanced, here you can find something for everyone and at every price.

Image from www.donnahay.com

My personal favourite cookbooks are:

Perfect gift for everyone who at least is interested in cooking or wanting to improve his/ her cooking skills!

Some beautiful tableware

Image from @motelamiio via Instagram

You have a friend or family member who loves to cook and make gorgeous food but only has white plates at home. Well, here we have another Christmas present idea! Some gorgeous tableware.

I think this also is a pretty safe pick when it comes to Christmas presents. No one can have too many bowls or cups in their pantry. And eating out of a beautiful bowl always is more fun and actually encourages you to eat healthier.

Image from www.babetown.at

These would be my pics:

For bowls, plates, cups:

Reusable coffee mug (this one is so cool)

I hope that these Ideas will help you to get all your Christmas Presents on time and with no hurry or stress and that they will help you find something for everyone! No matter if it should be something personal, something useful or something forever, something for complete beginners or for experts, here you have something for everyone.

I would love to know how you like this guide!

Have a wonderful Merry Christmas,

Love,
Katie // Une Petite Cuisinière

My December Top 5

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Finally. This crazy year is coming to an end. After all of these ups and down, surprises and shocks of this year we should genuinely enjoy the last month of the year the best we can. The month of peace, joy and family. The month of comtempletiveness and cozy times. And in order to make this month really enjoyable and good for you I am bringing to you my last top 5 for the year. My food of the month, recipe of the month, product of the month, workout of the month and last but definitely not least (be excited for that!) – my inspiration of the month!

Please notice that this post is in no way sponsored or payed by anyone to advertise certain products. These just really are my favourites, my recommendations and based on my experiences with these products. I just wish to inspire you and help you make your December a bit better!

Food of the month: Chai

It was impossible to not be putting this as the food of the month! I have discovered this a few months ago and ever since then I have added it to pretty much everything I make. Porridge, pancakes, energy balls, drinks,.. chai spice everything! But what actually is chai?

Chai originally is a black tea mixed with spices that comes from India. Today you can still find it at some coffee shops as a tea but more often you’ll find a chai latte or a dirty chai latte nowadays. This chai latte basically is the same as chai just with milk instead of tea and the spices. To be honest, whenever I add chai to something I only use the spices because I truly cannot be bothered boiling the tea every time.

Chai spices consist of cinnamon, cardamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and sometimes star anis and vanilla. You can easily make this yourself as a lot of people already have all of the ingredients for this at home – or you can buy a ready to use spice mix, which you can find in a lot of supermarkets or organic stores.

This spice mix actually is super health-beneficial. Cinnamon, the main ingredient, is high in antioxidants, has been shown to reduce heart pressure and has anti-inflammatory compounds. Ginger also works anti-inflammatory and has various healthy benefits, as you probably know from ginger shots, is can, among other aspects, lower blood sugar level. Also the other spice compounds have been shown to contribute something to a healthy well-being. So all in all, it can be said, that chai spie is a very nutritious spice blend! Just make sure to not mix it with too much sugar or sweetener when preparing it.

Recipe of the Month – Ultra comforting Roasted Sweet Potato and Chicken Tikka Masala

The comfort level of this dish is unreal. It really warms you from the inside out! I mean, we all love curries and who does not like sweet potato or chicken? This recipe is truly for everyone – for those who cook for the family, for those who just like to treat themselves to a good meal, for those who want to eat healthy, for those who don’t want to compromise flavour and even for those who eat a plant based diet since there is a vegan option to it!

Ready in 30 Minutes, made from whole foods, and packed with so much flavour! Really, I could have this every week, especially during this time of the year! Dip it up with naan, or enjoy with some fluffy rice. It will warm you from the inside out.

My mom, my dad AND my brother loved it (that means a whole lot), so I bet you will love it too! Get all cozy with this in front of you favourite movie – or even better – in from of your phone, face timing your best friend or someone you genuinely miss and haven’t talked to in ages!

Product of the month: SKOG scented candle

I have actually discovered this brand (Sandinavisk) last year as I was gifted one of their candles and since then we love their candles, soaps and hand creams. This Scandinavian based company who wants to bring the Scandinavian feeling and lifestyle to your home. They have various fragrances that are all kept simple and natural. Their body products (like hand lotion, body lotion, hand wash, etc.) all all organically made. Their candles are made FSC-certified and the packaging and glas is partially recycled and died with natural die only.

What I really love about their products is the simplicity, in both the design and the fragrances and that you, unlike other scented candles, actually smell what is written on the package.

The SKOG candle, which I chose as the product of the month smells like „Pine needles and fir cones, birch sap and woodland lily of the valley“ – and tbh you actually have the feeling of walking through a wintery forest. The great thing about this candle is that it does not only smell Christmas-y (although there are Christmas fragrances on their website too) but it is a smell that also is pleasant in January or February.

If you want to get it and live in Austria, I would not recommend buying it at the website directly but at Copenhagen Hus, which is a Scandinavian lifestyle store in Vienna. Why get it there? Because this way you support local, small businesses that are having a difficult time right now – and – it is more than 20% cheaper due to shipping and the different price. So it’s a win-win!

Workout of the month: @christmas.fitness

What’s that? Christmas and fitness – two words that would usually not go in line with one another. That’s what Basti thought too! So why not make them match? Instead of spending the last month the unhealthiest and laziest of them all – use this last month of the year to end it off strong and find motivation to start the new year healthy and fit!

What is @christmas.fitness ? This is an instagram page where you will find a DIFFERENT 15 minute body-weight workout EVERYDAY from now until Christmas! And the best thing? Since it only is done with body-weight, it is suitable for everyone – young, and younger, men and women!

As if this would not be enough – you will find a high protein, fitness recipe twice a week! One is a main meal and one is a snack! They all are easy to make, healthy, and of course – most importantly – delicious! If you want to take this December next level & make it healthy and fit, join us and accept the challenge!

Inspiration of the month: The 5AM club

Before you skip reading this, already being sure you will never get up at 5AM, know that this book made me jump out of bed at 5AM to read it. The title already says a lot: own your morning – elevate your life. A book full of inspiration, amazing quotes, insights and life-changing formulas.

I have read several books of this kind before, these „your whole life will change if you read this“ kind of books but none has inspired me so much. Just to say beforehand; no book ever has the power to change your life – the only one having this power is yourself. But anyway, no book has ever motivated and inspired me this much to take action and uplift my life.

What makes this different is that it is not all science based and backed up research with huge numbers and any words you don’t understand but that it is written in a story-telling way everyone understands and can relate to in one or another way. It is not straight „get up at 5 am and your life will become better“. It is more about explaining the HOW and WHY. It shared such valuable insights that you cannot only apply to your „victory hour“ in the morning but to your life in general. And it makes you start to think and reflect (at least it did this to me and my dad – who both have read it) about everything. That is what is golden about this book. It touches on life on the whole and not simply one thing.

I have written 105 – yes I counted – sentences, quotes and thoughts out of that book to remind myself each and every day. Maybe you’ll read this book and get up at 5am every day and maybe not. What I believe is more important is that you can apply these insights to your current life – no matter whether you are extremely happy with how it is going or you are absolutely not and want to change something – to live it in the best, most gorgeous and most magical way you could.

I hope that these 5 things will contribute something positive to your December and that they will make the end of the year a tiny bit better! I am looking forward to hearing how you like them!

Love, Katie

My November Top 5

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11/12 – we now are in November. And I truly do not know how this year passed by so quickly. Is ut just me or does anyone else feel like it went Janiuary, February, Lockdown (felt like 1 week), 2 weeks of summer, a few days of fall and now it’s almost Christmas. How? But anyway, we are in November, which means we need some new things to get excited about, and we definitely have got some! As every month, I´ll share my food of the month, my favourite recipe (soso good this time), product of the month, workout and inspiration to get us through this cold month! Enjoy, I hope this will upgrade your month a bit!

Food of the month – Pumpkin

How could it not be? Fall = Pumpkin. October & November are THE pumpkin months. But what makes pumpkin healthy and what qualifies it as a food of the month?

What was really surprising to me is that pumpkin originated in middle and South America. It is a very ancient food, which apparently has been discovered almost 10 000 years ago. Very very old. But pumpkin is not just pumpkin. While the most common ones are Hokkaido, butternut, spaghetti and acorn squash, there actually exist more than 800 different types of pumpkin. Crazy number right? But there is something they all have in common, their nutritional value. It varies a bit from pumpkin to pumpkin but is very similar with everyone.

Pumpkin is very low in calories, with an average of 50/100g. But it is extremely high in vitamins, especially in Vitamin A. It also has a decent amount of fibre to keep you full for longer. Besides Vitamin A, they contain Vitamin C, E and Iron, which have shown to improve the immune system. This is great for the colder months ahead of us!

But what I love about them the most is that they are so versatile. And believe me, you will see this in my November recipes – just saying: Pumpkin overload. You can make them into soup, risotto, add them to pasta, bowls, oatmeal, even coffee. Bake, steam, fry them. Whatever you want, it basically is possible with it. My favourite probably is soup or adding it to pasta.

If you like pumpkin, I can promise you so much: be excited for November. We have got them with pasta, in a Middle Eastern inspired sit, sweet and another surprise. And all are healthy and so DELICIOUS.

Recipe of the month – Saucy Green Curry Noodles with Oven-Baked Crispy Sesame Tofu

I know that it might sound very complicated to make. But it is not. It is everything else than traditional (sorry Rin, Sai – my Thai friends) but it definitely is AT LEAST as delicious. Very family friendly, easy to make, pretty quick. A complete favourite of mine.

What is in this dish?

Everything we love. We have got an abundance of vegetables – whichever you like, I love to make use of the greens that are now in season such as Brussel sprouts, broccoli, spinach, kale, but any vegetable will work. Those are tossed in a creamy and spicy coconut milk and curry sauce.

To have something filling we are mixing this with noodles. Rice noodles work best here because they soak up the sauce best. But soba or udon would also work. The combination of noodles and curry really is unbeatable.

And let’s not forget about the best part of the dish. The crispy tofu. And ys, this actually is crispy, and healthy. It is not deep-fried but baked and it is crispy. With soy sauce sesame flavour, the perfect addition.

I can only tell you this much: if you like curry, you must try this! It is next level good food.

Product of the month – Everdrop

„With every product we want to make the world a little bit better“ – that is the vision of Daniel, Chris & David, the founders of everdrop.

But what is everdrop?

Everdrop is a brand that produces products for sustainable cleaning and washing. Instead of buying a plastic spray bottle to clean your glas, your bathroom or your kitchen their idea is to buy a tab that you add to a bottle with water. This way you sort of make your own cleaning products at home. You buy a bottle once and reuse this every time. When it is empty, you simply add another tab and water and you have got a new product. Simple, efficient and cheep.

Photo from everdrop.de

It actually is cheaper than buying a regular cleaning product at the store. One tab – so one bottle – costs 1€. Cheaper than if you’d buy a whole new bottle. You can order them and they’ll come straight to your door. We have been using these products for about 3 months and are super happy with them.

Besides cleaning products for kitchen, bathroom and glass, you can also find Laundry detergents for a more sustainable washing of cloths.

What is amazing about this company is that they produce in Germany only, produce 93% less plastic and 77% less CO2. Definitely worth a try if you want to make your home more sustainable.

Workout of the month – Daily Yoga

„Yoga is just laying on the floor and stretching“. I do not know how many times I have heard this sentence. Way too many times. But really, most people who have said this have never tried Yoga.

It can be relaxing but it also can be really challenging and it will give you a good sweat. That is what I love about it! You can choose your level of difficulty. I have been practicing Yoga for a few years now but never really regularly because I did not always want to go to a studio and have never really found something that I loved 100%. Until a friend of mine recommended me this app.

Daily yoga is an app you simply download on your smartphone or tablet and you have hundreds of Yoga courses. There are a bunch of free ones to try out (they are great) and if you like them you can subscribe to a membership for more courses (although I think the free one is really great – I also am using the free courses only at the moment). There is not only the „normal“ yoga on there but also guided meditation, yoga for sweat, yoga for abs, or yoga for flexibility. Something for everyone.

Inspiration of the month – @dariadaria

Madeleine Darya Alizadeh mostly known as Dariadaria on Instagram. I have found her profile through a radio interview two years ago and follow her journey ever since then. Madeleine is one of Austrias most successful activist, podcaster and blogger.

She started her blog in 2010, which focused on fashion. She then got interested in the climate change and shifted her focus to raise awareness about sustainability. She also founded a sustainable and inclusive (beautiful!) fashion label called Dariadéh.

Why did I chose her as the inspiration of the month?

Because she really is an inspiring human from day to day. If you follow her on instagram you know what I mean. She fights for rights, equality, in general for a better world. And her stories are such a positive contribution to each day. No matter whether it is her sweating and dying at a workout or just fun things that happen on a daily basis.

Besides, she also shares a lot of sustainable brands, especially fashion brands, as she also has her own one. Madeleine has also written a book called „Starkes, weiches Herz“ in which she addresses lots of small question regarding life. A really inspiring book and also a very motivating one. I have almost finished it in one read. Just an enrichment every day. I can really recommend following her.

All of these foods, workouts, inspiration and products are things I genuinely enjoy and consume on a daily basis. I really hope that these will make your November a bit better. If you do try out any of this I would love to hear how you like them!

Have a beautiful November,

Katie // Une Petite Cusiniere