feel food club

Summer

The BEST 15-minute Pasta with Rosé Cherry Tomato Honey-Lemon Sauce

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Summer can be tough for cooking. When having the choice between sitting in the sun and standing in the kitchen , who (except for me) would choose the kitchen? Probably most people wouldn’t. But still, have something delicious and nourishing to eat also is something we do not want to miss out on. Is that impossible? Definitely not!

It may seem a bit tricky to create something delicious in little time but it really isn’t. And given the amazing fruits and veggies that summer brings us, it is as easy as pie to add a whole bunch of nutrients to anything we make. So, we know it is possible to make something delicious and healthy, but what is more, we can even make something fancy. This pasta dish is perfect as a nice lunch that makes you feel as if you were in Italy or as a dinner for two on one of summer‘s long evenings.

Sounds complicated but is easy!

The name of this dish is pretty long and therefore may make the impression that this dish is complicated when it actually isn’t. Making this pasta actually requires very few ingredients, and pretty much all (maybe except for the olive oil and burrata) are available from a local source. It essentially only comes down to cooking the pasta and making the sauce by letting some fresh tomatoes, rosé, garlic, honey, lemon & some olive oil simmer until the tomatoes have bursted and flavours have been able to emerge.

What is special about this dish?

What is special is that it is really simple and yet pretty fancy. We‘re not making a classic tomato sauce here but one that is next level, while not taking much time. The tomatoes are sautéed in hot olive oil with some garlic to on the one hand soften, and on the other hand gain a nice roasted flavour. The honey intensifies the naturally sweet flavour of the tomatoes, while the lemon adds a nice refreshing contrast to them. And since the honey is added to balance it out, the sauce does not have a sour flavour. To make everything merge into a sauce, the rosé wine is used. Why rosé? In my opinion, rosé is just a summer wine. And since, as my dad likes to say, the wine that is used for cooking, also needs be drunken with the meal, there is no way around rosé. The sauce itself already is packed with so much flavour and can totally be eaten as is with the pasta. This way, you would actually have a vegan version of this dish. Nevertheless, in case you want to take everything next level, you can still top this dish off with some fresh, creamy burrata. Because nothing, really nothing, beats some burrata. The creaminess works in such perfect harmony with the sweet and fresh tomato sauce – pure heaven.

Is this dish healthy?

Definitely! Pasta has a reputation of not being healthy but it actually does have a bunch of health benefits. It is loaded with carbs, which make sure you stay full of energy for the rest of the day. Besides, it also comes with a decent amount of protein and fibre. When you chose to go for whole grain pasta, the amount of fibre is increased even more. Personally, I do not like the taste of whole grain pasta in this dish too much, but if you do, it would be a great choice! 

The real star of the show though are the tomatoes. Since this fruit (yes – it‘s a fruit!) is currently in season, they are full of goodies for you. Loaded with sweetness they provide a lot of fibre, Vitamin C & K, potassium and folate. Also, they are high in antioxidants, which have been linked to several health benefits. And the biggest benefit probably: they are delicious. Also garlic has a nutritional value that can be shown. It does not contain an excessive amount of one thing, but it has a bit of anything you need. Garlic has also been linked to help as medicine when catching a cold and to a reduction of blood pressure.

Also, the olive oil in this dish provided a decent amount of unsaturated fats, which are essential – especially for the brain. Yes, we are adding wine into this dish, but the alcohol cooks down, and what stays is the flavour. Last but definitely not least is the burrata on top. This heavenly creaminess is full of protein and deliciousness. It needs to be said that it also comes with a bunch of saturated fats but you know what? A little cheese never hurt nobody! 

Meal Prep? Yes! But not necessary! 

When I made this pasta for the first time, I did meal prep it because I took it to work (where we did not have a kitchen). It worked out perfectly when I heated it up in the microwave, although it would be even better to heat it up on the stove with a splash of water and tomato sauce if you have the possibility to do so. 

Please, still keep in mind that this dish only takes 15 minutes to make – only 10 minutes more than when heating it up. So if you do have a stove I can only recommend you to make it freshly! If you really are that crunched on time, you can also pre chop the tomatoes or throw them into the sauce as a whole. 

Pasta is always a great idea. Still, this dish is an extra level of great. The sweetness of the tomatoes in combination with the sour-tanginess of the lemons and the comfort from the pasta, plus the creaminess of the burrata = HEAVEN. Writing this only makes me want to have it again. You should really do yourself a favour and try this out and spoil yourself and a loved one with this! Easy as pie and tastes like heaven! 

I genuinely hope that you‘ll enjoy it and make it on repeat – at least for as long as tomatoes are in season! 
Enjoy,
Katie // Une Petite Cuisinière 

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15 minute Pasta with Rosé Cherry Tomato Honey-Lemon Sauce

This pasta dish is easy to make, packed with flavor and nutrients and just tastes like heaven. And all ready in 15 minutes. Don’t wait any longer and treat yourself to this! 

Course dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 5 Minuten
Cook Time 10 Minuten
Total Time 15 Minuten
Servings 2 servings

What you will need

  • 250 g pasta (i like to use rigattoni, paccheri or something similar)
  • 500 g tomatoes (best is a mix of cherry tomatoes and large ones)
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • a splash rosé wine
  • 100 ml tomato sauce
  • 2 tsp honey
  • 1 lemon (we need the peel)
  • sea salt
  • 1 burrata
  • fresh basil to serve

How to

  1. Start by preparing the pasta. To do so, add the pasta to a pot with boiling, salted water and cook according to package instructions.

  2. In the meantime, half the cherry tomatoes and cut the larger ones into bite sized (about 1-2cm large) pieces. Peel and finely chop the garlic clove.

  3. Heat up the olive oil in a pan and add the garlic and tomatoes. Generously add some sea salt and let fry on medium high heat for about 3-4 minutes. Turn down to medium heat, add the rosé and tomato sauce and honey.

  4. Wash the lemon and with a potato peeler, peel the lemon off into stripes. Add them to the pan and let everything simmer for 3-4 more minutes.

  5. Before the pasta is done, remove half a cup of the water they are cooking in, then drain them and add them to the sauce along with the preserved water. You may need some olive oil or tomato sauce to help combine.

  6. Divide onto bowls and serve with fresh burrata and basil! Enjoy!

Super Quick, Family-Approved, Herby Prawn and Avocado Salad

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Summer season = salad season. We all know that. When it’s hot outside (which it hopefully is soon) and the sun is shining we neither want to spend hours in the kitchen, nor can anyone really eat something warm. So salads are the perfect dish to eat. They are quick to make, healthy and mostly. But they can be boring so easily.

They definitely can, but they don’t necessarily have to be. If you only make the same one over and over again, I agree, this would be boring. If you switch it up though, and add basically an entire herb garden and make the best garlic prawns ever, and still only spend 15 minutes making it, then it is a really good kind a salad. And yep, it is very delicious too (my brother ate the entire bowl so it‘s got to be delicious!)!

What is special about this dish? 

Well, it definitely is not your average salad! Its not just greens & dressing & maybe some veggies – no; it is way more delicious!! To make it taste a bit more like summer and a bit fresher, we are adding a whole brunch of herbs. Mint, basil, parsley, really, whatever you have on hand. 

And also the dressing is really really fresh, since we‘re adding some lemon and even more herbs to it, but also some honey. It‘s sweetness balanced the sourness of the lemon out perfectly. And not to forget about the prawns. They are SO. good. They are fried in olive oil with fresh garlic. While it probably is not the best recipe for a date, it definitely is the most delicious way to cook prawns!! The combo of garlic and prawns simply is unbeatable! 

Is this dish healthy? 

It definitely is! There are a whole lot of greens in here. All the herbs and also the salad are packed with different nutrient and vitamins and also a lot of fibre. Adding herbs to dishes is such an easy and flavorful way to add vitamins and fibre. We also get a decent amount of essential nutrients, and also a lot of water, from the cucumber. 

The prawns account for the right amount of protein and the olive oil makes sure we are not lacking those unsaturated fats. The lemon keeps our immune system strong with its Vitamin C. The only thing that is not directly included in the salad is a source of carbohydrates. But here you could just have some whole grain bread on the side or add some quinoa or couscous in the salad. 

How to make this dish?

There are three things that need to be done. 1. prepping the veggies; therefore we need to wash the salad, slice the cucumber and peel and chop the avocado into cubes. 2. making the dressing; here we need to mix some olive oil, lemon juice, honey and the finelly chopped herbs. And 3. we need to make the prawns; that really only comes down to finely slicing some garlic, frying it in hot oil for about 30 seconds and then adding the prawns and cooking them on each side for about 3 minutes. And voilà! 

In case the prawns are frozen

just add them to a bowl with some hot water (not boiling one, just warm one) and let them stand for about 30 minutes, changing the water every 10 minutes to let them thaw without cooking. Then just pat them dry with a kitchen towel and cook as the recipe says! 

This salad is amazing for those hot summer days or for whenever you are craving something light and healthy and fresh. It anyway is very easy to make and a must try! 

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Super Quick, Family-Approved, Herby Prawn and Avocado Salad

Salads in summer are simply perfect. But always having the same one over and over again also can be veryyyy boring. That’s why we need to switch things up and make this delicious goodie.

Course lunch, Salad
Prep Time 10 Minuten
Cook Time 10 Minuten
Total Time 20 Minuten
Servings 4 servings

What you will need

For the prawns:

  • 800 g prawns*
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic

For the salad:

  • 1 head of salad
  • 1 avocado
  • 6 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lemon (only the juice)
  • 1 tsp mustard
  • 2 tsp honey
  • 1/2 tbsp chopped mint
  • 1/2 tbsp chopped parsley
  • 1/2 tbsp chopped dill

How to

  1. Peel and finely dice the garlic. Heat up the olive oil and butter in a pan and sauté the garlic in the hot oil for about 30 seconds, then add in the prawns. Fry them on each side for about 3 minutes until pink and cooked through. 

  2. In the meantime finely chop the herbs and mix them with the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard and honey. 

  3. Wash and tear the salad into bite sized pieces. Half the avocado, remove the pit and scoop it out with a spoon. Then cut into about 1cm sized chunks. Also add this to the salad. 

  4. Mix with the dressing and divide onto the bowls. Top with the prawns and garnish with fresh dill. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

*if the prawns are frozen, add them to a bowl and cover them with warm water. Let stand for about 5 minutes, then drain and repeat until they have thawed. Then lay them onto a kitchen towel and tap them dry. 

I genuinely hope that you‘ll enjoy it! 
Love,
Katie // Une Petite Cuisinière 

The Easiest (10 Minute) Strawberry & Chickpea Caprese

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If there is one dish that embodies summer, it definitely is caprese. The Italian vibes, the freshness, the lightness of summer, and all the goodness. All of that not only is summer but can also be found in caprese. Not to mention how delicious it is! Still, as good as the classic one is, once in a while it is fun to switch things up and take them next level. Just as we are doing here.

Caprese actually is one of my favorite, if not my favorite dishes ever. When in Italy I have it at least once a day, in whichever form. Undoubtedly, the combo of tomatoes and burrata or mozzarella is unbeatable. I thought so at least before having tried this. And let me tell you, strawberry and mozzarella does not quite beat tomatoes an mozzarella but it definitely is at least as delicious!! 

Where does Caprese come from?

Maybe you have already noticed; the colours in Caprese, green (from the basil), white (from the mozzarella) and red (from the tomatoes), are identical with the ones in the Italian flag. A coincidence? I don’t know but I don’t think so. The dish also has its name from an Italian island, Capri. There the dish was first served and still is a must serve. If you are a Caprese lover, Capri definitely should be on your food bucket list! 

What’s special about this? 

As mentioned above, this is not your average Caprese. We‘re still keeping the colors, but we‘re changing up the flavors. Instead of tomatoes we are using strawberries and we also are adding some herbed chickpeas to it. You may wonder whether a fruit would taste good in a savory dish, and really, it does (tomato btw is a fruit to, so it‘s not too big of a change). Tomatoes are a bit sweet, and so are strawberries. They definitely do have a quite different flavor, yet the sweetness works in great harmony with the tanginess of the mozzarella.

Plus, the chickpeas are not typical. To all Italian out there, please don’t judge before you try! They add some extra texture and flavor and keep you full for longer due to their fibre. And mozzarella and chickpeas taste really delicious when combined. 

Mozzarella, Burrata, Mozzarella di Bufola? 

Before we are jumping to the health part of the dish, we need to clarify which kind of Mozzarella works best here. What even is the difference? 

So Mozzarella is the regular one. Depending on where you live and from where you buy the mozzarella, it can be harder of softer, yet it already has the typical mozzarella flavor. This one works great for anything that is being baked, like pizza or pasta gratins. Mozzarella di Buffola, is already way softer and higher quality mozzarella. It has a milder flavor and is way creamier than the regular one. Thus, it also is more expensive. This is the one you usually are served in Italy. 

And then there is burrata. I need to warn you though, once you try burrata, you‘ll habe a hard time returning to mozzarella di Buffola or even regular mozzarella. Burrata kind of is the queen of all mozzarella, and well deserved. It comes from Puglia, in the south of italy, and is made from a day old mozzarella and cream. And the result. Oh my goodness. Unreal. Such a creamy and tangy center, you cannot get enough of it. It just is unreal. Burrata usually is served with either caprese or on top of pasta for example.

So which one works best for this dish? 

I would say mozzarella di bufola. Burrata would taste amazing but since it is so creamy, the salad would turn into a (delicious) mess.

What about the chickpeas?

It wouldn’t do the mozzarella justice if we chose an A-level mozzarella but then some regular canned chickpeas – would it? So the chickpeas also have to be next level. Just like the ones from NENI. They actually are simply PERFECT for this dish. Why? They are precooked and prepackaged, so you can just grab them in your supermarket and make this dish even quicker. And they are ore spiced with ultra tasty Mediterranean spices and herbs. These herbs work perfectly together with the mozzarella and strawberries. These spiced chickpeas make this dish 10x more delicious and even healthier, because you get so many nutrients from them. If you somehow have access to getting those chickpeas, you definitely should! 

Is this dish healthy?

We can definitely say so. As a base we have the strawberries, which are loaded with vitamins and fibre and nutrients. (Btw, did you know, you could eat the green part of the strawberries? It still blows my mind). Then we have got the chickpeas, which also are an amazing source of protein and fibre. So they‘ll keep you full and happy and help your digestion. And then, not to forget about the mozzarella; it is rather high in fat, that needs to be said, but also in protein. The olive oil accounts for some unsaturated, healthy fats and the basil for some extra nutrients. All in all, pretty healthy! 

How to make this dish? 

This is beyond easy. Really. All we need to do is wash and slice the strawberries, chop the mozzarella and toss with the chickpeas, basil, oil and vinegar. Yup, that’s all. Then we only need to pack it for our picnic 🙂

Meal prep friendly?

Definitely! Otherwise it would not be a great picnic dish would it? You can store it in the fridge – even for a day if you want. This actually intensifies the flavors because the juices of the strawberries will run out and combine with the mozzarella.

This definitely is one of the easiest and most delicious meals you could make. It is amazing for those hot summer days when you just want a quick lunch, but also for warm and sunny picnics in the park! I hope you‘ll really enjoy this and have an amazing time picnicing! 

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The Easiest 10 Minute Strawberry and Chickpea Caprese

Easy to make, super quick, super refreshing and super delicious! Really, this is next level and not your average caprese (much better!). The strawberries and an amazing sweet-summery twist to it and all in all it is super delicious! A must make!

Course Appetizer, picnic, Salad
Prep Time 10 Minuten
Total Time 10 Minuten

What you will need

  • 1 package NENI Kichererbsen Salat mit frischen Kräutern
  • 250 g strawberries
  • 1 Package mozzarella cheese (around 120-150g)
  • 1 tbsp basil
  • 1 handful greens (such as baby spinach)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

How to

  1. Wash the strawberries and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Add them to a bowl along with the chickpeas, the mozzarella, the olive oil and the finely chopped basil. Give it a good mix, then divide onto bowls.

  2. Drizzle some balsamic vinegar and serve with fresh basil! Enjoy!

Love,
Katie // Une Petite Cuisinière 

Not You Average (much better) Hummus and Falafel Picnic Bagel

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The name says it all. Definitely not your average bagel. This is something so much better, I promise. Recipe 2 of the picnic series, and it only is getting better, although it is hard to top the beluga lentil salad an curry hummus stuffed pita. Yet, we managed to do so. Slightly sweet and crispy bagel with creamy hummus, fresh greens and radishes, crunchy falafel and soft and salty avocado. Oh my. If I were you, I would be running to the store right now.

Bagels are just amazing by themselves already. We really need to take a moment and thank the inventor of thebagel (who by the way was Austrian!!!) for this amazing creation. Invented by accident, probably the best accident ever, and now a staple around the world. And really, cream cheese and salmon bagels are amazing, no need to doubt that, yet there are so many other combos that just taste unreal in a bagel, which you need to try out – just like this one!

Where to get good bagels?

This is really important, because if the bagel itself does not taste amazing, the entire dish only tastes half as good. So, in Vienna there are 2 places I love to get my bagels from. The first one is Budapäst Bagels – they have been the (much deserved) restaurant of the month in march and definitely have amazing bagels. You can just grab some plain bagels there and fill them at home! The other place that never lets you down is Joseph Brot. They have several shops in Vienna, so you can just choose one that is close to you. The only disadvantage here – they are sold out so quickly always! So you got to get up early for your bagels.

What’s special about this dish?

It is a mix of the traditional bagel and a falafel pita or sandwich and an avo toast. So, really the best of everything combined! Instead of spreading a bagel with cream cheese, we are spreading it with hummus. And filling it with falafel. Yep, it gets quite thick and tastes amazing. Plus, we have some springy goodness with the fresh veggies and sprouts. This bagel combo really is (not exaggerating here) life changing.

Plus, also this recipe is part of the NENI x Une Petite Cuisinière picnic series! Which means, you can use the (super delicious) Neni am Tisch products to make this. In other words, you get some healthy deliciousness in no time.

Is this dish healthy?

We got to be honest, it probably it not the most nutrient dense dish ever. It though, also is not unhealthy. The thing is that most of the time bagels themselves are not highly nutritious. To achieve their slightly sweet flavour, there often is sugar in them and they rarely are made with whole-wheat products. They do provide you with a bunch of carbs though, yet not many complex ones and not much fibre.

Nevertheless the fillings are nutritious. We have a lot of chickpeas in here – in form of hummus and in form of falafel. Chickpeas are high in protein and fibre and therefore a great plant-based food. Plus, we have some greens & radishes, meaning more vitamins and some avocado for healthy fats and deliciousness (what even is a bagel without avocado?).

How to make this dish?

This probably is one of the easiest things you’ve ever made. All you need to do is pop the falafel into the oven (this is no must, popping them into the oven just really lets them crisp up again and makes them taste much better). In the meantime we are toasting the bagel, slicing the radishes and cutting the avo.

When falafel and bagel are done, we spread some of the (best) Hummus onto the lower half of the bagel, add the falafel, the radishes, some cress or sprouts and top it with the avo. Now we got to sprinkle it with some sea salt, close it with the top and take it onto our picnic. A perfect dish for a perfect picnic!

What about meal prep and picnic?

Obviously the bagel won’t be crispy anymore when it has been stored in the fridge or in a container to be taken onto a picnic, nevertheless, it still is as delicious! If you just leave it like that, it will be a bit of a mess to eat though. To avoid that, it is best if you cut it in half and then take some parchment paper, cut a strip off it, wrap it around the bagel-half and then fix it with a string. That way everything holds together and you can eat without everything falling apart.

If you wanted to bagel to be a bit more crispy, you could also toast it beforehand and bake the falafel, then put both into a bag (not air tight!!) and take the avocado, sprouts, radishes and hummus in a separate container and fill the bagel at your picnic spot! This makes it all a bit fresher!

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Not your average (much better) Hummus & Falafel Picnic Bagel

crispy bagel with creamy hummus, crispy falafel and creamy avocado. This is the bagel combo you have been misisng out on all your life, I promise. It is so good that you will want to have it every day and take it on every picnic.

Course Breakfast, brunch, lunch, picnic
Prep Time 5 Minuten
Cook Time 15 Minuten
Total Time 20 Minuten

What you will need

  • 1 bagel
  • 5 NENI am Tisch Falafel
  • 2-3 tbsp NENI am Tisch Hummus
  • 1/2 avocado
  • a few radishes
  • sprouts/ cress

How to

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the falafel onto a baking tray and bake them for 10-15 minutes to get them crispy again.

  2. Slice the bagel in half and toast it.

  3. In the meantime slice the radishes and avocado and chop the cress.

  4. When the falafel are done, spread the bagel with the hummus, add the falafel, radishes and sprouts, and lay the sliced avocado on top. Sprinkle with some sea salt, close the bagel with the top and enjoy!

Regardless or which way you choose to take you bagel to the picnic, it’ll be delicious and I hope that you will also find it to be delicious and enjoy it!

Have a wonderful picnic,
Love,
Katie