feel food club

Summer

Quick & Easy Stuffed Curry Hummus Pita with Beluga Lentil Salad

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Imagine sitting in the green grass on a sunny day, in the shade of a cherry tree and enjoying a soft and warm pita bread stuffed with creamy and tangy, Indian inspired curry hummus, together with a refreshing lentil-veggie-and feta salad and topped off with some smooth avocado and a sprinkle of sea salt. Definitely sounds like something I would love to try.

I am not sure what exactly it is, but there is something about picnicking that just hits different. For some reason, picnic season always is the best season, still it can get a little bit boring if you always make the same dishes every time. Obviously, we can easily avoid that!! Therefore with this (super tasty) dish, we are introducing a picnic recipe series, so you’ll always have something delicious to make for your next picnic brunch!! And really, this is good. The fact that my dad (who is very skeptical when it comes to vegan food and things like hummus and lentils) finished half of it before I left for a picnic.

What is special about this dish?

Kind of everything. Usually, you would dip Pita into Hummus or another dip, or you would fill if with something like falafel or chicken. Well, here we are doing neither. We actually are more or less, combining two dishes. Pita + hummus and beluga lentil salad. It may sound a lot at first, but trust me, the combo is amazung. Plus, it really is super duper easy to make and comes together in 20 minutes. And it is super meal prep friendly, easy and not messy to eat, which makes it perfect for a picnic.

Plus, it features two of the most delicious products from NENI am Tisch. NENI makes (incredibly tasty) oriental inspired food, has many, many, amazing restaurants and their own products. We are using their beluga lentils and their curry hummus here, to make this recipe even easier and quicker. You can find all their products at SPAR, Edeka, Globus & Tegut.

Is this dish healthy?

Yes, yes, yes. I mean, look at it! It already is so beautifully colourful – how can something this colourful not be healthy? Let’s break it down a little bit. As for the lentil salad, we have several different components. The lentils themselves first, they are very high in fibre and a great source of plant based protein. Plus, they come with many other nutrients. Then, also in the lentil salad we have got several different. veggies. First up the sweet potatoes. Sweet Potatoes are a nutrient bomb basically, loaded not only with deliciousness but also with carbohydrates, fibre and lots and lots of vitamins.

Then we have a mix of several different veggies. Here it really is up to you what you want to use! I love some cucumber, tomatoes, spring onions and avocado. You could also add in some asparagus or corn or whatever you like. Depending on which veggies you choose, the vitamins and minerals will vary a little, but you will definitely get a bunch of them! Then we also have some avo (obv) for some healthy fats and a sprinkle of feta (which is optional and really good) for some salty goodness and a bit more protein and fats. Not to forget about the pita, which gives us all the energy we need through its carbohydrates. If you want to go a bit healthier with that, you could swap it out for a wholegrain pita.

How to make this dish?

We need to start by preparing the sweet potatoes because they take the longest. To do so, we chop them into about 1cm sized cubes, toss them with some salt, pepper, paprika and oil and then bake them at 200°C for about 20 minutes. In the meantime we can just go ahead and prepare the lentil salad. For this we just chop up the veggies and toss it with the NENI lentils, then we only slice up some feta and avocado.

When the sweet potatoes are done, we can also toss them with the lentils and then we can start stuffing the pitas. To do so, we first spread some curry hummus onto the insides of the pita. Then we fill them up with the beluga lentil salad and top them with avo and feta. And that already is it!

The perfect picnic dish!

This really is IDEAL for picnic. You don’t make a mess while eating it because you can just take bites from the pita. Plus, it is really easy to prepare and does not loose in taste even when it is not eaten right away but stored in the fridge for several hours. Moreover, if there is any lentil salad left, you can just store it in a separate container and take it with you too. And lastly, it already looks so beautifully summery, you’ll really, really want to take this onto a picnic!

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Quick & Easy Curry Hummus Stuffed Pita with Summery Beluga Lentil Salad

Easy to make, packed with flavor and soso delicious – just the ideal picnic food. A soft and warm pita filled with summery flavours of a fresh beluga lentil salad and a curry hummus. All in all – a dream

Course dinner, lunch, picnic
Prep Time 10 Minuten
Cook Time 20 Minuten
Total Time 30 Minuten
Servings 2 servings

What you will need

  • 1 small sweet potato (about 400g)
  • 1/2 tsp paprika powder
  • 1 tbsp oil (flavor neutral)

For the lentil salad:

  • 1 package NENI "Orientalischer Beluga Linsen Salat" (or 200g cooked beluga lentils with lemon juice, olive oil & herbs)
  • 1/4 cucumber
  • a handful cherry tomatoes
  • 2 spring onions
  • 1/2 avocado
  • 3-4 radishes
  • a handful mixed greens
  • 100 g feta cheese

For the rest:

  • 5 tbsp NENI Curry Hummus
  • 1-2 pita

How to

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Peel the sweet potatoes and chop them into about 1cm sized cubes. Toss them with the oil, paprika powder, salt and pepper and lay onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes until soft.

  2. In the meantime wash the cucumber, radishes and tomatoes. Half or quarter the tomatoes, chop the cucumber into bite.sized pieces and finely slice the radishes. Add them to a bowl along with the lentils, greens, the crumbled or chopped feta and the sliced avocado.

  3. 3 minutes before the sweet potatoes are done, you can add the pita into the oven so it gets re-heated. Then take everything out, toss the sweet potato with the lentil salad and cut the pita in half. Spread the curry hummus into the inside of the pita and then fill it with the lentil salad. Enjoy!

I hope you really enjoy making and eating this and have a beautiful picnic!

Love,
Katie

Incredibly easy Strawberry and Pesto Couscous with Crumbled Feta

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I can’t stress this enough but summer REALLY is all about those quick and easy meals. And about all of the fresh fruits. So we are taking those super juicy and sweet large summer strawberries and packing them into the easiest „salad“ with couscous, pesto, feta and lemon and making it into a (no joke!!!!) 10 minute (healthy!) dish. We do not need anything more!

What is special about this dish?

Well, I guess everything! I mean, we all know those „basic“ combos, watermelon and feta, strawberry and spinach, feta and pesto, and so on, But really, a watermelon and feta salad or a strawberry and spinach one is nice but it really is not filling. maybe for 10 minutes ok, but that’s not what we want.

What is special is that there are so many different products used and combined into one dish! So many different flavours and textures mixed up in a bowl. It is the sweetness of the strawberries (which you really have to try because they are in season right now!!), the softness of the couscous, the crunch of the spinach, the nice tanginess from the feta and the saltiness from the pesto.

The pesto – a dream

I have already explained in a blog post whether pesto is healthy or not (you can read about it in the post for the and for the Ultra Green Pesto Salad with Burrata ). To summarise, you can say yes(-ish) if in moderation. But really, pesto is not just pesto. When you go to the supermarket there are many many different pestos. So just a few words about it.

Pesto is traditionally from Italy and made out of basil, olive oil, pine nuts, salt, garlic and parmesan cheese. And really, these are the only ingredients that should be in pesto. But if you go to the supermarket you are very likely to find one that is not high in quality since most of them are. A little tip here: look out for dark ones and check the ingredient label. the darker they are the higher the quality because the more basil is in there, and the less water!

I know, I know, it is not so easy to find a good pesto at the supermarket. That is the reason I have decided to try and order one online and let me tell you, BEST DECISION EVER. It literally tastes just like in Italy or homemade one!!! The perfect saltiness, a REAL basil flavour and not just watery paste with flavour enhancer.

I got it at PastaFani and it really is a game changer. Made out of 100% Austrian Ingredients and 100% organic ingredients. I am being serious, that exists AND it is tasty! Really, the best pesto I have ever bought somewhere. And it is so convenient. It comes straight to your door (delivered) and you can (and definitely will want to) add it on pretty much anything! Trofie with Pine Nuts and Potatoes, like in Italy, in Salad dressings, scrambled eggs, sandwiches, anything.

You can find the pesto here. If you want good pesto, get this one. It is insane!

Is this dish healthy?

Alright, enough said about pesto (if there is such thing as saying enough about pesto) but is this dish actually healthy or is it just super tasty? believe it or not, it is healthy too! You get in your vitamins, from your strawberries and spinach, a good amount of plant based protein, carbohydrates and fibre and healthy fats from the pesto. It is a pretty well balanced, healthy and delicious dish!

Although, I need to say that couscous is not quite as healthy as Quinoa is since it contains way less fibre but you can look out for wholegrain couscous to make it even healthier!

Substitutes:

Couscous – Quinoa, Millet
Strawberries – Raspberries
Feta Cheese – leave it out, sub for Mozzarella or Cottage Cheese
Spinach – lambs lettuce, arugula, kale
Pesto – do not substitute this (since this really makes the dish)

I genuinely love this recipe on hot summer days since it comes together really quick! It also works amazing for meal prep so you can take it on a picnic or to a friends house for barbecue or take it to work/ school for a delicious and healthy lunch!

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Incredibly easy Strawberry and Pesto Couscous with Crumbled Feta

Summer in a bowl. Takes you 10 minutes to make, combines juicy strawberries with tangy pesto, fresh feta and soft couscous. Tastes like a treat but is healthy. You´ll want it all summer long!

Course Appetizer, bowl, Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
Prep Time 10 Minuten
Total Time 10 Minuten
Servings 4 people
Calories 450 kcal

What you will need

  • 240 g couscous
  • 400 g strawberries
  • 100 g spinach fresh one
  • 100 g feta cheese
  • 120-160 g basil pesto
  • some fresh basil leaves
  • salt & pepper
  • 1/2 lemon juiced

How to

  1. Prepare the couscous according to package instructions and generously salt it. (Usually you just have to pour boiling water on top but this varies from brand to brand).

  2. Remove the greens from the strawberries and quarter or half them. Roughly chop up the spinach and basil.

  3. For the dressing combine the pesto with the juice of the lemon and 1-2 tbsp of water.

  4. Once the couscous is done let it cool off a bit and then combine everything in a bowl. Divide onto plates and crumble the feta on top! Serve and enjoy!

I hope you really enjoy this recipe as much as I do!
Happy cooking,
Enjoy,
Katie // Une Petite Cuisinière

The Crispiest Healthy Peach and Cherry Crumble you’ll make

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You know what I love about summer? There are so many fresh fruits and veggies!And there are just so many ways you can use them! Just like this one! Sweet and juicy fruits beneath a layer of Goey, sweet and crispy crumble. No, you can’t taste that it is healthy but you are going to want to have all of this at once!

Why crumble?

I need to say that I actually got the inspiration from a friend of mine. One night I forgot my keys at home and no-one was there so I stayed over at one of my friend´s houses and her mom had made this ultra tasty crumble. It was with apricots and not super healthy I think but it was amazing! So I thought I wanted to kind of recreate it and asked you guys on instagram what kind of recipes you’d like to see, and you answered crumble.

What is a crumble?

I think the name crumble comes from crumbs. I think you can already imagine what it is. So basically you can make this with any fruit you have on hand. They build the foundation. On top of the fruits are crumbs made out of butter, sugar and flour and then it is all baked in the oven. The fruits will loose some liquid but the flavour will intensify and the crumbles will crisper up. Imagine it as warm fruits with cookie on top.

Is crumble healthy?

Not really. I mean it is healthier than other desserts such as chocolate cake because it is mainly made of fruit but the crumble part is not healthy. Why? It has a lot of sugar and fat in it. Basically no vitamins or nutrients. So yes, it is better and lighter than most desserts but you can’t say that it is healthy.

How to make crumble healthy

This actually is super easy. Easier than expected. We leave the base as it is. So the fruit part is the same. But we change up the crumbles part. Instead of flour we are using rolled oats. But before using them we need to process them in a food processor until they have reached a really fine consistency, much like flour. Oats are super high in vitamins and fibre and are therefore way healthier than white flour is.

Instead of butter we use margarine. Margarine is made out of plants and oils and really high in unsaturated fat. It still is high in calories but it by far does not have such a high content of saturated fat. And instead of white sugar we are using coconut sugar. Coconut sugar is way less processed and actually has a bunch of nutrients and fibre.

Substitutes:

If you do not have peaches or cherries on hand, you could make it with berries, apricots or whichever fruit you have. It works best wit softer fruits though. Instead of rolled oats you could use any type of flour such as almond and wholewheat. If you do not have coconut sugar, you can also use brown sugar.

How to best serve it:

When you take it out of the oven let it sit for a few minutes to cool a little bit and let it crispen. Then I love to serve this with ice cream or some kind of yoghurt. Greek yoghurt, oat yoghurt or just normal one. Whatever you have one hand!

I hope that you will like this recipe (I am obsessed with it) and make it on repeat such as I do!

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Peach and Cherry Crumble

The best way to use all of the good summer fruits. Sweet and juice peaches and cherries beneath a layer of perfectly crispy crumble. Just a dream.

Course Dessert, Snack
Prep Time 10 Minuten
Cook Time 15 Minuten
Total Time 25 Minuten
Servings 6 servings
Calories 208 kcal

What you will need

  • 2 large peaches
  • 200 g cherries
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup or any other liquid sweetener such as honey
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 100 g rolled oats
  • 50 g coconut sugar
  • 50 g margarine

How to

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

    Remove the pit from the peaches and cherries. Half the cherries and cut the peaches into small slices. Toss them first in the maple syrup and then in the cornstarch. Add them into a baking dish.

  2. In a food processor, process the oats until they have reached a very fine, flour-like consistency. Add the coconut sugar and margarine and pulse again until everything is combined.

  3. Crumble this mixture on top of the fruit and bake it in the oven for 10-15 minutes.

  4. Take it out and let cool a little bit. Then serve it with ice cream or yoghurt.

Happy cooking,
Enjoy,
Katie // Une Petite Cuisinière

Summer Rolls with Peanut Tofu

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Picture summer in a better way than having summer rolls in the sunshine with your loved ones on a picnic, maybe at a lake. Doesn’t this sound like a dream? To me it does. But wait, where’s the catch? Oh yes, maybe to get those summer rolls. I mean, sure you could order them at your favourite Vietnamese restaurant but why not making them yourself? It is so easy and way cheaper.

If you have been a little active in the food scene of instagram you probably have already seen those. I think summer rolls have become very popular a few years ago and have become part of the whole health food industry. Besides that they are super duper tasty. So here we are, and I have made a recipe for you to make them at home. If you are not very familiar with summer rolls here is just a brief introduction!

What are summer rolls?

Summer rolls is a dish popular in Vietnam. They are also called rice paper rolls, or fresh spring rolls. It is believed though, that they originally come from China and only became popular in Vietnam. Anyway, today you can find them in most asian restaurants, even in Japanese or Thai ones.

These cute rolls look very much like spring rolls. Same size and shape. The difference is the filling and the preparation. Spring rolls are mostly filled with pork and vegetables and then deep fried. Summer rolls on the other hand are filled with vegetables, prawn, pork or tofu and oftentimes also rice vermicelli (super thin rice noodles). Also those are not deep-fried or prepared with any oil and they are served at room temperature or cold. Both, spring and summer rolls, come with a sauce on the side.

Are summer rolls healthy?

Definitely! Since the main component are vegetables, they are super healthy. Other than vegetables you often have rice vermicelli, which also are not unhealthy. They are not high in sugar or fat but also not super nutritious. For your source of protein you can use prawns, pork or tofu. They are all great sources of protein. Prawns and they also are not high in fat at all. Pork on the other hand can be high in fat, depending on which part you use.

Summer rolls kn general are not high kn fat because, unlike spring rolls they are not deep fried, and prepared with rarely little fat. The only fat may be used when preparing the protein source or in the sauce.

The sauce is the only thing you should look out for when you have those. They often are served with a sweet chili sauce or lots of soy sauce. Sweet chili sauce mostly has a lot of sugar in it and soy sauce is high in sodium. If you only get a little on the side, that’s more than fine just be aware of that!

so what’s in these summer rolls?

This is a vegetarian (actually vegan) version. I do not use rice vermicelli because I prefer them without (plus it is less work). So, as a base we have a bunch of vegetables. We use a mix of carrots, bell pepper, cucumber, lettuce and radishes. You could also add red cabbage or anything else of your preference.

To not keep it boring we also are adding some fruit. I absolutely love mango in here but papaya also works. But mango is better tbh. And of course avocado. What would a meal be without avocado? (btw, did you know that avocado is a fruit?) And of course, our source of protein, the peanut tofu. It adds a bunch of flavour and is so tasty. But still, it is not so flavourful yet, that’s why we are adding some more peanut sauce and, if you want, also some sriracha or hot sauce.

The rice paper

Rice paper is not such an easy thing to find. You will probably not find it at your regular supermarket but you can find it in pretty much and asian store. It has the form of a circle and is almost see through but a little white-ish. I get mine from Reishunger because it is super good, easy to get and they ship it right to your door!

I think that you will love this recipe for summer and I hope that you will enjoy both, making and eating it.

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Summer rolls with peanut tofu

a perfectly fresh and light summer dish for those hot days!

Course Appetizer, dinner, lunch
Cuisine Chinese, Vietnamese
Prep Time 25 Minuten
Cook Time 5 Minuten
Servings 2 servings
Calories 564 kcal

What you will need

  • 10 rice papers
  • 200 g tofu
  • 2 carrots
  • 1/2 cucumber
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 100 g radishes
  • 1/2 mango
  • 100 g lettuce
  • 1/2 avocado
  • 1 tbsp oil

For the peanut sauce:

  • 150 ml light coconut milk
  • 2 tbsp peanut butter
  • 4 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tsp sriracha hot sauce
  • 1/2 lime
  • 1 tbsp coconut sugar or brown sugar
  • 1-2 tbsp water

How to

  1. Combine all the ingredients for the peanut sauce. Slice the tofu into 1 cm thick and about 6-7cm long strips (or hwo ever it works best for you).

    Place them in the peanut sauce and let them marinate for about 1 h or longer if possible.

  2. Peel the carrots and either grate them or slice them into thin strips. Also slice the peper and cucumber into thin strips. Peel the mango and also cut it into bite sized pieces. Finely slice the radishes and chop up the lettuce.

  3. Heat up a pan with the oil. Take the tofu out of the sauce and fry on each side for about 2 minutes. Set it aside.

  4. To assemble prepare the rice paper according to package instructions. It most of the time works best when you take a kitchen towel and make it wet. Lay that on a flat surface. Then run the rice paper under water for about 3-4 seconds. Place them on the wet kitchen towl. Add a little bit of each filling and some of the remaining peanut sauce into the rice paper, rather on th elower end but not on the edge.

    First, fold in the rice paper from the bottom. Then fold in the sides and roll it up, so all of the fillings are in the rice paper and it is tightly closed. This takes a little practice but after a few it will work out.

  5. Pour the remaining sauce in a little conatiner and serve it with the summer rolls! Serve and enjoy!

Happy cooking,
Enjoy,
Katie // Une Petite Cuisinière