feel food club

fall

My September Top 5

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Everything is slowly coming to get back into a routine and our daily lives with work, uni and school are starting again after a summer break. With the start of a new routine and a start of fall, I decided to start something new too. A series on my blog, where I´ll introduce you to my 5 favourite things every month. I hope to inspire you a little bit with this and make you life a tiny bit easier! I would also love to hear, what your top 5 things are, so feel free to leave a comment at this post!

Food of the month – Beetroot

The beetroot is part of the beets family (who would have guessed?!). It is a food that has already been eaten for many many years. It is believed that it has originated in the Middle East but also been eaten by the Romans, the Egyptians, and ancient greeks. Today they can be found in almost every part of the world, in foods but also in food and other natural colouring.

The part of the beet that usually is eaten is the root, although you can eat the greens as well. Usually they are steamed, boiled or roasted but it also is possible to have them in their raw form (not sure if this is quite delicious though). You can purchase fresh beets at pretty much any market from August to January or you can find them precooked and repacked in most supermarkets.

Beetroots actually are a super healthy root vegetable. They are very low in calories (with about 43kcal /100grams), since they are made up of 88% water. The rest is carbohydrates and protein. They also come with a decent amount (3.8g/100g) of fibre. Besides this they are high Vitamin B6 and C, Manganese, Iron and Potassium. These are important for cell function, immune system, reducing blood sugar levels and the transport of oxygen in the blood cells.

So, it is a true superfood actually. Plus, what also is great about it is that it can be grown regionally and that it has a very long season, so almost half a year! I truly believe that it is very underrated. Beetroot is delicious and so versatile. I already have some super delicious beetroot recipes on my blog, like the Beetroot Pasta Bake with Goats Cheese or the Seed Coated Beetroot Balls! And don’t worry, there are a few more to come. Don’t want to spoiler, but I´ll give you a little hint; hummus, falafel,…!

I can only recommend incorporating more beetroot into your diet because it is super delicious, and extremely healthy!

Product/ Brand of the month – Pastafani Organic Basil Pesto

I know I know, I have told you of this a few times already. However, I cannot stress enough HOW good this is! Since summer is coming to an end, and the fresh basil is disappearing to make your own homemade pesto, packed pesto is a life saver.

Organic pesto made from Austrian ingredients only! That really exists. And believe me, I would not tell you that it is good, if it wasn’t! It is at least as delicious as the freshly made pesto in Italy. You can already tell by it’s colour that it’s got to be delicious. The darker the better.

And I have got a BONUS for you: you can even get 10% off your order when you order it with the discount code UNEPETITE10 ! Guys, I can tell you, it is worth the 5 euros spent. More than worth!

If you need some pesto recipe inspiration you can make the Incredibly easy Strawberry and Pesto Couscous with Crumbled Feta (just use figs instead of strawberries since they are in season), or the Ultra Green Pesto Salad with Burrata.

Recipe of the month – French Toast with whipped Ricotta and Figs

This recipe is from last year but believe me, it is incredibly delicious! Softly soaked bread that’s crispy on the outside, creamy, honey dreamy whipped ricotta cheese, that is so smooth and delicious and the fresh figs on top. Sunday morning heaven.

No matter if you make that for brunch when your friends are over or as a breakfast for dinner, it is incredibly delicious any way! Plus, you can make use of the juicy and sweet figs that currently are in season!! Just heaven!

See the recipe here!

Workout of the month – 15 minute Sixpack by Pamela Reif

Since I love working out and we all know that being active is an essential part of staying healthy, I though I needed to include a workout into these top 5 as well!

I think since quarantine started, we have all gotten to know Pamela. And to be fair, her workouts are really good. While she definitely has something for everyone, from total beginner who works out for the first time – to extremely hard ones, I currently love her 15 minute Sixpack workout!

It is not something where you do lots of mountain climbers and jump around but one, which is rather focused on slower movements. This is great because you can really feel how you are using your abs and you also really do feel it after.

It is great if you want a slower workout focused on your abs. And a little tip: do it at the beginning of the workout because it is a killer at the end!

Inspiration of the month – The Happiness Advantage

For this last part of my September top 5 series I want to introduce something to you that has changed my life a little bit and influenced it positively. This can be a book, a person, a documentary, or anything else. But for this month, it is a book.

I have actually stumbled across this book accidentally when I was studying about happiness. I found it sounded interesting and that’s why I ordered it. I was so keen to learn about what Shawn Actor had to tell, so I immediately started reading it. And believe me, it is not a book that you will put away and don’t continue reading for a while but it’s a book that will make you forget about dinner (and that means something, coming said from a food blogger who wouldd never forget about dinner).

The author basically makes the claim that contrary to what is generally believed, that you need to be successful to be happy, the reality is the other way around. You need to be happy to be successful! In his book he describes 7 simple principles that will help anyone be happier and therefore also more successful. It is scientifically proven with studies he conducted.

I need to say, that this is something extremely interesting and fascinating to read. It basically makes one realise that you already have everything you need to be happy so it really is down to you to make use of these 7 tips to turn your life around. I can definitely highly recommend this book to anyone, and especially to those who are struggling to be happy or successful at the moment!

These are my 5 favourite things in September, things that make the month a bit better, brighter, and easier. I hope you enjoyed these five things and I would love to hear if you like this new kind of series in the comments!

I am wishing you all some beautiful last weeks of late summer and enjoy the first leaves turning brown!

Love, Katie // Une Petite Cusinière

Bircher Muesli with Honey Poached Apple

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This Swiss style overnight oats is going to bring your breakfast to the next level! It is a great meal if you don’t have too much time in the morning because it littleraly takes 5 minutes when you have prepared it the night before. 

What even is Bircher muesli?

Bircher Müsli has actually been invented around 1900 by a Swiss doctor called Maximilian Bircher Brenner who served it his patients in the hospital as a medicine. The original recipe calls for rolled oats, water, cream, lemon juice, Apple and honey. In my recipe I have used almost the same ingredients but even made it a bit healthier.

Overnight oats vs Bircher muesli

Overnight oats are traditionally made either only rolled oats and milk soaked overnight. Bircher muesli also is made with oats being soaked in milk overnight but most of the time. To make it « Bircher » usually there are some nuts, seeds, dried fruits and yoghurt added overnight. When making “normal” overnight oats, you would only top them with fresh fruit, granola, nut butter and yogurt (usually but really depending on the preference) while for Bircher rules like the recipe calls for a freshly grated apple that you add to the yoghurt base. It then is topped with berries, bananas or apple, so just fruit. 

What do I need for this?

My basic recipe is really simple. You just have to add almond milk, yoghurt, rolled oats, seeds and/ or nuts, and some dried fruit to a jar and let them soak overnight! In the Morning all you have to do is take it out of the hat, mix under some grated apple and more yoghurt and serve! Honestly it already is incredibly delicious like that!! I love to eat it that way! 

But in case you want to go next level, you can add the poached apple on top. This is not difficult either but takes some time. You can make this by adding an Apple into some simmering water with honey and apple sauce and let it simmer for about 20 minutes. Then you take it out, peel it if you want but it’s not necessary, drizzle some more honey and add it to the muesli! This takes it next level and is super good

My favourite honey utensil!

I think if you have been following me along on the blog, you probably know that I am in love with honey. The only thing is that it always is some plastic whenever you finish a packaging when squeezing it out. Because of this reason I have ordered the honey spoons from Tuuli kitchen ( http://www.tuuli-kitchen.com )! They are made out of natural wood and such a great utensil for honey! This way I can always buy and use honey from glasses and produce less waste. Plus they look super cute when serving! 

Is this Healthy?

Also the Bircher muesli is really healthy and nutritious. The oats provide you with good carbs, essential fiber, a good amount of protein and a lot of vitamins. The ains milk also adds some vitamins and liquids while the Greek yoghurt is packed with protein. The nuts and seeds give you the healthy fats you need and the dried fruit add some natural sweetness. The Apple also provides you a lot of vitamins and deliciousness. 

I hope that you will really enjoy this recipe! I honestly do and think that you will do so too! If you decide to recreate it be sure to tag me with @uneptcuisiniere or #unepetitecuisiniere! If you have time it would mean a lot to me if you would leave a comment and rating here on the blog too! 

Enjoy! 

Katie 

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Bircher Muesli

A delicious swiss breakfast recipe. It is similar to overnight oats, packed with nutrients and incredibly delicious! Enjoy!

Course bowl, Breakfast, brunch
Cuisine swiss
Prep Time 10 Minuten
Total Time 10 Minuten
Servings 3 servings
Calories 250 kcal

What you will need

The night before:

  • 100 g rolled oats
  • 200 ml almond milk
  • 1 heaped tbsp greek yoghurt can be substituted for a thick plant based yoghurt if making it vegan
  • 1 tbsp sunflower seeds
  • 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
  • 1 tbsp dried cranberries or raisins
  • 1 tsp honey

The morning of:

  • 1 large apple
  • 3 tbsp yoghurt preferably thick such as greek yoghurt or skyr
  • a few nuts
  • some fresh berries for serving

How to

That is how it works:

  1. In a large jar or bowl add all the ingredients for "the night before" and stir until all mixed up. Place it in the fridge for at least 6 hours to overnight.

  2. In the morning take the jar out of the fridge and transfer it into a bowl. Grate an apple and add it to the soaked oats along with the yoghurt. Gently mix until evrything is combined. Sprinkle some more nuts or seeds and top with some fresh fruit or honey poached apple (see recipe below). serve and enjoy!

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Honey Poached Apple

This is a great way to prepare apples to use as a topping for bircher muesli, overnight oats, yoghurt or anything you like!

Course Breakfast, brunch, Dessert, Snack
Prep Time 5 Minuten
Cook Time 20 Minuten
Total Time 25 Minuten
Servings 1 apple
Calories 171 kcal

What you will need

  • 1 Apple
  • 2 tbsp apple Sauce
  • 1 tbsp honey

How to

This is how it works:

  1. Bring a pot with water to a boil. Add the apple sauce and honey and reduce to a simmer. Add in the Apple and let it simmer for 20 minutes.

    Once done take the apple out. You can peel the apple if you want, but it is not necessary. Drizzle some more honey and enjoy!

Harvest Buddha Bowl with Apple Chicken

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When the weather is getting cold outside we are very likely to crave some hearty comfort foods! Unfortunately these foods mostly are not the healthiest as there are simply not as many colorful vegetables as in spring for example. BUT there still are some! So there actually is no excuse to eat a healthy, utrient-packed, hearty meal in fall. I know that it is a little harder since there are not too many vegetables in season but still quite some. To make it easier for you, I decided to share a recipe with you for a Fall Harvest Buddha Bowl!

Buddha Bowls are bowls which are made up of several different ingredients, which are cooked, baked, and raw, and a dressing. They are packed with every nutrient group and make a perfect balanced meal. In order for you to experiment a little with creating such bowls, I have a little Buddha Bowl Guide for you here:

1.The base

The base usually consists of some type of carbohydrate. It gives structure, fills you up and provides you with energy. Best is using a cooked whole grain such as

  • Brown Rice
  • Quinoa
  • Bulgur
  • Couscous
  • Buckwheat

If you are low-carb, simply substitute the cooked grain with some greens. 

2. Greens:

The greens here add some color and a bunch of nutrients. Here you are totally free and can use whichever you prefer/ like the most! Depending on what you have chosen, you can either add it raw, cooked, or steamed. For example:

  • Kale
  • Spinach
  • Swiss Chard
  • Lambs lettuce
  • Lettuce

3. Vegetables:

3.1: Baked/ Pan Fried Vegetables: The baked vegetables add some heartiness to the dish, as well as some texture. Simple drizzle them with some oil and spices and pop them into the oven. Here I like to use:

  • Sweet Potato
  • Pumpkin
  • Brussel Sprouts
  • Cauliflower
  • Mushrooms
  • Zucchini
  • Bell Peppers

3.2: Boiled/ Steamed vegetables

For the Boiled/ Steamed vegetables I like to use vegetables of which I prefer the taste when being boiled or steamed. If you do not want to use and extra pot, you can also go ahead and add them to the baking tray or eat them raw. Vegetables that I prefer to steam/ boil are

  • Beets
  • Broccoli 
  • Green Beans
  • Asparagus
  • Corn
  • Peas

3.3: Raw vegetables:

Adding raw vegetables to your Buddha Bowl is important. They add some crunch, and they (mostly) contain more vitamins than heated ones. Plus, they also add some extra crunch and freshness, which works great in combination with the remaining ingredients. The best ones here are:

  • Tomatoes
  • Carrots
  • Celery
  • Cucumber
  • Bell Peppers
  • Radishes

4. Protein

A source of protein is essential when building a Buddha Bowl! It makes the dish a complete meal as it adds nutrients. Also here you can be really creative and add whatever you like! Some options are:

  • Chicken
  • Tofu
  • Prawns
  • Tempeh
  • Edamame
  • Beef
  • Lentils
  • Beans

5. Fruits:

I know, adding fruits into your meal may sound a little bit weird but in this case, it definitely is not. The combination of adding something sweet with the savory is incredibly delicious and fruits also add a great freshness. In most cases it is best to use them raw, but with some fruits it works if they have been cooked too (I cooked my apples with the chicken, and this tasted really good too!). Here you can use

  • Grapes
  • Apples
  • Berries
  • Mango
  • Pomegranate Seeds
  • Stone fruits
  • Literally, everything available

6. Dressing

The dressing is maybe the most important ingredient of the dish because it packs everything together and combines the flavors. It coats the entire dish, which means that if you dressing doesn’t take amazing, your entire dish will be rather bad. Here you can use your favorite salad dressing or get a little more creative. If you want something thicker, to dip your bowl-ingredients into, that works great too! Examples are..

  • Balsamic Vinaigrette
  • Hummus
  • Mashed Avocado
  • Tahini Sauce
  • Yoghurt Dressing

7. Topping:

This is the last, but definitely not least ingredient in this dish. Here you have the last option to add some healthy fats and crunch. I like to top this with some nuts or some chopped up vegetables like

  • Walnuts
  • Spring onions
  • Coconut chips
  • Sunflower seeds
  • Pepitas
  • Nori

For this bowl I used one or two ingredients from every group. I used Bulgur (Carbohydrate), Kale (as a green), Sweet Potato (as a roasted vegetable), mushrooms (sautéed vegetables), beetroot (steamed vegetable), Carrots (raw vegetable), chicken (protein), Grapes & apple (fruits), Dijon-Tahini-Sauce (dressing), and walnuts (topping). 

This together makes an awesome combination off several super delicious and nutritios fall ingredients into one bowl. The flavors work really great together. If you tend to ave prepared some of those ingredients ahead of time and store them in the fridge, which a lot of people have, then this bowl comes together really quick. This meal is a great way to enjoy all the fall ingredients, I hope you like it!

If you decide to recreate this recipe, share it with me on intsagram with @uneptcuisiniere or #unepetitecuisiniere and be sure to leave a comment, thank would mean a lot to me!

Enjoy!

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Fall Harvest Buddha Bowl

A delicious meal that packs all the delicious fall ingredients. A perfectly balanced meal with all the food groups. Super delicious and comforting!

Course bowl, dinner, lunch, Main Course, Salad
Servings 2 bowls
Calories 586 kcal

What you will need

For the Chicken

  • 150 g Chicken
  • 0.5 tbsp Oil
  • 1/2 apple
  • 100 ml white wine
  • 2 tbsp apple sauce
  • 100 ml water

For the remaining bowl:

  • 60 g Bulgur
  • 150 g Sweet Potato about 1/2
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp paprika powder
  • 100 g mushrooms
  • 1 cooked beetroot
  • 1 carrot
  • 2 handful kale
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp Oil
  • a few seedless grapes
  • 10 g walnuts

For the dressing:

  • 1 tbsp Tahin
  • 2 tbsp orange juice
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 2 tsp Dijon Mustard
  • 1 tsp Honey

How to

Thats how it works:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Cut the sweet potatoes into 1cm sized chunks. Coat them with the tbsp of oil, the paprika powder, and the cinnamon. Place it on a baking tray and bake it for 10 minutes. Take it out, add the mushrooms, stir it all around and bake it for another 15 minutes.

  2. Meanwhile prepare the bulgur according to the package instructions.

  3. In a pan heat up the oil for the chicken. Chop the apple into small cubes. Once hot, add the apple into it and sautee it for 2 minutes. If using one chicken breast cut it in half, so it is thinner and will cook faster. Add the chicken breast to the apple and fry it on both sides for about one minute. Add the wine, apple sauce and water and let it simmer for 8-10 minutes.

  4. Massage the kale with the lemon juice and set aside. Grate the carrots and slice up the beetroots. Half the grapes and chop up the walnuts.

  5. For the dressing add all the ingredients into a food prosessor and blend until smooth. If too thick, add some more water.

  6. By now the sweet potato and bulgur should be done too and it is time to assemble.

  7. Seperate the ingredients onto two bowls. Drizzle the dressing over everything, serve & enjoy!

Healthy Apple Crumble Cake

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During this time of the year I eat at least 1-2 apples a day. In every different way. Whole, in Apple sauces, in oatmeal, on toast, with almond butter, or even in cake. I love apples, they come in so many different shapes, colors and flavors and they just taste amazing! Also, they are packed with nutrients. The saying an Apple a day keeps the doctor away doesn’t exist for no reason! 

Honestly apples are one of my favorite fruits. They make the perfect snack because you can just throw them into a bag and eat them on the go whenever hungry. Fall is one of the best seasons because it’s Apple time, which means eating tons and tons of local apples! 🙂 When I came up with this recipe we had a lot of apples at home (A LOT!) and we were going on holidays the week after so we had to use them all up! Since I did not want to cook them all into my delicious Apple sauce (the recipe is coming soon), I decided I need to make something else. 

It did not take me long to decide to bake a cake, because cake always works! This cake is just so delicious and packs a bunch of fall ingredients into it. Cinnamon, apples, nuts, oats, all the good things. It is super easy to make, just takes 30 minutes and packed with so much flavor. Actually, when I made this, my cousin was here and he instantly ate 3 pieces because he liked it so much! 

The cake consists of three layers. The first one is a cake batter. It is fluffy, made with whole grains and full of fiber. It is made out of eggs, a little bit of margarine, oats, whole grain flour, and wheat bran. If you do not have wheat bran on hand, just use more flour, but if you do them use it because this contains so much fiber and nutrients! 

The second and middle layer is only made out of 4 ingredients. Apples, coconut oil,  cinnamon, and sea salt. The apples are fried in coconut oil and softened in the pan before baking because otherwise they would not be soft by the time you take the cake out of the oven. The cinnamon totally gives it fall and cozy vibe while the sea salt helps to bring out the flavor and the coconut oil with softening.

The crumble is not made like traditional crumble but much healthier. It gets its texture from Walnuts and Pecan nuts, oats, chia seeds for fibre, cinnamon, because there can never be enough cinnamon, coconut oil, for some healthy fats and to help it all stick together, and last but not least, some honey, for sweetness and it also helps the sticking. When this is baked it is very similar to Granola but even better and it works great on cake. It may sound a little silly but it is amazing!!

To make it you first have to bake the first layer by itself for 4 minutes, because if you would add the apples right away they would sink down and be at the very bottom of the cake, which doesn’t make great layers. After 4 minutes you spread the apples on the pre baked cake and top it with the crumble. To finish it off drizzle some extra honey on top to make it caramelise and then it is baked again.

This is so incredibly delicious when enjoyed warm with a melting scoop of vanilla ice cream but it also tastes amazing when cold. It even makes a great breakfast because it is loaded with carbs, proteins and healthy fats which makes a perfectly balanced meal or snack. I hope you really like this recipe and it gives you some fall inspiration!

Happy cooking!

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Healthy Apple Crumble Cake

A delcious way to use the seasonal juicy and sweet apples and make a cake out of them. Super healthy and a great fall dessert.

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 Minuten
Bake Time 15 Minuten
Total Time 30 Minuten
Servings 12 slices
Calories 159 kcal

What you will need

For the first layer:

  • 100 g stevia
  • 50 g brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vegan butter
  • 100 g oat flour oats processed in a food processor until very fine, like flour
  • 20 g flour can use wholegrain
  • 30 g wheat bran
  • 1 tsp baking powder

For the Apple layer:

  • 2 red apples
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt

For the Crumble:

  • 30 g Pecan Nuts
  • 30 g Walnuts
  • 50 g Oats
  • 1 tbsp Chia Seeds
  • 1 tbsp Coconut Oil
  • 1 tbsp honey to drizzle

How to

That is how it works:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C.

    Add the eggs, the magarine, and the sugars into a mixing bowl. Mix on high speed for about 10 minutes until fluffy.

  2. Meanwhile in a bowl combine the flour, oat flour, wheat bran, and baking powder. Set it aside.

  3. Cut up the apples into 1cm sizes cubes. In a pan melt 1 tbsp of coconut oil. Add the apples, the cinnamon and the sea salt into it and let the apples soften at medium heat.

  4. Carefully fold the flour mixture under the eggs and pour into a baking form. Bake for 4 minutes.

  5. In the meantime, roughly chop up the nuts, and combine them with the remaining crumble ingredients in a bowl.

  6. Now the cake batter should be pre baked. Take it out of the oven and add the apples on top followed by the crumble. Drizzle with some more honey and bake for another 10-12 minutes until the cake batter it baked through. You can test this by sticking a tooth pick into the batter and if it comes out without any dough sticking to it, it is done.

  7. Cut it into 12 pieces and serve warm with some vanilla ice cream or cold as a snack! Enjoy!