Let’s Chia Bowl

                                                (picture credit @Maddy Ritchie)

Chia seeds, oats and fruits to jumpstart the day

All about those small black-brownish seeds. Chia is the new Superfood in our breakfast bowls.

Instagram feeds, blogs and nowadays even the Austrian supermarket shelves are filled up with those hyped seeds. They say Chia reduces food cravings, help you stay hydrated, lower blood pressure, are rich in Omega-3 and are packed with nutrition.

I have to admit that I had some doubts about the “Superfood”, especially because there tends to be lot of fuss and a big price tag for something that looks super weird and basically is equal to flaxseeds.

Well, I was a bit hesitant to jump on the chia seed band wagon effect. But my curiosity taught me better and now they are daily ingredients in my fruit bowl. They still don’t look very sexy and even don’t taste much but love how those small seeds leave me full until lunchtime.

Some people might roll their eyes or shake their heads when they read that:

What I love most about Chia? The slimy, oozy crazy texture!

Since I am a lazy kitchen person, I am addicted to breakfast bowls because it is a no-cook meal. Plus it is prepared very easy and tastes very yummy.  

Even though I make that almost every day I still get amazed by how much water Chia seeds can absorb. It is A LOT. 

After starting with a base of Chia seeds I add some oats and lots of boiled water mixed with unsweetened almond milk. When I am in a rush I prepare the Chia-oats basis in the evening. When the mixture is soaked in water I top it off with a mix of my favorite fruits and nuts or whatever I have at home. There are a million different options when it comes to toppings.

Every morning we wake up to mouth watering shots of Instagrammers breakfast bowls so immaculately arranged that it almost looks too good to eat.

Let’s be honest, no chia, acai or whatever-you-call it bowl look that amazing everyday. Most of the time I wouldn’t take a picture of my breakfast because nobody would believe me that this tastes good. I throw everything in a bowl add some water, yoghurt and cinnamon and mix it until it is a brownish dark oat mixture that looks like old baby porridge. It took me a while to figure out how to arrange my food to make it worth photographing.

Sunrise Ski Tour

Mountains, workout and health spa

Emails, work, phone – there is always something to think of. Although I am having holidays since Christmas, I wake up every day at 6.30 am. Thoughts and to do’s jolt me out of sleep.

Instead of lying in bed until my alarm rings I used the time to get exercise and breath-taking  views. It was the perfect morning for a sunrise ski tour. Staying at the Almwellness Resort Tuffbad, which is surrounded by beautiful mountains, is the perfect place to start a morning ski tour.

Pure fascination and crystal clear air was worth to get up early. Although, I have to admit that getting up from the comfortable four-poster canopy bed wasn’t easy. My biggest motivation was the thought of the amazing breakfast buffet at the Tuffbad and how much better it will even taste after the workout. Food is always a good reason to get up.

We started our tour at the best Après Ski Bar “Schirm” in Obertilliach, where Daniel Craig in James Bond “The Spectre” shot some bad guys.

8.00 am: The beautiful red-orange sunrise behind us and 1 hour exercise ahead us - but the only thing I could think of was the delicious scrambled eggs, organic veggies and a very relaxed spa day at Tuffbad.

 A perfect morning for an amazing relaxed spa day at the 1. Almwellness Resort Tuffbad in Lesachtal, Austria.

Vegan Chai Cookies

Delicious must-have Chai cookie recipe

My Sunday morning turned out being more successful than lazy! I found an easy, simple and kind of healthy recipe – well at least it sounds like one.

And believe me it’s not only the fancy name that makes the cookies special.

Everyone bakes vanilla crescents, gingerbread, and coco macaroons – so I thought to try something more unique.

But I am neither that girl who follows every trend nor am I vegan. I love my Mom’s calorie bomb cookies and don’t mind craving them.

That’s the thing, because I am not the perfect baker or cook, I wanted to make something different. Special cookies those are not comparable to other classic Christmas delicacies.

Cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and black pepper combine to create an incredibly aromatic spice blend that is worth trying!

Ingredients

•        4 tea bags of Chai
•        200 gram oleomargarine (1 cups)
•        50 gram cane sugar (¼ cups)
•        Pinch of salt
•        300 gram spelt flour (2 cups)
•        100 gram sugar to roll (½ cups)

Preparation:

1. In a food processor or mortar pulse the tea mix until the tea is pulverized.

2. Cream the margarine and cane sugar until light.

3. Add the tea mixture and flour. Pulse together just until a rough dough is formed.

4. Let the dough chill for at least 1 hour.

5. Form cherry-sized balls and press them slightly flat.

6. Preheat oven to 150°C (375 °F)

7. Place the balls on the baking sheet and bake 15-20 minutes.

8. Before eating roll the cookies in sugar.

Happy baking!