Weekend in Turin – Vegan Food Spots

Hello and happy Wednesday!

This past weekend I was in Turin for the first time, pre-celebrating my 4-year anniversary with my boyfriend, while enjoying both the cultural & culinary offerings of this beautiful northern Italian city.

Confession: The culinary aspect definitely heavily played into my vote for this destination. My boyfriend was quite surprised when, a few days after he had suggested Turin and received a noncommittal response from me, I was suddenly incredibly eager to got to Turin. It all made sense, of course, when I told him that Turin is one of Italy’s most veggie-friendly cities.

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Pumpkin Pies with Cacao Pecan Crust

Chilly weather, cloudy days and early darkness all feed the desire for something warm and comforting, like a cup of tea. Or better yet: A cup of tea with a delicious (mini) pie!

These little pies are such a tasty treat, perfect in the afternoon with a cup of tea or coffee or maybe even a hot chocolate. They’re also packed with wholesome ingredients that make them a nourishing indulgence and a steady source of energy.

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Vegan Advent Calendars

Hello and happy Monday!

Yes, we’re almost half-way through November, and before we know it we’ll be exclaiming how we can’t believe it’s already December and that the Christmas countdown has begun.

I’m definitely not one of those people who has their Christmas shopping completed weeks ahead of time, but this year I’ve already taken care of one important thing: my advent calendar!

Last year, while still living in London, I scoured the shops, sure I’d find an amazing vegan chocolate advent calendar – in vain. I did find a dark chocolate one at Whole Foods, but it contained the exact same chocolate for every day, which – for someone who eats plain dark chocolate on a daily basis, all year round – is not very exciting.

I mentioned this to my wonderful friend Jordan – founder of the vegan treat business Leitchy Creates – and I’m ecstatic to say that she has created the most amazing looking advent calendar, with 24 completely different Christmas-themed, plant-based artisan pralines. They are currently available for pre-order in the UK – till Friday, November 17 – for £16.50 right here. This would definitely also be a wonderful gift for someone.

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In the meantime, I’ve also discovered some options here in Switzerland (some of which are also available in other countries, like Germany, Austria and the UK). I definitely would have gotten one if I didn’t already have my Leitchy Creates one to look forward to.

Zotter Adventskalender (Chocolate)

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This one has several different chocolate flavors – from white to dark to coconut to a fantastic sounding Superfood chocolate (with acai, chlorella, green tea, reishi and maca)!

Price: CHF 24.90

Found in: Migros Alnatura (Löwenstrasse, Zurich); also available online to order from Switzerland for CHF 24.68 (here). The same brand has other chocolate advent calendars, including this one, with wilder flavors, also available to order online from several countries, including Germany and the UK.

Govinda 24 Adventstage (Energy Balls)

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This calendar contains eight different flavors of mainly date-based energy balls.

Price: CHF 26.90

Found in: Egli Bio (ShopVille, Zurich main station); also available online to order from several countries, including Switzerland, Germany, UK, France, Italy, Belgium and Spain, for EUR 18.80).

And, for all the tea-lovers:

Sirocco Tea Advent Calendar

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This calendar contains 24 certified organic tea bags, with flavors such as Green Jasmine, Winter Moments, Pina Moringa, Japanese Sencha and White Christmas, and you can use the case long after Christmas has passed.

Price: CHF 45

Found in: Globus (Zurich)

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about these calendars, and please let me know about any other exciting options you come across!

Vegan Banana Coconut French Toast by Bianca Zapatka

It’s time to share with you another guest recipe – one that I can’t believe I’ve lived this long without: Vegan French Toast! This is something I didn’t think I would be eating after going plant-based, and it completely slipped off my foodie radar. Until, that is, I discovered Bianca Zapatka’s blog full of beautiful, mouthwatering recipes, including an irresistibly simple and incredibly delicious version of French Toast, using ingredients you probably have on hand.

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