Simple Vegan Treats to Enjoy While Practicing Fika; The Art of The Swedish Coffee Break

Everyone has a different routine that makes them feel best. For some people, all it takes is getting eight hours of sleep and starting the day off with a glass of water to prime them for success; for others, self-care is cultivated via trips to the gym, or walks in the sunshine, or even by bingeing on an old Netflix television show in their pajamas (just us?). In Sweden, however, there’s a model of self-care that is considered a standard practice. It’s called “fika“.

Fika (pronounced fee-ka) is a Swedish coffee that essentially means, “to have coffee.” The word can be used as both a noun and a verb, (“Did you fika yet today?”) and promotes the notion that taking time out of your day to reflect, re-energize, and nourish yourself shouldn’t be treated as a luxury, but instead as an essential.

As the authors of “Fika: The Art of the Swedish Coffee Break” write: “Fika can be had alone or in groups, indoors or outdoors, while traveling or at home. A time to take a rest from work and chat with friends or colleagues over a cup and a sweet treat, fika reflects the Swedish ideal of slowing down to appreciate life’s small joys.”

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed of late, we highly encourage giving yourself permission to put yourself and your well-being first and taking fika before returning to your daily grind and activism. We hope that the following plant-based, fika-appropriate recipes we’ve put together for you from our Food Monster App help you feel nourished, at peace, and ready to take on the world!

Cinnamon Roll Pinwheel Bites 

These gluten-free Cinnamon Roll Pinwheel Bites by Taylor Kiser taste like warm, ooey-gooey cinnamon rolls, but without all the work (and that’s the point of fika, right? To reduce the amount of work you feel you have to do). Rather than waiting for pastry dough to bake, finish cooking this mini version of your favorite treat in under 30 minutes by using tortillas its place. Tortillas are a prime substitute for your typical dough because there is less work involved and they are super thin, which makes the spicy-sweet, ooey-gooey filling more accessible and enjoyable. Serve up these bites on toothpicks at your next get together.

Coffee Cake Doughnuts 

Whenever the famous lyrics, “these are a few of my favorite things,” starts playing, we automatically think of three things: coffee, cake, and doughnuts. These Coffee Cake Doughnuts by Nicole Dunai fulfill our wildest plant-based fika dreams. Topped with an amazing cinnamon streusel, these are the coffee cake lover’s ultimate treat.

Blueberry and White Chocolate Muffins 

In this Blueberry and White Chocolate Muffin recipe by Medha Swaminathan, blueberries and white chocolate chunks are embedded in warm and moist banana muffins sprinkled with walnuts. Since they incorporate coconut oil, coconut sugar, and rolled oats, they are lighter than your typical muffin. Sounds like a tasty way to recharge!

Sugar-Free Turmeric Power Bars 

Honestly, what would a self-care post be without a little dash of turmeric? These Sugar-Free Turmeric Power Bars by Anarki “AJ” Tjon Affo contain no added sugars or syrups — the only sweetener is bananas! This makes them the perfect treat for when you’re trying to cut back on sugar. Turmeric gives them their golden color, but with goji berries raisins, peanut butter, cinnamon, and nuts acting as the base, the taste is undetectable. Grab one of these on your way out the door so you have a tasty, filling snack on hand.

Spiced Cashew Cream Affogato 

This hot, frosty, and gluten-free Spiced Cashew Cream Affogato by Debbie Dine is perfect for fika, because it cuts out the need for an additional snack and turns your coffee into dessert! Spicy cashew cream is used instead of the traditional vanilla ice cream and gives the dessert an unforgettable flair: the taste of melting frosty sweet cashew cream melting under the hot rich mocha is phenomenal.

If you’re looking for more recipes to create for your ideal fika menu, we highly suggest downloading our Food Monster App, which is available for both Android and iPhone, and can also be found on Instagram and Facebook. The app has more than 8,000 plant-based, allergy-friendly recipes, and subscribers gain access to ten new recipes per day. Check it out!

Lead image source: Spiced Cashew Cream Affogato