BUNNY Bags & Baby BOARS (April ‘25 Delights)

Every month, I'm rounding up the little joys that made these past weeks extra fun. Cozy, quirky, weird, and wonderful—because celebrating the good stuff (big or small) makes life better. I call them my monthly delights. Here are my April '25 delights.

How was April for you? Mine was filled with cute animals, a mysterious movie, a museum all about the color blue, and tons of good stuff to eat.

In This Post:

1. PASTRY: The best vegan poppy seed twist
2. ASPARAGUS: The easiest way to love the green kind
3. WALK: A forest stroll (with baby wild boars!)
4. JAPAN: A gift bag full of treasures
5. RESTAURANT: A fully vegan gem in Mannheim
6. SWEETS: Pistachio dreams and little chocolate cups
7. CHEESE: Vegan Babybel — a nostalgic snack veganized
8. FRUIT: Strawberries and mangoes
9. ZUCCHINI o'clock
10. PODCAST: “Women Are Not Small Men”
11. BLOOMS: Pink, White, Lilac. Everywhere!
12. EASTER: Of bunny bags and bunny chocolates
13. MOVIE: "The Wonder" is a wonder of a movie.
14. MUSEUM: All About the Color Blue
More Monthly Delights

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1. PASTRY: The best vegan poppy seed twist

Do you like poppy seeds?

They are one of those love-it-or-hate-it ingredients. I happen to love them — probably because I grew up in Romania, where poppy seed desserts aren’t the exception, they’re the rule. So I was thrilled to find a vegan version of a poppy seed pastry at a local bakery here in Germany.

Döhringer’s (in and around Mannheim) is known for offering tons of vegan options. Everything I’ve tried is solid and tasty, but my heart belongs to the Mohnschleifen — like a poppy seed roll, but shaped in a twist and topped with streusel. Absolutely divine.

My husband (who didn’t grow up on poppy seeds) goes for the nut-filled pastry (Nussplunder) instead. Fair enough.

2. ASPARAGUS: The easiest way to love the green kind

I adore a good green asparagus risotto, but honestly? I love it even more when it’s super simple: just pan-seared in a little olive oil until browned and tender. Most of the time, we eat it straight from the pan while it’s still hot.

This April, we had it this way again and again, and never got tired of it. Pair it with some good bread, rice, potatoes, or vegan patties, and you’ve got yourself a full meal. Toss it into a salad? Also delicious. By the way: green asparagus can be eaten raw — shaved into a salad, it’s crisp and lovely.

3. WALK: A forest stroll (with baby wild boars!)

My cousin — who lives in Japan now (I had the joy of attending her wedding there last year!) — came to visit for a few weeks, and we soaked up every minute together. One of the highlights was a walk through the Ketscher Rheininsel, a nature reserve near where I live.

There’s a large fenced area where you can spot wild boars, and — lucky us — we caught them during baby season. The tiny piglets, with their striped coats and squeaky voices, were so adorable we almost wanted to climb into the enclosure for a cuddle. (We didn’t. They’re wild animals, and only the rangers are allowed in.)

Still, what a treat.

4. JAPAN: A gift bag full of treasures

My cousin brought me the loveliest treats from Japan. One was Tsubuan Monaka — delicate rice wafers filled with sweet red bean paste. Elegant, subtle, so satisfying. I only wish they were available in Germany!

She also gifted me the perfect tea to go with it: roasted corn. Not the silk, which I’d known and enjoyed brewed into tea for years, but the whole kernel, roasted and ground into a nutty, full-bodied tea. It’s a specialty in Japan and Korea, and so cozy and unexpected. Do you know it?

5. RESTAURANT: A fully vegan gem in Mannheim

I don’t eat out often, but I went to Glückstein in Mannheim twice in one month — and I’m already planning a third visit. That’s how good it was. The restaurant is fully vegan, cozy inside, and everything I tried was delicious.

From the lunch menu, I had the spinach strudel (yum), and from the regular menu, the spaghetti carbonara — which I’m still dreaming about. They also make beautiful drinks in-house: hibiscus iced tea, kombucha (both even unsweetened!). I didn’t have room for dessert, but I spotted a tiramisu in the display on my way out. Next time, I’m saving space.

6. SWEETS: Pistachio dreams and little chocolate cups

Two new vegan sweet treats I’ve fallen for at German supermarkets: the pistachio spread from dm Bio and the bett’r chocolate cups.

I’ve always loved pistachios, but most sweet spreads are either crazy expensive or taste more like sugar than nuts. The dm version is organic, around €5, and sooo creamy — smooth, silky, not oily or gritty. You really taste the pistachios (delicately, no crazy artificial aroma). I could eat it by the spoonful. (I may have.)

And the bett’r cups? Yum. They come with all sorts of buttery fillings. Peanut, of course (reminds me of Reese’s), but also with almond or hazelnut butter inside — even pistachio and strawberry versions exist! I found them at denn’s Biomarkt, but you can also order them online.

7. CHEESE: Vegan Babybel — a nostalgic snack veganized

Okay, so vegan cheese has come a long way (more on that another time), but today: a quick note on the new vegan Babybel.

It’s not organic, and let’s be real: even the original isn’t exactly “whole food.” But it’s nostalgic! I used to sneak one in every now and then, so, of course I had to try the vegan version. Yep, it tastes just like I remember. Same snacky flavor, same little cheese scent. The only thing missing is the bright color — it looks a little pale when you unwrap it. But the taste is spot on. A fun little bite when you’re craving childhood cheese vibes.

Have you spotted them yet?

8. FRUIT: Strawberries and mangoes

Just to prove I didn’t live only on pastries and snacks this month… it was peak mango season, and I made it my mission to devour an entire crate of those golden beauties. Juicy, sweet, sunshiny.

I also went through two boxes of organic, perfectly ripe, fragrant strawberries.

Couldn’t resist making a little “Wimbledon-style” strawberries and cream with a few — and yes, it was every bit as decadent as it sounds.

WIMBLEDON Strawberries and Cream Recipe (vegan)

9. ZUCCHINI o'clock

April = zucchini season in full swing.

My all-time favorite recipe is an Italian-inspired zucchini and polenta dish I’ve made more times than I can count. Quick, cozy, satisfying; the kind of recipe that becomes second nature. If I’d taken a photo every time I made it, I’d have a whole cookbook by now. (Here are two snapshots from two different years!)

Another zucchini recipe I’ve recently fallen for is this slow-cooked courgette and butter bean dish from Deliciously Ella. It’s already earned a permanent spot in my recipe rotation.

10. PODCAST: “Women Are Not Small Men”

I listened to Mel Robbins’ podcast episode with Dr. Stacy Sims, and it was honestly eye-opening. Dr. Sims’ motto, “Women are not small men,” says it all. Most training advice out there is based on research on male bodies. But women’s bodies work differently, and we need a different approach.

One of the big takeaways: we should eat something before a workout — even just a banana or a smoothie. And (most delightful to hear): we don’t need endless cardio sessions. Just 10–15 minutes of interval training can be more effective than an hour of HIIT.

11. BLOOMS: Pink, White, Lilac. Everywhere!

April flowers were out of control — in the best way.

First came the ornamental cherry trees with tiny tutu-like blossoms.

Then magnolias, in every shade from snow white to soft blush to bold magenta.

And finally, the lilacs, sweet and fragrant, in white and purple. A feast for the senses, taste buds included, since I love to turn lilac flowers into syrup or tea.

12. EASTER: Of bunny bags and bunny chocolates

My cousin was still in town, and my aunt hosted a lovely small family Easter get-together with lots of (mostly) vegan food. It was so delicious and so fun, I utterly enjoyed it.

Every holiday, there’s one thing I truly look forward to: the growing selection of vegan treats, especially around Easter and Christmas. This time, I was extra excited about the Lindt vegan chocolate bunny and tucked a few more goodies into my cousin’s Easter bag (photo proof!).

Speaking of which: that little bag turned into my favorite DIY project of the season. I transformed a completely ordinary paper bag into a happy bunny. I still had some red and green felt from a prehistoric craft stash and used it to make floppy ears. The real challenge? Finding scissors that could actually cut through thick felt. Answer: only my trusted tailor’s scissors.

I took one beginner’s sewing class 16 years ago, and I still hear the teacher’s voice in my head:
“Never, ever, EVER use these scissors on paper.”
She was right; they’re still going strong.

And for sticking the ears onto the bag? Only good old all-purpose UHU glue did the job. (Other brands were a total fail … just made the paper soggy without doing any actual gluing.)

Cheers to trusty tools.

13. MOVIE: "The Wonder" is a wonder of a movie.

Florence Pugh as a sharp, no-nonsense nurse sent to a misty Irish village to watch over a girl who claims to survive without food is STUNNING (isn't she always?). The story unravels slowly, almost like a stage play, and soon I was questioning everything: could this be a miracle?

The colors (soft yellow, deep turquoise) and the play of light and shadow feel like a Vermeer painting. The stunning visuals make it bearable to watch the nurse’s commissioners (and opponents): a group of old white men clinging to religious dogma, deciding over life or death of a child (grrrrr!).

Still, you find yourself hoping, fiercely, for compassion to win.

Such a haunting, quiet, yet surprisingly intense movie! Have you seen it?

14. MUSEUM: All About the Color Blue

Ending with one of the biggest highlights of April: the Museum Blau. I’d been meaning to visit for years, always putting it off … and then, when I finally went, I was completely blown away. It offered so much more than I had expected. Those are the best kinds of surprises.

Just a quick mention here, because I’ve dedicated a full post to this quirky, wonderful experience of diving into blue in all its shades and nuances.