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Diet-Specific

Beetroot Pasta Bake with Goats Cheese

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Is going to be your absolute favorite dish for busy weeknights. 30 minutes, super simple, incredibly delicious, packed with healthy stuff and pink! So what more are you asking for? I couldn’t imagine anything else! Creamy beetroot and goats cheese sauce paired with super delish pasta (whole wheat if wished) topped with fresh goats cheese and breadcrumbs and baked until crispy. Yes, that’s all I need after a long work day.

Probably you think, she’s talking about healthy stuff but promoting pasta? What? And I can tell you – yes! Although it has been said for years that pasta and carbs are unhealthy and make you “fat” that is so not true. Pasta is a great source of protein and carbohydrates. Carbohydrates provide you with energy throughout the day. It helps not being tired or not having energy. It also is great to eat pasta before a workout because then you will have way more energy than if just eating a salad. Whole wheat pasta also is a great way to include more fiber in your diet. Plus, pasta is super delicious und will satisfy you!

But pasta is, obviously, not the only component of this dish. Actually, the beetroot is the star of the show. I honestly love beets. They are super delicious I believ, especially paired with honey or goats cheese, super pretty (I mean look at that pink color) and packed with a lot of nutrients. For vegetables, they have a pretty solid protein content. Also they are high in fiber and low in calories. Folate and Vitamin C are two minerals/ vitamins that are very present in them too, which is great for the health. Beetroots are anti-inflammatory which is great, especially in winter. Also they may improve digestion and help to regulate your blood pressure levels. Besides all of these benefits, it is super delicious! 

The only aspect, I don’t really like about beets is that they take super long to cook! It is not difficult to prepare them, you just peel them and then cook, steam or bake them for an hour but it still takes a lot of time! But since this is a 30minute dish and most of us are not that patient when we are hungry, I decided to use precooked beets. You can find them almost everywhere, in the supermarket, on farmers market or normal markets. It really is not difficult to find them but it saves a lot of time! 

Other than beets, there are a few other ingredients in the sauce, but very few to be honest. We add some honey, for some extra sweetness, mustard, to give it a hearty flavor, goats cheese, for the creamy- and addictiveness, salt to embrace the flavor and oat milk to thin it out. If you do not like oat milk you can use any other milk or milk alternative of your preference. You do not heat anything up for the sauce, just blend it all together, which means fewer dishes and less time. The rest is pretty simple and self-explanatory; you drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce. Then the pasta is divided into oven safe dishes or one dish, as you prefer. (I use my le creuset mink pots and they are so adorable!!! I am obsessed with them haha, but you can also use one large one.) we add some more fresh goats cheese on top and sprinkle some breadcrumbs. If you want, top it with some extra Parmesan cheese, but that’s optional. We place them in the oven again, on high heat, grill and let it bake for 10-12 minutes until the cheese slightly melted and the breadcrumbs turned crispy.

I love serving this for guest, because you can prepare it very well and simply bake it when wanting to serve. But it really does make a great family dinner or a weeknight dish, when not wanting to spend too much time in the kitchen after an exhausting day or week. This is definitely one of my favorite dishes to make with beetroot because it is so simple but has so much flavor! I hope you like it as much as I do!

Enjoy & happy healthy cooking! 

Love,

Katie

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Beetroot Pasta Bake with Goats Cheese

A delicious 30 minute, super nutritious pasta dish for a weeknight dinner or to impress guests at a dinner party. Really easy and so good!

Course bowl, dinner, lunch, Main Course
Prep Time 5 Minuten
Cook Time 10 Minuten
Baking time 15 Minuten
Servings 4 servings
Calories 481 kcal

What you will need

That is what you will need:

  • 320 g pasta short ones, like mini penne, maccheroni, or similar, can use whole wheat if wanted
  • 1 large red onion
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 500 g cooked beetroot
  • 100 g goats cream cheese
  • 2 tsp honey
  • 1 tbsp mustard
  • 60 ml milk or any plant bast milk or milk alternative
  • 3 tbsp bread crumbs

How to

That is how it works:

  1. Bring a large pot with salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructios. Preheat the oven to 200°C (grill preferably)

  2. In a pan melt the butter. Thinly slice the onions into rings. Once the butter is hot, add the onions and brown them on high heat for about 8 minutes, until soft, brown and caramelized.

  3. Peel (if necessary) and cut the beets into chunks. Add them into a food processor or blender, along with the honey, mustard, half of thecaramelized onions, half of the goats cheese, a generous pinch of salt, and the milk or milk alternative. Blend until smooth. If too thick, add a little more milk or water.

  4. Once the pasta is done cooking, drain it and then add it back into the pot and toss it with the beetroot sauce and the remaining half of the onions. Either divide the pasta mix onto different small oven safe dishes or one large one, whatever you prefer. Top it with small dotllops of the remaining cheese and the breadcrumbs. Bake it in the oven for 10-12 minutes until the cheese is slightly molten and the breadcrumbs turned out crispy. Serve and enjoy!

Chocolate Coconut Almond Dates

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Are the perfect snack to get you motivated for the rest of the day. Chewy dates, rich chocolate, crunchy almond, and fresh coconut. This is the perfect combination to make a super simple 4 ingredient, 10 minute snack. This will get you through a long morning, an afternoon-low, or work out as a super delicious dessert. 

I got the idea to make this recipe when I was in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Dates are from high importance there. Until the 1970´s they were the staple food for the inhabitants. While they are fasting, they only eat 2 dates a day. I did not know that and was blown away when I heared that. We visited a local date market, which was something I had never heard of before but it was real impressive. You could see how this food is super important in this part of the world. In the shop we went there were 18 (!!) different date sorts. I did not even know that there was more than one existing. We tried lots of them and then bought 2 different ones, Madjool and Ajwa. Madjool dates are larger, sweeter, and richer while Ajwa dates contain less sugar and are smaller. I really liked them both but for this recipe I used Ajwa dates because they are smaller, which I think is better as a snack. 

Choloate covered dates are no rarity in Arabia. You can find them everywhere and with almost everything; white chocolate, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, matcha chocolate, camel milk chocolate (which I think is the most fancy hehe), soo many different types. Since we already had packed so much and bough 2kg of dates before, I decided not to buy any more but recreate them (as a healthier version) myself at home. 

So now I am back home and recreated them. I used the Ajwa dates, which are dried or course, dark vegan chocolate. The one I use is from HuKitchen, and is with all natural and healthy ingredients, and it is soooo good! Other than that I only use raw almonds and shredded coconut. This is as simple as it is. I love simple snacks because who likes to spend an hour in the kitchen with 100 ingredients when you are hungry or hangry RIGHT NOW. I can tell you, no one! 

Dates actually are a super healthy food, which made is possible for emirates to mainly eat those for hundreds of years. Dates contain 7 grams of fiber per 100g. This helps your digestion. There are lots of studies that show that eating dates increases your digestion. Moreover it helps you regulating your blood sugar levels. Plus dates are really high in antioxidants which protect your cells and reduce the risks of several deseases such as diabetes, Alzheimer or cancer (certain types). These are just some benefits of dates, but other than their health benefits, they are really delicious! Really!

I love pre-making this snack and just grab a few dates when I am hungry or pack some for work or school. I really like them when they are chilled and straight out of the fridge, because the chocolate is extra crunchy then, but they are delicious any way. I hope that you will like this recipe and enjoy it! If you do recreate it be sure to tag me on insta with @uneptcuisiniere or #uneptcuisiniere .

Enjoy, 

Katie // Une Petite Cuisiniere 

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Chocolate Coconut Almond Dates

A really delicious & healthy snack or dessert! Super simple and super good.

Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine arabian, asian
Prep Time 10 Minuten
Total Time 10 Minuten
Servings 16 dates
Calories 45 kcal

What you will need

  • 16 small Dates I like to use Ajwar dates (this equals about 150g)
  • 16 Almonds
  • 25 g chocolate
  • 2 tbsp shredded coconut

How to

That is how it works:

  1. Cut the dates in on one side (do not cut them in half totally!). Take out the seed and put an almond in it instead. Do the same with all of the dates.

  2. Stick/ squeez the size where the date had been cut in, together with your fingers, so it sticks together and it is closed.

  3. Melt the chocolate in a water bath or the microwave. Dip the dates in the molten chocolate as you like. You can completely dip them, you can dip the half horizontally or vertically, or whatever you wish. Then dip it in the coconut flakes. Place them on a plate and store in the fridge.

Notes

If you do not like coconut, do not use it. You can leave it out or substitute is with chia seeds or crushed nuts. The same accounts for the chocolate. You can also go for white chocolate, whole milk chocolate, or whatever you want. 

Oatmeal with Caramelised Bananas

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The new year is starting the day after tomorrow, which means that are are Honigbrot be coming a lot of healthy recipes up on the blog (plus a guide that will help you to stick to your New Years resolutions tomorrow)!! I bet a bunch of us wants to live a healthier life in 2020, so here is an amazing recipe to start off the new year.

Although the name doesn’t sound super healthy, it really is. Usually when we hear caramel, the first thing we think of is that sticky, rich super sweet paste that we can find in chocolate bars and ice cream. But caramel does not have to be made out of refined sugars, cream and butter. No, it also is the same when natural sugars in fruits are heated up, and caramelize, and turn sweet. This is how we are doing it in this recipe.

Yes, caramelizing sounds pretty fancy, but trust me, it is super easy. You can basically do this with any fruit of your desire, but it works better with some than it does with others. I would not recommend doing it with berries or mango, but it works great with anything thicker or more solid, like bananas, apples, pineapples or pears. To caramelize the fruit, you simply have to heat up some coconut oil (or any oil, but I like the light sweet taste of coconut) in a pan. Then you add some coconut sugar, or some brown sugar and let this combine well with the oil. If you want to make it even healthier, leave out the sugar, it also works without if the fruit is sweet enough, but I think it is better with. Once the sugar has kind of melted into the oil, you can place the fruit into it and let it fry for 1-2 minutes on each side. Depending on the fruit you are using, this will be quicker it slower. Bananas go real quick, apples for example need some more time.

But only the caramelized fruit would not be a balanced meal so we need some protein and carbs to do that. That’s why we are making some oatmeal! Oatmeal is super rich in protein, carbohydrates, and fiber plus it has a lot of vitamins. It really is a great and affordable food. Oatmeal for breakfast will fill you up a lot and keep you satisfied until lunch! 

To make a delicious oatmeal, you should know a few things. The first few times I made it, it turned out real boring, in my opinion but you can honestly take it next level by changing a few things. First, I would recommend using rolled oats. They are easy to cook and super nutritious. The second tip is to not only cook it with water. This makes it taste super boring. I always do one part water, and one part plant based milk. I love using oat milk for this because it has a slight sweet flavor, plus I get a local and organic one in Austria. Almond milk works great too, I just do not like to use it that much because it mostly comes from other continents. Next tip is to add some mashed fruit. This can be mashed banana or apple sauce. It helps to make it creamy and adds some sweetness! Next up: spices! You need to add some salt and a little bit of spice when cooking it! Last, for the cooking, is to add some yoghurt. Do not add it while cooking, but when it is done cooking, turn off the heat and stir it in, it makes it real creamy and super delish! 

Another really important aspect when making oatmeal are the toppings. This can change everything. Here we are doing caramelized bananas and hazelnuts which is bomb but there are so many more Options! You can top it with some n butter and stewed berries, fresh fruit, granola, the options are endless…

So now, I think I have said enough! I hope that you will live this recipe as much as I do and that it inspires you to start 2020 super healthy and delicious! Have a great start into the new year! 

Enjoy,

Katie

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Oatmeal with Caramelized Bananas

Delicious and healthy breakfast! Packed with nutrients but tastes like dessert!

Course bowl, Breakfast, brunch
Prep Time 5 Minuten
Cook Time 10 Minuten
Total Time 15 Minuten
Servings 2 Servings
Calories 377 kcal

What you will need

What you will need:

  • 80 G Rolled Oats
  • 100 Ml Oat milk
  • 100 Ml Water
  • 2 Tsp Cinnamon
  • 1/2 Tsp Salt
  • 3 Tbsp Apple sauce
  • 3 Tbsp Yoghurt (Plant based if available)
  • 2 Tsp Coconut Oil
  • 1 Tbsp coconut sugar Can sub for brown sugar
  • 2 Bananas

How to

That’s how it works:

  1. Place the oats, the milk, the water, cinnamon, salt, and apple sauce in a sauce pan. Bring it all to a boil then reduce to a low heat and let it simmer until it thickens. 


    In a small pan melt the coconut oil. Add in the sugar and still until the sugar is dissolved. (If you are leaving out the sugar, leave out this step and just heat the coconut oil) Take the bananas and cut them in half lengthwise so you get 4 long & thin pieces. Add them to the oil-sugar and fry them for about 1-2 minutes on each side. 


    Meanwhile take the oatmeal off of the heat and stir in the plant based yoghurt. Place in bowls and add the caramelized bananas on top. Sprinkle some hazelnuts and serve! 

Coconut Curry Lentils

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This is one of my favorite ways to enjoy lentils. In a good and creamy coconut milk, spices, along with some rice, vegetables or bread! A definitely must try! 

When it is rainy outside and you just want some heat and comfort, this is great! It is for days when you don’t want a soup but don’t want meat, just something easy and good. Something as a quick weeknight dinner, that makes you feel awesome, boosts your mood and tastes bomb! The curry lentils are great for this occasion, because ether are super nutritious and packed with flavor and spices. 

A little bit about lentils…

When I made this the first time, I fell in love with it and it made me cook more often with lentils. Lentils are a real amazing food. They are Part of the legume family, along with beans and chickpeas. Lentils, that you can purchase at the supermarkets in Austria are often grown in Austria which makes them a regional product, which is better for the environment since it doesn’t need that much transportation. Moreover, lentils are packed with protein and nutrients! They contain 25g protein per 100g, which is real amazing, that is the same amount as chicken breast contains! They are really easy to cook, basically the same way you cook rice. If you are too lazy too cook them or need them to be done even quicker, you can find some canned ones at the supermarkets too! 

And the other ingredients

The onion and the spices in the beginning, just give the entire dish this kick of flavor. The onion adds the sweetness while the spices heat it up and give the oriental touch. I use dry spices and not curry paste because I believe that it works better with the lentils. To be honest, I have never tried it with curry paste before but if you do want to give it a try I would opt for a red one probably. 

The coconut milk creams up the entire dish and adds richness. I would go for normal canned options and not low fat ones because the flavor is different and it makes it all a little more hearty. Plus it takes it to the next (curry) level. I believe that a real good curry (at least Thai ones) need some coconut milk. The recipe I make is a mix of Thai and Indian, because Indians don’t use coconut milk but the dry spices, and Thai ones use coconut milk and curry paste. So it is a crossover! 

Perfect dish

No matter whether you make this dish for meal prep (because wir works great for that) or prepare it as a vegan Christmas dish or serve it at new year (because it is said that lentils bring money), it is a super delish meal to make. Perfect for friends or family that are vegan, and for those who are not. I hope that you will enjoy it and have a really nice Christmas! 

Enjoy,

Katie

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Coconut Curry Lentils

Comforting, warm, delicious, nutritious. The perfect winter dish, for christmas or new year, for vegan friends, or just to treat yourself! One of the best ways to cook lentils!

Course bowl, dinner, lunch, Main Course
Prep Time 3 Minuten
Cook Time 17 Minuten
Total Time 20 Minuten
Servings 2 servings
Calories 438 kcal

What you will need

  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 white onion
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp paprika powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 120 g red lentils
  • 300 ml vegetable broth
  • 150 ml coconut milk
  • 2 tsp tomato paste
  • 2 tsp harissa paste
  • 1 tsp peanut butter
  • some spinach or kale to stir in optional
  • some cilantro and peanuts to garnish

How to

Thats how it works:

  1. Finely dice up the onion. In a pot heat up the olive oil and add the onion in. Sauté it for a few minutes until it is all glassy. Then add in the spices and let them in cooperate well for about one minute. Next, pour the lentils into the pot and sauté them for a few seconds before you add the vegetable broth. 

  2. Once it boils, reduce it to a medium-low heat and let them simmer for 15 minutes. They should almost be done by now. Add in the tomato and harissa paste, the peanut butter and the coconut milk. Stir everything in until well combined and creamy. I wished, and on hand, stir in some extra spinach or kale.

  3. Place in bowls and garnish with some peanuts, some coriander and a little extra coconut milk. Serve over rice, vegetables or with bread and enjoy!