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Not your average, super quick beetroot and couscous Kisir

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Fluffy (not dry) couscous in a packed-with-flavor beetroot sauce, all tossed together with crunchy and fresh veggies and topped off with tangy, crumble feta cheese. Every bite is an explosion of flavours in your mouth, and every bite is pure enjoyment!

What is Kisir?

Kisir usually is a Turkish dish made from roasted red bell peppers and bulgur. The peppers are blended into a sauce and the bulgur is cooked with vegetable broth. The both then are tossed with different, chopped up vegetables and a marinade from lemon juice, pomegranate juice and olive oil.

What is special about this dish?

I am not even sure if I can call this Kisir because the only aspects we are keeping from Kisir is the sauce out of a roasted vegetable, that a grain is cooked in vegetable broth and that it both is mixed with chopped up vegetables.

Instead of bell peppers we are using beetroots. They are in season now, they are super nutritious, they are a flavour-bomb and they add a pretty colour :). Instead of bulgur we go for couscous because it is quicker and easier to make. And instead of only adding cucumber and tomatoes, we are upgrading our couscous and making it more international with spring onions, edamame beans and feta.

So, you can see it is pretty far from Kisir and at the same time really similar. And it needs to be said, it is at least as delicious, I promise!

Is this dish healthy?

Oh, yes! It is not only packed with flavour but also with many many nutrients. The star of the show, beetroot, is an extremely healthy, immune system boosting vegetable, with many many healthy benefits, If you are interested in it, you can check out my September Top 5 and learn more about it!

Besides the star, we also have many other small stars. Edamame, for example is not only super delicious, but also packed with protein and nutrients. Cucumber, vitamin loaded. Bell Pepper, fibre star. spring onions and the herbs also add another nutrient kick! So, there are many ingredients that will make you feel amazing!

And then we also have the couscous, which is a great source of carbohydrates, and when bought wholegrain also a great source of protein. The olive oil, which we are adding, also adds some healthy fats and the lemon some vitamin C!

How to make this dish?

Easiest thing ever. Because no-one wants to spend an hour cooking lunch when their tummy already is groaning. It essentially comes down to preparing the couscous, blending the beets with vegetable broth and oil, chopping the veggies and mixing everything! Yes, it is as easy as it sounds!

When and how to best have it?

It is great for a quick lunch, a leftover side for dinner but also as a delicious meal prep idea. You can store it very well in the fridge (the flavours will only get more intense) and have it the next day!

I love to serve it with some feta or goats cream cheese and some fresh herbs. If you are more on the meat side you could add some grilled chicken or if you are plant based, go ahead and add some chickpeas or vegan feta!

I hope you’ll enjoy this as much as we do and that it will be a healthy staple in you winter cuisine! Have a fun and delicious time cooking and enjoy!

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Not your average, super quick beetroot and couscous Kisir

a flavor packed, creamy (not dry) couscous in a beetroot sauce, tossed with fresh, crunchy veggies and topped with tangy feta. All ready in 15 minuntes!

Course Appetizer, dinner, Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine turquish (inspired)
Prep Time 15 Minuten
Total Time 15 Minuten
Servings 4 servings
Calories 473 kcal

What you will need

  • 300 g couscous
  • 600 ml vegetable broth
  • 2 rather small beets
  • 1/2 cucumber
  • 100 g edamame beens (cooked)
  • 2 spring onions
  • 1 bell pepper
  • 150 g feta
  • 1 tbsp parsley
  • 1 tbsp mint
  • 2 tsp honey
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 lemon

How to

  1. Bring the vegetable broth to a boil. Take off the heat and add about 3 tbsp of it to a blender with the beets. Pour in the couscous to the rest and let it soak up the liquid and fluff.

  2. Chop up the cucumber and bell peppers into small (about 1cm sized) pieces. Finely slice the spring onions and chopp the herbs. Add them all to a large bowl. In a seperate bowl combine the olive oil, honey and lemon juice.

  3. When the couscous is done, add it to the bowl with the veggies, the beetroot sauce and olive oil mixture. Mix it through until the sauce has covered everything.

  4. Divide onto plates and crumble the feta on top. Serve with some fresh herbs and enjoy!

Love,
Katie // Une Petite Cuisinière

Incredibly easy Strawberry and Pesto Couscous with Crumbled Feta

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I can’t stress this enough but summer REALLY is all about those quick and easy meals. And about all of the fresh fruits. So we are taking those super juicy and sweet large summer strawberries and packing them into the easiest „salad“ with couscous, pesto, feta and lemon and making it into a (no joke!!!!) 10 minute (healthy!) dish. We do not need anything more!

What is special about this dish?

Well, I guess everything! I mean, we all know those „basic“ combos, watermelon and feta, strawberry and spinach, feta and pesto, and so on, But really, a watermelon and feta salad or a strawberry and spinach one is nice but it really is not filling. maybe for 10 minutes ok, but that’s not what we want.

What is special is that there are so many different products used and combined into one dish! So many different flavours and textures mixed up in a bowl. It is the sweetness of the strawberries (which you really have to try because they are in season right now!!), the softness of the couscous, the crunch of the spinach, the nice tanginess from the feta and the saltiness from the pesto.

The pesto – a dream

I have already explained in a blog post whether pesto is healthy or not (you can read about it in the post for the and for the Ultra Green Pesto Salad with Burrata ). To summarise, you can say yes(-ish) if in moderation. But really, pesto is not just pesto. When you go to the supermarket there are many many different pestos. So just a few words about it.

Pesto is traditionally from Italy and made out of basil, olive oil, pine nuts, salt, garlic and parmesan cheese. And really, these are the only ingredients that should be in pesto. But if you go to the supermarket you are very likely to find one that is not high in quality since most of them are. A little tip here: look out for dark ones and check the ingredient label. the darker they are the higher the quality because the more basil is in there, and the less water!

I know, I know, it is not so easy to find a good pesto at the supermarket. That is the reason I have decided to try and order one online and let me tell you, BEST DECISION EVER. It literally tastes just like in Italy or homemade one!!! The perfect saltiness, a REAL basil flavour and not just watery paste with flavour enhancer.

I got it at PastaFani and it really is a game changer. Made out of 100% Austrian Ingredients and 100% organic ingredients. I am being serious, that exists AND it is tasty! Really, the best pesto I have ever bought somewhere. And it is so convenient. It comes straight to your door (delivered) and you can (and definitely will want to) add it on pretty much anything! Trofie with Pine Nuts and Potatoes, like in Italy, in Salad dressings, scrambled eggs, sandwiches, anything.

You can find the pesto here. If you want good pesto, get this one. It is insane!

Is this dish healthy?

Alright, enough said about pesto (if there is such thing as saying enough about pesto) but is this dish actually healthy or is it just super tasty? believe it or not, it is healthy too! You get in your vitamins, from your strawberries and spinach, a good amount of plant based protein, carbohydrates and fibre and healthy fats from the pesto. It is a pretty well balanced, healthy and delicious dish!

Although, I need to say that couscous is not quite as healthy as Quinoa is since it contains way less fibre but you can look out for wholegrain couscous to make it even healthier!

Substitutes:

Couscous – Quinoa, Millet
Strawberries – Raspberries
Feta Cheese – leave it out, sub for Mozzarella or Cottage Cheese
Spinach – lambs lettuce, arugula, kale
Pesto – do not substitute this (since this really makes the dish)

I genuinely love this recipe on hot summer days since it comes together really quick! It also works amazing for meal prep so you can take it on a picnic or to a friends house for barbecue or take it to work/ school for a delicious and healthy lunch!

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Incredibly easy Strawberry and Pesto Couscous with Crumbled Feta

Summer in a bowl. Takes you 10 minutes to make, combines juicy strawberries with tangy pesto, fresh feta and soft couscous. Tastes like a treat but is healthy. You´ll want it all summer long!

Course Appetizer, bowl, Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
Prep Time 10 Minuten
Total Time 10 Minuten
Servings 4 people
Calories 450 kcal

What you will need

  • 240 g couscous
  • 400 g strawberries
  • 100 g spinach fresh one
  • 100 g feta cheese
  • 120-160 g basil pesto
  • some fresh basil leaves
  • salt & pepper
  • 1/2 lemon juiced

How to

  1. Prepare the couscous according to package instructions and generously salt it. (Usually you just have to pour boiling water on top but this varies from brand to brand).

  2. Remove the greens from the strawberries and quarter or half them. Roughly chop up the spinach and basil.

  3. For the dressing combine the pesto with the juice of the lemon and 1-2 tbsp of water.

  4. Once the couscous is done let it cool off a bit and then combine everything in a bowl. Divide onto plates and crumble the feta on top! Serve and enjoy!

I hope you really enjoy this recipe as much as I do!
Happy cooking,
Enjoy,
Katie // Une Petite Cuisinière

The best ever healthy Barbecue Chicken Salad that everyone loves

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As much as I love salads, eating the same over and over is can be pretty boring after a while. So why not switching things up? Heating up the grill for when your friends are over, chopping all the veggies and making an insanely delicious (not healthy tasting) salad. Doesn’t this sound nice? Well, whenever you are going to make this, you got to try it!

What’s a barbecue salad?

Maybe you think a barbecue salad is something you serve as a side when you are having a barbecue. I mean, I guess you can call it a barbecue salad, but this is not what we are doing here. Barbecue salad basically is a salad that has a source of protein in it (most of the time chicken) that is prepared on the barbecue and marinated in a barbecue sauce.

What’s in it?

So as I said, a source of protein. I prefer chicken here, but you could also go for tofu or tempeh if you want to make it vegetarian. As a base we are using some greens. Best is iceberg lettuce here, but really any green works. And then we have a ton of veggies. Here we have tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumber, radishes, onions, avocado, and grilled corn (this is an essential). If you want, you could also add some pineapple into here if that’s what you like but that’s optional.

The dressing usually is a ranch dressing. And it is often made with mayonnaise. But in this recipe we are making it a bit lighter. The dressing still is creamy and super tasty though. It mainly consists of greek yoghurt, sour cream, some olive oil, lemon juice and herbs. It has the perfect creaminess and taste but it is not very heavy.

Is it healthy?

It definitely is! You have got all the colours of the rainbow that exist. Therefore you have so many vitamins form the salad, tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumber and so on. Furthermore the salad does not have a lot of fat. Chicken breast is not high in fat and it is prepared very healthy. Thats another plus. And lastly the dressing is made rather healthy too. So, yep, all in all pretty healthy.

When to have it best

I mean this is completely up to you but I would recommend it as a main dish for example as a quick lunch or dinner. You can also meal prep this very well, just store the dressing on the side and take it on a picnic. If you are hosting a larger barbecue with friends you can also serve it as a side or as one of many dishes. But however you are going to serve it, it always is equally delicious!

I hope that you will enjoy this recipe as much as I do and that it helps you to switch up your salad game once in a while! It is perfect for those hot summer days!

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Barbecue Chicken Salad

The perfect salad to switch up your salad game once in a while. Full of flavor, full of vitamins and super easy! All you want!

Course dinner, lunch, Main Course, Salad
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 Minuten
Cook Time 15 Minuten
Total Time 30 Minuten
Servings 4 servings
Calories 411 kcal

What you will need

For the barbecue chicken:

  • 2 large chicken breasts about 500-600g
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 75 g ketchup (without added sugar prefered)
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp vinegar
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp hot sauce optional
  • 1 tsp salt

For the salad:

  • 4 handful salad such as iceberg lettuce
  • 1 cucumber
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 corn on the cobb
  • 1 avocado
  • 1 large tomato about 150-200g
  • 100 g radishes (about 5 pieces

For the dressing

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 50 g sour cream
  • 150 g yoghurt
  • 1 tbsp chopped parsley
  • 1 tbsp chopped chives or basil
  • 1/2 tbsp lemon juice

How to

  1. Combine all of the chicken marinade ingredients in a bowl. Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise and add it to the marinade. Let marinate in the fridge for about 2-4 hours. The longer the better. If you do not have the time leave it out.

  2. Heat up the barbecue. Brush the corn on the cobb with olive oil and grill it on indirect heat for about 7 minutes on each side until golden. After the first 5 minutes add the chicken breast and grill on each side for about 5 minutes. First 5 on direct, second 5 on indirect heat.

  3. In the meantime chop the salad, the tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper. Finely slice the radishes. Half and depit the avocado and also cut into small chunks. Add it all to a large bowl.

  4. Combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a bowl.

  5. Once the corn is done cooking take it of the grill and cut the corn kernels of and add them to the rest. Toss the salad with the dressing and seperate onto bowls. Slice the chicken into fine strips and add it on top. Serve and enjoy!

Happy cooking,
Enjoy,

Katie // Une petite Cuisinière

Octopus Salad

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A super tasty summer salad. It’s not like your boring greens with olive oil and vinegar. No, it is so much more. Packed with tons of different things, crispy octopus, conch veggies, sweet mango and a super fresh dressing! That’s all we need for a (rather) quick summer lunch.

We always go to Italy for our summer holidays. Every single year. And when we are at the sea we eat a bunch of sea food. (I mean if not there, where else would you have it?). I have eaten pretty much all sea food there and absolutely love it. Except for octopus. I just wasn’t quite mine or what I loved. And then came quarantine. And we wanted to cook as many different dishes as possible (I think the first 4 or 5 weeks we did not make anything twice!). So every weekend we would go to a market close to us and get some good fish. And so, once I saw that Octopus and I just though like: alright, why not trying it out again, maybe I can make it taste good and so I got it. And that was a really good decision because this turned out to be such a delicious dish!

Is octopus healthy?

It actually is super healthy. Just like most sea foods, octopus has a pretty low fat content. Therefore it is not very high in calories. But, it is really high in protein. A 100g serving almost has 30g of protein which is quite a lot. Plus it also is pretty high in iron, selenium and Vitamin B12. So all in all pretty healthy.

Octopus Salad

Octopus is mainly eaten in asian cuisines like Japanese. Also, Mediterranean countries use it a lot in cooking. You can find it very often in the south of Italy, Portugal, Spain and Croatia. Another part in the world where it is pretty common to have it is Hawaii. There it often is served in poke bowls (which I also have a recipe on the blog). Octopus salad though, is often served in Italy. There a lot of times it is prepared with celery, tomatoes and parsley.

Octopus Salad à la Une Petite Cuisinière

While I got my inspiration from the rather „traditional“ salad I kind of changed it up completely. And it turned out pretty bomb. Why? I personally find that it is a bit boring with so little ingredients. Also, I love to eat the rainbow and combine as many flavours as possible. And there probably is not easier way to eat the rainbow than in a salad.

So we are using some basic greens as a base. I love to use a mix of baby spinach and lambs lettuce (Vogerlsalat) but any sort of greens works fine. To make it more filling we also add some potatoes. Those are just steamed in some water. I like best to use baby potatoes because you can eat them with skin but if you can’t find those, just use regular ones.

As for veggies we love using some green beans. Cut them up before steaming and then add them to a pot along with the peas or edamame. For some freshness and crunch we also add some bell pepper, tomatoes, radishes, cucumber and spring onions. And last but not least we are having some mango. This sweetens it up a little and makes it so incredibly tasty.

As for veggies we love using some green beans. Cut them up before steaming and then add them to a pot along with the peas or edamame. For some freshness and crunch we also add some bell pepper, tomatoes, radishes, cucumber and spring onions. And last but not least we are having some mango. This sweetens it up a little and makes it so incredibly tasty.

The dressing also is really simple. It is just olive oil, lemon juice, honey and a little vinegar. Super simple. But honestly, you do not need more because the salad already is really rich in flavour.

When to best enjoy it

I love this, for both lunch and dinner. It is not hard to make, comes together pretty quickly and does not sit super heavy in your stomach. Also, this works really well as meal prep. You can already add the dressing beforehand and just store it in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. It also is super nice to take this on a picnic and enjoy in the sun!

I hope that you will enjoy this recipe and make it on repeat this summer.

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Octopus Salad

Crispy octopus with many many fresh veggies, comforting potatoes and sweet mango. All packed up into one super delicius bowl!

Course dinner, lunch, Main Course
Prep Time 20 Minuten
Cook Time 10 Minuten
Total Time 30 Minuten
Servings 4 servings
Calories 338 kcal

What you will need

  • 500 g octopus about 4-5 tentacles
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 red chili optional
  • 250 g potatoes I prefer using baby potatoes
  • 1 bell pepper
  • 1 cucumber
  • 1 mango
  • 4 spring onion
  • 150 g green beans
  • 100 g peas or edamame
  • 100 g cherry tomatoes
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 lemon juiced
  • 1 tbsp vinegar
  • 2 tsp honey

How to

  1. Add the baby potatoes to a pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 20 minutes. Then drain them. If you are using larger potatoes you may need to cook them longer and need to peel them after cooking.

    Slice the octopus into slices, each about 0,5-1 cm thick. Heat up 1 tbsp of olive oil. FInely slice the garlic cloves and chili and add to the hot oil. Sauté for about 30 seconds. Add the octopus in it and pan fry for about 5 minutes on medium high. Then reduce the heat to low and let it kind of simmer a bit for 5 minutes.

  2. I the meantime chop up all of the veggies. Cut the cucumber into thin cubes just as the bell pepper. Half the cherry tomatoes and cut the spring onions into thin slices. Peel the mango and chop it up smaller. Cut the green ebans into bite sized pieces.

  3. Bring another pot with water to a boil and steam the green beans and peas for about 4-5 minutes.

  4. When the potatoes have cooled a little bit, cut them up into slices or cubes. Add all of the ingredients to a bowl. In a seperate one combine the remaining olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar and honey. Generously salt and pepper the salad and toss in the dressing. Serve and enjoy!

Happy cooking,
Enjoy,
Katie // Une Petite Cuisinière