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Black Bean Brownies (vegan option)

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Brownies have never been that healthy, simple and delicious. Packed with protein and fiber they are super fudgy and chocolate-y. You do not taste the beans but they are still hidden in and sneak in nutrients. My new favourite brownie recipe! Healthy, vegan option and so fudge.

I am actually not a huge chocolate cake fn but brownies are something different. I do not know what it is, maybe because they are fudgier?! I don’t know, but they are good. But since brownies are not always the healthiest choice, I decided to switch some things out and sneak some healthy stuff in, to make them nourishing but still super delicious.

So the secret ingredients in this recipe are the black beans. Originally I wanted to try out sweet potato brownies, and I did, but they were a massive fail. When they were warm and straight out of the oven they were good but as soon as they cooled down, they did not taste like anything anymore and were just not good. But I was so excited to share a healthy brownie recipe so I continued trying out different versions ad that is how I came up with this black bean brownie recipe.

The great thing is that they are really easy to make. You do not need anything else than a fork but if you have a food processor it makes it easier. You need some black beans to mash, some eggs, or some flax or chia eggs for a vegan substitution (to make one „vegan egg“ combine 1 tbsp of either chia or flax seeds with 3 tbsp water and let sit for 5 minutes), milk or plant based milk, whole wheat flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and dark chocolate.

As for the sweetener you have two options. You can use dates to sweeten things up, which is my preferred choice, or coconut, brown or normal sugar. I prefer dates because in comparison with the alternatives, they have way more other nutrients. Dates are high in fiber, protein, and other vitamins and minerals whereas conventional sugar do not have any of those. But I know that not everyone is a fan of dates so I have got two recipes for you. They are pretty much the same, just differ a little because of the different textures of the sweeteners. Honestly, I would recommend to make the date version, because you cannot taste the dates and it is slightly healthier.

You might think, chocolate, that isn’t healthy? Actually it can be! Do not get me wrong and now think that every chocolate is super healthy, gosh no! What you need to be aware of are 2 main things; first, the darker, aka the higher the percentage of cocoa in it, the healthier it is. This is because cocoa is loaded with antioxidants and protein and actually is healthy in its pure form. The flavour of dark chocolate might not be everyone’s favourite but in this recipe it really works because you have other sweeteners. The second thing you should be aware of is the sugar added. If sugar is the first or second ingredient on the ingredients list, maybe this is not the best chocolate, because that means that there is a lot of added sugar. And also it depends on which sugar is added. Nowadays, you can find hundreds of chocolates at supermarkets or organic shops and there are some great healthy choices. I always put it that way: if you can pronounce every ingredient on the ingredients list and there is not a ton of sugar added, it is pretty save to say that it is healthy.

So that was a lot of information on chocolate now but who couldn’t talk about chocolate for hours? Anyway, I love making this recipe because it is really simple and my entire family likes it. Even my brother (!!) who is not the best friend of experimental, healthy or vegan things. BUT he liked it, because you could not taste any of those aspects.

The brownies taste best with a scoop of ice cream or coconut yoghurt and last for about a week in an air tight container or covered with foil outside the fridge. I do not recommend to store them in the fridge because they will loose some of their flavour.

I hope that you like them as well and will enjoy making them!
Happy cooking,
Kathi // Une Petite Cuisinière

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Black Bean Brownies (w/ dates)

A super fudgy, decadent and healthy version of regular brownies. Paces with protein and fiber (and of course chocolate) they make the ideal snack or dessert!

Course Dessert, Snack
Prep Time 10 Minuten
Cook Time 25 Minuten
Total Time 35 Minuten
Servings 12 brownies
Calories 149 kcal

What you will need

  • 4 eggs can be substituted for chia or flax egg (to substitute 1 egg, mix 1 tbsp of chia or groung flax seeds with 3 tbsp of water and let sit for 5 minutes), this makes a vegan version
  • 180 g kidney beans
  • 200 g dates soaked in hot water for 10 minutes to soften them up
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 50 ml oat milk or any other milk or plant based milk
  • 60 g dark chocolate the darker, the better
  • 50 g unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 50 g wholewheat flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • some chocoalte chips

How to

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

    Place the beans in a food processor and plse until it forms a smooth paste. You can also mash them down with a fork. Add the eggs and mix or blend until everything is combined.

    Blend the dates until smooth. Add them along with the oat milk, maple syrup and molten chocolate to the bean mixture.

    In another bowl combine the flour, cacao powder and baking powder and mix until combined. Gently fold the flour mixture under the other ingredients.

    Pour in a baking tray, which is filled with parchment paper. Sprinkle it with chocolate chips and bake for 20-25 minutes.

    Peak into the brownies with a toothpic or a fork. When it comes out without any dough sticking on it, the brownies are done.

    Take them out and let them cool out. Enjoy with some icecream.

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Black Bean Brownies (with normal sugar)

A delicious, fudgy, chocolate-y and healthy twist on the regular bronies. Packed with Protein and fiber ( and of course chocolate) but healthier.

Course Dessert, Snack
Servings 12 servings
Calories 140 kcal

What you will need

  • 3 eggs ca be substituted for chia or flax egg (to substitute 1 egg, combine 1 tbsp of chia or ground flax seeds with 3 tbsp of water and let sit for 5 minutes), for a vegan option
  • 180 g black beans (from the can)
  • 160 g coconut sugar can be substituted for brown or normal sugar
  • 60 g dark chocolate the darker the better
  • 70 g flour
  • 50 g cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • some chocolate chips

How to

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

    Place the beans in a food processor and plse until it forms a smooth paste. You can also mash them down with a fork. Add the eggs and mix or blend until everything is combined. Add the sugar and molten chocolate to the bean mixture. 

    In another bowl combine the flour, cacao powder and baking powder and mix until combined. Gently fold the flour mixture under the other ingredients.

    Pour in a baking tray, which is filled with parchment paper. Sprinkle it with chocolate chips and bake for 20-25 minutes. 

    Peak into the brownies with a toothpic or a fork. When it comes out without any dough sticking on it, the brownies are done. 

    Take them out and let them cool out. Enjoy with some icecream. 

Think pink smoothie

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Spring slowly is coming and all the different colors are starting to appear in nature. So all beautiful colors are starting to appear in our food again as well! The season with many fruits and veggies in season is tarting and I am more than ready to head into it!

I thought, let’s not do a green smoothie because 1) I do a lot of recipes with greens and 2) many people are scared off by seeing green (not only in their drinks) as it often tastes too healthy! But the are so many ways to eat and drink healthy without needing to add spinach or broccoli. Just eat the rainbow, a little if everything and you will feel amazing! 

Today I am sharing a recipe with you, which is one of the prettiest (if not the prettiest) color of the rainbow, pink. What’s not fancy about pink? Right, nothing! This smoothie is so good and not only because of the color. It is super creamy because wir the banana, sweet from the date and super tasty because of the fresh fruits in it! 

Besides banana as a base, you’ll need raspberries, blueberries and if you find it somewhere near you, pink dragonfruit. This is totally optional because dragonfruit itself does not have a lot of flavor but it adds a super nice color. You can just switch it out for more berries. All of the berries you are using can be fresh or frozen, it really only changes the consistency of the smoothie. When frozen, it will become more thick and creamy so that is up to you! 

Besides the fruits we are using some zucchini in the smoothie too. Don’t be scared, I promise you, you won’t taste anything! If you do have time you can steam it before then there will not be any chunks but if you do not have time that is not a problem either! Just make sure you peel it so it doesn’t make the color go gross. Other than that, just some dates for fiber and sweetness and oat milk as well as soy Joghurt for creaminess. That’s it. If you what to make it more filling you can add some almond or any other but butter and some oats or if you just want it as a snack, leave it as is.

This smoothie makes a perfect breakfast in the go if you are in a hurry or you can also pour it into a bowl and add toppings such as granola, but butter and fresh fruits to enjoy it as a smoothie bowl! Either way it tastes really good and is super quick, which also makes it a ideal snack! 

I hope that you will love this recipe and it brings you into a summer feeling! 
Happy cooking! 
Katie / Une Petite Cuisinière

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Think Pink Smoothie

A super pretty and tasty smoothie for some serious summer feelings.

Course Breakfast, Drinks, Snack
Prep Time 5 Minuten
Cook Time 5 Minuten
Total Time 10 Minuten
Servings 2 smaller or 1 large
Calories 158 kcal

What you will need

  • 1 banana
  • 1 zucchini
  • 150 g raspberries if you have you can substitute out half of the raspberries for pink dragon fruit or blueberries for even more color
  • 50 g blueberries
  • 1 date
  • 50 ml oat milk
  • 50 ml water
  • 2 tbsp soy yoghurt

How to

That is how it works:

  1. Peel the zucchini and cut it into chunks. Do the same with the banana and the dragonfruit if using it. Add the berries, milk, water and yoghurt aswell and blend until smooth.

  2. Serve in glasses with straws or as a smoothie bowl with all the delicious toppings! Enjoy!

Oey-Goey Salted Caramel Chocolate Bars

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I think we all need a good treat from time to time. But eating something delicious and sweet does not necessarily have to unhealthy. I can tell you these are so fricking addicting and so incredibly good. Crunchy oat base, oey-goey creamy date coconut salt caramel layer, which is the best thing ever and you will want to top everything with it, and last but not least some crunchy chocolate on the top to give it the finishing touch. The combo = holy moly good.

So I love having some treats or sweets from time to time. Either as an afternoon pick me up or as a dessert after dinner or just somewhen in-between. If I do not have something healthy prepared I just long for cookies or chocolate or anything other sugar loaded. I think we all do that because most of the times we are craving something sweet we do not want to get in the kitchen and make something healthy that takes like 15 minutes when we can just grab some chocolate in 5 seconds. Thats why these bars are for making ahead and can be stored in the fridge and enjoyed anytime.

They may sound pretty fancy, and they are but they are super simple to make. 6 ingredients, 1 blender, 20 minutes (max). You can grab one with your coffee or pack it for work or school. When I make those, it is sooo hard for me not to eat them all at once. Always when I make them I have a few before I can even store them in the fridge because they are just too good. Portion control is just impossible with those, sorry not sorry. It is IMPOSSIBLE to just have a single one.

Those bars are, although they taste bombbb, pretty healthy. The layer at the very bottom is made out of oats, dates, and coconut oil. Oats are a great food because they are packed with vitamins, protein and fibre. They are not only great in your oatmeal but also in granola and bars. The coconut oil helps to bind it all together and the dates do so as well. This layer is full of crunch and tastes a bit fresh do to the coconut oil. It gives the base to a super good bar.

The next layer is the best of them all I think. It tastes like salted caramel, just better and it is much healthier. instead of cream, butter and sugar, we are only using dates and coconut milk. May sound a little bit off but it really is not! We blend the dates until they have a smooth and creamy consistency and are sticky. At this point the ´caramel´ is pretty thick, but we want it oey-goey (ok, I don’t know if this is a word but I´ll still use it) and smooth. Thats why we add it to a pot and add some coconut milk. I like to use light coconut milk because if using normal one, I believe the coconut flavour overpowers the caramel one. We bring it to a boil, add some sea salt and let it simmer and thicken a bit. It still is a bit runny, and we will add it on top of the oat base. so good.

Dates actually are a super healthy food. They contain big amounts of anti oxidants, no matter if fresh or dry. fresh dates actually are super good but it is really hard to find them, especially in Europe. Yes, dates do contain sugar but the fiber in the fruit helps to control the blood sugar levels, so you do not get that high peak and then feel really crapy after a while. Plus, dates can even help you to reduce your blood pressure because of their high magnesium content and help you with your memory because of their B vitamin content. As already said, they are pretty high in fiber with 10g per 100g, which is pretty much, and helps with digestion. All in all, they are a super food.

On top of the date caramel only goes some good molten chocolate. I like to use a healthy one here, preferably a dark one with a high cacao percentage or one from HuKitchen, because they just have the best chocolate ever! The chocolate on the top adds an extra crisp.

I honestly hope for you that you will make those because this is the best treat you could ever make. They (theoretically) last about 2-3 weeks in the fridge (but they’re gonna be gone in like 2 days, no joke). Enjoy them a lot!

Katie // Une Petite Cusiniere

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Oey-Goey Salted Caramel Chocolate Bar

THE BEST treat you could ever make. Easy, crazily addicting, super delicious and healthy! Simple ingredients, just the best!

Course Dessert, Snack
Prep Time 15 Minuten
Cooling Time 30 Minuten
Total Time 45 Minuten
Servings 9 bars
Calories 168 kcal

What you will need

That is what you will need:

  • 100 g oats
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 tbsp maple
  • 150 g dates
  • a pinch of sea salt
  • 100 ml low fat coconut milk
  • 80 g dark chocolate the draker, the healthier

How to

That is how it works:

  1. Place the oats in a blender and blend until super fine, flour like consistency.

  2. Remove the oats from the blender and blend them until smooth and thick. Transfer them into a pot and add the coconut milk and sea salt. Bring it to a boil then reduce to a simmer for about 5 minutes until thickend.

  3. Take one tablespoon from the date mixture and add them to the finely grounded oats along with the coconut oil and maple sirup. Mix until sticky, if it still is crumbly add more of one of the three.

  4. Line a square form with parchment paper. Add the oat mixture to it and press it flat. Add the date caramel on the top and place in the freezer while melting the chocolate in either the microwave or in a water bath. Once molten pour it as a final layer on top of the date caramel and keep in the freezer for at least half an hour.

  5. Then take it out and cut it into 9 pieces. Store in the fridge or enjoy right away.

Ultimate Hummus

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Ever since I went to boarding school and me and my friends ordered hummus pretty much every week, I am obsessed with it. I just love the taste, the creaminess and everything! It’s so good! 

But since hummus is not too cheap, I decided to make my own because it is so simple! I did not know how simple it was until I watched a YouTube video about it and let me tell you, no one should or will ever buy hummus in the supermarket again after trying out this recipe. You essentially only need 4 ingredients to make it; chickpeas, olive oil, tahini & lemon. This is the most basic form of it. I would recommend though, to include salt, and some more spices. There are ready-to-use spice mixes in supermarkets that take it next level or you can add them yourself. I would add some garlic powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, and paprika powder. 

If plain hummus is too basic for you, then feel free to get creative and make a different flavor. By adding cooked beets, you can make a beetroot hummus, add curry powder for a curry hummus, greens for a green madness hummus, dried tomatoes and basil or pesto for a Mediterranean twist. Honestly, the options are endless, which makes it such a great dish because it is so versatile. You can make the base and then adapt it however you, your family or your friends like it.

Hummus serves an awesome appetizer too. If you decorate it beautifully in a bowl, garnish it with some fresh herbs such as parsley or mint, some veggies, such as tomatoes, peppers, peas or cucumbers, and maybe some other touch of color, like pickled onions, it immediately looks super appetizing! Serve it with some toasted ciabatta or crackers, drizzle with olive oil, and voilá! A stunning and really simple appetizer is ready to be enjoyed! It is something light your guests can snack on while waiting for dinner! 

But don’t now think that hummus only makes a great appetizer, no, it can be used in so much more! Spread it into sandwiches, top it onto bowls, use it as a dip, … you can do so much with it! It’s like avocado, super good and super versatile! I for example love to have it with some toasted bread or in a wrap. This is so good! 

The making process is pretty simple too. It actually is ready in 15 minutes if you buy canned chickpeas. You just need to drain and rinse them, so any of the liquid is removed. This makes it easier to digest, which is really good. Of corse, you can cook them yourself if you want, just bake sure to soak them before and cook them until really soft so they can easily be mashed. I actually prefer cooking them myself, simply because you have more control about how soft they are going to be. Then just add them into a blender along with some Tahini, Olive Oil, lemon juice, salt, spices and a little water. Blend it until really creamy and then you already are done! That’s how easy it is! 

I, as already monitored, love to serve it as an appetizer, but it is great in whichever way you decide to use it. You can make a big batch of it and freeze some, so you always have some on hand! I hope that you’ll enjoy this recipe! 


Happy eating, 
Katie <3

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Hummus

Partydip, Bread Spread, Appetizer – you name it, Hummus is perfect for it!

Course Appetizer, bowl, Snack
Cuisine asian, oriental
Prep Time 15 Minuten
Total Time 15 Minuten
Servings 10 servings
Calories 109 kcal

What you will need

  • 400 g canned chickpeas
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 3-4 tbsp Tahini
  • 1/2 tbsp vinegar (white wine vinegar)
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp paprika powder
  • 2-3 tbsp of the liquid the chickpeas were in

How to

That is how it works:

  1. Drain the chickpeas from the can. Rinse them with water until there is no foam anymore. This will make the hummus creamier and easier to digest.

  2. Add the chickpeas, along with all the other ingredients, into the food processor. Blend until smooth. If it is too thick for your preference, add more olive oil or water.

  3. Place in a bowl and garnish with some more olive oil, some fresh, cut up vegetables, pickled onions and parsley. Serve with some crackers and enjoy!