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beetroot

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

Super Easy 10 Minute Beetroot Latte (vegan)

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If you now are thinking something similar to „what?? Beetroot latte?“, I know how you are feeling. I felt the same before I tried it for the first time. And really, it surprised me positively. If you like beetroot, and warm, comforting drinks, this is something for you!

What is special about this drink?

I think this entire drink is really special. To be honest, I am not a huge anything latte fan. When I drink my coffee, I like it short and without anything. Still, once in a while, I really like this drink. I feel like it gives me a lot of energy plus its super tasty!

So what is special? We have beetroot + coffee. If you never have had beetroot in a sweet dish, you have been missing out… Instead of just coffee and milk, we have beetroot, spices, coffee and milk. A fancy, fancy, healthy latte.

Is this drink healthy?

it definitely is! Since beetroot has a naturally, slightly sweet flavour to it, there is no need to add much sweetener. Plus, beets are an extremely healthy. In my September Top 5 I have shared lots of information about them, so you can go check that out if you are interested.

To just quickly summarise, they are really high in fibre, vitamin B6, C, manganese and potassium. It also has been shown that they are beneficial for overall health such as reducing blood sugar levels, cell function and the immune system. If you are a beetroot fan and want more beet recipes you can check out my beetroot pasta bake with goats cheese or the better than store-bought beetroot hummus!

Besides the star of the show we also have coffee in here, which has been shown to have several health benefits (as it may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, cancer and boost longevity), when consumed in moderation. Then we also have cinnamon, which comes along a bunch of other health benefits and plant based milk.

How to make this drink?

This is so so easy. You need to start by heating up the milk with the cinnamon and cardamon. Then you blend about half of the milk with the beets, and foam the other half. To serve you pour both, the beet milk and the foamed milk into a cup and add a shot of espresso. That already is it! Really really simple!

When and how to best have it?

As this recipe already says, it works great with coffee, as a fancy drink! If you have some leftover milk, you can also add it to porridge’s, overnight oats, chia pudding, cereal or anything else you would add regular (plant based) milk to!

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The Easiest 5 Minute Beetroot Latte (vegan)

Definitely not your regular latte but incredibly delicious, easy and healthy! A must make for everyone who likes to try out something new!

Course Drinks
Prep Time 10 Minuten
Servings 2 lattes
Calories 71 kcal

What you will need

  • 1 small beet (precooked)
  • 500 ml milk
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp cardamon
  • 2 shots espresso

How to

  1. Add the milk, cinnamon and cardamon to a pot and bring to a boil. Pour half of it into a food processor along with the beetroot and blend. Foam the other half, either in a foamer or in a pot.

  2. Into a mug pour the beetroot milk, the foamed milk and then the shot of espresso.

  3. Enjoy!

Better than Store-bought 15-minute beetroot hummus

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Hummus. We all know it – we all love it! That creamy, tangy goodness that we spread onto bread, enjoy in pita, top every bowl with and dip our veggies in to make them more delicious! A staple in most households – and still, most people buy it at the store while it is SO easy to make!

What is hummus?

Hummus is a dip or a spread that originated and nowadays is found in Middle Eastern cuisine. It has a very smooth consistency and is made out out chickpeas, tahini (which is a sesame paste), olive oil, garlic, and spices. It typically is enjoyed with some fresh Pita bread. Hummus is very popular among the vegan nutrition because it works great as a spread on bread or as a dairy free dip and is pretty healthy!

What is special about this dish?

Regular hummus, as I said is made out of chickpeas as its main ingredient. But this one is a little bit different and perfect for fall! Besides Chickpeas, the star of the show is beetroot. Beetroot is a quite popular ingredient to be added to hummus because its slightly sweet flavour just works in perfect harmony with the creaminess and tanginess of the hummus. So instead of plain hummus, we are switching things up a little bit and making a delicious beetroot hummus!

How do you make hummus?

The entire process is pretty simple, and will take you a maximum of 10 minutes. To make it, you definitely need canned chickpeas. It is possible to use dried ones, but you will have to cook those for 1,5-2 hours before being able to make the hummus, which is pretty time consuming! So I prefer to go for canned ones. You add those to a blender or a food processor (either works) along with a few other ingredients and blend it until it’s creamy. It really is this simple and does not ask for any other cooking!

The secrets to making a really good hummus

There are a few things you can look out for when making hummus to take it next level. First, use canned chickpeas or ones that are boiled really softly. Second, use a good Tahini. This is a sesame paste you can find at most supermarkets and has a runny consistency but I would recommend buying it at an asian store. The Tahini there is just more liquid and will make the hummus creamier! If you cannot make it to an asian store, I recommend at least checking the ingredients list. A good Tahini has Sesame seeds as its only ingredient.

My third tip is to preserve some aquafaba (this is the liquid the chickpeas come in when canned). Adding this will keep the hummus really creamy. My fourth, and last tip is to use a splash of vinegar. As weird as it may sound, it really makes a difference! It adds this tanginess that makes a hummus really good. Sometimes lemons are used, but I would really recommend doing some vinegar!

Is beetroot hummus healthy?

It definitely is! Chickpeas are very healthy since they are high in protein and high in fibre. The Tahini and Olive oil add some healthy unsaturated fats, which makes a great nutritional value for a dip! The beetroot adds some natural sweetness and vitamins! Another reason why it is loved by the food industry is because it is healthy!

How to best have it

Really with anything, you would have regular hummus with. On top of some toasted bread with some avocado, or to dip some veggies in. Also works great on top of (buddha) bowls, in pita bread or on top of a rice cracker. You can even just thin it out with water and lemon juice to make a salad dressing! So the options are endless… and all delicious!

I hope that you will love this recipe and I am sure you’ll be making this on repeat in your kitchen! A great & healthy fall food!

I hope that you will love this recipe and I am sure you’ll be making this on repeat in your kitchen! A great & healthy fall food!

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Better than Store-bought 15-minute beetroot hummus

The best creamy & delicious beetroot hummus ever. Better than any premade takeout version!

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine arabian, middle eastern
Prep Time 10 Minuten
Total Time 10 Minuten
Servings 5 servings
Calories 144 kcal

What you will need

  • 1 can chickpeas
  • 2 small beetroots (precooked)
  • 1 tbsp Tahini
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 2 tsp vinegar (white wine vinegar works best)
  • 3-4 tbsp aquafaba (the liquid canned chickpeas come in)
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp paprika powder

How to

  1. Drain the chickpeas but preserve the liquid they were in. Add them to a blender along with all the other ingredients and 3-4 tbsp of that preserved liquid. Blend until smooth! If it is too firm, add more olive oil or aquafaba. But be aware that beetroot hummus will not be as creamy as normal hummus because of the beets in it! Enjoy!

Happy cooking,
Enjoy,
Katie // Une Petite Cuisinière

The Best Healthy Falafel-style Pita with Dreamy Pink Goddess Sauce

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That bite into a warm and soft pita filled with a giant dollop of hummus, that coleslaw, the crispy deep fried falafel and that yummy yoghurt-mayonnaise sauce on top. Sounds heavenly doesn’t it? As good as it sounds, it is really everything else than healthy. But we do not want to miss out on that deliciousness. So why not making it healthy?

What is special about this dish?

A lot to be fair. We have falafel, that are not deep fried, as traditional falafel would be but pan fried. Then we have a pink tahini and greek yoghurt sauce (which I have never seen at any of those falafel stands before) instead of the mayonnaise yoghurt dressing and we have a homemade tzatziki and self-made hummus for that extra flavour .

First, what is falafel and where does it come from?

Falafel is a ball made out of chickpeas or cassava beens combined with different spices and herbs before it is deep fried. Usually it is served in a pita bread or to go with hummus or other mezze appetisers. It is believed to have originated in Egypt and can be found in the Middle Eastern cuisine today.

Why are falafel not very healthy?

While many people would believe that falafel are healthy because they are made out of chickpeas and are vegan, that is not quite the case. That is true, that the base of the falafel is healthy, so the „dough“ is healthy. But what is not nutritious about them then? The fact that they are deep fried. All of the oil adds a lot of fat and calories. It is more than fine to have fried food once in a while but it is not something that is healthy, one needs to be aware of that.

Authentic falafel are made with raw chickpeas that have been soaked. This way they are soft enough to blend but not too soft so you do not have a mushy consistency. But since we do not all have the time to soak falafel (especially when we want a quick meal), in here we use flour for the right consistency and canned falafel. This way they will not be white as crispy, but they are way quicker and still delicious!

How to make this dish healthy

Instead of deep frying the falafel, we prepare them in a pan with just a little oil. Yes, you can also bake them in the oven but to be honest, I never find that those get really crispy when being prepared in the oven. When making them in the pan, we still get that crisp (not the exact same of course, but a really good one) while keeping things healthy.

Also, to replace the mayo dressing that often comes on top we make a beetroot-greek yoghurt – tahini dressing. While homemade mayonnaise, in moderation is not unhealthy, store bought ones often have a lot of additives and preservatives in them and making your own one is a little tricky. The sauce we are making is high in protein, from the greek yoghurt, tastes delicious with the beets (and also has a nice colour), and has a good amount of healthy (or unsaturated fats) from the Tahin.

To make this entire dish even healthier you can substitute the normal pita with whole grain pita. This just is pretty difficult to find, which is the reason I stick with normal pita.

How do you make healthy falafel

This is super easy, to be honest. You need to drain canned chickpeas and add them to a food processor along with a bunch of parsley, onion, garlic, spices, and (wholewheat) flour. Then you just pulse everything together until you have reached a sticky, doughy consistency. (if you do not have a food processor or blender you can also add everything to a bowl, very finely chopped and mix it with a fork or your hands). Then you form little balls with your hand, one at a time and roll them in breadcrumbs.
In a hot pan with oil, you add the falafel and let them fry until crisp for about 3 minutes on each side. That is it!

Meal prep friendly?

I would say so. Pack everything separately and mix together before eating. The falafel will not be quite as crisp anymore but they’ll be just fine when you heat them up in the oven.

I hope that you will enjoy this recipe and please your family and friends with it!

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The best falafel-style pita with dreamy pink goddess sauce

A healthy version of the dreamy Middle Eastern classic. A little crispy on the outside, super soft soft on the inside falafel with a creamy delicious Tahini-Beetroot Sauce, Tzatziki and Hummus. Not difficult, but really healthy.

Course Appetizer, dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine middle eastern
Prep Time 25 Minuten
Cook Time 10 Minuten
Total Time 35 Minuten
Servings 4 servings
Calories 397 kcal

What you will need

For the falafel:

  • 1 can chickpeas
  • 2-3 tbsp flour (whole grain is prefered)
  • 1/2 red onion
  • 1 bunch parsley
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • breadcrumbs
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

For the beet sauce

  • 1 small beetroot (precooked)
  • 100 g greek yoghurt
  • 1 tbsp Tahin
  • 1/2 lemon juiced
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 tsp honey

For the rest:

  • 1 cucumber
  • 200 g greek yoghurt
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 pita breads
  • some hummus
  • fresh radishes & tomatoes
  • 2 handful salad

How to

  1. For the falafel combine all the ingredients, except the breadcrumbs, flour and olive oil in a food processor and pulse until combined (do not blend until smooth!!!). Then add the flour a tablespoon at a time and pulse it in (not blending fully, again!) until the dough is not sticky anymore. Chill in the frisge for half an hour.

  2. In the meanwhile peel the cucumber. Then cut into very thin slices (preferably with a mandoline). Add it into a bowl and salt generously. Let sit for 20 minutes.

  3. In the meantime slice up the raidshes and tomatoes and wash the salad.

  4. For the beetroot sauce add all of the ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth. If the sauce is too thick add some water or olive oil!

  5. After chilling take about 1 tablespoon at a time of the falafel dough and roll out in your hands into a small ball. Toss in the breadcrumbs until they cover the ball fully. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Heat up the oil in a pan and add the falafel. Let fry on this side for about 2-3 minutes on medium high heat before tossing. Do not toss around in the pan immediately since the dough still is a little bit soft. After those 2-3 minutes, start tossing them around in a pan softly and fry for another 5-6 minutes until they are golden brown on each side and crispy.

  6. Prepare the Tzatziki. Take a clean kitchen towl and place the salted and sliced cucumber in it. Squeeze out all of the remaining water of the cucumber and put it back into the bowl. Press the garlic and add it along with the greek yoghurt. Combine everything well and season with more salt if desired.

  7. To serve fill the pita with hummus, the veggies and the tzatziki. Add the falafel on top and drizzle with the sauce. Serve and enjoy !

Happy cooking,
Enjoy,
Katie // Une Petite Cusinière