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coconut

Healthier and Incredibly Simple 4-ingredient Bounty Bars

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Bounty. The bar we all love. I mean, who can resist some sweet coconut covered in crunchy chocolate. That bite into it is like a bite of heaven. But unfortunately they are not very nutritious and good for us. But that won’t stop us from eating them, right?! That’s why we are making an incredibly easy and healthier version of them that tastes at least as delicious!

When I made them the first time, they were gone within a day, more or less. And it resulted in a family fight about who would get the last one hahaha. So be aware that they’ll be gone quickly when you make them!

What is special about this dish?

Healthy(er) bounty bars. That is very special. Plus, they are incredibly easy to make, so anyone can make them! You really just need 4 ingredients to make them and you do not even NEED a blender. It of course is easier with one but it also us possible without one! That‘s what makes them really special! 

Are they healthy?

I would definitely say healthier than regular bounty bars. They are nutrient bomb but they definitely are better, nutrient wise, than regular ones. Why? Because regular ones are loaded with refined sugar, preservatives and flavor enhancers, which all are not healthy for our gut, teeth and overall health.

Our version is just made of shredded coconut, coconut milk, maple syrup or honey and chocolate. That is all. The shredded coconut and coconut milk are pure and without any additives, the maple syrup or honey still contain sugar but they also contain nutrients such as fibre and vitamins, especially honey does. When it comes to the chocolate, it really depends on the brand you choose. The darker the chocolate is, the healthier it is. Also make sure to choose one with as few ingredients as possible. You can check the  label at the back of the package and maybe you even find one, which is sweetened with coconut sugar.

How to make them:

This is incredibly simple. You just need to mix the shredded coconut, coconut milk and sweetener. This can be done with a mixer or blender, which definitely is quicker and easier, and if you don’t have one, you can also mix and knead it by hand. Once this is combined we are pressing it onto a tray, a casserole dish or into a baking tin and let it cool in the fridge or freezer for at least 1 hour or, even better, overnight.

The next morning, or a few hours later, we melt the chocolate. Please do not add coconut oil to thin it out, because then the chocolate won’t cover the bars as good. The pressed and chilled mass now is taken out of the fridge and cut into bar-sized pieces. These now are dipped in the chocolate and chilled in the fridge again! That’s it! 

The best snack

This is not only a perfect snack but also a great dessert. The best thing is, you can just take them out if the fridge and that’s it! That also is the reason they are gone so quickly 🙁

We LOVE these, even say they are better than Kokosbusserl, and that really means something!

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Healthier & easy, homemade, Vegan Bounty Bars

At least as good as the original and much healthier. Plus, they are soso easy to make. A bit fluffy and coconuty batter on the inside and crispy chocolate on the outside. Everythnig we want for a snack.

Course Dessert, Snack
Prep Time 15 Minuten
Cooling time 3 Stunden
Total Time 3 Stunden 15 Minuten
Servings 10 bars
Calories 212 kcal

What you will need

  • 150 g shredded coconut
  • 100 g coconut milk (the firm part only)
  • 3-4 tbsp maple syrup
  • 200 g chocolate

How to

  1. From the can of coconut milk, only use the thick part!!! Do not use the watery part. Add this firmer and thicker part to a blender along with the coconut shredds and the maple syrup until it makes a thick and sticky paste or dough.

  2. Into a baking tin or casserole dish or onto a baking tray lay a parchment paper and add the coconut filling on top. Press it down and flat, so it is about 1-1,5cm thick. Cool in the fridge for at least one hour or overnight.

  3. When ready, melt the chocolate and let cool a bit. Cut the bonuty bars into 10 about 3cm wide and 8cm long bars. Dip each bar into the motlen chocolate and lay onto the parchment paper again.

  4. Cool in the fridge for another 2 hours at least. Enjoy!

I hope you enjoy them as much as we do and have a fun time making them!

Happy cooking & enjoy,

Love,

Katie // Une Petite Cuisinière 

Creamy Lentil Dhal

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This is honestly one of the best things I‘ve ever made. I really really enjoy that on chilly winter days when you want a hot bowl of something but also on warmer days because it also tastes great when it is enjoyed cold and it actually enhances the flavor when kept in the fridge overnight or for several days. This makes it super meal prep friendly. You can just store it and take it to work, school, or Uni whenever you need it. It is like that with every curry or heavily spiced dish, it only gains flavor when left for a day or a few.


So what is dhal?
Dhal is an Indian term that refers to split pulses, such as beans, peas and lentils. These legumes, how you call them in English, are staple foods in Indian cuisine. But dhak is also used to name several dishes, mostly soups. Traditionally there are tomatoes and onions as well as several other spices added. In Asia it usually is eaten with some flatbread or rice. 

Is it good for me?
I love curries. So much. But sometimes you just feel like having something heartier with more substance. Like this lentil dhal. Lentils are packed with protein and fiber but also lots of other vitamins. Plus there’s a good amount of spices in here which makes everything super flavorful. The veggies and potatoes add some more taste and the toppings take it next level. 


What is in this recipe?
So, I am not a traditional Indian, surprise, surprise, so I took a traditional dhal and added a few things.The star of the dish are red lentils. If you really do not like those, I would recommend using split peas. Besides that we have some onion, garlic, ginger, graham masala, curry powder, turmeric, cumin, paprika powder, bell pepper, carrot as a base. We sautée everything and then add vegetable stock. We add in some potatoes that are peeled and cut. I do not think that it is very traditional to add potatoes but I believe that they add an incredible comforting feeling to it and make everything more filling. Plus they add some nice texture. You could also opt for sweet potatoes instead if you prefer but yellow potatoes work a bit better. 

Next come the lentils. I do not pre soak mine or pre cook them because red lentils cook pretty fast. So we add them in after a while and let everything simmer. Once the lentils are soft, in goes some coconut milk. The coconut milk is essential. I would use full fat one since we have a lot of broth and with low fat ones, you won´t be able to achieve that creaminess. While everything simmers for a little, the flavors of the spices will get deeper into the curry and the lentils become a little bit mushy, which tastes so great. 

So that basically is the dhal, but what would it be without toppings? Let´s be honest, toppings take everything next level. We are cutting up a lime, of which we will squeeze the juice on the dhal after serving, garnish the dish with a little (plant based) yoghurt or more coconut milk, some fresh cilantro, sliced up spring onions and if wanted (but really good) some cashews or peanuts for extra crunch and extra tastiness. 

I would recommend to serve it over some rice or with naan bread. With either one you can soak up the liquid and it tastes super delicious!

Is it family friendly?

Yes! It definitely is! Not only that it is very versatile, as you can add in some ground chicken when stir frying the veggies or some grilled prawns on top, when including some animal products but it also it can be made more or less spicy, depending on who eats it. Moreover, it can be kept in the fridge for several days, so every member of the family can take it to school or work. 

I hope that you will enjoy making and eating this dish, and that you will love it as much as I do! It is such a great dish to enjoy all throughout the year, is super healthy and packed with tons of flavors!

Enjoy, 

Katie // Une Petite Cuisinière

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Creamy Lentil Dhal

A super flavorful and warming dinner, that is super easy to make and incredibly delicious and healthy!

Course bowl, dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 15 Minuten
Cook Time 30 Minuten
Total Time 45 Minuten
Servings 4 servings
Calories 434 kcal

What you will need

Thats what you will need:

For the base:

  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 4 cm ginger
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 tbsp graham massala
  • 2 tsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp paprika powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 carrot

The rest:

  • 500 g potatoes
  • 200 g lentils
  • 500 ml vegetable broth
  • 200 ml coconut milk

For servings:

  • some rice
  • some cilantro
  • cut up spring onions
  • yoghurt (plant based)
  • some nuts

How to

That is how it works:

  1. Finely dice uo the onion, garlic and ginger. In a pan heat up the oil. Once hot add the cut up veggies in. Sautee them for 2 minutes and then add the spices and sautee for another 2 minutes.

  2. Peel the carrot. Finely dine it and the bell pepper aswell. Add them to the pot and sautee for 2 minutes. Add the vegetable broth.

  3. Peel the potatoes and cout them into about 2 cm chunks. Once the broth boild, add the potatoes in and let everything cook for 10 minutes. Then add in the lentils and let everything boil for another 10 minutes.

  4. Next pour in the coconut milk and let everything simmer for another 5 minutes.

  5. Once ready, put it into bowls. Garnish with some yoghurt, cilantro, spring onions and cilantro.

  6. Serve and enjoy!

Miso Sweet Potato w/ Coconut Rice

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Is so incredibly addicting and satisfying, which is crazy! It’s just like miso black cod or anything sticky and sweet, just that it covers sweet potatoes. Plus, there is a curry vibe because we have some steamed coconut rice, aka rice boiled in coconut milk. Place both of these things in a bowl, sprinkle some nuts, and you will never wanna order takeout ever again.

No, I am serious, it really is good. I absolutely love miso, like a lot. I have always liked it, but then I went to a restaurant over Christmas break and had that black miso yuzu cod, and let me tell you, this was out of this world. So. Fricking. Good. I tried marking something similar to the miso at home for the sweet potatoes and I have to say that it did not turn out terribly, no definitely not. Although it is not quite the same, because I don’t know how the chef there made it, this was incredible, it is super delicious!

So before you ask yourself ‘what even is miso?’ I am going to give you a little information. Miso actually is a fermented soy pasta. You can buy it at most super markets or Asian markets. It is available in black and white. For this recipe, I used the black miso paste, but I am sure that the white one will work as well. Miso is mostly eaten in Japan, where also the popular miso soup is from. So, in this recipe we are using the same miso as in the soup, but prepare it differently.

To make the miso glazed sweet potatoes, we do not need a lot of things. Sweet potatoes, of course, cut into slices, some miso pasta, soy sauce, some sriracha or hot sauce, rice wine vinegar, agave or honey, a little lime juice, and if not vegan some fish sauce. This adds an extra touch but is not necessary. We combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl and let the sweet potatoes marinate in there for about 30min-1h. If you do not have that time, then leave it out but I would still recommend you to do it. Once they are marinated, we grill them on a grill or you can also pan-fry them or even bake in the oven. Just do whatever sounds best to you.

So we have the main star of the show but we still need something to serve it with. And this something is coconut rice. Honestly, this is life changing. This coconut rice goes so incredibly well with anything, be it curry, stir fry, just some steamed vegetables or some chicken skewers. Anything Asian is perfect to be served with this. We make this rice by simply adding it to a pot. Next we add a mixture out of coconut milk and water and a generous pinch of salt. Bring it to a boil, reduce to very low heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Here you go, super easy but so much flavor. Honestly you will never skip this when making your next curry.

For serving, I like to put everything in a bowl, sprinkle with some cashews or peanuts, some fresh cilantro, some shredded coconut, and a lime wedge for decoration. This dish honestly is super good, and a great weeknight dinner. You can also meal prep it very well. For example make the sweet potatoes ahead of time and add them to salads or stir frys throughout the week.

I hope that you like this recipe and will enjoy making it!

Love Katie || Une Petite Cuisiniere

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Miso Sweet Potato with Coconut Rice

An addictively good twist on regular sweet potatoes served with steemed coconut rice on which you never want to miss out ever again. So good.

Course bowl, dinner, lunch
Cuisine asian, Japanese
Prep Time 10 Minuten
Cook Time 20 Minuten
Total Time 1 Stunde
Servings 4 servings
Calories 546 kcal

What you will need

For the Miso Sweet Potatoes:

  • 2 medium sweet potatoes
  • 2 tbsp miso paste
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1/2 Lime juiced
  • 2 tsp sriracha
  • 2 tsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1/2 tbsp honey or maple
  • 1-2 tbsp water
  • 1/2 tbsp sesame oil

For the Coconut Rice:

  • 250 g Rice
  • 200 ml Coconut Milk
  • 300 ml water
  • 1 tsp salt

For Garnish:

  • 2 handful greens can be any greens of your choice, I would recommend using fresh spinach or a salad mix
  • some cilantro
  • a few cashews or peanuts
  • lime wedges
  • coconut flakes.

How to

That’s how it works:

  1. Wash and peel the sweet potato if not having bought organic ones. In a Bowl mix all the ingredients for the sauce. Slice up the sweet potatoes into about 1cm thick slices. Place them in a bowl and pour over the sauce. Let marinate for about 30-60 minutes. If you do not have the time to do that, then pour over the sauce when grilling or cooking. 

    Meanwhile add the rice to a pot along with the coconut milk, water and a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to very low heat, cover and let simmer for about 10-12 minutes. 

    Heat up a pan with a little sesame oil, or heat a grill brushed with olive oil, or preheat the oven to 200*C. If making in the pan or grill, fry on each side for about a minutes at medium to high heat. In the oven bake for about 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through. 

    Separate the rice on the bowls. Add the fresh greens, top with the sweet potato and add some cilantro, cashews or peanuts, some more shredded coconut (optional) and a lime wedge to garnish. 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.