feel food club

healthy desserts

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 

Maple Cinnamon Baked Pumpkin with Super Crispy Walnut Cranberry Granola

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Have you ever had sweet pumpkin? If not, I am very sorry to tell you that you have been missing out. I myself have been missing out for a very long time but really, it is so absolutely delicious. And so easy to make. Definitely not your average dessert!

What is special about this dish?

Sweet Pumpkin. This already is very special. Instead of putting it into soup, pasta, curry, whatever, we are preparing it in a non-savoury way. It is roasted with cinnamon, maple and spices and served with an incredibly delicious, homemade granola.

The granola is the next special part. It is not the kind you need to roast in the oven for ages but the one you throw into a pan, and it is done in like 10 minutes. Pretty good right? A sweet version of pumpkin definitely is worth a try!

Is this dish healthy?

Yesso. Pumpkin is pretty healthy. Super high in vitamins and also in fibre. If you want to read more about why it is such a great vegetable, you can read about it in my November Top 5 blog post! Having a vegetable in your dessert ist pretty amazing because it makes you have a delicious meal but still getting your vitamins in.

The rest is also pretty healthy. Sure, there is sugar in this recipe, but no refined sugar. And the granola is also pretty good. The walnuts add a healthy amount of unsaturated fats, especially omega-3 fats, and nutrients. The oats are high in fibre and carbs too and are pretty healthy! So all in all, definitely healthy!

How to make this dish:

This is fairly simple, as almost all of my recipes. First, you need to brush the pumpkin with the oil-spice mixture. Now it needs to be baked in the oven. This does take a while but in the meantime you can prepare the granola. For this just heat up some oil and honey or other liquid sweetener in a pan and add the crushed walnuts as well as the oats, spices and cinnamon. Let everything crisp up and then let cool a bit. Once the pumpkin is done, serve it with some (plant based) yoghurt or ice cream and the granola.

When and how to best have it:

You can literally have this as breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert. You have your veggies and carbs, so I think it is suitable for every meal of the day. I love to have it as a dessert or even as a breakfast! As already mentioned above, it is best served with yoghurt or ice cream and granola!

Substitutes:

Butternut squash – any other pumpkin, sweet potato
Walnuts – pecans, almonds, hazelnuts
Oats – leave them out
Maple syrup – honey, agave
Cranberries – raisins

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Maple Cinnamon Baked Pumpkin with Super Crispy Walnut Cranberry Granola

A sweet version of the fall classic. Soft, sweet and warm, served with a delicious, crispy granola. Next level pumpkin.

Course Dessert, Snack
Prep Time 20 Minuten
Cook Time 1 Stunde
Total Time 1 Stunde 5 Minuten
Servings 6 desserts
Calories 223 kcal

What you will need

For the Pumpkin:

  • 3 tbsp oil
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup
  • 3 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • a pinch salt
  • 1 butternut squash (about 900g)

For the granola:

  • 60 g rolled oats
  • 30 g walnuts
  • 30 g cranberries

To serve:

  • yoghurt, ice cream,..
  • some maple syrup
  • extra cinnamon

How to

  1. Start by slicing the pumpkin into about 3cm thick slices. Remove the seeds from the slices that contain some. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Lay the pumpkin on a baking tray with parchment paper. Combine the oil, maple and spices and brush both sides of the slices with it (there will be some oil mixture left). Bake for 45 minutes. Turn the heat up to 200°C an bake for another 5 minutes.

  2. In the meantime add the oats and walnuts to a non-stick pan and toast on high heat for about 3 minutes, stirring continuously. Once golden brown, add the remaining oil-maple mixture that's left after brushing the pumpkin. Turn heat down and stir it it. Add the chopped up cranberries and also stir in. Take off the heat and let cool a bit.

  3. When the pumpkin is done, serve with some (plant based) yoghurt, granola, extra maple and cinnamon. Enjoy!

The only healthy Plum Compote Recipe you’ll ever need

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Plum compote = Zwetschkenröster

Plum Compote – an austrian staple

If you are not from Austria and have never heard of plum compote or Zwetschkenröster I can understand that you may be confused about this. Zwetschkenröster is a compote made out of plums, which mostly is eaten with Curd Cheese Dumplings (Topfenknödel) or Kaiserschmarren. It is sweet and still have fruit chunks in it so it is not the same as jam.

Traditional plum compote & how it is made

There is more than just the country it comes from, that connects me to plum compote. I have always had a passion for cooking from an early age on, and apparently a very big one for plum compote. A few years ago my parents showed me pictures of me, when I was a little kid, 2 years old or so, sitting on the counter in the kitchen and making curd cheese dumplings and plum roaster with my uncle. So yes, this is a very traditional recipe.

In Austria you can find it in pretty much any house hold, which makes sense when you realise how easy it is to make. And how delicious it is to enjoy. Making this actually is pretty simple. It really just is cooking plums with sugar, lemon juice, spices and some cornstarch until the skin separates slightly from the fruit. Then you let it cool down and fill it into jars. That is it.

What it special about this dish?

The only really special thing here is that it is healthy. Regular plum compote comes with loaded sugar, which obviously is not healthy so we are making a healthier version of it. Besides this, not too much is fancy here because we want to keep it quite traditional.

How to make it healthy

The main ingredient, the plums, stays the same of course. But instead of regular, white, refined sugar, we are using a mixture between coconut sugar and dates. Both of these have a great sweetness but are packed with less actual sugar and come with fibre, which makes the sugar be digested better.

How to best have it:

As I already mentioned, you can have this really well with desserts such as Kaiserschmarren (which is like a destroyed dutch baby) or with dumplings. I also love to have it on top of yoghurt with some granola or with some ice cream. I am sure this would also work really well on top of a creamy porridge. It is a great addition to pretty much anything sweet!

I hope that you will enjoy this recipe and that you will also have memories that are as great as mine!

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Healthy Plum Compote

A healthy version of the austrian classic. Perfectly sweet and juicy plums cookeed into a long lasting and super delicious compote!

Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine austrian
Prep Time 10 Minuten
Cook Time 1 Stunde 15 Minuten
Total Time 1 Stunde 25 Minuten
Servings 2 jars à 3 servings
Calories 133 kcal

What you will need

  • 1 kg plums
  • 50 g dates
  • 50 g coconut sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • a sprinkle of sea salt
  • 1/2 lemon
  • 2 tsp cornstarch
  • 50 ml water

How to

  1. Cut all of the plums in half and remove the pit. Slice the dates very finely or cut them into amll pieces. Add them to a pot along with the coconut sugar, water, lemon juice, salt, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about an hour at medium heat.

  2. After an hour you will see that the skins of the plums started to seperate from the fruit and are rolling in a littlw bit. Now combine the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water in a seperate bowl and whisk until smooth. Pour it in and stir through the compote very well so everything is combined.

  3. Take off the heat and let cool. Then fill into jars and stor ein the fridge! Enjoy!

Happy cooking,
Enjoy,
Katie // Une Petite Cuisinière