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Creamy Tomato Chili Garlic Prawns (How to Get Your Family to Eat Veggies)

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Getting a brother who is a non-vegetable fan to eat veggies seems impossible. But this dish actually makes him ask for it! A creamy, spicy, garlicy tomato sauce that is packed with flavor and deliciousness with soft cooked prawns soaking in it and some bread to dip in – how could someone possibly not ask for this dish? Bonus: it really is not difficult to prepare, meaning anyone could make it and it takes very little time to make.

The claim with my brother is no joke: whenever he gets to choose something I cook for him, he asks for this. And yes, technically tomatoes are fruits and not veggies, but this is such a great way to sneak in some extra vitamins for non-veggie fans!

What is special about this dish?

It is not your regular chili-garlic prawns but a bit fancier. Like a crossover of dish and a a creamy tomato sauce that you‘d add onto pasta. And this is not only what makes this recipe unique but it accounts for the delicious, creamy flavor.

What else is quite special about this dish is that it is really versatile. Depending on season and pantry/ fridge stocking, you can adjust it. For example, if you do not have fresh cherry tomatoes, you could also use large tomatoes or canned ones. That even enables you to cook this in winter, when tomatoes are not in season. Another switch would be substituting the bread. In case of not having bread at home, to go along with it, it can be switched for rice, quinoa or even pasta. Also, the prawns can vary from time to time. If you can only find smaller ones, use those – it‘ll be delicious anyway! If you happen to find large ones though – great! Even better!

Is this dish healthy?

It can definitely be claimed that this dish is nutrient dense. It comes with a bunch of nutrients from all different sources! First of all, the tomatoes account for a solid base of fibre and vitamins. The chili and garlic add even more. The prawns provide a large serving of protein, iron and calcium. Also, they come with a range of vitamins and minerals to keep your immune system strong and stable.

The olive oil and greek yoghurt found in the sauce make sure you have a healthy amount of unsaturated fats and even more protein. The wine we add to the dish mainly is a source of flavor, and no worries, the alcohol cooks down anyway. When serving with some sort of grain (such as bread, rice, quinoa or pasta), we also make sure that we consume enough carbs to stay energized. Make it wholegrain for even more fibre and nutrients! As you can see, this dish indeed is packed with nutrients that will keep you happy and healthy!

Can really anyone make this?

I‘d definitely argue so! It is so easy! The first thing that needs to be done is to thaw the prawns. The probably easiest way to do so is placing the frozen prawns in a bowl with warm water. By changing the water every now and then, as soon as it gets cold, and refilling it with warm water, lets the prawns defrost slowly. Once they are free of ice, they can be drained and laid out on a kitchen towel to let them dry. It is important that they are really dry and do not let any water for several reasons: first, they won‘t turn as crispy if they are still wet and secondly, the water will splash in the hot oil. And this can hurt when touching your skin.

That already was the most challenging part. All that is left to do now is to finely slice or mince the garlic and chili and to half or quarter the tomatoes. Or to chop them into bite sized pieces if using larger ones. First the spices and then the tomatoes and prawns are fried in a little olive oil and then deglazed with white wine. Just before serving we still stir in a little ricotta or greek yoghurt and tomato sauce and voilà, it is ready to be served! Easy right?

To be honest, it is impossible to imagine our staple recipes without this one, I can only suggest you try it out!

If you have any questions or comments on remakes, I would be more than happy to see and answer them! Just comment below here or text me on instagram (@uneptcuisiniere)!

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Creamy Tomato Chili Garlic Prawns (How to Get Your Family to Eat Veggies)

Imagining out Mealplan without this recipe is impossible – spicy prawns drowning in a creamy, delicious tomato sauce packed with flavor. Some fresh bread to accompany it? Plus, it is ready in 25 minutes (at max!!)! Who could even say no to that?

Course dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Mediterranean
Prep Time 10 Minuten
Cook Time 10 Minuten
Total Time 20 Minuten
Servings 4 servings

What you will need

  • 1 kg prawns (thawed if they had been frozen before)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1-2 fresh chili (depending on how spicy you like it)
  • 3-4 cloves of garlic
  • 500 g (cherry) tomatoes (you can also use canned tomatoes if not in season)
  • 100 g greek yoghurt or ricotta
  • a splash of white wine
  • 100 ml tomato sauce
  • salt, pepper, oregano

How to

  1. Finely slice the garlic and mince the chili. Half the cherry tomatoes or cut them into bite sized pieces, if using larger ones.

  2. Pat the thawed prawns dry. To a pan add the olive oil, garlic and chili and heat up all together. Once hot, let them fry for about 1-2 minutes before adding the prawns and tomatoes (in case of using canned tomatoes, let the prawns fry for a 2-4 minutes before adding them in).

  3. Generously salt, pepper and season with dried oregano. After about 4 minutes of frying, add a splash or white wine, turn the heat down to medium heat and let it simmer for about 4-5 minutes. You may need to add a little more wine.

  4. Generously salt, pepper and season with dried oregano. After about 4 minutes of frying, add a splash or white wine, turn the heat down to medium heat and let it simmer for about 4-5 minutes. You may need to add a little more wine.

  5. In the meantime prepare a side to accompany it. Just before serving, stir in the tomato sauce and greek yoghurt or ricotta and let cook for another minute. Serve and enjoy!

And now I do not want to hold you back from cooking for too long – so bon appétit!
Enjoy,
Katie // Une Petite Cuisinière

Better than takeout Crispy Sweet Chilli Tofu

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After having tried this recipe, you will never again think that tofu is boring. Crispy tofu tossed in that addicting, spicy, tangy, sweet chilli sauce served on a bed of fluffy rice. You will not want to go back to takeout and will want to start stocking up your fridge with tofu. A must try for all vegans and all non-vegans! 

What is special about this dish?

It is normal to think that tofu is boring and tastes like nothing. Because it really can. But if you know how to prepare it the right way, you‘ll be convinced differently! Just as in this recipe. Here the tofu is first tossed in flour and then baked. This makes it really crispy on the outside and provides a great texture. Personally, I think that the texture maters a lot when preparing tofu. It just is a completely different experience whether you have a crispy bite or a soggy pulp in your mouth. 

And then comes the sauce. The sauce is suuuper important! Since tofu itself is quite flavor neutral, the sauce it is toss in really matters! And this sauce is a slightly healthier twist on the conventional sweet chili sauce. Plus it is homemade, so it automatically tastes better and is fresher. 

Moreover, all of this is really easy to prepare and does not take very long either. Ot is perfect if you just want a quick dinner after an exhausting day or just a tasty lunch! 

Is this dish healthy? 

Tofu itself actually is really nourishing. It is high in protein and therefore a favorable ingredient in plant based diets. Plus, tofu contains a wide range of amino acids, vitamins and minerals, all essential for your body. A serving of tofu also comes with a small amount of carbs and fibre, making it a really nutritious addition to meals. 

Sweet chili sauces in general are not very nutritious. In order to achieve the addictive sweet flavor, a lot of sugar is needed. Usually, refined, white sugar is needed, which really has no benefit for your body. In this version we are substituting the white refined sugar for honey. Honey still contains sugar (without it would not have the sweet flavor) but also comes with other minerals, vitamins and health promoting features. Switching the refined sugar for honey does not drastically reduce the amount if sugar but it adds some nutritional value.

Plus, we are adding some greens on top, so we also get a decent amount of fibre and even more vitamins. And since we are serving it with some rice we also have a bunch of carbohydrates that will keep us energized! 

How to make this dish? 

The first thing that needs to be taken care off is the tofu because it takes the longest. Here it is essential that firm tofu is used and that we press it (placing it inbetween kitchen towels and letting something (rather) heavy sit on top). This way all the excess liquid is running out and it will turn out crispy. After is has being pressed for about 10 minutes, we can already chop it into about 1 cm sized cubes, which are then tossed in flour. The flour on the one hand binds the remaining liquid, and on the other hand forms a crust. Once they are placed on a baking tray, they can be drizzled with a little oil and baked in the oven until crispy.

That is it for the tofu. Now we can focus on the rest. First on the list is the rice. This can actually already be prepared while the tofu is pressing, since we only need to add rice, water and salt to a pot, bring it to a boil and reduce the heat. So what really still needs to be done is the sauce, for which we combine water, honey, vinegar, chili flakes and sambal olek in a pot and also bring that to a boil. In the meantime we also mix a little cornstarch with water and also mix it in. Also this can be turned down and simmer. The simmering will cause the honey to melt into the rest and everything to combine well, while at the same time the cornstarch helps to bind and thicken everything! After its time in the oven, the tofu can be taken out and tossed in the sauce and that already is it! 

Varieties of the dish

You can either enjoy it with some rice and broccoli, as described here but you can also enjoy the sweet chili sauce in several other ways. 

For example could you make a tofu stir fry out of it, by frying some veggies in hot oil and then adding the baked tofu and sweet chili sauce to it and mixing it. Also, you could add this tofu onto bowls or into wraps or even onto salads! 

If you are not that hyped for that much tofu, why not just make the chili sauce and keep it in the fridge? You can then use it for several different dishes and with several different ingredients. Make sweet chili noodles or sweet chili prawns! Add it to soups, to salad dressings or as a dip! There really are plenty ways of using it! 

This recipe is a great and easy way of making the kitchen staple a little lot healthier! And in combination with the tofu it is unbeatable!! Definitely something worth trying! 

I genuinely hope that you will enjoy this recipe and make it on repeat! If you do so, I would highly appreciate it if you leave a comment or send me a pic of your remake!! 

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Better than takeout Crispy Sweet Chilli Tofu

Whoever says tofu is boring, has not trued this dish. Spicy, sweet, addictive goodness that is super easy to make and will convince everyone of how delicious tofu can be! 

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

What you will need

For the sauce:

  • 100 ml water
  • 100 g honey
  • 40 g vinegar
  • 1 tbsp sambal olek
  • 1 tsp chili flakes
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • oil

For the rest:

  • 400 g tofu
  • wholegrain flour (about 5 tbsp)
  • 400 g (brown) rice
  • 500 g broccoli

How to

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. 

  2. Place the tofu inbetween a kitchen towel or kitchen paper and add a (relatively) heavy object on top. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes. This will press the tofu and remove any liquid that is inside of it. Then cut it into about 1cm sized cubes, toss them in the flour, so they are evenly coated and lay on a baking tray. Drizzle with oil and bake for about 25 minutes until crispy and golden brown.

  3. To a pot add the rice along with twice the amount of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer at medium heat and let simmer until all water has been absorbed. Turn down to low heat and let sit for another 5-10 minutes until soft and fluffy.

  4. In the meantime add the honey, vinegar, sambal olek, chili flakes and water, except for 2 tbsp to a pot and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. In the meantime combine the cornstarch with the remaining water until there are no lumps left, then stir into the remaining sauce. Turn down to medium heat and let simmer for 10-15 minutes, storing occasionally until it thickens. Then reduce the heat to very low.

  5. In the meantime break the broccoli into florets and steam it in a pot with boiling, salted water for about 4 minutes, then drain. Once the tofu is done baking, add it into the sauce and make sure it is all covered. 

  6. Divide the rice, broccoli and tofu onto bowls and garnish with some fresh cilantro. Enjoy!

Have fun cooking! 
Enjoy,
Katie // Une Petite Cuisinière 

Healthy Authentic Italian Eggplant Parmigiana (super easy!)

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The end of summer always is a bit emotional, especially when you realize that you are not in Italy anymore and cannot have pasta & parmigiana with a view of the ocean anymore. Bringing the view home is a bit tricky but what we can do is bringing the food home in order to hold on onto the holidays for as long as possible. 

And trust me, this dish is at least as good as in Italy. Soft eggplant with creamy tomato sauce and lots of goey molten cheese. If there is something like (healthy) comfort heaven – it is this recipe!! Perfect for cozy fall evenings when you just want something to comfort you but also perfect as a side when you have got some friends over for lunch! Plus: you can easily prepare it and then only place it in the oven and voilà!

What is Parmigiana?

Parmigiana (alla melanzane) is a very typical Italian dish that originated in the South of Italy (there are several regions claiming to have invented it). Typically it is made with fried slices of eggplant layered with tomato sauce and cheese and then baked in the oven. In Italy you can find it on most menus as a Primi Piatto (first course) or as a contorno (side dish).

What is special about this dish?

This recipe version of it is an easier and a bit healthier one than the original. The main difference is that we do not deep fry the eggplant before layering but only roast them a little in a pan. This does not only make it healthier (because way less fat is used) but it also makes the preparation of this dish much easier and simpler. 

Is this dish healthy?

It definitely can be said that this is a dish providing many nutrients. Both, the tomato sauce and the eggplant are sources of fibre, vitamins, carbohydrates and minerals. The olive oil accounts for a decent dose of healthy fats. The mozzarella and parmesan provide a healthy dose of protein. This though comes with a dose of saturated fats too – which is not the healthiest – but you know what? A little cheese never hurt nobody! 

look at that crisp ?

Perfect side or comfort food!

As previously mentioned, in Italy you can mostly find this dish as an Appetizer and sometimes as a side. Making this as an appetizer is a great idea because you can prepare and layer everything (except for the final cheese layer) and set it aside. Before your guests are coming, you can just sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and parmesan and bake it. Just make sure not to make too much because it is quite filling. In summer we also love making it as a side dish for pur barbecues because it is a great way to have some veggies and also is it a vegetarian choice for all those who do not want to have any meat. 

Finally, which is our preferred way of having it, you can make it as a main dish. Basically like lasagna, just without pasta sheets and a bit different. Place the skillet on the table and let everyone dig into this goodness. It won’t take long until everything is gone! 

Easy as pie

Making this is super easy. All that needs to be done comes down to very few and easy steps. First you need to slice the eggplant into about 0,5-1cm thick slices before frying them in a little olive oil for 2-3 minutes per side. In the meantime you can already make the tomato sauce for which you just need to sauté some finely chopped onions and garlic in hot oil before adding canned, crushed tomatoes. To make it even easier: use a store bought tomato sauce and skip this step!

The last thing you need to prepare is the cheese: grate the parmesan and roughly chop the mozzarella! That already is it with the preparations and now comes the fun part. Start by adding a layer of eggplant slices into a pan or another oven safe dish. On top goes some tomato sauce, a little mozzarella and a little parmesan. Then repeat it (about 1-2x approximately) until you have used everything up. Now into the oven it goes, for about 25-30 minutes and voilà! 


Anyone who likes eggplants and Italian flavours should try this. Like lasagna, just a little bit healthier and vegetarian. A staple in our house and it is soo good!!
If you try it I would love to know how you like it! 

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Healthy Authentic Italian Eggplant Parmigiana (super easy!)

A classic Italian dish made in a way that is a bit healthier than the regular one – yet, at least as delicious! Easy, healthy and tasty and soso comforting!

Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 20 Minuten
Cook Time 40 Minuten
Resting time 30 Minuten
Total Time 1 Stunde 30 Minuten
Servings 4 servings

What you will need

  • 2 eggplants
  • 500 ml canned tomatoes
  • 1 red onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • Italian herbs
  • olive oil
  • 250 g mozzarella cheese
  • 75 g parmesan cheese

How to

  1. Remove the both ends of the eggplant, then slice them into about 0,5-1cm thick slices lengthwise. Place them on a baking tray and sprinkle with salt. Let them sit for about 30 minutes. This will help remove the water from the eggplants. Then take a paper towel, remove the water that has run out and pat them dry.

  2. Preheat the oven to 200°C.

  3. In the meantime peel and finely chop the onion and garlic, either by hand or in a food processor. In a pan heat up some olive oil and fry the onion and garlic in there for about a minute. Add the canned, crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper and Italian herbs and let simmer for about 10 minutes.

  4. While the sauce is simmering the cheese can be prepared. Grate the parmesan cheese and roughly chop the Mozzarella.

  5. Heat up about 2 more tbsp of olive oil in a pan and fry the eggplants for about 2-3 minutes on each side. Take out and set aside.

  6. Take an oven safe dish and place one layer of the fried eggplant at the bottom. Cover with tomato sauce, half of each, the parmesan and the mozzarella cheese on top, then repeat. At the end, it should all be covered with parmesan cheese.

  7. Now, place in the oven for 30-40 minutes until golden brown and crispy on the top.

    Enjoy!

Have fun cooking
Enjoy,
Katie // Une Petite Cuisinière

Easy Peasy Summer Panzanella (perfect for leftovers!)

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These days I feel like an ice cream in the sun – just melting away in very little time. And let‘s be honest, who wants to cook and eat something warm when it‘s this hot? I at least, definitely do not want to. And salads are great, yeah, but after a few days I feel like a rabbit when I only eat salads, so we need to switch things up a little. That‘s where Panzanella needs to be introduced. A salad made out of bread, tomatoes and bell pepper, just without salad. And holy moly, when you make this, your salad level will be elevated to the next level.

This is really insanely easy to make, and ideal if you want to use up any leftover (maybe already stale) bread. It only takes a few minutes to make and a few to chill and that‘s it. Plus, (big plus) your kitchen is no mess after making this because it takes very few ingredients to end up with this deliciousness!

What even is panzanella?

Panzanella is an italian bread salad, that traditionally is made from stale bread, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, bell pepper and olive oil. It is like a greek salad, just with bread instead of feta cheese. Although adding feta cheese would probably also be a genius idea! 

What is special about this dish? 

It is like a regular panzanella, just with a little twist. We here are also adding in some chanterelle mushrooms to add a nice twist. And they taste soso tasty in combination with the remaining ingredients. Besides, this dish is really easy to make. It really takes only 15 minutes to make it and therefore is perfect for those hot summer days. And, it is packed with many, many veggies and can be enjoyed cold. All in all, really, really good.

Is this healthy?

We need to be honest and say that it definitely is not as nutritious as regular salad it. Nevertheless, depending on how you prepare it, it can be very nutritious. 

It already starts with the base. Traditionally you would use some white bread or focaccia, which also is what we are using here. In my opinion focaccia works best. If you though want to make it a bit healthier, you could substitute this for some wholegrain or at least partially-wholegrain bread. This will provide even more fibre and will be better for you blood sugar levels. Still, I need to say that it does taste better with white bread.

Then we have all the veggies, which are a pack of nutrients. The cucumber is full of water and fibre, the bell pepper with vitamin C and the tomatoes with antioxidants and different Vitamins. The chanterelle mushrooms help your cells and your immune system in order for you to stay fit and healthy. So, you can really never go wrong with veggies. In the dressing are some more healthy fats from the olive oil to round it up perfectly.

How to make this dish?

As mentioned before, this comes together really quickly!! First we need to cube the bread. The cubes should be about 2 cm on each side, making them a perfect bite-sized pieces. These are now fried in some oil or margarine to make them a bit crispy and golden brown on each side. Once they are crispy, we are taking them out and adding them to a bowl. Now we can add in the chanterelle mushrooms to the same pan (to save dishes ;)) and fry those for about 5 minutes until they are soft and cooked through. 

In the meantime we just need to chop the veggies: the flesh from the cucumber needs to be removed and then everything needs to be sliced up. Now everything just needs to be tossed with a mix of olive oil, lemon juice, mustard and honey and that is it for the work.

I would though still recommend to let it sit for at least 15 minutes. This lets the bread soak up all the flavors and get a bit soft. Just like the traditional panzanella salad. The longer you let it sit the softer and more intense it gets. As a maximum I would take 45 minutes – 1 hour.

Serving suggestions:

This really tastes super tasty as is, anyhow you can still upgrade it. For example some fresh mozzarella or burrata would be amazing. Or also, some fresh feta cheese would take it next level. If you want a slight fruity twist, you could even add some berries. As for more veggies, I could recommend some corn or avocado (both not traditional but very good).

All in all, it is super easy to make and tastes super duper fresh and yummy. Honestly, one of my favorite summer dishes and a must make! 

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Easy Peasy Summer Panzanella (perfect for leftovers!)

Salads are great yeah, but bread salads… oh damn – these are another level of great! Filling, healthy and SO damn much flavour – just super super good! And this recipe also is SO easy to make, simply a must make!

Course Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 10 Minuten
Cook Time 10 Minuten
Optional: resting time 20 Minuten
Total Time 20 Minuten
Servings 2 servings

What you will need

  • 300 g bread something fluffier like foccacia, (whole wheat) baguette, or similar – it does not have to be fresh
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cucumber
  • 250 g cherry tomatoes
  • 1 bell pepper
  • 250 g chanterelle mushrooms (optional)

For the dressing:

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp mediterranean herbs
  • 1/2 lemon juiced
  • 1/2 tsp Dijon Mustard
  • fresh salt & black pepper
  • 1 tsp honey

How to

  1. Start by chopping the bread into about 2cm sized pieces. Mix with the olive oil and some salt. Add to a hot pan, and fry for about 3 minutes on each side ontil golden brown and toasted.

  2. In the meantime peel the cucumber, cut in half lengthwise, remove the flesh and cut into 0.5cm thin slices. Half the cherry tomatoes and dice the bell pepper.

  3. Clean the mushrooms, if they are large also half them, and fry them in some olive oil.

  4. Add everything to a bowl, combine the ingredients for the dressing and toss everything together.

  5. Divide onto bowls and serve with some fresh basil. Serve and enjoy!

I really hope you‘ll enjoy this recipe and will make it on repeat! 

Enjoy,
Love,
Katie // Une Petite Cuisinière