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Oatmeal with Caramelised Bananas

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The new year is starting the day after tomorrow, which means that are are Honigbrot be coming a lot of healthy recipes up on the blog (plus a guide that will help you to stick to your New Years resolutions tomorrow)!! I bet a bunch of us wants to live a healthier life in 2020, so here is an amazing recipe to start off the new year.

Although the name doesn’t sound super healthy, it really is. Usually when we hear caramel, the first thing we think of is that sticky, rich super sweet paste that we can find in chocolate bars and ice cream. But caramel does not have to be made out of refined sugars, cream and butter. No, it also is the same when natural sugars in fruits are heated up, and caramelize, and turn sweet. This is how we are doing it in this recipe.

Yes, caramelizing sounds pretty fancy, but trust me, it is super easy. You can basically do this with any fruit of your desire, but it works better with some than it does with others. I would not recommend doing it with berries or mango, but it works great with anything thicker or more solid, like bananas, apples, pineapples or pears. To caramelize the fruit, you simply have to heat up some coconut oil (or any oil, but I like the light sweet taste of coconut) in a pan. Then you add some coconut sugar, or some brown sugar and let this combine well with the oil. If you want to make it even healthier, leave out the sugar, it also works without if the fruit is sweet enough, but I think it is better with. Once the sugar has kind of melted into the oil, you can place the fruit into it and let it fry for 1-2 minutes on each side. Depending on the fruit you are using, this will be quicker it slower. Bananas go real quick, apples for example need some more time.

But only the caramelized fruit would not be a balanced meal so we need some protein and carbs to do that. That’s why we are making some oatmeal! Oatmeal is super rich in protein, carbohydrates, and fiber plus it has a lot of vitamins. It really is a great and affordable food. Oatmeal for breakfast will fill you up a lot and keep you satisfied until lunch! 

To make a delicious oatmeal, you should know a few things. The first few times I made it, it turned out real boring, in my opinion but you can honestly take it next level by changing a few things. First, I would recommend using rolled oats. They are easy to cook and super nutritious. The second tip is to not only cook it with water. This makes it taste super boring. I always do one part water, and one part plant based milk. I love using oat milk for this because it has a slight sweet flavor, plus I get a local and organic one in Austria. Almond milk works great too, I just do not like to use it that much because it mostly comes from other continents. Next tip is to add some mashed fruit. This can be mashed banana or apple sauce. It helps to make it creamy and adds some sweetness! Next up: spices! You need to add some salt and a little bit of spice when cooking it! Last, for the cooking, is to add some yoghurt. Do not add it while cooking, but when it is done cooking, turn off the heat and stir it in, it makes it real creamy and super delish! 

Another really important aspect when making oatmeal are the toppings. This can change everything. Here we are doing caramelized bananas and hazelnuts which is bomb but there are so many more Options! You can top it with some n butter and stewed berries, fresh fruit, granola, the options are endless…

So now, I think I have said enough! I hope that you will live this recipe as much as I do and that it inspires you to start 2020 super healthy and delicious! Have a great start into the new year! 

Enjoy,

Katie

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Oatmeal with Caramelized Bananas

Delicious and healthy breakfast! Packed with nutrients but tastes like dessert!

Course bowl, Breakfast, brunch
Prep Time 5 Minuten
Cook Time 10 Minuten
Total Time 15 Minuten
Servings 2 Servings
Calories 377 kcal

What you will need

What you will need:

  • 80 G Rolled Oats
  • 100 Ml Oat milk
  • 100 Ml Water
  • 2 Tsp Cinnamon
  • 1/2 Tsp Salt
  • 3 Tbsp Apple sauce
  • 3 Tbsp Yoghurt (Plant based if available)
  • 2 Tsp Coconut Oil
  • 1 Tbsp coconut sugar Can sub for brown sugar
  • 2 Bananas

How to

That’s how it works:

  1. Place the oats, the milk, the water, cinnamon, salt, and apple sauce in a sauce pan. Bring it all to a boil then reduce to a low heat and let it simmer until it thickens. 


    In a small pan melt the coconut oil. Add in the sugar and still until the sugar is dissolved. (If you are leaving out the sugar, leave out this step and just heat the coconut oil) Take the bananas and cut them in half lengthwise so you get 4 long & thin pieces. Add them to the oil-sugar and fry them for about 1-2 minutes on each side. 


    Meanwhile take the oatmeal off of the heat and stir in the plant based yoghurt. Place in bowls and add the caramelized bananas on top. Sprinkle some hazelnuts and serve! 

Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins

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Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins with Whipped Ricotta Frosting. Doesn’t that sound amazing? A sweet treat between classes, as a dessert or a snack to balance out your afternoon low. Yes! Yes! And yes! I think we all need this, like every week at least a few times! 

Taking a vegetable and putting it into a desert?! Sounds weird although it has already worked out so many times. Think pumpkin pie or zucchini bread. Also carrot cake is many people’s favorite dessert but I mostly is packed with tons of sugar and saturated fat and topped with a rich cream cheese or butter frosting. It is delicious but really heavy and not the healthiest thing to eat in the world. 

But not this version of it. The muffin itself is light and fluffy, no butter or refined white sugar. Light and delicious. The ricotta on top has its natural sweetness which doesn’t ask for any other sugars and works great with the muffins. Pair them with a cup of coffee as a snack, or top with almond butter and fresh banana for a delicious and healthy breakfast or just grab one on the go. You will get your veggies in without even noticing.

The batter is made out of simple ingredients of which most are everyone’s household staples. Grated carrots of course, greek yoghurt for protein and good fats, eggs for texture, protein, vitamins, and healthy fats, Apple sauce for sweetness. A mix of wholegrain and white flour for fiber and carbs, some enrythrit or coconut sugar for sweetness, cinnamon for the heartiness and pecan nuts for the crunch and healthy fats. 

A great balance of ingredients and nutrients that turn out to be a really delicious dessert. I believe it is a really great way to switch up your average use of carrots and try something new with them. I love making them when it is rainy and cold outside as the feeling of baking gives that comfortable feeling and coziness. They are perfect for the days now when it is getting colder and when carrots are in season.

I love enjoying them warm, when the frosting is melting on top of them, but they are also really delicious when chilled. The frosting is optional so if you do not like ricotta or want to go for an even lighter version you can of course leave it out but in my opinion it tastes amazing with it! If you decide to recreate that recipe be sure to tag me with @uneptcuisiniere or with #unepetitecuisiniere and if you could leave a comment that would mean and lot to me. I hope you will enjoy it!

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Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins

A healthy twist on the all beloved cake. LIght and delicious.

Course Breakfast, brunch, Dessert, Snack
Prep Time 12 Minuten
Cook Time 20 Minuten
Cool time 15 Minuten
Total Time 47 Minuten
Servings 10 muffins
Calories 127 kcal

What you will need

  • 2 carrots about 150g
  • 100 g Greek Yoghurt
  • 100 g Appl Sauce
  • 2 Eggs
  • 100 g Erythrit you can also use coconut sugar, or raw cane sugar if prefered
  • 80 g Whole Wheat Flour
  • 80 g Wheat Flour
  • 1.5 tsp Baking Powder
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 200 g Ricotta
  • 2 tsp Honey

How to

That´s how it works:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Peel the carrots and grate them into a bowl. They shouldn’t be grated too thin, a little thicker worst best. Into the same bowl add the 2 eggs, the Greek yoghurt, the apple sauce and the sugar of your preference. Mix it well until all combined. 

  2. In a separate bowl combine the 2 flours along with the cinnamon, the baking powder, and the salt. One by one, slowly fold the flour under the wet mixture. Don´t whisk fast, gently fold it under with a spatula.

  3. Portion the mass out into 10 muffin forms. This works best with an ice cream scoop. Fill the muffin tin ¾ of the way. Place the muffins in the oven and bake them for about 18-25 minutes. Take a tooth pick and poke into the muffins, if no dough keeps sticking on the toothpick they are done. 

  4. Don´t take them out immediately, because they will fall back together and the fluffiness will be gone. Turn off the oven and let them sit in there for about 15-20 minutes. 

  5. Meanwhile in a bowl whip up the Ricotta and the honey. Once the muffins are completely cooled, add the frosting and enjoy! 

    They last in the fridge for up to 1 week!

Apple & Cranberry Granola

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It is finally fall, and finally October and everyone is going crazy about pumpkins. For a good reason. They are insanely delicious and can be eaten basically with anything. But because of this hype so many people are forgetting about apples. The super delicious, sweet or sour apples that are in season right not, that are available in so many different colors, shapes, and flavors. They are seasonal at the moment and grow local here in Austria. I feel apples are underrated and we should actually keep the quote „an apple a day keeps the doctor away“ in mind every day.

Apples actually are pretty healthy. They are really rich in fiber, antioxidants, reasonable amounts of Vitamin C and K. That being said we should consider eating one a day. But the famous little sentence we tell all the kids does not mention the form we should eat them in. So why not eating them in a different way than usually?! Why not eating them in form of Granola. In form of Fall Apple Granola. To be honest, it doesn’t still contain a lot of vitamins in that form, but it gives us an excuse to eat apples. 

This granola tastes like fall in a bowl. It instantly gives you the feeling of hiking through the vineyards and grabbing fresh apples from the tree while all the leaves are turning red and yellow. It gives you the feeling of collecting chestnuts and smelling that good fall flavor. I love eating this on top of a cozy oatmeal or in a yoghurt bowl for breakfast. The crunch makes it a perfect topping for any creamy base or also with milk when enjoyed as cereal. 

I decided to make this granola with popcorn to lighten it up a little, and give it more volume. The popcorn also soaks up the liquid ingredients really well and just soaks up all of the flavor. The oats, pumpkin seeds and nuts add some texture, fall feeling, as well as good carbs and healthy fats. The flax seeds, some fiber, and the hemp seeds some protein. The dried apples and cranberries add some sweetness and chewiness which makes it really addicting. A necessary ingredient which definitely can’t be left out is the cinnamon. It adds sweetness, is super healthy, and makes it all cozy and comforting. Last but not least I added some sea salt to bring out the flavor and maca powder (which is optional) because it has a lot of health benefits.

The liquid ingredients are pretty clean and simple too. I am using Apple sauce (of course) as a base to get that Apple flavor and sweetness without any refined sugars. The coconut oil adds some fats and helps to crisp up the granola when in the oven. The maple adds sweetness and color as it will caramelize in the oven while baking and turn everything delicious golden-brown. When mixing together it already combines the different flavors and  smells. 

You will be able to smell it in the entire house once you take it out of the oven and you won’t have to wait until everything is gone. Won’t take long, I promise. It last up to one month when stored in an air tight container but mine was gone way quicker. I hope that you will enjoy this recipe and if you decide to recreate it be sure to tag me in your post with @uneptcuisiniere or #unepetitecuisiniere

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Apple Granola (V,SF)

A delicious fall twist on your regular Granola perfect for October!

Course Breakfast, Snack
Prep Time 10 Minuten
Cook Time 25 Minuten
Total Time 35 Minuten
Servings 12 servings
Calories 93 kcal

What you will need

  • 50 G Popcorn
  • 30 G Almonds Chopped
  • 30 G Oats
  • 30 G Pumpkin seeds
  • 1 Tbsp Hemp Seeds
  • 1 Tbsp Chia Seeds
  • 1 tbsp Cinnamon
  • 2 Tsp Maca Powder
  • 20 g Cranberries
  • 20 g Dried Apples

Wet ingredients:

  • 100 G Apple Sauce or Apple Butter
  • 1 tbsp coconut Oil
  • 1-2 Tbsp maple syrup

How to

That’s how it works:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C.

  2. Chop the Almonds. Add them into a big bowl along with all the other dry ingredients except for the dried Apple. Mix them well until all combined.

  3. In a smaller bowl mix together the Apple sauce, molten coconut oil an maple until it has a smooth consistency.

  4. Pour the liquid mixture over the dry one and gently stir through until all of it is covered. Then spread it on a baking tray covered with parchment paper and bake it in the oven for about 20-25 minutes.

  5. When done take it out of the oven and let cool completely. Meanwhile chop up the dried apples. Mix the through the granola. Now you can also add cranberries or any other add ins that you would like.

  6. Store it in an air tight container for up to one month. It is best enjoyed over Jogurt, Porridge, or simply with milk.

Tomato Sauce (V,SF,S)

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Tomato season – aka my favorite season – is finally here! Isn´t it the best time of the year when there is red, yellow, orange, and green balls in every size around? Every restaurant offers fresh tomato dishes and there is no excuse needed for snacking on small tomatoes all day long? Yep – it is the best time of the year.

Tomatoes are my favorite fruits (Yes, they are fruits! Berries to be exact)! have been eating them every day since I have been little. My mom used to buy baskets of small cherry tomatoes at some point in the morning, and by the time she wanted to prepare dinner they were all gone. I don´t know how often it has happened that I´ve snacked all the tomatoes away that we would have needed for dinner. Too often!

Tomatoes do not only taste ah-mazing!, but they are also super healthy. Unlike other fruits or vegetables tomatoes do not loose nutritional value when being cooked. They do loose vitamin C, but their content of their beneficial trans-lycopene increases immensely when being cooked. They offer a great spectrum of vitamins and antioxidants, are heart healthy and reduce your blood pressure. They are loaded with vitamin C, potassium, folate, and vitamin K. They are super hydrating and contain about 95% water. They are also super skin-healthy and can help to prevent sunburns. I loved eating them before I knew all of those nutritional benefits but now I love it even more to in cooperate them into my diet!

This sauce recipe is pretty traditional as you would find it in Italy. It is made with celery and carrots, as done in the home country of tomato sauce, but I believe that this also is a great way to sneak in more vegetables. You cannot taste the celery or the carrot in the sauce but it still adds a nice earthy note to the sauce.

The fresh oregano and basil add a fresh flavor and the chili, which is optional, give the sauce a spicy kick. But be careful with the amount you add in, and the spiciness of the chili as you can easily go overboard with it. When I made this recipe I added a whole lot of chili flakes (which I have stupidly never tried before), and the sauce turned out sooo spicy. My family and me were sweating quite a lot when eating it hahaha, so be careful!

Some people like to add sugar into the sauce to make it sweeter but I do not think that this is necessary when using the right tomatoes. If you buy the tomatoes make sure to ask which ones are best to use for sauces as different tomatoes have different qualities. Another tip of mine when cooking with tomatoes is salt! Salt is the key to bring out the flavors in tomato sauce. Best to use is salt that is very little processed such as Himalaya salt or sea salt.

I decided to use fresh onions and garlic in this recipe as I always prefer the fresh products over the powder. I believe that the powdered spice version is a great substitute when only cooking a small amount or when wanting to spice something only a little but I personally prefer fresh vegetables. They just add more flavor and texture into the dish.

This tomato sauce could be served very well traditionally, with pasta or I do really like it with meatballs to. It can also be used to make a shakshuka or even in an Indian curry, like Tikka Masala. I like to prepare a rather big batch of it, so I can freeze it easily and just heat it up whenever I need it or am in a rush. Simply stored in the fridge it would last for about 1 ½ to 2 weeks.

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Italian Tomato Sauce (V, SF, S)

This is a very easy recipe for a traditional recipe for our loved tomato sauce. Only a few ingredients and packe with flavor to make use of the delicious red fruits that are in season right now. (Vegan, Sugarfree, Seasonal)

Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 15 Minuten
Cook Time 15 Minuten
Simmer Time 1 Stunde 30 Minuten
Total Time 2 Stunden
Servings 8 people
Calories 117 kcal

What you will need

  • 1,5 kg tomatoes about 4 medium to big ones
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 red onions
  • 4-5 cloves garlic
  • 1 carrot
  • 2 sticks celery
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp salt at least! Preferably sea salt
  • chili flakes as desired
  • 1/2 tbsp pepper
  • 1 handful oregano
  • 1 handful basil

How to

  1. Start by removing the green stem from the tomatoes. Then turn the tomato around so that the top side, where the stem has been is facing down. Take a sharp knife and carefully slice a small cross into the skin. This will help you later when cooking and peeling.

  2. In a pot bring water to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Place the tomatoes into the pot and let them simmer for about 30-45 seconds. Flip them around and simmer for another 30-45 seconds. Take them out and transfer them into an ice bath so they cool quickly.

  3. While the tomatoes are cooling, finely peel and chop up the onion and the garlic and set them aside. Peel the carrots and chop it up along with the celery. Heat up the olive oil in a big pot. When hot add the onion and garlic and let sweat for about 2 minutes on medium heat.

  4. Take the tomtatoes out of the ice bath and you will notice that the skin has taken off a little where you have cut the tomatoes before. You can now easily peel of the skin, you wont need it anymore. Cut the tomatoes into chunks and add them to the other vegetables in the pot. Let that simmer for about 20-30 minutes.

    When the liquid has reduced and thickend pour the cooked tomato-vegetable mix into a blender. If you prefer to have some tomatoe chunks in you sauce, then reserve some of them and set them aside. Blend the rest until smooth and pour back into the pot along with the chunks if you reserved some. Add the tomato paste, salt, pepper, oregano, and chili.

    Let the sauce simmer at low heat for another 45 minutes at least. The longer the sauce simmers, the more the flavor will come out, this can be simmered for several hours if the time is available.

    A few minutes before chop up the basil and add into the sauce. The sauce can be served with pasta, rice, meatballs or anything you like. The sauce can be stored in the fridge for about 1 1/2 to 2 weeks. It can be kept in the fridge for several months, just thaw before using and heat it up again.

  5. I hope that you will enjoy the recipe!