This translation from French into English does not work. When we say “j’ai un petit creux” that translates literally into “I have a little hole“, but it means “I have a hole in my stomach“, so that “I am a little hungry“.  It sounds really strange in English, you are just wondering where that hole is…but that’s all I could find since I am not proficient in English expressions, so we’ll leave it at the hole we have in our stomach!

I am not a huge cookie fan, and I rarely eat cookies, so I don’t keep anything sweet at home, no cakes, cookies or such things. I would gladly chose a bag of chips which is my “péché mignon” over a slice of cake or a cookie, but once in a couple of months, I do feel like a little sweet thing which is not fruit, then I make those.

They are very tasty and healthy and they can be eaten in the morning since they do have a good quantity of oats and nuts. They’re the soft kind and quite satisfying when you feel like a little treat.

I used whole wheat einkorn flour and dark chocolate but of course, you can make your own substitution according to your tastes.

Ingredients for 10-12 (depending on the size)

• 1/2 cup light agave nectar (or any sweetener of your choice)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla paste
• 1 small container of apple sauce (about 3 tbs)
• 1/4 coconut flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat einkorn flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3 tbs chopped cashews
• 4 tbs chunks of dark chocolate for baking
• 1 cup + oat flakes

Instructions

In a container, mix agave nectar, vanilla and apple sauce. Mix well. Then add the flours, the baking powder, the nuts, the oats and the chocolate. Mix with tip of the fingers to obtain a homogeneous mixture but do not over mix.

Pre heat oven at 360F. Using a cookie tray, make cookies dividing the dough into small amounts, the equivalent of 1.5 tbs of dough on tray. Sprinkle the top with extra oats.

Bake in the oven for about 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

Who said kekabs have to be with meat? you can do anything you usually do with meat using vegetables, some vegetables are more adapted to certain cooking methods, but are incredibly versatile.

I haven’t used haloumi in a long time, and really felt like grilling cheese, and especially haloumi with its delicate texture and pungent flavor. You can find some other haloumi recipe here and here. I bought some pomegranate molasses at my favorite Greek grocery store (called the Fruit Barn), and had to find a way to use it. Sometimes I can get a little obsessive, when I buy a new ingredient, I won’t stop thinking until I find a recipe to use it.

Pomegranate molasses is widely used in Lebanese and Iranian cuisine not really in French or Italian cuisines, but is definitely a Mediterranean ingredient. I loved the pomegranate juices you get in Israel, in those fruit juice joints in any street, they’re so refreshing and healthy. So pomegranate molasses is produced by reducing pomegranate juice, you get some syrupy texture, half sweet, half acidic.

Basically the natural sweetness of those kebabs produced by beets and sweet potatoes is a very pleasant sensation for your palate. It’s enhanced by the bitterness of arugula and acidity of pomegranate molasses, so you’ll see how delightful these kebabs are. The stars of this dish are definitely the haloumi and the pomegranate molasses.

Ingredients for 6 kebabs

For the kebabs

• 3 medium size beets, peeled and cut in 1 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut in 1 1/2 cubes
• 1 piece haloumi, cut in cubes (similar sizes than beets and potatoes)
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 tbs balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper

For the arugula-lime sauce

• 1.5 cups arugula
• 1 tbs pomegranade molasses
• juice of 1 lime
• 2 tbs raw cashews
• 1 garlic clove
• 3 tbs olive oil
• salt and pepper

Preparation

Start preparing the arugula dipping sauce. Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend, until obtained a paste, but not too thin.

Start first by roasting beets. Place cut beets in a sheet, coat them with oil and vinegar, salt and pepper and broil in a 375F oven for about 20 minutes or until just tender. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Proceed using the same method with potatoes. Keep warm.

Using a wooden skewer, add one beet cube, then one potato cube, haloumi, another beet, and potato.

Heat a skillet or a grill pan, and grill each skewer, until the haloumi is grilled on all sides. Add some dipping sauce, and serve hot. You can serve the sauce on the side.