The lentil is a humble but mighty ingredient. It is a superior form of protein, and contains significant amount of fiber and iron. It is also good source of folate, an important nutrient for women of child-bearing age. But, what is the best part? It cooks in a short time, relative to dried legumes. That makes it a better option for a weeknight … [Read more…]
Crockpot Chicken, Peruvian style
I have rekindled my relationship with my slow cooker. I have started using it at least once a week, and this week, I’ve used it twice so far. There is something SO satisfying coming home to the aroma of home cooking. The common complaints I’ve heard about chicken in the crockpot are: It dries out It gets overcooked and shreds, losing its … [Read more…]
Ropa Vieja in the Slow Cooker
This is a lovely dish of shredded beef, with a delicious sauce. It is really easy to put together, since you prepare everything, set it in the slow cooker, and go about your day. Ropa Vieja is a Cuban dish. It translates to “old clothes” , because it looks like shredded old fabric. It tastes a heck of a lot better than old clothes, though. … [Read more…]
(End of ) Summer Mint Macaroni Salad
If you have a little backyard garden going this summer, this macaroni salad could be a good way to use some of your home-grown produce. We have a ton of mint that I wanted to make use of, as well as pepper and tomatoes growing outside. This salad makes use of fresh mint and lemon juice, extra virgin olive, apple cider vinegar, horseradish sauce, … [Read more…]
Sloppy Joes
We needed a fast meal. We decided on Sloppy Joes, adding some veggies to it. To make it even faster, I started on the sauce as soon as I started browning the ground beef (each done in a separate pot). You could totally start with the meat, and continue adding the rest of the ingredients TO the meat. My kids like these with glazed or buttered … [Read more…]
The Levantess’s Famous Falafel
Our Sunday brunch centered around falafel. I’ve seen many falafel recipes on the interwebs. Some use canned chickpeas, some add flour, and some add fava beans. My preferred falafel contains ONLY chickpeas, no fava beans. I also like mine to have lots of parsley, onion, and garlic. You can see the greenish cast when you break it in half. Also, … [Read more…]
Italian Flat Beans with Fresh Tomatoes
We went to the local farmer’s market, a favorite activity for the kids, because they love the fresh peaches and the grape tomatoes. I spied some broad bean pods and thought they were fava beans for a second, but on closer inspection, found them to be Italian flat beans. If you haven’t tried them yet, you should. They have a delicate sweetness … [Read more…]
Lentil Soup with Vermicelli Noodles
1 T extra virgin olive oil 1-2 teaspoons cumin 1 teaspoon madras curry powder (optional) 1 cup lentils 4-5 cups stock or water ½ onion chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped ½ cup angel hair noodles lemon wedges (optional) Heat oil in small pot. Add garlic and onions, and saute for 2 minutes. Add spices and saute another minute. Add lentils and stock. … [Read more…]
Chicken Mushroom Alfredo
This is a simple weeknight dish to put together. Instead of first cooking, then removing the chicken, I left the chicken in as I added all the ingredients, making this a one-pot meal. I lightened the standard Alfredo sauce up a bit by using only 1 tablespoon of butter, and using 1 – 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Plus, I really do like … [Read more…]
Chicken Freekeh Soup
NPR predicts that freekeh is one of the new foods to watch in 2014. Freekeh is a very nutritious and filling ancient grain. It has a low glycemic index, according to Eatright.org , and is higher in protein and fiber than other grains. Freekeh is a really rustic food that has been around in the Middle East forever. It is roasted green … [Read more…]