As promised, here is the salad recipe from the previously mentioned small dinner party. This is a lovely salad where the whole is quite a lot more than the sum of it’s parts. It brings together the fresh crunchy lettuce, onions, and cucumbers, the warm fried eggplant and potatoes, the crispy bread, and the nutty chickpeas. It is very … [Read more…]
Black Bean Soup
This is a simple black bean soup that we had for lunch, perfect for a cold, end-of-December day. It gets some color from the addition of potatoes, butternut squash, and carrots to the black beans. We served it with some cooked rice on top. Colorful Black Bean Soup 1 onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, chopped 2 bay leaves 1 tablespoon … [Read more…]
Quinoajadara – Quinoa Mujadara (Lentils and Quinoa with Caramelized Onions and Sumac)
Mujadara is a very popular Levantine dish. It is a very hearty vegetarian dish, and very healthy too. It is great hot or at room temperature, making mujadara leftovers a good work lunch option. My husband and kids all love mujadara, so we have it often, and change it up sometimes. This recipe is a marriage of mujadara and quinoa. The onions, … [Read more…]
Curried Ground Beef with Peas and Potatoes
Peas and Potatoes (Basella wa Batata) is a commonly made dish in the Levant area. Some people make this as a tomato based stew, and some as a sort of a curry stew. My family typically made it as a curry, but I love it both ways. Tonight, however, I made it close to how I always had it growing up, as a curried stew served with yogurt and … [Read more…]
Green Beans with Tomatoes and Olive Oil
qqWe got some gorgeous green beans at a local farm, along with ripe summer tomatoes. This is a classic Mediterranean dish. While some versions contain beef or lamb, I prefer the lighter, vegetarian version when I have fresh summer produce. I love this with warmed pita or flatbread.1 tablespoon canola oil 1 small onion, chopped 1-2 cloves garlic, … [Read more…]
Lentil Stew
8 ounces brown or green lentils, picked over if needed, and rinsed 1 carrot, chopped 2 cloves of garlic, chopped 1 cup spinach, roughly chopped 1/4 bunch of parsley, chopped 1 tomato, chopped 2 tablespoons oil 2 cups egg noodles 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon madras curry powder pinch of cinnamon or allspice Water or chicken broth Heat oil on … [Read more…]