When my daughter was a little girl, there were certain words that made her giggle...Sfoofwas one of them (a turmeric cake served in the mountain villages of Lebanon) and Fattoush another. When she helped me find a location for my Cafe, she said; "You know that you're going to have to name it Sfoof's, right?"

Well, I did. We were known as Sfoof's Woofle Cafe! Say THAT 5 time fast! :)

And...her favorite salad is still Fattoush

Traditionally this salad is made with Purslane, another wonderful edible plant treated like a 'weed' in the West. My gardeners accidentally weeded my wild patch of Purslane... but they only did it once!

According to David Beaulieu: When you taste the "weed," purslane in cooking recipes, and familiarize yourself with the research concerning its nutritional benefits, you might re-think the outdated logic that says, "This plant is a weed; therefore, it must be eradicated from my landscape!"

Instead of fighting it as a weed, you may begin to find it eminently logical to treat it as a herb of edible landscaping. Purslane just happens to contain alpha-linolenic acid, one of the highly sought-after Omega-3 fatty acids.

Click here for more on the Health Benefits of Purslane.

Recipe

Fattoush is great as a picnic dish. It complements grilled meats.

2 c. organic ripe Tomatoes, diced
1 small white Onion, chopped
1/4 c. organic flat-leaf Parsley, chopped
1/4 c. fresh organic Mint, chopped
1 organic Green Bell Pepper, seeded and chopped
2 c. Purslane leaves (no need to chop if they are small)
1/2 c. Pomegranate seeds (opt.)

2 loaves whole wheat Pita bread, toasted, broken into bite-size pieces (Omit for Gluten-Free version)

Dressing

1/4 c. organic Lemon juice
1/4 c. virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbs. dried Sumac *

Combine all veggies in a large bowl. Whisk the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.

Add dressing to veggies, and toss. Just before serving, Mix in toasted pita bread.

* Found in most Middle Eastern or specialty markets.

~ Sahtein! ♥