Tropical Grapefruit Salad

Tropical Grapefruit Salad

This deceptively looking light salad is quite filling. You may serve it on butter lettuce leaves for an even more elegant presentation. Serves about 4.

• 1-1/4 c. grated Coconut

• 2 tsp. organic Tamari sauce

• 2 Tbs. organic Lime Juice

• 2 Tbs. Water

• 2 tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• 1 organic Garlic clove, halved

• 1 organic White Onion, finely chopped

• 1 large Ruby Grapefruits, peeled and segmented

• 1 c. organic Alfalfa Sprouts

Toast coconut in a dry skillet over low heat, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a bowl.

Add Tamari sauce, lime juice and water to the coconut and mix well.

Heat olive oil on medium in a sauté pan for 1 minute.  Add garlic and onion, and stir until softened. Remove and discard garlic.  Add onions to coconut mixture.

Arrange grapefruit segments among 4 plates.

grapefruit coconut salad

Sprinkle each with alfalfa sprouts and spoon the coconut mixture on top.

~ Bon Apetit! ♥

Quick Mini Veggie Wraps

Next time you shop buy two packages of Brown Rice Wrappers and Nori sheets to have on hand. You can improvise with the filling. Use organic, no-sugar-added Peanut Butter for the sauce base.

Mini Veggie Wraps with Peanut Sauce

Note: Add 1 tsp. Lime Juice for more zip.

• 4 sheets Brown Rice Wrappers

• 2 sheets sushi-grade Nori

• 1 1/2 c. organic Zucchini, shredded

• 1 c. organic Carrots, shredded

• 4 organic Scallions, cut into thin strips

• 3/4 c. fresh organic Cilantro, stems trimmed

• 1/2 c. organic Mushrooms, sliced thin

• 1/2 c. organic Red Cabbage, shredded

• 1/4 c. organic Yellow or Red Bel Pepper, thinly sliced

Spicy Peanut Sauce

• 1/4 c. organic, no-sugar-added Peanut Butter

• 3 Tbs. Coconut Aminos or Tamari Sauce

• 2 Tbs. Rice Vinegar

• 2 Tbs. organic ev Olive Oil

• 1 Tbs. raw, organic Honey (Maple syrup for vegan)

• 2 tsp. Sesame Oil

• 2 tsp. organic Garlic, minced

• 2 tsp. Ginger

• 1 tsp. crushed Red Pepper flakes (opt.)

• 2 tsp. Water or Lime juice

Mix all ingredients, whisking until smooth.  (You may add a few crushed peanuts if you so desire.)  Place in a bowl.

To make Nori, go through the same process, but do not dip in water.

 Place on a chopping board or kitchen counter covered with parchment paper.

Spread 2 tsp. of sauce along center, and place up to 3/4 cup of filling (1/6 of each veggie), in layers, on wrap. Fold ends in and roll firmly but carefully, so as not to tear sheet.

Cut into 1-1/2" slices with very sharp knife, and place on serving platter. Do this with remaining sheets or rice wraps. Serve with additional peanut sauce, or Tamari.

~ In Good Health! ♥

Sprouted Lentils and Mung Beans

Low-fat proteins such as lentils are essential for growing, building, repairing and maimaintaining tissues in blood, skin, bone and muscle cells. Protein may be able to keep you full longer than carb or fatty foods, which is important if you’re watching your weight. And of course a diet high in fiber can help prevent colon and breast cancer.

I adapted this recipe to include both lentils and mung beans.

Sprouted Lentils and Mung Beans, Indian Style

• 2 c. sprouted organic brown Lentils

• 1/2 c. organic Mung Beans (soaked overnight)

• 2 tsp. extra virgin Olive Oil

• 3/4 c. organic Onion, chopped

• 1 green organic Chili Pepper (I use Serrano)

• A 1-inch piece of organic Ginger

• 1 Tbs. organic Cilantro, chopped

• 1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

• 1/2 tsp. dried Coriander powder

• 3/4 tsp. Cumin

• 1/4 tsp. Black Pepper

• Pink Sea Salt to taste

• 1 to 1-1/2 c. hot Water

Heat a medium stainless steel pot over medium heat for 1 minute.  Add oil and wait another 1 minute.

Add onion and chili pepper and saute for 2 minutes. Add ginger and cilantro, stirring for 1 minute.

Add beans and spices and 1 cup hot water, stir, cover and simmer over medium-low for 15 minutes.

Press one of the beans between your fingers to make sure they are done, and add the last 1/2 c. of hot water if dry. Adjust seasoning, and serve hot or at room temperature.

Roasted Vegetables with Tea Leaves

Roasted Rainbow Vegetables

8 Servings

Use Organic ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped Red Cabbage

• 1 cup coarsely chopped Onion

• 3 Zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and sliced 3/4" thick

• 3 Carrots, sliced 3/4" thick

• 1/2 large Eggplant, cut in chunks

• 2 cups Butternut Squash, cut in bite size chunks

• 2 Sweet Potatoes, cut in bite size chunks

• 7 -10 cloves Garlic, halved if large

• 2 Tbs. Green Tea leaves (reserved from making tea, or soaked)

• 2 Tbs. Olive Oil

• Pink Sea Salt

• Black Pepper

• 1 tsp. Caraway Seeds

• 1 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

Pre-heat oven to 425ºF.

Combine veggies in a large bowl with tea leaves. Add Olive oil and toss to coat thoroughly.

Sprinkle with the spices. Toss again until evenly coated with the spices. Spoon into a large ceramic or glass baking dish that has been lightly sprayed with Coconut or Olive oil.

Roast for 30 minutes, then flip with spatula and continue to roast for another 10-15 minutes or until carrots are tender. Adjust seasoning, and serve hot.

Apples and Butternut Squash

Crock Pots are wonderful for easy, everything-in-one-pot meals. I love recipes that combine fruits and vegetables. 

Recipe

This recipe makes a lovely side dish to curries, grilled chicken or fish.

• 1 Tbs. organic grass-fed, Ghee

• 1/2 ts ground Ceylon Cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp ground Nutmeg

• 1 lb organic Butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 5 cups)

• 2 large tart organic Apples, cored, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (4 cups)

• 1/2 organic White Onions, chopped

• 2 Tbs. pure Maple syrup

• 1 Tbs. Balsamic vinegar

Combine spices in a small bowl, and set aside.

Put squash in Crock-pot. Add apples and onion. Sprinkle with spices and add maple syrup.  Stir to combine well.

Cover and cook on LOW for 6 - 7 hours, or until vegetables are tender.  Stir in butter and adjust seasoning just before serving.

~ En Guete! ♥

Kale and Bean Wraps

Filling

• 1 Tbs.organic extra virgin Olive Oil

• 1 organic White onion, sliced thin

• 5-6 cups mixed organic Greens (Kale, Chard, Spinach, Collards, Watercress…)

• 1 c. organic Carrots, shredded

• 1 c. cooked sprouted Lentils (cook in broth or green tea and spices to give it flavor)

• 1 c. Mung Beans, soaked overnight or till sprouted

• 1/4 c. Water or Vegetable broth

• 2 Tbs. organic Ginger, chopped

• 3 Tbs. organic Tamari Sauce (Gluten Free)

• 1 Tbs. Sweet Chili Sauce

• 1 tsp. Black Pepper

• 1 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

Pour olive oil into a large sauté pan over medium heat. Tilt pan to spread oil on bottom of pan. Add onions and saute for 2 minutes, then add greens and carrots.

Stir for 5 -6 minutes or until greens turn bright.

carrot onion kale saute

Add Mung beans, lentils and water. Stir to mix.  When it starts to simmer, turn heat to low, cover and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add ginger, and seasoning. Stir well, cover and simmer for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until kale is tender. Add more water if necessary.

Taste and adjust seasoning.

Serve wrapped in wilted Chard leaf, whole grain Tortilla, or open face on WASA Rye crackers.  Bon Apetit.

Zucchini Fudge Brownies

No one will ever guess these brownies are healthy! They are gooey and delicious.

black bean brownies

Recipe

• 1 c. organic Black beans, drained

• 1 under-ripe Banana, cut into 5 pieces

• 1/4 c. organic GF Oat or Buckwheat Flour

• 1/4 cup organic Raw Cocoa powder

• 1/4 c. organic Zucchini, shredded

• 1-1/4 tsp. pure Vanilla Extract

• 1/2 - 3/4 tsp. Cinnamon

• 3/4 tsp. Baking Powder

• 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

• 3 Tbs. Birch Xylitol or 1/4 tsp. Monk Fruit powder

• 3 Tbs. pure Maple Syrup (opt)

• 2 Tbs. brewed Green Tea or Water

• Toasted Pecans (opt.)

Preheat oven to 375º F. Line an 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Place beans and banana in food processor and pulse until completely mashed.  Add the rest of the ingredients and process until combined, scraping often.

black bean brownies 4

Pour batter into pan, spreading it evenly, and push pecan pieces into batter.

black bean brownies raw

Place pan on middle rack of oven.

Bake for 22-27 minutes, or until edges curl away from paper. The brownies may seem a little gooey, but they harden as they cool. Place pan on a rack and wait 20 minutes before cutting into squares.

Fruity Salad

Grapes have high sugar content, so eat in moderation.  Also make sure you bananas are firm and a little on the green side, since they too are high in sugar when ripe.

Makes 4 servings

• 1/2 c. seedless organic Red Grapes

• 1 c. organic Strawberries, halved

• 1 red Fuji Apple, chopped

• 1 c. organic Soft Tofu, crumbled

• 2 Tbs. organic fresh Mint, chopped

• 3 Tbs. Vegenaise

• 1 tsp. Lemon Juice

• dash of Monk Fruit powder

In a bowl combine Vegenaise, lemon juice, and monk fruit; stir well and set aside.

In a large bowl combine fruit, and spoon into serving dishes. Mix Tofu with mint and divide among dishes. Serve with the dressing.

Kitties and Kafta

As you may recall from previous posts, we have 6 cats (after KitKats's passing a couple of weeks ago)... my boyfriend J inherited 1 and had  2 of his own, I took one of my daughter's cats that she became allergic to, and I adopted a kitten last year.

Two of our cats were indoors, the baby, Basheera, and Chebi who was de-clawed when my daughter got her from the shelter.

basheera

chebi beside basheera 2012

For weeks Basheera has been shedding like a sheep!  She has super long, weightless fur that either falls in clumps on the carpet, or floats in threads through the air.  I didn't expect all this hair, so now that she's turned 1, I felt it was time for her to join the other 4 cats outside.  She has the type of curiosity that will make the great outdoors a fun adventure.

My one concern was that Chebi would miss her.  They get into mischief together ALL the TIME! And before Basheera joined us from Petco last year, Chebi slept, ate, slept, ate, and not much else.. she seemed lonely.  Of course that all changed with a kitten in the house, chasing her and pawing her tail and licking her.  Chebi came to life and started getting super bold... like jumping on counter tops and desks (which she never did before)!

Sure enough, once Basheera was spending the whole day and night outside, Chebi became distraught.  She meowed a lot, trotted from room to room looking for company, became super needy of attention and hid in her litter box at times.

So today, my daughter was over, and we were telling her this story.  Chebi came to the kitchen where we were, and the minute someone opened the sliding door she bolted, and I mean like lightning, out into the backyard! She is a very hesitant cat, who is never quite sure what her next move should be.  So she stood in the middle of  the yard looking around, one paw forward.

Curious we all joined her waiting to see what she wanted to do.  She sat with us for a while, then scampered to one end of the yard where her old cat stand stood. When we went back joining them every once in a while. :)

Brown and Wild Rice Pilaf

I love this product from Trader Joe's. It's one of the few Rice combos that has enough fiber (thanks to the Daikon Radish Seeds!) to work well with our Anti-Cancer diet.  Remember our Good Carb Formula?  Well this combo has 5g of Fiber to 33g of Carbs per serving.

brown rice medley TJ

• 1 c. Water

• 1-1/2 c. organic Chicken Broth (I like the Whole Foods brand)

• 1 c. Brown Rice Medley (TJ brand)

• 2 Tbs. organic White Onion, chopped

• 2 tsp. Sea Salt

• Dash of Cinnamon

• Sliced organic Almonds (opt.)

In medium pot, over medium-high heat, bring water, broth, salt, cinnamon and onion to a boil.  Add rice. Cover and cook over low heat for 35-40 minutes. Scoop into serving dish and sprinkle with sliced almonds.

willd n brown rice pilaf

In the meantime, make the Kafta.

Kafta

• 2 lbs. organic grass-fed ground Beef

• 1 -1/2 c. chopped organic Parsley

• 1/2 c. chopped organic Mint

• 1 med. organic White Onion, chopped

• 2 Tbs. Allspice

• 1 Tbs. Cinnamon

• 3 tsp. Sea Salt

• 1 tsp. Black Pepper

• 1/8 c. Water

• 2 Tbs. organic Tomato Paste

• 1/4 c. Water

• 1 tsp. Allspice

• 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp. Sea Salt

Turn oven to Broil.

mint parsley onion chop

Combine Parsley, Mint and Onion in a medium bowl. Add spices and mix with your hand squeezing all together so that the spices are integrated into the veggies.

Scrape mixture into food processor, add beef and water. Process using long pulses, and scraping down sides, until just combined.  Return to bowl and mix with your hand to ensure all beef is infused with veggies mixture.

Lightly grease a rectangular pan with olive oil (9 x 13 or 10 x 10). Pat beef in bottom of pan, smoothing out to the edges.

Kafta raw

Drizzle lightly with olive oil, and broil for 15 minutes.

tomato paste thinned

Mix Tomato paste, spices and enough water together until the consistency of ketchup. When timer goes off, remove Kafta from oven and pour the tomato mixture on top.

kafta3

Smooth to edges of Kafta, and return to oven for 5 minutes. Remove when done, and let rest for 10 minutes, then slice into squares and serve.

kafta cooked

I made a simple sliced Tomato, Onion Salad on the side

Minty Tomato-Onion Salad

• 2 organic Tomatoes, sliced

• 1 organic sweet white onion, sliced

• dried Mint

• Sea Salt

• extra virgin Olive Oil

Arrange tomatoes and onions of a plate. Sprinkle with dried mint, salt and drizzle with olive oil.

tomato onion salad

~ Sahtein! (double health)   ♥

Baked Quinoa Falafel

·        2 c. organic Quinoa, uncooked

·        ½ c. organic Red Onion, finely chopped

·        ½ c. organic Green Onion, finely chopped

·        ¼ c. organic Parsley, finely chopped

·        2 Tbs. Cilantro, chopped

·        1 Free Range Egg White

·        1 Tbs. organic Garlic, minced

·        1 tsp. Pink Sea Salt

·        1 tsp. ground Coriander

·        ½ tsp. Black Pepper

·        1 tsp. Cumin

·     ½ tsp. Cayenne

• ¼ c. mixed Olive Oil and Coconut Oil

Line a baking sheet with a lightly oiled piece of parchment paper and preheat oven to 400°F.

Rinse quinoa in a fine sieve.

Bring 1-1/2 quarts of water to a boil. Add and cook quinoa approximately 12-15 minutes.

While the quinoa is cooking, sauté the onions, parsley, and garlic in the olive-coconut oil mixture over medium-low heat until the onions are soft. Do not let oil reach a sizzle!

Transfer to a food processor.

Drain the quinoa, reserving 2 c. of the liquid.

Measure 1-1/2 cups of the quinoa into the food processor along with the spices.  Slowly add enough of the cooking liquid to make a very thick paste.  Scrape down sides as necessary. Discard remaining liquid.

Combine quinoa paste with the rest of the quinoa in a large bowl.  Allow the quinoa to sit until it is thick enough to hold the shape of a patty.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.  Dab a little olive oil on your hands and pat about 2 Tbs. of the quinoa mixture into a 2” patty or use a Falafel mold. Place on prepared baking sheet.  Bake 10 minutes, flip the patties and bake another 6-7 minutes or until lightly browned.

Tahini

Tahini is a source of healthy fatty acids, containing omega-3 and a little omega-6 fatty acids. Getting these from the foods you eat is critical as they are beneficial for your brain and heart.

Tahini will boost thiamine, also known as vitamin B-1. It influences your nervous system, muscles and digestion.

Traditional Tahini Sauce

• 1 c. organic Sesame Tahini

• 2 small Garlic cloves, mashed well with 1/4 tsp. Sea Salt

• 1/4 c. organic Lemon Juice

• 2 Tbs. organic Parsley, chopped

• 1/4 c. + cold Water, enough to give sauce the consistency of Ketchup.

Pour lemon into garlic and salt mixture, and stir well.

Add to Tahini sauce along with 1/4 c. water. Stir.  Tahini will thicken first (due to chemical reaction with lemon juice.)  Keep stirring and adding water in 2 Tbs. increments until consistency is reached.

Add parsley. Will keep for 1 week in refrigerator.

Serving: Use on Falafel, Fish, as a topping on Steamed Veggies, or as a spread on Baked Eggplant and Tomato sandwiches.

Tahini Sauce

Falafel Plate

 ~ Sahtein (double health)! ♥

Hot-Weather Recipes

Below are 3 Summertime Recipes

Quinoa and Mango Salad

This recipe can be made several hours before and refrigerated. Take it out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving.

Mango Quinoa salad

• 2 c. brewed Green Tea

• 1 c. uncooked Quinoa

• 1 c. Mango, cut into small chunks (not too ripe to cut back on sugar content)

• 1/2 c. sliced organic Green Onion

• 2 Tbs. dried Cherries, chopped (opt.)

• 2 Tbs. organic Parsley, chopped

• 1/4 c. extra virgin organic Olive Oil

• 1 Tbs. Apple Cider Vinegar (I recommend Bragg's organic)

• 1 tsp. Dijon Mustard

• 1/2 tsp. Sea Salt

• 1/8 tsp. Black Pepper

Combine tea and quinoa in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 15 minutes. Then transfer to a large bowl.

Add mango, onion, cherries and parsley and mix well.

Combine liquid ingredients with spices and whisk until blended. Pour over quinoa, and mix. Makes about 8 servings.

Tropical Chicken Macadamia Salad

Spicy Vinaigrette

Combine the following in blender, adjusting seasoning as preferred:

Tropical Chicken Salad

• Scant 1/4 c. organic E.V Olive Oil

• 1/4 c. Red Wine Vinegar

• 2 Tbs. Worcestershire Sauce

• 1 Tbs. Cayenne sauce

• 2 tsp. Curry Powder

• 2 tsp. Stevia or Bocha Sweet

• 2 Cloves Garlic, minced

• 1/4 tsp. Sea Salt

• 1/8 tsp. Black Pepper

Reserve 1/2 c. of dressing.

Chicken Salad

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless Organic free-range Chicken Breasts

• 8 c. rinsed and torn Watercress and Boston or Green Leaf organic Lettuce

• 1/4 c. coarsely chopped unsalted Macadamia Nuts

• 1/2 c. shredded organic Coconut, toasted

• 1 Tbs. organic Red Bell Pepper, diced (opt.)

Place chicken in large resealable plastic food storage bag.  Pour remaining dressing over chicken. Seal bag, and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Heat oven to broil, or prepare barbecue grill. 

Remove chicken from marinade. Grill or Broil 10 - 15 minutes or until center is no longer pink (165º F).  Arrange greens on a platter. Slice chicken breasts and arrange over greens. Tops with nuts, coconut and bell pepper. Serve with reserved dressing. Makes about 4 servings.

Egg White Salad

This high protein salad has less than 2g. of fat per serving, and a whopping 11 g. of protein.

• 6 Hi Omega-3 hard-boiled Egg whites, chilled and chopped

• 1/2 c. chopped organic Celery

• 1/4 c. chopped organic Red Onion

• 1 Tbs. chopped dill or sweet organic Pickles

• 2 Tbs. chopped organic Parsley

• 3 Tbs. Vegenaise

• 1 tsp. Dijon Mustard

• 1 tsp. organic Lime Juice

• 1/2 tsp. organic Lemon Juice

• 1/8 tsp. Sea Salt

• 1/8 tsp. Black Pepper

• 1/4 tsp. Cayenne (opt.)

Mix dry ingredients in a medium size bowl.

Mix dressing ingredients in small bowl, whisking till blended.  Pour over egg mixture.  Chill for 30 minutes.

Serve on lettuce leaves, whole grain crackers or on Gluten Free organic bread or WASA Rye Crackers

The Sweet Potato Story

1. Did you know that a medium-sized sweet potato contains more than your daily requirement of vitamin A, nearly a third the vitamin C you need, almost 15 percent of your daily dietary fiber intake and 10 percent of the necessary potassium?

2. Did you know that orange-fleshed sweet potatoes may be one of nature's unsurpassed sources of beta-carotene?  And that the beta-carotene and vitamin C in these tubers work together to rid the body of cancer-friendly free radicals?

3. Well did you know diabetics can eat sweet potatoeswithout worry as they have a low glycemic index?

4. How about the fact that they contain Vitamin D which is critical for immune system and overall health, especially for women.

It's important to have some fat in your sweet potato-containing meals if you want to enjoy the full beta-carotene benefits of this root vegetable. Recent research has shown that a minimum of 3-5 grams of fat per meal significantly increases our uptake of beta-carotene from sweet potatoes. This can be 1 Tbs. of virgin olive oil (also recommended for breast cancer suppression) per serving for 4.

Organically grown sweet potatoes are free from the harmful effects of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and inorganic sprays. They cook relatively quickly and are rather versatile, lending themselves both to sweet or savory dishes.

Below is a recipe I adapted from Plenty: Vibrant Recipes from London's Ottolenghi , so it fits in with our Anti-Cancer Diet.  Instead of pan frying, we're going to bake these patties, and instead of dairy yogurt we're using soy or coconut yogurt.

SWEET POTATO CAKES (Vegetarian and Gluten Free)

• 1 3/4 lbs peeled organic Sweet Potatoes, cut in large chunks
• 2 tsp. organic Butter or Coconut oil, plus more for cooking
• 2 Tbs. organic Green Onions, thinly sliced
• 1-1/2 tsp. Tamari sauce
• 1 clove Garlic, minced
• 3/4 tsp. Sea Salt
• pinch of Red Pepper flakes
• Scant 1/2 c. organic Oat flour (gluten-free)
• 1 Omega-3 Egg, well whisked

Sauce

• 1/2 c. Soy or Coconut Yogurt
• 2 Tbs. Lemon juice
• 1 Tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Tbs. chopped organic Dill
• 2" section of organic Cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1 Tbs. organic Red Onion, thinly sliced (opt.)
• pinch of Sea Salt and Black pepper

Steam the potatoes until tender throughout. Set aside in a colander to drain and cool.

While the potatoes cook, warm the butter or oil in a cast iron pan. Sauté the green onions in 1 Tbs. coconut oil over medium heat until softened, about 4 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, blend all of the yogurt sauce ingredients, besides the dill, together in a mini blender or food processor. Lastly, add the dill and give it one or two more whirls just to blend. Set aside.

When the potatoes have released most of their moisture, transfer them to a bowl and mix them with the tamari sauce, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes and flour to combine. You want the mix to be tacky not wet, add more flour if it seems too moist to hold shape. Add the green onions and egg and mix to combine.

Add enough coconut oil to baking sheet to coat lightly.

Drop potatoes by 2 Tablespoonfuls onto sheet, and flatten into patties. Bake at 375 for 12 minutes, flipping after 6 minutes. Add another 2 -3 minutes if not quite browned on top.

Remove to a plate. Serve with some lightly dressed greens and a generous portion of the sauce. Garnish with a dill stem.

These would be so wonderful with a poached egg and a few leaves of watercress on top.

~ Enjoy! ♥

Authentic Arabic Bread - Basic Dough

Whenever we make dough for Zaatar pies, we save some to make Arabic (pita) bread. This is a Basic Dough recipe which is used to make Spinach, Meat and other hand-shaped small pies, as well as bread.  The dough is rolled thinner than for pita rounds, and is folded and sealed around a variety of fillings. This bread is present at almost every Lebanese meal. Another variety of Arabic bread that I love is rolled paper-thin and cooked on the top of a domed outdoor oven.  It is called 'marqooq', and is like lavash but much thinner. It can be found at Middle Eastern or Persian markets.

It's ideal for rolled sandwiches and making pin wheel appetizers, but since the dough is thin you need to use fillings that are not very wet, so the bread doesn't become soggy.

Traditionally, Arabic bread loaves are 10-11" round, but you can make them smaller, like the popular store-bought pita.

I use my larger Cuisinart to mix the dough, and then knead it 5 minutes by hand, or sometimes I let my KitchenAid mixer do all the work.  I leave that up to you.

Depending on the size of rounds you decide to make, this recipe will yield anywhere from 12 - 16 loaves.

Recipe

• 4 c. organic all-purpose Flour
• 2 c. organic Barley Flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
• 2 packets (4 tsp.) dry Yeast
• 1/2 tsp. organic Evaporated Cane Sugar
• 2  to 2-1/4 c. tepid Water
• 3 Tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Sift flour and salt. Dissolve yeast and sugar in water, and proof for 5 minutes.

Fit mixer with dough hook, or Cuisinart with dough paddle. Put flour in mixer bowl and add water and yeast mixture. Process until smooth.

Remove dough and place on floured board.  Knead for 5 minutes.  Dough should be soft but not very sticky.  Add a little more flour or water depending on consistency.

Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with damp cloth and let rise until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours.

Divide dough into 4 equal portions, and divide each of those into 3 -4 balls depending on size preference. Cover balls with towel and let rest another 15 minutes.

Heat oven to 425º F, turn a cookie sheet upside down and place it on the middle rack of the oven while you are preheating the oven.  You will bake the bread on this surface (if you have a pizza stone then you can use that instead.)

Dust your work surface with a light coating of flour.  Slightly flatten one of the balls of dough with your hands and sprinkle a bit of flour on top.

Roll the dough out to between 1/8 and 1/4 " thick. If the dough does not stretch easily cover it with the damp towel and let it rest 5 to 10 minutes before trying again.

Repeat with rest of dough.

Place as many pitas as you can fit on the hot baking sheet surface. They should be baked through and puffy after 3-4 minutes.

Remove onto cooling rack with dough paddle, or large spatula.

Store bread in airtight bag. Will keep for 2 days at room temperature, or in refrigerator for 5-6 days.

~ Sahtein! (double health). ♥

When did Waldorf Creep into my Sandwich?

It's helpful to have something quick and healthy in your fridge ready to grab as you rush to work or an appointment.

Waldorf Chicken (or Tofu) Salad

This salad will keep for 2 - 3 days.

waldorf-salad

Waldorf Chicken Salad Sandwich

• 2 cups cooked organic Chicken, diced (or 2 cups grilled or barbecued Tofu for Vegan recipe)

• 2 tablespoons Apple Cider vinegar

• 2 medium organic Granny Smith Apples, unpeeled and chopped

• 1/2 cup organic Grapes (halved)

• 2 organic Celery Stalks, thinly sliced

• Shredded organic Green Leaf or Romaine Lettuce

• 1/2 cup chopped Pecans or Walnuts

• 2 Tbs. organic whole Cranberry Sauce (opt.)

• 1/2 cup Vegenaise

• ¼ tsp. Black Pepper

• Dash of Curry

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients; mix well. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour. Serve on whole grain bread, Udi's Gluten Free Chia bread or atop salad greens. ♥

Tart Cherries Invade Unsuspecting Brown Rice!

A lovely blend of flavors, fit for a luncheon served with a grilled fish or lime glazed chicken breast. Keep some tart dried Cherries around for this impromptu dish.  In a pinch you may substitute dried Cranberries.

You may cook the Gaba rice in advance (like early morning) since it takes about 35 - 40 minutes, and leave pot out until you're ready to make the Pilaf. I always have pine nuts in my freezer for immediate availability.

Recipe

Serves 8

• 1 c.  chopped organic Green onion
• 2 c.  chopped organic Celery
• 1/2 c.  dried, Tart organic Cherries
• 1/2 c. Pine Nuts
• 1 Tbs. chopped fresh organic Thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 1/2 tsp.  ground Black pepper
• 1 Tbs. Coconut Oil (or Virgin Olive Oil)
• 2 c. cooked brown Gaba rice (may use Wild Rice)

Put onion, celery, cherries, nuts, thyme, pepper and oil in a large skillet.

Cook, uncovered, over medium heat 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender; stir occasionally. Add rice; mix well.

Cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until thoroughly heated.

That's it, simple and scrumptious!

~ Enjoy! ♥

The Flower Patch, and Tri-Color Salad

I finally made it to the Nursery and filledthe double-decker flat-bed with plants for our circular garden patch. I've always wanted to plant Lantana in my yard...it holds a lot of wonderful childhood memories for me, as do Hydrangeas.  My paternal grandmother had a purple - pink Hydrangea in the front courtyard of her home that was at least 5' wide and 4' tall.

My cousins and I played often in that courtyard, surrounded by a wall of climbing flowering plants and that amazing Hydrangea.  All that color outside inspired me to continue the colors indoors with this salad...

leaf salad

Recipe

• 1 Belgian Endive

• 1 small head organic Red-leaf lettuce

• 1 small head organic Green-leaf lettuce

• 1 organic Golden Beet, cooked and sliced

• 5 organic Cherry Tomatoes, sliced

• 1 small bunch organic Watercress

 Dressing

• 2  Tbs. Balsamic vinegar

• 1/2  tsp.  Sea Salt -- to taste

• 1/4 tsp.  Pepper -- to taste

• 1/4 c.  extra virgin Olive Oil

• 3 Tbs. freshly squeezed organic Orange juice

• 1 Tbs.  Dijon Mustard

• Juice of a large organic Garlic Clove

Topping

• 3 pieces of whole grain or gluten-free Bread

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• Garlic Powder

• Dried Thyme

Rinse and tear lettuces into a large bowl. Wash and chop watercress with some of the stems. Slice Endive and combine with lettuces and beets.

Combine the dressing ingredients in a mason jar and shake to mix.  Pour over the bowl of salad. Drizzle olive oil over bread and sprinkle with garlic powder and thyme. Toast until brown. Cut into bite size pieces, and add to salad.

Toss and serve.

~ Bon Apetit! ♥

Wrap It - à la Mediterranean

They're easy to transport, easy to make, inspire creativity, and are fun to eat... I'm talking about Wraps. 

This wrap integrates a North African ingredient with a tasty hummus (or you may substitute BBQ'd tofu) filling.

Mediterranean Chicken Wrap Recipe

 Yield - 8 wraps

• 1 cup uncooked whole wheat Couscous (or gluten free grain of choice)

• 1/2 c. chopped Almonds, toasted

• 1/2 c. golden Raisins

• 3 c. BBQ'd Tofu (opt.)

• 2 c. shredded organic Romaine Lettuce

• 2 Tbs. diced organic Red Onion

• 1/4 . extra virgin organic Olive Oil

• 1/4 c. organic Lemon Juice

• 1/2 tsp. Cumin

• 2 Tbs. chopped organic Parsley

• 1 tsp. grated Lemon peel

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 4 whole wheat Pita Bread pockets, split into 8 rounds (or 8 whole wheat organic Tortillas)

• 1 c. Hummus

Cook couscous according to package directions.

In a medium bowl, gently combine couscous, almonds, raisins, tofu, lettuce and onion.

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, cumin and lemon peel. Season with salt and pepper.  Mix 1/4 cup dressing into couscous mixture.

To assemble wraps, lay bread split side up on work surface. Spread each with 2 tablespoons hummus. Spoon approximately 1/2 cup couscous mixture down center of each pita round. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon dressing.  Fold up bottom and then sides to wrap.

~ Sahtein! ♥

Eggplant Tomato Bake

Eggplant, King of the Vegetables as it is hailed in the Middle East, lends its creamy texture and unique flavor to this pasta dish. I modified this recipe to decrease fats from dairy and increase fiber from whole grain pasta and flour.

• 1/2 c. barley or whole wheat flour
• 1/2 c. dry whole wheat bread crumbs
• 2 Tbs Italian seasoning
• 2 Omega-3 eggs
• 2 Tbs water
• 1 small organic eggplant, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
• 1 Tbs peanut oil
• 1 (14 oz) jar organic marinara sauce
• 1 c. silken tofu, crumbled
• 1 c. grated Almond cheese (if you can have dairy may use Parmesan Cheese)
• 1 organic tomato, thinly sliced
• 1 (8 oz) package angel hair whole grain pasta

1. Preheat the oven to 350º F (175º C).

2. In a plastic bag, combine the flour, bread crumbs and Italian seasoning. Shake to mix. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs and water. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. There should be enough oil to thinly coat the bottom of the skillet. Dip the eggplant slices in egg, then place in the bag and shake to coat. Fry the slices in the skillet until golden brown on each side. Remove, and drain on paper towels.

3. Spread a thin layer of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 9-inch square baking dish. Cover with the eggplant slices, then top with more sauce. Mix together the tofu and Parmesan cheese; spread over the eggplant. Spread sauce over the cheese, and top with tomato slices. Cover with more sauce, and spread remaining cheese over the top.

4. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling.

5. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook for about 3 minutes, or until tender. Drain.

6. Serve the eggplant tomato bake over pasta. Serve with steamed Broccoli and green Salad.

~ Eat Hearty! ♥

My Marvelous Meatball Soup

We may have seen the last of the cool weather in Northern California, so I wanted to close the season with one more gathering around soup bowls. In the valley where we live, summer temps can reach 102ºC...HOT.  Today it was in the high 80's, still tolerable, but around 3pm I had to get the a/c going.

I realized that it has been forever since I made Mom's meatball soup. Rolling the tiny meatballs was an activity I liked participating in. Mom taught me how to roll two at a time, since we'd make about 150 of them sitting on the pink vinyl couch in our spacious kitchen, with a low table in front of us.

There was al,ways something going on in the kitchen. We had two live-ins since our house was a two-story with 6 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, 3 living rooms, a formal dining room a laundry room and kitchen.  (Makes me pant to think about it).

My 4 aunts and uncle lived just 4 miles away and dropped by often.

So deciding to make this soup today was a trip down memory lane.  I seem to be doing that often these days.

You will need:

• 1 1/2 lbs ground lean Grass-fed Beef (or Lamb)

• 2 tsp. Wheat germ or Oat Bran

• 1/2 c. organic Parsley, chopped fine

• 1 tsp. cinnamon

• 2 tsp. Sea Salt

• 1 tsp. black pepper

• 1 c. chopped organic Tomatoes

• 1/2 c. Tomato sauce

• 1/2 c. chopped organic Onion

• 1 organic Carrot, shredded

• 1 large organic Carrot, sliced into thin rounds

• 1/3 c. Brown Rice

• 2 Tbs. Parsley, chopped (as topping)

Mix meat, seasoning, wheat germ, parsley, onion and shredded carrot well.

meatball soup1

Form into tiny meatballs, a little larger than a hazelnut.

meatball soup2

Heat 6 cups of water in a large pot, and drop meatballs in a few at a time.

meatball soup4

As it starts to boil, turn down heat and skim surface until clear.

meatball soup5

Add tomato sauce, rice and round carrots, cover, and cook until rice is done, about 35 minutes, depending on rice you use.

Season with salt and pepper and a generous dash of cinnamon.

meatball soup6

Cook 5 minutes longer, and add some chopped parsley.

Enjoy with a side salad and roasted sweet potatoes.

~ Sahtein (double health!) ♥