Israeli Quinoa Salad with Pomegranate – Israel

Posted 1 CommentPosted in Appetizers, Breakfast, By Country, Easy to make, Gluten Free, Healthy, International cuisine, Israel, Main dishes, Mediterranean, Middle East, Middle Eastern, One pot, Recipes, Salads, Side dishes, Starch, vegan, Vegetable, Vegetarian

While many people in America like breakfast for dinner, I happen to like dinner for breakfast. So when I got to Israel and saw that they had a number of dinner items for breakfast, I was beyond thrilled. In particular, one thing that they do there is to serve a variety of salads in tiny […]

Chakshuka (Eggs simmered in peppers & tomatoes) – Israel

Posted 1 CommentPosted in African recipes, Appetizers, Breakfast, By Country, Capo Verde, Easy to make, eggs, Healthy, Israel, Jewish Recipes, Main dishes, Mediterranean, Middle East, Middle Eastern, One pot, Recipes, Stew / Soup, Vegetarian

I first had Chakshuka (also spelled Shakshucka) in an cafe in the heart of the Jewish quarter in Paris years ago for lunch. The line was out the door, the place was packed and despite the extensive menu, the majority of the people were eating some type of eggs that looked like they were poached […]

Fesenjan II (Persian Chicken in Pomegranate, Walnut and Prune Sauce) – Iran (Persia)

Posted Leave a commentPosted in By Country, Chicken, Easy to make, Gluten Free, Healthy, Iran, Main dishes, Middle East, One pot, Persia, Recipes, Top 10

Am I obsessed with Persian food? YES! Did I realize that Fesenjan is probably one of the most popular Persian dishes that exists or that it is SUPER EASY to make? NO. I stumbled upon it one day in my favorite cookbook Copeland Marks’ Sephardic Cooking when looking for a dish to make for Rosh […]

Ash Reshteh – Persian Herb, Bean & Noodle Soup (Iran)

Posted Leave a commentPosted in Beans, By Country, Healthy, Holiday, Iran, Main dishes, Middle East, Recipes, Stew / Soup, Vegetarian

I happen to be in the middle of the I’s and coincidentally while searching for foods to make in honor of the winter solstice, discovered that in Iran, there is a special holiday, Shab-e-Yaldā, which takes place on the winter solstice which is the darkest night of the year. Yalda is an ancient tradition which […]

Moroccan Lamb Bastilla (Moroccan Lamb Pie) – Morocco

Posted 2 CommentsPosted in African recipes, By Country, International cuisine, Lamb, Main dishes, meat, Middle East, Morocco, Recipes, Top 10

Moroccan Lamb Bastilla (Moroccan Lamb Pie) is #1 of Eva’s Top 10 and also one of my Top 10 as well – in fact, I may move it up on my top 10 list. It is a savory pie encrusted in a light, crispt and scrumpious phyllo shell and served with a dollop of honey […]

Iraqi Assyrian Chicken – Iraq

Posted Leave a commentPosted in By Country, Chicken, Gluten Free, Healthy, Iraq, Middle East, Middle Eastern, Potatoes

LOVED this Iraqi Assyrian chicken dish! The chicken was juicy and flavorful, super healthy as well. You can also prepare it ahead of time and it tastes great for even a few days after. Equal parts of cumin, tumeric, paprika and cinnamon along with cardamon pods give it its signature flavor. The recipe also had […]

M’Raad (Egyptian Eggplant Salad)- Egypt

Posted 1 CommentPosted in Appetizers, By Country, Easy to make, Egypt, Gluten Free, Healthy, Middle East, Middle Eastern, One pot, Recipes, Salads, Side dishes, Top 10, vegan, Vegetable, Vegetarian

Egypt surprised us with a very tasty, healthy, and easy to make meal which also happens to be vegan and gluten-free. M’Raad (Egyptian Eggplant Salad) is not really a salad – it is steam-fried eggplant slices with a tomato based cumin and tumeric sauce. It is healthier than regular fried eggplant because you only use […]

Soupe de Lentille (Egyptian Red Lentil Soup) – Egypt

Posted 1 CommentPosted in Appetizers, By Country, Egypt, Gluten Free, Healthy, Main dishes, Middle East, Middle Eastern, Recipes, Stew / Soup, Top 10, vegan, Vegetable, Vegetarian

Ethiopia was a hard country to follow as we loved that meal, but Egypt gave it a real run for it’s money. I personally liked the Egyptian food better. For Egypt we made a Red Lentil Soup (Soupe de Lentille), featured here, along with M’Raad (Egyptian Eggplant Salad) and Salade Egyptienne, a popular Egyptian salad. […]

Persian Meatballs

Koofteh Tabrizi (Herbed Meat and Rice Balls) – Iran (Persia)

Posted 7 CommentsPosted in Beef, By Country, Chicken, Gluten Free, Healthy, Iran, Main dishes, Middle East, Persia, Recipes, Top 10, Turkey

Koofteh Tabrizi (herbed meatballs) is one of my family’s all time favorite dishes and is the number one dish on our top 10 list. This dish is from Iran/Persia. The original recipe comes from a fabulous Sephardic Jewish cookbook, Sephardic Cooking, by Copeland Marks. The cookbook has some fabulous history in it and apparently (based […]