Vegan
Your Guide to the Best Smooth Hummus You Can Make or Eat.
Because there are so few ingredients in homemade smooth hummus, each one has to be the best. Here are the tricks to getting your homemade hummus to come out smooth and luscious. I’ve been talking, and making, a lot of hummus lately. I put it on the menu of the cooking classes I teach, and…
Read MoreKoosa Fatayar (a.k.a.: savory zucchini pies)
Koosa Fatayar are one of many Lebanese fatayar recipes, little triangular pies with savory fillings. Practice makes perfect in getting the dough pinched very hard along the seams to keep the pies from opening up. Find recipes for spinach fatayar here and meat fatayar here. When one makes a study of literature, as I did…
Read MoreTahini-Date Granola Bars, with Dried Apricots. A strong start.
Tahini-date granola bars are chewy, nutty, and have that delicious tangy dried fruit flavor with dried apricots. The tahini combines great with peanut butter, but you can do all tahini, leave out the almonds and go nut-free. Have fun and add other dried fruits, nuts, and seeds–just be sure to keep the same proportions so…
Read MoreLebanese Vegetable Soup with Chickpeas and Kale
This vegetable soup with chickpeas and kale is hearty with sweet butternut squash, tomatoes, and a hit of cayenne. So warming, healthy, and simple to make–which we do, weekly! Vegan and gluten-free. One frigid, snowy day last winter when Dan was down and out with a cold, his sister Trisha brought over a big tunjura…
Read MoreSumac Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Sumac roasted sweet potatoes are a natural! The bright, citrusy flavor of the sumac balances the sweetness of the potatoes perfectly. When I think about what makes the Thanksgiving plate so mouthwatering-good, it doesn’t take much for me to realize that it’s driven by sweet. Oh, and fat. Yes, there is the salty tenderness (brine…
Read MoreZa’atar Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Roasted pumpkin seeds are addictively good as they are, but adding a dusting of Lebanese za’atar spice takes them over the top! These are good for adults and kids alike. Make plenty. I stopped buying pumpkins years ago when I moved to Chicago. They were always so pricey there, ridiculously so. And then there was…
Read MoreLebanese Panzanella Salad
Pita chips replace the traditional Italian-style croutons in this Lebanese Panzanella salad. They soak up the precious juice we wouldn’t even consider leaving behind. The mix of lemon with rice vinegar gives the sweet tomatoes the perfect pop of tartness we love so much. Sometimes I think that the whole purpose I am here, back…
Read MoreToasted Bulgur Pilaf with Zucchini. Never too much.
Think of bulgur pilaf the same way you do rice pilaf–except so much healthier with all of the protein and fiber in bulgur. Use coarse bulgur, known as “#3,” for pilafs like this Toasted Bulgur Pilaf with Zucchini. It’s never too much! Find the perfect bulgur in my shop here. It’s true that I grew…
Read MoreSalted Tahini Avocado Toast
Salted Tahini Avocado Toast is among my favorite ways to a hearty, healthy, delicious toast. There are few ingredients in this toast, barely touched, so every one of them matters and should be the best you can find. “You should make them your chicken wings. Or better yet, my rocking hot chili. I can’t believe…
Read MoreMelon with Fresh Mint Syrup, a thank-you note
Melon with fresh mint syrup makes a beautiful and delicious morning! The fresh mint syrup is a simple way to make your melon special. Add lemon or lime wedges for that all-important squeeze of tartness. My parents were always big proponents of the thank-you note. My dad would say you don’t need fancy stationery; his…
Read More