Vegetables
(Much!) Easier Spanakopita
Spanakopita is traditionally made by buttering layer after layer of phyllo. No more! Try my (much!) easier Spanakopita using my super simple hack. This is a recipe my Sitto learned at her Greek Orthodox Church and shared with me. The original includes the best of everything, and my original post went to the heart of…
Read MoreCabbage Rolls in Tomato Broth
The most traditional, most beloved stuffed Lebanese cabbage rolls in tomato broth are easy to make following these simple steps. To make my Garlicky Cabbage Rolls in a water-based broth, click here. So many cultures have their version of a cabbage roll, and with good reason. Cabbage makes the perfect wrapper for fillings, especially the…
Read MoreLebanese Vegetarian and Vegan Recipes
We do them so well! There are many Lebanese vegetarian and vegan recipes to love and to make again and again. Here are some favorites. All-Star Salads. Village Salad. With a twist: apple, honey. Malfouf Salad, ultra-flavorful no-mayo slaw. Tomato Salad with Mint. This is on the cover of my cookbook! Lebanese Potato Salad. Lemony.…
Read MoreAvocado Hummus
Avocado hummus takes the best of two worlds–smooth, luscious hummus and silky, healthy avocado–to create flavor and texture magic! Find chickpeas with the peels already removed, along with excellent tahini and sumac, at my online shop here. I’ve always been a critic of anything labeled “hummus” that doesn’t include the very basis of hummus: chickpeas.…
Read MoreLebanese Village Salad
Lebanese Village Salad is a chopped vegetable salad. The ingredients are so flexible! Mine contains a special twist with chopped apple and a honey vinaigrette. At the top of the traditional Lebanese salad list is the Village Salad. This chopped salad typically includes cucumber, tomato, and onion. From there, the palette is as varied as…
Read MoreTips for choosing and storing most-used produce
Tips for choosing and storing most-used produce, especially the ones we buy loose. Lettuce in plastic boxes holds just fine that way in the fridge, but your cukes and tomatoes and other produce need different treatment. Tomatoes: In winter, go for cherry or small tomatoes for best flavor. Store at room temperature for best…
Read MoreGarlic Tahini Eggplant
Garlic Tahini Eggplant is simply sauteed and dressed with tahini sauce, a Lebanese recipe favorite. Studded with pomegranate seeds and mint, and you’ve got showstopper beauty and flavor. I love the notes you write to me. So many of them speak to how a recipe or a story or memory I’ve shared inspires a recipe,…
Read MoreHow to Choose an Eggplant
Follow these few simple tips to selecting beautiful eggplant, for fabulous Lebanese and other favorite dishes. Why we love eggplant. The deep purple hue and voluptuous shape of eggplant put it in the upper echelons of truly gorgeous produce. Of course there’s plenty of competition everywhere you turn at the farmer’s market. But purple is…
Read MoreLentil Bulgur Soup with Mint Olive Oil
This bulgur lentil soup with mint olive oil fulfills the Mediterranean Diet requisites: legumes, grains, herbs, olive oil. Find the best of these ingredients at MaureenAboodMarket.com. I am pleased with myself if I’m able to work in a component of the Mediterranean diet in every meal or snack of the day. Herbs and spices here,…
Read MoreAsparagus Pickles with Grape Leaves
Asparagus pickles with grape leaves in the jar go extra-crisp! The grape leaves deliver tannins that impart more crunch. These are refrigerator pickles, quick and easy. So delicious for your cocktail hour or on the buffet. This recipe is as much about the humble grape leaf as it is about the grand pickled asparagus. I…
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