5 ingredient Garlic and Cilantro Green Beans with EVOO: "Lubyeh bil Zait"

Summer is most definitely over, and we are back in the insanely busy groove of things! My weekday routine is a big mesh of 3 different school pick-ups and drop offs, plus the typical myriad of after school activities. Dinner needs to be ready when the kids are, and not the other way around ;)

This has caused me to turn back to the basics, and for the first time since I've started cooking in 15 years, I made this easy easy easy green bean saute. All because I found beautiful bright and deeply green colored fresh green beans one day this past summer at my local market. I scooped them up and went home to make this, and now we eat it a few times a month. Everyone except the pickiest member of the family has surprised themselves by loving it, and I love how simple and nourishing it is. Since fresh green beans are not as easy to find these days, I keep my freezer stocked with the french green beans from Trader Joe's. They're actually even easier to cook because they're pre-washed and the ends are already snipped.

I have no idea why I've never made this before. Its a handful of ingredients and it goes so well as a side to grilled chicken or meat, or all on its own for a vegetarian dinner. I love it straight from the pot or straight from the fridge. I've never tried eating it from an actual plate...it's either piping hot off the stove or cold in a tupperware. Lol, just kidding. Or am I? You'll probably find yourself doing the same when you make it.

In Syria, this is called "lubyeh bil zait" meaning "green beans in oil". This dish relies on the THIN green beans, and there is a similar version that swaps the garlic and cilantro for onions and tomatoes, using larger green beans, but I've never been a fan of that one and just sort of forgot about this version. So glad I remembered it, and so happy to share it with you!!!

Serves 2 as a main dish and 4 as a side dish.

Ingredients
--------------
-24 ounces french green beans (frozen or fresh, look for the thinnest stalks)
-1/4 cup water, optional
-10 cloves garlic, mashed
-1/2 tablespoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups packed cilantro, chopped (1 large bunch cilantro)
-2-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Serving suggestions
-------------------------
-yogurt
-lemon
-pita bread

Directions
--------------
-Heat a medium sized pot or deep saute pan on high heat. Add the green beans (if using fresh, make sure you wash them, snip the tips on both sides, and cut them into 3 inch long pieces). Lately I have been using frozen ones because this makes the perfect short notice meal when I'm low on fresh produce. Also the beans don't need much water when they're frozen.
-Cook the beans in the covered pot for about 5 minutes. You want them to soften, but still have a slight bite to them. Mushy beans are not yummy!
-Reduce the heat to low to slowdown the cooking of the beans and add the minced garlic and salt to the green beans and give it a stir. If your beans are starting to stick to the bottom of the pot and are still too firm, add UP TO 1/4 cup water. Let the garlic become fragrant (which means it is slightly cooked).
-Add the cilantro and give the beans a mix. Cook for a minute or so longer to slightly wilt the cilantro, and turn off the heat.
-Add the olive oil and mix. I start with 2 tablespoons (to keep it lower in fat) and will add more if I'm making this dish for company.
-Serve hot, warm, or room temperature with optional yogurt, a squeeze of lemon, and pita bread.
-Enjoy!!!

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Maple Glazed Apple Cider Muffins (Vegan)

Sometimes the best recipes come from random things sitting in the fridge or pantry. Day after day I was opening my fridge and staring straight at an opened bottle of apple cider. The unfiltered kind from the bottled juice section at Trader Joe's, not the the sparkling variety. I don't like to give my family too much juice and had only bought this for a recent brunch. Finally I pulled it out determined to make something delicious out of it, and these muffins are the result. Just the right sweetness, so much warmth from the cinnamon, and a happy burst of maple glaze right on top!

These muffins are ridiculously easy and just SO. MOIST. They literally melt on your tongue. I credit that to the amount of juice used in the recipe. When you pour your batter into the cupcake cups you'll feel like its almost soup-y. Have no fear, that translates into softness! The brown sugar gives a lovely hint of molasses and of course contributes to the perfect texture in these gems. You'll notice there are no eggs..you don't need them! This recipe is developed for maximum fluffy texture, and eggs are more useful when you're aiming for a dense treat. We make up for the loss of moisture with more liquid :) The vinegar helps the muffins rise but I promise you can't taste it, don't leave it out!

Yields 15 muffins

Ingredients
---------------

-2 1/4 cups flour

-3/4 cup granulated sugar
-3/4 cup brown sugar

-1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

-3/4 teaspoon salt

-1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
-1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
-1/4 teaspoon cloves

-1 1/2 cups apple cider at room temperature (can also use apple juice) *If not room temperature, microwave for 30 seconds or so. Do not let the liquid get hot*

-1/2 cup vegetable oil

-1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

-1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

*Optional: 1/2 cup dried raisins or chopped walnuts/pecans

Glaze
--------
-1 tablespoon maple syrup (sub apple cider/juice if you do not have maple syrup)
-1/4 cup powdered sugar (you may need an extra tablespoon)

Instructions
----------------

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees

-Line a cupcake pan with liners or spray cavities with a non-stick cooking spray. 

-In a large bowl combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Mix together and set aside.

-In a medium bowl combine the apple cider juice , vegetable oil, vinegar and vanilla.

-Add the wet (apple juice mixture) ingredients to the dry (flour mixture) ingredients and stir until well blended. Add optional raisins or chopped nuts.

-Fill the lined cupcake cavities 3/4 full and bake on a lower middle rack in oven for 18-22 minutes (mine were perfect at 20) or until a few moist crumbs stick to a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin.

-Remove the muffins from oven and allow to cool.

-While the muffins are baking, in a small bowl blend together the apple cider and powdered sugar mixture. I use a mini whisk to get a smooth texture. If the glaze is too runny, add a little bit more powdered sugar.
-When the muffins have cooled, dip the top of each muffin into the glaze and hold upside down while the extra glaze drips off back into the bowl. After I dip all the muffins, I like to re-dip each muffin again after the glaze has set a bit for a nice thick coating.  Allow glaze to harden and serve. Store extra muffins tightly covered at room temperature for 3-5 days.

-Enjoy!

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Try these other treats!

 Cardamom Date Tart

Vegan Orange Poppy-seed Muffins

 Walnut Baklava

Vegan Lentil Kibbeh

I felt like I hit the jackpot when this recipe worked out. It was a complete gamble to toss out the main ingredient in kibbeh and expect success, but it paid off! Kibbeh is a VERY traditional Syrian dish (other regions in the Middle East also have their versions) and there are too many variations to list. Typically the main ingredients in kibbeh are MEAT, bulgur and onion. These 3 ingredients are minced together with simple seasonings using a meat grinder to achieve a smooth dough. This outer dough is formed into a football shape, stuffed with cooked ground beef, onions and nuts then fried. If you haven't had authentic kibbeh I urge you to do so, its delicious! Personally I rarely make this version of kibbeh because its ridiculously time consuming, requires special equipment, makes a huge mess, shaping is difficult, and it must be deep fried. All of these are huge no-no's for me....so I've simplified the process and begun making kibbeh kabobs (also known as kibbeh al-siekh), essentially the outer shell of the kibbeh without the filling and frying process. From that recipe this new vegan kibbeh has emerged.

This is a meat-less kibbeh packed with fiber, protein and flavor. There is no fat added to the mix, but you'd never guess that while eating it! I love making it because all the ingredients are pantry staples, it comes together quickly and my family loves it. My mom (who is famous for her amazing varieties of kibbeh) couldn't believe this didn't have meat it in, that's how close the flavor and texture is!

This kibbeh serves many purposes for me. I'll make a batch and serve it for dinner then freeze the rest (it reheats BEAUTIFULLY). I'll make the mix a day or two ahead and bake them up for a dinner party. I take them along to picnics because they are as good at room temperature as they are hot, and there is no worry about any of the ingredients being out for too long (a perk of a vegan recipe even for those who eat meats and dairy). This kibbeh is the perfect snack on the go because it doesn't make a mess and keeps you feeling full for a while.

Try this with a side of babbaganoush, lentil soup, cucumber yogurt sauce, and a veggie platter loaded with tomatoes, thinly sliced lemon wedges, red onion, parsley and pickles. I have another fabulous idea for you: VEGGIE BURGERS! Trust me on this one. Get mini-pitas or buns and fill them with a green, a kibbeh patty, tomato, red onion, lemon slices and cucumber yogurt sauce. Amazingness and the absolute perfect lunch.

Yields 16 kibbeh patties

Ingredients
---------------
-1 cup red lentils
-3/4 cup fine bulgur (#1)
-1 cup water
-1/2 cup onion (1/2 of a large onion)
-2 tablespoons red pepper paste
-1 1/2 teaspoons all spice
-2 teaspoons ground coriander
-1 teaspoon ground cumin
-1 teaspoon salt (to start, adding 1/2 teaspoon more if needed...which I usually do)
-1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

optional: vegetable oil for baking

To make
-----------
-Fill a medium sized pot with water. Rinse the lentils in a strainer and place in pot of water. Bring to a boil on high heat, watching to make sure the foam of your lentils doesn't boil over in the pot.  Cook for 15-20 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Drain the extra liquid in a strainer.
-While the lentils are cooking place the bulgur with 1 cup water in a medium sized bowl and let soak.
-In a food processor, process the onion until it is finely minced. Add the drained cooked lentils, the soaked bulgur, red pepper paste, all spice, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper and process using the pulse setting until everything is blended together. Taste the mixture and adjust salt if needed.
-Place the food processor bowl in the fridge to firm the mixture up. This will help you shape them into patties, but if you are short on time it is not critical.
-Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (I really recommend this so the patties don't stick) or foil and pre-heat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
-Lightly wet your hands to form the patties. This will prevent the mixture from sticking to your hands as you work. Take 2 tablespoons of kibbeh mixture and shape into round patties, about 1/4 inch thick and 2 inches wide. Repeat the process until mix is finished. Place kibbeh patties on baking sheet and OPTIONALLY brush each side with vegetable oil (I usually skip this but it does make the kibbeh a little more crispy.
-Bake on the middle rack of pre-heated oven for 20-30 minutes, flipping halfway through until crisped to your liking.**Alternatively you can cook these on a stove top in a skillet with some oil.
-Serve with desired dipping sauce and sliced veggies.
-Enjoy!

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5 Ingredient Asian Noodles

Here's a QUICK and simple meal where all the ingredients come from one store...Trader Joe's! There is no chopping of veggies involved, so everything comes together very fast with little mess and no clean-up.  I'm going to compare it to as close as you can get to chow mein without adding powdered mixes or making your own sauce with lots of weird things like fish sauce/oyster sauce.  My kids love eating at fast-food Chinese places solely for this dish, and it drives me crazy to see how enthusiastically they dig into those heavy and unhealthy noodles. This pacifies their craving and they call it "fake chow mein". The irony that it's more "real" food than the fast-food version is lost on them, but oh well.  The crunch of the brocolli slaw and carrots is just like what you'd get from the restaurant version, and leaving the veggies mainly raw retains their nutrients and saves preparation time.

I've had a hard time finding teriyaki sauce that does not include alcohol, so I was thrilled when I read the list of ingredients on the Trader Joe's version of teriyaki, called "Soyaki". I ALWAYS have a jar of this ready to be used, and I've tried it in many recipes with great success. Here is my children's favorite way to enjoy it, with plain noodles. I'm going to be honest with you, the kids like this dish prepared simply as only noodles and sauce, without the veggies. But being who I am, I'm always shoving healthy stuff wherever I can so when I've got the broccoli slaw, it goes in. And when I don't...well, the kids don't complain ;)

The exact moment I knew I needed to make my own noodles
 (these are from a local Chinese restaurant)

Tips for success:
Feel free to leave out the veggies for a 3 ingredient dish, or add your favorite protein to the noodles. Chicken and shrimp are my favorites but tofu and steak would also work great. I also frequently use whole wheat spaghetti with great results. Hot sauce or crushed red pepper flakes really elevate the flavor!

Serves 4-6

Ingredients
-------------
-1 pound spaghetti noodles (cooked al dente according to package instructions).
-2 tablespoons sesame oil
-12 ounce package Trader Joe's broccoli slaw
-10 ounce bag of shredded carrots
-1 1/2 cups Trader Joe's Soyaki sauce (3/4 of the jar)

To make
-----------
-Boil a pot of salted water. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions, al dente  (usually around 9-11 minutes on my stove). The pasta will cook for an additional few minutes later on when you add the sauce.
-Once the pasta has cooked, drain in a strainer. Do not rinse.
-In the same pot you boiled the pasta, heat the sesame oil and add the broccoli slaw, carrots, boiled spaghetti and Soyaki sauce. Cook the mixture for about 3-5 minutes, until the noodles have absorbed the sauce.
-Remove from heat and serve.
-Enjoy!

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Asparagus and Zesty Lemon Grain Salad

I created this salad as a challenge to myself to go beyond simple grilled asparagus. Every time I buy the green stems I feel like I cook then in the same manner...which although is delicious has gotten a little boring for me. I didn't want to waste their integrity and puree them into a soup or lose them in a pasta. Asparagus represents the Spring season...refreshing, breezy and bright...and that's exactly what you'll get from this salad!

We've had this as dinner, I've taken it to potlucks and it's been my go-to lunch whenever I've had it in the fridge. I LOVE IT. I love the way I feel when I look at it with the bright green from the asparagus and the red from the tomato, I love all the textures going on in here from the crisp of the asparagus to the crunch of the walnut and the chewiness of the barley. Don't even get me started on the explosion of flavors...you're going to have to find out for yourself on that note, but I will tell you that stiring the lemon zest into the hot cooked barley will release the natural oils in the zest and let the barley absorb all the flavor...yum!

Serves 3-5

Ingredients
---------------
-2 cups water
-1 cup rinsed barley
-1/2 tablespoon salt
-1 teaspoon oil
-1 tablespoon lemon zest (about 2 lemons)

-1 bunch fresh asparagus
-2 cups chopped tomatoes
-1 cup chopped walnuts
-1 cup chopped parsley
-3 tablespoons lemon juice (about 2 squeezed lemons)
-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
-1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
-salt to taste

optional:
-1 cup valbreso feta cheese
-1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
-1 large chopped avocado

To make
-----------
-Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a pot and drop in rinsed and drained barley, salt and oil. Reduce your heat to medium low then cover the pot and cook about 20-25 minutes or until the water is absorbed and your barley is soft and fluffy. Remove from the heat, uncover and add lemon zest and stir. Leave your barley to cool completely before adding other ingredients.
-While your barley is cooking, heat another pot filled with water and bring to a boil. Lightly salt your water and rinse asparagus. Gently snap off the bottom of your asparagus and drop into the boiling water. Cook for 2 minutes then immediately remove and drop asparagus into a bowl filled with ICE and water. This is called an ice bath and is done to stop the cooking process and shock the asparagus into retaining its vibrant green color. Leave the asparagus until it has cooled and then remove from the water and pat dry with paper towels. Roughly chop at a diagonal angle into 1 inch pieces.
- When your barley has cooled, place it into a bowl and  layer chopped tomatoes, asparagus, walnuts and parsley. You can now add optional toppings. Squeeze lemon juice and sprinkle black pepper on top. Drizzle the olive oil around the edges of the bowl.
*If you are making this ahead of time cover and place in your refrigerator until ready to use.
-Mix when ready to serve and taste to adjust lemon and salt content. Place into a platter and serve.
-Enjoy!

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Looking for more salad inspiration? Try some of my favorites here! I especially enjoy

Mexican Bean and Corn Salad

Pomegranate + Green Bean Lentil Salad

Middle Eastern Tabbouleh 

Arugula and Roasted Beet Salad

Asian Vegan Noodle Salad

Raspberry Oat Bars (or any other fruit jam!)

One of the most frequent questions I get asked is how I bake all these sweets and who eats them...the simple answer is that the unhealthy stuff is only made for special occasions or to be taken somewhere...I can honestly say that I've probably never made a batch of brownies or a cake just for my immediate family to snack on. What I do constantly bake is healthy stuff that still tastes delicious, like these banana muffins or my personal favorite thing in the whole world. I love enjoying healthy sweets in the mornings, and streusel oat bars are near the top of my list. Clearing out my fridge after my Thanksgiving re-do dinner got me thinking about cranberry sauce beyond turkey, and I decided to create a healthy oat bar. Most of what I found online had a minimum of 1 cup butter or 1 cup peanut butter. I'm all about healthy fat, but I didn't want a strong nut flavor in my fruit bars just to replace the butter. Oat bars should be chewy, dense and have a little crunch on top to balance out the soft sweetness of the fruit filling. These are just that, with a nice inclusion of healthy fats and complex carbs.

If you don't have cranberry sauce lying around, use any fruit spread you'd like...I'll be making these a lot and my next fruit flavor will be strawberry, after that is fig and then I'm planning on apricot....now that I don't have to feel guilty when I eat these they'll be around here often! The first time I made these bars I used my cranberry sauce but each time after that as I continued to develop the recipe I used different jams, and raspberry with lemon zest was a huge success. Experiment with different toppings, I sprinkled shredded coconut and pistachios on half my pan and the adults enjoyed those a lot. I contemplated chocolate chips but decided to stay true to the fruit flavor, although I'm not making any promises for the next batch :)

These are easy to make, require only 1 bowl, no mixer and are vegan! Even if you don't mind using dairy products, its nice to be able to bake when you're out of eggs. This is a great activity to get kids into the kitchen and my boys had a lot of fun sampling the oat mixture and pressing it into the pan.

Ingredients
---------------
-1 cup flour
-1 cup old fashioned oats
-2/3 cup brown sugar
-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-2 tablespoons cold coconut oil
-2 tablespoons peanut butter (I used a variety called Better 'n Peanut Butter, a 85% less fat spread I buy from Trader Joes)
-2 tablespoons orange juice (or almond milk, regular milk, water)
-1 teaspoon lemon zest
-1 tablespoon flax seeds (optional)

-1 cup raspberry jam (or other fruit)
OR
-1 cup cranberry sauce
-1 teaspoon cornstarch
-1/2 teaspoon orange zest

To make
------------
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 11x7 inch (2qt/2L) pan with foil (for easy removal) and spray with non stick cooking spray.

Jam is spread and the oat topping is next

-Combine flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda and salt and stir until well mixed. Then add the vanilla, coconut oil, peanut butter, orange juice, orange zest and flax seeds and mix well with a spatula until fully incorporated and crumbly.
-Using your hands, knead the oat mixture a minute and reserve 1 cup of the mixture. Pat the rest into your greased pan evenly and create a slight crust on the edges (this prevents the jam from spilling over the edges).
-Evenly spread the jam mixture over the oat layer, leaving about 1/4 of an inch all around the edges. This will spread out while baking. Sprinkle the reserved 1 cup of oat mixture on top of the jam. Sprinkle with optional toppings.
-Bake on the lower rack of a preheated oven for 28-33 minutes (I took mine out at 30 minutes) or until the crumbled streusel topping looks puffed in the middle and lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool, then cut into bars and enjoy. These do not need to be refrigerated and stay delicious for about 3 days (after that refrigerate or freeze to preserve freshness).
-Enjoy and don't forget to tag me in your pictures!

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Green Bean, Pomegranate and Sweet Potato Lentil Salad

So...maybe I'm on a lentil craze lately, but I can't help myself, the fiber content is just too awesome to ignore. I thought about this recipe a lot before I put it together. I wanted to create a salad that was different yet highlighted seasonal produce at their peak. Many of us are recovering from Thanksgiving and markets in America have readily made sweet potatoes and green beans available, so I put them together with some of my favorite ingredients for this satisfying, unique and unforgettable salad. Every ingredient will have you pausing in delightful surprise...who knew that green beans went well with pomegranates? Or sweet potatoes with lentils? Or that you could throw dates and maple syrup into a savory salad? Apparently I did, and I'm so excited to share it with you! A bonus perk is the fact that its paleo, gluten-free and vegan...score!

This is a sophisticated salad for the developed palette..."frou frou" ;)  The portion is just right for my husband and I to lunch on for a few days before its gone. The leftovers are BEAUTIFUL...nothing soggy or wilted, amazing for a salad! It also tastes great cold or at room temperature, which makes it a great picnic or potluck item to take and leave out without worrying about it going bad.

Serves 2 as dinner or 4 as a starter

Ingredients
---------------
-2/3 cup dry brown lentils or 1 1/2 cups cooked lentils (any color works, I just used brown for color contrast to other ingredients)
-6 cups salted water
-One piece of red onion (optional, but this flavors the lentils while cooking)
-8 ounces (about 2 loosely packed cups) fresh green beans
-1 cup diced sweet potato
-1 cup fresh pomegranate seeds
-4 medjool dates
-2 tablespoons thinly slivered red onion
-2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
-1 teaspoon cumin seeds
-1 scant tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
-1 scant tablespoon maple syrup


To make
------------
-Wash and strain lentils. Place in a a saucepan with salted water and a piece of the onion and bring to a boil. Once mixture is boiling, reduce heat and simmer for about 30-35 minutes, or until the lentils are soft with a slight chew.
-While lentils are boiling, wash, stem and chop green beans into 1/2 inch pieces. Bring another pot of simmering water to a boil and drop green beans into the water. Boil for about 2 minutes then immediately strain from hot water and place into a bowl filled with ice and cold water. This is called blanching the beans and prevents them from over cooking to retain their bright green color and a crisp texture. Let the beans cool in the water for a minute then strain well from the water and place into your serving bowl.
-Heat the same saucepan used to boil the beans and saute (I didn't use any oil but you can if you'd like) the chopped sweet potatoes. Season with salt and pepper and stir frequently. Cook for about 5 minutes, until browned on the outside and softened when you taste a piece. Once these are finished cooking, remove the pot from the stove and allow the sweet potatoes to cool completely, then add them to the green beans.
-Add the pomegranate seeds to your serving bowl.
-Pit the medjool dates and then cut into thin, long slivers. I cut about 7-8 slices from each date. Add the slivered date slices to the serving bowl.
-Chop the red onion and add to the serving bowl.
-Break up the walnuts into small pieces and add to the serving bowl.
-Add cumin seeds then drizzle olive oil and maple syrup to the other ingredients and gently mix the salad. Taste and adjust the salt seasoning. Salt really helps bring out the flavors and cut back on the sweetness, so make sure to season properly.
-Serve cold or at room temperature and enjoy!

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Mediterranean Lentil Soup

Syrian cooking does not include many varieties of soup, possibly because most of the dishes are 'soupy' and served with rice. However, this is a very traditional soup (with my little twists of course!) and is often served with kibbeh. I like to prepare a pot of this at the beginning of the week and heat some up for a quick lunch or after school meal. It is common to add shredded beef to the soup but in an effort to 'health-ify'  our food I almost never do that. Using vegetable broth will make this delicious soup vegan and I'm seriously in love with the high fiber and protein content in lentils! This soup is so easy to customize...feel free to add some leafy greens or celery...I like to switch up my additions and if I puree the soup at the end no one ever knows ;) 

Serves 6

Ingredients

--------------

-1 teaspoon olive oil

-1 medium onion, chopped into small cubes (about 1 cup)
-1 teaspoon cumin seeds (or a spice mix called "panch puran" which consists of fenugreek, mustard, fennel, black caraway and cumin seeds)

-3 cloves of garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)

-1 cup small red lentils

-1 cup shredded or finely diced sweet potato (or carrots)

-2 tablespoons uncooked rice

-6 cups broth (you may need 1 more cup if your heat is too high as the lentils cook)
-1 teaspoon ground coriander
-1 teaspoon ground or fresh ginger
-optional: 1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning

-salt to taste

Optional garnishes: 
-lemon wedges 
-fresh parsley or mint leaves
-pita chips

To Make

------------

-Heat oil in a deep pot and add onions and cumin seeds. Sauté until onions are translucent, then add garlic and continue to sauté until onion and garlic have browned. 

-Add lentils, carrots, rice, broth, coriander and ginger (plus optional lemon pepper) and bring to a boil. Taste the broth mixture and add salt as needed. Once boiling, give the mixture a stir and then place the lid on the pot and turn heat to low. Simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so as the lentils will settle on the bottom as they cook. If your mixture looks too thick, add more broth. The soup is ready when the lentils and carrots are soft. The ingredients will have cooked together and will have sort of 'melted' into the broth. You can either puree the soup for a smooth texture or keep it as is for a chunky consistency. I like to leave it slightly chunky.

-Serve with optional garnishes.
-Enjoy!

*You can easily make this in a slow cooker by throwing all the ingredients together and cooking on low for about 3-4 hours*

*If you are going to reheat the soup you will probably need to add a little water or broth because the lentils will cause the soup to thicken when cooled*

Warm up this winter season with some of my other SOUP recipes...I'm a huge fan of all them! 

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Babbaganoush

Babbaganoush is a versatile salad, dip, appetizer or side dish consisting of roasted eggplant and fresh vegetables. It has gained in popularity as a healthy vegan option in the past few years and there are lots of variations out there. I'm sharing the traditional Middle Eastern way as prepared in Syria. Other versions that are made with tahini are actually an eggplant dip (imtabal) while this is more of a chunky salad. I love having leftovers of this salad sitting in my fridge for a quick lunch. Babbaganoush is a sensory experience of different flavors and textures, and lots of bright colors that enhance any food display.

Serves 2 as a main salad or 4 as an appetizer or dip

Ingredients
---------------
-1 large eggplant (aubergine). Mine weighed 1.25 pounds
-1 cup diced tomato
-1 cup chopped walnuts
-1 cup chopped parsley
-1 cup fresh pomegranate seeds
-2/3 cup finely diced green onions
-1-2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses (plus more to drizzle at the end)
-1 teaspoon lemon zest (or lemon juice, but I like the flavor of zest more)
-salt to taste
-Optional: drizzle of olive oil at the end

To make
------------

Roasted, cooled and ready to be peeled

-Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wash and dry the eggplant and pierce all around with a knife, creating pockets for the steam to emerge while roasting. Place on a baking pan and put in the center rack of your preheated oven for 45-60 minutes until the peel looks dry and the eggplant is very soft to the touch. Remove from the oven and let it cool before handling. As it cools and the steam emerges it will collapse. If you are preparing this in advance at this point you can refrigerate it for several days.
-Peel the cooled eggplant and place the insides into a mixing bowl. Add the chopped tomatoes, walnuts, parsley, pomegranate and green onions. Add pomegranate molasses, lemon zest and salt. Stir and taste. Adjust pomegranate molasses and salt to your taste.
-Top with a drizzle of pomegranate molasses and optional olive oil. Serve with pita chips or pita bread.
-Enjoy!

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Sweetened Whole Wheat with Walnuts and Pomegranate

My kids really like this unique dish. We eat it for breakfast or a snack throughout the day and it's a great boost of energy that really fills us up. Traditionally it is a cultural treat called
Slee'a that Syrian's eat to celebrate the first tooth of a baby, signifying the baby's ability to chew foods.  Years ago a family friend introduced us to it with the addition of pomegranate and I was impressed with the flavor combination. Now, we only make it with these edible rubies and sweeten it with honey for added health benefits.

The flavors are simple yet complex, and you really only need 3 key ingredients (wheat, walnuts and pomegranate seeds) to make this. Feel free to swap out the honey with agave for a vegan option. Anise seeds or vanilla beans would be a good substitute for the fennel if you're looking for something different. Whole wheat is sold in many different forms, and I buy the peeled kind because it cooks faster. You can get 10 minute farro from Trader Joe"s and follow the simmer instructions on the back of the bag for boiling, then proceed with the rest of this recipe. You can also use unpeeled wheat, but will need to increase the boil time to about 40-45 minutes.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients
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-1 tablespoon fennel seeds
-2 cups rinsed and drained peeled whole wheat
-5 cups water
-1/3 cup honey (you can add more to sweeten to your liking)
-2 cups walnuts
-3 cups pomegranate seeds
-optional: 2 tablespoons flax seeds

To make
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-Place walnuts in a bowl and break into small pieces. Soak in water while completing the other steps. (You can skip this portion but I like to do it because it washes away some of the bitterness from the skin and gives the walnuts a fresher taste)
-Heat a medium sized pot on the stove and dry toast the fennel seeds until lightly browned and fragrant.
-Add 5 cups of water and 2 cups rinsed and peeled whole wheat.
-Bring the water to a boil then reduce heat to medium. Loosely place lid on the pot (allowing some steam to escape) and simmer for about 15-20 minutes (stir every 5 minutes or so) until the whole wheat is tender with a chewy texture. There should be a little liquid left in the pot. If the wheat soaks up all the water, add a little more.  Remove from heat.
-Sweeten with honey and allow the mixture to cool completely.
-Once the wheat mixture is at room temperature, drain the walnuts from their soaking water and add them along with the pomegranate and flax seeds to the wheat. Stir to combine.
-Serve at room temperature or cold. Store in refrigerator for about 1 week.
-Enjoy!

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