Unfortunately I have not heard about Dr will Tuttle till recently,but I am so glad I finally did!
I find his work very inspiring,and his ideas ,at the very least ,worth a moment of thought or two..
To me personally His words carry a lot of logic,and I am always happy to encounter people who dedicate their lives to try and make this world a better place for EVERYONE!
For those interested in the book or details and activities of the organisation :http://worldpeacediet.org/
Heavy heat prevails again in our region leading us to tag along like battered mosquitos,making the mere idea of a wholesome cooked meal quite difficult to digest..sollution? Salads!
Be it sauted;chopped;tossed;pureed ;mixed and mingled..just as long as its nice, cool and light!
So,I came up with what will probably be just a beginning of a long line of experimental toss and turn adventures this long summer season(NOT complaining-I love the summer! 
).
Nothing very fancy but definitely does the trick,as it is very tasty,cool and light,not to mention healthy all the same!
Note:In the seasoning I have used Sumac which I have brought back with me from my trip to Jordan.we have it here too but it is very difficult to find a freshly ground pure Sumac.It is only when it is very fresh that you can enjoy that lovely flavour which is a blend of tanginess with what I personally find as a “Tomatoey” flavor.It has to be a vibrant Burgundy-Reddish color and when it ages it turns into a darker dull brown.Some Spice dealers mix it with Lemon salt to revive the lemony taste as they keep it on the shelf longer.Sometimes it can easily be detected as you can see the small white specks.I absolutely Love Sumac.It has a beautiful decorative aspect with its unique color as you sprinkle it on food,and that special delicate nuance of a flavour is just magnificent especially on salads in the summer.
Ingredients:
a few Potatoes (cooked and cooled)(I keep the skin on,but peeled if you prefer)-chopped
1-2 Zuchini sliced and sauted lightly in Olive oil
1 Tomato-chopped
1 Red Bell pepper-chopped
Black Olives
Fresh Champignon mushrooms chopped coarsely
1 medium sized ripe Avocado cut into chunks
Olive oil
freshly squeezed Lemon
dried Thyme
dried Sage
Sumac
Salt /pepper
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Chop Potatoes,Tomato,Bell pepper and Mushrooms and place in a bowl,and mix.
Add sauted Zuchinis,Olives and Chopped or sliced) Avocado
Sprinkle Olive oil,freshly squeezed Lemon and spices and delicately toss the salad and serve.
*I like to sprinkle the Sumac at the end for a decorative touch.
Enjoy!
Once again Im in the mood for something pampering and sweet.The weather is warmer,and I`d like a naturally mild sweet refreshing snack .So I set my sights again on finding a sollution for something health friendly yet soul soothing..and I found it!
Back in the days when I used to prepare Natural baked goods and delicacies for a living,one of my popular cakes was an Apple coffee cake,topped with Apple slices in Cinnamon.It was a real hit.In those days although I would use whole wheat flour,I still used eggs and did not really economise on the use of sugar or oil even if they were the healthier kinds.
This time,I felt like using the basic idea but exploring a lighter version,without eggs,using very little oil,Coconut oil in this case,aswell as very little Brown Sugar,though I would of even preferred to use Jaggery(which I wrote about here)I just didnt happen to have any at the moment.For the base I used Semolina instead of flour,turning it into a mold since semolina tends to just stick together ,so the Apples and Cinnamon create the flavor and the moisture.
Semolina cake is a very typical traditional cake in many Mediterranean/Middle Eastern cultures slightly varying in preparation and usually very rich ,and quite delicious.I guess these cakes like “Basboussa” for example are another origin of inspiration here,though obviously the outcome is something much lighter.
You are welcome to regard this as a base adding more oil/sugar if you please,I just wanted to see how little I actually need to make it satisfyingly tasty and healthy,while at the same time it is very possible to actually totally delete the use of sugar and oil if you wish.For me personally the flavor of the Apples and cinnamon was refreshingly pleasing.
Since this bake is quite dense ,I used a small baking dish of 12cm x 16 cm,and cut small square servings.
Ingredients:
For topping:
1 large Apple
Cinnamon
Brown Sugar
For base:
1 cup Semolina(1.5)approx.
1 tbs Coconut oil + 1 tsp(for oiling the dish)
Cinnamon
Brown sugar
1 cup(approx) boiled water
1 cup (approx)Soy milk
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Peel Apple,cut in quarters,then slice medium thin slices
mix in a bowl with some sprinkled cinnamon,and brown sugar(I used about 1-1.5 tbs)
Mix together ,then neatly place in an oven dish,slightly oiled with coconut oil(or any other)
Keep in mind that the end result is served reversing the dish,so place the slices with their wider side facing down.
In a frying pan put coconut oil,and as it heats up pour in 1 cup of Semolina,sprinkle some Cinnamon and quickly toss around the semolina allowing it to toast slightly as the grains get covered with the oil.
This is a very short process as you should not allow it to burn,lower heat and pour in about 1 cup boiled water mixed with a bit of brown sugar( I used 1-1.5 tbs),mix thoroughly and quickly as the blend insatntly becomes lumpy,keep mixing while you add another 1 cup of Soy milk,making sure you maintain a smooth blend.Your end result should be a moist thick blend which you then pour over the arranged Apple slices,flattening the top surface.
Bake in a preheated oven 200 for 20-30 min.
Beware of the top drying out,when it does sprinkle some boiled water,allowing the cake to retain its moisture and continue to bake covered.
Remove from oven,with a sharp knife cut through the inner sides of the dish,place a dish over its top,hold firmly and quickly reverse the bake onto the plate.
You may then sprinkle some more Cinnamon to decorate,slice and serve!
Tony killed me with the fabulous scent of the Tomato dish he prepared..so I had to come up with something ‘Tomatoey’ presto!
A while ago I was very impressed by a dish prepared by the Israeli chef-Haim Cohen,and on the spot I just knew I had to try it..and yes..it was about Tomatoes..and it had such an authentic homey feel to it.The idea was large ’slices’ of handmade pasta,cooked in quartered Tomatoes and cracked Olives,originally topped with Sardines,but as you can guess I skipped that part,and I used whole wheat flour for the pasta.The base of the Tomatoes was so simple as was the pasta,even though handmade,don`t let that scare you!No spices,no super duper luxury here,just another way to enjoy the pure Tomato flavor.I guess you can say the ‘punch’ here would be the Olives,as they were Cracked Green olives,what is called here ‘Syrian Olives’,or ‘Cracked olives’,and as I look them up,I find them under the title Kura olives,which are Green Olives that are picked before totally ripe,cracked with a stone or a hammer to trigger fermentation,and cured in salt,a method that results in a mild bitter taste.I personally love these olives,though I admit, I adore almost all olives.The thing is, these are normally served added to Middle-Eastern salads,and I kind of liked the refreshing idea of it being combined in a “Middle -Eastern” pasta dish.Of course,you can always try this with any kind of Olive you may prefer.
Shall we..?
Ingredients:
for pasta dough:
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1.5 tsp Olive oil
1/3 cup water
for sauce:
4-5 tomatoes quartered
olive oil
salt(preferably coarse sea salt)
Pepper
Pitted green Olives(syrian)
* * * * *
prepare dough by mixing ingredients
Set aside for 30 min.
Meantime in a large frying pan,place quartered Tomatoes in little olive oil,sprinkling with sea salt and cover pan,allowing to keep moisture in while tomatoes become somewhat ‘poached’,add pitted olives and pepper,mixing and taking care tomatoes soften and transform to chunky (there I go again..)sauce.Make sure you don`t overcook the tomatoes as I might of done.I think the idea is more of a freshly poached tomato mixture other than a classic pureed sauce.Also,if you are using Coarse Sea-Salt,take care as you may not realise things get saltier quicker,if you know what I mean..!
Returning to your dough,roll it out to a surface ,cutting un-uniformed large flat pieces.
gently throw them into a large pot of boiling water and remove them after they have surfaced.
add them to the pan with the tomatoes allowing them to blend with the sauce.
That`s it,hope you enjoy!
Yes t`is Spring…and oh so lovely to see the sun shining at last! Though part of it being Spring is that it is not alltogether warm yet..and it even gets pretty cool still..so dont go tucking in those sweaters as of yet..! And if I may add,it`s actually still kind of nice to have a warm comforting soup.You must agree that Sweet potato is very comforting! I have already written about a simple Sweet potato(&Pumpkin) soup before,but this time I wanted a more classic pampering creamy version.Except,I dont use cream,nor do I use Cow`s milk.I used Soy Milk,and you know what?It turned out pretty awesome! This version is tremendously easy aswell,so if you like Sweet potatoes,give it a try! Did you know that Sweet potatoes are not only nice and sweet but also highly nutritious?
Ingredients: (Yeilds 2 servings)
5 baby Sweet potatoes
5 Champignon Mushrooms
1 chopped onion
3/4 cup Soy mik
1 tbs crushed Dried Sage leaves
1 tbs crushed Dried Zaatar leaves(not mix) /Oregano
Salt & Pepper
1 tbs Cinnamon
* * * * *
Wash the Sweet potatoes and cut in large chunks.
Place in a pot barely covering with water,bring to a boil,reduce heat and cook till tender.
Blend them with their cooking water,
Return the blend to the stove,add Spices and Soy milk.
Separately Saute chopped Onion and then Chopped Mushrooms,
and add to the cream without blending (I like it this way,did I mention before I just love chunky? but if you prefer you can ofcourse blend it all together.
Adjust,spices to your taste and add more milk if necessary.
Well..this is completely unofficial..I dont even have any photos taken as I am exhausted..but I felt the need to inform you folks..that Cyprus is indeed another Beeeeeautful pearl in the Mediteranean..Warm in weather and in people..and once again ..the food..Amazing..! Funny enough every time I take off to these spots,I am told I will not have anything to eat,given my limitations(Vegan)..and once again Ive got to tell you that I havent eaten so much and so well in a long time! All that without any special requests or compensations..so many lovely local dishes that are so healthy fulfilling and absolutely Marvelous! First thing I tried as soon as I landed was some local Tahin and salad,and you know what? I actually had 3 dishes of Tahin! It was the best tahin I have ever had..and believe me,I am the Tahin queen! I am a Tahin addict and have tried them all (almost)..
Tahin is a paste made of Sesame seeds,I have briefly written about before.Cant remember where now,did I mention Im exhausted? Wow wouldnt it be nice if I would take off from here as a food/travelogue on the go..hmmmm.ok ok landing..where was I ..
Yes.I will have the honor of posting a more serious official post about this magical paste(loaded with Iron and other wonders..) that becomes a dip,as soon as I come back..because,as I complimented the chef and asked for the name of the brand,he promised to send me home with a huge container and his recipe..so get ready! Yes yes of course Ill share some with you..
See you later Aligator..
This lady needs her beauty sleep…zzzzzzzzzzzz
I had the opportunity to take off for a few days..so I did!
This is what I had for breakfast today…can you possibly guess where Im at…?
All I will reveal at the moment is that it is a breakfast to die for..in my book atleast..
the best breakfast I could ever wish for..!
catch you later..
After reading Simona`s post on muhammara on her blog Briciole,I was totally inspired by that vibrant color of the Red peppers mixed with crunchy walnuts.But the thing is ,I felt like preserving that crunch,as well as the colors,which for some reason I was totally sure were combined with black Olives.Evidently it was my imagination , because as I returned to the recipe-there were NO olives..oops.But I went with the Olives all the same..
I decided to keep the general idea of the melange,but instead of blending them together,I combined them chopped up in chunks,creating a colorful palette,laying on a platform of a crusty dough.
Simona`s recipe was based on the one in Diana Abu-Jaber`s book “The language of Baklava”,a book that intrigues me very much as the author was also born into a multi cultural reality,a colorful one she seems to describe in her book!
I did not know about Muhammara prior to reading Simona`s post,but I am grateful for her to have introduced it to me. I have yet to try the spread itself as it really seems like a healthy delightful alternative for a quick snack! Grazie Simona!
Ingredients:
For the dough:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp Baharat/Allspice
Salt & Pepper
1 tbs Ajwain seeds
1 tbs Nigella seeds
1/3 cup Olive oil
1/3 cup water
_ _ _ _
For the filling:
1.5 ripe Tomatoes thinly sliced
1 large Bell pepper
approx.3/4 cup Walnuts
approx.3/4cup chopped pitted Black Olives
3 tbs chopped fresh Sage leaves
Olive oil
1 tbs Baharat/Allspice
1 tbs Nigella seeds
Salt & Pepper
Prepare the dough by placing the flour in a bowl,add the spices and mix.
Mix in the oil thoroughly creating crumbs with your fingers,then add the water mixing and molding a dough.
This dough is a bit oilier than I usually prepare with the aim of creating a crispier crust.It may seem to be falling apart at first,but dont despair,slightly moisturize with a touch of additional water if needed,and continue to softly knead and put aside or in fridge for 30 minutes to set.
Meantime,in a separate bowl,combine chopped Bell peppers,walnuts and Olives together,adding 1Tbs Baharat,Salt & Pepper,1 tbs Olive oil and chopped Sage leaves,mix well.
Re-knead the dough a bit and roll it out to a flat lightly floured surface.
Bee and Jai from Jugabandi are hosting a food photography event called CLICK linked this month to the theme WOOD,an important grounding element of Nature ,when related to food immediatly inspires in my mind the primal basic preparation of dough,with the use of articles made of Wood.
I am sending this photo of the dough preparation to be a part of this event.
- – - – - – - -
Now,back to our dough.
Place in a parchment paper layered tarte dish.
Top the Tarte with the Tomato slices ,evenly spreading them so as to create a bonding base,and gently pour over the Bell pepper mixture,evenly sprinkling Nigella seeds on top and about 1.5 tbs olive oil.
Bake in a preheated oven at 250 degrees for about 10-15 min.(May differ as I used a toaster oven).Be attentive as the crust becomes baked but not too dark, the peppers remain crunchy,and the walnuts dont burn(those are your guiding signs.. )
As you remove the Tarte from the oven,upon serving it,you may top with another sprinkle of Olive oil .
Enjoy!
I saw this a while back on the blog What the hell does a vegan eat anyway and thought it was just amazing.The creativity these guys have blows me away,especially considering they are Vegan,because I know how challenging it is sometimes ,but they just keep it to a Gourmet level,and good for them! aswell as for us ,so we can continue to be inspired!
The original recipe calls for a filling of Fennel +Macademia and Pine nuts,though they do reproduce it at times with other components.I prepared them using cashew nuts,Miso and Garlic,which is more or less a filling they used on a different occasion.With all the excitement, I actually completely forgot to marinate the beet slices in Olive oil,but all in all they turned out great.Once again Id like to say ,If the general idea appeals to you,go for any creative idea you feel like.I guess what appealed to me the most,asides from the fact that I love Beets(which among other things are rich in Iron and known to be a very good blood cleanser!), was seeing that wonderful idea of using thin slices of a vegetable form a wrapping of a ravioli.Im sure playing around with different fillings could be very interesting.
Ingredients:
2 Beets
1 clove Garic
3/4 cup Cashew nuts-soaked in warm water for 1/2 hour
2 tsp Miso paste
small amount of water-enough to blend a smooth consistency
Salt & Pepper
Finely chopped spring onion for decoration
* * * * * *
Ok,I just realised that the Beets were not cooked in the original recipe,but softened in Olive oil for 30 min.after being sliced,which is probably much healthier!
So I guess it`s your choice now,either you do that,which would probably be considered more “raw food”,or like I did-I just briefly cooked them in water(there are also pre-cooked vacum packages,though Im not very sure as to the remaining vitamin content left in them..?)
The Beets must be very thinly sliced with the aid of a Mandoline,which I personally do not have,though a very good knife did the job.
Strain Cashews from water and blend together with garlic clove and Miso paste,adding a bit of water enough to obtain a smooth consistency.
Add Salt and Pepper to your taste.
Place bottom layer of your Beet Ravioli on a plate and fill each one with a tsp of the filling.
Cover with top slice and garnish with finely chopped spring onion.
Enjoy!
More interesting links on the fabulous wonders of Beets!
I am not Italian,though I have this soft spot for anything connected to Italy,their esthetics,the language and..ofcourse the food.I guess it`s the Mediterranean thing,that and something I kind of inherited from my father.He`s not Italian either.He was born and grew up in Egypt,as I have mentioned earlier on in my blog.Alexandria in those days still carried a lot of Italian influence,along with many other foreign influences,as it was a very well known cosmopolitan place of trades due to it`s port,plus his mother was Greek from Yanina-near Corfu,and spoke Italian,since that region was once part of the “Venetian Kingdom”.His father went to an Italian highschool and later on went to Italy to study engraving,therefore they spoke Italian at home..Legend has it that every evening when my Grandfather came home,his first words to my Grandmother as he walked through the door were: “Rosa,ce carne?”(“Rosa,is there any meat?”) .Unfortunately I didnt get to meet him,but I dont think he would of been very content with my Vegan cuisine..
On the other side of the scale,as I researched upon preparing this recipe,I found out much to my surprise,that there is a very similar dish in the German cuisine called “Kloesse ” ,potato dumplings which are prepared very much in the same way,just larger in form.When I asked my mother who is from “Alsace” a German influenced region of France,she told me all about them..
Talk about difference of cultures,surrounding a similar dish,I just love that! Small world after all..eh?
Seriously,with all these mixed cultures(believe me it gets even more complex!) within my roots,is it any wonder I turned out such a Nomad searching this Earth for my home..?I meant that humoristically,as I am ever so grateful to the richness of influences and its probable contribution to my open state of mind and heart towards all cultures!
Now,shall we return to Italy ?I was inspired by Tony Tahhan a super talented whiz kid in the kitchen,who created a Mediterranean oriented food event,called “A taste of the Mediterranean” hosting each time a different mediterranean region,with a specific dish as a theme for fellow bloggers to present their variation.This month it`s Italy and together with him is Francesco from The food traveller,who has chosen the theme “Gnocchi”.
I love Potatoes,there`s just something so homey about them,and I love my Gnocchi very simple,no strong flavored sauce overuling that delicate sweetness of the potato.So I went for one of the Italian Classics,originally butter and Sage,with my adaptation using Olive oil instead of the butter.For the Gnocchis themselves I used Potatoes and wholewheat flour,I actually felt no need for the egg whatsoever.
Ingredients:
1 Lb Potatoes
1 cup Whole wheat flour
pinch of Salt
Sauce:
1/4 cup Olive oil
salt/pepper
2,3 tbs Fresh Sage leaves-chopped
* * * * * * *
Bring Potatoes to a boil in their skin,and continue to cook ,lowering flame just until firm but tender.
Immediately strain from water,make sure they are completely dry,and while still hot,peel and mash well with a fork.
Make sure you have a smooth puree without any chunks.
Add a pinch of salt,and 1 cup of whole wheat flour.
Mix in the puree,very delicately creating a “dough” without working it.
If you need, add a bit more flour,just enough for it not to stick,but remember this is not a pastry dough,it is to remain quite moist,but not sticky,
the base of this should be Potato and not flour.
Break off small chunks,rolling them onto a floured surface(as little flour as possible)into long finger -like sausages.
With a sharp knife ,slice off pieces a little less about 1/2 inch.
Holding them very delicately,slide them against a fork tha lays upside down on the table,to create the stripes across the surface,which are meant to “hold” the sauce in,trying all along to maintain its basic shape.At first it may seem a bit crazy as it is so soft it deforms easily,but if you dont stress and carry it out as if youre holding cotton balls,you`ll get the hang of it after the first few.If not,just let go of the added decoration,and hold on to your basic shape,thats the main thing anyway.
In a large pot of boiling water,carefully drop in your Gnocchis,maintaining enough distance in between them so as not to stick to each other.After they rise to the surface ,take them out with a large slotted spoon,making sure you release any remaining liquid.
In a separate pan briefly warm the Olive oil,salt and pepper,and chopped sage leaves,and pour over the gnocchis.
buon Appetito!
