Moroccan Beet Salad

Beets are such a lovely vegetable- great color and have such a wonderful flavor, and they are another one of those superfoods that is rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that our bodies crave. I have always loved them and this dish is just another big reason why! Last summer, my family went to a mission open-house at a local church and had a great time talking to people from all around the world and sampling some wonderful food. While there, I found this beet salad and could not believe how good the flavors were. Near the end of the day, I asked someone about what was in it- she didn't know for sure because it was made by a local man from Morocco. She then offered me an entire large pan of it since there were a lot of leftovers, which I readily accepted. My husband and I were in heaven for the next few days eating the leftovers. After eating this and trying to figure out what this was made out of, I decided to try making it myself. I think the key to the great flavor is the cilantro, which I have never had with beets before. Somehow, the onion and cilantro give such a brightness with the sweetness of the beets and the marinade (dressing) imparts a subtle flavor that results in such wonderful combination! This is a great summer salad, but it is also great anytime of the year when you want a little different beet dish.

     Ingredients:
3  15 oz. canned beets, (drained, chopped into strips or cubes if not already done for you)
     or you may use approximately 5-6 cups cooked and chopped beets
1 medium red onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (may use more or less or substitute chopped fresh flat leaf parsley)
1/3 cup olive oil
2/3 cup vinegar (or may use 1/2 cup vinegar and 3 Tbsp lime juice)
3/4 tsp salt (may adjust to taste)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2/3 cup sugar  
   
     Directions:
Mix together olive oil, vinegar/lime juice, salt, pepper and sugar in a large bowl. Add in the prepared beets, onion and cilantro. Stir well. Refrigerate in a covered dish for at least 4 hours, mixing ingredients every couple hours. Mix again before serving.


Yields approximately 8-10   1/2 - 2/3 cup servings
     

Stuffed Eggplant

Between our garden providing quite a few lovely eggplant this summer and my husband not being able to pass up some reduced eggplant in the produce aisle at our grocery store, we have had our share of eggplant to eat up. So I was thinking about some of the different ways to prepare this and was not having much success with anything that struck my fancy. While talking to my Iraqi friend, she mentioned that she will sometimes prepare eggplant stuffed with rice and meat. The light bulb went on inside my head, and I remembered that I had some leftover prepared Kasha (buckwheat) pilaf mixed with ground beef that would probably be wonderful inside the eggplant. I contemplated using some Turkish spice mixture I recently purchased, but noted that it had some cayenne pepper and was not sure how hot it would be. Since my children will not eat anything too hot, I decided to skip this and used some Greek seasoning, as well as some Za'atar seasoning mix to coat the inside of the eggplant.

I was very happy with the results, and my entire family seemed to really enjoy it, also. Note that I had prepared the buckwheat as on the box's instructions with beef broth instead of water and also had added some seasoned salt, as well as the chopped vegetables- carrots, celery, onion, garlic. The ground beef was cooked with seasoned salt and "Sofrito"- a blend of garlic, onion, green pepper and many other spices blended together. So both were already flavorful. Rice or other types of grain like quinoa or couscous would also be wonderful and would be best seasoned well as it is cooked.

Ingredients:

* 2-3 larger eggplants, cut in half and hollowed out, saving the inner flesh (I also used some yellow summer squash that I cut in half and removed the seeds)
* 2-3 cups buckwheat Kasha pilaf prepared or other types of cooked grains
* oil
* Greek seasoning blend- may use instead Italian herb blend, seasoned salt or oregano, garlic powder, parsley, pepper, thyme, marjoram
* Za'atar seasoning- contains sumac, thyme, sesame seeds and salt (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 9x13inch pan and arrange eggplant or squash pieces in the pan. Chop any eggplant meat that was removed into chunks that will be placed on top at the end of preparation. Spread oil over the inside of the eggplant/squash and then begin seasoning them liberally with your desired seasonings/herbs. Mound up the Kasha or prepared grain over top of the eggplant or squash and place any extra into the pan around the eggplant. Put the chopped eggplant meat that has been tossed with some oil over top of the grain mixture and then sprinkle with more seasoning/seasoned salt. Grease/oil some aluminum foil and cover the pan and bake for approximately 30 minutes. It may require more or less time depending on the size and thickness of the eggplant. You may check occasionally after 25 minutes by pricking with a fork. When the eggplant is soft, it is finished baking.

Serves 4-6 people.  Is good with a salad and some flatbread.

**Buckwheat is not very popular in the U.S. but is loaded with fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamin and minerals. I was surprised to learn that it is not a grain but actually the fruit seed from a plant originating in Asia. It has a little stronger flavor but is really tasty when prepared using the whole or coarsely ground kernels. I prefer it best cooked with either beef or chicken broth and plenty of herbs/seasoned salt. Many people also use the buckwheat flour for pancakes or cook the whole kernels (groats) for a hot cereal. In some cultures, it is used to make noodles and is also cooked in soups.  Try google-ing buckwheat health benefits if you are interested in more information. You will find so much information and other ways the grain is used.

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Hummus (Chickpea/Garbanzo Bean Dip)

Although almost every food blog or website has a recipe for hummus, I decided to add one of my versions to the mix.  This is a Middle Eastern food that is popular all around the world for good reason. It is extremely nutritious, and also full of flavor with so many different ways to vary it. It can be as simple or as complex as you wish. Another added plus is that it is so easy to make. If you have a food processor or  blender, you can whip this up in very little time. Traditionally, it is served with pita, but it is great with vegetables, crackers (I love them with triscuits), on sandwiches, chips, and the list could go on.

Ingredients:

2  15 oz. cans of garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
2-4 Tbsp tahini (optional- this is a butter made of sesame seeds that adds to the creaminess of the dip)
2-3 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp. powdered cumin
1/4 tsp powdered mustard
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 - 1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp celery salt
1/4 tsp marjoram
3-4 palmfuls of chopped fresh parsley leaves
3-4 culantro leaves, finely chopped or 4 palmfuls of chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 1/2 tsp seasoned salt (I like Goya Adobo with cumin or pepper)
2 raw garlic cloves, put through a garlic press or minced very finely
1/3- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
3-4 Tbsp olive oil (more or less)

Blend everything together, adjusting the oil and yogurt as desired until a creamy consistency is obtained. May need to adjust salt depending on your taste. Mix the dip well. Refrigerate for at least 6-8 hours for the spices to blend well.

 This makes approximately 4 cups- if cutting the recipe in half, you do not need to use exactly half of the spices in the recipe- it is quite forgiving and could probably stand to have a little more than half of the spices that are listed in small amounts.

* Another option is to use roasted garlic instead of fresh- put the garlic cloves in a foil packet with a little butter or olive oil in the oven at 400 degrees F for about 20 minutes, or in a frying pan over medium heat on the stovetop until softened and golden brown. Then put through the blender with the other ingredients.

It is also popular to make this with roasted red peppers (various types), as well as sundried tomatoes, a little feta cheese-- let your imagination go wild.

Homemade Yogurt

Yogurt has such a universal appeal and is found in almost every nationality's cuisine. It is easily substituted for sour cream and is so full of beneficial bacteria essential for our bodies to stay healthy. If you strain it longer than you would for making Greek yogurt and keep squeezing out the extra liquid, you can make a yogurt cheese that is like cream cheese. I have wanted to make yogurt for many years. In fact, I bought a yogurt maker about 10-12 years ago. However, since I am a notorious procrastinator with my fingers in too many pots, it was not until recently that I decided I needed to give it a try. Part of the impetus was the rising cost of yogurt and the fact that they are full of sugar. Since my youngest is recently Type I diabetic, I decided it would be good to try making some with Xylitol, since I really do not care for the other chemically altered/produced artificial sweeteners.

Here is the picture of the type of yogurt maker that I used, which holds about 2 quarts or slightly more.

This is basically a small plastic pail with a handle and lid that snaps on tightly, then sets down into a styrofoam insulated tub with an insulated lid.  I have seen others write about putting the yogurt in glass jars with lids and wrapping them up in towels or newspaper to be stored in a small styrofoam cooler or some other type of cooler that is thick (insulated with foam). Others even use a heating pad underneath the pot of yogurt mixture for the required amount of processing time. Basically anything that will help insulate the yogurt for about 8-12 hours will do the job. One of my newly purchased recipe books entitled The Indian Slow Cooker even has a recipe for making yogurt in the crockpot/slow cooker.

Notice I have a thermometer there. It is important to get the milk hot enough to take care of unwanted bacteria, but not too hot to boil or even scald the milk. You will also want to be sure you have brought the milk back down to the right temperature (110-118 degree F, or 45-48 degrees C) or else the culture you add will be killed quickly. There is only a small window of temperature that is ideal for the yogurt bacteria to reproduce.

I used the instructions that came with my yogurt maker because it seemed so easy. For the starter, I bought a small container of plain yogurt with no other additives, preservatives or thickeners. It is recommended in my instruction booklet that you get new starter about once a month in order to prevent problems from an aging culture. I am not sure if this is affected by whether you make yogurt more or less frequently. I kept some of the original yogurt aside to use later and put it in the freezer until needed.

Ingredients:

2 liters of milk (either homogenized, raw, 2 % or skimmed- I used 2%)
1/2 cup non-fat milk powder (optional)
2 tsp plain and unflavored gelatin (optional)
4 Tbsp plain yogurt or 1 packet yogurt culture

Put a 3 liter or 3-quart pot inside a larger pot filled with water (to make a double boiler). Pour the milk into the smaller pot and add the other ingredients, mixing together well. Heat the milk to 180 degrees F/ 82 degrees C, stirring regularly.

Meanwhile, have a sink partially filled with very cold water. After the milk has reached 180 degrees, place the pot in the cold water and  continue stirring and checking the temperature. When it reaches 118 degrees F/ 48 degrees C, add in a packet of yogurt culture or 4 Tbsp of last prepared plain yogurt (or store-bought). Mix well.

Pour mixture into a container rinsed with boiling water. Cover and wrap it up with either towels or newspaper, placing it in a cooler or styrofoam container, or placing it on a heating pad covered with towels.

Curdling requires at least 3-5 hours (some say 7-8 hours). I started mine before bed and checked it about 10  hours later and it was perfect. The longer you let it set, the stronger flavor it may have. However, my yogurt was very mild flavored even being left for 10 hours.

When the yogurt has been allowed to set adequate time, you may test it by seeing how firm it is. If it is firm enough, then stir the contents and then put into other smaller containers that have been dipped in boiling water, if desired. Cool in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, preferably longer.  When ready to eat, serve plain or with fruit, jam, fruit syrup or other sweeteners.

If you want a Greek-style yogurt, you may take a mesh drainer and line it with doubled cheesecloth. Put the yogurt into the cheesecloth, close it around the yogurt and then squeeze it tightly over the sink to express the extra liquid. You should then place it in a drainer sitting inside a larger bowl (making sure it sits up off the bottom of the bowl enough). Allow it to continue to drain for 2-3 hours. Then again take it and squeeze out any extra liquid. After that is complete, you may then remove the cheesecloth and store it in the refrigerator. The amount of yogurt will be reduced approximately by half from when you started, but it should be very thick.

Yogurt may be prepared from non-fat powdered milk, as well. To make 2 liters of non-fat milk, use 3 cups of milk powder and fill the remainder with water.  Gelatin delays production of liquid when the curd is cut into. Addition of milk powder increases firmness and nutritive value of the yogurt.

There is also a milk-reduction method I just learned about from a fellow food blogger on Spoon and Chopsticks.  Yogurt making is really not hard or time-consuming. It is so much cheaper and healthier to make your own. So be brave and give it a try. Don't procrastinate like I did!!!  Good luck.

Iraqi-style Stuffed Zucchini

The Iraqi people love stuffed foods. My Iraqi friend served these to us but in a little different shape. She took the small zucchinis and cut them in half in the middle- keeping a cylinder- and scooped out the center- making each like a little vessel. I thought that was a little too labor-intensive and decided to just cut them lengthwise.

After the meat was browned, the center pulp was then chopped up and sprinkled on top of the meat mixture.

Serves approximately 6.
Ingredients:

6-8 small-medium zucchini squash, cut in half lengthwise and hollowed out
1/2 pound ground beef or lamb
1 large onion, diced
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 - 3/4 tsp seasoned salt (I used Adobo with Cumin by Goya)
pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp cinnamon*
1/2  tsp cumin *
1 Tbsp dried parsley
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1/4 cup water (more or less)
paprika for garnish
olive oil

Directions:

• Prepare the zucchini; reserve the inside that has been removed. Lay down the zucchini in a baking dish face-up like a boat. Salt and lightly pepper the inside of the zucchini. 
• Sauté the meat, onion and garlic. Drain off the fat and then add the seasonings, paste and water. Put the meat mixture in the hollowed out parts of the zucchini. 
• Cut the reserved zucchini into chunks and toss with about 1-2 Tbsp olive oil. Spoon the zucchini chunks over top of the meat. 
• Sprinkle zucchini again with seasoned salt lightly, followed by paprika over top of everything. (May also use a Arabic Seven Spice mix in the meat as well as sprinkling on top of the zucchini for a more authentic flavor.)
• Bake for approximately 1 hour at 400 degrees covered or until the fork pierces the zucchini easily. Remove cover/foil and bake for about 10-15 more minutes to dry up any excess juice. 
• Serve over rice or with flat bread.

*Note- I also used about 2 Tbsp of sofrito mixture (a Hispanic blend of onion, green pepper, garlic, and various herbs like cilantro, culantro, parsley, oregano, cumin- all ground up together) in with the meat and seasonings as it was prepared.  See my blog soon for a posting on how to make your own sofrito- great for flavoring/seasoning all types of dishes.

Easy Yellow Split Pea Soup- Iraqi style

We have been enjoying so many of the foods prepared by an Iraqi family whom we have had the privilege of getting to know lately. Their family usually breaks their fast each evening during Ramadan by eating a date, then they proceed to a soup- often a lentil soup. My friend's version is often made with very tiny vermicelli pieces. Although they typically use red lentils, which are so good, I had some yellow split peas that I was wanting to use. I like the creaminess that comes with using split peas. Even though they eat this as a starter, I love this soup as the main course in the cold winter.

Makes about 3-4  servings.
Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, diced small
• 2 cloves garlic, minced very small (my addition)
• 1 cup yellow split peas
• 6 cups water
• 1-2 cubes chicken bouillon/flavoring
• Adobo seasoned salt with cumin (or salt) to taste
• 1/4 tsp black ground pepper
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp curry powder
• approximately 1/2 cup vermicelli, broken into small pieces, approximately 1-2 inches
• added water as needed

Directions:

• Sort the peas- pulling out the things not edible, then rinse well. 
• In a large pot, sauté onion and garlic in 1-2 Tbsp oil until turning a golden brown. 
• Add in rinsed peas, water, salt, pepper, parsley and bouillon to a boil and then lower the heat to medium-low. 
• Continue cooking in this way until split peas are soft and turning creamy- about 1 1/2- 1 3/4 hours, stirring occasionally. 
• Add the curry powder and additional water if needed to make it the proper soup consistency. 
• Add the vermicelli and continue to cook until the pasta is soft. It is then ready to serve.

*This could easily be adapted for the slow cooker- add everything except the curry and vermicelli (the onion/garlic should already be sautéed). Cook on high for 3 1/2 hours. After the soup is creamy, add the curry and vermicelli and allow to cook until the vermicelli is finished- approximately 20 minutes.

This soup is also wonderful over warm rice.

Syrian Nutmeg Cake

I made this cake recently and shared some with our Iraqi friends and it was well-liked. They do not typically like very rich desserts. Often, they will have some cake and tea (chai) for breakfast. This cake is unlike any other cake I have ever made in the way it was assembled. This is a wonderful moist cake that has a slightly crunchy crust/crumb bottom. The nutmeg is not overwhelming, as I was initially thinking it might be. All in all, it is a very nice cake for tea/coffee time. As an added bonus, it is quite easy to make.

Serves 9
Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup sour cream (I used my homemade yogurt, which turned out well)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts, pistachios)

Directions:

• Sift the first 3 dry ingredients into a mixing bowl and add the brown sugar and butter. 
• Blend until mixture is crumbly. 
• Grease 9 inch square cake pan. Spoon in half of crumb mixture and press lightly into the bottom of the pan. 
• In another smaller bowl, stir baking soda into sour cream or yogurt. Mix this into remaining crumb mixture along with the beaten egg. 
• Pour batter over crumbs and sprinkle with nuts. 
• Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick put in the center comes out pretty much clean. Serves 9.

*Recipe by Mary Casciato from the Elmira College Cookbook 1971.

MOU-FAR-RAH-KAY

This is a relatively easy Syrian/Middle Eastern dish.

Ingredients:

2 large zucchini, cubed
1/2- 1 pound ground beef
3 large onions, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt (or may use Adobo all purpose seasoned salt)
couple dashes of pepper
1/8 tsp of ground allspice
4 eggs

Steam the zucchini. Brown beef, garlic and onion. Drain. Add seasonings. Mix with zucchini and simmer until it is nearly soft. Make 4 small wells in the mixture. Drop one egg in each well; cover pan to poach eggs.

This is traditionally eaten by dipping it up with pita bread, or you may use a fork and eat the bread on the side.

*Recipe adapted from Janet Nazil from Whole Foods For the Whole Family La Leche League International Cookbook 1981.

Tabouli (Middle Eastern Salad)

Ingredients:

1/2 - 1 cup bulgur
2-4 cups water to cover
1-2 cups chopped fresh parsley (may use part cilantro, chopped)
1/3 cup chopped onion or green onions
1-3 tomatoes, chopped coarsely
1 medium cucumber, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced finely

Dressing:
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice or lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt or garlic salt, or less
dash or two of pepper
1 Tbsp fresh dill weed (1 tsp dried)
or 1 tsp dried oregano (optional)

Optional:
1 cup chopped fresh mint
1 cup sliced or chopped mushrooms
1 green pepper, diced
2-3 radishes, sliced
1/2 cup bean sprouts
2 hard cooked eggs, sliced
1-2 stalks celery, chopped
1 large shredded carrot
lettuce
pita bread
feta cheese chunks

Soak bulgur in water until soft. Chop vegetables finely; stir into the bulgur. Combine dressing ingredients; stir into salad. Chill. Serve on lettuce or in pita bread. Garnish with feta cheese, if desired.

*Recipe by Maureen Curry and Marilynn Berry in the Whole Foods For The Whole Family cookbook by La Leche League International 1981.