Food Passion and Love

This is a very comforting hearty soup on a cold day.You could use butternut squash in place of pumpkin. This soup is Vegetarian, Vegan, and Gluten Free!

Pumpkin Soup

Calories 151 ; Total Fat 4g; Carbohydrates 26g; Protein 6g

Makes 10 servings.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup black eye beans
1/2  cup mung beans
1/2 cup rice
7 cups  Pumpkin, Raw, 1″ Cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tbsp turmeric
5 tsp sugar
2 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper

Directions:

Sauté the onion in olive oil until just past translucent. Add turmeric and mix well. set it aside.

Add black eye beans, mung beans, and the rice to a large pot. Add about 10 cups of water. Season with salt and a touch of pepper. Cover and cook on medium high for about 40 minutes.

Cut pumpkin into sections, then remove seeds and strings. Remove pumpkin skin then cut into 1″ cubes.  Add diced pumpkin along with the onion mix. Continue cooking on medium low for 30 minutes. Make sure to stir the soup often during cooking time so that the bottom does not stick. Remove the soup with slotted spoon and place in a blender and puree. Return blended soup to pot. Depending on your preference as far as sweetnesss is concerned add anywhere from 4 to 5 teaspoon of sugar. Adjust seasoning as needed. Continue cooking for 10 minutes longer.This soup should  be very hearty and not too watery.

You could serve this soup in Pumpkin bowl, bread bowl or just soup bowl.

This is an easy recipe that is hearty, healthy, and colorful. Makes 10 servings.

Calories 315 ; Total Fat 1g; Carbohydrates 67; Protein 27g

Lentil Ragout With Spinach and Kale

Ingredients:

• 2 cups lentils
• 2 to 3 medium size sweet potatoes cut into cubes
• 4 cups chopped spinach
• 4 cups chopped Kale
• 1 large tomato or 2 medium tomatoes cut into small cubes
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• salt & pepper
• optional: nonfat Greek yogurt

Directions:

Add chopped onion, sweet potatoes and all your spices to a saucepan. Sauté the mixture for about two to three minutes to release the aromas and natural oils to enhance the flavor. Do not use any oil the moisture in the onion and sweet potatoes is enough. Wash the lentils in cold water and drain them. Add them to the pot with 6 cups of water. Simmer them for about 45 minutes. Make sure the lentils are cooked. Some variety of lentils takes less time to cook. Add your spinach, kale, and tomatoes to the saucepan, mix them well and put the lid back and let it simmer for 5 more minutes.

You may serve it hot in the cold winter day or cold in the hot summer day. Optional: you may add a tbsp of nonfat Greek yogurt to your serving bowl.

Adding avocados to pesto creates a healthy and creamy texture without using any oil.

Avocado Pesto with Pasta

Don’t be afraid to substitute ingredients.You can substitute walnuts with nuts like pecans or almonds. You can also substitute cilantro or spinach for basil as well.

Serve with pasta, over grilled chicken breast, spread over sandwich or use it on pizza dough.

Ingredients:

1 pound whole grain spaghetti or pasta of your choice

2 garlic cloves, peeled

3 cups fresh basil leaves

1 bundle of basil stalks, stripped of their leaves (optional)

2 avocados, pitted and peeled

1/2 cup walnuts

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Basil and Basil Stalks

Salt and pepper

Directions:

Add the garlic, avocado, basil, walnuts, lemon juice, salt and pepper to the food processor and pulse until the ingredients are smooth and creamy.

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add pasta and the basil stalks that have been stripped of their leaves and bundled together to the pot to add flavor(this is optional). Cook the pasta according to package directions.  Just before draining the pasta into a colander, remove 1 cup of pasta water; set aside. Drain the pasta, carefully remove the basil stalks, move the pasta to the bowl quickly. Stir in the pesto and toss.  The sauce should be evenly distributed with the pasta.  Add the pasta water  if your sauce seems too thick or dry.

This  aromatic and healthy dish is the traditional Persian New Year meal. The green color from all the hurbs is to say, spring has sprung.

Note:

Traditionally, this dish is served with white fish. I choose to use Petrale sole and steam it on top of the rice. You can really substitute for any type of fish that you fancy cooked in any way you know best. You could grilled, steamed, baked, fried, deep-fried, smoked,  or poached and serve it over this delicious rice.

Herb Rice with Fish

Ingredients

• Basmati rice – 2 cups
• 2 lbs Fish cleaned and fillet
• 2 bunches of green onion
• 2 bunches of dill
• 2 bunches of parsley
• One bunch of cilantro (optional)
• 4 cloves of garlic
• Salt and pepper

Methods:

Wash and chop all the herbs. You can use a food processor to chop all of the herbs including the garlic. I personally process the stems in with the leaves but that’s your choice. Mix all the herbs and garlic together and put it aside.

Add salt and pepper to the fish and set it aside.

Place your rice in a large bowl. Wash rice a few times until the water looks clear. This is a very important step to remove the starch from the rice. Bring salted water to a boil, place the rice in the boiling water and cook for about 5 to 10 minutes (this is according to the type of the rice you use). Make sure you stir the rice twice with a wooden spoon to loosen any grains that may have stuck to the bottom. Taste your rice. The grains should be soft on the outside but still firm in the center. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop additional cooking. Toss rice gently in colander.

Mixed Herb Rice with Fish

Return the saucepan to the heat and add couple of tbsp olive oil with 2 tbsp of water till you hear sizzling sound. Pile up the rice and herbs on top in the shape of a pyramid. This shape leaves room for the rice to expand and enlarge. You want to lightly “fluff” the herbs into the rice to incorporate as you go along.

Poke one or two holes in the rice pyramid with the handle of a wooden spatula. This is done for steaming purposes. Add 2-3 tbsp of olive oil on top. Place the fish fillet on top of the rice. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 minutes unit rice is steaming, then reduce the heat to medium low and place a clean dish towel or 2 layers of paper towels over the pot and cover firmly with the lid to prevent steam from escaping. Cook for 30-40 minutes.

Carefully remove the fish and put it in a plate. Using one spatula full of rice at a time, place the rice on a serving platter without disturbing the crust. Finally, you remove the crusty bottom which is called tahdig and place it in a separate smaller plate.

Nutritional Facts:

Parsley:  is rich in anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber which helps control blood cholesterol levels, prevents constipation, protects body from free radicals mediated injury and from cancers. Parsleyhas been rated as one of the plant source with highest anti-oxidant activities.

Dill: contains many anti-oxidants, vitamins like niacin, pyridoxine etc, and dietary fibers which help to control blood cholesterol levels. Dill is known for it’s soothing effect on the stomach and digestive system.

Green Onion: are a good source of Thiamin, Riboflavin, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Copper, and a great source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Potassium and Manganese. Green onion can regulate immune system function and is also very effective in the prevention of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

Cilantro:  is rich in anti-oxidants and dietary fiber which help reduce LDL or “bad cholesterol” while increasing HDL or “good cholesterol” levels. The herb is a good source of minerals like potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, and magnesium. The National Cancer Institute has determined that cilantro is among the group of herbs with anti-cancer properties.

Garlic: Garlic has many benefits. It is very helpful in the digestion process and reduces the cholestrol level  in the body. Garlic also control the blood pressure and the sugar, and it is very useful for the treatment of stomach problem and colon cancer.

Rice:Because of high carbohydrates, rice is often considered an unhealthy food.  However, rice does contain vitamins and minerals such as thiamine, niacin, iron, riboflavin, vitamin D, calcium, and fiber. It is low in fat and can help fill you up as part of a healthy diet. If you are dieting,  just watch your overall intake.

Fish: in general most fish are low in fat and cholesterol and a good source of protein, which makes them a good choice for a healthy diet. All fish are a good source of B vitamins and oil-rich fish are a good source of vitamins A and D. Many fish also provide a good source for calcium. Some types of fish are very low in fat,  the fattier fish types contain healthy essential fatty acids (omega-3) that are actually very good for the body. White fish types are rich in vitamin B12 and oily fish are rich in vitamins A, B12 and D.

Ingredients

Meatball Stew

Meatballs:
• One pound ground beef or chicken
• 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh green onion
• 2 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• 1 teaspoon dried mint
• 1/2 medium onion
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Hearty Meatball Stew:
• 1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, sliced (about 1 cup)
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 4 cups of chicken broth
• 11/2 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions
For the meatballs: Place the garbanzo beans in the food processor and process it until smooth. Add onion, egg, and meat to the food processor and pulse the mixture until it is evenly mixed. Move the mixture to a large bowl and add all the herbs and salt and pepper. Blend the mixture thoroughly with your hands. Form the mixture into 10 to 16 meatballs. Arrange the meatballs on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet until ready to use.
Heat the oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions, cook until soft about 4 minutes. Add salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and tomato paste, stir it well. Add the chicken broth; bring the mixture to a boil. Add the meatballs one by one to the boiling broth. Reduce the heat to simmer, cover the pan and cook until the liquid is reduced to about two cups, about 45 minutes.

Serve it with twice toasted wheat pita bread

It can be hard to find the time to make a  healthy homemade meal. This is a very easy recipe to make. It won’t take long to make at all, and it’s quite good! It is low fat since we are using chicken breast and no oil!

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of diced fresh tomatoes
• 1 lbs  chicken breast (ground it in food processor)
• 3 medium size red potatoes peeled and cut into cubes
• one medium onion chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic chopped
• 1/2 of red bell pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• red pepper flakes (optional)
• Salt & Pepper as needed

Directions:

Add the onion, garlic and the potatoes to a saucepan with all the spices. Saute them to release the aromas and natural oils to enhance the flavor. You do not need any oil, the moisture in the onion and potatoes help in this process. Add the meat to the mixture and saute them for about two to three minutes more until well brown. Add the diced tomatoes and turn the heat down and simmer it for about 45 minutes. I just let the whole thing simmer to reduce the liquid and make the dish thicker.

You can serve this dish with wheat pitta bread.

Pomegranate and Beet Soup

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup of yellow split peas
• 1 onion sliced
• 1/4 cup rice
• 2 small to medium beet, peeled and cubed
• 1 1/2 cups chopped beet leaves
• 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh spinach
• 1 cup pomegranate juice or 2 tablespoons of Pomegranate Syrup
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried mint

Directions:

Saute the onions with turmeric without using any oil for about 1 minute. Add the yellow split peas, rice and about 7 cups of water to the stock pot. Bring it to boil and cover and simmer for at least 30 minutes.

Add the beets, salt, pepper and continue cooking over low heat for another 30 minutes. Add the spinach, beet leaves and pomegranate juice and simmer for another 20 to 25 minutes. At this point taste it, if you like it sour add more pomegranate juice if by any chance is too sour add a little sugar to bring it to your desire taste. Take a note of it so you know how much pomegranate juice to add to your soup for the next time.

Add the dried mint to the soup just before removing from stove.

The Facts:  According to John Heinerman, in the Encyclopedia of Healing Juices, beets are a blood-building herb that detoxifies blood and renews it with minerals and natural sugars. Beet greens or leaves are an excellent source of carotenoids, flavonoid anti-oxidants, and vitamin A.

This dish can also be made vegetarian by substituting the chicken with tofu or whole mushrooms. Also use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
You can also substitute chicken with beef.

Celery stew

Ingredients:

• 1 lb chicken breast, cut in 1-inch cubes
• 1 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 8-10 celery stalks, washed and cut into 1 inch lengths
• 2 bunches of parsley washed and finely chopped
• 2 tbsp dried mint
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1/3 – 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• salt & pepper to taste

In a large pot, brown onions, garlic with chicken breast for about 2-3 minutes. Add turmeric and pepper to the chicken stir for 5 more minutes (do not add salt). Pour in 3 cups chicken broth.  Cover the pot with the lid and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.

In a large non-stick frying pan, sauté the celery in its own liquid for about 10-15 minutes.  Add chopped parsley and continue sautéing for 5 more minutes or until wilted. Remove from heat and stir in mint and flour to the mixture and mix it very well.

Add celery, mint, parsley, salt to the meat and continue cooking for about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add lemon juice to the stew (start with 1/3 cup and add more later, if needed). Cover and simmer over low heat for 15 more minutes.

This kind of stews usually will be fully cooked in 1 1/2 hours. However, it is better to cook them on the lowest heat setting for an additional hour at least.

Taste the stew and adjust seasoning accordingly. Serve with white rice or brown rice.

Homemade Beef Stock

Eshkeneh is an ancient Persian breakfast soup that is economical, delicious and easy to prepare. I realize that this food is not photogenic.  I wish there were easier way to translate the wonderful tastes found in this dish into a visually appealing photograph. It is one of my son’s favorite breakfast food.

Breakfast Soup

Ingredients:
Serves 4

1 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
4 medium red potatoes, peel and cut into small cube
11/2 tablespoon tomato paste
5 eggs, use more if you prefer
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Salt and pepper to taste
4 cups Water
2 tablespoon oil

Directions:

In a large pot heat 2 tablespoons of oil, when hot add the onions and saute over medium heat until golden brown. Add turmeric, potatoes, and tomato paste, saute for 5 minutes; stir well to mix all the ingredients. Add 4 cups of water, salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes on medium-low heat.
Beat 1 whole egg and 4 egg whites lightly and add to the Eshkaneh. Stir to get the marble effect from the eggs and keep the eggs from lumping together.  After two minutes, add one egg yolk at a time, do not mix because we want to keep them whole. Depending on how you like your eggs. 3 minutes will produce runny yolks and 6 minutes will give you hard egg yolks. Adjust the seasoning before serving.

Serve it with twice toasted wheat pita bread and make sure everyone has a poached egg. The toasted bread would soften in the Eshkeneh and create a hearty bowl of thick soup.

Chinese Kung Pao chicken, without all the guilt! This low calorie kung pao chicken recipe is full of flavor but not heavy on calories. I lower the fat in this Chinese dish by decreasing the amount of oil and increasing the spice and vegetables.

Kung Pao Chicken

Ingredients: 
• 1 pound chicken tenders, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 12 dried red chili peppers cut in half and remove the seeds
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 2 cups broccoli
• 4 cups shredded green cabbage
• 1 ½ cups asparagus diagonally cut or 2 inner ribs celery, cut crosswise 1/2 inch thick
• 1/3 cup dry roasted peanuts or cashews
• 2 green onions, cut into 3 inch lengths

mixed vegetables

Marinade: 
• 4 teaspoons soy sauce
• 4 teaspoons rice wine
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Sauce: 
• 1/4 cup dark soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice wine
• 2 teaspoons white sugar

Directions

Combine the ingredients for marinade and mix together. Place chicken pieces in a bowl and add marinade. Toss to coat. Cover dish and place in refrigerator for about 25 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the dark soy sauce, rice wine, and sugar. Set aside.

Peel the asparagus if necessary, snap off the stems at the bottom.

Heat 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil in wok or skillet over high heat. When hot add the chicken pieces. Cook until the chicken has turned white on the outside and is still a bit pink in the center; about 2-3 minutes. Remove the chicken. Add the remaining 1/2 Tbs. oil to the skillet. Add the garlic and chilis; cook and stir until the garlic begins to turn brown and the peppers begin to darken.

Add red bell pepper, asparagus and chicken cook for 1 minute, stirring. Add broccoli and shredded cabbage to the skillet and cook for another 1 minute. Add the prepared sauce to skillet, and bring to a boil, cook until a mixture thickens about 30 seconds.  Stir in the peanuts and green onion until the green onion becomes limp. Serve immediately over plain or whole grain brown rice.

Note: Increase or decrease the amount of dried red chili peppers to suit your spice threshold, and simply pick them off your plate if you want the flavor without the fire.

This is a very simple, fresh and healthy salad that accompanies any type of food. You could serve this salad with rice or with grilled lean meat, fish, or chicken.

Tomato Cucumber salad can be made up to 24 hours ahead of time to allow flavors to blend. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Tomato Cucumber Salad

Note – You can add fresh herbs, such as basil or mint, to this salad for even more flavor!

Ingredients

• 3 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 English cucumber, peeled and diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2-3 tablespoon lemon juice
• salt & pepper

Directions

1. In a medium serving dish, toss the tomatoes, cucumbers and onion with lemon juice and salt & pepper. Mix well and serve cool.

Health benefits of Cucumber- Cucumber is an excellent source of vitamin C , A , folate, manganese, molybdenum, potassium, silica, sulfur, and lesser amounts of vitamin B complex, sodium, calcium, phosphorus and chlorine.

Cucumber is the answer to a happy and healthy skin. It helps in soothing and softening your skin which can get you relaxed in no time.

Health benefits of Tomato- The tomato is also an excellent source of vitamin C  and a good source of vitamin A.

Tomatoes are filled with lycopene which is an antioxidant that protects cells from oxygen damage, certain cancers (breast, lung, prostate, colorectal, and pancreatic), and heart disease.

Health benefits of Onion- Onions are very low in calories and fats; but rich in soluble dietary fiber.

Garbanzo beans with Quinoa Veggie-Balls

I made these incredibly easy and tasty veggie-balls over the weekend for my family and they LOVED it! Even my son who is extremely picky liked it!! Great finger food for a party.

I love quinoa because it contains the most complete proteins of any grain,  provides all the essential amino acids in a balanced pattern, contains no gluten , it is light, tasty, and easy to digest, and it is quick and easy to prepare.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 2 (15.5 ounce) cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• salt
• black pepper

Direction:

Wash quinoa well with cold water, this process help to remove the high levels of sapponin that coats the outside of the seed, and keeps it from being bitter once cooked. Try to use large sieve or a strainer and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Bring one cup salted water to a boil, place the quinoa in the boiling water. Reduce heat to low, cook until liquid is absorbed, 12 to 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Pour them to a large bowl and let it cool.

Add the beans to your food processor. Once the beans are chopped finely, add the onion, parsley, salt, pepper and 1/2 tsp turmeric to the food processor.Once all of them chopped finely, add them to the bowl with quinoa and mix well with your hands (you may need to wet your hands with the water in the bowl as you mix).

Run your hands under a slow stream of water to moisten them. You may need to wet your hands from time to time. Shape the meatballs size of golf balls, firmly packed.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.  Bake them for about 30-35 minutes or until they are cooked and browned. Let the Veggie-Balls to cool off because they are easiest to move once cooled.

Serve these veggie-balls with the cucumber yogurt sauce on the side.

This is a  great alternative to fat-loaded dips. It is very mild in taste so you can use it for just about anything.

Cucumber Yogurt Dip or Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (non-fat) Greek yogurt
• 1 med. Cucumber peeled, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• salt
• black pepper

(Options or Additions: 1 tbsp. chopped chives or scallion)

Direction:

In a bowl, combine yogurt, cucumber, mint, dill,  salt and pepper. Mix them well and refrigerate until ready to serve.

These amazing meatballs has only 60 cal, 7g  protein, 6g fiber, 5.71g  carbs, and 0.28g  fat.

Health Benefits of Garbanzo Beans

Garbanzo Beans are good for boosting energy levels. They are an excellent source of manganese, an essential helper in the body’s energy production system and are low in calories.

Garbanzo Beans and Chicken Breast Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 1 pound chicken breast
• 2 (15.5 ounce) cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 tsp turmeric
• salt
• black pepper

  [img credit: Reza Kazemini]

Direction:

Add the beans to your food processor. Once the beans are chopped finely, add the onion, chicken breast, salt, pepper and 1/2 tsp turmeric to the food processor. Once all of them chopped finely add them to a large bowl and mix well with your hands (you may need to wet your hands with the water in the bowl as you mix). Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Run your hands under a slow stream of water to moisten them. You may need to wet your hands from time to time. Shape the meatballs size of golf balls and bake them for about 20 minutes.

Garbanzo Beans with Chicken Breast Meatballs and Yogurt Cucumber Dip

At this stage you could either add them to your favorite pasta sauce or my favorite just add them to the following broth.

Add about two cups of water or fat free chicken broth to a pot. Add salt, pepper, 1/2 tsp turmeric and bring it to boil. Add the meat balls one by one to the broth and simmer for 20 minutes till all the liquid are absorbed.

They are best to have with pita bread and cucumber yogurt sauce (check the recipe on blog). The cucumber yogurt sauce/dip can turn these meatballs tasting rather plain to really exciting dish.

These days everybody talks about quinoa and are wondering, what is quinoa?

quinoa Plant

Quinoa is the hottest new superfood and one of the world’s most perfect foods.  Quinoa is a leafy green vegetable similar to spinach.

Quinoa is one of the most nutrient rich grains around, is a good source of iron (needed to transport oxygen around the body), B vitamins (needed for energy), calcium and magnesium (needed for healthy nervous system function), and vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant. Quinoa releases its carbohydrates into the body very slowly so helps people with diabetes by maintain blood sugar levels. Quinoa is a gluten-free and cholesterol-free whole grain.

It has all 9 essential amino acids making it a complete protein that are needed to human nutritional function and nutrition. The FAO (U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization) says it is so nutritious it can be substituted for mother’s milk.

Note:

Wash quinoa well with cold water, this process help to remove the high levels of sapponin that coats the outside of the seed, and keeps it from being bitter once cooked. Try to use large sieve or a strainer and rinse thoroughly with cold water.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 to 3 medium size red potatoes cut into cubes
• 1 medium-sized carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 med. head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1/2 med. head broccoli, cut into florets
• 1/2 butternut squash, peeled and diced
• 2 cups chicken broth, 99% fat free or vegetable broth for vegetarian
• 1/4 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne or other ground red pepper (or to taste)
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• salt/pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spread the butternut squash, potatoes, carrots, broccoli, and the cauliflowers on a baking sheet. Spray with Pam olive oil. Sprinkle some salt, pepper and red chili pepper to the vegetables and bake it in the oven for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the onions and garlic to a large saucepan and saute till soften ( do not use any oil). Add the quinoa, broth and curry powder to the pan and stir thoroughly. Reduce heat to low, cook until liquid is absorbed, 12 to 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork.  Take the vegetables out of the oven and add them to the saucepan, add salt to taste. Mix them well and serve it .

Rice with Mung Beans and Black Eyed Beans

Rice with mung beans and black eyed beans is a simple, healthy and delicious dish.

Black eyed beans are a great source of magnesium, iron, folate and protein. In the American South, eating black-eyed peas and greens (such as collards) on New Year’s Day is considered good luck: the peas symbolize coins and the greens symbolize paper money.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups dried mung beans, picked over and washed
• 1 1/2 cups dried black eyed beans, picked over and washed
• 4 cups basmatic rice, washed and drained
• 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 pound ground beef or turkey (for vegetarian skip the meat)
• 1/3 teaspoon turmeric
• salt/pepper
• 4 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil and simmer mung beans on low for 20 – 30 minutes, or until tender.
Drain water and set aside.

Rice with Mung Beans

In another  non-stick heavy bottom pot , saute the chopped onions, garlic and the ground meat without adding any oil for about 3-4 minutes (skip the meat for vegetarian recipe). Add the black eye beans and two cups of water and stir thoroughly and cook them together for one hour or until the beans are cooked.

Place your rice in a large bowl. Wash rice a few times until the water looks clear. This is a very important step to remove the starch from the rice. Bring salted water to a boil, place the rice in the boiling water and cook for about 10 minutes. Make sure you stir the rice twice with a wooden spoon to loosen any grains that may have stuck to the bottom. Taste your rice. The grains should be soft on the outside but still firm in the center. At this point add the mung beans to the rice stir it once. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop additional cooking. Toss rice and mung beans gently in colander.

Return the saucepan to the heat and add couple of tbsp olive oil with 2 tbsp of water till you hear sizzling sound. Add 1/3 of the rice to the saucepan then pour 1/3 of the black eye beans mixture to the rice and repeat this till done.
Poke one or two holes in the rice with the handle of a wooden spatula. This is done for steaming purposes. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil on top.

Cover and cook on high for 4-5 minutes unit rice is steaming, then reduce the heat to medium low and place a clean dish towel or 2 layers of paper towels over the pot and cover firmly with the lid to prevent steam from escaping. Cook for 40-50 minutes.

Using one spatula full of rice at a time, place the rice on a serving platter without disturbing the crust. Finally, you remove the crusty bottom which is called tahdig and place it in a separate smaller plate.

This lasagna is a simple and easy dinner recipe for your picky families!  Each lasagna noodle is layered with a filing that satisfies the diet and taste of your families.  You can make one  with meat sauce, another with vegetable fillings, and another one with just cheese or no cheese just tomato sauce. The fun part is that you can cook them all in the same casserole dish.

You can make a huge platter and freeze it for a later date. Do not add the cheese to the lasagna if freezing .

Tips on tomato sauce: I prepare the tomato sauce on weekends when I have a little more time. This is an easy and quick to prepare sauce which is excellent

You could use a jar of spaghetti sauce for a faster and simpler recipe.

Vegetarian and Meat Lasagna

Ingredients for Fillings:

• 8 whole lasagna noodles
• One cup chopped onion
• 4 tsp. chopped garlic
• 8 oz. lg. mushrooms, wiped clean & sliced
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2-2 1/2 teaspoons Parmesan cheese

Ingredients for Tomato Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion
• 4-5 cloves garlic
• 1 (28 ounce) can of peeled tomato
• 1(28 ounce) can of tomato with basil and garlic
• I (6 ounce) can of tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 bay leave
• 1/4 teaspoon Basil
• 1/4 teaspoon Oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 cup of milk (optional if it is too thick)
• salt and black pepper

Direction:

Tomato Sauce

Combine olive oil, onion and garlic in a large deep skillet and saute lightly. Stir in tomatoes, bay leave, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, paprika and sugar to the pot. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 2 hours. Add the tomato paste, milk (if it is too thick), basil and oregano to the sauce and simmer for another 30 minutes.

Cook lasagna noodles in plenty of boiling salted water until al dente, about 12 minutes; drain. Let noodles sit in bowl of cool water until ready to use.

Cooking Directions for Vegetarian:

Combine ½ cup chopped onion, 2 tsp. chopped garlic and mushroom in a large frying pan and saute lightly. Stir in 3 tablespoon of tomato sauce. Simmer covered for 15 minutes. Set it aside.

Directions for Meat Eaters:
Combine ½ cup chopped onion, 2 tsp. chopped garlic, ground beef, salt and pepper to a large pan and saute them until they start to brown. Stir in 1/2 cup of tomato sauce and simmer covered for 20 minutes. Set it aside.

Layered Lasagna

Take a shallow 4 quart baking dish. Spoon about 2 cups of the tomato sauce over the bottom of the dish. Take one lasagna noodle from the water and add 3 tablespoons of the mushroom mixture and sprinkle of mozzarella cheese along the full length then roll it up and turn it on its end and place it in the baking dish. Repeat this with as much vegetarian lasagna you needed and place them next to each other. Place one piece of mushroom on top of each roll to be able to know which one is vegetarian.

Roll Ups Lasagna

Repeat this with the meat sauce mixture. Make sure you place them next to each other and add a little meat sauce on them of each to distinguish which is which. Spoon the remaining tomato sauce over roll-ups.

Cover the lasagna pan with foil and bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for one hour. Remove foil, sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese on top and bake uncovered for another 5-10 minutes or until cheese melts and top is lightly browned.Let stand 5 minutes. Serve it!

You will be impressed by the taste and how healthy this food is for you. Leftovers reheated nicely too.

Vegan: For vegan version substitute the ground beef with 1 pkg. Gimme LEAN!  Ground beef style. Warning: Gluten-Free diet people, Gimme Lean contains wheat.

meatballs with herb and rice

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1/2 cup white basmati rice
• 1/2 cup yellow split peas
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 bunch parsley, chopped
• 1 bunch green onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoons dried dill
• 1 tablespoons dried tarragon
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 6 cups of water
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Add the yellow split peas to boiling salted water and cook till tender about 30 minutes, drain in a colander and set it aside.

Bring salted water to a boil, place the rice in the boiling water and cook for about 10 minutes. Make sure you stir the rice twice with a wooden spoon to loosen any grains that may have stuck to the bottom. Taste your rice. The grains should be soft on the outside but still firm in the center. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop additional cooking. Toss rice gently in colander and set it aside.

Combine ground beef, rice, split peas, chopped parsley, chopped green onion, dried dill, dried tarragon, salt and pepper.  Mix well together and roll into balls, 2-1/2 inches in diameter, firmly packed.

Saute onions and garlic with olive oil until brown in a large pot. Add water, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and place the meatballs into the boiling water. The water should just cover the balls. Reduce the heat and cook covered for 45 minutes.

Serve in bowls with broth.

A Tasty Naturally Gluten-Free Bell Pepper Stuffed with Mung Beans and Rice

Green Mung Beans

Mung beans are a popular alternative to meat for vegetarians and also good for losing weight and maintaining good general health. They provide an excellent source of dietary fiber, potassium and a balanced nutritional value. They are also cleansing in nature. Mung beans are a great source of the B-complex vitamins which is necessary for energy production and the well-being of the nervous system.

Mung Beans are also good ingredient for gluten-free diet foods.They taste a little bit like yellow split peas.  They are small and green and come whole or split.  I used whole in this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 8 medium-size green bell peppers or a combination of green, red or yellow peppers
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 11/2 cup rice
• 1 cup green mung beans
• 1 bunch parsley, chopped
• 1 bunch green onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoons dried dill
• 1 tablespoons dried tarragon
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 3 Tablespoons paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes(omit if you don’t want it spicy)
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons Del Monte’s tomato sauce (Del Monte’s brands is Gluten-free)
• 2-3 cups of water
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

Add the mung beans to boiling salted water and cook till tender about 30 minutes, drain in a colander and set it aside.

Stuffed Bell Pepper

Place your rice in a large bowl. Wash rice a few times until the water looks clear. This is a very important step to remove the starch from the rice. Bring salted water to a boil, place the rice in the boiling water and cook for about 10 minutes. Make sure you stir the rice twice with a wooden spoon to loosen any grains that may have stuck to the bottom. Taste your rice. The grains should be soft on the outside but still firm in the center. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop additional cooking. Toss rice gently in colander and set it aside.

Add onion and garlic to a pan and sauté them with two tablespoon olive oil. When turned to a golden color adds turmeric, paprika, pepper flakes, and herbs.  Add the cooked mung beans and rice to the mixture and mix well.

Cut out the top of each bell pepper in a circular shape. After cutting out the top empty out the contents inside and remove all the seeds and then rinse the bell peppers.

Spoon the rice and herb mixture into the bell peppers , and then put the tops back on the peppers.  Place the stuffed peppers in a large pot, add water, tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, and then turn down to a low simmer. Allow to simmer for about an hour until the peppers are well cooked.

You can also bake this dish in a pre-heated oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 50 minutes.

What is Gluten? Gluten is the elastic protein found in grains like barley, wheat and rye and almost anything made from these grains. It works like glue that makes bread nice and chewy. Gluten is very nutritious and is very good for you if you are not allergic to it.

Small Intestine Lining

Healthy and Damaged Villi

What is Celiac Disease? People who has allergy to gluten suffer from celiac disease. In people with celiac disease, gluten attacks the small intestine lining and damages the tiny villi. The function of the villi is to absorb nutrients and with damaged villi the body is not able to take in enough vitamins and minerals which result in celiac disease. Without villi, a person becomes malnourished–regardless of the quantity of food eaten.

What is Gluten-Free Diet? People with celiac and other gluten intolerance issues must eat gluten free foods for their entire lives in order to maintain their health. Living a gluten-free lifestyle can seem to be nearly impossible, but because it is gaining popularity it’s getting easier. It was really difficult to find any gluten-free foods that tasted very good, but that seems to be changing as manufacturers develop new recipes and new products hit the market. There are a lot of online resources that offer tips, recipes, and medical advises as well.
Gluten free foods are like unprocessed fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs, meats, fish and poultry and anything that is not made with wheat, barley, and rye.

A house is not a home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body.

Benjamin Franklin

Tah Cheen (Saffron Rice)

Tah Cheen (Saffron Rice)

Ingredients:

• 4 cups basmati or long grain rice
• 4 tablespoon yogurt
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron
• 2 eggs
• olive oil
• salt
• black pepper

Directions

Beat eggs in a mixing bowl. Stir in yogurt,salt and pepper. Dissolve saffron in two tablespoon of hot water and add it to the yogurt mixture.

Place your rice in a large bowl. Wash rice a few times until the water looks clear. This is a very important step to remove the starch from the rice. Bring salted water to a boil, place the rice in the boiling water and cook for about 10 minutes. Make sure you stir the rice twice with a wooden spoon to loosen any grains that may have stuck to the bottom. Taste your rice. The grains should be soft on the outside but still firm in the center. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop additional cooking.

Add the rice to the yogurt mixture and mix them very well. Return the saucepan to the heat and add couple of tbsp olive oil with 2 tbsp of water till you hear sizzling sound. Add the rice mixture to the pan, poke one or two holes in the rice with the handle of a wooden spatula. This is done for steaming purposes. Add 2-3 tbsp of olive oil on top.

Cover and cook on high for 4-5 minutes unit rice is steaming, then reduce the heat to medium low and place a clean dish towel or 2 layers of paper towels over the pot and cover firmly with the lid to prevent steam from escaping. Cook for 40-50 minutes.

Place an inverted large dish over the pot and turn it over. The contents should fall on the dish in one piece look like a beautiful cake!

Facts about Saffron:

Saffron, is the most expensive spice in the world and is native to the Mediterranean area. It cost about $600 to $2000 per pound.

This spice is low in Sodium, and very low in Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Vitamin B6, Iron and Potassium, and a very good source of Vitamin C, Magnesium and Manganese.

Ground the flower of saffron by using coffee grinder and store it in a cool and dark area. At the time of the cooking add a pinch of saffron to a 1/3 cup of hot water, steep; add this water to the recipes.

Stuffed Grape Leaves with Rice and Herb

December 29th, 2010 by tmollai_admin | Posted in Gluten Free Recipes, Stuffed Grape Leaves, Variety of Rice Dishes, Vegetarian Dishes | 1 Comment »

Stuffed Grape Leaves with Rice and Herb

Stuffing the grape leaves takes some practice and patient and is time consuming, but the end result is so worth the effort! It’s one of those fun recipes that you can get together with few of your friends and make a double batch; they are great to have it as leftovers. You could keep them in refrigerator up to one week.

These can either be a main dish or an appetizer, depending on your appetite. Serve with wheat pita bread and a Cucumber Yogurt Sauce, if desired.

Ingredients:

• 50-60 fresh grape leaves or 1 jar (16 oz.) brined grape leaves
• 1 large onion, minced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked long grain rice
• 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped or 2 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped or 1 tablespoon dried dill
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoon olive oil

Direction:

Rinse the leaves well to remove brine. Jarred grape leaves are very salty from the brine solution. Rinse and drain in a colander. Set aside.

If using freshly picked grape leaves, place the leaves in boiling water and boil for 3 to 5 minutes to soften them and make them more pliable. Remove from water and set aside.

Add the chick peas to boiling salted water and cook till tender about 30 minutes, drain in a colander and set it aside.

Place your rice in a large bowl. Wash rice a few times until the water looks clear. This is a very important step to remove the starch from the rice. Bring salted water to a boil, place the rice in the boiling water and cook for about 10 minutes. Make sure you stir the rice twice with a wooden spoon to loosen any grains that may have stuck to the bottom. Taste your rice. The grains should be soft on the outside but still firm in the center. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop additional cooking. Toss rice gently in colander and set it aside.

In a large skillet, over medium high, saute the onion and garlic with 3 tablespoon olive oil about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice, parsley, dill, tarragon, chick peas, salt and pepper. Mix them well and remove from heat and allow the filling to cool.

With a sharp knife or scissors, cut out the protruding stems and any hard veins from the grape leave and place it vein side up and stem end toward you on the counter (leaf shiny side down). To stuff the leaves, start with your largest leaves. Take a leaf and carefully spread it. If the leaf is torn or has a hole in it, take a smaller or damaged leaf and use it as a patch, place the leaf over the hole.

Place a tablespoon of filling in the bottom center of the leaf, just above the stem. Fold the bottom section up to cover the filling. Fold the sides in towards the center. Do not fold too tightly. The rice does expand during cooking and may tear the leaf. Repeat with remaining leaves and mixture.

In a large saucepan, place the stuffed leaves in circular layers. 2 to 3 layers maximum. Put a weight on top of the last layer of stuffed grape leaves. I use a ceramic plate and put a jar of pickles on top. This ensure that the leaves to do not move around during cooking. Pour in warm water that will barely cover the first layer and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes to an hour or until the leaves are tender and the rice filling is cooked through.

Cabbage Rice

December 14th, 2010 by tmollai_admin | Posted in Cabbage Rice, Gluten Free Recipes, Variety of Rice Dishes, Vegetarian Dishes | No Comments »

Cabbage Rice

This is a simple and delicious recipe and it’s so versatile, we can practically add what we like in there. You can add ground chicken if you don’t want to use red meat or even ground turkey. Vegetarian, you may use sliced mushrooms instead of meat. You can also use firm tofu cut into small cubes instead of mushroom.

FACT:

Cabbage is rich in Vitamin C (an antioxidant) and fiber and is also a member of the cruciferous vegetable family. People who frequently eat cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables may help reduce their risk of certain cancers such colon cancer and breast cancer.

Serve 5-6 people

Cabbage-Rice

Ingredients

• 4 cups long-grain basmati rice
• 1 pound ground beef or chicken or turkey as you desired/ or 1/2 pound of sliced mushrooms
• 2 bag of 10oz Angel Hair Cole Slaw Shred Cabbage
• 1 medium size onion chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper you may substitute this with sweet paprika if you don’t like spicy
• 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
• salt and pepper as needed
• olive oil

Direction

Add cabbage, ground meat or sliced mushrooms for vegetarians, onion, garlic, crushed red pepper or sweet paprika if you don’t like it spicy, black pepper, 2 tablespoon of olive oil, and a pinch of salt and turmeric powder in a large pan. Saute and stir till all the ingredients turn light golden in color. Set it aside.

Place your rice in a large bowl. Wash rice a few times until the water looks clear. This is a very important step to remove the starch from the rice. Bring salted water to a boil, place the rice in the boiling water and cook for about 10 minutes. Make sure you stir the rice twice with a wooden spoon to loosen any grains that may have stuck to the bottom. Taste your rice. The grains should be soft on the outside but still firm in the center. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop additional cooking.
Return the saucepan to the heat and add couple of tbsp olive oil with 2 tbsp of water till you hear sizzling sound. Add 1/3 of the rice to the saucepan then pour 1/3 of the cabbage mixture to the rice and repeat this till done.
Poke one or two holes in the rice with the handle of a wooden spatula. This is done for steaming purposes. Add 2-3 tbsp of olive oil on top.

Cover and cook on high for 4-5 minutes unit rice is steaming, then reduce the heat to medium low and place a clean dish towel or 2 layers of paper towels over the pot and cover firmly with the lid to prevent steam from escaping. Cook for 40-50 minutes.

Using one spatula full of rice at a time, place the rice on a serving platter without disturbing the crust. Finally, you remove the crusty bottom which is called tahdig and place it in a separate smaller plate.

Cabbage Soup

December 14th, 2010 by tmollai_admin | Posted in Cabbage Soup, Gluten Free Recipes, Vegetarian Dishes | No Comments »

Cabbage Soup

This is a fast, delicious, healthy, and inexpensive soup recipe made from short list of ingredients. Just the right touch for tonight’s dinner on this chilly day!
Vegetarian, you may use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

FACT:

Cabbage is an excellent fiber source – it prevents constipation and helps in digestion.

Cabbage Soup

Ingredients

• 3 cups of 99% fat free chicken broth or vegetable broth for vegetarian
• 1 bag of 10oz Angel Hair Cole Slaw Shred Cabbage
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste (Del Monte’s brands is Gluten-free)
• 1 medium size red potato shredded
• 1 medium size carrot shredded
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper you may substitute this with sweet paprika if you don’t like spicy
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• salt and pepper as needed

Direction

Add all the ingredients to a pot and bring it to boil. Let it simmer for about 15 minutes. In a food processor or blender, puree half of the soup. Transfer the pureed soup to the pot, season to taste with salt and pepper. Let it simmer for another minute or so.

Cranberry Rice with Tofu

December 2nd, 2010 by tmollai_admin | Posted in Cranberry Rice with Tofu, Variety of Rice Dishes, Vegetarian Dishes | No Comments »

Cranberry Rice with Tofu

 

Cranberry Rice with Tofu

Ingredients

(4 servings)

* 4 cups long-grain basmati rice
* 8 cups water
* 2 tablespoons salt
* 5 tablespoons olive oil
* cranberries (dried), two cups
* 1 pkg. firm tofu cut into small cubes
* Sugar, one tablespoon
* Saffron, 1/2 teaspoon

Directions:

In a saucepan add 2 tablespoon olive oil, sugar,saffron,tofu cubes, and dried cranberries, saute them over medium heat for about five minutes. seasoned them with salt and pepper and put it aside.

Cook rice using the recipe given for plain rice.

For serving pour half of the plain rice on a serving dish then pour half of the cranberry mixture of top, do the same with the rest.

Chicken Kebab

December 1st, 2010 by tmollai_admin | Posted in Chicken Kebab, Gluten Free Recipes, Healthy High Energy Food, Low-Calorie Recipes | No Comments »

Chicken Kebab

Serve 4 people

Chicken Kebab

 

Ingredients

 

• 3 skinless and boneless chicken breast cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
• 1/4 of one small onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic chopped
• 1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1/4 teaspoon saffron
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Direction

 

Cut the chicken into 1 1/2 inch cubes. In a mixing bowl add all the remaining ingredients & mix well.

Add Chicken to the mixture & mix well so that chicken gets coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Soak the bamboo skewers in cold water for about 2 hours so they don’t get burned during the grilling process and put them aside.

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and allow it to return to room temperature. Thread the chicken pieces on skewers and place them on grill. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

Serve immediately with flat bread or serve it over plain rice.

Lentil Rice a Healthy High Energy Food

November 30th, 2010 by tmollai_admin | Posted in Gluten Free Recipes, Healthy High Energy Food, Lentil Rice, Variety of Rice Dishes, Vegetarian Dishes | No Comments »

Lentil Rice a Healthy High Energy Food

Lentil Rice

Lentils are highly nutritious, particularly a good source of protein, dietary fiber, iron and potassium. The high protein content in lentils makes them an excellent meat substitute.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups lentils
• 2 cups basmati rice
• 2 garlic cloves cut in half
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 5 tablespoon olive oil

Direction

In a large saucepan, bring salted water to a boil and simmer lentils, garlic, turmeric and black pepper on low for 20 – 30 minutes, or until tender. Drain water and set aside.

Place your rice in a large bowl. Wash rice a few times until the water looks clear. This is a very important step to remove the starch from the rice. Bring salted water to a boil, place the rice in the boiling water and cook for about 10 minutes. Make sure you stir the rice twice with a wooden spoon to loosen any grains that may have stuck to the bottom. Taste your rice. The grains should be soft on the outside but still firm in the center. At this point add the lentils to the rice stir it once. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop additional cooking. Toss rice and lentils gently in colander.

Return the saucepan to the heat and add couple of tbsp olive oil with 2 tbsp of water till you hear sizzling sound. Pile up the rice on top in the shape of a pyramid. This shape leaves room for the rice to expand and enlarge. Poke one or two holes in the rice pyramid with the handle of a wooden spatula. This is done for steaming purposes. Add 2-3 tbsp of olive oil on top.

Cover and cook on high for 4-5 minutes unit rice is steaming, then reduce the heat to medium low and place a clean dish towel or 2 layers of paper towels over the pot and cover firmly with the lid to prevent steam from escaping. Cook for 40-50 minutes.

Using one spatula full of rice at a time, place the rice on a serving platter without disturbing the crust. Finally, you remove the crusty bottom which is called tahdig and place it in a separate smaller plate.

Shooli (Beet Soup) a Delicious Detox Recipe

November 29th, 2010 by tmollai_admin | Posted in Detox Recipes, Healthy High Energy Food, High Protein/ Low Calorie Recipes, Low-Calorie Recipes, Shooli a Delicious Detox Recipe, Vegetarian Dishes | No Comments »
Tagged as: beet, detox, soup, vegetarian

Shooli (Beet Soup) a Delicious Detox Recipe

This is definitely a highly energizing soup and is a big favorites while on a cleanse or detox. Contain ingredients that are well known for their cleansing properties. Little History of Shooli Recipes. This recipe is from a village called Maybod in center of Iran. People from this village made this soup regularly to cleanse their body and bring it to a healthier level.

Ingredients and Facts about this recipe:

• Beets(3 bunches): Beets are used for their detoxifying properties. Both beet root and beet greens are very powerful cleansers and builders of the blood.
• Spinach(1 large bag/16oz): Spinach has always been known for its fine cleansing, building and nourishing properties for the digestive tract, intestines and colon.
• Lentils(11/2 cup): It is also a good source of Protein, Iron, Phosphorus and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Folate and Manganese.
• Parsley(4 bunch): the plant is a good source of manganese, calcium and potassium. It also contains flavonoids that act as antioxidants.
• Green Onions(4 bunch): Green Onions are also a good source of vitamin C, iron , calcium and fiber.
• Dried Mint(3 tablespoon): This food is very low in Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Protein, Niacin and Potassium, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Copper and Manganese.
• Promeganate Juice(1 bottle): pomegranate juice has excellent antioxidant properties. It has about three times more antioxidants ounce for ounce than does red wine or green tea.
• Balsamic Vinegar(1 cup): balsamic vinegar is a source of calcium, iron, manganese and potassium, which improve the body’s functioning and weight loss abilities.
• Flour(1 cup)

Direction

chopped herbs

Begin by washing and chopping your ingredients (beet green, parsley, green onion, spinach), you may use food processor. Peel and cut the beet roots into cube.

chopped spinach

Add approximately 12 cups of water to a large pot and get this liquid simmering. Add lentils, beet green, parsley, green onion, beets, salt and pepper to the pot. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook until the lentils are beets are quite tender about 45 minutes. Add the spinach and cook for 15 minutes longer.

final stage of Shooli (beet soup)

Mix together flour, two cups of pomegranate juice and half cup of balsamic vinegar to make a thickener, and add it gently while whisking frantically into your soup. Let it simmer for about 15 minutes and taste it for seasoning and sourness. You may add more pomegranate juice and vinegar if you like it sour or you may add some sugar if it is too sour for you.

Season with salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with three tablespoon of dried mint, and mix them well before serving.

Voila!

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Shallots

November 20th, 2010 by tmollai_admin | Posted in A-Z of Thanksgiving Dinner, Gluten Free Recipes, Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Shallots, Vegetarian Dishes | 2 Comments »

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Shallots and Pecans

Serves 4-6 people

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Shallots and Pecans

Ingredients

• 4 small sweet potatoes (or 2 large), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 large shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/3 cup roasted pecans

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In a large bowl add the sweet potatoes, 2 tablespoons of the maple syrup, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Mix them all and them on a baking sheet. Roast until golden brown and soft, about 20 to 30 minutes. Stir them once after 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-low heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the sliced shallots and saute until they caramelize. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of maple syrup roasted pecans and balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Lower heat to medium and cook until golden brown and caramelized, about 5 minutes.

Add the roasted sweet potato to the caramelized shallots mix them well and transfer to a serving dish.

Glazed Pearl Onions with Raisins and Almonds

November 20th, 2010 by tmollai_admin | Posted in A-Z of Thanksgiving Dinner, Glazed Pearl Onions with Raisins and Almonds, Vegetarian Dishes | No Comments »

Glazed Pearl Onions with Raisins and Almonds

I’ve been making this recipe for many years. My husband’s favorite side dish. If you want to impress anybody special, this is the dish to make. I recommend leaving this recipe alone.

serve 6-8 people

Glazed Pearl Onion with Almond

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds pearl onions
• 1 cup dry sherry
• 1/2 cup green raisins
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 2/3 cup toasted slivered almonds
• 4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add onions, and cook 3 minutes to
loosen skins. Drain, and cool slightly. Cut root ends from onions.
Squeeze onions at stem end (onions will slip out of skins).
Combine pearl onions, sherry, raisins, honey, water, butter or
margarine, and thyme in a heavy large skillet. Bring to a boil over
medium-high heat. Reduce heat to very low, and cover. Simmer until
liquid evaporates and onions begin to caramelize, stirring often, about
45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Can be
prepared 6 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Warm over low heat before continuing.
Stir almonds and vinegar into onions. Add a few teaspoons of water if
mixture is too dry. Serve warm.

**From November 1994 Bon Appetite.

Cranberry Sauce with Dried Apricots and Cardamom

November 11th, 2010 by tmollai_admin | Posted in A-Z of Thanksgiving Dinner, Cranberry Sauce with Dried Apricots | No Comments »

Cranberry Sauce with Dried Apricots and Cardamom

Cranberry Sauce with Dried Apricots and Cardamom

By far the best cranberry sauce!

• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cardamom
• 1 3/4 cups canned apricot nectar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup apricot preserves
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 6-ounce package dried apricots, quartered
• 1 12-ounce bag cranberries

Direction

Bring all the ingredients except the cranberries and apricots to boil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add apricots and cook for 2 minutes longer. Add cranberries, return to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer for 10 minutes or until cranberries burst. Remove from heat. Cool completely at room temperature and then chill in refrigerator. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.

Facts:
Cardamon is an aromatic spice used in cooking throught the world. Be conservative when using cardamom because it can be quite overpowering when over-used.

 

**Bon Appétit | November 2002

______________________________________________________________________

Roast Turkey with Herbs

November 10th, 2010 by tmollai_admin | Posted in A-Z of Thanksgiving Dinner, Roast Turkey with Herbs | No Comments »

Roast Turkey with Herbs

This will be the 3rd year my brother and I wake up in the morning to start making the turkey. What we both have successfully done to keep the turkey moist is to pour chicken or turkey broth and baste the turkey every 30 minutes, that way it would be moist when done. Happy thanksgiving and cooking!

Roast Turkey with Herbs

Ingredients For Rub:

• 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rubbed sage
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, crushed
• 3 small bay leaves, coarsely crushed

Ingredients For Roasting:

• 1 14- to 16-pound turkey
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large celery stalk, chopped
• 2 whole tangerine, chopped
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups chicken or turkey stock

Directions

Rinse turkey inside and out. Pull any fat pads from main cavity and neck cavity of turkey. Place turkey in roasting bag; sprinkle inside and out with all the herbs for rub. Close the bag tightly. Place on a baking sheet and refrigerate it for 24 hours.

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 450°. Rinse turkey inside and out and pat dry. Set the turkey on a rack, breast side up. Mix all the ingredients for turkey in a bowl and divide the mixture between main and neck cavities. Rub the butter into the bird, directly on the meat, underneath the skin. It makes the meat more tender and the skin crispier. Add 3 cups of stock to pan.

Transfer the turkey to the oven and lower the heat to 400°. Roast, basting with the pan juices every half hour. Continue to roast until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165°F to 170°F. Place foil loosely over the breast if browning too quickly. Transfer turkey to platter and let rest for 30 minutes. After resting at room temperature, the juices are redistributed throughout the turkey and the meat stands up to carving better.

 

**Bon Appétit | November 2008

Roast Turkey with Southwestern Spice

November 6th, 2010 by tmollai_admin | Posted in A-Z of Thanksgiving Dinner, Roast Turkey with Southwestern Spice | No Comments »

Roast Turkey with Southwestern Spice

I used this recipe last year and it was a hit. Turkey is moist and flavorful. I personally like to cook the turkey stuffing separately, not in the cavity, which makes it easier to cook the turkey more evenly.

Roast Turkey with Southwestern Spice

Ingredients:

• 1 14- to 16-pound turkey
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 10 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 1/2 stick unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup honey
• 3 cups turkey or chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 3 teaspoon ground chipotle Chile powder
• Salt and Pepper

Directions

Rinse turkey inside and out. Pull any fat pads from main cavity and neck cavity of turkey. Place turkey in roasting bag; sprinkle inside and out with 1 tablespoon ground chipotle Chile powder, smoked paprika, dried oregano, ground cumin, salt and pepper. Close the bag tightly. Place on a baking sheet and refrigerate it for 24 hours. Mix honey, ½ stick of melted butter, 1 teaspoon ground chipotle Chile and 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika in small bowl and put it aside for for glaze.

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 450°. Rinse turkey inside and out and pat dry. Set the turkey on a rack, breast side up. Mix the chopped onion, garlic, and 1 teaspoon ground chipotle Chile in a bowl and divide the mixture between main and neck cavities. Rub the butter into the bird, directly on the meat, underneath the skin. It makes the meat more tender and the skin crispier. Add 3 cups of stock to pan.

Transfer the turkey to the oven and lower the heat to 400°. Roast, basting with the pan juices every half hour. Place foil loosely over the breast if browning too quickly. Continue to roast until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165°F to 170°F. Brush turkey with glaze twice during last 30 minutes. Transfer turkey to platter and let rest for 30 minutes. After resting at room temperature, the juices are redistributed throughout the turkey and the meat stands up to carving better.

 

**Bon Appétit | Michael McLaughlin

Stew with Ground Meat

November 6th, 2010 by tmollai_admin | Posted in Gluten Free Recipes, Healthy High Energy Food, Low-Calorie Recipes, Stew with Ground Meat | No Comments »

Ground Chicken, Turkey or Beef with Tomatoes

This is a light and flavorful dish that is easy and quick to make. Even my kids liked this one!
You can serve this on plain or brown rice, make a wrap with lettuce, or serve it with Non fat Greek yogurt and hot wheat pita bread.

Ground Chicken, Turkey or Beef with Tomatoes

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of diced fresh tomatoes
• 1 lbs of ground chicken, turkey or beef according to your preference
• 3 medium size red potatoes peeled and cut into cubes
• one medium onion chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic chopped
• paprika
• turmeric
• red pepper flakes
• Salt & Pepper

Directions:

Add the onion, garlic and the potatoes to a saucepan with all the spices. Saute them to release the aromas and natural oils to enhance the flavor. You do not need any oil, the moisture in the onion and potatoes help in this process. Add the meat to the mixture and saute them for about two to three minutes more until well brown. Add the diced tomatoes and turn the heat down and simmer it for about 20 minutes. I just let the whole thing simmer to reduce the liquid and make the dish thicker.

Get Ready for Thanksgiving

October 29th, 2010 by tmollai_admin | Posted in A-Z of Thanksgiving Dinner | No Comments »

Thanksgiving is one of my family’s favorite holidays. We celebrate togetherness with our friends and families and give thanks.

I start getting excited about three weeks prior, getting the bedrooms ready for my relatives, make sure all the dishes are clean and ready to use, and buy new towels and bathroom rugs for the guest bathroom.

I have a folder of all the recipes that I’ve been using every year in my computer. The week before Thanksgiving I go through the recipes and pick the one that I’m using for the current year. I then type all the necessary ingredients plus the extras like napkins, candles, centerpiece and deserts on a paper.

The weekend before I go food shopping, it usually takes me all day. I buy everything that is needed for the Thanksgiving Day and also for entertaining the relatives for next one week. I like to have everything ready so we all can relax and enjoy the time together.

Two days before, I make most of my preparation and make some of the recipes and refrigerate them. I also set my table on that day if I’m feeling strong. You could do this the day before, but I usually have to go to airport to pick up my brother and his family. Then all I have to do on Thanksgiving Day is roast the turkey, make mashed potatoes and final touch up. If things are not perfect don’t panic, stay calm, everybody will still have a good time. Don’t forget it is the day to celebrate togetherness.

Have a good day, count your blessings and remind everyone how blessed we all are.

God bless the food we eat this day.
We thank you for it; and we pray
For all our loved ones, far and near,
And every person gathered here.
We ask your blessings on each one,

Beautiful and Inexpensive Thanksgiving Dinner Centerpiece

October 26th, 2010 by tmollai_admin | Posted in A-Z of Thanksgiving Dinner | No Comments »

Make your Thanksgiving table the center of attention with these one-of-a-kind beautiful and inexpensive centerpiece ideas.

Centerpiece with Spaghetti

I just came back from a trip to Cabo Mexico. At one of the Buffet style restaurant I noticed two beautiful centerpieces, one done by using spaghetti and the other one just yellow dried and dyed bearded wheat.

Centerpiece with Dried Wheat

Use a bowl shape container for the spaghetti design. Just carefully spread the spaghettis around in a bunch around your container and then work on the center. It is very simple.

You want to use clear container or vase for the bearded wheat one. Then fill the container with either dried peas, beans, lentils and chickpeas or any of the legume family. Then tie a handful of the golden wheat in a bundle and place it in the middle of the vase. Dried Wheat will add some natural beauty to your dinner table.

Tomato Omelet

October 14th, 2010 by tmollai_admin | Posted in Gluten Free Recipes, Healthy High Energy Food, Low-Calorie Recipes, Tomato Omelet, Vegetarian Dishes | No Comments »

Tomato Omelet Recipe

This is a traditional Persian style omelet. It is basically just tomatoes and eggs. It’s served for breakfast and is delicious for being so simple. You serve it with hot wheat pita or lavash bread.

You can use tomatoes on almost anything and in almost any recipe. They are a natural antioxidant that can help to prevent a number of diseases. They are loaded with vitamin C, potassium, iron and vitamin A. A medium size tomato has about as much fiber as a slice of whole wheat bread and only about 35 calories.

Ingredients:

• 5 cups of and diced fresh tomatoes
• 5 eggs beaten in a large bowl
• Salt & Pepper

 

Directions:

Crack the eggs into bowl, add salt and pepper, and blend with fork until combined but not too frothy and put it aside. Cook tomatoes on medium to low heat until they are completely mashed. Once all the liquid are absorbed, add the eggs. Mixed them together until thoroughly cooked about 2-3 minutes.

Lima Bean with Dill Rice

October 9th, 2010 by tmollai_admin | Posted in Gluten Free Recipes, Lima Bean with Dill Rice, Variety of Rice Dishes | No Comments »

Lima Bean with Dill Rice

This rice dish is composed of just a few basic healthy and aromatic ingredients. It is best served as a side dish with any barbecue chicken, lamb, and beef.

Lima Bean with Dill Rice

Ingredients:

• 4 cups long-grain basmati rice
• 1 package (10 ounce) frozen baby lima beans, thawed
• 3 cups of fresh dill chopped
• 3 medium potatoes, cut into 1/inch slices (optional)
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• salt

Place your rice in a large bowl. Wash rice a few times until the water looks clear. This is a very important step to remove the starch from the rice. Bring water to a boil, place the rice in the boiling water and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the Lima Beans to the rice and cook for another 5 minutes. Make sure you stir the rice twice with a wooden spoon to loosen any grains that may have stuck to the bottom. Taste your rice. The grains should be soft on the outside but still firm in the center. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop additional cooking..Toss rice gently in colander.

Return the saucepan to the heat and add 3 tbsp olive oil with 2 tbsp of water till you hear sizzling sound. Arrange potato slices in single layer in saucepan (adding potatoes are optional). Spread 1/4 of the rice over the potatoes, spread 1/4 of the fresh dill over the rice, repeat this till all done.

Pile up the rice on top in the shape of a pyramid. This shape leaves room for the rice to expand and enlarge. Poke one or two holes in the rice pyramid with the handle of a wooden spatula. This is done for steaming purposes. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil on top.

Cover and cook on high for 4-5 minutes unit rice is steaming, then reduce the heat to medium low and place a clean dish towel or 2 layers of paper towels over the pot and cover firmly with the lid to prevent steam from escaping. Cook for 40-50 minutes.

Using one spatula full of rice at a time, place the rice on a serving platter without disturbing the crust. Finally, you remove the crusty bottom which is called tahdig and place it in a separate smaller plate.

Facts about Dill and Lima Beans:

 

Dill contains no cholesterol; but is rich in anti-oxidants and dietary fibers which help to control blood cholesterol levels. It is also a good source of Niacin, Phosphorus, Zinc and Copper, and a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium and Manganese.

Lima beans are good for lowering the blood sugar levels and reducing the risk of diabetes. It also helps to reduce blood pressure and eliminates cholesterol from body. . Lima beans are also used for the general strengthening of the immune system.

Note: Raw lima beans contain a cyanide compound and should not be eaten raw.

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