Recipe: Watermelon Feta Mint Salad

The North American food industry has worked hard to remove bitter and sour tastes from the mass produced foods available in grocery stores, steering people to favor salty and sweet tastes. However, removing bitter and sour tastes may also be removing certain nutrients that are helping our bodies stay healthy and to fight diseases.

A well balanced diet is the best policy, which also includes balancing salty, sweet, bitter and sour tastes. This watermelon salad provides all four.

This refreshing salad is perfect for the hot summer season. When choosing watermelon, go for ones that are dark green in color, heavy in weight, firm to touch and the bottom should have a yellow spot (where the watermelon sat on the ground). If the spot is light green or white, the watermelon may not be ripe enough.

I know some go with the tapping test (looking for a hollow sound) but when I have relied on that, it's been hit or miss.

This recipe is a good base to start with. Add more or less of any ingredient to suit your taste.

Watermelon Feta Mint Salad
- 4 cups of ripe watermelon, cut into 1.5 inch cubes
- 1/2 cup of fresh mint leaves, torn into small pieces
- 60g of feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 lime, juice
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Method
1. In a large bowl, drizzle some olive oil over the watermelon. Add lime juice, mint leaves, and feta cheese and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve cold.

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Recipe: Soy Ginger Buckwheat Noodle Salad

Buckwheat is a great food to incorporate into your diet. It is a good source of protein, anti-oxidants, iron and zinc. People with high cholesterol or high blood pressure can benefit from buckwheat as it has been linked to lowering the risk of both conditions.

Contrary to popular belief, buckwheat is not a grain, but is in fact a plant that is related to rhubarb and sorrel.

This soy ginger buckwheat noodle salad is a great way to enjoy buckwheat this summer...especially when served chilled!

This recipe yields 4 servings.

Soy Ginger Buckwheat Noodle Salad
- 8oz dried buckwheat noodles
- 1 carrot, julienned
- 1/2 red pepper, seeded and julienned
- 2 scallions, sliced into thin strips
- 250 grams or 2 cups of frozen edamame in shell

For the Sauce
- 3 Tbsp sweet soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp water
- 1 tsp of palm sugar
- 1/4 tsp of sesame oil
- 2 1/2 tsp of sherry vinegar
- 1 small nob of ginger (approx 1inch x 1inch), grated with juice
- 1 red birds eye chile, finely chopped  (optional)

Method
1. Cook buckwheat noodles according to package instructions and then rinse with cold water.  

2. Cook the edamame as per package instructions. Discard the shell and set aside.  

3. Combine all of the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl and mix well. In another bowl, combine the buckwheat noodles, edamame, carrot, red pepper and scallions. Drizzle the sauce over top of the noodle salad and mix until sauce is evenly distributed. Serve immediately or serve chilled.

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Recipe: Heirloom Tomato Orzo Salad with Feta

Tomato season is peeking right around the corner. Nothing beats eating tomatoes fresh, at its prime time.

Fresh summer tomatoes tossed in a cold, healthy, flavorful salad is my favorite way to eat them. I especially love salads that taste better the next day because it removes the hassle of meal planning. I'm always on the go, so salads that keep work well with a busy lifestyle.

This light orzo salad is great as a meal or as a side dish.

This recipe yields 4 servings.

Heirloom Tomato Orzo Salad with Feta
- 2 cups of heirloom tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup of orzo pasta, uncooked
- 1/2 cup of red onion, finely chopped
- 150g feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 Tbsp of sherry vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp of dried basil
- 1 tsp of dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp of flaky sea salt
- black pepper to taste
- extra virgin olive oil

Method
1. Cook the orzo pasta until al dente. Follow the package instructions to cook the pasta. Drain the pasta.

2. In a large bowl, drizzle a generous amount of olive oil over the pasta and mix well. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate for 2 hours and serve cold.

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Recipe: Garlic Edamame

A great healthy snack and tad more exciting than the traditional edamame sprinkled with sea salt, this garlic edamame will get you licking every pod you place in your mouth. It's quick to make and a really flavorful way to get your protein and fiber.

Garlic Edamame
- 2 cups of frozen edamame
- 4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
- 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp oyster sauce
- salt and pepper
- extra virgin olive oil

Method
1. On high heat, in an oiled pan, sautee the garlic for 1 minute. Add the frozen edamame red pepper flakes and a few dashes of salt and pepper. Cook on medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes, until the garlic is golden brown. Use a wooden spatula to stir the edamame around frequently.

2. Add the oyster sauce and toss until evenly coated, no more than 1 minute. Serve hot. Eat the beans only and discard the shell.

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Recipe: Easy Lemon Quinoa Salad

When you're in a pinch and need a quick salad or side dish, this is the perfect one. Fresh. Light. Simple. And the best part, takes no time make.

This recipe yields 4 small portions.

Lemon Quinoa Salad
- 1 cup of cooked quinoa
- 2 lebanese cucumbers, chopped
- 1 roma tomato, chopped
- 1 lemon, juice
- 1 scallion, finely chopped
- 1 orange pepper, chopped
- black pepper
- white pepper
- salt
- cayenne pepper
- extra virgin olive oil

Method
1. Cook the quinoa as per package instructions.

2. In a bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, vegetables, scallions and lemon juice. Drizzle with a generous amount of olive oil. Add black pepper, white pepper, salt and cayenne pepper to taste. Mix well. Refrigerate and serve cold.

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Recipe: Carrot and Zucchini Quinoa Patties

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a good option if you are looking for protein alternatives. It is also gluten-free which is great for the celiac disease sufferers out there. In addition to it being high in protein, quinoa is a good source of fiber, magnesium and iron.

One way to eat quinoa is in burger form. Adding grated carrot and zucchini adds moisture to the patties, and the touch of cinnamon and cayenne is the secret to why these patties taste so good. If you're looking for a sauce to go with these, a spicy salsa will pair nicely.

This recipes makes 16 patties.

Carrot and Zucchini Quinoa Patties
- 6 cups of cooked quinoa (approx 1 3/4 - 2 cups of uncooked quinoa makes 6 cups cooked)
- 3 scallions, finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
- 1 medium zucchini, grated
- 2 cups panko bread crumbs
- 3/4 cup of cheese (any kind you like)
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
- 1/8 tsp of cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp of cayenne pepper
- 1/2 + 1/8 tsp of salt
- extra virgin olive oil

Method
1. Cook the quinoa as per package instructions. Mix all of the ingredients except for the eggs until evenly distributed. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and then add it to the quinoa mixture. Mix well.

2. With your hands make 2 inch patties, making sure the quinoa is tightly packed. In an oiled pan over medium-high heat, pan fry each side for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown.

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The Persian Banh Mi

I'd like to introduce you to the kookoo sabzi sandwich, AKA 'The Persian Banh Mi'.

A banh mi sandwich is a Vietnamese sub that is served in a French baguette and filled with meats, fresh veggies, pickled veggies and different spreads like butter, mayo and pork pate.

Although very little similarities between a Vietnamese banh mi and the kookoo sabzi sandwich, this sandwich totally screams Persian Banh Mi. Mainly because it is served in an elongated shaped bread with a standard set of condiments.

This really is a delicious sandwich and healthy too! Here is how you put it together.

1. Make the kookoo sabzi.

2. Grab a hoagie bun and slice it down the middle.

3. Spread labneh on the bun, put kookoo sabzi in between and add condiments like tomatoes, pickles and hot peppers.

Noosh-e-jan!

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Kookoo Sabzi (Persian Green Herb Omelet)

Ok, so this is not a freaky Halloween post. This is a really healthy Persian omelet that is packed with tons of good stuff, and also fun to say! Kookoo. Kookoo. Kookoo.

When in need of something healthy and substantial, this is a great dish that can be eaten throughout the week. It is good as lunch or dinner. Although not very Persian, you can also mix up the greens and use whatever is in the fridge. In the summer, go ahead and add the fresh mint leaves from your garden. If you're in a spinach mood, throw that in. Even if you have salad mix that is about to expire, feel free to throw that in too.

The original Persian style kookoo sabzi is definitely the tastiest. Fenugreek is listed as optional in this recipe because it is both an acquired taste and hard to find in some parts of the world. Some recipes also call for barberries or walnuts to add more taste and variety to this dish.

This recipe yields 8 servings.

Kookoo Sabzi
- 5 large eggs
- 2 cups of coriander, roughly chopped
- 2 cups of green onion, roughly chopped
- 1 cup of curly parsley, roughly chopped
- 1 cup of Italian parsley, roughly chopped
- 1 cup of dill, roughly chopped
- 1 Tbsp of dried Fenugreek (optional)
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp all purpose flour.
- extra virgin olive oil

Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 350F/180C. In a food processor, combine the eggs and all of the herbs and pulse until all of the vegetables have been finely chopped (approximately 30 seconds to 1 minute). If you prefer the herbs to be chunkier, skip the food processor and leave the herbs roughly chopped and just mix the herbs with the eggs in a bowl with a fork.

2. Pour the egg mixture into a bowl. Add salt, pepper and flour and mix well. The flour will bind the omelet.

3. Generously oil an 8"x8" baking dish and bake for 10 minutes. Take the dish out of the oven and pour the egg mixture into the baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes. Take it out and lightly brush the surface with olive oil. Bake for another 10 minutes.

4. Remove from the oven and allow the kookoo (omelet) to cool. Remove from the baking dish (simply flip it upside down) and cut into wedges. Serve cool or warm.

Kookoo is normally baked in a round dish or pan fried in a round pan and then cut into triangular slices like a pizza. However, if you want to make a kookoo sabzi sandwich, then rectangular wedges are much easier to work with in a sandwich.

If you don't feel like a sandwich, you can simply dip this in a yogurt sauce and have it with pita bread, rice, or eat it plain. There really are no rules. You can eat this however you want.

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Slow Cooked Tarragon Carrots and Potatoes

This is an awesome side dish recipe if you're looking for something hearty, comforting and healthy. I love the fresh tarragon in this dish, mainly because I don't get to use it very often. This recipe makes a good amount so this is a great dish for a dinner party.

This recipes yields 6-8 servings.

Slow Cooked Tarragon Carrots and Potatoes
- 2 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 2-3 inch sticks
- 15 little potatoes, quartered
- 2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 cup of vegetable broth
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 Tbsp fresh tarragon, finely chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 lemon, zest
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp grainy mustard
- salt
- olive oil

Method
1. In a large casserole pot, combine olive oil and 1/2 tsp salt and saute carrots for 10-15 minutes. They should be just cooked but not overly soft. Remove from pot. Set aside.

2. In the same casserole pot, combine some more olive oil and 1/2 tsp salt and saute garlic and potatoes for 5 minutes. Add broth and simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are cooked.

3. Add the carrots, frozen peas, spinach and zest until spinach has wilted. Approximately 2-3 minutes.

4. In a bowl mix lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, dijon mustard and grainy mustard. Pour it into the vegetables and mix well. Serve hot.

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Fabulous Soy Ginger Carrot Salad

I love when recipes just randomly pop into your head! And I love it even more when you make up a recipe on the fly with someone else! One afternoon, my husband and I just stared at each other blankly wondering what to have for lunch. All I knew was that I wanted something that would make me feel healthy and fabulous. We started rhyming off what we felt like eating and before we knew it, this carrot salad was our new creation.

And, in case you are wondering. This salad will make you feel healthy and fabulous.

This recipe yields 4-6 servings.

Soy Ginger Carrot Tofu Salad
- 5-6 carrots, julienned or shaved in thin slices using a peeler
- 1 chayote, julienned or shaved in thin slices using a peeler
- 250g of firm tofu, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1/2 cup of raisins
- 1 large handful of fresh cilantro, finely chopped
For the dressing:
- 2 Tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 lemon, juice
- 1/4 tsp of grated ginger

Method
1. Mix all the ingredients for the dressing, mix well and set aside.

2. In a lightly oiled pan, stir fry the tofu with a little bit of the dressing (approximately 1 tsp) for 4-6 minutes on medium-high heat.

3. Mix all of the salad ingredients together in a large bowl. Add dressing and mix well. Refrigerate and serve cold.

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Black Bean and Tomato Soup

At home, CK and I are trying to eat more organic foods and less meat these days. I eat out a lot when I'm travelling so when I'm home, I try to eat really healthy to balance the fat, grease and salt I put into my body when I'm away.

Ok, so I don't eat super healthy right when I get home. Because I'm so used to eating out when I'm on the road, I have to ween myself off of the excessive eating and drinking. I have what I call my 'weening period'. Doesn't matter what day of the week I come home, I get to eat what I want, as much as I want (like driving to a late night bakery after stuffing my face at a dinner party, and ordering every type of croissant available for dessert, and then eating it in the car because I can't wait for the 5 minute drive home - yep, I'm sexy and I know it!) for the rest of the week, AND THEN I start my healthy eating and regular exercise.

This delicious black bean soup is my recent healthy concoction packed with protein, nutrients...and gas! Just blame it on the dog if you're eating this with other people.

Most of the ingredients in my recipe were organic, but I didn't list it as such. It's your choice

This recipe yields 6-8 servings.

Black Bean and Tomato Soup
- 4 (19 fl. oz, 540mL) cans of black bean
- 1 ( 28 fl. oz, 794mL) can of diced tomatoes
- 3 carrots, diced
- 3 stalks of celery, diced
- 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 cups of vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 tsp of paprika
- 1 tsp of cumin
- 1 tsp of chili powder
- 1 generous cup of cilantro, roughly chopped

Method
1. In a pan, saute the onions and garlic until translucent (about 2-3 minutes). Turn the heat off and set aside.

2. In a food processor, process 2 cans of black beans, the diced tomatoes and some of the sauteed onions and garlic (about 1/4 cup) until smooth.

3. Add the celery and carrots to the remaining garlic and onions to the pan, and continue to saute until the carrots and celery is tender (about 5-8 minutes). Transfer the vegetables into a large pot, along with the processed bean mixture, stock, remaining black beans, paprika, cumin, chili powder, and cilantro and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve hot.

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Egg Avocado Salad

This is a healthy spin on regular egg salad, and is great to serve in a sandwich. What's great about this egg salad is that it is really filling, and it keeps you full for a long time. I find too much avocado is overpowering sometimes, but the lemon juice really lightens it up. I added paprika to this for a bit more flavor, but it makes the avocado mix a brownish greyish color. If you are put off by the color, just leave it out!

This recipe yields 4-6 servings.

Egg Avocado Salad
- 2 small ripe avocadoes
- 6 hard boiled eggs, roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup of cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup of red onion, finely chopped
- 1 lemon, juice
- 1/4 tsp of paprika (optional)
- salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. In a bowl, mix the avocado, cilantro and red onion with a fork. The fork will break the avocado as you mix.

2. Add paprika, eggs, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Continue to mix until even. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve cold with bread.

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Roasted Vegetable and Spinach Lasagna

Everyone needs a good lasagna recipe in their repertoire. Growing up, my mom tried hard to make a good lasagna, but no matter what she did, it would always turn out soggy. I was always envious of my friends whose moms knew how to make soggy-free lasagna. Well, I finally perfected a recipe, and can now enjoy soggy-free lasagna whenever I want!

Roasted Vegetable and Spinach Lasagna
- 1 (375g, 13oz) package of uncooked oven ready lasagna noodles
- 2 cups of parmesan, mozzarella, and provolone cheese mix
- 2 red peppers, seeded and cut into thick slices (4-6 slices each pepper)
- 16 oz mushrooms
- 475g light ricotta cheese
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 5-6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 1 (156 mL, 5.5 fl oz) can of tomato paste
- 2 300g packages of frozen chopped spinach, thawed with water rung out
- 2 eggs
- 2 zucchinis
- 1 Tbsp dried oregano
- 1 Tbsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 (739mL) jar of roasted red pepper and garlic tomato sauce
- Extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper

Method
1. In a small bowl, cut the zucchini in 1/2 inch slices, and lightly coat with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

2. Place the zucchini and red pepper slices on a baking tray and broil low for 25 minutes. Half way through, turn the zucchini and red peppers so that they are evenly cooked on both sides. Let it cool, peel the skin off of the red peppers, and roughly chop the zucchini and red peppers.

3. In a pan, saute the onions and garlic with some olive oil until the onions are translucent. Add the mushrooms, basil, oregano, and thyme and continue to saute until the mushrooms are cooked. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, paprika, zucchini, and red peppers and saute for another 10 minutes. Add some water if the mixture is too thick.

4. Pre-heat the oven to 350F/175C. In a bowl, mix the ricotta, eggs, spinach, and a large handful of the cheese mixture. Layer the lasagna: coat the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish with the sauce mixture, place the lasagna noodles on top of the sauce until the dish is covered, spread a thin layer of the spinach mixture over top of the noodles, sprinkle the cheese mixture over top, and cover with a layer of the lasagna noodles. Add a layer of the tomato sauce mixture, sprinkle the cheese mixture over top, and cover with a layer of the lasagna noodles. Repeat until the baking dish is full and your ingredients used up. The last layer should be the tomato sauce with some cheese sprinkled over top.

5. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 50 minutes. Remove foil and broil high (2-5 minutes) until the cheese on top becomes a golden brown. Let it sit for 8-10 minutes before serving.

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Mirza Ghasemi (Persian Eggplant Tomato Dip)

I am slowly collecting my Persian recipes, and this is the latest one. This is a fresh and easy dip that is great for dinner parties. If you like eggplant and garlic, then this dip is for you.

Some recipes call for eggs and onions but that is not how my mother-in-law makes it. I like to add a bit of paprika for extra sweetness, which is entirely my addition and not traditional in any sense.

Mirza Ghasemi (Persian Eggplant Tomato Dip)
- 10 Chinese eggplants
- 1 (156 mL, 5.5 fl oz) can of tomato paste
- 1 fresh roma tomato, roughly chopped
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/4 tsp of paprika
- 4-5 large cloves of garlic, minced
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste

Method
1. With a fork, poke holes into the eggplants, cut off the stems, place them on a baking tray, and broil low (approximately 15-20 minutes) until they are tender and the skin turns a light brown color. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

2. Peel the eggplants with your hands (the skin should come off easily), discard the skin, and roughly chop the eggplant.

3. In a frying pan, heat the garlic on medium heat with a generous amount of olive oil for 1 minute. Add the eggplant, roma tomato, turmeric, paprika and tomato paste, and cook for another 15 minutes. Once all of the flavors are blended, add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Refrigerate and serve cold. If the dip seems a bit dry, add some olive oil and mix well.

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Spinach Egg Drop Soup

Soup season is officially here! Whenever the weather starts to get cold outside, I default to soup. I have it almost every day until it starts to warm up again. There is something so comforting about a hot brothy soup, full of veggies and goodness, warming up the body when it's cold outside. Kinda like a big warm fuzzy sweater for the soul.

This spinach egg drop soup is an easy soup to whip up if you don't have a lot of time. It is very similar to the Italian stracciatella, but minus the cheese. CK is not a fan of soups, but he says yes to a bowl of this everytime! Now that says a lot.

Spinach Egg Drop Soup
- 300g of baby spinach
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 4 cups of vegetable broth
- 2 cups of water
- 3 eggs
- 1 can (19 fl. oz, 540 mL) of white kidney beans
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt + pepper

Method
1. In a pan, saute the garlic until slightly translucent. Add the spinach and some salt, and continue to saute until the spinach has wilted.

2. In a large pot, combine the broth and water and bring to a boil. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and set aside. When the broth comes to a boil, turn the heat down slightly and add the spinach.

3. While the soup is still hot and slightly boiling, pour the egg very slowly into the middle of the pot. With a fork immersed in the soup, beat the egg as you are pouring it into the soup. This will break up the egg while it is cooking and create a cloud like look. Add the beans. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

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Creamy Avocado Pasta

I know it's been a while since I posted a recipe. The truth is, I've hardly been cooking. And if I do, it is quick, easy peasy stuff. Stuff not worth photographing and writing about. Until now that is...

Life is busy, and when I do have time for myself, I'd rather get out and enjoy the beautiful summer weather we've been getting. Gotta take advantage of it, summer doesn't last long here!

CK and I are lovin this recipe, and the best part is that this is a healthy option that perfectly satisfies that craving for a rich, creamy pasta. I swear it's better than pasta alfredo!

This recipe makes 3 servings.

Creamy Avocado Pasta(Adapted from Oh She Glows)

- 2 small or 1 large ripe Avocado
- 2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 cup fresh basil
- 1/2 tsp of salt
- 2 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
- 300g of linguine pasta
- fresh ground pepper
- red pepper flakes

Method
1. Cook the pasta, al dente, as per package instructions.

2. While the pasta is boiling, combine the avocado, garlic, lemon juice, basil, salt, and extra virgin olive oil in a food processor and process until smooth.

3. When the pasta is done, drain in a colander. In a large bowl, while the pasta is still hot, mix the pasta with the avocado sauce until evenly distributed. Garnish with black pepper and/or red pepper flakes. Serve immediately.

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Apple Fennel Salad

Yes, it has been a damn long time since I've posted, but that doesn't mean I've stopped thinking about you guys. This past year has been an absolute whirlwind for me, and when I'm ready, I'll tell you all about it. But for now, I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and the best wishes for a healthy and happy New Year.

Here is an awesome recipe that I've been hanging on to that I'm excited to share with you!

This recipe makes 4-6 servings.

Apple Fennel Salad
(Adapted from Michael Smith, Chef at Home)

Vinaigrette
- 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored (cut in quarters and thinly sliced)
- 3/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup of water
- 1 Tbsp of Dijon mustard
- 2 Tbsp of brown sugar
- salt and pepper to taste

Salad
- 1 fennel bulb, sliced thinly
- 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and cored (cut in quarters and thinly sliced)
- 1/2 tsp dried mint
- 1/4 cup of roasted pumpkin seeds, salted
- extra virgin olive oil

Method
1. In a sauce pan over medium heat, heat the vinaigrette ingredients: apple cider vinegar, water, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, and two Granny Smith apples. Turn off heat once vinaigrette comes to a boil. Set aside until cool.

2. Combine the salad ingredients in a large bowl: fennel bulb, Granny Smith apple, dried mint, roasted pumpkin seeds. Drizzle some extra virgin olive oil over the salad. Pour the cooled vinaigrette over the salad. Mix well. Serve chilled.

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Hummus

As I was cleaning my mess of a desk, I found a hummus recipe that my cousin had given me at our family Christmas party 2 years ago!

Yes, you heard right...2 years ago. That is how long I have left things to accumulate on my desk until I couldn't use it anymore. You see, I am so used to using my laptop in bed that my desk has become somewhat obsolete.
Unfortunately, using my laptop in bed has given me bad back aches, and I no longer sleep well anymore. Egad, I feel like I'm getting old. I'm using the word egad, I must be getting old ;-)

I decided to clean up my desk and set up a proper office so that I could separate my computer life from my sleep time. In the process, I found this recipe.

I'm so glad I found this recipe because it is as good as I remembered it. The cumin is the secret ingredient. Shhhhh.

Hummus
- 2 cans (540 mL, 19 fl oz. each) of chickpeas, drained
- 1/4 cup of cold water
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 lemons, juice
- 4 tsp of extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup of tahini
- 1/4 tsp of ground cumin
- dash of ground pepper
- 1 large pinch of cayenne pepper

Method
1. Combine all of the ingredients in the food processor and process until smooth.

There is no need to add salt as the canned chickpeas are already salty. I like my hummus really lemony, so if you don't, I would start with the juice of 1 lemon and go from there. If you like your hummus even creamier, simply add more oil.

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Persian Spinach and Noodle Soup (Ash-e Reshteh)

This spinach noodle soup is my secret weapon to staying healthy. When I'm not eating out, I make sure I eat damn well, and this soup is one of my default dishes. This soup is likely the first thing I make when I return from my travels. I make a huge honkin pot that will last me days, and this is how I 'detox' from my travels.

To some, this soup will look extremely unappetizing, but if you keep an open mind, you'll learn that it is delicious. What's best is that you get everything your body craves: protein, vegetables, fiber, carbohydrates...

I recently received an email from a reader asking for the recipe for this soup (after seeing this old post), so here it is. Good luck and I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.
This recipe yields 8-10 servings.

Persian Spinach and Noodle Soup (Ash-e Reshteh)
- 11 oz, 312g package of fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 6 scallions, roughly chopped
- 2 cups of coriander, roughly chopped and loosely packed
- 2 Tbsp dried mint
- 10 cups of water, or broth of choice
- 1/3 cup of dried chickpeas
- 1/3 cup of dried red kidney beans
- 1/3 cup of dried navy beans
- 3/4 cup of dried green lentils
- 3 small onions, finely chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 2 cups of dried Persian noodles (reshteh)
- 1 tsp of turmeric powder
- salt and pepper
- extra virgin olive oil

Method
1. Steam the chickpeas, kidney beans, and navy beans. To do this, boil 2 cups of salted water in a small pot. Turn off the heat, pour in the beans, and leave the lid on for at least 40 minutes. Drain excess water.

2. In a large pot, sautee the onions and garlic with extra virgin olive oil, turmeric, and a dash of salt. Add 10 cups of water (or broth), and bring to a boil. Add spinach, coriander, scallions, and mint. Simmer for 45 minutes

3. Add the steamed beans. Continue to simmer for 20 minutes. Add the dried lentils. Continue to simmer for 15 minutes. Add the noodles and simmer for an additional 15 minutes. Turn off the heat. Serve hot. If you feel your soup is not thick enough, sift some all purpose flour into the soup.

Once you get comfortable with making this soup, you can go ahead and use any combination of greens and beans you want. For the greens, keep in mind that the majority should be spinach.

If you don't want to spend the time to prepare the dried beans, you can always used canned beans which takes a lot less time. If that is the case, add the beans near the end of the recipe so that they don't overcook.

Persians like to add a hint of sourness to this soup. An option is to stir in a bit of plain yogurt or whey right before serving.

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Roasted Root Stew

This stew was influenced by my recent dinner at Zen Kitchen. Chef Caroline Ishii served me a hearty root vegetable pot pie that I've been thinking about ever since.

I finally stopped dreaming, and decided to make my own stew instead. I bought up all the root vegetables I could find, and got cooking. My mother-in-law started adding apple cider to her soups, so I decided to do the same with my stew. This gave the dish a nice slight tang. What I really like about this stew is its strong rustic and earthy taste.

This recipe yields 6-8 servings.

Roasted Root Stew
- 1 cup of carrots, diced
- 2 cups of sweet potatoes, diced
- 1 cup of parsnips, diced
- 1 cup of white turnips, diced
- 1 cup of small red potatoes, diced
- 1 1/2 cups of yellow beets, diced
- 1 cup of red beets, diced
- 1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
- 1 leek, white and light green parts roughly chopped
- 3 cups of vegetable stock or water
- 1 1/4 cup of apple cider
- 1 tsp of dried rosemary
- 2-3 Bay leaves
- 1 Tbsp of fresh sage, finely chopped
- 1 sprig of fresh thyme
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 Tbsp of all-purpose flour
- salt and pepper
- extra virgin olive oil

Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 350F/175C. Toss the root vegetables in some olive oil. Season with 1 tsp of rosemary, and some salt + pepper. Line a baking sheet with tin foil. Spread the vegetables on the baking sheet, and bake for 20 minutes. If your vegetables are crowded like mine were, stir the vegetables half way through baking to avoid steaming.

2. In a pot, sautee the leeks, celery, garlic, and sage for 10 minutes. Add the roasted root vegetables, apple cider, thyme, and bay leaves to the pot. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add the broth to the pot, and simmer for 40 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Right before the stew is done cooking, sift in the flour to thicken up the stew. Discard the bay leaves and thyme. Serve hot.

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