Sun Cuisine

How to make your own cultured food: homemade sauerkraut.

2017-03-15T00:42:00.001-07:00

Fermented food has been enjoyed by many cultures around the world for its health benefits since cultured foods is a rich source of probiotics; crucial for the health of our gut. From buttermilk to sauerkraut , tempeh even olives those are all foods that have been traditionally cultured around the world for overall health as well as a way to preserve foods. All it takes really for the veggies to culture is warmth and the time to ferment; bathing in a brine of water and salt.

Commercially fermented goods must be avoided because they are pasteurized which kills the good bacteria (the probiotics), yogurt are loaded with sugars, dyes etc.. which quite defeat the purpose.

Preparation:
You will need,
One cabbage chopped
1 tablespoon of sea salt
1 tablespoon of dried herbs (optional)
filtered water
glass jars ( type mason jars )

For best results use organic cabbage. Clean and Rinse the cabbage and chop in juliette or just use a food processor to shred the cabbage.

Fill up your cleaned and dried jar with the shredded cabbage, add the spoon of sea salt (it stops the growth of pathogenic bacteria) and the spoon of dried herb (this one is optional I like to add herbs to enhance the flavor of my fermented food). Fill up with filtered water or spring water.

Close the jar firmly and check it well to dissolve the salt.

You can make several jars of fermented food and store them. I write the date when making them, they will need to be stored at room temperature (ideally between 65 and 72 degree F for the good bacteria to thrive) in a dark place (a kitchen closet or cabinet would do just great) for at least a month to ferment; the longer the better of course.
If you live in a cold area and your home is not warm enough you can think of covering you jars with a blanket ...

write the day

voila!!

Babghanuj my way: roasted spreadable eggplants

2016-04-20T02:55:00.000-07:00

The magic of Babaghanuj is that it makes you stop scratching your head wondering what you would cook with those eggplants in the fridge!
Well it is like when you have lemons and you decide to make lemonade with it...at least to me that's how it is. If you got eggplants, make babaghanuj.
It is fairly easy. The original recipe calls for fried eggplants but I chose to bake them in oven with a tiny bit of olive oil....

so you will need for 4 to 6 persons;

2 large or 3 medium eggplants peeled and cut in two in length
1 bouquet of parsley
1/2 to 2/3 cup of tahini (depending on your taste)
the juice of 1 lemon
1 to 2 cloves garlic ( depending on taste)
salt and pepper

Preparation:

In a pan dispose of the eggplants pick with a fork in several areas of the eggplants drizzle some olive oil on top and bake for about 20 to 25 min until cooked and well roasted ( no need to cover the pan).

Then dispose in a food processor with the fresh parsley, tahini, garlic and the lemon juice. Mix. Add a bit of olive oil and mix until perfectly blended. Salt and pepper to taste ans stir.

Serve warm or cold topped with an olive, drizzle some olive oil and enjoy with bread, croutons or vegetables like carrots and celery.

Bicarbonate of soda for health and beauty

2015-10-13T21:08:00.002-07:00

I am so excited to write about this product and share with you ways to use such an inexpensive and versatile helper that bicarbonate of sodium is!

From cleaning tips to beauty and health tips you will definitely find something for your need ...

1- Bicarbonate of soda as a gentle skin cleanser:
You can apply it directly on your skin: simply dispose some on your hand then scrub on a wet skin and rinse. the result always amazes me it is superior to all the commercial and often expensive
facial scrubs I had tried. (which I stopped buying anyway).
It is also an effective antiperspirant for those ones looking for natural alternatives to commercial ones which are loaded with dangerous chemicals like aluminum. Simply wash your underarm with a solution of water and bicarbonate, rinse.

2- For your laundry:
Add a cup directly in your load and it will help sanitize your laundry. It is great for very dirty socks, soiled baby clothes, reusable diapers, sheets etc... pretty much any "heavy duty" laundry.

4- For oral hygiene:
This is one of my favorite: adding bicarbonate of sodium to your oral hygiene regimen of brushing and flossing. After your usual routine, pour some bicarbonate into your toothbrush and gently brush your teeth. It cleans and whitens the teeth and will make your next trip to the dentist a bit more pleasant :)
I found it quite effective in whitening my teeth and maintaining it as I admit drinking way too much tea and cafe :/...

5- Baking:
Bicarbonate of sodium is also called baking soda. I have lately decided to only utilize baking soda in my baking instead of baking powder which contains aluminum. I have not seen any difference in my baking! It rises cakes and pancakes just great ...

6-for other housekeeping use:
I dispose of either a small box of bicarbonate of sodium sold for this purpose in my fridge or just pour some in a ball. The bicarbonate of sodium will help neutralize smell inside the fridge and avoid the over growth of bacteria. For best results, change box or container every month.

It can be used on carpets before vacuuming to eliminate odors, over shoes etc... you name it!

Mixed Salad with Blue Cheese and Nuts

2015-05-15T14:29:00.000-07:00

SunCuisine blue cheese salad

I have always enjoyed salad and I have been creating, mixing, testing, re-trying new ways of fixing salads since I can't remember.

This mixed salad with blue cheese and nuts that I'm sharing with you is the result of just that... It is a complete meal that you can serve alone as it is rich an satisfying. The sweet and nutty savors blending with the tart and intense taste of the blue cheese is just addicting... TESTED and LOVED !!

Ingredients for 2 to 3 persons:

1 Lettuce washed and dried ( the darker and crispier the leaves the better...)
-avoid iceberg as they are the least nutrient of lettuces-
1 cup of alfalfa
1 can of chickpeas
1 small cucumber cut in slices
1/3 cup of blue cheese diced.
1 to 2 tbsp of raisins
1 handful of walnuts
1 handful of fresh mint leaves
1/3 cup of blue cheese diced.
9 cherry tomatoes
9 black olives

Dressing:
Olive oil
juice of one lemon

Simply dispose in a big bowl all the ingredients by order cited above, then drizzle some olive oil and lemon juice on top. This will enhance the rich flavors in this beautiful salad. Keep in mind that the blue cheese is already salty.

Enjoy~

banana and chocolate chips pancake

2015-03-09T23:23:00.000-07:00

Sun Cuisine banana and chocolate chips pancake

It seems like my family has got enough of the usual banana cake I had been making every time our bananas ripen a bit too much. And so I had to come back with something else.
Hence this super easy, yummy banana pancake recipe that my kids make on their own and love eating....

For about 8/10 large pancakes:

3 ripe bananas
3 medium size eggs
2 cups of milk
2.5 cups of flour
1 cup of raw coconut flour
3 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp sugar
1tbsp of baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Direction:

In a large bowl, mash the bananas then mix in the sugar and eggs. Add the milk, oil mix well then incorporate the flours and baking powder. Mix well and add in the chocolate chips.

In a preheated pan on medium to high heat with a bit of coconut oil spread over the pan; pour in a 1/3 of cup of the mixture and let cook for a couple of minutes until browned then flip to allow the other side to cook.

Those pancakes are sweet and moist and do not require extra syrup or spread (unless like my children you like them with an extra dose of chocolate spread).. and they are best eaten warm.
Enjoy~

Sun Cuisine banana and chocolate pancake

Kebsah with brown basmati rice and pistachio

2015-02-15T23:18:00.003-08:00

When cooking rice for your loved ones, it is always nice to have multiple recipes so that you don't end up making the very same dish all the time. So for all the kebsah lovers out there here is yet another kebsah recipe of my own creation to enjoy ":) I use brown basmati rice rich in fiber which makes one quickly satisfied with a small amount of rice. It is a healthier alternative to the traditional Kebsah.

Ingredients: (for 4 to 6 persons)

2 cup of brown basmati rice
1kg (about 2.5lb) of lamb cut , with bones
1 onion
5 cloves garlic
3 tbsp tomato paste
1tbsp sea salt (or more if needed)
3 tsp curcuma
3 tsp cumin
2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp of coriander
1tsp hot chili pepper (optional can be replaced by black pepper)
1 tsp of cinnamon or one big stick of cinnamon
3 to 5 bay leaves
2 dried lemons
2 tsp cardamons (about 7)
1 tsp cloves (about 7)

Sun Cusine Kebsah with brown basmati rice and pistachio

Preparation:

First wash the brown rice, put to boil a pot containing about 3 liter of water with a tbsp of salt.
When boiling add the rice and let cook for about 13 minutes until the rice is -almost- cooked.
Then dispose the rice in a drainer and and rinse with cold water to stop further cooking of the rice.

In another pot (preferably a pressure cooker for a faster cooking process), prepare the sauce my saute the meat with the sliced onion and crushed garlic in some oil.
After few minutes add a liter of boiling water and all the spices and tomato paste. Cover and let cook until the meat in tender.
Then at this stage the sauce will be dense abd barely covering the meat (if you have too much sauce take it off so that you are left with about 5 cm height of liquid. if you need to add more water do so.
Finally dispose the rice in the pot over the sauce to finish the cooking process. Sparkle some salt and a fillet of olive oil over the rice cover well and let cook at low heat until the rice is cooked. (the steam will cook the rice hence the need to cook it in low heat). (about 30 min)

To serve:
Simply reverse the pot into a serving dish and top with a handful of sliced pisatchio or almond. Serve with a fresh leafy salad of your choice or some plain yoghurt.

Enjoy :)

Meanwhile here are some pics for you to check out of a camel race my family were gazing at on our week end trip .....

camel race Sun Cuisine

the ultimate candy date

2014-12-16T01:09:00.001-08:00

I love dates and more often than not anything that is made with dates. It has become part of the staple Muslim diet for great reasons: dates are rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus. What's more? They contain an array of vitamins (A and B1,2,3,5, and C) and amino acids to help with good digestion. It is rich in fiber although sweet it does not affect negatively diabetics. It also keeps your heart strong and lower the risk of many cancers due to its powerful antioxidant properties and its ability to fight free radicals.

Here in Qatar you can always get access to fresh date pastes which makes all the difference... and it always comes in handy when you need to make a quick yet tasty and healthy treat.

So without further holding forth on that blessed and beneficial fruit that date is; here is the best recipe yet for candy dates in my humble opinion :)

you will need:

500g of date pastes

3 cups of dried coconut

1 to 3 tbsp of black seeds or black cumin (optional)

1 to 3 tbsp of anise seeds (optional)

1 cup of whole almonds

1 cup of whole walnut

1 cup dark chocolate melted

Simply mix with your hand the date pastes, the seeds and 2 cups of dried coconut until you get a homogenous dough.
Then form balls no more that 1 inches large.Divide the number of balls in two. For the first part insert a whole almond so that it is totally covered. Then dip the dates balls into the chocolate then into the remaining coconut to cover it entirely.
PS: to avoid the paste sticking on your hands simply wet them with water every now and then while making the balls. With the other half, dip the balls in the melted chocolate then put on top a whole walnut.

the recipe is quite versatile so you can substitute the seeds with sesame seeds and the coconut powder with almond powder etc..

Dispose the candies into small boxes (mini cupcakes or caissettes) and voilaaaaa !!!!!

the meat on our plate...

2014-03-15T23:04:00.000-07:00

Lately, I have come across too many articles on the issue of frauds in food so I felt compelled to put my two cents on it in the net...

Firstly, this disturbing article about the halal market in China where Muslims were being sold pork as halal beef -after being manipulated with chemical!

Needless to say how gross and disgusting this is but this is also a good reminder of how the processed food market operates which is scary...and becoming an informed consumer about what we put on our table is of tantamount importance!

Pictures below show how meat is being glued to make steak!

Another study of over two years shows that about 1/3 of the sea food sold in the US market is not what is labelled and I also learned that:

"A total of 84 percent of the white tuna samples were actually escolar—a species that can cause serious digestive issues for some sensitive people."

This does not come as a surprise really.

You can read more on food fraud and other contamination of manufactured meat here:

burgers sold in fast food chains made of horsemeat and contaminated with salmonella, animals that are fed genetically modified products etc...and what does this mean? well this,

"The essential implication is that poultry fed GE corn or soy would fall victim to dysbiosis, meaning unhealthy changes in their gut flora that threaten the health of the birds, as well as anyone consuming them. The beneficial bacteria in the poultry gut, such as Enterococcus, Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus, are killed off, allowing the pathogenic or disease causing bacteria to flourish. Varieties such as Salmonella and Clostridium are very dangerous pathogens for humans. Clostridia bacteria are some of the deadliest, with strains including C. tetani (tetanus) and C. botulinum (botulism)." Dr Mercola (Mercola.com)

The contamination can easily be spread throughout the food chain and reach vegetables like the many cases of contaminated salads with salmonella or antibiotics.

Even eggs...

The ideal would be to know the origin of the meat bought, the best being organic and locally grown, the closer you are to the source the better as you will avoid the risks of food fraud, mislabeling, contamination and other manipulation such as meat glue during manufacturing.

For that, farmer markets and other open markets are a good start, now many store carry organic products as well but buying your meat and dairy from a local farmer would be cheaper and the quality superior. By knowing your farmer you can ask what his animals are being fed and the kind of techniques used for harvesting.

For the USA you can go to this website and find out farmers close to where you live for meat dairy and other whole food: www.localharvest.org and www.foodroutes.org

Here in Qatar, the origin of the meat and poultry is mentioned and you get a variety of countries of origins...The tastiest and freshest meat is definitely local from the open market... the superior quality won't go unnoticed by your taste bud! Not to mention the seafood market which is just such a blessing: a great variety of fish at a very affordable price going from half riyal a kilo of fresh sardines to around 70 riyals a kilo of fresh jumbo shrimps... and in between an array of prices and products such as white and silver pomfret, red snapper, tuna, lobster, ...hamor (my favorite) etc.

courtesy of "tert.am"

apricot pastry dessert (french oreillette d'abricot)

2013-12-13T09:30:00.000-08:00

This dessert is quite easy to make and so delicious. I love to make them when i have guests over for coffee or for late breakfast....
It is a cookie very known in France as "oreillette d'abricot" as well as in Algeria and as I found out when living in New Mexico it is a pastry very much appreciated in Mexico also.
It seems like any country that has had a french presence in its land... so I guess the one good thing left to enjoy from this colonial history ...French patisseries!!

For 6 cookies

1 sheet of puff pastry type Pepperidge Farm cut horizontally in half then twice vertically.
or the puff pastry from the alkaramah brand if you are in the middle east
1 can (16oz) halves apricots (about 12 halves needed)

brown sugar
sliced almond
honey

direction:
take one square of the puff pastry you previously cut then put on top two halves apricots. Bring back two opposite sides on top of each other and apply a light pressure to seal the end avoiding the cookie to open during the cooking process...

Finally sprinkle some brown sugar on the length of the cookie and some sliced almonds.
Put into the oven at 400F degree and let the cookies cook for about 15 to 20 min or until the puff pastry is golden brown.

Bring out of the oven then using a butter knife or else, dip it in honey and drizzle on top of the cookies still hot. You can serve them warm with a good coffee.
~Enjoy!

Extra:
It can be done with frangipane (almond paste).
Almond paste:
Mix together 1 cup of almond powder
1/3 cup sugar and
1 egg
Dispose a tablespoon of this mixture and spread it in the middle of the sheet,then put on top the apricot.

~Senna Mekki tea ~ Senna herbal tea (herbal remedy)

2013-12-08T22:28:00.004-08:00

~Senna Mekki tea ~ Senna herbal tea (herbal remedy)~SunCuisine

I have been reading about senna mekki lately and I have decided to give it a try.

Senna mekki also simply known as senna has been widely used as colon cleaners for its efficient yet gentle laxative components. It has been recommended by prophet Mohammed (pbuh) for its various health benefits and he (pbuh) advised to do it even if it is just once a year!

From sunnah.com you can read ;

“I heard Abu Ubayy bin Umm Haram, who had prayed with the Messenger of Allah () facing both the Qiblah, saying: ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah () say: “You should use senna and the Sannut, for in them there is healing for every disease, except the Sam.” It was said: “O Messenger of Allah, what is the Sam?” He said: “Death.”'

English reference : Vol. 1, Book 31, Hadith 3457

Arabic reference : Book 31, Hadith 3584

Well, this is a sunnah that i was quite pleased to revive for myself, my family and now you readers ;) because those humble leaves do get the job done. I have been drinking senna mekki tea for couple of days and it worked as promised but i won't advise to use it in a long period or over consuming it; as moderation is key to all things in life it is certainly true for herbal remedies.

~Senna Mekki tea ~ Senna herbal tea (herbal remedy)~SunCuisine

Extracted from Link to Islam website, dr Muhammed Ali al-Baar researched and wrote about senna as well;

Senna is regarded as a gentle stool softener and is not harmful. It works directly on the colon. It is an effective laxative and is a good medicine with no side effects, well balanced and dry. Its beneficial effects include working against depressing thoughts, cracks in the feet, tension in the muscles, the spread of hair, lice, scabies, pustules and itching. If it is cooked in olive oil and drunk, it expels putrid matter. It is also effective against pain in the back and hips. One of the features of senna is that it expels black bile and phlegm and strengthens the heart. It is also useful in the case of chronic headaches and epilepsy; it gets rid of hemorrhoids; it is useful in the case of constipation as a stool softener and laxative. There is hardly any stool softener or laxative in the pharmacy that does not contain senna. There is no doubt that senna is one of the best stool softeners available.
Al-Senna Wa'l-Sanoot by Dr. Muhammad 'Ali Al-Baar.

Senna mekki is easy to find. I bought mine from one of the herbs and spices shops that flourish in souk wagaf in Qatar. A bag of 100g of senna mekki for 5 qr ( about 1.5$) !!! Some dried petals of flowers and Arabic gum were added as well to enhance the taste and efficacy of the herb.

In the US it may be found in some middle Eastern stores or co-ops that carry alternative herbal products and remedies etc... or you can simply find it online.

~Senna Mekki tea ~ Senna herbal tea (herbal remedy)~SunCuisine

How to make senna mekki tea:

One liter of water boiled

1/3 cup of leaves rinsed

raw honey (optional)

Simply dispose the leaves in a glassed pitch and pour in the boiling water. Cover and let it rest until it cools down. Drink a cup or two in empty stomach (morning).

You may sweeten the tea with some raw honey.

If you wish a more concentrated and powerful version; you can boil the leaves with the water for couple of minutes, then reserve to allow it to cool down before consuming it.

pineapple jam and coconut filled pastry dessert

2013-10-21T23:44:00.001-07:00

Here is a quick and tasty pastry dessert that I created and took with me for a dinner invitation.
I used what was handy and available in my pantry and I was quite please with the result!
So I thought it is good enough of a reason to dedicate a post for those yummy sweet pastries...

For this I used the square pastry dough by alkaramah (you can find them in Middle eastern stores almost anywhere) because the dough is thin which is just perfect for this kind of pastries... (there is a another version of the puff pastry from sunbulah however for this dessert you may want to use alkaramah brand instead just because like I said the dough is thinner, and you do not want to end up with a dessert the consistency of a croissant!)

for 15 sweet pastries:

15 pieces of pastry defrosted at room temperature but still cold
1/2 c of pineapple jam
3/4 cup of dried coconut (shredded)
1/3 cup of brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp of cinnamon

1/2 tsp of ginger
pilled and sliced almond for decoration
1 beaten egg

Direction:

First mix the egg, sugar, coconut,jam and spices.
Then dispose one sheet of puff pastry on pan covered with parchment paper and fill up the middle with one to two tsp of the mixtures. Join the 4 corners on top in the middle and seal by gently pressing the extremities together.
Paint with the beaten egg and drop few sliced almond on top.

keep going with the rest of the pastry dough and filling.

In a preheated oven at 160C/400F bake your pastry until getting a nice golden color.

let cool.
enjoy~

Fresh Tabouleh

2013-10-11T02:59:00.003-07:00

Here is a fresh salad that I want to post today Tabouleh !
It is a great way to consume a good amount of fresh parsley without even noticing and can be made in few minutes... :)
Parsley has been around for more than 2000 years and is highly appreciated in different cuisines around the world particularly the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cultures.
it is full of different vitamins and rich in folic acid and has anti inflammatory properties ...it is said that eaten daily this herb can help fight joint pain !

The dish originated from Mosul (in actual Irak) and quickly spread to the rest of the region.
Tabouleh is an Arabic word coming for the roots tabil which mean to season as Arabs have been enjoying great amount of herbs in their diet because of their health benefits...until now Tabouleh is a very popular dish in the middle east and has been adopted in the western kitchen as well.

Now on my recipe for tabouleh.

Ingredients:

1 bunch of fresh parsley
1/3 bunch of fresh mint or 3 tbsp of dried mint
3 small cucumber or 1 big cucumber
2 tomatoes
1 green onions
1 cup of bulghur medium
the juice f 1 lemon
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Direction:

Wash carefully the parsley and mint. Chop the herbs into small pieces using a big knife or a food processor. If so then be careful not to make a pesto out of them... after few turns only check if the herbs are well chopped already.
Rinse the the bughur couple of times , drain then add in the juice of the lemon in the bulghur, stir well and set aside.
Chop the cucumbers, tomatoes and onions into small pieces.
Finally, add all the ingredients into a bowl stir well with a wooden spoon until all the ingredients are well mixed.

Serve on top of roman lettuce if you like.
enjoy~

On Coconut oil for remedies and Oatmeal with coconut oil breakfast

2013-10-09T00:22:00.000-07:00

Coconut oil is this wonderfully smelling oil with a nutty taste which benefits are many and never fail to amaze me.
It can help keep your teeth clean and help prevent cavities ( by doing oil pulling : you can use it first thing in the morning to protect you teeth by swishing a 1/2 tbsp of the oil in the mouth: a ancestral method used in South America). It is good for the liver since it is loaded with saturated fats which lower your triglyceride and the so called bad cholesterol and has also been proven to reduce seizures!
Coconut oil has also powerful anti-fungi-viruses and anti bacterial properties and can be used for moisturizing your skin.
What's more? It's a rich fat full of various nutrients and when consumed satisfied your hunger fast which help loose weight: another reason to consume this oil...

While researching on this oil which is considered a superfood I found out that couple of tablespoons a day of coconut oil can help increase your fatigued thyroid, since then i have been using coconut oil in my morning cereal as I have experienced low thyroid in the past and it did help ... without mentioning the other benefit of having such a breakfast for weight loss/control.

They are so many different remedies made from this humble oil and an array of reasons to use it: from hydrating frizzy hair to fighting infections by being added to the water bath along with Epson salt etc... I bet you will find ways to use coconut oil for remedies and cooking!

I order my coconut oil from Vitacost it is extra virgin organic and cold pressed and I am very pleased with it: it smells and taste delicious. You do not want it any other way as you may not get all the benefits from the coconut oil and the quality and taste will also be diminished.
Finally, coconut oil is an inexpensive oil compare to olive oil. So give it a try! This recipe is the perfect way to introduce coconut oil into your diet, and it can be made in 15 minutes or less...

as a rich fat, coconut oil solidify at a temperature below 25C/75F

Organic cold pressed COCONUT OIL (brand:Vitacost)

Oatmeal with coconut oil

ingredients:

4 cups of water
2.5 cups of oatmeal preferably organic
1/2 c milk
1 tsp of cinnamon
1 tsp of fennel or anise powder
1/2 tsp of sea salt
3 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
3 tbsp honey

direction:

Simply put the water to boil then add it the oatmeal, salt and spices. Mix regularly until the oatmeal is cooked about 7 to 10 min. Turn off the stove and add half a cup of milk, stir.
When the meal has cool off a bit add in the honey and oil and mix.
Serve topped with nuts or dark chocolate (my favorite) or plain.

enjoy~

meat ball tajine with zucchini, peas and potatoes (gluten and dairy free)

2013-10-06T00:25:00.001-07:00

Sun Cuisine-meat ball tajine with zucchini, peas and potatoes (gluten and dairy free)

The other day, on my way to my children school I tuned into the french radio for francophone (french speakers) in Qatar for a minute and the anchor was scoffing about the International association for the study of Obesity which scaled Qatar the fattest nation in the world with almost half of the women being obese (45 %!)and over 30 % of men...

Due to the sudden change in the lifestyle that requires less physical activities and the adoption of a western diet or at least the commercial one (read, fast food and soft drinks) the people of the Gulf countries have to face the serious health consequences such as diabetes and other lifestyle related diseases on the rise that were non existent prior to the fast modernization of the country...
It is a phenomenon observed worldwide although for some reasons and others Qatar and the Gulf countries in general has gotten more press on it.
Countries like France who used to be quite slim shows pale figures with 16% of men obese and half being overweight and 17.2 % for women compare to countries like Indonesia 1.3% for men and 4.1% for women, or Singapore with respectively 12.1% and 9.2% and Iran with 9.1% men obese...Mexico counts a third of women being obese as well as the USA with 35 % of the population obese...

It something to take seriously as it can greatly impair our quality of life making it a struggle to do simple everyday chores and routines leading toward greater disabilities later on in life...

“Nothing is worse than a person who fills his stomach. It should be enough for the son of Adam to have a few bites to satisfy his hunger. If he wishes more, it should be: One-third for his food, one-third for his liquids, and one-third for his breath.”
- Narration from Tirmidhi & Ibn Majah

For an arid country, Qatar has an awesome market with cheap vegetables and fruits locally grown as well as meat from local stocks and then you have the fish market with an nice array of choices and prices. To me best fish (and cheapest) I have yet to eat...
Overall the quality/taste of those products is superior to the one i used to purchase in the US for instance.
The availability and affordability of quality raw food would thrilled any healthy foodies; given that you enjoy cooking or at least don't mind taking some time in your day to plan for a healthy meal for yourself and your family! Otherwise... well it start becoming hopeless :)

Here is a dish i cooked for my family with local products, a recipe that is easy to make and will please big and small ...

Sun Cuisine-meat ball tajine with zucchini, peas and potatoes (gluten and dairy free)

Ingredients:

500g (about 1 pd) of ground meat (i used lamb)
1/2 cup bulghur
2 onions (1 for the meatball)
3 garlics
3 tomatoes
5 zucchinis
2 cups of frozen peas
3 to 4 potatoes
1 tbsp sea salt (+ for meatball)
1 tsp cumin (extra for the meatball)
1 tsp curcuma
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/3 tsp cinnamon
couple of tbsp of ghee, grape seed oil or coconut oil for cooking

Instructions:

In a Dutch oven pot or tajine if you possess one, pour the cooking oil and in low to medium heat stir in the chopped onions, chopped tomatoes and crashed garlic and peas for few minutes or until onion becomes translucent.

Meanwhile, in a bowl combine the ground meat with one shredded onion, 1/2 cup of bulghur, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp cumin and finely chopped cilantro or any dried herb you have. Form small balls set aside.

Dispose the meatballs in the pot, add the spices and pour in a cup or two of water. Cover.
Clean and cut the zucchinis in small pieces and the potatoes in 8. Rinse the peas.
Add the peas and zucchinis to the pot and last dispose evenly the piece of potatoes on top.
Cover and simply put your dutch oven in the oven and let cook for an hour at 375F/ 160C.

Enjoy ~

Easy Smoothie with Coconut milk and Berries (gluten and dairy free)

2013-10-02T07:09:00.000-07:00

I was going through some of the pics of food I took a while ago .... before arriving to Qatar and i was delighted to find those instead ...

Sunset New Mexico- sun cuisine

The shots were taken from my backyard where the bright light of the sunny New Mexican desert shines, I miss looking at the breathtaking sunset with its array of gorgeous colors of orange,yellow red and pink preceding the glimmering of the fading sunbeam in the horizon...
Staring at the majestic view of the sunset would give me such a peace of mind no matter what was my state of mind: to me it was an unconcealed sign, a gracious reminder of our Almighty Creator...

Sunset New Mexico - suncuisine

The photos just brought me back in time, with much souvenir of the state of awe I used to feel when sungazing in my backyard...

OK, now on the smoothie side, here is an easy and fast way to enjoy a healthy homemade smoothie at home with your family and maybe in your backyard with ...

I like to make it when I have unannounced guest and friends over since soft drink are banned in my house and i usually avoid buying juice, only on rare occasions...

The smoothie makes a more delightful and healthy drink to offer and it is always very appreciated particularly by teenagers... and given the price of smoothies sold in shops and the amount of sugar in it, I bet my recipe would benefit your wallet and you health!

To make you own smoothie (about 4 to 6 servings);
You will need:

a blender

2 cups of fresh fruits or frozen fruits (i used a cup of mixed frozen fruits and a cup of frozen berries)

2 cups of coconut milk (or regular milk if you prefer)

1 banana

1 to 2 cup of ice

1 to 2 cup of water (depending on how liquid you want your smoothie to be)

direction:

Combine all the ingredients in your blender starting with the liquids then blend until smooth.

Serve immediately , enjoy~ :)

Meatball with Fried cauliflower and carrots tajine (Algerian cuisine)

2013-09-27T00:19:00.002-07:00

"Une fois n'est pas coutume" like they say in French or "once does not make a habit"...
And I mean it... frying the cauliflowers is not the healthiest way to enjoy this vegetable rich in fiber, folate, vitamin C and with anti-carcinogenic compounds... but if cauliflower does not usually make its way to your shopping cart then this recipe may be what it takes to start enjoying it..

This tajine of fried cauliflower was a big hit when my Mom use to make it and one of her dishes that guests and relatives would remember and ask for the recipes....She used to fry the cauliflower after dipping them in some spiced beaten egg and add them at the end to her stew of meat and veggies... even the pickiest eater would enjoy the cauliflower!

I made fried cauliflower tajine for dinner the other day and I have not cooked it this way for a looong while (read years) , I felt compelled to share it with you so here is the recipe...enjoy.
(for those who prefer the healthier version just follow the link...)

Ingredients:

500g (about 1 pd) of ground meat (i used beef)
1/2 cup bulghur
1 head of cauliflower cleaned and cut
3 eggs
5 carrots
1 cup of chickpeas (previously hydrated in bowl of water overnight)
1 onion
3 garlics
3 tomatoes
1 tbsp sea salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp curcuma
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
couple of tbsp of ghee, grape seed oil or coconut oil for cooking
cooking oil for frying the cauliflower

Instructions:

In a Dutch oven pot or tajine if you possess one, pour the cooking oil and in low to medium heat stir in the chopped onions, chopped tomatoes and crashed garlic and peas for few minutes or until onion become translucent. Clean and cut the carrots in half (length) then into 1 inch long and add to the pot. Add all the spices and 3 cup of water, cover and let cook for about 15 to 20 min.

Meanwhile, in a bowl combine the ground meat with 1/2 cup of bulghur, salt, black pepper and finely chopped cilantro or any dried herb you have. Form small balls set aside.

Pu the meat ball on top in the stew then dipose your deutch oven im the ove and let cook for antoehr hour at 375F/ 160C.

Meanwhile in a bowl, beat 3 eggs with a bit of salt and spices of your choice (i use dcumin and coriander) then mix in the pieces of cauliflower.

Get some cooking oil ready and start frying the cauliflower, once golden brown dispose in a colander.

To serve, in a tray simply dispose the fried cauliflower evenly then pour on top the stew and serve the tajine with a salad.

easy as pie Peach Pie

2013-09-22T02:04:00.003-07:00

easy as pie ...

Here I go again with a recipe for lazy days and half empty pantries...

I wanted to bake something sweet for my family without having to go out grocery shopping or out of my way to make it. If you have the ingredients handy (mostly puff pastry, a can of fruits in syrup, egg, milk...) then this pie is for you... it takes less that 5 min to put the pie together and about 30 to 40 min to bake it.

The result is impeccable.

Here it is , enjoy!

You need:

enough puff pastry to cover you dish.

Here in Qatar i have used the puff pastry dough from "sunbulah" brand which comes in different shapes (square or long rectangular sheet). I usually pick rectangular ones and dispose few of them on my pan that I previously covered with parchment paper.

one can of fruit in syrup such as peach, apricot or pear (i used peach)
3 eggs
2 cups of milk
3 tbsp of almond power (u can use coconut instead or just cornstarch, if you decided to pick cornstarch then only 1 tbsp would be enough as it will aim to thicken the custard)
1/2 c sugar
a bit of vanilla extract (optional)
a handful of peeled and sliced almond

Direction:

Cover your pie pan/dish with parchment paper then with the puff pastry.

With a fork pick the dough evenly and dispose the fruits.

In a bowl mix the eggs an the sugar well then add to the mixture the milk and the almond powder, mix then add in the vanilla extract.

Pour the custard on top of the the fruits and evenly sprinkle the sliced almond.

Bake at 160C/400F for about 30 to 40 min or until the pay is golden brown.

Serve warm or cold~ enjoy!

Was the recipe easy for you?

let us know by leaving a comment... :)

Almond Macaroons (special eid)

2013-09-16T01:26:00.001-07:00

After a long time away I am finally back to blogging ... as things seem to get late on my side: I am posting this recipe that i made for the past Eid (well the making of those cookies were delayed too until... about a week or two after Eid)...so late recipe but very much worth sharing with you.. :)

Anyhow, I decided to make those macaroons for my wonderful husband who so patiently looked forward to enjoying some sweet treats for Eid but did not see them coming therefore decided to buy them from a local north African pastry shop here in Doha...well needless to say a felt a bit guilty about my laziness.

So I thought of making a sweet treat that would be easy and fast and tasty- answer--- Almond Macaroons of course the Algerian way.

For the historical background, macaroons come from the Italian word "macarone" and were created in Italy when Arabs/Moors introduced the Almond nuts in the 8th century.

Here is more on the fascinating history of those humble cookies that have made their ways in so many cuisines worldwide!

The story begins in the year 827—so bear with me—when Arab troops from Ifriqiya (modern Tunisia) landed in Sicily, establishing a Muslim emirate that introduced many technologies (paper, to replace parchment) and foods (lemons, rice, pistachios) to Europe. The Arabs also brought a rich repertoire of nut-based sweets from the medieval Muslim world, including fālūdhaj and lausinaj, almond-paste candies wrapped in dough, adapted from sweets that the Sassanid Shahs of Persia ate hundreds of years earlier to celebrate the Zoroastrian New Year. Here's a recipe from Charles Perry's translation of the 13^th-century Baghdad cookbook Kitāb al-Tabīkh, (The Book of Dishes):

Fālūdhaj: Take a pound of sugar and a third of a pound of almonds and pound them fine together. ... Take a third of a pound of sugar, dissolve it with half an ounce of rose-water on a quiet fire, then take it up. When it has cooled off, throw the pounded sugar and almonds on it and knead them with it. ... [The paste is then wrapped in dough and soaked in sesame oil and rose-water syrup.]

In Sicily (and in Toledo, Spain, another contact point between Muslim and Christian culture) fālūdhaj and lausinaj developed into various desserts, like the almond-paste tarts called marzapane and caliscioni. The 1465 cookbook of Maestro Martino tells us that marzapane was originally a pastry casing filled with a mixture of almond paste, sugar, rose water, and sometimes egg whites. While the modern word marzipan now means the filling, the name originally described the casing; marzapane comes from the Arabic word mauthaban that meant the jars the candy came in. Caliscioni was a tart made by layering almond paste over a layer of sweet dough made with sugar and rose water.

(EXTRACTED from Slate, "Macarons, Macaroons, Macaroni: the curious history" )

So you see ...it is pretty simple all you need is almond powder, sugar and white eggs... that's it!! and 15 min later :

no need to be lazy!

Ingredients for 20 to 25 pieces:

2 c almond powder

1 c to 2 c sugar (I used 1 cup of sugar only but depending on your taste for sweet you may find it is not enough)

white eggs from 3 medium to 4 small eggs

Direction:

In a bowl combine the almond powder and the sugar, then add the white eggs and mix using a wooden spatula until everything is well incorporated: this will take a minute or two.

In a baking pan covered with parchment paper simply dispose the cookies that you shaped by rolling the piece of dough (about 2 tsp of dough) between your hands (you want to keep a little cup of water close by to wet you hand as necessary before picking up the dough so it won't stick).

Then on top of each macaroons put a nut of your choice (i used walnut) - of course almond would do just great!

Bake for 9-10 min in a preheated oven (375F/ 160C).

~Let cool and enjoy during your coffee or tea break!

Healthy Multi-fruits Crumble (with oat and coconut flour)

2013-04-14T22:22:00.000-07:00

I read once that the crumble was created by some ladies during WW1. At that time, goods like eggs were scarce but cooks needed to serve a dessert for soldiers ... and so the crumble was born.

This is a dessert I enjoy making because it does not require much preparation and does please everyone without being too caloric or too fatty. This version of the classic crumble is the kind of dessert you can indulge eating and gladly serve to your family :)

preparation and cooking time: 25 to 30 min

Ingredient for the dough:

1 cup oatmeal

1 stick (1/2 c) organic butter at room temperature.

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup unbleached flour

1/3 cup organic coconut flour

For the fruits layer:

2 cups of frozen fruit mix of strawberries, peaches, pineapples, mangoes.

1 cup of frozen berries mix

a dozen of semi sweet chocolate chips type Ghirardelli

Preparation:

Preheat oven at 400 degree F.

In a bowl, put all the dried ingredients then put in the diced butter at room temperature (= soft) and with a wooden spoon or your hands mix the ingredients until the butter is well incorporated. You then get a crumbled like dough.

In a glass pan type Pyrex 9 by 9 in. dispose the frozen fruits then the chocolate chips.

Simply dispose the crumbled dough on top of the fruits then bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until you get a nice golden brown color on top.

Serve at room temperature.

Enjoy ~

Asparagus with fish tilapia tajine/stew

2013-04-12T10:29:00.000-07:00

Asparagus are back on our shelves now and it is the time to make some good things out of it. They're not my favorite veggies out there cause they can taste bitter but with the right variety of spices and herbs this bitterness can transform into an flavorful treat.

Tajines are of course to me the best and easiest way to enjoy fresh vegetable cooked to perfection with the slow cooking method allowing the food to keep most of the nutrients.

I prepared my asparagus with some tilapia and that became a very ... gourmet dish.

Here is the recipe;

For 3 persons:

Ingredients:

2 lb of fresh asparagus

3 pieces of tilapia

1 onion

3 tomatoes

3 gloves garlic

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp red pepper or chili pepper

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried cilantro (or 1/3 cup of fresh cilantro)

the juice of one lemon

3/4 tsp sea salt

2 tbsp of oil for cooking

Preparation:
Clean and cut the roots of the asparagus by folding them with your hands where it easily breaks.

In a Dutch oven pot, put some cooking oil and put in the chopped onion, crashed garlic and chopped tomatoes and let cook for couple of minutes. Then put in the asparagus and let saute for another 2 or 3 minutes in medium high heat. Add all the spices and salt, stir and add a bit of water if needed.

Finally put on top of veggies the pieces of fish and sparkle on top the herbs ans the lemon juice.
Dispose the pot in the oven at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes.
You may serve it with bread or rice. I served mine with my signature salad!

Enjoy~

Sun Cuisine

April 8 Food blogger against hunger / A place at the table + Bulghur chicken dish~

2013-04-08T13:50:00.001-07:00

I was surfing the net in hope of some inspiration and real stories on the topic of hunger in the US, nutrition, food stamps etc.. trying to describe the harsh reality of the situation so I found this interesting read; July Dugdale's article.

Hunger and the lack of nutritious, natural food in the case of children in the US has been linked to many health issues -even psychological- that research has yet to fully comprehend.

Here is a recipe that is very yummy, very easy to make and quite inexpensive too.

For 5 persons

in about 30 min.
Ingredients:

1 lb chicken breast cut in cubes

3 cups bulghur (medium size )

1 onion

2 cloves of garlic

2 tomatoes

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp red pepper

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp tomato pastes

6 , 1/2 cups of water

Preparation:

In a pot, saute the chopped onion with some oil for a couple of minutes then add the cut chicken breast. let cook for another 2 minutes then add he crashed garlic and the chopped tomatoes. Let cook for 5 minutes.

Add in the spices and the tomato paste, stir and finally add the water. Once the water start boiling add in the bulghur that you previously rinsed. Let it come to a boil once more then cover and let it simmer in low heat for another 15 to 20 min or until the bulghur has absorbed all the liquid and cooked.

Serve with a green salad

Enjoy!

chicken yam and potato tajine/stew

2013-04-02T23:51:00.000-07:00

Here is another easy to make and inexpensive healthy stew or tajine... And beautiful too to serve :)

I added peas for extra color, yams taste naturally sweet and are full of key minerals; they are great helper with diabetes cause yams help regulate the blood sugar...You can read more on this great vegetable here.

Now how to make this tajine ...

For 5 persons

Ingredients:

5 pieces of chicken (preferably legs)

3 big or 5 medium yams or sweet potatoes

3 medium potatoes

1 cup of frozen peas

1 onion

3 gloves garlic

3 tomatoes

1 tbsp seal salt

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp red pepper

1/2 tsp ginger powder

1/3 tsp chili pepper

1 or 2 bay leaves

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried cilantro

3 to 4 cup of water

Preparation:

In a Dutch oven, put some cooking oil and saute the chopped onion with the crashed garlic for a couple of minutes until translucent then add in the chicken, cover and let cook for 5 minutes until browned. Add the chopped tomatoes and all the spices let cook for couple of minutes then add the water and let cook for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile clean and cut into squares the potatoes. Then add them to the stew with the cup of peas, sprinkle on top the dried herbs. Finally, dispose the pot in the oven for the tajine to cook for another 40 minutes at 350 degree F.

Enjoy~

pasta salad with tuna, carrots and corn

2013-03-29T10:15:00.004-07:00

Pasta salad is always a favorite for kids and can be a complete meal on a budget...Ideal for a quick summer lunch , and under 3$/p :)

Here is how I make mine;

For 5 persons

Ingredients:
1 lb of pasta (preferably tomato-spinash-plain pasta)
3 tomatoes
1 can corn
1 cup baby carrots
1 tbsp of olive oil
2 can of tunas
5 tbsp mayonnaise
3 tsp mustard
1 tbsp vinegar
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp of oregano or Italian herbs

Preparation:

In a pot put to boil 3 quarters of water then add the pasta and let cook. (follow the time indicated in the package). Once cooked, dispose in a colander and rinse to cool off the pasta.
In a bowl dispose the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar,oil and herbs and mix well. Add the tuna, corn and chopped tomatoes and stir. Finally add the pasta and the carrots Stir and serve.
You can add some olive for decoration if you wish.

Enjoy~

Algerian Omelet with roasted pepper and baked potato (meal under 3$/p)

2013-03-28T09:34:00.001-07:00

This dish is a very traditional one in Algeria; made of onion, tomatoes, pepper and eggs: it is easy, healthy and inexpensive. It is served with a side dish of potatoes baked in oven. As part of the 'food bloggers against hunger', I am posting this recipe which does fit a budget of 3$/p a day.

For 2 persons

Algerian Omelet:

1 onion sliced (1/3 lb; 49c/lb)

3 tomatoes chopped or a can of diced tomato (1/3lb; 99c/lb)

1/3 pound of roasted chili cleaned and chopped (bought in a mexican store for 2.59$/lb)

5 eggs (12 eggs tray/ 1.39$)

salt/pepper for taste

side dish:

5 medium piled potatoes cut in 4 (it is about 1.5 lb, bought for 10lb/1.99)

3 tbsp of cooking oil

1/3 tsp red pepper or paprika

1/3 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp salt free lemon seasoning or the juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp salt

1/3 tsp black pepper

Preparation:

In a skillet, put some cooking oil and saute the onion until translucence then add the chopped tomatoes. Cover and let cook for about 10 minutes on medium high heat until the onion are well cooked (check often and stir). Then add in the roasted pepper, stir and let cook for a another 2-3 minutes.
Meanwhile, beat the eggs and add them on top of the previous mixture. Lower the heat to the minimum and let the eggs slowly cook for about 3 minutes.

For the potato side dish, dispose the cut potatoes on a bowl add all the spices and oil and mix well. Dispose the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degree F. for about 20 min or until the wedges of the potatoes become brown.

Serve as it is or with bread.

Enjoy~

Food Bloggers Against Hunger

2013-03-26T09:45:00.000-07:00

Food bloggers against hunger started in response to the documentary A place at the table. A movie that has brought awareness to the issue of Hunger in America.

Over 50 millions of people in the USA are concerned by food insecurity. In 2011, 16.1 million (22.0 percent) children under the age of 18 were in poverty. (Feeding America).

Food stamps are of great help for struggling families and now they are at risk because of budget cuts but you can help by urging your elected officials to support anti-hunger legislation (here).

What would you do if you were hungry?

The food stamp program is limited to 3 or 4$ a day per person. What can you buy with such a limited budget for your family?

People often go for the cheapest food in the form of processed food high in empty calories and poor in nutrients which lead to obesity and other health complications...

I've dedicated my blog to healthy cooking with original recipes that are often very affordable like the recipe for Hummus made from scratch and can be made in advance and kept in the fridge for few days...

Many pasta recipes that are nutritive and easy to make are also offered and can fit small budgets such as this chicken breast and penne pasta .
Or this this vegan pasta recipe...

As well as this inexpensive stew made of chicken legs and green beans.

It is a real challenge to eat healthy with such a small budget but not impossible. It does require lots of planning ... As part of this action, I will be posting this coming days more healthy recipes for small budgets.

English reference	: Vol. 1, Book 31, Hadith 3457
Arabic reference	: Book 31, Hadith 3584

Sun Cuisine

How to make your own cultured food: homemade sauerkraut.

Babghanuj my way: roasted spreadable eggplants

Bicarbonate of soda for health and beauty

Mixed Salad with Blue Cheese and Nuts

I have always enjoyed salad and I have been creating, mixing, testing, re-trying new ways of fixing salads since I can't remember.

banana and chocolate chips pancake

Kebsah with brown basmati rice and pistachio

the ultimate candy date

you will need:

500g of date pastes

3 cups of dried coconut

1 to 3 tbsp of black seeds or black cumin (optional)

1 to 3 tbsp of anise seeds (optional)

1 cup of whole almonds

1 cup of whole walnut

1 cup dark chocolate melted

the meat on our plate...

Lately, I have come across too many articles on the issue of frauds in food so I felt compelled to put my two cents on it in the net...

Firstly, this disturbing article about the halal market in China where Muslims were being sold pork as halal beef -after being manipulated with chemical!

Needless to say how gross and disgusting this is but this is also a good reminder of how the processed food market operates which is scary...and becoming an informed consumer about what we put on our table is of tantamount importance!

Another study of over two years shows that about 1/3 of the sea food sold in the US market is not what is labelled and I also learned that:

"A total of 84 percent of the white tuna samples were actually escolar—a species that can cause serious digestive issues for some sensitive people."

This does not come as a surprise really.

You can read more on food fraud and other contamination of manufactured meat here:

burgers sold in fast food chains made of horsemeat and contaminated with salmonella, animals that are fed genetically modified products etc...and what does this mean? well this,

The contamination can easily be spread throughout the food chain and reach vegetables like the many cases of contaminated salads with salmonella or antibiotics.

Even eggs...

The ideal would be to know the origin of the meat bought, the best being organic and locally grown, the closer you are to the source the better as you will avoid the risks of food fraud, mislabeling, contamination and other manipulation such as meat glue during manufacturing.

For the USA you can go to this website and find out farmers close to where you live for meat dairy and other whole food: www.localharvest.org and www.foodroutes.org

apricot pastry dessert (french oreillette d'abricot)

~Senna Mekki tea ~ Senna herbal tea (herbal remedy)

Senna mekki is easy to find. I bought mine from one of the herbs and spices shops that flourish in souk wagaf in Qatar. A bag of 100g of senna mekki for 5 qr ( about 1.5$) !!! Some dried petals of flowers and Arabic gum were added as well to enhance the taste and efficacy of the herb.

In the US it may be found in some middle Eastern stores or co-ops that carry alternative herbal products and remedies etc... or you can simply find it online.

How to make senna mekki tea:

One liter of water boiled

1/3 cup of leaves rinsed

raw honey (optional)

Simply dispose the leaves in a glassed pitch and pour in the boiling water. Cover and let it rest until it cools down. Drink a cup or two in empty stomach (morning).

You may sweeten the tea with some raw honey.

If you wish a more concentrated and powerful version; you can boil the leaves with the water for couple of minutes, then reserve to allow it to cool down before consuming it.

pineapple jam and coconut filled pastry dessert

Fresh Tabouleh

On Coconut oil for remedies and Oatmeal with coconut oil breakfast

meat ball tajine with zucchini, peas and potatoes (gluten and dairy free)

Easy Smoothie with Coconut milk and Berries (gluten and dairy free)

I was going through some of the pics of food I took a while ago .... before arriving to Qatar and i was delighted to find those instead ...

Meatball with Fried cauliflower and carrots tajine (Algerian cuisine)

easy as pie Peach Pie

Almond Macaroons (special eid)

After a long time away I am finally back to blogging ... as things seem to get late on my side: I am posting this recipe that i made for the past Eid (well the making of those cookies were delayed too until... about a week or two after Eid)...so late recipe but very much worth sharing with you.. :)

So I thought of making a sweet treat that would be easy and fast and tasty- answer--- Almond Macaroons of course the Algerian way.

For the historical background, macaroons come from the Italian word "macarone" and were created in Italy when Arabs/Moors introduced the Almond nuts in the 8th century.

Here is more on the fascinating history of those humble cookies that have made their ways in so many cuisines worldwide!

Ingredients for 20 to 25 pieces:

2 c almond powder

1 c to 2 c sugar (I used 1 cup of sugar only but depending on your taste for sweet you may find it is not enough)

white eggs from 3 medium to 4 small eggs

Direction:

In a bowl combine the almond powder and the sugar, then add the white eggs and mix using a wooden spatula until everything is well incorporated: this will take a minute or two.

In a baking pan covered with parchment paper simply dispose the cookies that you shaped by rolling the piece of dough (about 2 tsp of dough) between your hands (you want to keep a little cup of water close by to wet you hand as necessary before picking up the dough so it won't stick).

Then on top of each macaroons put a nut of your choice (i used walnut) - of course almond would do just great!

Bake for 9-10 min in a preheated oven (375F/ 160C).

~Let cool and enjoy during your coffee or tea break!

Healthy Multi-fruits Crumble (with oat and coconut flour)

I read once that the crumble was created by some ladies during WW1. At that time, goods like eggs were scarce but cooks needed to serve a dessert for soldiers ... and so the crumble was born.

This is a dessert I enjoy making because it does not require much preparation and does please everyone without being too caloric or too fatty. This version of the classic crumble is the kind of dessert you can indulge eating and gladly serve to your family :)

preparation and cooking time: 25 to 30 min

Ingredient for the dough:

1 cup oatmeal

1 stick (1/2 c) organic butter at room temperature.

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup unbleached flour

1/3 cup organic coconut flour

For the fruits layer:

2 cups of frozen fruit mix of strawberries, peaches, pineapples, mangoes.

1 cup of frozen berries mix

a dozen of semi sweet chocolate chips type Ghirardelli

Preparation:

Preheat oven at 400 degree F.

in about 30 min.
Ingredients: