Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Now I’m sure you’re all wondering why a Middle Eastern food blogger would be celebrating an Irish holiday. Yes, I am from the Middle East but my husband’s paternal grandmother was Irish and my brother’s wife is Northern Irish. That makes my daughter and nephew part Irish and the main reason I celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. [Read more…]
Even though we’re nearing the beginning of spring, it’s been cold and snowy on the East Coast. Cold weather reminds me of one of my favorite dessert drinks, sahlab. If you’ve ever been to the Middle East during the colder months, you’ve probably had this delicious treat as it’s sold in restaurants, coffee shops and street vendors. When I was home visiting my family this past fall, sahlab made its first seasonal appearance. [Read more…]
Chocolate mousse, my absolute favorite dessert! I don’t have much of a sweet tooth but I occasionally crave something chocolatey– I mean, don’t we all? This Paleo chocolate mousse hits the spot every time. With a special star ingredient, it’s a healthier alternative to most desserts. It is so thick and decadent, your friends will never guess that it’s Paleo and that it took less than 5 minutes to make. No cooking or baking required; all you need is your trusty food processor or blender and a few ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.
So what’s that star ingredient you may ask?
Woohoo!! I finished another round of the Whole30 along with my husband and 3 year old daughter. Yes, you read that right, our toddler finished the Whole30!
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Hello, hello!! It’s been a while since I’ve been on here. As many of you know, my daughter and I took a trip to the Middle East in September to spend some time with my family; my husband was able to join us for a week during our time there.
We had a wonderful time surrounded by family, friends and delicious food. It’s always bittersweet knowing that I don’t get to do life with my family every day but I do try to enjoy every moment I have with them. Seeing my daughter playing and taking care of her little cousin was one of the highlights of my trip. Learning how to make my grandmother’s famous kubbe recipe was one of the most special experiences. She suffered a stroke and underwent surgery during my time there. It was very special for me to be able to see her fully recover and still be able to learn from her amazing cooking skills. I was so honored when she asked me to join her in the kitchen and asked me to be her eyes, she’s 85 years old and can’t see very well. I got to watch her do her magic and learned a few tricks. I will forever cherish those precious moments with her.
If you follow me on Instagram, you know that my husband, 3 year old, and I are doing the January Whole30. I’ll be posting a recap very soon.
I’ve been spending time in the kitchen creating new recipes and recreating old family favorites. I can’t wait to share them all with you!
As many of you may know, the month of October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness month. 1 in 4 women have gone through a miscarriage, infant loss or stillbirth. I know of so many women who have experienced this unbearable grief. With October 15th being Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day, it’s time for me to end my silence and share my story.
I have been building up the courage to share my story for months. I am pushing myself and fighting back tears but I’m hoping and praying that my story will encourage someone currently going through this or someone who has experienced this in the past. [Read more…]
I know I’ve been MIA for a while but life has been very busy. If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I am currently in the Middle East visiting my family. I had a few Fall recipes I wanted to share before I left but I didn’t get the chance. I got sick the week before we left and I spent that week cleaning, organizing, packing and doing some last minute shopping. Our journey to get here was long but needless to say, my daughter and I arrived in one piece and have been enjoying ourselves.
One of my favorite things about being home is spending time with family and enjoying all the delicious food the Middle East has to offer. [Read more…]
What we use to cook our food is just as important as the food we eat. Heart disease runs in my family, as well as a plethora of other diseases, so I try my best to eat the healthiest of foods. I am very conscious with what I eat and the products I use on my body and in my home; that includes the fats and oils I choose to cook with.
There are a handful of cooking oils that I prefer to use on a daily basis. In this post, I will share with you how and why I choose these oils and I will use some unfamiliar words like “smoke point” and “oxidation”.
Smoke point is the temperature in which the oil begins to break down and oxidize resulting in the smoking and burning of the oil. Oil oxidation is the chemical reaction in which high temperatures, light, moisture and oxygen exposure can begin to damage the flavor of the oil making it rancid.
All of the oils I will be sharing with you have many health benefits in and out of the kitchen. While there are many debates regarding their uses, this is my personal choice for my family.
Today is day 101, which means I have finished the Whole100! I’ve spent my entire summer eating a very limited diet; surviving parties, potlucks, picnics, holidays, special events, and many gatherings with family and friends. If you’ve read my first post, you know that I was doing this to reset my body and to prepare mentally for a long trip home to see my family. We leave soon to meet four beautiful newborn babies, all born in less than two weeks; my first nephew and the children of my very dear cousins who are like sisters to me.
Eating a Whole9 diet has become a part of my life as I have finished two rounds of Whole100 since July of last year. Going forward, [Read more…]
I’m traveling to the Middle East next month to visit my family and to meet four newborn babies, including my perfect little nephew. He is just a week old and is already the cutest, most precious baby boy I have ever seen. My daughter is so excited and proud to be a big cousin and we are ready to finally get there to give him sweet cuddles and kisses!
During my trip home last year, I was in the kitchen a lot; helping, watching and learning. I was there for Easter and one of the things my Aunt taught me to make were Crown Date Cookies. They are special non-Paleo treats that we make during resurrection week- you can learn a little more about them here.
Even though Crown Date Cookies are not Paleo, I wanted to apply what my aunt taught me when I got home and so I brought back some packaged pitted baking dates in hopes of recreating her recipe. Unfortunately, months went by and I didn’t end up making the special Easter treats. I needed to use the dates before I traveled again, so I came up with a quick and easy Paleo/Raw Vegan recipe. [Read more…]