Roasted Sweet Pepper Salad
On the flight home from Mexico City, my back started to ache. I have no idea why. I fly light. Anyway, I ignored it. I did my usual grocery shopping and house chores, went on a 15-mile bike ride, and…
Delicata Squash with Farro, Harissa & Anchovies
I’m taking a break from creating new content to focus on a new project: introducing my grandmother’s Moroccan sesame anise cookies to America. Family and friends keep asking for them, so I’ve been mailing cookies all over the place. If…
Stuffed Collard Greens
I love stuffed vegetables but I’m rarely in the mood to make it myself. Though I love stuffing leaves — it’s like rolling a joint (says the woman who, in 51 years, has never actually rolled one). It’s satisfying —…
Roasted Cauliflower in Pita with Salad
Pita is a hiding place, a sleeping bag, an edible bowl. Anything you tuck into a pita will be delicious. No wonder Eyal Shani’s Miznon restaurants are so successful. He didn’t invent pita sandwiches, but he showed the world that,…
Vegetable Gratin with Lemon Cashew Cream
Not much to tell. Although I did have a good day. I made a new friend who’s an astrologer, then went on a beautiful hike with my aunt and uncle at Catawba Falls. We followed it up with an early…
Nutty Buckwheat with Brussels Sprouts & Leek
I’m going to make a bold statement that might be false, but I’ll make it anyway. Creative cooks don’t do weekly meal planning. The only planning I do is in my head and when I’m walking through the produce section.…
Zucchini Stuffed with White Beans
As a content creator I don’t use it as much as I could. I mostly use it for proofreading. It’s very helpful for people whose English is a second language, it’s a life-changing tool. I am aware of the risk…
Eggplant Stew in 1 Hour or Less
Another childhood dish that I modified and turned into a delicious vegan dish—my Moroccan mother (and grandmother) makes it with chicken legs or beef. When I was little, this was the only eggplant dish I liked. I love it when…
Easy Lotus Root Stir-Fry (Vegan, 10 Minutes)
My life is sort of adventurous and exciting, but nothing like those National Geographic photographers. If you haven’t watched Photographer, the documentary series on Hulu, stop what you’re doing and go watch it. These days my main source of adventure…
Easy Garlicky Potato Salad
Did you know that garlic is more than a pungent and medicinal ingredient? It’s also a powerful spiritual symbol. In many cultures, garlic is believed to protect from evil spirits and negative energies. Some cultures and spiritual practices used garlic…
Simple Lima Bean & Celeriac Dip
The first time I had celeriac “hummus” was in Habasta, an exquisite restaurant in Tel Aviv. I was surprised by the intense earthy flavor of the celery root. It blew my mind. I remember thinking out loud, I have to…
Sautéed Beet Leaves with Eggs
Throwing away the beet tops is like tossing a gorgeous strand of human hair instead of donating it. What a weird analogy. It’s a shame not to cook those flavorful Swiss chard-like leaves. Particularly when organic and intact. They are…
Roasted Pumpkin & Candied Pecans
I don’t know how comfortable you are about including non-traditional dishes, like this one, in your Thanksgiving feast. If you are open to it, then you must try this one. It requires only four ingredients and take about 30 minutes…
Roasted Cauliflower over Vegan Yogurt
Summer, you’re hot, toasty, sweaty, smelly, exhausting, Yet, I miss you in the winter and welcome you with open arms in the spring. You and this refreshing and light cauliflower dish. This recipe works also with labneh or lemony tahini.
Butternut Squash & Mushroom Salad
Not much is happening these days, but no complaints. The highlight of this week was a trip to Underwood Family Farms. That and this dish. I was pretty impressed myself, because this is exactly the kind of dish that makes…
Quick & Simple Eggplant Dip
When I was a kid, my mother cooked eggplants at least twice a week. I didn’t mind the eggplant cooked with meat and tomatoes, but I found the baba ganoush disgusting. I couldn’t even look at it. My love affair…
Turkish-Style Chickpeas with Caramelized Onion
I always associate the word Turkish with food, good food – even when someone brings up Turkish prisons, Turkish coffee or the Bride from Istanbul. Unfortunately, I haven’t been to Turkey yet, but it’s at the top of my list.…
Smoky Eggplant Dip
My favorite meals are those vibrant dinners which are assembled from a bunch of dips, sides and small plates instead of ordinary main dish-side-and-salad dinner. We eat like that everyday but it never gets boring because they are colorful and…
Spicy Oil Infused with Paprika
Who was the genius that came up with the idea to infuse oil with spices? Every culture has its own oil infusion. My mother always has a jar of oil infused with sweet paprika and hot paprika ready to use…
Easy to Make Turkish Flatbreads
Kids should learn in elementary school how to make basic bread. All humans should know how to make this human creation. Including lawyers and doctors. The process of mixing flour, yeast (or sourdough starter), salt, and water into a dough,…