Enjoying summer to the full in Lebanon is all about the beach and the night life. As the sun sets in Beirut, the madness of its streets subsides and the city’s eccentricity moves across to the bars and the nightclubs. Beirut offers some of the hottest roof-top bars in the world, but other places offer some … Continue reading
Tag Archives: diet
Home-made pickled olives
Now that the warm sun is slowly making room for cool breezes and rainy days, after it had plenty of time to nurture and ripen olives throughout the summer months, these delicious fruits are now ready to be pickled and enjoyed. I will be sharing with you today a traditional recipe that comes from the … Continue reading
Red lentil and rice soup
This is a traditional Eastern Mediterranean red lentil soup. It is so simple yet full of flavour, a favourite peasant soup of mine. When I make it for friends, they usually cannot believe that it has only two main ingredients. A perfect winter soup. Serves 4 preparation time 10 minutes cooking time 50 minutes Ingredients: … Continue reading
Milk pudding with dried figs
I first tasted ‘Mahalabiya’, milk Pudding with dried figs in Istanbul a few years ago and loved it. Even though for years I have been making various recipes for Middle Eastern milk puddings, I had never tasted a dried fig flavoured milk pudding prior to this trip. ‘Mahalbiya’ is traditionally a milk pudding using either … Continue reading
Freekeh salad with macadamia, barberries and feta
Freekeh is wheat harvested when still young and green, then roasted and rubbed to remove the grain from chaff. It has a special smoky flavour and is quite rich in fibre and protein. It is traditionally cooked as a stew, however chefs of modern Middle Eastern cuisine are reinventing this ancient grain and using it … Continue reading
Valentine’s Flourless Chocolate Indulgence Cake
Spoil yourself or your loved ones with a flour-less chocolate cake this Valentine’s day, or any other day. I love this cake, it is foolproof and tastes great. You can serve it with just a dusting of icing sugar and a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. Or if you are in the … Continue reading
Kale, sun dried apricots, walnuts, asparagus and beetroot salad
The tangy taste of the sun-dried apricots teams up really well with the crunchiness of walnuts to give this salad an interesting twist on flavours. The Beetroot and the grilled sweet potato introduce a lovely sweetness which contrasts quite well with the sourness of the dressing. prep time: 20 min cooking time: 30 – 45 min … Continue reading
Mediterranean style rice paper rolls with grilled asparagus and haloumi
Taking a bite out of these rolls, is like having all the flavours of an antipasto platter exploding in your mouth at the same time. Absolutely delicious and so light, it is my Mediterranean twist on the very popular ‘Vietnamese rice paper rolls’. I wanted a gluten-free and light alternative to the usual crusty bread piled … Continue reading
Grilled fig salad with pomegranate molasses and caramelised walnuts.
The sweet and salty flavours pair so well in this refreshing salad. It has various textures too which makes it a delight to the palette. Note: for a vegetarian option, omit the prosciutto and scatter extra cheese pieces on top of salad. Serves: Two people Prep Time: 15 min Cooking time: 5 min 4 figs … Continue reading
Creamy leek and zucchini soup
Leek adds a special flavour to soups. This is a soup that I tend to make quite often, and even though it is creamy, it has no cream or milk in it. I thicken it and achieve the creamy texture by adding the potato. If you wish to add a dollop of cream, you can, … Continue reading
Shish Barak, savouring a childhood dish
Shish Barak is one of my favourite childhood dishes. Growing up I loved to help out with cutting the pastry and making the dumplings. I remember begging mum to let me eat a few of the ‘mini hats’ as they came out of the oven. However I no longer follow my mum’s recipe in baking … Continue reading