Beets and Cabbage Salad-سلطة الملفوف والشمندر

This is a very easy salad. Very fresh and super healthy with very few calories in it.

Cabbage is packed with nutrients and antioxidants. A good source of vitamin C and K. It lowers the cholesterol and helps digestion. As for beets, helps regulate blood pressure, fights inflammation, supports brain health with very little calories in it.

You can buy the beets sliced and ready in a can or jar, or you can buy it fresh. If so, wash and clean. In a saucepan, cover it water and a teaspoon of salt and let it boil and cook until ready. Just like cooking a potato. Drain the water and let it cool off. Peel it and slice it.

Shred or buy ready bagged shredded cabbage, the same one for coleslaw. Add the amount of your choice depending on how many persons. About three cups or fill your salad bowl.
Add the sliced beets, onions, parsley. In a separate small bowl, add the garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper, whisk together with a small salad whisk or fork and drizzle over your salad.

Ingredients:
Shredded Cabbage
Sliced Beets (canned or jarred) plain without additives or flavors
1 tbsp chopped Parsley (optional)
Sliced onions

For the dressing:
1/2 cup of Olive oil
1 squeezed lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
1 small crushed garlic clove

Vegetarian

0

Kibbeh Balls without Stuffing

I guess the craving for kibbeh is not over yet :) This time it's with meat but without the stuffing. The recipe of kibbeh balls appetizers with stuffing is already posted in the appetizers section. This time I had some kibbeh left and decided just to make balls and fry them without the stuffing for a change. I like to have them with a green salad and some fries.

Kibbeh ingredients: (or any leftover kibbeh)
1 pound/lb or about 500g of minced lean meat
2 cups of fine bulgur wheat
1 onion chopped/diced
1 teaspoon of allspice or 7 spices
Salt & pepper (about half a teaspoon of each)
1/3 cup of vegetable oil

Wash the bulgur and drain, mix with the lean meat, onions, spices, salt & pepper and place in the food processor on low or mix by hand until the ingredients combine together then place in a bowl. Make the balls and fry them in vegetable oil until cooked and golden brown. Serve with fries and salad or just salad. I suggest making sandwiches like Falafel style sandwiches or wraps with greens, pickles and the dressing of your choice.

Oh by the way! Stay tuned:
GIVEAWAYS ARE STARTING THIS WEEK! All YOU HAVE TO DO IS PARTICIPATE!

Middle Eastern

10

Salade Panachée -

This salad is very popular in Lebanon. The word "Panachée" concerning salad in French means several kinds or a variety of vegetables. It is very simple and some ingredients can be substituted, for example the Green Asparagus instead of white. Any kind of mushrooms can be used too, fresh or canned. or even lettuce. For a simple measuring, I would go with a cup of each ingredients.

Here's my version:
- Chopped Lettuce
- Fresh Endives leaves (cut the bottom and leaves become easy to remove)
- Corn
- Mushrooms
- Marinated artichokes (or non marinated)
- Asparagus (cooked or from a jar or can ready to use)
- Cherry tomatoes halved
- Sliced cucumbers

The dressing is very simple: Some Lemon juice, olive oil, salt & pepper. Also a little mustard can be added, about a teaspoon and you'll have a nice tangy vinaigrette.

Bon Appétit!

Vegetarian

3

Fresh Oysters from Lebanon!

We were craving fresh oysters my sister and I, so we drove to Byblos (Jbeil) and got from one of the fishermen fresh oysters. We bought 4 dozens, came back home, opened a bottle of 'La Dame Blanche' of 'Chateau Kefraya' my favorite Lebanese winery :) and then in no time, ate them all!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, I almost forgot to mention that they taste great with fresh squeezed lemons :)

Lebanese

7

Appetizer Kibbeh - كبة مقلية

This kind of Kibbeh is served as an appetizer, hot or room temperature. The ingredients are the same as the one I listed before the "baked Kibbeh". The difference is in the shape and the way they are cooked. These kibbeh balls are stuffed with meat, onions and pine nuts, same filling as the one listed in the "baked Kibbeh" recipe too. The kibbeh balls are fried and not baked. Deep fry them in vegetable oil until gold or brown, then set on a paper towel to drain for few minutes. Same way as frying Falafel.
They are very good with Hommus on the side. I personally like to dip them in Hommus.

Meat

1

Chard Pies - Fatayer bil Sili'- فطائر بالسلق

In this recipe I am not gonna give exact serving ingredients because it depends on the amount of dough made or the size of the pies. I made each pie size enough for 1 person this time, I made 3 big pies with this filling. If you have a crowd or a party it's better to make the pies smaller so they can be served as appetizers.

Ingredients:
Ready dough mix (follow instructions on the box)
For the filling:
1 cup of onions, finely chopped
3 cups of chopped swiss chards leaves
4 tablespoons of olive oil
A handful of pine nuts
1 teaspoon of sumac spice (found in Middle Eastern stores or online)
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
Salt & pepper to taste.

While the dough is rising, in a pan, add onions, olive oil and the pine nuts and cook for 1 minute then add the chards, once they start wilting, add the sumac spice, salt and pepper. After they cook, add the lemon juice and set aside to cool off.
When the dough is ready, roll to about 1/8 inch thick and cut into rounds (the size you want) place the filling in the middle and fold 3 sides over the filling to obtain the shape of a triangle. Secure your triangle by pressing on the edges that you folded to secure the triangle from openings.
Bake in a 425 degrees oven until it's golden brown. They can be served hot or cold.

PS: You can substitute the chards with spinach. Also the sumac is optional if it can't be found. You can add more lemon juice in this case to substitute the taste.

Vegetarian

6