Cream Filled Semolina Cake

 Ingredients:

1-3/4 cup cream
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
rosewater, to taste
cardamom, to taste

1 cup semolina
1 cup dessicated coconut
1/2 cup sugar
2 egg replacers
1/2 cup vegan butter
1 cup coconut yogurt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons rosewater
a pinch of saffron, crushed
a squeeze of lemon juice

Combine all the cream ingredients in a saucepan and whisk. Turn on heat and stir until it is thickened. Spread into a parchment paper lined spingform pan and place in the freezer until either frozen or cooled.

Meanwhile, combine dry ingredients for the batter and add the remaining ingredients. Spread a third of the batter into the same size or larger springform pan. Place the cream layer on top and spread with remaining batter. 

Bake at 350 for 40 minutes until golden.

Meanwhile, combine syrup ingredients in a saucepan, simmer until sugar is dissolved and set aside to cool.

When cake is still hot, spread about 2 tablespoons of it on top. Serve the rest with the cake after it is cooled.

Layali Lebanon

 Ingredients:

3-1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup toasted semolina
a pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon orange blossom water
1 teaspoon rosewater
1/2 cup sugar
6 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon rosewater
1/2 teaspoon orange blossom water
a squeeze of lemon juice
whipping cream
pistachio, chopped

Combine milk, semolina, and salt in a saucepan and stir until thickened. Add the flavorings and pour into individual cups or a shallow pan to set in the fridge.

Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan and boil until sugar is dissolved. Stir in flavorings and set aside to cool.

Whip the cream and spread over the semolina. Sprinkle with pistachios and drizzle with the syrup just before serving.

Lebanese Slaw

 Ingredients:

1 small green cabbage, shredded
2 green onioned, chopped
a pinch of garlic powder
1 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 cup mint, chopped
1/4 cup dill, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh zatar, chopped (optional)
juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and black pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients together and serve chilled.

Green Bean Stew

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
a pinch of nutmeg
2 cups green beans, trimmed
2 tomatoes, diced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
salt and black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil


Cook onion and garlic in the oil. Add the spices and cook until aromatic. Stir in green beans and cook until they are bright. Then add the tomatoes. Add some water, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook until beans are tender. Add olive oil before removing from heat.

Cauliflower and Cheese

Ingredients:

1 medium cauliflower, cut into bite sized pieces
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegan butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
4 tablespoons tahini
salt and black pepper, to taste
3 kale leaves, stemmed and chopped
vegan cheddar, shredded
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Roast the cauliflower with the spices and set aside.

In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the flour. Stir until well incorporated and slowly add milk until desired consistency is reached. Add the nutritional yeast and tahini and season with salt and pepper.

Toss the kale with the cauliflower and add the sauce. Cover and bake at 400 for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and breadcrumbs and bake uncovered for an additional 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley.

Middle Eastern Grilled Eggplant Wrap

Ingredients:

2 eggplants, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
2 tablespoons oil

2 kale leaves, finely chopped
1 small bunch parsley, finely chopped
a handful of mint, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1 small tomato, chopped
1 small cucumber, diced
4 radishes, slivered
2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds (optional)
juice of 1/2 a lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon sumac
salt and black pepper, to taste

pitted green or kalamata olives (optional)
tahini sauce
tannour bread

Salt the eggplants and set aside for half an hour. Then squeeze liquid and brush them with some oil. Grill on both sides and set aside.

Meanwhile, toss the vegetables and the dressing and prepare the tahini sauce.

To assemble wraps, place olives in the center of the bread and top with the salad mixture, followed by a drizzle of the tahini, then the eggplant slices.

Butternut Tahini Spread

Ingredients:

1 medium butternut squash (485 grams), diced
1-1/2 tablespoons oil
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
35 grams tahini paste
60 grams almond yogurt
1 small garlic clove, crushed
1 teaspoon black and white sesame seeds, toasted
1 teaspoon date syrup
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

Toss the squash with oil, cinnamon, and salt. Bake until tender and mash with a potato masher until smooth. Alternately can boil and mash with a fork. Add the tahini, yogurt, and garlic. Season with more salt as needed. Spread onto a plate and drizzle with date syrup and sprinkle with sesame seeds and cilantro.

Serve with pita bread or crackers.

Mexican Fattoush

Ingredients:

3 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
cucumber, cut into half moons
corn, grilled or oven roasted
2 tablespoons dill, chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
pomegranate seeds (optional)
avocado, diced (optional)
juice of 2 limes
olive oil
sumac, to taste
a pinch of cumin
salt and black pepper, to taste
pita or tortilla chips, roughly broken

Combine lettuce with the veggies and toss with the dressing ingredients. Top with the chips before serving.

Chickpea and Eggplant Pomegranate Stew

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant, diced
1 teaspoon grapeseed oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 tomato chopped
3/4 cup tomato sauce
1-1/2 cups chickpeas
1-1/2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
salt and black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Salt the eggplants and set aside for 30 minutes then press with paper towels. Toss with some oil and bake until golden.

Meanwhile cook the onions and the garlic. Add the allspice and tomato, then the tomato sauce, chickpeas, and pomegranate molasses. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with basmati rice and garnish with parsley.

Sfouf

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups semolina
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon turmeric
1-1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup coconut oil
3/4 cup almond or coconut milk
a pinch of salt
tahini
pine nuts or almonds

Combine semolina, flour, sugar, turmeric, baking powder, coconut oil, milk, and salt.

Grease baking pan with the tahini and spread the batter evenly. Arrange nuts on top and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes. Cool before cutting into squares.

Hummus with Ground Beef

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon coriander
a pinch of cumin
1 large tomato, chopped
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon harissa paste
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup vegan ground beef
salt, to taste
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
1-1/2 cup hummus
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
lemon wedges
pita bread

Cook onion and garlic in the oil. Add the spices and stir until fragrant. Add the tomato. When tomatoes have softened, add the white parts of the green onion, harissa and tomato pastes as well as the ground beef. Season with salt and stir in the parsley.

To assemble, spread the humms on a plate and top with the beef mixture. Sprinkle with the pine nuts then the remaining green onion. Serve with lemon wedges and pita bread.

Sweet Potato Kibbeh

Ingredients:

1 large sweet potato, diced
3/4 cup fine bulgur
1 large onion
salt, to taste
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup olive oil

Bake or boil the sweet potatoes and strain. Transfer to a bowl and mash with a potato masher.

Meanwhile, boil 1-1/4 cup water and remove from heat. Add some salt and the bulgur. Cover and let the bulgur cook.

Generously grease a casserole dish. Cut the onion in half. Thinly slice half of the onion and sprinkle in the dish. Grate or puree the remaining onion.

To the potato, add the cooked bulgur, grated onion, salt, cumin, coriander, paprika, pepper, garlic, cilantro, and flour. Fold until well concorporated.

Place the potato mixture over the sliced onions and press down. Score diamond shapes with a knife and bake for 50 minutes at 400. 15 minutes before removing from the oven, drizzle the olive oil over the surface and continue baking (broil if needed) until browned and crispy.

Allow to set 10 minutes before cutting.

Serve with salad.

Muhammara

Ingredients:

2 large red bell peppers
1 clove garlic
1/3 cup walnuts, toasted
1/4 cup breadcrumbs or panko
3 tablespoons parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
juice of half a lemon
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt, to taste

Cut the bell peppers in half and brush with some oil. Roast or grill until charred. Cover until cooled and remove skins.

Place the bell peppers in a food processor with all remaining ingredients and puree until uniform.

Spread on a plate and drizzle with more olive oil and some toasted sesame seeds if desired. Serve with pita bread.

Batata Harra

Ingredients:

2 yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon turmeric
salt and black pepper, to taste
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon dill, chopped
1 tablespoon mint, chopped

Boil the potatoes until mostly cooked. Drain and set aside. In a skillet, cook the garlic in the oil and add coriander, red pepper, and turmeric. Add the potatoes and stir until evenly coated. Allow to sear on one side before flipping over. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove potatoes from heat and toss with the lemon juice and herbs. Serve warm or cold.

Lahmacun

Ingredients:

1/2 pizza dough
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small red bell pepper, finely diced (optional)
1/2 teaspoon aleppo pepper (or red pepper flakes)
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon allspice
a pinch of cinnamon
a pinch of cumin
2 roma tomatoes, finely diced
1-1/2 cups vegan ground beef
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon mint, chopped
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 teaspoon olive oil
salt, to taste
2 tablespoons pine nuts

Divide dough into 8 pieces and flatten into thin circles. Set aside to rise.

In a skillet, cook onion, garlic, and pepper until soft. Add the spices then the tomatoes. When tomatoes are slightly wilted, stir in the vegan beef, herbs, lemon, olive oil, and salt. Remove from heat.

Top the dough with the meat mixture and sprinkle with the pine nuts.

Cook on baking stone for 20 minutes or until edges are golden.



Optional: Serve topped with thinly sliced red onion tossed with lemon, olive oil, salt, and sumac, and some baby arugula.

Mahalabi

Ingredients:

1/4 cup cornstarch
1-1/2 cup cashew cream
1-1/2 cup evaporated coconut milk
1/2 cup sugar
a pinch of salt
1 teaspoon rosewater
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a saucepan combine cornstarch with a few tablespoons of the cashew cream and whisk until smooth. Gradually stir in remaining cashew cream, evaporated milk, sugar, and salt. Cook until mixture is thickened. Add more cashew cream if it's too thick and stir in rosewater and vanilla. Pour into ramekins and refrigerate.

To make raspberry puree, combine 1 cup of raspberry (or any fruit), 1 teaspoon honey, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/2 tablespoon of water in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Smooth over the mahalabi and garnish with slivered toasted pistachios.

Middle Eastern Moussaka

Ingredients:

2 eggplants, roasted and diced
1 large potato, diced and roasted
1 green or red bell pepper, chopped
1-1/2 cup chickpeas
1 teaspoon oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 cup tomato sauce
1 roma tomato, diced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
salt and black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Cook onion and garlic in the oil. Add bell pepper and cook until tender and stir in cumin and coriander.

Stir in tomato, tomato sauce, and mustard seed. Bring to simmer and add eggplants, potato, and chickpeas.

Season with salt and pepper and garnish with parsley.

Semolina Pudding

Ingredients:

2 cups almond or cashew cream
1/4 cup semolina
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon orange blossom water
a dash of rosewater
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
a pinch of salt

1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon orange blossom water
1/4 teaspoon rosewater

3/4 cup coconut cream
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons pistachios, slivered

Heat almond milk until warm and add semolina and sugar. Stir constantly until mixture thickens. Add orange blossom water, rosewater, vanilla, and salt. Pour pudding into serving dish or ramekins. Set aside or refrigerate.

Meanwhile, combine sugar and water and simmer until sugar is dissolved. Add lemon, orange blossom, and rose water. Set aside to cool.

Whip cream until stiff peaks. Fold in powdered sugar and vanilla.

Top the pudding with the cream. Drizzle with the sugar syrup. Garnish with pistachios.

Freekeh and Fig Salad

Ingredients:

olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon middle eastern spice mix
1-1/2 cups freekeh, cooked
1 teaspoon dried mint
2 tablespoons sour cherry or barberry
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon mint, chopped
2 figs, cut into quarters
1/4 cup vegan feta cheese
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
juice of one lemon
sorrel or arugula

Cook onion in olive oil until softened. Add spice and cook another minute until aromatic. Add to freekeh and allow to cool.

Add more olive oil, dried mint, berry, parsley, mint, feta cheese, sesame, and lemon.

Arrange salad greens on a plate and place freekeh mixture on top. Arrange figs on top.

Mujaddara

Ingredients:

grapeseed oil
3 onions, sliced
1-1/3 cup brown lentils
1 cup basmati brown rice
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons cumin seed
1 tablespoon coriander seed
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1-1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground clove
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup imitation ground beef (optional)
2 tablespoons flour
small cherry tomatoes
sliced persian cucumber
chopped mint
chopped parsley
toasted pine nuts
toasted golden raisins
yogurt


Soak the lentils and the rice in some water.

Caramelize the onions in the grapeseed oil. Add garlic and salt 10 minutes before onions are done. Remove from heat.

Boil lentils in water for about 15 minutes until al dente.

Meanwhile, add a little bit of oil to a saucepan and stir in cumin and coriander seeds. Add vegetable stock, water, rice, turmeric, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then cover and allow to cook until rice is tender. Add lentils, imitation ground beef, and half the caramelized onion.

Add oil to remaining onion and fry, adding flour as needed, until onions are crispy. Remove from heat,

To serve, scoop rice mixture into a plate or bowls and top with the fried onion. Serve with sides of tomato, cucumber, parsley, mint, pine nuts, golden raisins, and yogurt.