Middle Eastern Snacks 101: Green Fava Beans فول أخضر

Green Fava Beans

I am not much of a snacker. I am the kind of girl who likes to eat all my meal from appetizers to desserts in one sitting. I dont like to snack during the day. If I feel the need to eat something between meals, I either gulp down some more plain water or drink some herbal tea. However, I have a weakness to few Middle Eastern snacks. The snacks that grow on trees and are limited to a specific season. I will be writing a series about my favorite Middle Eastern snacks.

Homemade Granola: A nutritious Breakfast and Snack خلطة الشوفان مع المكسرات والفواكه المجففة

My husbands goes to the gym everyday at 5:00 am (I just drag myself to the gym every other day out of sheer embarrassement). He usually eats breakfast at work. Don't get me wrong, they got a cafeteria that can easily compare to one of the best restaurants in town. I mean we have our lunch date at this cafeteria. He eats granola with yogurt, fruit and nuts everyday and he pays 4 dollars everyday for this super healthy breakfast. I challenged him that I can make him an equally delicious breakfast for a fraction of the price. Hence homemade granola.

Seville Orange Marmalade: Not For the Wimps

Seville Orange Marmalade for breakfast

Seville Orange Marmalade brings me back to vacation mode because I often eat it for breakfast when I am on vacation in some fancy resort. I love to smear it on a well toasted piece of bread with some butter. It is like an explosion in your mouth: the bitterness, the sweetness and when you bite into the peel pieces; you are transported into another world! Seville Orange Marmalade is not for the wimps, not for the faint hearted that consider store bought generic strawberry jam is a safe bet (sorry).

Pickled Turnip مخلل اللفت

Pickled Turnip

I usually go to the farmer's market around its closing time to get great deals on seasonal offerings. Farmers dont really like to bring back produce home and they try their best to get rid of them by the time they want to leave resulting in decent discounted prices. Turnip,when in season, is often the last item sold (if ever) in the farmer's market. Turnip is misunderstood and underutilized in the US. I heard that it is usually boiled (poor thing) and eaten as a side. Turnip is one of the stars of any self respecting Middle Eastern table and these pickled turnips are my pride and joy.

Valentine's Day Heart Cookies Part 2

Valentine's Day Treats

Alya sampling the cookies

So you probably know by now that Valentine's Day is around the corner. Alya calls it Valentime with an M (no typing mistake here) and she wants to make a card for her daddy and me (awwwwww). So I am giving the teachers and staff at Alya's preschool those cute Valentine's day Heart Cookies and I am going to show you an easy way to present them.