Tag Archives: Healthy

Spicy Hot Chocolate

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After skiing in the wind for five hours straight, I was chilled to the marrow and all I could think of was my special spicy version of hot chocolate.

This chocolaty monster will make you swoon! Think of the cocoa and all the spices that contains this drink that promote cardiovascular health and boost the immunity. It is rich, I know, but absolutely marvelous!

Feel free to play with the amounts of the ingredients to suit your own taste:)

Stay warm!

Spicy Hot Chocolate

Ingredients

•2 cups milk (preferably almond milk)
•½ tsp ground cinnamon
•¼ tsp nutmeg
•¼ tsp chili powder
•2 tbsp brown sugar
•2 mini chili peppers
•3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
•¼ cup 70% dark chocolate, chopped
•Pinch of salt

Preparation
1. In a medium saucepan, bring milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, chili powder and sugar to a boil.
2. Slit the chili pepper lengthwise and stir in.
3. Whisk in cocoa powder, chocolate and salt, let simmer until mixture is frothy.
4. Discard the chili peppers and divide drink among 2 cups and garnish with mini marshmallows or cinnamon sticks if desired.

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Loubieh Bi Zeit or Green Beans in Oil

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Loubieh Bi Zeit literally means “green beans in oil” and is a Lebanese traditional vegetarian dish. Many local dishes use olive oil I think because Lebanon produces fine olive oil and combined to many ingredients result into absolute indulgence.

I prepare this dish using fresh beans, tomatoes, garlic and onions. I love this old-fashioned simple version, I change nothing add nothing!

This meal is refreshing, tasty and healthy, the combination of ripe tomatoes and green beans gives it a sweet flavor with a bit of acidity.

Classic!

Ingredients

  • 1kg flat green beans (a.k.a helda beans), washed
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 7 garlic cloves
  • 400 g ripe tomatoes, chopped
  • 1/2 cup tomato sauce
  • ¼ tsp Lebanese seven spices
  • ½ tsp salt
  • Fresh herbs for garnish

 Directions

  1. Top and tail the beans and cut into even-sized pieces.
  2. Fry the onions over medium-high heat until golden. Add the whole garlic, the flat beans, the pepper and the salt and sauté for 2-3 minutes or until the beans are a vibrant green.
  3. Add the chopped tomatoes and stir.
  4. Cover with water and simmer on low-medium heat for about 25 minutes.
  5. Remove the lid and add the tomato sauce. Continue cooking until the liquid evaporates and the tomatoes form a thick coating around the beans.
  6. Garnish with parsley, coriander or mint and serve at room temperature with fresh onions and flat bread.

 

 

Meatballs, Potatoes and Rice – Daoud Bacha w Riz

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Daoud Bacha and Rice - Photo by Serge Oryan

Daoud Bacha and Rice – Photo by Serge Oryan

If I were ever granted one superpower, I’d want the ability to manipulate time. Forward. Stop. Rewind.

It would come in helpful to forward insignificant days, zap undesirable phases, lap disappointing circumstances.

If I can stop time it will enable me to do all the things I want and I will never miss a deadline. How many times you wished for a moment to never end, for a pleasure to prolong in measures you never reached before, for those thrilling feelings to last longer.

If I can rewind time, I will have perfect control over my destiny. Not only I’d use this ability to catch back opportunities I never thought they were important, but also to run through again memories and time that touched my heart.

If you were granted one superpower, what would it be?

Last time I did meatballs, my friend Carole who lives in Dubai came over for lunch with her beautiful daughters, we sat all around the table and enjoyed a meal together and laughed. How I wish right now to rewind this day and live it as is all over again:)

Meatballs, Potatoes and Rice

Ingredients

  • 450g beef ground meat
  • 1 egg
  • 3 tbsp breadcrumb
  • 3 tbsp Parsley
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste
  • 1 tbsp flour
  • Vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups potatoes, diced
  • 4 tomatoes, diced
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • Pine nuts, toasted (optional)

Directions

In a small bowl, sprinkle the meat with salt, pepper and parsley, add the egg, flour and breadcrumbs and mix. Make small balls.

Heat oil in a large pot and add the meatballs to cook until browned on all sides. Remove from pot and set aside.

In same pot, add oil and drop in the onions and garlic to fry until golden. Add potatoes and tomatoes and mix gently. Cover with water and let it simmer on medium heat. Spoon the tomato paste in and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook for about 20-25 minutes.

Sprinkle with pine nuts and serve with rice on the side.

Lebanese Lentil Soup – Aadass bi Hamod

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Lebanese lentil soup is a meal in itself, packed with lentils and potatoes and often enjoyed with the addition of toasted bread. A hearty, healthy and warm bowl of this soup is the perfect solution on a rainy and cold day.

Lebanese Lentil Soup

Serves 4 • Preparation Time 20 minutes • Cooking Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups lentils, washed and rinsed
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 450g / 1 bunch of fresh Swiss chard, washed and chopped coarsely
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • ½ cup onions, chopped
  • 2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 4 tbsp lemon juice
  • Olive oil, to taste

Preparation

  1. Bring a medium size pot, of 1L, of salted water to a boil and add lentils to half cook.
  2. Add potatoes and cook for 5-7 minutes.
  3. Add chards and cook for another 5-7 minutes.
  4. Heat oil and sauté coriander and onions in a separate skillet until wilt. Add to lentils.
  5. Adjust seasoning to taste. Add lemon juice off heat and while soup is still hot. Serve.
  6. This is a healthy and tasty vegetarian soup that can be served with toasted Lebanese bread (pita), if desired.

Love Bananas?

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Maya Oran-Banana Muffin

I want to share this recipe on my blog for the sake of its amazing taste. The outcome is lush and moist muffins. They are by far the easiest to make and super healthy. It uses, whole-wheat flour, All-Bran cereals, skimmed milk and a tiny amount of butter. Children relish them. I baked a dozen of Banana muffins today and their aroma permeated my kitchen. Mmmmm!

My conscience

-Wake up!! (snapping fingers) 

I have to confess that as a food stylist I have to be embarrassed of how those muffins look like. They don’t rise like other do and the texture is a little lumpy. Well let’s say it’s more authentic like that:) But I do promise you a flavorful snack/breakfast, not too sweet but truly delectable.

Banana Muffins

Ingredients

  • 1 cup All-Bran® cereals
  • 1 ½ cup skimmed Milk, at room temperature
  • 1 cup Whole-Wheat Flour
  • Pinch of Salt
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • ½ stick / 50gm Butter
  • ¼ cup brown Sugar
  • 1 tsp Honey
  • 1 Egg, lightly beaten
  • 2 ripe Bananas, mashed
  • ½ cup Raisins

Preparation

  1. Pre-heat oven to 180ºC
  2. Soak All-Bran cereals in milk for about 10mn.
  3. Mix flour, salt, baking powder.
  4. Cream sugar and butter. Add Honey and egg. Mix well.
  5. Stir in the soaked milk gradually alternating with the flour mixture.
  6. Fold in the bananas and the raisins.
  7. Divide the batter into the muffin cases and bake for 20-25 minutes until toothpick inserted in the center of one of the muffins comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes and remove from pan to a wire rack to cool entirely.