Falafel is a Middle Eastern food made with garbanzo beans in some regions and fava beans in others. They are vegetarian and deep fried. You can bake them is you want but be careful they do not come put dry. Here is what you are going to need for these:

Serves eight

FOR THE SAUCE:
½ cup Tahini (sesame paste)*
½ cup plain yogurt
2 garlic cloves
2 TBS lemon juice
½ tsp. salt

Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until you have a smooth, creamy sauce.
*You can find Tahini in most grocery stores in their International aisle.

FOR THE FALAFEL:
2 cups garbanzo beans – soaked for 24 hours
1 small onion – peeled and quartered
4 garlic cloves – peeled
1 tsp. coriander
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
4 to 6 TBS flour
1 handful parsley
½ handful of cilantro

Place the soaked garbanzo beans in a pan and cook for about 10 minutes – until softened but not completely cooked through. Drain them and place them in a food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients and process until smooth. Taste the processed garbanzos for salt and re-adjust. Cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

COOKING & ASSEMBLINGTHE FALAFEL:
2 cups vegetable or canola oil
8 Pita pockets
24 slices cucumber
24 slices tomato
8 lettuce leaves

Heat the oil until it reaches 350 degrees.

While the oil is heating, make your patties. You can make them as big or small as you want. I use my cookie scoop, make a ball and then flatten it slightly.

Place the patties in the hot oil and cook a few at a time – making sure not to overcrowd your pan. Once browned and crisp, remove the patties from the oil and place them on a paper towel lined plate. Keep them warm in the oven (set the oven on warm setting).

Cut a pita pocket through the middle and smear with Tahini sauce. Place the lettuce leaf, cucumber, tomato and falafel inside. Drizzle with a little more Tahini sauce and serve. Enjoy!

Falfel with Tahini sauce no bread – CALORIES 410.50.; FAT 18.71 grs (sat 2.63; mono 7.20; poly 7.29); PROTEIN 15.91 grs ; FIBER 10.87 grs; CARBS 47.98 grs; CHOLESTEROL 0.91 mg; IRON 5.29 mg; SODIUM 516.22 mg; CALCIUM 187.68 mg

Baked Falfel with Tahini sauce no bread – CALORIES 347.49.; FAT 11.63 grs (sat 1.61; mono 3.80; poly 4.94); PROTEIN 15.91 grs ; FIBER 10.87 grs; CARBS 47.98 grs; CHOLESTEROL 0.91 mg; IRON 5.29 mg; SODIUM 516.22 mg; CALCIUM 187.68 mg

Print the Falafel with Tahini Sauce Recipe Here

This is a great alternative for a beef burger. I is also quite low in carbs. The sauce is made with Tahine, the main ingredient in hummus, and it complements the lamb very nicely. This is what you need to do for this:

1/2 pound ground lamb
2 TBS finely chopped yellow onion
1.5 TBS finely chopped mint
2 TBS finely chopped parsley
2 minced garlic cloves
1 large lemon – some for the meat, some for the sauce
Pinch cumin
¼ tsp red chili flakes
2 TBS Kefir cheese – 1 for the meat, 1 for the sauce
½ cup crushed pita chips
Salt & Pepper
½ TBS Tahine paste
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
Pita pockets
Lettuce leaves, tomato slices, mint leaves and red onion slices
Olive oil

Place the meat and the onion, mint, parsley and garlic on a bowl. Add a squeeze of lemon juice, cumin, red chili flakes, 1 TBS Kefir cheese and pita chips. Season with salt and pepper and mix to combine well. Make three equal size patties.

Heat a large skillet with some olive oil. Add the patties and cook them until a nice brown crust forms. Flip them and finish cooking.
While the meat is cooking, place the tahine in a bowl and this it out with about 1 TBS lemon juice. Add the remaining Kefir and form into a paste.
Season with some salt and the cayenne. Set aside.

Cut a pita pocket in half and carefully separate it. Smear the Tahine sauce in the inside. Line with lettuce leaves and add a cooked patty. Add a tomato slice, some mint leaves and red onion. Drizzle with olive oil and season with some salt. Serve.

Print the Lamb Burger Recipe Here

This soup is always so comforting and it is pretty economical to make. You need to make sure you have a good beef stock for the base and you also need to let your onions caramelize well in order to be completely successful. Allow yourself the proper time for this so your soup is excellent! Here is what you are going to need:

Serves six

6 large white onions – thinly sliced
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 TBS sugar
2 garlic cloves – minced
8 cups beef stock
1/2 cup red wine
1 TBS fresh thyme leaves or 1 tsp. dried
2 bay leaves
4 toasted pieces of baguette
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
Salt & Pepper

Melt the butter in a large pot. Add the onion and start caramelizing – stirring occasionally. Cook for 15 minutes and add the sugar. Mix well and continue cooking until onions are deep amber but not burned – about 40 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the stock, wine, thyme and bay leaves. Season to with salt and pepper – to taste.

Bring soup to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes. Ladle soup into oven proof bowls. Top with baguette and shredded cheese. Place the soup under the broiler and melt and brown the cheese. Serve and enjoy!

CALORIES 373.06; FAT 17.65 grs (sat 10.18; mono 4.75; poly 1.03); PROTEIN 15.86 grs ; FIBER 3.22 grs; CARBS 37.94 grs; CHOLESTEROL 46.14 mg; IRON 1.98 mg; SODIUM 274.70 mg; CALCIUM 277.37 mg

Print the French Onion Soup Recipe Here

Lentils are so nutritious I try and feed them to my family at least 3 times a month. This little legume comes in red, green and brown and can be used for stews, soups and salads. Lentils are loaded in protein, being the third-highest level of a plant based protein – after soybeans and hemp. They are also a good source of iron. They are nutty in flavor and are the only bean you do not need to soak overnight. This salad can be made as a side or as a light vegetarian meal.

Serves four

4 cups cooked brown lentils
3 scallions – chopped (whites, light green and dark green parts)
3 TBS chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1 small green bell pepper – cored, seeded and diced
1 cup peeled, seeded and chopped cucumber
¼ cup finely chopped parsley
Balsamic Vinaigrette

Place all the ingredients in a bowl. Add the dressing and toss well to coat. Serve and enjoy!

Salad w/o dressing – CALORIES 255.48; FAT 1.6 grs (sat 0.23; mono 0.59; poly 0.49); PROTEIN 18.86 grs ; FIBER 16.99 grs; CARBS 44.45 grs; CHOLESTEROL 0.00 mg; IRON 7.3 mg; SODIUM 953.7 mg; CALCIUM 60.52 mg

FOR THE BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE DRESSING:
This is basically a vinaigrette dressing with oregano. I only make it when I make Greek salad but it is great on any salad you like. I always add a little sugar to this to complement the red wine vinegar.
Makes about one and a half cups of dressing
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup Balsamic vinegar
½ TBS dried oregano leaves
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper

Whisk all the ingredients in a bowl until emulsified. Refrigerate for up to 1 week. Mix well before using.

1/8 cup dressing – CALORIES 83.47; FAT 13.61 grs (sat 1.0; mono 8.6; poly 3.8); PROTEIN 0.03 grs ; FIBER 0.08 grs; CARBS 6.1 grs; CHOLESTEROL 0.00 mg; IRON 0.09 mg; SODIUM 0.27 mg; CALCIUM 0.92 mg

Print the Lentil & Sun Dried Tomato Salad Recipe Here

This rice is yellow because of the turmeric. I use long grain rice that I mix with vermicelli. Vermicelli is thin pasta which I cut up into 1-inch pieces. You can buy it cut up already. This is a great side dish for stews or curries. The ration of rice/vermicelli/ water is slightly different than when you are cooking plain rice because the vermicelli cooks faster than the rice.

Whenever you are cooking rice, it is very important that you do not uncover it so that your rice can steam through the whole cooking process. If 20 minutes have gone by and your rice has dried up and is still hard, you are probably cooking it at too high a temperature. Sometimes, stoves are still too hot when they are set at low. If this is the case, add a little more liquid to the rice and let it finish cooking. By a little I mean ¼ cup tops. If it is sticky and soggy you are using too much liquid.

Makes four cups of cooked rice

1 cup white rice
1 cup vermicelli cut up into 1- inch pieces
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
3 cups water
1 tsp. Salt
1 tablespoon butter

Melt the butter in a pan. Add the rice and vermicelli and fry, stirring often, until vermicelli starts to brown.

Add the turmeric and mix well. Add the water and season with salt.

Bring rice to a boil, cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 20 minutes until liquid dries up and rice is cooked. Fluff with a fork, serve and enjoy!

½ cup rice – CALORIES 205.05; FAT 2.17 grs (sat 0.97; mono 0.43; poly 0.36); PROTEIN 5.22 grs ; FIBER 1.47 grs; CARBS 39.52 grs; CHOLESTEROL 3.81 mg; IRON 2.24 mg; SODIUM 295.01 mg; CALCIUM 11.25 mg

Print the Turmeric Vermicelli Rice Recipe Here

Roasting bell pepper is quite easy to do. You will end up with some sweet, intense flavor that will make all the difference in this soup. This soup is very nutritious and low in fat. Use low sodium vegetable stock to keep it vegetarian.

Serves four

3 large red bell peppers
1 large white onion – chopped
2 large garlic cloves – chopped
1 medium carrot – peeled and quartered
½ a small fennel bulb – quartered
6 cups low sodium chicken or low sodium vegetable stock
6 fresh basil leaves
2 TBS Extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Black Pepper

First thing to do here is roast the bell pepper. Wash and dry the bell pepper. If you have a gas stove, grab the pepper with some tongs and place it directly on an open flame. Turn the tongs frequently until the pepper is charred on all sides. Place it in a bowl and cover it tightly with some plastic wrap. The peppers will sweat as they cool down. Let them cool for about 15 minutes. Remove the stems and seeds and peel them. Cut the peppers into strips and drizzle with olive oil. Do not discard the rendered juice.

If you do not have a gas stove, turn on the broiler in your oven. Place the peppers on a baking sheet and lightly brush them with some olive oil. Place the pan directly under the broiler. Be very vigilant and turn them as they char. Be careful not to burn them. Remove them from the oven and place them in bowl. Follow the same instructions as above.

Heat a large pot with some olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, carrot and fennel bulb. Cook until vegetables are softened and slightly browned – about 15 minutes. Add the stock and roasted peppers – with their rendered juice – and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes.
Cool down the soup and blend in batches with the fresh basil leaves. If you have an immersion handheld blender – use it. Make sure all the vegetables are blended well so you have a smooth puree.

Return the blended soup to the pot. Add salt and pepper. Heat through and serve. Drizzle some olive oil in each dish. Serve with some crusty bread. Enjoy!

CALORIES 182.92; FAT 8.03 grs (sat 1.7; mono 4.94; poly 0.83); PROTEIN 8.51 grs; FIBER 4.99 grs; CARBS 20.50 grs; CHOLESTEROL 7.5 mg; IRON 1.19 mg; SODIUM 848.99 mg; CALCIUM 59.02 mg

Print the Roasted Pepper Soup Recipe Here

Fennel bulb has a licorice undertone and is highly aromatic. It goes beautifully with meats and seafood. In this recipe we will brown the fennel, enhancing its natural flavors, and will then braise it with the chicken and tomatoes. This is a very easy meal to make and is elegant enough to serve your guests.

Serves four

8 skinless chicken thighs
4 tomatoes, chopped
1 fennel bulb – cut into wedges
4 garlic cloves – peeled and smashed
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup low sodium chicken stock
2 TBS Olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper

Rinse and pat dry the chicken. Heat a large skillet with 4 tablespoons olive oil. Add the smashed garlic and cook, stirring, until browned – about 5 minutes. Remove garlic from olive oil and set aside.

Add the fennel to the skillet and cook until evenly browned on all sides – about 7 minutes. Remove from the skillet and set aside.

Add the chicken to the skillet and brown on all sides. Remove from pan and discard all rendered fat.

Add the low sodium chicken stock and the tomato paste to the pan. Mix well to dissolve the tomato paste. Add the tomatoes and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan. Arrange the garlic and fennel around the chicken. Bring liquid to a soft boil, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until chicken is completely cooked through.

Serve and enjoy!

CALORIES 279.59; FAT 12.68 grs (sat 2.48; mono 6.6; poly 2.1); PROTEIN 30.34 grs ; FIBER 3.66 grs; CARBS 11.41 grs; CHOLESTEROL 115.78 mg; IRON 2.54 mg; SODIUM 804.88 mg; CALCIUM 64.42 mg

Print the Baked Chicken with Fennel and Tomato Recipe Here

Here’s a very healthy and colorful recipe for Tilapia. Tilapia is a very mild, white fish that is nicely complemented by the lemon, orange and grapefruit. Talk about healthy, quick and inexpensive!

6 tilapia fillets
1 lemon
1 large orange, peeled, segmented and cut in half
1 small grapefruit, peeled, segmented and cut in half
1 small red onion, finely sliced
Salt & Pepper
Olive oil

Rinse and pat dry the fish. Season it with salt and pepper.

Heat a large skillet with some olive oil. Add the fish. Squeeze 1/2 a lemon all over the fillets, making to remove any seeds that might fall into the pan. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until bottom is cooked and flip. Squeeze the other 1/2 lemon on the fish.

Place the onion, orange and grapefruit pieces on top of all of the fillets. Cook for an extra 5 minutes, until fish is cooked through and flaky. Serve with couscous and green salad. Enjoy!

Print the Citrus Tilapia Recipe Here

Gnocchi are a small potato dumpling that can be bought premade. They are very easy to prepare and they are delicious. I used meat in this recipe but you don’t have to. Go ahead and make it vegetarian if you wish. Either way it will be wonderful! This is what you need to do for these:

1 pound ground beef
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
½ green bell pepper, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1- 14-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp. dry oregano
2 tbs. tomato paste
¾ cup white wine
½ cup basil leaves, chopped
2 pkgs. gnocchi
1 shredded Parmesan cheese
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper

• Season the ground beef with salt and pepper. Brown the meat in a large skillet. Drain out the fat and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Put in one package of gnocchi. Wait for the gnocchi to rise to the top of the pot and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon. Set aside and cook the second package in the same manner.
• Heat a large skillet with olive oil. Add the onion and cook for 4 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and oregano and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring often. Add the peppers and chopped tomatoes and cook for another 4 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and the tomato paste. Slowly mix in the wine and dissolve the tomato paste. Return the ground beef to the pan. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. Add the basil leaves. Give it a good stir and let it cook for 10 minutes.
• Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Add the cooked gnocchi to the meat sauce and mix well. Place the gnocchi and sauce in a casserole dish. Cover it with Parmesan cheese.
• Place the casserole dish into the oven and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cheese melts and the sauce is bubbly. Serve and enjoy!

Print the Gnocchi Casserole Recipe Here

These little patties are so amazingly delicious you will want to make a large batch. Make sure you plan ahead as you will have to marinade the meat. These are a fantastically economical way to entertain! Here is what you are going to need for these:

3 pounds ground beef – preferably 80%
3 garlic cloves – minced
4 TBS chopped Italian parsley
2 medium Roma tomatoes – halved
½ a large white onion
Red chili flakes
2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
2 tomatoes – peeled and chopped
1 small red onion – finely chopped
Olive oil
½ lemon juiced
Plain yogurt
Pita pockets – cut in half
Salt & Pepper

Place the meat in a large bowl. Using a grating box, grate the tomato halves into the meat. Use the larger grating holes for the tomato. Turn the grating box around and grate the onion on the smaller grating holes. Add the garlic and parsley. Season generously with salt, pepper and red chili flakes.

Knead the meat for a good 20 minutes. Cover it and refrigerate it. Let the kneaded meat rest for a minimum of 4 hours or up to 24. Form small patties, small enough to fit 3 in a half pita pocket. Grill patties in indirect heat on your grill.

While the patties are grilling mix the lettuce, tomato and red onion. Season with lemon juice, olive oil and salt. Set aside.

Place 3 cooked patties in half a pita pocket. Top with lettuce salad, a dab of yogurt and extra red chili flakes. Enjoy!

Print the Turkish Koftas Recipe Here