Vegan Portobello Shawarmas

Image 15 Comments September 18, 2017 Sammy and Sufi

I can’t believe how quickly the summer has ended! Although my husband and I both survived our first few weeks of the semester, we know that life is about to get much busier and even more challenging. Blogging obviously isn’t going to be a main priority (booo, I know) but it will be nice to share some of our adventures as we trudge along through the rest of the school year. Some of the things that will still remain a priority, however, are eating clean and healthy and working toward a simple, sustainable lifestyle. To do that we will definitely have to become more efficient at organizing, meal planning, and prepping and that will certainly be easier with an arsenal of quick and easy recipes.

If you haven’t noticed, one of the things we’ve been trying to do around here is cut down on red meat. Sure there are many vegan dishes out there, including plenty of Middle Eastern options, but gosh darn it when you’re craving a shawarma, sometimes you really need to have your fix. Luckily, I found a way to have just that without the grease and fatty surprises and without all the baggage that comes with eating red meat. Eating portobellos as a meat substitute isn’t something new for us but incorporating meatless substitutes in very classic Middle Eastern recipes is. Who says you can’t have your cake and eat it too? I should note that this recipe has been tested and approved by my brother who leans toward carnivority (not sure if this is a thing). I won’t pretend that he was completely fooled but he had nothing but good things to say (he’s also a man of few words). I guarantee that you’ll be very pleased with this faux shawarma sandwich; the texture and flavor of the mushrooms combined with all of the vegetables and creamy tahini sauce, tastes pretty darn close to the real thing. Not only is it delicious but it is super easy to make and with minimal ingredients too. But you don’t have to take my word for it, try it yourself!

Vegan Portobello Shawarmas

Time: 20 mins
Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients
2 pounds portobello mushrooms
1 teaspoon shawarma spice (more if you like it spicier)
1/4 cup white vinegar
Olive Oil
Salt (to taste)

For sandwiches:
Pita bread
Tomatoes, diced
Onions, thinly sliced
Parsley, chopped
Pickled cucumbers or turnips, sliced
Sumac
Taratoor (tahini sauce)

Note: This recipe makes between 4-6 sandwiches depending on how stuffed you like them.

Directions

Gently wash your portobello mushrooms and slice very thinly.
In a large pan, drizzle olive oil and add in the mushrooms in batches. Each time the mushrooms start cooking down, add another batch to the pan.
Once all the mushrooms are in the pan, add in the shawarma spice and vinegar, stir well to incorporate.
Cook on medium-high until the liquid cooks off and the mushrooms begin to brown, approximately 10 minutes.
In the meantime, prepare all your sandwich toppings and condiments.
Open your pita bread into halves and layer on the goodness: portobello shawarma, tomato, parlsey, pickles, onions, sumac, and a drizzle of taratoor.
Roll up and enjoy!

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Chickpea soup with tomato pickle salsa (Hummus M’Sabaha)

Image 6 Comments August 29, 2017 Sammy and Sufi

Ever since I purchased an Inkwell Press Meal Planner back in January and forced myself to commit to meal planning, we have been pretty consistent about practicing Meatless Mondays. Having a set genre for each day has really helped narrow down the selection for the menu, which is something I had a hard time doing prior because I enjoy making many different things. Today I’m sharing one of our favorite meatless dishes that’s nutritious and simple to make. It’s very similar to another Lebanese dish called foul and hummus except it’s without the foul or fava beans. Foul and hummus is usually eaten for breakfast and while I enjoy it now, I used to HATE it growing up. It was just too heavy for me and it wasn’t nachos or pizza so I was understandably upset when I could smell the distinctive aroma of garlic and fava beans wafting through the air. My father, the negotiator that he is, would allow me to leave out the fava beans as long as I ate everything else and that’s how my love for this dish of hummus m’sabaha blossomed. Traditional Lebanese hummus m’sabaha is much thicker and creamier than what I show here. Usually it’s roughly mashed and a little bit of tahini is added for creaminess. This spin on my childhood favorite is like a mix of hummus m’sabaha and lablabi, a Tunisian chickpea soup. We personally enjoy the combination of the light lemony, garlicky broth with the texture of whole chickpeas. And speaking of broth, please don’t use canned chickpeas. Technically you can but if you do make sure to drain the chickpeas well and simmer them in a vegetable stock or bone broth. Starting with dried chickpeas is essential for getting flavorful chickpea broth that is not a metallic tasting goop.

I always soak the dried chickpeas on Sunday evening and boil them first thing on Monday morning. My recipe calls for two cups because that’s what I soak but we don’t necessarily eat all two cups unless I planned to eat leftovers the next day {usually we don’t because it’s Taco Tuesday ;)}. Whatever I don’t use I will freeze for a rainy day. I grew up learning to cook from my father who never measured ingredients so I’m still working on how best to write and share these family recipes. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

Chickpea soup with tomato pickle salsa (Hummus M'Sabaha)

Time: 60 mins
Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients
2 cups dried chickpeas
1 teaspoon baking soda
10-12 cups water
2-4 garlic cloves, minced*
1/2-1 cup lemon juice*
high quality extra virgin olive oil to drizzle
salt & pepper to taste

Salsa:
1 cup diced Lebanese pickled cucumbers
2 cups diced tomatoes
1/4 cup of fresh mint, chopped
1/4 cup of fresh parsley, chopped

To serve:
Radishes
Lebanese pickled cucumbers
Sweet onion, sliced
Pita bread
Lemon
Fresh herbs like mint and parsley

*Note: If you’re not afraid of flavor, you might consider adding more garlic and lemon juice.

Directions

In a large bowl, add your chickpeas and baking soda and cover with water. Let the chickpeas soak overnight or for at least 8 hours.
Drain and rinse your chickpeas and cover with 10-12 cups fresh water in a lidded pot. Bring to a boil then let simmer covered for 30-45 minutes or until tender.
Using a mortar and pestle, mince your garlic cloves with salt until you have a smooth paste.
In the meantime make your salsa by combining diced tomatoes, diced pickles, chopped mint, and chopped parsley.
Once the chickpeas are tender, add in your garlic paste, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. You can use your pestle to give some of the chickpeas a quick mash for thickness if you desire. Let simmer for another 10 minutes then adjust seasoning to your taste.
Ladle into individual bowls, drizzle with olive oil generously and top with sweet onions and salsa. Serve with fresh pita bread and garnishments of your choice.

Lebanese Lentil and Rice Pilaf (Mdardara)

Image 8 Comments March 2, 2017 Sammy and Sufi

We know we haven’t posted in a while but we have been a bit busy working on some fun DIY projects around the house as well as an exciting project that we will be announcing next week. Although our lives are busy, we wholeheartedly believe in eating healthy homemade meals. It might seem difficult to strive for but there are plenty of healthy and simple meal options that one can make in a pinch. That’s why today I’m sharing one of our favorite vegetarian meal options that we enjoy almost every other week. I didn’t like this meal much when I was a child but it grew on me to the point that I now crave it as an adult. It’s a pilaf made of rice, onions, and lentils topped with more crispy caramelized onions and served with yogurt, crunchy radishes, and a side salad. It is both nutritious and delicious.

To be honest though, there is one downside to making this dish. ONIONS. Your house will smell like onions, you will smell like onions, your car will smell like onions. The smell of onions will permeate your life for days. But I can promise you that it will all be totally worth it! I look back now and laugh but I remember in my early undergraduate days when I’d be getting ready to leave the house for my evening class and my father would start cooking this meal. I would try to race through the kitchen and out the side door but to no avail. That split second in the kitchen was enough to have me reeking. It’s funny to think that now, as a mom, I will be responsible for ensuring my family has their fair share of embarrassing, onion-filled moments. The circle of life. How beautiful 😉

Lebanese Lentil and Rice Pilaf (Mdardara)

Time: 40 mins
Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients
1 cup brown lentils
1 cup white rice
2 medium yellow onions, diced
3 large yellow onions, cut into half rings (optional)
4-5 cups of water*
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

*Note: I use 2 cups of water to parboil the lentils and 3 cups to cook the onions, lentils, and rice together. Even on the lowest setting our stove gets very hot and cooks very fast. You may find you only need 2 cups of water rather than 3.

Directions

Rinse your lentils under cold water and remove any small debris.
In a small pot, parboil your lentils in 2 cups of water for 10-12 minutes. Drain and set aside for step 5.
Meanwhile in a larger pot, begin caramelizing your finely diced onions in olive oil. This will take time so be patient. Keep the fire on low and stir every so often until you have beautiful golden brown (but not burnt) onions.
Add the remaining 3 cups of water to the onions and bring to a boil. Stir well, reduce the heat, and let simmer for 2 minutes.
Pour the rice, lentils, salt, and pepper into your onion mixture. Stir well, cover, and cook until all the water has been absorbed (about 15-20 minutes).
While your rice and lentils are cooking, heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan and fry your onion rings in batches until crispy and golden brown. Let drain on a paper towel until ready to serve. This part of the recipe is a bit unhealthy and you can skip it though it won’t be the same. Or you can slow caramelize your onions (I have done this many times) but it will take more time and they won’t be as crispy.
Top your mdardara with the crispy fried onions and serve with yogurt (to keep this meal vegan leave the yogurt out), radishes, mint, and a fresh salad.

What are some healthy meals you hated growing up but grew to love as adults? Let us know in the comment section below.

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Lebanese Stuffed Eggplants (Sheikh al-Mahshi)

Image 11 Comments December 27, 2016 Sammy and Sufi

Growing up in a Lebanese household meant that eggplant was no stranger to the dinner table. One of my favorite eggplant dishes was (and still is) Sheikh-al Mahshi; a Lebanese casserole made of golden fried eggplants topped with spiced beef or lamb and cooked in a light tomato sauce. My father, who loved to cook for us, would make this dish using large purple eggplant slices for the base, tender filet mignon chunks and Lebanese pine nuts for the topping, and fresh homemade tomato sauce. Delicious is an understatement.

A few months ago, I was at a local market when I came across these large 11-pound boxes of assorted baby eggplant for only $3. It was a total steal and I ended up taking a box home with me to experiment with the other colorful eggplant varieties. Although I ended up blanching and freezing many of them for a rainy day, I decided to recreate my father’s recipe using baby eggplants for dinner one night. I have always found the Lebanese dishes I grew up with simple to make but with graduate school and a household to tend to, any shortcut that doesn’t jeopardize taste is definitely welcome. While I prefer the taste of homemade tomato sauce, having a quality canned sauce on hand can really speed things up. Cooking with ground beef also saves you the hassle of having to prepare and cut your meat. Some of my modifications, however, are not just to save time but to make the recipe a teeny bit healthier. Instead of deep-frying the eggplants to soften them, I blanched them and then browned the skins in a bit of olive oil. The only issue was that I found the skins of the yellow eggplant variety too thick to eat. I personally would not use them again in a recipe like this even though the flesh had a very nice flavor. With that being said, this version was a huge hit with the family and we hope you’ll consider adding this simple, healthy dish to your recipe box.

Lebanese Stuffed Eggplants (Sheikh al-Mahshi)

Time: 60 mins
Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients

10-12 baby eggplant
1 lb lean ground beef
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 15 oz can of tomato sauce (we use Simple Truth)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground all-spice
1/2 cup chopped parsley
Extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper (to taste)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Rinse the eggplants and trim the stems, leaving the hulls.
Bring a large pot of water to boil and blanche the eggplants whole for 8-10 minutes until tender. In the meantime, toast the pine nuts until golden and set aside.
Once the eggplants have cooled, gently make an incision from the hull to the bottom of the eggplant.
OPTIONAL: Drizzle a bit of oil in a deep pan and brown the blanched eggplants in batches for 2-5 minutes then set aside (see step 7).
Drizzle a bit of oil in a deep pan and sauté the diced onions until translucent.
Add in the ground beef, cinnamon, all-spice, salt, and pepper and cook until meat is well done.
Ladle a few spoons of tomato sauce into the bottom of a glass baking dish and lay the eggplants slit side up.
Spoon the spiced meat mixture into each eggplant and cover with the remaining tomato sauce. Top with half of the toasted pine nuts and half of the chopped parsley.
Cover your baking dish and bake in the oven for 30 minutes until the sauce is simmering.
To serve, garnish with remaining pine nuts and parsley next to a bed of steaming vermicelli rice.

Note: If you end up with extra meat, just spoon the remainder evenly on the top of the sauce before baking.

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Labneh Pizza Toast

Image 6 Comments December 2, 2016 Sammy and Sufi

Long before toast became a trend, my family had its own toast-y tradition. On weekend mornings that weren’t filled with scheduled activities, we would make these labneh “pizzas” using toasted pita rounds, labneh, and vegetable toppings. If you’ve never had labneh, you are truly missing out. A popular Lebanese breakfast staple, labneh is a strained yogurt that is thick and creamy with a deliciously tart taste that pairs perfectly with fresh tomato, cucumber, and mint. I always had fun making and eating these “pizzas” as a child and now I make them for my husband who really enjoys them (score!). This recipe is perfect for those family breakfast days and I guarantee you that children will love putting together their own pizzas. It even makes a wonderfully light and healthy lunch if you’re in a pinch and don’t know what to make. However you choose to make our Lebanese version of toast, we hope you’ll enjoy every bite of this creamy and crunchy, vegetarian deliciousness.

Labneh Pizza Toast

Time: 10 mins
Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients

Pita bread
Labneh
Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Olives
Scallions
Mint
Walnuts
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Note: I did not include quantity because it really depends on how many you make and how loaded you prefer them. To give you an idea, I use one 16oz labneh container to make about 4-5 pizzas.

Directions
1. Turn your broiler on low and toast the pita bread rounds until golden brown and crisp.
2. In a small bowl, whip the labneh with salt and spread evenly over the cooled pita rounds. If you don’t let the pita cool, the labneh will melt and you won’t get to enjoy that thick creamy texture characteristic of labneh.
3. Top your toast with diced tomatoes, cucumbers, scallions, olives, mint, and walnuts.
4. Drizzle with your best olive oil and enjoy every crunch.

How do you eat your labneh? Share with us your favorite labneh pairings in the comments below. And as always….

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Potato Kibbeh (faux Lebanese steak tartare/kibbeh nayeh)

Image 3 Comments July 24, 2016 Sammy and Sufi

Oh pregnancy cravings. You always have a way of being exactly what I’m not supposed to have. While we don’t eat a lot of red meat in our diet, I repeatedly craved kibbeh nayeh (a Lebanese dish made of fresh raw meat, bulgur, and spices) during my first pregnancy and now find myself craving it with my second. For obvious reasons, raw meat is a no-no but I was determined to see my craving satisfied by creating a stellar vegetarian substitute. When I first attempted to make faux kibbeh during my first pregnancy, I happened to only have yellow potatoes on hand and this turned out to be the biggest blessing in disguise. I have since tried this recipe using your average Idaho potatoes and let me tell you it simply isn’t the same! The waxiness of the yellow potato gives you that authentic meat-like texture and flavor that other potatoes don’t. Just take my word for it and you won’t be disappointed.

We didn’t eat kibbeh nayeh much growing up but when we did it was an absolute treat. For many Lebanese, the highlight is the meat but for my dad the thought of devouring mouthfuls of raw meat was just unappetizing. We ate this meal a particular way: a light amount of meat thinly spread, heavily topped with crunchy bulgur, walnuts, and aromatic spices, drenched in olive oil so rich you could drink it, garnished with fragrant herbs like basil and mint, and served alongside fresh sweet onions, radishes, and other crunchy veggies and treats. This is what I have sought to recreate in this recipe; not just faux meat but an entire medley of exquisite flavors that make for a simple, nutritious, and delicious vegan lunch or dinner. This recipe makes quite a bit because we enjoy it so much that we have it for lunch for a few days. So if you’re looking for a recipe that makes weekly meal planning a bit easier, this is definitely a keeper!

Potato Kibbeh (faux Lebanese steak tartare/kibbeh nayeh)

Time: 30 mins
Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients

Faux meat base:
3lbs yellow waxy potatoes
1/3 cup fine bulgur
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 to 2 cups of kammouneh*
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon high quality extra virgin olive oil

*Kammouneh:
3 cups fine bulgur rinsed and thoroughly drained and dried
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon ground allspice
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon dried ground basil
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes (more or less depending on how much heat you can handle)

**You can also get kammouneh for kibbeh nayeh from your local Lebanese butcher if you live in the Dearborn area. I have some stored in my freezer which I use to make this recipe.

For serving and garnishment:
Scallions
Basil
Mint
Jalapeno peppers
Sweet onions
Radishes
Walnuts
Lebanese pickles and olives
Pita Bread
High quality extra virgin olive oil

Directions

In a small bowl, combine 1/3 fine bulgur and warm water. Set aside for 30 minutes until soft.
Meanwhile, peel and boil your potatoes in a large pot until cooked and tender.
While your potatoes are boiling, make the kammouneh in the food processor by mixing the 3 cups of thoroughly drained bulgur (remove any excess moisture) with the kibbeh spices. The bulgur will stay slightly crunchy and will take on a reddish hue.
Once your potatoes are thoroughly cooked, drain and rinse with cool water.
This step can either be done with a potato masher or handheld mixer in a large bowl or in the food processor. You will want to whip your potatoes while warm and incorporate the 1/3 cup of soft bulgur, tomato paste, kammouneh, olive oil, and salt and pepper until perfectly seasoned. The amount of kammouneh that you add is flexible-start with 1 cup and if you feel it needs a bit more flavor and texture then add a bit more.
Spread the faux meat base on a plate, making grooves with the fork.
Top your base in the following order: 1) kammouneh 2) walnuts 3) scallions and herbs
Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil and serve alongside pita bread and fresh herbs and vegetables.