How to Make Fattoush Salad

Hello everyone,

I love Middle Eastern cuisine. Baba ghanoush, falafel, tabouli, you name it— it’s some of my favorite food. I was craving a feel good meal this weekend, so I decided to try my hand at a classic, fattoush salad.

Fattoush (فتوش) is a levantine bread salad which originated in Lebanon, but is also common in Syria and other Middle Eastern counties. Fattoush includes toasted or fried pieces of pita bread mixed with greens and fresh vegetables. It generally also includes cucumber, tomato, and other ingredients depending on season, location, taste, etc.

The dressing is slightly sour and acidic, using a healthy serving of lemon juice and sumac. Since I didn’t have sumac, I used zatar seasoning to give the salad a full flavor. I also used store bought pita chips to save time, but I’m sure this recipe would be even better if you used homemade pita bread for the crunch. This is a deceptively easy salad to make considering the robust flavor combinations. Why not give it a try?

What’s your favorite Middle Eastern recipe?

Cheers,

Jocelyn

* Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. As always, all opinions are my own! Continue reading “How to Make Fattoush Salad”

Recipe: Chilled Sesame Noodle Salad

Hello friends!

Have you been looking for the perfect salad to bring to your next potluck? My Chilled Sesame Noodle Salad will do the trick.

It’s deceptively simple, and will please even the pickiest of palates. The mix of bright, fresh peppers and green onion goes perfect with the tangy sesame vinaigrette. The powerful dressing is a mix of citrus juice, Sriracha, and ginger powder which pairs well with black or toasted sesame seeds. This is a wonderful dish to bring to a potluck or to make if you’re hosting events. It lasts about one week so you can even use it for last minute lunches.

The best part? This recipe takes under 30 minutes, then you place the salad in the refrigerator for an hour, and voila! You’re appetizer is ready to serve.  It’s almost too good to be true. Go ahead and give it a try!

Cheers & happy eating,

Jocelyn

* Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. As always, all opinions are my own! Continue reading “Recipe: Chilled Sesame Noodle Salad”

Recipe: The Best Vegan Lasagna

fullsizerender_2Hello friends!

I’m Italian so the holiday season means something special for me and my family – PASTA – and lots of it! Every winter I look forward to carb-loading on delicious Italian staples that remind me of my childhood.  This year we opted for my roasted garlic vegan lasagna, aka the best damn vegan lasagna. I hesitate to say that, but it’s meatless, it’s dairy free, and it will fool any omnivore.

I know, I know. Lasagna can be a lot of work. I mean there are layers. There is prep work. And there is a lot of time in the oven. But I promise you, for this recipe, it is all worth it. Plus, if you make extra servings, lasagna keeps well – some might even prefer it as leftovers! I added a few time saving, multi-tasking steps below, but this recipe certainly isn’t for a quick week night meal. Why not give it a try for your next special occasion? You won’t regret it!

Cheers!

Jocelyn

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Recipe: Traditional Italian Bruschetta

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Traditional Bruschetta

Hello everyone,

Today a few of my friends are hosting a game night. I offered to bring an appetizer since the hosts are graciously handling the main the course – a DIY pasta bar!

Keeping with the Italian food theme, I’ve opted to bring a quick and easy traditional Italian bruschetta with a drizzled balsamic glaze and freshly grated vegan mozzarella cheese.
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A Vegan Holiday: Recipe Stuffed Shells

Hello everyone,thumb_IMG_1465_1024

I’m Italian, and I love pasta. However, I try to limit the amount of carbs I eat throughout the week so I tend to save some of my favorite Italian meals for special treats and holiday dinners. I usually make a hearty vegan lasagna for Christmas dinner, but this year I have been planning to make vegan stuffed shells.  Continue reading “A Vegan Holiday: Recipe Stuffed Shells”