As a kid, I used to hate okra, my mom used to make those long 2-3 inch okra and I would hate it, I thought it was slimy and gooey and I would not eat it. THEN, I discovered mini okra and my relationship with okra was revived. And I love making stews for my daughter because she gets in all of her food groups, especially vegetables, without struggling to get her to eat it. I love my okra recipe, it’s quick and simple. There are actually 3 ways to make it, with lamb or beef, with chicken, or without any meat vegetarian style. Today, I chose to make it with chicken, I like to watch my red meat intake, so replacing red meat with chicken works great!

Instead of boiling the chicken, I use boneless breast or thing, cut it up, sautee it and then add it to the stew after I’ve sauteed the okra, onions, and garlic. My sister was hesitant to try chicken in a stew, but once she did, she was hooked.

And make sure to let it all simmer for at least 10-15 minutes so that all of the flavors can mend together and create an amazing tasting sauce. I’ve recently started adding 1 tablespoon of sugar to my tomato based stews, I took that tip from the Italians, it really does help to level the flavor of the sauce and balance the acidity, I LOVE IT!

Serve it with some fluffy rice and you have a well balanced meal. It’s great for weekday meals because it is quick and easy, and you can even prep it the night before. And I like to make a lot of it so that it lasts for 2 nights worth of dinner.

Recipe: https://dedemed.com/bamia-okra-stew/

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Well there is a perfect dish that combines complex carbs and proteins…it’s called mujaddara, it’s lentils and bulgar wheat with A LOT of FLAVOR!!!! It’s a simple easy recipe that you can whip together in under 30 minutes.

The yummy caramelized onions give this dish the pretty redish brown color and nutty flavor, And then you top it off with more caramelized onions, it’s just heaven! I love eating this with my tzatziki sauce, or my cucumber & tomato salad, or even with a simple cabbage salad. You will love this dish, it’s great for lunch, dinner, or even a side dish. Best of all it’s VEGAN and VEGETARIAN so you are winning on all ends of the spectrum…if there was a perfectly balanced dish, then this mujaddara dish is it!

Here’s the recipe: https://dedemed.com/mujaddara-hamra-recipe/

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Sometimes you just don’t know what to cook, but you’re looking for something hearty and filling…cereal is definitely not going to do that, and neither is a sandwich…but this recipe definitely can. It’s called kefta bil sanieh, which technically translates to ground meat in a pan, but it is sort of a layered casserole. The video for this recipe is up on my youtube, but the written recipe is not up on my site yet, so here it is:

1lb ground beef (you can use ground lamb or ground chicken instead if you prefer)

1 cup yellow or white onion finely minced

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

5 large potatoes peeled

2 TB olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1 16oz can plain tomato sauce

2 TB tomato paste

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1 TB sugar

4 cups water

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. So first what you want to do is to mix the beef, onion, salt, and pepper, then flatten in out in a large deep casserole dish. Place that in the oven for 15 minutes. Next, toss the potatoes with the olive oil and 1/2 tsp salt, lay them flat on a baking sheet and place them in the oven for 15 minutes as well. I usually put the casserole dish and baking pan in the oven at the same time. In a large pot, add the tomato sauce, paste, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, sugar, and water and bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat.

Sometimes when I think the ground meet layer is to thick, I’ll ball up the left over meat into fingerlike shapes and add it to the pan. Essentially, you can shape all of the meat to balls, or fingers, or leave it flat, I’ve seen it done all 3 ways. Now it’s time to assemble the dish, add the potatoes on top of the meat, then pour the sauce evenly over the entire dish. For added flavor and design, you can thinly slice some tomatoes and add that on top as well. Place the casserole dish in the oven and let that bake for another 20 minutes so that all the flavors can merrily mend.

Serve with my vermicelli rice and a side of Greek yogurt and you’re done!

It’s a simple and easy recipe, my kids and husband love it and it’s so simple to make!

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One of my favorite go-to recipes is chicken meatballs. They’re so juicy and flavorful, and what’s best is you can eat them in a sub, you can eat them on their own with a salad, or you can eat them with pasta…they’re just amazing. Writing about them makes me want to make them right now! So here’s the recipe, it’s super easy (as are all of my recipes) and quick to make.

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Has anyone every seen yellow watermelon?
I was hesitant to buy it at first, and my daughter even went “yuck” when I cut it open.
But then I tasted it, it tasted better than the pink watermelon!!! So I forced her to try it, and she LOVED it!!!
Yes! I do force my child to try everything at least once, then if she doesn’t like the taste she doesn’t have to eat it. BUT I found that 9 times out of 10 she ends up liking it and eating it. I’m with the the parenting style that MOM’s know best, and my child will NOT dictate to me,
I will dictate to her.

Sorry, I went off topic…so If you find an oddly colored fruit, like this yellow watermelon, don’t be afraid to give it at try!

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When I think of eggless cakes, I think of a dense brownie like cake, because how can you make a “real” cake without eggs, right? Â Wrong! Â There is this amazing yellow cake called Sfoof that my mom always makes. You can also find it at many Lebanese, Greek, Turkish, and even Albanian bakeries! Â It’s really simple to make with only a few ingredients, but it’s fluffy, sweet and tastes great with tea!

The thing that makes this cake yellow is the turmeric that’s added to it. It’s added for flavor and for color. And recently all of the amazing health benefits of turmeric, make this cake even more popular.

I like to sprinkle pine nuts on top, but if you don’t like nuts you can leave them off, or you can use walnuts or pecans instead. I let it cool completely before cutting it up. Â And it’s so simple to make when you’re in a pinch and you need a quick fast dessert.

I learned a trick from my mom to make sure that the top of the cake stays glossy, right when you take it out of the oven, spray it with some olive oil or vegetable spray, it will give it a nice shine. Â Give this cake a try, you will surprisingly love it, and it’s eggless for those with egg allergies. Â And don’t forget the tea! Click here for the recipe!

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