Passion Project: Introduction and Homemade Chicken Stock!

I should probably preface this post by making it clear once and for all that I really love meat! Surprising, I know, considering that only 5 recipes, out of the 90+ I have up on my blog, feature meat. Breaking news, I’m not a vegetarian by choice! Anyone who knows me is well aware that I can’t say no to a juicy piece of steak, a fork-tender leg of lamb, or a perfectly roasted chicken.

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Carrot and Parsnip Soup with Sweet Hungarian Paprika

“I said Brrrr, it’s cold in here!”…

…is all I can think about as soon as I step outside of my house. It is very cold here in Philly, and as always when winter comes around, I get sick and I get pale. Now when it’s cold or if I’m sick, my favorite thing to eat is homemade soup, and when I’m pale I stock up on carrots to soak up all that beta-carotene and (hopefully) get a nice halo. So without further due, please welcome: carrot soup! aka. my favorite kind of “cure”!

Stuffed Round Zucchini with Pesto Quinoa

 

What do you love the most about seasons? Is it the changing weather, temperature, fashion, or the color of the leaves in the trees? For me, it’s the flavorful seasonal produce that come with each one of them. Throughout the Spring season specifically, many of my favorite fruits and vegetables become perfectly ripe. That’s when I like to spend some time at the grocery store, and get lost in the fresh produce aisle. As I was walking there the other day actually, I saw a cart filled with round zucchini and couldn’t resist. They looked so good, and round, and green, and perfect. Don’t you agree?

Couscous Tabouli and Homemade Hummus

I know I’ve already told you that Asian cuisine (and all kinds of it!) ranks among my favorite types of food, but Lebanese comes as a close second. Growing up, I was fortunate enough to have two great Lebanese restaurants right by my house. My mom and I would often get it to-go, and our go-to order always had our all-time favorites: Keftedes (meatballs), Hummus, Baba Ganouj (broiled eggplant) and Tabouli.

Mapple Lentil Salad with Tomatoes and Crumbled Feta

When it comes to cooking, one of my mom’s specialties is her “world famous” lentil salad with onions and a dijon vinaigrette. I grew up with it, and it has definitely become one of my go-to lunch options when I’m on a time crunch. It’s fast, easy, and incredibly satisfying. Yet, I recently stumbled upon a lentil salad recipe on My New Roots, Sarah Britton’s amazing food blog. What immediately caught my eye was her title: “The Best Lentil Salad, Ever”. When I first read it, I naturally thought to myself that however good her recipe would be, it wouldn’t top my mom’s. After trying it, I have to admit that it’s delicious, but in a different way. The star of her recipe is the dressing, a spicy Maple Vinaigrette with dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar (so basically a twist of my mom’s dressing). Since I was quite skeptic when I first saw the list of ingredients, I slightly tweaked it, and it turned out to be one of the best dressings I’ve ever tasted. So though I still love my original (more simple) recipe, this one’s a keeper for when you need to step up your game! Bon appétit!

Recipe for the dressing barely adapted from My New Roots.

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Prep Time: 10 min

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cooked lentils
• a handful of cherry tomatoes
• a handful of sun-dried tomatoes
• 1/4 small onion
• crumbled feta cheese (to taste)
• chopped fresh parsley
• salt, pepper to taste

Maple Vinaigrette:

• 2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• a pinch turmeric
• a pinch nutmeg

Directions:

1. Make the Maple Vinaigrette by mixing all the ingredients well together, in a closed container.
2. Meanwhile, roughly chop the cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, onion, and fresh parsley, and put them in a bowl.
3. Add the cooked (and cooled down) lentils to the bowl, toss with the dressing and the veggies, and top with crumbled feta cheese and some more fresh parsley. Adjust the seasoning and enjoy!