Having shared a simple cucumber and tomato salad with mint recently, you’re probably wondering what the difference is here, and I don’t blame you. However, this Shirazi salad has subtle differences that make all the difference! These types of super simple, fresh salads are similar to what I’ve grown up with in Lebanon – like tabbouleh salad and fattoush salad! They make for the perfect appetizer or side. Best of all, this recipe takes just minutes to prep (and a little patience while it marinates)!...

If you’ve been following my Instagram stories recently, then you’ll have noticed that I’ve been up to my elbows with home baking, did live cook-along, and other fun kitchen-based activities to pass the time. That includes teaching how to make homemade bread – and this simple multigrain bread recipe using whole wheat and spelt flour- which is naturally vegan. If you’re late to the party (or don’t follow me on Instagram), then have no fear as I save all my DIYs/recipes in my Instagram highlights for you to peruse....

I love Asian noodle recipes in any variety – I’ve already shared recipes for a Japchae Korean Glass Noodles and Japanese-inspired Ramen Noodle Soup, and now I’m sharing this simple chili garlic vegetable lo mein. Stir-fry noodles are quick, versatile, and easy to adjust to your liking. You can adjust the amount of spice, sweetness, vegetables, and protein added, even the noodles used! These chili garlic noodles have been inspired somewhat by several types of Asian noodles: Dan Dan noodles, spicy Thai noodles, Chinese chow mein/lo mein....

Looking for a crowd-pleasing chip-and-dip combo for your next dinner party or game day? Try this homemade Sour Cream Dip recipe! It’s fresh, rich, creamy, and slightly tangy—perfect with potato chips and crunchy raw veggies. This classic sour cream dip is not only a hit with guests but also tastier than any store-bought version. My daughter loves enjoying it with potato chips and masala french fries. If I have leftovers, I often use it as a delicious sandwich spread....

My daughter loves avocado right from the age of 6 months. Now she is 7+. I usually give her avocado in the form of avocado paratha, avocado toast, avocado golgappa, pasta with avocado, or just with some salt and pepper. She also calls this sometimes Guacamole Pasta. This recipe couldn’t get easier. If you are craving a healthy and easy pasta meal for your family, this pasta dish can be made instantly....

I love frying things. Most of the time, I like to focus on nourishing foods and things that I can make at home. But I can’t resist the pull of a perfectly crispy, golden-fried something. So, to balance the two sides of my food personality, I’ve whipped up these deep-fried mushrooms. You might associate battered mushrooms with a heavy, greasy coating, so I’ve swapped it out for Panko, making your breaded mushrooms light and crispy....

Even with the massive increase of meat alternative products on the market in the last decade, many of the products are highly processed, packed with chemicals, and not particularly low-budget. In comparison, this homemade tofu ground beef/tofu crumbles combines firm tofu (which you could even make tofu at home!) with a selection of simple spices, then bake or pan-fry it to a slightly drier, “meaty” consistency. The result is delicious plant-based ground beef worthy of use in tons of vegan recipes!...

While mayonnaise sandwich and curd sandwich are two of my daughters all-time favorites, there’s another sandwich recipe with the goodness of vegetables and ready in no time: the cream cheese sandwich. It is an easy, delicious sandwich recipe made with cream cheese, fresh veggies, and Italian seasoning in it. You can grill it or have it as a cold sandwich, the choice is yours! These sandwiches are an excellent choice for a quick meal any time of day....

Jun 21, 2018 You are sure to love this vegan spin on the classic macaroni salad! This week has been kind of tough. It was my mom’s 1st death anniversary on 18th June (it still kind of feels unreal saying this). I can’t believe that it has already been one year. Time really flies, it feels like yesterday that I was travelling to India every month to be with mom....

I may have a slight bias thanks to my Lebanese roots, but eggplant (aubergine) may just be one of the best “dip” and “salad” ingredients ever. While it has a reputation for being difficult to cook, when mashed into dips/dishes like this zaalouk recipe, it provides this amazingly creamy consistency and subtle flavor that compliments the spices and flavors used with it (like with moutabal, eggplant red pepper ajvar, and kashke bademjan)....

Aug 03, 2016, Updated May 07, 2023 Lightly sweetened with an intense chocolate flavor, these Zucchini Chocolate Muffins are ideal for snacking or breakfast! The easiest way to make kids (and my husband)eat zucchini is to sneak it into some baked good. I think zucchini is amazing that way. First it adds so much moisture to the baked product and second you can never taste it. You really can’t! I swear if I didn’t tell my husband that there was zucchini inside these Zucchini Chocolate Muffins, he would never guessed!...

The great thing about making smoothies is that you have options galore. So, you can make summer smoothies and smoothie bowls with any fruit or vegetable combination that you can think of. I became obsessed with smoothies once I realized that they were not only fast, but they were also super delicious. Smoothie recipes are loaded with lots of nutrients. So to me, it makes sense to incorporate smoothies into your daily and weekly diets....

A spring roll is an ideal appetizer and the life of any gathering since it is crunchy, and decadent. How many parties have you attended when the starters didn’t include spring rolls? We can’t think of anyone for sure. The most common method for making spring rolls is to stuff thin sheets with crunchy vegetables like cabbage, onions, and peppers before deep-frying them till golden brown. Deep-fried foods, however, can be seriously harmful to your health....

The extensive Indian cuisine has a variety of bread that go well with just about anything, from chatpate aloo ki sabzi and chole to tangy achar. One can never have enough of them, whether it’s tawa roti, naans, and parathas or the Mughlai Kashmiri roti or rumali roti. If you enjoy deep-fried, delectable snacks, then steaming hot pooris are the ideal treat for you. The best part? You can make pooris by using a wide variety of ingredients, just like we make paratha....

Oct 03, 2016, Updated May 07, 2023 Start of a new week, a new month and it’s also my birthday today! And since it is my birthday I had to share a cupcake recipe with you guys. It’s really surprising that I don’t share more cupcake recipes. I mean I love making cupcakes (so much more than making cakes!) but somehow they don’t end up on the blog. Trust me, I have made hundreds of cupcakes this year but they were mostly for charity or some other party and I never got around clicking pictures but these Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes I made exclusively to share with you guys....

Oct 07, 2014, Updated Jan 02, 2018 Baghare Baingan, let me first explain you the literal meaning of these terms. “Baghar” means tempering or tadka and baingan is eggplant so if you combine the two terms this recipe would be of tempered eggplants. I mention the word temper/tadka often in my Indian recipes, so what actually is tempering? In Indian cooking tempering or tadka is the process of heating oil and adding spices and other flavorings to it and then transferring that oil to your dish....

Sep 16, 2014, Updated May 07, 2023 What do you do when you have ripe bananas at home that you don’t want to eat anymore? My favorite way to use them is of course to bake them in some way – banana bread, banana pudding, banana cupcakes – there’s so much you can do with them! The other day I again had 2 ripe bananas at home and I just had to make these soft banana cupcakes filled with nutella....

May 30, 2017, Updated Jan 02, 2018 We get a lot of veggies here in the US, however one veggie which I don’t see very often here is okra or what we call bhindi in hindi. Bhindi is a very popular vegetable back home and most people I know love it! Me and hubby are big bhindi fans and I try to make it at least once a month for our dinner....

Homemade chocolate chip cookies are the perfect sweet comfort food. Have them with some milk or, in this case, turn the cookies into delicious chocolate chip cookie cups and fill with all kinds of fillings. And, so that you don’t feel guilty going back for more – I’ve tweaked my usual cookie recipe to include rolled oats and replaced the white sugar with unrefined brown sugar. And, if you’re vegan, don’t worry....

If you enjoyed my chickpea cucumber salad and beetroot chickpea salad, try this high-protein-packed Kabuli Chana Salad with Greek yogurt dressing. It’s perfect as a side dish, a healthy snack, or a meal on its own. It’s also an excellent choice for picnics or potlucks. When you first mix this salad, the dressing will be quite thick. However, after sitting in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours, it will thin out slightly, making it even more delicious....