Shrimp Scampi

Ingredients:
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 pound of pasta, of half the box (any kind you like), save 1 cup of pasta water after it's boiled
salt & pepper
1 cup steamed chopped broccoli (optional)
Parmesan cheese

Directions:
-Put some salt and pepper on the shrimp and set aside

-Start to boil pasta, remember to save 1 cup of the water after the pasta is done. Drain the pasta and set aside.

-In another pot or pan, heat olive oil and place butter to melt. After the butter is melted add the garlic (be careful because garlic burns easily)... before the garlic becomes brown add the shrimp and stir fry until the shrimp turns pink (fully cooked). Add lemon juice, lemon zest, and pasta water and heat the liquid through, once it comes to a boil bring down the heat and add the pasta and broccoli. Stir everything together and let it simmer for a few minutes.

Add salt, pepper and lemon juice if you feel it needs more.

-Serve immediately and sprinkle with some Parmesan cheese...

enjoy! :)

PS: This will make enough food for 3-4 people depending on portions. You can also substitute capers for the broccoli if you like.

Couscous with a vegetable-chicken sauce

If you're bored of eating rice, couscous is a great alternative. Just make the couscous out of the box and eat it with this nutritious sauce.

Here's the recipe for the sauce:

Ingredients:
- 2 or 3 chicken breast cutlets, sliced or chopped into cubes
-1 large onion, cut the onion in half vertically, then lay each half on the cutting board and slice it into thin strips vertically as well.
-1 medium sized green zucchini, copped into half circles
-1 medium sized yellow zucchini, chopped into half circles
-1 medium carrot, cut it in a way that's easy to eat like thin strips
-1/2 can of garbanzo beans/chickpeas, I like the goya brand
-salt and pepper
-1/2 can tomato sauce
-curry powder
-some oil

Preparation:
-Heat oil in pot then add chicken, when chicken turns from pink to white add the onions, salt and pepper, and cook until the chicken is slightly browned.
-add veggies and cook for a couple of minutes, then add tomato sauce, curry powder (to taste), and the beans... and add about 1/2 cup of water...
-Bring it to a boil, then let everything cook on low heat for about 20 minutes or so.. stirring it every now and then so it doesn't stick

when all the veggies are cooked through, you are done!

enjoy with the prepared couscous... :)

When I made this it was enough for my husband and I, we also had some left overs that came in handy for lunch the next day.

Delicious Okra (bamia) with white rice

This is one of my favorite recipes and it's one of the easiest. I won't tell you how to make the rice but here's the Okra recipe:

1 bag frozen okra, thawed (preferably the one sold in the Arab stores because the okra is smaller and tastier)
1 large can of petite diced tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, sliced
3 tablespoons of olive oil
salt to taste
1 chopped green bell pepper (big pieces)

-heat oven to 375
-Combine: Okra, olive oil, salt, tomatoes, peppers, and garlic in an oven safe pan.
-Bake for about an hour and a half, until everything is cooked through...
-Enjoy with some white rice and then make dua for me! hehe :)

Cheesy Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Ingredients:
1 can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained, finely chopped (I prefer using frozen artichoke from Trader Joe's, thawed)
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained
3/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
3/4 cup light mayonnaise
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

-Preheat oven to 350. Mis all ingredients until well blended.
-Spoon into 9-inch pie plate or quiche dish
-Bake 20 minutes or until heated through. (sometimes it takes longer than 20 minutes)

Enjoy with some yummy Tortilla chips or with some veggies! :)

Not so traditional Eggplant Parmigiana

Super easy! :)


1 box of readily breaded eggplant cutlets from Trader Joe's®
1 large can of crushed tomatoes
minced garlic
small onion, chopped
olive oil
salt & pepper
basil
Whole Wheat Penna pasta (boiled)
Parmesan cheese (Trader Joe's® sells it without animal rennet)

-Prepare the eggplant cutlets according to the instructions on the box right before you're ready to eat
- To make the sauce: Heat a tablespoon of oil oil in a sauce pan, add onion, when onion starts to soften add the garlic. Add some fresh basil leaves if available. Now you can add the crushed tomatoes, and you can add a little bit of water so the sauce is not too thick. Bring the sauce to a boil, then add some salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and simmer for about 20 minutes.

And there you go! you have a delicious, healthy and nutritious meal in minutes! Enjoy! :)

Foul a.k.a. Fava beans :)

Delicious for breakfast or lunch! :)

ingredients:
1 can Americana® fava beans (you can get it at any Arab store.. I like the Americana brand)
1 chopped tomato
Olive oil
Roasted peppers for garnish
Lemon juice
A dash of ground cumin

-Place contents of can in an 8-inch pan, add the cumin and simmer (covered) on medium-low heat until it comes to a boil. Let it cook for about 10 minutes until the fava beans are easily squished with a fork.. that means that they are fully cooked.

-After the fava beans are cooked add some lemon juice to taste then squish half of the beans with the fork.

-Transfer to a plate and garnish with tomatoes, peppers (if you like), and olive oil.

Enjoy this tasty and filling meal with some whole wheat pita bread and a hot cup of tea! :)

Pumpkin Pie

This recipe is soooooo delicious... I don't usually like pumpkin pie, but this is so yummy... I got the recipe from Hajira! :)

1 (15 oz) can of pure pumpkin puree (NOT the pumpkin for pumpkin pie)
1(14 oz) can of sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs
1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp all spice
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Mix the pumpkin, milk, egg YOLKS (hold onto the whites), and spices
and salt together. Whip the egg whites until they start to form soft
peaks, or at the very least begin to become very foamy - the more you
beat them, the fluffier it'll be. Fold the egg whites into the
pumpkin mixture.

Pour it into a pie shell (I usually make it w/ graham crackers and
butter or use a store bought graham cracker crust)- get the bigger size shell not the small one.

Bake for about 15 minutes at 425. During this time, make the topping:

2 tblspn all purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tblspns unsalted butter (cut into small pieces)
1 cup chopped walnuts

Mix the flour, sugar, cinnamon together and then add the small pieces
of butter and crumble it into the mixture w/ a fork or pastry
blender, or whatever you want. Then add the walnuts.

After those 15 minutes are up, take the pie out of the oven, and
reduce the temperature to 350 degrees (otherwise, the topping will
get a gross burned taste - trust me!) Sprinkle the topping all over
the pie evenly, and put it back in the oven and bake it for about 45
mins or so, or until you feel it's set... NOTE: the pie will be puffed up when you take out of the oven, don't worry it's normal just sprinkle the topping confidently hehe

Side note: In the pumpkin mixture, I said to add cinnamon, ginger,
nutmeg, etc... you can always get one of those little pumpkin pie
spice containers, they have cloves and some other things in it as
well. I usually add a little pinch of it just for a little extra
something. If you decide to use the pumpkin pie spice instead of the
ones I said to use, add some extra cinnamon separately, because they
add it to the spice, but it's not enough compared to the rest of the
spices.