Coriander, lemon, and four kinds of vegetables make a mouth-watering vegetarian couscous. Natural locavores, good Middle Eastern cooks take pleasure in seeking out the very best and freshest vegetables in the open-air markets, transforming inexpensive local ingredients into delicious traditional foods. Some examples include mulukhiya (our mulukhiya recipe here) and couscous. While couscous is often […]
In the time it takes to go out and buy fast food or wait for the home delivery, you can whip up delicious home-made – and healthy – sandwiches. It takes five minutes to put together a sandwich based on foods from the pantry and fridge. And you save money using up some of the […]
Fresh corn makes all the difference in these golden muffins – a treat for family and guests. Right now in Israel it’s the Sukkot holiday, and visiting time as friends and neighbors go sukkah-hopping from one home to the next. It’s time to catch up with neighborhood news, refresh friendships, and relax with people instead […]
Are you sure you want to cook etrog jam this year? Make sure it’s organic, first. In my parent’s old-fashioned cookbooks are recipes based on the beautiful, fragrant etrog (citron): etrog jam, etrog cake and cookies, even an etrog souffle. As tempting as it is to make jam out of the attractive yellow fruit after […]
Watching TV and sitting at the computer is fattening, if you eat in front of the screen. It’s time to examine our eating habits and consider how best to repair them. Most people agree that eating in front of the computer or TV leads to overeating. We unconsciously reach for another handful of that salty […]
Fasting, while probably better for the environment, is unfortunately unsustainable for us humans. What other ways can you make your eating eco-friendly? Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, is one of the holiest days of the year for Jews and is a time of reflection, atonement, fasting and prayer. It is a day when […]
Did you know it’s a mitzvah to eat well before the Yom Kippur fast? Kreplach (Ashkenazic traditional stuffed noodle dumplings) are a delicious addition to the pre-fast meal. This year, Yom Kippur starts on Friday evening the 17th of September, and lasts till Shabbat is over on Saturday night. Although the fast falls on Shabbat, […]
Dozens of colorful fresh spices enliven traditional dishes of the Arab world. Spices and herbs are treasured as culinary ingredients, and as medicine, in every Middle Eastern country. While modern supermarkets and small grocery stores carry many of the popular ones, people in the know still search out traditional spice and herb shops, where they […]
You’ll eat well and save money by changing the way you look at holiday leftovers. This time of year is a time of intense food activity. For Jews, the High Holidays are taking off with symbolic foods called Simanim, and for Arabs, Ramadan just came to a close (have a look at the lively, vegan […]
A play on words and a plea for blessings. Start the Jewish New Year with a variety of salads that symbolize things you desire. Rosh Hashana’s symbolic foods represent things we ask to be granted in the coming year, the Jewish New Year. But they simply might represent words. Enjoy these easy-to-make symbolic salads and […]
Impress your date and reduce your negative impact on the environment with a green-ified date. Dating can be rough. Firstly, it can be hard to find that special someone (which is facilitated, in our modern times, by some form of online dating site or one of those popular US dating sites), and secondly, it can […]
Sun tea is nature’s equivalent of the crockpot… minus the electricity. We each have our own way of dealing with the Middle East’s harsh sun and humidity during the summer, especially in August. For some it’s sun dresses, for others it’s catching the breeze by the beach, and for some it’s a popsicle. If none […]
Arwa offers a 6 step guide to greening your Ramadan holiday. With the month of Ramadan quickly approaching, Muslims across the world are beginning to prepare for the month of fasting from sunrise to sunset. Food supplies are stocked up (ironic, I know), appointments are rescheduled and preparations are made for the month of spiritual […]
Is toast with Margarine and honey part of your routine? Well maybe you should consider taking away just one small ingredient. In today’s day and age we have many choices available to us as we make out way through supermarket aisles; which brand to choose, which size, which flavour and which one is the healthiest. […]
More Jews in Britain are finding spiritual and culinary inspiration by growing their own food. Jews are known for their love of food, but less so for their love of farms. Most Jews in Britain live in big cities where, like many urban-dwellers, they are detached from the people and places producing their nosh. But […]