Happy New Year! My Cranberry Bliss Detox Smoothie to Kick 2010 Off

Happy New Year, everyone! I seriously can’t believe it’s 2010. Incredible!

I figured we’d start the New Year off right with a detox smoothie that incorporates some seasonal fruits and also some spices of the Middle East that are extremely beneficial to the health.

Cranberry Bliss Detox Smoothie in a festive glass.

I’ve been a smoothie junkie since my teens. What’s not to love?  They’re refreshing, filling, and flavorful. Growing up, my mom was cool enough to let me play around a lot in the kitchen. Sometimes I even came up with something worthwhile Like a great smoothie.

Over the years, I’ve made many different types of smoothies, but this one has to be one of my favorites. It’s simple, fresh, and effective at cleaning out the body and helping to reduce bloat and/or fluid retention. It’s full of nutrients, antioxidants,  and is super-hydrating, so if any of you are bellying up to this blog after a night of bellying up to the bar, read on. . .

Fresh farmers' market cranberries inspired the Cranberry Bliss Detox smoothie.

Fresh cranberries at the farmers’ market inspired this smoothie. The cranberries help reduce bloat. The turmeric has may beneficial properties. It’s a popular spice in Middle Eastern food and in many other cuisines as well (Indian comes to mind). It has anti-inflammatory properties, is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent, and a liver detoxifier.

Pumpkin pie spice is added in for more flavor and fun, but if you don’t have a pumpkin pie spice blend on hand, you could simplify and just add in some ground cinnamon and/or nutmeg.

This smoothie has a tartness to it, thanks in no small part to the cranberries and the fresh lemon, so don’t expect it to be super sweet. Whenever possible, use organic ingredients to really start the new year off right

Lemons provide plenty of vitamin C and aid digestion.For the best cleansing results, have this on either an empty stomach, or 45 minutes to an hour after drinking a glass or warm water and lemon.

Cranberry Bliss Detox Smoothie

For 2 smoothies, 12-16 ounces each:

2 apples, sliced, peel left on

2 pears, sliced, peel left on

1 lemon, peeled, cut in quarters, seeds removed

1 cup fresh cranberries

2 cups of filtered water (keep extra handy if needed)

Sweetener of choice (my picks would be stevia, agave, or honey, in that order of preference)

4-6 Ice cubes (if you want a cooler smoothie)

1 Tablespoon turmeric

2 Teaspoons pumkin pie spice blend (optional) OR 2 teaspoons of cinnamon or 1 teaspoon of nutmeg

Directions:

1. Blend ice, if using, and 1 cup of the  filtered water together. Then add the spice powders and blend again. Add in all fruits and blend until smooth, adding water as necessary. Check the taste and adjust seasoning to taste. If it seems too thick, add more filtered water and re-blend.

2. Pour into festive glasses of your choice, and enjoy. I like to drink mine with a straw. You can store the smoothie, covered,  in the fridge for two days, or freeze any leftover smoothie and enjoy another day.

Rice Pudding Latte

Vanilla it is--as in a warm, foamy Rice Pudding Latte. No high tech equipment required. Just run the warm milk and spice mixture through a blender for added frothiness.Perfect for the freezing cold weather we're having here in New York. Put it on ice if the weather where you are is warmer. Photo by Stacey Young.

As I’ve told you guys before, I’m not a coffee drinker. One of my quirks is how I really adore the smell of freshly brewed coffee, but never truly warmed up to the taste.

Still, I love hanging around in chill coffee shops. Working on my laptop, reading a book. You know the drill. Sometimes I’ve felt a bit left out sipping my tea while the coffee drinkers got their fancy drink on. This might have led to my brief dalliance with cappuccino. That came to a grinding halt when I started cutting way back on dairy and soy in my diet. To say nothing of caffeine!

Frothy, warm drinks aren't just the domain of coffee drinkers!

Yes, many  coffee shops whip up non-dairy cappuccinos now (meaning they use soy milk), but getting almond or rice milk instead is a much trickier proposition, unless you know exactly where to go. That all sounds like too much trouble to me. And honestly, I don’t like to have too much caffeine in my diet in the first place.

Plus, lattes can get expensive! In fact, financial planner and author David Bach has a whole concept of building up your saving by skipping that daily latte. He calls it “The Latte Factor.”

At any rate, it was the warmth of the drink and the foam that I always enjoyed the most. Oh, and how can I forget the sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg or cocoa (or all three!) atop the foam? That was really my favorite thing about cappuccino anyways!

So when my friend Kimberly Snyder, whose blog I follow religiously, posted her “Almost Raw Vegan Vanilla Latte,”  my foam-loving ears perked up. I made her recipe, and loved it.

Then, being the kitchen nerd that I am, I got inspired and began to riff on her recipe. First, I added coconut milk to the almond milk her recipe uses. Then I ran the warm almond milk  and coconut milk through my blender for about a minute. This created a bit of a foam-like texture, which was enjoyable, especially when topped with a dusting of freshly ground nutmeg. Of course, it was nothing like what you’d probably get if you ran this through a real high tech coffee machine, like the one pictured below. But it was still smooth and creamy.

High powered coffee machine. Like industrial strength and stuff.

Then I got even more inspired. An attempt at a vegan rice pudding that fell slightly short got me thinking that it might be worthwhile to put some of the flavors of a Middle Eastern style rice pudding into this latte. It would be a soothing drink that could be enjoyed in the afternoon or night, not just in the morning like a caffeine-laden drink.

So that’s how my Rice Pudding Latte was born. Now granted, Kim, who inspired this latte in the first place, isn’t a huge fan of rice milk. She points out that almond milk packs much more nutritional wallop. So in honor of her, I’ll just say that you can absolutely use almond milk in this recipe. It will be lovely. The rice pudding spices are what really gives it its distinct taste anyways. For all of you dairy and soy drinkers out there, who am I to stop you from using what you already use? We may differ on our opinions towards coffee, and even what milk to put into our lattes, but we can all try the rice pudding spices in this latte

The best part? You can whip up this cozy drink at home on the stove. Blend it for extra lightness. Or not. Run it through your high tech coffee machine, if you have one. Or not. Either way, enjoy it. No need to pay $4 or more for a latte, when you can have a delicious and creative one at home.

Rice Pudding Latte

For one 12 ounce latte or two 6 ounce drinks:

Ingredients:

8 ounces of milk of your choice. I used UNsweetened rice milk, but you can use almond milk, or another milk.

4 ounces coconut milk (regular or light will do. To lighten regular coconut milk, dilute it with filtered water)

1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder

1/4 teaspoon of clove powder

1 cinnamon stick (I prefer to use a stick because it doesn’t alter the milky color. And, it looks cute as a stirring stick inside the finished latte).

Splash of orange blossom water or rose water

1/8 teaspoon vanilla

1 packet Stevia (or more to taste) If you’re not a Stevia fan, use the sweetener of your choice. Agave nectar would work well–I love that it has a neutral flavor.

Freshly grated nutmeg to sprinkle on top

Directions:

1. In a small, non-reactive  saucepan, gently warm both milks and all spices except nutmeg over low heat, just until bubbles start to form at the edge of the pan. Don’t boil.

2. Carefully remove from heat. Remove cinnamon stick and set aside for garnishing later.  If blending the milk, pour into blender and blend on high for 30-60 seconds.

3. Add in splash of orange blossom or rose water, Stevia, and vanilla and, if blending,  blend again for 15 seconds.

4. Slowly pour latte into a large mug. Add cinnamon stick, and sprinkle with ground nutmeg. The spices will settle in the bottom of the mug, so just remember that they’re there as you take your last few sips. Or feel free to enjoy this drink on ice. Let it cool for a bit before pouring so it doesn’t get a watered down flavor from rapidly melting ice. Enjoy!

Warm, soothing, and guilt-free. Not to mention so much less expensive than a coffee shop latte. Photo by Stacey Young.

Holiday Memories

An idealized Christmas and winter scene. Was Christmas that year in Iran white? I can't remember.

Holiday time. It always gets me nostalgic. For what exactly, I’m never quite sure. For that Normal Rockwell Christmas that no one I know ever really had? Perhaps that’s part of it. But I think for me, the nostalgia is rooted in a simpler time. When the shiny, wrapped presents and the promise of once-a-year sweets beckoned. When finding joy from simple things wasn’t something I had to work at or think about. That joy was there naturally, without question.

Though I no longer celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday, as a secular holiday, I do participate, with varying degrees of enthusiasm from year to year. Frankly, some years I’d rather skip it. But I never do. And yes, I get it. It’s the birth of Christ, and I’m respectful of that.

As a kid growing up in America, my parents felt obligated,  in retrospect I’m sure of this,  to allow me to celebrate Christmas, even though ours was a interfaith household. So celebrate we did. With a plastic tree, lots of ornaments, presents, and cornbread for Santa Claus.

Cornbread instead of cookies? Yes. Growing up, that's what Santa supposedly preferred.

Yes, cornbread. It was Texas, after all, and Santa Claus was tired of cookies by the time he flew down to us, I was told.

I appreciate the way my family adapted. One Christmas we happened to be in Iran. Over there, being that the majority of the population is Muslim, hardly anyone celebrates Christmas. Understandable.  Except that year, my extended family did celebrate Christmas. They went to great lengths to get a tree, some gifts, and to decorate. I’m still not quite sure how they pulled it off. Amazing! This was years ago, and the country was at war. I’m quite sure there could have been repercussions had word gotten back to some authorities that a Muslim family was celebrating a Christian holiday. So my family took a risk.

Each year, I reflect back on that memory, and am more and more touched by what creating a Christmas for us meant for my family, not only in terms of the risks they took, but in the warm-heartedness it shows.  It showed so much love, so much openness, and such incredible kindness. To me, that’s what the holidays are all about: kindness, compassion, and appreciating what we have and making the most of it.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Holiday Cookie: Chocolate Drop Cookies with Sour Cherries and Pistachios

My holiday gift to you: Chocolate and Sour Cherry Drop Cookies topped with pistachios. Photo by Stacey Young.

Today’s recipe is a fabulous holiday cookie, with a Middle Eastern twist. It’s loaded with some of my favorite ingredients: chocolate, sour cherries, and gorgeous green pistachios. But get this: it’s also dairy-free and uses very little flour.

Now don’t get it twisted and start thinking I’m trying to spring health food on your around the holidays. Not at all! The taste of these babies? Absolutely decadent. The texture is brownie-like, with extra little bursts of flavor from the cherries, pistachios, cardamom, and chocolate chunks.

Back in the day, my friends and I used to hold holiday cookie baking parties. It was such a blast, and everyone got to take home a big batch of several different types of cookies. The idea was to package the different varieties of cookies into gifts.

Something tells me that not many of those cookie gift packets made it out the door once we all got safely home with our respective cookie stashes. I haven’t thrown, or been to, such a party in awhile, but the next time I do go to one, you know these cookies will be my contribution.

Before we get to the recipe itself, her are a three of today’s key ingredients:

Pistachios can be pricey, especially if you buy them already shelled. I went ahead and splurged for this holiday cookie recipe. The time saved was worth it to me.

Dried sour cherries are my favorite dried fruit. They bring back memories of Iran, where I used to eat soooo many of these!

In my recipe, I used chocolate chunks, but chips will do. Just be super watchful as you melt them. On my stove, it took all of a minute, maybe even less, on LOW heat.

Now, for the recipe.

Note: Adapted from  a recipe in the December 2009 issue of Body + Soul Magazine.

Chocolate Drop Cookies with Sour Cherries and Pistachios

Prep time- 15-20 minutes

Cook time- 8 minutes Max

Yield: 5 dozen (or slightly less if you like cookie dough as much as I do)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/4 cup all-purpose flour (I used pastry flour, and it worked perfectly)

1 scant teaspoon cardamom powder

3 egg whites (save the yolks for another use. Perhaps for a custard or for feeding a pet)

Small pinch of salt

2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chunks or chips, melted and cooled (If you are avoiding dairy, check the ingredient list to make sure there are no milk products in the chocolate chips/chunks).

Generous 1/3 cup chopped, dried sour cherries

Generous 1/3 cup toasted pistachios plus approx. 2-3 Tablespoons more for garnishing tops of cookies

Generous 1/3 cup chocolate chips or chunks, NOT melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa and flour and cardamom powder.

3. With a hand mixer, or a stand-up mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and salt at medium speed until frothy. (You’ll see bubbles). With the mixer running, slowly add in the confectioners’ sugar. When all of it has been added, raise the speed to high, and beat until the egg whites are the consistency of marshmallows. (This took me about 5 minutes with the hand mixer. Yes, I’m low-tech like that. The gorgeous Kitchen Aid stand mixer has yet to make an appearance in my life. Santa, are you listening?) Now beat in the vanilla.

4. Reduce the mixer speed to medium, and beat in half of the melted, cooled chocolate. Then beat in half of the cocoa-flour mixture, scraping the sides of the bowl to incorporate all ingredients. Repeat with the rest of the chocolate and cocoa-flour mix. Stop the mixer.

5. By hand, gently fold in the cherries, pistachios, and chocolate chips or chunks. Let sit until thick enough to scoop, about 5 minutes.

6. As dough sets, prepare parchment paper and place on cookies sheets.

7. Now it’s time to scoop the cookie dough onto the cookie sheets. Scoop by the level teaspoonful. Leave about an inch in between cookies. Try to keep the cookies the same size to ensure they cook evenly.

8. Garnish cookies with whole and/or pistachio pieces. Looks so festive and pretty!

9. Bake 6-8 minutes, until cookies are a bit cracked on the outside. (I personally like my cookies on the soft, moist, and chewy side, so 7 minutes was plenty of time for mine in my particular oven. If, like me, you prefer softer cookies, remember, they might look slightly undercooked when first taken out of the oven).

10. Remove from oven and let cool. This is the part where recipes always say to cool the baked goods on a wire rack. Well, I don’t own any wire racks, so mine just cooled on the sheets, and no one’s complaining.

Approximate Nutrition facts from Body + Soul Magazine:

Note, my version is probably a bit more caloric, due to my heavy hand with the cherries, pistachios, and also due to the fact that I added in extra chocolate chips   Hey, it’s the holidays! :

Per cookie:

30 Calories

1 gram protein

4 grams carbohydrates

1.5 grams of fat (0.7 saturated)

0 grams of fiber

Zesty, Zippy Zatar! Plus a Simple Zatar Dip Recipe

Zatar. Not many of my friends have heard of this wonderful stuff, so I often serve it as an app at dinner parties to spread the good word. So what is it?

It’s generally a mixture of toasted sesame seeds. . .

Sesame seeds.

. . .and very finely ground dried herbs and spices.

Herbs in their dried and finely ground form are another key ingredient in zatar.

There are probably as many iterations of zatar as their are towns in the Middle East. (For that matter, there are several different ways to spell it: zatar, zahtar, zaa’tar, and so on). Herbs like thyme, oregano, sage, and rosemary, to name but a few, can find their way into the mix.

The most fun place to buy zatar? In my opinion, it’s at the spice market or a specialty foods store with spice bins. You can find it online, of course. But as for spice markets, here’s a pic of one in Istanbul:

A spice market in Istanbul. Not Constantinople

So here’s the lore on zatar. It’s filling, but won’t weigh you down. (Wow, that sounds kinda beer-ad-sloganesque!) Students often eat it before exams for energy and alterness. It’s cleansing and aids digestion, which is why some people swear by it as a weight loss aid. It can help you out if you’re feeling unwell. (Again, the whole cleansing thing).

There are many ways one can use zatar. For example, a popular way to enjoy it is as a topping on warm pita. I like to sprinkle it on salads and roasted vegetables. Most often, though, I make a quick zatar dip. It’s simple.

Zatar, just before I chopped and added a clove of fresh garlic to the dip.

This is how I make the dip: I pour some zatar in a small, shallow bowl. I pour olive oil on top of the zatar, and mix well. Then I put fresh pieces of chopped garlic bits on top. Yes, I eat raw garlic sometimes. I happen to really love it. Don’t knock it–it’s a very good immune system boost. Just make sure to enjoy it with like-minded people. Or alone!

Call this dip a triple threat: I’ve eaten this dip as an appetizer, as part of brunch or breakfast, or alone for dinner. Well, not completely alone–with some pita for dipping.

Some people like the dip more oily, and less pasty. My personal preference is to let the zatar stand out, while the olive oil binds it all together. Otherwise, you have an olive oil dip flavored with zatar, not a zatar dip with some olive oil. Of course, adjust the thickness of the dip to your preference. If you end up with too much oil, add more zatar. If you end up with too much zatar, simply add more oil.

One very important note: Many zatar mixes are pre-salted, so keep this in mind if you’re adding it to recipes.

Have fun! Feel free to share some of your zatar uses with me in the comments.

Middle Eastern Style Breakfast, Part 1

I could write a book on the infinite ways one can put together a Middle Eastern style breakfast. For now, I’ll simply say that I love this meal, and think more restaurants should offer it as a breakfast or brunch option. People need to get into this. Mezze for breakfast? Please sign me up!

Breakfasts tend toward the vegetarian side of things. Sometimes lamb sausage (merguez) will make an appearance, but it’s not a must-have. This type of breakfast is the perfect meal for those who have a light appetite in the morning, and it’s equally perfect for those who like to eat heavier for breakfast. You can eat a few bites, or a whole plate full of food. In other words, it’s flexible!

Here’s a breakfast I put together recently. It took all of about 7 minutes, including the time it took to scramble 2 eggs with a few snippets of fresh mustard greens, sundried tomato bits, and garlic.

One possibility for a Middle Eastern style breakfast. This meals tends to be vegetarian. That morning, olives, eggs, pita, and zatar dip with fresh garlic were on the menu. The cheesy-looking stuff I sprinkled on top is actually nutritional yeast. It's very popular with vegans and vegetarians as a way to get a cheesy flavor that's dairy-free.

The sesame and ground herb mixture on the left is zatar. I LOVE this stuff. Mixed with olive oil and a few bits of fresh garlic, it’s an immunity booster on a plate. The olives are filling and nutritious. The egg scramble was super simple. I just warmed a bit of olive oil, and lightly cooked some pieces of mustard greens, a few garlic bits, and some sundried tomatoes. Then I added in the eggs and scrambled them. (Scroll down for a more detailed recipe).

A nice change of pace from cold cereal, don’t you think?

Simple Egg Scramble with Greens and Sundried Tomatoes

2 large eggs, beaten (free range, organic eggs are best)

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

Olive oil to coat pan

1/3 cup chopped, washed mustard greens (Or greens of your choice. Use more greens if you like)

4 sundried tomatoes, chopped (Try cutting them with kitchen scissors)

Optional: Nutritional yeast or cheese of choice (Feta, Parmesean) for sprinkling on top

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a small skillet.

2. Once oil is shimmery, carefully place garlic bits in the pan and lower the heat immediately. Stir. Over low heat, add the greens and sundried tomatoes. Cook for approximately one minute, stirring as necessary.

3. Pour in beaten eggs. Fold eggs with a spatula. Keep the eggs moving by continuing to gently fold them with the spatula for another minute or two.

4. Remove the eggs from the heat when they look like they’re almost done. That way they won’t over-cook. Yes, they will look slightly under-cooked, but carryover heat will finish them off.

5. If using cheese or nutritional yeast as a garnish, plate the eggs and lightly dust them with the topping.

Velvety Slow Cooker Chickpea Soup

Ahhhh winter. In New York City, it’s finally here. November 2009 was the 7th warmest NYC November on record, so the recent dip in temperatures feels even more dramatic, if entirely appropriate.

Soups are a favorite food of mine at any time of year, but in the winter, they taste extra cozy and inviting. Today’s Velvety Chickpea Soup is a winter favorite in my home.

Velvety Chickpea Soup made in a slow cooker. So simple!

I love chickpeas, a.k.a. garbanzo beans. They’re so versatile, filling, and high in fiber and protein.  They’re a popular ingredient in Middle Eastern food. Chickpeas are a staple in my kitchen. In fact, I made this soup from staples in my pantry. It’s simple, flavorful, and comforting. It’s one of those recipes that tastes even better after a day. The spices are key to its bold, warming flavor. Feel free to make a big ‘ol batch of it and enjoy it throughout the week.

Velvety Chickpea Slow Cooker  Soup

Serves 6-8

1 pound organic dry chickpeas

1 small onion

2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger

2 large garlic cloves

1 teaspoon of coconut oil or neutral cooking oil of your choice

Spice blend: Mix together 1 teaspoon each of ground cumin, coriander, cardamom, paprika, fenugreek, plus 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and  1 Tablespoon tumeric

1/2 cup of sundried tomatoes, diced.  (An 8 ounce can of whole or diced tomatoes could work here as well)

1 large carrot

Salt and black pepper to taste

2 cups of fresh, washed spinach leaves

Optional: 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, or flat-leaf parsley for garnish (or a mix of the two)

Directions:

1. Soak dry chickpeas overnight or do a quick soak. To quick soak, place chickpeas in a large pot. Pour in enough water to just barely immerse them. Bring the water to a boil, and then turn it off and remove the pot from the heat. Let soak for one hour. Soaking ensures the chickpeas will cook evenly.

2. Warm oil over medium heat. As oil warms, dice the onion and carrot. Cook onion in the oil for 3 minutes, turning often. Add in the garlic and ginger, and lower heat to low. Cook for another minute. Then add half of spice mixture, and cook for 30 seconds, stirring frequently to ensure spices don’t burn. This process brings out the flavor of the spices. Remove from the heat.

3. Drain water from soaked chickpeas. Pour chickpeas into a slow cooker, and add cooked onion mixture. Add in the rest of the spices, the sundried tomatoes, and carrot pieces. Stir. Add enough water to just barely cover the chickpeas. Put in a bit of salt and pepper. You can add more later if needed. Cover with lid, and set slow cooker to desired time. (Slow cookers vary. I always set my slow cooker for at least 4 hours. Check your manual to see how long beans typically take to cook i n your cooker.)

4. Once the chickpeas are done (fork tender), you have a perfectly amazing meal or side dish without even taking this next step. But if you’re motivated and really want a velvety soup, try this: Remove 1 cup of the cooked chickpeas from the soup with a slotted spoon. Set aside. Next, blend remaining chickpeas in either a regular blender or by using an immersion blender. Add water as needed to get the desired consistency of the soup. Use less water for a thicker soup, more for a thinner soup. This is when the soup becomes velvety!

5. Place soup back in the crock, and add in baby spinach leaves and reserved chickpeas. Don’t worry about turning the crockpot back on to a cook setting–the heat will wilt the baby spinach leaves very quickly. The reserved chickpeas will provide a chunky treat against the velvety soup.

6. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Garnish and serve or let cool and save for later.

Tips and Notes:

1. Make extra spice mixture and save for another use.

2. The sundried tomatoes are a nice touch, but fresh or canned tomatoes will do. The tomato flavor gives the soup a richness and depth.

3. A squeeze of lemon or lime on top of the soup before serving is a nice touch, as is a drizzle of olive oil.

4. If you don’t have ground cinnamon, you can put a cinnamon stick in the slow cooker. Just make sure to fish it out before serving.

Thanksgiving Redux

Hey there! I hope you all had a fabulous holiday. This Thanksgiving was mellow, but not without a bit of drama surrounding the turkey. It’s become a running joke in my family the past few years: procuring the turkey hasn’t been simple in a long time. There’s always some drama around the bird. This year was no different.

Gobble gobble! This turkey reminds me of the one my family once had. That particular bird had a crush on my sister Mona. He'd "display" to her whenever she went outside. Puffed feathers, his comb changing color, and chasing her. Yikes! Poor girl finally resorted to carrying a broom outside with her for protection.

I’m very particular about the type of bird I want. I want an organic, or at least free range bird that has been fed a high quality diet, and is humanely treated both in life, and at the end of its life. In fact, I feel quite strongly that any meat we eat needs to meet these standards, which is why I don’t eat meat nearly as often as before. In this country, sourcing meat that meets a high standard is not always easy, nor affordable. So if you’re committed to eating this way, more than likely you’ll end up eating less meat by default, because high quality meat can get expensive fast.

Excuse me while I step down from my soapbox; that’s another topic for another day.

Well, back to this year’s bird. This year we ordered it from a restaurant wholesale supplier who specializes in free range, halal birds. The halal butchering process is a very clean, precise process that minimizes the pain to the animal. Some proponents claim the process is painless. For more info, click here. Several prayers are said as a blessing before the sacrifice.

As for our halal birds, the vendor took the order, then returned to the neighborhood a few days later, and  proceeded to try to sell us three birds that were 20-plus pounds EACH, instead of ONE bird at 14-16 pound. Pardon me, but of course this did not fly. I’m not trying to feed the entire building, you know!

When the real bird finally did arrive, at the correct weight and all, its neck and head had yet to be removed. It was a very “A Christmas Story” moment.

Alas, I brined it, cooked it (once the head and neck were removed, that is), and it turned out great. Very crispy on the outside, and juicy on the inside.  The color was gorgeous–nice and browned with a hint of red. I wish I had a pic, but in another tidbit of drama, the camera went kaput. So I’ll tell  you what spices I used in the rub and brine. And you can wish me better luck next year. Feel free to use this method  for any poultry you might choose to roast.

Middle Eastern Style Turkey

Procure 1 turkey, 14-16 pounds.

This year’s brine was super simple: a cup of apple cider, some sugar, and some salt. I’d say about 2/3 a cup of sugar, and a full cup of salt. Put bird in an icewater bath to which salt, sugar, and cider have been added and mixed in. (I used a cooler to keep the bird at a safe, cold temperature). Marinate overnight, making sure it is completely submerged.

Spice Rub: Powdered cumin, coriander, cardamom, fenugreek, paprika, steak seasoning, cinnamon, and allspice.

Preheat oven to 475 degrees Farenheit. Remove bird from brine. Place in roasting pan on a rack. Pat bird dry. Drizzle olive oil all over the turkey. Rub all surfaces of the bird generously with spice rub.

Place bird in the oven for 30 minutes to brown skin. After 30 minutes, cover the bird loosely with foil, and bump oven temp down to 350. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey breast, and set the alarm to go off at 160 degrees.

This year it took approximately three-and-a-half hours to fully cook the bird. Your mileage may vary.

Don’t carve it immediately. Let it sit for a half hour to retain that juiciness!

Gobble gobble

Middle Eastern Family Wins Food Network Thanksgiving Challenge

Food Network fascinates me. Personally, I prefer the straight up cooking shows to the competitions, but every now and then I’ll find myself flipping channels and find a competition that pulls me in.

A few days ago, I happened upon a Thanksgiving Dinner competition that featured several families, each with its on unique approach to Thanksgiving Dinner. One family. the de Picciottos, was cooking a Middle Eastern style Thanksgiving feast. That totally caught my eye. Here’s a list of their recipes:

Deep fried turkey

A rice-based stuffing.

Braised lamb shanks with baby okra

Cranberry and pomegranate relish

Artichokes with a lemon and mint sauce

Potatoes sofrito

Tabouli salad

Dessert: Marbled mango mousse with phyllo fans.

As you might have guessed, I totally started rooting for them. I caught the show towards the end, and the deep fried turkey was quite ugly. It almost looked burned. But the judges loved the taste of the turkey and the other dishes and really seemed to appreciate the creativity of their menu. Hey, someone has to say it–sometimes ugly food tastes beautiful!

There were some tense moments. But they WON! They got to take home $10,000 (Insert booming Dr. Evil voice here.)

Congratulations!

More on the fam.

What I’m Thinking for Thanksgiving

First of all, I’m grateful. Grateful for my health, my work, my friends and family, and for the kindness of strangers. Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday. You don’t have to belong to any particular religious faith–or any religion at all– in order to take part. Plus, It’s about gratitude and chilling out a bit. It’s about being with loved ones. For some people, it’s about football. It’s kind of like the blank canvas of holidays. It’s what you make of it.

Boy, this guy looks angry, doesn't he?

I have to admit, though, that the simple thought of putting together another Thanksiving feast so soon (seriously, last Thanksgiving feels like it was only 2 or 3 months ago), exhausted me. Then I felt like a real turkey for thinking that way. At least we have food to eat and time to prepare it! At least I have the luxury of playing around with menu options and recipes.

That being said, it has been an exhausting year, has it not? With the economy and so many other things in this world being the way they are, I think people more and more are returning to the simple. Keeping our creativity alive is all that much more important, even as we go back to basics.

Interesting, isn’t it, how we can see where we’re at in life by looking back on what we were eating on a given Thanksgiving? The year fat free was in vogue. The year the turkey was too warm for the glass serving platter and the platter broke underneath the bird. The year of the burned rolls (wait, that’s almost every year, isn’t it?)

This year, I’m sure my table will look quite different from, say, my friends who eat almost exclusively raw foods. And even though some of recipes carry on through the years, putting a little creative twist on classic favorites can create new classics and traditions.

So I decided keep things fresh by getting creative. To take some of the traditional recipes and give them a Middle Eastern flair. In some cases, Persianizing, as My Persian Kitchen would say. Here are the ideas I’m working on:

• Dry Brined Roast Turkey. I’m a big believer in brining. What I’m not a big fan of is the way it can be such a production, especially in a space-challenged kitchen like mine. Finding a large bucket. Buying bags of ice. Getting the bird in and out of the bucket without incident. This recipe from the New York Times  looks much simpler.  Of course, I’m going to put my own twist on the recipe. Saffron and honey glaze, anyone?
• Cornbread stuffing flavored with dried figs, dried cherries, chestnuts, turmeric and sage. This will be my own take on dressing, as we call it down South.
  

  Some dried fruits will make their way into this year's cornbread dressing.

  This could go either way–either really tasty, or a mishap not to be repeated. That’s what I love about putting together new recipes–that element of creativity and excitement.

• Saffron Sweet Potatoes. I’ve already tested this recipe (click here), and am happy to report that it works. If I’m feeling motivated, we’ll have some Raw Apple-Mint Salsa on top of these.
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cumin. I love roasted veggies. Maybe some carrots tossed in for color. Seriously, I might just put a few root vegetables together, depending on what looks good at the farmer’s market prior to Thanksgiving.
  

  A little dirt won't hurt! (Just wash it off!) Organic carrots. Gorgeous!

   

  

  This is what Brussels sprouts look like before they're harvested. Pretty cool, huh?

• Dessert? I’m not sure yet. My Easy Turkish Coffee Pudding could work. Or maybe something more specific to the season, like baked apples with spices and a bit of ice cream. I’ve found some very cool dairy and soy-free ice creams recently. They might make a fun addition to the meal.

Wow, now that I’ve got my ideas on the screen here,  I’m actually energized and looking forward to cooking this meal again. So I’ll post recipes and tips if any of the recipes are a hit. I think the roasted veggies would be a good place to start, so keep an eye out for that one in the coming days. Enjoy your week, guys!