Rustic Tabbouleh Salad

I grew up eating my Lebanese grandmother's delicate and lemony tabbouleh. She would finely chop the tomatoes, parsley and cucumbers then douse the salad with lots of fresh lemon juice. Tabbouleh was a staple on her dinner table, along with delicious Middle Eastern roasted chicken and rice pilaf.  I loved her home cooking. Middle Eastern food is my soul food. We enjoy this healthy cuisine at least three times a week. My husband is Polish but he loves Eastern Mediterranean food.

Moroccan Vegetarian Stew

Hello friends! How are you? I'm sharing another Moroccan stew with you. This recipe is one of my favorites.  

I love making Moroccan stews in winter. My husband and I live two miles from the Atlantic Ocean, on the North Shore of Boston. When the cold wind whips the salty sea air, this stew makes us feel cozy. If a blizzard is in full effect I play some Van Morrison, putter in my kitchen, enjoying the snow-globe-view from my window and the warm aromas from the simmering stew. Vegetarian stews comfort us with their wholesome and healthy nutrition.

Frontier Flapjacks

Hello Friends! I'm excited to share another pancake recipe with you. Unlike my usual recipes, this one relies on a box mix called Kodiak Cakes Frontier Flapjack and Waffle Mix Non GMO Whole Wheat, Oat & Honey. The company writes that flapjacks were the hearty mainstay of frontiersmen from the Yukon to the High Sierra. These mountain men and homesteaders relied on a traditional flapjack that combined the rich, substantial taste of whole wheat with the mellow taste of whole grain oats. The flapjack has protein, fiber and very little fat. Kodiak Cakes have been featured in Weight Watchers, Vegetarian Times, Martha Stewart Living and a bunch of other publications. The ingredients on the box are all natural. (I'm not being paid to write this review. I stumbled upon this product while looking for a good, whole grain pancake mix).

Lemony Lentil Soup

Lentil soup is what's for lunch today. I make this soup often. It's rustic and easy to prepare. The nutritional profile is wonderful. Best of all, the lentils remain whole and keep their firm texture. This is a brothy lentil soup. A smoked-paprika scented stock is infused with the earthy flavor of the lentils. The soup is finished with lemon and dill. Fresh dill is one of my favorite herbs. The bright and citrusy flavor of dill counters the richness of the lentils. Spinach is stirred in at the end of cooking to remain vibrant and green. Lots of freshly cracked black pepper is welcome here too.  

French Vegetable Barley Soup

I love soup. I make this French vegetable soup almost every week in autumn. It's great with a crusty baguette or a simple sandwich. Brothy bowls of vegetable soup come to the rescue when I'm in need of something healthy and comforting. Soup-making is a gentle domestic activity that satisfies my soul. This recipe is very easy to prepare. Chop and drop cooking is all that's required.

Fifteen Minute French Pea Soup

I've made different versions of this simple pea soup for many years. I like this recipe because it's quick and creamy. The cheerful soup is a keeper during the cold months. The bright green color lifts my mood. This foolproof French pea soup is ready in under fifteen minutes. A fast, fresh soup with delicate taste and velvety texture never disappoints.

Butternut Squash & Apple Bisque

French women have their own version of butternut squash soup. Some recipes are complex. Some are quite simple. After testing several recipes of this popular soup, I found my favorite. My recipe is cozy and easy to prepare. This beautiful bisque is chic and special enough to serve at your Thanksgiving dinner. There's a hint of nutmeg and cinnamon in it.  If you've followed me for a while, you know I love soup. This one is a keeper.

Chickpea & Herb Salad

This refreshing and filling salad has lots of parsley, which acts like lettuce does in regular garden salads. There's a bit of creamy tahini and some finely diced red onion for texture and flavor. A squeeze of lemon juice is a fresh finish. Dill shows up here too. I enjoy the salad with warm whole wheat pita. This dish packs well for picnic lunches. This lunch sustained me on my summer staycation bike rides near the marshes and beaches.

Easy Zucchini And Corn Pasta

End of summer cooking means visiting local farms selling sweet corn and backyard gardens bursting with zucchini. It's such a joy to be in the kitchen with the abundance of seasonal produce. Fresh, fast and flavorful food is made in minutes. Healthy meals come together without much fuss. I'm sharing another one of my favorite summery dinners with you again. Chewy-pasta with tender-crisp zucchini, pops of sweet corn and a good amount of herbs.

Easy Summer Spaghetti

Fresh and fast is what's on my mind. Meals that are bright, tasty and fuss free. During the warm months, I meander around parks, piers and orchards. I'm in the sunshine. I spend less time in the kitchen.   

Lebanese Lentil Soup With Toasted Orzo

This easy, creamy lentil soup is always on my menu. It's economical. It reheats well. It's good. My favorite Lebanese spices like cozy cinnamon and a dash of allspice show up here. As the soup simmers, warm aromas take me waaaay back to my beloved grandmother's kitchen. I often serve the soup with pita bread, rice or toasted orzo. Diced scallions, herbs and lots of fresh lemon juice make it sing. It's a light but nourishing soup that's welcome in both warm and cold weather. It's healthy too.

Korean Cauliflower

I'm not into fad diets. However, I return to macrobiotics when I feel off-balance, sluggish and in need of a healing food plan. I don't go hungry. I don't live on boring salads. When I'm in my macro-mode, I slurp my immune-boosting 5-minute Miso Mushroom Soup  or my Hearty Miso Soup With Mushrooms & Wild Rice. I make lots of simple vegetable dishes. I walk on the beach with my beagle, even in winter. I love the off-season here in New England. It's so peaceful with the sun low in the sky.

Hearty Miso Mushroom And Wild Rice Soup

I've been devouring lots of books on healthy Japanese and macrobiotic cooking. I'm gaining appreciation for freshly-prepared Japanese food. Homemade recipes that are nutritious, tasty and straightforward make it to the table in no time. A quick miso soup is part of many Japanese morning meals. It's great for lunch too. Miso is a complete protein that's high in antioxidants and vitamin B. It also strengthens the immune-system. This cozy bowl of comfort will have you rethinking miso soup.

Moroccan Nourish Bowl With Chickpeas, Wild Rice And Tahini-Maple Drizzle

This macrobiotic recipe has a Moroccan vibe. Freshly sautéed, uncomplicated food is often what we crave most. Some of us just don't know it yet because we haven't given it a proper try. The macrobiotic approach is basically a natural diet with lots of whole grains, vegetables and beans. Often miso or a light vegetable soup is present at the start of the meal. It's a healing diet that leaves me feeling good.

If you told me a month ago I'd be craving miso soup and brown rice, I wouldn't have believed you. But that's what happened to me (and many others) on this unique path. I've also started to lose a little weight, which is an added benefit. I feel lighter and stronger. I start my day with naturally-sweetened oatmeal, tahini and naturally-sweetened jam on whole wheat toast or sourdough toast with tahini and real maple syrup. My morning Miso Soup and some toast is also a go-to breakfast idea. Instead of coffee or my usual black tea, I drink Genmaicha tea for its metabolism-boosting properties and calm energy. I find my own macro-way. I come home to this healing path when I need it most.     

Metabolism-Boosting Tea

Gomashio ~ Japanese Sesame Salt

Gomashio is also called gomasio or sesame-salt. It's a low-sodium Japanese seasoning that packs a powerhouse of nutrition and flavor. Monks in zen monasteries top their rice with it. Gomashio is also used in macrobiotic cooking. I keep it in my kitchen to sprinkle on everything from vegetables to fish. It's wonderful on sliced avocado, eggs or soba noodles. It's nice with Middle Eastern and Moroccan food, flatbreads and wraps too. You get the idea.

Miso Mushroom Soup

Life is about balance. Not everyone has time to cook, but we all must be fed. This 5-minute miso soup comes to the rescue with its gentle and restorative properties. I have it for breakfast, especially after working a busy night in the crisis center. It might seem strange to have soup as your morning meal, but give it a go. Miso for breakfast is macrobiotic. It's a Japanese custom to start the day with miso soup. It's wonderful. It's lovely for lunch too. Here's why....

Macro-Bliss Bowl

I work near a macrobiotic restaurant where a quiet Japanese chef prepares a lovely array of balanced food. Typically, I go there with my 70 year old nurse friend. She introduced me to this way of cooking and eating. She looks like she's in her forties. She learned about macrobiotics while living in Vermont. When we have too many difficult shifts at the psychiatric hospital and burnout is creeping into our bodies, we have a soothing ladies lunch at the little macro-eatery. We leave feeling satisfied, stress-free and energetic.
  

I return to macrobiotics when I feel unbalanced. It nourishes and calms me. After a long night in the hospital's crisis center, I wake up the next morning and forgo my usual black tea for Japanese green tea. For breakfast, I have a dark barley miso soup, deepened with toasted sesame oil, and a side of whole grain toast with sliced avocado. I prepare a macro-lunch and eat it in my PJ's. I get dressed in comfy clothes and take a long walk on the beach with my husband and dog.

We pray, giving thanks to God for good food and simple pleasures. Winter is the off season here. It's wonderful. We walk in silence, listening to the sounds of the ocean. Our hearts are directed far from the hubbub of humans and the frenzied activity of the world. Our frivolous worries get carried out to sea. God's quiet presence is felt. God never competes with the noise of the world. He speaks in whispers. You find Him in solitude. When our minds are frazzled and our cells are buzzing with stress, this peaceful path refreshes and restores our souls.

Roasted Broccoli With Lemon-Tahini Drizzle

Roasting broccoli is an easy way to bring out its flavor. This recipe has a delicious Eastern Mediterranean vibe. The lemony tahini sauce is bright and sunny. It plays against the warmth and sweetness of the golden-brown broccoli in a very good way.

You can riff on this recipe by tossing some chickpeas on the tray with the broccoli before roasting it. Serve the roasted broccoli/chickpeas and the sauce over rice or stuffed into a pita for a protein-packed vegan meal. It's also great with fried or scrambled eggs for a light vegetarian dinner.

Soup And Solitude

Throughout the New England winter, I return to this soup time and time again. I wash away the world and rush back to sweet solitude. A cold walk on a clear beach and a hot bowl of soup restores my peace. Maybe it's because I work part-time in a crisis center or because I'm an introvert or because I was a bit of a wild-child in my youth; whatever the reason, I need to be alone for long stretches of time. My mom used to call it my hibernation-mode.

Solitude is not something you hope for in the future, rather it's a deepening of the present. Unless you look for solitude in the present, you'll never find it. ~ Thomas Merton.

In my twenties, I worked at a hospital with a stable and sweet psychiatric nurse who gave me a birthday card that read, "Happiness is one way of being wise." She sensed I needed to know that. Years later, I read that the true revenge of our enemies, and our darkest demons, is to be deeply happy. As a twenty-something, I lived in Philadelphia. I would go out clubbing all night. Do people even do that anymore? I loved to dance. But it wasn't a particularly happy or mellow time. I was restless and roaming. I was searching for something more meaningful. I'm grateful for those early experiences and the many mistakes I made. I still love cities and urban music. But my life has evolved into something less chaotic and more fulfilling. I used to seek happiness in people, in possessions and in the wrong places. Now I know better. Now those old messages about happiness make sense to me.