Sheet Pan Chicken Shwarma

 This has become an instant family favorite. It's super easy, piling everything onto a cookie sheet. And it's really flavorful. The sauce is optional for serving, but we highly recommend using it.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

3 pounds chicken breast, cubed

2 small red onions, cut into 1 inch pieces

2 red bell peppers, cut into 1 inch pieces

4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch pieces (about 1 c)

30 oz can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2 TBS evoo

3 tsp paprika

3 tsp cumin

1 tsp red pepper flakes, optional

1.5 tsp garlic powder

1.5 tsp onion powder

1.5 tsp oregano

1 tsp cinnamon

3 tsp kosher salt

White Sauce (optional, but highly recommended, for serving)

1 c yogurt

2 Tbs mayo

1 Tbs apple cider vinegar

1 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

1/8 tsp black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425F/220C. Add chicken, veggies and chickpeas to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with oil and season with the spices and salt. Mix until evenly combined. Transfer to two rimmed cookie sheets and spread in an even layer.

Bake for 20 - 30 min until chicken is cooked through and veggies are tender. Broil for last 2 minute for an extra char if desired. Serve with white sauce drizzled on top, optional but recommended.

Easy Mediterranean Lamb Meatballs

 We use this for our Last Supper Celebration. We've tried several lamb recipes over the years, and this one has gotten high ratings from our family. Originally on healthyrecipesblogs.com

Makes 12 meatballs

1 pound ground lanb (85/15)

2 Tbs Greek yogurt

1 Tbs fresh garlic, minced

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

2 Tbs olive oil for frying

Optional Sauce:

1/2 c greek yogurt

2 Tbs chopped dill

1 tsp minced fresh garlic

1/2 tsp salt

1. In medium bowl, combine all ingredients except the oil. Mix until well combined. Measure out 1 1/2 TBS size balls. Using wet hands can make it easier to shape the meatballs.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet that has a lid. Once the oil shimmers and becomes fragrant, add the meatballs in a single layer and cook them, turning them frequently until golden brown, about 5 min. If the oil becomes too hot, lower the temperature to medium. 

3. Add 1/4 c water to the bottom of the skillet. Cover with the lid and cook the meatballs until they are cooked through, about 2-3 more minutes. 

4. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meatballs from the skillet to a serving plate. Serve immediately.

5. You can serve as is, or you can make a quick yogurt sauce. Mix 1/2 c. plain greek yogurt with 2 TBS chopped dill, 1 tsp minced fresh garlic and 1/2 tsp salt.

*Note, instead of frying them, you can bake the meatballs at 400F for 15 minutes. Arrange them on a parchment lined baking sheet that has a rim. Spray the meatballs with olive oil before baking. 

Izmir Köftesi

 Preheat oven to 180.

For the Meatballs:

1 kilo ground beef

1-2 c. bread crumbs (can use gluten free)

2 onions, grated 

Fresh parsley

1 tsp black pepper

1 1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp salt

Grate the onions and squeeze the juice out of them. Chop the parsley finely. Mix all of the ingredients together and form into flat meatball shapes.

For the Vegetables/Potatoes:

4-5 potatoes (enough to cover the bottom of a glass baking pan), peeled and cut into 1-in wedges

2 green peppers, diced

Onions, diced

2 large, peeled, chopped tomatoes (or 1 1/2 -2 cans of diced tomatoes)

1 T. tomato paste

1/2 tsp sugar

Salt

Pepper

1 T. chopped fresh thyme (or you could use some dried if you don't have fresh)

Pan fry the potatoes with salt and pepper to begin until partly cooked and browned. Layer them in the bottom of a lightly oiled glass 9x13 pan. Sauté the green peppers and onions in the pan until tender and layer them on top of the potatoes. Next, brown the meatballs in the pan, and lay them in rows on top of the veggies/potatoes.

Meanwhile, add the tomatoes, paste, sugar, salt, pepper and thyme to a sauce pan and cook for about 5 minutes. Pour the sauce over the meatballs, and put it in the preheated oven until everything is cooked through. 

*If you are in a hurry, you don't have to fry the potatoes first, but wait and add the meatballs to the pan in the oven until the potatoes are mostly cooked to avoid burning the meatballs. 

Afiyet Olsun!

Lentil Soup

OH girls... you have to try this one. It is super easy, inexpensive and delicious. All of us love it! I usually make a batch of rolls and this is a full meal. I found this recipe on food network. Also, the recipe calls for "grains of paradise". You can use plain old cracked black pepper!

Ingredients:

2 T olive oil (I actually use coconut oil)
1 c. finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped carrots (I use two carrots)
1/2 cup finely chopped celery (I use two ribs of celery)
2 tsp kosher salt
1 pound lentils, picked and rinsed
1 cup peeled and chopped tomatoes (I use one can diced tomatoes)
2 quarts of chicken or vegetable broth (I have used both and prefer chicken broth)
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground grains of paradise (or use black pepper!)

Directions:
Place oil in large soup pan over medium heat. Once hot, add onion, carrot, celery and salt. Sweat until onions are translucent, approx 6 - 7  min. Add lentils, tomatoes, broth, and spices. Stir to combine. Increase heat to high and bring just to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook at a low simmer until lentils are tender, approx 35 - 40 min. Using a stick blender, puree to your preferred consistency. ***I use a measuring cup to remove some soup, puree it and add it back in. I continue to do this until the soup is the consistency I am looking for. I still like to have the texture of lentils and veggies but pureeing some makes it less of a broth soup.

Curried Lentil, Squash, and Apple Stew

This recipe is from Chloe's Kitchen by Chloe Coscarelli

Made this for dinner tonight and it was DELICIOUS! And very healthy too.

Serves 6

2 tablespoons olive oil (I used coconut oil instead)
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 cup dried lentils
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cups peeled butternut squash (1/2-in cubes) - I bought this pre-cut from Trader Joe's
1 large unpeedled apple, diced
5 ounces baby spinach

In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat, and saute onions and carrots until almost soft. Add garlic, ginger, curry, and salt, and let cook a few more minutes until fragrant. Stir in lentils, broth, and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes. Add squash and apples, cover, and simmer for another 25 minutes, or until vegetables and lentils are tender. Uncover and stir in spinach until wilted. Add salt to taste and serve.

Homemade Hummus

Got this recipe from Rachael Ray.

1 can chickpeas, drained, but reserve the liquid
2 T. tahini (found in specialty food aisle)
Drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 t. crushed red pepper flakes
1 t. ground cumin
1 t. ground coriander (I often replace this with paprika because I never seem to have coriander)
1 clove  garlic, crushed
coarse salt
1/2 lemon, juiced

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Add more of the reserved liquid from the chickpeas to help create the right consistency if necessary.

Falafel

I had never tried falafel before, nor did I have much of an idea of what to expect. We all liked them, though, and I would make them again. They were relatively easy to make. I halved the recipe because the of the size of our food processor, and it was plenty for the four of us. We served them in pitas with lettuce and some of the yogurt sauce.

Ingredients:
2 cans chickpeas
2 t. cumin
1 t. tumeric
1 t. salt
1/2 minced onion
1/4 c. fresh parsley (I just added some dried because that's what we had)
1/4 c. water
1 T. lemon juice
a dash of cayenne
1/3 c. flour.
3 T. oil

1. Drain and rinse chickpeas
2. Combine the chickpeas with the next 8 ingredients (through cayenne) in a food processor. Process until a paste, similar in texture to hummus.
3. Add the flour and mix until combined.
4. Heat a large skillet. Add the oil. Drop spoonfuls of mix into pan and slightly flatten like a pancake. Cook 10 min. per side.

Makes 24 (4 - 6 servings)