April 29, 2010

Mussaka a la Libanaise

Referred to as "Maghmour", this Lebanese appetizer is meat- and bechamel-free. It mainly consists of eggplants, chickpeas, onions, garlic all floating together in a thick and rich minty tomato sauce.
Taking a break from fried eggplants or foods in general? Follow my healthy version of this recipe. It tastes just as wonderful.


Recipe

Serves 4
 
Ingredients:

1 large eggplant, cut into 2 inch cubes
1 lb ripe vine tomatoes, chopped or 1 can crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 large onion, sliced
2 cloves of mashed garlic
1 cup of cooked /chickpeas (garbanzo beans) or 1/2 can, rinsed and drained
1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes  (optional)
1 tsp of dried mint or 5-7 fresh mint leaves thinly sliced
1/2 cup of vegetable oil or olive oil
Salt
Black pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Spread eggplant cubes and onions in a glass baking dish (pyrex).  Add 1/3 cup of olive oil and season with black pepper and salt. Toss until coated and roast for 30-40 min. Set aside.

Tomato Sauce:
In a food processor, blend the chopped tomatoes (or crushed tomatoes) until liquefied. (Drain if using fresh tomatoes). Transfer to a sauce pan, add tomato paste,  garbanzo beans, garlic, red pepper flakes and mint. Simmer for 15 min on medium low heat.

Pour tomato sauce over eggplants and onions. Cook in pre-heated oven at 350 F for 20-30 min.

Tip: While this dish has always been treated and served as an appetizer with pita bread, you can till enjoy it as your main course with a side of hot basmati rice.

April 9, 2010

A "KIND" Snack Bar

I'm not a big fan of snack bars but "KIND" is one of a kind and worth marketing. Here's why...

"It's kind to your body, your taste buds and the world".  That's what the  award-winning KIND bar has to offer you and more...

- Choose from over 15 delicious varieties under 2 lines: KIND Fruit & NUT and KIND Plus
- See and taste wholesome and all natural ingredients such as fruits, nuts and honey.
- Benefit from heart-healthy ingredients and the gluten-free version if you're a celiac.
- Stave off hunger and power yourself with a hearty mid-morning/ afternoon bar pre-workout or at any other time of the day. (you'll never see yourself in front of a vending machine or nibbling on candy bars!)



Love noshing on my personal favorites:
 Walnut & Date
Almond & Cashew
Almond & Coconut

Nutrition Tips: Most KIND bars contain between 150 and 190 calories. I personally try and resist the temptation of having more than one per day.
You can have 2 to replace your lunch meal especially if you're travelling long hours or need a grab-and-go bar to fill you up and help you go through a hectic day.

April 1, 2010

Banana and Date Bread (Low-fat)

Whenever i grab my morning skinny latte at Starbucks, i like to pair it with their famous banana and walnut bread...until one day when i accidentally found out its caloric value on their nutrition pamphlets. You should have seen my face! 4-9-0 Cal! That's a third or more of what i need per day...

Well, I still want to enjoy that coffee with something sweet and light. My mom helped me create this hearty and healthy bread recipe with the most delicious ingredients: Banana, dates and carob molasses. Let's consider the latter as a secret ingredient. ;-)

Yield: 1 loaf

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
2 ripe bananas, mashed
7 dates, mashed
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 plain yogurt (low or whole-fat)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup carob molasses (or blackstrap molasses)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup oats

Method:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2) Put the dates in a non-reactive bowl with 1 tsp of oil and microwave for 30 sec. Then mash them with a fork.

3) Sift flour, baking soda and baking powder in a medium bowl.  Add brown sugar and yogurt and whisk. Drizzle in oil. Using a rubber spatula, fold in bananas, dates, carob molasses and walnuts.

4) Line bottom of loaf pan with parchment paper. Pour bread mix and sprinkle with oats.

5) Bake for 50-60 min or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. When ready, allow to cool for 5 min before turning the bread out of the pan. Let it cool on a rack for an additional 5 min and serve.

 Note: You should be able to find carob molasses in any middle eastern market. If you don't like its taste, replace with an equivalent amount of brown sugar (approx 1/2 cup).

Nutrition Facts: 
This recipe is clearly low in fat as it's eggless and butterless but i promise it doesn't sacrifice flavor.
While the main ingredients contain high amounts of sugars, a decent slice won't taste overly sweet and the high nutritious value- such as the rich amount of dietary fiber- is enough to balance that out. ;-)