Fattoush Salad

Fattoush is very healthy and a whole meal by itself. I add purslane if i find it at specialty stores. Purslane is wonderful herb eaten as vegetable in Greek and Asian cuisine. Its succulent thick leaves are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, minerals. Its a powerhouse of nutrition. I add baby arugula when pursulane is not available. Sahten!


Ingredients:

1 romaine washed, trimmed, cut in 1inch slices

1 bunch of parsley snipped or chopped thick

1 bunch mint washed and stemmed

3 medium tomatoes sliced in 1 inch cubes

2 cucumbers cubed and peeled

3 scallions finely chopped

1 green or red pepper cored and cubed

1 bunch radishes washed trimmed and cubed

1 large pita bread cut into 1inch squares and toasted or fried

1 bunch of pursulane trimmed and washed or 1 bunch of baby arugula

For the dressing:

½ cup Olive oil

¼ cup red wine vinegar

1 lemon juiced

1 teaspoon sumac

¼ teaspoon dried mint

Salt to taste

1teaspoon pomegranate (optional)

Cut and wash all the vegetable and place in a big salad bowl.

Toast the pita bread and then crumble it onto the salad, or serve on the side.

Mix everything together, add pita chips on top.


Serves 4 to 6

Black Bean Salad

Try this great salad it’s so refreshing. You can also add some mango juice from the mango to the dressing it will enhance the flavors. Enjoy!





Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 cans black beans, drained

• 1 can corn, drained

• 1 red bell pepper diced

• 1 red onion diced

• 1 green onion diced

• 1 mango diced

• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

• 1/2 tablespoons salt

• 1/2 teaspoon fresh black pepper

• ¼ cup vinaigrette dressing 

Directions

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and serve.

Itch Salad - Pomegranate Tabboule

This Armenian salad is so good. Make it your own by adding or omitting any ingredient. I had this idea I will make it next time with quinoa instead of burgul. Thanks to my lovely niece Eliana who helped with the recipe. Love you J

Serves 8

2 cups fine burgul

1 bunch parsley chopped

1 red onion chopped

3 scallions chopped

3 tomatoes chopped

½ bunch mint stemmed and chopped or 1 teaspoon dried mint

½ cup olive oil

¼ cup lemon juice

4 Tablespoons pomegranate syrup

1 ½ cup tomato puree

Salt to taste

1 cup warm water

1 Tablespoon red pepper paste

1 jalapeno seeded and finely chopped (optional)



Rinse burgul and place in a salad bowl, add warm water, tomato puree, red pepper paste and set aside for 15-20 minutes.

Prepare and chop parsley, tomatoes, mint, green onion, red onion add salt lemon juice, pomegranate syrup, olive oil, jalapeno if using and mix with the burgul an adjust seasonings.

Note if you don’t have red onion on hand use yellow onion and fry with a little of olive oil before adding.

Potato Salad

This is a different version of the “potato salad”. We had barbeque for Memorial Day and to make it more traditional I made a potato salad. I added jalapenos (uncontrollable) and lots of cilantro it made it so yummy!


Ingredients:

1 pound potatoes scrubbed and washed (peeled or unpeeled) cut in 1-inch cubes

2 avocados sliced and cubed

2 scallions rinsed trimmed and chopped

1/2 bunch of cilantro chopped



Dressing:

Salt

Pepper

½ cup lemon juice

½ cup olive oil



Place potatoes in a pot and bring to boil with some salt. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain and let cool. Put the potatoes in a large bowl add the avocado cubes, the chopped scallion and the cilantro. Mix dressing and pour over potatoes. Serve.

Eggplant Salad, Rahib

This is for eggplant lovers, great with fish, meat or chicken. You can grill the eggplant or bake in the oven. Either way is fine as long as the eggplant is soft and cooked.

Ingredients:




2 large eggplants

2 medium tomatoes chopped

2 scallions chopped

1 lemon juice

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

½ tsp sumac*

2 swirls of extra virgin olive oil

Place eggplant on a cookie sheet covered with foil slit 2-3 inches lengthwise. In 450° oven place eggplant for 30-40 minutes, or until tender and done.

Let cool, with a help of a spoon scoop inside of the eggplant onto a bowl. Add lemon, oil and seasonings and mix. Add chopped tomatoes and scallions. Serve with pita bread.

* Sumac spice can be found in Mediterranean stores.

Serves 4

Tabboule Salad

Ingredients:

1 bunch of organic Italian parsley rinsed 
½ bunch of mint leaves rinsed
2  medium tomatoes
2-3 scallions rinsed
1 tablespoon of extra fine burgul
2 juiced lemons
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste

 The trick to the tabboule salad is to finely chop it. Now is a good time to use your best paring knife. Chop parsley and place in salad bowl. Chop mint leaves, dice tomatoes, and slice scallions and add to the tabboule.  

In a small bowl, mix the lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, and add salt. Rinse burgul, and squeeze excess water. Mix dressing and burgul with salad and serve.  You have made your first tabboule!

Serves 2