Tonight was one of those nights where we found ourselves debating dinner while starving! As we started dinner preparations, the hubs looked around and decided to prepare a snack - using a stale baguette and other readily available ingredients. And, voila! An amazing appetizer was born! You're going to love this, trust me! Personally, I love pizza, but I always feel like I need to make a healthier choice - this satisfies every craving while limiting the amount of cheese and eliminating the need to make a whole pizza!  

Ingredients (amounts are dependent upon the size of your baguette & amount of slices used)

• 1 Stale baguette bread (we did about 10 slices with some baguette left-over)
• EVOO (spray or drizzled)
• 3 Campari Tomatoes, Handfull of Grape Tomatoes, or 1 Medium Heirloom Tomato
• 1/4 Cup Shredded Low-Fat Mozzarella Cheese (for my vegan friends, you can leave out altogether)
• Dash of Salt
• Dash of Ground Black Pepper
• Dash of Onion Powder
• Dash of Garlic Powder
• Pinch of Dried Fennel Seed
• Pinch of Dried Oregano
• Pinch of Dried Thyme
• Pinch of Dried Red Pepper Flakes
• 8 Teaspoons of Basil Pesto (~1 tsp/baguette slice; we used Costco pre-prepared, or substitute with Julienned Fresh Basil Leaves)

Instructions 

1. Pre-heat the oven to 365F degrees.
2. Cut the stale baguette (carefully, as it will be hard) with a bread knife into approximately half-inch slices.
3. Spray/drizzle a baking sheet with EVOO, then place the bread slices onto the sheet.
4. Spray/drizzle the bread slices with a light coating of EVOO.
5. Cut enough of the tomatoes into 1/8th-inch medallions that will cover the bread slices.
6. Salt-n-pepper the tomatoes to taste.
7. Evenly distribute the cheese - lightly sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over the tomatoes on each bread slice.
8. Spice the grouping of bread slices with dashes of onion & garlic powders, and with sprinkles of dried oregano, dried fennel seed, dried thyme, and dried red pepper flakes (the latter to your spice liking).
9. Bake for approximately 6 minutes, or until cheese is fully melted.
10. Once out of the oven, place on a serving platter and dollop a teaspoon of basil pesto (or sprinkle with julienned fresh basil leaves).

Once you guys have this salad, you'll have it on your menu at least once a week! Remarkably versatile, it's a staple in our home now given our love for Mediterranean/Persian cooking. It can serve as a side salad or an entree, depending on you and your guests preference. Use this as a great opportunity to empty out the refrigerator before shopping day... and let me know what you like the most!

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup chopped Parsley
• (optional) 1/4 cup chopped Cilantro 
• 3/4 cup chopped Mint or Basil leaves, or a mixture of both, which is what I love most
• (optional) 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 2 Persian cucumbers (or 1/2 English Cucumber), thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
• 3 (or more, adjust to your liking) radishes, thinly sliced
• 1/3 large green bell pepper, chopped
• (optional) 1/3 large red or yellow bell pepper, chopped 
• 1 15 oz can organic chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 large tomato (or 12 grape tomatoes) sliced in 1/4 inch chunks
• (optional) 1 jalapeno, finely chopped 
• 1/4 cup black olives, sliced
• 1/4 up kalamata olives, sliced
• 1/3 cup green olives, sliced

Dressing

• 1/4 cup EVOO
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar (or white balsamic, depending on how much acidity you like)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 tsp Persian Sumac (definitely preferred) OR  1 1/2 tsp Lemon Zest OR 1 tsp Lemon Pepper seasoning  
• 3/4 tsp Aleppo Pepper (definitely preferred) OR substitute with Ancho Chile Powder, or Hot Paprika, or 1/4 tsp more of Cayenne 
• Dash of Cayenne
• (optional, but I do recommend them) 1/2 cup sliced sundried tomatoes (I love these which are smoked and in julienne cut, but any sun-dried tomatoes will do)

Instructions

1. Mix all the salad ingredients together, set aside for ~15 minutes to have the flavors meld while you make the dressing.
2. Mix together the EVOO, Vinegar, Lemon Juice, Spices, Garlic. Whisk, drop in sun-dried tomatoes. Let sit for 5 minutes.
3. Whisk again, pour 1/2 - 2/3 of it over salad and toss. Let rest 5 minutes. If desired, add in more salad dressing. 
4. Enjoy! You can garnish with a mint or basil leaf and a sprinkling of more sumac. 

As they say in my home country, Buen Provecho! 

Why this recipe works - it takes lovely salmon, and adds a fresh take on it a seasoning blend designed to enhance the natural flavors of the fish, and keeps it healthy and super quick by cooking on the griddle.  The shallots, caper and garlic will give it a zest to delight the tongue! 

Ingredients: 

• Kosher Salt 
• Ground Pepper 
• 1/2 tsp each of Garlic Powder, Coriander, Ground Fenugreek, Paprika and a Dash of Red Pepper flakes  (mixed in a small bowl)
• 3-4 smallish portions of skin on, wild caught salmon filets 
• 2 medium size shallots, thinly sliced in rings. 
• 2 garlic cloves, minced 
• 2 tablespoons of caper 

Instructions: 

1. Lightly drizzle the smooth side of the griddle with EVOO. Begin heating on a medium setting, it will be ready to go when you sense a faint smell of EVOO,  has a sheen to it, or sizzles when you drop a little bit of water on it. 
2. Sprinkle salmon with Kosher Salt & Ground Pepper. Lightly sprinkle each filet with spice blend. 
3. Cook, skin side on, until you see the flesh closest to the skin start to whiten. Note - don't let the flesh whiten more than 1/3 of the way up from the skin, as it'll get overcooked quite quickly. 
4. Flip with a spatula to the flesh (seasoned side) down. Cook for 90 seconds to 2 minutes max (or your doneness liking). 
5. Remove salmon with skin side down onto a plate. Ensure there are no remnants of the skin on the griddle. Lightly spray with EVOO if needed. 
6. Sautee the shallot for ~1 minute until slightly softened. Add garlic and capers and cook until fragrant. As an option, you can also add in fresh thyme or rosemary in this step. 
7. Remove veggie mixture and garnish salmon with it. 

I serve with rice, a lemon wedge, and a crips salad. As they say in my home country, Bueno Provecho! 

If your home is anything like mine, there's a love (the flavor) - hate (the calories and fat from the cream & cheese, as well as the time consuming process of making it, including standing over the stove endless stirring) with risotto. You'll LOVE this recipe then! Instread of arborio rice, it uses Farro (ancient grain known for its health benefits), homemade stock added mostly in one step which cooks without any supervisions, and just a dash of cheese :-). For my vegan friends, read on below for a quick replacement suggestion, though be advised I haven't made that way yet. This recipe uses a technique I learned from ATK - by quickly pulsing the farro a few times in a blender of food processor, the farro will crack and release some starch which will provide the creamy consistency without needing to add excessive cheese or cream. Any conversation of this being unhealthy has disappeared. Serve as a side or as an entree - we've never had any leftovers even though this could serve 4-6 (and usually it's just 2 of us!). 

Ingredients: 

• 1 1/2 cups whole farro (not quick-coking or pearled, I used Bob Mill's Organic)
• 3 cups chicken or veggie broth 
• 3 cups water 
• 1/2 white onion, diced 
• 2 garlic cloves 
• ~2-3 teaspoons minced fresh thyme 
• Kosher Salt 
• 1/2 tsp Fresh Black Ground Pepper 
• 1/2 tsp Paprika 
• 1/4 tsp Cayenne 
• 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese 
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley 
• 1/2-1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 
• 1/2 cup frozen peas 

Instructions

1. Mix the both and water, and bring to a low boil while you do step 2 & 3. Once boiling, cover and bring to low to keep warm for adding to the farro. 
2. Pulse farro in blender (I use a Nutri Ninja glass) 4-6 times until you have large amounts of whole farro, but powder as well. 
3. In a Dutch oven (needs a cover), heat 2 tablespoons of EVOO over low-medium heat, add onions + sprinkle with 1/4 tsp of salt, sautée until soft (you don't want them to turn brown) - about 5 4 minutes or so. Add in garlic, stir until fragrant (15 seconds).
4. Add in the cracked farro and stir frequently until lightly browned, which should take 3-5 minutes. Don't let it burn! 
5. Add 4 1/2 cups of the broth water mix.  Stir well and cover. Reduce heat to low. 
6. You'll let the farro cook and liquid absorb over the next 25-30 minutes; however, every 10 minutes, check + give it a good stir. If the liquid is absorbing too quickly (or has fully absorbed) add in an extra 1/2 cup of the broth mix. 
7. After 25 mins, the farro should be al dente and the liquid mostly absorbed. Uncover, add the thyme, 1 tsp of salt, paprika, black and Cayenne pepper and stir constantly until you get the creamy consistency desired (about 3 mins). 
8.  Turn off the heat and stir in the Parmesan, Peas, Parsley, Lemon Juice and a drizzle of EVOO (1/2 - 1 tbsp). Mix well, and serve immediately, garnished with more parsley and Parmesan cheese if desired. As mentioned, this can be a side or an entree, especially f served with a crisp salad.

As they say in my home country, Buen Provecho! 

Note: For my vegan friends - I would replace the parmesan with ~1/3 cup of Nutritional Yeast (or up to 1/2 cup). I'd love to know how you think it tastes! 

This is a must make recipe for a weekend lunch or quick weeknight dinner - filling, zesty and tasty, but incredibly healthy - especially after the overindulgence of the holiday! This recipe is one I've made minor tweaks to over time after I originally found it in the NYT... below is my own version. And, use some of that leftover bread to make Pan con Tomate, an incredibly simple, delightful tapa you might have enjoyed wandering the streets of any town in Spain (in this instance, I'm still mourning their exit from the World Cup, but that's a topic for another day). Anyhow... this recipe works because of a simple, filling salad topped with a salad made creamy with a slight bit of briny feta cheese. Play around with it and make your own! 

Ingredients: 

Dressing: 

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Dash of white balsamic vinegar 
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• (Step 3) 1 clove garlic, minced
• (Step 3) 1 - 1 1/2 tablespoon capers, chopped
• (Step 3) 2-3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 2/3 cup)

Salad (as a starting point, adjust + make your own!): 

• 1 ¾ pounds eggplant (any kind, or a mixture), trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 pound red, yellow & green bell peppers, cut into ~ 3/4 inch pieces
• 1 large heirloom tomato cut into 1/2 inch cubes, or 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, lightly shredded by hand 
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
• (optional) 1/2 cup roasted mushroom slices (we roast them with thyme and a dash of EVOO & Balsamic Vinegar) 
• (optional) 1/2 cup of sliced green & black olives

Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Whisk together the oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Toss the eggplant with 1/3 cup of the vinaigrette, reserving the rest.
2. Arrange on a baking sheet. Bake, tossing occasionally, until tender and golden around edges, about 30 minutes. Let eggplant cool ~15 mins (until it's not warm enough to wilt the mint.)
3. Whisk feta, garlic and capers into reserved vinaigrette. Start with less feta cheese whisk away and taste before you add the full 3 oz, as it turns into a rich, creamy, tangy dressing (but feta goes a long way). 
4. In a large bowl, combine the salad ingredients and toss lightly. I prefer to let it sit in the refrigerator ~30 minutes to let the flavors meld, but that step is options. Toss with vinaigrette, and serve - if you'd like, garnish with a sprig of mint. 

​As they say in my home country, Bueno Provecho! 

Note: If you'd like to make vegan, you can do so by skipping the Feta, but I'd recommend replacing with nutritional yeast and a tablespoon of the caper brine.