A Review: Of Trader Joe’s Kunefe

Ask any Palestinian, Lebanese, Jordanian or any Arab for that matter what their favorite dessert is, and they will most likely say without hesitation “Kanafeh!” Most people in the western world might scratch their heads and say..”huh, what in the heck is kanafeh?” Kanafeh is a legendary dessert with a cult like following–any middle eastern……

Fattet Batinjan-Arabic Style 5 Layer Dip with Lamb and Eggplant!

Hello Friends! Here is a fun recipe for your Memorial Day weekend! In the Arab world we waste nothing, and I can tell you we have devised a ton of recipes that do miraculous things with stale bread. Fattet Batinjan is one of those dishes. Crispy pita chips add a bold and crunchy texture to……

Vermicelli Rice: The rice that Goes with EVERYTHING!

Hello FITME family, I just finished the last revision of my cookbook hoo wee! As I get ready for the printing phase, I thought I would share with you a little recipe in the meantime that is foundational to Middle Eastern cuisine. Sometimes you just want a rice that goes with everything, and vermicelli rice……

Top 5 Middle Eastern Blog Award–and Spanish Travel Series Part 3

Hello Friends–hope you are enjoying the signs of springtime! I am excited to announce that this blog was voted as the 4th most popular Middle Eastern food blog in the world! As you can imagine I was ecstatic to hear this news, having been at this for almost a decade now. Thank you so much……

Spanish Travel Series Part 2 -Zarautz!

Hello Friends! There are going to be a lot of exciting things happening this year, and I can’t wait to share them with you as soon as I get the green light! But for now, I will share with you Part 2 from my adventures in Spain. While you will see a ton of literature……

Kefta Bi Tahini- The Swedish Meatballs of the Mid East!

As the winter days still linger around, there is always one dish that comes to mind that I fondly remember from my childhood: Kefta bi Tahini, or kefta meatballs with tahini sauce. This hearty dish is the Palestinian answer to Swedish meatballs. Swap out kefta for the meatballs and tahini sauce instead of cream sauce,……

Weeknight Low Carb Gnocchi for One

Just wanted to give you all subscribers to my blog the inside scoop! My cookbook is well underway, with the target of completion in late spring. This book has been 10 years in the making. Even though I have been one of the first in the space of online Middle Eastern cooking shows, I did……