![Aegean Lentil Pasta]()
by Yvonne Maffei | Jul 8, 2019 | Gluten-Free, Lunch, Summer, Turkish, Vegetarian
As many of you readers of my blog and followers on social media know already, I’ve been in Turkey for several months exploring the cuisine and the sights of the southern Turquoise Coast. It’s a beautiful place with some majestic scenery and a tradition of down to earth local foods that combine the Aegean with the Mediterranean cultures, as where I am in Fethiye-Mugla is literally the place where both waters meet.
The thing is, that being here has given me an entirely new appreciation for my own Sicilian heritage. The island of Sicily is not far from here- a straight shot west basically- and has a similar, albeit dryer, climate. So it’s no surprise that the ingredients here are quite similar to those I grew up with, showing up in delicious Sicilian recipes centuries old that must have been created out of sheer availability of local and seasonal foodstuffs.
My grandmother used to make a dish called lenticchie, which is basically a soup with lentils and small pasta like ditalini. I wasn’t the biggest fan of it because the lentils always seemed to go mushy all over the pasta and I’m particular about the texture of my pasta, as well as the taste. It takes a lot for me to eat it without real tomato sauce…
Nevertheless, I grew up and reminisced about everything my grandmother made and wanted to try my hand at it all just so that I could be surrounded by the smell of her cooking again.
As such, we all develop our own tastes and techniques for recipes- at least that’s what I always do no matter the origin of the recipe. I don’t stress about making things exactly the way someone else made certain dishes; instead I go upon my own intuition and let the smell and taste of the food guide me towards what I’d be satisfied to eat.
This Aegean Lentil Pasta recipe is just that. Years of formulating my own taste preferences and an appreciation for what’s not just seasonal and local, but what’s available in my own kitchen in an effort not to waste what’s already there. In this case, it was many of the Turkish kitchen basics: onion, garlic, tomato, red pepper paste, lentils, olive oil and key spices like Turkish thyme and ground red pepper.
I think what helps me to get the texture of the lentils just how I like them is to cook them ahead and separate from any of the other ingredients. That way, I keep a watchful eye and boil them just until they get how I like them- cooked, but not mushy. Depending upon how much you’re cooking, in a typical dish that feeds 4 people, this should take about 20 minutes.
Once the lentils are cooked, strain and set aside.
In a medium to large deep pan or deep-bottom sauce pan, warm the olive oil and then add the chopped tomatoes, onions and garlic all at once.
Once the onions have gone translucent, add the thyme, salt, black pepper and ground red pepper. Also add the cooked and strained lentils.
Next comes the addition of water and the red pepper paste, which you should be able to find at Mediterranean markets or even sometimes at World Market. If you’re in a Turkish market (whether in Turkey or abroad, you can find a large jar of the Ipek brand, and it’s called in Turkish “Biber Salçası” (literally, “Pepper Sauce”). This brand also has a halal mark on it, though I am not deeply familiar with it so I can’t say more than that about it or their certification.
You need to add the water before the red pepper paste in order to thoroughly whisk or combine the paste into the liquid mixture. It gives it that nice red color and deep, earthy flavor. I’ve only ever been used to using tomato sauce or paste in this recipe before, but the red pepper really has converted me into making it with this flavor profile instead–and it makes it very Aegean, and very Turkish.
At this stage, I also add some fresh parsley– not too much, because I’ll add it at the end, too, but just some for flavor. 
Next, once the water comes to a boil, add the ditalini pasta. Please don’t use large noodles or anything larger than the largest size of ditalini available- it really sort of ruins the proportions of this dish and you probably won’t enjoy eating it. There’s a reason why the small ditalini pasta is used here, and it’s not just tasty, but also pleasurable.
Because the pasta has to cook, you’ll need to cover the pan at this point and let it cook for the customary 10-12 minutes it normally takes to get done. This is not the time for al dente pasta here, please. I don’t use a whole bag or box of pasta, either. I just sprinkle the amount I want- about 1/2 cup or about half the amount or less than the lentils. 
Once the pasta cooks, you may still have a lot of liquid in the pan. At this point, you can either 1) enjoy this dish as a soup (that’s how my grandmother served it); or 2) let most of the liquid cook out until you reach the desired consistency and serve it as a pasta.
I chose the latter for a couple of reasons. First, it’s too hot to drink soup right now; and second, I just really loved the way this turned out once most of the liquids evaporated- it was super easy to eat with a spoon. On top, just add a drizzle of olive oil, chopped fresh parsley and if you have a good fresh Parmesan or dried goat cheese, go for it. I didn’t have any cheese, but it’s the one thing I know for sure was missing. Otherwise, it’s a completely vegan meal.
Bismillah & Afiyet Olsun!
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![Zucchini & Cauliflower Soup]()
by Yvonne Maffei | Nov 29, 2017 | American, Dinner, Fall, Gluten-Free, Lunch, Soups, Summer, Vegetarian
My passion for soup intensifies every time I come up with a new way to blend different veggies. Since I’m usually always stirring in some kind of dairy into my soups- whether it’s milk, heavy cream or creme fraiche, this recipe is one I’m especially happy to show you because there is a secret ingredient in it that removes any need for dairy- perfect for vegans or those who are lactose-intolerant. 
Would you believe that the secret ingredient – cauliflower – is what makes it so creamy and milky? Without telling anyone there isn’t any cream in the dish, you might easily fool even your foodiest of foodie friends. Seriously. 
But there is another secret ingredient that is my go-to whenever I’m making soup and need a quick and convenient broth to add flavor and depth to all of my soups: the Saffron Road halal broths, whether it’s the vegetable, chicken or lamb broths. 
So you can start this dish with riced cauliflower OR fresh or frozen cauliflower florets. These are sautéed with chopped zucchini, some onion and garlic, too. Once the broth is added, the liquid should come to a boil. 
It should cook for about 20 minutes to soften all of the ingredients, then removed from heat and pureed with an immersion blender, one of my favorite kitchen gadgets to use when making my soups.
I then add in some fresh or dried herbs- always the fresh variety if and when you have those: parsley, dill, basil, cilantro- any or all of them. 
I like to serve this soup nice and thick with a drizzle of olive oil on top, but you could add more liquid- more broth or some water added to the broth. On the side, I love to serve this soup with Saffron Road’s Sea Salt Lentil Crackers, which are totally wheat free and a true gift to those who are avoiding wheat in their diets.
For that, I’m so thankful. Great halal products like Saffron Road’s broth and lentil crackers (which are also gluten free) that pay attention to the special diet needs so many people have today.
If you haven’t tried these products yet, check out my Instagram account on 11/30/17 where I’ll be giving away a week’s worth of Saffron Road coupons to one randomly-selected winner so there is no excuse not to give these fabulous products a try with your family.
To find out more about Saffron Road’s products and where they can be found at grocers near you, go to this link on their website. Follow them on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
This post was sponsored by Saffron Road Food. All opinions, recipes and photos are generated by the author.
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![How to Make Almond Flour]()
by Yvonne Maffei | Nov 27, 2017 | Cooking Techniques & Kitchen Tips, Gluten-Free
One of my most popular Instagram posts in recent months was when I posted about how I make my own almond milk. It has changed so much about the way I eat and has increased my plant-based eating incredibly. I had to learn how to do it on my own as I didn’t find too much information in the detail I was looking for, but once I did I got it down to a system and shared how to make the milk in this post.
Well, once you make the almond milk for yourself, you’re also left a wonderful side gift as a result: almond meal, which can then be turned into the very precious, very useful, very healthy almond flour.
But you have to process it just a little bit in order to use it in baking recipes. Once you follow the instructions in my post about making almond milk and you have the reserved almond meal without any ‘milk’ left in it (i.e. you’ve squeezed it all very tightly), you can leave the almond meal (wrapped in its cloth) in the fridge for up to about 2 days. Do not leave it out on the counter, as it will mold. The best thing to do, if you can, is to process it right away.
Spread it all out on a baking sheet, trying to get as many lumps and clumps out of it.
Bake in your oven at the lowest temperature for about 20 minutes. 
Once it’s baked and kind of toasty, let it cool completely.
Place in an airtight jar and keep in a cool, dry place until you’re ready to use it in baking where almond flour is one of the ingredients, like this one. 
Enjoy! It’s a homemade specialty you can get into the habit of making if you’re an almond milk drinker- have you seen the prices of that flour in the stores? Yours will be the freshest, most tasty variety you’ve ever had!
![How to Make Almond Milk]()
by Yvonne Maffei | Nov 20, 2017 | Drinks, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian
Recently I posted a series of photos on Instagram when I was beginning to make almond milk from scratch at home.
The last couple of times I tried store-bought almond milk (many years ago and then again recently), I was totally turned off by them because they didn’t truly taste like the milk was made from almonds. I was spoiled by how things really tasted in Sicily, where I not only had almond milk, but almond granita, almond gelato, etc. Everything tasted like almonds. As it should.
Even with store-bought almonds, one has to be sure they’re of the best quality, for the best taste. I did some sourcing of my own and found an organic almond farm in California where I purchased some of the best tasting almonds I’ve had since being in Sicily- seriously, by ordering them from Heron Fox Farm. 
To get started, I soak the almonds in a bowl overnight. They get nice and plump so make sure that you have enough water to cover them all.
The next morning, I remove the water and add the almonds to a blender with double the amount of water (i.e. 1 cup of almonds to 2 cups of water). I like that ratio but if you like more or less, it’s just something you’ll have to figure out by experimentation.
Next, blend them up really well so that there are no more large pieces of almond in the liquid.
Pour it over a cheesecloth-lined colander with a bowl underneath the colander.
Now use the sides of the cheesecloth – bring them up and use them to twist out the liquid as much as you can.
What remains on the bottom is your almond milk. 
What remains in the cheesecloth is what you can use as almond flour. I like to dry it out on the counter for the day, but it cannot stay out overnight as it could get moldy. You can put it in the fridge, but do not cover it or it will also get moldy- it does not like moisture. 
You can sweeten the milk with honey, molasses or maple syrup- or nothing at all. It’s all up to you. 
I like to save the milk for my cereal, my coffee, my oatmeal, my smoothies- the possibilities are seriously endless!
Have you ever had almond milk made like this? Will you make it yourself after reading this recipe?
![Spicy & Sweet Tropical Snack Mix]()
by Yvonne Maffei | Mar 23, 2015 | Appetizers & Snacks, Gluten-Free, Halal-Certified Products, Vegetarian
Snacks are so popular in America, and for good reason. Who doesn’t love something crunch, salty, even spicy any time of day? We work long hours, get hungry, don’t have a lot of time for complete meals, etc. etc. etc. The problem with snacking is that much of the pre-packaged options are filled with too much salt and sometimes even additives that are questionable at the very least. If you can’t pronounce it or if it sounds like something that came from a chemistry lab, should you really eat it?
That’s why I prefer to make my own snack mixes at home, sort of like making your own granola or trail mixes. You can buy the ingredients separately then mix at will. This keeps items fresher for longer (only opening up packages when you need them), and you know exactly what’s going into your mix.
I’ve made these before, slightly different, and this is a new one I particularly love because I have been craving spicy foods a lot lately. Since recipe testing for my new cookbook (insha’Allah), my taste buds have been all over the place, but I always go back to the spicy stuff. Also, dried fruits are almost always in my pantry and recently I was given two packages of dried mango from the Philippines that seemed too unique to simply eat alone. The ingredient that takes this snack mix to the next level, however, is the Bombay Spice Crunchy Chickpeas by Saffron Road.
There’s simply no other snack on the market that I know of or like that is quite like it- crunchy and spicy and good enough on their own, they’re really what makes this snack mix special. Mixed in with the sweetness of coconut, banana, mango, and pineapple and the additional salty and crunchy texture of peanuts, and you’ve got a great on–the-go snack or something you can munch on at your desk or at home. I particularly love it with a glass of tea, or some sort of Indian-spiced chai.
Here’s what you need to make it- and it takes literally under two minutes to do this:
One bag of this Bombay Spice Crunchy Chickpeas (you can locate them at a store near you by going to this page), or just get them online at the link highlighted.
Dried mango. I used two types- ‘green’, which has a yellow flesh and the more common one with the deeper orange colored flesh. You can typically find these anywhere, too, but head to an Asian grocery store for some of the more interesting varieties. The ones I’m using come from Profood International, but more specifically they are Philippine mangoes.
I use kitchen shears to cut both up, as the green ones are quite lumpy and the orange ones too long for this dish unless cut.
These are the dried ‘green’ mangoes, which obviously look more yellow.
I also add dried banana- you can find these salted or unsalted, your preference. I like my snacks salty, but that’s just me. Same goes for the peanuts, if they’re salted (not pictured).
Coconut flakes are so lovely in this mix. If you get the large flakes, they smell heavenly and really go incredibly well with the heat of the Bombay Spice Crunchy Chickpeas, which aren’t too hot, in my opinion. I don’t have a super high tolerance for hot foods, so I’d call the heat pretty mild in those.
I love the softness in the texture of ‘dried’ pineapple, as the center should still be pretty chewy. I don’t get the kind with added sugar on top, but if that’s what you like, go for the ‘candied dried pineapple’.
There’s no particular order in which to mix everything together, but I like to start with the dried fruits on the bottom and put the chickpeas on top since they have all that spice and then fold it all into the rest of the ingredients- sort of like when you add blueberries to a muffin mix and you don’t want the blueberries to run through the batter, so you gently fold them into the rest.
Then it should end up looking like this.
You can serve in one big bowl, of course, or in several individual ones.
For evening or work-at-home snacks, I love to put these in small bowls for each person to enjoy.
With a cup of tea, of course.
How do you like this snack idea? Is it something you would try? What other Saffron Road Crunchy Chickpea would you use instead, if any?
*This post was sponsored by Saffron Road Food.
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![Crunchy Party Mix]()
by Yvonne Maffei | Sep 27, 2014 | American, Appetizers & Snacks, Gluten-Free, Halal-Certified Products, Recipes
I’m working with IFANCA (Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America) on their upcoming Halal and Healthy workshops around the Chicagoland area where I’ll be conducting food demos on four different recipes, all super simple and all using halal-certified products.
This snack mix, which is great for parties, is just one of four I’ll be making and our audience tasting at each workshop. It’s simply a mix of cashews, pistachios, gluten-free pretzels, Bombay Spiced Chickpeas, and Falafel Spice Chickpeas. Literally takes less than 30 seconds to combine.
If you can’t be at any particular workshop, you can still enjoy the flavors, the simplicity of the process and see which halal-certified products can be used to make it.
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