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Healthy Living with Anita.

Sharing my love for people through my cooking.

Browsing Category MEDITERANIAN DISHES

MEDITERANIAN DISHES

Anita’s Delicious Toasted Almond Rice with Golden Raisins and Tender Pulled Meat

  • June 21
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Recipe will be posted soon 🙂

 

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MEDITERANIAN DISHES

Anita’s Best Funghetto Pasta type (Mushroom style) in Creamy Vodka Sauce

  • May 19
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Ingredients:

1 (17.6 ounces) Italian Mushroom style Pasta or any of your choice

Pecorino Romano cheese, shaved

2 Tablespoon Extra Virgen Olive Oil

Fresh oregano leaves, (optional)

1 teaspoon salt

Preparation 

  1. Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package instructions or till al dente
  2. Reserve some of the pasta water (1 cup) to incorporate into your vodka sauce if needed to thin it up.
  3. Drain pasta, drizzle it with olive oil. Mix with Vodka Sauce (see recipe on my site
  4. Sprinkle with some shaved Pecorino Romano cheese and fresh oregano leaves on top.

 

Mushroom Style (Funghetto) pasta

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FAST AND EASY SIDE DISHES, MEDITERANIAN DISHES

Anita’s Angel Hair Pasta with Sage Butter

  • April 19
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A very satisfying and delicious family dinner cooked in no time!

Ingredients

1 Pound angel hair pasta, cooked to package directions till al dente

2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

8 fresh leaves of Sage, minced

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

zest of lemon

1 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon salt for pasta water

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup butter

Pecorino Romano cheese, grated

Preparation

  1. Cook pasta as directed on package with a Tablespoon of salt in the water. Drain, drizzle with olive oil and set aside.
  2. Add butter to a large skillet and sauté minced sage for about 2 minutes at low heat until butter gets foamy with golden brown color. Add garlic and cook for an extra two minutes.
  3. Incorporate cherry tomatoes. Seasoned with crash pepper, salt and black pepper.
  4. Add cooked pasta to the skillet and toss all ingredients together. Sprinkle with Pecorino Romano and zest of a lemon. Serve and enjoy!

 

 

 

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A HEALTHY MEAL PLAN, MEDITERANIAN DISHES

Anita’s Delicious Eggplant Parmesan

  • November 2
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Ingredients:

4 large, unpeeled eggplant, sliced 1/3 inch thick

4 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

24 ounces crushed tomatoes

1 cup mozzarella, shredded

1 medium onion, diced

1 teaspoon oregano, dried

1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

1/2 teaspoon, salt

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, julienned cut, some in whole for top

1 teaspoon butter, to grease pan

Topping:

1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 1/2 cup breadcrumbs of a French baguette

1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated

Place all ingredients in food processor. Pulse couple times to combine.

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 425 grades Farenheit. Place eggplant in one layer on 2 or three large sheet pans brushed with olive oil. Brush top of eggplants too with olive oil
  2. Sprinkle some salt, pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon oregano over eggplants. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes until tender and golden. Remove and set aside.
  3. Use a 10×14 inch baking dish greased with butter for assembling Eggplant Parmigiana later. Set aside.
  4. Meanwhile make Marinara Sauce: Over medium heat add 2 Tablespoons of olive oil to a saucepan. Heat oil and add diced onions and garlic. Cook until soft for about 3 to 4 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, and dried oregano. 5. Let it simmer partially cover for about 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce heat and add fresh julienne basil leaves. Remove from heat.

Assembling Eggplant Parmesan

Lower heat to 350 grades Fahrenheit. Spread a third of Marinara Sauce on bottom of 10×14 inch baking dish. Arrange third of the roasted eggplants over sauce. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the grated mozzarella. Arrange second layer of roasted eggplant, top with sauce and mozzarella cheese. Repeat again. Add mixed bread topping evenly. Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes until top is crispy and golden brown. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with some basil leaves. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A HEALTHY MEAL PLAN, MEDITERANIAN DISHES

Anita’s Delicious Tomato stuffed with Homemade Pesto Gnocchi

  • August 24
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Ingredients for the Easy Pesto Gnocchi

1 16 ounces package gnocchi or (made them from scratch, see my site for the recipe)

3 Tablespoon Homemade Pesto (see recipe on my site) or store-bought pesto

1 cup heavy cream

1 Tablespoon cream cheese

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

10 fresh basil leaves

  1. Cook gnocchi according to package instructions. Rinse and set aside.
  2. Use a deep large pan and add gnocchi. At medium heat , pour heavy cream and let it simmer for two to three minutes until thick and creamy. Add pesto, cream cheese and stir until well incorporated. Remove pan from heat. Drizzle with olive oil and mix. Set aside.

How to Stuffed the Tomatoes and Preparation

6 to 8 large tomatoes cut tops, and hollow out insides. Keep tops.

  1. Preheat oven to 400 grades Fahrenheit. Place upside down tomatoes over a greased baking pan with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil. Bake for about 8-10 minutes till tomatoes are little tender but still firm. Set aside.
  2. Place gnocchi into tomatoes . Add extra grated parmesan cheese over the top. Place them back into the preheated oven for about 2 to 3 minutes.
  3. Remove from oven and garnish with fresh basil leaves. Enjoy!

 

 

 

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A HEALTHY MEAL PLAN, MEDITERANIAN DISHES

Anita’s Delicious Grilled Barbecue Chicken Tenders

  • April 12
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Ingredients

20 Chicken Tenderloins

2 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

1/2 cup cherry vinegar

2 Tablespoon Pomegranate molasses

1 Tablespoon Ketchup

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning

Tomatoes and onions to grill, optional

Preparation

  1. In a large bowl mix all ingredients. Scoop out 1/2 a cup of this marinade to coat the chicken tenderloins when grilling.
  2. Incorporate chicken into marinade and coat well. Cover bowl.
  3. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
  4. Remove marinated chicken from the fridge.
  5. Set your BBQ grill on medium heat and grill chicken tenders for about 20 to 25 minutes turning occasionally to brush sauce mixture at every turn. Make sure chicken are cooked through but juicy and tender.
  6. Grill tomatoes and onions as well.
  7. Serve next to salad or rice. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

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A HEALTHY MEAL PLAN, MEDITERANIAN DISHES

Anita’s Delicious Eggplant Stuffed with Italian Sausage

  • February 20
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Ingredients

3 medium eggplants, halved lengthwise and trimmed off stems

3 eggplant-flesh diced

1 pound Italian sausages, casing removed

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

4 cloves of garlic, minced

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halves

1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped + 2 Tablespoons for garnish

1 1/2 cup Marinara Sauce (see my site for recipe)

1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

2 Tablespoon Olive Oil + 2 Tablespoon for eggplant shells

1/2 teaspoon oregano, dried

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 400 Grades Fahrenheit.
  2. Cut eggplants in half. Use a little spoon to scoop out the pulp. Leave like 1/2 inch border around the skin.
  3. Chop in small pieces the eggplant’s pulp removed. Set aside.
  4. Place eggplant side open down on a baking sheet, drizzle with 2 Tablespoon of olive oil. Season with pepper. Roast for about 20 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, use a large skillet on medium-high heat add olive oil and cook eggplant-flesh for about 4 minutes until brown. Remove and place over paper towel to remove oil.
  6. Brown sausages. Add onions, minced garlic. Seasoned with salt, pepper, crush red pepper flakes, and dried oregano. Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes or until  Add fresh parsley. Set aside.

7. Pour 1/2 cup of Marinara Sauce on the bottom of 9 X 12 greased baking dish. Place roasted eggplant shells on top. Seasoned with salt. Add 1 teaspoon of Marinara Sauce on each shell. 

8. Distribute all cooked diced eggplant-flesh into the 6 shells.

9. Divide sausage mixture evenly over. Top each eggplant with shredded mozzarella cheese.

10. Align all around cherry tomatoes halves. Cover baking dish with foil. Bake for 15 minutes until cheese is melted and eggplant finish cooking.

11. Remove from oven and sprinkle fresh parsley on top, Enjoy!

 

 

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A HEALTHY MEAL PLAN, MEDITERANIAN DISHES

Anita’s Delicious Ratatouille with simple Bolognese Sauce

  • September 28
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Ingredients

2 large eggplants,cut rounds in 1/2 inch thick

2 large russet potatoes, cut rounds in 1/2 inch thick

3 mini yellow sweet bell peppers, cut in 1/2 inch rounds

2 mini orange sweet bell peppers, cut in 1/2 inch rounds

2 large carrots cut in oblong shape of 1/2 inch thick

2 red onions, cut in rounds of 1/2 inch thick

2 Roma tomatoes, cut in rounds of 1/2 inch thick

2 Tablespoon dried basil

2 Tablespoon dried oregano

2 Tablespoon kosher salt

2 Tablespoon pepper

4 -6 Tablespoon of Olive oil

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 grades Fahrenheit.
  2. Arrange on one foiled lined baking sheet all cut round peeled potatoes, oblong peeled cut carrots and round baby bell peppers. Season with 1 tablespoon each of dried basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of olive oil over vegetables. Set aside.COLOR VEGGIES IN BAKING PAN
  3. Arrange on another foiled lined baking sheet all cut tomatoes rounds, eggplants and red onions. Season with 1 Tablespoon each of dried basil, dried oregano, salt and pepper. Drizzle 3 Tablespoon of olive oil over vegetables. Set aside.COLOR VEGGIES IN BAKING PAN 24. Place both baking sheets in the oven to roast vegetables for about 35 minutes or until fork tender.COLOR VEGGIES IN OVEN  COLOR VEGGIES 2 IN OVEN5. Meanwhile Make Bolognese Sauce: Use a large skillet and at medium heat brown 1 pound of ground beef in 2 tablespoon of butter. Add 1 diced small onions, a small (4 ounces)can of tomatoes, 3 minced garlic cloves. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes until onions and tomatoes are tender. Season with salt, pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of oregano, 1/3 teaspoon of nutmeg. Add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste dissolve in a cup of water. Let it simmer for 20 to 25 minutes at low heat until liquid are absorbed. Set aside.COLOR VEGGIES MEAT SAUCE

6. Remove roasted vegetables from oven. COLOR VEGGIES ROASTED

COLOR VEGGIES 1 ROASTED 7. Use an oven-proof round dish to assemble. Spread 1/4 of your meat sauce on the bottom of your dish.COLOR VEGGIES MEAT SAUCE ON BOTTOM  8. Start assembling by placing roasted vegetables on top of meat sauce.COLOR VEGGIES MEAT SAUCE ON TOP 9. Repeat process by arranging veggies in alternating patters like (potatoes, eggplant, tomatoes, bell peppers, red onions and carrots). Add Bolognese sauce on top.

10. Arrange last top layer. Cover your baking dish with foil. Bake at 375 grades Fahrenheit for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and serve warm. Garnish with some fresh basil leaves. Enjoy!COLOR VEGGIES NICE IN TRAY

 

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MEDITERANIAN DISHES, MY CHILDREN'S FAVORITES

Anita’s Delicious Zucchini Lasagna Rolls

  • September 16
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Ingredients

18 lasagna noodles cooked

15 ounce Cottage cheese

2 Tablespoon Ricotta cheese

3 cups shredded cheese blend(Mozzarella, Pecorino, Havarti)

1 cup grated parmesan cheese, for garnish

1 cup chopped fresh basil

1cup chopped parsley, some for garnish

2-3 fresh strings of thyme leaves

2 eggs

3 cups (Homemade marinara sauce, see recipe on my site)

4 zucchini, sliced lengthwise 1/2 inch thick

4 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 375 grades Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with foil paper. Cut zucchini lengthwise (vertical) and place on baking sheet. Drizzle over with 3 Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano. Roast zucchini for about 20 minutes or till tender. Remove from oven. Set aside.LASAGNA ROLLS ZUCCHINI RAW2. Making the Filling:  In a big bowl combine together cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, blend of cheeses, eggs, crushed red .pepper, chopped basil, thyme, and parsley. Season with a pinch of salt , pepper and dried oregano. Set aside.LASAGNA ROLLS RICOTTA FILLING                         LASAGNA ROLLS FILLING MIXED

3. Spread half of your marinara sauce to the bottom of a grease baking dish.LASAGNA NOODLES ROLLED OVER SAUCE          4. Take one cooked lasagna noodle and lay it flat over a clean cutting board and  scoop 2 tablespoons of the Cottage-ricotta filling to the center and spread it along the pasta noodle. Place a slice of the roasted zucchini over filling.LASAGNA ROLLS ZUCCHINI ROASTED Roll up the noodle and place it up over the marinara sauce on the baking dish. Repeat same process with rest of noodles.LASAGNA ROLLS WITH ZUCCHINI                              LASAGNA ROLLS ROLLING

LASAGNA ROLLS BEFORE BAKED

5. Spread over the top rest of Marinara sauce. Cover with foil paper. Bake for about 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese  and bake again uncovered for about 10 minutes or until slightly crispy and cheese is melted. Garnish with fresh thyme and parsley.LASAGNA ROLLS FROM TOP

LASAGNA ROLLS PLATING INDIVIDUAL

Enjoy 🙂

 

 

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MEDITERANIAN DISHES, ORGANIC PIZZAS

Anita’s Best Potato-Awarma Fatayer (Lebanese Potato Pie)

  • August 18
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Ingredients For the Dough

2 cups bread flour

1 Tablespoon dry active yeast or (use 1/2 cup of my “starter” recipe)

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 cup warm water

3 Tablespoon olive oil

Preparation1. Use a small container, add warm water and sugar to the active yeast. Wait 10 to 15 minutes to bubble up.

2. In a large bowl, combine bread flour and dissolved yeast. Add olive oil and salt. Knead the dough until well combined over a slightly floured surface. Shape dough into 3 inches balls. Place over a floured tray and cover with a towel until double in size. Set aside.

Ingredients for the Potatoes and Awarma Filling

4 large Russet potatoes, peeled, cubed and cooked

1 onion, small diced

4 Tablespoons butter, melted + 1 Tbsp.(ghee butter used)

1 pound lean ground beef

1 teaspoon sumac, ground

1/2 teaspoon cumin, ground

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Preparation

  1. Boil potatoes in a large pot with water until fork tender. Cut into little squares. Set aside.
  2. Use a large skillet at medium-high heat and place melted butter (can also use ghee butter-clarified butter for more deep flavor). Incorporate ground meat, seasoned with salt and pepper. Keep stirring until meat is cook through completely. Let it cool. Remove Awarma from the skillet and set aside. You can keep Awarma in a glass jar container making sure that meat is all cover with melted butter in a cool place, or fridge.
  3. Use same large skillet. Sate onions in one tablespoon of butter until transparent. Return cooked potatoes into the skillet, add half of the awarma over. Add lemon juice. Stir to combine. Season with sumac and ground cumin. Toss all ingredients and let it cool. Set aside.

Making Potato-Awarma Fatayer (Potato Pie)

Awarma (bits of fat preserved) is usually made from the lamb or sheep tailed fat minced or diced. In this recipe I used ground beef. Can be store in your freezer or fridge in a sanitized glass jar. It last for months..

  1. Preheat oven to 375 grades Fahrenheit.
  2. Flatten dough balls using the palm of your hand or rolling rod over a dry surface into a rectangle shape. Take 2 Tablespoon of the potato-awarma filling and place it into the center. Use your fingers and pinch sides of dough into the rectangle making sure no corners are left open.POTATO FATAYER PRE-BAKED
  3. Brush a baking sheet with vegetable oil and place fatayer on sheet.
  4. Bake Fatayer in the middle rack of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy warm or at room temperature next to fresh produce.

 

 

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Anita Dakdouk

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  • Anita’s Best Funghetto Pasta type (Mushroom style) in Creamy Vodka Sauce
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