Healthy Food Recipes

Ingredients :

·         1 c. sesame seeds

·         2 tbsp. honey

·         3/4 c. sugar

·         3/4 c. (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter,

·         softened

·         2.5 c. flour

·         1/2 tsp. baking powder

·         dash salt

·         1/2 to 3/4 c. water or milk

·         2 tbsp. pistachios, chopped

How To Make :

·         Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two baking sheets.

·         Place sesame seeds in a skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring often, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer seeds to a medium mixing bowl and combine with honey.* Mix well, adding a tbsp. or so of water if the mixture is too dry and sticky to stir easily, and set aside.

·         In a large mixing bowl, cream sugar and butter together. Add flour, baking powder, and salt. Using your hands, blend well, adding enough water or milk to make a soft, smooth dough.

·         Form dough into walnut-sized balls. Dip one side of a ball into pistachios. Place on a greased baking sheet, pistachio-side down. Use the flat bottom of a water glass dipped in flour to flatten the ball. Sprinkle with sesame seed mixture, pressing with glass so seeds stick firmly. Repeat with remaining dough and sesame seeds.

Ingredients :

·         3 to 4 tbsp. butter

·         4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1 to 1.5 lb.)

·         2 medium onions, minced

·         2 c. walnuts, chopped finely or ground coarsely in a food processor

·         1/2 c. pomegranate molasses or syrup *

·         1.5 c. water

·         1/2 tsp. cinnamon

·         1/2 tsp. ground cardamom

·         1/2 tsp. turmeric

·         1/4 tsp. nutmeg (optional)

·         2 to 4 tsp. sugar

·         juice of 1 lemon

·         1/2 tsp. salt

·         1/4 tsp. black pepper

How To Make :

·         Melt butter in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add chicken breasts and sauté 3 to 4 minutes on each side.

·         Add onions to pan with chicken and sauté 3 to 5 minutes longer.

·         Remove chicken from pan and set aside. Add walnuts, pomegranate molasses, water, cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric, and nutmeg (if using) to pan. Stir well and lower heat to medium. Cover and simmer 30 minutes, or until sauce begins to thicken.

·         Gradually add sugar and lemon juice to sauce. Add salt and pepper.

·         Return chicken to pan. Cover and cook 20 minutes more, or until sauce is very thick and chicken is tender and cooked all the way through. Serve hot with white rice.

Ingredients :

·         1 lb. lean lamb, cut into bite-sized chunks*

·         1 onion, chopped

·         3/4 tsp. salt

·         1/4 tsp. pepper

·         1.5 c. medium or long-grain rice

·         1/4 c. (1/2 stick) butter

·         3 c. hot water

·         1 tsp. salt

·         2 c. plain yogurt

·         4 to 6 pieces pita or other flat bread

How To Make :

·         Place lamb in a large saucepan or stockpot with chopped onions and enough water to cover. Bring to a simmer, add salt and pepper, and cover. Simmer 1 hour, or until meat is cooked all the way through.

·         When lamb has cooked about 40 minutes, prepare rice. Rinse rice in water until water runs almost clear. In a saucepan or a wide, deep skillet, heat butter over medium heat until melted. Add rice, stirring well to coat grains with butter, and raise heat to high. Cook 3 to 4 minutes. Add hot water and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook 15 to 20 minutes, or until all water has been absorbed. Turn off heat and leave rice covered to steam.

·         Remove lamb from heat and carefully scoop out and reserve about 1 c. of cooking water.

·         Place yogurt in a blender and blend on a low setting to make the yogurt runnier. If necessary, add a little bit of the reserved cooking water until  the yogurt has the consistency of a creamy sauce.

·         Place yogurt in a second saucepan or pot and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Try to always stir in the same direction. Reduce heat and simmer 10 to 15 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.

·         Carefully drain lamb and onions. Add yogurt sauce to stockpot with lamb and stir well. Cook 10 to 15 minutes more, or until sauce is thick.

·         Cover a large serving platter with flat bread in a single layer and pour a small amount of yogurt sauce over the bread. Pile the rice on top of the bread, pour lamb and yogurt over rice, and serve hot.