Here are a couple quick and easy to do side dishes that are super nutritious to your health


BROCCOLI RAAB -choose your broccoli raab. It should have bright-green leaves that are crisp, sturdy, and not wilted. It has a good source of vitamin A, C, K, as well as calcium, potassium and iron. Preparing broccoli raab is very quick and simple to do.

ASPARAGUS -is a member of the Lily family that is low in calories and sodium as well as a nutrient-dense food which in high in Folic Acid and is a good source of potassium, fiber, vitamin B6, vitamins A and C, and thiamin and many other vitamins and minerals.

Step:1 

HERE:- Wash, removed hard stems and unwanted leaves. Blanch for about 3 minutes in salted water to remove bitterness since it is an acquired taste vegetable but be careful this pungent vegetable can become quite addictive. The florets has a lovely taste like turnip.

Steps: 2

 2 tsp olive oil

 2 chopped garlic

Step: 3

  salt and pepper to taste

 broccoli raab / asparagus

 Soy sauce (optional)

Step:4

Serve with meat, fish or shrimp but the vegetables make awesome side dishes or quick and easy to do lunch

Shrimp with Asparagus and Dikon

Steak with sides ... Asparagus and Broccoli Raab

Cigar & Briwat

Below is a short video I've make for seafood wrap that shows how to fold these cylinderical cigar

Ingredients 

• 1 kg. ground beef or lamb (I usually use 1/2 kg of lamb and 1/2 kg of beef)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. mild cayenne pepper -adjust to your taste. I like a little spicy
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. sweet chili powder
• salt and black pepper to taste
• handful. fresh parsley, chopped
• handful fresh cilantro, chopped
• use spring wrap or phillo dough about 1 pack
• canola oil for shallow fry or bake

Method:

1. Over medium-high heat in a skillet, add 2 tablespoon of oil
2. Add ground meat and saute for 3-5 minutes
3. Add onion and cook another 3 minutes.
4. Add ginger, cayenne cinnamon, and chili powder and cook 5 minutess then add herbs and cook for another 3 minutes or until meat is cooked.
5. Remove from heat and set aside for filling to cool before assembling cigars/ briwats.
6. When the filling is cool,  use spring wrap or remove the phyllo dough from its packaging and cut into three strips length wise and place on top of each other then cover with damp towel.
7. Brush the top layer very lightly with canola oil, then place a about tablespoon of filling  – about an inch from the bottom. (check out my video below with step by step instruction).
8. Start rolling from the bottom edge, then fold in the sides and then continue rolling to the end, adding a bit egg or water or oil to seal it well and keep it . 
9.  In a skillet, heat some canola oil and shallow fry.
10. If you do not like frying, brushed with oil generoualy and bake in oven @350 F for 25-35 minutes or until golden brown.
11. Garnesh as you wish and serve (optional)

ENJOY!

Various Variations of Bread from a good moroccan base recipe.

Thanks to Habibi Youssef and his family

Bread is part of our everyday diet and every home has some form of bread that they enjoy and share best with their families. Some of us get it from our favorite bakery, supermarket, or homemade. I enjoy make my own bread for my family especially for my children.. they love homemade bread :) .  Bread is not difficult to make all you just need is a good base recipe and you can adjust that recipe into many, many variation to suit your taste and likliness. 

Here is a quick and simple form of turkish bread

3 cups of flour
1 pack of dry yeast
2 tbsp of olive oil
1 1/4 cup of lukewarm water (can adjust)
... 1 tsp of salt
Sesame seeds, Nigella, Sea Salt (garnish)
Cornmeal/ Semolina

Mix everything except the nigella, salt, and sesame seeds
Do not knead it!
Oil a big pan, or bowl and allow the dough to sit for 4-8 hours.
Put the cornmeal on the countertop and then put the dough on top. Fold it into a square. Let it raise again for another hour(You can make smaller size dough portions(cutting the dough into halves or quarters before folding).
Preheat oven to 425' Farenheit. Bake until golden brown (approximately 45 minutes to an hour).

Fennel Seed (Neffa) Bread- it's great for breakfast

2 cups flour

1 cup semolina
semolina or cornmeal for dusting

4 Tbs sugar (add more sugar if you prefer your bread to be sweeter)
1 tsp salt
2 Tbs olive oil

2 tsp ground fennel seeds

1 pkg active dry yeast
6 Tbs warm water for the yeast
1 tsp sugar

In a small bowl, mix the yeast with 6 Tbs warm water and sugar ,stir and set aside until the mixture become foamy.It will take about 7-10 minutes
In a mixer with a dough hook, mix all ingredients together. Or you can mix it by hand by sifting the dry ingredients together in a big bowl - make a well - then in the center and pour in the yeast mixture and olive oil. Knead, gradually by adding water as needed until the dough is smooth and elastic  (P.S. you probably to adjust water as needed)

Grease two baking sheets(or use a non stick pan) and dust them with the 1 Tbs semolina/cornmeal. 







Separate dough into small balls. Use a sessior to clip the top Cover the dough with a towel and set aside in a warm place until doubled ---about 1 hour or a little longer.




Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Bake for 10 minutes. Lower the heat to 375 and bake until crusty and golden, 25 to 30 minutes depends on your oven temperature

.

Moroccan Sweet Bread- it's great for breakfast

2 cups flour

1 cup semolina
semolina or cornmeal for dusting

4 Tbs sugar (add more sugar if you prefer your bread to be sweeter)
1 tsp salt
2 Tbs olive oil

1 tsp each, ground fennel seeds and anise
1/4 cup ground sesame seed
extra sesame seed to sprinkle on top of rolls

1 pkg active dry yeast
6 Tbs warm water for the yeast
1 tsp sugar

1. In a mixer with a dough hook, mix all ingredients together. Or you can mix it by hand by sifting the dry ingredients together in a big bowl - make a well - then in the center and pour in the yeast mixture and olive oil.
2. Knead, gradually by adding water as needed until the dough is smooth and elastic (P.S. you probably to adjust water as needed)
3. Grease two baking sheets(or use a non stick pan) and dust them with the 1 Tbs semolina/cornmeal. Separate dough into small balls.
4. Sprinkle of sesame seeds over each loaf, gently pressing them into the dough. Cover the dough with a towel and set aside in a warm place until doubled ---about 1 hour or a little longer.
5. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Bake for 10 minutes.
6. Lower the heat to 375 and bake until crusty and golden, 25 to 30 minutes depends on your oven temperature.

Moroccan Bread --- Babout but in the caribbean this is Roti)

Ingredients:

2 cups white flour
1 cup semolina or wheat flour
dash of sugar
1 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoon oil
2 teaspoon yeast
1 cups water

Method:-

1. Mix 8 tablespoon of warm water, yeast and a teaspoon of sugar. Set aside the mixture until it's foamy~5 - 10 minutes.
   
2. Mixed the flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the yeast mixture, the oil and the rest of the water, and mix to form a dough.
   
3. The dough should be soft but not sticky (If it's too sticky to work with, add a little flour and knead and if the dough is stiff, small amount of water).
   
4. You can used a mixture to knead the dough or by hand on a lightly floured surface, for about 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
   
5. Divide the dough into balls and leave them to rest on a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes. Cover to prevent drying out
   

1. Roll out each ball into circle about 1/8 inch thick.
2. Set the rolled out dough on a clean, dry towel and cover. Leave to rise for about 20-30 minutes.
3. Preheat a very lightly smooth grill iron or skillet, cook over medium heat turning several times, until golden brown on both sides.

 Place on to a rack to cool