Main Meals Archives

Crispy Rice Salad

Crispy Rice Salad

This crispy rice salad is is a vibrant and refreshing dish that combines crunchy baked rice with a medley of fresh vegetables and zesty flavours. The crispy texture of the rice contrasts beautifully with soft, juicy ingredients like cucumbers, edamame beans and avocado. With a tangy, sweet, salty and spicy dressing that adds a beautiful bold and bright kick that helps bring everything together. Finished off with some grated halloumi for protein and garnished with roasted peanuts and fresh coriander. This salad has the perfect balance of crispy, fresh, tangy, and savoury in every bite. Why I love making this crispy rice salad: I've been meaning to share this crispy rice salad recipe for a while now. I made it [...]

Nadia2024-09-24T12:11:53+01:00September 12, 2024|Main Meals, Rice, Vegetarian|0 Comments

Tabbouleh Salad Recipe (Tabouli)

Tabbouleh Salad Recipe (Tabouli)

This Tabbouleh salad recipe is my take on one of the most famous and iconic Middle Eastern Salads out there. You'll almost certainly find Tabbouleh on the menu of every single Middle Eastern restaurant. It's famous for it's simplicity and freshness - a salad that everyone needs to try! In the vast world of culinary delights, few dishes capture the essence of freshness and simplicity like tabbouleh. This traditional Middle Eastern salad, hailing from the Levant region, is a vibrant medley of herbs, vegetables, and grains. Whether you're a seasoned foodie or a kitchen novice, tabbouleh is a dish that deserves a spot on your culinary radar. Tabbouleh, also spelled tabouleh or tabouli, has roots deeply embedded in the Levantine [...]

Nadia2024-08-14T15:46:18+01:00August 14, 2024|Dairy Free, Nut Free, Salads, Side dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian|0 Comments

Healthy Baked Tortilla Samosas

Healthy Baked Tortilla Samosas

These healthy baked tortilla samosas are a lighter take on the much loved south Asian classic pastry. As well as using tortilla wraps instead of phyllo, they're also baked instead of fried making them even better for you! Typically associated with Indian cuisine, but did you know that samosas are believed to be derived from the Middle East? They were first mentioned in Iranian historian Abolfazl Beyhaqi’s work where he referred to them as 'sanbosag'. They're now popular in many countries around the world. I grew up in the Middle East where we have our own version of samosas, aka Sambousek. Usually filled with minced meat, or the vegetarian version filled with cheese, spinach and herbs. The version I grew [...]

Nadia2024-04-03T17:01:16+01:00April 2, 2024|Dairy Free, Main Meals, Sauces and Dips, Savoury Snacks, Side dishes, snack, Vegan, Vegetarian|2 Comments

Easy Authentic Middle Eastern Falafel

Easy Authentic Middle Eastern Falafel

This easy authentic Middle Eastern Falafel recipe is the only falafel recipe you'll ever need! I grew up eating falafel and have been making falafel for years, this is the best version I've made, so I decided it finally needs its own blog post. Falafel have been part of Middle Eastern cuisine for centuries, with its origins traced back to ancient Egypt. It has since spread across the region and become a staple food in countries like Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, and Jordan. As well as in Iraq, where I grew up. Falafel is often associated with street food culture in the Middle East. Street vendors and small eateries serve freshly fried falafel balls or sandwiches, making it a convenient and [...]

Nadia2024-02-29T19:23:25+01:00February 29, 2024|Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Main Meals, Protein recipes, Side dishes, snack, Vegan, Vegetarian|23 Comments

Moroccan Zaalouk Recipe (Aubergine Salad)

Moroccan Zaalouk Recipe (Aubergine Salad)

This Moroccan Zaalouk recipe makes a great appetiser, side or snack! With a rich, tangy and smokey flavour, I also love serving it with plain vegetables or rice to add a lot of flavour as well as extra nutrients and antioxidants! Zaalouk is a traditional Moroccan dish made primarily from eggplant and tomatoes, flavoured with garlic, olive oil, and various spices such as cumin, paprika, and chili pepper. It's typically served as a side dish or salad and is often enjoyed with bread. Zaalouk can vary slightly in preparation and ingredients depending on the region or personal preferences, but it's generally known for its rich and savoury flavours. It's a popular vegetarian dish in Moroccan cuisine. I love food, all [...]

Nadia2024-02-22T18:46:29+01:00February 22, 2024|Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Nut Free, Salads, Sauces and Dips, Side dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian|9 Comments

Greek Tomato Fritters (Tomatokeftedes)

Greek Tomato Fritters (Tomatokeftedes)

These Greek tomato fritters aka Tomatokeftedes are probably one of the best vegetable fritters I've had! They're so simple to make, yet packed with so much flavour. They make a great appetiser or snack and they also happen to be vegan/dairy-free. We visited Santorini last year for my partner's birthday and it was hands down my favourite city I've travelled to so far. The weather was beautiful, the people were friendly and the food was delicious. Out of everything we ate, the Tomatokeftedes were by far my favourite (their courgette fritters aka Kolokithokeftedes were a close second!). I love any and all fritters, epsecially vegetable packed ones. They're such an easy way to elevate vegetables. You can turn any old [...]

Nadia2024-01-25T16:35:50+01:00January 24, 2024|Dairy Free, Main Meals, Side dishes, snack, Vegan, Vegetarian|13 Comments

Iraqi Lentil Soup (Vegan)

Iraqi Lentil Soup (Vegan)

Super easy and nourishing soup that's ready in 30 minutes. This Iraqi lentil soup only calls for a handful of ingredients and there's no blending required (less washing up!). It's also fairly high in protein and fibre. I feel like Iraqi food (and Middle Eastern food in general) doesn't get anywhere near the attention it deserves. I know I'm biased when saying this (because I grew up eating it), but Middle Eastern food is the tastiest, most delicious cuisine ever! It can also be fairly healthy with lots of colourful veggies, protein, spices and fresh herbs. As you can imagine for a hot country like Iraq, soups weren't the most popular thing to eat. This is the one and only [...]

Nadia2024-01-12T13:07:01+01:00January 11, 2024|Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Main Meals, Side dishes, Soups, Vegan, Vegetarian|44 Comments

4-Ingredient Vegan Hazelnut Chocolate Truffles

4-Ingredient Vegan Hazelnut Chocolate Truffles

These 4-ingredient vegan hazelnut chocolate truffles are so easy to make and taste divine! They contain no dairy or coconut milk. Perfect for chocolate hazelnut lovers and makes a great post-dinner treat. These truffles are inspired by the orange truffles I made this time last year for Christmas. Instead of using cashews, I used hazelnuts and omitted the orange zest for a simple hazelnut chocolate truffle version. I feel like I've made a few hazelnut recipes recently, like this chocolate hazelnut granola and these hazelnut protein bars. I don't know what it is, I guess I just LOVE hazelnut and chocolate. To be fair, it is a match made in heaven, I don't think many would argue with that statement. [...]

Nadia2023-11-30T18:25:19+01:00November 30, 2023|Chocolate, Christmas, Dairy Free, Desserts, Gluten Free, Sandwiches, Vegan, Vegetarian|3 Comments

Courgette Tofu Fritters (High Protein)

Courgette Tofu Fritters (High Protein)

These courgette tofu fritters make a great speedy dinner option, lunch or high protein snack. I usually serve them with roasted vegetables and a side of hummus (for even more protein and plant goodness!). I'm always looking for new, tasty and fun ways to use tofu. It's such a great plant-based protein option and can easily be flavoured with anything you like. It usually gets a bad rep for being boring, but when using the right flavourings (things like spices, garlic, fresh herbs, etc.) and enough of them, you can turn it into so many tasty and nutritious dishes. Tofu is a complete protein source, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids that the body cannot produce on its [...]

Nadia2023-08-01T16:57:28+01:00July 31, 2023|Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Main Meals, Nut Free, Protein recipes, Side dishes, snack, Vegan, Vegetarian|13 Comments

Middle Eastern Tofu Kebabs (Vegan & Gluten-free)

Middle Eastern Tofu Kebabs (Vegan & Gluten-free)

These Middle Eastern tofu kebabs are my new favourite quick and easy week day dinner. They're ready in no time and you can enjoy leftovers as a nutritious and protein packed snack! Tofu, made from soybeans, is a popular plant-based protein source and has several health benefits. It’s my favourite source of plant-protein. Half a regular block (around 140g) offers over 22g protein! Which is an easy way to bump up the protein content in a meal without having to try hard. It contains all essential amino acids needed by the body. Tofu is also nutrient-rich – it’s a great source for things like calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and vitamins like vitamin K and folate. It is also low [...]