Vegetarian Archives

Healthy Baklava Chocolate Bars (Vegan/GF/Dairy-free)

Healthy Baklava Chocolate Bars (Vegan/GF/Dairy-free)

These healthy baklava chocolate bars taste like the real baklava, but without all the sugar, fat and calories! They make a delicious healthy dessert or snack. They're also perfect if you're looking for something to satisfy a craving for something crunchy! Baklava is a delicious pastry made of layers of thin phyllo dough filled with chopped nuts (often pistachios, walnuts, or almonds) and sweetened with honey or a simple syrup made with sugar and water. It's a popular dessert in many countries in the Middle East and North Africa, but also in countries like Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Iran. With variations in ingredients and preparation methods depending on the region. The fact it was able to spread [...]

Nadia2024-03-07T16:26:19+01:00March 7, 2024|Bars, Chocolate, Dairy Free, Desserts, Gluten Free, snack, Vegan, Vegetarian|2 Comments

Chocolate Cottage Cheese Pudding (High Protein/Healthy)

Chocolate Cottage Cheese Pudding (High Protein/Healthy)

This chocolate cottage cheese pudding makes a tasty make-ahead-of-time breakfast option or even a healthy dessert! Packed with 42g protein per serving and you only need 6 ingredients to make it! I'm new to the cottage cheese game. For a very long time I avoided eating dairy all together since I linked it to my IBS and eczema flare-ups. I started reintroducing it back into my diet last year and to my surprise I haven't had any negative side affects. Looking back I wonder whether I ever had an adverse reaction to dairy. I now know my IBS is usually triggered by things like stress and lack of sleep, rather than any one ingredient I consume in isolation. I also [...]

Nadia2024-06-18T17:56:51+01:00March 5, 2024|Breakfasts, Desserts, Gluten Free, Nut Free, snack, Vegetarian|44 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

3-Ingredient Apricot Coconut Balls

3-Ingredient Apricot Coconut Balls

Are you looking for a healthy and delicious treat that will satisfy your sweet tooth? Look no further than these 3-ingredient apricot coconut balls! Made with only a few simple ingredients, these balls are not only tasty but also a nutritious snack or healthier dessert option. It hit me recently that I've never used dried apricots in any of my creations before. I used to eat dried apricots a lot when I went through my fad diet phase. I was a big yo-yo dieter before I studied nutrition and improved my relationship with food and my body. I remember one of the big things at the time was to snack on dried apricots instead of sweets/desserts to help kerb sweet [...]

Nadia2024-02-09T19:32:35+01:00February 9, 2024|Breakfasts, Dairy Free, Desserts, Gluten Free, Nut Free, snack, Sugar Free, Vegan, Vegetarian|2 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

Pistachio Overnight Oats

Pistachio Overnight Oats

These pistachio overnight oats are my current favourite breakfast. Creamy blended overnight oats flavoured with pistachio & packed with 29g protein & 8g fibre per serving! Topped with pistachios and pomegranate for some crunch + extra goodness. In the world of breakfast options, overnight oats have gained immense popularity for their convenience as well as health benefits. To top it off, there are endless flavour combinations to experiment with so you never get bored. I feel like I'm having a new breakfast every single day. Packed with flavour, texture, plus a host of health benefits, these oats are a great way to kickstart your day. Overnight oats are generally known for their nutritional value - this pistachio overnight oats recipe [...]

Nadia2024-06-20T15:44:40+01:00January 18, 2024|Breakfasts, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Overnight Oats, Porridge, Protein recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian|2 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|40 Comments

Spiced Date Walnut Rolls

Spiced Date Walnut Rolls

These spiced date walnut rolls make a great quick and easy dessert to enjoy as a snack, healthier dessert or sweet treat to serve to guests. I've been making them on repeat recently, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. A lovely mixture of sweet/fudgy dates and crunchy/nutty walnuts. I made these date & pistachio rolls last year - they went viral! I have to admit that out of all the recipes I put together last year, they were by far my favourite creation. I would even go as far as saying they're probably one of my favourite treats that I've ever made. Although a very simple recipe, the combination of the fudginess from the date + the crunchy, [...]

Nadia2024-01-05T16:18:14+01:00January 5, 2024|Dairy Free, Desserts, Gluten Free, snack, Sweet Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian|9 Comments

2-Ingredient Turkish Fig Pudding

2-Ingredient Turkish Fig Pudding

A simple pudding made with only figs and milk. I came across this 2-ingredient Turkish fig pudding and just had to give it a try. All I need to say is that it didn't disappoint! As someone who grew up eating dried figs, this 2-ingredient Turkish fig pudding was right up my street. Like dates, figs (especially dried figs) are a staple in Middle Eastern cuisine. Growing up in Iraq meant they were a big part of my diet. We couldn't afford sweets often, so for us, figs were a readily available and cheap sweet treat that we looked forward to. For some reason, my palette doesn't seem to appreciate the taste, but mainly the texture, of fresh figs. Dried [...]