Roommates Mediterranean Food Reaction

Here is the long awaited video of my roommates trying the Mediterranean food. Their reactions are priceless. Enjoy!

Ephesus - Food Review

I went to one of the Mediterranean restaurants on my google map and I must say that it was phenomenal. Ephesus, on Fourth Street, has a wide variety of Turkish style foods including grape leaves, baklava, humus, and Babaganoush. The grape leaves were perfectly cooked and the humus was scrumptious. The warm pita bread served with the humus added to the wonderful texture. The highlight of the meal was definitely the baklava. It was sweet and flakey.

I would recommend trying Ephesus to everyone. And for those who don't like trying new things, Ephesus has many other items on the menu including pizza.

www.ephesuspizza.com

Fun experiment

THE BRAVE SOULS

I'm going to have some of the most common Mediterranean food there is tomorrow for dinner and film my willing and loving roommates reactions to the food. I can just imagine my very diverse roomies reactions. So stay tuned for the uploaded video. It should be a hoot.

Mediterranean Cruise Anyone?

With winter quickly approaching, I was day dreaming about the warmth of the sun and the beautiful site of white sanded beaches. Then I thought, "Hey why not look at cruises in the Mediterranean?"

I would love to start in Athens, Greece surrounded by four majestic mountains. The many sites of ancient Greece, and the many restaurants and museums fill me with a sense of history and pleasure. Just thinking about the architectural masterpieces like Acropolis and Parthenon make me want to jump on that ship tomorrow. Then there's the food that will keep me wanting more.

The next stop will be Cairo, Egypt. I have this fascination with the pyramids and how they are built. It is one of the Seven Wonders of the World for gosh sakes. How amazing would it be to walk through the local markets with the shops and vendors. It is such a diverse culture that I don't want to miss.

Then I'll stop in Italy, Spain, Jordan and Turkey, just to name a few. I want to indulged in the rich and exotic cultures that each country offers.

Let's explore these wonderous cultures together. Anyone visit any of these countries? Share!

Cooking sounds of the Mediterranean

Enjoy relaxing sounds of cooking in the Mediterranean.

Hummus

Hummus, a traditional Middle Eastern dish, is made of chickpeas and is used as a spread. The chickpeas are blended with olive oil, garlic, onions, lemon juice, and salt. Eat it with a pita or crackers to increase the flavor.


Here is a video I found on a tutorial on how to make hummus. This is one of the easiest recipes I found and I'm going to try it myself. Hope the results are as good as yours.
http://video.about.com/mideastfood/Hummus.htm

Meat pies

Meat pies are a very traditional Lebanese dish. Try this recipe and then play with the ingredients. Use spinach or cheese for a different taste.



1 Savory Pie dough recipe
1 ½ lbs ground beef
2 large tomatoes (skinned & finely diced)
½ cup finely chopped parsley
¼ cup tomato paste
½ cup tomato sauce
2 tsp salt
½ cup finely chopped celery
½ tsp papper
½ tsp cumin
1 medium onion, finely chopped
(Sometimes I substitued ½ cup mild salsa for the ½ cup tomato sauce and add ½ cup ketchup)

Directions
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Do not cook the filling before stuffing the dough.
Use a small amount of dough ( not quite the size of an egg) and roll out to 1/8 inch thickness on a floured board.
Place a large tablespoon of the filling on each round of dough and shape into buns, sealing well.
Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake 25-35 minutes until golden brown. If larger buns are made, cook longer. Remove from oven and brush on butter.

Salim's Middle Eastern Food Store

When my mom and aunt come to Pittsburgh for their yearly mammograms, my uncle takes a trip to Salim's to "waste" time. But in all reality, this is his favorite part of the trip.

Salim's is located on Centre Avenue in Pittsburgh and offer some of the best food I have ever had (except for my moms, of course).

Some of the best dishes include gyros, falafel, hummus, grape leaves, kibbee, and meat, spinach, and cheese pies.

Go and enjoy delicious food and pick up some imported groceries to make the dishes yourself.

Salim's
4705 Centre Avenue
Pittsburgh, Pa 15213
412-621-8110
www.salimsfoods.com

Mediterranean Pyramid

This is the Mediterranean diet pyramid. It can easily be found with any google search, but they all have the same thing: Little red meat and lots of breads and pastas.

The Mediterranean diet takes some discipline, but putting your mind to it and sticking with it will be worth it.

Five reasons to try this diet:

1. Won't cause kidney failure (like some diets)
2. Significant history and abundance of research behind it
3. Reduces risk of increasing cholesterol
4. Reduces the risk of rebound weight gain
5. Decreases the risk of cancer and heart disease

Greek Salad's Heath Benefits

Eating this Greek Salad is a healthy way to get a dose of antioxidants. Each vegetable has its own benefit.

Raw onions: vitamins C and B6, phosphorous, magnesium, sulphur, flavonoids and several phytochemicals including allicin, known to ward off viruses, bacteria and fungus.

Cucumbers: contain small amounts of provitamin A and C

Roma tomatoes: source of mixed carotenoids and lycopene, which possess multiple antioxidant benefits, a good source of vitamin C, potassium and calcium, uncooked they provide the body with vitamin E.

Olives: good source of provitamin A, B1, B2, C, and include iron and calcium.


Greek Salad Recipe

3 cucumbers, seeded and sliced
1 1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese
1 cup black olives, pitted and sliced
3 cups diced roma tomatoes
1/3 cup diced oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained, oil reserved
1/2 red onion, sliced

In a large salad bowl, toss together the cucumbers, feta cheese, olives, roma tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, 2 tablespoons reserved sun-dried tomato oil, and red onion. Chill.

Mediterranean Diet article

I found this on abcnews.com. This article gives the facts and the studies to prove it. Check it out!

Mediterranean Diet's Best Ingredients - ABC News

Syrian Sleik

Here's a recipe that is a great dish for those trying
the Mediterranean diet.

Syrian Sleik

1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 C bulgar (wheat)
3 C water
2 bags of fresh spinach, rinsed and chopped
salt & pepper

In a large skillet, saute onion on high heat, using olive oil, until tender. Add wheat and water. Let this come to a boil. Add chopped spinach and turn down to medium heat. Cook until spinach and wheat is cooked and soft. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook approximately for 45 minutes to an hour.

Syrian Grape Leaves

I remember when I was little my mom trying to get me to eat these green cigar looking things at grandmas. They were weird looking and smelled like lemon juice. But over the years, I have grown to love them. They are exactly what the name is. Grape leaves are a combination of rice, lamb (or pork), and a grape leaf rolled like a cigar. Add some lemon juice, salt, pepper and peppermint, and you've got all the necessary ingredients.

This is definitely an acquired taste. This is my families recipe:

1 jar of fresh grape leaves, washed and stems removed
3 cups long grain rice
1 lb. lamb (or pork), cut into small pieces
Salt
Pepper
Lemon juice
Dried peppermint leaves

Rinse rice in a large bowl. Add the meat pieces to rice. Mix well. Add dried peppermint, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Set aside. Rinse and remove stems from the grape leaves. Place a small amount of rice/meat mixture onto grape leaf. Roll like a cigar, tucking the ends in. Place into a large pot alternating the rows of leaves. Pour a small amount of lemon juice on top of grape leaves for added flavor. Fill pot to the top with water. You may need to place a plate on the top row to keep them down when cooking. Cook approximately for 1 hour on medium heat until done. Rice will be tender and meat will thoroughly cooked when done.

Mediterranean goodness

The Mediterranean style of life is as unique as its cultures, but its food is out of this world. Think about your daily diet. I bet it includes beef, potatos, deep fried everything, and quite possibly fast food on a daily basis.

Now, just imagine how much healthier that diet could become with a Mediterranean style influence. A diet full dishes such as kibbe, grape leaves, mesha, and sleik.

What am I talking about? Those are some of the main staples in my house. Join me in enjoying these unique and healthy meals.