easy recipes

Roasted Stuffed Flank Steak

categories: 500 Calories or Less, Beef, Posts, Recipes

Stuffed Flank Steak_2

 

I intended to get back to working out, and running (indoors, on a treadmill with TV access). And then, pretty much right after the New Year, I came down with something. A cold, the flu, a virus, I’m just not sure what it is, but I can’t seem to kick it. Added bonus, it’s the coldest it’s been in the U.S. in 20 years! They’re calling it a Polar Vortex. Polar Vortex … who comes up with these terms? They’re absolutely brilliant, but I wonder if there isn’t some meteorologist somewhere with a list of clever names for weather disasters who pulls it out when the time is right. Anyway, we get hit with this Polar Vortex — where no joke, it’s a high of 5 degrees Fahrenheit — which doesn’t quite help the sickness situation. It doesn’t help any situation quite honestly when all you really want to do is hibernate by the heater and watch TV all day. Needless to say, my new years resolution to start working out again (like 99.9% of Americans) has been put on the back burner for now… just until I start to feel well enough to make it through an 8 hour workday without incident. (more…)

Pasta with Yogurt Sauce

categories: 500 Calories or Less, Pasta, Posts, Recipes

Pasta with Yogurt Sauce

It isn’t until very recently that the concept of eating plain yogurt has become more popular. It’s with the rise of Greek Yogurt’s popularity that more Americans are open to the idea of eating yogurt that isn’t Vanilla or Strawberry flavored.

It took me a long time to realize that most people (Arabs not included) don’t use plain yogurt or keep it in their house. It’s practically unheard of to spinach, malfouf or kubbeh bel sineyeh without it! And Mansaf is basically yogurt and lamb. (more…)

The 5 Day Working Girl Lunch Challenge

categories: Posts, Recipes

  Take Your Lunch

It’s the end of the year, a time when most of us look a little more closely at the numbers in our lives — namely the numbers in our bank accounts and on our scales. That’s when we realize the number in our bank account is slowly decreasing while that pestering number on the scale seems to be increasing by day. So how do I get those numbers to have reverse effects?! I’m looking for the number on the scale to go down, while the number in my bank account to go  up. (more…)

No Bake Cake Pops

categories: 500 Calories or Less, Desserts, Posts, Recipes

  Cake Pops_5

Cake Pops have been the craze for quite a while. I love the simplicity of a bite-sized cake dipped in chocolate. What I don’t like is spending unnecessary hours in the kitchen making cake pops from scratch. Don’t get me wrong, one of my best friends, a master baker – we’ll call her Fiza – makes cake pops to die for. Fiza honestly makes the most deliciously delectable desserts. She puts her heart and soul into it and they always turn out great. She will be humble and tell you she’s not that good, but I promise you, once you taste Fiza’s baking you will never want store-bought again. (more…)

Parmesan Popovers

categories: 500 Calories or Less, Appetizers, Breads, Posts, Recipes

Parmesan-Popovers

Thanksgiving at the Fayyad household is an occasion not to be missed. Excluding a couple years – I can count them on one hand – Thanksgiving has always been held at my parents’ house. Preparation begins around 6am, when my mom becomes one with the turkey and trimmings. She might as well block off the kitchen and put up a “DO NOT ENTER” sign.

Mom’s hard work is far from unappreciated. No one does thanksgiving like momma Debs. The “Thank you’s” begin when the food is set out and end when everyone leaves. We generally have so much food, we have to set it out buffet style, and have leftovers for days. It’s all about family – aunts, uncles, cousins and cousins’ kids. So you can just imagine that even though I’m way over 21, I’m still required to sit at “the kids table.” (more…)

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Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake

categories: Desserts, Posts, Recipes

  pumpkin pecan cheesecake_4

The leaves have turned, it’s gotten pretty chilly and not to mention we had some snow flurries over the weekend. It can only mean one thing; Thanksgiving is right around the corner.

While some only remember to be thankful around the winter Holidays, I’ve been keeping up with counting my blessings year-round. And this year, I have so much to be thankful for. In Arabic, we say  Hamdellah [الحمد لله] which means Thank God, My list may be a bit long, but some of the major things I’m thankful for are: (more…)

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