Baked Cauliflower with Lemon and Cumin

Cauliflower is a great vegetable to have in your diet, like almost all vegetables, cauliflower has little to no calories, fat, sodium, and cholesterol. Cauliflower is a good source of vitamin C, Folate, Iron, Calcium, and Vitamin B6. This recipe also includes the use of cumin, a very beneficial spice that adds tons of flavor and is packed with health benefits such as: aids with digestion (will help prevent gas/bloating effects of cauliflower), is great for your immune system (helps prevent some cancers), is great for your respiratory system (asthma, bronchitis), and may help solve insomnia problems as well! 

Needless to say, this recipe for cauliflower is a dynamic duo on both a flavor level and a nutritional level! 

         

Ingredients: 

1/2 a head (approximately 2 cups) of cauliflower, washed, dried, and chopped. 

2 garlic cloves, chopped. 

1 lemon 

1/4 cup of vegetable oil (canola)

1 Tablespoon of cumin (or more if you love the taste, like me :D) 

1/4 Cup of parsley, chopped. 

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper 

How To Make It: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees Farhenheit. 

2. Place the washed, dried and chopped cauliflower on a baking pan. 

3. Add 1/4 cup of vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon of cumin, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Mix the cauliflower so each piece is fully covered with oil and spices. 

4. Bake for about 25 minutes or until tender. Do not overcook or the cauliflower will get mushy. 

5. Add the minced garlic, chopped parsley, and the juice of one lemon. 

6. Serve and enjoy as a side dish with any lean protein, or as an appetizer with some pita bread.

Optional: sprinkle some paprika on top for a nice color. 

Fasoolieh Bizeit (sautéed green beans)

Fasoolieh Bizeit is one of my favorite side dishes. The direct translation from Arabic is "sautéed green beans with olive oil". In Middle Eastern cooking there are many vegetables that are prepared in the same way, so if you don't like green beans you can substitute it with another vegetable/legume.

This dish is light, heathy, and very tasty; it is low in calories, fat, and carbs, so it makes a great accompaniment to almost anything! This recipe is a quick and easy, and is usually enjoyed with warm pita bread. Enjoy :) 

Ingredients:
1 package frozen fancy green beans 

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 can diced tomatoes (fresh tomatoes are great here too) 

1 small can tomato sauce 

1/2 chopped onion 

3 chopped garlic cloves 

1 Lemon (1/2 garnish) 

How To Make It: 

1. Saute onions and garlic with 2 Tabelspoons of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste, on medium heat. 

2. After about 5 minutes, add the frozen green beans. 

3. After about 5 minutes add one can diced tomatoes and one small can of tomato sauce and let simmer until tender. 

4. Plate and add half a lemon and use the remaineder of the lemon for garnish.