Zaatar Chips & Beetroot & Feta Dip

If you’re looking for a quick but DELICIOUS appetiser to serve to your guests, then look no further because I have the perfect one!

I made this delicious zaatar bread and beetroot feta dip for my birthday lunch and everyone seemed to really enjoy it!

It’s pretty easy to make, here’s how:

ZAATAR BREAD

Ingredients:

• 5 Lebanese breads
• Olive oil
• Zaatar seasoning *(you can get it online- try Sam’s kitchen- or from Middle Eastern grocers)
• Salt

Method:

1.Preheat oven to 180C

2. Mix about 1/4 cup of zaatar seasoning with about 1/4 cup of olive oil

3. Spread over Lebanese bread using a brush.

4. Sprinkle with salt.

5. Bake in oven for about 8 minutes.

Note: remember to keep an eye on it as it will burn easily!

6. Break up the zaatar using your hands (scissors won’t work!), into corn chip sized pieces.

7. Serve with beetroot & feta dip (see below).

BEETROOT & FETA DIP

Ingredients:

• 1 small tin sliced beetroot
• 1 tin chickpeas
• 100g feta cheese (I used Danish)
• 1/3 cup cashew nuts (unsalted)
• 2-3 Tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method: 

1. Add beetroot and chickpeas to a food processor and mix until combined.

2. Add cashews and feta cheese and blend again until just combined (you want it to be somewhat chunky).

3. Add some olive oil and salt and pepper (to taste), then process for a little longer.

4. Serve with zaatar bread, carrot or celery sticks and other crackers.

Greek Salad

This delicious and healthy Greek salad is the perfect side dish for any meal. It is also great on its own!

Ingredients:

• 2 handfuls of washed lettuce
• 3 tomatoes or a punnet of cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 Spanish onion (1 used a brown onion as I didn’t have Spanish ones at the time)
• 100grams of Danish feta cheese (you can use Greek but I prefer the saltiness  and firmness of the Danish feta)
• 1 cucumber
• 1/3 cup of black Kalamata olives (pitted)
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Cut lettuce into 2cm wide strips and spread out evenly over a large platter.

2. Thinly slice the onion and spread over lettuce.

3. Cut the cucumber into 0.5cm slices and spread over the onion and lettuce.

4. Cut the tomatoes into 8 wedges per tomato (or in half if using cherry tomatoes) and sprinkle over the other vegetables.

5. Top salad with the olives and cubes of feta cheese (about 2cm x 2 cm)

6. Drizzle olive oil over the top of the salad and season generously with freshly ground salt and pepper.

7. Enjoy!

Couscous, Walnut, Cranberry and Chickpea Salad

After my unhealthy breakfast (see here), I decided to go for a lighter lunch option.

It only took me about 10 minutes to prepare and tasted great! A very fast, healthy and low fat lunch option!

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 cup couscous (prepared according to the instructions on the packet)
• 1/8 cup dried cranberries
• 1/8 cup walnut halves
• 1/8 cup frozen peas, cooked
• 1/8 cup grated carrot
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:

1. Prepare couscous according to instructions on packet.

2. Add all other ingredients and stir until mixed evenly throughout couscous.

3. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!