This is one rich and chocolatey shake, and I am happy to say my kids absolutely love it! This is an all powerful, nutrient dense, plant based protein shake that is nothing but delicious. It tastes like dessert and has zero chalky protein powders added. I make this with pure raw foods that anybody can find in their local grocery store.

The rich, dark chocolate flavor of this smoothie is due to none other than pure, cacao powder. I found a nice organic powder from Whole Foods, which is of great quality. Pure cacao powder is great for many reasons, namely being a rich antioxidant source, as well as iron, magnesium, fiber, and even protein. Who knew chocolate could be so beneficial! Lately, I have been limiting my intake of dessert and refined sugar, so this makes for a great substitute to fulfill my chocolate cravings.

You can use your favorite milk, but I stick with the plant based source of almond milk. Throw in a couple of frozen bananas for the rich creamy texture, as well as the digestive and heart health benefits.

However, I get fresh peanut butter from the grocery store; many places have a grinder to make your own fresh peanut butter on the spot. My kids love doing this in the store! I love it because I know it is non-processed, fresh, and with no salt or sugar added. With the amount of peanut butter I add, we can actually hardly taste it, but it is there for the protein boost. If you actually love the flavor of peanut butter, you could double the amount added.

The bananas along with three juicy Medjool dates make the bitter flavors of the cacao come out in the rich chocolatey flavor I am going for. If you want less sweet, use only one banana. Sometimes I make this with one banana only and add strawberries, to cut down on the calories.

Goji berries are a super food that I have been tossing into smoothies, cereal, and snack mixes alike. The kids love these too, and so will parents due to their super health benefits. Goji berries have long been used in Chinese medicine, and have the benefits of being high in antioxidants, high in fiber, vitamin A, and an excellent protein source. Some studies even show they can help destroy cancer cells.

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These savory sweet potatoes are a quick and easy side for any meal. I served them up along my Thanksgivng turkey this year, and they were a big hit! The sweet potatoes wedges are tossed in my special mix of sultry and savory spices, and roasted to a delicious crisp. The cinnamon I use is a high quality organic ceylon cinnamon powder; it has a aromatic scent of spicy cinnamon and tastes superior to others I have tried. Ceylon cinnamon is also cleaner and safer, contrary to the cheaper cassia cinnamon on most local grocery store shelves. Cassia cinnamon may have a toxin within it that may effect the health of children and adults if consumed frequently. Read more about this here.

I have to mention this major tip I learned only recently because it is incredibly useful: use an actual potato peeler. It works like magic. If you have ever tried to peel or cut into a sweet potato, you know how tough it can be.  A $4 peeler is well worth it as the skin slides off like butter. Who would have thought? I also started leaving the skins on, as long as its a clean organic potato, there really is no need to remove it.

I combine cinnamon with savory onion powder, white pepper, salt, and black pepper which perfectly balances the sweet and spicy flavors of the cinnamon and the sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are an ultra healthy root vegetable, with a high content in carotenoids (vitamin A), a wealth of antioxidants,  and other nutrients that reduce blood sugar levels. Additionally, the absorption of the nutrients is improved when sweet potatoes are consumed with a healthy amount of fat, such as olive oil.

So eaten in moderation, this side dish is an excellent carbohydrate to add to your meals or snack repertoire and feel great about. Just be sure to use organic sweet potatoes if possible because as a root vegetable that grows deep in the ground, it would absorb a high concentration of toxins and chemicals from the soil, if it isn’t organic!

It is mandatory to roast these orange gems on a large flat dish; the more surface area, the better. You will get more of that roasted, browned, and slightly charred flavor. When the potatoes are layered upon each other, you will have less of that desirable crunchy and charred texture and more that is softened. Rest assured, either way it is delicious, but I would say that the crunchy, slightly charred and crispy pieces are everyone’s favorite part!

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Shorba means soup in Arabic. Ads means lentils, so shorbat ads translates literally into soup of lentils.

This popular soup is a Ramadan staple and will be found at Iftar (the daily meal of breaking the fast during Ramadan) tables quite frequently in the Arab world. It is a beautiful, creamy, yellow soup that is both hearty and healthy. It is naturally vegetarian and vegan, has virtually no fat, is gluten free, and is full of heart healthy fiber and vegetables. So almost every diet will love incorporating this dish.

The velvety texture might surprise you because there is no fat, milk, or cream added. The orange lentils, along with the aromatic root vegetables of carrot, onion, and garlic are what scent and flavor this delicious soup. I’ve already discussed what a fantastic legume lentils are for your diet in my recipe for lentil  pilaf, and you can read more health benefits here. This creamy lentil soup is often found in many Middle Eastern restaurants nowadays, and while the flavors can vary, this is surely going to be the best recipe.

This recipe comes straight from my Egyptian grandmother’s kitchen (Teta), God rest her soul. While turmeric is used in many modern recipes today, it is actually not a part of this authentic recipe. I presume it is used to boost the yellow color, and it certainly does not hurt to add it. I use it because I love the nutritional benefits of fresh turmeric root, but beware it will dye your fingers and spoons yellow 😀 Chopped tomatoes are added to the recipe to boost the flavor and the secret ingredient I incorporate is chicken or vegetable stock. Water is perfectly fine, but I find the broth gives an extra depth of flavor. I don’t use any Maggie cubes or other MSG catch all seasoning with who-knows-what in it, so I definitely prefer the flavors added by the tomato, broth, turmeric, and root vegetables.

The delicious base of this soup’s fantastic flavor starts by simply sautéing the vegetables in some olive oil over medium heat, just until fragrant. Pour in the broth or water, the lentils, and spices and you’re pretty much done. I used to shred the carrots and turmeric, but I realized this isn’t neccesary because I blend the entire soup into a velvety smooth texture at the end of the simmer anyway. So a rough chop of all the vegetables is perfectly okay!

Prepare the lentils by picking them over for dirt particles, and wash thoroughly then drain.

This soup quickly simmers until the lentils break down into a creamy consistency, which takes all but 20 minutes. The orange shelled lentils cook soft very quickly,  unlike the brown shelled lentils. So be sure to use the correct lentils.

I then puree the entire mixture once it is cooked soft, into a thick and velvety consistency. The soup thickens significantly when sitting so be sure to stir in some extra water over low heat before serving if this happens. Like many grandmothers love to do, my Teta went the extra mile and added another step to make this soup REALLY lip smacking good. In another pot, she would brown some delicious tiny vermicelli noodles (sha3reya in Arabic) in butter, then pour the pureed soup over it and simmer until the noodles are cooked. This tastes really great and adds a nice texture.  However, I typically omit this step because I am trying to keep the soup healthy and paleo- and mostly because I don’t want to wash another pot! But I will usually do this for guests because it makes the soup extra special 😀

I serve with pita chips on the side, which is optional.

Fresh squeezed lemon juice is a must, if you ask me!

Enjoy! Bil Hana wil Shifaa (Arabic for with health and healing)

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