marmite et ponpon

Meatless braised artichoke with potato, carrots and peas (suitable for vegetarians)

Posted on March 9, 2020 | Leave a comment

Artichoke is high in fibers and antioxidants, it maintains a healthy heart, reduces bad cholesterol, prevents and treats cancer, improves digestion and acts as a diuretic.

Did you know that if artichoke is left to grow wild, it blossoms into large purple flowers? yes artichoke is a bud of a thistle!

This astounding vegetable can be consumed from leaves to heart and even the bottom, this recipe calls for hearts. Braised artichoke hearts with carrots, potato cubes and peas. It’s usually presented as a side dish, salad or mezza, but if paired with rice you can eat as a main dish.

you will need (serves 4):

medium onion finely diced
400 g artichoke hearts
1 cup carrots, chopped in small cubes
1 cup potato, chopped in small cubes
1 cup peas
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
juice of one big lemon
3 cups water
salt to taste

Sautée the onion in butter until fragrant, add the flower and let it cook a bit until it starts to have a golden shade, then pour the lemon. Whisk the mix the same way of doing the roux then the water little by little. You will obtain a silky and viscous sauce. Add the artichoke, potato, carrots and peas and let it cook on low flame until tender.

As i said you can serve it cold as a mezza or hot with rice, or maybe why not trying it with mashed potato. I am personally a big fan of this dish. I love vegetables and i love everything that has citrus, so it is a heavenly combination. Give it a try and i am sure you will love it.

If you like this post give it some likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page and follow on twitter and instagram. More posts yet to come, stay tuned. Happy cooking!

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Posted in appetizers & salads, main dish

Tagged art direction, artichoke, carrots, cooking, cooking lebanese, easyrecipe, food, food blog, food blogger, food layout, food photography, foolproof recipe, jaymmy, lebanese food, lent, marmite et ponpon, meatless, peas, potato, recipe, traditional recipes with a twist, vegetarian

Colocasia (or taro root) with lentils

Posted on February 27, 2020 | Leave a comment

For the many of you who don’t know this vegetable, or may have seen it and you are not sure what it is or how to eat it, i will show you a very quick and easy recipe with lentils!

First i will start by introducing colocasia (as we call it in Lebanese arabic قلقاس), it’s a starchy root vegetable originating in Asia.

When cooked, it has a slightly sweet taste and a texture similar to potato. An excellent source of dietary fibers, rich in vitamin B6, E, C and thiamin, it has also manganese (22%), potassium (14%), copper (10%) and magnesium (8%). The most important health benefits of colocasia includes:

controls blood sugar and improves blood circulation
improves vision
improves digestive health
boosts immune system
reduces fatigue
has anti cancer properties
encourage weight loss
encourage skin health, i Hawaii they use colocasia root paste to heal wounds, it helps to cure faster than other home remedies!

Back to my foolproof recipe you will need (yields 4 servings as main dish)

800g colocasia, peeled and cut in small to medium cubes, you can use also frozen if you don’t have fresh (same taste goodness).
2 cups of boiled lentils
1 medium onion coarsely chopped
2-3 garlic cloves (medium mince)
3 tbsp olive oil
juice of 1-2 lemons, depending on your taste
handful fresh mint, fine chopped
salt to taste

You start by cooking the onion and garlic in olive oil, until tender and fragrant. Add the chopped colocasia and mix. Pour 4 cups of water and boil until you see the first bubble appear then add the lemon juice and lentils. (knowing that lentils are already boiled separate). Cook on a medium flame until colocasia is well done and the water thickens. Add the mint and let them all simmer together for another five minutes on a low flame.

Serve it as a main dish or a starter soup! Personally i enjoy it as a main dish.

If you are vegetarian, vegan or simply abstaining meat during the lent, i am sure you will love it! Bon appetit!

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Posted in j delights

Veggie spaghetti with shrimps in olives and tomato sauce

Posted on September 9, 2019 | Leave a comment

Oh to those Back to school mixed feelings! Speaking my mind, i don’t know who is being more anxious; me or my kids! I guess i am more nervous. Thinking of them how they will face school related issues (as new teachers, meeting new friends or missing old ones, fitting in, being away from me…..) sparks a upswing in inquietude for me. But thank God seeing them coping easily every year and being happy kids vanish all these exaggerated (only in my head) feelings of unease! Welcome to moms world!

Today after dropping off my 4 year old boy, i head directly to my kitchen to do what i mostly like to do. I wanted to keep my mind busy and stop it from creating scenarios until i pick him up. (Please read the message at the end of the post)

Joud loves spaghetti, shrimps and prefers red sauce than white. So let’s go for this veggie spaghetti with shrimps in red sauce!

When i saw this type of wholesome spaghetti, felt like i found a hidden gem. Made of 25% puree from real zucchini and spinach!

Cook as per pack instructions, drain and leave aside.

Cook 500g of shrimps, peel, devein and keep aside to prepare this easy and delicious sauce:

1 medium onion finely diced
1 garlic clove minced
1 tbs celery chopped
2 cups of tomato puree
2 tbsp olive oil
a handful black or green olive pitted
salt to taste

Cook onion, garlic and celery in the olive oil until fragrant and translucent

Add tomato puree and cook all together until it starts boiling then add the olive and shrimps to cook all together for 5 minutes.

Can’t wait to have my happy soul back to see if he will like this dish!

There was a message circulating that says:

Special request to all you kids returning to school; if you see someone who is struggling to make friends or being bullied because he/she doesn’t have many friends or because they are shy or not as pretty or not dressed in the most “in” cloths, PLEASE step up, say hi or at least smile at them in the hallway. You never know what that person might be facing outside school. Your kindness might just make a big difference in someone’s life!

PLEASE do ❤

If you like this post give it some likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page and follow on twitter. More posts yet to come, stay tuned. Happy cooking!

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Posted in j delights

Tagged blog, cooking healthy, easy recipe, food art, food blogger, food photography, food porn, foolproof recipe, italian, italian food, jaymmy, lebanon, marmite et ponpon, photography, qatar, recipe, red sauce, shrimps, spaghetti, tomatoes, veggie spaghetti

Creamy spinach gnocchi

Posted on March 14, 2019 | Leave a comment

The word gnocchi is derived from the Italian word nocchio, meaning knots (gnocco is the singular form). In italian cooking gnocchi are small thick dumplings usually made with potato, semolina or wheat flour, egg and cheese. Can be served with a sauce or in soup.

Creamy spinach gnocchi, this velvety deliciousness, is a very easy and quick recipe, served on your table in less than 30 minutes. For a quick lunch or dinner after a long day all you need is this foolproof recipe. It calls for: (serving two people)

500g fresh gnocchi cooked as per package directions
500ml milk or 2 cups (you can use skimmed milk)
200 ml cream, or one cup
2-3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
1 cup fresh spinach (or thawed)
1 tbsp garlic salt
salt to taste

Cook the gnocchi according to package instructions and set aside.

Melt the butter over medium heat then add the flour and cook it to make the roux. Slowly add the milk and cream to the roux and whisk constantly to avoid any lump.

Before the sauce starts to thicken add the garlic salt, salt and spinach and cook for 3-5 minutes until the spinach has wilted and sauce thickened.

Return the gnocchi to the sauce and fold to combine. You can add parmesan cheese to the sauce or simply sprinkle on top. Serve immediately and enjoy heaven in you mouth.

If you like this post give it some likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page and follow on twitter. More posts yet to come, stay tuned. Happy cooking!

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Posted in appetizers & salads, main dish

Tagged comfort food, cream, easy recipe, food blog, food blogger, food photography, foolproof recipe, garlic, gnocchi, italian cuisine, italian dish, lebanon, marmite et ponpon, qatar, quick recipe, recipe, roux, spinach

Brie, pear and honey crostini

Posted on December 30, 2018 | Leave a comment

A tiny bouchée to hold so many deep flavors! i would rather call it the brie symphony!

Though these are not the main hero on your menu, but a holiday table can’t be set up without these festive hors d’oeuvres.

Get your party started with these irresistible and elegant brie crostini. You will need: (you decide on the quantity)

baguette (toasted) sliced
brie cheese slices
pear slices
walnut chopped
cranberry
honey
arugula (or rocket leaves) for decoration

Layer the crostini with a slice of brie topped with a slice of pear. Drizzle with honey then add few chopped walnut and cranberry. The arugula comes at the end to shout out the spectacular look!

With this season full of special occasion, i am sure you will add this easy yet delicious appetizer to your repertoire.

This impressive combination of cheese, fruit and nut is a little bite of heaven. the smoothness of cheese with the crunchiness of walnut, the sweetness of honey and pear along with the sour taste in the cranberry create the symphony i told you about in the beginning!

This is my last post in the 2018. I wish you all a happy end of this year and a great 2019 ahead full of happiness and endless beautiful moments and blessings your heart can hold! Love always xoxo

If you like this post give it some likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page and follow on twitter. More posts yet to come, stay tuned and see you in 2019! Happy new year 🙂