Allow your taste buds to be amazed with our beautiful Middle Eastern recipes of the month. Our three recipes incorporate the aromatic flavours and spices you would find in the middle east, but only take between thirty and forty minutes to cook. With this extra time you can relax and enjoy your healthy meals with the ones you love. Our belief is that healthy meals should be made easier without having to sacrifice on flavour, and that’s exactly what we have done with our Middle East recipes. Read our guide to the three chosen middle eastern food recipes of the month now.
Hot-Smoked Salmon, Pomegranate & Harissa Salad
Our first middle eastern recipe incorporates hearty chunks of sustainably sourced, hot-smoked salmon for this warm summery salad. Within the salad we combine harissa-spiced chickpeas, juicy tomatoes and zingy pickled cucumber. To add a Mindful Chef twist to this healthy fish recipe we add pomegranate seeds on top to add a crunchy, yet sweet pop of flavour. This recipe has even been approved by the British Heart Foundation dietitians, which helps to support heart and circulatory health.
- Cook time: 30 mins
- Allergens: Fish, Sulphites
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
- Key ingredient: Omega-3-rich sustainably sourced fish
Nutritional Information
- Calories: 621
- Protein: 39g
- Carbs: 67g
- Fat: 21g
The portion size of this warm salad is perfect for couples. If you are cooking this individually you can half the ingredient size or simply have the leftovers for a delicious lunch the following day. If you want to discover more delicious healthy recipes, Mindful Chef has the answer. From easy vegan recipes to healthy chicken recipes the whole family can enjoy.
Why We Love this Middle Eastern Recipe
Salmon, fish contain essential omega-3 fatty acids which your body needs to function efficiently. You can also find vital vitamins and minerals such as vitamin D, B vitamins and potassium. Combined, these vitamins and minerals are essential to a healthy balanced diet. Ensuring you digest enough of these vitamins not only are beneficial to your diet but also to your wider health. Your eye health is something that can deteriorate as we get older. To slow this process down, it has been recommended that you should consume omega-3 and vitamin D throughout your diet. This is possible to do with the help of Mindful Chef’s Middle Eastern recipes!
Ingredients
Creating the perfect Middle Eastern food dish you will need to find quality ingredients, packed full of flavour. For this Middle Eastern fish recipe you will need:
- 240g chickpeas (drained)
- 1 handful of fresh coriander
- 1 baby cucumber
- 25g honey
- 1 lemon
- 1 red onion
- 1 handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 pomegranate
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar (Sulphites)
- 2 tsp rose harissa paste
- 2 hot-smoked salmon fillets (skin on) (Fish)
- 120g baby plum tomatoes
- 70g sweet beets & little leaves
Cooking Instructions
In less than ten steps you can create beautiful Middle Eastern food. Here are the easy instructions you need to create this dish:
- To make the cucumber salad; cut the cucumber into small 1cm pieces, cut the plum tomatoes in half, peel and finely dice the red onion, roughly chop the coriander and parsley leaves. Cut the lemon into quarters.
- Into a medium sized bowl place the cucumber, just half the tomatoes, just half the red onion, just half the coriander and just half the parsley. Add 1 tsp oil and the red wine vinegar. Mix and leave to pickle.
- Cut the pomegranate in half and remove the seeds over a bowl in the sink.
- Heat a large frying pan with 2tsp oil on a medium-high heat. Add the remaining red onion and cook for 4 mins until softening and turning golden, stirring regularly. Drain and rinse the chickpeas and add to the frying pan, cook for a further 2 mins. Add the harissa, honey, remaining coriander, parsley, plum tomatoes and 1 tbsp water, mix and continue to cook for 2 mins, then turn off the heat.
- Add just 1 tbsp pomegranate seeds to the cucumber salad. Mix.
- Use your fingers to carefully flake the salmon into large chunks.
- Divide the salad leaves between two serving bowls, squeeze some lemon juice over the leaves, top with the harissa chickpeas, pickled cucumber salad and flaked salmon. Garnish with remaining pomegranate seeds and lemon wedge. Optional, to use the pickling vinegar as a dressing.
Once you have tried this Middle Eastern food recipe, we would love to hear your thoughts! You can simply tag us in your social media posts, so we can see the creations for ourselves. Staying up to date with our recipe blog is another way you can find other delicious recipes of the month. Last month we showcased our Italian recipes of the month. Try them all for yourself.
Pork with Apricot & Smoky Tomato Butter Beans
A flavourful Middle Eastern food dish of pork with apricot and smoky tomato butter beans is super easy to make at home for the family. We recommend using free-range British pork loins, sizzled with garlic and parsley until golden, then lay on a bed or smoked paprika butter beans. This healthy pork recipe is perfect for the summer days when you want a hearty meal.
- Cook time: 30 mins
- Allergens: Celery, Sulphites
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
- Key ingredient: Tender British free-range pork
Nutritional Information
- Calories: 660
- Protein: 47g
- Carbs: 52g
- Fat: 28g
Taking around thirty minutes to cook, you can enjoy this Middle Eastern food recipe in no time. Our portion size for this middle east recipe is perfect for couples but can easily be doubled to suit a family of four.
Why We Love This Middle Eastern Food Recipe
Pork is a great way to receive protein into your diet, much like any other meat. Protein is essential to help your muscles function properly and help to repair any tissue damage which might occur. If you don’t traditionally eat meat as your source of protein, discover our range of healthy vegetarian recipes which incorporate ingredients to deliver protein into your diet.
Ingredients
Homemade Middle Eastern food has never been easier. To create a new family favourite you will need:
- 8 dried apricots (Sulphites)
- 240g butter beans (drained)
- 3 garlic clove
- 30g Belazu pitted black olives
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 200g passata
- 2 free-range pork loins
- 1 shallot
- 1 vegetable stock cube (Celery)
- 90g baby plum tomatoes
- 180g caulishoots
Cooking Instructions
Within five steps you will have made a Middle East recipe full of flavour. To start, follow these simple instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 240C / fan 220C / gas mark 8. Finely chop or crush the garlic. Finely dice the shallot. Roughly chop the parsley. Finely chop the apricots. Halve the olives. Halve the tomatoes.
- Cut the caulishoots in half lengthways and place on a lined baking tray. Drizzle with 1 tsp oil; season with sea salt and black pepper. Roast for 15-20 mins, until turning golden at the edges.
- Heat a medium saucepan with 1 tsp oil on a medium heat. Add the shallot and half the garlic, then cook for 3 mins, until softening. Add the paprika and half the parsley, cook for 1 min, then add the passata. Rinse the passata carton out with 100ml water and add to the pan. Crumble in the stock cube. Drain the beans, rinse and add to the pan with the apricots, tomatoes and olives. Stir and simmer for 10-15 mins, until the sauce thickens.
- Heat a large frying pan with 1 tsp oil on a high heat. Season the pork loins with sea salt, then add to the pan. Cook for 3-4 mins on each side, until golden and cooked through. Add the remaining garlic and parsley to the pan for the last minute of cooking.
- Serve the smoky tomato beans topped with the pork. Serve the roasted caulishoots on the side; spoon any remaining garlic and parsley from the pan over the pork.
Created a Middle Eastern food masterpiece? Don’t forget to tag us in your social media posts! You can also stay up to date with our latest blog posts to discover new recipes each month. As well as recipes, we can inspire you with learning the latest tips and tricks from the experts in our post on 5 foods that can promote healthy skin.
Middle Eastern Squash, Harissa Quinoa & Tahini
Discover our gluten-free Middle Eastern food recipe of squash, harissa quinoa and tahini. The meal includes a golden roasted squash, served hasselback-style, drizzled with apricot harissa and tamari. We then garnish this Middle Eastern recipe with toasted almonds and fresh cut coriander. Full of vibrance and flavour with every mouthful.
- Cook time: 40 mins
- Allergens: Nuts, Sesame, Soya
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
- Key ingredient: Rich-in-minerals British quinoa
Nutritional Information
- Calories: 606
- Protein: 16g
- Carbs: 73g
- Fat: 29g
Share this Middle Eastern food with the whole family by doubling the portion size to feed a family of four. You can all enjoy the flavours within this recipe, which is perfect for the start of spring.
Why We Love This Middle Eastern Recipe Dish
Quinoa has a variety of health benefits, including being gluten-free! This aspect allows numerous people to eat this popular food without compromising on their health. You will also find that quinoa is nutritiously packed full of fibre, magnesium, vitamin B and iron to name but a few. It is for this reason we use quinoa in a range of our healthy gluten free recipes, including this Middle Eastern dish.
Ingredients
The ingredients you will need for this delicious Middle Eastern food recipe are:
- 20g flaked almonds (Nuts)
- 2 tbsp Belazu apricot harissa paste
- 2 tbsp Belazu aubergine mezze
- 400g butternut squash
- 1 handful of fresh coriander
- 3 garlic clove
- 1 lemon
- 1 yellow pepper
- 80g quinoa
- 1 tbsp tahini (Sesame)
- 1 tbsp tamari (Soya)
- 90g baby plum tomatoes
Cooking Instructions
To create healthy Middle East food you just need to follow a few simple steps. To produce this dish you need to start by:
- Preheat the oven to 240C / fan 220C / gas mark 8. Peel the squash, trim the ends, then halve lengthways and deseed. Cut thin, horizontal slices into the curved sides (be careful not to cut through to the bottom). Place the squash, curved-side up, on a lined baking tray and rub with 1 tsp oil, sea salt and black pepper. Bake for 30-35 mins, until cooked through.
- Boil a kettle. Rinse the quinoa, then place in a saucepan with 600ml lightly salted boiling water. Simmer for 13-15 mins, until cooked, then drain.
- Dice the pepper. Finely chop or crush the garlic. Roughly chop the coriander. Halve the tomatoes. Quarter the lemon. Mix together the harissa, tamari, juice from 1 lemon wedge and 1 tbsp water in a bowl.
- Place a large, dry frying pan on a medium heat. Add the almonds and toast for 2-3 mins, until golden. Remove and set aside. Add 2 tsp oil to the pan, turn the heat to high and add the pepper. Cook for 2-3 mins, then add the garlic, tomatoes and three-quarters of the coriander. Cook for another minute, then stir through half the harissa mix. Turn off the heat.
- Make the baba ganoush; mix the tahini and juice from 1 lemon wedge in a bowl with 1-2 tbsp water, until smooth. Stir in the aubergine mezze; season with sea salt and black pepper.
- Stir the quinoa and half the almonds through the vegetables in the frying pan. Serve with the squash halves, remaining harissa mixture and baba ganoush. Garnish with the remaining almonds, lemon wedges and coriander.
We love it when you share your experiences of creating our recipes of the month for yourself. If you try these Middle Eastern recipes at home, be sure to tag us in your social media posts! You can also stay up to date with our latest blog posts to find more recipes of the month. Our latest news and recipes including our European recipe of the month. Give it a go for yourself now.
More from Mindful Chef
Enjoying the taste of Middle Eastern food and craving your next healthy cuisine? We have over 1000 easy and healthy recipes for you to choose from. From favourite plant-based recipes, to healthy lamb recipes and healthy beef recipes. Whatever your preference, we are sure there is an option for everyone. Take a look around to discover your next signature dish today.
We also offer a healthy recipe box service that gets delivered straight to your door. Inside you will find fresh, responsibly sourced ingredients with an easy recipe card. All you have to do is choose your dishes, pick a delivery date, and we’ll do the rest. All that’s left to do is follow the steps of the recipe and start your healthy food journey with Mindful Chef!