Middle Eastern Archives - Strength and Sunshine

Healthy Air Fryer Falafel (Gluten-Free, Vegan, Allergy-Free)

March 30, 2020 by Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine 6 Comments

This easy and healthy Air Fryer Falafel recipe is gluten-free, vegan, grain-free, and allergy-free! No oil or frying needed for these light and crispy falafel. Quick to make using canned chickpeas and chickpea flour and perfect for filling a gluten-free pita, lunches, appetizers, or dinners! Freezing and baking instructions included!

When it takes you this long to make some gluten-free falafel, there’s a problem. The remedy for that is some quick air fryer falafel to make up for all that lost time! Light and fluffy on the inside, crispy on the outside, 100% chickpea-based and full of fresh parsley and cilantro! So many ways to serve them up and a recipe worthy of adding to your weekly meal prep rotation!Read More

Slow Cooker Fesenjan Chicken (Gluten-Free, Paleo)

December 27, 2017 by Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine 57 Comments

The traditional Iranian stew with chicken and the deep flavors of pomegranate molasses and walnuts, now made easy right in the crock-pot! Slow Cooker Fesenjan Chicken is a hearty gluten-free & paleo dinner recipe that will warm the belly and soul!

This delicious Iranian dish has been a longtime coming! A family friend had told me about Fesenjan about 3 or 4 years ago. She raved about the indulgent, rich, deep flavors of the pomegranate molasses and rich nutty walnuts, cooked down to flavor the chicken. Traditionally cooked in a stew pot for hours, letting the flavors infuse and develop. My mouth was watering just listening to her description of the dish and how much she and her family loved it.Read More

3-Ingredient Sesame Seed Crunch Candy (Gluten-Free)

December 20, 2017 by Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine 53 Comments

A popular candy recipe with many variations throughout Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Indian, and Asian cuisines. This 3-Ingredient Sesame Seed Crunch Candy is perfectly sweet, nutty, gluten-free, paleo, optionally vegan, and top-8 allergy-free! Just toasted sesame seeds, honey, and sugar! Easy to gift or munch!

I know there’s going to be a few of you out there who still need to pick-up some Christmas gifts and with just a few days left, you’re sweatin’, aren’t you? Have to fear! I have a super simple, last minute, edible gift idea that will be just perfect for you! You know I’d never leave you hanging and one can never have too many edible gift ideas to choose from! Since you may have already overdosed on cookies, Christmas candy is the next best thing and this sesame seed crunch candy is good ALL year-round!Read More

Grilled Chicken Shawarma with Yogurt Tahini Sauce & Marinated Veggies (Gluten-Free, Paleo)

June 26, 2017 by Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine 2 Comments

A gluten-free and paleo grilled chicken shawarma recipe served with a dairy-free yogurt tahini sauce and marinated veggies. This Arabic meal packs in so much flavor and is guaranteed to be a showstopper dinner!

I am so excited to share this recipe for grilled chicken shawarma with you! Not only is the name super fun(ny), but it is out of this world delicious and flavor-packed! Remember that birthday of mine a few weeks ago? I had big plans of making this meal on my birthday, but the weather did not cooperate and I knew I wouldn’t be able to shoot (photos for this very blog post). I ended up having salmon and yucca instead. The following day, however, the sun was shining and it was the perfect day to make this amazing gluten-free feast! If you’ve never had chicken shawarma before, you are about to be introduced to something so insanely delicious, you won’t know what hit your tastebuds 😉Read More

Middle Eastern Twice-Baked Baby Eggplants

February 15, 2017 by Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine 86 Comments

Flavorful Middle Eastern Twice-Baked Baby Eggplants make a delicious gluten-free, vegan, paleo, and allergy-free appetizer or side dish. An easy plant-based recipe that will wow the tastebuds with new exciting flavors!

Ah, those recipes where I get to be fancy with simple ingredients and flavors; I love them most! When we take the time to learn about other cuisines, we realize we had all the beautiful foods, spices, and herbs that we needed, just lacked the knowledge of how to make them work together. That’s where we tap into the beauty and wonder of cooking.Read More