Then he brought out a tray of dates and dried yogurt for them.  He apologized for not having killed a sheep to offer the group, saying if he had been given a little more notice, he gladly would have done so.

That anecdote demonstrates desert hospitality perfectly.  It also came to mind when I recently saw a movie titled “The Story of The Weeping Camel.” It was a movie made in Mongolia, in the Gobi Desert, about a family of Mongolian Bedouins who, like their counterparts in Saudi Arabia, lived in tents and offered fres milk to their guests, as well as dried yogurt.

Living in a desert without modern refrigeration, these people have learned how to store dairy products that are essential to their health.

For example, fresh milk is mixed with yogurt starter, and  when the yogurt is made, some of the liquid is removed, mixed with salt for preserving and made into small balls.  It is similar to cream cheese without the sugar.  That product is allowed to dry in the sun, covered with a thin cloth, until it becomes a hard consistency.  It can be stored for a year without refrigeration and is carried with the people as they move around the desert  to find grazing and watering areas for their animals.

When a mensef (rice cooked with clarified butter, raisins and nuts, stuffed inside a lamb, then roasted in its entirety) is served, the dried yogurt is mixed with water, making a sort of soup that is served with the mensef.

Another way of preserving dairy is Kishek which is soured yogurt mixed with bulgur wheat that becomes almost like dough.  It is made into small balls and allowed to dry in the sun.  Kishek is used in many different ways.  It can be reconstituted as a stew with meat and tomatoes or ground into flour and baked on top of bread, similar to a pizza topping.  It also can be used as a soup stock.

The genius of this method of storing dairy products is that it provides protein, fiber (from the bulgur wheat), minerals and vitamins.

In Tibet and Mongolia, yak or sheep milk is churned, which allows the resulting butter to float to the top and be collected in leather bag.  The remaining milk is boiled until the protein solidifies and then is collected and made into cheese.  The butter is used as candle fuel or as a gift to honored guests or to priests.

In Syria, milk is made into a cheese called shankleesh and stored in olive oil.  It can be kept for long periods of time.  It is a strong cheese, highly prized by Syrian in the coastal areas.

Shankleesh is made by boiling yogurt with lemon juice.  Just as it starts to boil, the protein becomes solid, at which time the mixture is taken off the stove and drained.  Then it is mixed with salt and pepper, made into 2-inch balls and, after it dries, put into a clay pot, completely sealed and allowed to age.  After two months, it is removed, the mold washed off (if you do not pass out from the smell); then it is rolled rolled in dried oregano and stored in olive oil.

When I was in school in Washington, D.C., my father came from Syria to visit my brother and me.  He brought shankleesh with him, and, at the customs gate, he had checked “yes” and “no” when asked if he was bringing food into the country.  A customs officer asked what he meant-either he had food, or he didn’t have food.  As my father was trying to answer with his broken English that he didn’t know whether shankleeh was food or not, he opened the jar.  The smell over powered the customs officer, who ordered him to close the jar and move out of the area.

I talked to my mother about menopause and she warned me that I will start to have solid evidence that gravity do exists.  She told me that I will have my own summer season and that I would start to look “womanly”. What does that mean, I asked her.  After couple of minutes of silence, she said: well, you will begin to look like me. That was when I became worried.

Then, after talking to my mother, I discussed menopause with some friends who were my age.  One said she intended to stand on her head periodically to overcome the pull of gravity.  Another said she was going to do some wight training to prevent her muscles from deteriorating.  Another friend announced, “sweetheart, it is Botox for me. “  When it came my turn, I had to give them a lecture- which according to my husband I am good at-.  I said that because I had always believed in the miracle of soy to fight menopause, I now intend to drink more soy milk and increase the doses of tofu that I’ve been eating. 

It’s now maintenance time, which is, time to do just enough exercise to maintain what I have and forget the idea that I’ll ever be a size 6. I do weight training three times a week to prevent muscle and bone loss; I eat more dark vegetables, dark fruit to ingest more anti-oxidants, snack on walnuts, consume good source of calcium to prevent osteoporosis.  I eat about 8 ounces of tofu a week and drink 6 cups of soy milk a week for good source of calcium to prevent osteoporosis and hopefully hot flashes.  Lastly, I drink more water and cook with olive oil to keep my skin healthy and glowing.

I’ve decided that I will no longer worry about how my body looks. I’ve decided to accept it as it is, that is, it resembles the portraits painted by the Renaissance painters, you know, the women with big hips.

Here are couple recipes that hopefully will improve your memory, you heart, your looks, and hopefully delay the onset of menopause.

Blueberry Parfait

serves 4

2        cups frozen, thawed and pureed

1 1/2cup grape juice

1        cup fresh blueberries

1        tablespoon unflavored gelatin

1 1/3 cup tofu cream, see recipe below

4        fresh mint leaves

4        parfait glasses

-Mix pureed blueberries with 1 cup of grage juice.

-Pour the remaining grape juice in a small sauce pan.  Sprinkle gelatin over and let it stand until gelatin soften.

-Stir gelatin mixture over low heat just until gelatin dissolves.

-Whisk warm gelatin mixture into pureed blueberries.

-Refrigerate overnight.

To assemble:

-Spoon 1/4 cup of blueberry gelatin into each of parfait glasses.

-Top with fresh blueberries.

-Spoon about 1/3 cup of tofu cream over berries.

-Top with more fresh berries.

-Garnish with mint and serve.

*Blueberries improve memory, grape juice help your heat, soy strengthen your bones and ease hot flashes.

Tofu Cream

Makes 2 cups

12        ounces lite firm tofu

2          tablespoon honey

4          tablespoons maple syrup

1          tablespoon orange liqueur

-In a food processor, puree tofu with the rest of the ingredients until smooth paste.  Chill.

In researching food history, one cannot find any reference to strawberries in Greek, Roman or Arabic literature. The first reference I could find was in the 14th century in France, in the accounting books of Duke Bourbon, which showed that he paid laborers to plant a plant, without naming it, that resembled wild strawberries. (which by the way, are the most delicious, better than the domestic strawberries). Wild strawberries are still sold in European markets and are a great delicacy in restaurants there.

Fraiseis the name given to strawberries by the French, taking the name from a young Frenchman named Friezier, who is said to have brought the plant from the country of Chile to France.

In the 18th century , women would mash the berries, strain them, and apply it to their faces as a mask, which, they believed , erased wrinkles and added a glow to their face. They also rubbed it on their teeth because it turned their teeth white. There was a belief that strawberries gave one longevity, that it alleviated the symptoms of gout, that it was good for the liver, and relieved the pain of kidney stones.

Nutritionally, one cup of strawberries has more vitamin C than one orange. It is high is fiber, potassium, and has a fair amount of iron.

If you are buying strawberries in the store, avoid boxes that are leaking or that show any signs of mold. Open the box and smell it, and even though you can’t see all the strawberries in the middle of the box, you will be able to smell the mold.  It is better to refrigerate the berries and try to use them within two or three days of purchasing. Wash only the berries you intend to eat, as washing speeds the deterioration and spoilage.

Strawberries Mousse

serves 8

1/2       pound ripe strawberries

1/2      cup sugar

2          tablespoons gelatin

1  3/4 cups whipping cream

4         tablespoons Cointreau or any orange liqueur, optional

3         tablespoons grated coconut

-Get a pudding mold with 4 cups capacity.  Spray with vegetable oil spray.

-Soak the gelatin in 1/2 cup of cold water.

-Remove the stalks from the strawberries, wash them in cold water, and then lay them to air dry.  Place the dry strawberries with the sugar in a blender or food processor.  Puree until smooth paste.  Pour puree into a large chilled bowl.

-Whip the cream until it is stiff and gently fold it into the strawberry puree.

-Heat the Cointreau in a small saucepan until the liqueur begins to simmer.  Remove from the heat and stir in the gelatin until it has dissolved.

-Add the grated coconut to the strawberry mixture then slowly pour in the Cointreau and gelatin in small amounts.

-Mix constantly and then pour in the mold and bang it gently to eliminate any air bubbles, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

-Turn the mousse out on a shallow serving platter. Garnish with mint leaves.

Here are some tips that will help you adapt any recipe to suit your vegan life style:

• Replace meat in a recipe with chopped mushrooms or frozen soy crumbles for recipes.
• If the recipe calls for beef or chicken stock , use vegetable stock instead.
• When the recipe calls for milk or cream, use instead coconut milk or almond milk for dessert.  Use rice milk or soy milk for non-dessert recipes.
• When the recipe calls for eggs, use egg substitue, such as egg replacer or use pureed tofu.
• If you use pureed tofu in a cake, use a couple of tablespoons of orange marmalade to add moisture and flavor.
• When the recipe calls for cheese, use pureed tofu or arborio rice.

Don’t be afraid to use these tips to experiment and learn the art of adapting recipes from non-vegan cookbooks.

Until you’re ready, here are three “ready to suit” tasty vegan recipes.

Vegan Cesar Salad

serve 6

1       head romaine lettuce, chopped

1       cup chopped scallions

12     ounce lite tofu

1/4  cup lemon juice

3      cloves garlic, mashed

2      tablespoons olive oil

1      cup croutons

salt and pepper to taste

- In a large salad bowl, toss chopped lettuce with the chopped scallions.

- To make the dressing: In a food processor, puree tofu until smooth.  Add lemon juice, garlic and olive oil.  Puree for a minute more in the food processor.

- Add the salad dressing to the vegetables and toss well. Add the croutons and enjoy.

Vegan Macaroni and Cheese

serve 6

10     ounces lite tofu, firm, pureed

1/2   cup arborio rice

1        large carrot, cut into three pieces

1       small onion, chopped

4      cups water

3     cloves garlic, diced

1/4  cup dry bread crumbs

1      cup soy milk

6     cups short pasta

1     tablespoon olive oil

1     cube vegetable bouillon

1     tablespoon paprika

salt to taste

-In a heavy saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Drop the rice, the carrot and the onion.  Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the rice is mushy and the water is almost evaporated.  Remove from the heat.

-Saute the diced garlic in olive oil for seconds.  Add soy milk and the vegetable bouillon.  Cook over low heat until milk is boiling adn the bouillon is dissolved.

-Place the rice with the carrot and the onion in a food processor, Puree for few seconds.  Add the soy milk mixture, the tofu, paprika and the salt.  Puree until smooth paste.

-In a heavy pot, bring salted water to boil.  Drop in the pasta and cook until al dente.  Drain.

-Mix the cooked pasta with the tofu paste and spoon into a greased 13 X 8-inches baking pan.  Sprinkle the bread crumbs on top and bake in a 375 degree oven for 50 minutes or until bread crumbs are golden.  Remove from the oven and serve hot. 

Vegan Bread Pudding

serves 6-8

1 1/2 cup sugar

12      ounces lite tofu, pureed

4        cups coconut milk

2        tablespoons orange marmalade

2        tablespoons coconut flaks

1/2   cup raisins

4       cups of French or Italian bread cubes

-In a large bowl, whisk  together the coconut milk, the coconut flakes, the orange marmalade and 1/2 cup sugar.  Add the pureed tofu and the raisins.  Add the bread, mix, cover and refrigerate for one hour.

-In a small heavy sauce pan, mix the rest of the sugar and 1/4 cup water.  Cook over high heat until sugar turn into a nice amber color.  Pour and spread the caramelized sugar into an 8X11- inch baking pan.

-Pour the bread tofu mixture into the baking pan.

-Place the baking dish in a 9X14 -inch baking pan.

-Pour hot water in the large pan until it covers half of the smaller pan.

-Bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour.  Remove from the oven, and then remove the smaller baking pan from the water bath.  Serve the bread pudding hot or cold.

Food historians believe that the common ancestor of all of today’s citurs fruit began in India, or possibly in the Tigris or Euphrates vally, in present day Iraq.  From there it spread throughout the Middle East, and the Crusaders took small citrus trees back with them to Europe. Spaniards took citrus to the New World.

In ancient times, when European countries sent out ships for exploration and conquest, it was discovered that at least two-thirds of the crews died on their prolonged trips.  The ships’s captains at first could not learn why so many of their ships”crews came down with a disease called scurvy, a disease that struck only when the ship’s supplies of fresh citrus ran out. Finally, someone put two and two together and discovered that it was citrus fruit that was preventing the scurvy.  The order went out with Spanish ships to take citrus seeds with them and plant them in any country the crew explored, giving them the needed citrus for the return voyage. Even though they did not understand that it was the Vitamin C contained in citrus fruit that prevented scurvy, they understood that the citrus somehow prevented the disease from striking.

Around the Mediterreanan the art of using every part of citrus has been developed.  Lemon and orange blossoms are made into orange blossom water, used in most Middle Eastern desserts. The skin in either candied adn eaten that way, or it is dried and kept in the linen closets to keep everything smelling fresh.  After citrus juice is squeezed, the unused peel is used to remove the tarnish from copper utensils.  As in America, fish mongers and coks use lemon juice to clean their hands and arms after cleaning fish.

Milk and Orange Pudding

serves 4

Milk pudding:

4       tablespoons cornstarch

1/2   cup water

4       cup milk

1/2  cup sugar

1       tablespoons orange blossom water*

Orange pudding:

2      tablespoons cornstarch

2      cup orange juice

1/2  cup sugar

1/4  cup water

1      tablespoons orange blossom water*

Garnish, optional:

1      cup unsalted chopped pistachio nuts

-For the milk pudding, dissolve the cornstarch in the water.  Heat the milk in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.-Add the sugar and the dissolved cornstarch.  Mix well. Continue to simmer, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Be careful not to scrape the bottom of the pan.  The milk might burn slightly at the bottom and if it is scraped it will give a burned taste to the whole pudding. When you feel slight resistance while stirring, and the mixture coats the back of the spoon, it has thickened sufficiently.  Add orange blossom water, stir and cook for extra minute.  Remove from the heat, allow to cool slightly, then pour the pudding into ice cream or soda dishes.  Leave at least 1-inch space at the top to make room for the orange topping.  Let it cool while you are making the orange pudding.

-For the orange pudding: follow the same steps as milk pudding, replacing the milk with orange juice.  After you remove the orange pudding from the heat, allow it to cool slightly.  Pour approximately a 1/2-inch layer of the orange topping slowly on top the milk pudding.

-Chill for four hours or overnight.

-Sprinkle with the pistachio nuts just before serving.

*You can find orange blossom water at any Gourmet stores or Middle Eastern stores.

To cook gluten free, first get familiar with all different kind of flours that are available on the market.  There are many varieties that are sold in almost every grocery or health stores.  Second, get your original recipe and try to replace the flour in the original recipe with a combination of of gluten free flours. Example if the recipe call for 2 cups of flour, try to use 1 cup white sorghum flour and 1 cup coconut flour.  You should find your own favorite gluten free combination.  I am not crazy about fava bean flour or garbanzo bean flour.  I find them very heavy and the flavor  very strong. But that is my personal taste. Third, for grain, if the recipe call for bulgur wheat I replace it with quinoa grain of kasha. Best advise is not to be afraid to experiment and try and try again. 

Her is several recipes to help you start.

Tabouli Salad

serves 4

2     bunches parsley, finely chopped

2     medium tomatoes, finely diced

1      small sweet onion, finely chopped

1/2   cup quinoa grain

1/4   cup olive oil

1/2   cup lemon juice

salt to taste

-Bring a half cup of water to a boil, drop in the quinoa, stir and cook for 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat and allow the quinoa to cool.

-Squeeze excess water from the quinoa, then add the vegetables and toss genlty.

-Add olive oil, lemon juice and salt.  Toss until well coated and serve.

Kasha with Tomato and Garbanzo Bean Pilaf

serves 6

6     Tablespoons olive oil

1     medium onion, finely chopped

1     16-ounce can diced tomatoes

1     cup cooked garbazno beans

1     cup Kasha*

salt and pepper to taste

-In a heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil and saute the chopped onions for couple of minutes.

-Add the diced tomatoes, the garbanzo beans, 1/2 cup of water and the seasoning.  Bring to a boil.

-Add the kasha and bring back to a boil.  Cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes.

-Remove from the heat and allow the pilaf to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

*Kasha is a toasted buckwheat.

Cinnamon Biscotti

make about 30  biscotti

2  1/2 cups sweet white sorghum flour

3       teaspoons ground cinnamon

1       teaspoon baking powder

1/4  teaspoon salt

1      cup sugar

6      tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

3     large eggs

1/2  cup orange marmalade

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

-Preheat the oven to 325 F.degree.

-Mix flour, two tablespoons cinnamon, baking powder and salt.

-With an electric mixter, beat all the sugar, except for two tablespoons, and the butter until fluffy.

-Add two eggs and beat well.  Mix in vanilla extract and orange marmalade.

-Add the flour-cinnamon mixture and mix well.  Divide the dough in half.

-Shape each half into a 9-inch long log.

-Transfer logs to a parchment lined cookie sheet.

-Beat remaining egg in a small bowl, brush logs with the egg wash.

-Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes.

-Remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes.  Maintain oven temperature.

-Mix the rest of the sugar with the rest of the cinnamon.

-Using a serrated knife, cut the log at 35 degree angle into half inch thick slices.

-Place biscotti, cut side down, on a baking sheet.

-Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture over each biscotti.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven and cool on a rack.  Serve.

Whatever the reason, the seriousness of the disease requires a serious attack on its causes, and how we can avoid its effects.  I am hopeful that the medical research community will soon be able to find a cure,or, at least, some kind of  relief of the symptoms caused by ingesting gluten.  In the meantime, it is necessary for us to be able to live with it by avoiding the symptoms caused by gluten sensitivity.

As most gluten sensitive people know, gluten is a component of grains such as wheat, barley, rye, oats and their products.  These foods are easy to avoid as they are straightforward.  But what  is tricky for gluten sensitive people are the hidden grains in foods that we least suspect.  It is critical that those who gluten sensitive be always vigilant by carefully reading labels on the food packages they purchase.  One cannot relax, thinking that a product they have purchased in the past is safe and gluten free.  The reason for that is that food manufacturers have no qualms about changing the ingredients in their products.  They will, unthinkingly, add a substance containing gluten that is dangerous for those with celiac disease.  For example,  manufacturers will add a stabilizer or a new flavoring or a food coloring that contains gluten. I don’t accuse them of doing so deliberately, but they do it without thinking about the millions of Americans who cannot tolerate gluten in their food.

Gluten sensitive people find it necessary to educate themselves about terminology used by manufacturers on their labels.  Even some toothpastes contain gluten, as well as seemingly innocent products as some children’s play dough.

Some labels do not spell out the fact that the ingredients contain gluten, but if you get to know the terminology used by manufacturers, you can avoid damage to your system.  Her are some ingredients that may contain gluten, without warning:

Starch,  Hydrolyzed wheat gluten, Semolina, Anti-caking ingredients, Modified food starch, Emulsifiers, Flavoring, Mono-sodium glutamate, Modified food starch, Some soy sauce, depending on how it is made, Malt vinegar, Some beers and Bottled salad dressing.

In next week’s  blog, I will show steps that gluten sensitive person should takes and what to replace wheat or barley with in his or her  bread, salads, main dishes and desserts. Now here is a recipe for gluten free date bars.

IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR  REQUEST FOR A RECIPE FROM SANAA JUST WRITE ME A COMMENT.

Gluten Free Date Bars

make 12 bars

1/2       cup un-salted butter

1            cup white sorghum flour

1/2       cup hazelnut flour

2            tablespoons white sugar

1/2       teaspoon ground cardamom

1           cup brown sugar

1           cup walnuts, chopped

8           ounces chopped dates

3          eggs

1          tablespoon white sorghum flour

1/2     teaspoon baking soda

1         tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2    teaspoon salt

To make the crust:

-Mix white sorghum flour with the hazelnut flour, white sugar and cardamom.  Add the butter and blend until you have coarse dough.

-Press the dough firmly into the bottom of a 9-inch square cake pan.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes.

To make the bars:

-Mix the brown sugar with the chopped walnuts, the chopped dates, 1 tablespoon of white sorghum flour, the baking soda and the salt.

-Whisk the eggs and vanilla extract, and then add to the date mixture.  Mix until well blended.

-Pour the date batter over the baked crust.  Tap the baking pan gently.  Bake in a 375 degree oven for 35 minutes.

-Remove from the oven, place on a rack and allow it to cool for a couple of hours.

-Refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Cut into 2-inch squares.