My first words in Turkish: nar suyu, “pomegranate juice.” You couldn’t walk a block without a sign on the corner for fresh pomegranate and orange juice, and in the less touristy parts of town, a glass squeezed in front of you would cost just 2 lira (a little over $1).
My favorite meat is lamb. My favorite vegetable is eggplant; favorite fruit, pomegranate. Form of carbohydrate? Fresh flatbreads. My favorite food group is dairy; favorite form of dairy: yogurts and fresh cheeses.
Favorite way to eat seafood, as simply prepared as possible. And favorite mode of eating? Lots and lots of little bites of things.
All this, to say: I was destined to love eating in Turkey, where I got my fill of all of the above, and often in small, snackable portions. Here are my 16 favorite foods in Istanbul.

Ingredients
Save Recipe
1/2 pound dried chickpeas (1 generous cup; 225g)
2 ounces picked fresh cilantro, parsley, or mint leaves, or preferably a mixture of all three (about 2 cups; 55g)
6 scallions, white and pale green parts only, sliced (about 2 ounces; 55g)
2 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons; 10ml)
1 teaspoon (about 4g) ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon (about 2g) ground coriander seed
2 teaspoons (about 10g) kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
2 to 3 cups (480 to 720ml) vegetable oil, for frying
Tahini sauce, hummus, and/or zhug (Yemenite hot sauce) for serving

Using dried chickpeas eliminates the need for flour or other binders, giving you falafel that is light and crisp.
Letting the falafel dough rest after grinding allows starch to seep out, making it easier for the balls to retain their shape.
Making small balls gives you a better ratio of crisp exterior to moist interior.
Falafel often has good flavor, but a pasty, heavy texture. What I’m after is falafel that’s shatteringly crisp on the outside and light, fluffy, almost crumbly on the inside, while still remaining very moist. Light enough that the balls can be eaten completely on their own without having to be shoved into a sandwich full of ingredients designed to distract you from their typical mushiness. (Of course, if you want them in a sandwich, they should hold up in there just as well.) I like my falafel to taste of chickpeas, but also to be packed with herb and spice flavor. Falafel that needs only simple condiments—tahini and hot sauce—to taste great.

Rinse chickpeas and place in a large bowl. Cover with cold water, adding enough to allow the chickpeas to at least triple in volume. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight. The next day, drain, rinse, and carefully dry chickpeas in a salad spinner.

Combine chickpeas, herbs, scallions, garlic, cumin, coriander, and salt in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until chickpeas are very finely minced, stopping the food processor to scrape down the sides as necessary. A handful of the mixture squeezed into a ball should be able to barely hold together. If not, process a little more.
Transfer mixture to a bowl, cover, and place in refrigerator for 15 minutes to allow time for more starch to seep out of chickpeas. This will help the balls retain their shape better once formed. Using a tablespoon measure, scoop out heaping spoonfuls of the mixture into your hand. Gently shape each into a ball (you will not be able to roll the mixture like cookie dough; this is okay) and place them on a clean plate.

When all the balls have been formed, fill a deep cast iron, carbon steel, or nonstick skillet or Dutch oven with 3/4 inch of oil. Heat over high heat until oil registers 375°F on an instant-read thermometer. Serve immediately with tahini and/or hummus on the side, or stuffed into pita bread with tahini, tomatoes, cucumber, pickles, and shredded cabbage. Carefully lower chickpea balls into oil one at a time, allowing a little space between each ball and cooking in batches if necessary. Adjust heat as necessary to maintain a temperature of between 350 and 375°F. Allow to cook undisturbed until well browned on bottom sides, then carefully flip balls with a fork until browned on second side, about 4 minutes total. Transfer cooked chickpea balls to a paper towel–lined plate and season with salt. Repeat with remaining chickpea balls.

Serve immediately with tahini and/or hummus on the side, or stuffed into pita bread with tahini, tomatoes, cucumber, pickles, and shredded cabbage.

Special equipment
Salad spinner, food processor, instant-read thermometer

Preheat oven to 400 F (204 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (use additional baking sheets if making a larger batch).
Cut potatoes into bite-size pieces (leave skin on) and place on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle avocado oil over the potatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss everything with clean hands to evenly coat the potatoes.
Place potatoes in the preheated oven and roast for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
While the potatoes roast, make the garlic dill sauce. Add hummus, lemon juice, dill, and garlic to a large mixing bowl (big enough to mix your potatoes in later). Whisk to combine. Then add only enough water to thin so it’s pourable but still somewhat thick.
Taste and adjust flavor, adding more garlic for zing, lemon juice for acidity, and dill for more intense herb flavor. Depending on the hummus you use, you may want to add a pinch of salt for balance.

Pouring water into a bowl of hummus, garlic, lemon juice, and dill
Next we add just enough water to turn the mixture into a pourable sauce that’s perfect for coating the potatoes, but not so runny that it dilutes the flavors or makes the salad soggy.

Bowl of garlic dill sauce
While waiting for the potatoes to cook, there’s enough time to clean up your kitchen, and even learn about the origins of hummus (a.k.a. one of our favorite ingredients ever)!

Wooden spoon on a baking sheet of roasted gold and sweet potatoes
Once the potatoes are golden brown, tender, and slightly cooled, it’s time to coat them in the zesty garlic dill sauce and enjoy!

Close up shot of a bowl of roasted potato salad with dill
We hope you LOVE this roasted potato salad! It’s:

Fresh
Zingy
Comforting
Savory
Bright
Herby
& Satisfying!

Slicing a green cabbage into wedges
Next, coat the outside of the cabbage wedges with avocado oil and season with your favorite spices, salt, and pepper. We used our DIY shawarma spice blend for smoky, spicy flavor. Learn about its origins and find our recipe here.

Rubbing shawarma spice mix onto cabbage wedges
Roasting at 425 F (218 C) makes the wedges tender with crispy edges. The crispy bits are our favorite part!

Drizzling avocado oil over sliced gold and sweet potatoes
While the potatoes are roasting, we make the sauce. Hummus is the creamy, fiber-rich base, lemon juice adds acidity, garlic gives it zing, and fresh or dried dill pairs perfectly with both the lemon in the sauce and with the potatoes.

Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with the lesser amount of lemon juice and without optional ingredients.

Have a head of cabbage dying in your fridge? Us too. But we have an idea! Slice it and roast it in wedges for an elegant side. Cabbage gets sliced into wedges, rubbed with a generous amount of our go-to shawarma spice blend, then roasted to perfection. Who knew cabbage could be such a show stopper?! Just 4 ingredients and 1 pan required. Let us show you how it’s done.

Olive oil, green cabbage, salt, pepper, and shawarma spice mix
How to Make Roasted Cabbage Wedges
It starts with cutting the cabbage. To cut it into wedges, first cut the cabbage vertically through the core. Then place the flat surface of the halved cabbage on the cutting board. Cut it into wedges that are two inches wide along the outer layer, making sure that each wedge retains a bit of the core to hold it together (see photo below).

This recipe came to be rather by accident when we were hosting friends one night and needed a quick side. We always have potatoes on hand, as well as the ingredients for our go-to Garlic Dill Sauce.

We roasted the potatoes for crispy edges and tender center, then tossed in the zingy garlic dill sauce. Needless to say, this roasted potato salad was a crowd favorite and the rest is history. The best part? Just 7 simple pantry staples required for this delicious side or snack. Let us show you how it’s done!

Potatoes, salt, pepper, avocado oil, garlic, hummus, dill, lemon, and water
How to Make Roasted Potato Salad
Most potato salads are made by boiling potatoes. But not this one! Roasting the potatoes gives them a gorgeous, caramelized flavor and tender texture.

It all starts with slicing the potatoes and coating them with avocado oil, salt, and pepper for flavor.

It can be enjoyed slightly warm, at room temperature, or chilled for later. It’s perfect for BBQs, picnics, or alongside your favorite Mediterranean- and Middle Eastern-inspired recipes. It would pair especially well with our Lemon Baked Salmon with Garlic Dill Sauce (20 Minutes!), Garlic & Herb Sweet Potato Nourish Bowl, Kale Falafel Hummus Wraps (30 Minutes!), or Baked Quinoa Black Bean Falafel.

More Vegan Potato Salad Recipes
Simple Vegan Potato Salad
Simple French-Style Potato Salad
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

Fork in a bowl of roasted potato salad sprinkled with fresh dill
Easy Roasted Potato Salad with Garlic Dill Dressing
A delicious spin on classic potato salad with roasted gold and sweet potatoes tossed in a zingy, garlicky, herby dressing. Perfect for BBQs, picnics, and year-round! Just 7 ingredients required.
Fork spearing a potato in a bowl of our roasted potato salad recipe

PREP TIME
15 minutes
COOK TIME
40 minutes
TOTAL TIME
55 minutes
Servings
5
(Servings)
CourseSide
CuisineGluten-Free, Vegan
Freezer FriendlyNo
Does it keep?3 Days
Ingredients
US Customary – Metric
ROASTED POTATOES
2 ½ lbs potatoes (we like half Yukon gold and half sweet potatoes)
2 Tbsp avocado oil
1/2 tsp each sea salt and black pepper
GARLIC DILL SAUCE
1/3 cup hummus (or store-bought)
1-2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp dried dill (or 1 Tbsp fresh minced dill / amount as recipe is written — adjust as needed)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
3 Tbsp water (as needed to thin)
1 pinch sea salt (optional)

Remove the potatoes from the oven and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Once cooled slightly, add roasted potatoes to the garlic dill sauce and gently toss to combine. Option to garnish with fresh dill (or other herbs of choice). Enjoy right away while still slightly warm, at room temperature, or after chilling for later!
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Not freezer friendly.

Parchment-lined baking sheet of roasted cabbage wedges
They’re delicious straight from the oven, but pairing with our Indian-inspired green chutney elevates these roasted cabbage wedges to the next level.

Fork with a bite of a shawarma roasted cabbage wedge on the end
We hope you LOVE these roasted cabbage wedges! They’re:

Hearty
Flavorful
Smoky
Savory
Versatile
Quick & easy
& SO delicious!

They’re great as a side, or make a bowl with quinoa or millet, chickpeas, and extra green chutney! We think they’d also pair well with our Curried Quinoa Chickpea Burgers, Chickpea Shawarma Sandwich, or Masala Chickpea Stuffed Sweet Potatoes.

More Delicious Cabbage Recipes
Perfect Roasted Cabbage (Quick & Easy!)
Crunchy Cabbage Slaw with Sesame Ginger Dressing
Quick Citrusy Cabbage Slaw (Mayo-Free)
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

Close up shot of a fork holding a bite of a shawarma roasted cabbage wedge
Shawarma Roasted Cabbage Wedges with Green Chutney
Crispy roasted cabbage wedges topped with vibrant green chutney. An easy, elegant, versatile, plant-based side. Just 1 pan and 4 ingredients required!
AuthorMinimalist Baker
PRINT
Fork above a plate of roasted cabbage wedges
5 from 3 votes
PREP TIME
10 minutes
COOK TIME
30 minutes
TOTAL TIME
40 minutes
Servings
4
(Servings)
CourseSide
CuisineGluten-Free, Indian-Inspired, Middle Eastern-Inspired, Vegan
Freezer FriendlyNo
Does it keep?2-3 Days
Ingredients
US Customary – Metric
CABBAGE
1 medium head green cabbage (or sub red cabbage)
2-3 Tbsp avocado oil
2 Tbsp shawarma spice blend
1/2 tsp each sea salt and black pepper
FOR SERVING optional
1 batch Easy Green Chutney
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 F (218 C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Remove any wilted outer leaves from the cabbage, rinse the outside, and pat dry. Cut cabbage in half through the stem, then in half again until you have four quarters. Then cut into wedges that are ~2 inches thick at the thickest part. Keep the core intact, if possible, so that the leaves of each wedge stay together.
Place cabbage wedges on the parchment-lined baking sheet, drizzle with avocado oil, and rub to coat evenly. Sprinkle the shawarma seasoning, salt, and pepper on each side of the cabbage and rub to coat sides evenly.
Bake for 25-40 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and crispy and the center is tender when pierced with a fork (flipping halfway through). Continue cooking a bit longer for extra tender cabbage (just be careful not to burn).
While the cabbage is baking, prepare the green chutney (optional). Once the cabbage is done baking, serve with the green chutney or other sauce of choice.
Best when fresh. Leftovers will keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Not freezer friendly.
Video

Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with the lesser amount of avocado oil and without optional ingredients.

This veggie-packed lo mein is a filling, super fast, super easy noodle stir fry. It uses staple vegetables like cabbage and carrots, with bell peppers for a pop of color. Use what you have on hand — lo mein is a great mix and match meal.
Noodle stir-fries like this Vegetable Lo Mein are some of my favorite weekday dinners. Much like my Chicken Lo Mein recipe, this recipe is super fast, very tasty, and honestly better than a lot of takeout options.

The real concern I had with the recipe is whether my kids would eat it. They will normally eat noodle dishes like this if they have meat in it, but a full-on veggie mix might be a struggle for them. Generally, they have vegetables on the side, but all mixed together like this isn’t something they have on their plate very much.

So, let’s dig in and make some lo mein, and maybe, just maybe, feed the kiddos also!

I like to cook the veggies in a foil packet because you can assemble it in advance and just toss them on a hot grill when you’re ready. You can even make individual foil vegetable packets—spicy for the adults and mild for the kids!

Together with the grilled steak, this meal is so easy and you can feed your family or a few friends without too much work. This also transports beautifully and is great for camping trips.

With that in mind, you can definitely assemble everything up to a day in advance with no worries. Toss the packet and the steak on a hot grill and you will be in really good shape!

To assemble the foil packet two days in advance, follow these steps:

Make the spice mix (you can do this weeks in advance).
Slice peppers and onions, season and wrap them in the foil packet.
Season the steak, cover it, and keep it in the fridge.
Grill when ready!

This super quick dough recipe is made with simple, basic ingredients—though a couple may surprise you!

Flour
This pizza dough works well with a variety of flours. Here are your options (use the same amount regardless):

Whole wheat flour yields dough with just a hint of nutty wheat flavor. I don’t find it distracting.
White whole wheat flour, which is made with white wheat berries instead of red, yields 100 percent whole wheat dough with an almost undetectable amount of wheat flavor.
All-purpose flour works well if that’s what you have on hand.
Do not use whole wheat pastry flour; it doesn’t contain enough gluten to cooperate with yeast.
Here’s how to measure flour into cups using the “spoon and swoop” method:

Gently stir your flour with a large spoon to loosen it up.
Spoon the flour into your measuring cup (don’t scoop it in!).
Level off the excess with a butter knife.

How are you doing? I find myself oscillating between hope and frustration. I look at the news, and promptly crave a distraction. I’ve always hoped that this website serves as a helpful resource. If it provides a ray of sunshine or a healthy escape, even better.

Today, I offer you my go-to recipe for granola bars. These bars are delicious and easy to make with basic pantry ingredients. They can pass as a quick breakfast, and they make a perfect snack.
These granola bars have spared me from some hangry moments lately. They’re satisfying, just sweet enough, and stick with me for a few hours. Granola bars to the rescue!

I’ve finally found some ingredients to work with, so I’ll be back with more recipes soon. Please let me know what you’re looking for, and I’ll try to come up with something good.
Granola Bar Ingredients
Oats
Old-fashioned oats or quick-cooking oats will work here (steel-cut oats will not). Old-fashioned oats lend a more chewy, “rustic” texture. Quick-cooking oats disappear more into the bars. If desired, you can briefly blitz old-fashioned oats in the food processor to achieve the texture of quick-cooking oats.

This mushroom risotto has been a staple of our weekly menu, so hearty, full of flavour and super simple too, plus it’s great for supper with friends and family as everyone loves risotto.

ingredients
1 onion, peeled and finely diced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely diced
3 sticks of celery, finely diced into small pieces
400g risotto rice
500g mixed mushrooms
15g dried porcini mushrooms
1 mushroom stock cube
1 bag of fresh spinach
juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast
olive oil
salt and pepper
method
place a large pan over a medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. once warm, add the onion, garlic, celery and lots of salt and pepper. let them sauté, until soft, for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
boil the kettle and pour 1 litre of boiling water into a measuring jug with the stock cube and the dried mushrooms (you want the mushrooms to soak for about 20 minutes, so just hold them back with a wooden spoon as you start to add the stock mix and add those towards the end).

Stir the rice through the garlic, onion and celery for a minute or so, letting it soak up the flavours then add a little stock, stirring it through.
keep stirring the rice as it cooks, adding more stock gradually.
finely slice half the mushrooms, add them to a large frying pan with salt and olive oil and sauté over a medium heat. 10 minutes or so before the rice is cooked, add the mushrooms.
then cut the other half of the mushrooms into big chunks (i normally half or quarter them) and sauté in a frying pan with salt and olive oil over a medium heat.
stir the lemon juice, spinach, soaked dried mushrooms (if not added already) and nutritional yeast into the risotto once it’s cooked, adding more salt and pepper if needed, then top each bowl with the mushrooms from the frying pan.
this mushroom risotto has been a staple of our weekly menu, so hearty, full of flavour and super simple too, plus it’s great for supper with friends and family as everyone loves risotto.

How about pizza tonight? Homemade pizza nights should be fun and easy, and that’s where this pizza dough recipe comes into play. It’s ready in 15 minutes, start to finish. That’s a lot faster than delivery!

This quick pizza dough yields a crust of medium thickness that’s crisp across the bottom and a little chewy in the middle. It has a lovely, yeasty flavor with just a hint of whole wheat. I love this dough so much that I shared it in my cookbook, Love Real Food.
This dough doesn’t have the elusive, stretchy, chewy, sourdough texture that I crave in authentic brick oven pizza. This homemade dough is fantastic, though. A few reasons to love this recipe:

It’s made from scratch with basic, wholesome ingredients.
You can make it in your food processor (or by hand).
This dough requires zero proofing time. You can make your pizzas right away.
The dough requires minimal effort—just a couple of kneads and a few rolls with a rolling pin.
Let’s make some pizzas!

This super quick dough recipe is made with simple, basic ingredients—though a couple may surprise you!

Flour
This pizza dough works well with a variety of flours. Here are your options (use the same amount regardless):

Whole wheat flour yields dough with just a hint of nutty wheat flavor. I don’t find it distracting.
White whole wheat flour, which is made with white wheat berries instead of red, yields 100 percent whole wheat dough with an almost undetectable amount of wheat flavor.
All-purpose flour works well if that’s what you have on hand.
Do not use whole wheat pastry flour; it doesn’t contain enough gluten to cooperate with yeast.
Here’s how to measure flour into cups using the “spoon and swoop” method:

Gently stir your flour with a large spoon to loosen it up.
Spoon the flour into your measuring cup (don’t scoop it in!).
Level off the excess with a butter knife.

This veggie-packed lo mein is a filling, super fast, super easy noodle stir fry. It uses staple vegetables like cabbage and carrots, with bell peppers for a pop of color. Use what you have on hand — lo mein is a great mix and match meal.
Noodle stir-fries like this Vegetable Lo Mein are some of my favorite weekday dinners. Much like my Chicken Lo Mein recipe, this recipe is super fast, very tasty, and honestly better than a lot of takeout options.

The real concern I had with the recipe is whether my kids would eat it. They will normally eat noodle dishes like this if they have meat in it, but a full-on veggie mix might be a struggle for them. Generally, they have vegetables on the side, but all mixed together like this isn’t something they have on their plate very much.

So, let’s dig in and make some lo mein, and maybe, just maybe, feed the kiddos also!

I like to cook the veggies in a foil packet because you can assemble it in advance and just toss them on a hot grill when you’re ready. You can even make individual foil vegetable packets—spicy for the adults and mild for the kids!

Together with the grilled steak, this meal is SO easy and you can feed your family or a few friends without too much work. This also transports beautifully and is great for camping trips.

With that in mind, you can definitely assemble everything up to a day in advance with no worries. Toss the packet and the steak on a hot grill and you will be in really good shape!

To assemble the foil packet two days in advance, follow these steps:

Make the spice mix (you can do this weeks in advance).
Slice peppers and onions, season and wrap them in the foil packet.
Season the steak, cover it, and keep it in the fridge.
Grill when ready!

Whole Wheat Pizza
491 CommentsJUMP TO RECIPE
whole wheat pizza dough recipe
How about pizza tonight? Homemade pizza nights should be fun and easy, and that’s where this pizza dough recipe comes into play. It’s ready in 15 minutes, start to finish. That’s a lot faster than delivery!

This quick pizza dough yields a crust of medium thickness that’s crisp across the bottom and a little chewy in the middle. It has a lovely, yeasty flavor with just a hint of whole wheat. I love this dough so much that I shared it in my cookbook, Love Real Food.

Honey Mustard Dressing Recipe
×
proofing yeast for pizza dough
This dough doesn’t have the elusive, stretchy, chewy, sourdough texture that I crave in authentic brick oven pizza. This homemade dough is fantastic, though. A few reasons to love this recipe:

It’s made from scratch with basic, wholesome ingredients.
You can make it in your food processor (or by hand).
This dough requires zero proofing time. You can make your pizzas right away.
The dough requires minimal effort—just a couple of kneads and a few rolls with a rolling pin.
Let’s make some pizzas!

This super quick dough recipe is made with simple, basic ingredients—though a couple may surprise you!

Flour
This pizza dough works well with a variety of flours. Here are your options (use the same amount regardless):

Whole wheat flour yields dough with just a hint of nutty wheat flavor. I don’t find it distracting.
White whole wheat flour, which is made with white wheat berries instead of red, yields 100 percent whole wheat dough with an almost undetectable amount of wheat flavor.
All-purpose flour works well if that’s what you have on hand.
Do not use whole wheat pastry flour; it doesn’t contain enough gluten to cooperate with yeast.
Here’s how to measure flour into cups using the “spoon and swoop” method:

Gently stir your flour with a large spoon to loosen it up.
Spoon the flour into your measuring cup (don’t scoop it in!).
Level off the excess with a butter knife.

How about pizza tonight? Homemade pizza nights should be fun and easy, and that’s where this pizza dough recipe comes into play. It’s ready in 15 minutes, start to finish. That’s a lot faster than delivery!

This quick pizza dough yields a crust of medium thickness that’s crisp across the bottom and a little chewy in the middle. It has a lovely, yeasty flavor with just a hint of whole wheat. I love this dough so much that I shared it in my cookbook, Love Real Food.
This dough doesn’t have the elusive, stretchy, chewy, sourdough texture that I crave in authentic brick oven pizza. This homemade dough is fantastic, though. A few reasons to love this recipe:

It’s made from scratch with basic, wholesome ingredients.
You can make it in your food processor (or by hand).
This dough requires zero proofing time. You can make your pizzas right away.
The dough requires minimal effort—just a couple of kneads and a few rolls with a rolling pin.
Let’s make some pizzas!