If you want to make hummus but can’t find tahini, try this recipe that uses sesame seeds. It has a subtle flavor and a nice, creamy consistency.

Bean and Sesame Seed Spread (Hummus) recipe – 77 calories

Ingredients:
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans
1 garlic clove, cut in half
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Preparation:
1. Drain the garbanzo beans and reserve the liquid.
2. Place the reserved bean liquid, garlic and sesame seeds in the food processor. Cover and blend on high speed until mixed.
3. Add the garbanzo beans, salt and lemon juice. Cover and process on high speed until smooth.
4. Serve as a spread with crackers, wedges of pita bread or raw vegetables.

Servings: 12

Nutritional information for one serving:
Calories: 77
Total fat: 3.4 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 203 mg
Total carbs: 9.7 g
Fiber: 2.3 g
Protein: 2.8 g
Weight Watchers points: 1

Photo credit: Albertas Agejevas

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• Stuffed Mushrooms recipe – 175 calories
• Garlic Tomatoes recipe – 79 calories
• Peach and Roasted Red Pepper Bruschetta recipe – 46 calories
• Parmesan and Red Onion Appetizer recipe – 117 calories
• Wild Mushroom Savory Saute recipe – 135 calories

Egyptian Spinach Soup recipe – 194 calories

Ingredients:
1 lb spinach (well washed, large stems removed)
1/3 cup basmati rice
4 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cups plain yogurt
1/4 teaspoon turmeric (or 1/4 teaspoon Madras curry powder)
3-4 scallions, finely chopped
salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation:
1. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and saute the onion until soft.
2. Add the turmeric (or curry powder if using) and cook for 1 more minute to let the spice warm through.
3. Add the chicken stock, rice, scallions, and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Simmer gently for about 15 minutes (until the rice is cooked), being careful not to overcook.
6. Chiffonade the spinach (cut into long, thin strips), add to the pan and cook for another 5 minutes.
7. To serve the soup hot: Beat the garlic and yogurt into the soup, reheating gently so that the yogurt does not curdle.
8. To serve the soup cold: Allow the soup to cool, then add the garlic and yogurt and puree.

Servings: 6

Nutritional information for one serving:
Calories: 194
Calories from fat: 67
Total fat: 7.5g
Cholesterol: 15mg
Total carbs: 22.9g
Fiber: 2.5g
Protein: 10.2g
WW points: 4

You might also like these soup recipes:

• Cream of Carrot Soup recipe – 166 calories
• Cauliflower Soup recipe – 127 calories
• Greek Avgolemono Soup recipe – 143 calories

Moroccan Chickpea Soup (Hasa al Hummus) recipe – 181 calories

Ingredients:
1 cup dried garbanzo beans (chickpeas), soaked overnight
2 tomatoes, peeled and diced (optional)
8 cups water
8 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups onions, chopped
1 small hot pepper, chopped finely
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped finely
1/2 cup fresh coriander, leaf chopped finely
1 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon fresh black pepper

Preparation:
1. In a soup pot, combine the water and chickpeas and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 1 hour.
2. While the beans are cooking, heat the vegetable oil in a skillet and saute the garlic, onions and hot pepper until they are slightly browned.
3. Add the sauteed vegetable mixture and the rest of the ingredients to the soup pot and simmer for about 1 hour (or until the chickpeas are soft).

Servings: 6

Nutritional information for one serving:
Calories: 181
Calories from fat: 40
Total fat: 4.5g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Total carbs: 30.5g
Fiber: 8.1g
Protein: 7.8g
WW points: 3

You might also like these Middle-Eastern recipes:

• Persian Tomato and Cucumber Salad recipe – 68 calories
• Turkish Okra Casserole recipe – 161 calories
• Hummus recipe – 118 calories

Syrian Black Eyed Peas with Herbs recipe – 135 calories

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups black-eyed peas, cleaned and picked through
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 dried hot red chili pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt (omit if you are using canned peas)

Preparation:
1. Pick through the peas, removing any debris or damaged beans. Rinse the peas and place them in a large soup pot.
2. Fill the pot with water until it rises about five inches above the peas. Bring the water to a brisk boil, then turn off the heat and cover the pot, letting it sit for about 60-90 minutes. Drain in a colander.
3. Return the black-eyed peas to the pot along with 4 1/2 cups of fresh water and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce to a low simmer, cover and cook for about 40 minutes (or until the peas are tender).
5. Once the peas are cooked, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet.
6. When the oil is hot add the whole dried chili pepper.
7. Add the garlic and stir once, then add the black-eyed peas and cooking liquid along with the oregano, bay leaves, paprika, thyme and salt.
8. Simmer for about 20 minutes uncovered over low heat.
9. Serve with rice.

Servings: 4

Nutritional information for one serving:
Calories: 135
Calories from fat: 66
Total fat: 7.4g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Total carbs: 13.7g
Fiber: 3.4g
Protein: 4.5g
WW points: 3

Photo credit: NcMysteryShopper

You might also like these bean recipes:

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Persian Tomato and Cucumber Salad recipe – 68 calories

Ingredients:
1 large tomato
1 large cucumber
1 large onion
parsley
1-2 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice (or to taste)
salt, to taste

Preparation:
1. Finely chop the tomato, cucumber and onion.
2. Mix the chopped vegetables with the parsley, olive oil and lemon juice.
3. Add salt to taste and serve (or let the salad sit in the refrigerator for a few hours to get an even better taste).

Servings: 4

Nutritional information for one serving:
Calories: 68
Calories from fat: 32
Total fat: 3.6g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Total carbs: 9.6g
Fiber: 1.5g
Protein: 1.3g
WW points: 1

Photo credit: Bergy

Tags: recipe, cooking, diet, calories, salad, Middle Eastern, vegetable, Persian, Iranian, tomato, cucumber, onion

Turkish Okra Casserole recipe – 161 calories

Ingredients:
3/4 lb fresh okra or 1 (10 ounce) package frozen okra
3 tomatoes
1 eggplant, about a pound
2 medium green bell peppers
2 medium zucchini
1 large onion
2 tablespoons garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup parsley, fresh, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf, preferably fresh
salt, to taste

Preparation:
1. If using fresh okra, Trim away any tough stems (if you’re using fresh okra), or defrost and drain (if using frozen okra).
2. Trim off the ends of the eggplant and cut the un-peeled eggplant into one-inch cubes.
3. Trim the ends of the zucchini and cut the un-peeled zucchini into one-inch cubes.
4. Using a vegetable peeler, peel away the skin of the bell peppers. Halve them and remove the cores, veins and seeds; cut them into one-inch pieces.
5. Peel and dice the onion into one-inch pieces.
6. Peel, core and seed the tomatoes; dice them into one-inch pieces.
7. Preheat the oven to 375° F.
8. Heat the oil in a large, heavy casserole (stove top/oven ware) and add the eggplant cubes and onion pieces.
9. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often.
10. Add the green peppers, zucchini and tomatoes; cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
11. Stir in the pepper flakes, garlic, parsley, thyme and bay leaf.
12. Add the drained okra and salt (to taste).
13. Place in the oven (uncovered), and bake for about 1 hour.
14. Remove the bay leaf and serve.

Servings: 6

Nutritional information for one serving:
Calories: 161
Calories from fat: 86
Total fat: 9.6g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Total carbs: 18.6g
Protein: 4.2g

Photo credit: PaulaG

Technorati tags: recipe, cooking, diet, calories, Turkish, Middle Eastern, casserole, vegetable, okra, main dish, side dish

Hummus recipe – 118 calories

Ingredients:
10 ounces chickpeas, slightly drained
8-12 tablespoons tahini (pureed sesame)
2 large garlic clove
1 tablespoon olive oil
10 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon salt

Preparation:
1. Using a blender, blend the chickpeas, tahini, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and salt.
2. For a tarter hummus, add more lemon and salt. For a softer texture, add more olive oil.
3. Serve in a large flat bowl, sprinkled with paprika.

Servings: 10

Nutritional information for one serving:
Calories: 118
Calories from fat: 66
Total fat: 7.4g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Total carbs: 11.1g
Protein: 3.6g

Technorati tags: recipe, cooking, diet, calories, hummus, appetizer, dip, chickpea

Egyptian Fried Liver recipe – 175 calories

Ingredients:
1/2 kg thinly sliced beef liver
1/2 cup cooking oil
1/2 lemon
1 pinch salt

Egyptian condiment
4 garlic cloves
2 chili peppers
1 tablespoon cumin
1 lemon, juice of
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vinegar
some cold water

Preparation:
1. To make the Egyptian condiment: Put all 6 ingredients in a liquidiser, then into a 1/2 liter bottle, add cold water until full, shake well and keep refrigerated.
2. Place approximately 1/2 cup cooking oil in a small frying pan. When hot, add the thinly cut liver and salt; mix while cooking (make sure not to overcook).
3. After several minutes, add some Egyptian condiment according to taste.
4. To make sandwiches, spoon the liver into fresh pitta bread and squeeze some lemon juice.

Servings: 10

Nutritional information for one serving:
Calories: 175
Calories from fat: 116
Total fat: 12.9g
Cholesterol: 137mg
Total carbs: 4.4g
Protein: 10.6g

Photo credit: Bergy

Technorati tags: recipe, cooking, diet, calories, fried, liver, Egyptian, beef, meat