Israel: The land of Olives and Falafel

My trip to Israel was truly amazing, and so was the food! I took as many pictures as I could of the many delectable meals I got to eat. Israeli food is really special. Everything is fresh, and a few main characters of this cuisine include eggplant, hummus, olives, pita, and of course, lots of cheese! My favorite meal is breakfast, where it is normal to eat a variety of salads, cheeses, and fish along with your regular bowl of cereal. Shawarma and falafel are also staples of this comforting cuisine, and you can find a falafel stand on every corner in any city center. You have the option of eating your falafel or shawarma in pita bread or laffah bread (similar to naan bread), as well as many salads (incuding the classic Israeli salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions) to use as toppings. Of course, we can't forget about the hummus and tehina, must have additions to the perfect falafel.

Ben's family treated us to an amazing meal "al aish" literally meaning "on fire" where we were offered up to 20 different salads and spreads, along with delicious barbecued meats. I had never seen so much food in my life! Did I mention everything is served with "chips"? (french fries). Can you say heaven?

The shuk (open market) is a foodie's dream. It boasts colorful fruit piled high, and every spice you could imagine to cook with, sitting out in burlap sacks just waiting for you to buy some. The coffee is out of this world, and an iced coffee is called cold coffee, while an iced coffee means a blended drink, much like a frappuchino. Here are a few pictures from this incredible trip.

"Salatim"--Salads offered to eat with your falafel or shawarma. I love the colors :)

Marzipan--a famous bakery thats sells the best chocolate rugulach

A few Shuk items. The candy bar was my favorite part!

Balkan bread we were served at a meal in Tel Aviv. With sea salt of course!

An Israeli breakfast. How delicious does the coffee look?

Our "al aish" dinner, with salads lining the table. Just amazing.

xx,

Penelope Anne

Tea and Scones

The past few days have not been ideal. En route to Israel we have had two delayed flights and two re-scheduled flights, getting us to Israel about two days late. Did I mention I have a tendency to get airsick, and am running on about two hours of sleep? We finally arrived in London and our layover is going to be a few hours. With all this time to kill, we are now nestled into the corner of a little cafe, and finally things are starting to look up, thanks to the most comforting pot of tea and delicious scones I have ever had. I even got a miniature jar of strawberry jam, absolutely fitting for a tiny little tea set, and much fancier than the usual plastic container.I feel just like a princess, minus the dark circles and clothes that smell, well, like an airplane.

I just love that the minute we touched down in London, I was immediately asked if I would like milk with my tea. I grew up drinking tea this way in South Africa, and believe this is absolutely the only way to drink it! I am so happy we will get to spend some actual time in London on the way back.

Hopefully my next post will be from Israel!

Xx,
Penelope Anne

Finals Week Crunchy Drop Cookies

Finals week has been rough, so of course I turn to baking to keep my spirits (and energy!) up. I found a great recipe for crunchy cookies that uses granola. They are very easy and take very little time to make. You can also add nuts or coconut if you want to. A perfect snack for finals week! Enjoy :)


Crunchy Drop Cookies
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup oil
1 egg
3 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups granola


Directions:
Grease cookie sheet. In small bowl, combine flour, soda and salt; mix well. In large bowl, beat together sugar and shortening until light and fluffy; blend in egg, milk and vanilla. Add flour mixture; mix well. Stir in cereal. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes at 350 degrees. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.


Stay tuned for posts from Israel!!


xx,
Penelope Anne

Protein Style Frappuccino

This is one of my newest concoctions, and is a great snack when you have hours of studying to do and it is hot outside (sound familiar?)  It gives you the caffeine you need to get through that one last page of your study guide, but also fills you up because of the protein. If you want a mocha frappuccino, try chocolate flavored protein powder. You can also add a scoop of peanut butter--don't be afraid to get creative!

Protein Style Frappuccino
Ingredients:
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1/2 cup ice (I find crushed is easier to blend)
1 individual package instant coffee (Starbucks Via works really well!)
1 cup non-fat milk
Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a blender and enjoy!