Feast in the MIddle East

I think this is the first time people really aren’t into the holiday spirit. I know some people dread Christmas because of the added stress of gift shopping, but Thanksgiving is when people really relax, indulge, and enjoy each other’s company. This year no one is even talking about Thanksgiving. Whatever side of the election you were on, I know it has been an emotionally exhausting time, from people unfriending each other on Facebook, to arguments at the water cooler, to protests in the streets. For many the transition from this election madness to Thanksgiving is almost schizophrenic, like how are we supposed to forget everything and just settle down to a table of turkey? Well, I am here to say that it is more important than ever to celebrate Thanksgiving. This can be a time of hope and healing, and focusing on what we have versus what we don’t have. A time to show others you truly love them and how grateful you are to have them in your lives. And a time to appreciate the food we have–in many war torn nations around the world from Syria to Yemen to Venezuela any kind of fresh food is a luxury. So, to help you get started in preparing your Thanksgiving table, I am going to share a recipe for a simple and humble root vegetable that is vibrant in color–the sweet potato.

I love the Japanese idea of umami, that “other” sense of taste that you really can’t describe, a combination of sweet, sour, and salty. These sweet potatoes have all of the those flavors and then some. Lemon juice offers a tanginess, maple syrup and honey a sweetness, tahini a creaminess and richness, pistachios some nuttiness, and sweet potato an earthiness. Put them all together and you’ve got a winning side sweet potato dish that does away with those artificial tasting marshmallows you see in Thanksgiving recipes. This dish also can cater to people with all sorts of diets, whether gluten free, Whole 30, vegetarian, vegan, or paleo–so it’s great for entertaining. I had fun experimenting and developing this dish for you all, so I hope you enjoy this recipe and give me your feedback!

As an aside, a lot of you have sent me e-mails asking why I don’t post videos more often, the easy answer is I don’t have the budget to post a video more than once a month. Feast in the Middle East is a collaborative effort, where I develop the content, but depend on my team to bring you these instructional videos, so that the video, lighting, and editing look professional. My ultimate goal would be to share a video recipe with you once a month, and if you are in the mood feel free to sponsor us on Patreon. Even $1.00 a month from many people will help us reach this goal. 😉 If you are interested please click on this LINK.

So are you ready to give these sweet potatoes a go? Click on the video below, and I have provided a grocery list below the video for your next shopping trip. 😉

• Ingredients

• 2 pounds sweet potatoes (cut into matchsticks) 
• 1 tbsp maple Syrup
• 1 tbsp olive oil (or avocado oil)
• Salt and pepper to taste

• Tahini Dressing

• 2 tbsp tahini
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 2 tbsp honey
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp dried mint
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ cup chopped pistachios
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a bowl combine the potatoes, maple syrup, olive oil and salt and pepper. Lay the potatoes on a baking sheet, and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes or until nicely browned. Whisk the tahini dressing ingredients together, and add more water if it is too thick (as the thickness of tahini brands may vary). Drizzle the tahini dressing on top of the potatoes, and sprinkle with the pistachios. Serve immediately