"The best times you are going to have in life are at the dinner table and in bed." Old Italian saying. So relax, and enjoy the simple things!

28.1.13

Flavors of Morocco: Healthy Eating

Yum
carrot salad
carrot salad

It is the middle of January, the winter doldrums, I need some spice in my life. So, I headed down to Williams Sonoma's for a free Taste of Morocco cooking class. Morocco is a country in North Africa that is probably most famous for being the setting of the movie Casablanca in this country than for it's aromatic tagine cooking. 

 William Sonoma, a quality cooking store, offers weekly free classes and more involved paid cooking classes on a regular bases. Check out their schedule. 

I got to sample and see prepared:



The carrot parsnip salad was my favorite. I can't say that I ever ate raw parsnip before, but I liked them in this salad. I sometimes find carrot salads to be too sweet, but parsnips only have a slightly sweet taste, so they helped to bring the sweetness level down a notch. The exotic Moroccan spice mix Harissa which is a smoky blend of chili flavors also helped to make this a really balanced salad.  The flavors were a warming, yet fresh, burst of tastes that I really needed during this grim cold time of year. 

 The cookbook that was recommended at the class is by Mourad Lahlou who grew up in Morocco and has created a beautifully illustrated collection of modernized versions of his childhood favorites. 




Weekly Menu Plan:


Sunday: Mushroom Risotto and Kale

Meatless Monday: Baked Spaghetti Squash & Zucchini


Wednesday: Trader Joe's Asian Vegetable Stir Fry with Egg & Brown Rice

Thursday: Spaghetti & Meatballs (from the freezer) with Salad


Saturday: Pasta Fagioli (from the freezer)

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Note: I am not under any type of affiliate or advertising contract with William Sonoma at this time. My opinion of this store is unbiased by any type of business relationship.
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7 comments:

  1. Ambreen (Simply Sweet n Savory)January 29, 2013 at 5:48 AM

    The salad sounds wonderful, look great!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jean @sonotorganized.comJanuary 29, 2013 at 11:56 AM

    I'm going to have to see if the Williams Sonoma near me does free cooking classes. That sounds like so much fun! I confess to being a little iffy on whether I'd like the salad though.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Diane BalchJanuary 29, 2013 at 2:28 PM

      I would think they all do classes and they do them on all different types of food.

      Delete
  3. WinnieJanuary 29, 2013 at 4:19 PM

    I'm glad you like this salad!
    We also eat it a lot in my country and I LOVE it

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Diane BalchJanuary 29, 2013 at 5:05 PM

      I was surprised that parsnips and carrots are part of Mediterranean cuisine, but the chef reminded us that in this area a lot of foods were traditionally traded if not grown in the country.

      Delete
  4. The Frugal Exerciser - Sheila SimmonsFebruary 4, 2013 at 8:14 AM

    Thanks for the tip, I will check out their site. I have always wanted to take a cooking class.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Diane BalchFebruary 4, 2013 at 8:56 AM

      They are great... especially for a free class.

      Delete

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