Dear Friends, I am thrilled to share this Middle Eastern cookbook with you, and I hope it will be well received, as it includes 144 authentic, healthy, delicious and tried recipes from the Levant region, particularly Lebanon, Jordan, Syria and Palestine. Moreover, these recipes have been passed for generations in my family. Following are some of the highlights of this cookbook: *This cookbook includes a wide variety of foods that are cost effective and pleases many tastes. * Recipes include: Appetizers, Salads, and Soups, followed by Savory Pastries and Pastas, Fish, Chicken, Meats, Side, Vegetarian, Vegan and Lenten dishes, and ending with Desserts, Beneficial Herbs, Home-made Herbal Drinks and Good- to- Know Food Facts. * Most of the recipes are cost effective, user friendly, and can be made with minimum time and effort. * Ingredients used are available at supermarkets and grocery stores all over the U.S.A. and Canada, as well as many other countries all over the world. *Whether you are an amateur or have mastered the art of cooking, this cookbook has something for you to try and enjoy. * Middle Eastern food is all about healthy recipes that contain vegetables, meat, grains and herbs while skipping unnecessary fats and calories, as well as processed ingredients. *Health-conscious people follow this diet since it mostly uses baking and grilling instead of frying. Add to that, no artificial sweeteners or sugar are used for cooking. * Following this diet has a lot of health benefits: It lowers cholesterol and blood pressure; reduces inflammation; and promotes collagen production; fights cancer cells; reduces the risk of heart diseases and stroke, and promotes longevity, along with many other health benefits. * I took into consideration that some of you would like to explore the Middle Eastern cuisine since it has become popular and has gotten much attention. The integrated marketing and communications agency, Brand Genetics, with offices in London, New York and Rio, shed the light on the importance of this cuisine, pointing out that “Middle Eastern cuisine has grown its presence in non-traditional markets- bringing fresh and authentic dishes considered both healthy and flavorsome to tables across the world” (brandgenetics.com). * There is room for flexibility in adapting the recipes to suit dietary needs, such as replacing meat with Tofu, Seitan or beans for Vegans. You can also make little tweaks by adding ingredients you love and eliminating ones you don’t like, or including a few more or less herbs, seasoning or condiments to suit your taste. * You were the focus and the priority throughout the process of writing this cookbook which took at least 3 years. I looked at things from your perspective and diligently worked to provide you with the best. *The love of sharing knowledge throughout my career life as a teacher and a researcher motivated me to pursue this endeavor of writing this cookbook, bringing together passion, tradition and expertise. * My aim is to contribute delicious and wholesome Middle Eastern recipes, and to introduce new ideas, flavors and dishes to everybody to enjoy, be it with family, friends, or by themselves. * My recipes can be useful to those who are familiar with and passionate about the Middle Eastern dishes but need little help and incentive to get started. Moreover, my recipes can be of great help to parents who feel they need to provide a wider variety of good and inviting food to their children. * I was always passionate about the idea of writing this cookbook and sharing these recipes. I can say that writing this book was an act of love. * I thank you for taking the time to read the highlights of this cookbook. * Always remember "Good food, good mood”. Sincerely, Aniseh Koro