Tag: cook

Culinary

Can’t believe it’s the first time I’ve made lasagna!🍜🧀

Zina Hermez

I can’t believe that at this age I’ve never made lasagna, but I do consider myself naturally a good cook – take a look at all my other recipes in this category! I love to cook! So I gave it a try yesterday – and it came out yummy good! See the pics below meant to be from start to finish – and then I will add a quick recap on how to cook it yourself at home. Don’t sweat the small stuff, as there are many different variations to making a great lasagna – but I will let you know the ingredients and steps that I used!

So this is the meat mixture, first I caramelized a chopped onion, then I added the Bob Evans, Italian pork sausage – cooked it up real well – and of course, added some salt and pepper. After this was cooked, I added Prego meat sauce.
With the Prego meat sauce! All you need to do is bring this to a boil for a few minutes!
You’re going to need to boil about 15 to 20 of these lasagna noodles, at the minimum, 12 because that will make for three full layers.
Chill the noodles before you bake, it does make for tastier lasagna noodles.
You can use baking spray – cooking spray should work also – I happen to like real unsalted butter. So I just spread it!
This is the meat sauce, a.k.a., Prego sauce with meat and Italian beef pork sausage mix (in the pic above) – it was mixed with caramelized onions, and some salt and pepper, remember?! What a combination!
After you add the first layer of meat sauce (visible underneath), then you add the FIRST layer of lasagna (chilled) noodles.
Then I topped it with Mozzarella and Parmesan, shredded cheese! So: 1) the Bottom layer is the meat sauce, 2) and then add the first layer of noodles 3) then add another layer of meat sauce and THEN the RICOTTA cheese, and finally, your layer of Mozzarella!
Repeat! I believe I’m on noodle layer two or three, so finally, just top it with Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese!
Take a look at the beauty ready to go into the oven at 350-365 F, for a minimum of 45 minutes. Please note: cooking times may vary.
And Voilà! You have a yummy delicious baked pan of lasagna. I’m so thankful for my pizza slicer. Lol 🍝
Always store in Tupperware or glass. You can keep it in the fridge for up to 3 to 5 days and you can even freeze.

I hope you enjoyed the photos, and I hope that gives some explanation! The idea is to make it the way you like. To summarize, I first chopped an onion, and then caramelized it, and then I added Italian beef pork, and sausage, and after that, I cooked it together with the onion and added some salt and pepper. Once you’re finished, you can add Prego meat sauce and mix it up really well. And there you will have your meat sauce layer. Then you add that to a greased baking pan as noted in the photo. After you add that to your greased baking pan, you add the next layer, which is the layer of boiled lasagna noodles. Once you add your layer of boiled lasagna noodles, you add another layer of meat sauce, then a layer of ricotta, then a layer of Mozzarella and Parmesan, shredded cheese. And you repeat the process by adding another layer of noodles, more meat sauce, more ricotta, mozzarella, etc. There are many variations to making a great lasagna. Typically you have three layers. I was very pleased with how mine turned out.

About Zina

Zina Hermez has authored the books, Not Without God: A Story of Survival, and Not Without God: Hope In the Storm. She has written hundreds of blog articles and her website has had more than 100,000 viewers! Zina has been in education for 22 years and has helped people of all different backgrounds and cultures. When she is not writing or teaching, she enjoys cooking and baking and spending time with family or friends. You can reach her at zinahermez@outlook.com.

Culinary

Healthy Whole Wheat Homemade Cookies 🍪🎄🤶

Zina Hermez

Don’t these look yummy?! They are, especially with a warm cup of coffee or tea. I like to have tea or hot chocolate in the evenings sometimes.☕️

Ingredients

3 cps. All purpose flour (whole wheat or white, I used wheat)

2 eggs

1 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup white sugar

1 cup or more ;) walnuts, chopped

1/2 tspn baking soda

1 tspn salt

1/2 cup, softened, butter

2-3 tblspns vegetable oil

First, mix the butter (softened, I usually melt it for 20 -30 seconds) and then add both of the sugar ingredients and the eggs all together until you have a smooth mixture.

Well – I actually just mixed everything together all at once! So you can do it that way too.

Mix all the ingredients together!

They won’t be smooth at first. You’re working with bread dough. You don’t want your butter completely melted either, the idea is for the butter to be ‘creamy.’ So don’t completely melt it. You will have to dilute the ingredient combination with water after you put it all in a bowl. I don’t recommend adding more than a cup of water – use your best judgment – also add a few tablespoons of vegetable oil (included in the list of ingredients above). This is how your cookie dough should look after you add the water to smoothen it.

As you can see, I rolled them into balls, each one about half of an inch apart. They should make at least two dozen cookies! It’s such a delicious combo with the sugar, walnuts, and flour, and they turn out great if you make them correctly.

Don’t be afraid to use your hands!!! Clean hands can take you much further than trying to beat the mixture with a machine or even with a spoon. First I used a wooden spoon, the mixture was still pretty powdery and not coming together well. Then I used my hands to mix the batter and roll them into cookie balls.

Put them in the oven at 350 F for at least 10 to 12 minutes. You want to use parchment paper or aluminum foil. If the bottoms or sides are golden brown, then they are done!

Voila! Now you can cut them into shapes. I’ll be honest. Making cookies homemade from flour is not the easiest. But the more used to it you get, the easier it becomes. Again, you can add water to smoothen the batter. Not too much though. Too much water will make them liquidy and they will not form. Here’s some more pics!

Best of luck!🤶

These turned out delicious!🤶🍪☕️🎄

About Zina

Zina Hermez has authored the books, Not Without God: A Story of Survival and Not Without God: Hope In the Storm. She’s been featured in numerous articles, guest posts, podcasts, websites, newsletters, and magazines. Zina’s written several hundred articles and has appeared in Christianity Today, the Suite T blog, and the Southern Writers magazine among other places.

Zina writes on faith and overcoming adversity. She also likes to write about health and science and loves to help others. Zina has created notwithoutgod.net as well as the Not Without God series/brand. She’s written articles for healthcare and she’s the creator/leader of Writing Because I Can’t Not Write – For aspiring and seasoned writers.

Each week she invites one author and hosts free masterminds for the public while showcasing bestsellers and award winners. She also teaches a free Zoom course each week to assist the public with improving their writing. Zina’s been an educator for nearly twenty years and has taught multiple subjects to thousands of students of all ages from many different backgrounds and parts of the world.

She’s been invited to speak at the Harvard University Faculty Club’s Business Expert Forum and holds a B.A. in English with a minor in History from Oakland University in Rochester Hills, Michigan. Zina says the reason she majored in English was not primarily to teach; it was to write. When Zina is not writing or teaching, she enjoys cooking, listening to music, exercising, or socializing.

Culinary

Eating healthy is the way to go!🌽

Zina Hermez

There’s nothing like cooking healthy food. I do sometimes eat out, but I try to minimize that as much as possible. Traditionally cooking healthy food is the best route you can take. I kind of threw this together, as you can see, before I would take much more care when I cooked and took a lot longer. But sometimes taking a long time to cook can be a waste. What I mean is, there is a lot to work on during the day, first and foremost, I have to take care of my health. Therefore, eating the healthier route and cooking at home is the best way for me to go. #cooking #healthyfoodie #livehealthy #bestrong #simplethreeingredients #meal #can’tgetawayfrompop #barbecuedchicken #corn 🌽😊

About Zina

Zina Hermez has authored the Best-selling-book, Not Without God: A Story of Survival. Zina’s written several hundred articles and has taught thousands of students from all over the world from many different backgrounds and parts of the world. She’s appeared in Christianity Today, the Suite T blog, and the Southern Writers magazine among other places. Last August she created the “Writing Because I Can’t Not Write Group” meetings and workshops where aspiring and seasoned authors can network and learn together. Zina writes on faith, science, and overcoming adversity. She also likes to write about health and diet and loves to help others. Her latest book, Not Without God: Hope In the Storm was published last year.

Culinary

Homemade wheat walnut cake!🌾🥮🌰

Zina Hermez

One of the things I love about making this cake is that you can just combine all the ingredients at one time and mix them. It doesn’t take a lot of preparation time; you mainly have to gather all your ingredients and mix. This is my own recipe.

Pics are in order, and here’s a trick! After I buttered the cake pans, I also added sesame seeds to them. That put some nice sesame seeds on the bottom of the cakes when I flipped them over!👩‍🍳

So delicious. I’m going to add the link of a previous post I wrote when I first made this cake. It went viral. As a matter of fact, if you search this cake my blog post comes at the top of Google. Here it is: https://notwithoutgod.net/2022/07/06/assyrian-chaldean-cake%F0%9F%92%9F%E2%98%A6%EF%B8%8F/

Keep in mind when you follow this recipe there has to be a good balance between dough and cake. What I mean is, your batter can’t be too doughy. If it is, you are making more of a bread. Remember, this is a cake. You can add an extra quarter to a half cup of vegetable oil to smoothen out your ingredients if needed. You can also add up to a half cup of water. First I recommend the water. A little vegetable oil won’t hurt though.

I am not a fan of vegetable oil and always cook with extra-virgin olive oil instead. However, when it comes to baking vegetable oil is sometimes needed. Be sure not to add too much water. There has to be a good balance, It will smoothen your batter out. Just make sure you are not making wheat bread!

Here’s a pic below that shows how your batter should look before the cakes are baked:

Also, keep in mind that if you have that even balance and do this right – you may even be able to add a little bit of extra whole wheat flour. It may be half of a cup to one full cup. Don’t get too carried away with extra flour because then the cake will lose its flavor. Here’s the recipe from my initial post, again: https://notwithoutgod.net/2022/07/06/assyrian-chaldean-cake%F0%9F%92%9F%E2%98%A6%EF%B8%8F/

A little extra flour will give you more cake!🥮Here are some more pictures below, and I’m going to try to add the pics that show the steps from start to finish. Refer to the recipe link I gave you in my previous post – I will also add the ingredients below. That will tell you how much of each ingredient to use in your cake. Enjoy it!🌾🥮🌰

Three cups of whole wheat flour. One and a half cups of sugar. 2 teaspoons of baking powder or baking soda. Three eggs. One cup of milk. Again, you can add up to a half cup of water to smooth it out. Also add a tablespoon of vanilla extract. Finally, don’t forget one whole cup of chopped walnuts. Very important. Again, a quarter cup of vegetable oil won’t hurt and will smoothen it.👩‍🍳🥮
This is how your cake batter should look.🥮
A nice trick is to add sesame seeds to the cake pans just after you butter them.😊
Voila!
Yumm!👩‍🍳🥮🌰🌾

About Zina

Zina Hermez has authored the Best-selling-book, Not Without God: A Story of Survival. Zina’s written several hundred articles and has taught thousands of students from all over the world from many different backgrounds and parts of the world. She’s appeared in Christianity Today, the Suite T blog, and the Southern Writers magazine among other places. Last August she created the “Writing Because I Can’t Not Write Group” meetings and workshops where aspiring and seasoned authors can network and learn together. Ask about her meetings if you are interested in attending. Zina writes on faith, science, and overcoming adversity. She also likes to write about health and diet and loves to cook and bake. Her latest book, Not Without God: Hope In the Storm was published last year.

Culinary

Breakfast of champions!!

Zina Hermez

Today I made homemade potato wedges as you can see. Cooked in nothing other than extra-virgin olive oil, of course. Also spiced with paprika, thyme leaves, salt, pepper, and some kosher salt. Yum! These wedges were so good as a side to my eggs and fresh turkey slices. Of course only on wheat bread with a warm cup of coffee on the side.

Yes, potatoes are not the best for you, especially not on the glycemic index – however, they are delicious and you have to cheat once in a while. Hopefully the protein in the eggs and turkey will offset some of that.😊

I won’t be cooking again today, as you can see, this breakfast is enough. Follow me for more simple dishes with health tips. I love to cook and bake also!👩‍🍳

About Zina

Zina Hermez has authored the Best-selling-book, Not Without God: A Story of Survival. Zina’s written several hundred articles and has taught thousands of students from all over the world from many different backgrounds and parts of the world. She’s appeared in Christianity Today, the Suite T blog, and the Southern Writers magazine among other places. Last August she created the “Writing Because I Can’t Not Write Group” meetings and workshops where aspiring and seasoned authors can network and learn together. Ask about her meetings if you are interested in attending. Zina writes on faith, science, and overcoming adversity. She also likes to write about health and diet and loves to help others. Her latest book, Not Without God: Hope In the Storm was published last year.

Culinary

Cornish hen premium style!🐔

Zina Hermez
It’s a first of its kind!

This Cornish hen is a first of a first! You can see the delicious ingredients on and around it. The one ingredient you can’t see is the spinach and garlic stuffed inside of its creases. Yummy, so healthy and good. I can’t wait to dig in! And get this, I sprinkled walnuts over it. I bet you that’s the first time you’ve heard of that? Have you ever heard of anyone sprinkling walnuts over a Cornish hen? Only I. Don’t forget to sprinkle with kosher salt, some table salt, and pepper at first. I’m sure it’s going to be delicious, send me a message if you’d like the recipe,

It is fairly simple just rinse it briefly, make sure there’s nothing inside, you can stuff the inside of it with stuffing or any vegetables you’d like. Preheat to 350. Monitor, check on it, at least every 5 to 10 minutes and adjust the heat as needed. This took me almost a whole hour to cook. Oh yeah, don’t forget to put one cup of water beneath it so it doesn’t stick to the pan. Also, if you’re not using oil, use unsalted butter. I used unsalted butter cubes in and all around it.

I like butter because I think it’s much safer to cook with and even better for you than some oils.🧈🌽🍃

About Zina

Zina Hermez has authored the best-selling book(s), Not Without God: A Story of Survival and Not Without God: Hope In the Storm. She’s been featured in numerous articles, guest posts, podcasts, websites, newsletters, and magazines. She’s also been featured on The Neil Haley (media giant’s) Show, The Intuitive Edge podcast, and on ESPN’s ‘Solutions from the Huddle’ broadcast as well as Grace and Truth Radio World!

Zina’s written several hundred articles and has taught thousands of students from all over the world from many different backgrounds and parts of the world. She’s appeared in Christianity Today, the Suite T blog, and the Southern Writers magazine among other places. Last August she created the “Writing Because I Can’t Not Write Group” meetings and workshops where aspiring and seasoned authors can network and learn together.

Zina writes on faith, science, and overcoming adversity. She also likes to write about health and diet and loves to help others. Her latest book, Not Without God: Hope In the Storm was just published last year.

Culinary

Italian Sesame Twist (w/a heart!) 💕🥖💕

Zina Hermez

Last night I made a yummy Italian Sesame twist! Actually, many cultures enjoy making bread like this.

I wasn’t sure if I wanted it a little sweet or salty, so I divided it and used salt on one side and sugar on the other. I also want to share the recipe in case anyone is interested in making it.

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups white all purpose flour (plain bread flour has a higher protein content but you can use all purpose too)

1 tblspn active dry yeast or 2 (1/4 oz) packets

2 tblspns white granulated sugar

1/2 tspn salt

1 cup warm milk

2 tblspn melted butter (salted or unsalted)

First, melt the butter in a pan. Heat the milk. They can both stay in their pans for now. Combine the flour, the yeast, and sugar in a separate bowl. Whisk them together. Then add in the salt. The salt helps strengthen the dough and stops it from collapsing during baking. Make sure you mix the flour and yeast in well with the sugar, then add the salt. Combine all together.

Now, make a “well” in the center of your combination. This is where you add the butter and milk. MAKE SURE THE MILK IS NOT TOO HOT OR COLD. You can do this by sprinkling the milk on your hand before you mix it in. If the milk is too hot or too cold the rising of the dough will take longer. Here are some pics:

Use a spoon to mix and combine. Scrape up the dough on the sides. Then place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and USE CLEAN HANDS TO KNEAD for about 10 minutes or until the dough comes together. Continue to knead the dough ball with hands until the dough is smooth and elastic. It does not have to be perfect, but it has to have some elasticity to it.

Brush a seperate bowl with Extra Virgin Olive oil, classic olive oil, or butter. Place the dough ball into the new bowl and cover with a tea towel for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

The dough should double in size after 45 minutes. Get out your rolling pin and stretch. Cut the dough into three “ropes.” You can twist them with your hands, they do not have to be perfect, but just make sure they look like ropes!

Then, place down parchment paper and lightly grease the parchment, make a loose “braid” with the three ropes. Pinch the ends together and tuck. You can just roll the ropes with your hand, again. Crack an egg into a dish and brush the loaf with the egg. Sprinkle sesame seeds (I toasted my sesame seeds first. Just put them on high heat in a pan for a few minutes). Sprinkle salt or sugar on top, whichever you prefer.

Bake at 400 F for 20-25 minutes but check on it make sure to not burn. The bread is done once it is golden-brown!

You can see I added a heart to the top of it. You can make a separate heart with the rope and seal it down with toothpicks. I hope you enjoy it!😊🥖💕

About Zina

Zina Hermez has authored the best-selling book, Not Without God: A Story of Survival. She’s been featured in numerous articles, guest posts, podcasts, websites, newsletters, and magazines. She’s recently been featured on the Intuitive Edge podcast! She’s also been on ESPN’s “Solutions from the Huddle” broadcast and on Grace and Truth Radio World! Zina’s written several hundred articles and has taught thousands of students of all ages from many different backgrounds and cultures. She’s appeared in Christianity Today, the Suite T blog, and the Southern Writers magazine among other places. She writes on faith, science, and overcoming adversity. She also writes on health and diet and loves to help others. Her latest book, Not Without God: Hope In the Storm is live and for sale! You can order your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Not-Without-God-Hope-Storm-ebook/dp/B09P9T2DLT

Culinary

Southwestern Egg Rolls!🧀🌶🫓

Zina Hermez

I want to share my recipe before I forget. Although I don’t have the note paper I wrote my recipe on, I think I can share the ingredients and what to do because I remember and have done it before. So, here it goes…😊

Ingredients:

2 shredded chicken breast pieces, 4 oz. each (optional)

1 can of rinsed black beans (15 oz)

A bunch of Green onions, about 6-8 bulbs, just cut off the tips and slice thin

1 tspn kosher salt

1/2 tspn chili powder (optional, I don’t like food that is too spicy, so I just sprinkle some chili pepper seasoning over the egg rolls to give them a nice look!)

1/2 tspn black ground pepper

1/4 tspn cayenne

1/4 tspn cumin (optional)

Mexican style shredded cheese (8 oz. package)

1 white onion (chopped into small pieces)

2 cups frozen corn, thawed (optional)

1 16 oz. (Vegan) egg roll slices, try to use about twenty slices of dough

First, you want to add 1-2 tbspns of extra virgin olive oil to a pan and add the black beans (make sure to rinse the beans well first) and add onions (both scallions and white, rinsed and chopped first, of course) over medium to high heat and mix often for a few minutes. Also add the kosher salt, black pepper, and cayenne to the mix (and cumin if you’ve included it). After the vegetables look colorful and bright you know they’re done. The onions will also soften a bit. Don’t overcook. They will also cook when they’re fried in the egg roll. Set the mixture aside in a plate so it can cool.

Here are a few pics!

I decided to add chicken, but I precooked it. So I just added it to the mixed combination after all of it cooled. See below.

Now you have the filling! You just have to roll…🫓

I like to add a little bit of flour to a clean surface then place down my dough roll, but this is optional. The Dough slice already has some flour on it!

You only need 1-2 tblspns of the filling to add to the center of your egg roll. One is good. You don’t want too much filling, then it will be hard to fold the egg roll. Dab each corner with water you can use a brush or your finger. This helps hold the roll together.

First, bring the scoop of filling a little closer towards you and begin to roll the dough slice away from you, then, midway into the roll, fold the sides in and continue to roll (away from you). Also dab the corner/end with water to help it stick! Keep fingers dry.

It takes a little time to get the folding right, but once you do it will be a piece of cake!

Now you can begin to fry!🥘

I used classic olive oil—2-4 cups. It’s a healthier choice than vegetable oil. Folded side down when you fry.

The frying should take no more than 2-3 minutes. At first a little extra. But your last batch should fry up really quickly. Be sure to watch and flip. Don’t move your pan around. Keep it in place for safety. Be careful. Keep heat on high.

Set them aside to cool!

Voila! You have yummy Southwestern egg rolls! Cooking time: at least two hours due to the three phases. Cutting vegetables, making the filling and frying! Average calories: 250 per egg roll.🫓🧀🌶

Enjoy!😊

About Zina 

Zina Hermez has authored the best-selling book, Not Without God: A Story of Survival. She’s been featured in numerous articles, guest posts, podcasts, websites, newsletters, and magazines. She’s recently been featured on the Intuitive Edge podcast! She’s also been on ESPN’s “Solutions from the Huddle” broadcast and on Grace and Truth Radio World! Zina’s written several hundred articles and has taught thousands of students of all ages from many different backgrounds and cultures. She’s appeared in Christianity Today, the Suite T blog, and the Southern Writers magazine among other places. She writes on faith, science, and overcoming adversity. She also writes on health and diet and loves to help others. Her latest book, Not Without God: Hope In the Storm is live and for sale! You can order your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Not-Without-God-Hope-Storm-ebook/dp/B09P9T2DLT

Culinary

Yellow “Turmeric” Rice with Shredded Chicken recipe!🍛

Zina Hermez

Some cultures enjoy eating “yellow” rice, and I loved to eat it while growing up! Here is the recipe: first, you have to make the chicken in the crock pot. The nice thing about shredded crock pot chicken is it can be frozen and does not need to be thawed when you put it in. Add the 2 chicken breast pieces, dash it with salt and pepper (garlic is optional), add 1-2 tablespoons of butter. Also add 2 cups of water so the chicken does not stick. Here is a pic of step one:

Set it on high for for 2-4 hours. Sometimes two hours is plenty. If your cooking thermometer reads 165 or higher—it’s done! The chicken will be really hott! Give it at least 15 minutes to cool and then you can just start shredding it up! Here I added some more table salt and ground black pepper (just a dash!) and I also included thyme leaves.🌱 See pic below:

After that, you can start on the yellow rice!😃💛 Cook rice just like you would any other day: I am a big proponent of brown rice, but brown rice does not do good with yellow rice. So here I made long grain white rice, I think it is a little better for you than regular white, and I do not use a rice cooker.😅🤣

In case you have never made rice, you need one cup of water for each cup of rice. A little extra. So here I have two cups of rice, and at first I boiled the rice in 2.5 cups of water. As soon as I brought the rice and water to a boil, I reduced the heat to very low— BUT the rice has to boil before you lower it. After I lowered the heat to the lowest I could without turning it off. I covered the rice. It takes a sufficient amount of time, but once the rice sucks up ALL the water, it is done! At times this can happen, and the rice will still not be fully cooked. I taste the rice, if it is a little crunchy I know it’s not finished. So then I add a little more water, 1/2 to 1 cup, and boil it again. Then reduce heat. Same process. Until the rice sucks all the water up!

Now, for yellow rice the timing is important. Just after you’ve turned the heat off and the rice is done, add the other ingredients. 1 tspn turmeric, 1 tspn salt, and 1 tblspn butter. Mix it all together.

Voila! You have yellow rice!💛

Now, LAST BUT NOT LEAST—you have to add the raisin/almond topping! It is simple. You place a pan on the stove and add 1-2 tbspns of extra virgin olive oil to the pan. Heat it up.and then add 2 ‘heaping’ tablespoons of “slivered” almonds and 2 “heaping” tablespoons of raisins. I like to use jumbo mixed raisins! And it only takes a few minutes for them to cook!

Finally, add the topping to the rice, and create your ‘chicken and rice’ plate! All done!😃🍚👩‍🍳🐤

Enjoy!🍛

About Zina

Zina Hermez has authored the best-selling book, Not Without God: A Story of Survival. She’s been featured in numerous articles, guest posts, podcasts, websites, newsletters, and magazines. She’s recently been featured on the Intuitive Edge podcast! She’s also been on ESPN’s “Solutions from the Huddle” broadcast and on Grace and Truth Radio World! Zina’s written several hundred articles and has taught thousands of students of all ages from many different backgrounds and cultures. She’s appeared in Christianity Today, the Suite T blog, and the Southern Writers magazine among other places. She writes on faith, science, and overcoming adversity. She also writes on health and diet and loves to help others. Her latest book, Not Without God: Hope In the Storm is live and for sale! You can order your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Not-Without-God-Hope-Storm-ebook/dp/B09P9T2DLT

Culinary

Homemade Whole Wheat Raisin Cookies!🍪👩‍🍳❤️‍🩹

Zina Hermez

Last night I made some yummy cookies. As you know, wheat is a much better alternative to white. Wheat bread and wheat rice are better for you in terms of balancing blood sugar. If you’re going to have a grain, it should be wheat or a darker color, such as Rye. Rye bread also is rich in B vitamins (1, 2, and 3).

I will post some pictures below. I also want to share the recipe in case anyone would like to make them. They came out to 25 cookies all together. What’s great about making a large batch of cookies is you can refrigerate them for up to 1 week and then freeze what you have not consumed for 1-3 months.. I like to put each cookie in its own plastic baggy.

Ingredients:

3/4-1cup of unsalted OR salted butter, and partially melt the butter in a pan

1/4 cup of white sugar

1/2 cup of packed brown sugar

2 eggs

3 1/2 to 4 1/2 cups of Whole Wheat flour (all purpose flour)

3/4-1 cup of raisins (I used mixed raisins of different kinds)

1/2 tspn of vanilla extract

1/2 tspn salt

1/2 tspn baking soda

AND, this recipe is so easy. STEP 1: basically MIX all ingredients together (in no particular order!). It is fun. Now, there may be excess flour that doesn’t want to mix in. So you will have to add about 1/2 cup to a full cup of water, a little at a time, to smoothen the mixture out.

You want the mixture to have a dough like form but to be smooth enough to scoop onto a cookie sheet. Use parchment paper for best results. Scrape up all the excess flour. You can scoop with a tablespoon, and set the cookies about 1-2 inches apart.

This should come out to 20-25 cookies.

Voila! You have Whole Wheat Raisin cookies! By the way, chopped walnuts would be great to add too but are not necessary. It’s optional. Some people like to add 1 cup of uncooked cooking oats. Oats are also great for helping to regulate blood sugar!

Bake at 375-400 F. You may have to go back and forth between the temperature. Check on them every 2 minutes. They only need 10-12 minutes. But cooking times will vary. When the outer rims are golden they are done. But don’t burn! Once you leave them to sit for at least an hour, they will continue to form.

Enjoy!🍪🍪👩‍🍳

About Zina

Zina Hermez has authored the best-selling book, Not Without God: A Story of Survival. She’s been featured in numerous articles, guest posts, podcasts, websites, newsletters, and magazines. She’s recently been featured on the Intuitive Edge podcast! She’s also been on ESPN’s “Solutions from the Huddle” broadcast and on Grace and Truth Radio World! Zina’s written several hundred articles and has taught thousands of students of all ages from many different backgrounds and cultures. She’s appeared in Christianity Today, the Suite T blog, and the Southern Writers magazine among other places. She writes on faith, science, and overcoming adversity. She also writes on health and diet and loves to help others. Her latest book, Not Without God: Hope In the Storm is live and for sale! You can order your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Not-Without-God-Hope-Storm-ebook/dp/B09P9T2DLT

Culinary

“Food-Network inspired Oven roasted chicken!”🐤🧅🥔🥑🌱🫒

Zina Hermez

Tonight’s #dinner was fabulous, and I want to post it before I forget my recipe in case anyone wants to try it! It’s a Food Network-inspired #oven #roasted #chicken and I added a lot to it!🐤😀 First, I cut up my #veggies. I chopped two #potatoes, one onion, an #avocado, and a #lemon 🥔🥔🧅🍋🥑. Then, I put each to the side on their plates. I rinsed off my whole #chicken (it was a fresh young chicken, 5 pounds). Then I #rinsed it quickly on the inside and don’t forget to move anything excess or inside the chicken. Then I placed the chicken on the oven-safe plate. I melted two tablespoons, no more than 1/4 cup of #saltedbutter. After that, I added one tablespoon of #thymeleaves to the butter. Do not completely #melt the #butter 🧈 Then add the thyme leaves (1 tbsp) to the butter. You need a brush to dress the chicken. After that dash the chicken with #koshersalt and #blackpepper. Then, make sure to add cooking spray to your oven-safe plate under the chicken, or you can grease the bottom of the plate with butter if you have no #cooking spray. Add one or two cups of #water to the plate, so the chicken sits in a little water. You don’t want it sticking to the plate during the cooking process. After that, design your cut-up veggies all around. After that, I like to drizzle the whole thing with #extravirginoliveoil 🫒 but it’s not completely necessary. I also like to dash again but this time with table salt. Finally, squeeze part of the #lemon over it to give it that #zesty taste🍋🍋🍋. Yummy! You have chicken, lemon, thyme, potatoes, an onion AND an avocado! What more could you want?👩‍🍳😃🧅🥑🥔🌱 Cook at 400-425F for up to one hour. Cooking times will vary. Check on it every five to ten minutes. If the top starts to burn, you want to lower the temperature, and spice it with a little more salt (do not over salt!) you can always add more after it’s done. But if you make something too salty you can’t fix it. #Under-salting is always best! The kosher salt is really rich and works its way into it nicely so you don’t need much. Check on it every five to ten minutes, again, but mine didn’t need one whole hour. Your thermometer should read at least 160 F. Voila! It’s done!🥑🥔🌱🧈🍋🧅🐤

Voila!🐤🥑🍋

About Zina

Zina Hermez has authored the best-selling book, Not Without God: A Story of Survival. She’s been featured in numerous articles, guest posts, podcasts, websites, newsletters, and magazines. She’s recently been featured on the Intuitive Edge podcast! She’s also been on ESPN’s “Solutions from the Huddle” broadcast and on Grace and Truth Radio World! Zina’s written several hundred articles and has taught thousands of students of all ages from many different backgrounds and cultures. She’s appeared in Christianity Today, the Suite T blog, and the Southern Writers magazine among other places. She writes on faith, science, and overcoming adversity. She also writes on health and diet and loves to help others. Her latest book, Not Without God: Hope In the Storm is live and for sale! You can order your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Not-Without-God-Hope-Storm-ebook/dp/B09P9T2DLT

Culinary

I’d like to be a “culinary queen!”👸🍅🥮👩‍🍳

Zina Hermez

This is how it looks when I decide to ‘whip something up’ really quickly!😂👩‍🍳 I had a little family company over yesterday and planned it just the night before. All @authenticmeals #original #cooking and my very own #recipes !!! Ka’ree as the main #meal accompanied with #brownrice, of course! The main dish—and #homemadewalnutcake for dessert. This time I added #toasted #sesameseeds to the top of the #cake to add a twist! Yummy. We also had #homemadewheatchocolatechipcookies! #coffee and few other things!🍚🍛🌾🍶🍪 #mediterraneandiet #paleo #protein #keto #homemade #diet #cook #baking #entertaininginstyle #fresh #food #foodie #tomatostew #beef #protein #health ⚕️🍅🧅🥩

Finally, when a baby terrorizes your living space!💕😂👶 It’s OK.🙆‍♀️🙅‍♀️ We just cleaned it right up!😂♥️😃

About Zina

Zina Hermez has authored the best-selling book, Not Without God: A Story of Survival. She’s been featured in numerous articles, guest posts, podcasts, websites, newsletters, and magazines. She’s recently been featured on the Intuitive Edge podcast! She’s also been on ESPN’s “Solutions from the Huddle” broadcast and on Grace and Truth Radio World! Zina’s written several hundred articles and has taught thousands of students of all ages from many different backgrounds and cultures. She’s appeared in Christianity Today, the Suite T blog, and the Southern Writers magazine among other places. She writes on faith, science, and overcoming adversity. She also writes on health and diet and loves to help others. Her latest book, Not Without God: Hope In the Storm is live and for sale! You can order your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Not-Without-God-Hope-Storm-ebook/dp/B09P9T2DLT

Culinary

Whole Wheat Flour Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies!🍪🍪👩‍🍳

Zina Hermez

Yesterday night I made homemade whole wheat chocolate chip walnut cookies and they are sooo delicious! Yumm! Since whole wheat is a much better alternative to white flour, I would like to share my recipe to put a health spin on baking. The next time you make homemade cookies, you may want to try whole wheat flour yourselves! It is better for you than white flour. 🍪🍪☕️

This recipe calls for:

3 cups of whole wheat flour

2 tspns baking soda

16 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white granulated sugar (optional)

3/4 tspn salt

2 eggs

2 tspns vanilla extract

8 ounces of chocolate chips

2 cups crushed walnuts

First, you whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Put in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the butter, sugar(s), eggs, and vanilla, and these don’t need to be too well blended just combine. Oops, don’t forget to add the walnuts and chocolate chips also!

Then, add the flour mix from the separate bowl. Now that all ingredients are in one bowl, use a wooden or regular spoon to combine and mix them together.

The mixture may seem a little dough like and hard to combine at first. Here’s the trick: add up to a half cup of water (as much as needed but not too much!) to moisten the combination of all the ingredients. Use your hand to knead. Put the mixture into cookie dough form.

You can even add extra flour and extra water to the combo mix to make more cookies. I added 2-3 cups extra flour and a little more water! It came out to 43 cookies!

Scoop the cookie dough (1-2 tablespoon sizes) onto oven trays covered with parchment paper, and bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 F. Then move the trays around to rotate cookies, bake for an additional 8-10 minutes. The edges should be golden brown!🍪👩‍🍳

Then let them cool on oven racks for at least an hour. Refrigerate. You can even freeze them for up to a month!🍪☕️🌰

Mixture of the second bowl.
All ingredients combined.
After adding water and kneading.
Cookie dough!
Voila!
Me while baking last night!👩‍🍳☕️🍪

About Zina

Zina Hermez has authored the best-selling book, Not Without God: A Story of Survival. She’s been featured in numerous articles, guest posts, podcasts, websites, newsletters, and magazines. She’s recently been featured on the Intuitive Edge podcast! She’s also been on ESPN’s “Solutions from the Huddle” broadcast and on Grace and Truth Radio World! Zina’s written several hundred articles and has taught thousands of students of all ages from many different backgrounds and cultures. She’s appeared in Christianity Today, the Suite T blog, and the Southern Writers magazine among other places. She writes on faith, science, and overcoming adversity. She also writes on health and diet and loves to help others. Her latest book, Not Without God: Hope In the Storm is live and for sale! You can order your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Not-Without-God-Hope-Storm-ebook/dp/B09P9T2DLT

Culinary

Homemade Whole Wheat Walnut Cake!🥮🌾🌰

Zina Hermez

Baking has always been a favorite past time since I was a kid. At home they’d call me ‘Betty Crocker.’ As an adult I’ve grown more into the baking art and really enjoy embracing my ethnic side with the foods I make!🫒

They said it couldn’t be done, but I did it. Homemade wheat walnut cake from scratch! It’s never been done without white flour as far as I know. Mom was proud. I altered this traditional recipe to make it healthier. It is delicious! Even more delicious than the all-purpose flour version.

I have to be original and think of healthier methods. I hope I see posts from people in the future who have swapped the all purpose white or self rising flour for whole wheat cakes.

I altered the recipe a bit. Since it’s a foreign food, I was able to locate a few people who made this and one even attached a video. I didn’t follow the exact measurements. The better you get with baking the more you just know what to do.

Here is my own recipe:

It contains 3 and a 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour, 3 eggs, two teaspoons of baking powder, crushed walnuts (as many as you’d like :), a cup of whole milk, a cup and a half of sugar, a cup of butter, a tablespoon of vanilla extract, and I add a little water to make it more of a liquid form. You don’t want the cake mix to seem like dough. You are not making bread, you are making a cake. That’s why I add about a half cup or less of water. You basically mix them all together. I add a little extra flour (about a cup or two) to make two cakes each time. You can slice and freeze the cakes for up to a month. You bake at 350 F for a minimum of 30 minutes. Baking time can take up to an hour. Once your toothpick comes clean you’ll know it’s done.😊🥮☕️

Oh, and it might not be a bad idea to add about a 1/2 cup of vegetable oil into the mix.☺️ It will help the cake to keep that liquid form.

#wheat #wholewheatflour #diabeticfriendly #cake #betterthanwhite #assyrianchaldean #yummyfood #walnuts #tchai #tea #coffee #cake #mediterranean #style #foodie #conossieur 🥮☕️😀

About Zina

Zina Hermez has authored the best-selling book, Not Without God: A Story of Survival. She’s been featured in numerous articles, guest posts, podcasts, websites, newsletters, and magazines. She’s recently been featured on the Intuitive Edge podcast! She’s also been on ESPN’s “Solutions from the Huddle” broadcast and on Grace and Truth Radio World! Zina’s written several hundred articles and has taught thousands of students of all ages from many different backgrounds and cultures. She’s appeared in Christianity Today, the Suite T blog, and the Southern Writers magazine among other places. She writes on faith, science, and overcoming adversity. She also writes on health and diet and loves to help others. Her latest book, Not Without God: Hope In the Storm is live and for sale! You can order your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Not-Without-God-Hope-Storm-ebook/dp/B09P9T2DLT