Apr 28
Traditional Middle Eastern Breakfast MEZZA
Healthy Living
How many times have you heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day?? A good breakfast provides the nutrients needed to start your day off right. In addition, studies show that children who eat a good breakfast, do better in school than children who do not. Studies also demonstrate that adults who eat breakfast weigh less than those who do not.
Breakfast is definitely the most relaxed and important meal of the day in the Middle Eastern culture. It is often, even the tastiest!!!
My friend Kim, http://inspiredbythemediterranean.blogspot.com/, suggested that we at Suzy Eats discuss traditional Middle Eastern breakfast foods.
Breakfast is usually made up of a MEZZA or “mix” of different dishes.
A typical meal is listed below and typically includes at least 5 of these items (pita bread is a must)!
- Fresh baked Pita Bread
- Hummus
- Baba Ghannoush
- Foul Maddamas
- Falafel
- Hard Boiled Eggs
- Mortadella
- Labna
- Feta or white cheese made from goat milk
- Bowl of Olives, black and green
- Bowl of turnips and pickles
- Olive Oil for drizzling over foods
- Tomato Wedges and cucumber slices
- Zaatar or Thyme
- Fresh Jams with only natural sugars
- Tea or Arabic Coffee
Traditionally speaking all of these foods are eaten as dips with pita bread or with your hand. Utensils are usually not put on the table at breakfast. Some people even use the chunks of cheese as a substitute for bread and spread items such as hummus on it.
Most of these recipes have been listed on Suzy Eats; others are coming. If you would like a more detail, please send me an email ([email protected]).
April 29th, 2011 at 8:36 am
I would love this type of breakfast! Clean, crisp flavors!
April 29th, 2011 at 9:02 am
Sunny side up eggs.
manaeesh Zaatar.
Ful (fava beans)
Hummus
Halva
Date Molasses(Dibs mixed with tahini)
Temryyeh, which is flaky dough similar to croissant dough filled with semolina and sugar made into big squares.
cooked vermicelli sprinkled with sugar
Tea flavored with mint or sage
fried Hallumi cheese
if i remember any more i will post it…I am getting hungry!
April 29th, 2011 at 9:04 am
oh, and fattet hummus too is served for breakfast usually on the weekend. like ful, it used to be a weekend breakfast when i was growing up.
May 1st, 2011 at 5:48 am
oh wow wish this was my breakfast
May 1st, 2011 at 5:51 am
i love fattet hummus do you have a recipe?
May 1st, 2011 at 5:52 am
these sound soooo good 🙂 ur making me hungry 🙂
May 1st, 2011 at 5:54 am
Man, this kind of breakfast sounds fabulous! So flavorful…mmmmmm.
May 1st, 2011 at 7:52 am
Woo hoo! Finally got on to your site. I don’t know why I was having so many problems. Glad I did too! Great stuff here. Love the breakfast selection…definitely a great way to start the day 🙂
May 1st, 2011 at 7:59 am
We call this “Meze” … very similar. And very delicious! 🙂
But we don’t have meze for breakfast…we serve meze for guests, or when it’s time to just relax and unwind.
May 1st, 2011 at 2:35 pm
Sounds like a breakfast made in heaven! 🙂
May 1st, 2011 at 5:21 pm
Thank you so much for posting this. I have already printed the list of foods. Such different foods than the typical American breakfast. Cant wait to try this for my family!
May 1st, 2011 at 5:48 pm
I have fattet hummus recipe Lebanese style, with yogurt and tahini sauce. its good and very easy to make. the link is:
http://mimicooks.com/2008/09/fattet-hummus-tahini-sauce-hummus-with.html
May 1st, 2011 at 6:44 pm
Thanks!!
May 2nd, 2011 at 5:16 am
I would much rather have a selection like this for breakfast, even if it took a bit of planning, rather than just shake a few sugary salty over-processed cereal flakes out of a cardboard box. So much healthier too!
May 2nd, 2011 at 5:43 am
It’s such an amazing list and it’s so true that we need to have different, healthy dishes like this for breakfast. It’s funny how we can get stuck in a rut with the same toast or pancakes and not vary much. This is totally inspiring!
May 2nd, 2011 at 7:03 am
What a great breakfast idea….I’m thinking a perfect spread for when we have guests that like a little something out of the ordinary…or maybe a brunch. Nom!
May 3rd, 2011 at 6:00 pm
wonder what was happening. glad you made it 🙂
May 3rd, 2011 at 6:00 pm
i would love to try meze 🙂
May 3rd, 2011 at 6:01 pm
let me know how it goes
May 3rd, 2011 at 6:01 pm
let me know if you try it. would love to know your guests thoughts.
May 3rd, 2011 at 6:02 pm
agreed. toast, pankcakes and cereal 🙂