Mexican vs Lebanese Food

I always find myself having this conversation with my husband, so I decided it's time to document it.

Me (while preparing a Lebanese dish): You know, Lebanese food is healthy. I love Lebanese food.

Husband: (nothing, continues doing what he's doing.)

Me: I know why it's so healthy, because we barely do anything to it.

Husband: (nothing, continues doing what he's doing.)

Me: It's really unprocessed, and we only use olive oil. Not any olive oil, extra virgin cold pressed olive oil. You know, in my family, we used to have a little land with olive trees. We used to pick our own olives, and make our own olive oil. Oh V.! It was definitely the best olive oil.

Husband: That's great (and continues doing what he's doing.)

Me: The smell of newly pressed olive oil used to fill our whole building, for days. And it (the oil) doesn't get its clear color until at least 3 months. Before that, it's dusty and it tastes spicy.

Husband: (nothing, continues doing what he's doing.)

Me: Yeah, Lebanese food is very simplistic, I think that's why it's so tasty. Mexican food is of course tasty, probably it's second to Lebanese food- of course for you it ranks first- but for me, it even competes with Lebanese food, especially the Yucatican food.

Husband: (nothing, continues doing what he's doing.)

Me: But even though it's super tasty, it's not as healthy as Lebanese food. You know, look at Lebanese people, they are mostly slim.

Husband: yeah (and continues doing what he's doing.)

Me: I think all Mediterranean food is healthy. It must be the olive oil. And fresh vegetables in all of our food.

Husband: (nothing, continues doing what he's doing.)

And then, I find myself wondering: what if, the next scene is 20 years from now, and I am very fat, and my husband is very fit, as he's always been, even though am all about Lebanese food, and he's all about Mexican food. That's dreadful.

Me: I will hit the treadmill for 30 mins. Would you mind checking on the food.

Husband: Yeah.

Fattoush Salad

My signature salad is Fattoush. I know it's my signature salad, because everyone likes it. Well, maybe everyone does not count since all of these 'everyone' are not Lebanese.
 But here are my authentic certifications: recently, a Lebanese person had dinner at our place, and the dish he immediately pointed out as his favorite was my Fattoush! That's awesome, since Fattoush is a very traditional Lebanese salad. It is prepared in every single household and restaurant. No exceptions.
 Another certificate came from my mother, who visited me last summer. She'd never seen me cook before, and I prepared my signature salad for dinner (I know that a salad does not qualify as 'cooking' but still it was a good dinner.) She said it was great! Now my mum is a woman who is very difficult to impress. She rarely says that she likes anything, especially food, given that she's the most famous cooking queen in her family, and in my hometown back in Lebanon. So, not bad at all!

 This salad is refreshing, filling and super healthy.

Recipe: Fattoush Salad

• 1 small grocery store (I shop at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods) bag of shredded cabbage (it's OK to buy the coleslow mix)
• same quantity shredded lettuce (I use a mix of iceberg and something else, whatever that something else is is fine)- The size of the lettuce pieces should be the same as the shredded cabbage pieces.
• herbs (all finely cut):

1 cup parsely, 

1/2 cup fresh mint,

1/4 cup fresh oregano and thyme

•  1 persian cucumber 
•  2 medium tomatoes (cut in small cubes)
• 1 radish
• 1/4 cup finely cut onion

Dressing:

• 1.5 large lemons
• 1/2 cup (or less or more, depends on your taste) extra virgin cold pressed olive oil
• sea salt
• a hint of black pepper

Add Pita Chips (after the dressing, then mix all.)