"More than 2.6 million Muslims live in America, and that number is expected to double by 2030. Many follow a halal diet, eating only those foods that are allowed under Islamic dietary guidelines. Due to the diet's restrictions (no alcohol, pork, or pork byproducts, to name a few), it is hard for halal home cooks to branch out and try new and delicious recipes. My Halal Kitchen: Global Recipes, Cooking Tips, and Lifestyle Inspiration by Yvonne Maffei, founder of the hugely popular cooking blog and Islamic lifestyle website of the same name, is one of the first mainstream cookbooks to cater to the millions of Americans who follow halal dietary customs. This beautiful, hand-sewn hardcover book allows readers to explore food from around the world using simple, halal-friendly substitutes and all-natural ingredients. My Halal Kitchen provides readers with the tools they need to prepare flavorful, trustworthy halal dishes. Complete with full-color photography and more than 75 unique recipes from across various culinary traditions, My Halal Kitchen showcases Maffei's unique identity as the daughter of Sicilian and Puerto Rican parents. Born and raised in the US, Maffei was exposed to her family's traditional meals that most Muslim-Americans would enjoy but could never try. From her father, Maffei inherited a love of Mediterranean food and Italian classics like homemade meatballs, lasagna, and tiramisu. From her mother, it was arroz con frijoles (rice and beans), empanadas, and pasteles. After becoming Muslim, Maffei learned how to incorporate her favorite childhood dishes, American comfort foods, and the dishes she discovered while studying abroad, into her family's halal customs. My Halal Kitchen breaks down the basics of halal cooking, provides resources for sourcing halal foods, includes a glossary of terms explaining exotic concepts, and delivers clear-cut steps for replacing most any ingredient with a halal-friendly alternative. The book combines the best of Maffei's massively popular food blog with many brand-new recipes for appetizers, breakfast dishes, entrees, desserts, and non-alcoholic beverages. Maffei launched her site in 2008 as a forum for halal foodies interested in culinary tips and recipes. Now, just seven years later, the site is a go-to halal resource, receiving over 100,000 unique monthly visitors and nearly 1 million "likes" on Facebook. As someone who grew up tasting all kinds of food, Maffei is especially suited to finding the proper halal substitute for nearly any ingredient without comprising the flavor or integrity of the dish. My Halal Kitchen is not just a must-have for Muslims everywhere; it's an ideal resource for any home cook looking to find delicious and healthy recipes from across the globe"-- Provided by publisher.
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