Bita is the founder of the recipe website Oven Hug and co-host/co-producer of the Modern Persian Food podcast with Bita and Beata. She has over 20 years of experience inspiring others through teaching, coaching (as a family nutritionist), mentoring, and creating food-related content. Bita grew up in a Persian-American family in the Midwest and enjoys combining art and science (mom was an artist, and dad was a surgeon) to reinvent recipes in a simpler, healthier, and aesthetically pleasing way. Bita spreads her time between two residences: Menlo Park/the SF Bay Area and Southern California/south Orange County.
Winter Solstice
Dear Reader,
As the winter solstice tips the earth from the from the glorious sun, there is hope of a new, brighter, warmer day.
What we're observing:
Tonight is Yalda, the longest, darkest night of the year. By tradition, families stay up all night allowing light to conquer evil.
The color of crimson red represents light and love. A special table setting or "sofreh" is set with fresh reddish fruits - watermelon, pomegranate, grapes, persimmons, and oranges along with big bowls of dried fruits and nuts called "Ajeel".
What we're eating:
Pomegranates! Pomegranates are in prime season. We eat them by the handfuls as snacks, sprinkled on our morning breakfast bowls, and tossed in fun winter salads.
How to Deseed a Pomegranate Under Water
So many yummy cheese boards at every gathering!
Our favorite, nutritious, crunchy, colorful salad -
Pomegranate Kale Salad with Honey Dijon
Mmm, mmm - this salad never gets old.
Tasty and unique Persian appetizers:
Kotlet, Koo Koo Sabzi, and Fesenjoon (we drizzle the tartly sweet sauce over meatballs!)
What we're talking about:
Co-host Beata joon and I cover the traditions of the ancient Persian winter festival, Yalda here:
Episode 114 of the Modern Persian Food podcast - Yalda Winter Solstice
We hope you enjoy the special music and poetry excerpts and are inspired to have conversations with family and friends to learn more about this non-secular holiday.
Episode 115 of the Modern Persian Food podcast - Cook for Iran with Layla Yarjani
Beata and I learn about the Cook for Iran initiative with our podcast guest, Layla Yarjani. Layla and a small team are banding together and organizing opportunities to raise awareness to the humanitarian crisis in Iran.
For more information on the philanthropy of choice and how to help, please go to:
Thank you for your support and best wishes for continuing to have a grateful heart, an alert & ambitious mind, and a healthy, hungry, curious tummy this holiday!
- Bita
Bita Arabian
Bita is the founder of the recipe website Oven Hug and co-host/co-producer of the Modern Persian Food podcast with Bita and Beata. She has over 20 years of experience inspiring others through teaching, coaching (as a family nutritionist), mentoring, and creating food-related content. Bita grew up in a Persian-American family in the Midwest and enjoys combining art and science (mom was an artist, and dad was a surgeon) to reinvent recipes in a simpler, healthier, and aesthetically pleasing way. Bita spreads her time between two residences: Menlo Park/the SF Bay Area and Southern California/south Orange County.
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