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The weather is (very) slowly cooling down in Morocco and has me missing the changing leaves and cool weather of a Midwestern fall. It also has me digging out my favorite Moroccan fall recipes. I’ve slowly watching the produce in the market begin to change. Sun-kissed figs have been replaced by pomegranates and I’ve seen more and more root vegetables on display.
Here, lunch is the biggest meal of the day. My kids come home from school for 2 ½ hours each afternoon to eat. Dinner is much later in the day and is typically a lighter affair. But, in keeping with American eating habits I’ve made the dinners the bigger meal. If your days are busy like mine, many of these things (especially breakfast items) can be made ahead of time.
Monday
Breakfast: Almond Butter and Banana Open “Sandwich”
Lunch: Moroccan Carrot and Goat Cheese Sandwiches with Green Olive Tapenade In Morocco there’s a delicious farmer’s cheese known as jben. It tastes to me like a mix between ricotta cheese and goat cheese. I’ve made these sandwiches with jbenbut love the tartness of goat cheese instead.
Dinner: Chicken Smothered with Tomato Jam – From one of my favorite Moroccan cookbooks this recipe is delicious. While the recipe calls for letting this marinade overnight, the results will still be delicious if you don’t have time or forget.
Tuesday
Breakfast: Almond Cardamom Granola – You can make this with a lot of different variations and store in a sealed container for several weeks.
Lunch: Moroccan Chicken Wrap – Have chicken leftover from last night? Throw these together! Swap out the phyllo for a sandwich wrap instead.
Dinner: Moroccan Shrimp Soup – Looking for a lighter dinner? This easy to prepare soup is delicious any time of year but I love making it on a cold night.
Wednesday
Breakfast: Muffins – I make a batch of muffins on the weekend, let them cool, and pop them in the freezer. In the morning they can be microwaved for 15-30 seconds or take out a few in the evening and they will be thawed by breakfast!
Lunch: Moroccan Carrot, Chickpea, Dried Fruit, and Almond Salad Not only is this salad delicious, you probably have most of the ingredients on hand. Make it the night ahead to save time in the morning and let the flavors combine in the fridge. (picture from Paula of Vintage Kitchen Notes)
Dinner: Beef Tagine with Butternut Squash – Nothing says fall like a stew. I’ve yet to find a butternut squash in Morocco but enjoyed this when in the US. You can also throw all the ingredients in a slow cooker! When it’s cooked through, transfer to a stovetop pot and reduce liquid. Traditional tajines are served and eaten with bread but you can serve this on top of rice or couscous.
Thursday
Breakfast: Meze Breakfast. These are my favorite mornings! Put out some bread, cheeses, jam, olive oil, olives, cut up tomatoes and cucumbers and let everyone choose their items.
Lunch: Ma’akouda Sandwiches – Love falafel? Try this Moroccan variation! In the coastal city of Essaouairama’akouda are a specialty. They can be eaten warm or cold and most often served stuffed in a baguette with tomatoes, lettuce, olives, mustard and mayo.
Dinner: Chicken, Walnut, and Quince Tajine – This is one of our very favorite tajines. Don’t let quinces scare you off! The flavor is a delicious addition. If you can get fresh quince where you live, opt to include those instead of the paste.
Friday
Breakfast: Nutella Banana Smoothies – Is it breakfast or dessert? My kids love this special treat.
Lunch: Leftover Buffet – I inevitably always have leftovers and so one day a week is leftover day. Repurpose what you have or simply serve them again.
Dinner: Roast Chicken with Almond and Matzo Stuffing – This chicken couldn’t be easier to prepare. It’s juicy and everyone will be begging for extra stuffing!
About Amanda: Amanda is curious, world traveling mom of 2 boys. She currently lives in Marrakech, Morocco with her husband and kids. Amanda is the publisher of MarocMama a blog about raising multicultural kids, food, and travel. You can connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.
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Amanda Mouttaki
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Marie-Claude Leroux says
September 30, 2013 at 7:52 amGreat menu! Thank you for putting together this wonderful post – am definitely going to try some of these recipes.
Jonathan says
October 1, 2013 at 1:28 amThis looks like an amazing set of dishes and I love the fact that you’ve included some really appetizing looking vegetarian dishes too. The carrot and goat cheese sandwiches sound great and I can’t wait to try out the ma’akouda as well. I’m a big fan of falafel, which I think I had for the first time at a North African sandwich shop in Marseille.