I swear there are more cats than people in Istanbul…

There is also a stray dog that follows me to work everyday. I didn’t take a picture of him, but he’s a sweetheart and circles me with love and I am thinking of taking him in as my own. The interesting thing about stray animals in Istanbul is that they all have received medical checkups/shots. Each has a tag that indicates they are disease-free and safe. Respect.

On an unrelated note, I recently made a zucchini appetizer that packed a punch.

Spicy Zucchini Aperitif

Ingredients:

-1 zucchini, sliced
-1 tsp salt
-1-2 tsp red pepper
-1 tbsp cumin
-1/2 diced red onion
-1 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Smother the bottom of a baking dish with olive oil.

Cut the zucchini into slices and place on the oil-coated pan.

Next add the salt and red pepper.

And then the cumin.

Dice the red onion.

Pop in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through and crispy on the outside.

And serve!

The perfect mezze 🙂

Bon apetit!

xoxo