Cooking Outside the Box

Disappearing Kohlrabi

2013-05-17T08:35:00.002+03:00

This gets gobbled up so quickly it doesn't always make it to the table!

2-4 kohlrabi bulbs/heads/roots (what do you call them?)
Paprika (sweet, smoked, spicy, whatever you like... I used fresh gourd sweet and smoked)
Garlic powder
Sea salt
Olive oil
Dijon mustard

Peel kohlrabi, cube, and remove woody part around the point.
Season generously with all the other ingredients.
Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Bake around 200 C/390 F until they start getting golden brown, about 20 minutes, then turn off oven and leave in until they are soft.

You may also enjoy "Kohl Slaw" Kohlrabi Salad.

Probiotic Soda Recipes

2013-05-13T22:03:00.000+03:00

Probiotic soda made from water kefir is an excellent way to stay hydrated and nourished all day!

If you missed my post What is Water Kefir? you probably want to check that out. Today I want to tell you how to make flavored soda from water kefir. In this post I will refer to the water kefir (a.k.a. tibicos) SCOBY as "grains." This term refers to the look of them, as in "grains of sand", they are in no way grains like wheat, barley, oats, rye, or spelt.

If you're starting from scratch, you will need to acquire water kefir grains. I ordered my grains from Keysands, which sells dehydrated and live grains. They have excellent, friendly customer service, so email them if you have questions. Follow their instructions to re-hydrate or revive your grains.
Now that you have a healthy batch of grains... Lets get started!

Ingredients

Around 1/4-1/2 cup of live water kefir grains
4 tablespoons sugar, preferably organic (not honey or any sugar substitute like agave or stevia)
4 cups high mineral, chlorine-free water
Optional: a drizzle of blackstrap molasses, a pinch of baking soda, NATURAL salt, calcium carbonate, a piece of a clean egg shell, or other mineral supplement, in order to increase the mineral content of your water.
Juice or other flavoring of your choice (see suggestions below)

Tools

1 or 2 pitchers or large jars
Plastic mesh strainer
Glass bottles with tight fitting lids like milk/yogurt style bottles or grolsch-style flip top bottles. A jar will work, it'd just not as nice for serving.
Something non-metal to stir the sugar

Process

Dissolve sugar and any optional mineral supplement in water.
Add your kefir grains, cover with a cloth, and let sit for 20-40 hours.
Strain out the grains by pouring through the strainer from one vessel to another.
Distribute the liquid water kefir into bottles of your choice and add juice, etc.(see below).
Cap tightly and leave at room temperature for 18-36 hours, depending on how much carbonation you desire. I like to use screw caps, because they allow me to monitor the pressure by pushing on the lid.
Refrigerate prior to drinking or pour over ice.
Refrigerate after desired fermentation/carbonation period to slow fermentation. Drink within two or three days. The soda is still safe fr longer, but at some point your kefir will reach the legal definition of "low alcohol", as opposed to the "dealcoholized" range which is more acceptable for the whole family.
During long storage, release pressure periodically to avoid a messy explosion.

I like to mix 1 part water kefir soda with 2-3 parts water and a large chunk of ice in a large water bottle and drink it all day.

Some of our favorite water kefir soda combos:

Pomegranate-Gingerale: 3-4 parts water kefir, 1 part pomegranate juice, sweetened us fine, several thin slices of fresh ginger, 20-30 hours bottled (See video)
Peach soda: 3 parts water kefir, 1 part peach "nectar" - 18-20 hours bottled
Sparkling apple cider: 3 parts water kefir, 1 part apple juice (preferably fresh squeezed, but from concentrate works fine), a stick of cinnamon- 24-40 hours bottled
"Lemonana" mint lemonade: (FYI I like it mild, you can add more lemon juice to your taste) In a 1 liter bottle, put 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar (optional, add to taste), half a well-washed lemon, thinly sliced, whole sprigs of mint (maybe 5-7 clean sprigs), 6+ hours bottles, optional: strain through a fine mesh strainer if your mint is an unappetizing mess.

Other recommended flavor combinations:

Pear, mango
Blueberry, pomegranate (recommended by Keysands, I haven't tried it)
Grape juice (like champagne)
Fresh squeezed orange and grapefruit juice (I didn't have any problems with the acidity, it got nice and bubbly.)
Carrot and apple
Creme Soda: just add vanilla extract or vanilla sugar, bottle until bubbly
Gingerale: I use fresh ginger and homemade vanilla sugar

What flavors would you like to try?

What is Water Kefir?

2013-05-09T13:29:00.003+03:00

It is my great pleasure to introduce you to my new friend Tibicos, AKA Tibi, Sugar Kefir, Water Kefir, Japanese Water Chrystals, California Bees, Beer Seeds, and more. In past posts I've written about kefir, usually a yogurt-like drink made from milk, and kombucha, a fermented tea drink. Water kefir uses a similar process to make a unique fermented beverage full of probiotic goodness. Dispite the name, water kefir is a different organism from dairy kefir.

What is Water Kefir Soda?
When sugar water is cultured with the water kefir SCOBY, the resulting liquid can be bottled with other flavors to become a slightly fizzy natural soda. It has tiny gentle bubbles like natural champagne as opposed to the big bubbles that are artificially pumped into commercial soda pop.

How does it taste and smell?
I mix mine with juice, tea, ginger, vanilla sugar, or whatever else I want it to taste like. I would describe the taste as slightly sweet, earthy, and yeasty. The longer is ferments, the less sweet and more yeasty or sour it might taste. Eventually it will taste a little alcoholic or vinegary (though I've never had any that long.) Kelly compares it to a mild wine cooler.

Truth told, the smell can be a little off putting. I'm not sure if mine is getting better/healthier, or if I'm just getting used to it. I brought a sample to someone yesterday who told me if I want to sell the stuff (see here for sales info) then I have to do something about the smell.
I drink it all day long straight for a little snack/dessert, or mixed with water.

What IS the water kefir SCOBY?

my tibicos grains

Despite the name, there is no grain in "water kefir grains." SCOBY is an acronym for a symbiotic community of bacteria and yeast. Each Tibicos SCOBY has a unique complex community of over 40 beneficial bacteria and yeasts, including L. acidophilus and the other 1-10 strains found in store bought probiotic supplements. It looks like gel crystals that sit in the bottom of the jar or pitcher with the sugar water solution, and bubble throughout the day. When I first re-hydrated them I thought they smelled mildly like breast-fed baby poo. Maybe they are healthier now, but it doesn't bother me.

Where do I get kefir grains?
I ordered dehydrated kefir grains from Keysands, based in Minnesota. They were inexpensive, shipped quickly, work well, and the small company offers excellent, friendly customer support. (All shipping, domestic and International, is only $3.99!) If you live in the US and are ready to start making water kefir right away, buy the live grains. Cultures for Health is also a good source of kefir grains and their blog is an excellent resource for articles and recipes.

How do I get Kosher Kefir Grains?

Grains in solution with sugar, black-strap molasses,
and calcium carbonate to promote growth.

From the research I did, most rabbis say that you can buy water kefir grains without kosher supervision and throw away the first batch of kefir. It's sort of like you are rinsing or purging them of anything that could be unkosher. They are a living organism that lives on kosher ingredients that, according to many authorities, don't need a heksher, so the kashrut concerns are minor. Dairy Kefir may be more of an issue, which is one reason I don't have any. If you keep Chalav Yosrael you need to wait for your grains to multiply several times, discarding previous generations.

Why do I like water kefir better than kombucha or the more common dairy kefir?

It is non-dairy, which is good for people with dairy sensitivities, and makes it more versatile in a kosher kitchen.
It is caffeine free, making it a better choice for the whole family, or an after dinner beverage.
It is much faster than making kombucha, uses less ingredients, and takes less space.
It's an easy intro to fermented foods, because it may seem more 'normal' to people who are used to drinking soda or beer. I've had very positive reactions from most guests I've serve it to, and my kids love it.

Is it alcoholic?
Like all fermented food and drink, water kefir contains some alcohol. A normal 2-step fermentation leads to about 0.64% alcohol by volume according to Kelly's experiment. This makes is about the same as "dealcoholised beer" but not enough alcohol to be labeled "low-alcohol." I haven't asked any Mormons or Muslims, but all the "natural parenting" people I've communicated with have no problem giving their kids lots of kefir. I put my water kefir in the fridge on it's second or third day. This slows the fermentation, but doesn't stop it completely. After another day in the fridge I usually just keep it as an evening drink for myself. I'm a real light weight :-)

How do I make it?
Click here to see the video of my "kefir cycle" making yesterday's liquid into pomegranate-ginger soda, and starting a new batch. If you buy dehydrated grains you will also receive re-hydrating instructions.

What else would you like to know? If you were thinking about buying some bottled tibicos soda, what would you want to know?

Too Easy Chocolate Chip Peach Cake

2013-04-25T22:32:00.000+03:00

I don't bake much. It just doesn't get my creative juices flowing quite like stringing together a healthy, balanced, and economical meal that most of my family might eat. But when I ask a friend if there's something I can do to help, I mean it. And if the response is that I should bring cake... Well by golly, I'll bake a cake! Here's the thing, my one go-to easy cake is the Apple Sauce Cake recipe given to me by the same person to whose house I would be bringing the cake!

I felt something new was in order. Then I remembered, many moons ago, my friend Shoshana told me about this super easy cake she makes. I remember her saying something like, "You just mix the ingredients in the order listed, and it always comes out great." Thanks to the miracle of email search, I just typed in "shoshana cake" and there was the recipe, right before a couple conversations that include discussion of rice cakes!

So here it is. The recipe so simple I remembered it over eight years later:

3 eggs
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 cup oil
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
Can of peaches
1 cup chocolate chips

Combine wet ingredients, then flour and baking soda, and add cinnamon, peaches, and chocolate chips last.

Bake in an un-greased 9 X 13 pan (I guess it has enough oil!) at 350 for about 45 minutes.

If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider supporting the amazing work Shoshana and her colleagues do to physically and spiritually nourish Pittsburgh students, through Chabad House on Campus activities.

Special Helpers in the Kitchen - Guest Post

2013-04-21T23:07:00.000+03:00

In honor of Autism Awareness Month, I invited author and mother of four (including a 10 year old boy with Autistic Spectrum Disorder and an 8 year old daughter born with Down's syndrome) to share her experience cooking with special needs kids. Deborah teaches cooking classes in her home to mothers and children with mild special needs. Check out Deborah's amazing, powerful, and insightful new memoir A Brief Moment in Time, published by ASD Publushing Co, New York, available where ebooks are sold.

Cooking can be hectic, messy and stressful. A brief loss of focus or minor slip up can lead to overly-spiced and over-cooked food, or blood and burns. Because adding children to that mix is quite often a ‘no no’ for many mothers, children are missing out on grasping the tools of a fundamental life skill.

Photo from Nicole Mays

Cooking time with mum gives children an opportunity to learn about the different food groups and the importance of health, safety, and hygiene during preparation. Furthermore, whilst we live in an environment where the consumption of processed food is more appealing than spending time preparing fresh food from scratch, we have a responsibility to teach our children how to make the correct culinary choices.

As a mother of four children, two of whom have special needs, finding the patience as well as the time to teach my children is no easy task. Yet making the effort has taught me that cooking with children who have special needs is just as effective as a therapy session.

How is this so? I am certainly not a professional in the medical field with little expertise in the different techniques used when working with children with disabilities. However, what I do have is a very specific skill set when preparing food. This skill set is managed by rules and regulations that ensure safe food management and consumption. Children with communication, coordination and attention difficulties thrive on rules and boundaries because they help guide them on how to behave. By learning to cook using this skill set, they become more confident and focused by being able to reap the almost immediate benefits from their efforts by enjoying the food they have prepared.

Photo from Nicole Mays

It still amazes me that my 10 year old son, who has Autistic Spectrum Disorder and thereby has trouble focusing on a given task and trouble with hand eye coordination is able to egg, bread and fry chicken, under my watchful eye of course, with absolute precision.

Below are my top 5 tips for cooking with all children:

1. Allocate a 30 minute time slot for cooking:

For the first few sessions outlining a start and finish time will help the concept feel more manageable to you. Also your child, who may have difficulty starting a new activity due to concentration issues, will be more inclined to participate knowing that this activity has a start and end time.

2. Before the session begins have all utensils and ingredients ready:

When cooking with children under age 6 it is will be helpful to have all seasoning/dry foods measured out and vegetables washed and ready to prepare before you begin. You will then be able to focus on the food preparation alone.

For older children, utensil and ingredient preparation can be introduced at the outset as it is an important part of the process for them to understand and learn how to manage.

3. Devise a short list of fundamental rules that will be outlined at the beginning of every session:

We all have different pointers that will be important when cooking with our children, and the rules will also differ for older children. Whilst devising your list consider the following as options for you:

For younger children:

- You must listen to mummy at all times whilst we cook.

- Before cooking we tie our hair up (for girls).

- We all wash our hands with soap.

- At the end of every cooking session, we will help mummy clear up.

To add for older children:

- Follow each instruction carefully when using different utensils.

- Clear up as we work.

4. Use visual recipes where possible:

Following a recipe step by step using visual examples, helps all children understand what they need to do more clearly. Those with special needs are also able practice following a process through from start to finish, helping them learn how each step contributes to the end result

5. Talk through the recipe before you begin cooking and discuss new skills that will be learnt.

For example if the recipe calls for whisking or mixing with a wooden spoon, show your child the utensil before you begin. Let them hold it and familiarize themselves before you begin. This way, when you introduce it to the cooking process it won’t distract their attention.

Below is a delicious recipe that is suitable for both parents and children alike. Determine based on your child’s age which part of the preparation they can be involved in and which part requires a grown up helper:

Yummy French toast with a twist

Ingredients:

Photo from Mia3Mom Rachel

2 slices of wholemeal bread
Butter
A small handful of grated cheese
1 egg
¼ cup of milk
1 spoon of olive oil
Optional: Thin slices of tomato, mozzarella cheese

Method:

Crack egg into a glass and pour into a mixing bowl.
Add milk and whisk with a fork.
Spread butter on both slices of bread.
Sprinkle cheese on one slice and add other optional ingredients if preferred.
Put the other slice on top and press down.
Dip the sandwich over and over again in the egg mixture.
Ask a grown up for help with the next part. Turn on the gas and heat up the oil in a frying pan.
Add the sandwich into the pan. Remember: Don’t drop into the pan; lay the sandwich slowly and carefully so that the oil doesn't splash!
Fry for 3 minutes on a medium heat and then ask your grown up helper to help you turn the sandwich over and fry for another 3 minutes until the egg is cooked.
Remove from the heat, serve immediately and enjoy!

Deborah French blogs regularly on her website www.deborah-french.com on navigating the school system, how to inspire teachers and therapists to help your child, and tips on daily life both for parenting and finding yourself.

Basic Sauerkraut - How it all began

2013-04-18T10:00:00.000+03:00

The first food I purposely fermented was a plain sauerkraut. Just cabbage and salt. I didn't like it at first, but my 1.5 and 6 year old boys were big fans. Then either my taste matured or the kraut matured after another month in my fridge, and suddenly I couldn't get enough!

I apologize if you can’t run across the street to the local veggie stand/quickie mart and pick up a cabbage for about 50 US cents a pound. I know; we’re blessed. In your case, buying the cabbage might be the hardest part of the recipe. Honest, the rest is that easy.

picture taken from my window

You will need:

ceramic crock or jar(s)
cabbage
non-iodized salt
any other fruits, veggies, seaweed, or spices you want to add like:
onions, apples, carrots, juniper berries, wakame, ginger, garlic...

Rinse off dirt from your cabbage, remove outer leaves and set aside.
Shred or chop up cabbage. Optional - add other vegetables or spices at this point.
Lightly salt, maybe 1 tablespoon for your average head of cabbage. Mix well. Optional - add some bottled probiotics to get things started; 1-2 capsules I don't do this anymore, but I sometimes use some juice from a previous batch.
Massage cabbage and squeeze out as much juice as possible. I like to mix the cabbage for a couple minutes, walk away for 5-10 minutes, and then massage and squeeze it for another 5 minutes or more.
Pack all the cabbage into your containers so the cabbage is under it's own juices. If you don't have enough juice you can add filtered/bottled water or salt water (not chlorinated). But if you've done enough squeezing, that shouldn't be necessary.
Use the outer leaves from the cabbage to pack all the shredded goodness under the water. Use another weight (small plate, jar, or bag of salt water) if necessary. Everything MUST stay submerged.
Walk away for AT LEAST 4-5 days. You can leave the kraut to get extra ripe for a couple weeks, or move it to the fridge at any point to slow down the fermentation.

I find that my fermented stuff starts out smelling/tasting like fresh salty veggies, then goes through a 'funky phase,' before having a cleaner vinegar or wine-like fragrance. Don't be scared of funky smells, bubbles, or white foam or scum on the surface. Just make sure everything stays under liquid and keep out any bugs or other critters.

You should check on your sauerkraut every couple days to make sure everything is fully submerged and clean off any "bloom" - white scum on the surface. I've had significant bloom on my other veggies, especially the cucumber pickles, and sweets and beets. So far all four different sauerkraut mixes I've made have been bloom-free, and not needed much attention. I just like to squeeze all the air out and make sure everything is packed down under the liquid.

See also:
Video of other fermented vegetables
Kombucha
Dairy Kefir
Water Kefir - Tibicos (Next week)

Intro to Fermenting Vegetables

2013-04-16T08:57:00.003+03:00

I have been absolutely obsessed with fermenting foods the last few weeks. My interest began as I read and heard reports on the multiple benefits of probiotics and the importance of a healthy balance of bacteria in the gut. It went beyond good digestion and better absorption of nutrients. Studies show better mood and brain function associated with healthy gut flora. Research suggests that 80% of the immune system may be in the gut, with probiotic-rich foods, like kimchi, offering serious illness preventing effects.

A study published in Nature found that, "Mice fed a strain of Lactobacillus rhamnosus were less anxious and produced fewer stress hormones than control animals."

I'm sold! But consuming effective amounts of probiotic tablets and yogurt can get very expensive. Multiply that times the six anxious, antibiotic ravaged guts in our household, and it is completely cost prohibitive. Then I remembered, I could culture my own probiotics! I've posted before about kombucha and kefir, but I was having trouble getting my hands on kosher kefir grains or a kombucha SCOBY. I discussed my interest with a friend, who told me she makes her own sauerkraut - and it's easy!

Video of me introducing the things I've been fermenting - part 1 of 3

fermenting cauliflower, fava, and lemon; kosher dill pickles; carrots in brine

Here is an abbreviated list of the "ripe" experiments I just moved into my fridge:

Sauerkraut with apples, carrots, onion, parsnip, celery seeds, anise seeds
Saurkraut with wakame and a little ginger
'Kimchi-kraut' from shredded cabbage, kohlrabi, raddish, onion, with a little asparagus, chili pepper, garlic, and ginger
'Sriracha' fermented chili peppers (with sugar, if I remember correctly), fermented then blended and strained
'Sweets and Beets' with half a vanilla bean
carrots
dill pickles - cucumbers, fresh dill, whole mustard seeds, turmeric; then rinsed after a few days and moved to fresh brine with just one large crushed garlic clove (the current family favorite)

Now I'm taking a little break while I wait for my birthday presents (two books, below) to come in the mail. My fridge is full of all the veggies and two kinds of sourdough starter. I have a big gorgeous jar of lemons preserving in the pantry, and I'm moving onto my next obsession - water kefir!

Check out my Cultured Foods Board on Pinterest for some of my favorite videos and other resources to get you excited about fermentation.

In the coming weeks, I'll give you instructions for the simple sauerkraut I've been making, the soda-like water kefer (tibicos) my kids and I have been enjoying, and give you ideas and recipes to incorporate all those fermented foods into family meals.

Rice paper rolls with raw, cooked, and fermented vegetables.

Related Posts:
Beer Part 1 - Intro and History
Beer Part 2 - Process
Sourdough
Kombucha
Kefir
Coming Up:
Basic Sauerkraut
Water Kefir - Tibicos

Travel to Zichron Yaakov and review of Nili Restaurant

2013-04-11T21:17:00.000+03:00

My mother is visiting from Florida for 10 days - yay! Yesterday we had a lovely day trip to the scenic and relaxing Zichron Yaakov and Ramat Hanadiv. If you are staying in Tel Aviv, or anywhere along Israel's train route, Zichron Yaakov is easy to get to. The train ride is surprisingly pleasant and the system is easy to use without any of the hassles of air travel or the uncertainty of buses. From the Binyamina train station, cross the street and take the #70 bus to the last stop.

In Zichron Moshe, we went to the First Aliya Museum, about the Jewish immigrants of the 1880's, and we walked along the pedestrian mall section of Hameyasdim Street. We had an outstanding lunch at Nili (kosher mehadrin). The presentation, atmosphere, food, and service was all excellent. I wasn't terribly excited by the sushi menu until my mom brought my attention to the Special Vegetarian - tamago, shitake, kampyo takuan wrapped in sweet potato and avocado. It turned out to be the surprise highlight of the meal - sweet, soft, and fresh. We also ordered the portobello mushroom appetizer with roasted pepper and goat cheese. I loved the gentle crispness formed around the circles of lightly roasted goat cheese. I splurged on tagliattele alfredo with fresh salmon.

Just uphill from Nili Restaurant is the Tut-Neyar Paper Mill, a small studio making handmade paper and paper crafts. If you are in Zichron Yaakov, make sure to check out the gallery/shop and surrounding area. The shop also sells very unique EWE brand bags.

From Zichron Yaakov we took a short cab ride to Ramat Hanadiv to stroll the beautiful Gan Hanadiv memorial gardens where the great Zionist philanthropist Baron Edmond de Rothschild and his wife are interred. Don't miss the fragrance garden (designed for the blind), rose garden, crypt, and cascade garden. We arrived an hour before the listed closing time of 4:00 pm and a guard hassled us insisting that they close at 3:45. Plan to spend more than an hour in the gardens, with additional time for the restaurant, "info-shop," playground, and surrounding nature areas. Admission is free, but be sure to pic up a little informational pamphlet on your way into the park.

Both Zichron Yaakov and Ramat Hanadiv have amazing playgrounds that will more than satisfy any young travelers.

Turn Failed Meringues into Killer Cookies PLUS Passover Dessert Link-up

2013-03-18T07:30:00.000+02:00

NOTE: Feel free to skip trying to make meringues and go straight to the super easy cookie recipes below.

Other Passover Desserts (all gluten-free, non-gebroks):
Blintzes
Fudgy Brownies
Banana Ice Cream
Fruit Compote

I've had a rough relationship with meringues. For years I would try making meringues and encounter one of several problems:

My cheap hand mixer was insufficient or the motor would overheat before I had "stiff peaks."
My own hand with whisk got tired before I reached "stiff peaks."
I added the sugar too fast.
I tried to make too big of a batch.
My "stiff peaks" collapsed when I added cocoa powder.
I got too creative "folding in" other ingredients and my meringues collapsed or turned to soup.

There's no reason to dump perfectly good egg whites just because they didn't 'peak'. With just a little encouragement and support, those whites can grow up into some very unique cookies that your family and guests will go NUTS over!

Chocolate Walnut Cookies

If you haven't already added cocoa powder to your whites, do it now. I usually start with about:

3 egg whites
1 cup sugar
pinch of salt
2 Tbsp cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 250 F / 120 C. (Or use the temperature of whatever else is cooking.)
Mix in a 1 cup roughly chopped walnuts or nut of your choice. Adjust quantity as needed; your mixture should be VERY nutty. You could add chocolate chips with or in place of the cocoa powder, in addition to the nuts.
Grease a baking pan (or two), or line a pan with baking paper and pour your mixture in. (If it's thick enough, fold cookies.) You want a thin layer, about the depth of a walnut. Now you have a few options to play with.
(A) Bake until the mixture thickens, then form the batter into cookies and bake until crispy.
or(B) Bake until the top is crispy. Then flip upside down and break into smaller pieces and bake the other side. They may need to bake for about an hour total.

Chewy Almond Macaroons

Beginning with:

3 egg whites
1.5 cups sugar
pinch of salt
a little vanilla extract or vanilla sugar

Preheat oven to 350 F / 170 C.
Mix/blend in 2.25 cups ground almonds, enough to form a firm dough.
Form cookies and bake 18-20 minutes until golden brown.

Based on Faye Levy’s Almond Macaroons posted by Miriyummy.

Non-Dairy Stinging Nettle and Garlic Quiche

2013-03-15T01:19:00.003+02:00

Winter is over and the nettles are not looking so hot. Now is your last chance! Find a shady spot with some spunky looking nettles and (carefully) rescue them. I've heard they have health benefits, but I think of them as a free alternative to spinach.

I got the idea for this dish while listening to the February 1, 2013 episode of the Good Food Market Report. My husband and I enjoy listening to the show together and chuckling at all the different varieties of a vegetable or terms like source - "You mean buy?" In this episode Ria Wilson, Sous Chef at Sqirl Cafe, was discussing how she 'sources' the greens for her Green Garlic & Nettle Frittata. But buying stinging nettles? This gave me quite a laugh. I've cooked with nettles before, but never really valued them until I heard about a chef paying good money for them. I was also happy to hear that my sprouted garlic could have a bright future.

The next day I planted my already sprouting garlic in my barren window boxes. (It's doing wonderfully, and I've used it a few times.)

Then I pulled on my gloves, and took a little urban foraging walk around my building. When picking nettles, you may want to double-glove. And be extra careful of the larger thorns on the stems.

Ingredients:

aprox. 2 cups nettles
1/2 cup soy milk (or liquid of your choice)
4-5 eggs
1 cup breadcrumbs, separated
2-3 Tbsps mayonnaise
2 cloves of fresh garlic or green garlic
2 tsps cooking oil (for baking dish)
nutritional yeast (optional)
salt

Give the nettles a nice bath in water and vinegar.
Beat together eggs, soy milk, 1/2 cup bread crumbs, mayonnaise, salt, and nutritional yeast (to your taste).
Finely chop garlic and add to the mixture.
Preheat oven to 375 F / 170 C.
Generously grease baking dish and sprinkle with a thin layer of bread crumbs
Dry nettles in a salad spinner or squeeze with a towel.
Coarsely chop the nettles and mix into the batter.
Pour the mixture into the dish and top with more bread crumbs.
Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and firm.
Top with more nutritional yeast and serve.

ALTERNATIVE: Fry onions. Mix them into the batter. Cook the quiche/frittata/pashtida in the same pan you used for the onions.

Related posts:

Pre-Pesach Kosher Cooking Carnival

2013-03-12T02:05:00.000+02:00

Chodesh tov! I've been hearing people mentioning Pesach for over a month, and until recently, it hadn't quite clicked why. According to my daughter, the families of all her friends in our building are already done cleaning for Pesach! When she interrogated me about my Pesach cleaning, I assured her that I had begun... by cleaning out a couple boxes of cookies.

Well, the month of Nisan has arrived! I now give you all permission to begin your Pesach preparations, and even mention the 'P' word without me growling in return.

This week I am giddy with excitement to welcome a new member into our home, specifically, my kitchen - a Magimix food processor. It only cost half a years worth of diapers! I just can't stop thinking about it. It actually makes me want to clean faster so I'll have more time in the kitchen to chop and whip things up like Pesach brownies, Homemade Gefilte fish, Cauliflower Tabouleh, Banana Ice Cream, quick tomato sauce for Shakshouka (pictured), and "Fresh" Sriracha - Homemade Hot Sauce.

I'm also going to make lots more of Faye Levy’s Almond Macaroons posted by Miriyummy.

Then after Pesach I hope to make more bread, like Easy Awesome Onion Challah (where I can use the Magimix to chop the onions and knead the dough) and stuffed focaccia like the Focaccia Hamentashen I made for Purim.

I love the idea of Schlissel Challah, Key Shaped Bread Baked After Passover (pictured) made by Creative Jewish Mom Sarah Rivka.

I could whip up Chaviva's No-bake Peanut Butter Mousse Pie or make a giant batch of Lavash/Laffa Bread posted on Challah Maidel.

Or maybe I'll mix up a giant batch of cookies and freeze some! Batya shared a simple cookie "nonrecipe" in Not Exactly The Recipe, But....

Before we continue, I want to congratulate Hannah Katsman, of Cooking Manager and A Mother in Israel, on the birth of her first eBook! I've always looked up to Hannah as something of a conservation guru. Her mother had some extreme, but very novel ideas, on saving food, water, and energy. I have personally read every last word, and I can tell you that I had much to learn about the way my appliances worked and how I can get the most from them. Check it out: Cook Smart! Learn the Secrets of Your Kitchen Appliances

Welcome to our new blogger, Liron Yankonsky. Liron's blog teaches how to draw and discusses Art in the Middle East. Check out the post on Israeli (and Middle Eastern) Foods! (Pictured: Illstration of Jachnun, eggs, and grated tomato.)

Ruti made some delicious looking food in Shabbat on a Budget, posted at Ki Yachol Nuchal!

Batya over at me-ander was a prolific poster this month. She discussed Eating Kosher in Atlanta, Georgia and her New Coffee Treat, The French Press asking, "How about Shabbat use?" Batya had a couple unfortunate restaurant experiences. Have any of you ever gotten yelled at for taking pictures in a restaurant store, or the shuk?

Jay3fer made Pareve Chocolate Caramel Cookies for Shabbos (pictured), posted at Adventures in BreadLand, saying, "Mmm... definitely one for the "can't believe it's pareve" category!" If you have challah dough to use up before Passover, try her Quick Yeasty "Leftover" Rogelach.

I want to thank Jennifer for turning me on to pareve coconut dulce de leche. (Just posted it to my Pinterest board!) I love her enthusiasm in posting her Pineapple Upside-downishness (pictured).

As always, Food Bridge has a wonderful feast for the eyes. Sarah posted Flowers With My Toast.

Kosher for Passover

I, Yosefa, wrote my tips for How to Make Great Chicken Soup, including matzoh ball tips. I also recently started making "Fresh" Sriracha - Homemade Hot Sauce. Here, at Cooking Outside the Box.

JPix made Zucchini Dill Soup - Creamy Smooth Zucchini Soup with Dill posted at Here in HP. I think I can smell it right off my screen - Mmm mmm!

Liz, over at Cafe Liz, posted a Springtime Matzo Ball Broth with asparagus.

Bonnie shared a healthy twist on KFP lasagna, Matzoh Cheese Roll-Ups, on BRG Health Solutions. I'd call them KFP cannelloni. Yum!

Yosef, of This American Bite, reviewed the book Passover Made Easy (it sounds great!) and shared a recipe for Sugar Free Pickled Beets and Turnips.

Batya, of me-ander, also shared a simple way to prepare Japanese eggplant - Special Eggplant Recipe From My Friend and her matzah brei recipe to Finish That Matzah!

May you all have a kosher and happy Passover!

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of kosher cooking carnival-kcc using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Share |

Technorati tags: kosher cooking carnival-kcc, blog carnival.

How to make great Chicken Soup

2013-03-09T22:32:00.001+02:00

When my friend, Tammy, was sick last month, I whipped up some Matzoh Ball Soup for her and her family. I received the following response:
"My dearest,I want to tell you,that your chicken soup was one of the best I ever tasted in all my life! The chicken was sooo....succulent...and juicy! I don't know how you did it,but it was THE BEST!!!!"

Chicken soup is one of those things that can seem intimidating, but once you do it a few times, it's at least as easy as making pasta salad.

Cook time: 20 minutes in a pressure cooker or 1 hour simmering in a regular pot

Basic ingredients:

1 whole chicken
2-4 carrots - peeled, whole
2 stalks of celery, washed, cut into a few pieces
1-2 onions, washed or peeled, quartered
1-2 bay leaves
water
salt to taste - maybe 1 tsp for kosher chicken, more for a non-kosher bird (kosher chickens are salted to remove the blood.)

Extra ingredients or alternatives:
NOTE: don't overdo leafy things or you will have a soup that looks and tastes more green than meaty.

whole peppercorns
fresh or dry parsley
celery seed (I only tried it because I didn't have parsley last time, but It was GREAT!)
celery leaves
mushrooms
dry shitake mushrooms (my favorite)
a small spoonful of sugar or a little honey
garlic cloves, halved or whole
butternut squash - scrubbed or peeled, seeded and left in very large pieces
parsnip - scrubbed or peeled and left in large pieces
chicken bones, necks, or legs and thighs
herbs like fresh or dried sage, rosemary, and thyme
a spoonful or wine or sake after cooking

Tools:

1 large cooking pot or pressure cooker
1 pot or heat-proof contaner big enough for the soup
large mesh strainer or colander
bowls for separating chicken
a way to cool the soup
stove

Tips:

Some people tie their herbs together or put them in cheese cloth to make them easier to retrieve. I just strain the whole soup.
I read that the chicken should go breast-side up. (From Pressure Perfect by Lorna Sass)
When in doubt, use a bigger pot.
To save time. begin heating a large pot with about 4 cups of water
When considering adding ingredients like vegetables, consider cook time. If you want to include the vegetables in the final soup, leave them in large enough pieces so they won't overcook and become mush in your soup. For instance, I cut the butternut squash in half to remove the seeds and then only cut it to bite-size pieces after the soup is cooked. I cook the carrots whole.

Directions:

Bring all desired ingredients to a boil.
Simmer for 1 hour or cook in a pressure cooker for 20 minutes plus natural release. (Natural = Just turn off the fire and don't touch the cooker until the pressure comes down on it's own.)
Let the soup cool just enough so it is not dangerous to handle.
Poor the soup through a strainer into your secondary pot.
Cool the broth (unless you will serve it soon or make matzah balls or noodles) and move the ingredients you want to keep (like the carrots and chicken) from the strainer to another container to cool.
If you haven't already, put on some good music.
Cut carrots, etc. into spoon-sized pieces and separate all edible chicken from the skin and bones.
(I usually cut half the chicken into spoon-sized pieces for the soup and use half for chicken salad or something else. It depends how meaty you like your soup.)

Store chicken, carrots, etc. separately or in the soup. The benefit of keeping it separate, is that you can bring the broth up to a boil first, then add the appropriate amount of goodies without them getting over-cooked. This is especially important if you will be cooking matzoh balls or noodles in the soup.
If you store the soup overnight, the fat will float and solidify, and can be removed. (That's up to you.)

Matzoh ball tips:

I recently discovered that you can save time and energy by making matzoh balls at the same time that you make the soup. Though they will sink the the bottom of the soup, they don't otherwise suffer from being made even days ahead.

While the soup is cooking, prepare matzoh ball "dough" according to the directions on the box or use my matzoh ball recipe.
Refrigerate.
At step #5, above, after you strain the broth, while you are waiting for the chicken to cool enough to handle, cook the matzoh balls, as follows:
Bring the soup back up to a boil in a wide pot. (You can add water to the soup. Some will come off as steam, and a lot of the soup will be absorbed by the matzoh balls, but they will taste much better than if you just cooked them in salt water or soup mix.)
I recommend you make the balls very small, like the size of a quarter. They will expand in the soup, and they will cook more evenly if they start small.
Cover the pot and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Focaccia Hamentashen

2013-02-11T09:21:00.000+02:00

I've been wanting to make these for Purim for the past couple years, but something always comes up. Today I finally tested my concept, and I intend to put a couple in each Purim basket for mishloach manot/shalach manos I give my friends and neighbors. In Hebrew - פוקצ'ה אוזני המן

Start with your favorite pizza or focaccia dough recipe. I used my dad's pizza dough recipe. I think this one from Anne Burrell also looks good. The following proportions will make 8 hamentashen (enough for a test batch or family appetizer):

Dough:

3/4 tsp yeast
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup warm water (NOT hot)
2 Tbsp oil
1 egg (optional)
2 cups flour (I used whole wheat for this test, but I plan to use all-purpose for the mishloah manot.)
1 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients except flour and salt. Wait 10-20 minutes. Mixture should bubble and rise.
Add flour and salt.
Knead dough for 10 minutes. Add flour if dough is too sticky. Rest for 10 minutes.
Divide into small balls 2"-3" (5-7 cm) in diameter. Fold dough over itself a few times until it is springy.
Cover with a damp cloth and wait at least a couple hours at room temperature or overnight in the fridge.

Hamentashen

Finely chop garlic and mix with olive oil. Set aside until end.
Prepare fillings such as tomato with fresh basil or pesto, or anything you like on your pizza (mushrooms, onions, spinach...). I sauteed onions and bell peppers in oil until they were soft and sweet, then added some quality soy sauce.
Preheat oven to the highest temperature (Mine is 250 C/480 F) with convection if you have. (If you have a pizza stone, you can put it in the oven to heat now, and use it in place of a baking sheet.)
Stretch balls of dough into thin circles. Pile filling into the middle. Fold up 3 "sides" and pinch well to form a triangle. (Watch video at the bottom to see how I formed the hamentashen.)
Place focaccia hamentashen on baking paper or grease a baking sheet with the garlic olive oil you made in "step 1".
Paint the focaccia with the garlic olive oil from "step 1". Try to get some of the garlic on the dough.
Bake until brown. Probably less than 5 minutes depending on your oven and how thin you make the focaccia.

UPDATE:
I used Anne Burrell's recipe (link above) and they were great! I doubled the recipe and made 90 tiny dough balls the night before. If you make an 'O' with your thumb and index finger, you'll see about how big the balls were. Then the next morning I just stretched them out gently to fill. Each person/family got 4-5 "focaccia oznei haman" on a plate with some olive, cherry tomatoes, a container of homemade garlic-basil-shiitake mushroom pesto with sun dried tomato spread and pine-nut garnish, and a container of my homemade sriracha.

Check out what I made last year, plus Purim baskets from my neighbors.

Enjoy this month's Kosher Link-up with Purim-related posts from across the blogosphere.

''Fresh'' Sriracha - homemade hot sauce

2013-02-10T21:54:00.000+02:00

I recently made "fresh" (unfermented) sriracha after hearing about the popular "Rooster Sauce" or "Hipster Ketchup" on a couple of my favorite podcasts. I based my sauce on the technique from Food52, with some changes for my palette.

0. Before you begin handling the chilis, put on gloves and do not remove them until you have washed the cutting board and knife after step 2.

1. Coarsely chop:

3/4 lb (1/3 kg) red chili peppers
4 cloves of garlic

2. Soak overnight in:

1 cup apple cider vinegar (or enough to just barely cover the chilis after you squeeze them down)
1 tsp sea salt

3. The next day add:

2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp tamari or good soy sauce (optional)
a few drops of mushroom sauce or fish sauce (optional)

4. Simmer for 5-15 minutes. Blend well. (I used a hand-held stick blender.)

5. Pour the sauce through a mesh strainer. Use a spatula to squeeze out every last drop. Scrape the bottom of the strainer.

Bottle, share, enjoy!

Personally, I love it. But I'm not much of a hot sauce connoisseur. I have a low tolerance for heat and gave most of my batch to a couple friends. I'm waiting to hear their verdict. I think mine must be milder than the "Rooster Sauce" made buy Huy Fong Foods, as illustrated in the comic from The Oatmeal.

It's excellent on potatoes, fries, and anywhere you would use ketchup. And you can mix it with mayonnaise and use it on sandwiches or in chicken salad.

Reusable Sandwich and Snack Bags Tutorial

2013-01-24T10:09:00.001+02:00

To cut back on our use of plastic, I 'upcycled' these bags from ripped jeans. I began collecting post-wearable jeans for the aprons I was making. This is a great way to use smaller pieces of material.

Why these are better than the alternatives:

Put food in while hot - it won't get soggy or melt the bag
No worries about BPA's and the like leaking into your food
Sanitary - machine washable in HOT water, unlike plastic-lined alternatives
Cute and stylish
Easy to make
No 'Velcro' means they last much longer, however you wash them.

You will need:
Denim - You can usually make at least 8 bags from one pair of old jeans. (Note - stretch denim is more difficult to sew on a machine.)
Strong thread - a contrasting color is nice.

1. Figure out what you plan to pack. For example, take your average size piece of bread. Cut a rectangle of denim a couple inches wider and 1.5 times as long as the size of the bread. I make mine about 17" by 8" (43x20 cm) for sandwiches and smaller for snacks like nuts and dried fruit.

2. Sew the narrow edges with a zig-zag or over-edge stitch to keep them from fraying.

3. Fold the bag inside out. The short flap should be on the INSIDE. The bags work well when the fold over flap goes about 1/3 down the bag. (In the pictures at the bottom, the flap goes half way down. This makes the bags a little harder to open.)

sewing bag inside out

4. Sew the edges with an over-edge stitch or a straight stitch and a zig-zag stitch to bind the edges. (You may want to turn the bag right-side out after doing a straight stitch, to make sure you folded it the right way.)

Use and care:

To clean, turn bag inside out and brush off crumbs. Hand or machine wash at any temperature as needed.

You may be concerned about the bag lacking a water-proof layer, or you want something less breathable. I usually send the bags with my kids inside a more plastic-y little lunch sack. I've recently acquired a couple "free gift" make-up bags that have just enough insulation to make excellent lunch bags.

Sew a bag - Save the planet - Happy Tu B'Shvat!

Food Rescue in Israel

2013-01-20T21:07:00.001+02:00

This Saturday is Tu B'Shvat, the birthday of the trees. On Tu B'Shvat we eat fruits and nuts, plant trees, discuss mitzvot (Jewish laws or good deeds) related to trees, and other environmental issues.

A Mitzva Primer:
There are several Jewish laws prohibiting food waste, for instance you can not simply throw food away because something got in it that you think would make it un-kosher. A rabbi must be consulted, and in most cases, the food is permitted. (This applies after the fact; it does not make it permissible to purposely add something not kosher.)

It is generally prohibited to throw away or ruin good food. This can include rendering food inedible by doing craft projects from food (bread, pasta, seeds) that would otherwise be edible.

There are also agricultural laws that relate to helping the needy. Farmers in Israel must leave the corners of their fields unharvested, and any produce that drops or is missed in the process of harvesting must be left for the needy.

There is a wonderful organization that takes care of these important mitzvot while protecting the dignity of the needy. Leket Israel, Israel's National Food Bank, is an exceptional organization. Unlike other food banks and charities, it provides nutritional food like fresh produce (not canned and packaged foods) and it helps other businesses fulfill the mitzvah of avoiding food waste. Win-win! Leket Israel also has some new projects that use their organizational scale to help other non-profits improve efficiency.

Leket Israel Video

Gleaning the Land
According to Leket Israel, there is actually an overabundance of produce in Israel! "Some farmers find it unprofitable to harvest all the produce their fields have given, while others simply cannot pick their entire crop before it begins to rot." In today's society, we don't have a surplus of poor, 'strangers', widows, and orphans who want to spend their day in the fields harvesting their daily nourishment. Leket Israel organizes thousands of volunteers to harvest excess fruits and vegetables that would otherwise go to waste.

Prepared Food Rescue
Through food rescue by day and nighttime meal rescue, Leket Israel collects tons of leftovers from large-scale kitchens like restaurants, corporate cafeterias, and catering halls. I think it is really exciting how they collect the food in an organized and sanitary way. They also educate their partners about food safety and health.

Check out the Leket Israel website to learn about all their projects and creative ways to volunteer or donate. Through B'Simchas you can create a personalized event page to celebrate a special occasion and encourage your friends and family to contribute to Leket Israel. There is also a program to celebrate a Bar or Bat Mitzvah.

To volunteer, contact Leket Israel at (09) 744-1757, or by email at leket@leket.org. (From overseas, please dial +972 9 744-1757.)

Check in your local community; there is likely a food rescue program in your area!

Happy Tu B'Shvat! Happy birthday trees!

Check out my post "Birthday of the Trees" for easy to implement eco-tips.

DISCLAIMER: I was not paid to write this post. I contacted Leket Israel because I really like the work they do and the way they do it.

Stained Glass Craft Tutorial

2013-01-04T15:13:00.002+02:00

This week I took over a craft class for elementary school girls in our neighborhood. The craft is supposed to relate to the Torah portion of the week. This week's portion is "Shemot" the first portion in the book of Exodus, where Moses encounters G-d in the form of a burning bush.

I've been itching to join the fun of "Craft Schooling Sunday" over at Creative Jewish Mom, and I already wrote the instructions out for my mom, I though I might as well share with all of you! This project was inspired by a project my mom used to do with acetate as well as numerous other projects around the blogosphere. It was designed to be done in one hour with supplies I already had in the house.

I showed the girls (and a couple moms) pictures of other burning bush inspired stained glass. Then I asked them to draw what they thought the burning bush looked like.

Supplies

Per kid:

1 sheet of regular printer or drawing paper
2 pieces of clear plastic about 1/4 inch bigger in each direction than half a sheet of paper (I used the kind that's sold in large rolls to cover tables or make shower curtains. Acetate could also work.
1 piece of corrugated cardboard, mat board, or foam core board about 1 inch bigger each way than a half sheet of paper
1 piece of aluminum foil - you can use the card board to rip it to the right size, have extra
thin paint brush
pencil, eraser
newspaper or scrap paper

For the group:

a variety of colors of Sharpie or similar permanent markers
black paint
thin brush
scotch tape
Black Duct tape or electric tape
Rag to clean up eraser crumbs and dust
optional - acetone to "erase" Sharpie

Fold paper in half (this gives the kids 4 places to start over.) Sketch idea on paper, then go over the outlines darker. Make sure all the shapes are closed. Use simple shapes. If there is a large background, use lines to break it up. Clean up eraser crumbs.
Wipe dust off first sheet of plastic. Put the sketch face down onto the plastic and use two tiny pieces of tape to lightly secure it in place.
With a piece of scrap paper underneath, use black paint to outline all the shapes like the lead of stained glass.
Remove the sketch and set it aside to dry.
Secure second piece of plastic to sketch in the same way and color with Sharpies. Just like real stained glass, colors can be mixed in one space, or adjacent spaces could have the same color. Spaces can be colored faster with the side of the Sharpie.
Gently crumble foil, then open it shiny side up on the cardboard.
Place the colored plastic (from step 5) face down on the foil, then the plastic with the DRY black paint face down on top of cardboard, foil, and colored plastic. Carefully align the two pieces of plastic and secure with two tiny pieces of tape.
Put the wide black tape around the four sides of the project. Add the artist's name and date on the back.

A Kosher Cafe with Atmosphere

2012-12-30T22:33:00.002+02:00

My husband and I shared a uniquely pleasant lunch today, the third anniversary of our immigration to the Holy Land. My husband chose the location - Cafe Hagiva (just a few bus stops past my daughter's school, where we had a meeting this morning). The outside looks like an old warehouse, but the inside is spacious, with post-modern art, and a large bar. An eclectic mix of heavy wood chairs and tables fills the dining hall and trails through the sparse grove out back.

The weather was perfect, so we took our chances and sat outdoors. (I can't stand cigarette smoke!) We had the most pleasant meal I can ever recall.
The menu was the standard dairy cuisine - quiches, pasta, fish, pizza, calzones, etc. We ordered the antipasti platter and four cheese lasagna. The ricotta in the lasagna was very tasty, but I can't say there was anything very memorable about the food. However, I would definitely return for the atmosphere. The palm and orange trees scattered through the seating area offer a sense of privacy and the piano music made it feel like a special occasion.

I hope to return one evening at an appropriate time to order from the extensive drink menu. Speaking of appropriate times, you can order off the breakfast menu until 4:00 pm! So no one will stop you from ordering the breakfast platter with sunny-side-up eggs (eynayim - eyes - in Hebrew) or shakshuka in the middle of the day. (Maybe even with a cocktail... scandalous!)

Tofu Pad Thai

2012-12-24T07:00:00.000+02:00

There is something about the end of December that puts Jews in the mood for Chinese food, or at least Asian food as it has evolved in the diaspora. If you find yourself with a block of tofu or some leftover chicken, you can whip this meal up from things you probably already have in your pantry and freezer. (You could also add scrambled eggs for protein.) NOTE: Instead of me writing "optional" on all the ingredients, just assume all the ingredients are merely suggestions.

For tofu, start by slicing or cubing the whole block. Put it in between paper towels or tea towels. Lay a cutting board on top and put some cans or other heavy things on top to squeeze out the water. This works best if all the slices/cubes are the same thickness, thus squeezed equally. You may need to switch the paper towels if they are soaked.

While the tofu is draining, mix the marinade. Use your own taste and what you have in the house, but something like

terriyaki sauce
soy sauce
ginger - fresh grated or powder
garlic - fresh grated or powder
silan (date syrup), molasses, or sugar

*I have a little plastic grater that I love using for fresh ginger and garlic. You can probably pick one up at your local kitchen store or order online (see images below). Mine takes up almost no space, but Amazon has a couple in the shape of an owl.

Boil a large pot of water and cook a bag (about 1lb) of pasta I like wide egg noodles, but you could use gluten-free rice noodles, or a regular vegan noodle. *You will use some pasta water for the sauce.

Cook tofu in a large pan with some high-heat oil. All sides should get firm and golden. Add

About 1 bag frozen vegetables. Preferably a mix that includes broccoli. (I usually put them in a colander and poor boiling water from my electric kettle over them. Some veggies can be added right into the pasta water near the end of the pasta cooking. Or you can put them right in the pan frozen.)
1/4-1/2 a cabbage, chopped
Whatever else you have, like bean sprouts or mushrooms
The remaining marinade from the tofu

Pad Thai Sauce:
In a heat-proof cup or bowl mix

a couple heaping spoonfuls of peanut butter
tehina (sesame paste)
a little peanut or sesame oil
finely grated chili flakes
garlic
ginger
soy sauce
Add a few spoonfuls (half a ladle) of boiling pasta water and mix well. If needed, add more pasta water until sauce is thick, but just viscus enough to poor over the pasta.

Mix tofu (or other protein), veggies, noodles, and sauce together and enjoy! And much like store-bought Chinese food, you will enjoy every bite of cold leftovers in the middle of the night or the next morning.

Sufganiot Gallery and Ode to a Great Mocha

2012-12-22T21:23:00.000+02:00

My family took our first ever family vacation last week. We rented an apartment in Jerusalem for five days and four nights. ( I would highly recommend At Home in Israel for apartment rentals.) After the restaurant we had planned to go to turned into a sushi bar, we wandered into Shosh Cafe.

The restaurant and menu looks like your average Israeli dairy restaurant/cafe. However, the ingredients, flavor, and presentation had that extra something you don't get from a chain. All the food was delicious, but what really stood out was the REAL mocha. I think cafe mocha should be a cross between good cappuccino/cafe latte and good hot chocolate, but it is usually only one or neither. It should be based on good espresso and good chocolate. I've had many good "cappuccinos" and many great "shoko-ham"s (hot chocolate), but never the two shall meet... until today. Now I've only been to Shosh Cafe once, so I can't promise it wasn't a fluke. Maybe the barista was just in a good mood and tossed some extra chocolate in my drink, but this was good espresso with steamed milk and real chocolate. The milk was hot enough to melt the chocolate and the proportions were perfect. Maybe Jerusalem just has higher standard for their hot drinks.

The first day of Hanuka I took my kids and a friend to the "big mall" and the "big park." I was overwhelmed with the variety of sufganiot, filled donuts, on sale. All the pictures are from English Cake, a bakery chain with a store in the mall.

Cheese cake filling with crumb topping (My favorite!)

left: strawberry glaze and filling, right: wild berry filling with cherry on top

Sweet cream filling and chopped mekupelet chocolate topping

front: white chocolate filling with waffle cone topping, back: nutella filling

Tiramisu - coffee flavored mascarpone cheese and chocolate chip filling
with gold covered chocolate coffee bean on top (my other favorite)

Blueberry filling, and blueberry filled "mini" donuts

Strawaberry filled and Halva filled "mini" donuts

Nutella filling

You may also enjoy Israeli Treats: Crembo, Sufganiot, and lots of chocolate and my review of Katzefet.

Easy Peasy "Pashtida" - Dairy free

2012-12-19T16:52:00.001+02:00

You can call this a quiche, pie, casserole, or pashtida. I call it yummy.

Ingredients:

Something sweet and starchy (butternut squash), cooked to soft
Something green (frozen peas and corn)
bread crumbs (preferably Panko Japanese bread crumbs)
About 5 eggs
About 1 cup of soy milk
salt
garlic powder (optional)
nutritional yeast (optional)

It starts with something you need to use up. I had two butternut squash that I peeled and steamed/boiled in my pressure cooker. Mash well.
Then look in the freezer and add something green. I mixed about two cups of peas and corn into the hot squash. Baby peas, broccoli, and spinach would all be good choices.
In a separate cup, crack eggs and beat well with soy milk. Mix in about half a cup of bread crumbs and let them soak briefly.
Add bread crumbs to the vegetable/squash mixture, depending on how much liquid you have. Season with salt, garlic powder and whatever you want.
LIGHTLY grease a baking dish and sprinkle a THIN layer of bread crumbs over the bottom.
Mix the egg and vegetable mixture together and pile it high in the dish.
Optional: Top with bread crumbs, sea salt, and nutritional yeast. (The nutritional yeast is best added near the end of cooking.)
Bake around 357 F/190 C until the top is deep golden brown.

Kefir - Not Your Mamma's Yogurt

2012-11-20T10:30:00.004+02:00

Kefir Starter Grains

Last week I told you how my mom's friend, Liz, taught her to make kombucha. Today I'll tell you haw my mom made kefir, a fermented milk* beverage. You can probably find kefir in the dairy section of your local health food store. But why buy it when it's so easy to make?

*Kefir can be made from animal (cow, goat, buffalo) milk, as well as coconut water and other vegan 'milk' (soy, rice, almond, etc.).

Add milk.

Compared with kombucha, kefir is incredibly fast to make, and kefir starter grains are comparably easier to acquire than a kombucha 'mother'. But unlike kombucha, we don't recommend you start your kefir and then go out of town for a few weeks! Dairy milk takes less than 24 hours to ferment; non-dairy liquids take closer to two days.

My mom found this kefir starter on the internet, but you can also get starter grains from any neighborly kefir maker. Liz started my mom out with some kefir starter grains in a clean glass jar. The grains look a little bit like the cauliflower or the curds in cottage cheese.

My mom took the jar home and added 2.5 cups of milk. Then covered the jar with cotton cloth, secured with the canning jar ring. (This works faster if the milk is warm, around body temperature.)

Wait 25 hours.

The following day the entire jar of kefir had taken on a lumpy yogurt consistency. She poured off most of the contents, transferred the remaining kefir grains to a clean jar, and started the process again. Liz demonstrated straining the liquid out with a metal strainer, but she advised that experienced kefir makers warn against using metal "reactive" utensils. If you become a habitual home fermenter, consider purchasing a Nylon Mesh Strainer.

The kefir that is ready to eat should be kept in a closed container in the refrigerator. It will continue to ferment in the fridge, just much slower.

My mom adds muesli to her kefir and lets it sit overnight before eating for it breakfast the next day. It's also an excellent addition to smoothies.

Strain, collect the curds, and start all over again!

For more information, read a book:

"Kohl-slaw" Kohlrabi Salad

2012-11-18T08:12:00.002+02:00

My whole family loved this, from my 1 year old to 7.5 year old, and my gluten-free, soy-free guest. My one regret is it's so boring looking. Next time I will have to add a little shredded raw beets, bell peppers, or carrots.

3 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tsp sea salt (or tamari sauce)
1-2 tsp Fresh ginger - grated
1.5 Tbsp natural sugar (substitute stevia, agave, or Splenda, or use less sugar for diabetics)
optional: fresh grated garlic or garlic powder
optional: hot water
2 heads/bulbs of kohlrabi
1-2 (preferably firm, green) apples
1-2+ radishes (I used one giant one, like bigger than your average beet) (optional)
optional: shred something with color (something edible, of course!)

Mix together the first 4-5 ingredients. Add a little hot water or warm dressing in the microwave just enough to dissolve the salt and sugar.
Peel kohlrabli, apples, and radishes (optional).
Using a mandolin slicer (my choice), special peeler, or knife - slice/chop the vegetables to matchstick sized pieces.
Mix everything together and let in marinate in the fridge.

A walk in Tel Aviv, lunch at Armando

2012-11-13T22:01:00.002+02:00

I had a lovely day today with my guest. We began by heading through Shuk HaCarmel, the crowded outdoor market in the center of Tel Aviv. Next door to the shuk is an area packed with fabric, notions, and trimmings stores, were there is a large arts and crafts fair held every Tuesday and Friday. When our tummies got bored of fabric and crafts, we headed down Allenby Street and made a right on the Tayelet, the promenade along the beach. It was worth the walk!

I'm a sucker for all you can eat salad spreads. At Armando, included in the price of an entree are 16 salads, bread, and a surprise bowl of fruit for dessert. Yes, I said sixteen!

Upon our waiter's recommendation, I ordered the European Sea Bass baked in rock salt (no, it's not salty!) and my friend got grilled Seabream. Both fish were delicious, fresh, moist, and tasty. However, the "architecture" of my baked bass was easier to navigate. It can take a little practice to navigate a whole fish. (For a tour, watch five and a half minutes into the first video on Fish: Dress, Bake, Eat.) Or take me out to lunch and I'll take out the bones for you; but I might use my fingers!

I'm glad we sat at a table for four, or we never could have fit all that food. The waiter placed the potatoes right on top of the other salads!

Below: Clockwise from top left, spicy carrots, roasted red peppers, shredded beets, eggplant (with other veggies or something, really yummy), spicy cooked beets, and shredded carrots.

Above: cabbage slaw (like fresh sauerkraut), eggplant with mayonnaise (baba ghanoush in Arabic), foul marinated fava beans, cauliflower (my surprise favorite of the bunch), preserved lemons (really interesting, but a little hot for me), and yams (I think).

Lunch also included grilled eggplant with tehina (a classic, but a bit too much raw garlic for me), green salad, roasted potatoes, a basket of bread, and melon, grapes, and persimmon for dessert!

Just some little criticisms: I wish you could eat outside with no smoking. The restaurant is just across the street from the beach. Unfortunately, I actually had to rush out at the end of our meal because an employee's smoke was wafting in. The bread wasn't great; I would go as far as to say stale. The service was relatively good for Israel. However, they added 14% gratuity right onto the bill. (We misread and thought they only added about 4%, so we left more! Oh well.)

We both got a nice fresh lemonade. There is also an extensive drink menu, starters, meats, and dessert. However, each person who doesn't order an "entree" pays ₪ 39 (about $10 US) to take part in the all you can eat house salads and bread.

Southwest Chicken Salad

2012-11-11T10:10:00.001+02:00

I have a special guest arriving today with multiple dietary challenges, including

gluten free
soy free
egg free
dairy free
peanut free
low fat

among other allergies and dietary requirements. She even has an intolerance for iodine; so she can't eat seaweed!

I wanted to make something that we could all enjoy on Shabbat, and that my guest could also eat when she comes. My husband went crazy for this. Inspired by Pressure Perfect by Lorna Sass, I created this festive low-fat chicken salad. I've done lots of gluten-free, egg-free experimenting in the last month. I hope to post some of those ideas this month, so stay tuned!

Ingredients

juice of one lemon (lime would be even better)
1 clove of garlic
2 heaping spoonfuls of salsa (or tomatoes and chilli pepper)
drizzle of olive oil
3-6 scallions (depending on size) - chopped
2 full chicken breasts (3-4 boneless skinless half breasts will work)
2 red peppers - roasted
1-2 avocados
approx 1/2 cup of sweet corn
Optional: fresh parsley or cilantro

Poach the chicken. (I steamed it in my pressure cooker. See details below.)
Blend in a food processor or with a hand blender: lemon juice, garlic, salsa, and olive oil. Optional: Mix the chopped scallions into the dressing in this stage to take some of the bite out.
Dice chicken (when cool), avocado, and roasted peppers, and mix with corn and dressing.

You could serve this warm or cold on lettuce, in a tortilla or taco shell, on a sandwich, or plain.

My vegetarian mother didn't instill me with much expertise for meat and poultry. Most of my go-to techniques to make chicken breast moist and tasty include a wheat product, fat, or soy sauce. But I knew there had to be a better way!

To steam chicken in pressure cooker:

Put vegetable scraps in the bottom of the pressure cooker such as carrot peels or carrots, celery tops, over-the-hill parsley, wilted part of scallions, and mushroom stems.
Add about 2 cups of water and steamer basket (optional).
Add chicken breast, lock the lid, and turn the burner to high.
Once the cooker comes up to full pressure, lower the heat and set the timer for 4-7 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts.
After 4-7 minutes, turn off the heat and let the pressure naturally come down for another 4-5 minutes, then release any remaining pressure.
Check for done-ness, then let the chicken cool.
Pour the remaining liquid through a mesh strainer. See if the carrots are worth saving (especially for kids or babies.) Now you have chicken broth!

If you don't have an immediate use for the broth, it can be frozen. I like to freeze it in small portions in a silicone muffin tray, then I transfer it to a plastic bag. I use 3-4 broth "muffins" to make myself a little bowl of quick miso soup or to flavor rice.

Related (Gluten Free Chicken Recipes):