Here are some great ways to enhance your Purim Seudah this year:
Eyes of Haman: A Special Purim Bread - Check out this amazing-looking recipe with the hard-boiled egg in the middle (just scroll down a bit, it's the second entry on the page). I just might attempt this it this year...You can probably make it healthier by using spelt or some whole wheat bread.
Mulled Spiced Wine - This is a beautiful idea. If we're supposed to enjoy alcohol on Purim, why not make it extra special?
Mochi Hamentashen -- People on Gluten-Free Diets -- Pay Attention! Mochi is a great alternative to traditional hamentashen dough -- and it is healthy too. (I was introduced to mochi in my macrobiotics class)
Need more ideas for your Purim Seudah, Costumes or Shaloch Manos? Check out my ebook called "Purim Made Easy: Everything You Need For Fun Holiday"
You'll get:
* Instructions for over 70 simple, no-sew costumes you can make
with things from around the house
* Last Minute Costume Ideas
* A 6-Page Report on Easy Ideas to Make Your Shaloch Manot
Spectacular!
* A Persian-Themed Seudah Plan with recipes & pre-made shopping
list
* Our Exclusive Stained-Glass Hamentashen Recipe
Visit www.PurimGuide.com today to check it out!
My dear readers,
I cannot believe it has been almost a year since I have posted to this blog, but as you may know, I had a good reason...If you have followed some of my other websites, (SolutionsForBusyMoms.com, SavvyJewishHomemakers.com) you may know that my husband passed away on Shavous last year, and that I took a hiatus from my online activities for a while in order to take care of myself and my children. I never got around to posting that update here...so if you've been wondering where I was...I'm sorry...
Well, enough of that...Purim is around the corner, and that's a good reason to smile. I thought I'd kick off my preparation, and celebration by posting links to some fun Purim Recipes here...you'll see them in the next blog post..
And, G-d willing, I'll be posting new healthy shabbat recipes here more often!
Sarah Zeldman
I just posted an entry at my other blog about how I cut my food bill in half -- without using coupons! (And yes, in that post I discuss the challenge of saving money on food when you keep kosher.) I'd like to post it here, but I'm afraid I'll get "google-slapped" for duplicate content. So here is a link to the post. Please let me know what you think!
Cool Stuff Here.
One of my readers, Chana (Felisa) Billet (The creator of the fabulous Tu B'Shavt salad below) is hosting an interactive cooking dialogue kosher.com. You can write in cooking questions to her (about kosher cooking or anything culinary in general) and she will respond with fantastic answers tailored for you. You can also sign up for the kosher.com newsletter to be sent the new question/answer of the week.
I'm gonna try to stump her right now!
I've been wondering how to remove the "sting" from onions...
See what answer I get here (Or ask your own question)
Contributed by Chana (Felisa) Billet:
"If you want to honor the barely celebrated holiday that happens to be the most glorious herald of spring, try this sophisticated "Biblically Inspired" salad for dinner tonight. This dish is high in flavor and strong on symbolism. It incorporates the 'shivat haminim,' the seven species of produce biblicaly connected to the land of Israel: wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranate, olives, and honey (Deuteronomy 8:8). To add an additional reference to the 'land flowing with milk and honey' (Exodus 13:5), add crumbled feta or goat cheese. Rashi's commentary on this phrase identifies milk as coming from goats and honey from dates and figs.
To read more about Tu B'shvat, check out an article I wrote at kosher.com. http://www.kosher.com/articles/holidays/tu-bshvat While you're on the site, if you want to hone your kitchen skills, check out my interactive culinary dialogue. http://www.kosher.com/articles/kosher-cooking-tips"
I just sent this to everyone who has downloaded the FREE Kosher Meal Planning book that is available here...But just to make sure that everyone gets this message...here you go...
Please take a moment right now to support Leah Larson, the 17-year-old publisher of Yaldah Magazine -- a fabulous magazine by and for Jewish girls. She is a finalist in the Wells Fargo "Someday Stories" essay contest. (The essay was submitted by Leah's mother, Evelyn Krieger, since Leah is too young to enter.)
If Yaldah wins, Leah will receive an incredible $100,000 grant toward Yaldah's future. She has big plans, including expanding the magazine, publishing books for Jewish girls, and much more. I'm told that she is a super role model and a brilliant, creative kid, and I'd love to see her win this money so she can keep Yaldah growing.
It is a close contest so she needs every vote she can get. Please go to http://memelabs.com/somedaystories/. Watch the video from "Evelyn from MA" and then click the button to vote for her.
Sarah Zeldman
www.HealthyShabbat.com
www.SolutionsForBusyMoms.com
P.S. I'm sorry that the postings on HealthyShabbat.com have been so sparse lately. I have great plans for the blog including reviews of healthy & kosher food items and adding more relevant health information...so stay tuned!
If you're a recipe collector like me, autumn is the perfect time to find great Healthy Shabbos Recipes. Buy as a many of your favorite food magazines as you can this month because most of them feature Thanksgiving recipes. The recipes are fancy and hearty enough for a shabbos meal, and can often be made in advance - thekey to shabbos preparation, of course! I almost always stock up on vegan and vegetarian magazines this time of year because they are often full of shabbos-worthy recipes that can satisfy vegetarians and meat-eaters alike.
So...treat yourself to some magazines this month...and let me know what you find!
I must admit, this recipe isn't for everyone. For me it really tastes like candy and gives me a good, steady energy. Others, who are used to very sugary desserts won't be impressed. So...perhaps offer it as a healthy option, along with something more conventional...
It's a great snack for kids...
Thanks to Ginat Rice, my Macrobiotic teacher, for this recipe.
Seed "Candy"
1 cup sesame seeds
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup flax seeds
1/2 cup brown rice crispy cereal
1 tbsp cinnamon (optional)
3/4 cup rice syrup or 1/2 rice syrup, 1/2 barley malt.
1. Roast all seeds and oatmeal in the oven. Check every 5 min till lightly brown.
2. Heat the syrup by placing the jar in a pan of simmering water.
3. Combine the seeds and oatmeal in a large bowl.
4. pour the liquidy rice syrup over the rest of the ingredients in the bowl
5. mix all ingredients together with a wooden spoon
6. spread the mix out onto parchment paper or baking paper with wet hands
7. let harden for two or three minutes and cut into squares with a blunt knife.
8. Cool completely.
Optional: Bake the crispies for 5 minutesin a medium oven after cutting into squares.
A Simple & Natural Dessert.
1. 4 eggs
2. 1/2 cup sucanat, turbinado or other healthier sugar
3. 1 1/2 cup maple syrup
4. 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
5. 1 1/2 cup pecans
6. extra whole pecans
7. 1 Uncooked Pie Shell
This receipe couldn't be easier. Dump ingredients 1-4 in a food processor and process till well combined (a minute or two) Add the 1 1/2 cups of pecans and mix again till pecans are broken up. Pour into the unbaked pie shell and top the pie with whole pecans. Arrange neatly in a pattern. Bake at 350 for 55 min. Let cool completely before serving. (Chilled works too)