Author: Rachel Katzman

Chickpea Curry

Chickpea CurryIt’s a new week, so that means a new food challenge!  This week’s ingredient is CHICKPEAS!  Or, as I knew them growing up, “garbanzo beans”.  The humble legume made famous in falafel and hummus.  The earthy, creamy beans that are full of fiber!  And although I’ve opted out from eating them lately due to my decision to eat a low-carb, high-fat way of eating, luckily for me, my husband does eat them and as long as I don’t put anything green in a chickpea dish, I think we’re golden.  Okay, maybe a little sprig of cilantro.  But that’s it!  🙂

Deciding what to make for this challenge wasn’t too challenging! I’d already experimented with some vegetable curries and kormas (a creamy vegetable dip of sorts, popular in Indian cuisine) but in the end, I’m going with a non-threatening chickpea vegetable curry.  At least I don’t think it’s too scary to make!  You can really just dump a whole bunch of ingredients – chick peas, onions, garlic, curry powder, turmeric, coconut milk, spices, tomatoes – into a slow cooker or a pressure cooker and just let it ride.

So that’s literally what I did.  Let the cookware do all the work for you!  Seriously, aren’t slow cookers just the best thing ever?  One thing to note – feel free to use canned chickpeas (rinsed) but if you want to use dried chickpeas, by all means!  Just make sure you soak them for at least 4-6 hours or up to overnight, then do a clean rinse, drain, and you’re good to start cooking.  Soaking beans helps remove the indigestible sugars that wreak havoc on your tummy and cause well…major farting.  And I’m guessing you might want to avoid that, especially if you’re making this for a date night!

And there you have it!  This yummy, stick-to-your-ribs, warming bowl of comfort food would be great served with either regular rice or cauliflower rice!  And don’t forget the naan on the side to mop up all of that savory and spicy tomato coconut sauce!  And feel free to add in other ingredients like lentils or barley or farro!  You could do half chick peas and half lentils. Yum!  And by the way, your kitchen will smell heavenly (and I speak from experience).

Let’s dig in!

5 from 1 vote
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Chickpea Curry
Servings: 4 people
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed You can use dried too - just use 1 cup, soak overnight, rinse and drain
  • 1 15 oz. can full-fat coconut milk
  • 1 6 oz. can tomato paste
  • 1 cup crushed tomatoes
  • 1/4 tsp curry powder I just use a sprinkling of each spice
  • 1/4 tsp coriander
  • 1/4 tsp tumeric
  • 1/4 tsp ginger feel free to use ginger root, just peel and dice 1 tsp. It's good to keep fresh ginger in the freezer to have on hand if you need it
  • 1/4 tsp hot paprika you can use regular too, or smoked, if you have it
  • 1/4 tsp shawarma seasoning totally optional but I like to mix some of this in, even though some of these spices are included in the mix
  • 1 tsp salt if you're using canned chickpeas, I would use 1/2 tsp of salt, since the canned beans contain a good amount of salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 cup diced onion
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 handful sliced pickled jalapenos optional
  • 1 handful chopped fresh cilantro optional
  • 1/4 lemon wedge optional
  • 1 cup white rice or cauliflower rice
Instructions

  1. If using an instant pot/pressure cooker, add all ingredients into the pot.  Press "beans/chili" and cook for 1 hour.

  2. If using a slow cooker, add all ingredients (5 qt. probably will work best) and cook on low for 7 hours or high for 4 hours. 

  3. Serve the curry on top of white rice or cauliflower rice and garnish with pickled jalapenos, chopped cilantro and squeeze a fresh lemon wedge (if using), for an extra boost of flavor and acidity.  Serve warm.

Don’t forget to check out Daniel’s chickpea recipe: Ultimate Hummus Plate

 

Cauliflower Hummus & Tomato Herb Flaxseed Focaccia – for Pesach!

Tomato Herb Flaxseed Focaccia

Hello again readers!  Hopefully most of you can take a break from cleaning for Pesach to read what fantastic recipes Daniel and I have to share with you!  This year, I’m going for something a little different (but for me, this is the type of food I eat all year round).  Nothing too weird and definitely items you can find in your grocery store – especially Passover food items.  So let’s get this started!

First – hummus.  I know, chickpeas are not Pesach-friendly for many of us, and some people have used quinoa to make hummus for Passover, but I’m using cauliflower this year.  Sure, I may sound like a broken record, but what DOESN’T cauliflower work for?  Plus…if you get your kids (or picky-eater husband) to eat this, it’s a win-win!  Luckily, my husband eats cauliflower, so, phew!  One thing to note though, traditionally I would put cumin in this recipe but (and I didn’t realize this until now), it’s Kitniyot so, bummer to that.  But I found an interesting option.  Schawarma seasoning!  That, plus hot paprika, some savory roasted garlic, LOTS of lemon and good olive oil and that’s basically it.  Nothing too fancy here.

Cauliflower Hummus with sumac and hot paprika

The other new recipe for you is my tomato and herb flaxseed focaccia.  Can I just say, YUM?  I first got this idea from a cookbook that I LOVE, called Nourishing Meals by Alissa Segersten & Tom Malterre (gluten-free, dairy-free and soy-free dishes) and I’m using their coconut flatbread as a base for this – I just added some fresh lemon juice and zest and extra herbs and garlic to brighten up the flavors a bit.  On mine, I topped with sliced tomatoes, however, if you had cherry tomatoes or sun dried tomatoes or kalamata olives, that would be delish (I’m not a big olive fan, sadly), just slice and stick it in the dough.  This would also be good topped with fresh mozzarella and basil, YAAAAS!  What’s also great about this recipe is that not only is it super easy to make, but it’s egg free, so for all of your vegan guests…this is perfect!

[One thing to note about this…Daniel did some research for me and found out that whole flaxseeds are fine for Passover and don’t need a separate Pesach hechshere. So, I bought a new bag of whole flaxseeds and attempted to grind them up in my mini food processor.  Case in point – it didn’t really work because they’re just too small.  But, if you have a spice grinder, I think this would work perfectly.  But not to fear, if you don’t have a kosher-for-pesach spice grinder, you can still make this, and use the same method I did!  I just pressed the “grind” button for a while and they broke apart just slightly.  This recipe will still work if you use not fully ground flaxseeds, you’ll just end up with bigger pieces of flaxseeds in your flatbread – similar texture to sesame seeds.  So feel free to use whichever method you prefer!]

I love this focaccia flatbread recipe because you can make them into rolls, or slice two pieces and use it as sandwich bread!  The rosemary adds a wonderfully fragrant, woodsy flavor that is so delicious when topped with ripe, juice tomatoes.

So there you have it!  Stay hungry my friends and have a chag kasher v’sameach!

Rachel

5 from 1 vote
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Cauliflower Hummus
Prep Time
15 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 
Servings: 3 cups
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 2 1/2 cups cauliflower rice (thawed and drained) or fresh, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tbsp schawarma seasoning
  • 1/2 tbsp sumac
  • 1/2 tbsp hot paprika
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • 6 cloves garlic, roasted, or raw
  • Sprinkle fresh or dried parsley
Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients except the parsley in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until fully mixed.  I left mind a bit chunkier but if you like it smoother, you can put it in a blender instead.  

  2. Place in a bowl and drizzle with extra olive oil and sprinkle paprika and parsley.  Serve with my tomato herb flaxseed focaccia!

5 from 1 vote
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Tomato Herb Flaxseed Foccacia
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup flaxseeds You can grind in spice grinder or use them whole - they both work in this recipe
  • 1/2 cup hot water
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Zest and Juice of half lemon
  • 6 tbsp coconut flour
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp dried rosemary
  • 1/2 tbsp dried thyme or oregano Use whatever herbs you have on hand!
  • 1 tomato, sliced Or use sun-dried tomatoes, sliced kalamata olives or halved cherry tomatoes
  • 2 tsp mined onion
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  2. Put the flaxseeds in the food processor and grind for a minute or two until most are broken up but still have some whole pieces.

  3. Add hot (you can use boiling water, just let it cool for a few minutes) to the blender and pulse until the mixture it just combined.  Let it sit for 3 minutes to thicken.

  4. Add the vinegar, baking soda, salt, lemon juice, lemon zest,  and pulse a few more times.  Add in the coconut flour, rosemary and other herbs and pulse until the dough comes together and forms a ball.

  5. Using oiled hands, mix the dough and pat flat on the baking sheet - about 1/4 inch thick.  Use your fingers to poke dimples into the dough. Add in the sliced tomatoes, (or the halved cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes or kalamata olives) and press into the dough.  If using sliced tomatoes, just remove some of the juice in the tomato so the dough doesn't get soggy. 

  6. Sprinkle the minced onion, garlic powder and any other herbs - like extra rosemary on top.  

  7. Bake for 30 minutes, then turn the oven up to 400 and bake for another 7 minutes until the edges are light brown and crispy. 

  8. Eat and enjoy!

For something a little more traditional for your Seder table check out Daniel’s Passover Sweet Potato Knishes

Rachel’s recap of the 2018 International Home + Housewares Show

The IHHS crew! #selfiestick

Here we go again!  It’s March and you know what that means?  The International Home + Housewares show!  Something I look forward to every year and since this is my third time attending, I feel like I’ve gotten a lay of the land here, but this year I felt a bit “distracted”.  What do I mean by that?  Well, in years past, I was focusing so much on taking as many pictures (for this blog of course) but this year, I was more focused on networking and making new connections, especially trying to get as much swag as possible (not as much this year, boo) but also trying to get merchandise to review on this blog and my other blog, riskyveggie! But overall, here are my thoughts…

It seemed to me that there weren’t as many of the “smaller” guys – ya know, the booths of the new companies, it just felt like a smaller section of the back of one room (room = MASSIVE hall at McCormick place), and the larger conglomerates just outweighed everything else.  So, needless to say, I didn’t strike up as many connections since I just wasn’t feeling it – and much harder to do so from the bigger companies (oh hi Vitamix!  Want to give me a free product that I can review?  Yea…in my dreams). 🙂 So sadly, not as much swag, BUT I did end up getting TWO free desk air purifiers!  Not the prettiest thing around, but hey, maybe I’ll offer one as a giveaway?

But luckily for me, the celeb chef sightings were in full swing this year.  And note to self – next year I probably won’t do a full Instagram live from Chef Cat Cora because it took longer than I expected, plus it totally drained my battery.  But, was great to meet her anyway (for those of you wondering, she is so petite in person but absolutely stunning).

Chef Fabio Viviani (yes, you know him from Top Chef) was back at at this year and its become a tradition to have him throw raw pasta dough at us (Ellie and me) and get my annual photo with him.  Just the nicest guy and so patient as literally every woman in the audience waited to take a selfie with him (I mean, he is easy on the eyes).

This year, some new additions to the live cooking demos!  Christopher Kimball (you know him from Cooks Illustrated), Chef David Burke (culinary pioneer), Geoffrey Zakarian and French chef Ludo Lefebvre (from Top Chef Masters as well) – I didn’t catch Ludo or Geoffrey but caught a quick glimpse of David Burke.  If I spend two whole days at the event, then sure, but it’s just impossible to see every booth, every product in just 8 hours!  EEK!  Of course the next day featured Iron Chef Alex Guarnaschelli, so bummed I missed her!

One of my favorite booths that caught my eye was a French cutlery company called Sabre.  It wasn’t even the most fancy display – it was just simple cutlery but with funky colored handles – hot pink, yellow, turquoise blue and tortoiseshell.  Just so simple, unexpected and elegant.  You can shop their store here!

So while I didn’t necessarily think it was the BEST show I’ve been to, it was pretty beneficial to talk to some partners about our upcoming Chicago Kosher BBQ competition as well as networking with new companies to review their products – I love supporting small businesses so stay tuned for some product review and giveaways!

And, big shoutout to Gavriel Prero for sharing his photos with meatyourvegetables!

Can’t wait for next year (oh and yes, we’re already registered)! 🙂

-Rachel

Rachel’s Purim Seudah Menu Idea: smoked salmon deviled eggs, mini mushroom frittatas with harissa mayo dipping sauce, lemon poppyseed coconut hamantaschen

Deviled eggs with smoked salmon and capers
Deviled eggs with smoked salmon and capers

Here we go!  Purim seudah time!

Last year I made a bold and insanely spicy “drunken noodles”, because…you know…Purim. 🙂  This year, I thought of a bit more simple foods to put on the menu – more of an appetizer meal.  I’m a big fan of serving little salads and dips, a little scoop of this, a dollop of that.  So here is what I have on a menu idea for you this year!

Appetizer:

smoked salmon deviled eggs:  This one is pretty simple.  Just make your basic deviled eggs, just kicked up a notch (hard boil eggs in cold water, bring to a boil, then immediately turn off heat and let sit for 12 minutes, then place in ice bath to stop cooking.  Scoop out the yolks, add in mayo, mustard, salt, pepper, scoop back into egg white and top with a piece of smoked salmon, fresh dill, chives, capers – whatever you have really would be good.  Even some caviar and green onion…YUM).

[These photos show my attempt at a “blueberry pickled deviled egg”.  I’m still playing around with it and though the “purple” color didn’t seep into the egg white enough, it still came out as a pretty maroon shade on the outside. All I did was boil some wild blueberries in water, with some apple cider vinegar, salt and some liquid stevia as a pickling liquid, turned off the heat, then let the eggs sit in the lukewarm water for a while, maybe 30 minutes or so – I didn’t want them to get overcooked so make sure the water is lukewarm, not hot.  I wasn’t going for an “Easter egg” theme, ha, just something pretty for spring. Next time I’ll try beets, or blackberries, or even turmeric for a “yellow” pickled egg]

Blueberry-pickled!
Blueberry-pickled!

Appetizer or main:

mini mushroom frittata with spicy harissa mayo. Sauté onions, garlic, mushrooms in oil with salt and pepper, add the veggie mixture to a muffin tin.  Beat about 8-10 eggs, adding some almond milk and pour over the veggie mix and bake at 350F for about 15 minutes.  Top with fresh herbs like chives, basil, dill, anything!

I happen to be on a crazy harissa kick right now!  Harissa is a spicy pepper relish and you can find it at your local grocery store (I’ve found the brand “Mina” at my local grocery store and at Whole Foods – they have red pepper in mild and spicy and a green pepper version too).  Just mix a few dollops with homemade avocado mayo (or whatever you have in your fridge), mix in some lemon zest and maybe some garlic (or roasted garlic would be delish too, but what’s NOT to love about roasted garlic, except for maybe your breath afterwards).

I would just scoop some dipping sauce over the frittatas and you have a substantial app or side dish – the veggies give it bulk and the eggs give it a boost of protein and fat.  And if you don’t like mushrooms, fear not!  You can use asparagus, spinach, chard, tomatoes, broccoli – really, ANY veggie or green you feel like using up works great in frittatas!

And for dessert?

Can’t forget my lemon poppyseed coconut hamantaschen!  Check out the recipe here!

If you feel like adding a salad, check out my Caesar salad with roasted white sweet potato croutons on my blog riskyveggie.com!  I like to keep my Purim seudah menu ideas light and simple, and not too fussy.  So there you have it, folks!

Freilichin Purim!!

Low-carb Lemon Poppyseed coconut Hamantashen

I know this year is just flying by already, but who can believe the “P” holiday is almost here?!  No, I’m not talking about Pesach – though that too is around the corner, but Purim comes first!  So what better time to whip out a new hamantashen recipe!

Lately I’ve been on a “lemon poppyseed” kick.  It’s a very classic combination and I’ve been making my low-carb lemon poppyseed coconut scones (check out that recipe on my other blog, riskyveggie.com).  So as I was making a new batch of scones for some friends coming over for Shabbos a few weeks ago, I had a lightbulb moment.  Why don’t I make lemon poppyseed hamastashen and use lemon curd as the filling and poppyseed dough?  Classic and delicious but also something a little different.  I could have gone the savory route, but Daniel did that last year with his BBQ chicken hamastaschen so I wanted to go a bit unusual.  It did take some experimenting and the key here is to bake the hamantashen without the filling, otherwise it will literally melt and seep through the dough (trust me, I’ve tried it).  So leave a big enough hole in the middle to fill your hummies with sweet, tart and silky lemon curd.  And don’t worry, if you’re not a huge fan of lemon, you could make it less tart.  I’ve just always been obsessed with anything lemon (#acidtrip) and I even insisted on having lemon meringue pie as part of our dessert bar at our wedding.  It’s most definitely part of a “last meal” in my book.

I’ll be honest – my hamantashen didn’t turn out to be the prettiest (mostly because of adding the lemon curd after the hamantashen are baked), but who cares.  They taste awesome.

So there you have it!  Tasty, crumbly, sweet, mouth-puckeringly tart lemon poppyseed coconut hamantashen perfect for those of you (like me) eating a keto way of eating, or anyone looking for a low-carb recipe.  Even my friends who came for Shabbos who are not low-carb peeps gave it the thumbs up.  That’s always a plus in my (cook)book.

Freilichin Purim everyone!

Don’t forget to check out Daniel’s take on hamantashen: Purim: Texas Chili With Cowboy Candy Hamantashen

5 from 2 votes
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Low Carb Lemon Poppyseed Coconut Hamantaschen
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
45 mins
 

Servings: 6 large hamantaschen
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
Hamantaschen dough
  • 1 cup finely ground almond flour
  • 1/3 cup Sweve sweetener You can use regular sugar or coconut sugar for this, I just like this erithrytol zero sugar sweetener
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tbsp poppy seeds
  • 2 tsp gluten free baking powder
  • 1 tsp organic lemon flavor
Lemon Curd filling
  • 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup Swerve sweetner
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 lemon zested
  • 6 egg yolks save the whites for another use - like meringue or egg white omelet
  • 1 tsp organic lemon flavor in case you want some extra lemony flavor
Instructions

  1. To make the pastry dough:  Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until a dough forms.  It'll be a little sticky but that's okay.  Let the dough rest for about 10 minutes.  

  2. Pre-heat oven to 375F.

  3. Wet your hands and roll out a small ball of dough into a flat circle.  Pinch the top and the sides to make a triangle and leave enough room for a hole to put the lemon curd after it bakes.

  4. Bake the hamantaschen for 15 minutes until starting to brown.  Let cool for 20-30 minutes.

  5. Meanwhile, heat the coconut oil in a microwave for 2 minutes until hot, but not boiling. 

  6. Add the Swerve, lemon juice, zest, lemon flavor and mix to combine.  Using  a whisk, add in the egg yolks one at a time, whisking quickly to ensure you don't curdle the eggs.  Whisk until thickened, about 1 minute. 

  7. Pour the curd into a bowl or a bag and let it sit in the fridge for about 2 hours until chilled and thickened.  

  8. Pipe or spoon the lemon curd into the hamantaschen and enjoy!!

Healthy Superbowl Snack – Almond Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies

Almond Butter Snickerdoodle cookies

It’s no surprise here that before February rolls around, many of us start brainstorming what to make for our Superbowl parties.  If you’re like me, usually you bounce around to about 2 or 3 potluck parties and it’s always quite the “show” to see who is bringing what and how spicy their dish is.  Good time to show off your cooking skills (or grocery store purchasing skills, for a large group).  WOOT.

And this year for me is no different – I’m aiming to make yummy and dare I say healthy snacks that are guilt-free and perfect for those New Year’s Resolutions of all types (losing weight being the most common one). Hopefully I am giving you all some good options no matter what type of diet, or lifestyle eating plan you’re focusing on.  The whole idea of giving you recipes is to use them as a guideline, a base, that you can put your own spin on and show your creativity.  Or, if you’re a true recipe-follower, by all means, go for it!  That’s why Daniel and I take time out of our busy lives to create recipes that (hopefully) work out!

And no…you don’t have to make these cookies gluten-free, but I’m pretty confident that no one will accuse you of making cardboard-like gluten-free cookies if you used this recipe! Plus, the cookie recipe is only 3 (5 max) ingredients, so how can you really go wrong, even if you just try them out and experiment?  You’ll definitely be the life of the party if you’re walking in with these homemade treats!

Happy Superbowling everyone!  Here’s to good food, good friends and good sportsmanship. 🙂

 

4.5 from 2 votes
Almond Butter Snickerdoodle cookies
Print
Almond Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 
Servings: 16 cookies
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 cup almond butter Feel free to use ANY nut or seed butter for this!
  • 1/2 cup Swerve I like "Swerve" which is a sugar-alternative, but you can use stevia, coconut sugar, or just regular sugar if you prefer
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon optional
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract optional
  • 1 egg
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Mix the nut or seed butter, sugar substitute, egg, cinnamon and vanilla (if using) until incorporated.
  3. Scoop the mixture into small balls and place on the cookie sheet.  I used a melon baller to make 16 small balls and once they flatten and bake, they turn into medium-sized cookies.
  4. Wet your hand to flatten the cookies and use a fork (totally optional) to make the cross-hatch pattern on the top of the cookies.
  5. Sprinkle each cookie with a touch of cinnamon.
  6. Bake for 15 minutes, let cool before devouring.

If you are looking for a savory snack check out Daniel’s Super Bowl treat: Super Bowl Snacks: Cheddar Stuffed Jalapeno Hush Puppies

 

Spaghetti Squash Latkes with Dipping Sauce Trio

Spaghetti squash latkes with garlic basil mayo and avocado crema (vegan nacho cheese dip not pictured)

I’m sure you all are in agreement with me that this year has just FLOWN by and it’s crazy that Hanukkah starts tomorrow night!  So of course we had to bring you some unique latkes to this blog, am I right?  For mine, I didn’t use any potatoes (I know, I know…you’re all shaking your head, but since I’m avoiding potatoes right now, I needed something that even I could eat).  Enter the humble spaghetti squash.  And yes, I could have done carrot, zucchini, even cauliflower but it feels so “been there, done that”.  Plus, I had a spaghetti squash sitting on my counter that really needed to be eaten, so I decided this was the perfect use. And no shredding needed here.

First thing’s first – cook the darn thing.  Sure you can cook it in a microwave, but I already had some stuff roasting in the oven, so just threw the squash in there too.  #twobirdsonestone.  And I love how the cooked spaghetti squash even LOOKS like shredded potatoes, minus a TON of unnecessary carbs, so that makes me a happy camper.  And to make it even more low-carb, instead of using a traditional gluten-free flour like almond, coconut, arrowroot, tapioca, to name a few, I used ground flax seeds instead, to help bind it together along with the eggs, salt and pepper and my favorite personal touch – Trader Joe’s “everything seasoning”.  Sure, I can make it myself, but it comes in a pretty package that I just can’t say no to, and I just love all of TJ’s pre-made seasonings.  I’m all for shortcuts, ya know?  One other thing to note, if you don’t want the “stringiness” of the spaghetti squash in one bite of your latke, I’d recommend roughly chopping the squash as you’re prepping the rest of the ingredients.  I decided not to do that, but it still turned out so good (and easy enough to eat). Also…you may have noticed my latkes are a wee bit dark, but I like mine extra crispy even if that means slightly burnt.  And these are so great to make-ahead.  Just pop them back in the oven at 400F, or you can pan fry them with a little avocado or olive oil for a few minutes just to crisp up.

As for the dips.  Since it’s so cold and dreary out, I needed a fresh pick-me-up, so garlic basil mayo it is. I love using the frozen cubes of basil and garlic if I need to make a quick herb dip or pesto in a pinch and I definitely don’t have any fresh basil here in my frigid apartment #dreamingofspringalready.  I have to give credit to my sister-in-law, Yael for this, since she created a similar concoction for her birthday party last weekend and it was so good (we layered this dip on tortillas, topped with roasted veggies = YUM).

For my second dip, I went with a tried and true favorite – my vegan nacho cheese..so dreamy and creamy and insanely healthy.  Check out the recipe here on my blog riskyveggie.com!

The third and final dip is an avocado crema (I’m using labneh in mine but you can use sour cream or Greek yogurt, or even mayo, I just like the tanginess it lends to the dip and compliments the smooth, mild avocado).  Add some fresh cilantro and you’re good to go.

And if you’re feeling nostalgic, check out one of my latke experiments (almond mustard cauliflower latkes with ginger tahini dipping sauce) from last year on riskyveggie.com!

Wishing all of our loyal readers a very HAPPY HANUKKAH and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

5 from 1 vote
Print
Spaghetti Squash Latkes
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 spaghetti squash, cooked
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tbsp olive or avocado oil
  • 4 tbsp ground flax seeds
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp Trader Joe's everything but the bagel seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 400F.

  2. Wrap the squash in foil and bake for 40 minutes or until fork tender. Keep the oven on at 400F.

  3. When the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh into a large bowl and add the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, everything seasoning, flax seeds and olive oil.   The most annoying part is removing all of the seeds, but be patient, you'll get there. 🙂

  4. Wait about 3-5 minutes for the mixture to absorb some of the flax seed meal.

  5. On a parchment lined baking sheet, scoop a handful of the mixture and form it into flat latkes shapes.  

  6. Bake for 45 minutes, check to make sure they aren't burnt, and cook for another 15 minutes until crispy.  

  7. Let cool and serve warm with the dipping sauces!  

    HAPPY HANUKKAH!

5 from 1 vote
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Garlic Basil Mayo
Prep Time
5 mins
 
Servings: 1
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup mayo I like using homemade, but use whatever you prefer or have in your fridge
  • 2 cubes frozen garlic, softened
  • 4 cubes frozen basil, softened
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions

  1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl until fully combined.  Adjust seasoning if needed. (note, this spread is delish on sammies!!)

5 from 1 vote
Print
Avocado Crema
Prep Time
10 mins
 
Servings: 1
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 medium ripe avocado, diced
  • 2 tbsp labneh Middle Eastern yogurt, or you could use Greek Yogurt
  • 1 cube frozen garlic, softened
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 2 tsp hot sauce Adjust if you like it mild or super spicy
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice I like it tangy and this will thin the dip out a bit, so you can always adjust if you want it thicker
Instructions

  1. Mash the avocado with a fork and add the rest of the ingredients.  

  2. Add the cilantro, mix gently and serve. YUM!

If you liked this recipe check out Daniel’s take on latkes: Jalapeno Cheddar Cauliflower Latkes With Salsa Verde Sour Cream

Rachel’s Recap: 2017 Kansas City Kosher BBQ competition

3rd place in brisket! And yes, those are my parents! (Avi was MIA in this photo b/c she was taking it)

It’s been a little over a month since our team “Five Dudes and a Vegetarian” competed once again in this year’s (6th annual) Kansas City Kosher BBQ competition!  This year was a little bit different as the competition was part of the Kansas City Jewish Arts Festival at the Jewish Community Center, so the PR for the event was a little bit different.  So granted there were LOTS of people that came by the event, but since the BBQ event was sort of tucked away on the side, we didn’t get as many passersby asking to try our food (which, may have been a good thing, since we only had some tasting samples – the priority is for the judges and the rest, well, we take home for family). 🙂

The BBQ event itself was smaller – only 12 teams this year, instead of the usual 20-25, so our team kept thinking positively that it’ll give us better odds at winning big this year.  We competed against some of the best.  Some regulars, like Sephardic-Q, DWF Kosher Q Crew (shoutout to my buddy Brian!!) and Dukes of Chazzer (and they won Grand Champ, 2 years in a row now, SUPER impressive – congrats to Andy and the team). We also had the opportunity to have our booth right next to some legit professional BBQers and when I say legit, I mean, they’ve competed in the MASSIVE, “American Royal” BBQ competition (let’s just say, over 400 teams at that one – cue jaw drop).  Dan from Chop’s BBQ basically just swept the entire competition, so much so, that he was having a hard time juggling all of his trophies, while carrying them to his car. #sorrynotsorry.  But so well deserved.  On the other side of Dan was Andy from Smoke on Wheels, who also won big that day.  I felt a huge honor just to be competing in the same space as these dudes and wanting to learn from the best.

Same shpiel here – we did prep Thursday night (I made the rubs, cooked the sauces and helped pack up and keep us organized), and the rest we tackled Saturday night, motzei Shabbat.  We had 2 new members of our team, Joyce (from KC!!) and my other sister, Avi!  It’s become such a family affair and I love it!  Saturday night turned out to be great weather, no major hiccups for us and… I quite possibly slept on top of a piece of cardboard underneath a table, and there may or may not have been spooning with my husband involved (it was COLD, okay?!).

Homemade shakshuka for breakfast – my permanent role in the morning hours.  It was delish.  Added some beef fry on the grill and breakfast sausage (I heard it was delish, but what do I know?).  All of our proteins looks pretty darn good if I must say so, and we all felt REALLY good about it.

12 o’clock NOON – time for the first turn-in.  Boxes are complete with perfectly folded tin foil on the bottom and drips have been wiped up (yes, I’m a bit of a stickler for the perfect-looking turn-in box, but believe me, that’s a good thing).  Chicken, ribs, turkey and brisket.  All the work pays off, everything is turned in to the judges and now we start cleaning up and it’s time to wait.

Judging time is here.  Fingers are crossed, waiting for our team name to be called for something…anything!  And lo and behold, we placed the EXACT same as last year – THIRD place in BRISKET!  I know we all want to do better (looking at you, Daniel)! And though I agree, I’m still happy we won, especially a trophy.  But there are always things to learn from our experiences and ways to improve so we can get a second or FIRST place trophy maybe next year.

A couple takeaways – one thing we have to work on is our timing, though I think we have the cooking timing down, we just have to be more careful about the resting of the meat and plating and so forth.  Always a work in progress but we’re getting there, and learning from mistakes.

And the biggest takeaway from this year’s event, was how much we (and by “we”, I mean everyone competing) miss Mendel Segal – who singlehandedly organized this event with the Va’ad 6 years ago and made it the incredible event it is today. Though since he moved to South Florida, it just didn’t have that “Mendel-esque” touch as it could have.  Those of you who were there, you know what I mean.  It was a great event, don’t get me wrong, just was missing that something extra – those details that Mendel can control in his sleep, he’s such a master.  So, yes, Mendel, we all miss you. But we’re excited to check out your restaurant in Miami, and maybe…a BBQ competition there soon??

Check out some picts from the event!

Brisket and the rub!

 

Chicken prep!

 

Sisters!

 

Sunrise

 

Making breakfast and running on an hour of sleep!

 

Shakshuka for bfast

 

YUM

 

Morning selfie

 

Final touches for the chicken

 

Honey, baby!

 

Ellie, with Dave Rogers, from KCBS (Kansas City Barbeque Society – the competition is sanctioned by them)!

 

Smokin’ it up

 

Basting those ribs

 

Final product!

 

3rd place-winning brisket!

 

Turkey!

 

Mendel in his element

 

Team spirit!!

Pizza Challenge! (the Rachel version)

Gluten-free pizza crust…super crispy!!! No, really!

…And we’re BACK!  It’s been so busy here, but we’re back to bring you some new “food challenges”.  First up?  PIZZA!  This one could be harder than it seems.  I tend to overthink my food and sometimes it’s better to just stick with the classics instead of going so over-the-top that it’s just too pretentious and just plain crazy (maybe in a good way though, right?).  And ironically, Daniel and I ended up both using caramelized onions for our recipe.  I guess we had similar brainwaves happening as we brainstormed for this challenge!

For my pizza crust, I could have gone a few different ways.  Yes, I’m doing gluten-free, but just it’ll still taste good.  Look, I love a good, crusty gluten-laden pizza crust just like everyone else, but honestly, I FEEL so much better when I omit gluten from my eating lifestyle, but do whatever is best for you.

What did I end up doing?  Sauerkraut!

Um…excuse me?  Yes, you read that correctly.  I have a great (paleo) cookbook called “All American Paleo Table” from Caroline Potter (as you can see from the photo), and she uses drained sauerkraut in her pizza dough.  I purposely didn’t want to use cauliflower rice, or soaked quinoa (even though those come out pretty good), I wanted to do something a little out of the box, but again, staying with the pizza theme here.  I’ve made this pizza crust many times, and it’s SUPER easy to make (no crazy prepping here), just drain the sauerkraut, add a few extra ingredients, bake, add toppings and bake more and you’re done.  No waiting for the dough to proof.  No waiting for the quinoa to soak overnight.  I’ll be honest, I used store-bought sauerkraut, but by all means, use homemade if you have it!  I was never a fan of sauerkraut until recently, so maybe that’s something I end up using the fermentation kit for, who knows?

As for the toppings?  I just want to do too many things, but I just went with yummy flavors that I love.  Basil and garlic ghee (clarified butter) for the base, creamy caramelized onions, fresh tomatoes, goat cheese and fresh basil from my porch garden (right before the end of their season outside).  I opted not to do a tomato sauce, or even a white sauce, for the fact that I wanted that buttery creamy goodness to come from the basil and garlic ghee, and it will melt with the caramelized onions and the goat cheese to become this unctuous savory sauce.  Maybe next time I’ll do pesto, or sun-dried tomato sauce, or even a breakfast pizza, with cashew cream cheese, smoked salmon, arugula and even a just cooked egg, with that perfectly runny yoke (#liquidgold) – because why not…everything is better if throw an egg on top of it, right?  Or is that SO 2015? 🙂

Here is the link to the gluten-free pizza crust (and believe me when I say it, it really does turn out crispy!).

5 from 1 vote
Print
Caramelized Onion & Goat Cheese GF Pizza with Basil Butter
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
50 mins
 
Servings: 1 10" round pizza
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
Basil butter
  • 2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter), or regular butter at room temp
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1 tbsp fresh basil, freshly chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
Caramelized onions
  • 1/2 onion, sliced
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1 tbsp sugar optional (I didn't use sugar, but if you want an extra carmelization, feel free)
  • 3 tbsp goat cheese (softened, or crumbled)
  • 2 roma tomatoes, sliced lengthwise
Instructions
Make the pizza dough according to instructions here: httpss://www.glutenfreeliving.com/recipes/main-dish/thin-crust-bbq-pizza-with-crispy-bacon/
Make the caramelized onions:
  1. Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the onions, salt and pepper (and sugar, if using).
  2. Cook on medium-low for about 15 minutes until golden brown (but not burnt)
Make the basil butter
  1. Add the ghee (or butter), basil, salt, pepper and garlic to a bowl and mix until smooth and ingredients are mixed thoroughly.
Take hot pizza crust out of the oven and top with basil butter, caramelized onions, sliced roma tomatoes and crumbled goat cheese.
  1. Bake at 400F for 10 more minutes until crust is crispy and golden. 
  2. Cool for 10 minutes, slice and enjoy!

Check out Daniel’s take on Pizza: Roasted Garlic and Caramelized Onion Pizza

Meals and Mitzvot!

Shredded BBQ chicken-topped roasted sweet potatoes

Well, we’ve made through Rosh Hashanah!  It’s officially the year 5778 and I want to wish all of our readers a Shana Tova U’metikah –  and here’s to this year being full of health, happiness, love, laughter and LOTS of good food!  And that got me thinking.  As we are now in the 10 days of repentance, it’s no surprise that I started thinking of what else I can do to do things with a little more intention, a little more positive spirit (and those of you who know me, I’m a pretty positive person already).  Yes I can say things a little nicer to my husband (as I tell him to clean up), or be more mindful of how others may be perceiving my attitude.  But I can’t discount the fact that one of the things I love to do most (yes, cooking), has helped many not just this past year, but in the last several years.  No, I’m not perfect of course, but I felt I should share my experiences with making food for those who truly need it.  I’m sure we all have a lot to repent for as we head into Yom Kippur, but I know there’s a lot I should be proud of and participating in this huge mitzvah definitely does the trick.

It’s a common thing throughout many communities (Jewish or not), that if someone has a baby, suffers from an illness, is in the hospital, or really just needs a helping hand, making a meal is one of the ways of fulfilling that important mitzvah.  I particularly love doing this form of “chesed” or kindness, and not just because I love to cook, but it really truly makes me feel good about the food I’m putting so much love into.  Of course, one can order takeout and have it delivered.  But there’s something about a healthy, home cooked meal that sets it apart.  And what’s most important for me is knowing my clientele.

Typically, when I make a meal for someone, it’s because of a new baby, so clearly a joyous time, but not without stress and sleep-deprivation and I’m sure not many new moms don’t really want to think about standing on their feet making dinner when dealing with a crying baby.  Here I am, stepping in to help you, not because you need it, but because I CAN help.

There’s a great website called www.takethemameal.com where the coordinator puts in the recipients’ info – name, address, number of people in the family to feed and any food allergies or other specific requests (i.e. “deliver before 5pm”, “no mushrooms” or “gluten-free”). You get to schedule when you’d like to make a meal, by putting in your name, email, phone and what you’re making.  And understandably, adhering to guidelines can be very tricky for some, but I am one of those people who have specific request (though I’m not allergic to gluten, I just feel better when I don’t eat it), but I get it.  I cooked a meal for a family recently who is gluten-free and it was a perfect opportunity for me to make them a healthy, nutritious meal without wondering if any of my food will make them sick (oy, I hope it didn’t)!

If I’m cooking for a mother with a newborn, I automatically include my famous “coconut date balls”.  A friend once told me that they were “the perfect bite to have when you’re up in the middle of the night breastfeeding”.  That’s the best compliment (thanks Joy)!  And exactly what I set out to do when I first made these (little disclaimer here – I usually put coffee in my date balls, but of course everyone has their own preference, so I always message the mom asking if a little coffee is okay, otherwise I just omit).  I want to make food that’s healthy, because, let’s be honest – they’re most likely getting week’s worth of lasagna and pizza and maybe the occasional roasted chicken. And nothing wrong with that, but I like to make something a little different, something that’s a crowd pleaser – good for kids and adults and is easy to just pop in the oven to re-heat and serve at the table.  So you’re probably wondering what I typically make, am I right?  Well…I won’t keep you in suspense any longer.

Here are my typical meals:

  • I usually make some sort of salad:
    • Caesar salad – again, something the whole family can enjoy, and I use homemade mayo (organic, pasture-rased eggs), and no soy
    • Carrot slaw – this is SUPER easy.  All you do is dump a bag of shredded carrots in a bowl, add in some chopped pecans, shredded unsweetened coconut, sliced green onions, raisins and any kind of lemon vinaigrette – a little sweet and savory
    • Crunchy coleslaw – also super easy.  Bag of coleslaw mix, add in whatever veggies you have (and I mean whatever – onions, tomatoes (okay, fine, they’re a fruit), peppers, celery, cucumbers, zucchini…anything), top with some Terra Stix, and add whatever vinaigrette or creamy dressing you have on hand
  • Main dish (always protein involved):
    • This used to be a big hit, but I still make it sometimes, it’s my “Mexican Tortilla Lasagna”. Also, super easy.  I make some refried beans (I just buy the GIANT can of pinto beans, add in some garlic, cumin but limit the salt, because even though I rinse the beans, they’re still pretty salty).  Start with a big foil pan and layer tortillas (if the family is gluten-free, I use corn, not flour), add a layer of beans, sliced tomatoes (and any other veggies you want to sneak them in), Mexican shredded cheese blend (or any shredded cheese you happen to have on hand), do another 2 layers, and bake at 350 for 10 minutes.  Top with shredded lettuce and if you want, add a side of sour cream (or Greek yogurt) and guacamole, if you’re feeling SUPER generous.
    • This one may surprise you…but here me out.  Lately, I’ve been making “shredded BBQ chicken-topped roasted sweet potatoes”.  Honestly, just because I don’t eat meat, doesn’t mean that I can’t make meat or chicken for someone else.  And what’s nice on the “takethemameal” website is that you can see what everyone else is making (TBD seems to be a favorite, ha).  So, all I do is pop some sweet potatoes in the oven at 400 for about 40 minutes, and put 2-3 chicken breasts in a slow cooker with some BBQ rub (preferably Rabbi-Q’s rub and sauce, but I also like Trader Joe’s coffee BBQ rub), cook on low for 7-8 hours, or high for 4-6 and shred. That’s basically it.  Once the potatoes are cooled, slice them open, add some spices if you prefer, top with the shredded BBQ chicken and sprinkle with sliced green onions.  My beautiful friend Davida texted me the second my husband dropped off this meal (and included the carrot slaw and date balls) and told me how it looked like a restaurant-quality dish and even her husband, who went to culinary school said he would PAY for a meal like this! 🙂  Thank you darling for your support! And check out her incredible testimonial on my Facebook page here!

So there you have it, dear readers.  As I said, I truly love doing this mitzvah but it’s also a nice and convenient way to introduce people to my cooking!

Until next time…

Rachel (a.k.a “Risky Veggie” signing out)

 

Want to know the recipe for my “famous” coffee coconut date balls?  Check them out here on my other blog, riskyveggie!