Category: Dessert

Apple Cider Donuts Filled With Apple Filling and Apple Glaze

As fall approaches apple cider donuts (or is it doughnut) seem to be all the rage (and I personally believe apple always beats pumpkin spice) and they make a great Rosh Hashana dessert. One of the major complaints I have about your average apple cider donut is they don’t really taste like apples. I wanted to find a way to infuse as much apple flavor into the recipe.  I decided to go with an apple glazed apple filled yeast donut made with apple cider instead of the more traditional cake donut usually used for apple cider donuts.

Don’t forget to check out some of our  other Rosh Hashanah recipes:

Spaghetti Squash Apple Date Kugel

Slow Braised Brisket With Apples For Rosh Hashanah

Braised Short Ribs with Apples and Pomegranate Honey Glaze

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Apple Cider Doughnuts
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Apple Glazed and Apple Filled Apple Cider Donuts
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Rise Times
4 hrs
 

A fall classic that is perfect for Rosh Hashanah

Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American, Fall, Holiday, Jewish, Kosher, Rosh Hashanah
Keyword: Apple, Apple Cider, Apple Cider Donut, Apple Cider Doughnut, Donut, Doughnut, Fall, Holiday, kosher, rosh hashanah
Servings: 12 Donuts
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
Apple Filling
  • 2.5 Cups Apple Cider Divided
  • 1/2 Cup Maple Syrup
  • 2 Tbsp Cornstarch
  • 6 Large Apples Peeled, cored, and diced small
  • 2 Cups Apple Sauce
  • 1/2 Cup Apple Butter
  • 1/2 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
  • 1 Tsp Nutmeg
  • 1 Tsp Cinnamon
  • 1 Pinch Kosher Salt
Apple Glaze
  • 8 Cups Apple Cider
  • 4 Cups Powdered Sugar
  • 1/4 Cup Maple Syrup
  • 1 Tsp Cinnamon
  • 1 Tsp Nutmeg
  • 1/4 Cup Apple Butter
Apple Cider Donuts
  • 1-1/2 Cups Apple Cider Divided
  • 1 Envelope Instant Yeast
  • 1/4 Cup Shortening Melted and cooled
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
  • 1 tbsp Vanilla
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1 tsp Nutmeg
  • 1 Pinch Kosher Salt
  • 24 Ounces All Purpose Flour About 5 cups
  • Vegetable or Canola Oil for Frying
  • Apple Glaze See recipe above
  • Apple Filling See recipe above
Instructions
Apple Cider Donuts

  1. Pour 1/2 a cup of apple cider into a microwave bowl and heat in the microwave to about 100°F. Alternatively you could do this in a small pot on the stove. Add in the packet of yeast, stir to combine, and set aside.

  2. In a large bowl combine the flour, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg and stir to combine.

  3. In the bowl of your mixer, add the 2 eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, the remaining 1 cup of apple cider and melted shortening and beat with the whisk attachment until lighter in color and volume doubles. Then slowly add the yeast and apple cider mixture.

  4. Switch to the paddle attachment on your mixer and add a ⅓ of the dry ingredients. Mix until fully incorporated, then slowly add in the remaining dry ingredients until a dough forms. If the there are still dry pockets of flour add a little bit more apple cider.

  5. Cover and allow to rise at room temperature until doubled in size.

  6. Roll the dough into pieces slightly larger than a golf ball. You should get about 12 pieces. Place on parchment lined baking sheet dusted with flour and allow to rise until doubled in size.

  7. Place 3 inches of oil in your Dutch oven or pot, place over medium heat, and bring up to 350°F

  8. Fry your donuts until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Allow to cool.

  9. Using a large piping bag with a wide filling nozzle fill with the apple filling (see recipe below). Sometime it help to use the handle of a large wooden mixing spoon to create a pocket first.

  10. Dip the top of each donut in to the apple glaze (see recipe below) and top with a little more of the apple filling.

Apple Filling/Topping

  1. Pour two cups of the apple cider in a large sauce pot, reserving a 1/2 cup for later use.

  2. Add the apples, apple sauce, apple butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the pot and place on the stove over medium heat. Stir to combine.

  3. Continue stirring the apple mixture and once it begins to thicken, in a bowl combine the remaining 1/2 cup of apple cider and corn starch and stir to create a slurry. Add the slurry to the apple mixture to and continue to cook until until the filling starts to gel.

  4. Allow the filling to cool and and use to fill and top your donuts.

Apple Glaze

  1. Combine 8 cups apple cider, 4 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup maple syrup, 1 tablespoon of nutmeg and 1 tablespoon of cinnamon in a medium sauce pan. Place over medium heat and reduce by ¾.

  2. Set the glaze aside to cool to room temperature and stir in the the apple butter. Alternatively make this in advance and store in the fridge and bring back to room temperature before using.

Sweet Potato Pudding

Sweet Potato Pudding

It’s here, ya’ll! We have ONE week left until our Jamaican kitchen pop-up event! If you haven’t registered, make sure to do so ASAP! Here’s the link to register!

On the dessert menu for this even is our Sweet Potato Pudding. This custardy treat is light, easy, naturally gluten-free and nut-free!

This pudding is a common dessert in Jamaica and especially with the warming Caribbean spices like cinnamon, ginger and allspice, this is sure to transport your tastebuds.

Pumpkin pie change-up

This pudding would be a fantastic substitute for the traditional pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving. For this recipe, you can use sweet potato, pumpkin, or butternut squash! I used canned just to make my life a bit easier, but if you have fresh sweet potatoes, you’ll want to roast them in the oven at 425F degrees for 40-45 minutes. Then, add the ingredients into a blender, or use a handheld stick blender in a large bowl, pour into a casserole (or pie dish) and that’s it.

This sweet potato pudding uses eggs to make a custard-type pudding but if you’re egg-free, substitute the 4 eggs for 1 cup of flour. It’ll still be delicious, of course, but the texture will be cakier and less custard-like.

Hope you all try this recipe – maybe for your next Shabbat lunch meal as a twist on kugel, or for your Thanksgiving dessert. Can’t wait to see you all at the pop-up next week!

If you’re interested in some more recipes that we’ll be featuring at the pop-up, check these out below!

Chayote Squash Slaw – Meat Your Vegetables

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Sweet Potato Pudding
Course: Dessert
Servings: 12 servings
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 2 Sweet Potatoes, OR one 15 oz. can If using whole sweet potatoes, pierce with a fork and roast at 425F for 40-45 minutes until the flesh is soft
  • 1 14 oz. Can of Coconut Milk Don't use light coconut milk, or coconut cream, or cream of coconut (that has too much sugar and is used for pina coladas!)
  • 1 cup Sugar
  • 4 Eggs, large
  • 1 tsp. Vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. Ginger
  • 1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp. Allspice Used a lot in Jamaican cuisine!
  • 1/4 tsp. Sea salt
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 375F

  2. Add all ingredients into a large bowl, or blender container

  3. Blend, or use a handheld stick blender (or you can use a whisk) and mix all ingredients together until the batter is smooth

  4. Pour into 2-quart square baking dish

  5. Bake at 375F for 1 hour, or until fully set

  6. Let cool and serve! This would be great warmed, or room temp (or cold too, it'll just be a bit firmer) and served with a dollop of whipped cream - YUM!

Peanut Butter & Jelly Pie

Peanut Butter & Jelly Pie

The Jewish holiday of Shavuot starts this weekend so how about a new pie recipe! Peanut Butter & Jelly Pie!

I love this one because it’s completely no-bake, which is perfect for these 90+ degree days. No baking, no water bath, no dirtying up a half dozen mixing bowls. For this recipe, I made a homemade crust (it came out a bit too thick though), but I just mixed 1 1/2 cups of almond flour, about 1/3 cup of softened butter and few tablespoons of sweetener and pressed it into a greased pie plate. But let’s make this even easier and use a store-bought pie crust.

The filling is just cream cheese (but make sure you plan ahead and leave it on your counter for a few hours to soften), sour cream (because I love the tanginess it brings), peanut butter and sweetener. Topped with strawberry jelly (you can use either homemade or store-bought) and whipped cream! This dessert certainly tastes like childhood. You could even be EXTRA and drizzle chocolate sauce over the top. #YUM.

And that’s all she wrote. An easy, no-bake pie, perfect for those hot summer nights, for Shavuot or really anytime of the year.

Chag Sameach, ya’ll!

Click here for more Shavuot recipes!

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Peanut Butter & Jelly Pie
Course: Dessert
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 9-inch Graham Cracker Pie Crust Or make your own! I combined 1 1/2 cups almond flour, 1/3 cup of softened butter and 2 tbsp. sugar substitute and pressed that into a pie plate!
  • 1 Package of cream cheese, softened
  • 2 tbsp. Sour Cream
  • 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar I use the brand Swerve, for a sugar-free alternative
  • 1/3 cup Peanut Butter I like the Kirkland brand from Costco since it's just peanuts and salt - no other additives!
  • 2 cups Strawberry Jelly I used Walden Farms brand which is sugar-free
  • 2 cups Whipped Cream
  • Chopped peanuts for garnish Optional
Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, sour cream, peanut butter and powdered sweetener. The consistently will look like mousse.

  2. Spoon into the pie crust, spread a thick layer of strawberry jelly and whipped cream

  3. Cover and chill in the fridge for a few hours or up to overnight

  4. Add some chopped peanuts as garnish and serve cold. YUM!

Ricotta Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

Ricotta Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

I can’t believe it’s already mid-July. Seriously, where did this year go already? Well, now that the 9 days before Tisha B’av are here, MYV presents you with some great meatless recipes, including my Ricotta Chocolate Chip Cheesecake.

Truthfully, the 9 days always sneak up on me. Of course I know when the start of the 3 weeks (before Tisha B’av starts) but since I’m meatless all year round, I have to remind myself to meal prep a bit different during these 9 days to make sure I don’t accidentally prepare a deli sandwich for Ellie!

Lazy Dessert

This dessert could not be easier. It’s basically the lazy man’s cheesecake. No water bath, no laundry list of ingredients and a really, really long wait time to chill in the fridge. Just a handful of ingredients that literally took me under 5 minutes to make and pop in the oven. I made a cheesecake for Shavuot and while it was absolutely delicious, I was reminded how long the process takes. And it’s so tempting to dig right in the second it comes out of the oven. But no, patience is a virtue. And a necessity in making cheesecake.

The ricotta cheese and a splash of lemon juice gives the cheesecake a nice creamy but tangy flavor – the perfect cheesecake copycat. Now, I used chocolate chips, but you could add in some fresh berries (perhaps from your summer garden or farmers market) or swirl in some peanut butter along with your chocolate chips for a decadent twist. And by all means, if you have some fresh berry compote in your fridge, you must spoon some on top. And while you’re at it, go crazy with some whipped cream! A cheesecake that takes this little time (and only 45 minutes in the oven) is truly special. And I’m guessing it might make an appearance in your dessert repertoire next Shavuot.

Have a safe and easy fast, friends!

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Ricotta Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
 
Course: Dessert
Servings: 8 people
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 16oz container Ricotta Cheese
  • 2 Eggs (large)
  • 1/4 cup Coconut Flour
  • 1/2 cup Sweetener
  • 1 tbsp. Lemon Juice
  • 1/4 tsp. Vanilla or Maple extract
  • 1/4 tsp. Kosher Salt
  • 1/2 cup Chocolate Chips
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F

  2. Line a non-stick 9-inch round or 8x8 inch square baking dish with parchment paper or non-stick spray

  3. Mix all ingredients together in a medium-size bowl

  4. Add the mixture to the baking pan and smooth out the top

  5. Bake for 45 minutes

  6. Let the cake cool completely before slicing

  7. Serve with berry compote or whipped cream! Or BOTH!

  8. Store leftovers in the fridge (HA, as if there will be leftovers)

Looking for some more recipes for the 9 meatless days before Tisha B’av? We’ve got you covered!

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Sausage, Egg & Cheese Casserole

 

Raw Walnut Tacos

Olive Oil Persimmon Cake & Hanukkah GIVEAWAY!

Happy Hanukkah to our loyal Meat Your Vegetables readers! We have an exciting Hanukkah giveaway (see details below on how to enter), but before I provide those details, let’s talk food! This year, I have a slightly non-traditional recipe for Hanukkah, my Olive Oil Persimmon Cake. Before this recipe came together, of course I was brainstorming some new latke or sufganiyot recipes, but then I thought about doing something a little different, and EASIER, might I add.

This cake is so simple, just a few ingredients like coconut flour, eggs, olive oil (of course) and diced persimmons. It’s the perfect cake for those who don’t like desserts that are too-sweet. And if you’re like me and don’t want to patshke with the thought of making homemade sufganiyot, this cake will do the trick. This cake is not only gluten free, but it’s dairy-free too, so go ahead and serve it with some parve iced cream, after you’ve devoured your brisket.

Olive oil is the obvious choice for a cake here, since olive oil is symbolic in the miracle of Hanukkah! Using the olive oil also keeps the cake from drying out. But now, let’s talk about the humble persimmon. Personally, I think they’re underrated and not utilized as much as these beautiful orange fruit should be. I love that persimmons are becoming more mainstream in some kosher cookbooks lately, like “Sababa” from Adeena Sussman and “Peas, Love and Carrots” from Danielle Renov.

Introducing, Persimmons

Persimmons are a fruit that is typically in season from September through December and are common in Asian and Middle Eastern cuisines. There are different types of persimmons – the “fuyu” which is a firm, more squat kind of tomato-looking fruit. The “hachiya” variety have a more pointy-shape and are are eaten when they’re ripe or overripe.

You’re probably wondering what these strange fruits taste like? They fuyu variety cuts like an apple but tastes like a cross between a mango and a sweet bell pepper with almost a hint of cinnamon. And that’s exactly why I add cinnamon to this cake to bring out those flavors. There’s a rich and tangy sweetness yet mild flavor to these orange gems. For this recipe, I use the fuyu variety and kept the skins on. I love this variety for slicing into salads and it can be used in both sweet and savory dishes. Persimmons also are loaded with vitamins A and B and have a good amount of fiber too!

I often find persimmons in my local grocery store but if you can’t find them, or just don’t feel too adventurous to try a weird new fruit, go ahead and use apples, or pears for this cake. Both would be delicious!

Hanukkah Giveaway!

Last but certainly not least, here are details about our 2020 HANUKKAH GIVEAWAY! We are raffling off a HUGE bag of kitchen and home goodies, call it our #COVIDKitchenSurvivalKit.
Giveaway
Some of the gifts included are: an apron, cleaning supplies, kitchen utensils, a beautiful bamboo serving set, and a tumbler autographed by Food Network chef Robert Irvine!  The raffle will be open until Wednesday, at midnight CST, before the last day of Hanukkah, so be sure to enter before then.
Click the link below to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck, and have a Chag Hanukkah Sameach!

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Olive Oil Persimmon Cake
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
 
Course: Dessert
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 6 Large Eggs
  • 3/4 Cup Coconut Flour
  • 1 Cup Sugar
  • 1 Cup Olive Oil
  • 2 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
  • 2 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 3 Fuyu Persimmons, diced Use apples or pears instead!
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350F and grease a 9" springform cake pan

  2. Add the dry ingredients to a medium-sized bowl and set aside

  3. Crack the eggs in a large bowl and beat on medium speed with an hand mixer until tripled in size

  4. Add in the olive oil and slowly add the dry ingredients into the egg mixture and beat on slow speed until fully mixed

  5. Add in the diced persimmon and mix

  6. Pour the batter into the greased pan and bake for 30 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle, comes out clean

  7. Let cool, then dust with powdered sugar and serve at room temp, with or without ice cream!

 

Blueberry Lemon Beignets and a Hanukkah Giveaway

beignetsI love donuts! Lately I have been trying to watch what what I eat, but I love donuts.  And what is Hanukkah (or is it Chanukah) without sufganiyot, the delicious filled donut treats? Jews traditionally eat lots of foods fried in oil on Hanukkah, to commemorate the small flask of oil that was found in the temple and lasted for eight days rather than just one. So I figured everything in moderation and settled on filled and iced beignets (pronounced Ben-yays).

Beignets are New Orleans’s answer to the donut hole (or for Dunkin Donuts fans, the Munchkin).  Beignets are usually just coated in powdered sugar but to make me feel a little better about myself I wanted to incorporate some fruit, so I could at least pretend it had some nutritional value.  The most common fruit flavor for filling Hanukkah sufganiyot is raspberry jam, but it I am not a huge fan and the seeds get stuck in my teeth. I really like the combination of lemon and blueberry (especially when you add some sugar). I find the tartness and sweetness balance each other out nicely. The blue and yellow also provide nice visual contrast, so your eyes and your stomach get a nice treat.

Beignets are great with your morning coffee or as midnight snack. Is there ever a wrong time for a donut? And because they are small, you can eat a handful and not feel too guilty.

Don’t forget to check out our Covid Kitchen Survival Kit giveaway at the end of the post. There are some fun tools and gadgets, and a tumbler autographed by a celebrity (scroll down to see who)!

Beignet Recipe

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beignets
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Blueberry and Lemon Beignets
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Dough Chilling
2 hrs
 

A tasty New Orleans treat perfect for your Chanukah party

Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: Creole, French, Kosher, New Orleans
Keyword: Beignets, Chanuka , Chanukah, Chanukkah , Donut, Doughnut, Hannukah, Hanukah, kosher
Servings: 24 Beignets
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
Beignets
  • 3 Cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 Cup (Soy) Milk
  • 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1 Envelope Active Dry Yeast About 2 1/4 tsp
  • 1 Large Egg
  • 1/2 Cup Shortening Softened
  • 1 Tsp Kosher Salt
Blueberry Filling
  • 4 Cups Frozen Blueberries
  • 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 1/4 Cup Corn Starch
  • 1/4 Cup Cold Water
Lemon Icing
  • 3 Tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 1.5 Cups Powdered Sugar
Instructions
Make the Beignet Dough

  1. Warm your (soy) milk in a pot or the microwave to about 110°F. It should be warm but not hot. Ideally use a thermometer. Pour the (soy) milk in to a mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer and add the yeast. Stir to combine. Allow the yeast to bloom until it stars to foam.

  2. Add the flour, salt, and the sugar to the bowl with the (soy) milk and yeast. Stir to combine.

  3. Ad the eggs and shortening. Using a wooden spoon or the paddle attachment of your mixer, mix until a smooth ball is formed. It will take a little while for the dough to come together, especially if you mix by hand. If the dough looks a little dry you can add a little more (soy) milk, but I would do this as a last resort. If you do add more (soy) milk, I would do it one teaspoon at a time.

  4. Once kneaded, allow the dough to rest in the refrigerator for at least two hours and up to 24 hours.

Make Blueberry Filling

  1. In a small bowl combine the corn starch and water. Stir until there are no more dry pockets of corn starch. Set aside.

  2. Add the blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice to a medium sized pot. Place over medium heat, stirring regularly until the sugar is dissolved and the blueberries burst.

  3. Add the cornstarch and water mixture to the blueberries and stir until the mixture thickens. Set aside to cool.

Fry the Beignets

  1. Add enough oil to fill your pot or Dutch oven about halfway and place it oven medium heat.

  2. While the oil is heating, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness and cut into 2 inch squares. A pizza cutter is a great tool for this.

  3. Once the oil reaches 350°F (use your thermometer), fry the beignets in small batches until golden brown, flipping them half way through to make sure they cook evenly on each side. This could be about 3 minutes on each side but be sure to stay next to them and monitor the cooking. Keep an eye on the beignets and the oil temperature as they can overcook easily. Place on a wire rack to cool.

Make Lemon Icing

  1. Place the powdered sugar in a bowl and slowly add the 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, one at a time. Stir until the icing comes together as a thick, glossy liquid. Do not add all of the lemon juice at once as you may not need it all to achieve the desired consistency.

Fill and Ice the Beignets

  1. Load your piping bag with the blueberry filling. Push the piping bag ¾ the way in to the beignet. and carefully move the tip side to side to create a pocket. Slowly squeeze the piping bag to fill the beignet, retracting it as you go. Drizzle the beignets with the lemon icing and enjoy.

Giveaway

Giveaway

Don’t forget to enter our Covid kitchen survival kit giveaway below for all your cooking and cleaning needs to keep you sane and safe, including a tumbler autographed by Food Network Chef Robert Irvine. Just follow the instructions below to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Checkout some more of our Hanukkah recipes:

Boozy Eggnog Custard Filled Doughnuts

Potato Latke Waffles

Pulled Beef Filled Mini Doughnuts With a Trio of BBQ Dipping Sauces

Jalapeno Cheddar Cauliflower Latkes With Salsa Verde Sour Cream

Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies

Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies
The leaves have turned a bright orange color and have covered the streets (and mostly on top of my car) . So obviously we know it’s been PUMPKIN season for a while! The PSL (pumpkin spice latte) trend starts probably just after Labor Day, but since Thanksgiving is next week (seriously, right?), a pumpkin recipe just feels oh so appropriate. So, without further ado, let’s dive into these Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies!
I know, I always say my recipes are “easy”, but I can promise you, that THIS recipe is really just that. It’s only a handful of ingredients. No eggs, no flours. 100% vegan and totally delicious. It’s thick, rich and decadent, yet somehow these brownies don’t feel too heavy. The almond butter give these  treats a smooth, almost buttery (well, thank you almond butter) texture and the pumpkin puree acts like a binder, so no eggs were harmed in the making of this dessert.

Almond BUTTER?!?

Okay, but first, I have to share this funny story in regards to these brownies.
I made these on a whim last Sukkot and brought them to my parents house to share with my family. Remember those days, when we all spent holidays together? Oh, how pre-COVID seems like a lifetime ago. I took these out of the fridge and ate a few bites. Yes, be sure to keep them cold since there’s no preservatives, but they freeze well.
My sister Melissa saw me sneaking a few bites of this chocolatey goodness and immediately came right over and asked what was in them, because obviously she wanted to take a bite. Quality control, right? 🙂 I told her, “Pumpkin puree, cocoa powder, almond butter…” And well, she looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language. “Almond BUTTER,” she asked quizzically. “Yea, you know, almond butter.”
And after about a 15-20 second pause and a funny slow-motion stare-off, her brain clicked and she said “oh, oh my gosh, almond butter. DUH.” It’s almost as if her brain wasn’t computing the two words “almond” and “butter” and was probably imagining a stick of butter and a bag of almonds. In her defense, yes that does seem like an odd combo. Oh but what a world we live in – with “butters” and “milks” made out of every nut and seed imaginable!

A spin on tradition

All kidding aside (love you Minty), this recipe is beyond easy, and yet it’s so versatile. I like the addition of the chocolate chips since it gives it a bit of texture throughout, and the sprinkle of sea salt just brings out all of the rich chocolatey flavors.
This is a great dessert for a Shabbat table, or even for your Thanksgiving meal. If you want to go the traditional way and still make pumpkin pie, hey, who am I to mess with tradition? I’m just a big fan of whipping up a crowd-pleasing dessert in under 45 min, start to finish. But you know me, I just love to put spins on traditional food – my way!
A quick tip for making these brownies: since the cocoa powder has a tendency to just fly everywhere, you can add all the ingredients into a blender or food processor, instead of hand-mixing. It’ll also give your brownies a smooth texture, if you prefer that. But make sure to add in the chocolate chips after you blend the batter.
Hope ya’ll are staying healthy and safe! And even if you’re Thanksgiving plans are just set for a table for 2 (like they will be at my house), that means we can keep these brownies all to ourselves, HA!
Happy holidays!
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Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
 
Course: Dessert
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 2 15 oz. Cans of Pumpkin Puree NOT pumpkin pie filling
  • 1 1/2 cups Cocoa Powder
  • 1 1/2 cups Unsweetened Almond Butter Cashew Butter would be good in this too. I like almond butter for this because it's a mild flavor and pairs well with pumpkin and chocolate
  • 1 cup Sugar, or sugar substitute I prefer Swerve sugar substitute brand, or the Monkfruit from Thrive Market
  • 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
  • 1/4 tsp Sea Salt Optional, but will help bring out all of the flavors, plus it looks pretty 🙂
  • 1 cup Chocolate chips Optional, for extra chocolatey goodness
Instructions

  1. Pre heat oven to 350°F and line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper

  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin puree, cocoa powder, almond butter, vanilla extract, and sugar. Using a hand mixer, mix all ingredients together until smooth and fully combined

  3. Fold the chocolate chips into the batter

  4. Transfer the batter to prepared pan and sprinkle sea salt on top, if using

  5. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 min

  6. Let cool, slice into squares and serve, maybe with some vanilla ice cream!

Don’t forget to check out some of our other gluten free dessert recipes:

Sea Salt Caramel Crème Brulee

Cocoa Nib Biscotti

Dairy-Free Maple Cinnamon Custard

Lemon Bars

Key Lime Cheesecake (with a no-bake filling!)

Here we go again…

On most Shabbat afternoons, you might find me scouring through my vast collection of cookbooks, looking for some inspiration for my next recipe. I never feel like I’m lacking content, but for Shavuot, I always struggle with the perfect recipe.

Do I do ANOTHER cheesecake? Are we sick of those?

Do I do dairy-free? Is that too far out of the spirit of the holiday? Oh how dare I go there…

Well, lately my goal is not to overthink, but just to give you all some good, EASY and approachable recipes – for a holiday, or any time of year.

So for this year’s Shavuot, let’s go with a recipe that isn’t too complicated and doesn’t require a million trips to different stores, all while (most of us) are still treading through the stay-at-home order. This Key Lime Cheesecake is so easy, and let me tell you…it’s addicting. It’s a hard job working on recipes and having to eat them throughout the week, am I right?

But truly the best part about this cheesecake is that the crust is the ONLY thing you have to bake! I don’t love the taste of no-baked crusts, so all it needs is 10 minutes in the oven. And not baking the filling just makes it that much simpler. No eggs, no water baths, no cleaning 8 different bowls. Just simple ingredients for a cool, creamy, perfectly-tart cheesecake. Just top with fresh whipped cream (or whipped coconut cream) and add extra lime zest and voila, dessert is served.

It’s EASY being green!

I’m assuming you might have scrolled down already to the recipe, OR you could have you’ve guessed the secret ingredient as to how the pie gets that vibrant green color. Behold, the avocado! If you’re like me and living with someone who isn’t a fan of the wonderfully creamy green-pitted fruit, well just tell them what’s in it, AFTER they’ve devoured their slice. My husband isn’t a fan of anything that’s tart, but he did say “it wasn’t bad” – and in Ellie speak, that is a huge compliment, HA! I did come clean in the end. 🙂 Clearly this is one of those instances where hiding healthy foods to get your loved one to eat it is just plain worth it.

Last but not least, one more big tip for you all! If you’re feeling rushed or just don’t want the hassle of making the crust and baking it? Ya’ll, just make the filling, set it, then pipe it into custard cups for a key lime mousse. Crust is totally optional, so have fun with this recipe and play around with how you want to serve it. You could also just make the filling and eat it right out of the bowl. I’ll be honest, I just MAY have licked the bowl clean after I poured the filling. Hey, it’s quality control! 🙂

And of course, to all of you gluten-free and/or keto people out there – this recipe is perfect for you. But of course, anyone will love this.

Wishing you all a happy, healthy and safe Shavuot!

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Key Lime Cheesecake
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
 
Course: Dessert
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
Crust
  • 2 cups Almond Flour
  • 1/3 cup Coconut Oil, melted
  • 3 tbsp Sugar Or use sugar substitute like Swerve, as I did!
No-Bake Key Lime Filling
  • 2 Medium-sized avocados (ripe)
  • 12 oz Cream cheese, softened (1 1/2 bricks) This is key - you want the cream cheese to be at room temp, otherwise you won't get a smooth filling
  • 1/4 cup Sour Cream
  • 4 Limes, zested and juiced
  • 1 cup Sugar Or use sugar substitute like Swerve, as I did!
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Instructions

  1. Make the crust: Pre-heat oven to 350F

  2. Grease the bottom and sides of a spring-form pan with oil

  3. In a bowl, mix the almond flour, coconut oil and Swerve (or sugar). Using your hands (or an electric mixer), mix all ingredients until the coconut oil is evenly distributed throughout the dough. I like using my hands for this since it's easier for me to feel that all the ingredients have mixed thoroughly

  4. Press the crust into the spring-form pan and up the sides, making sure it's an even layer throughout

  5. Bake for 10 minutes at 350F

  6. While the crust is cooling, make the filling

  7. In a blender, or big bowl using a hand mixer, blend the avocados, cream cheese, lime zest and juice (you can use regular limes if you can't find key limes), sour cream, sugar, and vanilla extract

  8. Make sure the crust is completely cooled before pouring the filling on top

  9. Chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or up to overnight until fully set

  10. Top with whipped cream, and garnish with extra lime zest!

  11. Note: Since the pie is made with avocados, it will start to turn a bit brown, but if you cover it tightly, it'll still be delish. Try and cover the pie as best you can, but be warned, the filling might stick a bit to your plastic wrap or foil. But no worries, the pie should last 1 week in the fridge (if it makes it that long without everyone devouring it) and

 

Lemon Bars

Lemon Love

I love acid. I know that sounds bad, but if I could squeeze lemon juice on top of everything, I’d be happy. Lemon ANYTHING is my favorite. Lemon meringue pie is my favorite dessert (we served it at my wedding). And acidity really does help round out the flavors of a delicious meal, especially on a perfectly-cooked piece of salmon. So when Trader Joe’s started carrying Meyer Lemons for the winter (a sweeter version of a lemon), I had to make something super lemon-y. And in my book, that means lemon bars.

Even though my lemon bars are gluten-free, dairy-free (perfect for a Shabbos dessert) and low-carb (yay Keto-friendly), it doesn’t mean that these are without flavor. Quite the contrary. The perfectly crumbly golden crust and the sweet yet tart lemon filling, dusted with some powdered sugar (or I like to use powdered Swerve for a no-sugar alternative). It’s truly heaven in a square-shaped bite.

Easy Peasy, Lemon Squeezy!

I had a total craving for these lemon bars and luckily they’re only 5 ingredients so they’re super simple to whip up in no time! Just make sure that you give the crust a good 10 minutes to cool down before you pour the filling on top. And I doubt that anyone would know these AREN’T made with gluten, sugar or dairy!

Or, if you’re an acid lover like me, feel free to swap out the lemon (or Meyer lemons, in my case) with key lime! How can you go wrong with a key lime tart? Just the thought is making me daydream about sitting on the beach with a cocktail in hand and these bars stacked high on a plate in the other. So there is your cue to make these ASAP!

Happy eating my friends!

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Lemon Bars
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
48 mins
 
Course: Dessert
Servings: 16 servings
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup Coconut Oil, or Betterine (margarine alternative) You can use butter if you want to make these dairy!
  • 1 3/4 cup Almond Flour
  • 1 cup Sugar, or Swerve sugar alternative
  • 1 tbsp Powdered sugar, or Powdered Swerve, sugar alternative
  • 1/2 cup Lemon juice, or juice from 3 lemons (or use Meyer Lemons like I did!), or use bottled
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1 tsp Lemon extract Optional, for an extra kick!
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350F and line an 8x8" square baking pan with parchment paper

  2. Mix melted coconut oil or Betterine in a bowl.

  3. Add 1 cup of almond flour, 1/4 cup of sugar and a pinch of salt. Mix well

  4. Pour into the pan and using (damp) hands, press the crust into the pan

  5. Bake for 15-20 minutes (watch it carefully that it doesn't get too brown) and let cool for 10 minutes

  6. In another medium-sized bowl, combine the lemon juice, extract (if using), eggs, 3/4 cup of sugar or Swerve, 3/4 cup of almond flour and a pinch of salt. Whisk together to smooth out any lumps in the batter

  7. Pour filling onto cooled crust and bake for 22 minutes until just barely jiggly in the middle. I over-baked mine for 1-2 minutes which made it crack but that's okay, it's still delicious! Dust with powdered sugar or Swerve and cut into squares and enjoy!

Vietnamese Coconut Lime Rice Pudding with Mango (Xôi xoài)

Vietnamese Pop-up!

Well, it’s that time of year again!  A pop-up event featuring yours truly – the team from Meat Your Vegetables!

Last July, Daniel and I hosted a very successful Indian pop-up night, and this year, we’re cooking Vietnamese on Sunday, November 17th at Congregation Ezras Israel in Chicago! Make sure you register for the event before it closes this Sunday, November 10th!

Recipes in the works

It’s no surprise that in order to get prepared for this exciting night of good food, we both did some research, cooking, and taste-testing! Pop Up

As I was researching desserts, this creamy Vietnamese Coconut Rice Pudding with Mango, aka “xôi xoài” , or “mango sticky rice”, seemed to pop up a lot. My variation has lime zest and juice and topped with diced mango.

Is lime zest traditional in this recipe?  Not necessarily, but that’s the beauty of creating a recipe – do something to put your own spin on it! I love the bright flavors of acidic fruits like lemons, limes and grapefruit and I thought the lime and cardamom in the pudding would be a great pairing. Turns out, it IS!

And here’s my TIP: instead of laboring over peeling and chopping a fresh mango (because we all know that’s annoying), buy frozen! It’ll save you so much time!

Low-carb options

Plus, if you want a low-carb option, try using cauliflower rice instead. This dessert can be completely 100% keto-friendly too, if you use a sugar substitute like Swerve, instead of white sugar. And the chopped pistachios on top add a nice bright crunch on top, but feel free to add chopped almonds or even peanuts for a crunchy kick! For this pop-up, we are serving 100% nut-free menu, due to a severe nut allergy with some of the congregants, but maybe we could add roasted sesame seeds on top.  Even substitutions can be better than the original, right?

For all you local Chicagoans, check out this creamy coconut dessert recipe – just a preview for more Vietnamese recipes coming soon!

Don’t forget to check out Daniel’s pop-up preview recipe: Pho gà-Vietnamese Spiced Chicken Soup

Hope to see you at the pop-up on November 17th!

 

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Coconut Lime Rice Pudding with Mango
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Vietnamese Coconut Lime Rice Pudding with Mango (Xôi xoài)
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 15 mins
 
Course: Dessert
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup White Sugar Or sugar substitute like Swerve
  • 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Ground Cardamom, plus more for serving
  • 1 13 oz. Can of Coconut Milk Do not use light coconut milk as it will result in a watery consistency and flavor. Use full-fat coconut milk (but not coconut cream)
  • 1/2 cup White rice (Arborio rice works great too) Rinse the rice under cold running water for 20-30 seconds; drain well
  • 1 Lime, Zested & half juiced
  • 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1/4 cup Mango cut up into chunks I love using frozen mango for this because it's so much easier than peeling and chopping!
  • 1/4 cup Shelled, roasted pistachios (optional) I used sliced almonds because that's what I had handy!
  • 2 1/2 cup Water
Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 350F with a rack in the middle position

  2. In a bowl, mix together the sugar, salt and cardamom; set aside

  3. In a large pot, stir together the coconut milk and 2 1/2 cups of water; bring to a boil over medium-heat

  4. Once the water and milk is boiling, stir in the rice, sugar mixture and lime zest. Cut the lime in half and squeeze half the lime into the mixture.

  5. Cover and transfer to the oven. Bake for 1 hour, until rice is tender and creamy

  6. Take the rice pudding out of the oven and add the vanilla extract and mix well

  7. Let cool for 15 minutes. Serve in individual bowls at warm or at room temp

  8. Garnish with more ground cardamom and chopped mango and/or chopped pistachios

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