Category: Gluten-Free

Lemon Coconut Almond Cake

Lemon Coconut Almond Cake!

Happy Sunday and hope you all are enjoying a great Memorial Day weekend! Even though tomorrow is most commonly a day of BBQ’s, beach and a day off, we observe this day to remember and honor the fallen who have served our country so bravely.  Just some food for thought on this holiday weekend… 🙂

No lacking of deliciousness here

And now, back to the food!  I’m always looking to create easy recipes and this Lemon Coconut Almond Cake would be a perfect ending to your picnic or BBQ – maybe even with some dairy-free vanilla ice cream on top!  It’s pretty clear that I LOVE this combination of lemon and coconut (hopefully you’re not sick of it yet)! I love that this cake is dairy-free, gluten-free, and keto-friendly and no special equipment required.  Just a mixing bowl, a pie pan and an oven.  And while it may be hot and sticky where you are (though it’s been chilly and rainy here in Chicago since, uh, March) yes this recipe requires baking, but don’t worry, I have plenty more summer-friendly no-bake recipes coming your way soon!

The “M” word

Now, the only way to really describe how delicious this cake is, is to use the “M” word.  My family is probably laughing hysterically reading this, but you know… that word that starts with “m” as you describe the non-dryness of cake?  Honestly, it’s my least favorite word, but I get it – there’s just no other word that truly describes the inside of the cake (words like “drenched” or “water-logged” are hilariously no-go’s for the description), but here goes nothing.  This cake is moist.  There, I said it!  (ugh shake it off, Rachel, just shake it off…)

Husband approval?

I like to have my husband try out my recipes, especially gluten-free goodies, because he’s definitely not without his opinions.  Usually, gluten-free baked goods can be crumbly and dry, but this is quite the opposite!  It has a sweet, crunchy topping, almost like a glaze because of the caramelized sugar on top and the cake holds together quite nicely – so much so that you can pick it up and eat it with your hands!

Easy peasy, lemon cake squeezy!

I found a version of this recipe in a keto cookbook by Warrior Made I have, but I like the addition of the lemon extract, instead of the almond extract (or use vanilla if you have that on hand). As my husband said, “the lemon gives it a nice tartness but not too overpowering”.  Holla, I’ll take that compliment!

Don’t have any extract on hand?  Use fresh lemons instead!  Out of coconut oil?   Use real butter if you have it!  And if you use butter, maybe serve this for Shavuot instead of your BBQ, since the dairy version would be a perfect, lighter ending to your Shavuot meal.  Not that there is anything wrong with ending a meal with cheesecake. 🙂

Enjoy!  And Happy Weekend ya’ll!

PS – want to try some similar recipes? Check out my lemon blueberry crumb cake on my other blog, riskyveggie!

 

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Lemon Coconut Almond Cake
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
50 mins
 
Course: Dessert
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 3/4 cup Almond flour
  • 1/4 cup Unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1/4 tsp Lemon extract
  • 2/3 cup Sugar (or sugar substitute like Swerve)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 4 Eggs
  • 1/2 cup Coconut oil, melted
  • 1/8 cup Brown sugar (or brown sugar substitute, like Swerve)
  • 1/8 cup Sliced almonds
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350F.

  2. Grease a 9-inch pie pan and line with parchment paper

  3. In a bowl, mix all ingredients except the brown sugar sweetener and sliced almonds and stir until combined and no lumps remain

  4. Pour the batter into the pan

  5. In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar sweetener and sliced almonds together and sprinkle on top

  6. Bake for 35-40 min, or until golden brown

  7. Let the cake cool for about 20 minutes, slice and serve. Would be delish with vanilla ice cream!

Cinco de Mayo: “Tostitos” Tacos

For the love of tacos

I love tacos.  Well, to be fair, most tacos I eat are more “Tex-Mex” then truly authentic Mexican cuisine.  But I’ll take what I can get.  If I ever decided to open a kosher restaurant (and if I do, please send help ASAP), I would open an upscale taco bar.  Jury is still out though if it would be a dairy or meat taco joint. But just image for a second – tacos with different mole sauces, pickled everything (jicama, onion, jalapeno, radish), homemade salsas with garlic confit and roasted tomato pico de gallo, and SUPER fresh fish tacos with crunchy slaw and a bright kick of lime.  So the sky’s the limit when we’re talking tacos.

This week’s challenge!

And that brings me to this week’s #MYV challenge …TACOS, (duh), just in time for Cinco de Mayo! Clearly I could have gone in a thousand different directions with this one.  Perhaps a personal favorite that I posted a while back, my raw walnut tacos, or maybe even a “fajita” taco! Since my husband loves chicken with grilled peppers and onions, if I can stuff that in a tortilla, he’ll eat it!  And bonus, there are veggies in it too!

The perfect meal – a childhood favorite

While my brain searched for the perfect, not-overly-complicated taco, I kept coming back to my mom’s home-cooked “Tostitos” dinner.  To this day I have no clue why we called it “Tostitos” (maybe because we would buy giant family-sized bags of the Tostitos tortilla chips for serious salsa-dunking), but this was basically a “make-your-own-(soft)taco” night.  Probably the easiest meal my mom ever made for us (and she made amazing meals), but hands down, this was my favorite.  Okay, maybe her pasta with homemade pesto and grilled salmon rivals the top spot.  But Tostitos nights – those were and still are the meals I crave!

It couldn’t get any simpler.  My mom would put out bowls of toppings. The table would be topped with our small white cereal bowls with navy blue trim – one bowl of salsa (from the GIANT jar we had in the fridge at all times), shredded cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce, homemade guac, a plate of (probably flour) tortillas and a huge frying pan of refried beans. That was literally all she had to cook – just those creamy, pinto beans.

I would put a tortilla on my plate, slather it with beans and cheese, pop it in the microwave and pile on all the toppings I could fit, and devour immediately.  Meanwhile, mid-bite, I would inevitable always have hot cheese juice running down my arm.  But boy don’t I know it – it’s worth the mess.

Welcome newbies!

One thing I noticed as I got older is that we never had sour cream in our house.  Like ever.  I’m not sure if it was just one person who didn’t like it or we just never thought to buy any, but now it’s one of the new additions I’ve added to my version.  You can’t really have a (possibly supremely spicy) taco without the rich sour cream added in to a crunchy cabbage slaw to cool down the heat.

And on top of the sour cream addition, in my opinion, cilantro is just the best herb to have ever graced this planet (alright basil, I can’t live without you either).  Last but not least, a final topping of pickled jalapenos.  And this meal is complete.

Updating a classic

So this is my version.  A nod to my favorite childhood meal.  Instead of the melty cheese, we have a crispy, cheesy taco “shell” (did you know that cheese can crisp up like that when you cook it?).  Instead of canned refried beans, we have dried pinto beans, cooked low and slow with cumin, garlic and onion.  And for the record, this recipe is not quite keto-friendly, but it’s close (you can definitely use soy beans to make it low-carb).  And instead of jarred salsa (which I LOVE btw), homemade pico de gallo – fresh tomato, yellow onion, jalapeno, cilantro and fresh lime juice.

Hooray for shortcuts!

And even if you’re a crazy busy human, like most of us are, you can definitely make this quick and easy dish using store-bought salsa, some pre-bagged shredded cabbage or iceberg lettuce (I love shortcuts too), and even packaged tortillas (I won’t tell).  Tacos are all about experimenting with levels of spice and heat, and this version features eating my favorite meal in a slightly deconstructed way.

Now THAT is something I can really sink my teeth into.

And, thanks mom. 🙂  Seriously, Tostitos night was the best – so simple, yet so freaking delicious. Just in time for mother’s day – a perfect tribute to my mom’s crazy-good homemade meals.

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Cheddar cheese taco shells
Servings: 6 taco shells
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 9 oz. Pre-shredded cheddar cheese Personally, I used a bag of pre-shredded cheddar and mozzarella mix
  • 1/2 tsp Trader Joe's onion salt Totally optional but I love this onion mix and I flavor EVERYTHING with it practically! I like adding a little extra oomp to the shells
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 375F.

  2. If you'd like your shells to be all the same size, trace about 3, 6-inch circles on the parchment paper

  3. Measure about 1/3 cup of the cheese onto the circles and sprinkle with the onion salt

  4. Bake for 5 minutes until the edges begin to brown

  5. While the cheese is cooking, set up a taco shell drying station. Lay a wooden spoon across 2 soup cans and place a plate topped with a paper towel underneath.  You might have to make a few taco crisping stations, or cook one shell at a time (you can do this also in a pan on medium heat, versus an oven too).

  6. This is where you have to move fast, because as the cheese is cooling, it will harden quickly.  Remove the cheese from the parchment paper using a spatula and place over the wooden spoon to crisp

  7. Let the cheese cool and crisp up, about 5 minutes

  8. Place on a plate and add your favorite taco fixings!

 

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Slow cooker refried beans
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 Yellow onion, peeled, halved and roughly chopped
  • 3 cups Dried pinto beans, rinsed Or use black beans, or great northern beans! If you used canned beans, just make sure to rinse them 3 times to remove as much of the salty starchy liquid as possible
  • 2 Garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 5 tsp Salt
  • 2 tsp Pepper
  • 1/4 tsp Ground Cumin I like cumin, so if you're not a big fan, start with 1/8 tsp and you can always add more if you like
  • 2 cups Vegetable stock Optional (or just add 9 cups of water)
  • 7 cups Water
  • 1 4 oz. can Diced green chiles
Instructions

  1. Place the onion, dried beans, green chiles, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, stock and water in a slow cooker.  (Don't worry about the size of the chopped onion and garlic - you'll puree it when it's done cooking so I just roughly chopped the onions and cut the garlic cloves in half)

  2. Cook on HIGH for 8 hours or on LOW for 12 hours (or 4 hours on HIGH if using canned beans)

  3. Drain the bean mixture into a colander and strain out as much water remaining as possible

  4. Using a potato masher or an immersion blender, blend or mash the beans until you get the desired consistency.  

 

 

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Creamy Slaw
Prep Time
10 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup Mayo
  • 1/2 cup Sour cream
  • 1 14 oz. Bag of shredded coleslaw mix
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 4 Green onions, thinly sliced Optional
  • 3 tbsp Fresh lime juice
Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients into a medium-sized bowl and mix well.  Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving with your tacos (can be made 1 day in advance, keep chilled)

 

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Guacamole
Prep Time
10 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 3 Avocados, pitted, flesh scooped out
  • 1 Lemon, halved and juiced
  • 1 Garlic clove, peeled and minced
  • 1/2 Yellow onion, finely diced
  • 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
Instructions

  1. Add the avocado to a mixing bowl and mash well with a fork

  2. Add in the garlic, onion, tomatoes, salt, pepper and lemon juice and mix well.  If you're not eating it right away, take the avocado pit, press it in the middle of the guac mix, and cover it tightly with plastic wrap, to remove as much air as possible so it doesn't brown as quickly (you can also drizzle some more lemon juice on top to slow the browning process).

  3. Dunk with crunchy tortilla chips or add a dollop to your tacos!

 

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Pico de Gallo
Prep Time
10 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 3 Yellow onions, diced You can use red onion if that's what you have on hand!
  • 12 Roma tomatoes, diced If your tomatoes are extra juicy, squeeze out some of the pulp before adding to the bowl
  • 3 Jalapenos, ribs and seeds removed, diced
  • 2 cups Fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 Lime
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp White pepper
Instructions

  1. Dice the onion, tomato, jalapeno and cilantro and add to a large mixing bowl

  2. Slice the lime in half and squeeze both halves into the mixing bowl

  3. Add the salt and white pepper and mix thoroughly

  4. Make sure you taste it to adjust any heat levels, adding more salt or jalapeno if needed.

Don’t forget to check out Daniel’s latest taco recipe: Cinco De Mayo: Italian Beef Tacos On Poblano Tortillas Topped With Pickled Red Onions and Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

Herby Cabbage Salad – perfect for Passover!

Cabbage Salad with Parsley and Mint

I know I say this every year, but how is it Pesach already?  Well, believe it or not, recipes are popping up everywhere for the perfect Passover food.  Today’s recipe is for my Herby Cabbage salad!  This salad is super refreshing on a warm spring day and very simple to put together. You may be thinking that this might be TOO simple to serve during a Pesach meal, but I say why not!  Why does Pesach food have to be super carb-heavy, like you’re constantly in a food coma for 8 days straight?  And what about all that leftover parsley from seder?

Reviving Leftovers!

I know most people that use parsley for “Karpas” use the curly variety, and by all means, that works great in this salad!  The perfect combo of sweet and crunchy cabbage, sharp but mild green onion (or use thinly sliced red onion, if you prefer), tart and acidic lemon juice, salt, pepper, olive oil and of course, a boat-load of herbs.  I LOVE using fresh mint in so many recipes and this combo with the cabbage works so well.  Add in some chopped cucumber, or maybe some fresh chives or basil too (just be sure you wash everything well). This would also be good with a splash of apple cider vinegar

Maybe you have some leftover romaine that you use as “Maror” from seder night?  Chop that up and add it in there too! With salads, anything goes.

Simple.  Delicious.  Now those are words we can all live by!

Wishing you all a very happy, healthy and blessed Pesach – Chag Sameach everyone!

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Herby Cabbage Salad
Prep Time
15 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 
Servings: 4 people
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 10 oz. bag Shredded red cabbage
  • 1/4 cup (or 1 handful) Fresh mint, chopped
  • 1/4 cup (or 1 handful) Fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/4 cup Mayo homemade or store-bought
  • 1/4 Fresh lemon
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp Garlic powder
  • 3 Green onions, sliced thin
Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, add cabbage, chopped mint, chopped parsley and sliced green onion. 

  2. Add mayo to a small bowl and mix in salt, pepper, garlic powder and lemon juice and mix well. 

  3. Pour dressing over the salad - make 1 hour ahead of serving so the dressing has time to marry with the cabbage and herbs. 

  4. Serve with matzah and toppings, like feta, cucumber and dill, cream cheese and smoked salmon, or quinoa hummus and sliced beet!

Lemon Coconut Halva Cookies

Halva – the Rachel way!

There is something so comforting about Halva.  That rich, decadent dessert made with tahini (ground sesame seeds), butter and sugar. Cue the drooling, and welcome to my no-bake creamy, lemon coconut halva cookies!

When I lived in Israel for a year after High School, I remember walking through the Shuk (the market) and seeing rows of halva everywhere – the perfect Shabbat treat.  Just because I’m not in Israel doesn’t mean we can’t have delicious Halva!  And granted, I’m sure you can find it at your local kosher market, but these little cookie balls are inspired by Halva, my way. 🙂

These turn out more of a candy nougat instead of cookies, but they’re no-bake, gluten-free, vegan AND keto-friendly!  Lately I’ve been given you, our dear readers, a lot of no-bake goodies, and why not?  There’s no harm in giving you incredibly easy and approachable recipes that you can really wow your guests with, but they don’t need to know that it took you only 15 minutes to make! Let them think you’re a gourmet chef after all!

My Inspiration!

I have to give kudos to my sister Melissa for part of the inspiration.  She has been into making these sesame seed cookies lately (also gluten-free) and made with no refined sugar.  So this is a nod to your current cookie love, Mel!

Tahini definitely doesn’t get as much love as it should get, in my opinion. There’s definitely more to this roasted sesame seed butter than just adding to homemade hummus, or drizzling on your falafel! It’s a great low-carb seed butter (alternative to nut butter), plus it can be used as a base for both savory and sweet dishes.  Hence, the power of a delicious Halva.

And per my usual rant, feel free to change up the flavors.  I found a keto-friendly recipe online that used butter, so by all means! I personally loved the flavors that the tahini, coconut and that sweet, tangy lemon (ya’ll know how much I love a burst of bright acidity) bring together, but these would be great with some chocolate chips, some chopped pecans, unsweetened shredded coconut or even some blueberries! Have fun with it and go ahead, play with your food!

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Lemon Coconut Halva Cookies
Prep Time
15 mins
Freeze
1 hr
Total Time
2 hrs
 
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 cup Tahini Make sure the oil hasn't separated; if it does, just mix it thoroughly. I love using the Whole Foods 365 brand since there is less oil that's separated, and easier to mix.
  • 1/2 cup *Confectioners Swerve (sugar alternative) Or use regular powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup Coconut oil, softened
  • 2 tbsp Lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp Lemon extract, optional
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
  • 3 tbsp White sesame seeds Toasted, optional
  • 3 tbsp Black sesame seeds Optional
Instructions

  1. Add the tahini, coconut oil, lemon juice, extract (if using), Swerve, salt and cinnamon into a large bowl and mix until fully combined.

  2. Using your hands or a mini ice cream scoop, measure about 3 tbsp of dough and flatten using your hands, to form a "cookie" (or you can leave in a "ball" shape).  

  3. Totally optional, but if you'd like, take the white sesame seeds and toast in a dry skillet on medium heat for about 1 minute - make sure not to burn them.

  4. Sprinkle the black and white sesame seeds on top of the cookies and freeze until solid. You might have to "pat" them into the cookies so they stick better! These would also be great with finely ground unsweetened coconut on top too!

  5. Because these cookies have coconut oil, they will soften/melt once they get to room temp (depending on the temperature), so make sure they are frozen or chilled in the fridge before serving.  

*This post contains affiliate links. We at MYV (Meat Your Vegetables) earn a small commission if you purchase an item through one of those links, which allows us to continue bringing you great tasting food!  Cheers to that!

Spicy Moroccan Salmon with Pickle Slaw

Want to impress your guests at your next Shabbat meal?  How about a new spin on the good ‘ole classic Gefilte Fish and try my Spicy Moroccan Salmon with my Pickle Slaw – chock full of aromatic spices, sweet and spicy pickles with a good kick of acid, this will definitely be a big hit with your guests.

Pickles are one of those ingredients you either love, or hate.  Same with cilantro – am I right?  One of my close friends (love you, Alex!) has a deep love for pickles, so much so that occasionally I’ll bring her a can of those classic Israeli pickles, the sweet, sour, vinegar-based whole pickles that you’d only REALLY enjoy with a big plate of hummus, falafel and cabbage salad.  And what’s my opinion on this fermented snack?  I’m most definitely on the pickle bandwagon.

A BBQ Inspiration

This recipe might seem a bit odd, but it came to me by accident.  I was home one lazy Sunday, surfing the standard cooking shows on Food Network and Cooking Channel and came across a travel food show where they visited a local BBQ joint and what did they have on the menu?  Slaw made solely with pickle juice.  My version has my own twist, including a touch of mayo just so it balances out the tartness of the vinegar with some fat, and added some lemon juice (just a touch, for that freshness), and celery seed.  I also love using fresh dill, but dried works too.

Spice Makes Everything Nice!

It might seem a bit backwards that I got inspiration for this coleslaw first, and then had to decide what to pair it with.  And salmon just made so much sense.  The rich and fatty salmon filet, paired with a spicy Moroccan sauce just felt so perfect to me mixed with a crunchy slaw.  Don’t want to make a homemade Shakshuka or Harrisa (spicy pepper) sauce?  I got you covered!  Check out my favorite brand, Mina for these deliciously easy ways to brighten up a humble salmon filet.

And that’s exactly what I’m all about – “classic, with a twist”!

Let me know how you liked this, and comment below!

Check out another great salmon recipe here (the perfect no-cook appetizer, my smoked salmon avocado stacks)!

Recipe:  Moroccan Salmon

 

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Moroccan Salmon
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
55 mins
 
Servings: 2 people
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 2 Salmon filets (about 4 oz. each)
  • 1 tsp Shwarma seasoning You can use pre-made, makes it super easy!
  • 2 tbsp Shwarma Moroccan Tomato Sauce I love the brand Mina - you can find it in most grocery stores, or online here!
  • 1 tbsp Harissa Optional - but if you want an extra spicy kick, go for it! Plus, this brand comes in mild and spicy options!
  • 1/4 Red onion, sliced thin
  • 2 Garlic cloves, finely diced Also optional, but I like to amp up the garlic flavor!
  • 1/4 Fresh lemon, thinly sliced
  • 1 handful Chopped cilantro or parsley Optional, for a fresh herb garnish
  • 2 Green onions, chopped Optional
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Or, try out these "sizzle platters" from webstraurantstore.com - they can handle super high heat and make clean-up a breeze!

  2. Place the sliced onion on the pan and top with the salmon filets.

  3. Sprinkle the shwarma seasoning on top of the salmon.

     and top with the shwarma tomato sauce and spread the harissa on top, if using. 

  4. In a small bowl, mix the shwarma tomato sauce, harissa (if using) and diced garlic cloves (also, if using). Spread on top of the salmon. 

  5. Lay the thinly sliced lemon slices on top of the salmon. 

  6. Bake for 45 minutes or until the salmon is cooked through and crispy on top.

  7. Garnish with chopped green onion or cilantro or parsley - whatever you have on hand that will make a bright herby garnish!

 

Recipe:  Pickle Slaw

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Pickle Slaw
Prep Time
5 mins
Total Time
5 mins
 
Servings: 4 people
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 3 cups Pre-shredded cabbage mix
  • 2 tbsp Pickle juice I'm a HUGE fan of the spicy pickles from Trader Joe's so I use that for both the pickles and juice!
  • 1/4 cup Pickles, diced
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Pepper
  • 1/4 tsp Celery Seed
  • 1/4 tsp Dried dill
  • 1/2 Lemon, squeezed
  • 2 tbsp Mayo I like using homemade, or from Primal Kitchen or Chosen Foods brands
Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients into a big bowl and mix well.  

  2. Wait an hour or two for the flavors to meld together in the fridge - I recommend making the slaw before the salmon so the flavors marry together while the salmon is baking.  Yay for being efficient in the kitchen!

*This post contains affiliate links. We at MYV (Meat Your Vegetables) earn a small commission if you purchase an item through one of those links, which allows us to continue bringing you great tasting food!  Cheers to that!

Tu BiShvat Challenge: Mergez Stuffed Dates Wrapped in Beef Bacon

Bacon Wrapped DatesThis coming Monday is Tu BiShvat, the Rosh Hashanah (New Years) for trees. Sort of an Abrahamic Arbor Day. Rachel has challenged me to come up with a date based recipe in honor of  Tu BiShvat.There is a custom to eat fruits from the Shiv’at HaMinim, the seven special species that Israel is known for growing. Dates are one of these seven species and are super versatile.  I have been in to quick and easy appetizers lately, and I thought a stuffed date would be a great follow up to my Ruben Flat Bread recipe.

Dates can be cloyingly sweet, so I wanted to go in a more savory direction. With me you can never get enough meat, so I both stuffed and wrapped my dates in it.  Mergez, a lamb sausage from North Africa , brings some nice spice to the dish, while the the bacon adds crispiness, salinity, and smoke. Together the two balance out intense sweetness of the dates nicely.

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Bacon Wrapped Dates
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Mergez Stuffed Dates Wrapped in Beef Bacon
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Cooling
10 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 

A great quick appetizer or hors d'oeuvre.  The spice from the mergez, and the crispiness, salinity, and smoke from the bacon balance out the intense sweetness of the dates nicely.

Course: Appetizer, Hors d'oeuvre, Snack
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
Keyword: dates
Servings: 12 Dates
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 24 Large Dried Dates Pitted
  • 24 Slices Bacon I use beef bacon to keep it kosher, but any type will work
  • 1 lb Uncooked mergez removed from the casing or ground lamb If using ground lamb see the mergez seasoning below
Mergez Seasoning
  • 1 tbsp Ground Cumin
  • 1 tbsp Ground Coriander
  • 1 tbsp Ground Fennel Seed
  • 1 tbsp Paprika Smoked if you have it
  • 1 tbsp Salt
  • 1 tbsp Crushed Green Peppercorn Regular black pepper will work in a pinch
  • 1 tbsp cayenne pepper
  • 5 Cloves Fresh Garlic Finely chopped
Special Equipment
  • Parchment Paper
  • Sheet Pan
  • Toothpicks
Instructions

  1. If using ground lamb instead of premade mergez, add all of the seasonings to the ground beef.  Combine thoroughly.  Your hands are the best tool for this job!

  2. In a frying pan or skillet brown the sausage or ground lamb, and allow to cool.

  3. The pitted dates should already have a slit in them.  Stuff each date with as much of the sausage or ground lamb that will easily fit, being careful not to split the date

  4. Wrap each date with a slice of bacon.  Feel free to trim the bacon to length if it goes around the date more then twice. Stick a toothpick through the date to prevent the bacon from coming loose.

  5. Place the dates on a parchment paper lined sheet pan. Place in a cold oven and then set the oven to 350°F. Bake until the bacon begins to crisp.  Serve immediately.

Don’t forget to check out Rachel’s Tu BiShvat date challenge recipe: Coffee Coconut Date Balls

Jicama shoestring fries with lemon garlic aoli

Jicama FriesAh, the New Year.  The time for resolutions – either staying the course and keeping to them, or breaking on day 2.  But how about feeling like you’re “cheating” without doing so – eating some “fries” without the guilt?  (shaking your head).  I’m with you on this.

A glorious thing happens when someone eating low carb, like me, tries to reinvent the wheel with comfort food.  Believe me, there are so many ways you can enjoy some serious decadent comfort foods without overloading it for your daily food intake.

But we’re not going to over-complicate things here – let’s bring it back to basics.  Jicama is a great alternative to potatoes!  It’s basically a cousin of the humble tuber, and has a mild potato-like taste and texture…so here goes nothin’!

This is not a Rachel-original idea though.  I’ve seen lots of other keto bloggers try out this type of recipe but I like to put my person spin on it.  Add some herbs and spices and dip it in a rich homemade lemon garlic aioli.  Because, what goes better than a lemon garlic dipping sauce?  Really…if you have any other ideas, I’m listening! 🙂  And for the record, if you don’t feel like making your own homemade aioli, by all means, use store-bought mayo, and just add in some minced garlic, lemon juice, and some spices and you’re good to go.

Truthfully, jicama is not the easiest to prep.  You have to wash and peel the tough other skin, then slice it into matchsticks.  So, when I found some prepped jicama slices in the grocery store, you better believe I bought it.  It saves me a TON of time!  Although I did end up slicing these sticks in half, to get that “shoestring” fry shape I was going for.  And one last thing to note – these fries can burn pretty quick if you’re not keeping an eye on them, but…I prefer a little bit of that dark brown crispiness.  Not all of them will get super crispy, but of course you can always fry these instead of baking – I mean, why not? #YOLO (do people even say that anymore? ha).

So go enjoy a big stack of fries!  Even if they’re “healthy” for you, right? 🙂

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Jicama shoestring fries with lemon garlic aioli
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
 
Servings: 4 people
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
Jicama shoestring fries
  • 1 lb. jicama - cut into matchsticks or thinner
  • 4 tbsp. avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp. hot paprika
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion salt I love the Trader Joe's brand - or you can just use minced onion, or onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 tsp salt I like using pink Himalayan salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Lemon garlic aioli (makes 16 oz. of aoli)
  • 2 eggs I prefer using good quality eggs for this aoli, since it's raw egg, so look for pasturized eggs
  • 2-3 garlic cloves
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1 cup avocado oil You want to use a light-tasting oil, so you can use light olive oil instead, if you prefer
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  2. Add the jicama slices, oil and spices in a large bowl and mix well.

  3. Spread out the jicama on the baking sheet, making sure the jicama is in an even layer, if they overlap on the pan, they won't get crispy.

  4. Bake for 50-60 minutes - checking the last 10 minutes to make sure they aren't burning.  I prefer mine on the darker side since they get more crunchy that way, but you don't want them burnt to a crisp - and they can burn quick if you're not watching!

  5. Meanwhile, make the aoli - in a high powered blender, add the eggs, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

  6. With the motor running on medium speed - drizzle in the oil in a slow stream until the aoli is emulsified.  I estimated about a cup, but you'll see the mayo dressing come together and your blender will make a "chugging" sound when the aoli is fully combined.  It should be thick like mayo. 

  7. Serve the fries either hot or room temp with the aioli - dunk and devour!

If you liked this recipe don’t forget to checkout Daniel’s take Jicama Fries: Loaded Jicama Fries Two Ways

My Bubbie’s Tuna Casserole

Tuna CasseroleTuna casserole.  Just the name brings up fond memories (and heavenly aromas) for most of us who grew up with this classic dish.  But this isn’t just ANY tuna casserole.  Nope, this one is extra special to me.

My grandma, or “Bubbie” (my father’s mother), Madeline, passed away 1 year ago this week, and she was famous for her “Tuna Romanoff”, as the original recipe calls it (unclear where exactly it came from, but probably some classic cookbook somewhere).  It’s the dish that my siblings and I constantly craved from when we were young. We always requested it when we came over to my Bubbie and Zayde’s house. My Bubbie usually had one stashed in the freezer, because she knew how much we loved it.

 

Reinventing a Classic

So it’s been a crave-able dish for so long.  And for good reason – there is a TON of fat in here (my fellow keto community, rejoice!) lots of full-fat dairy!!! But there’s also a lot of ingredients that I personally don’t eat these days. Things like cream of mushroom soup (too much sodium and I’d rather make it myself), and pasta (too many carbs for me, personally).  I’m all for the classics, but I love using fresh mushrooms instead of the condensed can of thick mushroom soup.  And instead of pasta?  Ah, how about cauliflower?  This time I used mini florets!

So it seemed only fitting that for my Bubbie’s 1st yahrzeit, why not re-create her rich, creamy, savory tuna casserole into something a bit more Rachel-friendly, but more modern too – a perfect way to celebrate her life!

Preserving a Memory

Gold-foiled recipe art

And, to top it off, a few months ago, I decided to have this recipe framed in this cool gold foil curated piece, from minted.com. I feel so grateful to have a few copies of some classic Bubbie recipes she wrote down many years ago.

I got a few other recipes too – a decadent and rich spinach and cheese mostaccioli and an insanely buttery, ooey gooey St. Louis coffee cake. The cake was known, when my dad was growing up, as the “Shiva” cake, because when the kids came home from school and they saw a cake sitting on the kitchen table, they knew that a Shiva call was in the books. Sorry kids, no cake tonight for you!

It’s little stories of my Bubbie and Zayde like these that are so touching, yet there’s always a little bit of humor in them. Bubbie had many “Shiva” cakes stored in her freezer – I guess like any Jewish grandmother would.

Another funny story, she used to put her garbage in the freezer, so it wouldn’t smell!  Honestly, I think it’s kind of a brilliant idea! The first time my mom came home to meet my dad’s parents, she opened up the freezer and looked a little stunned and immediately went to tell my dad about the oddities she found in that ice box.  I know, I’m dating myself, ha! 🙂

Mad (as she was affectionately known) would have absolutely loved this. She loved feeding people so I couldn’t think of a more fitting way to honor her memory. Plus, she was a very classy lady, so a gold foiled-frame with her recipe, and reinventing a “classic”?  It’s Bubbie-approved perfection in my book.  I know she’d be smiling, giving me her lovable “Bubbie kisses” and saying “oh doll, how special!  What a wonderful treat, Rachel Shira”.

This is for you Bubbie – I miss you!

My Bubbie’s Tuna Casserole Recipes

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Reinvented Tuna Casserole
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr
 
Servings: 6 people
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 2 cups cauliflower florets I used frozen (thawed) mini florets
  • 3 5 oz. cans tuna (packed in water)
  • 1 cup full-fat sour cream
  • 1 cup full-fat cottage cheese
  • 1/4 cup green beans, sliced into small chunks You can use fresh or frozen or even canned - whatever you got!
  • 1 cup mushrooms, diced Use any kind you like! White button mushrooms work just fine here 🙂
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup pecans, lightly toasted and chopped
  • 2 tbsp pimento, or roasted red peppers
  • 1.5 tsp dehydrated onion
  • 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 tsp Tabasco sauce
  • 1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
  • 1/4 tsp thyme
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 400F.

  2. Add the ghee to a hot skillet and saute the mushrooms, about 5 minutes until softened.  

  3. Add the heavy cream and season with a dash of salt and pepper and add the thyme.

  4. In a large mixing bowl, add the tuna, cauliflower, pimento, sour cream, cottage cheese, dehydrated onion, seasoned salt, pepper, Tabasco and pecans (just take a dry skillet and toast the pecans for a few minutes over medium heat - be careful not to burn - then roughly chop).

  5. Pour the tuna mixture into a greased casserole dish.

  6. Add the mushroom and cream mixture and pour on top - do no mix in.

  7. Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.

  8. Serve hot! YUM!

Raw Walnut Tacos

Raw Walnut Tacos

The Challenge

A few months ago, my co-worker texted me asking if I could give her some ideas for high-protein recipes (per instructions with her nutritionist), with the caveat of no meat, no tofu (but dairy is okay). My first question to her “what about nuts?” – and yes, luckily those were on the “do” list. So thus became my homework for the night.

Immediately I thought of giving her some no-cook/no-bake recipes since at the time of this text. It was mid-August and a squillion degrees outside so at least for me (living with no central air), I just had to give her a recipe that didn’t require an oven.

The Solution

So here is what I came up with!  Raw walnut tacos!  Yup, you heard me right.  And this can go vegan pretty quick if you don’t use any cheese, so feel free to play around with what you like! Don’t lose me now, people! The walnuts are so versatile because they have good protein and healthy fat. If you pulse them in a food processor with garlic (duh, because everything is better with gahhhlic), cumin, seasoned salt, pepper, lemon juice, olive oil and my favorite – hot paprika, it morphs into a crumbled meat-like texture!

Raw Walnut Tacos Mix

Just scoop into a fresh Boston lettuce leaf, top with shredded cheese, sliced avocado, some sour cream, scallions, radish (for that crisp, slightly spicy crunch), cilantro and lime and maybe even some hot sauce drizzled on top and even add some pickled jalapenos, and you’ve got yourself the perfect little summer meal!

Just one thing to note, you can totally add salsa, but I didn’t want the taco getting too “wet”, since this was being served up in a lettuce leaf, but some fresh pico de gallo would be amazing.  If you have some fresh tomatoes, white onion and jalapeno, just dice them up, add some fresh lime juice and salt and you’re good to go.  Or go ahead and buy some store-bought (it’s okay, I won’t judge – we all use those handy-dandy shortcuts sometimes!). 🙂

I still can’t believe how easy this is – requires zero cooking – just assembling a few ingredients and BAM – a simple, healthy-ish dinner is served!

Giveaway

Before you check out the recipe, don’t forget to enter our giveaway for the cookbook Millennial Kosher by Chanie Apfelbaum of the amazing kosher food blog Busy In Brooklyn
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Recipe

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Raw Walnut Tacos
Prep Time
15 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 
Servings: 4 tacos
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 cup whole, raw walnuts
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin, or I like avocado oil, for it's smooth and subtle taste
  • 1 dash hot paprika
  • 1 dash cumin
  • 1 dash seasoned salt
  • 1 dash freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 large Boston lettuce leaves, rinsed and dry
  • 1/4 cup shredded cheese Use whatever you have on hand - I used mozzarella and cheddar blend, but pepper jack would be amazing in this!
  • 4 tbsp sour cream
  • 2 scallions, chopped
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • 2 radishes, sliced thin I used Easter egg radish that I found at Whole Foods, but any type will do!
  • 1 handful of cilantro, rinsed and chopped
  • 1 small handful of pickled jalapenos optional - but I like my tacos spicy!
  • 2 tbsp pico de gallo optional - but a nice fresh bright, burst of flavor!
  • 1 lime, halved
Instructions

  1. In a food processor, add the walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, hot paprika, seasoned salt, cumin and pepper.  

  2. Pulse a few times until it resembles ground beef

  3. Lay the Boston lettuce leaves on a platter.

  4. Top with the walnut "meat", cheese, radish, avocado, scallion, sour cream, pico de gallo (if using), cilantro (if using) and picked jalapenos (again, if using). 

  5. Finish with a squeeze of lime and serve with a nice cold beer!  Enjoy!

My Mother’s Stuffed Cabbage

Stuffed CabbageThe weather begins to cool off this time of year, which also coincides with the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. On Sukkot, the tradition is to build a temporary dwelling outside (usually a hut without  heat or insulation), know as a sukkah. Many people eat all of their meals in the sukkah and some have the custom to sleep in the sukkah as well. This is when I often turn to hearty, long-cooked dishes.  These stick your ribs, soul warming dishes are some of my favorite comfort foods.  I have very fond memories of sitting in my parents sukkah on a chilly fall night and warming my bones with things like mushroom barley soup, roasted root vegetables (AKA tzimmis), and stuffed cabbage.  This time of year is particularly special for me as my lunar birthday falls out during sukkot, and my mother always tried to make some of my favorite dishes.

Stuffed Cabbage Recipe

The recipe for below is for my mothers stuffed cabbage.  While I do provide specific amounts, these are guesstimates as mother never really uses a recipe for it. Feel free to adjust the amount of the sweeteners (dark brown sugar, honey, and duck sauce) if you want it less sweet. Also, you can adjust the total amount of sauce if the pot you are cooking in is too small to handle it.  Note that I call I call for instant rice in this recipe, which I usually avoid, but here I use it as to ensure it cooks all the way through in the meat mixture.  Finally, do not skip the freezing and thawing step, believe me you will thank me later.

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Stuffed Cabbage
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Stuffed Cabbage
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs
Freeze/Thaw
4 d
Total Time
2 hrs 30 mins
 

This is a great traditional recipe I learned from my mother.  It is very sweet though, so feel free to leave out some of the sugar or honey if you want to cut back on the sweetness.  If you get lazy the sauce is also great for unstuffed cabbage or meatballs.  I call for instant rice, which I usually shy away from, but is necessary here to make sure it cooks all the way through.

Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Eastern European, Jewish, Kosher, Polish, Russian
Keyword: cabbage
Servings: 12 Rolls
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
Cabbage Rolls
  • 3 lbs Ground Beef
  • 1 Cup Instant Rice
  • 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tbsp Onion Powder
  • Salt and Pepper To Taste
  • 3 Large Eggs
  • 1 Large Head of Green Cabbage Frozen, and thawed
Sauce
  • 87 oz Tomato Sauce 3 Large Cans
  • 1 Cup Ketchup
  • 1 Cup Duck Sauce
  • 1/4 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
  • 1/4 Cup Honey
  • Salt and Pepper To Taste
Special Equipement
  • Heavy Pot or Dutch Oven
  • Freezer
  • Kitchen Scale
Instructions
Cabbage Preparation

  1. About four days before you plan on making your stuffed cabbage, freeze the whole head for 3 days.  Then thaw for a day. This helps to break down the cell walls of the cabbage which softens it.

Filling

  1. Separate the leaves, trimming down any thick stalks.  If leaves are particularly large you can cut them in half, but I would wait and see how big you want to make your filling before doing this. 

  2. In a large mixing bowl combine the meat, eggs, rice, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Use your hands, they are the best tools for the job.

  3. Grab a handful of the meat mixture.  Ideally use your kitchen scale and weight out a 1/4 lb of the mixture for each roll. Form a thick log and place it horizontally an inch or so from the the bottom of the cabbage leaf.

  4. Roll the cabbage leaf up, until the bottom of the leaf reaches the top of the meat.  The fold the sides over the ends of the meat and then continue to roll the cabbage leaf the rest of the way around the meat. Repeat until you have used all of the meat.  It should make about 12 rolls. Make sure they are rolled tight so they do not open when cooking.

Sauce

  1. Add the tomato sauce, sugar, honey, and duck sauce to a large heavy pot or dutch oven.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

  2. Put the sauce over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Stir regularly to make sure the sauce does not burn.

  3. Carefully add the cabbage rolls to the sauce making sure the rolls stay intact.  Cook for about 2 hours, or until the leaves are tender.  Serve immediately, refrigerate for up to a week, or wrap tightly and freeze.  

What are some of your favorite recipes you learned from a parent or grandparent? Do you have any cold weather dishes you really enjoy? Let us know in the comments.