Category: Holiday

Boozy Eggnog Custard Filled Doughnuts

DoughnutsBoozy Eggnog Custard Filled Doughnuts

Happy holidays!  Whether you celebrate Channukah (or is it Chanukah? Or Hannukah?), Christmas, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, or Festivus pretty much everyone likes doughnuts. Doughnuts are a traditional favorite on Channukah which runs this year from Sunday night December 2nd until Monday December 10th. Sunday, December 9th is also National Pastry Day so I figured why not celebrate both by making my own doughnut.

I have to admit I have a small case of FOMO when it comes to the culinary traditions of some other winter holidays.  Eggnog seems to be very popular this time of year and I thought it would be a great twist to use in my favorite kind of doughnut, the Boston Cream, usually filled with custard. And it wouldn’t be a holiday part without a little alcohol. I did cheat a bit and use a store bought eggnog.

Frosting and Filling

Usually Boston Creams have a chocolate frosting, and I did attempt a white chocolate eggnog frosting, but I did not love the way it came out, so I decided to leave it out.  I filled theses with a piping bag from the side, but I would recommend filling from the top. That way you are not fighting gravity and it is a less awkward position when using a piping bag.

Boozy Eggnog Custard Filled Doughnuts Recipe

0 from 0 votes
Doughnuts
Print
Boozy Eggnog Custard Filled Doughnuts
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Rising
1 hr 30 mins
Total Time
1 hr
 

A great mashup of holiday traditions. And who doesn't love a little booze in their baked goods.  If nothing else it should make it easier to handle all that time with relatives.

Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: Holiday, Homemade, Jewish, Kosher
Keyword: Doughnut
Servings: 12 Doughnuts
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
Doughnuts
  • 28 oz All Purpose Flour
  • 4 Large Eggs Beaten
  • 4 tbsp Unsalted Butter Half a stick
  • 1 1/2 Cups Eggnog
  • 1/2 tbsp Salt
  • 2 Envelopes Instant Yeast
  • Cooking Spray
  • 1/3 Cup Warm Water
  • 1 Gallon Vegetable Oil For frying
Boozy Eggnog Custard
  • 2 5.1 oz Boxes of Vanilla Pudding Mix
  • 1.5 Cups Eggnog
  • 1 fl. oz Rum
  • 1 fl. oz Bourbon
Special Equipment
  • Digital Kitchen Scale
  • Large round cookie cutter or pastry ring
  • Stand mixer with paddle and dough hook attachments
  • Plastic Wrap
  • Rolling Pin
  • Large pot or Dutch Over For frying
  • Piping bag with a filling tip
Instructions
Doughnuts

  1. Add the yeast to the water, stir, and allow to bloom for five minutes.

  2. Add the eggnog and the butter to a small saucepan and place over low heat until the butter is melted. Whisk to combine and allow to cool to room temperature.

  3. Add the yeast mixture and the eggnog and butter mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer.

  4. Add the eggs, salt, and half of the flour. Using the paddle attachment, combine the ingredients on low speed until flour is incorporated and then turn the speed up to medium and beat until well combined. 

  5. Add the remaining flour, combining on low speed at first, and then increase the speed to medium. Once all the flour is incorporated switch to the dough hook attachment of the mixer and knead on medium speed until the dough pulls away from the bowl and becomes smooth.

  6. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray and and transfer the dough to it. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, about one hour.

  7. On a well-floured surface, roll out dough to 1/2 inch thick. Cut out dough using a a large cookie cutter or pastry ring. Let the cut doughnuts rise for thirty minutes on floured baking sheet, covered lightly with a tea towel.

  8. Preheat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven to 350°F. Slowly and carefully, place the doughnuts into the oil, being careful not to splash.  Work in batches so the doughnuts have plenty of room to cook and the oil temperature does not drop too much.

  9. Cook on each side until golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack placed in a baking pan. Allow to cool for a half an hour prior to filling. 

Filling

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the pudding mix, bourbon, rum, and eggnog. Allow to set in the fridge until thickened.

  2. Add the filling to a piping bag with a filling tip and twist closed.  From the top of doughnut, press down with the filling tip about 3/4 of the way and wiggle it around to create a pocket.  Be careful to make sure you do not make the hole on the top too big. Squeeze the piping bag lightly until the filling just starts to come of the hole.  Eat immediately!

For some other holiday treats check out these recipes: PSL: Pumpkin Spice Latkes and Pizza Latkes!

PSL: Pumpkin Spice Latkes

Pumpkin Spice LatkesPumpkin Spice Latke

With Thanksgiving not too far in the rear view mirror, and Hanukah (or is it Chanukah? Or Hannukah?) coming up soon I got the idea to merge the flavors of the season. I give you the Pumpkin Spice Latke.  Hey if it works for Starbucks, Cheerios, and Oreos, why not latkes? Potato would be a bit too savory for this one, so I went with spaghetti squash. The stranded nature of the spaghetti squash gives a similar texture to shredded potato. I did try making it with butternut squash first. I found it a bit too wet, causing the middle to stay raw while the outside burned.  This recipe works equally well as a side dish or a dessert.

If sweet is not your thing check out a few of our other latke recipes: Pizza Latkes, Jalapeno Cheddar Cauliflower, and Spaghetti Squash Latkes with Dipping Sauce Trio

Giveaway

Before we get to the recipe, don’t forget to click the link below to enter our raffle to win the new cookbook, Perfect Flavors: creative, easy-to-prepare recipes inspired by my family and travels, by the incredibly talented cookbook author, Naomi Nachman!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*

Pumpkin Spice Latke Recipe

0 from 0 votes
Pumpkin Spice Latkes
Print
Pumpkin Spice Latkes
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Squash Roasting
2 hrs
Total Time
30 mins
 

A mashup of two classic dishes. A sweet take on a latke that merges my Jewish heritage with an American classic.

Course: Dessert, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Jewish, Kosher
Keyword: Chanukah, Hannukah, Hanukah, latke
Servings: 12 Latkes
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
Latke Ingredients
  • 1 Large Spaghetti Squash
  • Pepper To taste
  • Salt To taste
  • 2 tbsp Maple Syrup real, not pancake syrup
  • 2 tbsp Cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp Ground Ginger
  • 2 tbsp Ground Clove
  • 2 tbsp Freshly Grated Nutmeg
  • 1 Cup All Purpose Flour
  • 3 Large Eggs Beaten
  • Vegetable Oil For frying
  • Powdered Sugar Optional for garnish
Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Using a sturdy serrated knife, cut the spaghetti squash in half and scoop out the seeds with a large spoon. Put the two halves back together, wrap in foil, and bake until the flesh is soft, roughly two hours.

  2. Once the flesh is soft remove from the oven, and scoop all the flesh from the skin in to a large mixing bowl.

  3. Add 3 cups of cooked squash, maple syrup, cinnamon, ground ginger, ground clove, nutmeg, flour, and egg to a large mixing bowl. Stir with a large spoon until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.

  4. Add 1/4" of oil to large frying pan or cast iron skillet and place over medium heat. Let the oil heat up to about 350°F.

  5. Fill a 1/4" cup measuring cup with latke mix and pour in to the pan to form a patty.  Repeat to make additional patties 

  6. Fry until golden brown on each side. Dust with powdered sugar if desired and serve immediately.

*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!

Pizza Latkes!

Pizza latke yumminess!

Last Shabbos afternoon, I had an epiphany.  To be honest, most days I’m thinking about a new outfit idea, or new recipe I want to experiment with, so it’s no surprise that when I got up from my Shabbos nap, I had a light-bulb moment and of course, started daydreaming about this latke recipe.

Pizza. Latkes.

Stay with me, this is going to be good.

Side note – raise your hand if you think this year just flew by? (Raises own hand).  I can’t believe I’m sitting at my computer typing up a latke recipe already.  How is Hanukkah just around the corner?  Sheesh, it feels like yesterday that Daniel and I were planning our Indian night pop-up event (in July)!  Well, needless to say, that time of year is almost here and I can’t wait to share with you what I’d like to think is a pretty genius idea.

A few years ago, I was always making a batch of deliciously crispy gluten-free pizza crust made from…wait for it…sauerkraut!  Thank you paleo cookbook author and blogger, Caroline Potter for the recipe (check out her healthy living blog “Flourish Living” here)!  Weirdly enough, I hadn’t made it in a while but gosh, what a perfect time to break out this sauerkraut! 

A strange thing happens when you squeeze all the liquid from a heaping handful of sauerkraut and mix it with a binder (like egg and/or cheese).  You get a crispy, yet healthy alternative – in this case, crispy latkes!  Plus, easy prep and good for your gut too!  Of course, if you make your own sauerkraut, that’s awesome – go for it!  If you’re a novice when it comes to fermentation, fear not – Bubbie’s brand (found at Whole Foods) is simply perfection – just cabbage, artisan well water (ooh, fancy) and salt.

Hmm…easy prep AND good for my tummy?  Sign me up! 🙂

I figured if I drained some sauerkraut, added shredded cheese (for a binder and major crisp factor), add in some thinly sliced red onion, mushroom, maybe green bell pepper or olives (if you’re a fan, unlike me), sprinkle oregano and red pepper flakes and then pan fry in a hot skillet, how could that be bad?! 

Cheesy Goodness

Since I’ve gone keto, I’ve made a lot of cheese crisps – literally just take a piece of cheddar cheese on some parchment paper, bake it, and then you wind up with crispy, cheesy goodness. So I thought this would basically be the same thing, right? The egg does help bind the latkes so they don’t fall apart, so I do recommend adding in an egg.  Between the sauerkraut and the cheese, the finished product resembles shredded potatoes!  Oh how clever.

And the BEST part?  Dipping those cheesy cabbage pancakes into marinara sauce!  All the pizza flavors in one perfect bite, without all of the guilt too.  Let’s dig in!

Wishing you all a very Happy Hanukkah, from your team here at MYV!

Giveaway!

And hey ya’ll!  Don’t forget about our COOKBOOK GIVEAWAY!

Selfie with Naomi Nachman!

Click the link below to enter our raffle to win the new cookbook, Perfect Flavors: creative, easy-to-prepare recipes inspired by my family and travels, by my new friend and incredibly talented cookbook author, Naomi Nachman!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*

 

Pizza Latke Recipe

0 from 0 votes
Print
Pizza Latkes
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 cup sauerkraut, drained (I like Bubbie's brand) Make sure to squeeze out as much water as possible so you get a crispy latke - you want a heaping cup-full once it's drained
  • 1 cup shredded cheese I used a pizza blend mix of mozzarella and cheddar, but pepper jack would be delish in this!
  • 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese Feel free to shred your own or for convenience, buy pre-shredded (I won't judge)
  • 1/4 cup sliced red onion optional
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced mushrooms use any kind - but optional if you don't like mushrooms
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced bell peppers again, optional - or you can use jarred pimentos - gives it a nice sweetness
  • 1/4 cup black olives I'm not a big fan, but if you like it on your pizza, go for it!
  • 1/4 tsp oregano
  • 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes I like to add 1/4 tsp roughly because I like it spicy, but adjust the seasonings as you like
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1 egg
  • 1 spritz cooking spray I used avocado oil spray because of the mild flavor, but I know...it's Hanukkah, so go with olive oil!
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 250F.

  2. Mix the ingredients (except the cooking spray) in a large bowl.  Let the mixture rest for a few minutes.

  3. Spray a non-stick pan with cooking spray and pre-heat to medium.

  4. Add a heaping spoonful, about 1/4 cup of the mixture on to the pan.  I used a large crepe pan, so I got 3 latkes in each cooking batch. 

  5. Cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side until crispy and golden brown and lifts up easy from the pan.

  6. Also, I prefer to take my spatula and flatten the latkes a bit to squeeze out some more water and get them extra crispy. 

  7. Flip and cook another 3-4 minutes.

  8. Drain on a paper towel.

  9. Keep the latkes warm in the oven at 250F so they continue to get warm and crispy while you continue making the batches. 

  10. Serve warmed from the oven with marinara sauce garnished with jalapeno or black olive slices and a sprinkle of oregano!

*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!

 

Curried Pumpkin Bisque

It’s official.  The temperature is dropping and the leaves are slowly turning their bright orange – but how do you know fall is REALLY here?  Well, of course, the aroma of pumpkin spice lattes filling the air like a thick cloud! Pumpkin spice lovers, rejoice!

And as we prepare for the festival of Sukkot that starts this evening, so what a perfect way to bring in the official first few days of fall with…you guessed it – PUMPKIN!  I know you may be rolling your eyes thinking “ugh, another pumpkin recipe?  Really?”  But this one is just slightly different.  Think of sweet and creamy pumpkin with a touch of heat and warm aromatic spices.  This is not your typical overly-sweetened pumpkin pie or pumpkin latte.  No, this is pumpkin kicked up a notch!

When I was in college, I became a little obsessed with making soups.  So much so that my roommate bought me a soup-only cookbook!  I think with the craziness of being a full-time college student and working jobs and internships that forced me to make easy dishes that I could make in huge batches and freeze for later.  I loved being able to make this in advance and have friends over for Shabbat dinner, serving up giant bowls of soup like this one, or my Mexican Tortilla Soup (that one was a bit hit).  And even better, anything that you can make in just one pot is always a win in my book.  And this soup would be great if you froze it to serve later.

Quick Tip

Here’s a quick freezer tip:  Add the soup in a plastic zip top bag and lay it flat in the freezer (labeled with the content and date, of course) – it makes it easier to store, versus a bulky container!

Fun fact!  Did you know that about 10 years ago, I started writing a cookbook?  Of course it was titled “Risky Veggie” but I decided to turn it into a blog (well, now technically it morphed into TWO blogs of course), but this soup is one of the recipes from that project – granted it’s been tweaked just slightly over the years.  And thank you to my very talented sister Avi, for taking this photo! Maybe one day I’ll get start up again on that cookbook… but in the meantime, here at Meat Your Vegetables, we’d like to wish everyone a chag sameach and Happy Sukkot!

0 from 0 votes
Print
Curried Pumpkin Bisque
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hr
 
Servings: 4 people
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp. cumin seeds
  • 1 white onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 tsp. salt Add more, to taste
  • 1/4 tsp. white pepper
  • 1 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree NOT pumpkin pie filling
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar, or coconut sugar Feel free to use any other sugar substitute, like "Swerve" or Stevia
  • 1/4 tsp. ginger
  • 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. cloves
  • 1/4 tsp. allspice
  • 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper Add more/less depending on how spicy you like it. Make sure to taste as you go along and adjust seasoning to how you like it!
  • 1/2 tsp. curry powder
  • 1/2 cup non-dairy milk (almond, coconut cream, cashew, oat) If making this dairy, feel free to add heavy cream instead
  • 1/2 cup vegetable stock Use store-bought or homemade - whatever you have on hand!
  • 2 tbsp. lemon juice For some brightness
  • 1/4 cup chives, minced (optional) For garnish. Or, you can use popcorn!
Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.

  2. Add the cumin seeds and toast for 1 minute, making sure not to burn.

  3. Add the onion, garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes.

  4. Add the ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, cayenne, curry powder, salt and pepper, and toast the spices for another 2 minutes.

  5. Add the pumpkin puree, vegetable stock (or you can use chicken stock, if you're making this for a fleishig meal), and light brown sugar . Taste the soup and adjust seasonings if needed.

  6. Simmer the soup for 45 minutes on low-medium until all of the flavors meld together.

  7. Using a handheld immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth.  If you don't have an immersion blender, you can ladle the soup into a few batches into your blender - make sure not to fill your blender to the top, as you want some heat to escape.  

  8. Pour the soup back in the pot (if using a blender), and add the non-dairy milk (or heavy cream, if making a milchig meal) and lemon juice. 

  9. Ladle into bowls and garnish with freshly snipped chives, or sprinkle with parve popcorn!

Gluten-Free Honey Muffins & Ginger Maple Apple Chips For Rosh Hashanah

Happy Tuesday!  Hope ya’ll had a great Labor Day weekend! And what was I up to on the stormy last-official-summer day? Well since Rosh Hashanah starts this upcoming Sunday night, I thought I’d get my bake on!  On today’s menu – ginger maple apple chips and gluten-free honey muffins!  Even though I’m not eating many apples these days (too high in sugar and carbs for me), fear not because this recipe would be amazing with blueberries or strawberries!

Obviously, I HAD to do something with apples and honey this time around!  And this one is all about multi-tasking!  While the apple chips are baking low and slow (buckle up, because this takes some serious oven time) you can prep the muffin batter and let it set up in the fridge and bake it tomorrow, or later that day AND get stuff done around the house!  I’m all about making this easy and efficient for you!

I know I mention “easy” recipes quite often, but c’mon, making apples chips really isn’t too intimidating, is it?  All we’re doing here is slicing apples really thin, sprinkling on a concoction of ginger, maple extract, cinnamon and coconut oil and baking in the oven at 250F for 4 hours.  That’s it – just set a timer for the oven and you’re good to go. After a few hours, your house will smell like hot apple pie (way better than a scented candle, just trust me). 🙂

Apple Chips

Here are some tricks for getting the perfect crispy apple chips:  make sure you slice the apples thin.  The thicker the pieces, the longer they take to bake, so if you have a slicer, or mandolin, or you prefer to just slice thinly with your knife – any of those work fine, as long as they’re somewhat the same thickness, they’ll crisp up nicely together, if not, you may have to keep an eye on them so as not to burn the thinner ones. Also, make sure not to overcrowd your pan.  You want the apples to be on one single layer, so no overlapping here, otherwise they won’t crisp up.  Once your timer is up, turn off the oven and let them sit (I actually leave them in the oven overnight and in the morning, they are cool and perfectly crispy).

Honey Muffins

As for the muffins?  Well, just a few ingredients, mix in a bowl or whip up in a blender, scoop and bake.  1 bowl, minimal prep and you’re golden.  Well, honey golden, that is!  Keep in mind that coconut flour is super absorbent, so feel free to add in another 1/2 cup of water if the batter looks too dry, but the batter will be thick, so I like to use my hands to scoop our some and add it to the muffin pan. And one more thing on the coconut flour – I decided to use it instead of almond flour, as it’s a custom for some to omit nuts on Rosh Hashanah, since the gematria of “nut” is the same as “sin”.

Oh, and in case you’re also looking for an easy, yummy, hearty salad, perfect for any Rosh Hashanah meal, check out my Roasted butternut squash date salad with honey lime dressing – recipe here!

Wishing you all a Kesivah VaChasimah Tovah – for a happy, sweet, healthy and successful 5779 new year!

0 from 0 votes
GF honey muffins
Print
Gluten-free Honey Muffins
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
40 mins
 
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 muffins
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 1 tbsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tbsp. pomegranate vinegar Totally optional, but I love the sweet, tart note it brings to these muffins, and so perfect for Rosh Hashanah! I used the organic pomegranate vinegar from Trader Joe's.
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 dash cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup sugar, or sugar substitute I like using "Swerve"
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1 1/2 cups water
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350F.

  2. Place cupcake liners in muffin tin and spray lightly with oil (I like using avocado oil because it has a very mild taste).

  3. Mix all ingredients and scoop into muffin tin.  The batter will be pretty thick (the coconut flour absorbs lots of liquid), but it's okay, that's what you want. 

  4. Optional:  drizzle some more honey on top of the muffins, OR, mix some honey, unsweetened shredded coconut and cinnamon and add on the top of the muffins as a streusel topping!

  5. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown on top.  Let cool, and enjoy!

0 from 0 votes
Print
Ginger Maple Apple Chips
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
4 hrs
Resting time
1 hr
Total Time
4 hrs 10 mins
 


Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Servings: 20 chips, approx.
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 2 apples, sliced thin
  • 1 tbsp. maple extract Use can use pure maple syrup if you have that handy
  • 1 dash cinnamon
  • 1 dash ginger
  • 1 tbsp. coconut oil, melted
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 250F and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

  2. Add the apples slices in a large bowl and add in the maple extract, cinnamon, ginger and coconut oil.  

  3. Mix the spice mixture on each apple slice and place on baking sheet - be sure that there are no overlapping apple slices.

  4. Bake for 4 hours.  Once time is up, turn off oven and let sit for 1 hour or up to overnight.

Dairy-free Maple Cinnamon Custard

I have to give credit where it’s due, so I found this original recipe in “Easy Dairy-Free Ketogenic Recipes” by Maria Emmerich – it was so easy to follow, I just tweaked it a tiny bit to make it my own.  I adjusted the flavors a bit and the cooking time and temp and I’m happy with how these turn out.  And I love that you can adjust the flavors as you like!  You could add in lemon zest and juice for a lemon custard topped with a fresh lemon slice for a pretty presentation, or add in some fresh blueberries Dairy-free maple cinnamon custardor raspberries for a fresh springtime berry custard.  YASSS!

So thank you Maria for the original recipe, I’m obsessed!  SO obsessed in fact that I made a batch last Shabbos as a “last minute” dessert (I mean, it’s just my husband and me, who exactly am I trying to impress here?).

Needless to say, if you’re a big dairy or cheesecake fanatic, Shavuot is always the holiday for you! And being a pescetarian, it’s nice to opt out of a heavy meat meal.  But when you want a break from too much dairy, and want to opt for something a big lighter – and something that won’t spike your blood sugar, check out these custards!  And I just love the presentation with the ramekins (you can always pick some up at the Dollar Store I’m sure, or you may be able to find disposable foil ramekins too).

Wishing you all a Chag Sameach!

xoxo

Rachel

PS – how adorable is this vintage-style bird serving tray? I got it years ago at Macy’s and I love it so much!! It’s such a cute presentation for a Shavuos meal!

0 from 0 votes
Print
dairy-free maple cinnamon custard
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 


Servings: 4 servings
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups dairy-free milk, such as almond milk I like the brand Califia Farms
  • 1/2 cup Swerve granulated style you can use regular sugar if you prefer
  • 1 tbsp maple extract I like the brand Fronteir - you can find it at Whole Foods or on Amazon
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 2 tbsp (plus more) Swerve, confectioners style
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350F.  Spray 4 ramekins with coconut oil spray or coat the ramekins with a little bit of coconut oil using your hands (just so it doesn't stick as much) and place on a baking sheet.

  2. Add all ingredients except the Swerve powdered sugar to a blender and blend for 10-15 seconds until fully mixed.

  3. Pour in the custard into each ramekin and carefully place in the oven.

  4. Bake for 20 minutes or until the center is no longer jiggly in the middle.

  5. Wait until cool enough to handle (about 20 minutes) and dust with the powdered Swerve. 

  6. Serve, warm or cool.  And try it topped with whipped cream or whipped coconut cream!

Don’t forget to check out Daniel’s Shavuot recipe: Cream of Potato Zucchini Soup

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
Print
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!!

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
Print
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

Light and Easy Shavuot Menu

Well, Shavuot is HERE! Starting in just a few hours, to be exact.  Ah, the holiday of cheesecakes.  People usually assume that Shavuot is MY holiday because I don’t eat meat, but I wouldn’t be a true Ashkenazic Jew without a little bit of lactose-intolerance, am I right, or am I right? 🙂  Therefore…I’m going with a more light menu.  Something a little healthier and easier on the tummy.  But if you’re all in for dairy-laden cheesecakes and lasagnas, then be my guest.

For the main event…Mini Socca Pizzas!  Um, excuse me?

Yes, soccas.  They hail from the Provence region of France.  I’m so fancy, I know.  I came across an old issue of InStyle, featuring recipes from lifestyle guru and actress Gwyneth Paltrow.  She featured these super easy-to-make soccas, so I’m doing my own spin on them!  All it requires is chick pea flour, water, a little olive oil and salt.  You can find the full recipe, along with some other entertaining tips here.  And since I typically try to avoid gluten, sugar and dairy, this seemed like a perfect way to have some fun in the kitchen and experiment with my mini socca trio toppings!

And since soccas are so easy to make, you can make a whole bunch of them, big or mini, pop them in a plastic bag and freeze them – it’s easy to keep on hand in case you need a quick dinner.  Just top with salad, veggies, or tomato sauce and cheese and dinner is ready in a flash.

Yes, I’m shamelessly plugging my “other” blog Riskyveggie.com for my other dishes for this Shavuot menu, so check it out and let me know what you think!  And have a chag sameach!

Shavuot Menu:

Sweet potato goat cheese popovers

Caramelized onion dip

Strawberry spinach salad with pecans, onions & feta

Mini Socca Trio:

  • Goat cheese, smoked salmon, fresh chives and dill
  • Spicy roasted garlic tomato sauce, zucchini ribbons, capers, fresh basil
  • Creamy mushroom ragout with black garlic, coconut milk, sliced radish and cilantro

And last but not least…

Dessert:

Chocolate Coconut Lime Pie – from one of my fav bloggers/cookbook authors, Elizabeth Nyland of GuiltyKitchen.com (this recipe is next on my list to re-create). YUM!

Minestrone Soup with Gluten-Free Matzah Balls

Ah, the dreaded “P” word.  The word that we Jews cringe when anyone utters it before Purim. Yes, I’m referring to “Pesach”!  HA!  It’s not that overwhelming, is it?  (Insert shoulder shrug emoji here).  And so it begins. Searching, sweeping, and cleaning out old, weird stuff from the fridge (you know, the stuff you forgot to label, some unidentifiable mushy substance that now has a fresh layer of fuzzy mold?)  Alright, enough of the gross stuff. You are reading about food here anyway.

Quick disclaimer:  Some of you may notice that I have included peas in this recipe.  Peas are “kitnoyit” and only eaten by Sephardic Jews on Passover, so if you’re Ashkenazic, then peas are off limits.  So feel free to omit, if it applies to you.

So this week’s challenge is none other than the traditional “matzah ball” (or matzo ball as it’s most commonly spelled).  Being, well, me…I wanted to take on the challenge to make mine gluten free, and before you get all annoyed with me that I may not making true matzo balls, here me out for a second. Call them whatever you want, but basically these are big gnocchi, and trust me…they turned out pretty delicious if I say so myself.  So no haters here…just wanted to try something different while still appealing to everyone.  I must admit, I had to do some research here.  Survey says – use potatoes as the base.  I went with yukon gold potatoes, mostly because I like the flavor, and when they cook, they get this super creamy consistency that I don’t think you can really get from a big baking potato, and no peeler necessary (though honestly, I hardly ever peel potatoes). The other thing I realized while doing some searching on the interwebs, is that you MUST wait for the potatoes to cool before making the dough (so, insert extra prep time for that).  I didn’t ask questions, I just followed along.

Then came the hard part – what type of soup would I make?  I briefly thought about “tortilla soup”, sans tortillas, but using the matzah balls as a replacement, but my gut told me to go with a simple minestrone.  It’s a week before Passover and aren’t we all trying to get rid of random items in our fridge?  Many of us probably have canned tomatoes, onions, garlic, carrots, frozen peas, right?  This is basically a “dump soup” as I like to call them – just dump everything into a pot and call it a day.  That’s the beauty about making soup, you can throw in whatever you want and adjust seasonings as you go, it’s almost fool-proof.  Plus…since these matzah balls are basically gnocchi, why not make an Italian-influenced soup, right?  I’m not trying to change the world here with my out-of-the-box and totally inaccessible recipes that no one will make it.

Before I go, I have 2 tips for you (and one bonus tip in the recipe below), because you KNOW I’m all about handy tips, ya!  So I used a can of whole peeled tomatoes for this and I happen to love these vintage-looking cans, so don’t throw them out (or recycle for that matter), instead use it as a low vase for flowers!

Tip number 2?  I made veggie stock a few months ago and froze it in ice cube trays (I have a few weirdly shaped ones, some heart-shaped, some stick-shaped, but who cares), then instead of buying veggie stock for this soup, I just popped in a few veggie stock cubes and you’re done.  I kinda eyeballed the measurements, but feel free to play with it as you make it!  I added a lot of water and stock because I didn’t want it to end up being tomato sauce.  So start with some water and you can always add more.  Don’t have stock around?  That’s fine too, just add enough after and make sure you season with plenty of salt, pepper, and whatever else you have on hand.  The sky’s the limit!  Don’t have peas?  Throw in some sliced button mushrooms!  Make it your own!

One other thing to add.  If you’re like me and want to multi-task, let your slow cooker be your friend in this scenario!  I didn’t want to babysit my soup, so instead I dumped everything into my crock-pot, and cooked it on low overnight.  I made this for Friday night dinner, so all I had to do was put it back on the crock pot and re-heat it.  Don’t you love when your kitchen appliances can do the work for you?  But obviously you can make it the old fashioned way too.

So that’s it, here we go!  1 week and counting.  Wishing you all a chag kasher v’sameach and a wonderful Pesach with family, friends and hopefully LOTS of good food.  🙂

Let me know what you think of the recipe in the comments.  Also, let me know if you like my matzo ball soup or Daniel’s better.  You can find hers here: Traditional Chicken Soup With (Kosher) Bacon Schmaltz Matzo Balls

5 from 1 vote
Print
Minestrone Soup with Gluten Free Matzah Balls
Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
2 hrs
Total Time
3 hrs
 


Course: Soup
Cuisine: Homemade, Italian, Jewish, Kosher
Servings: 8 people
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
Gluten Free Matzah Balls
  • 7 small-medium yukon gold potatoes baked and cooled
  • 2 cups almond flour
  • 2 cups potato starch
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp pepper
  • 2 tsp fresh dill
  • 2 tsp garlic powder I roasted some garlic with the potatoes and I added the garlic to the soup, but you can use garlic powder, that's totally ok 🙂
Minestrone Soup
  • 1 28 oz can of whole peeled tomatoes
  • 2 small white onions, chopped into large pieces
  • 1 10 oz bag of frozen green peas
  • 1 10 oz bag of frozen carrots yea, I was feeling pretty lazy here, just being honest.
  • 3 stalks celery, chopped optional (I didn't use any because I just used up whatever I had in the house)
  • 1 cup button mushrooms, sliced also optional,
  • 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups veggie stock
  • 3 cups water
Instructions

  1. Make the soup - in a large soup pot, sweat the onions, garlic, celery (if using) carrots and mushrooms (if using) for about 10 minutes, season with salt and pepper.

  2. Open the can of whole peeled tomatoes and carefully (wearing an apron is a must here), use your hands to crush the tomatoes while in the can, so they're not quite as "whole" but a little more rustic.  

  3. Add in the can of tomatoes, frozen peas, stock, water and any other spices or seasonings (thyme, bay leaf, dried basil)

  4. Turn the stove to high and cook until the soup is boiling, then turn down the simmer, cover and cook for another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  5. While the soup is cooking, add the matzah balls ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth.  You may have to add in a little more flour if the dough is still too sticky but depends on how starchy your potatoes are, or if you're using extra large eggs.  Knead the dough in a big stainless steel bowl until you get the perfect consistency (you want to be able to roll them in your hands, so not too sticky but sticky enough that they hold together).

  6. Fill a second soup pot with water and bring to a boil.

  7. (Tip #3):  Use a mini ice cream scoop to portion out the matzah ball dough and drop in to the boiling water.  

  8. Cook for a few minutes, until the balls float to the top.

  9. Remove the matzah balls with a slotted spoon and drop them into the minestrone soup to finish cooking. 

  10. Serve the soup piping hot with fresh basil or dill and enjoy!