Category: Kosher

Chickpea Curry

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

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

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

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

Let’s dig in!

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

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

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

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

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

 

Passover Sweet Potato Knishes

Passover Sweet Potato KnishesWe are making our own Passover Seder for the first time this year, so I was looking for a side that would be traditional but have a bit of a wow factor at the same time.  What is more traditional than a Knish?  The problem is most knishes use a wheat flour dough which is chametz which we do not eat on Passover.  I started out by trying to make a potato starch dough and failed miserably, so I decided to go the “breading” route.  The problem is most breadings (bread crumbs, panko, cereal etc.) are also chametz.  To make my life even harder I wanted to keep this recipe gluten free (non-gebrochts) and nut free.  This ruled out using matzo meal or ground nuts, both commonly used as a Passover friendly breading.

I used an idea I learned from my father and went with potato flakes (AKA instant mashed potatoes). I used them straight out of the box, although in the future I would probably give them a quick whirl in the food processor to give them a finer texture and to hopefully help them adhere a little better.

For something a little healthier don’t forget to check out Rachel’s latest Passover recipe: Cauliflower Hummus and Tomato Herb Flaxseed Focaccia for Pesach!

5 from 1 vote
Passover Sweet Potato Knishes
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Passover Sweet Potato Knishes
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 30 mins
Total Time
2 hrs
 

A great snack or side for your Passover Seder. This recipe is gluten free (GF), nut free, and vegetarian. You can easily double or triple this recipe or substitute the sweet potatoes for standard russet potatoes.  If you don't need your knishes to be gluten free or kosher for Passover you can substitute all-purpose flour for the potato starch. 

Course: Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Gluten Free, Jewish, Kosher, Passover, Pesach, vegetarian
Servings: 6 Knishes
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 2 Large Sweet Potatoes
  • 1 Cup Potato Starch Divided in half. If you don't need your knishes to be gluten free or kosher for Passover you can substitute all-purpose flour for the potato starch.
  • 2 Large Eggs Beaten separately
  • 2 Cups Instant Potato Flakes Lightly blitz in your food processor with the "S" blade if you prefer a finer texture
  • Salt and Pepper To taste
  • Oil For Frying
Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F.  Poke the sweet potatoes all over with a fork.  Bake until soft.  Remove from the oven and let cool.

  2. Once cooled, remove the skin from the sweet potatoes and mash in a large mixing bowl.  Combine with half the 1/2 the potato starch (1/2 a cup), one of the beaten eggs, and the salt and pepper.  Use a fork to combine thoroughly.

  3. Take about a a golf ball sized amount of the sweet potato mixture and shape it in to a disc. Dust the disc in remaining potato starch, then dip in the other beaten egg, and finally coat in the potato flakes. Repeat until you use all of the sweet potato mixture.

  4. Put about a 1/2" of oil in a frying fan and put on the stove over medium heat. Fry on each side until golden brown.

Cauliflower Hummus & Tomato Herb Flaxseed Focaccia – for Pesach!

Tomato Herb Flaxseed Focaccia

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

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

Cauliflower Hummus with sumac and hot paprika

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

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

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

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

Rachel

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  8. Eat and enjoy!

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

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

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

Here we go!  Purim seudah time!

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

Appetizer:

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

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

Blueberry-pickled!
Blueberry-pickled!

Appetizer or main:

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

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

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

And for dessert?

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

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

Freilichin Purim!!

Purim: Texas Chili With Cowboy Candy Hamantaschen

Chili and HamentashenI have a confession to make, I am not much of a baker.  While I love to cook, I leave most of the baking to my lovely wife Ronit.  Not wanting to just rip off someone else’s recipe, this left me with the daunting challenge of coming up with a recipe for hamantaschen, a traditional triangular pastry eaten on the Jewish holiday of Purim, from scratch.

It is pretty easy for me to come up with a recipe for most things cooked, but once you talk baking, it become chemistry and not art. Unfortunately, my degrees are in computer science, biology, and business. I dropped chemistry.  I made this challenge even harder on myself by choosing to do a savory hamantaschen, which means I had less recipes to use for reference.  Having recently done Cheddar Stuffed Jalapeno Hush Puppies I still had some cornmeal and Jalapenos to use up, which led me to a cornbread hamantaschen with candied jalapenos, also know as cowboy candy.

I was also looking for something hearty to go along with the hamantaschen to put in mishloach manot, the traditional food packages given to friends for the Purim holiday and chili seemed like an obvious answer.  I kept the the chili recipe pretty mild, as the hamantaschen will provide some heat.  You can always add some chipotle peppers to increase the spice level if you like it hot.  I am not a big fan of beans, and they are generally frowned upon when making Texas style chili, so I left them out of this recipe.

Don’t forget to check out Rachel’s hamantaschen: Low carb lemon poppyseed coconut hamantaschen

Cowboy Candy

5 from 1 vote
Chili and Hamantaschen
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Cowboy Candy Filling
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 

This a great sweet and spicy treat that can be used as a filling for hamantashen, topping for a burger, or stirred into a corn bread mix.

Course: Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Servings: 24 pieces
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 6 Large Jalapenos Sliced into rounds
  • 1 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 2 Cups Sugar
  • 3 Cloves Garlic Sliced thin
  • 1 tsp Chipotle Chili Powder
  • 1 tbsp Dried Onion
  • 1 tsp Celery Seed
  • 1 tsp Ground Coriander
Equipment
  • 2 qt Sauce Pot
  • 1 Sheet Pan
  • Parchment Paper
Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 250°F

  2. Add the sugar and vinegar to a sauce pot and place on the stove over medium heat, stirring regularly to prevent the sugar from burning.

  3. Once a syrup, is formed lower the heat all the way down and add all the other ingredients. Stir to coat. 

  4. Spread the mixture on a parchment paper lined sheet pan, and bake in the oven for about 10 minutes to dry it mixture out.

  5. Use to fill hamentaschen, top burgers, or stir in to a cornbread mix.

Cornbread Hamantaschen

5 from 1 vote
Chili and Hamantaschen
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Cornbread Cowboy Candy Hamtashen
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
45 mins
 

A crispy savory hamantaschen dough, filled with a sweet and spicy filling.  Great accompaniment to hearty soups and chili. 

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Kosher, Tex-Mex
Servings: 24 pieces
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 Cups All Purpose Four
  • 1 1/2 Cups Yellow Cornmeal
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 3/4 Cup Milk or Soy Milk
  • 1 Stick Cold Margarine Cut in to tablespoon sized pieces
  • 1 Tbsp Chili Powder Optional for some additional heat
  • 1 Tbsp Baking Powder
  • 1 Tsp Salt
  • 1 Recipe Cowboy Candy See above recipe
Equipment
  • Stand Mixer
  • Sheet Pan
  • Parchment Paper
  • Circular Pastry Ring or Cookie Cutter
Instructions

  1. In your mixer bowl combine the flour, cornmeal, chili powder (if desired), baking powder, and salt and mix with the paddle attachment on low.

  2. Incorporate the margarine a few pieces at time.

  3. Add the eggs and (soy) milk and boost the speed to medium, mixing just until a dough is formed.  Be careful not to over-mix, or your dough will be tough.

  4. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°F. 

  5. Roll out the dough to about 1/8th of an inch thickness and cut out rounds with the pastry ring/cookie cutter.

  6. Fill with about a teaspoon of Cowboy Candy, and fold corners of dough to form a triangle and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

  7. Bake for about 15 minutes.  Hamantashen should be crispy and lightly browned.

Texas Chili

5 from 1 vote
Chili and Hamantaschen
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Texas Chili
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 30 mins
Total Time
2 hrs
 

A hearty dish to warm your bones and your soul.  I am not a big fan of beans, and most Texas style chilis don't call for them, so I left them out of this recipe.  You can add as little or as much spice as you would like by adjusting the amount of chipotle peppers you add.

Course: Appetizer, Soup
Cuisine: BBQ, Kosher, Tex-Mex
Servings: 12 Bowls
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 2 lb Beef Something from the chuck, cut in to 1/2" cubes
  • 28 oz Can of Crushed Tomatoes
  • 2 Large Onions 1/4" Dice
  • 1 Large Red Bell Pepper 1/4" Dice
  • 1 Large Green Bell Pepper 1/4" Dice
  • 6 Cloves Garlic Finely Minced
  • 1 Bottle Beer Not too cheap or too expensive, Sam Adams Boston Lager is a good option
  • 3 tbsp Chili Powder
  • 1 tbsp Smoked Paprika
  • 7 oz Can of Chipotles in Adobe Sauce Optional if you want some heat
  • 3 tbsp Cooking Oil
  • Salt and Pepper To taste
  • 2 tbsp Masa Harina (corn flour NOT corn meal) Ground up tortilla chips will work in a pinch
Instructions

  1. Add the cooking oil to a heavy pot or Dutch oven and place over high heat. Once the oil starts to shimmer add the meat in batches, making sure not to crowd the pan. Brown the meat on all sides and remove from the pot.

  2. Turn the heat down to medium and add the onions, salt, and pepper.  Cook until they are translucent. Then add the garlic and continue to cook until the garlic starts to brown.

  3. Add the bell peppers, chili powder, and smoked paprika and cook until the peppers begin to soften.

  4. Turn the heat down to low and add the beef back in along with the tomatoes, masa harina, and beer. Add the chipotles now if desired.

  5. Cover and simmer on low for an hour or until desired consistency is achieved.

Low-carb Lemon Poppyseed coconut Hamantashen

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

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

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

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

Freilichin Purim everyone!

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

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

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

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

  2. Pre-heat oven to 375F.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Healthy Superbowl Snack – Almond Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies

Almond Butter Snickerdoodle cookies

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

 

Super Bowl Snacks: Cheddar Stuffed Jalapeno Hush Puppies

Melted Cheddar

Hush PuppiesI was trying to come up with a great bite for the Super Bowl and  I toyed with the idea of doing a stuffed pretzel,  I was all ready to make pretzels using lye, but decided I needed something a little more approachable.  I wanted something quick to make and easy to eat. I rummaged through my fridge and pantry and came up with hush puppies, or fried cornbread balls. There is one thing you do need to be careful about on this, make sure your oil is not too hot. If the oil is too hot, the outside of the hush puppies will burn before the inside cooks and the cheese melts.  I know I have been leaning on cheddar and jalapeno lately, but for the Super Bowl it seemed appropriate.

5 from 1 vote
Hush Puppies
Print
Cheddar Stuffed Jalapeno Hush Puppies
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 

A great snack with some southern influence.  These are excellent finger food for your next party. Just make sure to fry these over low heat so the inside cooks and the cheese melts before the outside burns.

Course: Snack
Cuisine: Southern, Tex-Mex
Servings: 12 pieces
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 1 Cup Yellow Corn Meal
  • 1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 tbsp Baking Powder
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 Jalapeno Seeded and Chopped Finely
  • 1 Large Egg Beaten
  • 3/4 Cup Buttermilk
  • Vegetable Oil For deep frying
  • 8 oz Cheddar Cheese Cut into 1/4" dice
Instructions

  1. Take the cheese out of the fridge to start warming it up.  If it is too cold it will not melt before the hush puppies finish cooking.

  2. Combine the corn meal, flour, baking powder, salt and jalapenos in a large mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly.

  3. In a separate bowl, beat together the egg and buttermilk.

  4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and and stir until the batter just comes together.  It should be the texture of wet sand.  If it looks a bit dry, add some more buttermilk, and if it looks too wet, add some more cornmeal.

  5. Fill a heavy pot or dutch oven 3/4 of the way up the side with vegetable oil and place over low heat. 

  6. Form balls with the using about a tablespoon of batter, placing a cube of cheese in the middle, and fry until golden.

For something sweet (and a little healthy) check out Rachel’s Super Bowl treat: Healthy Superbowl Snack & Almond Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies

Review: Backyard BBQ & Brew in Surfside, FL

Surprise with Mendel!

Upon walking into Mendel’s joint, Backyard BBQ and Brew, the first impression I got was a cool and hip ambiance with a laid back attitude, a place to chill with amazing food and drinks. The artfully decorated walls displaying just a sampling of Mendel’s awards from various BBQ competitions that he has been competing in for only the past few years, give testimony to the flavors that will be tasted in your mouth shortly.

Look at that BBQ trophy!

I ordered the BBQ burger (per Mendel’s suggestion), half pound beef patty, cooked medium rare that was skillfully layered with pulled brisket, BBQ sauce and topped with crunchy fried onions. Add a side of house fries and this is sure to fill even the most manliest of men. As I hungrily bit into the steaming burger, my mouth was thrown into a flavor frenzy between the savory ground beef and the sweet tanginess of the brisket, mixed with Mendel’s sweet and tangy BBQ sauce (available on Amazon or ask your local grocery store).

Meaty goodness

After 3 large bites I was surprised to discover that I had only consumed only half the burger and still had the house fries to attack. I decided to come up for air to sample the delicious house fries and wash it down with 2 gulps of Boulevard wheat beer.

While inquiring about the selection of beer, Mendel was excited to divulge that they are hoping soon to have a selection of over 40 craft beers on hand available in cans or bottles. His reasoning was eye opening; he revealed that cans/bottles have a more consistent flavor in the batches they make versus kegs that are brewed on a smaller scale for each individual keg. This was a small, yet interesting detail that most restaurant owners don’t contemplate but Mendel does. It’s all about the details.

When I wasn’t lovingly staring at my burger, I was able to glance up and catch parts of the football game being shown on two giant 55” TVs on the wall behind the bar.

As I finished my meal I was genuinely filled and satisfied and not needing any dessert. And then a server happened to be walking past me with a fresh slice of Mendel’s famous Maple Bourbon Pecan pie. Although I did pass on ordering it, the aroma of it wafting from the table across from me did make me seriously contemplate getting a slice to go.

The environment of the restaurant makes me want to stop in every Sunday, around noon and stay to eat all afternoon until the final game of Sunday Night Football is finished. I can definitely see myself hanging out here with a group of football or baseball fans to root for our favorite teams.

Two hours later I commented to my wife Rachel (a.k.a. “riskyveggie”) how tasty that burger was and how satisfied I still was. My wife commented that I should just write a blog entry about it and let everyone else know my experience from stopping by Mendel Segal’s place, Backyard BBQ & Brew. I highly recommend visiting there as often as you can while visiting Surfside/Miami area.

Check out Daniel’s review of the restaurants he visited while in South Florida:

South Florida Trip-Kosher Restaurant Review

Stay hungry my friends!

South Florida Trip-Kosher Restaurant Review

A few weeks ago my wife and I headed down to South Florida for some restaurant hopping and relaxation. Here is a review of the kosher restaurants we tried while we were down there.

Fried CauliflowerStraight from the airport we grabbed lunch at Mozart Cafe in Hollywood.  The first thing I noticed was the menu was absolutely massive for a cafe.  Of course there was sushi on the menu, because it wouldn’t be a kosher joint without it.  In my Pizzaopinion, large menus are a sign of an unfocused restaurant and the details end up getting lost in the shuffle.  The food was decent but a bit forgettable, the service was efficient but waiter seemed like he needed to switch to decaf. We sat inside and to be honest we would have been better outside despite a little bit of heat as the decor was a bit boring and the walls were dingy. Also, we received more than one item on chipped plates, which is a pet peeve of mine.

Chip
Chipped Plate

We started with breaded tempura cauliflower served with a sweet chili sauce to share. It was definitely breaded and not tempura.  I am not sure why they used the term tempura in the description.  The portion size was sufficient,  which is the least I would expect for $9 appetizer and the sauce tasted like it was out of a bottle.

My wife ordered gnocchi with a garlic alfredo sauce ($17.45).  The gnocchi tasted mass produced and were way over sauced. I ordered their Milano pizza ($11.50) which was what I think of as a Margarita (fresh mozzarella, basil, and tomato) with the addition of shredded mozzarella and tomato sauce.  Overall the pizza was fine, but I suspect the crust may have been mass produced. An 18% tip was automatically added.  Overall it was sufficient for a quick lunch but not particularly impressive and a bit over-priced.

Short Rib FlatbreadFor dinner the first night, we headed to Harbour Bistro the sister restaurant to Harbour Grill, in Surfside. The best way I can describe this place is a super high end deli.  Don’t think chicken soup and mile high sandwiches, rather think hand crafted sausages and artisan cured meats.  The restaurant is a little on the small side and feels a bit cramped, and did have a small issue with a leaky refrigerator, but once I pointed it out the waitress it was quickly cleaned up. Generally the service was excellent and the food was excellent.

My wife started with the Short Rib Flat Bread ($26) with caramelized onions, and sautéed mushrooms which she thoroughly enjoyed.  I tasted it and found it very good.  The bread was a little thicker than I expected.  My guess is that was done intentionally to handle the volume and moisture of the toppings.

I started with the homemade Sausage Platter, ($24) an assortment of 2 merguez and 2 lamb chorizo.  The flavor and texture Lamb Sausagewere excellent.  You could tell it was homemade and not your average mass produced hot dog.  Honestly it ate like a small meal itself.

Charcuterie BoardI followed that up with the Charcuterie Platter ($34) which a spectacular display of cured meat products.  I could not even begin to remember all the varieties presented, but know that it changes daily based on availability.  The assortment ranged from super rich to downright funky, but I enjoyed it.  I would recommend splitting this dish with at least one other person as it is a lot of food and can be a little overwhelming.

My wife order the Rib Eye ($52) described on the menu as a certified prime rib eye dry aged for 6 weeks and pan seared. It is served with sauteed potatoes and seasonal vegetables.  She seemed to enjoy it and the bite I had was tasty.

For desSteaksert we shared what they called an Opera ($15).  It seamed to be some sort of hybrid of a napoleon and tiramisu.  It was fairly enjoyable and well presented.

While the wine list was large enough for me, I found the number of wines available by the glass a little low, most were only available by the bottle.

Overall the food was excellent both in taste and presentation and the service was excellent. However, the ambiance was slightly lacking, detracted by the open deli counter and the noise of the slicer and vacuum sealer.

For brunch the second day we went to Grand Cafe in Hollywood.  Of the three restaurants we caught lunch at, all Israeli style dairy cafes, this was the best. This time we sat Croissant Specialoutside and enjoyed the 80 degree weather, although the ambiance suffers slightly due to the fact it is a strip mall and occasionally you catch a whiff of cigarettes from the smoking section.  Even though they were fairly busy for a late morning in the middle of the week, the service Waffleswas very attentive, although we were cared for by multiple servers which was a bit confusing.  We started with a warmed chocolate croissant ($4) and a potato boreka ($2) which were generally good. My wife had a the croissant special ($10.45), which is a croissant omelet sandwich with cheese and tomato.  She thought is was excellent even though she does not usually like tomatoes.  I had the Belgium waffles ($12) and a cafe mocha ($4.45), both were good but nothing to write home about.  Overall a good meal.

Mocha Latte

 

For dinner the second night we headed back to Surfside to Backyard BBQ and Brew.  Before I go ahead with my review, as a matter of full disclosure I want to admit a bias. I consider Mendel Segal, the Pit Master at Backyard BBQ a friend.  I have competed both against him and in BBQ competitions that he has organized.  That being said I will do my best to be objective.

Pecan Pie

First thing I want to say is while they Backyard BBQ is open late like many restaurants in South Florida, get there early because the good stuff sells out fast.  We got there around 8 PM and all forms of beef ribs were done for the day.  The menu was printed on a simple piece of paper in a plastic sheet protector, which I will chalk up to the fact that they recently reopened with a new menu. They have a couple of televisions which I find distracting, but according to Mendel the restaurant gets a sizable crowd for football games. The service was excellent, the waiter was very attentive.  The best way I could describe the decor was elegantly rustic, which I enjoyed.

We started with the Brisket Truffle Poutine Fries ($18).  The fries looked fresh and hand cut in house. The gravy was nice and rich, and the brisket shreds were moist, although I don’t know that I got much truffle from the dish, but overall a good dish.  On the menu it says, “Ask about our combo platters,”   so I asked Mendel to make me a platter of whatever he thought was good that night.  I ended up with a combo including a 2/3 of an order of brisket ($20), a full order of burnt ends ($25), and a 1/2 order of lamb ribs ($21) along with sides of red skin mashed potatoes and green beans.  The brisket and burnt ends were excellent as I have come to expect from Mendel as the winningest man in kosher BBQ.  Although, as far as the lamb ribs were concerned I found the crust from the rub and the fat both to be a bit thick relative to the amount of meat on them, which I attribute more to the anatomy of the animal than the cook, and for what they cost I would not order them again.

They have a great craft beer list.  I was looking for something on the lighter side, so I ordered a Shiner Ruby Redbird, a grapefruit flavored beer.  While I found it refreshing I did not get much grapefruit flavor from it. Mendel also brought me over another beer on the house, a stout that someone had brought him that I found excellent. We ended the meal with the bourbon pecan pie which I highly recommend. Like I said at the beginning, I am biased, but if you are in the mood for some real deal kosher BBQ, this place is not to be missed.

Also check out Rachel’s husband Elliot’s Review: Backyard BBQ & Brew in Surfside, FL

BBQ Combo

On day 3 we had brunch at Yumberry in Hollywood wTuna Melthich was somewhat Yumberry Cauliflowerunimpressive.  Similar to when we we went to Mozart Cafe we started with cauliflower tempura ($9), described as battered deep-fried cauliflower served with chili sauce.  The dish was very similar to Mozart’s.  Yumberry’s cauliflower also seemed to be breaded and not battered and the sweet chili sauced seemed like the same bottled sauce as Mozart.

My wife had a tuna panini ($13) which see said was decent, although not particularly remarkable.  I had a shakshuka ($12). The eggs in that shakshuka were cooked over easy and then added to the sauce (which I found a bit thin), despite my specific request to have the eggs cooked in the sauce.  I also had the Yum Berry coffee, a mocha cappuccino with whipped cream.  It seemed a bit small, and lacked some oomph.  Overall the meal was unimpressive.

Shakshuka

Foozo PizzaFoozo FriesLater that day we grabbed a quick early early dinner at Foozo.  The food did take a bit of time but was generally pretty good.  The pizza topping options were creative and the sauce and crust overall pretty good, although it could have been just a tad thicker as it got a bit soggy.  The fries were a bit of let down though, as they seemed to be a mass produced frozen product.

Zac PastriesWe stopped at Serendipity in Wynwood for some ice cream before leaving but they were closed to do a pop-up event offsite. So we walked up the street and grabbed some pastries from the popular Zak the Baker.  One of these days I will get to his new restaurant, as we had been to their old location a few years ago, and their stuff is the real deal, laden with rich butter and flaky puff pastry.

All in all it was nice to visit some restaurants that we don’t have in Chicago and of course the weather was definitely better than back home.