Category: Side Dish

Gluten-Free Mango Bread

Hi friends! It’s been a while since I worked on some new stuff for the blog but I’m back at it! After finding out I was pregnant in November, truthfully, writing new recipes for the blog wasn’t top of mind. But, this Gluten-Free Mango Bread has been a hit in my book, so I wanted to share! And since I’m focused on foods that are beneficial to both baby and me, turns out mangoes are extremely beneficial during pregnancy.

Benefits of eating mango

Here are some of the benefits of eating mangoes during pregnancy!

  1. Prevents anemia. Mangoes are a great source of Vitamin C (one cup alone gives you 100% of your daily allowance)! They’re also high in Vitamin A and studies have shown that low vitamin A levels at birth are associated with lower immunity. Plus, they’re delicious and refreshing! Even though I’ve relaxed on the low-carb train for a bit, I’ve been adding lots of mangoes to my eating habits (buying the frozen chunks is SO much easier).
  2. Promotes Fetal Development. Folic acid is crucial for healthy development of the fetus, particularly the brain and spinal cord. Eating mangoes can help prevent neurological defects. Mangoes also contain vitamin B6 which is also essential for healthy development of the nervous system!
  3. Loaded with antioxidants. Full of vitamin C, mangoes help combat free radicals that can affect normal fetal development. And vitamin C helps reduce the risk of premature birth.
  4. Helps development of bones and teeth. Again, with that awesome vitamin A benefit! Plus, vitamin A is also necessary for healthy organ development such as the eyes, kidneys, heart and lungs.
  5. Maintains fluid balance. Your blood count increase during pregnancy (boy, did I notice that pretty early on!) so your body needs extra minerals to balance body fluids. Mangoes are filled with electrolytes including magnesium, sodium, calcium and potassium.
  6. Prevents Preeclampsia. Magnesium is also critical during pregnancy as it’s a natural cure for preeclampsia (been using magnesium pretty much every night and it tremendously helps me sleep). Eating mangoes along with taking magnesium supplement (or lotion as I’ve been doing, since it’s better absorbed through the skin) helps build fetal muscles and prevents preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is a common condition identified with high blood pressure and symptoms of damage to lungs and kidneys.

“Quick” Bread

This Gluten-Free Mango Bread recipe comes together in just a few minutes in the blender (and it’s Passover-friendly)! And the mangos add a great deal of moisture (I know, the “M” word) and I love adding cardamon, such a warming spice that pairs so perfectly. I topped the bread with crushed pecans to give it some texture but feel free to omit too. It’s a great breakfast option, toasted and shmeared with ghee, butter or cream cheese, or just a delicious snack on its own!

The bread will keep in the fridge for about 2 weeks, or you can keep it in the freezer.

L’chaim to the mango!

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Gluten-Free Mango Bread
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
50 mins
 
Course: bread
Servings: 1 loaf
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 2 cups Almond Flour
  • 2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
  • 2 tsp. Ground Cardamom
  • 2 tsp. Baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. Salt
  • 1/2 cup Sugar Or sugar substitute
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1/4 cup Oil Olive oil, avocado oil or coconut oil all work
  • 2 Mangos, peeled, pitted, roughly chopped You can use frozen (makes it MUCH easier)
  • 1 1/2 tsp. Lemon Juice
  • 1/2 cup Pecans, crushed Optional, for topping
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350F. Spray an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pan with cooking spray and parchment paper

  2. Combine almond flour, cinnamon, cardamom, baking soda, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl

  3. Add sugar, eggs, oil, mango chunks and lemon juice to a blender container and blend until smooth

  4. Pour mango mixture in the almond flour mixture and fold until evenly combined

  5. Pour into loaf pan

  6. Mix the crushed pecans in a small bowl and sprinkle with a little sugar and cinnamon (just eyeball it), if using and top the loaf with the mixture

  7. Bake for 50 minutes or until clean knife inserted into the center comes out clean

 Stuffing Waffles With Caramelized Onions and (Beef) Bacon

Stuffing WafflesAs I was trying to come up with a recipe for the Thanksgiving season, I was listening one of the Thanksgiving episodes of one of my new favorite podcasts BBQ Radio Network, when one of the hosts, Andy Groneman mentioned two magical words: “stuffing waffles”. Andy Groneman is a second generation pitmaster who won hundreds of awards including 25 grand champions and was named the reserve grand champion at 2008 American Royal, which is considered by many to be the World Series of BBQ.

As many of you know, I am the pitmaster of the kosher BBQ team 5 Dudes and A Vegetarian. I had the privilege of cooking next to Andy at the KC Kosher BBQ Festival. Not only is he a great cook, but he is an all around good guy. Once I heard Andy mention stuffing waffles, I knew I needed to make them so I reached out to Andy to make sure he was OK with me borrowing his idea. I highly recommend his podcast if you are interested in anything BBQ related.  Please check it out, subscribe via your favorite podcast player, and leave them a nice review.

This may reach you a little too late for Thanksgiving. That being said, there is no rule that says you can’t have stuffing the rest of the year.  Also, making your stuffing into waffles is a great way to use up leftover stuffing that maybe didn’t sell so well at your dinner table.  Stuffing waffles can also be used as bread for leftover turkey sandwiches. Finally, if you don’t have a waffle iron, you can form these into patties and fry them. Sort of like a Thanksgiving latke.

Don’t forget to check out some of out other Thanksgiving recipes:

Maple Pecan Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cornbread

Peking Duck For Thanksgiving

Ginger Lime Cranberry Sauce

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Stuffing Waffles
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 Stuffing Waffles With Caramelized Onions and (Beef) Bacon
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs
Hydration time
2 hrs
 

A crispy take on a holiday classic

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Holiday, Thanksgiving
Keyword: Bacon, mushroom, Stuffing, Thanksgiving
Servings: 12 Mini Waffles
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 6 Slices (Beef) Bacon
  • 6 Large Onions Diced
  • 3 Ribs Celery Sliced
  • 8 oz Sliced Mushrooms Washed and Stems Removed
  • 3 Cloves Garlic minced
  • 3 Cups 1" Bread Cubes Left out to stale for a day and lightly toasted in the oven
  • 3 Large Eggs Beaten
  • 2 Cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock
  • 2 tbsp Dried Sage
  • Vegetable Oil For sauteing
  • Cooking Spray To stop your waffles from sticking to the waffle iron
Instructions

  1. Place your (beef) bacon on a parchment lined sheet pan and place in a cold oven. Turn the oven on to 400°F. The bacon should be crispy roughly when the oven reaches temperature. Allow the bacon to cool and chop in to small pieces and put to the side.

  2. In a large sauté pan add about a ½ inch of vegetable oil and add your onions. Sauté the onions over low heat until they are dark brown.

  3. Add the garlic, mushrooms, and celery to the pan with the onions and continue to cook until the celery and mushrooms begin to brown.

  4. In a large mixing bowl add the bread, vegetables, bacon, eggs, stock and sage. Stir to combine. Allow the mixture to sit covered in the refrigerator to hydrate for two hours to overnight.

  5. Place enough stuffing to fill your waffle iron to fill it up and cook until crispy. Serve immediately or keep warm in a 200°F oven. Top with your favorite gravy and enjoy.

 

Spaghetti Squash Apple Date Kugel

Happy New Year 5783! Rosh Hashanah is HERE, ya’ll!

This recipe, Spaghetti Squash Apple Date Kugel is such a great side dish to serve for your yom tov table. It combines apples of course to symbolize the Jewish New Year, dipping apples into honey as part of the Rosh Hashanah seder meal. “T’marim”, is the Hebrew word for dates, which uses the root word “tam” meaning “to end” – hoping that our enemies will “end” or be eliminated.  And dates are also one of the Seven Species of Israel.

I love using spaghetti squash as the base of this kugel/pudding because not only does it mimic noodles, but it’s a great low-carb and gluten-free option and so much easier than scrubbing, peeling and shredded a whole bunch of potatoes (or use your food processor for that). It’s easy to roast in the oven OR you can pop it in the microwave for 6-7 minutes for a quicker option. Even though I added the apples and dates, it’s a relatively small amount so it’s still lower in carbs, but feel free to omit the dates if you’re on keto or sub the apples for jicama (though apples do have a good amount of fiber, so a little apple here and there is good for you). 🙂

So there you have it! Another kugel recipe to add to your table – whether for Rosh Hashanah or on a fall Shabbat afternoon lunch.

Wishing you all a Kesiva V’Chasima Tova – Shana Tovah! See ya’ll next year!

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Spaghetti Squash Apple Date Kugel
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Holiday
Keyword: rosh hashanah
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 Spaghetti Squash (halved and seeds removed)
  • 1/3 cup Sugar, or sugar substitute
  • 1 Large Apple, diced Or 2 small apples
  • 3 Eggs (large)
  • 2 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1/4 Dates, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp Allspice, or apple pie spice
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 400F

  2. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds

  3. Roast for 40 minutes, let cool and scoop out the squash into a large bowl

  4. Lower oven to 375F

  5. Mix in the eggs, sugar, diced apples, dates and spices

  6. Spray an 8x8 baking dish with non-stick spray

  7. Pour into baking dish and bake for 40-45 min until set and golden brown

  8. Serve at any temp - YUM!

Maple Pecan Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

Maple Pecan Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

Thanksgiving is almost upon us, and one thing I like to do is try and elevate some of my dishes.  I take a dish that I would make for any Friday night and give it a little more pizzazz. Sweet potatoes are a classic fall side dish. They have so more potential than being simply roasted or mashed and baked in a casserole with marshmallows on top. 

First thing you can do is a add some warm fall spices to your mash. Flavors such as cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg will give your sweet potatoes a nice zing. If you really like it you also add some clove, but use it sparingly as it can easily overtake a dish.  Adding a bit of maple syrup for some complex sweetness wouldn’t be a bad thing either. Just please do not use “pancake syrup.” If you don’t have real maple syrup you can use honey in a pinch. The pecans also give some nice textural contrast to what is otherwise a fairly mushy dish.

By piping the sweet potato back in to the skin you get a fun presentation.  When you make individual portions as opposed to a large casserole, it seems a little more special and brings a little bit extra to your holiday table. This will be a dish that deserves a place right next to your beautifully  cooked turkey (or duck if you want to do something a little different). Just don’t let me catch you putting them next to the cranberry sauce that still looks like the can.

Also, please don’t call them yams. Sweet potatoes and yams are two different things. Don’t forget to check out Rachel’s latest Thanksgiving recipe: Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cornbread or our other Thanksgiving recipes. Finally, let us know how you make Thanksgiving special or just something are thankful for in the comments.

 

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Maple Pecan Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
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Maple Pecan Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs
Cooling Time
4 hrs
 

A tasty side dish for your Thanksgiving table

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Holiday, Kosher, Thanksgiving
Keyword: Holiday, Sweet Potatoes, Thanksgiving
Servings: 6 People
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 6 Large Sweet Potatoes
  • 1 Stick Butter or Margarine
  • 1 tbsp Cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp Ginger
  • 1 tbsp Nutmeg
  • Salt and Pepper To taste
  • Real Maple Syrup For brushing on top of your sweet potatoes
  • 48 Whole Pecans
Instructions

  1. Position a rack in your oven in the farthest position from the heat source that still allows you to enough space for a baking sheet loaded with sweet potatoes. If the heating element is on the bottom place your rack towards the top, and if the heating element is on the bottom then place the rack towards the bottom. This helps the sweet potatoes bake more evenly.

  2. Preheat your oven to 350°F.

  3. Wash the outside of your sweet potatoes and place them whole on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

  4. Bake until a paring knife easily goes through your largest potato, about a 1 ½ hours. Be careful to try and pierce the sweet potato as close to center as possible as you will be splitting the potato and reusing the skin later.

  5. Allow your sweet potatoes to cool completely. Then cut them in half the long way and scoop out the flesh, being careful not tear the skin, and add it to a large mixing bowl.

  6. Preheat the oven to 350°F again.

  7. Add the butter (or margarine), cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, and pepper to the sweet potato flesh and mash until smooth.

  8. Place the sweet potato mixture in a piping bag. Place the skins on parchment lined baking sheet and and use the piping bag to refill the skins. It should fill about 6 skins. If you are feeling fancy, use different tips to a cool design.

  9. Brush the top of each sweet potato with maple syrup and artfully place 8 pecans on each sweet potato . Then brush the pecans with maple syrup.

  10. Bake until the the top starts to brown, about 30 minutes, and serve immediately.

 

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cornbread

As promised, here’s a new recipe to add to your Thanksgiving collection! What better way to ring in a Thanksgiving feast then pulling out a cast iron pan to make my (gluten-free) Pumpkin Cornbread! And it just feels so right to marry these two together. Just a disclaimer here, I didn’t end up using a full can of pumpkin puree because it made the cornbread a bit dense. But if you like that or you don’t want to save the excess pumpkin in your fridge, by all means, go for it.

And since usually when we all look up recipes online, we skip the text and scroll right to the recipe, so here ya go! Keeping this short and sweet, because well, pumpkin cornbread doesn’t need all the extra fanfare. We all know it’s delish. Just add some honey (or honey butter) on top, and it’s autumn perfection.

Enjoy!

Check out some other MYV Thanksgiving recipes here! And one of my personal favorites…

Ginger Lime Cranberry Sauce

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Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cornbread
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
 
Course: Side
Servings: 8 servings
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups Cornmeal
  • 1 cup Almond Flour
  • 1 tbsp Baking Powder
  • 3/4 tsp Sea Salt
  • Dash of Cinnamon I didn't measure here, I just sprinkled some in! You could also add in some ginger too for a kick!
  • 1 cup Pumpkin Puree Not pumpkin pie filling
  • 1 cup Almond Milk
  • 1/3 cup Oil I used Avocado oil for its neutral flavor but you can also use olive oil or (refined) coconut oil. The refined coconut oil tastes less "coconutty". Or you could use butter if you're making this dairy
  • 1/3 cup Honey
  • 2 Eggs
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 350F.

  2. In a large bowl, mix all of of the dry ingredients together

  3. In a separate large bowl, mix the wet ingredients together

  4. Add the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and make sure not to overmix

  5. Lightly grease a cast iron pan and pour in the batter and smooth around the pan using your hands or the back of a spoon

  6. Bake for 30-35 minutes

  7. Cut into slices and drizzle with honey if desired. I like it best served warm, especially because the honey sinks into the cornbread, YUM! Or, if you're making this dairy, you could mix a little softened butter with honey and add a pat of honey butter to the top of your slice!

Sausage, Egg & Cheese Casserole

Sausage, Egg & Cheese Casserole

Hello friends! And almost Happy Shavout! Now, I know the title of this may may sound a little odd, but don’t worry, I’m using meatless meat here, specifically the Beyond Meat, to make this awesomely-easy Sausage Egg & Cheese Casserole, your newest savory dairy kugel for the upcoming holiday!

Spin on a classic breakfast Sandwich

If you’re not into using the parve meat, you can most definitely make this without it, but it definitely amps up the flavor and makes this a hearty side dish, otherwise, you’re just doing well, egg and cheese. Although there is nothing wrong with that combo.

For this year’s Shavuot recipes, I’m aiming for something easy. A throw-in-the-oven and don’t-think-about-it kind of dish. This casserole is just that. I browned the Beyond Beef on the stove, adding some salt, pepper and cumin. breaking it up with a wooden spoon until it was crumbly like sausage. Then I whisked the eggs, cream, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl. I added the “beef” into a greased pan, topped with cheddar cheese and poured the egg and cream mixture on top. I also added in some pickled jalapenos just for fun. But that’s optional!

Leftover Magic

The great thing about this casserole, or kugel is that it’s great hot, room temp or even cold. It reheats well and you can even freeze leftovers!

What’s even more fun? Reheat this (at 325 for about 10 minutes) for the last days of yomtov, toast up some bagels and cut a few pieces of this casserole into thin slices and you’ve got yourself a “sausage, egg & cheese bagel”.

Chag Sameach! Now, let the dairy fest begin!

Want some more Shavuot recipes? Check out some past posts from Meat Your Vegetables here:

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Sausage, Egg & Cheese Casserole
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
 
Course: Brunch, Side Dish
Servings: 12 servings
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 16 oz. Package of Beyond Beef If you have parve "sausages" like the Beyond Meat Sausage, those would be delish here! Just chop 'em up!
  • 8 Large Eggs
  • 1/4 cup Heavy Cream
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Pepper
  • 2 Garlic cloves, minced Or, I "pressed" them through my microplane zester. So much easier than mincing!
  • 1 handful Pickled jalapenos Optional, or add in fresh hot peppers if you have them! You could also add thinly sliced red onion, green pepper, or mushrooms
  • 1 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
  • 2 Green onions, thinly sliced For garnish
Instructions

  1. In a medium-sized skillet, brown the beyond beef. Use a wooden spoon to break up the meat into small chunks, like sausage. Add 1/4 salt and 1/4 pepper and cook for about 10 min.

  2. Pre-heat oven to 350F.

  3. While the meat is browning, crack the eggs into a medium/large bowl. Add in the cream, garlic, salt and pepper.

  4. When the meat is done, add it to a greased 9.5 x 9.5" pan.

  5. Sprinkle the cheese over the "sausage" then add in a handful of pickled jalapenos and pour the egg and cream mixture.

  6. Make sure the cream mixture is incorporated into all nooks and crannies of the casserole. You might need to use your hands to make sure all spots are covered, but it doesn't have to be perfect.

  7. Bake for 35 minutes.

  8. Let the casserole cool, then cut into squares and garnish with sliced green onions. Enjoy!

Meatless-stuffed Eggplant with Cilantro Tahini Sauce

There are many classic culinary pairings: lemon and blueberry, tomato and basil and the good ‘ole, eggplant and tahini. Well, you can also add in other pairings with eggplant like ground beef or lamb (or Beyond Meat in my case), parsley, lemon, garlic.. oh the list can go on and on.

Momspiration!

A few weeks ago, Ellie and I traveled to Kansas City to visit my parents and see my brother and his family who also came to visit. While I wasn’t planning any blog posts that week, I ended up getting a big dose of inspiration!

My mom makes this roasted eggplant dish, topped with tahini, for her Shabbat lunch lately and it’s a hit! Thanks mom, for the “food/mom-spiration” for my post: Meatless-stuffed Eggplant with Tahini Sauce – a perfect dish for #meatlessmondays!

She makes hers as more of a side, rather than a main meal that accompany’s her extravagant Shabbat meals. Such Shabbat food at the Katzman house might consist of grilled salmon, lamb and white bean stew, beet and mango salad and endless amounts of warm challah and chilled wine. Just sitting here typing this, I can smell the kitchen on Shabbat morning with the smell of garlic and rosemary in the stew. #YUM

Impressing your Friends

You can absolutely make this with the intention of a side dish, but I thought, “why not add some protein and make this into a full meal?” It’s just one extra step that really packs a flavor punch. I also added some warm, aromatic Indian-inspired spices to this dish (allspice, cinnamon and cumin), all while truly fulfilling my current Israeli-food kick.

In case you’re wondering, I used the ground Beyond Meat (the one that comes in the square packaging, not the burger patties). But by all means, this would be incredibly delish (or assuming my meat-eating friends and family would say so), with ground beef or lamb. Plus, it re-heats nicely, so it’s a great addition to your menu anytime of the week!

Feel free to make the beef mixture ahead of time before roasting the eggplant, if that helps you save some time.

And the tahini sauce will keep in the fridge for about 2 weeks and it’s great on pretty much on, well, anything. 🙂

Happy summer-eating!

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Meatless-stuffed Eggplant
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
 
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Israeli
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 2 Large eggplants, halved and stems removed
  • Salt
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 Medium-sized yellow onion, diced
  • 2 Garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups Ground Beyond Meat Or, use real ground beef or lamb!!
  • 1 tsp Ground Allspice
  • 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp Ground Cumin
  • 1/2 cup Fresh Cilantro, roughly chopped Or use parsley if that's more your jam! I had cilantro in the fridge so that's what I used
  • 1/4 cup Pine nuts, toasted
  • 1/2 Lemon
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 425F and place parchment paper in a casserole dish

  2. Place the eggplant, flesh side up, on a large tray. Sprinkle the top with salt and set aside for 20 minutes. Working in the sink, gently squeeze the eggplant and wipe the tops of the eggplant dry

  3. Cut a cross-hatch pattern into the eggplant flesh then brush with a little bit of olive oil. Lay the eggplant in the casserole dish, flesh-side down. Drizzle a little more extra virgin olive oil on top (you can also use a pastry brush to slather the oil all over the eggplant, so you have more control of how much oil is being used)

  4. Roast the eggplant for 30 minutes or until flesh is tender and golden brown (but not burnt)

  5. While eggplant is in the oven, make the meat stuffing mixture

  6. In a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Add ground Beyond Beef (or ground beef or lamb, if using) diced onions and garlic

  7. Brown the Beyond Meat mixture over medium-high heat until for 3-5 minutes. Season the with salt and pepper, allspice, cinnamon and cumin, Remove from heat

  8. Mix well and adjust seasonings as needed

  9. When eggplant is done roasting, remove from oven and set aside for a few minutes. Lower oven to 375F

  10. Using a spoon, gently push the eggplant flesh to make room for the meat mixture. Spoon the meat mixture to top the eggplant halves and top with the pine nuts

  11. Cover the casserole dish with foil. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes

  12. Top the eggplants with a good squeeze of lemon and drizzle the tahini dressing on top. Garnish with extra chopped parsley or cilantro and even some green onions if you want. These are from my porch garden! Serve warm with extra tahini dressing on the side, some hot sauce and a crusty piece of challah!

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Cilantro Tahini Sauce
Course: Condiment
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 2 Garlic Cloves, peeled, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 3/4 cup Tahini
  • 1/4 tsp Pepper
  • 1 Lemon, zested and juiced
  • 1/4 cup Cold water, to thin out the sauce The tahini will solidify in the fridge, especially if yours is pretty dry, so make sure you have enough water on hand to thin it out to the consistency that you'd like. Or you can add a boat-load of lemon juice to thin it out, like I did. Because ya'll know, I LOVE lemon!
  • 1 cup Fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped Or add parsley instead!
Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until all ingredients are combined

  2. Add water if the tahini sauce is too thick

  3. Serve drizzled on top of the roasted eggplant or serve with pita chips and veggies for an Israeli chips and dip!

Cauliflower Risotto with Lime and Sumac

A while back (yes, WAY before COVID hit), I had some work friends over for Shabbat dinner. And before you ask, yes, indeed, they wanted to come enjoy Shabbat with us! So of course I had to spend time putting together a great menu. And my cauliflower rice with coconut milk and lime came to the forefront of my mind. This rice dish is more of a risotto since the coconut milk gives it a rich and creamy base to soak up all of the cauliflower rice and the lime adds a pop of acidity and a brightness of flavor.

But, when I was gifted a copy of Adeena Sussman’s new cookbook “Sababa“, which I am completely obsessed with, I got a TON of inspiration from all of her totally approachable recipes for modern Israeli food. And no, I am not getting paid to promote her book, I just love it THAT much. But it was her love of sumac made me think, “why not add in some sumac into my cauliflower risotto? That’ll be a great addition with the acidity of the lime – plus it’ll look pretty in the dish”. And there ya, go, the dish was born.

Su-WHAT?

Sumac is a fuchsia-colored (sometimes dark reddish) powdered spice that comes from the crushed seeds of the sumac shrub. It’s used primarily in Middle Eastern dishes and has a distinctly tart, lemony flavor. If you’re ever in the Shuk market anywhere in Israel, you’ll see heaping mounds of Sumac alongside many other spices, piled high into enormous peaks – a truly memorable experience!

Whether you’re trying to cut back on carbs or want a lighter side dish to serve alongside chicken or fish, this cauliflower risotto with lime and sumac would pair perfectly and it comes to together so quickly, in under 30 minutes.

I also added sliced green onions and pomegranate seeds on top, not only for a pretty garnish but the sharpness of the green onions balances with the sweetness of the pomegranate and it all just works so well together. But feel free to experiment! Try sliced toasted almonds, or some sliced dried apricots. Once the dish is complete, I always add one last extra squeeze of lime, just to brighten up all of the flavors and marry everything together for the perfect bite.

Or…you could do a total 180 and make this a sweet dish!  Adding some sugar and cinnamon to the cauliflower rice and coconut milk or even garnishing with sliced almonds and chocolate chips. WUT?? It’s basically a coconut chocolate rice pudding. BAM. Now THAT is what I love about using versatile ingredients like cauliflower and coconut! And honestly, using the cauliflower won’t be too overpowering, if you add sugar and some cinnamon and vanilla extract. You know me, I’m always encouraging ya’ll to experiment and play with your food in the kitchen.

Enjoy, stay safe and happy eating!

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Cauliflower Risotto with lime and sumac
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
 
Course: Side Dish
Servings: 4 people
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 12 oz Bag of Frozen Cauliflower rice, thawed I love using the Trader Joe's brand - I keep a bunch stocked in my freezer!
  • 1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 13.5 oz Can of Full-fat Coconut Milk Same thing here - I keep a bunch in my pantry. I also love Trader Joe's brand
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Pepper
  • 1/4 tsp Dried Sumac
  • 1 Lime, with zest and juice
  • 3 Green onions, sliced thinly
  • 3-4 tbsp Pomegranate seeds Add more if you like, this is just about a handful
Instructions

  1. Heat a large saute pan with a small drizzle of olive oil

  2. Add the cauliflower rice and the coconut milk (add both the milk and the coconut cream that collects on the top of the can) on medium heat.cook for about 15-20 minutes until thick and creamy

  3. Add in the salt, pepper, sumac and lime zest and juice and cook for about 15-20 minutes until thick and creamy

  4. Garnish with sliced green onions and pomegranate seeds

 

Blistered Green Bean & Tomato Salad with Basil Garlic Dressing

Hooray for easy #quarantine recipes!

Here’s the scoop. Since we’re all continuing to spend more time at home, I think we’re all looking for easy meals to make, especially while some of you are juggling Zoom meetings, screaming kids and perhaps trying to stay sane. Well, today, I’m giving you an incredibly easy (under 20 min) that is a healthy side dish for Shabbat or any day of the week. This Blistered Green Bean & Tomato Salad with Basil Garlic Dressing is just what the doctor ordered. Well, you know what I mean. 🙂

The trick to making this dish is to get your pan screaming hot. And once you add in the green beans and tomatoes, don’t move them around just yet. Wait a few minutes for them to get a little charred and blistered and the tomatoes have started bursting. I added pomegranate vinegar for a hint of sweetness (you can find it at Trader Joe’s – here’s hoping they still have it)! But fear not, you can use apple cider vinegar, or rice wine vinegar would be delicious too. Then add in some olive oil, salt and pepper, and a BIG squeeze of lemon. Because as we know, everything is better with a squeeze of lemon.

Have more time on your hands? Add in some roasted garlic to the dressing instead of raw garlic. This will bring an additional sweetness and mellow out the garlic a bit.

My Holy Grail Dressing

Full disclosure about this dressing. I can eat it on EVERYTHING. Okay, maybe that’s a bit of a stretch, but this dressing is so versatile! It’s great as a salad dressing, a dip for veggies or tortilla chips, would be perfect for a summer pasta salad, or you can even slather it on chicken or salmon before roasting in the oven, since it’s dairy-free! I also like to make this dressing base and add in other herbs like dill and parsley for a homemade ranch dressing. My husband will typically find me dipping practically anything I can find in our fridge, into this dressing. And he might also find me licking my bowl clean (#sorrynotsorry).

Remember when I said this dish was so quick, it can be made in under 20 minutes? While the green beans and tomatoes are getting charred in the pan, this is your chance to make the dressing. Can we say #multitasking? It truly takes about 5 minute and some of the ingredients like lemon, salt and pepper are used for both ingredients, so less trips to the fridge.

That’s it, folks. Easy, yet impressive-looking side dish that you might want to serve for this upcoming Shabbat lunch, or for your next picnic (only if you’re social distancing, that is). It also holds well in the fridge the next day, though the beans won’t be crispy, but I think this side is perfect served warm, room temp or cold.

Enjoy making this Blistered Green Bean & Tomato Salad with Basil Garlic Dressing – and hope ya’ll are staying safe!

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Blistered Green Bean & Tomato Salad with Basil Garlic Dressing
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
 
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Servings: 4 people
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
Blistered Green Bean & Tomato Salad
  • 1/2 lbs. Green Beans, trimmed
  • 1 pint Cherry tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp Pomegranate Vinegar Or use apple cider or rice wine vinegar
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Pepper
  • 1/2 Lemon
Basil Garlic Dressing
  • 2 Eggs, organic and pasture raised
  • 1-2 Garlic cloves
  • 1/2 cup Fresh basil, rinsed
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Pepper
  • 1/4 tsp Truffle and parsley seasoning Totally optional but it's SO good in this dressing!
  • 1 cup Avocado oil Or use another neutral-flavored oil, such as light olive oil, or if you're keto, use MCT oil!
  • 1/2 Lemon Use the other half of the lemon you cut for the green beans
Instructions
Blistered Green Beans & Tomatoes

  1. Pre-heat a large skillet until it's screaming hot

  2. Add in the olive oil, green beans and tomatoes and DO not move for a few minutes until the veggies are starting to blister and tomatoes are starting to burst

  3. Mix the veggies until all are getting equal heat, another 10 minutes until slightly charred

  4. Add in the vinegar and salt, pepper

  5. Finish with a squeeze of lemon

  6. While beans are cooling slightly, make the dressing

Basil Garlic Dressing

  1. In the jar of an immersion blender, add the eggs, garlic, salt, pepper, truffle seasoning, basil and oil

  2. Place the immersion blender all the way to the bottom of the jar and start blending, without moving the blender

  3. Once the mixture starts to emulsify, after about 10-15 seconds, slowly move the blender up to the middle and top of the blender cup, making sure all of the oil is incorporated

  4. Blend for another 20-30 seconds until it's thickened and it look like mayo!

  5. Plate the green beans and tomatoes in a large bowl and add 2 tablespoons of the dressing (to start, you can always add more, but you don't want the dressing to drown the green beans)

  6. Plate the side dish on a large serving platter and squeeze some more lemon, if you'd like

  7. This dish is great served warm, room temp or even cold!

 

Passover Basics: Quick Carrots With a Little Something Extra

Passover Kumquat CarrotsDid you ever come across an item in the grocery store that you you aren’t sure what you are going to do with, but you know you have to try. Last week when I was doing my Passover produce shopping, I came across kumquats. Kumquats are miniature oranges that are eaten whole (peel and seeds included) and are quite tart. I love citrus fruits in general, but have never had the chance to try kumquats. When I saw them I knew I had to buy them and figure out what to do with them later.

In keeping with the  theme of keeping it simple this year, I wanted to create another easy recipe that is quick and can be made the day before. Carrots are a tasty vegetarian side dish and by adding some sweetness hopefully even your kids will eat them. I know kumquats can be hard to find and can be left out of this recipe without any major issues.  If you like the tartness kumquats provide, but you can’t find them, add a tablespoon of lemon juice to the recipe. If you find the recipe to sweet without the kumquats use less honey. The recipe also calls for cinnamon and ginger which also add some complexity to the dish. If those flavors offend you (or your children) feel free to omit them as well.

Quick tip: If you don’t want to bother peeling and cutting carrots, use packaged baby carrots instead. I personally prefer regular carrots, as I find baby carrots have a funny taste and texture but they will work in a pinch.

Here are some of our other kosher for Passover recipes:

Honey Roasted Chicken

Seder Roast

Sweet Potato Knishes

Herby Cabbage Salad Perfect for Passover

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Passover Kumquat Carrots
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Quick Carrots With a Little Something Extra
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
 

A quick and easy side dish great for any occasion with a little something extra. This recipe can be made without even turning on the oven. This recipe calls for the option of adding kumquats, a miniature orange that can be somewhat tart, but if you can't find them you can leave them out. It also calls for cinnamon and ginger, but if you don't like either of those feel free to leave them out as well.

Course: Side Dish, Vegetable
Cuisine: American, Jewish
Keyword: carrots, Passover
Servings: 4 Servings
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 1 lb Carrots 1 Bag
  • 3/4 Cup Orange Juice
  • 1/4 Cup Honey
  • Salt To taste
  • Pepper To taste
  • 1/2 tsp Ground Ginger Optional
  • 1/2 tsp Cinnamon Optional
  • 25 Kumquats Optional
Instructions

  1. Peel the carrots and cut in to ½ inch thick coins. If you want to get fancy, cut them on a diagonal.

  2. If you are adding the kumquats slice them in half and arrange them neatly in the saute pan, cut side down. Cook over medium heat until the kumquats begin to brown.

  3. Add the carrots along with the orange juice and the honey to the pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, add the cinnamon and/or ginger at this point.

  4. Cook until the liquid in the pan thickens to a sauce and the carrots begin to soften, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately or store in the an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

 

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