Olive Oil Persimmon Cake & Hanukkah GIVEAWAY!

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

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

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

Introducing, Persimmons

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

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

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

Hanukkah Giveaway!

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

Good luck, and have a Chag Hanukkah Sameach!

0 from 0 votes
Olive Oil Persimmon Cake
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
 
Course: Dessert
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 6 Large Eggs
  • 3/4 Cup Coconut Flour
  • 1 Cup Sugar
  • 1 Cup Olive Oil
  • 2 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
  • 2 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 3 Fuyu Persimmons, diced Use apples or pears instead!
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 350F and grease a 9" springform cake pan

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

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

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

  5. Add in the diced persimmon and mix

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

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

 

Blueberry Lemon Beignets and a Hanukkah Giveaway

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

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

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

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

Beignet Recipe

0 from 0 votes
beignets
Blueberry and Lemon Beignets
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Dough Chilling
2 hrs
 

A tasty New Orleans treat perfect for your Chanukah party

Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: Creole, French, Kosher, New Orleans
Keyword: Beignets, Chanuka , Chanukah, Chanukkah , Donut, Doughnut, Hannukah, Hanukah, kosher
Servings: 24 Beignets
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
Beignets
  • 3 Cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 Cup (Soy) Milk
  • 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1 Envelope Active Dry Yeast About 2 1/4 tsp
  • 1 Large Egg
  • 1/2 Cup Shortening Softened
  • 1 Tsp Kosher Salt
Blueberry Filling
  • 4 Cups Frozen Blueberries
  • 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 1/4 Cup Corn Starch
  • 1/4 Cup Cold Water
Lemon Icing
  • 3 Tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 1.5 Cups Powdered Sugar
Instructions
Make the Beignet Dough
  1. Warm your (soy) milk in a pot or the microwave to about 110°F. It should be warm but not hot. Ideally use a thermometer. Pour the (soy) milk in to a mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer and add the yeast. Stir to combine. Allow the yeast to bloom until it stars to foam.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Giveaway

Giveaway

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Checkout some more of our Hanukkah recipes:

Boozy Eggnog Custard Filled Doughnuts

Potato Latke Waffles

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

Jalapeno Cheddar Cauliflower Latkes With Salsa Verde Sour Cream

Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies

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

Almond BUTTER?!?

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

A spin on tradition

All kidding aside (love you Minty), this recipe is beyond easy, and yet it’s so versatile. I like the addition of the chocolate chips since it gives it a bit of texture throughout, and the sprinkle of sea salt just brings out all of the rich chocolatey flavors.
This is a great dessert for a Shabbat table, or even for your Thanksgiving meal. If you want to go the traditional way and still make pumpkin pie, hey, who am I to mess with tradition? I’m just a big fan of whipping up a crowd-pleasing dessert in under 45 min, start to finish. But you know me, I just love to put spins on traditional food – my way!
A quick tip for making these brownies: since the cocoa powder has a tendency to just fly everywhere, you can add all the ingredients into a blender or food processor, instead of hand-mixing. It’ll also give your brownies a smooth texture, if you prefer that. But make sure to add in the chocolate chips after you blend the batter.
Hope ya’ll are staying healthy and safe! And even if you’re Thanksgiving plans are just set for a table for 2 (like they will be at my house), that means we can keep these brownies all to ourselves, HA!
Happy holidays!
0 from 0 votes
Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
 
Course: Dessert
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 2 15 oz. Cans of Pumpkin Puree NOT pumpkin pie filling
  • 1 1/2 cups Cocoa Powder
  • 1 1/2 cups Unsweetened Almond Butter Cashew Butter would be good in this too. I like almond butter for this because it's a mild flavor and pairs well with pumpkin and chocolate
  • 1 cup Sugar, or sugar substitute I prefer Swerve sugar substitute brand, or the Monkfruit from Thrive Market
  • 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
  • 1/4 tsp Sea Salt Optional, but will help bring out all of the flavors, plus it looks pretty 🙂
  • 1 cup Chocolate chips Optional, for extra chocolatey goodness
Instructions
  1. Pre heat oven to 350°F and line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper

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

  3. Fold the chocolate chips into the batter

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

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

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

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

Sea Salt Caramel Crème Brulee

Cocoa Nib Biscotti

Dairy-Free Maple Cinnamon Custard

Lemon Bars

Vegetarian Tom Kha Gai (Thai Coconut Soup)

Since Sukkot is just around the corner (yup, starts this Friday night), Daniel and I thought “why not a soup challenge”?

Well, you may not have asked, but we answered! I present to you, Vegetarian Tom Kha Gai (Thai Coconut Soup). This soup is total comfort in a bowl – warming aromatics, earthy, umami flavors and a perfect blend of spice and brightness of acidity. To be honest, any kind of hot soup is perfect for a chilly night in the Sukkah, but this one will warm your whole body with the bold spices.

Currently craving…

Maybe it’s because Daniel made his Thai basil chicken tacos recipe a few weeks ago but lately I’ve just been craving Thai food.  The kind of spice that isn’t too overpowering but you feel that heat develop with each bite. That’s what I’ve been wanting lately!

I had all of these ingredients at home already, so if you’re like me, you may only need to get a few extras. I stock up on coconut milk and coconut cream (mostly from Trader Joe’s) to use as a parve “cream” for soups, or desserts! And the fresh lime just takes it over the top with the perfect acidity punch. If you’re wondering where to find Thai red curry paste, I snagged some at The Spice House in Evanston. Note – be sure to check their Milwaukee catalog if you’d like to confirm what’s kosher.

And since it was tricky for me to find kosher Thai red curry paste, I made my own! It’s super easy to make with ingredients you probably already have. And for the fish sauce? I got the Red Boat certified kosher (OK) on Amazon, but if you don’t have it, you can substitute soy sauce, coconut aminos or Worcestershire sauce. if you use Worcestershire sauce, you’ll still get a good “funk” that’s needed, but not as much from soy sauce or coconut aminos, but it’ll still give a nice umami flavor. Feel free to top your soup with a drizzle of fish sauce along with sliced green onions, cilantro and squeeze of lime.

My twist on tradition (as usual)

This soup is traditionally made with chicken but I decided to omit it and make it parve. The mushrooms really give a nice meaty flavor and you don’t miss the meat at all, especially with SO much flavor! But if you prefer to make this a fleishig soup, use chicken broth and add in some chicken breasts when you add in the stock and coconut milk. You can also top this soup with more sliced chilies, if you want more of a PUNCH. Of course, if you DO use chicken for this recipe, make sure to substitute the fish sauce for soy sauce or coconut aminos, or if you can find fish-free Worcestershire sauce, by all means, do it!

Another part of the traditional recipe includes galangal (Thai ginger, but I used regular ginger) and Kefir lime leaves. You can get some dried online or you can find it in specialty stores, but using regular limes for this recipe is totally acceptable – that’s that’s what I did. 🙂

When I made the soup to take photos, I basically inhaled 2 bowls of it. And no, I’m not ashamed of that!  It was incredibly satisfying and the perfect amount of heat. Shockingly, my husband Elliott actually tried it! Knowing that he hates mushrooms (or maybe he wasn’t sure what was in it), he didn’t hate it! That’s a win in my book – always.

Oh, and don’t judge my very obvious old and faded cutting board. I guess it’s time for a new one? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Chag Sameach everyone! May your Sukkot holiday be filled with good food and good company (for those who ARE having company over).

0 from 0 votes
Vegetarian Tom Kha Gai (Thai Coconut Soup)
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
 
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Thai
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
Thai Red Curry Paste
  • 1 tbsp. Red Curry Powder
  • 1 tbsp. Fish Sauce Or substitute soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp. Neutral Oil, like avocado oil
  • Squeeze of half a lime
Soup
  • 1 tbsp. Coconut oil
  • 1/2 large onion, diced Or 1 small-medium onion, diced
  • 2 Garlic cloves, peeled and diced
  • 1/2 Jalapeno, seeded (if you want less heat) and minced Or use a 3-4 Thai chilies, minced
  • 1 Inch piece of ginger, peeled and diced
  • 1 Lemongrass stalk Remove the tough outer stalks and cut off the root. Then pound it with a meat mallet or with the side of a knife and cut into 2-inch long pieces, this helps release the natural oils! If you can't find lemongrass, you can substitute lemon zest!
  • Red Thai Curry Paste See recipe above
  • 4 cups Vegetable stock Or use chicken stock if you're making this soup Fleishigs and not parve.
  • 4 cups Canned full-fat coconut milk About 2 cans' worth
  • 8 oz. mushroom caps Use any type you want, I happened to have a "fancy mix" on hand - baby bella and shiitake
  • 2-3 tbsp. Fresh lime juice
  • 2-3 Green onions, sliced thin on a diagonal Ya know, because they look pretty
  • 1 handful Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 Lime, for garnish and squeezing on top of your soup If you're like me and LOVE acidity, add more!
Instructions
  1. In a medium pot, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. I ended up using my Instant Pot since I can sauté right in the container and then switch to soup mode

  2. Add the onion, garlic, Thai chilies (or jalapeno, if using), ginger, lemongrass, mushrooms and red curry paste

  3. Stir for about 5 minutes or until onions and mushrooms are softened

  4. Add the vegetable broth and coconut milk and bring to a boil

  5. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Or, if you're cooking in your Instant Pot, press "soup" mode and cook for 30 minutes

  6. Once soup is ready, ladle into bowls and top with sliced green onion, fresh chopped cilantro and a big squeeze of fresh lime! Feel free to add a drizzle of fish sauce too, for an extra "funk"!

Tornado Potatoes with Spicy Basil Oil

It’s a BASIL challenge!

It’s been a hot (potato) minute since Daniel and I decided to do an ingredient challenge, since we’ve both been dabbling in the herb and veggie growing scene since the start of the pandemic. Truthfully, the basil challenge was my husband’s idea, since we’re both growing several types of basil, it just made sense for us to highlight this sweet, licorice-scented herb! So thanks Ellie!

In my outdoor patio garden, I’m growing sweet basil, purple basil and lemon basil so clearly I had enough to work with, though my plants are not as abundant as Mr. Peikes’, but he was kind enough to let me snag some of his sweet basil that was growing like crazy!

A Dish is Born

Any of you out there like me, that scour through cookbooks just to get inspired for my next dish? I could spend HOURS just reading 1 cookbook, thinking how I can re-invent this dish, or make it kosher, or spruce it up with different herbs or spices. And that’s exactly what I found with these Tornado Potatoes with Spicy Basil Oil.

Reading through one of BuzzFeed’s Tasty cookbooks, I found a recipe for tornado potatoes and thought “what a fun spin on curly fries!” But their recipe called for melted butter and different spices. And then it hit me. Instead of drizzling melted butter, why not slather on some garlicky-basil oil?! It’s such a great way to get inspiration for a recipe but switch it up and make it your own! humble potato – an oh-so-perfect vessel to highlight basil.  Oh and I ended up using a mix of all of my different basil types, but featured the sweet basil more prominently.

Also, I learned something new today! Tornado potatoes, or “twist potatoes” or “tornado fries” are a common street food in South Korea. And I mean, talk about the perfect street food eaten on a stick. Crispy potatoes – check. Basil oil (or butter) – check. Fresh grated Parmesan cheese – check!

Recipe Notes

As always, here are my notes for this recipe.

  1. You can use either Yukon gold or russet potatoes (see the notes in the recipe block below for details)
  2. I had to practice the “tornado” spiral a few times to get it (even remotely) looking right. I suggest looking up some YouTube videos of how to get the right technique. The trick is to go slow so you get hopefully even layers. Mine aren’t perfect, but that’s okay – they came out great anyway!
  3. And if you don’t really want to both with this fancy-looking technique, use a spiralizer instead and you’ll end up with curly fries! Definitely nothing wrong with that.

Want to kick up this basil challenge even more? Try these Tornado Potatoes with Spicy Basil Oil served alongside my Basil Garlic Dressing to dip! Just a word of caution, your significant other might ban you since you’ll stink of garlic, but it might just be worth it. 😛

Don’t forget to check out Daniel’s basil post: Spicy Thai Basil Chicken Tacos

0 from 0 votes
Tornado Potatoes with Spicy Basil Oil
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
31 mins
 
Course: Appetizer
Servings: 2 potatoes
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
Tornado Potatoes
  • 2 Medium-sized Yukon Gold Potatoes You can use russet potatoes either peeled or unpeeled, just be aware they will take longer to cook
  • 1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese I prefer to buy a block of Parm and keep it in the freezer, instead of buying expensive pre-shredded. Then I just shred it over a microplane when a recipe calls for it!
  • 1 handful Chopped Basil leaves, for garnishing I take my basil leaves and roll them up into a little cigar and slice into ribbons, or "chiffonade", which makes a beautiful presentation. You can also use chopped parsley if you prefer, or don't have enough basil for garnishing
Spicy Basil Oil
  • 1/4 cup Packed, fresh basil leaves, stemmed and washed
  • 1/8 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1/2 tbsp Water
  • 1 Clove of Garlic
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1/8 tsp Crushed Red Pepper flakes Feel free to omit but it really does bring a nice heat to the basil oil and works great with the potatoes. You can always add more if you're feeling like you need a spice kick!
  • 1/4 tsp Smoked Paprika I happened to have smoked paprika on hand, but use what you got! Any type would work - Hungarian sweet, Spanish hot, or just your regular 'ole paprika!
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 325F

  2. Add the potatoes to a microwave-safe bowl and nuke for 1 - 1 1/2 minutes. Let stand for a few minutes to cool. If using russet potatoes, cook for 2 min in the microwave

  3. While the potatoes are cooking in the microwave, make the basil oil

  4. Add the basil, garlic, water, salt, red pepper flakes and paprika to the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times

  5. Add the olive oil and blend until a smooth saucy basil oil comes together

  6. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, insert a wooden skewer into the bottom of each potato and gently push all the way through to the top

  7. Using a spiral motion, hold a sharp knife at an angle, turn the potato the opposite direction of cutting and cut all the way to the skewer. Make sure to go slow and cut thin, even layers all the way down

  8. Carefully fan out the potato slices until you have even spacing throughout the "tornado" and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper

  9. Drizzle the basil oil all over the potatoes

  10. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese all over the oiled potatoes - make sure the potatoes are covered evenly with the basil oil and cheese

  11. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the potatoes are golden brown. If using russet potatoes, bake in 425F oven for 30-40 minutes until golden brown

  12. Garnish with additional basil oil and cheese and chopped fresh basil or parsley and sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese.

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!

0 from 0 votes
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!

0 from 0 votes
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!

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

Here we go again…

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

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

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

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

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

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

It’s EASY being green!

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

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

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

Wishing you all a happy, healthy and safe Shavuot!

0 from 0 votes
Key Lime Cheesecake
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
 
Course: Dessert
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
Crust
  • 2 cups Almond Flour
  • 1/3 cup Coconut Oil, melted
  • 3 tbsp Sugar Or use sugar substitute like Swerve, as I did!
No-Bake Key Lime Filling
  • 2 Medium-sized avocados (ripe)
  • 12 oz Cream cheese, softened (1 1/2 bricks) This is key - you want the cream cheese to be at room temp, otherwise you won't get a smooth filling
  • 1/4 cup Sour Cream
  • 4 Limes, zested and juiced
  • 1 cup Sugar Or use sugar substitute like Swerve, as I did!
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Make the crust: Pre-heat oven to 350F

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

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

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

  5. Bake for 10 minutes at 350F

  6. While the crust is cooling, make the filling

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

0 from 0 votes
Passover Kumquat Carrots
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.

 

“Bacon” Ranch Crack Dip

Superbowl Snacking

I know what you’re thinking. Bacon and Crack? Did Rachel fall off the deep end? Not so fast, ya’ll! Since the Superbowl is this Sunday, it seemed only fitting to make a party dip that was so addicting, it was like crack!  Seriously, look up “crack dip“, it’s a thing!

So let’s dive head-first into this (meatless) Bacon Ranch Crack Dip. Obviously we’re not talking about real bacon here. The “bacon” comes from the salty, earthy, umami flavors of… MUSHROOMS! It’s a great way to sneak some veggies into a dish for your kids (or in my case, my husband, who isn’t a big veggie eater, but sadly, he despises these delicious fungi – shhh, don’t tell him there are mushrooms in this dip)!

Easy as…mushroom bacon

This recipe is so easy to whip up for your Superbowl party or any time of year. Yes it’s a lot of fat (and very Keto-friendly), but it’s a fun spin on a typical onion dip. And maybe you get a little tired of guacamole at every party, so this is a great alternative to introduce to your party guests.

Of course if you’re not into mushrooms, you can omit them. You won’t get as much of that umami flavor bomb, but you could always add in some fake bacon bits instead. And for the record, the mushroom bacon came out insanely delicious – crispy, smoky (the shiitakes are known for their smoky flavor), and a little salty – the PERFECT addition to this creamy, cheesy dip!

I like how versatile this dip is (well, aren’t all of my recipes pretty versatile?). You can add in some caramelized onions, to add a hint of sweetness to balance out the earthy mushroom flavors. But how can you go wrong when you mix cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar cheese and ranch dressing? I mean, now you can understand the meaning behind “crack” dip, right?

True, the traditional recipes call for real bacon but I put my own twist on it! Adding the meatless mushroom “bacon”, and some freshly squeezed lemon juice for a bright pop of acidity to round out all the flavors. And for this recipe, I used Walden Farm’s Bacon Ranch Dressing. Most of the time I have my own homemade salad dressings in the fridge, but I wanted an extra kick of that salty bacon flavor so I went with it for this go-around. But if you want to add in some homemade ranch – go for it!

So whoever you’re rooting for (Go CHIEFS!!!!) and wherever you’ll be during the Superbowl this year (or not even watching it because you’ll forget about it, or just don’t care, ha), go ahead and whip up a batch of this super creamy, salty, sweet and undeniably addicting Bacon Ranch Crack Dip!

And after you made it, feel free to comment below with your thoughts! What did you add to make it more fun? Maybe a squeeze of sriracha or hot sauce? We’d love to know how you liked it!

Enjoy – and Happy Superbowl Snacking!

0 from 0 votes
Meatless "Bacon" Ranch Crack Dip
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
 
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Servings: 15 servings (1/4 cup per serving)
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup Shiitake Mushrooms Caps only - use the stems for making veggie stock! Also, shiitakes specifically have kind of a smoky flavor compared to other types of mushrooms, so they work best in this recipe
  • 2 tbsp Olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Bacon Seasoning, optional I love the brand, Flavor God, the "bacon lover's seasoning" - their spices mixes are awesome, AND Kosher!
  • 8 oz Cream Cheese 8 oz = 1 cup
  • 3/4 cup Ranch Dressing I used the Bacon Ranch dressing from Walden Farms, but use whatever you like - store bought, or homemade!
  • 1/3 cup Sour Cream
  • 1 cup Cheddar Cheese
  • 1/3 cup Green Onions, chopped
  • 1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper
  • 1/2 Lemon, halved and juiced
Instructions
  1. Make the mushroom bacon: Pre-heat the oven to 375F and line with parchment paper

  2. Remove the mushroom stems and slice the mushroom caps into thin slices

  3. Add the sliced mushrooms to the baking sheet, and drizzle the olive oil, salt and bacon seasoning (if using). Make sure the mushrooms are coated evenly, then arrange in a single layer, making sure they don't overlap

  4. Bake at 375F for 20 minutes, then flip each slice over. Return to the oven for 7 more minutes, until the mushroom caps are browned, but not burnt. They'll get crispy around the edges but even if the centers are soft, don't worry, they'll crisp up as they cool

  5. Cool the mushroom bacon for at least 15 minutes. Remove any excess oil with a towel and chop into small pieces, to use for the dip later

  6. And now, make the dip! Pre-heat the oven again but this time at 350F



  7. Heat the cream cheese slowly in the microwave until it's warmed (NOT hot) and stirs easily. I popped it in the microwave for 30 seconds, stirred, the 30 more seconds until warm and melty

  8. Pour the ranch dressing into the cream cheese, and mix until smooth, then add in the sour cream. Once mixed thoroughly, add in the cheddar, mushroom bacon, cayenne pepper, and lemon juice (but NOT the green onions)

  9. Add the dip into a 1/2 quart baking dish (or similar size) and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until hot and bubbly

  10. Garnish with the green onions and serve hot or warm with cut up veggies, tortilla chips or low carb chips or crackers!

Lemon Bars

Lemon Love

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

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

Easy Peasy, Lemon Squeezy!

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

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

Happy eating my friends!

0 from 0 votes
Lemon Bars
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
48 mins
 
Course: Dessert
Servings: 16 servings
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup Coconut Oil, or Betterine (margarine alternative) You can use butter if you want to make these dairy!
  • 1 3/4 cup Almond Flour
  • 1 cup Sugar, or Swerve sugar alternative
  • 1 tbsp Powdered sugar, or Powdered Swerve, sugar alternative
  • 1/2 cup Lemon juice, or juice from 3 lemons (or use Meyer Lemons like I did!), or use bottled
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1 tsp Lemon extract Optional, for an extra kick!
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 350F and line an 8x8" square baking pan with parchment paper

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

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

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

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

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

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