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!

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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!

Low Carb Vegan Cornbread

 

New Inspiration

A few weeks ago, a colleague of mine said to me in passing, “I have some news for you. Oh don’t worry, it’s nothing bad, I just think you’ll find it interesting.” Well, glad she made a mention that this wasn’t anything to worry about, phew! And she was right, I DID find it interesting. She had recently gone vegan (not cold turkey, but at her own pace) and wanted to pick my brain on recipes and ideas for making her cooking life easier. Granted, she’s not low-carb, but making this recipe keto-friendly was an added bonus for me!

And… this is the time in the story where the wheels in my brain start turning furiously. First, I mentioned all of the vegan recipes I had in BOTH of my blogs, Riskyveggie and of course, the vegan recipes here in MYV. Then I suggested the fantastic Megan Gilmore of Detoxinista – WOW does she have a huge repertoire of vegan recipes galore!

The wheels in my brain came to a screeching halt. And born was my Low Carb, (Keto-Friendly), Vegan Cornbread! And don’t worry, it’s still delicious, even without the dairy. Of course eggs are not vegan-friendly so I made a chia egg. It sounds weird, but the texture imitates that of an egg – really! I already had a bag of ground chia seeds (you can use flax seeds too), but if you don’t, I recommend grinding your own. Not that you can’t use chia or flax in your cornbread but it might have a strange texture, so I use ground.

Not Vegan? No Problemo!

The nice thing about this recipe too is that you can totally mix it up to what YOU like! Add in some diced jalapeno for a nice kick, or if you’re not vegan, go ahead and add some shredded cheddar and real eggs too (3 in this case). I love using nutritional yeast in vegan recipes because it gives that cheesy flavor with no dairy but added in Vitamin B6! And for those Keto fans out there, this is a great option for you – with or without the baby corn.

This side dish is a perfect accompaniment to any holiday meal, as an addition to your chili while watching football, or really, any time of year! Even for a picnic, it’s great to serve since it doesn’t require refrigeration.

This is for you, Sarah! ENJOY! Happy vegan-cooking!

Catch ya’ll in 2020!

3.25 from 4 votes
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Low Carb Vegan Cornbread
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
 
Course: Side
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Cornbread
Servings: 12 servings
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 2 cups Almond Flour
  • 1/4 cup Coconut Flour
  • 3 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 tsp Salt (or Pink Himalayan Salt, for those electrolytes!)
  • 1/2 cup Avocado oil
  • 1 tbsp Chia Seeds, preferably ground Or you can use flax seeds
  • 2 1/2 tbsp Water
  • 1/4 cup Almond Milk Or any non-dairy milk you like!
  • 25 drops Liquid Stevia
  • 1 cup Nutritional Yeast
  • 2/3 can Baby Corn, chopped
  • 1 Jalapeno, diced, seeded and ribs removed Optional - but a good kick!
Instructions

  1. Make the chia egg (egg substitute): Mix the chia (or flax) seeds, preferably ground, with the 2 1/2 tbsp water in a small bowl. Let it sit for a few minutes to thicken

  2. Pre-heat the oven to 350F and grease a 9-inch casserole dish with avocado or olive oil

  3. In a medium-sized bowl. combine the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk to remove any clumps and and set aside

  4. In a another (large) bowl combine the chia or flax egg, avocado oil, almond milk, liquid stevia, diced jalapenos (if using) and nutritional yeast. Whisk until full no lumps. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet so you have 1 thick batter

  5. Fold in the chopped baby corn and transfer all to the casserole dish

  6. Bake for 37-40 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes and slice into squares. Garnish with some green onions and non-dairy sour cream - or serve alongside chili for a hearty meal!

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

 

Pulled Beef DoughnutsWhat’s the Deal With Doughnuts

Chanukah (or Hanukkah if you prefer) is upon us. On of the things I love about Chanukah are the doughnuts (or is it donuts).  Ok, I love doughnuts any time of year, but on Chanukah I have a good excuse. Doughnuts, along with other fried foods such as latkes, are eaten on Chanukah to celebrate the miracle of one night’s worth of oil found after the Greeks invaded the Temple burning for eight nights in the menorah.

Everything is Better With Brisket

If you follow this blog,then you know one of my culinary passions is BBQ. How could I combine doughnuts and BBQ you ask? I happened to have a smoked 2nd cut brisket in freezer waiting for just such an occasion. I felt like I needed some sort of sauce to compensate for the lack of frosting or creamy filling.

This gave me the opportunity to showcase three different regional styles of BBQ sauce. You can choose to serve any or all of them. These included a spicy southwestern chipotle sauce, a sweet Dr. Pepper sauce in the Kansas City style, and finally a tangy South Carolina mustard sauce. I originally thought of adding the sauce to beef filling or tossing the doughnuts in the sauce, but after talking to some friends, I ultimately decided to keep the sauce on the side.  This allows the diner to chose the type and quantity of sauce the desire and prevents the doughnut from getting soggy.

Another goal of this recipe was to make something a little more bite sized. Smaller donuts make a great hors d’oeuvre for your holiday party or an appetizer for shabbat dinner. Originally, I planned to make doughnut holes (AKA munchkins), but soon learned they are too hard to stuff with the brisket. I eventually settled on a mini doughnut ball slightly larger than a golf ball, which worked perfectly. As I have said many times before, I am not baker so I did start with Alton Brown’s yeast doughnut recipe  and then modified it to be a bit fluffier and to make smaller, rounder doughnuts.

Don’t forget to check out Rachel’s latest Chanukah recipe for the other staple of the holiday: Potato Latke Waffles

0 from 0 votes
Pulled Beef Doughnuts
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Pulled Beef Filled Mini Doughnuts
Prep Time
4 hrs
Cook Time
4 hrs
 

A savory twist on a Chanukah treat.

Course: Appetizer, Dessert, Hors d'oeuvre, Side, Snack
Cuisine: American, Holiday, Jewish, Kosher
Keyword: Beef, brisket, Doughnut, Pulled Beef
Servings: 12 Doughnuts
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
Doughnut Dough
  • 12 oz All Purpose Flour Yes, get a scale!
  • 2 Large Eggs Beaten
  • 1/4 cup (Non-dairy) Milk I used soy milk to keep it kosher, but if you don't need it to be kosher you can use regular milk.
  • 1-1/4 oz Vegetable Shortening
  • 2 Envelopes Instant Yeast
  • 1/3 cup Warm Water About 110°F
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 cup Sugar Optional, if you want a sweet doughnut
  • Vegetable Oil For Frying. Enough to come 3" up the side of your pot.
Pulled Beef
  • 1 2nd Cut Brisket or Chuck Roast
  • 4 Cups Beef Stock Homemade would be best, but boxed will work in a pinch. You may not need all of it.
  • 1 Carrot Peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 Onion Peeled and roughly chopped
  • 3 Cloves Garlic Peeled and roughly chopped
  • Salt and Pepper To taste
Instructions
Doughnuts

  1. Add the yeast and warm water to small bowl and stir until the yeast is completely wet.

  2. In another bowl combine the (non-dairy) milk and the shortening. Microwave until the shortening is melted, about 30 seconds. Alternately, you could heat the mixture in a saucepan. Set the mixture aside to cool.

  3. In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the yeast and water mixture, the shortening and milk mixture, the salt, and the eggs, with the paddle attachment on the "stir" setting. At this point, add the sugar if you want a sweet doughnut. Slowly incorporate the flour until the mixture forms a cohesive mass.

  4. Switch to the dough hook and and knead for 5 minutes.

  5. Move the dough to an oiled bowl and cover. Allow the dough to rise on the counter until it doubles in size.

  6. Divide into 12 pieces and roll each piece in to a ball a little larger than a golf ball and allow them to rise on the counter until they double in size again.

  7. Add 3 inches of oil to a large heavy pot or dutch oven and put on the stove over medium heat. Once the oil get to 350°F, fry the doughnuts in batches on each side until golden brown.

  8. Put aside to cool.

Pulled Beef

  1. Season the brisket or chuck roast heavily with salt and pepper.

  2. Add the carrots, onions, and garlic, to a large pot or Dutch oven. Place the meat on top of the vegetables. Add enough of the beef stock to cover the meat about 3/4 of the way.

  3. Cover the pot and place the it on the stove over medium heat and allow the meat to braise until tender.

  4. Once the meat is tender, remove from the pot and allow it to rest until cool enough to handle, and shred using two forks.

  5. Using a knife, cut a slit in the doughnuts and stuff with the meat. Serve immediately with the BBQ sauce of your choice.

0 from 0 votes
Pulled Beef Doughnuts
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Chipolte BBQ Sauce
Prep Time
5 mins
 

Add a kick to your cooking

Course: Sauce
Cuisine: BBQ, Mexican, Southern
Keyword: BBQ, Chipotle, Sauce
Servings: 1 Cup
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 3/4 Cup Ketchup
  • 3 Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped These come in a small can is the Latin food section of your local grocery store.
  • 1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Dark Brown Sugar
  • 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tbsp Onion Powder
  • 1 tbsp Ground Cumin
Instructions

  1. Add all the ingredients to a small sauce pot and simmer until all the solids are dissolved.

0 from 0 votes
Pulled Beef Doughnuts
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South Carolina Mustard Sauce
Prep Time
2 mins
 

A tangy sauce from the south

Course: Sauce
Cuisine: American, Southern
Keyword: BBQ, Mustard
Servings: 1 Cup
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 1/2 Cup Yellow Mustard
  • 1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1/4 Cup Prepared Horseradish Mayo Sauce
Instructions

  1. Add all the infringements in a bowl. Stir until thoroughly combined.

5 from 1 vote
Pulled Beef Doughnuts
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Dr. Pepper BBQ Sauce
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 
Course: Sauce
Cuisine: BBQ
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 1/2 Cup Dr. Pepper Syrup You can reduce a 2L of Dr Pepper or use Soda Stream Dr. Pete Sparkling Drink Mix
  • 1 Cup Ketchup
  • 1/4 Tsp Black Pepper
  • 1/4 Cup Cider Vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp Smoked Paprika
  • 1 Tbsp Garlic powder
  • 1 Tbsp Onion Powder
  • 1 Tsp Ground Nutmeg
  • 1 Tsp Ground Cumin
  • 1/4 Cup Molasses
Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pot and simmer for about 10 minutes on low heat while stirring regularly.

 

Potato Latke Waffles

 

The Festival of…Waffles?

Hanukkah, oh Hanukkah. The holiday of…waffles?  Sure, why not? These waffles are made with potatoes, onions, egg and oil! The very BASICS of latke ingredients. So why not take the traditional latke and form it into a fun and different shape, the WAFFLE – my Potato Latke Waffles!

But before we get into the deets, can ya’ll believe that it’s already Hanukkah? I mean, it feels like yesterday that I was making my Pizza Latkes for MYV. And by the way, check those out, they’re super easy and SO good.

Food Trends

Truth be told, I’d been thinking about transforming potato latkes into waffles for a while now and my clearly my brain was already thinking ahead on the “waffle-trend” (when did waffles become trendy exactly?) when I read in the latest issue of Fleishigs Magazine that yes indeed, waffles are in. This, from a recipe excerpt of Daniella Silver’s new cookbook, “Variations“. Her “hash brown potato kugel waffles” that helped with my inspiration.

I’ve always found food trends to be a bit silly. Just like how we determine that florals are always in for spring (“florals for spring…groundbreaking”), will next season’s food fads be fava beans, or kimchi or even gefilte fish? Well, you never know about the latter, but sure, there are ways to fancy-up gefilte I presume.

Regardless, I do love making waffles, whether it’s the (yes, the trendy) Keto “chaffle” (cheese waffle) or a chocolate protein waffle, they have always had a special place in my heart. I have such vivid memories of my sister Avi and me sleeping over at my Bubbe and Zayde’s house and the next morning, my Bubbe would have a big plate of hot, crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside Belgian waffles. Topped of course with a big heaping glug of maple syrup. Ah, those were the days. The days of wonderful family food memories (and boy, do I have a lot – but don’t we all)!

Some “Variations” for you!

Alright, I guess this is a little punny since I mentioned Daniella Silver’s book already, but hey, variations are what excites me about food! Use a recipe as a base and create your own variant of that! Full disclosure, the waffle maker I used at home is Dairy (it’s the only one I have), but regardless, here are some more options/variations for you, using this base latke waffle recipe to take it to the next culinary level.

  • Add cheddar cheese into the mix for a full-on dairy spin – top with sour cream, bacon bits and green onions and you’ve got yourself a “loaded potato latke waffle”! YUMMMM
  • Keep the base parve, but garnish with chopped pastrami or salami and drizzle sriracha mayo! A.k.a. crispy hash browns with meat for a filling brunch.
  • Keep the base parve but fry up some chicken thighs for a fun spin on chicken ‘n waffles! Serve alongside honey mustard dipping sauce and maple syrup
  • You can do what I did using my husband as a guinea pig and topping his with a drizzle of ketchup. What can I say, he’s a man of simple tastes
  • Or, if you’re feeling fancy, garnish how I did in my photo, with a drizzle of truffle mayo and a sprinkling of freshly chopped parsley
  • And for a super traditional option, serve with applesauce or sour cream

So there ya have it. A fun, innovative way to enjoy your latkes and with plenty of that oil drippings too. Wishing you all a Chag Chanukah Sameach – from your team at MYV!

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Potato Latke Waffles
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Keyword: latke
Servings: 4 waffles
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1/2 White onion, diced or thinly sliced
  • 1 1lb. bag Shredded potatoes Sure, you can hand-shred potatoes or using a food processor but it takes times and it's messy, and who wants to slave over doing dishes. I LOVE using the pre-shredded potatoes, it saves so much time!
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1/2 cup Extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp Black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Smoked or sweet paprika
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat waffle maker and spray with non-stick cooking spray

  2. In a bowl, add the shredded potatoes, onion, eggs, salt, pepper, paprika and oil

  3. Mix (using your hands is easier - they're your best tool) until fully mixed

  4. Spoon about 3/4 cup into waffle maker. You don't want to overstuff it because the middle will get crispy but the sides won't, so make sure it's an even layer

  5. You can use any kind of waffle maker - regular, Belgian, mini - you name it! Just be patient and let them cook and crisp up!

  6. Serve with a whole slew of toppings! If you're making them dairy, add a heaping spoonful of sour cream or applesauce. Making these meat? Add some chopped salami or pastrami and top with sriracha mayo!

Pho gà-Vietnamese Spiced Chicken Soup

 

POP-UP NIGHT

Before we get to the pho, some exciting news. On Sunday November 17th we are doing another pop up night at Congregation Ezras Israel. Last time we did a pop up night it was sold out, so make sure and get your reservations in ASAP. The menu this time is Vietnamese (hence the pho recipe, which will also be served at the pop up). I love the super bright flavors used in Vietnamese cooking. Your taste buds will be rocked by anise, lemongrass and ginger. See below for the full details. Make sure you register for the event before registration closes this Sunday, November 10th!

 

PHO

PhoPho, pronounced fuh, is a Vietnamese street food staple soup that is influenced by Chinese immigrants and French settlers and was later made popular across the world after the Vietnam war by refugees. It is usually made with boiling beef stock poured over thinly sliced raw beef. If you go that route, make sure to slice the beef super thin (partially freezing it first helps) and make sure the stock is boiling so the beef cooks., You can make pho with chicken as in this recipe, pork, or even vegetables. If you make a version with chicken (or pork for our non-kosher friends) I recommend precooking the protein. Unlike beef, you never want to serve rare chicken or pork.

What makes pho different than your Bubby’s chicken soup? It is seasoned with aggressive spices such as ginger, clove, and star anise.  Pho is almost always served with rice noodles, and usually comes with a series of accompaniments such as chilies, cilantro, Thai basil, lime, bean sprouts, and scallions. I recommend just giving everyone a bowl with only broth and noodles and putting all the extras on a big platter in the middle of the table so your guests can choose what they want. I think people enjoy what I like to call “interactive eating”. Who says you can’t play with your food??

CHICKEN PHO RECIPE

Pho

5 from 1 vote
Pho
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phở gà-Vietnamese Spiced Chicken Soup
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
 

A little Jewish penicillin with some Asian flare

Course: Soup
Cuisine: Asian, Vietnamese
Keyword: Pho
Servings: 8 Bowls
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
Broth
  • 1/2 Gallon Chicken Stock See recipe for chicken soup below or use store bought in a pinch
  • 6 Cloves Garlic Peeled and smashed
  • 1 Large Onion Peeled and quartered
  • 2 inch Piece of Fresh Ginger Peeled
  • 2 Sticks Cinnamon
  • 3 Star Anise Pods
  • 6 Cloves Cloves
  • 1 tbsp (Vegan) Fish Sauce or Soy Sauce See my recipe for vegan fish sauce below
Add Ins
  • Rice Noodles Cooked per the directions on the package
  • Fresh Chili Peppers Sliced thinly on a bias
  • Scallions Sliced thinly on a bias
  • Cilantro Stems removed
  • Lime Cut into wedges
  • Thai Basil Stems removed
  • Bean Sprouts
  • Shredded Roast Chicken This is a great way to use up leftovers or you can you use grocery store rotisserie chicken in a pinch.
Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place the garlic, onion, and ginger on the sheet pan. Roast until the aromatics begin to brown.

  2. Add the roasted aromatics, cinnamon stick, cloves, star anise, and chicken stock to a large pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes and strain out the solids.

  3. Add the noodles to the bowl and cover with the broth. Top with your favorite add ins and squeeze in some lime juice for some brightness.

5 from 1 vote
Pho
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Chicken Soup
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
4 hrs
 

A classic kosher comfort dish.  It's good for what ails you, they don't call it Jewish penicillin for nothing. I don't like anything too fancy in my chicken soup so I stay away from things like zucchini and tomatoes, but if you like them feel free to add them, it won't hurt anything.  

One final note, your soup will never taste as good as your mother's for 2 reasons:

1. Memories are a strong force

2. She probably added some soup mix with MSG to give it that little something extra.

Course: Soup
Cuisine: Jewish
Servings: 1 Large Pot
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 4 Medium Carrots Peeled and cut into 1 inch rounds
  • 4 Ribs Celery Rinsed, tops and bottoms cut off and cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 Large Sweet Potato Peeled and cut into chunks
  • 1 Turnip Peeled and cut into chunks
  • 1 Parsnip Peeled and cut into 1 inch rounds
  • 1 Onion Peeled and roughly chopped
  • Salt To taste
  • Pepper To taste
  • 1 Handful Dill
  • 1 Handful Parsley
  • 3 Bay Leaves
  • 4 Chicken Leg Quarters Remove and save the fat and skin to make schmaltz
Instructions

  1. Put all the ingredients in your largest pot and fill with enough water to cover everything, making sure not to fill too high in order to prevent it from boiling over.

  2. Cover the pot and put over high heat and bring to a boil.  Once the soup is at a boil remove the lid and turn the heat down to a simmer.

  3. Let the soup simmer for about four hours or until the soup reduces by about 15%.

  4. Remove chicken from the bones, adding the chicken back in to the soup and discarding the bones.  Serve within a week or freeze for up to six months. 

0 from 0 votes
Pho
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Vegan "Fish" Sauce
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 

Fish sauce is a sauce used to add a little funk to a dish.  Fish sauce is usually made by fermenting small fish such as anchovies in salt and then pressing out the liquid from it. While kosher fish sauce is available, I chose to make my own vegan fish sauce as many people who eat strictly kosher do not mix fish with meat or fowl. To create the requisite funk I used a quartet of fermented products, some of which can be hard to find. For that reason, even though I usually shy away from recommending specific brands, I make an exception here. I ended up buying much of what I needed at Whole Foods, but most they can of course be found on Amazon.com.

Course: Sauce
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: Fish Sauce
Servings: 1 Cup
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
Instructions

  1. Add all the ingredients to a small saucepan over low heat.  Stir until all the solids are dissolved. 

Recipe Notes

This recipe contains affiliate links. We at MYV earn a small commission if you purchase an item through one of those links, which allows us to continue bringing you great tasting food.

Don’t forget to check out Rachel’s pop up preview recipe: Vietnamese Coconut Lime Rice Pudding with Mango (Xôi xoài)

Vietnamese Coconut Lime Rice Pudding with Mango (Xôi xoài)

 

Vietnamese Pop-up!

Well, it’s that time of year again!  A pop-up event featuring yours truly – the team from Meat Your Vegetables!

Last July, Daniel and I hosted a very successful Indian pop-up night, and this year, we’re cooking Vietnamese on Sunday, November 17th at Congregation Ezras Israel in Chicago! Make sure you register for the event before it closes this Sunday, November 10th!

Recipes in the works

It’s no surprise that in order to get prepared for this exciting night of good food, we both did some research, cooking, and taste-testing! Pop Up

As I was researching desserts, this creamy Vietnamese Coconut Rice Pudding with Mango, aka “xôi xoài” , or “mango sticky rice”, seemed to pop up a lot. My variation has lime zest and juice and topped with diced mango.

Is lime zest traditional in this recipe?  Not necessarily, but that’s the beauty of creating a recipe – do something to put your own spin on it! I love the bright flavors of acidic fruits like lemons, limes and grapefruit and I thought the lime and cardamom in the pudding would be a great pairing. Turns out, it IS!

And here’s my TIP: instead of laboring over peeling and chopping a fresh mango (because we all know that’s annoying), buy frozen! It’ll save you so much time!

Low-carb options

Plus, if you want a low-carb option, try using cauliflower rice instead. This dessert can be completely 100% keto-friendly too, if you use a sugar substitute like Swerve, instead of white sugar. And the chopped pistachios on top add a nice bright crunch on top, but feel free to add chopped almonds or even peanuts for a crunchy kick! For this pop-up, we are serving 100% nut-free menu, due to a severe nut allergy with some of the congregants, but maybe we could add roasted sesame seeds on top.  Even substitutions can be better than the original, right?

For all you local Chicagoans, check out this creamy coconut dessert recipe – just a preview for more Vietnamese recipes coming soon!

Don’t forget to check out Daniel’s pop-up preview recipe: Pho gà-Vietnamese Spiced Chicken Soup

Hope to see you at the pop-up on November 17th!

 

0 from 0 votes
Coconut Lime Rice Pudding with Mango
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Vietnamese Coconut Lime Rice Pudding with Mango (Xôi xoài)
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 15 mins
 
Course: Dessert
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup White Sugar Or sugar substitute like Swerve
  • 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Ground Cardamom, plus more for serving
  • 1 13 oz. Can of Coconut Milk Do not use light coconut milk as it will result in a watery consistency and flavor. Use full-fat coconut milk (but not coconut cream)
  • 1/2 cup White rice (Arborio rice works great too) Rinse the rice under cold running water for 20-30 seconds; drain well
  • 1 Lime, Zested & half juiced
  • 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1/4 cup Mango cut up into chunks I love using frozen mango for this because it's so much easier than peeling and chopping!
  • 1/4 cup Shelled, roasted pistachios (optional) I used sliced almonds because that's what I had handy!
  • 2 1/2 cup Water
Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 350F with a rack in the middle position

  2. In a bowl, mix together the sugar, salt and cardamom; set aside

  3. In a large pot, stir together the coconut milk and 2 1/2 cups of water; bring to a boil over medium-heat

  4. Once the water and milk is boiling, stir in the rice, sugar mixture and lime zest. Cut the lime in half and squeeze half the lime into the mixture.

  5. Cover and transfer to the oven. Bake for 1 hour, until rice is tender and creamy

  6. Take the rice pudding out of the oven and add the vanilla extract and mix well

  7. Let cool for 15 minutes. Serve in individual bowls at warm or at room temp

  8. Garnish with more ground cardamom and chopped mango and/or chopped pistachios

Cinnamon Swirl Challah Bread Pudding

 

A Slice of Heaven

Ah, the heavenly aroma of sweet challah baking in the oven.  The cinnamon sugar mixture bubbling on top.  Maybe your challah has raisins or chopped apples, or a cinnamon streusel draped over the braided beauty.  But here’s a thought for you.  When the holidays are over – when your Sukkah is stashed away for the season, what on earth do you do with all that leftover challah?

Sure you could turn it into French Toast.  But that takes too long.  Or maybe dice them up and bake them into croutons.  So, uh, you can have cinnamon challah croutons in your Caesar salad?  Nope, I have a better idea.

Take that French Toast idea and make it into a casserole.  Behold, Cinnamon Swirl Challah Bread Pudding! Here, take this napkin to wipe the drool from your chin. 🙂

Let’s be honest, bread pudding is a carb-o-load to the MAX, so this is definitely not keto-friendly (unless that is, if you’re using a low-carb bread to start with). So one piece is really the serving size here. Trust me, this is not a delicate or light dish (and when I say “trust me”, what I mean by that is I used my husband as the taste-tester for this).

Leftovers to the Rescue!

I got the idea after defrosting a challah from the freezer and well, sadly, it tasted a little like freezer burn.  Clearly that won’t get your taste buds salivating, but I went the lazy-girl’s way.  All you do to make this bread paradise is cube up leftover challah, and make a custard, pour it on top and bake.  Like I said, lazy-girl’s version of French Toast, but in casserole form! Genius, I KNOW! And if you look closely, you can see those perfect cinnamon swirls throughout.  Ah, the perfect bite. No more freezer burn taste here!

One side note – my husband mentioned that this bread pudding would be great with some maple syrup on top – or something to “glaze” it.  I didn’t have a photo to share on this post with the glaze, but it’s simple to make! Just a few tablespoons of powdered sugar added with some almond milk (and add in some vanilla extract too), until it gets thick and gooey. Drizzle on top and there ya have it (detailed instructions are in the recipe below).

But beware!  This bread pudding will make your entire household smell undeniably delicious – with an intoxicating aroma of cinnamon and sugar.  If you’re feeling creative, add in some (dairy-free) chocolate chips, or some diced apples, or some dried apricots.  Not that you need a reason to stuff this bread pudding with anymore sugar, but why not.  It’s kugel, gone wild! Or, as I like to say, “leftovers” that are now “makeovers”!  Enjoy!

Yet again, this holiday season is upon us, so here we go again – Chag Sameach dear readers, from your team at Meat Your Vegetables!

 

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Cinnamon Swirl Challah Bread Pudding
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
 
Course: Dessert
Servings: 12 servings
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 2 cups Almond Milk Or use any dairy-free milk you have around
  • 2 tbsp. Coconut Oil, plus more for greasing the pan
  • 1 tsp. Maple Extract Or use Vanilla!
  • 1/3 cup Swerve Brown Sugar Substitute Or use regular brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1 Pinch Salt
  • 1/2 Loaf Sweet challah bread, cut into 2-inch cubes You want to fill the pan but not overcrowd it - this will make about 6 cups
  • 2 Eggs, beaten
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350F. and grease a 4-6 cup baking dish with coconut oil

  2. In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the almond milk, coconut oil, extract, brown sugar and salt. Continue whisking until coconut oil is mixed in and melted; cool.

  3. The mixture will start to separate while it's cooling - that's okay. While whisking the slightly cooled milk, add in the beaten eggs and whisk until combined (otherwise if you just pour it in and don't whisk, you'll end up with clumpy scrambled eggs)!

  4. Pour the mixture over the cubed bread immediately. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until custard is set but still a little wobbly and edges have slightly browned.

  5. Serve warm or at room temp. You can also serve this with a glaze on top - simply mix a few tablespoons of powdered sugar and add in a few teaspoons at a time of almond milk (and add a splash of vanilla), until you get a thick glaze consistency - pour over top and devour!

Sea Salt Caramel Creme Brulee

 

Happy Sukkot ya’ll!  I am SO excited to share this new recipe and it’s so easy and so insanely delish, you’ll want to make it ASAP. I got the idea for this Sea Salt Caramel Creme Brulee from non other than Greg, my Lyft driver from a few days ago. Well, sort of. 🙂

Some Backstory first…

Ellie and I flew back from Kansas City on Wednesday after the first days of YomTov and took a Lyft home.  The nicest driver – so sweet and funny and eager to talk about food (my kind of dude)! He mentioned the Instagram handle “Tasty” and how he uses that profile for tons of recipe ideas and proceeded to give me a few pointers along the ride home. Yup, I knew what he was talking about – it’s the BuzzFeed food handle and duh, I was already a follower.  Turns out, he got that idea in my head, so I spent some time (not too long, luckily) scrolling through the feed – and this creme brulee came up.

Now, because I’m fancy AF (or so I pretend to be), creme brulee is one of my all time favorite desserts.  What’s not to love about dipping your spoon into the crispy sugary crust that shatters on top of luscious, creamy custard underneath?  OMG, it’s the best. But how would I made this decadent dessert sugar-free and low-carb? Ah, check out the recipe to see how I put my own spin on it!

But really folks, this recipe is so ridiculously easy, you’ll have everyone fooled. No custard to make from scratch because you have the power of prepared ice cream.  Yup, I said it. Ice cream. I prefer the Halo Top light ice creams that are low-carb and keto-friendly, or Enlightened makes a good ice cream too.

But the best part? You can use dairy-free too to make this oh-so-perfect for your Shabbat or YomTov meal. There are truly not enough words to describe how insanely rich and comforting this dessert it. Believe me, you’ll find every excuse to whip up this showstopper every chance you can get.

Enjoy and Chag Sukkot Sameach everyone!

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Sea Salt Caramel Creme Brulee
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
51 mins
 
Course: Dessert
Servings: 1 serving
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup Ice Cream I used the Sea Salt Caramel Halo Top but honestly, you can use literally ANY type of ice cream and flavor you'd like!
  • 1/4 tsp Maple Extract You can use vanilla extract too - I just like the extra boost of flavor this brigs to this ice cream flavor
  • 1 Egg Yolk Save the whites for making meringue!
  • 1 tbsp Swerve, Sugar substitute Or use regular sugar-in-the-raw, in this case
  • 1 cup Hot water
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 325F

  2. Scoop out the ice cream in a bowl and microwave for about 1 min, until melted

  3. Mix the ice cream until there are no lumps and let it cool for about 5 minutes

  4. Separate the egg white and yolk and whisk in the egg yolk into the ice cream mixture

  5. Pour the mixture into a ramekin and place in a pie dish or other deep pan

  6. Pour the hot (not boiling) water in the pan until it comes up halfway up the side of the ramekin

  7. Bake for 45 minutes until the top is golden brown and the center is no longer jiggly in the middle

  8. Let it cool in the fridge for about 2 hours minimum

  9. After it's cooled, sprinkle the Swerve or sugar-in-the-raw on top and broil for about 6 minutes, being careful not to burn the top

  10. Serve warm, room temp, or cold - would be great with berries and whipped cream too!

  11. Optional: Dust with some powdered sugar on top!

Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup with Basil Oil

 

Roasted Red Pepper SoupThere is nothing more comforting to me than soup. It is also a great make ahead food, all you have to do is quickly warm it up in a pot or the microwave and you are ready to eat in a few minutes. It freezes excellently so you can can make large batches and use it for multiple occasions.

Another good thing about soup is there is there is one for everyone, no matter your taste. You can really let your creativity shine when making it. They say the test of a good chef is his or her soup. Are you meat-lover like me, try hearty chili or a mushroom barley or split pea with some short ribs. Are you a lacto-ovo vegetarian that craves cheese and carbs, go with a french onion soup. Vegan, how about a nice tomato based minestrone. Feeling under the weather, there is nothing better than mom’s chicken soup (AKA Jewish penicillin).

This soup is great to break your fast after Yom Kippur or to keep you warm in the sukkah. It is super easy to make and can be done in about an hour. You do not need to simmer this for half a day. The basil oil adds some great earthiness and richness to balance out the sweetness and acidity of the peppers and tomatoes.

Tip

I also include a basic vegetable stock recipe which can be used as base for many soups and sauces. Pro tip: freeze your stocks in ice cube trays and then move to Ziploc bags.  They will take up less space and you can defrost only what you need.

What is your favorite soup? Let us know in the comments.

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Roasted Red Pepper Soup
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Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup With Basil Oil
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
 
Course: Appetizer, Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Soup
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 6 Large Red Peppers
  • 6 Large Tomatoes
  • 2-4 Cups Vegetable Stock Homemade ideally, but store bought will work
  • Salt and Pepper To taste
  • 100 Grams Basil Stems removed
  • 200 Grams Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 Liters Ice Water
Instructions

  1. Place the peppers and tomatoes on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet an put under the broiler on high turning regularly until you get a good char on all sides.

  2. Place the peppers and tomatoes in a large zip top bag and seal. Let steam in the bag until cooled.

  3. Once cooled take the tomatoes and peppers out of the bag and remove the skin and seeds.

  4. Add the peppers and tomatoes to a large pot and blend with an immersion blender until smooth.

  5. Add the vegetable stock a little at a time blending it in between additions until desired texture is achieved.

  6. Bring the soup to a simmer to bring all the flavors together and season with salt and pepper to taste.

  7. Drizzle on basil oil (see below) and enjoy, or freeze in an air tight container for up to three months.

Basil Oil

  1. Blanch your basil in boiling water for 20 seconds, then shock in ice water. Remove the basil from the water, squeeze out as much water as can.

  2. Add the basil and oil to a tall narrow container and blend until smooth with an immersion blender. Alternatively you could use a standard blender or food processor. Strain trough a fine mesh strainer and store in the fridge in an air tight container.

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Roasted Red Pepper Soup
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Homemade Vegetable Stock
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
 

An easy vegetable stock recipe to add your dishes instead of water so you don't dilute your flavors. I don't provide amounts for this recipe, as I tend to just use up whatever I have in the fridge.

Course: Soup
Cuisine: California, French
Servings: 1 Pot
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • Carrots Peeled and roughly chopped
  • Onions Peeled and roughly chopped
  • Celery Roughly chopped
  • Herbs Parsley and dill work nicely
  • Salt and Pepper To taste
Other Optional Ingredients
  • Mushrooms
  • Root Vegetables Such as sweet potato, turnip, and parsnip
Instructions

  1. Place the vegetables in the pot and fill with water until the vegetables covered by 3 inches.

  2. Place the pot over medium heat and bring to a boil. Once at a boil lower the heat and simmer until the water is educed by about 25%.

  3. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

  4. Strain out the vegetables and use within a week, or freeze for up to three months. Use to make sauces and soups or to cook rice for improved flavor over using water.

Check out some of our other soup recipes:

Zucchini Leek Soup

Cream of Potato Zucchini Soup

Traditional Chicken Soup With (Kosher) Bacon Schmaltz Matzo Balls

Minestrone Soup with Gluten-Free Matzah Balls

Delicata Squash Stuffed With Apples Dates and Leeks and Rosh Hashanah Menu

 

Stuffed Delicata Squash

A Hearty Recipe for A Successful New Year

The Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah (AKA New Year’s) is just around the corner.  On Rosh Hashanah many Jews have the custom to eat traditional symbolic foods to promote different types of success in the coming year. Apples, leeks, dates, and gourds are all part of that tradition. Many people just put these foods on a plate and serve them as is but I wanted to come up with an easy side dish using them.

Rosh Hashanah also signifies the beginning of autumn. One of my favorite things about autumn is the availability of winter squash. The firm flesh of a winter squash makes for a great hearty side dish, and the yellow and orange colors match the colors of the changing leaves. one of my favorite parts of the season.  This recipe calls for delicata squash (squash is in the extended gourd family) as they are all the rage these days and their skin is edible. (I personally believe they are just a gateway drug to pumpkin spice.) You could use acorn or butternut squash if you cannot find  delicata and you don’t mind scooping the flesh from the skin at the table. The recipe also calls for some “warm” spices which are great as the temperature begins to dip this time of year.

Rosh Hashanah Menu

For the first night of Rosh Hashanah we usually invite Rachel and her husband Elliott along with a few other friends. I tend to go all out and break out some higher end proteins. I happen to have a large rib-eye and a couple of ducks in freezer, so instead of spending more money I decided to use those.

My full menu includes:

Cinnamon Sugar Challah (Made by my lovely wife Ronit)

Potato Leek Soup

Teriyaki Salmon (At my wife’s request)

Smashed Potatoes

Pomegranate Glazed Roast Duck

Sous Vide Rib-eye Roast

Roasted Delicata Squash Stuffed with Apples, Dates, and Leeks

Spinach Mango Salad with Beet Chips and A Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Apple Turnovers

As we head in to a new year I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you guys for reading our work. I feel like we have grown significantly in the past year and hope you all will continue on this journey with us in the coming year. We are working on some great things, so stay tuned. I have one favor to ask all of you, we can only be successful with your help. If you could all share this post with your friends across social media it would mean the world to us. From our families to yours, thank you, Shanah Tovah, and have a happy sweet new year.

Don’t forget check out Rachel’s newest Rosh Hashanah recipe: Tomato Pomegranate Salad

Recipe: Delicata Squash Stuffed with Apples, Dates, and Leeks

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Stuffed Delicata Squash
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Delicata Squash Stuffed With Apples Dates and Leeks
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 30 mins
 

This is a great dish as the weather begins cool off. It uses some great fall flavors of warm spices, along with apples and winter squash.

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Delicata, Delicata Squash, Fall, rosh hashanah, Side Dish, Squash
Servings: 4
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 2 Delicata Squashes Sliced in half the long way and seeds removed
  • 4 Apples Peeled, cored, and diced
  • 2 Leeks (Just the while part) Sliced in to 1/2" rounds and cleaned
  • 12 Dates Pitted and roughly chopped
  • 3 tbsp Oil for sauteing
  • 3 tbsp Ginger Ground
  • 3 tbsp Cinnamon
  • 3 tbsp Nutmeg Freshly ground
  • Salt and Pepper To taste
Instructions

  1. Sprinkle each of the squashes with a tablespoon each of the ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Then season with salt and pepper to taste. Reassemble the 2 halves of two squashes (sans seeds) and wrap each one tightly in aluminum foil. Place on a foil lined sheet pan and roast at 350°F until it a knife pierces it easily, about 90 minutes.

  2. While the squash roasts, add the oil to the skillet and place over medium heat. Add the leeks to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently until the leeks just begin to brown, then add the apples and dates as well as the remaining cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Continue to cook and stir until the apples are a caramel brown and remove from the heat.

  3. Cut each squash in half the short way. You should have 8 shorter pieces when you are done. Fill each squash piece with the apple, leek, and date mixture and serve.

Don’t forget to check out some of our other Rosh Hashanah recipes:

Beef Bacon Wrapped Mergez Stuffed Date

Zucchini Leek Soup

Gluten-Free Honey Muffins

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