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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Tomato Pomegranate Salad

 

The Jewish New Year

I can’t believe we’re here. Rosh Hashanah, is just ONE WEEK AWAY! Surely that means your ovens are fired up, tablecloths are freshly laundered and you’re ready to cook up a storm for the Jewish New Year. Oh, and don’t call me Shirley. 🙂

As the tradition goes on Rosh Hashanah to eat a “new fruit”, pomegranates are a common one at many holiday tables. So why not incorporate this tart, sweet fruit into this light and refreshing tomato salad with fresh herbs? It’s the perfect counterpart for some end-of-summer-ripe tomatoes and freshly picked herbs.

A little Inspiration First…

I didn’t necessarily just dream up this recipe in the middle of the night.  I first got the inspiration from flipping through Yotam Ottolenghi’s cookbook Plenty More: Vibrant Vegetable Cooking from London’s Ottolenghi and WOW!  My mouth waters instantly as I read through all of the glorious ways he prepares vegetables. Roasted, steamed, raw, grilled, braised. If you think veggies are only good for salads, well think again!

One of the first recipes in his cookbook is a tomato pomegranate salad with fresh oregano, pomegranate molasses and a kitchen-sink-load of spices. Okay, so no molasses on-hand.  But not to fret! We have some kosher Trader Joe’s pomegranate vinegar to do the trick! All I did for this salad dressing was mix that with some olive oil, salt, and pepper (sumac would be good in this too, with that bright, lemony flavor to accentuate the flavors). And that’s it!  Just let the fresh ingredients do the talking.

Final touches

Another new spin on this recipe? Adding fresh mint and basil! Mostly because I already had some growing on my porch but because I love these 2 herbs mixed together. And tomato and basil?  Well that’s just a match made in heaven.

This recipe also calls for bell peppers, but I thought “oh, the Thai chilies from my porch will be a great addition!”

Um, no.

I LOVE spicy food, but these were STRONG and I was breathing fire in no time. So too potent for this raw salad.  Bottom line, I highly recommend to use bell peppers instead or use a bit more heat like a serrano pepper or even a jalapeno.

So there you have it, dear readers. A perfect start to your Rosh Hashanah seder meal to bring in the new fruits.  And from your team here at Meat Your Vegetables, we want to wish you a K’siva V’Chasima Tova – may you be written and inscribed for a happy and healthy sweet new year! Chag Sameach!

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Tomato Pomegranate Salad
Prep Time
20 mins
 
Course: Salad
Servings: 4 people
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 3 Tomatoes, chopped I used a variety of fresh heirloom tomatoes - yellow, red and a mix of colors, but use whatever looks fresh at the market
  • 1 1/4 cup Pomegranate arils A great trick to get the arils out of the pomegranate: Fill a large bowl with water and place in your sink. Cut the pomegranate in half and in the bowl, under water, use your hands to pop out the seeds/arils. The white pith will float to the top and you'll have the seeds in the bottom of the bowl!
  • 1 Bell pepper, diced Or use a Serrano or Jalapeno pepper (ribs and seeds removed - or keep 'em in for extra heat!)
  • 1 Handful Basil - torn, or chopped
  • 1 Handful Mint - torn, or chopped
  • 1 Drizzle Pomegranate Vinegar If you can't find this at Trader Joe's or anywhere, just substitute apple cider and add a splash of lemon juice
  • 1 Drizzle Extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 Squeeze Fresh Lemon
Instructions

  1. Add the tomatoes, pomegranate, pepper, mint and basil into a big bowl.

  2. Drizzle the vinegar and oil and sprinkle the salt and pepper

  3. Mix gently so you don't bruise the herbs too much. Garnish with extra herbs and a squeeze of lemon juice, if you prefer

Cocoa Nib Biscotti

 

My Happy Place

Does reading cookbooks make you happy like it does for me?  I could spend hours flipping through the pages, imagining how I could put my own spin on the recipes.

A few weeks ago, I came across Laura Frankel’s “Jewish Cooking for All Seasons” that was tucked away in my bookshelf.  The recipe that stood out to me was her Cocoa Nib Biscotti – and I decided THIS was one I was going to recreate.

Crunchy Goodness

What the heck are these cocoa nibs exactly?  Well, they’re small pieces of crushed up cocoa beans – think unsweetened chocolate chips. After the cocoa is harvested, they’re fermented then “cracked” into these small pieces, a.k.a. cocoa nibs!

They have a chocolately but slightly bitter flavor. I happen to love mixing them into yogurt, maybe with some almond butter and berries, but if you’re not used to the bitterness, make sure to add some sweetness to balance it out.

The “Rachel” Version

Full disclosure – not all recipes can be easily swapped for almond flour with the regular all-purpose flour.  But I decided to try it out and lo and behold, it worked! It was delicious, but not TOO hard and crunchy. You know when you have to dip your biscotti into hot coffee because you could risk breaking a tooth?  No worries here, because these turned out with the perfect texture.  They would also be delicious with shredded coconut, or swapping the vanilla extract for maple extract! And of course, if you don’t want to hunt for cocoa nibs (I get mine at Whole Foods), use chocolate chips, or sliced almonds instead. 🙂

As the weather starts to get colder (I know, it saddens me that summer is leaving us), these are a great option for a dessert, or maybe for your Rosh Hashanah table, as a nice break from the traditional honey cake.  Or when the weather gets REALLY cold, by all means – dunk those in a big mug of hot chocolate and get cozy.  Hello, comfort food!

And of course, thank you to Laura for the inspiration.  Enjoy!

________________________________________________________________

Check out some more dessert recipes from MYV!

Lemon Coconut Almond Cake

Coffee Coconut Date Balls

Chocolate Avocado Pudding (trust me, it’s GOOD)

Dairy-free Maple Cinnamon Custard

Almond Butter Snickerdoodles

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Cocoa Nib Biscotti
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
 
Course: Dessert
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 2 1/2 cups Almond flour
  • 3/4 cup Sugar (or sugar substitute, like Swerve or Stevia)
  • 1 1/2 tsp Baking powder
  • 3 Large eggs
  • 1 Lemon, zested and juiced
  • 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 1 cup Cocoa nibs (or just use chocolate chips if you prefer)
  • 1/4 tsp + 1 pinch Ground cinnamon
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper

  2. Place all ingredients except the cocoa nibs in a large bowl and mix with either a wooden spoon, or using a hand mixer, blend until dough comes together

  3. Add in the cocoa nibs and mix until combined

  4. Shape into a loaf and score into 1/2 inch thick slices (or as many slices as you prefer)

  5. Bake for 30 minutes until starting to get lightly golden brown

  6. Slice the biscotti and place each slice back on the baking sheet

  7. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top and bake for another 10 minutes until crispy and golden brown

Fish Tacos With Mango Jalapeno Salsa and Fresh Red Cabbage and Daikon Slaw

 

Fish TacosFish Tacos

Fish is usually Rachel’s territory, but with the “Nine Days” upon us, I decided to try my hand at fish tacos. I do have to admit, fish is not my favorite food. If it is really fresh I will eat it, but it must be a variety that doesn’t taste too “fishy”. I tend to stick with lightly flavored, white fleshed fish like cod and tend to stay away from more oily fish like mackerel.

As I have said before I personally consider tacos the world’s most perfect food. Tacos really are a great platform for almost any type of protein. Growing up, my mom never made fish tacos, so I didn’t try fish tacos until I was in my late 20’s. Years ago, my wife and I were on vacation in LA and we went to lunch at Fish Grill. We ordered fish and chips and fish tacos and shared the two dishes.

This was probably the first time I had ever ordered fish at a restaurant. The food was excellent. My theory is there are are two things that make a good fish restaurant, it should be close to the ocean, and busy. That way you know the fish can get there fast, and isn’t sitting around too long.  Also, don’t forget as Anthony Bourdain was fond of saying, never order fish in a restaurant on Monday.  Being in LA and very popular, Fish Grill checked all of the boxes. I wanted to recreate that experience at home.

California Cuisine

The goal here was to create a recipe inspired by that meal, all while making it easy and gluten free. I didn’t want to mess with a wet batter so I went with a breading. By using cornmeal instead of breadcrumbs I was able to keep the dish gluten free. The cornmeal also adds a great texture and nutty flavor. The slaw adds texture as well as some acidity and the salsa adds sweetness and a touch of heat. Both of these really help capture the great freshness of California cuisine.

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Fish Tacos
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Cornmeal Crusted Fish Tacos With Mango Jalapeno Salsa and Fresh Red Cabbage and Daikon Slaw
Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
30 mins
 

A fresh take on fish tacos. The salsa adds sweetness and heat, while the slaw adds crunch and acidity.

Course: Dinner, Lucnh, Snack
Cuisine: American, California, Mexican, Sea Food, Tacos, Tex-Mex
Keyword: Fish Taco
Servings: 4 people
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
Fish
  • 1 lb Firm Fleshed White Fish Cod works well, but tilapia or any white fish will work in a pinch
  • 2 Cups Yellow Corn Meal
  • 2 Large Eggs Beaten
  • Vegetable Oil For Frying
  • Salt and Pepper To taste
  • Chili Lime Seasoning I use the one from Trader Joe's, but in a pinch a mild chili powder will work
  • Corn Tortillas I like the 4.5'" mini tortillas but any taco sized tortilla will work
Crema
  • 1 Cup Sour Cream
  • Zest and Juice of 1 Lime
Salsa
  • 1 Pint Cherry Tomatoes
  • 1 Large Mango Diced
  • 2 Jalapenos
  • 1/4 Cup Cilantro Stems removed and roughly chopped
  • 1 Lime
  • Salt To taste
Slaw
  • 1/2 Cup Shredded Red Cabbage
  • 1/2 Cup Shredded Green Cabbage
  • 1/2 Cup Shredded Carrots
  • 1/2 Cup Shredded Daikon or Radish
  • 1 tbsp Kosher Salt
  • 1/4 Cup Rice or Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Whole Mustard Seed
  • 1 tbsp Celery Seed
Instructions
Salsa

  1. Place the cherry tomatoes and jalapenos on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Place in a cold oven and set to bake at 375°F. Roast until the tomatoes begin to burst and the jalapenos start to blister.

  2. Allow the tomatoes and jalapenos to cool. Remove the stems and seeds from the jalapenos,

  3. Roughly chop the tomatoes and jalapenos and add to a mixing bowl. Add the mango, cilantro, and salt. Add the juice from the limes and lightly stir to evenly distribute the ingredients.

Slaw

  1. Combine the 2 cabbages, daikon, carrots, salt, vinegar, mustard seed, and celery seed in a large bowl and stir to combine.

Fish

  1. Cut your fish into 1/2" by 3" strips and season with salt and pepper.

  2. In a bowl, combine the chili lime seasoning and the cornmeal.

  3. Dip each piece of fish in the egg and then in the cornmeal.

  4. Place a cast iron skillet or large frying pan over medium heat and and add a 1/2" of oil.

  5. Fry your fish until golden brown on each side.

Crema

  1. Mix the juice and zest of a lime with the sour cream.

Assembly

  1. Lightly brown your tortillas in a skillet.

  2. Place some of the slaw on the bottom of the tortilla, then add 1-3 pieces of fish depending on the the size of your tortillas. Top the fish with the salsa and drizzle on the crema. Enjoy!

Like this recipe? Check out some of our other fish recipes

Spicy Moroccan Salmon with Pickle Slaw

Smoked Salmon and Avocado Stacks

Wild Salmon Sweet Potato Sliders with Garlic Chive Mayo

Spicy Salmon Tamales

 

 

Israeli Shawarma Feta Salad

 

Meatless Monday – a great go-to salad

Shawarma, really?  During the 9 days of no meat?  This may sound a bit out of your comfort zone, but this fresh and easy Israeli Shawarma Feta Salad has warm, aromatic flavors of Shawarma without the meat.  This is a great way to incorporate some bright summer flavors into a healthy salad during the 9 days or any time of year!

What is “shawarma” you ask? Basically what my husband lived on during his year and a half in Israel, HA!

Shawarma is a Middle Eastern dish consisting of thinly sliced meat layered and slow roasted on a rotisserie or spit. You can get lamb, chicken, or beef shawarma stuffed into a pita or a laffa with all the fixings! Hummus, tahini, Israeli salad, cabbage salad, pickles and fries – yes, please! The “shawarma” seasoning usually is a mix of turmeric, coriander, cumin, paprika, cloves, nutmeg, allspice and sometimes cinnamon.  Basically, a warming spice blend that pairs perfectly with a salty cheese like feta, in today’s salad! You can buy shawarma seasoning at your local kosher supermarket, or (if you’re not feeling lazy), make your own spice blend!

I first got the idea for this salad while flipping through an older issue of “Eating Well” – just a simple, fresh summer salad with feta and herbs.  But as I was literally chopping the veggies to make this salad, I had a light-bulb moment.  Why not turn this into a spin on Israeli salad? Since I was half-way there, I added the radish for a hint of that sharp flavor and crunch and swapped red onion for green onion to make it milder.  But if you’re a red onion fiend like me, feel free to add it! And for the final touches, adding shawarma seasoning to the dressing made it the perfect, Mediterranean-kissed bite of yummy goodness.

The extras

This would also be good with some diced avocado, goat cheese instead of the feta, or even sun-dried tomatoes mixed in too.

I love cilantro (but you can substitute parsley of course).  If you ARE going to use cilantro, don’t forget about the stems!  That’s where all the flavor is, not primarily the leaves, as most people might think. How great not to waste time picking the leaves off – just chop everything up and you’ll get an even bigger burst of citrus flavor that cilantro brings to the party! And weirdly enough, I think I am in that percentage of people who thinks that cilantro tastes “soapy”, but yet for some reason, I love it.

The base of a well-rounded meal

This salad is so versatile, it’s the perfect base for a filling meal.  Add some grilled salmon or tofu on top for some bonus protein.  Or, go ahead and omit the feta and add in some grilled chicken. I make shawarma chicken for my husband all the time, it’s such an easy go-to Friday night dish.

Last but not least, make sure to use fresh dill, it really makes all the difference.  Serve with some lemon wedges, maybe some pita chips on the side and this is a healthy meatless, 9-days salad to keep your taste buds satisfied!

Want more salad ideas?  Check out my Herby Cabbage Salad, another healthy option during the 9 days too!

 

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Israeli Shawarma Feta Salad
Prep Time
15 mins
 
Course: Salad
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes, sliced
  • 1 cup Cucumber, chopped
  • 3 Green onions, sliced thin
  • 1 cup Radish, sliced thin
  • 1 Handful of chopped fresh dill
  • 1 Handful of chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
  • 2 oz. Crumbled Feta
  • 1/4 cup Mayo
  • 1/2 Lemon, squeezed (and for serving)
  • 1/2 tsp. Shawarma seasoning
  • 1/4 tsp. Salt
  • 1/4 tsp. Pepper
Instructions

  1. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, green onion, radish, dill, parsley or cilantro and feta in a large bowl

  2. In a bowl, mix the mayo, lemon juice (same some for serving), shawarma seasoning, salt and pepper

  3. Pour the dressing over the salad and squeeze a bit more lemon over the salad

  4. Serve with some lemon wedges on the side and crunchy pita chips!

Spinach Ravioli With Alfredo Sauce

 

Spinach RavioliWelcome Home

We sent my eldest son to sleep away camp for the first time this year.  While my wife was nervous about him being away from home, he was very excited to be free from chores for a month. He spent four weeks enjoying himself, playing a lot of sports, making new friends, and going on a lot of trips, but as everyone knows, camp food can be somewhat basic. Now I am sure he was well fed (the chef is a friend of mine), but I wanted to make something special for his first dinner back home. That being said, while my son is not the world’s most adventurous eater, he does really like spinach ravioli. He encountered it at a Sheva Brachot at a restaurant several years ago and has loved the dish ever since.

The Nine Days

I also wanted find a recipe to share that was vegetarian, which I know is usually Rachel’s domain, but the “Nine Days” are approaching at the end of this week. What are the  “Nine Days” you ask and what does it have to do with vegetarian food? On the Jewish calendar, the Nine Days which begin on the first day of the Jewish month of Av, are a traditional time of mourning for several historical tragedies that befell the Jewish people. They culminate with the saddest day on the Jewish calendar, a fast day known as Tisha Ba’Av. As a sign of mourning, many Jews have a tradition to abstain from eating meat during this period. Spinach ravioli fit this bill nicely.

Yes It Is Worth The Effort

Why make your own spinach ravioli when you can just buy it in a box from the freezer section of your favorite supermarket? Sure, it’s time consuming, but it is fairly easy and if you take the time, your family will be able to taste the love you put in it. Also, when it comes to making things from scratch, pasta will impress people with minimal effort.  It also cooks very quickly, so once they are formed you can have them on the table in two minutes. You can also make a large batch and freeze them on a cookie sheet and pull out a handful and cook just what you need, at a fraction of the price of buying them in the store.

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Spinach Ravioli
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Homemade Spinach Ravioli With Alfredo Sauce
Prep Time
2 hrs
Cook Time
30 mins
Resting Time
1 hr
Total Time
3 hrs 30 mins
 

This a great way to get your kids to eat their spinach. There is spinach in the dough, filling and sauce. Is it a lot of work? Yes. Is it worthwhile? Absolutely. Don't try to rush this recipe. This is a recipe that you should devote a Sunday to. With a little time and a lot of love, your pasta will come out great.

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Pasta
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: pasta, ravioli, spinach
Servings: 4 Servings
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
Dough
  • 1 bunch Fresh Spinach About 1/2 pound. Washed, stems trimmed, and roughly chopped.
  • 2 Cups All Purpose Flour
  • 3 Eggs
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 2 tbsp Butter
  • 2 tsp Salt
Filling
  • 2 tbsp Butter
  • 1 Large Onion Diced
  • 1 Bunch Fresh Spinach About 1/2 pound. Washed, stems trimmed, and roughly chopped.
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 15 oz Ricotta Cheese
Sauce
  • 3 tbsp Butter
  • 3 Cloves Garlic Chopped fine
  • 3 tbsp All Purpose Flour
  • 2 Cups Heavy Cream
  • 1/2 Cup Parmesan Grated
  • Salt and Pepper To taste
  • 1 Bunch Fresh Spinach About 1/2 pound. Washed, stems trimmed, and roughly chopped.
Miscellaneous
  • 1 Large Egg Beaten
  • All Purpose Flour To keep the pasta from sticking
Instructions
Dough

  1. Add half the butter to a large saute pan and place over medium heat. Saute spinach until it is wilted. Do not overcook the spinach as it will shrink down significantly. Move the spinach to bowl and allow it to cool.

  2. Once the spinach is cooled, use your hands to squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Catch the liquid in a bowl and reserve for later.

  3. Add the spinach to your food processor fitted with the S-blade and process until the spinach is smooth. If you are having trouble getting the spinach to puree to a smooth consistency slowly add the liquid from the spinach back into the mixture.

  4. Once the spinach is smooth, switch to the dough blade and add the flour, eggs and oil. Process until the dough comes to together in to a ball. If it looks a little dry add some more or the spinach liquid or some water. Be careful not to over process otherwise your dough will be tough.

  5. Remove the dough from the food processor to the a lightly floured counter. If the dough still looks a little shaggy, knead by hand until a smooth ball is formed. Once the dough forms a smooth ball, wrap tightly in plastic and put in the refrigerator to rest for at least as hour.

Filling

  1. Add the butter to a saute pan and put over medium heat. Add the onions and salt to pan and saute until the onions start to brown. Add the spinach and saute until the spinach is wilted.

  2. Move the spinach and onion mixture to a large bowl and allow to cool. Once cooled, add the ricotta and stir until the spinach is evenly distributed throughout the mixture.

Sauce

  1. Add the butter and garlic to a large saute pan. Once the butter is melted, add the flour. Stir, coating all of the flour and cook until the mixture just begins to brown. This mixture is called a roux.

  2. Add the cream, Parmesan, salt, and pepper to the roux. Stir to combine, making sure to get all of the roux off of the bottom of the pan so it does not burn.

  3. Bring the sauce to a bare simmer being careful not to allow it to boil, and add the spinach. The sauce is done once the spinach is wilted.

Assembly and Final Cooking

  1. Roll out the pasta dough into two long sheets. Use a pasta roller if you have one, it it will make your life much easier. Start on the widest setting, moving one interval thinner each time. You can use a rolling pin if you don't have a pasta roller but your dough will likely be thicker, changing the texture.

  2. Place one of the sheets on a lightly floured counter. Starting about an inch from the end put a teaspoon of filling every two inches centered vertically.

  3. Brush egg along the edges and between each mound of filling. Carefully place the the second sheet of dough on top. Press the top sheet down over around the filling, pushing out any air.

  4. Trim the edges with a pastry cutter or a sharp knife to make sure you have straight edges and cut between each ravioli evenly.

  5. Place a large pot of heavily salted water over high heat. Once the water comes to boil, add the raviolis in batches. Cook until they float to the surface. It should only take about a minute.

  6. Remove the raviolis from the water to a bowl or plate with a slotted spoon. Add as much sauce as you like, and eat immediately.

Don’t forget to check out Rachel’s latest “Nine Days” recipe, Wild Salmon Sweet Potato Sliders with Garlic Chive Mayo or any of our vegetarian recipes.

Wild Salmon Sweet Potato Sliders with Garlic Chive Mayo

 

Salmon Sweet Potato SliderThe Meatless Nine

The 9 days before Tisha B’av are among us, and we Jews have a custom of not eating meat during this time period.  Well, luckily for me, this what I do all year long, so I have a few recipes up my sleeve to help you out – including this “Wild Salmon Sweet Potato Slider, with Garlic Chive Mayo” recipe!

I, like most Ashkenazi Jews are somewhat lactose-intolerant, so LOTS of dairy scares me a bit. Granted, for clean-eating health reasons, I sometimes “try” and stay away from as much dairy as possible. And to be honest, who wants NINE days of heavy cheese dishes anyway? Okay, maybe most of you are raising your hand saying, “seriously, Rachel, why wouldn’t anyone not want to eat a boat-load of cheesy deliciousness??” But, in the case that you may want a tiny break from that, try this recipe!

I got the inspiration for these salmon burgers from the Whole30 cookbook (Whole30 is a clean-eating program that I did a few years ago). It called for canned wild salmon and using the sweet potatoes helps bind it and keep them from drying out – and makes this recipe egg-free! This is my little spin on it, but feel free to use canned tuna if that’s what you have on hand.

Let’s Get Cookin’!

When I first made these, I used 2 medium-sized sweet potatoes that I roasted at 400F for about 30 minutes and waited until cool enough to handle.  Usually, I would use the organic pureed canned sweet potatoes (if they’re on sale at Whole Foods), but apparently I had run out (also, it makes this recipe a gazillion times easier and faster). I love time savers, so I definitely recommend getting the canned – it’s just as good!

If you’re into making larger burgers, you’ll get about 9 burgers out of this recipe.  And if you’re going for sliders, this will make about 12.

To Top It Off…

FYI – the gluten-free bun recipe (though I topped mine with everything seasoning) is from Danielle Walker’s cookbook and blog, “Against All Grain” and they’re awesome! Get her recipe here.

But wait, there’s MORE! There are plenty of recipes for gluten-free buns out there, but you can also use my recent recipe for low-carb rolls (made into burger buns), or just use some bib lettuce instead!

The mayo is also one of my favorites – I love making a basic mayo and then kicking it up with bright bursts of flavor, like lemon, garlic and chives. Plus, the mayo turns out bright green, so that’s fun, haha!

Check out more Whole30 recipes here.

I hope you try these sliders – whether it’s for the 9 days, or for anytime of year, it’s a great alternative to meat burgers,  so hope you enjoy!

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Garlic Chive Mayo
Prep Time
5 mins
 
Course: Condiment
Servings: 1 cup
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 Egg Preferably pasture-raised, since you're using raw eggs, but keep in mind for people who are sensitive to raw eggs
  • 1/2 Garlic clove
  • 2 tbsp. Lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup Fresh chives, roughly chopped
  • 2 tbsp. Light olive oil, or Avocado oil, plus 1/2 cup more
Instructions

  1. In a tall glass container, crack the egg; add the salt, garlic, chives, and 2 tbsp. of oil

  2. With an immersion blender, blend ingredients until emulsified, about 20 seconds

  3. Slowly drip in the oil for another 30 seconds or so, until the mayo gets thick and creamy

  4. Alternatively, you can add everything except the 1/2 cup oil, in a blender, and with the motor running, slowly stream in the 1/2 cup of oil until emulsified, about 20-30 seconds

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Wild Salmon Sweet Potato Sliders
Prep Time
15 mins
 
Course: Fish, Main Course
Servings: 12 sliders
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 2 Medium sweet potatoes OR 1 15 oz. can of organic pureed sweet potatoes
  • 1 15 oz. can Wild salmon
  • 4 tbsp. Mustard You can use any kind - I like either Dijon or grainy mustard!
  • 1 Garlic clove, minced
  • 1/2 cup Almond flour (if using baked sweet potatoes) Add 1 cup of almond flour, if using canned sweet potatoes
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Pepper
  • 1/4 tsp Dried dill
  • 1/4 tsp Mrs. Dash seasoning blend
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 400F

  2. If baking sweet potatoes, pierce with a fork and bake at 400F for 30 minutes until soft. Let cool before mixing the flesh with the rest of the ingredients

  3. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl

  4. Place sliders on parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 400F for 25 minutes until golden brown and slightly crispy on the outside (this is how I like mine, if you don’t like yours too browned, lower the heat to 375. The ingredients are all cooked, so it doesn’t take too long, as this recipe is egg-free)

  5. Serve the sliders on gluten-free hamburger buns, or butter lettuce leaves and top with the garlic chive mayo. Add other fixings too – sliced red onion, tomato, or sun-dried tomatoes, avocado and pickles!