Busy in Brooklyn – Modernizing traditional food, one dish at a time.

Fennel Fig & Feta Salad

On July 27, 2026

You know I love me a little alliteration! But seriously that only happened by mistake! This recipe came together in the supermarket aisle – which is really how I like to build my salads – seeing what’s available and springboarding off of that!

The shelves were freshly stocked with beautiful figs, and I can never resist them, so I decided to make a salad for Shabbat to showcases them. I walked down the aisles for inspiration and I first saw the fennel. The licorice flavor would pair wonderfully, I thought, so I grabbed some. Then for some greens, bitter arugula seemed like the perfect pairing, so I added a container to my cart. Next, some alliums, and red onion is always the obvious choice.

I loaded my cart, stocked my fridge, and Shabbos morning, I started to play! I sorted through my pantry, grabbed some sunflower seeds for crunch, and toasted sesame for the nutty flavor. I spotted fig jam in the pantry so I decided to go fully on figgy and add it the salad dressing! The salad was devoured at the table, but as soon as I took a bite, I knew I had to make it again with feta cheese (our Shabbos meal was meat, so adding dairy wasn’t an option!). So I made it again on Sunday for lunch and it was salad perfection!

Fennel Fig & Feta Salad

5 oz. arugula
1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced into half moons
4 figs, sliced
2 tbsp sunflower seeds
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Dressing:
1/3 cup grapeseed oil
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp fig jam
2 tsp silan
2 tsp dijon mustard
salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

You know what to do!

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Old School Macaroni Salad

On July 23, 2026July 23, 2026

by chanie

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If you’ve been following me for a while, you already know this recipe is completely out of character for me.

I spend so much of my time talking about technique—cook your pasta al dente, never rinse it, balance flavors naturally, and definitely don’t add sugar to everything. Then along comes this old-school macaroni salad that breaks every single one of those rules.

The pasta? I intentionally overcook it until it’s soft. Then I rinse it, which is something I almost never do. And yes, there’s sugar in the dressing. But here’s the thing: not every recipe is meant to be elevated. Some recipes are meant to transport you. They’re the ones that showed up at family barbecues, summer picnics, and Shabbat lunches. They’re familiar, nostalgic, and comforting because they taste exactly the way you remember them.

Could I make a more sophisticated macaroni salad? Of course. But that isn’t the point. This one makes me smile after the very first bite because it tastes like childhood.

So I give you macaroni salad (without the macaroni! I prefer rotini because the sauce and veggies get stuck between the grooves!), unapologetically old-school comfort food. And honestly? Sometimes that’s exactly what belongs on the table.

Old-School Macaroni Salad

1 (16-ounce) box rotini
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sugar
3-4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 stalk celery, finely diced celery
1 carrot, julienned
2 scallions, diced small

Method:

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until it’s past al dente and nice and soft, about 2–3 minutes longer than the package directions. Drain the pasta and rinse it well under cold water until completely cooled.

In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sugar, lemon juice and kosher salt. If the mixture is too thick, add a bit of water to thin it out. Add the cooled pasta along with the celery, carrot and scallions. Toss until everything is evenly coated.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until chilled. Taste before serving and adjust with a little more salt, sugar, or lemon juice if needed.

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Summer Electrolyte Smoothie

On July 21, 2026July 23, 2026

by chanie

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If you have a hard time chugging coconut water before the fast, THIS is the recipe for you! It masks the funky flavor and boosts the electrolytes for extra hydration pre-fast or anytime in the summer when you need a refresher!

Why coconut water? It’s like natures gatorade! Minus the food coloring and sugar – it gives you the same benefits and helps you hydrate before a fast. I like to start 3 days before, and drink about 2 cups a day, and about 3-4 cups on the day of!

Here are some tips for making coconut water easier to drink!

Put it in the freezer and serve it slushy, or pour over ice. It’s a lot easier to drink when it’s cold!
Add citrus! Lemon, lime, orange. It helps cut through the earthy flavor.
Add fruit like watermelon, pineapple or mango. The sweet flavor helps mask the funkiness of the coconut water.
Add herbs like mint or basil. The refreshing notes with cover up that coconut taste.
Add a pinch of salt – it helps your body absorb the electrolytes, but it also helps cut through the mineral taste of the coconut water.

Winter Sunshine Smoothie

2 cups watermelon
juice of 1/2 lime
1 few mint leaves
1 cup coconut water
spoonful of raw honey
1 heaping tbsp collagen (code BUSYB5 for discount!)
pinch of pink Himalayan salt
1 cup ice

Blend and drink!

Related Recipes:

Winter Sunshine Smoothie

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Smashed Cherry Chicken Salad

On July 10, 2026July 10, 2026

by chanie

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Can I dedicate an entire blog to chicken salads? probably. And who doesn’t have some leftover grilled chicken after Shabbos, right? Especially in the summer. I got you babes!

Smashed Cherry Chicken Salad

5 oz arugula
2 grilled dark meat cutlets, diced
1/2 cup cherries, smashed
1/2 small red onions, sliced into half moons
1/4 cup sliced dried apricots
handful of chopped honey glazed pecans

1/3 cup grapeseed oil
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 clove minced garlic
2 tbsp silan
salt and pepper, to taste
pinch red pepper flakes

You know what to do!

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Strawberry Shortcake Birthday Cake!

On July 5, 2026

by chanie

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If you follow me, you probably already know that I’m not much of a baker. If given the choice, I’d almost always rather cook than bake. But there’s one occasion that you’ll always find me mixing cake batter: my kids’ birthdays.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been making some version of this birthday cake. It’s become one of those family traditions that means more to me with each passing year. It doesn’t have to look bakery-perfect, and it certainly isn’t fancy. What matters is that it’s homemade and made with love.

You may remember that for the first few years after my daughter was born, I did a birthday cake smash shoot with a homemade cake. Those messy little fingers covered in frosting and the huge smiles (plus the gorgeous photos!!) are memories I’ll treasure forever. She’s long outgrown those days, but she’ll always be my baby.

Now that she’s older, making her birthday cake has become less about the photos and more about the tradition. It’s my way of celebrating her and reminding her just how loved she is.

Summer birthdays can be a little tricky. Friends are away at camp or on vacation, school isn’t in session, and celebrations don’t always happen on the actual day. Because of that, I’ve always tried to make birthdays feel extra special at home. Even if the party is small or postponed, a homemade cake says, “Today is your day, and it’s worth celebrating.”

I hope that years from now, my kids won’t remember whether the frosting was perfectly smooth or whether the decorations matched a Pinterest board. I hope they’ll remember that every birthday there was a homemade cake waiting for them, made by a mom who isn’t a professional baker but believed that some traditions are worth keeping.

Easy Strawberry Shortcake

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
4 eggs
1 cup canola oil
1 cup orange juice
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 16oz container whip topping, thawed
1 container strawberries
1 heaping tbsp sugar
1/3 cup strawberry jam

Method:

In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar and baking powder. Whisk the eggs lighty in a small bowl and add to the flour mixture along with the oil, orange juice and vanilla. Stir to combine the batter. Pour into 2 greased 8-9″ round pans. Bake at 350 degrees until toothpick inserted comes out clean (about 50 minutes – 1 hour).

For whip cream, beat with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form, refrigerate until ready to assemble.

For the strawberries, hull and slice and mix with sugar, set aside to macerate while the cake bakes.

When the cake has cooled, place one of the cakes on the serving plate or cake stand, trim with a bread knife until you have a perfectly flat surface. Spread jam over the cake and top with whipped cream. Top with strawberries. Trim the second cake and spread a layer of jam over it, place it jam-side down over the filling, top with more whipped cream and decorate with strawberries, as desired.

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