Author: chanie

Cheese Latkes with Raspberry Sauce

If you follow my blog, you know that I’m not much of a baker. You also know that I’m working hard to stick to my diet plan. Which might explain why I’m not about to post a recipe for delicious, chewy, deep-fried jelly donuts or crunchy golden potato latkes. Instead, I decided to whip up a sort of deconstructed jelly donut in the form of cheese latkes with raspberry sauce. These fun mini cottage cheese pancakes are reminiscent of the classic chanukah treat with just a few less calories. Fry them up nice and golden, dust with powdered sugar, and don’t forget the whip cream!

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Draidel Snowglobe

Who doesn’t love Chanukah? We get to eat fried foods, unwrap presents, eat pockets full of chocolate change and gample on draidel games. For me, Chanukah is UBER special because it’s my birthday, my anniversary, and the anniversary of my son’s bris. I know, I know, I lose out on the presents, but the truth is, it doesn’t really matter. Chanukah makes me realize just how blessed I am and that is good enough for me!

Nothing evokes the spirit of the holidays more than snowglobes. But try and find one that doesn’t include a reindeer, evergreen or snowman – pretty impossible. This year, I decided to make my own Chanukah creation. It was inspired by the landmark dreidel that sits in front of the Jewish Children’s Museum in Brooklyn (if you haven’t gone yet, you must take your kids there for Chanukah!).

You’ll be surprised just how easy it is to make your own snowglobe. Go ahead and include whatever figurine you’d like. A menorah would work really well too.

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Green Guacamole

I’m embarrassed to tell you how old I was when I first ate avocado. I was scared to try it for the longest time. But once I did, I was hooked. It’s buttery taste and creamy texture lends itself well to a variety of applications from breads and salads to desserts and pastries. Avocados don’t just taste good, they’re good for you too! They’re rich in healthy monounsaturated fat, folate, potassium, as well as many vitamins. As for me, I’m catching up on lost time. This guacamole is just one preparation that I enjoy!

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Sea Bass en Papillote

En Papillote is French for “in parchment.” It is a popular method of baking fish by steaming it inside a folded pouch. Since the fish cooks in its own juices, all the flavors are concentrated, resulting in a light and tasty product. Typically, parchment paper is used to seal in the moisture, but foil can also work.

Classic en papillote preparation is done by folding the parchment paper over the fish and then sealing the edges by folding the parchment tightly all around. An assortment of vegetables is usually added, along with citrus and fresh herbs. You can experiment with different types of fish (whole or fileted) and veggies to suit your taste.

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Crunchy Shriveled Green Beans

I first tried the South Beach Diet a couple of years ago while working for an ecommerce company. My colleague, Chumie, watched as I struggled to get through the first Phase of the diet. After completing it successfully and losing ample weight, Chumie decided to try out the diet for herself. So there we were, eating hard boiled eggs and avocados, and it wasn’t Pesach :)

One day, Chumie shared this easy recipe for shriveled up green beans. I couldnt imagine why anyone would want to shrivel up perfectly fresh, crunchy beans, but I decided to give it a try and boy am I glad I did. The green beans turned out chewy and crunchy, with a few prized crispy ones around the edges of the pan.

Recently, I joined my husband for lunch at a cafe near his office. With my diet in mind, I ordered grilled salmon with a side of green beans. I was super excited to see that the green beans were shriveled, but my excitement soon turned to dissapointment when I tasted the soggy mess. The key to crispy shriveled green beans is baking them uncovered for a long period of time. Covering them builds up steam causing them to become soft.

When I got home, I couldn’t wait to revisit this quick and easy recipe. They were even better than I remembered. So, when the hard boiled eggs and avocado get the best of you, go ahead and give them a try!

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