Category: Diet

Date & Almond Hamantaschen

You know Purim is coming around when the blogosphere is overflowing with creative hamantasch recipes. It almost feels as if no-one makes classic hamantaschen anymore! The funny thing is, I’ll make just about any triangular-shaped-cookie-concoction besides classic hamantaschen. I’ve heard way too many disaster stories of the corners splitting open and jam spilling all over the place.

Call me a hypocrite but if I want good old-fashioned hamantaschen, I reach for the highly-processed Reisman’s variety. I mean, if I’m gonna eat a hamantasch, I might as well eat. a. hamantasch. Right?

But if I’m eating a different kind of hamantasch, well then I might as well go crazy, right? And by crazy I mean whipping up some sushi hamantaschen, baklava hamantaschen, or a trio of savory puff pastry hamantaschen.

Believe me, I’ve been dreaming up some crazy hamantaschen ideas all year long! But as we got closer to Purim, I couldn’t imagine breaking the momentum of my diet for some 3-cornered cookies. Instead, I challenged myself to come up with a healthy hamantasch for a change. And by healthy, I don’t mean spelt, or whole wheat, or even sugar-free. I’m talking no-flour, no-baking, no-dough or jam of any kind!

My first thought was to create a raw hamantasch using dates to create a cookie “dough”. I went to my local produce market to pick up some medjool dates and there was my inspiration – marzipan stuffed dates! Brilliant!

I got right to work creating my healthy no-bake hamantaschen. It’s amazing how something with such few natural ingredients can come out so spectacular! Not only do the raw hamantaschen resemble a real cookie, they taste incredible too, all without the guilt.

The best part about making these cookies is choosing what to roll them in. While coconut, pistachios and cocoa keep things healthy, you can up the fun-factor with some nonpareils or colorful sprinkles. Don’t worry, my lips are sealed. We’ll call it our Purim secret ;)

Date & Almond Hamantaschen

10 oz pitted medjool dates (approximately 1 cup, condensed)
1/2 cup almonds
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of sea salt
2 oz almond paste (canned or use recipe below)
cocoa powder, coconut & ground pistachios, for rolling

Method:

Add dates, almonds, cocoa powder, cinnamon and sea salt to a food processor and process until the mixture starts to clump together and pulls away from the side of the bowl. If it doesn’t form a ball of dough, add a bit more nuts.

Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap and place the date mixture on it. Cover the mixture with another sheet of plastic wrap, wrapping it around the bottom of the tray so that it’s secure. Using a rolling pin, roll out the “dough” from on top of the plastic wrap until it is about 1/8″ thick. Remove the top layer of plastic wrap and cut the dough into circles using a cookie or biscuit cutter. Collect the scraps and roll them out as above to create more circles.

Roll the almond paste into teaspoon-sized balls and place in the center of the cookies. Fold the cookies over the almond paste from each side and pinch lightly at the corners to create a triangle. Roll the hamantaschen in cocoa powder, coconut and/or ground pistachios.

Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to one month. May also be frozen for up to six months.

YIELD: approximately 18 hamantaschen.

Homemade Almond Paste (Egg-Free)

1 1/2 cups blanched almonds
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tbsp water
1 tsp almond extract
pinch of salt

Method:

Add the almonds and sugar to a food processor and process until the almonds are finely ground (stop to scrape the sides of the bowl, if needed). Add remaining ingredients and blend until the mixture forms into a dough and pulls away from the side of the bowl.

Wrap the almond paste tightly in plastic wrap and store in a ziploc bag. Can be refrigerated for up to 3 months or frozen for up to 6 months.

YIELD: approximately 12 oz. or 1 1/2 cups.

Other hamantasch recipes:

trio of savory puff pastry hamantaschen
sushi hamantaschen
baklava hamantaschen
“The Hamantini” Purim cocktail

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Persimmon Guacamole

It’s no secret that I’m kinda obsessed with persimmon. I gushed about it’s awesomeness here and here and even made some persimmon coconut ice cream here. But as long as persimmon are in season, I’m gonna keep eating them. And if I’m eating them, I’m blogging about them. So there.

When it comes to fuyu persimmon, you can eat them straight-up. No need to wait till their uber-ripe. That’s why they work so great in guacamole – it’s almost like using mango, except so much more delicious!

Guacamole is a great base for interesting add-ins. I love to make use of seasonal fruits and veggies and add them to creamy avocado dip. Pomegranates make an appearance in the fall, persimmon in the winter, and corn, of course, in the summer. The only classic ingredient not making it into my guacamole? cilantro. I’ve tried eating it, I really have. But it just tastes like soap over and over again.

No matter how you take your guacamole – make sure to add some persimmon, they’ll be gone before you know it!

Fuyu Persimmon Guacamole

2 ripe avocados
1 persimmon, peeled and diced
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1 jalapeño, seeds and veins removed, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
kosher salt, to taste
1-2 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped (optional)

Method:

Peel and dice 1 avocado. Add to a bowl and mash. Peel and dice the second avocado and add to the bowl without mashing. Add remaining ingredients and mix to combine. Serve with chips.

NOTE: I’m not a fan of cilantro so I leave it out, but it is a classic accompaniment to guacamole, so if you like it, go ahead and add it in!

1 year ago: smoked paprika popcorn cauliflower
2 years ago: my ultimate guilt-free breakfast
3 years ago: chicken pot pie from leftover chicken soup

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Za’atar Roasted Chickpeas

Ahh, za’atar, a delicious spice blend of sumac, thyme, oregano, sesame seeds and salt – there’s nothing quite like it!

When my grilled corn with za’atar garlic butter was recently featured in a lineup of za’atar recipes on The Huffington Post, I knew I had to reach for the Middle Eastern spice once again.

People are always asking me for healthy snack recipes that they can make on a whim. And I always suggest my go-to diet snack – roasted chickpeas. I give lots of savory & sweet ideas in this old post, but it’s buried deep into my blog, and it doesn’t get much attention. So here we are again with this new za’atar variation – my favorite flavor of all!

Za’atar Roasted Chickpeas

2 cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 heaping tbsp za’atar
kosher salt, to taste

Method:

Pour the chickpeas onto a kitchen towel and pat dry. Place on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with za’atar and salt. Stir to coat evenly and bake at 400 degrees for approximately 45 minutes, until crispy. Eat immediately.

Other Za’atar Recipes:

honey roasted za’atar chicken with dried fruit
grilled corn with za’atar garlic butter
malawach cheese pastries with dipping sauce

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Cauliflower Nachos with Harissa Cheddar Sauce

I’m not even going to pretend to know anything about football. Sports is not exactly one of my hobbies. I do know, however, that Superbowl parties require party food – and that, my dear friends, is most certainly one of my hobbies. When it comes to finger food, I’m the party queen – and I’ve got lots of yummy ideas up my blogger sleeve!

We’ll start with my spicy roasted edamame or my roasted chickpeas, they’re perfect for nibbling and won’t pile on the pounds. My smoked paprika popcorn cauliflower is another favorite and if you must have your wings, my spicy ginger chicken wings are a sure crowd pleaser!

If you’re craving dip, try my chestnut hummus with baked pita chips, crispy baby artichokes with balsamic aioli, salami chips with dijon dipping sauce or good old pretzels with my raspberry honey mustard pretzel dip,

Now if you’re looking for something a little bit more, well, cheesy, have I got some ideas for you! It’s a good thing I teamed up with Natural & Kosher Cheese, purveyors of artisanal kosher cheese products, because I sure love my dairy!  Here are some hearty game day recipes that’ll keep you going throughout the show!

} Natural & Kosher shredded cheddar adds cheesy goodness to my chili pie in jars,
} Natural & Kosher shredded mozzarella turns my malawach cheese pastries with zaatar, into a pizza-lovers dream.
} Natural & Kosher’s camembert or brie work wonders in my puff pastry brie bites with dried fruit & jam.
} Natural & Kosher’s aged parmesan can’t be missed in my zucchini parmesan chips,
} Natural & Kosher’s goat cheese makes the perfect garnish to my spinach & cheddar pesto crostini.

Of course, if you’re looking for something cheesy that’s still good for you – you’ve come to the right place. Yes, I know I might sound like a walking oxymoron but that’s just what I do. In my kitchen, healthy & nachos are not a contradiction as creamy cheddar sauce drips down a healthy dose of roasted veggies.

My Middle Eastern take on Mexican nachos will please even the purist of nacho fans. The harissa and cheddar make a perfect pair, creating a harmonious symphony of flavor, when drizzled over roasted cauliflower chips, marinated artichoke hearts, olives & roasted peppers. Note to yourselves: you may want to double the recipe!

Cauliflower Nachos

1 head cauliflower
olive oil
kosher salt
1 red pepper
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1 cup marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
2 scallions, chopped
1/2 cup feta, optional
harissa nacho cheese (recipe follows)

Method:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Separate the cauliflower into florets, taking care not to break them apart too much. Cut each floret into slices, 1/8″ thick. Lay the slices out on the baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Roast for 20-30 minutes, until browned and crispy.

While the cauliflower is roasting, place the pepper on a baking sheet and place in the oven along with the cauliflower. Roast the pepper until blistered all around, turning every 5 minutes or so.  Remove the pepper from the oven and wrap in foil or place in a ziploc bag to steam for a few minutes. Unwrap the pepper and peel back the skin. Discard skin and seeds and slice the pepper into strips.

Arrange the cauliflower chips on a platter, top with artichokes, olives and red pepper strips. Garnish with scallions and feta, if desired. Drizzle with harissa cheddar cheese sauce.

NOTE: If you’d like the cauliflower chips to be very crispy, leave them to roast for an additional 10-20 minutes. Just keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t burn.

I’m a huge fan of the cabbage family. And I don’t mean those sweet little dolls that we used to get for birthday gifts. I mean all those crunchy veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, cabbage and savoy, among others. But it’s cauliflower and broccoli that really make me want to melt…some cheese. There’s just something about sharp creamy cheddar over the tender veggies that makes them so delectable! So, without further ado, I give you my harissa cheddar cheese sauce ! Drizzle it over nachos, use it for fondue or mix it into mac ‘n cheese – you can thank me later!

Harissa Cheddar Cheese Nacho Sauce

1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
3/4 cup milk
1 cup shredded Natural & Kosher cheddar cheese
kosher salt, to taste
1-2 tsp harissa

Method:

In a saucepan, melt the butter and whisk in the flour until combined. Slowly add the milk, whisking to avoid clumps from forming. When the mixture has thickened, add the cheddar cheese and whisk until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and add harissa to taste.


This post was sponsored by Natural & Kosher Cheese. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, Google+, or via their Blog

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Tuscan White Beans with Spinach

If you follow me on Instagram, you probably know that I love to eat out. Which is why I’ll probably never leave Brooklyn. Aside from Israel, New York has got to be the mecca of the kosher culinary world. You’ll find all sorts of restaurants scattered throughout the five boroughs, including Indian, Italian, French and Chinese eateries. Being a foodie-turned-chef, I take inspiration for my recipes from everything around me – especially quality restaurant dishes. When I eat a good dish at a restaurant, I’m bound to whip up my own version in my kitchen (like I did here). This is one such recipe.

Tuscan White Beans with Spinach

1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 c dry white wine
2 cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
4 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
1 1/2-2 c vegetable or chicken broth
salt and pepper, to taste
1 6oz. bag baby spinach

Method:

Saute the onions in olive oil until translucent. Add garlic and continue to saute until fragrant. Deglaze the pan with white wine and cook over high heat to reduce, 1-2 minutes. Add beans, thyme, bay leaf and 1 1/2 cups of broth. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for approximately 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Mash half the beans and cook until creamy and thickened, adding additional broth if needed. Add baby spinach and cook until wilted. Serve immediately.

NOTE: I like to serve this as a side dish, but if you’d like to turn it into a soup, add some more vegetable broth until desired consistency is reached.

 

1 year ago: spicy garlic chicken
2 years ago: cornbread scones

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