Category: Diet

Sweet Pepper Burgers

Unless you’re the type of person who has all their Pesach food cooked in advance, most people are pretty sick of cooking by the time Chol Hamoed comes around. Quick and easy dinners are a must!  This simple recipe is a nice change from the standard chicken & potato fare, and works for lunch or dinner. The burgers can be broiled, grilled or pan-fried, and seasoned according to your Pesach pantry. If you use ketchup or spices, feel free to add some. In my case, I need to peel the peppers, but the sweetness it adds to the burgers makes the effort worthwhile.

 

Sweet Pepper Burgers

2 lbs ground beef
1 cup mixed colored peppers, diced
1 small onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
2 eggs
salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix gently to combine. Scoop out palm-sized portions of meat and shape into patties. Place on a baking sheet lined with foil and broil on high for approximately 7 minutes on the first side and 5 minutes on the opposite side. Drain on paper towels. Alternatively, you may cook the burgers on the grill.

TIP: Always mix the beef gently and pack the burgers lightly as squeezing the meat results in tough, rubbery burgers.

NOTE: I like to switch to a clean cookie sheet when I turn the burgers over so that they don’t cook in the fat that was released from the first round of broiling.

1 year ago: mock chopped liver

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Pizza Omelette

You know how they say “necessity breeds innovation?” That’s kind of how this pizza omelette was born.  It was one of those days where I just could not look at another salad, but I also could not eat any bread. (You all might be feeling something quite similar in a couple of weeks!). The thought of pizza was making my mouth water and I had no portobello mushrooms to stuff with cheese. I ransacked the refrigerator until it hit me – the humble egg. Why not use it to make a crust? And the rest is history! I can’t count how many times I’ve made this since.

So when Pesach comes around and you’re craving some pizza, go ahead and whip up this easy recipe. It really hits the spot! You can also check out my updated Passover category for more Pesach recipes!

 

Pizza Omelette

3 eggs
salt and pepper, to taste
marinara, tomato sauce or ketchup
mozzarella cheese, shredded
cheddar cheese, shredded
olives, or toppings of choice

Method:

Check eggs for blood spots and whisk well. Season with salt and pepper. Heat up a 7″ frying pan* with cooking spray. Pour egg mixture into pan and let it cook until it sets around the edges. Flip the omelette, taking care that it does not break. Remove the omelette from the pan and set on a baking sheet. Top with tomato sauce, cheese and toppings of your choice. Bake at 400 until cheese is browned and bubbly.

*If you use a bigger pan, you may want to add a few more eggs to keep the “crust” substantial. If it’s too thin, the pizza will fall apart.

VARIATION: spice up your pizza “crust” with herbs and spices for added flavor.

1 year ago: perfect pareve french toast

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Cheesy Stuffed Mini Peppers


At one of our Chanukah parties recently (was Chanukah really that recent? It feels like ages ago!), my sister in-law decided to bring over some food for the low-carb dieters at the party. I was really intrigued by her idea of making stuffed shells without the pasta. Mini peppers stand in as a great replacement, adding color and sweetness to the dish. I decided to whip up my own variation by peppering up (pun intended!) a version of my mom’s famous lasagna recipe. Truth be told – I still made some stuffed shells for my pasta-loving kids, but I was more than satisfied with my lighter and lower-carb variation.

Cheesy Stuffed Mini Peppers

1 15 oz. container ricotta or reduced fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 egg
1/4 tsp basil
1/4 tsp oregano
pinch of nutmeg
salt and pepper, to taste
1 10 oz. box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove water
1 bag sweet mini peppers
1 jar marinara sauce
1 8 oz. bag shredded mozzarella cheese

Method:

Preheat oven to 375. In a bowl, mix cheeses, egg, spices and 1/2 of the spinach. Pour half of the marinara sauce into a 9×13 pan. Dot with remaining spinach. Cut the tops off the mini peppers and remove the veins and seeds. Fill with cheese mixture and place in the pan on top of the marinara sauce. Pour remaining 1/2 jar of sauce over the peppers and sprinkle with mozzarella. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes, or until peppers begin to soften. Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes, until the cheese is browned and crisped around the edges.

VARIATION: For traditional stuffed shells, use large shell pasta in place of the mini peppers.

1 year ago: spinach pasta

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Baked Chicken Meatballs

Because I have little kids, I find myself making meatballs quite often. These chicken meatballs are a refreshing change from the typical meatball and spaghetti dinner. You can make them small and serve as an appetizer or mix into marinara sauce and serve a’ la classique.

PS I ran out of cocktail picks so that’s why I used matchsticks, just in case you were wondering!

Baked Chicken Meatballs

2 lbs ground chicken
1 cup soft bread crumbs (from about 3 pieces of bread)
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp basil
2 tbsp minced onion flakes
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup water
2 eggs
2 heaping tbsp tomato paste
chili sauce, for dipping

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine bread, oregano, basil, onion, garlic, salt and pepper.  Add water and let it sit for a few minutes to soak up the liquid. (If using dry bread crumbs, increase the water by another 1/2 cup). Mix bread crumbs mixture with ground chicken, eggs and tomato paste. Form balls (if you find the mixture too sticky to handle, put it in the fridge to set) and place in a greased pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.

NOTE: You can easily halve this recipe to make a smaller amount.

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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!

Green Guacamole

2 avocados
1/2 green bell pepper, finely diced
1 jalapeno, seeds and veins removed, minced
1 scallion, chopped
juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp olive oil
kosher salt, to taste
cilantro, optional
chips, for serving

Method:

Peel and diced 1 avocado. Add to a bowl and mash. Peel and dice the second avocado and add to the bowl without mashing. Add peppers, jalapeno, scallions, olive oil, lime and salt and mix to combine. Add chopped fresh cilantro, if desired (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 put it in!) Serve with chips.

NOTE: If jalapenos are too hot for your taste, use a long hot green pepper instead.

TIP: Always wear gloves when deseeding a chile pepper as capsaicin (the chemical that gives peppers their heat) can stick to your hands. Since capsaicin is only found in the seeds and veins, you can control the heat factor by eliminating some, or all, of the seeds.

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