Category: Recipes

Smash Shawarma Pita

I don’t know about you but I am living and breathing Israel right now, and all I can do is see how I can put an Israeli spin on everything, including my food, obviously! I love a good Smash Burger so I decided to get in on the Smash-Burger-Taco trend except make it Israeli by using ground turkey spiced with shawarma seasoning, and smashing it onto a pita half! I couldn’t get them out fast enough – my family polished them off! Winner winner shawarma dinner!

To view the reel on Instagram click here.


Smash Shawarma Pita

1 lb ground dark meat turkey (lamb or chicken works too)
2 tbsp shawarma spice
Salt, to taste
2 pitas, split
Oil, for frying
Toppings: red cabbage slaw, Israeli salad, Israeli pickles, sumac onion, tahini

Method:

Mix the ground turkey with shwarma spice and a bit of salt. Divide into 4 portions. Heat a skillet over high heat with 2 tbsp oil, add a portion of turkey, cover with pita and smash with a burger press or heavy bottomed pot. Cook until golden, flip and cook until browned and crsisp. Top with toppings of choice. בתאבון!

Related Recipes:
Sheet Pan Shawarma
Grilled Chicken Shawarma Salad
Chicken Shawarma

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Baharat Pumpkin Butter

I’m not a fan of pumpkin spice anything, so I did what I do best and put my own spin on pumpkin butter by adding baharat, silan and a little bit of tahini for creaminess.

In his cookbook Shaya, Alon Shaya shares “an odyssey of food, my journey back to Israel” and he calls Baharat spice “the fancy pumpkin pie spice”. It’s kind of a savory version with cumin, black pepper along with the warm notes of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and nutmeg. Adding it to pumpkin butter gives it depth and spice that is so different from traditional pumpkin spice, and yes, I love it!

Pair it with a cinnamon raisin bagel for the ultimate treat!To view the reel on Instagram click here.

Baharat Pumpkin Butter

15oz can pumpkin purée
1 1/2 tsp baharat
1/4 cup silan
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp tahini paste

Method:

In a pan, combine the pumpkin, baharat, silan and salt. Cool over medium heat until reduced and thickened, 10-20 minutes. Stir in the tahini paste.

(For my homemade baharat blend click here.)

Related Recipes:

Baklava Pumpkin Pie
Cookie Butter Pumpkin Pie
Beer  Battered Pumpkin Rings

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Herbed Apple & Date Salad

I was lucky enough to spend the last week of the summer in Israel to join a close friend in celebrating a Bar Mitzvah (full itinerary to be posted after the Chagim!), but also for some inspiration for both my body (food!) and soul. What’s amazing about Israel is that you don’t have to seek those things out – they find you. Whether you’re going to the kotel for Friday night prayers, or taking a stroll through the shuk – beauty – in the form of soulful connections, culinary delights, Jerusalem stone, artisan creations, magical energy – surrounds you.

One such culinary delight that I found repeatedly in various forms – is this delicious herb salad. With loads of fresh parsley, crunchy celery, some kind of dried fruit (usually raisins) and nuts (often pecans or walnuts), the salad was simply dressed and so refreshing! I knew when I took my first bite that I needed to create a Rosh Hashanah version, and here it is!

Shana Tova! – to a SWEET New Year indeed.

Herbed Apple & Date Salad

1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
3 stalks celery, diced small (use the leaves as well!)
1 green apple, peeled and diced small
4 medjool dates, pitted and diced small
1/3 cup roasted and salted sunflower seeds
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp silan
juice of 1/2 lemon
kosher salt, to taste

Related Recipes:

holiday salad with apple & honey vinaigrette
pomegranate coleslaw
roasted beet salsa

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Apple Crumb Cake


I have to admit I’m not much of a baker but when it comes to the High Holidays, I pull out all the stops
Whether it’s an over the top bundt cake, my mason jar honey cakes for gift giving or my red wine chocolate cake – you’ll always
find me baking up something special for Rosh Hashanah. There’s just nothing like a a comforting slice of cake with tea for dessert,
or even for breakfast with a cup of coffee. I love creating new dishes that gets everyone excited for the holiday – it sets such a festive
mood for the whole family, and is really the foundation for making memories around the table. I know honey cake doesn’t always get
the most love, so this year, I created a recipe for an apple cider crumb cake that brings all the warm, cozy feels of fall. You can bake it
in a bundt pan, 9×13 tray or even a loaf – whatever you like best.

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Apple Crumb Cake

3 medium apples, peeled and grated
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 cups all purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
4 eggs
1 cup canola oil
1 cup apple cider (unfiltered apple juice)
2 tsp vanilla extract

Crumbs
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup canola oil

Method:

Grease and lightly flour a Bundt pan, set aside.
In a small bowl mix the apples and cinnamon.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, apple cider and vanilla.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula to incorporate.

In a separate bowl, mix the crumb ingredients until crumbly.

Pour half of the cake batter into the Bundt pan. Add the shredded apples, discarding any liquid that accumulated in the bowl. Top with remaining half of the batter, and sprinkle generously with the crumbs.

Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Related Recipes:

Apple & Honey Galette
Lemon Blueberry Crumb Cake

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Simanim Carpaccio


This show stopping appetizer is as beautiful as it is delicious! It incorporates some of the symbolic foods that are customary to eat for the New Year including beets, carrots and pomegranate!

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Simanim Carpaccio

1 package  vacuum packed beets, thinly sliced on a mandolin
1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 1/2 tbsp @heavenandearthfoods silan (date honey)
kosher salt, to taste
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1/4 cup chopped roasted, salted pistachios (or nuts/seeds of choice)

Carrot Ribbon Salad
2 carrots, peeled into ribbons
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
kosher salt, to taste

Spread the beets out onto a large platter, overlapping slightly. Drizzle with olive oil, pomegranate molasses, and silan and season with salt. Add the carrot ribbon salad to a bowl and mix well. Top the beets with the carrot ribbons and garnish with parsley, pomegranate seeds and pistachios.



Related Recipes:

Rosh Hashana Recipes

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