Category: Shavuous

Roasted Eggplant Parmesan with Feta

I always wondered about the name for the dish eggplant parmesan. Parmesan isn’t exactly the prominent ingredient, it’s not even called for in some recipes. Most eggplant parmesan recipes consist of breaded slices of eggplant that have been fried, smothered in tomato sauce and covered in melted cheese. Parmesan or not, it’s definitely one of my favorite dairy dishes, but having just finished the Chanukah fry-fest, I decided to come up with a healthier version.

Last year, I posted this recipe for roasted eggplants stuffed with Israeli salad, roasted chickpeas and techina. It’s one of my favorite ways to enjoy eggplants! I eat it pretty often though, so I decided to invent a new roasted eggplant dish. That’s how this Middle Eastern twist on eggplant parmesan came about. I broil the eggplants for delicious smokey flavor and stuff them with marinara, tomatoes, a little breadcrumbs and finish it off with light feta cheese. Although it tastes nothing like the original, it’s a delicious light and healthy lunch that’s a perfect start for the New Year!

Looking for more healthy recipes? Check out the Shine Supper Club. They’re sharing healthy recipes to get your New Year off to a fresh start!

Roasted Eggplant Parmesan with Feta

1 eggplant, sliced in half vertically
olive oil
salt
1/3 cup marinara sauce
1 plum tomato, sliced
flavored bread crumbs
parmesan cheese, optional
feta cheese
parsley, for garnish

Method:

Sprinkle the eggplants with salt and place flesh side down on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and broil on high for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and spread some marinara sauce over eggplants. Place tomato slices over sauce and sprinkle on some bread crumbs and parmesan cheese, if desired. Drizzle with olive oil and top with feta cheese crumbles. Bake at 400 degrees until bread crumbs are toasted and feta cheese has melted (it will still hold it’s form and will only melt slightly). Garnish with chopped parsley.

VARIATION: For a more traditional roasted eggplant parmesan, top the eggplants with marinara and sprinkle with shredded mozzarella. Bake until cheese is melted and browned.

1 year ago: green guacamole
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Linguini Lasagna

With the nine days* upon us, we’re all looking for a quick fix dairy dinner that doesn’t require oven time. At least here in Brooklyn, where the weather has been stifling hot and humid.  A nice big salad would make for the perfect meal, but I’ve got kids to feed, and salad is just not gonna cut it. My kids adore lasagna, but all that prep and cooking time is too much on these long summer days. My solution? a one-pot pasta dinner with all the lasagna components. The best part is, you can customize it to include all your favorite lasagna fillings. I knew I did well when I served this up and my daughter’s first words were “this tastes like Bubby’s lasagna!” Use store-bought marinara to save on prep time, or prepare your own original recipe.

What recipes are you serving up during the Nine Days? On my menu this week:

Monday: baked ziti and greek salad
Tuesday: crispy beer battered fish tacos from The Shiksa
Wednesday: light eggplant parmesan (no breading)
Thursday: quesadillas with assorted fillings

For more great Nine Days menu ideas, check out last years post.

*The Nine Days is a mourning period over the destruction of the Holy Temple. During this time, observant Jews abstain from eating meat and drinking wine as well as other joyous activities.

 

Linguini Lasagna

1 box linguini pasta, cooked al dente (see package instructions)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 cups chopped spinach (if frozen, thaw and squeeze out water)
salt and pepper, to taste
1 jar marinara sauce
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
1 tsp sugar, optional
1 8oz. container cottage cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Method:

Heat up oil in a skillet and add garlic. Saute until fragrant, but not browned. Add spinach and saute for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add marinara sauce, basil, oregano and sugar and bring to a boil. With tongs, toss the linguini into the sauce and stir in cottage cheese and mozzarella. Serve immediately.

Variation: For a fun twist on traditional lasagna, break a few lasagna sheets into pieces. Cook until al dente. Use in place of linguini and mix with remaining ingredients.

1 year ago: spinach stuffed mushrooms

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Corn Flake Crunch Ice Cream

I am so excited to be a part of this all new kosher recipe linkup! Each month, the linkup will feature another theme. This month it is frozen desserts. Check out the other great frozen dessert recipes below!

I don’t have an ice cream machine, so when I thought about what frozen dessert to post, I kept coming back to one of my most popular posts, my peanut butter fudge ice cream pie. What makes that recipe so great is the combination of peanut butter and chocolate. Who doesn’t love that decadent pairing? My brother reminded me about another ice cream recipe that my mom used to make that also uses peanut butter and chocolate. Mixed with crunchy clusters of corn flakes and slivered almonds, this recipe is sure to become your next favorite dessert! Feel free to use store bought ice cream or you can make your own.

Corn Flake Crunch Ice Cream
adapted from “The Balabuste’s Choice”

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
4.5 oz. (1/2 bag) chocolate chips
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 cups Corn Flakes
1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream, softened

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spread the slivered almonds out on a baking sheet and bake until toasted and brown, about 10 minutes. Set aside. Add peanut butter and chocolate chips to a pot and stir over medium heat until melted. Stir in slivered almonds and corn flakes. Pour the softened ice cream into a 9×13 pan and fold in the cornflake mixture. Freeze for several hours.

You may serve this in scoops or cut into squares and garnish with chocolate syrup and slivered almonds.

1 year ago: fruit skewers with dipping sauce

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Salmon Pasta Salad

If you follow my blog, you know how much I love turning leftovers into something fabulous. This salmon salad is no exception. Back on Succos, I prepared a huge portion of salmon and although delicious, I still had so much left over. Because salmon tends to get a bit fishy the next day, I wanted to serve it up in a way that I could mask some of its fishiness. And that’s how this recipe was borne.

This year, we go straight from Shabbos into Shavuous and I’m sure many of you are going to have lots of leftovers. And since not everyone has the luxury of leaving on their oven for 3 days, we’ve all got to make the most of what we’ve got. This recipe will take your leftover salmon from fishy to delicious! I’ve upped the ante for Shavuous by using soft Israeli cream cheese instead of mayonnaise. Make sure to bake your salmon in a pareve oven so you can make it dairy.


Salmon Pasta Salad

1 12 oz box bowtie pasta (reserve 2 tbsp cooking water)
2 slices leftover salmon (see note)
1/2 c peas, thawed
1 small red onion, diced (about 1/4 cup)
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp dill
1/4 cup soft Israeli cream cheese
salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Prepare pasta according to package directions, making sure to reserve 2 tbsp of cooking water before draining. Add the pasta to a mixing bowl and stir in cream cheese while it’s still hot. Add pasta water 1 tbsp at a time to help thin out the cream cheese. Add remaining ingredients and mix to combine. Serve immediately.

Note: If you don’t have leftover salmon, you can use chunks of canned salmon or you can bake fresh. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Squeeze some fresh lemon on fish, sprinkle salt, and drizzle a little olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes.

Variation: For a pareve version, use mayo instead of cream cheese. Omit the pasta water.

1 year ago: black bean & chorizo chocolate chili

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Peanut Butter Mousse &
Levana’s Chocolate Espresso Mousse

At our local Bikur Cholim gathering last year, we were lucky enough to have Levana Kirschenbaum, the talented caterer and cookbook author, do a cooking demo for us. I don’t remember everything she made, but one thing that really stood out was her chocolate mousse. I’m not one to eat raw egg yolks (like in most mousse recipes), so when I saw her using tofu instead, I was intrigued. That Shabbos, I made her recipe for dessert, and it’s been a regular in my house ever since. The tofu adds a silkiness to the mousse that you’d never dream would come from soy. I started experimenting with silken tofu some more and this peanut butter mousse is one of my favorite outcomes. You can even make a parfait of mousses, and layer the chocolate and peanut butter into dessert glasses (keep it small because they are very rich!). I did that one Yom Tov and topped it with whipped cream and brownie crumbles. My guests nearly fell off their seats!

Thanks to Levana for generously sharing her chocolate espresso mousse recipe below. Make sure to check out her new cookbook, The Whole Foods Kosher Kitchen!

Peanut Butter Mousse

1 lb. silken tofu
3/4 c creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 1/2 tbsp honey
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt

optional garnishes:
whipped cream
honey roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs (processed in the blender)

Method:

Remove tofu from packaging and drain on paper towels until all excess liquid is absorbed. Add the tofu, peanut butter, sugar, honey, cinnamon and salt to a blender and process until smooth. Refrigerate for a few hours until firm. Pour into glasses and garnish with whipped cream, chopped peanuts and cookie crumbs.

Variation: You can also make a peanut butter pie using this mousse recipe. Just add melted butter to the cookie crumbs and press into the bottom of a pie dish. Bake for 10 minutes to set. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Pour mousse into pie dish and top with whipped cream. Garnish with chopped peanuts and chocolate shavings.

 

Levana’s Chocolate Espresso Mousse
recipe reprinted with permission from LevanaCooks, author of The Whole Foods Kosher Kitchen

1 c good quality semisweet chocolate chips (or grated chocolate)
2 tbsp instant coffee powder
1/4 c water
2/3 c pure cocoa powder
2/3 c sugar
1/4 c vegetable oil
2 tbsp unflavored brandy or rum
1 lb. silken tofu, drained

Method:

In a small saucepan, on a very low flame, place all but last ingredient, and cook, stirring, until melted. This will take about 2-3 minutes (Or microwave 2 minutes). Transfer the mixture to a food processor, with the tofu, and process one full minute, until perfectly smooth. Pour the mixture into 6 to 8 dessert glasses or cups, and refrigerate until firm, 2-3 hours.

1 year ago: best bbq potato salad

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