Category: The Nine Days

Israeli Style Tuna Salad

When I was growing up, my brother would often buy Israeli-Style tuna from the prepared salad section in the supermarket. He’d come home with his little black bag of tuna and fresh bread, and I’d look at him oddly while he ate the weird concoction of tomato-smothered tuna for lunch. Tuna was suppposed to be mixed with mayo and squeezed between a slice of fresh tomato and lettuce on some freshly baked bread. It wasn’t a salad, unless you added some fresh cucumbers and dill, and it surely wasn’t a dip, right? Wrong.

One day, I was digging through the fridge looking for something to eat when I spotted some leftover  Israeli style tuna. I had no patience to prepare something from scratch so I decided to give it a try. One spoon and the rest is history – I was an Israeli tuna salad convert! I had always wanted to try making my own, but I wasn’t quite sure what they put into it. When Sabra sent me over a bunch of samples of their Kosher for Passover line, including caponata, matbucha and turkish salad, I decided to test it out with their already delicious dips. I knew I hit the nail on the head when one taste transported me back into my mom’s kitchen, sneaking some of my brother’s tuna dip.

This recipe makes the perfect Passover lunch when served alongside some crispy matza. Head on over to Joy of Kosher for the recipe!

But wait, there’s more! Not only did Sabra develop an amazing selection of Kosher for Passover dips that taste just as good (or better!) than the chometz variety – they’re also sharing the love with an amazing contest! All you have to do to win a $200 gift card is show and tell Sabra what you’re eating and who you’re eating it with. Take pictures of your food or family and friends at meal time and post on Facebook, Twitter or Instragram with the hashtag #ShareSabra for a chance to win.

This post was sponsored by Sabra.

Related Recipes:

tuna salad with a twist
baked portobello shakshuka with Sabra matbucha
Kosher for Passover egg salad dip (mock chopped liver)

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Roasted Eggplant Parmesan

This is one of my favorite recipes of all time. Not only is it low carb, gluten free, and unbelievably delicious, it’s also quick and easy – no breading required!

I posted a similar recipe back in 2012, where I went light and healthy using feta cheese and tomatoes. It’s one of my most popular posts on the blog, and for good reason. It may be dietetic, but it still hits the spot to curb your calorie cravings.

This more authentic version of roasted eggplant parmesan stays true to the cheesy goodness of the original. It’s packed with grated parmesan and mozzarella cheese, but leaves out the frying and breadcrumbs for a guilt-free dish that’s as good as it looks!

With Passover soon approaching, I thought this would be the perfect time to post a gluten free dish that’s just right for the intermediary days of the Chag. If you’re like me and you don’t eat matza pizza, this is the perfect way to enjoy a cheesy dish that’s not gebroks (dishes that allow for matza to absorb liquid). Thankfully, Natural & Kosher parmesan and mozzarella are kosher for Passover so you can prepare this dish without having to search for the afikomen (ie. look very far!). If you’re not a fan of eggplant, read on for other cheesy gluten-free ideas, you’ll be sure to find one that suits your fancy!

Roasted Eggplant Parmesan

Eggplant (use mini for appetizer, large for entree)
olive oil
kosher salt, to taste
marinara sauce
Natural & Kosher grated parmesan cheese
Natural & Kosher shredded mozzarella
fresh parsley or basil, for garnish (optional)

Method:

Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise and place flesh-side down on a greased baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and broil on high on the top rack of the oven for 20-25 minutes (35 for larger eggplant), until skin is charred and the flesh is soft.

Turn the eggplants over and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Top with marinara and shredded mozzarella. Bake at 400 degrees until cheese is bubbly and beginning to crisp up around the edges. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve immediately.


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

Related Recipes:

portobello pizza
pizza omelette
cheesy stuffed mini peppers
pasta free spinach manicotti
spaghetti squash baked ziti
roasted eggplant parmesan with feta

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Roasted Veggie Quinoa Salad

The best salads happen at the salad bar. It was Chanukah, and my sister in law and I made a run for Bagels & Greens to sample some of their amazing donuts. They had incredible flavors like Rosemary crunch, sweet basil, Oreo crunch, strawberry cheese cake, dulce de leche and even passion fruit. They were selling out fast so we made our way, babies in tow, and sat down for brunch.

To deguiltify our donut binge, we decided to start with a salad. We packed in some roasted veggies, beets, and quinoa with a drizzle of honey mustard dressing. I was used to eating quinoa salads where the quinoa was the main attraction, but I loved how the healthy grains coated my greens and stuck to the veggies. I decided to bring the idea home and roast up some veggies for a healthy lunch that’s packed with color and flavor.

I start by roasting up some veggies – there are so many to choose from! Keep it simple with zucchini and onions or add in some eggplant, peppers or mushrooms. A hint of oregano and balsamic add amazing flavor – and your house will smell incredible too.

I love topping my greens off with a poached or soft boiled egg. The creamy yolk coats the greens in a rich sauce that’s better than any salad dressing. Although, if you do want dressing (what’s a salad without a good dressing, right?), I’ve got plenty of options for you too!

Roasted Veggie Quinoa Salad

1 bag arugula or Spring Mix
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 large zucchini, sliced on the diagonal
1 red onion, roughly chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3/4 tsp oregano
kosher salt, to taste
soft boiled (or poached) eggs, for serving
green goddess, honey mustard, or balsamic dressing, for serving

Method:

Place zucchini and onion on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle oregano and salt and mix to coat. Bake at 400 degrees until tender and caramelized, about 40 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare the quinoa by thoroughly rinsing in a fine mesh sieve. Add to a pot with water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until water is absorbed.

Spread the arugula out on a platter and sprinkle quinoa generously over the greens. Top with roasted veggies and soft boiled eggs. Drizzle with dressing.

VARIATION: Try roasting eggplant, mushrooms, grape tomatoes or peppers along with the other vegetables.

1 year ago: nut omelette
2 years ago: Bubby’s challah kugel
3 years ago: perfect pareve french toast

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Brie Marsala Pizza

It’s a funny thing about brie. I’m really not a stinky cheese kind of person. I won’t go near bleu cheese with a ten food pole. Not even if you paid me. But brie, now that sort of moldy cheese, I like!

Brie is a soft cow’s milk cheese named after the French region from which it originated. It is pale in color with a slight grayish tinge under a rind of edible white mold. The thing about the mold is – it doesn’t taste moldy. And it definitely doesn’t stink.

Inside that rind, you’ll find the creamiest pale yellow cheese that is spectacular with jam, amazing in puff pastry, and unbelievable with wine.

Since wine pairs so wonderfully with the rich and fruity notes in brie, I decided to create a pizza with a classic Marsala sauce and Natural & Kosher Cheese’s wheel of soft ripened brie. It would work equally well with their camembert.

With sweet fruity marsala, fragrant rosemary and rich brie, this pizza is a mushroom lover’s dream! Thyme or wild mushrooms make another great option!

Brie Marsala Pizza

1 lb. store-bought pizza dough (I use Trader Joe’s)
1/2 wheel brie
1 8 oz pkg button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 lg shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper, to taste
1 cup marsala wine
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1 sprig rosemary plus more for garnish

Method:

Heat the butter and oil in a pan and saute the shallot and garlic until fragrant. Add mushrooms and saute until the liquid evaporates. Season with salt & pepper. Deglaze the pan with Marsala wine and simmer until reduced by half. Add the stock and rosemary and continue to simmer until reduced and thickened, about 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pizza dough to a 12″ diameter circle and top with mushrooms, and brie. Garnish with rosemary. Bake until cheese is bubbly and the pizza dough is crisp and golden, about 15-20 minutes.


This post was sponsored by Natural & Kosher Cheese. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, Google+, or via their Blog
Related Recipes:
dried fruit brie bites

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Chickpea Cakes with Za’atar Cauliflower Relish

If you follow my blog, you probably already know about my passion for Israeli fare. From cumin to za’atar and roasted eggplant to chickpeas – you’ll find loads of Middle Eastern-inspired recipes here on BIB. I’ve been growing my collection of Middle Eastern cookbooks as well, with Balaboosta just recently added to books like Plenty, Jerusalem, Cook in Israel, The Book of New Israeli Food, and more.

In this delicious appetizer, I’ve created a chickpea cake, in a preparation similar to polenta, using garbanzo flour. Such cakes are popularly served in Northern Italy (where it’s called panisse) as well as the South of France (where it’s called panelle). They are often cut into sticks and fried to resemble french fries.

For the topping, I went with a delicious combination of za’atar roasted cauliflower with caramelized onions, prunes and toasted pine nuts. The result is a delicious combination of Middle Eastern flavors – the perfect recipe to guest post on Yosef Silver’s blog, This American Bite. You may remember it from The Great Blog Swap Link-Up where I created a recipe for grilled corn with za’atar garlic butter, inspired by his recipe for garlic, za’atar & olive oil stovetop popcorn.

For the recipe, head on over to This American Bite.

1 year ago: teriyaki salmon
2 years ago: stuffed roasted butternut squash
3 years ago: quick & easy chocolate rugelach

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