Category: The Nine Days

Halloumi Cheese Waffles with
Tomato Jam & Balsamic Syrup

I am UBER excited about today’s post, I’m even using the word uber! You see, I dreamed up these halloumi waffles a couple of weeks ago and I wasn’t quite sure how they would turn out. Sometimes when I think up something really outside the box, it can be a bit much, but this, this just worked so harmoniously, I am still dreaming about it!

If you’ve never heard of halloumi before, it’s a semi-hard sheep’s milk cheese that’s like a cross between feta and mozzarella. Because of it’s high melting point, it’s one of the few cheeses that you can actually grill (or in this case, waffle iron). And I don’t mean grill between two slices of bread. You can grill this cheese on it’s own and it retains it’s shape and texture!

Many people don’t know this about halloumi. In fact, I decided to do a little Instagram contest to see who could guess what kind of waffle this was (using the picture below). There were 57 guesses and only one person guessed haloumi (chanazweiss won a copy of my ebook!). Some of the others were really intriguing (like fluffernutter, tofu, tahini, coconut flour, cottage cheese, cauliflower….). I guess I’ve got my fill of waffle ideas for a while.

You can find halloumi in the cheese section of most supermarkets nowadays, but it is most popular in Israeli cuisine. I’ve seen it grilled and fried, but my favorite preparation is the halloumi salad at Blueberry Cafe in Brooklyn. It’s got grilled peppers, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and onions with crispy breaded cubes of fried halloumi and a sesame teriyaki dressing. They call it a salad, so I convince myself that it’s healthy, because it’s JUST. THAT. GOOD.

In keeping with the Middle Eastern spirit of halloumi cheese, I created a silan-sweetened tomato jam as well as a balsamic syrup that’s kissed with the amazing flavor of date honey. Silan is one of my favorite Middle Eastern ingredients and it works so well in these condiments (well in anything, really).

I know this is one of those recipes where you roll your eyes and think, “Looks good but it’s too much of a patchke“, but do yourself a favor and go for it anyway. Once you plate this baby up, the marriage of salty cheese with a crispy exterior, sweet tomato jam, acidic balsamic and bitter arugula will dance on your palate and hit every note!

With Nine Days of dairy coming up soon, we can all use a little something different, so get outside your comfort zone and grill up some halloumi. You can thank me later.

Halloumi Waffles

1 14oz. pkg halloumi cheese
olive oil
arugula
tomato jam (recipe follows)
balsamic syrup (recipe follows)

Method:

Remove the halloumi from the package and pat dry. If the cheese is thick (this depends on the brand you purchase), divide it in half. Brush the halloumi with olive oil and heat up your waffle iron. Grease your waffle iron well and add the cheese. Cook until the the cheese has developed a brown crust (resist the urge to open your waffle iron too early or the cheese will fall apart).

Serve immediately with arugula, tomato jam, balsamic syrup and a drizzle of good quality olive oil.

VARIATION: If you don’t have a waffle iron, you can also grill the halloumi or pan-fry until crispy.


Tomato Jam

1.5 lbs. ripe tomatoes
2 tbsp silan
salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Roughly chop your tomatoes and place them in a saucepan with silan and spices. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook the tomatoes until they begin to fall apart and break them up with a fork. Continue to cook until the mixture thickens, about 45 minutes total.

NOTE: if desired, you may strain the jam through a fine mesh sieve to remove the skins.

Balsamic Syrup

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp silan

Pour the vinegar and silan into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until reduced by half (or more, for a thicker syrup).

Related Recipes:

summer tomato feta salad
roasted eggplant parmesan with feta

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Blueberry Sweet Potato Granola Salad

I gave you a sneak peek at this light summer salad a few weeks ago, and I’m so excited to finally share it here for keeps! Credit for this awesome combination actually goes to a restaurant named “BLUEBERRY” on Avenue M in Brooklyn. It’s a family-friendly place with fluorescent green walls (not their finest choice) and some great outdoor seating. I love to take my kids there because they’ve got great kid food and a frozen yogurt bar to boot! They’ve also got some really great salads on the menu, like a version of this blueberry salad (you’ve got to make a mean salad if it’s literally got your NAME written all over it, right?), and a delicious haloumi salad with grilled veggies and a sesame teriyaki dressing. I must reinvent that one next! They’ve also got an assortment of malawach and shakshuka, and you all know how I love me some Israeli food.

Thanks to Blueberry for giving me the awesome idea of putting granola on a salad, it’s such a fun way to add crunch, especially during the summer months. Enjoy!

Blueberry Sweet Potato Granola Salad

1 large sweet potato, cut into bite size pieces
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
mixed greens
1 pkg blueberries
1/2 cup granola (make your own)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread the sweet potato out on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 25-30 minutes until tender and crisped around the edges.

Place greens in a large bowl and top with sweet potato and blueberries. Sprinkle with granola and drizzle with yogurt dressing.

Strawberry Yogurt Dressing

6oz. plain Greek yogurt
4 large strawberries
1 heaping tbsp honey
drop of vanilla extract

Puree the dressing ingredients in the blender until smooth.

Cajun Quinoa Burgers

Call them burgers, call them patties, call them cakes – call them whatever you want. So long as you make them. Because they’re gooooood.

I call them burgers because burgers are my thing. And because it’s summer (finally!) and that just makes me want to eat more burgers. Meat burgers are great, don’t get me wrong, but sometimes you just want something light for lunch. Or dinner. Or hey, even breakfast (OMG can you imagine a fried egg dripping down this thing?!).

So back to my burger obsession, lets talk about it. I won a recipe contest for this vegetarian cheeseburger, I’m also in love with this Paleo burger, and don’t even get me started on this spinach falafel burger. These chickpea burgers are awesome on the grill, and these sweet pepper ones are not too bad either. Told you I had a burger obsession.

I quite like quinoa too. And I just about put cajun seasoning on everything – like roasted chickpeas, and broccoli, blackened fish and chicken. Yummo.

And of course I like things spicy too, so my easy jalapeno crema packs a great punch and an added brightness that goes great with these patties.

One of the things I love about these is how great they are for packed lunches. Picnic at the beach? check. Quick lunch on the go, check. Easy bites for vacation, yup.

And speaking of vacation, I’m working hard on keeping things as healthy as possible as we slowly shed our sweaters and jackets, inching our way towards summer. With the holidays behind us, there are no more excuses, who’s with me?!

How are YOU planning to eat light and healthy this summer? Share your ideas with me in the comments below!

Cajun Quinoa Burgers

2 cups cooked quinoa*
1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup finely diced red pepper
2 scallions, chopped
Heaping 1/2 cup flavored bread crumbs
3 eggs
generous 1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp chili powder
salt and pepper, to taste
light olive oil, for frying

Method:

Add all ingredients, besides for the eggs, to a bowl and mix until combined. Taste the mixture and adjust seasoning as desired. Add eggs, and  using a scoop or measuring cup, portion out the quinoa into patties. Fry until golden on both sides. Drain on paper towels.

*To cook, rinse 3/4 cup quinoa thoroughly in a fine-mesh sieve. Add to a pot with 1 1/2 cups water and 1/4 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes.

NOTE: If you find the mixture too loose, you can pulse it in the food processor to make it more sticky.

GLUTEN FREE OPTION: use corn flake crumbs instead of bread crumbs.

VARIATION: Use chickpeas instead of black beans. You will need to pulse the mixture in the food processor so the mixture sticks together.

Jalapeño crema

6 oz sour cream
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 jalapeño, seeds and veins removed, finely minced
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 tsp lime zest

Method:

Add all the ingredients to a bowl and stir to combine.


Related Recipes:

quinoa pad thai
roasted veggie quinoa salad
spinach falafel burger
portobello cheeseburger

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Broccoli Parmesan Poppers (Gluten Free!)

We’re gonna keep things short and sweet today since I know you’re all so busy prepping for Shavuot! I’m gonna let the photos do the talking.


I think you’re getting the picture (pun intended). I took some good old broccoli trees and made ’em kid friendly! And they’re even gluten free. Because I love you. (And because I’m on South Beach).


Do yourself a favor and bookmark this flaxseed crumb recipe because if you’re gluten free, you’re going to want to put it on everything. Especially homemade chicken nuggets. Trust me.


Did I mention they are baked too? You’re welcome.


I love how much goodness is packed into these little balls. Broccoli, flaxseeds, almond meal, and I even made a Greek yogurt ranch dip. Betchya never knew that healthy food could taste/look this good!


And you know what else? these little magic balls are easily adaptable too! If you want a more cheesy bite, add some shredded cheddar. Or your favorite cheese. And you can easily swap in some panko or breadcrumbs if you don’t have gluten free ingredients on hand like I do. Told you they were magic balls.


You’ve got the recipe, now get into the kitchen and make them already! Happy dipping!

Gluten Free Broccoli Parmesan Poppers

32oz. bag frozen brocolli
2 eggs
1/2 cup Natural & Kosher grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup flaxseed meal
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
Marinara sauce or Greek yogurt ranch dip (recipe follows), for dipping

Method:

Add broccoli to a pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Drain well, pushing down on the broccoli to remove moisture. Pulse the broccoli in the food processor until finely chopped, but not ground. Place the chopped broccoli in a mixing bowl and add eggs, Parmesan, almond meal, garlic powder, salt and pepper. In a separate bowl, mix the flaxseed meal and spices. Roll 2 tablespoons of broccoli batter into balls and dip into the flaxseed mixture. Place on a greased baking sheet and spray with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until golden and crispy.

Yield: 27 poppers

VARIATION: For more cheesy goodness, use Natural & Kosher cheese shredded cheddar instead of the parmesan.

NON GLUTEN FREE OPTION: roll the broccoli balls in flavored panko bread crumbs.

NUT FREE OPTION: use bread crumbs instead of almond meal.


Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip

6 oz. plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp minced onion flakes
1/4 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp dried dill
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp seasoned salt
pinch of black pepper

Add all ingredients to a bowl and stir to combine.


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

Related Recipes:

3-cheese broccoli pull-apart buns
sweet sand savory cheese balls
zucchini parmesan chips
gluten free pesto zucchini fries

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Moroccan Fish Balls

If there is one store I wish every Jewish community around the world would have, it would be Benz’s Gourmet. The local gourmet kosher shop is celebrating it’s 12th anniversary and we’re feasting on a special gefilte fish recipe in their honor!

Benz’s carries everything from artisan cholov yisroel cheese (imported from France!), smoked fish, caviar, beer, as well as specialty baking and gluten free products. They boast a huge olive bar and a whopping 27 varieties of herring. Whether I’m looking for a gourmet kosher product (like truffle oil), or I’m in the mood for fresh fish, I head on over to Benz’s. Thankfully, it’s just a few blocks away!

What I love about the store is that they are constantly on the lookout for new kosher products. If there is ever an item that I can’t find locally, I ask Benz’s to order it for me, and they do! Recently, I needed rosewater for an upcoming Shavuot recipe, and I couldn’t find it anywhere. I gave them a call and it was in the store just a few days later. Now that’s what I call good service!

Besides for Benz’s gourmet selection, they also carry traditional gefilte fish, a family recipe that they’ve been perfecting for over 30 years. I’m always looking to change up traditional gefilte (‘cuz reinventing traditional food is what I do best!) and Benz’s gefilte fish offers me the perfect canvas to build my hybrid recipe.

I don’t know about you, but the more I cook, the more I appreciate savory food. And the more I experiment, the more I realize that you don’t need to use a lot of sweetener in your cooking. My mom doesn’t agree, and neither does my Bubby. They’re ashkenazi food is loaded with sugar, the more the merrier.

If you ask me, sugar is just a fill-in for the absence of flavor. If you build layers of flavor and spice, there’s no need to load sugar into savory food. Look at gefilte fish – most Jewish Bubby’s cook it up in stock made of onions, carrots and celery (the good stuff!), they season to taste with salt and pepper and then they go ahead and pour a boatload of sugar into the pot. I grew up on that stuff, so I know. And don’t get me wrong, it even tastes good. So does candy.

I don’t want to carry on the sugar torch, so I’m trying to condition my kids to like savory foods. I don’t overload my salad’s with sugar, and I make spicy roasted chickpeas as a snack instead of cake. That’s not to say that my kids don’t get to pick their favorite sugary cereal as a Shabbat treat. Believe me, they have their fill of sugar. But I try. And all Bubby’s everywhere are questioning my better judgement!

Sephardic Bubby’s have been serving chraime for years. it’s a popular Moroccan dish of fish cooked in a spicy tomato sauce, and it’s usually made with white fish or salmon. I decided to shake things up by using prepared gefilte fish, ‘cuz that’s the way I roll (pun intended). I incorporated all the traditional elements of Moroccan fish here – including colored peppers, lots of garlic, parsley, lemon, and of course, harissa – a hot pepper paste that’s often used in North African cuisine. I’ve made variations of this recipe for a fish loaf as well as fried patties, but I love how these fish balls can stretch a roll of gefilte fish into so many portions. The fish balls become nice and fluffy, almost the texture of a matza balls, but with lots of spice from cumin, turmeric and fresh garlic.

As good as it is, I’m not sure my fusion cooking would win my husband’s Sephardic family over (although it did win him over, he asked for triples!). Sephardim are not fond of gefilte fish (understatement). On the flip side, try asking my Ashkenazi Bubby to eat spicy gefilte fish, I can just hear her already. Spicy gefilte fish? With harissa? What’s that? Could you pass the sugar please?! So here I am, mixing up the cultures with another one of my hybrid recipes, and I hope ya’ll will enjoy it, Ashkenazim and Sephardim alike.

1 pkg Benz’s gefilte fish, defrosted (I used no-sugar-added)
3-4 tbsp matzo meal
1 egg
3 tbsp chopped parsley
heaping 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1⁄4 tsp ground turmeric
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 red pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 yellow pepper, thinly sliced
1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
6 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half
3 tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 15oz. can diced tomatoes
1 15oz. can tomato sauce
1 tbsp harissa (or, to taste)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
4 cups fish or vegetable stock
salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

In a bowl, mix the fish, matzo meal, parsley, cumin, turmeric, garlic, and egg. Place in the frige while you prepare the sauce.

Heat oil in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic, carrots and peppers and sauté until softened. Add tomato paste; cook, stirring, until caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add chickpeas, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, harissa, lemon, stock, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Form the gefilte fish mixture into small balls and slowly add to the sauce. Don’t overcrowd the sauce, if there isn’t a lot of room, wait for the fish balls to set before moving them around to make more space for additional balls. Reduce heat and simmer until balls are cooked through, about 45 minutes. Serve hot with additional parsley for garnish.

NOTE: You may add a pinch of sugar or a drizzle of honey to the sauce if you wish.

VARIATION: Fish balls have more of a fluffy matza ball texture. If you want something more dense, you may fry up the gefilte fish into patties instead. Make the sauce without the stock, adding only as needed and serve over the patties.


This post is sponsored by Benz’s Fish. Follow them on Facebook, Instagram or at BenzsFish.com. And don’t forget to visit Benz’s Gourmet at 332 Albany Ave in Brooklyn. 

Related Recipes:

gefilte fish patties in tomato sauce
breaded gefilte fish patties
gefilte fish, three ways

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