Category: Brunch

Tuna Salad with a Twist


I’m definitely a tuna person. Cream cheese? not so much. Lox, not a chance! So tuna is bound to show up on my lunch menu quite often. I like my tuna 2 ways: albacore, and in water. I like to mix up my recipes so it doesn’t get too boring.

To prepare tuna, I start with an empty sink and a pair of gloves! I drain the can of water and empty the tuna into a bowl. Then, using my hands (remember, I’m wearing gloves), I break the tuna apart, so that I end up with perfect flakes that are not too ground, nor too chunky.

Classic tuna with mayo always works, but adding additional ingredients turns it into a salad for a complete meal when served with crackers, rice cakes, or cucumber slices. Sometimes I add a bit of harrisa and lemon for a quick and easy spicy tuna. Other times I’ll mix it into some pasta for a heartier dish, or into salad nicoise – an all time favorite. In this recipe, I use a surprise ingredient which really ups the ante from traditional tuna salad, to something out of this world! What is it? Golden raisins! It may sound weird at first, but I urge you to give it a try. You’ll be pleasantly surprised!

To make these fun cucumber rolls, just slice english cucumbers or zucchini lengthwise, very thin (preferably using a mandoline, but it can be done by hand or with a peeler). Put a spoonful of tuna salad about an inch away from either end. Roll the end over the tuna, and continue to roll up. Fasten with a toothpick. NOTE: If you slice the cucumbers paper thin, you won’t need a toothpick, they will stay closed on their own.

Tuna Salad with a Twist

2 cans albacore tuna in water
1 handful shredded carrots
1 celery stick, diced small
1 handful golden raisins
1/3 cup mayo (more, if needed)
1 tbsp mustard
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

Method:

Drain tuna well and flake with a fork, or using your hands (I suggest gloves!). Add remaining ingredients and mix well. If it is too dry, you can add more mayo, one teaspoon at a time. Serve in cucumber rolls, or with bread, crackers, or rice cakes.

NOTE: The EPA and FDA cautions pregnant women, women of childbearing age, nursing mothers and young children against eating more than 6 ounces of albacore tuna per week due to high levels of mercury. If you wish to eat more tuna, go for the lower mercury light tuna (commonly skipjack or yellowfin).

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Banana Dates Milk & Honey Smoothie


For all those Brooklynites out there, you may remember a certain little establishment on the corner of Coney Island and Avenue P called Bissale. It used to be opened till the wee hours of the morning (I’m not sure if it ever really closed) and hailed its own psychic, who’s only charge was to pay for her meal! The place had the absolute best Israeli food, but there was some shady business going on there (not to mention it was far from clean, but we turned a blind eye). At one point they opened up a secret hooka bar in the back (there might have been more than just hooka going on there!). Anyway, my friend Dina and I used to frequent the place and we always ordered up the same thing: ftut, french fries, and a banana, date, milk and honey smoothie. The ftut was basically some chopped malawach dough, mixed up with cheese and mushrooms, with a tomato dipping sauce. The french fries were incredible. But the prize, for me, was the smoothie. It was creamy and sweet, full of delicious flavor! Bissale closed its doors a few years ago, and while I miss the great food, and even better memories (not including the calories!), I’m happy to savor my favorite shake in my favorite place, home sweet home.

The original recipe uses whole milk, but I use almond milk to pack a protein punch and nutty flavor. Also, to eliminate the need for ice cubes (which will just water it down), I freeze the banana and dates a few hours in advance.

Banana Dates Milk & Honey Smoothie

1 cup almond milk
1 banana
3 dates
1 tbsp honey

Method:

Add ingredients to blender and blend until smooth.

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Quick & Easy Shakshuka

I absolutely love shakshuka! I couldn’t think of a better breakfast on a Sunday morning, or any morning for that matter. The rich and spicy tomato sauce paired with a runny egg and some fresh hot bread or pita – could it get any better? Now Shakshuka can be a patchke to make, what with the chopping, sauteeing, and fresh tomatoes…I don’t know about you but after a long Shabbos, and an even longer Motzei Shabbos, the last thing I want to do is start cooking, AGAIN (hence the Sunday night meal of leftovers!). But I have simplified this recipe to the easiest 2-ingredient fix (for the most basic) you could think of! Even the tired and weary can whip up a plate of these in no time!

Note: If you are watching your carbs, this is actually a great recipe because it is a whole meal-in-one and it’s very filling! Skip the bread, of course!


Quick & Easy Shakshuka

1/2-1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce
eggs, amount of your choice

optional additions:
chopped vegetables
chillies
salt
freshly ground pepper
red pepper flakes
zaatar spice
cumin
turmeric
feta or other cheese
fresh parsley, for garnish
warm pita or crusty rolls, for serving

How to:

Prepare your marinara sauce (or you can even use salsa!). You can use one that already has chunky vegetables, as I did, otherwise, you can add some chopped vegetables to it. Taste the marinara sauce and add spices, as needed. If you’d like it spicy, add chillies and/or red pepper flakes and other spices of choice. Simmer sauce until it begins to bubble. Check eggs in a cup, taking care not to break the yolk. Gently slide into sauce and simmer until the yolks have set (if you cover the pot, this will take about 5 minutes). Sprinkle eggs with some freshly cracked pepper, and garnish with parsley, if you’d like. Serve with pita or crusty rolls.

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Perfect Pareve French Toast

If you oftentimes have leftover challah, as I do, I’m sure you couldn’t think of a better way to use it then for delicious french toast smothered in maple syrup (ok, maybe for some bread pudding with some raisins and rum!). Now since I’ve got a child who’s severely allergic to dairy, I have to come up with ways to substitute for the real thing. In this recipe, almond milk does a great job. It’s rich, sweet, and flavorful. And between the eggs and the almonds, it helps add some protein to what feels like a loaded carbohydrate meal (talk about deguiltifying comfort food!). So go ahead, whip up a batch for breakfast, brunch, or even dinner (as I did!)

Of course, if you’re able, go all out and use the real thing with whole milk and fry in good old butter!

Perfect Pareve French Toast

4 eggs
1 cup vanilla almond milk (or 1 cup almond milk + 1/4 tsp vanilla)
1 tsp sugar
pinch of salt
1 egg challa
canola oil, for frying
maple syrup or sugar, for serving
assorted berries, for serving

Method:

Slice your challah into 1/2 – 1 inch pieces (depending on how you like it). Whisk together eggs, milk, sugar and salt. Dip challah into egg mixture on both sides, making sure to fully saturate the challah (you can soak it in the mixture for a minute or so). Cook the challah in an oiled skillet on medium heat until golden on both sides (about 2 minutes per side). Serve with syrup or sugar and berries or fruit of your choice.

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Strawberry Banana Yogurt Parfait with Homemade Granola


With Shabbos out on the early side these days, I’m always looking for ideas of something light (and milchigs!) to eat. I decided to go with a yogurt parfait tonight, with some homemade granola. This recipe is absolutely delicious and healthy! It’s slightly sweet, with just a bit of saltiness and oh so crunchy! A couple of years ago, I was in the supermarket looking for a good granola to buy. They seemed to be carrying a new Israeli variety, but I didn’t understand all of the ingredients. My (then) boss’s sister, who speaks fluent hebrew, was there, so I asked her to translate. Instead, she told me she had the perfect granola recipe, and emailed it to me later that day. It’s been my go-to recipe ever since! (Thanks Rikal!)

Homemade Granola

2 c old fashioned oats
1/2 c sliced or slivered almonds
1/4 c light brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2-3 tbsp oil
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 c raisins (optional)

Set your oven to 350F. Mix everything besides for the almonds and raisins together. Mix thoroughly, breaking up the brown sugar as you go. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Spread the mix on the cookie sheet. Bake for 20-30 minutes until just past golden brown, stirring every 5 or 10 minutes to prevent burning. Toast the almonds separately and let them cool down. Mix the almonds, raisins, and granola together. Cool the granola in dry open air on the same cookie sheet to crisp up. Store in an airtight container.

Serve with yogurt and fruit (vanilla or flavored with strawberries, blueberries, pomegranates…anything goes!)

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