Category: Dairy

Cheesy Zoodle Marinara + Zoodles 101

With Passover soon approaching, I think it’s time for ZOODLE school! Zucchini noodles, or zoodles, have taken the (healthy) food world by storm, and I am all over the trend.

I’m been zoodling for months now, and I’ve come to love zoodles even more than traditional pasta. Besides being fun and easy to make, zucchini noodles are cheap, very low in calories, and you can get lots of noodles out of a single zucchini. If you haven’t hopped on the zoodle train, it’s time for zoodle 101.

There are three popular tools on the market for making zoodles: The Veggetti, The Julienne Peeler and the Paderno Spiralizer. Each tool has it’s pros and cons. Lets get into it!

THE VEGGETTI – The veggetti works like a pencil sharpener – each side has a different size blade, one larger and one smaller to yield a thicker or thinner noodle. If you look at the picture below, you can see the leftover zucchini looks like the tip of a sharpened pencil. The veggetti makes long noodles, but perfect ones come with practice. Turning the zucchini is a bit difficult and the results can be a bit scraggly.
PROS: compact, inexpensive ($12-$15)
CONS: You can only make noodles out of veggies that fit in the veggetti opening – up to 2.5″ in diameter.
Purchase here

THE JULIENNE PEELER: A julienne peeler looks like a traditional vegetable peeler, except the blade has little micro blades that cut whatever you are peeling into julienned strips. I prefer the OXO brand.
PROS: compact, inexpensive ($10), easy to use, easy to clean.
CONS: yields the most waste, you get strips and not traditional-looking noodles, only works on straight vegetables that are easy to peel.
Purchase here

THE SPIRALIZER: The spiralizer is the most versatile tool. It allows you to create noodles out of many different vegetables, and even fruits. Any fruit or vegetable that is at least 2.5″ long and at least 1.5″ in diameter can be spiralized. It cannot be hollow or have a pit, and it must be firm. You can spiralize apples, pears, beets, jicama, plantains, kohlrabi, potatoes, sweet potatoes, butternut squash (the neck), turnips and more! The spiralizer also yields the most authentic looking noodle. I prefer the Paderno brand.
PROS: yields the most authentic noodle, various blades yield different noodle shapes, works with a variety of fruits and vegetables, easy to use.
CONS: takes up the most space, not cheap ($30-$40 for the 3-blade and $50 for the new 4-blade), endlessly long noodles tangle and are hard to eat (I recommend cutting them shorter with kitchen shears), hardest to clean (I recommend cleaning immediately otherwise it’s hard to remove dried residue).
Purchase 3-blade, Purchase 4-blade

Here you can see how the noodles look based on the tool that was used, and what you have leftover after making the zucchini noodles. Now, lets talk about cooking methods.

BLANCHING – blanching means to cook vegetables quickly in boiling water and then shock them in an ice bath. As you can see below, this yields a mushy noodle. Not recommended!
ROASTING – roasting the zucchini noodles at 400 degrees for about 5 minutes, yields tender zoodles that are evenly cooked.
SAUTEEING – this is my favorite cooking method as it is fast and easy. I saute my zoodles in a wok or large skillet over high heat for about 2-3 minutes for perfectly tender zoodles.

An important point to consider about zoodles, and which tool you want to use to make them, is that zucchini’s have a lot of water. When you use the veggetti or the spiralizer, the seedy center of the zucchini (where most of the water is), get’s incorporated into the noodles. When you use a julienne peeler, you can stop peeling once you reach the seedy portion (in fact you’ll need to, because the strips will just fall apart). Therefore, zoodles made with the julienne peeler have less moisture and won’t water-down your sauces (same goes for cucumbers btw). If you prefer to use a spiralizer or veggetti, one way to solve this problem is to salt the zoodles to draw out some of the moisture. Let the salted zoodles drain in a colander for a few minutes, rinse off the salt and then pat dry on paper towels. I prefer to skip this step. Instead, I only cook my zoodles until tender, and I serve them immeidately (the longer they sit, the more moisture they will emit).

Now that we’ve covered the zoodles – what can you make with them? Well, you are only limited by your creativity! One of my favorite zoodle dishes is this cheesy zoodle marinara. I whip it up for lunch at least once a week! It’s so hearty and indulgent, yet it takes under 5 minutes to prepare. I use the julienne peeler for this because it’s the quickest, and I don’t want my lunch to be a whole to-do. Also, because I don’t use the seedy center of the zucchini, the zoodles don’t water down my sauce.

What else do I make with zoodles? Zoodle Pad Thai (recipe in my ebook), Zoodle Bolognese, Pesto Zoodles with Parmesan, Minestrone Soup with Zoodles, Chicken Zoodle Soup, Miso Soup with Zoodles and more!

And my spiralizer? Well the skies the limit on that! I make everything from rice and risotto to pizza crusts and sandwich buns – all out of vegetables!

Cheesy Zoodle Marinara

1 zucchini, made into zoodles with your preferred tool of choice
2 tsp olive oil
1 cup prepared marinara sauce
heaping 1/2 cup Natural & Kosher shredded mozzarella

Method:

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and add the zoodles. Saute for 2 minutes. Add the marinara sauce and bring to a gentle simmer. If your sauce is too thick, add a splash of water. Add the cheese and cook until melted. Serve immediately.

If you’re looking for more recipes using the spiralizer, I’ve got loads of delicious spiralized dishes in this months issue of Joy of Kosher Magazine, so be sure to pick up a copy! You’ll find great Kosher for Passover recipes like beet-crust pizza with arugula walnut pesto and fresh mozzarella, cucumber salad with almond butter dressing, Spanish sweet potato rice with lime marinated chicken and no-bean minestrone with zoodles.

You can also check out the new Inspiralized cookbook by Ali Maffucci of Inspiralized.com.


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

Other Zoodle Recipes:

spinach white bean minestrone with zoodles
harissa roasted chicken with zoodles

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Roasted Tomato Soup with Muenster Breadsticks

I really feel bad for you guys. Here I am living it up in sunny Miami, while my fellow Brooklynites are stuck with a curfew while the city shuts down due to a blizzard. I’m truly thinking of you while I sit here relaxing at the beach! :- p

And just to show you how much I care, I’m sharing this comforting roasted tomato soup with muenster breadsticks in honor of Snowmaggedan 2015! I know you all stocked your houses to the hilts, so chances are, you have the ingredients on hand (and then some), so lets get cookin’!

They’re calling this NorthEastern historic and crippling and I’m calling this recipe duo soul-warming and pure comfort food. It’s the perfect kind of meal to eat at the fireplace while piles of fluffy white snow accumulate outside your window. Winter Storm Juno’s got nothing on you.

We start our not-so-little snow feast with roasted tomato soup. If you’ve never roasted tomatoes before, it’s time to start! They become so deliciously sweet – perfect with sweet roasted garlic and shallots. Topping off the soup with pesto and fresh basil just takes it over the top.

You can’t have tomato soup without cheese and bread! I love me some grilled cheese with tomato soup, but roasted tomato soup requires something a bit more sophisticated – like breadsticks! Don’t be overwhelmed by the thought, I keep things simple using a quick & easy pizza dough (you can even use store-bought dough). And for the filling – I use my ultimate favorite cheese of all time – MUENSTER! Muenster is a white cows-milk cheese that melts incredibly well. Natural & Kosher makes convenient pouches of shredded muenster that are perfect for making grilled cheese, mac ‘n cheese, pizza, or quesadillas.  I like to twist my breadsticks so I get lots of the toasted crispy cheese all around, but you can also make these more traditional and keep the cheese inside (see recipe for how).

Now back to sunny Miami – we’re keeping away from the pool today because it’s all of 55 degrees,, and the natives are pulling out their Uggs! I’m still on a high from The Miami Marathon (hashtag Miami Famous) this past Sunday, which I was lucky enough to walk/run in honor of The Friendship Circle.


Running a marathon was something I’ve always wanted to do, but I never thought I’d really do it. When my friend Rochel Leah recruited me for Team Friendship, I wasn’t quite sure what I was getting myself into. Little did I know, I’d have to train 4 times a week to complete 13 miles, when I could barely meet a single mile mark.

Six weeks of training proved nearly impossible in 20 degree weather (and less!), but I pushed myself to my limit and walked/ran as much as I could. Four times a week didn’t happen, but I managed quite a few training sessions, increasing my mileage to as much as 10 miles. I covered Prospect Park, Brooklyn Heights, Dumbo, Williamsburgh, Long Island City and more! I can’t wait to share pics and more about my experience in a future post. In the meantime, you can still support my run and help me reach my fundraising goal here!

I’m off to relax in the sun, but stay warm you guys, I’m thinking of you!

Roasted Tomato Soup:

10 plum tomatoes
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 shallots, peeled
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup vegetable stock
1/2 tsp dried oregano
pesto, for garnish
fresh basil, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Slice the tomatoes and shallots in half lengthwise and place them on a baking sheet along with the garlic cloves. Coat the vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes.

Place the roasted vegetables in a pot with their juices. Add stock and oregano and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Using an immersion blender or food processor, puree the soup until smooth. Adjust the consistency by adding more stock, if needed.

Ladle the soup into cups and garnish with pesto and fresh basil. Serve with muenster breadsticks (recipe follows).

Yields: 6 half cup servings.



Muenster Breadsticks
Thanks to my son’s teacher, Frayda Brown, for this super easy pizza dough recipe! 

1 tbsp dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 cup warm water
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp salt
4 oz. Natural & Kosher shredded muenster
olive oil
garlic powder
Natural & Kosher grated parmesan

Place the yeast, sugar and water in a large bowl and let it rest until foamy. Add remaining ingredients and mix until a dough forms. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and place in a warm place to rise, about 1 hour.

Roll the dough out into a rectangle, adding flour as needed, to keep it from sticking. Spread the muenster cheese over the bottom half of the dough and fold the top half of the dough over the cheese. Using a pizza cutter, slice the dough into sticks and twist carefully. Place the strips on a parchment lined baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder and parmesan cheese and bake at 400 degrees until lightly browned, about 20 minutes.

VARIATION: Try mixing some shredded muenster directly into the dough for more cheesy goodness.
SHAPING: If you prefer to keep the cheese inside the dough, roll out small strips of dough into rectangles, fill with shredded cheese and roll into a long rope, pinching to close on all sides. Brush with oil and proceed as above.

Yields: about 12 breadsticks.


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

Related Recipes:

minestrone soup
3-cheese broccoli pull apart buns
lasagna roll-ups

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Gelt Hot Chocolate

I’m super excited for this Chanukah blog post because WE’RE HAVIN’ A PARTY! Albeit a virtual one, but we can still have fun, right?! And all parties have to have prizes, so there’s a great GIVEAWAY too!

I got together with a few other bloggers to create a virtual menu and I was assigned the drinks. Now when I think of Chanukah, I imagine sitting by the lights of the Menorah, snuggled up under a warm blanket, sipping hot chocolate and singing Chanukah songs. The kids are around me playing draidel (ok, fighting over draidel), and my husband is frying latkes in the kitchen. Yes, Chanukah is just about the only time I let him take over and make a mess! He learned to make perfect crispy fried latkes when he was in Yeshiva in Israel and I don’t mind getting a little break from cooking so the kitchen’s all his (for at least a night..or two).

While hubby hosts a fryfest, I like to mix up a warm drink – some mulled wine, spiced apple cider, or gelt hot chocolate, obviously. I came up with this fun Chanukah version of hot chocolate based on a drink that my friends and I used to order at a place called Cafe K, back in the old days. Cafe K is still around, and they might still serve it! It was called “Torino Hot Chocolate”, after the chocolate bar that was used to make it. They’d take a whole bar of this chocolate and pour hot milk over it, and that was it! It was a dreamy confection and we’d save up our calories to splurge on it in the winter. It would warm us up from the inside out and we’d relish each and every sip!

I thought it would be fun to do the same with some chocolate Chanukah gelt! It makes a great party drink – just put out a vase filled with chocolate gelt, an urn of hot milk, and an endless selection of toppings and you’ve got yourself an amazing hot chocolate bar that will be the talk of  your Chanukah party!

And now for the rest of our virtual party menu, check out the mouthwatering dishes from these talented bloggers:

Appetizer:  Turkish Lentil Soup by Samantha from The Little Ferraro Kitchen
Main: Roasted Jalapeno and Cheddar Strata by Melinda from Kitchen Tested
Side: Mac and Cheese Latkes by Miriam from OvertimeCook
Dessert: Deep Fried Rugelach by Amy from What Jew Wanna Eat

Gelt Hot Chocolate

3 bags (3 oz.) good quality chocolate coins (I use Belgian chocolate gelt)
1 cup whole milk (or half cream, half milk)
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
whipped cream, for topping
cinnamon stick, for serving
additional chocolate gelt, for serving

Method:

Unwrap the chocolate gelt and place on the bottom of a glass. Bring the milk up to a boil and pour over the chocolate. Add sugar and cinnamon and stir until chocolate is fully melted and incorporated. Top with whipped cream and serve with a cinnamon stick and chocolate gelt.

VARIATIONS:

For coffee hot chocolate, omit cinnamon and add 1 tsp coffee and an extra tsp of sugar
For vanilla hot chocolate, omit cinnamon and add 1 tsp vanilla extract or heat up milk with 1 vanilla pod, scraped

TOPPING IDEAS:

whipped cream, marshmallows, crushed cookies, crushed graham crackers, brownies, coconut, candied nuts, candied citrus rind, crushed peppermint candy, sprinkles, fresh mint.

And now for the exciting part – the prizes! We’re giving away 2 separate packages – a cookbook package sponsored by Artscroll and a Gourmet Kosher Foodie Package sponsored by Nomoo cookies and California Gourmet. Enter to win below. Happy Chanukah!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Other Festive Hot Drinks: Mulled Wine
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Beer Battered Pumpkin Rings

I seem to create trends for myself when it comes to the holidays. Of course every Chanukah there’s a latke, and every Purim, a hamantasch. But it’s more than that. Every Succot, I post a different type of mechshie (a Syrian stuffed vegetable dish), every Purim, I do something else with salami. And it seems, every Chanukah, I post something with gourds (different varieties of pumpkin).

It wasn’t really on purpose, and I didn’t even realize it until I made these! First there was my amazing zucchini parmesan chips, then my Thanksgivukkah pumpkin ricotta cheese latkes with cranberry syrup (you MUST make these for Chanukah morning, they’re insanely good!), and finally my gluten free butternut squash latkes with ginger applesauce and curried sour cream.

This year, I’m continuing the trend using delicata squash – a small mild-flavored squash with an edible peel (you gotta love the no-peeling!). To make the most of my fried pumpkin idea, I decided to coat the squash in pumpkin beer batter. If you’ve never tried a pumpkin ale, it’s got a hint of pumpkin flavor from vine ripened pumpkin and harvest spices. It’s definitely up there with one of my favorite drinks, as well as one of my favorite batter ingredients!

What beer does for tempura batter is truly amazing. You can google it, of course, but  basically the foam, alcohol and carbon dioxide in the beer cause a chemical reaction when it hits the hot oil. It results in an incredibly crisp and light batter. And who doesn’t love a light and crispy coating?

It’s Chanukah after all, so exploring the best type of batter for deep frying is exactly the sort of research we should be doing! Fried latkes and donuts are all good, but there’s nothing like a deep fried oreo, some tempura-fried veggies or sweet and delicious apple fritter rings.

Traditionally, beer batter is used more in savory dishes, but I love to shake things up, so I added a little sugar and some more pumpkin spices, to really bring out the pumpkin flavor. What you get is an ultra-crunchy light coating that pair perfectly with what’s inside….delicata squash.

The only thing better than the pumpkin beer batter is what I put on top! Some cinnamon-scented powdered sugar! And to really take it to the next level, I created a maple GREEK yogurt dipping sauce – as an ode to the Chanukah miracle!

Now when you look at these beer battered pumpkin rings – what do you see? Come on, you all know you’re thinking of it…DONUTS! I love that these look just like the traditional fried Chanukah dessert, yet they’re something else entirely! How fun is that?!

And when you top ’em off with the thick Greek yogurt sauce, it looks just like frosting. And believe me when I tell you – this sauce is probably the best frosting you’ll ever taste! It’s even good for you – so how’s that for deguiltifying the whole beer-battered deep fried rings thing. They’ve even got squash inside, so you’re technically just eating veggies with greek yogurt, right? ;)

To get the recipe for my Beer Battered Pumpkin Rings with Greek Yogurt Dipping Sauce, head on over to my guest post on THE NOSHER!

Other Fried Chanukah Recipes:

zucchini parmesan chips
confetti latkes with harissa sour cream
gluten free butternut squash latkes
corned beef arancini
french fried chicken nuggets
spinach falafel burgers

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Poutine Latkes

I could NOT be more excited about today’s recipe because it’s all about one of my favorite things….POUTINE! If you’ve never heard of it, it’s because it’s a Canadian specialty, and you probably have never had a chance to try it in the U.S. When I visited Montreal recently with my family, I tried poutine again for the first time in years, and I just wanted to keep going back for more!

Traditional Poutine is made with french fries and cheese curds which are smothered in gravy. Of course kosher poutine is a bit of a challenge, because A. kosher cheese curds are not available in the U.S. and B. it’s hard to create a rich gravy without using stock and drippings. I have mastered the art of KOSHER POUTINE and I couldn’t be more ecstatic!!


First, the cheese curds. Cheese curds are the solid parts of soured milk, and are sometimes referred to as squeaky cheese. I had the brilliant idea to pull apart shreds of fresh mozzarella, and they did the perfect job of resembling the curds, both in look and texture. I think they work wonderfully as a sub for the traditional.


Now onto the gravy! How do you get a truly rich gravy without much work, and without drippings? You turn to UMAMI flavors like soy sauce and parmesan. They give the gravy that depth of flavor that you can’t get in a vegan recipe. Of course this makes the gravy dairy, but your poutine is smothered in fresh mozzarella cheese curds anyway, so the more the merrier!


Actually, the dairy part of this is what really got me thinking about turning it into a Chanukah recipe. Dairy is customarily eaten on Chanukah to remember the bravery of Yehudit, a young widow who lived in Bethulia in the land of Judea. To save Jerusalem from a paralyzing siege and approaching enemy troops, Yehudit seduced a Greek general into a drunken slumber by feeding him salty cheese and quenching his thirst with strong wine. As the general slept, she beheaded him with a sword. After finding that their general had been killed, the Greek army fled in disarray.


There’s no doubt that smothering potato latkes (mini or otherwise) in cheese curds and gravy might put us all in drunken slumber, but trust me when I tell you, it’s worth it. Even if you need to take a nap afterwards!

Potato Latkes:

4 large russet potatoes
1 small white onion, grated
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons matza meal
2 tsp kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil, for frying

Method:

Peel and grate potatoes by hand or with a food processor and immediately place in a bowl of water to prevent browning. Grate the onion and set aside. Drain the potatoes and put them, along with the grated onion, into a large piece of cheesecloth. Wrap it tightly and squeeze out as much juice as possible into a bowl. Let the juice sit for a bit so the potato starch settles to the bottom. Slowly pour the liquid out of the bowl (into the sink), leaving the potato starch in the bowl. Add eggs, matza meal, salt and pepper to the starch and stir to combine. Mix in the grated potatoes and onions. Heat oil in a skillet and  fry until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.

TIP: Use 1/4 cup measuring cup to portion out the latkes. This makes the latkes the same size. When you scoop out the batter into the pan, use the flat underside of the measuring cup to press down on the latke and spread it out. This creates super crispy edges.

Yield: 15 medium latkes.

Parmesan Gravy:

1 tbsp butter
1 clove minced garlic
1 tbsp flour
1 cup vegetable stock
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tbsp freshly grated Natural & Kosher Cheese parmesan
salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Add butter to a saucepan and melt over medium heat. Add garlic and stir until softened and fragrant, but not browned. Add flour and stir continuously over medium heat until deeply golden. Be careful not to burn it! Slowly add stock, whisking continuously, and continue to whisk until the mixture comes to a boil. Add soy sauce and parmesan and continue to cook, whisking as you go, until mixture is smooth and thickened. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper (it shouldn’t need more than a pinch of salt because the soy sauce and parmesan are salty). Pour through a fine mesh sieve, if desired, for silky smooth gravy.

Yield:  3/4 cup (you may want to double it)

VARIATION: to make it pareve, omit parmesan and use vegan butter.

Poutine Latkes:

potato latkes (recipe above) or store-bought mini latkes (as pictured)
parmesan gravy
Natural & Kosher Cheese Fresh Mozzarella, pulled apart into shreds

Method:

Set the potato latkes out on a platter (make sure they are hot so that the cheese melts). Scatter the fresh mozzarella over it and drizzle generously with gravy (make sure the gravy is hot so it can melt the cheese).

VARIATION: You may use this recipe over french fries, potato wedges or tater tots.
QUICK & EASY: buy a packet of gravy mix and prepare according the package directions. Use shredded mozzarella cheese.


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

Other Chanukah Recipes:

confetti latkes with harissa sour cream 
gluten free butternut squash latkes
cheese latkes with raspberry sauce
fried zucchini parmesan chips

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