Category: Diet

Roasted Chickpeas

After an extended weekend of nonstop meals, I’m sure we can all use some healthy recipes, expecially with the fast coming up.

Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are inexpensive and easy to find. They are full of fiber, and a good source of folic acid, iron, copper, magnesium and zinc. Chickpeas can be bought canned or dried and are extremely versatile. They are famously used to make hummus, but are also a great addition to salads, stews, soups and pastas. With a high protein content, and low glycemic count, chickpeas are great for low carb dieting. You can even purchase chickpea flour to use in cakes and cookies.

Roasted chickpeas are an especially fun and tasty treat. The beans get all toasted and crispy and take on whatever flavor you choose. The beans can be dry roasted or coated in oil (see methods below), either way, you’ll love this addictive snack. Just be careful, it’s easy to overindulge!

See below for my classic recipe, or, try these other flavor combos that I’ve found online!

Savory:

• coriander, cumin, chili powder, sweet paprika, cinnamon, allspice, ginger
• cinnamon, cumin, chipotle powder, smokey sea salt, smoked paprika
• red wine vinegar, olive oil, dijon mustard, kosher salt
• tarragon, fennel, roasted garlic, honey, lemon juice
• brown sugar, rosemary, cayenne pepper
• lime juice, chili powder, pepper, cilantro
• apricot jam, wasabi paste, horseradish
• tamari, rosemary, lemon juice, agave
• soy sauce, sesame oil, chili powder
• tomato juice, curry powder
• garlic, pepper, rosemary
• smoked paprika, sea salt
• curry power, sea salt
• garam masala, sea salt
• sage, roasted garlic
• peanut flour, salt

Sweet: 

• maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon
• honey, apple cider vinegar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger
• agave, basil, white pepper, cinnamon
• cinnamon, brown sugar, sea salt
• maple syrup, ginger
• honey, cinnamon
• honey, sea salt

Other ideas: basil, oregano, parsley, cloves, herbs de provence, chinese 5 spice, roasted garlic

Roasted Chickpeas

1 can chickpeas
olive oil
smoked paprika
garlic powder
onion powder
black pepper
salt

Method:

Preheat the oven to 375. In a strainer, rinse the chickpeas well. Pour onto a cookie sheet lined with paper towels and blot gently until completely dried. Drizzle with olive oil and spices and mix to coat. Bake for 30-45 minutes, shaking them around every 10 minutes or so, until browned and crispy (they should make a rattling sound when you shake the baking sheet). Watch them carefully towards the end so they don’t burn. Leave to cool. Chickpeas will crisp-up more after cooling.

To dry-roast (roasting without oil), bake the chickpeas for 30-45 minutes, shaking them around every 10 minutes or so, until browned and crispy (they should make a rattling sound when you shake the baking sheet). In the meantime, toast the spices in a pan and add oil to the spices to infuse the oil with flavor. Remove chickpeas from the oven and toss immediately with the infused oil. The heat from the chickpeas bakes the flavors just right.

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Honey Roasted Figs


Fig season is in full swing, but you don’t have to save them for the shehechiyanu tray on your Rosh Hashana table. While dried figs are available year-round, there is nothing like the taste and texture of fresh figs – sweet, chewy, with crunchy seeds in the center. Figs are rich in fiber and potassium and range in color and taste. Popular varieties include black mission and calimyrna. My local produce market had brown turkey figs, a mildly sweet variety, on hand and I knew just how I wanted to make them!

Roasting fruit concentrates its flavors for a richer, sweeter taste. A drizzle of honey and a pinch of sea salt, takes it over the top for a mouthful of sweet summer goodness in each bite.

Figs pair really well with tangy fresh cheese or yogurt. You can stuff them with goat cheese, spoon them over yogurt or farmers cheese, or top off an ice cream scoop with their chewy goodness.

Honey Roasted Figs

Fresh figs
Honey
Sea salt

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Gently wash figs and pat dry. Remove stem and cut in half lengthwise. Place in a pan, flesh side up, and drizzle generously with honey. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and roast for 15-20 minutes, until edges start to brown.

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Cherry Yogurt Popsicles


Gone are the days when you just fill up a plastic cup with grape juice and freeze it for your kids. Homemade popsicles are all the rage right now, with lots of new popsicle books on the market, as well as a quick pop-making machine! The New York Times even ran a feature in their magazine which included lots of cool recipes for fruit, savory, creamy, and boozy pops. Who would have thought of making avocado-cilantro, fennel, or chocolate-chili ices?

Popsicles are a great way to cool down from the summer heat. Instead of store-bought varieties that are packed with sugar and food coloring, try making some at home. Here, I whipped up some cherry yogurt pops for a delicious cool and milky treat.

Cherry Yogurt Popsicles

1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
1/2 cup pitted cherries, chopped
2 tbsp honey or agave

Method:

Combine yogurt, cherries and honey and spoon into popsicle molds. Freeze until completely solid, about 5 hours.

TIP: to loosen popsicles from their molds (these are from IKEA), just hold under running water for a minute or so.

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“Magic” Salmon

Even though we’re not big dairy eaters around here, I’m so excited to cook for the Nine Days. It gives me a chance to think outside the box, and a rest from typical chicken dinners. I’m grabbing at the chance to make delicious and healthy fish recipes which are a great source of protein and Omega-3 fatty acids.

There are many different ways to prepare fish, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. You can grill, pan-fry, bake, poach or steam fish in many different preparations, but it is best cooked quickly over high heat. If your fish is cooked right, it won’t taste “fishy”.

When purchasing fresh fish, it should smell like the ocean, not like fish. It should have a vibrant color. Pale fish or fish with discolored patches is not fresh. A great tip is to tell your fishmonger that you are making sushi with the fish. This will ensure that the fish is fresh enough to be eaten raw.

One of my favorite ways of preparing baked salmon and tilapia is using Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Seafood Magic Seasoning Blend. The blend is exactly as it is named; pure magic. When baking fish, the key is to bake it at a high temperature for a short period of time. Your fish will be soft, tasty, and best of all, so incredibly quick and easy to prepare. Recipes follow below.

I have lots of ideas brewing for the upcoming week, so I thought I’d share some ideas for those of you who like to plan ahead:

Dairy Recipe Ideas:

– homemade pizza
– lasagna
– quiches
– risottos
– quesadilles
– stuffed shells
– eggplant parmesan
– fettucine alfredo
– penne alla vodka
– french onion soup
– cream of any vegetable soup
– stuffed mushrooms
– eggplant rollatini
– macaroni and cheese
– pancakes, waffles or french toast
– baked potatoes with broccoli and cheddar or other fillings

Meat-Lovers Recipe Ideas:

– vegetarian chili with cheesy corn bread
– portobello mushroom burger
– tuna steak
– grilled halibut
– fish tacos
– falafel

Light ‘n Healthy Recipe Ideas:

– salad nicoise
– shakshuka
– portobello pizza
– sushi rolls or sushi salad
– chickpea patties
– cheesy stuffed mini peppers
– stir fry with tofu and rice
– steamed fish and veggies au papillote
– baked sweet potatoes with cottage cheese or other fillings

Other Pareve Recipe Ideas:

– tuna or salmon croquettes
– tuna casserole
– salmon pasta salad
– Crispy breaded fish sandwich or “fish and chips”

Please feel free to share your Nine Days Menu ideas in the comments below, I’d love to hear from you!

Quick & Easy Salmon or Tilapia

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

For salmon, rinse fish and pat dry. Sprinkle very generously with Seafood Magic spice and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, until flesh is opaque and flakes with a fork.

For tilapia, rinse fish and pat dry. Squeeze a lemon over the fish, sprinkle very generously with Seafood Magic and brush with canola mayonnaise. Bake for approximately 12 minutes, until flesh is opaque and flakes with a fork.

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Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms

I love stuffed mushrooms and often order them in restaurants. They’re usually filled with parmesan and bread crumbs or covered in a cheesy crust. You may also find them in a pool of marinara sauce. Whatever their filling, stuffed mushrooms serve as a delicious appetizer or side dish. Here is a pareve version that can be served alongside a  fleishig meal.

Check out my tutorial on how to clean mushrooms!

Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms

2 packages stuffing mushrooms, stems removed and finely chopped
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 cups frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess water
Salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
flavored breadcrumbs
olive oil

Method:

Saute onion in olive oil until translucent. Add garlic and continue to saute until fragrant. Add chopped stems, sauteing until golden. Add spinach, season with salt and pepper and continue to saute until incorporated. Spoon mixture into mushroom caps. Sprinkle lightly with flavored breadcrumbs. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 5-10 minutes.

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