Category: Recipes

Grilled Chicken Fattoush with Za’atar Ranch

Reunited (with my camera) and it feels SO good! I haven’t picked up my equipment to photograph food since I shot my cookbook months ago and I thought I might be a little rusty but by George I think I’ve still got it!

Shooting food today reminded me just how much I love what I do and I’ve missed it! Recipe development, food photography and food styling give me SO much joy, and I am legit the luckiest girl in the world to get to do it for a living. As a food blogger, it’s easy to get caught up in the world of social media – keeping up with the ever changing algorithms, apps and platforms – you almost forget why you got into it in the first place and coming back after a long break is just so good for the blogger soul.

It’s funny because when my book went to print in March, I took a sigh of relief that my schedule would finally ease up and I’d be able to take a breather, but the exact opposite happened. I had a book launch to plan, interviews, book signings and demos that followed in quick succession. It’s all been a roller coaster ride and I’ve been wanting so badly to come up for some air – until I finally did this week, and you know what I realized? I don’t even know how to relax. So I went back to what I know and that’s food. And my camera. And even though you could look at it as work – it was exactly what I needed. I had no deadline. It wasn’t for a book, or a magazine, or even the blog. It was for me.

The food: cuz lets face it, it’s always about the food! Lemon Sumac Grilled Pargiot to be precise. I’m a total pargiot convert. I can’t go back to dry grilled chicken breasts, they’re just so, blah! But pargiot? – so. darn. tasty. And they never dry out! This lemon sumac version is so light and fresh for summer, with a hint of sweetness from the silan. The perfect marriage.

The chicken is a great topping for the summery fattoush – a fresh salad of tomatoes, cucumbers and fried bread (in this case pita chips). I paired it with a lip-smacking za’atar ranch because that’s just how I roll. This is your new summer salad, and you can thank me later.

Grilled Chicken Fattoush

1 head romaine lettuce, sliced
1 Persian cucumber, sliced
4 radishes, sliced
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
lemon sumac grilled pargiot (recipe follows), sliced
pita chips

Za’atar Ranch Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 scallion, finely chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (loosely packed)
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp za’atar
kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method:

Prepare the za’atar ranch: add all the ingredients to a bowl and whisk until smooth.

Spread the lettuce out on a platter. Top with cucumbers, radishes, tomatoes, grilled chicken and pita chips. Mix with dressing before serving.

Lemon Sumac Grilled Pargiot

4 pargiot (skinless dark meat chicken cutlets)
2 tbsp grapeseed or canola oil
1 tbsp silan
1 tsp sumac
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lemon
kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method:

Preheat grill to high. In a bowl, combine the chicken with remaining ingredients and toss to coat. Grill for 5-8 minutes per side.

Related Recipes:

farro grain bowl
grilled chicken shawarma salad
grilled marinated chicken

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Tuna Nicoise with Anchovy Panko Crumbs

What a whirlwind the last couple of weeks have been! I don’t think I’ve ever gone this long without blogging in the 7 years that I’ve been doing it but I’ve truly been living up to my name, Busier than Ever in Brooklyn! After having a cookbook “baby”, I’d like to say I was on maternity leave, but the truth is, I’ve been traveling between books signings and demos throughout the Tristate area, plus a small stop in Florida before the Chag. Of course we also celebrated the grand book release party at Bison & Bourbon here in Brooklyn just last week, and it’s truly been a dream come true! I’ve leave the party deets for a separate post, but I really wanted to get back into things here on the blog, where it all got started.

I love it here on Busy In Brooklyn, a constant reminder of my humble beginnings. I need only to scroll back to 2011 to remember how it all began – I was barely even an amateur cook, my photos were beyond embarrassing, and with each passing year that young wife who knew so little about food and photography, blossomed into a confident cook, recipe developer, food photographer, and now, cookbook author. It’s so surreal to me, and as I stood up at the book release party, I said the first thing that came to mind, and what I truly felt – I’m really just a mother, who decided to become a blogger, who decided to write a cookbook. The whole Instagram-fueled pseudo-celebrity status is still so foreign to me – I really just want to live my life and share my passion for modernizing and reinventing kosher food without all the fanfare. Social media has truly changed everything, hasn’t it? It truly is a blessing to be able to reach so many people and watch as traditional Jewish and kosher food evolves over time.

One of the best messages I got from a follower last week was about how she sent her husband to the supermarket in Monsey to buy anchovies for the Kale Caesar Salad in the book. Her husband asked the manager where he could find anchovies and he said, “Come join the other 15 husbands who came in asking for the same thing! Why are people suddenly so interested in anchovies?”. So her husband showed the manager a photo of my book! Now of course there’s nothing Millennial about anchovies in Caesar salad, although it’s not something you normally find on a traditional kosher holiday table. When I was growing up, we made Caesar salad with mayo, garlic powder, distilled white vinegar and sugar. Most kosher cookbooks include a variation of that, with a few forward-thinking recipe writers including Worcestershire sauce or even anchovies. With Millennial Kosher, I really wanted people to embrace these foreign ingredients instead of turning the page or looking for a substitute. Somewhere deep inside I was worried that people weren’t ready, but that message made me realize that Millennial Kosher is exactly what kosher cooks wanted and needed in today’s day and age.

Speaking of anchovies, this modern and sophisticated take on a salad nicoise didn’t quite make it to the book, but after the anchovy episode, I figured it was a good time to post it on the blog! The tuna in this recipe is lightly seared, topped with a sundried tomato and olive tapenade and finished with umami-rich anchovy panko crumbs that would go amazingly well over pasta! Here’s to hoping that some of you are ready to explore anchovies, and salad nicoise, in a new light!

How has Millennial Kosher helped you look at kosher food in a new way? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

Tuna Nicoise
Pareve Yield: 2 servings

I used to avoid eating raw fish, as I was afraid it would be too fishy, but the truth is, fresh sushi-grade tuna doesn’t have much flavor at all; it’s like a blank canvas. This recipe is inspired by the classic French salad, Tuna Nicoise. The tapenade really packs a punch of flavor and don’t be thrown off by the panko crumbs! The anchovies in them melt and virtually disintegrate into the oil with zero fishiness, just some serious umami flavor. Use the leftovers over spaghetti carbonara for richness and crunch!

2 sushi-grade tuna steaks (about 1 lb.)
kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp grapeseed or other neutral oil

Tapenade
2 Tbsp chopped nicoise or Kalamata olives
2 tsp capers
1 Tbsp chopped sundried tomatoes
½ tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp chopped basil
2 tsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 cup arugula OR greens of your choice, for plating
Umami Panko Crumbs (see below)

1. Season tuna generously with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet over high heat; add oil. Add tuna; sear for a few seconds on each side, just enough to form a crust, but not to cook the fish through. Then, for medium-rare, cook for 1 minute per side. Slice the fish thinly against the grain.
2. Prepare the tapenade: Combine olives, capers, mustard, vinegar, oil, basil, and lemon juice in a small bowl; whisk to combine.
3. Spread greens on a serving dish; top with slightly overlapping tuna slices. Drizzle lightly with dressing; finish with panko crumbs.
NOTE: To make even rectangular or square slices, first cut your tuna steak into strips and sear each one individually.

Umami Panko Crumbs
3 Tbsp olive oil
3 anchovy filets
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup panko crumbs
½ tsp lemon zest
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
pinch red pepper flakes
kosher salt, to taste

1. Heat olive oil in a frying pan set over medium heat. Add anchovies; cook until they dissolve. Add garlic; cook until fragrant.
2. Add panko crumbs; sauté until crisped and golden, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add lemon zest, parsley, red pepper flakes, and salt; stir to combine.
NOTE: You can use this tapenade and crumbs over any white flaky fish.

Related Recipes:

tuna with pineapple guacamole and herbed lime crema
pan seared tuna steak (2011 amateur days! lol)
salad nicoise (another 2011 beauty!)

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Smoky Kale & Farro Salad with Balsamic Fig Dressing


I’ve been trying to eat healthy lately – less snacking, more wholesome meals with lots of greens. It hasn’t been easy!

Maybe it’s because I get bored of salads. How many times can you eat lettuce with cucumbers and tomatoes, you know? I mean of course there are a million directions you can go in with salad, but who has the time? Most days I’m lucky if I get to scarf down anything while I’m running from here to there – so I come home famished and eat whatever I can find. I haven’t been making the best choices.

With my manuscript deadline just a few weeks away, I’ve been so stressed, barely sleeping and not taking care of myself. It all came to a head when I came down with the worst case of the flu the other week, that literally had me wanting to check into a hospital. I never knew the flu could be so bad, but I also knew that my body wasn’t doing the best job at getting better because I hadn’t been taking care of myself. It was a real wake up call for me to start taking my vitamins, getting more sleep, and eating better. I lost 10 lbs. over those two grueling weeks, but I gained a fresh start. It was like a clean slate for me, a chance to start over and live with intention.

I may not have done a Whole30, but I definitely felt a mind shift and I’ve been going with the flow. Working more salad into my meals, moving more and drinking more water. I feel so much better and as crazy as it is – I’m so thankful that I had such a bad case of the flu, because it put me in a better place.

Now lets talk about this salad. Salads like these make me want to eat all the greens! I love the balance of smoky, salty, chewy, tart, and sweet! And the balsamic fig dressing is such a winner, you’ll want to start stocking your fridge with it all the time.


A salad that actually makes you want to eat salad – so much yes!!!

Smoky Kale & Farro Salad

5 cups roughly chopped kale
1 1/2 cups cooked farro
1 green apple, halved, thinly sliced on a mandolin
handful of raisins or chopped dates
handful of pistachios
a few slices of smoked duck or turkey
balsamic fig dressing (recipe follows)

Method:

Place the kale in a large bowl. Add half of the dressing and using gloves, massage the dressing into the leaves. Add the remaining ingredients and drizzle with additional dressing. 

Balsamic Fig Dressing

1/2 cup grapeseed or light olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup fig jam
2 tsp spicy brown mustard
2 tsp grated shallot
salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Add all ingredients to a bowl and whisk until thick and emulsified. 

Related Recipes:

kale, pear and kabocha squash salad with maple dijon dressing
kale persimmon salad
farro grain bowl

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Falafeltaschen Board


I can’t honestly believe that Purim is just a couple of days away! Which means Pesach is just a month away. And then Shavuos is just a couple of weeks after that. And do you know what happens then? By that time I should be holding my own. actual. cookbook. in. my. hands. Ahhhhh!!!!!


Cookbook, cookbook, cookbook. It is the air that I breathe these days! It is my breakfast, lunch and supper. The thing I think of when I get up in the morning and when I go to bed at night (and all the hours in between). It’s what has me crying from stress and happiness at the same time. It. is. real. and it. is. happening.

I have a newfound appreciation for cookbook authors the world over. I think they all deserve a gold medal for the tedious process of developing, testing, retesting and retesting recipe after recipe until they all start to look the same. I think they deserve the biggest honor for the amount of hours poured over every word and the amount of thought that goes into every page.

I have the greatest respect for food stylists and photographers and photo editors who make the perfect crease in a napkin, get the lighting and shadows just so, and finish the photos with the perfect finesse. And as I wind down to the finish line and wrap up my recipes, my photos, my very heart and soul that I put into this book….I’m forced to stop. Take a deep breath. Because life around me is still living, and the kids need costumes, and shalach manos and….PURIM. I celebrate you with honor and this fabulous FALAFELTASCHEN BOARD that doesn’t need much introduction. I’ll let the photos do the talking.

Happy Purim!

Falafeltaschen Board

1 package store-bought falafel mix (or make your own)
1/3 cup flour
canola oil, for frying

accompaniments:
fresh pita
pickled turnips
preserved lemons
hardboiled eggs
fried eggplant
Israeli pickles
Israeli salad
hummus
tahini
harissa
sumac onions
sauerkraut
parsley

Method:

Prepare falafel according to package directions. If mixture is loose, add flour until the consistency holds it shape. Form into triangular shape by hand, or using a triangular cookie cutter. Freeze until solid.

Heat canola oil over medium heat. Fry the falafel until golden brown. Serve with tahini and accompaniments of choice. 

Related Recipes:

corndog hamantaschen
sushi hamantaschen
baklava hamantaschen
date and almond hamantaschen
healthy thumbprint hamantaschen

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Funfetti Rice Krispie Bites

You could call it killing three birds with one stone, but I’d rather call it multi-purposing. This blog post means so much to be because it’s covers three of my favorite things:

1. My 7th Blogoversary!!!
2. Shabbos
3. Purim

Since I’m in all out cookbook mode these days, I didn’t have much time to plan separate blog posts, and so I rolled them all into one special post.

First up, is definitely my Blogoversary. OK, I’m a little late to be honest, since I started my blog on January 19th, 2011, but is it ever really too late for sprinkles? (I’ve been celebrating the BIB blogoversary with a funfetti theme for the past few years!). I can’t believe that I have been blogging for seven. whole. years. of. my. life.!! So much has happened in that span of time, it would be impossible to name, but it has all culminated into my upcoming cookbook – truly a dream come true. We are just about three months away from the cookbook release, and I can’t help but notice that this is all happening in my seventh year, as the Sages say, “Kol Sheviyin Chavivin”, all sevenths are cherished.

Speaking of 7ths, this post also comes to you in honor of the most special day of the week, the time when I get to unplug from all of life’s distractions, connect with my family and refresh my soul…..Shabbos – the seventh day of the week.

When Sina Mizrachi of Gather A Table approached me about her virtual Shabbos potluck, I knew I wanted in. You see, Sina sees things through a different lens than most of us. Her blog posts are a glimpse into her soul – one that is pure, innocent and full of light. Her photos reflect that and they draw you in so that you want a seat at her table. Sina’s work has inspired me for years, and her recent Shabbos series speaks for itself. I know how much work goes into every recipe and table setting and I am truly humbled by the beauty and depth in each picture, each paragraph and each dish.

For me, one of the most exciting parts about Shabbos is the special treat I prepare for my kids each week. Shabbos might mean a lot to me on a spiritual level (and lets face it – a very physical one as well: getting to catch up on some much needed sleep!), but when it comes to kids, it can be frustrating for them. They don’t understand why they can’t play on the X Box, or watch their favorite show. They have to wear dress clothes instead of comfortable ones and the list goes on. That’s not to say that kids don’t appreciate having Shabbos guests, getting more attention from their parents (lets be honest, being forced to put our phones away means that we are definitely a lot more present than during the week!) and enjoying special treats – but sometimes they need a reminder, on their level, of what makes Shabbos special.

I remember someone once telling me that they have a special selection of “Shabbos games” that their kids are only allowed to play on Shabbos. A friend of mine introduced me to the idea of “Shabbos Cereal”, where the kids get to enjoy sugary cereal (like Fruity Pebbles) only on Shabbos, while the rest of the week they have moderately sweetened cereal (like Corn Flakes and Rice Krispies). I loved that and incorporated into our routine years ago. These ideas of special Shabbos games and Shabbos cereal send a message to kids that Shabbos is different from the rest of the week. To further enhance that feeling, I always prepare (or purchase, when I don’t have time!) a special Shabbos treat for the kids to be enjoyed after the meal – either as a dessert, or as part of a “Shabbos party”. Sometimes, they help me make it, and other times I save it as a surprise. It really builds the momentum and I love to see the excitement on their face and joy in their eyes as they get to enjoy their  weekly treat. These funfetti Rice Kripie bites are JUST the thing and I’m so happy to bring them with me to the virtual Shabbos potluck!

Here are the other dishes that bloggers brought along to the virtual Shabbos potluck:

Bread:
Between Carpools – which egg wash produces the shiniest challah.
Cookinginheelss –  how to hack a challah.

Appetizer:
Spiceandzest – roasted eggplant salad.
The Katamon Kitchen – salatim.
The Sugar Box – Red Snapper with charred potatoes, tomatoes and lemon.

Main:
Gather A Table – Iraqi slow cooked chicken and rice.
Peas Love n Carrots – Morrocan braised lamb.
Kitchen Tested – roasted vegetable platter.

Dessert:
Jamie Geller – cinnamon buns
Your Favorite Blogger ;) : funfetti Rice Krispie Bites

Last, but certainly not least – Purim. I can’t believe it’s upon us in just over two weeks, and I love sharing fun recipes that you can give out as food gifts, or serve at your Purim meal. These funfetti Rice Krispies bites are so fun and festive, and they’ll be making their way into my daughter’s shalach manos. Can you guess what she’s dressing up as? Busy In Brooklyn! (with my signature bangs and glasses + my chef jacket or apron!).

Funfetti Rice Krispie Bites

2 tbsp refined coconut oil (or butter/margarine)
16oz marshmallow fluff
6 cups Rice Krispies
1 cup sprinkles

Method:

Heat the coconut oil over medium heat until melted and swirl to coat the bottom of a pan. Add the marshmallow fluff and stir with a rubber spatula until melted and incorporated with the oil. Add the Rice Krispies and mix well. Lightly grease your hands (wear gloves if you’d like) and roll the Rice Krispies mixture into ball. Press into the sprinkles to coat.

NOTE: the balls hold best when the the mixture is warm, so if it begins to cool, just rewarm in the pot.

TIP: when working with marshmallow fluff, grease your spoon/spatula with nonstick cooking spray and the fluff will not stick to it!

Related Posts: (great for Shabbos and Purim too!)

6th Blogoversary} Funfetti Raspberry Palmiers
5th Blogoversary} Funfetti Pecan Turtles
4th Blogoversary} Funfetti Cake
2nd Blogoversary} BBQ Brisket
1st Blogoversary} Mulled Wine

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