Tag: homemade hummus

Hummus Simanim

As the New Year approaches, I always like to evaluate where I stand and think about what changes I want to make for myself in the coming year, both personally and professionally. For years, my goal was to take the necessary steps towards writing my own cookbook, and now that I have met that goal (far beyond my expectations, with our first printing of 15,000 books completely sold out in just 3 months!), I keep asking myself, “What’s next?”.


I’m not the type of person that settles on status quo – I’m always dreaming up the next big thing and finding ways to challenge myself. It’s like they say – “If you’re not moving forward, you’re falling behind” – and I definitely believe in that.


Truth be told, once the book went to print, I was so emotionally and physically exhausted that I couldn’t imagine coming up with new recipes and ideas ever again! But as my workload lightened up this summer, I got back in the kitchen because I wanted to, not because I had to, and I found my groove again! I went back to my roots, the foods and the flavors that I love the most (yes, that means Israeli food!) and this amazing new recipe came to me! It’s simanim on steroids and it is everything you’ve ever dreamed of for your Rosh Hashanah table and more!

Simanim, or symbolic foods, are traditionally eaten on Rosh Hashanah to symbolize our hopes for a sweet New Year. Some simanim include leeks, pomegranate, gourds (any type of squash), dates, black eyed peas or green beans, beets, carrots and fish head (some use ram’s head). These specific foods are eaten because their hebrew translation relates to specific blessings that convey our wishes for the coming year.


When I put the platter together, I couldn’t stop taking photos because, I mean, HOW GORGEOUS IS IT, amiright??? I all but maxed out my SD card and went. to. town. (No- I like seriously went to town, for some fresh pita!). I invited my neighbors over and we stood over my kitchen counter in the mountains, scooping hummus and salad onto blistered bread, the tastes of Israel growing stronger with each bite. It was a simple dish, but it captured everything I love about what I do – channeling my creativity, sharing with friends, cooking with color and putting a twist on tradition.

This dish reminded me how important it is to cook from a place of love – it is, after all, the secret ingredient that makes everything taste better – and that it’s food, family and tradition that brings us all together.

Wishing you all a healthy, happy and sweet New Year with much success in all areas of your lives. May we continue to reach milestones and share good news with each other this year!
Ksiva Vachasima Tova L’shana Tova Umisukah!



Related Recipes:

simanim fritto misto
simanim pasta salad
simanim holiday salad
hummus bassar
chestnut hummus

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Chestnut Hummus with Herbed Pita Chips

Unless you are living in a cave somewhere far away (in which case you probably don’t have wifi), you’ve probably read about all the Thanksgivukkah hype. That’s right – it’s got it’s own name. By unusual coincidence, the first day of Hanukkah coincides with Thanksgiving this year. Apparently, this has not happened since 1888 an won’t happen again for another 70,000 years. Yes – seventy thousand years. Is that a cause for celebration? Well, why the heck not?

This whole Thanksgivukkah thing has taken the internet, and the world really, by storm. They’re making t-shirts, developing websites, and most of all – cooking up recipes that merge the “gobble, gobble” with the “latke’le latke’le”.

I couldn’t imagine being left out of the Thankgivukkah foodie frenzy. I mean, who would turn down the opportunity to converge some of the classic Thanksgiving flavors with Jewish/Chanukah themes?


I’ve got some fun recipes up my blogger sleeve, but in the meantime – we’ll start with this amazing sweet and creamy chestnut hummus. I decided to combine hummus and pita – traditional Israeli foods, with chestnuts and stuffing spices – traditional Thanksgiving flavors – to create this delicious appetizer. The chestnuts add a wonderful hint of sweetness to the hummus, while the savory stuffing spices create an addictive crunchy chip you’ll want to make again and again!


If you’ve ever roasted a turkey or made stuffing for Thanksgiving, you’re probably familiar with all of the delicious herbs and spices that are so often used. Sage, rosemary, and thyme are perfect compliments to roasted turkey, and apparently, to pita chips as well!

Related recipes:

roasted garlic hummus with “everything” pita chips
thanksgiving turkey roulade with 5-minute stuffing

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