Gluten-free

Low and Slow Oven Brisket: No Braising Necessary

This week, I prepared the most delicious brisket.

I purchased a 3 pound top of the rib brisket that was extremely lean. I did not have time to marinate or braise the meat and because of its lean composition, I was nervous that it would be tough.

I developed this simple and perfect low temperature recipe that cooked while I was out of the house. When I returned, I was delighted to find the most delicious and succulent piece of meat. I refrigerated the meat for several hours before cutting, so that the meat would cut without shredding.

INGREDIENTS

3-4 pound brisket, top of the rib

1/3 cup olive oil, mayonnaise or Simple and Perfect Spicy Mayo

1/2 cup very thinly diced onions or french fried onions

2/3 cup wine

DIRECTIONS

Pierce the brisket with a fork all over on both sides. Place in roasting pan and pour wine over brisket, turning over so that wine penetrates both sides. Place fattier side of the brisket up so that fat keeps the meat tender during cooking. Coat the top of the brisket with oil, mayo or spicy mayo, spreading evenly with small spatula or basting brush.

Place onions atop coating, pressing into brisket. Cover tightly with foil.

Let brisket come to room temperature or place in oven on delayed cook mode.

Set oven to cook for 4 hours on 275 degrees F. Let roast stay in oven until the oven cools down, at least one hour.

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Refrigerate before slicing.

Colorful Confetti Cabbage

Cabbage is one of those under-rated ingredients. It is available year-round, is low-carb and can be delicious in a saute or salad. This recipe is one that I prepare often and one that my family really enjoys. It is a simple recipe that started out as a mistake…

Before one of the holidays, I had purchased quite a bit of produce. I turned on my extra refrigerator and stored my overflow vegetables in that refrigerator, not realizing that the refrigerator temperature setting had been set to maximum.

When I went to retrieve the cabbage from the refrigerator, I realized that the cabbage had frozen. It was no longer suitable for salad, so I tried to think of another use for the frozen cabbage. I had a batch of onions that had just been sauteed, so I used some of the onions as starter. I then added the frozen cabbage to the saute pan with garlic, salt and pepper. (more…)

Arugula Salad Wrapped and Upright

We recently attended a wedding and I was entranced by the appetizer. It was an upright mesclun salad wrapped in a long slice of cucumber. The dressing was poured into the tightly packed upright salad and the appetizer bowl where the salad was placed was garnished with gorgeous fruit.

When the cucumber peel was uncurled, the salad opened up and it was coated with the dressing and was garnished by the fruit.

I loved the presentation, the flavors of the salad and the whole idea of serving a salad wrapped and upright.

Of course, I was determined to create my own version of this type of salad. I decided to try it first with arugula, one of my favorites. It was not even much of a challenge. I nailed it on the first try.

Here it is:

INGREDIENTS

Arugula, soaked and rinsed (see kosher notes)
Lemon Vinagrette
Long Seedless cucumbers
fruit or tomato garnish

DIRECTIONS

Carefully peel long slices of seedless cucumber with a peeler or mandolin.

Soak and rinse arugula, shaking out all excess moisture and/or wrapping in paper towels to dry. Wrap cucumber slice around bundle of arugula, securing with a toothpick or small skewer, if necessary.

Stand bundle of arugula up on appetizer plate or shallow bowl so that arugula leaves are standing up. Squirt dressing into center of arugula bundle, directing the tip of the squirt bottle into the arugula bundle so that dressing is contained within bundle and does not disperse or color the arugula. Garnish with slices or fruit or vegetables.

VARIATIONS

Substitute arugula with other greens like mesclun, kale, romaine lettuce or shredded cabbage.

KOSHER NOTES

Kosher laws disallow the eating of any whole insects and therefore most greens require a process of soaking, rinsing and in some cases, pureeing. Kashrut authorities differ somewhat on the proper checking of leafy vegetables. This blog was not designed to be your kosher authority, so please consult your local rabbinic authority regarding using greens such as arugula.

SERVING SUGGESTION

Colorado Salmon in an Omelet Maker

Don and I are in Colorado for a medical conference. The Nine Days (nine sad days leading to Tisha B’av, day the Jewish Holy Temple was destroyed) have begun and it is customary not to eat meat products or drink wine during this period of national mourning. Since we are not in close proximity to a major city, our food options are limited.

In the past, we have employed some very creative options to prepare our food while away from home. On a ski vacation out West many years ago, Don heated up our last frozen portion of stuffed cabbage on the engine block of our rental car on the way from the ski resort back to the airport. I still cannot believe that I ever allowed him to do that. I still am not sure if we risked our lives with this crazy maneuver. I recall that Don thought it was simply the best stuffed cabbage ever. I am sure that I would NEVER recommend anyone preparing a frozen dinner that way, but it does make for a very memorable story.

For this vacation, I brought along an inexpensive omelet maker. An omelet maker is very similar to a sandwich maker but with smaller wells to contain the omelets. I planned to use the omelet maker to prepare my morning breakfast and that we would just eat tuna and veggie burgers for dinner.

Aaron, who is traveling with us, insisted that we try to make fresh salmon in the omelet maker. I was a naysayer, but finally agreed to try it. We purchased some small pieces of salmon. We sprayed the omelet maker with cooking spray and placed a piece of salmon, sprinkled with a dry rub and some lime juice, in each well. We cooked the salmon for about 10-15 minutes and enjoyed the most delicious fresh salmon.

They say that necessity is the mother of invention. Thanks, Aaron, for planting the seed for this inventive recipe. It was a winner.

INGREDIENTS

cooking spray

salmon fillets (see kosher notes)
seasoning or spice rub
fresh lemon or lime

DIRECTIONS

Spray wells of omelet maker, top and bottom. Place a piece of salmon in each well. Top with seasonings and a squeeze of citrus. Close cover and cook for 15-20 minutes until salmon flakes easily. Serve with a squeeze of lemon or lime. Enjoy!

NOTES

I would assume that a sandwich maker would work well for this recipe, too. It is similar to the omelet maker, but with larger wells.

KOSHER NOTES

Kosher laws require fish to have scales and fins in order to be kosher. Some kashrut authorities allow the purchase of salmon even from a non-kosher purveyor because of its distinctive red flesh. This blog was not designed to be your kosher authority, so please consult your local rabbinic authority regarding using salmon in this way.

Grilled Salami Slices: Netanel’s Simple and Humble Delicacy

A few weeks ago, my son, Aaron went fishing with his uncle, his cousins and two of his cousins’ friends. Aaron loves to fish and wherever we go on vacation, Aaron usually schedules a fishing trip. As a mother, I have learned that a fishing outing is so exhilarating when the fish are biting and so disappointing when the fishing crew comes home empty-handed. More importantly, I have discovered that our fishermen love to catch fish, but are not as exuberant about preparing and eating the fish that were caught. Luckily, our fishermen did not come empty-handed and even more luckily, the fish that were caught were being saved for a future feast in Manhattan.

Now, I was under no obligation to prepare the fish and better yet, under no pressure to force them to eat the fish. So, I offered to make an impromptu barbecue for the hungry fishermen. I checked the refrigerator and I had some beef sliders, but no hot dogs.

I did have a couple rolls of salami. My nephew’s friend, thirteen-year old Netanel, offered me his own recipe for grilled salami. I was going to grill the salami whole, but Netanel insisted that we cut it into thick slices.

I took Netanel’s lead and we slathered the salami slices with barbecue sauce.

The barbecued salami slices came off the grill caramelized and just perfect. It was delicious served up with different types of mustard and dips. It was such a hit that I told Netanel that I would now incorporate grilled salami as a part of our standard barbecue.

Tonight, I prepared this delicacy and dressed it up for its blog debut. It did not disappoint.

INGREDIENTS

Salami, cut into thick slices
Sauce: barbecue, pesto, spicy mayo, mustard and/or horseradish sauce
Sesame seeds or your favorite spices (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Cut salami into thick slices. Coat with your favorite sauce and your favorite toppings.

Heat on grill for a few minutes, flipping over when golden brown and carmelized.

Serve immediately with your favorite topping and/or condiment.

Simple Kiwi Flower Garnish

A simple, yet beautiful garnish adds elegance and whimsy. This one is so simple and only takes 30 seconds to prepare. It uses the whole kiwi with no waste and needs only a small paring knife as a kitchen tool.

It would make a gorgeous centerpiece for a fruit platter, fruit pie or as a kiwi garnish accompaniment to a plated dessert. With green and golden kiwis available right now, this garnish can be easily prepared in either color. Just take care to use kiwis that are firm .

This kiwi garnish resembles a water lily lotus flower. It would look gorgeous on an edible leaf like a lemon leaf with just a few chocolate truffles as an accompaniment. (more…)

Colorful Farm to Table Confetti Salad

This week, we visited a wonderful U-pick farm in Fishkill, New York.

It was a glorious day, the sun was shining and the fields were lush and overflowing with produce. Don and I really enjoyed picking vegetables directly from the fields and the produce was extraordinary. We picked all types of summer squash, yellow tomatoes, green peppers and cucumbers.

We arrived home just in time for dinner and I threw together a quick salad from the produce that we had collected. I soaked and rinsed the tomatoes and then scrubbed and rinsed everything else before shredding the vegetables in the food processor. I added some shredded fresh beets and herbs that I already had in the refrigerator.

The salad was perfect. It was delightfully colorful. It was fresh from the farm delicious.

Here is the recipe:

INGREDIENTS

cherry or grape tomatoes, whole or halved
3 zucchini or summer squash, scrubbed
3 small cucumbers, scrubbed
2 peppers, scrubbed with centers removed
2 small beets, peeled (optional)
parsley, chives or cilantro (optional)

salt and pepper, to taste
a splash of balsamic vinegar
a light drizzle of olive oil (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Soak, scrub and rinse vegetables.

Place tomatoes in salad bowl. Add all vegetables to food processor fitted with shredding blade. Shred vegetables and add to salad. Sprinkle, splash and drizzle seasoning right over vegetables.

Toss.

Enjoy!

Cauliflower Personal Pizza: Simple and Low-Carb

Davida has been my lunch-time cook and she made this delicious cauliflower pizza for me today for lunch. She used cauliflower couscous to create the crust and then just layered sauce and cheese atop the crust.

It was relatively simple to prepare and delicious to eat. Thanks, Davida!

INGREDIENTS

1/2 head of cauliflower, grated to couscous consistency (see kosher notes)
1 egg
1/2 cup grated or shredded cheese
1 clove garlic, minced or garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup shredded cheese
1/2 cup marinara sauce (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Pulse the cauliflower in food processor or blender until grated to the consistency of couscous.

Microwave cauliflower on high for 4 minutes. In a large bowl, combine microwaved cauliflower couscous, egg, cheese, and seasonings.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray generously with oil spray. Using a rubber spatula, spread the cauliflower mixture to personal size..

Bake until the cauliflower crust is golden and darker at the edges, about 20 minutes.

Remove the crust from the oven, drizzle with optional sauce and then sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake for about 10 minutes more.

Allow to cool for several minutes before slicing or eating.

VARIATIONS

Replace cauliflower with broccoli for another flavor alternative.

Add toppings on top of cheese. Suggested toppings include strips of peppers, diced onions or scallions, chives or basil.

KOSHER NOTES

Kosher laws disallow the eating of any whole insects and therefore cauliflower require a process of soaking, rinsing and in some cases, pureeing. Kashrut authorities differ on the proper checking of cauliflower and some disallow its use altogether. This blog was not designed to be your kosher authority, so please consult your local rabbinic authority regarding using and preparing cauliflower.

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A Salad of Bounty and Inspiration

There are friends who transform your life. They may not be the friends you see regularly. They may not be the friends that are your neighbors or even part of your community . They are people who have entered your orbit and make you see the world differently. They are people who live their life and transform others with the enormity of who they are. Our friends, Dorothy, Patrick and Aimee McCarthy are precisely those type of friends.

Dorothy and Patrick are parents like no one else. They have met life’s challenges with great courage, tenacity and good humor. They have raised Aimee, their daughter, with the greatest spirit of empowerment and positive energy. Although Aimee has faced so many medical hurdles, she is one of the most inspirational women we have met. Aimee is a young woman who embodies optimism, strength and spirit and someone who leads others by example.

Dorothy and Patrick have shown us how to show appreciation to those who have impacted their lives. Dorothy and Patrick have gone above and beyond the call of duty to celebrate life’s joys and sadnesses with us. At Aimee’s twenty-first birthday party, Dorothy and Patrick invited us and ordered catered glatt kosher food for us and their other kosher guests. When my mother-in-law passed away, the McCarthys planted a gorgeous lilac tree on our property in Mom’s memory. Over the years, these wonderful friends have made generous donations to the Yad Eliezer soup kitchen in Tzfat, Israel in memory of my in-laws. They are so appreciative of the small measure of friendship that we have shown them and are friends that we admire so immensely.

Yesterday, Patrick dropped off an enormous box of vegetables and herbs from their garden. The idea of sharing the bounty of one’s hard work in planting and tending to a garden is divinely inspired. It is reminiscent of the bekurim (first fruits) that were dedicated to G-d and given to the Cohanim (Priests) in the Beis Hamikdash (Holy Temple).at Shavuos (Jewish Holiday celebrated 7 weeks after Passover) : Bekurim: First Fruits from Hollister.

This bounty speaks to the munificent spirit of these wonderful friends and the enormity of appreciation that defines them.

With the generous selection of vegetables and herbs shared with us by the McCarthy family, I decided to make a fresh and delicious salad. Here it is:

Ingredients

2 small heads of lettuce, torn or cut into small bits
mixed peppers, cut into thin sticks
2 zucchini, scrubbed and shredded or spiralized

new onions or scallions, thinly sliced
heirloom tomatoes, cut in half

1-2 cloves garlic, minced
parsley, soaked and rinsed (see kosher notes)

Simple, Creamy and Perfect Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette

Directions

Prepare all of the vegetables and the dressing. Drizzle some balsamic vinaigrette on top. Toss right before serving. Enjoy!

Serving Suggestion

Toss sliced tofu and zucchini with olive oil and kosher salt and roast in a 450 degree F oven for 40 minutes. Serve on top of the salad.

Kosher Notes

Kosher laws disallow the eating of any whole insects and therefore most herbs require a process of soaking and rinsing. Kashrut authorities differ somewhat on the proper checking of herbs. This blog was not designed to be your kosher authority, so please consult your local rabbinic authority regarding using herbs such as parsley.

Simple Tips to the Perfect Kosher Skirt Steak

On Sunday, we hosted a barbecue for our immediate family. We grilled all the regulars: hot dogs, burgers and ribs. The star of the show, though, were the skirt steaks.

Skirt steaks are meaty, flavorful, tender, inexpensive and simple to prepare. They are long and thin, versatile and take practically no time on the grill. Because of their shape, they cook quickly and create a beautiful crust.

Here are five simple tips for preparing the perfect kosher skirt steak: (more…)

Simple, Colorful and Crunchy Baby Bok Choy Salad with Apples, Peppers, Tomatoes and Craisins

Baby Bok Choy was on sale this week at our local market. I was determined to create a new colorful and crunchy salad using the baby bok choy as the base green. I added bright tomatoes and peppers for color and green apples for crunch. I finished the salad off with a sprinkling of dried cranberries and toasted sesame seeds. It was delicious with a surprising array of colors and textures.

It was a simple salad that create a wow for both the eye and the palate. Bok Choy stands up well to dressing since it has a firmer texture than lettuce, so this salad can be prepared several hours in advance with dressing drizzled right atop the salad ingredients. It is best to toss right before serving. (more…)

Crockpot Drunken Mushroom Soup

drunken mushroom soup ready to eat

I love the heartiness and depth of a wine-based mushroom soup. Mushrooms and wine are a combination made in heaven, with the wine adding depth to the earthiness of this soup. Made in a crockpot, this drunken mushroom soup is a cinch to prepare and is simply divine.

drunken mushroom soup-preparation

INGREDIENTS

2-3 packages whole or sliced mushrooms
1 small onion or shallot, cut into chunks
1-2 zucchini, cup into 1 inch chunks
4 cups water or vegetable broth
1 cup wine
1 tablespoon salt
4 cloves garlic or 1 tablespoons granulated garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse ground pepper
dash ginger (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Fill crockpot with mushrooms, onion and/or shallot, zucchini, wine and seasonings. Fill crockpot 3/4 to top with water and/or stock. Cook on high for at least 5 hours. For a smooth texture, blend with a stick blender before serving. Garnish with fresh herbs.

drunken musroom soup-under glass lid drunken mushroom soup ready to eat

NOTES

Know your crockpot and which settings to use. I cook my soup
on the high setting of my six quart crockpot for about 6 hours and only turn it down to low or auto once the soup has been completed. Your crockpot may need to be set to auto for the duration of the cooking. If you are not sure, start your soup at high. Check on the soup after 4 hours. If it tastes ready, then turn it down to auto or low until serving. If not, cook the soup for longer, checking every hour.
For a creamy dairy variation, add 1/2 cup heavy cream to soup ingredients.
Use your favorite mushrooms. For this soup, I used a combination of baby bella and white mushrooms. You can add them to the crockpot whole or sliced.Use your favorite wine. For my soup, I used the rest of a bottle of Merlot that was left over from Shabbos. You can use white, red or any combination of wine.

MY FAVORITE AMAZON SUPPLIES FOR THIS RECIPE
Cuisinart Stick Blender

Stainless Steel 6 Quart Manual Crockpot

Simple Cheesy Zucchini Logs: Gluten Free and Low-Carb

Davida and her friend, Chava, made delicious calzones for Melave Malke a few weeks ago: Davida’s Easy and Delicious Calzones for a Melave Malka Feast. Although the calzones looked and smelled heavenly, Don and I were only able to enjoy them vicariously. Since we are still on low-carb diets, we needed to find an alternative cheesy dish.

We scrubbed zucchini, cut them is half logs and roasted them for 12-15 minutes . Once roasted, we scooped out some of the pulp and then filled them with cheese. We put them into the oven for 5-10 minutes more and voila!

These will make a perfect and simple low-carb recipe for Shavuos (Countdown to Shavuos: Floral Inspirations and Dairy Recipes). Enjoy!

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Simple Chocolate Bark with Flowers and Dried Fruit

Chocolate bark has become one of my favorite simple and beautiful dessert embellishments. This week, I created a sweet and delicious bark that was sweet, bright and beautiful with some surprisingly savory ingredients, as well. I melted a combination of white and milk chocolate and added fresh pansies from my flowerpots, mint and rosemary from my garden and an assortment of salted nuts and craisins. I served this bark as the perfect accompaniment to small squares of Simply the Best Flourless Chocolate Cake. I plan to also served this as a wow garnish for simple pieces of cheese cake for Shavuos.

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Simple Mini Cheesecakes with Gorgeous Garnishes

mini cheese cake with crust and edible pansies

mini cheese cake with strawberry and chocolate garnish

mini cheese cake with chocolate bark only

Shavuos is on its way! Cheesecake is one of the staples of the upcoming holiday of Shavuos, since we are commanded to eat dairy foods at our festive meals (Countdown to Shavuos: Floral Inspirations and Dairy Recipes) on Shavuos.

This year, Don and I are still on a low-carb diet. We didn’t want to forego cheesecake, but I wanted to make sure to use a minimum of carbs in my cheesecake preparation. I decided to create portion-size cheesecakes to keep the portion size well-controlled. This will allow us to enjoy a taste of heaven without feeling deprived, but keeping our diet “cheating” to a minimum.

Best of all, I skipped the carb-heavy crust and created some beautiful and tasty garnishes to embellish these simple and delicious mini cheesecakes. They are light, delicious, fresh-tasting, gluten-free and simply divine.

This recipe does not require a springform pan or a water bath for baking. It is best to bring the ingredients to room temperature just before preparation. Preparation takes a few minutes and the baking takes less than 20 minutes. It is best made in disposable or porcelain ramekins. It makes 6 medium size or 12 mini ramekins.

Supplies

3-4 inch ramekins Set of 6 three ounce ramekins or aluminum disposable mini ramekins 39mm

Ingredients

1 pound cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

mini cheese cake mini cheese cake with strawberry and chocolate garnish mini cheese cake with chocolate bark

Directions

It is best to bring the ingredients to room temperature before baking to prevent cracking, although I have made this recipe effectively with ingredients right out of the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Spray ramekins with cooking spray.

Beat cream cheese with eggs with a whisk, in a food processor or with a mixer, just until smooth and creamy. Add rest of ingredients, beating and incorporating well. You may have to scrape sides of bowl to incorporate everything well until combined, smooth and creamy.

Pour mixture into ramekins, filling 2/3 of the way to the top. I find it easiest to pour the mixture from a glass measuring cup with a spout..

Bake mini ramekins for 15 minutes, 3-4″ ramekins for about 18-20 minutes. Cheesecake will rise slightly. Centers should be set, although the cheese cake will appear to be slightly jiggly.

Remove from the oven and cool completely. Chill the cheesecakes in the ramekins for at least 2 hours or overnight.

The cheese cakes can be served directly in the ramekins or can be removed from the ramekins and served upside side. If removing from the ramekins, carefully turn over on a serving plate. Allow cheese cake to rest for a few minutes before garnishing.

Garnish with fruit, berries, edible leaves and flowers, chocolate bark (Chards of Colorful Chocolate Bark: Whimsical and Delicious)or whole or crumbled cookies.

Variations

This recipe can be made as a small single cheesecake. Generously grease a round baking pan. Prepare ingredients as above and pour ingredients into greased round pan. Increase baking time to 30 minutes or until center is set. Garnish as above.

Prepare a crust by crumbling 1 cup of your favorite cookies with 3 tablespoons of melted butter or coconut oil. Press into the bottom of each ramekin and bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for 10 minutes. Allow to cool before pouring cheesecake batter over the crust. Continue to bake as above. You may have to gently coax cheesecake out of ramekin or pan using a smooth knife to unseat the edges of the crust.

Simply the Best Caesar Dressing

Caesar dressing takes a simply leafy salad and creates a wow. I have found that if I want to make sure that just about all my dinner guests eat the salad, all I have to do is prepare Caesar salad. Men will eat Caesar salad. Kids will eat Caesar salad. Just about the finickiest eaters will dig in to the Caesar salad.

Because of the high fat content in this dressing, I usually skip the croutons, though they can be easily bought or prepared Simple and Delicious Croutons Fashioned from Leftover Bread or Challah and then added right before tossing. I make sure to just add the minimum amount of Caesar dressing. Since it is creamy, it clings well to the leafy greens and a little bit of Caesar dressing really goes a long way.

This salad dressing is one of my “regulars”. That is, it is one of the popular dressings that I prepare in advance and store in a squeeze bottle for use throughout the week for a large Shabbos salad, individual lunch salads or dinner salad . Since it is thick and very creamy, it is easiest to decant this dressing into a wide-mouth squeeze bottle (click to order Amazon wide-mouth squeeze bottles). Once in the squeeze bottle, I can just squirt the minimum amount of dressing needed for my salad.

This dressing is best served on greens and large-cut vegetables that have body and do not wilt easily. Try it on Romaine Lettuce, Bok Choy, large-cut tomatoes, Pepper slices or fresh green beans. Try topping your Caesar salad with grilled fish, chicken or steak. For a diary alternative, top with sliced, cubed or shredded cheese.

To update the Caesar salad for a dairy meal, I just chop or tear romaine lettuce and add the Caesar dressing. After tossing and right before serving, I sprinkle some good quality grated Parmesan cheese over the salad. Voila!

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup of mayonnaise

4 tablespoons lemon juice or juice of one lemon

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (see kosher notes)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

4 cloves of garlic or 1 tablespoon granulated garlic

1/2 cup oil

squeeze of mustard

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Asian Red Cabbage Salad…Simple and Wow

Salads should be simple and beautiful. This Asian-inspired cabbage salad was developed by my daughter, Leah, and for the past year has been one of the most popular salads in our home.

Red cabbage is such a gorgeous color that it wakes up just about any salad. In this salad, the color and texture contrast between the vibrant red cabbage, the green cucumbers and the white sesame seeds is breathtaking.

I usually try to eliminate or reduce the oil in salad dressings. I find that the spices and acid components of dressings are essential for flavor and most of the time, the oil is unnecessary or can be greatly reduced.

This salad is unusually versatile and robust. The vegetables and dressing may be prepared separately in advance. When you are ready to serve, all you need to do is toss the salad ingredients with the dressing. The leftovers will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to two days. This will become one of your favorites, too.

It yields 6-8 servings.

INGREDIENTS

2-3 cups of shredded red cabbage (or one large bag shredded red cabbage)

2-3 small or 1 large seedless cucumber, scrubbed and diced.
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, plain or toasted

DRESSING

4-6 tablespoons oil (optional)
3 tablespoons cider or rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sesame oil
4-6 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic or garlic powder
dash of fresh or ground ginger (optional)

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, combine the ingredients.

Up to two hours before serving, drizzle the dressing ingredients right on top of salad ingredients. Toss with the dressing before serving. Sprinkle some extra sesame seeds on top.

VARIATIONS

For a sweeter taste, add 1-2 tablespoons Agave syrup, honey or brown sugar

Sprinkle any of the following after dressing. Toss gently

diced red onion
slivered almonds or pine nuts

sunflower seeds, raw or roasted
1 bunch scallions, sliced thin
celery, scrubbed and cut thin

cut baby corn, well drained

canned water chestnuts, well drained

1/2 package ramen noodles (without the flavor packet)

Simple and Satisfying Tofu Salad

Tofu is a wonderful ingredient to add to a salad for a satisfying source of protein. Tofu is like a sponge; it merely absorbs the flavor of your marinade. I find that extra-firm tofu is a reliable ingredient for roasting, grilling and sauteing and I use it often.

To cut down on cleanup, I simply slit open the covering on the tofu container and peel back the top. I then drain the tofu liquid, slice or dice the tofu and then add my marinade ingredients right in the original plastic tofu container.

This tofu salad combines the soft texture of the tofu and mushrooms, spicy marinated onions and the crunchy texture of romaine lettuce to achieve a delicious and layered salad experience. (more…)

Simple Chocolate Bark with Flowers and Dried Fruit

I love thin and delicious chocolate bark embellished with all my favorites. It is a simple dessert and also makes a perfect garnish for a simple cake or mousse. It is the perfect accompaniment to Simply the Best Flourless Chocolate Cake

As your bark background, you can use your favorite chocolate: white, milk or dark. The embellishments can be any combination of edible flowers, dried fruit, candied fruit or ginger and/or all types of nuts and seeds.

For this chocolate bark, I used semisweet chocolate chips and white chocolate chips. I added raisins, craisins, candied pineapple bits and fresh pansy petals.

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Balsamic Beet Slaw: Easy, Fresh and Delicious

Leah is our resident vegetarian. She loves to mix up salad ingredients and find her own combinations of vegetables and dressings. As a midnight snack this week, she created this delicious beet salad.

I often shred and/or spiralize vegetables and keep them in containers in the refrigerator. I also prepare dressings weekly and refrigerate them in wide-mouth squeeze bottles. That makes for easy preparation of salads for lunches, snacks and dinner without too much additional fuss.

Leah put together some shredded fresh beets, cubed cucumbers and toasted sesame seeds and mixed in some balsamic vinegar dressing. The result was this beautiful and delicious beet salad. (more…)

Simple, Creamy and Perfect Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette

Our favorite dressing is balsamic vinaigrette. Nine out of ten times when ordering salad at a restaurant, we choose balsamic vinaigrette. For the past many years, every time I made a balsamic vinegar-dressed salad, I would take out half the contents of my spice cabinet to dress the salad.

A few weeks ago, I took the plunge. I purchased heavy-duty catering-style squeeze bottles from my local restaurant supply store and filled them with assorted dressings for a large dinner that I was hosting. The squeeze bottles were very durable and had wide mouths for easy decanting of the homemade dressings from the food processor.

Whatever dressing were left over from the party, we used for lunches and dinners over the next week. The bit of dressing that was left over one week later became the basis for my grilled chicken marinade. The spices were left in the cabinet throughout the week and that balsamic vinaigrette found many uses. It was a true lesson in organization and efficiency. I was hooked on preparing my dressings in advance.

Now, I prepare an assortment of dressings and dips before Shabbos. I store them in these large squeeze bottles for dressing salads, garnishing appetizers and decorating serving platters. I find that having the vinaigrette available and in easy-to-dispense containers helps us use just exactly what we need for each salad. It cuts down on waste and mess.

With all the choices of dressings and dips, our favorite is still balsamic vinaigrette. It is simple and really adds that wow to most every salad.

RECIPE

1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

3 cloves of garlic or one teaspoon granulated garlic

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1/2 cup oil

squeeze of mustard (optional)

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Simple Low-Carb One-Pan Shwarma Chicken with Rainbow Roasted Vegetables

This shwarma chicken recipe transports me to those amazing shwarma places all over Israel. Although the shwarma flavor of this dish is reminiscent of Israeli Shwarma often served in pita or lafa, this recipe is low-carb since the shwarma is surrounded by gorgeous roasted vegetables instead of a bread pocket.

This recipe combines the magical flavor of shwarma chicken with the fresh and colorful flavors and textures of rainbow roasted vegetables. This low-carb main dish is simple and quick to prepare and tastes just heavenly. Best of all, cleanup is a cinch because everything is roasted in one pan. (more…)

Kaitlyn’s Simple and Spicy Roasted Green Beans

I recently hosted Sheva Brochos (wedding after-party with seven blessings) for Gila and Shimshon. I wanted a simple, delicious and green side dish that would stand up well on a buffet. My daughter, Kaitlyn, suggested this simple and spicy roasted green bean recipe.

She suggested using Trader Joe’s fresh Haricot Verts (French Green beans). They come in a two-pound package with the beans already trimmed. I used frozen french green beans. It can be made either way, with fresh or frozen. French green beans are slimmer and longer than standard green beans, so if you use regular green beans, you may have to adjust the roasting time and roast them for a bit longer.

Kaitlyn used the Dorot-brand frozen cubes of garlic and chili, four each. I used chili powder and fresh minced garlic, instead.

It was simple. It was green. And, it was delicious.

Here is the recipe: (more…)

A Simple One Pot Meal: Low-Carb Cauliflower Couscous with Chicken

I am still on a low-carb high-protein diet and I am feeling great. I am always on the lookout for low-carb options that mimic the texture of carb-heavy foods that I once craved. Cauliflower is an excellent ingredient to mimic the texture of rice, potato and/or couscous.

I have developed a recipe for cauliflower couscous with chicken and vegetables. It is simple. It is low-carb and nutritious. Best of all, it only requires one pan.

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Simple Celery and Mushroom Crockpot Soup

My kids have been getting tired of all the pureed soups that I have been preparing over the past few months. I have decided to surprise them with a vegetable soup that is not pureed, so that they can enjoy all the different textures of the vegetables.

Here is the simple, delicious and low carb recipe, suitable for Passover:

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simple to wow

simple kosher recipes, designs and inspirations to wow you

Gluten-free

Low and Slow Oven Brisket: No Braising Necessary

Colorful Confetti Cabbage

Arugula Salad Wrapped and Upright

Colorado Salmon in an Omelet Maker

Grilled Salami Slices: Netanel’s Simple and Humble Delicacy

Simple Kiwi Flower Garnish

Colorful Farm to Table Confetti Salad

Cauliflower Personal Pizza: Simple and Low-Carb

A Salad of Bounty and Inspiration

Simple Tips to the Perfect Kosher Skirt Steak

Simple, Colorful and Crunchy Baby Bok Choy Salad with Apples, Peppers, Tomatoes and Craisins

Crockpot Drunken Mushroom Soup

Simple Cheesy Zucchini Logs: Gluten Free and Low-Carb

Simple Chocolate Bark with Flowers and Dried Fruit