Recipes

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

baby bok choy salad with apples, craisins, peppers, tomatoes and toasted sesame seeds

 

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…)

A Month of Perfect Low-Carb Omelet Choices

I never enjoyed eating breakfast until I started a low-carb diet a couple of months ago.  In the past, I would skip breakfast because eating an early morning meal just never agreed with me.   I would feel nauseous after eating early and the nausea would linger, affecting my entire day.

Breakfast is important and especially so, if one is dieting.  It is essential to set aside time and place to enjoy each meal and snack throughout the day.   It is equally important to feel satiated and not deprived when dieting.  Breakfast is an essential piece of that wholesome feeling while dieting.

To compensate for  my nauseous relationship with breakfast, I now opt to eat breakfast only after my day has begun.  Nowadays, I start my day with an hour-long walk and then eat breakfast after my walk is complete. It is simply a wonderful morning routine.

Because my diet stresses low-carbs, cereals are not an option.  Most mornings, I opt to eat a two-egg omelet.  Of course, it is not in my nature to eat the same type of omelet all week long.  Therefore, I have been experimenting with different types of omelet toppings or fillings and I have listed some of my favorites.

Here is the recipe for the perfect omelet: (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 liddrunken 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

Wow Uses for a Simple Dish Detergent Bottle

My mother has always been the ultimate recycler, decades before recycling and upcycling became fashionable.

My mother still decants oil from a large container into a clean dish detergent squirt bottle. The squirt nozzle is perfect for squirting oil onto salads, roasted vegetables and a saute pan.  It keeps the oil contained and helps place the oil exactly where you want it. You can also use a sport-top water bottle for most of these uses, but the water bottles tend to be constructed of a thinner and less robust plastic, not intended for extended use.

squirt bottle uses

 

Here  are some other wonderful uses for a simple dish detergent bottle. Just make sure to mark the bottle with the contents and the date that it was prepared.  You can print a squirt bottle label and adhere it to the bottle using glue stick.  This can avoid any dangerous mixups:

(more…)

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!

zucchini logs-up close

(more…)

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.

chocolate bark with nut mint and pansies up close with logo

(more…)

Simple and Easy 5-Ingredient No-Boil Lasagna

 

no-boil-lasagna-before-cooking

 

This is the simplest and most delicious lasagna recipe that you will ever make.  It requires one mixing bowl and one baking lasagna pan with no boiling .  It creates a firm and easy to slice lasagna with minimal effort and mess.  It takes only a few minutes to prepare and one hour of oven time.

You can use either no-boil lasagna noodles or regular lasagna noodles.  For the no-boil lasagna noodles,   I prefer the ones that are wavy.   If you opt to use regular lasagna noodles, just add more watered-down sauce in the last step to the corners of your pan.  That way, the regular lasagna noodles will soften sufficiently during the baking process.

It is one of our family favorites and it will become yours, too.

lasagna-portion (more…)

Simple Mini Cheesecakes with Gorgeous Garnishes

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 cakemini cheese cake with strawberry and chocolate garnishmini cheese cake with chocolate barkmini cheese cake with chocolate bark only

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.

mini cheese cake with crust and edible pansies

Perfect Salmon with Roasted Vegetables

My childhood friend, Pam, hosted and enjoyed many guests for her son’s Aufruf  (literally meaning “calling up”) Shabbos.  It was an exciting Shabbos for Pam, her husband Ron and her family, as her son, Ariel, is getting married this week.

It is customary for a Jewish groom to be called up to recite a brocha (blessing) on the Torah in synagogue on the Shabbos before his wedding.  Pam’s guests joined the family and Ariel in synagogue Shabbos morning for a beautiful davening and kiddush.

I prepared a delicious fillet of salmon that Pam served for Seuda Shlishis (third meal on Shabbos afternoon).  It is one of those stunningly colorful main dishes that can be prepared in one pan and served so easily as a showstopper buffet option. It was so simple to prepare and oh, so beautiful and delicious.

This dish can be served cold, warm or room temperature and can also be prepared in individual portions.

salmon with roasted vegetables on platter

(more…)

A Few Good Blossoms: Floating Arrangements

I began this SimpletoWow blog in January with an original post,   It’s all about the arrangement (psst….even with last week’s roses), on arranging last week’s open and just-wilting roses.  It was intended to showcase  simple and wow ways to use what you have in surprising and unexpected ways.

last week's roses in a square bowl

As the Jewish holiday of Shavuos approaches (see Countdown to Shavuos: Floral Inspirations and Dairy Recipes), I would like to add some other ways to make use of a few good blossoms.

last week's gerber daisies in a large rose bowl

(more…)

Chards of Colorful Chocolate Bark: Whimsical and Delicious

Chocolate Bark is so versatile and beautiful.  The finished product can be elegant, playful or whimsical, depending upon the ingredients selected.   The background can be any type of chocolate, dairy or pareve.  The embellishments can be any combination of sweet or savory to create beautiful colors, tastes and textures.

I have tried so many different types of barks and every one has been a winner.  I like to spread the chocolate as thin as possible, so that a little bit of chocolate creates the thinnest piece of luxurious decadence.  Once the bark has cooled, I break it into asymmetric chards.  I serve these by themselves or as an embellishment to fudgy brownies or ice cream.

chocolate bark confetti as embellishment

 

(more…)

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 

(more…)

Simply the best cholent…with low-carb ingredients

Tzippy Respler

Don and I are still on a low-carb diet.  During the week, we try to eliminate carbs almost completely.  On Shabbos, we allow ourselves to enjoy a small amount of challah at each meal, but still try to adhere to the low-carb protocol as much as possible.  Cholent is a challenge, because it is generally prepared using high-carb ingredients like potatoes and barley.  Over the past few months, I have experimented with lots of different ingredients, until I finally have an option that tastes great and is mostly low-carb.

To satisfy the rest of the family, I often put in lentils, barley and some potatoes, but Don and I only choose the vegetables that conform to our diet.  When I do that, I try to leave most of the low-carb vegetables whole or in large chunks, so that Don and I can easily find them.

low-carb cholent

I like to cook a well-marbled roast right in the cholent.  The fat content is important, so that the meat stays moist and does not dry out during the long cooking process. I take the roast out right before serving and place it on a separate plate.  I use two forks to shred the beef, putting them facing each other at the center of the roast and pulling toward the edges.  I  serve the meat on a separate platter from the cholent.

INGREDIENTS

1 zucchini, scrubbed and cut into large slices
1 turnip or kohlrabi, cut into cubes
2 cups whole mushrooms
3 stalks of celery, scrubbed and cut into large slices
2-3 garlic garlic cloves, whole or minced
2 Potatoes, peeled or scrubbed and cut into large pieces (optional)
1-2 cups of cauliflower, riced in food processor (see kosher notes)
1 cup beans, soaked overnight or canned and drained (may omit for gluten-free)
2 small whole onions, peeled
1/2 cup barley (optional)
1/2 cup lentils (optional)

1 generous squirt ketchup  (optional)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
paprika

kishke, wrapped in parchment paper
small brisket, deckel or brick roast

DIRECTIONS

Place vegetables in crockpot Friday morning.  Add rest of ingredients and combine gently.

 Fill crockpot with water until ingredients are completely covered plus 1 inch more of water.  Make sure to leave at least one inch of space between top of water level and top of pot.

Place small brisket on top of cholent, submerging only slightly in cholent liquid.
low-carb cholent with meat
Cover crockpot and turn crockpot on high until right before Shabbos begins (Friday at sundown).  Then, lower crockpot to your favorite Shabbos setting (see notes).  My crockpot stays on high, perhaps yours will need to be on auto or medium setting.
Enjoy this delicious cholent Shabbos morning for lunch.   I remove the meat from the top of the cholent,  placing it on a separate platter.  I take two karge forks and place them with the tines facing each other at the center of the roast.  I pull the meat toward the edges, creaing a shredded beef dish.  I them serve the rest of the cholent in a serving bowl, taking acre to keep the low-carb vegetables whole and esy to find.

VARIATIONS

To create a gluten-free version, replace the barley with brown sushi rice

Add onion powder, zatar, garlic powder, or your favorite spice for a zestier alternative

KOSHER NOTES

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

(more…)

Scallion Confetti Curls: A Simple Garnish

Garnishes put the wow into a dish.  This one is fast and simple.

scallion-garnish-ingredients.jpg

 

Cut green part of scallion into three to four inch sections.  Slice narrow and long ribbons with a sharp paring knife.

scallion granisj-cut small

Separate scallion pieces into thinnest slivers possible using knife or by hand.

scallion-garnish-in-ice-water

Drop the green onion slivers into ice water and submerge completely for at least 20 minutes or refrigerate overnight.

 

 

Voila!

 

scallion-garnish-finished

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.asian cabbage salad-up close

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 saute

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…)

Davida’s Easy and Delicious Calzones for a Melave Malka Feast

Melave Malka (Saturday night meal) is the name given to the meal that we eat at the Shabbos has departed.  The literal meaning of the words Melave Malka is “accompaniment of the queen”, referring to our escorting of the Shabbos Queen out of our homes after the spiritually uplifting Shabbos.  The Shabbos is often metaphorically described as a Queen and the purpose of the Melave Malka meal is to figuratively escort the Shabbos away with singing and eating,  much as one would escort a royal guest who is about to leave.

According to Kaballah,  the luz bone at the base of the skull is nourished by the Melave Malkah meal.  The Neshoma Ye’sara (additional soul)  that accompanies a person through the Shabbos does not leave until after the Melave Malka has been enjoyed.  

Aaron used to be our resident Saturday night cook and we always looked forward to his delicious dairy Melave Malka dishes.  He had quite a repertoire of Melave Malka selections like pasta, pizza and all types of popcorn.  Now that Aaron is studying in yeshiva in Israel, Davida has cheerfully taken over this role.  She has become an excellent Saturday night cook and has brought  Melave Malka to a whole new level.

This Motzei Shabbos (Saturday Night), Davida and her friend, Chava, made the most delicious cheese calzones.  She prepared the ingredients and before we knew it, we had delicious warm calzones to enjoy for  our Melave Malka.   I asked her to share the recipe and now I am happy to share it with all of you.

calzones (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

chocoalte bark cut into sections on 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.

chocolate bark with pansies and raisins (more…)

Simple Onion Baked Chicken Cutlets

This recipe is a simple go-to recipe when time is short and I need to crank out a delicious and hearty meal with very little lead time and a minimum of effort.  It requires very little hands-on time and can be baked in the oven in about 20 minutes. It is crispy and crunchy, delicious and very kid-friendly.  It is one of my family favorites.  I usually serve it with a simple fresh salad  to compensate for the canned french fried onions.

onion crusted chicken with baby bok choy salad on wooden plank (more…)

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.

beet cucumber salad without dressing

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…)

A Salad Bar for the Entire Week

Our family loves salads and we try to spread the love to the rest of the world. From the time that the kids were eating solids, salads became a mainstay in the Respler home. It is rare that we make the same salad twice because there are SO many options.

salad bar in jars-CROPPED,jpg

Most recently, when I entertain, I have been creating a salad bar. A salad bar encourages guests to create their own custom salads and it is a great solution for guests with different diets and allergies. The best perk is that when the dust settles and it is time to put everything away, the salad ingredients have not been dressed, so they are still fresh enough for leftovers. My family clamors to create their own lunches for the next few days from what is left over from the salad bar.

In the past, I have been less than successful in creating the perfect salad bar. I had found that the salad ingredients were messy and unruly, with everyone breathing on and touching everything. I have finally found a good solution to creating a neat and orderly salad bar.

I purchased gallon and half-gallon glass candy jars online that can be seated vertically or on an angle. Each jar has a metal lid and plastic tongs that hang right on the lid.

SALAD BAR JARS WITH TONGS

(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)

(more…)

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.shwarma chicken with roasted vegetables 2 (more…)

Simple and Delicious Croutons Fashioned from Leftover Bread or Challah

Last week, I focused on bread and challah-related recipes.   This week, you may have some leftover challah.  I rarely put leftover challah into my freezer.  Instead, I convert it into croutons or bread crumbs.  I find that when I put leftover challah in the freezer, it usually just sits there until just before next Pesach when I use it to feed the birds.

Here is my simple crouton recipe.  It is so delicious that you may find yourself munching on the croutons even before you put them into your salad.

Although I usually just cube the bread, I find that if I am hosting a birthday party or themed dinner, I use a small cookie cutter to cut the bread into themed croutons.

 

INGREDIENTS

leftover bread or challah

oil or cooking spray

Garlic Salt or Italian Seasoning (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

Optionally remove crusts from challah or bread and slice. Brush bread on both sides with oil or spray with oil cooking spray. Sprinkle lightly with garlic salt or Italian seasoning. Cut bread slices into small cubes or your favorite shapes.

 

Place croutons in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.  Bake  for 15 minutes or until browned. Shut oven and be careful to watch the croutons, so they do not burn.  Allow to cool before serving over salad, stew or soup.

Enjoy!

Simple DIY Cajun Blackening Spice Blend for Low-Carb Atkins Cooking

I have been on a low-carb diet for the past many weeks.  One of the most important aspects of the diet  is finding flavor and texture in ingredients that are low-carb. I have prepared fried fish using spices instead of breading.  I have found new toppings and new spices that replace the flavor and texture of many higher-carb ingredients.

Spice blends are the key.  There are plenty on the market, but making them yourself has cost and flavor benefits.  Homemade spice blends generally cost a fraction of the cost of prepared ones.  Some of the commercially-made ones have sugar,  which is a no-no on the diet.  Most importantly, this spice blend allows you to adjust the proportions of the ingredients to suit your own diet and you own taste.  You can adjust or omit the cayenne pepper if you prefer a milder spice blend and you can omit or reduce the salt if you are careful about your salt intake.

This cajun blackening spice blend has a myriad of uses. You can use it as a breading for fried fish (Blackened Atkins Low-Carb Tilapia Fillets), as a spice rub for roasted meat or chicken and as a flavoring for your crockpot stews. You can sprinkle it on salmon (Low-Carb Cajun Salmon Fillets in Foil Packets) or tofu before pan-frying or grilling.   It will transform your cooking!

cajun blackening seasoning

(more…)