Vegetarian

Low-Carb Snacks: Simply Made with Love

Now that Don and I are on this low-carb, high-protein diet, we have encountered some challenges.  We realize that having snacks prepared and measured out in advance is key. Knowing that the snack is ready to eat at responsible intervals  helps curb cravings and satiate our appetites.

We had hoped to find some ready-made protein bars that meet the diet protocol and are certified kosher.  Alas,  we have not been successful in finding kosher protein bars that have low enough carbs and are readily available in our area.

Don and I struck a deal.  I will prepare most of the meals if he prepares the snacks in advance, either daily or weekly.  I purchased some ingredients and he did a terrific job, filling the fruit bins of our refrigerator with these pre-measured snack choices.  Now, each day, we can easily enjoy the snacks that he prepared at regular intervals and we are nailing this diet!

Here are some of our favorite low-carb snacks, prepared and measured out by Don:

 

Radishes: scrubbed and cut into wedges

Medium Size Pickle: skewered onto a stick

Small ripe avocado, bagged with a lemon wedge and plastic knife (to share)

avocado with lemon.jpg

Macadamia Nuts: 8-10 nuts per snack

macadamia nuts

Celery Sticks: scrubbed and sliced into sticks

celery sticks

Sugar Snap Peas: rinsed

Baby Peppers: rinsed whole or with tops and seeds removed

snow peas

Zucchini sticks: scrubbed and sliced into sticks

Cucumber sticks: scrubbed and sliced into sticks

Simply the Best Low-Carb Zucchini Soup

zucchini soup-ingredients

On my low-carb diet, I often eat soup for lunch. They are filling, hearty and warm the soul. One of the things that I am enjoying and hope to retain once I complete the diet is the idea of making regular times for meals and snacks. I find that I am more satiated by meals and snacks that I anticipate and actively prepare in advance.

I have never made a zucchini soup before and decided to try and create a low-carb one for lunch. The only zucchini soup that I have enjoyed in the past is one made by my friend, Malka, and it is delicious. I hope that this low-carb variety comes close to hers.

Zucchini is a rather bland vegetable, comprised of 95% water. Believe it or not, a whole zucchini has more potassium than a banana and is only about 33 calories. This soup will need sauteed onions and garlic, a rich broth and some fresh herbs to wake up the bland, but nutritious zucchini.  Since zucchini and herbs take very little time to cook, the added benefit of this soup is that it does not take long to prepare, even in a crockpot. (more…)

You Say Tomato…I Say Heirloom Tomato Salad
heirloom tomato saladLeafy salads are fresh and delicious, but take quite a bit of prep time.  Soaking, rinsing and drying lettuce just seems to take forever.  Here is one salad that go from the refrigerator to the table in record time.  It uses an assortment of tomatoes and optional scallions.  Rinse, slice, dice, halve or leave small tomatoes whole. Then, dress it. That’s it.  Period.

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Rainbow Carrot Curls: A Wow Garnish

Trader Joe’s sells bags of organic rainbow carrots.  The carrots come in all hues of the rainbow: dark red, white, bright yellow and the “ordinary” orange carrots.  It is a small splurge, but well worth it in the “wow” factor.

rainbow carrots ingredients

These carrots are low in calories and powerful in vitamin A and antioxidants. Rainbow carrot curls will add a pop of color and a delicious flavor to your plating.  Here is the simple technique to create rainbow carrot curls.

 

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Davida’s Simple Roasted Corn Salad

roasted corn salad-finished

This simple salad is one that you can prepare when you think you have no salad ingredients at hand because it uses simple ingredients including…wait for it….canned corn.

This recipe was developed by my youngest daughter, Davida.  We had an ongoing friendly disagreement.   I was certain that a good corn salad recipe required fresh or grilled corn and she was determined that she could create a recipe with canned corn that was just as good.

I was wrong and she was right.

Davida developed a roasted corn recipe that uses canned corn and is even better than any grilled corn salads we have enjoyed in the past.  It has excellent texture and taste.  It is simple and it is delicious. Best of all, it can be served hot, cold or at room temperature.
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Kale and Cabbage Kugel: a Pareve Souffle

I grew up believing that spinach was the most powerful vegetable in the universe (remember Popeye?) I have raised kids in a generation that views kale the same way that we viewed spinach. Kale is the new spinach.

My daughter, Leah, loves kale. To keep her happy (and healthy), I try to always have a large bag of kale available for her in the freezer. I buy a large package of fresh kale, clean it and store it in the freezer. Then, it is available for all her favorite kale recipes. She uses kale in smoothies and pesto and she has tried to convince the rest of the family to love it, too. Some of us will eat it and others are just not there…yet.

Leah developed this kale and cabbage kugel recipe using some of her favorite ingredients. It is bright, green and healthy.

If you prefer spinach, you may substitute spinach for some or all of the kale.

kale and cabbage

INGREDIENTS

Oil for sauteing
2 cups cabbage
1 large onion
2-3 cloves garlic (optional)
2 cups of kale or spinach (see kosher notes below)
4-5 eggs
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1-2 teaspoons salt
Pepper to taste

kale cabbage kugels in oven

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a large baking dish.  Saute onions, garlic and cabbage until soft and golden brown (about 20-25 minutes).  Puree kale with eggs, vinegar and seasonings in food processor or blender.

Combine cabbage mixture with kale and egg mixture.  Pour mixture into Pyrex or baking pan.  Bake kugel 30-40 minutes.

 

VARIATIONS

Sprinkle nuts, crumbs or crispy fried onions on top of mixture before baking for an extra bit of texture and crunch.

 

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.  I have found that flat-leafed greens like baby spinach and flat-leaf  kale are much easier to check for insects than their curly-leaf counterparts.  Kashrut authorities differ on the proper checking of leafy vegetables and some disallow the use of spinach and kale altogether.  This blog was not designed to be your  kosher authority, so please consult your local rabbinic authority regarding using and preparing greens such as spinach and kale.

kale cabbage kugel x2

kale cabbage kugel with onions

Recipe, Baking and Photo Credits: Leah Respler

Crockpot Lentil Soup with Optional Parsnip and Kale

My daughter, Michelle, moved to California after getting married last June. She is a newly-inspired cook and it is so exciting for me to learn new recipes and plating ideas from her. A few weeks ago, when the weather was very cold on both coasts, she asked me to share some crockpot soup recipes with her. A crockpot soup would allow her to quickly start the soup before leaving to school in the morning and enjoy it for dinner with her husband, Scotty. (more…)

Crunchy Arugula and Jicama Salad
 This recipe will wow your taste buds and your eyes with the peppery flavor of arugula, the crunch of jicama, the rainbow colors of baby heirloom tomatoes, the spiciness of the red onions and scallions, and the salty nuttiness of macadamia nuts.

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Simple Crockpot Mushroom Soup: Low Carb

Don and I just started a high-protein, low carb diet.  I have to admit that I’ve never been on an official diet before and I’m excited for the challenge. I visited my local market today and spent hours perusing the aisles for ingredients that will work for this new diet. I bought items that I never thought that I would use, items like soy flour and sugar-free caramel syrup. Now the challenge will be to create exceptional flavor with new ingredients. I thought that I would start by modifying some of my favorite recipes to meet the parameters of this new diet. To keep the blog updated with these diet-friendly recipes, I have created a new category on the blog menu for low-carb recipes. (more…)

Simply the best salad…ever!
I try to serve a salad at every meal.  Our go-to salad is prepared with hearts of romaine and a variety of whatever fresh vegetables we have on hand.   I love tomatoes and often add tomatoes in a variety of different shapes, sizes and colors.  In my geographic area, Trader Joe’s and Costco sell a medley of heirloom tomatoes in various size packages.  They are my favorite salad ingredient.
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.
The dressing for this salad is best made by sprinkling the spices and drizzling the liquid ingredients directly on the vegetables right before serving. That way, the salad remains light, fresh and not weighed down by the dressing.  Any additional toppings (see variations) should be sprinkled on after the dressing and then tossed right before serving.

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Simple Rainbow Roasted Vegetables


For as long as I can remember, I have been making roasted vegetables for Friday night dinner. Years ago when our local pediatrician asked my kids what their favorite food was, they answered without hesitation, “roasted vegetables!”. (more…)

Simply the best pareve cholent…ever (with optional pulled beef brisket)

Tzippy Respler

Cholent is a traditional Jewish dish served on Shabbos.  Since cooking is prohibited on Shabbos, the cholent is prepared before the Shabbos and left to cook on an even temperature during Shabbos.

Over the past twenty plus years of marriage, I have tweaked my cholent recipe.  It started out as my father’s recipe and it still has the basic flavor of his cholent.  I have simplified and enhanced the recipe to suit the tastes of the ones closest to me.

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