Happy Chanukah! Healthy Treats

Happy Chanukah Friends!

This year, I have created some fun and easy recipes to help kids and adults celebrate the festival of lights. Of course, the traditional latkes and sufganiot are delicious, but this year, let's make our menus a bit more exciting!

I am doing a very special hands-on kids cooking class at a Chanukah party this year and am excited to be making some new things. Check out the recipes below.

 

I am making:

- Grilled Homemade Nutella and Banana Dreidel Sandwiches

- Mini Star of David Fruit Skewers with Vanilla Cashew Cream

 

Grilled Homemade Nutella and Banana Dreidel Sandwiches

I adapted this delicious recipe from the blog: http://thedaintypig.com/blog/2014/1/31/macrotreat-fridays-macro-ish-nutella
 

Homemade Nutella

• 1 3/4 cups whole hazelnuts
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 3 - 4 pinches of  sea salt
• 2 Tbsp sunflower or safflower oil of choice
• 5 Tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup almond milk

1. Set the oven to 400F.
2. Place hazelnuts on a parchment lined cookie sheet, and bake for 8-10 minutes, until golden brown. Shake the pan after about 4 minutes or so, to rotate them. Once roasted, remove the pan from the oven. Let the hazelnuts cool for about 5 minutes.
3. Place the hazelnuts inside a kitchen towel, making a pouch, and then rub the hazelnuts inside the towel to take off the skins.
4. Place the nuts into a food processor or high-speed blender. Add the oil, maple syrup and vanilla. Blend slowly, starting on a low setting then moving higher.
5. Add cocoa powder and salt. Blend again for a few minutes.
6. Add the almond milk slowly, staring with 1/3 cup. Blend. Add more if you desire.

Sandwiches

• 1 ripe banana, peeled and sliced into rounds
• 4 pieces of whole wheat bread
• 2 Tbsps sunflower oil
• 3 inch dreidel cookie cutter

1. Cut dreidel shapes out of the bread. If you are careful, you can probably get 2 dreidels per piece of bread.
2. Spread each dreidel bread with Nutella.
3. Place banana slices on top of Nutella on one piece of dreidel bread. Then top with other piece of dreidel bread with the Nutella side down - on top of the bananas.
4. Heat sunflower oil is a skillet on medium heat and place dreidel sandwiches into the pan. lightly press sandwiches down and flip once they are golden brown and a bit crispy - just like a grilled cheese sandwich. Serve hot.

 

Mini Star of David Fruit Skewers with Vanilla Cashew Cream

Cashew Cream

• 1 cup raw cashews, rinsed and then soaked overnight
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of sea salt

1. Discard soaking water from cashews and place cashews in a high speed blender or food processor. Add enough water to almost cover the cashews. Blend until creamy.
2. Add remaining ingredients and blend until full incorporated and creamy. Spoon into a serving bowl.

Fruit Skewers

• fresh fruit (such as apples, pears, grapes, berries)
• 1/2 lemon
• 6 inch wooden skewers
• mini Star of David cookie cutter

1. Wash and cut fruit into bite sized pieces and use mini Star of David cookie cutter to cut shapes into apples and pears. Squeeze the juice from 1/2 a lemon onto apples and pears so it does not brown.
2. Skewer fruit onto wooden skewers and place onto a serving platter. Serve with cashew cream.

 

Here are a couple of other great ideas to make this Chanukah delicious! I hope you enjoy!!!

 

 

Thanksgivukkah 2013!

As you've all heard, Thanksgiving coincides with the first day of Hanukkah this year. Very exciting news for the Jews who celebrate both!

Check out my Pinterest board for some great ideas for menu planning, recipes, festive decor and more.
Thanksgivukkah 2013 Ideas

We are going all out this year at our Thanksgivukkah. Check out our final menu.

Soupe au Pistou
Free Range Turkey
Pan Fried Flounder with Homemade Tartar Sauce
Herbed Stuffing
Quinoa Stuffed Delicata Squash
Garlic and Chive Mashed Potatoes with Mushroom Gravy
Mini Potato Latkes with Cranberry Apple Sauce
Whipped Yams
Green Bean Casserole
Garlic Collard Greens
Green Salad
Cranberry Pear Sauce

Pumpkin Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream
Sweet Potato Pie
Chocolate Molasses Spice Cookies
Sufganiyot
Homemade Sparkling Apple Cider

Kosher for Passover: Roasted Butternut Squash & Quinoa Salad

I've been doing some research and have tried to find some delicious looking healthy, vegan and kosher for Passover recipes. What a challenge! Not just vegan, not just kosher for Passover, but also healthy and delicious... I also wanted to come up with easy recipes that anyone can make that would have easily accessible ingredients. You can get everything at your local kosher grocery store.

Here is one that I came up with recently. I will definitely be making it this year!

Roasted Butternut Squash & Quinoa Salad

• 1 large butternut squash
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2  tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 cups quinoa

• fresh parsley, finely chopped
• sliced toasted almonds

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Peel the butternut squash and slice into 1 inch cubes.
3. Place the squash on a lined baking sheet and toss with oil, salt and garlic powder.
4. Roast the squash in the oven for 40 minutes or until very soft. Roasting until very soft will make it creamy, buttery and sweeter.
5. While the squash is roasting, rinse the quinoa and then place it into a large pot with 3 ⅓ cup water.
6. Bring the pot to a boil, add a pinch of salt and then simmer for 20 minutes with the lid on.
7. After 20 minutes, set the quinoa aside to cool.
8. Once the squash is roasted, toss it with the quinoa and parsley in a large bowl. Garnish it with almonds just before serving.

Leftover Cranberries? Cranberry Walnut Muffins!

If you are like me and buy fresh cranberries for Thanksgiving, then you probably have some leftovers sitting in your refrigerator as we speak. Well, fear no more, I have a tasty solution for you to use up those extra little guys. This recipe is easy and delicious, and is an absolutely beautiful addition to an Autumn breakfast or as a snack. They can also be wrapped individually and given as little edible party favors at your next event.

Cranberry Walnut Muffins
These muffins come out slightly sweet, with a bit of tang from the cranberries. Delish!

• 1/4 cup sunflower oil
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 3/4 cup unbleached white flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a muffin tin and set aside. Whisk the oil, syrup, almond milk, vinegar and vanilla in a bowl. In a separate larger bowl, mix the coconut sugar, flours, baking soda and powder, cinnamon and salt. with a rubber spatula, mix the wet ingredients into the dry. Do not over mix the batter. Fold in the 1/2 cup walnuts and cranberries. Using a medium sized ice cream scoop, put one scoop of batter into section of the muffin tin. Top with the remaining 1/4 cup walnuts and place into the oven. Bake for 20 minutes and rotate the pan half way for even baking. Bake 5 minutes more and until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean. Let cool for 15 minutes and remove muffins from the tin.

Thanksgiving Inspirations

Every year my whole family looks forward to Thanksgiving - the one holiday where we get together to eat, relax and have fun! This year will be the best one yet - since we will be coming from all over the US to gather together for great food AND great company. This year I am doing it vegan-style for my family and am excited to share colorful and flavorful, healthy dishes that will leave everyone feeling satiated, happy and healthy.

In anticipation of this Thanksgiving, I have already created my menu for this year's awesomeness:

1. Steamed Southern Style Cornbread Muffins
2. Pecan Crusted Seitan Cutlets
3. Seitan Herb Stuffing
4. Herbed Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Mushroom Gravy
5. Whipped Maple Sweet Potatoes
6. Creamy Root Vegetable Gratin
7. Garlicky Green Beans
8. Cranberry Citrus Sauce
9. Fresh Green Salad
10. Warm Pumpkin Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream
11. Old Fashioned Apple Crisp

I hope this menu of scrumptious goodies will inspire you to make some healthy, vegan dishes to add to your holiday table. Happy festivities!

Natural Autumn Decor Warms Up Your Home

I love Autumn in the northeast. The rich, vibrant, golden colors surrounding us when we are outdoors inspire us to get outside more, appreciate nature and breathe in fresh, crisp air. I find that the deep burgundies, burnt oranges, rich chocolate browns and dark forest greens of the season actually help to comfort and “warm us up” as the weather begins to turn cold and we find the need to break out our knitted sweaters and scarves.

One of my favorite things to do, besides cook and bake like crazy during this season, is decorate my home. I am pretty much OBSESSED when it comes to gourds and home decorating during this time of the year. I enjoy bringing a little bit of nature’s bounty into my home and appreciating all of the rich colors, textures and scents of the season.

When I think of Autumn I think of the smell of Old Fashioned Cinnamon Apple Crisp filling my home and pumpkin everything - pies, breads, muffins, puddings. I also love making hearty soups, stews and roasted vegetables. Pretty much anything warming, creamy and comforting helps me feel nice and toasty from the inside out in this cold weather.

I love to start gathering cute little gourds, different sized edible pumpkins and squashes, pine cones and pressed leaves to arrange as centerpieces for my festive holiday tables. These inexpensive natural decorations can really help to enliven a living space and bring natural beauty into your home.

I recently had a friend over for lunch and made a beautiful arrangement using many of these items. What a difference it made! The table was all dressed up and took our meal from mediocre to fabulous!

To make your own Autumnal inspired decorations, start with some simple gourds and pumpkins. I recently found some beautiful Tiger pumpkins at my local Trader Joe's. How stunning! Mix these with an assortment of mini pumpkins or even some white pumpkins like these:

White pumpkins like these are so stunning and simple, they even look good like this, in a simple arrangement on a plate or bowl.

You could also get more creative and arrange something more elaborate like this:

Here are some other fantastic arrangements that will brighten up your Autumn table for any holiday, family gathering or upcoming Thanksgiving meal:

Here is a more elegant look for a table setting:

 

Check out this link for Martha Stewart's Fall Centerpieces to dress up your table and home: Martha Stewart's Fall Centerpieces

Happy decorating!