Mostly Homemade Pomodoro

This sauce is killer. I just served it to friends for dinner yesterday and they couldn’t get over it. It’s legit homemade, but the hack part is that I added a cup of my favorite jarred sauce to the final step in the food processor (big deal). What’s great about that is that is that you can easily multiply the quantity if you’re having more guests than you expected. It also adds a kick if you choose to add a spicy Fra Diavolo sauce. This little trick also smooths out the sauce, in case younger, picky eaters get freaked out by the slightest hint of an actual vegetable. Best of both worlds, folks; the unbeatable smell and prep of fresh tomatoes, garlic, and onions, and a smooth, flavorful sauce that will leave fork twirlers (like myself) super satisfied. Be very proud of your homemade efforts here. This freezes well. It makes a great dip for zucchini sticks, garlic bread/focaccia, and fried fish tenders.

Ingredients:
10 to 12 ripe, firm large vine tomatoes cut into quarters or sixths (if very large)
4 big fresh garlic cloves, cut in quarters
2 cups chopped white or yellow onion
Cup fresh basil
A cup of your preferred jarred tomato sauce
Olive oil, salt, pepper

Oven to 415. Mix the tomatoes, garlic, onions, 1/3 cup olive oil, 1 1/2 salt, 1 tsp pepper in a large pan. Roast until tomatoes begin to lightly brown, about 45 min. The tomatoes give off liquid, which kept my onions and garlic from browning/burning. Watch the onion though after 30 minutes, since each oven is different. It’s important the tomatoes cook thoroughly to bring out all their delicious flavor. Let cool to release steam, about ten minutes.
Add all contents of pan to a food processor, juice included. Add another 1/3 cup olive oil, the fresh basil (keep a couple perfect leaves for garnish), the cup of sauce, and pulse a few times to combine but keep some texture. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. I added 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper. Check you out, creating your own little Italian bistro!

Cling Peaches

Clinging to my fave fruity throwback from the 80’s. I seriously thought those syrupy canned peaches qualified as diet food. Summer is the perfect time to use the bounty of seasonal peaches to whip up the homemade, no sugar version of the Del Monte kind. This is a one ingredient wonder, just add some water and stew gently on the stovetop. It’s a joke of a recipe that has tons of uses. Atop brunch staples like French toast/waffles/pancakes, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, on a slice of pound cake, in oatmeal, in peach shortcake, on their own as a healthy dessert, or in a yogurt parfait as seen here. This could not be easier and more delicious. This recipe is what summer is all about; fresh, clean, seasonal offerings that need nothing else.

Ingredients:
10 yellow peaches, ripe but firm and cut into inch and a half slices
3/4 cup water

Place sliced peaches in a medium pot, add the water. Bring to a boil uncovered over medium high heat. Lower flame and simmer gently for about 20 minutes, stirring once carefully halfway through. Peaches should be soft but not mushy. Let cool, stirring gently another couple of times to release the heat so as to prevent further softening. Save the delicious juice! It’s a fabulous drizzle since it thickens up beautifully. It can also be used in peach muffins or a peach loaf cake. As seen here, simply layer yogurt, quality granola, some peaches, and another sprinkle of granola on top. This obv makes a killer brunch or breakfast presentation. Serve extras in a glass jar to add an edible pop of summer color to your table.

Blueberry Lemon Galette

.... with an almond flour crust! This delicate crust held up beautifully. The fresh lemon zest and lemon juice lend a subtle flavor to this light, seasonally elegant dessert. Serving this with vanilla ice cream would make this extra special, but it’s delicious and complete on its own.

Crust:
1 1/2 cups fine almond flour
1/4 cups fine white cornmeal
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick butter (I used vegan) cut into pieces
2 to 4 tbsp ice water

Filling:
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 packed tsp fresh lemon zest
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar

1 tbsp jam mixed with a tsp of water, mixed to thin out. This will be spread on the rolled out dough before putting the blueberry filling on. I used raspberry jam, but strawberry, plum, or apricot should work well, too.

Glaze:
An egg or egg substitute, mixed with 1 tbsp of water. Optional cinnamon sugar.

For the dough, mix all ingredients in a food processor, starting with 2 tbsp of the ice water. The dough should be a well combined, cohesive texture. Add more of the ice water by the tbsp to ensure the dough can be squeezed (I used just 2 tbsp). Pulse to combine. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400 before the dough is ready to exit the fridge. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine all the filling ingredients in a medium bowl.

Roll out the dough on a well floured board. I like to pat it out with my hand first to mostly flatten. Spread the jam mixture on the dough, leaving a 1 1/2 inch border. Top with the filling, within the border. Fold the border over the edges of the blueberries, pinching with your fingers to close and secure. Brush edges of the dough with the egg wash, and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon sugar. Bake for about 20 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Gently lift, using a spatula underneath the parchment paper onto a cooling rack. Cool completely before serving. Keep extras stored in the fridge. Eat extras alone at midnight out of said fridge.

Boozy Watermelon Lime Granita (Summer Cocktail) - Skinnytaste

Try this fabulous, refreshing, fun recipe that clearly signals that summer is HERE.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 1/2 cups cubed seedless watermelon

• 1 lime, juiced

• 2/3 cup white rum

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 6 small watermelon wedges, for garnish

• mint leaves, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

• Place the watermelon, lime juice, rum and sugar in a blender and process until smooth, then pour the puree into a 9 x 9 metal baking pan.

• Freeze for about 1 1/2 hours, then using a fork, give it a good scrape to mix everything around.

• Return the pan to the freezer and freeze until almost set, for about 1 to 2 hours. Use a fork to scrape the granita to form chunky snow-like ice crystals.

• Freeze and repeat occasional scraping until the entire mixture is frozen and shaved.

• Serve in martini glasses and garnish with watermelon wedges and mint.

• Store, covered in plastic wrap, until ready to serve.

Try these amazing sandwiches on your next picnic.

Try these amazing sandwiches on your next picnic.

https://www.loveandlemons.com/romesco-cauliflower-sandwiches/

1 small head of cauliflower*

• 8 slices of ciabatta or sourdough bread

• Handful of salad greens

• Several pieces of thinly sliced red onion

• 2 tomatoes, sliced and seasoned with sea salt and pepper

• ¼ cup fresh parsley

• Extra-virgin olive oil

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Almond Milk Romesco Sauce (makes extra)

• 1 tomato, halved and cored

• 1 roasted red pepper, fresh or from a jar

• ¼ cup toasted almonds

• 2 garlic cloves

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

• 2 tablespoons Almond Breeze Almondmilk Original Unsweetened

• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

• ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice the cauliflower into ½-inch slabs and place onto the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and pinches of salt and pepper and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until tender in the middle and golden around the edges.

2. Make the Romesco Sauce: In a blender, combine the tomato, roasted red pepper, almonds, garlic, olive oil, almond milk, red wine vinegar, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings.

3. Assemble the sandwiches with the romesco sauce, salad greens, red onions, tomato slices and roasted cauliflower and a few sprigs of parsley.

https://www.loveandlemons.com/spinach-hummus-wrap/

Spinach Hummus Wrap Recipe - Love and Lemons

4 large tortillas

• Several handfuls of spinach leaves - about 8 per wrap

• 1 cucumber, cut into long thin slices - 2 per wrap

• 2-3 mixed (mild) peppers - about 6 slices per wrap

• Fresh parsley sprigs, optional

• Tofu or other choice of protein, optional

• Sprinkle of hemp seeds, optional

Spinach Hummus (makes about 1 ½ cups)

• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• ¼ cup vegetable broth (or water)

• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons tahini

• 1 garlic clove

• ½ teaspoon sea salt

• ¼ cup fresh parsley

• ⅛ teaspoon cumin

• ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika

• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 1½ cups packed fresh spinach

Make the Spinach Hummus: In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, vegetable broth, lemon juice, tahini, garlic, salt, parsley, cumin, paprika, and black pepper and blend well. Add the spinach and blend again. Chill until ready to use.

To assemble the wraps, spread about ¼ cup of hummus on each wrap, leaving a ½-inch border around the edges. Add the spinach leaves followed by the cucumber and pepper slices. Top with the fresh parsley, protein of choice and hemp seeds, if using. Roll up the wraps and then wrap in foil. Refrigerate until until ready to use.

CLT

Ok, you’re going to think I’m crazy for posting this, but it’s been my daily breakfast this week and I love it. It’s like a non recipe kind of recipe, which are often the best kind. Take the classic BLT (bacon, lettuce, tomato; never had this because I keep kosher) and swap out the bacon for cucumbers. That’s it! I have truly been enjoying this. It’s light, healthy, filling, and nutritious. Breakfast, brunch, or lunch. I added some garlic herbed butter on the toasted (low carb) bread, and hummus would work nicely too. I usually like to post more legit recipes, but A) didn’t have time and B) this is too simple and good not to share, even if it seems super basic. Several clean, fresh ingredients and I think we have our sandwich!

Ingredients for one CLT
Two slices of your fave bread, toasted, topped with spread if desired
Lettuce leaves
A Persian cucumber sliced lengthwise
A plum tomato or beefsteak tomato, sliced

Assemble, voila! Cute, Little & Tasty.

Vegetarian Chili w Cauliflower Rice

Soooooo good! I legit threw this together with whatever remained in my fridge and pantry. I know that sounds like bullshit but have I ever lied to you? I needed a healthy, hot, hearty meal and this hit the spot. Putting this together on the fly made it even more satisfying. Don’t you just love when that happens?

Ingredients:
A large onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 to 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
3 celery stalks, chopped
A pepper of your choice, large diced
An eggplant cut into chunks, sliced lengthwise first to peel most of the skin (you can leave skin on if you like)
Can each of red and black beans rinsed and drained (or one can beans and one can chickpeas)
Cup and a half veg stock
A small to medium zucchini, large diced
1/2 cup chopped parsley
2 packed cups of chopped kale
A large can plus a small can of tomato sauce
A 14 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes, not drained
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp each smoked paprika and chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp each salt and pepper

Herbed Cauliflower Rice:
A bag of cauliflower rice, defrosted and drained
1/2 tsp each dried basil, smoked paprika
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Juice of half a lemon
Sprinkle of salt and pepper
1/4 cup veg stock

In a large pot, heat some olive oil and sauté the onion until fragrant and translucent, adding some stock to prevent pot from burning. Add the garlic, carrots, celery, and remaining stock. Cover pot to sweat the vegetables for 7 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, mix well. Cover and bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes until the vegetables are all fork tender. Stir occasionally. Adjust seasonings to taste.

To make the cauliflower rice while the chili cooks, heat your largest sauté pan with some olive oil. Add the rice and cook for several minutes, stirring to dry it up. Add the seasonings, stock, the juice of the lemon half, and cook until all is combined, about 5 minutes on a medium flame. Serve under or alongside the chili. Chili night need not be heavy, meaty, and starchy!

Vegan Mushroom Bolognese

One of the first recipes I ever posted on the blog is my famous classic meat bolognese sauce. It’s still easily one of the most popular recipes here. I miss it, since it used to be one of my favorites, too. Who doesn’t love twirling pasta into a hearty sauce? I came up with this vegan version that’s full of diced veggies, hearty mushrooms, and a rich herbed tomato sauce. Use with your favorite pasta or grain. I used a low carb edamame mung bean pasta, which was absolutely delicious.

Ingredients:
8 cups diced baby Bella mushrooms
Large diced onion
Cup each diced carrots and celery
Red cooking wine
Tsp dried basil
3/4 cup veg stock
Large 28 oz can tomato sauce
A 14 oz can fire roasted tomatoes (optional)
A tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp each paprika and garlic powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
Heaping tbsp fresh thyme leaves
Large dried bay leaf
2 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper
1/3 cup finely chopped parsley


Whew! Ok, here we go. In a large pot, heat 3 tbsp olive oil and sauté the onion until fragrant and translucent, adding 1/4 cup red wine to deglaze and flavor the base. Add dried basil, carrots and celery, and 3/4 cup veg stock. Mix. Cover pot to sweat the veggie mix for 5 minutes, then uncover and sauté for another 2 minutes to release the steam.
Add chopped mushrooms and another 1/4 cup red wine. Sauté uncovered for about 7 minutes, stirring often. If the mushrooms give off too much liquid, carefully drain only half the excess liquid.
Add the tomato sauce, paste, fire roasted tomatoes if using for chunky texture (don’t drain), paprika, garlic powder, turmeric, bay leaf, salt, pepper, thyme, and parsley. Bring to an active simmer on medium high heat, then lower to a still kinda active but much gentler simmer (my flame was on low) uncovered for 30 to 45 minutes. Stir occasionally. Adjust salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately over your fave pasta or grain. This dish def feeds a crowd.

Spinach Dandelion Green Soup

Dandelion greens are packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and anti inflammatory properties. They have a bit of a bitterness to them, so I wouldn’t really suggest this for babies/kids. I didn’t mind the slight bitterness since I felt so healthy eating a cup of this crazy beneficial soup. It was also really nice as a sauce atop a clean grain such as freekeh. Toasted, seasoned chickpeas and slivered almonds lent an earthy, layered crunch. Feel free to only use fresh spinach instead of the combo with the dandelion, eliminating the bitterness. This soup can be served at any temperature.

Ingredients:
One large onion chopped
3 large bunches fresh spinach, not baby
1 large bunch dandelion greens
10 cups vegetable broth
Can chickpeas
Salt, pepper, optional garlic powder, turmeric, and paprika to spice the chickpeas

Sauté onion in several tbsp olive oil in a large soup pot. When the onion is fragrant and translucent, add the greens and broth in batches, letting the greens cook down. Add all the broth, 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. Bring to a boil, simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, blend when done and cooled slightly.
To make roasted chickpeas as garnish, rinse a can of chickpeas, drying very well. Mix with a drizzle of olive oil and season with some salt, pepper, garlic powder, turmeric and paprika. Place in a parchment lined pan and toast in a 425 oven for 45 minutes. If they’re not crispy enough, you can crisp more in a lightly oiled frying pan.

To use the soup as a green sauce atop a grain such as freekeh, farro, quinoa, or brown rice, simply prepare your grain of choice then drizzle the soup, and sprinkle toasted, silvered almonds on top. The crunch factor is important here so I advise not skipping that part. This makes a great side dish.

Stuffed & Rolled Eggplant

These vegan roll ups are stuffed with cauliflower rice and topped with a simple, fresh tomato sauce. They plate beautifully and are delicious warm or room temperature. As a side or vegan main, this dish is super satisfying. Extra cauliflower rice mixture is yummy the next day on its own. Double the tomato sauce to use for pasta or as a bread dipper. This recipe is my second plant based brunch offering, and I’m sure it’ll fast become a regular guest on your table.

Ingredients:
2 medium or large eggplants sliced thinly lengthwise about 1/4 inch thick, skin on
2 cups cauliflower rice, uncooked
1/3 cup EACH toasted pine nuts, chopped red onion, chopped parsley, and chopped fresh mint
Juice of 2 lemons
3 tsp olive oil, plus more to grill and sauté

Sauce ingredients:
4 cups cherry tomatoes
4 cloves fresh, peeled garlic
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Salt, pepper, optional 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes if you like a kick
1/3 cup chopped parsley or basil, for final step

You can always use jarred marinara as a hack, but I encourage you to make a fresh sauce, if only to learn how easy it is for a variety of other uses.

Oven on 400. In a pan, mix the tomatoes, garlic cloves, oregano, and salt and pepper (maybe 1 1/2 tsp salt and 3/4 tsp pepper to start), and several tbsp olive oil. Roast until tomatoes start to brown, about 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, prep the eggplant. Place slices in a single layer, brush with olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides. Using a hot grill pan (you can also broil, just watch very carefully), grill the eggplant until each side has dark grill marks, a couple minutes each side. Set aside to cool in a single layer.
To prep filling, sauté the cauliflower rice in a well oiled pan until translucent. Add salt and pepper to taste. There should be a tender bite, but don’t overbook in order to avoid mush. Set aside to cool until it’s just a bit warm. Put the cooled “rice” in a bowl. Add the chopped herbs, onion, and toasted pine nuts. Add the fresh lemon juice and 3 tsp olive oil, adjust seasonings to taste, and combine all thoroughly.
To stuff each eggplant slice, place 1 to 2 tbsp of the mixture at one end of a slice and roll lengthwise, tightly enough to secure the filling. Place on a serving platter in a single layer, or in a pan for next day use.

To make the tomato sauce, simply pulse the roasted tomatoes and garlic in a food processor several times to yield a very textured sauce. Add the chopped parsley or basil, pulsing maybe 3 more times until all is combined in a fresh, colorful, chunky texture. Check seasonings. Spoon sauce over the eggplant roll ups. This reheated really well the next day.

Pesto Avocado Chickpea Sandwich

You Guys, this is major. It’s not everyday I treat myself to a sandwich (my personal body type does well with less bread), so when I do, it better be good. This clean, simple, fresh AF beauty knocked my fuzzy socks off. It has that lovely farm to table vibe, and would be fabulous when packed for a picnic, beach outing (fast approaching; yay!!), or legit anywhere. The Jewish holiday of Shavuot is coming up, and unlike our heavier holiday and Shabbat eating, we customarily eat dairy/vegetarian for this one. A beautiful sandwich makes a hearty meal, and accompanied by the other Jesscipes in my new plant based brunch series, the ordinary becomes extra. I developed my plant based brunch concept with true joy, reverence, and the humble willingness to always learn how to better care for my physical body. I can clearly see, from the birth of the blog, how my eating habits have changed and keep changing. Eating is like anything else; you know better, you do better. Like all else, our food intake changes based on how we feel, what we learn, and what we decide to do with that information. Sometimes the decision is for me to enjoy some real ice cream. Overall, I’m a pretty clean eater which just hits right on all levels.

PS: I adore the rustic look and textures of this sandwich, and it platters so well. It’s a fun way to feed.

Ingredients:
Use high quality ingredients since there aren’t many components here. Let each element be fresh and beautiful. You deserve that always.
1 can chickpeas drained, rinsed, patted dry
A ripe avocado
1/4 cup pesto
2 tbsp diced red onion
2 to 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (I used 3)
Two large beefsteak tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
Boston, Bibb, or Red lettuce leaves
1 packed tbsp chopped cilantro, parsley, or dill (I used cilantro)
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
A good loaf of grainy, seedy, country bread, 8 slices toasted

In a bowl, mash the chickpeas and avocado until combined in a chunky texture. Don’t over mash. Add the pesto, lemon juice, onion, cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste. Toast the bread in batches. Assemble the sandwiches by layering a lettuce leaf, the chickpea mixture, a slice of tomato, and topping with the other bread slice. Cut into triangles (because who doesn’t love that) and serve on a platter. Use all same day since the avocado filling will begin to brown. This was an unnecessary tip, since there won’t be extras leftover.

Lentil Fennel Soup w Herbs

I remain mystified as to how a bag of red lentils resulted in a yellow soup...
Anyway, this was a delicious combination of fresh ingredients that resulted in a hearty, herbed lentil soup. I love fennel and used the entire head of it here. Usually just the bottom part is used, but I added the top fronds as well. This essentially acted as the dill element. One of my girls asked me to fully purée the soup, but feel free to play around with consistency with your immersion blender.

Ingredients:
A bag of lentils, I used red, rinsed
10 cups vegetable stock or broth
A Spanish onion, diced
A large head of fennel, chopped from top to bottom
A cup of packed, fresh basil
A bouquet garni of fresh rosemary and thyme, I used 2 sprigs rosemary and half a bunch of thyme
One large dried bay leaf
One tsp each dried Italian seasoning and cumin
Two tbsp red wine vinegar

In a large soup pot sauté the onions in several tbsp olive oil, until fragrant and translucent. Add the vinegar as the onion starts to brown. Add the cumin and Italian seasoning, cover pot and let all combine. After a couple minutes add the chopped fennel bulb and fronds with a cup of the stock. Stir, cover, and sweat the onions and fennel. This gives the soup a terrifically flavorful base. Let sweat for several minutes. Uncover pot, add the rest of the stock, the lentils, the basil, and all the dried herbs. Add 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp fresh ground pepper. Mix well, cover, and bring to a boil on medium high heat. Lower heat and simmer for an hour. Remove from heat, remove the bay leaf and bouquet garni. Let cool for ten minutes then taste to adjust seasonings. Blend to desired consistency. Garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme.

Yellow Sauce

I cannot stress how insanely delicious this is. Inspired by yellow tomatoes spotted at the market, I added yellow peppers and some other classic, fresh ingredients to make this outrageous sauce. Fresh tomato sauce is always a hit. I’m psyched to share this different take on what has always been a fantastic, and important, staple. Roasting the vegetables and garlic brings out wonderful flavor. Enjoy this sauce hot or room temp (great for Shabbat prep), with any type of pasta or grain, zucchini noodles, or even as a bruschetta topping on toasted bread rounds. F Factor peeps; makes a great spreader on plain GG’s. Putting out a variety of sauces and bases is a fun way to serve homemade sauce🫑🧅🧄.

Ingredients:
4 sliced yellow peppers
2 cups yellow cherry tomatoes
4 large or 6 small/med fresh peeled garlic cloves, rough chopped
A large onion chopped
1/2 cup chopped, packed fresh basil
Olive oil, salt, fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven on roast setting at 415. Place the sliced peppers, whole cherry tomatoes, and chopped garlic in a pan. Drizzle generously with olive oil, 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, and 1 tsp fresh pepper. Roast 45 minutes until the vegetables begin to brown, mixing a couple times during the cooking process. Let cool for ten minutes to release some moisture, as tomatoes hold a lot.
While the vegetables cool, heat a large sauté pan with some olive oil. Sauté the onions several minutes until translucent. TIP: Can add a tbsp white wine or vegetable stock to prevent burning. Add the chopped basil and sauté two more minutes until super fragrant. Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Adjust seasonings to taste, only if necessary (I did not need to add at all). Don’t over pulse, since a fresh, chunky texture is optimal for this type of homemade sauce. Garnish with fresh basil leaves.

Warm Radicchio Potato Salad

Happy accident! The simply roasted baby potatoes I made were eh. Combining them with chopped radicchio, fresh dill, and a honey mustard vinaigrette was an on the spot game changer. This potato salad is just that; an actual salad. Mayo makes me gag, and while typically dressed potatoes are a solid side, this was way more interesting (and sooo good!). The baby potatoes can be cooked whole or halved.

Ingredients:
3 cups baby potatoes. I used a mixed colored bag of purple, red, and yellow. Using just red or white is fine as well. Keep whole or halve.
A cup of tightly packed chopped fresh dill
One head of radicchio, chopped or sliced. I kept my pieces a heartier medium size.
Dressing:
1/2 cup each olive oil and fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp honey mustard dressing or Dijon mustard
A tbsp of vinegar, I used a fig honey flavor. I think balsamic or white wine would work well, too.
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper, preferably freshly ground

Preheat oven to 400. In a pan, mix the potatoes with some olive oil (2 tbsp) and a light sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cover tightly (this will steam the potatoes) and cook for 45 minutes to an hour, until the potatoes are fork tender. Make the vinaigrette, whisking all the ingredients well. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
Put the chopped radicchio and dill in a large bowl. When the potatoes are done, uncover and let cool for ten minutes. Add them to the large bowl and combine with the dressing, mixing well. This warm potato salad looks bright and beautiful in a white bowl, really showcasing the rich jewel toned components.

Quinoa, Still Keen

Here are some of my favorite quinoa recipes from Food and Wine mag. Most of these are great for Passover, a holiday in which there are many dietary laws that require creativity in the kitchen. Different sects of Jews have varying customs on what’s permissible to eat during the holiday, and quinoa is allowed despite most grains being off the menu. When used creatively, this protein packed side proves super versatile.

Golden Semolina Quinoa Spinach Cakes

• ½ cup quinoa

• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 tablespoon minced shallot

• 10 ounces baby spinach

• Salt

• Freshly ground pepper

• 1 cup low-fat milk

• ¾ cup finely ground semolina

• ¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

• 1 large egg (beaten)

• 1 ½ cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

• 3 large egg whites

• Step 1

  In a small saucepan, combine the quinoa with 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat until the water has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. Lightly fluff the quinoa with a fork and cover it again.

• Step 2

  Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the shallot and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 1 minute. Add the spinach and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the spinach to a strainer and let cool slightly; press out any remaining liquid and finely chop the spinach.

• Step 3

  In a large saucepan, combine the milk, 1 1/2 cups of water, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and 2 teaspoons of salt and bring to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and gradually whisk in the semolina until very smooth. Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the semolina is thick enough to hold soft peaks when the spoon is lifted, about 7 minutes. Remove the semolina from the heat and stir in the quinoa and Parmigiano. Season with salt and pepper and let cool for 15 minutes.

• Step 4

  Stir the beaten whole egg and spinach into the quinoa mixture and spread in an ungreased 7-by-11-inch pan; it will be about 2 inches thick. Let cool at room temperature, then cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

• Step 5

  Preheat the oven to 250°. Cut the chilled semolina mixture into 12 squares. Put the panko in a shallow dish and season with 1 teaspoon of salt. In another shallow dish, whisk the egg whites with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of water. Dip the cakes into the whites and turn to coat, letting the excess drip off. Coat the cakes in the panko and shake off excess crumbs. Transfer to a clean baking sheet.

• Step 6

  In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add half of the cakes and cook over moderately high heat until golden on both sides and on the edges, about 6 minutes; adjust the heat as necessary to prevent the cakes from burning. Drain the cakes on a paper towel–lined plate, then transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Wipe out the skillet and cook the remaining cakes in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Serve hot.

Roasted Delicata Squash with Quinoa Salad

• 2 Delicata squash (about 1 pound each), halved lengthwise and seeded

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• Salt and freshly ground pepper

• 1 cup quinoa

• 2 tablespoons golden raisins

• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

• 1 teaspoon honey

• 1 Granny Smith apple, finely diced

• 1 large shallot, minced

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 2 tablespoons chopped mint

• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

• 2 ounces arugula (2 cups)

• Step 1

  Preheat the oven to 350°. Brush the cut sides of the squash with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and season the cavities with salt and pepper. Place the squash cut side down on a baking sheet and roast for about 45 minutes, until tender.

• Step 2

  Meanwhile, in a saucepan, bring 2 cups of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the quinoa, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the raisins and simmer, covered, until the water is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl and let cool.

• Step 3

  In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar and honey with the remaining 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add the dressing to the quinoa along with the apple, shallot, garlic, mint and parsley and toss well. Add the arugula and toss gently.

• Step 4

  Set the squash halves on plates. Fill with the salad and serve.

Spiced & Diced Potatoes

The spice used here is Garam Masala, a wonderful Indian spice blend. I love potatoes pretty much cooked any way. The dice, spice, fresh parsley, and plating them individually in small bowls made for a nice presentation. Jazzing up a standard side is a great trick, especially for a holiday like Passover in which side dish options are limited due to religious dietary restrictions. For a festive holiday meal, I like to pre plate my entree and then pass around a few additional dishes on trays. The little servings seen here in the pretty white bowls work so well for that.

Ingredients:
6 to 8 cups diced, unpeeled potatoes. I used a combo of red and Idaho. Do not use sweet since as I learned the hard way, they’ll turn to mush.
2 tsp salt, 1 tsp ground pepper
Good I’ve oil
1/4 cup white cooking wine, plus more on hand
1/3 cup veg broth, plus more on hand
2 tsp Garam Masala spice blend
Cup packed, finely chopped fresh parsley

Preheat 400. Place the diced potatoes in a large bowl. Add the salt, pepper, and a generous drizzle of olive oil. Mix well, transfer to a pan, cover tightly, and bake for 40 minutes. Steaming the potatoes takes care of most of the cooking process. When done, let cool slightly then gently shake the potatoes and move them with a spatula to loosen.

In a wide pot, heat 3 tbsp olive oil. Add the broth, wine, potatoes, and spice. Combine gently. Cover and cook on medium low for 15 minutes, stirring gently a couple times. Add two more tbsp each of wine and broth to deglaze pan if it gets dry and potatoes start to stick, no problem if that happens. Uncover for an additional 5 minutes, stirring gently once more and letting some steam release. Remove from heat. The potatoes will look lightly coated with the spice/liquid mixture.

Add the cup of finely chopped parsley and mix. Add salt and pepper to taste, though I didn’t; the spice and parsley were enough flavor for me. If making this in advance, gently reheat potatoes then add the parsley and another hit of olive oil before serving.

Deconstructed Gingerbread Apple Cake

This is a good one, Crew. It’s a GF, DF recipe that’s special enough for the upcoming Passover holiday. You can use the flour and milk of your choice to adjust to any special dietary requirements. I know the term “deconstructed” has been an annoying and overused part of the vernacular. I once had deconstructed guacamole. It was ridiculous, essentially bowls of avocado and vegetables that I was expected to mash up myself. My chips and I ain’t got time for that. This dessert is lovely though; individual ramekins of warm gingerbread cake, topped with spiced, stewed apples. No sugar added! Simmering the fresh apples with cinnamon and whole cloves, two delicious anti inflammatory spices, is great for the body, soul, and aroma of your kitchen. These stewed apples have so many uses; on their own, atop pancakes or waffles, layered in a yogurt parfait. Lately they’ve been my favorite snack. This recipe makes 5 ramekins, so easily double this for a crowd.

To make the stewed apples:
8 apples any kind, unpeeled and cut into 1/2 inch slices
3 cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/3 cup water

Place all in a medium pot with a lid. Bring to a boil then lower and simmer for 30 minutes. After the half hour, uncover the lid most of the way to release steam and moisture. Apples hold a lot of water. Simmer on low for another 20 minutes, stirring gently to distribute the cinnamon. The apples will be a combo of mostly whole with some mush, that’s ok. It’s essentially a chunky, textured applesauce. Remove the cloves and cinnamon sticks. Let cool uncovered.

Prepare the gingerbread cakes while the apples are simmering. Preheat to 400. Grease 5 ramekins.
You’ll need:
2 cups fine ground almond flour or your preferred flour
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp dried nutmeg
1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk of your choice, I used oat
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1/4 cup unsulfured molasses (use the oil cup so it doesn’t stick)
1 lightly beaten egg
1 tsp vanilla

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl, and the wet ones in a medium bowl. Add the wet to the dry, stirring until combined. Don’t over-mix. Fill each ramekin 2/3 way up. Place filled ramekins in a large pan. Bake for 25 minutes until a tester comes out clean. Cool slightly. Top each cake with a nice dollop of the stewed apples before serving.

The gingerbread batter can also be used to bake 12 muffins for a yummy breakfast or brunch treat. If making the cakes in advance, I suggest gently reheating them before topping with the apples and serving, but room temperature is fine as well. Bring the apples to room temp before serving if making those in advance, too.

Vegetable Soup with Beans and Kale

Now that my girls (my boys won’t go near this) are expanding their vegetable repertoire, I no longer have to purée everything to mask what’s inside my soups. This is exciting for me. I love soups with textures, colors, and a variety of healthy ingredients. I made this up for my recent Purim holiday meal, and it was a huge hit. Fresh, healthy, vegetarian comfort food at its best.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups diced onion
A diced red pepper
1 1/2 cups each sliced or diced carrots, and celery
2 cups each small/medium diced cauliflower and broccoli. You can buy bags of precut florets and cut them in half
2 cups packed chopped kale
Can white beans or chickpeas drained and rinsed
A large yellow zucchini diced
2 whole bay leaves
Cup packed chopped parsley
10 to 12 cups vegetable broth (2 1/2 to 3 boxes)
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, having more on hand to adjust to taste ( I always start with less then add)

In a large soup pot, heat 3 tbsp of olive oil. Add onions, sautéing until translucent and fragrant. Add some stock by the tbsp to deglaze the pan if it gets dry and the onion starts to burn. Add the cumin, 1 tsp of the Italian seasoning, and 1/2 tsp of the garlic powder. I find that seasoning the onions gives any dish a wonderful base. Mix, let sauté for a couple minutes. Add two cups of broth, the carrots and celery. Cover pot and sweat the onions, carrots, and celery (mirepoix) for about 7 minutes, stirring a couple times. Add all the rest of the ingredients, mix well, cover, and bring to a boil. Lower boil to a calm but active simmer for an hour. Add more salt and pepper as needed. I think I added another tsp of salt and a 1/2 tsp pepper, around the 45 minute mark. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Serendipity Dark Devil Chocolate Mousse

(Zoom in to see my five week old chipped covid nails).
As a devoted chocoholic, I naturally love a rich, delicious chocolate mousse. I also love the iconic NYC restaurant Serendipity, famous for its frozen hot chocolate, incredible desserts, and charmingly whimsical decor. I have great pics of taking my daughters there on Mother’s Day 16 years ago, when they were 4 and 2. Serendipity has a terrific cookbook with a number of their famous recipes. I love making this mousse, which can easily be non dairy. This freezes well so it can be made in advance. Just wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Serve with whipped cream, berries, or chocolate shavings.

Ingredients for 6 to 8 servings:
4 large eggs separated, room temperature
1 tbsp vanilla
2 tbsp brandy liqueur
12 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar

Directions:
Whisk egg yolks, brandy, and vanilla on top of a low simmering double boiler. I put the liquid in first or the eggs solidly fast. Cook and mix until mixture is thickened and hot, about 5 minutes.
Add yolk mixture in three additions to the cooled chocolate. The chocolate will thicken.
In a clean mixing bowl, whip cream until soft peaks form. Fold the cream into the chocolate in three additions, stirring well after each time but leaving some white streaks.
In a second mixing bowl with a clean whisk attachment, whip egg whites until frothy. Slowly add sugar. When soft peaks form, add into the chocolate mixture, again in 3 parts. Mix gently until the mixture is a uniform chocolate color and no streaks remain.
Spoon into pretty dessert glasses, bowls, or ramekins. Wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes until firm. Serve cold.

By The Way Bakery

You may have noticed that lately I’ve been experimenting with gluten free recipes. I’m new to this way of baking and it’s been a fun challenge to play around with ingredients that work for various allergies and food sensitivities. As a longtime ulcerative colitis patient, I surely know about the power of a stomach that is not reacting well to food. My new interest in gluten free dairy free baking led me to discover this incredible bakery that caters to the GF DF crowd. With locations throughout the New York area, this bakery serves a wide variety of cakes, cookies, donuts, granola, specialty treats, and even challah. I recently bought the chocolate torte for a birthday, and it was incredibly rich and delicious. The custom cake offerings are so impressive. Fun fact; BTW Bakery was created by the mother of a friend of mine from the New York Zen Center. I learned this coincidentally after reading about the owner (same last name, same face). Ordering and pickup was very easy and Covid safe, and my experience was so sweet that I had to share this gem of a bakery with you. One need not be GF or DF to enjoy the wonderful items from By The Way. I hope that knowing of this bakery helps you in your quest for delicious treats that handle food issues with care and quality.

custom@btwbakery.com

btwbakery.com

IG- @bythewaybakery