Gluten Free

Eggplant Supreme

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

We all LOVE eggplant in my family. This Eggplant Supreme is sweet from roasting the eggplant. It is savory and bright with lemon, almonds and mint. Serve it with or without crumbled feta and it will be a delightful addition to any table. This Eggplant Supreme is along the lines of something I saw Jamie Oliver make on YouTube and it turned out to be a big hit.

Eggplant Supreme can be a wonderful side to a meat, fish or vegetarian meal. If you add some crumbled feta, it makes a light lunch. Best of all, it can be made ahead and will hold up in your fridge for about a week – unless you devour it like we do!

I enjoy it best at room temperature, but it can also be eaten straight from the fridge. Just be sure to use a quality olive oil. I like to use the Mediterranean Medley Olive Oil from Sciabica, but a good quality lemon or garlic oil would also be great here. Fresh mint is classic in Mediterranean cuisine and it just brightens things up. However, if for some reason you are not a fan, you could use pretty much any fresh herb as a substitute.

I chose to use a shallot, but you could use red onion, Vidalia, yellow onion or even a scallion. Because I used a shallot, I didn’t feel the need to add any fresh garlic, but you certainly can.

Another thing I love about this eggplant dish is that there is no messy frying. The eggplant planks are roasted in the oven. I do strongly encourage you to cook the eggplant on parchment rather than using foil or even directly on the pan. Using anything else tends to make the eggplant stick and then you end up with large rips in the planks. And while I used a mortar and pestle to make the topping, you could chop the things together and then mix in the olive oil, lemon juice and zest.

Eggplant Supreme is great for Passover and all year long so give it a try.

RECIPE

YIELD: About 6 to 8 servings as a side

INGREDIENTS

3 eggplants about a pound each

About 1/3 cup Olive Oil, divided

Zest and juice of one lemon

1/3 cup chopped raw almonds

About 1/4 cup of loosely packed fresh mint leaves plus more for garnish

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

1 small shallot, chopped or about 2 tablespoons of any onion you prefer

Feta cheese – Optional

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. If you are doing multiple sheet pans and have convection, preheat to 375 degrees F. Line your sheet pans with parchment and set aside.

Cut off the tops and bottoms of each eggplant. Then lay the eggplant on its side and take a thin slice off, which should mostly be skin. You then want to slice planks that are about 1/2 inch thick. Don’t worry if they are not perfectly the same. Mine NEVER are! I have found that it is easiest to stand the eggplant on its now flat bottom and to slice down vertically from the top. Some people prefer cutting with the eggplant on its side. Do whatever is easiest for you.

When you get to the last piece of each eggplant, again take a thin slice of skin off to expose the meat of the eggplant. Lay each plank on the prepared pans without overlap. Brush each plank with the olive oil and sprinkle on salt and pepper. Bake the first side for 20 minutes.

Then remove the pans from the oven and carefully turn the planks over. Brush this side with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. This side will cook faster so only bake it for another 8 to 10 minutes. Ovens vary so just watch it. You want the eggplant tender and beginning to brown.

While the eggplants bake, prepare the topping. You will use about 3 Tablespoons of the oil for this and about 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Remember that you already salted the eggplant and if you use feta, cheese, that also adds salt. Put everything into a mortar and pestle or small food processor. If you are using a mortar and pestle, bash everything to get a coarse, paste. If using a processor, pulse everything until you get a coarse paste. You want texture! If you are just chopping by hand, then add all of the chopped bits into a bowl and mix through with the olive oil, lemon zest and lemon juice.

Once the eggplant has finished baking, lay the planks on a platter in a pleasing arrangement. There is no one right way.

Spread the topping over the middle of the eggplant. If you are using feta, crumble it over the top. Drizzle a bit more olive oil and add a few cracks of pepper if you are using feta. Now enjoy!

Passover Brownies

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

Over nearly 5 decades of preparing Pesach meals, I have made many wonderful desserts. You will find most of them on my blog and I will also link to them below. For several years I tried to make these brownies from Joan Nathan’s Jewish Cooking in America. This doyenne of Jewish cooking tells the best stories, but I have always found her recipes to be problematic. And the recipe for these Passover Brownies created by the Capsouto Frères NEVER worked. I finally figured out that there was a mistake in the recipe.

I have fixed the mistake and made a couple of small tweaks to the recipe. These Passover Brownies are just delicious and for those who must avoid gluten, they are good enough to enjoy all year. Rich with dark chocolate, dense and yet light because of the eggs and almond flour, they are a wonderful addition to any Passover meal.

And perhaps best of all, these brownies get EVEN better as they age which makes them a perfect make-ahead dessert. The flavors intensify and the brownies themselves become a bit denser while maintaining their lightness.

This recipe is a more old fashioned Passover recipe that does not take advantage of Kosher for Passover baking soda and baking powder which was unavailable decades ago. Our only leavening was lots of eggs that we separated into the yolks and whites. The whites had to be beaten into stiff peaks and gently folded into the rest of the mixture which included the yolks. While a bit of a tedious process, it still works.

When eggs were scarce during the pandemic, it was certainly nice to have other options. But recreating some of these older recipes brings me closer to my parents and grandparents, may they all rest in peace. I especially wanted to make some of these older recipes this year when my family is far away and it is just me and my husband. It reminds me of a happier time when our family was bigger and lived close by one another.

If you have a hand or standing mixer, this recipe is not too onerous to make. But it will take a little more effort than a standard brownie recipe to achieve the delightful result. And if we can’t take a little more effort during the holiday, well when can we?

For More Passover Desserts

Turkish Walnut Cookies for Passover (Mustacudos de Muez)

Fudgy Passover Brownies – Gluten-Free

Chocolate Orange Vegan Passover Cake

Vegan Dark Chocolate Mousse

Lemon Ricotta Almond Cake for Passover

Iraqi Almond Cardamom Cookies

Passover Sephardic Wine Cookies

Passover Almond Coconut Macaroons

Passover Florentine Cookies

Passover Orange Ginger Spice Cookies

Chocolate Chip Vegan Meringue Buttons for Passover

Vegan Almond Coconut Macaroons

RECIPE

Yield: One 9″ square pan (You decide how big or small to cut them. I got 16 pieces)

INGREDIENTS

1.5 sticks of unsalted vegan or dairy butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

5 large eggs, separated

6 ounces best quality bittersweet chocolate (try for 70 to 72% cacao)

6 ounces finely ground natural almond meal or flour

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

A good splash of dark coffee (about 1 Tablespoon)

DIRECTION

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch square metal baking pan with parchment and lightly spray it with avocado oil or other kosher for Passover neutral spray.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. I just use an oven-safe bowl that I place over a pot with hot water. You can melt chocolate in the microwave but it’s a fussier process. Just heat the water and have the bowl sit in the pot just ABOVE the water. Stir occasionally with a spatula. Once melted, remove the chocolate from the heat and allow it to cool slightly.

While the chocolate melts, cream the better and sugar, scraping down the bowl periodically. You should cream the butter and sugar for at least 3 minutes in either a standing mixture or with a hand mixture. Slowly add the egg yolks one at a time. You want this to be light and fluffy.

Then add the slightly cooled chocolate, the vanilla extract, coffee and the ground almonds. Mix through.

In a separate clean bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Take about 1/4 of the whipped egg whites and thoroughly mix it into the chocolate batter to loosen it up. Then in 3 other portions, gently but thoroughly fold in the remaining egg whites just until no whites are showing. Use a rubber spatula for this and make figure eights through the batter to incorporate the whites without deflating them too much.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 40 minutes. The top should look baked and just slightly cracked.

Allow the brownies to cool completely before cutting. Don’t worry if the center sinks a little as it cools. Now enjoy!

Turkish Walnut Cookies for Passover (Mustacudos de Muez)

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ 1 Comment

Mustacudos de Muez are a Passover specialty of the Jews of Turkey. These unprepossessing cookies are simple to make and quite delicious. Unlike the many varieties of almond and coconut cookies that are ubiquitous during Passover, the Mustacudos de Muez are not as chewy or as sweet. The walnuts have a unique depth of flavor and the orange zest and cinnamon will transport you to the Bosporus.

These cookies are great with tea or coffee, but also would be wonderful with a sweet dessert wine. When you bite into one, there is a bit of crunch to the outer shell of the cookie and then you experience just a slight chewiness as you inhale the orange, walnut and cinnamon goodness.

I found the recipe in Claudia Roden’s The Book of Jewish Food.

If you looking to arm chair travel this Pesach holiday, you can’t go wrong with these delightful and simple cookie. They are fairly sturdy so also make a good treat to bring if you are lucky enough to be invited to someone else’s Seder.

There are many wonderful desserts on my blog that are Kosher for Passover and I’ve just added another. Tomorrow I will post my Passover Brownies recipe. After all, you can’t have too many great desserts.

RECIPE

Yield: Between 16 -20

INGREDIENTS

2 cups (250g) English walnuts

1/2 cup (90g) granulated sugar

1 large egg

Zest of 3/4 of a large orange (navel or Cara Cara)

3/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon of Kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. or 325 degrees F if using a convection oven.

Line rimmed cookie sheets with parchment paper or use a Silpat.

Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend until the mixture forms a firm paste with the walnuts still retaining some coarseness.

Moisten your hands with a bit of water or a thin coating of a neutral oil so that the paste does not stick.

Form the mixture into balls the size of walnuts in their shell. Arrange them on the prepared cookie sheets leaving about an 1.5 inches between. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool before storing the cookies in a tin or airtight container.

Triple Chocolate Banana Protein Muffins

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

Triple Chocolate Banana Protein Muffins are one of my go to breakfast muffins. They taste like a great chocolate banana bread but with an ooey, gooey chocolate center and a hit of Dutch-processed cocoa to up the chocolate game. And did I mention that they happen to be gluten free? I mean, come on!

These Triple Chocolate Banana Protein Muffins will keep you going all morning long or for a healthy afternoon snack when dinner is hours away. When making these delicious muffins, it is essential to use VERY ripe, even black, bananas. These add lots of natural sweetness without adding a lot more sugar.

If you want to make these muffins a bit more tropical add 2 Tablespoons of unsweetened, finely shredded coconut to the mix before baking. These muffins can be frozen or refrigerated. I usually take out four muffins at a time which we go through in 2 days. Do zap the muffins before eating to re-gooify the chocolate centers. Sooooooo good!

RECIPE

YIELD: 12 standard size muffins

INGREDIENTS

3 medium bananas – VERY ripe, peeled and mushed leaving just a few whole bits of banana visible. If your bananas are really black, there will even be liquid.

1/3 cup dark chocolate vegan chips

1.75 cups of superfine almond flour (I like to mix blanched (without the skins) almond flour and natural (with the skins) almond flour for the best texture)

1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

1/4 dark or light brown sugar

1/2 cup of your favorite protein powder (I like a Grass-fed vanilla protein powder)

2 Tablespoons peanut butter powder

2 Tablespoons Unsweetened Dutch Process Cocoa Powder (I like Valrhona but any good brand will work.)

2 Tablespoons finely shredded unsweetened coconut (Optional)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

3 large eggs

1/4 cup of Refined Coconut Oil, melted and cooled slightly

Chocolate peanut butter or chocolate almond butter

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. with a rack in the middle.

Line a muffin tin with parchment muffin cups (You could spray a non-stick pan instead of using the parchment, but I like the liners.)

In a large bowl, add the almond flour(s), nuts, chocolate chips, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa, salt, peanut butter powder and protein powder. Mix thoroughly.

In a separate medium bowl, add the eggs, brown sugar, mushed bananas and melted coconut oil. Whisk together to incorporate everything. Then add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix until you no longer see bits of almond flour but don’t continue mixing after that. Allow the mixture to rest for 12 minutes to allow the almond flour to absorb all of the wet ingredients.

Using a 2 tablespoon scoop or measure, add this amount of batter to each muffin cup. It should fill about 1/2 of the muffin cup. Then add about 1 teaspoon of the chocolate almond or peanut butter to the center of each muffin. Fill the muffin cups to the top of the tin with the remaining batter.

Place the tin in the 400 degree oven for 6 minutes. Then turn the heat down to 375 degrees and continue baking for about 11 more minutes. Ovens vary so just watch it until you see how your oven does.

Remove the pan to a wire rack and allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 12 minutes. Then remove the muffins from the tin and place directly on the cooling rack to completely cool.

Once the muffins are cool, they can be store in plastic bags or stasher-type bags depending on how you plan on keeping them. I use three bags and refrigerate 2. We go through these every 2 to 3 days. Unless your house is very warm, the muffins can remain unrefigerated for 2 to 3 days without spoiling. Now enjoy!

Vegan Pulled Chickn’ Sandwich with Homemade Coleslaw

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

This delicious Vegan Pulled Chickn’ sandwich with Homemade Coleslaw will satisfy even meat eaters. And with a few shortcuts, it comes together even on a weeknight. The star ingredient is soy curls. While it’s true that you can buy plant-based ready-to-use meat and chicken substitutes (and I do) I love that soy curls from Butler have only one ingredient – soy beans.

I only started using these over the past year and have become a big fan. Soy Curls are shelf-stable, so you can always have a ready source of protein on hand other than beans. They can easily be purchased online. I haven’t seen them in any of the grocery stores that I frequent, but they may be available in certain locations. I have used them in a stir-fry and in this sandwich with wonderful results. They have a meaty consistency and much like tofu, will absorb any flavors that it is paired with.

The coleslaw can be made ahead and will last in the fridge for several days. It makes a great side with any sandwich or grilled meats if that is your jam.

Vegan Pulled Chickn’ with Homemade coleslaw originated on the Rainbow Plant Life site. You can, of course, use bought coleslaw, but with a few cheats this comes together quickly and you are in control of the seasoning. While I didn’t add this to the coleslaw this time, I could see how adding some crushed pineapple to the coleslaw would nicely compliment the sandwich. The recipe will be at the end of this post.

The original recipe called for this to be served on hamburger buns. While that works, as do Kaiser rolls, I prefer the heartiness of a ciabatta roll. And while you can certainly make your own BBQ sauce, there are so many great options available that I don’t see the point. By using a bought sauce, it also speeds up how very quickly this all comes together. But you do you.

Sides for this delicious Vegan Pulled Chickn’ sandwich are only limited by your imagination, time and preferences. This sandwich would be a terrific choice while watching a game on TV and maybe with your favorite beer. And if you have a favorite gluten free bun or roll option, the rest of the dish is GF. Give it a try.

RECIPE

Yield: 4 sandwiches

INGREDIENTS

2/3 cup of your favorite BBQ Sauce

2 cups of hot water

2 teaspoons Better than Bouillon “no chicken” or vegetarian base (Bouillon cubes or powder would also work)

4 ounces of soy curls

1 Tablespoon of soy sauce, tamari or coconut amino acids

2 Tablespoons of cornstarch

Freshly cracked black pepper

2 Tablespoon of avocado or other neutral vegetable oil

Directions

Add the bouillon base to the hot water and whisk until dissolved. This can be done on the stovetop or in the microwave if you don’t have instant hot water available.

Add the soy curls to the hot water bouillon mixture and push the soy curls down to submerge them. Soak for 10 minutes.

Then drain the soy curls in a colander and allow to cool for a few minutes. Once the soy curls are cool enough to touch with your bare hand, squeeze out the coy curls. You should have squeezed out about 1/3 cup of liquid which you discard. The more liquid you get out, the better.

The coleslaw can be prepared while the soy curls soak if you did not make it ahead.

If you have thicker soy curls, slice them in half lengthwise. Then place the soy curls in a bowl and toss with the tamari to coat. Then add the cornstarch and black pepper and toss again to coat all of the soy curls.

Heat the oil on medium heat in a large non-stick or cast iron skillet until shimmering. Add the soy curls to the hot oil and stir through to coat the soy curls. Cook the soy curls for 10 to 12 minutes, only stirring about every 90 seconds or so until browned.

While the soy curls brown, toast your bun or roll. You can use a little plant-based “butter” or a few drops of EVOO to help the process along.

When you are ready to serve, toss the soy curls with the BBQ Sauce and heat through for about 30 seconds. Pile your Vegan Pulled Chickn’ onto your bun or roll and top with some of the coleslaw or any other favorite toppings. Now grab ir with two hands and dig in!

COLESLAW RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

About 3 cups of shredded cabbage – green or red (If you use pre-shredded cabbage or shredded coleslaw mix, this comes together VERY quickly.)

About 1 cup of shredded carrot (Again, using pre-shredded carrot or coleslaw mix will speed things up.)

1/2 to 1 jalapeno or serrano pepper thinly sliced (Optional but recommended)

1 handful of chopped cilantro or flat-leaf parsley

1/4 cup of your favorite mayonnaise, vegan or otherwise

2 teaspoons of Dijon, Coleman’s or Spicy Brown Mustard

1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Juice of half of a large lemon or an entire small lemon

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon whole celery seeds (The first time I made this, I didn’t have any so added some thinly slice celery with their leaves. It worked out just fine.)

1.5 teaspoons (1/2 Tablespoon) maple syrup or granulated sugar

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

If you are not using pre-shredded vegetables, thinly slice the cabbage and grate the carrot using the large holes of a box grater.

In a large bowl, mix together all of the remaining ingredients. Add the shredded vegetables and sliced jalapeno, if using. Adjust the seasonings to your taste. Give everything a good toss and that’s it. Now enjoy!

Turkish Sour Lentil Soup (Ekşili Malhuta Çorba)

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

Turkish Sour Lentil Soup comes from Southeastern Anatolia and is eaten in the autumn and winter there. Tradition claims that when people make this warming soup and distribute it to the poor, snow will follow. Apparently, something to be desired. Now it’s probably just a coincidence, but it hadn’t snowed in over a month; I made this soup and the next day we had a snow storm!

As I have gotten older and the world has become a more dangerous place, especially for Jews, I have turned into more of an armchair traveler. I have always been interested in food as being a big part of defining a culture. With a large collection of cookbooks, I read them the way other people read novels. The books that tell stories along with the recipes are especially treasured. After looking through my shelves, I realized that I was missing any Turkish cookbooks. So after a bit of online research, I decided to purchase The Turkish Cookbook by Musa Dağdeviren.

While I have nothing against the Turkish people and have always found them to be warm and hospitable, I do have a serious problem with President Erdogan and feel that he is a dangerous Islamist and destabilizing factor in the Middle East. So my trip to Turkey will just have to wait. However, that doesn’t mean that I can’t enjoy their wonderful and varied cuisine. I especially enjoy watching Refika’s Kitchen and The Turkish Traveler on YouTube as part of my armchair travels.

My husband and I eat A LOT of soup all year, but especially in the colder months, and we love lentils for their taste, affordability, variety and nutrition. So in paging through The Turkish Cookbook, I came across this recipe for Sour Lentil Soup and thought it would be something good to try. My well-stocked pantry and fridge was missing only one item. I didn’t have any spinach on hand and didn’t want to go to the grocery store. However, I had some beautiful lacinato kale (also called Dino Kale) and used that in its place. I imagine that chard would also be a good substitute and both have more umph than spinach IMHO.

The other change is that the recipe calls for a flavored oil to be added on top just before serving. When I saw that it used 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, I knew that would be too much for us. So I used Aleppo Pepper, which is fruitier and has a milder heat. The addition of flavored oils as a finishing touch (Tadka) can also be seen in South Asian cuisines. It’s what takes otherwise simple dishes to the next level.

Below I will give the recipe and I found it in the cookbook along with the changes I made after tasting it. I liked the lemony, mintiness of the soup, but it definitely needed a bit more oomph that I wanted to come from the soup rather than simply the heat provided by the flavored oil. Now this seems to be a “poor man’s” soup which could account for some of the flavors that I thought were missing. And while my personal preference is for a soup that is a bit more dense, the soup, bread and salad ended up being quite satisfying once I had made a few of the seasoning changes.

The Sour Lentil Soup won’t rank as my favorite lentil soup, but I enjoyed trying something new from my armchair travels. If you are looking for a soup that is not in your usual rotation and which is not difficult, give this a try. Who knows? Maybe we’ll soon see snow!

I served the Sour Lentil Soup with a Turkish Pide although I don’t know if that or a flat bread would traditionally be served alongside.

YIELD: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

100g (3.5 oz or 3/4 cup) red lentils, rinsed well and drained

120g of onion (4 oz. or 1 medium), peeled and finely diced

6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

50g coarse bulghur wheat (2 oz. or 1/4 cup)

100g eggplant (3.5 oz or 3/8 cup), peeled and finely diced

10 cups of water (Using either a 5 cups of a vegetable or chicken stock plus 5 cups of water would give much more flavor. Since I had made the soup according to the directions, I could only add a Tablespoon of a good bouillon concentrate.)

1.5 teaspoons dried mint (I think 2 teaspoons would be better.)

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin (I think 1.5 teaspoons would be better.)

1 teaspoon kosher salt (I needed to add a total of 2 teaspoons)

1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

150g fresh spinach (5 oz), finely chopped (I used 1 bunch of lacinato kale and I imagine that you could also use chard)

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 juicy lemon)

For the flavored oil

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (I used 1 teaspoon Aleppo Pepper)

1 Tablespoon tomato paste

DIRECTIONS

In a 5-quart pot or larger, heat 1.25 liters (10 cups) of water and the lentils over medium heat. Bring this to a boil and skim off the foam that rises to the top. Cover and reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Then add the onion, bulghur wheat and garlic to the pot and stir through. Then add the eggplant along with the dried mint, cumin, salt and black pepper, stir through and simmer for another 20 minutes. This can all be done ahead.

When you are ready to eat, heat the soup to a boil and then turn the heat down to a simmer. Add the spinach or other green used. Add the lemon juice and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

For the flavored oil

Heat the oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the dried pepper flakes (in the amount that you feel comfortable with up to 1 teaspoon) and tomato paste and cook stirring for 2 minutes.

Add the flavored oil to the pot of soup, stir through and cook for 1 minute or serve it as I did with a little on each bowl of soup. Now enjoy!

Vegan Dark Chocolate Mousse

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ 3 Comments

This simple-to-make, absolutely fabulous dessert is a must for vegans and non-vegans alike. I came across this at the Minimalist Baker site one year when I was looking for some new Passover recipes (and this can easily be made kosher for Passover). Vegan Dark Chocolate Mousse is rich tasting with a beautiful silky texture and that bittersweet chocolate finish. Once you make it, you will wonder why you never had it before. There is no going back.

However, like all things with few ingredients, the ones you use need to be topnotch. I like Valrhona Cocoa and Scharffen Berger Baking Chocolate 70% Cacao. This gives a sophisticated finish to the Vegan Dark Chocolate Mousse. Sweet chocolate pudding has its place, but this isn’t it. These are the brands I like but there are some other wonderful brands out there, including some that are kosher for Passover.

I got into making vegan desserts because of my great nephew who was deathly allergic to eggs. We shared many holidays together and I never wanted him to miss out on anything or have to “settle.” While thankfully, he successfully underwent treatment to desensitize him to eggs, I still like to make many desserts that are vegan. If you keep the laws of kashrut and want to serve a great dessert after a meat meal, vegan desserts are just the ticket.

This insanely rich-tasting, dark chocolate mousse can be enjoyed unadorned or you can have fun tarting it up as I did for this past Shabbat dinner. And pregnant women and children can safely enjoy this wonderful dessert since unlike a “true” mousse, it is not made with raw egg!

This recipe is definitely a keeper.

RECIPE

Yield: About 8 servings (A little goes a long way)

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup plus 1 Tablespoon of unsweetened Dutch process cocoa or cacao powder (I like Valrhona cocoa for this.)

3/4 cup chopped cocoa butter 

3.5 ounces of the best dark chocolate (70%) (Bittersweet)

1 14-ounce can of full-fat coconut milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pinch of Kosher salt

1 teaspoon of Powdered or Confectioner’s sugar

6 pitted medjool dates

DIRECTIONS

In a small saucepan, combine cocoa or cacao powder, cocoa butter, chocolate, salt, and coconut milk. Begin warming over medium-low heat, whisking to combine.

Once the mixture is melted whisk until fully combined. Then remove from heat and add vanilla and confectioner’s sugar to taste (or just add more dates). I found 3/4 teaspoon sugar to be perfect.

Transfer the mixture to a blender. Add dates and blend on high until creamy and smooth. 

Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more cacao powder for rich chocolate flavor, dates for sweetness, or salt for saltiness. Frankly, I didn’t add anything. The instructions and amounts as given produced a dark, bittersweet, slightly fudgy deliciousness.

Transfer to a bowl and cover. Refrigerate until cold and thickened – at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

If you want the dessert to be softer and more traditional “mousse-like” take it out of the fridge about an hour before serving. Straight from the fridge will give a somewhat fudgier texture. There is no right or wrong here – both ways are absolutely delicious.

To serve on its own, divide between serving glasses and top with coconut whipped cream, raspberries, and chopped vegan dark chocolate or cacao/cocoa powder (optional).

Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days. 

Red Lentil Dal with Sweet Potato

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

Winter is here with its cold, often damp, dreary days. The world has gone crazy and I long for comfort wherever I can find it. This Red Lentil Dal with Sweet Potato is warm, filled with umami and goes down a treat. Serve it over rice or with your favorite flat bread and for a brief period you will forget that anything bad could be going on.

I came across this recipe online, but made a few changes, mostly in the cooking times. There were some leftover roasted veggies in my fridge that I refreshed in the oven and served alongside. Since I had the time (and truly, it only takes about 10 minutes) I decided to make this carrot raita using our homemade yogurt as a base.

My husband and I eat very little meat and don’t seem to miss it. Luckily, we also both love beans and lentils so getting enough protein isn’t an issue. The best cuisines if you want a more plant-based diet are South Asian and Mediterranean. And both use many similar spices so stocking your pantry is easy. I often mix Mediterranean salads with an Indian main course. The Carrot Raita was actually inspired by a Turkish recipe that I recently came across and had planned to use as part of a New Year’s Eve platter of meze. It was wonderful as an accompaniment to the Red Lentil Dal with Sweet Potato.

We have access to pretty decent naan (and I’ve also made it on occasion) but pita or even whole wheat tortillas would work. Frequently I serve dal or curry over rice, but we had enough bread so I didn’t bother this time.

Yes, this dinner is healthy but it is also really, really delicious and satisfying. It also makes terrific leftovers, so if one of your New Year’s resolutions is to bring your lunch more often to work, this is a great option. The original recipe called for sweet potato and I had some so used that, but butternut squash would work equally well and many stores sell it pre-cut, making this an incredibly easy and quick dish to make.

Give this Red Lentil Dal a try. You won’t be disappointed. I wish all of you a happy, healthy and SAFE New Year!

RECIPE

Yield: 4 to 6 servings, depending on sides

INGREDIENTS

~350 g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into smallish cubes (This turned out to be 1 large sweet potato. More is fine.)

1 Tablespoon neutral oil (I used Avocado Oil)

1 medium red or yellow onion, finely chopped

2 fat garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced

1 small green chili, such as serrano, finely chopped (remove the seeds if you don’t like a LOT of heat)

1 Tablespoon ground cumin (I thought it seemed like a lot, but was just right)

1 Tablespoon ground coriander

1 Tablespoon Garam Masala

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

2 Tablespoons tomato paste

1.5 cups of red lentils, rinsed well and drained

4 cups of your favorite vegetable stock (If I don’t have my own ready, I like Better Than Bouillon)

1 can (400 ml.) full fat coconut milk

2 cups (75 gr.) baby spinach

A handful of chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the sweet potato cubes on a rimmed baking tray. Sprinkle with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Drizzle 1 Tablespoon of oil (I used Avocado) over the top and toss everything well with your hands. Place the tray in the oven and roast for about 35 to 40 minutes or until tender and just starting to nicely brown. It could be longer or shorter depending on how you cut your sweet potato.

While the potato roasts, make the dal. Heat your oil (Could be coconut, avocado or other neutral oil) in a large deep pan with a lid. Cook the onion over medium heat for about 3 to 5 minutes or until softened.

Stir in the ginger, garlic and green chili and continue cooking for an additional minute.

Add the spices and tomato paste. Cook, stirring to bloom the spices and to remove the rawness from the tomato paste (about 1 minute).

Add the red lentils and vegetable stock and stir everything well. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover the pan, and lower the heat to a simmer. Stir occasionally cooking for 20 minutes.

Add in the coconut milk and stir it through. Place the lid back on and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes. This can be done ahead and reheated if you are making it earlier in the day. Add in the baby spinach and mix it through until wilted.

Once your sweet potatoes are ready, stir 3/4 of them into the dal and save the rest to add on top when serving. (I stirred through all of my sweet potatoes because I had the extra roasted vegetables to use for serving. It’s purely an aesthetic choice, so go ahead and stir everything in if you prefer.)

Stir through half of the chopped cilantro and use the remainder for garnish. Now enjoy!

Stir Fry with Soy Curls

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ 1 Comment

Until recently I had never heard, much less tried soy curls. But now, I’m a believer. These shelf-stable meat substitute are easy to cook, have a great texture and absorb whatever flavors you choose to use. And while we eat plenty of gluten, they also happen to be gluten free. My Stir Fry with Soy Curls is beautiful to look at, tastes great and is absolutely riffable.

A favorite niece gifted me with a book titled I Cook in Color by Asha Gomez. While this recipe doesn’t come from the cookbook, although she has many great recipes, the title resonated with me. Most of us eat with several of our senses – how something smells, looks and of course, tastes. So when I cook, I always try to keep the visuals of the dish in mind, particularly in a vegan or vegetarian recipe. How can you look at this gorgeous stir fry and not want to taste it?

Below, I will give the ingredients as I made it, but feel free to substitute vegetables and spices depending on personal taste and availability.

Because like almost all stir fry recipes cook fairly quickly, you should have everything prepped before beginning to cook. Vegetables can even be prepared the night before and refrigerated. While the soy curls require soaking before they can be cooked, it is brief. Should easily be able to have this meal on the table in under an hour – and I have no lightening knife skills. Serve it over rice or noodles for a delicious and satisfying meal.

While I love soy curls, you can, of course, substitute cubed tofu or real chicken if you wish to go those routes. I couldn’t easily find Butler Soy Curls in my grocery stores, but they are readily available online. They keep for months and are a terrific pantry staple for those of us who choose to eat less meat.

RECIPE

YIELD: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

For the sauce

3/4 cup vegetable or vegan “no chicken” broth

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos

1/4 cup agave, honey or maple syrup

1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil (If you really like spice, you can use the “Hot” toasted sesame oil

2 to 4 teaspoons Sambal Olek or other hot sauce (how much you use depends on you tolerance of spicy food)

1 Tablespoon of Garlic Chili paste (readily available in most grocery stores)

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

For the Stir Fry

4 ounces of soy curls (1/2 a bag)

Hot tap water to cover

1 Tablespoon Better than Bouillon vegetable or non-chicken

2 Tablespoons avocado or other neutral oil

1 small onion, coarsely chopped

2 baby bok choy

About 2 to 3 cups of cauliflower or broccoli

1 large carrot, cut on the bias into pieces about an 1/8 of an inch thick

8 ounces mushroom, sliced (I used Shitake for maximum meatiness but really any mushroom you like and can find will work)

1 bell pepper, cut into large dice (I used 1/2 of a red and 1/2 of a yellow pepper for the visual effect)

4 fat cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

1 Tablespoon grated or minced fresh ginger

1/2 cup roasted cashews or peanuts (with or without salt)

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS

Place the soy curls in a medium bowl. Add 1 Tablespoon of Better Than Bouillon and hot tap water to cover. Stir things around to dissolve the bouillon. Make sure that the soy curls are submerged. Let them sit in the water for about 10 minutes. Then drain the soy curls and using your hands, squeeze out as much liquid as you can. Set aside.

While the soy curls soak, prep your veggies and sauce. This can even be done ahead.

When you are ready to cook, add 1 Tablespoon of the oil to a wok or large, deep frying pan – preferably non-stick. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the drained soy curls and stir fry for about 5 to 6 minutes or until they begin to brown. Then remove the soy curls to a plate or bowl.

Add another Tablespoon of oil to the hot wok or pan. Add in all of the vegetable EXCEPT for the garlic and ginger. Start to stir fry the vegetables, tossing them through the oil. I then added about 1/4 cup of water to the pan, covered it and steamed the vegetables, stirring a few times for about 7 minutes or until the veg were just tender.

Then remove the lid and add the ginger and garlic and stir constantly for 1 minute. Add back the soy curls and toss the mixture to evenly distribute everything. Stir the sauce mixture with a fork or whisk to loosen the cornstarch and to mix it through. Pour the sauce over the vegetables and give a stir. As soon as the sauce starts to thicken (about 30 seconds to a minute) add in the nuts and sesame seeds, if using. Now enjoy!

Chickpea Squash Tagine

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

Flavorful, visually striking and nutrition-rich this Chickpea Squash Tagine is perfect for these chilly fall nights. Using pantry staples, it comes together in about an hour.

My husband and I eat very little meat these days and I pretty much save it for Shabbat and other holidays. However, this past Shabbat I just didn’t feel like going to the grocery store and nothing in my freezer excited me. I asked my husband if he minded if I made a vegan Shabbat and thankfully (as I knew he would) he responded that if I was cooking that was fine with him.

This Chickpea and Squash Tagine originated from the Rainbow Plant Life site, but with some changes of my own. I keep a well stocked pantry and had recently bought several different winter squashes, so I knew that I could make this dish without a trip to the market. Now I could have used canned or jarred chickpeas, but when I can my preference is to soak and cook my own beans. They are superior, although there are a few quality chickpea brands available and I will use them when I haven’t thought ahead or am cooking last minute.

So what is a tagine? A tagine is a clay or ceramic cooking vessel commonly used in Moroccan cuisine. It also refers to a kind of stew that you cook inside the tagine. Fear not, an actual tagine is not necessary to make this tagine or any other that you might want to try. I have never owned one and have done just fine. You can use a Dutch oven or I love my Staub All-Day Pan with Domed Glass Lid with an enameled over cast iron base. It’s a fabulous pan and I use it constantly. The pan can be pricey but look for it on sale. You won’t be sorry.

Both the tagine as cookware and the Staub pan trap the steam in the food you are cooking. With a minimal amount of liquid, the shape of the pan and lid allows the meat and/or vegetables to cook slowly and retain all of their moisture. The final dish is flavorful, with the components ending up tender and juicy.

I used Red Kuri Squash this time, but almost any winter squash will work. I admit that cutting up and peeling squash can be a bit tedious and depending on how you are cooking the squash, the skin can be left on in some cases. Many supermarkets at this time of year sell pre-chopped squash (generally butternut) in the produce section. So if you have neither the time nor the inclination, by all means, go this route. Butternut squash is ubiquitous and it’s also delicious.

Winter squash are nutrient dense and fairly low in calories. There are dozens of ways to use them in everything from soup to desserts. So if you haven’t used squash before, now is the perfect time to add this to your meals.

There are some meat tagine recipes available on my blog as well:

Chicken Tagine with Almonds and Apricots

Lamb Merguez and Chicken Tagine

Lamb Shank Tagine

Crockpot Chicken Tagine

Lamb Tagine with Chickpeas and Cilantro

Tzimmes Chicken

RECIPE

Yield: 6 to 8 generous servings with a grain (I used rice this time but couscous is classic)

INGREDIENTS

2 to 3 Tablespoons of Avocado, EVOO or another neutral oil

1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped

1 medium red pepper, chopped into large dice

6 fat garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1 cinnamon stick

2 cups of vegetable broth

4 cups of peeled and chopped winter squash (Butternut, Red Kiri, Kabocha, Honey Nut etc.) Try to keep the pieces about the same size as the chopped bell pepper.

4 cups of cooked chickpeas (But you can get away with using 2 (15-ounce) cans, drained)

1 (14.5-ounce) can of crushed or diced tomatoes (I used fire roasted)

6 large Medjool dates, with the pits removed and coarsely chopped

5 to 6 large pitted prunes or dried apricots, halved

Spice Mix (I mostly use rounded measurements when using spices. And when you can, grind your own. It takes seconds and the difference is amazing. Also storing whole spices keeps them fresher longer.)

1 Tablespoon Ras el hanout (These days this is available in many grocery stores and online. Great with any winter squash.)

2 bay laurel leaves (dried or fresh)

1 teaspoon ground coriander

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/8 teaspoon of ground cloves

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of ANY of the following: Aleppo Pepper, Rajasthan Chili or Cayenne

Kosher salt (I used a broth that was unsalted and added 1.5 teaspoons of Diamond kosher salt to the entire dish. You can always add salt at the end after you taste the dish.)

DIRECTIONS

Prep everything BEFORE you begin to cook. It will make your life so much easier.

In a small bowl, mix together the spices for the spice mix.

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid. Once the oil is hot, add the onions and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Cook until the onions are golden brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Stir occasionally and add a splash of water or broth if the onions look as if they are sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Add the bell pepper, garlic and cinnamon stick and cook, stirring frequently for about 3 minutes.

Add the Spice Mix, stirring constantly for 1 minute to bloom the spices.

Now add in the remaining broth, squash, chickpeas, bay leaves, tomatoes and dried fruit. Mix everything through to evenly distribute the ingredients.

Bring the pan liquid to a boil, then cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 40 minutes or until the squash is tender and the aroma is intoxicating.

Serve over rice or couscous and top with some lightly toasted chopped almonds and some chopped fresh herbs and lemon zest. If you or your guests want to add a little extra heat, I suggest a little Rose Harissa.

Now dig in!