Coconut Milk

• Homemade coconut milk is a great way to avoid the additives often found in commercial coconut milk.
• Coconut milk makes a nice soup garnish.
• This recipe was adapted from The Heal Your Gut Cookbook by Hilary Boynton and Mary G. Brackett.
• This recipe makes about 2 cups coconut milk.

2½ cups just-boiled water
1½ cups dehydrated coconut flakes

• The Set Up: To get the most milk out of your coconut, make sure the water is as hot as possible -- set up your equipment and coconut in advance.
• Set up your blender and find the 2½ cup measuring line -- or use a liquid measuring cup.
• Place a large wire strainer on top of a large bowl. Line the strainer with two layers of cheesecloth.
• Measure 1½ cups dehydrated coconut flakes and set aside. Do not place coconut in blender.
• Bring the water to a boil and immediately pour 2½ cups boiling water into the blender. Be sure to add the boiling water to the blender before the coconut or the blender may jam up.
• Now, add the coconut. It will float on top of the water.
• Right away, cover the blender and puree the mixture for at least 2 minutes. 
• Pour the mixture into the lined strainer. Allow the coconut milk to drain into the bowl.
• After it cools, gather the cheesecloth around the coconut, and twist the cheesecloth to extract more of the milk.
• This recipe makes about 2 cups coconut milk, which can be used right away or stored in the fridge for 3-4 days. If it separates, give it a stir or a shake.
• The leftover coconut pulp can be used in other recipes or made into coconut flour.
  
  

Carrot Soup - Low FODMAP

• This is a large recipe and can easily be frozen -- or cut in half.
• I make my own coconut milk for this recipe.

2 pounds carrots, peeled, chopped into small chunks
1 pound parsnips, peeled, chopped into small chunks
2 inches ginger, peeled, diced
4 cups boiling water
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried savory (or other herb)
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
1 to 2 cups coconut milk (homemade or commercial)

• Place carrots, parsnips, ginger, water, turmeric, paprika, savory, salt and pepper in a pan. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
• Allow mixture to cool.
• If you make your own coconut milk, this is a good time to do so.
• Add coconut milk.
• Whirl in blender until smooth. Add water as needed to get everything to move in the blender. I added 3 to 4 cups of water to get the consistency right...maybe more.
• Serve hot in bowls.

Carrot Charoset - Low FODMAP

Carrot Charoset on Lundberg Thin Stacker

• I adapted my Sephardic charoset recipe to make it a low-FODMAP recipe. Like it’s predecessor, the cayenne pepper gently sneaks up on you. 
• You can use ground cumin, or for extra flavor, toast whole cumin seeds as directed below.
• The directions use a food processor but a meat grinder will work equally well.

1 cup cashews or walnuts (as is or toasted)
½ pound finely-shredded carrots
2 navel oranges
½ pound red seedless grapes (weigh without stems)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cumin (For extra flavor, substitute whole cumin seeds as directed below.)
1/16 to ¼ teaspoon of cayenne (Start with 1/16 teaspoon. Add more if you wish.)

• This first step is optional. If you want to use ground cumin, skip this step. Put 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds in a dry skillet (no oil) for just a minute or two. Watch carefully so they do not burn. When the time is up, get the seeds out of the skillet or they will continue to cook and may burn. Grind the cumin seeds with a mortar and pestle. Set aside.
• Whirl the nuts in food processor (or through a meat grinder) until finely chopped. It will make approximately one cup or less. Place in large mixing bowl. Don't bother washing the food processor until you are all done. The fruit juices will "clean off" the nut powder. 
• Add the shredded carrots to the mixing bowl. 
• Wash and rinse the navel oranges very well. Remove the blossoms. Slice the orange (rind and all). Whirl it in the food processor to fully chop. Add to mixing bowl. 
• Whirl the grapes in food processor until very finely chopped. Add the cinnamon, cardamom and cumin. Add 1/16 teaspoon of cayenne. Whirl to mix. Add to mixing bowl. 
• Mix all the ingredients by hand until well blended. Check flavor. Add more cayenne if desired. 
• Place in a covered container and chill. 

Sephardic Charoset #2

Sephardic Charoset #2 in a tiny bowl (1.75" diameter)

• Recipe updated April 2, 2015.
• Recipes for Sephardic charoset number in the dozens . . . probably the hundreds. I put together this combo after looking at many other recipes. I especially like the way the cayenne pepper gently sneaks up on you.
• You can use ground cumin. For extra flavor, toast whole cumin seeds using directions below.
• This recipe can be doubled, although the mixture may be too much for your food processor when you get to the last mixing step. Just do that last mixing by hand.

Sephardic Charoset #1

• Charoset is one of the foods on the Passover sedar plate. This is the simplest form of Sephardic charoset. 
• It also makes a great spread for bread any time of the year!
• I prefer medjool dates, but any type will do. I avoid dates coated in sugar because some people have food sensitivities or allergies to sugar. Dates are plenty sweet without sugar.
• Steps #1 and #4 make 2 cups date puree. If you want to buy date puree already made, you can skip those steps.
• The toasted and ground almonds (steps #2 and #3) can be made as much as a week in advance and stored in a jar.

3 cups chopped dates
3 ounces almonds
1½ teaspoons cinnamon

• To make the date puree, put the 3 cups of dates in a saucepan with 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover, and simmer until the dates are tender. If a lot of the water cooks off, add more.
• To toast the almonds, use one of the methods found here. This can be done as much as a week in advance or while the dates are cooking. I like to preheat my oven to 400°, line a jelly roll pan with foil, spread out the almonds, and toast them for about 10-15 minutes. Every 5 minutes, I turn them with a spatula so they are toasted on all sides. Watch them carefully as they brown quickly. 
• Whirl the toasted almonds in the food processor until they are pretty fine. Take the nuts out of the processor. If it is a week ahead, store the nuts in a jar.
• Put the dates and any leftover cooking water in the food processor and whirl until the puree is smooth. Add more water, if needed.
• Add the cinnamon to the date puree and whirl again.
• Add the nuts and whirl again..
• Store in the fridge.

Watermelon Gazpacho

• Since it requires no cooking, gazpacho is perfect for a hot summer day. Chilled gazpacho is refreshing. The complex flavor is a delight.
• Some will find the olive oil too oily, so start with the smaller amount and decide how much you like. 

Cucumber Salad

• This recipe comes from The Art of Jewish Cooking by Jennie Grossinger.
• My mom used to make this salad most every summer. Momma often served it with fried fish. I believe she used white vinegar, so I wonder if she used a similar recipe from another cookbook.
• I changed a few things: switched the pepper to cayenne, and left out the scallions. The vinegar seems too strong to me; I might increase the water from 2 tablespoons to 3 next time. I used salad cucumbers, which were not waxed, so I did not peel them. I prefer the milder flavor of kosher salt for this recipe.
• Serves 4-6. 

Baba Ghanoush

Hand-chopped baba ghanoush

• How do you like your baba ghanoush? Pureed or hand-chopped? This recipe has directions for both.
• Once you roast the eggplant, this is a quick recipe -- especially if you use your food processor; hand chopping will take a little longer.
• Baba ghanoush can be used as an appetizer or a sandwich filling. 
• For more flavor, start with whole cumin seeds. Toast them in a dry skillet, and then grind them in a mortar and pestle.

Apple Sauce

Chunky pink applesauce

My father had a Jonathan apple tree in the backyard. (See below.) I remember sitting outside with my dad peeling apples with the juice running down our arms and the flies buzzing around. We would try to peel it in one continuous strip . . . just to say that we did!

We gave away bags and bags of apples, but we still had lots for us. Every fall, the whole family would pitch in and make applesauce. This went on for days . . . maybe weeks. My mom would can dozens of jars of applesauce. And, through the winter, we would eat it all! By the time I was in junior high school, I could peel and slice apples blindfolded.

I make applesauce different ways. Different apple varieties give different results. Sometimes I peel the apples, other times not. Sometimes I use only white sugar, other times I use brown, or a mix of the two, or honey or maple syrup. I've even made applesauce without cinnamon. See the Slicing Details below for tips on how to vary the texture (and color!) of your applesauce.

Applesauce can be eaten hot, lukewarm, or cold. It's great as a snack or as dessert. I love to pile hot steamed Macintosh apples over waffles and top them with a shake of cinnamon and a splash of maple syrup!

Butternut Squash Soup

• This is a rich and hearty soup  – great for a cold winter night. 
• For the herbs, use one or a mixture of those suggested – basil, marjoram, thyme, or winter savory.
• Top with sour cream or Greek yogurt, a dash of cinnamon, and a sprinkle of Spicy Toasted Squash Seeds.
• This made a very thick soup -- too thick for my taste. By the time I added enough water to get the consistency right, the volume had nearly doubled, but the flavor was still wonderful.

Spicy Toasted Squash Seeds

• Toasted squash seeds make a nice snack or a topping for soup or salad.
• Any variety of winter squash seeds can be used for this recipe. I chose butternut squash. One large butternut squash has about ½ cup seeds.

Escarole Salad with (Vegan) Italian Sausage

• I know I say it all the time but this recipe is simple and delicious – and it's vegan!
• I like to use homemade vinaigrette made with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, Dijon mustard, and marjoram (or basil or thyme).
• This salad tastes great with or without the olives.
• The Tofurky Italian Sausage is seasoned with basil and sun-dried tomatoes. The nutrient and ingredient info is here and a photo of the packaging here.

Lhassi Pudding with Kiwi

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I'm posting yet another version of the Lhassi Pudding recipe. This time, I added kiwi and garnished it with black sesame seeds (to play off the black kiwi seeds).

Macedonian Black Bread

• I found this recipe in Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant: Ethnic and Regional Recipes from the Cooks at the Legendary Restaurant. My niece and I made it together.
• We used espresso for the coffee because that's what I had in the house.
• I moved the salt to the middle of the recipe because it's easier to add before all the flours go into the bowl.
• Rye doughs are sticky, and can be a challenge for the novice baker, but don't let that scare you! You don't want to miss that complex flavor and moist texture. This recipe has a lot of liquid; it can hold up to the addition of a lot of white flour, during the kneading -- to keep it from sticking to your hands.
• Follow the recipe closely. It has 3 risings -- one more than usual.
• After we got all done, we noticed the "variation" at the bottom of the page and decided we will have to make this recipe again, sometime soon, and try out the sweet version!
• The recipe recommends eating with sweet butter, sharp cheese, or soup. We suggest mashed avocado.

Gypsy Soup

• I love this recipe from Mollie Katzen's Moosewood Cookbook, and have been making it since forever, but this week, I was having a hard time following the directions. I decided to put the instructions in a format that works for me: listing the ingredients in the order used, and adding instructions for the tamari (which seem to be missing). I also upped the garlic, and used canned diced tomatoes.
• This is almost a stew rather than a soup because it's so loaded with veggies.
• The recipe makes about 4 servings depending on what else you are serving with it.
• Note: you want a mix of orange and green veggies -- consider trying the alternates listed in [brackets].

Lhassi Pudding

• My niece and I created this vegan dessert. The plan was to come up with a sorbet but, it was so good we never did freeze it.
• It's important for the mango pulp to be nearly (or completely) thawed. Otherwise, it will become a frozen mass that locks up the food processor.
• Silken tofu is different from regular tofu. To learn more, click on the link below. We used a lite silken tofu to reduce fat and calories.
• While this can be eaten immediately, the nuts take on a nice texture after they sit on top of the pudding (in the fridge) for a few hours. In fact, they were so good, I've doubled the amount.
• If you use pisatchios for the topping, their green color will be more intense if you remove the brown papers before you chop them.
• This recipes makes 5-6 servings -- depending on the portion size.

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From: Minka’s Kitchen
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Green Apple and Onion Salad

Makes 4 servings (1 cup fruits and vegetables per person)

Spiced Lentils

• This is a great summer recipe -- it can be made in advance and served cold.
• Spiced lentils can be served as a side dish, a sandwich filler, or in a salad.
• I like the way the salt brings out the sweetness of the wine vinegar.
• I only use French lentils for this recipe, because they hold their shape and have a nice color. Some say they also have a different flavor.  I imagine you could use ordinary lentils for this recipe but you need to watch them closely so they do not become mushy. Read about lentils and see photos of different varieties here.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Roasted Brussels sprouts can be eaten right from the oven, or as cold leftovers. They also taste great in an omelet.

Chopped (Eggless) Eggplant

Chopped Eggplant with Watercress

Like chopped liver, chopped eggplant can be served as an appetizer on greens, but it also makes a great sandwich -- espeically on rye bread with sliced tomato. It's also a great first course (served on lettuce) for a Passover seder.