Tuscany Part I

Pitigliano, Italy - "Little Jerusalem"

“Cheerful, tasty, varied, inexpensive, and unworrying… all one has to do is enjoy the food…“ This is how food writer Alan Davidson describes the food of Italy in The Oxford Companion to Food.

After spending a week in Tuscany, I can add delicious, easy, informal and nutritious to his description.

Tuscany is the beautifully lush region north of Rome - rolling hills planted with olives and grapes, romantic hilltop villas and the cities of Florence, Sienna, Pisa and our base, Lucca.

Our tour centered around food and Italian Jewish history. A special treat to celebrate a special anniversary. We cooked with an accomplished Italian chef, enjoyed espresso, gelato and regional kosher wines. We walked a lot and bicycled along the wall around Lucca.

Breakfast at our hotel/villa was simple and healthy – cereal, fruit and low-fat yogurt (plus cappuccino, of course).

Lunch was a picnic “on the road” – vegetable and pasta or grain salad, bread and local kosher cheese. Water to drink and fruit for dessert.

And dinner was the highlight – a relaxing, unhurried three-course affair lasting a good two hours. We enjoyed chicken, beef, veal and fish entries preceded by a pasta, rice or polenta dish, and always accompanied by vegetables. Dessert was simple and usually included fruit. And of course there was wine.

We learned tomato sauce two ways – canned tomatoes and fresh. We mixed and kneaded bread, pasta and focaccia dough. With plain grilled and boiled vegetables we created gorgeous antipasto platters. We chopped lots of onions, carrots and celery. These, together with garlic, fresh rosemary and sage, dried oregano, salt and pepper were the only seasonings we used.

Olive oil flowed liberally as we cooked. No sign of margarine in this kitchen.

Such delicious food. We didn’t feel stuffed and neither of us gained weight. We returned home feeling rejuvenated, refreshed and inspired.

Fresh produce and grains, minimal preparation and the relaxed Italian attitude towards eating – yes we could easily bring these culinary concepts into our own home.

I'll Take Water

I’ve always recommended water as the every-day beverage of choice. Jazz it up if you like, with slices of lemon or fresh herbs. Or choose unsweetened sparkling water.

But stay clear of drinks laden with sugar, fat, artificial sweeteners and colors.

Fruit-flavored beverages are mainly sugared water. Some contain a small amount of fruit juice. Bottled flavored waters (yes, even the clear ones that look like plain water) may contain sugar too. Check the ingredient list carefully.

Pure fruit juice is yummy, and it’s pure, right? But all of the fruit that goes into making a cup of juice adds up to a drink higher in calories than most of us need (and minus the fiber we’d get if we ate the whole fruit).

For instance:

1 medium orange = 69 calories
1 cup orange juice = 110 calories

1 medium apple = 72 calories
1 cup apple juice = 117 calories

Soft drinks are loaded with sugar – A 12 ounce can contains, on average, 8 teaspoons of sugar. Some of them (not just cola) contain caffeine as well.

Substitute a can of soda or juice with a bottle of water every day
and you may lose up to 15 pounds in a year!

Are diet sodas any better? Most contain about 10 calories per can, compared to 135 calories in regular soda. But artificial sweeteners, flavors and colors don’t exactly add up to a healthy beverage.

This summer is the perfect time to try this healthier alternative to soda:

Pour a quarter to a third of a cup of pure fruit juice into a tall glass. Fill it to the top with cold sparkling water and enjoy!

What about those icy cool summer coffee drinks? Stay away from large, super-sweet, whipped-cream topped concoctions that are high in fat and calories. Opt for a small-sized "simple" drink like iced coffee or latte made with skim or low-fat milk. And why not try iced tea during the hot summer months? Just go easy on the sugar or skip it altogether.

Getting back to water – with no calories or additives, it’s the healthiest drink around. And if it comes from your tap, it is the most inexpensive choice as well.

Cheesecake

I just received the June nutrition e-newsletter from Tnuva, the largest dairy manufacturer in Israel. Their survey of women over the age of 18 reveals that:

94% of Israeli families plan to eat cheesecake on Shavuot

Of these:

67% of the women will make their own cheesecake from scratch

7% will prepare their cheesecake from a mix

20% plan to purchase a ready-made cheesecake

I’m always happy to hear that people are cooking and baking from scratch. Most of us eat way too much highly sweetened, salty and fat-ladened processed food. And how many of us have forgotten the creative and satisfying pleasures of cooking?

So even though it’s the middle of a hot Israeli summer, a majority of us are getting ready to make cheesecake.

The Tnuva survey continues with more positive news about Shavuot baking:

73% of the respondents will use dairy products containing 5% fat or less

21% will use dairy products containing 9% fat or more

One of my favorite low-fat dairy products is ricotta cheese. Its delicate taste and smooth texture work well in sweet as well as savory cooking. Try ricotta in blintzes, quiche, lasagna and cheesecake.

Here is one of my favorite ricotta cheese desserts. It’s light, delicate and less sweet than most cheesecakes.

ITALIAN-STYLE RICOTTA CHEESECAKE (DAIRY)

Crust

½ cup walnuts
¼ cup low-sugar cereal, such as bran flakes, Grape-Nuts or Cheerios
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 Tablespoons canola oil

Filling

½ cup golden raisins or diced dried apricots
¼ cup orange juice

1 ¾ cup (16 ounces) low-fat ricotta cheese
6 Tablespoons (3 ounces) low-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
¼ cup low-fat or non-fat plain yogurt
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat an 8” spring-form pan lightly with oil or cooking spray.

Combine walnuts, cereal and cinnamon in a food processor and process until finely ground. While the processor is running, slowly add the oil through the feed-tube until the crumb mixture holds together. Pat the mixture evenly into the bottom of the baking pan and set aside.

In a small, heat-proof bowl, combine the raisins and orange juice. Warm in the microwave for 30-60 seconds, mix together and set aside to plump the raisins. (You can do this in a small saucepan as well.)

Rinse the bowl and blade of the food processor. Process the ricotta cheese, cream cheese and yogurt together until very smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and process until the mixture is completely smooth.

Drain the raisins and stir them into the cheese mixture. Pour the batter over the crust in the baking pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes, until the edges are puffy but the middle is slightly soft. Turn off the heat and leave the cake in the oven, with the door closed, for 30 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and cool it completely on a wire rack.

Cover and refrigerate until cold.

Serves 8-10

Eating “En route” Part II

Between flights

Our plane from Tel Aviv arrived late at night in Toronto, our overnight stop-over en route to Milwaukee. With an early connecting flight, we needed to be up by 5 a.m. the next morning.

After picking at the far-from-nourishing airline meals during the flight, we were hungry for dinner. And I was already thinking about tomorrow’s breakfast.

We had researched kosher restaurants in Toronto, but after the flight from Tel Aviv, we were too tired to travel from the airport hotel into town. For less than round-trip taxi fare, my husband had the brilliant idea of ordering out. Le Bistro Grande, a lovely kosher dairy restaurant, was most cooperative and within half an hour they delivered a tasty meal of pasta with vegetables, salad and bottled water.

As for breakfast - I had my single-pack cereal boxes, paper plates, bowls and plastic utensils. We added a banana, milk and orange juice purchased from a Starbucks at the airport.

But what if you find yourself far from the convenience of a kosher restaurant? And you forgot those cereal boxes?

In most airports you can find something healthy and kosher to eat. Check the coffee houses for whole fresh fruit and pure fruit or vegetable juice. I found small baby carrots and cherry tomatoes in an airport store.

Look carefully among the candy bars and you’re likely to find at least one fairly nutritious “snack” or “health” bar. In Canada I like the “Break-a-Way Snacks” Organic Nature Bar. It’s a mix of seeds, nuts, dried fruit and sweetener. Although high in fat (11 grams per bar) and rather sweet (12 grams of sugar), it is a good source of fiber (3 grams) and quick energy. I also like “Kashi” bars and “Larabar”, a dried fruit and nut bar with 5 grams of fiber.

Kosher packaged nuts are usually available at airports. Look for plain nuts or mixtures of dried fruits and nuts.

Our recent dinner menu at O’Hare airport while waiting between flights was tuna salad on crackers (carried with us), fresh carrots, cherry tomatoes, sparkling water and fresh fruit.

Once you’ve reached your destination, don’t forget to keep drinking. It’s especially important to re-hydrate, and water is the beverage of choice.

While I don’t recommend drinking coffee (or alcohol) while flying (both will increase dehydration), here is a suggestion that helped us once we were on the ground: A cup of coffee followed by a short nap (15-20 minutes) helped us deal with jet lag, especially in the afternoons when we felt especially sluggish. By the time you are finished resting, the effect of the caffeine will give you an extra “push” until bedtime.

Safe, healthy traveling to all of you – N’siyah Tovah!

Eating “En route”

Part I

My husband and I just returned from a trip to the U.S. We travel fairly often for family, business and pleasure.

It’s challenging enough for us to find kosher food away from home. But healthy kosher food is even more difficult.

On the Plane

Most airlines have eliminated hot meals on all but overseas flights. And those meals leave something to be desired.

Here’s what Air Canada served us last week:

Dinner: Garbanzo bean salad, two rolls, mini-hot dogs, beans, rice, green beans and a chocolate-filled hamentashen (no kidding – this was in May!)

Breakfast: Three white-flour pastries (muffin, cookie, roll), canned fruit cocktail, a spongy baked egg dish with a teaspoon of tomato sauce and fried potatoes.

Add in margarine, non-dairy creamer and water – all kosher, of course.

It’s easy to see what’s going on here – low cost food high in carbohydrates, fat and sugar. O.K., I’ll give them credit for serving low-fat, high-protein legumes. But three types of beans in one meal?

So what did I eat? Garbanzo bean salad and green beans for dinner, supplemented with almonds and dried cherries brought from home. And for breakfast, a granola bar and fresh fruit, packed away in my carry-on bag.

To reduce jet lag, long-distance travelers should eat lightly and drink lots of water. So let’s not complain too much about poor airline food. After all, you shouldn’t be eating so much anyway. And all of that water should have you feeling rather full. But most of us get just a little hungry on these long flights. And what are you supposed to do on flights when no food is available?

Carry food from home with you!

I’m a firm believer in traveling with food. Whenever I spot small sample boxes of cereal, I grab a few for the next trip. Throw in a few paper bowls and plastic spoons, buy a small carton of milk and fruit at the airport and you’re set for breakfast.

When in the U.S., I buy single-serve peanut butter. And I always travel with whole-grain grain crackers and a plastic knife.

Dry-packed tuna and salmon in flat foil pouches are perfect for traveling. My local fast-food restaurant is more than happy to give me a few packets of mayonnaise or Thousand Island dressing to mix in with it. Packed in a zip lock bag with a few forks and napkins, they take up very little space in your carry-on bag.

Nuts are also a good source of protein that travel easily. Choose almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts or peanuts and look for unsalted or low-salt varieties.

And don’t forget fruits and vegetables. Bring along already washed cherry tomatoes, carrot and celery sticks and cucumbers to eat on the plane. Firm summer fruit like plums and cherries travel well in the summer. Choose easily peeled citrus, grapes and apples in cooler months.

Traveling to a country that doesn’t allow in fresh produce? Eat your fresh fruit and vegetables on the plane and take along dried fruit for later. Dried apricots, pears, cherries, peaches and prunes all travel well.

I travel with fruits and nuts that I mix at home in a zip-lock bag. My current favorite is walnuts and dried cherries. In the winter, chocolate chips might find their way into the mix too.

After a long flight, our plane landed and we looked forward to an overnight rest in Toronto before heading to Milwaukee and then California.

More eating challenges ahead!

Happy 60th Birthday Israel!

Beyond Falafel

May 8th, is Israel's 60th anniversary.

There are celebrations planned throughout the country and in Jewish communities around the world. Most will include food, of course. And falafel will likely be on many menus.

I enjoy a good falafel. We have one of the best falafel stands in town right across the street, and it's nice to indulge occasionally.

But Israeli food has graduated far beyond falafel.

While falafel and schwarma joints still abound, especially here in Beer Sheva, fine restaurants can be found in all large cities.

Gourmet is “In”.

Boutique wineries and cheese makers are abundant. There are now nearly 300 wineries located throughout the country.

When I made aliyah in 1970, you could buy yellow cheese and white cheese. Period. Today, the variety of soft and hard cheeses made in Israel rivals that of France.

Organic produce is available in many larger grocery stores. We get farm-fresh organic produce delivered directly from the farm to our doorstep every week.

Add to this the amazing influx of people from every corner of the earth – everyone with their own unique cuisine. In spite of the wars and hardships that Israel has suffered, a new, sophisticated cuisine – an Israeli Cuisine, is developing before our eyes.

In 60 years we’ve come a long way as a country. And our tastes in food and drink have become far more sophisticated than they were back in 1948.

Pancakes

We had a major heat wave during Pesach: the kind of day when you don’t even want to step into the kitchen, let alone turn on the stove.

A fresh green salad was definitely in order for dinner, but what could we have with it that wouldn’t take hours in the kitchen?

From the refrigerator, a small container of cooked beet greens was my inspiration: PANCAKES!

Mention pancakes and most of us think of breakfast.

But vegetable pancakes are especially popular in Sephardic cuisine – spinach, chard and leek patties for example. Corn fritters are an American favorite.

Vegetable pancakes can be a good way to get children to eat vegetables, especially if you make them small and let the children eat them with their fingers.

My recipe started with about half a cup of chopped beet greens previously cooked with onion and garlic. I added an egg and about 1/3 of a cup of matzah cake meal, salt, pepper and a dash of cinnamon.

Try cooked spinach, chard, broccoli or raw grated zucchini. Add an egg or two, flour to bind the ingredients and fresh or dry herbs. Sauté in a small amount of olive oil and enjoy!

Zucchini Pancakes (Dairy)

1 ½ pounds zucchini
6 scallions, thinly sliced or ½ small onion, minced
¼ cup chopped fresh dill or 1 tablespoon dried dill
8 ounces feta cheese (I use 5% fat Bulgarian cheese)
1 teaspoon paprika
½ cup whole wheat pastry flour
3 eggs, beaten
Olive oil for frying

Grate the zucchini coarsely. (A food processor works well.) Add the scallions, dill, cheese, paprika, flour and eggs.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. (I use a non-stick pan.) Drop the zucchini mixture by large tablespoons and spread them out to make thin patties. Cook until crisp and brown on both sides.

Chag Kasher V'Sameach!

We’re coming down the home-stretch now. The shopping is done, the produce ordered, and except for a corner of the kitchen, the house is ready for Passover. Just a quick change of dishes, a few more leftovers in the refrigerator, kashering the stove and counter tops, and we'll be ready to go.

I’d like to be finished with my baking before our friends arrive from America on Wednesday night. Then I’ll start cooking on Thursday, hopefully before our son comes home from his army base, exhausted and hungry for “normal” food. By then, it will most likely be pizza and take-out noodles eaten in the garden.

Most of us have plenty to do during the next few days. So this will be my last Passover post.

I wish all of you a Chag Kasher V’sameach -

A Happy, Kosher and Healthy Passover.

And just one more Passover recipe – our favorite Sephardi-style Charoset. In fact, my husband is making it now.

We prepare a double batch and spread it on matzah or eat it “as is” during the week. For a delicious breakfast, try it with plain low-fat yogurt.

Rubin Family Charoset

Ingredients:

1 seedless orange, peeled and cut into eighths
1 apple, peeled, cored and cut into eighths
1 cup dates, pitted and halved

1 cup raisins
½ cup walnut pieces or halves
½ cup almonds
2 tablespoons orange juice

Method:

Put all of the ingredients into the bowl of a food processor. Process until the
mixture becomes a soft and rather coarse paste. Add more juice if necessary.
Refrigerate to blend the flavors.

Yields: 3 cups

Leftovers

My refrigerator looks rather forlorn now: half a jar of mustard, a spoonful of mayonnaise, leftover rice; a little of this, a little of that.

We’re all in the same boat – trying to make the best of leftovers and piecing together meals before Passover.

But this year I won’t complain about leftovers. I have a new appreciation of my own leftovers when my son told me what the IDF is doing with theirs: The Israeli army is frying up their leftover “loof” – the kosher version of Spam that’s provided to soldiers in the field, and serving it instead of the usual schnitzel. Evidently, loof is not kosher-for-Pesach, and the army is trying to use it up before the holiday.

Yum!