Jewish Cooking Carnival

Dear Readers,

If you're a regular to my blog, you'll notice something different today.

I'm hosting the Jewish Cooking Carnival – a compilation of articles submitted by people like you who are interested in kosher food.

So, just this once, I'll be telling you about other people's blogs. Their articles may not have anything to do with nutrition or healthy eating. But it's a good chance to browse through recipes, share ideas and see what's going on in the world of Jewish blogging.

If you're new to my blog, please poke around. Post a comment. Ask me a question. Subscribe.

I've been writing regularly for over a year – since the publication of my book, Food for the Soul – Traditional Jewish Wisdom for Healthy Eating.

You'll find menu ideas, nutrition news, kashrut concerns, cooking how-tos, practical tips for enjoying good food and lots of delicious kosher recipes.

Get started with Eating Well - What Works?, my philosophy for eating well, in a nutshell.

Read Healthy Holiday Tips for fresh ideas on how to cope with the hectic, high-calorie holiday season that's almost here. Learn all about the Simanim - traditional Rosh Hashanah foods and their special brachot. (Be sure to read Simanim I and II for the whole story.)

With new posts every week, I have lots of ideas for eating well on holidays, Shabbat and every day of the week.

And now, here's the Kosher Cooking Carnival .....

Are you planning a trip before the holidays?

If you're going to the Ukraine and looking for a kosher restaurant, take a look at Leah's photoblog for an interesting suggestion. And if you'll be in Italy, Ilana-Davita has wonderful tips for eating kosher and eating well while you're on vacation there. While you're on her lovely site, check out the delicious-sounding recipes, including this one for Red Soup.

Looking for restaurants in Israel? Batya has several good ideas for you in Jerusalem, including Olive and Fish, RYU Asian Kitchen, and Nina.

If you're going to be in Beer Sheva (Don't laugh-I live here!) and you like Indian food, I highly recommend Hodu Ha'ktana - Little India, on Rechov Ringleblum. Informal, authentic and delicious vegetarian (dairy) food. Just save room for dessert at Ringleblum Cafe - across the street and half a block north. Order coffee and one of Doron Degen's incredible pastries. You may remember Doron's desserts from his former cafe in Jerusalem, Davida.

Enough of eating out. Let's get back to cooking.

Did you know that people who cook most of their meals at home eat less and are slimmer than people who eat ready-made food? See my recent blog, Back to Cooking for ideas on getting back into your own kitchen.

One way to avoid the heat of the kitchen and still cook, is grilling. Here's a novel recipe for Grilled Chicken along with another for an easy summer Peach Cake.

Summer's end often brings a bumper crop of zucchini, and Phyllis has a great looking Zucchini Bread recipe to try. Leora gives us a parve Pesto recipe for those of you with a surplus of basil. If you find yourself with surplus tofu (obviously not garden grown!), try freezing some of it.

Looking for an interesting new vegetarian entree for the chagim? Try The Kosher Bride's Kibbeh Neye.

Need a quick mid-week meal that packs a vegetable punch and still pleases the children? This Spinach Tuna Casserole recipe fits the bill. For dessert try parve, made-with-canola-oil Cinnamon Swirl Cookies.

Cooking healthy low-cost meals that don't take hours in the kitchen is a challenge for many of us. Hannah Katsman (Cooking Manager.Com) has wonderful ideas for making your life in the kitchen easier, including this recipe for Turkey Meatloaf and another for Lentils with Onions and Garlic. She's also a big fan of cooking with a pressure cooker, which trims hours off of cooking beans and sauces. Try her recipe for Tomato/Marinara Sauce made in the pressure cooker.

While you're cooking some of these recipes (or eating at one of the restaurants), please consider hosting next month's Kosher Cooking Carnival. We're looking for someone with a lot of enthusiasm and just a little bit of time for this fun project. Contact Batya at shilohmuse@yahoo.com.

Please send in your kosher cooking posts as soon as they're posted. There's no need to delay, since it's an ongoing, monthly blog carnival, and you don't want to miss out. KCC includes everything anyone would want to know about kosher food, from recipes, to Jewish Law (halacha,) customs, restaurants and book reviews.

With very best wishes for a Shanah Tovah U'metukah,

Chana

Chana Rubin, RD

Author, Food for the Soul-Traditional Jewish Wisdom for Healthy Eating

Fig Season

As much as I love apricots, peaches and nectarines, I'm quite happy to see Italian-style prune plums at the green-grocer right now. Not that I'm complaining, but it's been an especially hot summer, and prune plums are the first sign of summer's end. Along with plums are the new crop of early apples and pears – a sure sign of fall.

You can still buy melons and other summer fruit. And if you're lucky, you'll find one of late summers' very special treats – fresh figs. Here in Israel, they're available in August and September.

Figs have a short season and they're extremely fragile, so don't store them for more than a few days. We love eating them fresh, but when it's peak season, I roast them in the oven for a special treat.

Slice the figs in quarters, almost to the base and arrange them in a shallow baking dish. If you want, add a cinnamon stick or a few crushed cardamom pods. Drizzle the figs with a small amount of honey mixed with some orange juice. Bake, uncovered, until the syrup starts to thicken and the figs get brown at the edges. Eat them warm or at room temperature.

Figs are one of the biblical seven species native to Israel. The Rambam wrote about their therapeutic value, including their use in relieving constipation.

In fact, figs are easily digestible and especially high in fiber – a nutrient lacking in most of our diets. They're a good source of potassium and one of the few fruits containing iron and calcium.

If you miss fresh fig season, you can buy several varieties of dried figs year-round. Of course, they're much higher in calories than fresh, so don't overdo it.

Mazal Tov Neal!

A warm "Mazal Tov" to Judge Neal Hendel, who was just appointed to Israel's Supreme Court.

Neal is a distinguished jurist, scholar, educator, friend and member of our community. In addition to being a mensch, Neal is a vegetarian. He helped research and edit the section "Judaism and Vegetarianism" in my book.

We're all very proud of you and wish you the best. Just don't move to Jerusalem!

Back to Cooking

Obesity rates are highest among people who spend the least amount of time cooking.

It's not just a matter of eating sugar, salt and fat-laden store-bought food. When someone else does the cooking, you eat more food. When you're the cook, you eat less and you eat better.

I'm not against convenience foods or short-cuts. But I am against the highly processed and mass-produced food that has become the mainstay of our diet. It's time to learn how to cook tasty nutritious food in our own kitchens.

Yes, I believe in cooking "from scratch". I don't mean hours spent over a hot stove. Most of us don't have the time or the inclination for that. I'm talking about cooking meals from wholesome "real" food, like seasonal fruits and vegetables, whole-grains, fish, poultry, nuts and legumes.

Does that sound daunting? It doesn't have to be. A basic cookbook, a class or two, or time spent helping someone else cook may be just what you need to get inspired.

Consider buying a bread machine, a rice cooker or a crock pot to help you save time and cut corners. Make use of your freezer by cooking and baking when you do have time, so that you can eat well when you don't.

Just to prove that it's possible, even under difficult circumstances, I'll share this Shabbat menu with you. It was all made at home while painters buzzed around the house. I had just over an hour to cook.

Dinner: Whole-wheat challah (dough made in the bread machine), fish fillets with vegetables baked in parchment paper, steamed asparagus, bulgur (rice machine) and chocolate cupcakes (home-made, frozen and frosted before Shabbat).

Kiddush: Banana oatmeal muffins (home-made and frozen) and fresh figs

Lunch: Ravioli salad (ready made ravioli), lettuce, tomato and cucumber salad and watermelon

Seudah shlishit: Tuna sandwiches with tomato and avocado on whole-wheat challah, chocolate pudding (made in the microwave just before Shabbat)

Delicious, home-made and fast.

Now, about those chocolate cupcakes. My two-minute frosting recipe may just entice you back into the kitchen –

The Easiest (Dairy) Chocolate Frosting. Melt pieces of chocolate (use chocolate chips if you want, but I like high-quality chopped bittersweet chocolate) in the microwave, using low power. Whisk in low-fat sour cream until the mixture looks like frosting. Add a drop of vanilla extract. That's it! Frost your cupcakes and enjoy.

How to Eat

It's time to slow down and enjoy your food.

Not the passing satisfaction of "got-to-have-it-right-now" eating, but the genuine pleasure of a leisurely meal, the delight of fresh-baked bread, farm-fresh vegetables and (yes!) the first bite of a sumptuous dessert.

Of all people, we should know about sitting down to a good meal. We do it every Shabbat. Most of our holidays focus on eating.

When we learn to transfer that pleasurable eating behavior to our every-day working lives, we'll be in good shape. (At the same time, of course, we'll trim the menu and add more vegetables and whole grains to our meals.)

I know it's hard. We're running around, working too much, and trying to fit too much into too few hours. Relaxing while we eat just doesn't fit into our hectic lives.

But it's time we find a way to make it happen. Because eating in the car or in front of the computer or as we're running out of the house just doesn't work. Grabbing "something" usually means something that's not really good for you. And because you're in such a rush, you don't realize you're full until you've eaten way too much.

Find a way to eat at least one meal a day with your family. Make it a time to talk with one another. Let your children set the table, help prepare the food and help with the clean-up.

It's just you or you and your spouse? Make it a priority to eat at least one meal a day sitting down at a nicely set table. (Clear the clutter and move away from the computer or the TV!) Allow yourself enough time to take a break from your daily routine.

Even if you just have time for a sandwich (the most popular meal in America!), spend a few extra minutes on good quality ingredients. Make it the tastiest sandwich ever. Then sit down and enjoy it.

Slow down, relax and make leisurely eating a regular part of your life. You'll be another step closer to healthier, happier eating.

Next … Back to Cooking

Eating Well – What Works?

When was the last time you were on a diet? Was it calorie counting, low-fat, high-protein, low-carb or sugar-free? We've been through hundreds of "miraculous", "fat-burning" "quick and easy" diets.

But after all these years of dieting, we weigh even more. Obviously, focusing on what not to eat hasn't worked.

It's time to focus on the positive. On what we should eat. Wholesome, seasonal food like fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes.

Here's an interesting study: Researchers took a group of obese women. They taught them all how to eat less fat. Half the group was also taught how to eat more vegetables. What happened? They all ate less fat, but those who ate more vegetables lost 20% more weight.

The "dos" of good eating seem to make a much bigger impact than the "don'ts".

I don't write about diets and I don't calculate calories in my recipes. I don't think it will help you lose weight. Just like counting protein, carbohydrate and fat grams aren't likely to help you eat well.

Because the essence of healthy eating is not what you can't or shouldn't eat. It's not about restrictions. It's all about eating delicious, nutritious wholesome food.

Next… How to Eat

Another Summer Tart

Almond Fruit Tart (Dairy)

Almonds enrich this dough, so the amount of butter is minimal. And since the almond skins are brown, the whole-wheat flour fits in without even being noticed. Use juicy, summer fruit, like apricots, plums, nectarines or peaches.

½ cup whole almonds

¾ cup sugar

Dash salt

¾ cup whole-wheat pastry flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 egg

3 tablespoons (50 grams) unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Sliced fresh fruit (see suggestions above)

1 tablespoon demerara or other coarse sugar

9-10" (23 -25cm) tart pan with removable bottom

Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C)

Spray the tart pan with cooking spray.

Combine the almonds, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process until the mixture looks like fine crumbs. Add the flour and baking powder and pulse to mix.

Add the egg and butter and pulse until the dough just comes together around the blade. Press the dough into the bottom of the pan.

Arrange the sliced fruit in circular patterns on the dough, and press it in a little. Sprinkle the fruit with 1 tablespoon of sugar. (This brings out some of their juice and gives a nice finish to the tart.

Bake for about 45 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the fruit is soft.

Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove the rim and finish cooling. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 8-12

Picture Perfect Summer Fruit Tarts

These two tarts showcase seasonal summer fruits in very different ways. The first is a light sponge cake topped with fresh fruit. The second (coming in my next blog) features a crisp almond crust baked with juicy summer fruit. Try them both for rave revues!

Fresh Fruit Tart (Parve)

Bake a simple sponge cake in a specially-designed recessed pan. (* see note below) Then turn the cake upside down and fill it with sliced fresh fruit. Stunning!

¾ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 eggs

½ cup sugar

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 tablespoons water

4-5 cups fresh berries, cherries or sliced peaches, plums, nectarines, apricots or figs

Red currant jelly or strained apricot jam, for glazing

One 10-11" (25-27.5cm) round recessed pan (see note below)

Preheat the oven to 325 F (165C)

Spray the baking pan generously with cooking spray.

Whisk together the flour and baking powder and set aside.

Combine the eggs, sugar and lemon zest in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on high speed until thick, creamy and pale. (This may take up to 10 minutes.) Reduce the speed, add the water and continue to beat on high, until the mixture is foamy.

Stop the mixer, add the flour mixture and mix on low speed, just until blended.

Pour the batter into the well-sprayed baking pan and bake for 15-18 minutes, until the top of the cake feels springy to the touch. Cool the cake on a rack for 10 minutes. Carefully invert it onto a cake dish to cool completely. (You may need a small knife to loosen the cake from the scalloped edges of the pan.)

When the cake is completely cool, arrange the fruit in circular patterns, starting along the outside and working in. I like to arrange sliced fruit around the outside and berries in the middle.

Heat the jelly or jam just to thin it, and brush it over the fruit. It will give it a nice glaze and prevent it from discoloring.

* The pan is called a flan, shortcake or Mary Ann pan. You can find it on-line at www.cookswares.com Use a standard tart pan if you can't find one.

Serves 8-10

Coming Next... Almond Fruit Tart

Wine…drink a little, live longer?

Wine…drink a little, live longer?

Eating a Mediterranean diet is known to have a positive effect on heart health. It could also add years to your life.

Scientists have been trying to understand why. We're pretty sure it has to do with the total regime – lots of vegetables and fruits, nuts, whole grains, olive oil, small amounts of meat and a moderate amount of wine.

A recent Greek study tried to determine how each separate component of the diet contributed to a longer life.

Results showed that a moderate amount of wine with meals made the biggest contribution to lower mortality.

Eating a small amount of meat and a lot of vegetables had the next biggest influence.

Lots of fruits and nuts was next, followed by eating olive oil and legumes.

Eating a lot of grains and a small amount of dairy made a minimal contribution.

Fish consumption had an insignificant effect on longevity.

Before you reach for a bottle of wine, remember that this is just one study based on recall. It could just be that alcohol intake was easier to remember than vegetable intake. (How much wine did you drink last week? How many vegetables did you eat?)

Most important, it's still the cumulative effect of all of the components of the Mediterranean diet that made the biggest impact on health.

With so many wonderful kosher wines on the market, here's another reason to enjoy a small glass with dinner. But don't forget your vegetables!

Wine... sweet and dry. An Analogy

Here's an article I'd like to share with you from one of my favorite blogs,

Let My People Know http://essentialsteinsaltz.blogspot.com/

A Better Wine is Far More Difficult to Appreciate

"I have not found that accepting Judaism makes a life that is full of happiness and filled with sugar.

It is not like this.

It doesn't make, by definition, a more enjoyable life.

But it is a better life.

It is like drinking wine.

There are the sweet wines that even children appreciate.

They are very sweet.

They are possibly not wine, but they are sweet.

And red.

But a better wine is far more difficult to appreciate.

It is hard to teach about it.

You have to experience it to understand that it is not as sweet and not as red and not as cheap, but that it is still better.

It is something that one must educate himself about.

Good cooking is not always appreciated.

The better it is, the more you have to learn to appreciate it.

This is possibly true about every form of human achievement.

To appreciate something that is better needs an education.

It needs a certain amount of suffering.

But, when you get there, you understand it."

From Pebbles of Wisdom, by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz (forthcoming)