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