Citrus Compote (Parve)

Now that our kumquat tree is loaded with ripe fruit, I've been making this compote a lot. It makes a lovely Shabbat dessert. The recipe is very flexible – use red grapefruit, blood oranges, pomelos or whatever citrus is available. I often use just oranges and tangerines. Add a dash of orange-flavored liqueur or orange extract to the syrup if you'd like. You can even skip the kumquats. (Recipe adapted from Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone)

8-12 fresh kumquats

½ cup orange juice

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon orange zest (preferably organic)

8-10 pieces assorted citrus fruit

Slice the kumquats, remove any seeds and set aside. Bring the orange juice and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the kumquats and orange zest to the syrup and simmer for 10 minutes. Set aside.

Peel and seed the citrus fruit, removing as much of the white pith as possible. Slice the fruit into rounds or smaller pieces, depending on the size of the fruit and your preference. Save all of the juice and put it into a bowl with the cut up fruit. Pour the syrup over the fruit and mix well. Refrigerate until cold.

Tu B'Shvat - Enjoying the Seven Species

Tu B'Shvat marks the beginning of a new growing season here in Israel. It's traditional to celebrate by eating from the seven species. What a perfect time to explore these delicious and nutritious grains, fruit and oil from the Tanach.

"[A] Land of wheat, barley, grape, fig and pomegranate; a Land of olive oil and date honey." (Devarim 8:8)

Wheat

Choose whole grain wheat for the most in vitamins, minerals and valuable fiber. Bulgur and cracked wheat cook in no time at all. Whole-wheat pasta served with a tomato-vegetable sauce makes an easy mid-week meal. Give a boost to your cookies, muffins and breads by using whole-wheat flour instead of white.

Barley

The soluble fiber in barley can lower "bad" cholesterol and stable blood sugar levels. It's also rich in selenium and fiber. Cook it as a side dish, use it as a stuffing for vegetables and add it to soups.

Grapes

Red or purple grapes and grape juice are full of healthy antioxidants like flavanoids and resveratrol that may play a role in heart health. Fresh grapes make a delicious snack and a colorful addition to fruit salads. If orange juice is your breakfast stand-by, try grape juice instead for a refreshing and treat.

Figs

Even the Rambam knew about the therapeutic value of figs. They're 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. Fig season is short, so when the season is over, enjoy them dried as snacks, poached or in cooking and baking.

Pomegranate

Pomegranate juice has one of the highest concentrations of antioxidants – health promoting compounds that may play a role in reducing the risks of heart disease and certain cancers. Be sure to buy unsweetened juice. Pour a little into a glass and top it with sparkling water – beats soft drinks any day!

Olive Oil

Extra-virgin olive oil is high in antioxidants and heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. Use it to dress grain, pasta, vegetable and green salads. Sauté chicken, fish and eggs in it and dip your bread in it. Check out my recipes for Olive Oil Cake and Olive Oil Brownies. Yummy!

Date Honey

The honey mentioned in the Tanach was most likely made from dates (called silan in Hebrew). It's a thick sweet syrup – the essence of dates. Use it as a substitute for molasses or honey, in baking and cooking. Dates are high in fiber and potassium. They make a great snack or last minute dessert when stuffed with walnuts or almonds.

Cauliflower – Vegetable, Pasta Sauce or Soup (Parve)

I like cauliflower. Not just because it's one of those good-for-you cruciferous vegetables that dietitians rave about. I find it visually attractive, tasty and very versatile. If you need convincing, here's an easy and delicious recipe.

Use half a cup of broth and serve as a vegetable. More broth turns it into pasta sauce. Add the full amount and you have soup. Serve with a sprinkling of grated parmesan or pecorino cheese, if you'd like.

By the way, this technique works well with broccoli too.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, cut in half and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic

1 medium head cauliflower, separated into small florets

½ to 4 cups vegetable broth (homemade is best; find out how)

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large sauté or saucepan. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it's soft and beginning to brown. Add the garlic and cauliflower and cook, stirring, until the cauliflower begins to soften. This should take between 5 and 10 minutes.

Add the vegetable broth, salt and pepper. (See instructions above for the amount of broth to use.) Bring to a simmer and cook just until the cauliflower is just tender. Don't let it get mushy!

Fruit and Vegetables – The Frozen Option

Mid-winter produce can start looking a little sad right now. Hopefully you still have a decent selection of winter squash, cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage) and greens like chard and kale. Most of us can count on potatoes and carrots all year round.

As for fruit – apples, pears, bananas and citrus are usually available in the winter. In Israel we have local kiwi, persimmons and strawberries now as well.

I'm not a big fan of "long-distance" produce – fruits and vegetables grown thousands of miles away and flown in to satisfy our urge for raspberries in January. You see them here occasionally as well. Last week my green grocer had pineapples from Costa Rica and apples from the US. Thanks, but I'll stick with what's grown locally.

During the winter, think frozen – for a change of pace and when fresh are not in season.

Frozen fruit and vegetables are minimally processed. They're blanched first (immersed in a boiling water bath) to destroy enzymes that would otherwise effect their color, flavor and texture. Next they get a quick freeze. Most are flash-frozen soon after being picked, assuring that nutrients remain intact.

There's always a bag of frozen baby peas and artichoke hearts in our freezer. I've never been successful with broccoli, cauliflower or brussel sprouts, but corn and green beans are winners.

You can buy frozen mixed vegetables too (not just peas and carrots!) – good for soup, casseroles and side dishes. Look for vegetables with no added salt or fat.

Don't forget frozen fruit. For a special winter treat, add frozen blueberries or raspberries to your favorite muffin recipe. Perk up a winter apple or pear crisp with frozen cherries or berries.

Frozen fruit and vegetables are great convenience foods. Just cook in a little boiling water or in the microwave, and serve. Delicious, nutritious, easy and fast!

Sound Healthy? Think Again

Just because a food sounds healthy, doesn't mean it really is. Here are some products that can be misleading:

Multi-grain Bread

If it's really high in whole-grains, the first ingredient listed on the label will be whole-wheat flour. Many healthy sounding breads and crackers are made primarily of refined white flour, with some whole grains thrown in for flavor, color and crunch.

Energy Bars

Check the label of your favorite snack bar for calories, sugar and fat. Some energy bars have over 300 calories each. That's high energy, all right, but closer to a whole meal than a snack.

Fat-Free or Low-Fat Foods

Fat's not the whole story. Total calories, sugar, sodium and other ingredients count too. Read the ingredient label, not just the bold print, before deciding to buy a reduced-fat product.

Muffins

Bran, oatmeal and blueberry muffins sound pretty healthy. But there's more to a muffin than might meet the eye. Like sugar, fat and total size. Today's store-bought muffins are often huge, with enough calories to qualify for a whole meal. Check the ingredients before you bite in. And consider cutting your muffin in half – half for now and the other half for tomorrow.

Sports Drinks

If you're running a marathon, you may want a sports drink to replenish calories and electrolytes (like sodium and potassium) that are lost during strenuous exercise. But if your exercise is more casual or you're looking for a beverage to quench your thirst, tap water is the healthiest and least expensive choice.

Don't be fooled by healthy sounding names and seductive labels. Read the ingredient list and ask questions. Then decide for yourself if it's really good for you.