creative jewish mom

Lacto-Fermented Pickled Vegetables Are Healthy And Delicious!

Fermented foods like pickled vegetables, sourdough bread, kombucha tea, kefir and yogurt, to name a few, are all great ways to eat healthy pro-biotic foods in order to colonize your gut with good things. One of the interesting and really important things that I learned towards the end of 2016 is what a major role intestinal health plays in our overall health, and how oblivious traditional medicine is to this idea. If you or your loved ones are unfortunately dealing with health issues I highly highly recommend looking into the field of Functional Medicine that addresses the role that food plays regarding illness.

That said, it turns out that my family really has not been eating enough pro-biotic foods, as we are not big yogurt eaters, so I have decides to change this by providing an ongoing source of good bacteria via lacto fermented vegetables. And I have to say, everyone is really happy about this, well except for my husband who for some reason doesn't love the taste of my recent experiments, but I'm going to work on that one!

Pickling vegetables via lacto-fermentation is simple and really so much fun, keep reading for all you need to know, and pat yourself on the back for all those jars filled with lovely pickling veggies!

Moroccan Matbucha Cooked Tomato Salad

Matbucha, said with a gutteral "ch" is a cooked tomato relish, that is cooked for many hours over a low flame, and whose recipe differs greatly depending on whom you ask!  Here in Israel it is called a "salad" and is a universal dish eaten with challah at the shabbat table, together with an array of other salads (many other salads if you are Moroccan) that precede the fish course on Friday night.

Since matbucha is actually of Moroccan origin, I'm going to go out on a limb and tell you that the recipe I use is the real thing, and truly the most delicious. My recipe didn't actually come from my husband's family but rather from a Moroccan woman who told me "this is the real way" and after trying it myself and making it for many years, I have to agree. The only thing at all difficult about this salad is that you need to cook it for quite a few hours, and to watch the pot, but I was thinking that it could certainly be made in crock pot for those of you who dare!

This salad is so popular in our family, that if it were absent from the shabbat table I can almost be certain that there would be actual crying, Between you and me, I would miss it too so I'm planning on testing my theory!

Moroccan Semolina Soup Is Simple And Perfect For Fall!

My husband at long last introduced us all to the beloved soup his grandmother used to make for the family on winter mornings, it is called shmeed in the Jewish Moroccan language, but we'll just call it semolina soup, or rather semolina porridge if you'd like to eat it for breakfast!

This dish is simple and quick to prepare and very filling, as it turns out that semolina has a lot more carbohydrates in it than wheat flour. My kids love this soup, and it also great for cold weather, as my husband has fond memories of going to school in the morning with a face that turned red from eating this hot meal.

The thing I still have not been able to figure out is if there is a "whole" version of the yellow semolina made from durham wheat that we use, or whether there is no such thing?

Ingredients:

Makes about 8 servings. You can certainly halve the recipe. Don't be tempted to make a big batch,  because the leftovers get very clumpy unless you make sure to add more water before storing in the fridge.

• 12 cups water
• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro (or less if you don't love cilantro)
• 10 cloves garlic
• 1/3 cup olive oil (I just made this soup without the oil by accident, and truthfully you can omit it, but you'll need to add another 1/2 cup or so of semolina, the oil somehow makes the soup thicker....)
• 1 1/2 cups semolina
• 1/2  tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp salt plus more to your liking

Preparation:

• bring water to a boil with everything except semolina
• reduce temp and gradually stir in semolina. cover and cook for 10 minutes

That is it, enjoy! To make this a wonderful evening meal, serve with some crusty bread, some delicious olives, a platter of vegetables and hummous, and maybe some baked sweet potatoes, or sweet potato oven baked fries. Something like red peppers stuffed with rice or rice + meat would also be a great accompaniement.

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Whole Wheat Pita Pockets Make The Perfect Succah Meal!

It has been quite some time since I've made some delicious whole wheat pita bread for my family, and so these pita pockets were especially enjoyed by all yesterday for brunch in the succah. I served the pita bread with an assortment of cheeses, and especially feta cheese to enjoy with the Israeli salad, and of course chummous, green olives and scrambled eggs with garlic.

If you live in Israel, or will be visiting soon and live in a country with 220V, I highly recommend purchasing the kind of pita pot that I use, namely electric coil on top, pan to be placed on the gas for the bottom portion. These pots are generally aluminum and made in Israel, and as far as I know, one of the few things that one actually can't find in the United States!

But not to worry, pita pot, or not, one can certainly bake pita bread in the oven, just check out the comments and my notes in my post from several years back, delicious home baked pita. Oh, and by the way, the recipe calls for 2 kilos, but one can certainly make half that amount, which is what I did!

Have a wonderful succot holiday!

Hot Pepper Relish: Fresh And Delicious (Very Hot Or Not!)

Many of the cuisines from countries in the Middle East and Mediterranean include spicy food, so it is no surprise that here in Israel, schoog, or hot pepper relish, is a staple amongst those with Sephardic or Yemenite heritage. My husband's family hails from Morocco, so I have also learned to prepare hot peppers to his liking, and as my children have grown older, I have also started to make some or our favorite Moroccan dishes just a bit on the spicy side.

This hot pepper relish is a great way to become familiar with the delicious side of something that uses hot peppers, and you can choose to make it fairly mild or very hot, you decide! My kids love it, and now no shabbos table is complete without this tasty relish, which is especially delicious when eaten with techina and or course a nice selection of Moroccan salads.

You'll Need:

• 1 cup chopped fresh coriander
• 1 head of garlic- peel the cloves
• 1 cup chopped hot green peppers, for a hot relish, for a milder relish go with 1/2 cup
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp salt

Preparation:

In a food processor, chop the garlic, and then add the coriander and the olive oil. Stir if necessary to that coriander gets chopped. Add the hot peppers and the salt and continue to pulse until a not too watery yet finely chopped consistency is reached. You can always a some more olive oil if needed.

That is it, enjoy! Oh, and yes this does not make a huge quantity, I usually make a batch at least twice this big, but for starters keep these amounts to try out this new taste.

Mini Kugel Platter Is Perfect For Receiving Guests!

Last week a neighbor's son got engaged, so I had to send a little congratulatory something over to her house on Friday.....but what? At first I was going to send a challah, but then I realized that with all the excitement going on, it is better to send food that can actually be eaten by hungry family members on the spot. And so this mini kugel platter was born. The salads and egg were actually an after thought, but really pulled the whole thing together and I felt like quite the balabusta! And to make the story even better, it turns out that my friend has some guests in her home and she was wondering around the kitchen trying to figure out what she could serve them when my platter arrived!

The other great thing about this platter is that you can put it together ahead of time and have it ready to serve when guests arrive!

 

You'll Need:

• mini kugels made in a muffin tin using my vegetable kugel recipe
• hard boiled eggs
• chopped olive salad, or the salad of your choice, recipe coming soon
• jullianed kohlrabi/carrot/red pepper salad, dressed with vinegar salt and pepper
  
  

Will fill in more details on Sunday, gotta run the last shabbat of the year is coming!

Homemade Hummous Is Delicious!

Last week I at long last made homemade hummous, instead of buying it, and while of course it does take more effort to make it yourself than grab it off the shelf, the effort is well worth it— it's downright delicious and so very healthy! Serve it with some roasted pine nuts and arranged on a plate with some cooked chick peas that you've set aside, and it is also a work of art!

Hummous is a staple of the middle eastern diet, and eaten not just as a spread but also as a main dish, with a sliced hard boiled egg, and maybe even some cooked fava beans. Lttle hole in the wall hummous restuarants that serve only hummous, namely hot and as single portions are sort of the American version of the traditional hot dog stand. A few weeks ago, we happened to visit such an establishment in a little town called Yokneam, and the hummous was so delicious, I was inspired to get my act together and put something on the our table that I know is additive free and truly fresh!

Homemade Hummous With Tehina (Double The Recipe, At Least!)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried chickpeas (equals 2 cups canned or cooked)
• 1 cup prepared techine
• 1/4 cup lemon juice, or to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, or to taste
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin, or to taste

For serving: olive oil, toasted pine nuts, dash of paprika or zaatar (sumac), fresh chopped parsley or cilantro

Preparation:

1. Soak chickpeas overnight in cold water mixed with about 2 tsp baking soda.
2. Drain and rinse chickpeas and place in pot covered with water. Bring to a boil and simmer partially covered until chickpeas are soft, roughly 1 hour. Set aside 1/4 cup of the cooked chickpeas for garnish.
3. In a food processor, process the rest of the ingredients, adding water if necessary to arrive at a thick yet creamy consistency.

Note: I use the food processor to prepare a large amount of techina, I pour out the techina, and then, without having to wash anything, I make the hummous in the same container, adding back in whatever quantity of techina is necessary for the recipe. Does save some time and water!

Note #2: Prepared techina is made by stirring together equal amounts of water and techina, adding lemon juice (or vinegar) and crushed garlic to taste. It should not be too runny. A food processor is a great way to prepare techina, as mixing it by hand can be a little difficult if techina has caked within the container.

To Serve: Transfer hummous to flat plate, and with the back of a spoon make an indentation in the center. Pour olive oil into this indentation, add cooked hummoun beans around the perimeter and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts, and/or the spices mentioned above.

Serve with crackers, pita bread and fresh vegetables. Will keep in the fridge, and would be a great thing to give kids for lunch! 

Healthier Potato Kugel With Vegetables

Ready to use your creativity in the kitchen to help your family eat more healthfully? Lets start with potato kugel, something I've started making on Fridays, instead of my Moroccan chickpeas, as part of a lunch that generally includes a sampling of shabbat salads, or a plate of fresh vegetables.

Potato kugel is a staple in many ashkenazic Jewish homes, often prepared in large quantities to serve as a snack Friday afternoon, and then later served on Shabbat either with the meal on Friday night, or with the cholent on Saturday, or both! Potato kugel is one of those comfort foods that many people grow up with and can't get enough of, and while filling and great piping hot, it isn't exactly the healthiest thing on earth on account of lots of white potatoes, oil and white bread crumbs or matzo meal. But guess what, potato kugel can still be quite delicious, and in my opinion even more delicious when a medley of vegetables are used, the quantity of oil is cut down, and one uses quick cooking oatmeal instead of bread crumbs!

And in fact, dear readers, I do believe that kugel is a great place to hide introduce a number of vegetables that kids might not ordinarily eat, but are certainly part of a healthy diet. My plan is to slowly increase the percentage of other vegetables over time, such that I arrive at a potato kugel that is really mostly other vegetables with just a 1/3 or 1/4 of actual potatoes. And that certainly can be done if one uses vegetables that look like potato once peeled and grated, such as zucchini, turnip, and kohlrabi. In the mean time, my kids do expect to see specks of orange in kugel, and think nothing of it, so as of this week, the plan is still working as the kugel was delicious, and devoured!

Ingredients:

• 3-4 large potatoes, peeled
• 2 large zucchini, peeled if there may be an aversion to it, shhhh!
• 2 large carrots
• 1 large onion
• 7 eggs
• 1/2 cup (or less) olive oil
• 2/3 cup quick cooking oatmeal
• 1 tblsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• sesame seeds to sprinkle on top

Serves: 4-6 as a main dish and 8-10 as a side dish.

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 180C (350F), grate all the vegetables, add eggs, oatmeal, oil, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. Pour into a 11"x13" baking dish, sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake for roughly one hour or until very brown on top. Some prefer their kugel a little on the runny side inside, which is really the more traditionalt texture, though if you prefer a firmer inside, you may need to cover the kugel with foil and bake longer.

That's it, have fun experimenting, and enjoy this kugel piping hot right out of the oven for a fabulous winter snack!

Cooking With Fennel

Engraving source here, photo source here.

Are you familiar with fennel? It's a very popular root vegetable here in the Mediterranean and Middle East, and for good reason! And my friends, right now is fennel season, which means that not only is fennel quite inexpensive, it's at it's best! 

I am enjoying fennel everyday as I just can't resist. We love it raw as a simply delicious salad, and it's great with my Moroccan yellow chicken recipe. The other night I tried it with some ground chicken pot-cooked patties, and it was perfect. You can also roast it Italian style, or even use it in white bean soups. While I think the taste is quite mild, there are those who prefer it cooked and milder. However you choose, think about including some fennel in your menu planning!

Note: Cut off the stalks and generally the outer layer is removed to reveal the more tender inside. Any small leafy green areas should also be removed as they may contain bugs. 

 

Baking Delicious Challah Without Eggs

Challah is one of those things that connects many Jewish families to their Jewish roots, and when it's home baked it's even more special. So while many think they just don't have the time, I can tell you, it's worth the extra effort and once you get the hang of it you'll want to fit it into your busy schedule. (Plus you can always bake it anytime and freeze it— loaves frozen just after cooling taste just as delicious!) And you can ask my family, and they'll tell you.....the smell of challahs baking on Fridays in our home is a family tradition they wouldn't give up easily, nor would they want to forfeit the actual eating of those challahs at our Shabbat meals on Friday night and Saturday morning.

Up to now, I have shared with you most of my tried and true recipes, and at long last, I'm happy to say, I've finally found a moment to share my favorite challah recipe with you, as well as a few important tips.

I should start by saying, that while my challahs were always good, my husband wasn't 100% happy. So I suggested that if he were to buy me a copy of Tamar Ansh's book A Taste of Challah, that maybe I'd find a recipe in there that would suit him. And sure enough Tamar's basic egg-free challah was amazing the very first time I tried it, and I've been using the same recipe (with a few minor adjustments) for about four years. When I suggest to my family that I may change the recipe (namely to make a more healthful whole wheat version), there are some sad faces in the crowd. So, since this is the only white bread that we eat all week, I'm going to stick with this recipe for now, and continue making whole wheat pitas for myself!

Always Perfect No-Egg Challah: basic white flour challah dough

• 16-17 cups freshly sifted white flour (I use 2 kilos)
• 4 3/5- 5 cups warm water
• 1 1/3 - 1 1/2 cups sugar (I use 1 cup sugar and it is plenty sweet!)
• 75 grams fresh yeast or 3 T dry yeast granules
• 1 cup canola oil
• 1 T salt

Directions:

This is how I've been making challah for years, it is similar to Tamar's technique in A Taste Of Challah, and I highly recommend her book for lots more tips and great recipes.

1. If you live in Israel, sift your flour to make sure it is bug free. You can always pre-sift the flour and store it in the freezer until you need it.
2. In a medium sized bowl, combine the yeast, a tablespoon or two of sugar and about half a cup of warm water (part of the total amount of water) mix, and set aside. This insures that the yeast is actually working and that it doesn't come in contact with salt which can limit its ability.
3. I use a mixer which can handle 2 kilos of flour, so I add the liquids first and then the solids. If you'll be mixing and kneading the dough by hand you add the liquids to the solids in a large bowl, and once you have something that looks like dough, you knead it on your clean counter top.
4. So it goes like this— I place in my mixer bowl the oil, the water the salt and the sugar, and to this I add approx one kilo of flour. After this is mixed, I check to make sure my yeast is bubbling and I add this as well, followed by the second kilo of flour. I let my mixer do the kneading for about 10 minutes.
5. Once I have dough that is a nice consistency, neither too dry or too sticky, I take the whole amount and place it in a large garbage bag, usually the same one into which I've sifted my flour. Some people like to place a little oil on the outside of their ball of dough, but I don't. I just seal the garbage bag tightly and place it in a warm place on my counter.
6. The dough will take at least an hour to rise, and very often you'll find that the garbage bag blows up into a large balloon! If you don't get a balloon just poke the bag to make sure that the dough is very soft.
7. Remove the dough from the bag, punch it down, and if you'd like to make the special blessing for baking challah, remove a large egg-sized portion and make the blessing. (You can find that info on google in many places.)
8. Using a rolling pin, roll the entire portion of dough out into a large pizza like shape, making sure to pop any bubbles you may see in the dough. Then depending on how you'll form your loaves, and how many loaves or rolls you'll be baking cut this pizza shape into strips.
9. Form the strips into balls, and leave on the counter to rest for about 10 minutes.
10. Roll those balls out into long snakes for braiding and braid. Most braided loaves look the nicest if you tuck the ends under. For the nicest braided loaves try to make snakes that are fatter in the middle. (tutorial for this in the future!)
11. Pre-heat your oven, in my case to 180C. Many people like to bake challahs on a higher temp. like say 200 C for ten minutes and then they turn the oven down for the remaining baking time.
12. Set loaves on your baking paper lined oven racks, or in loaf pans, and set aside until loaves have risen and look like the photo above. (Note, I am very fortunate to have a 90 cm oven, so I can bake all my challahs at one time on one rack.) This may take up to an hour or more, but you don't want to leave them too long or your braids will break apart.
13. Just before placing in the oven brush on egg white (truthfully I use the whole egg, but most don't.) and sprinkle on the topping of your choice, in our case poppy seeds.
14. Bake until nicely browned, and bottoms are hard. I use a convection setting on my oven and baking time is only about 30 minutes, but on a regular setting baking may take up to an hour for large loaves. Rolls of course take much less time, so be sure to watch them!
15. Set aside your loaves to cool, and enjoy! And if you have any questions, drop me a line at [email protected]