Shabbat in 2 Hours Moroccan Meatballs

Now that Raizel is home, food is being eaten up more quickly.

This week she requested Moroccan Meatballs and Moroccan Chickpeas!

I haven’t made this often, so, it is also a bit of an experiment.

The recipe for the chickpeas and the meatballs were actually slightly different, but, since I am a time challenged cook, the recipes sort blurred together.

Ingredients 

Sauce 

1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes 

1 onion, chopped 

2 cloves of garlic 

1 tablespoon of cumin

1 tablespoon of paprika 

1 teaspoon of salt, coriander, turmeric 

1/2 teaspoon pepper 

1/8 teaspoon red hot pepper flakes 

Meatballs 

2 lbs. ground meat

1 egg

1/2 cup oatmeal 

2 cloves of garlic 

1 tablespoon of cumin

1 tablespoon of paprika 

1 teaspoon of salt, coriander

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Instructions 

Place  in crockpot the tomatoes, onion and spices. Mix together the ingredients for the meatballs and shape into desired size. Place meatballs on top of sauce. Cook on low. Adjust seasonings.

Here is the picture uncooked:

  

After a busy day running around, Raizel and I came home to fabulous meatballs! She ate up in 5 minutes.

Here is the picture:

  
Definitely a keeper!

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Mix and Match: Moroccan Lentil Tacos with Tachini

So, the Moroccan Lentils were a hit. 

For dinner tonight, Raizel had them with rice in a taco shell and techini sauce.

Raizel says, “awesome!”

She also asked me to take a picture of her holding a taco with techini sauce. 

  
Raizel loves this blog because she says now we are getting better food. 

Say it ain’t so…..

Moroccan Lentils

This recipe is also an experiment. 

Raizel just came home from camp so now I need to cook more!

Ingredients 

2 cups lentils 

3 cloves garlic crushed

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon paprika 

1 tablespoon salt (or less)

11/2 teaspoons ginger

1/2 teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons tomato paste

The recipe calls for fresh cilantro, which I do not have in the house right now. So, if I don’t buy any today, I will adjust the seasoning and try coriander and maybe use my Moroccan spice mix.

The recipe also called for an onion but my kids don’t like onions so I might add onion powder and see how it tastes too.

Instructions 

Place ingredients in crockpot, blend together and cook on low. I will adjust the seasoning when it is done.

This could probably be made in a pressure cooker but lentils can easily be overcooked when cooked by themselves in a pressure cooker.

Here is the picture 

  

Here is the finished product:

  

  
I have to apologize, I see now that there is a shadow over the finished product. It is too late now for natural lighting. 

For some reason I couldn’t get the taste quite right. I ended up adding some onion powder, coriander, cinnamon and turmeric in addition to more cumin, salt and pepper.

Cilantro would have been great, but, no time! 

Yaffa left for camp today and Raizel came home. Then, we went out for my sister-in-law’s birthday, and I took my car into the shop.

Raizel said, “it is delicious. I am glad it is just lentils and nothing else.”

DIY Kiddush: Pecan Blondies

DIY Kiddush: Pecan Blondies

One of my friends, Lydia, made this for the Kiddush, and they were a big hit. 

The recipe looks great, and is very easy. 

Lydia made one tiny adjustment which made it go from ordinary to chief d’oeuve (work of art).  

Instead of sprinkling 1/4 cup of chopped nuts on top, she arranged for a whole pecan to be centered in each cookie bar. So simple and yet so beautiful!

This recipe is on the package of Diamond Brand Pecans

Ingredients

1 cup flour

¾ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

5 tablespoons shortening or oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup chopped pecans: my friend used ¾ cup for the batter and then put 1 whole pecan for each square. According to recipe, you need 20 whole pecan pieces. Otherwise, sprinkle 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts on top before cooking.

Instructions

If using food processor, cream sugar, butter and vanilla. Blend dry ingredients until just blended. Stir in 3/4 cup of the pecans or nuts.

 Spread evenly in well-greased 8X8 square pan. 

 Evenly place whole pecan on top, so that when cooked, each blondie will have 1 whole pecan in the center of each piece. 

If not using whole pecans, sprinkle the rest of the nuts on top, before baking.

Bake in preheated 350*F oven for 30 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and top springs back when lightly touched in center. 

Cool in pan and cut into 20 bars.

I saved some and here is a picture of them:

  

Vegetarian Chili

Vegetarian Chili

After I wrote about wanting to make vegan veggie burgers, my husband vetoed the idea. I feel like Kermit the frog from Sesame Street: “it is not easy being green.”  

So, this morning was one of those mornings. Nothing to eat and nothing prepared.

I cooked broccoli in the microwave. This is one of my favorite ways to cook vegetables if needed in small batches. I cut the vegetables up relatively small and uniformed in size, add some water and cook it using the preset “cook vegetables” program on my microwave. 

They come out great and I have only one glass bowl and lid to wash.

Then, my husband requested vegetarian chili. I haven’t made it in years and I did not presoak the beans. So, this is an experiment.  

Prep time for both was about ½ hour.

Ingredients

1 onion chopped

1 pepper, chopped

2 14 oz. cans of diced tomatoes

1 6 oz. can of tomato paste

1 lbs. kidney beans (about 2 ½ cups)

I couldn’t find the chili powder so I improvised : 3 teaspoons paprika, 1 teaspoon cumin, 2 teaspoons oregano

1 tablespoon cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

5 cups water to cover, approximately

Fresh garlic crushed, and hot pepper flakes to taste.

Bulgur or cooked quinoa to thicken and give a “meatier” texture, near the end.

Instructions

Cut vegetables and place all ingredients in crockpot. Cook on low.

Adjust seasoning and add cooked quinoa or bulgur once cooked to absorb liquid and thicken to desired texture.

Here is the picture before cooked:

  

Here is the final product. It came out great! I added bulgar at the end to thicken it, but, my husband is not sure if he likes it. He recommends adding cilantro.

  

Vegan Veggie Burger Challenge

This week’s new culinary challenge is to make healthy vegan veggie burgers that are fast and easy, taste good, and have a good texture.  

I found this veggie burger recipe formula that I am going to try out.

http://www.nomeatathlete.com/veggie-burger-recipe/

I didn’t realize it, but apparently, “there is nothing new under the sun.”

It seems as though the perfect fast and easy vegan burger is a culinary path that many before me have already trudged.

So, I am going to experiment.

On va voir — we shall see…….

  

Fruit Jam Balsamic Chicken with Rice

This recipe is great! It’s a festive one pot meal that looks beautiful and my girls love it. 

I have adapted the original recipe below to include Feingold diet adjustments.

Ingredients 

1 cup mixed rice. I use Lunderberg’s

1 1/2 cups broth or water

1/4 dried fruit– I’ve used dates, figs or mango, which are Feingold friendly, but original recipe called for dried cherries

3 tablespoons slivered almonds, but I have also used walnuts or sunflower seeds

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper and garlic 

1/4 cup jam — original recipe called for cherry jam, but I use mango, fig or apricot or even raspberry.

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 

Instructions 

Place rice, broth, dried fruit, nuts, and a pinch of salt in pan.

Mix jam, vinegar and salt and pepper.

Place chicken on top. Sprinkle spices on chicken and add half of the glaze.

Roast in 425*F oven until juices run clear and liquid is absorbed. 

Add the rest of the glaze a half hour before done. To save time I have also skipped this step and put the glaze on all at once.

Simple and easy.

Spelt Flour Bread Machine Challah

I make this recipe often. For a long time, Raizel was not able to eat wheat.

Ingredients 

1 1/2 cups rice milk 

2 tablespoons white sugar 

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon salt 

4 cups spelt flour

2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

Instructions 

Place ingredients in bread machine in the order for your particular model.

For mine, I put liquids in first and then the dry ingredients.

I set it to the dough cycle and then braid the dough into loaves.

Brush the loaves with an egg.

Bake in 350*F or 375*F until done.

Chocolate Cake

This recipe calls for no eggs, and it works with spelt flour too, so it can be wheat free and vegan too.

Ingredients 

1 1/2 cups flour 

1 cup sugar 

1/3 cup cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons oil

1 tablespoon vinegar 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup cold water 

Instructions 

Using a food processor, blend dry ingredients together. Add remaining ingredients and process until just blended.

Bake in greased 8×8 pan in a 350*F oven for 30 minutes or until done.

This recipe is fast and easy and can easily be made in a bowl.

Perfect for baking with children.

Also can use for trifle recipe that was just posted.

Enjoy!

DIY Kiddush: Black Forest Triffle

Black Forest Trifle 

This is one of those fancy desserts that make any special occasion even more festive.

 

It is great for using up leftover cake and fairly fast to assemble.

 

If you are using a non-dairy whip, it can be made in advance, which is great for the time challenged.

 

However, real whipping cream tastes much better and has less chemicals.  

 

To make gluten free, use gluten free cake or brownies. To make egg-free, I use an egg free chocolate cake recipe, that I also make with spelt flour, so that although not gluten free, it is wheat free.

Ingredients:

1 9″x13″ chocolate cake

1 container of Rich’s Whip topping, whipped

1 can of cherry pie filling. I buy one without additives or chemicals or dyes.

Chocolate or cherry liqueur or any brandy. I have also just used ¼ cup coffee, or liquid with 1 teaspoon of sugar if no liqueur available.

Chocolate curls or chocolate chips for decoration.

Traditionally, this can also be garnished with maraschino cherries, but again, they usually have dyes and chemicals, which are not Feingold diet friendly.

Instructions

Presentation is everything with this dessert. Cut up cake into a trifle bowl (tall, not too wide). Sprinkle or douse with liqueur, to suit your taste. (I have skipped this step, and it still came out good. I have also just used ¼ cup coffee, or liquid with 1 teaspoon of sugar if no liqueur available.)

Layer cherry pie filling. Layer whipped cream. Repeat.

Garnish as desired with chocolate curls, chocolate chips or maraschino cherries.

All-Natural Alternative to canned pie filling:

1 jar of pitted sour cherries

1 to 2 Tablespoons of corn, potato or tapioca starch

Instructions:

Take 1 jar of pitted sour cherries. Drain the liquid and heat with 1 to 2 Tablespoons of corn, potato or tapioca starch. Stir until thickened. Add cherries to thickened liquid.

Although this is more time consuming, it is healthier and has no dyes, additives, or preservatives.

Bon Appetite!