Paprika & Chili Oil
I don’t know whose idea it was to infuse oil with spices but it’s brilliant! We always had a jar of oil infused with paprikas in the fridge. All the Moroccan families did have one ready to use in the…
Nokedli (Hungarian Dumplings)
My husband is ¾ Hungarian and ¼ Polish. His mother didn’t cook Hungarian food but his grandmother, Shula, did. She was a good cook and excellent baker, if you didn’t bite into a coin that accidentally got into the batter.…
7 Plant-Based Mains For Cold Days
Here are our most favorite, plant-based main-dishes for puffy-coat weather or semi cold swather weather. They’ll keep you warm, cozy and nourished. Except for the slow-roasted eggplant, the rest of the dishes are kid friendly (well, my kids and their…
Peas, Shiitakes & Spinach Scramble
This is the kind of food that I eat on a daily basis, usually in the winter, when I feel that I’m coming down with something. I also avoid eating sugar and take extra vitamin C and D. It works…
Roasted Red Cabbage
Since winter arrived I’ve been mostly braising or roasting veggies for lunch and dinner. I don’t know why but I can’t think of any other cooking methods when I am cold. It isn’t as cold in LA as it is…
cabbage & turmeric fritters
They’re called fritters and they may look deep-fried, but they’re not. It’s the turmeric that gives them their beautiful color and earthy flavor. Curry powder works just as well. We enjoy them for lunch or a light dinner, with a…
Biscotti
If you could live anywhere in the world for one year, where would you live? I would live in a small village in Italy, where I would make friends with the local ladies, learn how to make pasta, explore the area,…
Sweet Potato & Butternut Squash Spread
When baking sweet potatoes, the high heat causes their moisture to evaporate, and leaves their skin caramelized like candy – which is delicious – but overly sweet for me, so I like to mix them with spicy, sour or nutty flavors to reduce the sweetness.
Hand-Crafted Chocolate Bars
I think my purpose in life is to make chocolate bars. I would love to make honest good dark chocolate bars for living. Just like those crafty bars Dick Taylor or Dandelion make. I’m salivating just thinking about pure, rich, bitter, mildly sweet chocolate. I prefer chocolate that is made with…
Mushroom & Lentil Soup
I adapted this recipe from Green Kitchen Stories blog. Their recipe call for Chanterelle mushrooms but (a) I didn’t have any and (b) the price here for one pound (half a kilo) chanterelles is $42. I’m sure it tastes divine but the the humble…
vegetable tagine with chermoula sauce
Chermoula is a marinade that North Africans use in their cooking. It is usually used to flavor fish or seafood, but it can be used with legume and vegetables. Very healthy. It’s strange, for someone who grew up in a Moroccan home, I…
Vegan & GF Chocolate Mousse
Really, Shelly? Avocado? Come on. Why not? Avocado is a fruit. In South America they eat avocado with sugar, so why can’t it work with chocolate? I knew it. I knew she wouldn’t approve this recipe. It doesn’t matter how…
Roasted sweet potato salad with tahini
The first time I had this salad was at a Thanksgiving dinner with our beautiful – literally beautiful – friends, Isabelle & Serge. The food that night was delicious but I was mostly attracted to this salad. I was charmed by the combination of sweet potatoes, their tenderness and the spicy,…
Chickpeas & Amaranth Tagine
There’s a traditional Moroccan fish recipe that my mother, and the rest of the Moroccan Jews around the world make every Friday for Shabbat dinner. I’ve never met anyone who grew up in a Moroccan home who doesn’t get nostalgic about…
Simple Cabbage & scallion frittatas
Yes, I am alive, and today, after six hectic months, I can finally say, “alive and well.” I survived the move from our two-bedroom-one bathroom townhouse to a three-bedroom- three bathrooms townhouse!. Two-and-a-half bath, technically. Now we each have our…
bread pudding – Dairy-Free
Bread pudding is like a cake. It’s not something I would eat for breakfast on a weekly or monthly basis. I only make it when I have leftover challah from Shabbat. Last Sunday my husband used a third of the…
Roasted Cauliflower with Smoked Paprika
It’s one of those dishes that never makes it to the dining table. As soon as it comes out of the oven, the boys start to nibble on it. It’s crunchy, slightly sweet, smokey and addictive.