Review

Who is Stella? A remarkable woman from across the world who recently published the most stunning coffee table cookbook with tasty recipes and fascinating stories titled, Stella’s Sephardic Table.   I asked Stella a few questions to help you understand what kind of book this is and she eagerly shared a few of her favorite recipes with us too.

I was fascinated by your rich history that you shared in the book, can you give our readers a quick little teaser of where you come from and why you wrote this book?

I grew up in Southern Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, a world away from Rhodes Island, Greece and Turkey – the birthplaces of my parents. From an early age I was immersed and deeply drawn to the soulful cuisine and enduring culture of the Jews of Rhodes – the Rhodeslis.

I was further inspired by the tales of my great grandfather, Yaacov Capouya, a Rabbi of Rhodes. Watching my mother cook I became fascinated by her Ottoman Sephardic prowess. I was also prompted by the successful multiple reprints of a concise cookbook I co-authored – “Sephardi Cuisine”, published by our Community in Zimbabwe.

In the 1980s my children Claude and Monique Levy left Zimbabwe to further their studies in the US, where they still live and are blessed with children. On my frequent visits they urged me to document and update our Rhodesli family recipes more fully and include our customs that are slowly vanishing.

My intention in writing this book was to dedicate it as a tribute to the Jewish women of Rhodes who were exterminated by the Nazi genocide in 1944.

When did you first learn to cook?

Ironically it was only as a newlywed that I frantically learned to cook. Until then I had been pursuing a career in economics!

What is your earliest cooking memory?

My earliest cooking memory was as a young child, sharing mealtimes with three generations of extended family and often friends. As my sister and I entered our house back from school, enticing aromas of our Ottoman Sephardic cuisine permeated with smells of a simmering lentil stew or fragrant cumin from sizzling kebabs being char grilled. The heady scent of rosewater wafting from a sublime rice pudding bubbling on the stove would also often greet us. These familiar smells could have been from the kitchen of my ancestors from the old city of Rhodes. It was however, that of my home set in tropical Africa.

Meatballs Poached in a Fresh Tomato Sauce

What is your favorite recipe? Will you share it with us?

It is impossible to have one favourite recipe from such a culinary wealth that dates back from Medieval Spain and that of the Levant. A family favourite, loved by my 86-year old mother right down to her great grandchildren, is meatballs poached in a fresh tomato sauce. This makes a wonderful dish for a casual family gathering, served with a Spanish fried rice pilaf and a green salad.

Turnovers with Vegetable Filling

What do you feel is the most important recipe for it’s historical significance? Will you share it?

From a historical significance the scrumptious array of savoury pastries that hark back to Medieval Spain showcase an important section of our home cooking. In particular are the crispy turnovers, called bourekas. These enticing pies are made with a cheese pastry encasing a variety of delectable vegetable fillings evolved from the empanadas of the Spanish Moors. In the 15th Century the Jewish Iberian exiles blended this pie with the Turkish borek to create the popular and acclaimed bourekas, now found throughout the Middle East and Israel. Of all the savoury pie
making they are the quickest and easiest to prepare.

Fried Marinated Fish

For someone new to Sephardic cooking, what is a good dish to start with? 

The pea stew, eggs poached with tomatoes, or fried marinated fish may be good Sephardic dishes to begin with.

Here is a recipe of pan fried fish fillets marinated in a lemon, garlic and fresh herb sauce which is an easy dish that can be made hours or even a day ahead. Chill in the fridge to allow the flavours to meld and return to room temperature before serving. I like to prepare this on a Friday ready to be served for the Saturday Sabbath lunch with a potato salad.

Thank you so much to Stella for sharing this amazing story and cookbook with all of us.  I know we will all enjoy this sampling of recipes, but to really get the full experience, I recommend buying the book -Stella’s Sephardic Talbe.

Fried Marinated Fish

Turnovers with Vegetable Filling

Meatballs Poached in Tomato Sauce

****Now is your chance to win a copy!!!  I still recommend buying it, because it makes a fantastic gift.  Let us know what Sephardic recipe you are interested in trying in the comments below and enter with all the options here with rafflecopter with many chances to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cook and food writer, Ruth Joseph, and former food editor of the Jewish Chronicle, Simon Round came together to bring us a compendium of Jewish recipes in the new cookbook, Traditional Jewish Cooking.  This book takes you on a culinary journey, from the warm climates of Africa and the Middle East to the cooler temperatures of Europe and North America.  This book covers all the bases with Ashkenazi and Sephardi classics you will definitely want to add to your repertoire.  Don’t miss the savory vegetable noodle kugel, just in time for Shavuot.

What motivated you to write this book?

I was motivated to write this book as I had have always had a passion for good kosher recipes that work and I had amassed numerous lovely ancient recipes, some written on old envelopes that my late mother and mother-in law passed onto me.

Plus I had devised my own solutions with a goal to make the recipes as light and healthy as possible. And once I had worked these out perfectly I wanted to share them with like-minded Jewish foodie people.

I asked Simon to test the meaty recipes as I no longer cook meat in my home. Some of the recipes were mine from my own home but it wouldn’t have been fair to give recipes that were not tested to check whether they work.

How did you decide which recipes to include in this book?

It was hugely difficult to leave recipes out and I had a trying day with my lovely editor culling 30 recipes which had to be omitted because of space issues.

Most traditional Jewish recipe books are either Ashkenazi or Sephardi, how were you able to become an expert on both cuisines?

I am an expert on Ashkenazi and Sephardi cooking as I am an Ashkenazi Jewish person myself – my family name is Carlebach and I am extremely proud of my Ashkenazi heritage. But I married a Sephardi man whose family originated from Palestine and before that Spain and so I developed a fascination for Sephardi cooking. I went to Morocco and met some wonderful cooks who helped me in my quest and I loved the
lightness of their cookery with oil rather than schmaltz, plus the generous quantities of herbs, spices, fruits and vegetables in their foods.

How and when did you learn to cook?

I learned as a child at my late mother’s side. I was maybe three when she set me down with a little ball of pastry and I tasted and smelt the magic of a dough dusted with sugar and baked until golden. She was a generous cook and adored entertaining when she was well and I learned how to make and how to arrange food to make it look appetzing. I owe her a great deal. Sadly as she became more poorly I became the full-time cook and carer but I learned to make everything for a kosher home and truly although it was tough I was given a huge grounding in cookery, using left-overs for example in knishes and kreplach and I’ll always remember how talented she was in the kitchen.

Plava Recipe

What is your favorite recipe from this book? Please share it with us?

My favourite recipe from the book – goodness how to I chose one child over all the others?

Perhaps it’s the Plava because it was such a huge success – moist, tender and sweet tart with lemon.  When it finally emerged and when we photographed the final version it included my homemade lemon curd and a sprig of lemon tree flower from my husband’s green house.

Sephardi Spiced Fish

Also, the Sephardi Hot Spiced Fish which I often serve to friends as they adore the flavouring and I can prepare it a day in advance. I learned that recipe in Fez in a tiny warm kitchen with a lovely lady who chopped onions into her hands instead of a chopping board!!! And I’m hugely proud of the recipe.

Which recipe is the most important for historical or traditional reasons?

On consideration for both historical and traditional reasons it has to be Judith’s Black and White Cake.  It was always baked in a special bundt tin that she, my late mother Judith Carlebach carried out of Germany at the age of 12 when escaping from the Holocaust.  She held it in her still childish hands wrapped up with her mother’s second-best candlesticks. And although most of her life she was sick and I nursed her until she died at the age of 46, there were good times when we made that cake, rich with melted chocolate and more chocolate drizzled over the top. I was always in charge of greasing and flouring the intricate furrows of the tin which was a huge pressure but the tin and the cake never let me down. I love that tin and the recipe to make it with its sweet memories and I also remember sitting with my mother and making marzipan fruit to decorate the top.

Enjoy a sampling of recipes from the book and then go buy your copy to get the rest.

Savory Vegetable and Noodle Kugel

Sephardic Fish

The Plava

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Just a quick explanation here about cholent:

On Shabbat, cooking is prohibited. This means if you want something hot during the 26 hours that comprise the Sabbath, you need to a) have whatever you want pre-cooked, and b) a way to heat it up or keep it warm set up before sundown Friday. By no means is this all that is required for food preparation for the Sabbath, but this is the most basic fundamentals, in terms of hot food.

Cholent is a dish that is prepared Friday morning or afternoon and left to sit on a heat source until it is ready to be eaten for Shabbat lunch. The main components of cholent is meat, potatoes, onions, barley, and beans and often kishka (derma). But no two cholents are exactly alike and there are many different versions of cholent. For example, Sephardic Jews make chamin usually made with lamb, rice, herbs and spices and eggs.

I never would have thought that a company would go and make mixes for cholent. To me, how people season and prepare their cholent is so individual, unique to each family, each Shabbat, that to try to replicate and mass produce that flavor would seem to be impossible.

When I was give the chance to review this product, I had to try it. I had to know if something from a box could come close to an authentic cholent taste.

If you have never made cholent before, or you feel you need a bit of help in terms of a spice profile, the Purely American Savory Beef Cholent Mix is not a bad way to go. You add beef, potatoes, (barley if desired) and the contents of the box. Mix with water, let cook overnight. You will have a very tasty, hot cholent waiting for you on Shabbat morning. The flavor and texture reminded me more strongly of a hearty beef stew. It was pleasant, but not what I would have expected for a cholent. The bean blend cooked wonderfully, and the amount of seasoning provided was just right, despite there be no added salt.

I also tested the Moroccan Lamb Cholent kit, all you need to do is add lamb stew meat and red potatoes. It was tasty, but the flavor was milder than I would have expected.  However the flavor profile was just right for lamb and the chickpeas made it more authentic.  Both dishes are easy to make and would be a welcome change for our Shabbat meals.

The most pleasant surprise was the healthiness of the product. The mixes are salt, MSG and gluten free, yet give great flavor. For a packaged product, considering all factors, I would have to say this is one of the more superior pre-packaged products I have seen available to the kosher customer.

Would you try a cholent kit?

**Giveaway**

Now’s your chance, enter to win a Cholent Kit Sampler.  The winner can choose any 6 cholent kits, currently being offered on Purely American, a $30 value.  To enter to win follow the options on rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 I want to thank Tamar Genger at JoyofKosher.com for sending me the samples of cholent/stew mixes to review. All opinions are my own.

I finally made it to Pardes.  The winner of our Best of Kosher Restaurant from 2011 and a much talked about dining destination in Brooklyn, NY.  A lucky night of free babysitting from the in-laws meant that I could venture out a little farther and get to Pardes with a couple of friends ready to share.

Before I went I put a call out on Twitter asking for recommendations and overwhelmingly everyone raved about the tasting menu, where Chef Moshe Wendel will bring out course after course of his own special creations for $110.  Unfortunately, I was too late to order the tasting menu which requires 24 hours advance notice.   But that gave us ample opportunity to sample lots of items from the regular menu and craft our own “tasting” menu.

We started with the jar of house made pickles, unsure at first about all the mixed vegetables inside, we were expecting mostly cucumbers, but were delighted to enjoy veggies like fennel and taro to whet our appetite.

Then they tantalized us with the Amuse Bouche – a small spoonful of white bean puree and olive tapenade – delectable.

One of the surprise hits of the night was the heirloom tomato salad.  It was the height of tomato season Chef Wendel showed great restraint and and let the flavor of the red, ripe tomatoes shine through, with crispy salmon skin, a light vinaigrette dressing and fiddlehead ferns (those were my favorite).

Moving on to more foreign territory, we all agreed to try the goat terrine since most of us had not had gotten our goat before.  It was a very unusual dish served room temperature, gelled in an aspic and alongside a mustard slaw and a whole fried egg.  To be honest I am not sure I am an aspic fan, but it was particularly delicious when everything was eaten in one bite, the flavors complemented each other perfectly and the whole thing was incredibly different from anything I’ve ever tasted.

The Beef Cheek Pizza and the Green Eggs and Lamb were suggested as the specialties of the house recommended by the waiter.  Both were unique dishes and generous in size, but we found the flavorings lacking.   The pizza dough was crisp and delicious, and the beef cheeks were moist and tender, but the whole pizza needed a little more oomph.  The green eggs and lamb was filled with veggies and a rustic quality that would make it a perfect dish for colder weather, but on this summer evening I found it a touch bland.

I really enjoyed the corn salad with duck bacon, I’d order a bowl of duck bacon if it was ever on the menu.

All of the above dishes were appetizers or small plates. We also shared two larger main courses.  The Rib Eye and the Tender with Celery Puree and Roasted Cipollini (onion).  Between the four of us, two preferred the rib eye while two preferred the tender.  Both were cooked perfectly and the portions were generous.  I think it just came down to which cut of meat you prefer.

There is no question that Chef Wendel thinks outside the kosher box and offers us a place to explore and taste very different foods.  You will certainly enjoy the experience and find some treasures along the way.

Have you been to Pardes? I would love to hear what you have to say.

Helen Nash has just released her third cookbook.  Following the popular Kosher Cuisine and Helen Nash’s Kosher Kitchen, her latest cookbook is filled with modern recipes that are still respectful of tradition.  Helen Nashs’s New Kosher Cuisine: Healthy, Simple & Stylish features healthy modern fusion recipes as well as old favorites.  She also includes tips on freezing some of her dishes in advance so you can always have a healthy delicious meal ready to go even at the last minute.

Your first cookbook came out in 1984.  What inspired you to start writing cookbooks?

My daughter went off to college and I was an empty nester.  Around the same time, the legendary Random House editor, Jason Epstein had dinner at my house.  After dinner he said that if I ever wanted to write a kosher cookbook, he’d publish it.  I put together a proposal and that was the first cookbook.

Tuscan Cake

Your second book was published in 1988 and now your third in 2012.  How has your cooking style changed over the years?

My approach to cooking and eating has always been the same: simple, nutritious, and smaller portions.  I also believe that what is best and freshest at the market – fish, vegetables, fruit, meat – should dictate the menu.  The better your ingredients, the better your results.  Over the years I’ve been able to experiment with new ingredients as kosher versions become available so I’ve expanded my repertoire to include many fusion recipes and international dishes such as Sake–Steamed Chicken or Seared Tuna with a choice of a Ginger Sauce or a Piquant Asian Sauce, frittatas, soufflés, and clafoutis.

How does your new book modernize traditional Jewish recipes?

I am respectful of tradition but I like to incorporate many ingredients that at one point weren’t available to the kosher cook, such as a variety of vinegars, oils, mustards, panko bread crumbs, and a larger selection of cheeses.  As a result, many of my traditional Eastern European dishes have a little twist to them.  For instance in the recipe for Chopped Liver I use sherry instead of adding more oil to obtain the right consistency.  In my Potato Latkes recipe I do not fry the latkes, but I bake them.  I use soy milk and wine in my Mushroom Soup and miso in my Barley Soup.

Tuna Tartare

How and when did you learn to cook?

When I first got married, 55 years ago, I knew nothing about cooking.  I decided to take cooking classes.  I first studied with Michael Field. He realized that I had limitations because I never ate any of his meat dishes. But he wanted to help and gave me substitutes and kept saying you can do this. From there I moved on to Chinese cooking and classes with Millie Chan.  I also read a lot of books and took notes.  And as ingredients became available in kosher versions, I experimented.

What is your earliest cooking memory?

One of my earliest memories is making a smoked salmon quiche, which my teacher Michael Field suggested.  It was delicious!

Baked Eggplant with Ground Beef

What are some of your favorite foods?

I have a lot of favorites, but I especially like eggplant caviar, meat loaf, and halibut with caper sauce.  I love soups such as beet soup and summer corn soup.  And rugelach have always been a favorite dessert of mine.

Here are three four recipes from my new book I am sure you will love.

Zucchini Cake

Tuscan Cake

Baked Eggplant with Ground Beef and Pine Nuts

Tuna Tartar with Eggplant Avocado

**Giveaway**

Win a copy of Helen Nash’s New Book, New Kosher Cuisine: Healthy, Simple & Stylish.

Let us know How do you make traditional recipes more modern?

And then fill out the rafflecopter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I am so excited to tell you about these new Non-Dairy Chocolate Tuffles called Dear Coco.  Our friend and frequent guest blogger, Rachelle Ferneau, recently debuted a line of gourmet and flavorful chocolates that can be shipped all across the country.  She started with the Signature Around the World Collection of 12 truffles with global flavors including Tahiti Lime and Kyoto Green Pearl.  I had the pleasure of tasting all 12 and was pleasantly surprised at the amazing flavor and obvious high quality.  Then every month she introduces two new seasonal truffles to keep us all on our toes.  This Month in honor of the High Holidays she will be ofering the Jewish New Year collection with Mediteranean Pomegranate and Argentine Honey.  We talked with Rachelle to find out more and then you get a chance to win this month’s collection!

When did you decide that you wanted to be in the chocolate business?

I created Dear Coco Chocolate as a natural extension of Eden Cake, the boutique pareve bakery I founded in 2007. Through Eden Cake, I gained valuable experience running a kosher business under hashgacha (kosher certification) and provided pastry full-time to a restaurant, caterers, embassies and other political agencies, as well as a multitude of individual private clients. Working intensively with chocolate was a logical next step for me.

How do you get so much flavor into one tiny chocolate?

At Dear Coco Chocolate, all of our truffles are made fresh with the finest premium ingredients, the most important being premium Belgian dark chocolate.  We use in-season fruits and herbs, fine teas and coffee, dried flowers, freshly roasted nuts and spices from around the world to impart the global flavors in our truffles. In addition, the quality of our chocolates is also evidenced by what they do not contain: no white flour, no white sugar, no trans fats, no corn syrup, no preservatives.

As far as the actual flavors, we offer twelve signature flavors in our Around the World Collection, or you can choose a whole box of your favorite of these flavors. In addition, we offer a pair of monthly specialty truffle flavors so there is always something different and new to look forward to.

How do you decide on the flavors of the season?

Many seasons naturally defined for me what their truffle flavors should be, such as July’s Summer Collection featuring Maine Wild Blueberry and Washington Red Raspberry truffles. Berries are in prime season in July, and these flavors reflect the best of the summer bounty as well as showing off the patriotic colors of the American flag in July — perfect. For other months that didn’t have a defined holiday or season to draw from, I exercised my creative license to showcase the flavors of a particular country of interest. One example of this is March’s Moroccan Collection which features Marrakesh Apricot Anise and Tafraout Almond truffles: Moroccan cuisine is a multi-cultural mélange incorporating a variety of spices, fresh herbs and citrus, dried fruits and almond paste, and these are the flavors I drew from when creating these truffle flavors.

How long does it take to create and test a new flavor?

All of our truffles are inspired by and named for locales around the world, hence the name Dear Coco – reminiscent of a letter written from abroad.  When contemplating different combinations of the country’s flavors with chocolate, I am able to taste them in my mind first – I know instinctively what and how pairings will work. Then, after the flavor idea is approved by a select “committee” of grounded individuals who tell me honestly if it sounds good to them or is too unapproachable, I get to work on sourcing the right ingredients and recipe development/refinement in which I physically produce the flavors I had already created in my mind. Depending on the complexity of the flavor, sometimes I am able to get it spot on the first time, and sometimes it takes several revisions and tastings to get just right.

What other flavors can we expect you to come up with?

I have a notebook I use exclusively to jot down new truffle flavor ideas and in time I hope to create new collections. At some point I would even love to recruit new ideas submitted by Dear Coco fans – there’s a lot of creativity out there! In the meantime, as we only began our Truffles of the Month this past July, we are proud to continue introducing two new truffles each month as time progresses, so there are plenty of new flavors still to come.

Enter to win a 12 piece box of the Jewish New Year Collection, which contains six pieces each of Mediterranean Pomegranate and Argentine Honey truffles, value $25.50.  See Rafflecopter below to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I met Lindsay Landis on Twitter and she told me about her new cookbook, The Cookie Dough Lovers Cookbook . I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy. Being a dietitian, I knew I would save these recipes for special occasions, but with a few birthdays coming up it was perfect timing! I have a secret love of cookie dough. It all goes back to my TCBY days, I used to love their cookie dough topping and I still love cookie dough ice cream. I don’t know what it is about this stuff, but Lindsay clearly is head over heels for the cookie dough.

In The Cookie Dough Lover’s Cookbook: Cookies, Cakes, Candies, and More, Lindsay starts out with a delicious egg free cookie dough recipe that can then be added to any other dessert you can imagine. Lindsay blogs at LoveandOliveOil.com and says the popularity of her Cookie Dough Truffles is what inspired this book. Just goes to show if you want more of something let us know. After reading through the book, I had a couple of questions for Lindsay, who says, even after making this book, she is not sick of it. That is true love.

Do you really think that your love of cookie dough stems from the fact that it is forbidden?

Lindsay: Partially, but also because it’s just so darn delicious.

Do you make desserts that are not related to cookie dough?

Lindsay: Of course! One cannot survive on cookie dough alone (although I admit, I’ve tried!)

On your blog Love and Olive Oil you share recipes that you make almost every day, how, where and when did you learn to cook?

Lindsay: I grew up baking with my mom, but I didn’t really start cooking on my own until college. My husband (then boyfriend) and I both lived in student housing but chose not to purchase campus meal plans, and so we had no choice but to cook. We’ve learned everything we know simply by doing and by making mistakes along the way.

You credit your husband to helping get food on the table, what is his role?

Lindsay: We’re always together in the kitchen. I’m the main baker, but for more savory things he takes the lead. He’s also the reason the kitchen doesn’t look like it was hit by a tornado (which is often the scene when I’m done baking).

What tips can you share with our readers for cooking food and dessert on a regular basis?

Lindsay: Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and try things you’ve never made before. If you start with a good recipe chances are you’ll succeed.

Cookie Dough Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

I owe to my readers and school age kids to try a few recipes out. It’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it. I made the Cookie Dough Cupcakes for my kids’ birthdays and I will tell you they are worth the effort, everyone loved them!

Cookie Dough Ice Pops

I actually found one recipe that doesn’t break the diet, Lindsay’s Invisible Cookie Dough Ice Pops. They were the inspiration for my 90-calorie Fudge Bars. The flavor of cookie dough is achieved even if the texture is hard to match, nonetheless it was very refreshing and creative. Kudos to Lindsay! I even made them with soymilk so that they would be parve and we all loved them. .

If you want the recipes of the photos in the main image, Cookie Dough Krispies, Cookie Dough Smores and cookie Dough Whoopie Pies you will have to buy the book, you won’t be disappointed.  You also have the chance to win a copy right now.

Let us know in the comments below, what cookie dough recipe you want to make?

We verify winners have completed the task.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Kleins Kosher Ice Cream graciously provided frozen treats at Jamie Geller’s Goodbye BBQ.  The kids and grown ups all gobbled them up as a perfect ending treat to a delicious BBQ.  These treats of course were non dairy, but Kleins offers all sorts of kosher frozen desserts from dairy chalav yisroel to vegan approved non dairy.

Klein’s was founded 60 years ago as the first Chalav Yisroel Ice Cream in the US. It is a remarkable story of true determination from a holocaust survivor.  It began with a barely running truck and 5 frozen novelties and has grown to a company with over 380 different products and 3 Ice Cream house shops where people can go and choose from any of them.

Klein’s does a wonderful job fulfilling a niche of chalav yisroel ice creams, non dairy vegan ice creams and all sorts of other products.  We enjoyed their ice pops, italian ices and fruit squeeze pops at the BBQ, but there is so much more they offer.

Have you had Klein’s ice cream? Have you been to one of their shops in Brooklyn? Let us know what you think.

For more than six decades Klein’s has been symbolic for producing the finest Kosher Ice Cream. We use only the purest, most premium ingredients and craft them into the most superb ice cream available worldwide. Klein’s boasts and unbeatable selection of luxurious ice creams, luscious sorbets, a world famous Vegan approved non dairy line, natural fruit bars, fun ices, and bulk items for caterers and the most exquisite miniature desserts. Commitment to quality is our way of doing business, and is the reason why Klein’s has epitomized fine ice cream for nearly half century.

They hate tuna fish.  No cold grilled cheese please.  The school says: nothing made with, next to or in the same facility as peanuts or any other tree nuts.  It’s enough to make me nuts!  I hate school lunch.  I don’t have to eat it.  But I do have to make it.  And I found an App to make it easier.  Thanks to Ronnie Fein’s daughter for creating LaLaLunchbox for us.

With LaLaLunchbox, kids get to personalize and design their own customized lunchboxes with fun monsters and bright colors, and then plan their lunches for a whole week at a time. They simply swipe their choices into their lunchbox from a large selection of fruits, vegetables, proteins, and snacks.  Covering all the major food groups, NOT just chips, chocolate cola and candy!  You can also add your own special foods with your own pictures so it is completely customizable for your family.

The best part is you can download the menus for all of your children into a grocery list you can take with you into any supermarket.  The App stores prior weeks’ menus and shopping lists so you have everything you need to plan your kids lunch in your purse or pocket.

I gave it a test run with my kids (ages 7, 5 and 3).  They loved the pictures and concept.  They also liked being able to use my iPhone.  As for the lunches?  They were mixed, but we’re making progress.  As a dietitian and a mom, I believe that when kids are involved in the kitchen they are more likely to eat what comes out of the kitchen.  LaLaLunchbox is fun and easy.  Two words I’ve never used to describe school lunch.

Panko are Japanese bread crumbs.  A long time secret of Japanese  cuisines, panko is now a pantry staple for creating perfect crispiness in any dish.  Panko is a culinary superstar.  The large flaky crumb has a coarser texture than traditional breadcrumbs and delivers a lighter crunchier coating.  Whether frying, baking or broiling, panko has become the bread crumb of choice in my house.

Panko is made from the soft tender centers of bread, but not all panko is created equally.  Usually with new foods we have to wait to get a kosher certified product.  With panko we did not have to wait long thanks to Chef Jeff Nathan, who brought us kosher panko back in 2004 and his panko is as good as any other on the market.  But Chef Jeff didn’t stop with just panko, he created two flavored varieties, Italian and Fine Herbs.  The flavors are strong so you want to make sure to use them in the appropriate settings, but once you experience how it elevates the basic chicken schnitzel with flavor and texture, you will never want to go back to regular bread crumbs.

Now, this year, Chef Jeff debuts a new panko for gluten free consumers that is also Kosher for Passover.  Made from a mixture of tapioca starch and potatoes, these crumbs are not quite as flaky as the original, but make a very good substitute for those in need of gluten free or to enjoy on Passover.  The crumbs adhered well to the chicken and created a nice crispy crust when fried or baked and that is really what you are looking for when breading your chicken – -especially when you can’t “bread” it at all!

Use panko to coat your next meal, try Panko Crusted Fish Sticks or share some of your favorite panko recipes with us.

It’s been a real surprise to see classic Israeli and Middle Eastern food take center stage in America’s supermarkets.  Packaged hummus used to be thick, grainy and not at all like the hummus I fell in love with in Israel.  All that changed a few years ago when Sabra came to market.  They introduced Israeli style Hummus and made it mainstream in the regular grocery stores.  Then hummus shops opened up all over New York City and random places around the country.  Remarkable.

Hummus has gone beyond the kosher, Jewish and Israeli market to broader mainstream appeal and with good reason.  Hummus is made of chickpeas, sesame paste, lemon, garlic and olive oil.  It is a healthy, protein filled, snack or lunch that is gluten free and nut free.    It doesn’t spoil easily and is delicious spread on crackers, pita, carrot sticks or even a bagel. For those counting, 2 tablespoons contains 50 calories, 3.5 g of fat, 4 g of carbohydrates, 1 g of fiber and 2 g of protein.

You can find hummus all across America now and Tribe Hummus has taken it to the next level.   Tribe Hummus makes their authentic creamy blend without any additives or preservatives.  They use the natural lemon juice to work its magic to keep their product fresh.  Tribe has three lines, Original Blended, Tribe with Toppings and Tribe Organic.  Some of their newer flavors include Spicy Chipotle, Kalamata Olive, Cilantro Chimichurri and Jalapeno, and I am working my way through them all!   Try Jamie’s Mediterranean Pizza with Hummus and Feta or try subbing hummus instead of mayo in spinach and artichoke dip.  Or you can just spoon it right out of the container like I do!

*** Giveaway ***

Tribe Hummus 2 winners will receive three coupons each for the tribe hummus of their choice.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

It’s finally here.  Chef Levana’s magnum opus.  Her masterpiece.  Levana has worked in the kosher food industry for over 30 years and has published four best-selling cookbooks.   The Whole Foods Kosher Kitchen includes more than 350 recipes, 250 of which are gluten free and 250 can be made for Passover.  This cookbook has all the basics of healthy whole food cooking with tips and stories that make it a must have for every kosher home.

Caesar Salad

We have sat down with Levana many times in the Joy of Kosher Kitchen, take a look through our past interviews: .  Today we sit down with her latest and greatest cookbook.

Beet, Kale and Seaweed Salad

The book opens with a story about Rivka, a young woman who after years of health troubles, found a cure through whole foods.   Levana hopes to help and inspire other men and women out there going through similar health challenges.  Levana credits her whole foods approach to her Moroccan mother, whose mantra was “the cure is in the pot”.  Levana knows many of America’s health problems can be solved in the kitchen instead of the doctor’s office.

Soba Noodles with Roasted Roots

I love the first chapter of this book, The Pantry:  Edible Gifts to Yourself and Beyond.  Levana talks about a well-stocked pantry made up of your own artisanal condiments.  She helps us make our own preserved lemons, spice rubs, salad dressings, and even liqueurs.  Having ready made pantry staples makes it easy to add great flavor to simple foods at mealtimes.  There is no need to buy sodium and preservative filled salad dressings, when all you need are a few oils and vinegars to create diverse dressings for any salad and any occasion.

Moroccan Chraimi Fish

In addition to the recipes there are tons of fabulous tips all through the book, such as using soy or rice milk powder in non-dairy dishes  to obtain a rich and dense texture similar to cream.  I tried her own blend of Chai in my tea and as a self proclaimed Chai connoisseur I can tell you it was spot on.  I also tried her versatile muffin recipe with rave reviews from all.

Chocolate Oats Pots de Creme

Levana shows how to use a hammer to make cutting large dense vegetables like winter squash a snap.  She has tons of recipes of all kinds and even recommendations for gluten free baking.  Whole foods doesn’t mean you have to skimp on dessert.  Levana has creative recipes for brownies, biscotti and macaroons, even chocolate salami (I’ll have some of that).  This book has it all!

***Giveaway**** Levana is giving away a copy of her book to one lucky reader!!! She would love for you all to go “like” her on Facebook and to enter the giveaway please share this post on facebook, google plus or twitter and let us know you did it in the comments below. For a bonus entry make and review any of Levana’s 37 recipes on the JOK site and review them.

Entrants must be 18 years of age or older, and must be US residents. Contest ends  May 29th at 12pm  EST.  The winner will be picked randomly from qualifying comments.

Here are a few recipes to give a you a taste of what’s inside:

Caesar Salad

Soba Noodles with Roasted Roots

Moroccan Chraimi Fish

Mock Crab Summer Rolls with Thai Dipping Sauce

Chocolate Oats Pots de Creme

Kale Beet and Seaweed Salad

For a while now, I’ve been making my own herbal iced tea.  Stick a few fruit flavored teas in some water, put the pitcher by the sun and voila, flavored water everyone enjoys with no added sugar.  We barely serve soda at home, but recently the kids have been getting into seltzer.  It’s their special treat and since there are no calories or sugar, I’m happy to oblige.  But it’s starting to get a little boring.

Along comes Dr. Ayala, who recently introduced me to her line of herbal waters.  She is a mother and pediatrician who was looking for an alternative to the sugar laden beverages everyone  else was seeking.  In 2005, she started to blend her own unique blends of herbs with water.  When demand grew so did this company.

“Herbs have long been the cook’s best friend,” says Dr. Ayala, “they add great flavor and complexity and are also nature’s gift when we want to cut some salt and fat from a recipe.”

Can herbs also solve our sugar addiction?  Sugary drinks are the single largest source of added sugars in the American diet, and are closely linked to obesity.  Diet sodas came to the rescue, but have not proven to be a savior.  Diet soda consumption has not been associated with meaningful weight loss and may also carry metabolic risks.

“Herbs can do what artificial sweeteners can’t.  Herbs can fully flavor water, while adding no known health risks. We believe we have the simple, obvious solution to help kick the soda habit,” says Dr. Ayala.

Ambitious goal.  Since I like flavored waters and seltzers, I decided to give it a try.  When I opened up the box I was surprised by the flavors.  Lemongrass Mint Vanilla?  Lavender Mint?  Ginger Lemon Peel?  I’ve never heard of such flavors until now and my whole family was excited to try them.  The creative flavors are available in still and lightly sparkling varieties.

The water exceeded my wildest expectations.  The flavor combinations are so unique and so delicious.  My kids begged for more.  Dr. Ayala makes drinking water fun!

Currently you can order these OU-certified waters online by the case with free shipping at http://www.herbalwater.com/ or try and find them at many health food stores.

***Giveaway*** Dr. Ayala is giving away a gift set of 6 Herbal Water bottles 1 bottle of each of our still flavor plus our Food Pairing recommendation card.  In order to win, let us know in the comments below, let us know which flavors you think you would like or what other flavor you would like to see?

Entrants must be 18 years of age or older, and must be US residents. Contest ends  May 22nd at 9 am  EST.  Three winners will be picked randomly from qualifying comments.

(NOTE: The selected winner must provide an email address and a shipping address located within the 48 contiguous US states – no APOs, PO Boxes or shipments to Hawaii, Alaska, Canada or Mexico.)

I know vegan cream cheese has been available for a while now.  To be honest, I only bought it when I couldn’t find vegan sour cream that I like to use to make dips and dressings for meat meals.  I never even considered using it as actual cream cheese on a bagel, after all it’s not like I’m making sausage or kosher bacon for breakfast every day.

Galaxy Nutritional Foods reached out to me a few weeks ago to give their non-dairy cream cheese a try.  Galaxy, based in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, is a leading seller of cheese alternatives and is sold in the produce section of most major supermarkets in the United States and Canada. I decided to sneak it by my husband (a self-proclaimed New York bagel snob) first.  I spread it on his bagel and waited to see what he would say.  And waited.  And waited.  He didn’t say anything because he didn’t notice!  I couldn’t’ believe it and tried it for myself and I couldn’t tell either.  This vegan cream cheese is made from a base of coconut and sunflower oils and soy protein and would make Philadelphia brand jealous.

It is smooth and creamy and really does taste delicious.  It is certified kosher by the OU.

It is available in Plain or Chive & Garlic.  If you are lactose intolerant, have a milk allergy or have chosen a vegan lifestyle this product is perfect for you.  Salami and eggs has a new non-dairy friend.

Tofutti brand also sells a vegan cream cheese that was also a winner in my informal taste test.

Even if you don’t agree with spreading it on a bagel, although you must give it a try, there are also so many fabulous recipes you can now make parve, like Cream Cheese Frosting for this carrot cake.

Carrot Cake with Cinnamon Honey Cream Cheese Frosting

or this enticing Snickers Cheesecake in the main image.

**Giveaway**  3 Winners!!!

Galaxy Nutritional Foods is giving away 2 coupons for a Free Cream Cheese to 3 lucky winners.  To enter make and review any Parve Recipe on this site (make sure to put your review on the recipe) and then let us know in the comments below by linking to the recipe you reviewed.  You may enter more reviews for more entries, NO LIMIT.

Entrants must be 18 years of age or older, and must be US residents. Contest ends  May 15th at 9 am  EST.  Three winners will be picked randomly from qualifying comments.

Fresh apricots have too short a season for such a yummy fruit.  That is why dried apricots have always been a popular treat.   Drying is an easy way to preserve the taste and be able to enjoy them all year round.  To be honest I have never been a real fan of the regular Turkish apricots available in most supermarkets, I find them somewhat bland, with sweetness but no real apricot flavor.  Over the years, I prefer the more flavorful and tart variety of dried apricots I find at Trader Joe’s.

Apricot Canapes

A few months ago, Enduring Sun contacted me about their imported sun dried apricots that I had to try.  They sent me a sampler box so that I could see and taste the difference between their four heirloom varieties of sun dried apricots.  Enduring Sun imports their apricots from Central Asia and they are certified by KLBD (London Beis Din).  Part of their mission is to provide rural communities around the world an opportunity to work and reap the true rewards from their labor. These apricots not only taste great, but also support fair trade and improving the lives of village communities.

The four varieties of apricots are: Jelena, Valentina, Natasha and Larissa and they all have unique visual and taste characteristics.

Just by looking at the package you can see how different they look.

Jelena is the largest and it is very plump and chewy, it has almost a honey like after taste, it really tasted like candy to me.

Natasha was smaller and thinner and lighter with a bit of tang and a touch of tartness.

Valentina was a little chewier, but not as sweet as Jelena – it had a very strong natural apricot flavor.

Larissa was the smallest of all and tasted more like traditional dried apricots, with a lot more flavor.

Artichoke Bottom, Apricot and Tomato Salad

I plan to eat most of these out of the bag, but will save a few to make these Apricot Canapes and this Artichoke Bottom, Apricot and Sun-Dried Tomato Salad that my family loves!

Find out more about Enduring Sun Apricots and how to get some of your own.