How do you like your granola bars?

As hectic schedules grow only more crazed when the new school year begins, it’s a challenge just to find time to squeeze in three square meals, let alone healthful snacks. There’s no need, however, to slow down when you have wholesome, lightly sweetened, and completely customized granola bars in your pantry. Whether you like them crunchy or chewy, chocolaty or fruity, there are endless flavor options for both. Perfect for busy kids and adults alike, this easy and satisfying staple is always good to have on hand and can be made nut free.

Crunchy Maple Brown Sugar Granola Bars

Please everyone with this very versatile treat.  Mix it up with variations from Tropical to Double Chocolate to Gingersnap, click on Crunchy Granola Bars to satisfy any crunch.

If you prefer a chewy bar, try these Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars or mix them up to make Pumpkin Spice, Peanut Butter Cup or Caramel Apple flavored granola bars.

Quick Tip: To quickly and easily pack the granola bar mixture into the pan, lightly grease the bottom of a measuring cup. Use it to smooth and press the mixture firmly into place.

Store in an airtight container or freeze for longer storage.

In modern times, it is naïve and antifeminist to think of the kitchen as a woman’s place. After all, women have equal opportunities in the workplace, and especially since the global economic slouch, there are more stay-at-home dads than ever before. However, despite the rise of gender equality and a shift in social order, chefing has not changed much. The kitchen at home is considered the domain of the woman, where domesticity, femininity, and motherhood are nurtured. Just think of memories of you cooking with your bubbe or mom growing up. On the contrary,  the professional kitchen still largely remains the place for a man to take over. After looking at the polarization of chefing versus cooking, and negotiations of credibility for who belongs and is entitled to which kitchen, I believe that recent changes in gender and social order in the kitchen and at home have not affected chefing in recent past.

One issue that affects chefing is credibility. Before the surge of interest in institutionalized chefing, professional chefs largely consisted of those who could “handle the heat” of the kitchen. This standard of credibility excludes women. Anthony Bourdain’s book, Kitchen Confidential, depicts this more than any “scholarly” piece I have read on the subject. While the professional kitchen is at times a place of experimenting and creativity, it is largely a battlefield where one has to keep fighting despite one’s wounds. Gail Simmons’ memoir, Talking With My Mouth Full, also expresses this sentiment—she once cut herself while cooking on the line and asked for a band-aid, only to be humiliated by a male co-worker for her request. Priscilla Ferguson and Gary Alan Fine’s article “Sociology at the Stove” points out that the kitchen staff is a brigade, and the language and management of the kitchen are much like those of an army. With these tough terms and brute mentality, it is no surprise that women are often uncomfortable, unwelcome, and unaccepted in the professional kitchen.

Although there are significantly more female chefs in the culinary industry than ever before, and the number is on the rise, chefing is still traditionally thought of as a male’s role, and in practice—particularly in kosher establishments—this remains the case. Thinking back to any experiences my family and I have had dining out for a Shabbat or yuntif meal over the past year, it is the expectation that the mother or daughters cooked the meal. In fact, if anyone from my family hears that the father cooked the meal, we are impressed and shower him and his wife with praise for having a husband so helpful. Whether the industry and our homes will always look like that is uncertain, but in my opinion, the “stigma” (or more appropriately, precedent) has not changed much: the man is a chef in a restaurant, and the woman is a cook at home. This is not to say that either one is being slighted, rather that this is my opinion of the current sociological breakdown of which gender dominates which kitchen.

I love a good party.  But easy laid back open house style entertaining.  Which I find perfect for summer.

I recently hosted (together with Nefesh B’Nefesh) my own Goodbye BBQ.  But the kicker, as I have oft complained here for the last few weeks, is that my kitchen contents are all packed up on a lift and anything that was left I gave away in haste forgetting that I had 4 weeks left to feed my family.  So with only a stockpot a HUGE serrated bread knife and oversized cutting board to my name I hosted a party for a hundred and do what I was brought up to do… made my momma proud and called the caterer.

So if I could have hosted a Sunday summer soiree and actually cooked I would have made some of my favorite party finger foods.  Things you can eat standing up while mingling and holding a baby.

Beef Satay with Horseradish Mustard

I really skewer lots of things.  Yes it’s a partial patchke which is only really against my religion if it’s super hard or super duper time consuming.  But to skewer sliced beef is really not so bad.  The horseradish mustard though is a real favorite and a great burger condiment.

Fried Risotto Balls with Marinara Dipping Sauce

There are a few steps to this recipe but if you make the risotto before hand it will seriously cut down your prep time.  Cut it down even more by using whatever rice you’d like – even instant.  This is a cool way to use up leftover chicken.  It’s shredded and added to the rice mixture.  Make it pareve by omitting the chicken and using vegetable broth.

Tuna Tartar with Honey Sesame Wonton Crisps

This presentation is fancy for when you are pre-plating and hosting a holiday or Shabbos meal.  At a party place a spoonful of the tartar on each crisp so people can just grab a wonton and pop it into their mouth.

Going Dairy?

Mini Spanakopita

I love phyllo it’s so flaky and light it almost doesn’t feel like a carb.  People get confused with how to “roll” this.  Do it just like you would a flag.  Any flag rollers in the house?

Smoked Salmon Rolls

Well now this is completely carb free and a HUGE crowd favorite.  Make it Pareve by using tofutti cream cheese.

Potato and Goat Cheese Triangles

Hubby says put anything in a puff pastry and he will eat it.  So I do.  potato and cheese in puff pastry probably should be illegal.  But it isn’t yet so let’s enjoy.

What’s your favorite party food?

Giveaway***

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Comment on this article and enter into rafflecopter.  What is your favorite party food?
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Love biting into a ripe, juicy peach at the height of summer?

These delightfully soft cookie bars give you another way to enjoy one of this season’s favorite fruits.  Toasted pecans and fresh peaches, the star of the show, lend this treat their Southern flavor. These sweet squares caramelize lightly through the baking process and end with a subtle, toffee-like flavor, Southern Peach Streusel Bars.   Packed with fruit and nuts, ths is a better-for-you bar!  For something more decadent…

Try these Caramel Peach Pie Bites.  There are quite a few steps, but the effort is worth it and it is completely vegan.

Here are some more ways to use fresh peaches while at their peak (non dairy, but not vegan).

Blueberry Peach Crumble Cake

Grilled Angel Food Cake and Peaches

Chunky Peach Popsicles

Evelyn Rubin’s Sweet Peach Bundt Cake

Papanasi (pronounced “papanash”) are traditional Romanian cheese sweets. I grew up in a Romanian Jewish family. Most of my childhood’s cuisine was based on Romanian dishes, mostly meat, potatoes and eggplants but there were also cheese dishes that I loved – savory and sweet.

Since I became vegetarian, 22 years ago, I’ve been focusing on those vegetable and dairy dishes.  One of the dairy sweets that both my grandmother and mother used to make (and still does, G’d bless her) is called Papanash.  The original Papanash that you can find in most Romanian Restaurants is a sweet cheese DOUGHNUT that looks a little similar to the American doughnuts we’re accustomed to (as oppose to Hanukka’s doughnuts that do not have a hole and are filled with jam or other fillings), except the Papanash doughnuts do not come out as round as American doughnuts because their dough is softer.

In my house we used to eat two other kinds of Papanash, though: cheese patties and cooked cheese and semolina dumplings.  The original doughnut version was introduced to me much later, when I started inquiring about Romanian cuisine.

The original Papanash: Cheese Doughnuts
Romanians do not waste anything so they deep fry the round dough that was cut out of the doughnut’s center and place it on top of the Papansh that is served with sour cherries jam and sour cream or whipped cream.

Here are the two other versions I’m used to:

Papanash with Cranberries

 and

Papanash Cooked Dumplings with Crunchies

Papanash are usually sweet. However, I took my sweet recipe and turned it into a savory dish. You can serve them with the tomato sauce or without it. They’re great anyway.

Savory Papanasi

In Israel we have soft but very dry low-fat cheeses for these kinds of dishes. I’m not familiar with American cheeses but the best substitute I can think of is Ricotta cheese. Make sure you use a low-fat soft but DRY cheese.

Cooking during the summertime can sometimes be a pain. The heat makes you lethargic, so you want to cook something that’s not too tedious or time-consuming, as well as something that won’t make your kitchen feel like a sauna. Here are four great recipes to cook for Shabbat in the summertime.

Gazpacho with Multigrain Croutons

Gazpacho is the perfect started to any Shabbat meal, especially Shabbat lunch. It’s so easy to prepare, since you don’t have to cook anything (except for baking the croutons), and so refreshing after that sweaty walk back from shul! You can serve it in bowls, or for people who online want a little bit, in shooter glasses—no hands required!

Roasted Corn Salad

Nothing says summer like corn, but when you have company over for a Shabbat lunch, you might not want to have everybody eating whole ears of corn, with the kernels getting in their teeth and all over their faces. Clean it up with this Roasted Corn Salad—you roast corn and red peppers on the barbecue, then mix it all up!

Lebanese Chicken Kabobs

Kabobs are always a great dish to serve to guests on Shabbat. The mixture of vegetables in this recipe looks beautiful, with bright summer colors all along the skewer. You can do some of the work Thursday night, and then quickly barbecue them on Friday afternoon at the same time as your Roasted Corn Salad. You’ll even save yourself the cleaning by limiting your pots and pans!

Unstuffed Cabbage

Since winter is a time for cozy, warm foods, summer is a perfect opportunity to shake up your winter recipes. This recipe for Unstuffed Cabbage is sweet and tangy, and delicious either hot OR cold. My family makes it for Friday night, and then we eat the leftovers cold for Shabbat lunch. You can even put it in a tortilla wrap with some freshly cut lettuce, tomato, and onions, for a hassle-free, hand-held meal.

When my son stopped eating fruit, I caught an awful case of mom-guilt. Where had I gone wrong? Fruit had always been a lunchbox staple and a go-to afternoon snack. But suddenly I was competing with Three Musketeers and Kit Kat. A few days later, I passed by a juice bar and it hit me like an apple. I needed to be smooth, rather than smart.  So I started freezing my fruit and blending smoothies for my family. Whether you are looking for breakfast on the go, a boost for your workout or fighting a cold, smoothies are the way to go. It takes 3 minutes to prepare and less to clean up. The flavor combinations are as wild as your imagination, so let’s drink to your health!

Peanut Banana and Chocolate  — Protein Power

Agave, a natural sweetener, has a mild taste and dissolves well. It’s sweeter than sugar so a little does a lot. Hemp powder is high in protein and Omegas. Both can be found in health food stores or the health food aisle of your grocery store. High in protein, 320 calories, the perfect post exercise meal.

Green Tea, Basil and Strawberry  –  Wake Up Call

All smoothies are best prepared immediately before serving, otherwise the smoothies will separate.  This one is perfect for the morning pick me up with the antioxidant filled green tea and coming in at only 110 -180 calories based on whether you include yogurt or not.

Ginger Citrus Blast — Immune Booster

If you prefer less pulp use only the juice from the fruit.  This one is filled with citrusy orange and lemon for extra vitamin C and don’t forget the ginger. With 250 calories it is sure to blast away any summer germs.  (substitute the honey with artificial sweetener to reduce calories)

What is your favorite Smoothie?

There are so many people to see and there is so little time.  So together with Nefesh B’Nefesh we hosted a Goodbye “Catch the Wave” BBQ to gather all our loved ones together in one place on one day.   Of course it was great to see family who traveled from far and dear friends from the neighborhood and even kosher blogger buddies and personalities came out to say farewell.  I was so touched and  in typical Jamie fashion I almost cried when I spoke.  Not sure exactly what I managed to say but the message was and remains “look at us, if we can do this you can too!”

For more info about the BBQ including vendors check out a visual post here.

Did you miss any episodes? Want to see what is still to come? Keep up with our Episode Guid

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Premiere Date: Tuesday June 26 7:00pm EST

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Premiere Date: Wednesday July 11 7:00pm EST

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Premiere Date: Wednesday August 8 7:00pm EST

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Summer

Sweet juicy fruits.
Crisp seasonal vegetables.
Ice cold lemonade.
A sizzling grill.
And of course, French fries.

Here are two ways to make them; salty and perfectly fried, or remade into delicious healthful vegetable fries. Don’t forget to dip them into some sodium free gourmet mustard dipping sauce!

Crispy French Fries

Frying French fries. Sounds simple enough, doesn’t it? But creating fries that are both crispy and tender is an art, and requires technique. Try these and you’ll understand.

Vegetables Fries

These fries are a huge hit at our table, with adults and children alike. Kids love “colorful French fries.” Serve as a side dish, or as a tasty snack. They will disappear in no time!

Serve these in “frites cones” held in a wire stand like in the main image.  A feats for the eyes.

Sweet and Spicy Gourmet Mustard Dipping Sauce

This recipe is sodium free, fat free, and delicious. To make this faintly sweet and spicy mustard sauce calorie-free and sugar-free, replace the brown sugar with 1 tablespoon Splenda brown sugar. If you’re short on time and cannot make this gourmet mustard sauce in advance, sprinkle the fries with just a touch of vinegar, and then toss to combine. The vinegar will heighten the flavors of the fries. It’s my favorite way to serve them!

Originally published in the Summer 2011 issue of Joy of Kosher with Jamie Geller.

No furniture?  No problem.  Leave it to Jamie Geller to make moving look easy.  Two weeks after the lift left with her family’s furniture, Jamie and her husband Nachum invited friends and family to a farewell barbeque before her family’s aliyah to Israel next week.

Shoshana Neiman from Ambiance Events planned the party and chose a soft yellow and white color scheme to convey a warm, summery feeling.  The whole event came together effortlessly thanks to Shoshana’s help even though rain threatened and they had to move the party inside with much anxiety over fitting so many people in such a small place.  They nixed the large tables and lined the chairs up against the wall, you would never have known there were 100 people there.

BBQ favorites were in abundance and fresh grilled favorites like hamburgers, hot dogs, white and dark meat boneless chicken were prepared by the friendly folks at Meal Mart in Monsey along with a selection of salads and sides.

The kids had a blast running in, around and outside the house hopped up on soda, sugar and sweets.

The camera man hid in the background getting footage for the next Joy of Aliyah episode.

For dessert, the table was decked out with colorful paper napkin cones of roasted nuts and candy from Yumtee Nuts.

Frozen desserts courtesy of Kleins helped everyone keep their cool.

Lindy’s Bake Shoppe made these cute little kotel cupcakes and suitcase cookies that looked yummy enough to take with you anywhere you want to go.

L’Esti’s Desserts made this fitting and gorgeous suitcase cake that stole the show.

The Geller family is leaving for Ramat Beit Shemesh. They will not soon forget the beautiful party and laughter, hugs and tears of their friends and family.

Vendor Info

L’estis Desserts in Brooklyn – 718-369-7755 made the cake.

YumTee Nuts in Brooklyn provided the tasty nuts, seeds and candies.

Kleins Kosher Ice Cream

Lindy’s Bake Shoppe

Shoshana Neiman was the event planner from Ambiance Events based in Wesley Hills, NY 845-362-1459 or 917-355-8453.  She offers full service party planning, rentals, centerpieces, chocolate arrangements and platters.

Food was catered by Meal Mart in Monsey.

I am moving.  Have you heard?  I know it’s hard to ignore something I am shouting from every roof top but as usual I can’t help myself.  Well let me tell you as I have told anyone who will listen I have but a pot, a cutting board and a rusted bread knife plus a bunch of fancy once-a-year serving platters to my name in my NY kitchen.  So cooking has been a more difficult than usual challenge.  But surprisingly while not pretty to watch I can get a respectable slice and dice out of my overgrown serrated bread knife.  So in honor of my aliyah to the Holy Land I share my favorite Israeli Salatim (translate: salads) that I really should practice in anticipation of my arrival.  When I get there I bet my Israeli-Iraqi sis-in-law will surely tell me I am doing these all wrong, but until then they are authentic in my book.

Israeli Salad

Yup I needed a recipe for this when I first got married.  Look I wasn’t Israeli and wasn’t a cook.  Now I feel confident to use any veggies I have in the house and tear and toss in fresh parsley or cilantro or mint (for the sake of clarity either or, not altogether).  If going dairy I love to add crumbled feta.

Here you will see a video of me in the early stages of my career making this Trukish Salad.  Yup, it’s been a while.

Israeli Cabbage Salad

I never met a red cabbage before I met hubby.  Now that’s of course because I always knew it to be a purple cabbage.  But the recipe editors for my first book made sure to set me straight (uh I still think it looks purple).  This is a Chanie Geller classic (yes my sis and law and I do have the same Hebrew name, difference is she actually goes by hers).  She laughed when I wanted the recipe – mayo, squeeze of lemon, salt, sometimes pepper – not brain surgery she is right but lighter and much preferred to coleslaw.

Roasted Garlic Hummus with Oven Baked Pita

One of my favorite chummus recipes.  Loads of garlic for my Transylvanian ancestors (shout out mom and dad!).

Spicy Eggplant Salsa

Not Israeli per say but can certainly blend in at an Israeli salad course if you don’t feel like patchke-ing with babaganoush.

Charif

The salsa of middle eastern cuisine.  I personally like hot stuff and the fat burning benefits of spicy foods and my dad always called me paprikash which essentially means spicy in Hungarian but really refers to my hot tempered personality – could ya tell?

Which brings to my question:  What food or food adjective best describes your personality?

**Giveaway***

Answer the question in the comments below and then enter our contest with Rafflecopter to win an Emile Henry Red Kabob Tray for the Grill.

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I was fortunate enough to spend three weeks in Israel on a trip with the organization Aish Hatorah. Any time I had been to Israel before, it was a toss up between pizza, falafel, shwarma, or a salad from Sambooki. On this trip, however, I consumed fewer than three dairy meals, and my meat (fleishig) meals could only be described as “abundant.” We ate in a meat restaurant in Metula in the north, where waiters served us endless tabletop grills with chicken, beef kabobs, grilled vegetables, and steak. At the Dan Panorama, where we stayed for most nights, we were treated to buffets loaded with a variety of meat, chicken, and fish dishes, as well as a stocked salad bar (a la Israel), carving station, and a variety of soups and side dishes. And of course, our shnitzel lunches were always hot and crispy, topped with sesame seeds and served alongside hummus and what Israelis call “ketchup.”

On that note, here are some of my observations about the current state of food in Israel.

1. The meat is almost there. I distinctly remember my first memory of eating meat in Israel, and understanding why most people stick to chicken. My parents had always told me that Israelis served chicken instead of meat because red meat in Israel is so expensive. However, as my palate developed, I provided my own answer to this question: red meat is not worth the money. Of course, hamburgers and expensive entrecote steaks in restaurants are delicious, but in terms of home cooking, stick with chicken. You can’t go wrong with a fatty batch of pargiyot (boneless dark meat chicken). Nevertheless, the quality of the meat (amount of fat and silver skin, as well as overall flavor) has improved some, as long as you cook it right. And I can’t tell you what “right” is yet, because I only tasted it once or twice.

2. Condiments. Ketchup is still a thicker version of sweet tomato soup; avoid if you can. Mustard is alright. When eating in restaurants, you will most likely get either Thousand Island or Honey Mustard salad dressing, in which case I recommend going for plain olive oil and lemon juice. The oil and juice in Israel is fresher than in America, so take advantage. Additionally, when it comes to sandwiches/burgers/wraps/salads, pile on the garlic mayonnaise! I have no idea why America hasn’t stolen this genius concept yet, but it makes everything taste better. While you’re at it, throw on some sweet chili as well. It’s like BBQ sauce, ketchup, duck sauce, and hot sauce all in one perfectly balanced condiment. MMM! And for those who are curious, spots like Burgers Bar offer other condiments like pesto, chimichurri, hot sauce, tahini, and all of the aforementioned sauces and condiments.

3. Say Cheese! Of all types and all origins: cow, sheep, goat, lamb; brie, camembert, feta, Bulgarian, hard cheese, soft cheese, yellow cheese, salty cheese; smoked, cured, aged, fresh. On one Thursday afternoon, I spent an hour cheese shop-hopping in the Shuk (Machaneh Yehuda) by myself to find the best lamb’s milk feta cheese, and had the time of my life. Throw in a bottle of Reisling (which is Kosher nearly everywhere!), some Osem whole grain crackers, and fresh red grapes from the shuk, and you have a great Shavuot Kiddush (which I did).

4. Produce availability. Unfortunately, I was unable to get my hands on any pomelos or persimmons, which just proves the quality of the fruit in Israel. You won’t be able to find anything that is out of season; therefore, the fruits and vegetables that you can find in the Shuk are of the highest quality. Purchase according to season and you will not be disappointed!

Today we welcome a special Bread Blogger, Jennifer MacLeod, who got into bread making the lazy way (thank you no knead) and who aspires to make Aliyah one day soon just like Jamie. You can learn a lot about bread making here and comment below with any questions.  And make sure to head over to the Breadland blog for a chance to win a set of Kosher Kitchen Labels.

Tell us about your blog and how you got started:
I’ve been baking for years, but a couple of years ago, I realized that too much of my regular blog, Adventures in MamaLand was being taken up with my latest obsession, which – at the time – was no-knead breads. So I found a similar Blogger domain name and took it from there! I don’t post there quite as often, but I like to think I have a dedicated core of kosher-bread aficionados who read it regularly.

What is your earliest cooking memory?
Baking one-pan brownies with my little sister in my mother’s kitchen. I didn’t really learn to cook at home, because my mother is as tidy as I am NOT and it didn’t make for a very comfortable relationship in the kitchen. But one-pan brownies, we could usually manage without messing up too much. Later on, when I was going to school and living alone with my future mother-in-law (my future husband was in a different city), I was amazed at how mellow a person could be in the kitchen – she didn’t care where I put stuff in the dishwasher and loved coming home to fresh-cooked and -baked food. With that freedom, I started experimenting! I remember making a jelly roll, step by step – baking it flat, rolling it up in a towel to cool, gently unrolling and filling it -and being so proud of how perfectly it turned out. Even though, these days, I’m usually rushing to get family food on the table, it’s wonderful to sometimes find a stretch of leisure time to cook or bake.

What is your favorite kitchen implement / utensil / gadget?

Hands-down, my Danish dough whisk. Here it is on Amazon; it’s a beautifully simple gadget, made in Poland – they’re all made in Poland, apparently. Basically, a twisted coat-hanger on a wooden handle… but it WORKS. It’s great for no-knead doughs; literally, you just stir them together. But it’s also the best thing for muffins and anything that suffers from overmixing. And it’s super-easy to clean!

What’s your favorite kosher dish to cook?
Can’t every dish be a kosher dish if you fiddle with it enough? I didn’t grow up eating kosher, and I remember at one point missing dim sum terribly. Now, dim sum is practically the opposite of kosher – little dumpling pockets of shrimp, “mystery meat,” tripe, you name it (okay, the tripe never appealed). It’s all about presentation and little bursts of flavour. I didn’t mourn; I gathered ingredients, rounded up recipes, bought some bamboo steamers, and spent the better part of a day re-creating my favourite dim sum of all: “char siu bao,” the well-known “barbecue pork” buns… using kosher beef. They were utterly delicious, but it was a ton of work. I guess that’s a very long answer. In my work as a freelance writer, I interview a lot of caterers, who all claim that their food “doesn’t taste kosher.” I have no idea what this means, so my short answer is that my favourite dish to cook, period, is one we’ll share with friends and family. I love thinking about who’ll be eating it while I cook; it’s almost meditative.

Who is your cooking inspiration?
I don’t know if I have one. Honestly, any eishes chayil [woman of valour] who manages to cook a delightful meal for her family seven nights a week (or organize takeout or husband cookery for one or two of those evenings!), year in and year out, regardless of how she’s feeling and what else is going on, should be an inspiration to us all. In that sense, my mother was an inspiration – I guess everybody says their mother, but now, my jaw drops when I think about everything she accomplished. I have the same number of hours in the day… perhaps the difference is that she didn’t have the Internet and great sites like joyofkosher.com!

Please share a favorite cooking tip or trick with our readers:
MEASURE! Cooking is fun, an art, but baking is a science. Measure your ingredients properly. A normal cup of flour can weigh anywhere from 120 to 170 grams; we North American home bakers are terribly lazy, but you can find good recipes that give exact weights, and you may be amazed at how much more reliable your baking becomes! Also: measure the temperature of your finished bread – 185 to 195 is a good internal temperature. My digital thermometer cost under $10 and it’s saved so many loaves from over- and under-baking! Again, it’s one tip: MEASURE! Oh, and don’t “punch down” your bread, no matter how many times your Bubby’s challah recipe says you must.

Which recipes are you sharing with us today?
Two recipes – one is an easy and practical Pareve Hamburger Bun recipe, and one is a Blender Challah Recipe which is a little harder to work with but which should yield the softest, fluffiest challahs you’ve ever tasted.

Jennifer is a Jewish supermama of four and my family’s adventures in learning, eating, growing, and living according to Hashem’s plan.  Visit her on her bread blog, BreadLand or on MamaLand or AliyahLand.

Although called rice, wild rice isn’t rice at all. The black strands are actually a seed of a type of marsh grass. It is a hearty grain that takes about an hour to cook and has a slightly chewy texture and a nutty flavor. Often used as a mix in with other rice or grains, it is surprisingly good on its own.

Wild rice is a healthful alternative to regular rice and other grains. 1 cup of cooked wild rice has 165 calories, 6.5 g protein, 3 g fiber and good amounts of iron and copper. It is high in B vitamins as well as potassium and phosphorous — it is even considered a complete protein. It actually wins out over brown rice which in 1 cup has 216 calories, the same 3 grams of fiber and only 4 grams of protein.

The chewy texture provides versatility to use this grain in everything from salads, to side dishes and soups. It is also a helpful weight loss tool. Cook up a big batch of wild rice on Sunday and turn it into a new dish every night of the week that will be filling and nutritious.

Wild Rice with Carrots and Beets

I love Jamie’s Rosh Hashanah Simanim recipe for Wild Rice with Carrots and Beets. Clocking in at 200 calories a serving it is colorful, tasty and filling anytime of year.

Wild Rice with Dried Apricots & Pistachios

For a sweeter taste, try this Wild Rice Recipe with Apricots and Pistachios, it serves 6 with 178 calories each and 6 grams of protein.

Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup

If you like a rich, hearty soup, try this Mushroom Wild Rice Soup or just keep it simple add wild rice to any salad, I love to mix it in with my tomato basil salad this time of year.

More Wild Rice Recipes

Wild Rice Pancakes

Avocado Stuffed Salmon with Wild Rice

Wild Rice with Mushrooms and Chestnuts Stuffing

Bubble and squeak is a traditional English recipe made with the shallow-fried leftover vegetables from a roast dinner. The main ingredients are potato and cabbage, but carrots, peas, Brussels sprouts, and other vegetables are often added. The dish got its name from the bubbling and squeaking sounds during the cooking process.  Cold chopped vegetables mixed with meat and mashed potatoes are all fried together in a pan and it is often made with leftover meat and veggies, served alongside and pickles or brown sauce, another infamous British condiment.  This is one of those meals that take me back to the smells and tastes of childhood.

For many, rain is depressing, lonesome and brings down the mood – but when I think of Bubble and Sqeak, my memories are cast back to a happy childhood, and the comfort food we would enjoy when the rain came down.  You see, the heavens would open in all seasons when I was growing up, and rather than rain stopping play, we’d take our fun indoors and continue to enjoy the day.  Sometimes guests stayed longer to wait out the weather, other times our visits were extended so not to walk back in the rain.  It’s all about perspective – as is this dish.

Leftover mashed potato, yesterdays meat, might sound odd to you – especially if you’re not one to re-heat or re-purpose your food – then again, to me, chicken and waffles sounds like a corrupt take on dessert.

The British aren’t always thought of fondly for their food, but their comradery and “chin-up” mindset can make the rainiest days with leftovers into a childhood memory that never fades!

I was inspired for this recipe by Jamie Oliver.  Jamie Oliver first raised his head in 1997 with the bit BBC series, The Naked Chef.  Instantly, he grabbed the heart of British TV watchers with his open kitchen and chatty nature.  Over in the US, his colloquialisms made him an instant celebrity and his crusade against processed food and obesity is a cause that I support wholeheartedly.  Things are done a little differently in England, especially when it comes to the culinary art of “dinner” and Jamie has a handle of this art, taking the mundane and elevating it, without complexity, so it’s fit for the Queen.

So in the spirit of London 2012, I share with you the classic British Comfort Food, Bubble and Squeak, inspired by Jamie Oliver and adapted by This American Bite.

Don’t miss this recipe for another British classic, Yorkshire Pudding.