Fri. October 26, 2012
Written in: Raw / Salad
I just came home with basket full of honey crisp apples, perfect for this recipe.
We ate this salad two days in a row for lunch – to great fanfare from Yale and guess what, not a protest from Gordy. I am pretty sure it was the honey in the poppy seed dressing and crisp apples in the salad that won him over, I can be sure it was not the kale!
This is a great salad to pack for lunch as you can dress the salad and it is still crunchy at luch time.
Ingredients for the salad:
- 1/2 to a full bunch kale
- 1 -2 apples, sliced thin (pears would be great if you did not have apples)
- 3 radishes, sliced thin
- 1 cup cabbage, sliced thin
- 1 cup radicchio, sliced thin
- 1 avocado, cut into small cubes
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- a big handful of pumpkin seeds
- a big handful of dried cranberries, (look for the unsweetened kind, which you can find in most health food stores). I have been using Prana Organic Cranberries, they are fruit juice sweetened.
- 1 block of tofu cut into small bit sized cubes, (optional)
Directions:
- Wash and dry the kale. Cut out and discard the tough stems. Arrange the leaves into stacks, slice crosswise into 1/4-inch ribbons, and add to the bowl
- Core the apples, cut them into 1-1/2-inch-long matchsticks, and add to the bowl.
- Slice the raddishes, cabbage, and raddico and add to the salad
- Half the cherry tomatoes and add to the salad
- Dice avacodo into small chuncks and add
- Add tofu cubes
- Add pumpkin seeds and cranberries
- Toss everthink well with the poppyseed dressing and eat.
Ingredients for the dressing:
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons honey, check for sweetness, you can always add more
- 3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- start with1/2 cup of vegetable oil, your may need more. I like to use an organic grapeseed oil
- 1/3 cup small-dice red onion
Directions:
- Place the vinegar, honey, mustard, poppy seeds, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
- Whisk to combine.
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While whisking add the oil slowly until all of it is incorporated.
Lately I have been using Wildwood Sprouted Tofu.
Prana Organic Cranberries
The trees are changing colours.
I have just raked the leaves
and I am craving a big bowl of hot chili
This is dinner.
Ingredients:
- 1 to 2 tablespoonolive oil
- 1 large chopped onion
- 1 medium diced yellow or red bell pepper
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped
- 1 teaspoon chile powder, or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 medium butternut squash (about 2 pounds) – cut into cubes.
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Directions:
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook, stirring, a few more minutes.
- Stir in beans, tomatoes, chiplotes, chili powder, oregano and salt.
- Simmer, covered, 10 minutes.
- Add cubes of butternut squash.
- Continue cooking, covered for 30 minutes or until squash is tender.
Cooks notes:
If you want to add some ground meat (1 lb) to this chili, cook the meat with the onions and bell peppers for about 10 minutes or until the meat has browned.
If you like a thicker chili, you can puree one or two cups in the blender and then add back to the pot.
If you have the time make the chili early in the day so the flavours have time to develop.
 
Sorry Gordy, the oven is not turned to 350 degrees. The butter is not coming to room temp and the sugar and the flour are still in the pantry, but on the counter are raw walnuts, almonds, fresh soft dates and cacao powder. I am making raw chocolate brownies.
The great thing about these brownies is that I keep them frozen. This means that you can just open up the freezer and cut yourself off a bite when a sweet craving hits which is just about every night, ask Yale she is just as addicted as I am! I have even tempted Gordy to have a taste, it is chocolate after all… he still loves his cupcakes and lately donuts but I think I can get him to come on over to the raw brownie side!
Here is a very easy recipe. You can make it your own by adding some unsweetened coconut, orange zest, cacao chips, dried cherries, apricots, you get the idea.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups whole walnuts (or pecans)
- 2 ½ cups Medjool dates, pitted
- 1 cup raw cacao powder
- 1 cup raw unsalted almonds, roughly chopped or any nut you like.
- ¼ tsp. pink Himalayan salt
Directions:
1. Place walnuts in food processor and blend until the nuts are finely ground.
2. Add the cacao powder and salt. Pulse to combine.
3. Add the dates one at a time through the feed tube of the food processor while it is running. What you should end up with is a mixture that when pressed with your fingers will stick together, (if the mixture does not hold together well, you will need more dates).
4. In a large bowl combine the walnut-cacao mix with the chopped almonds. Press into a lined cake pan, (I line my glass Pyrex with parchment paper).
Place in freezer or fridge until ready to serve, best to eat when they are very cold or frozen.
Fri. September 21, 2012
Written in: Appetizer
My grandmother Jenny Mandel nee Schwartz, came from Minsk, Russia when she was just a baby. Her mother Mary who I am named after made gefilte fish for her family on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. When Jenny was old enough to learn her mother taught her and her sisters, Sarah and Edith.
It all starts with fresh fish. According to my mother, Jenny would pick out her fish, ten pounds of white fish and always one Pike, once home the fish were kept alive in the only bathtub in the house. The next day newspaper would be spread around the floor and kitchen table, the fishmonger would stop by…it was time to kill the fish. As a child my mother never took a bath and she never ate the fish!
When Jenny was in her 80’s it was time to teach my mother Irene. From then on twice a year my mother would make the gefilte fish with her late best friend Theda Warner. I know that they had a long fun day of cooking, chopping, cleaning and lots of good gossip! And fortunately we don’t have to worry about the bathtub, we can buy our fish already cleaned from Nortown!
Well, my mother turned 80 this year so I guess it is time I learn to make the fish!
I hope to carry on the tradition with my grandmother’s handwritten recipe.
My mother Irene.
Shana Tova
Tue. September 11, 2012
Written in: Raw
“RAW DATE SQUARES” …well that’s what Gordy said. He was a bit disappointed that the house did not have that what are you making , you are driving me crazy smell, but when he tasted them that was all forgotten and I was Queen!
Ingredients:
For the Filling:
- 2 cups chopped, pitted dates
- 2 Tbsp. water
- Juice of 1 large, organic orange (1/2 to 3/4 cup)
- Zest of 1 large, organic orange
For the crust:
- 2 cups of walnuts (or any other nuts you like)
- 1 cup raw oats ground (I used my Cuisnart to pulse into a flour like consistency)
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 3 to 4 Tbsp pure maple syrup or agave (taste for sweetness)
Directions:
1. Soak the dates in the water and orange juice for about 30 minutes, until they become a bit soft.
2. Coarsely grind the nuts in a food processor, then add the oats and pulse to mix.
3. Add cinnamon and then maple syrup one tablespoon at a time until the mixture holds together.
4. Lightly oil a 9-inch square pan or round cake pan with coconut, grapeseed oil or any vegetable oil. (I like the taste of coconut oil).
5. Press a little over half of the nut mixture into the bottom of the pan, reserving the rest for later.
6. Puree the date and orange juice mixture until smooth but with a bit of chunks left.
7. Crumble the remaining half of the crust mixture over the dates and press lightly with your hands.
8. Sprinkle some quick oats on top for garnish.
9. Refrigerate or freeze before serving.
10. I like to snack and keep the leftovers in the freezer.
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