◊ No

Posted on March 7, 2014 by shainashealy

Dear mom,

Is it insensitive to say it’s your own damn fault?

We only-children have a lot of psychological barriers to conquer. The most important one for me is recognizing that having all of your eggs in one basket is not my problem. I’ve got my own eggs to carry (totally NOT in a reproductive sense – keep dreaming).

Plus… kids drop out of school, do drugs and things with strangers, try heroine. I board airplanes and buses. Should we start the would-you-rather-I game?

Asking me to tailor my needs, ambitions and desires to curb your delusional neuroses is the opposite of promoting psychological well-being. And it’s rude. As your brother Abe says, stop putting me back in the womb.

AND.

Irrational fears. Your heart is eased when you see that I’ve been with family. Statistically, this is when you should be MOST afraid. The only times I’m in a car is when I’m with family… There’s a much higher risk of danger as a passenger on a highway anywhere than receiving a body-scrub at an all-female spa in Ramallah. Just saying.

Don’t worry no cars were involved when Naomi and I hosted family for Shabbat. It was very safe :).

Alas, the psychoanalytical intuition I inherited from you and dad forces me to question my curtness in this letter. There’s a reason — an admission that I’m embarrassed to share: I’m still in the process of convincing myself that my eggs (ieech I hate this metaphor) are my own. What does this process look like? A 19 year old in Uganda by herself; bare shoulders and midriff smack-dab in the middle of 100,000 ultra-orthodox men protesting; a Jew in Ramallah; a not-nice letter from daughter to mother. This is the manifestation of my only-child syndrome.

(All that insight without therapy! I deserve a cookie… good thing there are hamantaschen in the freezer.)

I do what I want.

There are so many other forces (such as personal values) that drive me to do what I want, but I also need to know my eggs are mine. To reemphasize: I’m going to keep doing my darndest NOT to remember that all of your eggs are in one basket. Sorry I’m not sorry ok I am sorry clearly not sorry enough.

xo,

Shaina

I’m eager to start prepping for our Birmingham-in-Israel Shabbat cross-continental Shabbats even though it’s weeks away. I’ve already started to plan a menu so I’ll share two recipes that I’ll definitely include at the table. You can make both or either for your guests, though you’ll probably only make the first, Mujadra. You may hold off on the second recipe because I feel like grown-ups don’t eat vegan cookies.

Mejadra is a Middle Eastern dish that Arabs and Israelis share. It’s economical, healthy, quick, tasty and found on almost every Middle Eastern menu. I make it all the time – the flavors blend well with most foods I eat here – tahini, crisp persian cucumbers, labneh, hummus blablabla. In the version below, it’s made with wild rice instead of traditional basmati. I’ve also thrown in a cup or two of quinoa to mix things up. This is the kind of dish that’s always a hit with guests.

Wild Rice Mujadra

1 tsp olive oil
4 white onions, chopped
5-8 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cinnamon
1 2/3 cup brown or green lentils
1 2/3 cup wild rice
4 cups water
fresh ground black pepper
handful of parsley, chopped

Heat olive oil in pan and add onion and garlic. Sautee until onions are brown. Add spices and stir until fragrant. Add lentils and rice and stir for 2 – 5 minutes. Add water and bring to boil. Simmer for 20 – 30 minutes until lentils are tender. Garnish with parsley. Serve as a side dish to meet or veggies, dollop with yogurt and chopped cucumbers, top it with a fried egg.

About my previous idea that grown-ups don’t eat vegan cookies. I don’t know. I have an idea in my head that my demographic is the only one that doesn’t have an activity more satisfying than constructing bulk fiberous, nutrient-dense ingredients into something delicious. We work stupid jobs or do meaningless homework and “fun” is sitting at a bar trying to connect with dumb boys. We’re all trying to build something new and unique and great and sometimes the only place that happens is in the kitchen… at least it’s a start? Who avoids butter when they have careers and kids and cars and stuff? Maybe it’s just in my head.

Anyway: these cookies are loaded with all sorts of chocolate and weird grains. It did the trick this time – I created something great and unique foreal.

Triple Dark Chocolate Rye (Vegan, Wheat-Free) Cookies

0.75 oz good dark chocolate (about half a chocolate bar)
1 1/2 c rye fl
1 c rolled oats
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/3 c dark, vegan cocoa powder (I use Ghiradeli)

2/3 c dark chocolate chips (I use Ghiradeli)
4 tbs coconut oil
4 oz full fat coconut milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 c sugar

Preheat over to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Shred or take a hammer to a good chocolate bar (I did the latter) to break it into small pieces.

Taking a hammer to chocolate = satisfaction

Mix with remaining dry ingredients. Set aside. In a separate bowl, add coconut milk, oil, chocolate chips and vanilla. Heat in microwave or over stove just until chocolate is melted (about 45 seconds). Be careful not to burn chocolate! Stir to combine ingredients and then add sugar. Before it cools completely, mix with dry ingredients.

Scoop 1 tbs full of cookie dough onto parchment-lined baking sheet. The cookies do not expand much, but be sure to leave about one inch of space in between them just in case. Bake for 12 – 18 minutes and allow to cool. Serve with a full glass of cold soy milk (ew just kidding). I don’t what vegans drink with their chocolate cookies.

To emphasize the message of my letter, here’s what I did this week:

I prayed with Women of the Wall on Rosh Chodesh with women who desire to express their Judaism out loud at the Kotel.

I went to Ramallah on a girls spa trip and saw what a ballagan check-points can be

I ventured to the city center to be surrounded by hundreds of thousands of religious men protesting the government’s mandatory military draft

◊ Blast From Your Past

Posted on February 13, 2014 by shainashealy

Dear mom,

It’s fun to hear about all the snow in Birmingham while it’s a sunny 65 degrees here. I went on a run in Tel Aviv and came home sun-burnt! This is global-weirding for sure.

Your yoga practice is good. I’ve tried so many times to appreciate its slow stretching and meditative intent … but I can’t. I’d rather feel sweat burning my eyeballs during a long run or step off a spinning bike with wobbly legs, gasping for air. Yoga would be good for me, but I don’t wanna.

Another thing I don’t wanna…. SCHOOL.

Spring semester starts on Sunday and I can’t bear the thought. This break has been wonderful. I climbed out of the classroom hole to experience the things I came here for. I hosted dinners in Jerusalem, reunited with old friends in Tel Aviv, spent Shabbat with family in Pardes Hana, ate goat cheese from a farm in the Jerusalem forest, baked and cooked and baked, ventured to a women’s embroidery cooperative in Bethlehem, decorated my new room and cooked Yemini food in Rosh Haayin.

Lessons from textbooks are limited. The academic abyss that I will return to on Sunday feels soul-sucking and I think I’m much better at learning outside of it. I’m practicing to balance both worlds and must remember not to get stuck in either. One of these days I’ll start doing yoga… and my homework.

The highlight of these two weeks in Israel was cooking Yemeni food with Dvora and her mother in Rosh Haayin. When Dvora picked me up from the bus stop the first thing she said to me was that she remembered two things from visiting our house over 20 years ago: that you made an amazing hummus she still thinks about and that dad sent her home with bluegrass tapes. I assured her 20 years later things are the same. If a stranger were to visit our house tomorrow, she would probably leave with the same memories – that you stuffed her with incredible food and dad shared his favorite music.

Dvora and I chatted about Birmingham as she showed me Rosh Haayin. It was great to hear her stories of all the people and places that I know.

After a visit to the local jeweler and her family’s synagogue, we made lunch with her mother. Dvora spoke to her mother in Hebrew and her mother spoke back in a Yemeni version of Yiddish or Ladino… a mix between Arabic and Hebrew. Her wrinkled, tenacious hands reminded me of Bubbe’s… especially when she stuck them in hot oil without flinching. Together, Dvora, her mother and I made two types of Yemeni bread with vegetable stew and Hilbeh, a spicy chutney. Before I left Rosh Haayin, Dvora helped me pick out Yemeni spices at a local spice shop. The smells reminded me of India. When I mentioned this, Dvora reminded me of the spice trail… that India and Yemen’s culinary similarities are a result of their historic trade partnership.

I documented the recipes for the dishes we made, but like Bubbe, Dvora’s mother doesn’t use measuring cups. She relies on her hands. The dough is right when it feels right… sticky and stretchy.

Throughout the day, Dvora listed tons of recipes I can’t wait to try – Yemeni charozeth, homemade grape juice… You were right, she’s amazing! This was definitely not my last visit to Rosh Haayin.

Dvora and I share the same culinary philosophy – that you can’t be afraid of food; that it’s silly to fret over a recipe when you have your own capable nose and tastebuds. She sent me home with neatly packed Hilbeh and Khubaneh, her family’s Shabbat bread, that I’ll serve at my own Shabbat meal this weekend.

Stay warm!

xo,

Shaina

Khubaneh (Yemeni Shabbat bread) and Glub (Yemeni fried bread)

Prep time: 1 hour and 45 minutes include time for dough to rise

yields: two dozen rolls

Dough:

1 egg
1Tsp of salt
1 Tsp of sugar
1Tsp dry yeast
2 cup warm water (you add when mix dough)
4 c white flour
2 c whole wheat flour

Mix egg with salt, sugar and yeast until yeast is dissolved. Add warm water just before sifting in dough. Work the dough with your hands until sticky and pliable. Cover with towel and let rise for just one hour (do not let rise too much).

Khubaneh

Khubaneh tin

Kubaneh is a special Yemeni Shabbat bread. It is made in a metal tin over the stove. If you do not have one of these, you can use a steel baking pan or baking tin.

Pour one inch of olive oil into Kubaneh dish. Separate dough into five balls and place into dish, leaving one inch at the top. Cover dough in olive oil. Place top on Kubaneh dish and place over a low flame on the stove for 30 minutes. Once cooled, removed from Kubaneh dish. Before serving, brown top and sides of Kubaneh on a Shabbat hot-plate or a frying pan over low heat.

Glub

Fill pan with two inches of oil and heat until bubbles form. Stretch dough into flat, palm size circles and drop into hot oil. Fry until golden brown and drain on paper towels. Eat immediately with Hilbeh and vegetable stew.

Hilbeh (Yemeni Chutney)

2 tablespoons fenugreek seeds, soaked for at least 24 hours
leaves of 1 leek stalk
3 clove garlic
1 green chili
1 stalk fresh coriander
juice of 2 lemons
salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Soak fenugreek seeds in a cup of water for at least 24 hours. Drain the water and blend the seeds with the remaining ingredients until a water salsa is formed. Eat with breads and veggies.

Yemeni Vegetable Stew

prep time: 40 minutes

Yields: lunch for 3 or 4

1 tsp olive oil
2 white onions, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
1 cup water
2 medium sweet potatoes, chopped into 1 inch cubes
3 medium zuchini, chopped into 1 inch cubes
4 ounces tomato paste
salt to taste
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cayenne powder
handful of fresh coriander, chopped

Saute onions and carrots of medium heat until onions are translucent. Add one cup of water and remaining vegetables. Bring to boil and simmer for 10 minutes. When carrots are soft add tomato paste and spices. Stir, cover pot and simmer for 10 minutes. Add coriander and allow to cook for five more minutes. When vegetables are soft, serve piping hot with bread or rice.

◊ Sweetness

Posted on February 4, 2014 by shainashealy

Dear mom,

Our blog is not a space for you to publicly guilt me into calling you. But good job… it worked. Sounds like you had a fantastic time at Sundance. I wish I could have been there! I had a great vacation too. Liz, her friends from Bologna and I roamed the streets of Lisbon in search of pastries and pretty views for a week. It hit the spot.

Seeing your picture of dad building a fire made me pine for home. I just finished my first semester of grad school (what) and up until now I’ve been so busy that I haven’t even had a chance to think about how far I am from home. Now that I have some space to breathe and reflect, I’m surprised by the reality of February… that I’ve been here for over 5 months; that by some miracle of God I’ve advanced to intermediate Arabic; that I’ve settled into a new apartment in the center of Jerusalem; that I haven’t even scratched the surface of my year-in-Jerusalem to-do list. My calendar is already filling up for the next few weeks of my “break.”

Things are good here but I miss home. Living abroad has its way of sucking time away into something unrecognizable. Or is that just part of getting older? The seasons are different here and the lack of time-markers I’m used to – the smell of our fire-place, christmas tunes, chalky heart-shaped candies – draws the passage of time into something like a vortex. I can’t explain.

So I’m making a special effort to mark the end of my first semester with sweetness. My time in Portugal was a great start – a true vacation full of indulgence and relaxation. Since I’ve returned, I’ve celebrated my new apartment (and its shiny oven!) and honored the sweets of Lisbon by baking. I forgot how fun it is to mix ingredients in a bowl and watch them transform under dry heat.

In Lisbon, bakery windows lined with eggy, orange flavored pastries decorate every street corner. Someone I met told me that Portuguese pastries, rich and yellowed with egg yolks, are a result of the church’s historical dominance. Women in the church brightened white linens with egg whites. The remaining abundance of yolks went into pastries and thus traditional Portuguese cakes were born. The most famous is Pasteis de Nata, an eggy, caramelized custard cupped in flaky dough. The girls and I travelled to a Belem, a town 20 minutes from the heart of Lisbon just to visit a bakery known for their Nata and it was well worth it. We devoured the Pasteis de Nata straight out of the oven, warm and crisp, topped with cinnamon.

About to devour Pasteis de Nata in Belem

The recipe below, Crispy Oat, Orange and Poppy Cookies is a tribute to the one-million sweets I ate in Portugal. Inspired by Portugal’s orange flavored cakes and endless supply of pastries, these cookies are sweetened with honey and fresh orange juice, full of hearty seeds and grains, wheat-free and almost vegan … a healthy sweetness.

Hope Birmingham has recovered from its snow trauma!

Shaina

Crispy Oat, Orange and Poppy Cookies

Makes 10 – 12 cookies

Prep time: 20 minutes

2 tbs spelt flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt
4 tbs poppy seeds
1 tsp vanilla
dash of cinnamon
1/4 cup dates (finely chopped)
1/3 cup honey
3 heaping tbs orange zest (from two oranges)
juice of one medium orange
1 egg
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 1/2 cup uncooked thick rolled oats

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, seeds, dates, vanilla, honey, orange juice + zest, cinamon, egg and chopped dates in bowl.

All my oranges are zested out

Melt the coconut oil in a separate bowl or in a saucepan. Stir in the oats until coated. Stir oat mixture into bowl of remaining ingredients until combined. Then, drop one tablespoon of batter onto the cookie sheets for each cookie. Bake until golden, about 10-15 minutes. Remove and transfer onto a rack for cooling. The cookies should be crunchy on the outside, chewy in the middle. Perfection. Eat within 3 hours of baking for the ultimate crunch and chew experience.

Also …

When I travel, I always like to learn a recipe or two that reflect the local flavor. In Lisbon, one of the girls I was traveling with befriended a local who generously invited us to his apartment to cook a traditional Portuguese dinner. It was fun and educational, but Portuguese food is not really my thing. I’ll include the recipe below, but only with a disclaimer that it’s not something I would normally eat and probably not something I will make again.

Portuguese Fish Stew

1/3 c olive oil
5 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 medium red peppers, chopped
dash of chili flakes or cayenne
1/2 tsb pimiento (substitute paprika) powder
8 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
2 bay leaves

15 mussels, rinsed
2 pounds fish filet cut into 1 inch chunks (we used cod)
15 shrimp, peeled
2 tsp sea salt

1 cup rice
1⁄2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cup water

1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup lemon juice
fresh black pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat and cook tomatoes, garlic, onions and spices until fragrant. Add fish, seafood, salt, rice, wine and water. Bring to boil and cover pot. Let simmer for 15 – 20 minutes until fish is cooked. Make sure to not over cook – rice should be al dente. Garnish with plenty of chopped cilantro, lemon juice and black pepper. Serve immediately…. with lots of wine.

A few images from Lisbon:

If New Orleans and San Francisco had a child (or a parent?), it would be Lisbon.

If I was dependent only on my sense of sight, I would be tricked by the colorful houses, sea-side geography, steep hills and small alleys into thinking that I was in San Fran. But the smells and sounds proved otherwise. The air, heavy with the scents of fish, after parties and mold reminded me of New Orleans. And the buildings, romantically dilapidated and covered in graffiti were also NOLA-esque.

Most buildings in Lisbon are built from beautifully hand-painted tiles.

Eating chocolate cake with the girls

◊ I Say Soup

Posted on January 7, 2014 by shainashealy

Dear Mom,

You say puzzle, I say soup. Ok it’s a little forced, but I made a special lentil soup last week and I need to make it fit.

But really. You suggest existing outlines of my puzzle – pieces of it already in place – shapes that will come together. What. I relate my story more to a murky stew… a big pot set on simmer to soften the random chunks I throw into it. Today, I feel ok about this.

I experienced my first successful attempt to communicate in Arabic this afternoon. An Arab women who cleans the pool locker-room asked me (in Hebrew) about the lotion I was using and I told her (in Arabic! And some hand-flinging) that it was a special product made in France that my mom bought for me in America. I wrote down the brand on a piece of paper. In her language she thanked me and told me I was a good girl and I understood her. W’allah!

In soup-making, many cooks stick with a meat, a veggie, a grain, 3 or 4 spices max. They might look up a recipe or rely on tried flavor pairings or shoot for a trusted theme: warm spices with root vegetables… chicken stock with bright herbs. Cooking with conventions usually bears good food.

I don’t know what f**ing flavor my soup is. I have no vision about what I’ll sprinkle/pour/throw into it next. I want to trust that the chunks will blend into something palatable. I’ll keep stirring, hoping for healthy digestion, tasty sips and that others might enjoy a taste too.

xo,

Shaina

Pumpkin Lentil Soup

1 tsp olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
2 cups chopped fresh pumpkin (or butternut squash)
2 large carrots

6 cloves of garlic
4 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
4 sprigs of fresh or dried sage or 1 tsp dried sage
4 sprigs of fresh or dried rosemary or 1 tsp dried rosemary

5 cups water/vegetable stock/chicken stock
1 1/2 cups small, dry green lentils
4 bay leaves
salt and good black pepper

4 tbs red wine vinegar
zest and juice of 1 lemon

handful of chopped parsley

Heat olive oil in the base of a large pot. Add onions, carrots and pumpkin and sautee until onions begin to turn golden (5 – 8 minutes). Add garlic, sage, rosemary and thyme and stir for a few more minutes. When fragrant, add four cups of water/stock, lentils, bay leaves, salt and black pepper to the pot. Bring to boil and reduce to simmer until veggies are soft (about 30 min).

Remove from heat and add vinegar and lemon juice and zest. Allow to cool (because it’s easier) and with an immersion blender or food processor, blend into a thick puree. Add more water for a thinner soup. Garnish with parsley and serve with good bread or rice.

I enjoyed it topped with a fried egg once… another time with sunflower seeds… another time with a dollop of yogurt. Yogurt always wins in my book, but the egg was a satisfying touch.

Soup session with a special visitor

◊ The Grain of My Ancestors

Posted on December 15, 2013 by shainashealy

Dear mom,

You sent your veggie chili recipe just in time. We’ve experienced a blizzard over here in the Middle East. The roads are ice and yesterday’s white Jerusalem is melting gray. School has been cancelled since Thursday and my toes have been freezing-thawing-freezing-thawing since.

And I’m getting antsy. You and dad see my life as exciting. It is. But my schpilkas syndrome isn’t always a positive thing. Right now I’m walled in by snow and slush and I’m about to freak out. The stillness. I can’t.

So I move.

I hop around to fill my life with beautiful views, weird produce, scraps of new languages and cultural mishaps at which I retrospectively laugh. My life is full and I’m glad that you appreciate its pieces. But sometimes I don’t know what I’ve really shared with you because I still feel a big old hole of empty. I think I’ll need to slow down if I want to figure out how to fill it.

Once in 3rd grade I was walking from class to the carpool line and my teacher called me a turtle over the intercom. I left the building in tears and the name stuck. I was turtle… slow, slow, slow in all ways until one day I started to move fast. I don’t know when it happened… if it’s bad or good or neutral. But I think the compulsion that drives me to move fast stems from the same apprehension that held me in slowness. Careful and careless might be twins.

I risk losing me while I’m moving fast. Why do I write to you here? Because when I’m whipping across the globe at this pace it’s important that I stop to tell you what happened.

I don’t buy that you and dad’s lives would be boring without me. Between the two of you, you’ve built (from scratch) a farm with cows, a kitchen with stainless steel appliances and aquariums with tropical fish throughout Alabama; you’ve managed a 501C3, psychiatric wards, 70 person + dinner parties and god knows what else; you’ve sat in your very own office chairs, tractor seats and piano benches.

The things I’ve introduced you to – like la hoja de coca and indigo fermentation – are superficially weird (exciting, eclectic, whatever). But you two are the real thing.

You’re the ones.. the real weirdos… who inspire me to fill up.

Shaina

My people’s grain:

Israel’s recipes are infused with Mediterranean ingredients and Middle Eastern spices, but there’s still plenty of flavors that link me back to my Ashkenaz roots. As I think about my sense of self while hopping around at lighting speed, I am reminded that there’s no other food that speaks to my soul more than kasha. I can still smell the sticky fried onions and mushrooms that Bubbe made en mass to mix with kasha and farfel (like this recipe). It brings me back to me in an instant. Buckwheat: the grain of my ancestors.

Below are three buckwheat-based recipes inspired by my current place and purpose.

Sweet Buckwheat Porridge, Raw:

Adapted from my new favorite recipe blog, GreenKitchenStories.com

A portable post-swim snack

1 C raw buckwheat groats + water for soaking
1 C raw almond + water for soaking
4 dates + water for soaking

1pear
1 orange, juice and zest
chopped apricots

1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract or ground vanilla

Soak RAW (much of the buckwheat you find in stores is Kasha, which is roasted) groats, almonds and dates in water seperately for 4 – 7 hours or overnight.

In the morning, add all ingredients to a food processor (I used a stick blender) and blend until smooth.

Topping treats! I garnished my first serving with pomegranate seeds, chopped apples and persimmons, pumpkin seeds and drizzles of tahini and date syrup. It was luxurious. I also recommend any fresh fruit you have on hand, raisins, cocoa powder, date syrup, coconut flakes, honey, almond butter or your own favorite indulgences.

It’s also perfect for a breakfast-to-go or in-between class snack.

Israeli Buckwheat Salad:

2 cups roasted buckwheat groats (Kasha)
3 1/2 cups water
1 tsp salt

2 orange, red and/or yellow bell peppers, diced
2 carrots, diced into slivered chunks
red onion, thinly diced

1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin powder
1 tsp ground coriander

2 tbs crude tahini
2 tbs apple cider vinegar
1 tbs ground sumac (or lemon zest)

1 large bunch of parsley
2 ripe avocados

Bring water and salt to boil and add buckwheat. Simmer for 10 – 12 minutes until tender and fluffy. Remove from heat and allow buckwheat to cool for an additional 5 minutes. Then drain any extra water and spread onto baking sheet or large surface to prevent clumps.

Dice all of the vegetables very thinly. If you have other veggies in the fridge you need to get rid of, this is your moment.

In a saucpan, heat olive oil and add turmeric, cumin and coriander. Stir for 1 – 2 minutes until fragrant. Pour mixture into bowl and add tahini, vinegar and sumac. Stir well.

Toss buckwheat, veggies and dressing right before serving. Top with chopped parsley and avocado. Serve cool or room temperature.

Orange Glazed Tempeh over Soba Noodles with Avocado:

Tempeh preparation is adapted from 101cookbooks.com

Yes, Soba Noodles are made from buckwheat!

1 package (12 oz) dried soba noodles (I like to use 100% buckwheat, but they can be hard to find and expensive. More common is a buckwheat + spelt or wheat combination.)

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (3-4 large oranges)
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons maple syrup, date syrup or honey
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 small garlic cloves, crushed
10 ounces of tempeh (or tofu)
1 tbs olive oil

1/2 lime
1 avocado, sliced
cilantro to garnish

Cook the soba noodles in well salted water, drain, rinse under cold water. Set aside.

Mix orange juice, soy sauce, maple syrup, ground coriander, and garlic in a bowl and set aside.

Cut tempeh into thin slices. Heat olive oil in pan. Once hot, add tempeh and pan-fry for 5 – 10 minutes, until golden and crisp. Pour the orange juice, etc mixture over the tempeh and simmer for 10-15 minutes (flip tempeh piece 3 or 4 times during this time to allow all sides to absorb sauce) until sauce becomes thick and sticky.

Place tempeh over soba noodles and top with remaining sauce, black sesame seeds, squeeze of lime, cilantro and avocado.

◊ Deep Fried Judaism

Posted on December 5, 2013 by shainashealy

Dear mom,

I just ate the best sufganiya (donut) of my life. It was warm… crisp and golden on the outside and doughy on the inside… filled with salty caramel cream. My Chanukah in Israel has been full of lights, songs, sticky fingers and young faces dusted in sugar. I love that my religion commands the indulgence of deep-fried sugary foods as a mitzvah.

I’ve eaten pistachio, raspberry, chocolate, strawberry and dulce de leche donuts… cauliflower, beet, sweet potato, corn, spinach and zucchini latkes.

I’m only trying to make up for years of underestimating the spiritual significance of fried foods. Back home I was told that Chanukah isn’t a big deal… that Americans overemphasize the celebration only to compete with the Christmas spirit around us. But Chanukah (and its donuts) are fo’serious in Israel. I swear the air smells like a deep-fryer.

Rambam says: “We already have an established custom to make sufganiyot (doughnuts) which are sweet baked goods and this custom is an ancient one of our fathers since these foods are boiled in oil, to commemorate the miracle that occurred to that flask of oil.”

We conquered the Greeks and kept our tradition burning. This greasy goodness is important to the Jewish people, I repeat as I indulge in just one more jelly-filled donut.

Of equal importance to donuts are the lights. Menorahs in glass boxes attached to walls, stacked on top of ledges and and displayed on plastic chairs illuminate dark alleys throughout Jerusalem. Wicks fueled with olive oil glow like America’s lit-up reindeer with added holiness. Children and families gather around the light to sing, pray and dance. Chanukah streets are romantic.

But today is the last day of Chanukah and my gut-spirit is finished. Our cousin, Tan, made the best, most fresh-tasting cold rice salad a few weeks ago. I snagged the recipe from her and made it along with layered sweet potato and beet purees for a Thanksgivukah meal I shared with friends. I’m just thankful that both of these dishes are post-Chanukah cleanse appropriate … I’m craving veggies after 8 holy days of saturated fats. At least in Israel I’ll avoid the Christmas cookie spell that invades American offices and schools at this time of year, Baruch Hashem.

Hope your Chanukah was special too! xo,

Shaina

Ps. See some of my favorite menorahs below the recipes

Zesty Herbed Rice Salad

Prep time: 35 minutes

Serves: 5 – 7

2 cups colorful rice (I used red – or purple- in this recipe. You can also use brown)
3/4 cup raw fennel (or celery if you’re on a budget), finely chopped
2 large green onion bulbs, finely chopped
3/4 cup fresh mint, finely chopped
3/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup slivered almonds
juice and zest of 3 large lemons
3 tbs olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt (more if needed)
plenty of good black pepper
1/4 cup golden raisins

Combine rice with 2 1/2 cups of water bring to boil over high heat. Then, reduce heat and let simmer for 20 – 25 minutes. Once cooked, allow to cool (you may want to prepare it a day before serving to allow plenty of time to cool).

Meanwhile, toast slivered almonds in a toaster oven or skillet until golden brown and fragrant and set aside. Then, finely chop fennel, green onion, mint and parsley and set aside. Mix olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice and lemon zest and set aside.

Right before serving (and once rice has reached room temperature or cooler), mix oil and lemon, herbs and fennel, almonds and raisins into rice. Garnish with any additional herbs, almonds, or sprinkle of lemon zest. Enjoy cold.

Nutty Sweet Potato and Beet Layers

Prep time: 1 hour
Serves: 10 - 20 people as a side

Sweet Potato Layer:

1 scant tsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp cinnamon
dash of cayenne powder (to taste)
5 large sweet potatoes, boiled and peeled
juice and zest of one orange
4 tbs crude tahini
1 tsp salt (or more)

Beet Layer:

(similar to the beet puree I posted here, but less walnuts and more olive oil)

4 largebeet, roasted and peeled
black pepper
salt
juice and zest of one lemon
1/2 cup walnuts
3 tbs olive oil

For garnish:

pumpkin seeds
chopped parsely
drizzle of olive oil

First make the beet layer (it’s messier). Combine all ingredients in food processor and puree until smooth.

Add more olive oil as needed. Set aside.

For the sweet potato layer, heat spices in olive oil over low heat until fragrant. Then, combine all ingredients and mash with the back of a large fork until smooth. It’s okay for chunks to remain.

When you’re ready to serve, spread a thick layer of sweet potato puree on a serving dish. Top with an equally thick layer of the beet puree. Garnish with pumpkin seeds, chopped parsley and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with pita chips, crackers or thinly sliced apples. Eat leftovers next to yogurt for breakfast… everyone will be impressed.

Some lights around town:

◊ Thanksgivukkuh

Posted on November 23, 2013 by shainashealy

Dear mom,

I’ve been waiting and waiting for your reply and can’t hold out any longer. For the first time in decades, thanksgiving falls on the first day of Chanukah… celebrations commence in just 5 days and I have recipes to share!

Vendors in Jerusalem are revving up for Chanukah with stacks of sufganyiot glistening with sugar and dripping with red jelly. I’m banking on the Chanukah goodies in Israel to fill the void of not being home for Thanksgiving, but I know it won’t work.

For me, the flavors of our Thanksgiving are easy to recreate; it’s the spirit that I will miss… especially the spirit of one tradition I wouldn’t dare repeat outside our home, the “women’s Slivovitz shot.”

I remember hosting holiday meal after meal at our home back in the day – the men sat around sipping cocktails, you women busied yourselves with mealtime preparations and us kids ran around recklessly. Just before serving the meal, all the ladies in the family discreetly downed shots of Slivovitz (plum brandy… 50% alcohol?) in the kitchen. You stumbled out with big platters of food and goofy smiles.

Shots of Sliv evolved from necessity to ceremony (who am I kidding? It’s still a necessity)… Now, before each holiday meal, all women gather in the kitchen with shot glasses full of Slivovitz (and grape juice for the girls) while the men stand around us. They applaud your toast and root for us women. I always feel pride as we down the liquid fire together.

I’ll say it again: our family is special.

Please don’t taint our blog with your deep fried Turkey recipe. Happy Thanksgivukkah!
xo,
Shaina

To bring some Thanksgiving flavors into my life here, here’s a recipe for Chanukah sufganiyot that invite Thanksgiving nostalgia: Baked Pumpkin Spice Donuts (sorry Israelis, I know that baking donuts is a total insult … But it’s the only way I’ll be able to stomach Chanukah and Thanksgiving indulgences all in the same week!).

Baked Pumpkin Spice Donuts
Makes about 20 donuts
35 working minutes, 140 total minutes (including rising time)

1 packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 1/3 c slightly warm (not hot!) milk
1/3 c pumpkin puree
2 tbs butter (melted)
2/3 c sugar
2 eggs
5 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp nutmeg
1tbs cinnamon
1 tsp ginger powder or 1 tbs fresh shredded ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp allspice
1 teaspoon salt

Stir yeast into 1/3 cup of warm milk. Mix the remaining cup of milk with butter, sugar and pumpkin puree, and then add to yeast mixture. In an electric mixer bowl, whisk the eggs, flour, spices and salt. Beat the dough with an electric mixer dough hook for 3-7 minutes. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour.

Once the dough is formed (it shouldn’t be too sticky and should pull away from your hands easily), knead it a few times and place it an oiled bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place for an hour (similar to the process of making challah).

When the dough has grown, hit it down and roll it into a 1/2 inch thick sheet on a floured countertop. If you have a doughnut cutter, great. If not, use a large glass or 3 inch cookie cutter (I used a wide mouth mug) to cut the dough into circles. Use a smaller glass or cookie cutter to cut a hole in the middle of the circles.
Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and line the circles on top. Cover with a cloth and let rise for 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Bake donuts for 8 -10 minutes until tops are browned. When done, sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon and/or nutmeg, or enjoy plain.

For another healthy-ish Thanksgiving twist on a Channukah classic, try Zesty Cranberry Yogurt in place of sour cream on your latkes. It’s great with old fashioned latkes, but with sweet potato latkes…. omg.

Zesty Cranberry Yogurt
Serves 10 as a sauce for latkes
Prep time 25 – 30 minutes

2 C cranberries (fresh or frozen)
3/4 C chopped dates
Zest and juice of 2 oranges
1/2 tsp clove powder
1tsp cinnamon
1/2 C dried cranberries of raisins
1/2 C toasted walnut pieces
2 C plain greek yogurt (whole fat always tastes better, but feel free to use fat free if you want to same caloric space for latkes and other Thanksgivingkah treats)
1 tbs orange zest for garnish

Cook cranberries, dates, orange juice and zest, clove powder and cinnamon on low heat for 15-25 minutes until berries’ skins break apart. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Once cool, remove from heat and let thicken. Stir dried cranberries/raisins and walnut pieces into mixture.
Stir resulting cranberry sauce into greek yogurt and garnish with orange zest. Eat with latkes in place of sour cream for a Thanksgiving twist on a Channukah classic. Use leftovers as a complimentary topping for savory sweet potato dishes. Or, drizzle cranberry sauce over yogurt and granola for a zesty breakfast or midday snack.

◊ One World One Family

Posted on November 4, 2013 by shainashealy

Dear mom,

You are in Israel and I am in class. I’m a terrible student … I just can’t wait to be with the family. All I have to do is get through the next few classes and readings before I see you in two days!

I’m looking forward to Amit’s wedding, but the nerd in me is just as excited to simply be surrounded by my family. The abundance of us together at the same time (for the first time!) in Israel is part of an important story. I’m grateful to live it. And if the legacy of family tradition is carried in the way we party, the wedding will be out of control.

I’m also excited for you to be in Israel again. I know you’ll love the food and I’m curious to hear your perceptions of the country’s daily beat. When I walk the streets of Jerusalem there are times I feel right at home and others when reality flips my comfort zone upside down. Will you experience what other Jewish visitors from the US talk about — a feeling of returning home? Or, more similar to my experience, will being here make you question your sense of belonging to any place? Living in Jerusalem makes me wonder if sense of belonging to a place is something that we’re taught to feel entitled to… and what kind of devotion, adoration, havoc that feeling might trigger. If you run out of things to think about during your time here, sense of belonging is a good one. But I’m certain that won’t happen. Your days will be too crowded with loud family, tasty salads and stunning vistas.

In the least, Abe’s embarrassing family slogan creation – One World, One Family. Schuster, We Know No Borders – vindicates a share of my own search for belonging, particularly among our small American cohort. That’s why our family story is important to me.

See you SOON b’eretz!

xo,
Shaina

The best thing about eating in Israel is the salads. Breakfast salads, lunch salads, dinner salads… small, diverse and plenty! In the words of dear friend Dr. Ayla Pelleg, salads are exciting because every bite is a new adventure!

You’ll see what I’m talking about in a few days if you haven’t already.

In Israel, tuna salads are staple, weirdly for breakfast and especially among students like me for its affordable (in time and shekels) protein. When I was a kid, my favorite lunch was a tall stack of tuna- saltine cracker-tuna- saltine cracker. What I probably enjoyed most about this lunch was the animal-like crumble of the stack after such careful construction.

I’m (mostly) over my childish impulse to destroy, but am still tweaking my all-time favorite tuna salad. Below is my Israel inspired concoction colored with eastern spices and bright veggies.

Shelves in the market feature unfamiliar spices… I experiment with a new one after each visit

Spicy Tuna Salad with Lentils and Arugula
Serves 4 – 7 people

Spice mix

¼ cup tomato paste
4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 green chili, stem and seeds removed
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt

Salad

2 cups French lentils, prepared (boil with salt)
3 5-ounce cans of albacore tuna
4 tablespoons spice mix or to taste
2 cups carrots, finely grated
½ red onion, chopped
4 handfuls of arugula, chopped
3 eggs, boiled and sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
Handful of parsley, roughly chopped, for garnish
Handful of pumpkin seeds, toasted, for garnish

To prepare spice mix, add all ingredients into a food processor and puree into thick paste. In a large bowl, mix lentils, tuna, spice mix, onions and carrots. If desired, add a drop of olive oil to loosen the mixture. Right before serving, toss tuna mixture with arugula and sliced eggs. Add salt and black pepper as needed. Garnish with pumpkin seeds and parsley and serve chilled with good bread or crackers. Refrigerate any unused portion of the spice mixture for other salad dishes.

** If you don’t eat fish, add another handful of lentils (or an additional egg or slices of avocado) … the salad works without tuna. The lentils, carrots and arugula carry plenty of substance. Experiment and tell me what you learn.

◊ Seated and Listening

Posted on October 18, 2013 by shainashealy

Dear Mom,

I’m relieved that you’ve adopted a mushroom log to fill my absence… it’s important to have something to feed and water (don’t forget about dad).

I too have barely cooked since I left home. My kitchen here is one fridge and four burners between five girls. I know a transition to this from three fridges all to myself at home is possible, but I need time to adjust. On the upside, my veggie-chopping view is the same one you get in postcards of Jerusalem… my kitchen window looks out over the Old City.

kitchen table view

from my room

No matter how breathtaking the views, adjustments are never easy. My schedule feels so not me… I spend most of my hours absorbing information rather than creating output. I’m itching for dirty hands already. Typically, I channel energy by producing – painting, taking photographs, cooking, writing – but here I sit in class, read and listen. It’s not my style and I’m scared that I don’t know how to do it… though I admit that the practice is probably exactly what I need.

jogged up a hill to here

It’s painful to be seated and listening for most of the day, especially when what’s being said takes 100% of my brain power to decipher. I want to run away to the market and get lost in samples. Once again, why am I here?

Inhale. Exhale. I’m only here because why not? Because challenges can be good for the soul. Because listening skills are important.
xo,
Shaina

ps. A tip for the shrooms: Soak them oil infused with fresh herbs overnight… they’ll soak up a ton of flavor and will be great chopped up with nuts or in salads.

Another thing I’ll have to get used to is life without an oven. I did without one in India, but its absence here is unexpected. How will I endure the week without my Sunday afternoon mass-veggie-roasting ritual? This recipe is a tribute to what once was.

Whole Grain Back-to-School Carrot Muffins
Prep time: 45 minutes
Yields 24 regular muffins OR 48 mini muffins

This is a quick, easy clean-out-the-pantry muffin. When I was first presented with the opportunity to move to Israel, I freaked. I met with my decision-making goddess for a consultation and in return I developed a special a back-to-school muffin recipe for her (she has two young children and was looking for a breakfast idea that she could easily and quickly throw together before carpool). Now that I don’t have access to an oven, all I can think of is these muffins. They would be perfect brain food for between class breaks. Packed with protein, whole grains and vitamin A, these muffins are perfect for students and parents of students who need something healthy and hearty to grab before heading out the door.

1 1/2 Cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 Cup of your favorite whole grain cereal mix (I use Bob’s Red Mill Hot 5 Grain Cereal Mix for its hardy combination of flax, oats, rye, etc. You can also use rolled oats or self-prepared combo of rolled oats, flax meal, wheat bran, etc)*
3/4 cup honey
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 ripe bananas (can be frozen)
1 cup plain greek yogurt (if you’re worried, nonfat is ok, but 2% or whole is better)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 large eggs
2 cups grated carrots (or zucchini)
optional: 1/2 cup crushed walnuts, 1/4 c raisins, 1 tbs fresh grated ginger
4 tbs oats or hot cereal mix for topping

Preheat oven to 400°. Combine dry ingredients. Mash banana with a fork until pureed. In separate bowl, combine banana, greek yogurt, oil and eggs. Add flour to liquid mixture and gently stir until just combined. Gently fold carrots (+walnuts, raisins, etc) into the mixture and spoon batter into muffin tin coated with butter, oil or cooking spray. For full muffins, bake for 20-30 minutes – for mini muffins, bake for 15 – 20 minutes.

A few muffin tips: check for doneness with a toothpick early (you don’t want to overcook!); leave some lumps in the batter – over mixing will reduce fluff; cool in the pan for just 5 minutes and then remove so the muffins don’t get soggy; store in airtight container or freeze.

◊ Wary But Ready

Posted on September 30, 2013 by shainashealy

Dear mom,

Tomorrow I leave home again. My direction is just as unclear as the last time I left (and the time before that)… the difference is that I’ve become more comfortable with not knowing things. This time, there’s less fear, less adrenaline, less newness attached to stuffing suitcases with this-and-that for life with clouded purpose in a foreign country. A sack of my favorite teas, a quick-dry towel, sneakers and good socks, a down pillow, four cameras (yes I need them all), ear plugs, chocolate chips for the plane, etc, etc… I know what I need.

From the front yard

Living with you and dad has been (uhh… how can a 25 year old with overbearing/hysterical parents word this kindly?)… motivating… but I will miss the small life I’ve rebuilt in Birmingham during these 3 months. I’m already waxing nostalgic over my cooking-gig guided by “clients’” health needs, luxurious ingredients and big counter space along with all the other stuff: family and old friends, long runs through wooded trails, the first ever AL organic cotton, this company. Yes, pour-over coffee joints, Villager Yoga and hipster popsicles (requisite to any urban wannabe) are proof that Birmingham is rising.

Thank you for the luxury to return home and recharge. Each time I leave home I feel sort of like I need to resume fight-mode… Tomorrow I’ll muster a new energy and the next day I’ll turn it up a notch to navigate a new place, new language, new people, new foods (!), new projects. What am I getting into?

Tomorrow opens a new chapter. When I sound ambivalent about the direction of my life, others assure me that I’ll figure it out soon. I’m 99.5% sure that I won’t because what does that even mean?

I’m wary of veering from the path I’ve built to move to Jerusalem because why? But I’m ready… at least for some good hummus.

xo,

Shaina

Right: not edible
Left: will make you see funny things

best purchase of the summer: a shitake sprouting log

These recipes honor the luxury of home-life. I was never able to afford porcini or any other fancy mushrooms when I was out on my own (well… my priorities weren’t right) so I did some mega experimentation at home. I made two dishes with a variety of dried mushrooms (chanterelle, cremini, shitake…) – both vegan and both satisfying: Vegan Mushroom Risotto and Hearty Mushroom Farro. Porcini and chanterelle mushrooms were my fav with intensely earthy, deep meaty flavors. The farro was the best dish of the summer… hearty and toothsome (Arielle taught me that word, isn’t it good?). It’s even better topped with creamy cashew cheese, a rich vegan treat. A pairing of the two = the most luxurious meal ever.

Mushroom Farro

1 cup dried porcini mushrooms
6 cups salted water (or vegetable stock)

1 1/2 cups farro
1 tbs olive oil
1 white onion, chopped
1 lb fresh portabello, shitake, cremini or baby bella mushrooms
Salt
4 garlic cloves, chopped
4 sprigs fresh thyme

good black pepper, freshly ground
Parsley, chopped

Put mushrooms in water and bring to boil. As soon as water boils, lower heat to simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large skillet. Add the onions and cook until translucent about 2-4 minutes. Add the garlic, fresh mushrooms (not the porcinis), salt and thyme. Cooking (stir often) about 8-15 minutes, until mushrooms are tender and onions are brown.
On a separate skillet, heat a drop of olive oil. Cook farro in olive oil until fragrant (about 3 minutes) while stirring.
Remove porcini mushrooms from water with a strainer, rinse, chop, and add to mushroom and onion mix.

Add farro to mushroom broth (you should have about 5 cups) and bring to simmer for about 45 minutes or until tender. The grains should be chewy and splayed. If water remains, continue to cook until grain is splayed. When ready, combine mushroom/onion mixture with farro. Remove thyme sprigs and add plenty of fresh ground black pepper. Garnish with parsley (thanks for the idea, mom) and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if you please. Stir and serve warm!

Creamy Vegan Cashew Cheese

2 C raw (unsalted) cashews or cashew pieces (pieces are usually cheaper), soaked overnight, then drained
1/3 C nutritional yeast (optional)
1/2 tsp good sea salt
spices (you can do ANYTHING! For the mushroom farro, I’d stick with black pepper, but I’ve used a variety of herbs to liven things up in the past. Last time I put in a spicy smoked flavoring… delish!)
1/2 cup water… more as needed

To soak cashews, cover with water and leave for 6 hours or overnight. When ready, drain cashews from water and add cashews and other ingredients to food processor. Puree all ingredients until creamy. The consistency should be like peanut butter, but add water if you want it looser. Chill for four hours before serving. If you like a firmer cashew cheese, strain pureed mixture in a cheese cloth overnight. Discard extra liquid and serve cold.

cross counter exchange

Author Archives: shainashealy

◊ No

◊ Blast From Your Past

◊ Sweetness

◊ I Say Soup

◊ The Grain of My Ancestors

◊ Deep Fried Judaism

◊ Thanksgivukkuh

◊ One World One Family

◊ Seated and Listening

◊ Wary But Ready