♦ NO, What?!

Posted on March 14, 2014 by estherschuster

Dear Shaina,

No, What?!

It does seem that thou protesteth a wee bit much.

I do not hold you responsible for your only-child status. Nor do I hold you culpable for my mother-worry (something that even mothers of multiples have). And who ever asked you to tailor (nice Zayde metaphor) any of your needs or actions to my neuroses?! Putting you back in the womb?!…you have spent less time in the womb (literally and metaphorically) than almost any kid I know, including Abe’s.

So, NO, WHAT?!

No, you won’t stop traveling around the world or wherever! I don’t expect you to.

No, you won’t stop experiencing your life to the fullest! I hope not.

No, you won’t live your life for me! Who asked you to?

No, you won’t stop running 10 miles a day…so your feet will hurt!

Despite my mother-angst and neuroses, I have spent much of my parenting consciousness focused on mitigating the burdens of your only-childness…from play-group to sleep-away camp, from staying out of your classrooms to encouraging you to make your own decisions about schools, coursework, career, travel, friends…just about everything. Dad and I both understood the importance of you finding and being your own person…and supported you in that process and its outcome. Personally, I think we did a damn good job (maybe too good a job)!

I am sorry that you bear this burden, but I also know that even if you had 5 brothers and sisters, the challenges of finding your own life burdened by fulfilling your fantasy of your parents wishes and dreams would still be there. My own parents, your Bubbe and Zayde, wanted only one thing from us…for us to be happy…the ultimate in a catch-22 parental demand/burden/expectation. If you defy them, you suffer; if you comply, they win…but so do you. That takes a while to learn. It is my only wish for you, also.

I recognize your separateness from me and mine from you. My feelings are my own and not intended to impose expectations on you. That is your problem to deal with (although you seem to be dealing with it just fine). I accept fully who you are and who you are continually becoming. My mother-love is bursting with pride and I am, with some objectivity, in awe of all your accomplishments, your daring, your zest for life and your skills in managing the hurdles of growing up and staying alive. If there ever were expectations, you have exceeded them all…so get over it.

And now that your SHAINA sign (from your Bat Mitzvah) has fallen off your bedroom door, it may be time for you to clean out that childhood shelter of protection and fantasy.

That doesn’t mean I won’t always being praying for your health, happiness, safety and mazel. It also doesn’t mean that I won’t be hoping that, one day, I will see one of those eggs (which I absolutely know are your own) come to fruition. No pressure.

I couldn’t love you more…just the way you are.

Love,

Mom

xoxooxoxxoxoxoxoxoox

Crustless Quiche Appetizer

After all of our recent discussions, I thought I might send a blander recipe to settle things down a bit. It still has lots of flavor, but could be spiced up if you want.

I made this dish for an event I was going to. I needed something dairy or veggie that would yield a lot of pick-up bite-sized snacks that could be served at room temperature. This worked out perfectly! It can also be made in a more traditional quiche dish and served hot or made in individual mini muffin trays (although that seems like a lot more work).

To adapt for Passover, leave out the flour and you could add a little matzoh meal. If you leave out both, it becomes gluten free.

Preheat Oven to 350°

1 pound chopped spinach, fresh (sautéed) or frozen, drained
1 cup sliced mushrooms, sautéed
1 large or two small onions, chopped and sautéed
~ 1 cup cheddar and 1 cup jarlsburg cheese, grated and mixed together
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups half and half
1/2 cup cottage cheese
6 eggs, slightly beaten
Scant 1/2 cup flour
1-2 cloves garlic, minced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried dill or 1 tablespoon fresh
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 cup parmesan cheese for topping

Reserve 3/4 cup of the cheddar/Jarlsburg cheese mixture for the topping and set aside.

Place spinach, mushrooms, onions and cheddar/Jarlsburg cheese in a large bowl and mix together.

Combine milk, cream, cottage cheese, slightly beaten eggs, flour and spices in a bowl and mix together.

Add the milk/cream mixture to the vegetable/cheese mixture and mix thoroughly.

Lightly spray bottom and sides of a 9” x 13” glass baking dish with a non-stick cooking spray.

Pour quiche mixture into the baking dish.

Mix parmesan cheese with remaining cheddar/Jarlsburg mixture and sprinkle over the top of the casserole.

Bake at 350° for 40 – 50 minutes or until top browns slightly and casserole is set.

Casserole may be undercooked and frozen for later use. Defrost and allow to come to room temperature and finish baking in the oven at 350°.

Cut into 1″ squares for pick-up appetizers.

◊ 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

♦ One Egg, One Basket

Posted on March 5, 2014 by estherschuster

Dear Shaina,

My heart is always eased a little when I see that you have been with family…both our blood relatives as well as the family we have created over the years. Knowing that you seek out the blessings of family…where love and connections are the undercurrent of everything, where life’s milestones are celebrated and traditions are transcended and where food and kitchen secrets are shared…is a comfort to me. Most of all, I am comforted to see you safe and surrounded by love and friendship.

Never too old to learn how to do something new with a grape tomato!

My comfort was short-lived when I heard about your day trip to Ramallah. I am all for a girl’s day out at the spa…but Ramallah?! You tell me it’s safe. Everyone else tells me, you are out of your mind! I remind myself that you are responsible (most of the time), you are not really a wild risk taker (calculated risks only, I pray) and that you have traveled the world and survived (pooh, pooh, pooh!). I still get scared. I know that your life is beyond my control and I pray fervently, everyday, for your safety, your health, your well-being, your happiness…and a strong dose of mazel. Prayer is a pretty flimsy substitute for control, but it’s all I have and I’m counting on it. But just in case, would you mind just being a little more cautious with your life…for my sake (and your father’s)?! I am counting the days until you get home for Passover. I am only truly at ease when you are right under my nose.

I am working on planning our concurrent Birmingham/Israel Shabbat dinner….Birmingham parents with kids living in Israel sharing Shabbat here while their kids share Shabbat in Jerusalem. It’s a great idea…now let’s see if we can pull it off. You need to let me know what’s on your menu so I can introduce the parents to a taste of what their kids might have eaten at your house eight hours earlier.

Dad is on a ski trip with the boys and has chosen yoga over skiing as his sport of choice on this trip. Along with his drum sticks and practice pad, I am certain he will entertain himself and get an adequate workout. I feel like I am a yoga evangelist. I am glad to hear that you are now enjoying your new yoga class. Now if you can only learn to spare your poor feet a little…a ten and a half mile run…no wonder your feet hurt!

A whole lot of avoidance!

I have been working on taxes (my annual descent into receipt madness) and baking (my go-to avoidance activity) hamentaschen for Purim. I made over 250…half for the Chesed Committee at temple and the rest to enjoy and give away. Dad’s favorite is cherry, even though I made some chocolate-peanut butter chip-caramel just for him. There will be a few waiting for you in the freezer to enjoy before we begin our Passover cook-a-thon.

Please take care of yourself…remember all my eggs (and I only have one) are in one basket…and you are the primary bearer and caretaker of that basket!

Love,

Mom
xoxoxoxoxooxooxox

Bubbe’s Hamantaschen Revisited
Dairy or Pareve

Yield: about 40 to 60 depending on how large and thick you make them

Prep time: 2 -4 hours (includes chilling, rolling and baking)

Cooking time: 14-16 minutes per batch

1 cup sugar
½ cup butter (1stick), shortening or pareve margarine
⅓ cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
½ cup orange juice
Zest of 1 orange
1 tablespoon vanilla
4 full cups unbleached all purpose flour plus more flour for kneading and rolling dough
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt

Filling

3 cups of filling or 2 twelve-ounce cans of prepared filling or jam

Options: poppy seed, cherry, strawberry, chocolate chips, prune, raisin and nuts, almond filling or your favorite jam.

Make your own: combine fruit (prunes and raisins work well) with a little orange juice and sugar and cinnamon to taste and cook over low heat until thickened. Nuts may be added. Be creative!

Bring all ingredients to room temperature. Cream the sugar and butter in a large bowl. Add the vegetable oil and eggs and beat until blended. Add orange juice, zest and vanilla and mix together.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in another bowl and mix together.

Hamantaschen 030514

Mix dry ingredients into the large bowl with wet ingredients. Knead dough into a ball. Divide into 4 balls of dough and wrap in clear plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Dough may be kept in the refrigerator for a week or may be frozen for up to a month for later use.

Preheat oven to 350°

Work with one ball of dough at a time, keeping remaining dough refrigerated. Roll out dough on floured surface to ⅛ inch thickness. Cut in 2 ½ to 3 ½ inch circles (the metal lid band from a wide-mouth canning jar or the jar itself make the perfect size cookie cutters). Put a rounded teaspoon of filling in the center of each circle. Pinch the sides and top together to make a triangle shape. You can use a smaller glass or circle cookie cutter and less filling for smaller hamantaschen.

Place on an ungreased baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 14 to 16 minutes until edges are lightly browned.

Chinese Brisket Chili

I am not really a meat chili person, but this was so intriguing that I had to try it and it was delicious! Not to mention that it turned out to be the perfect thing for those weird cold days we had this winter. You will probably never make this dish, but some of your meat eating friends might want the recipe anyway. This dish made me fantasize about having a chili party next winter…White Chili made with chicken, Chinese Chili made with brisket and our family classic…Vegetarian Chili made with tofu. It’s a thought….

This recipe is adapted from one Dad found in the newspaper…of course I had to add a few of my own touches. It makes enough to feed a crowd!

3 pounds lean brisket
1/3 cup soy sauce, more to taste
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
2 – 3 large onions, chopped
12 – 16 ounces mushrooms, sliced
3 – 4 carrots chopped or sliced
2 green or red peppers, seeded and chopped
2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped
1 habanero or other hot fresh chile (to taste), seeded and chopped
6-8 cloves fresh garlic, chopped or minced
1 3” piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)
2 tablespoons five-spice powder
16 ounces of beer
2 cans or boxes of crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons of rice vinegar

Chopped cilantro for garnish

Start with a 8-10 quart dutch oven or soup pot. Trim the fat off the brisket reserving a small piece (about 2 tablespoons) of fat. Throw any remaining fat away. Lightly brown the reserved fat on medium-high heat in the dutch oven to slick the bottom (this piece of fat can be discarded after being browned). Cut the trimmed brisket into 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch cubes. Add the chunks of brisket to the pot and cook until the meat loses its redness. Transfer the seared meat and juices to a bowl and toss with soy sauce and hoisin sauce and let stand while preparing the vegetables.

Reduce heat to low and add onions and mushrooms to the Dutch oven. Sauté until soft. Add carrots and peppers and continue cooking. Garlic, ginger and hot peppers can be finely chopped together in a food processor and added to the vegetables. Add spices and beer and bring to a simmer. Add tomatoes. Add meat with marinade and juices. Cover and simmer until meat is tender and flavors are well blended. This could take 3 hours and tastes even better the next day.

Stir in vinegar and adjust seasonings with soy sauce and salt.

Garnish with cilantro and serve with black beans and brown basmati rice.

This dish gets better the longer it cooks and can be made a few days ahead of time. It also freezes well.

◊ 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.

♦ Indulgence

Posted on February 7, 2014 by estherschuster

Dear Shaina,

Thank you for the compliment. It is comforting to know that I haven’t lost my touch completely … if only, to make you call home.

Time does fly. It’s bad enough when its my life, but at least I can review the markers in real time. As far as your life goes, it’s harder to track. Whole chunks of space go missing…and the moments of missing are sharp and ever present. Talking with you helps calm my anxieties and gives me enough tidbits of your daily doings to activate my vicarious pleasure (or angst). So, thanks for indulging me.

Mazel Tov on your success in Arabic. I know how much time and effort you sweated over it. And congratulations on allowing yourself an indulgent vacation. I have yet to regret any of my indulgences and only wish I had allowed myself more over the years. I am making up for it.

Yoga is my current indulgence. I am surprised by how much pleasure I am experiencing in practicing yoga. Five days this week…I have never in my life done any physical activity five days a week! It’s not that it’s easy and I fully understand why its called a practice. There’s just something about the physicality and the restoration, the striving and the serenity and the total focus on…my breathing, my heartbeat, my sore joints and stiff muscles, my body’s imperfect capacity, my gratitude for my strength…and my life…and the stilling of my mind. I am fully indulging myself in this pursuit of balance, acceptance and peace. I feel good! Maybe it’s just all that seratonin leeching out into my brain…whatever!

Dad and I spent four days iced in at our winter chalet at the top of the hill. I didn’t want to leave. We were very comfortable being holed up together, safe and warm with plenty of good food and books…and no obligations or commitments. Having always been so outwardly driven and people-needy, it was a sweet surprise to experience another part of myself.

Being home put me into full blown cooking mode. My super sized pots have been getting a workout. Pea Soup, chicken soup and, this week, an actual red-meat chili! Dad always brings home the Wednesday NY Times from the office and gives me the Dining Section. This week it had a recipe for Chinese Chili that intrigued both of us. It’s made with brisket cut up in chunks…I haven’t made a red meat dish for as long as I can remember, especially a chili. It was delicious! I made enough to bring to the Hirsch’s (he’s still in the hospital) and for Shabbat dinner with family and friends.

The rarity of my making a recipe with meat made me realize how much of our eating is influenced by your vegetarianism. I shop and cook as if you live around the corner and might drop in for dinner at any moment. Don’t get me wrong, I am not about to start serving meat at every meal. Dad and I still enjoy eating vegetarian style most nights. But maybe this Chinese Brisket Chili is a sign of reality seeping into my pots affirming the separation of our lives…as it should be.

That doesn’t mean I’ll stop missing you anytime soon.

Love, Mom

xooxoxoxoxoxox

Easy Low-Fat Eggplant Parmesan (Lasagna Style)
Vegetarian, Gluten Free

I promised you my eggplant parmesan recipe this week…the perfect meal to pull out of the freezer when it’s freezing outside. I love eggplant parmesan and I love vegetarian lasagna. I don’t love all the breading and frying in traditional eggplant parmesans and I don’t love the heavy pasta load in traditional lasagnas. So I made up this recipe,taking the best of both dishes and eliminating the high calorie elements. You can make your own sauce or buy your favorite ready-made spaghetti sauce or combine the two. Surprisingly, this satisfies all my Italian cravings without leaving me feeling one little bit deprived.

I made these in late fall when the last harvest of eggplants and basil abounded. My measurements are imprecise, so if you end up with extra of one of the components, not to worry. It can be reused for something else. Extra roasted eggplant makes a great side vegetable or can be used in a stir-fry dish. Extra sauce can be used on pasta or frozen for later use. Extra ricotta with spinach is perfect for stuffing manicotti and rebaking smothered in tomato sauce. All good in these cold winter months!

Preheat oven to 375° convection bake or 425° on regular bake setting

Japanese Eggplant

Traditional Eggplant

Eggplant

3-6 medium sized eggplants or the equivalent amount of Japanese eggplants (long thin eggplants)
olive oil
salt and pepper

Cheese Filling

1 pound low fat Ricotta Cheese
Basil, Oregano and any other favorite Italian seasonings, fresh or dried
16 oz package chopped frozen spinach defrosted or fresh spinach sautéed and chopped

Tomato Sauce

2 – 3 quarts Tomato sauce
2 large onions
6 cloves garlic
Olive oil
Boxed or canned plum or diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon of sugar or agave
Salt, Pepper and Italian seasonings ( basil, oregano, parsley)
(Your favorite store bought tomato sauce is a great timesaving alternative)

Topping

1 pound low fat mozzarella cheese, grated

Eggplant

Slice eggplant in 1/2 inch horizontal slices. If using regular eggplants, lay out on a sheet pan and sprinkle with salt. Let sit about 30 minutes. Salt removes the bitterness and excess water. After 30 minutes, rinse in cold water and pat dry. If using Japanese eggplants, you can skip the salt step and just slice 1/2 inch round slices.

Place up eggplant in a large bowl and lightly drizzle with EVOO (olive oil). Lightly salt and pepper. Stir eggplant around in bowl until lightly oiled and seasoned. Place parchment paper on a large baking sheet and arrange prepared eggplant in a single layer on the sheet. Place in pre-heated oven for 15 to 25 minutes until lightly browned and slightly crisp, but not burned. It may take several baking sheets to bake all the eggplant. The roasted eggplant at this stage is delicious as it is! When roasting eggplant to use as a side vegetable I just cut the eggplant in chunks and bake it the same way.

Tomato Sauce
In the meantime, if you are making your own sauce or doing some combo of homemade and store bought, you can prepare it now. I usually sauté onions and garlic in a little olive oil, add a jar of store bought vegetarian tomato sauce and a couple boxes or cans of plum or diced tomatoes. I season with salt, pepper, a tad of sugar or agave if needed, basil and oregano and simmer over low heat until it tastes like I like it. Set aside when done.

Cheese/Spinach Mixture
Drain the liquid from the defrosted spinach or cook (sauté or microwave) the fresh spinach and drain off any liquid. Mix the drained spinach into the ricotta cheese. Add pepper and basil to taste. Set aside.

Assembly
Spray casserole dishes with a non-stick spray. I use pyrex loaf pans or casserole dishes at least 3 inches deep.

Cover the bottom of the casserole with tomato sauce and layer the eggplant on the bottom of the dish. Cover with a thin layer of tomato sauce. Sprinkle a light amount of grated mozzarella over the eggplant layer. Spread a 1/2 – 3/4 inch layer of the ricotta cheese/spinach mixture over that. Continue to layer tomato sauce, eggplant and tomato sauce and end with a generous topping of grated mozzarella cheese.

To Bake and serve immediately:

Place loosely covered (aluminum foil) casserole on a cookie sheet and place in a 350° preheated oven. Bake about 30 minutes or until bubbly. Remove foil covering and continue baking another five or ten minutes until cheese topping is browned lightly or the way you like it. Remove from oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes. Serve with extra tomato sauce, a fresh green salad and some garlic bread.

To Freeze:

Finish assembly and wrap tightly in freezer wrap and plastic freezer bags. Freeze immediately. Thaw when ready to use and bake according to instructions.

◊ 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

♦ Hearing Your Voice

Posted on January 29, 2014 by estherschuster

Dear Shaina,

It seems like I haven’t heard your voice in weeks. We have been in touch by email and text…you in Portugal, us in Park City…but it’s just not enough for me. I start to worry and wonder what I’m missing by not hearing the tones beneath your spoken words. Mother’s believe they can hear the unsaid and feel the unseeable. I am a firm believer. I have to hear your voice…

We had to return from Utah (Park City was warm and sunny- ideal for the Sundance Film Festival) to Birmingham to see some real snow falling from the skies and experience the frigid temperatures that you expect at a ski resort in Utah in the middle of January.

The snow and rapidly forming ice sheet came on suddenly and unexpectedly in Birmingham. If I had come home 30 minutes later, I probably would have been stranded on the road like thousands of other drivers who abandoned their cars on highways and streets throughout the city. People walked miles to get home or slept in offices, schools, public buildings or at homes of friends who were within reach. Two inches of snow blanketing a thin layer of ice maintained by temperatures in the teens stopped this city in its tracks. Amazingly, there were no power outages.

By the time I got home, Dad had cancelled his appointments and was gathering wood from his ever-ready wood pile to stoke the fire he was tending in the wood stove. The perfect day for us!

I put on a big pot of pea soup (soup is always good) and pulled an eggplant parmigiano (I’ll send that recipe next week) out of the freezer from some I had made in the fall. With plenty of cold-weather food, a cozy fire and an abundance of vacation laundry, Dad and I settled into an afternoon of domestic tranquility. Dad filled the bird feeders while I sliced and diced the veggies for my soup. We sat by the fire with some hot cocoa and watched the birds nibbling at their treats.

Dad took his traditional orchid with a backdrop of snow pictures and even got a little workout on his new drum set.

Even though all my days are, technically, days off, this day felt like a gift…no where to be, nothing to do, no expectations or demands, no schedule. We were stuck at home. The world was on a time-out. We were warm and safe…and together. What more could we want?!… Other than a phone call from you, of course.

I suppose I could call you, but I pride myself in being able to trust you to set the frequency and level of communication based on your needs, not mine. So, why am I so whiny…just the mother in me I guess. I know you’re fine. And I know we’ll talk soon…and my heart will be eased. I just want to hear your voice!

Congrats on your Arabic exam. Enjoy the rest of your break. Talk to you soon!

Love, Mom

xoxooxoxxoxooox

Basic Pea Soup

Vegan and gluten-free
Makes enough for a crowd and some for the freezer

1 pound split yellow peas
1 pound split green peas
3-4 quarts of water (more as needed)
3-4 Bay leaves
2 teaspoons dry mustard or mustard seeds
1 tablespoon salt
6 carrots, chopped
2 onions, chopped
6 stalks of celery, chopped
1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped
6-8 cloves fresh garlic, minced
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup white wine (optional)

To vary the taste, add cumin or other spices you like
Garnish with fresh chopped tomatoes, fresh parsley or a dollop of sour cream
Small cooked pastas can be added if desired for a heartier and even thicker soup

Start with a large 8-10 quart soup pot. Put water, peas, bay leaves, mustard and salt in the pot and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Add carrots, onions, celery, sweet potato and garlic and simmer at least 40 additional minutes, adding water as needed. Add salt and pepper to taste and white wine if desired. Cook until all vegetables are soft and well blended. Adjust spices to taste.

Soup generally tastes even better the next day. Can be frozen.

◊ 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

♦ Puzzles

Posted on December 24, 2013 by estherschuster

Dear Shaina,

One of my friends read your letter and told me it made her sad. Dad acknowledged the Shealy thread. I continue to be perplexed at how you evolved into adopting the Schuster avoidance method of perpetual motion…and I just wanted to fix it…right away.

None of us come with all the puzzle pieces put together. Maybe it’s enough to know that there are pieces missing and that it’s our job to look for them and try them on…like a jig-saw puzzle. I was 36 when you were born…and Dad was 45. The seeds we planted in our twenties and thirties and forties gave no clue of what was to come. The puzzle pieces only made sense in retrospect.

At 62 and 70, our conjoined jigsaw puzzles are filling up nicely. The depth and expansiveness of our lives would not be the same without you. The pieces that you have added to the tapestry of our lives go far beyond rain forests in Bolivia and salt deserts in India. You pushed the boundaries of our capacity to love in a way that neither of us thought possible. You stretched the edges of our individual puzzles into new-found spaces filled with curiosity and color and joy. That doesn’t mean that we have no empty holes, no spaces yet to be filled, no angst still to be felt, even at our age. I am still trying to find the balance between action and stillness, acceptance and striving.

I know how hard it is to be 25…all the pieces dumped out in a random pile on the floor with just barely an outline formed by the edge pieces…a few double and triple rows and some random blobs of color and texture where the pieces all happened to find each other…and all that empty space…anxiously waiting to be filled…

Sometimes, it’s hard to see the forest for the trees… Every once in a while, it’s a good idea to step back and look at all the pieces that have been filled in…to see beyond the pieces…to marvel at the big picture and appreciate the themes and beauty that have already begun to take shape. And then to examine the empty spaces and begin again. This is as much a reminder for me as it is for you.

I wish, for you, that there was an easy answer, a straight line, a clear vision. I know there is not…

I do know that I trust your ability to know when the puzzle pieces truly fit…and when they don’t. The right pieces are there and you will persist in finding them, trying them on, choosing the right fit and discarding the rest. Awareness and patience…and trust in yourself…you have the rest of your life.

We are on our way to South Carolina. Soup, turkey and cheesecakes in hand. It’s part of our DNA. We cook and feed and nurture. It’s the antidote for the life search…grounding and connecting us to those people and places most important to us. And it keeps our hands and minds occupied, distracted and temporarily oblivious.

Poker in SC … The next generation!

I love you and miss you.

Love, Mom

xooxxooxoxoxoxoxoxo

Shirly’s Corn Pudding

I have been cooking like crazy lately. This recipe that our Israeli cousin Shirly made for our family reunion was another favorite of mine. It was perfect for a dairy meal I made for a Meet ’n Greet with the new Rabbi and his wife and some friends. It’s really easy to make and goes well with salads and soups for a light dinner. I also varied it by substituting other veggies for the corn. It is like a lighter version of a crustless quiche. I even like the leftovers for breakfast.

2 cups frozen corn kernels , thawed and drained (1 Package)*
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup aged cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
2 tablespoons cornmeal
3 eggs
One cup plain regular or Greek yogurt (I used no fat Greek)
1 tablespoon onion soup mix (other spices of your choice can be substituted)
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/3 – 1/2 cup grated cheese for topping
Butter, margarine or cooking spray for greasing the pan

* Sauteed mushrooms and onions or chopped drained spinach and onions can be substituted for the corn to vary this recipe. Jarlsburg or other cheeses of you choice can be substituted. I added a little freshly ground nutmeg, salt and pepper and left off the onion soup.

Preheat oven to 350°

In a large bowl place the corn, cottage cheese, cheese, cornmeal, eggs, yogurt and soup mix and any additional seasonings to taste.
Mix into a smooth mixture .
Pour mixture into preheated and greased loaf pan.
Top with remaining grated cheese and bake about 50 minutes or until cheese melts and is bubbling and top is lightly browned

Vegetarian Chili Casserole (for a crowd…and then some)

No matter how I start out, this chili always ends up making enough for a huge crowd with leftovers to be shared with friends or frozen for later use. This combination of vegetables reflects what I had in my refrigerator plus a few things I picked up at the grocery store. The recipe and quantities are very flexible and accommodating to individual tastes and desires, so don’t feel like you have to follow this recipe precisely. The secret is in the spicing. Taste frequently and adjust the seasonings to suit your tastes. It is best if it is cooked at least one day before you plan on serving it to give the flavors a chance to blend together. Get out your biggest soup pot (6-8 quarts) and start creating!

Yield: 6 – 8 quarts

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 2- 3 hours to be done
45 minutes to reheat as a casserole

2 Tablespoons of olive oil
1 package tofu ground “beef”, regular or taco flavored
2-3 carrots, chopped
3 stalks celery, cut up
1-2 large onions, chopped
2 fresh peppers, green, red, yellow or orange, cut up
2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
5-6 cans (14.5 ounce) diced tomatoes
4 zucchinis, cut up
4 yellow crookneck squash, cut up
2 cups frozen corn kernels
1/2 pound baby portabello mushrooms, cut up (optional)
2 cans black beans, drained (or you can cook your own dried beans, any kind you like)
2 cans red kidney beans, drained
Cumin, Chili powder, garlic, coriander and salt to taste ( a good taco or chili seasoning mix can be used)
Aged Cheddar Cheese for topping (optional)

Cut up all vegetables in small or bite sized chunks.
Heat oil in a large 6-8 quart soup pot. Sauté tofu, onions, carrots, celery, peppers and garlic in olive oil.
Add canned diced tomatoes and remaining vegetables and beans and cook at medium heat until thoroughly heated. Add spices to taste. Lower the heat and cook until liquids are reduced and mixture is thickened. This could take a couple hours. Taste and adjust seasoning frequently.

This chili can be eaten as a thick soup or placed in a casserole and topped with cheese and rebaked in the oven at 350° for about 45 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Serve with fresh cornbread and your favorite green salad and you have a hearty winter meal.

◊ 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.