Hidden Benefits

Can you actually eat more, eat healthier and still lose weight? Does it sound too good to be true?

It's not a "miracle" diet or a weight-loss pill.

It's a matter of eating more vegetables and fruits. I often suggest starting a meal with a vegetable salad or soup. Research shows that this simple step curbs your appetite, so you end up eating fewer calories over all.

Earlier this year, a small but intriguing study found another way that vegetables can be used to reduce your total caloric intake.

Researchers added vegetable purees to main course casseroles and desserts. The purees added additional bulk to the food, while reducing the total amount of calories per serving.

Participants who ate the "manipulated" food ate 200 to 350 fewer calories per meal than those who ate the same food minus the vegetable puree. Their daily vegetable consumption also increased significantly. None of the research subjects were told about the added vegetables. They didn't notice a significant difference in taste or satiation when they were finished eating.

Should you cut calories by adding pureed zucchini and cauliflower to your favorite macaroni and cheese recipe? It's not a bad idea. It may even help get finicky youngsters (and adults!) to eat vegetables that they might otherwise spurn. (On the other hand, you'll want to introduce whole "real" vegetables to your children so they'll develop a liking for them at an early age.)

I suggest serving as many whole vegetables as possible, and adding vegetable purees when you think it might be helpful to your family's diet. If you're trying to lose weight, adding purees to casseroles, soups and desserts is certainly a good strategy.

It's easiest to add vegetable purees that will either appear "hidden" or will enhance your favorite foods. Spicy dishes like chili and hearty pasta casseroles take well to added vegetable purees. Tomato puree adds a rosy touch to macaroni and cheese (see my recipe), while cauliflower puree blends in with the color of the cheese sauce. Pureed squash, pumpkin, applesauce, bananas, carrots, zucchini and pineapple all work well in baked goods, especially cakes, quick breads and muffins using cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and other hearty spices.

Here's a delicious cupcake recipe chock full of vegetables and fruit:

Carrot Cupcakes (Parve)

1 can (8 oz/227 gm) juice-packed crushed pineapple*
1 cup grated carrots
½ cup pitted prunes
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
1 whole egg
1 egg white
½ cup sugar
¼ cup canola or light olive oil

Preheat the oven to 325F/165C. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

Drain the pineapple in a strainer and reserve ¼ cup of the juice. Heat this reserved juice until it's hot.

Using a food processor, grate the carrots and measure 1 cup. Remove them from the processor and set aside. Put the prunes and the hot pineapple juice in the processor and process until smooth.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger in a small bowl and set aside.

Whisk together the egg, egg white, sugar and oil. Whisk in the prune puree. Add the dry ingredients and then the pineapple and carrots.

Spoon the batter into the muffin cups and bake for 20-30 minutes, until they spring back when lightly pressed. Let them sit in the pan for a few minutes, then cool completely on a cooling rack.

Makes 12

* I've never found crushed pineapple in Israel. (Even though Dole brand is sold here, they seem to just bring over slices and tidbits.) I use whatever is available, drain it and puree it in the food processor after I've grated the carrots.

Passover Banana Coffee Cake (Parve)

This recipe is healthier than the original in several ways: I reduced the amount of sugar and fat by cutting the amount of streusel topping in half. I added walnuts for fiber and heart-healthy fats. Instead of margarine or butter, I substituted liquid oil (mild olive oil, canola or walnut oil) Given the sweetness of bananas, I used less sugar in the cake itself.

Streusel Topping

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup matzah meal

½ cup chopped walnuts

½ teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons oil

Cake

6 large eggs, separated

½ cup white sugar, divided

4 large ripe bananas

2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or 2 packages vanilla sugar)

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup matzah meal

½ cup potato starch

13 x 9 inch (33 x 23 cm) baking pan

Preheat the oven to 325 F (165 C). Oil the baking pan or line the bottom with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, stir together all of the topping ingredients.

Using a food processor, process the yolks with ¼ cup of sugar until they're thick and pale. Slice the bananas and add them to the yolk mixture along with the vanilla, salt, matzah meal and potato starch. Blend until smooth and transfer to a mixing bowl.

Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until they form soft peaks. Gradually add the remaining ¼ cup of sugar, beating until the whites hold stiff peaks. Fold ¼ of the meringue into the banana mixture to lighten it. Gently fold the rest of the meringue into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top and sprinkle with the streusel.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a cake rack. 

Chag Sameach V'Kasher to Everyone!

Baking – How Much Can You Change a Recipe?

I'm often asked if it's possible to substitute oil for margarine, honey for sugar, or whole-wheat flour for white flour in cakes and cookies. Of course it's possible, but the results may not turn out to be very good!

So my answer is "it depends". Solid fats like margarine and butter create a different texture than oil does in baked goods. Margarine contains water, whereas oil is 100% fat, so the measurements need to be adjusted. Honey is a liquid, so it doesn't substitute for sugar without adjusting other ingredients in your recipe. Whole wheat flour gives a heartier taste to baked goods, so you might not want to use it when you're looking for a delicate or subtle flavored product.

Here's the recipe for a cake I baked last Shabbat. The original recipe called for white flour and 1 ¼ cups of sugar. It also called for a larger bundt pan (24cm/9 ½ ") than I had. So I divided the batter between my 20 cm (8") pan and a mini pan that could go into the freezer later for another occasion. Did you know that if you serve a large cake, people are likely to eat more of it than if the cake is smaller to begin with?

The recipe contains flavorful spices and citrus zest, so I felt comfortable substituting whole-wheat flour for all of the white flour. And because most cakes are just too sweet for my taste, I cut back on the sugar by ¼ cup.

The results – excellent! Nobody even guessed that it was made from whole-wheat flour or that it wasn't sweet enough. It's also quick and easy. You'll need an electric mixer, but otherwise this cake goes together in just a few minutes.

Orange Spice Cake (Parve)

3 eggs

1 ¼ cups sugar (white or demerrara)

2 ½ cups whole-wheat pastry flour

2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder

(Or substitute one 350 gm package of self-rising whole-wheat flour for the flour and baking powder)

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 tablespoon grated orange zest (preferably organic)

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (preferably organic)

¾ cup orange juice

¾ cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Powdered sugar (optional)

Heat the oven to 180 C (350 F). Spray a bundt pan (see above for size information) with baking spray.

Beat the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer on high speed, until they've significantly increased in volume and are light colored and thick.

Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, orange and lemon zest together in a separate bowl.

Measure the orange juice and oil in one measuring cup and add the vanilla extract to it.

When the eggs are ready, lower the speed of the mixer and add the flour and liquid ingredients to the eggs. Scrape the bowl occasionally and mix to get out any lumps.

Pour the batter into the baking pan and bake for about 30-40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a baking rack for 15-20 minutes, then turn the cake out of the pan and let it cool completely on the rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

Pesach Cookies

Here are two of my favorite Passover cookie recipes. Gorgeous, delicious and full of healthy almonds.

Sienna Macaroons (Parve)

Plan ahead before you make these cookies, as they need to sit overnight (or 8-10 hours) before baking.

2 ¼ cups blanched almonds

¾ cup sugar, divided

2 egg whites

Pinch of salt

2 teaspoons lemon zest

½ teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1 packet vanilla sugar)

½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)

Powdered sugar

Put the almonds in the bowl of a food processor with 2 tablespoons of the sugar. Process until finely ground. Set aside.

With an electric mixer, beat the egg whites and salt until they are stiff and dry. Gradually beat in the remaining sugar.

Fold in the lemon zest, vanilla and almond extracts. Add the ground almonds and mix well. The mixture should be firm.

Put some powdered sugar in a shallow bowl. Coat your hands with the sugar and shape the dough into small diamonds (about 1 x 1 ½ inches; 2.5 x 4 cm). Use the powdered sugar to keep the dough from sticking to your hands.

Place the cookies on parchment-lined baking trays. Let them sit at room temperature overnight, or about 8 to 10 hours.

Preheat the oven to 250 F (120 C). Bake the cookies for 20-30 minutes, until they are slightly golden and cracked. Cool them completely on a baking rack. Dust them with powdered sugar before serving.

Makes about 36 cookies

Faux Florentine Cookies (Parve)

2 ¾ cups sliced almonds

1 cup powdered sugar

2 egg whites

Finely grated zest of one orange

Parve chocolate (optional)

Preheat the oven to 300 F (150 C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and spray the paper with non-stick baking spray.

In a medium size bowl, gently combine the almonds, sugar, egg whites and orange zest.

Drop scant tablespoons of the mixture on the baking sheets, leaving plenty of space between each one. Dip your fingers in water and flatten each cookie into a very thin disc. It should be as flat as possible, but still cohesive. Each cookie will be about 2 ½ inches (6 cm) wide.

Bake for about 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely before carefully removing each cookie with a spatula.

For chocolate coated cookies, gently melt the chocolate in a double boiler or microwave. Brush one side of each cooled cookie with the warm chocolate. Cool them on a rack, chocolate side up, until the chocolate hardens.

Store these cookies in an air-tight container.

Makes about 40 small cookies

Olive Oil Brownies (Parve or Dairy)

Chocolate and olive oil? I hadn't thought about it until I tasted the chocolate olive oil pralines made by Elie Tarrab, an amazing chocolatier in Tel Aviv.

These are adult brownies – dark and smooth, with a background taste of olive oil. For a sophisticated dessert, use a round pan and cut the brownies into wedges. A fruity but not-too-strong oil like Israeli Nabali or Picual is wonderful in this recipe.

4 ounces (100g) unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1/3 cup fruity extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

¾ cup sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup lightly toasted chopped walnuts, hazelnuts or pistachios (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Line an 8-inch (20cm) square baking pan with parchment paper and spray the paper and sides of the pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Melt the chocolate over low heat in a double boiler or on low power in the microwave. Whisk in the oil and the vanilla.

Beat together the eggs, sugar and salt with an electric mixer until pale and thick. (A hand-held mixer is fine, but don't skip this step.) Whisk in the chocolate mixture. Fold in the flour and optional nuts, stirring just until everything is combined. Pour into the prepared pan.

Bake for 15-20 minutes. (A toothpick inserted in the center should still be a little sticky.) Cool completely and cut into squares.

16 squares

Olive Oil Cake

This light-textured sponge cake is not too rich, yet full of flavor. Serve it with fresh or cooked fruit. On Rosh Hashanah I served it with oven-poached figs and a small scoop of home-made honey ice cream.

It would be perfect for breaking the fast after Yom Kippur.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar, divided

4 eggs, separated

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 cup fresh orange or tangerine juice or half juice and half citrus liqueur

Grated zest of one lemon, orange or tangerine, preferably organic

Method:

Line the bottom of a 10" (25 cm) spring form pan with parchment paper. Spray the bottom and sides with non-stick cooking spray.

Preheat the oven to 325 F (165 C)

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add in ¼ cup of the sugar and continue beating until soft peaks are formed. Transfer the whites to a clean bowl and set aside.

In the same bowl of the electric mixer (no need to wash the bowl), beat the remaining ¾ cup of sugar with the egg yolks on high speed until they're thick and pale. Reduce the speed of the mixer and add in the olive oil, juice and zest. Stop the mixer, add the dry ingredients and mix together gently. The batter will be thick.

Gently and gradually fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture, until they're thoroughly incorporated. Turn the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool the cake on a rack for 15 minutes and then remove the sides of the pan to cool completely.

Serves 12

Honey Spice Bars (Parve)

No time to bake honey cake this year? Looking for a delicious holiday dessert that's full of good-for-you grains, nuts and seeds?

Here it is. Based on the French spice cake Pain D'Epices, this cake uses rye flour instead of wheat. But don't worry. It's light and airy - nothing like "health food" bakery goods.

These are very popular, so I usually make a double recipe.

Ingredients

½ cup rye flour

½ cup rolled oats

¼ cup raw sunflower seeds

½ cup chopped walnuts

¾ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

2 eggs

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons honey

1/3 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 F (180C). Spray or line an 8” (20cm) square baking pan.

Whisk together the flour, oats, walnuts, seeds, baking powder, salt, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, mix together the eggs, sugar, honey, oil and vanilla. Beat until smooth and thick, about 2 minutes. Mix in the dry ingredients and pour into the prepared pan. Smooth the top.

Bake for 25-35 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan and cut into squares.

16-20 servings

Picture Perfect Summer Fruit Tarts

These two tarts showcase seasonal summer fruits in very different ways. The first is a light sponge cake topped with fresh fruit. The second (coming in my next blog) features a crisp almond crust baked with juicy summer fruit. Try them both for rave revues!

Fresh Fruit Tart (Parve)

Bake a simple sponge cake in a specially-designed recessed pan. (* see note below) Then turn the cake upside down and fill it with sliced fresh fruit. Stunning!

¾ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 eggs

½ cup sugar

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 tablespoons water

4-5 cups fresh berries, cherries or sliced peaches, plums, nectarines, apricots or figs

Red currant jelly or strained apricot jam, for glazing

One 10-11" (25-27.5cm) round recessed pan (see note below)

Preheat the oven to 325 F (165C)

Spray the baking pan generously with cooking spray.

Whisk together the flour and baking powder and set aside.

Combine the eggs, sugar and lemon zest in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on high speed until thick, creamy and pale. (This may take up to 10 minutes.) Reduce the speed, add the water and continue to beat on high, until the mixture is foamy.

Stop the mixer, add the flour mixture and mix on low speed, just until blended.

Pour the batter into the well-sprayed baking pan and bake for 15-18 minutes, until the top of the cake feels springy to the touch. Cool the cake on a rack for 10 minutes. Carefully invert it onto a cake dish to cool completely. (You may need a small knife to loosen the cake from the scalloped edges of the pan.)

When the cake is completely cool, arrange the fruit in circular patterns, starting along the outside and working in. I like to arrange sliced fruit around the outside and berries in the middle.

Heat the jelly or jam just to thin it, and brush it over the fruit. It will give it a nice glaze and prevent it from discoloring.

* The pan is called a flan, shortcake or Mary Ann pan. You can find it on-line at www.cookswares.com Use a standard tart pan if you can't find one.

Serves 8-10

Coming Next... Almond Fruit Tart

Gluten-Free Chocolate Crunchies

More and more people are discovering that they're gluten-intolerant. Including my daughter-in-law. She figured it out last year after Pesach. After a week of not eating much matzah, she polished off a large roll and promptly got sick. Then she started paying attention to what she ate and made the connection.

I don't find it problematic. There's always rice and quinoa in my pantry. I keep a box of gluten-free pasta and rice crackers on hand for her as well.

When the kids come for Shabbat, I make fruit or nut-based desserts. I've also made low-fat flourless chocolate cake and cakes based on polenta or dairy products.

But I had an idea for something else. Something gluten-free that was quick and easy. And crunchy.

I started with a chocolate bar and "Puffed Brown Rice" (פצפוצי אורז מלא) - the Israeli version of whole-grain Rice Krispies. I melted the chocolate, threw in a handful of dried fruit and mixed it all up. That's pretty much it.

Now it's the most frequently requested recipe at family get-togethers.

Chocolate Crunchies (Parve or Dairy, depending on the chocolate)

Melt 1 bar (100 grams/3.5 ounces) of bittersweet chocolate. (Elite and Vered Hagalil make parve bars with 60% chocolate solids that work well.)

The easiest way to do this is in the microwave.

Using your hands, break the chocolate into small pieces and put them into a large bowl. Add about a teaspoon of canola oil. Microwave the chocolate on medium to low power for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes, until it melts. Stir it until it's smooth.

Mix a handful of raisins (or dried cranberries, blueberries or chopped dried apricots) into the melted chocolate. Add a cup or two (or more) of puffed brown rice cereal to the chocolate. Start with a smaller amount of cereal and mix it in until it's covered with chocolate. The goal is a larger amount of cereal held together with a smaller amount of chocolate.

Use a soup spoon to drop the mixture onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Don't worry. The mixture will not hold together well just yet. Just place the mounds on the sheet, with a little space between each one.

Put the baking sheet into the freezer for about 5 minutes. Or into the refrigerator for a longer time.

Variation: Omit the oil and add a spoonful or two of natural-style peanut butter to the melted chocolate before adding the cereal.

Gingersnaps

I’m passionate about ginger. Strong pungent crystallized ginger, fresh grated ginger, ginger tea. I carry sliced candied ginger on plane trips to prevent nausea. For colds and the flu, try a soothing tea made with fresh ginger, lemon and honey.

And ginger snaps…. I confess to eating them straight from the box. But here in Israel, I’ve never seen them sold commercially. Since I prefer home-made cookies anyway, I’m always playing with recipes in hopes of coming up with a winner. And here is my winning ginger snap recipe – quick, easy, parve and loaded with ground and crystallized ginger. If you prefer milder cookies, reduce the amount of dried ginger and omit the crystallized ginger altogether.

GINGER SNAP COOKIES (PARVE)

2 cups whole-wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 cup demerara or brown sugar

2/3 cup canola oil

1 large egg

¼ cup molasses or silan (date honey)

½ cup diced crystallized ginger

Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit. (180 Centigrade) Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ground ginger. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix the sugar, oil, egg and molasses (or silan) with a wooden spoon. Mix in the dry ingredients and add the diced ginger.

Roll the dough into balls, about the size of a small walnut and place on the baking sheet. Flatten slightly with your fingers.

Bake for 10 -14 minutes, until slightly browned but still soft. If you prefer a crisp cookie, bake for a little longer.

Cool on a baking sheet for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

About 2 ½ dozen cookies

Passover Cookies and Cake

Here are two Pesach dessert recipes that use heart-healthy nuts.  

Turkish Walnut Cookies (Parve)

2 cups walnut pieces

½ cup sugar

1 egg

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 325 F (165 C)

Process all of the ingredients in a food processor until it forms a firm paste.

With wet hands, form the mixture into 1 inch (2.5 cm) balls. Arrange on parchment lined baking sheets. Flatten each ball with your moist fingers.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until they just begin to brown. Remove them from the baking pan and cool on a wire rack.

Makes about 25-30 cookies

Italian Chocolate Almond Cake (Parve)

If you can’t get kosher-for-Pesach unsweetened chocolate, use dark bittersweet chocolate instead.

1 cup whole almonds (with skin or blanched)

2 ounces (200 grams) unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1 cup sugar, divided

7 egg whites

Pinch of salt

Line the bottom of a 9 “ (23 cm) springform pan with parchment paper. Oil the sides of the pan.

Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C).

Combine the almonds, chocolate and ½ cup of the sugar in a food processor and pulse until they are finely chopped. (Don’t grind them into a powder.)

Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites and salt until they form soft moist peaks.  

Gradually add the remaining ½ cup sugar and beat until the mixture is stiff but not dry.

Gradually fold the chocolate and nut mixture into the egg whites, until thoroughly mixed.

Pour the batter into the pan and bake for about 30 minutes, until golden brown and firm. A toothpick inserted into the middle should come out dry.

Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove the sides of the pan and invert the cake onto a cooling rack. Peel off the parchment paper and let the cake cool completely. Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar or cocoa.

Serves 10-12

Happy Purim!

Here are two recipes for your Purim repertoire.

First, an easy vegetarian main course that Queen Esther might have enjoyed. And then, cupcakes that go together in a snap. Great for dessert or to include in mishloach manot.

Enjoy and have a Chag Sameach - A Happy Purim!

VEGETABLE STEW WITH GARBANZO BEANS (PARVE)

1 cup water
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ½ “thick diagonal slices
3 to 4 zucchini cut in half lengthwise and sliced ½ “ thick
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can (14 to 15 oz / 400 gm) diced tomatoes
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 can (15 oz / 400 gm) garbanzo beans
1/3 cup raisins
½ teaspoon hot sauce, or to taste (optional)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Cook the carrots and water for in a covered saucepan for 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook for about 3 minutes, until just tender. Remove the vegetables from the broth and set aside. (Use the broth for a soup or sauce.) When the saucepan is cool, dry it with a paper towel.

In the same saucepan, heat the olive oil and sauté the garlic for a few seconds. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, cumin, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for a few minutes. Stir in the garbanzos and raisins and simmer another few minutes. Add hot sauce, zucchini and carrots and simmer a few more minutes. Taste for salt and pepper.

Serves 4-6

GINGERBREAD CUPCAKES (PARVE)

These cupcakes are quick and easy to prepare. Instead of using full-size muffin tins, I like to bake them in mini-muffin tins for mishloach manot.

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
½ cup sugar
½ cup molasses or silan (date honey)
½ cup canola oil
1 tablespoon instant coffee powder, dissolved in
½ cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 C).

Line 16 muffin cups (regular size) with paper liners.

Sift or whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and spices and set aside.

Beat together eggs just to mix. Add the sugar, molasses and oil and mix. Mix in dry ingredients and coffee. The mixture will be thin.

Pour the batter into the muffin cups. (You can do this easily with a glass measuring cup.)

Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until cakes spring back when gently touched. Remove cupcakes to a rack to cool.

Makes 16 regular size cupcakes and 32 or more mini size

Tu B'Shvat

In honor of Tu B’Shvat (Monday, February 9th), here’s a recipe featuring dried fruit and nuts…

CHOCOLATE DATE AND NUT BARS (PARVE)

Dates and walnuts are natural baking partners. Add chocolate and make it even better! These bars are mostly lots of fruit and nuts, with just a little bit of batter to hold everything together.

1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
¼ teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup sugar
1 cup raisins
2 cups pitted cut-up dates
2 cups walnut pieces
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325 F (165 C). Line the bottom of a large baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil and spray with vegetable spray.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, cocoa and salt.

In a large bowl beat the eggs, vanilla and sugar just to mix. Add the dry ingredients and mix together. Stir in the fruit, nuts and chocolate. Use a wooden spoon and mix enough to cover everything with the batter. There will be just enough batter to hold the fruit and nuts together.

Spoon the mixture into the pan and spread so that you have an even layer.

Bake for 25-35 minutes, until nicely browned. Cool the pan on a cake rack.

When cool, invert the pan onto a cutting board and refrigerate or freeze to firm up the chocolate. Cut into bars with a sharp knife.

Makes about 64 small bars

After The Fog of War

Three weeks of being on high alert took its toll. On the one hand, I felt super alert, ready to run at the first sound of a siren. On the other, I felt foggy-brained and unable to concentrate. Multi-tasking was out. Curling up on the couch with a book was in.

We’ve been rocket-free for several days now in Beer Sheva, and the city is slowly coming back to life. I saw a few children out playing today. The buses were fuller, the shops busier. Schools are re-opening tomorrow.

I’m getting back on track as well. I woke up energized and started working on neglected laundry, sewing repairs and a clean sweep of the refrigerator.

Among my findings were leftover mashed potatoes and a bit of salvageable fresh dill: I’ll add a can of salmon and an egg and make salmon patties for dinner.

What about that pitcher of fresh lemon juice my husband squeezed a few days ago? I’m thinking of making lemon curd, that tart and tangy spread that’s especially popular in Great Britain. Traditionally it’s made with butter and egg yolks, so it’s high in fat and cholesterol. But this recipe cuts out the butter altogether and uses whole eggs instead of just yolks, so it’s more like a thick sauce or custard. Serve a spoonful over fresh fruit, berries or sponge cake for a special Shabbat dessert.

Lemon Sauce (Parve)

2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Grated zest of 1 lemon

Combine the lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan and heat it to a simmer.

Whisk the eggs in a small bowl until they’re slightly frothy. Whisk a little of the hot lemon mixture into the eggs, mixing constantly. Pour the egg mixture into the saucepan, whisking it in carefully and stirring constantly with the whisk. Cook the mixture, whisking it all the time, until it begins to simmer. Cook for another minute.

Pour the lemon cream through a fine strainer set over a bowl. Mix in the vanilla and lemon zest and let cool.

Refrigerate in a covered container.

Makes about 1 ½ cups

Whole-Wheat Pastry Flour: The Israel Story

When it comes to cooking and baking, you can usually find everything you need here. But there are exceptions. Here's a question (with my answer) from one of my Israeli readers that I want to share with everyone.

Hi Chana,

What is whole-wheat pastry flour called in Hebrew? Where do you get it? In my local health food store they have two types of wheat flour, 100% whole and 70%whole. As far as I can tell 70% is as whole as white flour. Am I missing something?

Rivka


Dear Rivka,

This sounded like a pretty straight-forward question, until I started looking into it. It seems that not all flour is necessarily what it appears to be!

I called the chief food technologist at Stybel, the large flour producer in Israel, who was extremely helpful. In addition, I contacted health-food store managers in Tel Aviv and Beer Sheva as well as a company that produces stone-ground whole-wheat flour.

Let’s start with whole-wheat pastry flour. In the US, it’s 100% whole-wheat flour made from soft winter wheat. That means it’s lower in gluten than regular whole-wheat flour, making it especially good for cakes, cookies, muffins and biscuits. Unfortunately, it’s not produced in Israel. The Stybel technologist said that they could easily produce it here if people wanted it, but right now there’s no demand.

At one time I used קמח מלא מנופה – sifted whole-wheat flour, in place of whole-wheat pastry flour. It was less gritty than regular whole-wheat flour, which indicated that it had indeed been sifted. But apparently there’s no standard definition for this flour. My contact at Stybel refused to even talk about it, as to avoid speaking badly about any other flour company! A health-food store manager who sells it in Beer Sheva told me that it was 70% whole-wheat flour – whole-wheat flour with 30 % of the bran removed (sifted out).

That brings me to 90% and 70% whole-wheat flour. In my mind, that sounds like 90 or 70 percent whole-wheat flour mixed with 10 or 30 percent white flour. Wrong!

These are blends made mainly of white flour, with wheat bran and germ mixed back in.

What are your options for baking whole-grain cookies, cakes, muffins and biscuits in Israel?

Stybel’s #6 flour is 100% whole-wheat. Their #8 is 100% organic whole-wheat. For cakes and cookies, you could mix your own blend using either of these together with their cake (#5) or cookie (#4) flours, or an all-purpose white flour (Stybel #1 or any house brand).

I’m very happy with the organic whole-wheat flour I buy from a company in Itamar. (They’re part of a Yesha cooperative of small businesses that deliver here every few months.) The owner told me that he uses soft wheat and grinds it twice in an electric-operated stone grinder. Sometimes I mix it with white flour. But it’s fine-grained and light and gives wonderful results in non-yeasted baked goods. It also makes delicious bread.

Given that it’s made from soft wheat, I’d say that this is the closest to whole-wheat pastry flour you’ll find in Israel. An added benefit is that it doesn’t need to be sifted (to check for insects) before using, since it’s kept under constant refrigeration from just after grinding. It also needs to be stored in the refrigerator or freezer once you bring it home.

I hope this answers your questions. Happy and healthy baking!

Chana

Notes from Beer Sheva...plus a recipe

As of last night, our ground troops are fighting in Gaza.

We’ve been advised to stay close to home in anticipation of rocket attacks. Thank God, here in Beer Sheva it’s been quiet.

Neighbors with young children are staying with their parents. Elderly parents are staying with their children.

Several friends from Jerusalem have opened their homes to us, but for now, we’re staying put. Our family and friends are here.

Schools have been closed for a week now. Many shops are empty. Grocery and pizza deliveries are the only businesses that seem to be doing well.

This morning we phoned friends whose son’s wedding is tonight. Their younger son had just called them to say that he’d either be at the wedding or fighting in Gaza. It’s hard to imagine such a bittersweet occasion.

I’ve been puttering around the house. There’s laundry in the washing machine and garbanzo beans cooking on the stove. Rye bread is baking in the bread machine. Occasionally I check the television for updates. (It took a war in the south for me to learn how to use the remote control.) At least my Hebrew is improving from the constant repetition of the news.

Rye flour reminded me of another recipe. It’s a version of French honey bread, a little like gingerbread. Rich with whole-grains, nuts and seeds, these soft, chewy bars don’t resemble “health food” at all. They’re lovely for dessert or as a snack with coffee or tea. And when the world outside is a mess, you’ll find comfort in the soothing aroma coming from your oven when you bake these.

Multi-Grain Walnut Spice Bars (Parve)

½ cup rye flour
½ cup rolled oats
½ cup chopped walnuts
¼ cup raw sunflower seeds
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 eggs
2/3 cup brown or demerara sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1/3 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C). Line the bottom of an 8” (20cm.) square baking pan with parchment paper and spray the pan with non-stick baking spray.

Mix together the rye flour, oats, walnuts, sunflower seeds, baking powder, salt, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves and set aside.

Mix the eggs, sugar, honey, oil and vanilla in an electric mixer. Beat the mixture until smooth and thick, about 2 minutes. Add the dry ingredients and mix just enough to combine the ingredients. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

Bake for 25-35 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan and cut into squares.

Makes 16 bars

What, No Margarine? Healthy Parve Baking

I talk a lot about using healthy fats. And avoiding margarine.

Even the newly-formulated trans fat-free margarines are not what I’d call healthy. They’re basically mixtures of vegetable oil and food additives. And when manufacturers get rid of the trans fat in margarine, many of them substitute highly saturated palm oil.

But there are healthy alternatives.

Olive oil is at the top of the list. Tasty, versatile and good for you. Most people are fine with using olive oil on salads and on vegetables.

Canola oil is a good choice. It’s affordable and mild tasting. Since it can withstand higher temperatures than most olive oil, it's good for cooking.

Parve baking can still be problematic.

In most cases, you can’t just take a recipe that calls for margarine and substitute an equal amount of oil. It just won’t work well.

And the type of fat you use is only one consideration when you want to bake healthier desserts. It’s also important to cut back on total fat as well as sugar. At the same time, why not try to incorporate healthy ingredients, like nuts, seeds, whole grains and fruit?

There are many cake recipes that use oil rather than margarine. Carrot cake and apple cake are two examples. A variety of tortes use ground nuts, dried fruit, cocoa and chocolate. Angel and sponge cakes don’t use any fat (except for eggs), and chiffon cakes are made with oil.

I’m a big fan of fruit desserts like “crisps”, baked fruit and compote.

There are delicious parve cookie recipes that use olive oil. And biscotti filled with dried fruits and nuts are a tasty choice. Some of my favorite cookies are based simply on nuts and egg whites, like almond macaroons and chewy pistachio cookies.

These two parve cookie recipes prove that baking without margarine can produce delicious (and healthier!) results. Though both are based on almonds, they are as different as can be. The first is a whole-grain “thumb-print” cookie filled with jam. It doesn’t use eggs, so it’s even suitable for vegans. The second is an elegant wafer-like cookie made with just four ingredients. (o.k., five if you choose to add a coating of chocolate)


Thumbprint Linzer Cookies (Parve)

1 cup whole almonds
1 cup uncooked rolled oats
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup canola oil
½ cup maple syrup
¼ cup good quality raspberry jam

Preheat the oven to 300 F (150 C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Place the almonds and oats in a food processor and process with the metal blade until the mixture is very fine. Add the flour, cinnamon and salt and pulse several times to mix. Add the oil and maple syrup and pulse again until combined and the mixture forms a soft dough.

Shape the mixture into small balls with your hands, using a scant tablespoon of dough for each. Place the balls on the baking sheet, leaving space between each.

Using your finger, make a small indentation in each ball of dough. Fill the holes with a small amount of jam.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until lightly brown.

Remove from the oven and cool on the pan for 5 minutes. Then remove the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Approximately 3 dozen cookies

Faux Florentine Cookies (Parve)

2 ¾ cups sliced almonds
1 cup powdered sugar
2 egg whites
Finely grated zest of one orange
Parve bittersweet chocolate (optional)

Preheat the oven to 300 F (150 C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and spray the paper with non-stick baking spray.

In a medium size bowl, gently combine the almonds, sugar, egg whites and orange zest.

Drop scant tablespoons of the mixture on the baking sheets, leaving plenty of space between each one. Dip your fingers in water and flatten each cookie into a very thin disc. It should be as flat as possible, but still cohesive. Each cookie will be about 2 ½ inches (6 cm) wide.

Bake for about 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely before carefully removing each cookie with a spatula.

For chocolate coated cookies, gently melt the chocolate in a double boiler or microwave. Brush one side of each cooled cookie with the warm chocolate. Cool them on a rack, chocolate side up, until the chocolate hardens.

Store these cookies in an air-tight container.

Makes about 40 small cookies

Too Many Latkes?

Have you had your fill of latkes? Can’t bear to see another jelly donut?

Do you feel like you’ve put on weight since the start of Chanukah?

How about planning a simple and healthy Shabbat dinner this week? Here's a menu idea: salmon, steamed broccoli, quinoa pilaf and a green salad. And for dessert, baked apples.

My greengrocer recently introduced me to Pink Lady Apples. First he had big shiny ones with stickers in English - obviously for export. Now he has smaller, un-waxed Ladies - export rejects! These apples are sweet and crisp. They’re great for eating raw. And they don’t fall apart during baking.

Here’s an easy recipe for baked apples that uses heart healthy walnuts and oatmeal and a minimum amount of sugar and fat.

Shabbat Shalom, Chanukah Sameach and Chodesh Tov!

Apple-Crisp Baked Apples (Parve)

¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup rolled oats
½ cup chopped walnuts
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 cup apple juice or cider
6 medium or 8 small firm baking apples


Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Combine the brown sugar, rolled oats, walnuts and cinnamon in a small bowl. Add the oil and stir to combine.

Peel the top third of each apple. Use an apple corer or a melon scoop to remove the core of the apple. Leave the bottom of the apple intact, so the filling won’t leak out.

Fill each apple generously with the nut filling. Spoon any extra filling on top. Arrange the apples in the baking dish and pour the apple juice around the apples.

Cover the dish tightly and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the cover and continue to bake for about 30 minutes, basting the apples with the juice in the dish. The apples are done when you can easily cut them with a sharp knife.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 6-8

PASSOVER MACAROONS

My husband hates macaroons – the canned, overly-sweetened coconut variety that most of us grew up with during Passover.

But a traditional macaroon is something completely different. At its simplest it is a cookie made of ground almonds, sugar and beaten egg whites.

When I prepared real macaroons shortly after we were married, my husband was in shock. He loved them! His very favorite is a version made with pistachios, sugar and a whole egg. The ultimate in simplicity.

Later this week, he’s promised to shell at least a pound of pistachios so I can bake enough of these for our family and friends. Here’s the recipe:


Pistachio Macaroons

1 cup shelled, roasted, salted pistachios
¾ cup sugar
1 large egg

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius).

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine the nuts, sugar and egg in a food processor and grind to a coarse paste.

Use a scant tablespoon of batter for each cookie, placing them about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes and then remove to a baking rack to cool completely.

Makes approximately 2 dozen