Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup Tamari sauce (gluten-free soy sauce)
- 1/2 cup Mirin
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 4 5-oz skinless salmon fillets, cut into 2-inch pieces
- Avocado oil for brushing
- 4 baby bok chop, large outer leaves removed and bulbs halved lengthwise
- 4 double prong skewers
Optional:
- Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
- Steamed rice, for serving
Directions:
- Whisk together soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, and vinegar in a large bowl until sugar dissolves. Reserve 1/3 cup of the marinade. Add salmon to bowl, mix well, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat a grill to high, or heat a grill pan over high, and grease with avocado oil. Remove the salmon from the marinate. Thread salmon and bok choy onto skewers.
- Grill, turning once, until salmon is medium within, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a platter, and garnish with toasted sesame seeds. Serve with steamed brown rice and reserved marinade.
Spinach Patties
Among my favorite spinach dishes are these simple but delicious patties. Even spinach haters can’t resist them, especially with a little horseradish. These patties are traditional on Passover. The secret ingredient passed in from my late mother-in-law, is to add a handful of ground meat (but vegans can eliminate and add a little olive oil to the mixture). I prep these in advance to the Seder and freeze them. To thaw, simply leave at room temperature and warm up on a low heat for 2-3 minutes.
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds fresh spinach, rinsed, stemmed and chopped
- About 3/4 cup of matza meal
- About 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Ground pepper to taste
- 5 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 8 ounces lean ground meat
- Avocado oil for frying
Directions:
- In a large bowl, hand massage and mix the chopped spinach with sea salt. Remove the extra water. Add the matza meal, pepper, eggs and ground meat. If the mixture is too loose, add a little more matza meal. Refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes. (The mixture can also stay in the refrigerator for a day)
- Shape the spinach mixture into patties with wet hands. In a large skillet, heat a thin layer of oil over medium heat. In batches fry the patties, turning until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm, accompanied with red or white horseradish.
Leek and Chicken Patties
Leek patties are commonplace throughout the Jewish Sephardi world — in Turkey, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania and elsewhere. They’re popular during Rosh Hashanah and for the Passover Seder. Some versions include meat and others are vegetarian; some add only potato to the mixture, others use breadcrumbs or matzo meal for Passover. This is my version for Passover inherited from my late mother-in-law, Malka Kalman. It can’t be Passover unless I made these and her inspiration is resonates all over my kitchen and Seder table.
Yield: 12-14 Patties
Ingredients:
- 6 to 8 leeks (about 2 pounds), white and light-green parts, chopped
- 6 scallions, chopped
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons hot water (if needed)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 lbs. organic ground chicken
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup bread crumbs or matzo meal, or more as needed
- Organic Grape seed oil or Avocado oil, for frying
Directions:
- Wash and chop the leeks and scallions.
- Warm up the olive oil in a large sauté pan and add the leeks. Saute the leeks for 4-5 minutes until soft; if necessary you can add a little hot water and continue to cook over low-medium heat until all liquids are absorbed. Add the salt, pepper, nutmeg and parsley. Cook for another minute and then add the scallions and sauté for another 2 minutes.
- Let the leeks and scallions mix cool completely to room temperature.
- In a large bowl mix together the ground chicken, eggs, breadcrumbs or matzo meal, and the leeks mixture. If the mixture is runny, add breadcrumbs as needed. Cover the bowl and transfer it to the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Line a baking sheet with 2 layers of paper towels.
- Pour grape seed or avocado oil into a skillet to a depth of 1/8 inch and heat over medium heat. Form the batter into 2- to 2 1/2-inch patties. When the oil is hot, add several patties at a time and fry on both sides until they are golden brown. Transfer the cooked patties to the paper towels to drain. Repeat to use all of the batter.
- Serve patties warm or at room temperature.
Baked Red Snapper with Onions, Peppers and Chickpeas
Ingredients:
- 6 5-6-oz red snapper fillets
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 large sweet onions, cut into strips
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced
- 4 red peppers, sliced (you can also mix yellow and red)
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas (I HIGHLY recommend getting boxed chickpeas from Whole Foods (or anywhere else you can find them). The only ingredient added to the chickpeas is water, no preservatives and no BPA).
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1.5 cups filtered water
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1-1.5 cups chopped herbs (parsley, dill, cilantro –mix your favorite fresh herbs)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Saute the onions and garlic with olive oil on medium heat, about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the peppers and continue to sauté for another 3-4 minutes. Add the chickpeas, turmeric, sweet paprika, black pepper, sea salt, cayenne pepper and continue to mix for another 3-4 minutes.
- Add water, lemon juice and fresh herbs and continue to cook for about 20 minutes.
- Transfer the vegetable mixture into a large baking dish.
- Sprinkle the fish fillets with salt and pepper and slightly immerse (skin down) in the vegetable mixture. (If you like to eat later, you can cool down the vegetable mixture to room temperature and then add the fish before moving to the oven).
- Cook in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes. Serve immediately.
Sweet Potato Latkes (or Pancakes)
Adapted from “Orna and Ella, The Cookbook” (published in Hebrew)
Ingredients: (makes about 20 small latkes)
For the latkes:
- 2 lbs. sweet potatoes – preferably small
- ¾ cup gluten-free flour
- 1 tablespoon Tamari sauce (gluten-free soy sauce)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon coconut sugar
- A little organic Grapeseed oil for frying
For the dipping sauce:
- 2/3 cup sour cream (or make your own vegan sour cream)
- 2 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
- sea salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons chopped chives
Directions:
- If you are using mini sweet potatoes, cook them in their skins until completely soft (pierce with a blade of a knife), cool slightly and peel. If you are using big ones – peel and cut them in large, fairly uniform cubes and cook until soft. Place in a colander to drain excess liquid.
- Let cool, add soy sauce and mix gently with your hands (the mixture is quite sticky). Add salt, sugar and flour and mix again, until thoroughly combined.
- Discard any hard bits, and avoid over mixing, which will make the batter heavier and even stickier.
Set aside for half an hour. - Gently heat a skillet and add just enough oil to cover its surface. Wet your hands and form balls size of a walnut, drop on a skillet and flatten with a spatula.
- Fry the latkes gently for 4-5 minutes, flipping them once. They should be nicely browned and firm enough to be removed with a spatula. Drain on paper towel. Fry in batches until all the batter is used. Add more oil if necessary and make sure the oil is hot before adding another batch of pancakes.
- Combine the dipping sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
- Serve the latkes warm with the dipping sauce or set aside and reheat in a medium-hot oven (not in a microwave!). Reheating actually improves the texture, so these latkes are perfect for making ahead.
Mushroom and Kale Mac & Cheese
Yield: 8-10 servings, 9 x 13 casserole dish
Ingredients:
- 1 pound elbow pasta, cooked al dente (I prefer buckwheat, quinoa, or brown rice)
- 5 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 lbs. cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large bunch Tuscan kale, stems removed, chiffonade
- 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 3 cups Vegan béchamel sauce (see recipe)
- 3 Tablespoons white miso
- 2 teaspoons umeboshi paste
- 2 cups toasted breadcrumbs (I prefer gluten-free panko breadcrumbs)
For toasted breadcrumbs:
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups gluten-free panko breadcrumbs
- 2 Tablespoons parsley, chopped
- 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Heat 3 Tablespoons olive oil in sauté pan and sauté the mushrooms. Add garlic when
mushrooms are caramelized. Add kale and cook until wilted. Toss in cherry tomatoes. Set aside. - Heat béchamel sauce (recipe below)and add miso and umeboshi paste. Stir until miso is dissolved. Season to taste with sea salt and fresh pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a small sauté pan and add the panko breadcrumbs and sauté with salt, pepper,
garlic and chopped parsley. Brown lightly. - Mix together the pasta and veggies with the béchamel sauce and transfer to a baking dish. Top
the pasta with the toasted breadcrumbs and bake at 350 degrees until the breadcrumbs brown (6-
8 minutes). - Serve garnished with chopped herbs (optional).
Vegan béchamel sauce
Yield: 3 cups
Ingredients:
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil
- 1 shallot, minced
- ¼ cup oat flour
- 5 cups almond milk
- 1-2 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- pinch nutmeg
- 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice (1/2 lemon)
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Use 2½ quart sauce pan, heat oil over medium flame. Sweat shallots until translucent.
- Add flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes.
- Slowly whisk in almond milk; add thyme, bay leaf, and nutmeg.
- Increase heat to simmer and continue cooking for about 10 minutes stirring often until
sauce thickens. - Remove thyme and bay leaf. Add lemon juice. Season to taste.
6 Strategies to Help you Stay on Track during the Holidays
The holiday season is in full swing, which means parties and gatherings with an array of food choices. The good news is that there are definitely ways to keep the holiday season healthy while still taking part in the festivities and having fun! I have found these 6 strategies help my clients stay on track during the holidays:
- Don’t deviate from the norm. If you know you’re going to attend a lavish holiday party, begin your day as you would any other. Don’t skip meals to save calories and get to the party famished. Eat a protein and healthy fat-packed snack an hour before your holiday meal like celery sticks with almond butter or a green smoothie with a scoop of vegan protein. Protein and fat help cut cravings for sugar and processed carbs.
- Start your holiday meal with smart food choices. Beginning with soup, fresh veggies or a salad and avoiding appetizers filled with refined flour and other unhealthy choices can prevent cravings. Volunteering to bring something to every gathering you attend guarantees there’s a healthy choice.
- Limit alcohol, especially on an empty stomach. Alcohol reduces your inhibitions and can lead you down a slippery slope of making bad choices. Most types of alcohol are also filled with sugar and empty calories. Instead, ask for sparkling water with lemon or lime to drink before the meal and enjoy a glass of alcohol with the food.
- Focus on the social interaction rather than dwelling on food. I like to sit next to someone I find genuinely interesting and engage in conversation with them and help the host with clean-up and serving the food so you stay engaged and less focused on the food.
- Practice mindfulness. Take a couple of deep breaths before your meal and chew every bite slowly. Really focus on the flavors, colors and smells of your food. Try to put your fork down between bites. Practice ending the meal feeling satisfied yet energized and comfortable.
- Remember your goals. Think about the way you want to feel before you hit those holiday parties and dinners. If you want to feel great, you’re less likely to indulge in foods and activities that make you feel less than great. But if you do happen to slip, don’t beat yourself up. Guilt is a toxic emotion that creates more damage. When things get off the “plan” (which they do), simply make a gentle U- turn. Sometimes treating yourself to sugary and other pleasure foods is exactly what the moment calls for. If you indulge a little, that’s fine. Did you enjoy the process? How did you react to the food that you ate? Pay attention and move on and getting back to the foods and activities that make you feel great.
Special Collaboration with Our Harvest & a Smart Life Offer
I’m excited to announce a very special collaboration with Our Harvest!
Our Harvest is a NY-based online farmers market and grocery delivery service that connects you to fresh, local food, sourced directly from small family farmers and food artisans. They offer a wide selection of farm-fresh seasonal produce; premium grass-fed meats; pasture-raised poultry and dairy; never-frozen, sustainably-caught fish; and, clean-label pantry staples. Their food is meticulously sourced from over 150 regional farmers, food purveyors and suppliers who uphold the highest quality standards and adhere to the most responsible growing practices.
By working directly with small family farmers and artisanal purveyors, Our Harvest has created a system that is a win for farmers, consumers, and the community alike. With Our Harvest, your groceries are delivered from the farm straight to you, sometimes just hours after harvest, and you can taste the difference.
Why I choose to shop at Our Harvest
- They are an online farmers market and grocery story that connects you to real food, straight from local farmers and producers – the Smart Life way!
- They are a socially-responsible, mission-driven food startup whose goal is to bring fresh, local and delicious food to communities at a fair price while fighting hunger .
- They source from small, local family farms who use sustainable and responsible growing practices.
- The vast majority of their products come from within 250 miles, with most from much closer (e.g. Long Island farms, Brooklyn-based artisanal producers, etc.)
- Our Harvest’s supply chain is 100% transparent. They provide producer information and ingredient labels for every item listed on their site.
- They offer more than 725 choices of fresh, all-natural, high-quality food.
- For every order placed over $25, Our Harvest donates a meal to a local food bank or pantry in your community to help combat hunger. They have donated well over 10,000 meals to date!
How it works
The Our Harvest model disrupts the current, conventional food retail system, where food travels long distances and sits on a shelf or in a warehouse until it is eventually sold.
Shoppers can choose from a selection of more than 725 products, all of which include the name and description of the small family farm or artisanal producer where it originated. Orders are placed the same way as with any online retailer; however, once an order is placed, their team then travels to the local farms to source the ordered items, which customers receive sometimes only hours after it was harvested! This sourcing model enables them to serve farm fresh fare at a price point that is fair to everyone along the supply chain.
Special Discount for the Smart Life Community
- As a member of the Smart Life community, you can receive 25% off your first order with code SMARTLIFE.
- Plus, every time you shop with Our Harvest, a percentage will be donated to Books for Kids Foundation. The mission of the Books for Kids Foundation is to promote literacy among all children with a special emphasis on low-income and at-risk preschool-aged children. Books for Kids creates libraries, donates books, and implements literacy programs to develop the critical early foundation and skills which young children need to be successful in life.
- Furthermore for every order above $25, Our Harvest donates a meal to a local food band or pantry.
Find our more about Our Harvest
Follow the on Instagram @ourharvest and Facebook @shopourharvest
Website: www.ourharvest.com
Tomato Salad with Roasted Figs and Balsamic Reduction
This salad is a great appetizer for your holiday meal. If you choose slightly bitter greens like watercress or arugula, the tomatoes and caramelized figs will add sweetness and make a great combination for this seasonal salad.
Yield: 4-6 Servings
Ingredients:
- 6 fresh figs, cut in quarters
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 8-10 cups of fresh greens (watercress, arugula, or spinach)
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 2 medium tomatoes, cut in large pieces
- 8-10 yellow/orange cherry tomatoes, halved
- 12-14 red cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 small jalapeño, without seeds, sliced thinly
- Sea salt
- Fresh ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup organic balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
Directions:
- In a small saucepan reduce the balsamic vinegar with the sugar over low heat. Remove from heat and let chill.
- Warm the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread the figs over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the figs with olive oil and roast for 3-4 minutes.
- In a large serving plate, spread the greens and drizzle with a little fresh lemon juice. Toss lightly.
- In another bowl toss all the tomatoes with the jalapeño, sea salt, pepper and a little olive oil. Spread the tomatoes over the greens.
- Top the salad with the roasted figs and drizzle with the balsamic reduction. Serve immediately. Option: garnish the salad with chopped fresh parsley.
Fish in Pomegranate-Cilantro Sauce
This fish sauce is delicious, light, and works well with any white fish. The sauce is mildly spicy and a little sour. The cilantro can be replaced with parsley for those who prefer the milder flavor of parsley.
Yield: 12-14 servings
Ingredients:
- 3 lbs. white fish (12 fillets; I like Halibut, Wild Cod, Wild Snapper or Hake)
- Sea salt
- White pepper
- 1 lemon
For the sauce:
- 1/3 cup Grape seed oil (or cold pressed organic canola oil)
- 2 medium purple onions, peeled and sliced thinly
- 1 tablespoon date or coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
- 10 small garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
- 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses (optional)
- 2 cups pomegranate juice (POM)
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 1 jalapeño pepper, chopped (seeds optional)
For Garnish:
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/2 cup chopped mint
Directions:
- In a large sauté pan, heat up the oil and add the onion and sugar. Sauté until onion is lightly caramelized (about 5 minutes).
- Add the garlic cloves, paprika, salt and pepper and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add the cilantro, pomegranate juice, pomegranate molasses, and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, add the jalapeño and cook on low heat for another 10-12 minutes, until sauce thickens. (You can prepare the sauce a day ahead and refrigerate. Warm up the sauce before serving and add the fish as follows)
- One hour before serving, drizzle the fish fillets with sea salt, white pepper and lemon juice. Place fish fillets in one layer over the sauce, cover the pot and cook on low heat for 12-15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand in the covered pot for 20 minutes.
- Plate the fish on a platter or individually, garnish with fresh herbs, and serve.
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