Lemon Poppyseed Muffins, Sugar-Free, Gluten Free and Paleo

A vintage recipe with a modern twist.
Nothing adds more pop to your day then a lemon poppyseed muffin and this song…

Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group Sunshine, Lollipops And Rainbows · Lesley Gore Lesley Gore Sings Of Mixed-Up Hearts ℗ 1963 The Island Def Jam Mu...

---

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins
Not too sweet, a bit tart and super moist.
This recipe makes 9 muffins.

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients
2 tbsp lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
1/3 cup plant based milk (I use unsweetened almond milk)
1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients
2 1/2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup tapioca or arrowroot starch
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp poppy seeds

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line muffin pan with paper liners.
3. In a large bowl, combine the wet ingredients and whisk until smooth.
4. Then add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir until just combined.
5. Spoon batter into prepared muffin pan.
6. Bake muffins at 350 degrees F. for 14 to 16 minutes or until slightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
7. Let muffins to cool for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

SUPER SEED CRACKERS, VEGAN, PALEO AND KETO

The name says it all. These crackers are made from sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds and sesame seeds.

S U P E R .

---

Super Seed Crackers
Crispy crackers that go with everything.

Ingredients
1⁄3 cup almond flour
1⁄3 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
1⁄3 cup unsalted pumpkin seeds
1⁄3 cup chia seeds
1⁄3 cup sesame seeds
1 tbsp ground psyllium husk powder
1 tsp salt
¼ cup melted coconut oil
1 cup boiling water

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
2. Mix all the dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl with a wooden spoon.
3. Add the boiling water and melted coconut oil. Mix well and form into a ball. Let rest for 10 minutes to let the magic of the chia seeds work to hold the dough together until it has a gel-like consistency.
4. Place the dough on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Place another piece of parchment paper on top and roll using a rolling pin, (or use your hands to spread the dough), to desired thickness. Remove the top piece of parchment paper.
5. Use a knife or pizza cutter to score the mixture into evenly sized pieces or skip this step and you can break them up free form when done.
6. Bake on the lower rack of your oven for about 45 to 50 minutes, checking towards the end of the cooking time as seeds can burn easily.
7. Turn the oven off and leave the crackers to dry in the oven. Once dried and cooled completely, then break apart.
8. Store in air-tight container

Cooks Notes
If you want to make a sweet cracker and 1 tablespoon of honey or maple syrup to the mixture.
This recipe is also delicious with any of your favourite herbs, try adding 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh rosemary or dried za’atar.

Marinated Olives and Feta, the prefect appetizer for your next virtual cocktail party!

I think the best parties of 2020 will be remembered for the virtual ones. So if you are feeling pressured to have the best appetizer on ZOOM, then this is the recipe. It is pantry friendly, easy to make and did I say it was delicious.

So get your cocktails ready and I will see you on ZOOM!

---

Marinated Olives and Feta
This recipe serves 4 as an appetizer

8 ounces drained pitted olives, (the best olives you can buy, black or green or a mix)
5 garlic cloves
1 lemon
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more if you like it hot
8 ounces feta, (I used goat feta)
flaky sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
Crusty bread, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Drain olives and if they are large you could cut some of them in half, I like to leave a few big for variety.
3. Smash the garlic cloves with the back of your knife and peel.
4. Using a vegetable peeler, remove peel from 1 lemon in long wide strips.
5. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat cook lemon peel, olives, garlic, oil, and red pepper flakes just until garlic is lightly golden around the edges, 5–7 minutes. Let cool completely.
6. Crumble or cut the the feta into small cubes and place in serving bowl. When the olive mixture is cooled pour over the feta and let sit at least 1/2 hours to absorb all the flavours. Just before serving garnish with flaky salt and a big grind of black pepper. Serve with a baguette.

Cooks Notes
I like to warm the bread, just tear into big pieces and bake until warm.
The best part of eating this is dipping your bread into the warm olive oil.
This would be delicious over a soft goat cheese too.

ROMANIAN EGGPLANT DIP (SALATA DE VINETE)

This is a traditional family Romanian recipe from my  mother-in-law Florence Hertzman that she learned from her mother Bessie Swartz.  Bessie was born in Iasi, Romanian in 1904 and she was taught this recipe by her mother Batya Yancovitz. Florence remembers her mother calling it ‘Potelagela’ or ‘Putlagula’.

There are many variations for eggplant salad, each Romanian housewife adding one or two ingredients to make it their own. Bessie added green onions and used  a wood pasty cutter to mash the eggplant and peppers. This Russian/Polish housewife, (that’s me) will be using the food processor and adding a dash of hot sauce.

---

ROMANIAN EGGPLANT DIP (SALATA DE VINETE)

Ingredients:

1 medium eggplant, whole
1 medium green or red pepper, cut in quarters and seeded.
2 green onions, chopped
1 to 2 tsp of canola oil, or more if needed (you could use any light tasting oil)
1/2 tsp salt, or more to taste
dash of white pepper

Directions:

1. Place eggplant and peppers on a baking sheet and broil until charred on all sides, turning often.
2. When done take out of the oven and let the eggplant and peppers rest for at least 30 minutes or until cool enough to handle.
3. When cool carefully peel the charred skin from the eggplant and peppers, set aside.
4. Add the green onion to the food processor and process until finely chopped.
5. Place only the flesh of the eggplant and peppers into the food processor. Add the oil, salt and pepper, mix well.
6. Taste and adjust seasonings.
7. Spread on crackers or crusty bread.
8. Best served at room temperature.

Slow Roasted Plum Tomatoes

This recipe was originally published in October of 2014, and is one of may favourite ways to roast tomatoes. I usually make this recipe in the early autumn when the plum tomatoes are in abundance, but this recipe works wonders for tomatoes in winter too - the slow roasting brings out the intense flavours.

Cut the tomatoes, place in a glass rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, add fresh herbs, and roast for hours .

The tomatoes literally melt in your mouth.

Tomatoes on warm bread with fresh basil and a drizzle of olive oil.

 What I should be doing: I really should be raking the leaves, (I think I will leave that for Gordy).

What I am doing:   Wondering what to do with a big bowl of plum tomatoes.

New love: Oven roasted tomatoes, you can add them to just about anything.

FYI:  I wish you were here because the house smells of garlic and rosemary.

BTW: The leaves still need to be raked, Gordy where are you?

---

Slow Roasted Plum Tomatoes

Ingredients:

2 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half
handful of fresh thyme
a few spring of fresh rosemary
kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper
1 pound tomatoes, any variety

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325ºF
2. Pour olive oil into a baking dish.
3. Cut tomatoes in half and place in the baking dish.
4. Toss tomatoes with the olive oil, garlic, fresh herbs and salt and pepper.
5. Arrange the tomatoes in a single layer, cut side up
6. Bake for about two hours, or until the tomatoes are soft and juicy but slightly wilted.

Cooks Notes:  I usually make a bit batch of these and freeze. During the winter I add them to stews, pasta and soups.

THE FORGIVING STEW - OR IS IT A SOUP?

This is the forgiving stew, or is it a soup?

The idea behind this stew is to use up all of the vegetables in your fridge and to eat as many vegetables as possible. It’s perfect for the winter months when it’s freezing outside and your schedule is packed with social events and too many treats. This stew is forgiving because you can substitute different ingredients to use up what is in your fridge and based on your vegetable preferences. If you like more cabbage, then put in more cabbage. If you don’t like cabbage but you like zucchini, put more in. You can’t go wrong; it’s the forgiving stew!

One of the key ingredients to this stew is lots of marjoram, I used dried which is perfect for this recipe. It’s herby flavour and adds a natural sweetness. Make this recipe for vegetarians or meat lovers, I sometimes have two pots going at once, one with meat and one without. I like adding a tin of cannellini beans for the creamy texture or black beans for their earthy flavour; and for my meat lover any ground meat works, if you can find grass-fed beef, go for it.

Is it a soup or is it stew? You decide!

---

The Forgiving Stew
This recipe serves 6.
You can make it however you want! More soup-like add more water, it you want it stew-like add more tomato paste.

Ingredients
olive oil for sauteing
1 medium-sized white or yellow onion, diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
1/2 pound of mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 of a zucchini, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 28 oz (or 796 mL) tin of diced or chopped tomatoes
1 tin (156 mL) of tomato paste
2 tins of water, (use the tin of tomatoes to measure the water)
1 pound of ground chicken or turkey or beef preferably grass-fed or organic, (for your meat eaters)
1 tin of beans, (any beans you have in the panty)
2 cups of chopped kale, swiss chard or spinach, chopped into bite sized pieces (you can use any kind of kale, we used red kale in this recipe because it looked nice)
2 cups green cabbage, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 tbsp of marjoram
1/2 tbsp of thyme
1 tbsp of salt (or more to taste)
pinch of red chilli flakes
1 bay leaf

Directions
1. In a large soup pot heat about 3 tablespoons or olive oil over medium heat. Add in the onion, celery and mushrooms. Cook, stirring often until the onion has softened, then add in the garlic.
2. If you are using ground meat now is the time to add to the pot. Cook until the meat is well browned.
3. Add the zucchini and carrots, tomato paste, tin of tomatoes, water, beans, cabbage, and all the spices. (Do not add the chopped greens at this time).
4. Raise the heat and bring the mixture to a boil, then partially cover the pot and reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
5. Cook for about 40 minutes, then remove the lid and add the chopped greens. Cook for another 10 minutes or until the greens have softened.
6. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Optional Add-ins
A tablespoon or two of bouillon powder. This is a great panty staple. I like Harvest Sun Organic Bouillon Powder.
Kombu, one strip. It adds a natural saltiness and any seaweed is good for you. Take out the Kombu once soup is cooked and discard.
Splash of red wine - I usually do red wine but today I had white wine, so that’s what I used. I keep the red wine frozen in the freezer so it’s available this stew!
A big grind of Parmesan cheese or for vegans I love Bragg’s Nutritional Yeast or daiya cheese.

Cooks Notes
I like to taste as I go along for salt, pepper, etc.
You could use one or two tins of beans.
If you have any leftovers, it will thicken up and you may need to add more water or broth to thin out.
Store any leftovers in the fridge.

THE BEST TOMATO SAUCE EVER, REPOSTED FROM 2012

I first posted this in the summer of 2012 when we were making lots of car trips back and forth to Montreal. Along with bringing home a few dozen Montreal style bagels we stocked are car with jars of tomato sauce. If you happen to be in Montreal you can add this to your places to go.

A trip to Montreal always includes a stop at the famous Fairmount Bagel. I cannot buy a dozen bagels without Gordy eating a least two from the paper bag, the bagels are freshly baked in a wood-fired oven and yes impossible to resist! So while walking and eating bagels we noticed this tiny little shop, Drogheria Fine, filled with jars and jars of tomato sauce, olive oils and other delights in mason jars.

Just as you would be welcomed into your grandmother’s kitchen, owner Franco Gattuso welcomed us into his tiny shop. Bottles of olive oil were on the counter and pots of tomato sauce were boiling on the stove in the open kitchen and Franco offered us a spoonful right from the pot!  He calls the sauce La Salsa della Nonna which means Grandma’s’s Sauce.  We went home to Toronto with four jars, but soon realized that was not enough.  Now when visiting Montreal we get our dozen bagels and a dozen jars of Nonna’s sauce. 

Yale and owner Franco Gattuso.

Grain Free Chocolate Chip Cookies - Sugar-Free, Dairy-Free and made with Sunflower Seed Butter

I am personally declaring sunflower seed butter the new almond butter - I am adding it to my yogourt, smoothies and spreading it on my toast. You can bake with it too.

I first tasted these cookies when Yale baked up a batch. Made with almond flour, sweetened with maple syrup and held together with a big scoop of sunflower seed butter. Sunflower seed butter is packed with protein, healthy fats, vitamin E and magnesium. It is also a great alternative for someone who has a tree nut allergy.*

I can’t keep these cookies in the cookie jar for too long - I keep finding my personal in-house taste-tester in the kitchen with his hand in the cookie jar! Only 2 1/2 cookies left!

The recipe comes from Yale’s friend, home baker and Holistic Nutritionist, Nicole. You can find the original recipe and more on her blog: Nutritiously Nicole.

And how sweet it is when your daughter bakes and brings you cookies! Thanks Yale, you can bake for me anytime and thanks Nicole for sharing your recipe. xox

---

Grain Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
This recipe makes about 16 cookies.
You can find the original recipe at: Nutritiously Nicole

Ingredients:

1 cup sunflower seed butter
1 cup almond flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips, I used the I use Kresda or Lilly’s brand
Optional:  2 scoops unflavoured collagen powder

 Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. In a medium bowl mix together the sunflower seed butter, almond flour, baking soda, salt and collagen powder (if using).
4. Then add in the maple syrup, vanilla, egg and chocolate chips. Mix well.
5. Using a cookie scooper or your hands, form into a ball and then flatten slightly.
6. Bake for 12- 13 minutes.
7. Cool on rack.
8. Store cookies in an air-tight container.

Cooks Notes
When you bake with sunflower seed butter and baking soda, your cookies can come out green.
*If you have any tree nut allergies, check with your doctor if you can eat sunflower seeds.

Vegan Bean Soup in my new Instant Pot!

My cousin Suzanne gave me this super easy bean soup recipe. You just toss all the ingredients into the Instant Pot, press a button and an hour later you have a big pot of hearty bean soup. I love that you can make this soup your own by adding what ever spices or herbs you like, the same goes for the veggies. I had some fresh thyme and rosemary in my fridge so I added a few sprigs. I also like to toss in a big heaping spoonful of dried marjoram and a dash of dried chili flakes. This soup gets better as it sits and thicker too, so when reheating you may need to add a bit of water to thin out. It also freezes well. Serve as is or top with a few shaving of parmesan cheese or a sprinkle of nutritional yeast and lots and lots of freshly ground pepper.

A notes from Suzanne… says she '‘adds a spoonful of miso paste to up the flavour.” I say a splash of wine too!

Enjoy.

---

Hearty Bean Soup in the Instant Pot
This soup is hearty and rich.
Makes 8 big servings.

Ingredients

12 1/2 cups of mixed beans, rinsed
1 (796ml) can diced Italian-style tomatoes
10 cups vegetable broth or water
2 carrots, diced
1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
a few big handfuls or swiss chard or baby spinach

Directions

1. Combine rinsed beans, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, carrots, onion, celery, garlic, salt, paprika, and black pepper in an Instant Pot. Close and lock the lid. Select high pressure according to manufacturer's instructions; set timer for 35 minutes.
2. Let pressure release naturally before removing lid.
3. Taste and adjust seasoning, you may need to add more salt or pepper to taste.
4. Add in chopped swiss chard or baby spinach.

Cooks Notes

The soup will thicken up so you may need to add more broth or water to thin out.
Go ahead and freeze any leftovers.

Paleo Double Chocolate Banana Muffins, grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free

My most requested muffin recipe is here.
These fudgy paleo muffins are super rich and decadent.
They have chocolate.
They have banana.
They require one bowl to make

To quote my in-house taste-tester.. “You would never know they are healthy”.

Next time I will be doubling up the batch!

---

Paleo Double Chocolate Banana Muffins
Grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free and sweetened with honey.
This recipe makes 9 muffins.

Ingredients

2 medium sized ripe bananas, the more brown spots on your bananas the better
1/4 cup honey
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled
2 cups almond flour
3 tbsp coconut flour
1/3 cup cacao powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup chocolate chips, I use Kresda or Lilly’s

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a muffin tin with 9 muffin liners.
2. In a large bowl, mash the bananas, then add the honey and vanilla and stir.
3. Add in the eggs and coconut oil and mix until well combined.
4. To the same bowl add in the almond flour, coconut flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
5 Stir just until combined and then fold in the chocolate chips.
6. Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
7. Let the muffins cool before removing from pan.

Cooks Notes

I keep these muffins in the fridge or you can freeze them.
Cold eggs can be warmed in minutes by putting them in a bowl of warm water.
You could substitute maple syrup in place of the honey.

Beet, Tempeh & Chickpea Burger - Way Beyond The Way Beyond 'Meat' Burger

I do love it that veggie burgers have become so mainstream, you know the ones I am talking about. They taste like meat, they look like meat, they have marbling and they bleed. They claim to do everything but moo…I have tried them and they do kind of taste like meat, especially when eaten in a bun and topped with ketchup.

I am sure that these new ‘meatless’ burgers are marketed towards meat eaters who want to eat less meat, nothing wrong with that. But I am not looking for something that mimics meat in my plant-based burger. So the question for me is do you want a high tech burger made in a lab? Or you can try this plant-based version made in your own kitchen, you decide.

You can find more veggie burger recipes here.
For some good advice on How To Shop for Veggie Burgers check out this post on Nutrilicious.

---

Beet, Tempeh and Chickpea Burger, Way Beyond the Way Beyond ‘Meat ‘ Burger
These ‘Beyond Meat” Burgers are adapted from The Upbeat Kitchen
This recipe makes 8 burgers

Ingredients

1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water)
1/2 cup walnut halves
8 oz tempeh, cubed
1 1/2 1 14-oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup finely diced red onion
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 medium beet, finely chopped
3 tbsp barbecue sauce
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp hot sauce
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Start by making the flax egg by mixing together the flax and water in a small dish and set aside to thicken, this should take about 10 minutes.
3. Place the walnuts in a food processor and process until ground into a meal. Empty walnuts into a large mixing bowl.
4. Steam the tempeh for 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry with a paper towel.
5. Place the steamed tempeh and chickpeas in the food processor and pulse until crumbly. Do not over-process: you want the burgers to have some texture. Add the tempeh and chickpeas to the bowl with the walnuts. Add in the flax egg, onion, and garlic.
6. Place the chopped beet, barbecue sauce, Dijon mustard, tamari or soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce in the food processor. Process until just about smooth. Add to the other ingredients in the bowl, along with the cumin, smoked paprika, and salt and pepper Process again until combined.
7. Using a 1/2-cup measuring cup, divide the mixture into equal patties.
8. In a medium sized pan and a few tablespoons of oil, when the oil is hot add a few burgers at a time and cook for about 3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Then place burgers on the baking sheet and place in the over and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until crispy around the edges.
9. Serve on buns with your favourite toppings.

For serving:
Vegan cheese of choice
Pickles
Sliced tomato
Avocado
Lettuce
Mustard
Barbecue sauce

Cooks Notes
Burgers can be frozen.

Blueberry Oatmeal Sugar-Free Muffins

I am always on the search for a good muffin and to me that means a big fat muffin like the ones you see in all the coffee shops that you just know are loaded with enough calories, fat and sugar to bomb your day. These Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins deliver; they are gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, homemade and just big enough to make your eyes pop. I like to think of these muffins as a bowl of oatmeal to go, so pack one in your purse, (or fanny-pack) then you always have a healthy snack, that’s what I do.

The secret to this super moist muffin is to start by putting the oats in a bowl, add the milk, give it a quick stir and let the oats soak for about 20 to 30 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. This method helps to make the muffins moist, so do not skip this step!

And now that my in-house taste tester is looking in the fridge for healthy snacks I am being asked… can I eat this? I can say proudly say YES. So what did he think? He said ‘the muffins are delicious and even took one to snack on while at the coffice and asked me ‘what are we testing next week’…‘oat and pea milk,’ I answered, stay tuned!

---

Blueberry Oatmeal Sugar-Free Muffins
This recipe makes 10 to 12 muffins
These muffins are perfect for a grab and go breakfast or snack.

Ingredients

1 cup almond milk, or any milk you like
1 cup old-fashioned whole rolled oats
1 1/4 cups gluten free flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled
1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
1 egg, large
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, if using frozen do not thaw

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a muffin time with liners or spray lightly with oil, I like to use liners then I don’t have to worry about my muffins getting stuck in my old and favourite muffin tin.
2. Soak the oats in milk for about 20 to 30 minutes or until the oats soak up all the liquid.
3. In a large bowl add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt and mix until well combined.
4. In small bowl mix the melted coconut oil, honey, egg, and vanilla.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry along with the soaked oats and blueberries. Fold everything together gently just until combined.
6. Spoon the batter into the muffins tin, filling almost to the top. Sprinkle each muffin with some oats. Bake for 5 minutes at 425, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Bake for an additional 15 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool fin the pan before removing.

Cooks Notes

Soaking the oats in the milk helps to make the muffins moist and tender, so don't skip that step.
I like to keep my muffins in the fridge but they will stay fresh in an airtight container for about a week or you can store in the freezer.

Low-Carb Keto Zucchini Loaf. Eat Your Veggies!

I love using vegetables in my baking and zucchini is always my first choice, it adds lots of moisture but not a lot of flavour and it works well in both sweet and savoury recipes. Best of all its a great way to sneak in a few extra veggies for those who crinkle their nose when you say zucchini .

Looking for more easy Keto baking and recipes sweetened without sugar, then try my everyday Keto Bread. And if you are a chocolate lover then try Chocolate Zucchini Loaf that is sweetened with a touch of honey.

---

Low-carb and Keto Zucchini Loaf
This recipe makes 1 loaf, about 12 slices 

Ingredients

1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
3/4 cup erythritol or xylitol
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
5 eggs, large
1/2 cup avocado oil or coconut oil, melted and cooled
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup shredded zucchini, squeezed of excess water
hemp hearts, for sprinkling on top, optional

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl with mix together the almond and coconut flour, erythritol, salt, cinnamon and baking powder.
3. Add in the eggs, oil, vanilla, and stir to combine. Add in the zucchini and mix again.
4. Transfer to the loaf pan and top with hemp hearts. Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean.
5. Allow to cool before removing from the pan.

Cooks Notes

Once you have shredded the zucchini, you simply squeeze the zucchini in your hands or use a clean dish cloth before adding it to the rest of the ingredients.
You could add in a 1/3 cup raisins, walnuts or pecans, white or dark chocolate chips or a combination.
This loaf freezes well.

Tempeh with Peanut Sauce

Some people say tempeh is the vegan and vegetarian’s substitute for meat. I will never tell you that tempeh tastes like meat. I will never tell you that I try to make my plant-based meals taste like meat. I really just want them to taste delicious. And tempeh is just that, delicious.

Tempeh is one of those foods most of us don’t know how to prepare, what it tastes like or what it is! Tempeh is a fermented soy product; it's made with the whole soybean with very little processing. It's also very high in protein, which makes it an excellent plant-based protein source. It has a bit of a nutty and mushroom flavour. You can bake it, fry it or grill it. But first it needs a bit prep…so I called Karen, my veggie friend from Nutrilicious and we got busy in the kitchen with tempeh.

We started by steaming the tempeh, this helps it stay moist and absorb flavours. It can be a bit bitter tasting straight out of the package so give it a quick steam before using. Just place the whole block of tempeh into a saucepan and cover with water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from the water, pat dry and then you are ready to go with any recipe. We loved this Baked Tempeh with Peanut Sauce recipe for its crispy tempeh and creamy peanut sauce. The marinade comes together quickly in the food processor and you can adjust the seasoning, I like it a bit more spicy and Karen liked it a bit more sweet.

Just so you know… my in-house taste tester said this chicken is delicious!

---

Baked Tempeh with Peanut Sauce
This recipe serves 4

Ingredients

8 ounces tempeh, one package
1 tsp chili garlic sauce or 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, more if you like it spicy
1 tbsp sesame oil 
2 tbsp creamy peanut butter or almond butter
6 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
3 tbsp lime juice
1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
pinch of salt
3 large cloves garlic, peeled
1 stalk lemongrass, remove ends and chop into small pieces
sesame seeds, to sprinkle on top, optional

Directions for the Tempeh

1. Place tempeh in medium saucepan and cover with water; bring to a boil over medium heat. Steam tempeh for about 10 minutes.
2. Once steamed remove tempeh from saucepan and pat dry.
3. Cut into bite-size pieces and set aside.

Directions for the Marinade

1. In the bowl of a food processor make the marinade by adding the chili garlic sauce, sesame oil, peanut butter, tamari, lime juice, maple syrup, turmeric, garlic, salt and lemongrass. Blend until well combined. You may want to have a taste to adjust flavours. I like mine with a bit of extra chili sauce.
2. Place the tempeh in a bowl and add the marinade, toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or longer if you have the time.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put the tempeh on the baking sheet. Save the remaining marinade to use for serving.
4. Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned, turning over once. Remove when down and brush with more of the marinade.
5. If you want you can put the cooked tempeh on skewers, it makes a great way to serve or just serve on platter, either way remember to brush on more of the marinade on the tempeh and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Cooks Notes

You can marinate the tempeh up to 24 hours.
Any leftover marinade can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
This sauce is good on just about anything.

Low-Carb Almond Flour Bread, my new wonder bread

If you have fond memories of eating store bought white bread then this low-carb bread may take a bit of getting use to. On the up side it does look a lot like white bread, you can slice it and toast it and top it just like white bread and its packed with protein and fibre. I have been baking a loaf weekly for my in-house taster and it has been declared better then Wonder Bread!

---

Low-Carb Almond Flour Bread
This recipe makes one loaf, about 12 slices.

Ingredients
2 cups almond flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup psyllium husks
4 large eggs
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled
1/2 cup warm water

Topping
1 tsp poppy seeds or sesame seeds
1/4 tsp salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a standard loaf pan with parchment paper and lightly grease the sides with a bit of coconut oil.
2. Place all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Add the eggs, coconut oil and warm water. Mix until combined well.
4. Pour into the prepared loaf pan.
5. Sprinkle the loaf with the topping of poppy seeds and salt.
6. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes, or until done.
7. Cool before removing from loaf pan.
8. Can be stored in the fridge or can be freezer.

THIS IS MY GREAT-GRANDMOTHER’S GEFILTE FISH - Originally published in 2012

My grandmother Jenny Mandel nee Schwartz, came from Minsk, Russia when she was just a baby. Her mother Mary who I am named after made gefilte fish for her family on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. When Jenny was old enough to learn her mother taught her and her sisters, Sarah and Edith.

It all starts with fresh fish. According to my mother, Jenny would  pick out her fish, ten pounds of white fish and always one Pike, once home the fish were kept alive in the only bathtub in the house.  The next day newspaper would be spread around the floor and kitchen table, the fishmonger would stop by…it was time to kill the fish.  As a child my mother never took a bath and she never ate the fish! 

When Jenny was in her 80’s it was time to teach my mother Irene. From then on twice a year my mother would make the gefilte fish with her late best friend Theda Warner.  I know that they had a long fun day of cooking, chopping, cleaning and lots of good gossip!  And fortunately we don’t have to worry about the bathtub, we can buy our fish already cleaned from Nortown!

Well, my mother turned 80 this year so I guess it is time I learn to make the fish!

I hope to carry on the tradition with my grandmother’s handwritten recipe.

 My mother Irene.

My Mother's Potato Kugel - Perfect for Passover, Rosh Hashanah or anytime.

 

My mother Irene has been making this recipe for Jewish holidays for as long as I can remember. Her potato kugel is moist on the inside and flat and crispy on the outside.  Zachary (my son) loves this recipe so much that my mother will make him his own small pan (just for him) to take home. What a good Bubby and thanks mom you are the best home cook! xo

Oh, and if you are wondering about the missing piece, that was me!  There is nothing better then kugel fresh from the oven.  

My mother’s hand-written recipe.

---

Potato Kugel
Enough for a crowd, this recipe will fill 2 – 9 X13 inch glass Pyrex pans

Ingredients:

10 lbs Yukon gold potatoes
4 or 5 medium sized yellow onions
6 large eggs (beaten well)
Canola or Mazola oil (about ½ cup)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Coarsely grate the potatoes and onion by hand or food processor.
3. Squeeze out as much of the excess liquid as you can from the potatoes and onions.
4. Add the well beaten eggs, salt and pepper to the potato and onion, mix well.
5. Put enough oil (about ½ cup) in a 9 X13 inch Pyrex to coat the bottom and place in the oven and heat for about 10 minutes until oil is very hot.
6. Pour mixture into pan, oil should sizzle up around the potato mixture.
7. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 425 degrees. Reduce heat to 400 degrees and continue baking for another 30 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Cut into squares while still warm.

Cooks Notes

Can be made ahead of time and reheated before serving.
Variation:  My mother sometimes will use muffin tins in place of a large Pyrex pan  and each guest can have their own mini kugel!

SUGAR FREE AND GLUTEN FREE DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES - warning these cookies are so good you may find yourself craving kale!

I may have created a monster and it’s my own fault. After years of eating kale, quinoa and chickpea pasta guess who wants in? Now I get to share my big salads and spinach smoothies with the one I love. How nice is that! And it all started with this cookie. My in-house taste tester can’t get enough of these cookies; if this is what it means to give up sugar count me in! So in he is and I can see yoga classes in his future!

---

Sugar Free and Gluten Free Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
This recipe makes 12 cookies
Sugar free and gluten free! Perfect for a Keto diet.
Pour yourself a glass of almond milk and eat some cookies.

Ingredients

1 cup almond butter, smooth
4 tbsp cocoa powder, unsweetened
1/3 cup granulated sweetener - erythritol or monkfruit
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder, optional
1/3 cup sugar free chocolate chips
3 tbsp almond milk unsweetened, if needed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium size bowl, mix almond butter, cocoa powder, sweetener, egg and espresso powder until well-combined. 
3. If mixture is very thick you can thin it with up to 3 tbsp of milk, adding a bit at a time.
4. Mix in chocolate chips.
5. Roll the dough (or use a small ice cream scoop) to make 12 balls and place on a baking tray. Press down with your hands into round cookies.
6. Bake 10-12 minutes. Let them cool completely for at least 10 minutes on the cookie sheet before placing on a cooling rack.
7. Store in an airtight container. On the counter the cookies stay soft, in the fridge they become a bit crispy. Enjoy.

Cooks Notes

The cookie dough should be soft and hold together enough so you can roll into balls.
Almond butter should be at room temperature to make mixing easy.
No almond milk in the fridge, use any milk you have.
Look for sugar free chocolate chips; I have been able to find two brands at my health food store, Lily’s and Krisda.
If you cannot find sugar free chocolate chips try chopping up a bar of dark chocolate, look for 85% or higher.
When looking for a sugar free sweetener look for erythritol or monk fruit.

Buckwheat and Apricot Granola - I luv this "hippie" food of the 60's - call me crunchy granola and I smile.

Years ago when I started reading food labels I said goodbye to foods that had ingredients that I had to goggle. One of the first recipes I started to make was granola. It can be made with just about any grains, nuts and fruits that when combined together become a crunchy bowlful of protein, fiber and healthy fats. I am sharing an easy recipe for granola that includes real ingredients I feel good about eating. The almonds, apricots and buckwheat are from Yupik. You can order on line or visit their store in Montreal to shop for high-quality products, including organic and Kosher.

---

Buckwheat and Apricot Granola

Ingredients
Makes one big container.

2 cups of oats
1 cup of buckwheat
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup almonds, chopped
1 cup of sunflower seeds
1 cup of pumpkin seeds
1 cup apricots, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F and line a baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add oats, buckwheat, maple syrup, coconut oil and cinnamon. Toss to coat well.
3. Spread granola out on prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven, toss well and bake for 5 minutes more. Remove and let cool.
4. To a large mixing bowl, add the oat and buckwheat mixture and mix in the almonds, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, apricots and coconut. Transfer to storage containers.

Cooks Notes

This recipe can be made in advance and stored in air tight containers.

Hamantaschen for Purim from Flo's Kitchen

The bakers, my mother-in-law Florence and her sous chef Simon, with sticky hands and rolling pin.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

I love to look at well-used cookbooks, it is where you find a cook's secrets. This is my mother-in-law Florence Hertzman's tried and true Naomi Cookbook, and the reading is riveting … Page 35 for Sweet and Sour Meatballs has a few ketchup stains and recipe adjustments, Brisket on page 32 has the initials 'LS' which I think is code for Linda Sue (her daughter), must be her favourite brisket.  Page 107, Apple Sauce Cake with Topping is 'very good' and Almond Macaroons on page 141 has a note, 'watch out, we added 1 cup of flour!'…dated from 1976.  

The Jewish holiday of Purim is just a few days away and part of the tradition is a triangular filled cookie called a hamantaschen (literally, Haman's hat) which brings me to page 180, Purim Recipes.  It is on this page that more notes are added and floury finger prints live on.

 It is fun to watch Flo with her apron around her neck, sticky dough and rolling pin, bring this recipe to life.

This post was originally posted in 2015.

---

Grandma Flo's Hamantaschen Recipe

Inspired from the Naomi Cookbook by Hadassah WIZO Organization of Canada HADASSAH: Naomi Chapter of Toronto.

 Makes about 24 hamantaschen, depending on size. Traditionally filled with prunes or mohn, (poppy seeds) but go ahead and add whatever filling you like, dates, apricots, apples and cherries are all delicious.

Ingredients

For the Dough:

3 cups flour
3 eggs, (medium)
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder

Directions:

1. Stir together baking powder, flour, sugar and salt; cut in shortening.
2. Add well beaten eggs and mix well to a soft dough.
3. Allow dough to sit for 10 minutes before rolling.
4. Roll out on floured board to a quarter inch thickness.
5. Cut with large, round cookie cutter.
6. Put a spoonful of desired filling in centre and pinch together to form triangular pocket.
7. Brush with egg, put on well greased pan and bake 12 to 15 minutes in 400 degree oven.

 Ingredients for  the Poppy Seed Filling

1/2 lb of poppy seeds
1/2 cup honey
lemon zest of half a lemon or 1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sugar

Directions for the Poppy Seed Filling

1. Scald poppy seeds with boiling water two or three times.
2. Put in food processor and blend for a few seconds.
3. Add sugar, honey and lemon zest or vanilla and blend well.

Ingredients for the Prune Filling:

1 lb large prunes, pitted
1 tbsp lemon juice
zest from one lemon
1/2 cup sugar

Directions for the Prune Filling

1. Stew prunes until soft.
2. Put in food processor with sugar and lemon and lemon zest.
3. Blend until just combined.
4. If too mussy add 2 tbsp of chopped nuts.