Tag: Gluten Free

How to Make Pickles: A Primer

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Ever wondered how to make pickles? It’s easy. Making homemade pickles has been on my to do list for some time now. I’m a little behind the times; pickling everything has been a trend that’s come and probably gone and I’ve eaten more pickled foods than I have time to list here. From pickled watermelon rind (my favorite) to pickled fiddlehead ferns, chefs have found that a little bit of something pickled adds nice acidity to almost any dish. I decided for my first home pickling project, I should start with traditional pickled cucumbers. Continue reading “How to Make Pickles: A Primer” →

Turkey Meatballs with Dates, Lentils and Yogurt Sauce

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As an Italian-American, meatballs are in my blood. They are one of the many comfort foods of my people, gifted to the world in the form of polpette appetizers, spaghetti with meatballs, and meatball subs. I may, however, be able to concede that Italians are not the only people who can lay claim to the mighty meatball. These baked turkey meatballs, for example, are definitely not Italian. Mixed with dates, sesame seeds, and breadcrumbs and served with lentils and yogurt sauce it has a Mediterranean-meets-Middle East vibe. Continue reading “Turkey Meatballs with Dates, Lentils and Yogurt Sauce” →

Garlicky Bok Choy and tofu

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I’ve been missing leafy green vegetables here. I haven’t been able to find kale, and while beets are ubiquitous beet greens are elusive. When I noticed bok choy at the market I snatched it right up. A member of the cabbage family, bok choy is a powerhouse of vitamins. It is low in fat, calories, and carbs and high in antioxidants, vitamins A and C, beta-carotene, calcium and dietary fiber. There’s also some potassium and B6 in there. Plus I happen to think it tastes great. I prepared it in a super simple, garlicky stir fry with tofu and served it with steamed Jasmine rice for a complete meal. Continue reading “Garlicky Bok Choy and tofu” →

15 Pounds of Garlic Later…

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I’ve been a delinquent blogger. I haven’t quite managed to get back on track since returning from our Central European vacation. There was catching up to do, articles to write, an apartment to clean, holidays to celebrate, and a slight malaise to top it all off. Evan has had off this week which means all we want to do is play. The beach was calling. Even now I am coated in sunscreen, ready to hit the shores of Ashkelon despite a looming deadline. Continue reading “15 Pounds of Garlic Later…” →

Health Salad, A Second Avenue Deli Favorite

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It is Yom Ha’atzmaut, or Israeli Independence day, and as I write this fireworks are exploding outside my window. For Israelis this is a major day, something they still remember and actively fight for. Sure the Fourth of July is big in the US, but there’s no one alive who remembers the American Revolution; that’s the stuff of history books. Israel is only 63 years old today. Continue reading “Health Salad, A Second Avenue Deli Favorite” →

Poached Pears, An Elegant Treat

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I’ve struggled with my oven in Israel. It’s electric, it’s in Celsius, but more than anything it’s uneven. A cake comes out perfectly cooked on the outside, and completely raw in the middle. I can produce good banana bread, and I’ve even managed to pump out a decent cake, but for the most part my oven is unreliable. So I’ve been trying to expand my dessert repertoire beyond baked goods. Continue reading “Poached Pears, An Elegant Treat” →

At the Market: Fresh Almonds

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As I write this, it is Easter Sunday in Budapest and the church bells are ringing. I’ve been away from Israel for 10 days so I don’t honestly know whether fresh almonds are even still at the market. Two weeks ago, they were there. Not in Be’er Sheva, of course, but in Jerusalem (and I hear Tel Aviv). They were in such abundance it was easy to forget that their season typically lasts a few short weeks (the Almond Board claims they are available April through June). Somehow, fresh almonds seem appropriate for Easter. Rebirth and all that. Continue reading “At the Market: Fresh Almonds” →