Tag: Vegetarian

Sugar Free Sugar Cookies and a Cookie Blog Hop

32 Comments

I know it sounds crazy even to say – sugar free sugar cookies? It’s a total oxymoron. But when planning a baby shower for a woman with gestational diabetes the usual sweet buffet just won’t do. Beth cut most normal carbs and processed sugars out of her diet, and took regular blood sugar tests so knew that she reacted well to spelt flour and agave nectar. My mission: To make something akin to sugar cookies without all the sugar. I found these healthy sugar cookies, swapped the almond flour for whole wheat spelt flour, and was in business. With only four ingredients and no butter, I knew that these would be about as healthy as cookies could get – but how would they taste?

(Almost) Sugar Free Sugar Cookies {KatherineMartinelli.com}

Continue reading “Sugar Free Sugar Cookies and a Cookie Blog Hop” →

How to Make a Watermelon Baby Carriage

18 Comments

While this post is uncharacteristic of me and this blog, baby fever has taken over my life. My Facebook feed is overrun with babies these days, and in real life it’s time for my first close friend to have a child. My very best friend in Israel Beth is due any day (hour?! minute?!) now and so a few weeks ago I had the fun of planning my first baby shower. I needed baby shower food ideas, and as usual Pinterest came to the rescue. This watermelon baby carriage was perfect because not only does it look cute and create an interactive centerpiece, but since Beth has gestational diabetes it also fit my sugar-free rule. Yup, the whole baby shower was outfitted with snacks made entirely (ok, mostly) with natural sugars.

How to Make a Watermelon Baby Carriage {KatherineMartinelli.com}

Continue reading “How to Make a Watermelon Baby Carriage” →

Smoky Cashew Salsa and a Nut Blog Hop

35 Comments

Have you ever gone to a restaurant and had something so extraordinary that it haunted you? That happened with nearly every dish we ate at Empellon, the upscale Mexican taqueria in New York opened by WD50’s former pastry chef, Alex Stupak. Although the restaurant came with high praise from good friends, I admit that I had my doubts as we stood in the crowded dining room on the stormiest night of the summer waiting for a table. A fancy Mexican restaurant with a molecular pastry chef gone savory and $18 tacos? It’s rare that I say anything was worth a two hour wait and a substantial bill. But they knocked it out of the park. And this smoky cashew salsa has haunted me ever since.

Smoky Cashew Salsa, Inspired by New York's Empellon Restaurant

Continue reading “Smoky Cashew Salsa and a Nut Blog Hop” →

Manchego and Fig Panini and a Fig Blog Hop

31 Comments

It’s fig season in Israel and it is glorious. I’ve never before lived somewhere with such a wealth of gorgeous fresh figs. Seeing them piled high at the shuk just makes me smile. There are few fruits as pretty as figs, and their subtly sweet flavor makes them a perfect foil to savory dishes – and in particular cheese. I love to stuff figs with goat cheese or ricotta and drizzle with balsamic or honey, baked or raw. I’ve been making crostini out the wazoo featuring figs, paired with toasted bread and brie or salty white cheese. And for a special lunch treat, panini. My favorite combination is this manchego and fig panini.

Fig season in Israel - Mahane Yehuda Market

Continue reading “Manchego and Fig Panini and a Fig Blog Hop” →

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries

42 Comments

It’s been a few months since I have participated in The Secret Recipe Club, and it’s good to be back! This month I was thrilled to be assigned Lesa’s blog, Edesia’s Notebook. Lesa, who started her blog in 2007, is a stay at home mom of two seriously adorable girls, and promises simple meals fit for weeknights. So many of her enticing recipes caught my eye, from the summer vegetable frittata (you know how I feel about those) to the homemade chipotle ketchup (which would be perfect with these). And then there was this mango barbecue sauce, which would be the perfect fix for my current mango addiction. But it was the zucchini that eventually won out. I was between her baked zucchini fries, chicken zucchini burgers, and  the one pot summer squash, beef, and rice skillet. I guess you know which one I eventually chose.

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries

Continue reading “Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries” →

Marinated Kale Salad and a Leafy Green Blog Hop

36 Comments

I know I’m a grown-up because one of my favorite parts about being home in New York for the summer was kale. I’ve yet to find this vitamin-rich leafy green in Israel, and I get envious every time I read a blog post or article about kale chips or sautéed kale. But in New York, it’s everywhere now and of course nowhere is it better than at the farmer’s market. My kale variety of choice is lacinato, perhaps because it also goes by the equally fun names of Tuscan, cavalo nero, and dinasaur kale. It’s recognizable by its rich green color and bumpy skin, and is just as good raw in salads as it is cooked any which way.

Lacinato kale

Continue reading “Marinated Kale Salad and a Leafy Green Blog Hop” →

Baked Stuffed Squash Blossoms

37 Comments

The theme for this month’s World on a Plate is stuffed vegetables and I couldn’t be more excited. I considered classic stuffed peppers (I found a recipe in an American cookbook from the early 1900s) but then I decided on one of my favorite summer favorites: Stuffed squash blossoms. Squash blossoms are the pretty yellow-hued edible flowers that grow along with zucchini and other summer squash. They have a subtle flavor on their own but make the perfect vehicle for delicious fillings. Squash blossoms are also a gorgeous addition to pastas, pizzas, and salads.

Baked Stuffed Squash Blossoms

Continue reading “Baked Stuffed Squash Blossoms” →

Mango-Orange Smoothie and a Mango Blog Hop

39 Comments

As much as I love breakfast, I’m a terrible breakfast eater. I know that all the research says that people who eat breakfast are smarter and skinnier. But most days I just can’t bring myself to do it. I’m not hungry right when I wake up and since I work from home I typically linger for hours over my coffee while I start my day. And then it’s time to eat lunch! But I’ve been making an effort to eat breakfast, whether it’s a bit of oatmeal, yogurt and granola, or a bowl of cereal. Or smoothies. These have become my go to breakfast – quick and easy to make, full of nutrients, and just enough to tide you over until lunch.

Mango-Orange Smoothie with Chia Seeds

Continue reading “Mango-Orange Smoothie and a Mango Blog Hop” →

Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta and a Tomato Blog Hop

38 Comments

Bruschetta was one of the first dishes I taught myself to make. I was only just learning to love tomatoes, and I remember preparing batches freshman year in the communal dorm “kitchen”. It was equipped with a fridge, sink, and microwave, so no-cook recipes were key. As soon as the first hint of spring warmth hit I’d walk, bike or get a ride to the grocery store and pick up fresh tomatoes, onions, garlic, basil, and a nice crusty loaf of bread. That’s all that’s needed for this crowd-pleasing appetizer that tastes of summer.

Tomato and Onion Bruschetta

Continue reading “Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta and a Tomato Blog Hop” →

Buttered String Beans and a Julia Child Blog Hop

29 Comments

And the Julia Child festivities continue! As mentioned at the beginning of the week, Julia Child would have been 100 this month and celebrations are well under way throughout the blogosphere and food world. This week I thought I’d honor her in my own way, with this delightful and simple recipe as well as a Julia Child blog hop. What better way to show what an amazing influence she’s had than coming together in a sort of virtual potluck, all sharing our own takes on her now classic recipes.

Julia Child's Buttered String Beans

Continue reading “Buttered String Beans and a Julia Child Blog Hop” →