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WOW!! What a week!
This week I traveled to NYC for KosherFest, the International Kosher Food Expo. My mom joined me and I was able to visit my daughter and brother.
I met some wonderful people and was introduced to several unique new products, great new organic, whole grain and especially Asian supplies.
I will be filling you in over the next few weeks about some of the new products that I favored.
I met with and cheered on, along with my mom and sister-in-law Illana, chef Avram Wiseman, dean of the kosher school of Culinary Arts. He competed against four other chefs in the cooking competition for best cold appetizer. Avram won! Okay, I cheered him on because he is my sister- in-law's brother!
While I was away my husband, friends, neighbors and our sweet daughter Daniela guarded the home front and our little ones. Daniela really pitched in; I am so proud of her.
I will be filling you in over the next few weeks about some of the new products that I favored.
To top off a phenomenal week, we shared two incredible meals: one at our friends, Amy and Eli; and one at our home with an Israeli brigadier general and former minister in the Israeli government and his wife. I am almost speechless and find it hard to describe what those brief meetings were like. In a matter of several hours, they have impacted my husband and I so profoundly that I know our life will be positively affected as an outcome. Their warmth, advice and commitment to Israel and the jewish people (as well as their love and respect for each other and their family) are evident the moment you meet them. What a blessed week it was! I have dedicated my recipe this week to them, as it was one of the dishes that I made when they joined us at our home for dinner last night and they loved it.
Make it a great week!
Warm regards,
Karen
Karen arrives
Karen with cooking competition winner, Chef Avram Wiseman, (my sister in law's brother!) Dean of the school of Kosher Culinary Arts in NYC
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| 3 Healthy Body Imposters
I recently read some valuable information regarding everyday foods that you most likely are consuming or even feeding to your children. I hope that this information will redirect and educate you to make healthier choices for you and your family (adapted from Prevention magazine, which is one of my favorites for health updates. )
1. Nonfat Salad Dressing
Fat-free salad dressings are often packed with sugar--so your dressing may be loaded with calories. Ironically, a salad without fat is not living up to its potential. "You need a little fat to absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K and other nutrients," says Katherine Tallmadge, RD, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.
Smarter Sub: Oil-based salad dressings
You'll get good-for-you fats instead of the saturated fat found in some creamy dressings. Look for ingredients like olive oil, vinegar, and herbs.
Health Bonus: Vision protection
As many as five times more carotenoids--antioxidants that are essential for eyesight--are absorbed when salads are consumed with fat rather than with no fat.
2. Diet Soda
In a 2008 study, researchers linked drinking just one diet soda a day with metabolic syndrome--the collection of symptoms including belly fat that puts you at high risk of heart disease. Researchers aren't sure if it's an ingredient in diet soda or the drinkers' eating habits that caused the association.
Smarter Sub: Flavored seltzer water
It has zero calories and is free of artificial sweeteners but provides fizz and flavor. Beware of clear sparkling beverages that look like seltzer yet contain artificial sweeteners--they're no better than diet soda. Or try a sparkling juice; we recommend watering it down with seltzer to stretch your calories even further.
Health Bonus: Hydration (without chemicals)
Water is essential for nearly every body process.
3. Pretzels
The label may shout fat free and they may seem like a better alternative to chips, but they're made with refined white flour stripped of its vitamins and antioxidants. They're also dense so they pack a ton of carb calories for a small amount that isn't filling. Think of it this way: One 15-ounce bag contains the equivalent of 24 slices of white bread.
Smarter Sub: A whole grain snack chip with seeds and or flax. Or homemade popcorn either air popped or made with a little healthy oil.
Crackers made with organic grains and sunflower, sesame, and other seeds provide a satisfying crunch along with a healthy dose of fiber and protein.
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Q: "Whenever I buy natural peanut butter it always separates and is so hard to mix. Is there a way of preventing this?"
A: The health benefits in natural nut butters far outweigh the convenience and ease of use of nut butters that are loaded with dangerous trans fats / partially hydrogenated oils and sugar. Here is an easy tip that will help you with any natural nut butter such as peanut butter, almond butter, and even tahini. With nothing added to keep it emulsified, the oil in natural nut butters tends to separate and float to the top of the jar. Stirring the oil back in takes elbow grease, but gravity can do the work for you if you leave the jar upside down on the counter overnight. Once gravity mixes the oil back in, store the peanut butter in the refrigerator, both to keep it fresh and to solidify the oil so it can't separate as easily.
Q: "What is the best way to store and ripen a mango?"
A: Store mangos at room temperature until they become just soft and ripe, and then transfer to the refrigerator where they will keep for up to a week. In order to ripen the mango more quickly, store the mango in a paper bag (as should be done with most fruit) at room temperature. You can also freeze peeled mangos either in slices or as a puree in BPA free freezer bags / plastic containers.
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Save Money and Time While Enjoying Delicious Meals With Your Family and Friends
This website is your kosher treasure map that will teach the beginner to advanced home cook how to plan and cook meals that your family and friends will cherish for years to come.
That burning question that each of us and our kids ask each day, "What's for dinner,?" will now finally be answered in a stress-free way that will bring your family closer together and save you a lot of time and money.
Karen's recipes are focused on fresh foods that are much healthier for you while being tasty and satisfying, without deprivation. Of course, that includes occasional treats and authentic dishes.
The tips and tricks that you will learn will be invaluable .
Karen will be creating videos and recipes that invite you into her kitchen to learn and have fun together! |
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Karen is a stay- at- home mother of five and an entrepreneur who has had a passion for cooking since childhood. For Karen cooking is like a sixth sense, much like those with an ear for music can pick up and play an instrument without knowing the notes. The inspiration of her mother's and grandparents' creative and talented cooking helped form the foundation for her passion for cooking. |
From the first falafel she tasted from an Israeli cook, to the lessons from gourmet Italian home cooks and restaurant chefs, to days spent learning from her friend's mom about Hong Kong cuisine, to trips to Chinatown and living in Israel, to mastering the art of Persian cooking after marrying her Iranian husband, to lessons from gourmet Moroccan friends in Boca Raton, Karen lives and learns from every culture and is excited to share that wisdom with you.
Karen and her family decided to live an observant modern orthodox Jewish lifestyle 15 years ago. She now transforms her favorite American and international non-kosher dishes into delicious kosher fare.
After college she served in the Israel Defense Forces, married, and now devotes her life to her family, friends, faith, and love of cooking while running a thriving health and wellness business from home. Karen has taught kosher cooking classes for the past 10 years in Boca Raton with her friends, Lauren Bakst, a gourmet cook, and Lowil Stoller, a pastry chef.
Karen's recipes were featured at a dinner honoring the best chefs of the capital district hosted by the Marriot Hotel in Albany, New York. She has catered affairs up to 350 people, including the Maimonides Medical Society annual dinner for over 100 Physicians at the Albany Medical Center Hospital.
She is presently working on her upcoming book, "Delicious and Kosher," and is founder of the Delicious and Kosher website. |
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This week I recommend a terrific new product that is a much healthier choice for non-dairy or parve desserts. It is called Mimic Cr¨¨me Healthy Top.
It is an almond and cashew base whipped topping that does not include any unhealthy fats (partially hydrogenated oil or undesirable sugars like high fructose corn syrup.) However, be careful not to serve it to anyone with a nut allergy.
You will be pleasantly surprised at how good this tastes! Oh, and absolutely no refrigeration or freezing needed; it is shelf stable and healthy.
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Kosher IsaLean? Shake - Natural Creamy Vanilla
A deliciously complete meal replacement, Kosher IsaLean Shake contains 23 grams of the highest quality New Zealand whey and casein protein from grass-fed cows with no added hormones or antibiotics, as well as filling fiber, calcium and vitamins to support your body's vital functions. IsaLean Shakes may help you slim down, while preserving and building lean muscle mass.* Designated Kosher by a leading Kosher certification agency in the U.S., the KOF-K boasts a network of regional coordinators and Rabbinic representatives, all of whom are strictly Orthodox in their personal practice and synagogue affiliation.
Benefits:
* May support your body in burning fat*
* May support increased energy*
* Highest quality of amino acids
* Exclusive source of whey and casein protein
* Supports digestive health*
* Low lactose
* Zero trans fats
* No artificial flavors
* Gluten-Free
* Wheat-Free
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
For more info on Isagenix click here
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Curried Cream of Butternut Soup*
When I was vegan about 15 years ago, I longed for the tastes and textures of the very things that I gave up: meat, dairy/cheese and eggs, etc. Well, what does a gourmet cook/foodie do in this situation? Learn everything you can about vegan cooking which means devouring vegan cookbooks, dining at assorted vegan restaurants, taking vegan cooking classes, etc. I adapted this rich and creamy butternut soup recipe from a similar recipe by world-renowned vegan author and activist, John Robbins. This recipe is really easy; do not let the almond cream scare you! It is so easy to make. It is loaded with vitamins, antioxidants and even protein and brain healthy essential fatty acids from the almonds. Garnish with a swirl of almond cream.
Over this past weekend our family was blessed to enjoy a Shabbat meal at or friends Amy and Eli's home with a couple that has touched our lives. The couple was Ilit and Effie Eitam, an Israeli army brigadier general and former minister in the government who currently serves on the Knesset foreign affairs and defense committee. He was one of the commanders who helped rescue the hostages in the raid on Entebbe. His wife Ilit is a vegetarian, teacher, mother of eight and loves to cook. They all joined us at our home for dinner last Sunday night and I served this soup. I told Ilit that I would have the recipe loaded on my website soon since I have not yet published it. They loved it! Much like an Israeli version of Tony Robbins, they poured on the parenting advice and awakened the Zionism within that has always been there, but is now refueled. Ilit and Effie, this soup is in honor of you! BteiAvon!
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For the Butternut Soup:
2 tablespoons canola or grape seed oil
1 large or jumbo sweet or yellow onion, diced
2 shallots, diced
4 cups veggie broth (I use Imagine brand) and 4 cups water or 8 cups water
1 medium-large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, medium dice (when butternut is not in season use frozen butternut, estimating the same amount as a medium-large butternut, as different brands vary in package size and amount of butternut)
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon curry powder, more or less to taste
2 bay leaves
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons or more to taste Osem all natural chicken -flavored (parve) powdered soup mix
white pepper, pinch
In a large stock pot over low-medium heat (at least 7 quarts) saut¨¦ the onions in oil for about 5 minutes; add shallots and apple, continuing to saut¨¦ until softened. Add spices, bay leaves and the butternut, saut¨¦ing for 2 more minutes to release the essential oil and flavor in the bay leaves.
Add broth, soup powder and water, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Add more curry as desired. Curry powders vary so much that you need to add to taste. Raise the heat to high and bring to boil. Immediately reduce heat, cover and simmer over low heat until the butternut is tender.
Remove the bay leaves and puree the soup with an immersion blender or in small batches in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add more water or broth as needed.
Add the almond cream slowly, adding desired amount. You can freeze any extra almond cream for another use, or keep it in your fridge for other recipes, sauces or soups. Adjust seasonings. Enjoy!
For the Almond Cream:
1.5 cups raw blanched almonds, no skin
water to cover almonds
Soak the almonds covered with purified water overnight in a bowl or a BPA-free plastic container in the fridge; cover with plastic wrap or lid.
Rinse the almonds, covering again. Place in a blender or food processor fitted with the steel blade; blend until very smooth and creamy.
Note: If you can only find raw almonds with the skin, it is so easy to blanch and peel your own. Bring a small pot filled with water to boil, add the almonds, cook for 1 minute, drain the almonds in a colander, then immediately place them into an ice water bath (bowl filled with ice and water.) The skins will start to peel on their own! All you need to do is to help slide them off, and you are done.
Freeze leftovers!
Serves: 8-10
*Parve, non-dairy
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PO Box 7050 West Palmetto Park Road # 15-120
Boca Raton, FL 33433
 2010 Delicious and Kosher LLC. All Rights Reserved. |
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Newsletter and Delicious and Kosher.com are written by Karen Abir and the staff of Delicious and Kosher.com. If you have any questions or comments, please send them to: 
