Our Persian-Inspired House Haroset

Spring has arrived, and in celebration I brought home tulips today and painted my toes pink. Between the pouring rain and lashing wind, though, it’s not feeling particularly spring-like yet, but once I start thinking of the balmy days ahead there’s no stopping me.

Having Passover fall in March this year is creating a bit of a scramble as I scrub the kitchen and clear out all the hametz (leavened items like pasta and bread). Fortunately, I also get to plan the seder menu which is so much more fun! A seder is the traditional Passover dinner that celebrates the ancient Israelites’ journey from slavery to freedom. I also get to dust off my seder plate, which is used to hold symbolic foods during the seder. I love our seder plate! Bob and I brought it home from a pottery co-op in Jerusalem back in 1994, where we celebrated our 1st wedding anniversary. Such special memories.

I keep a Passover file with each year’s notes, suggestions and recipes I want to try. Once it’s all spread out over the dining room table, I get out my pen and notepad and start planning.  We have eight days of eating unleavened foods (including matzah roca!), which leads to some creative cooking that I truly enjoy.

One of the symbolic foods we put on the seder plate is haroset. Haroset is typically made of fruit and nuts mixed with wine and spread on matzah to eat. The chunky mixture represents the mortar that the Israelite slaves used when in Egypt. Haroset is made with a quick blitz in the food processor or you can crunch it together with a mortar and pestle. The most familiar version is made with chopped apples, walnuts and sweet wine.

There are many different harosets reflecting different Jewish cultures. Suriname, Egypt, Yemen and Turkey are just a few – you can take a trip around the world just eating haroset! Each year, I like to do a haroset tasting and sample some different flavor combinations. There’s one haroset that’s always on our menu, though, and it’s this one: our house haroset.

I discovered this Persian-inspired recipe almost twenty years ago, when Joan Nathan’s book Jewish Cooking in America was first published. It includes strawberries, dates and bananas in addition to apples and nuts. Sweet, spicy, soft and crunchy ... let’s just say it was love at first taste! I’ve changed a few ingredients and spiced it up a bit over the years and it’s become a family tradition.

Some of my favorite times volunteering in my sons’ Jewish elementary school were when I taught each of their classes to make this haroset. I roughly chopped up dates, strawberries, bananas and apples and let the students scoop the ingredients into small bowls and sprinkle on cinnamon and a splash of cherry juice. Then their little hands got busy pounding away with wooden spoons to create a chunky paste. We slathered the haroset on matzah and happily snacked away.

Haroset
Adapted from Jewish Cooking in America
By Joan Nathan
Makes about 4 cups

1 cup pistachios, shelled and roughly chopped
1 cup raw almonds, lightly toasted and roughly chopped
1 cup dried, unsweetened cherries
10 ounces strawberries, stems removed and cut in half
1 medium banana, peeled and chopped
1 medium apple, cored and chopped (I use Granny Smith)
6 ounces dates, pitted and sliced in half
2 tablespoons cherry juice (I used dark cherry concentrate) or pomegranate juice
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional, provides a little kick)
Matzah or crackers for serving

Combine all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse the mixture until a chunky paste is formed. Spoon the haroset into a bowl to serve alongside matzah. It can be made a few hours ahead and kept covered in the fridge.

Haroset also makes a marvelous breakfast when spread on matzah (or toast) with some cream cheese.

Banana Nut Pancakes with Blueberry Compote

Long ago, when I lived in Southern California, my friend Rebecca and I went on a valiant search for the best pancakes. We ate lots and lots of pancakes. Many a Saturday or Sunday morning was spent squished into a booth or patiently waiting in line at a diner, wondering if we’d find the pancakes.

For a while, the pancakes at Babalu’s in Santa Monica were contenders, but then we discovered Coyote Grill in Laguna Beach and knew we were home. See, we adored banana pancakes. The ones at Babalu had bananas sliced on top, which was good. But Coyote Grill cooked bananas into their cakes and that was the best. Plus, Coyote Grill was located just a few doors down from my boyfriend (now husband). What could be better?

Recently I’ve been playing around with different flours and almond flour is emerging as a favorite. I enjoy its nutty flavor and moist texture, plus it’s loaded with protein. Perfect to start the day! So when a pancake craving hit, I started stirring some batter with almond flour.

This is a simple batter to mix up. Some almond flour, eggs, milk (I use either whole or almond), maple syrup, vanilla and olive oil come together quickly and you’re frying in no time. Of course, there are mashed bananas in there, too!

Hot out of the skillet, these pancakes are tender and infused with banana goodness. I like to drizzle mine with pure maple syrup or sometimes a dollop of thick yogurt. This time, though, I made blueberry compote to accompany them since my second favorite kind of pancakes are blueberry. A happy morning indeed!

Banana Nut Pancakes
Makes 6 - 4 inch pancakes

1 1/4 cups almond flour (I use blanched almond flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup milk of your choice (I use whole or almond milk)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup (preferably Grade B)
1/4 cup ripe banana, well mashed
Butter or coconut oil for frying pancakes
Blueberry Compote for serving (recipe follows)
Greek Yogurt for serving

In a medium sized mixing bowl, stir the almond flour and baking powder together. In a 2 cup glass measuring cup, measure the milk and then add the eggs, vanilla, olive oil, maple syrup and mashed banana. Whisk the wet ingredients together until well mixed and then stir into the almond flour until just mixed.

Heat a skillet over medium high heat and melt a bit of butter or coconut oil in it. Scoop 1/4 cup amounts of batter into the pan (as many as will comfortably fit) and fry the pancakes until they are golden and beginning to bubble, about 3-4 minutes. The pancakes are a bit delicate, so very gently lift around the edges of each one and flip to cook on the other side, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from pan and finish frying any remaining batter. Serve with Blueberry Compote and Greek yogurt.

Blueberry Compote
Makes 2/3 cup

2 cups organic blueberries, fresh or frozen (if using frozen, do not defrost)
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and let simmer for about 5-6 minutes, until it thickens slightly. Serve warm or room temperature with the pancakes.

This recipe is featured at Foodie Friends Friday.

Pumpkin Soup for Halloween

‘Tis the season for pumpkins! Halloween is a much celebrated holiday in our house. Growing up, I would spend the months leading up to Halloween carefully planning my costume ... a joker playing card kept me coloring for weeks in preparation, R2D2 had my father wiring lights for my blinking white cardboard body (my dad’s white motorcycle helmet provided the perfect top!), and on several Halloweens I chose the classic witch.

Halloween has become a special anniversary, too - Bob and I had our first date on this day 25 years ago when we were undergrads together at UCLA. We went to see Fatal Attraction ... quite the first date movie! Walking back from the theater, Bob asked, “So how do you feel about commitment?” and I burst out laughing. He’s kept me happily laughing all these years.

So, with the arrival of Halloween and jack-o-lantern carving, there are many delicious ways to add pumpkins to your holiday celebration. And soup is always a perfect way in my opinion!

I’ve been playing around with this soup recipe for a few autumns. You can use freshly steamed pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin works just fine. Spiced with cardamom and coriander, the soup also has a slight kick from cayenne. Coconut milk makes it creamy, and a surprise ingredient is banana, which adds a bit of sweetness (and provides a terrific way to use those overripe bananas stashed in your freezer).

Perfect to ladle into bowls for your Halloween celebration or to begin your Thanksgiving feast, I enjoy this soup most when cuddled up on the couch with Bob, a warm cup in my hand to sip.

Pumpkin Soup
Serves 6

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, roughly chopped
2 large carrots, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
A pinch of cayenne pepper, or more to taste
2 medium, very ripe bananas, peeled and chopped
2 cups organic, pure pumpkin puree (fresh or 1-15 ounce can)
1-13 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups unfiltered apple cider
Salt and pepper to taste
Toasted pumpkin seeds, garnish
Chives, garnish
Additional cayenne, garnish

In a large soup pot, warm the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and carrots and stir. Let cook until starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the cardamom, coriander, turmeric and cayenne and stir. Let cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the bananas, pumpkin puree, coconut milk, broth and cider. Stir together and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. When ready to serve, ladle into bowls and garnish with pumpkin seeds, snipped chives and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper. Can be made ahead and rewarmed gently before serving.

Maple Banana Bread Pudding: Heaven in a Bowl

This is turning into quite a sweet week here ... sugar is in the air! My cozy dessert mood has continued, most likely due to the rain splattered windows and chilly, damp air, so indulging in one of our family favorites was comforting.

Nursery desserts - soothing, soft bowls of creamy sweetness - have always been a weakness of mine. I adore them all, whether it's rice pudding, tapioca, mousse, fool or graham nut pudding. Custards make me happy (and don’t even get me started on crème brulee).

I am particularly fond of bread pudding. I appreciate the thriftiness of leftover bread heels and stale crusts being transformed into a luscious, pleasing dessert. Simple ingredients - eggs, cream, sugar and bread - form the basis of the pudding, allowing you to add other flavors that inspire you.

A number of years ago I discovered Maple Bread Pudding in Bon Appetit and it has become a mainstay in my repertoire. Maple syrup shines here and adds earthy, sublime sweetness. I’ve adapted this rich pudding slightly to create variations depending upon my mood or what’s on hand. Toasted walnuts, cacao nibs, chocolate chunks, toasted coconut, maple sugar candy or some combination of these have all been scrumptious. Chopped bananas have emerged as my go-to addition, though.

Topped with a dollop of freshly whipped cream, a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of butterscotch sauce, this dessert will elicit sighs of contentment. There’s nothing like snuggling under an afghan on the couch with a bowl of warm pudding to brighten the grey skies.

Maple Banana Bread Pudding
Adapted slightly from Bon Appetit, September 2004
Serves 8

8 eggs
1 quart heavy cream or half and half
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 1/2 cups maple syrup, divided (preferably Grade B)
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 pound of challah or other egg bread, torn into small pieces
3 bananas, chopped

More options to add if desired:
Toasted walnuts
Cacao nibs
Chocolate chunks
Toasted coconut flakes
Crumbled maple sugar candy

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, cream, brown sugar, 1 1/4 cup maple syrup and vanilla together. Add the challah and stir to combine. Let sit for about an hour, until the bread is well soaked. Stir the bananas into the mixture (or any other yummy additions).

Preheat the oven the 375 degrees. Butter a 9x13 inch or similar sized baking dish. Pour the pudding into the baking dish and spread evenly. Drizzle the remaining 1/4 cup maple syrup over the top.

Place the dish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the pudding is puffed and lightly browned. Serve warm and enjoy.

Banana Yogurt Cake for a Lunch Box Treat

For many, Labor Day weekend signifies the end of summer and a transition to the new school year. This past weekend was a fun last hurrah for us, a time to reflect on the relaxing summer months off while preparing to jump into a busy schedule. My sons do not return to school until tomorrow, but I have lunches on my mind today as I start planning what they’ll take.

Growing up, my mom packed school lunches for my brothers and me, and Bob’s mom did the same for him. I bought milk at school (5 cents for regular, 6 cents for chocolate!) and occasionally ate the hot lunch (usually on pizza days). When my sons were in elementary school, they went to a small school that did not serve a hot lunch program so lunches had to be brought from home. As they entered middle school and high school, though, buying lunch became an option for them, an option they quickly discarded.

Both Sam and Isaac prefer to bring food from home rather than eat what is in the school cafeteria and I can’t say I blame them. I’m in the middle of reading Free for All: Fixing School Food in America by Janet Poppendieck for the Slow Food Seattle Book Club and it is eye-opening. I highly recommend it if you have school-age children or an interest in nutrition in our schools.

Good nutrition is an important part of lunch, vital to refueling our children’s bodies so they can focus and learn during the day. In addition to the healthy food I pack for Sam and Isaac, I like to include a treat now and then. One of our favorites is this Banana Yogurt Cake. The original recipe comes from Cooking for a Healthy Family by Simon Hope. The cake is full of wholesome goodness from bananas, whole wheat flour and yogurt.

It’s a cake you can dress up with cream cheese frosting or toss in some chocolate chips or blueberries for a little decadence, but we usually enjoy it plain. It’s moist and flavorful and a nice alternative to banana bread when you have speckled bananas sitting on your counter (you can also freeze overly ripe bananas in their peel to keep on hand for baking). I usually double the recipe and bake it in a Bundt pan so it’s easy to slice a hunk and wrap up for lunch.

Cheers to a new school year! (And I can't resist sharing this pic of Boots and Bess hanging in the sun together.)

Banana Yogurt Cake
Adapted from Cooking for a Healthy Family
By Simon Hope
Makes an 8-inch cake or you can double the recipe for a Bundt cake

1/2 cup plain yogurt (I like to use Greek yogurt)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 very ripe bananas, mashed
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch cake pan or Bundt pan.

In a medium size bowl, stir the yogurt and brown sugar together. Whisk in the vegetable oil, followed by the bananas, eggs and vanilla. Slowly stir in the flour, baking powder and salt until mixed.

Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 40 minutes, until firm to the touch (this is a moist cake, be careful not to over bake). If baking in a Bundt pan, increase the time to about 50 minutes. Let cool and remove from pan. The cake will keep, well wrapped, at room temperature for 2 days.

Fruity French Toast

I adore breakfast food, anytime of day and I’m sure many of you will agree with me. Sometimes savory and sometimes sweet, it’s all good!

Many years ago, right after college, my friend Rebecca and I shared an apartment in Los Angeles (Redondo Beach, specifically). Our favorite part of the apartment was its location a block from the beach, which helped nurture the sun goddess in each of us. Our next favorite thing was the old (charming?) kitchen with its pink and turquoise tiles. So retro and cool! We spent a lot of time in this kitchen discovering the fun of cooking together and creating new dishes. Lots of giggling and mishaps from two 22 year old girls, as well...

Our favorite meal was breakfast. Every weekend we went out at least once to a diner or local breakfast spot and often we made breakfast for each other. Rebecca’s specialties included lemon poppy seed scones, blueberry muffins, scrambled eggs served with a delicious tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese, and blanched asparagus wrapped in prosciutto. Our absolute favorite was banana pancakes and it was our quest to find the best ones at the diners we frequented.

One year for Rebecca’s birthday I wanted to make a fruity French toast. I didn’t want to spend the morning standing over the stove, so decided to try baking it instead with fruit. More time for mimosas and chatting on the balcony! The result was quite yummy. The French toast was crispy on the outside and custardy on the inside. I’ve since expanded the ease of making this to include soaking the French toast overnight so very little prep is needed in the morning. It’s a great dish to add to your brunch menu or to give you more time to visit with your out-of-town guests.

I make it here with raspberries, cherries and bananas, but you can use whatever fruit you prefer (I encourage you to include bananas).

Fruity French Toast
(serves 5-6)

1 large loaf of brioche or challah
8 eggs
1 cup whole milk
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla
½ cup maple syrup
4 bananas, sliced
24 ounces fruit, such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cherries (frozen works very well)

The night before serving, slice the bread into 10 thick slices. Whisk the eggs, milk, baking powder and vanilla together in a bowl. Dip each piece of bread into the mixture and place on a rimmed baking pan. You may have to layer a bit to make them fit. Pour any extra egg mixture over the top evenly, cover with plastic wrap and pop into the fridge.

In the morning, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Combine the maple syrup, bananas and fruit together in a bowl. Butter two 9x13 baking dishes and divide the fruit mixture between the dishes. Using a spatula, carefully lay the slices of soaked bread on top of the fruit. Bake the French toast until it is golden brown, about 25 minutes. To serve, scoop and flip each piece onto the plates so the fruit is on top. Enjoy with coffee, or better yet a mimosa and a dear friend.