Tag: main course

Pesto Squash & Sausages

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This recipe is an adapted version of a recipe that my mother has been making for years, from the cookbook “Mushrooms” by @alastairhendy .
Ingredients:
1 tbsp avocado oil
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed and cubed
1-2 boxes mushrooms, gills removed and sliced
1-3 oz bag chestnuts (I used @gefen_foods – you can use 2 bags, they’re just so good), sliced
2 @jacksgourmet sausages
1/4 cup basil pesto, homemade or storebought (I used @shneidersusa )
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 tsp balsamic vinegar .
Directions:
Boil squash in water until it’s just tender and pierces with a fork. Don’t let it get too soft.
In the meantime, pan fry the sausages for about 5 minutes in oil, allowing all sides to brown nicely. Remove from pan but leave in any juices.
Add mushrooms and chestnuts to pan with pesto. Once nicely sautéed, add the squash, garlic and sausages. Mix until incorporated well and coated in pesto. Add in balsamic.
Garnish when basil. .
This can be served as a meal or a side dish. Use vegan sausages and top with Parmesan cheese. You can serve on top of quinoa or pasta or rice.

Rosemary Roast Chicken

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This chicken is simple and delicious! Hope you try it and enjoy it! .
2 whole chickens, cut into eighths 
4 cloves garlic, minced 
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 
2 tbsp smoked paprika 
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup fresh rosemary, chopped 
1/2 tbsp Trader Joe’s lemon pepper 
2 tbsp silan .
Mix all marinade ingredients together except silan. Spread over chicken (underneath skin) and allow to marinate for about 1 hour. .
Bake at 400°F convection for about 60 minutes, basting every 15 minutes or so. In the last 10 minutes, drizzle on silan. Check for doneness with meat thermometer.

Taco Stuffed Spaghetti Squash, version 2.0

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I made a similar recipe posted much earlier in my feed but here’s tonight’s version. It’s not measured perfectly but that’s the beauty of cooking – flavour how you like! I used half of the bean mixture to make “taco pizza” for my kids and the rest for our squashes. .
Ingredients:
1 spaghetti squash 
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper 
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained 
1/4-1/3 cup canned crushed tomatoes 
2 tbsp avocado oil to sauté, divided 
Taco seasoning (as much as you’d like)
Large handful baby spinach 
1/2 cup canned corn 
Grated mozzarella or cheddar cheese
1/3 cup salsa (or more to taste)
For extra spice, I used some store bought pickled jalapeños, you can also use hot sauce 
Tzatziki greek yogurt or sour cream .
Preheat oven to 400°F. 
Cut squash in half and remove seeds. Brush with olive oil, salt and pepper. 
Bake skin side up for about 1 hour. .
In the meantime, mash black beans (not completely – I like when some are mashed and some are still whole or close to whole). Heat 1 tbsp avocado oil over medium-high heat and add beans. Mix in tomatoes well. Then add seasoning. Cook for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Set half of this mixture aside and freeze for later or do what I did and use it to make taco pizzas for your kids. .
Once squash is removed from oven and cool enough to handle, use a fork to pull out spaghetti strands. Mix with remaining bean mixture. Set aside. .
Add remaining oil to pan and sauté spinach until wilted. Add in spaghetti squash and beans. Mix well. Next add salsa, cheese, corn and pickled jalapeños. .
Remove from heat. Return to squash shells. Serve topped with tzaziki Greek yogurt, chopped parsley and salsa

Pomegranate Mint Chicken

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This recipe is inspired by a chicken recipe by @susiefishbein kosher by design and by a recipe I printed a long time ago but I have no idea where it’s from. .
2 whole chickens, spatchcocked
2 cups pomegranate syrup or silan
2 cups red wine
8 cloves garlic, pressed through a garlic press
1/4 cup mint, chopped
Freshly ground pepper .
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp pomegranate seeds
1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint .
Garnish – mint and pomegranate seeds
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Place chicken in ziplock bag or large baking dish (skin side down). Mix together pomegranate syrup, red wine, garlic, mint and pepper. Pour marinade over chicken. Let marinate overnight. .
Preheat oven to 450°F convection (475° if you don’t have a convection oven). Remove chicken from marinade and place in baking dish (preferably with low edges). Place marinade into a pot and boil at medium heat for at least 30 minutes.
Mix together lemon zest, pomegranate seeds, oil and mint. Stuff under the skin of the chicken.
Bake for 20 minutes, until nicely browned.
Reduce heat to 350°F convection (or 375°F) and bake for another 20 minutes. Always use a meat thermometer to check if chicken is cooked through.
Garnish with pomegranate seeds and mint.
Serve boiled down marinade alongside chicken as a dipping sauce.
This chicken does not freeze well.
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@faigysfood made this recipe but added the boiled down marinade as a glaze to the chicken while cooking – great idea!!!

Dill Maple Dijon Sheet Pan Salmon and Vegetables

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1 salmon fillet, large enough for 2 people 
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided 
2 tbsp Dijon
1 tbsp maple syrup 
3 tbsp dill
Zest 1 lemon
1 tsp old bay seasoning 
Freshly ground pepper 
1 small sweet potato, cubed very small
1/2 small head of cauliflower, cut into very small florets 
Handful of cherry tomatoes
Handful of chopped purple cabbage 
1/2 small fennel bulb, sliced (omit if you don’t like fennel but it’s so yummy roasted – worth trying)
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Preheat oven to 400°F. 
Mix together 2 tbsp oil, Dijon, maple syrup, lemon zest, dill, pepper and old bay seasoning. 
On a large baking sheet, place salmon in the middles, surrounded by all the vegetables (in a single later). Spread some of mixture onto salmon. 
Mix remaining 2 tbsp of oil into sauce and spread over vegetables, mixing with a gloved hand to coat. 
Bake for 20 minutes.

Mushroom & Wine Beef Brisket

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~3 lb beef brisket, patted dry 
1/2 Tbsp dry mustard (omit for Passover)
zest of 1 lemon
lots of freshly ground pepper
1 tsp salt 
1 Tbsp soy sauce 
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided 
handful of fresh rosemary and thyme
5 cloves garlic, minecd
2 onions, thinly slices 
2 boxes mushrooms ( I used portobello and cremini) 
2 cups chicken broth 
1.5 cups red wine 
a few more rosemary sprigs
1 tbsp tomato paste 
2 bay leaves .
Mix together mustard, lemon zest, pepper, salt, soy sauce, 1 tbsp oil, rosemary, thyme and garlic.
Spread on brisket and let marinate for about an hour. 
Preheat oven to 325F. 
Sear brisket on both sides on high heat for a few minutes per side. 
At the bottom of a large baking dish (that will fit the brisket), place the sliced onions. Top with seared brisket. 
Sauté mushrooms in remaining oil. 
In the meantime, add broth, wine, rosemary, tomato paste and bay leaves to the pan. 
Top with mushrooms. 
Bake covered for about 3 hours.
Allow to cool and slice thinly against the grain.

Asian Salmon Stir Fry

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1 piece of salmon for 2 people, skin removed, cubed 
1 tbsp soy sauce or GF tamari
Juice 1/2 lemon
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp maple syrup
Squirt of sriracha hot sauce 
1 clove garlic, minced 
1 small piece of ginger, minced
Salt and pepper
1-2 tbsp Avocado or grape seed oil to fry 
Veggies to stir fry – I bought a prepared bag that had broccoli, purple cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale and carrots 
Hoisin sauce to drizzle on top
Mint and sesame seeds to garnish 
Quinoa or rice, cooked according to package directions .
Marinate salmon in mixture of soy sauce, lemon juice, sesame oil, maple syrup, sriracha, garlic, ginger, salt and pepper for a few minutes. 
Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add salmon. 
Cook until you see the colour changing and then flip the salmon and allow to cook for a few more minutes. 
Remove from pan. 
Add vegetables with any leftover salmon marinade and cook for 3-5 minutes until slightly softened but don’t let them wilt too much. 
Add salmon and juices back into pan and mix together. 
Remove from heat. 
To serve, place quinoa or rice in a bowl and top with salmon and vegetable stir fry. Drizzle on a bit of hoisin sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds and fresh mint.

Sweet and Smoky Instant Pot Pickled Brisket/Corned beef

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This cooking method comes from the Facebook group “kosher instant pot” where a few members helped me with what to do, as I am not an #instantpotexpert. I wanted to pass along this method because it makes cooking brisket SO MUCH EASIER (I know, it’s already easy but this is next level simple)
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Rinse off spices from brisket. 
Pour 1 cup water into the bottom of the instant pot. Place in your trivet with the brisket on top. 
Cook at high pressure for 75 minutes with natural pressure release for 15 minutes. 
Top with a mixture of 1/4 cup each mustard and apricot jam, 2 tbsp maple syrup and 1 tbsp smoked paprika

Zaatar Parmesan Tahini Eggplant Boats

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This is a beautiful and elegant meal, which did not take long to prepare. It’s also can double as an appetizer if you use baby eggplants (cooking time would change). .
1 large eggplant, sliced in half 
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp zaatar 
2 tbsp Parmesan (plus some more later)
1 zucchini .
1/2 cup each ricotta and goat cheese 
1 cup canned chickpeas 
2 sundried tomatoes, chopped 
Handful marinated olives, sliced 
A few fresh basil leaves 
Freshly grated Parmesan .
Tahini, silan and sesame seeds to garnish
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Preheat oven to 425°F. 
On each eggplant half, score almost all the way through and them scoop out insides (leaving about 1/4 inch of insides). Chop eggplant into small cubes. 
Slice zucchini into 1/4 inch coins. 
Mix together oil, zaatar and parmesan. Brush some mixture onto eggplant boats, and coat eggplant cubes and zucchini rounds. 
Place eggplant skin side down on 1 baking sheet, with cubed eggplant next to it, spread out in a single layer. 
Spread zucchini on a separate sheet in a single layer (unless you have space for a single layer on the first sheet). Bake for about 10 minutes. Then broil each sheet separately for 3-5 minutes. Watch carefully because each oven is different – they should easily pierce with a fork and maybe get a bit crispy but don’t let them burn! .
Mix together eggplant cubes, zucchini, cheeses, sundried tomatoes, olives, chickpeas and basil. I think roasted cauliflower would have also been delicious in here. .
Drizzle on tahini, silan and sprinkle on some sesame seeds

Pick your toppings – Quesadilla tortilla or Quesadilla bowl

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There are so many variations to this recipe. Here’s what I did but scroll down for more ideas. .
Preheat oven to 400°F. 
On a sheet pan, spread out 1 cubed sweet potato (tiny pieces), 1 head of cauliflower cut in small florets and 1 can drained chickpeas. Mix taco seasoning and some extra virgin olive oil to form a paste. Spread on vegetable mixture. Roast for about 30-40 minutes. .
In the meantime, prepare your salsa and toppings. Also, prepare 1 cup of quinoa according to package directions, if you’re making the bowls. .
Salsa (enough for 2-3 portions):
1 tbsp pickled jalapeños 
1/4 cup chopped tomatoes 
1/4 cup chopped physalis/golden berries 
1 tbsp chopped fresh mint or cilantro 
Juice of 1 lime 
1 tsp olive oil 
Salt and pepper .
Toppings (in addition to vegetables roasting in the oven):
Tomatoes
Cabbage 
Olives 
Spinach 
Black beans 
Chopped peppers 
Cheese
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Now you choose:
For a regular quesadilla: spread grated mozzarella cheese on your tortilla and cover half of tortilla with desired toppings. Pan fry on both sides until nicely browned and cheese is melted. You can top with salsa or sour cream. 
For a quesadilla bowl, add quinoa to bowl and add desired toppings. Top with lots of salsa, which doubles as a dressing. .
In addition to toppings listed, you can use avocado, mango, lentils, corn kernels, vegan sausages, vegan meat etc. You can also use avocado and mango in your salsa (and omit the golden berries if you don’t have) – you can even use a store bought salsa.