Shakshuka Nachos

I don’t have exact measurements but I think you can wing it
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1 tbsp butter
Kale (I used about 1/2 head, basically enough to fill the pan), torn into small pieces 
4 eggs 
1/2 can black beans, drained, rinsed and dried 
Corn kernels 
Chili lime seasoning
Grated mozzarella cheddar blend 
Salsa
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Melt butter over medium-high heat. 
Throw kale into the pan, make 4 wells and place an egg into each well. Sprinkle generously with chili lime seasoning. 
Spread on cheese, beans, corn and a few spoonfuls of salsa. 
Cover pan until cheese melts. 
Serve with tortilla chips and guacamole.

Asian Chicken “Arayes” with Ginger Soy Dipping Sauce

After trying traditional arayes (which were fabulous), I decided that I wanted to try the same idea with different flavours and fillings. These were a hit for all (the kids ate them with ketchup).

Ingredients:
12-15 mini pitas 
1 lb minced chicken 
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp maple syrup, divided
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 medium zucchini, grated and liquid squeezed out 
1/2 cup grated carrots .
Dipping sauce:
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp rice vinegar 
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp chopped fresh mint 
1 tsp minced ginger . 

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F. 
Mix together chicken, soy sauce, 1 tbsp maple syrup, lemon juice, ginger, garlic, zucchini and carrots. Cut openings in pita and stuff with chicken mixture. Place on greased baking sheet and spray top of pitas with additional cooking spray. Bake for 10 minutes, flip, brush with remaining 1 tbsp maple syrup, bake for an additional 10 minutes. 
Mix dipping sauce ingredients together. 
For a spicier option, feel free to add some sriracha hot sauce to the arayes or dipping sauce.

Curried Sweet Potato and Chickpeas

Ingredients:
3-4 medium sweet potatoes, sliced into wedges
1 can chickpeas, drained, rinsed and dried 
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tbsp curry 
1 tsp turmeric or smoky turmeric 
1/2 tsp sea salt 
1 tbsp silan (date syrup)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground pepper. .

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F 
Spread sweet potatoes and chickpeas in single layer on baking sheet. 
In a small bowl, mix together spices and oil. Drizzle over potatoes and chickpeas and mix well. 
Bake for 40 minutes. Reduce temperature to 250°F and roast for an additional 30 minutes.

Beef Arayes

I kept seeing recipes for arayes and had to try them. This is my spin on this new fad – I hope to make variations of these arayes again because they were so easy and a huge hit! .
1 lb minced meat (not lean)
1.5 tbsp shawarma seasoning
1 tbsp zaatar 
1 clove garlic, minced
Juice of 1/2 a lemon 
12-15 mini pitas
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Preheat oven to 400°F. 
Mix together all ingredients except pita. Cut openings in the pitas and stuff with meat mixture. Try to flatten each pita, to spread meat mixture out evenly. 
Place on greased baking sheet. Spray cooking spray generously on top as well. 
Bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. .
FYI – these were too flavorful for 2 of my kids so you can reduce the seasoning a bit for children. 

Humus Sabich Pizza

My kids are obsessed with pizza – one night I suggested humus pizza and they love it! You can personalize it individually with whatever toppings you prefer. I make it with whatever vegetables and toppings I have on hand. I had leftover cauliflower, eggplant and chickpeas from last night’s dinner (see my previous post) and it was a perfect topping. .
I take a prepared naan bread and warm it, spread humus on and top with some or all of the following:
Roasted eggplant
Roasted cauliflower 
Chickpeas (roasted or not)
Olives 
Grated carrots 
Pickled turnips 
Hard boiled egg
Purple cabbage 
Roasted peppers 
Tomatoes 
Cucumbers 
I garnished with zaatar, tahini and fresh mint

Sheet Pan Shawarma Tofu

Ingredients:
1 block firm tofu
1 can chickpeas, drained, rinsed and dry with a towel
1 small head cauliflower, cut into small florets, washed and dried well
1 small eggplant, cubed
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
4 tbsp Shawarma seasoning, divided
1/2 tsp Sea salt
1 tbsp Zaatar
1 tbsp Cornstarch .

Directions:
Cut tofu into 1/2-3/4” cubes. Place on clean kitchen towel, fold towel over to cover top as well. Top with heavy cutting board and let sit for 30 minutes to squeeze out liquid.
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Mix together cornstarch, 2 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp shawarma seasoning. Coat tofu with this mixture. Spread on half greased baking pan – tofu pieces should be spread and not overlapping.
Mix together remaining oil, shawarma seasoning, zaatar and sea salt. Coat eggplant, chickpeas and cauliflower. Spread some on remaining part of baking pan and the rest on a second baking.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, until crisp. I left the tofu on the upper rack.
Serve over a bed of humus, as pictured. Garnish with zaatar, tahini and fresh parsley.
Alternatively, serve in a pita or laffa with your choice of traditional shawarma toppings. .
Thanks to @sylviafallas for sharing her shawarma eggplant, inspiring me to add 🍆 to this yummy mixture.

Mini Chocolate Halva Croissants

Puff pastry squares 
Chocolate chips 
Halva (any flavour) 
1 egg
1 tsp silan or honey .
Spread chocolate chips and crumbled halva in the middle third of each puff pastry square. Fold top and bottom edges down slightly to keep filling from seeping out. Fold sides over and place crease-side down on parchment lined baking sheet. 
Repeat with remaining squares. 
Beat egg and mix with silan. Brush egg mixture on top of each croissant. 
Bake at 375°F for about 20 minutes, until nicely browned on top. 
Serve warm 

Facon and Spinach Stuffed Acorn squash

Ingredients:
3 acorn squashes, cut in half and seeds removed
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp avocado oil
1 package @jacksgourmet Facon, chopped
1 onion, peeled, cut in half and sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tsp cinnamon
4 cup spinach
1 bag chestnuts
1 cup cooked quinoa


Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Mix together oil, salt and pepper. Brush each squash half inside with oil mixture. Place on greased baking sheet and bake skin side up for about 40 minutes, until insides and soft and easily pierced with a fork.
While the squash is cooking, in a large pan, add avocado oil and fry facon for a few minutes. Put facon into a bowl but don’t clean out pan. Add onion to pan and sauté on low heat until soft and golden. Add garlic and continue to sauté for another few minutes. Add cinnamon to pan until fragrant. Add onion and garlic to facon bowl. To pan, add spinach and sauté until wilted. Place spinach into facon bowl. Finally, sauté chestnuts for a few minutes and then add to bowl.
Once squashed are out of oven, scoop out the insides carefully, making sure to keep shell intact. Cut up squash and add to facon bowl with cooked quinoa. Mix everything together and scoop into squash.

Sweet Asian Tahini Eggplant

One of my best friends brought something similar to our house for a meal and we all gobbled it’s up. I had to recreate it with the ingredients I had on hand! I now make this recipe almost every week for Shabbat!
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Ingredients:
1 small eggplant, cubed
Juice 1/2 lemon
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp soy sauce or GF tamari
1 tbsp olive oil 
1 tbsp chopped ginger fresh 
Freshly ground pepper
Garnish with drizzle of tahini, silan and fresh mint .
Directions:
Mix together lemon juice, garlic, maple syrup, soy sauce (or tamara), oil, ginger and pepper. Coat eggplant and spread on greased baking sheet. 
Bake at 400° for 30 minutes, tossing occasionally to brown all sides 
Garnish with drizzle of tahini, silan and fresh mint.

Sweet & Smoky Brussel Sprouts

6-8 cups brussel sprouts, cleaned, sliced in half or into thirds depending on size 
1 tbsp smoky paprika
1 tsp sea salt 
Fresh ground pepper
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 
2 tbsp silan (date syrup)
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Preheat oven to 400°F. 
Mix together smoky paprika, sea salt, pepper and olive oil. Spread over sprouts and divide into 2 baking sheets. 
Bake for 15-20 minutes. 
Remove from oven, drizzle on silan and return to oven on broil for 1-2 minutes (each baking sheet separately). Watch carefully to make sure it doesn’t burn