Smoothing things out

For a while I had been feeling exhausted, depleted of any energy and had been suffering from some hormonal issues. I just blamed age, as in general, I try to keep my habits as healthy as possible.
I've never been of the energetic, strong kind who can take two spinning classes on a row at Soulcycle and survive. Actually, I haven't even taken ONE class at Soulcycle. Ever!!!
One day, a couple of weeks ago, I found myself in a yoga class (a light one, not one of those held in ovens where you have to fit both of your feet into your mouth while standing upside down on your pinkie fingers chanting om), and while wanting to get into a pose that shouldn't have been that challenging, my arms were shaking and my body felt completely out of whack. That was the moment...
And after more hormonal symptoms and a visit to the doctor to make sure everything was OK, I decided I wanted to try a more holistic approach before walking the hormone injection walk. I consulted with my doctor and he gave me the green light.
Of course I had been reading Gwyneth's new cookbook and since I pathetically want to do everything exactly as she does it, I decided to go on a cleanse/elimination diet. If you been following this blog for some time, first of all, I love you, and second, you may already know that I'm all for balance and that I don't advocate eliminating food groups without any reason (and third, I idolize Ms Paltrow beyond rational). However, I had read about the cons of dairy* in many sources, there are the hormones, etc...and of course, you have to live under a rock not to know that eating gluten is very polemic nowadays. I'm lucky I don't suffer gluten nor dairy allergies, but I knew something had to be changed, because our bodies change as well, and after Passover food and feasting, I decided it was time for some spring cleaning inside. 
If it didn't work, I could always stop and go back to my routine. Harm wouldn't be done. So I'm giving it a shot at a diet with tons of veggies and fruits, one of two handfuls of seeds and nuts (chia, hemp seeds, sesame, almonds, pecans, etc), whole gluten free grains, legumes, fish, lean meats (about 1 or 2 a week), beef once in a very while; pretty much what I usually do, but now I'm not eating dairy, gluten nor sugar (not even sucanat). Pretty much the only sweeteners I'm using, and very sparingly are raw honey, coconut sugar and nectar, pure maple syrup and mostly dates (which are rich in fiber). I haven't had dairy, but if I ever get desperate, I'll try goat milk products first.

After so many years of advocating and working for healthy eating, cooking and baking with emphasis in special diets, I was happy I knew the drill, the ingredients and the methods, but following the regime required something that's not my forte: organization. In order to follow it, I need to do a lot of planning to shop for the ingredients and to actually prepare the dishes, making sure I don't skip any meals and that I have what I need available. It hasn't been that easy to make it happen, but so far, it's worth all effort. I've definitely noticed the change.

Before I talk a bit more about my cleanse, let's first make something clear: I oppose to juice fasts and cleanses where people starve themselves. I'm also against juicing, in general, because despite the hype, juices don't have any fiber and that is way more important than a minor detail. Click here for more on fiber benefits. The fiber in fruits and vegetables keeps us full and satisfied, and it slows down the absorption of fructose, which is the sugar present in produce, and this way, our body doesn't get overwhelmed with large amounts of fructose to process and byproducts to metabolize even further.
Too much fructose may lead to metabolic syndrome (combination of elevated blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol and abdominal fat, which are often symptoms of heard disease and diabetes).
When we eat fiber together with fructose, fiber acts a bit like a buffer. If you take away the fiber of fruits and veggies while juicing, you will get yes, lots of vitamins, enzymes and antioxidants, but also a nice load of fructose.
So...what to do? Smooth it out! Instead of drinking juices, which is all the liquids extracted from the plant minus the fiber, drink smoothies, which are basically thinned-down purees of whole fruits and veggies. Fiber and all. However, watch out for those "healthy" smoothies loaded with agave nectar (more fructose) or other sweeteners. If you want to sweeten them, which makes them definitely tastier, use whole fruits or dried dates.

Every morning, I make myself a green smoothie (or two) by mixing lots of leafy greens (spinach, kale, chard, romaine lettuce), other vegetables (cucumber, celery, etc) and fruit (bananas, mango, pears, apples, citrus, cherries, pineapple) with a bit of water or ice and a splash of unpasteurized, raw apple cider vinegar. For short cuts, I use prewashed organic baby greens and often frozen fruit.

Later in the day, I drink my new favorite thing: a MACA smoothie (then I snack on fruit and salads, and have a regular plant-based dinner with animal products here and there, although no dairy at all so far).
OK, great, but what the heck is maca?
Maca is one of the few edible plants that grow in the high altitudes of the Andean Mountains (yes...the land that brought us quinoa). To no surprise, it belongs to the Brassica family. Its root, which is what you can find dehydrated and ground at your local health food store, has been praised since the times of the Inca. Maca has shown favorable effects on energy and mood, and it's been suggested that it may decrease anxiety and improve libido and increase fertility. The exact mechanisms of action are still unclear, but research indicates that the plant contains many bioactive compounds that contribute to its benefits. Maca is a natural energizer, but it's not a stimulant like caffeine, so it doesn't give the jitters and crashes common to the latter, and Maca is also known for helping balance hormones in both, male and female, and that's why I decided to give it a shot.

Although I had heard about it a while back, its unpleasant flavor threw me off, and I refused to include it in my repertoire. However, after going through my own hormonal crisis, I decided flavor wasn't as important.
There's no prescribed dosage for maca, but after reading a lot and being conservative (although, supposedly, no adverse side effects have been reported), I'm consuming 1 1/2 teaspoons every day.
I still need to be patient to see how my endocrine system responds over an extended period of time. The taste doesn't bother me that much any more, and I'm happy to report that the energy boost has been more than obvious since the second or third day.  Basically, I hadn't felt this great for a really long time. I see it in my yoga practice, my overall mood, the general feel of my body, and even the look of my skin. I've been expecting to get crazy carb cravings, especially when I go buy fresh bread at Eli's, where I usually can't resist a warm cinnamon raisin loaf, but even that test hasn't tempted me. So unexpected...
I guess I've also been super disciplined in not allowing hunger to strike by drinking lots of smoothies, eating salads and keeping hydrated, and not skipping any meals regardless of how busy I am.
I'll keep reporting back, as I'm pretty surprised myself.
Just one thing: no Soulcycle yet!!!

SUPER MACA SMOOTHIE

I usually eyeball the amounts except for the maca, so this is an estimate. Feel free to vary depending on your taste. Remember to soak almonds in clean water overnight and rinse before adding them.

I keep super ripe bananas in  the freezer, and I peel and add them to smoothies for maximum sweetness and creaminess.

INGREDIENTS

1 banana, the riper the better

2 teaspoons chia seeds

2 teaspoons hulled hemp seeds

1 ounce (about 12) raw almonds

1 1/2 teaspoons raw maca powder

1 teaspoon mesquite flour, optional but recommended

2 teaspoons raw cocoa powder, more if desired

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

sprinkling of ground cloves

sprinkling ground nutmeg

pinch tumeric
pinch sea salt

1 pitted date, optional

1/2 cup, or more of ice or cold water

METHOD

If you have a Vitamix blender, lucky you! If not, a regular blender, food processor or immersion blender will do.

Just throw everything into the blender's container and puree, adding more water if needed or desired. It will thicken due to the banana and the chia.

Drink up and enjoy!

Serves 1

NOTES:

• All weird-sounding ingredients can be found in my astore (amazon). Just click on the link on the right column at the top of this post, and it will take you there. Health food stores will have most of them, probably with the exception of mesquite, that is harder to find. nuts.com is also a good option.

• You can substitute plain tahini for the almonds, it is a nice calcium-filled variation, or just add some sesame seeds into the mix.

Additional Sources:

*For more on dairy:

http://summertomato.com/dairy-friend-or-foe/

Good info about Maca:
http://www.vegkitchen.com/nutrition/7-top-health-benefits-of-maca/
More good Maca Articles:
http://www.naturalnews.com/maca.html

Sunflower Cookies: A Collaboration with GourMaya

I first met Maya a bit more than a year ago. Her sister-in-law, a friend of mine, had suggested her to attend one of my classes while she was still in maternity leave from her job in finance. "Your cup of tea," she had written in the subject when forwarding her the email I had sent promoting a healthy cooking class series.
Her baby nurse failed to show up that morning, so Maya came with her gorgeous--then newborn-- baby girl in tow. We were all in awe and there was this aura of serenity and softness around Maya and the baby that made the attendees and the hostess (my dear, dear, dear friend C) feel very zen and maternal. A lovely kitchen scene!
Since then on, Maya and I remained friends, shared recipes, tips, ideas, questions and information. She started her own blog, GourMaya, last year, and in it she shares clean eating recipes, and the experience of feeding her family, while balancing a busy career, healthy meals and beautiful aesthetics. In her own words: "Super Foods for Supermoms."
Not long ago, she came over to bake. We had a great time, and I didn't want her to leave! Since there are some allergies (mainly nuts and soy) in her family, we made Sunflower Seed Butter Cookies, which were given thumbs up in her home. The recipe was so well received, that Maya created a filling for them, turning them into lovely clean cookie sandwiches. Click here to get Maya's recipe and to check out her blog.

This cookie recipe is one of my most favorite ones! It's fast, easy, vegan, gluten free, nut free, and also free of refined sweeteners, cane sugar, white flour and gums. And...it's full of sunflower seed goodness.

For some reason, sunflower seeds are a very underused ingredient, and that's a shame, as they are high in vitamin E (just 1/4 cup supplies 90% of the recommended daily allowance), a very important antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that protects our body against disease.
Sunflower seeds also contain selenium, which together with vitamin E promotes DNA repair. They are rich in magnesium, fiber, vitamins B1, B5 and folate, copper, selenium and phosphorous, all nutrients needed in different pathways of our metabolism.
They are a good source of protein and good fats. They are inexpensive and relatively easy to find. So I know I just convinced you....

To obtain the maximum nutritional benefits of these seeds (and most seeds and nuts), it's best to purchase raw ones (unsalted, of course) and soak them overnight in water, to make their nutrients more available to our bodies. Just drain and rinse before eating them.

SUNFLOWER SEED BUTTER COOKIES

You can either make your own or use store-bought sunflower seed butter. I personally like the Sunbutter brand in the "organic" version, as it's the only one from that brand with no added sugar. This company's facility is nut free, in case there's an allergy issue, as most other sunflower seed butters I've seen are processed together with nuts.

However, my favorite way of preparing them is with homemade raw sunflower seed butter. Don't get me wrong, I'm no Martha Stewart, and whenever I can find a short cut, I take it. But, making your own is way cheaper, super fast and a food processor does all the hard work (minus the washing, which is my least favorite part of cooking/baking. I bet Martha doesn't like it either. But then again, I'm sure she just doesn't have to do it).

Homemade Raw Sunflower Butter:

In a glass (or plastic BPA-free) bowl, soak 1 1/2 cups of raw, shelled sunflower seeds in fresh water (enough to cover by 2 inches).

Cover with plastic wrap (or lid) and refrigerate overnight.

Next day drain seeds and rinse them. Pat them dry with a paper towel and throw them in the food processor along with 1/4 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste).

Process until smooth. You can stop pureeing when there are still some smaller pieces, if you are the chunky nut butter kind of person.

Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 week.

Besides the following cookies recipe, you can use the sunflower butter instead of nut or peanut butter. You can add a bit of date puree or maple syrup to sweeten it.

All said,  I present you, the COOKIES:

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups (10.5 oz) sunflower seed butter

7 tbsp (3.5 oz) pure maple syrup

7 tbsp (3.5 oz) coconut palm sugar

½ cup extra virgin olive oil or expeller pressed grape seed oil

1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 ¾ (7 oz) whole oat flour (use gluten free oat flour if needed)

1 tsp baking soda

¾ tsp fine sea salt

Method

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 2 sheet pans with

parchment.

In a bowl, mix with a spatula the sunbutter, maple

syrup, coconut sugar, oil and vanilla.

Once incorporated, whisk in flour, baking soda and

salt.

Scoop dough out with cookie scoop into lined pans

leaving 2 inches in between cookies, then with a fork,

press cookies in a crosshatched pattern.

Bake for about 12 minutes, until lightly golden.

NOTE: These cookies might turn green after they are baked. Especially if they are made with homemade sunbutter. This is due to a chemical reaction between the chlorophyll in the seeds and the baking soda added.

It's not a sign of spoilage, and they are safe to eat. Just a fun natural change of color!

 

Makes about 70 cookies

Both cookies and cookie dough freeze really well.

Enjoy!

The Third Plague

Two days ago, as I saw the mid-March snow/hail through the window, all I could think about was the exact moment in which I would cross the automatic doors, suitcase and children in hand, and feel the first waft of Floridan air welcoming us right out of the Ft. Lauderdale airport. The palm trees, the ocean scent, the seniors sporting pink bermudas and orange tans. The slower pace of life, the sunny days. I couldn't hold my excitement to celebrate Passover, the Holiday of Freedom. It felt good to look forward to a bright future soon approaching.
The weekend kept going its normal course, no spring on sight, but everything else was OK. We took the kids to their respective Sunday classes, birthday parties, and for once, I thought I would start packing early, which would be a first in this household (so proud of myself!).
Then...the news hit. Lice were found happily partying on our friends' heads. I first felt deep pain and empathy for them. Then I realized how much we enjoy spending time with all the members of that clan and a dark cloud of worry invaded me.
Our plane tickets to Florida--where we will be staying at my brother and sister-in-law's-- are for later this week. We certainly have to get them something for hosting us, but I realized lice wouldn't be such a well appreciated gift.
I called Licenders, we hopped into a cab with no time to waste and submitted our heads to the super powers the clinician saviours. After about three and a half hours at the National headquarters of lice elimination under a lighted magnifying glass, our hair had been smothered in a magical baking soda and Pantene conditioner potion, combed thoroughly in every direction, washed, and oiled. As more horrified parents kept bringing their kids in, we kept learning more details about the disgusting creatures. While I was getting combed through (it almost sounds like a beauty treatment), my son got extremely bored. He hid and twirled under his brand new extra large undershirt (we had to get three of those, that according to my plan, my husband will inherit once they are washed and dried at high heat for 30 min). Then he pushed, pulled, and navigated through the site while I frantically screamed at him from my chair not to touch anything, as everyone in there had lice. Finally, and after two of the clinicians had decided where they would be having dinner later and discussed their friends and the bars they liked, my nits were gone. I signed the bill authorizing them to charge us the same amount of money I would have got after selling 15 million pounds of mesquite-chocolate chip cookies--note to self: I'm in the wrong profession! And with our cute new lice killing kit in hand, that at the moment felt like a goodie bag, we returned home.
While thinking of the next step, I reported our ordeal to the school nurse, and then I got in touch with the moms of the kids my children had played with during the week. I felt I was doing the STD call: "sorry...last week was lots of fun, but guess what? I might have passed you something!" It did feel embarrassing and I felt guilty. However, I decided it was the right thing to do, and that I was innocent. It's true there are some things you can do to prevent the pest, unfortunately, nothing is fool-proof. I'm extra careful. I always send my son and daughter to school with oiled hair after brakes, she knows her hair needs to be tied when in school (which might have saved her this time from getting the bugs), no sharing of head stuff, etc... I'm tracing back to see if I could have changed anything, and no. I can't. I just need to accept it just happened.
I was doing pretty well emotionally, taking it all very philosophically, until I realized that I had to keep doing comb throughs to my son and to myself for the next ten days. That's when the after-shock came and when I had an epiphany: Of course the Egyptians wouldn't let the Jews out of their land after G-d sent them lice, the third plague! They needed their slaves badly to do all the combing and get the six legged (I learned that while at Licenders) bugs plus eggs off their scalp one by one! Why pay fortunes for professional treatment if you can get your Jewish slaves do it for free? I have to say, this year I did learn lots about Exodus...

That is all I concluded while inspecting the cute Licenders goodie bag. I was actually holding an instrument of torture! Yes, I'll be completely, 100% nit free, because due to my stress and panic, I'm about to tear off every single strand of hair on my head with the help of my brand new little metal uber sharp comb. I'm blindly scratching off my scalp so deeply, that the scene looks like a cannibal-preparing-dinner documentary in the Discovery channel. So, I keep telling myself that the good news is there will be no bugs left!

Yes, many ideas have popped into my head throughout this unpleasant process. I wanted to drink Tequila shots all night long, or have an anti anxiety-antidepressant-Valium cocktail, or sleep and pretend nothing had happened, or cry bitterly and loudly for 3 hours, I wanted to scream, and to shave my hair off. But I've decided I have to pull myself together, and to think that it will pass. A couple more comb throughs, pepermint, neem and tea tree oils. More load fulls in the drier and much less hair in my head. But it will pass and I will not let it ruin my life. I just won't! And to me, this is the difference between being a slave and being free, and I choose to be free, but it's costing me a lot!
Happy Passover, if you celebrate!

Since I thought this post may leave you all itchy and with no desire to cook yet, I just wanted to make some recommendations for eating during Passover. Don't go for those foods imaginatively and scientifically created in a factory with magical non-chametz ingredients, like chocolate cream cake with no chocolate, nor cream and with a beautiful neon hue that nature has never seen. Watch the amount of sugar you eat! Go for real foods: fruits, vegetables, nuts, herbs, olive oil, fish, chile peppers, spices, eggs...there are many options. My local supermarket carries certified almond and cashew butters with no sugar added, there's nice dark chocolate, pure maple syrup, silan, quinoa and why not try celeriac or kohlrabi? Spend most of your shopping time at the produce section. There are thousands of options in there. Ah! And lastly, Mexican mangoes are back, so attack!!!

I've curated the following list of recipes and/or links of things I like to have around and eat during Passover. Instead of reaching for the fake pareve creamer for Passover, use coconut milk or cashew cream. Some recipes are mine and some others collected from sites and blogs I love. I hope you find them helpful

PASSOVER LINKS:

• My great grandmother's charoset:

http://ironyofbaking.blogspot.com/2012/04/passover-frenezy-in-full-swing.html

• Quinoa Recipes:

http://ironyofbaking.blogspot.com/2012/03/its-spring.html

http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-quinoa-grain-salad-with-recipes-from-the-kitchn-173350

• Cool salads:

http://ironyofbaking.blogspot.com/2012/04/sweet-sunshine.html

http://food52.com/recipes/21265-fergus-henderson-s-red-salad

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/food-lovers-cleanse/celery_root_apple_salad  (omit mustard if making during Passover)

• Almond milk:

http://food52.com/recipes/20945-homemade-almond-milk

• Coconut milk:

http://www.joyofkosher.com/2012/03/diy-coconut-milk-with-step-by-step-photos/

• Cashew Sour Cream:

http://www.food.com/recipe/cashew-sour-cream-non-dairy-sour-cream-alternative-substitute-204512

• Cashew Cream:

http://talronnen.ca/recipes/cashew-cream/print/

• Clean, delicious dessert. Omit vanilla to make it during Passover:

http://www.wholeliving.com/133418/banana-coconut-and-cashew-cream-tart

• Best ever allergy-friendly dessert (unless there's a chocolate allergy)

http://food52.com/recipes/16044-herve-this-chocolate-mousse

Embracing Brassica

I think the most helpful comment I ever heard about raising children wasn't written in any book or explained by any expert. A friend once said to me: "kids are loonies." And with no disrespect to the children in our lives, it's true. One day they love something, the next they throw a tantrum because they don't like it. They want to wear long sleeves in the summer and refuse to wear a coat in a freezing afternoon, they are emotionally attached to stinky blankies that they don't allow you to wash. They believe they are pirates, ballerinas, princesses, dinosaurs, and they dance in front of the TV when a fury monster tells them to. And it's all charming, until we get to the dinner table and what they devoured last week, they refuse to try today. They throw their food, they cry, they run away, and there you are chasing them with a spoon full of the super healthy food you've been preparing for the last 4 days while they were asleep. They much rather eat the contents of their nostrilss than the wonderful soup Jessica Seinfeld told you to serve.You make promises, threats, you spend 5 million dollars in super cute table mats, and plates, and ergonomic forks, you sing songs, your make up stories, you cry, give them stickers, break all your rules and turn into a juggling monkey. 
And now you think I'm going to give you the solution, right? Nope. Kids are loonies, remember?
However, it's tried and true that getting kids involved in the cooking process helps them get to eat the food. 
I've also found it successful to introduce kids to foods with fun names (trumpet mushrooms, graffiti eggplant, dinosaur kale, cuties), to talk about their shape, the sound they make when we chew them, their color or any interesting fact I find or know about such food. And some times, I mention certain nutritional qualities and the part of our bodies that they can help, protect or strengthen. I love telling them where a certain food originally came from, and since they have world map place mats, it's fun to find the country in the map. 
Another good habit I started a while back and which has been incredibly successful--especially with my youngest who eats NOTHING-- is always placing plain crunchy (raw or briefly cooked) vegetables cut into sticks or coins in a bowl in the center of the table. Somehow the fact that they are not on his own plate appeals to him and he eats them as finger food.
Lastly, I try to pick my battles, and one worth fighting for (or actually, offering) is the brassica one.       

The name might not ring a bell, but I'm sure (and truly hope) you've met many of the family members. They can be a bit stinky, they come in all sizes and many colors, some of them have a bite; and they all should be frequented way more than most of us would think. 
The brassica vegetables, also known as cruciferous or cabbages, are amazing sources of nutrients and phytochemicals. They are more than superfoods, they are ultrasuperduperfoods. They are a huge family and come in varieties of all sorts, as leaves, flowers, seeds, stems, roots and even spices. No more suspense, I present you, the brassica dynasty:

• Arugula
• Bok choy
• Broccoli (florets, rappini, etc)
• Brussels sprouts
• Cabbage (all kinds, such as Napa, red, Savoy)
• Cauliflower
• Collard greens
• Daikon radish
• Horseradish
• Kale
• Kohlrabi
• Land cress
• Mustard greens (and seeeds)
• Radishes
• Rutabaga
• Shepherd's purse
• Turnip
• Watercress  

They are so healthy, that we should aim to eat 1 1/2 cups of brassica 4 to 5 times a week!!!

So...what's the big deal?   
Just for starters, there's no other group of vegetables with higher concentrations of vitamin A (as carotenoids), vitamin C, folic acid nor fiber. 

Their vitamin K--a potent antiinflammatory-- content (especially in kale and collard greens) is also notable, so is the amount of manganese.  

The abundance of antioxidants, including the above mentioned, plus plenty of other phytonutrients, and  the presence of a group of phytochemicals almost exclusive to brassica, called glucosinolates- turn these vegetables into invaluable allies against the risk of developing many kinds of CANCER. 

And that's not even all. Their protein content is not that shabby either. OK, they are not chicken, but 3 cups of brassica will cover 25% of our daily protein requirement. 
They are also decent sources of ALA omega-3s, which also support our body's anti-inflammatory response.
Lastly, for all of those detox juicing plan fans, brassica  help support our body's detoxification system. However, by eating the whole vegetable, you also get the benefits of its fiber content and the digestive support properties that fiber offers.

Summing it all up, due to their ANTIOXIDANT, ANTI-INFLAMMATORY and DETOXIFYING qualities, serving brassica vegetables is a battle we should all pick in disease prevention.

Cooking Tip:

I try to serve raw cruciferous vegetables as often as I can, and my children like them. The leafy ones are easy to turn into salads, so are radishes and Brussels sprouts when shaved or sliced finely.

Kohlrabi has been this winter's surprise, as my son has been happily munching on it cut into thin strips.

When cooking brassica, in order to take maximum advantage of their phytochemical content, it's best to allow them to sit after chopped or cut for about 10 minutes before cooking, to make the protective compounds become more available to our bodies.

It's also better to steam them for a couple of minutes (baby bok choy steamed for 2 minutes is a local favorite in our household) or to cook them at low temperature into a soup; rather than cooking them for a long time over a very hot flame or in a very hot oven. However, I do love roasted cauliflower with its golden brown spots!  
   
Some people dislike the bitter taste of some vegetables of the brassica family, in those cases, the milder ones (cabbages, mainly) are recommended, but I also suggest pairing them with flavorful dressings, sweeter fruits or vegetables and roasted nuts or seeds. Soups are good alternatives as well, because the heat is not so high. The addition of umami flavors such as miso, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, etc, is a good thing to keep in mind as well.

 THE MODERN MENU'S KOHLRABI AND CABBAGE SALAD WITH MAPLE LEMON DRESSING

Last night I went to my friend Kim Kushner's new cookbook The Modern Menu's presentation. This amazing chef, instructor and hostess, who proclaims "not to be a healthy chef," is actually wrong. She is a healthy chef and her book, a 5-year-long labor of love, is to attest for that. 

By balancing flavors of her Moroccan heritage, a childhood in Montreal, life in New York City and influences that span from the Mediterranean to the Far East, The Modern Menu is full of healthy food for the body and for the spirit. Kim just makes you feel at ease no matter what. Did I mention beautiful photography by Andrew Zuckerman? Her food is simple, but very well thought of, her flavors comforting but interesting at the same time. There's no fuzz, just straightforwardness, deliciousness and lots of plant-based recipes. She makes you feel good about the food you're cooking and eating. To me, that's being a healthy chef!

Here's a brassica recipe from The Modern Menu. If you wanted to make it kosher for Pesach, just substitute the sunflower seeds (which are kitnyot) for toasted almonds or other nuts, use honey instead of maple syrup, if you can't find one that is kosher certified for Passover.

Recipe by Kim Kushner from The Modern Menu Gefen Publishing House

 

 Ingredients

• 4 bulbs kohlrabi
• 3 cups shredded green cabbage
• 1/3 cup dried cherries
• 1/4 cup salted roasted sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh dill
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method

Using a sharp knife, remove the long stems and greens from the kohlrabi. Using a peeler, trim away the thick green skin until you reach the light green to white  part that is free of tough fibers. Shred on the medium holes of a box grater or in a food processor fitted with the shredder disk.

Combine kohlrabi, cabbage, cherries, sunflower seeds, and dill in a larger serving bowl. In a small jar with a tight fitting lid, combine the olive oil, maple syrup, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Shake to thoroughly combine. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat well. Let sit for about 20 minutes before serving.

Photo taken from the actual  book

Serves 6 to 8.