The New Kosher

It's undeniable that for the last few years, a revolution has been brewing in the kosher food world. From being the most boring, restricted, and least innovative sector in gastronomy, it's becoming a very promising niche thanks to a handful of gutsy, creative, and curious chefs, bloggers, entrepreneurs, foodies and food writers, who are committed into keeping the dietary laws, but who are also willing to push the boundaries of inspiration, innovation, quality and taste.

We're moving beyond margarine (yay!!!!), we're caring about seasonality, we're making kosher more dynamic, and we're refining our flavors and how we enjoy our food. We're also coming back to the flavors of our roots and combining them with global ones.  And this my friends, is exactly The New Kosher, the name Kim Kushner has not only given to her new cookbook, but a whole movement that she's representing. 

The absolutely gorgeous book is personal and welcoming. You open the tile-inspired first page and Kim opens her door for you to come into her home. You are in her in the kitchen, listening along to the same Manhattan noises and seeing her lovely children walking by. You keep reading and you prepare together with her not only delicious food that feeds the body, but meals that nourish the spirit, the family and everyone you love. 

Many people can entertain beautifully, with artfully decorated tables, the finest china, the most exotic flowers and delicious food. However, very few people are capable of making you feel at home, happy, at ease, fulfilled and completely satisfied when they host you. Full disclosure: Kim is a very dear friend of mine, a colleague, an advisor, an inspiration, and one of the only three people who presses "like" in my Instagram feeds, which makes me incapable of a completely impartial review, but which on the other hand, allows me to tell you that what you see in her book is how she is in person, and that her advice is all brilliant and her food always outstanding. If you want to create happy, fabulous worlds for people on your table, she's the authority. "My house," she says, "is not a fine-dining restaurant; it is my home. My guests are not my customers; they are my family and friends. My kitchen is not the center of my business; my kitchen is the center of my heart. When I think about food, many strong memories and traditions from my upbringing filter into everything I make. I express myself through my food. Cooking serves as a connector, a comfort in my life." 

Her recipes are not complicated--so you don't become a slave in the kitchen depleted of all energy by the time dinner comes--but they are sophisticated, fresh, modern, beautiful and each one delivers a punch of flavor and fun. Each dish is designed to please, to be shared, to make mealtimes a joy.

I personally love Kim's use of produce to make vibrant food, full of bright colors, textures, crunch, sweetness, freshness, and obviously, nutritional value. This is a huge part of The New Kosher. Chiles, rose petals, kale, heirloom tomatoes, fennel, pomelos.... Look into your old kosher cookbooks and try to find any of those!

Another feature that most be noted is that the ingredients are given in measures as well as in weight, which is awesome if you use a scale for cooking/baking, which makes the task way easier, faster, more precise and with less cleanup!

I'm looking forward to making all the recipes. So far (and I just got my book yesterday!), we're big fans of her mini meatballs in cinnamon-tomato sauce--which counts with my picky eater's seal of approval, and that judge is way tougher than the Michelin Guide's examiners...Her "bowl of crack" quinoa is probably the most amazing quinoa dish I've  ever had (and trust me, I eat loads of quinoa). Her dark chocolate bark with rose petals, pistachios & walnuts is beautiful, delicious and super easy to prepare. And those three characteristics summarize The New Kosher. 

"Bowl of Crack" Quinoa

From: The New Kosher: Simple Recipes to Savor and Share  

by Kim Kushner 

Photography by Kate Sears

Weldon Owen

1 cup (8 oz/250 g) white quinoa, well rinsed

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 cups (5 oz/155 g) shredded kale

1 large bunch fresh dill

1 large bunch fresh cilantro

1 large bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley

Juice of 1 lemon

Juice of 2 limes

1/4 cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 handful of toasted pine nuts, pistachios, or chopped almonds

1 handful golden raisins

In a saucepan, bring 2 cups (16 fl oz/500ml) water to a boil over high heat. Stir in the quinoa and a pinch of salt. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until all the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Uncover and let cool for about 10 minutes, and then transfer the quinoa to a large bowl. Stir in the kale.

Use a chef's knife to chop the dill, cilantro, and parsley into teeny-tiny pieces (I use the stems too). Doing this by hand is important because the food processor will make the herbs mushy. Throw the herbs into the bowl. Add the lemon juice, lime juice, oil and vinegar and toss to mix well. Stir in the pine nuts and raisins and season well with salt and pepper. The quinoa will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Serves 4-6

Pancakes

I love pancakes! Duhhh...who doesn't love pancakes??? 

I'd been trying for a while to make healthier versions of them, often with nut flours. Almond, macadamia, hazelnut, etc, but my kids rejected them all mercilessly. Two Sundays ago I asked them if they wanted pancakes, and they said "yes, but with no apples. And no nuts. And no chunky things. Just regular pancakes." But I don't know what "regular" anything is at this point... 

There are terrific egg-and-bananas only pancake recipes navigating the cybersphere, but I live with a true banana hater, so those were a no, no. Finally, after sad failed attempts full of rejection, that I obviously took super personal, I hit the nail on the head with this recipe that I've made twice for them with great success. 

It's nicely loaded with healthy ingredients, but still delicious for all (included my daughter's friend who's terrified of eating anything in here because I'm the Scheming Health Witch to her eyes and my food never is what it seems...Who can blame her?)

They are gluten, nut and dairy free.

I hope you like them too!

INGREDIENTS

1 (13-oz) can full fat, unsweetened coconut milk (I like Natural Value)

1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar (any kind will do)

3 eggs (organic, pastured, preferably)

3 tablespoons avocado or coconut oil, plus more for pan

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon Himalayan (or other unrefined) salt

60 g (1/2 cup) gluten free oat flour

60 g (1/2 cup) teff flour

40 g (1/3 cup) arrowroot flour

20 g (1 heaping tablespoon) flax meal

3 tablespoons erythritol (or coconut sugar or sucanat)

1 3/4 teaspoon non-aluminum baking powder

Pure maple syrup for serving.

METHOD

In a large bowl, whisk coconut milk with vinegar. 

Add in eggs whisking after each addition, and add oil, vanilla and salt. Whisk until well mixed.

Add in all the flours, flax meal, sweetener and baking powder. Whisk until only small lumps are left.

Hit up your griddle or pan and place a bit of oil on it. 

Add about 1/4 cup batter onto pan (I like using an ice cream scoop) and cook until bubbles appear all over the surface. Filp and cook for a few more minutes, then remove onto a plate and keep piling them up as you go.

Serve them with maple syrup (please use the REAL thing, NOT "pancake syrup").

Enjoy!

VARIATIONS: If you don't mind adding dairy, use 11/2 cups buttermilk or plain yogurt instead of the coconut milk with the vinegar and use butter in place of oil. 

Why spending time with your friends matters, a cleansing chicken recipe and a million things

We live in a difficult world. There's no question about it. And...what can we do to thrive in it, despite it all?

I wished I had an easy answer that would solve everything. But I think that starting small is where the big changes take place. A couple of weeks ago I taught a class about how purposely finding pleasure in every day (and often free) activities can help us reduce stress and become healthier. The feedback I received was amazing, and what I presented was nothing new. No special skills, no Powerpoint, not even a food demo. It was all about simple things in life: deep breathing, scents, praying, cooking and eating, sleeping, moving joyfully, hugging and laughter; all of which have the power to change our brain chemistry, impact of microbiome (gut bacteria), lift our spirit, help us connect with others, strengthen our immune system, better our digestion, help our metabolism, and improve our overall health and happiness. 

And you know how often, certain things in life don't come separately... This past weekend I felt even more how pleasure has a mind-body-spirit effect. I met with some of my dearest friends of 28 years for two days. We're all turning or have just turned 40 and we decided it was finally time to get together. We laughed, we cried, we sang, we danced, we huged, we complained, we remembered. It was exactly like a scene of a cheesy chickflik that my husband wouldn't watch even if I paid him a million dollars. And it felt GOOD. It still feels good!!!

A day after that weekend retreat, another beloved childhood friend mentioned how a psychiatry professor at Stanford (I'm a sucker for anything coming from Stanford, as that's where I met my husband. It's the place where I spent some of the happiest, most exciting days of my life and where I was first introduced to Google, then an obscure search engine) stated that “One of the best things that a man can do for his health is to be married to a woman whereas, for a woman, one of the best things she could do for her health is to nurture her relationships with her girlfriends.” He explained that when we hang out with our girlfriends, we produce serotonin, a neurotransmitter that can combat depression and create general feelings of well-being. Sara Gottfired MD, author of The Hormone Cure writes that women form "a network of stress-reducing, protective females and leverage oxytocin, the "love" [and cuddle] hormone that also acts as a neurotransmitter." This in consequence reduces our blood levels of cortisol, which is the main stress hormone. So there you go! Bonding with your girlfriends is food for the soul, and for the body as well.

Smelling wild orange essential oil or having coffee with your friends won't solve the violence, frustration, pressure, worry and uncertainty that the world is filled with, but things like those do equip us with tools to reduce the physical and emotional stress that makes us feel so threatened. The palliatives are there for us to grab. Do you use them often enough? 

We have to pay attention and make an effort. Nourishing ourselves by connecting, breathing mindfully, infusing with the sacred everything we do, purposely enjoying cooking, eating, moving, resting, creating, is possible. Being more aware of our senses; being present every time we hear, see, touch, taste and smell something can transform our experience of life. 

Consciously thanking our bodies, the trillions of microorganisms that inhabit it, our souls, our loved ones, the healing powers of touch, of connection, of holiness takes us through a very different path in life than if we don't acknowledge them. 

I want to invite you to a series of classes where I will be talking about these topics and doing activities and demos, many of them food related, but none of them like any other food/nutrition classes you've ever taken! They will all be a mind-body-spirit experience, and I'd love you to join me! I know time is a scarce commodity, but you won't regret it!

• First class: February 25 at 10:00 AM at East 72nd Street (exact location will be given upon signing up) and will be about ESSENTIAL OILS. How to use these concentrated, super potent plant compounds to improve our immunity, our mood, clean our household without toxins, and better many health ailments from skin issues to respiratory concerns. Space is limited. Cost: $40.00 and includes all materials (and essential oils will be available for ordering)

• Second class: March 23 at 10:00 AM at East 79th Street (exact location will be given upon signing up). We will learn about mindful cooking and mindful eating. It's about cooking and eating with your senses, and with your heart, while being present. Even if you hate cooking, you'll see everything through a different view. Space is limited. Cost: TBD.

April and May classes are still on the planning stages, so feel free to request topics. Among ten will be: eating for immunity, eating for beauty, the importance of the seasons, super foods, digestive health, sugar-free sweets.

Other announcements (sorry, too many things to share!!!):

• I'll be teaching a gluten free, dairy free, super food loaded treat-making demo in Brooklyn at the SCC on March 17 at 10:00am. Please tell your friends!

• Thank you for making Three Tablespoons Frozen Cookie Dough such a success! More products are in the works, and I'll keep you posted. Please keep placing your orders at 718-986-7374 (text or call). I deliver every Thursday in the Upper East and Upper West Sides. For now, it comes in 4 varieties: chocolate chip, oat-quinoa-chia, vanilla-maple, cacao nib-coconut-hemp biscotti. Each roll is $12 and makes 20+ gluten free, dairy free, refined flour and sugar free cookies loaded with super foods and NO MESS, and they make your home smell amazing!

• Purim is coming! Place your orders for your Hamentaschen kits. This year, they are a bit different. They come with: frozen Hamentaschen dough (that you just roll out and cut into circles with either a round cutter or the top of a glass) and mixed berry-chia filling, a brown gable box, themed stickers, a card and a very cool multi-colored crayon stick, so you can prepare Mitshloach manot. Kids LOVE them! $35 each. Call or text.

• Don't miss my latest recipes in the Joy of Kosher: http://www.joyofkosher.com/recipes/root-vegetable-cholent/ and http://www.joyofkosher.com/recipes/kasha-with-brassica-vegetables/

I leave you here with 2 things: Virginia Satir's recommendation "We need four hugs a day for survival. We need eight hugs a day for maintenance. We need twelve hugs a day for growth." So you can make yourself (and the one you hug) grow... and a delicious, comforting recipe that I wrote originally as part of a detoxing piece of www.joyofkosher.com that came up last month. It's incredibly aromatic, full of super foods and since you make it in a slow cooker, it gives you extra time to spend with your girlfriends and produce lots of serotonin and oxytocin!

Chicken in Coconut Milk Detox Broth

Lemongrass, garlic, lemons, ginger, turmeric, cilantro, cinnamon, are all phytochemical and digestive powerhouses. They've been coveted for centuries for their antioxidant, antiiflammatory, disease fighting and cleansing medicinal properties. And the best part is, that they aren't only healthful, but delicious, as they lend their fragrance, pungency, flavor, color and deliciousness to this comforting, but sophisticated chicken dish. The slow cooker allows the flavors to develop beautifully, and gives you a break from the kitchen, but if you are shorter on time, place everything in a Dutch oven and cook covered in a 375 F oven for about 45 min to 1 hour. I usually double up the recipe and freeze one for the following week. 

Servings

4-6 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 chicken (3 to 4 pounds, preferably pastured or organic), skinned and cut into eights (bones in)
• 1 inch gingerroot, peeled and minced
• 1 stalk lemongrass, white part of inner bulb only, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 1 bunch cilantro, stems roughly chopped and leaves, set aside (for garnish)
• 1 large lemon, cut into 6 slices and seeded
• 1 (16-ounce) can full fat coconut milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
• 1 1/2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3 cups dark leafy greens (spinach, kale, Swiss chard, bok choy, etc)
• Cooked rice, to serve (I love serving it with forbidden rice. It's whole grain, delicious and makes for a dramatic, colorful presentation), optional

Directions

1. Place chicken pieces in the bowl of a slow cooker. Sprinkle with the ginger, lemongrass, garlic, chopped cilantro stems, and lemon slices.
2. Pour coconut milk on top. Top with turmeric and vinegar and mix all together a bit (it doesn’t have to be completely mixed, cooking will do its thing!).
3. Add cinnamon stick and salt, cover and cook in high for 5 hours or in low for up to 8 hours.
4. A few minutes before serving, add in the greens, mix them into the broth a bit, cover and cook for 5 to 10 more minutes.
5. Top with cilantro leaves right before serving. Serve with rice, if you’d like.