Cauliflower with Capers and Mushrooms

Love this one! Legit invented it as I perused the supermarket isles. I love doing that. It’s such a creative endeavor for me. Thinking how to piece together a solid, delicious recipe from nothing. I love the challenge since it stems from my heart. It feels good to have my instincts turn out right when I test a bite and it’s just so good. This hearty side is great warm or room temperature. I happen to also love cold leftovers straight from the fridge. This is a beautiful vegan main or side dish. It’s lovely with a protein and some lightly dressed greens. You most likely even have these ingredients on hand. Change things up to fight boredom by  approaching your basic standbys with a fresh take. Earthy mushrooms, briny capers, and creamy cauliflower make a wonderful combination.

I roasted the cauliflower first with garlic to really draw out its flavors. I like it slightly charred, so after it was roasted I put in under the broiler just briefly, to brown the edges. The double cooking process resulted in the perfect texture. There’s gotta be some dark brown edges, or it tastes bland. 

Ingredients:

A large head of cauliflower cut into half inch florets

A tbsp of vegan butter, like Smart Balance

12 oz mixed mushrooms, like oyster, shiitake, and Cremini. I bought mine ready mixed in one pack at the supermarket.

A small jar of the smaller sized capers

Four cloves minced garlic

Directions:

Roast cauliflower on 415 with the minced garlic, and some salt and pepper. I’d say a tsp salt, half pepper. Remove when fork tender and staring to turn golden brown, around 30 min. My oven takes closer to 40.

Turn oven to broil setting and char for a couple minutes. Remove from broiler and set aside. In a large skillet, heat two tbsp olive oil with a tbsp of the vegan butter. This adds a richness to the sautéing.

Sauté the mushrooms until soft and dark brown, deglazing with either white wine or vegetable broth as needed. You don’t want liquid here, so just make sure it evaporates. Stir in the capers and sauté with the mushrooms for a couple minutes, until you get a sense the flavors have blended together. Turn heat to lowest. Add the cauliflower and mix all well together, heating just to combine.

Non Annoying Grilled Veg Salad

Most things involving grilled vegetables piss me off 🍅🍆🥦🌽🌶🥕😡. Ok, that last emoji is a tad aggressive but it made me laugh. You’re trying to do yourself a favor, and you wind up with an underwhelming, bland AF, tasteless situation. It’s unsatisfying, which certainly won’t curb any other cravings that pop up. So let’s nail this, shall we? Grilled veggies are often deceiving since they look so beautiful. They are visually appealing, which is wonderful. Mother Nature knows her game. I love making a big, bountiful grilled veggie platter, incorporating different colors and shapes. But no one needs me to tell them how to make a run of the mill platter. I wanted to make a composed grilled vegetable salad. It’s a shame to jumble all these vegetables, that just took me quite some time to slice and grill. This was a bit of a pain but SO WORTH IT. Plus, it gave amazing leftovers to be served alongside a protein the next day, as well as the ingredients for a superb grilled veg sandwich.

The key here is to marinate everything in a homemade, easy vinaigrette to slightly soften the vegetables and infuse them with moisture and flavor. The dressing is the same for the salad; use three quarters as a marinade and the remaining quarter for the lettuce leaves which will be your serving base. Sooooo easy. 

I grilled half the veggies and broiled half to keep from shooting myself. The fire department actually showed up since my smoke alarm went off🚒. I had to say to the chief of the fire department, "Um, this was an eggplant related occurrence 🍆”.

I grilled mostly what would give me those gorgeous black grill marks, like zucchini and eggplant. I broiled sliced heads of radicchio, asparagus, tomatoes, and onions. That’s all up to you and how you want to cook this all. No wrong answer. The broiling is fast though, which is nice. I also boiled some corn cobs, then shaved off the kernels and charred those in the broiler too. That pop of yellow looked wonderful🌽.

I needed two identical platters here, since there was too much of everything. No worries, they looked like one giant platter. I didn’t want to separate them, it was too impactful together. One platter is fine; just select a good variety of colors and sizes. Can be as little as three different vegetables for a smaller crowd or dinner for two. This was really filling. I also made a sandwich on whole grain bread with a couple of fresh basil leaves from my garden for a fresh kick. Using my garden is an utter joy. The recent rains have produced beautiful plants and herbs. I have so much, I need to give some to friends! Fresh herbs are one of my favorite gifts to give my fellow cooks. I tie separate bundles in kitchen twine. Honestly, even if you’re serving a large group up to ten, just grill some chicken, flank steak, or fish and you have made a complete meal. Your guests will love you for the healthy invite. And they will appreciate that this is bursting with real deal flavor. No self loathing or frustrated after this meal!

Ingredients:

Four corn cobs steamed or boiled, cooled then kernels shaved 

Six firm plum tomatoes halves

Three heads radicchio sliced into halves or thirds

One or two large red onions sliced

A bunch of green or white asparagus trimmed on bottom

Two each medium yellow and green zucchini sliced thin length wise

Two Baby eggplants sliced thin length wise

A large container of greens you love.  I used a colorful, leafy spring mix. I happen to like chopping in general, and this was kind of a lot.

Directions:

Place  each vegetable in its own pan in a single layer. Brush 3/4 cup of the dressing on the veggies . Just drizzle and brush quick, do not overthink this. Marinate 15 minutes before cooking. Grill and broil as you wish. All should be fork tender, not soft. They should have a little firmness.

Dressing is pretty much my usual. Half a cup each olive oil and lemon juice, a tbsp and a half of red wine vinegar, a tbsp of country Dijon grainy mustard, half a tsp salt and a quarter pepper. Whisk well. Use last quarter to lightly dress greens right before plattering.

Have a few fresh basil leaves for useable garnish. This really makes it special. Cool the vegetables halfway before lining up and layering. You don’t want to wilt the lettuce. Alternate colors and flavors. I bookended the platter with the bright pops of 🍅 red. Serve along side whole grain bread that’s easy to cut for sandwiches, as an option.

Snap Crackle Pop (this in your mouth)

This recipe was inspired by my 12 year old son’s request for Rice Krispies schnitzel. I guess they make it in his sleep away camp. It’s actually a great idea! I had never thought of it, and it’s a welcome change from the crumbs or crushed pretzels I usually use.

This was a snap; I just seasoned flour with basic spices like salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika, then dipped in the flour, beaten eggs, then half crushed Rice Krispies. The cereal so easily crumbled in my fingers in the mixing bowl. I left half the cereal whole for texture and maximum crunch. I’m sure this would be great also as a coating for baked chicken on the bone or baked cutlets as well.  It’s so nice to have my son actually request something other than Funyuns🙄. I almost did a double take when a healthy protein was the basis for his order. Unless he’s just munching on fried cereal in which case there’s nothing I can do. Love you, B!!!! My middle schooler is growing up💛. 

I made eight of these and they were very large, so adjust accordingly. No need for exact measurements here with any step. 

Ingredients:

Inch thick chicken cutlets

Beaten eggs (at least 4)

A cup of flour seasoned with some salt and pepper, and more generous amounts of paprika and garlic powder.

Directions:

Make three dipping bowls or pans, one with each of your dipping components. Dip a cutlet in flour shaking off excess, then coat well in the egg wash, then pat each side firmly into the cereal. Prep all the cutlets and set aside.

Fry each side of the chicken in vegetable or canola oil until golden brown, maybe two minutes on each side. The oil must be very hot before starting. Test for a sizzle by dropping some cereal in first. Place finished cutlets on paper towels to absorb excess oil. Serve with my homemade easy habanero dipping sauce for a kick. This is great for cutlets, tenders, or bite size poppers. Def a major crowd pleaser!

Homemade BBQ Sauce 

1. 2 cups of ketchup.
2. 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar.
3. 1/4 cup of Worcestershire sauce.
4. 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar.
5. 2 Tbsp. molasses.
6. 2 Tbsp. mustard.
7. 1 Tbsp. Tabasco sauce (or your favorite hot sauce)
8. 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.

This 🍉Tastes Like 🧀

I don’t like cheese unless it’s adorning pizza or eggplant parm, and even then I’m not a fresh mozzarella gal. It’s got to be the processed shredded kind. A cheese course on a menu mystifies me. I can’t comprehend why anyone would choose stinky feet and vomit over chocolate goo, but the that’s what makes the world go round! Obv the cheese obsession is real; you just can’t eat that stuff unless you really dig it. Wine one can fake, this no 🧀🍷.

Anyway, while on the beach in Tel Aviv recently, the natives were gobbling down sliced watermelon served with chunks of feta. It was on the menu at Gazoz, this restaurant where we hung out everyday. I imagine it’s a Mediterranean thang. My friend James loved this combo of salty and sweet. He explained that the pairing of the crisp, cold, sweet watermelon with a nugget of creamy, pungent cheese was a party in the mouth. I so get that, and while it’s not my bag, if it may be yours you should def try it. It did look very pretty and summery. The color combo of bright pink and stark white are the fresh embodiment of summer. This is a joke to prepare, which is why I’m sharing it here. I want your summer easy and bright!

Simply slice chilled 🍉into wedges and serve a bowl of crumbled feta along side it. I’d add a bowl of fresh mint leaves on the side as well, for added flavor, color, and texture. Guests can assemble as needed so all components retain crispness. This is a very easy thing to bring to a picnic or beach gathering🏖.

Spinach Mushroom Cous Cous

I love throwing this side together. In general it’s so fun to nicely combine grains and vegetables. This legit arose from whatever I had in my pantry one Friday afternoon. My daughter’s close friend E is vegetarian, and I love inventing new options for her when she comes for weekends. It’s always good to be challenged in the kitchen. No bored eaters on my watch. I love sesame oil, it’s so rich in flavor. I generally don’t gravitate towards Asian flavors; I find them too salty for my taste. So sesame oil is a nice way to more subtly incorporate that ilk of flavoring to my cooking. I only use the toasted sesame variety, the regular is bland. I don’t use much since it’s so strong.

I’ve been using Cous Cous a lot this year. It cooks in five seconds, and any item that instructs me to “fluff” anything already has a head start 🙌🏻. Make the grains, sautée the vegetables, add some dressing/sauce that you just whipped up and BAM‼️. Easy, lovely, and complete.

Mirin has been used in my kitchen for years. It’s an Asian rice wine. I use it to deglaze the sauté pan when I’m going for a teriyaki vibe🍱. It always cracks me up how it’s one tiny letter away from the word “moron”🤣. Howard Stern plays a classic clip of his father impatiently snapping at him as a child that us die hards love; “I told you not to be stupid, you moron!”  There will never not be a time where this is funny to me. My, how parenting has changed! This is your girl, unable to give a Cous Cous recipe without a Howard reference 😎.

I actually made this just last weekend. Huge hit, and even better the next day whilst picking at leftovers. If preparing in advance overnight, just refrigerate the veggies separately so they don’t darken in color. Make sauce fresh, it’s two seconds.     

Ingredients:

 One cup of that tiny grainy Cous Cous prepared to package directions.

4 bags baby spinach leaves.

4 containers sliced shiitake mushrooms.

Three tbsp sesame oil.

Three tbsp teriyaki sauce.

Three tbsp rice wine vinegar.

Mirin needed to deglaze sauté Pan.

One tbsp at a time, half a tsp salt and a quarter tsp to season while sautéing veggies.

Two tbsp of toasted sesame seeds to add before serving.   

Directions:

Make Cous Cous and set aside in a large bowl. Heat up two tbsp of olive oil in a large pan and add mushrooms. Sauté adding dashes of toasted sesame oil. Deglaze with mirin as pan dries up. Do that continuously.

When shrooms are two thirds cooked, add spinach. Both these vegetables give off water, so you’ll find that the pan won’t get bone dry.  As the spinach wilts to more than half its size, season with salt and pepper.

Mix the rice wine vinegar, teriyaki sauce, and another three tbsp of sesame oil into a sauce. Pour some on the Cous Cous so it has the chance to absorb the flavors in peace. Then add the cooked vegetables and add remainder of sauce. Make more if needed but remember these flavors are strong so you won’t need so much. Let all blend together at least a half hour. Add toasted sesame seeds on top right before serving.     

Watch the Karate Kid, but only the original.  Deduct points if you thought the original was with Jaden Smith. Write Ralph Macchio the fan letter you wanted to when you were in middle school. Cry about the fact he had no dad in the movie and was then bullied at his new school.  Practice a Cheer routine to “Cruel Summer” by Bananarama. Contemplate dressing as a shower for Purim. And for Christ’s sake, ALWAYS sweep the leg, Jonny. Uch, whatever. Just make this, it’s really good.

Greens N’ Grains 🥗

How to kind of incorporate croutons without using bread? 🙋🏼‍♀️cook some healthy grains and give them a quick sauté to crisp them up. This can def be a vegan main course, or a hearty salad alongside any protein.  It’s two sides in one, combining vegetables and a starch.  And it’s filling, so you really don’t need anything else on the side if it’s just a couple of you (I like more options if there’s more people).

Flash frying the wheat berries here after the regular cooking process was fun; it felt like a cute little culinary secret.  I swapped white truffle oil for my usual olive oil for the vinaigrette for added depth of flavor, and because I had this lovely bottle of truffle oil from a trip to Italy that I’ve been waiting to use.  Truffle oil is expensive though, so no need to go that route.  Standard high quality olive oil always works.  I also used fresh green spring peas, which I’ve been wanting to use as the one featured veggie.  Using less ingredients feels so clean and  uncomplicated, how summer should feel.  I happened upon these dried chickpeas in the market, and knew they’d add the perfect dose of salted crunch.  It’s gratifying to make a complete meal out of just several key things. Quality over quantity always.     

Ingredients:

1 cup of wheat berries or Farro prepared according to package directions

Half a pound of fresh spring peas

Mixed leafy Baby romaine lettuce

A large handful of dried, salted chickpeas.

Dressing:

Quarter cup of fresh lemon juice

Quarter cup of white truffle oil

At least three tbsp balsamic vinegar adding more to taste if needed/desired

Half a tsp salt and a quarter tsp pepper

After cooking and cooling the grains, sauté them in a large pan with olive oil until they begin to crisp but not harden.  Add half the dressing to the warm grains so they can absorb the flavor.  Let sit 20 minutes.  Toss with peas, romaine, and rest of dressing.  Add dried chickpeas right before serving.  The grains can be made the day before and brought to room temperature before combining.  If using truffle oil, note that it’s a strong flavor.  The lemon juice and balsamic will temper it.  Enjoy!!

Summer Berry Cake

This is my jazzed up, seasonal version of Kosher chef Susie Fishbein’s classic yellow cake recipe. Fresh berries bursting with flavor are a delightful addition to any summer dessert. Now is the time to capitalize on the bounty of the season. This was an easy way to do that.

I just added 2 and a quarter cups of mixed fresh blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries to the batter after it was poured in the pan.

I mixed the berries with a tbsp of flour before adding them; I think I once read that this prevents the berries from sinking (it worked so what the heck).  My last addition was a nice sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar on top of the cake before baking. If pre plating this, sprinkle with powdered sugar and garnish the plate with extra fresh berries. This is a beautiful brunch or lunch cake. It tasted like a giant berry muffin😋.

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 TBS baking powder

1/2 tsp coarse salt

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup orange juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 eggs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 13x9 pan.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.  Add oil, orange juice, eggs, and vanilla and beat at medium speed.

Pour batter into pan and add 2 and a quarter cups of mixed fresh blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries.  Bake for 50 minutes.  If edges of cake start to brown but the middle isn’t yet done, cover the browning edges with foil and bake until middle is set. I had to do this and it worked.

Shakshuka Shaken Up

I’ve been so into shakshuka lately. It’s an Israeli dish in which eggs are dropped into a simmering pan of vegetables and tomato sauce 🍅🥚. Typically the dish involves peppers and fresh tomatoes, but my crew doesn’t eat those veggies🙄. However, I improvised with the kale in tomato sauce that I posted a few weeks ago, and it worked beautifully. Then I sort of started dropping eggs into any vegetable with a tomato sauce base and eating that for dinner several times a week.

Cumin is a signature spice in shakshuka, so I just sprinkle in about a tsp and a half to the tomato sauce mixture before plopping in the eggs (a process I find oddly gratifying). Use 2 to 5 eggs, depending on the pan width. I often save the rest for the next day.

Once the kale and other ingredients are mixed according to the original JESScipe and are at a simmer, just crack the eggs over the sauce. Cover the pan and simmer for about 8 minutes on medium low, until your desired doneness for the yolks are achieved. The results will be delicious poached eggs on top of a seasoned bed of veggies in tomato sauce.

It’s an easy, complete, healthy meal. That and my Lazy Eggplant Parm are my go to dinners. I crave them both at the end of the day, and they both take a few minutes to cook. If my craving involves vegetables, I must be on some sort of right path😋. Tonight I’m making this with zucchini and white beans, since that’s what I have on hand🥒(cucumber or zucchini emoji?). 

Roasted Potato Salad

No offense, Mayo, but you gross me out big time. I posted pics of this clean, uncomplicated potato salad last week, and it was so exciting to see how many of you wanted the JESScipe asap. While prepping for my latest food shoot, I saw this big bag of the cutest little yellow potatoes. I have never actually made this before, but I had to buy the potatoes and figure something out. I love challenging myself in the kitchen; it’s a good way to channel energy and creativity. I was extra emotional last week for several reasons, and putting my brain power to productive culinary use was a healthy use of myself.     

The potatoes here are not cut, which looks so pretty, and saves time and prep work. Any time you can eliminate a step or two without sacrificing taste and beauty, it’s a win. What’s that word I always use? Oh, right: “editing”😎. Tiny red potatoes would look well here too, and I usually use those, but I love the earthy color here that’s achieved with roasting the potatoes. I also love the color contrast between the caramelized brown with all the fresh herbs. 

This is a fabulous side dish to serve warm or room temperature. Bring it in a pretty container as your contribution to a BBQ this summer. The potatoes can be roasted the day before, with the dressing and herbs mixed in the day of (yo, sabbath keepers). Just let all marinate a couple hours before serving, room temp. You want the potatoes soft with having absorbed tons of flavor.   

Ingredients:

3 lbs tiny yellow potatoes

Half cup finely chopped scallions

A quarter each packed chopped fresh dill and parsley

8 sprigs fresh thyme with the leaves pulled down and off

Vinaigrette:

A quarter cup olive oil

1 Tbsp each Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp champagne vinegar

Half tsp salt, quarter tsp coarse ground pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 415 on roast setting (bake setting is ok too). Place potatoes in a single layer in a pan and drizzle with a couple tbsp olive oil. Mix and cover tightly with foil. I just used oil here so as not to make the potatoes too salty, given the dressing. You can always increase your seasonings during the second stage. You can’t lessen salt and pepper, but you can add to it. Cooking the potatoes covered steams them. I like to steam them halfway and roast the rest of the time, resulting in soft and caramelized 🥔.

Ok, so cook covered 20 min then uncover for another 20 or until fork tender. I like my oven rack on top. When potatoes are a bit shriveled and golden brown, let cool.

Make vinaigrette and pour on, mixing well, including the fresh thyme leaves. You can garnish with a cluster of fresh thyme sprigs on a corner of the serving platter, if you have extra. It’s always a nice, fresh indicator of what makes the dish clean and special🌱. I’m a huge dill gal; make sure your herbs are plentiful here so the flavors really pop. Potatoes are a bit like a white event space; you gotta jazz it up and bring it to life.

This dish is legit a high five to your taste buds. The 🍔🌭🍗will thank you for making them look so good. It’s like when the backup singer steals the spotlight🎤. Oh, make extra dressing if needed here, or make to keep in the fridge for other uses. This is also a great fish marinade.

Sunburst Nectarine Tart🍑🌞

“Well, isn’t that special?” Not sure why I’m conjuring up the Church Lady from SNL, but I imagine her taking one look at me holding this tart and being a passive aggressive bitch about it. I swear I don’t know why, but it’s making me giggle as I type. Which indeed makes it special😀😋. I love rolling out these free form tarts. It’s a kick to use my rolling pin; it makes me feel old school. I’m covered in flour, pounding out dough, and it makes me happy. This tart is quite easy to make. You make the dough, chill it for an hour so it firms up, then roll it out and fill it with thin overlapping layers of sliced fruit. I use pears or apples in the winter/autumn, and stone fruit in the summer. I love using nectarines. Their tartness relaxes in the oven, and the pretty yellow color is so summery like a little burst of 🌞. Nectarines, peaches, and plums are such a treat. I wait all year for them, especially the sweeter white ones.

During my first pregnancy I had an insane craving for white peaches. Alas, it was January, and I was in Brooklyn at the time. Not exactly land of farm fresh produce. My mother in law, of blessed memory, went searching for some. I think she managed to find a few, if memory serves (though it may not since my nausea rendered me non functioning). The other noteworthy craving I had during that pregnancy was a Fluffernutter sandwich. That was a one time thing but the craving was so strong I’d have battled Isis to get one. Bottom line: them bitches be crazy. But I digress, as per usual.

Another kitchen tool I love using is my pizza wheel cutter. This circular tart gets cut into wedges and eaten utensil free, which makes it perfect for a picnic🍴🚫. If baking for a crowd go ahead and make a few varieties. The different wedges on a platter would look so colorful and pretty🍎🍐🍑🍓🍏.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup flour

1/4 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup ice water

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

2 nectarines thinly sliced

One beaten egg

Directions:

Mix flour, sugar, salt, and half the oil in a bowl until resembles meal.  Add remaining oil and mix well.  Add water and vanilla.  Mix well and roll into a ball and chill for one hour.

Roll out dough into a  15" circle on a flat floured surface and place on a baking sheet.

After tart dough is rolled out, brush egg wash on the middle, leaving a two inch border. Sprinkle sugar on egg wash base. Layer fruit slices one on top of the other, making a circular pattern with the skin all facing one side. Fold two inch dough border over the edges of the fruit, pinching with wet fingers to enclose. Brush dough border with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 30 minutes on 400. Slice into wedges when cool.

Fish Tacos

After posting these beauties on a recent instastory, I was thrilled to see how many of you wrote in asking for the JESScipe.  Many thanks to my love SO for helping me perfect how this fishy little situation should all go down.  

I’ve never made fish tacos before, and I was determined to nail them.  I’m doing a lot less meat and chicken since I don’t eat it anymore.  The fish here can easily be swapped for grilled chicken here though.  Or even grilled flank steak.  You can even offer choices of proteins and have guests choose their own assemblage.  The tortillas, slaw, and guacamole are the same for all.  It’s easy to present different platters to appeal to your carnivorous peeps.  All these components can be prepared and packed separately for a picnic or beach outing.  Um, bring this to the beach and your friends will erect a sandcastle in your honor on the spot 🏖.  Light, white meat tilapia is the building block here.  Tilapia is like a white room that needs to be enhanced with decor, making it the perfect canvas for seasonings.  I had about six limes on hand while cooking the fish; I kept deglazing the frying pan with squeezes of fresh lime juice.  This kept the fish from sticking to the dried pan while adding fabulous citrusy flavor.  I had the limes already halved so I could grab and squeeze as needed.  This is in addition to the fresh squeezed lime juice needed for the slaw dressing.  Meaty tilapia, soft tortillas, vinegary slaw in bright colors, and creamy guacamole ; homemade perfection.

The LB photography crew had the best lunch while we prepped this for the shoot. They were blown away, which made me so happy.  Good food is love, always.   

Ingredients:

Four pieces fresh tilapia, they’ll probably be about an inch thick.

Salt, pepper, and cumin on hand.

A package of soft tortillas.

Store bought high quality guacamole or my Express Lane Guacamole from a former post (that was a quick version but feel free to jazz it up with diced red onions, diced tomatoes, and chopped cilantro. It’s not needed here though since there’s so much flavor in the slaw).    

A packed cup of chopped cilantro

A package each of store sliced purple cabbage and carrots found in produce section of the supermarket.

Slaw dressing:

Three tbsp white wine vinegar

A quarter cup each of fresh lime juice and olive oil.

Half a tsp salt and a quarter tsp pepper.

Repeat seasoning on exposed side of fish now. Cook the fish several minutes on each side until golden brown, deglazing with the fresh lime halves as needed. Nudge the fish gently with a spatula during the cooking process a couple times to prevent sticking. It’s ok if the fish falls apart since you’re going to flake it anyway. When fish is cooked (you can test it at the thickest part) place in a glass dish and cover with plastic wrap to lock in the moisture and flavorings. If traveling with this dish, leave the fish as is. You’ll flake on sight.

Place the shredded carrots and cabbage in a bowl with the chopped cilantro. Add dressing, mixing well, and let sit about 20/30 minutes at least.  The slaw should sit at least thirty minutes to absorb the dressing flavor. Don’t let it sit overnight though, to prevent the purple cabbage from bleeding into the carrots. Sharp purple and orange here are crucial to the visual of this dish.  Lots of bright, tropical colors here.  Food must look as good as it tastes.  Engage as many of the five senses as possible to enhance any experience, eating included!     

Heat each tortilla in a dry skillet on medium heat until slightly golden brown on each side, maybe a minute per side max. Flip with tongs and set aside in a single layer on a platter. Again, if traveling, layer the tortillas in wax paper around each one so they don’t stick together. Gently break up the tilapia with a fork into meaty chunks.

Here comes the best part: layer on top of each tortilla about three tbsp of slaw, a generous amount of fish, and a tbsp or 2 of guacamole. Fold and enjoy! You can garnish the platter with slices of fresh lime for a pretty color hint.  I’d say this makes eight fish tacos.  Plan on two per person, trust me they’ll want more than one.  Taco Tuesday is now accessible any day of the week; why should Tuesday get all the fun?

Elevated Egg Sandwich🥚🍞🍳🍅

This lil sandwich is pretty and delicious, and so quick! It’s a perfect meal anytime of day, not just breakfast. You got your protein, healthy grains, and even a veggie in your hands; what’s not to love? The addition of Zatar is what takes this egg situation to the next level.  Zatar is a middle eastern spice that I put in almost everything.  It’s hyssop, but I have no idea what that even means.

I use Ezekiel bread, which is the only bread I really eat, but any drier, denser bread will work. Typical sliced supermarket bread may get soggy, even if toasted.  It’s too weak.  I used to eat only the whites of the egg, but I started adding a whole 🥚to benefit from the healthy fats.

Ingredients:

Three or four eggs

One whole the rest whites (or up to you!).

A plum tomato sliced into rounds.

One or two spoonfuls of store-bought pesto sauce.

Zatar (optional).

Directions:

Mix the eggs and make a cute omelet, sprinkling Zatar about a tsp or more if desired before flipping. In another small frying pan sauté the tomato slices 🍅in a tbsp of olive oil, sprinkling with a drop of salt and pepper. Toast the bread, then spread with pesto when slightly cool.

Assemble: bread, melted tomatoes, and omelet. Add a slice of 🧀if desired. That’s it! The sandwich can be open faced which I do, or typical with both slices. This is a gourmet sandwich that looks like it cost $20 at some get over yourself, fancy coffee place.  Except you made it yourself with no attitude from the barista.  For extra effort, toss some greens in a light vinaigrette and serve on the side.  Feel free to make the egg sunny side up if you prefer 🍳, still sprinkling Zatar on top.

Minestrone Soup 🍲

Not sure what this emoji actually is but it’ll do! I’ve been making different versions of this delicious, filling soup since I was a newlywed. This is a complete meal in a bowl, especially if you’re a vegan or vegetarian. It’s hearty so it’s perfect for colder seasons, but I enjoy it all year. It’s very, very easy but appears so impressive due to all the components. I love when SF calls me and leads with, “you know what I could really go for right now?”  I always finish her sentence. Bff telepathy, especially when it comes to food😋.

Double this and freeze it. A light green salad 🥗 and a crusty loaf of fresh bread, and you are a culinary ninja. Delicious and perfect has nothing to do with effort.

Ingredients:

A cup each diced onion, carrots, and celery.

Two cloves minced garlic, or a tsp of garlic powder (powder to be used later in the process).

A box/ 4 cups vegetable stock or broth.

A large can of crushed tomatoes.

A can each of red beans and black beans, rinsed and drained.

A half a head of green cabbage, shredded.

Two cups large diced zucchini, green or yellow.

A tsp and a half of salt, half a tsp pepper.

A bay leaf.

Two tsp dried Italian seasoning.

Directions:

All seasonings can be adjusted to taste eventually if need be. Heat three tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot. Add the onions and sauté 3 min. Add minced garlic and diced carrots and celery. If the pot is drying and the garlic gets too well done, add a quarter cup of the broth to deglaze.

Cover the pot for two minutes to sweat the vegetables. This quickens the cooking process via steam. Veggies should be somewhat cooked but not mushy. Add broth, crushed tomatoes, and seasonings. Mix well, add bay leaf. Cover and bring to a boil.

Lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add cabbage and simmer another 20 minutes until it’s softened. Add zucchini and beans and simmer another 15 minutes or until the zucchini is fully cooked. If you like a minestrone with a ton going on, you can add extra vegetables like cubed sweet potatoes or parsnips, or cool whole wheat orzo separately and place in bowls before serving. A can of white beans or chickpeas can also be added. Or simply add additional veggies of the ones you already used in the basis of the recipe. Any root vegetable added requires time to soften, so add that to the part where you first combine the broth and tomatoes to make the base. This fragrant, healthy soup is made of clean ingredients that want to come together for a party in your belly 🤤. Invite them in! Have a souper day. Ugh, sorry. Couldn’t resist that one.

Broiled 🍗 With Caramelized🍋

This is a snap to make! I threw it together for my son’s friend (god forbid my own kid should eat it🙄) . It was legit stuff I had in the pantry, and it turned out to be a great jazzed up bbq sauce. It’s almost impossible to ruin chicken when it’s dry rubbed, baked, marinated , then crisped under the broiler. I’m so tempted to eat it since I cut chicken out of my diet. I think chicken often looks delicious, but when I take a bite it doesn’t jive with my taste buds right now. Who knows, this could change, but it’s where I’m at right now. I still like cooking it though. This is a super recipe for achieving BBQ flavor and texture without using an actual grill. City peeps, where you at🍔🌭🍗🏢🗽?     

You will need a chicken cut into eight pieces, or two if you’re feeding a crowd. Feel free to use only dark or white parts depending on your preference. I love doing just drumsticks or wings for the kids. SKIN ON is vital to the crispy outside, as well as keeping the meat moist and juicy. Preheat oven to 375. Mix a tbsp each of garlic powder, paprika, and cumin with a tsp and a half of kosher salt and a half tsp fine ground pepper. Smoked paprika is great here.

Drizzle chicken parts in a single layer in a pan with olive oil. Then spoon on spice mixture. Pick up each piece and rub to coat. Double spices if needed. FYI, you can keep this spice rub in your pantry to use at all times, on meat and fish too. It’s a staple because it’s so versatile. Make sure chicken is skin up in the pan. Slice a lemon, placing a slice on each piece. Cover tightly with foil!!! This locks in serious juices. Bake for one hour.

Remove from oven and let sit for ten minutes. Remove foil and let the steam calm down. Mix a cup of bbq sauce with half a cup each of balsamic vinegar and honey mustard. Spoon on chicken, after setting aside lemon slices. Save the lemon for serving. Let marinate for about 15 minutes. Can be up to a half hour. Preheat broiler on high. Broil chicken several minutes on top part of the oven until skin gets dark and crisp, even blackened in some spots if you dig that (I do). Remove and let cool slightly. Put lemon slices back on top before serving. If making drumsticks or wings, bake covered chicken for about 45 minutes instead of the full hour. This Jesscipe is dedicated to WG, my son’s OG. 🍗❤️🍗❤️

Queen of Tarts 🍏👑

This is an uncomplicated, beautiful apple tart. Any fruit can be used with this base. Sliced peaches or plums looks beautiful too🍑. Anything with a fluted edge looks so pretty and professional.

Ingredients:

Stick butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 green apples

Apricot preserves 

Directions:

Oven 350. Grease a tart pan with a removable bottom really well, set aside. Cream a softened stick of butter or margarine with a cup of sugar in a mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix a couple minutes on medium, scraping down the sides halfway through. Add a tsp of vanilla and two eggs. Mix.

Then add a cup of flour and a tsp of baking powder. Pour evenly into tart pan. Thinly slice a green apple or two, and mix slices with 2 tbsp of apricot preserves. Lay the slices in some sort of pattern. I started from the outside in, and it kinda looked like a🌹👏🏻. Sprinkle the top with a nice dusting of cinnamon and sugar. Bake for one hour. Can be served with vanilla ice cream.

Grilled Pesto Chicken Over Spinach Salad and Cous Cous

This is a complete meal that can easily be made vegan by eliminating the chicken. The spinach and cous cous are lovely on their own, as a main or a side. Lots of bright colors here make this particularly visually appealing. This is a snap to make👌🏻.

When I marinate in pesto, I use store bought. I like the Sabra brand. Spread the pesto generously over four white meat chicken cutlets, drizzling with a tbsp of olive oil if your pesto is a drier brand. The chicken should be about half an inch thick, but this isn't a rule. It's just easier to grill if it's not one of those four inch thick deals.

Cover and set aside for 20 minutes.

Vinaigrette for the cous cous and spinach:

A half cup each olive oil and fresh lemon juice

 A tbsp of Dijon mustard

Half a tsp kosher salt

A quarter tsp pepper, optional half tsp cumin for fun (dream big!).

Four cups baby spinach.

Most of the dressing goes on the cous cous, just a couple tbsp goes on the spinach to lightly dress it. It's just a nice support to the starch and protein.

Cous cous salad:

One and a half cups water

Cup and a quarter instant cous cous

Four diced scallions

Pint halved cherry tomatoes, adding more if you want it chunkier.

A lemon to zest

Freshly toasted pine nuts.

Prepare cous cous according to package directions. Break up any clumps after cooking. Cool slightly. Mix with the scallions, tomatoes, and most of the dressing. Toss in a handful of pine nuts and a tsp of zest. Gently combine. Toss spinach with remainder of vinaigrette and platter. Grill the prepared chicken, until there are nice dark grill lines on both sides. Cover tightly with foil to retain juiciness. When it's not too hot to handle, slice thinly. Alternate low piles of the cous cous with stacks of sliced chicken on your platter. Top with extra pine nuts. ✌🏼️
 

Protein Peanut Butter Energy Bars

I have been wanting to tinker around with this type of treat for awhile, and I'm psyched to have gotten the ball rolling with these. Oats, peanut butter, vanilla protein powder, chocolate, and dried cranberries 🙋🏼🙋🏼🙋🏼. There is flour and brown sugar, and I'll figure out a way to sub those out. Feel free to do so on your own. Please let me know if you've nailed it, I'd love to hear your input.

I used vegan butter here, so these treats are indeed vegan. I really enjoyed making these easy bars. It was like a giant slab of granola baking. Cut only when cooled completely. If you're freezing then wrap them individually and take out as needed. Def a way healthier desert or snack for the kiddies.

Ingredients:

1 and half sticks vegan butter

1 and half cups old fashioned rolled oats

1 cup flour

1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

2 tbsp vanilla protein powder

 1/4 cup natural peanut butter

1/3 cup craisins or raisins

Half cup dark chocolate chips. Or use a packed cup to a cup and a third of your fave mix ins.

1/4 each tsp cinnamon and salt

 1 and a half tsp vanilla

 

 

Directions:

Oven 350. Line a nine inch square baking pan with foil and grease well. Mix all dry ingredients except the mix ins. Set aside. Melt the butter sticks totally, let cool. Then add to the dry ingredients, along with the vanilla.

Add mix ins and combine well. Dough will be moist and crumbly. Pour dough into pan and flatten with fingers. Bake until top is golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes.

Cool completely on a wire rack. Lift the foil onto a work surface when ready. Peel off foil and cut into bars. Grab and go! Makes 18 bars.

Que Sera Quesadilla with Express Lane Guac 🌮🌯

Fine, those are taco and burrito emojis but it's close enough. You have to use the cards you're dealt with🃏.  I looooove making quesadillas for my kids! It's essentially a Mexican version of grilled cheese, so it feels cooler. This is a lovely meal that works for a super fast brunch, lunch, or dinner. Heck, even breakfast if you wake up hungry and are in the mood for some international love. This meal is legit five minutes total. I really enjoy using my griddle, as I've said many times. I must have been a short order cook in a diner in a past life. If you're making these for a few peeps they can assemble their own from different toppings and cheeses, like make your own pizza. You just have to grill and flip. Or you can just make a couple variations without asking your guests (better), and they can all share.

The quesadillas are cut into wedges with a pizza cutter, another fun kitchen tool. A sharp, serrated knife works well too. The wedges serve beautifully and look really professional layered gently on a rustic or white platter. If you're having a casual brunch, two or three quesadilla variations with a soup and a green salad is all you need to both impress and enjoy (you're important too❤️). Hosting should not equate indentured servitude.

Ingredients:

Flour or whole wheat tortillas

Shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese

Can of black/red beans rinsed and drained

Tbsp olive oil, and a pastry brush to brush the oil

Chopped tomatoes,

Sliced, black olives,

Thinly sliced peppers any color

Diced and seeded jalapeño.

These are just topping suggestions, but use whichever you like. For these here I used mozzarella, red peppers, and black beans.

Brush the griddle or large frying pan with a tbsp of oil. Heat well over medium high heat. Place one tortilla down and top with a handful of cheese, spreading out but leaving a two inch border with none. This prevents the cheese oozing out and running away from your meal. 

When the cheese is semi melted add other toppings. Put some more cheese on top, followed my the second tortilla. Brush more oil on top. Let cook until contents are fairly melted together and bottom tortilla is golden brown. Flip and cool another minute or two until both sides are crispy with the insides all melded together. Slide off griddle onto a cutting board. Let cheese set a couple minutes before slicing into wedges.

Now for the fastest guac ever. I've started making this for my girls nightly, and God forbid they like chopped vegetables, so I made this easy, no frills version for them. Double this for more than two people.

One ripe avocado

Half a lime

Half a teaspoon each kosher salt and cumin

Quarter tsp pepper

Slice avocado in half and scoop flesh (so Silence of the Lambs!) into a bowl. Mash. Very thoroughly squeeze the half a lime, getting the max amount of juice. Add seasonings. Mix well. Adjust seasonings to taste. Can add chopped cilantro, flat leaf parsley, tomatoes, and red onion. Squeeze in a siesta at some point and tell Dora the Explorer to go F herself🖕🏼.

Te' Amo, Senorita Blaga

Pretzel chicken

This is a great way to make fried chicken tenders. My fam prefers this to traditional bread crumbs. It's so easy and makes the crispiest cutlets. Kosher peeps who can't mix meat and dairy can use regular pretzels, but those who aren't kosher should def experiment with those delicious flavored pretzels, like honey mustard or garlic Parmesan. I love the Snyder's brand for those. The plain pretzels I use are Bachman's but any salty brand will do. Since you're grinding the crumbs yourself you can play around with your choice of flavor. Don't 🙄 and not grind your crumbs; I promise it's quick and easy. And you'll feel so satisfied at making fresh crumbs. You can make extra in advance and keep in an airtight container for future use. There are other snacks that make great chicken tender crumbs: Terra chips, potato chips, Israeli BBQ twists or falafel bits. It's a fun variation and a sure fire hit with adults and kids alike.

Ingredients:

A pound of white meat chicken tenders

Three beaten eggs

Two cups all purpose flour

A large bag of plain pretzel twists or the snack of your choice (if you only have small snack sized bags just use several).

Directions:

Grind your pretzels in a food processor until crumbs are made. Set aside in a bowl. Put the eggs in one bowl, the flour in another. If using plain pretzels you can season the flour with a tbsp each of garlic powder and paprika. Seasoned flour always has a nice depth to it. Prep the tenders: dip each in four, shake off excess, dip in egg, then cover in crumbs.

Pat the crumbs in well to ensure they stick. Heat vegetable oil in a deep frying pan. There should be enough oil half inch up the sides when you fry (as in more than when you sautée). Frying oil must be very hot. You can test by tossing in a piece of bread.

Fry the chicken until golden brown on both sides. Remove onto paper towels to absorb excess oil. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce or condiments. This is a great party pass around, especially for a group of guys watching a game⚽️🏀🏈⚾️🏉. They'll think you're a genius.

Oh my cod

Lol, I couldn't resist this title😂🐟. At least I can amuse myself while churning out these posts. This excellent fish recipe was very easy and came out so impressive looking. It was legit professional 👏🏻. Delicious Mediterranean flavors here; fresh oregano, kalamata olives, fresh tomatoes, and thick, buttery cod. Baked and served atop wilted arugula, cooked with a touch of balsamic vinegar. This plated wonderfully.

I gave a serving to a cousin in a takeout container, and he wanted to know which restaurant it came from (sup, Josh). The fish stays moist since it's cooked covered, ensuring the perfect texture. If you didn't think you could cook fish perfectly, this recipe will prove you wrong. Go forth and sea what you're capable of, in the kitchen and out.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup kalmata olives chopped

2 tsp capers chopped

2 anchovy fillets chopped

1 garlic clove minced

1 tsp lemon juice

3 TBS olive oil

6 cherry tomatoes

1 TBS chopped oregano 

4 cod fillets

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400.  Spray a 9x13 baking dish.  Then mix anchovies, capers, olives, garlic, lemon juice, oil, and oregano.  Set aside.

Season fish with salt and pepper.  Pour mixture over fish and top with lemon slices.

Cover dish with foil and bake for 15 min.  

Now to prepare the arugla.  You will need:

1 TBS olive oil

2 garlic cloves sliced

8 oz arugula 

1 TBS balsamic vinegar 

1/4 tsp coarse salt 

Directions:

Heat oil in skillet with garlic.  Once fragrant add arugula and stir until wilted and then add vinegar.  Then season with spices.

Place finished cod over arugula and enjoy!