CUCEESPROUTS — Simple, healthy, light and delicious recipes for the health conscious you
Now that the first Seder is just behind us and the Matza supply is on the verge of depletion, it is time to spice things up for the rest of the Passover!
Lets start with Chia Cheese Crisps. 2 endless possibilities.
This is yet another one of those Cucee Originals, like the
(both of which are also Kosher for Passover, by the way.)
An idea of toasting cheese and seeds came to me one Passover afternoon while I was fighting the craving for a grilled cheese sandwich. I took some cheese, sprinkled it over the pan, tossed in some Chia and voilà! Long story short – those delicate cheesy crisps were gone before I knew it. Trust me, if you are planning to make these to share, make sure you have enough cheese and seeds on-hand for at least 10 crisps – otherwise, make them when noone else is looking :/
I now make enough to last my family for days. I serve them
crumbled over a tossed salad
Chia Cheese Crisps
Ingredients
Grated Sharp Cheddar (or experiment with other flavorful grated cheeses, like Parmesan, Montasio, Asiago.) Pre-grated cheeses work better than home-grated
Directions
Heat a small ( or ) nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Have a cookie sheet, lined with paper towels or foil, ready as well
Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of shredded cheese onto a skillet, enough to loosely cover the skillet in a thin layer (not piled high) – this will make the crisps lacy and delicate. Amount of cheese depends on the size of your skillet
Sprinkle 1-2 teaspoons of Chia Seeds over the cheese. You can experiment with the amount of chia seeds
Cook for about a minute, until the cheese turns brown. I like mine REALLY brown while my kids prefer theirs lighter in color
Remove the crisps from the skillet onto the lined cookie sheet. The crisps will crisp up as they cool
Cool for 5 minutes and serve
Note: don’t mix the cheese and seeds together or you will end up with one very crumbly crisp. You want to layer the cheese and seeds, in that exact order
Wine Pairing
These crisps go well with any red wine. Just last night, I enjoyed them with a glass (well, more like half a bottle) of a delightful
We were in the hot and windy desert of Palm Springs when we visited a diner for breakfast. On the menu, there was an unfamiliar specialty item, a German Pancake.
Now here are some facts for you
Fact #1: No news to you, breakfast is still my favorite meal of the day.
Fact #2: I have served anything and everything breakfast-related at least once in my house.
Fact #3: To that day, I have never heard of a German Pancake before.
Of course we ordered THE pancake. And were completely blown away. And no, I am not exaggerating.
Billowing up high like a cloud, impressing the pants out of us and all the neighboring tables, our giant fluffy puffy arrived at the table. It looked like a crater of a volcano, with tall crispy sides and a volcanic custard-like center… A cross between a soufflé and an omelet. It was impressive. It was delicious.
Fact #4: I now serve a version of this pancake weekly.
Fact #5: I even stuffed it with meat once.
Each of us takes our German pancake differently. I like mine “skinny.” My daughter prefers it with a spoonful of homemade berry sauce. My son demands his CHOCOLATY! Very chocolaty! And my friend’s son, well as soon as he smells the pancake in the oven, hyperventilates in excitement, “A German Pancake? I love Cucee’s German Pancake!”
Ok, lets do this. A German Pancake recipe for you, times 3: Cucee’s three most asked for variations:
The Classic German Pancake
If you want drama, this is your recipe! It puffs up really high, and when it settles, you’re left with one deliciously custardy breakfast. Serve it with a dusting of powdered sugar.
Ingredients
2/3 cup milk
3 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon
2 tablespoons
1 tablespoon
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees
Place 2 tbs of butter in a 9-inch baking dish. Place in oven until the butter melts, about 2-4 minutes
Meanwhile, in a blender, combine the milk, eggs, flour, salt, vanilla and sugar until smooth
Remove the pan from the oven, swirling butter to coat the sides
Pour the batter into the pan and immediately return the dish to the oven. Bake until puffed and golden-brown, 18 to 20 minutes
Working quickly, dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve right away
The Skinny German
This is the lightest variation, both in texture and calories. Less flour, less sugar, less drama and lightness all around. This pancake will not puff up as much but will yield a really tender custard. What can I say, a drama-free pancake! Because sometimes you just need LESS DRAMA in your life!
Ingredients
3 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon
2 tablespoons
1 tablespoon
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees
Place 2 tbs of butter in a 9-inch baking dish. Place in oven until the butter melts, about 2-4 minutes
Meanwhile, in a blender, combine the milk, eggs, flour, salt, vanilla and sugar until smooth.
Remove the pan from the oven, swirling butter to coat the sides
Pour the batter into the pan and immediately return the dish to the oven. Bake until puffed and golden-brown, 18 to 20 minutes
Working quickly, dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve right away
The German pancake with Sauteed Apples
This variation on the Classic, plus lots of extra fiber.
Ingredients
2 apples, diced
2/3 cup milk
3 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon
4 tablespoons , divided
6 tbsp , divided
1 teaspoon
Directions
Melt 2 tbs butter in a small frying pan
Add apples and sprinkle with 2 tbs brown sugar and cinnamon. Slowly cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until slices are glazed and tender yet still somewhat firm. Reserve.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450 degrees
Place 2 tbs of butter in a 9-inch baking dish. Place in oven until the butter melts, about 2-4 minutes
Remove the pan from the oven, swirling butter to coat the sides
Sprinkle the pan with 2 tbsp brown sugar over the melted butter
Spread the apples on top of the brown sugar and sprinkle with 2 more tbsp brown sugar. Put the pan back in the oven to caramelize the apples and sugar
Take the pan out of the oven and pour the batter over the apples and immediately return the dish to the oven. Bake until puffed and golden-brown, 18 to 20 minutes
Drink pairing
I take my Skinny German with a cup of
( also known as coffee substitute.) If you read my previous post on
you’d know why. But, really, this stuff is pretty good for what it is, especially when you try to stay away from the caffeine. Try it!
Welcome to my hell.
Lets talk about asthma for a moment. I rescue a kitty and suddenly, BOOM, non-stop cough, tightness in my chest, breathing issues… So I see a doctor, who surprises me with a diagnosis – a case of kitten-induced Asthma.
Full house of inhalers, nose sprays, prescription bottles and I finally breathe normally! Until 6 months later… And then 3 months later again.
2014 arrives with another A but I come prepared! I spray, I inhale, I ingest, I repeat…. For a day, a week, a month… No progress?! I see my Dr again, who now surprises me with a brand new diagnosis – Acid Reflux.
I replace my asthma meds with a new set of shiny red-and-black striped
pills. And go on a diet.
Now about hell.
I do not diet. I just don’t. I love food a little too much. Hence this blog :) I also like coffee. And wine… And my new diet denies me both!
After a week of caffeine withdrawals and headaches, I switched to Chamomile tea (shoot me now for I have been drinking this yellow nothingness for months). But giving up wine
water just isn’t a good substitute in social settings! So once in a while I slip… and sip…. But not more than a glass or I start coughing and puffing.
And after eating tasteless nothingness and feeling sorry for myself for weeks (who wouldn’t when not allowed cooking with fat, citrus, vinegar, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and spicy things), I decide to deal with my hell and start finding and redefining myself again.
This post has been created out of desperation. This recipe was created out of necessity. That later caused inspiration to make delicious food even under strict limitations. And even after I fix my health problems, this and a few other new recipes will stay in my repertoire. Not only ‘till my next outbreak but for also in-between.
Goat Cheese Cherry Quinoa Salad with Almond and Basil Gremolata
Heavily adapted from
I took an already delicious recipe of a light meal to a healthy substantial one I also modified the ingredients to fit my family’s taste. When I make this dish for myself only, I skip the acids. As for the herbs, feel free to replace cilantro with basil or even rosemary – both taste great.
Ingredients
For the cherries
1lb (defrosted, preferably tart)
1 tablespoon cognac
2 teaspoons
1 tablespoon lemon juice
For the gremolata
1/3 cup blanched
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, very finely chopped
cup cilantro
For the salad
6 oz , crumbled into chunks
5 cups arugula (or spinach)
1-1.5 cup , cooked
Directions
Cut cherries in halves. Put into a bowl with all the other ingredients for the cherries, stir, and let stand for 30 minutes or more.
To make the gremolata, toast the almonds in a dry skillet until golden brown. Let them cool. Crush the garlic and cilantro in the mortar with a generous pinch of sea salt until a paste forms, about 2 minutes. Add almonds and crush a bit more. Mix with a spoon and set aside.
For the salad, toss the salad ingredients with the cherries and their macerating juice. Sprinkle with gremolata.
Wine Pairing
Sauvignon Blanc and Goat cheese are always the classic match!
from St. Helena (my backyard) is one of my personal favorites.
“If clouds were made of cheese, and naughty, they’d be gnudi.“ Serious Eats
This year is off to a good start for Cucee! First and foremost, my blog has been redesigned!
Personally, I’ve always liked the design of CuceeSprouts. But ever since the web world went “Mobile First”, my blog started exhibiting early signs of aging. It must be all that pinching and zooming on the phone that contributed to its wrinkles and flabby skin. Cucee was definitely ready for a facelift!
Secondly, I have so many new healthy recipes coming your way this year! I have already photographed 3 and I just cannot wait to share them!
The first recipe of the year is Gnudi. Gnudi are basically nude ravioli, the creamy filling without the pasta wrapper! They are that ultimate winter comfort food that does not leave you feeling guilty later. Light, fluffy, and so tender, they melt in your mouth the moment they reach it.
Sage gnudi
Adapted from
Gnudi ingredients
2.2 lb best-quality ricotta (buy or )
3.5 oz , grated
1 , for grating
, for dusting
The sauce ingredients
Good-quality
1 bunch of fresh sage
1 oz , grated
Directions
Make sure your Ricotta is dry. VERY DRY. If it isn’t, squeeze out as much water as you can. This insures that your gnudi do not explode in the boiling water.
Beat the ricotta, grated Parmesan, a pinch of sea salt, black pepper, and a few scrapings of nutmeg.
Generously cover a large tray with semolina, then roll the ricotta mixture into 1-inch balls, rolling them in the tray of semolina as you go until really well coated.
Leave for 8 hours or overnight in the fridge UNCOVERED – the semolina will dehydrate the ricotta, giving the gnudi a lovely fine coating.
On the day of cooking, start by making the sauce first. Melt a large knob of butter in a frying pan on a medium heat and pick in about 20 sage leaves to crisp up. Remove the crispy leaves to a plate. Leave butter in a pan but turn the heat to the lowest setting.
Boil the water then lower to simmer. Cook gnudi in simmering salted water for not longer than 2 minutes. Test the first batch to get the timing right. Mine take about 2 minutes until they start to fall apart. You basically just want to warm them up.
Scoop the gnudi directly from the water into the frying pan, adding a spoonful of the cooking water. When the butter and water have emulsified, take off the heat and grate over a layer of Parmesan, add just a few drops of lemon juice, then toss together. Serve in warm bowls straight away with an extra grating of nutmeg and Parmesan and the crispy sage leaves.
Wine pairing
Because Gnudi are very delicate, they deserve a wine that won’t overpower them.
This refreshing mild-boded
with palate-cleansing acidity is a perfect match!
I like cooking from recipes, I do! Find a recipe, buy all the ingredients, pour a glass of wine and cook away. However, being a mom of two curious children who want to be a part of every after-school activity imaginable, this way of cooking no longer seems to work for me (most of the time.) So I have been doing a lot more improvising in the kitchen. And liking it :)
Some Cucee experiments never repeat again, while others turn into favorites. One of the more successful ones is my Morning Coffee Bowl.
This breakfast bowl changes frequently. It adapts. It listens: to me, to the season, to the contents of my fridge and the cupboard. Sometimes it starts with Greek yogurt. Sometimes with coconut milk. In the spring, it is all girly: red strawberries and pink raspberries. In the fall, it is colored blueberry-purple. And during holidays, it is all about cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and pumpkins. Sometimes it is chia-seed-speckled. Sometimes it is covered with chocolate nib snow. And on Monday mornings, it is is heavily laced with coffee.
Morning Coffee Bowl
Ingredients
(or more to taste, optional)
(plus more for sprinkles)
Directions
Mix the first 7 ingredients
Gently fold frozen blueberries into the mixture
Sprinkle with sunflower kernels and a little more Instant coffee granules to taste
Coffee pairing
Any. . Period. (Maybe with
on a side)
Everyone has at least ONE vegetable they CANNOT stand. For whichever reason that may be… For some, it’s that “healthy” vegetable they were force- for others, it is the one they’ve overdone on at some point in life!
As for me – that evil cadevil is celery (don’t ask!) For my husband – anything squash or zucchini (big thanks to the lunch ladies at his school cafeteria (aka столовка).
For years, I have been on a hunt for that one summer squash recipe that would be welcomed at our dinner table. Mainly because I really like courgettes. I’ve sauteed, baked and breaded them… I’ve even hid them in dishes like cakes, breads, even smoothies! Nothing worked for my husband. Until now!!!
A simple brothy soup from . Sauteed squash and zucchini, a touch of fresh squeezed lemon juice, some fresh tarragon leaves, a scoop of yogurt. “You do realize it is Summer Squash you are enjoying right now,” I asked my husband?
This soup really is pretty darn special. Refreshing, hydrating, light. Delicate, uncomplicated, delicious. Wonderful when served hot or Gazpacho-style. A soup that feels like summer. That care-free, school-is-out, trips-to-the-lake summer.
So, before the summer is officially over, have a bowl!
Tarragon Lemon Summer Squash Soup
Loosely based on the recipe from
Ingredients
2 medium yellow squash, diced
2 medium green zucchini, diced
4 green onions (scallions), light green and white parts, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon butter or
tablespoon
2 tablespoon fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
2 garlic clove, finely minced
Ground black pepper, to taste
Juice of 1 large lemon
Greek yogurt ( or fat-free)
Tarragon, snipped chives, shredded Parmesan cheese, and croutons, for garnish (optional)
Directions
In a large soup pot, sauté the squash, zucchini and onion in the butter and olive oil until onion is tender, about 7 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic in the last minute or so.
Season with black pepper to taste, add the tarragon, then pour in the broth and lemon juice and stir.
Cover and bring to a simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes until the squash is tender all the way through.
Serve immediately with a generous serving of yogurt (a tablespoon or more depending on how creamy you want the soup to be)
Optionally, garnish with additional tarragon, chives, shredded Parmesan cheese, and croutons, if you like.
Wine pairing
I don’t generally sip wine with soup, however, I did find that starting my meal with a glass of
helped me appreciate the simple flavors of the soup.
The other day, I went out to meet a friend for dinner. Last time we saw each other, I was freshly pregnant with my first. Needless to say it was time for us to catch up. We met at a tiny little Japanese restaurant out in San Francisco, in the Castro. 4 tables. 1 window. A waitress who is also a chef.
We ordered sushi, of course, homemade fresh tofu and their daily special, Walnut Miso Eggplant.
I’ve had Japanese before. I’ve had eggplant before. But never have I had an eggplant prepared like THAT. Anywhere. Of any cuisine.
I left the restaurant, already shuffling ideas in my head on how to recreate the dish. For the next few months, I tried out recipes that seemed probable, digging them out of magazines, cookbooks and websites. Nothing came even close. Either the sauce would taste too overwhelming or the eggplant would feel overly dry. I gave up.
And then, as it always happens when you least expect it, I came across
new cookbook! With yet another interpretation of the same dish. I had eggplants in the house, miso in the fridge and some time to kill. After thirty minutes of kitchen play, a glass of wine, and some background music, my search endeavor was complete. I FOUND MY RECIPE!!!! It was nothing short of perfection: the eggplant came out of the right texture, firm enough to cut with a knife yet so tender it melted in the mouth. The sauce – bold and flavorful, yet complementary, rather than overpowering.
Baked Eggplant with Miso
Adapted from
Ingredients
1 eggplant, cut into
inch slices
1 tsp , for greasing
small bunch of cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp , preferably toasted, to sprinkle (optional)
1 inch fresh root ginger, finely chopped or grated
2 spring onions, sliced
Directions
Preheat the oven to to 400 °F
To make the sauce, mix the miso, mirin and sake together in a large bowl to make a smooth paste. Stir in the ginger and onions.
Add the eggplant slices to the bowl and coat well with the sauce.
with the oil and arrange the eggplant slices on it in a single layer so that they cook evenly. Bake for 20 minutes, or until soft and slightly brown. If the eggplant looks a little dry, add a splash of water.
Serve over quinoa or brown rice, sprinkled with the cilantro, plus the sesame seeds if you want some extra crunch.
Drink Pairing
Don’t get me started on this. Japanese food goes with . Period. IF I am feeling particularly adventurous, I will pour myself some potato
(a Japanese hard liquor, comparable to vodka, that I recently discovered when traveling Japan.)
This cake is like a little black dress: you can dress it up or down. A nice thick slice with a cup ‘o’ tea on a weekday morning. Or a thinner toasted slice, with a dollop of coconut whipped cream and handful of sliced strawberries on a weekend – with a glass of .
Deborah Madison’s Poppy Seed Cake
Adapted from
Ingredients
1/2 cup milk, heated, but not boiling
1 teaspoon
1 teaspoon
3/8 teaspoon
3 eggs, separated
1/2 cup (4 ounces or 113 grams)
2 teaspoon pure
1 cup buttermilk
Directions
In a small mixing bowl, combine the poppy seeds and the hot milk. Set aside until needed. Heat the oven to 375?F. Butter and flour a 9-inch spring form pan. Set aside.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on medium-high until firm but moist peaks form. Transfer the egg whites to a small mixing bowl. Using the same bowl as for the egg whites, but now using the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla, then beat in the egg yolks, adding one at a time and beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, as needed.
Drain the milk from the poppy seeds, discarding the milk. Add the buttermilk and the drained poppy seeds to the batter. Beat until well combined, then again scrape down the sides of the bowl with the rubber spatula. Add the flour mixture to the batter, in thirds. Again scrape the bowl with the rubber spatula, making sure it’s all well mixed. Fold in about a quarter of the beaten egg whites with the spatula, then fold in the rest, mixing gently until just combined.
Transfer the batter into the prepared cake pan, smoothing the top with the rubber spatula. Bake until golden and firm, with the sides just beginning to pull away from the pan, about 40-50 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack. Carefully run a sharp, thin knife along the sides of the cake, just against the pan, then gently remove the rim and allow the cake to cool to room temperature before slicing.
Coffee Pairing
If you are a coffee drinker like me, please do me a favor and have a slice of this cake with a cup of this
I start my day with a hot cup of Peet’s. Every day.
I sip on freshly squeezed lemonade with my kids on the warm summer afternoons. Or bubbly Pellegrino.
I drink red wine (the bolder variety) at dinner on non-gym nights, or with friends on weekends. Sometimes on gym nights as well.
I reach for an Old Fashioned when it is just that “kind of day.”
And cozy up in front of my favorite show when the house goes quiet at night, with a glass of strawberries in minted honey syrup.
Strawberries in Minted Honey Syrup
Adapted from
This syrup is pretty addicting but what is more addicting are the strawberries. Refreshing, mildly sweet, and slightly minty, they taste like a dessert (with none of that guilty feeling). I usually drink the beverage as-is but sometimes I dilute it with a splash of bubbly water.
Ingredients
1 cup water
2 pints organic strawberries
1 small bunch fresh mint (about 6 springs)
Directions
Bring the water to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. Pour in the honey and whisk it into the water until it dissolves fully. Continue simmering over medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the syrup cool to room temperature. You do not want to “cook” the strawberries in hot syrup.
Hull the strawberries, cut them in half, and set them in a bowl. Pluck the leaves off the stems of mint, tear them with your hands and drop them into the bowl with the strawberries. Pour the cooled honey syrup over the strawberries and mint, then cover with bowl and transfer it t the fridge. Allow the berries to marinate for a day, and then serve them with their syrup.
Note: It keeps fresh for up to a week in a refrigerator
My life is full of meringue memories.
Slow Sunday mornings, no school, my favorite childhood TV program on, a plate of freshly baked snow-white vanilla meringues next to whichever fruit is in season. Sheer happiness.
11 years old. My friends crowding over a cassette player I just received from my “American” grandma, listening to the sounds of the forbidden West, snacking on the creme-colored cinnamon meringue.
Passover dinner 2013. My family of four gathered around the holiday table. Wine, tea, strawberries and, of course, crispy meringues.
Black Swan Pavlova
This year tiny crispy meringues have been upsized and fancified to the ethereal and magnificent Pavlova.
The original recipe calls for whipped cream, however you can make this dessert Parve by replacing it with Coconut Whipped Cream or healthy by using creamed bananas instead. See below for these modifications and additional simplifications!
Adapted from
Ingredients
4 egg whites at room temperature
1 cup ready-to-use
or one of the following: homemade dairy, coconut or banana whipped cream
(recipes for the homemade versions below)
1 cup of mixed berries and fruit (ideas: blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, red or black currants, halved cherries, halved grapes). I made mine with strawberries, blueberries and red grapes
4 passion fruit
Directions
Heat the oven to 300F. Add the egg whites to the mixer. Start the machine slowly, increasing the speed as the whites froth. Add the cream of tartar, continuing at the top speed until you have firm peaks. Add the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until mixture is glossy and stiff. Turn the mixer off.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Spread the meringue in a shape you want, with the sides slightly higher than the center. Bake for 30 minutes, reduce to 220F and cook for an hour until crisp and cracked on the outside, half cooked and soft inside. If the meringue starts to brown, turn off the oven and leave it to finish cooking as the oven cools.
Leave to cook in the closed oven. Carefully peel the parchment paper off the meringue and transfer to a serving plate. Spoon cream of ch the meringue may split or crack but that is part of its charm. Tumble the fruit into the middle of the Pavlova and scrape the passion fruit seeds and juice over the top.
Whipped Cream (dairy)
Ingredients
Directions
Place a metal mixing bowl and metal whisk into the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes
Place the sugar into the mixing bowl and add the whipping cream. Whisk just until the cream reaches stiff peaks
Whipped Coconut Cream (parve)
Ingredients
1 can full fat , refrigerated overnight
Directions
Open a can of coconut milk and scoop out the top layer into a mixer bowl
Mix on high speed for 15-20 seconds, just until the mixture turns to liquid
Add the powdered sugar and mix on high speed for 1-2 minutes, until light and creamy
Whipped creamless banana cream (healthy, parve)
Ingredients
2 ripe bananas
Directions
Add bananas and vanilla to the food processor
Puree for about 3 minutes. The bananas should get increasingly smooth and creamy
Lastly, Pavlova and regular Meringue is not that hard to make but if you are scared, check out these tips from . And if you are new to whipping cream, here is a good