Ethiopian Lentil Wot (dip) and Injera

Hello, dear readers! I am reviving the website with two Ethiopian recipes that my 20-year-old son tried over the weekend. After the recipes, I’ll share a short review of a few new products from a company called Yoffi. After high school, my son spent a year volunteering in a town where he interacted with many immigrants from Ethiopia. He’s […]

Spicy Beans with Coriander and Garlic

Remember those black beans I posted about recently? And how I planned to keep a container of beans in the freezer? Well, I defrosted the container in the refrigerator overnight Thursday. On Friday, my vegan son came home, and added beans to the rice and mushrooms he cooked for the Sabbath. He took the leftovers with him for […]

10 Great Reasons to Cook Fresh Black Beans

The kids are back in school, and while the heat hasn’t let up, the smell of routine is in the air. I just finished cooking a pot of black beans, and am enjoying anticipating how I will use them. Beans take a while to prepare, although less than you might think because soaking isn’t strictly necessary. If you’re […]

Review: Vegan Start Passover Cookbook

I’ve been stressing about Passover cooking. My 18-year-old son became vegan a few months ago, and I’m afraid my usual menu plan might leave him hungry. Because of the prohibitions against seeds and legumes (kitniyot) in the Eastern European (Ashkenazi) Jewish Passover tradition, vegan staples like lentils, beans and sesame are off the table. Fortunately, my friend Rena Reich came […]

My Vegan Son Cooks Vanilla-Scented Orange Soup

My son became a vegan just a few weeks ago. After graduating high school last spring, he decided to spend the year volunteering in a town with a low socio-economic population. He and the other teens in his program volunteer during the day, and cook together in the evening. My son helps weak students in a high […]

Lentil and Squash Casserole

Last week, I had to run out suddenly to bring my son somewhere right during dinner preparation hour. Fortunately my teens were home to take over. This recipe can be easily halved, but like most recipes with legumes, it improves on the second or third day so don’t be afraid of leftovers. I first learned […]

Reader Interview: Emily Segal and the Exploding Cake

Please welcome Emily Segal,  a Holistic Nutritionist living in Kfar Saba, Israel. Four years ago, she and her husband made aliyah (immigrated) from New York with her two sons and Labrador retriever. She writes at Triumph Wellness. What do you remember about family meals and your mother’s cooking style when you were growing up? My mother is […]

My Excellent Couscous Adventure

In advance of a food blogger’s night out with author Gil Marks, I leafed through his book The World of Jewish Cooking. The recipe for Couscous with 7 Vegetables caught my eye both because it was vegetarian (optional) and a special Rosh Hoshanah dish. In the end I was under too much pressure before the […]

Mushroom Soup with Tomatoes

Mushroom soup is my all time favorite. This one can be vegetarian or not, and contains only a few flavorful ingredients. Thanks to reader Aviva-Hadas for sharing.   Recipe: Mushroom Soup with Tomatoes Ingredients 2-3 onions, chopped 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or pressed 2-3 tomatoes (preferably fresh), chopped 1/4 cup olive oil Approx. 2 […]

Recipe: Brown Rice with Leeks, Carrots and Black Lentils

Black lentils are a wonderful delicacy introduced to me by Yosefa. One day she also gave me some leeks that needed to be eaten, so I made this recipe loosely based on one in Lorna Sass’s cookbook. Recipe: Brown Rice with Leeks, Carrots and Black Lentils Summary: Pressure cooker vegetarian meal-in-one. Ingredients 1 tablespoon oil […]