This cake. I can’t even be alone in the same room with it. I originally developed this for Clean Eating Magazine’s April 2017 issue and I have been finding excuses to make it for several months now — my daughters coming home for spring break, Jenni Kayne’s Easter brunch, having friends over, going to a potluck. Even though one cake would have been enough for Passover, I made two. This cake changes the grain-free game.
Just taking a wee break from Passover prep and other cooking class-related work to share a recipe I know you will love. Â I taught this Thai Crunch Salad in my classes a few years ago and I still hear from my students that they make it all the time. Â It’s a season-less salad which is appropriate at any time of the year. Â And now that peanuts (which are a legume) are Passover-approved, you can make this salad this week for dinner and put it in the kids’ lunch boxes (or yours) the next day.
I receive a lot of requests for recipes – more entrees, more low-carb, more “kid-friendly” (I don’t like that phrase, by the way), and the most popular, easy. Â The term easy means different things to different people. In my opinion, easy means not complicated, something that a cook of any skill level can successfully prepare. Or perhaps easy implies very few steps. Â But what I have deduced is that most of my students think that easy implies “quick,” as in quick to put together and minimal hands-on time.
My husband, my son and I just came back from a quick, but delightful, weekend in Park City, Utah. My son has 2 (!) weeks off for spring break and my husband and I do not have 2 weeks off LOL. We scooted away for a long weekend and I’m so glad we did.  It’s so important and enjoyable to spend quality time together, especially when it’s outdoors in the fresh air, disconnected from our devices. But I have a very busy week ahead and now it’s back to business. I am starting a new menu in my classes this week and I also have to start preparing for Passover.
I may or may not be posting a new Passover menu and timeline this year, merely because I might just use the same menu I posted 2 years ago. Â Although 2 years ago I hosted both nights and this year I am splitting the holiday with my sister-in-law and we’ll each cook one night. Â She and I both love veering slightly away from tradition and coming up with more modern menus.
Give me all the peasant food. I need nothing fancy to make me happy and satisfied.  A good bean soup or bowl of braised lentils or refried beans is what I crave. I basically could never go Paleo because I can’t give up legumes!  There are many different cultures which use legumes in their cooking – from the Mediterranean and the Middle East to India and Caribbean. Let’s not forget Latin America, South America and North America! Legumes are a nutritious, inexpensive and versatile staple in many kitchens around the globe.  Did you also know beans with black or red color have crazy high amounts of antioxidants?
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!  I am hoping you made something naturally green this morning, like these Green Muffins or Green Pancakes, and rejected green-dyed bagels.  A green juice would be rather appropriate today, as well.  Now let’s move on. 😉 Not only is it St. Patrick’s Day, but it is also a mere few days before the first day of spring, a day of rebirth and nature’s way of starting fresh.
Baking bread, real bread, can be a challenge. Â There’s yeast and proofing and rising and time – lots of time. Â It’s not super practical if you work out of the home with regular 9 to 5 hours. Â Which is why I don’t make bread anymore. Â I used to make challah and round peasant loaves and the occasional cinnamon-raisin bread. Â In fact, I used to bake bread in high school and then in college. Â (Another possible reason my college boyfriend married me.)
