Guest guest Posted December 4, 2004 Report Share Posted December 4, 2004 2 Sides Of The Holidays Well, it appears that we all got through our ThanXgivings, but even before that " holiday " came around, the media was gearing us up for the next event. Xmas outshines them all, but there is Chanukkah, Kwanzaa and the Winter Solstice. No matter what side of the fence you are on about these upcoming December " traditions, " you can find what you are looking for at the discussion lists below. Already I have posted about shopping, recipes, history and politics surrounding this time of the year. If you would like all this information - and, more - come join us! Either way, enjoy whatever it is you 'celebrate' or identify with. ===== Fidyl Live Simply So That Others May Simply Live Yoga-With-Nancy-SoFla/ SignSoFla/ SoFlaVegans/ SoFlaSchools/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 5, 2004 Report Share Posted December 5, 2004 Thank you, Fidyl ;=) But how about a recipe or two??? I know you have lots of tried and true recipes (I personally call them test-driven!) recipes you can offer us LOL Take care - and enjoy the holidays! Do you fast in December too??? Best, Pat ;=) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 6, 2004 Report Share Posted December 6, 2004 , " greenfury2004 " <greenfury2004> wrote: > > Thank you, Fidyl ;=) But how about a recipe or two??? I know you have lots of > tried and true recipes (I personally call them test-driven!) recipes you can offer > us LOL > > Take care - and enjoy the holidays! Do you fast in December too??? > > Best, Pat ;=) = = = = = Latkes & More! Toward a Healthy Chanukah: The Triumph of Quality over Quantity Derek M. Brown http://www.pcrm.org/health/Recipes/chanukah.html Starting soon and lasting for eight days, menorahs will burn brightly in the windows of Jewish homes as a testament to the triumph of a small band of Jewish religious freedom fighters, known as the Maccabes, during the reign of Greek King Antiochus. As legend tells, the Maccabes fought and reclaimed the temple in Jerusalem, which had been captured and occupied by the Greeks. In the temple, the Greeks had defiled almost all of the oil used to light the menorah. Only one ritually pure flask remained, and it was only enough to last for one night. Miraculously , the oil lasted for eight days. The Chanukah celebration does not center around a feast as with other Jewish holidays, although there are traditional foods cooked in oil to symbolize the oil that lasted for eight days. Even so, two messages can be drawn from Chanukah which are applicable to eating and a healthy lifestyle. First, quality matters—not quantity. The Maccabes overcame insurmountable odds to win back the temple not because of their sheer force but the quality of their spirit. Just as one pure flask of oil burned for eight days, so the small band of Maccabes fought with the strength of many soldiers. Similarly, the foods we eat during Chanukah, and hopefully year round, should be quality meals full of nutritious plant-based foods and not meals high in cholesterol and fat. The second lesson Chanukah can teach us is present in the very root of the word Chanukah which means rededication. Chanukah is a time for spiritual rededication and can also be a time for rededication to our health. The following flavorful recipes provide some healthier alternatives to traditionally high-fat dishes. As for the oil, remember its quality not quantity that counts. The following recipes for Broccoli Latkes and Potato Latkes are from The Lowfat Jewish Cookbook by Debra Wasserman published by the Vegetarian Resource Group. Broccoli Latkes (Serves 5) 1 pound broccoli, chopped into small pieces 2 pounds potatoes, scrubbed and cubed into small pieces 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped 3 cups water 1/2 teaspoon celery seed salt and pepper to taste Cook all the ingredients (except the oil) in a large covered pot over medium heat for 20 minutes. Drain mixture. Mash ingredients together. Heat oil in large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Form 10 pancakes. Fry 8 minutes on one side. Flip and fry for another 5 minutes on the other side. Serve warm. Nutrition information per serving: 220 calories, 6.5 g protein, 44 g carbohydrate, 3.3 g fat, 13.5% of calories from fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 33 mg sodium - - - - - - Potato Latkes (Serves 4) 1-1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and grated 1 medium onion, peeled and grated 3 tablespoons cornstarch 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped dash of pepper 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce Mix all the together in a large bowl. Form 3 " patties and fry in a lightly oiled pan over medium heat for 10 minutes. Flip latkes and fry for another 10 minutes until crisp on both sides. Serve warm. Nutrition information per serving: 189 calories, 4 g protein, 44 g carbohydrate, 0.2 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 275 mg sodium ------------------------- The following recipes for Gourmet Applesauce for Latkes and Incredible Spread are from The Jewish Vegetarian Year Cookbook by Roberta Kalechofsky published by Micah Publications. Gourmet Applesauce for Latkes (Serves 8) 6 apples (Cortlands, Granny Smiths, or Macs) water 1/4 cup sugar (or less) lemon juice to taste (optional) Quarter the apples and place in pot with water almost to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce to simmer, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Put through food mill. Add sugar and lemon juice to taste, if needed. Simmer about 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Makes about 4 cups. Nutrition information per serving: 86 calories, 0.2 g protein, 22 g carbohydrate, 0.4 g fat, 4% of calories from fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0.08 mg sodium For less sweet-tasting latkes, umeboshi paste is made from pickled plums and sometimes called ume paste. Incredible Spread (Serves 8) 1 pound firm tofu 1 tablespoon umeboshi paste 1 tablespoon brown rice vinegar 1-1/2 tablespoons oil 3 - 4 large scallions, chopped fine In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, process or pulse tofu for about 20 seconds until just smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients. Store in refrigerator. Also excellent on sandwiches, as a spread, or stuffing for olives, mushrooms, or celery. Makes a nice holiday dip or spread. Nutrition information per serving: 106 calories, 9 g protein, 2.7 g carbohydrate, 7.5 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 175 mg sodium - - - - - - - Holiday Vegetable Latkes Serves 12- Egg- & Dairy-free A takeoff on the popular potato pancake, these luscious latkes bring together various flavorful vegetables sweetened by the Spiced Apple Topping. You can make these ahead, refrigerate and reheat later. 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour 2 Tbs. soy flour or potato starch, optional 2 tsp. baking powder 1 large white potato, peeled and shredded 1 cup peeled and shredded parsnips 1 cup peeled and shredded carrots 1 cup peeled and shredded golden beets or 1 cup peeled and shredded celery root 1 medium-sized yellow onion, very thinly sliced 1 Tbs. minced parsley 1/4 cup soymilk or water 1 tsp. sea salt 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper Vegetable oil for frying 1. In large bowl, combine pastry flour, soy flour, if using, and baking powder. Place shredded vegetables, onion and parsley in bowl, and toss with flour mixture to cover vegetables uniformly. Add soymilk, salt and pepper, and mix thoroughly. 2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Spoon batter by heaping tablespoons into pan, taking care not to overcrowd. Flatten with metal spatula to ensure even cooking. 3. Cook patties on one side until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Turn over with metal spatula and cook other side for 3 more minutes. Remove from heat and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining mixture, and add more oil as needed. Serve hot with Spiced Apple Topping* (recipe below) and vegan sour cream. PER serving: 105 CAL; 3 G PROT; 3 G TOTAL FAT (0 SAT. FAT); 15 G CARB.; 0 MG CHOL; 285 MG SOD.; 3 G FIBER; 3 G SUGAR *Spiced Apple Topping Low-Fat Combine red and green apples for a festive look, but peel off tough skins. 1 Tbs. margarine or vegetable oil 3 apples, cubed, with skins 2 Tbs. applesauce 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg 2 tsp. granulated sugar or 1 Tbs. brown rice syrup Generous pinch sea salt Heat margarine in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add apples and brown. Add remaining ingredients, reduce heat to medium-low and cook with minimal stirring for 4 or 5 minutes. Serve. PER serving: 50 CAL; 0 G PROT; 1 G TOTAL FAT (0 SAT. FAT); 10 G CARB.; 0 MG CHOL; 55 MG SOD.; 2 G FIBER; 8 G SUGAR - - - - - - - Baked Latkes http://www.vegfamily.com/vegan-recipes/appetizers/latkes.htm Ingredients: • 8 medium potatoes (about 3 pounds) • 1/2 pound tofu, drained well • 1 large onion, quartered • 1 clove garlic • 1 teaspoon salt • 1/4 teaspoon pepper • 1 Tablespoon dried parsley • 1/4 cup unbleached flour Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coarsely chop half of the potatoes. Place the chopped potatoes, tofu, onion, and garlic into a food processor and process until well mixed. Transfer to a large bowl. Shred the remaining potatoes, discard excess liquid, and add the shredded potatoes and remaining ingredients to the bowl. Stir until well blended. Spoon the mixture, 1/4 cup per pancake, onto a cookie sheet. Flatten the tops of the pancakes with a pancake turner. Bake for about 15 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Serve hot with applesauce and soy sour cream. Serves 6-8. - - - - - - - Potato Pancakes (Latkes) http://www.fatfree.com/recipes/potatoes/potato-latkes 1.5 C shredded potato (can use frozen " Simply Potato " shreds) 2 T oat flour (or 2 T rolled oats milled into flour) 1/4 C chopped onion (or 4 T dried onion) 1/4 C water pinch salt, fresh ground black pepper Mix flour and water, add onions and potato. Add a bit more water if needed to form thick pancake batter. Fry till golden brown with some darker spots in non-stick pan with a 1/2 second spray of Pam. Serve with applesauce. Makes 4 large pancakes. --- I've had very good results with the plastic bags of frozen Simply Potato, a shredded potato that is the only one I could find without added oil. More costly than shredding your own potato, it saves time and also makes excellent hash browns (add onions, fry in non-stick pan, no oil). Putting a little rolled oats into a blender or coffee mill makes oat flour in a jiffy. No need to go out and buy and store oat flour. - - - - - -- LATKES (Potato Pancakes) Makes about 4 dozen http://www.vegsource.com/hanukkah.htm Fried foods are traditionally eaten on Hanukkah to symbolize the sacred oil of the Maccabean temple. Though fried foods are not generally favored by the health-conscious, it's hard to imagine Hanukkah without them. To make them a healthier treat, fry them in a nonstick Silverstone skillet or griddle with a minimal amount of safflower oil, and drain them well on paper towels before serving. 6 Large potatoes, peeled and finely grated 1 medium onion, finely grated 3 egg substitutes, beaten ½ cup matzo meal salt and freshly ground pepper to taste oil for frying applesauce If grating potatoes in a food processor, run them through the grater twice, otherwise they will be too coarse. Put the grated potatoes in a colander and let drain for 10 minutes, then press down on them with palms to extract excess liquid. Combine in a mixing bowl with the onion, eggs, and matzo meal. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Heat just enough oil to coat the bottom of a large, nonstick skillet. Drop enough potato batter to form 2%- to 3-inch pancakes. Fry on both sides over moderately high heat until golden brown and crisp. Drain briefly on paper towels and place in a covered container to keep warm until serving. Serve warm with applesauce. - - - - - - " CHEESE " BLINTZES WITH BLUEBERRY SAUCE Makes 16 blintzes, 2 per serving Hanukkah desserts, such as jelly donuts, are traditionally deep-fried but since this meal includes fried latkes, it might be prudent to opt for the Jewish classic, cheese blintzes. These, too, are appropriate to this holiday, since cheese delicacies are a typical off offering. Sauce 2 cups frozen blueberries, thawed 1/4 to 1/3 cup light brown sugar, to taste dash lemon juice 2 tablespoons cornstarch Pancake batter 1 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour ½ teaspoon salt 3 egg substitutess, beaten 1 1/4 cups water 1 cup soymilk 2 tablespoons safflower oil Filling 1 ½ pounds soft, well-mashed tofu 3 tablespoons honey, or to taste 1 teaspoon lemon juice ½ teaspoon cinnamon Combine the blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a food processor. Pulse on and off until the blueberries are coarsely chopped. Sprinkle in the cornstarch and pulse on and off a few more times. Transfer the mixture to a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the mixture has thickened. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. The filling may be done ahead of time and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving. Combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. In another bowl, combine the egg substitute with the water, soymilk, and oil. Stir until well blended. Make a well in the flour and pour the wet mixture in. Stir vigorously just until smoothly combined -- don't overbeat. Heat a 6- or 7-inch nonstick skillet. When it is hot enough to make a drop of water sizzle, drop a scant 1/4 cupful of batter in and swirl it around until it coats the skillet. Cook on both sides until golden. Remove to a plate and repeat until the batter is used up. Combine the ingredients for the filling in a small mixing bowl. If the " cheese " seems very dry, add a bit of soy milk to give it a creamier consistency. Divide the mixture among the pancakes and fold as instructed in the accompanying illustration. Serve at room temperature, passing the sauce around for guests to spoon over their blintzes. - - - - - - - - Latkes serves 4: 1 pound potatos 1 large onion 4 1/2 tbs wholewheat flour salt & pepper to taste 4-6 tbs oil or margarine for frying 1. Wash and scrub the potatoes (or peel them if you wish), then coarsely grate them and put them in a mixing bowl. 2. Skin and coarsely grate the onion and add it to the mixing bowl. 3. Add the flour and seasoning and mix thoroughly. 4. Put oil or margarine in a large frying pan then drop the mixture into the pan a tablespoon at a time. Use a spoon or spatula to flatten and shape the spoonfuls into round cake shapes. Fry till golden brown, then turn over and repeat on the other side. Transfer the latkes to a (preferably hot) serving dish as you do them. Serve hot. - - - - - - - Potato pancakes 6-8 servings 8 medium potatoes, quartered 1/2 pound firm or soft tofu, drained well 1 large onion, quartered 1 clove garlic or equivalent powdered 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (optional) 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 3 Tablespoons unbleached flour or matzo meal sunflower or other light oil for frying Place half the potatoes with the tofu, onion, and garlic into the bowl of a food processor and process until creamy but you can still see small lumps. Add the rest of the potatoes and continue processing until the newly-added potatoes reach that creamy/lumpy stage. Pour mixture into a large bowl, and stir in the parsley, seasonings, and flour or matzo meal. Heat a thin layer of oil in large, heavy skillet. When it's hot, spoon the potato mixture into the skillet to form as many pancakes as the pan will hold (maybe four?) using about one-fourth cup of potato mixture for each pancake. Flatten the tops of the pancakes with a pancake turner. Fry for about 5 minutes over medium heat, then turn the pancakes and fry the other side until golden brown. Remove to a plate covered with a paper towel to drain, then serve hot. Variation: > If you do not have a food processor, grate the potatoes, mash the tofu, chop the onions finely, and mince the garlic, then continue as above. - - - - - - - Hoppin' Tofu Latkes Ingredients (use vegan versions): http://vegweb.com/recipes/vegan/5409.shtml • 1 block regular tofu, frozen • 1 cup frozen petite peas • 1 large or 2 small onions, chopped • 1 tablespoon ketchup or vegan BBQ sauce • veg or olive oil for frying • 1 clove of garlic, minced • egg substitute, equivalent of 1 egg* • red or black pepper to taste • tamari or salt to taste • 1 teaspoon chili powder • 1 teaspoon cumin Directions: *I personally use eggs, but this recipe would probably work just fine with a substitute such as 2 T veggie mayo. Good old shredded potatoes might also help hold this together. If you experiment and find something that works well, please post it! This is not a standard latke recipe as far as seasoning goes, but it tastes great--sort of half way between a latke and a veggie burger. For a more traditional latke, leave out the curry and BBQ sauce. RECIPE: Freeze the tofu (at least several hours) and then defrost it either by microwaving it or by thawing it (with the help of hot water, if you like). Crumble and squeeze out the tofu. Warm up the oil over medium heat, and throw in the cumin and chili powder for less than a minute, and then add the chopped onions. Cook till golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and then the tofu. Cook about 5 more minutes, till the tofu starts to brown. Transfer to a bowl and let it cool (clean your pan). Add salt/tamari and pepper, then flour and egg substitute, peas (frozen is fine, BBQ or ketchup, and combine thoroughly. Heat up oil in frying pan. Form the tofu mixture into flattened balls and fry them in the oil, letting each side get brown and crispy. (This can be done in just a little oil, but not oil-free.) Serve right away, or reheat in oven for 5-6 min. when ready to serve. Serves: 2-3 Preparation time: 30 min. - - - - - - - Holiday Vegetable Latkes serves 12 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour 2 Tbs. soy flour or potato starch, optional 2 tsp. baking powder 1 large white potato, peeled and shredded 1 cup peeled and shredded parsnips 1 cup peeled and shredded carrots 1 cup peeled and shredded gold beets or 1 cup peeled and shredded celery root 1 medium sized yellow onion, very thinly sliced 1 Tbs. minced parsley 1/4 cup soymilk or water 1 tsp. sea salt 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper vegetable oil for frying 1. In a large bowl, combine pastry flour, soy flour, if using and baking powder. Place shredded vegetables, onions and parsley in bowl, and toss with flour mixture to cover vegetables uniformly. Add soymilk, salt, and pepper, and mix thoroughly. 2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Spoon batter by heaping tablespoons into pan, taking care not to overcrowd. Flatten with metal spatula to ensure even cooking. 3. Cook patties on one side until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Turn over with metal spatula and cook other side for 3 more minutes. Remove fro heat and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining mixture, and add more oil as needed. Serve hot with Spiced Apple Topping and vegan sour cream. A takeoff on the popular potato pancake, these luscious lakes bring together various flavorful vegetables sweetened by the Spiced Apple Topping. You can make these ahead, refrigerate and reheat later. - - - - - - - Latkas * From " The (Almost) No-Fat Holiday Cookbook " by Bryan Clark Gorgon, The Book Publishing Company, 1995. 9 medium russet potatoes -- peeled and grated 1 large onion -- peeled and grated 3/4 cup whole wheat flour 1/3 cup nutritional yeast 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon white pepper Mix the onion and potato together well in a large bowl. Add the other ingredients and mix well. Cook latkas on a large, heavy non-stick or lightly oiled skillet or on a non-stick, electric pancake griddle. Place 1/4 cup of the potato mixture for each latka onto the preheated griddle or skillet. Flatten into thin pancakes with a spatula. Cover them with lids or foil (or an inverted cookie sheet over the griddle) and cook until the bottoms are golden brown. Flip them over and cook, uncovered, until the second side is golden brown. Serve hot with applesauce and tofu sour cream. - - - - - - - Latkes: Potato and Tofu Fritters Recipe 2 potatoes grated 375g hard tofu grated 1 onion finely diced 1 tsp garam masala (optional) 2 tsp sweet paprika (optional) 1 cup besan (pea flour) olive oil for shallow frying water 1 bunch fresh coriander/parsley chopped Instructions Form ingredients into a mixture. Place olive oil into a solid frying pan and heat. Spoon a tablespoon of the mixture into the oil and cook until golden on each side. Serve with a mango and fruit sauce or chutney. - - - - - -- Vegan Latkes Ingredients 1 lb potatoes, peeled or unpeeled 1 large onion 4 1/2 tbsps whole-wheat flour salt & pepper to taste 4-6 tbsps canola oil Grate the potatioes and place them in a large mixing bowl; squeeze out excess liquid. Do the same with the onion and mix it with the grated spuds. Add the flour, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. In a large non-stick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil. Spoon out the batter into pan, being careful to allow adequate space for the cakes. Cook for a minute and a half on each side. Keep finished pancakes warm in oven all pancakes are fried, and once all are done, bake them in a 450-degree oven for 10 minutes, until they are golden brown. Turn over the latkes and bake them for five additional minutes. As always, serve them, as Spousal Unit puts it, SU-pah hot! And... with TOPPINGS! You can top your pancakes with anything you like or nothing at all. Some suggestions: Butter or margarine (if you are so inclined), applesauce, fruit butters or preserves, ume paste, salsa... - - - - - - Latkes INGREDIENTS 4 idaho/russet potatoes (large - about 1.15 kg / 2 1/2 lb) 1 medium onion 1-2 t sea salt 1/2 t black pepper 3 t tahini 2 t matzoh meal (or wheat germ) Safflower oil METHOD Peel the potatoes. In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, process half coarsely grate the potatoes and onion with a hand grater or food processor. Place in a colander. Set over a large bowl and squeeze out liquid. Pour off the liquid from bowl, leaving the potato starch that has settled to the bottom. Add the potatoes, onions, salt, pepper, tahini and wheat germ. Mix well. Heat about 7 mm / 1/4 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Use a heaping t of batter to form each pancake. Flatten them with the back of a spoon as you add them to the skillet. Pan fry until golden brown, turning once. Add more oil and adjust the heat as needed. Drain on a paper towel before serving. ===== Fidyl Live Simply So That Others May Simply Live Yoga-With-Nancy-SoFla/ SignSoFla/ SoFlaVegans/ SoFlaSchools/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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