Instagram Pinterest

Shabbath

Coconut Brioche with Chocolate Chunks {Easy, Dairy-Free}

Breads & Doughs, Shabbath, Shabuoth /

The day before my last trip, I wanted to make some brioche to take to the airport (When traveling with kids you just have to be creative) but I realized I didn’t have butter or milk as the original recipe call. I thought, why not to substitute those ingredients with coconut milk and coconut oil and make a brioche with coconut flavor? I love coconut so the answer was “Let’s do it!”. Let me show you how how to make Coconut Brioche with Chocolate Chunks.

Want more coconut + chocolate flavor in your life? Check out Vegan Chocolate Ganache Ice Cream & Vegan Chocolate Chunks Cookies

Ingredients & Tools

For this recipe you will need: bread flour, yeast, sugar, salt, coconut milk, coconut oil and some chocolate.

Bread baking is a therapy for me; specially when I knead the dough by hand. But because we are talking about coconut brioche and this dough can be super sticky, you’ll need a stand mixer.

I haven’t made this specific recipe by hand, but as soon as I do I will post an update. Let me know if you do it first!

Bread flour, Yeast & Chocolate

The most important ingredient here is the bread flour. Bread flour is very different from other flours (aka. all purpose, cake flour, etc) because it has a higher protein contain (gluten) which means that once you have mixed the dough, and the fermentation process begins, your dough will be more stable and trap more air, resulting in a better crumb and fluffy bread.

You’ll also need yeast. For this recipe I used instant yeast that is widely available in the supermarket. The difference between “instant” and “dry yeast” is simple: you don’t need to proof instant yeast in warm liquid, you can add it directly to your flour. On the other hand, dry yeast (aka: granulated dry yeast) needs proofing in warm water that helps to activate and dissolve the bigger granules.  Instant yeast is usually also marketed as rapid rise yeast. 

Keep in mind that there is another type of yeast, most commonly used by professional bakers which is called baker’s yeast and this is usually sold in blocks. If by any chance you have baker’s yeast at hand, you can use that, just triple the amount of yeast called in the recipe and, dissolve it in a tiny bit of warm coconut milk, before adding to the dry ingredients.

I personally love dark chocolate (74%) and is what I used for this recipe to balance the little sweetness of the bread, but feel free to use whatever chocolate you like (semi sweet, milk chocolate or even white)

Dry ingredients: Bread flour, sugar, salt & instant yeast.

Liquids: Coconut milk, Eggs & Coconut Oil

For this Coconut Brioche I substitute the milk in the original recipe with coconut milk. Because I wanted a more strong coconut flavor, I also added Unrefined (Extra Virgin) Coconut Oil. I guess you can use the refined version of coconut oil, but in that case I will add some coconut flavoring.

Because fats in the coconut milk tend to solidify when cooled, warm the milk a little in the microwave or stovetop and then cool to room temperature, before adding to your dry ingredients. The same applies to the coconut oil. Weight it and leave at room temperature until has a spreadable consistency. You don’t want the coconut oil to be hard or melted.

Eggs should also be a room temperature.

Liquids in: lukewarm coconut milk and eggs

Mixing & Kneading

Once you start mixing the ingredients you will see the dough foming into a hot mess. Don’t worry. At this point the main goal is to incorporate dry and wet ingredients the best that you can. Make sure to use an spatula to mix in any dry flour that may be at the bottom of the bowl and continue to mix on low speed until there is no big lumps of dry flour.

Add the coconut oil, and knead for 5 to 7 minutes, until you have a silky smooth beautiful dough.

Liquids mixed in, before coconut oil.
Coconut mixed in. Dough ready for bulk fermentation.

Once the coconut oil is mixed in and the dough is kneaded, I added some chocolate chunks but forgot to take the pic. Arrg! Add the chunks and pulse for a few times until the chocolate is incorporated.

Bulk fermentation & Shaping

Transfer this baby dough to a lightly oil bowl, cover in plastic wrap and let it rest for at least one hour, or until is double in size.

Ready to Roll!

The bulk fermentation can also be achieved in the fridge, it will just take a little longer for the dough to double in size; but this comes in handy if you need to go out for an hour or two. I don’t recommend more than that because the dough can suffer and deflate.

Once the bulk fermentation is done, punch the dough and start dividing the dough into your different baking pans.

From this dough I’ve got 1 medium loaf (500 gr) and 22 buns (30 gr)

Once you divide the dough, brush some egg wash and, you can also sprinkle the top with some fine shredded coconut (optional).

Don’t make the same mistake I did of preparing my muffin tin with paper cups because I was out of baking paper. That went so horribly wrong! They stuck to the bottom of the buns and were a complete pain to peel off. Avoid the pain by greasing your pan generously.

Second fermentation & Baking

Your loaf and buns are ready for the final fermentation and then baking.

Cover the pans with a light wet towel and let rest until double in size. As in bulk fermentation, this can vary depending on the weather and your kitchen temperature, but it should be around 1 hour. If so, Once the dough has rested for 40 minutes, turn on the oven to 180°C (350°F) so that it can reach the correct temperature by the time the dough is ready to bake.

The loaf is ready after 30-35 minutes and the buns in 20-25 minutes, or when the top is golden brown and the bread has registered an internal temperature of 85°C-88°C (185°F-190°F).

You did it! You are now ready to devour your homemade Coconut Brioche with Chocolate Chunks!

If you have any question regarding this recipe let us know in the comments section below. We love to hear from you!

Finally, don’t be shy and show your Coconut Brioche with Chocolate Chunks on instagram with the hashtag #sisterblissdiary. If you love this recipe don’t forget to follow on instagram and pinterest to keep up with our lastest recipes, and of course, share with your friends and family! It really means a lot to us!

Happy Baking! ?

 

 

 

 

Coconut Brioche with Chocolate Chunks {Easy, Dairy-Free} Read More »

Classic Hummus with Homemade Tahini {Vegan, GF}

Passover, Recipes, Shabbath, Sides, Sukkoth /

Hey, there lovelies! Today I want to share with you my recipe for classic hummus. Super easy to make, thick and creamy. Will be the perfect match for anything you eat with spread!

Hummus: Simple yet exquisite

Apparently hummus is “the spread” of the century because is everywhere, and of course, there are reasons for that: It is so easy to make, ingredients are easy to find no matter where you live, it is creamy, it is vegan, has no gluten, dairy or added sugars, I mean… if glory has flavor, it will probably be hummus.

When I tried hummus for the first time I was hooked. I loved the creamy, thick and with simple ingredients. I wanted to do it right away, but well, we didn’t have internet back then, and the recipe I found forgot to mention the tahini (sesame paste) so I ended up with chickpeas puree. Still a good, but not hummus.

At that time we didn’t have internet at our fingertips as we do now so I just kept changing my ratios of garlic, oil and lemon hoping that some hummus will came out, but obviously that didn’t work.

I was about to give up on hummus when I was in my college library one day during my free time, which I used to explored every cookbook and culinary art book I could find there, and I saw this eye-catching book with a title I don’t recall. I randomly chose a page and started reading. In a few minutes I read something like this: “Tahini or Tehina, a sesame paste used to make hummus and other middle eastern recipes“, and my eyes lit! I went excited to the supermarket to find this “weird” ingredient, and after a couple of visits I found it!… so crazy expensive for my broken college student pocket so I decided to make my own.

Ingredients & How-to

Tahini (Sesame paste)

This was my first batch of homemade tahini. For this one I used unhulled (whole) sesame seeds which I toasted lightly and then, processed in a blender with some oil (Ratio: 1 cup seeds + 1/4 cup oil). I made hummus with this tahini and it was good. It was a total revelation that I could finally make my own hummus and tahini, but still, the flavor wasn’t right. It was too strong and kind of bitter at the end because of the sesame seeds I used.

After some trial and error I finally made the huge discovery that they are not just the unhulled (whole) sesame seeds, which are very common in DR, but also the hulled version of the sesame seeds that results in a tahini with a lighter flavor and color which is perfect for making classic hummus.

Also, I realized that you don’t really need the extra oil because toasting the seeds will bring out some of the natural oils in them and it will blend smooth with some patience and a good blender. In fact, once your homemade tahini has rested for a few hours, you’ll see the oil separated on top (and now I am thinking, Why I haven’t made sesame oil? Oh, well! lol). If this happens, just mix your tahini well before using.

In case you are freaking out thinking you can’t make your own tahini because you don’t have a Blendtec or Vitamix, freak no more because I made countless tahini batches in a $25 blender for years!, so it is totally possible as long as your blender can process seeds.

Garlic

When I first started making hummus, I used raw garlic, which is fine, but now I do prefer to use roasted garlic because it has a deeper flavor without the sharpness of the raw garlic, that will bring your classic hummus to a whole new level.

As I explained in the Cauliflower Mash post, making roasted garlic is as easy as charring, in an open low flame, a garlic head.

The Rest of the ingredients

For this recipe you will need some lemon juice to bring the flavors together and add some tanginess. And, you will also need chickpeas brine to process the chickpeas. You can use olive oil instead of the brine (aquafaba) but you can save some calories by adding a little bit of olive oil as garnish instead. Finally, you’ll need some spices and herbs to brighten up your plate when serving. My go-to spices for hummus are cumin and paprika plus parsley for garnish.

I think is worth mentioning that to make this delicious classic hummus you don’t really need to take the skin off the chickpeas. I mean, doing that will literally transform making hummus into a labor intensive task. Just be patient and process until you have achieved the desired consistency and the mixture is smooth.

Have homemade thick, creamy, flavorful and hundred times better than store-bought hummus when you want is priceless, and it couldn’t be more easy to do. I love to eat hummus with anything crunchy: toasts, chips and crackers, but also baked potatoes or sweet potatoes, cucumber slices, broccoli or peppers. The choice is yours!

Do you love hummus? What do you eat it with? Let us know in the comments section below! Also, don’t be shy and follow on  instagram and pinterest and tag us with the hashtag #kasheribbean so we can delight our eyes with your versions of this humble but exquisite middle eastern spread.

If you love this recipe and other recipes from the blog, spread the love by sharing with your friends and family! It really means a lot to us!

Happy cooking! ?

Classic Hummus with Homemade Tahini {Vegan, GF} Read More »

Bulgur Pilaf

Recipes, Shabbath, Sides, Sukkoth /

Today we are sharing with you another exciting, colorful, super easy and yummy side: Bulgur Pilaf. Full of veggies and colors, with a combo of spices that is “oh-so-yum!”. Let me show you how it is made…

Despite the simple ingredients this Bulgur Pilaf is very flavorful and colorful dish. Caramelized onions, chickpeas, mushrooms and other veggies play together to give you the perfect balance between color and flavor. Click here to grab the recipe!

The basics

Despite the simple ingredients this Bulgur Pilaf is very flavorful and colorful dish.

The parsley gives it a lemony and sharp tone, while the sweet paprika provides deep flavor.

The almost caramelized onions bring some sweetness to this dish while the chickpeas and mushrooms add texture, some creaminess and the bite. I am salivating!

Despite the simple ingredients this Bulgur Pilaf is very flavorful and colorful dish. Caramelized onions, chickpeas, mushrooms and other veggies play together to give you the perfect balance between color and flavor. Click here to grab the recipe!

How to make bulgur pilaf

To make this Bulgur Pilaf start by sauteing the mushrooms on medium-high with a bit of neutral oil (you can skip the oil entirely if you prefer oil-free, just cook with a tiny bit of water), some salt and pepper until they were completely cooked and brown in color.

Remove mushrooms from the pan and saute onions until golden brown, add bell peppers and continue to cook until onions are darker in color and the bell peppers get some charred spots.

Take veggies out, add the spices to the pan, chickpeas, raw bulgur and boiling water (1:1 ratio bulgur to water or follow the directions on the packaging). Cover with a lid and cook on the lower heat until all the water is absorbed, then go ahead and fluff with a fork.

Despite the simple ingredients this Bulgur Pilaf is very flavorful and colorful dish. Caramelized onions, chickpeas, mushrooms and other veggies play together to give you the perfect balance between color and flavor. Click here to grab the recipe!

Developing flavors

In case you are wondering, there is a reason why I cook some ingredients in the pan and then remove: I want to create layers of flavor without overcooking my veggies. When you finish cooking the bulgur you want the veggies to still hold some texture and bite (Nobody likes mushy veggies!)

When the bulgur is nice and fluffy add in the cooked veggies (peppers, onions, mushrooms) and chopped parsley.

Because I made this Bulgur Pilaf with very fine bulgur, it really cooks in a blink! Literally 3 minutes and you have a beautiful pilaf! So, if it happens that you have some veggies leftovers and some uncooked bulgur you can throw this yummy dish in a matter of a few minutes.

Looking for other sides recipes? Check out Dominican Style Spicy Rice with Sardines & the Barley, Chickpeas and Roasted Beets Salad

Despite the simple ingredients this Bulgur Pilaf is very flavorful and colorful dish. Caramelized onions, chickpeas, mushrooms and other veggies play together to give you the perfect balance between color and flavor. Click here to grab the recipe!

Despite the simple ingredients this Bulgur Pilaf is very flavorful and colorful dish. Caramelized onions, chickpeas, mushrooms and other veggies play together to give you the perfect balance between color and flavor. Click here to grab the recipe!

Despite the simple ingredients this Bulgur Pilaf is very flavorful and colorful dish. Caramelized onions, chickpeas, mushrooms and other veggies play together to give you the perfect balance between color and flavor. Click here to grab the recipe!

What other ingredients would you add to your bulgur pilaf? Let us know in the comments section below! And don’t forget to follow on  instagram and pinterest and show off your pilaf version with the hashtag #kasheribbean.

If you love this recipe we appreciate you share with your friends and family! It really means a lot to us!

Happy cooking! ?

 

Bulgur Pilaf Read More »

Babaganoush: Roasted Eggplants Dip {Vegan, Gluten Free}

Passover, Recipes, Shabbath, Sides /

Easy Roasted Eggplant Dip {Vegan, Gluten-Free}

Babaganoush, also known as baba ghanouj or mutabal, is a popular Middle Eastern dip made from roasted eggplants. It’s often eaten alongside with hummus, salads, like tabouleh or roasted beets salad and pita bread; but with a distinct smoky flavor is also a perfect accompaniment to raw vegetables grilled meats or fish.

Babaganoush is traditionally make with greek yogurt. To keep it setamí (parve) mayo is added instead. In this case I used vegan mayo, but you can go with regular mayo or greek yogurt if not vegan. Babaganoush is also often garnished with herbs, like parsley, pomegranate seeds, nuts and a drizzle of olive oil for extra flavor and visual appeal.

How to choose eggplants

Choosing an eggplant with fewer seeds results in a better texture and flavor for your eggplant dishes, and specially Babaganoush, so here are some tips for selecting the best eggplants:

  1. Look for younger eggplants: a younger eggplant has fewer seeds. You can spot them easily because they tend to be smaller, with smoother, shinier skin and have a green stem. Eggplants should have a uniform color and have no blemishes or wrinkles; if it has it’s probably overripe and have more seeds.

  2. Check the weight: Choose an eggplant that feels heavy for its size. An eggplant that feels light for its size may have more seeds and less flesh.

  3. Look for a rounded bottom: Choose an eggplant that has a rounded bottom, rather than a pointed one, which tend to have more seeds.

  4. Squeeze gently: When you gently squeeze the eggplant it must be firm to the touch, but not too hard. If it feels soft or spongy, it may be overripe.

By following these tips, you can choose an eggplant with fewer seeds, which can result in a better texture and flavor.

How to Roast Eggplants

To make babaganoush, you’ll need to start by roasting three or four medium-sized eggplants, until they are tender and all charred on the outside. It’s important that they are charred all the way through since this is what imparts the characteristic flavor of the babaganoush. 

If what you have is an electric stove, you can roast the eggplants on a grill at the highest temperature possible, or in the oven using the broiler option. 

Once the eggplants are roasted, let them cool for a few minutes, then peel off and discard the skin. Then, remove the seeds, chop the eggplant flesh and transfer it to a hot skillet to remove excess moisture. 

How to make my Babaganoush less watery

Eggplants have a high water content, which makes them a great addition to dishes where you need to add moisture and a creamy texture, like pastas and even stews. However, it can water-down the flavor of our babaganoush and give it a soupy consistency after a while. To avoid this, it’s important to dry out as much liquid as possible from the roasted  eggplants before making our dip, so the end result is thick and creamy instead of watery.  

Another way you can remove excess moisture is by draining the roasted eggplants in a colander, and press a couple of times with a spoon for the liquid to drain. 

Babaganoush: Roasted Eggplant Dip {Vegan, Gluten-Free}

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Appetizer, Salad

Ingredients
  

  • 500 gr Eggplants (about 3-4 medium, roasted)
  • 3 Garlic cloves roasted
  • 2 Tbsp Tahini
  • 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 Tbsp Vegan mayo (can use regular or greek yogurt if not vegan)
  • 1/4 tsp Cumin
  • Juice of half a lemon or lime
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

To Serve:

  • Fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • Pomegranate seeds
  • Pine nuts toasted

Instructions
 

  • Roast the eggplants over the flame top, turning regularly until is completely charred and cooked through. Transfer to a plate to cool down.
  • Peel the skin off, remove the seeds and chop the eggplants
  • Add the eggplants to a skillet and cook on medium high to remove excess moisture.
  • Add roasted eggplants to a bowl and mix in the remaining ingredients. You can always adjust to your taste.
  • Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and some fresh parsley. Enjoy!
Keyword dip, eggplant, Gluten-free, salad, vegan

Have you made Babaganoush already? Use the tag #kasheribbean to share your photos on social media and, don’t forget to follow on instagram and pinterest for more easy recipes and and inspiration!

Babaganoush: Roasted Eggplants Dip {Vegan, Gluten Free} Read More »

Vegan Challah

Breads & Doughs, Shabbath /

Have you ever wanted to make Challah and then realized you are out of eggs? No need to go last minute shopping anymore thanks to this easy Vegan Challah.

Making bread at home

Bread is made with 4 basic ingredients: Flour, water, yeast and salt; so essentially “bread” has been made vegan for generations.

If you are allergic to eggs or, you just ran out of eggs at 10 pm, right before starting baking; don’t worry, you have come to the right place.

The recipe I use was originally created by Rachel Orenstein Packer. In her recipe she uses a combination of oil, water and baking powder which she mixes separately to create an egg replacement (so the original recipe calls for 2 amounts of water and 2 amounts of oil).

I wanted to make this easier for me so I mixed together my dry ingredients (flour, yeast, sugar and salt) and, in another container, all the liquids plus baking powder, and after making it both ways, I honestly don’t see a difference.

Kneading by hand or not?

I like to knead my dough by hand because this is how I learned and it is so therapeutic!! so this is how I made this Vegan Challah initially, but you can use an stand mixer if you prefer.

When using a stand mixer, adjust the kneading time and speed as it is easier to overheat or overwork the dough using one. To avoid any issues with the quality of your bread, and to avoid burning your stand mixer, knead at low speed.

What you are looking for when kneading, either by hand or stand mixer is to have a stretchy and smooth dough.

Note on the ingredients

I converted the original recipe in grams in order to achieve consistent results, so for this recipe you obviously will need a digital scale. I know it can sound a little tedious at the beginning, but honestly is the best you can do, specially when baking. (For the recipe in cups, visit here)


Make sure you buy bread flour when making a bread recipe, It has a higher protein content (gluten) and will result on a more elastic dough and better final product.

Also make sure the yeast you are using is fresh. For this recipe I use instant yeast for convenience, but if you are using fresh baker’s yeast (the one that comes in blocks), you’ll need to double or triple the amount. (to be safe I will double the yeast and increase the time for fermentation).

When adding the yeast to the dry ingredients make sure you add the salt far away from the yeast so that it doesn’t make direct contact because the salt kill the yeast.

To add the seeds to the top, I just dip the top in a little bit of water and then dip in a bowl with seeds/seed mixture. You can also just brush the top with maple syrup if you like the flavor and want the shine, but this is not necessary.

A dough in the making

Once you poured wet ingredients into the dry, start mixing with a fork and then, continue to mix with your hands, still in the bowl, until the dough comes together (See picture below)

Once this point have being achieved, transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. As you can see in the picture below, the dough looks messy and a bit crumbly, so you will knead unto the point where you see the dough is smooth and elastic. This will take about 10 minutes.

When transferring to your work surface, don’t go crazy about the flour or you will dry out the dough. I find 2 Tbsp is enough. Knead the dough for 10 minutes straight and when time is over, place it on a bowl lightly coated with oil and let the dough rest for and hour or until is doubled in size. Time here will depend on the temperature and humidity of your kitchen. If in one hour or so, the dough hasn’t rise enough, the place might be too cold or the yeast might be old.

If the place is too cold, alternatively you can place your dough in a warm oven with warm water inside (just turn on your oven to warm it up a little bit). Turn off the oven before placing your dough inside and let your dough rest until doubled in size.

Once the dough has finished its first rise (also called “bulk fermentation”), punch it down and start portioning and shaping the dough.

Portioning & Shaping

The final dough should be 1900 grams or so. I made 6 spiral round challahs, each weighing 110grs. With the remaining dough I made buns/rolls (usually these weigh between 20-30 grams and you’ll get 18 to 20).

Dip the top of your challah in a bowl of water and inmediately dip in your favorite seed or seeds mixture (for these ones I used pumpkin and sesame seeds). Place your shaped challah or buns in a baking sheet lined with baking paper and let rest for a second time, to achieve the second rise (another hour or so, or until doubled in sized).

15 or 20 minutes before the second fermentation is over, start preheating your oven to 180ºC (350ºF).


Baking

Once your Vegan Challah is ready to be baked, place it in your preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes for the spiral round mini challoth or 20-25 the smaller buns. Baking time will vary if your oven lies to you.

Get the bread out of the oven, and transfer immediately to a cooling rack (if you can actually wait for them to cool down, lol, because they are so good straight out of the oven!!)

Ta-Da! You officially made handmade Vegan Challah! 😀 😀 Good job! Tap yourself on the back and enjoy yourself (and your homemade Vegan Challah!) for this accomplishment 🙂

If you have any question regarding this recipe let us know in the comments section below. Also, if you make changes, we want to hear from you! We love experiments!

Also, don’t be shy and show us your challoth and buns on instagram with the hashtag #kasheribbean. If you love this recipe don’t forget to follow on instagram and pinterest and share with your friends and family! It really means a lot to us!

Happy Baking! 😉

Vegan Challah Read More »

roasted beets salad

Roasted Beets Salad

Passover, Recipes, Salads, Shabbath /

Easy Roasted Beets Salad {Vegan, Gluten-Free}

roasted beets salad

Beets are a root vegetable often overlooked in the produce aisle, but they are actually very nutritious and a versatile addition to any diet. They come in a variety of colors and can be cooked in a variety of ways. Roasting is a popular method of cooking beets, because it brings out their natural sweetness, makes them tender without losing texture and enhances their earthy flavor.

This Roasted Beets Salad combines the sweetness of roasted beets with the warm and earthy flavor of cumin, creating a tasty and nutritious dish that is sure to impress.

Cumin: the perfect complement to Roasted Beets Salad

We complement this Roasted Beets Salad with the addition of cumin, which is known for its distinctive aroma and warm, earthy flavor. 

In order to bring out the cumin flavor is important to lightly heat it up in your skillet for a few seconds and then continue with the recipe. 

How to roast beets

To roast beets, start by washing them really well with a brush. Then, if they are all similar size, you can go ahead and roast them whole, in which case peeling is not necessary. 

Alternatively, you can cut the beets into evenly sized pieces, about 1-inch cubes or wedges, toss in a bowl with a little bit of olive oil and salt, coat them evenly, and spread them out on a baking sheet.

Roast the beets in a preheated oven at 400°F for about 30-40 minutes, or until they are tender and caramelized. You can check for doneness by inserting a fork or knife into the thickest part of the beet – if it slides in easily, the beets are ready.

roasted beets salad

Roasted Beets Salad {Vegan, Gluten-Free}

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Salad, Side Dish

Ingredients
  

  • 400 gr Beets (roasted, cut into cubes)
  • 100 gr White or yellow onions (cut in julienne)
  • 50 gr Fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1.5 tsp Cumin powder
  • Salt & Pepper to taste
  • Fresh Parsley, chopped for garnish (optional)

Instructions
 

  • To roast your beets, wrap each one in aluminium foil (cut them in half if they are too big) and roast for about 40 minutes to 1 hour at 200°C (about 400°F) or until they are cooked through. Let cool to room temperature, peel and dice.
  • In a frying pan, add the cumin and heat it up on low for a few seconds to bring out the flavor.
  • To the frying pan, add the olive oil and the onions and cook until they are translucent.
  • Add the beets and the parsley and cook for about 3 minutes.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste (just a pinch might be enough since the beets are already very flavorful). Mix everything thoroughly.
  • The beets are done. Turn off the heat and garnish with some more chopped fresh parsley.
  • You can serve this salad warm or cold. Enjoy!
Keyword beets, salad, vegan

Have you make this Roasted Beets Salad or any other from the blog? Use the tag #kasheribbean to share on social media and, don’t forget to follow on instagram and pinterest to keep up with our easy recipes from us and the blogosphere!

 

Roasted Beets Salad Read More »

How to Make Tabouleh {Parsley & Bulgur Salad}

Recipes, Salads, Shabbath, Sukkoth /

Despite the cold weather and my love for soup, on Wednesday I was craving something more vivid, crunchy and tangy so I decided to make Tabouleh or Tabuli for lunch instead.

This vegan salad is one of my favorites so far because:

It has a lot of flavor. All that chopped parsley just take this salad to the next level.

Uses a few ingredients. I LOVE those recipes that take few ingredients I usually have around the house, and I am sure you are the same.

It is very satisfying. Some people may think a salad is just “water” (meaning like you will be hungry five minutes after eating) BUT this is a really satisfying lunch or dinner (or even breakfast! Why not?). So satisfying you won’t worry about food for a long time.

It is extremely easy to make. If you can move your arms and use a knife, you are all set.

Even if you don’t normally like salads, you are going to love this one. This easy and refreshing salad is perfect for those who are trying to incorporate more veggies in their diets. Believe me, you can eat the whole bowl and dont even notice ? plus, you won’t feel guilty at all!

 

 

So easy and good looking, right? This should be enough reason to eat salad everyday.

Tell us, do you also crave salad in winter? Which one is your favorite? Let us know in the comment section below or head over instagram or Pinterest.

Until next time!

How to Make Tabouleh {Parsley & Bulgur Salad} Read More »

10 Mouth-watering Main Dishes to activate your taste buds next Shabbath {Hint: They are all vegan!}

2 Comments / Holidays, Shabbath /

Shabbath is one of those days I feel running up and down since the minute I open my eyes. But at the same time, it is the most wonderful day! Receiving the Sabbath almost feels like when you go to the forest and get fresh air. You feel relieved; like all the hard work of the week was well worth it and now you can disconnect yourself from the worries and connect to Hashem. Also, it is also a day when I can please my taste buds! 🙃 Oh, yes! It is a great occasion to try new exotic recipes! (Yum!) 😋😬 like these 10 Mouth Watering Main Dishes for your Shabbath Table that are all vegan!! (You’re welcome!) 😃

1. Southern-Style Smoky Meatless Meatloaf

This recipe is so magnificent because it combines the creaminess of chickpeas and black beans and the texture of oats with the characteristic liquid smoke and bbq flavor of southern food. Oh yum!

2. Crispy Chickpeas Cutlets with Mushrooms Gravy

This recipe reminds me so well why I love chickpeas! It is essentially a breaded chickpeas patty, very easy to make and it is also  gluten free. Just double the recipe when you make these. Thank me later 😉

3. Vegan Steak (No Seitan)

A genius recipe for all of those who are vegan and also gluten intolerant. You can watch the video on how to make this vegan steak here

4. Chickpeas Roulade with Spinach & Pinenuts Stuffing

Did you know you can make roulade with chickpeas? If you like chickpeas as much as I do, you’ll love this recipe.

5. Our Ultimate Vegan Meatballs

This recipe has become a staple in my house. They are extremely easy to make and has the perfect texture and umami flavor thanks to the mushrooms and spices. You won’t need meat in your meatballs after trying this one!

6. Sweet Potato & White Bean Chili

White Beans + Sweet potatoes! Can you start to imagine how delicious this is?! It is awesome!

If you don’t have white beans or fava beans don’t worry… Here is another version using chickpeas instead

7. BBQ-Flavored White Beans with Sausage and Spinach

This is like an English breakfast prepared in one pot and all vegan!! 😋 Don’t worry if you don’t find Tofuty or vegan sausages on the supermarket. You can learn how to make your own here

8. Tofu with Balsamic Roasted Veggies

At first, tofu for me was really bland and boring, but what I learned to love about Tofu is that it takes flavors really well, specially if you marinate with balsamic vinegar like in this recipe.

9. Vegan Shepherd’s Pie

This Shepherd’s pie is the best that I’ve tried so far! Period.

10. Greek Style Vegan Roast “Lamb”

And, finally, one recipe with the king of ingredients when talking about vegan protein, wheat gluten. I haven’t tried this recipe yet but I’ll leave it here for the record. It looks totally yummy and I am convinced it taste amazing with that combo of tahini and miso.

And…this is it! Awesome, right?!

Hope you enjoyed these 10 Mouth Watering Main Dishes and try a couple next shabbath (or for any occasion really!)

Which one are you trying first? (Hard to pick one? We are sure of it!) Let us know in the comments section below or head over Instagram and Pinterest and let us know right there. We love to hear from you! 

Have a nice day and week ahead! 

Until next time! 

10 Mouth-watering Main Dishes to activate your taste buds next Shabbath {Hint: They are all vegan!} Read More »

The Ultimate Vegan Meatballs {Vegan, Gluten Free}

Recipes, Shabbath, Sides, Sukkoth /

The Ultimate Vegan Meatballs {Vegan, Gluten-Free}

  • Last Modified: September 20, 2024

Hi, everyone! I am very excited today to finally share with you this recipe for vegan meatballs. I have taken some time perfecting it to get it right, and I hope you enjoy as much as I do. These are The Ultimate Vegan Meatballs.

How the Ultimate Vegan Meatballs came about...

The Ultimate Vegan Meatballs were born a couple of weeks ago while I was cooking a whole bunch of mushrooms for lunch but once they were cooked they were so little! The disappointment was real! Those mushroom filled the pan and when cooked were just a few grams! I needed to act quickly and finish lunch so I thought: Why not make some meatballs? Yes! Of course!

I processed the mushrooms with some oats, more spices, a bit of water and so on until I had the consistency I wanted. Then I finished cooking in tomato sauce. They were good in terms of flavor, but way too dense, so I had to make them again correcting the amounts but I was out of mushrooms, so the recipe had to wait.

Next day was friday. I was cooking chicken for Shabbath but, who says you cannot make chicken and vegan meatballs? I made up my mind to take advantage of the momentum, so I weighed my ingredients, took some notes and pictures, cooked and reserved the meatballs, that were going to be served for dinner.

We had guests for shabbath and I was mortified. I just was praying the meatballs were at least edible. But, well, if they were not that good, at least I could have some feedback to perfect this recipe and write it on the blog.

The time to eat came and I remember when one of the kids wanted to try the meatballs. They honestly looked like their meaty cousins so much but to avoid any confusion, I told him straight away the meatballs were vegan. He tried it and immediately his eyes opened up!

When he asked for more I realized they were happy open eyes, those that happen when you try something delicious! At this point, everyone started eating the meatballs and I was receiving positive feedback. I was very happy when a vegan guest told me she wanted the recipe for making them like everyday 🙂 That moment I knew they were not only edible, but certainly good. Even my picky husband liked them!

In the week that followed I probably made this recipe every other day, just to make sure the recipe was on point, and now it is just turn to try them. I really really hope you like them.

How to make the Ultimate Vegan Meatballs

The main ingredients in the Ultimate Vegan Meatballs is Mushrooms. Since they can come quite dirty, you’ll start by soaking the mushrooms in cold water for a few minutes, and then finish cleaning with a paper towel or a soft brush to remove any soil, before continuing with the next steps which include removing the excess moisture, mix all ingredients with the help of a food processor, fry or bake and finish cooking in the sauce. 

UPDATE: You can totally make this recipe OIL-FREE by skipping the oil entirely and baking these vegan meatballs instead. 

When first cooking the mushrooms we want most of the liquid to evaporate. This step is important. Our second most important ingredient, 100% Whole Grain Oats will benefit from some moisture, but if the mushrooms are too moist and you end up adding more oats than recommended (which you totally can) the texture won’t be as desired and meaty as intended. 

Once in the food processor make sure you chop the mushrooms enough but not too much.  You still want little pieces of mushrooms in there for texture. 

Now, the second part of the recipe includes transferring this concoction to a bowl and mix in whole grain oats and water. And you might be thinking “didn’t we just remove the water while cooking the mushrooms? Why are we then adding water back?”. Well, there’s two reasons for this: 

  1. The cooking of the mushrooms with the spices gives a better texture and flavor to the recipe than just adding them raw with the spices. 

  2. Adding the needed water (or liquid) in this second phase of the recipe gives you more control, because you know exactly how much liquid is getting into it, instead of just eyeballing every time the amount of water vs. oats that you need, which can be frustrating and lead to different results every time.

Shaping and Cooking

To shape the vegan meatballs it helps to wet your hands a bit before shaping each meatballs as the oats they contains get very sticky.
 
To cook you can either fry or bake.
 

IF FRYING: make sure the oil is well heated before you start, or the meatballs can lose the shape. Fry until hey are golden brown on both sides, and transfer to paper towel to drain the excess oil.

Fried Vegan Meatballs
Baked Vegan Meatballs

IF BAKING: Make sure you use a silicone mat or baking paper to line the baking tray. Using just oil or butter won’t work (I’ve tried). Bake them for about 30 minutes or until you see they are firm to the touch, thoroughly cooked and with a nice brown color. Get them out of the oven and let them cool down a bit before you attempt to take them off the silicone mat or the parchment so they don’t break. Once they cool down, they should peel off esily from the baking paper.

If they are not peeling easily is because they are still a bit too wet. Stick the tray for a few more minutes in the oven and then remove them from the baking tray.

You can finish The Ultimate Vegan Meatballs by cooking them in your preferred tomato sauce (Check out our Sweet Potato & Tomato Pasta Sauce) for 5 minutes or so, on low heat. This last step is important to give the meatballs a meaty texture. 

Serve them with regular pasta, or try them over zucchini noodles! Delicious! 🙂

The Ultimate Vegan Meatballs

Mushrooms and oats based vegan meatballs perfect for your pasta dishes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 450 gr Portobelo Mushrooms
  • 200 gr 100% Whole Grain Oats
  • 180 ml Water
  • 1/4 Cup Dried Oregano (It's not a typo, it's 1/4 Cup of dried Oregano)
  • 3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1.5 Tbsp Sweet Paprika
  • 1.5 tsp Salt I use Himalayan or Sea salt
  • 1 tsp Garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp Turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp Ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp Ground black pepper
  • Pinch Nutmeg

Instructions
 

  • Clean mushrooms by soaking in cold water for a few minutes, then rubbing gently paper towel or soft brush. Roughly chop.
  • Heat your pan on medium-high heat. Add the oil (you can skip to make oil-free if you prefer), mushrooms and seasonings. Cook until there is no excess water left and the mushrooms are cooked through.
  • Process with a food processor, add oregano and pulse to a rough paste.
  • Transfer the mixture into a bowl and add oats and water. Mix well.
  • Let the mixture rest in the fridge for 5-10 minutes so the oats absorb the liquid and bind everything together.
  • Shape with wet hands and fry (or bake for about 30 minutes in a parchment lined baking tray) until browned and completely cooked through.
  • Finish cooking in your preferred tomato sauce for 5 minutes or so, on low heat for the perfect melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Keyword dinner, vegan

Have you make the Ultimate Vegan Meatballs already? Use the tag #kasheribbean to share your pictures on social media and don’t forget to follow on instagram and pinterest for more easy recipes! 

The Ultimate Vegan Meatballs {Vegan, Gluten Free} Read More »