Recipes of the Month

March

March is a great month as we welcome Spring. To celebrate the change of weather, I have selected my favorite recipes I am using this month. I hope you will enjoy these fresh, simple and highly nutritious recipes.

Creamy Curry Pumpkin Soup
Oven-poached Lemon Salmon
Rice Pilaf
Tangy Spring Greens
Cucumber Salad in Sesame Seed Dressing
Red Cabbage Salad
Rich Low Fat Chocolatey Brownies

Creamy Curry Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:

Fresh Vegetable or Chicken Stock

2 onions, chopped

whole head of Celery leaves

2 tsp salt, or to taste

1 tsp pepper

Olive oil

5-6 cups of fresh pumpkin pieces

Finely ground curry spices

Freshly ground pepper

Procedure:

In a large soup pot, add all ingredients and bring to a boil; turn down to simmer until pumpkin and other vegetables are completely cooked. Turn off fire and use a soup processor to puree the soup, being careful not to burn yourself from the soup splattering. When ready to serve, bring soup to a boil, and ladle into soup bowls. Sprinkle with finely chopped parsley and a sprinkling of nutmeg. A few drops of unsweeteend cream can be drizzled over the top and swirled with a knife.

Poached Salmon

Ingredients:

2 large Salmon fillet halves

2 lemons, juiced

coarse sea salt

fresh ground pepper

olive oil or butter

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the heavy baking pan or fish poacher with parchment paper to fit the length of the fillets; Carefully lay in one salmon half flesh side up and drizzle the juice of a whole lemon over the fish; cut up the lemons and lay across the salmon. Sprinkle with salt and fresh ground pepper. Dot with butter or drizzle with olive oil. Add the 2nd half of the salmon on top; sprinkle with coarse salt and the juice of 2nd lemon. Cover the fillets with the parchment paper or heavy aluminum foil.

Bake for about 50 minutes or until the fish turns is done, but not over done. Serve with your favorite vegetables and fresh salads.

Syrian Rice Pilaf

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter or olive oil

1 cup very thin egg noodles, broken

2 cups Basmati long grain rice

2 carrots, peeled, chopped in fine squares

1/4 cup frozen peas

4 cups water

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Procedure:

In a large pot, add butter or olive oil and pasta, and cook until browned, turning constantly so the butter and pasta do not burn. Add spices and rice and stir well to coat. Add water to this butter and pasta mixture with the frozen peas and bring to a boil; turn heat down to low and cook for about 14 minutes, according to the rice package instructions.

Turn out into serving bowl and fluff up rice.

Rich Low Fat Chocolately Brownies

Ingredients:

8" Square pan

4 large eggs

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

8 oz melted butter or oil

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 cup cocoa

1/2 cup flour (wholewheat)

1/2 tsp salt

Procedure:

Beat eggs at high speed until fluffy & light yellow. Add both suggars and beat more. Add dry ingredients and mix with wooden spoon to combine.

Bake in preheated oven at 300 degrees for 45 minutes or until done with the toothpick test.

I found this large patch of spring greens in my

neighborhood of Talpiot, south Jerusalem.

Tangy Spring Greens

Ingredients:

1-2 kilos of fresh spring greens (beet, mustard, collard, etc)

2 fresh lemons, washed well, juiced, and cut in half

Salt

3 tablespoons of White wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Fine black pepper to taste, McCormick's Steak Seasoning

Few drizzles of olive oil

Parmesan (optional)

Procedure:

Wash the greens thoroughly in a colander. Cut off ends and tough veins and parts. Put greens in large stock, add sufficient water; add juice of lemons and lemon halves to water; add salt and bring to a boil. Simer greens for about 10-12 minutes or until tender. Drain in colander.

In a serving bowl, add the greens, salt, pepper, spices, vinegar to taste. Toss with olive oil and add parmesean cheese before serving.

Cucumber Salad With Sesame Seed Oil Dressing

Ingredients:

4-5 large cucumbers, washed, sliced thinly diagonally

1/4 red onion, sliced thinly

2 tablespoons finely chopped celery leaves

1 tsp coarse sea salt

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

Few shakes of McCormick's Steak Seasoning (optional)

Basic Mediterranean Olive oil and Lemon Juice Dressing

3-4 drops of concentrated Sesame Seed Oil

Sprinkles of toasted Sesame Seeds

Procedure:

If your cucumber skin is tough, peel them first.

Cut cucumbers thinly on the angle. Slice onion very fine. Mince parsley and celery leaves very fine.

Add dressing and toss ingredients from time to time to mariande the salad until time to serve. Sprinkle on Sesame seeds as you serve.

Basic Mediterranean Olive Oil & Lemon Juice Dressing

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons of Olive oil

1 tablespoon of fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon White Wine Vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar (or substitute)

Salt and pepper to taste

Option:

1/2 clove of finely minced garlic (optional)

1-2 tblsps finely chopped parsley (optional)

Whisk to mix ingredients and serve over salad just before serving.

Red Cabbage Salad

Ingredients:

1 small red cabbage

1/4 onion, sliced thinly

1/4 cup chopped celery and leaves

Basic Mediterranean Olive oil and Lemon Juice Dressing

Procedure:

With a large knife (or processor), slice the red cabbage as thin as possible; put in colander and sprinkle generously with kosher coarse salt. Set a plate and heavy bowl on top and set aside for about 1/2 hour.

Meanwhile, prepare remaining salad ingredients. Rinse the cabbage of the salt and drain thoroughly in a sink being careful of the red water! Toss the cut up vegetables in a large bowl with the cabbage; add the salad dressing and stir occasionally before serving.