"Persian Delicacies: Jewish Foods for Special Occasions" is a beautiful cookbook, but it's more than that. It's an homage to the role food plays in the way we feel about family and home.
Author Angela Cohan welcomed us to her kitchen to talk about the book and share some recipes.
Fall (Autumn) Salad Recipe
This colorful salad is packed with vitamins and minerals. Sunflower seeds are rich in B-complex vitamins, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, calcium, and vitamin E.
Squash is rich in manganese – a mineral that helps boost bone health. It helps the body’s ability to process fats and carbohydrates. Squash is also a great source of vitamin A, vitamin B6, folate, and riboflavin.
INGREDIENTS:
-1 cup red leaf lettuce (or romaine lettuce or arugula)
-1 cup baby spinach (or kale)
-1 avocado, cored, peeled, and sliced
-½ cup cooked and sliced (or cubed) butternut squash
-1 medium or 2 small red beets, cooked, peeled, and sliced
-1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar (or pomegranate molasses)
-2 Tablespoons avocado oil (or olive oil)
-¼ cup shelled sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds (optional)
-Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
1. To make the salad dressing combine the olive oil, pomegranate molasses (or balsamic vinegar), salt, and pepper in a cup or in a Mason jar. Set aside.
2. Arrange the lettuce, spinach, and avocado on salad plates.
3. Arrange the squash and the beets around the greens. Get creative with your design.
4. Shake the Mason jar before dressing the salad. Sprinkle sunflower seeds (optional).
Dolmeh (Stuffed Peppers) Recipe
Dolmeh is traditionally made with grape leaves. However, the process is time-consuming. I have altered the original recipe and used bell peppers and acorn squash instead. I substituted quinoa for rice.
You can use the filling in this recipe or substitute your favorite vegan or vegetarian filling.
INGREDIENTS:
-3 or 4 bell peppers (or 2 acorn squash)
-1⁄4 cup olive oil
-1 cup diced yellow onion
-1⁄2 cup scallions, chopped
-2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped or minced
-1 cup quinoa, cooked
-1⁄2 cup fresh dill, finely chopped
-1⁄2 cup fresh tarragon or parsley, finely chopped
-1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
DIRECTIONS:
1. Cut the top of the bell peppers and remove the seeds and veins.
2. Heat the oil in a skillet or a saucepan. Add onions, scallions, and garlic and cook until soft, about 4 minutes.
3. Add the quinoa, dill, and tarragon and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
4. Spoon the quinoa mixture into the peppers. Place the stuffed peppers on a baking tray or baking dish and bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Top with chopped parsley and cinnamon (optional).
Avocado and Spinach Hummus Recipes
This recipe was a creative invention with the ingredients that I use almost every day.
The spinach and avocados give a rich color and a smooth texture to this staple.
I’ve used this recipe as a pasta sauce as well. It’s a lighter alternative to pesto.
Avocados are packed with vitamins E, K, folate, carotenoids, potassium, lutein, fiber, and monounsaturated fatty acids. Eating avocados can help lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels.
INGREDIENTS:
-1 cup raw (or canned) chickpeas
-2 cups water
-Juice of ½ a lemon
-1 cup baby spinach
-½ of a ripe avocado
-1 small shallot (or a clove of garlic), peeled
-2 Tablespoons olive oil
-2 or 3 sprigs of dill (optional)
-1 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
-½ teaspoon ground pepper
-¼ cup vegetable broth
-½ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
1. If you’re using dry chickpeas, soak them overnight. Drain the chickpeas and cook in 2 cups water on medium-low heat until the chickpeas are soft.
2. In a blender or food processor add all the ingredients and blend until smooth.
3. Serve in a medium bowl.
4. Season to taste and garnish with a sprig of dill or spinach (optional).
Segment Producer Suzie Wiley. Watch New Day Northwest 11 AM weekdays on KING 5 and streaming live on KING5.com. Contact New Day.