Tag Archives: recipes

These 4 flavor-packed recipes will cozy up your fall season

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The summer sun may still be bringing the heat, but those of us who love the crisp, cool days of autumn, fall can’t come soon enough.

The fall season invokes images of flannels, pumpkin spice, apple picking, hay rides and just an overall feeling of “coziness.” We seek out warmth and comfort in everything around us, especially our food.

Fall is a wonderful time for trying new recipes and for sharing meals with family and friends. This post includes four recipes that would make a great addition to any meal. They all are vegetarian friendly and can be adjusted to fit gluten-free and other dietary needs.

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PJ Library makes celebrating Passover easy, meaningful and fun

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In addition to running this blog and related social media channels, I run an Instagram account and Clubhouse club called, “Raising Jews.”

In our most recent discussion, we spoke about ways to make Passover fun for kids of all ages, and shared crafts, games and other ideas to make the holiday a joyous experience for everyone.

My main takeaway from the conversation was realizing our children reflect our attitudes and emotions. If we can find the joy in Passover, they can as well.

Of course, having some resources to help us make a memorable Passover helps, and once, again, PJ Library delivers with its extensive offering of books, music, games and more to create a meaningful holiday.

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White and dark chocolate chip cookies with WAFFLE CONE pieces

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My son turned nine years old this week, and we will be celebrating with a small group of his friends this weekend.

I purchased a bunch of snacks (more than enough, according to my son), yet I couldn’t resist adding another fun treat to the mix.

My family loves chocolate chip cookies, and I often make the classic favorite we all know well. This time, however, I wanted to have some fun, so I swapped out half of the chocolate chips for the white chocolate version and added some waffle cone pieces for a crunchy, sweet surprise.

Note, I used the Keebler-brand waffle cones, as that’s what I had on hand. I would be curious how this would work with other brands, or even other types of cones.

Let me know if you try this recipe and share what you think in the comments.

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Warm up your nights with this “ramen style” shitake mushroom soup

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When you have picky eaters, you lean into the ways your kids enjoy food. My children happen to enjoy various soup, and this delictable, ramen-inspired soup with a delectable mushroom broth is no exception. And, with the weather getting colder, few things are as comforting as a warm bowl of healthy soup.

You will notice I don’t have ramen noodles in my ingredients list. Honestly that is because I can never seem to find them as a stand-alone item. Unfortunately, I do not have the skills to make my own noodles, so I work with what I can find.

I believe any Japanese-style noodle would work well in this recipe. If you are only able to find (or prefer to use) dry pasta, just boil the noodles in the broth following the instructions on the package.

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Super simple pizza lunch/snack hack

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I have two school-age kids who bring their lunches from home. Though I am far from the healthiest parent, I do try to give my children a variety of foods, and, when possible, pack them items that are homemade.

Still, those prepackaged kid lunch options you find in the supermarket are very tempting, and definitely convenient.

My son and I were at the store together, viewing these very items in the refrigerated section, when I thought of the idea to try and make my own version of this popular item.

I grabbed some pizza dough I had already made, got a muffin tin, and got to work. The result was portable, stackable, packable mini pizza rounds.

If you are a parent looking for an easy school/camp/sports lunch or snack hack. Read on for the super simple recipe.

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Rich, creamy vegan roasted cauliflower soup

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My husband and I have made a point to eat more healthily this year, by making vegetables a bigger part of our diet.

Our go-to veggie of choice is cauliflower. Packed with nutrients, this versatile vegetable lends itself nicely to a number of dishes.

We particularly love cauliflower when it is roasted, and this past winter have enjoyed the warm flavor of my roasted, cauliflower soup (recipe to follow).

Note, I almost never use measuring tools while cooking savory foods, so the measurements are very much an approximation. Please adjust as needed to suit your taste.

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Spice up your family’s health with these flavorful recipes

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Getting kids to eat healthy is a battle I know all too well. From artistic uses of fruit, to “hiding” vegetables, parents seem to have to go through extreme lengths just to add some nutritious foods into our children’s diet.

While eating produce is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, and sometimes we do need to get creative with our recipes, there is an even easier way to add nutrition to your family meals, and chances are, you already are doing it.

Herbs and spices, the stuff you pull from your pantry to add flavor to your favorite dishes are packed with the vitamins and minerals our families need to promote healthy living. From improving digestion, reducing inflammation, to boosting immunity, just a pinch or two of these small, but mighty spices cand do wonders for your nutrition.

Read on for some delicious ideas to add flavor and health to your family meals.

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Traditional and adventurous ways to make Shavuot the delicious dairy holiday of your dreams

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Shavuot, the Jewish festival that commomerates the receiving of the Torah (Old Testament), was one of my favorite holidays as a child.

I would love to tell you my appreciation of this holy day was because of a deep spiritual connection to my ancestors, and maybe it was a bit, but the real reason I adored Shavuot was the food.

Unlike other Jewish festivals with their gefilte fish, chopped liver and other traditional ashkenazic foods I disliked, the holiday of Shavuot was a dairy-filled wonder of cheesey goodness.

From blintzes to lasagna, I loved all the lactose-laden meals I indulged in during the holiday. Continue reading →

Nutella, white chocolate bring fun twist to traditional hamantaschen

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Purim is almost here, and that means hamantaschen.

Yum!

So what is Purim anyway?

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Well the story is a bit more complicated than this, but essentially the holiday celebrates the freeing of the Jews of Persia from a hateful decree by the king’s advisor, Haman.

Haman? Hamantaschen? Are they related?

Yup!

Hamantaschen are filled, triangle-shaped cookies, which, supposedly look like Haman’s hat.

Why would we want to eat a cookie shaped like the hat of a man who wanted to destroy the Jewish people? I’m not sure. But, they are delicious and super fun to make. Continue reading →