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Dec. 7, 2012
Cheesy, healthy Chanukah
Why not pair rich, gooey portobellos with yam-parsnip latkes?
ELIZABETH NIDER
Why the custom of cheese on Chanukah? In Jewish tradition, Yehudit charmed her way into the Greek army camp with a basket of wine and salty cheese. She brought the food to the Assyrian army general, who, after drinking copious amounts of wine to quench his thirst, passed out. Yehudit then beheaded him with his sword. Upon discovering that their leader had been slain, the army fell into disarray and fled. In honor of Yehudit’s bravery, it has become a tradition to eat dairy foods on Chanukah. So, for this year’s celebration, why not try some cheesy mushrooms? For added measure, add Dazzling Yam Latkes to the menu.
GOOEY PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS
Serves four, but this recipe can and should be doubled. These heavenly fungi will be devoured before the dreidel stops spinning.
4 large portobello mushrooms
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
2 packed cups chopped rainbow chard, stems and ribs removed
2 cloves fresh minced garlic
1 cup plain cooked quinoa
1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
3/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 tsp dried oregano
fresh ground pepper
Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment and spread a very thin layer of olive oil on the parchment to prevent the mushrooms from sticking.
Gently wash the mushrooms and pat dry. Scoop out the insides, including the stem, with a spoon.
On medium-low heat, sauté the chard, garlic, oregano and a dash of pepper in olive oil for about two minutes. Add the cottage cheese and stir until most of the liquid has evaporated, about four minutes. Add the quinoa, and stir. Add half a cup of shredded cheese, stir and remove from heat.
Stuff the mushrooms with the mixture. Use the remaining shredded cheese for sprinkling on top of each mushroom, then bake the mushrooms for 10 minutes. When you remove them from oven, soak up the liquid from the baking sheet with a paper towel. Return the tray to the oven and bake five minutes more.
Garnish with fresh parsley.
DAZZLING YAM LATKES
For those looking to take a break from the typical fried white potato latkes, these latkes are more health-conscious, in that they are baked and made with yams, which give you a hefty boost in vitamins C, B6 and potassium. These golden-orange pancakes mysteriously disappeared when I left my five-year-old alone in the kitchen for all of four minutes to get the laundry. Enough said. This recipe makes about 25 patties with a beautifully caramelized exterior.
3 medium yams, grated
1 parsnip, grated
1 onion, grated
3 eggs
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon and ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cumin
fresh ground pepper
pinch of sea salt
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment and spread a very thin layer of olive oil on the parchment to prevent sticking. Don’t forget this step!
Mix everything in a bowl. (Kids love to do this part.) Scoop in your palm about one-third of a cup of the latke mixture at a time and squeeze firmly as you shape it into a pancake. Place the patties on the baking sheet, flatten them a little bit and reshape them slightly, if necessary. Pop them into the oven. Bake for 25 minutes, flip with a thin spatula, then bake for another 10-14 minutes.
Serve with cinnamon-infused Greek yogurt, for which you’ll need to mix well together one cup of low-fat Greek yogurt, half a teaspoon of cinnamon and one-eighth a teaspoon of nutmeg.
Elizabeth Nider is a freelance writer living in Vancouver. Her blog, where you can find recipes and more, is wholesomekids.ca.
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