Lotus root

Giving thanks to our ancestors

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, an American tradition celebrating the Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag native Indians sharing an automn harvest feast.  Ever since, Americans have taken the opportunity to gorge themselves, especially in the past century.  The tradition is one characterized by stuffing (our bellies), then typically sitting back and watching a football game.

Braised Cauliflower With Mushrooms

Cauliflower is a member of the cabbage family, and as such contains wonderful cancer-fighting properties, not to mention lots of fiber.  It is extremely low in calories, and tastes great - if properly prepared.  Sadly, in the United States, most cauliflower is served either as part of a cruditees platter, or simply steamed.  For those who love cauliflower in the raw, these are great options; but for those who require a bit more verve in their food, consider the following simple recipe:

Ingredients
1 head cauliflower, washed, and cut into flowerettes
3 cloves garclic, sliced
1 onion, sliced or chopped
Olive oil (or butter)
5 or 6 mushrooms, sliced
Salt and pepper

Preparation

Place the flowerettes into a pot of salted water, bring to a boil and then simmer until tender, about 10 minutes.  Drain into a colander.

 

Heat the oil (or butter) in a pan, add the sliced garlic and onion, sautee for a few seconds to flavor the oil (or butter), then add the sliced mushrooms and the cauliflower and sautee all together, stirring to coat the vegetables.  Let them caramelize a bit, then flip them lightly to caramelize the other side.  Season with salt and pepper, and prepare to be delighted!

Leeks

Leeks are a form of green onion, but are much larger, thicker and full of flavor.  Americans typically do not use leeks in cooking, although they are becoming more popular.  Leeks are commonly prepared as savory leek tarts seen in French cooking, but have a long history dating back to biblical times.  When I was a child, my mother and grandmother would make leek soup, with a bit of braised beef, potatoes and carrots to round out the flavors.  Here is my version:

Low-Carb Sunflower Seed Crackers

These sunflower seed crackers are insanely delicious, and remind me of my childhood in Israel, especially when I was very young, about 2 years old, and my father would take me to a sunflower field where we would both be buried under the tall sunflowers that shone their blooms overhead!

Pumpkin season!

In the States, there is a time of year when there is a veritable parade, a plethora of pumpkins everywhere, in fields, in the stores, in front of people's houses as Jack-a-lanterns.  Everywhere you go, you see ads for pumpkin-flavored foods and drinks: Pumpkin latte at Starbucks, Pumpkin Iced Coffee at Dunkin Donuts, Pumpkin cupcakes, even pumpkin popcorn!

Chicken Tagine