One would think that after 10 years of Jewish/kosher cookbooks telling us how to reduce fat, calories and carbs in our cooking we would all be super-svelte culinary geniuses. “Enlitened Kosher Cooking” by Nehama Cohen, founder of the Jewish Diabetic Association, proves there is always room for one more.
This hefty book (419 pages) contains more than 250 recipes, elegant color photos and a helpful chart of nutrition facts, dietary exchanges, and food values along with each recipe. The recipes are arranged by course from soups to desserts plus a chapter on snacks and beverages and ending with a much too short Passover section.
The author includes many beloved classics such as golden chicken soup with fat-free knaidlach and golden potato kugel, plus more contemporary dishes like chicken breasts with pesto stuffing in wine sauce and brussels sprouts with sweet potatoes and pecans.
I’m not quite sure what exactly Cohen’s “enlitened” approach to cooking is, other than using less fat and sugars, but the recipes seem reader-friendly and appealing for anyone looking for a healthful, balanced diet and lifestyle.
Enlitened Tapenade (Olive Spread) | Yields 1/2-3/4 cup
3 cloves garlic
2 anchovies, drained
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/8 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup black olives, pitted and sliced
1/2 cup green olives, pitted and sliced
pepper to taste
Using a food processor, blend garlic and anchovies with oil. Add walnuts and olives. Blend until combined. Season with pepper to taste.
Best if refrigerated for a few hours or overnight before serving.
Brussels Sprouts with Pecans and Sweet Potatoes | Serves 6
3/4 cup sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
3/4 cup pumpkin, peeled and cubed
3/4 lb. brussels sprouts, halved
1 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 cup each chopped leeks and scallions
3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1/4 cup chicken stock or water
sugar substitute to equal 2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbs. roasted pecan pieces
Boil sweet potatoes and pumpkin in a saucepan until just tender. Drain and set aside.
Repeat with brussels sprouts and set aside.
In a nonstick skillet, heat olive oil. Lower heat and cook leeks, scallions and garlic, stirring occasionally, until brown. Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the pecans, and cook for 3 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Place on serving platter and sprinkle with pecan pieces.
Golden Enlitened Potato Kugel | Serves 8
1 small onion, peeled
6 medium potatoes, peeled
2 whole eggs plus 2 egg whites
1 Tbs. parve chicken soup powder mixed with 1/4 cup boiling water
2 Tbs. soy or whole wheat flour
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Chop onion with knife attachment in food processor until very fine. Switch to the grating disc and grate potatoes. Squeeze well in a colander to drain all excess water. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
Mix in the dissolved soup powder and flour by hand. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour into an 8 x 9-inch baking dish lined with baking paper. Spray the top with nonstick spray. Bake 20 minutes until it starts to turn golden. Lower heat to 325 degrees and bake for another 30-40 minutes.
Louise Fiszer is a Palo Alto cooking teacher, author and the co-author of “Jewish Holiday Cooking.” Her columns alternate with those of Rebecca Ets-Hokin. Questions and recipe ideas can be sent to j. or to [email protected].