Kosher Vegan Pan Fried Basil and Herb Carrots

These were a happy accident. I wanted to make some lightly pan fried fingerling potatoes as part of a Hanukkah dinner. Oh, yes. While the rest of the country is dressing their dogs up to have photos taken with Santa, I'm indulging in the sinful delights of fried foods. The festival of lights is my excuse to enjoy donuts for breakfast, latkes and applesauce for dinner, and delicious experiments with oil.

On a whim, I decided to peel some carrots and throw them in alongside some herbed heirloom potatoes. At the end of the meal, the incidental carrots had been eagerly consumed while the allegedly main course potatoes sat lonely and accusing on the plate, wondering why they weren't loved.

• 1 pound carrots
• 3 - 4 tbsp basil oil
• 1 tbsp Herbs de Provence
• 1 tsp salt

Peel the carrots and cut them into 1.5 - 2 inch chunks. If you cut them on a diagonal, you'll have more surface area. This means more of the carrots natural sugars will be caramelized by the heat. Caramelization means tasty goodness.

Bring 3 tbsp basil oil to a medium heat in a large, sturdy skillet. Add the salt and mix well. Now add the carrots and stir until they're well coated in oil. If they look a little dry, add another tbsp.

Now comes the easy yet boring part. Stir fry the carrots until they're cooked through. This should take about 15 minutes. You don't need to hover over them nonstop. Go ahead and give them a good stir 3 - 4 times while cooking, just enough to make sure none of the chunks end up with one side burned and the other side raw.

After fifteen minutes, you should start to see some browning, maybe even a couple of crispy edges. I've tried this recipe twice this week and found that letting them darken until they flirt with that line between highly caramalized and lightly burned, they come out downright cracktastic. Take a risk. Worst case scenario, you've wasted 20 minutes of your life and $1 in carrots. So, once your carrots are well cooked, add the Herbs de Provence. You can get this French spice mix in an adorable overpriced rustic pot at Williams Sonoma, or for less than $4 in an ordinary plastic jar from Amazon.com.

Sprinkle the spices over the carrots and mix thoroughly. Cook the carrots for another minute or so, then serve. In case you're wondering, adding herbs at the beginning of a high heat or frying process will result in burned herbs. If you think about it, herbs are just little leaves, and a tiny piece of leaf cooks pretty quickly. Don't burn your leaves. Adding them near the end lets you bring out the flavor via cooking before they end up unpleasantly charred.

If you don't happen to have any Herbs de Provence around, you can make a little homebrew using the following ingredients. If you like the mix, scale it up, put it in an old spice jar, and use it to season fish, chicken, or potatoes.

• 1/2 tsp rosemary
• 1/2 tsp marjoram
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp bay leaf
• 1/4 tsp sage
• 1/4 tsp lavender (optional)

Kosher Parve Sweet Honey Corn

To my surprise, a lot of people aren't entirely sure how to boil corn. It's okay. I knew how to make a good channa masala before I learned how to make basic tuna salad. We all have interesting little gaps in our kitchen skills. Pretend you're here looking for spice advice while you sneak a peek at the cooking instructions. I won't tell.

Most people love basic boiled corn on the cob slathered in butter. It's oh so delicious. However, if you're looking for a parve/vegetarian dish that, as an added bonus, won't smear your makeup while eating, give this variation a try.

6 ears yellow corn

6 tsp honey

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp kosher salt

Find a pot large enough to fit six ears of corn and a bunch of water. In an ideal world, this pot will have a lid. You may not live in an ideal world, though, so don't sweat it. Either way, fill the pot about half way with water and bring it to a boil. Throw in the corn. Now, if you have a lid, put it on top, turn the heat off, and wait 15 minutes. If you don't have a lid, turn the heat down to medium (just enough to keep the water boiling) and let it steam up your kitchen for 15 minutes.

Remove the corn from the water. How you do this is up to you. In an ideal world, a pair of tongs or super heat resistant silicone gloves might be involved. In my world, I usually use a couple of forks while doing the 'ow ow ow hot water just splashed my legs' dance. Do as I say, not as I do. Wouldn't it be better if we all lived in an ideal world?

Using your sturdiest knife, cut the corn from the cob. Now, you may be wondering why you nearly boiled your arm off when the grocery store sells perfectly good corn in cans. Trust me, the texture and flavor aren't even remotely the same. Fresh ingredients make a world of difference, and in the world of corn, it's like going from the inhospitable surface of a hostile, brackish world to the sweet warmth of a newly terraformed virgin planet.

Scoop your newly shorn corn kernels into a large bowl. Add the honey, garlic, and salt, then mix until everything is pretty evenly distributed. Serve warm. If you happen to have any leftover, add about 1 tsp water per cup of corn and it'll reheat pretty well in the microwave.

Variations:

I sometimes like to add 1/2 - 1 tsp paprika or cayenne to give this a little bit of a bite. The same quantity of freshly ground white pepper instead can also add a nice touch.

Kosher Dairy Super Simple Candied Yams

Last week I offered a fancy alternative to traditional candied yams. This week, I've been reminded that some people like tradition.

These are so simple I almost feel guilty calling this a recipe. There's something wrong with that, though. I learned how to make channa masala before I learned how to make a tuna sandwich because people assumed everyone knows how to do that.

There are a lot of simple foods out there which people love but don't have a clue how to make. Thus I present to you the easiest and most reliable recipe I've ever had for that holiday classic, candied yams. The great thing about these is, if you're a new cook, they're almost impossible to mess up. If you're new to cooking and want something to bring to a dairy meal without any fancy schmancy holiday stress, give these a try.

• 3 large sweet potatoes/yams
• 2 sticks butter
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 2 tsp salt

You new cooks will need a cake pan for this. If you don't own one, a disposable aluminum one from the store works great. Either way, bringing your own pan means you already have something to carry leftovers home in. Aren't you smart!

Back at your own place, well before festivities begin, preheat your oven to 400F. Peel the potatoes. Now comes the hard part - hack the potatoes into roughly 1/2 inch discs. Now, the thing about sweet potatoes and yams is that they're incredibly dense. Cutting them takes some muscle. If the only knife you own is a wobbly steak knife you stole from the cafeteria back in college, you might be in for some trouble. Try wrapping a washcloth around the handle to give you more leverage.

Once you've mightily sawed your discs, cut one stick of butter into 4 big chunks and put one at each corner of the pan. Now dump in all your hard fought sweet potato slices. Cut the second stick of butter into 4 pieces and scatter them on top of the yams. Dump the brown sugar pretty evenly over the whole mess.

Put the pan in the oven at 400 and bake for 45 minutes. Now, it'd be nice if all ovens were equal, but we know that's not the case. At 45 minutes, check and see if they're done. If you can stab all the way through one with a fork, you're good. If not, cook them for another 15 minutes.

The yams should now be swimming in a delicious concoction of sugar and butter. Try one. You'll like it. Now seal that pan tight with aluminum foil. That'll keep the heat and moisture in.

When you get to your host's for Thanksgiving, politely wait until the oven is empty for a bit and pop the pan inside (still safely sealed in foil) for about 10 minutes. This is just to warm the yams up. Don't worry about the temperature of the oven. Whatever your host's have it set at is just fine. Trust me.

VARIATIONS:

If you're feeling a little fancy, add 2 tsp of cinnamon along with the brown sugar.

If you're feeling a lot fancy, top the whole mess with kosher marshmallows. Politely wait your turn until the oven is empty, then pop your pan in there long enough for the yams to reheat a little and the marshmallows to brown - for me, about 8 - 10 minutes, but your mileage may vary. Ovens lose a lot of heat at Thanksgiving with all the opening and closing.

If you're impatient and your hosts happen to possess both a creme brulee torch and a sense of humor, feel free to amuse your fellow guests by piling on a thin layer of marshmallows and carefully setting them on fire browning them with the gentle flames. It's festive!

Kosher Vegan Vegetable Medley

This is so simple I don't even think it deserves the title "recipe." My husband disagrees. In fact, he disagrees so fervently he has promised, if I'll post it, he'll make dinner without me sitting in the other room and eyeballing everything for him. I can't turn down an offer like that. In case you've never tried, fresh vegetables with a dash of olive oil cook up beautifully in the microwave. The olive oil keeps them from drying out and the microwave cooking leaves them beautifully crisp.

• 2 cups mixed veggies (I use green beans, sliced carrots, red peppers, asparagus & sliced onions)
• 1 tbsp basil flavored olive oil
• 1 tsp minced garlic (the refridgerated kind that comes in a jar, or you can mince yourself)
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

Mix the olive oil, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper in a large, microwave safe bowl. Add the veggies and toss well until the veggies are coated. This may take a couple minutes. A tablespoon really will coat them all - you don't want them to drip.

Microwave on high for 3 - 4 minutes (we have a weak, cheap 600 watt microwave. A more powerful machine will need less time.) Mix well again, recoating veggies with oil. Serve hot.

Yes, it really is that easy.

Use whatever vegetables you prefer. Like broccoli? Go for it. Hate onions? Leave them out. All you need to do is make sure your vegetables cook at the same speed. That means if you add carrots or squash, slice it into thin pieces.

Other good oil-and-herb mixes include 1 tbsp garlic olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp of your favourite Jamacian, Cajun, or Moroccan spice blend. I've also used 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp steak rub (especially good on asparagus) or fish rub (good with carrots and green beans.) Sadly, curries and Indian spice blends do not work well.

Kosher Vegan Lite Confetti Soup

This is a light, tasty, zero point soup. The key to it is dicing the vegetables into very tiny pieces. A food processor works well in this regard. If you don't have one, just be patient when chopping.

• 6 cups home made vegetable broth
• 2 yukon potatoes, diced into 1/4 inch pieces.
• 1/2 large carrot, sliced very thin
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 1/4 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 ear yellow corn (or 4 tablespoons canned)
• 1 Roma tomato, diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Bring broth to a boil. Add spices and potato. Cover and reduce heat to low. Add everything else. Mix well, cover and continue to simmer, uncovered, for another 15 - 30 minutes, or until potatoes are fully cooked. Makes about 8 cups. Like most soups, this one is even better the next day.

There are only 4 Weight Watchers Points in the entire pot. That adds up to about half a point per cup, so eat up and enjoy!

Kosher Vegan Lite Aloo Masala

To my surprise, potatoes aren't prohibited by Weight Watchers. I'm looking forward to rediscovering some of my favourite Indian vegetarian foods. In this one, all I really did was cut down on the oil and cheat a bit on cooking the potatoes. It's dirt simple and very, very fast.

• 2 cups unpeeled red potatoes, cut into the size of cheese cubes
• 2 tsp garlic flavored olive oil
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1.5 tbsp chaat masala (available from Indian grocery stores)

Put the potatoes in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 3 minutes. Trust me on this one. Meanwhile, add the 2 tsp of oil to a large skillet and bring to a medium heat. Throw the microwaved potatoes and chaat masala in the pan and stir well. What you're doing is the equilivent of parboiling the potatoes so they'll fry in less oil (and less time). Keep stirring until potatoes are evenly coated in oil and spices. Cook over a medium heat, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. The potatoes should begin to brown. Add the peas and onions. Stir until well mixed, then cook, stirring frequently, for another five minutes. (If your chaat masala is salt-free, add 1/2 tsp salt when adding spices.) Serve with cool sliced cucumbers or (if octo-lavo) a cucumber-yogurt sauce. Makes 2 servings as a meal, 4 servings as a side dish. Points estimate for entire dish: potatoes, 4; olive oil, 2; onion, 1; peas, 1. Total per (side dish) serving: 2.

Kosher Vegan Garlic Peas

I thought I hated peas as a child. This was because they always came out of a can before being boiled into submission, then served with nothing but a dollop of margarine. I was delighted to discover frozen peas might as well be a different vegetable and the addition of a few spices brings out wonderful richness. The best thing about peas is they're *fast.* This recipe goes from freezer to table in five minutes.

• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp white pepper

Mix everything in a microwave safe bowl. You do not need any extra water. The minimal bit of ice clinging to the frozen peas is enough. Microwave for 3 - 4 minutes, depending on your microwave. Stir well so all spices and oil are distributed evenly, then serve.

Oh, and in the name of speed, use the pre-minced garlic you can find at any grocery store. There are times to peel and mince your garlic by hand. This is not one of them.

Kosher Clove and Honey Peas

This is a dirt simple side dish you can prepare in five minutes. The sweetness of honey works well with any fruity entree. The cloves temper the sweetness, adding a nice richness of flavor.

• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1 tbsp honey
• 3 whole cloves (do not use powder!)
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp coarse ground black pepper

Put everything in a microwave safe bowl and mix well. Microwave for 3 - 4 minutes (adjust time for your own microwave.) Stir again while hot, making sure the peas are evenly coated. Serve.

Do not use clove powder! If you do, the flavor will utterly overwhelm your peas, making them inedible. The whole cloves impart a subtle flavor rather than beating your taste buds into submission.

Kosher Vegan Basil Green Beans

Vegetables have a bad reputation. People think they're bland, difficult to prepare, or just tasteless. This is because people make the great mistake of steaming or boiling their veggies then failing to add any spices. It's positively criminal. This weeknight recipe cooks up in 5 minutes, fridge to table. No kidding. People who hate eating veggies will think you're a culinary genius. Their tastebuds won't know what hit them.

• 1/2 lb fresh green beans
• 1 tbsp basil flavored olive oil
• 1/2 tbsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh black pepper (or 1/4 tsp pre-ground)

Mix everything but the green beans in a microwave safe bowl.

Add the green beans and stir until well coated.

Microwave for 3 minutes. (Microwaving veggies is the best way to keep them crisp and avoid cooking out all nutrients.)

Stir well and serve. Yes. That's it.

Flavored olive oils are a wonderful thing. They can be found at most grocery stores alongside the olive oil and at all Wild Oats, Whole Foods, and other upscale grocers. My personal favourite for cost/flavor is the Consorzio brand.

Kosher Fruity Angelhair

This is one of those recipes inspired by staring at the pantry and thinking, "I've got a lot of ingredients, but I don't have any food." It started as a way to concoct dinner from a lot of unrelated leftovers and evolved into something that gets regularly requested. It's fast, simple, and very versatile.

• Enough angelhair pasta to serve one
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup dried cherries
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
• 2 tbsp chopped garlic
• 1 tbsp thyme
• 1 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp fresh black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp basil flavored olive oil

Cook pasta according to package directions. It won't look like enough, but don't worry. The fruit and peppers are the stars of this dish with the pasta taking a backup role.

In a huge skillet, cook onions in olive oil until translucent. Add everything but the pasta. Mix well and continue to cook until onions start to brown.

This should be about the same amount of time it takes for the pasta to cook. This is no accident. :) Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet, mixing until well coated.

Continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until all excess moisture is gone. Serve with hot crusty bread.

Variations:

• If you can't get full without meat on your plate, add 1 cup of precooked, diced chicken after the onions are translucent.
• When seasonal, I sometimes add 1 -2 ears of fresh cooked corn. Canned gets mushy, and let's not talk about frozen, but a hint of fresh corn works surprisingly well and adds some nice color.
• Don't like raisins? Just add 3/4 cup of whatever dried fruit you like best. I use whatever's around the house. Just beware of dried apples - they turn into a sticky mess.
• Red peppers too expensive? Any 2 bell peppers will do.

Crack Carrots

Crack Carrots got their name because they're as addictive as a street drug. My mother-in-law refuses to be embarrassed by drinking whatever juices remain after the carrots are gone, and this is a woman who is keen on appropriate cutlery.

• 1/2 pound baby carrots
• 4 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp Star of Siam Oil
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Mix everything but the carrots. Mix in the carrots until well coated. Either microwave for 4 minutes (longer if you prefer your carrots mushy) or bake at 400F for 20 minutes.

Serve still in the juices, which taste great on rice, noodles, or whatever starch they touch.

** If you don't want to invest in the Star of Siam oil, and I highly recommend you do, try adding a pinch of lemongrass, garlic, and ginger to 2 tbsp peanut oil. It won't be quite as addictive, but it'll still be pretty darn tasty.