Now I have admit that I'm not a sushi fan, but when Ilka said she wanted to learn how to make sushi with us, had all of the makings, and an instructional video (in French and heavily Japanese accented English...which led to a few laughs), I was more than game! I love eating the vegetable sushi, but never feel like paying $15 for it. And we all can admit that sushi is a culinary art form...So how could I say no?!

Read more for step by step instructions and lots of photos!

The boys and I finally got to have a lazy morning on Saturday and I figured the best brunch food, and a chance for me to try something new, was a frittata. They're super simple and you leave them mostly unattended. So though they may take longer than making scrambled eggs, they're a great thing to get started and then you can run around getting ready for guests or make other delicious components.

Read on for step by step photos and the recipe

Sorry I've been so bad about keeping up with the blogging! I have a couple new recipes to add as well as a fun sushi making experience = ) But first! My favorite meal at Chinese restaurants and now I can make a delicious version at home...without the MSG. The recipe suggested broccoli, which is the dish's usual accompaniment, but I have been loving cauliflower a lot recently (and we'd just run out of broccoli), so that's what I used.

Read on for step by step photos and the recipe

Now THIS is the main event of the evening. I actually dream about this cake all year long, but don't make it often because there are 9 (count 'em, 9) eggs in it...*drool*. Thoroughly gluten free and delicious! It's a bit tricky to roll and usually cracks, but you can cover it with icing.

Cake Roll (makes 8 - 10 servings)
Ingredients
7 oz. dark, good-quality semi-sweet chocolate
4 tbsp strong coffee
7 eggs, separated
3/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp cocoa

It gets even better....dreams of chocolate....

This was the 2nd best part of the meal! Keep brushing the salmon with the honey orange glaze and pour the rest of it over the quinoa when serving and the flavors will hit you in the perfect way. Definitely proof that Passover food can be gourmet and flavorful...!

Ingredients
4 5-oz. salmon fillets
1 orange (1/4 cup juice, 1 tsp finely grated orange peel)
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp curry powder
1 1/2 cup reduced sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 1/2 cup quinoa
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup shredded carrots
Salt & Freshly ground Black Pepper to taste

Can't you smell the orange-spicy goodness?

A nice hearty and healthy dish to serve alongside pretty much anything for the main course...or a filling snack!

Ingredients (serves 6 - 8 people)
3 lbs potatoes, cooked and mashed
1 lb kale, deribbed and chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions

• Cook potatoes and mash.
• In a separate pan, saute onion in oil, then add kale and steam, covered, until kale is soft (but not dead).
• Remove from heat and mix with potatoes and seasonings. Put in casserole dish and bake at 350F until warmed through (we baked for about 15 - 20 minutes)
  

Yep! It's Vegan! Homemade vegetable stock and tofu matzah balls (no, tofu is not technically kosher, but if you're vegan you have to cheat a little tiny bit...)

Broth
Ingredients
8 dried shittake mushrooms
3 cups boiling water
5 medium carrots, sliced + 2 carrots, sliced
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
1 parsnip, coarsely chopped
3 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup water + 10 cups water
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 bunches green onions, trimmed
1 potato, coarsely chopped (you can leave it unpeeled if you like)
1" piece of ginger, peeled, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, sliced
Salt, pepper, thyme, & marjoram to taste
Onion powder (optional)

Go on, you know you're curious...

I once again did my own Passover Seder this year and incorporated things from last year into new things from this year! Passover food does not have to be bland and boring and it doesn't have to be deadly in fat either...Sure, some of the stuff I made is heavy and bad for you (but delicious), but there's also a lot of lighter stuff, like these Vegetarian Mock Gefilte Fish (which also save your friends from a potentially unpleasant taste experience...Gefilte fish are definitely an acquired taste.) So enjoy all of these recipes! Also, sorry there are no photos, I was going going going Monday night and didn't have time to snap some shots...

Ingredients
3 medium potatoes, peeled
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 large eggplant
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Vegetable oil for cooking (double check the ingredients...Canola oil is kosher but some veggie oils are not!)
Matzah meal (optional)
Sea salt, freshly ground pepper, paprika

Intrigued? Read on for the rest of the recipe...