ZHOUG SAUCE

I love love Trader Joes Zhoug sauce and we use it often, but I’m trying to reduce our single use packaging, and this is way better anyway. I finally have notes down so we can make and gift it on our own. I have written about 3 dozen green sauce-ish recipes here, SK Cooking Club etc. - each a little bit different. This one, heavy on the heat and herbs, and a few warm spices. Because it is so warm, I think of it like a concentrate instead of just straight up (ie. putting a dollop in salad dressing or mashing with avocado). Adding just a pinch of sugar and squeeze of lime to balance it. Zhoug is of Yemenite origin, and usually found on tables in Syria and Israel. It truly boosts anything and will certainly be a go-to summer condiment for salads and flatbread and grilled items.

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Uses

• Stir a spoonful into a salad dressing

• Mix with plain Greek yogurt to make a dip

• With avocado toast

• As a protein marinade for any meat, often mixed with some toasted sesame oil and citrus for meat and chicken, or painted on seafood after grilling.

• Cucumber salad with this, a splash of champagne vinegar, tons of dill, shaved red onion

• Egg sandwich spread

• Grilled corn

• Pasta salad with lots of grilled zucchini, more herbs, baby tomatoes, feta cheese

If you make it, leave a comment about how you used it!

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ZHOUG SAUCE

Makes about 10 oz.

You can use a bit more oil if you’d like a thinner yet richer sauce, something closer to traditional Italian pesto. The below will be very herb heavy, as I prefer it this way so it can be thinned with citrus for dressings, marinades, smashed with avocado and the like. It will separate a bit which is absolutely fine and expected.

The sauce will last for 1-2 weeks in the fridge. Getting spicier as it sits so heads up!

Riffed from both Ottolenghi and Cookie and Kate

Ingredients

4 cloves garlic
3 jalapenos, stemmed, partially seeded and chopped
1 bundle of parsley (1 packed cup)
1 bundle cilantro (1 packed cup)
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
dash of cayenne
1/2 tsp. cardamom
pinch of sugar
3/4 tsp. sea salt
squeeze of lime

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, as needed

Directions

Put the garlic and jalapenos in a food processor and pulse a few times to chop. Add the parsley, cilantro, cumin, coriander, cayenne, cardamom, sugar, salt and lime juice and pulse a few more times. With the motor going, drizzle in the oil, scrapping down the sides to get an even, smooth sauce (still a little chunky tho).

Taste for salt and seasonings. You can always add more cayenne if needed but it will get spicier as it ages.

SPRING BOWLS WITH ALMOND ARUGULA PESTO

May is a big month for us. It is busy and exciting and expensive because there are a bundle of birthdays (around 10 between our two families!) and Mother’s Day and our school year will be ending and while it has felt like Spring for a while here, May sets it straight. Strawberries and sunshine and bursting gardens and longer light. More so than a new calendar year, in May I feel a pull to write and remember and make goals and take stock of how I am spending my time - to both focus in and cast out a wider net for what could be. A New Years of sorts.

I think it’s many of us, but for working moms in a different kind of way, this past year+ felt like so much surviving. That is a generalization, as circumstances vary widely I’m aware, but mothers shouldered a lot of the toughest parts. Quietly, keeping their game face on, but it was a lot. It felt like a day by day of keeping heads above water and constant pivoting. I feel a bit of exhale this season, even though this pandemic is not over over, it is better in our corner of the world, and I’m ready to reclaim some things of my own. I see the holes and my own excuses.

The kids and I have this little diddy I do with them when Cur gets super wild with his buddies or I can see Cleo is on the verge of loosing it because she made a mistake on her picture: “Connect to your head (taps head), connect to your heart (taps heart) and slow down (slow hands).” My hope is that it brings them… us, into our own bodies when we can easily disconnect. It has hand motions of course because 5 and 7 years old, but it’s a simple mantra.

Pay attention. You are already good. This past year was so wild! Connect to your head, connect to your heart, and slow down. And while you’re at it, springy bowls below because sauce makes everything better :)

SPRING BOWLS WITH ALMOND ARUGULA PESTO

Serves 4

This may make more pesto than you need, and is great to have on hand for eggs, sandwiches, dipping of any sorts. These bowls are satisfying as is, but can take a poached egg or whatever protein you have to throw on the grill or some rotiserrie chicken.

No dairy? You can skip the parmesan in the pesto, no problem.

Ingredients

2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup lightly toasted almonds, plus more for bowl garnish
1 jalapeno or serrano, stemmed and seeded to taste
3/4 tsp. sea salt
juice from one small lemon, about 4 Tbsp.
4 oz. arugula
2 Tbsp. grated parmesan
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

12 oz. asparagus
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. everyday/grilling seasoning blend
salt and pepper

1 cup cooked lentils
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. champagne vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. minced shallot
handful of minced chives

2 cups cooked quinoa
4 radishes, shaved
2 avocados, quartered

Directions

To make the pesto, put the garlic, almonds, jalapeno and salt in a food processor and pulse to break them down. Add the lemon juice, arugula, parm and pulse a few more times. With the motor going, drizzle in the olive oil and run until you get the texture you want. I end up adding a small splash of water. Set aside. This can be made in advance and keep for a week or so in the fridge.

Preheat the oven to 425’. Snap the ends off the asparagus and then use a peeler to clean up the bottom edges so they are smooth and tapered. It looks fancy, Ina does it, so we’re doing it too but you also don’t have to. Oil and season them and roast for 12 minutes until just tender but not mooshy.

Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine the lentils with the olive oil, mustard, vinegar, shallot and a few pinches of salt and pepper and stir to combine. Add fresh chives, stir again.

Assemble your bowls with some quinoa, dressed lentils, roasted asparagus and a few shaved radishes for garnish. Nestle in a wedge or two of avocado, puddle of pesto and some toasted almonds over top.

Sara Forte 2021-04-27

Spring Bowls w/ Almond Arugula Pesto

4

A fresh and springy vegetarian bowl of goodness.

• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/3 cup lightly toasted almonds, plus more for bowl garnish
• 1 jalapeno or serrano, stemmed and seeded to taste
• 3/4 tsp. sea salt
• juice from one small lemon, about 4 Tbsp.
• 4 oz. arugula
• 2 Tbsp. grated parmesan
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 12 oz. asparagus
• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. everyday/grilling seasoning blend
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup cooked lentils
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 Tbsp. champagne vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. minced shallot
• handful of minced chives
• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 4 radishes, shaved
• 2 avocados, quartered

673 calories49 grams fat48 grams carbohydrate18 grams protein

PT15M

PT15M

PT30M

Mediterranean

Entrée

vegetarian, spring, asparagus, mediterranean

CAULIFLOWER BOLOGNESE

“I want you to come watch the movie with us ON the couch, not be in the kitchen!”

I’ve been filling out this one-question-a-day journals for moms that I received for Christmas. It records a little thought or memory over the last year, and then starts again, so you can see how your answers change over a few years. One of the recent ones, prompted me to jot notes about what I am learning as a mom, and I found the question so general I was basically annoyed. I am a romantic, and also wildly pragmatic. In the span of a day I can tear up over the depths of love I feel for my kids, and also wish for them to have a mute button. We all have worlds within us; mothering pushing me into the corners of myself I am sometimes proud of or other corners ashamed of, but am I learning? Yes, every single day. Sometimes in the moment and other times after a particular season. But in 2021, my answer in the bullet journal was that I see my kids are wanting me to play with them. They aren’t registering all the service and shuttling and laundry and what it takes to pull off a week, they just want to play WITH me. It’s natural for me to move within lists and tasks and responsibilities and hustling, but playing is something I have to pay attention to. For them and for me. We usually do a family movie on Friday nights and my son (6.5), see quote above, pointed out that I don’t actually watch the movie, I tinker in the kitchen and he wants me in the couch cuddle. Flattered, and found out that I’d rather make granola than watch The Croods :) So from annoyed, to passing on the question to fellow parents, what are you learning? Try not to be annoyed. Maybe circle back to it.

I published this recipe over on SKCC a few weeks ago and wanted it to live here. We’re trying to find more family-friendly vegetarian recipes (it’s easy for me to fill up on roasted veggies and big salads, not so much for the kids). This batch lasts us two meals - once with noodles, maybe half zoodles, and the second round on toast or english muffins with cheese melted on top, like a pizza sort of thing? It freezes well and is great to deliver to new parents.

CAULIFLOWER BOLOGNESE

Serves 6

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion - roughly chopped
3 cloves of garlic
sea salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 head of cauliflower (about ¾ lb. or 12 oz. riced)
1/2 cup of raw walnuts pieces
1/2 tsp. of Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. of fennel seeds - crushed
2 Tbsp. of tomato paste
2 Tbsp. of balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup of red wine (or broth of any sort, and double the vinegar to mimic the wine’s acidity)
28 oz. of canned, crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup of red lentils
red pepper flake to taste

For serving

12 oz. of pasta or choice, zoodles, etc.
parmesan
fresh, torn basil

Directions

In a large Dutch-oven or stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium low heat.

In a food processor, pulse the onion and garlic into smaller bits. Add them to the pot with a big pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté to soften, about 3 minutes.

Pulse up the cauliflower florets to get a rice-like texture. Add the riced-cauliflower to the pot and sauté to soften, about 5 minutes.

Pulse the walnuts in the processor and add those to the pot along with the Italian seasoning, fennel seed, another few generous pinches of salt and pepper, tomato paste and balsamic vinegar. Sauté until fragrant.

Add the red wine, cook about 3 minutes, then add the crushed tomatoes, ½ cup water, lentils, pinch of pepper flakes and stir to combine. Turn the heat to low, put the cover ajar and let it simmer gently for 30-35 minutes. Turn off the heat, taste for seasoning and adjust.

Cook your pasta or zoodles according to instructions. Top with cauli Bolognese, grated cheese, fresh basil and enjoy!

The Bolognese will keep in the fridge for a week and can be frozen for a few months.