Do you ever come up with an incredible recipe idea that you just HAVE to share with the rest of the world, so you create it and you photograph it and everything is perfect, but right before you post you realize that the photos of the delicious dish are all terrible? And no matter how
Appetizer
Low-Carb Paleo Bread
My daughter spent 3 weeks at a sleep-away camp and came back home with lots of beautiful memories and one major stomach upset! After weeks of listening to her camp stories and trying to get her stomach issues under control, it was time for a more aggressive medical intervention. So, in a blink of an
Cultured Cream Feta
I love getting out of my bubble, traveling the world: learning new cultures, enjoying different experiences, feeling alive. My favorite part about traveling, though, is trying new cuisines and then bringing home ideas for future recipes. An idea for this post came out of the airport in Romania. My first time in the business class lounge,
Baba Ganoush
After living in our Foster City home for over 11 years, we have finally decided to remodel our kitchen! In just a few months, I’ll be stirring a pot of Swiss Chard stew atop my brand new stove. And storing Sesame Salmon Balls inside a brand new fridge. Toasting Spicy Coconut Chips inside a brand new
Spicy Coconut Chips
I am all for trying new recipes that are high in good fats. Because when you do not eat carbs, you need to raise your fat intake. And coconut, being so low in polyunsaturated fat and high in antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant properties, is really my most preferred source of that good-quality fat. That is
Sesame Salmon Balls With Ginger Tahini Sauce + GIVEAWAY
Wow! My first lowcarb Chanukah celebration! Wait, isn’t that an oxymoron – a low-carb Chanukah? A holiday that is traditionally carb galore: Potato Latkes, noodle kugel, jelly donuts. Yes, there is also a brisket somewhere there as well, but it is the carbs that take the center stage. Well, this year, I was forced to
Roasted Sesame Peas
Out of all the seasons, my favorite would have to be fall. I love everything about it—from the first prayers of the Jewish High Holidays in September, to the last piece of turkey at Thanksgiving, with many birthday celebrations in between. Lots of entertaining, cooking, and more importantly, laughing. The days slowly shorten, shedding minutes
Oil-Free Paleo Pesto Zucchini Noodles
I’m the type of girl that shies away from trends. For example, way back when every girlfriend of mine was in love with Brad Pitt, I fancied Angelina Jolie. And when everyone was getting diamond earrings for their birthdays, I was psyched about my new shiny design books. So when the whole world went zoodle-crazy,
Lightest Hummus on Earth
I’ve been on a path to heal my achy gut this past year. I’ve tried many different approaches, but none have produced any good (or shall I say “gut”) results. The newest one is all about eliminating foods high in insoluble fiber, which is pretty challenging for someone who’s had a love affair with chia
Peruvian Quinoa Tortilla
I’m about to call it quits! It all started with my husband. He waited until our wedding to casually inform me that he eats kosher. That sent me for a spin, as I really liked my seafood and pepperoni pizza. Then my son was diagnosed with food allergies soon after he was born. So our
Brussels Sprouts Chips
I once ordered a side of Brussels Sprouts chips in a little restaurant in Guerneville. They were fried, salty and so SO good! Definitely not something I would attempt to make at home! (I said to myself as I left the restaurant.) Definitely something I tried making minutes after I pulled into the driveway! And my
Chia Cheese Crisps
Now that the first Seder is just behind us and the Matza supply is on the verge of depletion, it is time to spice things up for the rest of the Passover! Lets start with Chia Cheese Crisps. 2 ingredients; endless possibilities. This is yet another one of those Cucee Originals, like the Grilled Cheese Egg and
Sage Gnudi & New Site Design
“If clouds were made of cheese, and naughty, they’d be gnudi.“ Serious Eats This year is off to a good start for Cucee! First and foremost, my blog has been redesigned! Personally, I’ve always liked the design of CuceeSprouts. But ever since the web world went “Mobile First”, my blog started exhibiting early signs of
Poppy Seed Cake
This cake is like a little black dress: you can dress it up or down. A nice thick slice with a cup ‘o’ tea on a weekday morning. Or a thinner toasted slice, with a dollop of coconut whipped cream and handful of sliced strawberries on a weekend – with a glass of sweet bubbly. Deborah
Strawberries in Minted Honey Syrup
I start my day with a hot cup of Peet’s. Every day. I sip on freshly squeezed lemonade with my kids on the warm summer afternoons. Or bubbly Pellegrino. I drink red wine (the bolder variety) at dinner on non-gym nights, or with friends on weekends. Sometimes on gym nights as well. I reach for
Homemade Matzo
My kitchen often feels like a chemistry lab: bottles of acid, cans of base, containers of coloring agents… Almost like back in college except that I enjoy my home lab a lot more. This new kitchen experiment is pretty basic. Mix flour, water and oil, roll out the dough, rush into the oven and…. try
Quick Scallion Kimchee
No personal anecdotes to share this time. Just One Really Good Recipe, from One Good Dish. You know that the cookbook is good when you frantically bookmark recipe after recipe until you cover most of the pages (or run out of post-it’s.) So, I am temporarily putting all of my other cookbooks on hold until
White on White: Cauliflower Soufflé
Happy 2014! May this year bring you a lot of cauliflower, wheat berries, and chocolate! Cooking is an art form. And as with any art, it takes time to master. First, you learn the skill by copying someone else’s perfection. Recipe after recipe. You learn to broil, cream, and season. You practice until, finally, you close
Chocolate and Brie Panini
I am in love. And he is gorgeous! Long soft curly blonde locks. Kind eyes. Unwavering loyalty. He never speaks back. Always by my side. And never leaves his plate dirty. His name is Toby Gennadich Shpiler but you can simply call him Toby. I’ve only been around two pets when growing up, and for
Sweet Corn Ceviche
I get so excited when I stumble upon a new culinary discovery. I walk around feeling all proud, with a huge smile on my face and a strong urge to share! My latest discovery is corn. No, I’m not talking about having made a brand new grain discovery (that was done for me a long
An unconventional latke
Here is what makes me Jewish: My naturally curly hair My non-athletic children My hefty Yiddish vocabulary (go ahead, test me!) My extensive collection of latkes recipes Speaking of latkes recipes, this particular one is new, and a fun addition to my Hanukkah repertoire. A little unorthodox potato pancake that defies all laws of gravity
Russian gazpacho Okroshka (окрошка)
Odessa, Ukraine. My husband and I are dressed to go out. Dinner, then a nightclub at a beach. A coral dress and blue heels for me. Hair down. A gray v-neck and faded jeans for the hubby. Leather wrap bracelets. It is Saturday night, the air is warm and smells of summer. It is
Crunchy Granola Cups
Is it very obvious that my family considers first meal of the day their favorite? Even with all of the breakfast recipes that I have up my sleeve (Almond Butter Smoothies, Pear Honey Pocket, Baked Oatmeal, Breakfast Polenta, Granola among many others) the demand for additional ideas simply refuses to taper off. So, every week or so, I keep coming up
Black-Eyed Pea and Quinoa Croquettes
“What would you like, Ma-am?” a flight attendant smiled at me as she parked her cart by row 3, my row for the next 6 hours. Hm, what would I like? I would like a long relaxing massage. A day all to myself with plenty of time to devote to a new complicated recipe and
Cucee-green Salsa
The very first dish I ever attempted to prepare myself was a beer-can-chicken (well, actually , glass-of-water-chicken.) As a child, I watched my mom make it often and loved how flavorful, succulent and juicy the chicken would consistently turn out. So, when my boyfriend, the guy I often refer to as “the husband” in my