Hanukkah is just around the corner. To celebrate the Jewish heritage of my late grandmother, I will be uploading veganized versions of Hanukkah-inspired recipes each week for the next 4 weeks. Below, you find a recipe for vegan sweet potato and red onion knish. Knish is a traditional Jewish Ashkenazi comfort food. Specifically, it is a flakey dough concoction filled with either a savory or sweet filling that is baked or deep-fried. The dough is easy to make and very user-friendly as it contains oil and not butter. My recipe was inspired by a YouTube video that I recently found in which the late Ethel Bailkin makes traditional potato and onion knish. Knish can be filled with various fillings, including cream cheese and blueberry compote or an apple-strudel mixture.
Since going over to the plant side, my interest in wholesome eating has surged. I try to eat as health as possible, but also give myself a break once in a while, as you can clearly see by checking out my other posts. Instead of going for the cookie jar after a long day at school, I give my body the wholesome goodness it needs by making a supercharged avocado-veggie bowl. This satisfying meal only takes 30 minutes to make and tastes amazing. Plus, it is a dish that is well-suited for leftovers. It makes a great grab & go lunch. Already its colors will set you in a better mood. One bite is enough to put your body and mind in a state of pure bliss. Cherish yourself and what you eat!
1/4 tsp sea salt (Thumb Rule: 1/4 tsp salt for each cup of dried quinoa)
Instructions
Add quinoa and water to a medium-sized saucepan.
Bring to a boil; cover with lid; and reduce heat to low.
Let quinoa simmer for approx. 15 minutes until it is nice and tender.
Make sure to drain your quinoa thoroughly after it is cooked, as it tends to hold a lot of H2O.
Tip: Quinoa tastes even better when cooked in vegetable broth. Feel free to experiment with herbs and spices, e.g. rosemary or black pepper. Make it your own!
Roasted Carrot and Sweet Potato Cubes
Ingredients
1 medium-sized sweet potato
2 medium-sized carrots
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp paprika powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 black pepper
1/2 red chili flakes (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 220 °C.
Dice your sweet potato and carrots.
Add the diced goodness to a medium-sized bowl and add the remaining ingredients.
Give all the ingredients a whirl using your washed hands.
Line a sheet tray with parchment – just one tray for best results!
Spread the sweet potato- and carrot cubes on the prepared baking sheet. Make sure that there is some distance between each cube to prevent sogginess.
Bake for about 15 minutes. Turn the cubes and bake for another 5 minutes.
The veggies should be tender and slightly browned on the outside.
Sautéed Zucchini & Red Pepper
Ingredients
1 medium-sized zucchini
1 red bell pepper
1 tbsp vegetable oil
sea salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Cut zucchini into quarters.
Remove ribs and seeds from pepper and cut into squares.
Heat vegetable in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add zucchini and pepper; and season with salt and pepper.
Toss frequently and cook for roughly 6-8 minutes until veggies are crisp and tender.
Sautéed Mushrooms & Onions
Ingredients
200g mushrooms
1 medium-sized red onion
1 tbsp vegetable oil
sea salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Wash mushrooms; trim stems; slice mushrooms into strips.
Remove the papery skin of your red onion and then dice it.
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add sliced mushrooms and diced onion; stir to coat; and cook for about 5 minutes.
Add a dash of salt and pepper and continue cooking for roughly 10 minutes or until desired doneness is reached.
The Grand Finale
Ingredients
1/2 sliced avocado
Instructions
In a large bowl, add the quinoa as a base.
Add the remaining side dishes.
Add the avocado slices and drizzle pesto over them.
A couple of years ago, I traveled to Dublin, Ireland, with my sister to see The Coronas live in their hometown at the O2 Arena. Prior to the best concert ever, we had dinner at Jo’ Burger, the restaurant with the best sweet potato fries that I have ever eaten. After my first bite, I was hooked. I don’t normally order seconds, but in this case, I made an exception. It was so worth it!
Since then, I was tried to recreate the magnificent taste of these fries. I always fall just short of achieving this goal. My fries also taste outlandishly good, but they don’t taste like the Jo’ Burger fries. Just another of many reasons to revisit Dublin.
With just one sweet potato and a few herbs and spices, you can make a side dish that not only tastes fantastic, but is also loaded with nutrients. For instance, one medium-sized sweet potato contains over 400% of your daily requirement of vitamin A and is an excellent source of beta-carotene, potassium and fiber. Hence, it can reduce cancer risk; protect against asthma, heart disease and the effects of aging. The skin is high in potassium and fiber, thus, if possible, buy organic sweet potatoes that you don’t have to peel.
Instructions
Ingredients
one medium-sized sweet potato per person
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt
fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cinnamon (to add sweetness, if desired)
1/4 red chili flakes (to add an extra kick)
Instructions
Slice the sweet potato into long slices or disks.
Preheat oven to 220 °C .
In a large bowl, toss the sweet potato pieces with just enough oil to coat them. Don’t over do it! Less is more!
Season with salt, pepper, paprika, and cinnamon.
Give the sweet potatoes another toss.
Line a sheet tray with parchment – just one tray for best results!
Spread the sweet potatoes on the prepared baking sheet. Make sure that there is some distance between each fry to prevent the fries from turning soggy.
Bake for about 15 minutes. Turn the fries and bake for another 10-15 minutes.
The fries should be tender and browned on the outside.
Let the fries cool off for 5-10 minutes before serving.
belle + wild 