Just Look at the Calendar!

Well it's official: Pesach is over, the summer is almost here, wedding season is just around the corner and all that means is: it is time to make a change.  A change in our eating habits.  I will not use the "d" word (d-i-e-t), at least I will try.   

My husband, Sid, and I successfully lost weight through Weight Watchers.  On the WW system we lost a combined weight of 35 kilo. Saying it in pounds is even more impressive: we lost 78.4 pounds. – wow that is a lot! 

I believe that our success was the result of two very important factors: (1) working together and (2) changing our diet.   

As soon as we began WW, I realized that I needed recipes; lots and lots of recipes to help me (us) change our eating habits.  I found nothing of interest on WW sites and nothing that answered my kosher recipe needs.  It was then I decided I had to create or perhaps, recreate my favorite recipes and 'give birth' to new ones, to fit our new lifestyle.  I began to experiment with recipes and ingredients and started to record and photograph my culinary successes.   

I have to tell you at the onset that I need to always have new and interesting dishes to cook and serve.  I cannot have the same dish every day or week.  My new recipe file grew and with it my appetite (sad pun intended) for even more dishes.

As a dedicated blogger, I decided to start this blog for kosher, points-friendly recipes, hints, tips and stories that will help and inspire others.

Each week I will publish a new recipe and photo. I will not give you the WW points value, as you can easily calculate that yourselves. I will also share with you our thoughts and feelings as we took this journey.  

If you have any questions, suggestions and thoughts, please feel free to share them on this blog and on my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/yochi.eisner

I look forward to taking this journey with y'all.

And now for the first recipe.  There is a tradition that when a child begins to learn to read the Hebrew alphabet, each letter is traced in honey so that she/he can touch the letter and taste the sweetness of its meaning. I am also going to start this blog with a sweet recipe: my favorite Orange Vanilla Cake. 

Yochi's points-friendly Orange Vanilla Cake

 

Yochi's Orange Vanilla Cake

Baking tips:

1.   Substitute a sugar substitute, which can be measured like regular sugar and can be used in baking, for regular sugar. This cake will be sweeter than the "regular", non points-friendly version.

2.   Substitute applesauce for oil to reduce points.

3.   As applesauce is thicker than oil, you need to add a little more liquid than you are used to into the cake batter.

4.   Until the egg white stage, mix all ingredients very well, as the whole wheat flour tends to be thicker than the bleached white flour version.

5.   To ensure a light cake always whip the egg whites and then gently fold them into the cake.

6.   Ensure that you have all the ingredients before you begin! 

7.   I bake this recipe in a round Bundt cake pan, sprayed with PAM.

Ingredients:

·        1 cup whole wheat flour

·        1 teaspoon baking soda

·        1 teaspoon baking powder

·        1 teaspoon salt

·        1 1/2 cups sugar substitute

·        200 grams applesauce

·        1 1/2 cups orange juice with pulp

·        Grated peel of 2-3 oranges

·        3-4 teaspoons of vanilla extract

·        1 whole egg

·        4 egg whites

·        PAM spray

 What to do:

·        In a large bowl mix dry ingredients and then add applesauce.  I try to find sugar-free or low-sugar applesauce, but I am not always successful.  There is barely any difference in the final points value between the two applesauces. 

·        Squeeze enough oranges to make one and a half cups of orange juice.  Pour the orange juice into the batter (I like to add the pulp left at the bottom of the juicer) and mix.

·        Next add the vanilla extract.  I like to really taste the vanilla, so I usually add a bit more of the extract.  Vary the amount of extract you use each time you make this cake, until you find the best flavor for your pallet. 

·        Next add the whole egg. Make sure all ingredients are mixed very well, as the whole wheat flour tends to easily stick to the bottom of the bowl.

·        In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until they are stiff (usually you will quadruple the original volume of the egg whites) and then gently fold them into the mix.  This step is key to creating a light textured cake.

·        Spray a round Bundt cake pan with PAM.

·        Pour the mixture into the cake pan.  The cake should fill the pan until almost the very top.

·        Bake in a preheated oven to 180°C for about 40 minutes.  Baking time may vary according to oven, baking pan thickness and season, so check the cake after about 30 minutes of baking.  The top should be golden brown and the cake should be firm but springy.  The cake is ready when a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.

·        I do not invert the cake and remove it from the pan, but rather cut slices as needed.

Portion size:

I cut 8-10 slices from my Bundt pan for a very points-friendly dessert.

 

How to store:

Always store this is cake covered in the fridge. 

Try my recipe this Shabbat and share with us how it turned out.  Stay tuned for more recipes and hints and tips next week...