My husband has been in school for the past 6 1/2 years. Just this week he finished. It’s the most unbelievable feeling for me, even though it is his accomplishment. He was doing the work and getting the straight A’s, while I was home taking care of our home. Not only will he have more time to himself, but he will also have more time to spend with us without reports and finals on his mind. Because of this huge occasion, we hosted a little get together with his classmates. We wanted it to be the one last hurrah to get his class together before they were to take the next steps in their lives.

I had many meal ideas planned out in my head for this event when my husband informed me that two of his classmates were vegetarian. It was not a big deal until I realized the majority of the dishes I was thinking of, were made of chicken and meat. I had to come up with something that was filling and tasty. I wanted to make something that also resembled the other foods I was making so as not to single anyone out. One of the dishes I made were a variety of wraps. So I figured one of the variety could be vegetarian. But then I had to think of what to fill the wrap with. I wanted it to be hot and have the same tasty flavors as some of the other wraps. And so I came up with this spinach vegetarian wrap.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 large flour tortillas
3 tbl. Olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic
5 white button mushrooms
1 bag fresh baby spinach
Schwarma spice + a little olive oil
2 roma tomatoes
1 avocado
thousand island dressing

Directions:
Heat up the olive oil in a medium sized frying pan on a medium flame. Chop the garlic and add to the pan. Saute till you smell the garlic or when it begins to sizzle. Slice the mushrooms and add to the garlic. Saute until mushrooms absorb a lot of the oil. Then add the bag of spinach a little at a time. Cook all together in an open pan until spinach begins to wilt. It should not become too soggy. Remove from heat. Take 1 1/2 tbl. of the shwarma spice and add to a little bit of olive oil until becomes thick. Pour over the spinach and mix until it’s entirely covered. Chop the roma tomatoes and avocado and pour thousand island on top until mixture is covered. Take flour tortillas and put a little of the spinach mixture onto the bottom middle. Pour tomato and avocado mixture on top. Roll it together like a burrito. Slice in half and serve hot or room temperature.

~ Recipe submitted by Becky Brownstein of Spits & Giggles

Ingredients:
4 cups cranberry or pomegranate juice
2 bags frozen unsweetened strawberries
2 bags frozen unsweetened sliced rhubarb
1 cup good quality strawberry or black currant jam
1/4 cup kuzu, arrowroot or cornstarch (Passover: potato starch), dissolved in a little cold water in a small bowl until smooth

Directions:
Bring all but last ingredient to boil in a medium pot. Reduce flame to low and cook 5 more minutes. Add starch mixture and cook only till mixture begins to boils and looks clear (a minute or two). The mixture will be chunky. If you like it smooth, cream it with an immersion blender. Wait until the mixture cools, then store in glass jars in the refrigerator.

~ Recipe submitted by Levana Kirschenbaum of www.levanacooks.com for more great passover recipes go to, Levana cooks for Passover!

Ingredients:
zucchini, cut into slices
olive oil
spices such as salt, pepper & garlic powder

Directions:
Place the zucchini on a baking sheet. Drizzle some olive oil on top. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Broil for approximately 20 minutes or until the tops are golden and slightly brown.

~ Recipe submitted by Chanel Lipskier

Date nut bread, sounds dead-good-for-you-serious, doesn’t it? That is until you taste it. Plump and moist and chock full of goodies. I make it with spelt flour too, so it’s a win-win.

Ingredients:
1 cup diced dates, packed
1 cup dark or golden raisins
2 1/2 cups flour, all purpose, whole wheat pastry or spelt (as always, spelt is my favorite)
3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup agave syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup hot strong tea, decaf ok

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Mix the first set of ingredients together in a bowl. Mix the second set of ingredients in another bowl. Combine both mixtures, making sure not to overmix. Pour into a greased 9×13 pan, or 6-cup loaf pan, and bake 1 hour, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Muffins: Pour the batter into greased muffin molds (about 12 medium) and bake 30 minutes

~ Recipe submitted by Lévana Kirschenbaum of www.levanacooks.com

Ingredients for Chummus:
1 cup raw chick peas soaked over night and cooked in water and salt for about an hour or until tender,
or
2 cans chick peas drained and rinsed cooked for about 10 minutes
Reserve water from cooked peas.
1 Tbs plain Tahini
1/4 cup olive oil (you can also use regular oil)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tsp vinegar
1 garlic clove peeled & cut in 2
2 tsp salt

Directions for Chummus:
Place cooked peas in food processor. Add enough water to cover about 3/4 of chick peas, not all the way to cover the last layer of chick peas, make sure at least two “rows” of chick peas are not covered. Add the rest of the ingredients and process on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until creamy. Taste and add salt if needed. Chummus might look too liquidy, that is because you are working with hot chick peas, as soon as it cools down it will get harder.

Ingredients for Mushroom Sauce:
2 pints white mushrooms, sliced or quartered
1 big onion
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tsp salt
oil for frying

Directions for Mushroom Sauce:
Slice onion thinly and fry in oil until browned. Add mushrooms, sprinkle with salt and cook until liquid reduces, stirring occasionally. Add spices and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Place Chummus in a big plate leaving a hole in middle, pour the mushroom sauce into the hole and serve hot. If you make it for Shabbos, make sure to leave Chummus at room temperature and place mushroom sauce covered with the rest of your warmed food.

~ Recipe submitted by Hila Liani

Roast peppers with other veggies such as garlic, onions, zucchini and mushrooms. Drizzled with some olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt, pepper, basil or your favorite herbs. Roast uncovered at 425 F on a foil-lined baking sheet. Enjoy!

~ Recipe submitted by Chef Norene Gilletz of “Gourmania”

‘Tis the season to be jolly….yes, even in Israel, wintry festiveness has settled upon us (in the form of Channukah, festival of lights) and we are indulging in donuts, latkes, and other seasonal delights. Personally, I find myself missing the mince pies…

Happily, these pears went some way towards fulfilling that craving. Warm, spicy, rich and comforting, a perfect dessert for a chilly winter’s evening. Surprisingly easy to prepare, the best thing about them is the steaming mulled wine left over once you have served the pears.

Ingredients:
2 small cinamon sticks
125g sugar
300ml red wine
150ml water
thinly pared rind and juice of 1 small orange
4 firm pears
frozen vanilla yoghurt or ice cream to serve

Directions:
1. Place the cinnamon sticks on the work surface and with a rolling pin, slowly roll down the side of the cinnamon stick to bruise. Place in a large heavy-based saucepan.
2. Add the sugar, wine, water, pared orange rind and juice to the pan and bring slowly to the boil, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved.
3. Meanwhile peel the pears, leaving the stalks on. Cut out the cores from the bottom of the pears and level them so that they stand upright.
4. Stand the pears in the syrup, cover the pan and simmer for 20 minutes or until tender. Remove the pan from the heat and leave the pears to cool in the syrup, turning occasionally.
5. Arrange the pears on serving plates and spoon over the syrup. Decorate with orange slices if you wish, and serve with ice cream or frozen yogurt.

~ Recipe submitted by Joanne Mandel of the delicious food blog, Eat Love Jump

Ingredients:

frozen pastry dough
Macintosh apples
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cinnamon

Directions:

Combine the cinnamon and sugar. Peel apples and remove the core, then roll them in cinnamon & sugar mixture. Place the apples in the center of the pastry dough, and wrap around the apple. Place on baking sheet and bake uncovered on 350 for about 45 minutes. You can sprinkle powered sugar on top before serving.

~ Recipe submitted by Yehudis Baitz

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of margarine
1 onion diced
2 carrots diced
1 butternut squash cut into chunks
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Saute the diced onion with the margarine. Add the butternut squash chunks and the diced carrots. Add some salt and pepper to taste. Cook until they have browned. Then add 5 cups of water and boil and simmer until the veggies are soft. When it’s ready puree it and serve with some toasted pine nuts or some sour cream.

~ Recipe submitted by Tova Berger

Ingredients:

2 romen noodle packets
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
3 Tbs slivered almonds
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup vinegar
2 Tbs soy sauce
1 napa cabbage sliced up and shredded
1 green onion

Directions:

1. bring sugar, oil, vinegar, and soy sauce to boil over medium heat. Then remove and cool.

2. Place noodles, sunflower seeds, and almonds on a cookie sheet in oven, set to 350 for 8-10 minutes.

3. combine everything and mix well.

YUM!

~ Recipe submitted by Anna-Aliza Benzaquen Rosenbaum