Hi, I'm Helen. I share easy, nutritious, seasonal, flexitarian recipes, often with a British-Jewish twist. Expect a weekly dose of delicious dinner ideas, news and positivity!
Share
Let's hear it for spices!
Published about 22 hours ago • 2 min read
Hello again my friend!
This week, I'm focussing on spices - in all their fiery, fragrant, smoky, tangy, earthy, and pungent diversity. See below for how they can boost the nutritional value as well as the flavour of your food!
Shabbat recipe of the week - easy Yerushalmi kugel
First spice on the list is black pepper! It's such a staple that it rarely gets a chance to shine, but if ever there was a recipe that takes advantage of its fiery and fragrant flavour, it's Yerushalmi kugel. This "cheat's" recipe omits the (terrifying!) boiling caramel in favour of a couple of easy hacks, but still makes a delicious, sweet and spicy noodle kugel. It's a perfect Autumnal addition to your Shabbat menu.
Spices are much more than mere flavourings. Many are packed with natural antioxidants and polyphenols that bring all sorts of health benefits. Even small amounts count towards your '30 plants a week', and they're a super easy way to add a little extra goodness to your everyday cooking.
Of course, the real magic of spices is in how delicious they make everything! A pinch of smoked paprika or a shake of coriander can turn roasted vegetables into something savoury and irresistible, while cinnamon, cloves or nutmeg can make a mundane bowl of porridge feel warm and comforting. Each spice adds flavour, depth, and aroma that can completely transform a dish, whether you’re making a soup, stir-fry, marinade, or dessert.
Below are a collection of recipes that feature fabulous spices in a whole host of different ways. Time to dust off those jars and get spicing!
Spicy recipes to enliven colder days
Enjoy a range of spices in these delicious, warming recipes.
Hawaiij baked fish with rainbow peppers Delicious fish fillets seasoned with the Yemeni spice blend hawaij l'marak, and baked with sweet pepper strips till tender and juicy.
Dry rubbed roasted salmon Crusted with pastrami-inspired spices, this easy and delicious baked salmon will soon become a family favourite.
Moroccan carrot salad With cumin, smoked paprika, ginger, black pepper and cayenne, the zingy dressing of this yummy salad turns carrots into something really special.
Curried potato and egg salad Inspired by Coronation chicken, this creamy, gently spiced potato salad is a gorgeous side dish or a perfect packed lunch.
Vegan cauliflower and chickpea curry This veg-packed vegan curry is quick and easy, and you can adjust the heat levels easily to suit your family’s preference.
Carrot and butterbean tagine Complex and characterful allspice helps to create a warming vegan tagine that's a cosy, comforting main dish.
Spice-roasted squash and halloumi fajitas Cumin, coriander and cayenne brighten up the roasted squash, which is packed into tortillas with smoky griddled halloumi, fresh tomato salsa and crunchy lettuce.
Zimtsterne Classic German star-shaped cinnamon cookies. Add a little nutmeg, allspice or cloves for an even warmer and richer flavour.
Spiced date cookies Soft and crumbly, with succulent dates and sweet and fragrant spices. These cookies are perfect for a quick pick-me-up.
Looking for something else? Use the search box and drop down menus at the top of family-friends-food.com to help find whatever you're after.
Or to support my work at no cost (and maybe even a benefit?) to yourself, click below!
Shabbat Shalom
Will you be going to the fireworks this weekend? Bonfire night comes just in time to banish the encroaching Winter darkness with some ooohs and aaaahs and a little bit of sparkle!
Whatever you're up to, here's wishing you a very Good Shabbos - Shabbat Shalom! May it bring us all blessings of health, happiness, contentment, and many good things.
Family, friends and food are three of life’s most important things. Let’s celebrate them!
Hi, I'm Helen. I share easy, nutritious, seasonal, flexitarian recipes, often with a British-Jewish twist. Expect a weekly dose of delicious dinner ideas, news and positivity!
Hello again my friend! November is almost here, and the warmer days of Summer are fading into memory. But even as we slide towards Winter, our farmers are still hard at work providing us with delicious fruits and vegetables. See below for the full rundown. Shabbat recipe of the week - fruit flapjack fingers You may remember that back in the mists of time, Rakusens used to make fruit flapjack fingers, and they were a real Shabbat treat - oaty, sweet and studded with dried fruits. Perfect for...
Hello again my friend! It's time again for the clocks to change*, giving us an extra hour to do something fun - like enjoy a new book! Read on for my book giveaway, and be in with a chance to win a copy of Cholent: The Most Jewish Food on Earth. Shabbat recipe of the week - vegan humous basar Humous basar is a delicious Israeli dish of creamy humous topped with a spiced beef mixture. In this vegan version I've swapped out the meat for hearty, savoury mushrooms, cooked down and richly...
Hello there my friend! Tomorrow is World Food Day, celebrating the UNFAO and its work towards creating a sustainable, prosperous, and food-secure future for all. It's a great opportunity to consider the origins of our food, and to thank the people who worked tirelessly to get it from a seed all the way to our plates. Shabbat recipe of the week - Quapple Spomble!! Quince and apple sponge crumble, or 'quapple spomble' as it's known in our house, is an absolutely gorgeous pudding that I'm sure...
