Issue 140

PAULA SHOYER SHOWS YOU HOW TO MAKE PROFITEROLES: IT’S EASIER THAN YOU THINK!

ISSUE 140 OCTOBER 23, 2013 19 CHESHVAN 5774

Pizza Soup!

Rice Krispies Ice Cream Sandwiches, and More from

Kids Cooking Made Easy FROM LEAH AND VICTORIA

f ood g in ir p s a n a u Are yo orget t o f ’t n o D ? t is c o lumn mns lu o c le p m a s r u send in yo mimagazine.org t o w hisk@a mont h. t his

I received more emails from you last week than I did during any other week in the history of Whisk.

Why this week? After our "Secret Restaurant Recipes" column debuted in Whisk Issue #138, so many of you wrote in to tell me about your favorite restaurant dishes. I was so excited when those emails started popping into my inbox.

I quickly learned two things.

1) I need to eat out more often.

2) Chefs make good food. We should learn from them.

Now, Leah and I are on the hunt to find all the recipes you requested. We’re prepared to nudge all our chef friends very often until they finally write them down. Wish us luck and keep those suggestions coming.

B

I was in Lakewood last Monday to do some shopping and to pop in on Elky and Leah’s photoshoot, which was taking place at Elky’s house. In the morning, Leah asked me what time she should bring her food over to Elky.

“You have plenty of time. The photographer arrived late and Elky has 12 dishes to shoot first. Later in the afternoon is fine,” I told her.

In between the supermarket and the photoshoot, I stopped by Renee Muller. My phone was dead, so no one else could reach me as we sat sipping lattes and discussing Chanukah recipe ideas. It was quite nice.

I finally reached Elky’s house in the afternoon.

“Victoria!! You don’t know what happened! Dan had all his photography equipment all packed up and he was walking out the door when I showed up. If I came a minute later he would have been gone!” Leah told me.

I suppose he had forgotten that Leah was also shooting.

Elky’s shoots take much less time than the rest of ours do because she’s super organized. Lots of us cook fresh for each

2

|

WHISK

|

OCTOBER 23, 2013

|

1 9 C H E S H VA N 5 7 7 4

shoot and turn our kitchens into a big mess. When Elky begins a photoshoot, though, all her dishes are lined up in 9- x 13inch pans on the counter, her props are all ready on the dining room table, and her kitchen is perfectly clean.

“Okay, so? But he wasn’t. Hashem loves me,” I responded.

Of course. But it’s very hard to be nervous or frantic when nothing catastrophic happened and all the photos were taken as planned. I suppose that’s a plus of having a dead cell phone. You don’t hear about any impending disasters and can just show up for the happy ending.

B So here’s more about our happy ending. This week’s sneak peak of Kids Cooking Made Easy launches a new season of family-friendly foods. Next week, Elky is back with her wholesome foods, like Cajun Butternut Squash Fries, Fat-Free Pumpkin Muffins, and more. Those 12 dishes that Elky shot also include healthful options for your Chanukah party (not an oxymoron!) and hearty, family-friendly soups.

Then, Leah brings the secrets of the Chinese restaurant into your home. (Do you love that soft, juicy steamed chicken that’s only served in Chinese restaurants? She’ll show you how to make it at home.) There’s more coming up from the rest of the girls with an exciting Chanukah season ahead.

And, don’t forget: We’re still accepting submissions for our Whisk Cooking Whiz contest. We know there’s lots of talent out there! Keep sending in your sample columns and recipes to whisk@amimagazine.org.

Enjoy, Victoria Dwek victoria@amimagazine.org

K

= n e itch

n u F

To make these cheesy pita chips, split a pita bread in half and cut into halves or quarters. Sprinkle with shredded cheese, dried basil, and garlic powder. Bake at 425ยบF for 7-8 minutes, or until crispy.

MOMMY... did you take my cookbook again?

We’ll tell you a little secret. The recipes in Kids Cooking Made Easy aren’t only dishes that kids can make on their own. They’re the recipes we also like to prepare every day. Fancy foods aren’t for weeknights when we need to please the troops. So, you might find yourself swiping your child’s copy of Kids Cooking Made Easy on a regular basis. You might even pick up a tip or two.

Your secret is safe with us.

—Leah and Victoria PS We’ve given you a couple of dinners and an irresistible dessert from the book here. There are also veggie side dishes, snacks, fun desserts, and sweets and crafts to keep ’em busy.

PIZZA SOUP We love sauce and cheese, whether on top of our pasta or our pizza. But when do we ever get an excuse to eat them on their own? —L.

2 tablespoons oil or butter 1 small onion, diced 1 garlic clove, minced 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon garlic powder 2 cups milk ¼ cup water ½ cup shredded cheese

BY LEAH SCHAPIRA AND VICTORIA DWEK RECIPES FROM KIDS COOKING MADE EASY, PUBLISHED BY ARTSCROLL

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic.

Using a wooden spoon, sauté until onion is soft, 5-7 minutes.

2. Add crushed tomatoes and cook for 8–10 minutes. Add sugar, salt, basil, garlic powder, milk, and water, and stir to combine. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.

3. Add cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Ladle soup into bowls to serve.

Yield: Serves 4–6

These chicken nuggets are “breaded,” which means they’re coated in crumbs. Whenever you’re “breading,” you’ll need something sticky, like eggs or mayonnaise, to help attach the crumbs to the chicken, fish, or veggies.

Make sure to throw away the leftover sauce and crumbs when you have finished coating the chicken. It isn’t safe to eat anything that has touched raw chicken or meat and has not been cooked.

Unlike regular bread crumbs, panko crumbs are made from bread without the crust.

They’re much more crisp.

HONEY BBQ CHI CKEN NUGGET S

HONEY BARBECUE CHICKEN NUGGETS Raise your hand if you like dunking chicken nuggets in ketchup. What if we updated ketchup and made an even better dipping sauce for you?

I like to double the sauce because my family likes to dip and dip and dip.—L. 1½ pounds chicken cutlets, cut into nuggets 2 tablespoons oil 6 tablespoons honey 6 tablespoons ketchup 1 teaspoon yellow mustard ½ teaspoon chili powder (optional) 1½–2 cups panko crumbs 1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a small bowl, combine oil, honey, ketchup, mustard, and chili powder (optional). Use a spoon to stir the mixture until smooth. Pour half the sauce into a separate bowl

to use as the dipping sauce; set aside.

3. Place panko crumbs into another bowl.

4. Dip chicken nuggets into the honey mixture and coat completely.

Then, press into panko crumbs until chicken is fully coated on all sides.

5. Place chicken on prepared baking sheet. Spray the top of the nuggets with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 25 minutes. For extra-crispy nuggets, turn the chicken halfway through the cooking time, baking for 12-13 minutes per side.

6. Serve with dipping sauce.

Yield: Serves 4–6

RICE KRISPIES ICE CREAM SANDWICHES

Kids have great recipe ideas too!

This past summer, we held a contest in Aim! Magazine to find the best dish. Lots of Aim! readers mailed in their recipes. See an interview with the winner, plus her recipe and the runner-up recipes next week in Aim!

This is easier to do if you drop some all over the bottom of the pan rather than in one spot. You can also place a piece of wax paper over the Rice Krispies® treats as you press down, to help you flatten them evenly.

I always knew I loved Rice Krispies Treats, but now I love them way more with ice cream in the middle.

I’ll never make plain Rice Krispies Treats again.—V.

¼ cup (½ stick) margarine or butter 1 (16-ounce) container marshmallow fluff 8 cups Rice Krispies 1 quart ice cream, slightly defrosted ¾ cup sprinkles or chocolate chips 1. Melt margarine in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add fluff and mix until margarine and fluff are completely combined. Stir in Rice Krispies, 1 cup at a time.

2. Divide the Rice Krispies treats between two 9- x 13-inch baking 8 ELUL, 5773

|

pans and press into a thin layer.

3. Top one Rice Krispies layer with softened ice cream and sprinkles or chocolate chips. Freeze ice cream layer for 30 minutes to 1 hour, until ice cream is firm.

4. Place second Rice Krispies layer over firm ice cream. Using a sharp knife, cut the treats into squares (this is easier to do when the top layer is not yet frozen). Return to freezer until ready to serve.

Yield: 24 squares

AUGUST 14, 2013

|

WHISK

|

7

If the Choux Fits: Profiteroles

Choux pastry is the cooked French dough used to prepare the shells for éclairs, profiteroles, beignet doughnuts, and churros. It is pronounced “shoe.”

Choux is a thick batter cooked in a saucepan on your stovetop, and when baked, it puffs up leaving a hole inside that is perfect for filling. It is extremely easy to prepare and the only “advanced” technique you need to know is how to use a pastry bag. You can make them large or small or in any shape you like. The best thing about making these, other than eating them, is that you will likely always have the

ingredients on hand: eggs, flour, milk or soymilk, and butter or margarine.

Unlike most dough and batters where overbeating is discouraged, the choux dough is beaten vigorously to activate the gluten and turn the dough into a bubble. Adding what may seem like way too many eggs serves to add moisture to the dough. The moisture converts into steam in the oven and causes the dough to puff up from the inside to create the hollow interior.

WITH PAULA SHOYER

To serve

History The dough dates back to 16th century Italy where it was made for desserts for the Queen of France, Catherine de Medici. The recipe evolved until the 18th century when a pastry chef in France made them in the shape of round buns. He called them “pate a choux” because they looked like little cabbages (“pate” means pastry, and “choux” means cabbage in French).

Equipment

Pastry School

Use your fingers to gently lift the top off the bottom. You can remove the top completely or lift it enough to fill it.

For profiteroles, fill the puffs with ice cream, place the pastry cover on top and drizzle with chocolate sauce. I have also filled puffs with pastry cream, chocolate or other mousse, whipped cream, fresh fruit, or fruit compote (for a low sugar option). I typically serve 2 to 3 puffs per person. At a party, have a large bowl of puffs along with a buffet of ice cream choices and sauce options to pour on top. For decorating, you can sprinkle toasted nuts or colored sprinkles on top of the drizzled sauce. You can fill the puffs in advance with ice cream and freeze on a cookie sheet. When ready for dessert, remove from freezer, drizzle with chocolate sauce, and enjoy.

Tips for Successful Puffs 1. Cut up the butter into small pieces that will melt before the milk boils.

2. After you add the flour to the saucepan, make sure you cook the mixture until you see no white from the flour and the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan and comes together into a ball.

• Medium heavy-bottomed saucepan: the dough may burn in a thin-bottomed pan

3. Add the eggs to the dough one at a time and beat vigorously. This takes time and patience; just keep stirring and the mixture will come together each time.

• Wooden spoon: better than a silicone spatula for the vigorous mixing required • Medium mixing bowl • Pastry bag fitted with a ½-inch round tip: to place into the pastry bag • Parchment paper: for lining the cookie sheets • Cookie sheets: sturdy sheets ensure even baking • Pastry brush: for glazing the puffs with egg

4. Bake the puffs as soon as they are piped out and glazed.

Storing Once the puffs are baked, allow the pastries to completely cool before placing them in a container. They can then be stored uncovered at room temperature and served later in the day. To store overnight, leave out uncovered or store in an aluminum pan or in foil. Plastic wrap and bags make the puffs too soft.

You can also freeze the puffs.

5. Make sure to bake the puffs until brown all over and no light-colored patches remain.

6. Do not open the oven door during the first 20 minutes of baking or the puffs may collapse.

7. Let puffs cool before filling with ice cream.

1 9 C H E S H VA N 5 7 7 4

|

OCTOBER 23, 2013

|

WHISK

|

9

Profiteroles—Step by Step A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

10

|

WHISK

|

OCTOBER 23, 2013

|

1 9 C H E S H VA N 5 7 7 4

Puffs: ½ cup milk or soymilk ½ cup water ½ cup (1 stick) butter or margarine (cut into small pieces) ¼ teaspoon salt 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted 5 large eggs, plus 1 egg for glazing tops 1 pint vanilla or other flavor ice cream, or filling of your choice Chocolate Sauce: 1 cup water 11/3 cups sugar 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate 1. Preheat the oven to 475°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a small saucepan, combine milk, water, butter, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat.

Remove from heat and mix in flour using a wooden spoon. Place the pot back over low heat and cook for 1 additional minute, stirring constantly to dry out the dough. Remove from heat.

3. Place the dough into a medium bowl and add eggs, one at a time, and mix well with a wooden spoon.

You will need to mix vigorously to incorporate the eggs into the dough.

Be patient.

4. Using a pastry bag fitted with a round tip, pipe out balls of dough, at least 2 inches in diameter, onto the parchment-lined baking sheets,

leaving an inch between each one.

The easiest way to do this is to hold the pastry bag tip down, hold the bag still and squeeze until you have the size you want and then lift up the tip.

5. Beat the remaining egg in a small bowl and brush the top of each circle with the egg and smooth out the little tip on the top. Place the baking sheets in the oven and immediately turn off the oven. After 15 minutes, turn the oven on again to 350°F. Bake pastries for an additional 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size. They are done when the cracks on the top are the same color as the rest of the pastry. Remove to a rack and let cool.

6. To make the sugar syrup for the chocolate sauce, place the cup of 1 9 C H E S H VA N 5 7 7 4

water and sugar into a small heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar and bring to a rolling boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat.

7. Melt chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave. Whisk until smooth. Add the sugar syrup to the chocolate a little at a time and whisk until you get a consistency you can drizzle. If the mixture sits a few minutes and starts to harden, just add a little more sugar syrup until you get a thick, pouring consistency. To serve, lift the top of the pastry half way off, leaving some part attached, spoon some ice cream inside and then drizzle the top with the chocolate sauce.

Yield: serves 10 |

OCTOBER 23, 2013

|

WHISK

|

11

Food Currents

By Racheli Sofer

The Sous Chef Whisk responds to your cooking queries

CHANA LAZARUS ASKS: Can almond milk be substituted for soy milk in baking recipes?  MIRIAM PASCAL RESPONDS: Yes. Your end result might have a slightly different taste and/or texture, but it shouldn’t be a problem.

I’m often asked about making substitutions, such as substituting baking soda for baking powder and

vice versa. Here’s a general disclaimer: Fooling around with recipes and substituting things is something you should do only in a pinch.

Things can and will go wrong.

Take baking powder/baking soda substitution as an example: Both are leavening agents; they cause your baked goods to rise.

However, baking soda and baking powder are very different, and are definitely not interchangeable.

Baking soda requires an acid such as the molasses in brown sugar or cocoa powder to interact with (Only the standard kind though. Dutch process cocoa undergoes a chemical process that neutralizes the acid, which means it won’t react with baking soda.)

Baking soda is much more powerful than baking powder, so you need about three times the amount of baking powder to substitute for baking soda. A recipe that calls for 1 teaspoon of baking soda can technically be replaced with 3 teaspoons of baking powder. It’s important to note though, that it’s not a perfect substitute.

With regard to subbing baking soda in place of baking powder, it will most likely not work because the recipe probably doesn’t have any (or enough acid).

In a pinch, you can make your own baking powder by combining two parts cream of tartar (a powdered leavening agent sold in the baking aisle) with one part baking soda. You can then use that in place of baking powder in your recipe.

50%

F

O

O

D

F

I

G

U

QUICK TIP Whisk reader Faigy Schwei says, regarding braids that break during challah baking: “I had this happen to me until someone mentioned that maybe I was simply braiding them too tight.

As soon as I began braiding more loosely, the challos have come out looking perfect.”

R

E

S

of the chicken in processed “chicken nuggets” is actually chicken meat.

The remaining 50 percent? Says a study in the American Journal of Medicine: fat, blood vessels, nerve, connective tissue, and ground bone.

Inspectors Un-idled

T

hankfully, the government shutdown was resolved. As far as our food industry is concerned, a deal was reached not a moment too soon. That’s because many of the Food and Drug Administration’s officials, who inspect an average of 80 food-related facilities per day, were on furlough for the duration of the shutdown. While the US Department of Agriculture continued to inspect meat production facilities, it is the FDA that oversees the safety of the vast majority of the country’s food industry. Not only were food inspections missed, it is entirely likely that food production facilities were not as attentive to food safety issues during the government shutdown. After all, there was no need for them to worry about a random FDA check-in, and many food manufacturers were reputed to have cut corners on food safety.

Beware the Water

Bon Voyage? If you’re traveling in the near future, you might want to skip the coffee and tea and instead ask your flight attendant for a bottled beverage. That’s because test results from the EPA showed that the water used to make coffee and tea in 12 percent of commercial planes in the US tested positive for coliform.

While that particular type of coliform bacteria isn’t known for making people sick, its presence typically indicates that more harmful bacteria are also floating nearby. You can, for the most part, rest assured if it is a glass of water you crave. Most airlines serve bottled water in their drink carts, but steer clear of coffee and tea that are made with water from the airplane’s tanks. Bon Appétit!

6

Kitchen Lab

WAYS JUNK FOOD MAKES YOU MISERABLE

Weird white stuff on your cooked salmon…

What is it, and is it safe to ingest? The white chunky foam that appears on your fresh fillet after it’s cooked is actually albumin—a moisture-filled protein that is pushed out of the muscle’s fibers of the fish as it cooks, coagulating on the surface. The more you overcook your salmon, the more albumin you’ll find. Not only does the white albumin detract from the salmon’s appearance, but its formation indicates a loss of moisture in the fish. While it is perfectly safe to eat this albumin, it certainly isn’t pretty. The best way to avoid this white-look is to brine your salmon in a solution of 1 tablespoon of salt

BAD FOR YOUR WAIST, AND FOR YOUR FACE

Sugars, trans fats and starches cause insulin to rise and trigger inflammatory responses, speeding the aging process and making you more prone to sun damage and premature aging.

BLOATING

Surprise: Junk food contains sodium, which causes bloating by pulling water from your cells, causing your body to hang on to extra fluid.

A REGULAR FEELING OF FEELING IRREGULAR

Processed products cause constipation because they don’t have fiber, and the dehydration doesn’t exactly help!

per cup of water. The salt will work to dissolve the muscle fibers, so that when they cook they congeal without releasing albumin.

INDIGESTION

High saturated fats take longer to digest, and the extra acid can mean heartburn.

MOOD SWINGS

Sugar and starches cause insulin to spike and then drop, affecting brain chemicals and, hence, moodiness.

BREAKING BREAD

HEADACHES

Thank you, tyramine—a chemical in food colorings, dyes, and nitrates— for that headache. Tyramine increases blood flow to the brain, causing vascular changes that cause pain.

WIN!

Congratulations to C. Schwarz for winning a copy of Starters and Sides Made Easy!

To enter next month’s drawing, send your Sous Chef questions and Breaking Bread recipes to racheli@amimagazine.org

Peshy Waxman says, “I found these salad sprinkles when I was in the country, and decided that I must make up a salad to include them.

On Sukkos I came up with this salad, which was a huge hit!”

SALAD SHMALAD Dressing: 3 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons oil ¼ teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon sugar

Romaine lettuce Purple cabbage Salad sprinkles from Sheffa,

Mediterranean flavor Craisins Chinese noodles

1. Combine salad dressing ingredients in a small jar or cruet.

2. Combine salad ingredients, and toss with dressing.

Thank you, Peshy, for this delicious salad recipe that we’re sure to be making from now until Pesach!

1 9 C H E S H VA N 5 7 7 4

|

OCTOBER 23, 2013

|

WHISK

|

13

2

Gir

Basya

on a

T he

Basya’s Menu SUNDAY: Breakfast: coffee, apple.

Snack: almonds. Lunch: tuna salad. Dinner: chicken, brown rice, cauliflower, salad. Snack: sliced pineapple.

MONDAY: Breakfast: coffee, wholewheat toast with peanut butter.

Snack: cucumber. Lunch: turkey sandwich, red pepper. Snack: carrot sticks. Dinner: grilled tilapia, broccoli, couscous. Dessert: baked apple.

TUESDAY: Breakfast: coffee, yogurt, nuts. Snack: rice cake, avocado.

Lunch: Greek salad. Snack: apple.

Dinner: whole-wheat lasagna, grilled vegetables, salad. Snack: almonds.

WEDNESDAY: Breakfast: coffee, granola bar. Snack: sliced red pepper, hummus. Lunch: lox and fat free sour cream on rice crackers. Snack: string cheese (low-fat). Dinner: baked chicken, kasha, white asparagus, salad. Snack: pineapple, almonds, tea.

THURSDAY: Breakfast: coffee, grapes. Snack: melon. Lunch: cottage cheese, cucumber, tomatoes. Snack: sliced melon. Dinner: tofu, steamed vegetables, brown rice. Snack: apple.

FRIDAY: Breakfast: coffee, yogurt.

Snack: grapes. Lunch: garden salad.

Dinner: whole-wheat challah, gefilte fish, cabbage salad, chicken soup, baked sweet potato, piece of chicken, fruit.

SHABBOS: coffee, whole-wheat challah, gefilte fish, cabbage salad, chicken, cholent, salad, cut fruit.

Shalosh Seudos: whole-wheat challah with tuna fish, salad. Snack: cracker with peanut butter. Motzaei Shabbos: cup of tea, oatmeal cookie.

14

|

WHISK

|

OCTOBER 23, 2013

|

BAGEL SURPRISE Last Sunday morning, I woke up later than usual. I was on my way to the kitchen, looking forward to my cup of coffee, yogurt with muesli, and a banana, when I noticed a brown paper bag filled with what had to be bagels. Bagels have a distinct look when in a brown paper bag. Sunday morning was not complete without a bagel, lox, cream cheese, and orange juice—a wonderful breakfast I had to forgo. Moishy loves bagels too; I imagine it must have been hard for him to give up our traditional Sunday morning breakfast.

I could hear Moishy at his desk working.

Normally I wouldn’t disturb him, but I wanted to know: Why did he buy bagels?

I walked into his study; he was in the middle of writing an e-mail. Next to his computer was a buttered bagel and a cup of orange juice.

“Uh, thanks for buying bagels?” I asked sarcastically.

“Hmm?” he seemed to say, while still staring at his screen.

“I would really appreciate if you would help me along here, not bring food into the house that I am not allowed to eat.

Especially not food you know I particularly like!” My emotions were taking over. Really, I was getting angry at myself because I knew that I would end up eating a bagel!

“What? I was wondering why you bought bagels?” he said.

Then who bought the bagels?

I sat down at the kitchen table with a coffee and a whole-wheat bagel. I made a list of possible suspects. A family member dropped them off as a nice gesture? A friend dropped them off as a prank?

I called my sister. “Did you drop off bagels at my house?”

“No. I’m sorry. I didn’t know you eat bagels. Were you expecting bagels? I’ll drop off some bagels next Sunday, im yirtzeh Hashem!” My sister is always

1 9 C H E S H VA N 5 7 7 4

D

Chal le

Basya

STARTING WEIGHT

200

CURRENT WEIGHT

167.5

GOAL WEIGHT

150

POUNDS LOST THIS WEEK

2

TOTAL POUNDS LOST SO FAR

32.5

afraid of wronging anybody, and always wants to please the people she loves.

When someone insults her, she ends up apologizing.

“No! I don’t want bagels; I am on a diet, hello? But thank you so much. I just want to know where these bagels came from!” I say as I hang up.

I sat sipping my coffee and enjoying my bagel. What an unwelcome yet wonderful surprise, I thought.

Best, Basya

2

rls D

iet

THE CONTEST

Basya and Devoiry each want to lose 50 pounds. The first one to reach her goal wins a trip to Florida or $500. Follow them weekly as they share their diet journeys with us.

WEEK THIRTY-THREE

enge

Devoiry

you, Devoiry. I could not leave them in the store.” She has a knack for finding me the best stuff. Of course, before I lost weight there was no way I could put on a pair of shoes with any kind of heel, because I could not carry my body with heels.

I was compiling pictures for a before, between, and after album. I never want to return to the obese state I had been in.

STARTING WEIGHT Pictures from my son Yossi’s siddur party or my nephew’s wedding, reminding me what I looked like at the beginning of this CURRENT WEIGHT journey, would be an incentive to never look like that again. I hope I will never ever go back to that horrible state of being.

When I got home, I downloaded the GOAL WEIGHT contents of my camera and looked at the pictures from that evening. I expected to feel on top of the world seeing how great POUNDS LOST I look. After all, that is what I was told all THIS WEEK night long: Wow, you look so fantastic.

Instead I saw something that made me feel terrible. I saw a truth that I wished I hadn’t TOTAL POUNDS seen. I might look amazing compared to LOST SO FAR the girl who ate three donuts because she felt sad and wanted to numb her feelings.

I may have a very different life today.

But compared to the average lady at the wedding that night, I still have a long way to go. There is plenty of work to do. I know SEEING MYSELF I am being hard on myself, but then again, It is unbelievable—the fact that I am who isn’t? almost at my first goal! It shocks me every Talking to fellow Grey Sheeters gave time I think about it. Yet negative feelings me clarity. I realized that when I was at surface from time to time. I recognize them my heaviest stage, I didn’t really care about as part of the illness of a food addict. I still what I looked like. I had such a terrible have a long way to go. I went to a wedding self-perception that I never looked in the last week, and it seemed like everywhere I mirror. Now that I am losing weight and turned I got compliments. I was told how taking care of myself, I want to look the amazing I looked. People couldn’t believe best I can! my perseverance! “No way! Over eight It is so hard to face up to the emotions months and you never cheated? Impossible!” that come with the painful actuality of my The compliments had a positive effect life. I was very self-destructive, and now on my self-image. In addition to the much it will take time to undo this. I can only smaller-sized dress I was wearing, I wore daven, asking Hashem to help me forge a pair of shoes that my mom had picked forward. With His help, I can continue to up for me, “because they looked so like work on myself in all the different aspects

Devoiry 203

156.5 153 2.5

46.5

of my life. So for today, I will continue to turn my will and my life over to Hashem and ask Him to remove my defects of character, and along with them, these unwanted pounds. The spirituality that this program affords me is the only way I can continue to journey toward my ultimate goals of health, happiness, and well-being.

Devoiry

On the Menu

There is nothing like a cream soup to warm my bones on a blustery fall evening.

This week I decided to try to make a dietetic soup that I would find acceptable. I was not disappointed!

1 tablespoon butter 2 small onions, sliced into rings 5 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped 16 ounces fresh mushrooms (baby bella, cremini, shiitake, white button) 11/2 cups milk Salt and pepper 3 or 4 Natural and Kosher Cheddar Cheese sticks 1. In a two-quart soup pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onions and sauté for two minutes. Add garlic.

2. Cover pot, and let cook until the onions are translucent. Add mushrooms, and cook on a low flame.

The mushrooms and onions will start to sweat. Let all the moisture cook out. Add milk, and bring to a slow boil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.

Blend with an immersion blender. Chop a cheese stick or two into the bowl you will be using. Pour soup on top. Enjoy!

Yield: 2 servings

1 9 C H E S H VA N 5 7 7 4

|

OCTOBER 23, 2013

|

WHISK

|

15

G K IN EE OM W

C XT NE

T GREAKaH

CHanU T!

GIF 15.99 ONISLTYPR$ICE L

Fun starts here

NEW

FROM LEAH SCHAPIRA and VICTORIA DWEK have created a cookbook with you kids in mind. The food is fun and the instructions are easy to follow. Every recipe has a picture so tempting you’ll want to eat the page. (But don’t —you’ll want to use it again!)

FuLL-COLOR PHOTO FOR eaCH DIsH

MaNY STEP-BY-STEP PHOTOs

COOKING SChOOL ABC’s MeaSUrING & CONVErSION GUIDE

ORDER NOW AT YOUR LOCAL HEBREW BOOKSELLER OR AT www.artscroll.com • 1-800-MESORAH (637-6724)