Kosher for Passover Recipes — Emily Van Halem

As someone with a lot of food sensitivities, my extended family always gets a bit stressed out when I visit. “If she doesn’t eat meat, dairy, eggs, wheat or sugar…what DOES she eat?” The problem is compounded at Passover when legumes and many alternate grains are a “no no.” If I ever want to see dessert at the end of the Seder meal, I’m left to my own devices. And necessity is the mother of invention! Here are a few stand-by recipes. Aside from the apples they don’t use a lot of locally available ingredients unfortunately. But I’m hoping to develop and post some on my own blog soon! (www.feelgoodfood.wordpress.com)

Raw Apple Pie

NUT PIE CRUST2 cups raw nuts, dry (almonds, Brazil nuts &/ hazelnuts are good) plus 1/4-1/3 a cup extra nuts set aside1 teaspoon Kosher salt2 cups pitted dates

SYRUP1/2 cup pitted dates1 orange, peeled and seeded*splash of water, as needed

*if you don’t have an orange, about 1/4 – 1/3 cup orange juice should work fine

FILLING5 cups apples, quartered, seeded, thinly sliced, about 5 or 6 apples1 cup raisins 2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
In a food processor, first grind up the nuts you set aside (the 1/4 – 1/3 cup) until it’s a coarse powder. Spread this around at the bottom of your pie plate so that the crust won’t stick to it later.

Now put the rest of the nuts in the food processor along with the salt and dates. Process until it’s moldable with your hands, and press it into the bottom of the pie plate, all the way to the edge. You can even make the edges a bit wavy for added flare.

Next, put all the “syrup” ingredients into the food processor/blender and blend until smooth. Add this mixture to the “filling” ingredients together in a bowl and mix it all up.

Finally, pour about half of the apple mixture into the pie crust and then with the remaining apples, using your hands, place them in ‘fan’ formation around the pie. To make the apples soften a bit, let it sit for 24 hours in the fridge. Serve at room temperature.

Gluten-free Brownies!
(Inspired by www.elanaspantry.com)

Photo source: www.elanaspantry.com
INGREDIENTS
1 (16oz) jar almond butter, smooth roasted2 eggs (I used 1 mashed banana)1 1/2 cups agave nectar (I think maple syrup would also work. I tried honey and it burned too easily)1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup cocoa powder1/2 teaspoon sea salt1 teaspoon baking soda1 cup dark chocolate chunks/chips

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, blend almond butter until smooth with a hand blender
Blend in eggs/banana, then blend in the agave/maple syrup and vanilla
Blend in cocoa, salt and baking soda, then fold in chocolate chips
Grease a 9 x 13 Pyrex baking dish
Pour batter into dish
Bake at 325°F for 35-40 minutes (check at 20min to make sure it’s not burning…I find nut-based dishes prone to burning)

Makes about 24 brownies