shak-shuka

Matzoh Ball Supreme

Passover has to be one of my favorite holidays, because it symbolizes the beginning of spring and for me, that means spring cleaning. Purging of all the things I've hoarded over the past year, and doing away with what we don't need anymore - which is always a lot more than we would think! It also means that I get to be creative in the kitchen and avoid anything that rises: think yeasty related. I don't go super hardcore, but I do like to keep this tradition alive in our family and have fun telling the stories to my daughter (who thinks it's super cool to eat a matzoh sandwich).

One of my favorite dishes to make is my special twist on matzoh ball soup. I've tried to make a million different versions, but this one is by far my favorite, and even my daughter, the princess of head shaking "no-no" whenever the bowl comes near her, devoured hers last night. A wonderful, soul-filling dish that keeps the tradition alive as well as feeds our hungry bellies!

Matzoh Ball Soup

1 stalk celery, diced

1 large carrot, diced

1 large onion, diced

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1tsp dried thyme

handful of fresh parsley leaves, chopped

5-6 cups vegetable stock

3 eggs

1/2 cup matzoh meal (if you don't have it, take a few matzoh crackers in the blender and blitz them into a fine powder)

2Tbsp olive oil

splash of water

salt to taste

*optional, but recommended: chopped spring onions and parsley, toasted sesame oil

Beat the eggs in a bowl and set aside. In another bowl, mix the matzoh meal, salt, water and oil. Slowly add this liquid mixture to the beaten eggs, and mix to combine - if it seems too dry, add a bit more water, or if it is too wet, add a bit more matzoh meal. The consistency should almost hold together, but not quite - then put it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or even overnight to chill.

In a large pot, drizzle some extra virgin olive oil and add the onions and garlic. Saute until the onion is translucent and the garlic begins to brown. Next add the carrot and celery, stirring to coat in oil, cooking for about another 5 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Once it's at a simmer, take two soup spoons, and make small balls with the chilled matzoh mixture (you can also use your hands). Place each ball gently into the simmering soup mixture, one by one. Try not to completely overcrowd the pot, as they really expand in the cooking process.

Once you've made and simmered all the matzoh balls, cook in the liquid for 35-40 minutes. When you're ready to serve, my favorite way is to drizzle a bit of sesame oil in the bottom of each bowl, along with a healthy sprinkle of chopped parsley and spring onions. Make sure you divvy up the matzoh balls evenly amongst your guests or you'll have trouble!!

Eco Hair Do's

Any woman who is currently undergoing the "in between" phase of hair growth, you'll feel me on this: you have to find a million and one ways to disguise the fact that you're growing your hair out. Hats, bandanas, enough clips and bobby pins to rival a gymnast, and headbands galore. I've tried them all but nothing can really contain, or shall I say, distract in a beautiful way - away from the birds nest which is my poofy hair.

But - aha - relief! Spring colors have got my attention, and these beautiful hairbands from Giant Dwarf will do just the trick to spice up my wardrobe and camouflage any hair "don'ts". Made from eco-friendly felt and recycled materials, Giant Dwarf's creations are handmade, not homemade (if you have ever bought things made by hand, you'll know the difference!). Beautiful bouquets of flowers to don on your noggin, and if you're feeling like a sparkler at night, there is this lovely Starlette Crown, a la Nicole Richie. I suppose you don't have to be growing your hair out to love these hairbands, but since I am, it's a welcome respite from my tired attempts to disguise my hair. Now I can do it with eco style just made for my spring wardrobe!

Canvas Gone Chic

Since becoming a parent, there are so many things that have changed about me - the way I dress, the people I hang out with, the places that interest me for a getaway. My days of spontaneous adventure are over and are now replaced with dreams of a ready-made vacation (think Club Med which I once dreaded and swore I would never even entertain the idea of it) or a place that is super kid and family friendly. Sigh....

Now - vacations. Since the weather is taking a turn for the warmer, I'm already planning our summer holiday, and thinking about places that are suitable for a bit of relaxation away from the city as well as fun for the wee one. I have long been a fan of this site, Canvas Chic, and love the dreamy idea of staying in a glorified tent-like structure (called a "yurt") that is just enough dose of "roughing it" with a dose of glamour. It's super family-friendly, with big Mediterranean meals around the table, with plenty of discovering to do around the (French) countryside. My only question would be how well we would cope with a joint bathroom facility, but I suppose it's a small price to pay - but hey, we could always bring our biodegradable BecoPotty, right?!

Spring Holiday Crafts

 
Lately I've been so busy focusing on the weather (and the Spring/Summer collections that come along with it) that I've totally missed the fact that the spring holidays are coming up - Easter and Passover. Since we're a hodgepodge mix family of Jews and Gentiles, we'll be celebrating both in our own little way (think food and stories) and I thought it would be fun to share a cute craft idea for all of those leftover egg cartons from the Easter Egg hunts, or the Pesach plates.

I have never really been a fan of most upcycled crafts, because they look, well - upcycled. You know, the type of crafts that kids show you and you try not to gasp in horror when they hold it up in front of you to go "look! guess what it is" and you run through the Roladex (oooh I'm old) to guess who/what they've made you. With this adorable craft project from Kaboose, between you and a few kiddies, you can whip up this Egg Carton Mobile that is a really adorable eye-catcher that can hang around long after the holidays have come and gone.

Make sure to find more egg carton-y craft goodness here

Mama's Gone Cuckoo for Clocks

 
One thing that I noticed while putting my daughter to bed at night, or more importantly for the "mama needs a break and you need to get some rest" nap, is that I never know what time it is. It may seem unimportant to some, but to me, I'm thinking (as it takes a LOOONG time to get my daughter to bed): "do I have to feed the dog yet" or "what time was that meeting again", or just a good old "how  long have I been in here?!!!". If you're a parent with a fussy sleeper, you'll understand me.

My problem was that when looking for clocks, they were all either: 1) hideous, 2) had princesses or knights on them, 3) were made of plastic. Now, I am not a fan of any of these options, no matter how desperate I am to know what time it is. Regretably I had taken to bringing my iPhone in the room with me to check the time (and sneak a peek at email sometimes), but those times have stopped. Now, we now have Decoylab clocks in her room - which are as adorable as they can get, and no princes(ses), nor plastic! I am still debating which one I like better for her room: the sustainable bamboo animal clocks (the hedgehog is a new animal shape and I'm sensing a new trend of hedgehog-lovin' here) or the equally cute tongue-in-cheek paper cuckoo clocks. Both are great for the kids rooms, and even beyond - best of all they are small enough that they don't take up too much room, and are silent! No annoying "tick, tick, tick" which could even get on a newborn baby's nerves! So, problem 1 is solved in finding a suitable and beautiful time-teller for my daughter's room, and a solution to our clock drought at Shak-Shuka!

Itsy Bitsy Eco Bikini

 
The other day when I looked in the mirror at my figure I realized that bikini season is fast approaching. Oh. My. Goodness. Needless to say after becoming a full-time mama and full-time worker bee, I've neglected my usual exercise routine which actually used to be pretty good. So even though I'm really pleased that the warm weather is upon us, I'm fretting a bit at the fact that I might be a bit shy on the beach this season.....

But not if I'm wearing this swimming suit I just found! This beautiful bikini, made in Australia by Emobi with a UV factor of 50+ (essential for these brutal Northen European summers - ha ha ha). Besides the obvious stunning look of these swimsuits, I love that they are done using eco prints and dyes, which means that this bikini must - be - mine. And who cares if I've slacked off a bit on my workout routine, in a swimsuit like this, who really cares what I look like? The suit makes the statement all in itself......

Monkeys Climbing the Wall(paper)

 
When we first moved into this apartment, we did a lot of renovations - correction - hubby made the renovations while I just waited til he finished to do the decorating. At the time I was going through a paint-one-wall-phase which thankfully was done in quite muted colors so it's not getting on my nerves. Yet.

So even though I'm not completely ready to go re-painting the walls, I am thinking about what move to make next design-wise. Replacing our rugs is a sure thing, but what to do about the walls? Hmm....this has got me thinking and poking around online and in interior magazines. I've seen a lot of one-wall wonders similar to the way that I painted rooms in our house, but what has really caught my eye is wallpaper done on only one wall. Maybe it sounds a little strange, but with the right wallpaper, it looks amazing - and not overdone (which is how I usually feel about wallpaper). Enter Bholu's wallpaper designs - simple and elegant, and whimsical enough that it doesn't feel like the room is closing in on you. Even though I *should* like the more "adult" wallpapers, I am a sucker for the monkey print. If the prints weren't enough to convince you, Bholu donates a portion of their proceeds to building schools in developing countries. The icing on the eco cake is that all of Bholu's products (I dare you to stop at obsessing only about the wallpapers) are fairly traded and made in India. Ah, true beauty from the inside out - for your interior!

Haramaki Lover

Unfortunately I've been very naughty and neglecting our Friday posts a bit. I even forgot to announce the winner of last week's giveaway (hooray for Ms. Holland!). Too much work, not enough sleep, make for one snooze-friendly Friday. So let me share this post with you to help redeem myself a bit.

I meant to write a post about this AGES ago, and maybe now for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, it's a bit silly. When I used to go to the sento, or public baths, in Japan, I was amazed at these teeny-tiny women getting undressed and seeing what looked like a girdle. I mean - what does a 90lb woman need a waist-slimmer for?!!! Then I asked one of my Japanese friends who came with me, and she informed me that they're not waist slimming garments, but instead, haramaki, or waist warming garments! The belief is that the heat of the body escapes from the belly (which is true at least in my case when I sweat like a pig on my belly in the summer) and therefore this extra bit of warmth and protection will help keep you toasty on those cold days! This idea is more than perfect for the colder than cold Japanese winters, and for those of you who are expectant mamas, you can whip up these belly warmers and use it as a bellyband to cover the growing space between your tops and pants!

So even though I am not gifted enough to know how to make these from scratch without any help, helpful tutorials can be found here and here, and I *think* you could even make these by hand without a sewing machine. I've made a few in the past and love them in warm fleece or remnants from sweaters or sweatshirts. Get creative, and whip one up quickly before the snow has completely melted and you need a belly shirt and not a bellywarmer anymore!!

Fresh Spin on Organic Kids Clothing

I just can't help myself writing about our Spring/Summer collections. Normally I try to keep the boutique pimping to a minimum, but there are so many new and wonderful items to share that I just have to share since I'm bursting at the seams!

There is no better feeling to me then breaking the generalization of what eco-friendly, organic fashion is (think boring, brown potato sacks). Even better is when it's for the wee ones! Lucky lucky us that we get to scour the earth for the finest in organic fashion for kids, and we strive to bring our customers the coolest, chicest in organic duds. Here are some of our newest and brightest additions....

Jump, jump, jump for joy! It's been a long wait, but finally it's over as we now have the new Mini Rodini organic collection. For us this collection represents such a unique twist on organic kids fashion - I mean, whoever thought that panda prints and paint splatter would ever be on organic cotton?!! Such exciting stuff, and a ray of hope for us in love with eco-friendly materials, but not always the styles and (lack of) prints.

One of the very first clothing brands that we ever carried is still one of our favorites. Popupshop brings the minimalistic chic that they are famous for this season with more comfortable classics in their monochromatic scheme of grey, black and cream. We're so in love with these styles we're thinking of shrinking ourselves so that we can squeeze into some Popupshop ourselves!

For us, this brand feels like home, as it reflects the sandy beaches of Tel Aviv and the warmth of the sun. Ada Ada uses only natural fibers and eco-friendly dyes, and all the garments are made in a lovely factory which follows fair trade principles. Seeing this collection is a breath of fresh air in the world of children's clothing: from their comfortable and classic designs to their natural color palette.

Batter-licking Chocolate Chip Cookies

I used to be the person who HATED people to "help" me in the kitchen. Those days are gone now that I have a child. There are very few things that I get to do alone these days - wait a minute - I don't have any! Even bathroom breaks come with the "supervisor" making sure I know how to use the "potty" properly.....

But now my "supervisor" (aka my daughter) has become the best sous-chef a chef mama could ask for! Mixing, with hands and with a wooden spoon, are her specialties, and she does them very well. Best of all, we have perfected the art of making these chocolate chip cookies which are divine. Not too sweet, so you don't have to feel guilty giving them to the kids (or yourself), and best of all, you can safely eat the batter as there are not dairy or eggs! Yummy!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2cups flour (I like to use a mix of whole wheat and unbleached)

1/2c chocolate chips (we use dark, non-dairy)

1tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

1/2c coconut oil (or use any other flavorless oil)

1/2c liquid sweetener - I use a mix of maple syrup, agave syrup and a bit of rice syrup

1tsp vanilla extract

1/4-1/2c non-dairy milk (or use regular milk if you do dairy) or water

Preheat the oven to 175c/350f.

In a large bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients (the first 4 ingredients). This is a great time for the kids to get involved and help you "mix" or sift these ingredients together while you get the wet ingredients together. In the meantime, mix all of the liquid ingredients together so that they are fully combined.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In the large bowl with the dry mixture, make a small well and add the liquid ingredients. Mix well to combine, being sure not to over-mix. With 2 spoons or a small ice cream scoop, make small cookie shapes and place them about 1/2" apart.

Place the baking sheet with the cookies in the oven and cook for about 15 minutes (or until golden brown on the bottom of the cookies). Let cool on a drying rack and DEVOUR! Mmmm.......