Reduced Sugar Hamantaschen (vegan optional)

Each year, I like to experiment with different hamantaschen options. In the past I’ve tried savory hamantaschen to make them without sugar. This year, I experimented with a Light Hamentaschen recipe using a low sugar chocolate filling. I made this recipe with all all-purpose flour instead of the wheat that it recommends. The dough didn’t turn out as I expected it to. It is more like a pastry dough that is very bread like, instead of a sugar cookie. So, you could use this recipe for other pastry recipes. You can use any filling that I like. I came up with this variation on a chocolate frosting recipe for the filling so it hopefully won’t get too hard when refrigerated.

Chocolate Filling Recipe

1 sweet potato

1 c. chocolate chips

1/2 t. vanilla

2 eggs worth of egg substitute (6 T. Just Egg)

Instructions

Follow the instructions to make the hamantaschen cookies and set them aside. Preheat the oven to 350 F. For this chocolate filling, cook the sweet potato. I microwaved it for 6 minutes. Take the sweet potato out of the skin and place it in a blender or food processor. Add in the egg substitute. Mix it in the food processor until smooth. In a microwavable bowl, add the chocolate chips and vanilla. Microwave them about 30 seconds at a time until melted. Place all ingredients in a small bowl and mix them until fully blended. Spoon the filling on to the cookies and squish the corners together to form the triangular shape of hamantaschen. Place them on a cookie sheet that’s lined with parchment paper and cook for 15-20 minutes. This filling recipe makes enough for two batches of cookies.

Eggless Spaghetti Squash Kugel

Like my previous recipe, this one is a great recipe for Fall and Thanksgiving. This recipe is based on the Jewish Noodle Kugel recipe that my Mom makes. It is gluten free and can be made vegan by substituting margarine for butter.

1 Spaghetti Squash

Salt

Pepper

Olive oil

1/2 t. Cinnamon

1/2 t. Salt

1/4 c. Sugar

1/2 c. Raisins

1 apple, finely chopped

1/2 c. Just Egg

1/4 c. butter

Part 1: Cook the Spaghetti Squash

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Cut the spaghetti squash in half and remove the seeds. Drizzle olive oil over the squash and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Place the squash flesh side down in a baking pan and roast it for 35-40 minutes. Let the squash cool for about 15 minutes. Break up the fleshy part of the squash. It is stringy like spaghetti. Place it in a large mixing bowl.

Part 2: Making the Casserole

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Add the other ingredients to the squash and mix well. Pour the ingredients into an oiled 9 X 9 or 11 x 7 casserole dish. Bake it for 30 minutes covered. Then uncover the dish and back it for 15 minutes uncovered.

Eggless Spaghetti Squash Casserole

I was inspired by the great prices of squash this time of year to make up a new recipe. This one uses Just Egg as an egg substitute. If you aren’t allergic to egg, you can use real egg. In the recipe, I used a whole bottle of Just Egg. It’s the equivalent of 12 eggs. It may seem like too much for some people. However, you can use 4-6 eggs if you’d like less eggs in the recipe. You can also use less Just Egg.

1 Spaghetti squash

1/2 a bag of hash browns (shredded potatoes)

1/2 c. seasoned bread crumbs

Ranch dressing to taste (Daiya and Field + Farmer dressing free of most allergens)

1 c. to 1 bottle Just Egg (4-12 eggs)

2 cloves of garlic (crushed)

Shredded Parmesan cheese to taste (optional)

Salt

Pepper

Olive Oil

Part 1: Cook the Spaghetti Squash

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Cut the spaghetti squash in half and remove the seeds. Drizzle olive oil over the squash and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Place the squash flesh side down in a baking pan and roast it for 35-40 minutes. Let the squash cool for about 15 minutes. Break up the fleshy part of the squash. It is stringy like spaghetti. Place it in a large mixing bowl.

Part 2: Making the Casserole

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Add the other ingredients to the squash and mix well. You can use as much or as little dressing, Just Egg (or egg) that you’d like. I just drizzled in the amount of dressing I would for a salad and mixed it in for flavor. Pour the ingredients into an oiled 9 X 13 casserole dish.

Eggless Noodle Kugel

Kugel recipes can be problematic for people with food allergies, because they always have egg in them as a binder. However, they don’t have to. Previously, I have made potato kugel without any egg. This year I decided to give Just Egg a try. Just Egg is made from mung beans and other ingredients. Despite the name, it doesn’t have any egg in it. The company’s premise is that seeds are eggs, too. I had only tried Just Egg Folded previously. This is a precooked product that can be heated up in a toaster oven or microwave to make a fake sandwich. I really didn’t like the flavor without a sauce, but the combination of the Just Egg, sugar, cinnamon, and applesauce make a really great kugel. You can make this recipe vegan, nut free, and soy free.

12-16 oz. package of eggless pasta

3/4 c. sugar (or use applesauce to make a sugar free kugel)

3/4 c. raisins

1 large apple, chopped

1/4 t. cinnamon

1 t. salt

1 c. Just Egg

1/2 c. butter or margarine

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Grease a casserole dish. It is thin in a 9 X 13 dish. So, you may want to try an 11 x 7 dish. Cook and drain the pasta. In a mixing bowl, mix together all ingredients. Poor the mixture in the casserole dish and sprinkle cinnamon on top. Cover it with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Take the foil off and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until brown.