Recipe Ideas

Hi all- we want to make a list of maple syrup recipes that are unusual or hard to find. Recipes that you DON’T normally think of (like maple syrup burgers) or that cater to special needs diets (like lactose intolerant/ dairy free recipes). If you have a recipe that you are willing to share, please send it to us via the form below and we will post it on this page. Please make sure to add your name so we can give credit to the chef!

The Recipes ———————–

This is a nice side dish recipe that is so easy to do that I find myself and my kids included snacking on it before it even reaches the table! Also it reheats nicely on the “plata” for Shabbat lunch, and sometimes I use it for an easy and quick weekday dinner and make a grain to go with it like quinoa or brown rice. I found it originally at Eatingwell.com and have made some changes of my own and have added chunky chopped carrots to the mix (but you have to boil those a bit first and then put them in the oven with the sweet potatoes) and it all comes out quite nicely. The maple syrup seems to help bring out the vegetable’s natural sweet qualities. And so for my little guy who insists that he doesn’t like sweet potatoes, this works wonderfully when I show him his beloved carrots , and then he relaxes and gobbles the whole dish up!

Maple-Roasted Sweet Potato Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup (80 mLs)  maple syrup
  • 2 Tablespoons (30 mLs) melted butter or melted coconut oil
  • 1 Tablespoon (15 mLs) lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper or to taste
  • 1 kg (2 1/2 lbs) peeled and chopped sweet potatoes

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 F / 200 C
  2. Combine first four ingredients together in a separate bowl
  3. Pour maple syrup mixture over the vegetables to be roasted and stir to coat well.
  4. Bake covered for the first half hour.
  5. Remove cover, give it a stir again.
  6. Bake uncovered for another 30 minutes or until you see the tips becoming golden.

 

You can lessen the amount of time in the oven by parboiling the vegetables for 10-15 minutes before putting it in the oven, and then you don’t have to look at it again until its done, about 30 minutes later.

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As I have mentioned before, I am trying to avoid sugar as much as possible in my new DIY diet plan but since maple syrup “is packed with health-boosting properties and has a low glycemic index”  according to the people at Organic authority it has become my sugar substitute of choice these days.  This recipe is an easy pareve salad dressing that I love to eat especially with chicken salad, but of course any regular green salad works well too. I found this recipe originally at Allrecipes.com.

Maple-Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients

  • ½ cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

  1. Place vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper into a blender or food processor.
  2. Pulse to combine the first four ingredients.
  3. Add the olive oil in a steady stream with the motor running.
  4. Serve immediately on your salad.

 

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Now this is a recipe that has become a regular favourite for us on Shabbat. Surprisingly it doesn’t come out too sweet especially when I take out the brown sugar,* since I’m avoiding sugar as much as possible because it is already present in so many food products these days; but, if your kids haven’t tried salmon before,  it does make the dish sweet, and in so doing tricks your kids into loving salmon no matter what age they are!  Found it originally at the Outfit, but we’ve made some our own changes since my kids,  although I think they eat relatively healthy, will not eat it with the toasted almonds** – so,  I just sprinkle in some ground almonds and cover them up with slices of lemon or just leave them out altogether, however it does taste better with the crunch in my humble opinion.

Salmon with Maple Syrup 

Ingredients

  • 6 (6 ounce) salmon fillets
  • Cooking spray
  • 1/4 cup (45 g)  brown sugar*
  • 1/4 cup (60 mLs) maple syrup
  • 3 Tablespoons (45 mLs) low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon (15 mLs) Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 4 teaspoons sliced almonds, toasted ** (or I have used untoasted as well and we like that)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 F / 220 C
  2. Place salmon fillets in a shallow baking dish coated with cooking spray.
  3. Combine in a separate bowl, brown sugar*, maple syrup, soy sauce, Dijon mustard and black pepper; Divide into 2 bowls. From one bowl pour or brush the sugar mixture over the fillets.  Set aside the other bowl for later.
  4. Cover with foil and bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes.
  5. Remove foil and sprinkle the fish with almonds.**
  6. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
  7. Serve with surplus sugar mixture.
  8. Enjoy!

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To start things off, here is a recipe that we tried and subsequently modified. It’s good for lactose free people (like my twins). This fudge recipe is an easy pareve desert that survived the trip through the heat to our Shabbat lunch date. Found it originally at Go Dairy Free, but we’ve made some modifications. Next time, we will probably add ½ cup of crushed nuts to this and add them in after step number 5.

Pareve Maple Fudge

Ingredients

  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup regular coconut milk (Shake it up before use)
  • cup coconut oil
  • pinch of salt
  • vanilla to taste

NOTE: Unless you are like my grandmother (obm) who could tell the temperature with her naked eye and a wave of her hand, then you will really need a candy thermometer for this.

Instructions

  1. Combine everything EXCEPT the vanilla into a saucepan.
  2. Stir to combine over low-medium heat until the mixture starts to boil.
  3. Reduce the heat, and simmer until it reaches the soft ball stage (235 F or 112 C) on a candy thermometer.
  4. Remove from heat, add the vanilla and beat for 10-15 minutes until the mixture cools & thickens. (We used a hand mixer for this but we’ll try a stick blender next time)
  5. Press into greased dish or pan.
  6. Chill in the fridge to harden it before serving.

Takes about 40 minutes to do, and provides sugar fueled anarchy to a family of 7 (which is about 12 servings for normal people)

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This one comes from Devo Kessin and while we haven’t tried it yet, we like it already- it’s easy on the maple syrup supply and it’s cheesecake. What an excellent combination of factors. And since our twins are allergic to all things dairy I am currently on the hunt for a pareve cheesecake, so if any of you out there can share a new recipe for a dairy-free cheesecake, that would help us out!

Praline Cheesecake (modified for Israeli ingredients)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup petite beurre biscuit crumbs
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
  • 680 grams 9% gvinah levanah or cream cheese
  • 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
  • maple syrup
  • pecan halves

Instructions

  1. Combine crumbs, sugar, and butter. Press onto bottom of 9 inch springform pan. Bake at 180C for 10 minutes.
  2. Combine cheese, brown sugar, and flour, mixing at medium until well blended.
  3. Add eggs once at a time, mixing well after each addition.
  4. Blend in vanilla extract.
  5. Stir in chopped pecans and pour over the crust.
  6. Bake at 225C for 10 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 120C and continue baking for 30 minutes. Cool completely before removing it from the pan.
  7. Brush the top with the maple syrup and decorate with the pecan halves.
  8. Brush again with maple syrup and serve chilled.

Can’t wait for Shavuot to try this…