Menu Samples

The Original Quick Six Rosemary Spiked Cannellini Crostini, Spaghetti al Cavolo Nero (Black Kale), Chicken with Herbs De Provence, Popcorn Cauliflower, Nori Crunch with Avocado, Elana's Famous Guilt­Free Cobbler The original MEAL that started the SPIEL. Six delicious, healthy and fast recipes including Elana's Famous Guilt­free Cobbler. You will be amazed at how easy it is to make good food and increase your popularity in your circle of friends!! This class is ideal for novices and cooks with more experience and will provide you with a 4 1/2 course dinner party menu (should you decide to accept the challenge), smaller dinner party menus and "quick fixes" just for you.

A Quick Six: Hot Mediterranean Menu Roasted Tomato and Burrata Crostini, Pasta with Deconstructed Arugula Pesto, Edo's Mother's Swordfish, Shores of Capperi (no mayo), Bi­Colore Salad, Strawberry with Mint A tried and true menu that will transport you to the hot­blooded flavors of the southern Mediterranean. (Note, the food is not spicy, just good.) The Quick Six has become one of the signature classes of Meal and a Spiel. Come learn six fast, easy, healthy and delicious recipes that will make you popular amongst your circle of friends. This class is ideal for novices and cooks with more experience and will provide you with a 4 1/2 course dinner party menu (should you decide to accept the challenge), smaller dinner party menus and "quick fixes" just for you.

Hot Tuscan Nights Tomato and Basil Bruschetta, Sliced Steak with Arugula, Shaved Parmigiano and a Balsamic Reduction, Baked­Not­Fried Little Potato Sticks with Rosemary and Thyme, Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta with Rosemary Grove Peaches The warm windy Italian countryside sets a perfect tone for a romantic dinner amongst lovers and friends. Best, would be to actually be in Tuscany. Second best is to learn how to simply create and recreate a night of excellent food with the dolce vita carefree attitude of the nobleman's countryside.

The Fast Fab Five Feta and Mint Crostini with Roasted Fig, Spiced (Grass Fed) Lamb Skewers, Cucumber Tzatziki, Quinoa Tabouli, Individual "Once You Go Black" Flourless Chocolate Cakes (gluten, wheat and dairy free)* Need new recipes? Here are 5 that will surely become a regular in your repertoire.This class offers FIVE FABULOUS recipes that can easily provide you with quick go­to's for a family dinner or a fabulous menu for a dinner party. All the recipes are easy, delicious, health conscious and exemplify the best of Mediterranean Cooking. This is food that your loved ones will thank you for. *Once You Go Black, You Will Never Go Back (to any other chocolate dessert)! Elana's "Once You Go Black" Chocolate Desserts have no butter and are all about the chocolate, not the sugar, so you can satiate your cravings without the guilt. (You know you are going to eat dessert anyway, so why not learn to make it in the best way possible.)

Pasta and Some Wine Level One: "Aglio, Olio, Peperoncino" This class has been changing the culinary lives of students and their families. Don't miss out! Learn the basics of whipping up an authentic Italian pasta "from nothing" as they do in Italian homes every night of the week. This class will teach you to be comfortable with the three staple ingredients ­ garlic, olive oil and red pepper flakes ­ which are the foundation of 90% of Italian pasta dishes prepared in the home. You will learn new dishes such as pasta with cherry tomatoes and basil, pasta with mushrooms and pasta with broccoli rabe. You will be a master of "al dente" and will be able to impress guests, lovers and yourself without taking extra trips to the market. Gluten­free brown rice pasta will be used along with "regular" semolina pasta to provide a healthier option for all.

Comfort Food: The Turkey Meatball Polpette di Tacchino in Humido (Elana's Turkey Meatballs ­ Breadcrumb and Gluten­free), Celery Root Purée, Tricolore and Herb Salad, Hibiscus Flower Sweet Tea My definition of good food is that it makes you want to roll around on the floor shouting MAMMMA!!!!! Here are recipes that exemplify the best of the Italian mammas without the unnecessary sinful ingredients that could make you look like a fat Sicilian widow in a black muumuu. Please, Meal and a Spiel aspires only to the highest of aesthetic principles.

Comfort Food: Risotto Radicchio Risotto, Mushroom Risotto, Pumpkin Risotto Let me demystify two false presumptions about risotto. 1) It's complicated to make. No, its not. 2) It uses cream. No it does not. Risotto uses olive oil and butter (if desired) yet its creaminess comes from the rice itself. Come learn the technique to achieve delicious comforting risottos that will impress your most important guest: you! We will then take our risottos, once cooled, and turn them into fabulous baked­not­fried arancini (risotto croquettes), the traditionally fried appetizer that has taken trendy Los Angeles by storm. That's right, you will make to­die­for arancini from leftovers that can be frozen and taken out for company. Yes!

Make­Ahead Dinner Party: The Eggplant Parmigiana Roberto's Eggplant Parmigiana (Baked­Not­Fried), Grilled Vegetable Salad, Baked Frangipane Fruit Packets Have fun learning to make one of Elana's most prized recipes (named after TV's Writer/Producer Roberto Benabib) and enjoy a delicious dinner in the process. Also nice to know, Roberto's Eggplant Parmigiana will teach you to make a simple, yet "better than a restaurant," tomato basil sauce that can be used all the time for pasta or vegetables.

Dude Food A Fresh Lemon Margarita (I used to be a bartender), Crispy Mexican Clayudas with "un­fried" Black Bean Purée and Elana's Simple Guacamole, Less­Guilt Quattro Formaggi Mac­N­Cheese, Divine “Very Little Guilt” Chocolate Chunk Crunch Coconut Milk Sundae NOTE: KIDS LIKE THIS FOOD TOO. (surprise surprise). Dude Food needs to be filling and good, but it doesn't need to be unhealthy and fattening. Here are recipes that will satiate the REAL MEN out there. Each could serve as a main course or as a snack during a football game.

Gluten­Free Desserts Mini “Once You Go Black” Flourless Chocolate Cakes, Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta with Rosemary Grove Peaches, Warm Summer Fruit Compote, PB and J Oatmeal Cookies Not only are these desserts gluten­free, they are also mostly guilt free. They use only the minimal amounts of sugar, if at all, and in most cases prefers raw honey or agave. As someone who watches sugar intake, these recipe were developed with me in mind! Any allergy sufferers can benefit from gluten­free foods. Come and find out how to make 4 easy desserts that will leave you, your family and friends light on your feet after the meal and without any guilt to keep you from the beach this summer.

Summer Appetizers Cauliflower and Toasted Fennel Crisps, Tuna Fish and Celery Leaf Croquettes with a Dollop of Puttanesca Sauce, Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho, Bresaola, Arugula and Manchego Bites, Summer Fruit White Wine Sangria Important thing about having people for appetizers, particularly on a summer eve when you just want to chill...serve food that can be prepared in advance. And serve appetizers that will bring a taste of the mediterranean to your sun­kissed guests, transporting them to that hot blooded sea whether they have been there or not. Here are recipes for a good time!

The Sunday Soup Class Lucky Lentil, Bok Choy Chicken Soup, Roasted Tomato Soup, Tuscan White Bean Vegetable with Black Kale Soup IS good food. And when made from scratch, with good ingredients, soup is love. Serve soup to those you care about, including yourself. Let me show you how. Spreading soup love makes the planet a better place.

The Health­ier Nut The Lincoln and Rose Salad (what I make at the Whole Foods salad bar on Lincoln and Rose), Baked Summer Squash Primavera with Roasted Broccoli and Spring Peas (in season) and Toasted Pine Nutts, Baked Spiced­Fruit Parchment Packets Dial up the day with healthy breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert and midnight snack meals that will enliven your palate and your day.

Crazy Clean Delicious Eating Dragonfly Green Tea, Vegan Seize­Her Salad, Yummy Gorgeous Grains, Black Kale and Bok Choy Stir­fry, Faux­Co (Delicious non­dairy carob cocoa) In this class we don’t diet, we eat! But we also learn the basic principles of eating healthy from a holistic perspective so we can make choices our bodies like. No one will go home hungry and in fact, these dishes have become some of my students’ all time favorites that they eat regularly and feed to friends and family. This is NOT chick­food...Men love it too!

Pasta and Some Wine Level Two Pasta con le Vongole (with Clams), Pasta Francesca with Eggplant, Fresh Mint and Ricotta Salata, Meat Sauce (a no pork recipe) For those who are looking to go beyond the Italian basics and delve into more elaborate and more prized sauces. Open only to those that have taken Pasta Level One: Aglio, Olio, Peperoncino. Hors d'Oeuvres and Bubbly (choose 4 that you like) Maria's Vin Santo Chicken Liver Crostini, Baked Gorgonzola Walnut Crostini, Bresaola Bites, Artichoke with Lemon Caper Dipping Sauce, Elana's Perfect Cheese Plate, Baked­Not­Fried Fish Croquettes with a dollop of Puttanesca Sauce, Feta and Mint Crostini with Roasted Strawberry or Fig (when in season), Baked­Not­Fried Radicchio Arancini (risotto croquettes) Having guests over for a few appetizers is a party in and of itself. This class will offer you both simple and more extensive options, all incredibly doable and all sure to wow your most snobbish of guests.

Prosecco Brunch Class Rustic Whole Grain Tomato Bruschetta with Raw Honey and Basil, Mushroom and Gruyere Frittata OR a Roasted Asparagus Frittata with Goat Cheese, Roasted Potato Sticks Tossed in Fresh Herbs, Tricolore and Fennel Salad Being invited for a gourmet brunch is a real treat. None of these recipes are difficult but will most definitely fool your guests. Best part: much of it can be prepared in advance so you can sleep in. We will then sit down for a glass of bubbly and enjoy our creation.

Jewish Food 1: The American Classics Revamped and Simple Chik­sa Soup and Matzo Balls, Raisin Spice Coconut Milk Kugel (Gluten and Milk/Cream Free), The Best Brisket Ever. With Potatoes. These aren’t your grandmother’s recipes, but trust me, your bubbe will not only approve, she will rise from the dead to pinch your cheeks. Imagine a kugel that is actually healthy and tastes better than any other, a brisket cooked in Chianti and deliciously heart warming chicken soup that cures the common fear of cooking. Jews, non­Jews, experienced cooks and relative beginners are all welcome to take on mastery of one of the most famous cuisines in our country.

Jewish Food 2: Mamma Middle East Chicken Tagine with Apricots and Prunes, Simple Yummy Couscous, , Baked Ricotta Custard with Fresh Figs and Walnuts in a Sweet Red Wine Reduction The food of the Middle Eastern Mammas oozes with love. These recipes inspired by southern Mediterranean flavors will warm the hearts of your children, your friends and potential lovers. This is the kind of food that adds immediate social comfort to the dinner table and sends everyone home/to bed a changed person (read: nicer). Come and experience the beauty of the tagine, the crunch and tang of the perfect Israeli salad and a dessert that will have you rolling on the floor shouting “mamma!”

Jewish Food 3: The Italian Jewish Table Crostini with Jewish Spinach, Eggplant Pasta Timballo, Sfratti­ Nut and Spice Sticks from ’s “Little Jerusalem” Come and learn the history of one of the oldest European Jewish communities and understand why these foods are considered to be Jewish in Italy. Hint: Eggplant was brought to Sicily (once populated by over 100,000 Jews!) by Jewish merchants and it was not relished by the rest of the peninsula for centuries. The history will excite our minds and prepare us for the incredible journey of our tastebuds.

Last Minute Dinner Throw Togethers: Trader Joe’s To The Rescue The Real Way to Make a , Elana’s Go­to Broiled Salmon, Easy Peppered Tri Tip Steaks, Italian Mixed Salad with Lemon, Roasted Asparagus, Roasted Yam Rounds with Rosemary, Chimichurri Sauce This class has come by request of my students who want to cook after work but want it to be SUPER fast. Well guess what folks? That is the way I tend to eat most nights of the week. After cooking for others, I want my personal kitchen prep to be immediate. And obviously, I make sure that it tastes superb for me. Let me share some last minute throw together secrets with you. And to make it even easier, I will give you a week’s Shopping List so you can pick up all ingredients at Trader Joe’s as a one stop shop.

Monday Night Chicken Monday Night Roast Chicken with Vegetables, Chicken Sorrentino ­ Pounded Grilled Chicken Breast Topped with Chopped Tomatoes and Herbs, Nagasaki Chicken with Lime, Pollo alla Cacciatora with Tomatoes, Wine, Rosemary and Olives Chicken Again? Thats what I said almost every night of the week at my family dinner table. But lets face it, chicken is good, healthy and is the perfect happy medium between fish and meat. It does NOT need to be boring. Or dry! This class is being given upon the request of my dermatologist who claims she needs more chicken recipes. Ok, here we go!

Monday Night Italian Garden Vegetables Roasted Mixed Vegetables, Braised Tuscan Kale, Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Broccoli with Parmigiano, Grilled Zucchini with Lemon and Mint, Sage Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Yams Everyone needs to have an arsenal of side dish recipes that you can whip up to go with your main courses. This class will teach specific recipes and also inspire you to make variations that will expand your repertoire even further.

Monday Night Fish Cracked Pepper Salmon, Miso Glazed Black Cod, Parchment Packet Sole with Aromatics, Pesce Livornese We will do nothing fancy that you can’t replicate at home. (That means no deboning, no using fish that you will only find at a specialty fishmongers, etc.) On the contrary, you will become comfortable with a few different kinds of fish and with the best and easiest processes for making them. Note: Special attention will be given to fish that are low on the mercury scale.

Monday Night Carnivore Lamb Chops, Perfect Tenderloin, Steak alla Pizzaiola “with pizza sauce", Moroccan Stew with Couscous The benefit to eating meat at home, as opposed to at a restaurant, is that you can buy yourself organic, grass fed meat and be sure that you are eating only the best. The next thing is to know what to do with it. This class will show you how. This class explores recipes that are good for last minute dinners and recipes that work for make ahead dinner party preparation.

Monday Night Mediterranean Grilled Vegetable Salad, Garbanzo Bean Tricolore, Quinoa Salad with Fresh Herbs and Pine Nuts, Avocado Crunch Salad with Nori, Israeli Cucumber Salad, Everyday Green Salad Salads are an art form, albeit a simple artform. Salads are one of my favorite foods so I kind of make them well! Crunch, crunch, that's why I love 'em. This class is being offered upon the request of my students. Viva l'insalata!

Summer Entertaining with Farm Box LA Stone Fruit Sangria, Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho with Basil and Grapefruit, Fig and Gorgonzola Bites, Cauliflower Fennel Seed Crisps, Burrata Crostini with Roasted Leeks, Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler­ gluten­free and no refined sugar Farm to table means the flavor is better because you're eating what's in season. We're pairing with Farm Box LA so it can be easy for you to experience the best of what Southern California has to offer. You can opt to have a Meal and a Spiel Summer Entertaining Farm Box delivered to our cooking class so you can take it home with your recipes or you may join the class and do the shopping yourself. It's your choice. I'll make sure you know how to make summer entertaining easy, delicious and oh so chic!

Thai Paradise Fresh Spring Rolls with Cashew Nut Sauce, Coconut Milk Curry, Fish with Lemongrass and Ginger, Tropical “Miracle” with Cacao and Cinnamon I spent a month in Thailand and ate my way through paradise. This class will reveal all the cooking secrets I encountered...and of course I used them to develop super healthy recipes whose taste transports me back to the magical Thai beachscape.

Clean Eating: Everyday Maintenance Quinoa Salad with Roasted Asparagus and Avocado, Grilled Vegetable Salad, "Leftovers" Grilled Vegetable Soup, Simple Roasted Salmon, Baked Yams with Cinnamon, Coconut Chocolate Nut Crunch Sundae Easy. Quick. Convenient. Delicious. Nutritious. Go­to's to feed your body's needs and a killer sundae for those moments you gotta splurge.

A Quick Six: The Etruscan Menu Etruscan Pasta with Fresh Herbs, Olives and Pecorino, Garbanzo Bean Tricolore with Radicchio, Feta and Parsley, Roasted Asparagus, Tender Flank Steak, Cherry Tomato Pizzaiolo Sauce, Warm Chocolate Fruit The Quick Six has become one of the signature classes of Meal and a Spiel. Come learn six fast, easy, healthy and delicious recipes that will make you popular amongst your circle of friends. This class is ideal for novices and cooks with more experience and will provide you with a 4 1/2 course dinner party menu (should you decide to accept the challenge), smaller dinner party menus and "quick fixes" just for you.

Easy Healthy­Goodness Favorites How to Make the Best Quinoa in Town, Thyme Roasted Salmon, Grilled Vegetable Salad, Elana’s Famous Guiltless Cobbler