Jews
around the globe acknowledge this time with religious observances, celebratory family meals, prayers, and introspection.
This year Rosh Hashanah starts at sunset on Wednesday, October 2, 2024
and ends at nightfall on Friday, October 4, 2024.
During a 10 day period or Days of Awe (Oct. 2-12) Jews pray for repentance for wrongdoings
committed during the year, forgiveness, and patience to wait while the Book
of Life is sealed (God makes decisions at this time about who will live
another year).
L'shanah Tovah is a
Hebrew phrase that means for a good year, and it's commonly used as a
greeting during Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and Days of Awe.
Jews attend religious services,
reflect, pray, fast, and seek atonement for sins. At sundown, families and friends gather to eat together
to break the fast.
The Jewish High
Holidays are often associated with a lack of food from fasting. However, these holidays involve a bountiful meal at Rosh Hashanah, a large meal before the fast during Yom Kippur, and in my house, a buffet style break-fast meal after the fast.
As this blog post suggests, it features holiday information and a recipe for Vegan Sweet Noodle Kugel. Kugel is simply a casserole, and in the Jewish tradition, a casserole built around a specific food. In this case it's noodles.
Ingredients
for Sweet Noodle Kugel:
8-12 oz. egg-free vegan elbow noodles or egg-free pasta including any egg-free variety like the farfalle I used
8-12 oz. soft or silken organic tofu
2 teaspoons maple syrup (this vegan sweetener replaces honey, a non-vegan sweetening ingredient)
1/2 cup dark or golden raisins that have been plumped
2 medium sized apples peeled, cored, and cut into small chunks
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup (8 oz.) homemade vegan cashew cream Note: See
ingredients and recipe for cashew cream below.
What to Do:
4. Get a shallow round or rectangular 2or 3 quart casserole dish, and lightly oil it. Add the cooked noodles, cashew cream, and remaining ingredients and mix with a spoon.
Recipe for Homemade Sweet Vegan Cashew Cream
Cashews are incredibly versatile and healthy to keep on hand in the vegan and raw vegan kitchen.
Ingredients:
1 cup raw cashews that have been pre- soaked for 2-4 hrs. Soaking cashews will make them soft and easier to chop, even in a low speed blender or food processor. Please note the time it takes cashews to soften will vary depending on the freshness of the cashews
2 ripe bananas peeled
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (adds an overall wonderful
flavor)
½ cup of water
½ cup almond milk
pinch of salt to meld the flavors
What to Do:
1. Place cashews into a bowl and cover with cool
water and let soak for 2 to 4 hours in refrigerator.
2. Once you’ve pre-soaked the cashews, pour off water and simply add cashews, along with the bananas, vanilla, and non-dairy milk and water to the cup of your favorite blender or food processor. Blend until creamy, stopping every so often to scrape down the sides as needed. Add more milk if necessary, to make mixture the consistency you like best.
Refrigerate extra cashew cream and use within 2-3 days in oatmeal and/or on fruit as a topping.
Now back to the Sweet Vegan Noodle Kugel
Sweet foods including honey and challah (sweet bread made with eggs and sugar) are traditional symbols of hope for a sweet Jewish New Year.
I choose whole plant-based foods instead of these ingredients, and my holidays become happier and healthier without sacrificing taste.
I'm grateful to have learned it's easy to update traditional holiday ingredients with vegan staples. Plant-based whole foods improve mood as well as contain nutrients I won't be able to get if I use more traditional ingredients.
My menu is colorful, flavorful, and delights friends and family, no matter what eating plan they follow.
Did you know anything about Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur before you read this post? I'm curious about that, and hope you will comment below.
If you celebrate these holidays, what favorite foods do you serve your family and friends? Please explain below.
Did you learn something new by reading this post? I'd love to know that too.
Thanks for visiting and please come back again.
Wishing family, friends, and readers of Colors 4 Health a happy healthy autumn. If you celebrate the Jewish New Year...
L'shanah Tovah!!!
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