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Tuesday, October 1, 2024

Jewish New Year Vegan Sweet Noodle Kugel

"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth"



Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year), is the first of the High Holy Days. It honors God and the creation of the world, Adam and Eve, and all other creatures, places, and things.

 

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.
 

 

Greet People by Wishing them L'shanah Tovah




Yom Kippur begins at sunset on Friday, October 11, 2024 and ends at nightfall on Saturday, October 12, 2024. No work is permitted, as it is the most solemn of Jewish religious holidays. 


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.


Vegan Sweet Noodle Kugel


Noodle kugel is traditionally made with egg noodles, but this vegan version uses egg-free noodles (if they are available or any bite sized egg free pasta you enjoy). 

Vegan Sweet Noodle Kugel

 

This noodle kugel recipe is vegan, and a wonderful dish to serve as a flavorful dessert, or sweet side dish during the Rosh Hashanah holiday, or to break the fast after Yom Kippur.

 

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

¼ cup non-dairy milk. Any variety that's unflavored and unsweetened works Note: Use extra milk, if casserole seems to get too dry in cooking

1 cup (8 oz.) homemade vegan cashew cream Note: See ingredients and recipe for cashew cream below.


What to Do:

1. Preheat the oven to 350ยบ F. Cook the egg-free noodles or egg-free pasta according to package directions (cook al dente, until pasta is cooked but remains firm). Drain off water and set aside.

2. Take the tofu out of its package and drain the tofu like this. Then cut it into 3 or 4 pieces and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Mash until fine (if you prefer you can use a food processor to do this.). 

3. Stir in the vegan cashew cream (recipe below). Then cut apples into small chunks and put them in too. Slowly add non-dairy milk, vanilla, and unrefined sweetener (maple syrup). Use a drop or two of lemon juice, to prevent apples from turning brown.

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. 

5.Bake the kugel for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top begins to turn golden. Let the kugel rest for 15 minutes before serving. This dish is good served at room temperature too.

Serve Vegan Noodle Kugel Often


 

Recipe for Homemade Sweet Vegan Cashew Cream


Jewish New Year Sweet Vegan Treat


Cashews are incredibly versatile and healthy to keep on hand in the vegan and raw vegan kitchen.  


Jewish New Year Sweet Vegan Cashew Cream


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


When kugel is cooked and ready to eat serve with massaged kale salad or extra veggies. Amp up the protein with a protein rich veg and bean soup for a festive, yet hearty meal.

Colorful, Healthy, Flavorful, and Good to Serve a Crowd


Whole Food Plant-based High Protein Soup


noodle kugel, zucchin, cauliflower is delicous any way you serve it a sweet



In my vegan kitchen the high holidays are acknowledged in a healthy, whole food plant-based way with kugel and other dishes that are low fat, low sodium, and naturally sweetened.

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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8 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Thanks so much Joanne. Happy Oct. and have fun this weekend.

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  2. I can't wait to try the vegan noodle kugel. Looks so good!! Happy New Year.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you for popping over and for participating and sharing at SSPS 330. See you again next week at #331
    Delicious indeed, and will have to revisit this recipe again

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Nancy,
    I thought I commented . I may have been the anonymous above because I am really excited to have a recipe for a noodle kugel that is vegan. Thank you so much and Happy New Year!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Please let me know if you t ry my vegan recipe for sweet noodle kugel and how it came out. L'shanah Tovah and be well.

      Delete