Let there be lights
Well, it’s here again. Tonight marks the beginning of the festival of Lights AKA Chanukah. Or, is it Hanukkah? As with most things this day, it depends who you get your information from. Chanukah is more traditional. But, Hanukkah is more widely used. The same applies to the surname: festival of lights. The common story told is that the temple in Israel was running out of oil for their lamps. But, miraculously, a tiny amount of oil lasted 8 days. But, according to Jospehus Flavius, Worship had been banned in the Temple under Roman occupation. When the Jewish people took back the temple, they celebrated the return of lights with a grand celebration. They were so grateful, that they continued the celebration for 8 days. No matter which one is right (possibly both), we say: Let there be lights!
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According to Flavius (not to be confused with Flav la flav):
“And so Judah and his fellow citizens celebrated the festival of the restoration of the sacrifices of the Temple for eight days, and omitted no sort of pleasure, but everyone feasted upon very rich and splendid sacrifices; and they honored God, and delighted themselves with psalms of praise and the playing of harps. Indeed, they were so very glad at the revival of their customs and, after so long a time, having unexpectedly regained their right to worship, that they made it a law for their posterity that they should keep a festival celebrating the restoration of their Temple worship for eight days. And from that time to this we celebrate this, which we call the Festival of Lights, because, I imagine, beyond our hopes this right was brought to light, and so this name was placed on the festival.”
So, we’re saying: Let there be lights
According to Chabad.org: “Sacrifices of animals, grain, oil, wine and other substances offered on the altar were an integral part of the service in the Mishkan (Tabernacle)“
So, to be true to the meaning of the holiday, this is what we should focus on. It gives a wide berth for things to celebrate with. Of course, lambs were the most frequently sacrificed animal. So, our meal will probably contain lamb. Although, we may take a different approach. Let’s see where we end up. After 40 days trudging through the dessert, whatever you can get your hands on will do. Heck, they may have sacrificed snakes or birds.
But, what does sacrificing an animal have to do with praising god? How does killing something against its will constitute a sacrifice? The lamb didn’t do anything wrong. remember when Abraham almost sacrificed his son to god, but was stopped at the last minute? Why stop there? His son was probably an insolent brat anyway. But, to sacrifice an animal is worse because they are unaware of what is going on. And, the person sacrificing the animal doesn’t have a visceral connection to the animal. So, you know what, screw “sacrifice”. It’s barbaric. And, one of the tenets of most practicing Jews is to value learning and progressing. So, forget the lamb, let’s celebrate with “other substances”.
A vegan Festival of Lights?
Heck, why not? It is definitely a more logical way to eat. The amount of crops needed to feed a single lamb or cattle could feed a whole family for years. For more on this, see our earth day post here. And, to commune with a deity is to commune with nature. So, a diet of sustainable plants definitely makes more sense. And, Middle eastern and Mediterranean foods are a good place to start. They are flavorful and definitely diverse. Think lentils, chic peas, couscous, dates, figs, spinach, tomato, garlic, olives, and of course olive oil. What’s not to like? So, let’s fire up the menorah and get cooking. Start those stoves, and let there be lights!
Here are a few ideas to make a great spread. Try these dishes. Serve with pita bread, olives, dates, figs, and vegan cheese (real cheese if you prefer). These are sure to keep the fires burning and light up the night, kind of like a festival. Hhhmmm, what an idea…
Vegan Black Cumin And Red Lentil Ragout
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Red Lentils
- 1 Cup Diced Sweet Onion
- 1 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Garlic
- 1 tsp Chopped Fresh Ginger
- 1 Cup Fresh Grape Tomatoes, Cut in 1/2
- 2 Tbsp Black Cumin Seeds
- 1 Tbsp Brown Cumin Seeds
- 1 tsp Ground Turmeric
- 4 Cups vegetable Broth (may substitute water)
- 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Saute the onion, Both types of cumin seed, garlic, and ginger in olive oil over medium high heat until translucent. Then add in the lentils. Stir and cook until well coated with the olive oil.
- Heat the stock over high heat. Fill the pan of lentils with stock so that they are completely covered. You may not need all of it, as red lentils cook quickly. Reduce by 1/2 the volume, stirring as needed. Be careful not to overcook the lentils. Add in the tomatoes and Turmeric. Continue cooking . Add more stock if needed. You want the lentils to be soft, but not breaking apart. Fold in salt, pepper, and Cashews. Serve hot. For today's recipe, we want most of the liquid absorbed, so it can stand on a plate. But, you can leave it wetter if you want more of a stew that you can serve in a bowl.
Sweet Potato and Date Hash (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 4 Cups Sweet Potatoes, Cut into 1/2 inch Cubes
- 1 Cup Sweet Onion, Diced
- 2 Cups Brussel Sprouts, cut in 1/2
- 1 Cup Fresh Grilled Corn, cut off the Cob
- 1/2 Cup Medjul Dates, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
- 1 Cup Orange Juice
- 2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Basil
- 1/4 Cup Coconut Oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Spray fresh ears of corn with pan Spray. Grille over high heat until cooked (about 5 to 10 minutes). Allow to cool. Then cut the kernels off the cob.
- Heat Coconut oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the onions and stir. Add the sweet potato. Cook until the potatoes begin to get some color. Stir, then continue cooking. When they begin to soften, add the brussels. Allow them to get a little color. Stir as needed. Then, add the orange juice and cook until half the liquid is gone. Add the Corn and dates and continue cooking until the liquid is mostly absorbed. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in the basil. Serve hot.
Vegan Herbed Matzo Ball soup with Wild Mushroom
Ingredients
- 2 cups matzo meal
- 3 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 Tbsp ground flax seed soaked in 3 T warm water to approximate eggs you can substitute egg substitute products
- 1/4 cup coconut oil melted
- 1 1/4 cup warm water may take more or less, up to 1 1/2 cup
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs: thyme, parsley, oregano, sage
- 1 tsp chopped fresh garlic
- For the soup
- 12 cups Fresh vegetable stock/broth Make home made preferably
- 1 tsp vegan bouillion powder or 1 cube to boost the flavor
- 1 cup each cubed or sliced onion, carrot, and celery
- 1 tbsp sliced fresh garlic
- 2 cups sliced wild mushrooms Preferably mixed varieties
- 2 Tbsp Chiffonade fresh sage Chiffonade is a term that means thin sliced
- 1 Tbsp Fresh picked dill sprigs
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
- A little olive oil to saute the vegetables
- Parsley and herb sprigs to garnish
Instructions
- "bloom" the flax seed in warm water. Let the flax seed soak up the water until it becomes viscous
- Mix together the dry ingredients for the matzo balls in a mixing bowl
- add in the water, flax seed, oil, garlic, and herbs
- Mix the matzo ball dough by hand until it can form shapes. If it is too wet, you can add more matzo meal. If it is too dry add more water.
- Form the dough into balls . Dip your hands in water to help form the balls. You want to shape them and roll them between your hands. Try to make the smooth. If the aren't perfectly smooth, cracks will form when you cook them. You should get 12 to 18 balls. Place them on a plate or cookie sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes
- Heat the vegetable broth in a large deep pot. When it comes to a boil whick in the bouillion Add in a little salt and taste.
- Place the matzo balls in the boiling broth. Bring the broth back to a simmer. You don't want a hard boil or it may break them apart. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.
- In a separate pan, saute the vegetables in a little olive oil. You just want them to be slightly cooked, not all the way through. Strain them after to remove excess oil and juices. This can be done before or while the matzo is boiling
- Add the vegetables and herbs to the soup and season.
- To serve, place 3 balls in a bowl and ladel the soup and vegetables around. garnish with parsley and/or herb sprigs
Notes
Vegan Saffron Risotto
Ingredients
- Olive oil for cooking
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1 Cup Chopped Fresh Shallots
- 2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Garlic
- 1/2 Cup Dry Chic Peas
- 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1/4 Cup Chopped Sweet Onion
- 1 each Bay Leaf
- 1/2 tsp Saffron
- 1 Cup Zucchini cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 1/2 Cup Diced Fresh tomato
- 1 Cup White Wine
- 2 Cups Arborio or carnaroli rice
- 4 to 5 Cup Vegetable Broth
- 2 Tbsp Coconut Oil
- 1/4 Cup vegan Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh herbs: Thyme, parsley, cilantro,scallion mixed
- 1 Bunch Fresh Asparagus, cut in 1/2 inch lengths
Instructions
- Soak the chic peas in water for at least 4 hours, preferably all day or overnight. They should at least double in volume. Drain well before cooking.
- Heat a little olive oil in a heavy pot over medium high heat. Add in the onion and 1/2 the garlic. Stir and cook until translucent. Add the bay leaf and cumin. Then stir in the chic peas. Cover with double the amount of water to beans. Bring to a boil, then taper back to a simmer. Cook until they are soft (about 20 minutes). Season with salt and pepper. You can do this ahead of time or while you are preparing the risotto.
- Simmer the vegetable stock in another pot
- Heat a large wide pan or pot with high sides with a generous coating of olive oil over medium high heat. Stir in the shallot and garlic. Cook until translucent. Add in the saffron, turn the heat down to medium and stir until the color blooms. Then add in the rice. Stir to coat evenly with olive oil. The better it is coated with oil, the better the integrity of the rice when it is cooked.
- Add the wine to the pot, stir well, and bring to a simmer. Stir as needed to keep from sticking. When the wine is mostly absorbed begin to ladle in the hot vegetable broth, one ladle at a time. You want to cover the rice with liquid and continue cooking. As it begins to evaporate, add more, monitoring the done-ness of the rice. When the rice is soft enough to chew, but maintains its shape, cook down until dry. Stir in the tomatoes, zucchini, Asparagus, chic peas, coconut oil, and "cheese". Season with salt and pepper. Fold in the herbs. Serve immediately