PunkTorah

Independent Jewish Spirituality

Apple Matzah Kugel by Margaret Boyle

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Taken from Not Your Bubbe’s Recipes, a cookbook by Birthright Israel Next Atlanta. This recipe comes from Margaret Boyle.

3 Matzos

3 Large Apples, Pared and Diced

3/4 cp Raisins

2 tsp Cinnamon

Dash of Nutmeg

3/4 cp Packed Brown Sugar

4 TBSP melted butter or non-dairy margarine

6 Eggs, Beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Soak the matzos in water until soft. Press out as much water as possible. Add apples, raisins, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar and butter/margarine. Mix well. Add eggs. Mix thoroughly. Pour mixture into greased casserole. Bake for 45 minutes or until apples are tender.

Vegetarian Versions of Traditional Jewish Foods

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By Michael Croland

When considering a vegetarian diet, some Jews wonder if they’ll have to miss out on cherished Jewish culinary staples. Keep an eye out for recipes, and you’ll see that there are lots of vegetarian recipes for just about everything you can think of.

JewishVeg.com/Recipes is a wonderful resource. It features links to vegetarian recipes for traditional Jewish foods (vegetarian kishke or gefilte fish, anyone?). It is organized by section, so that when Purim is approaching, for example, you can find a recipe for vegan hamentaschen faster than you can boo Haman.

If you cook a lot for Shabbat and other Jewish holidays, I recommend Roberta Kalechofsky’s The Jewish Vegetarian Year Cookbook. It has great vegetarian recipes for every Jewish occasion.

A lot of us grew up with certain Jewish foods that we know and love. Going vegetarian is a time to reconsider what dishes are in your regular repertoire, and I think it’s a good opportunity to embrace Jewish comfort foods that you might not eat too often.

For example, who doesn’t love charoset on Passover? I’ve come to enjoy this sweet fruit-and-nut mixture as my default breakfast centerpiece. The nuts offer protein, the chunks of fruit are healthier than a glass of fruit juice on the side is, and cinnamon is a nutritional powerhouse in its own right. There are more exciting variations out there, but my version is very easy to make: Just chop up some apples, throw in some walnut halves or pieces, add your desired amount of cinnamon, and pour in some grape juice!

Top Reasons to Go Vegetarian Are Jewish Values Too

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By Michael Croland

In secular circles, the top reasons cited for embracing a vegetarian diet are avoiding cruelty to animals, improving your health, and helping the environment. All three of these correspond to important Jewish values.
Jews should not inflict unnecessary pain and suffering on animals (tsa’ar ba’alei chayim). According to the Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law), “It is forbidden, according to the law of the Torah, to inflict pain upon any living creature. On the contrary, it is our duty to relieve the pain of any creature ….”
According to the principle of pikuach nefesh, it’s important to stay healthy. Says Maimonides, “Since maintaining a healthy and sound body is among the ways of G-d—for one cannot understand or have any knowledge of the Creator if he is ill—therefore one must avoid that which harms the body and accustom oneself to that which is helpful and helps the body become stronger.”
According to the principle of bal tashchit, we should be good stewards of the environment and not waste resources.

Vegetarianism: Kashrut Made Easy

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By Michael Croland

Being vegetarian makes it easier to keep kosher. You don’t have to worry about whether you’re eating meat that’s certified kosher (and whether that certification meets Jewish ideals) if you’re not eating meat. You don’t have to worry about mixing meat and dairy products if you’re avoiding one or both of those categories altogether.

As one vegetarian rabbi explained in a 2005 Jewish Ledger article, “We have one set of dishes (plus Passover dishes) and never have to worry about the status of leftovers in the fridge or whether a guest will mix the utensils or food items. … By not eating meat, I am much more certain to never violate, even accidentally, the Biblical and rabbinic prohibitions concerning non-kosher meat.”

I’ve heard some people say that being vegetarian or vegan automatically means you keep kosher, but it’s not quite that simple. This is the case for some people, in accordance with their level of observance. For more information about potential complicating factors, read my blog post “A Vegan’s Response to ‘Do You Keep Kosher?’”

Simplicity regarding adherence to the letter of kosher law isn’t the only reason why kosher-keeping Jews should go vegetarian. Avoiding meat and other animal products in your diet is also the best way to follow the spirit of the law and avoid causing animals unnecessary suffering (tsa’ar ba’alei chayim). For more information about the shortcomings of the kosher meat industry and how kashrut-observant Jews can avoid causing tsa’ar ba’alei chayim by going vegetarian, click here.

Vegetarian Gefilte Fish Recipe

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Here’s an excellent recipe for Vegetarian Gefilte Fish from our friend Melanie.

Thanks Melanie!

Vegetarian Gefilte Fish

* 6 eggs – 5 of them hardboiled
* 1 large onion chopped fine
* tablespoon oil
* 1 carrot
* 1 medium potato
* 2 teaspoons matzoh meal
* salt & pepper

1 – Saute the onion in oil until golden brown
2 – Puree the 5 hard boiled eggs with 2/3 of the cook onion
3 – Put the rest of the onion in a pot with 1 cup of water & bring to a boil
4 – Peel the carrot, cut into round slices, add to the onion water & cook for 1/2 hour
5 – Peel potato and finely grate it
6 – add the grated potato, matzoh meal, & uncooked egg, salt & pepper to the pureed egg-onion mix and stir well.
7 – with moist hands form 6-8 oval shaped balls from the mixture (should be gefilte fish shaped)
8 – Add the balls to the pot with the onion & carrot in it and cook for 20 minutes over low heat
9 – serve cold

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