Rachele & Joe's Compassionate Pesach Seder

Passover is the Jewish holiday that separates the story of the Exodus, when the Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt.  Passover symbolizes the universal story of dignity, hope and freedom- what better holiday to encompass compassion.  Passover teaches us that all suffering matters to G-d and all suffering should matter to all humans.

It seems almost archaic to celebrate our freedom as we dine on the carcase of animals that have spent their lives caged in areas where they cannot even turn around or see sunlight.  To me, Passover reminds us of the importance of continuing to battle for freedom- for all creatures.  The prayers of Passover remind us to continue to fight for those that are still oppressed and to me it is the perfect opportunity to extend our compassion to every living being.

The Menu

1. Matzo Ball Soup
2. Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
3. Grilled Asparagus
4. Sweet Potato Kugel
5. Traditional Charoset
6. Dessert: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
7. Of course, Matzo! (Make sure you don't get the egg kind)

I should preface this by saying that this menu does not comply with Ashkenazi traditions which do not allow for the consumption of beans or legumes during Passover.  As a vegan, this would be nearly impossible to comply with since beans and legumes are my primary source of protein.  So, this compassionate seder followed the traditions of Sephardim, which do allow for the consumption of beans and legumes.

The Seder Plate

1. Z'or'a (traditionally the shank bone) was represented by a a beet which the Talmud explicitly allows for.
2. Beitzah (traditionally an egg) was represented by a lower.  Flowers, like eggs, symbolize creation and new birth.
3. Maror (bitter herbs) was represented by parsley.
4. Chazeret ( bitter herbs) was represented by a radish.
5. Charoset (see recipe below) symbolizes the bricks and mortar that the Israelites were forced to use in slavery.
6. Karpas was represented by celery.

Joe and I had Curt and Amy over for a traditional seder.  It was lovely and the apartment smelled amazing.  Being the only vegan at the table, I was nervous about how everyone would like the meal.  To my delight, everyone appeared to love it!

Matzo Ball Soup

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of matzo meal (I make my own by processing matzo in the food processor until it is fine)

3/4 teaspoons of salt

3/4 teaspoons of pepper

12 ounces of Mori-nu silken tofu (in the Asian food section of Whole Foods- it's not refrigerated)

1 carrot, peeled

1/4 cup of Safflower oil

Fresh Dill

In this recipe, timing is everything!  Start by combining the matzo meal and salt and pepper in a large bowl.  Next, in the food processor, combine the silken tofu and 1/4 cup of veggie broth and pulse until smooth.  As it is processing, gradually add the Safflower oil.

Fold the tofu mixture into the dry ingredients and grate the carrot into the bowl.  Combine all the ingredients well.  I use my hands to knead the mixture really well.  You don't want to see any of the dry matzo meal when it is done.  Cover the mixture with foil and refrigerate for at least one hour- but the longer the better.  The resting time is important for keeping the matzo balls together.

You need a large stockpot to make these (I use what is supposed to be a lobster pot).  Fill it 3/4 of the way with water and bring it to a rolling boil.  Add a little salt for taste.    After your matzo mixture has adequately rested (I let mine rest for about 2 hours), remove it from the refrigerator.  

When shaping your matzo balls, form them into golf ball sized balls and roll them until they are smooth (no cracks!).  When you have your matzo balls formed, begin to drop them into the boiling water 3-4 at a time.  I use a slotted spoon.  It is important to not plop them in there, so take your time.  Cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium.  Leave the lid on for 45 minutes- DO NOT lift the lid to check on them! After 45 minutes lift the lid and turn off the heat.  When you lift the lid, the balls will sink to the bottom.  Success!  With no heat on, cover them again and let them sit in the water until you are ready to serve- no longer than 1 hour though.

Broth

For the broth, you can use my traditional veggie broth which you find on this blog.  I chose to go a different route this time because I had so many other things to cook.

Ingredients:

2 containers of no-chicken broth

1/2 cup of water

1 whole onion, peel on

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 pieces of celery, chopped

3 bay leaves

Some fresh dill

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all of the ingredients all of the ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium and let simmer for 1 hour.  Remove the bay leaves, dill and onion before serving.

I put two matzo balls in each in bowl and then covered with soup.  Yum!  My guests enjoyed breaking up their matzo and putting it in the soup too.

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of Safflower oil

1 onion, finely chopped,

1 large celery stalk, finely chopped

2 teaspoons of Sriracha chili sauce (Asian food aisle)

1 teaspoon of cumin

1 teaspoon of oregano

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 can of black beans, rinsed well and drained

1 cup of quinoa, soak and rinse well

1 cup of frozen corn

2 carrots, grated fine

1 1/2 cups of water

1 cup plus 1/2 cup of daiya cheese

3 Large peppers (I did one red, one yellow and one orange)

In a large sauce pan, saute the onion, celery and garlic in the Safflower oil.  Once the are soft, add the Sriracha sauce, cumin and oregano and saute for another 2 minutes.  Then add the black beans, quinoa, corn, carrots and water.  Cover and cooked on medium-high heat until the mixture comes to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer until the quinoa is cooked, about 20 minutes.  Stir in the 1 cup of daiya and mix well until it melts.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Take your peppers and cut them length-wise and remove the seeds and ribs.  Place them in a baking dish and fill them with the quinoa mixture.  You want to fill them pretty full since this is your main course.  Cover the baking dish with foil and bake them for 45 minutes.  After the 45 minutes is over, remove the foil and sprinkle the additional 1/2 cup of daiya over the peppers and put them back in the oven for the another 5-10 minutes until the daiya has melted.  Let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

*Tip on quinoa: Quinoa comes with a bitter tasting coating.  Soaking it for about 20 minutes in cold water and then draining it eliminates the bitter taste.

Grilled Asparagus

Ingredients

1 lbs of asparagus

1 tablespoon of Earth Balance

3 teaspoons of Jane Crazy Mixed up seasoning

Since I was cooking so much at once, I needed a quick and easy vegetable.  I put everything in a grill pan and grilled the asparagus for about 5 minutes until it was a rich green color.  So simple.

Sweet Potato Kugel

Ingredients:

6 small sweet potatoes, grated and peeled

3 apples, grated and peeled (I used Red Delicious)

1 cup of raisins

1 cup of matzo meal

2 teaspoons of cinnamon

1 teaspoon of nutmeg

1 cup of walnuts, chopped

1 cup of coconut water

I miss my grandmother's kugel, it was the best.  This isn't quite the same, but it is good.  I used my food processor to grate the sweet potatoes and apples.  Put them in a large bowl and add all of the other ingredients.  Use your hands to mix well.  Press the mixture into a baking dish and cook covered at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.  Uncover and cook for another 10-15 minutes until it brown.  Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Traditional Charoset

Ingredients:

4 Macintosh apples, peeled and cored

1 cup of walnuts, chopped fine

1 teaspoon of agave syrup (traditionally Sweet Kosher wine is used)

Cinnamon and Sugar to taste

Pulse the apples and walnuts in the food processor.  Moisten with the agave syrup and season to taste with cinnamon and sugar (about 1 teaspoon of each).  So simple, so delicious.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of garbanzo flour

1 teaspoon of baking soda

2 teaspoons of cinnamon

1 cup of melted Earth Balance

1/2 cup of firmly baked brown sugar

1/2 cup of granulated sugar

2 teaspoons of apple sauce

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups of quick oats

1 1/4 cups of chocolate chips (I used the cacao chips)

1/2 cup of chopped walnuts

in a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and cinnamon.  Beat together the Earth Balance, brown sugar and granulated sugar until well combined.  Then add the apple sauce and vanilla extract.

Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and then mix in the oats and chocolate chips.  Refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes and preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  

Shape the dough into 1 inch balls and place them 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet.  Bake them for about 12-15 minutes.  I use a tooth pick to check and make sure if they are cooked all the way through.  Just stick into the middle of the cookies and if comes out clean you are good!  Refrigerate the dough in between baking.  I had two batches.

Note: These cookies are dark in color so don't be alarmed if they look like they are burnt.

This was such a great night and my friends were amazing.  Congrats to Curt who found the Afikomen and won the prize!

Are we predisposed to kindness?

"You put a baby in a crib with an apple and a rabbit. If it eats the rabbit and plays with the apple, I'll buy you a new car." ~ Harvey Diamond


I have been thinking about this quote a lot lately.  It is so simple, and yet it couldn't be more true.  Which got me thinking, are we- as human beings- predisposed to kindness over cruelty?  It's an interesting question and one that I am certain would be difficult to answer. 


I don't hold any degrees in psychology and don't know too much about how the mind works.  However, what I can comment on is they way that I see people interact with animals.  I have seen people pull over on the highway to help a wandering dog.  I have seen people dedicate their lives for the wellness of animals.  In my own experience, I have seen people go above and beyond to help my dogs in some tough times.  When you look around, there really is kindness everywhere.  I realize that there are exceptions in every case.  But just for a moment, let's look at the rule and not the exception.


As children, we don't think about killing or harming animals.  Our default is to play with animals, to nurture them and to love them.  This leads me to believe that we are predisposed to kindness and it is only our experiences over the years that make us numb to this default behavior.


Through the years, the meat and dairy industries desensitize us to the depravity that is a result of consuming their products.  They tell us that we need milk to grow tall and strong.  They show us happy cow commercials, where the cows talk and stroll in green pastures.  But the reality is that they are merely masking the destructiveness of their products.


So let me ask you this: If we, as Americans, are so okay with how our food is produced and where it comes from, why are not able to watch the process?  I recently watched the Oprah episode on veganism.  It was interesting in so many ways, but to me the most interesting part was where a correspondent went to the Cargill- the single largest (in terms of revenue) meat producer- and toured the facility but was unable to show how our meat is actually slaughtered.  Why is that?  Maybe if people knew what their meat went through to get to their plate, they would think twice about other options.  Maybe that is why Cargill didn't want the footage seen by millions of viewers.


I can’t imagine that if you’re putting something in your body that’s filled with fear or anxiety or pain that that isn’t somehow gonna be inside of you.” ~Ellen DeGeneres

Ellen's words are so true.  But if eating meat is natural, why do most Americans have such an adverse reaction to viewing the process that their food goes through?  It doesn't make sense if we are not predisposed to kindness.  So instead most people choose indifference- if I didn't see it, it didn't happen.  I suppose ignorance is bliss to most Americans.


Perhaps the only way to face in the inhumanity is to stop the desensitization and to expose these industries for they are- pure cruelty.  My inclination is that if people regularly saw what their meat has been through, they would be less likely to eat if everyday.  Below is this great video that PETA has out about where you food comes from.  It is honest and scary, but true.  If more Americans knew about their food, do you think they would still eat it? Maybe they would, but do you think they would think twice before bringing that fork up to their mouth?

I love my friends who say "Oh I only eat chicken".  As if that is better?  In fact, it is worse.  The FDA actually imposes fewer restrictions on the humane slaughter for chickens because they are classified as birds and birds apparently don't have the same rights as cows.  I wonder, if they saw this video, I mean really watched it, if their minds would change.

“Be the change the change you want to see in the world.” ~ Ghandi

It is human nature to believe that just one person cannot make a difference.  With this popular notion ingrained in our minds, we are content going about our lives the best way we know how.  Then one day, we are struck with a reality check that changes our view of the world and our purpose in life forever. 

For me, it took volunteering and realizing that I was being a complete hypocrite- being kind to the animals that I saw everyday and oblivious to those who went through so much just to end up a steak on my plate.  Today, nearly two years later, I can say that my eyes are open.  And through that realization, I have become a kinder person. And you know what? I feel better as a human being. 

I do believe that just one person can make change happen.  I have seen it occur. I have spent my life seeking out opportunities to make a difference on the issues that are most important to me. I have had the privilege to see first hand real people making a real difference. 

But our jobs are easy.  Kindness is in our nature, we have just have to remind people that violence is not our default.  That big industry can't always win and sometimes, the little guy is the champion.

Last week I had a unique opportunity to meet some truly amazing people.  People who are the shining example that kindness is in our nature.  At a rally to protect baby seals, I was surrounded by true champions.  And you know what- people were receptive.  Cars of people supported our voices.  The only question in my mind, is how do we get them to take that home? Or to the grocery store? Or even to mall?  It's an interesting question that I don't know how to answer.  How do we get people to practice kindness when we are not reminding them of it all the time?

"Until he extends the circle of his compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace." —Albert Schweitzer, Nobel 1952

For now, I will leave you with this thought.  Maybe the answer to peace is ending the circle of violence in all things.  Maybe if we practice the kindness that is in our nature, peace will happen organically.  What a novel concept.

Colorful Baby Bok Choy Salad

I always forget how much I love salads.  Over the winter, I don't eat them much, but with the weather warming up I am excited to put them back into my diet!

When most people think of bok choy they think of Chinese food.  This popular cabbage is prominent in many Asian cuisines, but its great flavor makes it super easy to incorporate it into many dishes.  And since bok choy is a cruciferous vegetable it has been proven to reduce the risk of lung, colon, prostate and endometrial cancers.  Bonus!

This is a great salad with lots of flavor and color.  I substituted bok choy for lettuce and it packs a crunch that makes this one of my favorite salads.

Baby Bok Choy Salad
Ingredients:
(serves one!)
2 heads of baby bok choy, cleaned well and dried
1/2 of a red oinion sliced thin and into strips
1/2 of a cucumber peeled (I used English)
1 carrot, use a peeler to make ribbons
1 teaspoon of sesame seeds
1/2 cup of SmartLife Chickn' Strips
2 teaspoons of soy sauce

Cut the bottom off of the baby bok choy and then slice it into 1/4 inch pieces.  Include the white and green leafy parts for taste and crunch.  Then toss the bok choy with all of the other ingredients (minus the Chickn' Strips and soy sauce).

In a small pan, combine the Chickn' Strips and soy sauce and cook them until they are browned.  Remove them from the heat and cool them in the refrigerator until you are ready to eat your salad.  Add them to the salad and toss well.

P.S. These strips are great in stir fry too!

Dressing
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
1 tablespoon of Safflower oil
Juice of 1/2 of lime
Ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients and shake well.  Add to the salad and toss well.

Portobello Mushroom Burgers and Herb Roasted Potatoes

Morning Star portabella burgers are great when you are in a rush or when you are going to a BBQ and just need something to be thrown on the grill.  However, when I think veggie burger, I think about actually vegetables.  Shocking, right?

I love making these delicious "burgers".  You can make them in the house on a grill pan or a Forman grill or you can grill them on an actual grill.  These burgers are fresh, filling and delicious.  I always feel pleasantly full without feeling glutenous after eating one of these.

Portobello Mushroom Burgers
Ingredients:
2 portabollo mushroom caps (one for each burger)- stems removed and washed well
1 large red bell pepper
1 small zucchini
1 small onion (I used white this time, but red is equally delicious)
3 tablespoons of tamari (or soy sauce)
2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes
Black pepper to taste

Start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees.  Grab two pieces of tin foil and place one of your portobello caps, stem side up, on each.  Add 1 tablespoon of tamari and 1 teaspoon of red pepper to each. Close the foil well so they don't leak and throw in the oven for about 10 minutes on each side.  This allows the mushrooms to cook nicely before you brown them in the grill pan.  If you are cooking on an actual grill, you can put the foil wrapped portabollos on the grill and close the top.

While the portabollos are cooking, cut up your other veggies.  Remove the top and bottom of the red bell pepper and cut it into fourths.  Cut the onion in1/4 inch thick slices and cut the zucchini into thin pieces.  The best way to cut the top and bottom off of the zucchini and the cut in half.  Then take the two halves and cut them lengthwise into 1/4 inch thick pieces.  Rub all of the veggies in tamari and sprinkle with pepper.

On the Forman grill (or actual grill or grill pan), grill all of the veggies until they start to brown on both sides.  I baste them with tamari through this process.  When the veggies are cooked, but still firm, remove them from the grill and put them on a separate plate.  Then removed the portabollos from the foil and throw them on the grill until they brown nicely.  Since they are already cooked, this will be quick.  Brown both sides.

Toast your buns and then it is time to start assembling.  You can do this in any order you want, but I have the keeping the portabollo on the bottom is best for stabilizing the burger.  I did the portabollo then the onions then the zucchini and finally the red peppers.  I then cut my sandwiches in half to make them easier to eat.

Oven Roasted Herb Potatoes
Ingredients:
6 medium sized potatoes, skin on but washed well
3 tablespoons of EVOO
2 tablespoons of thyme
3 tablespoons of minced onion
1 tablespoons of smoke paprika
Black pepper to taste
Salt to taste

I will preface this by saying that I have a love hate relationship with my mandolin.  I love that it makes perfectly sliced potatoes that are identical in thickness.  I love that I can julienne veggies with ease and that I can do all of this with ease.  But I hate that I have only used the mandolin twice without hurting myself, EVER.  So be careful if you go this route and always use the hand guard.

I used the mandolin to make 1/4 inch thick potato slices.  Add them to a ziploc bag with all of the other ingredients and shake well,  coating all of the potatoes evenly.

Spread them in a layer on a baking sheet and bake at 375 for about 25 minutes, turning them twice.  Finish them by turning the oven to broil for about 5 minutes to give them a nice brown color.