Yom Kippur
Plant-Based Dishes
KERI WHITE | SPECIAL TO THE JE
W e all love the traditional white-
fi sh/bagels/lox break-fast meal
— and what’s not to like?!
But these days, many people are adopt-
ing more plant-based eating habits, either
for environmental and ethical reasons, or
a need to reduce cholesterol or sodium
intake, to lose weight or for other health
considerations. My sister-in-law Esther, who is a
healthy eater, made these recipes on
a recent visit and, although not tradi-
tional, they would be good additions to
the break-fast buff et. Both are pareve,
healthy, deliver plenty of fresh veggies
along with fi ber, protein and, of course,
they are delicious. Both of these dishes
are also colorful, so they add some visual
pop and interest to the buff et.

When cooking for a holiday crowd, it is
ideal to off er a variety of dishes to accom-
modate all preferences and needs; these
two recipes do just that! For folks who need
to watch their sodium, try using low-so-
dium soy sauce, and reduce the amount as
required. Ditto for lower fat diets concern-
ing sesame oil and peanut butter.

Caulifl ower Lettuce Wraps
Serves 5
These mimic chicken wraps seen on
many Chinese and Vietnamese menus.

Caulifl ower rice is available in the
produce sections of most supermarkets
these days. If you can’t fi nd it, see the
note below on how to make your own.

The wraps are designed to be a fi n-
ger food, but they can be rather messy;
some may wish to serve these plated
with a knife and fork.

1 2
½ ¼
3 2
1 1
teaspoon canola oil
cups caulifl ower rice
cup diced water chestnuts
cup diced red onion
cloves garlic, crushed
tablespoons hoisin sauce
teaspoon soy sauce
teaspoon Sriracha or your
favorite chili sauce
12 lettuce cups, either from Boston
or bibb lettuce, small romaine
heads, or iceberg
Optional garnishes: chopped
peanuts or cashews; cilantro
sprigs, sliced jalapenos and/or
sliced scallions
In a large skillet, heat the canola oil
and sauté the onion, garlic and mush-
rooms until fragrant. Add the water
chestnuts, caulifl ower rice, soy sauce,
hoisin and Sriracha with a splash of
water to help distribute the sauces.

Continue cooking for about 5 min-
utes until all vegetables are
cooked. Remove from heat
and cool slightly — you don’t
want the mixture added to the
lettuce while it is steaming hot
or it will cook the leaves.

Place the lettuce cups on
a large platter and fi ll them with the
caulifl ower mixture.

Garnish as desired, and serve.

To make caulifl ower rice, divide a
large head of caulifl ower into fl orets
and small pieces.

Blanche the pieces in boiling water
for 30 seconds, then place them
immediately into an ice bath. Drain
thoroughly, and put them in a food
processor. Whiz the caulifl ower around
until the pieces resemble rice. This will
make more than you need for the let-
tuce wraps; save it and use it in salads
or as you would rice or couscous.

Spicy Thai Quinoa Salad
Serves 6-8, depending on portion size
Ingredients: 2 cups fi nely sliced red cabbage
2 cups shredded carrots
1 large bell pepper, fi nely sliced
2 scallions, chopped
2 cups edamame
2 cups cooked quinoa
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
Photo by Keri White
FOR THE BREAK-FAST BUFFET
Dressing: 4 tablespoons natural peanut
butter 2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lime
1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
3 large cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2-3 tablespoons Sriracha or other
hot chili sauce
1 cup hot water
Mix all the vegetables and quinoa
in a large bowl. Set aside.

Mix all the dressing ingredients
except for the hot water in a medium
bowl. Gradually add the water, starting
with about a quarter cup, and whisk.

Continue adding water and whisking
until the dressing becomes creamy
and smooth. It should be thin enough
to pour over salad but not too watery.

Pour the dressing over the veggie/
quinoa mixture, and stir it together.

This is best if it has some time to
sit, allowing the fl avors to blend. JE
Break-Fast Side Dishes
LINDA MOREL | SPECIAL TO THE JE
L ike many American Jews, our fam-
ily breaks the Yom Kippur fast
with bagels, lox and cream cheese. We
like whitefi sh salad, too.

While this is a wildly popular menu,
it lacks the crunch and nutritional
value of vegetables and fruit.

I’ve tried ordering trays of sliced
tomatoes, cucumbers and raw vege-
tables. But they were assembled days
before the holiday and arrived past
their prime. I fi gured that with a little
22 advance planning, I could do better.

In recent years, I’ve turned to salads
and cooked vegetables that are easy
to make ahead and best served cold.

Th ey’re ideal for the rush of getting
food on the table aft er breaking the fast.

Better still, the canon of Jewish cuisine
off ers many recipes to choose from.

Olive and orange salad has been
treasured among Sephardi Jews for
centuries. Jews were among the earliest
growers of citrus fruits. Th ey have culti-
vated olives for at least 5,000 years. Th is
salad is a favorite in Israel, although its
SEPTEMBER 29, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM
origins are probably in North Africa.

Nutty spinach with raisins is cooked
fi rst and then chilled, a common pre-
serving method in the days before
refrigeration. Th is dish is beloved
among Jews in the Middle East and
North Africa. Th is recipe comes from
Rome, but it almost certainly traveled
there with Jewish traders during the
Roman Empire.

Beet salad with dill is well known in
the AsŠ enazi world. Beets have always
been cheap and are tough enough to
survive frigid Eastern European win-
ters. Besides being essential to borscht,
beets are a tangy ingredient in Jewish
cooking. Initially, AsŠ enazi Jews ate
beet greens in salads, the tops of this
root vegetable that grows underground.

But later, Russian Jews devised beet
salad, sometimes adding herring.

No matter how your family breaks
the fast, it’s a smart move to add foods
to the menu that are hydrating, full of
fi ber and loaded with vitamins. Aft er
a day of forgoing food, vegetables and
fruit are a healthy bridge back to your
usual diet.




Yom Kippur
Olive and Orange Salad |
Pareve Serves 8
8 oranges
⅔ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and
cut in half
Juice of 2 lemons
½ cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, pushed through a
garlic press
2 teaspoons mint, fi nely chopped
¾ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon paprika, plus more for
sprinkling Cut the oranges into thick slices.

Remove the pits with the point of
a knife. Peel off the skin. Cut the
orange slices into wedges. Move
them to a mixing bowl. Scatter the
olives over them.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together
the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, mint,
cumin and ½ teaspoon of paprika. Pour
the dressing over the orange-olive mix-
ture. Using two spoons, toss until the
mixture is entirely coated.

This recipe can be covered with
plastic wrap and stored in the refrig-
erator for 2 days. Before serving,
move the salad to an attractive bowl.

Sprinkle with more paprika. Serve
cold or at room temperature.

Nutty Spinach with Raisins |
Pareve Serves 6-8
⅔ cup raisins
⅔ cup pine nuts or slivered
almonds 2 (1 pound) plastic boxes of baby
spinach ⅓ cup olive oil, or more if needed
2 garlic cloves, very fi nely sliced
Kosher salt to taste
Juice of 1 lemon
Boil 2 cups of water, and pour it
into a heatproof mixing bowl. Add
the raisins, and soak them for 10
minutes. Strain the raisins in a sieve
and reserve.

Preheat a toaster oven or oven to
350 degrees F.

Roast the nuts for a minute or two.

Watch them carefully as they easily
burn. Reserve.

Rinse the spinach under cold water
and place it in a colander to drain.

Heat the olive oil in a very large
pot over a medium-low fl ame.

Sauté the garlic for a minute or
two until fragrant. Sprinkle it with
salt. Add the spinach in bunches to
the pot, even though water will still
be clinging to the leaves. Stir the
spinach continuously, and add more
as each batch wilts, which happens
quickly. Add more olive oil at any
time, if needed. Check to make sure
the spinach has enough salt and add
more, if needed.

Remove the spinach from the
fl ame, and add the raisins and nuts.

Stir to combine. This can be served
immediately or cool it to room tem-
perature, move it to a bowl, cover it
with plastic wrap and refrigerate it
for two days.

When ready to serve, move the spin-
ach to an attractive serving bowl and
drizzle the lemon juice over the top.

Sweet and Sour Beet Salad |
Pareve Serves 8-10
3 (15-ounce) cans sliced beets
3 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh dill,
chopped fi nely
3 tablespoons red onion, chopped
½ teaspoon honey
Kosher salt to taste
Drain the beets in a colander,
and move them to a large mix-
ing bowl. Add the vinegar, dill,
onion, honey and salt. Gently stir to
combine. Cover the salad with plastic wrap
and refrigerate it for at least 12 hours
and up to three days.

Check to make sure the beet salad
has a tang. If it’s too sweet, add a
little more vinegar. If it’s too tart, add
a little more honey.

When ready to serve, move it to
an attractive bowl, preferably a clear
glass one to show off this salad’s
gorgeous garnet color. JE
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