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Easy Vegan Pasta Meals: Green Alfredo Linguine

Sometimes great meals come from happy accidents – and this meal is definitely one of them! To pull back the curtain a little bit, my recipe developing process varies a bit: sometimes I work on a recipe and get it right the first time, sometimes it takes a few tries, and sometimes (although pretty rarely) I’ll end up abandoning an idea I’ve had. I have been thinking about alfredo sauces for a while now because I eat pasta so often that I wanted another easy option for this go-to meal of mine.

So, the first time I worked on this recipe, I used WAY too much vegan butter and the sauce would not stay together. I was really frustrated, and I sort of gave up on it. Luckily, my partner was there to help me experiment, and he suggested adding a bit of the leftover pasta water to the mix to help it. And it worked pretty well!

But I still wasn’t all that satisfied, so I took some time to think it over. I reduced the amount of butter and added in some coconut milk for extra creaminess. I also planned to use some parsley for garnish in the dish.

HOWEVER, as I was preparing the sauce, I accidentally added the parsley leaves to the blender with the rest of the ingredients! When I realized what I had done, I was a bit annoyed with myself. But as I started blending, the sauce turned into such a wonderful light green color that I couldn’t stay mad. Then, when I added the peas, the sauce and peas complemented each other so well.

All of this to say, sometimes you’ll make mistakes in the kitchen! You’ll use too much oil, and make a sauce that isn’t photogenic or recipe perfect. Most of the time it’ll still be good enough to eat (sometimes it won’t – I’ll talk about my “Dubious Food” at some point). Sometimes, you’ll make mistakes that turn out even better than you were originally planning! That’s all part of learning and experimenting and enjoying cooking and baking.

This alfredo sauce is smooth and creamy, and comes together in under 30 minutes. Substitute your favorite pasta (and use gluten-free pasta if needed!) to make this dish your own. You can also change out the peas for other veggies, like roasted vegetables or sundried tomatoes.

I would love the hear how this recipe turns out for you and what changes you make to it. Let me know in the comments or message me at @thejewishvegan on Instagram. And, as always, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out. Now, let’s get started!

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Vegan Parsley Alfredo Linguine

This green sauce is flavorful and creamy, and pairs well with your favorite pasta (I've used linguine here!). Substitute gluten-free pasta for a gluten-free meal!

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Total Time25

Course: Main Course

Keyword: easy vegan dinner, gluten free, gluten free vegan, gluten free vegan recipe, homemade pasta sauce, kosher vegan recipes, meals in under 30 minutes, vegan pasta dishes, vegan pasta sauce

Servings: 8 servings

Equipment

blender

Ingredients

8 servings your favorite pasta
1 cup cashews
1 cup frozen peas
½ cup water
¼ cup vegan butter melted
4 tbsp canned coconut milk unsweetened
2 tbsp parsley leaves
½ tbsp fresh thyme
¼ tsp oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large pot, bring water to a boil and cook your pasta according to package directions. Salt the water well after it starts to boil. Set aside when done.
In a small pot, bring the cashews to a boil with water (not the ½ cup of water). Let boil for 15 minutes and then drain well.
In another pot (you can also reuse the pot you made the cashews in), bring water to a boil and add the frozen peas. When the water begins to simmer again, remove from heat and drain the peas. Set the peas aside.
While the cashews are boiling, add all of the other ingredients to a blender (not the pasta or peas).
When the cashews are done, add them to the blender and blend until everything is fully incorporated, smooth, and creamy. Adjust the salt and pepper as desired to taste.
In a large bowl, mix together the green alfredo sauce, the pasta, and the peas. Serve warm.

Notes

If using less pasta, you can reserve the remaining sauce in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days. It will solidify in the fridge, but will loosen if it gets heated. I recommend adding to very hot pasta and mixing well. You can also reheat it in the microwave in 10 second intervals, stirring before returning to the microwave.

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3-Step Salads: Simple Vegan Black Bean Salad

Sometimes the best recipes are also the most simple – and that’s definitely true of this simple vegan black bean salad. Packed full of protein (from the black beans and quinoa), veggies, and flavor, this salad makes a delicious and filling meal on it’s own or a great side dish. Simple recipes also allow lots of room for creativity!

The recipe I’ve included here requires hardly any chopping – just one pepper and a few green onions. You can also add in more of your favorite veggies if you’d like! You also don’t need to do a bunch of measuring either – I’ve provided measurements for the olive oil and garlic powder below if you’d like to be specific. However, you can just start drizzling and sprinkling until you’ve found what works best for you.

This recipe is made to be simple – throw together your leftover veggies with some quinoa (or other grain) and black beans (or other beans!!) and mess with your spices, and you’ll have a delicious salad you can use as a meal for your family or as a side dish for lunch all week.

One note about messing with your spices and oil: taste as you go! Add a dash or sprinkle at a time and take a taste. You don’t want to add too much because you can always add more. It’s hard to adjust for adding too much salt. If you taste as you go, you can also think about what spices you’re in the mood for or what might complement the veggies you’ve added/substituted in!

I would love the hear how this recipe turns out for you and how you get creative with it. Let me know in the comments or message me at @thejewishvegan on Instagram. And, as always, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out. Now, let’s get started!

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Simple Black Bean Salad

This simple black bean salad is filled with nutritious black beans, quinoa, and veggies - and it's ready in just 20 minutes!

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Servings: 6 cups

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa uncooked
1 can black beans drained and rinsed
1 green pepper finely diced
1 cup frozen corn
2 green onions finely chopped
juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
¼ tsp garlic powder

Instructions

Cook the quinoa and set aside to cool slightly.
Add the corn to boiling water and once the water starts to simmer again, remove from heat and drain. Set aside.
Combine all the ingredients and mix well. You can eat the salad slightly warm or let it cool in the fridge first.

Notes

This salad will last for 5-6 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

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Simple Recipes: Fall Harvest Soup

Do you ever have an experience that just feels like fall? My partner and I were walking our dog Charlie last week and it was a little bit chilly. The sun was shining through the trees. As we rounded the corner, a soft breeze shook the leaves in the trees all around us, some of the falling softly to the ground. We both just stopped for a second, watching the leaves fall. My partner said, “wow, this really just feels like fall!”

I love those small moments, and I try to evoke some of those memories when I create recipes too. Some foods and flavors are really associated with different seasons, especially when combined together. So, when I saw turnips at my local farmer’s market, I immediately knew I wanted to add them to a very fall dish. Turnips just feel like a fall food to me!

This soup is chock full of produce and flavors that evoke fall to me: from turnips to potatoes to carrots on the produce side, and thyme, coriander, and nutmeg on the spice side. A hot bowl of this soup is perfect on a chilly fall night, cuddled up in a blanket on the couch.

In addition to being super flavorful, this recipe is really easy to make. Heat up the vegetables in a pot with the oil first, then the tomato paste, then add the broth and spices, and cook until they are soft enough the pierce easily with a fork.

You can also play around with the ingredients to suit your taste and the produce and spices that most evoke fall for you. For example, you could add corn or celery (especially if you’re getting it fresh at your local market) or use frozen vegetables if that’s easier for you.

One note about the turnip greens: I really love using them in this soup because it cut down on the food waste I was creating and I also found them to be really tasty! My partner enjoyed the leafy part of the greens, but not so much the stem. The stem is a bit bitter, so feel free to just add the leaves if you’d like. The stems also get a bit less bitter as the soup sits overnight in the fridge, so they may be more enjoyable to you as leftovers if you didn’t like them the first time. I personally think the hint of bitterness added a great layer of flavor to the vegetables.

This recipe is completely gluten free and can be prepared kosher as long as you use kosher oil, tomato paste, broth, and spices. I’m looking forward to making this easy vegan Fall Harvest Soup several times over the next few weeks because it’s perfect for meal prepping as it makes 8 servings! It would also be great for a starter for a big gathering (socially distant of course).

I would love the hear how this recipe turns out for you and any changes you make to it. Let me know in the comments or message me at @thejewishvegan on Instagram. And, as always, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out. Now, let’s get started!

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Simple Recipes: Fall Harvest Soup

This simple recipe is packed full of flavor and just feels like fall because it's chock full of the best root vegetables of the season.

Prep Time8

Cook Time30

Total Time38

Course: Soup

Keyword: easy vegan dinner, easy vegan recipe, easy vegan recipes, fall soup, gluten free soup, kosher soup, vegan soup, vegan vegetable soup, vegetable soup

Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
3 turnips chopped into small pieces
3 white potatoes chopped into small pieces
2 medium carrots chopped small
3½ cups vegetable broth
3 cups water
turnip greens chopped into 1 in long pieces (stems removed if desired)
¼ cup parsley leaves chopped if desired
1 tbsp salt to taste
½ tsp thyme
½ tsp coriander
½ tsp nutmeg

Instructions

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large pot.
Once hot, at the onions and cook for 3 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant.
Add the tomato paste and cook for 4 minutes, stirring almost continuously.
Add the turnips, carrots, and potatoes, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the broth, water, turnip greens, and parsley and bring to a boil on high.
Once at a boil, lower to medium-low, at the spices and salt, then simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the potatoes, carrots, and turnips are cooked through and can be easily pierced with a fork.

Notes

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for 5-6 days in the fridge.

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Easy Cheesy Vegan Broccoli Soup

For several weeks, I had been thinking about making a recipe with cheese and broccoli, and every time I mentioned it, my partner would scrunch up his nose. “Cheese and broccoli don’t go together,” he would say. He was firmly opposed to the idea and would always offer different dinner ideas whenever I suggested it.

Flash forward to now, and I’ve converted him into firm believer in cheese and broccoli with this Easy Cheesy Broccoli Soup! He especially liked it with some vegan parmesan sprinkled on top.

The best thing about this recipe (besides how cheesy and delicious it is) is how quick and easy it is to make. It can be prepared in under 30 minutes. The other nice thing is that it uses cashews to make it creamy, which means you’re getting some protein in with this soup! The creaminess of this soup and the flavors of the veggies make this a super comforting food – perfect for chilly fall nights.

I decided to use vegan butter in this recipe because it adds a bit of flavor, but if you don’t have any on hand you can substitute in an oil like olive oil or vegetable oil. I also recommend chopping your broccoli fairly small, which cuts down a bit on the cooking time. If you like larger pieces of broccoli, you might need to cook a little longer – just be sure to check the texture of your broccoli before finishing.

Like I said before, adding vegan parmesan on top of this soup really steps it up a notch. You can make your own homemade parmesan for this recipe or use a store-bought vegan one. If you’d like to make your own, give my recipe a try. It’s very easy to make as well and takes just 5 minutes pulsing all of the ingredients in a food processor until fine and crumbly:

1 cup raw, unsalted cashews
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1.5 tsp salt
.25 tsp garlic powder

You can store the parmesan in an airtight container in the fridge for two weeks. One note is that it’s very important for your food processor to be fully dry before you add your ingredients, or your parmesan will turn to mush instead of a fine crumble texture.

Lastly, I focused on broccoli and carrots in this soup, but you can pack a veggie punch by adding all sorts of veggies. Try corn, peas, celery, or okra.

I would love the hear how this recipe turns out for you, and what changes you made to it to make it your own. Let me know in the comments or message me at @thejewishvegan on Instagram. And, as always, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out. Now, let’s get started!

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Vegan Cheesy Broccoli Soup

Cheese is one of the ultimate comfort foods - even as a vegan! This Vegan Cheesy Broccoli soup is full of cheesy flavor and ready to comfort you on chilly fall nights. It's also filled with broccoli and carrots, and you can add your favorite veggies as well.

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Total Time25

Course: Soup

Keyword: easy vegan dinner, easy vegan recipe, fall soup, kosher vegan recipes, meals in under 30 minutes, vegan soup

Servings: 4 bowls

Ingredients

1 cup cashews raw, unsalted
½ cup water
3 tbsp vegan butter
1 yellow onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
2 cups water or vegetable broth
2-3 cups chopped broccoli
1¾ cups shredded carrot
½ tbsp miso paste
⅓ cup + 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
½ tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt to taste

Instructions

Boil the cashews for 15 minutes in water. Once done boiling, blend with ½ cup water until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat.
Once the butter has completely melted, add the onions and cook for approximately 5 minutes (or until the onions have started becoming translucent).
Add the garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant.
Add the nutritional yeast and flour and mix well to combine with the onions and garlic.
Add the rest of the ingredients starting with the vegetable broth and including the cashew cream you made earlier. Mix well until everything is well combined and smooth.
Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes or until the desired thickness has been achieved. Serve hot!

Notes

The soup will continue to thicken as it sits. If stored in the fridge, it will likely be thicker when you go to reheat the leftovers. Adding a bit of water and mixing well will allow you to thin out your soup easily.

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Easy Vegan Recipes: Chocolate Cashew Milk

My partner and I are really into board games – we have a pretty sizeable collection of them. We really liked trying out new games for a while, especially games that could accommodate two players (because the two of us live together and like to be able to play our games!). So, when a new two player game came out, we would always hear about it. And that’s how we heard about Dairyman.

Dairyman is a game where you roll dice to milk your cows and fulfill delivers of milk. The artwork is incredibly cute and it seemed like a fun game mechanically, BUT we had some moral objections to purchasing the game as vegans.

The idea popped into my head: why don’t we recreate the game but about cashew milk? I could design new artwork and we could make some really simple game pieces at home. We would call it Cashewman!

Well, we haven’t quite made a personal version of this game yet (who knows – maybe one day!), but whenever I have cashew milk, I always think about the night we brainstormed how we could transform this game into a vegan-friendly one. That was especially true as I was making my own vegan Chocolate Cashew Milk!

This chocolate milk recipe is super easy – after soaking your cashews and dates, it’s really just throwing everything into a blender and blending until smooth and creamy. Another great thing about this recipe is you can adjust the sweetness level to taste by adjusting the amount of date puree you use in the recipe and even allow others to adjust to their own preferences as well.

If you’d like to get a little creative, substitute the date puree with another kind of dried fruit puree, such as cherries or mango. This will impart a unique flavor in the chocolate milk (while date is more neutral).

Chocolate milk is a nostalgic drink for a lot of folks – I remember drinking Yoo-hoo after school as a kid or at Science Olympiad practices. What are your favorite chocolate milk memories? I would also love the hear how this recipe turned out for you and how you made it your own. Let me know in the comments or message me at @thejewishvegan on Instagram. And, as always, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out. Now, let’s get started!

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Chocolate Cashew Milk

This chocolate cashew milk is easy-peasy, requires no straining, and is easy to customize to your sweetness preferences!

Prep Time5

Soaking Time8

Total Time8 5

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Keyword: cashew milk, easy vegan recipe, easy vegan recipes, vegan chocolate milk

Servings: 3 cups

Equipment

high speed blender

Ingredients

1 cup cashews raw, unsalted
3 cups water
6 dates pitted
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Take 4 of the dates and place them in a bowl. Cover with water and set aside. Repeat with the cashews. Let them sit for at least 4 hours or overnight.
When the dates and cashews are done softening, add the dates to a high speed blender. Add a small amount of the reserved water from the dates and blend until smooth. You really want to add just enough water to allow it to blend.
Remove the date paste from the blender and transfer to another container.
Add the cashews and 3 cups of water to the blender. Blend until the cashews have been entirely incorporated, starting on low for a few seconds and then gradually turning the speed up to high. Blend on high for about 10-15 seconds.
Add the 2 remaining dates, cocoa powder, and vanilla. I recommend starting with 3½ tbsp of the date paste added for sweetness. Blend until smooth and incorporated fully.
Taste the milk. If it's as sweet as you'd like for drinking or for any recipes you'd like to use it in, you don't need to add any more paste. You can add more if you'd like, or offer the paste as a sweetener to others if they'd like their milk a little sweeter!

Notes

A high speed blender will work best here for getting a smooth and creamy milk. You can try using a regular blender, but the result may not turn out as well.

This milk will keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container.

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Flavorful & Fun: Vegan Pesto and Ricotta Stuffed Shells

I started working on The Jewish Vegan because I find a lot of joy cooking and baking, and I wanted others to feel less stressed being in the kitchen. So, you can imagine, I really love a recipe that is as fun to look at and make as it is delicious to eat!

That’s certainly the case for these vegan Pesto & Ricotta Stuffed Shells! I’m a big fan of stuffed shells because 1) they’re really easy to make and 2) they’re really fun! And I never realized how easy it was to make them your own, but you can really stuff anything you want into them as long as you have the base recipe down. Use my basic ricotta recipe and then throw in whatever you’d like: veggies, vegan meat alternatives, chopped nuts – honestly, the sky’s the limit!

This recipe is great for getting the whole family (especially kids!) involved – it can be a little messy as you spread the pesto on the outside of the shell and stuff the pesto and ricotta mixture in each of them as well. The pesto on the outside is really important to ensuring you have a soft shell after baking – without the sauce your shells will turn hard!

I also highly recommend sprinkling some vegan parmesan on top of your shells. You can make your own homemade parmesan for this recipe or use a store-bought vegan one. If you’d like to make your own, give my recipe a try. It’s very easy to make as well and takes just 5 minutes pulsing all of the ingredients in a food processor until fine and crumbly:

1 cup raw, unsalted cashews
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1.5 tsp salt
.25 tsp garlic powder

Sprinkle some on before baking, and then let each person add their own after baking!

Like I said before, there are so many ways you can make this recipe your own. If you’d like some more ideas for stuffed shells, check out my original stuffed shell recipe here. And for more ways to use the pesto recipe, try my pesto toast or give it a go with some gnocchi. If you end up with leftover parmesan, you can use it on a vegan Caesar salad or try it on top of soups like this blogger’s tomato bisque.

I would love the hear how this recipe turns out for you and how you make it your own. Let me know in the comments or message me at @thejewishvegan on Instagram. And, as always, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out. Now, let’s get started!

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Vegan Pesto & Ricotta Stuffed Shells

This recipe combines fresh kale and parsley pesto with a creamy, cheesy ricotta in giant shells for a meal that's hearty and delicious.

Prep Time25

Cook Time15

Total Time40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: easy vegan dinner, easy vegan meals, easy vegan recipe, vegan pasta dishes, vegan pesto recipe

Servings: 12 shells

Ingredients

12-16 jumbo shells

Pesto Ingredients

2 cloves garlic
½ cup cashews raw, unsalted
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup fresh parsley leaves
2 tbsp lemon juice
½ tbsp nutritional yeast
3½ cups kale leaves stem removed
salt & pepper to taste

Ricotta "Cheese"

1 block firm tofu
1 cup cashews raw, unsalted (to be boiled)
½ cup water
½ tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tbsp yellow miso paste optional
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook the jumbo shells according to the package directions. Once cooled enough to touch, separate them so they won't stick together on a plate. Set aside.
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Place the cloves of garlic in tin foil or on a small baking pan and drizzle with oil. Roast for 20 minutes.
In another pot, boil the 1 cup cashews for the "ricotta" sauce for 15 minutes.

Pesto Instructions

Prepare the ingredients for the pesto and place in your blender (cashews, olive oil, roasted garlic, parsley, kale, and lemon juice).
Blend everything until smooth. You may need to scrape down the sides or stir the mixture to ensure it is evenly blended and smooth.
Taste the pesto and add salt and pepper to taste.

"Ricotta" Instructions

On a plate, use a fork to smash the tofu completely. It will be completely crumbled when done. Transfer to a bowl.
Add the boiled cashews and the ½ cup water into a blender (you don't need to rinse the blender between using it for the pesto and the "ricotta" sauce) and blend until smooth. Add the lemon juice, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and yellow miso paste (if using) and blend until combined. Add the salt and pepper to taste.
Add the cashew sauce and to the bowl with the tofu and combine. Mix thoroughly and add more salt and pepper, to taste.

Shell Assembly

Add about ¾ of the pesto sauce to the ricotta and mix well to combine. Taste to see if any flavor adjustments need to be made.
Spread a layer of remaining pesto sauce on the outside one of the shells, then fill the shell with the ricotta mixture. Place in a baking pan and repeat until the pan is filled with shells (or you run out of shells).
Spread additional sauce on the outside of the shells that are visible as needed and in the spaces in between the shells. The gaps do not need to be filled with sauce, but you should try to make sure that exposed shells have some sauce on them.
Sprinkle vegan parmesan cheese over top of the shells, if desired.
Place the pan in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove and let cool for approximately 10 minutes before serving.

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Celebrating Sukkot Indoors: My Simple Indoor DIY Sukkah

If you’ve been following along with me throughout the High Holidays, I’ve been talking about how I’ve been finding my own ways to find meaning in the Jewish holidays and traditions this year. I took a great class with GatherDC that was a deep dive into the High Holiday season, and we discussed how Sukkot is also included in that time of year.

According to the Torah, Sukkot is a week long festival – the Torah says a few different things about it, including things about living in booths (or sukkah), gathering different kinds of plants, and rejoicing (see Leviticus 23:39-43 and Deuteronomy 16:13-15; and thanks to GatherDC for gathering these resources as part of the class). After the holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, where I know I personally have been contemplating some pretty heavy stuff, I feel ready to celebrate and focus on joy in my life for a bit, too!

Once or twice when I was in college, I had a meal in a sukkah, which is a sort of hut or booth that is typically built outdoors with a roof that can be seen through. According to the rabbis in the Talmud, it’s made so that it can “withstand ordinary wind.” They are also typically decorated with fruit, and, as folks are able, people with eat and even sleep in their sukkah.

This year, I decided I wanted to make my own sukkah at home and indoors for several reasons: 1) I’m trying to engage with Jewish practices I find meaningful (more on that below), 2) I didn’t really want to travel to anyone else’s sukkah because of social distancing issues, and 3) I live in an apartment with none of its own outdoor space, so I had to make it indoors!

So, I first want to note that my sukkah is likely not halachic, meaning it doesn’t meet what is technically required to be a sukkah according to the rabbis in the Talmud and/or the Torah itself. If that’s something that is of concern to you, I would always recommend talking to your rabbi! However, for me, I was more focused on finding meaning in my own practice, and I really felt I was able to do that through creating and dwelling in the sukkah, even indoors.

As someone who lives in an apartment with no outdoor space and who is spending more time indoors than normal because of our COVID situation, time and nature and the seasons feel a little weird right now. It felt especially meaningful to decorate a part of my space based on the fall season. Sukkot was intended partly as a harvest festival as well, so this to me also feels in line with some of the original intention.

I also decided to use tulle for the “roof” and “walls.” Not very sturdy, I know! But the idea I had in mind is the it’s see through like you could be looking up at the stars, and from the right angles, you can see out of the windows of my apartment from the sides of the sukkah to the sky. With the windows open and the breeze blowing in, it sometimes does feel like you’re outside.

Lastly, I used wooden dowels about three feet long and hot glued them together to make them 6 feet tall as the supports for the sukkah. As supports, well, they aren’t all that supportive – I actually had to do a good amount of work to get them to stay. The front two have been staked into plant pots and the back two are weighted down by miniature pumpkins and other gourds. Some have had to be stabilized by being tied to furniture like chairs (I’m a big fan of using what you already have at your disposal).

It all seems like it’s hanging by a thread doesn’t it? Okay, it’s not that fragile, but it isn’t the strongest sukkah there’s ever been. But it reminds me of another quote from my deep dive class written by Alan Lew in his work, “The Stars Are Shining On My Head: Sukkot,” This is Real and You Are Completely Unprepared: The Days of Awe as a Journey of Transformation, p. 265-267:

In the sukkah, a house that is open to the world, a house that freely acknowledges that it cannot be the basis of our security, we let go of this need. The illusion of protection falls away, and suddenly we are flush with our life, feeling our life, following our life, doing its dance, one step after another.

The need that Lew is talking about here is the need for protection. I’ve been thinking about this quote for a while now, trying to understand it and how I can find meaning in Sukkot. And what I’ve found is that for me Sukkot is about emerging from this period of contemplation of our lives and finding joy. The sukkah can remind us of the barriers we have built up that we see as protecting us, but that are maybe keeping us from being open to our own lives. Basically, I know who I want to be and what I want out of life – Sukkot asks me to consider: what within myself is stopping me from getting there? All while joyfully celebrating within out sukkah, living life as it could be without those barriers up.

That’s what I will be thinking about this year as I spend some time in my indoor sukkah. Sukkot starts tonight (October 2) at sundown and lasts for at least 7 days. Perhaps you’d like to make your own indoor sukkah – you can find instructions for replicating my sukkah below. Or maybe you have other traditions for making Sukkot meaningful – let me know in the comments below or message me at @thejewishvegan on Instagram. And, as always, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out.

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DIY Indoor Sukkah

Build your own (very basic) sukkah for sukkot following the instructions below. It may take some getting creative with what you have around the house, but by the end you'll have four upright poles and a "roof" and "walls."

Prep Time1

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Jewish

Keyword: jewish, jewish traditions, judaism, sukkah, sukkot

Servings: 1 sukkah

Cost: $15

Equipment

4-8 wooden dowels (either 3 ft long [8 of them] or 6 ft long [4 of them])
hot glue (only necessary if you have 8 dowels)
materials to stabilize your dowels (I used 2 plant pots filled with dirt and 2 floral foam bricks weighted down with miniature gourds)
tulle
string (I used twine because it went with the theme and feel I was going for)
some chairs to both sit on and stabilize your poles (as needed)
other decorations

Ingredients

your favorite challah try my basic challah recipe!

Instructions

Hot glue your dowels together if needed. I glued the two ends together at the very end and then also placed glue around the outside where the two dowels met to provide extra support. Hold the dowels together until the glue starts to get hard and then let it sit for 30 minutes or so to completely cool and dry before trying to build your sukkah.
Once all of your poles are created, place them in your stabilizing materials, whether that's plant pots or floral foam bricks or something else you've decided to use. You can now place them where they will stand in the room.
Once the dowels are in place, tie one end of the tulle to one pole at the top and string it the pole to the left, letting it droop a bit in the middle. Repeat with the pole to the right and diagonally across, until all the poles are connected and you've created a very basic "roof."
On three sides of the sukkah, drape more tulle over the "roof" pieces so that they touch the ground. These are your "walls."
Arrange any furniture, such as chairs or small tables, within the sukkah to support the dowels and to use while you celebrate sukkot! You can use the twine to attach the dowels to the furniture as needed.
Lastly, decorate with any decorations you'd like to use. I used fall produce and fake flower/greenery, leaves, candles (safely!), string lights, ect. The dowels are a little dainty, so I would only recommend trying to stick anything very, very light to them.

Easy Vegan Blueberry Pancakes

My dad made the best pancakes when I was a kid. Fluffy, golden brown, and absolutely delicious. I’m pretty sure he used Bisquick or some other pre-made pancake mix. But he also knew how to make them turn out perfectly.

I’ve been trying to recreate the magic of those pancakes for years (ask my partner – he’s eaten many burnt, squishy, underdone, burnt AND underdone pancakes, and some how he’s still encouraged me to try again). After crowd-sourcing some tips for how to make my pancakes come out right, I think I’ve finally figured it out: an easy vegan pancake recipe for us all!

Now, the most important parts of pancakes in my opinion are: 1) not burnt while also cooked all the way through, 2) tastes sweet, but not too sweet, and 3) a balance between being fluffy and dense – you don’t want to be eating a cake, you want a pancake!

For me, this recipe covers all of these things. By using a non-stick pan (VERY IMPORTANT, probably the most important thing you can do to ensure you don’t burn your pancakes), oiling between each pancake, and watching carefully for bubbles, you can make sure your pancake is fully cooked but not burnt.

Now, you’ll want to make sure you see little bubbles all the way from the edges of the pancake to the center before you flip! If you don’t, you’ll end up with an under-cooked pancake. If you wait for these bubbles to appear all the way in the center, you flip, and then you find your pancake is burnt, you’ve probably got your heat up a bit too high. Try lowering it a bit for the next pancake. Low and slow, y’all!

Now, sweetness. This recipe calls for just a bit of sugar, and the sugar is emphasized with a bit of vanilla. I highly encourage not skipping out on the vanilla – it enhances the flavor a lot! And, most importantly, do not use ANY extra salt. I learned that the hard way.

Lastly, the combination of baking powder and apple cider vinegar allows for the perfect amount of rise for these pancakes. Not too dense, but you aren’t going to end up with a cake either.

Once you’ve made your pancakes, you can serve them right off the pan or you can store them in the oven in a baking pan covered in foil. Preheat your oven to 250 degrees F, and your pancakes will stay warm until you’re ready to eat them.

There are so many ways you can top your pancakes. You can go classic with maple syrup and vegan butter, add fruit, or try something totally new, like this Amaretto cream I’m using here. Get creative and delicious.

Growing up, my weekends were never complete without a pancake breakfast, and this Easy Vegan Blueberry Pancake recipe is a great way to incorporate that in to your vegan lifestyle. I would love the hear how this recipe turns out for you and how you top your pancakes. Let me know in the comments or message me at @thejewishvegan on Instagram. And, as always, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out. Now, let’s get started!

Print Recipe

Easy Vegan Blueberry Pancakes

Have a relaxing and delicious Sunday morning with this quick and easy vegan pancake recipe! Use blueberries or your favorite seasonal fruit (or even chocolate chips!).

Prep Time3

Cook Time20

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: meals in under 30 minutes, vegan breakfast, vegan pancakes

Servings: 8 pancakes

Equipment

non-stick pan

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ cup blueberries optional

Wet Ingredients

1 cup vegan milk
1 tbsp olive oil plus extra for oiling the pan
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Whisk together the dry ingredients in a bowl, then toss in the blueberries until they are fully coated and incorporated.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients until fully mixed.
Heat a non-stick pan over just under medium heat. Add 1 tsp oil and heat until it easily glides around the pan and you can feel the heat coming off the pan. Another way to check your pan has warmed all the way is to drop a drop of water and see if it sizzles.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold them together until they are just mixed.
Immediately add approximately ⅓ cup of batter to the pan (use more or less for larger or smaller pancakes) and let it cook until it gets bubbly throughout the top of the pancake. The sides will also get a bit turned up and brown.
At this point, you can flip your pancake. Cook for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, you can check the bottom of the pancake to see if it is golden brown. If it is, you can remove it from the heat; if not, let it cook a bit longer.
Repeat until all of the batter is used. Make sure to add 1 tsp of oil between each pancake. You can add more than one pancake to the pan at a time if your pan is big enough. You can also store the finished pancakes in an oven preheated to 250°F in a pan covered in foil while you prepare all of the pancakes if you'd like.

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Finding Meaning in Jewish Tradition: Why I’m Not Fasting for Yom Kippur

Many of my thoughts on the ritual of fasting were developed through a Deep Dive experience I was able to have through an organization called GatherDC. Several of the sources I’ve included here were gathered together and used in the source sheets in the Deep Dive class and some of the alternative ideas came from the class as well.

I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve fasted from food for Yom Kippur. In elementary school and middle school, I did it once or twice, and I’ve done it once or twice as an adult. The last time I fasted was two years ago with my partner when we also attended synagogue services together for the High Holidays for the first time.

Growing up, I was never really told much about fasting and I wasn’t told that I had to do it. I decided to do it when I wanted to and decided not to when I didn’t. Until I was an adult, there wasn’t really any intention behind my choice to fast from food or not.

I’ve been trying to be more intentional and meaningful with my Jewish practices – I want Judaism to feel meaningful to me. So, this year I participated in a High Holidays class so I could learn more about the holidays and make some decisions about how I wanted to mark them.

In this class, I learned A LOT.

On the topic of Yom Kippur, the Torah states: “you shall practice self-denial” (Leviticus 16:29-30). It doesn’t say in what way you should practice it – that came later, when rabbis in the Talmud decided it should be practiced through fasting from food as they saw that as a huge form of self-denial.

Rabbi Ilana Zietman wrote in 2019 that “fasting is a way to make us feel more vulnerable and unguarded… Our fast today is meant to be contemplative, but not reflective of unworthiness.”

Granted, I haven’t fasted very many times, but in all the times I have fasted from food, I’ve never found much meaning in the ritual, nor did I feel very vulnerable or unguarded. I mostly remember thinking: wow, I’m really hungry and I can’t wait until the break fast. I was definitely engaging in self-denial, but is that enough for me, personally, to continue on with the ritual as is?

When I’m fasting from food, I don’t spend much time contemplating who I am and who I want to be; rather, I really spend the time thinking about how hungry I am and trying to find ways to distract myself from being hungry.

On the other hand, I find myself being able to think more clearly when I’m cooking or baking. Because I’m passionate about those things, I’m sharp and focused and in the zone. When I’ve got down time during my cooking and baking, like while something is in the oven or I’m just stirring something on the stove, my brain is still turned on and going, and I can focus on other important and meaningful things.

Long story short: fasting from food just doesn’t inspire me to be reflective and contemplative – if anything, it’s a distraction from that for me.

However, I certainly do have other distractions in my life I could fast from, and I know there are ways I could be intentional about being contemplative during Yom Kippur. I thought others may be interested in this as well, as there are a myriad of reasons why someone may not be interested in fasting from food but would still want to mark Yom Kippur in some way.

Of course, none of this is to say that fasting from food is NOT a meaningful way to mark Yom Kippur! For anyone who finds meaning in marking Yom Kippur this way, that’s so great. I just know that I personally have had so much trouble (and mixed feelings) about being able to connect with this holiest holiday because I felt I couldn’t really find meaning in fasting from food. I’m writing this to hopefully tell others that they aren’t alone in that if they’re feeling the same way and that you can find meaning in other ways if fasting from food isn’t your jam.

Fasting from Social Media

This alternative way of marking Yom Kippur was mentioned by Julie Thompson. Personally, this kind of fast really appeals to me, as social media plays a huge role in my life and it would be a significant self-denial to stay away from it for 25 hours during Yom Kippur.

I also think it is particularly relevant to Yom Kippur as we are supposed to be considering what kinds of people we want to be and if we’ve lived up to that in the last year. On social media, we may be projecting an image of ourselves that may be one we like or don’t like. We can take the time to decide if 1) that image actually reflects who we are, and 2) if we want to work on ourselves in some way because of that image.

The other upside of taking a fast from social media is that this reflection won’t be clouded by what we see of others on social media, which is not necessarily their reality. We get to sit with ourselves (and perhaps some of our loved ones) without the distraction of what others are projecting on to social media.

Fasting from Productivity

I write this recognizing that not everyone can take off work and that many folks have other “productivity” obligations that need to happen on Yom Kippur. But for those who can find ways to fast from being productive, this can be one way to ritualize self-denial.

I also think that this is really dependent on how you view accomplishing things. I personally generally get something out of knocking things off of my to-do list (no matter how small) and (real talk) place value in myself based on my productivity. So, a fast from productivity can be beneficial, because I am able to take away this distraction to focus on who I am, what I have actually accomplished and were those things actually good (maybe I harmed someone or something through my accomplishments?), and who I want to be through my accomplishments moving forward.

The intention of this is to give yourself time to put thought into your actions in the past and present and what actions you want to take in the future.

Writing Your Own Eulogy

A little morbid, I know! This was an option that Rabbi Ilana mentioned in our Deep Dive class through GatherDC: you write down what you would want someone to say about you if you died today. What kind of person would you want to be remembered as? What would you want to have accomplished? The goal is to get you thinking about who you are today, who you want to be and what you want to do, and what steps you can take to get there.

Deciding how to mark a holiday is a very personal decision and, hopefully, can be one filled with meaning and intention. Yom Kippur is an opportunity to reflect on ourselves and our decisions, and make amends to others (or ourselves!) and changes to our lives so that we can be the people want to be. Fasting from food is one way in which you can be inspired to reflect on these important topics, but there are many ways (even ways beyond those listed here) that you can work towards contemplating the past year and who you want to be.

I also want to offer one more option for anyone who chooses not to participate in fasting from food because they are suffering from, or in recovery from an eating disorder. Click here to find a ritual for eating on Yom Kippur.

I would love the hear your thoughts on the ritual and tradition of fasting for Yom Kippur. How will you be fasting in some way this year? Let me know in the comments or message me at @thejewishvegan on Instagram. And, as always, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out.

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Easy & Impressive Weeknight Meals: Homemade Marinara Sauce

I grew up on “pasta and red sauce.” That’s what my family called pasta dinners, which was usually pasta (definitely not whole wheat!), red sauce from a jar, and a can of vegetables. And y’all, pasta night was usually one of my favorite dinners! I freaking love pasta – always have, always will.

Now that I’ve gained some more skills in the kitchen, I wanted to up my pasta night game while still keeping in the spirit of “pasta and red sauce” – basically, these meals were meant to be easy for my parents who were both working and trying to take care of three kids. So, with that in mind, I created this easy, but still delicious and impressive, marinara sauce recipe that you can use with your favorite pasta.

There is a little bit more chopping than just opening up a jar – you’ve got to chop up an onion, some garlic, and some fresh basil. Of course, you can always substitute in pre-minced garlic (1:1) and dried basil (use half as much dried as fresh) to cut down on the chopping. The only other prep is blending up your tomatoes – if you’ve got a high powered blender, throw them right in whole! If you don’t, you’ll probably want to half or quarter them to give your blender an easier time.

From there, it’s really just throwing everything in the pan and cooking. You’ve got to keep an eye on your onions, garlic, tomato paste, and basil to prevent burning (and if you’ve substituted dried basil, no need to let it cook before moving on to the next step). The rest is just simmering. And don’t forget to add in your favorite meat alternatives for a bit of added protein and flavor. I used Morningstar Crumbles when creating this recipe, but I’ve also used Tofurkey Italian style sausages, which were also delicious.

The sauce itself is completely gluten free, and can be kosher. Be sure to check for the kosher symbol on the tomato paste and tomato purée. Also, you’ll want to make sure any meat alternatives you add in are kosher and gluten free.

One last note: you’ll want to adjust your salt depending on any meat alternatives you add in as well, as some of them can be kind of salty. So, be sure to do some taste tests as you’re cooking!

If you’re looking for an easy, but definitely impressive weeknight meal, look no further than this homemade marinara sauce. You can find ways to make it your own through adding additional spices or changing up the meat alternative you use (or leave it our altogether!). I would love the hear how this recipe turns out for you and how you made it your own. Let me know in the comments or message me at @thejewishvegan on Instagram. And, as always, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out. Now, let’s get started!

Print Recipe

Quick & Easy Homemade Marinara Sauce

This marinara sauce is super quick and easy to make and is sure to impress! Featuring fresh basil and tomato purée, the flavors really come through after 25 minutes simmering on the stove.

Prep Time5

Cook Time35

Total Time40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: easy vegan dinner, easy vegan meals, easy vegan recipe, easy vegan recipes, homemade marinara sauce, homemade pasta sauce, meals in 40 minutes, vegan pasta dishes, vegan pasta sauce

Servings: 4 cups

Ingredients

4-6 servings your favorite pasta depending on how much sauce you like
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
½ cup fresh basil chopped
4 tomatoes blended until pureed
1 cup canned tomato pureé
1 tsp oregano
2 tsp salt to taste
2 tbsp maple syrup or other vegan liquid sweetener
vegan crumble, sausage, or other meat alternative optional

Instructions

Make your favorite pasta and set aside.
Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions and let cook for 4-5 minutes - until they start to become translucent.
Add the garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant.
Add the tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid burning and sticking.
Add the basil and cook for 2 mins, continue to stir frequently.
Add the blended tomatoes and tomato pureé and mix in. Bring to a simmer and add the oregano, salt, and maple syrup.
Let simmer for 25 minutes, uncovered. If you are using a meat alternative, add that in with about 10 minutes left.
After the 25 minutes, add the pasta into the sauce and mix in well. Alternatively, dole out the past into bowls and pour the sauce on top. Serve hot!

Notes

You can store this sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or bring to a simmer again on the stovetop.

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