Colourful meal is sure to please

Salad vegetables

Breaking the fast after Yom Kippur ends does not have to be a culinary challenge.

Stock your kitchen with easy to make dishes that will be easy on the stomach and can be prepped ahead of time. Or, perhaps, make some of the dishes beforehand and simply reheat or plate them when they are needed. Bagels can be purchased, sliced and frozen, tied tightly in a plastic bag. They will defrost quickly plated, bottom and top together, on your counter and they will taste like you just picked them up at the bakery. Vegetables can be cleaned and sliced then packed, wrapped with some fresh paper towels, into a zippered baggie.

When doing your planning, why not consider dishes with lots of colourful ingredients and loads of taste? Take notice of the items you put in your grocery cart. What colours do you see? Colourful fresh fruit and vegetables should be first. Try to include a variety of colours. Different colours bring different health benefits and look appetizing on the table. Try to include vegetables in more than one dish at the meal. At Yom Kippur and all year, eat your colours, eat a rainbow.


Rainbow salad

This salad is a colourful and delicious way to break the fast. Plate the salad family style, or go the extra mile and plate salads individually.

o 2 large eggplants, cut into 1/2-in. slices then quartered

o salt

o 8 red potatoes, cut into quarters

o 2 beets, peeled and diced

o extra virgin olive oil

o 1 large English cucumber, diced

o 3 large green peppers, diced

o 4 Roma tomatoes, diced, or grape tomatoes

o 8 cups spinach, romaine or mixed lettuce

o 2 tins of black beans, drained and rinsed

o 4 tbsp. chives, chopped

Dressing

o 3/4 cup peanut butter

o 1/4 cup toasted sesame oil

o 2 tbsp. canola oil

o 1 garlic clove

o 1 tsp. sriracha or hot sauce

o juice of 1 lemon

o juice of 1 lime

o 1 tsp. sugar

o 1/4 cup water

o salt and pepper to taste

To make dressing, process all ingredients in a food processor. Add in enough water to get desired texture and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Season eggplant liberally with salt and let sit for 20 minutes to remove some of the bitter taste.

Preheat the oven to 400. Brush eggplant and potatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a foil-lined cookie sheet prepared with canola oil spray.

Drizzle beets with olive oil and salt and place on a separate foil-lined cookie sheet sprayed with canola oil. Roast vegetables until tender, about 25 minutes, Brush the eggplant and the potatoes with 1/4 cup of the dressing and set all the vegetables aside to cool.

To build salad, lay down a bed of spinach or lettuce. Place the vegetables and beans in rows: the eggplant, potatoes, beets, cucumber, peppers, tomatoes and black beans. Drizzle with dressing and garnish with chives.

READ: YOM KIPPUR: WHAT A 25-HOUR FAST DOES TO YOUR BODY


Chocolate cherry marshmallow squares

Bottom

o 1 1/2 cups butter or margarine, softened

o 2 cups sugar

o 4 eggs

o 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

o 2 cups flour

o 4 tbsp, unsweetened baking cocoa

o 1/2 tsp. salt

o 1 tsp. baking powder

Filling

o 2 – 10 oz. bottles maraschino cherries, no stems, drained and cut in half

o 2 cups miniature marshmallows

Topping

o 1 1/2 cups Nutella

o 2 cups semi-sweet or pareve
chocolate chips

o 1/4 cup butter or margarine

o 3 cups Rice Krispies

Preheat oven to 350.

Prepare a 15 x 10-in. Pyrex baking dish sprayed with canola oil and lined with parchment paper.

Cream butter/margarine and sugar together in the food processor. Add eggs and process until thoroughly combined. Add in vanilla. The mixture should resemble scrambled eggs. Add in: flour, cocoa, salt, and baking powder. Pulse until combined.

Spread mixture over the parchment paper in baking dish. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out dry.

Sprinkle marshmallows on top and bake for another 3 minutes or until the marshmallows have puffed up. Sprinkle cherries evenly over top of marshmallows and spread evenly using a knife dipped in water. Let cool completely, 2-3 hours.

Put Nutella, chocolate chips, and butter/margarine together, in microwavable bowl. Microwave for one minute. Stir in Rice Krispies. Using an icing or offset spatula evenly spread mixture over top of the cherries. Chill for 2 hours or until set. Cut into squares pushing down hard to the bottom of the pan with a sharp knife or better yet, a dough scraper, a tool with a metal rectangle wide thin blade with a handle running along the top long edge. Makes 40 plus squares depending on how large they are. Keep refrigerated until serving.

READ: TIMELESS AND TASTY TRADITIONS


egg-waffle-bagelEgg waffles with vegetables and cheese

Serve over a sliced bagel.

o 2 eggs per waffle

o salt and pepper to taste.

o Any or all of the following (and more.):

Onions, green onion, chives, broccoli, smoked salmon, tomatoes, spinach, red, yellow and/or green bell peppers, assorted mushrooms, avocado, chopped fresh herbs, olives, black or sliced pimiento-stuffed green olives, sun-dried tomato, pesto, caramelized onion, roasted vegetables, pine nuts.

o Swiss cheese, Havarti cheese, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, gouda, feta cheese, ricotta cheese, goat cheese.

Spray the waffle iron with canola oil and heat to medium setting.

Crack 2 or more eggs into a bowl. Add seasonings and whisk to combine.

Pour eggs into waffle iron. Don’t overfill.

Top with vegetables and cheese.

Shut waffle iron and hold firmly closed for about 15 seconds.

Let go and let cook for another 30-60 seconds. Open and carefully remove with a fork. Repeat as many times as desired.