Six Things You Can Do Now to Get Ready for the Spring Feasts

What can we do to start preparing for the Bible holidays of Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits?

When you're new to celebrating the Bible holidays, it can be hard to know what to do or how to spend this time. Take some time to consider what your goals are for this year's feast days. Maybe that's doing something for Passover for the first time ever. Maybe that's putting up decorations around your home. Maybe that's taking the week off from work. That could be be traveling to celebrate with a group of believers or inviting friends over to learn about these special times. Whatever your hopes, now is the time to prepare to make that happen.

Six things you can do now to get ready for the Spring feasts:

Prepare your calendar. Different groups use different calendars, but Passover is coming up around the beginning of April. Decide on which calendar you're using and then be sure to clear your schedule then! Put in for time off work, don't schedule any appointments or major home projects then, clear other commitments from your schedule if need be. Let your children's teachers know if they'll be missing any school, etc.

Make plans. Do you want to have your family over for a Passover supper? Invite them and start thinking about a menu. Do you want to celebrate with a group of believers? If so, see about finding a group you can join, and find out when they'll be gathering. Could you invite friends over for a Bible study or see about having your small group have a time of communion and foot washing?

Study to learn about Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Whether this is your first year celebrating or fiftieth, there is something new to be learned this year. Read through the stories of Exodus and the crucifixion. You could also read books on the feasts by Eddie Chumney or Anne Elliott, among others. Studying Scripture always gives me fresh ideas and motivation for honoring YHWH's set apart times.

Do your shopping. Do you want to deck your house in crepe paper and balloons? Or give a Passover themed gift to family members? Do you need to order matzah? Are you hoping to find Passover shirts or signs? Do you need supplies to make Passover craft projects with your kids? Make a list of what you'll need for Passover and Unleavened Bread and get your times ordered or make it a point to go to the store so you don't have to rush at the last minute.

Start getting the leaven out of your house. Go through your cupboards and freezer and see what leavened items you have to use by Passover. Get those used up or donate anything you can't use to a food pantry. Leavened items are mostly breads, and things with breadcrumbs in them such as meatballs or breaded chicken. If you're not familiar with leavening, start learning now!

Take time to spiritually prepare. Removing the natural leaven from our homes is a picture of removing the spiritual leaven from our hearts. Has YHWH been speaking to you to let go of something or an area that hasn't been fully surrendered to him? Pray and ask to see what he wants to do and is doing in your life. Spend time worshipping and studying his word.

Preparing for any of the Biblical holidays is a special thing, but if you're reading this smack in the middle of the week of Unleavened Bread, don't despair! The Bible's directions for these holidays are simple enough so that anyone can participate in them. Start now and do what you can to join in the holidays the Creator made for us and to remember the amazing works of the Messiah that happened during these days!

More posts to help get ready for the Bible holidays:
Preparing Spiritually and Emotionally for Passover
The Beginner's Guide to Unleavened Bread
Kids Crafts for Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits

My Matzah Week: What Celebrating Unleavened Bread Looks Like

A unique element to the Feast of Unleavened Bread (and Sukkot) is the duration of it: one whole week. That's something Western culture is not familiar with. Holidays, from birthdays to weddings to Christmas are one and done. There is anticipation building up to one special day and then it's over. This can create a lot of pressure to make that day spectacular. One of the great things about these Feasts is that since they are so long there is less pressure to have a big blowout day. But this can also seem a little underwhelming. A few times I have come out of Matzah Week thinking that it wasn't terribly different from any other week.

I decided to intentionally make this week a little bit different. I didn't take off work entirely but I did take a few days off. I also spontaneously decided to limit my internet consumption, and didn't read the handful of blogs I check regularly. I put zero thought into this decision but it worked out super well, as when I caught up with them the following week I realized many of the posts centered around easter preparation. I'm happy to have missed that, particularly during a set  apart time of YHWH. Spiritually, I focused on the final days and statements of Yahusha.  A couple of things I did weren't really feast themed but they were things that I enjoy that make the week a little more special, like picking fresh flowers and reading a new book.  Another thing I'm glad I did was to jot down a few of the Feast centered things that I did each day. It's cool to see that not only was I taking steps to celebrate a Feast of YHWH but that this week really was different for me.

I'm sharing with you what my week was like not because I think everyone should copy my schedule, but because the first few times I celebrated Unleavened Bread I kept wondering, but what should we do? So here is what Matzah Week was like for me this year. I think we don't have more instructions on this holy day because YHWH doesn't want us to be carbon copies of each other. We have a few guidelines, the no-work days, not consuming anything leavened, and celebrating but we also have a little creative wiggle room in how we choose to honor him this week.

Monday was a no-work day. My husband and myself took the day off from our professional jobs and also set aside the perpetual to do list for the day so that we could rest and enjoy YHWH's feast.
-We read the Exodus story together.
-The house had some decorations up already but we set out the decorations I brought back from our Pesach celebration. Including my matzah pinata, chocolate Seder plate, coasters, and lots of printables.
-We ate leftovers from the Passover meal, including matzah.
-We watched The Prince of Egypt.

Tuesday:
-Made a fresh batch of homemade matzah.

-Read the Prince of Egypt story.

-Watched the Joshua episode of Stories from the Bible (since it happened right after Passover).

-I got my flair omer counter set up and ready to go.

-Made spaghetti squash with marinara for dinner.

Wednesdays I run errands with my grandmother. Our tradition is visiting a coffee shop at the end of our outing. This time we had to be mindful of not consuming leavened treats.

-Wore my matzah socks!

-Read a new cookbook from the library.

-Matzah for lunch and dinner. Homemade matzah can be soft like a pita or tortilla, so I used mine to make 'tacos' of roasted root vegetables from the Passover meal. Great with cream cheese and a sprinkle of tabbouleh.

Thursday I worked most of the day. I made it a point to still be mindful of this being a special time.

-Read a verse related to Unleavened Bread every few hours.

-Listened to some Passover music throughout the day.

-Wore my clay matzah ring.

-I baked unleavened coconut cookies.

-Watched Torah to the Tribes' Passover.

Friday:

-Made plenty of fresh matzah to prepare for the back to back Shabbats this week.

-Listened to Torah to the Tribes' Unleavened Bread teaching while cooking and getting ready for Shabbat.

-Finally assembled my clay matzah picture frame for an extra decoration.

Shabbat:

-Attended congregation.

-Had a family lunch of black bean soup with matzah.

-Read the Last Supper accounts in the Besorah.

-Got a card around to send to friends also celebrating Matzah Week.

-More Passover music.

Sunday was the other no-work day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

-We slept in.

-Began our omer counting. (There are many different theories on when to start this, so don't feel bad if you started another day.)

-Went for a walk in beautiful weather.

-Picked a few flowers. The first of the year for me.

-Read the remaining Scriptures from this list.

How do you like to spend your Matzah Week? Again, please don't feel like your week needs to be just like mine. Hopefully this gave you some visual inspiration for keeping this feast. More ideas for Unleavened Bread can be found here.
How do celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread?

Coconut Cookies for Passover

It's Matzah Week! At least for some of us. My congregation just started observing the calendar that Torah to the Tribes uses so we are celebrating a little earlier than most this year. I wanted to share this cookie recipe today for those of you who are craving something sweet for this Feast but don't know what to make. Or if your Passover is still coming up I think this would be a great addition to the menu.

(Menorah lattes. An ongoing project in my life.)

I don't know if you've had a Passover cookie before, but often other than the name and the shape they bear no similarities to real cookies. They tend to be dry, crumbly, and not very good. These however are nice and chewy with a little bit of toasted coconut crispness on the edges. Since they contain no refined sugar or flour they fit with the GAPS diet and are Paleo friendly, so this should be a winner even for those on restricted diets. They don't taste like a diet cookie though; if you like coconut, this is the Passover cookie of your dreams!

You know how the best part of a coconut macaroon is the edge that got toasted? Flattening before baking makes the entire cookie that good!

You will need:
1 egg
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup finely shredded coconut flakes (unsweetened)
3 tablespoons almond meal or almond flour
2 tablespoons chocolate chips (I used 100% cacao but feel free to use whatever kind  you like)

Preheat your oven to 350°.
Mix together the egg, honey, and salt until smooth. Then add in the remaining ingredients. You will end up with a sticky mixture that is not as together as a typical cookie dough. This is what you want.
Since it is so sticky you'll want to line your baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat. Scoop about two tablespoons of your dough per cookie. I ended up with 9 cookies. Then using a clean, wet hand pat your cookies until they are flat. Since they have no leavening they will stay whatever shape they are.
Bake for 14-16 minutes. Your cookies are done once the coconut is nicely toasted and golden brown. When your house starts smelling heavenly of toasted coconut it's time to take them out.
Let cool before eating.

I really like that these aren't cloyingly sweet but if that's more your thing you could add an extra tablespoon of honey.

I know the food restrictions can be a little confusing during this week. If you need a little clarity or inspiration check out these posts for more meal ideas.

Happy Feast of Unleavened Bread!

DIY Matzah Pinata!

I'd like to say that the Feast of Unleavened Bread does not get the hype it deserves. We have a directive to celebrate and feast for seven days, what's not to love about that? Even though it immediately follows Passover we should let it shine on it's own and have a separate celebration for it. What's the best way to do that? A matzah pinata, of course!

You will need:
- a thin, square cardboard box (mine was about 33" by 33" by 4")
-hot glue gun
-glue sticks
-cream crepe paper (I used this kind, it's made in the USA)
-brown crepe paper
-ribbon

The process of making a pinata is simple but a little repetitive. You'll definitely want a friend to chat with or something to listen to while you do it. Basically, what you're doing is cutting fringe into your crepe paper (though I suppose this is optional), and, starting at the bottom, hot gluing your crepe paper across the box. You will want to randomly disperse bits of the brown crepe paper to resemble the different shading on matzah.

Do this the whole way round your box, one side at a time, and attach your ribbon to the top if you're going to hang it up. Be sure to use plenty of hot glue to reinforce it. My box was almost three feet square, but feel free to make it whatever size you like!

If yours is as big as mine you will need two rolls of the cream crepe paper and one of the brown. Need more specifics? Studio DIY has a super detailed guide to making pinatas. Check it out here.

Word to the wise: fill your box with candies or goodies before beginning the pinata-fying process. It's way easier.

If you don't have the heart to bash this in with a bat, this still makes a fun decor piece or even a photo booth prop. What do you guys plan on doing to celebrate Unleavened Bread this year? If you make a pinata, be sure to share a picture with me on Instagram or Facebook!

Einkorn Matzah Bread for Passover

This is an easy recipe to make your own unleavened bread as an alternative to store-bought matzah for Passover. It is made with einkorn flour but can be adapted to use all-purpose or whole wheat flour.

"Seven days you shall eat matzah, for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste. Eat so you may remember this all your life."
-Deuteronomy 16:3


Though we usually see it in a box as a large cracker, matzah is bread that has been made without leavening, yeast, or fermentation. It is the flat bread the Hebrews ate when they came out of Egypt. During the Feast of Unleavened Bread we are to eat it each day as a reminder that YHWH so quickly changed the circumstances of the Israelites they didn't have time for their bread to rise before baking.

I am so glad I decided to bake my own matzah! This is a food that you can eat and enjoy, not choke down like the boxed version. It is soft and chewy, an unleavened cousin to India's naan bread. It wouldn't be out of place next to a bowl of soup or curry. Since it is soft you can use this as sandwich bread, without it being attack of the crumbs. Eat it with hummus or dip it into your eggs at breakfast. Also, it's much more nutritious than the boxed version. Einkorn is an ancient form of wheat that has never been hybridized, and much more similar to what the Israelites were eating than modern red wheat. In my opinion, einkorn products are much more filling and don't cause that crave/crash cycle that carbohydrates are infamous for. I hope you will give it a try!

Why should you try this recipe?

1. It's delicious. Can we be candid and admit boxed matzah is not very good? Homemade matzah will have you looking forward to Unleavened Bread week instead of dreading it.
2. For the Biblical experience. I think there is a lot of value in doing Bible things in Bible ways. While we are not commanded to bake our own matzah, it can give us a glimpse into Scripture from the practical vantage point of food. 
3. It's healthier. Einkorn contains more protein and less starch than typical commercial wheat. It is also a good source of minerals and vitamin B. Even if you don't use my recipe, making matzah yourself gives you control over the ingredients. Those can be organic, whole grain, allergy friendly, etc.

Did I mention there are lots of options for this bread? I tried baking it three different ways to compare the differences. I baked it on a cast iron pan in the oven, used the cast iron pan on the stove, and baked it on a regular baking sheet. All three were delicious but my favorite was cast iron baked. It stayed softest that way. If you'd prefer crisper matzah the baking sheet is the best bet. The stove top method gets the strongest flavor (and is easiest to burn). If you wanted to change it up, you could mix in black pepper, green onions, smoked paprika, or any herb or spice of your preference into the dough and go from there. 

Be sure to make this when you have time to do it all at once. Letting the dough sit would make it innapropriate for the Feast of Unleavened Bread. 

Einkorn Matzah Recipe
2 cups hot water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
2-1/2 teaspoons sea salt
5 cups einkorn flour (I use this kind), plus more if needed

Preheat your oven to 450°. If using cast iron, put your pan in the oven now so it can get hot.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the water, olive oil, honey, and salt. Then slowly mix in the flour until you have a dough that is soft but not sticky. Sprinkle your counter with a little extra flour then knead for five minutes.
Divide your dough into approximately 3 ounce portions (in between a golf and tennis ball in size). You should get 12-14 pieces.
Roll each piece out into a flat circle, around six inches across, and 1/8th inch thick.
Use a fork to perforate the dough. 
If using cast iron in the oven - Carefully place into your preheated pan and put it back in the oven for 2 minutes. You want the matzah to just start looking brown in spots. Flip the piece over and bake an additional 2 minutes, until golden brown to your desired liking.
If using a regular baking sheet - Line your pan with parchment then bake your matzah 4 minutes, then flip and bake for an additional  4 minutes, until it's as golden brown as you like.
If using cast iron on the stove - Put your pan on medium heat and give it time to warm up. Five minutes was plenty for me. Place a piece of matzah in the skillet and cook for one minute, it will start to look very dark in places. Flip and cook the other side for one minute.
Cool on a wire rack.
Repeat as needed. You will end up with 12 - 14 matzahs.

These are best fresh but they will store in an airtight container for several days and stay soft.

Up your homemade matzah with these tips:
-Warm it up! You can make your pieces of unleavened bread small enough to go in the toaster if you want, otherwise try toasting it in a skillet or the oven. Warm bread is always great, and it makes a big difference with older bread.
-Make it crunchy! Craving crackers or pita chips? Cut your matzah into small pieces, and then toss into the oven for a few minutes until you have crunchy matzah that's great for hummus or other dips.
-Make it salty! Using the same method as above, cut your matzah into pieces. Then toss with a tablespoon or so of olive oil, and a sprinkle of sea salt. You can also play around with different seasoning combinations...taco seasoning, cinnamon and sugar, smoked paprika, or ranch seasoning all sound promising. Then bake for a few minutes until crisp to your liking.

What do you eat with your homemade einkorn matzah bread?
-Any toppings you would normally put on toast or bagels.
-As a side with any soup.
-Curry or other Indian food where you would normally have naan.
-Serve the crispy version with dip, cheese, or hummus as you would pita chips or crackers.
-Make wraps with cheese, veggies, lunchmeat, hardboiled eggs, etc.
-Use it as base for pizza or flatbreads!

Here are recipes to use your homemade matzah in.

Matzah Week Pictures

Happy Feast of Unleavened Bread! My sister arrived in town a half hour before our Seder started, and it's been a great week having her here!

Remains from the Seder meal are my new centerpiece. Obviously couldn't bring myself to eat the chocolate Seder plate.

My new favorite way to eat matzah. Cream cheese and mushrooms and kale sauteed in garlic and shallots.

A friend surprised me with a copy of Paula Shoyer's The Holiday Kosher Baker. It's so fun to have a book devoted to sweet treats for the Feasts!

Another great way to eat matzah: cream cheese, smoked salmon, red peppers, and arugula.

The Passover section of The Holiday Kosher Baker.

Counting the Omer! And putting the Passover stickers to good use.

 This was not a bad situation.

Pavlova, chocolate ganache, cheesecake (sans crust), raspberries, and freshly whipped cream. All organic! Perfection.

The Passover pup!

Kosher For Passover Chocolate Mini Doughnuts

Do you believe in miracles? This cute little chocolate doughnuts are grain free, contain no refined sugar, and are kosher for Passover. You can eat these all the way through the Feast of Matzah. Yay!

These are chocolatey and oh-so delicious! I have served them to brownie lovers and sweet tooths year round and no one ever suspects that they aren't made with refined flour and sugar and oil. These mini doughnuts are made with whole food ingredients and baked instead of fried. I used a mini doughnut pan but don't worry if you don't have one. I have also made with recipe in a muffin pan with great results!

I am not a fan of baking with matzah meal and don't use it during the Feasts. It is expensive, hard to find, and doesn't always produce the best results. On top of that it is typically made of refined flour and isn't particularly healthy. While I do enjoy decadent desserts, we should all have a few healthy baked good recipes up our sleeves that we can feel good about snacking on and serving others--especially children.

Made with coconut flour, eggs, honey, and cocoa powder these are friendly with the GAPS and Paleo diets. They are also friendly with many allergies as they are free of gluten and nuts, and can be made with coconut oil instead of the butter for anyone with a milk allergy.

For an even more wholesome treat use local raw honey, organic eggs, and fair trade cocoa, chocolate, and vanilla.

I drizzled tempered chocolate on these for fun presentation and an extra burst of chocolate. I'm sharing an easy way to temper chocolate below but you can leave this out if you want or mix mini chocolate chips into the batter.

Kosher for Passover Chocolate Doughnuts Recipe

6 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup melted coconut oil or butter
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 cup coconut flour

1/4 chocolate chips (be sure they are free of allergens if needed)

Preheat oven to 350° and grease a mini doughnut pan.
Whisk together the eggs with the salt for three to five minutes. They will become airy and a lighter shade of yellow.
Continue whisking and add the honey, then the coconut oil or butter, vanilla, cocoa powder, and the coconut flour. This should have a similar consistency to cake batter. Coconut flour absorbs lots of liquid so if it is too stiff, add a tablespoon or two of water.
Put the batter into a clean ziplock bag. Once the batter is inside snip a corner off of the bag to use as a piping bag. Pipe batter into the doughnut pan, making the molds about 2/3 full.
Bake for 12-15 minutes (for muffins 15-20 minutes) until the doughnuts spring back when pressed lightly.
Tip the pan onto a wire rack and let cool completely.
Meanwhile melt your chocolate. The easiest way to do this is the double boiler method. Use a small saucepan and bring about an inch of water to a boil. Put about half of the chocolate into a bowl that will sit on top the pan without touching the water. Set the bowl above the water and stir the chocolate until it is completely melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining chocolate chips until melted and smooth. Not adding all of the chocolate at once ensures that your chocolate will be tempered and harden on the doughnuts.
When the doughnuts have cooled put them on an easy to clean surface (a plate or parchment paper), and lightly drizzle the melted chocolate over them. Let set until the chocolate has hardened.
Makes about 18 mini doughnuts or 12 muffins.