14 Make Ahead Meals for Shabbat

"Tomorrow is Shabbat to YHWH; bake what you'd like today, and cook what you'd like to cook; and what is leftover save for tomorrow." -Exodus 16:23

This verse has really inspired me to stop cooking on Shabbat. Even those of us who enjoy kitchen work need a break so that we can rest and enjoy YHWH's set apart day. This is a clear instruction that we should plan to have food leftover that we can eat on Shabbat. 

I've put together a few recipes that you can make ahead of time and then eat on the Sabbath. Many of them actually recommend making a day or two prior to let the flavors come together more. All of these recipes can be served cold or at room temperature. This isn't because I think it's wrong to reheat a casserole in the oven or run a slow cooker on Shabbat (though some believe it is). With the warmer days at this time of year the cool food is welcome, at least for me! Plus your kitchen doesn't need to be heated up.

These meals start with fresh veggies, beans, quick cooking grains like lentils and quinoa, and pasta so they come together quickly - perfect for hectic Fridays! You can save yourself even more time by doubling the recipe and enjoying it for Friday (or Thursday) dinner and then again on Shabbat. The recipes are each pretty well rounded in my opinion so they really don't need any accompaniments, but if one dish dinners aren't your thing you could serve any of these with bread, sliced cheese, salad greens with vinaigrette, and fresh or frozen fruit for dessert.

14 Make Ahead Meals for Shabbat:

Summer Green Bean Salad from Making Thyme for Health
This is great cold or at room temperature. In lieu of the chickpeas, I like to eat this with hummus.

Greek Lentil Salad from Cookie and Kate
Go ahead and dress the lentils and veggies the day before but leave out the spinach until just before serving so it doesn't wilt.

Farro Tabbouleh with Burrata and Hummus from Half Baked Harvest
If you don't have burrata this will still make for a filling meal served with pita bread and lots of fresh veggies.

Broccoli Tahini Pasta Salad from Love and Lemons
This salad stores really well for a few days in the fridge. Add a green at the last minute for even more veggies.

Quinoa Gado Gado Bowl from Minimalist Baker
You can steam the veggies in this or leave them raw. I would leave the quinoa, veggies, and dressing separate and then let everyone assemble their own combination on Shabbat.

Roasted Asparagus Wheat Berry Salad with Pesto from A Beautiful Plate
This recipe can be completely finished a few days before Shabbat. Just pull it out of the fridge when you're ready for lunch or dinner.

Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad from Well Plated
Sweet potatoes, black beans, and quinoa makes for a very filling salad. I like to set this out on the counter in the morning so it's at room temperature for lunch.

Everything But the Kitchen Sink Pasta Salad from Half Baked Harvest
Make this delicious pasta salad when your fridge is full of odds and ends that need used up. Tieghan says this salad is actually best made a few days ahead of time making it perfect for a Shabbat meal.

Chickpea Salad Stuffed Avocado from Making Thyme for Health
In lieu of stuffing avocados you could serve this salad in sandwich form.

Roasted Beet Lentil Salad from Oh My Veggies
I would combine all the ingredients the day before eating. Lentils and beets are a great combination. A little goat cheese in here would be good too.

California Chicken, Avocado, and Goat Cheese Salad from Half Baked Harvest
Prepare your ingredients ahead of time but don't combine them until you're ready to eat to keep your lettuce nice and crisp.

Black Bean Sweet Potato Salad with Jalapeno Lime Vinaigrette from Vanilla and Bean
Mix everything including that tasty vinaigrette the day before then add the spinach at meal time.

Summer Abundance Bowls from Half Baked Harvest
How fresh do these look? Use any type of grain to go with whatever fruit is in season, veggies, greens, a sprinkle of nuts or seeds, and cheese if you like.

Grilled Corn and Zucchini Salad with Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette from Minimalist Baker
This salad is one of my favorites! When I have fresh tomatoes I roast them and use instead of the sundried tomatoes and water. So good!

Want more recipes? 
Get familiar with what Scripture says about what we should eat.
Here are slow cooker meal ideas you can make for the Sabbath. Plus, more here.
Summer salads more your pace? Here are more great ones!
Here are casseroles to make ahead for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert.
And make your life easier with the No Stress Guide to Sabbath Day Meal Prep!

Understanding the Golden Calf Incident of Exodus 32

Aside from the Creation account, the golden calf incident is probably one of the most well-known tales from the writings of Moses, and we've seen it depicted in the Ten Commandments movie. 

The story of the golden calf is one of the most dramatic and significant parts of Scripture. Usually, it is presented to us as a willful rebellion against the Living God, with the Israelites purposefully breaking the Covenant. But I'm not sure that's what they intended.

And when Aaron saw the golden calf, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation and said, "Tomorrow is a feast to YHWH." -Exodus 32:5

Moses had been gone a long time up the mountain, and the people started to get nervous. Aaron made a graven image and announced they would worship YHWH with it. Scripture indicates that the Israelites had every intention of continuing to worship the Living God, but this good intention was a great abomination. Why? Because YHWH expressly prohibited carving the likeness of anything that He created some twelve chapters earlier in Exodus 20:4. By shaping a cow out of gold the Israelites were in clear violation of the Covenant, but they still meant to worship YHWH.

Why does YHWH have a problem with carved images of creation? This is how the Egyptians worshipped the demonic entities they believed to be gods. The sphinxes, tombs, statues of pharaohs, and occult symbols - those legendary architectural achievements - were used to worship false gods. Who built them? Likely the Israelite slaves.

Exodus 1:13 says the Israelites worked with bricks and mortar. They build up the ungodly society of Egypt, likely building homes, palaces, granaries, and temples as well as the famous occult symbols of the land. So when they made a golden cow, they were just doing what they knew. As much as they may have desired freedom the Israelites harbored a certain amount of love for the only land they had ever known. They missed the food, and many audibly expressed that they wished they had stayed there for the rest of their lives. The calf wasn't build because they didn't love YHWH, but because they also loved Egypt.

"Their abominations were a result of their misplaced love." -Hosea 9:10b

The Israelites committed the abomination of the golden calf by misplacing their loved. That is a scary idea. Love is a buzzword in mainstream religion and their answer is usually, "just love" in response to any sort of difficulty or challenge. I don't want to disregard love at all, because it is a fruit of the Spirit, but Scripture also says there are certain things we shouldn't love (such as the things of this world), and sadly we have all seen women get hurt when they misplace their love in a man who doesn't reciprocate or is abusive. Bad things happen when love is misplaced. And we can misplace our love when it comes to serving YHWH.

YHWH desires to be worshipped in very specific ways. It is not okay to mix in tradition, man's doctrines, or church beliefs, even if we mean well. The Israelites meant well when they mixed in ungodly Egyptian traditions into their worship of YHWH, and broke the Covenant. YHWH was so angry He was ready to wipe them out entirely, but Moses successfully interceded on their behalf. When we disregard YHWH's instructions we end up building an evil culture.

I think that's why the Israelites pleaded to YHWH to help when they were enslaved. Not just because the physical burden of slavery was harsh (though it obviously was), but also because the Egyptians had forced them to build up something against YHWH. I think that was the worst part of their slavery. If you've read this far, I'm guessing you don't want to build something against YHWH either. That's why it's so important that we keep the commandments and do what He says! That's true if we have good intentions for not following His instructions too. We need to keep the commandments even if they don't make sense to us or other people say it's okay to break them. Aaron was a leader in Israel, and there he was telling people that worshipping the golden calf was really worshipping the Living God. Please note that YHWH wasn't letting the others off because they had followed the directions of a leader...He was angry with all of them. It's not enough to 'mean well' and do whatever we please. That's how the abomination of the golden calf happened. That's how corrupt world systems are forged. That's how lies get mixed in with truth. Don't misplace your love into traditions. Enough with building things against YHWH.

Related posts:
Departing from the Sins of Jeroboam
Five Things Every Believer Should Know about Christmas
Key Differences Between the Levitical and Melchizedek Priesthoods

Fifteen Things Scripture Says About Shabbat

What does it look like to honor the set apart day of the week? We see Yahusha eating in the homes of friends, teaching in synagogues, speaking healing, and strolling through a wheat field--but what does Shabbat look like for us? Here are the Scriptures that tell us.

What Scripture Says About Shabbat:

1. It is for all Israel, even today. Shemot 31:16 - "The people of Israel are to keep the Shabbat, to observe Shabbat through all their generations as a perpetual covenant." Yahusha did not take away this command. Hebrews 4:9 tells us that the duty to keep Shabbat remains. Reminder: YHWH calls all of his children Israel. But even if you don't have Israelite blood...

2. He expects you to keep it, even if you aren't a natural born Israelite. Isaiah 56:6-7 - "And the sons of foreigners, that join themselves to YHWH, to serve him, and to love the name YHWH, every person that guards the Shabbat from polluting it, and takes hold of My covenant; I will bring them to My kadosh mountain and make them full of joy in My Beit Tefillah." This passage makes it doubly clear that YHWH expects every person that serves Him to honor Shabbat, regardless of your family traditions or bloodline.

3. It is the seventh day of the week. Shemot 35:2 - "On six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is to be a set apart day for you, a Shabbat of complete rest to honor YHWH." The example for this was set by YHWH in Beresheet 2:2 when he rested from creation on the seventh day. Like it or not, Sunday is the first day of the week and does not replace the command to observe Shabbat on the seventh.

4. We aren't supposed to work on it. Shemot 20:10a - "The seventh day is a Shabbat for YHWH. On it, you are not to do any kind of work." Honoring Shabbat means making sure I have the day off from my job. Professional work is prohibited but YHWH gave this command to a group of just-freed slaves wandering the desert. The Israelites had no professional work to do, and were still commanded not to work on Shabbat. Clearly 'work' means more to YHWH than what we are paid to do.

5. It is a day of rest. Shemot 35:2 - "On six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is to be a set apart day for you, a Shabbat of complete rest to honor YHWH." Resting is a more helpful way to describe the itinerary for the set apart day. No one is going to pay me to rake the leaves, change the oil in the car, check my email, or clean the house, but are those things restful? Then don't do them!

6. We should worship YHWH on it. Ezekiel 46:3 - "The people of the land shall worship before YHWH on Shabbat." Physical rest is one aspect of Shabbat; emotional and spiritual rest are another. Worshiping YHWH brings us shalom and refreshment. This verse also tells us once again, Shabbat is for all of us.

7. We should not cause anyone to violate Shabbat.  Shemot 20:10 - "On it, you are not to do any kind of work--not you, your son or daughter, not your servants, not your livestock, and not the foreigner staying with you." While most of us don't have servants in the dust-my-mansion sense we still pay people to work for us. Having the electrician over to fix something or having a barista whip up a latte is out of the question on Shabbat. Visiting a place of business, even if you don't pay anything (like a library or gym), causes someone else to work. YHWH says don't do this.

8. We should not buy or sell anything on it. Nehemiah 10:31 - “If the people of the land bring merchandise or food to sell on Shabbat, we will not buy from them on Shabbat or on a kadosh day." This expressly prohibits buying and selling on Shabbat. This is implied throughout Scripture since everyone is supposed to be resting, and in order for things to be for sale someone has to work. Later on in 13:17 Nehemiah discovers food being sold and angrily calls it profaning Shabbat. This means going out for lunch or swinging by the Saturday morning farmers market does not fit in with following the commandments of Scripture.

9. It's not a day for pursuing our own interests. Isaiah 58:13 - "If you hold back your foot on Shabbat from pursuing your own interests on the kadosh day of YHWH ; if you call Shabbat a delight, worth honoring; then honor YHWH by not doing your usual things or pursuing your interests or speaking about them." Shabbat is for us to grow closer to YHWH, not to spend browsing the internet, watching movies, or working on hobbies. It is a day for worship, studying the Word, and prayer.

10. We shouldn't cook on it. Shemot 16:23 - "Tomorrow is the rest of the kadosh Shabbat to YHWH; bake what you'd like today, and cook what you'd like to cook; and what is leftover, store up for the morning." YHWH expects us to prepare for Shabbat by having food made so we don't need to worry about cooking. To me this is one of the more challenging of the Shabbat commands but it is definitely worth it to be able to fully honor His instruction. If you're eating a random assortment of leftovers or a peanut butter sandwich, so be it.

11. We shouldn't start a fire on Shabbat. Shemot 35:3 - "You are not to kindle a fire in any of your homes on Shabbat." This verse is referring to an actual fire and not electricity. Starting a fire is a lot of work and something we shouldn't do until Shabbat is over.

12. It is not a day for hauling stuff around. Jeremiah 17:22 - "Don’t carry a burden out of your houses on Shabbat." Historically this has to do with moving things out of your home for sale, but it is also a reminder that we shouldn't burden ourselves on Shabbat. If you find yourself overloading the car before heading to congregation, stop and evaluate if you can downsize, what you can do ahead of time, or what simply can wait.

13. YHWH is angry when his people don't keep it. Ezekiel 20:13 - "But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They did not live by my laws; and they rejected my rulings, which, if a person does, he will have life through them; moreover, they greatly profaned my Shabbats. Then I said I would pour out my fury on them in the wilderness, in order to destroy them." There are something like fifty verses in Scripture where YHWH rails against His people for not honoring Shabbat. Let this serve as a warning for us.

14. It is a sign between us and YHWH. Shemot 31:13 - "Tell the people of Israel, 'You are to observe my Shabbats; for this is a sign between me and you through all your generations; so that you will know I am YHWH, who sets you apart for me.'" A sign serves as a reminder for all who see it, that means that by keeping Shabbat you are sharing truth with your family, friends, and coworkers. Additionally, this verse tells us that there is something about Shabbat that communicates who YHWH is to us. Incredible!

15. Keeping it is a delight. Isaiah 56:2 - "Happy is the person who does this, anyone who grasps it firmly, who keeps Shabbat and does not profane it, and keeps himself from doing any evil." In a world with skyrocketing rates of depression and anxiety, don't we want to get all the joy in our lives that we can? Scripture tells us that if we keep Shabbat we will be happy.

Shabbat shalom everyone!

Preparing for Passover

Passover is coming up soon! While all of the feasts of YHWH are significant Passover has a special place of importance for believers in the Messiah as it beautifully parallels his life and sacrifice.

My first Passover was when I was 15. While YHWH's feasts are not hard to celebrate if you have never experienced them before it can be a little daunting! I can tell you from experience that each time I celebrate Passover it comes more naturally and the meaning goes deeper in me. Whether you are new to Passover or not, here is some information to keep in mind as you prepare yourself and your home for Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits.

What?
Passover or Pesach commemorates the miraculous rescue of the Israelites from their slavery in Egypt, found in Exodus 1-15. On a deeper level this story speaks volumes on the blood of Yahusha and his salvation, with Passover being the exact day the Messiah was killed because of our transgressions. Passover is one day and it is immediately followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread or Matzah Week.

When?
Passover falls on the Biblical date of Aviv 14. Since our modern calendar doesn't perfectly mesh up with the Biblical one, the date varies by year, but is normally in late March to early April. Immediately following Passover beings the Feast of Unleavened Bread, also known as the Feast of Matzah, which lasts for seven days. Yep, eight consecutive days of celebration!

Where?
At your house! There are special instructions for our homes during Passover and the Feast of Matzah.

Why?
Exodus 12:1-24 and Leviticus 23:5-8.

What does this mean for me?

No work days. YHWH is a fan of mandatory vacation! The Passover season gives us two days where work is prohibited - the day right after Passover, the first day of Unleavened Bread, and the second on the last day of Unleavened Bread. We should make plans to have time off from our jobs those days, as well as plan ahead to avoid cooking and housework. I believe this is an intentional instruction to free us up from the distractions that would keep our minds off these special days. More about what a no-work day is here.

Get the leaven out of your house. We are instructed to remove it from our homes and to avoid eating it during the Feast of Unleavened Bread in Exodus 12:19, so we have some Spring cleaning to do. Scripture simply says to remove leaven from your home. The first place to start is by removing yeast and leavened bread from your fridge and pantry. You can use these in the next few weeks and what you can't use can be donated to a soup kitchen. You can learn more about this here. While most of the leaven in our homes is found in the cupboard or refrigerator there can also be some in the form of bread crumbs on the floor or couch, etc. Cleaning our homes and searching out the hidden leaven has obvious spiritual application of searching for sin in us and removing it.

Get the leaven out of your heart. Spend some time prayerfully examining yourself and lifestyle. Does it line up with Scripture? Ask YHWH to help you make changes to honor him with your life. More about spiritual preparation for Passover here.

You'll need matzah. While this doesn't have to be the only thing that you eat, you should eat it some each day - it is called the Feast of Unleavened Bread for a reason. If you plan to purchase it, you'll want to make sure the box reads 'Kosher for Passover,' depending on where you live this might not be easy to find. You can order it online or find a recipe to make your own.

Make plans for a meal. Often called Seder (pronounced say-der), this is the meal of Passover; the meal Yahusha shared with his disciples as his last supper. I like to describe Seder as the Gospel in seven courses. In traditional Seders there is a lengthy meal with many blessings and Scriptures spoken, the story of the Exodus is read, and the foods eaten have rich meaning. It by no means needs to be fancy or complicated and hosting your own is totally doable! You can also search online for a Hebrew Seder meal you can attend online or in person. If you're making plans to have your own at home, see this post.

Celebrate. This is a holiday so make plans to act like it! Put up decorations, find leaven free recipes to try, make crafts with your kids, invite friends over for a special dinner with unleavened bread, watch the Ten Commandments movie, read the story of Passover in Scripture, as well as the Messiah's last supper. The thing that makes these days special is treating them that way. If you need ideas check out these ideas for the Biblical holidays.

More about Passover:
How to Host a Passover Seder
Meal Ideas for the Feast of Unleavened Bread
Passover Bucket List
Things the Messiah Said at Passover