Showing posts with label kosher. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kosher. Show all posts

Stargazing Sukkot Party

Throw an easy stargazing party for Sukkot! | Land of Honey

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This little get together is the perfect low-maintenance way to get together with friends to celebrate the feast of Sukkot. Grab some blankets and head outside to gaze upon the stars and to remember the promises of YHWH. That's all you need. Decorations, snacks, and pillows are all optional and can be whatever is doable or desirable to you.

Throw an easy stargazing party for Sukkot! | Land of Honey

He knows the stars by name. | Land of Honey
So this banner is just paper letters and yarn. It's lightweight and easy to put up and you can make any verse or a chag sameach or happy Sukkot into a banner.


Sukkot party under the stars | Land of Honey
I used a trunk, some suitcases, and a crate for table space. You could go without or take a coffee table outside or use a picnic table.

Menorah cupcake toppers | Land of Honey
These cupcake toppers though.

He knows the stars - Sukkot stargazing party | Land of Honey


He knows the stars - Sukkot stargazing party | Land of Honey


The best kosher marshmallows! | Land of Honey
These are the best kosher marshmallows I have found! They are vegan and kosher, available at Trader Joe's.


He knows the stars by name | Land of Honey
He knows the stars by name. -Psalm 147:4

Four Species Lemonade for Sukkot | Land of Honey

Throw a stargazing party for Sukkot | Land of Honey
So this is a globe...of the moon. Strangely fascinating.

Throw a stargazing party for Sukkot | Land of Honey



Throw a stargazing party for Sukkot | Land of Honey
Star charts can offer some education into what you're looking at. The Gospel in the Stars is a neat read to learn of constellations representing Biblical stories and prophecies.


Throw a stargazing party for Sukkot | Land of Honey


Throw a stargazing party for Sukkot | Land of Honey
This party idea would also work well for Yom Teruah, and I think something like this could be a good introduction for friends and families that don't celebrate YHWH's feasts.

Menorah cupcake toppers | Land of Honey
Chocolate einkorn cupcakes. I don't really like frosting, so there isn't any.


Throw an easy stargazing party for Sukkot! | Land of Honey
Have a beautiful Sukkot!

DIY Ten Commandment Gummies

How to make your own Ten Commandment Sour Gummies for Shavuot | Land of Honey

These ten commandment gummies are a perfect treat for Bible school, Passover, or any of the Biblical holidays! Made with beef gelatin, they are Biblically clean and kosher, and you can use most any type of fruit or juice to make them. Use these to teach kids about Moses and the giving of the ten commandments, or as a healthy treat to enjoy at Shavuot or the Feast of Tabernacles.

How to make your own Ten Commandment Sour Gummies for Shavuot | Land of Honey

The secret to this lies in the awesome candy mold used to make these into the commandment tablets. I found this one and love it! You'll notice that it has the first ten letters of the Hebrew alphabet - each letter stands for one of the ten commandments given by YHWH to Moses in Exodus 20, right near the time of Shavuot. Since we celebrate the giving of the written Word and the Ruach HaKodesh writing his Word on our hearts at Shavuot this is a perfect treat for this time of year. You could make them together as a family or surprise someone with a gift of real food, kosher sour gummies.

DIY Ten Commandment Gummies for Shavuot | Land of Honey

These are simple to make and they should work with any real food 'gummy' recipe out there, just be sure to use kosher gelatin! I used Great Lakes grass-fed beef gelatin but you could certainly experiment with agar agar as well. My candy mold holds just over half a cup of liquid. As you can see, these recipes will make for a bigger batch than that. I experimented with halving the recipes but found with that little liquid it didn't blend completely smooth in my blender, and harder bits of gelatin in my gummies are no good in my opinion. So I would recommend making the full recipe. If you have two candy molds that should work out about perfectly. If not, just pour the extra in a dish to set up. It won't be as cute but still tasty.

Recipe to make kosher ten commandment gummies | Land of Honey

Strawberry Lemonade Gummies
2/3 cup strawberries (I used frozen but fresh works too)
2/3 cup lemon juice
5 tablespoons kosher gelatin (I used Great Lakes which is kosher and grass fed)
Ten commandments candy mold

Over medium heat in a small sauce pan combine your berries and lemon juice. Cook gently for 3-5 minutes until berries are softened. Place in the blender and blend until smooth. If you want to do a taste test this is the point to do it. If it's not sour enough to your liking add an extra tablespoon of lemon juice. If it's too sour add a few strawberries or a spoonful of honey.
Once you are happy with the taste add the gelatin and blend until smooth. At this point, it is going to smell a little, uh, meaty and that's okay. I promise the smell and funkiness will go away once the gummies are set.
Pour into your ten commandments mold. If you see any large air bubbles you can poke them with a toothpick. Any extra can be poured into a ramekin or small baking dish to set.
Refrigerate one hour or until set. Use a toothpick or butter knife to loosen the tablets from one side of the mold and then peel them out. You're done!

Recipe for kosher sour gummies | Land of Honey

Blueberry Rhubarb Gummies
2/3 cup of blueberries (I used frozen but fresh works too)
1/3 cup rhubarb juice (see below)
1/3 cup lemon juice
5 tablespoons kosher gelatin
Ten commandments candy mold

To make rhubarb juice: place approximately 1 cup of fresh or frozen rhubarb into a saucepan with 1 cup of water. Simmer 15 minutes or until the rhubarb loses it's color. Strain and use the liquid for this recipe.
Over medium heat in a small sauce pan combine your berries with the rhubarb and lemon juice. Cook gently for 3-5 minutes until berries are softened. Place in the blender and blend until smooth. If you want to do a taste test this is the point to do it. If it's not sour enough to your liking add an extra tablespoon of lemon or rhubarb juice. If it's too sour add a tablespoon or two of blueberries or a spoonful of honey.
Once you are happy with the taste, add the gelatin and blend until smooth. You can see adding the gelatin turns the mixture opaque.
Pour into your ten commandments mold. If you see any large air bubbles you can poke them with a toothpick. Any extra can be poured into a ramekin or small baking dish to set.
Refrigerate one hour or until set. Use a toothpick or butter knife to loosen the tablets from one side of the mold and then peel them out. You're done!

Recipe for kosher sour gummies | Land of Honey

Grape Juice Gummies
1-1/3 cups grape juice
5 tablespoon kosher gelatin
Ten commandments candy mold

You don't need a blender for this one. Whisk your gelatin into 2/3 cup of grape juice. Meanwhile bring the other 2/3 cup of juice to a simmer. Whisk the heated juice into the gelatin mixture until smooth.
Pour into the mold and let set in the refrigerator about one hour until hardened.
Use a toothpick or butter knife to loosen the tablets from one side of the mold and then peel them out. You're done!

Recipe to make kosher ten commandment gummies | Land of Honey

I think this might be a new Shavuot tradition at my house. Has anyone used a ten commandment candy mold? I think I'm going to try chocolate next! :)

Recipe to make kosher ten commandment gummies | Land of Honey

Recipe for kosher sour gummies | Land of Honey

Coconut Cookies for Passover

Kosher for Passover Coconut Cookies - GAPS and Paleo approved | Land of Honey

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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 latte! (with Passover coconut cookies) | Land of Honey
(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!
Kosher for Passover Coconut Cookies - GAPS and Paleo approved | Land of Honey
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.
Kosher for Passover Coconut Cookies - GAPS and Paleo approved | Land of Honey
Kosher for Passover Coconut Cookies - GAPS and Paleo approved | Land of Honey
Kosher for Passover Coconut Cookies - GAPS and Paleo approved | Land 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.

Kosher for Passover Coconut Cookies - GAPS and Paleo approved | Land of Honey

Happy Feast of Unleavened Bread!

Torah Observant Travel

Did you know that Scripture is pro traveling? What started with Adam and Eve moving out of the garden later turned into Abraham leaving his country, the exodus from Egypt, and requiring the Israelites to be in Jerusalem for the feasts of Shavuot, Sukkot, and Unleavened Bread. We've also heard of infant Yahusha fleeing his homeland to the safety of Egypt, and of course his famous words, "Go into all nations." While we think of travel being limited before cars and airplanes there is plenty of evidence of Israelite exploration in North America during the reign of King Solomon. Paul not only preached the good news in Israel, but also in Syra, Turkey, Greece, Italy, and possibly Spain and Britain!

Torah Observant Travel | Land of Honey


So if you are taking vacation or having a getaway this summer you are in good company. As Daniel showed us, we are to keep YHWH's instructions even in place where that is not easy or convenient. Do you want to do this? Because if so, you will need to plan your life around keeping the commandments. It's not realistic or wise to schedules or lives and then try and squeeze in Torah observance. Set yourself up for success by learning to plan your days around YHWH's instructions, including when you are away from home.

How to observe Torah while traveling:

-Pay attention to the calendar. Before you buy tickets or make reservations double check when the feast days are and consider if you want to be out of town during those special times. If you go somwhere for Sukkot, think about planning your stay and actitivies around the no-work days.

-Consider where you will stay. Particularly if you are planning on celebrating a feast while away you will want to have space to do so, whether by staying at a campsite or renting a house or small cottage. Will you need to have a place with at least a small kitchen? Will you need to find a place to go on the Sabbath?

-Let your hosts know. If you're staying with friends or relatives make sure they are aware that you don't eat pork or shellfish (it's also a good idea to let them know what you DO eat), and let them know that Shabbat is a set apart day for you, and what that looks like. Having expectations set up front will make things easier for everyone.

-Look ahead. Before you leave do a little research on the area you will be in. Is there a congregation you can attend on Sabbath? Are there any restaurants that look like they would be friendly with a Biblically clean diet? When I spent Sukkot with Torah to the Tribes I was able to visit a sukkah exhibit at the Oregon Jewish Museum. You might be unexpectedly surprised about what's going on at your destination.

-Pack snacks. Having food to eat when you're hungry is just about the handiest thing ever. This goes even for a day trip. You spent more time at the museum than anticipated, your flight was delayed, the place you planned on eating closed early. You're stuck in traffic. Odds are someone will get hungry and there won't be anything handy nearby. Have at least a few things to eat in case you can't find anything Biblically clean and healthy. It will save lots of headache and frustration, not to mention money and time. Airlines will let you take solid food (sandwiches, trail mix, apples, carrot sticks, etc.) which will be considerably better quality and less expensive than what most airports have available.

-Look for vegetarian restaurants. When you're on a Biblically clean diet vegetarian food is miraculous! No need to worry about cross contamination or what's in something. If that's not an option look for places that are vegetarian friendly. Most restaurants have their menus online so you can see what your options are ahead of time. Restaurants that accommodate vegetarian and special-needs diets are typically your best bet to eat at to get Biblically clean food, as the wait staffs are typically more informed about ingredients and the chefs are used to adjusting things when needed.

-Where will you be on Shabbat? If no congregation is to be found or if the service is short, will you want to spend the rest of the day in a hotel room? Look for a beach or park area or other free place to visit to spend time on the Sabbath. If you are able to find a congregation to attend, call ahead and see if they have a meal after service that you can attend.

-Shop ahead of time. If you are going to be out of town for Sabbath you will need to make your purchases before it starts, just as you would at home. That includes buying food to eat on the Sabbath, and getting gas if needed. You'll also want to think about if you want to check into your hotel before Sabbath if that's where you are staying.

-Pack a cooler. This is a must if you are staying somewhere without a fridge! On Friday you can get ice and pack a Shabbat picnic for the next day.

-Think about when you will travel. Personally, I don't think there is anything wrong with driving a car on the Sabbath. Without driving attending congregation wouldn't be feasible for most of our members, so I think that's a positive thing. That said, there is a big difference between driving 20 minutes to attend Shabbat service versus a fifteen hour drive to get to vacation, which isn't exactly restful. The same for air travel, which can be physically exhausting for passengers.

-What time is it there? If you will be switching time zones be aware of what time it will be there when you arrive and when the Sabbath or feasts start at your destination.

-Take your Bible. Being on vacation doesn't mean Scripture studies should be put on hold. That might look a little different than at home but deliberately making study time part of your trip is one of the best things you can do for your time away. You will also want to be able to read appropriate passages for feast days and or study on Sabbath, if those are happening while you're gone. You can also take teachings to listen to on the flight or in the care.

Matzah Week Recipes

Kosher for Passover Recipes for Matzah Week | Land of Honey

I think we've missed it with the Feast of Unleavened Bread, guys. Scripture describes this week as a feast, and that means lots of delicious and nourishing food. I'm not sure why we have accepted Matzah Week as a time of inferior cuisine.
40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey
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Shopping this weekend I discovered a special 'Kosher for Passover' section at a grocery store. It contained everything from cereals to mayonnaise to cookies, all certified Kosher for Passover. (Need an overview of what 'Kosher for Passover is? Click here.) These items were all pricey, and the few that I've tried I wasn't impressed with. And the ingredient list? Sketchy at best. There were lots of things I wouldn't want to eat at any time of the year, but especially as a celebration of the goodness and greatness of YHWH. I want to see us get back on track. Like the Passover Seder, what we eat during Matzah Week expresses something about who we believe YHWH is. I believe that he created plenty of foods that are nourishing and wonderful and appropriate to eat during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. 

These recipes are as is kosher for Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread week. No alterations, substitutions, or tracking down strange ingredients necessary. These are made with real, nourishing, whole foods that are found in regular grocery stores. When I made this list I purposefully searched for recipes that would go well with homemade matzah. This week is about unleavened bread after all.


40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey
Lentils are definitely a go to during Unleavened Bread. Also check out, Creamy French Lentils with Mushrooms from the First Mess, and Jenny Kayne's Middle Eastern Grilled Vegetable and Lentil Bowl would be perfect with einkorn matzah. 

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey
Falafel is one of my favorites and can definitely be made without any flour. For a lentil version check out A Pinch of Yum's Ultimate Winter Bliss Bowls with Lentil Falafel.

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey
By the way, a lot of olives are free of chametz. Look for kalamatas or other red ones as they are usually preserved in red wine vinegar.


40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey
Sarah has other great spaghetti squash recipes too, like Broccoli Cheddar Spaghetti Squash Bake and Spaghetti Squash Bowls with Mushroom Lentil Marinara.

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey
Spicy Black Bean Soup from Cookie and Kate
I have yet to serve this soup to someone who didn't like it!

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey
Toasted Sesame and Miso Dressing from A Beautiful Mess
Many commercial salad dressings are chametz but making your own doesn't take long at all.

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey
This would be great with soft or crunchy matzah!

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey
Double check your chipotles as I've seen some kosher for Passover, but not all. You can sub fresh jalapeno if you prefer.

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey
This with cucumber on einkorn matzah will be my go to next week!

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey
We forget how wonderful cauliflower is until we eat it again. Anyone else feel this way?

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey
Homemade Salsa from Alice and Lois
Use with burrito bowls, black bean soup, or as part of a taco salad.

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey
These are loaded with antioxidants from the turmeric, ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon.

40+ Recipes that are Kosher for Passover | Land of Honey
Chocolate Cherry Meringue Stack Cake from Top With Cinnamon
I know what I'll be having for dessert.

Isn't the abundance of healthy meal options amazing? While YHWH does give certain restrictions on our eating he bountifully provides for our needs.
What are you looking forward to making during Matzah Week? Share your favorite recipes with us!

Kosher for Passover Recipes for the Week of Unleavened Bread | Land of Honey