With Rosh Hashanah and the new year upon us, it’s time to celebrate this special Fall holiday. We’ll blow the shofar and dip apples in honey in hopes for a sweet new year.

Apples are prevalent during the fall. There are approximately 7,500 varieties of apples grown in the world with 2,500 apples grown in the US.  They are a great source of fiber, antioxidants and various vitamins and minerals.

Apples are a unique fruit that has a long storage ability, meaning that they can be kept for months, making them available essentially all year long.

This isn’t true with other fruits and vegetables that have a specific time or “season” to grow, be harvested and eaten. For example, here in California, peaches and other stone fruits are ready to consume in the summer. That is when they are at their peak of freshness and ripeness. Nothing compares to eating a sweet, juicy peach with the juices running down your chin! If it’s your first peach of the season, it’s definitely a Shehecheyanu moment.

While peaches are a summer treat, they are (unfortunately) available year long as they are grown and shipped from other countries. Why is this a concern? In order for fruits and vegetables to get to the U.S., they need to be picked before they’re ripe. This greatly affects the flavor and the nutritional value as well as the environmental impact, from increased air pollution to use of fuel.

So instead of buying corn, another summer favorite during the winter, or  asparagus, a spring delight, let’s put into practice WISH: What’s In Season Here.

WISH not only connects us to what is being grown locally but aligns with many Jewish values such as Hoda’ah—Appreciation, Kavod ha Teva—Honoring Nature and Brit Adamah—Partnership with the Earth. Perhaps a lesser-known value, Sh’mirat HaGuf—Caring for the Body, encourages young children and their families to develop lifelong healthy eating practices. In future blog posts, we’ll explore these values as they relate to WISH.

How to best engage in WISH? Ideally, we would each grow our own food; however, that isn’t possible for many people. Grocery stores can provide some in-season produce yet one needs to be mindful of whether it is actually being grown locally.

Farmers markets are an excellent source of in-season produce and make it possible to talk directly to the farmer. Often this produce is organically grown, making it an even greater benefit.

“U-Pick” farms and orchards allow you to come and pick your own, everything from local strawberry fields to apple orchards, just in time for Rosh Hashanah…

Shana Tova!

Debbie

“Food choices matter because they are the most consistent, ethical decisions we make throughout the day.”

-Rabbi Shmuly Yankowitz

While in the garden at the Oshman Family Jewish Community Center Leslie Family Preschool, the children experience and get to practice many Jewish values pertaining to nature and the environment. In my book Growing Jewish Values: Cultivating Your Jewish Roots in Your Own Backyard, I have emphasized ten values that can be easily performed at school or even at home.

Each month one of these values will be highlighted, demonstrating how OFJCC preschoolers are performing these good deeds or commandments (mitzvot).

Today we focused on: Hazan et Hakol: Feeding Everyone, Sharing the Bounty. Four children, accompanied by their teachers, came up into the garden to harvest an abundance of cherry tomatoes. While they had all had a chance to explore and taste from the garden before, they knew that, this time, these tomatoes weren’t for them to eat. They were being harvested to be given to people who didn’t have tomatoes and might be extra hungry. They happily picked a big bowl full of golden and red tomatoes.

The tomatoes were delivered to Jewish Family and Children Services in Palo Alto where they were received with much appreciation and gratitude. I was told that these nine baskets of cherry tomatoes, from our gardens, could potentially be distributed to nine families in need of fresh produce.

Over the course of the school year, we hope to regularly donate produce to JFCS, fulfilling this important value: Hazan et Hakol: Feeding Everyone, Sharing the Bounty.

Special thanks to Faith Kramer and J. The Jewish News of Northern California for the clever Shavuot inspiration for this recipe.

Some will call it “Whipped coffee.” Others say it’s “Dalgona” and it originated in South Korea. But the Greeks will tell you that it’s actually “Frappe” and it was created in the late 1950’s by a coffee salesman by the name of Dimitris Vakondios. Today it’s been renamed “Quarantine Coffee.” Why? People are spending more time at home in quarantine and with local coffee shops closed, we’ve been forced to make our own coffee at home using ingredients hiding in our pantries.

Although there are many disputes of where and when whipped coffee was invented, I remember my Ukrainian dad showing me how to make this cold, sweet treat when I was just a kid, so let’s just say that this drink has been around…for a while. I forgot all about it until one day I was scrolling through TikTok and whipped coffee posts were popping up everywhere! The next morning, I woke up and drove to the nearest store, praying they still had instant coffee and milk (pantry items and toilet paper were flying off the shelves during that time) and thankfully they did. There are no words to describe what taking that first sip was like after many years. With that being said, I’m including a simple recipe with step by step instructions. Try it out and let us know what you think!

Side note: I can’t stress enough how important it is to use exact measurements here. There’s some science behind using equal parts of each ingredient and why you need to use instant coffee (not regular coffee grounds) You can read all about it here: https://medium.com/@jpakman/dalgona-coffee-science-of-the-foam-3c2575821d49

Whipped Coffee Recipe

Makes 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons instant coffee
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons hot water
• 2-3 Ice cubes
• Milk (I used whole milk)

Tools:

• Hand mixer or Whisk
• Bowl
• Coffee mug

Step 1:

Combine instant coffee, sugar and hot water into a bowl.

Step 2:

Whisk. Whisk. Whisk.

If you are using a regular whisk, this part can take about 6-8 minutes. At first, it’ll look like a dark syrup. Keep whisking until it turns into a caramel color.

Step 3:

Once your coffee looks like this, you are ready to assemble! Grab your mug, fill it with ice and milk and scoop the whipped coffee on top.

Step 4:

Don’t forget to snap a photo of your masterpiece and send it to all your friends. Stir, drink and enjoy!

Blogger and community member Nicole Gesher presents a delectable chicken dish just in time for Rosh Hashanah.

With a slew of Jewish holidays just around the corner, I find myself yearning not just for a sweet new year for my family and friends, but also for new recipes that will spice things up a little at our big family dinners. If, like me, you’re a little tired of brisket and tzimmes is less than appealing, please allow me to introduce you to a delicious, easy, and crowd-pleasing interplay of sweet, sour, and somewhat surprisingly tasty chicken dish (inspired by Bon Appétit). No small feat for our hardworking weeknight dinner friend, the chicken, am I right?

New Year Chicken

You will need the following to serve 8 adults:

• 4 lbs of boneless chicken thighs
• 1 tbsp of cumin seed
• 1 tbsp of fennel seed
• 1 tbsp of ground coriander
• 1/2 cup olive oil, plus 2 tbsp
• 3 medium onions, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 1 bay leaf
• 2/3 cup of red wine vinegar
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup of raisins
• 1 bunch of fresh mint
• 1 cup shelled pistachios

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Warm the cumin seed, fennel seed, and ground coriander in a large enamel pan on medium heat. Choose a pan that can safely bake in your oven. When the spices become fragrant, add 1/2 cup of olive oil, the chopped onion, and garlic. Cook for 5 more minutes on medium heat. Add bay leaf, vinegar and 1/2 cup of water, and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for another 3-5 minutes, then pour mixture into a bowl.

Rinse and pat dry chicken. Grind a thin layer of salt and pepper into the enamel pan used to make the sauce (no need to wash). Add 2 tbsp of olive oil. Place chicken in a single layer in the pan, season with salt and pepper, and cook chicken on each side for 6 minutes on medium heat. Chicken will not be cooked through.  Spoon mixture over the chicken. Sprinkle raisins on top and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes and sprinkle with freshly torn mint leaves and shelled pistachios.

I like to serve this concoction over a bed of arugula, but it would do well with rice or roasted potatoes if you’re currently eating carbs (lucky you!).

Wishing you and your families and friends a beautiful new year!

Happy Fourth of July! This national holiday means different things to different people. One of my favorite July 4th memories is watching my then two-year-old niece see fireworks for the first time. The look of wonder on her face was unforgettable. If you are gearing up for a BBQ or picnic, here are a few star-spangled recipes to add some wonder to your own table.

Sparking Red, White and Blue Sangria

Start the party with this creative and healthful recipe. The best part is that it’s sparkling! Get it? Recipe here.

Red, White and Blue 7 Layer Dip

This dip gets finished off with lovely blue corn chips over the lettuce. Click here to see the final product.

Watermelon, Feta and Blueberry Salad

Create a light and refreshing combination of fruit, herbs and cheese with this colorful salad recipe.

Fourth of July Chips and Cheese Dip

An easy but irresistible way to incorporate more vegetables into the holiday. Recipe here.

Red, White and Blue Brownie Pizza

This mouthwatering dessert recipe incorporates fruit and is both simple and low-fat.

Have your own favorite red, white and blue recipe of your own? Share it with us!

Beloved preschool teacher and Garden Pedagogista Debbie Togliatti shares her wisdom on respecting the land by eating according to the seasons.

Even though spring hasn’t arrived yet, I’m already dreaming about what’ll come in summer: juicy tomatoes and stone fruit, especially sweet cherries, crisp cucumbers, more zucchini than I’ll ever be able to use and sweet peppers in every color of the rainbow.

But wait I must. In order to really appreciate and savor those flavors, in order to let nature do its magical work, patience is required.

When it comes to food, we’re not so good at waiting. Instant, processed, microwaveable: we want something to eat and we want it now. Sadly, to me the same is true for fresh fruit and vegetables. Instead of honoring what is in season, many of us choose to buy produce that is not grown locally.

What does it mean to eat “in season?” Simply, it is consuming produce that is at its peak of freshness and ripeness, what is growing during that particular season. It generally means the food is being grown locally and in many cases, organically.

Teacher Debbie in the Leslie Family Preschool Garden.

I find Jewish values in observing seasonal eating. To me, it shows kavod, respect, to the land and to those who are growing our food. It is celebrating the goodness of this food in ways produce from foreign lands cannot deliver. In order for you to buy those cherries right now coming over from Chile, they are picked before they are ripe so they can be shipped thousands of miles. We don’t know the growing conditions of this produce nor the growers themselves. The produce is often packaged in plastic or clam-shell type containers. Is it really so important to have that flavorless cherry in the middle of our winter? Is it really so hard to wait until cherry season is here? When cherry season does arrive, imagine the goodness you’ll taste as well as having an opportunity to express hoda’ah, gratitude and appreciation.

People tell me I’m a little obsessive about this “in season” business. After all, we’re entitled to eat whatever we like, whenever we like. I agree; however, I also believe that as Jews, we can integrate some basic values into our fresh produce choices.

If you’d like to eat more seasonally but don’t know how, join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program.  You will be supporting a local farmer who will deliver in season produce to you. Or, merely go to a local farmer’s market. This season, you’ll find broccoli, cabbage, kale and other greens, a variety of citrus, but you won’t find any cherries…

A great man once said, “Too many cooks spoil the broth.”

That man was never part of the Salad Club. Because apparently four chefs working together can make a great salad. Vera, Mila, Raj and Elena prove that together, people can solve the conundrum about what to have for lunch every day.

Salad Club – Assemble!

The four Oshman Family JCC staff members are from different departments, but come together as part of team Salad Club. Vera, Mila, Raj and Elena manage to eat a fresh, made-from-scratch lunch every day, but none of them have to do 100% of the work. Each week, a different member purchases the ingredients for a fresh, protein-rich, healthy meal. The components include a base of mixed greens, bell peppers, tomato, avocado, optional feta, olives, chicken strips and pita and hummus. Then, the four of them prepare it together in the kitchen as a team. “It’s much faster to prepare it together than on your own, and you have a built-in support system for a week of healthy lunches” says Mila Serper, Community Engagement Manager at the OFJCC. “You don’t have to think about what to pack every day.”

They don’t have assigned duties, but will start washing and cutting automatically. “It’s a time to socialize,” adds Serper.

The Salad Club, which has been going for over seven years with different members, also has a compassionate component—if one of the members is busy or in a meeting, “We prepare lunch for her because we know what she likes. Then we leave it for that person who comes and eats it later. It’s a team. That’s how it works.”

It’s what happens when coworkers carrot about each other. And that is hard to beet.

For me, Rosh Hashanah eve is a wonderful celebration of the Jewish New Year which includes friends and family gathering around a delicious and festive meal.

The past few years have brought new dietary challenges for us, however. Like many, we have new restrictions in place on what we can bring to the table. We have had to adjust the Rosh Hashanah feast to be kosher, gluten free and vegetarian.

The gluten free part started 10 and a half years ago when my daughter was diagnosed with Celiac disease. Since then, my youngest daughter was also diagnosed with Celiac and I myself am gluten free. Our household is completely gluten free.

As for the kosher and vegetarian part, my very good friend is vegetarian; she and her family keep kosher. Therefore, two more challenges were added to the festive meal.

But when it comes down to good friends and lots of good will, something good comes out of it.

I would like to share with you a special family recipe given to me by my mother-in-law and wish you a Happy & Sweet Rosh Hashanah.

Iris’s Vegetarian Chopped Liver (Kosher, Gluten Free, Vegetarian)

Ingredients:

• Two onions sliced and sautéed in olive oil
• Two hard boiled eggs
• 1/3 cup of walnuts
• One 15 ounce can of peas
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Put all the ingredients in the food processor and puree to your preference. For a vegan option, omit the eggs from the recipe.

2. Refrigerate before serving.

Enjoy in the company of good friends and family.

Shana Tova!

Hummus – what’s not to like? At the OFJCC, we’re big fans of the chickpea-and-tahini spread which has become a staple of our diet.

Hummus is an excellent dish because of its versatility and health benefits. It contains no dairy, nuts or gluten and helps keep you feeling fuller longer. Although the classic version tastes great, there are plenty of inspired ways to enjoy this dip. Hummus is like a blank canvas onto which you can paint your creative flair.  We’ve rounded up 12 inspired hummus recipes from Pinterest that will hit the reset button on this classic dish.

1. Loaded Chimichurri Cauliflower – This is almost a meal in itself. Chimichurri and chili flakes add an herbed-up kick to the roasted cauliflower garnishing this dish.
2. Pumpkin – No chickpeas? No problem. This creative alternative employs pumpkin in place of the traditional legume for a bright, creamy standout.
3. Smoky Chipotle – Blend in some adobe sauce and peppers for a feisty Southwestern twist.
4. Smoky Eggplant – How hummus and baba ghanoush meet in the middle.
5. Everything Spinach – When you want the greens without sacrificing any flavor, turn to this garlic-infused recipe loaded with toppings.
6. Avocado Hummus with Tomatillo Salsa – What, you thought we could skip the avocado? This is California, right?
7. Basil Pesto (Contains dairy) – Because pesto’s the best-o.
8. Thai Peanut – A flavorful, peanut butter and sriracha-infused spin.
9. Sun-Dried Tomato – Chock-full of the good oils.
10. Carrot, Walnut & Red Lentil – To spoil your vegan friends.
11. Curry – A touch of raisin and maple for sweetness.
12. Apple Spice – Takes you clear into next season.

Greetings from Israel, where we’re kicking off the first-ever OFJCC Silicon Valley Community Israel Trip.  Our journey began with a rousing speech by former Hillel International President Avraham Infeld, in which he forcefully declared, “Judaism is not a religion!  We are a people WITH a religion!”  He said he was taught this by his father, who was fond of saying, “Thank G-d, I’m an atheist.”

Infeld, who wears a kippah, keeps Shabbat, keeps Kosher and prays three times a day, then told us of meeting the CEO of the Baltimore JCC years ago, who said he did not keep Shabbat, did not keep Kosher and never went to shul, but he insisted that Judaism IS a religion.  And that, Infeld said, is why we Jews are so meshuga!

Our trip started on the bustling streets of Tel Aviv, where we experienced culinary delights on every corner, bargained in the outdoor artist market Nahalat Binyamin and explored the narrow alleyways of the artist colony Neve Tzedek.

From Tel Aviv, we traveled to the high-tech commuter town of Zikhron Ya’akov, our sister community, where 300 smiling children serenaded us, we engaged with the locals, and had a catered lunch at the local pub called The Hobbit.  Some of us followed that stop with a trip to a Druze village where we dove in with both hands, helping cook some Druze cuisine–and then enjoying the fruits of our labor; while others went for a crash course on the Israeli high-tech sector.

This morning, we awoke to the sun rising above the hills over the Sea of Galilee at Kibbutz Ginosar.  After a huge breakfast, we journeyed to the north, some of us going on a jeep ride among the army bases and tanks along the Golan Heights, and others rafting on the mighty Jordan River.  Though with the poor rainfall this year, “mighty” is quite an overstatement.  After working up an appetite from our outdoor adventures, we ate lunch at a local kibbutz and then split up for more eating: some of us made (and ate) chocolate at De Karina, and others tasted Golani wine at Pelter Winery.

OFJCC Silicon Valley Community Israel Trip participants make authentic Druze recipes

So far, this trip has been a great mix: 25% culinary exploration, 25% outdoor adventure, 25% political discussion, 25% making new friends, and 100% fun.  The next part of our trip promises some real spiritual opportunities as we head to Masada, the Dead Sea and Jerusalem.  Now we are on our way to dinner at a gourmet restaurant, Decks, right on the Sea of Galilee.  The sun is setting over my shoulder, turning the fields gold, and I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s adventures.