A Vegan Rosh Hashanah

Rosh Hashanah is the period of reflection in the Hebrew calendar. For those thinking about their impact on the world and its' future, this may be a good time to ponder how your diet affects the planet.. Going vegan can be considered a mitsvah, a good deed stemming from religious duty. Will you miss the traditional brisket?  Not really. There are plenty of good meatless  recipes for the holiday.

As any one will tell you there is nothing like a brisket.It 's usually the star of the holiday table and a substantial one at that. Luckily Beyond Beef, the closest vegan thing to actual ground beef has come out with Beyond Meat. These are crumbles that can be molded into a loaf.What's the binder? A water soaked loaf of bread. You could make it as a regular meat loaf and then slice it. For a more symbolic meal mold the "meat" into the traditional fish head symbolizing prosperity and fruitfulness. Use almonds for the scales and olives for the eyes.This brings up the traditional fish dish. Some more progressive home chefs may want to think about serving a seaweed salad. Seaweed, itself, could symbolize abundance and life - considering it does sustain in times of famine.Another idea is filling individual acorn squash with the Beyond Meat crumbles mixed with pomegranates and chickpeas for more meatiness and sweetness. For a more savory vibe, nix the pomegranates and add a drizzle of tahini sauce to each squash.

What about sides in a Rosh Hashanah  vegetarian dinner? You could try concia, fried zucchini coins taken from the Roman Jews. These are marinated first in a mixture of vinegar, garlic, and mint , then set to soak for two hours to overnight. They're then fried in a light neutral oil. Use extra virgin light olive oil for the best results. Another flavorful side is braised leeks with thyme and pomegranate. The leeks are baked side by side with thyme sprigs  tucked between the stalks. A sauce of  olive oil, dry white wine and pomegranate syrups is drizzled over the whole dish and then baked for forty-five minutes. Keep in mind that leeks come from sandy soil so make sure that they're are soaked in salty water to draw out the grit. It may take a few rinses to get them completely dirt free. A fun dish that will definitely have family and friends talking is mock chopped liver. It's a mix of walnuts and button mushrooms to get that dark liver color, and it's zinged up with onions, balsamic vinegar and garlic. Serve on fancy crackers or even challah bread.As for the dessert, a traditional honey cake that uses applesauce as a binder for eggs.

Have a thoughtful Rosh Hashanah dinner by going vegan. It's a small but important gesture to save the planet. It's also a chance to enjoy vegetarian food with family and friends.