Candyce's Greek Seasoning Mix

 

Okay friends, this recipe is as easy as 1, 2, 3! This is the kind of seasoning that can turn any chicken breast, fish, or roast into a Mediterranean adventure. Sprinkle as much or as little as you like onto your meats before cooking and enjoy!

You can also use it to make a marinade by adding some extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, and a splash or white wine or apple cider vinegar. Have fun! 

 

Ingredients:

2 T Oregano

1 ½ T Garlic Powder

1 ½ T Onion Powder

1 T kosher salt

1 T Thyme

1 T Dried Parsely

1 tsp Dill Weed

1 tsp Marjoram

1 tspn Basil

1 tspn Paprika

2 tspn freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Mix together!

 

Calabacita Nueva

 Calabacita, which literally means, "little squash" is a traditional Mexican comfort foot that combines chayote squash, tomatoes, corn, onions, chile, and many times, chicken. It is enjoyed by families all over Mexico, and the Southwest United States. It is a childhood favorite that I enjoyed many evenings after a long day at school during the fall or winter season. Sadly, when I first tried introducing the more traditional version to my family, they rejected it and weren't interested in it. :( I wasn't willing to part with such a classic family dish, and began my experiment to reconstruct it in a way that brought a classier presentation all while maintaining the integrity of the ingredients. 

Calabacita Nueva is a New American cuisine twist on a Mexican classic that combines the best of both worlds. During the fall and winter, all of these ingredients are easily accessible in most grocery stores. It's also very kind on the budget and easily feeds 6-8 people. I purchased all of my ingredients at my local Trader Joe's. It's easy, fast and out of this world! It's a perfect dinner to entertain with, especially for Shabbat. Serve with a big loaf of warm bread, or freshly heated tortillas. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 lb of baby zucchini (courgettes)

1 lb baby heirloom tomatoes

1 red onion, cut into large chunks

2 lemons

1 bunch of cilantro

¼ cup organic corn

3-4 chicken breasts

Extra virgin olive oil

Kosher Salt

Pepper

Garlic powder

Paprika

Balsamic reduction sauce

Directions:

1.     Cut each chicken breast in half, creating two thin long slices.

2.     Marinate in the juice of two lemons.

3.     Liberally sprinkle each piece with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, garlic powder and paprika.

4.     Liberally coat a non stick skillet with extra virgin olive oil and preheat the skillet to medium heat.

5.     Sear the chicken on each side, for about 4-5minutes or until thoroughly cooked. The inside of the chicken needs to reach the internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

6.     In a separate pan, liberally coat your pan with more extra virgin olive oil and bring the skillet to a medium heat.

7.     Place your baby zucchini, baby heirloom tomatoes, red onion, and corn in the pan. Sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Cook on medium to medium high for about 10 minutes, or just until some of the baby heirloom tomatoes start to burst.

8.     Cut one bunch of fresh cilantro, and reserve for garnish.

9.     Combine the chicken and vegetables into large serving dish. Drizzle with balsamic reduction and fresh cilantro. Enjoy!

Moroccan Apricot Chicken with Holiday Tzimmes

Everyone has classic go to recipes that grace the table during the holidays. Two of the most popular dishes in Jewish homes are roast chicken and tzimmes. Here is an easy, tantalizing and exotic version of these two classics! With a little help prepping the veggies from your local grocery store, this luxurious meal can be prepared in under half an hour, and all in one roaster oven! It's a win-win recipe that is sure to please family and friends!

Holiday Tzimmes

Ingredients:

½  yellow onion thinly sliced

½ bulb thinly sliced fennel

2 small- medium white potatoes, cubed

1 ½ cup sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed   

1 ½ butternut squash, peeled and  cubed

2  carrots, peeled and cubed

1 turnip, peeled and cubed

¾ cup of dried organic cranberries or raisins

¾ cup prunes

½ cup apricots

3 tbspns Candied Ginger

4 cardamom pods

4 cinnamon sticks

1 tspn kosher salt

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:

1)   Prepare ingredients. Drizzle with a small amount of olive oil and a tspn of kosher salt.

2)   Combine and toss with hands and place in a roaster pan.

3)   Place the chicken on top.

Your root veggies should look like this, but all glossy from the extra virgin olive oil!

Roast Chicken

Ingredients:

1 small orange, cut in half with the skin on

½ onion with the peel on

1 sprig rosemary

2 sprigs thyme

2 sticks of Cinnamon

Directions:

1) Wash and dry the chicken and place in the roasting pan over the holiday tzimmes.

2) Salt and pepper the inside.

3) Fill it with the orange, onion, rosemary, thyme, and cinnamon. 

 

Moroccan Apricot Glaze

Ingredients:

1 cup of Apricot jam

¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar

¾ cup of extra virgin olive oil

1 tbspn kosher salt

½ tspn Cayenne

2 tspns Cinnamon

1 tspn mustard powder

1 tspn cumin

2 tspns Garam Masala

1 tspns  ground ginger

Directions:

1)   Combine ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth and incorporated.

2)   Pour over chicken.

3)   Bake chicken at 350 degrees F for 2

 ½  hours. Check the chicken to make sure it reaches 165 degrees inside.

4)   Serve on a large platter with thyme and orange slices. Enjoy!

Three Bean Vegetarian Chili

To me, there's no better accompaniment to an overcast autumn day than enjoying a big bowl of delicious chili while sitting next to a crackling fire. Mounted with melted cheesy goodness, and a dollop of sour cream, this vegetarian chili is guaranteed to warm you from the inside out.

The preparation starts at night once all my kids are in bed. I make myself a cup of tea, turn on some BBC or a Ted Talk (power to the nerds!),  sort through the beans, give them a rinse and throw them in the crockpot set to "low." They'll cook all night, filling your home with the warm aromas of your favorite Mexican restaurant. In the morning, or sometime during the day, you have three steps left. 1) Sautee your veggies, 2) add the canned ingredients, and 3) add your spices. That's it!

This will feed an army of Shabbat dinner guests, or your family for a whole week. If you're making it for 4-6 people, you might consider halving the recipe, or filling up some mason jars to drop off to a friend or family member in need.

Ingredients:
2 cups of uncooked pinto beans
2 cups of uncooked black beans
2 cups of uncooked red beans
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 bell peppers (any color), diced
4 cloves of garlic
4 bay leaves


1 28 oz cans of crushed whole peeled tomatoes *Note, if you don't have this around, you can use your favorite spaghetti sauce. I like Trader Joe's Tomato Basil sauce. Just one jar is good!
12- 16 oz (1 1/2- 2 cups) of chopped green chiles or chile sauce (505 is a good one!)  Use as much or little as you like.
1 12oz can of tomato paste
4-6 shakes of Worcestershire sauce
4 tablespoons Chicken flavored Better than Bouillon 

2 tablespoons of cumin
4 tablespoons of New Mexico chili powder
1 tablespoon Hungarian paprika, or Hungarian paprika paste
1 tablespoon instant coffee
2 tspns of dried oregano
Kosher salt and black pepper

Directions:
1) Sort through your beans and take out any small pebbles, or defective beans. Rinse them. Put them in the crockpot and fill it almost full with water.  Add your bay leaves and cumin, and set the crockpot to low.  Go to sleep and enjoy the amazing smell of beans cooking all throughout the night.
2) In the morning, give your beans a stir and make sure none of them are stuck to the sides or bottom of your crockpot. Smell that amazing-ness? YOU did that!
3) Sauté your diced onions and bell peppers. Toward the very end, add the minced garlic. Add it to your crockpot.
4) Add all of your cans and jars of goodies: tomatoes, green chiles, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and better than bouillon. Give it a good stir.
5) Add your spices: cumin, chili powder, paprika, instant coffee (yes! I'm serious!), oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix it up!
6) Leave it in your crockpot on low until your ready to serve it.
7) You can serve it with corn bread, tortilla chips, basmati rice, in a bread bowl, or even with a nice fresh side salad. Suggested toppings include: green onions, sour cream, avocado, cilantro, and shredded cheddar jack.
Enjoy!

Crockpot Apple Butter

I love fall! Living in Phoenix, we get the delayed pleasure of brisk mornings, crackling fires, and cozy sweaters. Autumn flirts with us for about a month, before it finally kisses the city with delicious cool weather. Until then, people in the valley buy Pumpkin Spice Lattes, and drink Apple Cider in tank tops and flip flops, waiting with great anticipation until the fulness of the season arrives. :)

As for me, I am on a similar track, trying to bring the sensational aromas and tastes of fall into my home, patiently waiting for my favorite season to stop and sit a while. :) Yesterday I noticed that I had a lot of apples to use, along with a couple of ripe delicious pears. I had already put it in my mind to make apple butter and had pinned a couple of tantalizing recipes on my Pinterest board. So, I took a look at a few, and then decided to make up my own recipe, including all of my favorite spices beyond cinnamon and cloves.

The result is divine! All night I slept with the heavenly aromas of apples, cinnamon and exotic spices swirling through the air. In the morning I blended the yummy brown apples, and put it in mason jars for my family and friends. I hope you like it as much as we do!

Ingredients:
12 of your favorite kind of apples (or a mixture of apples and pears)
1 cup of brown sugar
1 cup of real maple syrup
2 cups of apple cider or apple juice
1/2 cup of Bragg's Apple cider vinegar
1 tspn of kosher salt
**Optional** 1/4 cup of rum, brandy, or vanilla vodka (the alcohol completely cooks out, but gives it an amazing flavor)

Spices:
4 pieces of  cinnamon (i had the added bonus of using cinnamon from Ethiopia!)
1 star anise
1/2 tspn anise seeds
2 cardamom pods
1 tspn of whole cloves

Directions:
1. Cut and core apples into big chunks. Place them in the crockpot.
2. Take all of your spices and grind them for 30 seconds in a clean coffee grinder. Add to the crockpot.
3. Add the brown sugar, maple syrup, apple cider, apple cider vinegar, kosher salt and optional alcohol. 
4. Set your crockpot on low for 18 hours and stir occasionally. Your home will smell like a fall heaven!!!
5. In the morning you will notice that the apples are brown and condensed into a lovely mixture waiting for you to blend. You can use an immersion blender, or a regular strong blender. I used my Blendtec, and it did a great job.
6. Divide it into mason jars, seal, let it cool, refrigerate and enjoy! This should make plenty for your own family, and a few jars left over to bless people.

Happy Fall!

Date Fig Cake with Whipped Honey Goat Cheese Spread

When I think of Sukkot, I think of the fulness of God's promises,
the ingathering of the beloved ones, and the inexpressible joy we have in His presence. It is my absolute favorite holiday foreshadowing the end time harvest of souls, the salvation of Israel and the nations, and the sheltering of the redeemed in the presence of Yeshua. Oh, how I love this holiday! (see Revelation 7 for more of what I am talking about).

One of my favorite parts of Sukkot is having Ushpizin, or honored guests come into our sukkah. There, in the cool of night, with the twinkle lights and hand made decorations, we shev (sit/ dwell) together in unity as it is commanded, and rejoice, laugh, feast and fellowship- enjoying the presence of our LORD and strengthening the close relationships we have with one another. 

I love to cook, and I love to entertain. I don't think that's any secret. Something else that I love is creating new culinary expressions of traditional flavors, taking classics to a new and refined level. Earlier last week, I had an inspiration to make a cake infused with the flavors of date and fig, reminiscent of the seven species promised to Israel (Deuteronomy 8:8). 

This cake is one that incorporates 3 of the seven species of Israel, featuring dates, figs, and wheat. It also incorporates warm feel good spices that are a *must* for the autumn season. The spread is both savory and sweet and adds an unexpected twang from the goat cheese, taking this from an yummy spicy cake to an international delight.  The goat cheese and honey also are reminiscent of the promise of the land flowing with "milk and honey."

I purchased my unique ingredients at my local Asian grocery store that also sells middle eastern foods.

Ingredients:      

4 eggs   
2 1/2 cups of fig preserves
1 cup of coconut oil, or softened butter

2 cups of date syrup

3 cups of bread flour

1 tbspn of baking soda

2 tbspns heavy cream

1 tbspn apple cider vinegar

1 tbspn of vanilla extract

1 tbspn cinnamon

1 tspn ground cloves

1 tspn ground anise

1 tbspn of kosher salt 

*Optional 1/4 tspn ground cardamom

Directions:

1) Beat eggs lightly; add fig preserves, coconut oil and date syrup. 

2) Sift flour and soda into the mixture. Mix well.

3) Add heavy cream and apple cider vinegar. Mix until incorporated. 

4) Add the spices: cinnamon, ground cloves, anise, and kosher salt. 

5) Grease and flour your pans. Pour into a bundt pan, or 3 loaf pans. I put 2/3 of the mixture in a bundt pan and 1/3 of the mixture into a loaf pan. Honestly, I just wanted to taste it before tonight's guests came over. ;)

6) Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 mins to 1 hour or until golden brown. 

For the Honey Goat Cheese Spread:

1 package of goat cheese

12 oz of softened cream cheese

1 stick of softened butter

1/ 2 cup of honey

Whip it together in the kitchen aid till it is light and fluffy, sweet and delicious.  

Serve with a dollop of whipped honey spread and garnish with dates, figs or fresh herbs.  Drizzle a light portion of honey over the plate and enjoy! :)

Suncatchers for Sukkot

I confess. I am a Pinterest-er. I like fun, trendy things. I enjoy my home reflecting the fingerprint of my soul, displaying my style, ideas, design and faith. If you follow me, I apologize for sea of pins that comes up once or twice a week about midnight Arizona time. :)

One of my most recent pinning sprees came from a need to incorporate new ideas into our Sukkah decorating.  I wanted to find a craft that would uniquely display the handiwork of my children, and bring a new twist to decorations we've done in the past. Among other great craft ideas, I stumbled upon this citron sun catcher from The Shiksa. I just love her!! I found her craft to be fun, easy, trendy and beautiful- everything I love!

 I started to look for ideas on pomegranate sun catchers, to incorporate some more traditional fruits, colors and symbolism for Sukkot, but I couldn't find any. So, I thought, hey, I can do that.

Materials:
Red card stock or construction paper  
Scissors
Tissue paper, I got mine from World Market. ;)
Glue
String
A Stapler

Directions:
1) Use a small round object to trace a circle. The one I used was a glass tealight holder that was about 2 1/2 inches in diameter. It really can be any size though.
2) Add the little sepals to your circle, giving it the pomegranate shape.
3) Cut it out. Then fold your pomegranate in half and cut a smaller circle inside, leaving your paper to display the outline of a pomegranate.
4) Place a thin bead of glue on the edge of your pomegranate paper, and add your tissue paper. After the glue dries, cut off the remainder of the tissue paper. Staple some string to your sun catcher and hang it up in your sukkah!

You can also make many varieties of the craft I just explained. You can add another pomegranate outline to the back, so it looks "finished" on both sides. Or you can combine several pomegranate outlines together to make a 3D version.

 Here 's my 8 year old son's sun catcher. Cute!

 

My husband even made one. He of course had to do a fancy, 3D one. It looks really nice. 

 All the sun catchers for our sukkah and one Mexican fighting mask!

 

Warm German Potato Salad

Being that we have entered the month of September, and had a cold front in Phoenix today, (with the high of 90* F), combined with grey rainy skies- I had to do something to celebrate! ;) I was scrolling through facebook with a delicious cup of earl grey tea in hand, when I came across some random advertisement picture of potatoes with bacon. That's all it took to inspire me. Hmmmm...

Within 5 seconds I had an urge to make a warm German potato salad. I had never made one before, but hey, there's always a first time, and it could turn out to be a hit. I looked around my kitchen, gathered ingredients in my mind, and gave it a whirl. Here's what I did.

Ingredients:
12 medium sized white potatoes, cut into bite sized chunks
2 packages of turkey bacon
1 big bunch of garden fresh dill
1/2 red onion, minced
1 small bunch of green onions (chives)


Dressing:
1 cup of organic mayonaise
1 cup of greek yogurt
4 tbspns of dijon or whole grain mustard
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
pinch of kosher salt
2 pinches of freshly ground black pepper
10 cloves of garlic

Directions
1. First, I brought a big pot of water up to a boil. While that was heating, I cut up my potatoes into big nice size chunks. I got about 16 pieces from each potato. After the water was boiling, I placed all the potato chunks in at the same time and set the timer for 20 mins.
2.  Then I chopped up 2 packages of turkey bacon and cooked it on medium low heat, stirring occasionally until they were all browned and crunchy.
3. While the potatoes and turkey bacon were going, I chopped up a big bunch of fresh dill, minced half of a crunchy sweet red onion, and diced up a small bunch of green onions (chives).
4. After the potatoes boiled, I drained them and set them aside while I made the dressing. Make sure to test your potatoes about 15 mins in. You don't want them to be falling apart. You want them soft, but still in tact, holding a nice shape.
5. For the dressing:
Place all of the ingredients in a really good blender ( I use blendtech) and give it a whirl. That's it! Give it a taste and adjust it to however you want it. :) Don't make it too salty. Remember you have the salt of the turkey bacon.
6. Combine the potatoes, enough dressing to lightly coat the potatoes, and half of the fresh dill, half of the turkey bacon, and all of the minced red onion and green onions. Save the rest of the sauce for something else. You could use it for a number of things, like pouring it over chicken and baking it, or using it to make another batch. Depending on how you " lightly coat" the potatoes will depend on how much you have left over. :)
7. Finish the presentation by laying the remainder of the dill down the center of the warm potato salad, followed by the remainder of that hot crunchy turkey bacon.

That's it folks. It serves 12-14 and is perfect for an entire meal. You could serve it individually on a bed of baby spinach, with a nice glass of hibiscus lemonade (that's what I did). ;)  If you want a little more twang, you could also add some capers. Have fun, make it your own and enjoy fall! :)

P.S. It's good! Really good!

L'Chayim Lunches

Right now we are in the Hebrew month Elul, which is the last month on the Jewish civil calendar. The beginning of Elul marks 30 days until Rosh HaShanah and 40 days until Yom Kippur.  It is a time of introspection, repentance, and most importantly- intimacy. The rabbis of old teach that Elul is actually an acronym for "Ani L'Dodi V'Dodi Li." It makes more sense when you look at it in Hebrew. ;)

During these 40 days, our congregation is taking time to take courageous steps forward in building  intimacy with the LORD and others within our community. We are making efforts to subdue the busyness of life by shifting roles from being the "responder," to the "initiator."  We're aiming to seize the days, squash time and energy thieves, and invest our time and energy in the things that have eternal value.

All of this is good and well, but sometimes we need a little more than a rally cry- we need a specific mission that gives us license to pursue the prize of the vision. Yes? Yes. So, after several talks with my husband about how we can foster intimacy and growth within our own community, we decided to take some advice that was already given by a dear friend who is heavily invested in the health of our congregation.

She used to lead a musical group  of tenacious, outspoken Messianic Jewish musicians who traveled the country via BUS. They lived in close quarters for 18 months, on a BUS. Now, you put any group of people in close quarters for 18 months and you are going to have ISSUES! One of their biggest keys to survival and relational growth came from something they called, "Pelican Lunches."  What these lunches did was it gave everyone time and space to share their life stories. People could take as long as they needed to share their story, including every detail they felt necessary. This opened up caverns of intimacy for the entire group, and brought understanding, acceptance, a sense of belonging- even compassion. It was a safe place where people could be seen, appreciated and loved. My friend gave us the brilliant suggestion to implement this within our own community. So, with a few tweaks, we came up with something we are calling L'Chayim Lunches. Before I tell you exactly what these lunches are, I want to share with you the need and risk involved in implementing them.

The need is great because we are ALL  hardwired for love. Yet, it is hard to truly love and be loved without being vulnerable. This is where the risk comes in. It is much safer to be vulnerable with the LORD because He will never wound us, betray us, or humiliate us. It is indeed safer, but sometimes more difficult, because we have to train our senses to tune into His voice, receive what His Word says without compromise, and actually give over the control of every kingdom of our heart.


To be vulnerable with friends can sometimes be easier, simply because we see a physical face, hear an audible voice, feel the touch of their hand, and are locked in eye to eye communication. It might be easier on some levels, but it isn't as safe. Why? Because we are bearing our souls to imperfect people, with certain filters, who are not masters of love, and are not omniscient.

Within the American culture we have substituted risky, fulfilling intimacy with cheap knock offs that give us the instant gratification of knowing people without being known. It's easy to hide behind a computer or smart phone and stalk the people you want to know more about by looking at their Instagram history, or Facebook statuses. We are learning about others, without letting them know us. It's a false intimacy. In order to be intimate, we must be vulnerable.

Vulnerability is like a river dividing two territories, or countries. It is the passageway to fulfilling love. For those who choose not to cross the river, they remain on the banks- safe, dry, longing, and isolated. For those who cross the river, they emerge wet, messy, and maybe have a few cuts and bruises from falling in the river. Yet, by crossing the "Vulnerability River" they cross the passageway into the land of the fulfilled, the wholehearted,  and the loved. No one said that it was easy, but it is most certainly worth it.

The risk of being vulnerable is great, very great.  But as an optimist and people lover, and most importantly, a disciple of Messiah Yeshua, I have to believe that it is really worth it. Love is the greatest prize, the greatest commandment, and the greatest fulfillment. Cross the river. You will be so glad you did. 

Now for the L'Chayim Lunch Initiative:

Your mission (should you choose to accept it) is for YOU to initiate one lunch per week with someone between now and Sukkot. Invite them to lunch, and ask to hear their story. If there is time and space, please share your story as well. If you can't do a lunch, do a breakfast. If you can't do a breakfast, do a dinner. If you can't afford to buy someone's lunch, buy them a coffee, a water, or have them over for dinner. The point is to make it happen.  It's a one on one lunch, just between two people. Women are encouraged to initiate with other women, and men are encouraged to initiate with other men. Everyone is encouraged to block out significant time to hear their friend's story so no one is rushed or pressured.

There may be times where you receive an invitation. Great! That doesn't count as your lunch for the week. :)  This will grow your skills as a relationship builder, and like I mentioned earlier, it will move you from "responding" to "initiating." You may not receive any invitations during this time. Guess what? That's okay. Don't let it define your value or appeal. If it makes you feel any better, I've extended several "initiations" for the next few weeks for L'Chayim Lunches, but I have not been the responder to an invitation yet. No biggie. :)

What's funny is when I showed the above graphic to my husband, his response to my choice of image was, "That's great! For Women!" It's true. When I searched the internet for graphics of men drinking coffee or having lunch, I couldn't seem to find one photo that was authentic, professional and warm. I found it quite revealing in terms of what we find culturally acceptable and normal. So, I may recruit some CBH men models for doing another graphic that conveys the warmth and authenticity that is needed in male relationships. :)

As we listen to people's stories, let's give them our full attention, setting aside distractions, and silencing interruptions. Let them know that THEY are what takes priority during this time. Let's create a safe haven to know and be known. Everyone has different levels of intimacy, and that is okay. This is not a push to make private people air their dirty laundry to the masses. It is an initiative to help us know each other and love each other more deeply. And finally, let's be on time. Being on time is one way to effectively communicate, "I am worth your time, and you are worth mine."

I am so thrilled with where the LORD has us this season! Please, please send us testimonies of the fruit that the LORD is producing in your L'Chayim Lunches. 

With Great Love and Deep Affection,
Candyce

P.S. If you are not part of our CBH Community and would like to start this in your own community, please feel free to join us. Send this blog on to your rabbi, or congregational leader, and let's join arms to strengthen the love within our communities. I would love to know if you are accepting the mission. Please, let me know in the comment section on FB, on the blog, or even in a private message that you are joining this initiative. L'Chayim! :)

Silence

Dawn is breaking over Glendale, Arizona and I have the sheer delight of a peaceful household and really good iced coffee. Silence is perhaps one of my most treasured possessions. It gives me the permission to be completely wholehearted in what I am doing, without multitasking, interruptions or distractions.

Silence helps me to hear the whispers of the Holy Spirit without trying to hush anyone else. It provides a platform for clear thinking and Biblical meditation. It soothes the over stimulated nerves and allows me to focus in.

In silence, I am able to observe my surroundings with a quiet and fresh vision. In quietness and rest am I most clearly able to appreciate the beauty of my habitation and the eternal significance of my circumstances.  Silence is calming, soothing, refreshing, and inspiring.

I begin my day in gratitude to my King for new mercies, but first, I relish in the quietness provided for me. There's no gushing, no noise, and no distractions. Just the pleasure of resting in His presence.

My Cup Runneth Over- 40 Days of Feasting at the LORD's table

My dear Mishpacha,

It is with great delight and expectation that Candyce and I write to you today. As I mentioned this past Shabbat, we are about to encounter the 40 Days of T’shuvah, or the 40 Days of Repentance leading up to Yom Kippur. It begins next Monday evening, August 5, at sunset. In years past we have welcomed these 40 days as a time of returning, and have truly sought to return to the LORD with all of our heart. We have participated in Daniel Fasts, Raw Foods Fasts, and even some have felt the LORD leading them to do a 40 day fast, drinking only water and juices.

The word t’shuvah, repentance, means to stop in the direction you are going and to walk the other way. Previously, many of you have fasted for breakthrough in your life, and have found tremendous healing. This year our focus is going to be on feasting, not fasting. On August 10, I am going to begin a new message series and initiative that will carry us from the beginning of Elul through Yom Kippur and beyond. This series is called, My Cup Runneth Over, 40 Days of feasting at the LORD’s table.

We are utilizing these 40 days leading up to Yom Kippur to help retrain our senses,  to say NO to the things that are hindering us from fulfilling our destiny in Messiah, and to engage with full abandon in the Presence of the LORD, in building a legacy of faith within our families, and nurturing the God ordained relationships we have within the CBH community.

Sometimes it’s easier to fill our mind with knowledge about God, than to sit at His feet and let Him fill our heart with His presence. When we abide, He gives us something so much greater than mere knowledge, He gives us a revelation that transforms us- heart and soul. Likewise, it is often easier to busy ourselves with the demands of life, which leave us emotionally and relationally empty.  We miss out on the richness of covenant relationships, whether that be with your spouse, your family, or with dear friends.

The 40 Days of Feasting at the LORD’s table is not a new spiritual fad that we are only doing for 40 days. Rather, we are utilizing it as a tool to re-align our appetites for the things that really satisfy. When we nourish our spirit, soul and body at it’s roots, surrendering to Yeshua’s best for us, we grow in extraordinary health, and bear good fruit- fruit that will last.

You may have to disconnect from some habits so you can be free to pursue a new depth of love with the LORD and your family. That’s okay. It’s time to say, “YES” to Yeshua’s best for us, and, “NO” to the energy, time and relationship thieves.

Here is a great video that exemplifies the kind of “teshuvah” that we are welcoming.

Love, 

Rabbi Tim and Candyce

Candyce's Avocado Chickpea Salad

Recently, I've been experimenting with raw foods, herbs and spices to create new and exciting culinary experiences for my family. I have a few requirements my food needs to meet.

1) It needs to nourish our bodies at a cellular level.  
2) It needs to be bursting with flavor.
3) Must be visually appealing.
4) It needs to be easy and quick to make.

Everyday I've had fun- working with ingredients that are full of nutrients and color. Here's one of my most recent experiments. Honestly, it's now going to become a regular on our family menu. It's delicious all by itself, or it would pair beautifully with grilled fish, chicken or steak.  It would even go great beside some tuna salad, or eaten with organic corn chips. However you decide to try it, I know that you will enjoy every bite, feeling satisfied and healthy upon consumption.

Ingredients:
4 large avocados
1 container of sweet grape tomatoes
3 juicy limes or 2 juicy lemons
2 cans of organic garbanzo beans
3 green onions
1 bunch of fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons of chia seeds
2 teaspoons of kosher salt or to taste
fresh ground pepper to taste

*As a luxurious option, you can drizzle extra virgin olive oil on top of the salad, or lay spicy sprouts underneath for a "wow"presentation.

Follow the pics! 

Get all of your ingredients ready. 

 


<-------- THIS is an avocado slicer. It is wonderful and makes the prep of these green beauties quick and clean. ;) Just slice the avocado in half and press this thru all the way to the bottom. You end up with lovely slices of creamy green goodness. 








It turns avocados into these pretty even slices. See below.

 

Squeeze the limes or lemons all over, covering as much of the avocados as you can. Then add the sweet grape tomatoes. Don't forget to wash them! 

Rinse the 2 cans of organic garbanzo beans until the water runs clear and there are no more "suds." Then, add them to the salad.

Finely chop the 3 green onions. Add them to the salad. 

Take the whole bunch of aromatic, freshly washed cilantro and chop it all up! (minus the stems)
Dump it in. 
 

 

Add 2 heaping tablespoons of chia seeds. If you let the chia seeds sit for a long time in liquid, they will start to get gelatinous. Don't worry, just pretend your eating baby boba. ;) They are SOOO good for you and help pull out lots of toxins your body wants to get rid of. Actually, the same goes for the cilantro.

Now, if you are wanting to create a fancy shmancy presentation,  you can cut off the other end the the can of garbanzo beans and use it as a mold to shape  your salad. Just place some sprouts (I like spicy sprouts) underneath, then put your can on top. Pile in some yummy salad 2-3 inches high. The reality is, the more you put in, the less likely it is to stay in a circle. That's okay. If it stays in a circle you can be trendy, and if it falls out, you can be rustic. See, not so hard! :) Gently remove the can... I said gently, and "oooooo" and "awww" over your lovely presentation. You can drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil on top if you want, and give a little extra pinch of kosher salt, and/or some freshly ground black pepper. 

 

Here it is in a serving bowl. It looks messy, but if you made it at home I can promise- you will be salivating by now. It was so hard to take pics and not take a bite. Seriously. 

This was ALMOST trendy, but came out rustic. Anyway you present it, it's going to be a winner. :)

There it is again, cause I know you want to see another, "I want my food to be in a magazine, " picture. 

I hope you enjoy this salad. If you make it, leave me a note, post it on FB or send me a private message. Let me know how you liked it, and what you served it with. Betay Avon! :)

- Candyce