by rebecca ets-hokin
It is part of our Jewish tradition to have a tremendous respect and admiration for nature and the great outdoors. We have blessings for most everything in our lives, including trees, the smells of freshly cut grass, seeing natural wonders like mountains and oceans, and even on seeing rainbows: Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech ha’olam, zocher habrit v’ne’eman bivrito v’kayam b’ma’amaro — Blessed art Thou, Lord our God, King of the universe, who remembers the covenant, is faithful to it, and keeps God’s promise.
I find that the outdoors contains a lot of spirituality for my family — and me — and we are very fortunate to have so much natural beauty immediately accessible to us, whether in our own lovely small garden, in the hills and open space behind our home, or the many trails all over the Bay Area. We are very close to the bay, minutes from the Pacific Ocean, and in a few hours we can be in the Sierra.
We take every opportunity to eat and snack outdoors. We have a picnic basket — actually a canvas tote that we keep in the car — always at the ready. It contains plastic dishes, cups and utensils and a large flannel-backed tablecloth that we sit on.
These are some terrific salads that are very portable, whether on a picnic, in the garden or on the balcony. There is also a little treat mixture that often comes in handy to motivate my tiny hikers up the steepest hills.
Really Easy Mediterranean Pasta Salad | Serves 8
1?4 cup olive oil
1?4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 clove garlic, through the press
1 lb. pasta (penne or fusilli), cooked
4 Tbs. shredded basil
10 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
8 oz. fresh mozzarella, cut into 1?2-inch dice
1?2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and garlic in a large bowl. Add the pasta and toss well to coat. Toss in the remaining ingredients. Serve at room temperature.
Chickpea Salad | Serves 8
1?4 cup lemon juice
1 clove garlic, through the press
2 Tbs. grated ginger
2 tsp. cumin seed, ground
1?2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 Tbs. salt
1?3 cup olive oil
8 cups cooked chickpeas (about 4 cans)1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
6 green onions, sliced (white parts only)
4 Tbs. chopped cilantro
In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, ginger, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and olive oil. Toss in the chickpeas, bell pepper, green onions, and cilantro. Chill well, and bring to room temperature to serve.
Miss Honey’s Trail Mix | Makes 6 cups
1 cup M&Ms
1 cup peanuts
1 cup raisins
1 cup dried fruit bits
2 cup Chex cereal
Mix together. Hide well until the hike. Distribute as needed to motivate hikers.
Rebecca Ets-Hokin is a certified culinary professional. Visit her Web site at www.GoRebecca.com. She can be reached at Rebecca@GoRebecca.com.
CopyrightJ, the Jewish news weekly of Northern California