Keep It Kosher With Vegan Shabbat Recipes

One message that most people will take away from the recent horsemeat scandal is that if you’re buying meat, it’s almost impossible to know what it’s really made from. As the equine content of British burgers was making headlines, there was another worrying finding for members of religions which prohibit eating pork: the presence of pig meat in many so-called “beef” products, making them neither kosher nor halal.

But there’s an easy recipe for laying to rest anxieties about sinister hidden ingredients in your food: going vegan. Stick to a wholesome plant-based diet, and you’ll know exactly what you’re getting – healthy, tasty food that doesn’t conceal a dark history of animal abuse.

Many of the major faiths include a tradition of vegetarianism, as people of a spiritual persuasion often opt for a genuinely ethical way of life that extends kindness towards all animals. Rav Abraham Isaac Kook, Albert Einstein and Isaac Bashevis Singer are just some examples of high-profile Jewish vegetarians whose Shabbat fare was consistently free from cruelty.

If you’re new to animal-free eating, you’ll be pleased to know that you don’t have to forgo your favourite dishes! PETA US has plenty of great vegan recipes that will make your Friday night family meal something truly special, from challah to latkes and from kugel to knishes.

Image: Vegan Feast Catering / CC BY-2.0