Prayer after the Storm and a Vegan Challah this Shabbat

There was a big storm in our area this past week.  We were safe in the city,  but  parts of the surrounding areas of our Prefecture had much damage.  Even homes and lives were lost, and I understand that as of writing this people were still missing.  Thank you for keeping in your prayers the people and region in southern Japan that was struck hard by the storm and flooding. 

 

This Shabbat, maybe because of the heat, or because of the storm, or just to keep things simple, I had an inspiration to make a Vegan Shabbat meal.  I made a Vegan challah using this RECIPE.  And then I chose the dishes for a meal that also had no meat or eggs.  Both dishes had nuts.  The nuts made it `meaty` but without the meat.

I found some surprises in the way the colors and the ingredients went together in unusual ways, and just wanted to share some of them and the menu from the Shabbat.

The colors of grapeseed oil and rose salt surprised me as ingredients in the challah. It was an unusual mix and different from other dough recipes I have made,  and struck me as being a beautiful combination of natural ingredients.  And as you know I love pink, so the rose salt also had echoes of the color of cherry blossoms.






In THIS side dish with roasted carrots, the orange of the carrots and the pale green pistachios also was striking for their natural colors and how they came together with another unusual ingredient for the sauce, which is tahini..





While I was finishing making dinner, the doorbell rang.  It was a neighbor from my building. She brought us a watermelon!  It was so sweet.  I mean, the gesture was sweet, and also the watermelon too was sweet!
 
I wonder if it was also because of the storm that a neighbor wanted to reach out to one another.


 It really blessed our table!

Did you know there is a special blessing to say before eating a fruit?   I always try to remember to say it, but sometimes I forget.  Upon receiving the gift of fruit this Shabbat, I wanted to be sure to say it.   You can say it for any fruit from a tree.  It is:

Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha`olam borei p`ri ha`eitz.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who creates the fruit of the tree.

I am inspired by THIS POST --- `Come to the Table`---- on "Piles of Smiles", about inviting guests to share your table with.  This week it was just me, so I invite you to share in some of the vegan bounty.   My daughter and I have been enjoying the watermelon all week, there is still more.   Thank you for visiting, and Shavu`a tov.  Have a blessed week!

`You shall love your neighbor as yourself`   ---from Matthew 22:39

Cashew nuts and tofu, I added `renkon`, a Japanese root vegatable to this RECIPE HERE

In everything give thanks,

for this is God`s will for you in Messiah Yeshua.

---1Thessalonians 5:18