Bestselling Jewish cookbook author Adeena Sussman sums up quite succinctly in her foreword to Micah Siva’s new work: “In recent years, we’ve become more attuned to the advantages of a plant-friendly diet, and Micah is here to be your trusted guide – dishes that remind us of the many ports of call where Jewish food has its roots: Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and more. “Her warm, welcoming voice, doable recipes, gorgeous photos, and role as culinary cheerleader-in-residence make all of this food seem incredibly aspirational and at the same time totally possible.” I’m always on the lookout for plant-based holiday recipes and was happy to find that more than half the recipes in are vegan-friendly.
For example, the vegan potato latke recipe uses ground flax as a binder instead of eggs. The instructions include a tip I am eager to try: “Add a whole, trimmed carrot to the frying oil to help keep the oil clean. It acts as a magnet for the potato particles and helps maintain the oil temperature due to its water content.
The carrot will burn faster than the potatoes, a small sacrifice to pay for perfect latkes.” A registered dietitian, chef, and blogger (“Nosh with Micah”) residing in San Francisco, Siva previously co-wrote the Hanukkah book 1, 2, 3, Nosh With Me with her husband, Josh, to help young children learn numbers, as well as traditional Jewish cuisine. However, Siva has now wisely chosen to address a more expansive audience, the fast-growing flexitar.