Because all of my recipes are meat-free, but not all of my readers are, I enjoy providing plenty of healthy Nine days menu ideas for my community.
What is the Nine Days?
This week, the Jewish mourning period referred to as the Nine Days begins. This is a period before Tisha B’Av, when many observant Jews do not eat meat or drink wine, except on Shabbat.
There are already many Jewish people who reserve eating meat for Shabbat, or like me, never eat it. However, for most meat-eating Jews, this can be a complicated time when they aren’t always sure what to serve for dinner.
This year’s Nine days encompasses two Shabbats, so you only need recipes for Sunday through Thursday. Each recipe is individually linked, except for Wednesday, which is in one convenient doc for you. In addition, Tuesday’s complete recipe is below the Nine Days Menu chart.
Enjoy the new recipe for Yellow Rice Pilaf as part of your healthy Nine Days menu!
Healthy Nine Days Menu w/Links
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday |
| Salad Bouquet | See NEW! recipe below | “Chinese Shabbat in an Hour” during the week! | Rainbow Veggie Platter | |
| Vegan Chicken Parmesan | Yellow Rice Pilaf | Vegan Nacho Bar | Sticky Orange Tofu | Mama Soup |
| Sweet Potato Fries | w/Smoky Chickpeas | Broccoli in Garlic Sauce, Rice, Carrots (Video link here) | Beyond Meat Sweet Italian Sausages (slice, saute, add to soup) | |
| Easy Cinnamon Rolls | Chocolate Bark | Chocolate Orange Truffles | Strawberry Hearts | Carrot Cake |
Yellow Rice Pilaf with Smoky Chickpeas
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Yellow Rice Pilaf with Smoky Chickpeas is a complete meal. Using minute rice ensures the dish comes together quickly.
Ingredients
Rice
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic or 2 tsp granulated garlic
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
3 cups brown minute rice
4 cups water
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
Chickpeas
2 cans low sodium chickpeas
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt, to taste
Veggies
1 to 2 bags frozen mixed veggies (12 oz)
Instructions
Rice: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until soft and slightly translucent. Add the garlic, cumin, turmeric, salt, pepper, and rice to the pot. Stir frequently for a minute or two until the spices are well-mixed with the rice. Add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and allow the rice to simmer until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender (Approximately 10-15 minutes). Using a clear glass top is very helpful when making rice!
Remove the lid and mix the rice well. IF your eaters like cilantro, add chopped fresh cilantro and mix well.
Chickpeas: While the rice is cooking, drain, rinse, and pat dry the chickpeas. Rinse until no more foam appears on the chickpeas. Heat olive oil in a sauté pan (non-stick is great). Add chickpeas, smoked paprika, and salt. Use a spatula or spoon to mix the chickpeas well until the ingredients are well distributed. Spread out the chickpeas to let them cook for a minute, then mix and spread out and let them cook a bit again. Do this for approximately 10 minutes. Chickpeas should be dry, but not too dry, and no longer taste like they were ever in a can!
Veggies: The simplest thing to do is buy a steam bag of frozen mixed veggies and throw it in the microwave. You can also use any leftover vegetables in your fridge. I like to buy a frozen bag of mixed corn, peas, carrots and green beans.
To assemble the pilaf: Mix rice, vegetables, and chickpeas.
Notes
Serve this as a one-dish meal; place each component in its own pretty bowl; or separate the rice, vegetables and chickpeas into a three-section divided platter, and allow any selective eaters to choose how much they want of each food, and if they want the foods to touch or stay separate.
Nutritional facts: Includes rice, chickpeas, and 1 12 oz bag frozen mixed vegetables. Does not include salt and pepper to taste.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Meal
- Method: Cooktop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keywords: Yellow Rice Pilaf, Vegan, Smoky Chickpeas, 30 minute meal
Enjoy your healthy Nine Days Menu!