Opting out of Shavuot recipes made with milks from animals, doesn’t mean you’re missing out on delicious, creamy desserts. As Jews, a group of people that are disproportionately lactose intolerant, along with a plethora of Jewish teachings about supporting animal welfare, it makes sense to me to opt for delicious, healthy, and humane Shavuot recipes that are dairy-free (added bonus: they’re easy!). As the holiday that celebrates the giving of the Torah, it is befitting that it begins in Genesis 1:29 with the ultimate declaration for way of eating deeply connected with the land. “And God said: ‘Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed – to you it shall be for food.'”
Ironically, the dairy humans eat is from cows, goats, who are plant-based animals. We can have enough nutritional sustenance through a plant-based diet while also enabling these animals to not spend their lives solely producing milk for our benefit. There’s lots of easy ways to insert plant-based dairy into recipes (e.g. swap out cow milk for almond milk in a cake recipe, try vegan yogurt in your smoothie, or use olive oil instead of butter for your pancakes).
I prepared a delicious but simple chia pudding recipe for Shavuot that can be prepared with a range of flavors and toppings to the neutral chia based. At the bottom, find previous Shavuot recipes including vegan ice cream, vegan blintzes and bourekas!
Shavuot Chia Pudding
Ingredients
2 cups plant based milk (I used sugar free plain almond and any will work, including flavored ones. Full coconut cream would be really delicious).
6.5 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp vanilla
1 tbsp cinnamon
optional: 1-2 tbsp maple syrup (if you want it extra sweet)
toppings: I used a combination of 5 tbsp chopped blackberries and strawberries. Also, toasted coconut, chopped nuts, raisins, etc. would be good.
Preparation
- In a large bowl, combine chia and milk. Stir well. Add vanilla and cinnamon (and maple syrup if you want additional sweetness).
- Pour into individual tiny bowls or jars, leaving some room for toppings. Stir again in case the chia seeds aren’t mixed thoroughly.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours but preferably overnight,
- Before serving: Finely chop toppings. Add on top.
- Serve at room temperature.
B’tayavon v’chag sameach!
Alex, Freedom Farm Sanctuary
Try these vegan Shavuot recipes:
Blintzes
Blueberry ice cream
Bourekas
Bonus: Meet Alex, Sarah (a goat named after me!), and all of the other incredible farm animals at Freedom Farm Sanctuary at Moshav Olesh in Israel!