Rosh Hashanah, or Jewish New Year, is one of my favorite holidays. I get so many requests for my Paleo Rosh Hashanah Menu and healthy Jewish High Holiday recipes, that I had to share it all with you here!
When is Rosh Hashanah?
I love Rosh Hashanah because it generally falls around the end of summer, or early autumn, when a bounty of fruits and vegetables are at peak harvest. It’s a wonderful time to look back on the year that’s passed and to give thanks for the harvest in the fields and in life. It’s also a good time to set intentions for the upcoming year. This year, Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown on Sunday, September 9th.
Apples Dipped in Honey
Rosh Hashanah is a time when our menu is filled with symbolic foods. According to one of my favorite food historians, Claudia Roden, at Jewish New Year it is a “widespread custom to eat a piece of apple dipped in honey while a prayer is said asking God for a sweet year.”
What Foods are Eaten at During Jewish New Year?
Another custom is to eat a new fruit of the season, usually a pomegranate, hence the Pomegranate Salad I include at our High Holiday table. Roden adds that round foods such as meatballs are eaten to embody the aspiration that the year ahead is full and rounded.
Paleo Rosh Hashanah Menu
Below is our Paleo Rosh Hashanah Menu! It’s full of healthy High Holiday dishes that celebrate the season in a way that won’t leave you stuffed and overfull. After eating this healthy food you’ll be bursting with energy, satiated, and satisfied.
Starters
Apples Dipped in Honey
Stuffed Mushrooms
Sides
Pomegranate Salad
Tzimmes
Spinach Cake
Entrees
Brisket
Perfect Roast Chicken or Chicken Marbella from Paleo Cooking from Elana’s Pantry
Desserts
Paleo Honey Cake
Egg-Free Paleo Macaroons
Low-Carb Rosh Hashanah Recipes
Since I’m following a Keto Diet, I’ll be sticking with the low-carb fare on this menu. With the boys at school we’ll be having a very small gathering and I’m only making one entree –the Brisket. I’ll feast on the Stuffed Mushrooms, and leave the fruit out of my salad. I’ll skip dessert, but if you’re in need of something sweet to end your meal, check out my Low-Carb Dessert Recipes page! There are so many incredible things to choose from, but I think the Low-Carb Strawberry Shortcake is a showstopping way to end your holiday meal!
Happy New Year!
Many blessings to all of you my dearest readers for a gorgeous and health filled New Year! Leave a comment and let me know about your family traditions as well as what your favorite dishes are to serve for Rosh Hashanah.
This post, first published in 2009, is an oldie but goodie from the archives that I’ve updated.
Rosita says
Have an easy fast, Elana!
Your recipes sound amazing as always. I am not Jewish but I can appreciate how seriously the Holiest of Jewish Holidays is observed. I did some reading to make sure I would give you a proper greeting. As a Catholic and having been raised in a strict Catholic home I certainly understand the importance of Holy days of obligation.
God Bless you and your family!
Elana says
Rosita, you are so sweet!!! Thanks for your wonderful wishes :-)
Yafa says
Dear Elana
Honey cake done and ready to be eaten. Your matza ball recipe is one of our favorites. Have a happy, HEALTHY and sweet New Year. My thanks and wishes are coming to you all of the way from Israel. שנה טובה!
Elana says
Yafa, thanks for your wonderful comment! Shana Tova :-)
Lorrie Graham says
Hi, Elana,
I have both of your almond flour cookbooks and enjoy the recipes. I did discover that I am sensitive to agave, when I ate one of the chocolate confections in your cookbook. Since then, I’ve been substituting sugar (yes, head hung in shame, white sugar) and adding a little water and the recipes work great!
Elana says
Lorrie, we are all bio-chemical individuals and there is no need to hang your head over finding a solution that works for you. I think it’s amazing that you did! I’m so happy to hear that you are enjoying my cookbooks :-)
Dena says
Shana tova u’metuka!
I want to share my Rosh Hashana traditional dessert, since it’s as simple as simple gets and always a crowd pleaser! Open a pomegranate and take out all the seeds. Pat dry, if there’s any juice on them. Melt white chocolate. Mix the seeds in. Drop as bite-size balls onto wax paper. Refrigerate. It makes the most wonderful candy that bursts in your mouth when you bite into it!
I experimented last night with my leftover dates — tried to make a power bar with flax seed, peanut butter, tehina, an egg. Melted choc chips on top for kid-friendly appeal. It tasted great but it didn’t bake properly. Do you have a REAL recipe along these lines? I’d love to have healthy “candy” bars on hand for my daughter’s lunchbox.
G’mar Chatima Tova!
Lynda says
Dena -she has a great power bar recipe over here:
http://www.elanaspantry.com/power-bars/
I think you’ll really like them.
Susanna says
Hi Elana!
I am a student at the Nutrition Therapy Institute in Denver. I am working on becoming wheat free as one of my teachers said I have an intolerance (not a full on allergy though). I am a displaced NYer though and I miss bagels! I was wondering if you’d be willing to work with me on developing a gluten free bagel, perhaps a sprouted version? I have not really gotten into gluten and wheat free baking at all and would appreciate your input on this project! I think it’d be really exciting if I could, at some point, develop it into a bagel deli here in Denver, much like what we had in NY! Let me know if you would be open to this! Thanks so much!
Elana says
Susanna, thanks for your comment! Here’s a link to my Paleo Bagels for you:
https://elanaspantry.com/paleo-bagels/
Enjoy!
Elana
julie says
L’shana tova to you and your family.
Elana says
Thanks Julie! Shana Tova to you and yours :-)
Amy Green (Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free) says
I made the Honey Cake and it was so very good – the coffee, cinnamon, and cloves pair beautifully and the crumb is really tender. It’s fabulous.
Elana says
Thanks Amy! I’m so glad to hear this was fabulous :-)
Ninufar says
L’Shana Tova u Metukah!
Thank you so much for sharing your work and your artistry with us, and may the new year bring blessings as bountiful as the seeds of the pomegranate!
— Ninufar
Elana says
Ninafar, Shana Tova!
recipes lover says
Shana Tova! Thanks for the menu idea, it inspired me.
Elana says
You’re welcome!
shlomit says
Shana Tova Umetuka – all the way from Jerusalem.
Elana says
Shlomit, Shana Tova to you!
Yaelian says
Shana Tova Elana! That spinach pie looks really good!
Sandy Gillett says
I made the spinach pie the day Elana posted it as I had all the ingredients and it is VERY delicious.
gfe-gluten free easily says
Hope you and your family have a wonderful Rosh Hashanah, Elana!
Shirley
Elana says
Thanks Shirley!
VeggieGirl says
Wishing you a Happy New Year, Elana!
Elana says
Thanks VeggieGirl!
~M says
Ooooh, meatballs! I love that idea! Please post if you have a good recipe! I like getting all deceptively delicious with mine.
We’re also having your butternut squash soup, one of your kale salads (throwing in pomegranate arils for good measure) or the purple cabbage and orange one, your mustard lime chicken (on a whole organic chicken), and Karina’s pomegranate beef (pot roast). Oh, and your brownies. I may also experiment with a cinnamon-raisin bread.
~M says
PS- Shana tova!