If I ever had a chance to sit down and read the Torah portion on Shabbos, it would be this week’s parsha. It’s jammed pack–the Jews finally escape Egypt only to be pursued by Pharoah and his great army. The sea splits, the Jews cross, the Egyptians drown and the women go wild singing and dancing.
But what I find m
ost endearing is the part about the manna. Two troublemakers set out manna on Shabbos so that the Jews would think Moshe lied when he said manna wouldn’t fall from heaven on that day. Instead the birds gobbled it up. So to thank the birds each year, on the week of this parsha, my kids bring home empty toilet paper rolls covered in globs of peanut butter and seeds. They proudly watch their bird feeders hanging from a tree, only to find out that no bird in his right mind is still here in Chicago this time of year.
So this week, I think I’ll save some of the seeds for us.
TRAIL MIX
Any combination of raw nuts: we like cashews, almonds and pecans
Lightly salted peanuts
Roasted and salted sunflower seeds
Pepitas
Any combination of chopped dried fruits: apricots, apples, dates, pears
Assorted colors of raisins
Dark chocolate chips
Homemade granola
Lightly roast the raw nuts in a dry pan on medium high until light brown. Add the other ingredients and store for up to a week. Great for school lunches and snacks on the go!
granoladox.com 