Top

The Raw and The Cooked

Simple Meals + Honest Book Reviews + Practical Living

Genesis 47:28 – 50:26 | Vayechi | “And He Lived”

Happy 2026! It’s wild to me that we’ve not only finished up the holiday season — a particularly hectic and full one for our family this year (a birth, a death, and a broken bone) — but that this is also the last week with the beautiful book of Genesis. From the Jewish New Year, when I first decided to embark on this project, through the Gregorian New Year, I have learned so much by sitting with the text, going line by line. This project has truly been a gift.

The plan is to continue on through the book of Exodus, as it’s Dennis Prager’s favorite and the first in his series. I really hope you’ll join me, as I plan to post each Sunday morning going with the motions of the parsha.

…

View the Post

Carrot & Ginger Soup

If you have a cold or a sore throat, this is the soup for you. It’s been a sick staple in our household since 2017. Ginger is a soup-er star [pun intended] for gut-healing, immune-supporting meal, as ginger helps open sinuses, loosens congestion, soothes a sore throat, and relaxes tight chest muscles.

…

View the Post

Genesis 44:18 – 47:27 | Vayigash | “And He Drew Near”

The week between Christmas and New Year is always a black hole of time, space, and energy. The rules don’t apply, and I’m typing this up 12 minutes before posting. This week, in the spirit of stretchy pants, no gym, and a glass of wine at 3pm on a Wednesday, I tried baking a chocolate pavlova, with homemade whipped cream and fresh fruit. I couldn’t get my egg whites and sugar to give me the stiff peaks I was supposed to get, but decided to bake anyway. It came out way better than I imagined for something that demanded stiff peaks. The chunk missing at the top… well, I have four children that also demanded they try it, before serving it after dinner. Anyway, our Joseph family drama continues!

…

View the Post

Why The Signature of All Things Took Me by Surprise

I’ve read (or rather, listened to) a lot of books, but The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert landed in that rare category: the kind of story that makes you want to slow down and savor it – because it’s rich and thoughtful. It’s a beautiful story that fills you up with the sheer fascination of nature, the history of science, country, and God. It’s a story that’s heavily character driven and has a lot of unpredictable wonder. In addition to lots of unpredictable wonder, there were many times where I had no idea where this book was going… which added to the fun.

…

View the Post

Slow Cooked Lentil Soup

Welcome back to another Soup Day! One of my favorite things about winter? A weekly soup + sour dough night. Give me a hearty soup any day of the week. This week we went with a hearty and flavorful lentil soup, slow cooked all day in my beloved slow cooker. The pay off for peeling and dicing in the morning is well worth the pay-off 8 hours later. I hope you enjoy this soup as much as I do!

…

View the Post

Genesis 41:1 – 44:17 | Miketz | “At the End”

This weeks parsha speaks powerfully to life inside a home. So much of motherhood and marriage is lived in the tension between planning and surrender—doing what we can to prepare, while knowing we cannot control outcomes. Joseph models foresight without fear; Jacob models the pain of letting go; Judah models what it looks like to step forward and take responsibility when it matters most. We are not asked to be perfect parents or spouses, only to become more honest, more restrained, and more willing to carry responsibility with courage when those we love are at stake.

…

View the Post