The Last Twenty-Five Days

100 of 100: March 9, 2010
Breakfast: Larabar and rice milk latte
Lunch: Toasted local breaded veggie patty, pesto, goat cheese sandwich, cabbage salad and orzo medley

Dinner: Challenge is over!


99 of 100: March 8, 2010 (Happy Birthday!)
Brunch: Rice milk latte and Babycake NYC in Los Angeles coffee cake
Dinner: Veggie sausage and soy cheese pizza

98 of 100: March 7, 2010
Brunch: Friend egg and homemade breakfast potatoes by Katie Kruger
Dinner: Soy burger without the bun and fries from Fat Burger

97 of 100: March 6, 2010
Bruch: Goat cheese, fresh fruit, fried egg
Dinner: brown rice pasta and tomato sauce
Dessert: Gluten free birthday cake from BabyCakes NYC in Los Angeles

96 of 100: March 5, 2010
Breakfast: Larabar and soy milk latte
Lunch: Joan’s on 3rd avocado potato salad and goat cheese sandwich

Dinner: Barco LA Wine Bar tapas including grass fed beef patty served with mixed greens side salad

95 of 100: March 4, 2010
Breakfast: Toast with local strawberry jam and rice milk latte
Lunch: Rice pasta with pesto

Dinner: Grilled veggies and hummus tapas at the Progressive Jewish Alliance’s Annual Fundraiser

94 of 100: March 3, 2010
Breakfast: Toast with local strawberry jam
Lunch: Toasted local breaded veggie patty, pesto, goat cheese sandwich, tangelos, green beans and orzo medley
Dinner: Wild fish, potatoes, grilled sheep cheese, and cucumbers from Papa Cristos 

93 of 100: March 2, 2010
Breakfast: Toast with local strawberry jam

Lunch: Toasted local breaded veggie patty, pesto, goat cheese sandwich, cabbage salad and orzo medley
Note: I had a cold and slept through dinner.


92 of 100: March 1, 2010
Breakfast: Toast with local strawberry jam
Lunch: Toasted local breaded veggie patty, pesto, goat cheese sandwich, cabbage salad and orzo medley

Note: I had a cold and slept through dinner.

91 of 100: February 28, 2010
Note: I had a cold and slept through breakfast and lunch.
Dinner: Toasted local breaded veggie patty, pesto, goat cheese sandwich, sautéed spicy eggplant and orzo medley

90 of 100: February 27, 2010
Breakfast: Fried egg, goat cheese, tangelos and cup of tea
Lunch: Toasted local breaded veggie patty, pesto, goat cheese sandwich and orzo medley

Dinner: Grilled sprout fed chicken and veggies made prepared by Leah Weiner and David Jacobson

89 of 100: February 26, 2010
Breakfast: Larabar, coffee, banana
Lunch: Sautéed veggies and rice
Dinner: Mixed greens garden salad

88 of 100: February 25, 2010
Breakfast: Toast with local strawberry jam, goat cheese, tangelos and a cup of tea

Lunch: Grilled goat cheese sandwich with pesto, olive tapenade and marinated tomatoes

Dinner: Larabar

87 of 100: February 24, 2010
Breakfast: Toast with local strawberry jam, goat cheese, tangelos and a cup of tea
Lunch: Grilled goat cheese sandwich with pesto, olive tapenade, marinated tomatoes, and goat yogurt with tangelos

Dinner: Grilled goat cheese sandwich with pesto, olive tapenade and marinated tomatoes

86 of 100: February 23, 2010
Breakfast: Toast with local strawberry jam, goat cheese, tangelos and a cup of tea

Lunch: Grilled goat cheese sandwich with pesto, olive tapenade and marinated tomatoes

Dinner: Mixed garden salad


85 of 100: February 22, 2010
Breakfast: Toast with local strawberry jam and a cup of tea

Lunch: Larabar
Dinner: Mixed garden salad, rice, and tangelo


84 of 100: February 21, 2010
Breakfast: Coffee and banana
Dinner: Mixed garden salad


83 of 100: February 20, 2010
Lunch: Local breaded veggie patty, mixed greens, grape tomatoes, goat cheese, and homemade vinaigrette

Dinner: Goat cheese, sautéed spicy eggplant, olive tapenade, roasted garlic, and marinated tomatoes


82 of 100: February 19, 2010
Lunch: Local breaded veggie patty, mixed greens, grape tomatoes, goat cheese, and homemade vinaigrette

Dinner: Goat cheese, dolmas, hummus, olive tapenade, roasted garlic, marinated tomatoes and artichoke hearts

81 of 100: February 18, 2010
Lunch: Grass fed beef, rice with pesto, and sautéed vegetables

Dinner: Amy’s Rice Crust Soy Cheese Pizza with additional goat cheese

80 of 100: February 17, 2010
Lunch: Local breaded veggie patty, rice with pesto, carrot, and sautéed spicy eggplant with green onions

Dinner: Local breaded veggie patty, rice with pesto, and sautéed spicy eggplant
Dessert: Tangelo

79 of 100: February 16, 2010
Lunch: Tangelos and Larabar
Dinner: Grass fed beef, roasted potatoes, and sautéed spicy eggplant with green onions

78 of 100: February 15, 2010
Brunch: Tangelos, Larabar, and Grass fed beef jerk
Dinner: Leftovers from the Los Olivos Grocery (goat cheese, fig spread, and crackers)

77 of 100: February 14, 2010
Brunch: Tangelos, soy milkshake, and veggie sandwich
Dinner: Side dishes to go from the Los Olivos Grocery including wild salmon, one dolma, salad, fig spread, crackers and goat cheese

76 of 100: February 13, 2010
Lunch: Leftover wild salmon and sautéed vegetables
Dinner: Los Olivos Café & Wine Merchant wild salmon nicoise salad with goat cheese

The Sova Healthy Soup Challenge: What does it mean to provide food of others?

Anne Hromadka: Kol Ami Shemot Teacher (Grades 2-4)

Poster by Kol Ami Shemot Class 

In January, the Kol Ami Social Action Committee asked the Kol Ami Religious School to hold a food drive to collect Ramen Noodle Soup on behalf of SOVA. My students remembered a previous lesson discussing hunger in Los Angeles focusing on nutrition and donating to local food banks/pantries. One example was how Ramen Soup had a high sodium content and was low in nutritional value. The Shemot class wanted to participate in the school wide challenge but wanted to do so in a way that meant they were comfortable with the nutritional choices they were making for others.

We began to unpack very serious questions: Why had Sova asked for Ramen Soup? What are “healthier choices”? Is food with lower nutritional value better than no food at all? If the goal is many meals for as little money as possible, what does this mean in terms of the higher cost of “healthier” options? Are we obligated Jewishly to give healthy meals when providing for someone else? If we challenge ourselves to give healthier meals could we impact the larger community to join this new challenge?

Unpacking these questions was not easy. Ultimately, my students learned that giving on all levels is a sacred mitzah. However, our tradition wisely teaches that there are steps to giving. We can engage on varying levels, which often correlate with preserving the dignity of those whom we are serving. While my class understood we might collect less food if we challenged ourselves and others to make “healthier” choices they decided that the “quality” of the food was as important as the cost factor.

The hidden lesson for the Shemot class was not that what they give to others matters. The hidden lesson was that they have the power to affect change. They were able to enlist the whole school in collecting “healthier” soups. Now through this article we are challenging you to join this cause. Together we hope to bring additional healthy meals into the homes of our fellow Los Angelinos. I want to thank the Kol Ami  Shemot Class (Grades 2-4) for inspiring myself and others to join the Sova Healthy Soup Challenge.

If you live in the Los Angeles area please bring healthy soup options such as Amy’s Organic Soups, Campbell’s Heart Healthy Soups, Health Valley Soups, Pacific Foods Soups, and or other low sodium healthy soups to your local Sova site through the month of February. As one of the Shemot students said, “Everyone deserves healthy meals.” B'tayavon!

Meals January 22 – February 12, 2010

75 of 100: February 12, 2010

Lunch: Rice pasta, pesto, sautéed vegetables, veggie sausage, and goat cheese

Dinner: Leftover wild salmon and sautéed vegetables

74 of 100: February 11, 2010

Lunch: Wild smoked salmon, goat cheese, carrot sticks, and slice of vegan carob cheesecake

Dinner: Wild salmon and sautéed vegetables

73 of 100: February 10, 2010

Lunch: Wild smoked salmon, goat cheese, roasted potatoes, roasted eggplant

Dinner: French fries, hummus, green beans, and wild salmon from Cantor’s Deli

72 of 100: February 9, 2010

Lunch: Larabar and coffee

Dinner: Vegan patty, goat cheese, roasted potatoes, roasted eggplant

71 of 100: February 8, 2010

Lunch: Rice pasta and pesto

Dinner: Vegan Gumbo

70 of 100: February 7, 2010 (Super Bowl Sunday—Geaux Saints!)

Breakfast: Coffee and banana

Lunch: Sweet potatoes fries and glass of wine

Dinner: Vegan Gumbo

69 of 100: February 6, 2010

Lunch and Dinner: Vegan Gumbo

68 of 100: February 5, 2010

Bruch: Fried egg and sautéed veggies

Dinner: Larabar

67 of 100: February 4, 2010

Lunch: Larabar

Dinner: Rice pasta, sautéed vegetables, pesto, and sheep cheese

66 of 100: February 3, 2010

Lunch: Veggie sushi

Dinner: Smoked wild salmon, roasted tomatoes, hummus, avocado

Goat and sheep cheese

65 of 100: February 2, 2010

Breakfast: Larabar and coffee

Lunch: Larabar

Dinner: Smoked wild salmon, roasted tomatoes, goat cheese, hummus, and avocado

64 of 100: February 1, 2010

Breakfast: Sheep yogurt and granola

Lunch: Larabar and coffee

Dinner: Rice pasta and pesto

63 of 100: January 31, 2010

Lunch: Larabar and coffee

Dinner: Sautéed vegetables

62 of 100: January 30, 2010

Lunch: Coffee, tofu steak, goat cheese, avocado, and fries

Dinner: Larbar

61 of 100: January 29, 2010

Lunch: Wild tuna steak and organic local greens from Tender Greens

Dinner: Rice pasta and pesto

60 of 100: January 28, 2010

Brunch: Wild salmon salad with goat cheese from Bloom Café

Dinner: Vegan Moroccan tomato sauce with sweet potatoes and chickpeas

59 of 100: January 27, 2010

Brunch: Sheep yogurt and granola

Dinner: Roasted potatoes, cauliflower, and tofu

58 of 100: January 26, 2010

Breakfast: Coffee and banana

Lunch: Amy’s Rice Pizza with goat cheese

Dinner: Veggie sushi and salad with wild salmon

57 of 100: January 25, 2010

Breakfast: Coffee and banana

Lunch: Tomatoes stuffed with goat cheese and fried egg

Dinner: Leftover North African tomato and couscous dish

56 of 100: January 24, 2010

Breakfast: Larabar and coffee

Lunch: Rice pasta and pesto

Dinner: Fundraising dinner for IKAR Night of the Wandering Jew the menu included baby tomatoes stuffed with goat cheese, leek and potatoes soup, and North African veggie tomato sauce served over couscous with dates

55 of 100: January 23, 2010

Lunch: Amy’s Rice Soy Pizza with fried egg, goat cheese, and pesto

Dinner: Mixed green salad

54 of 100: January 22, 2010

Brunch: Veggie sausage, roasted tomatoes, goat cheese, and sautéed purple carrots

Dinner: Lamb chops with rice medley including roasted butternut squash

Meals January 7- January 21, 2010

53 of 100: January 21, 2010

Breakfast: Larabar, banana

Lunch: Bun-less grass-fed burger with garlic fries and coffee

Dinner: Larabar and grass-fed organic beef jerky

52 of 100: January 20, 2010

Lunch: Small side rice pasta with pesto and wild salmon salad

Dinner: Lamb chops with rice medley including roasted butternut squash

51 of 100: January 19, 2010

Breakfast: Granola and soymilk

Lunch: Celery root and pesto veggie leftovers

Dinner: Pesto veggie leftovers, wild smoked salmon, and rice pasta

50 of 100: Jan 18, 2010

Brunch: Guacamole, tomatoes, olives, wild smoked salmon, yellow carrot, snap peas, and toasted rice and wheat bread

Dinner:  Celery root mash with sautéed eggplant, Jerusalem choke, green beans, and broccoli tossed with pesto

49 of 100: January 17, 2010

Brunch: guacamole, tomatoes, olives, wild smoked salmon, yellow pepper, and toasted rice and wheat bread

Dinner: Cucumber and avocado sushi roll

48 of 100: January 16, 2010

Breakfast: Casbah Café avocado, goat cheese, and tomatoes with a soy latté

Lunch: “DIY Miso Stew” created by Josh Feldman and Anaya Morse

Dinner:  guacamole, tomatoes, olives, wild smoked salmon, and toasted rice and wheat bread

47 of 100: January 15, 2010

Breakfast: Larabar

Lunch: Goat cheese Capresse salad with hummus

Dinner: Rice Pasta with pesto

46 of 100: January 14, 2010

Breakfast: Larabar

Lunch: Mannis Bakery tofu burger with air-baked fries

45 of 100: January 13, 2010

Brunch: guacamole with carrots and cucumber

Dinner: Wild salmon salad and cup of coffee

44 of 100: January 12, 2010

Breakfast: Larabar

Lunch: Larabar

Dinner: Coffee, quinoa granola bar, and banana

43 of 100: January 11, 2010

Breakfast: Larabar

Lunch:  coffee and banana

Dinner: Larabar, coffee

42 of 100: January 10, 2010

Breakfast: Larabar

Lunch: Salad with goat cheese, avocado, tomatoes, olives, and a hard-boiled egg

Dinner: Rice pasta and pesto

41 of 100: January 9, 2010

Brunch: Sandwich made with rice and wheat bread, fried egg, and cheese served with caramelized carrots

Dinner: Goat cheese Caprese salad with hummus

40 of 100: January 8, 2010

Brunch: Sandwich made with rice and wheat bread, goat cheese, and pesto with a side of plain baked Kettle chips

Dinner: Shilo

39 of 100: January 7, 2010

Lunch: Larabar

Dinner:  Amy’s rice crust pizza with soy cheese