I know that many people are loyal to the bagels and lox menu for Tisha B’Av break fast but in the Palatnik home, we take the term “break fast” literally. After all, why should the first thing you eat be a lunch or dinner food—you haven’t even had breakfast yet!
Most of the food can be prepared beforehand; but otherwise, it can be scraped together in under an hour while you’re fasting. (Just make sure that you don’t accidently taste the food while you’re cooking…)
First off, you start with breakfast basics: Omelets. Each person at home can request their own individual order or you can make one massive one for the whole family. If omelets are too time consuming, the basic tried and true scrambled eggs works just the same. If you’re feeling rebellious, you can even buy some kosher fake bacon to go along with the mix.
Don’t forget that you’re going to be very hungry so, for once, don’t skimp on the carbs. Bake chocolate chip or blueberry muffins to go along with breakfast—just keep in mind that the smell will be quite tantalizing while you are fasting so you may want to bake them in advance.
Next, take out the frying pan and start flipping pancakes! If you are up for a challenge, make them from scratch. Personally, I’m usually too exhausted by the end of the fast to be that high achieving. Instead, I buy a pancake mix and fry them with butter instead of oil. This adds a deliciously buttery taste and since they’re fresh, they taste homemade.
Once you’ve been fasting all day, you’re going to want to get hydrated. Pour yourself a tall glass of orange juice, iced tea, or coffee. After all that, if you are still famished for bagels and lox, feel free to add them to the breakfast spread.
Chocolate Chip Muffins
Yields 12-18 muffins
INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour
1⁄3 cup light-brown sugar, packed
1⁄3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
2⁄3 cup milk
1⁄2 cup butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1(11 1/2 ounce) package milk chocolate chips
1⁄2 cup walnuts or 1⁄2 pecans, chopped
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Grease twelve muffin cups.
3. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugars, baking powder, and salt.
4. In another bowl, stir together milk, eggs, butter, and vanilla until blended.
5. Make a well in center of dry ingredients.
6. Add milk mixture and stir just to combine.
7. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
8. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
9. Now bake for 15-20 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in center of one muffin comes out clean.
10. Remove muffin tin to wire rack.
11. Cool for 5 minutes.
13. Remove from tins to finish cooling.
14. Serve warm or completely cool.
15. These muffins freeze well.
By Bracha Leah Palatnik
