(Courtesy of Pereg Natural Foods) The holiday of Yom Kippur is one of reflection, repentance and prayer, all of which take place while fasting. At the end of the holiday, Jews traditionally share a joyful break-fast meal with family and friends. For Ashkenazim, the festive menu usually consists of foods such as eggs, cheese and bread. In America, a bagel and lox menu is often the standard meal.

Here’s a Yom Kippur break-fast menu from Pereg Natural Foods that can be prepared in advance, chilled and served later with little or no reheating involved. These recipes are written to feed eight or more, but you can easily halve the ingredients for a smaller crowd.

The Best Lentil Salad—Adapted by Pereg Natural Foods

Ingredients

• 2 ¼ cups (1 lb.) Pereg Natural Foods French lentils
• 1 medium red onion, diced
• 1 cup dried currants (you could also use raisins or other dried fruit)
• 1/3 cup capers

Vinaigrette

• 1/3 cup cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp. strong mustard
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. Pereg ground pepper
• 1 tsp. Pereg ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. Pereg turmeric
• 1/2 tsp. Pereg ground coriander
• ½ tsp Pereg ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp. Pereg cayenne pepper
• ¼ tsp. Pereg ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp. Pereg ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp. Pereg ground cinnamon

Optional add-ins

• Arugula
• Walnuts
• Goat cheese
• Fresh herbs: flat-leaf parsley, cilantro, basil
• Sprouts
• Crispy seasonal veggies

Preparation

1. Rinse lentils well, drain. Place in a pot and cover with 3-4 inches of water; bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. Check lentils for doneness after 15 minutes, but they should take about 20 minutes in total. You will know they are cooked if they still retain a slight tooth—al dente! Don’t overcook the lentils.
2. While the lentils are simmering, make the dressing by placing all ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shaking vigorously to combine.
3. Finely dice red onion—the salad is best if all the ingredients are about the same size. If using raisins, chop them roughly to make them a bit smaller, and do the same with the capers if they are large.
4. When the lentils are cooked, remove from heat, drain and place under cold running water to stop the cooking process. Once cooled slightly but still a little warm, place lentils in a large serving bowl and toss with dressing. Add in onion, capers and currants. If using other add-ins such as herbs, greens or cheese, wait until just before serving. Otherwise, this salad can hang out in the fridge for a couple days.

Crustless Quiche With Asparagus and Feta

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 16 stalks of asparagus, bottoms trimmed
• 5 eggs
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 1/2 cup lowfat sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (plus more for seasoning)
• Pinch of Pereg black pepper (plus more for seasoning)
• Pinch of Pereg nutmeg
• 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (sheep or goat milk feta is preferable)
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions (both green and white parts)
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut 2 inches off the thick ends of the asparagus spears, discard those tough ends. Chop the asparagus into 1/2-inch pieces. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the asparagus pieces to the skillet. Season them with salt and pepper, then sauté them for about 5 minutes until tender-crisp. Remove from heat and allow asparagus to cool.

In a large mixing bowl beat the eggs. Whisk in the half and half, sour cream, white pepper, salt, black pepper and nutmeg. Incorporate the crumbled feta, scallions, parsley and asparagus pieces into the mixture with a large spoon.

Liberally grease a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray. Pour the quiche mixture directly into the pie plate. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the quiche is nicely browned. Stick a sharp knife or toothpick in the center of the quiche to test for doneness—if it comes out clean, it’s done. Let quiche settle at least 10 minutes before serving.

Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled depending on your preference. Do ahead: Once it has cooled, quiche can be stored covered with plastic wrap up to five days in the refrigerator. To reheat, place it in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes. Quiche will warm up more evenly if you cut it into individual pieces prior to reheating.