Maggie's Vegan Charoset for Passover

Happy Passover, friends! As you've read in other posts on my blog, Shana was raised Jewish and I've been slowly developing a repertoire of traditionally Jewish foods. For example, I've got two recipes for kugel (sweet and savory), challah, matzo ball soup, and a faux brisket.

Both the frisket and matzo ball soup graced our table recently when we hosted our annual Seder for Passover. I *love* Seder. It's filled with tradition, symbolism, storytelling, and singing. It brings together an amazing group of people (we always bring in at least a couple of Seder newbies). Moreover, the fundamental message that's relayed is that no one is free until all are free. I love everything about all of that.

One of the symbolic foods eaten at a Passover Seder is charoset (huh-ROE-set), a lovely mixture of apples, walnuts, and other ingredients. I think of charoset the Italian red sauce of Seders - every family has their own traditional version, which they claim as the best. I'll stake my claim on that as well, because my charoset is so good you'll want to eat it other times of the year!

Maggie's Vegan Charoset for Passover
Ingredients
2 large gala apples, peeled, cored, and roughly chopped
1 large granny smith apple, peeled, cored, and roughly chopped
1 c. raw walnuts (halves or pieces are fine)
1 1/2 T. agave nectar
1 T. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
5 T. Manischewitz wine (see Helpful Hints)

Directions
1. Place apple chunks into the bowl of your food processor and pulse until slightly smaller.
2. Add walnuts and continue to pulse until you've reached your desired consistency.
3. Pour apple/walnut mixture into a bowl, add all other ingredients, and stir until well combined. Store in fridge until ready to use.

Helpful Hints

• Don't have a food processor?! Not to worry! Simply chop the apples into any small-ish size, pound/break the walnuts, and go from there. 
• Manischewitz is a widely available brand of foods stemming from the Jewish tradition. The wine is kosher for Passover and it is VERY sweet. My favorite flavor is the Blackberry for this recipe, but you can use other flavors. 
• If you want to keep out the wine altogether, use a sweet juice, like grape juice. 

The post "Maggie's Vegan Charoset for Passover" first appeared on Maggie's LesVegan Kitchen.