march: Jacob's stew
This month’s story is about two brothers, the twin grandsons of Abraham. Esau was hungry, and Jacob would only give him some of the stew he’d made if Esau would trade his birthright for it. Jacob took advantage of his brother’s hunger, and Esau showed disregard for his birthright. And even with these flaws, Jacob became the father of a nation and Esau is remembered as a person of faith. This story is one part of a long saga of conflict and reconciliation.
As you taste this story this month, try doing the opposite of Jacob and Esau in the story - what does it look like to share freely and eat together with a spirit of generosity?
As you taste this story this month, try doing the opposite of Jacob and Esau in the story - what does it look like to share freely and eat together with a spirit of generosity?
Read It
Pray It
God, when we are hungry, you fill our bellies with good, healthy food. Help us to be generous with what we have and remember that you are the source of all that is good.
God, when we are hungry, you fill our bellies with good, healthy food. Help us to be generous with what we have and remember that you are the source of all that is good.
Make It
We think Jacob’s stew was probably a red lentil stew, possibly with some sumac added to give it that red color. Here’s a simple recipe (from https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/jacobs-lentil-stew-2) that uses ingredients we think were common in Jacob’s time:
Ingredients:
½ cup fresh chopped cilantro, divided
3 carrots, cut into chunks
3 celery stalks (including leaves), cut into chunks
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 quarts dry red lentils, washed and sorted
¼ cup pearl barley (or rice to make it gluten free)
2 quarts vegetable or chicken stock
1 ½ tsp cumin
1 tsp dried hyssop or parsley
½ tsp sumac (if you have it - or a splash of lemon)
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Involve the children:
As you enjoy your soup, practice manners and kindness! Or try acting out the story as it is in the Bible, then let everyone offer their ideas on how the characters should have acted and do it again.
We think Jacob’s stew was probably a red lentil stew, possibly with some sumac added to give it that red color. Here’s a simple recipe (from https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/jacobs-lentil-stew-2) that uses ingredients we think were common in Jacob’s time:
Ingredients:
½ cup fresh chopped cilantro, divided
3 carrots, cut into chunks
3 celery stalks (including leaves), cut into chunks
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 quarts dry red lentils, washed and sorted
¼ cup pearl barley (or rice to make it gluten free)
2 quarts vegetable or chicken stock
1 ½ tsp cumin
1 tsp dried hyssop or parsley
½ tsp sumac (if you have it - or a splash of lemon)
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a medium pot. Add the onion and saute until translucent.
- Add the garlic, carrot and celery. Continue to saute until the onion turns golden and the ingredients begin to caramelize.
- Add the lentils and barley, stir. Cover the mixture with 2 quarts of broth, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Add ¼ cup of fresh cilantro to the pot along with the cumin, hyssop or parsley, sumac and bay leaf, stir.
- Cover the pot and let the stew simmer slowly for 1 ½-2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the barley is tender and the stew is thickened.
- Garnish with the remaining cilantro.
Involve the children:
- Chopping: Ours started working with a child safety knife (we got ours at Ikea) when they were 3. A little one can also use a butter knife to chop the celery.
- Tearing: Who says cilantro has to be chopped? Let them go to town tearing it up.
- Dumping in ingredients and stirring.
- Measuring: Toddlers love filling containers. Give them a measuring cup and a bag of lentils, and let them fill it up.
- Washing and sorting lentils: A good opportunity for water play! Put the lentils in a sieve in the sink and let your child run the water over them, mixing with their hands to get the lentils well-rinsed.
As you enjoy your soup, practice manners and kindness! Or try acting out the story as it is in the Bible, then let everyone offer their ideas on how the characters should have acted and do it again.
Explore it:
A Note from Tami
We all desire for our children to be generous and kind. But we may be less certain of how to incorporate that nurturing into their everyday lives. Of course, the first step is to reflect on our own lives and priorities. As with anything else, we can only teach that which we live. On top of that, we also want to be intentional in helping young ones gain a generous spirit and learn ways that they can demonstrate generosity in their own lives. These articles may provide some helpful ideas for you.
* How kindness fits into a happy life
* Teach kindness: 4 ways to raise kids who aren’t jerks
* Helping children embody the spirit of generosity
A Note from Tami
We all desire for our children to be generous and kind. But we may be less certain of how to incorporate that nurturing into their everyday lives. Of course, the first step is to reflect on our own lives and priorities. As with anything else, we can only teach that which we live. On top of that, we also want to be intentional in helping young ones gain a generous spirit and learn ways that they can demonstrate generosity in their own lives. These articles may provide some helpful ideas for you.
* How kindness fits into a happy life
* Teach kindness: 4 ways to raise kids who aren’t jerks
* Helping children embody the spirit of generosity
