arts&life
eat right now
STACY’S
PASSOVER SWAPS
Happy,
HEALTHY
Passover
I
Stacy Goldberg
Contributing Writer
n the first Passover feast, the Jews ate roast lamb,
bitter herbs and matzah before they fled from Egypt.
Today, our Passover feasts include the food men-
tioned above and then some — matzah-ball soup, mat-
zah kugel, tzimmes, brisket, macaroons and chocolate-
covered matzah.
For many, the seder is just the beginning of a week
filled with carbohydrate heavy, calorically dense foods.
However, Passover can be a delicious opportunity to
celebrate with colorful, nutrient-rich foods filled with
vitamins and minerals.
Here are some tips to make your Passover a healthy
and nourishing one:
Charoset is a delicious side dish that can be satisfying,
filling and used as a staple during the week. The mixture
of apples, nuts, cinnamon and wine provide dietary fiber,
The holiday of Passover can be a
delicious opportunity to celebrate
with colorful, nutrient-rich foods.
which is helpful for digestion, lowering cholesterol, sta-
bilizing blood sugar and providing satiety. The nuts in
charoset are a good source of healthy fats and protein,
which also help prevent hunger cravings later in the day.
Charoset may even satisfy the sweet tooth, halting you
from grabbing Manischewitz fruit slices at the end of the
day, and it is a great addition to breakfast. Experiment
with different types of nuts in your charoset such as
almonds, pistachios, walnuts and pecans. Feeling run
down during Passover? Charoset provides vitamin C
and boosts immunity. By combining apples and oranges
in your recipe, you will jump start your immune system
during what can be a stressful week for many families.
Hard-Boiled Eggs are a mainstay during the seder but
can also extend into the entire week of Passover. When
preparing your hard-boiled eggs for your seder, make an
extra dozen to keep in your refrigerator. Eggs make for
easy portable protein and a quick addition to a breakfast
or snack. And don’t be afraid to eat the egg yolk — it pro-
vides vitamin D, biotin and fat, which help to also keep
46
March 16 • 2017
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you fuller longer. While it is factual that one egg yolk
contains 200 mg of cholesterol, eggs also contain nutri-
ents that may help lower your risk for heart disease.
Matzah and Matzah Meal Even though matzah
seems light, airy and cracker-like, it can be very caloric
and carbohydrate dense when consumed in excess. One
piece of traditional matzah has approximately 80-120
calories, 20-25 grams of carbohydrate, less than 1 gram
of dietary fiber and 3 grams of protein. Gluten-free mat-
zah is an option today for anyone with celiac disease or
gluten intolerance; however, it is not necessarily lower in
calories, carbs or more nutritious. If you snack on mat-
zah, add healthy fats or proteins: Add 1 tablespoon of
peanut or almond butter to yours or make matzah pizza
with veggies, tomato sauce and cheese.
Matzah meal is another carb culprit this time of year
— filling, dense and leaves you feeling like you have a
baseball sitting in your stomach. Matzah-ball soup is
extremely filling and can be high in calories. Make your
soup healthier by increasing the amount of chicken (if
using) and add extra veggies such as kale, carrots and
onions, while decreasing the amount of matzah ball. Skip
the matzah ball altogether or make them golf-ball size
rather than baseball size. Eating half of the matzah ball
is another helpful strategy. Many recipes call for adding
both egg noodles and matzah balls to the soup — try to
choose one or the other.
Kugel Sweet, savory, potato, matzah — any way you
slice it, kugel can pack on the pounds with sugar and
carbs. If you do indulge, do so in moderation, keeping
your kugel portion small (think of the size of a computer
mouse as a serving) and choose only one variety at your
meal if more than one is offered. Experiment with new
alternatives like spaghetti squash or zucchini in place of
noodles, matzah meal or potatoes.
Desserts Passover desserts can be decadent, ranging
from macaroons to flourless chocolate cakes to sponge
cake. Keep moderation in mind and start by deciding
which dessert you will choose and fill the rest of your
dessert plate with fresh fruit. Skip the high sugar-pack-
aged macaroons and create your own version of this
heart-healthy dessert. Macaroons can be loaded with
protein and nourishing fats from coconut and almonds.
They can even be dipped in antioxidant-rich dark choco-
late. They are easy to prepare and can be made days
ahead of time and frozen. •
Look for recipes that do not use
added sugar or fruit juices, but rather
focus on natural sugars found in
fruit. Adding oranges, dates, apricots
or figs can also naturally sweeten
your charoset, desserts or even
entrees during Passover.
When boiling you r extra eggs for
the week, consider making a healthy
egg salad as a lunch option dur-
ing Passover. In fact, you may even
want to try making egg salad using
avocado in place of mayonnaise, and
spread on a piece of gluten-free or
whole-wheat matzah. If consuming
several eggs throughout the week,
keep your yolks in check by increas-
ing the ratio of egg whites to yolk (3
whites to 1 yolk).
Swap your traditional matzah
for whole-wheat matzah. You will
add 3 grams of dietary fiber, making
you feel more full and satisfied. There
are even high-fiber matzah options
on the market today with up to 7
grams of fiber per piece.
Get creative with your matzah
brei. Add bananas, pecans and cin-
namon to your traditional recipe to
boost your potassium, healthy fats
and calcium. Or add veggies such as
roasted sweet potato, mushrooms,
caramelized onions, tomatoes and
avocado for a rock-star breakfast.
Opt for mini kugels in muffin
tins to control portion size. Keep
your kugel recipe simple and savory
by eliminating added fruits or sugar.
Use olive oil instead of butter in your
recipes.
Get creative with cauliflower.
Cauliflower makes for an excellent
low-carbohydrate bread alternative
and can be used as a pizza crust
or substitute for bread on a grilled
sandwich. The cruciferous vegetable
contains vitamin C, potassium and
phytonutrients, which help to neu-
tralize damaging toxins in your body.
Cauliflower “rice” is also a great low-
carb alternative and can be used in
traditional rice dishes such as fried
rice — add Trader Joe’s fresh and fro-
zen organic riced cauliflower to any
dish. This nutritional powerhouse
can be substituted in traditional
favorites such as rice pudding, soups,
even mashed potatoes.
Opt for dark chocolate (70 per-
cent cacao) when making treats
such as chocolate-covered matzah.
Dip in chocolate then add super-
foods such as goji berries, raisins,
coconut, pistachios, chia seeds and
a dash of Himalayan pink salt for a
tasty treat. •