I posted something over in the recipes section but I thought I'd also post a more general question here.
I'm looking for Passover recipes and good Passover substitutions.
Anyone have any good recipes (especially main dishes for the Seder or desserts (no dairy)?
Also, almost all the nifty tricks I use the rest of the year aren't available during Passover. There is no equal, no Wonderslim, no Splenda. What do people do to substitute for these items that have become staples in my cupboard?
Alyson,
Passover is a challenge, but I've found certain things that are helpful. (Caveat: I'm not as careful as some about everything being heckshered, so some of my ideas may not really be K-for-P. Keep your eyes peeled for a post on this topic from Ziner/Dina--now her hashgacha you can trust!)
- canned gefilte fish is surprisingly tasty and low in points. I use the Rokeach brand; it tastes most like my grandmother's mostly-carp recipe. They are 1 point/piece and horseradish is free. This makes a fine lunch.
- You can make matzah balls from the mix (my mother would have you think this is not possible). The Streit's mix calls for a quarter cup of oil--ignore this. I think I use a tablespoon or two. And when it's not Pesach, I use egg beaters. Doubt these would work for you, but you could use egg whites--that's what egg beaters are anyway. Once I discovered how easy it is to make matzah balls this way, I make them most weekends all year. You can serve matzah ball soup as your main meal, as long as there are plenty of matzah balls. Made with reduced oil and egg white/beaters, they are quite low in points. Calculate the calories/fat/fiber for the whole batch and divide by the number of balls you are making (I make a lot of little ones).
- Egg white/beater omelettes are a good breakfast (or dinner option). Fill with onions and mushrooms. Serve with hash browns. I use Simply Potatoes (don't know if they are k-for-p) cooked in a non-stick pan with very little oil.
- Lighten up a potato kugel by mixing in some mashed cauliflower (really!) and grated carrot. This has a sweeter taste than the usual kugel but it went over reasonably well at our seder table. I made another (not light) kugel that had onions and mushrooms. This year I may combine all five vegetables into one kugel.
There is a kosher cooking web site that a member who posts here as LSS (Linda) runs. I don't know the address but if you do a search, you'll probably locate it. She's a WW too, so I think she has some light recipes.
You can find tons of Passover recipes at our
Classic Jewish Recipe Archives: (don't forget to sign our guestbook!!)
jewish-food.org
Check under the Passover category- there are hundreds of recipes, lots which can be adapted to WW. I absolutely agree with everything Bumby said- in fact I used to panic this time every year (this is my 3rd year on WW)- now I don't worry at all. I stick to fresh fruit and veggies, chicken and fish as much as possible and try to keep my matzo consumption low! Actually, I now buy whole wheat matzo whenever I can find it (the selection of kosher foods in my area is quite limited) for use during the year. It has fiber in it! However I don't think they make a KP version.... There are also several terrific lowfat Jewish cookbooks....check them out! Faye Levy's is wonderful. Another thought...why not try a vegetarian seder? I did one 2 years ago which was lots of fun. Lastly- don't deprive yourself!! With proper planning you an enjoy lots of your Pesach favorites!!
I don't have too much to add on your specific question, but since Bumby has deemed me the authority on kashruth (which I'm not).....
One of the things I used a lot last year (and intend to use this year) are Pepetti's egg whites. They come in a carton and are OU-P all year. As for sweetners, I know that Sweet 'N Low is kosher-for-Passover each year. Hopefully Equal will follow suit soon.
When I get a chance I'll post a recipe for Chewy Cocoa Meringue cookies that is from the 365 Low-Fat Recipes cookbook. The only thing it calls for that I can't get is Cream of Tartar, but they come out fine without them. Note: you can't use the Pepetti's egg whites for those because they don't whip well. You have to use real egg whites.
My grandmother makes chocolate-nut-wine cakes and lemon cakes each year. I know I calculated the points one year and it wasn't outrageous. They don't have a ton of fat in them (obviously the lemon is a better points-value than the chocolate), and if they're done right come out very light and fluffy (you separate the eggs, whip the whites separately and fold them into the rest of the batter right before baking). I'll put those recipes in Master Cook and post them as well.
Bumby was talking about good lunches, and I'd like to add to her list hard-boiled eggs with veggies, a package of Empire Roasted Turkey (1.5 pts for 4 oz) with salad (I use balsamic vinegar as dressing), or tuna packed in water on salad. I'm not sure if they make them for Passover, but during the year Season makes sardines packed in tomato sauce which are low in points.
My mom makes kugels that are similar to the ones that Bumby described. I think she actually does a souffle-type thing where she folds the veggies and stuff into whipped egg whites (yes, there's a lot of egg-white whipping in my mom's house on Pesach). I'll see if she has a recipe, but knowing her, it's 'a little of this, and a little of that...'.
Linda - FYI, I know that I've seen kosher-for-Passover whole wheat matzos. However, I found them more cardboardy than the year-round wheat matzos. I also know there was a web site last year that was selling oat bran (I think -- it was definitely oat) matzos, but they were quite expensive.
I'll post again after I've put those recipes up.
Dina
Thanks for the recipes, Dina. I may try the meringues. Just noticed that Manischewitz macaroons are 1 point each--not too bad--but DH hates coconut so he'll appreciate the meringues.
I just spotted a brand of kosher cheese that had reduced fat slices and "light" shredded mozzarella. It was heckshered Kosher for Passover. Never seen the brand before--HaOlam. This has potential for matzah lasagna.
I just posted a few Passover dessert recipes over in the Desserts area. I'm going to use two of those three this year. I've gone wandering the net but haven't found any recipes which have interesting substitutes legal for Passover.
I did put up a stew recipe under Vegetarian which is almost ok for Passover. Thoughts on converting the legumes are appreciated.
Bumby - I saw the Haolam shredded mozarella in my supermarket as well. Looked interesting, but DH doesn't tend to like 'light', so we just went for the Milk N' Honey Part-Skim. If I were doing a lasagna (as opposed to matzoh-pizza) I probably would have bought it. The meringues are really easy, but they do take up your oven for a long time. I've thrown them in, run errands, and come back to take them out. I figure my house isn't going to burn down from my oven being at 200 degrees while I'm not home.
Alyson - as for 'interesting' substitutes, it's a little hard. My mom has a very good mandelbrot recipe, but it's not exactly WW-friendly. Another thing that we're going to be doing is Turkey Meatballs -- instead of bread crumbs I'll use matzoh meal, dried minced onion, and any heckshered Italian spices I can find (although I'm not terribly hopeful), over Passover spaghetti. During the holiday, I just tend to eat more whole foods and not be as creative.
but I found these great Kosher dark chocolate mint patties made by Manshevitz (sorry sp). They
are better than York! Plus, one serving (two) of them have five grams of fiber. I think two is only one point.
My aunt makes seder and knows I'm vegetarian, so she's kind enough to accomodate me and they make perfect WW eats. You might like some of the suggestions.
She uses oodles of veggies (carrots, parsnips, probably others) in her matzo ball soup. I started off dinner with the soup and A LOT of the veggies. I usually start getting full by the time I finished the bowl.
Another dish she made, which I modified becuase I was a healthy eating vegetarian, I believe comes from The Jewish Cookbook and is a vegetable kugel (no noodles). It's made with mostly carrots, celery, and onion and just enough mazto meal to hold it together. The original recipe had oil and eggs in it, but my recipe doesn't taste diet. It's very easy to make with a food processor. Let me know if you'd be interested in the recipe and I'll post it.
Are legumes and rice KforP? If so, you can substitute soy milk or rice milk for regular milk in many recipes. When I was young we'd have matzo "cereal" with a sprinkle of sugar on top and warm milk. Use matzo farfel or just break matzo into smallish peices. Top with vanilla soy milk (if allowed) and you'll have a great breakfast. Also, if legumes are allowed, you might want to check out the vegetarian section in the grocery store, where there will be lots of soy based products.
For dessert, why not have a fresh fruit salad with GOOD fresh fruit--Del Monte Gold Pineapple, mangoes, kiwi, melons, strawberries, and grapes.
I'm going to be in Philadelphia for a week next month, in Center City. I'm not that familiar with the area though I visit often. Can you recommend a vegetarian restaurant or a place with great vegetarian dishes? I love sushi so I know of a couple good places for that! Thanks so much!
REC, I'm a Philly girl myself- grew up, got married there...in fact, all of my family still lives in the suburbs or in Cherry Hill. Even though we've been in Florida for 15 years, I still miss certain things about "home."
What area do you live in?
Girlie...enjoy your trip! I know there used to be an Israeli dairy restaurant in Center City...tiny place somewhere (I think) between Market and Chestnut on either 11th or 12th St. I believe it is called Maccabee or something close to that. Also, there used to be a kosher Chinese restaurant in the Northeast...sorry but I don't remember the name. Oh- check around the Penn campus for vegetarian restaurants.
I've posted 2 Passover dessert recipes that were in my local paper today...
Hi Girlie and LSue. I'm really an import here. Came from New Jersey (northern) about 20 years ago. I live in Center City, around 17th and South Streets.
Unfortunately, there aren't too many vegetarian restaurants here, like there are in other cities. The most likely scenerio are cafeteria line style at the healthfood stores:
Essene--4th and Monroe (near 4th and South). I think this place has the best vegetarian food and the best selection (perhaps 4 or 5 "main" coarses (all vegan, I believe) plus lots of veggie items) and I do get things here often and is inexpensive ($6.50 per pound). They also have a nice selection of vegan fresh baked goods and juices. I wish they would make a cookbook. I think they stay open til 8 or 9pm. If they have the Timbuktu Tofu, it's great (made with coconut milk, so I try to not eat any of the excess sauce). If you eat in, they'll serve your food on glass plates with silverware. The other grocery store/ restaurant places are strictly plastic.
Center Foods--on Locust between 16th and 17th. Not as good a selection as Essene, but closer. I've eaten here a couple of times and it's been good.
There's another place on the corner of 20th or 21st and Walnut, but I forget their name (it's on the south side of Walnut). I love the smells coming from there, but I'm very salt sensitive and have had to trash about half the food I've bought there. It's very good, but I just cannot take the sodium.
Fresh Fields--10th and South Streets and also 20th and Callowhill, near Ben Franklin Parkway and the main branch of the library.
For regular restaruants:
Singapore Vegetarian Restaurant in Chinatown. It's on Race Street between 10th and 11th. It's good (I've only eatten there once), but if you go to NJ (Haddonfield I believe), they have another branch (eatten many times), which I think is better.
Maccabeam Restaurant (kosher, dairy, I believe) 128 S. 12th Street. This is the one LSue suggested. I haven't been there.
Unfortunately, that is all I know for downtown. Pretty pitiful for such a large city. There are Indian restaurants around and they have veggie selections. Also, I'm sure there are more restaurants in West Philadelphia, near U of Penn, but I just don't know them.
If you eat fish, Devon Grill on Rittenhouse square is really good. Expect $20 per main course.
If you're looking for a walking route, Penn campus via Locust Walk is nice. Or, walk to the Art museum. If you have the time, there is a walking path behind the Art museum that parallels the Schyulkill River. If you go to Essence, South Street Stores stay open til midnight, so that's walkable, too.
If I can help you in any way, send me a private message with your email. I'll send you my email and phone number.
Hi there REC: A bunch of valid questions have been raised in this thread about what defines Kosher l'pesach. The truth is, there are only 5 species that are deemed chometz -- barley, rye, oats, wheat, and spelt. End of story. Legumes and rice really are KLP. However, we need to understand the customs and the tradition of the region we are dealing in. Sephardic Jews always eat rice during pesach -- it is too much a staple in their cuisine. Many Ashke**** Jews have for some reason omitted peanuts and legumes from pesach and there is no Halachic reason to do so. (Why would SPLENDA, EQUAL, etc. be unfit for pesach? Because the companies have not paid for OU certification?) I don't know. In the meantime, knowing that "leavened" products are not permissible, how come, in my Orthodox neighborhood, I found a bottle of kosher l'pesach baking powder? I mean, WHAT IS UP with that? the rules vary. Make it your own. and, my wishes to all for a very sweet Pesach, and a happy Easter.
A friend of mine (definitely Ashke****c) declares herself Sephardic every Passover. That way she can have rice.
It's true that the definition of chometz is pretty specific. The rest of the stuff that's not ok seems to go by the term kittniyos--legumes, anything that sprouts, anything you COULD grind into flour (corn)...
Even within those prohibitions, there are some confusing inconsistencies--peanut oil is O.K.; some think corn syrup is O.K. (there are corn-syrup sweetened marshmallows in our grocery's Pesach section and the "hecksher" consists of a whole quote on the matter from some rabbi or other). A rabbi friend (the person DH studied with for conversion) explained that kittniyos were already a step removed from chometz (fence around the law and all that) so the oils/syrups were even ANOTHER step away, and were o.k. By that reasoning, you'd expect soy MILK to be o.k., but maybe not soy flour. So maybe soy SAUCE as well? I'll have DH look into it.
I can get potato noodles in the Korean grocery--they are the cellophaney things they use in chap-chae. I guess those would be acceptable?
I know there used to be an Israeli dairy restaurant in Center City...tiny place somewhere (I think) between Market and Chestnut on either 11th or 12th St. I believe it is called Maccabee or something close to that. Also, there used to be a kosher Chinese restaurant in the Northeast...sorry but I don't remember the name. Oh- check around the Penn campus for vegetarian restaurants.
