At Foodtrainers, we help clients, of all religions, adapt their food plans for various holidays. After all, we see many holidays as weight loss opportunities and recently suggested nonreligious lent for all. . Passover starts tonight at sundown, do not stop reading if you aren’t Jewish. An unleavened week isn’t a bad thing for anyone. I asked Market Melissa to present some of her favorite Passover snacks that are not only Kosher for Passover but Kosher for Foodtrainers as well. Take it away Melissa.
I find myself each year reviewing Passover food rules as I create client’s food plans. Some clients feel they can actually eat better during this week, while others struggle to find appealing snack choices. After all, there is only so much matzo (aka intestinal mortar) you and your digestive system can handle.
For those of you not familiar with the dietary rules, during Passover Jewish people refrain from eating chometz or hametz, which is anything that is leavened or fermented. This includes anything made from barley, wheat, rye, oats, and spelt. The exception is matzo, which is made from wheat, but has not been allowed to ferment. Many Jews, who don’t regularly keep a Kosher house, will clear their cupboards and fill their home with “Kosher for Passover” only food.
Here are some Foodtrainers’ top 10 Passover snacks that can be enjoyed all year round:
1. ½ a bar Matzel Toff Dark Chocolate Matzo (available in NYC at Zabars and Dean & Deluca)
2. 1 cup of Dannon Kosher for Passover plain yogurt with ¼ cup fruit compote
3. Mock (mushroom) Chopped Liver or 2 oz. Kosher for Passover Tuna wrapped in a large romaine leaf
4. 2 Medjool Dates with 1 oz. of Natural & Kosher Goat Cheese – slice dates in half, remove pit and spoon goat cheese into the 4 halves
5. Quinoa Almond Butter cookies *use Ancient Harvest Quinoa for Passover
6. Pesach Pizza: 1 Whole wheat matzo or Lakewood gluten free matzo 2 tbsp Geffen tomato sauce and 1/2oz natural and kosher pizza cheese (they actually have a pizza cheese).
7. Trader Joe’s individual trail mix and nut packs (We like the Go Raw Trek Mix)
8. 2 oz. Empire turkey slices rolled around 1/4 of an avocado (sliced) and a dash of lemon juice
9. 1 Haolam string cheese with 1 cup bell pepper and celery sticks (if you’re going to eat any matzo you need the fiber)
10. Pre-Seder Smoothie –1/2 frozen banana, 1 cup frozen strawberries, handful baby spinach, 1-2 tsp. chia seeds, honey. Combine ingredients in blender; add ice water to desired thickness (note frozen banana slices are a tasty treat on their own).
If you observe Passover are there any other snacks you enjoy? If you’re not Jewish would you consider an unleavened week? Do you ever find it difficult to follow food rules during a religious holiday?
I'm not Jewish, but quinoa almond butter cookies? Count me in!
Yum on the cookies X 2!
Intestinal mortar? I love it! 🙂
Love the idea of medjool dates with goat cheese. Can't wait to try it!
great tips love to learn about other cultures oh did you see me tweeting with ya you don't reply!
Great suggestions, thank you.
Heather- goat cheese/dates are fantastic. Warning, only "stuff" as many as you want to eat.
Even those I'm not jewish, I love Seder food. Especially Charoset.
I make the ballerest matzzo ball soup and it's my passover staple! ahhh I want some now! <3 =)
xoXOxo
Jenn @ Peas & Crayons
Mazel tov on an awesome post. I just shared it with my favorite healthy Jewish friends!
i love the idea of a pre-seder smoothie! really a pre-event/pre-holiday smoothie is a great idea all around, and a great way to get in fruits and vegetables during holiday weekends where they may be otherwise scarce.
oh these all look so good! not only are they good for jewish folks but are good overall 🙂
Love the turkey and avocado idea, I will certainly incorporate that into my snack/meal plan for this week! I also am a big fan of the matzah pizza idea. I'm not strict enough to require particular kosher cheese and sauce – we do kind of a "kosher style" for passover, and I'm lax enough to include things like beans and peanuts. But no bread and no meat with dairy, etc. My typical lunches are usually egg salad or tuna salad (with light mayo or greek yogurt) eaten with a little matzah. And snacks are mostly fresh fruits and vegetables. My husband and I try to look at it as a good way to jump-start a diet each year, spring is a good time for that. Passover is supposed to represent spring cleaning for your house, so why not for your diet as well?
Dates and goat cheese..yum! That is a delicious combo!
This was a great post! Always good for me to be able to provide this information to patients.
I too, am excited to try the goats and date cheese. Also, those quinoa almond butter cookies sound delicious! Have you tried the gluten-free matzo before? Just curious…I remember snacking on matzo crackers topped with butter as a kid. Loved that stuff!
I think this is not only for passover. I can consider them for my daily diet. I'm trying to avoid some junk foods and fastfood now so I think these foods are great alternative for my diet. 🙂
L'CHIAM
Always good for me to be able to provide this information to patients. This was a great post!
How about good old apples and peanut butter? (Or almond butter, if you don't do legumes–my family was never that strict.)