Healthy, tasty Passover treats

Source: Web exclusive: April 2008

Passover, the Jewish holiday commemorating the Exodus from Egypt, can be both a joy and a challenge. Family time, lots of traditional food and festival meals and the fact that it marks the beginning of spring are the fun parts. The dietary restrictions associated with the holiday – less so.

Because Israelites fled Egypt in a hurry and had no time for bread to rise, Jews are banned during the eight days of Passover from eating chametz – bread and pasta products, and for some, legumes, rice and corn. In order to ensure that other food products haven’t been in contact with chametz, all grocery products other than produce have to be certified Kosher for Passover.

From matzo balls to gefilte fish, lots of traditional Jewish recipes have been adapted to meet Passover regulations, and unfortunately, many pack a fat and calorie wallop. While I’m not one to mess with my grandmother’s heirloom recipes, I do struggle to find lighter options for Chol Hamoed, the middle days of Passover, when festival meals aren’t required. When it comes to lunches, the kosher requirement makes the food court an impossibility and brown-bagging a must. But since I can’t resort to my usual slap-it-between-two-pieces-of-bread routine, the midday meal poses its own challenges.

Here are some Passover-friendly lighter meal options that make for an easy, portable lunch or dinner during Chol Hamoed.

Mediterranean Roasted Vegetable Soup

So hearty you won’t miss the carbs

New Potato Salad

Many potato salads rely on Dijon mustard, which isn’t kosher for Passover, to jazz up the flavour. This creamy version is a great side for grilled fish

Chicken and Mango Salad

A fresh, tasty way to use any cooked chicken you have left over from your Seder

Garden Tuna and Bell Pepper Salad

There’s nothing boring about this colourful salad, good for a portable lunch or light dinner

Chocolate-Nut Meringue Cookies

To make kosher for Passover icing sugar, blend 1 cup plus one tablespoon granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon potato starch in a food processor

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