Passover

blakgarnet
blakgarnet Posts: 343
edited September 26 in Food and Nutrition
Any other members of the tribe going to keep kosher for Passover next week along with trying to stay within calories? last year I didn't log in food and just focused on keeping kosher... needless to say I had matzo with almond butter and nutella for 7 days - not great on the scale readings. I am planning on making a bunch of things in advance this year - haroset, matzo balls, kugel, brisket and probalby some kosher for passover sweets (I did buy some store bought macaroons since my attempts have failed in the past). Any advice on keeping these things lower calorie or other ideas? I will certainly load up on fruits, veggies and lower calorie proteins.

Replies

  • Stooooo
    Stooooo Posts: 1,191 Member
    Any other members of the tribe going to keep kosher for Passover next week along with trying to stay within calories? last year I didn't log in food and just focused on keeping kosher... needless to say I had matzo with almond butter and nutella for 7 days - not great on the scale readings. I am planning on making a bunch of things in advance this year - haroset, matzo balls, kugel, brisket and probalby some kosher for passover sweets (I did buy some store bought macaroons since my attempts have failed in the past). Any advice on keeping these things lower calorie or other ideas? I will certainly load up on fruits, veggies and lower calorie proteins.

    Going to try to keep kosher
  • boku70
    boku70 Posts: 80
    Great question--I've been struggling with this, myself. I'm normally very strict about adhering to the rules.

    I've decided that, for this year, I'm going to adhere to the medically directed diet I'm following. The Law says, for instance, that it is permissible not to fast--indeed, one *shouldn't* fast--on Yom Kippur if it will impair one's health. So that's the guidance that I'm taking.

    But it feels weird, and like I said, I'm uncomfortable with it. But (G-d-willing) I should be able to celebrate many more Passovers as a result of the change I'm making. (And, yes, as you suggested, Pesach's never a real heart-healthy time for me, either--especially with all the buttered matza.)

    Good luck, and Chag Sameach! :-)
  • sharoniballoni
    sharoniballoni Posts: 163 Member
    I don't know how much I'll keep kosher, but I don't know if I'll bother buying any matzo. I already rarely eat bread, so why add in something when there are plenty of kosher for Passover foods that I can eat, like fruits, veggies, nuts, eggs, fish? Obviously when I do the Passover dinner with my family, I won't bother logging... that will be full of fattening things. But the rest of the week is all up to me! :)
  • waverly9876
    waverly9876 Posts: 605 Member
    I used to keep it..but then I would get really really sick. My mom makes some healthy stuff so when I talk to her, Ill ask her and let you know. Good luck!!
  • workoutqueen628
    workoutqueen628 Posts: 220
    So I'm also going to try to keep passover- although I'm a college student, so it's kinda of difficult to do sometimes. But my campus is really great about having kosher for passover options in the cafeteria. So here's the lo-down on passover- most of the food (cookies, cakes, etc.) that are available are high in calories and not tasty at all...so my philosophy is why eat them?! Of course you shouldn't deprive yourself of anything, so if this stuff appeals to you, then everything is okay in moderation. But really, you can eat healthy during passover- high protein, low carb, lots of fruits and veggies!!! I eat a lot of eggs, salads, veggies, cheese, yogurt, milk, smoothies w/ protein powder, lots and lots of fruits. If you stick to all this stuff, you will stay full and satisfied and won't go for the mediocre passover junk food that really isn't worth the calories. Best of luck!!! Feel free to friend me. :)
  • Wendysworld13
    Wendysworld13 Posts: 225 Member
    Keeping Kosher for passover should not be a problem. Basically we are cutting out the grains and legumes. So, do it. If you regularly have 100 calories of bread, thats 1 matzo board. If you regularly eat veggies, fruit and protien, do it - not issues with Kl'pesach, just omit the foods you can't have - walnuts, peanuts, etc. Depending on whether you are safardic or ashkinazi depends on what you choose to do about rice. As for sweets, you have to decide what you really need.
    I find it is a good time to clearly look at what I am eaing and decide if my healthy is more important than a second knadloch (and we have cajun matzo balls that are out of this world). Load your soup with fresh veggies and one will be sufficient. And Gefilte fish is very low in calories.
    It is a great holiday and you should not have to struggle. Continue to measure and log your food. And do an extra workout before the sedars - it will help you pass on the extremesand crave the healthy, and if you do slip and have some extra, then you have already worked off those calories so you can still feel good about your day.
    Please share your success with me - friend me, I would love to know how you did!
  • ohnuts14
    ohnuts14 Posts: 197
    Unfortunately I haven't kept kosher for passover since I was little, but my advice would be to stick to your regular healthy diet, lots of fish, fruits, vegetables, just minus the bread, noodles (if you're ashkenazi, I'm sephardic and from what I was told we're allowed to eat noodles on passover), anything with corn syrup in it, etc, etc. You know the drill. I don't know of a healthier alternative to matzah. Just don't eat too much of it. You don't want to eat too much of it anyway, the aftermath is never fun. =P Also, I know most traditional jewish foods are loaded with oils, sodium and fat, so look for recipes online or something that offer healthier alternatives, I'm sure there has to be something somewhere. I'll look around and let you know if I find anything!
  • blakgarnet
    blakgarnet Posts: 343
    Thanks all! all the suggestions are greatly appreciated... doesn't seem like it should be too hard! Happy Passover to all and welcome to this season!
  • jsric
    jsric Posts: 26
    The hardest parts will be the Seders....I anticipate that I'll have a little weight gain by Wed. morning but I hope to get back on track then. My goal will be not to be frustrated by any gains! Bottom line is I love this holiday and I love spending it with my family! Hag Sameach to all!
  • jilllk84
    jilllk84 Posts: 26 Member
    There is an amazing recipe in The Passover Table by Susan Friedland for Vegetable Cutlets- we made them tonight and they look amazing. There is only a little bit of Matzah meal in it along with only two tablespoons of oil. Let me know if you all want the recipe.
  • nachisdoll
    nachisdoll Posts: 192 Member
    I find passover/pesach refreshing...my in laws are very strict with passover food they only eat homemade food they dont buy things that are proccessed...well almost nothing (they buy oil, sugar, salt, wine, grape juice, hand made whole wheat matza, milk, yogurt-plain, cottage cheese) So the foods are generally healthy...although this morning I woke up to french fries my mother in law pealed sliced and fried a helluva lot of potatoes...my kids will love them when we go out later!!! But my hard part is exercise....when do I get to exercise?!?!? I told my husband NO MATTER WHAT today I need an hour to go running and then 20 min to shower and dress BEFORE we go anywhere with the kids! Well good luck my passover keeping and non passover keeping friends!
  • Niceven
    Niceven Posts: 25 Member
    Ah to be kosher and on a diet. I haven't been able to do both. Mostly because halfway through Pesach, I forget and eat something I shouldn't. But then, I think it's harder to be kosher than it is to be on a diet.
  • beccala18
    beccala18 Posts: 293 Member
    I am trying to keep Passover this year. My hardest part is figuring out what to do for breakfast! I eat oatmeal most mornings, so that is currently replaced with matzah and strawberry jam/peanut butter. I don't have time to make breakfast before work - any other quick ideas?
  • nachisdoll
    nachisdoll Posts: 192 Member
    yogurt
  • blakgarnet
    blakgarnet Posts: 343
    I am trying to keep Passover this year. My hardest part is figuring out what to do for breakfast! I eat oatmeal most mornings, so that is currently replaced with matzah and strawberry jam/peanut butter. I don't have time to make breakfast before work - any other quick ideas?

    whole wheat matzo with a tablespoon of almond butter and sliced strawberries - yum yum
  • DKaye09
    DKaye09 Posts: 109
    I am trying to keep Passover this year. My hardest part is figuring out what to do for breakfast! I eat oatmeal most mornings, so that is currently replaced with matzah and strawberry jam/peanut butter. I don't have time to make breakfast before work - any other quick ideas?

    Matzah brei
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