All year round I strive to maintain a balanced diet that is high in fiber and plant-based foods and low in saturated fats and refined, processed ingredients. But Passover is a real challenge when it comes to these universal dietary principles and I’m sure many of you can relate. Lets face it – by the time we eliminate chometz and kitniyot, options for healthy, balanced eating are quite limited and we find ourselves eating a lot of meat, dairy, matzah and potatoes as well as fatty condiments like margarine and mayonnaise. Also when it comes to matzah, you may think you’re just having a light meal, but some typical toppings can be high in fat, processed sugars and calories. Passover is definitely a time that the healthiest of eaters can find balanced and satisfying meals rather challenging for themselves and their families. The good news is that this is totally achievable with the right dietary approach and some careful planning. Here are the most important tips that I have for helping you accomplish this goal:

• Aim for a balance of starchy/carbohydrate foods, green vegetables, and protein-based foods for each meal. Starchy foods include potatoes, matzos and fruit. Protein-based foods include meat, fish, eggs, dairy products and nuts.

• Limit quantities of processed supermarket products like cookies, cereals, cakes and other deserts. They are often full of artificial ingredients and sugar. Bake your own treats so you can control what goes in.

• Check labels of packaged foods that you purchase in the supermarket. Added sugars and artificial ingredients are common in some kosher for Passover products especially sauces, condiments, cereals, and desserts.

• Consciously increase your fiber intake by eating vegetables for lunch, dinner and snacks, sticking to whole wheat matzah and eating fruit for dessert. SEE ARTICLE ON WHOLE WHEAT MATZAH- PROVIDE LINK

• Experiment with vegetables and plant-based foods that you don’t usually eat. For example, quinoa (ask your rabbi for kosher varieties), yams, purple potatoes, root vegetables, kale, watercress, and bok choy.

• Stick to eating only one or two pieces of matzah per meal. Try to find toppings that are light, natural, healthy, and filling – like tuna fish, organic reduced-fat cheese, avocado, grilled vegetables or fruity jams.

• Eat small amounts of healthy fats like olive oil or avocado for each meal for example. This will help increase satiety so you don’t end up overindulging on matzah or other starchy foods, which can cause blood sugar fluctuations.

• Make delicious vegetable soups that can be eaten as a snack with a piece of matzah.

Sauté potatoes in oil until crisp– about 20 minutes. Add onion and peppers and continue to fry for another 10 minutes. Add mushrooms if desired. Sprinkle with salt and paprika. Stir in brisket and cook over low flame for 10 more minutes. Serve immediately. Serves 8 hungry people.

Topping:
2 cups sour cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat eggs with milk and cottage cheese. Add lemon juice, sugar, and pineapple. Add matzo and mix again. Grease 9 x 13-inch pan. Pour mixture in and drizzle melted butter on top. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. Bake for 50 minutes. Cool. Top with sour cream mixed with sugar and lemon juice. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes.

Crust:
1 can chocolate macaroons
2 tablespoons margarine, melted
Crumble macaroons and mix with margarine. Press into bottom of tart pan. Refrigerate while you make the filling.

Filling:
1-3/4 cups pareve whip
1 pound semisweet chocolate, broken into pieces
2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon vanilla

Heat whip and chocolate over low heat, stirring until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Stir in egg yolks and vanilla and mix well. Cook over low heat until thick. Pour into the crust and chill for at least 4 hours. (I frequently keep in the freezer until about 1/2 hour before serving)

We invite you to taste a bit of history in every glass of Flegmann Wine. The Flegmann family was in the wine business for generations in the small town of Maad in the Tokay region of Hungary. Our father, Mr. Tibor Flegmann a”h, was born into a legacy of the finest kosher wine enjoyed by the most renowned Hassidic masters as well as the Rothchild Family and Kaiser Franz Joseph.

After the devastation of the Holocaust, our father had a dream to revive the Flegmann Family wine label. Late in his life this became a reality when he looked to the Judean Hills to be the new home for Flegmann Wine. Unfortunately Mr. Tibor Flegmann passed away shortly before the first bottles of Flegmann Wine were introduced. Today we, his children and grandchildren, are following in his footsteps and are committed to producing exceptional wine under our family name.

Our Cabernet Sauvignon was chosen last year by Time Out New York as one of four “Seder-worthy wines” and received a 90 point rating at the Beverage Tasting Institute. The Flegmann Merlot has been very well received by wine connoisseurs and is in very high demand.

We invite you to sample a small taste of history in every glass and make a “L’chaim” to Dovid Ben Moshe who is smiling from above.

Flegmann Wine is distributed by Royal Wines and sold in the finest wine stores.

Mrs. Lila Pfefferman

7 jumbo eggs (or 8 smaller eggs) separated
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 cup matza cake meal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup ground walnuts
½ cup orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:
1. Beat egg whites until stiff. Add half the sugar and blend. Set aside.
2. Beat the rest of the ingredients in the mixer.
3. Fold the egg white mixture into the batter.
4. Bake in a Tube Pan (coated with non-stick cooking spray) at 350 for one hour.

Mocha Cream
1. 1 stick of margarine (sweet unsalted)
2. ¾ cup confectioners sugar
3. 1 egg
4. 1 tablespoon melted coffee in 1 tsp of vanilla
5. 2 tablespoons cocoa

Beat all ingredients together until light and creamy.

Let cake cool before frosting. Cut the cake in half lengthwise. Cream the middle layer, cover with the top of cake and then cream the entire cake. Garnish with chocolate or whole nuts.

4 medium red potatoes, unpeeled
3 tablespoons margarine, melted
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon dried dill

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the potatoes lengthwise into wedges and bake for 45 minutes or until tender. Drizzle the potatoes with the melted margarine. Dust with the garlic salt and dried dill and roast for 10 -15 minutes more (or until a little browned and crispy).

Recipe by Levana Kirschenbaum of Levana’s catering and formerly Levana’s Restaurant in NYC. Levana currently gives food demonstrations and is actively at work on her new cookbook, Superfoods. Stay tuned for a sneak peak of her book or visit her at www.levanacooks.com.

You will never say your chicken breasts come out dry ever again. The marinating step is important here, so please do not skip it, the reward is a fabulous dish. Ingredients:

1 bunch basil, leaves only (about 1 cup packed)
1/2 cup olive oil
6 large cloves garlic
Coarsely ground pepper to taste
5 whole chicken breasts, medium size, skin on, bones out (ask your butcher to do this for you)
1 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Instructions:
In a food processor, form a paste with the basil, oil and garlic. Transfer to a mixing bowl, with the pepper and chicken, and marinate overnight.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange the chicken in one layer, marinade and all. Bake 15 minutes. Add the vinegar and bake 10 more minutes. Let them rest just a few minutes, then slice each breast across, you will get 3-4 thick slices per breast. Serve hot with all the cooking juices. Room temperature will be OK too.

By Simone Stromer, MD

There isn’t a cookbook these days that doesn’t include a recipe using quinoa. Usually it’s a vegetarian side dish, most often served accompanying the meat. Since it gluten-free, quinoa also seems to be popping up in cookies, breads and breakfast cereals as a wheat substitute. Quinoa, a grain-like seed native to South America, was cultivated originally by the Incas thousands of years ago; nowadays it is grown in North America. There is no doubt that the Incas were on the money—quinoa provides more amino acids, vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and phytonutrients than most grains. It has such a diverse profile of essential amino acids that some classify quinoa as a complete protein— meaning that it has the necessary quantities and proportions of amino acids to be considered as important a protein source as meat. As such, I recommend quinoa as a main dish for vegetarians and omnivores alike. For individuals watching their cholesterol or fat, substituting a meat meal for a quinoa-based meal is a good way to reduce your intake of saturated fats.

Two varieties of quinoa are usually available—cream-colored or red—each having their own distinctive flavors. The cream-colored variety has a smooth and creamy taste which lends itself well to hot dishes; the red variety has a crunchier and nuttier taste which is fantastic for cold salads garnished with nuts and other vegetables. Preparation for quinoa is similar to rice, but takes less time. First, thoroughly wash quinoa with running water and a strainer to remove soil and excess bitter resins. Then boil, covered, for about 10 minutes, drain, and mix with a drop of oil to loosen the seeds and avoid clumping. Hot or cold; breakfast, lunch, or dinner; sweet or savory, quinoa is a highly versatile food. My personal favorite is quinoa and blueberries sweetened with agave nectar for breakfast or cream-colored quinoa with cherry tomatoes, baby spinach, and feta cheese for lunch or dinner.