Rosh Hashanah and Diabetes: A Lighter "Sweet New Year"
Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is just a few days away and I received a request from a WebMD producer who has diabetes and wants to enjoy all things Rosh Hashanah this year.
The producer reminded me that for this Jewish holiday, they wish each other a "sweet New Year" and serve sweet things like apples and honey, honey cake, sweetened carrots, fruit compotes etc. For example, her holiday menu includes:
First Tip: Think Sampler Sizes
In order to taste everything at the Rosh Hashanah table, have a small amount of everything - like apples and honey and apple challah; have just one matzo ball in the soup; enjoy the brisket in moderation; and have the fruit compote instead of the honey cake.
Second Tip: Lighten up the dishes that are rich and at the same time particularly desirable and comforting (and easy to over eat).
For our producer it's the carrot tzimmes and potato kugel that are her biggest challenge. My big challenge as THE RECIPE DOCTOR is that I have to lighten these recipes without using dairy products since the producer is serving meat (Kosher law prohibits the use of dairy products when serving meat). Here's what I did...complete with the new nutritional analysis!
Carrot Tzimmes
(Carrots are sliced into coins and eaten as a symbol of prosperity and good luck in the New Year)
1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced into coins
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
1/3 cup seedless golden raisins
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Minced fresh parsley
Mix everything except the parsley together in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer gently until the carrots are crisp tender, about 25 minutes. Remove the cover from the pan, raise the heat and cook the carrots until most of the liquid has evaporated and the sauce is thickened, about five minutes. Sprinkle the parsley on top and serve.
Serves 6
New Analysis Per Serving: 125 calories, 2 g protein, 26 g carbohydrate, 2.5 g fat, .2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 3.3 g fiber, 42 mg sodium (not including salt). Percent calories from fat: 17%
Light Changes: (In order to bring down the calories and grams of sugar a bit). I took out a tablespoon of non-dairy margarine and upped the orange juice by a tablespoon. I also cut the honey and brown sugar in half (from 3 tablespoons to 1 1/2) and decreased the raisins from 1/2 cup to 1/3 cup.
Potato Kugel
1 large onion, grated
6 large potatoes, peeled and grated (about 1.75 pounds of potatoes before peeling)
2 eggs well beaten (higher omega-3 if available)
1/2 cup egg substitute (if you don't want to use egg substitute increase the higher omega-3 eggs from 2 to 4)
1/4 cup canola oil (in the old days this used to be schmaltz - rendered chicken fat!)
1/4 cup double strength or condensed chicken broth (low sodium chicken broth can be used)
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grate the onion first. Grate the potatoes and add to the onion to stop the potatoes from turning brown. Further chop half of this mixture with the blade of the food processor. This makes the kugel less dense. Mix everything together. Pour into a 2-3 quart rectangular casserole dish that has been coated with canola cooking spray. Bake for about an hour or until very brown and crusty. Cut in to squares to serve.
Serves 8
New Analysis Per Serving: 187 calories, 5.5 g protein, 23 g carbohydrate, 8.3 g fat, .9 g saturated fat, 53 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 91 mg sodium (not including salt to taste). Calories from fat: 39%
Light Changes: I cut the oil in half (from 1/2 cup to 1/4 cup) and specified canola oil which is higher in mono-unsaturated fats and plant omega-3s. I added some double strength chicken broth to compensate for the moisture loss and to add a nice chicken flavor. I also replaced half of the eggs called for with a nice egg substitute (like Egg Beaters) and suggested higher omega-3 eggs are used if available.
L'Shana Tova! Happy New Year!
~~Elaine
Related Topics: Technorati Tags: Rosh Hashanah recipes menu, diabetes, healthy cooking, carrot tzimmes, potato kugel
The producer reminded me that for this Jewish holiday, they wish each other a "sweet New Year" and serve sweet things like apples and honey, honey cake, sweetened carrots, fruit compotes etc. For example, her holiday menu includes:
Apples and Honey
Apple Challah (made round to symbolize the circle of life and the crown of the New Year)
Gefilte Fish
Matzo Ball Soup
Carrot Tzimmes
Beef Brisket
Potato Kugel
Fruit Compote
Honey Cake
--------------------------------------
First Tip: Think Sampler Sizes
In order to taste everything at the Rosh Hashanah table, have a small amount of everything - like apples and honey and apple challah; have just one matzo ball in the soup; enjoy the brisket in moderation; and have the fruit compote instead of the honey cake.
Second Tip: Lighten up the dishes that are rich and at the same time particularly desirable and comforting (and easy to over eat).
For our producer it's the carrot tzimmes and potato kugel that are her biggest challenge. My big challenge as THE RECIPE DOCTOR is that I have to lighten these recipes without using dairy products since the producer is serving meat (Kosher law prohibits the use of dairy products when serving meat). Here's what I did...complete with the new nutritional analysis!
----------------------------------------
Carrot Tzimmes
(Carrots are sliced into coins and eaten as a symbol of prosperity and good luck in the New Year)
1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced into coins
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
1/3 cup seedless golden raisins
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Minced fresh parsley
Mix everything except the parsley together in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer gently until the carrots are crisp tender, about 25 minutes. Remove the cover from the pan, raise the heat and cook the carrots until most of the liquid has evaporated and the sauce is thickened, about five minutes. Sprinkle the parsley on top and serve.
Serves 6
New Analysis Per Serving: 125 calories, 2 g protein, 26 g carbohydrate, 2.5 g fat, .2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 3.3 g fiber, 42 mg sodium (not including salt). Percent calories from fat: 17%
Light Changes: (In order to bring down the calories and grams of sugar a bit). I took out a tablespoon of non-dairy margarine and upped the orange juice by a tablespoon. I also cut the honey and brown sugar in half (from 3 tablespoons to 1 1/2) and decreased the raisins from 1/2 cup to 1/3 cup.
****************************
Potato Kugel
1 large onion, grated
6 large potatoes, peeled and grated (about 1.75 pounds of potatoes before peeling)
2 eggs well beaten (higher omega-3 if available)
1/2 cup egg substitute (if you don't want to use egg substitute increase the higher omega-3 eggs from 2 to 4)
1/4 cup canola oil (in the old days this used to be schmaltz - rendered chicken fat!)
1/4 cup double strength or condensed chicken broth (low sodium chicken broth can be used)
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grate the onion first. Grate the potatoes and add to the onion to stop the potatoes from turning brown. Further chop half of this mixture with the blade of the food processor. This makes the kugel less dense. Mix everything together. Pour into a 2-3 quart rectangular casserole dish that has been coated with canola cooking spray. Bake for about an hour or until very brown and crusty. Cut in to squares to serve.
Serves 8
New Analysis Per Serving: 187 calories, 5.5 g protein, 23 g carbohydrate, 8.3 g fat, .9 g saturated fat, 53 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 91 mg sodium (not including salt to taste). Calories from fat: 39%
Light Changes: I cut the oil in half (from 1/2 cup to 1/4 cup) and specified canola oil which is higher in mono-unsaturated fats and plant omega-3s. I added some double strength chicken broth to compensate for the moisture loss and to add a nice chicken flavor. I also replaced half of the eggs called for with a nice egg substitute (like Egg Beaters) and suggested higher omega-3 eggs are used if available.
****************************
L'Shana Tova! Happy New Year!
~~Elaine
Related Topics: Technorati Tags: Rosh Hashanah recipes menu, diabetes, healthy cooking, carrot tzimmes, potato kugel
1 Comments:
Thanks for the recipes Elaine. They look delicious. I'm actually going to try them tonight. L'Shana Tova - Happy New Year to you!
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