Giving Up Grains for Passover

Passover begins on the eve of March 30th, this coming Friday. Jews celebrate the Exodus--when we were freed from slavery and allowed to leave Egypt. Because we had to hurry, there was no time to let the bread rise. Therefore, during Passover, Jews eat only unleavened bread. This ban means no grains, no bread, nothing made from flour (except matzoh, of course) for eight days.

Although I did not grow up observing the Jewish holidays, as an adult I've chosen to honor this part of my heritage. When I understood the persecution my ancestors suffered and the sacrifices they made in order to retain their Judaism, I felt I needed to learn as much as possible about my religion. Passover is a joyous holiday, a celebration, and giving up grains for a week is a small price to pay for freedom.

In addition to following Jewish law, giving up grains has added benefits! Leaving grains out of your diet may reduce inflammation in the body, especially in the gut. Grains are notoriously high in calories and carbohydrates, so ditching grains might also mean weight loss. There are many more nutritious sources of carbs available--like veggies and fruit--so skipping grains is unlikely to result in any health problems. However, you may need to increase your water consumption in order to avoid constipation when first removing grains from the diet, especially if you normally consume whole grain products containing bran and fiber.

If you're thinking of dropping grains from your diet, whether just for Passover or perhaps for longer, there are some nutritious substitutions you should know about:

1) Nuts and seeds are full of healthy fats and proteins. You can use ground nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans, etc.) to make cakes, pie crusts, quick breads, pancakes, and cookies. (Of course if your goal is weight loss, you might want to refrain from baking all together, at least temporarily!) Baked goods using nut flours are popular during Passover, but are delicious all year round!

2) Cauliflower is the new rice! Grind up cauliflower in your blender or food processor to a fine consistency. Then steam or stir-fry for a grain substitute. Slice cauliflower into half-inch thick pieces and roast to make "chips" that you can turn into nachos. Cover roasted "chips" with cheese, salsa, sour cream, and guacamole to serve. You can even make mashed "potatoes" with steamed cauliflower by pulsing in the blender with butter and milk.

3) Quinoa is not a grain but an ancient seed! You can cook it just like rice. Once cooked, it can be blended into a cake batter (see my blog on Chocolate Quinoa Cupcakes) or tossed into a salad or stir-fried like rice. Quinoa has more protein than rice and adds a slightly nutty flavor to any dish.

4) If you are observing Passover AND trying to lose weight, go easy on the matzoh. Yes, it is allowed, but it is also made from refined flour and is fairly dense in terms of calories. A little goes a long way. The same goes for anything made with matzoh meal.

Enjoy your Passover holiday meals with your loved ones!