Hanukkah is the Jewish festival of lights. The holiday celebrates the miracle of one day's worth of oil lasting eight days and nights long in the Temple as the Jewish warriors known as the Macabees fought off the Hellenist invaders. The holiday is celebrated with gift giving and ornate meals. However, it's possible to have a heart-healthy Hanukkah meal.
Step 1
Make some vegetarian latkes instead of the traditional fried potato latkes. Many Jewish foods are heavy, fatty, oily and somehow mouthwatering. All of these words can be used to describe traditional potato latkes. However, you can make vegetable latkes by combining baked potatoes (no butter or oil) with chopped broccoli. Bake them in the oven instead of frying them in oil.
Step 2
Make a mock-chopped liver to avoid the fat and calories that are in the traditional version. Chopped liver consists of chopped chicken livers, chicken fat, onions and garlic. However, you can avoid the calories and high fat by combining lentils, walnuts, and brown rice to get an appetizer that looks and feels like the original.
Step 3
Use white-meat chicken as your main course instead of fried chicken or roasted meats. White-meat chicken is heart-healthy and low in fat and cholesterol. Fried chicken is heavy, oily and high in fat. You want your family to be around for many more Hanukkah celebrations and you will want to serve them a heart-healthy main course.
Step 4
Prepare a stuffed tofu roast to keep your family healthy. Instead of roasting a turkey in its own fat, prepare your own tofu. After you have done this, hollow out the middle and stuff it with mushrooms, onions, celery and carrots. Cook for two hours at 400 degrees F.
Step 5
Make a vegan cheesecake to avoid the overpowering calories and fat in traditional cheesecake. Use tofu, soy milk, white sugar, vanilla extract and maple syrup instead of traditional ingredients like cream cheese, heavy cream and whole milk to make this dessert.
Tips and Warnings
- Be creative and don't be afraid to jump over traditions and make your own healthy meals.
