Tag: Horseradish

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Using Pesach Foods to Heal

By Sara Chana, IBCLC, RH (AHG)

Pesach used to be considered a time of constipation and ‘bad-food’ but today, we know that Pesach can be a time of ‘great-food’ filled with foods that cleanse, heal and rejuvenate. There are so many ways to use Pesach as a time to revitalize the system—you just need to know how.

Kneidel soup, macro.

  • Carrot juice is the best way to start the day. Carrot juice prevents and relieves constipation. It is important to keep your system flowing freely especially after you eat Matza. Drinking carrot juice first thing in the morning, before you eat is suggested, but you can drink it anytime.
  • Hot water with lemon is a great cleanser for your body. Lemon is a wonderful antioxidant and a great soothing form of vitamin C. Drinking this warm lemon drink throughout the day will also soften your stools. You can add honey to the warm drink if you use honey on Pesach.
  • Almond butter is easy to make and a delightful treat. Almonds are a powerful food with lots of medicinal benefits. Almonds lower the rise in blood sugar, they reduce inflammation in the body by lowering C-reactive protein levels, and the monounsaturated fats and vitamin E in almonds help maintain a healthy heart and cardiovascular system. To make almond butter, lay almonds out on a pan, bake for 45 minutes at 275o. Cool, and then put into a food processer. You do not need to add sugar or oil. The almond will first shred into flour then will congeal into a paste. One of my favorite Pesach snacks is to slice a banana, put a dollop of almond butter on the plate with a drizzle of honey and eat one banana slice with a little almond butter at a time. Wonderful!
  • Turmeric roots are a great addition to Pesach. Turmeric is a root that you can peel and add to your favorite recipes. Add it to soups, chicken, even kugels. It may not be our custom, but remember avocados did not grow in Russia! Turmeric reduces blood pressure and stops the growths of tumors. It is a powerhouse that is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic and is an anti-oxidant. Researchers are just beginning to recognize the amazing healing qualities of turmeric. Turmeric has been proven effective in treating: Arthritis, cancer, alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome, indigestion, inflammation, urinary tract infections, gallstones, bronchitis, colds, headaches and diarrhea.
  • Chicken soup is considered a medicine all over the world. When making your soup, be sure to add lots of vegetables. Adding vegetables like onions, turnips, zucchini and sweet potatoes makes the soup super-healing. When you eat your soup, take a minute to relax. Take a deep breath, exhale, and then sip it slowly breathing in the vapors and allowing the soup to heal your body.
  • Horseradish is world renowned for its healing properties. Horseradish is considered a super-food. The Glucosinolates found in horseradish are responsible for the hot taste of horseradish, and a recent study from the University of Illinois indicates that the substantial quantities of glucosinolates in horseradish can increase human resistance to cancer. Horseradish is a natural antibiotic and a powerful antioxidant. Studies have shown that horseradish root helps with sinus infections. So don’t just eat horseradish at the Seder. Add it to your salads, meat dishes and soups.

Make this Pesach a spiritual and physical time for growth and healing. You do not need to feel full and uncomfortable; you need to feel stronger, wiser and joyful.

Sara Chana, IBCLC, RH (AHG) is a lactation consultant, classical homeopath, registered herbalist, doula and mother of seven children. She has worked with over 10,000 new moms and babies. Please like her Facebook page Sara Chana and/or follow her on twitter. On May 1st she will be launching her Breastfeeding App with 102 original videos at www.sarachana.com!

Photo Credit: OhNuts!.com

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Root Vegetable Latkes with Lemon-Saffron Yogurt

Two nights left to cook = Two Way Latkes!!

Beet Latkes with Lemon Saffron Yogurt & Rutabaga Latkes with Horseradish Taramosalata

I’ll be the first to admit that potato latkes are really the best kind of latkes! Especially when they’re made well – crispy, thin and fresh out of the fry pan. Here are a couple of recipes using an assortment of other vegetables you can use to perhaps boost your intake of vitamins and minerals, and to add some variation, colour and seasonal freshness to your plate.

Ingredients:

  • 1lb mixed raw root vegetables such as rutabaga, golden beets, red beets and parsnip (other turnips, celeriac and carrots are also fine, although I haven’t tried them) peeled and shredded by hand or using a food processor.
  • 1 small or ½ a red onion, minced
  • 2-3 eggs
  • ¼ c flour (almost any flour, all-purpose, whole wheat, spelt and probably many gluten free flours are also fine)
  • 2 teaspoons salt (or just a pinch of salt if using mostly beets, too much salt will stifle their natural sweetness)
  • 3 grinds black pepper
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ C peanut or grapeseed oil, (approximately) for frying

For the Beet Latkes: 1 bunch lightly cooked beet greens, squeezed and chopped, 2 tablespoons of fresh mint and parsley, zest of ½ lemon,1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp tahini.

For the Rutabaga Latkes: 1 tsp caraway seeds toasted over the fry pan before you start your frying, 2 tablespoons dill and/or parsley.

Lemon Saffron Yogurt Sauce for the Beet Latkes courtesy of Yotam Ottolenghi

Ingredients:

  • 1 big pinch saffron threads
  • 250g Greek yoghurt
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • Salt

First make the sauce. Soak the saffron in two teaspoons of hot water for five minutes. Transfer this to a bowl, add the yogurt, oil, lemon juice, and salt to taste, and stir to combine. The sauce will keep well in the fridge.

Horseradish Taramosalata for the Rutabaga Latkes

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated horseradish
  • 2 tablespoon freshly chopped dill
  • 3 tablespoons carp roe or salmon caviar (vegetarians, just leave out. The dip is great either way).
  • Zest and juice from ½ a lemon (only if using the roe or caviar).
  • Salt
  • Combine everything and refrigerated until needed.

To make the latkes: Place all your ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly. I put disposable gloves on and get down and dirty. I use three eggs; the resulting mixture is lighter, fluffier, and will give you crispier latkes, but it will work fine with fewer eggs, or egg whites if cholesterol levels are a concern. Heat a fry pan with a good amount of oil on a medium flame, and drop spoonfuls of the latke mixture, flattening them with a spatula. When you jiggle the pan and the latke loosens and seems to hold its shape, it’s ready to be flipped. I like to press them thin and cook them quickly on a higher flame.

When deciding what vegetable to use with which sauce, the answer is that it doesn’t really matter. You could use the exact same mixture of root vegetables for either the “beet” or “rutabaga” latkes, and as long as you pair the right herbs and spices with the sauces, they’ll taste great.

A Freilachen Chanukah