Healthy Passover Recipes

Simple Roast Chicken

There's no reason to get overly fussy with complicated techniques for a flavorful, rich and simple roast chicken, the ultimate comfort food.

Makes 8 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 15 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 2 hours 20 minutes

1 small onion, peeled and quartered
3 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered
3 sprigs fresh tarragon
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 5-pound chicken, giblets removed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 375F.
Place onion, garlic, tarragon and thyme into the cavity of the chicken. Tie the legs together with kitchen string, mostly closing the cavity opening. Pull the wings so the tips overlap on top of the breast; tie in place, wrapping string around the wings and body. Rub the chicken with oil, salt and pepper. Set in a roasting pan, breast-side down.
Roast the chicken for 25 minutes. Turn breast-side up and continue roasting, basting occasionally with pan juices, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, without touching bone, registers 175F, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Transfer to a cutting board; let rest for 10 minutes. Remove the string before carving.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per 3-oz. serving (without skin): 180 calories; 9 g fat (2 g sat, 5 g mono); 64 mg cholesterol; 1 g carbohydrate; 21 g protein; 0 g fiber; 300 mg sodium. Nutrition bonus: Selenium (30% daily value).

All recipes courtesy of EatingWell.com.

Lemon Lovers' Asparagus

Roast whole slices of lemon along with the asparagus for a beautiful look and sparkling, bright taste. Great with salmon.

Makes 4 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 10 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 25 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

2 bunches asparagus, tough ends trimmed
2 lemons, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Toss asparagus, lemon slices, oil, oregano, salt and pepper on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast, shaking the pan occasionally to toss, until the asparagus is tender-crisp, 13 to 15 minutes.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 91 calories; 7 g fat (1 g sat, 5 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 9 g carbohydrate; 2 g protein; 4 g fiber; 302 mg sodium; 241 mg potassium. Nutrition bonus: Folate (42% daily value), Vitamin C (90% dv), Vitamin A (25% dv). 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving. Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 1/2 fruit, 1 1/2 fat.

All recipes courtesy of EatingWell.com.

Carrot Saute with Ginger & Orange

Spiked with fresh ginger and orange juice, sauteed grated carrots make an appealing, textural side dish. To speed up preparation time, use a food processor to grate the carrots or purchase them already grated.

Makes 4 servings, 1/2 cup each

ACTIVE TIME: 10 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

2 teaspoons canola oil
3 cups grated carrots (6 medium-large)
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrots and ginger; cook, stirring often, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in orange juice and salt; simmer, uncovered, until the carrots are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with pepper and serve.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 69 calories; 3 g fat (0 g sat, 1 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 11 g carbohydrate; 1 g protein; 3 g fiber; 203 mg sodium. Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (200% daily value), Vitamin C (35% dv). 1 Carbohydrate Serving.

All recipes courtesy of EatingWell.com.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Balsamic Drizzle

A dark, tart syrup of reduced balsamic vinegar (an inexpensive brand is fine) is a sexy accent for oven-roasted sweet potato wedges. When making the drizzle, be sure to stand over the pan near the end: it can go from perfectly caramelized to horribly burned in just a few moments.

Makes 4 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 10 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 40 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3 medium)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup balsamic vinegar (make sure to buy one that is kosher-for-Passover)
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges. Place on the prepared baking sheet, drizzle with oil and toss well. Spread the wedges in a single layer and bake until tender when pierced with a knife, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven; season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, combine vinegar and honey in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until syrupy and reduced to 1/3 cup, 12 to 15 minutes. (Watch the syrup carefully during the last few minutes of reducing to prevent burning.) Swirl in butter and remove from heat. Drizzle the warm sauce over the roasted sweet potatoes.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 212 calories; 5 g fat (1 g sat, 3 g mono); 3 mg cholesterol; 42 g carbohydrate; 2 g protein; 3 g fiber; 197 mg sodium.

Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (420% daily value), Vitamin C (30% dv).

All recipes courtesy of EatingWell.com.

Outrageous Macaroons

These luxurious macaroons studded with pistachios and dried cranberries hail from food stylist Katie Webster. She made them three years ago when she was a personal chef for a gluten-intolerant client, then began selling them to a grateful crowd at her local farmers' market. Although you can concoct them with either sweetened or unsweetened coconut, we find that the unsweetened packs a more coconutty wallop. For a variation, substitute chopped crystallized ginger and mini chocolate chips for the pistachios and cranberries.

Makes about 55 cookies

ACTIVE TIME: 50 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 50 minutes

1 14-ounce can nonfat sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups sliced almonds
2 cups coconut flakes, preferably unsweetened
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped shelled pistachios
2 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon salt

Garnish (optional)
3/4 cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped shelled pistachios

Position racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 325F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Whisk condensed milk and almond extract in a large bowl until combined. Pulse almonds in a food processor (about 10 quick pulses) until broken unto small pieces. Stir the almonds, coconut, 1/2 cup cranberries and 1/2 cup pistachios into the condensed milk mixture.
Beat egg whites and salt in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. Fold 1/2 cup of the egg whites into the coconut mixture. Add the remaining egg whites, gently folding into the mixture until just combined. Drop 1 teaspoon of dough onto a prepared baking sheet and top with another teaspoon of dough, making a double-tall macaroon. Repeat with the remaining batter, spacing the macaroons 1 inch apart.
Bake the macaroons, switching the pans back to front and top to bottom halfway through, until the coconut is lightly golden, 18 to 22 minutes (sweetened coconut will brown faster than unsweetened). Let cool on the pans on a wire rack until cool to the touch, 30 minutes.
Optional garnish: Place 1/2 cup chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and melt in the microwave on Medium in 30-second bursts, stirring after each burst to ensure even melting, until completely melted. (Alternatively, melt the chocolate in a double boiler over hot water, stirring constantly.) Stir the remaining 1/4 cup chips into the melted chocolate until smooth. Drizzle or spoon the melted chocolate over the top of each cooled macaroon; sprinkle with cranberries and pistachios. Let the chocolate dry completely before storing or packing.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per cookie (with garnish): 85 calories; 5 g fat (2 g sat, 2 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 9 g carbohydrate; 2 g protein; 1 g fiber; 22 mg sodium.

Per cookie (without garnish): 69 calories; 4 g fat (2 g sat, 1 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 7 g carbohydrate; 2 g protein; 1 g fiber; 21 mg sodium.

All recipes courtesy of EatingWell.com.

Haroset Cake with Zabaglione Sauce

Haroset is a fruit-and-wine concoction eaten during the Passover Seder and said to represent the mortar that the Israelites used to build Pharaoh's temples. Here's a flourless cake that uses those flavors to create a dessert perfect for Passover - and with a luscious, thick, Italian sauce (pronounced zah-bahl-YOH-nay).

Makes 12 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 45 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 3 1/4 hours

EASE OF PREPARATION: Moderate

Cake
4 sheets whole-wheat matzah (5 ounces), broken into pieces
2/3 cup walnut pieces
1 tart green apple, peeled and diced
2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons white sweet dessert wine, such as Muscat or ice wine
5 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

Zabaglione sauce
6 egg yolks (including the 2 reserved in Step 3)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup white sweet dessert wine, such as Muscat or ice wine

To prepare cake: Preheat oven to 350F. Grind matzah in a food processor until powdery; transfer to a medium bowl. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Place 3 tablespoons of the ground matzah in the pan; turn and tilt to coat the sides and bottom. Transfer the remaining matzah to a bowl and set aside.
Put walnuts, apple, lemon zest, cinnamon, ginger and salt in the food processor; process until finely ground. Add 2 tablespoons wine and process until a paste forms.
Separate 4 of the eggs; reserve 2 yolks for Step 4 and 2 yolks for the zabaglione sauce (Step 7). Beat the 4 egg whites in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form.
Beat the remaining whole egg and 2 of the egg yolks with brown sugar in a large bowl on medium speed until thick and very creamy, about 4 minutes.
Fold the walnut mixture into the egg-yolk mixture using a rubber spatula. Fold in the reserved ground matzah, then fold in the whites until incorporated. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, spread to the edges and gently rap the pan against the counter a few times so the matzah on the side falls down onto the batter, forming a decorative edge.
Bake until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool on a wire rack until room temperature, about 2 hours.
To prepare zabaglione sauce: Shortly before serving, bring about 1 inch of water to a boil in the bottom of a double boiler (see Tip). In the top of the double boiler, off the heat, beat 6 egg yolks and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until thick and pale, about 3 minutes. Beat in 2/3 cup wine. Adjust the heat and place the top pan over gently simmering water. While maintaining a slow simmer, beat the sauce on medium speed until it is thick enough to hold its shape when mounded up into hills with a spoon, about 5 minutes. Serve the cake with the sauce.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 211 calories; 8 g fat (2 g sat, 2 g mono); 155 mg cholesterol; 28 g carbohydrate; 6 g protein; 2 g fiber; 130 mg sodium; 123 mg potassium. 2 Carbohydrate Servings. Exchanges: 2 other carbohydrates, 1 fat.

All recipes courtesy of EatingWell.com.