Passover in the age of paleo

I'm not on a diet and I eat what I want, but without realizing it, I've slowly become one of those quasi-hipster people who favors making soup with turnips over noodles, and roasting squash rather than breaking bread.

I can still rip into a pizza or burger as easily as the next guy. It's just that years of accommodating gluten-free family members and paleo friends has turned me into a kind of pro at problem eating — and no other time of the year places such an extended dietary constraint over a person than does Passover.

For me, Passover meal-planning, which used to be a daunting dilemma, and later became a creative challenge, has now morphed into a task like any other night of the week. As a result, the holiday is no longer about the “no's”: no bread, no cookies, no grains. Rather, it's become about the things I do eat: unctuous matzah ball soup and cheesy matzah lasagna, for instance, and those horrible, nostalgia-igniting jelled fruit snacks, without which no family Seder would be complete.

I love that this unexpected shift in my daily eating habits is turning Passover — already my favorite Jewish holiday — from a week of prolonged dietary abstinence into a personal observance of plenty. Some might say this defeats the point; the Exodus from Egypt is all about being (a little) uncomfortably aware of our collective ancient hardships. I take the opposite view. Switching plates and making favorite Passover foods keeps me just as mindful of my observance, minus the resentful tum.

8 tips for a fuller you

Keeping Passover isn't so easy-breezy for most people outside of these dietary bubbles, particularly when everyday meals are built on a foundation of cereal and oatmeal, sandwiches and wraps, and sides of rice or bread. Transitioning from that daily diet is hard. It takes work.

Luckily, there's a lot that every-day consumers of chametz can learn from people with paleo diets (and others that refrain from eating grains and beans) about staying happy, full, and connected, rather than irritable and unfulfilled. (The paleo diet is pretty extensive. I’m personally all for dairy, especially during Pesach.)

1. Eat real food: Packaged grain-y substitutes that hope to emulate the food you’re trying not to eat is counter-productive (for me, at least.) Building meals out of fresh produce tastes better anyway.

2. Find food that fills you: Mushrooms and eggplant balm the belly. The same goes for hard-boiled or fried eggs, bananas, avocados, and walnuts. Almond butter is a great Passover-safe pinch-hitter for peanut butter if you’re cutting out legumes (you may want to sprinkle in a tiny bit of salt.)

3. Befriend tubers and squashes: 24/7 potatoes are boring. Roasting or mashing some kabocha or butternut squash, or sweet potatoes adds a lot more excitement to the mix. Ditto for roasted turnips, rutabaga, beets, kohlrabi, and daikon radish. They work great in soups, salads, and as simple sides.

4. Double up on veggies: Nobody wants to eat leaves for a week. Or zucchini. Or anything. But if you vary your veg — say one portion of stir-fried veggie medley and and one pile of mixed greens — your taste buds won’t lose interest and you’ll wind up fuller than you might guess. Don’t forget to dress them up (see #5)!

5. Soups, soups, soups: The secret of dieters everywhere. A big bowl of broth tricks your stomach into thinking it’s full. I love making a hearty vegetable-rich soup packed with thick-cut produce and one of those starchier spuds from #3. Extra credit: put an egg on it!

6. Sauces and spice: Homemade pestos, chile, and plenty of spices can give your food a lot more pizzaz. On Pesach especially, that goes a long way. Sesame-based tahini is a no-no if you follow the Ashkenazi dictum for kitniyot, but is a great option for adding heft and flavor if you hew to Sephardi standards.

7. Plan ahead: Snack times are the worst, because everything seems to be bread-based when you’re staring at the vending machine. Some serious meal planning ahead of time nips it in the bud. No need to enslave yourself to a spreadsheet, but at least you’ll have stuff on-hand to nibble.

8: Know where to go out: If you’re comfortable eating out during Passover, scout out a few spots that offer enough options for you to get excited about. These are places with interesting salads and veggie sides, grilled mains, and a healthy attitude toward substitutions.

Sink your teeth into this

Here’s what I’m eating this Passover. It isn’t a full meal matrix by any means, but these are some of the foods I’m going to be making — and eating — this season.

Breakfast

Hard-boiled eggs, fruit salad
Matzah with soft cheese, honey, black pepper
Spicy veggie soup (because I love soup for breakfast.)

Main meals (could include lunchy leftovers)

Roasted chicken thighs with oregano and paprika
Lamb and sweet potato tagine
Shepherd's Pie
Grilled salmon salad with arugula, red onion, hazelnuts, roasted squash or beets, etc.

Sides

Roasted or stir-fried veggies (nearly any kind)
Mashed sweet potatoes or squash
Salads (e.g. Israeli salad, carrot/beet slaw)

Snacks

Dates with almonds or walnuts
Celery with almond butter

Desserts

Chocolate pudding (egg-thickened)
Caramelized bananas with hand-whipped cream
Baked apple with cheesecake -filling topper

There are hundreds of recipes and ideas out there, and if you’re tired of the usual Passover fare, try dipping into paleo recipes. You may just find a new filling favorite.