I like to think of the Jews as the people who started the Gluten Free trend. During the 8 day holiday leavened bread, wheat products (besides Matzah), and any food containing oats, barley, rye, and spelt are not consumed. 

How is it that on the same holiday people complain about having “nothing to eat” people also complain that they “gained so much weight”?  Maybe it has to do with replacing our usual balanced meals and snacks with fiberless matzah. 

So what are we allowed to eat besides Matzah with cream cheese for lunch. 

1. Cauliflower Pizza - Matzah pizza’s trendier and healthier brother, cauliflower pizza is already a favorite year round. Just pulse a cauliflower in your food processor, put it in the microwave for 3 minutes, and let it cool. Once its cool transfer the cauliflower to a cheese cloth and squeeze out the extra water. Transfer it to a bowl add in an egg and spices of choice. You can add a few tablespoons of almond flour if it is too liquid-y. Flatten it on a tray and bake it at 425 for about 10 minutes until golden. Take it out add your sauce, cheese and any other veggies you'd like and bake for an additional 5 minutes.

2. Quinoa in your salad - Sweetgreen may be off limits for 8 days but salads are not. Quinoa is packed with protein and fiber so it makes sense to add it to your salad for an extra boost. Try adding it to your favorite salad or eat it as a side with a piece of grilled salmon.

3. Any Protein - We should already be eating this at every lunch year round, why would we skip it on Passover. Eggs, chicken, fish, meat, yogurt, and legumes (sorry Ashkenaz Jews) are all acceptable lunch ideas and when combined with veggies you will be so full you wont feel like it is passover.

4. Soup - Passover may be in April, but its already the end of march and we are still dealing with snow. Soup is a personal favorite of mine and its a great way to get in a bunch of veggies. Just avoid the matzah ball variety (Ironic, I know) it is loaded with sodium and matzah balls are essentially crushed up matzah. I guess that is why they're called matzah balls. 

Nathalie Lati, RD

https://www.instagram.com/itsnatadiet/

itsnatadiet@gmail.com

Nathalie Lati recently graduated from Montclair University with a degree in nutrition and food science. She is dedicated to helping people understand healthy living is not about dieting, it is about balance.