Aloha Friday: Food Festival
This time of year always brings back fond food memories. Since we celebrate Passover, we would have a whole week of eating Matzoh in various forms. Matzoh and cream cheese. Matzoh Pizza (matzoh microwaved with sauce & cheese). Matzoh with schmaltz (rendered chicken fat – tastes like a rich butter) and salt (very unhealthy but oh-so-good). Matzoh Brei (matzoh soaked in water, drained, mixed with eggs and fried like a pancake). Are you sensing a theme here?
Yes, we eat a lot of Matzoh during Passover. It’s pretty much the only “bread” we can eat during the holiday. No rolls, bread, tortillas, pitas, pasta, cereal, or other bread product. In fact, since we’re Ashkenazi, we have more restrictions. No corn (or corn products), beans or rice (among other things).
As you can guess, cooking for Passover can be tricky. Especially when dealing with little kids used to breaded chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese and the like. In years past, we would buy a lot of pre-packaged, frozen foods at great expense. This year, we decided to prepare more fresh foods. Just today, I baked turkey burgers, wrapped them in romaine lettuce leaves and served it with a broccoli/mushroom stir fry in teryaki sauce. (Well, fake teryaki sauce since the real stuff isn’t kosher for Passover.) All in all a delicious, but not too fattening dinner.
My Aloha Friday question for this week is: What meals does this season remind you of? What do you do to eat healthy during holidays?
Thanks to Kailani at An Island Life for starting this fun for Friday. Please be sure to head over to her blog to say hello and sign the MckLinky there if you are participating.
Aloha #32
Easter has never meant any special food for me. Lent has always been a time to give up something.
.-= Jennifer´s last blog ..Aloha Friday 2 April =-.
We are a Matzoh family. Brisket seems to always be around this time of year.
.-= Kevin´s last blog ..IN THE PROCESS OF CREATING A NEW LOOK AND FEEL =-.
I live in the south and a typical holiday meal is definitely NOT healthy at all! lol! My grandma fixes a ham, a turkey, several veggies, and several cakes… So much for lent! 🙂 In the south even the veggies are often cooked in lard so, those aren’t even healthy, but it’s all so yummy! I won’t get to visit her this Easter and I know it just won’t be the same.
.-= Roxanne D.´s last blog ..Circumcision – What To Do? =-.
I don’t have any specific foods I eat for Easter for a couple years now. I think we use to have a nice meal when I was younger.
Have a great Friday!
.-= Natalie A.´s last blog ..Aloha Friday #12 =-.
We usually have a big bbq for Easter because it’s a big family get together. I think we are having burgers. Really anything on the grill out at my grandmother’s house is a great reminder for our holiday.
.-= Pamela M. Kramer´s last blog ..Freebie Friday – Link Up #contests and prizes every Friday =-.
I usually try to eat healthy whether it’s holidays or not. It’s all in moderation.
This season reminds me of a special Easter bun we used to make in my country.
.-= JamericanSpice´s last blog ..An Apple A Day – Aloha Friday! =-.
I celebrate Easter and we always have Lamb that day. For the season though (Spring Break) we’re at Disney World and eat lots of unhealthy food. I try to have us eat as much fruit and drink as much water as possible though.
.-= ConnieFoggles´s last blog ..Aloha Friday – Spring Break =-.
Easter means ham and stuffing, sweet treats. It is a day we really do not think about eating healthy, we try to do that every other day.
Heading to daugher’s MIL home this Easter and won’t know what she’s serving till we get there. lol!
.-= East Coast Wahine´s last blog ..It’s Aloha Friday #25 =-.
Our traditional Easter dinner usually consists of ham, deviled eggs, potato salad, baked macaroni & cheese…lots of good ol’ homecooked comfort food. And, of course there are the sweets – Easter candy, pies, cakes. I guess we aren’t very healthy when it comes to holiday eating but we do try to eat healthy the rest of the time.
.-= Kari´s last blog ..Aloha Friday – Alarm Clock =-.
Matzos with butter and a touch of salt brings back many pre Adkins diet memories 🙂
Have a great weekend!
http://harrietandfriends.com/2010/04/heat-wave-woohoo/
.-= Harriet´s last blog ..It’s a heat wave!!! WOOHOO! =-.
@Roxanne D.
Yikes. Veggies fried in lard? Here we make veggies steamed or stir fried. For steamed, I recommend the disposable microwave steamer bags purely for the convenience. (I’m keeping my eyes out for a reusable version, but haven’t found any yet.) Put some fresh veggies (cauliflower, for example) in the bag, add some spices if desired (e.g. garlic) and nuke it. In a few minutes, the veggies will be perfectly cooked without all the fat.
For the stir fry, add some extra virgin olive oil to a pan, some onion and minced garlic (frozen onion & jarred garlic is good for convenience sake), then add the veggies from the ones requiring the most cooking time to the least. Splash in a little teriyaki sauce and cook until the veggies hit the desired tenderness.
Except the Easter Brunch we eat as usual during the Easter weekend. I don’t buy too much candy and I don’t make too many desserts.With my son being diabetic we have to careful and I don’t like to have too much temptation around.
.-= Bibi´s last blog ..Aloha Friday #4 & Happy Easter! =-.
Hi! IDK really.My Mom brought over some matzos!! very cool!! was going to go to a sedar but was sick!:( Happy Passover!!
.-= twincerely,Olga´s last blog ..Music MondaY!!!! =-.
Hot dogs and hamburgers since we spend the whole weekend easter egg hunting.
.-= Brea’s Mommy´s last blog ..Friday Follow! =-.
Fresh veggies and fruits made into salads.
.-= JDaniel4’s Mom´s last blog ..Muffin Tin Muffin- Blue and Purple Foods =-.
I love all the colorful and fresh fruits that become available during the Spring/Summer months. Our favorite are strawberries!
.-= kailani´s last blog ..My Friends Tigger & Pooh: Super Duper Super Sleuths =-.
I love Pesach and the foods surrounding it, but I am so over matza right now. Just ready for something new.
.-= Jack´s last blog ..Passover 2010- Grandma is Gone =-.