Holiday Health Advice

Tonight is the first night of Hanukkah.  Happy Hanukkah for those of you who celebrate!  People always ask me if I eat sufganiyot, the donuts served on Hanukkah.  The answer is no, I hate sufganiyot.  One exploded it’s sticky pink jelly down the front of my shirt once and ever since then we have not been on speaking terms.  Truthfully, I just don’t care for them: too much dough, not enough filling/frosting.

And I’d rather save the calories for latkes!

So what would be my health advice for this Deep-Fried Holiday?  ONE NIGHT folks.  Indulge to your heart’s content on ONE night, at ONE party.  Do not feel compelled to eat sufganiyot and latkes at every single Hanukkah gathering on every one of the eight nights of this holiday.  If you do, you will regret it next week when your face is broken out, your scale shows an ugly number, your pants don’t fit and your energy is in the gutter.

“But it only happens once a year!” is often the refrain, right?  It does not and you know it!  They’ve been selling sufganiyot since Simchat Torah (October) and if you’re like most of the people I see in the street, you’ve already had quite a few before Hanukkah even starts.  Latkes you can make any old day of the week year-round.  My husband’s family eats latkes at Pesach in fact, so that’s two times a year.

And for my dear readers of other faiths also facing down with their “once-a-year” foods this holiday season:  Pick one or two favorites and let the rest pass right on by.  You already know what it all tastes like.  It will come around next year (or even next week most likely!).  None of it is going to disappear off the face of the planet (unfortunately).  Choose wisely and focus on looking and feeling your best.

All of us need to remember something.  NONE of this is about the food.  You know the old Jewish joke that says every Jewish holiday has the same theme?  ”They tried to kill us.  We won.  Let’s eat.”  Well, it’s not about the eating.  The Maccabees did not eat sufganiyot.  Jesus did not chomp candy canes and fudge.  He was a baby for heaven’s sake!  We are celebrating things like freedom, community, survival, and love – Primary Food every single one.  Edible Food is Secondary Food.  Let yourself be fed by the Primary Foods and you will be healthy, happy and energized.

OK, entirely unrelated to holidays, here is the stash I picked up today at the little health food store on Weitzman:

Italian Almond-flavored Organic Rice Milk (this stuff is yummy and has no sweeteners); Stevia; Organic Broccoli Sprouts;  Organic Tofu;  Spicy Baked Tofu slices;  Teva Deli sprouted quinoa and lentil burgers (my fave!);  Black Rice Noodles (we love these!)

And here are some of the things we ate today:

Persimmon Granola Bowl

Granola is often high in calories, so I use just 1/3 cup and then fill the bowl with 1 T each flaxeeds and chia seeds, cinnamon, rice milk and here, one chopped persimmon.

Lunch was this delicious carrot salad, some leftover black beans and a few baked tofu slices.

SO, delicious in fact, that I am sharing the recipe!

Sunny Carrot Salad

4 carrots, grated

1 handful of cilantro (cusbara), chopped finely

1 handful mint leaves, chopped finely

1 garlic clove, pressed

the zest of 1/2 lemon

the juice of the same 1/2 lemon

2 cups bean sprouts

1/2 cup shelled, but raw sunflower seeds

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

In a skillet, saute the seeds in the olive oil just until they begin to brown and turn fragrant (this takes like 60 seconds so watch carefully!).  Remove from heat and set aside.  Assemble remaining ingredients in salad bowl.  Add semi-cooled seeds and the oil they cooked in.  Toss salad and YUM!  Adjust seasonings and add salt and pepper if you wish.

So, are there any holiday tips any of my readers would like to share?  How do you manage to stay on track during the season of parties and junk food ambushes all around?