WIAW – Kosher for Passover (Veg Pledge)

Oh hey, Wednesday.  I missed last week’s What I Ate Wednesday, so this will be my first week of Jenn’s newest theme party:  Veg It Up!

I’m all for adding extra veggies, always.  Forget a lifetime supply of M&Ms of something, give me a lifetime supply of fresh produce, and I’m a happy girl!  Living in a country with limited year-round access to fresh fruit and veg has seriously made me appreciate them.

Anyway, as you probably know from my previous posts, this week is passover.  Which means that us hardcore Jews (oh yeah) don’t eat ‘chametz’ for a week.  Now, there are so many interpretations what is ‘chametz’, and many people observe differently.  For me, I have chosen to follow the tradition in the barest sense, avoiding the main biblical grains – wheat and barley – unless made into matzah.  I have also chosen to cut spelt, rye, and oats, as they are traditionally not eaten on passover, and apparently could easily be mistaken for wheat.

Some people also choose to cut out ‘kitniyot’, other things that could contain or be mistaken for wheat, which include most other grains and legumes.  Seeing how I basically live off grains and legumes for protein & carbs, I wasn’t going to cut those out.

Enough of a history lesson, onto more important things – like breakfast.

Fried Matzah. Matzo Brei. Whatever you want to call it, it’s absolutely delicious – one traditional passover breakfast I couldn’t live without (true fact – I had this two days in a row. which is a feat, for me!)

It’s super simple to make.  One egg, one matzah, soak, mix, fry, eat.  I have always eaten mine with a bit of salt and jam.  The best.  And it makes me feel like I’m 10 years old again.

Veg-filled snack age (there’s one extra cup!).  [[Again, this is not all from one day.  I'm bad at that.]]  Sweet potato dipped in creamy goat cheese, and broccoli.

Quickie lunch – matzah sandwich! These are a passover staple.  And so delicious.  Here we have tomato sauce, lentils, sprouts and mustard.  Can you tell I needed to go grocery shopping?

Dinner from a few nights ago – glass noodles! They’re made from mung bean flour and potato starch, so by my standards they’re kosher for passover (and gluten-free!).  Also super easy to make, pour boiling water over them, cover, and let sit for three minutes.  Plus roasted veggies, chickpeas, and creamy herb-y tomato sauce.

And – tonight’s epic salad beast.  If you follow me on instagram (or twitter), you’ll know I couldn’t hold back my excitement  of sharing this guy.  Huge bed of spinach (extra handful = extra cup!), pepper, cucumber, radish, tomato, sprouts, sardines for protein and omega 3s, hemp seeds, drizzled in drippy tahini.  Holy yum.

Taking the Veg Pledge:

As you often see around here, most of my meals are full of colors and veggies.  I love big healthy meals and snacks.  But the truth is, I haven’t been 100 percent truthful on the blog. I snack on sugary things.  Chocolate. Chocolate covered nuts.  Dessert at gatherings / parties / friends’ places.  Why don’t I post about them?  Truth is, I don’t really think about it.  I know, I don’t post nearly everything I eat, because that would be a ridiculous chore.  But, I find that I tend to mindlessly the chocolate/sugar/not-so-healthy things.  Especially sugar.  I’ll be the first to admit I eat more sugar than I need to.

I am in no way going to cut out all treats.  That would be depriving myself, and I know I would not be happy without my dark chocolate here and there.  But, I am going to try to be more mindful when eating such things, and try to reduce the amount of sugar I eat.  I know it will make me feel better in the long run, but I know it will be hard to do.

So here is my veg pledge – I plan to prep at least one sugar-free, veggie-ful snack when I’m craving something sugary.  Where I would normally reach for the sweet stuff. I am challenging myself to substitute something more wholesome instead.  Follow me on instagram (username: eatlearndiscover) or twitter to see what I come up with.  Who’s with me?!

Any thoughts on keeping kosher for passover?

What’s *your* personal veg pledge? Join me!