7 Rules for a Carb-Free Chanukah – Plus a Delicious Recipe

The approaching Chanukah holiday holds many caloric traps, with the leading one being the sufganiyah. Often we are tempted by the super sweet sufganiyah, which comes in an array of fillings and flavors that are renewed and enriched every year. However, the price we pay for every bite of the sufganiyah we put in our mouths costs us... and not in money. The fact that the holiday lasts eight days doesn’t make things any easier for us.

Here are some tips to help you navigate the challenge and avoid having to explain your weight gain to your dietitian:

1. Keep clear rules - Don't buy sufganiyot for the house. When there are sufganiyot at home - you eat them... Therefore, if you are hosting, buy half the amount for the number of guests and give away the leftovers to your guests or take them to your coworkers. Also, during the holiday, there will be sufganiyot around you - at work, in supermarkets (yes, there will be a smell), in bakeries (it’s not even worth passing by them)... Be strong in your decision and stay focused, do not break the rules you set for yourself.

2. Alternative solutions - Make sure to have equally tempting alternatives. Prepare sesame snacks, zucchini or broccoli latkes, diverse salads, grain-free quiches (you can combine rich cheeses and almond flour), prefer to eat latkes made with leeks or cauliflower. Additionally, when making latkes, opt for grilling or baking them in the oven as much as possible instead of frying. This way, you won’t be tempted and might even be surprised to discover that the alternatives taste better than the original.

3. Think ahead - Does the sufganiyah appeal to you? Consider how you will feel after you eat it. It is not certain that eating sufganiyot is worth the heavy price - weight, sugar levels, etc., especially if it's a sufganiyah sitting on the counter from the previous day.

4. Going to a candle lighting? Prepare your own - If you are invited to a candle lighting, make yourself a sufganiyah alternative and bring it with you to the meals. This way, you can also offer it to your guests, and you’ll enjoy something for which you know the caloric value.

5. Do physical activity - To burn off a sufganiyah, you will need to run for an entire hour. Therefore, during the holiday, do not skip physical activity. Make sure to do it - whether it's walking to the host's home for the candle lighting, climbing stairs, or running afterward. This way, you can burn sugars in a calming and effective way.

6. The wonders of body and mind - Even if you ate a sufganiyah at the beginning of the holiday, you can still stop and change. Sometimes we punish ourselves for eating, but the wisdom is in knowing how to correct. You don't burn calories through feelings of guilt. Accept the fact, and eat in a healthier manner the next day.

7. Drink water – During the winter, in particular, we feel less thirsty. The result is a significant reduction in fluid intake during the day, and as a result, we might feel increased hunger or a strong craving for sweets or fruits when, in fact, what the body needs are fluids. Water is responsible for and involved in every function in the body, including digestion, absorption of food, blood circulation, various excretions out of the body, all activities taking place within the cell, introducing substances into the cell, etc. Try drinking a glass of water before you eat - it may be that you are actually thirsty.

Healthy Broccoli Latkes Recipe

Ingredients:

A bag of frozen mini broccoli

A tablespoon of butter

2 crushed garlic cloves

Cheeses: Bulgarian/feta

A tub of cottage cheese

100 grams grated Parmesan or Gouda cheese

¼ cup whipping cream

A tub of 27% cream

2 eggs

A tablespoon of pesto sauce

3 tablespoons psyllium or almond flour

Spices: oregano, salt, pepper, dried chili

Preparation:

Mix well, chill for about half an hour, form into latkes and bake in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius for about 40 minutes, or fry.

You can make it with additional vegetables, like cauliflower, spinach, and zucchini.

You can also make it as a frittata in a skillet.

Adina Bakker is a clinical dietitian at DMC for Diabetes Care and the chairman of the ATID Association.