The past few weeks have been pretty crazy with Passover prep. Now that the holiday is in full swing, I feel like I can finally relax! We were by my parents for the Seders which was very nice. We got to spend time with my parents, grandparents, and friends and I didn't have to cook! That's the definition of a win-win. In the past, my husband and I have moved out for the week of Passover (usually by my in-laws) because it wasn't worth all the work that goes into making a Passover home. This year, however, we decided to give it a shot. It's easier for my 19 month old Lyla to sleep in her own bed and I don't have to live out of a suitcase for 8 days (another win-win!).
Besides for the ridiculous amount of cleaning (I started weeks before Passover!), I had to get new pots and pans, dish racks, cover the counters, clean out the fridge, and buy A LOT of paper goods. I kept remembering things I would need and running to the store. A lot goes into making Passover so kudos to everyone that does it.
One might think that since you can't eat leavened bread all week long, people might just follow a low carb diet for Passover. Unfortunately, that is not the case for most. Kosher for Passover cuisine tends to be heavy in matzah, matzah meal, potato starch, eggs, cheese, and oil. We take foods that we're not allowed to eat and come up with a comparable replacement i.e. matzah pizza. When making my menu, I tried to limit the matzah-derived mains. Last night we had duck sauce chicken, baked potato fries, and roasted asparagus. Tonight I'm making a crustless mushroom quiche with a side salad. Keep in mind that you don't have to eat matzah at every meal. Try to focus more on vegetables, fruit, low fat dairy, and lean meats and you might just avoid the "Passover bloat."
