Posted by Janet Harriett on Dec.16, 2009

ⓒ iStockPhoto - sbossert

Oil is integral to Hanukkah festivities, but that doesn’t mean you need to have eight nights of fat-soaked latkes. Here are seven tips to make your Hanukkah latkes just a little bit healthier. Enjoying them, and all special holiday treats, in moderation is one of the surest ways to make them healthier. One good latke has less fat and fewer calories than two bad ones.

1. Latkes with Whole Grain Matzo Meal

Whole grain matzo meal has about triple the fiber of regular matzo meal. Every little bit helps.

2. Egg Whites

Separate the eggs and use 2 whites for each whole egg called for in a recipe to cut the fat and cholesterol while still retaining the egg’s latke-binding properties.

3. Vary the Vegetables

While latkes are traditionally made of potato, any vegetable that shreds, and even some that don’t are fair game. Try colorful, vitamin-rich variations on the potato pancake. Chabad.org has latke recipes using just about every vegetable imaginable:

• Carrot
• Cauliflower
• Eggplant
• Split Pea
• Sweet Potat or Pumkin
• Zucchini
• Mixed Vegetables

4. Choose Your Oil

The all-purpose vegetable oil can be a mix of several sources, including corn, canola and soy which may come from genetically modified sources. The healthiest oil to fry in is olive oil, which can withstand high temperatures of frying and has a favorable balance of monounsaturated fats. The flavor of olive oil also complements many common latke variations.

5. Bake, Don’t Fry Latkes

Bypass the whole question of choosing the healthiest way to fry something by baking the latkes. Chabad.org has a recipe for No-fry Latkes.

6. If You Fry Latkes, Fry Right

The right frying technique keeps with tradition while keeping the amount of oil that the latkes absorb to a minimum. Keep the oil very hot and fry in small batches so the oil doesn’t cool down too much with the food. Food soaks up colder oil, but hot oil boils the water on the outer shell away, making food crispy without being excessively greasy. Drain the latkes well before serving and blot the excess oil off with paper.

As a compromise between deep frying and the no-fry bake method, lightly mist or brush the uncooked latke patties with olive oil before baking to get the crispy coating with much less absorbed oil.

7. Top Latkes Smart

Latkes are usually served with either applesauce or sour cream. Skip the fat-laden dairy sour cream and go for the fiber-rich applesauce. Make sure the applesauce is natural style, without added sugar or high fructose corn syrup.

Bonus: Healthier Sufganiyot

Over at the me-ander blog, Baile Rochel has made over sufganiyot to be about as healthy as a jelly doughnut can be, using brown sugar and whole wheat flour. Check out the healthier sufganiyot recipe.

Share

Posted under Cooking Healthy, Food, Nutrition & Recipes.