A happy and healthy Chanukah

Chanukah is a wonderful festival – lighting candles on cold winter nights, not too much hard slog in the kitchen and family gatherings. It’s a lovely time of year which is fairly light on the pocket but not necessarily light on the waistline. Traditional Chanukah treats are laden with sugar and deep-fried, so is it possible to get through the festivities without ruining your healthy eating routine?

Well I will certainly be enjoying a doughnut or two this Chanukah, assured by the fact that I eat a healthy balanced diet on most days throughout the year. An occasional sugary treat should be fine for most people (of course, diabetics should take advice from their health practitioner on this point). However, just because the miracle of Chanukah lasted for eight days does not mean that I will get my own personal miracle and be able to eat doughnuts every day of Chanukah and not suffer the consequences!

Here is a recipe for a healthier version of the traditional deep-fried potato latkes. These contain spinach and are oven-baked - this recipe makes 24 latkes

Ingredients:

4 medium potatoes, peeled and grated

10oz package of frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry

1 onion

2 tsp dried dill

3 eggs

2 tsp olive oil

2 tbsp wholemeal flour

½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

Method:

Preheat the oven to 220ºc.

In a food processor, process the spinach and onion until fine. Add the grated potatoes, eggs, dill and oil. Mix. Then add in the remaining ingredients.

Spray 2 baking sheets with non-stick spray. Place spoonfuls of the mixture onto the baking sheets. Bake uncovered or 10 minutes. Turn the latkes over and bake for 10 minutes more, until brown. Serve immediately.