I’m just running out of inspiration. Traditional seasonal foods are limited, mainly because I’m gluten free and nuts are very limited. Spice is out, most herbs are out, horseradish is out… And we need to be cholesterol and diabetes 2 friendly. (No eggplant/aubergine, tomato, chili, garlic thanks. I can work out substitutions for most other things). It’s just 2 of us this year.
Honey, what’s left? Honestly, I’m thinking lettuce and water! I suppose you could try to make matzah out of oats. For the charoses, perhaps a chopped apple with just a tiny bit of honey, but I think the bitter herbs would have to be virtual.
I’m just running out of inspiration. Traditional seasonal foods are limited, mainly because I’m gluten free and nuts are very limited. Spice is out, most herbs are out, horseradish is out… And we need to be cholesterol and diabetes 2 friendly. (No eggplant/aubergine, tomato, chili, garlic thanks. I can work out substitutions for most other things). It’s just 2 of us this year.
Seeing gluten-free matzoh in the kosher for Passover section this year, but it's a long trip for you. Enjoy your holiday, joanne! You too, metaphysician!
GF matzot are generally oat-based; I can tolerate a few over a couple of days but have to be careful. It’s funny that they don’t sell GF matzo meal… I’m allowed dispensation to consider Sephardi rice-based recipes if necessary, or fresh peas /beans (kitniyot) so all is not quite grim. And yes, endives or cos as maror
Thankfully, I still have eggs! And peeled root veggies. I think I’ll do some poultry mince dolmades with silverbeet or cabbage wraps. Mashed kumara (golden sweet potato) will look pretty on the plate. D can have the cukes and tomatoes. There’s a nationwide shortage of beets here - canned and fresh! Same over there? Might have to make green borscht with kale and spinach/sorrel
Who would have thunk that coconut in any form would have so many amines as to cause a reaction?? Hives or tummy stuff. Can only have a very little, so almond or cashew flour macaroons it will be.
Happy Pesach, everyone! May you all be safe and well, may your families be safe also!
Already sourced and put aside for collection tomorrow Aren’t local supermarket staff wonderful? (Meant sincerely) They’ll stretch in almost any direction to help their community. This didn’t need that much extra effort however the sweet assistant even mentioned 2 other nearby stores that might help in case they ran out.
Per request from our hostess, I bring a Danish fruit dessert. Over the years I have decreased the amount of sugar I am using in this recipe, currently I am down to about 75% of the minimum mentioned in the recipe (I guess you could substitute artificial sweeteners; I don't [despite being type 2 diabetic]).
I have also experimented with plain potato starch. It works, but you have use a bit more than the amount suggested for the modified starch.
Tomcat, that dessert sounds great! Currently, my taller half and I are doing keto, but there are easy ways around the modified potato starch and sugar. Thanks for posting it.
Per request from our hostess, I bring a Danish fruit dessert. Over the years I have decreased the amount of sugar I am using in this recipe, currently I am down to about 75% of the minimum mentioned in the recipe (I guess you could substitute artificial sweeteners; I don't [despite being type 2 diabetic]).
I have also experimented with plain potato starch. It works, but you have use a bit more than the amount suggested for the modified starch.
Adopting the above suggestion of apple, cinnamon and honey for charoseth - many, many thanks! My maror is the bitter bit of cos lettuce. For ‘first fruit of the season’, D will enjoy a fresh custard apple (cherimoya?). He’ll also dine on grilled salmon with ‘echter’ klp horseradish from a jar (not the creamed slop), which will clean his sinuses right out! We’ve got fresh red radishes I can carve into roses, to dunk into salty water… and he can enjoy a lovely red capsicum stuffed with ground lamb and chopped parsley along with cooked carrots, steamed broccolini, and stuffed silverbeet rolls (poultry filling). He’ll sip grape juice, I’ll sip water (we tend not to drink fermented drinks)
If he can fit in dessert, pear compôte. D’you think it’s enough?
That very yummy berry dish will be D’s lunch next day. It’s berry season here, and he’s really going to town on any that catch his eye! (Have you tried kiwi-berries yet? Apparently scrumptious. I know they’re grown in Pennsylvania)
Line a baking tray with grease proof paper and heat your oven to 160°C, Gas mark 3.
Whisk the egg whites. I use a hand-held electric whisk as they are super speedy and effortless to use and clean.
Whisk until you have stiff white peaks.
Evelyn Rose says in her book that you know when your egg whites are perfect when you lift out your whisk and the peak doesn't flop to the side but stays upright.
Add all the rest of the ingredients.
Use a spatula or metal spoon to mix the ingredients together. Avoid using a wooden spoon as it will bash all the air out of your egg whites and you want them nice and fluffy.
Now for the fun bit. Make your hands wet. I tried doing this part with dry hands and it just makes a big, mushy goo on your hands! Half fill a mixing bowl with water for speed and convenience. With a wet palm roll around 20 balls and place them on your baking sheet. They don't spread too much when baked so you can fit quite a few on a tray. Pop them in the oven for 18 minutes.
Remove the tray from the oven. Place the icing sugar in a bowl and while the cinnamon balls are still warm roll them around until coated all over. Then leave to cool completely. You can add a second coating of icing sugar but I never feel the need.
GF matzot are generally oat-based; I can tolerate a few over a couple of days but have to be careful. It’s funny that they don’t sell GF matzo meal… I’m allowed dispensation to consider Sephardi rice-based recipes if necessary, or fresh peas /beans (kitniyot) so all is not quite grim. And yes, endives or cos as maror 
Aren’t local supermarket staff wonderful? (Meant sincerely) They’ll stretch in almost any direction to help their community. 
I’m just running out of inspiration. Traditional seasonal foods are limited, mainly because I’m gluten free and nuts are very limited. Spice is out, most herbs are out, horseradish is out… And we need to be cholesterol and diabetes 2 friendly.
(No eggplant/aubergine, tomato, chili, garlic thanks. I can work out substitutions for most other things).
It’s just 2 of us this year.