The deeper spiritual meaning of the holiday notwithstanding, Purim is a day when we indulge the body with food and drink. Good nutrition may be the last thing on your mind as you prepare your shalach manos and Yom Tov seuda. Well, I’m here to tell you that Purim observance and healthy eating needn’t be mutually exclusive. You can “have your cake and eat it too” – literally! In fact, one of the unsung heroes of the day – no, not one of the characters in the Megilla – is a humble fruit commonly used in hamantaschen that is a veritable powerhouse of vitamins and minerals.
Hamantaschen, of course, are the triangular pastries that we typically fill with fruit puree or jam and consume on Purim. According to Rabbi Gil Marks, in his book The World of Jewish Cooking, the shape of hamantaschen came to represent either Haman’s pockets – alluding to the bribes proffered to this sinister prime minister – his tricornered hat, or his ears. By eating the pastry, we symbolically “erase” the villain and his name.
Rabbi Marks also refers to a mystical significance to hamantaschen: They represent the three patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, whose merit saved our ancestors from Haman’s plot. And the filling, hidden inside the dough, alludes to the hidden presence of Hashem in the Purim story, as His name is never mentioned in the Megilla.
Poppy seeds, called mohn in German, are the most popular filling for hamantaschen. The similarity of the word mohn to the name of Haman, says Rabbi Marks, led to the cookie’s becoming known as hamantasch, Yiddish for Haman’s pocket. We come now to our featured fruit: prunes, or dried plums. Prune-based fillings, known in Yiddish as lekvar, are second to mohn in popularity. Plums and prunes have always been popular in central Europe, especially for preserves. Their role as a hamantaschen filling began in 1731, when a Bohemian Jewish merchant was falsely charged with selling poisoned povidl (prune and plum preserves). He was acquitted and released four days before Purim. There was a great celebration in his home city on that day, which came to be celebrated as the povidl Purim. From that time, prunes became a standard hamantasch filling.
Now you know everything you never knew you wanted to know about hamentaschen but were afraid to ask!
â—† â—† â—†
History aside, prunes are gaining wide recognition today as a natural way to improve bone density, among other health benefits. Fruit growers have rehabilitated the image of the prune, which for many decades was tied to prune juice and its stodgy role as a constipation-preventing tonic for older people.
Today in the U.S., prunes are generally marketed as “dried plums.” They are advertised, rightfully so, as a tasty, convenient snack, perfect for kids, one that is extremely high in key nutrients. Prunes are also appreciated as a flavorful ingredient in many stews, braises and other meatbased dishes.
Marketers’ nutritional claims about prunes are firmly backed by research. Dr. Bahram Arjmandi of Florida State University has been doing research on dried plums since the early 1990s, looking at bone-building factors in a variety of fruits. Recently, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the California Dried Plum Board, he conducted a year-long study that compared the effects of dried apples and prunes on bone mineral density in older women. The dried plum group had significantly higher bone mineral density in the forearm and spine than the dried apple group, apparently due to the ability of prunes to inhibit the breakdown of bone cells. The study appeared in the British Journal of Nutrition in 2011.
According to publicity released by his university, Dr. Arjmandi has tested numerous fruits over the years, including figs, dates, strawberries, and raisins, and none show the effects on bone density that dried plums do. He urges people to eat prunes preventively – not to wait until osteoporosis develops or a hip or other bone fracture occurs due to poor bone density.
Keep in mind that, while osteoporosis occurs mainly among women, men over age 65 are at risk as well. Dr. Arjmandi encourages both women and men of all ages to start eating two or three dried plums per day and increase gradually to around 6 to 10 per day. He stresses that prunes can be eaten in all forms and can be included in a variety of recipes. The researcher also points out that fresh plums have not been found to have the same beneficial effect on bones. Apparently, only certain kinds of plums become prunes.
By the way, in case you’re wondering whether eating that many prunes will impact your digestion and elimination, researchers have explored that as well: A study reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that generally healthy adults can eat 10 to 12 prunes daily without significant changes in their bowel habits.
If a person does need some help with “regularity,” prunes are indeed a great addition to the diet because of their fiber and sorbitol content. Sorbitol is a sugar that is absorbed slowly and increases moisture in the gastrointestinal tract, which eases elimination. In a study published in 2009, prune juice was as effective as the fiber-rich plant psyllium in relieving constipation.
As to the broader nutritional profile of prunes, the Encyclopedia of Healing Foods describes them as a “healthy high-energy snack that provides antioxidants, calcium, magnesium, potassium, fiber, iron, and vitamin A.” Prunes also fill our daily requirement for a lesser-known trace mineral called boron. Boron is essential for bone metabolism and can help prevent osteoporosis. That may account for a good part of the bone-protective effect seen in the Florida State University studies cited above. In addition, prunes contain high amounts of phenolic compounds that act as antioxidants and boost heart health.
So, this Purim, as you prepare or eat traditional prunefilled hamantaschen, think of all the good you are doing for your body or someone else’s.
Below are some recipes to incorporate prunes into your diet, on Purim and year-round. You may be surprised by what you can do with this versatile, tasty fruit. Witty and talented cookbook author Diana Shaw writes, in her Essential Vegetarian Cookbook, that in France, prunes appear in desserts of all kinds. In this country, she laments, many people still tend to think of prunes as a “prescription” rather than as a treat. But the tide is turning, and recipes such as those below can definitely help in the campaign to upgrade prunes’ culinary and cultural image.
â—† â—† â—†
Here are two recipes for healthy hamentaschen. The first is adapted from Naomi Muller’s Nutritious and Delicious Kosher Cooking, and the second is a glutenfree version modified from Leiba Bibla’s, 250 Kosher Gluten Free Recipes.
WHOLE GRAIN HAMENTASHEN
4 c. whole grain flour (whole wheat pastry flour, spelt or kamut)
4 eggs
1 jar banana baby food (4 oz.)
1 c. Earth Balance margarine or Spectrum Spread
1 T. orange juice
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
Pinch of salt
Lekvar or prune puree for filling
Soften margarine. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and beat together until dough is smooth. Roll into a ball and refrigerate until firm, covered completely with plastic wrap. Divide into four parts. On a well floured board, roll out each portion to about 1/8 inch thick. Cut circles with a 2-inch round cookie cutter. Place 1 teaspoon of lekvar on each circle. To shape into a triangle, lift up the right and left sides and have them meet in the center above the fillings. Bring the top flap down to the center to meet the two sides. Pinch edges together. Bake for 20 minutes at 350. Makes about 6 dozen cookies.
BROWN RICE FLOUR HAMENTASCHEN
1 c. brown rice flour
1⁄4 tsp. xanthan gum
1 tsp. baking powder
4 T. honey or maple syrup
4 T. oil
1⁄2 tsp. vanilla extract
Follow directions from above with the following exceptions: 1) Do not divide into four parts, because it is a smaller amount of dough, and 2) bake for only 6 minutes.
TRADITIONAL LEKVAR
Recipes for this Hungarian specialty abound. This one is modified from one I found on www.food.com.
11⁄2 c. pitted prunes
2⁄3 c. water
3 T. lemon juice
1⁄4 to 1⁄3 c. sugar (Sucanat or Florida Crystals)
Simmer all ingredients except the sugar, covered, 25 to 30 minutes until very soft and most of the water is evaporated. Uncover last few minutes if necessary. Remove from heat and mash. Stir in sugar. Keep in refrigerator in a jar with a lid.
DRIED PLUM PUREE
Courtesy of www.californiadriedplums.org.
11⁄3 c. (about 8 oz.) pitted dried plums
6 T. hot water
Put ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Cover and refrigerate up to one month.
DRIED PLUM-FILLED OATMEAL BARS
Here’s a tasty breakfast bar recipe modified from one on the website, www.californiadriedplums.org.
11⁄2 c. (about 9 oz.) coarsely chopped dried plums
1⁄3 cup apricot jam
Non-stick cooking spray
2 c. rolled oats (old fashioned or quick, uncooked)
1⁄2 c. sugar (Sucanat or Florida Crystals)
1⁄2 c. whole grain flour (wheat, spelt or kamut or a glutenfree blend)
1⁄2 tsp. cinnamon
1⁄2 tsp. salt
1⁄2 tsp. baking soda
1 egg
11⁄2 T. melted butter or Earth Balance or Spectrum Spread
In a medium bowl, combine dried plums and apricot jam: set aside. Lightly spray an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine oats, sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and soda. Mix well. Lightly beat together egg and Earth balance. Add to oats mixture, mixing until crumbly. Press 2 cups of mixture into bottom of prepared pan. Spread dried plum mixture over oats. Sprinkle remaining oat mixture over top. Bake at 350 degrees oven for 20 to 22 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. It desired, cut into 16 bars.
PRUNE PUDDING CAKE
Cookbook Author Diane Shaw calls this cake a sweet, dense wintertime treat.
2 c. pitted prunes, chopped
1 c. prune juice
1⁄4 c. unsweetened apple butter
1⁄4 c. sugar (Sucanat or Florida Crystals)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1⁄4 tsp. ground cloves
1 c. whole what pastry flour or kamut flour or spelt flour
1 tsp. baking soda
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place prunes, prune juice, apple butter, sugar, cinnamon, and cloves in a large saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer over mediumhigh heat. Lower the heat to medium, and continue simmering, stirring often, until the prunes soften and the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place the flour and baking soda in a large mixing bowl, and combine with a whisk. Pour the prune mixture into the bowl, and stir quickly and thoroughly. (The mixture will foam as the baking soda reacts with the fruit juice.) Pour the batter into a nonstick or lightly greased 7- to 8-inch baking dish. Bake until the cake is firm and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.â—†
Lauren Mirkin, CNS, LDN, LGPC, is a licensed nutritionist and counselor. She provides nutritional counseling at the Johns Hopkins Integrative Medicine and Digestive Center at Green Spring Station. Contact her at 443-326-7023 or holisticnutritionhelp@gmail.com.
