This healthy take on a Chanukah favorite is oil-free, soy-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, and nut-free, and still delivers the flavors of the holiday, especially when paired with an easy 3-ingredient applesauce.

Before making the latkes, prepare the applesauce so it can be cooling in the refrigerator while the latkes cook.

Easy, Chunky, Sugar-Free Applesauce

This recipe is fairly loose; the basic premise is to use apples, a Ceylon Cinnamon stick and a little water, and to cook at low heat for just under an hour. I prefer to peel my apples to remove any wax (even some organic apples can have Carnuba wax), but if your organic apples are not waxed, you may choose to leave the skin on for extra nutrition and color, then strain the applesauce through a food mill to remove skins after cooking. You do want to remove the core and seeds before cooking, though.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients (all organic/biodynamic)

4 Assorted sweet apples (Honeycrisp, Gala, Golden Delicious, etc.)
3 Tbsp. Mineral water
1 Ceylon cinnamon stick

Directions

1. Wash, peel, and core apples.
2. Cut into eights or sixteenths depending on the size of the apple.
3. Place into pot on stove with a Ceylon cinnamon stick, and the water.

4. Set heat to medium until the water begins to boil, then turn to low and cover.
5. Cook on low for approximately 40 min, stirring occasionally, until the apples are very soft.
6. Remove from heat.
7. Remove cinnamon stick, and mash apples with potato masher to desired chunky consistency.
8. Allow to cool, then refrigerate until latkes are ready.

Applesauce can be kept in refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.

Oven-baked, Oil-Free Carrot and Potato Latkes

This recipe uses no oil and instead bakes the latkes in the oven at 400°F.  Carrots and scallions are added for nutrition and color.

Yield: 14 small latkes or 2-4 servings (depending on whether enjoyed as a main dish or side

Ingredients (all organic/biodynamic)

2 Russet potatoes (about 1 lb)
½ c. Shredded carrot
¼ c. Chopped scallions (approximately 2)
1 Egg (organic, free-range, grass-fed chicken egg; or 3 quail eggs at room temperature)
¼ tsp. Celtic Sea Salt®
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black peppercorns (approximately 4 peppercorns)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°
2. Wash and peel potatoes
3. Using the biggest side of a box grater, grate the potatoes into a bowl.

4. Move to a fine mesh strainer or sieve and squeeze out as much liquid as possible into a clean bowl below.
5. Allow liquid to rest for 10 minutes while preparing egg white. Transfer shredded potato to large bowl.
6. Separate egg into a clean bowl; discard yolk or save for another recipe.
7. Beat egg white with a hand mixer until soft peaks (or beginnings of firm peaks) form.
8. Fold beaten egg white into shredded potato until coated.
9. The liquid that was resting has now separated into potato starch and colored water. Carefully pour off/discard the water into the sink leaving the white solid starch behind.
10. Using a spoon, remove the solid starch and add it to your potato/egg mixture.
11. Add in the carrots, scallions, salt, and pepper and stir until combined.
12. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.
13. Drop potato mixture onto baking sheet by tablespoon and flatten into circles.

14. Bake for 20 minutes in the center of the oven. You will start to see slight browning on the edges.
15. Remove from oven to flip over. This is the tricky part since we are not using oil. The latkes will be firm and slightly roasted on the top, but the bottom that is in contact with the parchment will still be soft. Holding the parchment/cookie sheet with a potholder in one hand, use a spatula to wiggle/slide under the latkes to flip them with the solid side now down.
16. Return latkes to oven and cook for another 15-20 min until edges are brown but not burned.
17. Remove from oven. They will be easy to remove from the parchment once cooked.
18. Place on a cooling rack to firm up for a couple minutes, then serve with your chunky applesauce!