Have a Happy, Healthier Hanukkah

The Festival of Lights is a time of joy and celebration, but it's not always so joyous to read the calorie counts of some of the oil-heavy dishes traditionally served during this holiday!

Not to worry. Here are some lightened-up, but still flavorful, versions of Hanukkah favorites: brisket, latkes with applesauce -- even doughnuts.

Brisket With Wine-Soaked Apricots

The preferred way to prepare brisket is with long, slow cooking. Brisket is a pretty high-fat meat, but you can make it leaner by trimming off all the visible fat before cooking. This recipe can be made in the oven or on the stovetop.

3-4 pound beef brisket
1 lb dried apricot halves
2 mild or sweet onions, sliced
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
A couple of pinches ground black pepper
A couple of pinches of salt (optional)
1/2 cup toasted slivered or sliced almonds (toast in a nonstick frying pan over medium-low heat)

• If you're cooking the brisket in the oven, preheat oven to 300 degrees. Trim all the visible fat off your brisket.
• Wash the apricots and put in a medium-sized bowl. Add enough wine to cover them and soak for one hour.
• Add canola oil to large Dutch oven (or similar pot) and heat over medium-high heat on stove. Add the sliced onions and brisket. Brown meat and onions, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes.
• Add the spices and the dried fruit with wine to Dutch oven and stir. Cover pot and reduce heat to low (if you're cooking on the stovetop) or move Dutch oven to preheated oven. Cook for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until brisket is very tender.
• Remove brisket from pan and place in center of serving platter. Let the meat rest 5-10 minutes before slicing. Surround the slices with the apricots, and drizzle 1/2 cup of the pan juices over the top. Sprinkle toasted almonds over the top of the beef and apricots.

Yield: 8-10 servings

Per serving (if 8 servings and using a 3-pound brisket): 335 calories, 35 g protein, 26 g carbohydrate, 10 g fat, 2.7 g saturated fat, 94 mg cholesterol, 4 g fiber, 58 mg sodium.