Passover recipes: Trendy and light

NEW YORK, March 26 (JTA) — In the rush to clean every corner of your house for Passover and to prepare ceremonial dishes for the seder table, you may be short on time to cook up a holiday meal. What to do if you’re expecting a crowd this Passover?

Here are several no-fuss recipes you can assemble in a jiffy. As light as spring, they taste like something a trendy chef inspired. Together they make up a complete meal or can supplement other dishes you or your guests may be making.

Simply Delicious Baby Carrots

No-stick cooking spray

3 16-ounce pkg. of baby carrots, cleaned

Olive oil for drizzling

Garlic salt to taste

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Coat a large oven-proof casserole with cooking spray. Spread carrots evenly inside. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic salt. Place in oven. Stir every 15 minutes, adding more oil if necessary. Roast for 60-90 minutes, or until carrots soften and turn golden brown. Serve immediately.

Spinach & Strawberry Salad

1/3 cup sunflower seeds

2 lbs. fresh spinach, cleaned and trimmed of stems

1 pint strawberries, cleaned, hulled and halved

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup olive oil

Garlic salt to taste

1. Roast seeds at 350 degrees for 3-5 minutes or until light brown. Place spinach, strawberries and seeds in a large glass bowl.

2. Place remaining ingredients in a jar. Cover and shake. Pour on spinach. Toss and serve.

Roast Cornish Hens & New Potatoes

No-stick cooking spray

5 Cornish hens, cleaned well

White wine for dousing

Salt & white pepper to taste

Paprika for color

5 apples, halved and cored

20 small new potatoes

Olive oil

Small bunch of parsley, optional

Place rack inside roasting pan and coat both with cooking spray. Arrange hens on rack, drizzling with wine. Place an apple half inside each. Coat potatoes with oil. Place on rack between hens. Season hens and potatoes with salt, pepper and paprika. Basting occasionally, roast at 350 degrees for 90 minutes, or until potatoes crisp and juices run clear when hens are pricked at leg joints with a fork. Discard apples. Slice hens in half and serve on a platter surrounded by potatoes. Decorate with sprigs of parsley.

Almond Macaroons

3 cups blanched almonds, ground fine

1 cup sugar

3 egg whites

1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets, leaving 1/2 inch between macaroons. Bake 12-15 minutes, or until light brown. Will be soft. Cool before removing from cookie sheets. Yield: 3 dozen.