Let there be latkes!

RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Hanukkah starts at sundown tonight, and you may already be anticipating your favorite holiday foods. If you're responsible for any meals as you gather with family and friends during the Festival of Lights, consider going the extra mile and preparing your Hanukah recipes with organic and locally grown ingredients. For example, when shopping for this dinner menu, look for organic apples, potatoes, and green beans grown without the use of harmful pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, and genetic engineering. More and more locally grown produce can be found in larger grocery stores these days. Alternatively, local farms, farmers markets and co-ops are good sources of locally grown food.

Check out the Rodale Recipe Finderas you plan for this year's holiday—these tweaked versions of traditional Hannukah recipes favorites are sure to please.

#1: Potato Pancakes over Baby Greens. Feel free to either stick to traditional potato latkes made with white potatoes or swap them with pancakes made from sweet potatoes; white and sweet potatoes each have their own nutritional benefits. White potatoes have more essential minerals like potassium, iron and magnesium, while sweet potatoes contain more fiber and vitamin A. If you're going the sweet potato route, try this recipe with added apples, scallions, and dill.

#2: Applesauce. You can feel good about serving the traditional bowl of applesauce alongside those latkes; a good source of vitamin C and fiber, apples also contain health-boosting antioxidant flavonoids. Studies show that apples help fight diseases such as lung cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. The apple varieties with the most antioxidants are Red Delicious, Northern Spy, Cortland, Ida Red, Golden Delicious, and McIntosh, according to a Canadian study. Choose your favorites to vary the texture and sweetness of this recipe according to your taste.