Healthy Shabbat Recipes

A Cholent Alternative For Hot Days

As you may know, I'm not a big fan of traditional cholent.

First of all, after being a vegetarian for 9 years, I did finally give in to the frum community's peer-pressure and start eating fish and chicken, but I never again developed a desire for red meat.  I'd opt for a veggie burger over a "real" hamburger anyday.

Second, most traditional cholent tastes like paste to me.

Third, I always call cholent "the best sedative known to man"  It'll knock-you-out till havdalah!

Finally -- Cholent in the summer? Are you NUTS?

So...We usually make "Hot Pot Chicken"  for shabbos lunch, instead of chulent.

But...despite all of my disclaimers above, I must admit that the recipe for Cholent Salad by Ima Shalom really intrigued me...so I figured I'd post a link here...for those looking for a summertime cholent alternative!

Enjoy!

Morrocan "Stulent" (Vegetarian/Vegan Cholent)

Hey, if Rachel Ray can create a "stoup" (stew/soup) then I can create a "stulent" (stew/chulent)

But seriously folks....

This  was originally a recipe for Morrocan Stew from the "New Recipes From The Moosewood Restaurant" Recipeasel 

This recipe is simply incredible as a stovetop stew. I can't get enough of it and it makes the house smell SO GOOD!  I have to say, I think it loses a little something when you make it as a chulent...but my sister-in-law who is a vegetarian LOVES it as a chulent.

This recipe isn't exactly "quick and easy."  Well, it's not difficult, but you have to chop a lot of vegetables. I recommend you get everything chopped and placed in to seperate bowls or bags before you start cooking.  It will make the process run a lot smoother.

Also, don't just dump all the veggies into your crockpot without cooking them together on the stovetop too -- your cholent will be too bland.

You'll Need:

1/3 cup olive oil
3 cups coarsely chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground tumeric
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 to 1 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 cup sliced carrots (baby carrots work fine too)
4 cups cubed sweet potatoes or butternut squash
3 cups cubed eggplant (usually 1 large eggplant will do)
1 green pepper, sliced in strips
4 cups zucchini or summer squash
2 large tomatoes chopped
1 1/2 cup cooked garbanzo beans - liquid reserved
pinch of saffron (optional)
3/4 cup dried currants or 1/2 cup rasins

1/4 cup fresh parsely to garnish (optional)

Directions:

In a large stew pot, heat the olive oil and saute the onions for 2 or 3 minutes.  Add the garlic and spices, stirring continuously. Add the vegetables in the order given above so that the starchier vegetables will cook the longest.  Saute after the addtion of each vegetable until the color deepens. Stir in the  garbanzo beans, saffron, and currents or rasins. There should be some liquid at the bottom of the pot from the cooking vegetables. However, if the stew is dry, add 1/2 cup of tomato juice, vegetable stock, liquid from the garbanzo beans or water. 

If you were making a regular stovestop stew, at this point you would, cover the stew and simmer on low heat or until the vegetables are tender.  To use it as a chulent just put the mixture into your slow cooker and leave it on low.

Add the chopped parsely just before serving. Serve over couscous for a more authentic Morrocan experience!

My Favorite Vegetarian Cholent (It's actually 'light!')

I always say "Cholent is the best sedative known to man." But this version is the lightest and tastiest version EVER! (You might actually be able to stay awake after eating it!)  Parsnips replace the potatoes and give a nice, light sweetness to the dish.  This one is TOTALLY healthy. Enjoy!

2 cups chopped broccoli
2 onions, diced
4 cups parsnips, peed and cut into chunks
1 cups collards (check it for bugs first!)
1 1/2 cups brown rice
3/4 cup aduki beans
2 Leeks, chopped
1 tbsp onion soup mix (use the kind without MSG)- optional
If you don't use the onion soup mix, season with salt, pepper and anything else you like.

Simply put all the ingredients in the crockpot, pour water and/or vegetable stock over everything and cover with an extra inch or inch-and-a-half of liquid. Start this cholent a few hours before shabbos begins, to give everything a chance to cook. Cook on low until shabbos lunch.   

Based on the recipe "Warming Broccoli Cholent" from Come for Cholent...Again: Cholent Stories and More Recipes