Vegetable Slow Cooker Cholent

This is the perfect low calorie filling comfort food for cold wintry evenings.

I have modified a recipe that is often prepared on Friday afternoons and left to cook in the slow cooker through Saturday lunch until ready to serve. This is vegetarian but you could just as easily add ground or chopped up chicken breast and thigh, or turkey or even ground beef ( low fat). Grains can be added too. All of these additions will add to the calories so I have not done so in this version. This will make enough for at least 10 meals – and I make it and freeze half or more than half depending on what our plans are for the week. But it is a wonderful way for calorie reductions while still feeling full.

SLOW COOKER VEGETARIAN CHOLENT

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp of Olive oil
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 2 Tbsp chopped oregano
• 2 Tbsp ground chili powder
• 2 Tbsp garlic powder
• 2 Tbsp Paprika
• 2 Tbsp Turmeric
• 4 Tbsp Curry powder
• (if you like it spicy add Cayenne as much as you want- we don’t add this as we don’t like spicy)

Then add any vegetables that you have on hand but certainly include one cup of  each of the following ( If your slow cooker is smaller – then reduce all ingredients  above and below this line by half)

• Chopped Onion
• Chopped cabbage
• Chopped carrots
• Diced peeled yam
• Diced baby potatoes
• Chopped Fennel bulb
• Chopped celery
• Chopped Cilantro
• Diced Eggplant with skin
• Sliced  Zucchini with skin
• Sliced  Portobello Mushrooms
• 1 large can of roasted tomatoes with sauce

 I have also sometimes added 1 cup of either BULGUR or QUINOA or BARLEY ( which you just throw in with all the vegetables in the beginning) but NOT Rice as it gets clumpy!

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, add the garlic and all the spices including Cayenne if you wish.
2. Saute for a few minutes.
3. Add the onions and saute for another few minutes
4. Then add each vegetable sauteing each one for about a minute.until all are in the pan.
5. Add the canned tomatoes ( be sure they are chopped up) and mix well so that all vegetables have a coating of the spices.
6. Spray the slow cooker with PAM
7. Pour the whole mixture into the slow cooker.
8. If you wish to put it on all night – turn it on low.
9. If all day – turn on low for about 5 hours and then high for about 3 hours
10. Check the slow cooker to be sure the all harder vegetables ( e.g. Yams and Potatoes and Carrots) are submerged.
11. Season with salt and pepper ( it will need a lot of this unless you put in Cayenne)
12. Serve with steamed rice (  I prepare that in a rice maker so that the whole meal is ready when we are ie it can wait until we are ready!)
13. YUM!