Long before our diet changed due to food allergies, I became interested in cooking “something different” every once in a while. A lot of grain salads, vegan meals, and the occasional raw dish were the result, and while I had to drop many gluten-containing grain ideas, we still love our allergy-friendly favorites! Let me share one today 🙂
With the temperatures dropping and enough snow falling to shovel the sidewalk three times a day, we needed a warming and filling dinner last night. I’ve tweaked the Cholent recipe from the Veganomicon over the years to arrive at this version, which combines the flavors of a traditional root veggie stew and a chili. Lentils and potatoes mesh well with beans, and Mediterranean tastes of thyme and tarragon are complemented by smoked paprika (my all-time favorite spice) and South Asian fenugreek.
Experiment with spices and find your own favorite version!
And Ilian fell asleep in the car after a sledding adventure, so cooking happened without snacking today. He’ll help me next time again!
Vegan Cholent
Ingredients
- 2 TBsp canola oil
- 1/3 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large can (28 oz) tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
- 2 potatoes, cubed
- 3 carrots, sliced
- 1/2 cup french lentils
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp tarragon
- 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 can (15 oz) garbanzo beans
- 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans
- 1 cup frozen lima beans, thawed
Directions
- Heat the canola oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic, stir, cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, lentils, spices, and water. Cook over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the beans, stir well to combine, cook for another 10 minutes or until potatoes are soft all the way through.
- Enjoy in small or large bowls! [If you eat dairy, this can tastily be topped with yogurt or sour cream.]
