Light shabbos foods

Executive Member Joined: Jul 03 2008 Posts: 406

When I read the shabbos foods topic, I always marvel at the huge amount of dishes people serve. It is really inspiring to read, but I usually don't make so many courses. Especially on Friday night DH and me prefer having a light meal, and are usually full after just the challah and soup (esp. when shabbos comes in late). Besides, DH is currently on a diet so baking all sorts of sweet kugels and cakes would be torture.

So who has ideas for light, but festive shabbos foods?

Platinum Member Joined: Mar 07 2007 Posts: 10429

It's pretty hard to make a fleishik meal "light", as meat is by definition "heavy". You could serve a cold soup like gazpacho, a vegetable salad with minimal dressing or no dressing, small grilled chicken cutlets, tabouli salad and either no dessert, sorbet, or the finest fresh fruit you can find. Up the festivity factor with attractive garnishes or by drizzling the plates with contrasting-color sauces.
If you're not makpid on eating meat on shabbos, serve something like salmon steaks.

Platinum Member Joined: Aug 12 2007 Posts: 20496

In Israel, a lot of the sides are veggies, which are light as long as you don't pour flour and oil etc. over them. There are many salads you can make and the best thing is that they are parve and you can eat them all week with anything!

Platinum Member Joined: Jan 01 2006 Posts: 48156

I have posted many recipes here from Spark people that we like.

Platinum Member Joined: Mar 07 2007 Posts: 10429

what's spark?

Posted: Fri, Mar 13 2009, 10:56 am Post subject:

I make the same traditional stuff every week. If I have guest I add some stuff but the basics are -

challah
some dip
fish
soup, lukshin or knaidel
chicken, potato kugal, ferfel
_________________
Sunday social program forming in Brooklyn for children with social delays. Pm me for more info
~complimentary ad for being a mod

Gold Member Joined: Jul 03 2006 Posts: 1149

I have a recipe for vegetable muffins that are not only easy, they are very light (though they do have mayonaise in it so I'm not saying it's particulary low fat. You can use fat free mayo though).
I find that by the time I get to the main dish I have No interest in anything heavy. these muffins are usually still wanted cuz they're not such a commitment to eat them. They use frozen veggies so nothing to peal.
Let me know if you want the recipe Smile

Executive Member Joined: Jul 03 2008 Posts: 406

Thanks for the ideas!

Rise above~ I'd love to have the recipe, if you don't mind posting it!

We are not makpid on meat, on the contrary, so any ideas without meat are more than welcome too.

Gold Member Joined: Jul 03 2006 Posts: 1149

Vegetable Kugel/Muffins
1 bag california bodek veggies - (I like them totally pureed with hand blender, but some people like it with pieces)
3 eggs
3 tbs flour
3 tbs onion soup mix
2 tbs oil
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup boiling water

Platinum Member Joined: Jan 01 2006 Posts: 48156

http://www.sparkpeople.com/

Platinum Member Joined: Mar 07 2007 Posts: 10429

ah, thank you, cm.

Platinum Member Joined: Jan 01 2006 Posts: 48156

sure. thank bashinda, actually. she turned me on to it.

Executive Member Joined: May 28 2007 Posts: 293

To Rise Above:
The veg muffins sound yummy. How long do you bake them and at what temperature?
Thanks in advance.
Have a good Shabbos.

Diamond Member Joined: Nov 10 2005 Posts: 3401

In the summer, I have made soup, a grilled chicken salad and a light kugel and that has been enough for us.

Gold Member Joined: Jul 03 2006 Posts: 1149

Bake it on 350' - I don't remember how long to bake for- I think something like 20-40 mintues Smile

Posted: Fri, Mar 13 2009, 3:00 pm Post subject: re: Light shabbos foods

You might find some ideas here:
http://imamother.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=72763

I try to cook a couple of interesting vegetable side dishes each shabbos, so our meals are pretty light. This week I made stuffed zucchinni, which is really light & low in fat since it's stuffed with a mixture of veggies, and roasted maple glazed acorn squash rings. If you'd like either of those recipes, let me know. Smile

Active Poster Joined: Jan 20 2009 Posts: 47

My favorite couscous salad: It feeds a lot of people tho...my measurements may be slightly off

1 whole chicken (or your favorite part) cooked and removed from bone (I usually boil and use the broth for something else)
2 cups cous cous or 2 10oz pkgs (I sometimes use the olive oil & garlic type)
1 15 oz can chick peas
1 pkg cherry tomatoes or 1 15oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes or anything close
a few green onions, sliced, or sweet onions...whatever
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup vinegar (we get white balsamic when I can find it or regular balsamic vinegar...in the past I've replaced the tomatoes with apples and used apple cider vinegar...go with your own taste)
salt and pepper to taste.

You can add whatever you want form here...I sometimes add avocado, olives, cucumber, red bell pepper...etc...You could make this every night for a month and never have the same dish twice. This also works well with barley, orzo pasta, and rice...

To cook the cous cous pour into a bowl and pour over boiling water (or use the broth from the chicken if you wish)...use quantities on the pakage. I use whole wheat couscous so its 2 cups couscous to 2.5 cups water...let stand while you work on everything else....

Cut tomatoes if necessary...drain cans etc...

Make the dressing by placing the oil and vin in a jar and shake to combine. I usually add the salt and pepper here. Sometimes I add some chopped garlic or herbs like basil, oregano or parsley...add a little at a time when you place on salad because you may like less dressing than we do...also adjust the vin:oil ratio to your liking.

chop chicken into bite size pieces

Toss all items together to coat and serve....works great for picnics too. Just place in a container and shake to combine b4 serving. Left overs are great too and you can make this hours in advance or even the night b4. Its very light and very tasty and wonderful with challah.