Tzimmis is one of my favorite traditional Jewish dishes. It’s a sweet potato stew, sweetened with honey, cinnamon, and dried fruits. It’s usually made with butter or lard. But why? It is delicious on its own. In my version, there are no added oils. Just pure natural sweetness. This is a great side to any holiday meal, however, it’s typically served during the Jewish holiday of Passover. If you don’t use honey, simply swap it out for maple syrup, or omit all together. It won’t have the same taste, but it’ll still be fab.
This dish is packed with antioxidants to boost health, and reduce inflammation in the body. Sweet potatoes and carrots are packed with Vitamin A, an anti-inflammatory ingredient that helps with skin, eye, and hair health, as well as . In one sweet potato there’s enough Vitamin A for 214% of your daily needs, as well as 52% Vitamin C and manganese, 25% fiber, and many other antioxidants that help the body to reduce reduce inflammation and promote healing. Due to their high fiber content, they actually help to reduce blood sugar, contrary to what you may think. Carrots also pack in similar nutritional value. There is only 1 tbsp of added sugar in the form of honey to this recipe, and if desired, you could avoid it completely. The raisins and fresh orange juice will sweeten this dish plenty. The raisins in this recipe don’t just provide natural sweetness, they are also high in potassium, fiber, potassium, and iron.
Ingredients:
- 3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and large dice
- 4 cups large diced carrots
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 cup raisins (or other dried fruit-apricots, prunes are great too)
- 3 tsp cinnamon
- 2 cups orange juice
- 2 tbsp fresh orange zest
Instructions:
- Place all ingredients into a pot, simmer until potatoes and carrots have softened, adding additional juice if needed. Cook time about 30 minutes.
- Serve as a side, combined with dishes like lentils, cabbage slaw, or quinoa salad. Here’s my Springtime Quinoa and a Brussels sprout slaw (recipe coming soon).
Nutritional Benefits:
- High in Fiber: great for regulating blood sugar, boosting digestive health, reducing risk of many forms of cancer, and increasing satiety
- Bursting with Vitamin A; 813% daily needs, anti-inflammatory and helps to improve eye, skin, hair, and nail health, as well as detoxify the body
- Packed with Vitamin C; 101% daily needs, increases immunity, is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory
- Very high in potassium; 1303 mg/serving, helps to regulate blood pressure, kidney, and nervous function
- Good source of plant-based iron; 11%-good for oxygenation of blood
- Good source of plant-based calcium (better absorbed by the body); 10%, needed to maintain bone and dental strength
- Plant-based and gluten free-helps with decreasing inflammation in the body
- Oil free and cholesterol free-great for heart health
- While this is a high natural sugar food, the high amount of fiber makes it much better for sugar regulation in the blood stream, you can decrease the amount of raisins if desired to reduce the sugar levels.
- 3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and large dice
- 4 cups large diced carrots
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 cup raisins (or other dried fruit-apricots, prunes are great too)
- 3 tsp cinnamon
- 2 cups orange juice
- 2 tbsp fresh orange zest
- Place all ingredients into a pot, simmer until potatoes and carrots have softened, adding additional juice if needed. Cook time about 30 minutes.
- Serve as a side, combined with dishes like lentils, cabbage slaw, or quinoa salad. Here's my
- Springtime Quinoa
- and a Brussels sprout slaw (recipe coming soon).
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