What do vegans eat for Christmas dinner?

Good question! You can veganize any and all traditional holiday meals. Here are a few examples of what vegans eat for Christmas:

• Holiday roasts made from seitan, nuts, legumes, tofu…etc. You can buy storebought roasts from vegan meat companies.

• Side dishes made from veggies and legumes, without cheese, butter (and any other animal derived products).

• Vegan desserts and cookies that are dairy-, egg-, and honey-free (and any other animal derived products).

• Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks made with vegan alcohol (check on Barnivore.com!), fruit juices and syrups. Most fruit juices and syrups are vegan, but always check the ingredients. Some sugar brands are NOT vegan! Be careful.

If you want to plan your menu or get inspired, check out these amazing fully vegan recipes below:

1. Butternut Roast

Ingredients (Servings: 4)

• 1 medium butternut squash

• 150 g vegan sausage mix

• 105 ml water

• 9 sprigs thyme

• 50 g cranberries

• 40 g dried onions

• 0.25 teaspoon nutmeg

• 0.50 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1 tablespoon fresh sage (finely chopped)

• 200 g toasted almond flakes

• 0.50 tsp chili flakes

• 3 tablespoon tablespoon garlic (grated

• 1 small orange (zested)

• 0.50 teaspoon wholegrain mustard

• 200 g kale

• olive oil

• salt and pepper

• 1 garlic head

Method

1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 5, 190°C, fan 170°.

2. Halve the butternut squash vertically and scoop out the seeds with a soup spoon. Oil a non-stick roasting tray and inside of the squash. Season with a pinch of salt, pepper and 1 tbsp spoon garlic and half the thyme. Lay both halves, cut side down, in the roasting tray and roast for 45 mins, or until just tender.

3. Leave to cool for 20 minutes, then carefully turn the halves over and scoop out the insides along the length of each squash half, leaving an even 2cm border of squash all around the edge. Be careful not to rip the skin. Put the inside of the squash in a mixing bowl with mustard and orange zest.

4. While the squash halves cook, mix together the sausage mix, almonds, cranberries, dried onion, chilli, smoked paprika, garlic, nutmeg, fresh sage, salt, pepper, orange zest and mustard, and allow it to set in the fridge for 20 minutes.

5. Meanwhile gently pull the kale leaves off the stalks, wash, dry and pack into the centre of both sides of squash once cooled.

6. Now divide the sausage mix between both halves packing down tightly and evenly and then top with the remaining squash.

7. Put the two halves together to make a butternut squash shape and tie together several times along the length of the squash with kitchen string. Return to the roasting tin.

8. Bake for 20 minutes, then add the halved garlic heads to the tin with the remaining thyme sprigs, drizzling them with 1 tbsp oil. Bake for a further 30-40 mins, until the squash is completely tender and piping hot.

9. Allow to set for 20 min with tinfoil over before serving.

2. Roasted Garlic Green Beans & Peppers

Ingredients (Servings: 4)

• 1 heaping tablespoon of minced garlic

• 1 heaping tablespoon minced ginger root

• 3 T olive oil

• 2 red bell peppers, cut into thin strips

• 1 lb. thin French-style green beans, ends trimmed and cut in half

• salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste

Method

1. Preheat oven to 450F/230C.

2. Mince 4-5 large garlic cloves, enough to make a heaping tablespoon of minced garlic.

3. Peel ginger root and finely mince enough ginger to make a heaping tablespoon of minced ginger.

4. Put olive oil, minced garlic, and minced ginger in a glass bowl or measuring cup and let it marinate while you prep vegetables. (This will slightly season the oil.)

5. Cut red bell peppers into fourths lengthwise, then remove seeds and trim any white pithy parts. Cut off rounded top and bottom parts to make it easier to cut even strips, then cut each piece of pepper into thin crosswise strips. Make the red pepper strips just slightly wider than the beans.

6. Trim ends of green beans and cut them in half. (To trim beans easily, loosely grab a handful and stand them up on the cutting board to line up the ends, trim, and then repeat with the other end.)

7. Put the green beans and red pepper strips into a medium-sized bowl and then toss with the olive oil, minced garlic, and minced ginger.

8. Spread the vegetables out on a large baking sheet, arranging it so vegetables are in a single layer as much as you can.

9. Roast 20-22 minutes, or until a few beans are starting to look browned and the veggies are tender-crisp.

10. Season to taste with salt and fresh ground black pepper and serve hot.

3. Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes with Mushroom Gravy

Ingredients

For the Mash

• 1 bulb of garlic

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 4-5 medium yukon gold potatoes, cubed

• 1/2 medium cauliflower, roughly chopped

• 2 tablespoons vegan butter

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• Nutritional yeast, to taste (optional)

For the Gravy

• 2 shallots, diced

• 1/2 yellow onion, diced

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 2 portabello caps, diced

• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped

• 1-2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1 1/4 cup vegetable broth (preferably low-sodium)

• 1 1/2 tablespoons tamari

• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF

2. Cut the top off of the garlic bulb, pour olive oil to coat, wrap in foil, and bake for 40 minutes to roast

3. While the garlic is roasting, go ahead and bring a large pot of water to a boil

4. Add potatoes and cauliflower and boil, uncovered, for 20 minutes, until soft

5. Drain the veggies, mash, and incorporate other mash ingredients (including the roasted garlic cloves)

For the Homemade Gravy

1. Sauté the onion and shallots in the oil until translucent

2. Add mushrooms and chopped rosemary

3. Cook until mushrooms are fragrant and shrink a bit

4. Sprinkle the flour on top of the mixture

5. Immediately add the broth and tamari, stirring to incorporate evenly

6. Add the extra sprigs of rosemary for extra flavor infusion (optional)

7. Simmer on medium heat until thickened (5-7 minutes), stirring frequently

8. If it doesn't seem to be thickening, add a tad bit of flour. If it thickens too much, add a bit of vegetable stock

9. Remember to remove the whole rosemary before serving!

4. Creamy Cauliflower, Mushroom, Kale Pasta Bake

Ingredients

• 1 small head cauliflower, outer leaves removed, cut into medium florets

• 1 small potato (80g), sliced 3mm thick

• salt

• 250 g (9 ounces) wholemeal penne pasta

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 2 tbsp plain white flour

• 200 ml (a scant cup) unsweetened non-dairy milk

• 200 ml (a scant cup) vegetable stock

• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

• black pepper

• 250 g (9 ounces) chestnut mushrooms, sliced

• 5 cloves garlic, crushed or finely chopped

• 6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked & stems discarded

• 100 g (3.5 ounces) curly kale, chopped into bite-sized pieces

Topping:

• 4 tbsp breadcrumbs , (see notes)

• 30 g nutritional yeast

• 4 sprigs fresh thyme , leaves picked & stems discarded

• a drizzle of olive oil

Instructions

• Bring a medium pot of salted water to the boil. Add the cauliflower and potato. Bring back up to the boil over a high heat then turn the heat down to simmer – leave to cook for 8 minutes until the cauliflower and potato are soft. Use a slotted spoon to remove the cauliflower and potato from the water to a large jug or bowl – set aside for later and keep the pot of water on the stove.

• Add the pasta to the pot of water and bring back up to the boil (add more water to the pot if needed to cover the pasta). Once boiling, turn the heat down to simmer and leave the pasta to cook for 5 minutesuntil only just barely cooked on the outside with an uncooked centre. Drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water in a colander. Set aside in the colander for later. Return the pot to the stove.

• Add 2 tbsp of olive oil to the pot along with the flour. Stir over a medium heat until smooth and cook for 1 minute. Combine the milk and stock together in a jug – gradually mix this liquid into the flour-oil paste in the pot, stirring in between additions until smooth. Once all the liquid has been added, bring the mixture to a simmer over a medium-low heat and let it cook for 2 minutes – it won’t be very thick right now but don’t worry!

• Pour the hot contents of the pot and the tablespoon of mustard into the jug/bowl containing the cauliflower and potato. Blend using a hand blender until completely smooth and thick. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Set the sauce aside.

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

• In a medium frying pan, heat the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil over a medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and let them cook, stirring occasionally until they’ve shrunk down and are releasing liquid (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic, thyme and a pinch of salt to the frying pan, turn the heat down to low and cook for 1 minute. Add the kale to the frying pan and cover with a lid or large plate. Leave to steam for 5-7 minutes until the kale has wilted down. Remove the lid and take off the heat.

• In a medium casserole dish or roasting tin, mix the pasta, mushrooms, kale and sauce. Mix the topping ingredients (except the olive oil) in a small bowl and sprinkle over the pasta. Drizzle with some olive oil, slide the dish into the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes until the topping is slightly browned. Divide between bowls and serve hot.

5. Classic Potato Salad

Ingredients

• 4 baby yellow potatoes or potatoes of choice

• 1 cup plant-based mayo

• 2 tablespoon white vinegar

• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard

• ¾ cup celery chopped

• 2-3 green onions chopped

• 1 kosher dill pickle chopped

• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Place pot on the stove over high heat and cover. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are slightly fork tender* and drain. Leave potatoes in the colander and cover with a clean kitchen towel to steam for 15 minutes. Uncover and allow to cool for an additional 15 minutes.

• While potatoes are cooking, make the dressing. Add mayo, vinegar, mustard, celery, green onions, dill pickle and pepper to a large bowl. Stir to combine, cover and place in the fridge until ready to use.

• When potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut into quarters**. Add potatoes to the dressing and fold them in. Taste and add salt to taste and adjust any seasonings as needed.

• Place in the fridge until completely cool - at least 1 hour.

• Serve and enjoy.

:)

> We are cooking for you! Check out our V on Wheels menu and get your Christmas week sorted

> Find more recipes at The Green Loot

Mila x