With Christmas coming up this week, we're pulling a few seasonal recipes out of the archives. If you haven't planned your menu for the 25th yet, maybe something here will take your fancy!
If your Christmas companions like to sit down to a roast dinner, a nut roast, seitan roast or tofurkey is a meat-free, gravy-friendly alternative.
Christmas pudding can be iffy what with the suet, but these cute pudding bites cater to a broader crowd - the recipe includes vegan and gluten-free adaptations. I've also tried gleeganising White Christmas slice, albeit with less success.
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer makes a pretty tasty cupcake, with pretzel antlers and a Jaffa nose.
All that said and linked, we're hardly Christmas traditionalists. When planning our contribution to the family meal, we focus more on crowd-pleasers that can be made in advance.
In 2006, we fried up spicy veg burgers and an uninspiring potato salad.
In 2007, I won a few fans for my non-sausage rolls.
In 2008 spanakopita was the star, and we shared a half-dozen more favourite recipes with family over the break.
In 2009 I played host at home, arranging a casual afternoon of pizza and ice cream. (Meanwhile Lisa made our vegan sausage rolls!)
In 2010 I hosted again, and we picnicked on salads and chocolate.
This year we'll be guests in a family home, attempting to ease the stress by contributing a veg dish or two while not commandeering too much of the kitchen. We're leaning towards salads like the eat-anywhere quinoa salad, green couscous, mango and coconut rice salad, quinoa avocado salad, or the quinoa salad with Persian dried lime, paired with a pan-fried protein like braised tofu, pomegranate tofu or soy bombs. Johanna GGG and Carla have also been discussing Christmas menus on their blogs.
In 2010 I hosted again, and we picnicked on salads and chocolate.
This year we'll be guests in a family home, attempting to ease the stress by contributing a veg dish or two while not commandeering too much of the kitchen. We're leaning towards salads like the eat-anywhere quinoa salad, green couscous, mango and coconut rice salad, quinoa avocado salad, or the quinoa salad with Persian dried lime, paired with a pan-fried protein like braised tofu, pomegranate tofu or soy bombs. Johanna GGG and Carla have also been discussing Christmas menus on their blogs.
Eating vego at the Christmas table ain't always easy. If you're feeling a little vulnerable, we'd highly recommend you read Lisa's tips for eating vegan with others and Carla's guide to surviving the family roast. Hopefully, though, you'll do far better than survive; sharing a fresh, tasty meal and the company of those you love.
thanks for the linkage guys! happy chrissy to you both!
ReplyDeleteI'm making that mango salad this year, have been eating it a lot lately because mangos have been pretty cheap.
ReplyDeleteI am just trying to plan my vegie main. I'm the only vegie but it needs to be big enough for lots of other people to eat too, as they will.
That all looks so awesome. Please cook it all, and come have Christmas in Bris ;).
ReplyDeleteP.S. The cat is adorable.
It's good to have some non-traditional christmas menus - especially for christmas in summer - love seeing your cat in tinsel and the dalek (Just realised why you have him at the bottom of the stairs!) thanks for the link - have a great christmas and enjoy your christmas dinner
ReplyDeleteVery cute shot of your cat! I made the Tofurkey from your blog last year for one of my family Christmas lunches. It was the first thing I cooked in my new oven and I had the temperature too high at one point so the glaze burnt. A decent smothering of gravy rectified the situation. Hope you have an enjoyable Christmas! :D
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas Carla! Your survival guide is excellent, I think I'm gonna retweet it a couple days before the 25th.
ReplyDeleteKatya - if you're aiming to share with others and have oven space, I reckon you can't go wrong with pastry.
Mattheworbit - we're Christmasing closer than you think! I hope you have a great day, and I don't doubt that you'll cook up something wonderful yourself.
Johanna - merry christmas to you, E and Sylvia too! I can't wait to see what you come up with this year.
Mel - gravy covers many imperfections! It did a stellar job of masking the slight toughness of ours too. Hope you have a lovely day with family on the 25th.