Holiday season is here and one of our favourite things is definitely holiday food, right? However, individuals who’re following a plant-based diet often worry that they’ll be hungry for the holidays.
But, thinking that you ‘have nothing to eat’ just because you’re a vegetarian or a vegan is definitely a part of the past.
Today, with so many plant-based cookbooks available online, you can prepare an entire plant-based menu for the holidays and savour the delicious flavours.
Once you begin cooking plant-based, you’ll realize that there are so many wonderful and nourishing ingredients you may not have paid that much attention to when you were a bit too focused on meat and dairy.
If you’re a vegan yourself and have decided to host a holiday get-together with family and friends, you’ll love these amazing 5 recipes for the vegan holiday menu we’ve prepared for you.
They’re not just easy to make, but also yummy and nutritious- even the non-vegan ‘gang’ will love them!
5 Delicious all Vegan Holiday Recipes
- Baked potato with parsley ‘sour cream’
Hot, steamy, and creamy-this is the ideal recipe for cold weather or any time of the year! Easy and satisfying, russet potatoes make an excellent holiday food.
For the potatoes:
6 russet potatoes
3 tbsp of olive oil
A dash of salt
A dash of black pepper
For the cream:
2 cups of cashews, raw
A tbsp of olive oil
3 tbsp of lemon juice
A veggie stock cube
A cup of parsley, fresh
½ cup of coconut cream or milk
A tsp of salt
A tsp of black pepper
A tbsp of garlic powder
A tbsp of onion powder
For garnish:
Fresh green onions
Baby peppers, sweet
Plant based butter
Prep:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Then, rub the potatoes with the olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper on top. Poke them along the centre. Cook them for 50 to 60 minutes until the skin becomes crispy.
While they’re baking, make the cashew cream. Add the ingredients for it in a blender and blend to get a smooth and silky texture.
Serve the potatoes hot and pour over the cream. Add the garnish on top.
2. Roasted baby artichokes
These edible flowers will become your favourite food ever after you learn how to roast them for optimal deliciousness and abundance in great herbs and served with dip.
You’ll need:
2 baby artichokes
A drizzle of olive oil
A tsp of garlic powder or minced garlic
A tsp of basil, dried
¼ tsp of cayenne powder
Salt
Pepper
For the garnish:
Dried minced garlic
Prep:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. and start preparing the artichokes by cutting off the bottom most outer leaves, around 2 layers.
Then, cut to remove the upper part, around an inch from the top. Now, cut it from bottom to top into half and drizzle lemon or lime juice over the artichoke to avert it from browning.
Use a small spoon to remove the fuzzy part or the choke. Put it with the leaves down in a baking dish and sprinkle them with the garlic, basil, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
Drizzle olive oil and put them in the oven and bake for 25 minutes or so.
To check if they’re ready, poke the heart of the artichoke- if the fork or skewer goes easily, it’s done. If not, bake more.
When they’re baked, garnish them with the garlic and serve.
3. Roasted tomato & pepper soup
Believe us, this isn’t the average recipe for tomato soup you may know. The smokiness from the roasted veggies transforms this childhood meal to an elegant dish.
You’ll need:
17 ½ ounces of cherry tomatoes, halved
3 big red peppers, sliced
3 red onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled
28 oz. of chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp of tomato puree
olive oil
2 tsp of sweet paprika
½ tsp of balsamic vinegar
½ tsp of soy sauce, low-salt
A tsp of sugar
A handful of basil, fresh
4 bay leaves
A sprig of rosemary
Salt
Pepper
Prep:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F, preferably an oven with a fan. Put the tomatoes and peppers on a baking tray and drizzle olive oil and add the garlic, bay leaves, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
Bake them for 20 to 30 minutes, until soft. Then, fry the onions on low heat with some olive oil. Once they soften, add the tomato puree and chopped tomatoes. Now, add the sugar, balsamic, and sweet paprika. Once cooked, add the roasted veggies, but take out the bay leaves and rosemary, and fresh basil and then blend it.
Serve and enjoy while warm!
4. Flourless chocolate & almond protein cookies
No baking, yes please. Rich in protein, probiotics, and probiotics, this little cookie is all you need when you start feeling down. It will immediately boost your energy and nourish you from the inside out.
You’ll need:
A cup of pitted Medjool dates
¾ cup of oats
2 tbsp of runny almond butter
A packet of chocolate protein powder
Prep:
Put the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until the mixture looks broken up and flour-like.
Blend for 3 more minutes, pushing the sides down if needed. You need a mixture that will begin to clump into a sticky ball.
If the mixture isn’t becoming moist, added 1 or 2 dates. But, don’t do this too soon to prevent the mixture from going too sticky. Pulse at least 3 minutes before you decide to add more dates.
Once you get the needed texture, remove it from the processor and begin shaping it into cookies. Use a fork to make fork marks.
You can eat them right away or put them in the fridge overnight to get a firmer texture. You can store them in the fridge for up to 7 days.
5. Maple & Sage Acorn Squash
Caramelized and sweet, it’s the ideal comfort, but healthy food for any occasion, not just the holidays. But, it will certainly make the holiday season even more enjoyable!
You’ll need:
An acorn squash, medium one
2 tsp of olive oil
2 tbsp of vegan butter
3 tbsp of brown sugar
1/8 cup of maple syrup
Salt
Pepper
5 sage leaves, shredded
Prep:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. cut the squash into slices and put the seeds aside.
Heat the olive oil, butter, brown sugar, and syrup over medium-low heat and mix until the sugar dissolves.
Remove it from heat and brush the slices of squash and put them on the baking tray.
If you want to, you can sprinkle it with brown sugar. Bake for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven, sprinkle sage leaves, add the salt and pepper, and put back in the oven for 10 to 20 more minutes.
For the seeds:
Put them in a glass baking dish, spray them with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake until they start popping. Sprinkle them on top of a squash slice prior to serving.
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