The Ultimate Vegan Holiday Feast
Recipes by Priscilla Feral
We all know how busy this time of year can be, and we’re here to help! Below are recipes for an entire holiday feast—from tantalizing appetizers to luscious desserts and everything in between—that are sure to please not only your palate but all of your guests as well. All of the dishes are beautiful to behold, easy to prepare (just follow the recipe!) and scrumptious. Now that’s something to celebrate!
All of the recipes are from our two vegan cookbooks: Dining with Friends: The Art of North American Vegan Cuisine and Best of Vegan Cooking. Both of them can be purchased from our website, and the proceeds all go directly to advocacy projects here at Friends of Animals. Be sure to look out for our second printing of Dining with Friends; this time there’s an entire section devoted to delicious gluten-free baking.
Happy Holidays…and bon appétit!
Appetizers:
Carrot Pate :
Ingredients:
2 cups carrots, sliced
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, slivered
1/4 teaspoon dill
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon arrowroot, dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons white miso
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons tahini (sesame butter)
Preparation:
In a medium saucepan, sauté the carrots, onions, garlic, and dill in the oil for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the water and cover; simmer about 20 minutes, until the carrots are tender. Purée the carrot mixture into a smooth paste and return it to the saucepan.
Turn the pâté mixture out into a lightly oiled serving dish and let cool. Serve the pâté with wheat crisps or as a side dip for vegetables, such as celery.
Tip: We recommend mellow white miso.
Artichoke Spread
Ingredients:
14 oz can artichoke hearts (packed in water)
1 clove peeled and mashed garlic
3 tablespoons Nayonaise
Paprika
Preparation:
Drain artichokes. Chop artichokes finely and transfer to small saucepan. Add garlic and Nayonaise, and blend. Warm over low heat, stirring constantly. Do not let mixture boil. Turn spread into a serving bowl. Sprinkle with paprika and serve with crackers.
Sweet Breads :
Cranberry Nut Bread
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup Florida Crystals natural sugar
Rind of ½ orange, grated
Juice of one orange mixed with ¾ cup water
Ener-G Egg Replacer (mix according to instructions to make equivalent to 1 egg)
1 tablespoon non-dairy margarine
1 cup halved cranberries, frozen or fresh
½ cup pecans or walnuts
Preparation:
Sift the first ingredients together into a bowl. Add rind, juice and water mixture and egg replacer blend. Stir until partially mixed. Then stir in the melted margarine, cranberries and nuts; mix thoroughly. Place the mixture in a greased 9 by 5 by 2 ½ - inch loaf pan. Let stand until it begins to rise (20-30 minutes). Bake at 350 degrees for one hour Cool before slicing.
Pumpkin Bread with Dates and Pecans :
Ingredients:
4 cups sugar
One 29 oz. can of pumpkin
Ener-G Egg Replacer (mix according to instructions to make equivalent of 3 eggs)
1 cup canola oil
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups coarsely chopped dates
2 cups walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped
Preparation:
Heat oven to 350 degrees F (180 C). Grease four 9-by-5-by-2 ½-inch loaf pans. Combine sugar, pumpkin and egg replacer in a large bowl, and beat by hand or with a mixer until well blended. Add the oil, and beat to combine. Thoroughly blend in the flour, soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Stir in the dates and nuts. Fill prepared pans three-fourths full to allow for rising during baking.
Bake about one hour or until a toothpick, inserted mid-loaf, comes out clean and the bread has pulled away slightly from sides of pan. Cool before slicing.
Soup
Perfect Chestnut Soup
Ingredients:
8 tablespoons soy margarine
4 cups of whole roasted chestnuts (about 1½ pounds)
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 leek, mostly white parts, well rinsed and chopped
1 parsnip, peeled and chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
7 ½ cups vegetable broth
½ cup Madeira wine
2 or more parsley sprigs, chopped
pinch of grated nutmeg
sea salt
fresh ground pepper
Tofutti brand Imitation Sour Cream
Cayenne pepper
Preparation:
To roast chestnuts: choose fresh, firm, unwrinkled chestnuts with no signs of spores. On the flat side of each chestnut, take a small knife and cut an “X” from one end to the other. Make sure you cut all the way through the shell. Lay the chestnuts in one layer in an oven-proof dish. Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-30 minutes, until the cuts peel back naturally from the heat. Cool only slightly. Peel the outer shell and the fuzzy skin, and set nuts aside.
In a heavy saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of the margarine over medium heat. Add chestnuts and sauté until heated through, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of margarine in heavy, large soup pot over medium heat. Add carrot, parsnip, leek and celery; sauté until soft, about 7 minutes. Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Add the chestnuts, Madeira wine, parsley, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Continue to simmer for another 15 minutes.
Puree the soup in batches in a food processor or blender. Transfer the pureed soup to a large soup pot and re-heat, stirring frequently.
When it’s thoroughly heated, ladle the soup into bowls. Top it off with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle slightly with cayenne pepper.
Salad:
Orange with Spinach and Romaine Lettuce
Ingredients:
Bunch of spinach leaves
Bunch of romaine lettuce leaves
½ cup toasted, slivered almonds
2 cups Mandarin oranges (11 ounce can, drained)
Dressing (combine the following in a blender):
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup Florida Crystals sugar
½ medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon celery seed
¾ teaspoon salt
½ clove garlic, minced
Preparation:
Add dressing to lettuce and spinach leaves, mix in with Mandarin oranges and top with slivered almonds.
Accompaniments (side dishes) :
Mashed Potatoes with Celery Root
Ingredients:
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
1 celery root, about 1 pound, peeled
½ - ¾ cup hot vegetable broth
3 tablespoons soy margarine
½ teaspoon salt
Ground black pepper
Garnish with snipped fresh chives
Preparation:
Cut the potatoes and celery root into large pieces. If more than a few minutes will pass between peeling the celery root and cooking it, cover it in a bath of cold water and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to keep it from discoloring.
Put potatoes and celery root in a saucepan, cover with cold salted water, and bring to a boil. Simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and return the vegetables to the pan. Over low heat, mash the vegetables and beat with a hand-held mixer, adding vegetable broth, margarine, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.
Stir in snipped fresh chives or chopped parsley before serving.
Miso Gravy
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons white miso
¼ cup vegetable broth
2 tablespoons minced Vidalia or other onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 ½ tablespoons flour
½ cup soymilk, unflavored
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon tamari
Sea salt
Ground pepper
Preparation:
Place the miso and half cup of vegetable broth in a small bowl and whisk until blended. Set aside.
Over medium heat, sauté minced onion and garlic in olive oil for four or more minutes, until onion is slightly browned. Add flour and stir. Then add the remaining ¼ cup vegetable broth and soy milk; whisk into pot, stirring as mixture thickens. Bring to a boil.
Add thyme, tamari, and miso mixture, cooking for an additional four minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Sauteed Broccoli with Garlic and Pine Nuts
Ingredients:
l head broccoli (about 1½ pounds)
Salt
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ - 1/3 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
Preparation:
Wash and trim the broccoli, cutting each head into separate, but not-too-small florets. Discard the stalks.
Bring water to boil with 1 teaspoon salt in large saucepan. Add the florets and boil until almost tender, about 4 to 5 minutes, depending on the freshness of the broccoli. Drain and set aside.
In a skillet, sauté the garlic in olive oil over medium heat. When the garlic colors lightly, add the broccoli, about 1 teaspoon of salt, and sauté lightly for about 1 minute, turning broccoli.
Add the toasted pine nuts to the pan, toss together and serve at once.
Lemon Braised Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients:
12 Brussels sprouts
3 tablespoons soy margarine
2 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ - ½ cup water
½ lemon or more for squeezing
Sea salt
Coarse black pepper
Preparation:
Rinse Brussels sprouts, pat dry and slice in halves, length wise. With the tip of a paring knife, cut an “X” into the side of each sprout.
Warm the margarine in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until golden. Place the spouts cut-side down in the garlic oil. Add water, cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes over low heat, until tender. Arrange on a warm platter and sprinkle lightly with lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
Succotash:
Ingredients:
4 cups fresh corn (about 6 to 8 ears) [Or use organic, fresh-frozen]
2 cups small, shelled fresh lima beans
2 cups fresh string beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
¼ pound vegan margarine
4 scallions, trimmed
2 to 3 tablespoons non-dairy creamer
Preparation:
Husk the corn and remove all the silk. With a sharp knife, remove the kernels from the cob, slicing from the top of the ear downward and not too close to the cob. With a small spoon, scrape the pulp from the cobs into a mixing bowl. Add the kernels and reserve.
In a medium-sized pot of lightly salted boiling water, blanch the lima beans until they are almost tender, then cool under cold water. Reserve and repeat the process with the string beans.
In a large heavy saucepan, melt the margarine over medium heat. Add the corn and its juice, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often.
Slice the scallions into ½-inch pieces, including some of the green, and set aside. Add both types of beans to the corn and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring often. After five minutes, add the scallions and fold in the creamer to loosen the mixture. Spoon the succotash into a warm serving bowl. Serve immediately.
Sweet Potatoes with Crystallized Ginger
Ingredients:
Dressing:
½ cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons light-flavored oil (grapeseed, walnut, soy or safflower)
1½ tablespoons agave nectar
2 teaspoons tamari
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 large pinch of ground red pepper
Salad:
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼” by ¼” pieces Combine the dissolved arrowroot, miso, salt and tahini. Add this mixture to the puréed carrots. Bring to a slow simmer, stirring constantly, and cook for about 20 minutes until the pâté detaches itself from the side of the pan. Remove from heat.
½ cup scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons crystallized ginger, finely julienned
Preparation:
For dressing, combine ingredients in a small bowl, mix well and let stand for at least one hour.
For salad, steam sweet potatoes over boiling water until tender, about 8 minutes. Plunge them into ice water to stop cooking, then blot dry with cloth.
In a medium-sized bowl, mix the sweet potatoes, scallions and crystallized ginger; add the dressing, toss and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.
Main Course:
Butternut Squash, White Bean and Kale Ragout
Ingredients:
1 large (3 pounds) butternut squash
2 tablespoons Earth Balance or other vegan margarine
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 ½ teaspoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper (or to taste)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 large leeks (white and light green parts only)
4 large garlic cloves minced (or use a garlic press)
2 teaspoons rosemary (fresh or dried)
2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups vegetable broth (or use vegan bouillon cubes and prepare according to instructions)
¾ pound kale, chopped (approximately 6 cups)
1/3 cup dried cranberries chopped (plus additional berries for garnish)
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Dissolve vegan bouillon in hot water according to package instructions.
Peel squash, then halve squash and scoop out seeds. Cut flesh into 1-inch cubes.
Spread cubes out on a large rimmed baking sheet. In small saucepan, combine vegan margarine, syrup, 1 teaspoon vinegar, salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper and cayenne. Cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until margarine; pour mixture over squash and toss to coat evenly. Roast, tossing occasionally, until pumpkin or squash is very tender and caramelized at edges, about 30 minutes.
In a large skillet, warm olive oil over medium heat. Add leeks, garlic, rosemary and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are very soft and not at all browned, about 15 minutes. Add beans and broth and simmer for 10 minutes.
Stir in kale. Simmer until kale is cooked down and very tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in pumpkin or squash and chopped cranberries; season with remaining 1½ teaspoons vinegar and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Garnish with additional cranberries and a small pinch of sea salt. Serve.
Cauliflower Risotto
Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower
½ Vidalia onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons vegan margarine
1 cup Arborio risotto rice
4 cups vegetable broth
½ cup dry white wine
4 or more tablespoons toasted bread crumbs (make your own, see below)
Preparation:
Separate florets from stems. Chop florets into one-inch or less pieces. Finely chop stalks. Keep stalks and florets separate.
In large saucepan, sauté onion and garlic in oil and margarine for 5 minutes until softened along with finely chopped cauliflower stalks.
Add rice, stir and fry for 2 minutes, until opaque. Add ½ cup wine.
In another saucepan, bring broth to gentle boil and add the very small cauliflower florets.
Ladle broth only into rice, one ladleful at a time, stirring frequently, after each addition. Wait until broth is almost completely absorbed before adding more.
After about 10 minutes, when rice is half done, add softened cauliflower florets to rice mixture and gently squash each floret into rice as it is added.
After about 20 minutes in total when all broth is absorbed, take rice off heat and let sit without stirring for a minute.
Serve on plates and top with toasted bread crumbs made from whole grain bread that has been toasted in the toaster oven.
Tempeh London Broil
Ingredients:
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ cup tamari
2 cups white wine
Sea salt
Ground pepper
4 8-ounce packages of Organic Garden Veggie Tempeh (Lightlife brand), but into 1 inch cubes
1 large Vidalia onion
2 medium zucchini (courgettes), sliced
Preparation:
In a bowl, prepare a marinade by combining the olive oil, lemon juice, tamari, wine and salt and pepper to taste. Add tempeh.
Cover and place in a refrigerator to marinate over-night.; the tempeh will puff up as it absorbs the marinade.
Drain tempeh, reserving marinade.
Heat frying pan over medium to low heat. Add tempeh and small amount of the marinade to pan and cook for about 10 minutes, until it begins to brown. Add onion and zucchini.
Gradually stir in the rest of the marinade. Continue cooking until tempeh is golden brown.
Blackened Tempeh with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Serves 2-3
Ingredients:
One 8 oz. package of tempeh
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups flour
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons dried herb mix (such as basil and oregano)
3 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon chili powder
pinch of sea salt
pinch of ground pepper
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Marinade:
12 oz fresh salsa (recipe follows)
1 cup white wine
½ tablespoon garlic
1 cup water
½ cup tamari or soy sauce
Preparation:
Cut tempeh into thirds. Cut each third in half diagonally to form triangles. Cut each triangle in half through the middle, as though cutting through a cake round when making a layer cake. Use the marinade to soak tempeh for a minimum of 6 hours—preferably overnight.
Remove tempeh from marinade and press in the seasoning mix of flour, herbs and spices.
Fry in hot pat (preferably cast ron) with only a tablespoon of olive oil. Serve with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce (recipe follows)
Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons roasted red peppers (sold in jars)
1 cup onion, diced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
½ cup water
2 cups peach juice
1/3 cup brown rice syrup
2 tablespoons arrowroot mixed into 2 tablespoons of water
Preparation:
Saute onions and garlic together in olive oil. Add peppers, water, rice syrup, and juice. Use a hand blender to puree. Bring to a boil with arrowroot and water.
Serve over tempeh.
Fiery Salsa
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced
6 scallions (mainly white parts), chopped
1 or 2 jalapenos, minced
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
1 cup ripe tomatoes, diced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons red onion, chopped
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ cup tomato or vegetable juice
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients. Use at room temperature.
Holiday Cashew Nut Roast
Ingredients:
2 cups cashew pieces
4 ounces brown rice
6 ounces of rye toast crumbs—including caraway seeds or a dash of celery seed
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 large, ripe tomatoes
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons brewer’s yeast
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon lemon juice (preferably freshly squeezed)
½ cup vegetable broth
Dash of ground pepper
Preparation:
Cook rice until tender; coarsely grind cashews. (This can easily be done by hand by carefully running a rolling pin or jar over bagged nuts.)
Chop onion and garlic finely and heat in oil until they are slightly brown; chop and add one of the tomatoes; simmer until soft.
Combine all of the ingredients and press into two 9-by-5-by2 1/2 –inch loaf pans or round glass pie baking dishes. Slice second tomato and use to decorate top of roasts (adding a small dab of vegan margarine to each tomato slice if desired).
Bake for 30 minutes or more at 350 degrees F.
Dessert:
Two-Layer Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake
Crust:
1 ½ cups of graham cracker crumbs
1 tablespoon canola oil
4 tablespoons maple syrup
or
9-inch graham cracker pie crust
BOTTOM LAYER:
6 ounces softened Tofutti “Better than Cream Cheese”
¼ cup Florida Crystals natural sugar
½ teaspoon grated lemon rind
Ener-G Egg Replacer (Mix according
to box instructions to make equivalent
of 2 eggs.)
½ cup Tofutti brand imitation Sour Cream
TOP LAYER
1 cup pumpkin
½ cup sunflower seed butter
1 cup sugar
Ener-G Egg Replacer (Mix according to box instructions to make equivalentof 2 eggs.)
1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Preparation of Crust:
Position a rack at the central height level in the oven, and heat to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9-inch or 10-inch round springform pan with canola-oil cooking spray. Mix graham cracker crumbs, canola oil, and maple syrup together, and press the mix into the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes.
Preparation of the Bottom Layer:
Pur é e the bottom layer ingredients. Pour into prepared pie crust.
Preparation of the Top Layer:
Using hand mixer, blend all of the top layer ingredients together. Pour on top of the cheesecake batter.
Bake the pie:
Bake at 350 degrees F for 50 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes, then refrigerate overnight before serving.
Chocolate Pudding with Berries
Ingredients:
1½ cups fresh berries (blackberries, raspberries or blueberries)
5 ounces organic bittersweet dark chocolate
3 tablespoons Florida Crystals sugar
¼ cup water
6 ounces firm silken tofu
Preparation:
Melt sugar and chocolate in double boiler.
Place tofu, water and chocolate in a food processor and blend until smooth, about 2 minutes. Place pudding in parfait glasses, refrigerate for at least 2 hours and top with berries.
Variation: Several pieces of candied ginger blended into the pudding makes a wonderful addition.