From stuffing and gravy to pumpkin pie, many of the dishes that we associate with holiday meals can be easily veganized.
But as long as the foods are beautiful and delicious, who’s to say what a celebration meal should contain? This holiday, why not dress up your table with some festive delights that have nothing to do with the traditional menu?
From stuffed squash and potatoes to tofu phillo bonbons, following is a selection of recipes that are aesthetically beautiful, mouth-wateringly delicious, and will offer your guests and family an opportunity to enjoy a peaceful holiday menu that will delight the taste-buds of all.
Holiday Stuffed Butternut Squash
serves 4
2 butternut squash
2 cups brown rice (cooked)
1 cup onions, chopped
1/2 cup celery & 1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. herb seasoning
1/2 tsp. cumin powder
2 Tbsp. tamari or substitute
1/2 tsp. each, garlic powder & onion powder
1 cup walnuts & 1/2 C. pecans, chopped
3 Tbsp. tahini
3 slices of toast
1. Slice butternuts in half and scoop out the seeds. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes, until tender. Remove from oven and let cool.
2. Carefully scoop out insides without breaking shells. Mix squash with rice. Save shells.
3. Saute vegetables then add them to this mixture. Add seasonings, nuts and tahini.
4. Slice the toast into small squares like croutons and add to mix.
5. Stuff mixture into hollowed squash shells.
6. Bake for another 20 minutes.
Stuffed Baked Potatoes
yields 15–17 potatoes
10 lbs. large potatoes
4 cloves garlic
6 Tbsp. oil
3 Tbsp. tamari (or to taste)
4 cups mushrooms, sliced
1–2 large onions, diced
4–5 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
4 cups organic firm tofu, rinsed, drained & mashed
1 tsp. sea salt
paprika, for sprinkling
1. Bake potatoes in the oven. When soft, make a slit in the top of each potato, and another crossing it. (Don’t slit all the way to edges.) Push both ends towards the middle, opening the potato & loosening it from its skin. (Use a towel to protect your fingers from burning.) Allow them to cool.
2. In a blender or processor, blend garlic in 3 Tbsp. oil and 1 Tbsp. tamari. Pour into a large frying pan.
3. Add mushrooms and sauté. When finished, drain liquid from mushrooms and put it in the food processor. Set the mushrooms aside in a large mixing bowl.
4. In the frying pan, sauté the onions with a dash of tamari, water and 2–3 Tbsp. nutritional yeast.
5. Using a food processor, purée half of the onion sauté with two cups of mashed tofu, 2–3 Tbsp. oil, 2 Tbsp. tamari, 2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast. Add to the mushrooms in the large mixing bowl. Repeat this step. Mix in the sea salt.
6. Scoop the potatoes out very carefully (don’t hurt the shape of the skins, for stuffing purposes). Mash potatoes together with the tofu-mushroom mixture.
7. Stuff each potato skin with this mixture. Sprinkle with paprika and bake again at 325° for 25–30 minutes.
Spinach Tofu Philo Bonbons
serves 4
1 package philo dough wraps (whole wheat or regular)
Spinach Filling
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 cups spinach, chopped
Tofu Filling
1 lb. (2 cups) organic firm tofu, rinsed & drained
1 Tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1. Put stock, onions and garlic in a skillet, over medium heat. Cook until soft. Add mushrooms and spinach and let simmer for several minutes.
2. Drain the sauté, remove from skillet and set aside.
3. In a bowl, mash tofu into a chunky batter and combine with oil and the seasonings. Add spinach filling and mix.
4. Spread one full sheet of philo wrap flat and lightly oil using a pastry brush or spray lightly with a vegetable oil spray.
5. Fold sheet in half. Place about 3–4 Tbsp. of filling in the center of each philo piece. Wrap dough around filling like a tortilla, then pinch the ends like Christmas crackers. Alternatively, fold into a triangle and gently bend in half. Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet or use baking papers.
6. Repeat steps 4 & 5 until all the filling is used. (You will have extra philo dough.)
7. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350° for 20 minutes, until golden-brown.
Stuffed Tomatoes
serves 6
6 large tomatoes
3 green onions, chopped
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. stoneground mustard
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 tsp. tahini
fresh ground pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
sea salt, to taste
1 cup basmati rice, cooked
curly lettuce, to garnish plate
1. Slice half an inch off the top of the tomatoes and scoop out the insides using a sharp knife and a spoon. Save the insides in a bowl. Turn the tomato shells upside down on a paper towel to drain for five minutes.
2. Add the remaining ingredients to the tomatoes in the bowl, except the rice and lettuce. Stir and allow to marinate for 10 minutes.
3. With a slotted spoon, remove 1/3 of the mixture and set aside for later as a garnish. Stir rice into the remaining mixture and allow to stand for another five minutes.
4. Arrange the lettuce on six salad plates. Spoon the rice mixture back into the tomato shells, and place one on each plate. Top with remaining tomato mixture garnish and serve at room temperature.
Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce
serves 3–4
1–2 bunches asparagus, trimmed
1 cup soft organic tofu, rinsed & drained
1/8 cup oil
1/8 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup water
1 Tbsp. miso (blonde)
1 tsp. sea salt, or to taste
1 Tbsp. arrowroot powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1. Cut or break the hard bottoms off the asparagus stalks. Steam the asparagus in a steamer basket until soft (approximately five minutes). Place in a casserole dish.
2. In a blender, blend remaining ingredients and pour into a small pot. Simmer and stir frequently for about 10 minutes until thickened. Do not boil. Pour over asparagus.
Creamy Artichoke Dip
serves 5–6
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 lb. mushrooms
6–8 artichoke hearts, steamed
4 oz. (1/2 cup) organic firm tofu, rinsed & drained
1. Sauté the onions, garlic and mushrooms in oil. When soft, remove from frying pan.
2. Place steamed artichoke hearts and the sauté into a food processor, using the “S” shaped blade and blend until smooth. Add tofu and blend again. Season to taste with favorite seasonings, i.e. garlic powder, sea salt, sweetener. Blend. Chill before serving.
