Holidays
are steeped in tradition, and holiday meals are no exception. For people who
didn't grow up vegan or vegetarian, or who haven't been eating a plant-based
diet for some time, it's hard to imagine a holiday meal that isn't
meat-centric. So here are some vegan versions of traditional favorites, like
stuffing and mashed potatoes, to please even the toughest of crowds. And
because the holidays are busy, I've included some make-ahead tips to save time
and stress for each dish.
Here are the recipes.
Roasted Brussels
Sprouts and Squash with Cranberries and Dijon Vinaigrette
Ingredients
1
lb butternut squash, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
1
lb Brussels Sprouts, stems trimmed and sliced lengthwise in half
2
tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + 1 teaspoon
3/4
teaspoon kosher salt
freshly
ground black pepper
1/4
cup dried unsweetened (or sweetened) cranberries
Dijon Vinaigrette
2
teaspoons Dijon mustard
1
tablespoon rice wine vinegar (or rice vinegar)
2
tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
two
pinches of kosher salt
freshly
ground black pepper
Method
Preheat
the oven to 450 degrees. Place the butternut squash chunks and halved Brussels
sprouts in large Ziploc bags. Drizzle in 2 tablespoons olive oil in each bag,
and toss with salt and pepper. Shake the bags to evenly coat the vegetables and
then spread onto two large baking sheets.
Roast
the vegetables at 450 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes, tossing them gently 1 to 2
times during the roasting time to ensure that they caramelize evenly on all
sides.
In
a small bowl, whisk together the dijon mustard and rice wine vinegar. Slowly
pour in the olive oil, whisking continuously until the ingredients are
emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Gently
place the roasted vegetables in a large serving bowl or platter. Pour on the
Dijon vinaigrette, add the cranberries, and toss. Serve warm, lukewarm, or
cold.
Make
Ahead Tip
You
can roast all the vegetables a day or two ahead of time and then reheat or
allow to come to room temp, tossing with the vinaigrette just before serving.
Apple Pecan and
Arugula Salad
Salad
½ cup candied
pecans (see next recipe)
1
small container or bag of arugula
2 small apples (1
tart, 1 sweet; peeled, quartered, cored and thinly sliced lengthwise)
5-7
green onions, thinly sliced
1
large avocado, diced
2 Tbsp dried
cranberries (optional)
Dressing
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp maple
syrup
1 pinch each sea
salt + black pepper
3 Tbsp olive oil
Method
Prepare dressing in a mixing
bowl or mason jar by adding all ingredients and whisking or shaking vigorously
to combine. Taste and adjust flavor as needed.
In a large bowl, add the
remaining salad ingredients. Add pecans to salad and top with dressing. Toss to
combine and then add the avocado. Serve immediately.
Make Ahead Tip
Put the salad ingredients together ahead of time (except for the
avocado) and prep the dressing in a container. This can be done 1-2 days ahead
of time.
Candied Pecans
Ingredients
¼ cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon vegan butter,
melted
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups raw pecan halves
Method
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees
Fahrenheit. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, combine the
maple syrup, melted butter, salt, vanilla, cinnamon, and cayenne and whisk
until blended. Add the pecans and stir to coat.
Dump the contents of the bowl
onto the prepared baking sheet and spread out in a single layer.
Bake, stirring after the first
10 minutes and then every 5 minutes thereafter, until almost no maple syrup
remains on the parchment paper and the nuts are deeply golden, 25 to 30
minutes.
Remove from the oven and stir
the pecans one more time, spreading them into an even layer across the pan. Let
them cool down for about 10 minutes, then, while the nuts are still warm,
carefully separate any large clumps. Let the pecans cool completely on the pan.
Make Ahead Tip
Candied pecans will keep for up
to 2 months in a sealed container or bag at room temperature. So, the whole
recipe is make ahead!
Vegan Slow-Cooker Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
10 medium cloves garlic,
separated from the bulb and peeled
3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes,
scrubbed and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil + more
for serving if desired
4-5 sprigs of rosemary,
de-stemmed and chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt + additional
salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/3 cup vegetable broth
1/3 – 3/4 cup unsweetened almond
milk, warmed
3-4 tablespoons vegan buttery
spread
2 tablespoons chopped fresh
chives + more for topping
Method
Place garlic at the bottom of
the slow cooker. Add potatoes. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the
salt, pepper, and rosemary. Pour the vegetable broth over the top.
Cook on high 3 – 4 hours or low
8 hours, until the potatoes and garlic are tender.
Mash the potatoes using a
potato masher, adding the warm almond milk slowly until the potatoes reach
desired consistency. Taste and add additional salt and some pepper. Add the
vegan butter and leave to warm for up to 90 minutes.
When ready to serve, add an
additional bit of warm almond milk or warm vegetable broth, or stir in an
additional tablespoon or two of vegan butter. Serve with freshly chopped chives
and enjoy!
Make Ahead Tip
You
can do the mashing before your guests arrive if you’ll eat within an hour or
so. Otherwise, set the potatoes to finish about a half hour before dinner so
you can mash at the last minute for a smoother consistency.
Slow-Cooker
Butternut Squash
Ingredients
2
lbs of butternut squash (peeled and cut into cubes)
¾
tsp kosher salt
1
Tbsp olive oil
1
teaspoon cayenne
Freshly
ground pepper, to taste
3
tablespoons brown sugar
Method
Add
squash to the slow cooker. Sprinkle the salt, brown sugar, cayenne, olive oil,
and ground pepper over the squash. Give a little stir to evenly distribute.
Cover
and cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 5-6 hours. Remove lid, stir and
serve.
Vegan Stuffing
Ingredients
2
bags Flying Apron stuffing mix
1
container mirepoix
3-4
tablespoons olive oil
1
box vegetable stock
Salt
and pepper
Method
Preheat
the oven to 400 degrees. Sauté the mirepoix in a medium frying pan over medium
high heat until the vegetables are al dente.
Combine
the vegetables, stuffing mix, and vegetable stock in a large baking pan. Cover
with foil and bake for 30 minutes, uncovering for the last 10 minutes.
Make Ahead Tip
You
can bake the stuffing a day in advance, then remove from the fridge and let
come to room temperature. Reheat in an oven at 350 for about 15 minutes
