Christmas food and recipes

[bryzee86]

Fancy sending me some of that cake, aradia? It sounds really nice. How do you make a ganache? Mine never turn out quite right.

[Aradia]

Fancy sending me some of that cake, aradia? It sounds really nice. How do you make a ganache? Mine never turn out quite right.

I'm far too greedy to share! ... well, maybe a small piece.

I've put a photo of my last chocolate cake on the food photo thread .. this'll be the basis for my next cake... only this one will be more choclitty!

I'll dig out a ganache recipe for you.

[talitha]

I'm going to make

Cranberry and pecan nut roast with sweet potatoes

Sounds yummy Aradia. Do you have a recipe for that you can post?

[Aradia]

I adapted the recipe below (which I make all the time and is yummy!)... I had loads of cranberries and pecans to use up so I swapped the walnuts for pecans and stirred in a handful of cranberries.

Before I tipped the mixture into the loaf tin, I arranged row of pecan nuts in a row along the botton and scattered some cranberries, so that when it was turned out it looked all pretty! (see below for rubbish photo)



2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
Sauté for 5 minutes.

115g button mushrooms, chopped
1 courgette, grated
3 medium carrots, grated
1 sweet potato, chopped

Add and cook for a further 7 minutes.

1 teaspoon ground cumin, chilli & ginger
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ teaspoon turmeric
Stir in and cook for 2 minutes.

55g oatmeal
115g chopped walnuts or hazelnuts
60g grated coconut
2 tablespoons tomato puree
Add, mix and season. Spoon into a greased loaf tin and bake for 30 minutes at 180 degrees until firm. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes before slicing.

(this version is really good with a mushroom sauce)



http://s266.photobucket.com/albums/i...Pecanroast.jpg

[twinkle]

Mmm looking forward to christmas... Im cooking a traditional danish chrismas meal (exept the meat)

So its..
Nutroast
Boiled potatoes
Gravy
red cabbage
browned potatoes (small potatoes fried in margarine and sugar)
Im so looking forward to it

Mmm, two kinds of potatoes - my kinda dinner

[bryzee86]

Mmm, two kinds of potatoes - my kinda dinner

Food - my kind of dinner...

[emmapresley]

Mmm, two kinds of potatoes - my kinda dinner

you're sticking at just two?!

mashed spuds..roast spuds..caramelised sweet spuds. add sprouts and gravy and you don't need anything else on your plate.

uh..don't listen to me..that's why i'm this size

[GoodbyeGirl]

I plan to take over christmas dinner for the whole extended family this year. Fortunately my sister is vegetarian & one brother is not set in his ways so i believe they'll help me plan & execute a vegan feast. Everyone here has such great ideas. So far i'm sure about making a traditional (but vegan) christmas pudding and an apple-cranberry pie, a risotto or pilaf & some sort of mashed potatoes, but i don't know what else. these mincemeat pies sound wonderful & i think i'll throw in a winter veggie lasagne to make it interesting.

[BlackCats]

you're sticking at just two?!
mashed spuds..roast spuds..caramelised sweet spuds. add sprouts and gravy and you don't need anything else on your plate.

Yum I agree, I think it is my Irish heritage, I love potatoes!!!!

[Aradia]

you're sticking at just two?!

mashed spuds..roast spuds..caramelised sweet spuds. add sprouts and gravy and you don't need anything else on your plate.

SPROUTS!! how could I forget sprouts? I love 'em. I'm going to do them with chestnuts.... and next year I'm going to grow the red ones.

[animaladvocate]

SPROUTS!! how could I forget sprouts? I love 'em. I'm going to do them with chestnuts.... and next year I'm going to grow the red ones.

Sprouts are absolutely delicious cut in half and roasted, or sliced and stir fried with onion and garlic.

[Kay]

Can someone tell me the measurements in cups instead of grams? I really want to make this. Thanks.

I adapted the recipe below (which I make all the time and is yummy!)... I had loads of cranberries and pecans to use up so I swapped the walnuts for pecans and stirred in a handful of cranberries.

Before I tipped the mixture into the loaf tin, I arranged row of pecan nuts in a row along the botton and scattered some cranberries, so that when it was turned out it looked all pretty! (see below for rubbish photo)



2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
Sauté for 5 minutes.

115g button mushrooms, chopped
1 courgette, grated
3 medium carrots, grated
1 sweet potato, chopped

Add and cook for a further 7 minutes.

1 teaspoon ground cumin, chilli & ginger
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ teaspoon turmeric
Stir in and cook for 2 minutes.

55g oatmeal
115g chopped walnuts or hazelnuts
60g grated coconut
2 tablespoons tomato puree
Add, mix and season. Spoon into a greased loaf tin and bake for 30 minutes at 180 degrees until firm. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes before slicing.

(this version is really good with a mushroom sauce)



http://s266.photobucket.com/albums/i...Pecanroast.jpg

[Stine]

http://www.metric-conversions.org/we...-to-ounces.htm

You can change it here

[Kay]

Ok, thanks, I think I've got it pretty close in tablespoons & cups.

http://www.metric-conversions.org/we...-to-ounces.htm

You can change it here

[bryzee86]

I've changed my mind. I think I might get a Tofurky Feast for this christmas.Generally they're only available on the other side of the pond, but saw some in Fresh & Wild so I think i'll have to go for that novelty this year!

Not sure what to make of the "giblet gravy" though!!

[harpy]

Was amazed to see this vegan-friendly Christmas recipe feature in the Guardian today:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,2225854,00.html

[talitha]

Thanks Aradia I think the picture's fine - it looks really yummy.

[cedarblue]

mmmm aradia that roast looks and sounds tasty - i did want a chestnut roast but this is sounding pretty good!!

[Aradia]

Oh I forget to tell you .... this roast is really good cold - sliced and put in a sandwich with cranberry sauce, maybe a bit of left over stuffing and, my particular favourite ... sliced cold roast parsnips.

Oh, yeah!

[bryzee86]

Yeah nutroast sandwiches as REALLY tasty!

[Cherry]

Mmm - I've never had a nutroast sandwich. Something to try out this year.

[bryzee86]

oh my GOD! To think I thought you were the best vegan cook on the internet... tsk. Cherry, you have disappointed me.

P.S. soak it in gravy first - it's even better then.

[Cherry]

Okey dokey.

As for Christmas food - we got sprouts in our veggie bag this week, and clementines, and whole walnuts

[Kay]

Aradia, cook the roast at 180 degrees? Why so low?

[bryzee86]

she means 180 degrees centigrade. I think that's about 400 fahrenheit

[harpy]

180C=356F by my calculations.

[Kay]

she means 180 degrees centigrade. I think that's about 400 fahrenheit

I should have known, thanks!

[Aradia]

I've just made some fennel, almond and cardamon soup and it's gorgeous!!! It's really creamy and velvety and tasty.

If anybody is looking for a quick, easy and pretty cheap starter for their Yule/Christmas lunch and you fancy the sound of it, let me know and I'll post the recipe.

[flying plum]

that nut roast looks fab! i was going to try and steer away from that most ubiquitous of veggie christmas dinners this year, but that one sounds delish. maybe i'll make that AND chestnut pie

i'm the only vegan at the table...i'm going to be enormous!

amanda

[emmapresley]

Mmm - I've never had a nutroast sandwich. Something to try out this year.

after reading this a few days ago and thinking of nothing else, i just had a cherry's chestnut roast and gravy butty for lunch. recommended!!

[bryzee86]

after reading this a few days ago and thinking of nothing else, i just had a cherry's chestnut roast and gravy butty for lunch. recommended!!

told you it was good with Gravy

On an xmas-related front: we got our tofurky on Sunday . Only problem now is to try and transport it to Manchester whilst keeping it frozen.

hmm....

[Kay]

Does anyone have a good recipe for vegan stuffing? By the way, I made the nut roast and it was so delicious. I also made some mushroom gravy to go with it, and OMG, it's so good. Now all I need is some stuffing!

[Aradia]

SAGE & ONION STUFFING


75g margarine
1 large onion, chopped finely
Cook the onion until soft,

6 slices of wholemeal bread
Break up the bread into fairly small pieces and mix into the onion.


8 sage leaves or 4 tsp dried sage
salt to taste
Add. Press into a bowl and bake.





PARSLEY STUFFING BALLS (Rose Elliot)


350g white breadcrumbs
175g margarine
1 onion, grated
2 teaspoons dried mixed herbs
6-8 tablespoons parsley, chopped
grated rind 1-2 lemons
lemon juice
Mix all ingredients together and season. Roll into balls the size of walnuts and place on a greased tray. Bake for 25 minutes, turning after about 15 minutes.





WILD RICE & MUSHROOM STUFFING

3oz margarine
½ lb mushrooms, sliced
Melt half the margarine and sauté the mushrooms for 5 minutes. Set aside.


1 cup wild rice
1 cup long grain brown rice
2 large onions, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
Cook in remaining margarine over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.


2 cups stock of water
Add and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes until the stock is absorbed.


1 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped
¼ cup parsley, finely chopped
1 teaspoon sage
1 teaspoon marjoram
1 teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoon celery seed


Stir in, mix thoroughly and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees, covered in a casserole dish.

[Kay]

Aradia, thank you so much, I can't wait to try all of them!

[puca]

Yeah sainsburys basics are, none of tesco's are, budgens are erm...dunno about any others!

FFS

I went and got an expensive one from the health food shop. *sulk*

[vava]

most commercial stuffings are vegan apart from the obviously not ones......

[bryzee86]

yeah i got the paxo sage and onion one. obv. the ones with "turkey" or "sausage" in aren't vegan !

[Kay]

most commercial stuffings are vegan apart from the obviously not ones......

What about Peppridge Farm cornbread stuffing?

[yum]

i'm not feeling very christmassy at the moment. My family have agreed to a vegan christmas on the day but i'm getting fed-up with shopping in the supermarkets and seeing greedy b*****ds buying turkeys- it's really peeing me off. i d give them the evil eye. Maybe i'll start boycotting supermarkets until christmas is over- hmmm or maybe all together.Bah humbug!

[xwitchymagicx]

I think I'm making roasted vegetables this year as I've got organic potatoes, carrots, parsnips and swede.

Plus organic brussel sprouts...

Then I'll make the nut roast from the Viva! magazine I got. lol

Plus gravy, which I'll make myself.

PLUS cheesecake and trifle. <3

[flying plum]

aradia - re: your nutloat - is oatmeal the same as oats? or can i just grind up my porridge oats? or do i need to go get something else?

amanda

[Aradia]

doh, moved to right thread!

[Glossgirl]

Mmmm, that looks delicious

[Sluggie]

Wow, that looks fabulous, even the sprouts!

I'd love your fennel soup recipe please. I never know what to do with the stuff. There's only so much fennel salad one person can eat.

[Aradia]

Wow, that looks fabulous, even the sprouts!

I'd love your fennel soup recipe please. I never know what to do with the stuff. There's only so much fennel salad one person can eat.

here it is - enjoy ...


Fennel and Almond Soup with Cardamon

2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 small onion or shallot, chopped fine
Sauté until transparent.

600g fennel bulbs, quartered
2 cloves garlic, crushed
5 cardamom pods (seeds only)
Add and toss for one minute.

300 ml light stock
Add, cover, bring to boil and simmer for 15 minutes.

25g ground almonds
Add and blend until velvety smooth.

2 tbsp cream
seasoning
Stir in. Garnish with a few delicate fennel fronds placed on top

[BlackCats]

Aradia - your Yule lunch looked delicious.

[cedarblue]

mm looks wonderful - i love fennel, i'll be making that soup soon.

[Sluggie]

Thanks for the recipe. I'll definitely give it a try next time I get fennel in my veg box.

[cedarblue]

i made cherry's chestnut roast in the end and it was lovely, thanks!
the chestnuts made it taste really rich and luxurious.

great with stuffing and cranberry sauce on biscuits too!

[eco]

I'm sick of christmas food, I've had so much of it. I'm especially sick of mince pies and sprouts and I don't want to see either until next christmas when I'll get sick of them again.

Completely OT, I love your green woman avatar cedarblue