Christmas food and recipes

[Hemlock]

Freaking out, I've got 6 in for lunch on the 25th (friends) and haven't decided what to make yet

[cobweb]

Freaking out, I've got 6 in for lunch on the 25th (friends) and haven't decided what to make yet

ha-ha, i think you need to make a decision and do some shopping

[Quantum Mechanic]

you lucky git, my mum still thinks it's a phase
(i'm getting on for 40, have been veggie since i was a teen and vegan for about 11 of those years )

Oh, my. Well, it's going to be interesting here for Christmas dinner. In the morning we're going to my uncle's. He was boasting about having a big ham and turkey for dinner - "and oh we'll have some vegan food for you too" when my dad had already explained that I wouldn't be comfortable eating around a corpse (different words probably though). That, and my grandma keeps chickens I find out, and I just feel like it's going to be kind of awkward, even though I am really quiet in demeanor.

Oh, well. My parents are going to help make a cheesecake (vegan!) and plenty of other goodies, so that will be the bulk of the Christmas dinner, though I have a feeling that at least one of my parents is going to go off afterwards for meat.

[Pearl]

We are having celebration roast with all the usual trimmings, but not quite sure about dessert yet. We avoid palm oil, so christmas pud is a bit of a problem so I will have to concoct my own if I have time. I also havent managed to find any soya cream yet! Bit dubious about going to the shops again today as Asda was totally mobbed last night. I left work at 8, went shopping and didnt get in til about 11. Am totally shattered this morning.

[aubergine]

ooh, have you got a place together of your own now??
great news, if so!

Yep. Thanks

[Hemlock]

Lunch was a big success and our non vegan friends loved it and ate the lot
We had mushroom and ale pie.
Baby spinach, basil smoked tofu and roasted nut salad
Mashed potatoes with lots of fresh parsley roughly chopped.
Sprouts.
Citrus and cranberry stuffing balls.
Gravy
Victorian chutney to go with the potatoes.
Booze!
Vegan christmas pudding with vegan vanilla icecream and soya cream.

I think they are angling to come for christmas lunch next year too

[LGBunny]

my non vegan BF loved his Christmas lunch too:

was pretty simple really - cheatin turkey roll, 2 types of stuffing, LOADS of roasters, parnisps, veg and gravy

and mince pies with alpro cream for dessert

[bradders]

plans changed a little and we had dinner at my aunt's. She got me nut cutlets instead of the turkey and did things right, so not so bad. Had sweedish glacé for desert yummy. However had to endure seeing people strip a carcas on the table. They seem to have made themselves ill with it too.

[derwenna]

We had:

Pear and watercress soup

Puff pastry parcels with roasted acorn squash, cranberries and walnuts
Roast potatoes and maple roast parsnips
Braised red cabbage
Broccoli and courgette with thyme and basil
Apple and herb stuffing
Vegetable gravy

Christmas pudding and soya cream

I was cooking for my husband (well, he shared the cooking) and my omni parents, who due to my bad influence don't eat much meat anyway so were happy to have what they were given.

[squigaletta]

having made all the veg and stuffings vegan, (loads of pure and no butter and lots of grumbling about it!), I didnt even get to go to christmas dinner...but will have a leftovers banquet tomorrow, so it's not all bad. merry christmas everyone xxxxxxx

[Quantum Mechanic]

We weren't able to make the lasagna tonight, so we started it, just have to cook the noodles and put it together. So we ordered a vegan pizza and had hemp tortilla chips with guacamole and artichoke hummus.

[veganprin]

I made a nut roast which we had cold with cold vegan sausages on sticks, homemade hummus, large green salad with veggies straight from the garden, pickled walnuts and crisps

For sweet we had homemade christmas cake with homemade marzipan and lots and lots of chocolate

[pat sommer]

For the Englishman of the house I made sage and onion stuffing with scary-realistic fake bird; mushroom turkey gravy (too realistic); roast brussel sprouts, fennel, red onion, peppers with rosemary; roast pot; Christmas pud (first attempt); mince pies and gingerbread boys.

Next year I want a California Xmas feast with German baked goodies...
I have until then to get the holidays off my belly.

[Ruby Rose]

We had a stream of canapes rather than a big meal - LM sausage and mushroom 'snails' that I nicked off the bento thread, Cherry's mushroom and chestnut puffs but made half size, falafel, VegiDeli chicken-style stuff done as little satay sticks, mince pies, dates stuffed with marzipan, roast pots and parsnips, mini jacket potatoes with metly CHeezly, vegan cheesecake, curried carrot dip from Veganomicon, Co-op christmas pud with Alpro custard and brandy "Pure" butter... and hummus of course!

I also made Vegan Baileys using a variation on Elanyiha's recipe - it was fab!

Today we shall be resting our tums!

[cornishdreadhead]

For my christmas dinner this year my parents weren't around, so I went with my best mate to her parents for lunch, unfortunately though we got way too drunk on christnmas eve and slept till 1pm christmas day....so turned up 2 hours late for lunch. epic fail! it was then too late to cook my cheatin roast but i did have roast potatoes, roast parsnips, beans, carrots and gravy which was all seriously tasty!! and her mum made me a lush salad for starters and an even nicer alcoholic fruit salad for afters! om nom nom it was well tasty! then i went to work for my night shift and sat up eating all the leftover roasties!! haha score! anyway i decided to have some of my cheatin roast today for my boxing day lunch but it was pretty mingin actually....it was all really dry.... gravy was nice though!!

[cornishdreadhead]

We had a stream of canapes rather than a big meal - LM sausage and mushroom 'snails' that I nicked off the bento thread, Cherry's mushroom and chestnut puffs but made half size, falafel, VegiDeli chicken-style stuff done as little satay sticks, mince pies, dates stuffed with marzipan, roast pots and parsnips, mini jacket potatoes with metly CHeezly, vegan cheesecake, curried carrot dip from Veganomicon, Co-op christmas pud with Alpro custard and brandy "Pure" butter... and hummus of course!

I also made Vegan Baileys using a variation on Elanyiha's recipe - it was fab!

Today we shall be resting our tums!

That sounds like quite possibly the best christmas lunch I ever heard of!! OM. NOM. NOM.

[cobweb]

sounds like everyone had loads of yummy scran!

[BlackCats]

We had a stream of canapes rather than a big meal

Ooh I might do that next year, that sounds good.

[twinkle]

I made chestnut roast en croute, roast potatoes, carrots, sprouts, redwoods sausages, parsnips and peas (the last two were from frozen though), and far too much stuffing! I didn't have any cranberry sauce so I put shredless marmalade on the table (didn't use it in the end though I have had it with bubble and squeak before!).

Veganlinda came round for lunch, and we had a really nice time. Although I missed seeing my family I had a lovely relaxing day, whereas my mum said she, my aunt and my granny all had bad colds/coughs and were shattered by the end of it!

[cobweb]

now that does sound good, Twinkle, a relaxing vegan Christmas with a nice friend.

[alisont]

Spent Christmas lunch at aunts - she cooked a nutroast really nice with roasties, parsnips, carrots and onion gravy, got me a vegan christmas pud but we all forgot vegan custard

Today I cooked for Mum and me and Dad but he had some meat dish in a plastic container as I wont cook meat. We had Rose Elliot dish - chestnut/mushroom/red wine en croute with onion gravy, roasties, sweet pot roasties, brocolli, carrots, chestnuts, beans all steamed. Made a trifle but had that tonight as too full after lunch

[Quantum Mechanic]

Everyone else seems so much more prepared! We had a spinach and soy mozzarella lasagna, with a cheesecake with a blueberry spread on top. Also pumpkin nog. Tomorrow we're making brownies and fudge and lentils and brown and wild rice.

[Roxy]

I made a really yummy dinner!

We had:

• Nibblies whilst opening presents: dark chocolate almonds, dark chocolate cranberries, lavender walnuts, roasted macadamia nuts.
• Tofurkey Roast
• Tofurkey Gravy
• Cranberry Sauce
• Apple & Cranberry Dumplings.
• Roast Potatoes.
• Golden Rutabaga Casserole.
• Garlic Green Beans.
• The others had Brussel Sprouts.
• Sparkling Apple Juice.
• Fruit cake for dessert.

[Ruby Rose]

Roxy - your dinner sounds amazing. Rutabaga is swede, right? But the thing that really caught my eye was

lavender walnuts

What are they? - they sound delicious. So did you make them, and if so can you share the recipe?

[Buddha Belly]

Christmas dinner was:
Haggis
Sprouts
Parsnips (roasted with the sprouts as Helen hates both)
Cabbage
Carrots
Sweetcorn
Peas
Gravy.

No pudding as we are not huge sweet fans. Though yesterday i made a pudding that was a sweet sausage roll- Banana, raisin and agarve syrup in puff pastry rolls.

We ate alone and had our families take the piss out of us all day as we ate at 10.30am. We are quite lucky, we get some remarks for our veganism but nowhere as much or as horrid as a lot of you guys.

[erynne936]

christmas dinner was just my husband and i. he thought i made too much food but i wanted a lot of leftovers!

we had:

green bean casserole
stuffing
chick pea cutlets
mushroom gravy
sweet potatoes
spritz (cookie press) cookies
organic red wine
soy nog

it was a lovely christmas

[ellaminnowpea]

This is my first post in almost three months, but I just had to post to tell everyone that both of my parents cooked completely vegan meals!! It was awesome to eat in peace with no animal cruelty! This is the first time they've acknowledged my veganism and I'm so happy they understand how important it is to me and are making such an effort!! I have never seen them make such an effort to make me happy

Christmas Eve (Dad's house):

Tofurky roast
Tofurky gravy
veggie dumplings
green beans w/ sliced almonds
steamed carrots
spiced broccoli
vanilla rice dream

Christmas Day (Mom's house):

vegetable curry
spicy 'chicken' strips
spinach rice 'balls'
roasted sweet potatoes
steamed fresh green beans
vanilla soy icecream
vegan pumpkin bread

[Roxy]

Roxy - your dinner sounds amazing. Rutabaga is swede, right? But the thing that really caught my eye was



What are they? - they sound delicious. So did you make them, and if so can you share the recipe?

Yes, a rutabaga is also known as a swede or a turnip.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutabaga

The lavender walnuts were from a package I'm sad to say. http://sahalesnacks.com/products_nutBlends_dauphine.asp

[convectuoso]

uhh i wasn't cooking it so all i had was
4 brocolli tree thingys
10 slices of carrots
and some gravy

mmm filling

so sad

[Nyphur]

uhh i wasn't cooking it so all i had was
4 brocolli tree thingys
10 slices of carrots
and some gravy

mmm filling

so sad

The first christmas I was vegetarian, my dad had no idea what to do and just served me christmas dinner minus the meat. When he realised I essentially had a plate with potatoes, brussel sprouts and cabbage on it, I could see he was annoyed at himself. I ended up getting a nice big selection of various chopped vegetables too which was nice.

Nowadays I just buy fake meat and play pretend so I can join in ^^;

[Kosherbean]

My omni family ate beef (gag, writhe) but I had baked sweet potatoes, homemade rolls, beens and peas, and green salad. It was pretty good! I LOVE sweet potatoes.

[Roxy]

Sweet potatoes and yams. Yum! I had yam fries the other night and oh they were good!

[BlackCats]

This is my first post in almost three months, but I just had to post to tell everyone that both of my parents cooked completely vegan meals!!

That's great and hello again.

[Roxy]

Great news ella

[Est]

REALLY great news LMNOP

Me and omni OH had a Redwoods Celebration Roast and unfortunately it tasted terrible Quite chemical and definitely "fake". He struggled through most of his, but I left mine after 1 mouthful of slice and 1 mouthful of sausage. Yuck!

We forgot to start the potatoes in time to roast them so had to have mash instead (don't get me wrong, I like mashed potato... but adore roasties and was really looking forward to them).

And my veg tasted awful because I told OH the wrong quantities to use in the sweet roasting dressing, so I left a lot of that too.

So pretty much all I ate was mashed potato and stuffing balls! It was not a Christmas dinner to remember!

[Marrers]

Aw, poor Est. Good to hear about your dinners ellaminnowpea!

On Xmas Day I ate in a restaurant, I had turnip and chestnut soup followed by chestnut roast with sautéed brussel sprouts, mushrooms, green beans and spinach and roast potatoes. For dessert I had christmas pudding and soya custard.
On Boxing Day my friends cooked. We had filo pastry creamy spinach tarts with roast potatoes and roasted parsnips and beetroot, carrots baked in seasoned margerine, brussel sprouts boiled in cider and yorkshire pudding. For dessert we had home made chocolate cake and soya cream.

[Est]

Now that sounds a LOT better than my food, Marrers! *jealous* lol

[Enchantress]

I had nut roast, roast potatoes and parsnips, steamed peas and carrots, brussel sprouts, cranberry sauce and gravy.

[Sluggie]

My sister cooked for me. She made

Chestnut roast with a tomato sauce
Roast parsnips
Stuffing balls
Peas
Carrots
Baked potato,

and for dessert I had Christmas pudding, a mince pie and Swedish Glace.

[vava]

I made the vegan turkey roast from here -

http://www.everydaydish.tv/index.php...ipe&recipe=148

it was ok - but I felt really weird when I sliced it as it felt like slicing meat. I wish I had stuck with the nut roast. I will eat the remaining stuff that I have frozen - thinking of it only as a good protein source but it is not something I would make again.

[Roxy]

Chestnut roast with a tomato sauce

Ooo, chestnut roast sounds lovely. I love chestnuts too.

[twinkle]

I had my fourth Christmas dinner of the season today, with my parents.

We had Chestnut roast en croute made by my mum so I got to compare hers with mine. Hers had brandy in and homemade pastry so beats mine by a whisker, I still think mine was good though! We also had homegrown butternut squash (roast with herbs), roast onions, roast potatoes, boiled potatoes (I told her I wasn't sure I could handle any more roasties for a while, never thought I'd say that! ), chestnut and tomato stew, boiled carrots and sprouts. For pudding there was Christmas pudding (the first vegan one my mum has ever made. Came out lovely!) with soya custard for me. And a bit later on I had raw Booja Boojas - raspberry flavour. Anyone else tried these? They're really good!

I am so stuffed!

[ellaminnowpea]

Thanks for the welcome back everyone

And these Christmas meals sound so good; I should really learn to cook!!

[Cherry]

Oooooh, that sounds fab Twinkle. Chestnut roast AND pastry!!!

[seamus]

gnocci with rich red tommy sauce orchini mushers and assortment of roasted veg. nice so it was

[Roxy]

Mmmm gnochi. Did you make it yourself, from scratch?

[DiaShel]

I had red curry tofu, mashed potatoes and spinach. A little traditional, a little not. But yummy! Desert was pumpkin cheesecake (it came out terrible)

Christmas eve we do snacky foods so I had chips with pico de gallo and guac, spinach rolls made with spinach, vegan cream cheese and garlic in this flaky pastry thing, veggie potstickers. I made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies for desert and had store bought brownie bites.

[Roxy]

I especially love the sound of the red curry tofu and the spinach pastries

[DiaShel]

They were amazing! and actually my omni family's doing! My brother made the red curry (after I cooked the tofu because he didn't know how) and my mom made the spinach pinwheels with cheese and I thought up the vegan version so she made some like that. It seemed people liked the vegan ones just as much is not more!

[Roxy]

Ooooo isn't that great!