Vegan food for celebrations

[Andie]

But I haven't had any sugar or refined carbs. I just got through having a mini-meal of beans, rice and salad and the craving for sugar has gone away. I think the protein balances it? Co-workers are noticing I've lost weight and one off handed said something about going vegan. I hope she doesn't do it to loose weight though. It goes so much deeper.
I've got a cold or something right now. Headache and real tired so I haven't exercised as much the last few days :-( I staid home from work yesterday. There are lots of changes going on at work and I think that is effecting my anxiety level.

[Artichoke47]

I go to my office's party tonight. Luckily, the place is making a great vegan meal of couscous and vegetables, and I have emailed with them and they appear to know what a vegan is! Now it's just the corpses that will bother me.

[foxytina_69]

sausages pink? whats the recipe

[PinkFluffyCloud]

sausages pink? whats the recipe

I'm afraid I don't make them, I buy them from the Health Food shop - they are lovely but I cannot remember the name of them - when I do I will post!

[feline01]

I'm really pissed off right now . My coworker was verifiying with the spanish restaurant that the carnivores are ordering from that the rice and the potatoes were made with no animal ingredients. One other coworker, let's call her Jerk, screams out, "Oh great, I have to eat this food that has no taste." The coworker who was ordering tried to tell her that the food wasn't being prepared any differently, she was just verifying the ingredients when the Jerk says, "Just have them make a special dish for HER" referring to me. I yell out, "Tell them to throw lard in it, I don't give a shit-I don't want this crap again." Then everyone shut up and it's really uncomfortable here now. I am really sick of this crap but my supervisor does it every year and I think it would piss her off if I didn't particpate. Though I do think this is my last year, I can't take this anymore .

[foxytina_69]

ugh what a bitch. im sorry feline *hugs* do your best to ignore her stupidity and enjoy the rest of your day. think about your healthy beautiful babys and how wonderful of a mommy u are and how wonderful a person u are for making the world such a beautiful healthy place. there are so many animals thankful for u. u are the one with good karma, shes got shit karma and let me tell u, shes going to have a shity life. i see bad things coming to her and shes not happy. atleast u are because u know u make a difference!

[Andie]

Office dinners remind me of family dinners, you get on the sh-t list if you don't go.
Feline, can you eat before going so you won't be hungry and can just nimble on salad? It's not fair but it's survival. Good luck.

[feline01]

We're not going anywhere, this pathetic party is in our room, the small-dungeon like room that 5 of us sit in so not only will I be stuck here for it, but I have to smell and see the animal corpses. Our clerical worker, the party planner, put aside $10 so that I can have falafel and eggplant salad. I just can't stand all this crap anymore-I was in tears when they were planning my baby shower last spring because of all the anti-vegan sentiment being expressed in this office.

Thanks for your support though, I guess I can be on VF gaining strength while this horrid "party" is happening tomorrow.

[PinkFluffyCloud]

Yes, Feline, just come and join the rest of us!!

Why, oh, WHY are people so obsessed with food that it has to be a symbolic part of every kind of celebration????????????

I just can't think of anything LESS festive than eating in a dingy office with your co-workers!

Ugghh, unsavoury!

[foxytina_69]

well i tried the roast. it was delish! but next time i will grind up the nuts more, so that theyre more like powder then chunks. my boyfriend loved it. ummy.

[Kevster]

Hmmm, had another Christmas dinner last night, the two houses in our co-op got together with some other people and we ate Christmas dinner, for the second time in a week i was ready to burst. There was creamed cashew and mushroom wellington, nut roast, potatoes, parsnips, swede, redwoods rashers wrapped around Veggies burger mix, all very good with bread sauce, cranberry sauce and gravy. (not too keen on the Redwoods rashers tho, but interesting to try)

There were also seven puddings including Christmas cake, very delicious, i think i managed to sample four last night and a further one today. The cake was the best, and all the food was vegan.

Just right to give me some energy to go down the gym this morning.

[boomer]

Baked the hell fire choccie cake that you ( I think ) linked before the crash, it is scrummy and that will be the dessert, and for main it will be a record attempt at how many variaties of veg you can get on a plate.

[cedarblue]

this is what i am having: we have it before and it is yummy for all

cashew nut roast with herb stuffing

oven: 200C/400F/gas6


roast:
2oz marg
1 lge red onion, peeled, sliced
8oz unroasted cashew nuts
4oz white bread, no crusts
2 lge cloves garlic
7floz water or veg stock
salt
pepper
grated nutmeg
1 tbs lemon juice


method:
melt marg and fry onion for about 10 mins till tender but not brown. remove from heat.
grind nuts in a processor with bread & garlic then add to onion with the liquid, salt & pepper, nutmeg & lemon juice to taste.

stuffing:
1 sm onion
1oz fresh parsley
4oz white breadcrumbs
2oz soft marg
1/2 tsp each of dried thyme, marjoram
salt
pepper


method:
peel & grate onion, chop parsley. put all ingredients in bowl and mix well.


put half of nut mixture in loaf tin, top with stuffing mix and top with remaining nut mixture. dot with marg.

bake for about 30/45mins till firm and lightly browned. cover with foil if it gets too brown too early.

we found it is better to let the loaf sit for about 15/20mins to firm up a bit.
line & grease a 1lb loaf pan

[foxytina_69]

thats basically the same thing im making. from this link:
http://www.boutell.com/vegetarian/nut-roast.html

its sooooooo yummyyyy.

its GREAT as "turkey" sandwiches.

[PinkFluffyCloud]

HeHe, I have been thinking of going 'raw' because I am all over the place with my eating at the moment, I need discipline!
I might start on Christmas Day, just to be annoying and untraditional!.

[PinkFluffyCloud]

Btw, Foxytina, the sausages are Redwoods Deli, with Oregano and Majoram. Look foul, taste lovely!

[Kevster]

I'm definitely not going to be eating Tofurkey, apparently it has skin as well, i don't particularly like to be reminded of Turkeys at Christmas dinner, i guess the same goes for other 'fake' meats too.

[jhodgski]

Does anyone know anywhere that does vegan birthday cakes? Preferably Spiderman ones!...

(I got a cake years ago from some place called The Vegan Cake Company (or something like that), but can't find their details anywhere now.)

Cheers,
James

[veganfreak]

make one! vegan chocolate cakes are dead easy to make, and so good that even omnis don't ask what's in them.

I have a couple of good recipes I could share....

[jhodgski]

I don't think I've ever baked anything in my life... And now wouldn't be a good time to start!

And I'm not very artistic as far as the spiderman decoration goes.

Can you give me your recipes though - will hopefully get someone else to do it...

Cheers,
James

[tasha]

I just had stuffedTofurky dinner in a box and loved it!

The ingredients were written in french and although I read and speak french, I am not what one would consider bilingual

The gravy is labelled vegan, yet the actual box everything comes in only says vegetarian. I have yet to find one with the ingredients written in English?? Maybe I'm dence?!

Is the whole ToFurkey package vegan?

[Pob]

http://www.tofurky.com/aboutus/curd.htm

All of our products are certified vegan by the UK Vegan Society, use non genetically modified or organic ingredients and are packed in 100% recycled paperboard packaging.

[Evilfluffbunny]

Is this the box where you get a 'wish bone' with the turkey?

I always wanted to try that but it was £20 in the health food shop! I always buy a plain Redwoods roast instead as they're only about £4-£5 and make several meals.

[tasha]

Rob (QG),

Thank you for the link, I can now enjoy without guilt!

Evilfluffbunny,

Yes, that is the one I had, it was so yummy...worth every cent! It was comforting and very filling. We roasted ours with carrots and potatoes. It comes with gravy, dumplings, and the wish bone.

It says on the box either cook for 3 hours frozen or 2 hours thawed, so if you try it and want to thaw it first, remember to open the box and take out the dumplings and leave them in the freezer (we didn't realize you had to do this and they kind of fell apart in the boiling water--but still were delicious).

That does sound pricey, if my conversion abilities are serving me right! It cost about $23 here, which I thought was even a little steep.

[Evilfluffbunny]

Sounds great Tasha. Maybe I'll find someone to go halves with then I won't feel so guilty for buying it.

[Wildflower]

I eat one every year on what we vegan-americans call Tofurky Day!

Oh, and i eat the Tofurky slices quite often. I like the smoked, had them for lunch today actually. And the Tofurky itallian sausages are awesome! Best fake "hot dog" ever. they make keilbasa and bratworst also.

all products are vegan - > www.tofurky.com

[Roxy]

I tried the Tofurkey roast for the first time at Thanksgiving last year. I loved it and had leftovers for a week afterwards!!

[katchus]

Hey,

I'm looking for some good recipes for Thanksgiving next weekend (I'm in Canada). Last year me & my vegan girlfriend made some tofu cutlets, black bean soup, vegan mashed potatoes... Sadly and as much as we tried to protest it, the cutlets were just NOT good. =(

On that note, I've told my parents I will do a lot of the cooking this year (two seperate houses/nights), so I need recipes that are tried and true! They are the kind of people who, while they support my choices, want no part in eating them. So I need some food that will 'wow' then so to say. =)

Thanks!

[JennyX]

as far as dinner foods go I am still trying to figure that out for myself but I did find this Tofu pumpkin pie recipe that looks bomb so I am going to be making it myself. In my experience if you can wow someone with a pie they will never second guess you again lol.

Good luck!
Ingredients

1 can (16 ounces) pureed pumpkin

3/4 cup vegan sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 package (10-12 ounces) silken/soft tofu,

processed in blender until smooth

1 9-inch unbaked vegan pie shell

Baking Directions

Preheat oven to 425 F. Cream the pumpkin and vegan sugar. Add salt, spices, tofu, and mix thoroughly. Pour mixture into pie shell and bake for 15 minutes. Lower heat to 350 F and bake for another 40 minutes. Chill and serve. Suggestion: Avoid the low-fat tofu for this recipe. Top with non-dairy topping and it will fool any pumpkin pie lover. Serves: 8 Preparation time: about 1 hour, plus chilling time. Nutrition Information: Calories-195; fat-6g; saturated fat-2g.

[Roxy]

Last year, I bought the Tofurkey meal from the frozen section and cooked that up according to the instructions. We also baked a whole bunch of different vegetables and it was UNREAL!

[mophoto]

yams are my favorite

[thecounterspark]

mmmmm I agree with that. yams are my favorite, too! not just talking about holiday dinners.. but in general, they are one of my favorite foods. *mouth waters*

[foxytina_69]

yum, i wanted to have one today i got some recently.

[Tigerlily]

Have mine. I bought a big yam a couple of weeks ago. I still haven't eaten it. Such a nuisance to bake, takes too long (~40mins). It's going weird looking.

[ConsciousCuisine]

^^ You can chop, slice or shred yams and add them to stir-fries, steam them or cook them in a number of other wyas that takes only a few minutes

[Tigerlily]

STIRFRIES!

I am making a big stirfry tomorrow with kale and snowpeas and now shredded yam.

[ConsciousCuisine]

STIRFRIES!

I am making a big stirfry tomorrow with kale and snowpeas and now shredded yam.

That is one of my favorite combinations! (Sometimes with tofu, tempeh or nuts or seeds ).

[Roxy]

I liked them baked. I'd never thought about using them in stir fries before!!! Thanks for the tip CC.

[foxytina_69]

what do you add to them roxy?

i always hear people saying they add cinnamon and whatnot to their sweet potatoes. i loooove baked sweet potatoes. theyre soooo yummy. i just dontknow what kind of toppings would go well. what about salsa? i love that with normal potatoes.

this thanksgiving is coming up, and i cant wait to make my nut roast and gravy and sweet potatoes and normal potatoes and veggies and mmmmm yummy!

[Roxy]

I've never baked them myself believe it or not but my sister in law did something yummy with some brown sugar one Christmas.

Earlier this year, my boyfriend (who was adopted when he was a baby), found out that he has a biological cousin living not far from us! We met this man and his wife and ended up going out to dinner a couple of times with them earlier in the year. As it turns out, they have no other family in Vancouver either (other than their 2 kids), so they have invited us to their place for Thanksgiving Dinner on Monday night. That's so cool! I've never been to anyone's place for Thanksgiving dinner before. This will be my 4th Thanksgiving.

Oh and Carol (the wife) said "Tell Roxy not to worry - I will have vegan food here for her"

[foxytina_69]

aweee thats so nice of her! ull have LOADS of fun!

[foxytina_69]

this thanksgiving were going to have:

nut roast
roasted or mashed garlic potatoes
sweet potatoes
candied carrots
some other veggies
gravy
maybe some extra stuffing
cranberry sauce

mmmmmm

cant wait for monday so i can have nut roast sandwiches.

[Tigerlily]

I don't know what we're having for Thanksgiving. It's next week (in Canada) and my mom still hasn't bought a turkey or anything for the rest of the family. Thankgiving is never a big deal in my house, though. My dad always works on Thanksgiving. Maybe we aren't even having a Thankgiving meal. Who knows.

But if we are, I will probably get my mom to veganize the mashed potatoes and stuffing (she always cooks it seperatly from the turkey because she thinks it's gross ).

[Roxy]

I have to work on Thanksgiving too, from 9 to 5. I don't mind though - I get paid time and a half

Then I'll come home, freshen up and get changed and go to Lorne's cousin's place for dinner.

[maya]

This is everything I made last year. I might just make the same stuff this year.

Tofu spinach and chestnut dip with veggies
Spinach salad
Turkeyless Turkey (seitan)
Garlic mash potatoes
Mushroom gravy
Roasted asparagus
Mushroom stuffing with whole wheat/white vegan bread mix stuffing cubes
Corn bread
Pumpkin pecan pie with tofu

[foxytina_69]

okay, this is my thanksgiving menu for tonight:

candied carrots
schezwan green beans
mixed peas and carrots
baked sweet potatoes
garlic mashed potatoes
gravy
stuffing
nut roast
cranberry sauce
vegan gluten free chocolate cake for dessert

[thecatspajamas1]

I'm going to make probably:
lentil dal patties
cranberry stuffing
mashed potatoes
baked apples...

The rest of my family isn't vegan, but my brother is vegetarian. So there will still be a turkey at the table (yuck!). But I'm telling my mom that I'll prepare all the other dishes, so that Ryan and I don't have to eat totally separate stuff!

I don't like pumpkin pie, but I think I'll make some cinnamon cookies, something cozy and sweet for cold weather.

[Hemlock]

There is a recipe from Veggie Life that involves making rice into the shape of a turkey, but I find that quite distasteful and disrespectful to the turkeys.

God, nooooooooooooooooo!!!! If i was going to make shapes I'd do a big pagan sun, a pregnant goddess or something artistic but a flipping turkey???

[Roxy]

Hey - great ideas!!

[thecounterspark]

my parents agreed to a veganized menu this year! yay. so here is what was decided on with everyone's input:

cashew nut roast with herb stuffing (same recipe that floats around everywhere)
cranberry sauce
vegan gravy
green bean bake
homemade bread rolls
onion and garlic mashed potoates
praline sweet pototo casserole

for dessert, choice between peanut butter and almond butter stuffed medjool dates and apple and strawberry crisp cake