A Very Vegan Holiday Feast (for your ravenous upon arrival vegan guests, or if you're vegan: bring one of these dishes to the table!)
Chickpea Scramble + Roasted Sweet Potato/Kale and Quinoa Salad + Green Pea Dip + Energy Balls + Tempeh Bolognese + Brownies
Happy Thursday!
The final throws of Chanukah and the beginnings of Christmas are upon us. If you’re like me, your holiday (Yule) has already passed. Here are some recipes to get you through the final days of the year in a festive style, that also tastes great and will have you feeling your best. Unless, you’re allergic to a specific ingredient. Please don’t eat things you’re allergic to. I know, seems obvious, but these days, you just never know!
If you have to entertain guests all day, here are some recipes to fill out your menu.
All of these recipes are vegan, these days there is always someone at the table with some sort of allergy or preferred way of eating. It’s not that hard to accommodate for others or even ourselves. Give it a try!
BREAKFAST - CHICKPEA SCRAMBLE
serves 2
Ingredients:
2 cups (330g) canned chickpeas, drained
½ tsp. turmeric
½ tsp. paprika
2 tsp. olive or avocado oil
1 small onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz. (230g) spinach
1 avocado
Directions:
1.Mash the chickpeas with a fork, leaving some whole. Mix in the turmeric and paprika, and season with salt and pepper.
2.Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat and sauté the onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes, until fragrant.
3.Next, add in the mashed chickpeas and cook for another 5 minutes, then transfer to a bowl, cover with tin foil and set aside. Using the same pan wilt the spinach, adding a tablespoon of water.
4.Once ready, divide the spinach between 2 bowls, top with the chickpeas and serve with 1/2 avocado on top of each bowl.
LUNCH - ROASTED SWEET POTATO + KALE + QUINOA SALAD
serves 4
Ingredients:
2 medium sweet potatoes, chopped into cubes
2 tbsp. olive oil
½ cup (85g) quinoa, uncooked
1 red onion, cut into wedges
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch curly kale, de-stemmed and torn into pieces
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. thyme
Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
2.Place sweet potatoes in baking dish and drizzle with 1 tbsp. oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until tender. Then set aside to cool.
3.In the meantime, cook quinoa according to instructions on the packaging. Once cooked, set aside to cool.
4.Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tbsp. of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion and garlic, for about 10 minutes, until golden brown.
5.Stir in the kale and continue cooking until wilted. Transfer the kale mixture to a large bowl and set aside to cool.
6.Once all the ingredients have cooled, add in the sweet potatoes and quinoa to the large bowl. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and season to taste with salt and ground pepper. Stir to combine and serve.
SAVORY SNACK - GREEN PEA ‘GRINCH’ DIP
serves 4
Ingredients:
1 ⅔ cups (250g) green peas, frozen
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 avocado
2-3 sprigs fresh mint, leaves only
Directions:
1.Place frozen peas in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let them stand for a few minutes until defrosted, then drain and transfer to a food processor or high speed blender.
2.Add in the garlic, lemon juice, avocado, mint leaves, and season with salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. Add 1-2 tbsp. of cold water if the dip is too thick. Taste and adjust seasoning to your taste.
3.Serve as a dip with fresh vegetables, crisps, crackers or pita.
SWEET SNACK - ENERGY BALLS
serves 10
Ingredients:
1 cup (120g) dates, without stone
¾ cup (60g) almond meal
½ cup (30g) desiccated coconut
2 tbsp. chia seeds
2 tbsp. coconut oil, melted
1 tbsp. natural peanut butter
Directions:
1.Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender or food processor and blitz until everything is well combined and chopped to small pieces.
2.Using your hands, form 10 balls about the size of a walnut. Place them in the fridge to chill for at least 1 hour so that they become more solid.
3.Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
DINNER - TEMPEH BOLOGNESE
serves 4 - perfect for an Italian Xmas Eve dish for the “no fish” peeps
Ingredients:
8 oz. (225g) penne, uncooked
1 tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
7 oz. (200g) tempeh, crumbled
14 oz. (400g) can chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp. tomato puree
1 tbsp. apple vinegar
1 tsp. mixed herbs
fresh basil, for serving
Directions:
1.Cook pasta according to instructions on the packaging.
2.Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pan. Add garlic and onion and sauté until fragrant, for about 3-4 minutes. Add in bell pepper and crumbled tempeh and sauté for another 5 minutes.
3.Reduce heat to medium-low and add chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, vinegar and mixed herbs – season with salt and pepper. Bring to boil and let it simmer for 5-6 minutes or until heated through.
4.To serve, divide pasta and Bolognese between plates and garnish with basil. Top with vegan parmesan if desired.
DESSERT - VEGAN BROWNIES
serves 16
Ingredients:
8 oz. (220g) +70% dark chocolate, chopped
3 tbsp. coconut oil
2 ripe avocados
1 cup (200g) coconut palm sugar
2 flax eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
¾ cup (75g) almond meal
¼ cup (30g) unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp. baking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup (50g) walnuts, chopped
Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2.Line a 8x8-inch baking pan with baking paper.
3.Place the coconut oil and chopped chocolate in a medium size heatproof bowl. Place the bowl over a pot of lightly simmering water. Stir the chocolate and coconut oil until they are completely melted.
4.In a large bowl, mash avocado and then stir in the chocolate mixture. Whisk in the sugar, then add in the flax eggs and vanilla extract, mix well.
5.Next add in the cocoa powder, almond meal, baking powder and salt, mixing until just combined (do not overmix). Finally, stir in chopped walnuts.
6.Spread the batter into the prepared baking tin and place it in the middle of the oven. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes until the middle is set.
7.Let completely cool on a rack and cut into 12 squares.
If you made it this far - why not download my free ebook for tips on navigating the holidays when it comes to wellness, diet culture, and not feeling like doo doo? ;)
Happy Holidays!
K
DISCLAIMER: Please consult with your DR before starting any general fitness, nutrition, or wellness program or tip. This newsletter is NOT a substitution for professional, medical, therapeutic, or mental health consultation, diagnosis, and/or treatment. This newsletter is for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. It includes science-based/general guidelines, and is NOT personalized advice or training. These are just suggestions and if you try anything, you do so at your own risk.