Vegetarian/Vegan Holidays

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VeggiePumpkin
VeggiePumpkin Posts: 186
in Recipes
Greetings Veg Heads,
I'm wondering what you all have planned in the way of holiday, friend/family, festive, friendly food?

My Thanksgving, or "Thanksliving" was fantastic, but I'm scratching my head for Christmas day. The in-laws are making meat-filled jambalaya, I'm tempted to make a veggie version. Ideas? What's cooking in your holiday kitchen?

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  • clh126
    clh126 Posts: 115 Member
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    I'm interested in hearing everyone's responses because this is always a tough situation especially when it comes to my meat and potatoes ham-loving family! I'm going to be traveling abroad for Christmas this year, so I won't have to sort it out this time, but thanksgiving is always a challenge too. This year for Thanksgiving I focused on making a variety of veg-friendly sides, so I'd have something to eat in case there was just turkey and potatoes (yeah, that's what it's like sometimes). I made veg stuffing, roasted brussels sprouts, roasted sweet potatoes, squash, salad, and a variety of desserts and let me tell you, those brussels sprouts were gone well before anything else followed second by the sweet potatoes! And I made a lot of them too!
  • emyishardcore
    emyishardcore Posts: 352 Member
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    Make couscous with vegi's. I dont have a recipe for it, but I promise that it tastes good and it is also very healthy just as long as you make it properly. I have it every year on christmas day. :)
  • VeggiePumpkin
    VeggiePumpkin Posts: 186
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    I'm interested in hearing everyone's responses because this is always a tough situation especially when it comes to my meat and potatoes ham-loving family! I'm going to be traveling abroad for Christmas this year, so I won't have to sort it out this time, but thanksgiving is always a challenge too. This year for Thanksgiving I focused on making a variety of veg-friendly sides, so I'd have something to eat in case there was just turkey and potatoes (yeah, that's what it's like sometimes). I made veg stuffing, roasted brussels sprouts, roasted sweet potatoes, squash, salad, and a variety of desserts and let me tell you, those brussels sprouts were gone well before anything else followed second by the sweet potatoes! And I made a lot of them too!

    The roasted brussel sprouts we had made were also gone in a flash. For my main dish I made marinated portobello mushrooms that I cooked on the grill. I kept mine whole, but sliced the others to serve as a side dish. Came out GREAT!

    For Easter I made myself a pastie full of vegetables with a home-made mushroom gravy that was also great, but oven room was scarce.
  • VeggiePumpkin
    VeggiePumpkin Posts: 186
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    Make couscous with vegi's. I dont have a recipe for it, but I promise that it tastes good and it is also very healthy just as long as you make it properly. I have it every year on christmas day. :)

    That's a really great idea! Thanks! :happy:
  • Leanz
    Leanz Posts: 2,025 Member
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    I was wondering about this also! I have only recently started cooking and eating vegetarian meals and am lost for what to cook for Christmas - here in NZ it maybe hot!! May not as well. I guess a variety of salads, and maybe nutloaf with yummy nuts??

    Help, please
  • MrsODriscoll
    MrsODriscoll Posts: 127 Member
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    I make a veggie tart that my non-veggie parents love. You cook a sheet of puff pastry with a line scored round the edges so it puffs up like a box. Take the lid off and fill with - sauteed onions, chillis, garlic, roasted peppers (from a jar), olives, capers, tinned tomatoes and red wine vinegar all simmered until nice and thickened. Use this to stuff the pastry box, put the lid back on and pop it back in the oven just to warm through. I don't like C'mas but am looking forward to this year's dinner!
  • PatasDeGallina
    PatasDeGallina Posts: 155 Member
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    This will be the third year that we do Mexican food at my in-laws. I'm the only one who is Mexican (HAHAHA), but everyone loves the big dinner we all make. I suggested it a few years ago since we were all sick of turkey and the usual spread, which we've had already three or four times by this point in the year, and it was a grand success!

    The menu is:

    fajitas (chicken and beef for the omnis, portobello mushrooms for us)
    chips and queso (one regular queso, one vegan)
    enchiladas (regular cheese for the omnis, avocado, soyrizo, mushroom, onion, bell pepper, and vegan queso for us)
    guacamole (already veg)
    refried beans (already veg)
    Spanish rice (made with veg chik'n broth)
    Mexican pastries, i.e., sweet bread (empanadas are usually vegan, others not so much)
    ice cream (reg and veg)
    iced tea

    and margaritas!

    So your idea of having a veggie version of the regular stuff is a great idea. Or you can make something totally different that compliments the cuisine. With it you might want to bring something that's "normal" that is coincidentally veg, like bread or pie, so you can eat something that everyone else is eating. That way you're not just sitting there eating what you brought by yourself, but rather, "here, everyone, I brought TWO APPLE PIES, MMMMM!"

    I mean, I don't know if you bake, but pie will close gaps across generations and languages and borders and faiths and dietary restrictions like nothing I've ever seen. :wink:
  • blondishandbookish
    blondishandbookish Posts: 31
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    My sister in law is vegan so she is probably going to have mushroom encroute with porcini gravy
  • IvoryParchment
    IvoryParchment Posts: 651 Member
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    If you eat eggs, quiche can have festive colored vegetable bits in it,. Souffle is always dramatic, though hard to time with the other dishes that all want a shot at the oven last minute. Vegetarian shepherd's pie can be seasoned with parsley/sage/rosemary/thyme (aka poultry seasoning) and help fill the yearning for traditional flavors. It can also include festive colored vegetables, as could vegetarian lasagne with alfredo-type sauce. A layered briyani can also be a beautiful central dish.
  • VeggiePumpkin
    VeggiePumpkin Posts: 186
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    LOL! :laugh:
    I love what you said about pie. So very true!
    Last year my family did Mexican food for Christmas Eve and it was fantastic. I love your suggestion at thinking "outside the box" on what people would expect to find at the Holiday table (food wise.)

    Yes, I love to bake (and cook.) Pretty much just love food. Hahahah.
    Thanks for the post and sharing!


    This will be the third year that we do Mexican food at my in-laws. I'm the only one who is Mexican (HAHAHA), but everyone loves the big dinner we all make. I suggested it a few years ago since we were all sick of turkey and the usual spread, which we've had already three or four times by this point in the year, and it was a grand success!

    The menu is:

    fajitas (chicken and beef for the omnis, portobello mushrooms for us)
    chips and queso (one regular queso, one vegan)
    enchiladas (regular cheese for the omnis, avocado, soyrizo, mushroom, onion, bell pepper, and vegan queso for us)
    guacamole (already veg)
    refried beans (already veg)
    Spanish rice (made with veg chik'n broth)
    Mexican pastries, i.e., sweet bread (empanadas are usually vegan, others not so much)
    ice cream (reg and veg)
    iced tea

    and margaritas!

    So your idea of having a veggie version of the regular stuff is a great idea. Or you can make something totally different that compliments the cuisine. With it you might want to bring something that's "normal" that is coincidentally veg, like bread or pie, so you can eat something that everyone else is eating. That way you're not just sitting there eating what you brought by yourself, but rather, "here, everyone, I brought TWO APPLE PIES, MMMMM!"

    I mean, I don't know if you bake, but pie will close gaps across generations and languages and borders and faiths and dietary restrictions like nothing I've ever seen. :wink:
  • VeggiePumpkin
    VeggiePumpkin Posts: 186
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    Ooooo! That sounds really good!
    My sister in law is vegan so she is probably going to have mushroom encroute with porcini gravy
  • VeggiePumpkin
    VeggiePumpkin Posts: 186
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    That tart sounds wonderful! I made something similar for Easter and it was delicious.
    I make a veggie tart that my non-veggie parents love. You cook a sheet of puff pastry with a line scored round the edges so it puffs up like a box. Take the lid off and fill with - sauteed onions, chillis, garlic, roasted peppers (from a jar), olives, capers, tinned tomatoes and red wine vinegar all simmered until nice and thickened. Use this to stuff the pastry box, put the lid back on and pop it back in the oven just to warm through. I don't like C'mas but am looking forward to this year's dinner!
  • VeggiePumpkin
    VeggiePumpkin Posts: 186
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    I LOVE the idea of a festive colored quiche. None of the family gatherings is at our house this year, so I think a souffle is out (but is a great idea. Maybe I'll do that for New Years Eve.) I adore shepherd's pie and totally agree about the traditional flavors being important.

    Thanks so much for all the fantastic ideas!
    If you eat eggs, quiche can have festive colored vegetable bits in it,. Souffle is always dramatic, though hard to time with the other dishes that all want a shot at the oven last minute. Vegetarian shepherd's pie can be seasoned with parsley/sage/rosemary/thyme (aka poultry seasoning) and help fill the yearning for traditional flavors. It can also include festive colored vegetables, as could vegetarian lasagne with alfredo-type sauce. A layered briyani can also be a beautiful central dish.
  • VeggiePumpkin
    VeggiePumpkin Posts: 186
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    If you're ok with going "unconventional" I love to make a vegetarian Taco Salad when it's hot outside. You could set it up like a bar, put chips with salsa and guacamole on the tables, even make margaritas! Plus it's very vegan friendly (they'd just skip the cheese and sour cream.) You would just need:
    -veggie chili w/ beans (I like Amy's Organic Medium Spice)
    -shredded lettuce
    -chopped cilantro
    -diced tomatoes
    -jarred jalapenos (or fresh diced if you like spicy!)
    -chopped onion
    -shredded Mexican cheese mix
    -sour cream
    -salsa
    -guacamole

    You get the idea. You could also use refried black beans instead of chili if you like. Add Spanish rice for even MORE protein! Happy Holidays!


    I was wondering about this also! I have only recently started cooking and eating vegetarian meals and am lost for what to cook for Christmas - here in NZ it maybe hot!! May not as well. I guess a variety of salads, and maybe nutloaf with yummy nuts??

    Help, please
  • Leanz
    Leanz Posts: 2,025 Member
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    Thank you! Lots of great ideas!

    I like the mexican theme :)

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