What should we prepare for a vegetarian Christmas feast?!
What should we prepare for a vegetarian Christmas feast?
Most of my family members are vegetarian so we are planning on having a vegetarian feast. Any ideas?
Answers:
check foodnetwork.com. they have PLENTY of great ideas that might be of some use to you
Appetizer:
Bell Pepper Soup
A delicious, colorful soup made with sweet peppers that can be served hot or cold.
Yield 4 servings
Time 1? hours
Tools large saucepan or Dutch oven
wooden spoon
blender or food processor
small saucepan
Ingredients ? c olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
4 large bell peppers (any color*), seeded and diced
1 medium potato
?-1 t salt
1 t red pepper flakes
1?-2 c vegetable stock
Directions Heat the olive oil in the large saucepan. Add the onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes.
Add remaining ingredients except the stock and bring to a simmer.
Cover, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are tender, about 1 hour.
Pour half of the soup into the blender and purée, followed by the other half. Meanwhile, put the stock in the small saucepan and bring to a simmer.
Optional: if you want a smoother soup, you can sieve it at this point.
Return the soup to the saucepan, stir in the stock (use more for a thinner soup), taste, and season.
Serve hot or cold, with any of these toppings:
crème fra?che
sour cream
plain yogurt
chives
dill
scallions
Notes *Green peppers are acceptable, but red, orange, or yellow peppers will make the nicest soup.
Main Dish:
Veggie Burgers or Veggie Loaf
These vegan burgers, made with lentils, are healthy, low-fat, and delicious.
Yield 8-10 burgers or one loaf if put all together
Time 1 hour
Tools
saucepan with lid
wooden spoon
small frying pan
large bowl
blender or food processor
small bowl
Ingredients 1 c dry lentils, well rinsed
2? c water
? t salt
1 T olive oil
? medium onion, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
? t pepper
1 t soy sauce, optional
? c rolled oats, finely ground
? c bread crumbs
Directions Place the lentils, water, and salt in saucepan, bring to a boil, lower heat, cover, and simmer for about 45 minutes, until water is nearly gone and lentils are very soft, with splitting skins.
Sauté the onion and carrot in oil until soft, about 5 minutes.
Mix the lentils, onions, carrots, pepper, and optional soy sauce in the large bowl, then mix in the ground oats and bread crumbs.
While still warm, form the lentil mixture into patties, which can now be frozen, refrigerated (for up to 5 days), or cooked immediately.
Cooking (2 possibilities):
In a frying pan, heat a bit of oil, place a burger on top, and fry until brown, 1-2 minutes. Repeat on other side and serve.
In a 400o oven, bake the burgers on a greased baking sheet until light brown, about 15 minutes.
Notes You can eat these veggie burgers as you would a hamburger - on a bun or toast, topped with ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, onion, pickles....
Side Dish:
Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Make the most of the sweet potatoes available in winter - these stuffed sweet potatoes are sweet and buttery.
Yield 8 servings
Time at least 1 hour
Tools baking sheet
heavy saucepan
wooden spoon
knife
spoon
Ingredients 4 large, dark red sweet potatoes
1? T butter or vegetable oil
? c onion, minced
4 T crystallized ginger, minced
2 T golden raisins
2 T prunes, chopped
? t salt
black pepper
Directions Preheat oven to 450.
Clean sweet potatoes, dry, and place on baking sheet. Bake 45 minutes to an hour, until soft. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt butter over medium heat, add onions, and sauté until clear - 8 to 10 minutes.
Cut each sweet potato in half lengthwise, then scoop out most of the flesh, leaving at least ? inch along the entire skin.
Combine sweet potato flesh with onion, ginger, raisins, prunes, salt, and pepper. Spoon into sweet potato skins* and bake until very hot, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
Notes *If you want to make the sweet potatoes ahead of time, you can cover and refrigerate them at this point and then bake for 30 minutes.
Dessert:
Ginger-Brandy Cheesecake
Sweet, rich cheesecake with a ginger snap crust and orange glaze.
Yield 8-10 servings
Time 1 hour plus time to chill
Tools
small bowl
wooden spoon
9 or 10 inch pie plate or springform pan
food processor
small saucepan
whisk
rubber spatula
Ingredients 2 c ginger snaps, ground into crumbs
5 T butter, melted
12 oz cream cheese, softened
1? c sour cream and/or yogurt
4 eggs
? c + 2 T honey or sugar
? c + 1 T brandy
2 T fresh ginger, minced
dash of salt
2 T cornstarch
? c orange juice
? t orange zest
Directions Preheat oven to 350.
Combine ginger snap crumbs and butter, press into pie plate.
Place cream cheese, sour cream, eggs, ? c honey, ? c brandy, ginger, and salt in food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and add more honey if needed.
Pour into crust and bake until slightly brown on the edges and firm in the middle, about 40 minutes. Let cool. If using a springform pan, remove the rim once cool.
Combine cornstarch and orange juice, and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, for about 5 minutes, until smooth. Remove from heat, and whisk in 2 T honey, T brandy, and zest.
Spread glaze over cheesecake and chill for several hours before serving.
Notes
This is a great dessert for Christmas.
If you're feeling ambitious, you can decorate the glazed top with candied ginger.
Potato salad. Mashed potatoes. Yam. Corn. Brussel Sprouts. Stuffing. Salad with maybe some raisins in it or mandarine. Spinach dip. Lots of veggies as appetizers(cherry tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cellery, mushrooms) Chilli. Rice with cream of mushroom sauce. Deep fired tofu with red chilli sauce. Soup with avocado slices in it or broccoli cheddar soup. Layered dip, with beans, guacamole, salsa, olives, cheese and sour cream, with tortilla chips on the side. Fruit, such as grapes strawberries, apples and mandarines. Just have a little buffet table so everyone can serve themselves, maybe cook a little bit of meat for those who do eat meat. Sockeye salmon marinated in whiskey, soy sauce, maple syrup, and green onions is really good(in case you cook something for the few that like something that was once living). It's high in Omega three fatty acids.
I cook spagetti squash for my daughter. There is a yummy recipe on allrecipes.com for it.
Go to Culinary Chef at http://www.culinarychef.com for full vegetarian Christmas menu. Delicious stuff!
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Thats a horrible idea! A vegetarian would taste funny, what with all the tofu. Besides, how would you fit him/her into your oven?
lettece spainsh corn rolls
I love all the sides like mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, etc. Also, for a main meal you could do a veggie orzo, quiche or tofu dish.
Roasted potato quarters
Stir fried vegetables-lots of carrots, peppers, bok choy, celery, bean sprouts, onions, water chestnuts, cashews
Won Ton soup
Almond cookies
assorted fruits, i.e., water melon balls, cantaloupe balls, mango, strawberries, grapes, pineapple wedges, orange or clementine wedges, blueberries, etc.
Squash soup is one of my fav's not that Im a vegan but...
Stuffed Mushrooms, Fried Cauliflower w/cheese,
Appetizer:
Bell Pepper Soup
A delicious, colorful soup made with sweet peppers that can be served hot or cold.
Yield 4 servings
Time 1? hours
Tools large saucepan or Dutch oven
wooden spoon
blender or food processor
small saucepan
Ingredients ? c olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
4 large bell peppers (any color*), seeded and diced
1 medium potato
?-1 t salt
1 t red pepper flakes
1?-2 c vegetable stock
Directions Heat the olive oil in the large saucepan. Add the onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes.
Add remaining ingredients except the stock and bring to a simmer.
Cover, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are tender, about 1 hour.
Pour half of the soup into the blender and purée, followed by the other half. Meanwhile, put the stock in the small saucepan and bring to a simmer.
Optional: if you want a smoother soup, you can sieve it at this point.
Return the soup to the saucepan, stir in the stock (use more for a thinner soup), taste, and season.
Serve hot or cold, with any of these toppings:
crème fra?che
sour cream
plain yogurt
chives
dill
scallions
Notes *Green peppers are acceptable, but red, orange, or yellow peppers will make the nicest soup.
Main Dish:
Veggie Burgers or Veggie Loaf
These vegan burgers, made with lentils, are healthy, low-fat, and delicious.
Yield 8-10 burgers or one loaf if put all together
Time 1 hour
Tools
saucepan with lid
wooden spoon
small frying pan
large bowl
blender or food processor
small bowl
Ingredients 1 c dry lentils, well rinsed
2? c water
? t salt
1 T olive oil
? medium onion, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
? t pepper
1 t soy sauce, optional
? c rolled oats, finely ground
? c bread crumbs
Directions Place the lentils, water, and salt in saucepan, bring to a boil, lower heat, cover, and simmer for about 45 minutes, until water is nearly gone and lentils are very soft, with splitting skins.
Sauté the onion and carrot in oil until soft, about 5 minutes.
Mix the lentils, onions, carrots, pepper, and optional soy sauce in the large bowl, then mix in the ground oats and bread crumbs.
While still warm, form the lentil mixture into patties, which can now be frozen, refrigerated (for up to 5 days), or cooked immediately.
Cooking (2 possibilities):
In a frying pan, heat a bit of oil, place a burger on top, and fry until brown, 1-2 minutes. Repeat on other side and serve.
In a 400o oven, bake the burgers on a greased baking sheet until light brown, about 15 minutes.
Notes You can eat these veggie burgers as you would a hamburger - on a bun or toast, topped with ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, onion, pickles....
Side Dish:
Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Make the most of the sweet potatoes available in winter - these stuffed sweet potatoes are sweet and buttery.
Yield 8 servings
Time at least 1 hour
Tools baking sheet
heavy saucepan
wooden spoon
knife
spoon
Ingredients 4 large, dark red sweet potatoes
1? T butter or vegetable oil
? c onion, minced
4 T crystallized ginger, minced
2 T golden raisins
2 T prunes, chopped
? t salt
black pepper
Directions Preheat oven to 450.
Clean sweet potatoes, dry, and place on baking sheet. Bake 45 minutes to an hour, until soft. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt butter over medium heat, add onions, and sauté until clear - 8 to 10 minutes.
Cut each sweet potato in half lengthwise, then scoop out most of the flesh, leaving at least ? inch along the entire skin.
Combine sweet potato flesh with onion, ginger, raisins, prunes, salt, and pepper. Spoon into sweet potato skins* and bake until very hot, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
Notes *If you want to make the sweet potatoes ahead of time, you can cover and refrigerate them at this point and then bake for 30 minutes.
Dessert:
Ginger-Brandy Cheesecake
Sweet, rich cheesecake with a ginger snap crust and orange glaze.
Yield 8-10 servings
Time 1 hour plus time to chill
Tools
small bowl
wooden spoon
9 or 10 inch pie plate or springform pan
food processor
small saucepan
whisk
rubber spatula
Ingredients 2 c ginger snaps, ground into crumbs
5 T butter, melted
12 oz cream cheese, softened
1? c sour cream and/or yogurt
4 eggs
? c + 2 T honey or sugar
? c + 1 T brandy
2 T fresh ginger, minced
dash of salt
2 T cornstarch
? c orange juice
? t orange zest
Directions Preheat oven to 350.
Combine ginger snap crumbs and butter, press into pie plate.
Place cream cheese, sour cream, eggs, ? c honey, ? c brandy, ginger, and salt in food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and add more honey if needed.
Pour into crust and bake until slightly brown on the edges and firm in the middle, about 40 minutes. Let cool. If using a springform pan, remove the rim once cool.
Combine cornstarch and orange juice, and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, for about 5 minutes, until smooth. Remove from heat, and whisk in 2 T honey, T brandy, and zest.
Spread glaze over cheesecake and chill for several hours before serving.
Notes
This is a great dessert for Christmas.
If you're feeling ambitious, you can decorate the glazed top with candied ginger.
Source(s):
http://www.theveggietable.com/recipes/be...
http://www.theveggietable.com/recipes/ve...
http://www.theveggietable.com/recipes/gi...
http://www.theveggietable.com/recipes/st...
http://www.foodnetwork.com
um... christmas is over!