Vegan Christmas Recipes Twelve vegan Christmas recipes for the twelve days of Christmas!

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1 Vegan Christmas Recipes Twelve vegan Christmas recipes for the twelve days of Christmas!

2 Andalusian Gazpacho Serve this vegetable packed Andalusian Gazpacho in soup bowls, each garnished with a sprig of parsley. Recipe makes twelve cups. 1 medium cucumber 1 medium green bell pepper 5 scallions 2 cloves minced garlic 3 medium tomatoes 2 stalks celery 1 bunch small parsley 13 leaves fresh basil 1 sprig fresh oregano 3-1/2 cups cooked small white beans 2 tablespoons olive oil 6 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 medium ripe avocado 1 teaspoon cumin 4-6 ounces tomato juice 2 teaspoons salt Peel cucumber and discard peel. Remove seeds and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Remove and discard stems and seeds from bell pepper; cube bell pepper. Trim root ends from green onions and slice crosswise about 1/2-inch thick slices. Dice tomatoes into 1/4-inch cubes. Slice celery and avocado into 1/4-inch cubes. (Reserve 10 small, perfect sprigs of parsley for garnish.) Mince remaining parsley, enough to equal 1/3 cup. Mince basil to equal about 1/3 cup. Mince oregano to equal about 1 tablespoon. Combine everything (except 10 sprigs of parsley) in a large plastic container. Stir to mix thoroughly and chill 4 to 12 hours. Serve in soup bowls, each garnished with a sprig of parsley. Recipe makes 12 servings Serving size: 1 cup.

3 Gazpacho (Three Variations) Three variations of gazpacho. Gazpacho is a cold vegetable soup, often defined as a liquid salad and used in summer. These recipes, however, were made to enjoy over the Christmas season. Gazpacho I 24 tomatoes 4 cucumbers 4 green peppers 8 cloves garlic Optional: Chopped onion 4 cups olive oil 2 cups wine vinegar 4 teaspoons of salt Put the tomatoes in boiling water for 30 seconds to make peeling easier and dice it in small chunks. Peel cucumber and dice it small. Dice pepper and garlic cloves very small. Mix all the vegetables in a food processor starting with tomatoes until it gets soup consistency. Add the vinegar and pour oil slowly without stopping the mixer. Add some cold water if the mix gets thick. Gazpacho should be soup, not a cream. Add salt to taste. Serve cold. Recipe makes 16 servings. Gazpacho II Serve as a holiday beverage or as a cold soup. 1 medium tomato, peeled and diced 1/4 large cucumber, peeled and chopped 1/4 large green pepper, seeded 2 slices of an onion 2 parsley sprigs 6 ice, cubes Combine and liquefy in blender with ice cubes. Serves 1

4 Gazpacho II 8 ounces tomatoes (3 large) 1/3 cucumber 1 small green sweet bell pepper 1 small red bell sweet pepper 1/2 small onion 2 garlic cloves 1 cup tomato juice 5 ounces vegetable stock 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives, mint, or both You will need a blender to make this soup; and you will need to start in advance to allow time for chilling. Add drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil at the end if you like. Dice the tomatoes, cucumber and bell peppers. Reserve about a quarter of each for garnish, and put the rest into the blender. Finely dice the onion and garlic, and add these to the blender too. Pour the tomato juice into the blender and blend until smooth. Stir in the stock and wine vinegar, and chill for 30 minutes. Mix in the reserved vegetables and the herbs. Serve with croutons or French bread if desired. (Serves 4)

5 Barley Mushroom Winter Borscht Barley Mushroom Winter Borscht with barley and mushrooms with baby Lima beans, miso, onion, turnips, carrots, garlic and seasoned with pepper, marjoram and rosemary. Hearty and healthy. 1 cup barley 1/2 cup mixed baby lima beans 1 tablespoon olive oil 6 cups water 2 tablespoons miso 1 large onion, chopped 5 to 6 turnips, peeled and cubed 2 carrots, sliced about 1/2-inch thick 1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste) 2 teaspoons marjoram 1 teaspoon rosemary 1/3 cup tamari 3 tablespoons butter or margarine Saute the garlic and onion in olive oil on medium heat until the onions are translucent. Combine the barley, lima beans, split peas, lentils, miso, and water with the onion/garlic, and bring to a boil. Add the turnips and carrots, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. (If you have broccoli stems, peel and slice them and add them at this point. Add the mushrooms, spices and tamari and continue cooking on a low heat for another hour. Add the margarine, let sit for a few minutes, and serve. If cooking the night before, you might want to add 1 cup of water and heat again just before serving; the barley tends to absorb water, and if you omit this extra water, you end up with a tasty gruel. Recipe makes 4 servings.

6 Basque Potatoes Made with three pounds of new potatoes seasoned with garlic, parsley, thyme, rosemary, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper. 3 pounds of small new red potatoes 6 tablespoons butter or margarine 3 tablespoons olive oil 3 large garlic cloves, crushed 1/2 cup chopped parsley 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried 1-1/2 teaspoon minced fresh or crushed rosemary 1-1/2 teaspoon paprika Dash cayenne pepper 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper In a large roasting pan, melt margarine in the oil over moderate heat. Add garlic, parsley, thyme, rosemary, paprika and cayenne. Add potatoes and roll them in the seasoned margarine to coat well. Bake, basting the potatoes occasionally with the margarine, for about 40 minutes, or until tender. Season with the salt and pepper. Yield 8 to 10 servings as a side dish.

7 Borscht Borscht is a simple beet soup typically made with beef broth and garnished with sour cream. This vegetarian version uses cabbage, beets, onion and carrot. 1/2 head small green cabbage, finely shred 4 peeled beets 1 onion 1 carrot Whole cloves Peppercorns Tomato juice and apple cider to cover veggies Lemon juice or vinegar Heat a little oil in frying pan, add 1 bay leaf, a few whole cloves, and several peppercorns. Add the vegetables and saute a few minutes. Transfer to cooking pot and add equal amounts of tomato juice and apple cider to cover the vegetables. Simmer 30 to 40 minutes. Now add lemon juice or vinegar until the broth is distinctly tart, balanced by the sweetness of the cider. Add salt to taste. Serve with horseradish. Recipe makes 4 servings.

8 Bread Sauce with Roasted Garlic A delicious Bread Sauce with Roasted Garlic with plenty of garlic. Soya milk and vegan margarine replace animal products. 1 clove of garlic 3 tablespoons olive oil 6 cloves 1 onion, peeled and left whole 1 bay leaf 6 whole peppercorns 1/2 pint Soya milk 2 ounces fresh white bread crumbs 1/2 ounce vegan margarine Salt and freshly ground black pepper Grated nutmeg Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Break the garlic into cloves leaving the skin on. Place in a small oven-safe dish drizzle with olive oil and bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes until tender when pierced with a knife. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Stick the cloves into the onion and place in a saucepan with the bay leaf peppercorns and Soya milk. Bring to the boil then take the pan off the heat and add the bread crumbs. Stir in the margarine and leave to stand for 30 minutes. Squeeze the garlic out of their skins and mash until you have a creamy textured puree. Remove the peppercorn onion and bay leaf from the sauce and stir in the creamed garlic. Season to taste with salt pepper and nutmeg. Re-heat gently to serve. Recipe Note You can make this sauce in advance and keep frozen until required. Nutrition Information Recipe makes 4 to 6 servings.

9 Festive Chestnut Bread Rolls Very healthy, Festive Chestnut Bread Rolls that qualify as a vegan as well as vegetarian. Whole meal and white flours, chopped chestnuts and spiced nice with your choice of either nutmeg or cinnamon. 6 ounces whole meal flour 6 ounces white flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg or cinnamon 1/2 ounce fresh yeast (or 1 teaspoon dried yeast) 2 teaspoons sugar 8 ounces hot water 4 ounces chestnuts (cooked weight), chopped To glaze: soya milk Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, stir the flours, salt, and the nutmeg and/or cinnamon. Cream the yeast, sugar together, and add a little hot water. Mix well and leave in a warm place for 5 minutes, until frothy. Pour the yeast mixture over the flour in the bowl and add enough water, onetablespoon at a time, to make stiff, but not sticky, dough. Tip the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead for ten minutes. Place the dough in a clean, lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean tea towel or loose cling film and leave in a warm place until doubled in size (about 1 hour). Punch the dough down, turn out onto a floured surface, add the chopped chestnuts and knead for 5 minutes, making sure the chestnuts are evenly distributed throughout the mixture. Divide into 6 balls and shape into rolls. Allow to prove by leaving the rolls in a warm place for 20 to 30 minutes, until well risen. Glaze with Soya milk and bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the pre-heated oven. If the rolls sound hollow when tapped on the base, they are cooked.

10 Mincemeat and Apricot Crumble Mincemeat and Apricot Crumble with vegetarian mincemeat, which is widely available in both basic and luxury versions. You can use basic mincemeat in this recipe and transform it into a luxury one by the addition of brandied apricots. This festive tart is equally delicious served hot or cold. 8 ounces dried apricots 8 tablespoons brandy 8 ounces ready-made pastry crust 1 pound jar of vegetarian mincemeat 8 ounces Bramley apples, peeled, cored and sliced Juice of 1 lemon Toasted flaked almonds, for decoration if desired Soya cream to serve Crumble topping: 2 ounces white flour 2 ounces ground almonds 2 ounces vegan margarine 2 ounces soft brown sugar Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Marinade the dried apricots in the brandy for at least 1 hour. Roll out the pastry and use to line a 22cm/9-inch loose bottomed flan ring. Prick the base with a fork and rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Line with baking parchment and baking beans and bake blind for about 10~15 minutes in the pre-heated oven. Remove from the oven and allow cooling a little. Chop up the marinated apricots and stir into the mincemeat with any remaining brandy. Use to fill the base of the pastry case. Slice the prepared apples, dip in lemon juice to prevent them discoloring and arrange on top of the mincemeat. For the crumble topping: Mix the flour and ground almonds in a bowl rub in the vegan margarine and stir in the sugar. Sprinkle the crumble topping on top of the apples and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until golden. Divide into 6 balls and shape into rolls. Allow to prove by leaving the rolls in a warm place for 20 to 30 minutes, until well risen. Decorate with toasted almonds and serve with vegan Soya cream.

11 Mushroom Stuffed Filo Parcels Mushroom Stuffed Filo Parcels place a stuffed mushroom in the middle of the filo pastry and top with a teaspoon of cranberry or red currant sauce. Very festive! 6 flat field mushrooms Oil to fry the mushrooms 8 ounce packet fresh or frozen filo pastry 1 tablespoon melted vegan margarine 6 teaspoons cranberry or red currant sauce Extra cranberry or red currant sauce, to serve Hazelnut stuffing: 1 packet vegetarian stuffing mix Parsley, lemon and thyme 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 stick celery, finely chopped 1-1/2 teaspoon vegan margarine 2 ounces roasted hazelnuts, chopped Soya milk, for binding Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Fry the mushrooms for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until tender, then cool. Make up the stuffing mix of your choice. Fry the onion and celery in the margarine, and then add the stuffing mix and hazelnuts. Add a little Soya milk if necessary to bind together. Leave to cool. Fill each flat field mushroom with the stuffing mixture. Take three sheets of filo pastry at a time. Cut in half so you have 10 squares. Take one square and brush with melted butter or margarine. Place another square on top at an angle, and brush again. Do the same with a third sheet. Place a stuffed mushroom in the middle of the filo pastry and top with a teaspoon of cranberry or red currant sauce. Bring the edges of the pastry up together and pinch them to form a little parcel (moneybag shape). Make up the rest of the parcels in the same way. Brush with melted margarine and place on a greased baking tray. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 15 to 20 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden. Serve dish hot with extra cranberry or red currant sauce. Recipe makes 5 servings Serving size: 2 squares

12 Orange Carrots and Sweet Potatoes Orange carrots and sweet potatoes makes a delicious change from the traditional Brussels sprouts and roasted parsnips. 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled 1/2 ounce margarine 6 ounces orange juice 1 inch piece root ginger, peeled, grated, juice squeezed out Grated zest of 1/2 orange 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into match sticks Salt, to taste Freshly ground black pepper to taste Chopped parsley, for garnish Parboil the sweet potatoes in boiling lightly salted water for 10 minutes, then drain and cut into cubes. Melt the margarine in a saucepan. Add the orange juice, ginger juice, orange zest, sweet potatoes and carrots. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pan and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Remove the pan lid, turn up the heat and boil the liquid in the pan until syrupy, stirring frequently. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Transfer the glazed vegetables to a warm serving dish. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Recipe makes 4 to 6 servings.

13 Pear and Celeriac Soup For Pear and Celeriac Soup, parboil the potatoes and then roughen the flat side with a fork, so they get crispy when roasted. Celeriac always is the poor relation of the root vegetables, as people tend to look at its knobby exterior and shy away from experimenting with it. This is a pity as it has a slightly sweet celery flavor and purees to a beautifully smooth texture. If you cannot obtain celeriac, then try using a squash instead. 1-1/2 pound pears, peeled and cored 2 tablespoons sunflower oil 1 onion, chopped 1 pound celeriac, peeled and roughly chopped 2 pints vegetable stock Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Soya cream to serve Chopped chives for garnish, if desired Cut the pears into slices and poach them in 1/2-pint water until they are tender. Blend the pears and water together, and reserve. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and gently fry the onion until translucent. Add the celeriac and cook, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until tender. Add the vegetable stock and blended pears, bring to the boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Puree the soup in a blender and return to a clean pan. Reheat and season to taste. Serve immediately with a swirl of Soya cream and a sprinkling of chopped chives. Recipe makes 6 servings.

14 Roast Potatoes and Parsnips By parboiling the potatoes for Roast Potatoes and Parsnips and then roughening the flat side with a fork, they become very crispy when roasted, whereas the onion rings become slightly charred. 6 medium potatoes, peeled and halved length-ways 4 parsnips, peeled and sliced Pinch dried, mixed herbs 2 onions cut into thin rings 6 tablespoons sunflower oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper 8 ounces cherry tomatoes Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Parboil the potatoes for 10 minutes until the outsides are slightly soft. Drain and place in a roasting tin flat side up. Use a fork to roughen the flat uppermost side of the potato. Add the prepared parsnips, sprinkle with mixed herbs and arrange the onion rings over the top. Drizzle with sunflower or olive oil and season with salt and lots of black pepper. Roast for 40 minutes, basting several times, then add the cherry tomatoes and bake for a further 15 to 20 minutes until all the vegetables are cooked and the tomatoes have split open. Serve the roast vegetables with steamed broccoli, Brussels sprouts or mange tout with your Christmas meal. Recipe makes 4 servings.